p. 155 | SOMETHING IN COMMON

International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Mar 10, 1890

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 16, No. 10.

SOMETHING IN COMMON.

“ONE LANGUAGE AND ONE SPEECH.”

ONE came from the far-off South Sea Island, the other from the country of the Ganges; of different races, speaking different languages, with customs and habits of life quite unlike, what had these two in common? How might they communicate their thoughts to each other? They met upon the deck of a missionary ship, strangers, yet they had a common interest. The question was, How to express it? Both had learned of Christ and his love through the missionaries, and when one pointed to his Bible, the other responded by holding up his own. Then they shook hands; it was a hand-shaking full of meaning. It meant that their hearts were one in Christ. Then they smiled in each other’s faces. That seemed to end their exchange of thought. No, suddenly the Hindoo exclaimed, “Hallelujah!”

The New Zealander shouted back, “Amen!” These two words, of another language than their own, each had engrafted upon his native dialect, even as they had taken the love of Jesus into their hearts. And thus, a Christian heart could hold communion with another Christian heart.—Ex.