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A Single Soul

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Pacific Press Publishing Association · Mountain View, California · Dec 15, 1909

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 36, No. 49.

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A Single Soul

By Mrs. A. C. Morrow

“Ruth, I have tickets for the concert of the bell-ringers on Wednesday night. Can you go?” Alice said to a friend, as she stopped at her gate.
“It is prayer-meeting night.”
“I know; but they sail for Europe Friday night, and this is their last concert.”
“But I never stay away from prayer-meeting for anything.”
“But this is a sacred concert—and only once. We can worship just as well there.”
So, reluctantly, against her convictions, Ruth consented.
That night the girl dreamed that an angel in shining raiment stood beside her, and asked, gently, “Where are you going to-morrow night?”
And she answered, “I thought I would go to the concert.”
Then the angel said sadly, “Have you so little appreciation of the value of a single soul?”
Vividly the vision came back to Ruth the next morning, as she lay, saying softly to herself, wondering what it could mean, “So little appreciation of the value of a single soul.”
She decided that she must take back her promise to attend the concert, and go to the prayer-meeting.
Ruth sat in the house of prayer with a strange joy in her soul, singing:
“Plenteous grace with Thee is found, grace to cover all my sin; Let the healing streams abound, make and keep me pure within. Thou of life the fountain art; freely let me take of Thee; Spring Thou up within my heart, rise to all eternity.”
As the music ceased, the girl sprang impulsively to her feet.
“I meant to hear the bell-ringers to-night,” she said, “but decided that I would rather come to prayer-meeting; and I am happier here than I should have been at the concert, and I am sure no music could be sweeter to me than the hymn we have just sung.”
As the hour for closing drew near, the pastor arose, and invited any who would give themselves to Christ to come forward.
As he waited, in silence, a lady in mourning walked slowly up the aisle, and, kneeling, was shown the way of salvation.
When the service was ended, a friend came to Ruth, and said, “The lady who went forward wishes to be introduced to you.”
Much astonished, the girl went to receive the introduction to Mrs. Walters.
“I wanted to tell you,” the lady said, “that I owe the fact of my being a Christian to-night to your testimony. I have not been inside of a church for ten years. I came here to please a friend; and when you said you would give up a concert for a prayer-meeting, and that no music could be sweeter to you than the hymn, ‘Jesus, lover of my soul,’ I thought to myself, ‘There must be something in religion, and I am going to have it.’ So I wish to thank you that it is because of your testimony that I shall go home to-night a servant of the Lord Jesus Christ.”
Ruth held out her hand, and pressed gratefully that of her new friend.
She knew now the meaning of the angel’s message.
She could not tell Mrs. Walters how near she had come to proving recreant to her trust, nor of the dream that had influenced her in the true direction, so she answered simply: “I thank you for telling me this. I shall never forget it.”
Yet she little guessed what cause she would always have to remember it.
Ruth’s home was close beside the railroad track. About midnight she was awakened by a horrible crashing sound. Looking from the window she could see where the midnight express and the 11:30 freight had collided.
The frantic cries of the frightened, and the piercing shrieks of the wounded, made her shudder. But she bravely put away all thoughts of self, and, calling her father, was soon ready to go with him to the rescue.
And the first face that looked into hers, as she stood beside the burning train, was that of Mrs. Walters. Pale and peaceful it was, tho showing how intensely she suffered. She was extricated and borne to Ruth’s home. The power of speech was almost gone. She rallied a little as they laid her on Ruth’s couch. Taking Ruth’s hand, and pressing it to her lips, she whispered, feebly: “Child, I’m going—it was my last chance—what if you had not spoken—what if I had not taken it?”
And kneeling there, beside the dead, the tears raining down her face, Ruth promised her Father always to do her duty; always to give her testimony; always to appreciate the value of A SINGLE SOUL.—Mrs. A. C. Morrow.