The Convicting Spirit

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Dec 11, 1913

The Convicting Spirit

A YOUNG man had been extremely profane, and thought little of the matter. After his marriage to a high-minded, lovely wife, the habit appeared to him in a different light, and he made spasmodic efforts to conquer it. But a few months ago the glaring evil was set before him, by a little incident, in its real and shocking sinfulness.

One Sunday morning, standing before the mirror shaving, the razor slipped, inflicting a slight wound. True to his fixed habit, he ejaculated the single word “God!” and was not a little amazed and chagrined to see reflected in the mirror the pretty picture of his little three-year-old daughter, as, laying her doll hastily down, she sprang from her seat on the floor, exclaiming, as she looked eagerly and expectantly about the room, “Is Dod here?”

Pale and ashamed, and at a loss for a better answer, he simply said, “Why?”

“’Cause I thought he was when I heard you speak to him.”

Then noticing the sober look on his face, and the tears of shame in his eyes as he gazed down into the innocent, radiant face, she patted him lovingly on the hand, exclaiming assuringly: “Call him again, papa, and I dess he’ll surely come.”

Every syllable of the child’s trusting words cut to his heart. The still, small voice was heard at last. Catching the wondering child up in his arms, he knelt down, and for the first time in his life implored of God forgiveness for past offenses, and guidance for all his future life, thanking him in fervent spirit that he had not “surely come” before in answer to some of his awful blasphemies. Truly “a little child shall lead them.”—Selected.