WHAT A LONE JAPANESE FOUND.
By J. R. Saunders
[J. R. SAUNDERS, in Baptist Argus.] A PRESBYTERIAN missionary, some years ago, was laboring in a field some distance from Osaka, Japan. No preacher of the glad tidings had ever entered that place, yet to the missionary’s surprise there was found one man who was worshiping the true God and feasting on His Word. He had drunk from the pure fountain of life, and the purity and sweetness of the waters had given joy to his soul. The Holy Spirit had made this heathen understand the Master’s precepts; and he could talk of His wondrous works. A number of years before, a Bible from China, printed in the Chinese characters, found its way into this man’s hands. He had not seen one before, and no one could tell him anything about its wonderful contents, but he could read the Chinese characters as every well educated Japanese can. Thus he went to work to learn what this Book contained. He soon found that this Book told him of the one true God whom all men should serve. This was opposed to the teachings of all whom he knew and had regarded as true and great men. What must he do under such difficult circumstances? The power divine led this heathen to accept the truth, to turn from the vain idols and serve the true and living God. In his study of the New Testament he found that the Master whom he served was baptized. He thought he ought to follow his Lord in all things, but there was no one to baptize him. He went to a place where there was sufficient water and baptized himself the way his Master taught. When the missionary found him he was continuing in the things which he had attained unto, and was a cheer and a blessing to the missionary.