YOU WILL come to the gospel with us tonight, won’t you, Bert?” As she spoke, Mrs. Mason gazed up at her tall son, and her voice had a pleading, though dubious note. For since Bert had gone to work in the city, he had given up the habit of his childhood, and for many Sundays he had never been in any place of worship.
“Well, Mother,” he said, “a fellow does need a little rest after all the slaving of the past weeks; besides—,” but he could go no further, for the sweet anxious face of his mother forced back the confession that he no longer cared for things of that kind, so he broke off and fell into the question, “Who’s going?”
“The two girls and I thought of going,” said Mrs. Mason slowly, “and Charlie is almost sure to come, and we so much hoped you would join us. We should be a party of five then!” she added brightly.
Bert had never been able to refuse his mother anything, and something was at work in the boy’s heart tight which he was unable to resist.
“It’s all right, Mother. I’ll come and make number 5,” he said.
It was not long before the little family set off for the gospel hall. They did not talk much on the way, for from four hearts there went up an earnest prayer to God for the one with them that night who was a stranger to the joy which was theirs — the knowledge of the Lord Jesus as Saviour.
As the service went on, Bert felt bored and wished many times he was back home. When the preacher began to speak he settled himself in his seat and gazed about for some means of interesting himself for the next half hour.
“How odd,” he thought to himself. “Everything is in fives! Five points in that decoration, five panes of glass in that window.” Then looking up, his eyes rested on a chandelier. There were five lights but one was not shining, and as he gazed he almost said aloud, “Five lights, but one out! Five lights, but one out! — that’s me! Five people in this row: four alight, and one in darkness. That’s me!”
Not one word of the sermon had he heard, but all the way home an inner voice was saying, “Five lights, but one out,” and the response would come, “that’s me!”
He went to bed early, but could not sleep. Still the voice went on, “Five lights, but one out! That’s me!”
He could stand it no longer. Switching on the light, he found a Bible which his mother always left ready for him, and with a hazy remembrance of bygone days, he turned to John 1 and read, “That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.” He read other scriptures, and the Spirit of God showed him what a sinner he was, but that God loved him and Jesus died for him. Getting out of bed, he flung himself on his knees, and opened his heart to the Lord in prayer. He felt a great burden lifted from his soul. And he knew he was saved. Before the say, dawned, he was able to say, “The darkness is past, and the true Light now shines.”
The glad news was soon told to his praying mother who poured out her heart to God in thankfulness.
ML-06/21/1970