By the Editor
LORD’S DAY, FEB. 6th ―In our family reading this morning one verse in the chapter spoke to my heart like a message from God. It was the 6th verse of the 9th chapter of the 2nd Epistle of Paul to the Corinthians: “But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap, also sparingly; and he that soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.” Here the Lord of the Harvest speaks through His servant of the sowing and the reaping. The rich must provide for the needs of the poor, so that none may be in want. God would accept a man’s gift according to his ability to give, and God loves a cheerful giver. And as they sowed, so would they reap.
These divine, principles, enunciated for the Assembly at Corinth, in the first century, have their present and personal application today. Sowing and reaping will go on in God’s harvest fields as long as this dispensation lasts. God measures our gifts by the self-sacrifice entailed in the gift. It matters not how small it is, in His blessed hands it will be great. He multiplied the loaves and fishes-two barley loaves and five small fishes-to feed thousands. He can make a “ widow’s mite enough to feed the hungry souls of hundreds of men. Read what a piece of paper did:
Only a Piece of Paper
The following illustration of what may be accomplished by one tract is recounted by a visitor: ― “I was asked to go to a public-house in Nottingham to see the landlord’s wife, who was dying. I found her rejoicing in Christ as her Saviour. I asked her how she found the Lord. ‘Reading that,’ she replied, handing me a torn piece of paper. I looked at it, and found that it was part of an American newspaper containing an extract from one of Spurgeon’s sermons, which extract had been the means of her conversion. ‘Where did you find this newspaper?’ I asked. She answered: ‘It was wrapped around a parcel sent to me from Australia.’ Talk about the hidden life of a good seed! Think of that! A sermon preached in London, conveyed to America, then to Australia, part of it torn off for the parcel dispatched to England, and after all its wanderings, giving the message of salvation to that woman’s soul! God’s Word shall not return unto Him void.” —Ram’s Horn.
And from the British West Indies a message comes to me from faithful friends who are helping in God’s work. The writer says: “I had a letter from my friend a couple of days ago, and she says, ‘You left your October and November “Message from God” here, and I have read them both, and somehow I seemed to feel more than ever that I want to do something for those soldiers at the Front. So I am enclosing 5/-, and asking you whenever you are writing to Dr. Wreford to send it for me. I wish I could do more, but as you know I am not working now, and that is practically all I possess, but I believe God wants me to send it, and after all whatever I have has only been lent me by Him.’” The writer goes on to say: “I quote her letter to you that you may see our heartfelt sympathy goes with the small sums we are able to send.” God bless them. He sits over against the Treasury.
A young Christian girl writes: “I am a regular reader of your book, ‘A Message from God,’ and I have been much impressed by your urgent appeal for Testaments and gospel literature. I enclose 5/-, for which sum I understand you can send one parcel to the Front. I do wish I could have sent you more, but I am practically the sole supporter of my widowed mother, and of three young sisters. However, you have my earnest prayers for success in your noble work, and I sincerely hope that thousands of soldiers may learn to know, as I did three years ago, that Jesus is the only Saviour of mankind.”
O Lord of the Treasury, bless her!
“One of the least” writes: ― “Am sorry my mite is so small, but He knows why.” Yes, He knows.
“A poor old woman, who cannot do much, sends one shilling in stamps for the good of the poor soldiers and for God’s glory.” And God is glorified.
Miss Leakey sends me the following: ―
A Pearl Ring
Dear Doctor, ―One of the first-fruits of the February number of “A Message from God” is a beautiful pearl ring to be sold to send Testaments to our dear soldiers. My dear friend says in her letter: ― “You still need more for your work. I have no money to give, but I send a ring with this. Perhaps the proceeds of its sale will help to send out two boxes of Testaments-that is what I want.” Two boxes! No, I hope four or five at least. ―E.P.L.
This same dear lady says: ― “Pray for my youngest boy, gone to the French Front, only eighteen.” Do let us all pray the Lord to shield him, and bring him safely back to his mother and father.
“In His Most Precious Name”
This is how a gift of 1,000 Testaments comes to me. The Lord knows the giver. And in the “Harvest Home” we too shall know.
A Voice From Malta
“Thank you very much for your packet of khaki tracts just received. Already some are in circulation. Join with me in crying mightily to God that He may use them from center to circumference of this island (Jer. 33:33Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not. (Jeremiah 33:3)), and that this historic island may act as a sounding board for Europe and all the world.”
From Salonica a request comes:—
“As I have row exhausted the supplies of literature you so kindly sent for me to distribute while I was in France, I should be greatly obliged if you could forward several parcels of Testaments, tracts, gospels, etc. We have ample opportunities for distributing them here, and Testaments are especially welcome.”
What is your sowing to be this year? If you sow the good seed―that is the Word of God—bountifully, you will reap bountifully. Read carefully the last page of the “Message,” and ask God how many of those boxes you shall send to the Front. The seed of 2,500 boxes has been sown already, and we shall be glad to sow the good seed of thousands more.
I want your help. I am praying for 50,000 Testaments to help to meet the awful need of precious souls. On every battle front men are facing eternity, and looking into the eyes of death. Let us help to give them all the Word of God. I am sure when you read the following letter which has just reached me, you will feel with me that your sowing must be bountiful, and that your gift must be of necessity, and that it must be a cheerful gift; and above all, it must be a prayerful gift.
And so I close my diary for this month, passing on to you as I do so the closing words of a dear worker in France, sent to me in a letter: “We don’t pray enough, do we? We want to pray! pray!! PRAY!!!”
A Letter from the Front
“I should like to take this opportunity of again thanking you for the generous way in which you continue to supply me with Gospels, Testaments, tracts, etc. Had it not been that you had sent me those parcels, hundreds of our dear men would have gone to the trenches without God’s Word; but through you they have had that priceless treasure in their pockets, and I know, from letters I have received and from what hundreds of men have said from different parts of the Front, that this Book has been, and is being, largely read. If that is so, who can tell how many men, through the reading, were resting on the finished work of Christ when they were called into the presence of God? If the Christians in England could only see how eager the men are to get the living Word I am sure I would not see so many hundreds of men leave this place daily without a New Testament. How often men come and ask for one, and I have to say, ‘I am sorry, I have none!’ I can give him a good tract, but that is not the same to him. Here is what has happened several times when I have had a number of Travelers’ Guides and Testaments. I have asked which they would have. In every case the Testament has been chosen. They have said: ‘Oh! the Testament, sir’ I never give Testaments unless they really want them. You kindly ask me how often I should like a parcel. Well, the only thing I can say is, I never have enough of Testaments and Gospels, and shall be very glad to receive them whenever you can send them. The work here is most encouraging, and my testimony is this: that wherever the good old Gospel of a present salvation is preached crowds of men come, and many are really saved. To God be all the praise. If Christ is not held up the results are not the same. Oh! that there were more real reapers! We have a meeting daily at the Station, where crowds of men have to wait about for hours, and oh! how they love to listen to the story of God’s love! These dear fellows are on their last journey before they meet the enemy in earnest, and they know it. How one’s heart goes out to them, as we stand and watch them fall in and march to their places in the train. There are lads whose mothers are praying for them; there are husbands who have left wives and children behind them. How often, as one refers to these loved ones while giving a last word in the carriage, the tears come into their eyes. Pray for these dear fellows and for us. Pray that we may be meet for the Master’s use. Again thanking you for all your kindness, and looking forward to its being continued.”