A SERVANT of the Lord was posting, not long ago, over a road in the county of Devon, by which he had many times previously traveled. Before starting from his hotel he exchanged glances with the driver, and recognized in him a man to whom he had often spoken of Christ. Too well did the traveler remember the many rebuffs he had received when, almost with growls, the man had refused the gracious words of the Saviour.
This driver was hard-hearted and rough, knowing and caring for little except his own and other people’s horses. The gentleman took his place on the seat beside him. They had not proceeded far when a conversation commenced, which led the traveler once more to speak faithfully to the driver of his need as a sinner before a holy God. But no response came from the man.
After a time the traveler spoke of God’s grace. He repeated and explained in simple language the assurance from God’s Word, that “whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved,” (Rom. 10:1313For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. (Romans 10:13).)
The poor fellow seemed touched as this text was repeated, and presently, turning round, his face bedewed with tears, he suddenly said, “Oh! thank God, sir; if that’s true, then my poor boy is saved.”
It proved that the Lord had spoken to the man through the illness and death of a dear son. This lad had been employed on the railway, but had been obliged to give up his situation and return to his parents. While at home, lying on his death-bed, he called his father, and, gazing imploringly at him, said, “Oh, father, pray to God to save my poor soul!”
“My lad,” answered his father, “I can’t pray. I don’t know how to pray, but I’ll go and get somebody who can.”
He called in a Christian minister of the town, who spoke to the dying lad, and prayed with and for him. According to the driver’s account, his son cried to the Lord to have mercy on him, saying with the publican, “God be merciful to me, a sinner!” and the Lord, ever gracious, ever ready to hear, answered the lad’s cry. His father had not been able to send up to God the simplest request for his dying boy, or to repeat to him a single text, but he knew that his boy’s fears had ceased, and that he had died in peace. Not knowing before of this beautiful passage of Scripture, which discloses the gracious ways of God, and His readiness to respond to the feeblest cry, the man rejoiced at its sound, and wept for joy as he repeated, “Then my poor boy is saved!”
It is hoped, too, that the grace of God reached, as it doubtless once touched, the hard heart of the old driver.
Dear reader, have you ever, conscious of your ruined and perishing state, sent up the cry to God from your heart, “Lord, remember me”? P.