“NOBODY EVER ASKED JOHN TO COME”
Chris Kamarth
He was a blacksmith a most wretchedly man He knew everything that is blatant and blasphemous in infidelity. He hated everything that is good. and loved everything that is bad. He studded to make himself an imitation to all who believed in God. not even sparing his wife. who did the best she could in the patience end kingdom of Jesus. This man was given up as altogether beyond moral recovery, and so indeed he seemed. Prayer was made as though he had no existence churches were opened and shut, but never with references to him, the Gospel was preached and mercy offered, but no one connected him with God’s message to the world.
A few miles back in the country from this blacksmith’s town there lived an old couple. Father and Mother Brown. They were close to ninety years of age Theirs had been lives of conscious acceptance with God and of patient, unremitting devotedness to Him and they were waiting without sorrow and fear for the promised home-coming.
Very early one morning the old man awoke terribly agitated and began to call his wife: “Get up, wife! Get up!”
“Why, old man,” she said, “what is the matter?” He answered” “I can’t tell you now what’s the matter; for I must start a fire in the kitchen I want you to get breakfast ready as soon as you can. I’ve got to go to
town this morning.” “You go to town this morning!” she exclaimed, ‘Why you are out of your head. You can’t go to town. You haven’t any way of going and I know you can’t walk.”
Don’t tell me what I can’t do,” the old man persisted “I tell you, I’ve got to go to town. I had a dream last night, and-well-I’ll go and make the fire then tell you about it.”
His wife followed him the breakfast was prepared, and when the meal was over, the old man started for town. It was a long and weary way for an old man to walk, but some strange strength was supplied him and without stopping to rest he kept on, The visage was leached. Through the main street he trudged, then into the narrow cross street and made to the shop of “Devil John,” the blacksmith.
“Father Brown!” he exclaimed, in great amazement, “what you doing here, and so early in the morning?”
The old man answered: “That’s just what I’ve come to tell you. Let’s go inside, where I can sit down: for I’m sued.”
Together they went into the shop, and when seated, the old man said: “John, I had a dream last night end I’ve come to tell you about it. I dreamed that the hour I have thought about so much and tried to keep
ready for so long was come. It was my tune to diet And it was just like I thought it was going to be; for it was just as the Lord promised it should be. I wasn’t the least bit afraid. How could I be? My room was
full of angels, and they all spoke to me, and I loved them and know they loved me. Then some of them stopped and slipped their arms under me, and away we went Beyond the clouds we mounted through the starry skies. Oh, how they sang. I never heard anything like it in my life. On we swept and on till one of them said, ‘Look yonder now: there is Heaven.’
“Oh, John, I can’t tell you how I felt when I was in sight of Heaven: nor can I tell you what I saw when I looked. I don’t believe anyone could tell It was so peaceful so beautiful, so glorious! As we drew
nearer, I saw the gates swinging open. and with even faster wing than we had come we swept through them into the city. Such a welcome! Welcome from everybody. all so glad; every his seemed robed in
gladness: it was in the fragrance of the flowers, in music of every harp, in song of every tongue, in the grasp of every hand: gladness everywhere, because I had come. Why, they made over me like I was somebody. when I was only a poor sinner saved by Jesus’ blood. I found all my children there-not one of them lost-my boy that you used to
be with and play with so much when you went to school together, was the old mother, who was in my classes when I went to school And after a time–I don’t know how long it was sew the same angels who brought me, bring another: and it was my dear, sweet wife e, I loved her more than ever when they brought her to me them. She was fairer than the day we married. We sat under the Tree of Life together, and walked by the river that flows from the throne of God, So happy! And I saw angels bringing in others-others-others that I d you love. And so the years of ETERNITY rolled.
“Then, John, all at once it came to me that I hadn’t seen you anywhere. I set out to look for you. I went into every street asked everybody. but could get no trace of you. I was distressed more than you can know:
and went to the Lord, my precious Savior, and asked Him where you weary. And, O John, that you could have seen how sorry He was when He told me you hadn’t come. And He w as I suppose He often did when He was down hem, and told me, ‘Nobody ever asked John to come.’ Oh I fell at His feet I bathed them with my tears. I laid my cheeks upon them and cried ‘Blessed Lord! just let me out of here en hour, and I’ll go end ask trim to comet I’ll give him an invitation,’ And right then and there I woke up. It was beginning to get light in the east an d I was so glad I was alive, so I could come and ask you to go to Heaven: and
now here I am and I have told you my dream, and want you to go.” The Apostle John sew Jesus in all His glory. Who spoke to him these words: “I am the first and the last. I am He that liveth, and was dead, .
behold am alive forevermore. and have the keys of hell and of death.” Yes, “Christ died for the ungodly”-Romans 5:6.
With other words the old man urged the royal invitation, but the blacksmith stood as one petrified. He could not speak nor move. Father Brown got up, saying “Good-bye, John, remember you’ve got the
invitation: remember-you are asked to come.” Then he took his staff and went home.
The blacksmith seemed to come to himself and as one covering from a magician’s charm he set out to pursue the labors of the day, But everything went wrong-the bellows would not work right, the hammers
would not strike right, the nails would not go in right the horses would not stand right “God, be me a sinner!” he began to and leaving the shop, he went home, He told his wife of Father Brown’s visit
“Blessed be God!” she said. We will send the horse and buggy and have him come teak” “Yes,” he added, “f or l mean to accept the invitation, and l want him to pray to God to keep me true and steadfast to the
end.”
“And the Spirit and the bride say come, And let him that heareth say come, and let him that is athirst COME, And WHOSOEVER WILL let him take of the water of life freely” “Revelation 22:17).
“Because He hath appointed a day. in the which He will JUDGE the world in righteousness, by that man (the Lard Jesus Christ) whom He hath ordained: whereof He hath given assurance unto all men, in that He hath raised Him from the dead.” “Behold NOW is the accepted time, behold, NOW is the DAY OF SALVATION”-2 Corinthians 6:2.
“Repent ye therefore and be converted that your sins may be blotted out Acts 3:19, Pray and confess your sins to Jesus and ask Him to save you. JESUS SAVES! Live for
Pilgrim Tract Society, P.O. Box 126 Randleman, N.C 27317 U.S.A. Send postage to receive Gospel Tract samples and “Messenger.” Offerings help send Gospel to many countries.
