SOME years ago, during a time of great spiritual awakening, a gentleman moving in good society and known to the writer was awakened to a sense of his lost condition as a sinner before God, and to a discovery of his need of a personal Saviour. His life up till then had been spent amidst gaiety and pleasure. Self and not Christ was the object for which he lived; not that he was irreligious, — far from that, but his religion consisted, as is, alas! too frequently the case, in church-going and the observance of outward forms, such as sacrament-taking, &c., &c.
He had experienced no inward change, until the Spirit of God convinced him of his sins, and led him to flee for refuge to the Lord Jesus Christ. He found in Him a refuge from coming judgment, and received with child-like simplicity the blessed words uttered more than eighteen hundred years ago by Him who came to die for lost sinners: “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth My words, and believeth on Him that sent Me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but is passed from death unto life” (John 5:2424Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. (John 5:24)).
His conversion, as should always be the case, produced a complete change in his life. Instead of living for the world and to please himself, he now sought to serve his new-found Master, and to devote his time and energies to the glorious work of the Gospel.
He realized that he was surrounded by men and women who had souls — souls, moreover, that would live forever, either in everlasting bliss or in endless woe. It henceforth became his desire to lead others to the knowledge of the same Saviour who had done so much for him; and from the time of his own conversion until the day that he was called home, many heard from his lips the story of redeeming love, and were led to a saving knowledge of Christ.
Soon after he himself had been converted, and had started on his Christian path, he went on a visit to his uncle, who held a high position ecclesiastically. The change that had come over him was pretty widely known; and, moreover, his earnestness in speaking about eternal matters with all those whom he met had made him almost an object of fear. Strange indeed it is that those who possess immortal souls, and are hastening on to eternity, should be so averse to being faithfully told of their danger, and pointed to the way of escape therefrom!
There was one in that household who seemed especially to dread this close and individual dealing, and up to a day or so before the termination of his visit had cleverly avoided being long alone in her cousin’s company. She was a young lady whose heart was fully set on the world, and who, though religiously and carefully brought up, cared not for Christ.
She had the feeling, which so many others unfortunately share, that to belong to Christ, and to love, serve, and follow Him in this world, would somehow or other spoil her happiness, and take from her all pleasure in life. In this she was completely mistaken, as she herself soon afterward proved.
The evening before his departure a number of friends were sitting in the drawing-room chatting together, when Mr. ―whispered to his cousin that he had something of importance to say to her, and asked her to be kind enough to come into the adjoining room for a few minutes.
Reluctantly, and with considerable apprehension, she complied, feeling pretty sure in her own mind that the important subject on which he wished to address her was the one of all others that she disliked the most.
Taking his Bible from his pocket, the book which had now become his constant companion, he read the following words: — “All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.”
“Do you believe that?” he inquired.
Affecting to be much annoyed, she replied, rather testily, “Of course I do, I believe all that’s in the Bible.”
Turning to 1 Timothy 1:15,15This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. (1 Timothy 1:15) he read, “This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.” “Do you believe that?” he again asked.
Considerably hurt, she retorted, “Of course I believe it; why, what do you take me to be? Do you think I have been brought up like a heathen? No, I have been brought up to believe all the Bible.”
“It is a solemn thing to say you believe these verses,” said her cousin; “for the first one says that ‘all have sinned,’ and if you believe that, it is as much as saying that you are a sinner. But it is a blessed thing to believe the second, for it says that Christ came to save sinners. Are you saved” he asked.
This last question was too much for the young lady, and she rose to go; but before returning to the next room, her cousin slipped three little books into her hand requesting her to read them carefully when she was alone.
The interview being over, she now pretended to be rather amused at that which before had given her some alarm, and handed to her father the three little books which had been given her to read.
That night her father returned the books to her, saying that he would recommend her not to read them, as they might unsettle her mind, and would, he thought, do her no good. She was all right as she was, and it would be a pity to be unnecessarily disturbed and disquieted.
Alas! alas! that well-meaning, and even Christian men, should so often fail to see the difference between mere religiousness and true conversion.
However, God had His eye of tender love upon this young soul, and was about to lead her to the discovery that she was a poor lost sinner, and in need of a Saviour, who was ready to bless her, and receive her, in all her sinfulness. Her very religion was standing in the way between her and the Saviour, as it does, alas! in the case of many others.
Retiring to her room that night she sat down before the fire, books in hand, fully intending to commit them all to the flames. She was rather sorry that she had said anything about them to her father, as his advice not to read them had somewhat awakened a desire to know what was in them. What could it be that might disturb her mind? And why should she not read them, and know what was in them? Her father must know better than she, — but if only he had not advised her not to read them!
Such-like thoughts were passing through her mind as she took one of the books and deliberately put it into the fire. Soon it was all consumed, and then she wished she had read it before consigning it to the flames. It was, however, too late; the book was burnt, and the second was about to share the fate of the first.
Taking the second book into her hands, she glanced at its title. This somewhat surprised her, and made her long to know what the contents could possibly be.
“Religion without Reality.”
Such were the strange words that stood on the title-page. What could this mean? Religion without reality! That such a thing could possibly be as religion without reality had never yet dawned upon her. Oh, how she longed to know what was within the covers of that little book! But slowly she placed it unread in the fire. Almost regretting that she had not first read it, she watched its leaves curling up by the heat, when lo! one short sentence for a moment stood up before her eyes. It was this, ―
“For many years I was going religiously and respectably to hell.”
The Spirit of God applied the words in soul-awakening power, and she exclaimed, “That is the very thing I am doing myself!” She had been religiously and respectably brought up; but she was unconverted; unsaved, and hence on her road to hell. Oh! how terrible that she had never found it out before! Reader, have you? Religion will never save you. Christ alone can save you.
God has not two ways of saving people, — one for the religious, and another for great sinners. No, there is but one way, and that is a living faith in a once crucified and now glorified Saviour. This is sufficient for the worst, and is needed by the best.
Soon afterward this awakened soul found “peace in believing;” and though many years have rolled by, she still rejoices in the love that called her out of darkness into the marvelous light of the Gospel.
A. H. B.