The Man with the Book; or, The Bible Among the People.Weylland, John Matthias
History
The Man with the Book; or, The Bible Among the People.
Weylland, John Matthias
City missions; London City Mission
THE MOGUL.--A dirty little beer-shop, entirely supported by low and
depraved persons. The taproom was built in the yard beside a skittle
ground, and was approached through a long passage. Upon entering it one
evening the Missionary found a crowd of at least forty juvenile thieves,
vagrants, and bullies. As the noise was great, the only hope of doing
good was an effort to enter into conversation with one or two
individuals. This, however, was prevented, as many of them knew the
visitor, and hit upon a device to get rid of him. A song was started by
one of the men, and the chorus was taken up by the full company, who
repeated with deafening effect the words, "He's a jolly good fellow." As
the song proceeded the repetition became so boisterous that the visitor
divined their intention to sing him out. He at once saw the difficulty
of his position, as, if they had succeeded, the same practice would have
been adopted in other taprooms to the hindrance of his usefulness. He,
therefore, instead of leaving, took a seat in their midst in a most
unconcerned manner. The chorus was kept up until many of the vocalists
had bawled themselves hoarse; and as the yelling became feeble the
visitor sprang to his feet, and said vehemently, "And they were good
fellows, but the magistrates commanded to beat them. And when they had
laid many stripes upon them, they cast them into prison, charging the
jailer to keep them safely; who, having received such a charge, thrust
them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks."
The words changed the current of feeling. Nearly all in the room had
been in prison, and those who had not had a deep sympathy with such.
"Who was they?" "Where was it?" and "What a shame!" were the general
exclamations.
After a pause, which produced absolute silence, the speaker continued:
"And at midnight they sang praises unto God." And then opening his
Bible, he in a solemn, earnest tone, read the narrative of the
imprisonment of Paul and Silas. When he came to the words, "He set meat
before them and rejoiced, believing in God, with all his house," the
reader closed the Book, and in a few telling sentences explained the
nature of saving faith in Christ, and the result of that faith,--being
made "new creatures." After this visit the work was easy in that
taproom, and in the family of the landlord.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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