“PAPER, sir, paper, Daily News, Standard, Telegraph papers,” cried the newsboy at the busy railway station, and the gentlemen put their hands in their pockets to pay for the news of the day. It was an everyday occurrence, but he still persevered in doing a trade in newspapers. Few took any notice of him beyond the small purchase, for as soon as they received their paper they were engrossed in “last night’s news,” or “money market,” or “foreign affairs,” and the boy went along to the other cars selling his papers as fast as he could.
“Paper, lady!” he said, little knowing that her ear had been attracted by the sweet music of the newsboy’s voice, and now she had the opportunity of seeing him, nor was she disappointed, for he was indeed a handsome boy. His dark eyes and brown hair added an extra charm to his voice, but his pinched and hollow cheeks and a sorrowful look in his eve told a tale of human woe.
Taking a paper she asked, “What is your name, my boy?”
“Johnnie, ma’am,” said he.
“Can you read?”
“Yes ma’am, I’ve been to school a little.”
“Johnnie, I had a little brother once of the same name as you, he had brown hair like you."
The whistle blew, in a moment the train would start, but there was something that drew the lady’s sympathy out to the poor boy, and she longed to give him something. She had no time to hesitate: a beautiful little Testament, with pretty steel clasp, was given to Johnnie with—“You’ll read it?”
“I will, lady. I will!”
One moment, and the train was rushing on its way, and Johnnie was waiting for the next train to sell his papers, while the Christian lady was silently praying that He who cares for the destitute, and whose love is beyond measure, would use the contents of the book to bring blessing in his home.
Some little time after she happened to stop at the same station. Coming in on the same train and looking out of the window, there she saw Johnnie, but so altered: he looked taller, healthier and cleaner, his eyes brighter and his voice sweeter.
“I wanted to see you, lady, and tell you about that little book.”
“Well, my boy, what has it done?”
“I carried it home, and father looked at it and read it. He was out of work, and so he had time,—mother read it too, and she cried, and when I saw them both so sad over it, I thought it must be a very bad book, and I wished you had not given it to me; but it’s all right now. Father don’t drink or swear, and mother is so kind, and I am to go to school, and it is all through the little book.”
Again the whistle blew, and this time it was silent praise for what God had wrought through a little Testament.
This is only one instance out of many where the Word of God has found an entrance into a hovel and made it a home, but perhaps my reader, you may he saying, “I have plenty of Bibles and Testaments in my home.” But I would like you to ask yourself, what good have they done you? There are some who have the Bible but never open it, while some read it and yet are not benefited by it, and a third class are entirely without it. Do you belong to either of these classes? Have you a Bible in your bookcase or in your trunk unused and unread? If so, search it out from its hiding-place and see if it does not contain that which is incomparable with riches. Jesus said to some of old, “Ye do err, not knowing the Scriptures, neither the power of God. Search the Scriptures, for in them ye think ye have eternal life, and they are they which testify of Me.” (John 5:3939Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me. (John 5:39)).
The Psalmist says, “Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to Thy word” (Ps. 119:9).
Have you confessed Christ with your mouth? Have you believed in Christ with your heart?
ML-10/24/1920