us . . . permanently!” The mother’s re sponse was quieter, “Well, i f you think that much o f him, bring him on home, son. We’ll try to like him, too. He could stay a whole y ear i f you like. Ju st hurry hom e" The voice at the other end per sisted, “But Mom, that still isn’t what 1 said. You see, he got the worst end o f it ; he only has one eye, one arm and one leg left.” The m other interrupted, “But son, you must be sensible. You!re too close to this boy right now. You’ve been in w ar and your emotions are very raw. Things like that will get old a fter a while. He’ll be a drag on you! I t ’ll be difficu lt in the home." Nothing else was said, and the mother only heard the hollow sound o f a disconnect a t the other end. The next day the parents received a telegram from the Navy Department stating that the previous night their son had jumped to his death from a tenth-floor window o f a San Diego hotel. In the days that follow ed the son’s body was shipped home. When the cas ket was opened, the parents saw their son. You can imagine that mother's fe el ing when she discovered that it was HER son who had only one eye, one arm, and one leg. How much do WE de sire the return o f our L ord Jesu s Christ? In the Word o f God we read these precious thoughts, “Beloved, now are we the sons o f God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall b e: but we know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like H im ; fo r we shall see Him as He is. And every man that hath this hope in HIM purified him self, even as He is pure." A FUTURE HOPE Altamont was a very learned French >- man who lived many years ago. He had started a special club fo r infidels. In jesting, concerning immortality, he made the members prom ise to visit him when he was dying. He wanted them to ob serve how that he had no fe a r s o f eter nity; he didn’t need to rely on the blood o f Christ fo r his help and future. In ter estingly enough, however, when that day did come, he fe lt entirely differen t. The infidel club members m et at his home during his dying hours. Ushered in to •**. his room, observers stated that he had a fix ed look o f fe a r on his face. Shiver ing with unknown terror he exclaimed, “Oh, i f you had one h a lf the mountain upon your souls that’s upon mine, you would struggle with the m artyr fo r his stake, and would bless God fo r a 22
ditch, but now he appears before you as a subject capable o f serving his sover eign." This is why Biola young people go to the remotest areas o f the world, as well as here at home, working in such places as jails, street teams and “skid row” missions. They are seeking out lumps o f clay to be made fit by God’s grace to worship the King o f kings. Soul winning is the precious fru it and rew ard o f service, knowing that, “I f any man be in Christ, he is a new creature. Old things are passed away, behold all things are become new.” A LL THE W A Y When the Saviour said, “Follow Me," He meant that we are to walk daily in the way to victory through the power o f His Holy Spirit. Too many people are like the woman at the mountain resort who sat in a rocking chair on the veran da watching her friends climb the moun tainside. Binoculars in hand she told them, “I ’ll follow you all the way." As they pursued their course and arduously pressed toward their ultimate goal she sat by contentedly, disinterested in any achievement fo r herself. Is she like some o f us? Do we observe other Christians and let them carry the weight o f testi mony? Are we walking worthily fo r Christ? “Must I be carried to the skys on flow ery beds o f ease, while others fight to win the prize, and sail through bloody seas?" COM IN G HOME It was the heighth o f the K orean War when a young man landed in San Diego from the front. As soon as he could he found a phone to call home. His par ents lived in a fashionable suburban com munity in the Midwest. Recognizing the voice at the other end o f the line he said, “Mom, I ’m coming home." The mother was thrilled with the news. H er son was alive and home in this country. A fter they exchanged greetings he quickly add ed, “Mom, I should tell you that I ’m bringing a buddy with me who really got the worst end o f the deal. He has only one eye, one arm , and one leg. He doesn’t have a home and I want him to live with u s; to m ake our home his." The mother replied brightly, “Son, that will be fin e, o f course. Bring your friend along if you think that much o f him. He can stay several w eeks with us." H er son insisted, “But Mom, that isn’t what I said. I want him to live with
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