Respect of Persons

The great William Gadsby (shown in the picture) had in his congregation at Manchester two young men who were the sons of a wealthy member. “What a wonderful thing it would be,” thought Gadsby, “if the Lord would save them and bring them into the church.”

Week after week, he weighed his sermons and preached with an eye to the influencing of the two young gentlemen, but to no effect.

One day the great preacher was called to visit the home of a poor cripple boy who immediately began to tell how he had been blessed and saved under the gospel as delivered in the church at Manchester.

“But, I have never seen you in my life,” said William Gadsby to him. “No,” replied the boy, “but I have often heard you preach. I was too ashamed to come into your chapel, but when the service started I used to hide in the gallery stairs.” As he began to relate to Gadsby how the Lord had dealt with his soul in conviction and salvation, the venerable old man was amazed, for they were the very points that he had thought to win his two young wealthy hearers with. “Lord,” he said, “Thou hast been at work on the gallery stairs with this poor cripple, while my thoughts have been among the gentlemen in the baize-covered seats.”