A CHRISTIAN man was once going through a country village, distributing Bibles. He came to a cottage, whose windows were broken and stuffed with straw and rags. The hinges of the door were broken; in short, everything about the place seemed to be going to destruction. Drawing near he heard a loud noise of angry voices, mingled with oaths and curses; and so frightened were the children that they had crept into the corners of the dirty room while their father and mother were in the heat of the quarrel. There was the secret of all this confusion, disorder, and poverty. Idleness and neglect explained everything.
There may be among the readers of this paper some who are guilty in a higher way of such easily committed sins. Idleness leads to neglect, as the deadly opiate induces the fatal sleep. He who neglects his business or his health, must suffer the consequences, but what of the one who neglects his soul and God's salvation? The question raised by the Holy Scriptures is: "How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation?" (Heb. 2:3.) The only answer possible is,
There is no escape.
The stranger then spoke to the father of the family and said, “My friend, how unhappy you must be to live in this way. I wonder you don't try to make yourselves more comfortable.”
“Ah, sir," said the man, "it's very hard for poor people to be comfortable, when we can't get enough to eat.”
How great a virtue is made of poverty. Frequently has the writer heard remarks of this kind passed, when some poverty-stricken person has died: “Poor soul! if ever anyone deserved to get to heaven, she does; for she's seen nothing but suffering and poverty on earth." They forget that the poor do not go to heaven because they are poor, but, whether rich or poor, through the grace of God alone.
This is an extremely serious mistake, making, as it does, poverty a savior in view of death, and a substitute for cleanliness and order in life.
The Bible distributor then asked for a drink of water, which was readily given to him in a broken jug. As he was drinking, his eye wandered around the untidy room. In one corner of it, all covered with dust and rubbish, he saw a large family Bible. Thanking the cottager for the water, he said to him in a low and confidential tone, as he handed back the jug: "My friend, I have a secret to tell you. There is a neglected treasure in your cottage, which, if you only find, and make light use of, will make you rich and happy. Good-bye.”
Ah, how many thousands of Bibles are neglected to-day! A treasure indeed it is.
But if the truth were told about yours, is it not a neglected treasure?
The man and his wife thought a great deal about the visitor's words after he left; though at first they were inclined to think that he was only making fun of them. When the man was by himself he would search all through the cottage, and ransack every corner to try if possible to find the treasure. As for his wife, when she was all alone, she would set herself the same interesting task. But no treasure could they find. A reward for their pains, however, was in store for them. One day, after the housewife had been searching until she was tired, she sat down, wondering what the treasure could be. As she sat thus deep in thought, her eye happened to light on the BIBLE. She said to herself, "I wonder if that can be it.”
Immediately she arose, and wiping the long-gathered dust from it, opened the book. It was many a long day since she had done so.
What memories the sight of the book revived! It was the gift of her mother, who had died long years before. On the inside of the cover of the volume, in her mother's handwriting, were the words, “The law of Thy mouth is better unto me than thousands of gold and silver."(Psa. 119:72.) It dawned upon her that there were greater treasures than gold and silver to be found in the Book, and she said to herself," This must be the treasure of which the stranger spoke." With diligence she sat down to read the inspired book, and as she read it the Holy Spirit enlightened its pages, and showed her that she was a sinner; every sin of hers was now pressing upon her conscience. This precious Book did more—it told her of the Savior whose cleansing blood had been shed that her sins might be taken away; who, having suffered and died, was risen again. She sought Him whom none can seek in vain; she found Him, and thus became a true Christian.
Yet how slow oftentimes we are to confess to others our belief in the Lord Jesus Christ. The Chinaman is not ashamed to have his head shaven in sign of being a follower of Confucius, nor the Mohammedan of kneeling in form of prayer at noon, wheresoever he may be. What cowardice is often seen in the Christian! So it was with the cottager's wife. It was long before she confessed what she had found.
But one day when her husband came home she said to him, "Husband, I have found the treasure of which the stranger spoke.”
“Where is it?" said he.
“In this blessed Book," she replied. "Let me read to you about it." She did so, and, through God's mercy, the result was that he too became a Christian.
Forthwith everything became changed—the children were cared for, soul and body, the house became altered, and everything about it. When the Bible distributor came round the next year he could hardly realize that it was the same place. What a cordial welcome they gave him, exclaiming, "We have found the treasure of which you told us, and it has made us rich and happy!”
Do not be content, dear reader, until you have discovered the Bible to be a priceless treasure, better than the greatest wealth. No book has been so attacked as this one, yet it always comes off victorious. In spite of all the apparent "setbacks" it has received, it is still, and ever will be, abreast of the times. There is no timidity about this book, it goes with courage and strength to the root of the matter, and unflinchingly declares that we are sinners against God, and deserve the judgment of death for our sins.
It does not try to prove itself to be true, it is its own witness, bearing the divine stamp throughout, thus claiming God as its Author. It tells of a Savior—God in Christ—and warns in faithfulness of eternal judgment being the portion of those who carelessly set aside the grace of God which is offered. If you would be convinced of its true and eternal value read it, read it, and read it through! It is quite capable of defending itself, and at the same time of meeting all your exercises. Its great and grand subject is CHRIST. It will lead you to His feet.
We need a chart to direct our course on life's voyage, if we would steer clear of the rocks and quicksand by which that course is bounded, or shipwreck must ensue. The word of God marks out these dangerous points. Let us beware of trifling with this divine chart.
A young lieutenant in the English Navy discovered a small but dangerous rock in the Mediterranean Sea. He duly reported it to the Admiralty. This important discovery was telegraphed to all stations, and the position of the rock ordered to be marked on all the charts.
The first ship to sail over the spot was under the command of an old captain, who, noting the warning newly placed on his chart, desired to know by whom the rock was reported. On being informed, he replied, “There is no such rock there. I have sailed over this sea for twenty years; if such a rock had been there I should have found it." Then, in his pride and conceit, he gave orders to his sailing master to steer directly over the spot indicated. The gallant ship was driven over the danger spot under full sail. There was a tremendous crash, and the noble vessel went down with scarcely one left to tell the sorrowful tale of her loss!
So surely will men perish if they ignore and neglect the danger marks pointed out in God's chart. It must have been terribly humiliating for that captain to have plunged, through his own conceit and folly, the officers and crew of that ship into eternity.
But what must be the feelings of those who find themselves entirely and eternally lost through indifference and disobedience to God's written word? Surely you, my reader, do not desire such a portion.
Take, then, your true place even now at the feet of Jesus. Say, as did Peter of old, "I am a sinful man, O Lord." Plead His blood as your only hope and ground of peace. Believe in Him who shed His blood for us, and who is now raised from the dead and seated at God's right hand. So shall forgiveness of sins be yours. Nay, more, peace with God shall be your portion, and God's rich love the possession and joy of your heart, through the gift of His Spirit. Thus, with God's word as your guide and chart, you, too, will be truly “rich and happy." A. F. M.