Have you ever listened to the busy “tick-tick” of telegraph messages coming and going at a busy railway station? I have often seen curious boys standing and watching with interest as the little machines “rat-tat-tat,” and a clever man sits at the desk “tap-tapping” the answers. What a strange way to send a message, but what important news sometimes comes ticking its way along the wires. Many offices now have teletype machines, but I would like to tell you the story of how God spoke to Fred Thorne and saved his soul by means of a telegraph message.
Fred was in misery. He wasn’t sick —in fact his health was excellent. He wasn’t poor, for he had a steady job in a telegraph office. But Fred was a lost sinner and he was miserable. Oh, yes, he had been a lost sinner for a long time, but he had just been awakened to the fact.
He had often been to Sunday school, yet he had paid little attention to what was said. When at last he got a job he felt he was too old for Sunday school. But last night, a friend had brought him out to hear the gospel, and today he was miserable. He had found out just last night that he was a lost sinner in the sight of God! What a discovery! It is true of you too, unsaved reader, and I hope the discovery of it may burden your heart till you find the Saviour that Fred found.
Fred sat at his desk and lifted up his heart to God that he might find peace instead of misery. At that moment he heard the peculiar “tick-tick” that let him know his station was being called. He quickly picked up his pencil and wrote the name of the sender and reiver of the wire. Then came the message: “Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.” John 1:2929The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. (John 1:29).
What a strange and yet what a glorious message to come through a telraph office! As soon as Fred was through work, he rushed home to his mother and told her, “That message went right down into my heart.”
Dear reader, young or old, are your sins forgiven? Have you redemption through the blood of Jesus?
ML 08/08/1954