Hugh McAllister Beaver, son of the former governor of Pennsylvania, and
one of the rarest christian young men that ever lived, felt impelled at
a conference of students at Northfield, in '97, to tell this bit of his
inner experience, though naturally reluctant to do so. While at college,
arrangements were made for a series of meetings every night for a week.
"One day going down the hallway of the college building," he said, "I
met a boy we all called Dutchy, one of the toughest fellows in school. I
said to him, 'Dutch, come to the meeting to-night.'" Instead of laughing
or swearing, to Beaver's surprise, he paused a moment as though such a
thing was possible, and Beaver said, "I prayed quietly to myself, and
urged him to come." And he said, "Well, I guess I will." And that night
to every one's surprise Dutch came to the meeting. When Beaver rose to
speak, to his surprise this fellow was not simply intensely interested
but his eyes were full of tears. And Beaver said "a voice as distinct as
an audible voice said to me, 'Speak to Dutchy!' But _I did not_." Again
the next night Dutchy came of his own accord, and one of the boys
putting his arm on Beaver's shoulder said, "Speak to Dutchy. We boys
never saw him like this before." And he said he would. But _he did not_.
And some time after he had a dream and thought he would not walk this
earth any more. It did not trouble him except that his brother was
crying. But he thought he met the Master, who looked into his face, and
said, "Hugh, do you remember, I asked you to speak to Dutchy?" "Yes."
"And you did not." "No." "Would you like to go back the earth and win
him?" And he finished the story by saying, "it's hard work, but he's
coming now."
I wonder if the Master has ever tried to use your lips like that, and
you have refused?
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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