One cold November evening a party of worldly young men were going to dine together in a fashionable hotel. As they were at the entrance, one of the party who had caught sight of a cripple sitting near the door with his basket of tapes and buttons, said to his friends, "Let us give that old chap a feed.”
They all agreed quickly that it would be great fun, and they took him into the hotel along with them, and gave him a seat at the table that was prepared for them.
When they had dined, they told humorous stories and sang gay songs. Their humble guest partook of their warm-hearted hospitality with quiet thankfulness, but they insisted on his making some acknowledgment. They shouted, "It is your turn now to give us a song, so tune up.”
He raised his heart to God for help to testify for Him to that careless company, and sang, "My Jesus I love Thee, I know Thou art mine." For Thee all the pleasures of sin I resign; My gracious Redeemer, my Savior art Thou! If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus, 'tie now.
By the time he had sung the first verse, the noisy hilarity had given place to perfect silence, so the old man, inwardly crying for strength, sang on—
I love Thee, because Thou halt first loved me,
And purchased my pardon on Calvary's tree.
I love Thee for wearing the thorns on Thy brow,
If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus, 'tis now.
I would love Thee in life, I would love Thee in death,
And praise Thee as long as thou lendest me breath;
And say, when the death-dew lies cold on my brow,
If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus, 'tie now.
The old man's voice quivered with emotion as he bravely sang the last verse but the gorgeous room wore a faded look, the feast seemed poor, and some of the well-to-do young men felt themselves poor, too, realizing that their needy guest had riches of another sort.
In mansions of glory and endless delight,
I'll ever adore Thee in heaven so bright.
I'll sing with the glittering crown on my brow—
If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus, 'tis now.
The party broke up quietly and the eyes of some of them were full of tears.
Next morning the old cripple sat in his accustomed place, a lady drove up and getting out, came to him. Her son had been at the dinner on the previous evening, and she wished him to come to her house with her, as her son was in great distress of soul after hearing him sing as he did.
Gladly the old man went with her, and before he left the house the young man was saved.