If there is anyone who likes to tell stories. It is Brother Asiel. One day we were standing by a school building in Tanzania. I said. Brother Asiel. Do you have another story to tell me.
Oh. Yes. He replied. When i was in Rwanda someone told us a story at camp meeting. You come to my house this evening and i will tell it to you. He promised.
And where do you suppose. I went that evening. I went right down to Brother Asiel's house. For a story was waiting there for me. Now here is the story he told me
In a country in Southern Africa a pastor was driving along a road to visit a faraway church. There were no churches along the way. And not very many houses. He wondered where he would spend the night.
Evening came. Suddenly something happened. The pastor's car would not go. It stopped right in the road. He got out and looked at the engine. He looked at the wheels. He looked at the gas tank. But he could not find one thing wrong with his car.
He got in and tried to start it. But still it would not. Whatever is wrong with my car. He said to himself. And then he prayed that God would help him start that car. He tried again but still it would not start.
I guess I will have to spend the night here. He said at last. He started out to find a house. After a while he met a man. Can you tell me where the chief's house it. He asked the man. Yes. I can show you. So the two of them went to the chief's house.
I am having much trouble. The pastor told the chief. My car will not go. It's getting dark. May i stay in this village tonight. Yes. You may stay in my house tonight. Then tomorrow you can go to find someone to help you with your car. After a while. The chief called the pastor to eat with him.
They sat down at the table. Then the pastor bowed his head to ask the blessing on the food. What are you doing. The chief asked the pastor. I am thanking my God for this food.
The chief had never seen anyone pray like this before. He offered his food to idols before he ate. After supper. The pastor went to his room. He took his bible and began to read. What are you doing. The chief asked him.
I am reading my Bible. The pastor answered. What is a bible. The chief asked. It is the word of God. Said the pastor. Oh. Is there another God than mine. Asked the chief. Yes.
I do not want another God in my house. The chief told him. You go tomorrow. The next morning the pastor read his bible again. What are you doing. The chief asked him. I am reading my Bible. I told you i do not want you to do that in my house.
In this bible is the word of God. Who can make a great change. The pastor said. But the chief did not listen. After a while. The pastor went to find someone who could help him with his car. But no one knew what the trouble was.
Evening came and the pastor returned to the house. He got his bible out to read. Then he called the chief to listen. Is your book more powerful than my god. The chief asked. Yes. It is. Answered the pastor. I cannot belive it.
Said the chief. Then he brought three antelope horns. These are my gods. Said the chief. Do you see them. Yes. The pastor replied. I see them. Then the chief told the pastor about his gods. The first one makes me to be loved by people. I have been chief a long time because of this horn.
The second one keeps me safe from spirits that trouble people. If someone hates me and sends spirits to kill me. I take my horn and ask who sent them. Then i will know who sent them. After that i can send spirits to kill everyone in the house. The third horn gives me power and strength.
No one can run faster than I since no one can pray as well as i can. All my beliefs are in these horns. Then the pastor said. In this book is the power of the creator and the saviour of this world. But the chief did not believe him. So the pastor read to him from the book.
But the chief said. I do not belive this has much power as my horns. Let us see. Said the pastor. Let us find out. Call all your people and we will see. So the chief called his people. The pastor told the people. Now i want to run with this man to that point. We will see whose God is strongest.
Then someone counted and they ran and ran. The pastor reached the goal. But the chief was not there. The pastor went back to where the race began. He found the chief walking away. The chief said. I am sorry. My power failed. Then he took hold of the arm of the pastor. We will try again.
He said. The pastor got away from the chief. Then the pastor took the chief's arm. But the chief could not get away. Then they wrestled to see who could be the first one to fall to the ground. Three times the pastor put the chief on the ground. But the chief could not put the pastor down on the ground.
Now the people were talking loudly. We have seen that the pastor has a true and a rare God. But the chief said. Let me rest in my house. Later this evening i will talk to you. So the chief went to rest. After a while the chief said to the pastor. Where can i find this God.
You will find him in this book. He told men to write the holy bible to teach them about him. Since my god failed. I want a powerful God like yours. Said the chief. I can leave my Bible if you will give me the three horns. If you give them to me i will know you belive in this stronger God that the book tells about.
The book is not a god. But God told men to write messages he gave to them. These messages tell us about the true God. The chief brought the three horns and took the bible. The next morning when the pastor tried his car there was not one thing wrong with it.
He got in and drove away. And what the of the chief. Oh. He was baptized into the church of the true God. And thirty-seven other were baptized. Too. He gave land for a church building also. All this happened when the chief really found whose God was the biggest.
