Tracts can go everywhere. Tracts know no fear. Tracts never tire. Tracts can be multiplied without end by the press. Tracts can travel at little expense. They run up and down, like the angels of God, blessing all, giving to all, asking no gift in return. They can talk to one as well as to a multitude, and to a multitude as well as to one. They require no public room to tell their story in. They can tell it in the kitchen or the shop, the parlor or the closet, in the railway coach or in the omnibus, on the broad highway or in the footpath through the fields. They take no note of scoffs, or jeers, or taunts. No one can betray them into hasty or random expressions. Though they will not always answer questions, they will tell their stories twice over, or thrice, or four times, if you wish them. And they can be made to speak on every subject, and on every subject they may be made to speak wisely and well. They can, in short, be made the vehicles of truth, the teachers of all classes, the benefactors of all saints.
“Cast thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after many days” (Eccl. 11:1).
To encourage God’s people to give out or send out tracts, “sowing beside all waters,’ I give a fact which has come to my knowledge.
In 1785, Dr. Cook gave a tract to a family in Virginia. The family numbered fourteen, and that tract was the instrumentality used in the conversion of the whole family. Dr. Chickering’s tract, “What it is to believe in Christ”, has been a wonderful power for good. Nearly two thousand people have written to, or told him personally, that they owe their conversion to that tract. In 1876, a wealthy manufacturer of Cincinnati (in whose employ the writer was at that time), took with him to Florida a few copies of a tract, “Good News for You”. On meeting that gentleman several years later, he said that he gave some of those gospel tracts to a Methodist evangelist who was holding meetings in Florida. The evangelist thought that the tracts would be very useful at his meetings, and he had an edition printed which he distributed at all the services. He subsequently stated the grand result was, that by the blessing of God’s Holy Spirit, they were the means of the conversion of over three hundred persons.
All these years our God has been watching over these silent messengers, and who can tell into how many hands they have fallen, and how many hearts have been moved to receive the truth as to God’s salvation.
One has truly said: “Whether we see results or not, it is our blessed privilege to know and rejoice in the fact, that, if we sow good seed, the harvest will certainly be for His glory.” “Know now that there shall fall unto the earth nothing of the Word of the Lord” (2 Kings 10:10).
Again, books (“precious seed”) were left in the hands of a Christian lady in Kansas, who packed them away until mold came upon them. For six years they remained there, when God, by His Spirit, awakened her at two o’clock a. m., and in a moment showed her that that which had been pressed upon her was truth. The books were brought out and read and she was delivered of all that was of man.
Beloved, are we thus laying up treasures in heaven to meet us in that day, and to receive at His hand the reward for such service? If we cannot do this work in person, because of the worldly service in which we are engaged, we can have fellowship with the Lord by putting into the hands of such as go forth to “sow beside the waters.”
Let us not miss the rich blessedness which will surely come to our own souls as we thus stand in our lot, before Him to do thus His bidding.
May our God mightily stir up His saints everywhere to do what they can. The time is short and the days are evil. Satan’s hosts are exceedingly active in filling the land with that which leads souls down to perdition.
Beloved, think of the tens of thousands of tracts (silent messengers which speak for Him many times, in many places, and to many hearts) which you may have fellowship in sending forth. And know assuredly, that in the day of manifestation a host shall come before Him, saved through such instrumentalities; besides the many saints who have been refreshed by the way through a tract or book given them.
O, beloved! “It is more blessed to give than to receive.”