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Hope
Unlimited
Chapter
1: To You
A
certain man placed a fountain by the wayside, and he hung up a cup
near to it by a little chain. Sometime after he was told that a
great art-critic had found much fault with its design.
"But," said he, "do many thirsty persons drink at
it?"
Then they told him that thousands of poor people, men,
women, and children, slaked their thirst at this fountain; and he
smiled and said, that he was little troubled by the critic's
observation, only he hoped that on some sultry summer's day the
critic himself might fill the cup, and be refreshed . . .
Here
is my fountain, and here is my cup: find fault if you please; but do
drink of the water of life. I only care for this. I had rather bless
the soul of the poorest road-sweeper, or rag-gatherer, than
please a prince of the blood, and fail to convert him to God.
He
who spoke and wrote this message will be greatly disappointed if it
does not lead many to the Lord Jesus. It is sent forth in childlike
dependence upon the power of God the Holy Ghost, to use it in the
conversion of millions, if so He pleases. No doubt many poor men and
women will take up this little volume, and the Lord will visit them
with grace. To answer this end, the very plainest language has been
chosen, and many homely expressions have been used. But if those of
wealth and rank should glance at this book, the Holy Ghost can
impress them also; since that which can be understood by the
unlettered is none the less attractive to the instructed. Oh that
some might read it who will be used of God to spread the message of
His incredible love!
Who
knows how many will find their way to peace by what they read here?
A more important question to you, dear friend, is this . . . Will you be
one of them?
Reader,
do you mean business in reading these pages? If so, we are agreed at
the outset; but nothing short of your finding Jesus and Heaven is
the business aimed at here. Oh that we may seek this together! I do
so by dedicating this little book with prayer. Will you not join me
by looking up to God, and asking Him to bless you while you read?
Providence has put these pages in your way, you have a little spare
time in which to read them, and you feel willing to give your
attention to them. These are good signs. Who knows but that this
time might prove to be a high point in your life?
At any rate, The Holy
Spirit says,
"Today, if ye will hear his voice, do not harden your hearts."
What
Are We On About?
I
HEARD A STORY; I think it came from the North of England: A minister
called upon a poor woman, intending to give her help; for he knew
that she was very poor. With his money in his hand, he knocked at
the door; but she did not answer. He concluded she was not at home,
and went his way.
A little after he met her at the church, and told
her that he had remembered her need: "I called at your house,
and knocked several times, and I suppose you were not at home, for I
had no answer."
"At what hour did you call, sir?"
"It was about noon."
"Oh, dear," she said,
"I heard you, sir, and I am so sorry I did not answer; but I
thought it was the man calling for the rent."
Many a poor woman
knows what this meant. Now, it is my desire to be heard, and
therefore I want to say that I am not calling for the rent; indeed,
it is not the object of this book to ask anything of you, but to
tell you that salvation is all of grace, which means, free, gratis,
for nothing.
Oftentimes,
when we are anxious to win attention, our hearer thinks, "Ah!
now I am going to be told my duty. It is the man calling for that
which is due to God, and I am sure I have nothing wherewith to pay.
I will not be at home."
No,
this book does not come to make a demand upon you, but to bring you
something. We are not going to talk about law, and duty, and
punishment, but about love, and goodness, and forgiveness, and
mercy, and eternal life. Do not, therefore, act as if you were not
at home: do not turn a deaf ear, or a careless heart. I am asking
nothing of you in the name of God or man. It is not my intent to
make any requirement at your hands; but I come in God's name, to
bring you a free gift, which it shall be to your present and eternal
joy to receive. Open the door, and let my pleadings enter.
"Come now, and let us reason together."
The
Lord himself invites you to a conference concerning your immediate
and endless happiness, and He would not have done this if He did not
mean well toward you. Do not refuse the Lord Jesus who knocks at
your door; for He knocks with a hand which was nailed to the tree
for such as you are. Since His only and sole object is your good,
incline your ear and come to Him. Hearken diligently, and let the
good word sink into your soul. It may be that the hour is come in
which you shall enter upon that new life which is the beginning of
heaven.
Faith cometh by hearing, and reading is a sort of hearing:
faith may come to you while you are reading this book. Why not?
O
blessed Spirit of all grace, make it so!
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