

About the Book

William Haslam is famous for being converted while preaching one of his own sermons! This book is an abridged selection from a compilation of short stories he wrote to help and challenge the believer and unbeliever. The stories are true accounts from his own ministry, with one from a doctor friend. Other books by William Haslam, also from White Tree Publishing, are Haslam's Journey and Leaves from My Notebook. William Haslam writes and speaks bluntly and very much to the point, but he does it with love and compassion, as can be seen in this book.

Building From the Top

William Haslam

(1818-1905)

First Published 1878

This edited and abridged edition ©Chris Wright 2018

eBook ISBN: 978-1-912529-12-4

Published by

White Tree Publishing

Bristol

UNITED KINGDOM

More books on www.whitetreepublishing.com

Contact mailto:wtpbristol@gmail.com

All rights reserved. Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise), without the prior written permission of the copyright owner of this abridged edition.

Scripture quotations from The Authorized (King James) Version. Rights in the Authorized Version are vested in the Crown. Reproduced by permission of the Crown's patentee, Cambridge University Press.

Preface

THE narratives which form this volume have already had a very large circulation in separate tracts. Having reason to know that they have been blessed to many souls, the Author has been encouraged to issue them again in their present form in the hope that, under the Divine blessing, their usefulness may be greatly increased and extended.

The reader will observe that the stories, one after another, set forth the absolute necessity of that spiritual change which is called in Holy Scripture the New Birth. In one form or another this vital subject is dwelt upon and enforced, both with encouragements and warnings. Here also may be seen not only the spiritual change wrought, but also the manner in which souls were awakened, and how they were dealt with.

May believers, in reading this book, be encouraged to win souls; and those who are not yet believers be directed to seek salvation, and never rest till they know the peace of God which passeth all understanding.

William Haslam

Publisher's Note

There are 17 chapters in this book. In the second half are advertisements for our other books, so this book may end earlier than expected! The last chapter is marked as such. We aim to make our eBooks free or for a nominal cost, and cannot invest in other forms of advertising. However, word of mouth by satisfied readers will also help get our books more widely known. When the book finishes, please take a look at the other books we publish: Christian non-fiction, Christian fiction, and books for younger readers.

Table of Contents

Cover

About the Book

Preface

Publisher's Note

1. Building from the Top

2. Old Billy; or, Spared To Be Saved

3. The Family of Four

4. Forgiveness; or, The Useful Mistake

5. What a Shame

6. The Silver Ladder

7. Richard's Victory

8. Not a Wall, But a Door

9. The Lord's Messenger

10. The "Second Look"

11. The Mother's Prayer

12. The Good Old Gentleman

13. Over the River

14. Mary; the Child of God

15. True or false Peace?

16. The Doctor's Story

17. The Dying Gypsy

About White Tree Publishing

More Books from White Tree Publishing

Christian non-fiction

Christian Fiction

Younger Readers

Chapter 1

Building from the Top

"WILL you begin to build your spire from the top?" said an elderly Christian lady who was sitting in her wheelchair, and had been calmly listening to the conversation which was passing in the room.

Her question was gravely addressed to an ardent young clergyman, who was at that time very busy in a new District to which he had recently been appointed. [The "ardent young clergyman" is William Haslam himself! See Haslam's Journey, also from White Tree Publishing, for more details.]

He was full of his plans, and was telling of his temporary Church and Schools, and Parochial Clubs, and the new Church which he was building. A nobleman in the neighbourhood had ordered the tower of it to be raised higher, and a spire to surmount it, and another noble person had ordered a peal of six bells for this new tower.

Our young friend's heart was full of thankfulness and hope, and out of the abundance of his gladness he went on to say what services there were to be in the new Church, and to speak about the organ and the choir, the painted window, and how he was now gathering his congregation.

The lady had been silently listening to all this, and when there was a little pause, asked her question, "Will you begin to build your spire from the top?"

"Oh, grandmamma!" said several voices at once.

But the lady meant something, and looked for an answer, and this was complacently given. "No, not from the top, but from the foundation."

The lady said, "That is right, that is right," and went on with her knitting. But the question was a strange one, and it was not spoken in jest or in ignorance. It was like a riddle, but what did it mean?

The subject of conversation was changed, yet the person to whom the question was addressed could not forget it, or the significant look with which it was asked.

Soon after this the lady was taken away, but the words remained and were associated in the clergyman's mind and memory with their author. Time passed on. The Church tower with its spire was completed and consecrated with great ceremony and joyfulness. The intended services were duly commenced, and continued, and everything was as successful as the heart of the clergyman could desire. There was no drawback. It was a beautiful Church, the admiration of the neighbourhood, and quite a striking object, situated as it was in a wild and elevated part of a large populous parish [Baldhu, in Cornwall].

The people were content with dry, dead, empty husks and formal ceremonies, for though the services were reverently performed, and were very orderly, hearty, animating, cheerful, and attractive, and the sermons sensible, earnest, and useful -- yet alas, spiritual death reigned there in the midst. The Lord was not there. What is more, the Holy Spirit was not sought, therefore did not breathe on the slain; and what was worse than all, there was no sense or suspicion of need.

About this time a tract, called The Great Error Detected, was given to our earnest friend, marked in several places with pencil to attract his attention. He read there of John Berridge with some interest, for his first history in some measure corresponded with his own.

As he went on reading he wondered, "Can this be building from the top, to begin with sanctification before justification?" But what did Berridge mean by justification? What was that "wondrous thing which God did, for his soul and the souls of his people?" What could he mean by having "his eyes opened to see himself a wretched lost man, and seeing the way of salvation?"

Berridge he said had "preached for six years and never brought a soul to Christ;" and then for two years more in another parish, and had no success. But now, when he preached Christ, the people came from all parts, far and near, to hear the glorious sound of the Gospel. Some came six miles, some eight, and some ten, and that constantly; and "believers were added to the church continually." What was all this?

Ah, reader, perhaps you little think how badly informed people are who do not know! All these things, however, set our friend pondering and wondering. But he could not solve the difficulty, for words and definitions, and descriptions of experience on spiritual matters only raised greater perplexities which they could not answer, for spiritual things can only be spiritually discerned.

Yet, notwithstanding, he endeavoured to grapple with the subject, though he could not by searching find out anything! He was in the dark, and knew not yet that he himself was blind and ignorant, and needed the power of the Holy Spirit to awaken him and bring him to see himself as he was -- a lost sinner -- and to make him feel his need of a Saviour to pardon and deliver him.

Time passed on, and with it many works and many services -- forms of godliness without the power thereof -- till it pleased God to bring him to a faithful friend who said to him abruptly one day, "You will never do any good in your pariah till you are converted," for he was actually building up people before he had brought them in.

He was indignant and contemptuous, and thought this loving and true word was very personal -- so it was -- and very abusive. Subsequent conversation, instead of acquitting him, only brought up another fundamental point on which he was deficient.

"You don't know," said his true, kind friend, "the difference between the natural conscience, and the work of the Holy Spirit."

He was honestly at a loss now, yet still somehow he endeavoured to battle it out. The next day reading the Word, he came to this passage, which quite arrested him: "Depart from Me, all ye workers of iniquity" (Luke 13:27); and the question arose in his mind, "What if He says this to me? But He will not say it to me." Nevertheless the question haunted him, "What if He does?"

Evidently shrinking away from the searching Word, he thought of all his righteousness, how he had openly renounced the world and its pleasures, and he remembered his devotion, zeal, religiousness, daily service, and strict attention to parochial visitations and schools. He recalled to his mind his conscious and intentional efforts for the glory of God. All this was pleaded in thought, but the reader will observe it was evasion and self-justification -- and this was his only plea!

Being alone now, he began to tremble at his own thoughts, and he went on to read the passage more carefully. Then another thought met him. It was this: that all those to whom the Lord spoke were taken by surprise. They had evidently been building from the top without any foundation, therefore were rejected when they looked for welcome! And they cried out in their amazement, "Lord, Lord, we have eaten and drunk in Thy presence, and Thou hast taught in our streets." (Luke 13:26.)

In another Gospel, such as these are made to say, "Lord, Lord, we have prophesied in Thy name, and in Thy name have cast out devils, and in Thy name done many wonderful works?" But nevertheless He professed to them, "I never knew you: depart from Me, ye that work iniquity!" (Matthew 27:22-23.)

Our friend's soul was more and more agitated, for he could not say he had prophesied, or cast out devils, or done any wonderful works. And if persons gifted with such great talents were liable to final rejection, what hope could there he for him? The circle was narrowing and the hands becoming closer, and so he tried to leap out of the net by thinking, "If I am as bad as all this, I have misled other people -- which is not likely." But this device failed also.

Was he indeed wrong, and had he been wrong all along, and had he deceived and misled others, many of whom were now beyond his reach and gone to their awful account? Saul of Tarsus slew the bodies of happy Christians and released their souls to heaven; but he had been slaying souls! This was indeed an overwhelming conviction, and it filled his soul with darkness and despair, for he saw that he was guilty of blood -- the blood of souls!

There, in the churchyard of that beautiful church with the lofty spire, lay the bodies of several good earnest churchmen whom he had jealously guarded from intrusion of "Gospel-men," and whom he had zealously and carefully taught, or rather mis-taught. Alas, they were gone without reconciliation and peace, and "There is no repentance or forgiveness in the grave!" How restless and wretched was he now, and how dark was the misery in which he was engulfed!

On the following Sunday morning he was unwell, and unfit in mind and body to minister at the public service. It was a bright cheerful morning in October, and the bells struck out earlier than usual a merry peal which sounded away to a great distance. Many people were responding to their musical call, so he roused himself up and went to Church.

The service was very soothing, the Psalms and portions of Scripture seemed especially to speak to him. The hymns greatly comforted him, and he went up into the pulpit briefly to explain the gospel of the morning, purposing then to return home. He took for his text: "What think ye of Christ?" (Matthew 22:42,)

As he pursued his discourse, he saw how Jesus, the Son of God, came to save and deliver sinners from the power of sin and the devil, but that the Pharisees were so taken up with themselves, their ritual, services, and atoning sacrifices, that they could not see Christ as He was, though He was there speaking to them and appealing to His miracles and to the Word for testimony of His divinity. Besides, they were looking for a future deliverer, and overlooking a present One!

While he was thus enabled to speak, and plainly to see the mistake of the Pharisees, he could not but see and feel he had been making exactly the same mistake himself. Therefore, against him also were launched those awful words of the twenty-third chapter of Matthew: "Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how shall ye escape the damnation of hell!" and "Ye whited sepulchres!"

These Pharisees and Scribes were not careless and immoral or prayerless men. No, far from it. They were religious to a degree, and yet these awful denunciations! Why? Because they overlooked Christ as the Son of Abraham, now come to be offered, and looked for the Son of David to restore them to glory! In fact, they had overlooked the necessity of a change of heart, and forgiveness of sins through the Blood of the Lamb.

In the midst of the discourse, it pleased the Lord to show to our friend that Christ was the true and only foundation, and -- what the Pharisee did not see -- that He was the Lamb of God who beareth away the sin of the world! Now he saw that to work for life was building without a foundation, and promoting sanctification before justification. It was really beginning at the top -- building, in imagination, in the air.

Our friend, once laid on the true Foundation, continued the labours of his office with heart set free, and zeal increased. How free, only those can tell who have themselves tasted release from the bondage of unbelief and spiritual death, to the liberty of a joyful loving life. How zealous, those can tell who have felt the power of love within -- welling up as from a fountain, and flowing down a living and life-giving stream of glory to God, and service of goodwill to men.

Now he preached Christ Jesus the Lord as the Saviour to sinners, and not, as heretofore, doctrines to be believed, and ordinances to be obeyed, in the hope of getting salvation at some future time! Not that doctrines and ordinances were to be neglected, far from it, but now they were placed in their proper position: namely, doctrines to saved sinners, as means through which their spiritual life was to be nourished; and ordinances, blessed channels through which grateful adoring love might flow up towards God, in obedience to His will. Doctrines and ordinances are as the robe and throne of the King, not the King himself, whose prerogative alone it is to pardon and deliver the guilty.

Now that Christ was lifted up, multitudes of people were brought from many parts to hear the Word of Life, and he who in former time was so weak in body that he could scarcely get on with such services as he had, was now enabled to do more, and preach every evening besides, and thrice on Sunday, to a church full of anxious and attentive hearers!

He who before was satisfied if he succeeded in delivering his sermon creditably, was now not content, though the large congregation was moved to tears under the Word of God. He longed for and expected to hear the question of the anxious soul, "What must I do to be saved?"

It became necessary to establish an after-service, or meeting, in the adjoining schoolroom where prayer was made for souls impressed under the Word, and where opportunity was afforded to such to plead for themselves. They were instructed by experienced persons to look to Christ, and to venture on the Blood which has been shed for sin, thanking God for His mercy.

Many, as John Berridge said, were added to the Church who will have occasion to praise God to all eternity. There was a great outpouring of the Holy Spirit on that neighbourhood, and on the congregation of that same church with the tower and spire. Now the edification was "from the foundation," and not from the top. Now the Christian lady's words were remembered with respect, and the question which sounded so foolish was found to be really a solemn and serious one.

There is one thing more should be said concerning our changed friend. He was not ashamed or afraid to declare openly that he had been wrong before, that he had been so unconsciously and unintentionally it is true, but still cruelly and fatally misleading souls! Many of his people, seeing his former earnestness and devotion, had thought he was converted, and he might have availed himself of this to pass himself off as one that had always been right. But before God he dared not, and desired it not.

Therefore, he plainly affirmed, "If I had died last week, I should have been lost for ever!" How could he otherwise have glorified God for His unspeakable mercy? We lose two great points of power and influence when we shrink from confessing our past faults and shortcomings, or fear to make open and thankful acknowledgment of our deliverance.

Professions as to one's present state and intentions are never so effectual as first the confession and then the burst of thanksgiving! He that covers his sins can never prosper, whether he is the unpardoned conscious sinner who is justifying himself, or the pardoned and justified sinner who is endeavouring to imply that he never was a sinner.

Reader, be built upon the Foundation, the tried, precious cornerstone, Christ Jesus. And build on that foundation yourself, not "wood, hay, stubble," but "gold, silver, and precious stones" (1 Corinthians 3:11-15). Worse than building on sand is the foolishness of beginning to "build from the top."
Chapter 2

Old Billy

or, Spared To Be Saved

A HOARY head is a crown of glory when it is found in the way of righteousness, but pitiable when men and women far advanced in years are in the way of sin, and still pressing on to endless ruin. The fires of their youth are quenched, the energy of life departed, their capacity for worldly enjoyments has ceased, and yet they cannot stop. They seem to drift like a doomed ship to the rocky shore!

Old Billy was one of these, and moreover like one who was determined to go on, in spite of every remonstrance. He was not without some knowledge of good things either, and he was surrounded by friends and relations who were walking in the ways of God; but he seemed as if he would show how reckless and daring he could be. It is a hard battle that such people have to fight, and they cannot always do it, or persevere in doing it, without resorting to swearing and other such vehemence to assist them in their course, and to drive off their true friends. Or they turn to intoxicating drink to drown their conscience and exhilarate themselves in spite of it, with a false and transient mirth.

Poor old Billy, he lived apparently a reckless life, and used to curse and swear as if he really meant evil and wicked ill will to those against whom he launched his awful oaths. And then again, he was continually seen reeling about in drunkenness, singing portions of hymns; or he would stop and talk anxiously about religion.

People used to call old Billy the "lost soul." The children in the lanes called after him, "Ah, Billy, you are a lost soul!" and laughed at him. In his rage he swore at them, and said he would murder them and such like.

I could not help regarding this pitiful object and considering his case. It was evident that hard words would not do, for I had it in my mind that his own thoughts about himself were harder and more cutting than anything anyone else could say to him. Will words of God's kindness, I asked myself, and God's good news to sinners, do for such a man? I determined, in dependence on God, to go and try.

So one wet morning when I thought he could not be very busy, I called to pay Billy a visit. When I had set down my dripping umbrella, I said, "Ah Billy, I am glad to see you at home. I want to have a talk with you."

He rose up from his settle in the chimney comer immediately, and said, "Can't stop -- I'm busy -- I must go;" and so saying he proceeded towards the door.

"But, Billy, it is raining quite hard!"

"Can't help that," he said. "We must do our work." And so he slammed the door after himself and departed.

His wife made all kinds of apologies for him, saying he was a very singular kind of man -- he did not mean bad, but he said and did strange things.

After the lapse of nearly a quarter of an hour, which no doubt seemed longer to him than to me, Billy lifted the latch quietly and whispered to his wife, "The parson gone, is he?"

"No," I said. "Billy, here I am. Come in."

He came in looking confused.

"Sit down, Billy, sit down. You are come to see me now. What do you want with me?"

"I don't want anything," he said, in a curt way.

"Oh yes, you do. You want a great many things, and you know you do."

He did not speak.

After a pause I said, "Billy, I have been thinking much about you lately. They call you a 'lost soul.'"

"What's that to you?" he said, interrupting me.

"A good deal," I answered, "because I have a message for lost people."

"I ain't so had as all that yet," he replied.

"But you are bad enough, Billy. Bad enough."

"Yes, indeed," interposed his wife.

He angrily cut her short by saying, "You hold your tongue. You're no better!"

I beckoned to her to be still, and went on to say, "You are bad enough, Billy, for an old man. How old are you?"

"Seventy years."

"Well now, that's a great age. That's the age of man: threescore years and ten. Do you know why the good Lord has spared you for so long?"

"I can't tell," he said, getting more and more impatient.

"Well, I think I can tell you. He is such a loving and merciful God, He wants to have mercy on you. You could not have better proof of it, could you?"

He did not answer, but he seemed interested, so I went on to speak of the forbearance of God towards him, and told him that the Lord's purpose in this was that it should bring him to repentance.

"Your old heart is not gone past being touched with Love, is it Billy?"

He did not reply, and as he was attentive I read to him: "Thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God? Or despisest thou the riches of His goodness and forbearance and long suffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance? But after thy hardness and impenitent heart, treasurest up unto thyself wrath, against the day of wrath, and revelation of the righteous judgment of God; who will render to every man according to his deeds!" (Romans 2.)

"Do you understand this, Billy? God can punish you, and He will; but He has not done it yet because He wants to have mercy on you. What a loving and merciful God He is!"

"You are a dear man," poor Billy said involuntarily, looking kindly at me, with tears in his eyes.

"Oh," I said, "what am I? A drop in the ocean. Think what a dear God He is. How patient and forbearing He has been to you. He has seen you going on year after year. You must not think that He has not seen you, or that He does not care whether you do right or wrong. He cares a great deal and He bears with us, because Christ Jesus is pleading the Blood that He shed to wash away sin. He is waiting for you!"

Billy was still looking into my face. I could see that his heart was moved, and that the Holy Spirit was striving with him.

"Shall I pray with you?" I asked, and as he did not refuse I knelt down and pleaded with God for poor "lost Billy," and begged for Jesus' sake that He would give him repentance and faith, and change his heart. I left a part of the text with him.

"Think," I said, "of the riches of His goodness and forbearance and long-suffering. You have been rich in heaping up wrath against yourself, rich in all kinds of sins and blasphemies and awful curses, but God has been richer in mercy than you in rebellion, or you would have been cut down. Think of these words, and may God bless them to your soul."

The hardened old man was at last convinced, and convicted too, and called upon the Lord who has promised to deliver.

God is merciful and kind, and poor old Billy was enabled to believe on Him, and was saved, and the Lord opened the eyes of the old sinner also to see his sin, and to hate it and avoid it. Billy did not want teaching about the way of salvation. He had known about that from a child. He knew he must be converted or be lost for ever; and he knew that only God could convert him. Therefore he never tried to save himself by works of righteousness, or to recommend himself by making sacrifices. Satan's device with him, which had succeeded so long, was procrastination, a treacherous habit which worked on him like a spell, and held him in unwilling bondage.

He could not do what he would, and he seemed as if he could not help doing what he would not, going on from sin to sin, from bad to worse, till it pleased God, with kind words, to arrest him and bring him to the actual point of surrender. Then Billy found salvation to his great joy, and was not ashamed to acknowledge it openly, or afraid to praise God for His goodness.

The words which had been spoken to him at the first interview, turned out to be literally true: "God has spared you to have mercy on you," for soon after his conversion of heart and change of life, he was laid on the bed of his last sickness. His undermined constitution could not bear much, so he rapidly sank, but his soul was happy indeed, though he said he could not help looking back with sorrow on a wasted and wicked life.

One Sunday morning I was summoned hastily to him and started off without delay, but I was greeted with, "It's too late, he is gone!" I went in, however, to see the last of him, and found his daughter still watching.

She said, "You are too late, he is dead!"

He was not dead, for though his eyes were glazed and his hand was cold, he was still conscious. He said his soul was happy as he pressed my hand in his, and evidently in allusion to his daughter's words he said, "Not dead -- just beginning to live -- just beginning to live!" Thus he passed away joyfully and triumphantly, a monument of God's tender mercy and most forgiving love.

He had often prayed the swearer's prayer, asking God to damn his soul; but he did not mean that, and God would not hear it. But when he prayed for mercy, though he was tied and bound with chains of sin, in the pitifulness of His great mercy, and for the honour of Jesus, the Lord forgave him his sins. To the Lord our God belong mercies and forgivenesses, though we have rebelled against Him.

"Just as I am -- poor, wretched, blind;

Sight, riches, healing of the mind;

Yea, all I need in Thee to find,

O Lamb of God, I come."

Chapter 3

The Family of Four

THERE lived in a certain place a family consisting of Father, Mother, Son, and Daughter, all excellent friends, who delighted in each other's company and were quite content with their own home and home arrangements. They were not dependant on their neighbours for cheerfulness, or upon any outside attractions for amusement. They had everything they wanted in themselves, and were, humanly speaking, a very happy family.

The parents had married early in life, and were therefore not much past their prime when their young people were grown up. The former were perhaps young still in their tastes and employments, and perhaps the latter were somewhat a little old-fashioned in theirs, so it turned out that they all got on well together.

It is a pleasant sight to see parents and children to be good confiding friends, for too often parents keep on thinking or feeling that their children are only children still, though they are grown up; and grownup children think or feel that their parents do not understand them, and that they themselves are very much in advance of the old folks, and know and do everything better now than they used to know or do in other days.

It is a true saying that you cannot put old heads upon young shoulders, but still these people of whom we are writing were wise enough to learn from one another. The parents seemed to learn the last new phase of thought and feeling from the young ones, and the young ones were wise enough to get the matured wisdom and judgment of their elders. The parents were pleased with and proud of their children, and the children were proud of their parents, and they loved them for their kindness and consideration.

They saw eye to eye in everything, these four people, and lived happily together, perfectly content with their own company. Their hours were regular for prayers and meals, and their occupations were not very onerous. And then came the cream of the day, the game at cards, or the rubber at whist in the evening. In winter or summer by the cheerful fire, or at the open window looking upon the bright and fragrant garden, all seemed well and comfortable. Very comfortable and well... but. And there must be a but in this changing passing world.

This world is not our home, only a place of passage, and there is a broad stream bearing us onward, onward, and onward without stopping. As the clock ticks and time passes on, so pass we -- whither?

These happy folks were having their heaven here and enjoying the present, leaving the future to take care of itself when it came. Not that they were careless and godless people, oh no, they had their family prayers and their Scripture chapter, and their pew in church in which they all regularly assembled twice every Sunday. In fact there was nothing against them, unless it was the charge of "pride," because they did not mix more with their neighbours. They were accounted proud towards others because they were good friends among themselves.

Now, why are Christian families not always united like this? Generally speaking, they have far more reason to be so than worldly folks, yet alas, how true it is, they are often divided, mother against the daughter, and the father against the son. It may he said the worldly are at home in this world, and the Christians are strangers; but surely as strangers they need to be adhering and leaning to one another more than the others.

It may be urged also, and often is, that the prince of this world hinders their union, but it may be answered that a greater Prince can promote union, and is actually praying and pleading for it. Perhaps it is our own fault. The perverseness of nature and the weakness of our flesh are the cause, though we blame the devil and the world. Too often the saddle is put on the wrong horse.

The family of four lived peaceably and happily together, and considered one another, and so their life flowed in an even stream, though unfortunately, as we have hinted, it was flowing in the wrong direction. But there is this to be said for them: they did not think of it, and they did not know that they were all going wrong together. Like many well-meaning and contented people, they had no suspicion that their case was so bad, and so unchristian and fatal as they afterwards discovered it to be.

It so happened that there came in the course of events, to their church, a Minister who preached not only full and free salvation as it is called, but he insisted that it must be a present salvation, or it was nothing yet except for condemnation. And the Minister would in an unflinching way divide the hearers then and there into two classes -- and only two, not three. He called them the saved and the unsaved, or believers and unbelievers.

The united family did not quite like this, though they could not answer it; but they remained united still, if anything more so, for they fortified one another against this assault on the old town of Mansoul [a reference to Bunyan's Holy War]. Sunday after Sunday the Word dropped on the family of four just like the proverbial drop of water on the rock, which wore it away at last.

On one occasion, the preacher said to those who were at home in this world, "You may die before next Sunday, and then you will have to leave your home; whereas if you are saved, and are pilgrims here below, you will go Home when you die."

This came very close to the parties in question, and disturbed them more than they liked.

"There are three chances," said the preacher, "against the unbeliever. He may die tonight. Or the Lord may come and shut the door. Or He may withdraw His Holy Spirit. And then there would be, and could be, no more opportunity for salvation."

Such things disturbed their thoughts and their rest at night, and they were unhappy on Monday morning, and were more silent than usual. The daughter, who was the petted "baby" of the family, must needs speak out first.

She said, "I cannot sleep after those sermons. It is not fair to shut one up like that without any alternative. Either we must be saved in his way or lost altogether. It is not a Christian spirit."

The son agreed to this, and voted that they should all leave that Church, or if they did not, they should have a game at cards when they came home. He was sure that would put it all out of their heads very soon.

The elders said nothing to this proposition, and so it fell to the ground for the present. But the Sunday after, whether it was that they were all more attentive and more sensitive than usual, or that the preacher was, if anything, more personal in his appeals to the people, and seasoned his words with more salt, the family were greatly perturbed. However, they were united in their opinion, and unanimously agreed that it was not necessary for everyone to be born again. It might be necessary for bad, immoral people, but steady, quiet people only needed advancement and progress. Or, if change of heart were necessary, there was no such particular hurry for it. It was such impatient zeal to wish to see results all at once.

On returning home they were not satisfied even with their own final settlement of the question. So at the suggestion of the son, who had voted for cards, they set about their play, and had a very interesting and exciting game, and certainly found much relief from the pressure which had been on them.

So the evening passed away and they retired to rest and had unbroken sleep, and met again in the morning quite elated with their successful measures. Now they did not care, and it would not matter much how strongly the Minister preached. They were up with him.

It is surprising what daring things people may do sometimes without any consciousness of their danger. These people evidently did not know what they were doing, and as such, we may suppose, came within the reach and compass of that notable prayer on the Cross, which the Father does not forget, though sinners do.

The merciful Lord remembers whereof we are made. He knows the beguiling influence of Satan, and therefore regards the soul as a poor defenceless and helpless lamb in the power of the great lion. This accounts for His kind forbearance and patience towards us. He sees we are sinned against as well as sinning, and is willing to take the part of the weaker and deceived ones.

Several weeks passed on, and the family seemed as if a great barrier was removed from their quiet enjoyment and peaceful domestic comfort. But one Sunday evening the daughter, instead of going home as usual, followed the preacher to his dwelling and begged for a word of conversation. He, being engaged with others, transferred her to his wife in the next room. In a very short time she appeared again, and before all the people in the room, with smiles and tears, in a transport of joy, began to bless and praise God for His unspeakable mercy in saving her soul.

The Lord had forgiven her sins and changed her heart, and she felt that her long-concealed burden was gone. With gladness of heart they all joined to sing:

"Oh happy day, that fixed my choice

On Thee, my Saviour and my God;

Well may this glowing heart rejoice,

And tell its raptures all abroad."

From that day, it may he added here, she continued an earnest and devoted follower of Jesus, and a faithful witness of His saving power.

On her return home, the cards were on the table and all was ready, and she had only to put off her things and sit down to play. But her face was changed as well as her heart, and she laid her hand on the cards with firmness, and looking at her mother, said, "I wonder God did not strike us all dead for sinning against Him in this way. We have been trying to put away His message from us Sunday after Sunday. Oh, Mother, He is such a merciful God. He has saved me and pardoned my sins. I dare not play another game as long as I live. Those were solemn words tonight, 'I would and ye would not' -- and Jesus weeping too. Oh, Mother, I could not stand out against them. How could you?"

She was the loved one of the family, and there was such a thrilling solemnity in her manner that no one dared to plead for the game of cards. They could not laugh at her, but they seemed hurt and even angry with her for being so changed, and they became sarcastic and then reproachful. But she held to her experience, and the argument of Scripture. They were but cowards in this contest and their consciences were on her side, and she seemed to know it.

Their unity was now broken up. It seemed as if some great calamity had happened to them. So, after a silent supper, they were glad to retire for the night. But they were perturbed, and not the less so when they heard the daughter in her bedroom pleading earnestly late and early for her parents and brother. Salvation was come to the house, and she entreated that all in the house might be partakers of it.

The next morning, in a brighter and more loving way than usual, she set the Bible before her father. But somehow he could not read in the same unconcerned and customary way of old. A great trouble was upon him, their family union was broken, and their happiness was gone. So they sat to their silent breakfast as if the beloved daughter were dead, instead of being as she was, raised from death to life.

One can feel for people like these under such circumstances, for they had set their affections on things below, and knew nothing yet of things above. To such we may suppose a cheerful, and happy, and well-ordered home on earth is about the most desirable of all things, and nothing more could be needed while this remained.

But the Lord, who orders for us better than we can ask or think, had another plan for this family. He had given them their happy nest. And it pleased Him in His kind providence in due time to stir it up, in order to show practically that this world should not be their resting place, and that they should not settle here as if they had reached their final home.

That first day of their breach and separation was long and miserable as could be, and the evening was worse, for the happy gathering, the usual card-playing had ceased, and the most loved-one was going to a prayer meeting. She was going all alone, for none would go with her. She set out nevertheless, with a great burden of prayer on her soul for her parents and brother.

Prayer was asked for a beloved father, and mother, and brother, that the Lord would change their hearts. Someone pleaded earnestly for this, as if he knew all the circumstances of the case, and then another, and another.

At the close of the hour a young man was found in a comer of the room in great distress of soul, who sobbed aloud when he was noticed. It was no other than the brother, and he soon after received pardon, and went home with his sister rejoicing, though both of them were praying and feeling deeply for their parents. Well they might, for the poor parents were broken-hearted, not so much on account of sin, as the alienation of their children. Religion had brought a sword, not peace, into their house -- their once happy home.

The father was grieved with his children for being converted, and with bitter anguish he reproached the Minister for breaking up his family. But it came to his turn next to yield to the Lord, and so it was, as it were in spite of himself, in answer to the prayers of his children, that he was saved and rejoiced with them. But now they all grieved for the mother.

She was left behind very lonely, very wretched and despairing. For a long time she remained in darkness, till at last light broke on her unenlightened soul also, and thus were the family of four again restored to unity on a more lasting basis. Now they were bound together with heavenly love, as before it had been only earthly love. Now they were of one heart and one mind in their house, with a promise from the Lord Himself of no separation and no condemnation.

Blessed are the families that are so united, whether of four or more. Blessed in their warfare in earth, blessed in their temporary parting in death, and most blessed in their joyful meeting in glory hereafter.

Reader, are you a member of a united family? Is the union for this world, or for the next? Are you converted yourself? And if so, have you borne your loving testimony at home, and invited your loved ones to come and see Jesus for themselves? There is much encouragement in the Scriptures for the first who is converted in a family. Though it must be confessed that there is often much discouragement, for the young convert is apt to look for sympathy where it cannot exist, and being alone at first has to bear the whole burden of the battle.

In the Word we read that when the Lord lights a candle, He sets it on a candlestick, that all who come into the house may see the light. In short, He wills that the light should shine especially to those who are in darkness and in the shadow of death in that house. How many there are in our privileged country sitting in darkness, that is, quite ignorant of the simple way of salvation, and how many who, understanding the way of salvation, are still content to remain sitting under the shadow of spiritual death, in an unconverted state.

It was the Lord's will to send the first one of this family who was brought to Himself, to testify to the rest. The daughter had her cross and her trial, and she had her joyful reward.

May the Lord bless this little narrative to your soul, and bring you to see your oneness with the Saviour; and then make you long and pray for the same blessing on all belonging to you.

Chapter 4

Forgiveness;

or, A useful mistake

HAVING knocked at a door by mistake, I made my apologies and was retreating, when I was asked by a voice from a window to come in. I complied, and having conversed about other things, ventured to ask my unknown friend if she frequented the house of God. She declared herself a very constant and attentive hearer, but it would appear she was not a doer of the Word -- not from any real unwillingness on her part, but simply from ignorance, or apathy, or want of application. Hers was a clear example of the "narrow-necked bottle!"

An Archbishop of Canterbury, called Anselm, likened general preaching to splashing water out of buckets over so many narrow-necked bottles ranged in rows. Some drops found their way in now and then, but he said it needed subsequent visitation or personal conversation to pour the water into the necks of the bottles, in order to fill them to overflowing.

Here was a soul ready to receive the Word, and having been made willing by the power of the Lord, her heart was opened by Him to receive the Word, and she believed. The following Sunday she was a joyful and deeply interested hearer and worshipper too, but it grieved her to go away while the Lord's children remained behind to gather round the Table of their Father.

She spoke of this and asked me about it, that she also might have admission. Gladly I bade her welcome. The Table is spread for those who believe, for the body of the Lord was broken and His blood was shed on the cross for them. I said, "If you repent of your sins and intend to lead another life, and are in charity with all men; by all means come, and welcome."

Week after week, however, passed by, and she came not. I saw also her joy was failing, and her attention was becoming listless.

"What is the matter?" I asked. "Why do you not come? Do you not believe that Jesus died for your sins, and rose again for your justification?"

"Yes," she replied, "I thank God I can and do believe that."

"Is not your mind entirely changed about the past, and bent on walking before the Lord in the land of the living, for the future, by God's help?"

"Yes."

"Now what is it? Is there anything against your neighbours?"

At this she coloured and was silent.

"Are you not in charity with someone?"

Yet there was no answer.

"Well," I continued, "I cannot wonder at your state. But I will say this for you: I would rather have you hang back for this reason, than go on as if it were all right when it was not so. It is a bad thing not to be in charity with all men, but far worse to go on under these circumstances without feeling or caring."

She told me her mother-in-law had injured her deeply. She could not forgive her; and then she became agitated even to tears. "No," she said, "I never will forgive her."

"Never is a long word, and does not become God's child. You must forgive, and you must ask for grace to enable you to do it. How can the love of God dwell in your heart, if you do not from your heart forgive your neighbour as freely as God has forgiven you far deeper injuries done to Himself? When God forgives us, He sheds abroad His love in our hearts by the Holy Spirit which is given, and you should show this love that it is essentially a forgiving love. It assures you of forgiveness, and it urges you to forgive those who have injured you."

"No," she said, "I cannot. It is no use. I cannot forgive her."

"Come now, let us kneel down and tell God that you have such a strong animosity against your relative that you cannot forgive her. He can subdue the unruly will, and all sinful affections. Shall we kneel?"

After a long silent struggle she knelt, and we made this confession to God, and pleaded for grace to enable her to overcome. But there was no response. Again we pleaded for grace, and at last came the "amen," and with it tears of anguish. Then the recollections of the injury and the grievance seemed to rise up like a flood, and sweep all good resolves away. She rose from her knees declaring it was no use \-- it could not be.

Again we knelt and prayed, and she interrupted me with saying, "What am I to do? Am I to go to her and tell her I forgive her? I cannot. I will not."

"Well," I said, "you must consider it well and prayerfully. I think you will lose far more than you gain by this unavailing revenge and animosity."

A few days after, I came again, and found her willing to open the subject, and almost ready to ask her mother-in-law's forgiveness for herself. I was led, therefore, to put the matter in this way. "Suppose you go to the house and see her, and ask her to forgive you because the Lord has forgiven you."

"No," she said, "this is harder than the other."

"Well, but let us begin with the hardest first. Shall we again pray to God to help you? And will you set off at once, and not parley with yourself any longer? How much joy and liberty you lose, and for what? What do you get by harbouring this unforgiving spirit in your heart?"

After prayer she rose, and said she would go.

"But when?" I asked. "Go at once, don't delay. The great secret of victory in such trying conflicts is promptness. Go off now."

She assented, to my great joy, and putting on her bonnet and cloak proceeded at once, promising to come and tell me the result. Hour after hour passed, and yet she did not come, and I feared her resolution had failed her.

The next day I went to enquire, and found that she had been there, but that as she approached the gate her heart beat so violently that she could not go in. So she passed it and then turned and went back. But it was of no use, she could not go in.

"Shall I go with you?"

"No," she replied, thanking me. "No, by God's help I will go, and I will conquer this feeling!"

We thanked God for this token of victory, and I bid her take courage, and to come to me after the dreaded interview.

She made another attempt, and was able to open the gate and walk up the once familiar path where she had not been for more than two years, and with trembling hand she knocked at the door. She was admitted and shown into the adjoining room, where she was at once confronted with her mother-in-law.

In mutual surprise they looked at one another till the daughter-in-law burst into tears and said, "Mother, will you forgive me?"

After a moment's pause they were silently locked in a mutual embrace, and the mother said, "My dear, I think I have more need to ask your forgiveness. Will you forgive me?"

Oh the joy of such reconciliation! If they had not really loved one another, they could not have retained mutual jealousies and wounded feelings. They would have grown indifferent to one another. But now that they were reconciled again, their love gushed up with more abundant flow, and they became greater friends than ever.

The young woman's happiness and her joyful thankfulness to the God of all grace abounded more and more, and with swelling heart she came for the first time to her place at the Lord's Table. It was a bright and happy day, only surpassed by that in which she had the joy of leading her mother to Jesus, and the privilege of rejoicing with Him for having found her, the wandering sheep which had been lost.

"Be ye kind one to another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake has forgiven you" (Ephesians 4:32).

"Be ye therefore followers of God as dear children" (Ephesians 5:1).
Chapter 5

What a Shame

VISITING among cottages one day, I came to one where a woman was in great trouble about her sick child that was dangerously ill. It seemed to be hovering between death and life. The doctor had just been there and had given no hope of recovery, but he said that children do recover in a marvellous way. It was to this slender prospect that the mother's heart clung.

"Will God spare my child?" she asked with an anxious look.

"Have you asked Him?" I enquired. "Have you prayed to Him?"

This was just what she had not done. She had only hoped and feared.

"Do not rest in hopes, or be deterred by fears, but pray and trust in God."

The Lord heard and answered the mother's prayer, and in due time the child was restored. While we were praying, her husband, Joseph, came in, clattered the chairs about, and showed his impatience in many ways, though without any positive effort to stop the prayer. When we rose from our knees, he was standing in the middle of the room, with his hat on his head, and his hands in his pockets, half turning away from us.

He presently looked up and said, "Do you think that is any good? Do you think your prayer can do good, when the doctor's medicine has failed? It's all superstition and nonsense!"

"Our prayers," I replied, "cannot, but God can. Jesus promised if two of you shall agree to ask----"

"I don't believe a word of such stuff," he said angrily. "You are paid for talking like this, but I don't think you believe it either. Do you now?" he said, turning to me, as if he had fairly detected me in a trick of trade.

"I have read of such people as you," I replied, "but I do not often meet with such. I should like to have a talk with you very much. You have told me what you do not believe. I should like to know what you do believe."

"I believe," he said, "I want my dinner now. It's all very well for you who have nothing to do; working makes a man hungry. Now then, Betsy, let's have the dinner; be quick."

So saying, he sat down in his chair while his wife bustled about to get the dinner, and I retired, promising to come in the evening for a talk, and telling him I hoped he would not run out of the way.

It is needless to narrate all the conversation which took place that evening. The man was ignorant and self-opinionated, but he admitted that Jesus Christ had been into this world, and had died upon the cross, though he did not know why or what he himself had to do with it. He admitted that Jesus Christ would come again to this world; but even on this he did not know what would be the effect on him. He had never applied these and such like facts to himself.

I showed him from Scripture that Jesus came as the "Lamb of God." That just as the Jews brought a lamb that had not sinned to die in the place of the sinner who had, because without shedding of blood there could be no remission. So provided His own Son to be the substituted sacrifice for the sins of all men. And now since that blood had been shed, there is remission for all who believe and show their faith by coming to Jesus for the remission of their sins.

He did not answer or reason, but seemed rather disposed to yield to reason, and we then parted with prayer, he promising me that he would come to church next Sunday.

Joseph was full of his going to church. He had not been there since he went to be married, except once to the funeral of a friend of his. So when Sunday arrived, about half an hour before the service time, Joseph put on, not his Sunday, but his "best coat," which was rather tight and irksome.

While he was standing before the chimney glass and adjusting it, some of his usual companions happened to look in at the window. They watched him for some time, and then one of them exclaimed, "Look there! I do believe Joseph is going to church!"

They all roared with laughter, and came rushing into the house, making great fun. Poor Joseph's resolution fled like smoke before the wind.

"Church! Going to church! What will you think of next?" he said. "I am going by train!"

His wife was dismayed at the ready lie. The time was wrong and the train was gone. He should go now and change his clothes. And so he did, and he went and spent the day on the beach with his companions, albeit with a bad conscience.

Not seeing Joseph at church, according to promise, I called on him the next morning and heard the sad tale, and found him dejected and ashamed of himself.

"I won't scold you, Joseph, but will you be a man next Sunday, and keep your word, and not be ashamed to come?"

"If I live," he said, in a very determined manner.

"Very good," I said, offering my hand.

The next Sunday he was true to his word and came, but he had risen early, and two hours before church time had left his home dressed in his best, setting out in the opposite direction, for fear any inquisitive neighbours should think he was going to church.

He walked round through a wood, and came out a long way on the other side beyond the church, and then walked along the road as if he were going home, and just stepped into the church with other people and sat down. When once there, he was afraid to look about, for he felt as if everybody was looking at him, and wondering to see him there.

After the service was over, Joseph was greatly pleased with himself for having kept his resolution, and he promised to come again in the evening. One of his working companions hearing this, invited him to a prayer meeting in the afternoon.

"What, three times the first day? No, no," said Joseph, laughing, "that would be laying it on too thick."

I came up just then, and found Joseph beset by people as glad to see him as I was. "Now Joseph," I said, "take my advice, go in for everything. Come in the afternoon and come in the evening too, and then I want you to be present at a prayer meeting at my house after the service!"

"Very well, very well," replied Joseph.

He came to all these services and meetings, and had of course to bear the jeers of his companions in the workshop on Monday morning, and certainly, from all accounts, they did not spare him. But he was firm this time, and he said would go to a meeting again that very evening; and there he appeared accordingly.

Several times he attended services during that week, and came fearlessly the next Sunday to church, getting quite established in goodness, and he became a changed man to all outward appearance, and very well satisfied with himself. His outward life was reformed, but his heart was still unchanged. However, he was in the way, and being in the way, the Lord met him.

It so happened that "the Word which is as a hammer," broke the stony heart of a friend whom he had brought to hear it one day, and he was amazed at the effect of it, for his friend broke down in the presence of the people and cried aloud for mercy in the greatest trouble of mind. Joseph stood by as one petrified.

He saw the agony and distress of this man's soul, and heard his cry, and watched him till the poor man was brought from the sorrow and despair of conviction, to the joy of pardon and peace. No sooner had the man found peace than he hurried to Joseph, and began to exhort him to give his whole heart to the Lord too.

Joseph went home that evening a convicted man. He had discovered that his church-going, and his prayers and good works were not conversion. By degrees he seemed to wake up from his sleep and remember that he had not been taught and exhorted to mend his life or reform his own character, but to come to Jesus as a sinner, that he might be born again and receive forgiveness of sins. He sought for this and found it, and was found of God, and then his joy was unbounded.

All in a few weeks the once scornful unbeliever was converted and became a joyful Christian, and began to enquire in his factory, among the several hundred men who worked there, how many of them knew the Lord. He was astonished to find how few, how very few there were.

This circumstance weighed much on his mind, till one morning -- he had been praying about it -- while looking at the hundreds who were pouring out of the various outlets of the factory at the breakfast hour into the courtyard within the outer gate, he was constrained to cry out, "What a shame! What a shame!"

He was overcome and burst into tears, and held up his hands and cried out again with a loud voice, "What a shame!" as he stood with his back to the gate, beside the little wicket through which the men, one by one, had to pass.

"What's the matter, Joseph?" said several voices. "What's the matter?"

"What a shame," he replied, "that Christ has so few, and the devil so many in this factory! What a shame!"

The men all seemed to feel this cry. It came from the heart, and went to their hearts.

Joseph used to be a great favourite among his workfellows. They knew what he had been, and now they were struck with the change. The man, who once from fear and from shame could not face his companions, was now to stand before them all and bear a testimony for God, and plead for men's souls with tears.

Joseph's testimony was not in vain. Many from that time began to attend the meetings for prayer and praise, heard the gospel and were converted, till the majority of the people in that factory were the Lord's.

A happy day was the Lord's Day, and a happy place was the Lord's house, and happy were many who assembled there. And happy was Joseph, who had had the privilege of persuading many to come there. He had been instrumental in watering many souls, and his own soul was watered. Nor did the Lord overlook his family at home. They were all, by the mercy of God, brought to know Him. He believed and he was saved, and his house.

Chapter 6

The Silver Ladder

DREAMS come sometimes from the thoughts of the day. Sometimes they are suggested by the evil one to lead to sinful words and deeds; and sometimes, we may be sure, they are sent by God to teach or warn us. But how shall we discern and test a dream? By the one test by which we are commanded: "To try the spirits whether they be of God" \-- that is, by the Word. (1 John 4:1.) "To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them." (Isaiah 8:20.)

The following dream was told me by the man who dreamed it, who has now been a consistent, happy Christian for fourteen or fifteen years, honouring God in his house, and living a self-denying life to the glory of God. The Lord has indeed blessed him and made him a blessing to a great many, not so much in public speaking, but in what is harder still, in consistent living and personal dealing with souls.

He came to me one evening when I had been speaking of the ladder in Jacob's dream. The words he had heard brought to his remembrance very freshly his own vision, and he was stirred up to come and tell it.

He said, "Some years ago, when I was a careless and prayerless young man, I dreamed that I was with nineteen other men of about my own age in a pleasant place. The house was good and well furnished with everything we wanted. The gardens were spacious and delightful, and there was nothing that we could desire which was not readily and easily provided for us.

"We all understood that the premises belonged to Satan, and that he was the master over us, and that he gave us all these enjoyments freely, upon two conditions: first that we were not to pray; and secondly, that we were not to escape from the place. We thought the conditions were most favourable, for we laughed at the idea of praying. Not being of that sort, we were not likely to break that rule; and as to escaping from the garden, why should we, when we had all that we could wish for where we were? It seemed strange to us that our master should have made no worse conditions."

No, the prince of this world says, even to the child of God, "All these things will I give thee, and the glory of them, if thou wilt fall down and worship me." Where he gets a willing homage, there is no need to tempt. Alas, how many there are who have no other lord but Satan. They desire nothing more for themselves and their children than the riches, and honours, and pleasures of this world. They would laugh at the idea of praying. They are no saints or hypocrites, not given to psalm singing or serious thoughts about death or eternity. They have no wish to abandon the world and its gains, not even at God's command, for they say, "If we did not do this and gain that, others would."

No, they have no wish to leave this world. It is their home, and where should they go? "No one knows where!" Death is a leap in the dark to them, and this world is heaven, and indeed all the home and all the heaven they can ever have -- and after that, the judgment. But let us go on with the dream.

"It came to pass after a time, with one and another of us, that we got weary of our pleasures. We were sick and tired of the place. The daily round of merriment and frivolity did not satisfy us, and one and all we longed to escape from the place. But how was it to be done? We had pledged ourselves not to pray, and not to escape.

"In my dream I saw that our master had provided himself with a great whip. When he observed that we were not enjoying ourselves as usual, he suspected that we were planning some escape from his influence and power, and he threatened us loudly, 'Hark ye, you slaves! If you dare to pray, or if you dare to escape, I'll have you!'

"We trembled at him, and no longer laughed at the idea of praying, or escaping either. How I longed to begin -- but he seemed to know it, for one day he coaxed me to pleasure, and because I would not, he stung me with his whip. 'Taste that! And that is what you shall have. You are the most dissatisfied of all.'

"After a time, others came under that cruel and withering lash. We were in despair, and our master walked about on the watch, day and night, to prevent our praying and escaping. We were not permitted to speak to one another lest we should conspire against him. Now was our situation most miserable, and we did not know which way to turn. We contrived however to make it known among ourselves that at a certain time as many of us as were so disposed should pray, one in one place and one in another, so that at least a few might escape, while the others were being scourged.

"We seemed instinctively to know that prayer was our only way of effectual escape. Some had prayed, and been punished till they desisted, and some had endeavoured to flee, but had been captured and brought back to heavier bondage.

"On the set day and time, my place was behind some bales -- unopened bales of costly goods -- costly, but quite useless to us. We had no pleasure in them. In this dark corner I knelt down and quickly began to pray to God to forgive and deliver me. But soon I heard the master's whip and his blasphemous voice. His fury was terrible, but I prayed all the more intensely when I heard his footsteps approaching me. 'Aha! You are there, are you!'

"And then he cracked his whip, till my heart trembled within me. I opened my eyes, and behold, in the dark comer, there was a beautiful silver ladder all ready. How long it had been there I know not, but it was the work of an instant to leap onto it, and with hands and feet to climb for my life. 'I'll teach you to climb,' said the master, and calmly began to ascend too.

"My terror was very great when I felt the ladder shaking under me. I almost let go my hold for fear, for his cool determination to destroy me, and the slow words of wrath which he spoke, almost unnerved me. I looked up to see how much further I had to go, and I saw that at the head of the silver ladder, even if I could reach it, there was only a small aperture, scarcely large enough for one hand. My master seemed to see the look I gave, and appeared to know my thoughts. 'You cannot escape -- I'll have you -- and you will never, never climb again!' he said.

"But with a fresh gush of energy I made a new start to climb, and my master simultaneously came striding up, and I felt his hot sulphury breath on the back of my neck while he thundered awful oaths in my ear. But I climbed on for sweet life, and came to the hole and thrust my hand through, and then my arm, and then my head, and then my other arm. And now the struggle for life! And I know not how it was, but I was safe on the other side, and my late master was raging furiously below.

"I stopped to breathe a little, I know not for how long. I was in such a state of excitement. When I came to myself, there were beautiful fields of living green around me, and glorious flowers, and angels flying about like birds. Some of them came to welcome me, and they rejoiced over me.

"I said, 'Where is the Lord of this beautiful place?' There He was before me, standing with His hand stretched out. I saw the fresh wound in His hand, and I bowed down before Him, and could not thank Him enough for joy.

"He bade me rise, but still I continued prostrate, and He said, 'What is thy petition?'

"I said, 'O my Lord, there are nineteen more down there.' And I shuddered at the remembrance. 'I pray Thee, make that hole larger.'

"But He, with the sweetest, smile, said, 'It is large enough for each one -- I have made it so. Fear not.' And then I awoke."

"Tell me," I said, when he had finished the story of the dream, "tell me what you did when you awoke."

He said he could do nothing, his heart was throbbing and beating so, that another person might have heard the sound of it.

"Did you not get up and pray?"

"No, I was afraid."

He said, for days and days he felt so miserable he was tempted to destroy himself. When he knelt to pray he was afraid of being seen, and he could not keep his mind to his prayer for watching, lest someone should catch him praying.

One day, some of his fellow workmen were laughing at men who prayed, and one turned to him and said, "There's Thomas, he looks full of shame. I shouldn't wonder if he turns out to be one of these praying hypocrites."

"Whenever I knelt or tried to pray, such evil, cursed thoughts came into my mind -- such filthy thoughts and oaths sometimes, that I could not pray. I felt very like myself in the old master's premises again.

"One Sunday I was passing by a cottage in a country lane, and I heard a man's voice say, clearly,

'Jesus, the Name high over all,

In hell, or earth, or sky --

Angels and men before it fall,

And devils fear and fly.'

"I listened, and presently voices sang that verse. I had never, I thought, heard such singing. Men, women, and children seemed to be singing, and I was not, and sorrow filled my heart. Presently they stopped, and again the voice I had heard before gave out another verse:

'Jesus the prisoners' fetters breaks,

And bruises Satan's head;

Power into strengthless souls He speaks,

And life into the dead.

"I felt a love for those people, and a love for the Jesus of whom they were singing.

O that the world might taste and see

The riches of His grace;

The arms of love that compass me,

Would all mankind embrace.'

"After they had sung this, and repeated the last two lines fervently, a man began to pray. His prayer was, as it were, all about me. I was melted to the earth, and cannot tell how I felt till someone stood by me and kindly bade me come in. Oh, how kind were these strangers to me! They prayed for me, they cheered and bid me pray too, but I could not get on. It seemed all clear and easy to them, but not so with me.

"They would not let me go till I promised to come again in the evening. I did so, and there the Lord opened my eyes to see the way of salvation, and then I saw how the Lamb of God had borne my sins and made atonement to God. The burden rolled off my soul, and I praised the Lord heartily.

"Oh, how happy were these people at my release. They said the angels were rejoicing over me in heaven. I am sure they were like the angels rejoicing on earth. Since then I have served the Lord, and I wish I could serve Him more fully."

I have often heard from my friend of the love and blessing of God to him, and how he is used by God to win souls for Jesus.

Chapter 7

Richard's Victory

What a solemn, yet joyful place is that where a blood-washed soul is departing.

"When angels are from glory come,

Are round the bed and in the room,

Waiting to take the spirit home."

Sorrowing relatives and weeping sisters stood near, and Richard said, "How can you cry for me? I am going to glory. This is glory -- this is heaven -- this is victory -- don't weep for me."

"Come sing to me of heaven,

When I'm about to die;

Sing songs of holy ecstasy

To waft my soul on high.

"There will be no more sorrow there,

In heaven above, where all is love,

There will be no more sorrow there."

"If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus, 'tis now," and thus Richard departed, who only a few months before had been living without hope and without God in the world, a Christless soul.

I do not tell this to recommend a deathbed conversion, or to commend a life spent unprofitably in sins, but to show the wonderful pardoning love of God, and the manifest change He can work by His Holy Spirit upon ordinary men.

When I first saw Richard it was autumn, and the chill of winter was creeping on. The leaves were brown and falling, the lane was thickly strewed with them, and he was slowly and feebly walking along under the shelter of a hedge. He had been a strong, brave man, but now his constitution was undermined by consumption, and he was failing in strength and breath, and sinking into the grave.

Seeing that he looked dejected and cheerless, I was moved to speak to him kindly, but he seemed quite indifferent to my words and was absorbed in his own ailments. I asked where he lived, and promised to call and see him, but he did not encourage me in that either, or show any desire for it. However, as I had promised, I went and sat with him and read to him, and spoke of his danger, showing him that his fleeting breath was all that now detained him from a sinner's final doom, and that his danger was all the greater and more serious because he did not feel it.

I proved the reality of these things from the Word of God, and assured him that the same Holy Spirit, who had written this description of the sinner's state and danger, had done so on purpose to make us value so much the more the wonderful salvation which God had provided for us in Christ Jesus.

He was listening to me, as he afterwards assured me, but at the time he did not seem sufficiently interested to encourage me very much. I prayed with him, and was led, in spite of discouragements, to promise him another visit, though he never thanked me for this one or invited another.

I was taken to him again not long after, without having any desire or design to go, and again I spoke to him of the great salvation: that it was full, free, and present -- a present salvation. How shall we escape if we neglect it? And still he seemed unmoved and listless.

After this I yet paid him five or six visits, during which time I saw he was rapidly sinking and failing in strength, till at length he was confined to his house. Unable to get out, he used to creep down from his bed to the fireside, and then in the evening make his weary way back to his sleepless bed again, where he suffered for hours and hours coughing, and tossing about in pain and restlessness without any comforting or hopeful thoughts to cheer him.

It was enough to bring him to submission, but yet, though he was sometimes conscious that his life was ebbing away, he seemed quite unmoved.

One day I was led to say to him, "I don't see the use of coming all this way to you so often, particularly as you don't seem to care for my visits, and don't do as I tell you. I think I had better leave you, for a time at least, so I will read a little and then go, for I might just as well stay at home and talk to my mantelpiece as talk to you!"

After prayer I was about to depart, when he said, looking up at me in a most despairing way, "Don't leave me." It seemed to make amends for all his past silence.

"But," I said, "what is the good?"

"Oh, yes, there is good," he replied. "I remember all you have said, and I have tried to do it. I know what you say is all true, and I know how bad I am. I know I'm a sinner -- I'm a lost sinner. I shall be damned for ever if I die as I am, I know that."

This was a long speech for this man to make, so I began to make up his little fire for him, while he became calm and regained his breath. Also, I was seeking guidance.

"Why do you not give yourself up to the Lord, and pray to Him?" I enquired.

"I do," he answered, looking at a particular chair as if that could testify to the truth and reality of his effort. "I do, but when I kneel down, such blasphemous and wicked thoughts come to my mind, and all kinds of worldly things, so that I am obliged to give it all up. I cannot pray. I cannot help thinking God is unkind to me, and so harsh, that I feel more inclined to swear than to pray. I have tried very hard. I cannot pray. I must give it up."

My heart was drawn to this poor tempted one, and I said, "Do not give up, whatever you do. I am not discouraged, even if you are. No, to tell the truth, it is rather a good sign that Satan thinks it worth his while to trouble you like this."

He looked surprised at me.

"Do not suppose," I continued, "that God would invite you to pray and then hinder you. To be sure not. It is Satan. He sees that you are really in earnest, and that you are likely to escape from him, so he tries to hinder you. Look at it in the true light, and you will see that Satan's opposition is not a bad sign. When you were living without prayer and really displeasing God, he did not discourage you then, did he? Now take my advice, the Scripture tells us to 'resist the devil,' and promises 'he shall flee,' for God will drive him away. (James 4:7.) The next time you are tempted, don't get up from your knees, but ask God to help you to resist the temptation. You are sure to prevail.

"John Bunyan used to be dreadfully tempted in the same way when he was seeking God, and he knew that the doubts which harassed him were from the devil. 'While I was at prayer,' he says, 'I uttered words to this effect: O Lord, Satan tells me that neither Thy mercy nor Christ's blood is sufficient to save my soul. Lord, shall I honour Thee most by believing that Thou wilt or canst save me, or him by believing that Thou neither wilt nor canst?' He soon had his answer, and you know what a valiant Christian John Bunyan afterwards became. Do not be discouraged, cheer up and have your battle out, and you shall have a victory too, I have no doubt about it."

So saying, I rose to go, promising to return again very soon and to hear all about it. He begged me not to go, but I thought it better to leave him for the present alone with God

In the evening, before his bedtime, I called to see him again and to hear how he had proceeded, and found him, as I expected, wonderfully changed and softened, as if he had seen the hand of the Lord. The dear man was quite melted with a sense of God's kindness, and with sorrow for having distrusted Him.

I said, "He is a very present help in trouble, is He not? God is love, and He loves you. That is very clear. He gave His Son to die instead of you. Do you believe it? If you do, thank Him for His love, and trust Him through everything."

He replied saying something, as people usually do, about "not feeling," but I had not asked him to thank God for feelings, but rather for Christ's manifested love in dying for him. "Thank Him for dying for you; thank Him for His love."

"A guilty, weak, and helpless worm,

On Thy kind arms I fall;

Be Thou my Strength and Righteousness,

My Jesus, and my all."

He begged me to say this again, and he said as I repeated the verse, "That's it, yes, that's true. Say it again: 'Be Thou my Jesus, my Saviour, my all!"

His soul was being quickened with Divine power, and the fire was beginning to burn in his heart, kindling up his countenance with new joy and thankfulness, till at last he burst out in praises, giving God hearty thanks for his deliverance.

Now he was saved and happy; and what a manifest change was there in that man. He could not rest that night for joy, and gladly he testified to his relatives, telling them what the Lord had done for his soul. The neighbours came to see him and wondered, for they could scarcely believe their eyes and ears when they saw the change which had been wrought.

The dumb spirit was gone, and he could talk now freely about the love of God. That one who used to be so sad and lonely and silent, now was bright and cheerful, and always in happy company. Although his weakness was increasing and his life was visibly ebbing away, he did not heed it, for he seemed to forget himself and his bodily state altogether, in the gladness and rejoicing which filled his soul.

He spoke and lived like one beside himself, and so he was, for he was out of himself, a new man; and the Lord had given him a new heart and put a new spirit within him.

Reader, I will not ask you what you think about this, but I would affectionately ask, do you know in your own experience about it? Have you gained a victory yet through the blood of the Lamb? This is, it is true, but the beginning of victories, just only as it were the alphabet of Christ's religion. Yet it is most important and necessary as an entrance into the Christian warfare.

You must conquer or be conquered. You must be changed before you die or perish for ever. It is not necessary for everyone to be brought to the Lord precisely in the same way, and with the same experience, but everyone who has been quickened and converted knows and understands that once he was dead in trespasses and sins, and that now by grace he is made alive. And he can understand also, and know what has taken place in others who have received the same gift of grace, and can sympathize and rejoice with them.

Richard lived for several months, testifying with great joy before the final scenes transpired which have been described in the beginning of the chapter. And his testimony was blessed to the conversion of some of his neighbours and relations, who are doing now in their health and strength what he never did -- living to serve the Lord, which is far better than a deathbed conversion.

Chapter 8

Not a Wall, But a Door

OUR good Lord, who loveth not the death of a sinner, but rather that he should turn and live, has opened a door for us as a way of access to Himself. To confirm the truth of His words of invitation, He has given us many undeserved proofs of the reality of His kind intention.

A woman called me into her cottage one morning as I was passing by and told me of her son, a steady young man, though still unconverted, for whom she had prayed continually ever since his birth.

She said when he was a very little child she heard him one night sobbing and praying in his room, "O Lord, save me up for a good boy!" She thought this was in answer to her supplication; but as he grew up he became thoughtless and careless, like too many others of his age.

Some five or six months ago, she said, "He had a dream or vision, and saw you so plainly that he pointed you out to me, among other clergymen, and said, 'Mother, that man is to be our minister one day. I saw him a little time ago in a dream, as plainly as I see him now. I know that is the man.' We did not know who you were then, or where you came from, and never saw you again till you came lately to this parish to be our minister.

"Last night," continued the mother, "after he returned from church, my William was very unhappy and restless. In the night I heard him crying and praying aloud for mercy in great distress. He told me this morning, when I asked him about it, that he dreamed that the last day was come, and that the world was on fire. He began immediately to try to pray, but he could not. Yet he went on trying till he heard someone laugh out at him, and say, 'Ho! ho! my boy, you are too late! -- ho! ho! -- too late! I have got you now \-- you are too late!' This frightened him so much that he woke up, and getting out of bed, began to pray on his knees in earnest for the Lord to have mercy on his soul."

Being much interested in the young man, I begged her to send him to me in the evening. She did so, and we may well understand that it was not long before the Lord, who had so marvellously opened his eyes to see his sins, enabled him by the same Spirit to see Jesus as his Saviour, and to rejoice in the forgiveness of his sins.

When he arrived, I frankly told him what I had heard about him, and particularly about his distress and prayer the night before.

"Your mother has prayed for you for years, and when you were a little boy you prayed the Lord to save you; and last night again you were constrained to cry for mercy. These are all tokens of God's good intentions and purposes towards you. Can you trust Him?"

As he hesitated, for so many like to feel something before they make the venture of faith, I continued, "These tokens are better than feelings, for they are facts, and sure signs by which you may assuredly know that the Lord is calling you."

After we had prayed together I asked him to sit down again, for I had a question to ask him. I was curious to hear about the dream or vision which he had had some months before he ever saw me.

"William," I said, "did you ever see me before I came to this parish?"

"Yes," he replied, "I saw you once in a vision more than six months ago."

"Do you mind telling me about it?"

After a little hesitation he answered, "I often dream things. One night I dreamed that I was walking on a wild barren common. There were many bare places where people had cut turf, and there were prickly furze bushes about, and I knew there were some old open mine shafts there, for people sometimes fell into them in the night.

"I was walking along without thinking of danger, and I was not afraid, though it was dark and I was alone. I don't know how long I went on like this, but next I found I was walking with you. I could see you very plainly, just as if it had not been dark, and you were talking about Jesus and His love to sinners. I liked your words very much, and was so taken up with them that I do not know when it became daylight, for now I could see the rough common, and after a little I saw there was a path, and we were walking in it.

"Going along this path we came to a wall, and I could not go any further, but you walked on as if there were no wall. You stopped and turned to me, and said, 'Why don't you come on?'

"I answered, 'I cannot.'

"'Why not?'

"'Because there is a wall here!'

"'No,' you said, 'there is no wall. It is an open door.'

"I was surprised at your saying that, for I could feel the wall and see it, and yet you went through and were standing before me.

'"Not a wall, but a door,' you said. 'Walk on, forward.'

"When I ventured forward I found your words were true, and it was indeed an open way, and it led into a beautiful garden. I was very happy, and said, 'Whose garden is this?'

"You answered, 'It is the Lord's garden, and you are to dress it and keep it and work in it.'

"Then I saw the Lord Himself. He came forward and kindly bid me welcome, and said that you should teach me for three years -- and then I woke."

"Can you see the meaning of your dream?" I asked.

"Oh, yes," said William; "I wonder I did not think of it before."

How many are walking in danger of those deep shafts in bare places and thorny ways, wandering about in the dark?

The first time William heard me preach he saw the way open before him, but still, somehow, he could not go in. He seemed to be waiting for some obstacles to be removed, or some openings to be made, or some work of the Spirit to be done, before he could dare to venture in.

The finished work of Christ on the cross is as an open door that the Lord has set before perishing sinners, so that they may escape from danger and get peace and salvation. But instead of availing themselves of it, they stop and hesitate and doubt, till they feel as if there were a high wall and barrier before them which they could not pass.

His love unknown has broken every barrier down. Do you know that? Have you proved it? Are you forgiven? You may indeed come to Him just as you are, without any other plea but that His blood has been shed for you, and His Word has bidden you. Why then should you tarry?

"Oh, there is a wall here," you cry. "An impossibility. I cannot! I cannot!"

You are bidden and commanded to come now; and the Lord who thus bids you knows you, and all about your state and your sins and sinfulness far better than you do. If He bids you to come now, it must be just as you are; and there must be an open door of access, the same through which He speaks to you, by the same you may come.

Some plead the Lord's dignity and majesty, as King of kings and Lord of lords, and that He may not be approached without a human, though divinely-commissioned, mediator. I love those who really exalt the honour and majesty of God. But this plea is not a wall. There is a Mediator, the Lord Jesus Himself; and He is the door. He says it of Himself. "I am (not a, but) the Door; by Me, if any man enter in, he shall be saved." (John 10:9.) "If any man...." What can be more open than this?

Some plead, in feelings of sincerity, their utter unworthiness of any such kindness and mercy. They have sinned, yes, even against light, and love, and mercy -- willingly and wilfully. This is not a wall either, but just the very confession which can touch the compassionate heart of Jesus who knows how sorely we are prevented and hindered from within and without. He loves to set the captive free. He has need of such to exercise His office upon, and to do His loving work of deliverance.

Some plead their helplessness. They have the will and desire, but no power. They cannot pray; they cannot believe -- they cannot feel. It is a dead, cold, hard obstacle that stands in their path; but even this is not a wall. What better prayer can there be than that of helplessness? What more effectual cry to One who loves to grant, than that of the sinking soul which cries "I cannot pray, I cannot believe. Oh, help mine unbelief!" This has proved a very door of liberty to many souls.

Some plead their want of will and desire. They understand and know and in their conscience feel that they ought to yield themselves to God, but there is no inclination in that direction. All their heart's desires are for the world and its pleasures. Their heart is warm towards this world and cold towards God -- dead as a stone, and unfeeling about heavenly things. But even this need not be a barrier, for who can subdue the unruly will or sinful affection but the Lord? Who can take away the heart of stone and give a feeling heart of flesh but the Lord?

Oh, reader, whatever be your state or your case, it is not too hard for the Almighty God. Is there anything too hard for Him? Would He not cease to be Almighty, if there were, and would not His highest and greatest prerogative of mercy be hindered? He loves to show His almighty power, most chiefly in showing mercy and pity. Only venture to Him, and prove Him, and you will see for yourself how much more ready He is to give than you are to ask.

So whether you are one who trembles to come before God without a mediator; or whether you feel your utter sinfulness and unworthiness; or your helplessness; or you are conscious of unwillingness; there is a Mediator, thank God, and He has all-prevailing merit, and is strong to save and deliver you.

The very excuses and hindrances which seem to bid us stop, are in fact the very causes and reasons for going forward. What seems a wall to us, is in very truth a door of liberty which God has opened to us through the prevailing merit of Jesus. The stopping places of nature are the starting places of grace.

"Come and see," said Jesus. Yes, come and see for yourself -- taste and see how gracious the Lord is! The door is open! Truly blessed is the man that trusteth in Him.

"I heard the voice of Jesus say,

Come unto Me and rest;

Lay down, thou weary one, lay down,

Thy head upon My breast.

I came to Jesus as I was,

Weary, and worn, and sad;

I found in Him a resting place,

And He has made me glad."

"I came to Jesus as I was." This just makes all the difference between the man who has salvation, and the man who has not. William, in his dream, simply acted on the word which was given to him, though, as he said, he felt he had a wall before him. He stepped out nevertheless, as if there was not a wall but a door, and he found it was so. Indeed, it proved to him to be the door to privileges for which he had long been waiting. He entered in, and has ever since been holding on his way, making it like a garden of the Lord, fragrant and profitable -- God working in him to will and to do of His good pleasure.

He has been instrumental in bringing blessing to many souls, and encouraging many by his example, and exhorting many by his words. The Lord did not forget the prayer he offered in his early childhood, or overlook his mother's continued supplications on his behalf.

May this story encourage many parents to pray with expectation and confidence, and teach many faint-hearted ones to refuse to stand any longer outside an open door. May they be strengthened to venture in boldly, since it is God who bids them; and the all-powerful and meritorious blood of Jesus, which was shed for all, has paid the price for their admission and welcome.

Chapter 9

The Lord's Messenger

"WHAT went ye out for to see?" asked the Lord

Jesus of the multitude who had heard John the Baptist's question, "Art thou He that should come, or shall we look for another?" (Matthew 11:3-4.)

The Lord exalted His faithful and good servant in the eyes of the people at a time when he was, to outward appearance at least, as one cast aside, and given over into the hands of his enemies, and imprisoned.

What went ye out to see on Jordan's hanks when John was preaching with superhuman power, thrilling the hearts of his hearers, and awakening their consciences? A reed shaken with the wind? A poor weak thing swayed about, and blown to and fro by the unseen breeze? No! This was one who was filled with the Spirit. His very soul was full, and out of the overflowing abundance of his heart he spoke, not swayed from without, but constrained from within, words of God and words of conscious power.

But what went ye out to see? A man clothed in soft raiment, such are in kings' houses? This rugged man of stern truths, and unwelcome and rough tidings, was in the bare wilderness.

But what went ye out to see? A prophet? Yea, he was more than a prophet. He not only cried Repent! But beyond others who predicted the coming Messiah, he was able to "behold the Lamb of God," and to point Him out. "This is he," the man filled with the abiding Spirit of God, speaking faithful words to God-hating, sin-stricken mortals, the man who can see and show Jesus. This is he of whom it is written, "Behold, I send My messenger before thy face to prepare thy way before thee."

John the Baptist was the herald of Christ -- and so are Christians, likewise in one sense, God the Father's messengers sent by Him to prepare the way for Christ to come to the hearts of others, who in their turn should become messengers also. But how often is this high honour and privilege of being God's messenger forgotten or overlooked by Christians!

No doubt charity begins at home, and our first work is in our own selves, and we need to prepare the way of Christ in our own hearts, and to be filled with the Holy Spirit, and keep ourselves in subjection to God, and be followers of Jesus. But this is not all our work here below. He has promised, "Ye also shall bear witness of Me" (John 15:27).

It changes the self-denying character of Christ's religion into a kind of selfishness, when we are seeking only our own sanctification, and much more so when we are seeking only our own salvation. But how often, I say, do people overlook this purpose of their conversion, and the joys and privileges of it!

A young lady, who had been challenged in the midst of her worldliness and levity by the alarming illness of her mother, and then awakened and brought to Jesus by her faithful and true words, went on her way rejoicing in the assured forgiveness of her sins. B she had never heard that she was expected to bear a testimony for Jesus, and show forth His praise by recommending Him as a Saviour to others.

One day she was impressed by the thoughts with which we have begun this chapter. Being anxious to know more on the subject, she was not afraid or ashamed (as too many are) to learn about it. So she spoke to the friend who had brought the subject before her.

"What do you think you were converted for?"

She answered, "To be saved."

"What were you saved for? But let me put another question: What were you saved from?"

Her countenance brightened with joy and thankfulness at this, and she replied, "He saved me. 'He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings; and He hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God.'" (Psalm 40:2-3.)

"Thank God," said the responsive heart to which she spoke. "The Lord's people ever speak from heart to heart, as their Heavenly Father speaks to them. Thank God, but pray go on with your quotation."

So turning to the 40th Psalm, she read, "Many shall see it and fear, and shall trust in the Lord."

"'Many shall see it.' See what? Your testimony of Jesus and salvation. How did you, and how can so many overlook this? Were you really saved from the pit? Was it indeed horrible, most horribly dark and full of despair, and would you have perished for ever if you had died in that pit? Where you were by nature, all others are, whether they are religious or irreligious, moral or immoral, till they have been taken out! My child, have you ever told your widowed father what the Lord had done for your soul?"

"No, he would laugh at me. My dying mother's words had no effect on him."

"But, my child, have you ever considered what must become of your father if he should die as he is? And having felt the danger of the pit yourself, can you not feel for the danger of those dear to you, and all the more because they do not feel it themselves?"

With real trouble, she said, "Oh, I cannot bear to think of it."

"Yes, but is it not most selfish of you to let people go unwarned, because you cannot bear to think of their danger. How will they bear it when they are irrecoverably engulfed, and how will you reflect on yourself when they are gone beyond your reach?"

"Oh, but I cannot speak to papa. Oh, no, indeed I could not."

"My dear child, will you ask God to speak through you, and you be as all Christians should be, only the voice of one speaking? Would you not rejoice to be God's messenger to your father for the good of his soul? Could you not tell him what your dear mother's words to you were, how they impressed you, and what effect they produced on you? Often and often your mother prayed for him, as well as for you. Her prayers are partly answered, and you saved? And how do you know but that the remainder of the answer is kept back on purpose to give you the privilege of being instrumental in God's hand, in procuring it?"

The thought charmed her, and she immediately begged, "Oh, pray for me."

Accordingly, we knelt down and prayed to the Lord, and she rose from her knees full of zeal. But alas, it was not so easy to begin now, as it would have been if she had spoken out in the first outburst of her overflowing heart. Nevertheless, her prayer was before the Lord, and the more she prayed, the more her love for her father and his best interests engrossed her thoughts, and out of the fullness of her heart she often endeavoured to speak, but something ever hindered her.

Sometimes, when she was alone with him she though she would, but her tongue cleaved to the roof of her mouth! She choked with emotion and was dumb, and though she was not aware of it, the struggle did not escape her father's observing eye, and he wondered what could be the matter with his much-loved motherless child.

One day when she had prayed more than usual for help, and begged that some opening might be given for speaking, her father came into the room and said to her, "What is the matter with you, my child? Are you anxious about anything?"

Her poor heart throbbed now with her emotion.

"What is it, my child? Are you ill? Are you unhappy about anything? About my health? Tell me!"

"Yes, Papa." But she could utter no more. He caressed her, and bade her not fear, for he was much better in health than he had been. She would not be quite an orphan yet, and even "if it should so please the Almighty, I have made good provision for you."

He then left her hastily, to hide his own emotion, having very little suspicion as to the real cause of her misery. The dumb spirit possessed her and she could not speak, but she could still pray. And pray on she did, till at last, one evening when she could not rest any longer, armed with fresh courage and zeal she came to her father and began to speak to him.

The conversation between them soon verged on the point near her heart, and then agitation and dumbness again possessed her, till at last, to her disappointment, it came to bedtime, and so another day was gone!

She fled to her room in distress, and besought the Lord to help her, and then \-- for where there is a will there is ever a way also. Then she sat down and wrote a short note to her father. How much may be said in just a few words when the things we would say have been well steeped in a heart of prayer, whereas how little is said in many words under other circumstances. She wrote her note, and tapping at her father's door, slipped it under the door to him and retreated to her own room, and there again on her knees, begged the Lord to bless the words.

While she was thus engaged, her father was reading the note she had given him, and at length apprehending her meaning, and just blinded with his tears, he cried, "Ah, I see it all now! That dear child is anxious for my soul,'' and he was quite overcome.

Taking the note in his hand he went across to her room, and finding her on her knees he knelt by her side, and said, "My loving child, pray for your old sinful father," and the poor man trembled and sobbed aloud, completely broken down.

She did pray, and he responded to her prayer and prayed for himself, and the Lord heard and answered that united supplication. The old man's heart was broken. His long stifled convictions now burst on him with new power, for in the midst of all the seeming carelessness and indifference of his manner, he had yet been the subject of very searching thoughts.

The Holy Spirit had been working in him. His wife's prayers and words had not been in vain, and now before the throne of grace he sought his pardon from God, who alone can give it, for Jesus' sake, and never rested till he found that pardon and peace which Jesus loves to bestow.

Now, who shall describe the joy of the trembling daughter, her thankfulness to the Lord and her praise!

"We shall see thy dear mother again, my child. We shall be together again! We shall never be parted!"

"Yes, dear father; and let us, before we are called away from this world, be as dear mother was, each of us a messenger for God, a messenger of God to speak of Christ, of Jesus only."

Art thou content, hast thou no higher aim

Than just to gain admittance at the door,

In faintest characters to trace thy name

Among the list of those who die no more?

Dost thou not feel that thou art saved to live?

Dost thou not know that thou art saved to save?

Forgiven that thou mightest too forgive,

Redeemed alike for both sides of the grave?

Saved from the wreck, reach out a saving hand,

Thousands are sinking 'neath the waves of sin;

Stay not thine efforts till God bids thee land,

Thy task accomplished, He will steer thee in.

Chapter 10

The "Second Look"

SOME people think it is great presumption to speak of the Lord's work in the soul, or to tell of sins forgiven, and the soul saved by that loving Saviour who came to this world on purpose to save sinners, and has "power on earth to forgive sins."

A person in position and authority once quoted this text: "Talk no more so exceeding proudly; let not arrogancy come out of your mouth" (1 Samuel 2:3). And seriously he thought it referred to those who spoke out of the abundance of their hearts of the Lord's goodness to them.

One short look at the context would have convinced him how entirely, in every sense, he had mistaken the words; and if he had a conscience at all awakened, he would have felt that they were spoken of such as he was himself. Some people do not like others to speak of experiences which they have not had, though I have known such persons most forward to speak afterwards, when they had anything to tell.

It is good to tell of the Lord, and to make our boast, not of ourselves and our attainment, but of Him and His bountiful goodness; and it is good to act promptly on the drawings of the Spirit, and in the way that He draws. The Psalmist says, "When Thou saidst unto me, Seek ye My face, my heart said unto Thee, Thy face, Lord, will I seek" (Psalm 27:8).

To exemplify or illustrate this, I will tell a story of one who had received a message to his soul, but keeping it to himself he derived no benefit, whereas telling it was the means of bringing deliverance to his soul.

I went some years ago to see a man whom I had observed as a constant and interested hearer at my church. There was something, whether in his expression or manner I know not, which seemed to draw me to him and hold me as with a spell, though I did not know anything about him, and I desired to make his acquaintance. Accordingly I enquired, ascertained where he lived, and went out to find him.

When I had sat down at his bidding and told him I had seen him at church, he suddenly said, "Oh, I know what you are come for. I will get you my contribution to the Indian mutiny fund."

Before I could reply he was gone, and soon he returned with money in his hand, which he gave me.

"I will deliver this to the collectors," I said, "but this is not what I came for. I came to speak to you about your soul."

"Oh," he said, "I was at church last night with my friend," naming a person whom I did not know. "He and I wished to speak to you after the service, but we could not make up our minds to go to the vestry. While we were considering, you opened the door and we ran away. We came home here and prayed that you might be sent to us."

"Here I am, then," I replied. "Surely the Lord has brought me here in answer to your prayer. What can I say to you or do for you?"

He told me he had known better days, but by yielding to temptation and evil companions he had been led away into bad and drinking habits, and into debt, and had been sent away from his home and country to earn his living in a lower station of life. Now he was married and was inclined to be steady, but he found it so difficult to become so, and so hard to keep his resolutions. He had taken the pledge several times, but could not keep it.

The last time he fell, he was very firm in refusing to drink beer and spirits; but while his companion was drinking wine, he thought within himself, "I did not take any pledge about wine;" so he ordered some, and was soon as bad as ever.

"Do you ever ask God in prayer to help you?"

"Oh yes!"

"Did you ever ask Him to give you a new heart and to put a new spirit in you, for Jesus' sake?"

"That is just what I wanted to speak to you about last night," he said. "James and I both agreed that we would come to you, but we had not courage."

How the Lord marks the efforts of those who are willing, however weak they may be, or however ignorantly they may be acting. These men had determined to come and say, "What must we do to be saved?" And though it may be through their past self-will and self-indulgence they had so weakened themselves that they could not do what they would, yet, in a way they knew not, they were helped. They prayed, and behold the answer.

In the course of conversation it came out that my friend's first impressions were made some years ago, before he fell into the ways of outward sin and immorality we have mentioned, by a dream or vision of Jesus on the cross which had made such an impression on his mind that he felt it ever since that the Saviour could and would deliver him somehow. He was encouraged and cheered by this prospect sometimes, and other times he was led away in spite of himself into temptation and sin, till he was filled with despair.

He said, "I saw a figure of Christ on the cross, as large as life. At first I was going to pass it, but presently I turned and looked at it attentively, and to my surprise I saw that the eyes of the figure were open and looking at me. Then I perceived that the hands and feet were bleeding. I went on to get a little nearer, but as I went I stumbled and fell. I got up again in order to go forward, and, looking up, I saw that the figure was come down from the cross and was standing on the ground and beckoning to me. A sudden fear came over me and I stopped. While I was still looking, the vision faded away. But I seem to feel that Jesus is the friend I want, and nothing else and no one else can satisfy me or do me good."

"'Oh that I knew where I could find Him,' is your text," I replied, "and a very good one it is too. (Job 23:3.) You are right in saying no one else can satisfy you, but unfortunately too many stop instead of going on at the critical point of their history. Sometimes the crisis is not kept on for them as it has been for you till now. It may be you are the child of many prayers.

"When anyone hears the voice of Jesus say 'come;' that is, when the desire is kindled anyhow in your heart, you should come at once, and never rest till you can say, and do say it, 'I came to Jesus as I was.' Only Jesus can pardon you, and He has promised, and even offered to do it. What a foolish and unthinking thing it is to flee from Him, or fear to go to Him. Long ago there was a sinner stopped in his mad career by a vision similar to yours. [John Newton.] He says:

'I saw One hanging on a tree,

In agony and blood,

Who fixed His languid eyes on me,

As near His cross I stood.'

"The new object was only an old familiar one, but newly applied to his heart and his conscience. He saw it, and observed that its eyes were looking at him. Now mark what was the effect of this. He says:

'It seemed to charge me with His death,

Though not a word He spoke.'

"Here is a true picture of a soul awakened, and under conviction wrought by the Spirit of God. His conscience felt it, and indeed no one could help feeling it; but what I wish to warn you against is letting the conviction pass away. Remember, the deepest impressions may and do fade away if you do not own or acknowledge them. He owned his guilt. He owned that he was verily guilty, and that his sins had spilt that blood. Now comes the joyful part of the story. He says:

'A second look He gave, which said,

I freely all forgive;

This blood is for thy ransom paid,

I die, that you may live.'

"The second look is as much and as clearly a matter of experience as the first; and it comes, you see, after you own your guilt. 'If we confess our sins, God is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness' (1 John 1:9). Surely if a person knows he is a sinner, he ought not to rest till he knows he is pardoned. Do you know you are a sinner?"

"Yes," he said, with tears starting into his eyes. "Why have I been trying so hard, and making resolutions, and praying, and seeking, except to escape from my sins? My father and mother are nearly broken-hearted about me, but I cannot help myself. Temptations can take me away as easily as the wind blows the dust."

"Poor man, now you see what a message the Lord has sent you. It seems to me exactly the one you wanted, though I did not know your case. You must get the Second Look. There is no rest and no peace for you till you do. Why did Christ die, as far as you are concerned, if He did not die for you? He had no sins of His own to die for. See your sins on Him, and see your pardon through Him, and look at Him, not as a dead but as a living conscious Christ who is not being put to death, but dying for you and instead of you on the cross. Behold Him looking at you. Nothing can bring out so fully the reality and awfulness of sin as this, or make you feel it. Then acknowledge it, and you will feel and know something more -- a joy which will lift you out of condemnation into forgiveness and liberty. When Jesus forgives us, we do not cease to feel we are sinners, but we feel forgiveness more. We are sinners still, but sinners saved."

That afternoon my interesting friend found forgiveness and peace, and afterwards he received that strengthening grace which has enabled him to live a happy, consistent, and devoted life for the last eleven years. As a home missionary he has been blessed to many souls.

But I cannot omit to mention one interesting and touching part of our interview that afternoon. No sooner had he found the Saviour than, like a man who has been saved from shipwreck looks round to enquire for his shipmates, he immediately began to plead for his friend James. He pleaded as if he asked a favour for a friend from a friend, so really had he found the true Friend of sinners.

He went to James at once, and I know not what passed between them, but in the evening he brought his companion to me with a heart quite prepared to receive Christ, and we had only to point him to Jesus and encourage him to thank God, and then he realized the truth in his own experience: "This is the gate the righteous enter into: I will praise Thee, for Thou hast heard me." (Psalm 118:20-21.) The gate is praise, and by this he entered, who had been a long time standing without and knocking by prayer.

Our friends immediately raised their standard of testimony, neither ashamed nor afraid to tell of the Lord's mercy which was as free for others as for them. They went on their way rejoicing and blessing God, and were made a blessing to others.

How many think it presumption to praise God! But God's word teaches us it is far greater presumption to doubt Him and refuse to praise Him. Men think it humility to speak of the "First Look" which brings us to a sense of our sins; but God teaches us that true humility goes onward to the "Second Look." It was after he had been brought up out of the horrible pit that David was able to say, "And He hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise onto our God: many shall see it and fear, and shall trust in the Lord" (Psalm 40:3).

"Let all those that seek Thee rejoice and be glad in Thee; let such as love Thy salvation say continually, The Lord be magnified" (Psalm 40:16).

In such and in similar strains he gives thanks to the God of his salvation. Never can a man see his nothingness so much as when he sees the greatness of God.

Chapter 11

The Mother's Prayer

SALVATION belongs to the Lord, and He can surely save souls by Himself without our cooperation, for He is Almighty, and Sovereign; but it seems to be His gracious will to work His wonders of grace with often very feeble, and sometimes very perverse and crooked instruments!

It would appear that He loves to make saved sinners His agents in this great work, that they may be ministers of His saving Word to the unsaved, and in themselves witnesses of the power and efficacy of that Word; so that the sinner who cannot see or understand the truth may see the saving and happy effect of it in the messenger who brings it. It is to this end also He gives us influence over others, and gives others influence over us, that we may draw and be drawn to the Lord, and benefit one another.

What influence is there in this world like that which a mother may naturally be expected to have over the heart and memory of her child? Even to old age men remember and respect the manner in which a mother's good influence was used in their earliest days. The child is father of the man, and just as a barren and untaught childhood bears its impression throughout life, so on the other hand the good teaching and example of the child's first friend, and her manifest regard for his spiritual as well as temporal good, urged with maternal affection and watchfulness, makes, we may be assured, an indelible impression on the soul.

With dutiful joy and thankfulness to God many a child of God can say, "I had a praying mother or a praying father," and their happy memory is embalmed where they would most desire it to be, not in the cold dead marble of the tomb, but in the living, and loving and grateful hearts of their children.

Oh, it is worthwhile to be a witness for God! And if you have children of your own, to tell them early of Jesus and His love, and to plead for them at the throne of grace, and to let them grow up in the house where prayer is wont to be made in private and in the family, and where their earliest memories were impressed with an habitual observance of the teaching of the Lord, and they were taught to remember His day, His house, His worship, His continual presence about our path and bed.

As children grow up and mix with others of their own age, too often, it may be, the early blossoms and warm promises of godliness which they may have given, seem to fade away, and the tender branch which was trained upwards, pressed by the various burdens which are hung on it, and the strong impulses by which it is swayed, bends and turns aside, and looks as if it had never been trained!

But let parents continue in prayer and persevere in faith! Let them be sure the Lord, who taught them to pray for that child, cares more for it than they themselves can care! Evil influences are as changing and unstable as other influences; and they can have but a very unstable hold on a heart which has once tasted and loved better things. Besides all this, the Lord is a prayer-hearing and prayer-answering God, and He can rule and overrule all things for good, and has promised to do so for those who fear Him, and put their trust in His mercy.

My eye is now on a firm, happy, and consistent Christian man called George, who with his wife is serving the Lord, and bringing up his children in the fear and nurture and admonition of the Lord.

The thought may now and then cross his mind, as he looks at his children, "Will they burden my heart with anxiety and prayer for their souls' welfare, as I burdened my mother's heart?"

For George had been himself a child of many prayers, and in early youth had given much promise of good; but as he grew in years he grew in wilfulness and impatience, and thought his mother was too religious, too anxious, and too strict, and too unlike other mothers. So he went away with evil companions, and was led to their bad words and worse ways. At times he could not help trembling at himself, and the thought that his mother was praying for him made him uneasy, and at other times he seemed, as it were, utterly unable to check himself, and he was carried away by the stream of temptation.

His mother's protests and tears made him wretched, and he avoided her, and begged she would not pray for him. But she persevered in prayer, and therefore he left her, and took service in a worldly family rather than remain at home. Oh, the disobedient and ungrateful hostility of the human heart!

Among strangers in a new place George found he had to make his own way, and everything depended on his good behaviour. He could not take license to treat strangers as he did his own loving parent, therefore he was steady and attentive to his work, and he gave satisfaction to his employers by his diligence and painstaking faithfulness to his business. They liked him, and he in turn began to get satisfied with himself, and to forget the good impressions and religious influences which once held him.

Being a moral and well-behaved young man, and trustworthy, George was a favourite with his master, and he began to eat, drink, and be merry; but the eye of the Lord was upon him and following him, ever directed on him by his mother's persevering prayer, and so it turned out that our friend was not permitted to get off so easily.

An invalid lady came to stay at the house where he was serving, and he was directed to wait on her and attend her when she took the air. She used to talk to him, and ask him about his parents; if they were Godly people?

George answered, "Yes!"

Had they taught him to love good things?

"Yes!"

Did he love good things?

"Yes!"

And so on.

One day she asked him if he prayed.

"Yes!"

"Some people pray at night," she said, "but in the morning they do not have time. Do you pray in the morning?"

"Yes."

All these and such falsehoods, for they were falsehoods, disturbed his mind very much when he was alone.

"What prayers do you say?"

He did not know.

"Do you make them in your heart?"

"Yes."

"I suppose you dislike set prayers."

"Yes."

"Do you pray to God?"

"Yes."

The lady was very kind, and George was all the more perplexed in his conscience at deceiving her day by day. He began to make all manner of excuses about attending on the lady, and evaded her; but having received positive orders to leave everything else to attend to this charge, he became angry, and gave notice to leave the place.

Nothing could induce him to stay, though he had good wages and good prospects. He would go in spite of everything, and so he departed from that situation and soon found another in a nobleman's family. But even here he could not escape the influence of his mother's prayer; for his new master, being a Christian man, took an interest in the spiritual welfare of his servants.

His lordship felt the need to ask our runaway friend about his soul. He became more and more impatient at this, and finding that he was still pursued with the subject of religion, he determined to leave this place also.

On the morning when he intended to give notice, George received a letter from his mother saying his only brother was converted, and now joined her in daily prayer for him.

This good news did not rejoice his heart very much; and somehow it happened that he did not give notice that day. On the following day, being Sunday, he went to church and heard a sermon on the text, "One shall be taken and the other left." (Matthew 22:40.) What the sermon was he did not hear, but the text seemed to say to him, "Your brother is saved, and you are lost!"

He was overwhelmed with confusion, and felt very guilty and very miserable, and did not know what to do. He remembered how he had despised his mother's prayers, and how he had wilfully refused kindness of Christian friends, and how he had sinned against God and his own conscience. Poor man, his sins had found him out, and he felt himself brought to a stand. He dared not look to God, whom he had so wilfully and knowingly refused. What could he do?

Three days after this, there arrived at the Hall a stranger, an English clergyman; and there was an open-air meeting upon the neighbouring village green, and the people were invited afterwards to another service in an adjoining church. Words of faithfulness and truth were spoken there, and salvation was offered to the sinner on the spot; a felt salvation -- to anyone who felt himself a lost sinner.

This was a good word for George. Hope seemed to dawn on him now, and after a few more assurances from the Word of God, our friend found peace to his troubled soul, and began to rejoice in the Lord.

How little the person knew who was teaching George and pointing him to Jesus, what his past history and experience had been, or how his mother had been praying for him. And perhaps the mother herself was beginning to think how hard it was that God did not answer prayer -- a mother's prayer, from a burdened heart for a careless son. But the Lord, who is better than our hearts, and better than our fears, was answering all the time, and even employing one unconscious witness after another to deal with her wayward son -- till by one means and another, all things working together, that lost one was found, and the dead one was brought to life.

Let this be an encouragement to parents to pray on, and be assured, as sure as they have a burden on their hearts for their children, and do carry it to the Lord, and are enabled to persevere in this exercise, the very act itself is a token that God is hearing and answering, and preparing the ground of the child's heart to receive the truth.

Parents, are you praying for your children? Have particular and not general faith, and may the Lord Himself encourage you to continue to trust in Him and not be afraid. Be patient and persevere, and you shall see the salvation of God.

Children, are you the subject of parents' prayers? The Lord pursue you and give you no rest, no peace, and no pleasure, till you find true peace and rest in Jesus, and the pleasures that are at His right hand. Would you have your parents put your body into a sinner's grave, while they inconsolably mourn over your soul which is hopelessly gone to torment? Is this your kindness to your parents, and would you have your own children requite you thus hereafter?

Chapter 12

The Good Old Gentleman

I OBSERVED in my congregation one Sunday, a kind, benevolent old bachelor-looking gentleman in plain old-fashioned clothes, brown scratch wig, and a pair of round horn spectacles. He was very respectable and devout in his manner, and read his book religiously, and attended to the sermon with exemplary quietness and patience.

For several Sundays he came, and coming in good time he was always in the same place, and then he disappeared. I could not find out his name or his lodging, and so he passed from my mind.

Some weeks afterwards, as I was going through a part of my district in visitation, leaving tracts, I chanced to knock at a door which was readily opened. It was a house where lodgings were let in the summer season. I was accosted with a welcome, and told that I had been expected for two days.

Not having received any message, I was not aware of this. However, I asked who wished to see me. The woman of the house told me there was a good, kind old gentleman upstairs who had been very ill for some weeks. He did not think he should ever recover, and he wished me to read and pray with him, and to give him the sacrament.

Being an old-fashioned gentleman, he had old-fashioned ideas about sickbed and deathbed religion. Some people have some superstitious ideas, and fancy religion is something to die with, rather than to live with; a kind of Eucharist to help them in the article of death. Too many such heathen and popish superstitions linger among us.

I went upstairs and was shown into a spacious bedroom, and there was my old friend, the missing gentleman, with the same brown wig and round spectacles, sitting up in his bed. After the usual complimentary salutations, he bid me sit down by the bedside, and he began to tell me, which he did at great length, how ill he was, and that he should never get up anymore, never get back to his home again. He thought he should die there, "in this hired room," he said, looking round mournfully at the apartment. He had a good estate and a handsome mansion home some sixty or seventy miles away.

"Are you ready to die?" I asked.

"Oh, yes, I suppose I am," he said hesitatingly. "I think I have arranged everything. Perhaps if I could live to return home again, I would alter my will a little; but let that go, what can it matter?"

"Do you think your spiritual matters are arranged as satisfactorily as your temporal?"

"Oh yes, sir, certainly. No doubt about it. Oh yes," he said, getting impatient." Oh yes, of course. I never was one of your wild, dashing, spending men. I have always lived carefully and within my income. I have had money to give away to the poor. I am always glad to help the poor. It gives me great pleasure, sir, to do so."

"Yes," I replied, "you look exactly like such a person. Your outward appearance quite corresponds with your benevolent words. I quite believe it all."

"Yes," he said, "and I was always brought up to my church, and have never missed the sacrament since I was confirmed many years ago, and I read my chapter of Scripture every day, and there is my little book of daily prayer," he said, pointing to a little well-worn book.

"But did you never know that you were a lost sinner?"

"Oh, I know what you mean. 'Miserable sinners,' and 'There is no health in us.' Yes, yes, like other people, I am not better than my neighbours; but," he continued in a confidential tone, leaning over the side of the bed, "I should tell you, I have never been an immoral man, or one of the swearing, gaming, smoking, and drinking kind. I have never been exposed to those temptations. Thank God I have been religiously brought up, and have led a steady and regular life."

He was so perfectly unawakened as to his real state before God, and so unsuspiciously dead to any sense of his sinfulness, or his need of a new heart and a new spirit, and so thoroughly satisfied with himself, that I did not know where to touch him, or how to reach him.

I read a portion of Scripture to him from the eleventh chapter of the Gospel of Luke, and explained that the Pharisees were so wrapped up in their own traditions and righteousness that they were not disturbed in their minds, though they did not believe in Jesus Christ. They were not condemned in their consciences, though they could not rejoice like some other people in the miracles of mercy which Jesus Christ wrought in their presence.

Then I went on to show that the Lord accounted for this apathy, or false peace and security, in a very solemn way. He said, or meant to say, that the Pharisees were kept in that peace by the strong man armed -- that is Satan! -- and that instead of being temples of the living God, they were turned into palaces for the wicked one to dwell and reign in.

There was only one person who could dislodge that usurper, and that was Jesus Christ the Saviour, who was manifested on purpose to destroy the works of the devil. But the Pharisees did not believe in Him. Though He was there speaking to them, and though He took such interest in them, they did not know or seem to care about Him.

After a little more conversation on this subject, I prayed for God's blessing on the word I had spoken, and besought the Lord, who alone can open the eyes of the blind, and unstop the ears of the deaf, and raise the dead, the dead in trespasses and sins, (who do not know that they are lost sinners, who do not know or feel their need of present salvation through the blood of Jesus,) to have mercy on this sufferer, and to reveal Himself to him.

When I rose from my knees, he said he generally preferred written prayers, but mine was not a bad one, and he thanked me in a most undisturbed manner, and bid me call again soon, for he had a favour to ask of me. While he was speaking to me in this perplexing manner, my eyes fell on the heading of a tract, one of a packet in my hand: The Self-righteous Lost, the Sinner Saved. I asked him if he would accept it, and I read the title to him, and went on to read some of the tract too, as I stood by his side.

He seemed to listen, and expressed satisfaction and assent at first, but after a time he became silent, and when I had reached the end of the paragraph he asked me if I would oblige him by reading that again, which I did.

"Humph!" he said, "what kind of theology is that, that makes out that the sinners are better off than the saints? Is that the doctrine you preach, sir?"

I explained, but he did not agree with me, that God changed sinners into saints.

"Oh," he interrupted, "the greatest sinner is the greatest saint -- that's what you mean. I don't agree with you, sir. Have the kindness, sir, to leave me that tract. I will consider it."

"Christ Jesus came into this world to save sinners," I said; "not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance."

I went on to tell him plainly that I was troubled on his account, because he had been trying to prove to me that he was not a sinner at all. I could not therefore give him a kind message from the Lord, as I wished.

"I am sure your righteousness, even if it were very much more than it is, would not suffice to take you to heaven."

I begged him to read the tract carefully, and I would ask God to bless it to him. He promised me he would certainly read that tract again.

The same evening I was sent for in great haste, for the old gentleman wished to see me particularly. I "must come at once." I was reluctant to go merely to renew controversy, but the messenger was urgent, so I went, and found my friend risen up from his bed, and downstairs in the sitting room, in a very restless state, with the tract in his hand.

"If this tract is right, sir," he said abruptly, "I am a lost man -- a deceived man."

I replied that I was sure the tract was scriptural. "It is better to be judged by the Word now than hereafter," and I went over the argument of the tract, and showed him why the Pharisee was rejected, and why the poor publican went home justified, rather than the other. I explained that we must all be born again, that is, pardoned and justified -- or never see the kingdom of God; for that which is born of the flesh is only flesh, and all its doings fleshly, and therefore cannot be pleasing or acceptable to God.

He never heard such doctrine. No one had ever told him this. Many good men had dined at his table, but they had never breathed a word of this to him.

"Am I a self-righteous Pharisee, did you say, going to... be lost... going to hell? Do you think I shall be lost if I die as I am?"

"Yes," I said, as distinctly and firmly as I could.

He seemed greatly surprised, but the Lord's conviction had already fastened on him, and the circle seemed to become more and more narrow, and very soon he found himself shut up to a dreadful doom; but thank God there was one alternative. He must burn if he did not turn, but he could come to Jesus now as a lost sinner, and be saved.

It was a hard struggle for him, but the dear old man was enabled to believe at last, and he found peace and salvation. Astonishment and thanks seemed alternately to carry him out of himself. If he could live to get home to his own house, he certainly would speak to his relations, for he was sure they knew nothing about all this. It is a good sign when new converts think immediately of their friends and relations.

He did recover from his illness, and lived to get home, where he did not fail to tell his friends what great things the Lord had done for his soul, and how He had had mercy on him. And his testimony was blessed to the conversion of his brother, and his niece, and it may be to others also, of whom he did not hear.

Before he left us he was well enough to come to church again once more, where "everything seemed quite new." The hymns, the prayers, the psalms, the Scriptures; it was all a new world, and he drew near, with real faith, and took the sacrament. He had never come with faith before, and he was much affected by the words: "We do not presume to come to this Thy table trusting in our own righteousness, but in Thy manifold and great mercies."

Reader, do you understand that the self-righteous are lost, and that sinners are saved? It is a strange question to ask, but many need to have it put to them -- and explained. They do not understand that sinners are saved, or perhaps they might be induced to come as sinners. And they do not know that they may be saved now, or they would not hope to obtain salvation hereafter! Oh, that the Lord would open the eyes of the blind to see Jesus a present Saviour.

Chapter 13

Over the River

or, The Story of Old Edward

THERE are many persons so situated in outward circumstances that they can look into their future in this world with anticipation, and even joyful hope. To others, the future is all uncertainty; and to others again, a certainty of distress and darkness.

So it is exactly in spiritual matters. Some fear to look into the future. It promises nothing, but rather threatens them with soul-stirring forebodings which make them thoroughly miserable. To some, a very large number, the future is blank. They seldom look into it. They have no fear, neither have they any hope. Therefore, as the mind ever looks for something definite, they fasten on the present and occupy themselves in worldly business or pleasure, and are perfectly content to remain where they are. They seem as if an earthquake would not awaken them. They really look on more serious and thoughtful people as if they were nervous, or too anxious about things, "Which ought to be left to Providence!" For they say, "The Almighty can dispose of things."

There are others, thank God, who can regard the future with confidence, and whether they look at this life or the life beyond, a sure hope brightens the scene. They are not afraid to trust in God, who has saved them for a purpose with a high and holy calling, to an inheritance incorruptible which fadeth not away. They can say each one, "Surely mercy and goodness shall follow me;" because mercy and goodness have followed and do follow them.

Since the great God changes not, and the Lord Himself is their Shepherd, they shall certainly never want. God will bless them, and make all things, their very sorrows and their troubles, their successes and their mistakes, work together for good because they fear God, and love Him, and have put their trust in His mercy.

But men are not in this state by nature, nor can they attain to it at all by efforts of their own. It is the gift of God. It is the present heritage of His children, and a promise to them of their future inheritance.

Hear the story of old Edward, who can with rejoicing look over the river, and in the calm evening of his life thoughtfully and with happy anticipation long to be gone -- to be where Jesus is, and many of his loved ones too.

One snowy day in spring there was a special service in a certain church in the afternoon, and old Edward came to it on foot, a distance of about three miles. He was much interested in the discourse, and was glad to hear that the same minister would speak again in the evening, in the schoolroom. He made up his mind to stay, and offered himself as a guest to a neighbour close by for rest and refreshment till the time appointed for the service.

They talked by the fireside of what they had heard in the afternoon, but the old man's thoughts were far away. He was looking into his past history, his many efforts and resolutions, and alas, he saw that the pathway of his life was strewed with broken resolutions and unfulfilled promises. He had just been told how ineffective these things are to save a man, and the truth was pressing on him.

At length the time of evening service arrived, and he hastened on and took his place where he might distinctly hear. The speaker, this time, having dwelt on the uncertainty of human efforts, went on to show for certain that they would not, and could not, save a man.

"Not the labour of our hands,

Can fulfil Thy law's demands;

Could our tears for ever flow,

Could our zeal no respite know;

All for sin could not atone,

Thou must save \-- and Thou alone!"

These were very familiar words. He had often heard and sung them, but never had he given much attention to them. Now they seemed like words of God speaking to his soul. The speaker proceeded to show how salvation may be had by the vilest sinner, not by covering his sins, but by acknowledging them. For the Word assures us that, "If we confess our sins, God is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:9).

"To the Lord our God belong mercies and forgivenesses, though we have rebelled against Him; neither have we obeyed the voice of the Lord our God, to walk in His laws which He set before us" (Daniel 9:9-10).

Many words of comfort and encouragement were spoken, but old Edward did not know how to receive or apply them to himself.

How often are people thus impressed in a sermon, and for want of some more definite and personal direction or instruction, they go away unblessed, and soon forget the words, and lose all traces of those impressions which they once had.

At the conclusion of the service old Edward went up, in his kind and reverent manner, and thanking the minister, said, "God bless you!"

"Thank you, dear friend; God bless you too," was the reply, and supposing that he was a pardoned man, and a happy Christian, the minister let him go.

How often do people suppose, when they might with a very little inquiry, ascertain and know the real state of persons who speak to them.

Full twenty minutes after this, as the last few were leaving the room, the old man was still standing inside the door with his hat in his hand, but his eyes were so intently and anxiously fixed on the minister that he could not pass him without a word, and he said, "My dear old man, you are an old pilgrim. You are a long way on in your journey."

"Yes," he said, "a long, long way on the journey of life. My brothers are gone and most of my neighbours that used to be, and my wife, and all but one of my children. I am past four-score years."

"Then you are near the river. You are come to the margin."

"Yes," he said, thoughtfully, "I am."

"Can you see over the river to the other side?" asked the minister; but there was no answer, and the question was repeated.

The poor old man burst into tears, and said, "Oh, sir, I dare not look at it, it is so dark.''

There was something very touching in the old man's speech and manner. "So dark, is it? What makes it so dark, do you think?"

"Oh, my sins, my sins. I am an old grey-headed sinner." Old Edward sat down on the bench and gave way to his long pent-up feelings, and wept.

"Well, but my dear friend, don't you know it is a good thing to see our sins, and to feel they are dark, and to mourn over them? It is indeed the next best thing to getting them pardoned."

"Ah," he said, "I have tried hard for a long time, but it's no use, there is no pardon for me."

"I'll tell you what," said the minister, "you do not look far enough. Cannot you see beyond your sins? The same eyes with which you see your sins in the way you do, may see the Blood which takes away sins. The Blood of Jesus, which cleanseth from all sin. Did you ever hear of the power of the Blood of Jesus? Without shedding of blood there could be no remission, but you know the blood has been shed. You would not have the Saviour die again, would you? Look, that blood is stronger than your sins, just as Christ is stronger than you."

It took a long time to get the old man to look up unto Jesus. He would keep coming back to his sins and his past life, till at last the light of true life began to dawn on his soul, and his face also began to shine with gladness. One could see the darkness flee away, and the joy of pardon and peace spreading over his countenance.

Presently all was dark again. "It cannot be so easy as that. Oh no, my sins have taken deep hold of me, I cannot get away from them."

"But why look at your sins when you may look to Jesus the Saviour? Is there anything too hard for Him? Listen to the words from the book of Isaiah: 'All we like sheep have gone astray.'" (Isaiah 53:6.)

"Yes, yes, that is true. 'And we have turned every one to his own way.'"

"Oh, yes; but now, my dear old friend," said the minister, "listen. Here the Word of God says, 'And the Lord laid on Him -- on Jesus -- the iniquities of us all." How is it you believe two sentences of the verse, and not the other? You are not believing the Word, but your feelings, for when your feelings do not hear you out, you think the Word of God is not true! Do you call that your faith?"

Poor man, he cried out, "O Lord, help me, help me to believe! Increase my faith and teach me to praise Thee."

The bystanders who had witnessed this moving scene all knelt down, and prayer was made by one and another, and soon the old man seemed to take hold of the truth, and he began to praise God.

"I see it now, I see it!" he cried with a joyful heart. "Yes, I do believe, I will give praise!" So he went on crying out till another train of thoughts entered his mind. "I shall see them again. I shall be happy with them on the other side of the river. I never felt like this, 'O praise the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, praise His holy name.'" (Psalm 103:1.)

Some of those who witnessed this scene rejoiced with great joy, for they knew from their own experience the change which had taken place in this old man. It is true there are no two conversions exactly alike, yet converted people can recognise one another; whereas those who know not the change themselves, desire other signs. One among the few there was of this kind, but he did not look the happier for it, or the more content with his supposed better condition. The old man soon took up his hat and staff, and went forth with a light happy step to go home.

"How far have you to go?" asked one.

"Better than three miles!"

"Three miles! It's a long way. Do stop here all night;" but the aged man declined. He would rather go home.

"How happy my child will be when she sees me praising God! I'll go home, it is not far. Goodnight, God bless you," and soon he was lost in the darkness of the night.

In the morning it came to the minister's heart to drive round through the village where old Edward dwelt, and soon they arrived near a cottage standing in a small garden at the bend of the road.

"There," said the friend who was driving, "that is the house."

They looked at it with interest, for salvation had come to that house. When lo, on the roadside, beside his little gate, stood the old man himself; his countenance beamed with joy, his white head, as white as the snow around him, was uncovered. A beautiful picture to behold.

"God bless you for coming this way," he said. "I came away too hastily last night. I did not thank you half enough for your kindness to me, and so I prayed the good Lord to send you round this way. I knew you would come; bless you, thank you!"

"Thank God, too."

"Oh, yes," he said, "glory be to God."

"Now, can you see over the river?"

"Yes, I can! It's as bright as heaven over the river; bright as heaven!" and the dear old man's face shone with heaven's joy and light, as if the brightness which he could see, were shining on him.

Old Edward continues on his way rejoicing. He has his conflicts with the "old enemy," but he can see beyond his sins -- he can see the Blood. Soon, if the Lord tarry, he says, he will be called home; and what is more, he is not afraid to go.

Reader, how is it with you? Are you indifferent and heedless about the river of death, or is it dark as hell to you, or as "bright as heaven?" Is death the gate of life, the porch of heaven, or the solemn entrance to the abodes of the damned? The Lord who conquered death is at hand. He is coming quickly, but even before that, He may send for you. Are you ready? Is death as a low fence over which you can look to regions beyond, to where the weary are at rest, and where the wicked cease from causing trouble?
Chapter 14

Mary, the Child of God

MARY was a stranger to me when she first came to my house one Sunday afternoon to attend the service in the adjoining church. Her dress, without being extreme, was after the fashion of the world. Her manner, that of one interested and even enthusiastic about the things of God when she spoke on such subjects, but still there was a something which checked free interaction and communion between us. We seemed to be fencing instead of meeting and mingling.

I was led to ask her, "Are your sins forgiven?" A simple and a very important question. It is one full of happy associations to the Christian, but it had the effect of stirring up her prejudice and even disdain.

"Of course," she answered, tossing back her head and looking rather confused.

"Why is it of course?" I said. "Do not be angry with me for asking you, for indeed it is a happy and blessed thing to be forgiven by God. Was it not a very happy day when He took your sins away? We should never be distressed at being reminded of the goodness and kindness of God to us, in this respect."

"I have been a child of God for eleven years," she replied, looking anything but happy.

"Thank God for that," I said; "and rejoice, for then your sins have been pardoned for eleven years."

There the conversation dropped, for it was time to go to church. But in His own house it pleased God in His providence so to order it that the searching question was continued, for it happened that the subject on which the children were addressed was that of Joseph forgiving his brethren. We had been going through the history of Joseph Sunday by Sunday, and that was the point at which we had arrived on that day.

Were the brethren forgiven when they said to each other, "We are verily guilty concerning our brother," and knew not that Joseph understood them? (Genesis 42:21-23) They were not pardoned then. Had Joseph forgiven them when they were eating bread with him -- when they drank and were merry with him? (Genesis 43:33-34.) No. Though they marvelled and looked at one another, they were not yet reconciled, for they did not yet know him, nor had they surrendered themselves to him as guilty ones, troubled on account of their guilt.

When they did this (Genesis 44:14) and not till then, we find that Joseph could refrain himself no longer, but he made himself known to them, forgave them, embraced them, and wept over them for joy. Not when they were under conviction, nor when they were rejoicing, but when they were come face to face with Joseph, and were all eleven of them fallen before him on the ground, troubled and penitent -- then it was that he freely forgave them, and kissed them, and talked with them.

This, as it afterwards appeared, was a good word in season. But Mary went away without making any remark, and I did not expect to see her again. The next day, however, it pleased the Lord that this stranger should be laid on my heart, so that I could not help praying for her; and the distinct supplication which was laid on me was for mercy for her soul. Other prayers seemed beside the mark, but this one kept my soul engaged before God continually, even through the night and the day following.

Going into the room where I had seen Mary last, on the Sunday, I saw a Bible on the table, and remembering that I had observed it in her hand, I took it up with great interest. Her name, also her address, was in it, so I sent it to her, with a note stating the fact that my soul had been engaged in prayer for her, and that I was afraid that she was not forgiven yet.

I begged her to come to Jesus for herself, and never to rest till she had found salvation and peace. She politely acknowledged the book and the note, and begged for another meeting, which I was glad to give. When I was again in her company I asked her for her history, and challenged her to tell me, if she would, when and how she became a "child of God."

She readily spoke out, and told me that once she was in the world, and as fond of dancing and pleasure as others with whom she associated; that in the midst of her merriment she was called to the deathbed of a cousin who was just such a lover of pleasure as herself.

Her cousin said, "Oh, Mary, give up the world for my sake. I am lost because I loved and followed it. Oh, Mary, give it up. I am lost!"

Soon she died, poor girl, just awakened enough to see and feel herself helplessly lost -- a dying worldling. No one was near to point her to the Saviour, so she departed as she had liked to live, without salvation. Mary wept at the remembrance of that solemn scene, and said she never forget it.

"Well," I said, "and what did you do then?"

She answered firmly, "I knelt down, then and there, by the side of the bed where my poor cousin had just died, and I called God to witness that I would now give up the world. I did, and have never had any inclination to go back into its pleasures anymore. I began from that time to pray and to read my Bible, and to go to church; and I love these things now, better than I did the things of the world before."

At the time of this change she was led to a church where evangelical truth was preached, simply and plainly, and thus became distinctly enlightened as to the way of salvation. She fully assented and consented to what she heard, and therefore became a very earnest disciple, enthusiastic about the sovereignty of God and the doctrines of grace, and all such matters.

She understood the spiritual meaning of the Levitical types and offerings; could speak of dispensational truth and prophecy; was very zealous for missions to the heathen, and was also earnestly devoted to many charitable works at home.

There was, however, one little suspicious thing in the midst of all this manifest goodness. She had not much patience with "elementary Gospel sermons;" or much interest in, or sympathy with, efforts made to bring in perishing souls. She loved rather to be fed with profound doctrines, and the mysteries of grace with its deeper teachings. There are some men who love to preach exclusively about these things, even before mixed congregations, addressing them as if they were all real Christians.

It is surprising how many people there are just like Mary, who seem to care more for doctrine than for God Himself -- more for favourite truths than for souls. A simple elementary Gospel address, with some clear illustrations, was just the very thing which Mary wanted for her own soul's good, more than anything. Unfortunately, this was the thing against which she was prejudiced, for she abhorred anecdotal sermons.

I said, "Your story is very interesting, but it is sad, and just what I thought. There is no Christ in it. Giving up the world and becoming ever so religious, and being ever so deeply taught in Scripture truth is not the new birth, nor is it the forgiveness of your past sins. Supposing you had never committed a single sin since the day you changed your life from a worldly to a Christian kind. This would not, and could not, atone for your previous sins. You see, your sins are not forgiven, and that is why that question seemed to vex you so much last Sunday."

She justified herself, and contended it was not necessary to know when her sins were forgiven, and that assurance is not necessary to salvation.

"But these things are quite beside the simple point. Your story is one of amendment of life, and not of conviction of sin, or surrender to God, or forgiveness. If you were to die as you are, you would be lost, just as much as your poor cousin."

Mary rose from her seat with haughty dignity, and said a great deal which need not be recorded; and concluded by bidding me leave her. I did so, inwardly praying that the Lord would graciously open her eyes to see the truth, which I had been enabled to set before her.

The next day, as I was passing by, she sent for me again, and acknowledged that she was in great distress of mind, and that now she was willing to yield herself; but, oh, it was so hard for her to put herself in the unpardoned sinner's position. She had passed among Christians as a living Christian, as a righteous one; not made righteous, of course, on account of her works, for she knew well enough that salvation was not by works; but righteous on account of the purity and correctness of her theology and doctrine. How hard it was for her to take the sinner's place. How difficult without feeling it was a pretence to say, "God, be merciful to me, a sinner."

But however hard it was, and impossible with herself, it was not so with God, who sent the convicting Spirit by which she knew and felt that she was a lost sinner. Then there was no difficulty, but rather it was a relief to her to pour out her burdened heart in supplication for mercy. Her repentance hitherto had not been "towards God." She had, it is true, renounced the world and mended her life, but she had never before come to God as a lost sinner, to plead the merits of the Blood of Jesus which had been shed for her.

For nearly three weeks she besought the Lord, till it pleased Him one morning, when she was on the verge of despair, to apply the text, "Behold the Lamb of God." Oh, how elementary was this; but never before did the Word of God give her more joy and comfort. In the intensity of her joy she cried aloud, so that all the household heard her. Mary, the far-advanced saint, was come down to be a new-born child. Now, indeed, a child of God. Real, living children are born, not made.

Her relatives and friends heard it, and feared. Some were turned to the Lord, and others said that Mary was not to be depended on. But notwithstanding, she grew and prospered, and her knowledge of Scripture became now a blessing as it had before been a responsibility; and her practice of religion a joy such as she had never known before.

She praised the Lord with liberty, as a true child of God, and became a blessing to many souls for ten years; and then, departing to another world, left a happy testimony.

Reader, are your sins forgiven? Do not, I pray you, deceive yourself upon such a vital matter as this. Let it be known to you from the Lord Himself, and then you will never be confounded.

Chapter 15

True or False Peace

EARTH has many a scene of sorrow which we never hear of. We pass along a street, and before a house, and under the very window of a room where hearts are breaking, and we know it not; but there is One who knows, who cares, and who has a balm for every wound, and a remedy for every fear.

Jesus invites and commands us to cast all our cares and burdens on Him, and bids us not to be troubled, neither to be afraid. Not that we are to have immunity from troubles, nay, rather the reverse of this; but we are to have peace in our troubles, peace such as the world cannot give or take away. "In the world," He said, "ye shall have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world." (John 16:33.) He puts the good cheer above the tribulation.

One bright spring morning, when the sun was shining, the birds were singing, and all was cheery and exhilarating outside, I called at a house and was asked to go up and see a young lady who had been ill a long time. She was the only remaining child of her widowed mother who had heard that morning that her daughter's case was beyond the skill of earthly physicians -- that she could not recover, and would not survive beyond the coming summer.

The poor mother's grief was very touching, and there was another anxiety which began now to press all the more heavily. It was this -- she was not sure that her child was saved.

"The only comfort that could remain to me now," she said, "would he that my child might leave a good testimony, a reliable assurance that she is gone to be with Jesus when it pleases God to remove her."

After speaking such words of comfort and promise as I could to a sorrowing and praying mother, it was agreed that we should ascertain the state of her daughter's mind before we revealed to her the physician's conclusion. It is better to persuade souls by the Word of God than to entice them with thoughts of heaven, or terrify them to submission by fears of death and hell.

I was led up to a cheerful room, the open window of which commanded a view of the river; and beyond, at some distance, the sandbar and ocean, with its vessels passing to and fro. The room itself was tastefully furnished and replete with every comfort. Nothing seemed to be wanting there that could give pleasure or ease, and yet with all these I thought how powerless are earthly things in themselves to give abiding comfort.

There was the young lady lying on a sofa by the window, looking very pale and delicate. She was cheerful and affable, and declared that she felt very much better that morning. In conversation I found that she was quiet in her mind, and candid and open in all her answers to questions which were put to her; and she took kindly, what was kindly meant. She seemed to be of a contemplative disposition, and had evidently bestowed her attention and thoughts on profitable subjects, and therefore was well informed on the important truths of eternity. But she was not in the least degree emotional.

The great truths we had been speaking about seemed to interest her, but did not stir her, and they did not work as living truths in her soul. There was much in which we were agreed, and much kind assent; but yet there was a something which was not satisfactory. Something was wanting, for I felt I had not that spiritual communion with her, which her admissions on the subject of the vital truths of the gospel warranted me in expecting.

There is as it were a kind of understanding among those who have tasted and seen, in their own experience, the grace of God which brings salvation. They have a spiritual faculty by which they mutually recognize one another and understand one another. However much they may differ in points of opinion, there is a sympathy and a communion between quickened souls, which is beyond and apart from all mental agreements and all natural sympathies. Even on most important matters she did not, as far as I could see, seem susceptible of much emotion, but rather was thoughtful and intellectual.

Her convictions of sin were clearly described, but more in the language and manner of reason than experience -- more as something she had heard, or read, or thought, than what she had observed and felt. She professed to believe in Christ, but this also was as joyless and as cold as her conviction of sin.

I was not satisfied with her responses, and spoke of our fallen and sinful condition by nature, to which she assented, and of the awful danger of those who are Christless. She assented to that also. I spoke of God's love to sinners, and His just and holy indignation against sin, and particularly against the damning sin of unbelief, and His readiness and willingness, for Jesus' sake, to pardon the penitent. All this was "quite true," and she quietly agreed to it.

It was a very difficult case, for she was one who had studied her Bible much, and read only religious books. She was of a prayerful spirit, and had ever been attentive to means of grace; so good, and yet to all appearance so lifeless. I could not help showing her that I was not satisfied, and when I saw that she did not seem to apprehend my meaning, I was obliged to tell her more plainly my suspicions as to her state. She merely smiled, but I was not mistaken about her.

I fear there are too many well-meaning and teachable souls whose religion is no better than this. After reading the Word at the second chapter of the Epistle to the Ephesians, and speaking plainly of the simplicity and reality of the statements in the beginning of that portion, I left her to consider the words I had read to her.

The next time I called, I asked her, in allusion to my previous visit, "Has the Lord quickened you? If not, you are still 'dead in trespasses and sins.'" (Ephesians 2:1.) Her reply was not satisfactory, so I asked her how long she had known the Lord. She answered that she did not know. I asked her how long she had enjoyed peace with God. She looked surprised, and said she always had peace, and could not remember when she had not.

"I thought so," I said, gravely. "I was afraid it was so with you; and what is more, you do not seem to be aware that this is a wrong kind of peace -- a peace before the war, which is not to be relied upon, for it may be broken up. That which Jesus gives is a victorious peace -- it comes after the war is over, and the battle has been fought and won."

She now began to be agitated, misgivings arose in her mind, and she became alarmed about herself. Her mother, who had not been satisfied before, now hastened to the rescue -- such is the perverseness of our nature! She took her daughter's part, talked about excitement, and said a great deal against people who thought assurance necessary to salvation, as if I had been pressing that point. The agitation became general, for "the strong man armed" who had hitherto been keeping his goods in peace, began now to be disturbed and to throw up dust.

However, I was thankful to God that indifference and stagnation were disturbed, for anything is better than spiritual death. As I was not disposed for controversy I let the matter drop and changed the subject for the present, till they were calm again. Soon after, with reading and prayer I closed this interview, asking my young friend kindly, as I left, to pray God to show her the work of the Spirit.

"You know a great deal about the words of the Spirit -- pray to know about His work."

The storm was over now, and she said, looking at me enquiringly, "You will come again?" as if she feared that I was angry and would never visit her more.

"Yes," I answered, "I will come again soon, but mind you pray as I have told you. Will you?"

She promised she would, and with that I took my departure.

On the following day I heard that my young friend was very unhappy, that her mind was quite upset, all her peace was gone, and that she wished to see me again, for she was wretched. I felt for her, and inwardly could not help thanking God, but was unable to go till the following day.

I found her almost in despair, and her mother thinking of sending for another clergyman, who I knew would have made it his business to disperse all her fears and to set her mind at ease without the peace of God. Perhaps he would, moreover, have prejudiced her mind, as some do, against "sensible convictions of sin," and against those who strive to "awaken the conscience." Such are too often denounced "as making those sad whom God has not made sad."

However, I arrived in due time, and thanked God for her conviction that seemed to be real and genuine. Now I could with pleasure point her, as a conscience-burdened and unsaved sinner, to Jesus, who alone could give her true peace.

After some conflict with unbelief, and some delay on the score of want of feeling, she found peace, and rejoiced with great thankfulness, wondering at the false religious security in which she had been gliding on to ruin -- as quietly as a lamb. She might have died also as "quiet as a lamb," perfectly naive and unaware of her danger -- soothed to sleep by words of truth, and her willingness to receive them.

She shrunk with horror at the treacherous danger she had been in, and the subtlety of the deception under which she had been enthralled, and was bewildered in thinking how many persons were being deceived in the same way. It is bewildering indeed.

Now it was the poor mother's turn to begin an opposition. She rose out of her sorrow and apathy into animated zeal against all fanaticism and spiritual excitement, and declared how her friends had warned her against all this; also against the danger of insanity, and many other things. But her daughter was happy and in her right mind, and that, too, in a very different way to what she had been. And what is better still, she knew why she was happy, and could give a good and intelligent reason.

It was evident that she had something positive now, instead of the something negative she had had before. Formerly she was at peace because she was not alarmed. Now she had settled peace because Jesus had paid her ransom, and she could rejoice in His deliverance. Now her Bible was become a new book to her, and she was continually astonished at the new light in which she saw old and familiar texts, and the way in which they affected her. The words concerned her now and belonged to her, whereas before they had only interested her.

Thus she lived on for some time joyfully and peacefully, magnifying the Lord. The Lord was her Shepherd, and she did not lack. He led her in green pastures, and by the waters of comfort. But it must not be supposed that it was all such pleasant and smooth leading as these words seem to imply: or that it was all as quiet as it used to be with her in other days when she was as still as the painted ship upon the painted ocean, or rather, as the painted sheep upon the painted meadow. No, hereafter we shall have peace from troubles of every kind; but here, it must be peace in troubles, and in spite of troubles.

Soon after she had found peace with God, it was broken to her, as tenderly as it could be done, that she would not recover, that the summons was gone forth to bring her home. At first she seemed to shrink at the thought of dying, with a natural fear; and wept much at the thought of her poor bereaved mother's sorrow. This was natural enough, for our faith does not turn us into unfeeling stones, but rather quickens and deepens the feelings and sympathies of nature. At the same time it gives us grace to rise above them, and to dwell in "the Rock that is higher than I." (Psalm 61:2.)

But after a while the bright hope prevailed, and it was well. Peacefully and calmly, like the glowing sunset, though with occasional clouds and rain, her life passed on; and sometimes she talked bravely of her departure, looking with bright hope to the glorious day when she would wake up in the Lord's likeness and be satisfied. Her life was like the river below her window, ebbing out to mingle with the great ocean.

When death came, the Lord gave her dying grace for the dying hour, and she was calm and triumphantly joyful. She called her mother to her side and asked, in her happiest and sunniest manner, "Mother, what does that mean, the valley of the shadow of death? There is no valley here, and no shadow, and no darkness. It is all bright and clear, and the light of Heaven shines around me -- no more shadow -- no more darkness. Is this death? I shall dwell in the house of the Lord for ever."

It was a joyous departure, and the poor mother was left with as happy a testimony as she could possibly desire. This is peace!

Chapter 16

The Doctor's Story

"I WAS called one day," said the doctor, "to the house of a friend, a patient. He was an old bachelor who lived quietly and regularly in his own well ordered and capacious mansion. His butler was quite a companion to him, for they had lived together a long time as master and man, and had even grown grey together.

On my arrival I found the old gentleman very unhappy, for his butler was ill and had been perceptibly failing for several weeks. On being led to the butler's room and presence, I soon perceived that he was sinking, and would most probably succumb.

I told him, "You are not long for this world. Now, are you ready for another?"

"Well, sir, don't you think I shall recover?"

"No," I said, "it is scarcely possible. I hope you have made good provision for eternity."

The old man did not speak. Again I asked him, and he said, "Master and I have lived here very comfortably, we have never injured anybody. I have been regular at my church on Sunday, and at the Lord's Table every month for many years, and I have done all the good I could, and said my prayers, and all that."

"Ah," I said, "if you cannot say more than that, I have no more hope for your soul than I have for your body, poor man. There is no salvation by works -- and even if there were, your works have not been very much!"

The man became much agitated. "What shall I do more?" he said. "Can you tell me? I am afraid to die. Can you help me?"

"Yes," I answered, "I will bring you some little books and some tracts tomorrow. My wife has a great many very beautiful little books."

And so I took my leave. I went away, however, with a bad conscience. I could show that man he was wrong, and must I use books to show him what is right? This is not the way in which I was treated. I returned to the butler again directly, for I could not go on, leaving the awakened sinner in his trouble.

"I am come hack," I said, "to show you the way of salvation. When the jailer cried, 'What must I do to be saved?' the apostle Paul had a ready answer. It is the same for you -- 'Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.'" (Acts 16:30-32.)

"Oh, sir, I do believe in Jesus Christ. I say the creed every day."

"I dare say you do, but believing in the head does not mean believing in the heart. The jailer believed in his heart, and see what took place. When the sun went down one evening, the jailer was a hardened, careless sinner who treated his prisoners cruelly. The next morning the sun arose, and the same man was a changed man -- how changed! He who had put Paul and Silas in the inner prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks, now brought them out and washed the stripes which had been so unkindly and unjustly laid on them. He could not show them kindness enough. He set meat before them, and it is said, 'he believed and his house.' Now, you see, faith produces a change in the heart -- he was saved! Are you saved?"

"Oh, no! Oh, no!" said the old man, "I am not changed like that"

"When a man is saved," I continued, "his sins are pardoned, and he is happy in the Lord."

"Sins pardoned?" exclaimed the butler, with surprise.

"Yes, of course. Don't you say in your creed that you believe in the forgiveness of sins? Whose sins? Paul's, the jailer's, or whose?"

"Oh, then, I never meant my creed, I never meant my prayers. What shall I do? What shall I do?"

"I will tell you what. Just as you call for me as your doctor when you are ill, you do not wait till you are better. You call for me as you are, to cure you. So call on the Lord now. He is here. He can save you, pardon you, change you, and make you a real Christian. Give yourself up to Him, and ask Him to give you His Holy Spirit, and teach you how to pray and what to pray for."

"But," he cried out earnestly, "I don't know any prayers about that. I only know a few prayers."

"I'll teach you a prayer."

"Thank you! Thank you!" he said.

"A prayer which the Lord Jesus taught us sinners. A very simple one, and one which you can easily remember, and say very truly. It is, 'God, be merciful to me, a sinner.'"

The old butler closed his eyes and seemed to be saying the words to himself, while I went on encouraging him to repeat it. I said, "It is a prayer which the Lord Himself taught. He really wishes us to be saved. And look, He tells us what is the answer to this prayer."

I then turned to the Gospel of Luke chapter 17, and read the story of the Pharisee and the Publican. He listened as if with new ears, and looked at my face enquiringly. I said, "Which are you like just now? The Pharisee or the Publican?"

He did not answer.

"You were like the Pharisee when you told me you went to church and sacrament, and said your prayers and the creed. Which are you like now?"

The poor man was quite overcome, and covered his face.

"What are you doing? Are you praying? Shall I go away and not talk to you anymore?"

"Oh, no, don't go. I am like that Publican, I am sure. I dare not look up to heaven. I have nothing there. Will the great God have mercy on me?"

"Ask Him," I answered. "Ask Him! Do not be afraid. He has told you to ask Him, and you will surely be accepted and justified too."

"What is that... justified?"

"Accounted righteous before God. If God forgives you, if God makes you righteous, you could not be better than that. God laid our sins on Jesus, and offers to lay His righteousness on us."

I knelt and prayed the Lord to bless the words I had spoken, while the man fervently responded, "Amen, Amen."

I promised to return in the evening, but how changed was the atmosphere of that chamber as I left. On former visits we talked lightly and freely on indifferent things, but now that we were speaking soul to soul in the presence of God about eternal things, what a solemn influence pervaded the place. Surely the Lord was there, manifesting His presence. The savour of this followed me throughout the rest of the day.

I found it easy and a happy work to pray for my old patient, and quite longed for the evening, that I might get back to him again. I had much encouragement and faith about him.

With such feelings as these I came to the room again, and found him completely broken down with a sense of his sins and of his long mis-spent life.

"I am a lost sinner," he said. "There is no mercy for me!"

"Why not? Do you think your sins greater than the Lord Jesus? A deeper stain than His blood can wash? You are looking at yourself, your sins, and your life, instead of looking to Jesus. Why did He die, but for you? He died instead of you, in your place. He shed His blood and died on purpose to save the lost. Let us thank Him together for His kindness and His grace. If we are unworthy, we should thank Him all the more deeply. 'Glory be to God; Jesus died for me!' Say that."

Instead of this, he cried all the more, "God be merciful to me, a sinner."

"But He has had mercy," I said. "Jesus has made full atonement."

"Lord, help me to believe!" and soon after, joy filled his soul, and he could rejoice and praise God. And then his first thought was, "Where is my dear master? Will my master let me see him?"

Master accordingly came and found his man rejoicing. "Ah," he said, "I am glad to see you so happy. I always thought you were a good and faithful man."

"Oh no, sir, I am a great sinner."

But the master had no ears to hear, or eyes to see, or heart to care for these things. He was quite satisfied with his own harmlessness and goodness.

In a few weeks the old butler departed, rejoicing in God, a sinner saved by grace. His body was laid with all respect and reverence in the grave, and his master felt lonely and desolate.

"One of these days I must go too, and people will come back from my funeral," he said, and he threw himself back in his old accustomed chair. "Shall I ever see old Frank again?"

I did not like to interrupt my friend's grief, but at last I ventured to say, "He is happy now. Surely you would not have him back."

"No, no," he said, "that would be selfish. I must try and be as good as he was."

"Do you think you shall save yourself by that means?"

"Yes, certainly. Why not?"

"People are not saved by trying to be good, but by coming to God as lost sinners, that they may be saved by Him, and made good by Him."

However, he could not, or would not see. "Certainly a man must do his best, certainly he must try."

He went on in his own quiet way, with family prayers and weekly public service, till a few months after, when I was sent for to his house again in great haste. But it was all too late. My friend was gone, without a struggle or a groan, without any fear for his unpardoned sins, without a change of heart, without any alarm. He was gone. He never knew he was a sinner, while he might have received pardon for his sins.

Such was the doctor's story, which I have given in my own words and manner, though the facts and circumstances are his. The poor master never knew he was a sinner! No doubt, like many others, had you spoken to him on the subject he would have told you how weak and sinful he was, though in all probability he would not have liked anyone else to say the same of him.

If he had only known and understood that he was a lost sinner, and altogether unable to save himself, he would have sought for the Saviour to save him. "It is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world (and He is here still) to save sinners." (1 Timothy 1:15.)

Chapter 17

(Last chapter)

The Dying Gypsy

THE great and good Countess of Huntingdon said the letter M saved her. She thanked God that the Bible did not say "not any," but "not many noble" are called. Indeed it is so.

"Not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called; but God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty, and base things of the world, and things which are despised hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are; that no flesh should glory in His presence" (1 Corinthians 1:26-29).

It should be well understood that the words, "not many noble are called," is not intended to be the announcement of a doom or fate, but the declaration of a fact; for unhappily it is too true that the noble, and the wise, and the gifted are too apt to lean on their own resources and gifts, instead of trusting in the Giver of gifts -- that is God -- who is after all the only Fountain of all blessings, whether they come to us by visible and known instrumentality or otherwise.

It is surprising how accessible the unseen Lord is, and how present to all who call on Him: rich, poor, noble or simple. He is no respecter of persons, but in every position, whosoever calls on the Name of the Lord is delivered, and what is more, has the joy of knowing it

Some came to Jesus when He was on earth, saying, "If Thou wilt;" and some came doubting His power, saying, "If Thou canst do anything;" but He never sent anyone away empty, however ignorant, who came to Him with expectation of deliverance. He is the same still as He was then. If we come to Him just as we are, with all our sins and ignorance, our entanglements and wickedness, we also shall find Him a present Saviour, more willing to give than we are to ask, more willing to save than we are to be saved.

I was called one day to a house to see a poor gypsy woman who was dying in a state of great destitution and distress. She could not be received in the hospital because hers was a hopeless case, and she was near her end. She gave a pretty clear account of herself, her illness and her manner of life; but in respect of her soul and her spiritual condition, she was in thick darkness and ignorance.

"You know, my poor woman," I said, "that you are dying, but do you know it is only your poor suffering body which will die and become insensible? Your soul cannot die in that way. It must live somewhere, and live as long as God lives. Where is it to live?"

She did not know, but she seemed to have some vague idea that, because she had been baptized, there was some kind of a hope for her soul. She thought she would have a "decent Christian burial," and that her body would rise again. But when she had put her vague inconclusive ideas into words, she easily saw how unsatisfactory and insufficient they were.

"I suppose," I said, "you have committed some sins since you were baptized. What about them, and how are they to be forgiven? There is no repentance in the grave, and no forgiveness there. If your never-dying soul leaves your body before you are saved, you cannot be saved after you die. You will be lost for ever. It is a dreadful thing to die like this."

I continued, "I will tell you what becomes of everyone who dies unsaved. It is this: his poor body is put into a sinner's grave and his soul sent away to a place of torment where there is wailing, and weeping, and gnashing of teeth, and despair. By and bye, from this miserable place, the soul will be summoned by the archangel's trump, which will also raise up the body from the grave, though it may have gone to dust ages before. Then soul and body raised and joined together again, will stand before the great white throne, to hear the sentence, 'Depart, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels.' What a dreadful prospect this is. I do not think it is kind to hide these things from you, when God in His kindness has plainly declared them, and forewarned us all."

"Oh, what shall I do?" said the poor woman, interrupting me. "What shall I do to be saved?"

She gave me to understand that she had heard enough at different times in her life to know and feel that what I had said was all true.

"What shall I do?" she cried. "If I die tonight, must I be lost like that for ever?"

"No, my dear woman," I said, "you need not, for Jesus Christ came into this world and died upon the cross to save such sinners as you and me. He shed His precious blood to wash our sins away. All our sins, long before they were committed, were laid on Him, and He bore them and the punishment for them, instead of us. He died that we might live."

I then set Jesus Christ and Him crucified before her, as the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world, and endeavoured to show her her own personal interest in Him. She was deeply interested and acknowledged that she had heard most of these things before, but she had never arranged them in order in her mind, and never applied them to herself and her present need.

By this time she was getting exhausted, so I prayed earnestly, begging the Lord to help this poor sufferer, and reveal Himself to her in all His pardoning love and mercy. Then I rose to take leave of her for a few hours, promising to call very early in the morning to see how she was.

"Think of what I have said to you, and ask Jesus to save you. He is here."

So saying, I took up my hat to leave, when I heard her say something in a very faint voice.

"What did you say?" I enquired.

"Pray the Lord God," she answered, "not to take me away tonight."

"Why not?" I asked. "What will you do if you are spared tonight?"

"I will ask Him to save my soul for Jesus' sake."

Immediately I knelt down and made the request she had asked, and then departed.

The next morning on my return, I found her in the deepest distress about her soul; but her husband, whom I had not observed crouched in the comer of the unfurnished room the night before, was there too, rejoicing in the forgiveness of his sins.

He had witnessed all that had passed the evening before, and had heard what I had said to his wife, and during the night he had joined her in prayer for salvation, and with simple child-like faith, by the grace of God, he had found salvation. He was rejoicing in the morning, and she, poor woman, was all the more miserable because she had not found it yet.

She was now thoroughly awakened to a sense of her soul's danger and misery, and so different to what she had been the night before that I could not help praising God for the work of the Holy Spirit begun in her soul.

I said to her, "Angels rejoice over sinners repenting, and they are rejoicing over you at this moment. Let us thank God together for His mercy to you. He wounds the soul only to heal it, and kills to make it alive. He makes us feel our sins and danger, that He may pardon and deliver us."

With words of cheer and comfort, I encouraged her to believe in Jesus for herself. "He died for you. Thank Him yourself. He loves you and wishes to save you. Thank Him as well as you can."

She soon began to praise God for the salvation of her soul, and weak as she was in body, it was surprising to see what new energy was given to her. She sent her husband out to call some others of the gypsy band who were lodging in the neighbourhood, and "the boy who had seen the bright angel in his dream."

Some of them came immediately, expecting to witness her death, but instead of this they were astonished to hear her pour forth wonderful words of thanksgiving and praise to God for saving her soul. In a simple and most earnest way, she then and there began to tell them what the Lord had done for her soul, and entreated them, though they were dark and unaware as she had been, of the need to do as she had done. She said she was sure they would find the same salvation.

Day after day she bore her joyful testimony, and nine persons, one after another, were converted to God through her instrumentality at her bedside. While her life was prolonged it was very edifying to see how wonderfully she was taught of God, and how distinctly the once ignorant gypsy woman bore testimony to the Truth as it is in Jesus. People were continually in that room, praying, and blessing God with her. It was indeed a wonderful and joyful thing to behold these people, poor as they were, so filled with the love and praise of God.

Some weeks afterwards, on a Good Friday afternoon, a funeral procession passed down the street towards the cemetery. It was hers, and great interest had been awakened on her account, so that many looked out to see.

A very touching sight it was to behold the husband and nineteen others following the poor workhouse coffin, crying and rejoicing as they went along. They stopped and sang a short hymn before they left the street, and then again when the funeral service was over they sang at the grave, and left the dust to return to its dust, while the released and happy spirit was rejoicing above.

This was the beginning of an interesting work of God among the gypsies in that place, and who can tell where it will stop? It is a simple narrative, and shows how ready and willing God is to hear prayer, and own and bless His Word, when it is received in simple childlike faith, when there is no reasoning to hinder truth, or prejudice to harden the heart -- prejudice with which the god of this world is ever seeking to blind the minds of those who will not believe the Word of God delivered to them.

The poor woman believed, and was saved. She came with simple faith, and had personal and direct communion with Jesus as her Saviour. Between Him and her soul there was nothing to intercept the blessing -- no church, or sacrament, or priest, for these are not intended for salvation, and would therefore have hindered her as they do others. The sinner's salvation or the soul's justification is by faith only.

"Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved." (Acts 16:31.) Christ is an all-sufficient Saviour, we need only to go to Him without any other to come between our souls and the Lord Jesus Christ, and He will receive us.

The doctrine of justification by faith only, is the counterpart of the atonement. They must stand or fall together. Deny the former, and then the death of Christ remains as one cause among others of salvation, but not the sole cause. Deny the latter, and then the crucified One may be to you a hero, or philanthropist, or an example, but not a saviour, and the only Saviour Jesus.

How many who seek are not able to find salvation? It is because they do not just simply receive the Word as from the Lord and act upon it. This poor woman believed the simple story of the Cross, and with faith she applied it to herself, and soon burst out into thanksgivings. The Spirit sealed her faith, and confirmed her praise, and she knew and felt she was saved.

Reader, if you do not know this in your experience, do not waste time and opportunity in arguing and disputing, but do as this woman did, and you also shall know what she knew, to the joy and deliverance of your soul. Indeed it is not by works of righteousness which we do, or can do, nor by joining churches, or by obeying ordinances, but simply by believing on the Lord Jesus Christ for yourself.

"Then take with rejoicing from Jesus at once.

The life everlasting He gives,

And know with assurance thou never canst die

While Jesus thy righteousness lives."

THE END

White Tree Publishing publishes mainstream evangelical Christian literature for people of all ages. We aim to make our eBooks available free for all eBook devices, but some distributors will only list our books free at their discretion, and may make a small charge for some titles -- but they are still great value! All our books are fully typeset. No "photocopies" or bad OCR! Long sentences and paragraphs are broken into shorter lengths, and modern punctuation is used for easier reading. Many books are sensitively abridged.

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More Christian books from White Tree Publishing are on the next pages, some of which are available as both eBooks and paperbacks. More books than those shown here are available in non-fiction and fiction, for adults and younger readers. The full list of published and forthcoming books is on our website www.whitetreepublishing.com. Please visit there regularly for updates.

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Christian non-fiction

Christian Fiction

Younger Readers

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Christian Non-fiction

Four short books of help in the Christian life:

Also in paperback

So, What Is a Christian? An introduction to a personal faith. Paperback ISBN: 978-0-9927642-2-7, eBook ISBN: 978-0-9933941-2-6

Starting Out \-- help for new Christians of all ages. Paperback ISBN 978-1-4839-622-0-7, eBook ISBN: 978-0-9933941-0-2

Help! -- Explores some problems we can encounter with our faith. Paperback ISBN 978-0-9927642-2-7, eBook ISBN: 978-0-9933941-1-9

Running Through the Bible -- a simple understanding of what's in the Bible \-- Paperback ISBN: 978-0-9927642-6-5, eBook ISBN: 978-0-9933941-3-3

Leaves from

My Notebook

New Abridged Edition

William Haslam

(1818-1905)

You may have heard of the clergyman who was converted while preaching his own sermon! Well, this is man -- William Haslam. It happened in Cornwall one Sunday in 1851. He later wrote his autobiography in two books: From Death into Life and Yet not I. Here, in Leaves from my NoteBook, William Haslam writes about events and people not present in his autobiography. They make fascinating and challenging reading as we watch him sharing his faith one to one or in small groups, with dramatic results. Haslam was a man who mixed easily with titled gentry and the poorest of the poor, bringing the message of salvation in a way that people were ready to accept. This book has been lightly edited and abridged to make reading easier today by using modern punctuation and avoiding over-long sentences. William Haslam's amazing message is unchanged.

Original book first published 1889

eBook only

ISBN: 978-0-9935005-2-7

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Haslam's Journey

Chris Wright

White Tree Publishing Edition

Previously published 2005 by Highland Books

If you only intend to read just one Christian biography, this could be the one! You may have heard of the clergyman who was converted while preaching his own sermon. Well, William Haslam is that man. It happened in Cornwall one Sunday in 1851, and revival immediately broke out. Later, another of William Haslam's "famous" sermons will cause a mass walkout of assembled clergy in St Paul's Cathedral! Once he starts to preach the Gospel with zeal, you can rejoice over powerful conversions in nearly every chapter.

Haslam's Journey consists of selected passages from William Haslam's two autobiographies: From Death Into Life (published 1880, his Cornish ministry) and Yet Not I (published 1882, set mostly in Bath, Norfolk and London), abridged and lightly modernised. Just under half of the originals is included. With copious notes and appendices by Chris Wright, editor of Haslam's Leaves also from White Tree Publishing. William Haslam writes with humour and great insight.

William Haslam writes about his early life: "I did not see then, as I have since, that turning over a new leaf to cover the past is not by any means the same thing as turning back the old leaves and getting them washed in the blood of the Lamb. I thought my acceptance with God depended upon my works. This made me very diligent in prayer, fasting and alms deeds. I often sat and dreamed about the works of mercy and devotion I would do."

eBook only

ISBN: 978-1-9997899-8-5

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Also in paperback

Be Still

Bible Words of Peace and Comfort

Chris Wright

There may come a time in our lives when we want to concentrate on God's many promises of peace and comfort. The Bible readings in this book are for people who need to know what it means to be held securely in the Lord's loving arms.

Rather than selecting single verses here and there, each reading in this book is a run of several verses. This gives a much better picture of the whole passage in which a favourite verse may be found.

As well as being for personal use, these readings are intended for sharing with anyone in special need, to help them draw comfort from the reading and prayer for that date. Bible reading and prayer are the two most important ways of getting to know and trust Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour.

The reference to the verses for the day are given, for you to look up and read in your preferred Bible translation.

eBook ISBN: 978-0-9933941-4-0

Paperback ISBN: 978-0-9932760-7-1

116 pages 5x7.8 inches

Also in paperback

A Previously Unpublished Book

The Simplicity of the Incarnation

J Stafford Wright

Foreword by J I Packer

"I believe in ... Jesus Christ ... born of the Virgin Mary." A beautiful stained glass image, or a medical reality? This is the choice facing Christians today. Can we truly believe that two thousand years ago a young woman, a virgin named Mary, gave birth to the Son of God? The answer is simple: we can.

The author says, "In these days many Christians want some sensible assurance that their faith makes sense, and in this book I want to show that it does."

In this uplifting book from a previously unpublished and recently discovered manuscript, J Stafford Wright investigates the reality of the incarnation, looks at the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus, and helps the reader understand more of the Trinity and the certainty of eternal life in heaven.

This book was written shortly before the author's death in 1985. The Simplicity of the Incarnation is published for the first time, unedited, from his final draft.

eBook ISBN 13: 978-0-9932760-5-7

Paperback ISBN: 9-780-9525-9563-2

160 pages 5.25 x 8 inches

Available from bookstores and major internet sellers

Also in paperback

Bible People Real People

An Unforgettable A-Z of Who is Who in the Bible

J Stafford Wright

In a fascinating look at real people, J Stafford Wright shows his love and scholarly knowledge of the Bible as he brings the characters from its pages to life in a memorable way.

Read this book through from A to Z, like any other title

Dip in and discover who was who in personal Bible study

Check the names when preparing a talk or sermon

The good, the bad, the beautiful and the ugly – no one is spared. This is a book for everyone who wants to get to grips with the reality that is in the pages of the Bible, the Word of God.

With the names arranged in alphabetical order, the Old and New Testament characters are clearly identified so that the reader is able to explore either the Old or New Testament people on the first reading, and the other Testament on the second.

Those wanting to become more familiar with the Bible will find this is a great introduction to the people inhabiting the best selling book in the world, and those who can quote chapter and verse will find everyone suddenly becomes much more real – because these people are real. This is a book to keep handy and refer to frequently while reading the Bible.

"For students of my generation the name Stafford Wright was associated with the spiritual giants of his generation. Scholarship and integrity were the hallmarks of his biblical teaching. He taught us the faith and inspired our discipleship of Christ. To God be the Glory." The Rt. Rev. James Jones, Bishop of Liverpool

This is a lively, well-informed study of some great Bible characters. Professor Gordon Wenham MA PhD. Tutor in Old Testament at Trinity College Bristol and Emeritus Professor of Old Testament at the University of Gloucestershire.

eBook ISBN: 978-0-9932760-7-1

Paperback ISBN: 978-0-9525956-5-6

314 pages 6x9 inches

Note: This book is not available in all eBook formats

Also in paperback

Christians and the Supernatural

J Stafford Wright

There is an increasing interest and fascination in the paranormal today. To counteract this, it is important for Christians to have a good understanding of how God sometimes acts in mysterious ways, and be able to recognize how he can use our untapped gifts and abilities in his service. We also need to understand how the enemy can tempt us to misuse these gifts and abilities, just as Jesus was tempted in the wilderness.

In this single volume of his two previously published books on the occult and the supernatural (Understanding the Supernatural and Our Mysterious God) J Stafford Wright examines some of the mysterious events we find in the Bible and in our own lives. Far from dismissing the recorded biblical miracles as folk tales, he is convinced that they happened in the way described, and explains why we can accept them as credible.

The writer says: When God the Holy Spirit dwells within the human spirit, he uses the mental and physical abilities which make up a total human being . . . The whole purpose of this book is to show that the Bible does make sense.

And this warning: The Bible, claiming to speak as the revelation of God, and knowing man's weakness for substitute religious experiences, bans those avenues into the occult that at the very least are blind alleys that obscure the way to God, and at worst are roads to destruction.

eBook ISBN 13: 978-0-9932760-4-0

Paperback ISBN 13: 9-780-9525-9564-9

222 pages 5.25 x 8 inches

Available from bookstores and major internet sellers

Howell Harris

His Own Story

Foreword by J. Stafford Wright

Howell Harris was brought up to regard the Nonconformists as "a perverted and dangerously erroneous set of people." Hardly a promising start for a man who was to play a major role in the Welsh Revival. Yet in these extracts from his writings and diaries we can read the thoughts of Howell Harris before, during and after his own conversion.

We can see God breaking through the barriers separating "church and chapel", and discover Christians of different denominations preparing the country for revival. Wesley, Whitefield, Harris. These great 18th century preachers worked both independently and together to preach the Living Gospel. This book is a vivid first-hand account of the joys, hardships and struggles of one of these men -- Howell Harris (1714-1773).

eBook only

ISBN: 978-0-9933941-9-5

Also in paperback

From the Streets of London

to the Streets of Gold

The Life Story of

Brother Clifford Edwards

A True Story of Love

by

Brother Clifford Edwards

eBook only

ISBN: 978-0-9933941-8-8

A printed copy is available directly from Brother Clifford \-- thejesusbus@hotmail.co.uk

This is the personal story of Clifford Edwards, affectionately known as Brother Clifford by his many friends. Going from fame to poverty, he was sleeping on the streets of London with the homeless for twenty years, until Jesus rescued him and gave him an amazing mission in life. Brother Clifford tells his true story here in the third person, giving the glory to Jesus.

Also in paperback

Seven Steps to

Walking in Victory

Lin Wills

eBook ISBN: 978-0-9957594-3-5

Also available as a booklet

www.lenandlin.com

How is your Christian life going? Finding it hard and not sure why? Wherever you might be, Seven Steps to Walking in Victory is a very short book to help you see where you are in the Christian life, and help you keep on the right path to the victory that comes through walking closely with Jesus -- to live the Christian life you always wanted to live!

Also in paperback

Seven Keys to

Unlock Your Calling

Lin Wills

eBook ISBN: 978-1-9997899-2-3

Also available as a booklet

www.lenandlin.com

God has a special plan for each and every one of us -- that includes YOU! He has given all of us unique gifts. Not sure what that might mean for you? Seven Keys to Unlock Your Calling is a very short book that will help you discover how to explore those gifts and encourage you to go deeper into all that God has for you.

Only in paperback

English Hexapla

The Gospel of John

(Paperback only)

Published to coincide with the 400th anniversary of the Authorized King James Version of the Bible, this book contains the full text of Bagster's assembled work for the Gospel of John. On each page in parallel columns are the words of the six most important translations of the New Testament into English, made between 1380 and 1611. Below the English is the original Greek text after Scholz.

To enhance the reading experience, there is an introduction telling how we got our English Bibles, with significant pages from early Bibles shown at the end of the book.

Here is an opportunity to read English that once split the Church by giving ordinary people the power to discover God's word for themselves. Now you can step back in time and discover those words and spellings for yourself, as they first appeared hundreds of years ago.

Wyclif 1380, Tyndale 1534, Cranmer 1539, Geneva 1557,

Douay Rheims 1582, Authorized (KJV) 1611.

English Hexapla \-- The Gospel of John

Published by White Tree Publishing

Paperback ISBN: 978-0-9525956-1-8

Size 7.5 x 9.7 inches paperback

Not available as an eBook

Also in paperback

Roddy Goes to Church

Church Life and Church People

Derek Osborne

No, not a children's book! An affectionate, optimistic look at church life involving, as it happens, Roddy and his friends who live in a small town. Problems and opportunities related to change and outreach are not, of course, unique to their church!

Maybe you know Miss Prickly-Cat who pointedly sits in the same pew occupied by generations of her forebears, and perhaps know many of the characters in this look at church life today. A wordy Archdeacon comes on the scene, and Roddy is taken aback by the events following his first visit to church. Roddy's best friend Bushy-Beard says wise things, and he hears an enlightened Bishop . . .

Bishop David Pytches writes: A unique spoof on church life. Will you recognise yourself and your church here? ... Derek Osborne's mind here is insightful, his characters graphic and typical and the style acutely comical, but there is a serious message in his madness. Buy this, read it and enjoy!

David Pytches, Chorleywood

eBook ISBN: 978-0-9935005-0-3

Paperback ISBN: 978-09927642-0-3

46 pages 5.5 x 8.5 inches paperback UK

Available from bookstores and major internet sellers

Heaven Our Home

William Branks

White Tree Publishing Abridged Edition

"I go to prepare a place for you." This well-known promise from Jesus must cause us to think about the reality of heaven. Heaven is to be our home for ever. Where is heaven? What is it like? Will I recognize people there? All who are Christians must surely want to hear about the place where they are to spend eternity. In this abridged edition of William Branks classic work of 1861, we discover what the Bible has to say about heaven. There may be a few surprises, and there are certainly some challenges as we explore a subject on which there seems to be little teaching and awareness today.

eBook only

ISBN: 978-0-9933941-8-8

Also in paperback

I See Men as Trees, Walking

Roger and Janet Niblett

Roger and Janet Niblett were just an ordinary English couple, but then they met the Lord and

their lives were totally transformed. Like the Bethlehem shepherds of old, they had a compulsion to share the same good news that Jesus Christ had come into the world to save sinners. Empowered by the Holy Spirit they proclaimed the gospel in the market place, streets, prisons, hospitals and churches with a vibrancy that only comes from being in direct touch with the Almighty and being readily available to serve Him as a channel of His grace and love. God was with them and blessed their ministry abundantly. Praise God! (Pastor Mervyn Douglas, Clevedon Family Church)

The story of Roger Niblett is an inspiration to all who serve the Lord. He was a prolific street evangelist, whose impact on the gospel scene was a wonder to behold. It was my privilege to witness his conversion, when he went forward to receive Christ at the Elim Church, Keynsham. The preacher was fiery Scottish evangelist Rev'd Alex Tee. It was not long before Roger too caught that same soul winner's fire which propelled him far and wide, winning multitudes for Christ. Together with his wife Janet, they proceeded to "Tell the World of Jesus". (Des Morton, Founder Minister of Keynsham Elim Church)

I know of no couple who have been more committed to sharing their faith from the earliest days of their journey with the Lord Jesus Christ. Along the way, at home and abroad, and with a tender heart for the marginalised, Rog and Jan have introduced multitudes to the Saviour and have inspired successive generations of believers to do the same. It was our joy and privilege to have them as part of the family at Trinity where Janet continues to serve in worship and witness. Loved by young and old alike, they will always have a special place in our hearts. (Andy Paget, Trinity Tabernacle, Bristol. Vice President, International Gospel Outreach)

eBook ISBN: 978-0-9935005-1-0

Also available as a paperback

(published by Gozo Publishing Bristol)

paperback ISBN: 978-1508674979

Blunt's Scriptural Coincidences

Gospels and Acts

J. J. Blunt

New Edition

This book will confirm (or restore) your faith in the Gospel records. Clearly the Gospels were not invented. There is too much unintentional agreement between them for this to be so. Undesigned coincidences are where writers tell the same account, but from a different viewpoint. Without conspiring together to get their accounts in agreement, they include unexpected (and often unnoticed) details that corroborate their records. Not only are these unexpected coincidences found within the Gospels, but sometimes a historical writer unknowingly and unintentionally confirms the Bible record.

Within these pages you will see just how accurate were the memories of the Gospel writers -- even of the smallest details which on casual reading can seem of little importance, yet clearly point to eyewitness accounts. J.J. Blunt spent many years investigating these coincidences. And here they are, as found in the four Gospels and Acts.

First published in instalments between 1833 and 1847

The edition used here published in 1876

eBook only

ISBN: 978-0-9935005-5-8

Fullness of Power

in Christian Life and Service

Home and Group Questions for Today Edition

R. A. Torrey

Questions by Chuck Antone, Jr.

This is a White Tree Publishing Home and Group Questions for Today Edition. At the end of each chapter are questions for use either in your personal study, or for sharing in a church or home group. Why? Because: "From many earnest hearts there is rising a cry for more power: more power in our personal conflict with the world, the flesh, and the devil; more power in our work for others. The Bible makes the way to obtain this longed-for power very plain. There is no presumption in undertaking to tell how to obtain Fullness of Power in Christian life and service; for the Bible itself tells, and the Bible was intended to be understood. R. A. Torrey (1856-1928) was an American evangelist, pastor, educator, and writer whose name is attached to several organisations, and whose work is still well known today.

"The Bible statement of the way is not mystical or mysterious. It is very plain and straightforward. If we will only make personal trial of The Power of the Word of God; The Power of the Blood of Christ; The Power of the Holy Spirit; The Power of Prayer; The Power of a Surrendered Life; we will then know the Fullness of Power in Christian life and service. We will try to make this plain in the following chapters. There are many who do not even know that there is a life of abiding rest, joy, satisfaction, and power; and many others who, while they think there must be something beyond the life they know, are in ignorance as to how to obtain it. This book is also written to help them." (Torrey's Introduction.)

eBook only

ISBN: 978-0-9935005-8-9

Also in paperback

Ebenezer and Ninety-Eight Friends

Musings on Life, Scripture

and the Hymns

Marty Magee

Samuel, Mephibosheth, and a woman on death row -- people telling of our Savior's love. A chicken, a dinosaur, and a tarantula -- just a few props to show how we can serve God and our neighbors. Peanut butter, pinto beans and grandmother's chow-chow -- merely tools to help share the Bread of Life. These are just a few of the characters in Ebenezer and Ninety-Eight Friends.

It is Marty's desire to bring the hymns out of their sometimes formal, Sunday best stuffy setting and into our Monday through Friday lives. At the same time, she presents a light object lesson and appropriate Scripture passage. This is done with the format of a devotion book, yet it has a light tone and style. From Ebenezer to Willie, Marty's characters can scarcely be contained within the pages of this whimsical yet insightful volume.

eBook ISBN: 978-0-9957594-1-1

Also in paperback

from Rickety Bridge Publishing

ISBN: 978-0-9954549-1-0

Available from bookstores and major internet sellers

ALSO BY MARTY MAGEE

Also in paperback

Twenty-five Days Around the Manger

A Light Family Advent Devotional

Marty Magee

Will a purple bedroom help Marty's misgivings about Christmas?

As a kid, Martha Evans didn't like Christmas. Sixty years later, she still gets a little uneasy when this holiday on steroids rolls around. But she knows, when all the tinsel is pulled away, Whose Day it is. Now Marty Magee, she is blessed with five grandchildren who help her not take herself too seriously.

Do you know the angel named Herald? Will young Marty survive the embarrassment of her Charley Brown Christmas tree? And by the way, where's the line to see Jesus?

Twenty-Five Days Around the Manger goes from Marty's mother as a little girl awaiting her brother's arrival, to O Holy Night when our souls finally were able to feel their full worth.

This and much more. Join Marty around the manger this Advent season.

eBook ISBN: 978-0-9954549-1-0

Also in full colour paperback

from Rickety Bridge Publishing

ISBN: 978-1-4923248-0-5

Available from bookstores and major internet sellers

Also in paperback

The Gospels and Acts

In Simple Paraphrase

with Helpful Explanations

together with

Running Through the Bible

Chris Wright

White Tree Publishing presents a paraphrase in today's English of passages from the four Gospels -- Matthew, Mark, Luke and John -- relating Jesus' birth, life, death and resurrection in one continuous narrative with helpful explanations, plus a paraphrase of events from the book of Acts. Also in this book is a brief summary of the Epistles and Revelation. For readers unfamiliar with the New Testament, this book makes a valuable introduction, and it will surely help those familiar with the New Testament to gain some extra knowledge and understanding as they read it. Please note that this is not a translation of the Bible. It is a careful and sensitive paraphrase of parts of the New Testament, and is not intended to be quoted as Scripture. Part 2 is a short introduction to the whole Bible -- Running Through the Bible -- which is available from White Tree Publishing as a separate eBook and paperback.

Translators and others involved in foreign mission work, please note: If you believe that this copyright book, or part of this book, would be useful if translated into another language, please contact White Tree Publishing (wtpbristol@gmail.com). Permission will be free, and assistance in formatting and publishing your new translation as an eBook and/or a paperback may be available, also without charge.

Superb! I have never read anything like it. It is colloquially worded in a succinct, clear style with a brilliant (and very helpful) running commentary interspersed. I have found it a compelling read -- and indeed spiritually engaging and moving. Canon Derek Osborne, Norfolk, England.

eBook ISBN: 978-0-9935005-9-6

Paperback ISBN: 978-0-9954549-5-8

Faith that Prevails

The Early Pentecostal Movement

Home and Group Questions for Today Edition

Smith Wigglesworth

Study Questions by Chuck Antone, Jr.

This is a White Tree Publishing Home and Group Questions for Today Edition. At the end of each of the seven chapters are questions by Chuck Antone, Jr. for use either in your personal study, or for sharing in a church or home group. Why? Because Smith Wigglesworth, often referred to as the Apostle of Faith, putting the emphasis on the work of the Holy Spirit, writes, "God is making people hungry and thirsty after His best. And everywhere He is filling the hungry and giving them that which the disciples received at the very beginning. Are you hungry? If you are, God promises that you shall be filled."

Smith Wigglesworth was one of the pioneers of the early Pentecostal revival. Born in 1859 he gave himself to Jesus at the age of eight and immediately led his mother to the Lord. His ministry took him to Europe, the US, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, the Pacific Islands, India and what was then Ceylon. Smith Wigglesworth's faith was unquestioning.

In this book, he says, "There is nothing impossible with God. All the impossibility is with us, when we measure God by the limitations of our unbelief."

eBook only

eBook ISBN: 978-0-9954549-4-1

The Authority and

Interpretation

of the Bible

J Stafford Wright

When we start to think about God, we soon come to a point where we say, "I can discover nothing more about God by myself. I must see whether He has revealed anything about Himself, about His character, and about the way to find Him and to please Him." From the beginning, the Christian church has believed that certain writings were the Word of God in a unique sense. Before the New Testament was compiled, Christians accepted the Old Testament as their sacred Book. Here they were following the example of Christ Himself. During His ministry Jesus Christ made great use of the Old Testament, and after His resurrection He spent some time in teaching His disciples that every section of the Old Testament had teachings in it concerning Himself. Any discussion of the inspiration of the Bible gives place sooner or later to a discussion of its interpretation. To say that the Bible is true, or infallible, is not sufficient: for it is one thing to have an infallible Book, and quite another to use it. J Stafford Wright was a greatly respected evangelical theologian and author, and former Principal of Tyndale Hall Theological College, Bristol.

eBook only

eBook ISBN: 978-0-9954549-9-6

Psalms,

A Guide Psalm By Psalm

J Stafford Wright

The Bible Psalms. Do you see them as a source of comfort? A help in daily living? A challenge? Or perhaps something to study in depth? Psalms, a Guide Psalm by Psalm will meet all these requirements, and more. It is an individual study guide that can be used for daily reading in conjunction with your own Bible. It is also a resource for group study, with brief questions for study and discussion. And it's a Bible commentary, dealing with the text of each Psalm section by section.

eBook only

eBook ISBN 978-0-9957594-2-8

The Christian's Secret

of a Happy Life

Hannah Whitall Smith

White Tree Publishing Edition

Christian and happy? Do these two words fit comfortably together? Is our Christian life a burden or a pleasure? Is our quiet time with the Lord a duty or a delight? The Christian's Secret of a Happy Life was first written by Hannah Whitall Smith as monthly instalments for an American magazine. Hannah was brought up as a Quaker, and became the feisty wife of a preacher. By the time she wrote The Christian's Secret of a Happy Life she had already lost three children. Her life was not easy, with her husband being involved in a sexual scandal and eventually losing his faith. So, Christian and happy? An alternative title for this book could have been The Christian's Secret of a Trusting Life.

How often, Hannah asks, do we bring our burdens to the Lord, as He told us to, only to take them home with us again? There are some wonderful and challenging chapters in this book, which Hannah revised throughout her life, as she came to see that the truth is in the Bible, not in our feelings. Fact, faith and feelings come in that order. As Hannah points out several times, feelings come last. The teaching in this book is firmly Scripture based, as Hannah insists that there is more to the Christian life than simply passing through the gate of salvation. There is a journey ahead for us, where every step we take should be consecrated to bring us closer and closer to God, day by day, and year by year.

eBook only

eBook ISBN: 978-0-9957594-6-6

Every-Day Religion

Hannah Whitall Smith

White Tree Publishing Edition

How are we to live out our Christian lives every day? This book isn't about everyday (ordinary) religion, but about a living faith that changes our lives day by day. Hannah Whitall Smith had to live her life based on her trust in Scripture and the promises of God. In 1875, after the loss of three children, and her husband suffering a mental breakdown after being accused of infidelity, she was able to write The Christian's Secret of a Happy Life, in which she showed that it is possible to find peace with the Lord, no matter what life throws at us, through trusting in His promises.

In 1894, after the death of yet another child, with her three surviving children professing atheism, and her husband losing his faith, Hannah's trust in the Lord Jesus is still so strong that she is able to write in her introduction to her Scripture-based Every-Day Religion, that the purpose of the book is, "To bring out, as far as possible, the common-sense teaching of the Bible in regard to every-day religion. ... How to have inward peace in the midst of outward turmoil."

eBook only

ISBN: 978-1-9997899-0-9

My Life and Work

Gipsy Smith

White Tree Publishing Edition

Rodney "Gipsy" Smith was born in a gipsy tent in Epping Forest, England. He was the son of gipsies, Cornelius Smith and his wife Mary. Growing up, he had to help support the family by making and selling items like clothes pegs around the area. He only had a few weeks at school one winter, and was unable to read or write. One day his father Cornelius came home to say that he had been converted, and was now a Christian. Cornelius helped bring his son to the Lord, and from that moment, Rodney wanted to share the way of salvation with others.

Now followed a difficult time, because he knew that in order to preach to others, he had to be able to read the Bible, both for himself and aloud to others. He writes, "I began to practise preaching. One Sunday I entered a turnip field and preached most eloquently to the turnips. I had a very large and most attentive congregation. Not one of them made an attempt to move away." When he started preaching to people, and came across a long word in the Bible he was unable to read, he says he stopped at the long word and spoke on what had gone before, and started reading again at the word after the long one!

Gipsy Smith quickly learnt to read fluently and was soon into fulltime evangelism, where he soon became known as Gipsy Smith, a name he accepted gladly. He joined the Salvation Army for a time, until being told to resign. Instead of this being a setback, he now took up a much wider sphere of work in England, before travelling to America and Australia where he became a much-loved preacher. In spite of meeting two American presidents at the White House, and other important figures in society, Gipsy Smith never forgot his roots. He never pretended to be anything other than a Gipsy boy, and was always pleased to come across other Gipsy families in his travels. Like Billy Bray and others uneducated writers, Gipsy Smith tells the story of his life in a simple and compelling way. This is the account written by a man who gave himself fully to the Lord, and was used to help lead thousands to Jesus Christ as their Saviour.

eBook only

ISBN: 978-1-9997899-4-7

Living in the Sunshine:

The God of All Comfort

Hannah Whitall Smith

White Tree Publishing Edition

Hannah Smith, who suffered so much in her personal life, has an amazing Bible-based grasp of God's love for each of us. She writes in this book: "Why, I ask myself, should the children of God lead such utterly uncomfortable Christian lives when He has led us to believe that His yoke would be easy and His burden light? Why are we tormented with so many spiritual doubts, and such heavy spiritual anxieties? Why do we find it so hard to be sure that God really loves us?

"But here, perhaps, you will meet me with the words, 'Oh, no, I do not blame the Lord, but I am so weak and so foolish, and so ignorant that I am not worthy of His care.' But do you not know that sheep are always weak, and helpless, and silly; and that the very reason they are compelled to have a shepherd to care for them is just because they are so unable to take care of themselves? Their welfare and their safety, therefore, do not in the least depend upon their own strength, nor upon their own wisdom, nor upon anything in themselves, but wholly and entirely upon the care of their shepherd. And if you are a sheep, your welfare also must depend altogether upon your Shepherd, and not at all upon yourself!"

Note: This is Hannah Smith's final book. It was first published as Living in the Sunshine, and later republished as The God of All Comfort, the title of the third chapter. The edition used here is the British edition of Living in the Sunshine, dated 1906.

eBook only

ISBN: 978-1-9997899-3-0

Evangelistic Talks

Gipsy Smith

White Tree Publishing Edition

This book is a selection of 19 talks given by Gipsy Smith which will provide inspirational reading, and also be a source of help for those who speak. There are also 20 "two-minute sermonnettes" as the last chapter! Rodney "Gipsy" Smith was born in a gipsy tent in Epping Forest, England. He was the son of gipsies, Cornelius Smith and his wife Mary. Growing up, he had to help support the family by making and selling items like clothes pegs around the area. He only had a few weeks at school one winter, and was unable to read or write. One day his father Cornelius came home to say that he had been converted, and was now a Christian. Cornelius helped bring his son to the Lord, and from that moment, Rodney wanted to share the way of salvation with others.

He quickly learnt to read fluently and was soon into fulltime evangelism, where he became known as Gipsy Smith, a name he accepted gladly. He preached throughout England, before travelling to America and Australia. Wherever he went he was a much-loved and powerful preacher, bringing thousands to the Lord.

eBook only

ISBN: 978-1-9997899-7-8

Also in paperback

I Can't Help Praising the Lord

The Life of Billy Bray

Chris Wright

White Tree Publishing Edition

"I can't help praising the Lord!" said Billy Bray. "As I go along the street I lift up one foot, and it seems to say 'Glory!' and I lift up the other, and it seems to say 'Amen'; and so they keep on like that all the time I am walking."

Billy was a tin miner by trade and he loved his native Cornwall, but his love for souls was greater. When he was criticized for building a new chapel he replied, "If this new chapel ... stands one hundred years, and one soul be converted in it every year, that will be one hundred souls -- and one soul is worth more than all Cornwall!"

Billy Bray (1794-1868) found a real excitement in his Christian life, and discovered the secret of living by faith. His outspoken comments are often amusing, but the reader will be challenged by their directness.

This book has a strong message of encouragement for Christians today. Billy believed and accepted the promises in the Bible, and lived a life that was Spirit filled.

FW Bourne, the writer of the original book, The King's Son, knew Billy Bray as a friend. In it he has used Billy's own writing, the accounts of others who had met Billy, and his own memories.

Chris Wright has revised and edited FW Bourne's book to produce this new edition, adding sections directly from the autobiography of William Haslam who met Billy, and from Billy Bray's own handwritten Journal, keeping Billy's rough and ready grammar and wording, which surely helps us picture this amazing man of God.

eBook

ISBN: 978-1-912529-01-8

Paperback ISBN: 978-1-912529-00-1

5x8 inches 86 pages

Available from major internet stores

Also on sale in Billy Bray's Chapel

Kerley Downs, Cornwall

As Jesus Passed By

Gipsy Smith

White Tree Publishing Edition

To introduce this book of some of his evangelistic talks in 1905, Gipsy Smith writes: "After much pressure I have consented to the publication of these Addresses. They were delivered to crowded audiences with a burning desire to bring those who heard them to an immediate decision for Christ. Here they are, practically as they were spoken, and if I am so led, they will be preached again, for God has been pleased to bless them to thousands. Whether heard or read, my one desire is the extension of Christ's kingdom all over the world."

"Gipsy" Smith was born in a gipsy tent in Epping Forest, England. He was the son of gipsies, Cornelius Smith and his wife Mary. Growing up, he had to help support the family by making and selling items like clothes pegs around the area. He only had a few weeks at school one winter, and was unable to read or write. One day his father Cornelius came home to say that he had been converted, and was now a Christian. Cornelius helped bring his son to the Lord, and from that moment, Rodney wanted to share the way of salvation with others.

He quickly learnt to read fluently and was soon into fulltime evangelism, where he became known as Gipsy Smith, a name he accepted gladly. He preached throughout England, before travelling to America and Australia. Wherever he went he was a much-loved and powerful preacher, bringing thousands to the Lord.

eBook only

ISBN: 978-1-912529-05-6

Also in paperback

Rifted Clouds

All Three Parts

by

Bella Cooke

This is a true story of amazing faith. After being dropped as a baby and receiving a spinal injury in England, Bella Cooke suffers serious illness, family bereavement and what seems like nothing but loss in her married life. Bed bound and in constant pain in New York, at the age of forty she is able to write, "I have so often seen and felt that He knows so much better than I what is best for me, that I dare not take my little affairs out of His hands."

This is not a 'photocopy' of the pages of the three original books. Published here in a single volume, the originals have been completely re-typeset, with sentences and paragraphs broken into shorter lengths, making for easier reading.

Bella Cooke, a much-loved mother and grandmother, sees that her lifetime in bed can be spent helping others with great needs, both spiritual and practical. Feeling no self pity, she runs a food bank from her bed, and receives several thousand visitors each year, of all ages and with all needs. She writes, "I thank my Heavenly Father for all His goodness to me in permitting me to do a little for Him, for the bodies as well as the souls of many."

Job, in the Old Testament suffered much loss, and had unhelpful advice from his companions. Bella also suffered much loss, but unlike Job she was blessed with wise Christian friends. Also, unlike Job, she had to wait nearly fifty painful years to receive her restoration -- in heaven.

Bella was a much loved mother and grandmother. In 1884, a friend wrote to Bella's daughter, Mary, "I think it a great privilege to have known your dear mother. If one were to be told the story of her life without seeing her, it would be difficult to credit it, and yet it is more wonderful than can be told. Her power and influence over children are very great, and they always enjoy going to see her and connect nothing but pleasure with her sickroom. Of her work among the poor it is unnecessary to speak, for all who know her must have heard of it. I can only say that I believe she has accomplished more than any well woman I know, in her work for the suffering and needy, while at the same time suffering intensely herself."

Bella's insight into suffering in all forms, and how it can be turned to blessing, makes this a truly uplifting book.

Bella Cooke writes, "[This book] has been written in great pain -- how much, none can ever know -- and with much prayer that the blessing of God may go with it, and that it may prove a blessing to many."

eBook ISBN: 978-1-912529-08-7

Also available as a paperback ISBN: 978-1-912529-09-4

Real Religion

Gipsy Smith

White Tree Publishing Edition

Gipsy Smith writes, "When your Church membership is to you all that it ought to be, when you are alive from the dead and filled with the Holy Spirit, then you will accomplish something. Just as long as the Church of God is content to remain one of many institutions, she will have her little day and die; but the moment she becomes so God-filled and God-inspired that she is unique -- when the world looks on and says that she is drunk and mad -- at that moment she will be on the highway to capture the world for Christ." Here are Thirteen Revival Sermons delivered by evangelist Gipsy Smith during his twentieth visit to America.

eBook only

ISBN: 978-1-912529-10-0

Return to Table of Contents

Christian Fiction

The majority of these books are classic Christian romances that have been sensitively edited and abridged for today's readers

The Secret of Ashton Manor House

Eliza Kerr

White Tree Publishing Edition

eBook ISBN: 978-1-912529-11-7

Keena Karmody

Eliza Kerr

White Tree Publishing Edition

eBook ISBN: 978-1-9997899-5-4

Hazel Haldene

Eliza Kerr

White Tree Publishing Edition

eBook ISBN: 978-1-9997899-8-5

Rollica Reed

Eliza Kerr

White Tree Publishing Edition

eBook ISBN: 978-1-9997899-6-1

The Lost Clue

Mrs. O. F. Walton

Abridged Edition

A Romantic Mystery

eBook ISBN: 978-0-9932760-2-6

Doctor Forester

Mrs. O. F. Walton

Abridged Edition

A Romantic Mystery

eBook ISBN: 978-0-9932760-0-2

Was I Right?

Mrs. O. F. Walton

Abridged Edition

A Victorian Romance

eBook ISBN: 978-0-9932760-1-9

In His Steps

Charles M. Sheldon

Abridged Edition

eBook ISBN: 978-0-9927642-9-6

Paperback ISBN 13: 978-19350791-8-7

A Previously Unpublished Book

Locked Door Shuttered Windows

A recent Novel by J Stafford Wright

eBook ISBN 13: 978-0-9932760-3-3

Paperback ISBN: 978-0-9927642-4-1

When it Was Dark

Guy Thorne

Abridged Edition

eBook ISBN: 978-0-9954549-0-3

Silverbeach Manor

Margaret S. Haycraft

White Tree Publishing edition

eBook ISBN: 978-0-9935005-4-1

Gildas Haven

Margaret S. Haycraft

White Tree Publishing Edition

eBook ISBN: 978-0-9935005-7-2

Amaranth's Garden

Margaret S. Haycraft

White Tree Publishing Edition

eBook ISBN: 978-0-9935005-6-5

Rose Capel's Sacrifice

Margaret Haycraft

White Tree Publishing Edition

eBook ISBN: 978-0-9954549-3-4

Una's Marriage

Margaret Haycraft

White Tree Publishing Edition

eBook ISBN: 978-0-9957594-5-9

Miss Elizabeth's Niece

Margaret Haycraft

White Tree Publishing Edition

eBook ISBN: 978-0-9957594-7-3

The Clever Miss Jancy

Margaret S. Haycraft

White Tree Publishing Edition

eBook ISBN: 978-0-9957594-9-7

A Daughter of the King

Mrs Philip Barnes

White Tree Publishing Edition

eBook ISBN: 978-0-9957594-8-0

Freda's Folly

Margaret S Haycraft

White Tree Publishing Edition

eBook ISBN: 978-1-912529-02-5

Sybil's Repentance

Margaret S Haycraft

White Tree Publishing Edition

eBook ISBN: 978-1-912529-04-9

Sister Royal

Margaret S Haycraft

White Tree Publishing Edition

eBook ISBN: 978-1-912529-03-2

Books for Younger Readers

(and older readers too!)

The Merlin Adventure

Chris Wright

eBook ISBN: 978-0-9954549-2-7

Paperback ISBN: 9785-203447-7-5

The Hijack Adventure

Chris Wright

eBook ISBN: 978-0-9954549-6-5

Paperback ISBN: 978-1-5203448-0-5

The Seventeen Steps Adventure

Chris Wright

eBook ISBN: 978-0-9954549-7-2

Paperback ISBN: 978-1-5203448-6-7

The Two Jays Adventure

The First Two Jays Story

Chris Wright

eBook ISBN: 978-0-9954549-8-9

Paperback ISBN: 978-1-5203448-8-1

The Dark Tunnel Adventure

The Second Two Jays Story

Chris Wright

eBook ISBN: 978-0-9957594-0-4

Paperback ISBN: 978-1-5206386-3-8

The Cliff Edge Adventure

The Third Two Jays Story

Chris Wright

eBook ISBN: 978-0-9957594-4-2

Paperback ISBN: 9781-5-211370-3-1

The Midnight Farm Adventure

The Fourth Two Jays Story

Chris Wright

eBook ISBN: 978-1-9997899-1-6

Paperback ISBN: 978-1-5497148-3-2

The Old House Adventure

The Fifth Two Jays Story

Chris Wright

eBook ISBN: 978-1-912529-07-0

Paperback ISBN: 978-1-912529-06-3

Mary Jones and Her Bible

An Adventure Book

Chris Wright

The true story of Mary Jones's and her Bible

with a clear Christian message and optional puzzles

(Some are easy, some tricky, and some amusing)

eBook ISBN: ISBN: 978-0-9933941-5-7

Paperback ISBN 978-0-9525956-2-5

Pilgrim's Progress

An Adventure Book

Chris Wright

A similar format to Mary Jones

eBook ISBN 13: 978-0-9933941-6-4

Paperback ISBN: 978-0-9525956-6-3

Pilgrim's Progress

Special Edition

The original story retold

Chris Wright

eBook ISBN: 978-0-9932760-8-8

Paperback ISBN: 978-0-9525956-7-0

Zephan and the Vision

Chris Wright

eBook ISBN: 978-0-9932760-6-4

Paperback ISBN: 978-0-9525956-9-4

Agathos, The Rocky Island,

And Other Stories

Chris Wright

eBook ISBN: 978-0-9927642-7-2

Paperback ISBN: 978-0-9525956-8-7

Please visit our website www.whitetreepublishing.com for full details on all these books, and their availability.

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