SOME years ago, a young Japanese, whom for the sake of convenience, we will call Mat, came from his native land, across the seas, to this country. He knew some English, having studied it in his own land.
One evening he went to a Mission Hall where the Gospel was being preached. At the close of the services, the preacher, who had noticed young Mat, went up to him, and asked him if he believed in God. He replied, “Yes, I believe there is God; He made the heaven and the earth.” The preacher then asked him, “Are you, a sinner?” “No,” he said indignantly, “I, a righteous man!” He looked at his own goodness and was far from being willing to own that he was a sinner. The preacher gave him a Testament and asked him to read it. He took it thinking he would read it and see what these people thought. He began at the beginning, as people usually do, if they wish to read a book through. As he read, he thought, these Americans are foolish to read and believe such a book.
But he read on and on, as he could find time, when he would get in from his work. He began to be attracted, and to read with deeper interest. When he came to this verse in Matthew 23, “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchers, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness,” he was convicted of sin. To use his own expression, “The word of God went through and through me like a sword.” Poor Mat now felt that he was like the whited sepulchers— good on the outside, but bad within. And he felt that Jesus, the One who spoke these words, knew, just what was in him. Nobody else knew but Jesus knew, for He could read the heart. Mat could hide nothing from Him. Ah! now he owned, what he would not own the night the preacher spoke to him —that is, that he was a sinner—no longer “a righteous man.” God had spoken to him; yes, God had brought him into the light, and was showing him in the light, what he was. Thus aroused, he read on with deepening interest, until he came to John 14. In that blessed chapter he read that Jesus was the way, the truth and the life, and that the way to the
Father was through Him. He saw also that the Holy Ghost had come down to be the comforter and to teach believers all things. His soul was then filled with joy and peace in believing.
And so great was this joy that he felt that he could not, must not, keep it to himself. He thought he would go out and tell all the Japanese, in the great city in which he lived, of the wonderful salvation he had found, and he thought they would listen to the glad story and have their hearts filled with joy as his had been. This thought filling him, he started out, but when he reached some Japanese he found it was not so easy to speak to them as he had thought it would be. His courage failed him and he was not able to open his mouth to say a word.
He went back to his room, where he was staying, and prayed to the Lord about it. The next day he started out again, but still could not find courage to speak. Again he went back to his room, and this time he spent a day in fasting and prayer. A third time he went out, and then he was able to speak to others of what Jesus had done for him; but alas! he did not find their hearts so open to receive as he thought they would be.
We see from this little narrative, how God saved one who diligently read His word, although this one was in great darkness. God caused the light to enter his soul. “The entrance of Thy word giveth light.” And God used to His own glory this one who called upon Him. “Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither His ear heavy, that it cannot hear.”
ML 11/11/1900