23. Giving Ourselves
Giving Ourselves
REDEEMED SLAVE GIRL.—In New Orleans, in the days of slavery, a young girl was placed upon the auctioneer’s block, surrounded by a large crowd. Finally she was sold for fourteen hundred dollars to a gentleman from the North, who had been the highest bidder. With a heavy heart and tearful eyes she prepared to leave with her new master, to sever, as she may have supposed, the tender ties binding her to home and mother. The next morning the man went to the shrinking girl and handed her a paper. “What is this?” “Why, this is a receipt and release showing that I paid the price demanded for you, and now I give you your liberty—you are free!” “O, sir,” she exclaimed, falling at his feet, “Let me follow you, let me be your willing slave.”
GOING EMPTY HANDED.—After a month only of Christian life, nearly all of it spent upon a sick bed, a young man lay dying. In answer to a question from a friend, he said, with a look of sadness in his face, “No, I am not afraid. Jesus saves me, but, oh, must I go, and empty-handed?”
POUSA’S SELF-SACRIFICE.—It is said of Pousa, the great Chinese potter, that having been ordered to produce a fine piece of work for the Emperor, he strove long to make it, but in vain. At length he threw himself into the furnace, and the result upon the ware was such that it came out the most beautiful piece of porcelain. DO SO.—Æschines, perceiving every one give Socrates something for a present, said unto him, “Because I have nothing else to give, I will give thee myself.” “Do so,” said Socrates, “and I will give thee back again to thyself better than when I received thee.”
PASSING UNDER THE ROD.—It was the custom of the Jews to select the tenth of their sheep after this manner: the lambs were separated from the dams, and enclosed in a sheepcote with only one narrow way out; the dams were at the entrance. On opening the gate, the lambs hastened to join the dams; and a man placed at the entrance, with a rod dipped in ochre, touched every tenth lamb, and so marked it with his rod, saying, “Let this be holy.”
MARTYN’S SACRIFICE.—Martyn was led to consecrate himself to the cause of foreign missions. For this cause he sacrificed that which was dearer to him than life—for she to whom he was soon to be wedded declined to accompany him. He forsook father, mother and an intended wife to preach to the heathen.
STARLESS CROWN.—A young Christian lady, in a dream, thought that she had died and gone to Heaven. Here a beautiful crown was shown her, yet her disappointment and grief were great on finding no stars in it, proof of her having led no souls to Jesus. She awoke, in tears, yet still in this world where she might toil and strive to lead her fellow-beings to Christ.
I SURRENDER.—In one of the army hospitals lay a wounded officer, about to enter the valley of death. While strong and rich he resisted God; but now, when conquered, was willing to listen to the terms of surrender. At first he could not understand them. At last the words, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved,” applied to his soul with power by the Holy Ghost, reached his heart. His face grew brilliant. He raised himself from the pillow and, stretching out his arms, exclaimed with thrilling earnestness, “I accept the terms: I surrender!” That was his last word.