John the Stone-Breaker

A wealthy Englishman was riding through his estate. Suddenly he stopped his horse. He thought he heard someone speaking. Looking over the hedge, he saw a poor man. For many years this poor man had to break stones for the rich man’s roads. Therefore, this man was called “John the Stone-breaker.”

The rich man called to his poor workman, “I say John, what are you talking to yourself about?” “Please, sir,” said John, “I wasn’t speaking to myself. I was just asking Cod’s blessing on my dinner.”

The rich man laughed. “And what have you got for your dinner, John?”

“Well, sir,” replied John, “I’ve only a crust of bread and a mug of pure water from the brook; but sir,” he continued, “it’s a good meal when God blesses it.”

“Well, well,” answered his master as he prepared to ride off, “it would be a long time before I’d ask God’s blessing on a dinner like that. I wish you much good from your blessing, John. Good day.” Away he rode on his tour of inspection.

John enjoyed his dinner in spite of what his wealthy employer had said. The rich man did not know of the wealth which was hidden in John’s heart. As a true child of God, John had a lasting treasure laid up in heaven.

Not long after this happened, the rich man was taking a short walk in a green field near his mansion. He suddenly stopped and turned pale. He stood trembling with fear. “What’s that I hear?” he exclaimed. “ ‘The richest man in the county shall die tonight!’“

He listened and again thought he heard the same words repeated: “The richest man in the county shall die tonight!”

Greatly alarmed, he began to think of who was the richest man in the county, and finally came to the conclusion that he was.

Hurrying home, he asked for his doctor to come immediately. He seriously begged the doctor to do all he could to save his life. The doctor was very surprised. He did not see anything wrong with his patient! The rich man, however, kept thinking that he was going to die that night.

But why all this excitement? It was the power of the rich man’s accusing conscience showing him how unprepared he was to die.

Restlessly, he tossed upon his bed all night. There was no sleep for him. At last the grey dawn appeared. The doctor, who had not left the rich man’s side, finally persuaded him to get up and take a walk before breakfast. When he did go out, he was pale and trembling. He expected that at any step he might drop dead.

He had not gone far, however, when he was met by a poor workman who touched his cap respectfully and said, “Please, sir, may I speak with you?”

“Of course you may,” was the reply.

“Well, sir,” answered the workman. “I thought I should tell you that poor John the Stone-breaker was found dead in his bed this morning.”

“What’s that?” asked the rich man in great surprise, “John the Stone-breaker died?” After thinking about this, he exclaimed, “Ah! I see it now! I thought that I, with my many acres, my mansions, and my gold, was the richest man in the county, but poor John the Stone-breaker, with his crust of bread and mug of water and God’s blessing, was by far the richer man.”

Whether or not he took this serious lesson to heart, we do not know. May God grant, however, that you and I may do so!

—Building on the Rock (volume 2) (available soon)

ROBBERS WHO BOUGHT

“Wait,” said the robbers to a porter in China, “have you anything valuable in your bundle?”

“I have the most valuable thing in the world,” he replied, “the Book that tells how to be saved from sin. Will you buy it for $10?”

They bought and got “better than gold” (Psa. 119:72).

START AGAIN

A Christian man was giving away gospel tracts on board a steamer. A gentleman who accepted one in a gracious way, said: “I have not much faith in that kind of work.”

Said the Christian: “It was through a gospel tract given to me in Glasgow twenty years ago that I was converted.”

The gentleman showed considerable interest, and asked for particulars.

On hearing the young man’s story about the tract, the gentleman said: “I am the one who gave you the tract. For years I ceaselessly distributed tracts but I saw so little result from my efforts that years ago I stopped distributing them. But by the grace of God I shall start again.”

“Always abounding in the work of the Lord” (1 Cor. 15:58).

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