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
Thus ended the wedding; but its influence was felt among the people, and
from that time a higher moral tone was developed. Family secrets indeed
were discovered, and the kind Rector often remitted fees, as a proof of
his interest in the people, that none should wilfully live in
transgression. On one morning alone the lay agent gave away three wives,
and this led to the baptism of an aged woman and six children. The woman
rented one of the houses, and went to the marriage of her lodger; she
had attended the little mission meeting, and had become anxious about
her salvation; without telling the cause, she had suffered deep
spiritual distress. Upon leaving the church she expressed desire to
speak to the clergyman, and upon being taken into the vestry told him
that "she had not been baptized, as her parents lived in Holborn Rents,
and did not care about religion; that she passed as a widow, and had
grown-up children, but had not been married, which now made her
miserable." She was exhorted to repent truly, and promised that upon
expressing repentance towards God, and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ,
she should be baptized.
About a month after, a scene of solemn interest took place at the font.
The Rector, who was himself nearly seventy, placed the water of baptism
upon the brow of the woman of seventy-five years, the young Missionary
pronouncing her name. That evening a prayer-meeting was held in the
Court, to seek a blessing upon the newly baptized, and the attendance
was very large; unlikely persons were there, including two of the
translators, the woman of the dogs, and a rough. The passage itself was
crowded, and to those who engaged in prayer there were indications of
spiritual blessing,--of an aroused state of feeling, as though the voice
had said, "Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these
slain, that they may live." The hymn, "There is a fountain filled with
blood," was sung, and the fifth chapter of the 2nd Corinthians read. The
Evangelist then spoke simply and clearly of judgment and of mercy, and
besought his hearers to be reconciled to God.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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