They were astonished t h at a " p r e a c h e r" would sit with t h em instead of with t he officers. At the time of d e p a r t u re they ma de me promise to come again. Is it worth while? Nothing else is. Th is was the beginning. The next time they will know t h at in San Pedro t h e re is someone who cares for them. Sea- men have h e a r ts and they know the T r u th if presented in the Spirit of Christ. We know the Old Gospel has power. There should not be one vesesl com- ing to this port, flying any flag, where much dangeh o' baldness h e a h ," said a negro barber, pushing his comb t h r o u gh a cus- tomer's hair. "No," said t he man, " b ut it is grow- ing very gray." "Gray hairs ah 'onorable," added the barber. "If they be found in t he way of the Lo r d ," was the response of t he customer. "Dass so," came t he meditative reply, " 'If dey be foun' in de way ub de Lohd.' I wish I could say d a t ." "Well, f r i e n d ," said t he other, "I t h a nk Him t h at I CAN say it." " I offen wish," said t he barber, " d at I was in de way ub de Lohd. But tell me, suh, wat 's yuah ideah ub gettin' 'ligion, do you b'lieve in a c h a n g e ?" "I certainly do," was the answer. "I psed to be in the way of the devil, and I loved my own way. I was t h en 'without. God, and without hope in t he world.' I did not t r u st my Saviour, nor pray to my heavenly F a t h e r, nor read His Holy Word. I neither loved His people., nor regarded His will, nor con- fessed His name. Now all is different, quite the opposite. I love wh at I hated and hate wh at I loved. Don't you think t h at I believe in a c h a n g e ?" "Yass, suh, yuh sut'nly mu s ' ." "Of course t h e re is a change, and t h e re mu st be a change. But you are t h i n k i ng of some special revelation from above, to hear voices, and see visions. I never had anything of t h at sort, never felt any spiritual shock, nor received 'the power.' If you mean such things as these, I cannot say t h at I be- lieve in them, at least as signs of salvation." rtyyOT
t he message is not given of " H IM" in some definite way or other. It can be done and this small beginning proves its feasibility. This is a call of God. Somehow He will lay a burden of prayer upon h e a r ts for these me n; He will open up means t h at in the h a r b or of San P e d ro a work may be done to His Glory, in the salvation of undying oslds. These boys belong to some mo t h er and ma ny prayers are going up to the Th r o ne for these wayward sons, whom Satan h as enticed and snared. Wh at p a rt have we in their redemp- tion? "Well, suh, I mean d a t ," said t he in- quirer, "I been t' chu'ch, an' I confess I like t' go t' chu'ch. But I see 'em git up fum ; off de mo ' n a h 's bench, an' say de' feel such a tuh'ble change, an' dat it seem 'sif somebody cum an' jess strip all deh sins down offen 'em (suiting the action to t he wo r d ). I seen dat, a n' say t' mahsef, 'hit ain't foh me; I aint wu h t hy o' dat. Den yuh don't believe in 'sperience?" "Indeed I do," said t he customer, "I've had a blessed experience for years. The Lohd has become more and more precious to me. My experience has as- sured me over, and over, t h at 'I am His and He is mine,' but, still, I never h ad the kind of experience you have looked f o r ." "Well, suh, Ise got happy, too. I mus' tell yuh de truff, Ise been to de mo n ' a h 's bench mahsef. Ise done sought de Lohd, and sat in de chu'ch an' got ma h ty happy. But I alius says dat it cahn't be 'ligion. 'cause I ain't wuthy, a n' hit ain't foh me. Mah wife's a chu'ch membeh. a n' we gnt a fambly, a n' I offen says t' mahsef, 'You ought to be de haid ub dat fambly, yuh ought t' be a prayin' man.' Mah wife talks to me 'bout a change. An' I tell yuh de truff she never knows how it bruises mah haht. But it doesn't seem t' be foh me ." "You are much mistaken, my f r i e n d ." said t he customer, " It is 'for whosoever will.' The trouble with you is t h at you ma ke God a liar." "Wa h! wh at you mean by sayin' dat. s u h ? " said the other. "You ma ke God a liar," was the re- ply, "because He says it is for "whoso- ever will,' and He says t h at you ma ke . . t ? W ^
Hit Ain't Fo 9 Me 99
By J. / Sammi
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