JOHN D. and Benjamin S., two young men of Manchester, were close companions. They were of good moral character, but they lived only for self, and scoffed at religion, as beneath the notice of reasonable men.
One day, as Benjamin was passing along a street, he heard a preacher utter these words of a hymn: “There is a dreadful hell, and everlasting pains.” He heard no more, but as he hurried on to keep his appointment with his friend, John, the words kept ringing in his ears. He felt ill at ease all the evening and, as the two were separating, he remarked, “What if there should be a hell after all?”
“Nonsense, Ben, are you such a baby as to be frightened by that old woman’s tale?” replied John, with a scornful laugh. “When I die I will come back and tell you if there is a hell, I promise you that.”
They parted, Ben feeling ashamed of his fears, and not liking to be laughed at.
The following day, while John was at work, he met with an accident, and when next Benjamin saw him it was to gaze upon his lifeless corpse. The awful promise his friend had made flashed across Ben’s mind, and he wondered whether John D. was really “done with,” or if a future state, after all; did exist.
During that night, as Benjamin slept, a figure appeared by his bedside. It was none other than that of John, who, opening his breast, revealed flames of fire as he uttered these words, “See, Ben, THIS IS HELL!”
Benjamin awoke, trembling. Convinced of the reality of eternal things, he resolved to flee from the wrath to come; but how to do so was now the question. He dared not pray to the God he had so long neglected and despised, saying to himself, “If I tried to begin to serve Him now, what would God say to me concerning the past?” The more he thought of his sins, and the more terrible the future grew before his mind, the worse did matters seem to become, until he was in despair. “I have willfully a neglected and insulted God, and now I am lost; I cannot help myself,” was his desponding conclusion.
As soon as he was convinced that he could do nothing to save himself, God showed him the way of life. He entered a chapel, as men would say by hap, and just as he did so the minister read out the text: “This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.” The words seemed written on purpose for Benjamin, and before he went home that night he had found Jesus as his Saviour, and rejoiced in the knowledge of forgiven sins.
Ben at once set to work to endeavor to undo some of the mischief which he had done. He became as earnest in bringing others to Jesus as he had before been eager in keeping them away from Him. He became a zealous Christian worker, and his efforts were crowned with much blessing.
May all who read these words take warning, and come to the Saviour while yet there is opportunity, for though the sneer and scoff are to be heard daily, yet what the Bible tells us of a future state, and of the hell that is prepared, is true. Undoubtedly, hell is prepared for the devil and his angels, but if sinful men will refuse God’s salvation, that awful doom will be their portion. Will you force an entrance into outer darkness by trampling underfoot the blood of the loving Saviour, who died to save the chief of sinners, and whose word even to you is this, “Him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out”? (John 6:3737All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. (John 6:37)) R. B. Y.