It was a pleasant summer day when Mrs. Gordon went out with a lot of gospel tracts—ammunition for the Lord, she called them. Soon she came to a country road not far from her house. Today it was unusually busy, being racecourse day, and some of those attending were enjoying its cool shade and quiet walkway.
She soon disposed of most of her tracts and booklets, and was delighted that everyone had received them with thanks.
A young man approaching her attracted her attention. He was unmistakably a man of refinement and culture; but what a look of unrest was on his handsome face! He had been attending the races; but, like many others, he had found it to be one of the world's broken cisterns which can hold no water. Mrs. Gordon, in persuasive tones, asked him to accept a tract. He took it and thanked her; but a look of contempt came into his eyes as he said, "I don't believe in religion.”
"Neither do I," Mrs. Gordon quietly said; "but I believe in Jesus Christ, and for His sake God has pardoned all my sins. May God bless you and save you." And so they parted, not expecting to see each other again.
About three weeks passed. One day a messenger came to Mrs. Gordon requesting her to come to see a young man who was then residing with his uncle, the leading doctor of the town.
Dennis, the doctor's servant, had brought the message. He knew Mrs. Gordon well, and volunteered further information. "Sure, ma'am, Mr. Richard has been mighty sick for three weeks; but, thank God, though he was nearly killed by the train, both soul and body are now safe.”
Mrs. Gordon promised Dennis that she would come at once. She felt sure this was the young man she had spoken to, and hastened to the home of the doctor. She knew him only slightly, but had recently heard of his conversion.
The doctor and his wife received her most kindly. They greeted her with, "Mrs. Gordon, we are so happy to tell you of our nephew's conversion, for you have been the means in God's hands." Dr. Long then told her the story.
"Three weeks ago you gave him a tract. He had lost a great deal at the races and was exceedingly upset. When he left you he got so absorbed in thinking over what you said that in crossing the railroad he failed to notice an approaching train. He was run over and dangerously hurt. For days his life was in the balance and often in delirium he would cry, 'Where—in eternity? Oh, that tract! The blood,' and similar exclamations. From these utterances we knew the state of soul he was in, and we thanked God and prayed for him.
"For several days his aunt watched over him anxiously. At last his fever left, and his mind cleared. Now came a deep sense of his sinfulness in God's sight. He knew that he had read God's Word, only to find fault, and had always turned aside with contempt from the kind entreaties of Christian friends. Now he knew that God alone had saved his poor body from the jaws of death, and that, without Him, eternal death awaited his lost soul.
"He mentioned the tract he had received from you. Mrs. Long found it in his pocket and gave it to him. On the cover of the little tract were the words: 'Where will you spend eternity?' Those words were like a nail fastened in a sure place, and the time was ripe for the living streams of God's love to be poured into his heart. A few days ago we read to him John 3:1616For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16). As simply as a child he appropriated it to himself, and now knows he has passed from death unto life. He said with tears running down his cheeks: 'Oh, yes, that whosoever! It was for me.'”