TWO passengers were inside the station bus —a lady in deep mourning and the writer on his way to preach the gospel in the town to which they both were traveling.
The lady was feverishly anxious to end her journey, for she had been telegraphed for. Her son, a boarder at the grammar school, was critically ill with pneumonia. The lumbering, creaking bus, as it toiled up the long hill amid the fast gathering darkness tried her patience. It was no wonder that a mother's heart confided to her fellow-passenger her sorrow and fears, and she found in him a sympathetic listener. She added that the previous year she had lost her husband and had left another son at home laid up with a fractured leg. Her cup of sorrow seemed full to overflowing.
After having sympathized with her the writer ventured to speak about a greater sorrow. A conversation something like the following took place: “I do indeed sympathize with you in all your past sorrow and present anxiety, but do you know there is a greater sorrow that I trust will never be yours?”
“What is that?" she inquired.
“That of spending eternity without Christ, without God, without hope," I replied.
At first her response was listless, but little by little she grew interested, and at last burst out, "I would like to be saved. I do my best and hope for the best.”
I pointed out that doing one's best would not save her, and her hope, to be worth anything, must be well founded, so to rightly direct her thoughts in the only direction that could be of any help to her I said: “You have told me of your sorrow, and it is great. I have drawn your attention to a greater sorrow, which may God in His grace save you from. But can you tell me, What is the greatest sorrow of all?”
She looked fairly puzzled, so I went on. “The greatest sorrow of all was the sorrow of Jesus on the cross. This He endured for you that you might never have the sorrow of a lost eternity, the sorrow of hell. 'Is it nothing to you, all ye that pass by? Behold, and see if there be any sorrow like lento My sorrow, which is done unto Me, wherewith the Lord bath afflicted Me in the day of His fierce anger?' (Lam. 1:1212Is it nothing to you, all ye that pass by? behold, and see if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow, which is done unto me, wherewith the Lord hath afflicted me in the day of his fierce anger. (Lamentations 1:12).) The very anticipation of it wrung from His holy soul in the garden of Gethsemane the prayer, Father, if Thou be willing, remove this cup from Me: nevertheless, not My will, but Thine be done,' and wrung from His brow sweat as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.' What must the dread reality have been when He cried with a loud voice, My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me? when He was made sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him.' (See 2 Cor. 5:2121For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. (2 Corinthians 5:21).) No wonder the most solemn question of the Bible asks, How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation?' (Heb. 2:33How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him; (Hebrews 2:3).)
“So that if you want to be saved you must believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved.' (Acts 16:3131And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. (Acts 16:31)). There is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.'
“It is not by doing your best; your best would fall far too short of God's righteous requirements. But God Himself has provided One, who could and did meet His requirements on our behalf, who could say, I restored that which I took not away (Psa. 69:4), who could utter that peace-giving cry on the cross, ' IT IS FINISHED.' So the work that can save your soul is a finished work. God has raised Him who did it from the dead and exalted Him to be a Prince and a Savior. The Lord Jesus is the only One who can save you. Trust Him and all will be well with your soul.”
This and much more I said to the lady, and she seemed on the point of confessing Christ as her Savior, when the bus stopped, and a third person got in and stopped the conversation.
I called the next day to see her, but she was busy attending to her son, who was critically ill, and could not therefore see any visitor. So leaving her a copy of Safety, Certainty and Enjoyment, and shortly after leaving the town, I could only commend our conversation to Him, who could bless it to her soul.
I remember well some years ago preaching in Lisbon. A lady came several times to the meetings. Calling upon her in the hotel where she was staying, I said, "You have heard the gospel repeatedly. What do you think of it?”
I was thrilled by her unexpected answer, as with tears she lifted up her eyes heavenwards and exclaimed with deep feeling, "I confess Jesus as my Savior.”
How beautiful! how simple! how sufficient! Can you do likewise, reader? If not, may God spare you from the sorrow of a lost eternity by touching your heart with the story of "the greatest sorrow of all," and give you here and now to trust the Lord Jesus Christ. "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved." (Acts 16:31.)
A. J. P.