IN the parish of C―, in the North of Devon, resided a family, the parents of which are children of God. Their eldest child, when young, attended a Sunday school in the neighborhood of their residence, where he was instructed in those truths which are able to make wise unto salvation, through faith in Christ Jesus. When he became older, he left the school and obtained employment, and the instruction he had received seemed to have been forgotten and lost. In this state he continued until the age of eighteen, when it pleased the Lord, of His great mercy, to bring him to a saving knowledge of Jesus, in the following remarkable manner.
At the time alluded to he was in the service of a farmer, whose wife was converted to God, and who had often spoken to him and his fellow-servant concerning their state before God.
One evening, when she returned from hearing the word of God, she found John H―and his fellow servant sitting by the fire. She asked why they had not been at the meeting? To which John replied, that there was no room there. Knowing this to be a mere excuse, she said, “There will be room enough in hell!” to which he answered, “We shall only make the fire larger!” They then went out, swearing, and saying that she only made them worse by speaking to them. It was winter, and dark, and as they went out of the house, John― stumbled over an iron pot used in farmhouses, which the servant had left outside the door, and in falling he slightly injured his knee. There was a small wound, but it did not seem likely to be attended with serious consequences.
It was on a Wednesday evening when he fell as above described, and he continued without seemingly having much the matter with him, until the Saturday week following, when he complained of a swelling in his neck. A medical man saw him on the Monday following, who at first was inclined to think that it might be the mumps, and he was thinking of leaving, but there was something that struck him as strange about the symptoms, and on more closely examining them, he was alarmed at the case, and pronounced it to be one of great danger, as he found the swelling in the neck was connected with lock-jaw, and he at once intimated that there were but little, if any, hopes of recovery.
This fearful malady was making rapid progress; he soon became stiff and unable to lie on his back or side, but lay on his stomach, with his head hanging over the bed, in great suffering, and incapable of moving.
He was in this state when a servant of Christ went to visit him. He spoke to him about his soul and asked him what he thought would become of him if he died in his present condition. His reply was, “Oh, sir! if I die now, I know I shall go to hell.” He then spoke to him about Jesus as a Saviour.
The same evening there was a meeting of believers for reading the Scriptures, at the house of Mr.―. When they met, it was proposed they should devote the time to prayer for the conversion of poor John; and also for parents generally, that they might be more exercised in soul respecting the conversion of their children. Prayer was offered up to the Lord with much earnestness, and there was such a manifest presence of the Spirit of God in the meeting, that those who prayed felt assured their prayer would be answered.
The first thing Mr.― learned on the following morning, was, that poor John was converted! He went to see him, and found him peaceful and happy instead of restless and distressed. He was lying in the same position over the side of the bed as on the day before; but, oh! how changed as regards his soul! On seeing Mr.―, he said to him, “I know now that my sins are forgiven. I am not afraid to die, and I shall go to Jesus. Last night that word came to me, ‘Come 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.’” A great change had indeed been wrought in him―he had passed from death unto life, and was now manifestly a new creature in Christ Jesus.
His mother said he had been praying in the night, and that now the Lord had answered prayer for him, and that he had told her he was saved, she could give him up to the Lord, being assured of his salvation.
Mr.―then read to him John 14, and after reading and speaking some time stopped, seeing him much exhausted, and asked if he should pray with him, to which he replied, “Please go on, I want to hear all I can of the Lord first, I shall not go for half an hour.”
Mr. remained with him some time, and it was evident that his soul was resting peacefully on the atoning blood of Christ, and that through faith he had “peace with God.” It was now that what he had formerly heard at the Sunday School returned to his recollection, and as one proof of it, he requested Mr.― to sing the hymn beginning―
“There is a fountain filled with blood,
Drawn from Emmanuel’s veins,”
&c. which Mr.― only read to him, as he was suffering greatly in body.
After he had left, poor John was not satisfied with the hymn having only been read, but requested it might be sung, which was accordingly done by a few of the Lord’s people that were gathered around his bed. He then spoke much about his unconverted fellow-servant, and his unconverted relations, sending messages to each, and exhorting them to seek the Lord, and not to put off doing so, as he had done, to the time of sickness and death. His mistress came to see him, and was satisfied, and thankful to the Lord, that He had plucked him from that very burning of which he had so heedlessly spoken but a little time before.
He continued till the afternoon of the same day, when a violent convulsion came on, and he was speechless.
One of his godly relations, who was standing by his bedside, then said, “I could not pray for him to be taken whilst he could say anything for the Lord, but now he can speak for Him no more, let us ask the Lord to take him soon to Himself.” Accordingly, they did so. One faint expression only they heard which sounded like “Jesus.” And whilst they were praying, his happy spirit peacefully departed, to be “forever with the Lord,” who had so loved him and given Himself for him.
Forever be the glory given
To thee, O Lamb of God!
Our every joy on earth, in heaven,
We owe it Thy blood.