AN evangelist one day visiting around the small village of E— came upon the cottage of a poor old woman, over seventy, when, having entered in and sat down, he asked her whether her soul was saved.
“No; that's just what I want to know," replied she, in tones of deep earnestness.
“How's that?”
“I don't know.”
“How are you going to be saved?”
“That's just what I want to know.”
“Well, let us look then at what God says in His Word.”
Immediately she reached her large Bible off the table, and putting on her spectacles, sat down with her back near the window to get the light.
Her visitor opened the book, and asked her to read three passages of Scripture. “He 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 3:3636He 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)). “Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, had? everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation, 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)). And, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that believeth on me hath, everlasting life" (John 6:4747Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life. (John 6:47)).
The old woman read them slowly over to herself, one after the other, gazing at them intently for some moments after, when all at once she looked up in her visitor's face and said, “Well, that is strange. Here I've been a-going and a-coming, and a-hoping and a-striving, and sometimes thinking myself a castaway, and it's all as plain as that.
Well, that is strange. What a stupid I've been!”
“Well," replied he," that's God's Word; the words of the Son of God.”
“Yes, I can see that." “And they are in your own Bible.”
“Yes, there it is. What a stupid I've been!”
“Have you eternal life, then?”
“Well, yes; I must have; it says so there.”
“What does it say?”
She read the Word again, and said, “Well, I believe, and of course there it is in my own Bible; that's plain.”
Finding she was joyfully resting upon the truth in these precious verses, after making a few more remarks, and having knelt down and together praised the Lord for His goodness, he left.
At a subsequent visit a few days later, he found her calmly rejoicing in the truth the Lord had made known to her the week before. After speaking with her a few moments upon its simplicity, she said, " Here I'd been a-arg'ing and a-arg'ing over it, me and my daughter, many a time, and we couldn't make head or tail of it, and nobody to help us; and now it's all as plain as that. I sat up till midnight after you'd been, sir, going over and over those Scriptures; they were so plain and so precious. Here I've been living in this place fifty years, groping in the dark. What a stupid I've been! But I can see it all plain now, thank God!”
The poor old woman lives on, happy and bright, rejoicing in Christ her Saviour and her Lord, in whom she now knows that she has eternal life. Stupid indeed she had been, like thousands more, but now wise unto salvation, through faith which is in Christ Jesus. Long long had she been groping in the dark; but now brought out of darkness into His marvelous light. Following Christ in simplicity, she looks with joy for the moment when He shall claim her as His own,—the purchase of His own life's blood,—to be forever with Himself in glory.
Dear reader, how is it with you? Are you still groping in the dark? or can you see it all plain? If the latter, readily I am sure will you own with this poor old soul, what a stupid you have been. Ah! worse than stupid. What height of folly, to live on without Christ! A free and full salvation to be received and enjoyed now, in your own Bible, and very likely its pages neglected and unread. Or if you have given a few sober thoughts to your eternal future, maybe you think you are as good as most people. You have never done any harm; you attend a place of worship,—what more can be required?
What more? Why, not so much. Nay, your goodness and your religiousness are only in the way. Salvation is not of works. Here the stupidity of thousands comes out. They see that wickedness will shut them out from God; so they turn over a new leaf, reform, and turn religious. Verily, they think that the reformation of the present will make up for the shortcomings of the past. Ah, delusive wile of the enemy, how many are ensnared therein! Sinner, it is too late to be doing to get to God; nearly nineteen centuries too late. God gave up man, and his doings in the flesh long, long ago. The flesh profiteth nothing. You must get to God first, before doing begins.
And how are you to get to Him? The answer is simple: the same way as this poor old woman, —by faith; BELIEVING. "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)). Do you believe? Like her, it may be, you have been going and coming, hoping and striving, long enough. Ah, what a stupid you have been! When then will ye be wise? Now? Be wise in time. All is done; the work of Christ is a finished work. Christ, victorious on the throne of God, is a present and perfect Saviour now for every one that believeth. Have you believed on Him? "Verily, verily," saith the Son of God, "he that believeth on me hath, everlasting life" (John 6:4747Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life. (John 6:47)). Take heed lest you let the day of grace slip by, and wake up in hell, when it is too late, to discover what a stupid you have been.
Thousands, tens of thousands, live on, groping in the dark. The god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ should shine into their hearts, and they should be saved (2 Cor. 4:44In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. (2 Corinthians 4:4)). But believe on Him, poor sinner, now,—just as you are, guilty and lost,—and the light will shine into your heart. Then will you exclaim, like this one of whom you have read, “What a stupid I have been! But I can see it all plain 'ow. E. H. C.