Covenanter Witness Vol. 53 - Rparchives.org

up,"out'condition"weeks'ready."pillow."ago,"LESSON HELPS FOR THE WEEK OF AUGUST 29, 1954"THE FIELD IS THE WORLD,TW SED (S THE WORD O^ GOD"VOLUME LIII WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 11, 1954 NUMBER 6THE STORY OF THEPawnedBookThis is a remarkable account of the strange Providence of God. Rejoice that God moves in mysterious waysHis wonders to perform.Dr. W. P. Mackay left home to attend college atthe age of seventeen. His mother gave him a Bible,writing her name, his name and a verse of Scriptureon the flyleaf. He graduated with very high honorsand became the head of an infidel club where theypracticed everything that was licentious and vile. Hewas open in his ridicule of God and the Bible. Theonly thing that gave him any thrill was when anambulance would unload some patient in a criticalcondition.One day they brought in a man on a cot, thelower part of whose body had been horribly crushed.On this face, however, was a look of calm and peaceso pronounced that it amazed Dr. Mackay who wasaccustomed to seeing people suffer. With a smile thepatient asked what the verdict was.you"Oh, I guess we will pull you through and fixreplied the doctor.guess,"the man"No, doctor, I don't want anysaid. "I want to know if it is life or death. Just layme down easy, anywhere, Doctor. I am ready. I amsaved and am not afraid to die." With a face fairlyshining with radiance, he continued: "I know I amgoing to be with the Lord Jesus Christ. He says,'Him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast(John 6:37), and I have come and accepted Him asmy own personal Saviour. But I want the truth. Justwhat is my?Whereupon the doctor replied, "You have at themost three hours to live." The doctor was touched,and thinking there might be relatives to notify,asked : "Is there anything you would like to have usdo for you ?"getThanking him, the injured man said, "In one ofmy pockets is a two pay check. If you canto it, I wish you would send it at once to mybook."landlady, and ask her to send me the"What book" ? inquired the doctor."Oh, just the book," the man answered. "Shewill know."Dr. Mackay arranged for the man's request tobe cared for, and then started on his rounds throughthe hospital. But those words kept ringing throughhis ears : "I am ready, Doctor. Just lay me down easy,anywhere, Doctor. I amDr. Mackay had never been known to inquireabout a patient from any personal interest, but forthe first time in his life he wanted to know how thisone was gettingalong. He returned to the wardwhere the man had been placed, and seeing the nursewhom he had assigned to the case, he inquired as tohis condition.the nurse"He died just a few minutesinformed him."Did the book get here?" asked the doctor."Yes, it arrived shortly before he died," thenurse answered."What was it? His bank book?" inquired thedoctor."No, it wasn't his bank book," replied the nurse."He died with it under his"What was it?" asked Dr. Mackay."It is still there. Go and look at it," said thenurse.Dr. Mackay went to the bedside, reached underthe sheet and drew a Bible from under the pillow. Ashe did so the Bible opened and the pages turned overto the flyleaf. There in his mother's handwritingwas Dr. Mackay's name, his mother's name and averse of Scripture. It was the Bible given him by hismother when he left home to attend college. In adrunken brawl he had pawned it years before inorder to get whiskey.(Continued on page 87)