The Lutheran Pioneer St. Louis — 1887, Page 23

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The Lutheran Pioneer.

23

John 3, 16.

‘‘God so loved the world that He gave His
only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in
Him should not perish, but have everlasting
life.’’

One cold, wintry night, a poor Irish boy stood
in the streets of Dublin—a little city arab,
homeless, houseless, friendless.

He had taken to bad courses, and become an
associate of thieves, who were leading him on
the broad road to destruction. That very night
they had planned to commit a burglary, and
appointed him to meet them in a certain street
at a certain hour.

As he stood there, waiting, shivering, and
cold, a hand was suddenly laid on his shoulder.
It was very dark, he could only see a tall form
standing by him, and he trembled with fear;
but a kindly voice said, ‘‘ Boy, what are you
doing here at this time of night? Such as you
have no business in the streets at so late an
hour. Go home; go to bed.’’

‘“‘T have no home, and no bed to go to.’

‘That's very sad, poor fellow! Would you
go toa home and to a bed if I provided one?”’

“That would I,’’ replied the boy.

‘‘Well, in such a street and at such a number
(indicating the place) you will find a bed.’
Before he could add more, the Jad started off.
“Stop!” said the voice; ‘‘how are you going
to get in? You need a pass; no one can go in
there without a pass. Here is one for you—
an you read?”’

‘No, sir.’”’

“Well, remember that the pass is ‘Joun 3,
16;’ don’t forget, or they won’t let you in.
‘Joun 3, 16.’ There, that’s something that
will do you good.’’ :

Joyfully the lad rushed off repeating his
lesson, and soon found himself in the street and
at the number indicated, before a pair of large
iron gates. Then his heart failed him, they
looked so grand. How could he get in there?
Timidly he rang the bell. The night-porter
opened, and in a gruff voice asked, ‘‘ Who's
there?’’ ‘‘Me, sir. Please, sir, I’m Jonn
THREE SIXTEEN;”’ in very trembling tones.
“All right; in with you; that’s the pass,’’ and
in the boy went.

He was soon in a nice, warm bed, and be-
tween sheets such as he had never seen before.
As she curled himself up to go to sleep, he
thought, ‘‘This is a lucky name; I'll stick to
it!’’ The next morning he was given a bow! of
hot bread and milk, before being sent out into
the street (for this home was only for a night).
He wandered on and on fearful of meeting his
old companions, thinking over his new name;
when, heedlessly crossing a crowded thorough-
fare, -he was run over.

A crowd collected; the unconscious form
was placed on a shutter, and carried to the
nearest hospital. He revived as they entered.

It is usual in the Dublin hospitals to put
down the religion, as well as the name and
address, of those admitted. They asked him

whether he was Catholic or Protestant. Sure,
he didn’t quite know. Yesterday he was a
Catholic, but now he was JOHN THREE SIXTEEN.
This reply elicited a laugh.

After his injuries had been attended to, he
was carried up into the accident ward. In a
short time his sufferings brought on fever and
delirium. Then was heard in ringing tones,
and oft-repeated, ‘‘Jonn 3,16! Jt was to do me
good, and so it has!”’

These persistent cries aroused the other pa-
tients. Testaments were pulled out to see to
what he pointed. What could he mean? and
here one and there another, read the precious
words, ‘‘For God so loved the world that He
gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever
believeth in Him should not perish, but have
everlasting life.’’ (‘‘It was to do me good, and
so it has!’’ the sufferer cried.) Luther called
this verse ‘‘The miniature Bible.’’ When those
poor sick folk read the tender words, and heard
the unconscious comment: ‘‘Jt was to do me
good, and so it has!’’—the Spirit stirred within
them, and God the Holy Ghost used that text
then and there to the conversion of souls. There
was ‘‘joy in the presence of the angels of God”
over sinners that repented. The Holy Spirit
used this one text from the lips of a poor ignorant
boy in that hospital ward, and souls were saved.

Consciousness returned, and the poor little
fellow gazed around him: how vast it looked!
and how quiet it was! Where was he? Pres-
ently a voice from the next bed said, ‘“Jonn
TuHR-REE SIxTEEN, and how are you to-day?”’
‘Why, how do you know my new name?’
“Know it! you’ve never ceased with your
Joun THREE SIxTEEN, and I for one say,
Blessed John Thr-ree Sixteen!’’ This sounded
strange to the little lad’s ears. To be called
‘*blessed’’—he for whom no one cared. ‘‘And
don’t you know where it comes from? It’s from
the Bible.”

“The Bible! what’s that?’’ The poor little
waif had never heard of the Bible—that blessed
book, God’s word to man. ‘Read it to me,”
he said; and as the words fell on his ear, he
muttered, ‘‘That’s beautiful! it’s all about
love, and not a home for a night, but a home
for always!’’ He soon learnt the text, saying,
“‘T’ve not only got a new name, but something
to it!”’

Days passed on, and there were changes in
the ward, but our little friend never felt lonely ;
he fed on his text and its precious words.

Another soul in that ward was to be won to
Christ by his means, and now in simple con-
scious faith he was to be the agent of blessing.

On a cot near him lay an old man who was
very ill. Early one morning a nun came to
his bedside, and said, ‘Patrick, how is it with
you to-day?” ‘Badly, badly!’’ groaned the
old man. ‘‘Has the priest been to see you?”
asked the nun. ‘Oh, yes; but that makes it
worse, for he has anointed me with the holy
oil, and I am marked for death. I’m no’ fit to
die—oh, what shall I do?” ‘Patrick, it’s very
sad tosee you so,’’ she gently answered; “ look!

here are these beads, they have been blessed
by His Holiness the Pope, and they will help
you to die happy.’’ She placed them around
the man’s neck, and then, wishing him good-
by, went out. But how could a string of beads
ease a dying man, facing eternity, with his sins
unforgiven? Poor Patrick groaned aloud.
“God, ha’ mercy!’’ he cried; ‘I’m such a
sinner, I’m no fit to die. What shall I do?
O, what will become o’ me?”’

Our little fellow heard his miserable words.
‘Poor old man,’’ thinks he; ‘‘he wants a
pass.’ ‘* Patrick,’’ he called, ‘‘I know some-
thing that will do you good—quite sure—it has
done me.’”’ ‘Tell me, tell me quickly,’’ cried
Patrick. ‘‘If only I could find something to do
me good.”’ “Here itis! Now listen, Jonn 3, 16.
Are you listening?”’ ‘‘Yes, yes: goon.’ ‘““JoHn
8, 16—‘For God so loved the world that He
gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever
believeth in Him should not perish, but have
everlasting life.’”” Through these words Patrick
found peace in his dying hour, and entered into
everlasting life—another soul brought to Christ
in that hospital ward by means of a single text
blessed by the Holy Spirit.

Our little friend recovered. For long, Joun
THREE SIXTEEN was his one text. God blessed
his simple faith; friends placed him at school,
and now he is an earnest, hearty worker for
the Master.

‘* Blessed are they that hear the word of God
and keep it.” Luke 11, 28.

——~+ 0 pe

Seeking Strength.

Doubtless most young readers have heard of
Gustavus Adolphus, the great and famous king
of Sweden. i

Well, one day, he was sitting quietly by him-
self, reading a book in which he was apparently
much interested. It was the Bible. One of his
officers finding him thus, looked with surprise
at the volume in his master’s hand. Perhaps
his astonishment was increased when the king
said quietly :

“‘T am seeking strength against temptation.’

There are some more words which Gustavus
added, preserved for us by history, but these
are the ones which I want to fix in your minds.
“T am seeking strength against temptation.”
Where was he seeking it? In the Bible.

This story of Gustavus reminds us of another
mighty king who lived many hundred years
before—royal David. Do you remember what
he says in Psalm 119?. ‘‘Thy Word have I
hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against
Thee.”’

Now, dear children, will you learn a lesson
from these kings?

Do you really want to follow the Lord Jesus,
but find temptation comes to you, perhaps every
hour? Well, I think the best way to meet if
is just to get your mind and heart filled with
His words, earnestly asking Him to help you
to obey them.