Years ago, before the coming of the railroads, people used to travel largely on horseback, in stage coaches, or by boat. In those days most everyone who visited the town of Cincinnati came by boat.
One sunny afternoon a boat arrived from Pittsburgh. Aboard was a company of people coming to live in Cincinnati. Their friends were waiting on the pier for the boat to dock. As soon as the newcomers stepped on shore, they were surrounded by friends and warmly welcomed.
But in that company which had just arrived, there was one who was a stranger. He had no friends or anyone who knew him in Cincinnati. He had a sense of loneliness as the boat came down the river, but he felt ten times more lonely now. What would he do? The crowd was beginning to scatter, when suddenly he called out, “Friends, if there are on shore any of you who love the Lord Jesus Christ, I am your brother.”
In a moment half a dozen were at his side. They welcomed him to Cincinnati and to their homes. How differently he felt now! Instead of being lonely he felt quite at home because he had found those of “like precious faith.”
How real and precious is the bond that is felt between those who belong to the Lord Jesus. Dear reader, can you say that you are a brother or sister to those who love Him? Do you like to be in the company of those who love to talk about Him as their Saviour?
ML-11/14/1976