One evening, at a gospel service in New York City, Mr. Chapman, the evangelist saw a rather distinguished-looking man rise and say, “I will accept Christ.” After the meeting Mr. Chapman went back to his room with the thought the Lord had used him to lead that man to Christ.
The next day, at a meeting for prayer, Mr. Chapman saw this man come into the meeting carrying in his arms a little lame boy. He brought him forward, and placing him on the platform, he went over and whispered to the preacher so the boy would not hear: “I want to introduce you to my little Joe; he is not long for this world.” It was easy for anyone to see that, for the little fellow’s face was so thin and his hands so white.
When Mr. Chapman came over to where the boy sat, his father exclaimed with pride, “This is Joe; he led me to Christ.” Then he told Mr. Chapman his story: “When the gospel services began, little Joe said to me, ‘I can’t go, Daddy. But Mother will go with you, and all the time you’re gone I’ll be praying.’ Never did I come back home at night but I would hear the thud of his little crutch on the floor as he came to welcome me the moment the door opened. He would fairly jump into my arms and say, ‘Did you come?’
“But last night he did not ask me. I heard him coming to the door and as it opened he leaped into my arms, buried his face on my shoulder, and I heard him say with a sob, ‘You have come, you have come; I know you have!’ "
ML-03/13/1966