When preaching in a city once, a message came to me from a young woman staying at a nearby village. She said that she would be glad to have me come to see her. I walked across to that town and called at the address given me. There I was greeted by the young woman and invited to come in. When I had sat down, she began to explain why she had sent for me, saying: "You do not know me, but I have heard of you through your sister for whom I worked as maid for several years. Every now and then you sent gospel books through the mail addressed to her and her husband, the doctor. These books were generally thrown into the wastepaper basket. Part of my duties each morning was to empty this basket of its contents; and those books which they threw away as worthless, I valued, kept, and read. I am happy to tell you that through God's mercy, they were the means of my conversion. Hearing you were preaching so near, I sent for you, as I felt sure you would be encouraged in hearing how God had blessed His Word to me. I am housekeeper to a doctor here, and cannot easily get out to attend any meetings, or you may be sure I would have come to hear you."
Hearing this testimony of God's grace from her lips caused my heart to rejoice. You may be sure I thanked God, and took fresh courage to go on with that service, which undoubtedly had His approval, although my relatives failed to appreciate or profit by my efforts.
How true it is that if some refuse God's. invitation, He will call others, so that His house may be filled.
Unsaved man, woman, or child, the fact that God's servants are still on the earth proclaiming the glad tidings, proves that there is still room for you. God offers you salvation now. Will you accept it? Take His offer, take it now and be happy.
Another relative of mine, whom I called on at his office, after some conversation pointed to the wastepaper basket, saying: "Look there, Bob, that is where all your tracts go."
A good depot, thought I, there to lie under the eye of God, to be used by Him for some office cleaner, or scavenger or rubbish searcher to their salvation through reading them, while the wealthy merchant who despises God's Word seeks in vain for happiness in the things of this perishing world.
Let us go on sowing the good seed with fresh courage. God must have His harvest.