BROUGHT IN BY A SMILE

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · May 10, 1877

“BROUGHT IN BY A SMILE.”

A London minister said to a brother clergyman, one Monday morning, “Seven persons were received into my church yesterday, and they were all brought in by a smile.”

“Brought in by a smile!” echoed the astonished listener, “what do you mean?”

“I will explain. Several months ago, as I passed a certain house on my way to church, I saw, held in the arms of its nurse, a beautiful infant. As it fixed its large eyes on me I smiled, and the sweet child returned the smile. The next Sabbath the babe was again before the window, and again I gave it a smile; and this time, as before, it gave back an answering smile. The third Sabbath I looked up to the window as I passed, and now the babe smiled down on me, and this time I threw to the pretty prattler a kiss. Instantly one little hand was extended, and a kiss thrown back to me. And so it came to pass that I learned to watch for the baby on my way to church; and as the weeks went by I noticed that the nurse and the baby were not alone. Other members of the family pressed to the window to see the gentleman who had always a smile for the household pet.

“One Sabbath, as I passed, two children, a boy and a girl, stood at the window beside the baby. That morning the father and mother had said to these children, ‘Make yourselves ready for church, for we think that the gentleman who always smiles to the baby is a minister. When he passes, do you follow him and see where he preaches.’ The children were quite willing to follow the suggestion of their parents; and after I had passed, the door opened and the children stepped upon the pavement, and kept near me from street to street, until I entered my own church, where they followed me, and seats were given them.

“When they reached home they sought their parents, and exclaimed eagerly, ‘He is a minister, and we have found his church, and he preached a beautiful sermon this morning. You must go and hear him next Sabbath.’ To persuade the parents was not difficult, and guided by their children, they found their way to church. They too were pleased, and other members of the household were induced to come to the house of God. God blessed to them my ministry, and seven members of this household have been led to give their hearts to Jesus, and to unite with the people of God; and I repeat what I before said to you, that they were brought in by a smile.”

No one is too poor, too full of labor and care, to give a smile and a kind word; and the loving Saviour makes use of instruments so simple to bring souls into his kingdom.

— Christian at Work.