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Transcript

God Never Forgets His Own: "When the Roll Is Called Up Yonder" · Traveler’s Tales

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  Every hymn has a birthplace. Some begin in a revival meeting. Others begin in a quiet
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  study with an open Bible. This hymn began in a forgotten alley. One unexpected encounter,
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  one faithful pastor, one little girl, and one eternal truth all come together to produce
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  a hymn that Christians have sung with joy for more than a hundred years.
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  Welcome to Traveler's Tales, produced by Enjoying the Journey. I'm Greg Dowdy.
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  On Traveler's Tales, we revisit the people, places, and moments that God has used throughout
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  history to point hearts to Himself. And as we travel together, we're reminded that every
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  story of God's faithfulness encourages us to trust Him more today.
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  Today's journey takes us to Williamsport, Pennsylvania, in the year 1893, where one
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  unexpected meeting in a forgotten alley gave birth to one of the most beloved hymns ever
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  written. James M. Black served as the youth pastor of his church. One ordinary day, he
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  decided to take a shortcut to the post office. It seemed like a small decision, but God often
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  guides His children through what appear to be very ordinary moments.
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  That unfamiliar alley revealed a world James had never seen. Poverty lined the narrow passageways.
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  Broken homes and hardship filled that little neighborhood. As he walked, he noticed a poorly
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  dressed young girl sweeping the back porch of a small apartment. She was the daughter
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  of an alcoholic father, and life had not been easy for her. James stopped and asked a simple
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  question, Do you go to church? The little girl quietly replied, No, sir, I have nothing
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  proper to wear. Her answer revealed far more than a lack of
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  clothing. It revealed a young heart that longed to come, but felt she simply didn't
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  belong. James asked her name. Bessie, she answered. Then he smiled and said, Bessie,
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  my wife and another lady from church will come visit you soon. And they did. They brought
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  dresses for her, but more importantly, they brought kindness, friendship, and the love
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  of Jesus. Soon, Bessie began faithfully attending every
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  Sunday service. Before the evening worship service, the young people gathered for a training
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  meeting. James had a unique way of taking attendance. As each young person's name
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  was called, they would respond by quoting a verse of Scripture. Then came one Sunday
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  evening that James would never forget. Bessie. Silence. No Scripture. No cheerful voice.
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  No response. She had never missed before. Concerned, James and his wife visited her
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  home after church. There they discovered that Bessie was seriously ill. Her father had no
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  money to call a doctor, so James contacted his own doctor, who came immediately. The
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  diagnosis was pneumonia. As James walked home that evening, one thought would not leave
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  his mind. When Bessie's name had been called, there was no answer. Suddenly, God impressed
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  another scene upon his heart. Not an earthly attendance roll, but a heavenly one. What
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  a glorious day it will be when God's children are gathered in His presence and every redeemed
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  saint answers the call because they are safely home forever. Before the evening was over,
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  the first verse flooded his mind. He sat down at the piano, and both the words and
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  melody came almost effortlessly. Remarkably, the tune has remained essentially unchanged
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  from the day it was written. Only a few days later, young Bessie stepped from this life
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  into the presence of her Savior. The young people of the church saying James Black's
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  knew him for the very first time at her funeral. It was called, When the Roll is Called a Pionder.
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  What began in a forgotten alley became a song that has encouraged millions of believers
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  around the world. There are several lessons we can carry with us today from this truth.
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  First, never underestimate the power of one compassionate act. James Black could have
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  continued walking. Instead, he stopped. One conversation changed a little girl's eternity
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  and eventually blessed countless others. We never know what God intends to do through
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  our willingness to notice the people others overlook.
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  Second, every person matters to God. Bessie was poor. She was forgotten by society. Yet
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  heaven knew her name. The Lord sees people the world often ignores, and He calls His
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  followers to do the same. Third, there is a role that matters far more
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  than any attendance list on earth. And one day, every person will stand before God. The
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  question is not whether your name is known in this world, but whether your name has been
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  written in the Lamb's Book of Life through faith in Jesus Christ.
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  The greatest assurance a Christian possesses is not simply that we attend church today,
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  but that one day we will answer heaven's call with joy because we belong to Christ.
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  Perhaps today is also a reminder to ask yourself another question. If your name were called
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  today, would you answer? Not in a church classroom, not in a school attendance book,
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  but in eternity. By God's grace, through faith in Jesus Christ, you can know that when
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  the role is called up yonder, you'll be there. Thank you for joining me today on Traveler's
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  Tales. If you'd like to continue exploring God's truth, we encourage you to visit us
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  at ETJ.Bible. You'll find biblical teaching and practical resources to help you grow in
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  your walk with Christ and encourage others on theirs.