PAT was a poor Irish boy who lived in Dublin years ago. His father was a streetcar driver. Some young men who had been converted and with hearts full of love in the Lord, carried on a mission in a poor section of the city. It so happened that Pat, with his ragged clothes, his matted hair and unwashed face, sat in the Mission Hall one night and heard the gospel. Although ignorant and not able to write, Pat was a most attentive listener to the gospel story. Night after night it was simply told by these earnest young men who sought to reach the poor and the needy with the good news. They had a hard time of it on that back street, for there were some roughs and toughs who sought to disturb the meetings and to hinder the boys and girls from going there.
Night after night Pat wept bitter tears as the story of the cross was told, and no doubt it was while Jesus was lifted up as the Saviour, that he looked unto Him and was saved. Oh, how happy he felt with the burden of his sins rolled away, and the love of Christ filled his heart. The moment he got out of the door of the little hall, he started off to Sackville Street to tell his father what the Lord had done for his soul. Rushing up to the streetcar stand, barefoot and without hat, he shouted loud enough to be heard by all the streetcar men, “Jesus Christ has saved me; Jesus Christ has saved me!”
For a moment the men stood speechless. They were too much taken by surprise to answer. Then his father turned ashy pale, and rough man though he was, he burst into tears. Before they had time to seize the boy—for they really thought he was mad—he was off to tell the good news to his mother, who ran for help to take charge of the “insane” boy. He was actually taken away and shut up for several days, where, no one could tell. But although everything was done to shake his faith, Pat remained unshaken.
Whether he escaped or was let go, I cannot say, but it was cause for great rejoicing when the happy boy turned up at the little mission, boldly confessing Christ as his Saviour.
For many a year, Pat followed the Lord, a bright testimony to the love that had saved him. He followed his father’s occupation as a streetcar driver, and spent his spare time seeking to win others to the Saviour, others who are as he once was.
If Pat could talk to our dear reader today, he would urge you, if you are still unsaved, to come to the Saviour without delay. To know Him and to be saved, is the most wonderful thing that can happen to a boy or girl, or a man or woman, in their whole lifetime.
Come to the Saviour, make no delay,
Here in His Word, He has shown us the way;
Here in our midst He’s standing today,
Will you, dear children, come?
ML-10/04/1964