September, 1939
TH E K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S
33S
The Gospel in Cellophane
By ELMER L WILDER Imperial, California
K T THE “Four Corners’’' she smil ingly waited for a “lift” across L the desert, which would place her in the large city—her desired des tination. Considering herself a “mod ern,” she found it easy to employ a modern -mode of transportation—hitch hiking. “That’s luck,” she thought, as a car horn sounded. “I’m catching a ride in a hurry.” I The car passed, and instead of “luck” it was providence, for a small bundle of tracts wrapped in bright cellophane fell at her feet. “That’s sweet,” she said. “A stick of candy. Like getting money from home without writing for it—no, it Isn’t candy after all.” ‘“ T H E F A C T S AB OUT THE WORLD’S MOST COSTLY STAMP,’”* she read through the cellophane wrap per as she picked it up. “I might as well broaden my knowl- edge as a philatelist while I am waiting for a ‘lift,’ ” she commented inwardly. Eagerly she removed the wrapper. The story told o£ how a one-cent stamp Was bought by Count Ferrary in 1878 for $625.00, and later was sold for $38,025.00. She found her interest aroused as she read about a more Costly stamp— the stamp of sin. She learned that this stamp had been c a n c e l e d by Christ’s sacrificial death on the cross. She then turned to “THE TRUE STORY OF JACK RENO”’t a tract which told of the conversion of a burg lar after his Christian mother had been dead thirty years. “That sounds interesting . . . 1 don’t care if a ride is slow In coming this morning . . . I wonder if my mother’s prayers Could be following me,” she thought as she finished reading the second tract. “She told me when I left that she would pray for me . . . And [Dr. Wilder, who is a graduate of the Bible Institute of Los Angeles of the class of ’26, is pastor of the Imperial Community Church, Imperial, Calif . For several years he has written for T he K ing ' s B usiness the object les sons in the Sunday-school lesson helps. —E ditor .] ^Published by Francis E. Green, 1438 N . Ave. 46, Los Angeles, Calif. f Published by W . T . Oden, 12927 Rubens Ave., Venice, Calif.
the Lord Jesus Christ as Saviour. The little cellophane package helped her to think, to admit her need, and to act. One never knows wnen he may be used of God—as the tract distributor was that day—to answer a mother’s prayer. Whoever is faithfully giving out the Word of God will reap glorious results. Vacation Trips It waq New Year’s Day, and a Chris tian family had been spending the holi day in the mountains. They threw cellophane-wrapped tracts to a family that was picnicking by the side of the mountain road. A few days later a card came, saying, “I praise His name for such a wonderful Saviour.” The card stated that this family had been more than two h u n d r e d miles from their home w h e n the tract messages reached them.- On another occasion, a young man had gone to the beach for a swim. He was hitch-hiking home, late in the af ternoon, when a bundle of tracts was thrown to him. The next day a thrill ing message came to “Roadside Mes sengers” with an “X” in the square beside the words, “I accept Christ now as my Saviour.” The tract had ar rested his attention and led him to Christ. “We were on vacation in the High Sierras,” wrote a woman upon reach ing her home. “My husband had been fishing in Bishop Creek, and we were returning to our car when we saw your car approaching. I hurried across the road, and although I had no occasion to step back, I did, and there I found your tracts, which have proved a bless ing.” On Business for Christ An oil-field worker was walking along the highway between derricks. A Christian farmer, while on a business trip, was sowing the seed of thè Word of God. As he passed the man, the farmer threw him a bundle of tracts. Before the farmer returned home, the oil worker had written, “Your tracts were thrown to me today from a car going north, while I was walking on the highway. . It is my duty to take care of the oil wells my company has drilled. I thank yon for the tracts and would appreciate information on the subject I have crossed.” The Christian farmer is correspond-
here is a postal card. This is a real surprise package. Who.threw it to me ?” The postal read: “Mail this card, telling when and where you received and read these tracts, and you will re ceive a New Testament} free. Name, address, where received, and date. L J I accept Christ now as my Saviour and Lord. [ ] I have already accepted Him as my Saviour. [ ] I wish to know more about God’s plan of free salvation through His Son Jesus Christ.” There was a verse of Scripture, “If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, *and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved” (Rom. 10:9). “I think I’ll send for the' New Testa ment. But which square shall I check ? I have never accepted Christ as Saviour. The last one fits me. ‘I wish to know more about God’s plan of free salva tion through His Son Jesus Christ.’ ” Turning the card over, she read the name and address, “ROADSIDE MES SENGERS, P. O. Box 14, Imperial, Calif.” “I’ll mail the card at my next stop. I pan just put my address as ‘General Delivery.’ ” In more senses than one, this girl had been at the crossroads^ Perhaps never before had she thought seriously of her need of traveling life’s way with %The American Bible Society, New York, N . Y ., publishes an inexpensive New Testament.
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