"And the Lord's Day?" asked the preacher. "I have no Sunday," answered the man. "That's the day when I have most to do. We almost always have a picnic. I have no time for religion. And after all, it means nothing to me.”
The car continued to run smoothly. Without effort they overtook and passed one car after another. The preacher said to himself, "I must get at this man, but how?" And indeed the chauffeur was a fine specimen of manhood. He and his car seemed made for each other, but neither God nor his soul had any place in his thoughts.
"You have a splendid engine," remarked the preacher, after awhile, hoping to draw his man out a little.
"You won't find a better one, sir.”
"How many cylinders?”
"Six.”
"And your speed?”
The man turned to the speaker and winked.
At that moment there was heard an almost imperceptible change in the sound of the engine. The practiced ear of the driver caught it at once, and the car slowed down and stopped.
"What is the matter?" asked the passenger.
The chauffeur did not answer; but got out, and made some adjustments, and waited until he got back into his seat before saying,
"Oh, nothing much—one of the cylinders wasn't working.”
They went on again, and soon reached a greater speed than before.
"But why didn't you run on with the five remaining cylinders?" asked the traveler. "They would have been enough for the trip, wouldn't they?”
"Well, sir, we are not satisfied unless all parts of the engine are working.”
"All six cylinders have to be working?”
"Yes, sir.”
There was a short pause. Then, "I know a machine that runs on three cylinders,” remarked the preacher.
"Who makes that one?" asked the man, quickly interested.
"Never mind that for the present," was the answer. "It has three cylinders, but the driver runs only on two.”
"What, all the time, sir?”
"Yes, all the time.”
"Then the man must be a fool. No machine could stand it. Does his boss know about it?”
“yes.”
"And he keeps him on without saying anything?”
"He speaks about it now and then, but the man will not listen to anything he says,” replied the traveler sadly. "He is a good master, and very patient, but he says he will punish the man some day, and I know he will keep his word.”
"Excuse me, sir, but that master must be yourself," said the driver, greatly puzzled.
The preacher smiled. "No, it is someone who has much more love and patience than I. Let me tell you what I mean. God is our master. He has made us, and we are the machines with three cylinders. They are called spirit, soul, and body. Now you, my friend, are running on only two, the spirit (or your feelings and emotions) and your body, and let the third, your soul, stay silent and dead, and prevent it from doing its proper work.”
"Ah!" said the man, "you've got me there!”
"But God is full of love and patience,” the preacher went on. "He has not dismissed you yet. But don't trifle with so kind a master. Accept the pardon He offers you through the Lord Jesus Christ, and get your three cylinders running together.”
They had reached their destination. The preacher shook hands heartily with his man, who said as they parted: "Sir, I've been a fool, but I see it now. Thank you for telling me.”
Is the reader also running on two cylinders and forgetting the third, the soul? What makes men so careless, of the welfare of their never-dying souls? Simply that they do not believe the solemn warnings of God's Word, which says, "He that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God." John 3:1818He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. (John 3:18).