NEW YEAR'S EVE
And New Year's at a Rescue Mission is an interesting time. Men have wandered the streets for a week, when it seemed to them every other human being on earth was happy but themselves; they see happiness in every passing face, they have caught glimpses of Christmas trees through open doors, they have sensed the appetizing smells of good dinners, they have witnessed at the railroad stations and even on the streets the reunion of families, they have heard the deep-toned organs from churches, they have heard the ragtime music of happy people about the home piano, and they only unloved, unloving, uncomforted, lonely men walk the lonely streets of our great cities.
Is it any wonder that memory calls up the time when they too were in happy homes, when mothers' arms encircled them, when a father's benediction was on their young heads, and, like the prodigal son, they say, “I will arise and go to my Father”?
Every one of them knows that sin is the cause of his downfall, and they also know that they must get right with God before they can forsake evil habits. Scarcely one of them but what has tried again and again to leave off their grosser sins but have failed, but when at the watch-night service they are told of a Saviour mighty to save, hope comes again to the broken-hearted.
I remember one occasion at the Breakfast Association, Philadelphia, at the twilight service, New Year's Eve, I saw five hundred men stand for prayer at one time. Our Mission is much smaller, but on New Year's Eve and during New Year's Day, when we have a continuous service from 12 o'clock midday to 9.30 P.M., with an entire change of leaders and musicians each hour, I have seen your nominal Christian, the toper, the criminal, all so overcome by the convicting power of the Holy Spirit that social differences melted away and they knelt side by side at the mercy seat; we have seen fifty people enter into covenant relations with God in that pivotal period of the year, and we have seen most of them keep the faith.
Think of a church holding a meeting nine and a half hours long; in most churches the pastor and the elders would have the last three hours or more all alone. But at the Mission the interest deepens so that it is hard to dismiss even at a late hour.
THE FORGER FROM NEW HAVEN
It was at one of those long services I saw a New England man brought under deep conviction, and at last yield to the Spirit, make confession and receive Christ.
It was about 4 P.M. when he arose to tell his story of sin. He said, “I have committed a crime against the State, and I want to know if I can be forgiven before that is made good. I want to see three members of the Board alone.” Three of the men went into consultation with him. It proved that he had forged a check at New Haven for $300, had collected the money and had escaped.
He was told, “God will forgive you now and undertake for you in case you promise full restitution.” He kneeled at the altar, began to pray out loud, promised restitution and promised to bear patiently any punishment the State demanded.