CHARLIE P—was a fine intelligent young fellow, a little over twenty years of age. His parents were earnest Christians, and greatly longed to see their much-loved son manifestly on the Lord’s side. Until now, however, Charlie’s heart had been engrossed by the world—its pleasures, its sports, its follies—and the many prayers of the pious couple for their boy’s conversion were apparently unheeded of God. That they were not unremembered of Him was blessedly true, and although forty years have now rolled by since the answer came, the way of its coming is quite fresh before my mind.
While paying a short visit to London late in 1866, Charlie’s mother accosted me one Lord’s Day morning, as a number of the Lord’s people were departing from a meeting in a large hall in the north of London, after showing the Lord’s death in the breaking of bread. In that very hall, six years before, at the end of a gospel meeting, I had been brought to know the Lord Jesus as my own personal Saviour, through conversation with a young man, now gone to be with his Lord and Master. Charlie’s mother had witnessed, as she stood in the door-way that led from the hall to the ante-room, that, the most wondrous event in my life.
This Lord’s Day morning it had been announced that I was to preach the gospel in that hall in the evening, and coming up to me, she said, in very earnest tones, “Oh, Doctor, will you pray for my Charlie?”
“What is wrong with Charlie?” said I.
“Oh, nothing in particular,” she replied; “he is a very dear boy, but he has not been converted yet, and we are so anxious about his salvation. I remember so well how you were converted six years ago, in this hall, and I am hoping and praying that God will make you the means of my boy’s conversion. Will you pray for him?”
“Certainly, my dear friend,” I replied, “we will pray together, and count on God.”
The hall was crowded that evening to hear the somewhat young convert preach the gospel on the very spot of his own conversion. Among the auditors I noticed Charlie, sitting by the side of an elderly Christian man whom I knew well, and who took very deep interest in the lad. My theme that night was the power of the name of Jesus, as unfolded in Acts 3 and 4. There Peter, speaking to the cripple in the Beautiful gate of the temple, says, “In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.” The effect was instantaneous, for of the cripple we read: “And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God. And all the people saw him walking, and praising God: and they knew that it was he which sat for alms at the Beautiful gate of the temple, and they were filled with wonder and amazement at that which had happened unto him” (Acts 3:8-108And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God. 9And all the people saw him walking and praising God: 10And they knew that it was he which sat for alms at the Beautiful gate of the temple: and they were filled with wonder and amazement at that which had happened unto him. (Acts 3:8‑10)).
The secret and the source of this wonderful cure of the lame man, Peter very distinctly affirms, as—speaking of the exalted Jesus—he says, “And his name through faith in his name hath made this man strong, whom ye see and know; yea, the faith which is by him hath given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all” (vs. 16). Nor indeed was that all the testimony as to this remarkable cure, for God would have all to know the saving power of Jesus’ name, and led His servant to say: “Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole. This is the stone which was set at naught of you builders, which is become the head of the corner. Neither is there salvation in any other; for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved” (Acts 4:10-1210Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole. 11This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner. 12Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. (Acts 4:10‑12)).
The name that healed the cripple is the name that God proclaims to heal men in their sins—men paralyzed by sin, men devil-held through sin, men bound fast in their sins. None other name but Jesus, the sweetest, choicest name that ever fell on mortal ear, for it means Jehovah the Saviour—contains healing power for such as these. And God would have men know that salvation is in no other name but that of Jesus, the once dead but now risen and glorified Saviour. As complete as was the healing of the body of the cripple through the power of that name then, so equally perfect is the healing and salvation of the soul that now believes in Him who bears that blessed name—Jesus. The cripple was told in that day to “rise up.” To my audience I again and again said, “Look up, look at Him where He now is, a living Man in glory, and salvation becomes yours immediately; for He it is who said, ‘Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth’” (Isa. 45:2222Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else. (Isaiah 45:22)).
That Lord’s Day evening the Spirit of God was working very mightily in the meeting: many were convicted of their sins, and not a few were genuinely converted to God that night. Among those who came under deep conviction of sin was Charlie, and in the course of the meeting his tears flowed fast and thick, as he became conscious of his guilty, lost state, and yet that he was an object of the interest and of the love of God. He bowed his head; whether to escape observation or to pray was not known at the moment, but the friend who sat by him at that point whispered, “Look up, Charlie.” At the same moment, in a loud voice I also said, “Look up.” To Charlie this double testimony at one moment was a voice from God and from heaven which he could not resist, and there is no doubt from that time he began to look to the Lord for salvation, though he did not then find peace.
The meeting closed, and I asked any who were anxious to be saved to come round into the side-room, and see me. Among the seekers for salvation who desired a personal interview with me, I was deeply thankful to see Charlie. He was, however, so overcome with emotion that I took him apart into a yet smaller ante-room, where he acknowledged his guilty condition and his deep desire to be saved there and then. There was no need to press repentance or urge decision; he was deeply repentant, and longed to be decided. Finding this to be the state of his soul, I said, “Let us pray together.” We got on our knees, and I prayed to the Lord to let light shine into his darkened heart, and give peace to his troubled soul. Then arising I left him on his knees, and said, “Charlie, get it all settled with God, man, before you get off your knees,” and I went out into the after-meeting, leaving him alone with God.
Perhaps half-an-hour elapsed, and then I returned. Charlie was standing to receive me, his face beaming with joy, although tears still rolled down his cheeks, but they were tears of joy in the knowledge of God’s love; and as he gripped my hand like a vice, he said, “I have got Him, I can trust Him now; He is mine, I am saved.” Saying a few more words to him, I brought him out to the very door-way where his mother had stood and seen me converted, and where she now stood, weeping and praying as only a tender-hearted mother can do in a moment of such extreme solicitude as was hers for her son. “Here he is,” said I; “take care of him.” They fell into each other’s arms, and wept tears of joy and gratitude, she—because her prayers were answered; he—because his soul was eternally saved. It was a fine sight. Would to God one saw it more often now-a-days at the close of gospel meetings.
Mothers, go on praying for your boys, and always bring them to the gospel preaching where you know somebody will speak a plain, simple word about Jesus.
Charlie’s conversion was very bright and clear; he at once confessed Christ to all his old comrades, took a decided stand, wherever he was known, as being on the Lord’s side, was not ashamed to own Christ on every occasion, and very soon identified himself with the Lord’s people in worship and service in a very practical way. But as his soul grew in the knowledge of God, and his spiritual stature increased, I grieve to say the outward man decayed. Consumption laid its fell hand upon the dear young convert, and within two short years of the night I have spoken of; Charlie passed away to be with Jesus forever. His death was triumphant, his testimony beautifully bright and simple. He got round his bedside every young person he knew, whether related to him or not, told them how Jesus had saved him, and urged them to come to the Saviour and devote their lives to Him. The grief which naturally filled his parents’ hearts in losing him from earth was most blessedly and sweetly assuaged by the absolute knowledge that he had passed into everlasting glory, through faith in the name of Jesus. To God be the praise.
Reader, have you faith in that name? Have you found Him who bears it? Do you know Him as your own personal Saviour? Were those who love you most to stand round your grave within a week of the moment you read this, do you think they would have the deep solid conviction that you had passed to be forever, with the Lord? These are serious questions, answer them honestly, I beseech you. Time is short; eternity long. Death is at hand; the Lord is coming. Procrastinate not, for delays are dangerous, and procrastination is but the recruiting officer of hell. If you have never turned to the Lord before, turn at this very moment. Trust Him. Look up; He looks down in tender love on you. Remember, “Neither is there salvation in any other” but that name of Jesus.
W. T. P. W.