Some few years ago, when
I started doing personal work, I was employed as a salesman for a company
whose policy it was to distribute pamphlets or sale sheets advertising
their merchandise and listing the prices of the different articles. There
was space left on these pamphlets for the salesman's name and address,
also telephone number. When I wrote my name and address, I also wrote somewhere
on the sale sheet "Read John 3:16." Many hundreds of these I have distributed
to different homes.
One day a lady to whom I
was making a sale called my attention to this Bible verse. She asked if
it was my telephone number. I then had the pleasure of explaining this
scripture and making it plain to her just what it meant—how that Jesus
came to this sinful world and died on the cross that she might be saved.
Personal evangelism is something
that most every Christian that is truly concerned about winning soul can
do. there are very few, if any, but what can go to their friends or even
strangers and ask them if they are saved, and explain the plan of salvation.
Every man, woman boy or girl that knows they belong to God, can take a
few tracts and pass them out as they go shopping, or to their fellow workmen
in the shop, or to their playmates at school—or when we make purchases
we can always give a tract to the clerks—then, of course, there are many,
many other ways. And one never knows the great amount of good these silent
messages will do.
This week it was necessary
to take Frances back to the hospital for an examination. While in the waiting
room she gave everyone there a tract. I watched closely those who had been
given these tracts. After reading, some would carefully fold them and put
them in their pockets. Others would read them and lay them on the table
which was in the room, or on the seats, and when others would come in,
they would pick them up and read them, and so on—an unbroken chain of silent
evangelism. Can one find a better place to spread the gospel of our loving
Savior that in a hospital?
Sometimes, however, we may
meet some unpleasant people along the way. I recall just now a home visited
while doing personal work. I went down through a beautiful lawn and upon
the porch, where I attracted the attention of the man of the house, who
came to the door. I talked to him about his soul's salvation, to which
he was very indifferent. I then gave him a tract which he immediately handed
back to me, and went into the house. After being so rudely dismissed, I
turned to leave, and in walking off of the porch, I decided to leave the
tract lying there, as I felt sure some one would find it and perhaps read
it. The man, who was watching from the window, came again to the porch
and told me in no uncertain terms just how he regarded the work I was doing.
He then picked up the tract and wadded it into a ball and threw it in my
direction and advised me how to get to the highway. I returned and picked
up the refused tract and took it away with me.
Some may say "I certainly
wouldn't want to be treated in this manner," but God, praise His blessed
name forever, gives us grace and love enough for lost souls to carry on
under all conditions. Then, too, we soon forget these little rough spots
along the way when we read of the many people who find their Lord and Savior
by reading a tract.
Just recently we received
a card from a happy mother who had gotten a tract that had been distributed
by the workers of the Blue Ridge Mountain Bible Mission. She was praising
god and told us of her children who had been saved and were anxious to
do something for our blessed Savior. She also asked us to send her some
tracts. In a few days there was a small package of good gospel tracts which
Frances had selected and wrapped on its way to this mother. May God use
them all to His honor and glory.
A young man whom I met when
I first came here told me how he was converted. He said he was attending
a revival meeting. A lady worker was walking down the aisle of the little
church trying to get to those who seemed under conviction to go to the
altar. She came to this young man, and laying her hand on his shoulders,
she called him by his first name and said "Why don't you go?" He told me
that without her saying another word, he immediately went to the altar
and was definitely saved. This man is not a great preacher as the world
sees it, but God is using him here in the mountains in a wonderful way
to win souls.
We could name person after
person who has been won t the Lord through personal contact. People in
all walks of life, from the lowest to the very highest; men of great importance—even
the peer of all evangelists, Dwight L. Moody, was won to God by a personal
worker.
But, looking back on the
years to all of these people, both great and small, the most important
ones are those that are yet to be saved, those that today are standing
on the brink of a Devil's hell, waiting for you—watching for you. Please
be much in prayer for our mountain people, and that we will be used to
win them to God. |