PART 2
These were sad days for the old wood-chopper. The troubles of his soul were harder to bear than the pain of his body. With fear, yes, horror, he thought of the dark, never-ending eternity he was going to enter. What his mother had so long before told him, came back to his memory in living power. He knew he was a wicked and lost sinner, who had righteously deserved eternal damnation.
Deep sobs constantly came from his burdened heart, and the tears ran down his sunken cheeks in streams. No one was able to speak a word of comfort to him. His elder sons thought only of themselves, and left the sick man to his fate; they even laughed about his soul-troubles and mocked him when he wept.
William, who was now nine years of age, clung to his unfortunate father, with a tender love. For hours he would sit at his bedside, and did all that he was able to do according to his little strength, but he was not able to comfort him in his great distress, as he knew nothing of the Lord Jesus, the only One able to bring comfort at such an hour.
Many weeks passed thus in fear and sorrow. Many times William heard his father sob,
“O God, be merciful to me a sinner!”
Once in a while William would slip away, and fall on his knees and entreat the Lord for grace and mercy for his dear father.
He began to tell William what he had once heard from his dear mother about the wonderful love of God and the work of the Lord Jesus Christ, God’s Son. He would tell as well as he could remember—for he had no Bible—the story of the birth of Jesus, His life and His works here on earth, and of His death on the cross. Later, he told him of the creation of the world, of Adam and Eve, the fall of man; of Cain and Abel, of the flood, and the patriarchs, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob; of the children of Israel coming out of Egypt, and of Moses and Joshua. William listened with the closest attention, and the words of his suffering father made a deep impression on the tender heart of the boy.
By and by a change came over the sick man; the expression of his face became quiet and peaceful; at times a happy smile crept over his haggard face, while he would tell of Jesus and His love; and his eyes would beam with joy. William was very happy to see this change in his father, although he did not understand the cause.
One day, when the sun was shining bright, the sick man ventured once more to leave his bed, and father and son sat at the door of the cabin, while at their feet was lying the faithful dog, Caesar. The older sons had gone into the forest to shoot game. Before the father’s accident, they had done so secretly, but since he was obliged to stay in the house, they went poaching whenever they chose; of course, keeping a good look-out for the game-keeper. The father noticed it with sorrow, but his admonitions and warnings were not heeded. As the two were comfortably seated together, the father began,
“O, my child, my darling! how wrongly I have acted towards you, and your brothers when they were young. I have never spoken to them about the Lord Jesus. I never drew their attention to their responsibility towards a holy God, and now I am reaping the fruits of my unfaithfulness. My sons do wickedly, without fear; and my word has no power. They mock me and turn their backs on me, and walk in the paths of sin, but I have deserved all this.”
“These words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: and thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and thou shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.” Deuteronomy 6:6,7.
ML 01/15/1939