I well remember when I was a young man of sixteen or seventeen, I was a teacher in a Sunday school in a low part of the city. Living near the school was an atheist, who also was a Socialist. One day he sent for me to come and see him. I went to the house and found him seated at his bench (he was a repairing cobbler) with his leathern apron on, and the knives of various sizes which he used beside him. His children were in the room―they were girls. He began the conversation by complaining of the noise the children made when entering the school and when leaving it. I told him I was very sorry, and would try to see that this condition of things was altered. I moved to go, but stayed as he began speaking again. He said, “Sunday schools were no use―there was no God, etc., etc.” Then before these young girls he poured out the most awful blasphemies about the Lord Jesus Christ, about His birth, His life, etc., etc. I could not write down what he said before his own children about the Saviour. I was so horrified, that I went closer to him, and looking him in the face said, “You ought to be ashamed of yourself to speak in this manner about God and His Son before your children.” I then spoke of what Christ was to me, and what He had done for me. He sprang from his stool, livid with rage, and seizing a knife that was on the table, he threatened to kill me if I did not leave the room. His hatred to the Lord Jesus was blazing in his eyes. As I left him, with his terrified children cowering with fear, I issued warning after warning to him. He was standing still as I was speaking with the knife in his hand, and did not seek to molest me as I quietly left the room. In a letter I wrote to him next day, I emphasized all the warnings I had given him, and tried to put the Gospel clearly before him. I never saw him again, he must have left the city or I did, but I shall never forget the awful passion that possessed him when I spoke of Christ.
We want to help to deliver the children from the influence of homes like these. We want to give them Testaments to take home to read to their fathers and mothers if opportunity is given. For £5 we can send 500 Testaments to 500 children post free. Do pray for us, dear friends, for our hearts are in this work for the young.
Fours in Christ Jesus,
Heyman Wreford.