WHAT ONE BOY DID by Union Gospel News

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · May 28, 1894

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 20, No. 29.

WHAT ONE BOY DID.

By Union Gospel News

A CHRISTIAN worker tells an interesting story of a boy who had come out for Christ in a series of evangelistic meetings. He was associated with a class of boys in the shop who were very profane and very vulgar, and whose influences were downward entirely. When he made the start for Christ, he realized in quite a measure what was before him, for he said, with his hands clenched:—

"I want you to pray for me, for the whole shop will be down on me before to-morrow night. I can't chew and serve Jesus Christ. I can't swear and serve him. Neither can I hear the vulgar stories going on and not say anything."

He went to the shop at the usual time. One boy who had heard of his going to meeting, immediately, when he came in sight, said:

"There comes Jake. I believe he is going to get converted up there at that meeting. He looks terribly sober, boys. Look out, or he will begin to preach to us. Good-morn

ing, Jake. Have a chew this morning? What, no chew?"

"No, boys, I have decided to leave off those things, and I have taken up with Jesus Christ, and I am going to try to serve him, and I want you boys to serve him, too."

This was met by a prolonged series of jeers and taunts. Before the day was over, it seemed as if it were more than flesh could bear. He was derided. He heard more swearing going on than ever. Even the foreman made light of him and called him a little baby. Almost discouraged, he was on his way home when one of the boys stepped up to him and said:—

"Jake, I would give anything if I was where you are. I am terribly ashamed of myself to-day. I don't see how you can stand it. You used to fight. Tell me about this. What is it you have got?"

And Jake did tell him, and he decided, too, to follow that Saviour. And, although trials continued and persecution was very hot at times, yet that one boy stood before that crowd of men and boys a staunch soldier of Jesus Christ. The result was that inside of two months there was no more swearing to be heard in that whole shop, nor was there vulgar talk that had heretofore been customary. To the surprise of a great many of his friends, the foreman accepted Christ, through an invitation to the meetings by that boy whom he had previously called a baby. First one and then another in that shop were drawn into the fold, until a large number, through this one boy's influence, are following Christ.

Is your influence and mine as strong as this in our everyday life for the Master?—Union Gospel News.