ONE EFFORT TO PRAY

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Jul 10, 1893

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 19, No. 35.

ONE EFFORT TO PRAY.

A FRIEND of mine, the son of a most eminent Congregational minister, was visited, when a young man, by John B. Gough. The visit was made at the request of the young man's mother, who thought Mr. Gough might succeed in winning her dear son to Christ.

The great orator found the young fellow stuffed full of skeptical notions, impervious to argument, and, seemingly, well satisfied with himself.

Finally Mr. Gough asked young A. if he would promise to make one prayer, just one, for light.

"But," the young man replied, "I do not know anything perfect to whom or to which I could pray."

"How about your mother's love," said the orator, "isn't that perfect? Hasn't she always stood by you, and been ready to take you in and care for you, when even your father had really kicked you out?"

The young man choked with emotion, and said, "Y-e-s, sir, that is so."

"Then pray to Love—make a prayer to Love—and though that seems an abstraction, if you will kneel to-night and do that, it will help you. I know it will," said the old veteran to his young friend, and he added, "Ed, will you promise?"

The young man hesitated a moment, and then faintly, but earnestly, replied, "I will."

The young man told me the rest after this fashion.

He said: "That night I retired to my room, and before going to bed, kneeled down, closed my eyes, and, struggling a moment, uttered the words, 'O Love!'"

"Instantly, as by a lightning flash, the old Bible text came to me, 'God is love,' and I said brokenly, 'O God!'"

"Then another flash of divine truth, and a voice said, 'God so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten Son'—and there, instantly, I exclaimed, 'O Christ, thou incarnation of infinite, divinest love, show me the light and truth!'"

"It was all over. I was in the light of the most perfect peace. I ran downstairs and told my mother, 'I am saved, I am saved!'"

That young man is to-day an eloquent, consecrated minister of Jesus Christ.

As an unbeliever, stubborn and willful, he had to do something—some little thing, some one thing. He did it, and learned, how quickly, that "if any man will do His will, he shall know of the doctrine."

"Human things must be known ere they are loved. Divine things must be loved ere they can be known."

One little step, humbly taken, and all others come along logically enough. Readers out of Christ, will you do something for him?—Epworth Herald.