The School Examination Day
Toward a little country, schoolhouse, around which the honeysuckle and old-time white and speckled roses bloomed in profusion, groups of merry school-boys wended their way, clad in their best Sunday clothes, eagerly discussing the probabilities of who was to be the honored recipient of the “dux” medal of that eventful day. There were no school boards, no Government examiners, in those days; but on the day that the “holidays” were given, the worthy old minister, assisted by one or more students and friends, conducted an examination of the classes, and presented the prizes to those scholars who had been most diligent in their lessons. An extra half-hour of games in the green field adjoining the school was allowed that morning, and then at eleven o’clock the examination began.
On this particular examination day the aged minister was accompanied by a well-known visitor, whose preaching in that district had been greatly blessed of God in the conversion of old and young—Duncan Mathieson, the Scottish evangelist. It fell to Mr. Mathieson, to examine a class of senior boys, and ever on his Master’s business, he used the favorable opportunity to bring before them the great truths of the Gospel, and to press them home in his quaint and solemn manner.
“Now, boys,” said Mr. Mathieson, “get your paper and pencils all ready: I am going to give you a problem in Profit and Loss.”
“Are you all ready?” asked the evangelist’ and quickly the response came from a score of youthful arithmeticians eager to show their skill.
“Yes, sir!” Slowly the question was stated:
“What shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul?”
Instead of the usual hurried commotion of paper and pencils, the schoolboys first looked at the teacher, then along the line of visitors who were present—many of them parents and friends—to witness the examination, and finally at the man who had given the question, in blank amazement. No such “sum” had ever been given them before, nor did they know how to work it out.
Seeing their embarrassment, the evangelist simply and lovingly set before the class and all who were present, the great acts of the value of the soul, the danger and folly of its eternal loss, the price paid by Christ for its redemption, and the blessedness of being redeemed from sin in serve the Lord here, and dwell with Him hereafter. There were some hard sayings and unkindly criticisms among some of the visitors, about that unusual and (as it seemed to them) unwise procedure; but that question and the result which followed, have been the cause of unceasing praise in at least two young lives, the turning point of which date from that examination day. John and Alec M’B. were led to think seriously on the value of their souls then, and both were soon after brought to Christ, to receive Him as their Saviour and to know Him as their Lord, then to spend their lives in His joyful and honored service.
That question of Profit and Loss remains on the pages of the Book of God for us today; and I will give it to you, loved reader, for your earnest consideration, as uttered by the One who loves you and died to save you,
ML 09/28/1940