Mr. Warner loved the Lord Jesus and he loved to tell others the glad tidings. Not far from his town was a place called Milton, where there was a busy coal mine, and he planned to go there and preach the gospel.
When the meetings started there was great fun made by the miners who had very little use for the Bible. In that mine there were quite a few women and girls, and their ringleader was called Mary. She and her friends laughed at the thought of gospel preachings.
“Mary,” said one of the others, “will you go and see what it is like, and let us know on Monday morning?”
“I will,” said Mary with a loud laugh.
And so Mary was found at the Gospel Hall, and settled down to have some fun as she listened for the first time to a gospel preaching. But God knew all about Mary and her careless friends, and He wanted Mary to know His love. As she sat through that service she became more and more uneasy as she felt her lost condition and began to realize that she was on her road to the lake of fire. When she heard of the love of God in sending His Son the Lord Jesus to die for sinners, she bowed. her head and wept. When the meeting was over, she was able to say, through faith, “The Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me.” Galatians 2:2020I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. (Galatians 2:20).
Monday morning came, and Mary was at work with the rest. Let us listen to their talk.
“Did Mary go to the preaching?”
“Yes, let’s hear the story and have some fun.”
“But I hear she was converted herself.”
“Nonsense, she hasn’t been. She still had earrings on this morning!”
Mary was standing nearby, and had heard these remarks. This was her opportunity to witness for her Saviour. Lifting one hand to her ear, she took off the ring, and laying it on the block before her, she raised her hammer and smashed it to pieces. In the same manner she treated the other. Then she turned and told the girls of the love of God that had reached her sinful heart, and urged them to accept Jesus too.
ML 07/09/1950