Words of Grace 7/29

By Pastor Mahlon Nevel

Evangelist Bill Rice was once conducting revival services in the state of Ohio. One evening he promised to give a book to everyone who got someone to come to church who had not been present since the opening of the revival.

Rice was sitting on the platform just before church time when he noticed two young boys. They were just entering the building together through the rear door.

The one boy held the other boy by his wrist as he almost dragged him down the aisle. The preacher could see them talking but could not hear what they were saying to each other.

But as they got closer to the front of the church, he could hear their conversation clearly. The one kept telling the other to come with him and the other kept saying that he didn’t want to come.

Finally, when they came to the steps leading up to the platform, the second boy stopped his resistance and allowed himself to be led up on the platform and over to the evangelist’s chair.

“Dr. Bill,” the other boy said, “this here is my friend. Do I get a book for bringing him?”

“If it is his first time to be here,” Rice answered, “you certainly do get a book.” When the other boy admitted that he was there on Sunday morning, the other boy spoke up

“Yes, he was here all right, but you said you would give a book if we could bring someone who had not heard you before. And, really, he wasn’t paying one bit of attention to anything you said.

“He got a book!