I REMEMBER a little book being taken by a dear child at a children’s meeting, and when she had read it, and found it a blessing to her own soul, she took it, and read it to two friends of hers, both of whom received peace through its pages. Many a tract has been passed from hand to hand, read and reread, and, doubtless, could it but speak, could give quite a history of its journeyings.
In New York, a lady placed in the hands of a merchant a copy of the well-known hymn, commencing:
“My faith looks up to Thee,
Thou Lamb of Calvary,
Saviour Divine.”
He put it in his pocket, and took his leave of her.
Riding in a car towards his home, he sank into profound thought. He had but a few hours before seen a physician, who told him that a swelling, which had been somewhat troubling him, would prove a malignant tumor, and would probably end his life ere many months had gone by. The blow had almost stunned him, for though believing in the historical facts of Christianity, he had never yet believed on the Lord Jesus Christ to the saving of his soul; and now, face to face with death, he had no hope. His whole life, filled with divine goodness, seemed to pass before him, his neglect of the “so great salvation,” and his disobedience to the Gospel.
Sorrowing thus over misspent years, he remembered the leaflet, and taking it from his pocket, read and re-read its simple lines, and, by faith, adopted its language, and passed from death unto life, from sorrow into joy.
The physician’s warning proved correct: in a few months he departed to be with Christ, having the hymn which had proved such a blessing read over to him at the very last.
It may be that one of your little books may be used thus of God to open the eye of some blind sinner, or to give peace to an anxious soul. Sow, then, the seed; distribute what Gospel books you have to those who probably have never heard the message. Water by prayer the seed that is sown, and in “that day,” when sower and reaper rejoice together, there may be found some to whom the books, now lying idle in your room, may have been the greatest boon.
ML 01/24/1909