SALVATION—”WHOSOEVER WILL”

5424 Ol’ Man Kline

A certain Mr. Kline, discouraged, defeated, and convinced that life just wasn’t worth living because no one cared for him, walked past a church one Sunday evening when services were in progress. As the congregation sang he caught the strains of that familiar hymn: “Saved by grace alone, this is all my plea. Jesus died for all mankind, and Jesus died for me.”

His hearing, however, was not very good, so when the congregation came to the words, “Jesus died for all mankind,” he thought they sang, “Jesus died for ol’ man Kline.” “Why”, he said, “that’s me!” Stopping in his tracks, he turned and entered the small auditorium. There he heard the simple message of the Gospel as the minister presented the good news that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners. Mr. Kline believed and was saved.

—Richard De Haan

5425 The Word “Whosoever”

I thank God for that word “whosoever.” If God had said there was mercy for Richard Baxter, I am so vile a sinner, that I would have thought he meant some other Richard Baxter; but, when he says whosoever, I know that includes me, the worst of all Richard Baxters.

—Baxter

5426 Many Not Any

Lady Huntington was a Christian well-known to others during the time of the revival that swept England in the nineteenth century. She was once asked how she, one of the country’s noblewomen, had been converted. She replied: “By one letter.”

“How is that? By one letter?”

“Yes,” she answered, “In God’s Word, I Corinthians 1:26, it says: “Not many noble are called.” That “m” saved my soul; for if He had said, “Not any noble,” I must have been damned. So God blessed the little letter “m” before “any” to the salvation of my soul.”

—Al Bryant

5427 If This Book Is Right …

It is said of old Edwin Rushworth, who, having been a skeptic all his life, resolved to read for an hour a day the book that he had so long derided. “Wife,” he said, as he looked up from his first perusal, “if this book is right, we are all wrong!” He continued his readings for another week. “Wife,” he exclaimed at the end of that time, “if this book is right, we are lost!” He went on reading with more avidity than ever. “Wife!” he said earnestly a few nights later, “if this book is right, we may be saved!” And they were! And in entering the Kingdom of Heaven, they left all their “ifs” behind them.

—The Fiery Crags

5428 What Kind of Sinners In Church?

The church of which Mr. Samuel Colgate, the great American businessman, was a member, entered into an agreement to make special prayer for the conversion of sinners. For some days they prayed earnestly.

One day applicants for church membership were invited to present themselves. A woman came forward. Heartbroken, she told her story of what a sinner she had been and how God had forgiven her for Christ’s sake, and she wished to slip into a corner of the church and have the fellowship of God’s people as she made the start for Heaven.

The silence was oppressive. Then a member arose and moved that action on the application be postponed. Mr. Colgate arose and said in substance: “I guess we made a blunder when we asked the Lord to save sinners. We did not specify what kind. I think we had better all ask God to forgive us for not specifying what kind of sinner we want saved. He probably did not understand what we wanted.” They all saw the point. The woman was received into fellowship.

—Quiet Hour Echoes

5429 Noah … Lot … Gideon

Noah preached to the old world for a hundred years, but only eight souls were saved. Lot preached to the cities of the plain, but only three souls were chosen from them. Six hundred thousand men, besides women and children, passed through the Red Sea, but only two entered the Promised Land. Gideon went to fight the Midianites with 32,000 men, but only 300 were allowed to participate in the victory. “Many are called but few chosen.”

5430 Start With Individual Problems

In the year 1939, just before the Second World War broke upon the world, a woman visited Dr. C. G. Jung of Switzerland and began to tell him of her personal difficulties and problems; then she paused and said, “Dr. Jung, I can’t understand how a man like you has time to listen to our petty problems. An individual seems so insignificant with the whole world sliding toward an abyss.” Dr. Jung paused a moment thoughtfully and then said, “But you see, the world’s problems begin with the individual.”

—N.A.S.S.P. Bulletin

5431 Sheepherder’s Request For “A”

A Montana sheepherder wrote a strange request to a Chicago radio station. He lived a lonely life with his dog, four thousand sheep, a battery radio, and an old violin. He loved to listen to the symphony orchestra and wished he could play along with it in the parts that he knew. Unfortunately, his violin was out of tune. He asked, “Some time before you start the next program, would you have the orchestra play A for me?”

Just before the next Chicago Symphony broadcast, thousands of listeners heard these words: “The orchestra will now play A for a sheepherder in Montana.”

—Selected

5432 President And Garbagemen

Just before Christmas in 1974, four Paris garbage collectors were working along the Avenue Marigny behind the Elysees Palace when their truck was stopped by a policeman who told them they were being offered breakfast by President Valery Giscard d’ Estang. The President gave each garbageman a Christmas present of a turkey and a bottle of champagne, and wished them an enjoyable day (Jer. 52:31–33).

—Prairie Overcomer