The Man with the Book; or, The Bible Among the People. — John Shaqi
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 Missionary approached the door indicated, and of necessity gave a
loud knock, as men were conversing inside. To the inquiry, "What are you
thumping there for?" he opened the door and stepped in. The man who
confronted him was of short stature, and of the most dismal of black
complexions. His attire was of light tweed, with broad green stripes.
Upon his knee rested a fiddle, and its stick was in his right hand ready
for practice. The table was placed near the window, and in addition to
its other uses it evidently served for purposes of the toilet. Two cheap
looking-glasses were upon it, and two tallow candles, placed in bottles,
were burning, though it was full daylight. The men were evidently
burning pieces of cork, adding tallow and a black powder, and then
rubbing the precious composition over their hands and faces. Two of the
men had completed the beautifying process, and one of them was tying on
an immense white handkerchief, while the other with an adhesive
composition was fixing a nasal organ of extraordinary shape and
proportion. All this was seen while the stranger was making his office
known, though but few words were necessary, as the tracts in his hand
indicated his business. It was evident that the man with the fiddle
understood him, as he without delay commenced playing "Drops of
Brandy," and continued a medley of comic tunes, ogling his eyes and
gesticulating in a humorous manner. He received occasional assistance
from his companions, who struck up choruses or attitudinized with
mirthful effect. Judging from his hearty laugh the stranger fully
appreciated their efforts, and instead of leaving, as they no doubt
expected, took a seat. Before the last scrape of the fiddle had died
away he remarked coolly, "That's more than I could do, because I have
not your ability. Why, were I to attempt a tune upon that fiddle, I
should make such a discord as to startle and perhaps drive you all out
of the room. The day is however coming when I shall hope to be a
musician."
To an expression of inquiry the speaker produced his pocket Bible, and
observed: "You may not know it, but very much in this Book was written
for and has been set to music, and the song I mean to sing is here, and
something about the instrument I hope to play. Now there are instruments
mentioned here which you could never play, and some which you have not
even heard of, such as the sackbut and dulcimer; but you all know the
harp?"
"I can play it a bit," exclaimed a man at the glass.
"That's the instrument," continued the stranger; "and all Christians
will play it when they get to heaven, for it is written here, 'And I
heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps: and they sang as it
were a new song,' and the singers were '_redeemed_ from the earth.'" The
meaning of the beautiful word "redemption" was then explained to them,
and their attention directed to the Redeemer.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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