A bright, rosy-faced boy was Albert. His father, a pious man, had died and gone to heaven, and the widowed mother sought to bring up the two boys, Harry and Albert, in the “fear of the Lord.”
Harry, the elder, was better known to me than Albert, having often seen him at the gospel meetings at B. My introduction to Albert was very singular. We had pitched a gospel tent, and God, in his grace, was saving souls through the preaching, both young and old.
Among those convicted of sin was a man, who had allowed his mind to imbibe infidel notions. I was visiting him at his own house, and, as is aays the case where over forty years have been spent in the service of Satan, I was finding it difficult to show how simply a soul may pass out of Satan’s kingdom into the “kingdom of the Son of God’s love.” But God’s ways are very wonderful, and often He interposes just at the right moment. I was rather inclined to regard Albert as an intruder, coming suddenly in, without knocking, and depositing a parcel on the table, and then standing still, cap in hand, as though he had come to stay awhile.
My, conversation with Mr. E. necessarily ceased, as I could easily see that Albert was, a welcome visitor at that house; turning to the dear boy I suddenly inquired,
“Are you going to heaven with us, my boy?”
“Yes, sir,” he replied. “I was at the gospel tent on Sunday with my brother Harry.”
“Yes, but what of that? You might go to the gospel tent a thousand times, and yet not go to heaven, for scripture says, ‘Except ye repent, ye shall all likise perish;’”
“But I have repented, sir, and confessed my sins to God in my own bedroom.”
“I am so glad to hear that, my boy, but there is yet another thing, there must not only be repentance but faith as well, as scripture puts it,
‘Repentance towards God, and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.’ Acts 20:2121Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ. (Acts 20:21). Now if you have confessed your sins to God there is another confession which is necessary to salvation.” Opening my Bible I read,
“But I have confessed Him, sir,” he interrupted.
“Who to?”
Looking heavenward with the tears streaming down his cheeks the answer came, without any hesitation,
“To Himself, sir!”
“Thank God!” said I. “But now, what can you say to Mr. E. and me about Jesus, for Matthew 10:33Philip, and Bartholomew; Thomas, and Matthew the publican; James the son of Alpheus, and Lebbeus, whose surname was Thaddeus; (Matthew 10:3)2 Says, ‘Whosoever therefore shall confess Me before men, him will I confess also before My Father which is in heaven.’ “What is Jesus to you now?”
“He is everything to me now, He is so precious!” replied the dear boy.
“Now let us kneel and thank Him together.” The three of us knelt together while I thanked God for saving that dear boy so sweetly and simply, and giving Mr. E. to witness how simply a child enters the kingdom of heaven. We rose from our knees and 1 bade the dear boy “Good-night” with a few words of encouragement.
All this deeply affected Mr. E., who now let me out at the door. I told him that I could not help regarding this as a signal mark of God’s favor to him, reminding him of the words,
Thank God Mr. E. has since been converted.
ML 11/12/1944