A Single Soul by Anon.

Pacific Press Publishing Association · Mountain View, California · Apr 18, 1911

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 38, No. 16.

A Single Soul

By Anon.

RUTH, I have tickets for the concert of the bell-ringers on Wednesday night. Can you go?" Alice said to a friend, as she stopped at her gate.

"It is prayer-meeting night."

"I know; but they sail for Europe Friday night, and this is their last concert."

"But I never stay away from prayer-meeting for anything."

"But this is a sacred concert—and only once. We can worship just as well there."

So, reluctantly, against her convictions, Ruth consented.

That night the girl dreamed that an angel in shining raiment stood beside her, and asked gently, "Where are you going to-morrow night?"

And she answered, "I thought I would go to the concert."

Then the angel said sadly, "Have you so little appreciation of the value of a single soul?"

Vividly the vision came back to Ruth the next morning, as she lay, saying softly to herself, wondering what it could mean, "So little appreciation of the value of a single soul."

She decided that she must take back her promise to attend the concert, and go to the prayer-meeting.

Ruth sat in the house of prayer with a strange joy in her soul, singing:

Plenteous grace with Thee is found, grace to cover all my sin; Let the healing streams abound, make and keep me pure within. Thou of life the fountain art; freely let me take of Thee; Spring Thou up within my heart, rise to all eternity.

As the music ceased, the girl sprang impulsively to her feet.

"I meant to hear the bell-ringers to-night," she said, "but decided that I would rather come to prayer-meeting; and I am happier here than I should have been at the concert, and I am sure no music could be sweeter to me than the hymn we have just sung."

As the hour for closing drew near, the pastor arose, and invited any who would give themselves to Christ to come forward.

As he waited, in silence, a lady in mourning walked slowly up the aisle, and kneeling, was shown the way of salvation.

When the service was ended, a friend came to Ruth, and said, "The lady who went forward wishes to be introduced to you."

Much astonished, the girl went to receive the introduction to Mrs. Walters.

"I wanted to tell you," the lady said, "that I owe the fact of my being a Christian to-night to your testimony. I have not been inside of a church for ten years. I came here to please a friend; and when you said you would give up a concert for a prayer-meeting, and that no music could be sweeter to you than the hymn,

"Jesus, lover of my soul,"

I thought to myself, 'There must be something in religion, and I am going to have it.' So I wish to thank you that it is because of your testimony that I shall go home to-night a servant of the Lord Jesus Christ."

Ruth held out her hand, and pressed gratefully that of her new friend.

She knew now the meaning of the angel's message.

She could not tell Mrs. Walters how near she had come to proving recreant to her trust, nor of the dream that had influenced her in the true direction, so she answered simply: "I thank you for telling me this. I shall never forget it."—Anon.