I WAS one day visiting a gaol, and had been I having long and deeply interesting conversations, in the company of a lady, with the inmates, when, towards three o’clock, we were fairly worn out with work, and we were leaving to get some luncheon, when, as we were going out, I asked the turnkey, a fine young man, “Had he got the great salvation?” He said, “No; but I have been very anxious about it since I was up at the meeting the other night; and the schoolmaster here would like to speak to you about it; and there is another of the officers who, I think, would like to see you.” “Get them in here,” I said, pointing to his sitting-room which was close by. “I will, sir,” he said, and away he went, whilst my friend and I sat down.
Well, I thought, I’m quite worn out, and how shall I be able to undertake such a phalanx of men? My friend said she was quite exhausted, and must go home. I felt so tired that I was on the point of going home too. Here, however, was an opportunity for keeping this body under subjection. There are many ways of doing this―here was one―and what matters if it suffers a little hunger when such a vast stake is at issue; and while I was thinking, in walked three of the finest young men I have ever, seen―intelligent, quiet, and thoughtful. I preached Christ to them, and one, more intelligent perhaps than the others, or rather more ingenious in his arguments to prove that he could do something with advantage to help in his own salvation, especially occupied the conversation.
The devil whispered to me, “Go home and get some luncheon, and then come back at them, you will be twice as strong.”
Perhaps I may not get such another chance, I thought, and went on, and so I kept my body under subjection.
“But, sir,” said one who had hitherto been very silent, “what am I to do with my sins which I commit after I have believed?”
“But,” said I, “do you believe in Jesus as your Saviour?” “I do, sir. I can trust in His blood, through that you have been saying to that other man.”
“Glory be to God,” I thought, “the Lord is using his servant. I shall not be a castaway on this occasion,” and one after another of those fine young men received Christ, and I got up soon after, not feeling hungry, strange to say, and shook hands with them―all three believers in Christ, renouncing all their good endeavors, and resting solely on the blood of Jesus.
This is about a year ago, and I heard the other day that their walk has since been a pattern to other believers.
Now, dear believers, do you understand what it is to keep your body under subjection, lest that by any means you should be a castaway; or, as the Greek has it, “disapproved of,” for service? I must keep this body under subjection if I mean to be used as a servant; and though I may be saved with very little, or even, possibly, with no service, yet “so as by fire” I can understand how Paul, who knew there was no condemnation against him, and therefore gloried in the service of God, kept his body under and brought it into subjection, lest that by any means when he had preached to others he himself should be cast aside as a servant.