A MISSION was being carried on in our village, and a large hall was crowded every night; many remained to the after meeting, some deeply anxious about their souls, a few merely from curiosity. Among the latter was a young man, a guard on the railway: honest and upright, of a free and amiable disposition, beloved by all who knew him. But to him the love of Jesus was but an empty sound; it had never yet awakened a responsive echo in his heart; and even now, after hearing it pressed home with unusual earnestness and power, he remained scoffing and indifferent. Engaged at the other end of the room, I saw one of the preachers, himself a young man, in earnest conversation with him, and, having presently to pass that way, I overheard the latter part of their conversation. The evangelist was urging upon the young man the necessity of accepting Christ now.
“I mean to have Christ by and by, but not just yet,” the young man replied.
“But you may never again have the opportunity,” said the evangelist, solemnly.
“I’ll chance it,” was the careless answer “But think―if you should be called to meet God tonight, with your sins still upon you, how would you do?”
“I’ll chance it,” he said again, and turned away.
I felt extremely sorry at the time for this young man, but more sad when, a month cm two later, I heard of his death. It did not come upon him unawares, for, some time before, the doctors gave no hope of his recovery; but, with death staring him in the face, he again rejected Christ, and died, as he had lived, taking his “chance” for eternity!
Ah, how solemnly true is it that there can be no such a thing as chance with God! He has presented to man a free salvation through the death of His Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, and whosoever in this life accepts Him as his Saviour has life everlasting; while for him who rejects Christ there is no hope.
A striking incident, similar yet different, occurred a few years previously in a neighboring city. A mission was being carried on there, and many were being awakened to a sense of their need as lost sinners, and were seeking and finding peace. One evening, a band of young men went to the meetings with the intention of getting up a disturbance and “making fun.” The leader and life of the party was a young railway guard, and, like him whose story has been told, was of a kindly disposition and winning manner. He, too, was admired and respected by those who knew him, and he, too, scoffed at the grace of God.
On this occasion he appeared anxious not to be behind his companions at the meeting in making game of the preachers, but, at the very beginning, the text, “This night thy soul shall be required of thee,” arrested his attention, and he listened earnestly to the word of God. At the close he remained behind, deeply convicted of sin. His companions left him with scoffs and jeers. That was nothing to him; his one thought was that that very night his soul might be “required” of him, and he knew he was unsaved. He was urged to accept, through a simple faith, Christ’s finished work for the pardon of his sins; but not until far into the morning did his soul grasp the truth of the glad tidings of God’s salvation. At last he went home, with joy beaming in his countenance. He awakened his father and mother to tell them the good news; but they could not see anything good in it, and said their son had “gone cracked.” Still he knew Whom he believed, and told all his old companions of his new-found joy.
He was making the second run for the day, when, jumping on to his van, his foot slipped, and he fell in front of an approaching train. Gently they lifted up his bleeding and mangled body, and laid it in the waiting-room, where he slowly opened his eyes, and faintly whispered, “Jesus, my Saviour,” when his happy spirit winged its flight to be forever with the Lord.
Reader, have you accepted Christ, or are you still rejecting His offered mercy?, Accept Him now, for it may be your last opportunity. It may be said of you, “This night thy soul shall be required of thee.” K. R.