THE following story was related to a servant of God by the father of the young man, whose funeral he had been attending.
P — H — was brought up by Christian parents, and from childhood he had been taught the evil of man’s heart, and the terrible consequences of sin, — namely, death, judgment, and everlasting destruction in the place prepared for the devil and his angels. God’s love too had been put before him, — God, who “so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:1616For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16)). He was told too that “This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners” (1 Tim. 1:1515This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. (1 Timothy 1:15)). He had been instructed in the truth.
At twenty years of age he was put in charge of a factory in one of the largest towns in the north of Spain, where for some years, in spite of his youth, he proved worthy of his father’s confidence.
Yet he was on slippery ground, alone in a large town, in daily contact with the world, ignorant of the wickedness of his own heart, and of the many and artful snares set in his pathway by Satan, and in which he soon became entangled. He went from bad to worse, and was soon known as one of the most dissipated young men in the neighborhood.
It was in vain that his parents remonstrated. The scandal became so great, that their only resource was to send him to America, and there his health began to give way. Fearing to die, if he continued this wanton life, he resolved to break from his companions by going to sea, and he engaged himself on board a vessel used to convey prisoners to some islands in the Pacific. Here he heard nothing but oaths, blasphemies, and ungodly conversation all day long, and even to him it seemed like a sort of hell. He thought of his peaceful home, and a longing seized him to return to his parents, but he was engaged for a term of years.
Twelve months passed, and the ship touching at Buenos Ayres, he found means to escape, and obtained a passage on board one sailing for Liverpool. On landing he wrote at once, after a silence of two years, for permission to return home. “Yes,” replied his father, “if you are changed, otherwise not.”
A month of painful suspense to the parents ensued, and then came a telegram, “I shall arrive by the coach at nine o’clock.” The hour came, and a pale, emaciated young man alighted, who fell weeping into his father’s arms.
For a time all went well, and even his health seemed to improve. He attended all the preachings, and his parents began to think that he was indeed like the prodigal son in Luke 15, lost and found. But, alas, his old instincts revived, and it became manifest that there was no real work in his soul at all.
The Lord’s people wrestled in prayer for him; but his hostility became so great, that he refused to see any of them, and even thrust one of them, an intimate friend, out of the house. Yet even then his conscience must have been at work, for on seeing tears in the eyes of an aged Christian, he said, “Go away, it is I who have cause to weep, not you.”
Meanwhile disease was doing its work in his system, and he was fast thawing near to the grave. His poor parents were broken-hearted, but they had yet to see how God could work in this prodigal son of theirs.
One morning very early he sent to request his father to come to his room. “Father,” he said, “God spoke to me last night. He has pardoned me, and all my many and hateful sins are forgiven. Christ died on the cross for ME. I am quite happy, and I am going to be with Him, like the poor thief on the cross.”
The father at first thought he was wandering; but it was a true conversion, and the whole face of the dying young man was transformed. God’s work, though unexpected, was real, and the great sinner to whom much was forgiven loved much (Luke 7:4747Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little. (Luke 7:47)). He lived only three days, and during this time he bore witness to the infinite mercy and patience God had shown him. He died in perfect peace, trusting wholly in Jesus Christ his precious Saviour; and throughout eternity he will be one of the trophies of God’s love, and of that grace which, where sin abounded, did much more abound. God has indeed no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but in his conversion and life (Ezek. 33:1111Say unto them, As I live, saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel? (Ezekiel 33:11)). “I, even I, am He that blotteth out thy transgressions for Mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins” (Isa. 43:2525I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins. (Isaiah 43:25)). “Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool” (Isa. 1:1818Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. (Isaiah 1:18)).
Dear reader, do not say, on reading this story, “I shall wait until the last moment to be converted, and meanwhile I intend to enjoy the pleasures of the world.” I would fain have you see in it the fullness of God’s love, and be led at once to turn to Him. You have sinned against Him all your life, and, if still unconverted, “the wrath of God abideth” on you. You may go where you will, and do as you like, in fact give yourself up to pleasure, but you will not be truly happy, for “the wrath of God abideth” on you. May you learn too from the case of this poor young man, how slippery is the pathway of sin, so that you may give heed to wisdom’s warning: “Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away” (Prov. 4:14, 1514Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men. 15Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away. (Proverbs 4:14‑15)).