One day a little baby was born in a village near the sea in South China.
As it was a little boy, his mother was very proud and happy, and she felt that a name must be chosen for him that would bring him good fortune throughout his life. Probably many names were considered, but in the end he was named “Peace and Glory” as, no doubt, his mother thought that if he had “peace and glory” he was sure to be happy.
Often, however, boys and girls in their characters are very different to the names they bear, and so it was with little “Peace and Glory.” He had never heard of the “Prince of Peace”, the “King of Glory”, in whose service alone true peace and glory may be found, and as he grew up, his only thought was to serve his own will and do his own pleasure. He did not know that in doing this he was really serving a king, Satan, who would try to keep him from ever getting either peace or glory.
Like many thousands in the world, he did not know the “way of peace”, and there was “no fear of God before his eyes”, so that when an opportunity came for him to join a band of robbers who lived a wild, adventurous life in the hills near his village, doing no work but robbing and stealing from the neighboring villages, he readily threw in his lot with them.
As he was a strong, bold man, he soon rose to a high place in the band, but though the life seemed a free and easy one, he had no peace, for that can never be found in the bondage of Satan, and he always had the knowledge before him that if caught by the soldiers, he would be put to death without mercy. Certainly there was not much glory in that way of living!
At this time the Government of the Province in which he lived, wished to get many more soldiers for the army, and so a proclamation was issued, offering a pardon for all past crimes to any robbers who would give themselves up and would join the army.
“Peace and Glory” heard of the offer, and the thought of pardon was very sweet. How tired he was of living night and day in the fear of being captured and punished for his crimes! Certainly it would be much nicer to be a soldier, even if he did not make as much money! And with this thought in his mind he gave himself up to serve the Government.
When he became a soldier, the same strength and boldness caused him to raise rapidly, and before long he became the officer of the guard, which was stationed in his own village, as a protection against robbers. On more than one occasion he proved himself without fear of man by attacking strong forces of robbers, and he soon became a leading man in the village.
However, “Peace and Glory” was still far from the “way of peace”, as although he had changed his position in the world, he was still going on in the service of Satan, and was just as far from God when he became a soldier as he had been when a robber. To add to his pay as a soldier, he would spend much of his spare time gambling, at which he was very clever, and he also built a large house where men could buy and smoke opium, and he himself became an opium-smoker.
While he was in charge of the guard, a native Christian came to preach in the village, and stirred up the hatred of “Peace and Glory” by teaching that gambling and opium-smoking, which were so common in the village, were sins against the true God, and would meet with His punishment, unless the people repented and turd to the Saviour that God had provided.
Though some in the village believed and turned to God, confessing the Saviour, “Peace and Glory” would not listen to the teaching, even though the One who was preached was the Prince of Peace. Following his bad example, the majority of the villagers turned against the gospel, and made fun of the preacher, wishing to go on with their sinful pleasures, rather than to accept the pardon that God was offering in the gospel.
When the preacher was leaving the village, he called together the few Christians and encouraged them not to fear the sneers of their enemies, but to keep on serving the Lord, and praying that He would cause some others to believe through their words.
Years went by, however, and the people seemed just as opposed as ever, and even the Christians got discouraged and coldhearted, and after a time they stopped having any meetings together. One of them, however, was a young relative of “Peace and Glory”, and the older man often amused himself by ridiculing the faith and hope of this young believer in the true God.
Shiu Poang, as the young man was named, longed that his old relative might be delivered from the power of Satan, and become a follower of the Prince of Peace, and on every occasion he would press upon him his need of the Saviour he had so long despised. No matter how much fun the old man made of his words, he would repeat the story of the Cross, and assure him that it was only through the Saviour’s blood that he could ever have his many sins forgiven.
One day “Peace and Glory” agreed to read a Gospel that Shiu Poang gave to him. He thought that by reading it he would more easily be able to show the young man the foolishness of leaving the religion of his father and mother and all his relatives, to put his trust in this new Faith.
He began to read the Gospel of Luke, but he found that though the words were so simple, they seemed to convey a depth of meaning that he could not understand. He had often to ask the meaning of the things that he read.
One day he read the 15th. chapter and as he pictured to himself the hopelessness and helplessness of the poor prodigal son, Shiu Poang explained that the father’s loving forgiveness was a picture of the grace and love of God. “Peace and Glory” suddenly realized that he was the prodigal son, and that all his life he had been singing against that love. Truly he was in a land far distant from God, and it was a land of famine where there was nothing to satisfy his heart.
As the wonderful story sank into his heart, he realized also that the Father’s arms were open to receive him, and to welcome him Home. There and then “Peace and Glory” decided that he would forsake his sinful ways, and turn to the God who had so loved him as to give His Son to die for his sins. Believing on that Saviour, for the first time he found “peace” in his heart, and soon he found that he could also rejoice in hope of the “glory of God.”
How happy Shiu Poang was when he saw how God had answered his prayers after so many years! How encouraged, too, the other Christians were when they saw that God had done more than they had asked or thought, in bringing to repentance the man who had been the ringleader in their troubles.
When “Peace and Glory” knew His sins had all been washed away in the Saviour’s blood, his first thought was to tell all who knew him that he was now serving under a new Leader.
“I did not choose Him,” he said, “but He chose me and saved me.”
No more did he want to lie for hours smoking opium; now he wanted to use his spare time to learn more about his Saviour, that he might know better how to obey his Captain’s commands.
His opium house he turned into a Gospel Hall with gospel posters and hymns stuck along the wall, and Bibles, and tracts on the table for any who came to read. In one corner was his bed, and day and night he is glad to read the Scriptures to any who will come to listen, and he urges them to trust in the Saviour who had made such a difference in his own life.
Several months later “Peace and Glory” was baptized, and openly and definitely showed himself, on the new ground of trusting to the death and, resurrection pf Christ for his forgiveness and justification. Among those with him on that morning were Shiu Poang, and the preacher who six years before had spoken of the power of God to win others to Him,
As you read of “Peace and Glory” and how he was brought to walk in the way of peace, just stop and ask yourself whether you have also found that path, and can rejoice in hope of the glory of God. If not, you are still in the distant country, a prodigal from the Father’s Home.
One of “Peace and Glory’s” first acts was to go off to the district in which he had been a robber, that he might tell the people of the villages of the change that had come into his life, and of the Saviour who was able, and willing, to save all who would come to Him.
If you know that Saviour’s love and power yourself, will you not pray for this old man in China, that God may keep him safe from harm, and use him to bring many more to trust in the Lord Jesus Christ.
May we also tell others of what a long Saviour we have found.
ML 11/08/1931