Henry and his father were walking along a lonely road one night. They had to pass a large rock with a cave in it, known as “The Robber’s Cave.” It was said that many years before, robbers would hide themselves there and spring out to rob travelers as they passed along. Very few people cared to pass that way after dark.
As Henry and his father journeyed along, Henry asked if there would be any danger in passing the Robber’s Cave.
“Not a bit, my boy,” said his father who was a Christian. “I do not think there are any robbers here now and if there were, God would preserve us from harm.”
Henry said very little but he held his father’s hand tightly as they passed the cave.
They had hardly turned the corner of the road when a footstep was heard behind and as Henry looked around he saw a rough-looking man following them.
“Oh, father, here is one of the robbers coming after us,” said Henry.
His father smiled and quietly said, “God will take care of us, Henry,” and at the same time he lifted his heart to the Lord in prayer for preservation, if the man meant to harm them.
In a short time the man had overtaken them but before he had time to speak, Henry’s father crossed over to the other side of the road where the man walked, and taking out his wallet, gave him a gospel tract, saying, “I hope you will read this when you have time.”
The man held out his hand and as he took the tract he murmured something about wanting bread.
“I shall be glad to share what I have with you,” said Henry’s father, taking out his purse, which the man eyed with a suspicious look. The next moment, several coins fell into the man’s hand and the father said, “The gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
The rough-looking man touched his cap and said, “Thank you, sir!” and sat down by the roadside. Henry and his father went on, the boy now and then looking around to see if the man followed. They soon reached home safely and thanked the Lord for His protecting care.
Many years passed away and Henry was a tall young man. He had put his trust in the Lord Jesus and diligently sought to tell others about the Saviour. He worked among the poor and one day while visiting he entered a cottage where a sickly-looking man sat by the fireside.
“Come and sit down, sir,” said the man, “I am always thankful to get a tract, especially now that I am unable to go out. It was a gospel tract that by God’s blessing, led me to the Saviour and changed my life.”
There was something about the man that at once arrested Henry’s attention. He had seen that face before but he could not think where it was. A few more sentences solved the mystery and sent the tears down the cheeks of both of them.
“I was a robber,” said the man in a low voice; “except for God’s mercy, I might have been a murderer. I meant to rob a gentleman who walked along a country road with a little boy one night, but by the means of a gospel tract which he gave me, I was unable to do it, and God used that tract to the saving of my soul.”
Henry seized the trembling hand of the repentant and converted robber, now a humble follower of Christ and said, “I am that boy; my father gave you that tract and he will praise God from his heart for His saving grace to you.”
The old robber was a rich trophy of grace and in his own humble sphere shone for Christ. Dear reader, the same grace that met and saved that robber, is now ready to save you.
ML 09/26/1965