A LADY visitor was one morning going the round of a military hospital in India. One of the patients had shortly before been brought in with an injured or diseased leg. He was young, but of a repulsive countenance, sullen and impudent in expression.
On the visitor's coming up to his bed, he exclaimed that he wanted no preaching, for he was not going to die; and further, to deter any Christian effort, he spoke and swore violently.
God's messengers, however, dare not be easily affrighted from their allotted ministry. The value of each soul is too highly appreciated by them to admit of personal considerations hindering efforts after it. This one, therefore, sitting down by the sufferer, talked to him of his secular concerns, his friends and circumstances, in order to pave the way for higher and holier themes by gaining his confidence.
An hour or more had thus passed, during which the soldier had unbended and chatted away, when the visitor rose, saying other engagements were then pressing, but would he not allow her, after such a long talk according to his fancy, to say the few words she wished?
With reluctance he consented, on which she said that she had no worthy words of her own, and therefore chose for the time to read some of God's words; but that, if he liked, he might choose which particular portion of them he would prefer hearing.
After thinking a minute, he replied, “Some part of Proverbs; that has only moral sayings in it—no heart-work.”
The visitor, as she turned the pages of her Bible, very fervently prayed to know what passage she should choose, and was guided to the first chapter, which she react through.
Truly was this word then proved faithful “The word of God is quick and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart” (Heb. 4:1212For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. (Hebrews 4:12)). HEB 4:1212For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. (Hebrews 4:12)
The look of contemptuous derision and indifference changed, after the tenth verse, to one of interest; after the twenty-second to one of awe and excitement; and before the close of the chapter the soldier was crying and trembling, exclaiming that he was one of the refusers and despisers at whom God would laugh, and that it was too late for him to be saved, he having mocked and spurned the truth too much and too long for pardon ever to be given to him.
The Spirit led him to Jesus,; and the scorner became a loving disciple, giving evidence of the sincerity of the professed change. The “book of morals" was evermore a specially dear portion of the Bible to him, as that which had brought him to know the Lord and himself. The sinner turned at the reproof, and the reprover gave him the blessing.