1. Awakened
IN an hospital at Fyzabad, India, during severe outbreak of cholera, lay a private of the — Regiment, seriously ill. On either side of him was a man who had been suddenly attacked by cholera. Like the thieve; upon Calvary, one of these feared God, an the other did not. As J. D. lay upon his bed from the lips of the Christian he continually heard passages of the word of God re peated over and over again, as if the poo: man in his last moments would extract from them all the sweetness they container—perhaps, too, with the desire that other might be led to that Saviour, whose love was lighting up his last hours on earth. J. D was not a Christian. Hitherto living the lift of thousands of other soldiers in India, he was a careless and godless man; but the presence of death all around—the word of God repeated by the lips of the dying man by his side—sobered him, and for the first time made him seriously inquire, “What must I do to be saved?” In a day or two the body of the Christian was carried out, his happy spirit already at home with the Lord, and the day after the man on the other side breathed his last. But though death was on his right hand and on it is left, J. D. was spared. The fever left him, and again he entered upon active life. The enemy of souls did his utmost to efface the solemn impression of the hospital ward and of the dying testimony from the Christian’s lips, but in vain. A soul was awakened from the sleep of death! J. D. could find no rest for his conscience, and a second visit to another hospital still further deepened the impression made, and caused the voice of the living God to sound still louder in hit soul.
2. Saved
Five years after the above events, J. D. was stationed at Aldershot still unsaved, and still unhappy. Time had not effaced the memory of the hospital at Fyzabad, and the voice of the dying Christian still sounded in his ears. He constantly attended the barrack church, but could get no peace; indeed, he could not understand much that he heard.
One Sunday morning he asked himself, as he marched to church as usual with his company, “Of what use is all this church-going to me? I get no peace; I am not saved. In spite of all my efforts and my prayers, I seem as far off as ever.” He entered and took his seat. The usual service began; the prayers were finished, and the sermon commenced. But J. D. neither saw nor heard! He had opened his Bible carelessly enough, thinking that, since he could not understand the service, perhaps he might get more good if he read a chapter to himself. His eye rested on the first chapter of John, the 11th and 12th verses: “He came unto His own, and His own received Him not.” He thought of the hatred of the Jews, of their crucifixion of Christ,, and he read on: “But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them who believe on His name.”
It was enough. Church, preacher, and congregation were all forgotten as the newborn soul drew the first breath of that life that was never more to end; and peace—perfect peace—filled the soul of J. D. at last. He saw it all! The scales dropped from his eyes; He believed on His name; he was a child of God; he had received. Christ Jesus, the Lord—nay, more, that Lord had Himself spoken peace to his soul as he sat spellbound in his pew. Only when he heard the men rise and begin to move out of the church did J. D. remember where he was. Oh! what joy now followed the newfound peace! He longed to tell every one of his new treasure. It seemed too long to wait to get to the barrack room; but, once there, he could keep it in no longer and to about twenty-five of his comrades he explained, with a glowing heart, the glories of that scripture which had pierced his heart—of that gospel which had filled his soul with joy, and called him out of darkness into God’s marvelous light. He preached unto them Jesus. Many said he was mad, poor fellow! Some mocked; others would hear him again. J. D. heeded not the jeers or the scorn; he had found what he had sought for five long years—Jesus, his Saviour.
It is now ten years since the above events happened. Many a trial has followed, but J. D. still walks with His Lord, and He with him. May God bless this simple record to some weary soul, for His name’s sake. Amen
A. T. S.