MARVELOUS GRACE

The Impudent Moslem -- A Sanctified Experience

He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city. Prov. 16:32.

     A number of years ago, I needed a watch, but thought a cheap one would answer the purpose, so bought one. In a short time it began to go wrong and kept me in uncertainty. I could not afford to miss trains and steamers, so bought a seventeen jewel watch, and since then have had no trouble. It was a source of great comfort and confidence, while touring Palestine and other lands, sometimes out of the reach of civilization for days, to know that I had correct time, and need not worry about making connections.

     Years ago I needed an experience, and tried the cheaper kind, laying "all on the altar and believing the altar to sanctify the gift," etc., etc. But occasionally I had trouble on the inside.

     After days of crying out against my inward foe, I received a baptism, blessed be God, that has stood the test ever since.

     I well remember a test of grace which came to me at Hebron, Palestine. A company of us had driven down from Jerusalem and having gone up to Abraham's oak, we ate a lunch and prepared to see the city. Before doing so we undertook to take a picture of, the pool of David. About the time I found the focus a young Mohammedan (about twenty years old) came and deliberately held his hand before my camera. I motioned for him to step aside, but he simply gave a defiant grin. Then I moved and he waited until I was again ready, when he stepped up and did as before. I moved again, and this time had wife stand between me and the stone wall. Now when he saw that his plan was thwarted, he grabbed from the head of one of his comrades a filthy fez (a red cap worn by the Turks) and, with all his force, threw it into my wife's face.

     Brother, what do you think you would have done in such an instance? I know what I would have done at one time, before I had saving grace. I had such an uncontrollable temper around the blacksmith shop that my father called me the "black sheep of the family" and said he feared I would finally land in the penitentiary or on the gallows. Two weeks prior to my conversion, I had a seven-round fight with a grown-up man and gloried in the fact that he was afraid to meet me in a second bout. I speak of this with shame, but only that I may magnify the grace of God.

     Now, for this impudent Moslem to insult my wife thus, and me feel no anger or resentment, was surely contrary to my nature. Yea, it was nothing more nor less than the mighty grace of God. Not until after this occurrence did we realize our danger. It then appeared that a band of robbers were in the rear, urging this young fellow on to aggravate us until we should retaliate. Then they would have an excuse to resent it, with the result that we would have been robbed if not murdered. Such was a frequent occurrence at this fanatical center, a man having been killed the day before we visited the place. I advise the reader not to visit Hebron until he is sure he is sanctified wholly.

     A sanctified experience is an enigma to carnal men. We triumph over them by letting them trample upon us; we get our way by giving up our way; we shine the brighter by giving up our own wit and brilliancy; we run the faster by going slowly with God; we are appreciated the more for being willing to be set at naught. Oh, the beauty of going out of ourselves and being swallowed up in God. When we commit all to Him, He commits much more to us. Reader, have you ever learned these secrets? Theory and head knowledge will not do. The only way is to get a heart experience.

Turning Thorns Into Roses

     Friend, do you believe it is possible to transform a bramble into a rose bush? It looks like an impossibility. But Mr. Burbank, the plant wizard, did wonders in taking thorns from the prickly cactus and making the desert rose to become a thing of beauty. If he, a hater of God, could perform miracles in the vegetable kingdom, how about our Redeemer who proposes to make us "new creatures," so that the "wilderness and solitary place shall be glad" and the desert of our hearts "shall rejoice and blossom as the rose." He wants to so renew us that He, like the patent medicine almanac, can show His transforming power; "before taking" a haggard and deformed sinner. Then on the opposite page, "after taking" -- a beautiful, lovely saint. God grant that we may so grow in all the Christian graces as to make Satan ashamed to look at the old picture.