Part 37 (1/2)

”Have you any book that'll teach a man how to get cured of drink?” asked one, who obviously stood greatly in need of such a book.

”Yes, I have. Here it is--_The Author of the Sinner's Friend_; it is a memoir of the man who wrote a little book called _The Sinner's Friend_,”

said the colporteur, producing a thin booklet in paper cover, ”but I'd recommend a Bible along with it, because the Bible tells of the sinner's _best_ friend, Jesus, and remember that without Him you can do _nothing_. He is G.o.d, and it is `G.o.d who giveth us the victory.' You can't do it by yourself, if you try ever so much.”

The man bought the booklet and a Testament. Before he left the place that colporteur had sold a fourpenny and a twopenny Testament, and several other religious works, beside distributing tracts gratuitously all round. [See Report of ”The Christian Colportage a.s.sociation for England,” 1879, page 12.]

”That's what I call carryin' the war into the enemy's camp,” remarked one of the company, as the colporteur thanked them and went away.

”Come, let's go,” said Aspel, rising abruptly and draining his gla.s.s of ginger-beer.

Bones followed his example. They went out and overtook the colporteur.

”Are there many men going about like you?” asked Aspel.

”A good many,” answered the colporteur. ”We work upwards of sixty districts now. Last year we sold Bibles, Testaments, good books and periodicals, to the value of 6700 pounds, besides distributing more than 300,000 tracts, and speaking to many people the blessed Word of Life.

It is true we have not yet done much in public-houses, but, as you saw just now, it is not an unhopeful field. That branch has been started only a short time ago, yet we have sold in public-houses above five hundred Bibles and Testaments, and over five thousand Christian books, besides distributing tracts.”

”It's a queer sort o' work,” said Bones. ”Do you expect much good from it?”

The colporteur replied, with a look of enthusiasm, that he _did_ expect much good, because much had already been done, and the promise of success was sure. He personally knew, and could name, sinners who had been converted to G.o.d through the instrumentality of colporteurs; men and women who had formerly lived solely for themselves had been brought to Jesus, and now lived for Him. Swearers had been changed to men of prayer and praise, and drunkards had become sober men--

”Through that little book, I suppose?” asked Bones quickly.

”Not altogether, but partly by means of it.”

”Have you another copy?” asked George Aspel.

The man at once produced the booklet, and Aspel purchased it.

”What do you mean,” he said, ”by its being only `partly' the means of saving men from drink?”

”I mean that there is no Saviour from sin of any kind but Jesus Christ.

The remedy pointed out in that little book is, I am told, a good and effective one, but without the Spirit of G.o.d no man has power to persevere in the application of the remedy. He will get wearied of the continuous effort; he will not avoid temptation; he will lose heart in the battle unless he has a higher motive than his own deliverance to urge him on. Why, sirs, what would you expect from the soldier who, in battle, thought of nothing but himself and his own safety, his own deliverance from the dangers around him? Is it not those men who boldly face the enemy with the love of Queen and country and comrades and duty strong in their b.r.e.a.s.t.s, who are most likely to conquer? In the matter of drink the man who trusts to remedies alone will surely fail, because the disease is moral as well as physical. The physical remedy will not cure the soul's disease, but the moral remedy--the acceptance of Jesus-- will not only cure the soul, but will secure to us that spiritual influence which will enable us to `persevere to the end' with the physical. Thus Jesus will save both soul and body--`it is G.o.d who giveth us the victory.'”

They parted from the colporteur at this point.

”What think you of that?” asked Bones.

”It is strange, if true--but I don't believe it,” replied Aspel.

”Well now, it appears to me,” rejoined Bones, ”that the man seems pretty sure of what he believes, and very reasonable in what he says, but I don't know enough about the subject to hold an opinion as to whether it's true or false.”

It might have been well for Aspel if he had taken as modest a view of the matter as his companion, but he had been educated--that is to say, he had received an average elementary training at an ordinary school,-- and on the strength of that, although he had never before given a serious thought to religion, and certainly nothing worthy of the name of study, he held himself competent to judge and to disbelieve!

While they walked towards the City, evening was spreading her grey mantle over the sky. The lamps had been lighted, and the enticing blaze from gin-palaces and beer-shops streamed frequently across their path.

At the corner of a narrow street they were arrested by the sound of music in quick time, and energetically sung.

”A penny gaff,” remarked Bones, referring to a low music-hall; ”what d'ee say to go in?”