Part 3 "One Soweth and Another Reapeth."

The Farmer’s Conversion.
“GLAD to see you so soon again, sir. I felt sure you would come. I see you have brought the good lady too this time. Mary will be pleased.”
“Yes, John, the story you so simply told me when we first met has moved all our hearts, and my wife would not let me rest until I had promised to bring her with me to hear some more of God’s work in this place.”
“Very glad to see you both. We will go indoors. I wanted to see you, for after you had left us the other night, Mary said, ‘What did he mean, John, when he asked God to lead us on into the full knowledge of Himself and His mind and will?’ I could not tell what you meant, but I have often felt, sir, that there was ‘more to follow,’ as the hymn says, and we both want the ‘more and more’ if it is His will.’
“Well, John, strange enough, this was just my thought too. Shall we arrange for a little Bible-reading in your cottage, say tomorrow evening? You can get a few of the dear men who love the Lord in with you.”
“Just the thing, sir, if you will come;” and so it was arranged.
“Well, John, for tonight, do let me hear about the conversion of the farmer up yonder. You promised me the story.”
“Yes, I did. Well, it was all through that Quaker lady; of course God sent her, I know, but then you see she came, and I cannot forget this.
“You noticed, I suppose, that simple country-looking public-house round the corner? In those very dark days that house was the center of all that was evil in the place. Sundays and week-days it was all the same, the only difference being that on week-days the front door was open, and on Sundays the back door; no one could sleep in the village until long after closing time because of the noise and uproar.
“The private parlor of this inn was reserved for a few choice spirits who nightly made the place their snuggery. Several farmers from the district used to ride in, put up their ponies, and late indeed it was each night when they drained their last glass and dispersed unsteadily for home.
“Farmer J―, from the Hilltop Farm, was one of the most regular attendants at the carousals. Year in and year out he had never been known to come home sober. I do not say his conduct was peculiar, for in fact it was characteristic of the neighborhood.
“But a sudden and wonderful change came about in this way. It was a magnificent autumn night, the full moon shining in all her beauty. Closing time was long past, and climbing the hill might be seen Farmer J―on his trusty nag. The effort of the farmer was to steady himself on the horse, and the effort of the horse was to get his master safely home, without what looked like an inevitable fall. The way to the farm led across a field, and to enter the field roadway a gate off the main road needed to be opened. The horse pulled up as closely as possible to the slip-pin of the gate, and Farmer J―mechanically placed his hand on the pin, the horse at the same time pressing the gate open and entering.
“As the farmer thus passed in he noticed that he had not only clasped the pin of the gate in opening it, but a printed piece of paper which remained in his hand.
“With both hands―for they were free, the bridle reins being loose on the neck of the horse―he opened the paper out. As he did so, the almost dazzling moonlight seemed to make two sentences printed in large red type stand out of the paper in letters of fire. They were: ―
‘ETERNAL FIRE.’ ‘ETERNAL LIFE.’
“The man was transfixed by the words; he could not move his eyes from the paper. All his guilty life passed before him, and he felt himself to be what he was, a hell-going, hardened sinner, and deserving ‘Eternal Fire.’
“As by a miracle the farmer was at once sobered; no trace of the night of folly remained. His soul was brought up sharply to face God, and God’s eternity of ‘vengeance’ or ‘life.’
“He placed the horse in its bog, and lighting a stable lamp, sat down to read the whole tract. In it the folly of those who lived for the ‘pleasures of sin for a season,’ but whose end would be the ‘vengeance of Eternal Fire,’ was contrasted with the blessedness of those who, having learned their deep need and God’s great love (John 3:1616For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16)), found themselves in that love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto Eternal Life. ‘Eternal Fire’ and ‘Eternal Life’ seemed to be burned into the man’s soul.
‘Down he went on his knees, and in that dimly lighted corner of the stable, a poor guilty sinner and a loving gracious Saviour met for the first time; the one to cry for mercy and pardon, and the other to minister forgiveness and peace.
“How long or how short the time spent in the stable Farmer J― never could tell; but he had no sooner got the God-given blessing himself, than he thought of wife and children.
‘Into the house he went with unusually firm and steady tread. His wife meeting him, could scarcely conceal her surprise that for once her husband had returned home a sober man. Her surprise turned to amazement when his first words were, Wife, have we got a Bible in the house? ‘A Bible! Why, John, ‘tis many a long year since we opened the old family book; I expect it’s on the shelf.’
‘Wife, get that Bible, and call up all the children; we must read that Bible tonight and now, for we stand in danger of Eternal Fire.’
“The family gradually assembled, filled with wonder almost bordering on terror. Something dreadful had surely happened; such a scene had never before been witnessed in that house. Farmer J― at the head of the table, all the family around, and the big Bible open before him at the scriptures mentioned in the tract: ―
‘To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.’―Romans 3:2626To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus. (Romans 3:26).
‘Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:
‘By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.
‘And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh, patience; And patience, experience; and experience, hope:
‘And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.
‘For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.
‘For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die.
‘But God commendeth, his love toward us in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
‘Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.
‘For if when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.
‘And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but leave eternal life.
‘For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
‘For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world: but that the world through him might be saved.
‘He that believeth on him is not condemned but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
“These verses were read, and the story of the meeting in the stable between the sinner and the Saviour told out, with broken voice and streaming eyes; then all knelt down, whilst Farmer J― in simple words gave thanks to God for His great goodness, and asked a blessing on every one.
“God heard that prayer, sir, for that household is now the active center of gospel work in this place. Every year the gospel tent is pitched in their orchard, and God blesses the work.”
“And where did this wonderful tract come from?” I asked.
“Oh! the Quaker lady pushed it in the gatepost, and God used it, you see, sir, for I believe she prayed over every tract she placed; God bless her!”
Long ere this story was finished, I had definitely come to the conclusion that God did bless the distribution of tracts find books, and that what had been lacking was my faith, and not His blessing.
“Good-night, John. Tomorrow, God willing, the reading, and ‘more to follow,’ you know. Thank you for your two wonderful stories. Surely when God works, who shall say Him nay?”
G. W. H.
(To be continued.)