reason, the joy of his salvation was gone. For many days, Gene prayed about it, sometimes in tears. "Why? Why, Lord?” he cried. Even his unsaved co-work ers at the Santa Fe Railroad no ticed that something was wrong. Then one day, like a bright light, it came to Gene. He had lied on his application for the job with the Santa Fe! Gene knew acknowledging this would mean putting not only his seniority but also his job on the line, and it was a crushing blow to his pride, but he felt he had to make it right. With fear and trembling, he went to the general foreman, fully ex pecting to be fired. The man had let others go for less. “ I’m not ashamed o f the Gos pel of Christ,” Gene said, “ and He’s laid it on my heart to come and tell you that I lied on my application to the Santa Fe.” “Well, of course, we’re not here to preach or anything like that,” said the foreman. “ I come from the high church myself. I’ve had reports on your trying to convert the other men. If there’s any more of it, you’ll be back in this office again!” Gene prayed hard. “Well, I’m sorry if I have injured anyone,” he said. “ I ask forgiveness from any I’ve wronged. But, sir, if men can stand and drag all woman hood through the gutter and take the name of the Lord in vain every other breath, I’ve got time to stand up for Jesus Christ and the Bible.” Gene’s words seemed to go to the foreman’s heart. He dropped his head. “Well,” he said, “ if men are so ignorant as to behave that way, just tell them and go on.” “ He didn’t say what I should tell them,” says Gene, “ so I told them the story of Jesus and His love, and God opened the door for a real testimony in that place.” The union and the company had to sit down and hash out the mat ter of the false application. In the end, Gene never lost an hour’s time or any seniority. It was over two years later continued on next page
" . . . A MIGHTY FORTRESS. . .*
Training Christian Youth for Christian
On-The-Job
Witness forChrist Gene Hays has proven that it is possible to live for Christ on the job . by Stanley Baldwin T h e p r a y e r was fervent: “Lord, use me to win someone to Christ.” Gene Hays had been a Christian for about eight years and had never felt any particular burden for others before. Now, however, the revival meetings at Cornerstone Baptist Church in his home town of Kansas City seemed to spark a desire in his heart to win souls. At the same time, however, Gene began to have doubts about his own salvation. Never before, since he had walked down the aisle of the Stony Point Christian Church in May of 1953, had he doubted that he was saved. The burden of the whole world had seemed to rest on his shoulders that day, but the first step toward the altar had rolled it all away, and the Lord had been with him ever since. The first thing that changed, after that, was his language. A fellow at work let go with a blast of profanity and Gene almost cringed: “This is bad even to let go into my ears, let alone out of my mouth,” he thought. Right then, he asked God to forgive him for even listening to it. Over the years God had taken away other bad habits, too. There was no reason to doubt the reality of his experience with Christ. Yet, now, suddenly, for no apparent
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APRIL, 1969
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