In Straight Paths
Page 20
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In the year of 1916, W. H. Lee went to Pueblo, Colorado, with a concern to start a mission in that city. He located an empty store building at a very strategic place, and, upon inquiry, learned that the building was for rent. The price was $500.00 a year, and the rent had to be paid in full a year in advance. Brother Lee did not have the money. He was publishing a small religious paper, and in it he mentioned his concern, the empty store building, and his need of $500.00.
In Eaton Rapids, Michigan, lived an aged, godly widow. She was very poor and took in washings to make her livelihood. The widow had a son who was wayward and sinful and did not heed the prayers of his godly mother. In the providence of God, one of these papers fell into the hands of this widow, and God spoke to her saying, "My child, I want you to send your $500.00 to W. H. Lee.” She felt the weight of the cross pressing heavily on her soul. She said, "Lord, this is all the money I have, and I saved it for my burial expenses." But the Lord said, "Send it to W. H. Lee." This woman staggered under the weight of the cross for a little while; then submitted to the voice of the Lord, which brought peace to her soul.
The next morning she took her bank book and the religious paper to the bank and said, "Banker, I want you to take my $500.00 and give me a bank draft made out for W. H. Lee, and I wiIl send it to him." He looked at the paper, and said, "Lady, I wouldn't do that if I were you. You need it more than he does and, moreover, he may have sent out a thousand of these papers. You had better keep your money." She said, "Banker, the Lord told me to send it, and this is my money. You will please give me a bank draft for that amount." She signed it over and sent it to W. H. Lee. He received it and, by the way, that was all the money he received; but it was enough to pay the rent for an entire year. W. H. Lee cleaned up the building, placed seats in it, erected a platform, and then started a revival.
The Lord did not forget this godly lady in Michigan and her giving, which was under the weight of the cross. Neither did He forget her prayers for her wayward son who was running away from God and his mother's prayers. In this revival meeting, in which Brother Lee preached, the very first seeker who came to the altar to seek salvation was a handsome, middle-aged man. He wept, repented, confessed his sins, and believed in Christ. He was the first convert in that revival. But the thrilling fact concerning this first convert was that this man was none other than the son of that poor, saintly widow who had given her $500.00 to start this mission.
Who can feature the happy surprise that came to this newly-converted man when he discovered that his aged, praying mother in Michigan had given out of her poverty, given until it hurt, given her all to open that mission in which he was converted! Who can feature the joy that must have come to this devout, widowed mother who had given all her life's savings to open this mission when she learned that the first convert was her wayward son! Who can feature the joy that most have come to the loving heart of the Christ of Calvary and the cross, who also is the Christ of Glory who died to redeem the lost, and especially to save this wayward son of a godly mother who had given under the weight of the cross! Christ honors and blesses all labors, sacrifices, and prayers that come under the weight of the Christian's cross that is borne cheerfully for His sake. The providences of God may be clearly observed in this incident. God first worked at one end of the line and moved this godly woman to give her life's savings. When she obeyed, God began to work at the other end of the line and brought her unsaved son to this mission, and there He fully answered her prayers by saving him.
Do you see that we give best under the weight of a cross? If this mother had kept that money for herself and her burial expenses, very likely her unsaved son would never have been converted. Anyway, this is the manner in which God chose to save him.
"To the old rugged Cross I will ever be true,
Its shame and reproach gladly bear;
Then He'll call me some day to my home far away,
Where His glory forever I'll share.
So I'll cherish the old rugged cross,
Till my trophies at last I lay down;
I will cling to the old rugged cross,
And exchange it some day for a crown."
Joshua Stauffer
God's Intervention in the Matter of Sunday Work
A young man came to our church a few years back and was saved. As he didn't have a Christian background, there were many things he didn't understand about God's ways and had to learn as he walked with God. He was working on Sunday as the assistant manager of a meat market at a grocery store. We began to pray that God would deliver him from Sunday work, but he kept on working every third Sunday. Finally, God took up the case and began to deal with his heart, that he should "Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy." Though he was moved upon by God, it seemed an impossibility that the store would ever agree to let him off on Sunday as there were only three, perhaps four in the meat department and the manager was off every Sunday. But he began to fast and pray. For eight days, he fasted and still worked every day. Then he went to his boss and told him due to his religious convictions, he could no longer work on Sunday. They went ahead and scheduled him anyway, but when he saw the schedule, he told them he would not be there Sunday. They would get so provoked and threaten him that he was going to lose his job, but he held his ground, and by Saturday, they would change the schedule and let him off Sunday. This went on week after week, the same threatenings, but each time the schedule would be changed by Saturday. For several months they tried to wear him down and get him to change his mind, but he remained firm in his resolution to mind God. Finally, the top manager over the whole division sent word to his store managers to leave him alone and let him off on Sunday. One of my sons was working as assistant manager in the meat department of another of their stores in another locality, and had also been standing against Sunday work since he had first got saved, but at times they would give him a hard time, too, but now the managers were told to leave them both alone. That has been several years and they are still both off on Sunday. It pays to honor God and let Him work as He sees fit. I Samuel 2:30 tells us, "them that honour me I will honour." Amen!
G.D.M.
A Testimony of Salvation
I grew up in a Christian home but I was not a Christian. I was lost without God and without hope! I knew that Jesus was the Son of God; I knew He had died for the sins of the world. I knew it with my head! But by reading the Bible I began to realize with my heart who Jesus was, and that I was a sinner, and needed a Saviour!
Romans 3:23 says, "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God."
I knew as a sinner I was condemned. Romans 6:23 says, "For the wages of sin is death." I dreaded going to hell. I feared being separated from God forever!
I knew Jesus could save me. John 3:16 says so, "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."
I knew that Jesus had to die to pay for my sin, Hebrews 9:22. " ... Without the shedding of blood, there is no remission."
I couldn't understand how my sins were laid on Jesus, but God said it in His Word, and I knew He could not lie! I knew the Bible story of the man who asked, "What must I do to be saved?" The answer was, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved" Acts 16:31.
That day I just simply believed that Jesus died in my place. I believed He was buried and rose again to be my go-between with God. I asked Him to save me. I know He did!
"For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved" Romans 10:13.
I can truthfully say Jesus has been a real Friend to me. He has carried the heavy end of all my burdens. I recommend Him to you! I've never been sorry I received Him as my Saviour and oh, how thankful I'll be in eternity!
Eloise Eaton
Illinois
Going Out Like Abraham
Many years ago, while attending the Pilgrim Holiness Church in Pineville, Louisiana
, I remember hearing a lady, Maude Baden, mother of Fred Baden, mayor of Pineville, Louisiana, testify. In her testimony, she told how Rev. G. T. Bustin came to Alexandria, Louisiana and pitched a tent and preached the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ. It was in this tent revival that she found Jesus and surrendered her life to Him. She has gone on to her reward, but Brother Bustin, now 89, is still in the battle for souls. In fact, in a recent letter from him, he states, "God permitting, we hope to be in Belize, Central America (in missionary work) the first part of the coming year."
The following account taken from Brother Bustin's book, My First 50 Years, tells how God answered prayer and took care of him and his family for two or more years during the Depression, as they labored for him in Alexandria, Louisiana. (Used by permission.)