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The Greatest Gift

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Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Sep 10, 1908

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 85, No. 37.

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The Greatest Gift

“He certainly is a most generous man. He has just given twenty-five thousand dollars to the work of foreign missions. It's one of the most munificent gifts we have ever received.”
“Not quite so,” was the answer. “I know of at least one more generous giver.”
“Really? Well, I was looking through the reports of the last few years, and I saw nothing like that sum on the list.”
“No; the gift to which I allude has not appeared in print, and will be known by very few except the Lord. The other day I was calling on a friend of mine, a very aged man, who told me, with tears running down his cheeks, that his only son was about to leave home for missionary work in a far-away land. The father had discovered that the young man felt called of God to such service, but was tarrying at home for his sake. ‘How could I keep him back?’ said the old man. ‘I had prayed nearly all my life, “Thy kingdom come;” “Send forth laborers into thy harvest;” and with all the pain of parting with my boy, in the certainty I should never see him again on earth, there is a deep joy in giving him up for Christ’s sake.’”—Selected.