An aged gentleman was on a visit to one of the noted watering-places. While taking a drink of water one morning at the spring, a lady came up to take her usual glass at the same time. The gentleman, turning towards her, asked in a pleasant yet thoughtful manner, “Have you ever drunk at that great fountain?” The lady seemed confused, and turned away without making a reply.
In the following winter, the gentleman was at a place where he was attending a meeting for religious conference and prayer; and at the close of the meeting he was asked to visit a lady who was dying. As he entered the sick room the lady fixed her eyes intently upon him, and said with a smile, “Do you not know me?”
“No; are we not strangers to each other?” was the reply.
“Do you not recollect,” said she, “asking a woman at the spring last year, ‘Have you ever drunk at that great fountain?’”
“Yes,” said he, “I do.”
“Well, sir, I am that person. I thought at the time that you were very intrusive; but your words kept ringing in my ears, and they followed me to my room and to my pillow. I was without peace or rest till I found Christ. I now expect shortly to die, and you, under God, have been instrumentally the means of my salvation. Be as faithful to others as you have been to me, and never be afraid to speak of Christ to “strangers.”
What a blessing was granted to this short but faithful word? Little do Christians know how God owns His truth. Let them scatter the precious seed, and He will give the increase.