Faithfulness to a Fellow-Boarder

According to Oriental thought and cus* torn, one with whom you “break bread,” or with whom you sit at meat, is, by that very feet, in covenant with you, and you have sacred duties toward him that must not be shirked or evaded. Yet many a Christian in a Christian community will sit at the same table with another, as a fellow-boarder, for weeks or months, without knowing anything of his religious or spiritual views or wants. Both will talk freely on ordinary subjects, but the subject of chief importance is not named or considered. Is this right? Will any Christian say that it is? Is it right toward either party? How much is lost, on both sides by such a course?

For a long time I and my femily lived at a boarding-house in a New England city. 53 VHocft

her heart, there was a knock at her doon As she opened the door that wife came in, and, bursting into tears, she asked if her friend wouldn’t help her to Christ She had longed to be spoken to by some one, and now she could bear this no longer. The two wives went on their knees together, and they rose with glad and grateful hearts.

That husband and wife soon stood up and confessed their &ith together, as they connected themselves with the church. They were active for Christ in all the years until they entered into rest And their children were prominent and useful in Christ’s service after them.

One winter, some time after the Civil War, I passed a number of weeks in a Southern city, with a young friend who was necessitated to be there for his health. All this time we were at a well-filled boarding-house. Most of the persons there were those whom I then met for the first time. A young gentleman who sat just opposite f attMittned0 to a f ettovtkBoatDev

me at the table, and with whom I naturally came to have a speaking acquaintance, was a person whose habits of life and ordinary occupations were obviously different from mine, so that our sympathy would not be promoted by conferring over these. Indeed, I learned, from the proprietor of the house, that when he understood that a New England army chaplain was coming to the house as a boarder he wanted to leave the house on that account, and was only prevented from doing so by the crowded state of that winter resort

This certainly did not present an attractive opening for personal religious conversation. Yet I had learned that God gives us opportunities and responsibilities, in this line, which are of his choosing rather than of ours; so I waited for signs of God’s leading. Meantime I endeavored to show to my table-mate that we had things in common that were to be recognized and enjoyed. To win his confidence to me was a duty, if I would hope to lead him 57

C6ward Christ Yet the weeks passed on, in the enjoyments and occupations of a crowded Southern hotel life, widiout any single opportunity of my being with my friend apart from others.

Finally the day of my departure was at hand After my last dinner at this house, I went to my room, regretting that I had never said a word for Christ to one in whose wel&re I was interested, although I had sat at the same table with him, day after day, for weeks. I remembered my life-resolve, and felt that I was not living up to it in this case. It did not satisfy me when I proffered to my heart the excuse that I had never been alone with him, nor had had a fitting occasion for conference. Was it not worth while seeking and securing an occasion, when the interests of an immortal soul were involved?

I spoke of the matter to my room-mate and companion, for whose health I was at the South. I suggested that perhaps it was my duty to go to the room of my fclf aitbfttlne00 to a fcVLov^Mowcbct

low-boarder that very afternoon, and say a word to him for Christ He might, indeed, take offense at it, but, again, he might not Was it not worth while taking such a risk for a soul’s sake, and for Christ’s? The decision was made. We kneeled together in our room, and asked God’s blessing on my undertaking. Then I arose and started out. The room of my fellow-boarder and his wife was but just across the hall from ours. Yet it was not an easy task to venture on knocking at that room door, in the fulfilment of my purpose and my duty.

At my knock, the young gentleman whom I sought opened the door, and invited me in. His wife sat on a sofa. They welcomed me cordially, and when I told them that I purposed leaving the place the next morning early, they expressed regret, saying that our intercourse of the past few weeks had been very pleasant I replied that I had enjoyed knowing them, and that it was because of my growing personal interest in them that I had now called at 59 lnfptttal vaotii

their room. Then I explained that my joy in Christ’s service was the greatest possession of my life, and that because I longed for my fellow-boarders to have that joy, I had come to say so. The gentleman said that it was kind of me to say this, and that he had been thinking that he would like to know more about the religious belief I had, so that he might share it Would I tell him what books he should read, in order to learn about this?

I replied that I could mention good books for him, but that I should much prefer to talk on the subject with him personally in detail.

“It would be very pleasant,” he said, “to put myself under your guidance, if you would instruct me.”

“But I leave town early to-morrow morning,” I said, “and I am cut off by this from helping you.”

On his asking where I was going, and learning that I was to visit another part of the South, he responded that he would be 60 f aitbfttlne00 to a f cIlow«>JSoatdet

glad to accompany me. On his asking his wife if that would be agreeable to her, she expressed her willingness to make the move, and it was arranged accordingly. Early the next morning the boarder who had wanted to leave that house when he found that a clergyman was coming there, with whom he could have no sympathy, finally left the house with that clergyman in order that he might be personally instructed in the religion which he had come to desire as his own possession. Surely God was leading. And God ever leads those who are willing to be led, even though they often follow reluctantly!

There was no opportunity for a quiet conversation during the first day, while we were constantly within hearing of others who were about us in the crowded public conveyance on which we journeyed. In the early evening, we found ourselves at a small hotel, where we were to make a rest for a while. My companion was different from any one with whom I had ever con- 6i versed personally on the theme of themes. He had not been, while a child, under the religious training and influences with which I was most familiar. Hence there seemed to be no such conmion basis for a preliminary understanding as I had been accustomed to find. Yet this necessi t ated a coming down to first principles which, after all, had its decided advantages ia such a conference as this.

“My friend, would you like to be sved?” I asked at the start

“Indeed I would,” he replied.

“Do you think that you can save jrourself?”

‘* I certainly do not,” was his response.

“Do you know of any Saviour to be
trusted except one?”

“I do not,” he said heartily.

“Well, now,” I said, “there is no necs* sity of your reading any books on the subject, to learn the way of salvation. Let me see, here and now, if you are willing to be saved by the one Saviour in his own way 62 fnitbtalncBB to a Yelloi^J3oat5er

Understand that I do not make any conditions or requirements of conduct or practice, in order for you to be saved; but I will ask you this question, in order to ascertain your attitude toward this whole subject Suppose that you were to find that Jesus Christ wanted you to refrain from drinking, from smoking, from card-playing, from theater-going, and from much that accompanies these things, would you give them all up, or would you feel that there were some of these things that you could not refrain from?”

My friend thought the matter over with evident seriousness, and then he gave this intelligent answer:

“Well, Mn Trumbull, there are some of those things that I might have different views from yourself about; but if I were convinced that Jesus Christ wanted me to refrain from any one of those things, or from them all, I should be willing to conform my conduct to his wish.”

“That’s all that I want to know,” I said. 63

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“I lay down no requirements. I want him who is to be your Saviour to be your guide. Now just go to your room and kneel down before the Lord, and tdl him how it is. Tell him that you need a Saviour, that you do not know any Saviour other than himself, and that you want him to save you. Tell him that you are willing to put yourself into his hands, that you will conform your conduct and course to his wishes, and that you want to trust him.”

Pressing each other’s hands, we parted for the night Of course I prayed for him, but I prayed trustfully. When I met him the next morning I asked him if he had done as he promised to. As he said that he had, I inquired if he felt that the Saviour had accepted him.

“I don’t suppose that he has yet,” was his reply.

“Why not?” I inquired.

“I don’t suppose that Jesus Christ would accept me at once,” he said.

“Well, then the responsibility is with fattMiiIiie00 to a f cQowJtoatder

him. I don’t see that you have anjrthing more to do about it,” was my reply.

“What do you mean?” he asked, with a surprised look.

“Why, if you have gone to the only Saviour there is, and have ofiered yourself to him, telling him you are willing to shape your course by his directions, and he is not ready to accept you, but wants to wait awhile, there seems to be nothing else for y ju to do.”

“Do you mean,” he asked, “that I ought to believe that Jesus Christ at once accepts me, and that I can fully trust him now as my Saviour?”

“That certainly is the way I understand it,” I said. “I can’t see any other way. It seems to be that or nothing.”

“Then I’ll do that,” he said earnestly, and he evidently meant what he said.

From that hour he was an earnest, devoted

follower of Christ, as I was familiar with

him for precious years and in different

spheres. He became a close student of the InDMdual Wodi

B9>le. He and his wife togedier made an open confession of their new fiuth, and connected themselves with a prominent church in New York City. They became active in mission-school work, and in that field he devoted his trained business mind to perfecting methods and systems of work, so that he was known widely throughout the country as a leader and guide in that field. He became, after a while, prominent as one of the most influential workers, and dir xtor of other workers, in the entire country. Then I was, indeed, glad that God would not let me leave that wintar-resort boarding-house without going to the room of that fdlow-boarder and telling him of my desire for his spiritual wel&re.

In his personal habits and conduct he became strict and careful, in the line of our talk that evening at the little hotel, where we stopped on the way fi’om our winter resort When I, later, told Dr. Bushnell, to whom I had introduced the young gentleman, of that conversation, and 66 f aitMttlitc00 to a fcUowXowcet

of the outcome of it, the good Doctor said, characteristically:

“That shows how much easier it is to do a big thing than a little thing. If you had begun to discuss with this man, at that time, any single habit or practice, you might never have got beyond it You would have been stranded on the first barrier. But to ask him to trust the whole thing to his Saviour, and be guided by him, was the better way. If one is right at the center, he is likely to get right at the circumference.”

What a Saviour we have, both to trust and to tell others of; and how good it is to work for him I

One Sunday I passed with a near relative. There I met a gentleman whom I had never seen before, but who was connected with my relative. I sat with him at the table, and we had pleasant conversation. In the evening this gentleman was out at a church service, and the lady of 67

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the house was sufiering with a headache. I urged her to retire, while I would sit up and close the house after the visitor came in. As I did this, I sat by the sitting-room fire, on the cold winter night When the visitor was in, and the house was dosed, we still sat together there.

He spoke of the service that he had attended, and he was evidently much impressed by the sermon.

‘’You don’t often hear a sermon like that, especially from such a minister,” he said. “The minister brought us right up face to &ce with the Judgment Seat, and there he left us. There were no soft words to ease us down, such as, * But I trust this is not for you, my brethren.’”

Then, as if soliloquizing, as he sat there looking into the fire, he added:

“I tell you that, in the great day, we who go over to the left hand will not feel very kindly toward the men who have glossed this thing over, when they had a chance to tell us the plain truth.” 68 fattbttttneed to a f eUow«’JSoatdet

The impressed man was much older than myself, old enough, perhaps, to be my fiither; but he had been brought to my side in a condition of mind to need help; and I was there to speak for Jesus. It was not a question of seniority, nor of long acquaintance, to be considered by one who represented the Eternal. Laying my hand lovingly on his knee, as he sat by my side looking thoughtfully into the fire, I said:

My friend, what do you mean by speaking of we who go over to the left hand’? You belong on the right hand, and you ought to recogjnize this. The judge is your Saviour. You ought to trust him fully as such.**

“I suppose I ought to,” he responded

••Well, do you not?”

‘*! can’t say I do.”

At this I drew my chair around so that I could look directly into his face, and I said earnestly, feeling the full force of my words:

**This IS Grod’s doing, and you must rec- 69 lnmttal VSiotk

ognize it God has brought us to this house to meet for the first time in our lives. He has planned it so that you should go out to that evening service, and hear that impressive appeaL And now, while all others in the house are asleep, jrou and I sit here facing the question of questions for your souL I cannot] leave you until you settle it I speak for the Saviour when I urge you to commit yourself to him for now and forevermore.^

Then, reaching out my hand, I said: “My friend, you realize what all this means, and its importance. Now, promise me that this night, before you sleep, you will, on your knees, tell your loving, longing, waiting Saviour, that youVe delayed this thing altogether too long, but that you won’t do so any longer. Tell him that you trust him because he is the Saviour, and you are one whom he wants to save. Give me your hand on this, my friend, and then go to your room and do yrbat you know to be your duty.” 70 fitbfiilite00 to a fcUowXowcet

My companion evidently felt that it was a crisis hour with him, and be could not evade the sense of this. My hand was outstretched to him. For some time he said not a word, but I saw that he was quivering with intense emotion. Meanwhile I was praying in my heart for a blessing on him in his conflict of souL Then, with a convulsive movement that shook his strong frame, he put out his right hand and clasped mine as though it were for life. I realized that he had given himself to his Saviour. Rising, I asked God’s blessing on him, and bade him good-night, and we parted I went to my room for the night, and to pray for him, and he went to his room to pray for himsel£

Before he came downstdrs in the morning I left for my home. I never saw him again. Before the day closed he left that house for his home. By a severe railroad accident, on his way home, he was fetally injured, and soon he was with the Saviour to whom he had trusted himself. A 71

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younger brother of his was an office-bearer in one of the Fifth Avenue churches in New York. When he learned that the loved brothet had thus committed himself to the Saviour while he was yet in life and strength, he was indeed rejoiced and grateful. And we thanked God together.