I was lonely and sad. Everything about me seemed dark and desolate, and my soul was cast down. I had forgotten the admonition: "Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and He shall sustain thee." Psalm 55:2222Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved. (Psalm 55:22).
Suddenly, out of the deep silence and aloneness of that sad evening came the sounds of sweetest melody. It was a street organ played by a young boy. I went out to give him a little money.
What an intelligent face was his, and at the same time those large dark eyes which he turned upon me, what a story of need and sorrow they told!
He is hungry, I said to myself. Placing bread and meat on a plate, I added a booklet which was lying on the table. I handed it all to him without any courage to say a word. Yet he deeply interested me, and as I watched him eating from behind the window where I sat, repeatedly my heart went up to God in prayer that the booklet might be used for his salvation. After eating, which was quickly done, he took up the booklet, read its title, "How to become a Christian," and put it carefully away in his pocket.
Several years later the terrible war had broken out with its sorrows and distresses, so my little organ grinder had passed out of my mind.
One day I went to visit a hospital where the wounded were cared for. The surgeon was making his rounds. Silent and sad he stood by one of the wounded, holding his wrist and counting his pulse which was growing weaker. I stopped to look at the patient. He was a very young man; his eyes were closed and the seal of death was on his face. At the same moment the chaplain came and leaned over the dying man, anxious to know if he still breathed. All at once the young man opened his eyes and asked, "Am I going to die?" The chaplain made no answer. "Oh, don't be afraid to tell me. I am ready."
"I cannot say, my young friend," said the chaplain, "but do you know the Savior of sinners? Do you love the Lord Jesus?" "Yes, sir; He is mine and I am His."
"Can I do anything for you? Have you a mother?"
"Yes, sir; but she is not here. I am going to be with her soon; she is in heaven. But I have a sister. Poor girl, she will be all alone now. But I have committed her to the Lord, and He will not forsake her. I would like to send her a few things." He made a great effort and drew from under his pillow a purse with a few gold pieces, then a Bible, a photograph, and a booklet quite worn, its cover soiled with blood.
"This booklet," he said, "brought salvation to me and also to my mother. Long ago, I was only a poor organ grinder. I tried to care for my sick mother and little sister. We were very miserable then. But a good lady gave me this little book. What joy it brought to us! And how glad my mother was when I read it to her! No one had ever given us anything to show us the way of salvation. No one had ever talked to us about that precious Savior who died upon the cross for our sins. The dear lady, we prayed for her every day. How I do long to see her again"
I drew nearer to catch every word from the lips of the dying man, for I had recognized in him the organ grinder who had once cheered my sorrowing spirit. Now I could no longer restrain myself. I sobbed aloud. It roused the dying man, and looking at me, he recognized me. Astonished, but unable to move, he said slowly, "I thank Thee, Lord; I know Thou hearest prayer."