A CHANGE OF MASTERS

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Sep 10, 1902

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 28, No. 37.

A CHANGE OF MASTERS.

A SOUTHERN exchange contains the following notice of a strange incident:—

Jerry Logan, 60 years of age, colored janitor of the state supreme court at Knoxville, Tenn., sold himself to Gerald Stuart, clerk of the court, for $1,000. For this sum he agrees in a written contract to serve and obey Stuart as his legal master from now until the time of his death. The origin of the unique deal is that Logan has lately found himself involved in certain debts which have worried him a great deal, and to get rid of them he sought this means.

The transaction was simply a change of masters. The slave of debt chose rather to be the servant of an individual, with the sweet consciousness of being free from debt. He has publicly acknowledged that to an honest, conscientious man, debt is a most tyrannical master. There is also a spiritual lesson that may be drawn from this incident. Every sinner—and every human being is naturally a sinner (Rom. 3:23)—owes an enormous debt to his Creator. He owes a debt—a fine, or penalty, for violation of the law—that amounts to eternal death. His master is the one who leads or impels him to sin. (See Rom. 6:16.)

Now the Gospel sets before each one a way to get rid of this debt. The plan involves a change of master, giving one’s life service to Him who has already paid the debt for all who will make the change. There is no such thing as an independent man, every one is the servant either of “sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness.” But it is possible for every one to be free, for “if the Son shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.” So the only freedom for any one is in the service of Christ. Wisdom is found in the choice to become a bond-servant of Christ in order to be out of debt, free from “him that hath the power of death, that is, the devil.” Heb. 2:14. “Choose ye this day whom ye will serve.” It is possible to-day to be able to sing from the heart,—

“’Tis done, the great transaction’s done; I am my Lord’s and He is mine; He drew me, and I followed on, Charmed to confess the Voice divine.”