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we noticed ju st a trace of tears in his eyes. He was burdened about bis soul’s salvation. How could be know whether he was saved or not? We had ju st tim e to make a date w ith him and promise to come to his house when th e whistle blew and he was off to his work. Saved and W itnessing Another week passed and we found ourselves again a t th e shop where this young man worked. He was one of the first to greet us. Going off to one side w ith him, th e Scriptures were opened to him. W hat a sense of guilt came upon him, as Scripture afte r Scripture was read, showing man according to OME of our readers may not be fam iliar w ith the fact th a t a t one tim e th e present loca tion of Biola H all was one of Los Angeles’ booze joints reeking w ith obscene characters and alcoholic fiends who were compelled to retire when the Volstead act was passed and we were thu s enabled to secure th e premises. Some of these form er frequenters .re tu rn ed and found Christ in the very spot where once th e devil held full sway. The following lines w ere.handed to th e w riter last Wednesday evening by a young man a t th e close of the prayer meeting: “ Once cruel d e a th stalked w ithin your grimy, sordid walls, Where drunken men shrieked fo rth th e ir hopeless squalls. Countless souls you beckoned into eternal hell. I could not b ear those echoes if they th e tru th would tell, The wailing of th e torm ented dead will never, never cease. Your hell-bom poisoned cisterns gave men no re st or peace. Whom did you serve in tho se dark days b u t him whose subtle lies Gave b irth to te ars of sorrow; and moaning, helpless cries. Men came to drown th e ir troubles, bu t fell into your snare, And left w ith g reater burdens increas ing th e ir despair. The darkness th a t prevailed therein th roughout those dreary years
natu re. Tears gushed from his eyes, and he said, “Oh f I have been so m iser able; X can hardly w ait to get relief.” Then it was th a t we had th e blessing of showing him th e Lord Jesus, hang ing on Calvary, paying his debt of sin, and m aking it possible for him to be come a son of God and have forgiveness of sin. Then and th e re the question was settled, and a t th e close of the meeting we heard him tell some of the men he worked w ith th a t Jesus was his Savior, for he had ju st accepted Him as his own. “Be not weary in well doing, for in due season ye shall reap if ye fain t no t.” Had never calmed one restless heart, nor banished guilty fears. But now, praise God, through His dear Son, Oh glorious transfiguration. There glows w ithin those gloomy walls th e ligh t of revelation. I cannot understand how such a reek ing sin-stained place Is used of God to show the light of Jesu s’ blessed face, Or how th a t floor once covered o’er w ith such infectious tain ts Today doth bear the bended knee of faithful, praying saints! I only know th a t I was lost and weary by th e way And th a t my w retched soul found life more dreary day by day. I passed your humble entrance and caught fain t gleams of light Till one glad day I entered and God gave me perfect sight. I cannot tell, Biola Hall, why God gave you th is part, But only praise His holy Name 'for coming in my heart. The glory of His matchless grace trah- scends my narrow though t Yet th rough H is bleeding Sacrifice I found all th a t I sought. This body like your tain ted walls once served th e god of sin, • But now, Oh wondrous paradox, His Spirit dwells w ithin. Oh God, lead me in everything my being to resign, Till purged from selfish motives my
BIOLA HALL WORK D avid C ant, S u p t.—O u r C ity M ission fo r Men in th e cen ter of Los A ngeles. M eetings continuous from 10 a. m. to 10 p. m. N oon-day P ra y e r M eeting.
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