Some few years ago, a most interesting circumstance was related to me by a sister in the Lord, who had a brother in the Army then in India.
This brother had been a special subject of prayer for some considerable time, that the Lord in His mercy would convert his soul. This desire of the sister increased as time rolled on, and she continued her earnest prayers to God on his behalf, when a thought was given her to send to her brother by telegraph a portion of scripture, and this the well-known and oft quoted verse, 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)— “God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
She then went to the telegraph office to inquire the cost of its transmission, and was told that the charge would be 25s.
Suspecting that this was more than she at that moment possessed, she found on her return home that she had only 20S. This brought her again on her knees for guidance in her perplexity. Why not commit the message into the hands of the Lord for Him to give it Himself to the soldier? This would indeed be a much surer and quicker way than by wire. She did so and happily rested.
Shortly after this, whilst sitting in her room she heard a knock, and on opening the door whom should she see, to her great surprise, but this very brother who had been so long laid upon her heart. With much joy they sat down together, when she related to him the deep anxiety she had felt for him, and her earnest prayer to God for the conversion of his soul by the direct application of His own word.
His reply was, “Why were you so concerned about that? He has converted my soul.” Oh, what joy this blessed news brought to her heart!
She asked him how this came about; and he then related how on his journey home be became deeply concerned about his soul’s condition as a sinner “guilty before God,” and was greatly depressed. Suddenly 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) was brought to his mind. “God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
‘Through the grace of God,’ said he, ‘I believed His word, and was converted.’
They then compared notes as to when this took place, and they found that it was about the very time when the sister had been enabled to commit the message to God for her brother that the scripture was in this remarkable way applied to his conscience and heart, with this happy result.
Both their hearts were filled with joy at this discovery, and much thanksgiving arose to Him who is worthy of all homage and of all praise.
E. P.