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The room was quiet after he left. I sat near the Doctor’s bed, listening to his heavy breathing, and the words kept running through my mind: “ ‘He may not live through the night. . . . He may not live through the night.’ And he is not saved.” Before I had time to think what I was doing, 1 stepped nearer to him and said, quiet ly but clearly, “Dr. Murphy, I wish I . knew; that you had a hope for the next world.”“' His eyes flew open and he frowned. “What?” he asked, obviously dis pleased. “I wish you knew the Lord Jesus as ydur Saviour," I answered softly. A shadow gathered in his eyes and I saw he was angry. Slowly his hands clenched and he said, “Please don’t bother me with those things.” I went back to my chair, feeling utterly defeated. “I’ve done my duty,” I murmured to myself. “He doesn’t want it. Salvation is for ‘whosoever will,’ and he doesn’t want it.” . Df. ¡Murphy did not die that night. He rallied a bit, but it was clear that he could not live long. I had given up hope of reaching him. I was mildly surprised when one morning Dr. Gossard said to Mrs. Mur phy in my presence, “Don’t you think a clergyman should come to see Dr. Murphy?” “ I would be glad to have one come,” the wife replied, “ but there is no clergyman that can approach him on this subject. My daughter and grand son haYe tried repeatedly, and so has Mrs. Annas, but he will not listen.” The next night Dr. Murphy was very low, and again Dr. Gossard said, this time to me, “Don’t you think a min ister should come to see him, Mrs. Annas?” “If you are a Christian, why don’t you speak to him?” I answered. “He won’t see a minister.” “ I am greatly burdened for him,” ' he said,, “but I am already late and must be going. I want you to read the third chapter of John to him.” He took his case and started to leave. At the door he turned back and, pointing his finger at me, said sternly, “Mrs. Annas, see that you do it.” I was amazed. He had actually ordered me to read the Bible to the [ Continued on Page 93]
appointed in some of the church mem bers. I was not really saved, you see. Finally, I left home to find more free dom. But strangely enough, the things I planned to do, I couldn’t do. I know, now, that it was because my parents’ prayers were following me. I tried to be good, to turn oyer a new leaf— to please God as I thought I must— but I became more miserable. “Then one day a tract entitled, ‘Hath,’ was put into my hands. I had not read more than one sentence, ‘He that believeth on the Son hath ever lasting. life,’ when the scales fell from my eyes, and God gave me peace. It was so wonderful to know that all my sins were gone, that Christ had paid-for them on the cross, that,I had His salvation as a gift, and all that I needed to do was believe . . .” I stopped, half fearful of what he would say. He had not interrupted my long recital, and now he made no re ply. He sat perfectly still and I, a little surprised that I had dared to say so much, silently looked to the Lord that my simple testimony might be used to reach this unsaved man. Dr. Murphy made no further men-, tion of our conversation or of spiritual things at all. His physical condition did not improve as it should have done, and finally he was taken, to the hospital for tests and treatment. Again the urgent burden of his soul’s nefcd was heavy on my heart. I accompanied him to the hospital and tried to^ speak to him there. I did not know whether I ever would see him again or not. But my lips seemed sealed, and no word was spoken. I left him and went home, my heart, heavy and discoufaged. * * $ . $ The Doctor had been away five weeks when he grew so homesick, he decided to return to his home. Mrs. Murphy called to see whether I could come back to the case. I was sur prised that he would want me again, but I was free and glad' to go. I realized at once that Dr. Murphy was very ill. Apparently he had taken a slight cold, and it quickly developed into pneumonia. By the third day, he was near death. Dr. Gossard, the attending physi cian, said to me that night, “I have done all I can, Mrs. Annas, but I doubt that he will live through the night.”
one always at hand. I thought he looked tired. The Slight breeze, coming through the open window, flipped a page of my book over, and I started to turn it back when Dr. Murphy stirred and said, “Mrs.' Annas, if you ever want a good book to read, go into my library. You "will find any number of interesting books there.” “Thank you, Doctor,” I said pleas antly. “It is very kind of you, but jùst now I’m reading this little book which is an explanation of the Book of Revelation. It is rather deep, and I have to go over and over it several times. By thè way, Doctor, do you read the Bible?” I asked, my heart in my throat at broaching the subject again. For a moment there was a dead silence. I saw the flush mounting to his face before he suddenly thundered a reply. “No!” he shouted. I was shocked at his answer. It was unexpected from one of his dignified bearing. The uncomfortable silence held. I could think of'nothing to say. “Mrs. Annas,” he said at length, and his voice was quiet now. “I'm going to tell you something.” ~ (He is going to tell me to leave the case, I thought.) “My parents were Christians,” he went on, a little wearily, “and I was brought up in a Christian home and went to Sunday-school all of.my early years. When I was seventeen I joined the church. For several years after that, things went on fairly well and I was a pretty good Christian, I guess. But the more I saw of prominent church members, and found what crooks and hypocrites many of them were, the more disgusted I became, and I finally threw the whole thing overboard.” Pounding his fist on the arm of the chair to emphasize each word, he fin ished, “And 1 don’t want to talk about It any more.” “I’m sorry, Dr. Murphy,” I answered quickly. “I can deeply sympathize with you, because I had a similar ex perience. And since you have related yours, may I tell you mine?”.. He nodded, slightly. “ I, too, was brought up in a Chris tian home,” I began. “I heard the Bible read three: times a day, went to Sunday-school and at about the same age as you did, I joined the church. I, too, was very much diS
"He that believeth on the Son HATH everlasting life (j ohn 3 .-36).
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