(Continued from vol. xx., page 434.)
JOHN GRANT.
John Grant sat at the chimney side, with the table at his left hand, and the Bible and the Psalm Book always on it. His watch also hung at the side of the chimney, and when speaking of the watch, John said, “The watch always says, ‘Eternity, eternity, eternity!'”
An example of his outspoken faithfulness is the following: He came one day to the house of a man who had a good deal of this world’s goods. After resting for some time and getting food, he left, and the man’s wife accompanied him some distance. At parting she gave him a half-crown. “Well,” he said to her, “I am first obliged to the Most High, who put it into your heart to give me food and some money, and I am obliged to you, as the instrument in His hand of giving it; but I must tell you, on our parting, that you are as empty of Christ as the stones below your feet.”
John Grant was one day hearing a godly minister. When they dismissed, John came to the minister, and said, “Hoot, man, what was the matter with you to-day? You had not the Spirit with you at all.” “I don’t know,” replied the minister. “Look,” said John, “about you and in your pockets, and see.” The minister began to turn and search his pockets, and finding a newspaper, took it out. “Aye, aye,” said John, “I was sure there was something wrong.”
It is related that a minister who once presided at a “Question Meeting” when John was present, declared that the Gospel was preached as purely in that day as it was in the days of the Apostles. When John was asked to speak, he rose and said, “We have just heard it stated that the Gospel is preached to-day as purely as it was in the days of the Apostles. I say that that is a lie from the devil, and we shall put it back into the devil’s mouth out of which it came.”
A woman once told John Grant that she was going to America to see if she could acquire something more of the world, so that she might get some ease for her body and time to consider her soul. “Well,” he replied, “if you can promise me that you will leave your sins in Caithness, when you go, I will have good hopes of your getting rest for soul and body, but otherwise, I cannot see how you can be better in America than in Caithness.”
There once came a woman to John Grant complaining of her poverty of soul. He said to her, “I know not what the new birth is, if its effects be not to wear a man out of himself.”
A godly man in Sutherland, on his departure for America, said to John Grant: “There are sixteen young men in this place who are in a state of grace, and I leave them with you to look after them, and help them.” “But,” replied John, “what are you going to do in America?” “O!” said the man, “I’ll see the land at any rate.” “Well,” said John, “if you go to America, the ocean will be your bed.” The sayings of both men proved true. Sixteen of the young men mentioned by the godly man gave evidence afterwards that they were in a state of grace by their life and conversation. The man set sail for America, and John’s saying proved true about him also. The ship was in front of the landing port, but was wrecked on a sunken rock. Some of the passengers were drowned, and among the number was the godly man mentioned. His son and daughter were taken off the wreck among the survivors, and they afterwards related a prayer they heard their father offer before he was drowned; “O Lord, thou who knowest our need in our great extremity, be with us and help us, for Thou art able to sow and reap together at the same time.”
(To be continued.)
OH, that the Almighty would give me my request! that I might see Christ come to His temple again; (as He is minting, and it is like minding to do), and if the land were humbled, the judgments are with this reservation, I know—if we shall turn and repent. O! what a heaven should we have on earth, to see Scotland’s moon like the light of the sun, and Scotland’s sun-light seven-fold, like the light of seven-days, in the day that the Lord bindeth up the breach of His people, and healeth the stroke of their wounds! (Isaiah xxx. 26). Alas! that we will not pull and draw Christ to His old tents again, to come and feed among the lilies, till the day break and the shadows flee away! O that the nobles would go on, in the strength and courage of the Lord, to bring our lawful King Jesus home again! I am persuaded He shall return again in glory to this land.—Samuel Rutherford.