ONE fine July morning, a young man who was a simple believer in the Lord. Jesus Christ, entered a rail-way station in Kent, and, having procured a ticket for the "West,” took a seat in a va cant carriage; after silent prayer for guidance in selecting.
Being sensible of the special opportunities that are afforded to those traveling,, for speaking to individuals about the finished, eternal, and free salvation that God is offering to any who will accept it, he continued in prayer to God that He would choose for him fellow-passengers. Several persons looked in at the door, and passed on, but just ere the train started, a man, about thirty years of age, of quiet demeanor, and neatly dressed, seated himself by the window at the opposite end of the carriage.
The young man, fully persuaded that this was no chance companion, took his Bible from his pocket, and, as he did so, noticed that his companion was bending over what was unmistakably the Word of God. Shortly after, the elder traveler moved quietly across the seat, until close to his elbow, and, looking into his face, said, with deep earnestness “Will you tell me how anyone can be saved?”
After a brief silence the other answered, “On the ground of what God has said in the third chapter of John, I can tell you that anyone, whosoever will,’ may receive eternal life by believing on the Lord Jesus Christ, there, presented as the Son of God.”
“If salvation be such an easy thing, why is it that so few seem to possess it?”
“From the very simplicity many are blinded who are in some measure aware of their peril and helpless condition; but the great obstacle to men coming to God is that our natural pride and haughty independence of God leads us to prefer the lies of Satan to the truth of God.
Men love darkness rather than light, because their deeds are evil.' ‘The carnal mind is enmity against God and is not subject to him.' (John 3:99Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be? (John 3:9), and Rom. 8:77Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. (Romans 8:7)). And it is to sinners as such that God in rich grace is offering everlasting life (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), Rom. 5:88But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8)), but sinners must come as sinners deserving nothing but His judgment, then He can bless them through what His own beloved Son has done. We can then. wonder that God could so love us that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever 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)).”
“Then if I believe on the Lord Jesus Christ how am I to know that I have this eternal life, and am saved?”
“By believing what God tells us in His Word. In John 5:2424Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. (John 5:24), the Lord Jesus says, Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that heareth my word and believeth on him that sent me hath everlasting life (not shall have as in 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)), and shall not come into judgment, but is passed from death unto life,' and in the last verse of chapter He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life,' &c.
In 1 John 5, God shows that He wishes a believer to know he has this life, saying These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God, that ye may know that ye have eternal life.'”
The younger then asked him if he were fully convinced that what had been said and read was true of him, when he gave a most interesting account of his conversion as follows:— “One night, while in bed, thoughts of God's holiness, and the judgment due to me, pressed upon me with such convicting force, that all sleep was driven from me. The more I thought about it the more dreadful it seemed to think of meeting God. I knew that He was merciful, and for some little while that eased my conscience, but shortly this comfort was lost; and, do what I would for some days, I could not get away from the truth that I must one day stand face to face with God.
“I sometimes prayed in intense desire to try and appease His wrath by my efforts, and often tremblingly opened the Bible, but dreaded to read it, and always found myself condemned; the more I read the more hopeless it appeared to me; every word seemed to tell me that I should soon be lost; for I read much of the Old Testament, and God's infinite holiness, there so markedly displayed, was torture for me to think of.
“Finding no peace or rest in prayers, or religious observances, but rather an increase of wretchedness, I, after a time, summoned courage enough to go to a professed teacher of religion who I thought would be sure to be able to set me all right, and tell me what to 'do' that I might get peace with God. On seeing him privately, I told him my case, at which he very cheeringly told me not to worry myself, but to read my Bible, say my prayers, regularly attend church, and be honest and upright, and live soberly, and leave the rest to God; it would be all right in the end.
“On my further pressing him, for this did not satisfy me, as I had tried all these, he would have nothing more to say to me, looking on me with suspicion, as being one holding peculiar views.
With a heart sick at my own efforts, which I could even then detect to be empty and hollow ceremonies for any poor lost soul, and with bitter disappointment that one who took the place of being a teacher, chosen of God, to explain His Word and to show men God's way of salvation, could not even tell me one step, being ignorant himself, I gave myself up to despair, sometimes callous, then again reading the Bible as often as possible, though convicted at every turn. I longed to be able to do something, but could not find what to do except the Ten Commandments, which I knew I could not keep. Soon the terrible anxiety of soul, and want of sleep and food, told severely on my body, and I was ordered by doctors to keep from reading; but what was the use of that, when just then I could not get away from it, spending whole nights poring over God's Word.
“At length, the body could hold out no longer, and I was taken to one of the large hospitals in London, but no human effort could reach the soul, and, soon after being brought there, I was sinking so fast, and grew so much worse, that the doctors expected that in a few days I should die. My little strength gradually gave way, but as the bodily vigor relaxed, the agony of soul increased, until it seemed as though I must go mad. I was conscious that I was dying fast, and, as the doctor came round the ward, I listened with strained ears to catch some tidings of my state, and heard my doom as I dreaded, when he murmured that I should only last a few hours at most, and passed on, not expecting to see me alive again, wondering and puzzled at that which so baffled his skill, and yet had such indistinct symptoms.
“Then the awful reality of all that I had shuddered to think of seemed to have come upon me. I was actually sinking into hell. Yes! could feel each breath drew me down nearer.
I was now fully convinced that I was about to die, and oh! the agony of my soul knowing that after death the judgment.' How empty and disgusting everything looked to me that I had done to gain salvation. All my religion, and morality, and kind words, and actions, on which I had built hopes for the future could not cover over my sins, but Only showed them to me clearer.
“Quivering with indescribable terror, I clutched the little bed on which I lay, and in the agony of such exquisite horror unconsciously opened one eye, which fell on a large text of Scripture, several of which were round the room, The words arrested my attention.
It was the fifth verse of Psa. 42 I read slowly, 'Why art thou bowed down, oh my soul, why art thou disquieted within me. Hope thou in God.' I closed my eyes, but the words were as if written in fire on my brain, Hope thou in God.' What! hope in God? In the very God I so dreaded to meet, in whose sight I knew I was nothing but a vile guilty wretch, was I to hope in Him? I read again Hope thou in God, for I shall yet praise him, for the help of his countenance.'
“I can never, by any possibility, utter words to express the surge of wonder and joy that flooded my poor anguished heart as I read the last sentence. I read it over and over, each time being the more certain that this was the Spirit of God speaking to my soul, and though there was nothing to rest upon but those last few words, yet I believed that this was a word specially to me, and it was from God, so I abandoned. myself to Him, trusting that He would save me, and that I should yet live to praise Him. Shortly after I fell into a deep sleep, from which I awoke very weak, but much refreshed, and in quiet, calm repose on that word opposite my bed. In a surprisingly short time I was able to leave the hospital, to the wonder of doctors, friends, and others, but not until I had learned another view of the cross, and had feebly grasped the truth that Jesus, God's Son, had borne my sins in His own body on the tree. Since then God hast taught me bit by bit, and I am still learning from His word, and find that nothing but the Scriptures can defeat Satan in his attempts to snatch away my peace and enjoyment of the fact that God has saved me; but each day adds fresh confidence, and I can now ' praise God.'”
The train stopped and the two travelers changed for different routes, parting with mutual expressions of love, and thankfulness for their ride in each other's company; not to meet again, may be, until that blessed moment arrives when, whether they be asleep or alive, they will together be caught up, and be " forever with the Lord" (1 Thess. 4:1717Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. (1 Thessalonians 4:17)).
And now, dear reader, how is it with you?
Are you saved, or are you tampering with God's gracious long-suffering? God is now beseeching sinners to be reconciled to Him, but this wondrous salvation is not always to be offered thus. At any moment the door may be shut, though open so wide now, and then it will be useless to call on Him whom you knew as Lord, but not as Saviour. His words 'will haunt you throughout eternity, “Depart from me. I know you not," (Matt. 25:1111Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. (Matthew 25:11)). He knows His sheep, and is known of them, and not one will be left down here after He comes in the cloud to summon them up to Himself. Then no longer will the blessed glad tidings ring out to a rejecting, scoffing world, but, every ray of light removed, gross darkness and judgment will be poured out. “How shall ye escape if ye neglect so great salvation." Oh! come, 'as a sinner, to the Lord Jesus Christ.