THE following narrative of the death-bed of a hardened sinner, the facts of which I can vouch for, awakes many sad and painful reflections. Some fully intend to get to heaven, and yet, after all, miss it by a minute. I was standing one day watching the passengers going on board a steamer; some came early, some late; at last the signal-whistle sounded, the bridge was taken in, and off the steamer started. Just as she steamed away a gentleman ran up, panting; he could nearly touch the steamer with his outstretched hand, but he was too late, though only by a minute! So it is with many sinners today; they mean to be Christians someday, and yet they put it off till they are lost; “almost persuaded,” but lost. As the Spanish proverb has it, they live on the road of By-and-by, which leads to the town of Never.
The man of whom I write was a soldier, and one who professedly cared neither for God nor devil, nor believed in either heaven or hell. Like the generality of infidels, G. was a very amoral man, and openly made a mockery of religion, as he called it; he persistently refused any Christian advice, living only for time, and laughed at the thought of eternity.
At last consumption, the result of his dissolute life, laid its hand on him, and we found rim in hospital, dying. As is common with that fatal disease, he would not believe he was near his end, and still maintained his enmity against God; and very painful it was to me to hear some of my fellow-soldiers, who had visited G. in hospital, laughingly saying that G. meant to die as he had lived. He would lot see a minister, or let anyone speak to him on religious topics, and when one would go to his bedside, to entreat him to think of the suture, he mockingly, and with assumed bravado, would turn round to the patient in the next bed―an equally hardened sinner―and pet him a shilling that he would be in hell first.
But this, beloved reader, was only whilst Lie would not believe the hand of death was so near. At last he became so much worse that he entreated the military surgeon to allow an eminent civil doctor of the town to see him, saying that Doctor M. would soon put him right, and ease him of the heavy choking weight on his chest. The surgeon acceded to his request, and Doctor. M. came. Poor G. eagerly opened his shirt, to make bare his chest for the doctor’s inspection; but he only looked sadly at him, saying, “Ah, poor G., I can do nothing for you; I must tell you that you are very near death, and cannot possibly live many hours.”
G. was appalled, and a look of indescribable horror came over his face, as he thus abruptly faced the gaunt monster, death. The news was too much for him; he cried out, “Then I am lost! I am lost!”
He sent for his poor wife, from whom he had separated, and begged her forgiveness; then he called for a minister, as he said, to make his peace with God, but before he arrived G. was delirious. His horror was intense; he repeatedly threw up his hands, crying, “Oh! open that gate! open that gate!” and, with that awful look on his face, and that unanswered prayer on his lips, he passed away.
The gate had been closed, and he was too late! As I gazed on his dead face that horrorstricken look remained. I instinctively turned to Matt. 25:11, 1211Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. 12But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not. (Matthew 25:11‑12), and read, “Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. But He answered and said, Verily, I say unto you, I know you not.”
Dear reader, God says, “Now is the accepted time,” and He tells you that you are an object of His love, as expressed in that beautiful verse, 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). Come to Jesus, and have that rest which He alone can give, Matt. 11:2828Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. (Matthew 11:28). Let not the ungodly keep you away from God, for though they may dare to live without Christ, yet they dare not face death without Him; and in a dying hour God may say to you, as He did to G., “Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched Out My hand, and no man regarded; but ye have set at naught all My counsel, and would none of My reproof; I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh.” (Prov. 1:24-2624Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded; 25But ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof: 26I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh; (Proverbs 1:24‑26).) If this were your death-bed experience, you also would know the terrors of a closed gate, and cry with the lost, “The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved.” (Jer. 8:2020The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved. (Jeremiah 8:20).) But, beloved reader, we hope better things of you, and that you will not neglect this great salvation, but will receive the gift of God, which is eternal life, through Jesus Christ our Lord. “Prepare to meet thy God.” J. H.