INASMUCH

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Mar 10, 1898

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 24, No. 10.

A POOR shoemaker, Martin by name, had a great longing to belong to the Lord Jesus. One night in a dream he received the promise that the Saviour would visit him on the morrow. Martin’s dwelling was a cellar, and his workbench stood beside the low window, from which he saw nothing but the feet of those who passed by. As was his custom, he rose early, worked at his trade, ate his morning meal, and said to himself, “To-day the Lord Jesus will visit me.” Looking up, he saw a pair of shabby feet wearily dragging themselves past his window. Full of pity, he went out and found a poor woman, hungry and homeless, who had wandered about the streets all night long, carrying a sick baby in her arms. Martin took her into his dwelling, gave her the remnant of his breakfast, and fed the child with milk. When she had gone, he again sat down to work, hoping that now the Lord Jesus would soon appear. About noon he saw another pair of tired feet shuffling past. Hurrying out, Martin found an old man who had not tasted food that day. He invited him in and shared his midday meal with the hungry guest. When he had gone, Martin thought sadly, “The day half spent, and the Lord Jesus has not yet come.”

Toward evening he saw more feet, in violent movement, hurriedly flying hither and thither, and when he went out, he found an old fruit seller and a street boy in a fierce fight. The woman, clutching the sleeve of the boy’s threadbare jacket, screamed, “He stole my apples, and I will beat him for it.” Martin made peace between them, and, finding that both were hungry, he took them home and shared his supper with them.

The day being ended, he went to bed with a sad heart, for the Lord Jesus had not visited him, as it had been promised him in his dream.

He slept, and again he dreamed; and behold, in his dream appeared first the tired woman and her sick child; she looked into his eyes and said, “Martin, dost thou know me?” And the old man came, and the fruit-seller, each asking, “Martin, dost thou know me?” Then Martin understood, and he remembered the words, “Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these, My brethren, ye have done it unto Me.”—A Russian Legend.