ONE fine, afternoon in the early autumn of last year, I had been sitting on the beach at a watering place in the south of England, when the thought came to my mind to distribute some tracts I had brought out with me. Rising, therefore, I gave several to the boatmen around, and soon after saw a young person with three children approaching the path along which I was wending my homeward way. A copy of the little tract "Are you saved?" was in my hand. I held it to her, and asking if she would 'accept it, I passed on. Presently I was aware that she was running after me, and on stopping to inquire the reason, she held out the little book I had but just given, and said, “I am saved, can't you give me something else, which will help me onward? “I was surprised and pleased; thankful, too, in a time of great loneliness and sorrow to meet with one who knew and loved the Lord Jesus, and to have an opportunity, so unexpectedly given by Himself, for communion with one of His little ones We sat down together, and an hour quickly slipped by, whilst we talked of Him who had bought us with no less a price than His own most precious blood. I found that my young friend was a nursery governess in the family of a godly-clergyman, and had been converted about twelve months before.
She had gone with a heart set on the enjoyment of the things which this poor world can give, to supply a vacancy for a month; then purposing to go to the metropolis, to follow out a path she had destined for herself; but the Lord had another end in view, and was leading the blind by a way she knew not. She was spoken to about her soul—salvation through Him who stood in the sinner's place and endured the wrath of God, was placed before her. The Holy Spirit convinced of sin, then applied the Word, and she passed from death unto life, and all her plans and arrangements being altered, she gladly remained with those whom God in His grace had so blessed to her soul, "And now," she added, " I have been here with my little pupils for some weeks, and no one has spoken to me of Jesus, until this afternoon, and I was praying that I might meet someone who loved Him when you gave me that tract." Though saved, and rejoicing in her Saviour, I found that she was not looking for His coming to take His ransomed saints to Himself, and as the Holy Spirit enabled me I sought to put this truth before her; and to raise in her that blessed expectation and hope which He Himself has given to His waiting ones.
Before we parted I made inquiry as to the spiritual state of the little children who were playing below us; and she related the following touching incident. But a few days previously one of the little boys had lost the pail in which he placed his treasures; Whilst digging on the beach, a receding wave had carried it out to sea. A lady, who was near and witnessed his childish grief, called a large retriever dog, and sending him into the water, the toy was soon restored to its little owner, who, walking up to the lady who had so kindly aided in its recovery, quietly said; " To-night when I say my prayers I shall tell Jesus that I lost my pail, and thank Him for telling you to send your dog into the sea to fetch it out:”
Dear little child, what a lesson and rebuke to many of us who believe in His name; who, whilst knowing and experiencing countless mercies and preservations day by day, too often forget to thank Him for them!
And now, dear reader, are you saved? If unable before the Lord to reply, as the young person of whom I have written, " Yes—I am saved," let me beseech you not to rest until the question is settle& The time is short, the coming of the Lord draweth nigh, even death may overtake you before you put this paper out of your hand, and what then? For all who die out of Christ there is nothing but, judgment.
Oh, read the twentieth chapter of the Revelation, and see what the Holy Spirit says about that great white throne, before which every unsaved sinner will have to stand. There will be no escape then, for your name will not be found written in the book of life, and verse 15 tells us that, “Whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.”
But now whilst you read these fines God speaks to you once more, and declares that there is salvation even for you, for “God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life" (John 3:1616For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16)) and, again; lie affirms that he that believeth “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)).
Unsaved reader, which-is it to be? Christ or the world? Decide ere you put this paper down.
What if this should be your very last opportunity! For God has said, too, “My spirit shall not always strive with man” (Gen. 6:33And the Lord said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years. (Genesis 6:3)), and it is solemn indeed to know that when God speaks, He does mean what He says.
S. M. A. H.