John Wesley, the great evangelist, once visited Kings-wood College for boys. In an address he gave them this text: "In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths." Prov. 3:6.
The boys were dismissed. All left but one lad. He went to his room, knelt in prayer, and gave himself to the Lord. For forty years he preached the gospel.
In his old age this faithful minister of Christ visited the school dear to him as the scene of his conversion. Being asked to speak to the students, he told the story of his own conversion, and closed by asking them to repeat John Wesley's text.
Again the boys were dismissed, and again a young lad remained behind; and that day he was at the feet of Jesus a true penitent. He too became a preacher and a teacher. From his school was graduated a young man who had done splendidly in his studies, but his godly teacher feared that he had not yet accepted Christ.
With loving solicitude the teacher wrote him a letter telling him of his own conversion through Wesley's text passed on to him. In addition to this proverb he quoted another scripture; "SEEK YE FIRST THE KINGDOM OF GOD, AND HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS; AND ALL THESE THINGS SHALL BE ADDED UNTO YOU." Matt. 6:13.
The letter probed the young man's conscience. "Did his teacher feel so keenly for his eternal welfare that he would send him a note like that? Then by all means he should have an equal interest in it himself." So he reasoned; and from that day he was an earnest follower of Christ.
Now comes the strangest part of all. In May, 1906, Jas. Flanagan was holding a mission in York, England. The students of the college came, and their governor asked if Mr. Flanagan would address the boys. He did so, and told them the story of Wesley's text. The service ended with the same text, and the boys were dismissed.
When the college was quiet, the governor as usual, went through the rooms to see that all was in order. In one of the class-rooms, alone and weeping, knelt a boy.
Believing that the text was accomplishing its blessed mission, the governor stepped quietly out. Soon a knock came at his door. The "Come in," was spoken, and the student whom he had just seen, entered. He had come to tell the governor that he was saved. The text had again been blessed of God. There, governor and scholar knelt in thanksgiving at the throne of grace—the gate of heaven.
Reader, a text has often been used of God to do His blessed work. Scripture is indeed the Sword of the Spirit, and He uses it freely in His divine mission.
"For the Word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart." Heb. 4:12.