p. 5 | The Human Touch

Pacific Press Publishing Association · Mountain View, California · Apr 11, 1911

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 38, No. 15.

The Human Touch

“WHEN did your reformation begin?” a gentleman asked a Christian man who had formerly been a great criminal.

“With my talk with the earl” (Shaftesbury, noted for his devotion to discharged criminals).

“What did the earl say?”

“It was not so much anything he said, but he took my hand in his and said, ‘Jack, you’ll be a man yet.’ It was the touch of his hand electrified by his soul of love.”

There are living in your town, on your streets, perhaps, men and women who are in despair. Yes, long ago they went away from God. Down into the depths they plunged. Now all is lost. Purity is gone. Courage is gone. Faith is gone. Hope flickers but feebly. They could be saved if some one would only show them compassion. Stretch out your hand and rescue them by a touch of love!

A gentleman visiting a glass manufactory saw a man molding clay into the great pots which later were to be used in shaping the glass. Noticing that all the molding was done by hand, he said to the workman:

“Why do you not use a tool to aid you in shaping the clay?”

“There is no tool that can do this kind of work,” replied the artisan. “We have tried a number of tools, but somehow it needs the human touch.” —Anon.