The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1886-03-31
DO You Know Jesus

l was walking hastily along a crowded
street when my steps were suddenly ar
rested by voice behind me uttering
the words, "Sir, do you know Jesus?"
For the time and place it was strange
question. 1t was high noon, and many
were fastening to the exchange near
by. 1t was in the center of a busy
thoroughfare, through which hundreds
were passing, each intent upon his own
particular Grand. In the midst of the
temples of mammon and of the things
of his worshipers, l heard the strange,
thrilling question, Sir, do you know
Jesus?" Stranger still, when l turned
to see the person who uttered the
words, | could not fix upon any one of
the numbers behind me as the speaker.
l did not see, either, to whom it had
been spoken. If it had fallen from the
clear sky above me it could not have
had less of personality about it. The
air had borne it to my ear, but from
whom ! could not discern; and the
words, so unusual in that place and at
that time, seemed to have become
doubly strange that their speaker had
so quickly vanished, l turned away
and passed up the street, bordering
over the question which | had so mys-
teriously heard. l thought of the dec
laration of Jesus that "to know" him
is " life eternal" and then forgot the
strangeness of the query in the sense of
its overwhelming importance. | ques-
toned my own soul, Dost thou know
Jesus" the eternal life? l applied it
mentally to those who passed me so
hurriedly, eager in their pursuit of
present good. One l recognized as a
shrewd and practical fnancier. He
knew something of the secrets of the
banking-ho He understood the
vast system of exchanges which spread
over the country like network. He
could discourse fluently upon the crisis
and its causes. Did he know Jesus?
If not, he had missed the highest knowl-
edge. He knew not him in whom in
finite treasures of wisdom and grace are
found. | passed on further, and / saw
a well-known merchant ascending the
steps of the custom-house. He was an
adept in his business, thoroughly versed
in all the departments of trade. He
knew the value of commodities at a
glance, and could predict the turn of
markets, and speculate wisely upon the
changes in commerce made by the man
fold changes of the times. He was an
oracle in the counting-house and on
Change. But did he know Jesus?
was my thought. In his calculations
has he never computed the worth of his
soul, or the value of Christ's sacrifice
offered for its redemption? Did he
know Jesus as his Savior, and heartily
receive him as his sacrifice before God?
If not, what was his acquired knowl-
edge but guide for few years, to be
utterly useless when God should call
him to give up his possessions on earth?
Further on met another familiar face.
1t was pale, and the air of abstraction
spread over it. The man of science
was coming some new problem, or
bordering over some novel facts. He
knew the laws by which the stars move
and the waters flow. He had analysed
and combined until he understood many
things in their elements, and the pro-
cess by which these elements were
united in many different forms. He
knew the history of the past, and could
tell where the mountains had been built
up and seas spread out. Did he also
know Jesus? That is the great ques-
ton. Reader, do you know Jesus?
Do you know his power to save from
sin and the fear of impending judment?
Do you know how free his mercy is?
how full his grace? You must know
him, or perish. You must know him,
or miss eternal life.-Selected.