The distinguished "Harley Street Physician," the late Dr. A. T. Schofield, told the following story: I was in residence at the London Hospital as house physician when Moody and Sankey were holding their services in a large building erected for the purpose at Stratford. Sitting in the crowded hall one afternoon, I found at the close of the service that immediately in front of me was a distinguished-looking man, who did not move when the rest went out. The choir was softly singing on the platform what I fear I must describe as doggerel, being an endless repetition of the words, Come to Jesus! come to Jesus!
Come to Jesus just now!
Just now, come to Jesus;
Come to Jesus just now!
I leaned over and asked my neighbor how he liked the address. He turned and said: "Excuse me, sir, it was very powerful; but as my feelings are slightly agitated I would rather not say more. I don't wish to speak at present."
And there he sat a little longer, while the choir still kept crooning the same endless invitation.
How little we really see with our eyes! All the greatest things elude us, or are only dimly perceived by the finer vision of the spirit. Anyhow, I was quite unconscious of the divine drama which was being enacted on that wooden form in front of me in that somewhat squalid building that afternoon.
"Well," I replied, "here is my address, and if at any time you would care for a chat, come and see me at the hospital."
Three days later the card of a city solicitor was brought up to my room, and as he entered I recognized my neighbor at the gospel meeting, though he was completely changed. His face had lost its dull look, and was animated and sparkling with joy.
"Doctor Schofield," he exclaimed, as he held out his hand, "I cannot stay away. I must tell you my joy. Do you know, sir, my sins are all forgiven? Do you know Jesus Christ is my Savior? Do you know that I, a respectable lawyer, have the greatest difficulty in not telling every one of the great change come over me?"
"I suppose it was at Moody and Sankey's service," I said.
"It was," he replied: "but it wasn't the address." I looked surprised.
"Nor was it what you said to me," he added. "The fact is, I am very fond of choral singing, end am a member of the Temple Church, where I hear some of the finest singing in the world."
"I'm afraid Moody and Sankey's choir was hardly up to your standard."
"Well, no, it wasn't," he replied: "but it has done more for me than any other choir in the world."
"Tell me," I said.
"While you were talking, I was listening to that choir. You know how they kept at it: 'Come to Jesus! Come to Jesus!' Well, the first fifty times I didn't mind; but when it kept on unceasingly, and after I had heard it about a hundred times, I began to think. And as it still went on I realized the truth of the Savior's words, 'Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest.' Matt. 11:2828Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. (Matthew 11:28).
"I thought I had better come. So I took the Lord Jesus as my Savior there and then, and went home rejoicing. And ever since my joy has been growing; I don't know how to contain it.
"You see, I'm a prosy city lawyer, and this is the last thing on earth I ever thought would happen to me. But, oh, I praise God it has!"
We rejoiced together, and I well know there was joy in heaven over this one sinner that repented.