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<div>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 62003 ***</div>
<p>Transcribed from the c1890’s Jarrold’s edition by
David Price, email ccx074@pglaf.org</p>
<p style="text-align: center">
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<p style="text-align: center"><b>NORWICH CHEAP TRACTS. No.
42.</b></p>
<div class="gapline"> </div>
<h1>“I’M GREATLY CONCERNED ABOUT YOUR
SOUL.”</h1>
<div class="gapshortline"> </div>
<p><span class="smcap">In</span> a small village in one of the
Welsh counties, there lived an old Independent minister who was
peculiarly blessed in being settled amongst a people who worked
well with him, and did all in their power to lessen his
labours. They were a prayerful people, and thought no work
too arduous, and no sacrifice too great, which would bring honour
and glory to the Saviour’s name. Whilst in this state
of peaceful prosperity, the attention of this little flock was
aroused by hearing of a new tenant, who had come to reside at a
farm, two or three miles from the little village. In due
time he was visited, but much to the astonishment and deep sorrow
of the people, they found him to be very sceptical in his
notions; nay, worse, he was all but an infidel. Great was
their distress when they discovered this; they did all in their
power to try and make him see the truth. Tracts, bibles,
and many other books were sent; letters, and invitations to
attend the chapel, but all of no use, he took no notice, and at
last they almost gave way to despair, for nothing seemed to move
him.</p>
<p>One night, after a public meeting in the little village
chapel, Mr. S—, one of the members, went into the vestry to
the minister and said, “Sir, what must we do for Mr.
R— to make him see his danger?</p>
<p>“Nothing more,” replied the minister, “can
be done; we have done all we can do, and now we must leave it in
the hands of our Heavenly Father.” Mr. S— then
went home, but felt that he had not done <i>all</i> he could, and
would therefore try again. He retired to his own room, and
paced up and down the whole night in great agony of mind.
No prayer would escape his lips, but with his hands convulsively
clasped and his head raised to heaven, he inwardly wrestled with
God in prayer for the conversion of his erring brother. The
following morning he saddled his horse and rode off to see Mr.
R—, who was busy at work in his fields. He
dismounted, and after the usual salutations, stood for a moment
gazing at him without speaking. He knew not how to say that
which he had on his mind—he felt quite unnerved, the tears
came into his eyes and rolled one after the other down his
cheeks, but no words would come; at last with a desperate effort
he exclaimed—“Sir, I’m greatly concerned about
<i>your soul</i>.” Then as if he were ashamed of
shewing his emotion he hastily mounted his horse and rode off
without another word. Mr. R— stood motionless after
seeing this outburst of feeling, repeating, “Greatly
concerned about <i>my soul</i>, greatly concerned about <i>my</i>
soul, then surely it is time I began to be concerned
myself.” He went on with his work, and tried to
forget what he had heard, but the words still kept ringing in his
ears, “I’m greatly concerned about your
soul.” He went home and occupied himself with books,
and did all in his power to drive off what he considered
disagreeable thoughts; but on they came, faster and faster,
allowing him no peace. All that day and night, that
important sentence was uppermost in his mind, and he lay tossing
on his bed exclaiming—“Oh! <i>why</i> am <i>I</i> not
concerned about my own soul?” As soon as morning
dawned, he rose, and having breakfasted, went to the little
village and called upon the minister. He related what had
passed, <a name="page2"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 2</span>and
then said, “Oh sir, why am <i>I not</i> concerned about my
soul, and yet others are for me?”</p>
<p><i>Minister</i>. “Because you have never prayed to
be made so.”</p>
<p><i>Mr. R—</i>. “But will He whom <i>you</i>
call God, answer the prayers of one who has never acknowledged
Him all his life?”</p>
<p><i>Minister</i>. “Yes, if you ask in <i>faith</i>,
and for the sake of <i>His</i> Son Jesus Christ.
‘Seek, and ye <i>shall</i> find, knock, and it <i>shall</i>
be opened unto <i>you</i>.’”</p>
<p>Mr. R— then left, but returned again in a few days
saying that he had prayed earnestly to God to awaken him to a
sense of his danger, and he was now anxious to devote himself to
his Saviour.</p>
<p><i>Minister</i>. “Do you believe in
Christ?”</p>
<p><i>Mr. R—</i>. “With all my
heart.”</p>
<p><i>Minister</i>. “Are you willing to give up
<i>all</i> to Him if He should require it?”</p>
<p><i>Mr. R—</i>. “Yes, <i>all</i>.”</p>
<p><i>Minister</i>. “How can you account for this
great difference in your feelings in so abort a time?”</p>
<p><i>Mr. R—</i>. “After I had left you the
other day, I still kept pondering over those words,
‘I’m greatly concerned about your soul,’ but
still did not feel very anxious myself. I was more struck
with the idea of a comparative stranger being so deeply anxious
about what concerned me so little. But I thought of what
you had said, and I began to pray. Suddenly a strange fear
came upon me; I felt I was in danger, and needed some one to
rescue me. I continued almost agonizing in prayer,
‘Lord, save, or I perish;’ and as I prayed, He who
stilled the tempest, also stilled the tumult within my heart and
gave me peace. I felt Him to be near unto me, and even as
Jacob did, I wrestled for a blessing. I sought my bible,
and then the whole plan of salvation became clear unto me, and
<i>now</i> I want to begin to serve my Maker with all my
power.”</p>
<p>Time passed on, and each day that once sceptical man grew in
grace, and in the knowledge of his Saviour; he became an earnest
disciple, and went about telling to the world around what a dear
Saviour <i>he</i> had found.</p>
<p>There we see an instance of how much good we may be the means
of doing, if we will only try. <i>Seven</i> words were the
means of arousing that man. The most lengthy and eloquent
discourse will often fail, but a few words spoken in love and
with earnest prayer for their success, may pierce the hardest
heart.</p>
<p>Unconverted reader! I’m greatly concerned about
<i>your soul</i>. <i>How</i> do you intend to answer the
questions put to you at the last day? How will you dare to
say, I <i>knew</i> the way, but I <i>would not</i> walk in
it? Do you ever think of the future? do you remember that
there <i>must be</i> an end to your life, and that you
<i>must</i> live again either in happiness or misery? Oh!
stop and think; ere you leap the fatal precipice, pray for mercy!
and remember that you <i>may</i> live without Christ, but
<i>how</i> will you <i>die</i> without Him?</p>
<p>Let me tell you again “I’m <i>greatly</i>
concerned about <i>your soul</i>,” and earnestly pray that
our Heavenly Father will, ere it is too late, make you concerned
about your own soul.</p>
<p style="text-align: right">M. A. C.</p>
<div class="gapmediumline"> </div>
<p style="text-align: center"><i>Price</i> 4<i>d.</i> <i>per</i>
100.—3<i>s.</i> <i>per</i> 1000.<br />
4<i>s.</i> <i>per thousand</i>, <i>post free</i>, <i>by Samuel
Jarrold</i>, <i>Norwich</i>.</p>
<div>*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 62003 ***</div>
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