WANT to relate to you the story of the conversion of Annie H—. Some few months ago a dear Christian friend and I were holding gospel meetings in the town of F—. On the particular night of which I speak we had finished speaking of the wondrous tale of the salvation of God, and were just looking up to God in prayer to bless the word to precious, never-dying souls.
A fellow-believer in Christ gave out a hymn beginning—
“Hark! hark! hear the glad tidings!
Soon, soon, Jesus will come,
Robed, robed in honor and glory,
To gather His ransomed ones home.
Dear reader, many of those present could sing that hymn with all their hearts. The Lord Jesus Christ is coming (it way be TODAY) to snatch all His blood-washed ones away to heaven to be with Himself forever (see 1 Thess. 4:15-1815For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. 16For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 17Then 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. 18Wherefore comfort one another with these words. (1 Thessalonians 4:15‑18)). When that happens, then it will be said that "they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut"—(Matt. 25:1010And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut. (Matthew 25:10)). Are you made ready by the blood of Jesus Christ, which alone can fit you for that time? You know that well-known hymn beginning, "There is a gate that stands ajar." The love of the heart of God has thrown wide open the way to heaven. It is much more than ajar now; but when Christ comes for His own, it will be shut forever.
Dear Annie knew that if Jesus were to come it would not be glad tidings for her, as she was not ready. She thought of her sins, of coming judgment, and saw herself in the sight of God a guilty, hell-deserving, sinner. Her soul's anguish was so great, that she could restrain her tears no longer.
They literally coursed down her face. Thank God, they were the tears of repentance on earth, not the scalding tears of biting remorse in hell.
I went up to her and asked her what it was that so troubled her. With much difficulty she told me, through her sobs, that she wanted to be ready for Jesus when He came. I found out that she was truly repentant for her sins, and was eager to get rid of them. So it was with great joy I pointed out to her those simple but all-sufficient verses, which declare so plainly the way of salvation—
"Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved, and thy house" (Acts 16:3131And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. (Acts 16:31)). "Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that believeth on me hath everlasting life" (John 6:4747Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life. (John 6:47), also John 3:16-3616For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 17For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. 18He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 19And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 20For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. 21But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God. 22After these things came Jesus and his disciples into the land of Judea; and there he tarried with them, and baptized. 23And John also was baptizing in Aenon near to Salim, because there was much water there: and they came, and were baptized. 24For John was not yet cast into prison. 25Then there arose a question between some of John's disciples and the Jews about purifying. 26And they came unto John, and said unto him, Rabbi, he that was with thee beyond Jordan, to whom thou barest witness, behold, the same baptizeth, and all men come to him. 27John answered and said, A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven. 28Ye yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but that I am sent before him. 29He that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom's voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled. 30He must increase, but I must decrease. 31He that cometh from above is above all: he that is of the earth is earthly, and speaketh of the earth: he that cometh from heaven is above all. 32And what he hath seen and heard, that he testifieth; and no man receiveth his testimony. 33He that hath received his testimony hath set to his seal that God is true. 34For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him. 35The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand. 36He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him. (John 3:16‑36)). She now saw that all she had to do was to trust Christ and His work, declared to her through God's word, and salvation was hers. As she drank in the precious truth of a free salvation I could see how it calmed the tempest within. The tears still flowed, but they were now the quiet tears of joy.
I said to her, "Shall we sing—
“Oh, I am so happy in Jesus!
From sin and from sorrow set free
So happy that He is my Savior,
So happy that Jesus loves me "?
She said, "Do please." And smilingly, through her tears, she sang with all her heart her first song of praise to Him Who first loved her and gave Himself for her. Dear reader, do as dear Annie did. Trust in Christ. And her future—heaven's joy-will be yours. If you still refuse, what an awful eternity you are madly drifting on to—hell, with all its woes!
“O worldling, give ear while the saints are near
Soon must the tie be riven:
And men side by side, God's hand shall divide
As far as hell's depths from heaven.
“The children of day are summoned away,
Left are the children of night;
Sealed is their doom, for there's no more room,
Filled are the mansions of light.
“What an awful cry will rend the sky—
Open to us, O Lord!
Oh, ye sinners, ere the door be shut,
Let that cry in faith be heard”
A. J. P.