Into a shoe factory, where shoes were being made for the Government, a faithful servant of the Lord entered, and began to hand out Gospel tracts among the men, which some took, while others refused. When the intruder (?) had gone, the enemies of the truth grew bolder and reproached those who had accepted the little papers. The boldest of them snatched one of these leaflets from his fellow-workman, holding it in his hand in triumph and saying.
"I know where to put that thing," he places it between the inner and outer sole, nailing them together amidst the laughter of his like-minded comrades.
The eyes of the Lord were upon one of these pairs of shoes, as well as a dear soldier in far off China on the battle field. A ball from the ranks of the enemy struck him, wounding him, though not seriously; but he cannot rise, for his foot has been struck. As his comrades are rushing on to victory, he had to lie there and wait till help comes. In the meantime he examined his wounded foot; the ball had severed the sole from the upper part, and between he noticed a piece of printed paper, saturated with the oozing blood. He looked at it more closely and read these words:
"Shall not return unto Me void."
What was it which should not return void? He desired to know. With difficulty raising himself and bending forward, he drew out carefully the paper with the mysterious words. Only a small piece he is able to draw out, but it is enough to preach to him the Word of Life. It was God's own Word which was meant by it, and, no doubt, was meant for him. This touched him greatly. His whole life stretched itself before him; many a thing against him, accusing him before God. But supposing the ball had struck his heart, and ushered him before God as his judge? His very soul shuddered at the thought of it, for surely his lot would not have been with the redeemed in glory, since he knew nothing of redeeming grace.
Where would he have landed? This thought he was not able to conclude, but with trembling lips prayed,
"God, be merciful to me a sinner!"
How good he found it still to be the day of salvation.
The God of love and grace, whose Spirit hovers even over the battle fields, heard the cry of contrition and answered it. He drew this dear one to His loving Father-heart, and forgave for Jesus' sake, all the sins of his life, the mighty debt he had incurred.
Now a far better hope than to return to his earthly fatherland filled his soul, for heaven itself was now open to him, for the One who has said,
"I will come again and receive you unto myself," had first given him a right and title to yonder glory land, to enter it perhaps very soon, to sing the praises of Him, the Lord Jesus Christ, who has wrought the mighty victory against sin, death, hell and Satan, with all those who are redeemed by His precious blood, thus finding grace in the day of salvation.
The seed sown in his native land had borne fruit in distant China, though the Godless mocker meant to destroy it. God had shown again that His Word should not return to Him void, "but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it." Isa. 55:1111So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it. (Isaiah 55:11);