The evening service had ended, and a young man who had listened intently hurriedly left the hall. His quick steps soon took him to the entrance of a downtown theater. There he stopped as though checked by an unseen hand.
He had just left a gathering of those whom he knew to be earnest Christians. With them he had for the past hour heard a stirring message by a speaker who knew for himself Christ as a Savior, once crucified, but now ascended into heaven.
The heart of this young man had been greatly touched by the reverent presentation of that wondrous love—a love which passeth knowledge—a love expressed so fully on the shameful cross of Calvary. But more than all, that young man was moved by the witness of the Holy Spirit that Jesus had been raised from the dead and received up into heaven, and was now glorified as Man at the right hand of God.
At the close of the service, a hymn of praise was sung to the tune known as "Old Hundred." How grandly the words rang out!
"Worthy of homage and of praise,
Worthy by all to be adored;
Exhaustless theme of heavenly lays—
Thou, Thou art worthy, Jesus, Lord!”
Now the young man stood on the sidewalk, debating in his heart if he should enter the theater. He had often been there before for an evening's entertainment, and with interest he scanned the advertising posters. With such enticements before him, the debate in his heart between the tender voice of the Spirit of God and the persuasive whisper of the tempter was fast losing ground to Satan. "But God"—yes, God Himself—had His eye on this young man, and to HIM he was a chosen vessel.
Unnoticed, an old man was approaching with his battered grind-organ. Stopping near the theater entrance, he began to play a selection of tunes. Surely it was of God that the first tune he played was "Old Hundred"! Our young friend turned to see if he were dreaming. All that he had just been hearing of that living Savior in heaven came back to him, in wonderful power. The love of Christ filled and overwhelmed his heart. There, as though from the doors of hell, he turned to enter the fold of the Shepherd who had bought him at so great a price, sought him in his lost condition, and had brought him to Himself. As he yielded himself to the unquestionable claims of that redeeming love, the words so lately sung came forth from his heart to the tune, "Old Hundred," now filling the air triumphantly: "Worthy of homage and of praise,
Worthy by all to be adored;
Exhaustless theme of heavenly lays—
Thou, Thou art worthy, Jesus, Lord!”
The young man left the theater door, never to enter it again. He went to his home that night a happy believer in the Lord Jesus Christ; and ere long was known as an earnest follower of the humble Nazarene.
You may say, "Is that all?" Ah, no, my friend. Even today, years after his departure to be with Christ, one can say, his "works do follow" him. That young man was R. F. Kingscote, whose ministry and life of service to the Savior are still used of God in blessing to thousands. "Christ as Seen in the Offerings" continues to be an authoritative exposition of His Word and work, and is a source of enlightenment and comfort to His own.
How different would have been the result of that night's decision had it been made in the other direction! Many others, through this young man's testimony and service of love to Christ, have learned to love and follow that same loving, living Savior, the One who drew R. F. Kingscote that night, at the theater door, back from the gates of hell and turned his steps towards the portals of eternal glory.
Reader, do you hesitate? Do you halt "between two opinions"? The voice of the Savior still pleads with you: "Today if ye will hear His voice, harden not your hearts.”