There was a poor Hottentot in South Africa, who, working for a God-fearing. Hollander, was daily present at the reading of God's word and prayer. One day Luke 18 was in order to be read—the parable of the Pharisee and the publican. The Hollander read:
"Two men went up into the temple to pray.”
The poor heathen, in whose heart the Spirit of God had been active, hearkened.
"Perhaps," he whispered to himself, "perhaps, I may now learn, how to pray.”
The Hollander did not understand him, so read on: "God, I thank Thee that I am not as other men." Here the poor man whispered: "This is not me, this is not me, I can't pray like that; I am worse than everybody else." The reader went on: "I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.”
"I don't do that, I can't pray like that! O, what shall I do?" Thus the unhappy man talked with himself.
After this followed the description of the publican's attitude and prayer, who, "stand-afar off,"— "That's me," said the Hottentot audibly "that's where I stand!"—"would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven," continued the Hollander.
"That's me again," said the poor heathen. The former read on, "But smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me, a sinner!”
Here the deeply touched African could contain no longer, but cried in a loud voice: "That is me, and that is my prayer!”
Then and there he smote his black breast and cried in the anguish of his soul, "Yes, God be merciful to me, a sinner!”
His anguish of soul, and his cry for mercy were not in vain. He found peace in believing, he had the forgiveness of sins and eternal life—God's free gifts to those who honor his Son. One old man said once: "I daily pray the publican's prayer." But the publican prayed it only once, and went away justified; the poor African prayed it once, and once only from the depth of his burdened soul, and had the almost immediate answer from "God who is rich in mercy," and who delights to show mercy.
Dear young reader, how is it with you? You might say daily with your lips like a parrot: "God be merciful to me a sinner," and find no relief, or you might say it once from a heart filled and burdened and heavy laden, with a sense of your sins and guilt, and find the rest He has promised to all who so come to Him.