W―K―, of L―, is a remarkable instance of what the grace of God can do for an ungodly sinner. Once a desperate poacher, he has now been well known for many years in the little town where he lives as an earnest and consistent Christian, and employed as a trustworthy servant by one on whose grounds he had often committed his depredations in former days.
His first serious impression appears to have been when he was a young lad herding cattle. He was lying one day upon his back, looking up at the clouds, when suddenly the word “Eternity” flashed through his mind. He thought a little, when he became so frightened that he fled home as fast as his legs could carry him.
But this incident was soon forgotten, and as he grew to manhood he became completely enslaved to the sins and lusts of his evil heart. From time to time he was reminded of his responsibility to God, but it was little heeded, and he went on adding sin to sin in the service of Satan.
Amongst other evil propensities, when quite a young man, he took to poaching. The first time that he possessed a gun of his own, on starting off with a companion, he presented it at him loaded and at full-cock, saying, “Now, if you run away, should anybody come, I’ll shoot you.” The man was so startled, he looked as if he would have dropped to the ground with fear.
On one occasion, when out with four or five others, a hare was sighted, and a preconcerted signal given to stop. But K―failing to observe it until too late, caused one of his companions, a reckless drinking ex-schoolmaster, to lose the shot. This so enraged the latter, that he deliberately took aim at K, ― with the intention of shooting him. But, through the mercy of God, though he pulled the trigger and the cap exploded, the gun failed to go off, and he was preserved from probably a violent death.
Sometime after this K― and three others started off one night with two guns to a place where he knew that game was fed in a neighboring wood. One of the keepers was on the watch. Finding they were discovered, they ran off to a quiet out-of-the-way spot. But being closely pursued by the keeper, they stopped and allowed him to come up, when one of the party, a powerfully built man, suddenly seized him, and holding him down to the ground, belabored him with the stock of his gun. K― also took his gun by the muzzle, and swinging it round with all his force, aimed fearful blows at his head, though mercifully for both, through the keeper’s efforts to release himself and the indistinct light, he missed his aim each time. Their victim’s cries during this fearful struggle were perfectly awful, and making a desperate effort, he succeeded at last in disengaging himself, and running for his life. K― was afterward apprehended, and lodged for a month in the house of correction. To what fearful lengths men will go, in their self-will, living without God!
On many other occasions he was fined, or imprisoned, or was compelled to flee to other parts of the country.
Meanwhile he had married, and a young family had begun to spring up around him. But in consequence of his evil course, his home became a sad example of poverty and misery. Presently the Lord, whose eyes run to and fro in the earth, beholding the evil and the good, took one of his little ones from him, and he was reminded of his evil course, but without any apparent effect.
One day, being put out about some trivial matter in his house, he broke out in a volley of curses, when he suddenly turned faint. Thinking he was dying, his cursing was as suddenly changed to a half-uttered “Lord, have mercy and he fainted away. Recovering, it had the temporary effect of leading him for a few nights to pray, or rather repeat a prayer, to God, with the vain thought of in some measure thereby atoning for his evil course. But still he remained in darkness, under the dominion of sin, a slave “to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit now worketh in the children of disobedience” (Eph. 2:22Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: (Ephesians 2:2)).
How many, like K―, revel in sin and wickedness, or the follies and vanities of the world, until they find themselves face to face with the dread realities of death and judgment, when their only hope is to cry to the One whose love and grace they have trampled upon and despised all their life long. It is true there is mercy at the eleventh hour, as men say, but, alas, how few there are who find it!
Eventually in the year 1863, when working away from home, and living in the grossest wickedness, the Spirit of God strove with him about his course, and W― K― woke up to the awful fact that he was a lost sinner on the road to the lake of fire. Morning, noon, and night his sins rose up as a thick cloud between him and God, and his soul was full of misery. On his return, an old mate, who knew how he had been living, and saw his disturbed state, got down the Bible, but knowing nothing of the gospel of God’s wondrous grace, read to him from the law of Moses, winding up by saying, “There is no forgiveness for thee,” and his case seemed utterly hopeless. The sport of Satan, the victim of sin, a murderer in heart, he thought he was God-forsaken, and must perish everlastingly in hell.
Dear reader, have you too discovered that you are a lost sinner? You may not have gone to the same excess of riot and sin as W― K―, but a sinner you are in the sight of a holy God, and without an interest in Christ your case is utterly hopeless. It is no good turning to the law. Like K―you will find there is no mercy nor forgiveness there, but in the gospel of God’s Son you will find all that you need.
Nine long weary years rolled by, and at times the burden of sin seemed almost intolerable; and the thought of death, judgment, and hell made him awfully afraid, but how to escape the consequences of his wickedness he knew not.
One day an evangelist arrived in the little town where he lived, and commenced to preach the gospel. W― K― was induced to go with a companion to the preaching. Impressed by the clear and powerful unfolding of the old, old story of God’s wondrous love in the gift of His Son, and His finished work on the cross, he remarked to the other on their return, “There must be something in that; but then they say they are saved; I can’t see that.”
The meetings were continued for several nights, and K― became a regular attendant, when on one occasion the preacher, dwelling upon the crucifixion of the Son of God, gave utterance to the question, “What was the difference between the thief on the right hand, and the thief on the left?”
Without thinking, K― drew everybody’s attention to himself by answering out loud, “The one had faith, and the other had not.”
After this he was afraid to go again, especially as he heard that the preacher had been inquiring where he lived. But one night a card had been given him, on which was printed in plain clear type a number of texts containing the word HATH, such as “He that believeth on the Son hath, everlasting life” (John 3:3636He 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 3:36)). This he hung up on his cottage wall. Often and often he stood up and read and thought over the verses, sometimes even locking the door lest anyone should come in suddenly and find him at it. And he would say to himself, “They say they are saved. I believe, but I can’t say that I’m saved.” And still poor K― puzzled on.
Just at this time, he had three remarkable dreams. In the first, he seemed to see Satan in all his dreadfulness telling him how bad he was; in the second, the throne of God, but far off, and he murmured that he couldn’t get near it; in the third, the world come to an end, and he awoke crying for mercy; these dreams troubled him greatly, but he went on, without telling them to anyone.
Shortly after another evangelist arrived, who commenced by preaching in the street. K― went down to listen, and was so impressed that he followed him to a hall where he was announced to speak afterward, and sat down in the front seat. It was an earnest gospel appeal to the careless and ungodly, and was not without effect upon his soul, when, just at the close, Satan suggested, “How are you going to get out without the preacher speaking to you?” So the instant the prayer was concluded, he sprang up and made for the door. He thought he had succeeded, when he felt a tap upon his shoulder, and he stopped as if he had been shot. Looking back, the preacher said to him, “Do you believe in the Lord Jesus Christ?”
He replied, “I believe every word in that book.” “Then your sins are gone, you are saved.”
“No, I cannot say that.”
“But it is not possible that a soul could believe and not be saved.”
He then read a passage in John 31. and another in 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), pressing home upon him the positive statements of Jesus, the Son of God, in the verse: “Verily, 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.” In a moment the truth flashed upon him. He saw, that though he had long believed about Him, he had never believed on the Son of God, or on Him that sent Him. He made no reply, but went outside.
There he stood in the street, trembling like a leaf. The Holy Ghost was applying the word in power to his soul. An intense struggle passed within his breast. He said to himself, “I see it all clear; and if I don’t accept it, there is nothing but hell for me.” Satan, loth to lose his victim, brought his wiles to bear, and challenged him how he would face the world. “I don’t care for the world,” was his inward reply, and then and there he decided for Christ. Peace, like a river, flowed into his soul. He had heard the voice of the Son of God. He believed God who sent Him. Everlasting life was his. The condemnation was gone, for Christ had borne it. He had passed from death unto life. A long life of sin and ungodliness had closed. His sins, though they had been as scarlet, were now white as snow; though they had been red like crimson, were now as wool (Isa. 1:1818Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. (Isaiah 1:18)). They were all blotted out by the precious blood of Jesus (1 John 1:77But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. (1 John 1:7)). W― K― was saved.
Some fifteen years have rolled away since then, and he still lives as a consistent witness to the almighty power of God’s wondrous grace. Once a desperate poacher, a would-be murderer, an ungodly sinner, he is now, as many can testify, an earnest follower of the Blessed One who saved him, delighting to look back and trace the good hand of God in preserving him in His infinite mercy during his long course of sin, and on the one hand from being murdered, and on the other from becoming a murderer himself.
And now, dear reader, how is it with you? Do you see it all clearly? And have you accepted the great salvation of God? Without it, as K― said, there is nothing but hell. No, nothing but hell. Glory with Christ forever for all who accept Him; hell without Christ forever for all who reject or neglect Him. You may see it all clearly in your mind, but have you accepted Christ as your own personal Saviour? Tens of thousands are speaking of Him as “our Saviour.” But can you call Him “My Saviour”? Is He yours, and are you His? Paul could say of Him, “Who loved me, and gave himself for me,” as though he were the only one that was rejoicing in the glorious results of His finished work. But everyone who believes on Him may say the same. It is an individual matter.
The present moment is always God’s time, for now is the day of salvation (2 Cor. 6:22(For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succored thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.) (2 Corinthians 6:2)). There is no certainty that you will have another opportunity tomorrow. The Lord may come, or death may come before that. To delay is to run the risk of missing the blessing altogether. And to miss salvation now, is to miss it forever.
God is waiting in long-suffering mercy, and grace reigns through righteousness and abounds. But, alas, men trespass upon His grace! What are you doing? The moment is at hand when grace will cease to flow. Then judgment will take its course, and woe to all who are exposed to it! Bow then, even now, dear reader, in self judgment before God, and accept the fruit of His wondrous love, manifested in the inestimable gift of His only-begotten Son. God presents Christ to you as a present and everlasting Saviour. Will you receive Him? Do you say, How am I to do that? Believe on His name. The moment you do, your sins are forgiven, you have everlasting life, and you are a child of God. “As many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name” (John 1:1212But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: (John 1:12)). Believe now!
E. H. C.