GOD has been pleased to work of late in the conversion of souls in a village in—. Several have been turned from darkness to light, and they are now rejoicing in the happy assurance of salvation and “peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Marvelous indeed is the long-suffering grace of God our Saviour in this scene of iniquity and revolt against God. Wondrous, too, is it for us, once lost sinners, dead in trespasses and sins, “and children of wrath like others,” to be objects of God’s infinite love and mercy, and to be now His witnesses in this perishing world. May we have grace from Him to proclaim the glad tidings.to sinners, “preaching peace by Jesus Christ,” and may the blessed message be received by many, and by you, dear reader, if you are still a stranger to it, before that fast-approaching moment when all the redeemed shall be caught up together to meet the Lord in the air, and enter the mansions prepared for them; then the door of salvation will be shut forever on unbelievers who have turned their backs upon the Saviour who now invites them to come to Him.
Amongst the conversions referred to was an interesting one, that of S., a girl about eleven years of age. She had been brought up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord by Christian parents. Dear children, beware of thinking that all is right between you and God because you go to gospel meetings, and have a praying father or mother. “You must be born again;” you must have Christ for your own personal Saviour, and know Him as the One who bore your sins on the tree, who died for your trespasses and was raised again for your justification; otherwise you are in danger of everlasting perdition, for “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)).
S. was told one day that another girl, a friend of hers, had found peace with God. She had often heard people speak of conversion, but like many others she did not know what it meant. She vaguely thought that all those who attend meetings are converted, and on hearing the news she was much surprised, and exclaimed, “But she was converted a long time ago!” “And how do you know that? “asked her elder sister, who herself was concerned about her soul. “Why, she has been coming to the meetings for a long time,” confidently replied S. “But,” said the elder one, “so have I, and I am not converted!” This proved to be an arrow from God to S.’s conscience. For the first time she saw that going to meetings was not enough; a ray of light suddenly shone into her heart; she realized her state before God, and she saw she was a hell-deserving sinner. Deeply moved, she exclaimed, “Why did you never tell me that before?”
A work of God began in her soul, and she was in earnest about her salvation. Do you know what it is, my reader, to feel the weight of your sins before the holy God, who is of “purer eyes than to behold iniquity”? Have you been led to exclaim, in the deep sense of your guilt and ruin, “What shall I do to be saved?” There is a blessed, divinely given answer as to what God has done for you. God says, “I have found a ransom” (Job 33:2424Then he is gracious unto him, and saith, Deliver him from going down to the pit: I have found a ransom. (Job 33:24)), i.e., “the Man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself a ransom for all” (1 Tim. 2:5, 65For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; 6Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time. (1 Timothy 2:5‑6)). Believe on Him, and you shall be saved (Acts 16:3030And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? (Acts 16:30)).
After going through some anxiety about her sins, S. found peace in believing on the Lord Jesus Christ, the One who died and was raised again; she knew that His blood had cleansed her from all sin. Now she can tell her schoolfellows what the Lord has done for her soul, and invite them to Him to be saved. “This is the Lord’s doing; it is marvelous in our eyes” (Psa. 118:2323This is the Lord's doing; it is marvellous in our eyes. (Psalm 118:23)). May His name be praised forever!
Before closing, we would urge on every unconverted reader not to turn a deaf ear to the tender, loving voice of the Lord Jesus, who calls him to come to Him, and freely offers peace and pardon to the guilty, undone sinner. May you not have to say one day, “The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved” (Jer. 8:2020The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved. (Jeremiah 8:20)). Come to Jesus now, while it is called today, as it is said, “Today if ye will hear His voice, harden not your hearts” (Heb. 3:13, 4:7).
P. T.