Echoes of Grace: 1965

The good ship "Alice" had weathered the storm and had brought her crew safely to port. They were now the center of an interested group who listened eagerly to this, another wild saga of the sea.

“You see, mates, the captain was constantly drunk and such swearing you never heard! He used to take too much of that stuff you have there.”

The speaker pointed to a flask from which one of the men was helping himself. "When the storm came on, he was so drunk he hardly knew what he was about. The only thing he was up to was to stagger about the deck and swear. I had heard plenty of rough language in my day, but this beat all that ever I had heard. It was so horrible that it frightened me.

“Well, that storm was so bad that he got a bit sobered up and took a turn at the helm. The men were engaged in throwing some of the deck-load overboard, and I was at the wheel with the captain. Ah, mates, if a man's curses could ever hurt anyone, I don't know where I would have been that day. He swore at me nearly every minute we were at the wheel together.

“Presently, we saw a tremendous sea coming right aft. It came on like a wall of water, without a break as far as I could see. I thought it was all up with us, and I sent up a prayer to God to have mercy on my poor soul. The captain only swore at it, just as if he expected God's great sea was going to be frightened by him!

“Well, on it came, and in a moment it swept the decks. I shut my eyes and held on to the wheel with all my might. When that wave was passed, I looked up, not knowing what to expect. To my surprise, the Alice was holding on; but—the captain was gone. He had been carried right away, mates. Yes, the captain's last word was a terrible oath.”

“And how about the crew?" asked one of the sailors who had listened intently to the story.

“They were every one safe, lads. They had all held on to something, and not one of them was lost. Only the captain, poor fellow. He was gone. It wasn't long before the weather abated; and although the Alice was pretty much knocked about, she made it into port all right.

“Well, mates, I had had enough of cursing, and of drinking too, for that matter; and I made up my mind that day never to let anything unpleasing to God ever pass my lips again.”

“Then I suppose you expect to go to heaven when you die, because you don't swear nor drink?”

“No, I don't expect anything of the sort, for it is only by turning in faith to the Lord Jesus Christ and taking Him as our Savior, that anyone can be saved.”

“Do you mean to say," asked one of them, "if a man doesn't swear, and never gets drunk, and is honest, and does his duty by his ship, and all the rest of it, he isn't safer than a drunken lazy thief?”

“I mean to say,—leastways it isn't me that says it, but the Bible—that no one is safe unless he trusts only in the Lord Jesus. If you could leave off every wicked thing and never commit another sin from this very minute, that couldn't save your soul! There would be all your past sins hanging to you still, and unless they were forgiven they would sink you into hell. The only way to be clear of evil—past, present, and future —is to be washed in Jesus' blood. For the Bible says: `The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin.'" 1 John 1:7.

Rescue the Perishing

On a stormy night a middle-aged man staggered into the Bowery Mission of New York City. In his intoxicated condition, he was unmindful of his unwashed, unshaven face, and that his clothes were soiled and torn. He staggered into a seat and looked around, wondering what kind of a place he had wandered into.

“Rescue the perishing" and other gospel hymns were sung as he listened intently. They seemed to recall some memory of his youth long since forgotten. Then the leader of the meeting told the simple story of the gospel of the Son of God who had come to seek and save sinners. The man listened eagerly, as if it were new to him.

The speaker mentioned that, in his younger days, he had been a soldier and had seen hard and active service. He told of several incidents which had occurred in his experience during the war, and gave God praise for saving him bodily and spiritually through it all. As he named the company in which he had served, the attentive listener gave an audible gasp, and at the close of the meeting hurried unsteadily up to the speaker.

In a broken voice the man said, "When were you in that company you spoke of?”

“Why, all through the war," said the leader.

"Do you remember the battle of ... ?”

"Perfectly.”

"Do you remember the name of the captain of your company at that time?”

"Yes; his name was ... ”

"You are right! I am that man. I was your captain. Look at me today. Just see what a wreck I am. Can you tell your old captain how the One who saved you can make a man out of me? I have lost everything I had in the world through drink, and I don't know where to go.”

Humbly the two "old soldiers" knelt in the mission-room and cried to God for the salvation of the penitent captain. He was saved that night, and was soon helped by some of his former friends to get back his old position. He often told the story of how a soldier of the cross was used of God to lead his captain to the Christ of that cross, to "the Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me.”

Sin and Its Remedy

Sin is the one thing that divides men from God. Sin is also the only plea for mercy the sinner has. It is the only reason he can give why the Son of God should have compassion on him, and by the blood of His cross bring him near to the Father. This is the foundation that can never be moved.

“By grace are ye saved through faith, and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God." Eph. 2:8.

This is the gospel—the good news of salvation. If you believe it you are saved.

“Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved." Acts 16:31.

"Happy they who trust in Jesus,
Sweet their portion is and sure;
When the foe on others seizes,
He will keep His own secure.”

Hidden Treasure

Years ago in Cairo, Egypt, an agent of the British and Foreign Bible Society was busy about his duties in his shop. Not only was he a diligent dispense of God's precious Word, but he had the love of souls in his heart and true missionary zeal.

Near mid-morning a group of men entered the "Bible House," as the shop was called. A glance at their sun-browned faces was enough to reveal their Jewish ancestry, and their dusty, travel-stained garments indicated that they were on a long journey. To corroborate his impression, the agent asked: "Have you come from far away?”

The answer in the affirmative was accompanied by the name of a distant oasis in Central Arabia.

“So far away!" Thus the shopkeeper exclaimed. "And may I ask why you have come to Cairo?”

The spokesman for the group answered: "We heard of a place here that sells the Old Testament, as you would call it, in Hebrew. We wanted to make sure of getting the right volumes; so we came ourselves, and have been directed to you.”

The missionary heart of the agent was thrilled at this opportunity of serving a few of "God's chosen people" in this way. He gladly counted out the number of Old Testaments they requested and packed them in a box. But before he fastened the package he took from a shelf another book—a Hebrew New Testament. Without a word concerning it, he hid this extra volume among the others, silently claiming the promise of God as recorded in Isa. 55:11: "My word... shall not return unto Me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.”

As his customers left with their treasure, the agent watched them go even as Joseph, perhaps, had gazed after his brethren as they departed from Egypt in similar fashion long ago. Were his thoughts prophetic?

Many months passed, and again the little party of Jews came to Cairo. Smilingly they greeted the proprietor of the Bible House as they handed him a letter from their Arabian rabbi. His heart overflowing with thanksgiving to God, the agent read: “Very highly do we value the excellent copies which you sent to us of the Law, the Prophets, and the Psalms in Hebrew. And not only those; but another Book you enclosed with them a Book that we had never seen before till then. Nor had we ever heard of the Person of whom it speaks.

“Day by day we continued reading of Him, till with one accord we concluded that He is Israel's Messiah! In future our prayers shall go up to heaven in no other name but in the name of Messiah— Jesus.”

“Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." Acts 4:12.

Clear Shining Sunlight

"All right at last!”

This was the greeting that involuntarily escaped my lips, as I saw approaching me, at the close of a gospel meeting, an elderly man whose smiling face bespoke a new-found joy.

“Yes, thank God, it is," he said. The long life of a self-satisfying religion, or rather one which lulls but cannot satisfy, followed by the past few weeks of painful discoveries of the sandy foundation on which he had for so long and faithfully built, had now ended, and he was at peace! Well might he say, "Thank God!”

The smiling face, cloudless and sunny, told the tale. There is joy in heaven, yes, and joy in the heart of all who receive Christ, and to whom power is given to become children of God. The change in his countenance was so striking—the transition from gloom to gladness, from despair to rapture—that I felt constrained to ask him: "Isn't conversion a wonderful thing?”

“Yes," he said, "it's just like—like—like coming out of darkness into light—out of the storm and rain into the clear shining sunlight.”

“A good illustration," thought I. So it is—and "marvelous light," too. Hence we find it written of the believers in Jerusalem immediately after their conversion, when they had so much to endure for Christ's sake: "after ye were illuminated." How expressive and true of all who are truly converted!

Friend, have you ever known this marvelous transition from darkness to light? It can be realized in full by all who, in simplicity, abandon the shadows-their own preconceived ideas for the substance Christ Himself. For in Him there "is no variableness, neither shadow of turning." Let Christ alone be the object bright and fair" to illuminate your heart and life. Then, you too will be able to enjoy the peace "that passeth all understanding," and to "show forth the praises of Him who hath called you out of darkness into His marvelous light." 1 Peter 2:9.

Afraid

The inhabitants of the little village of Tormery in Savoie were afraid to go to sleep. Towering high above them on the mountain side was an enormous mass of rock measuring 8,000 square yards. It was known as the Rock of Tormery. Recent heavy rains had softened the base and it had begun to move. It was now completely detached from the northern side of the mountain of which it formed a part; and once the bed of rock on which it rested gave way, nothing could save the inhabitants of the village.

What a striking illustration is this of the condition of the sinner out of Christ.

“He that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him." John 3:36.

Just as the inhabitants of the village of Tormery were in momentary danger of destruction through that mass of moving rock which towered over them, so the sinner who has not fled for refuge to the Lord Jesus Christ is in imminent danger of the wrath of God. When he arises in the morning, as he goes about his daily affairs, even when he goes to bed at night, wherever he may be, whatever he may be doing, the wrath of God is hanging over his head.

The wrath of God against sin has been borne by Christ on the cross, and every one who believes in Him is saved from it now, and will be delivered from it for all eternity; but the unbeliever is exposed to it every day, and all the day. If he dies in his sins he will have to endure it throughout eternity. Oh come to Christ now, and thus

FLEE from the WRATH to Come!

The Light of the Glory

Good instructions as to the contents of the Bible had been mine at school. At seventeen I had been under a "John the Baptist" ministry—a grim portent of hell-fire and damnation—but I never really knew God's love till, at nineteen, I was sent abroad to do my stint of military service.

Arriving late at my station, I soon went to my bedroom. The thought came, "I will say my prayers." It had been my habit in childhood, but neglected in youth.

I knelt down by my bedside, but found I had forgotten what to say. I looked up, trying to remember. My mind was a blank, my heart untouched. Suddenly there came to my soul something I had never known before. Could it be, I thought, that someone Infinite and Almighty—someone all-knowing yet full of the deepest, tenderest interest in myself, though utterly and entirely abhorring everything within and connected with me, was making known to me that He yearned over and loved me?

In the lonely quietness around me I waited expectantly. My eye saw no one; my ear heard no one; but in my inmost heart I knew assuredly that the One whom I knew not, and never had met, had met me, and that He was making me know that we were together.

His was a Presence that no sense or faculty of my own human nature had ever known; and this was a knowledge of Infinite Greatness, a Person altogether apart and supreme. God was making Himself known to me in a way that I, as a man, could thoroughly appreciate and enjoy.

For the first time I knew God as infinite love itself; and—wonder of wonders!—I was loved individually by Him. The exquisite tenderness and fullness of that love appropriated myself for Him, although in the revealing light of that love I now saw myself to be the unworthy object of all His counsels and purposes. I was condemned.

I wept there on my knees, for how long I do not know. The deep sense of my guilt and lost condition overwhelmed me, and I cried to God for mercy, pardon and peace. At last the warmth of His love enfolded me, and the precious sense of His acceptance of one so unworthy as I entered my sin-darkened heart. I was saved!

“For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ." 2 Cor. 4:6.

With "joy unspeakable and full of glory," I could now claim for myself these lines as descriptive of that night's experience:

“Christ, the Father's rest eternal,
Jesus once looked down on me,
Called me by my name external,
And revealed Himself to me.
With His whisper, light, Life-giving,
Glowed in me, the dark, the dead,
Made me live, Himself receiving,
Who once died for me and bled.”

Once

Christ appeared once in the end of the age to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself. That work is finished. It can never be added to nor taken away from. Its value does not change. But the Spirit of God works in us to show us our need of Christ's work. He makes us know that we are sinners, that we are lost, in ourselves. He leads us (perhaps by deep and painful convictions) to the sense that there is no good in us; and we learn that, even when to will to do good is present with us, how to perform that good we know not.

We find not only that we have sinned, but that there is a law of sin in our members. This inborn law wars against the law of our minds and brings us into captivity to the law of sin in our members. But when really humbled about this, and convicted in our own hearts, we remove all pretensions of righteousness in ourselves, and turn to Christ, we find that He has died for this very condition. He has been a sacrifice for sin, as well as for the sins that burdened us. He has been made sin for us, and has put it away for us by the sacrifice of Himself.

This is how we get peace and liberty of heart before God. Sin and sins are put away between us and Him. Christ has made full expiation. Sin no longer exists as between God and us.

When He looks upon the blood of Christ He cannot see sin in the believer, because when Christ shed that blood He put away our sin. Thus we get liberty and power too; because submitting thus to the righteousness of God, having Christ for our righteousness, we are sealed with the Spirit, which gives us power and shows us Christ. In believing in Him, we get peace, strength, and joy, and are able to glorify Him.

Salvation Is of the Lord”

Before salvation can be received by any child of Adam, he must realize that "salvation is of the Lord." He must learn, not only that man is unable to purchase salvation, but that he has not one iota with which to help towards its purchase.

When a man has learned that all his righteousnesses are as filthy rags in God's sight, his mouth is stopped. Then the cry breaks forth from his heart: "Woe is me! for I am undone." Henceforth he must look only to God. If salvation is to come to him at all, it must come as a free gift.

Has the reader reached this position? Has he learned that prayers, though accompanied with tears, or the most rigid performance of duties, yea, even to the bestowing of the whole of one's goods upon the poor, will avail nothing towards the purchase of salvation? If so, then listen to this: "the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.”

Christ came into this world to manifest God's heart toward poor sinners; but man hated Christ and crucified Him between two thieves. But that same Jesus Christ was God's anointed, His own dear Son, who had done a perfect work on Calvary and "Him hath God exalted with His right hand to be a Prince and a Savior.”

No man that has taken the place of a lost sinner and come to the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation has ever been rejected. Christ's word of promise is: "Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." Rom. 10:13.

The Precious Blood of Christ

The preciousness of Jesus' blood
An angel's tongue could never tell;
None but the Infinite conceives
The value that doth in it dwell.
But this I know, Christ's precious blood
Has saved and brought me nigh to God.

Compared with it the wealth of earth
Contemptible must e'er appear;
Ten thousand worlds, with all their stores,
From one offense could never clear.
But Jesus' precious blood alone
Doth for my numerous sins atone.

`Twas when my sins against me rose,
A catalog of darkest hue,
And works had failed to give me peace,
That Jesus' blood arose in view.
Most wondrously it met my case,
For every sin it did efface.

The chief of sinners it has cleansed,
So there are none that need despair;
The sins of crimson it removes,
And makes the soul exceeding fair.
So fair, that God Himself can see
Naught but unsullied purity.

"Return Unto Me (The Lord); For I Have Redeemed Thee.”

Isa. 44:22.

"Ye Know That Ye Were Not Redeemed With Corruptible Things, As Silver And Gold,.. But With The Precious Blood Of Christ.”

1 Peter 1:18, 19.

February

Saved

As yet there were but few people astir on the beach in the fresh, cool morning hours. Had there been any watchers, they might have seen a strong swimmer strike out boldly to sea. Every stroke told, and put the shore at a greater distance.

Being in the very prime of manhood he never thought of danger as on he swam, till at last, a little wearied, he rested a moment and thought of returning. Then he found he had been carried out far beyond his intentions. He struck out for land, but now found the current against him, and his utmost efforts made little headway. Still he struggled on, till utterly exhausted, he turned on his back, and gave himself up for lost.

He had been religiously brought up; yes, more, he was the preacher for a large congregation. He had lived a careful life and till this moment had been on good terms with himself. Now with death before him, his soul awoke to find he had no hope of eternity. He was not ready to die! One thing was lacking: he had no link with Christ!

Horror seized him. The waves seemed to be roaring into his ears again and again: "When I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway." 1 Cor. 9:27.

He felt he had preached a Christ he had never known, had told others of a salvation he had not known himself! His life with its outward ceremonies he now loathed as mockery. Now he saw them at their true value—"dead works"—Heb. 9:14; that the work that could save his soul must be done for him, and done by another.

It was not concerning his body, but his soul, that he cried to God there on the mighty deep—there alone with God, on the waves—a great cry: "Lord, save me, or I perish!"—a vile sinner. As he cried, the answer came, "The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin." "Whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

He then murmured, "Lord, I believe that precious blood was shed for me." Life and peace came to his soul—then unconsciousness.

“Father! Father! Look ahead! What is that on the water? Surely, it's a man," said the son of the skipper of a fishing smack. The father looked. He sprang to the oar, calling out, "Row for very life.”

The men rowed, putting forth all their energies. The skipper saw the body sink once and rise again nearer to the boat; sink a second time, and this time it might rise close to them if they made a desperate effort. "Bend to your oars, for one last pull." And it did rise within reach.

Strong arms then brought the apparently lifeless body into the boat. Quickly they took every means in their power to restore animation. Willing hands carried him ashore, a living, breathing man and not a corpse—living in two ways: possessing now not merely natural life, but eternal life. (John 6:47, 1 John 5:13.)

A week later, in that same fishing-smack, he reviewed what the Lord had done for his soul when death and judgment had threatened him. He spoke to his rescuers of Jesus the Savior; of the impossibility of our doing anything to save ourselves—that that work must all be done by Him, or we must be forever lost; and he read to them from God's Word: “But God, who is rich in mercy, for His great love wherewith He loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)... not of works, lest any man should boast.”

“When you saw me in the water that morning, could I help myself? I did not help you to save me; you did all the work, and I got all the good." Friend, the Son of God DID ALL THE WORK, AND WE GET ALL THE GOOD OF IT.

“Now, my friends, do you not see how it is with the Lord? He, the sinless One, suffered in our stead. He took our place, and offers us His place.

“Do you think, however long I live, I shall ever cease to carry about with me the feelings of gratitude and love for the men who did so much for me? And this is how it is with us as to the Lord. When I know He has, saved me at such a cost, I cannot go on as I was, with no personal contact with Him. I want my life to show out my gratitude and love and praise!”

More than one of those fishermen were turned to the Lord through the preacher's personal testimony. Reader, what must YOU do to be saved, beyond believing on the Lord Jesus Christ? Dead in sins and trespasses—dead toward God—what can you do? NOTHING.

Nothing either great or small,
Nothing, sinner, no;
Jesus died and paid it all,
Long, long ago.

It is finished, yes indeed,
Finished every jot;
Sinner, this is all you need,
Tell me, is it not?”

“For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly." Rom. 5:6.

Two Nights

It was a night of revelry and mirth in the great city of Babylon. The banquet hall of the king's palace was gaily decorated and illuminated for the occasion. Wine flowed freely, and the king, his thousand lords, his many wives and concubines drank of it and made merry.

During the feast King Belshazzar forgot the warnings given by the true God to his grandfather and became recklessly boastful. He commanded the gold and silver vessels which had been taken out of the temple at Jerusalem to be brought, in order that out of them he might drink in honor of his false gods.

Trusting in the great walls and fortifications of Babylon, heedless of rumors of danger and lulled into a false sense of security, the proud king sought to enjoy "the pleasures of sin for a season." At this very moment the army of Darius the Median was outside and surrounded the city; but Belshazzar imagined himself quite safe from attack.

Suddenly, in the midst of his revelry, the fingers of a man's hand appeared, writing on the wall the words, "Mene, Mene, Tekel, Upharsin." What did that signify? "God hath numbered thy kingdom and finished it. Thou art weighed in the balances and found wanting. The kingdom is divided, and given to the Medes and Persians." God had interposed and pronounced sentence on the king and his kingdom.

Friend, are you, too, indifferent to your soul's eternal welfare? The impious Belshazzar cared little about the God of whom it is said, "The God in whose hand thy breath is." If God were to withhold breath from our bodies, both you and I would soon be in eternity. God has tried man; He has weighed man in the balances; He has found man as well as King Belshazzar—"wanting.”

"All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." Rom. 3:23.

God's judgment on Babylon was not long delayed. The sentence pronounced in the words written by the mysterious fingers upon the wall was soon carried into effect. While the great banquet was at its height, the tramp of horses and of soldiers, and the clash of arms in the street without, heralded the triumphal entry of the great Babylon of the armies of the Medes and Persians—and the end And in "that night" was Belshazzar slain. The stroke of divine judgment fell, and the careless king had to pass into the presence of God—"wanting.”

How terrible that God, the God of love, must pronounce such solemn judgment, irreversible and eternal, upon the wicked! He is "not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance." 2 Peter 3:9. In His tender love and pity for His failing creature, He is not only the Judge, but when the heart responds to Him, He is a Deliverer—mighty to save.

There was another night—a night of judgment on the one hand, but of deliverance on the other. On that Passover night in Egypt, God was about to execute judgment. And it is a true picture of this present world, for though God has waited long, nevertheless He has the day "appointed" and the Man "ordained" by whom He will judge the world in righteousness. But before He draws the sword to smite, He first provides a way of escape for all who will accept it.

What was God's way of escape on that solemn night in Egypt? His edict was: "when I see the blood, I will pass over you." Ex. 12:13. Only the sprinkled blood of a spotless lamb and nothing else could avail to save the firstborn in the land of Egypt that night of the Lord. And now that precious word is equally true: "When I see the blood, I will pass over you." Putting aside the type and taking up the reality: the precious blood of Christ, God's appointed Lamb, is the absolute necessity to save your soul. Are you washed in His cleansing blood?

Every requirement of a holy God has been fully met and vindicated by the shed blood of His Son. Turn from the contemplation of your feelings, or anything within yourself. See how fully Jesus' blood has satisfied God's claims and silenced every accusation of the enemy. Rest by simple faith on the unchanging word, "When I see the blood, I will pass over you.”

Does Death End It All?

A minister of Christ was seeking to help a stubborn atheist. This unbeliever had declared: "I do not believe what you preach.”

"What do you believe?" asked the preacher.

The man promptly replied: "I believe that death ends all.”

“You do? And so do I," was the surprising answer. "What!" exclaimed the atheist. "You too believe that death ends all?”

The believer in Christ replied positively: "Yes! Death ends all your chance for doing evil. It ends all your joy, all your prospects, all your ambitions, all your friendships. And death ends all the gospel of God that you will ever hear. Death will end it all for you, and you will be cast into outer darkness.

“As for me, death will end all my wanderings, all my tears, all my perplexities, and all my disappointments—all my aches and pains. Death will end them all, and I will go to be with my Lord in glory!”

“Well, I never thought of it that way," said the atheist.

What a thought it was to ponder over! The words so solemnly spoken found lodgment in his unbelieving heart. Day and night the fear of death—the end of all earthly things—ate into his aroused conscience. The preacher's avowed prospect of eternal joy with the Savior aroused in the darkened soul of the 'atheist a burning desire for similar blessing. In his quandary he turned to the hitherto despised Word of God; and, as has been found so often, that Word is true: "Seek, and ye shall find." Matt. 7:7.

In his earnest search of the Scriptures the distressed man came across Heb. 9:27. He read: "And as it is appointed unto men once to die." Of course he believed that. It was true, so maybe the rest was too: "but after this the judgment.”

What would he have to face then? Surely he would have to answer for his sins, for his unbelief, for his long neglect of the good of what he now knew to be his never dying soul.

Crying for light to the God he had denied, this Seeker after truth read on in verse 28: "So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many." Could he be counted among the "many"? The next phrase gave the answer: "And unto them that look for HIM." Ah, there was the root of the matter: "look for Him"— believe in HIM—put their trust in HIM. The unbeliever must cast aside his God-dishonoring reasonings. He must take God at His word and in simple faith accept, as for himself alone, Christ's wondrous work of atonement on Calvary.

Through the grace of the God he had spurned, all the poor man's doubts and fears were swept away in a cleansing flood of repentant tears. In the joy of his new-found belief in a God of mercy and a loving Savior, the atheist became a worshiper and could cry from the depths of his soul: "My Lord and my God.”

No Work”

The man evidently was in great distress of soul. A Christian worker approached him with the question: "Are you saved?”

“No, I intend to be, though not just yet, for I am not quite ready," he replied.

“But now is the accepted time," the Christian urged.

He sought earnestly to impress upon the lost man the need of an immediate acceptance of the Lord Jesus Christ as his own personal Savior.

“Don't tell me," said he, "that I can be saved without doing anything.”

A young lad standing by had been listening attentively to the conversation. Now he hastily opened his Bible, and handing it to the Christian said "Please read that to him.”

“But to him that worketh not, but believeth on Him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness." Rom. 4:5.

The man listened intently, and the word was used of God in blessing to his soul. Emphatically he exclaimed: "Well, there is no getting away from that! It must be a fact, for God says it: 'TO HIM THAT WORKETH NOT.”

“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast." Eph. 2:8, 9.

Working will not save me!
Purest deeds that I can do,
Holiest thoughts and feelings too,
Cannot form my soul anew!
Working will not save me.

Christ alone can save me!
Faith in God's beloved Son,
Faith in work that He has done;
Lord, to whom else could I come?
Thou alone canst save me.

Jesus bled and died for me:
Jesus suffered on the tree:
Jesus waits to make me free;
He alone can save me!

Be Still

Let nothing make thee sad or fretful,
Or too regretful—
Be still.
What God hath ordered must be right,
Then find in it thine own delight—
My will.
Why should'st thou fill today with sorrow
About tomorrow,
My heart?
One watches all with care most true,
Doubt not that He will give thee, too,
Thy part.
Only be steadfast—never waver,
Nor seek earth's favor,
But rest;
Thou knowest what God's will must be
For all His creatures—so for thee
The best.

Paul Fleming

(1609-1640)

Stop - Look - Listen

To men and women rushing hither and thither along the crowded highways of life comes a warning signal: "Stop—Look—Listen." Dear soul hastening on into eternity, more than life depends upon your response. Your soul's eternal destiny will be determined by the decision you make after you stop, look, and listen to God's warning signal.

STOP

"Stand ye still, and see the salvation of the LORD with you." 2 Chron. 20:17

Have you come to the end of sell? Are the odds all against you? Are you at wit's end corner, knowing not which way to turn? Then stop! Stand still in the presence of Him who says, "Be still, and know that I am God." Psa. 46:10.

LOOK!

“Look unto Me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else." Isa. 45:22.

Yes, look unto the Savior dying on Calvary. There the Lord Jesus Christ shed His blood for your sins. He laid down His life in your stead, for "the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." Rom. 6:23.

“Look, look, look, and live.
There is life for a look at the crucified One,
There is life at this moment for thee.”

LISTEN!

“This is My beloved Son: HEAR HIM." Mark 9:7.

Listen not to the noise and bustle all around, nor to the organizations of men which call to you offering peace, surcease from worry. All these are vain. To what can man listen then in time of need?

Stand still, dear soul; look unto Jesus, and listen to Him alone. Do you not hear Him? A still, small voice is speaking to your heart. What tender love is in that voice, what comfort and assurance to your soul! It is Jesus speaking: "Him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out." John 6:37. He is speaking directly to you. Listen! "hear Him," for this is God's command as given to the disciples on the mount of transfiguration.

Stop, and see the Salvation of the Lord. You are at a crossroad—the warning signal is before you—Stop.

Look, and see your only salvation from the penalty (wages) of your sin which is death. Look away to Jesus, the Author and Finisher of faith, "who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God." Heb. 12:2.

Listen! There are two voices. Satan, the liar and the father of lies, questions: "Hath God said"? But listen carefully, dear soul! God, who cannot lie, says "The wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." Rom. 6:23. "HEAR HIM.”

EXAMPLE" or "SUBSTITUTE”

At the close of a gospel service in Germantown, Pa., some time ago, a stranger said to the evangelist: "I don't like your preaching. I do not care for the cross. I think that instead of preaching the death of Christ on the cross, it would be far better to preach Jesus, the teacher and example.”

“Would you then be willing to follow Him if I preached Christ, the example"? asked the preacher.

“I would," said the stranger. "I will follow in His steps!”

“Then," said the preacher, "let us take the first step. `Who did no sin.' Can you take this step?”

The stranger looked confused. "No," he said. "I do sin and I acknowledge it.”

“Well, then," said the evangelist, "your first need is not as an example, but as a Savior.”

This is every man's need. "For all have sinned, and came short of the glory of God." Rom. 3:23.

“All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all." Isa. 53:6.

The True Neighbor

Luke 10:30-37

He found me robbed, and wounded, and half dead;
No eye to pity, and no hand to aid;
His arm salvation brought—His love so free—
E'en to a sinner, and an enemy!

The priest passed by and left me in my pain!
No blood of victims on his altars slain
Could meet my wretched, ruined, hopeless case;
Naught could avail, but all-abounding grace.

The Levite looked upon me, then passed by!
His ritual could not aid one doomed to die!
Vain are earth's altars—ceremonials vain—
Jesus, alone by Thee we life obtain.

He came just where I was, and took my part;
Compassion in His eye, love in His heart;
With His own hands my wounds He gently dressed,
Dispelled my fears, and filled with peace my breast.

He brought me to an inn, and bade the host
Supply my present need, and paid the cost:
"And when I come again," I heard Him say,
"Whate'er thou spendest more I will repay.”

Thus to the end, whatever may befall,
I ne'er shall want—He has provided all.
Now at the inn I wait His face to see,
Who loved me thus with love so rich, so free.

Well may I then to all around commend
This wondrous Neighbor, and this matchless Friend;
And tell to every lost and ruined soul,
How perfect is His grace, who made me whole.

"God... In Times Past Suffered All Nations To Walk In Their Own Ways.”

Acts 14:15, 16.

"The Times Of This Ignorance God Winked At; But Now Commandeth All Men Every Where To Repent.”

Acts 17:30.

March

Jonah and the Whale

Skeptics who assail the truths and teachings of the Bible have always sought to place the account of "Jonah and the Whale" in the class of not only the probable, but of the impossible. The Scripture account says: "Now the LORD had prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah." Jonah 1:17.

Note, the Bible narrative does not say that it was a whale, but a "great fish" prepared of God. Even those who claim that it would be impossible for a whale to swallow a man now have evidence against them. Among other instances, "The Literary Digest" of New York, in Volume 12, No. 3, page 681, which was issued April 4, 1896, shows that even in comparatively recent years, whales have swallowed men.

In February, 1891, the "Star of the East," a whaling vessel cruising in the Mediterranean Sea, not greatly distant from the coast of Palestine, indeed, one might say in the very waters where Jonah was cast overboard, "launched two whaleboats with an equipment of men to pursue a superb whale that was observed at some distance. The huge creature was harpooned and wounded to death. While it was writhing in its last agonies, one of the whaleboats was struck by its tail and shattered to pieces. The sailors in it were thrown into the water. All but two were saved shortly by the other boat. The body of one was recovered, but the, other, James Bartley, could not be found.

“When the monster had ceased moving, and its death was quite certain, it was hoisted alongside the ship, and the work of cutting it up began. A day and a night were devoted to this task. When it was ended the stomach of the whale was opened. What was the surprise of the whalers to find in it their lost comrade, James Bartley, unconscious but alive! They had much trouble in reviving him. For several days he was delirious and could not speak an intelligent word. Not till three weeks had elapsed did he recover his reason and was able to narrate his impressions.”

James Bartley reported: "I remember well the moment the whale threw me into the air. Then I was swallowed and found myself enclosed in a firm, slippery channel whose contractions forced me continually downward. This lasted only an instant. Then I found myself in a very large sack, and by feeling about I realized that I had been swallowed by the whale and that I was in his stomach. I could still breathe, though with much difficulty. I had a feeling of insupportable heat, and it seemed as if I were being boiled alive. The horrible thought came to me: Was I doomed to perish in the whale's stomach? My anguish was intensified by the complete silence that reigned about me. Finally I lost consciousness of my frightful situation.”

James Bartley, the English papers said in the accounts published at that time, was known to be the most hardy of whalers, but the experience in the whale's stomach was so terrible that he was obliged to undergo treatment in a London hospital on his return. Nevertheless, his general state of health was not seriously affected by the incident, the only effect being that his skin was, as it were, tanned by the action of the gastric juices.

The captain of the "Star of the East" reports that cases where furious whales have swallowed men are not rare, but that this was the first time he ever saw the victim come out alive after his experience.

It is not necessary, in order to disprove the contention of the adversaries of Scripture, to show that the swallowing of Jonah by a great fish, or by a whale, was ordinarily possible. Even if we admit their contention, it only heightens the manifestation of divine power when we lift the whole subject into the realm of the miraculous. Would it not be ridiculous to deny that God, the Almighty Creator, could in this instance make an exception and create a "great fish" for a special purpose?

If man, with his limited capacities and powers, can build ships in which to transport live cattle from one continent to another; if, with ingenuity that is only human, he is able to construct boats that, at will, can either float upon the surface or sink beneath the waves, ships that can be navigated under the direction of the human will of those who are being preserved and whose bodies are being transported beneath the waves by their own skilful devices, would it not be both absurd and ridiculous to deny the Infinite, All-Wise and Almighty Creator, the power which He exercised in the preservation, transportation, and safe delivery of His prophet, that he might do the divine bidding and save the multitudes who dwelt in the city of Nineveh?

“Now the LORD had prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah." Jonah 1:17.

Reason and Hope

"An atheist has a reason but no hope for his reason. A hypocrite has a hope but no reason for his hope. A Christian has a reason for his hope and a hope for his reason.”

Worthy?

The evening service had ended, and a young man who had listened intently hurriedly left the hall. His quick steps soon took him to the entrance of a downtown theater. There he stopped as though checked by an unseen hand.

He had just left a gathering of those whom he knew to be earnest Christians. With them he had for the past hour heard a stirring message by a speaker who knew for himself Christ as a Savior, once crucified, but now ascended into heaven.

The heart of this young man had been greatly touched by the reverent presentation of that wondrous love—a love which passeth knowledge—a love expressed so fully on the shameful cross of Calvary. But more than all, that young man was moved by the witness of the Holy Spirit that Jesus had been raised from the dead and received up into heaven, and was now glorified as Man at the right hand of God.

At the close of the service, a hymn of praise was sung to the tune known as "Old Hundred." How grandly the words rang out!

"Worthy of homage and of praise,
Worthy by all to be adored;
Exhaustless theme of heavenly lays—
Thou, Thou art worthy, Jesus, Lord!”

Now the young man stood on the sidewalk, debating in his heart if he should enter the theater. He had often been there before for an evening's entertainment, and with interest he scanned the advertising posters. With such enticements before him, the debate in his heart between the tender voice of the Spirit of God and the persuasive whisper of the tempter was fast losing ground to Satan. "But God"—yes, God Himself—had His eye on this young man, and to HIM he was a chosen vessel.

Unnoticed, an old man was approaching with his battered grind-organ. Stopping near the theater entrance, he began to play a selection of tunes. Surely it was of God that the first tune he played was "Old Hundred"! Our young friend turned to see if he were dreaming. All that he had just been hearing of that living Savior in heaven came back to him, in wonderful power. The love of Christ filled and overwhelmed his heart. There, as though from the doors of hell, he turned to enter the fold of the Shepherd who had bought him at so great a price, sought him in his lost condition, and had brought him to Himself. As he yielded himself to the unquestionable claims of that redeeming love, the words so lately sung came forth from his heart to the tune, "Old Hundred," now filling the air triumphantly: "Worthy of homage and of praise,

Worthy by all to be adored;
Exhaustless theme of heavenly lays—
Thou, Thou art worthy, Jesus, Lord!”

The young man left the theater door, never to enter it again. He went to his home that night a happy believer in the Lord Jesus Christ; and ere long was known as an earnest follower of the humble Nazarene.

You may say, "Is that all?" Ah, no, my friend. Even today, years after his departure to be with Christ, one can say, his "works do follow" him. That young man was R. F. Kingscote, whose ministry and life of service to the Savior are still used of God in blessing to thousands. "Christ as Seen in the Offerings" continues to be an authoritative exposition of His Word and work, and is a source of enlightenment and comfort to His own.

How different would have been the result of that night's decision had it been made in the other direction! Many others, through this young man's testimony and service of love to Christ, have learned to love and follow that same loving, living Savior, the One who drew R. F. Kingscote that night, at the theater door, back from the gates of hell and turned his steps towards the portals of eternal glory.

Reader, do you hesitate? Do you halt "between two opinions"? The voice of the Savior still pleads with you: "Today if ye will hear His voice, harden not your hearts.”

Believing Is Seeing

The world says, "SEEING IS BELIEVING." God says believing is seeing. The world's maxim is familiar enough; yet just as real is the truth that the man who believes shall see. Faith always results in vision. The man who trusts shall know.

Unsaved reader, you are making a fatal mistake, a mistake which will work your eternal ruin. You say you will not believe until you see. You say, "Show me —give me a sign, and I will believe." God says, "Come to Me by faith now, and you will have the witness in yourself." "He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself." 1 John 5:10.

You say you must have some experience of Christ before you will believe in Christ. But know this: you will have a definite knowledge of Christ just as soon as you exercise a definite faith in Christ. You will never have it before.

When you believe, the light will come. Have a definite transaction with the Lord about your sins. Accept His condemnation and believe His great work on Calvary in your behalf. As surely, as you do this you will definitely receive and know the salvation of God. To prove the truth of the gospel is to try it for yourself. Christianity is a life, and a life cannot be understood by one who does not possess it, The doctor says to the patient, "Here is a medicine that will cure you." The patient replies, "I will take it as soon as I feel it is curing me." Will you thus dare trifle with the living God and His remedy for your sinful state?

How often does a desire for signs and wonders, proofs and evidences, conceal an evil heart of unbelief! Men who do not WANT to believe the truth, clamor for evidences that will satisfy their own prejudices. The seat of unbelief is the HEART. The WILL refuses to be subject to God. The Lord. Jesus Christ said to the unbelieving Jews, "Ye WILL NOT come to Me, that ye might have life." John 5:40.

Dear lost soul, you do not believe because you will not; and until you first come to God with a broken will, believing that GOD IS, He cannot reveal Himself to you.

“Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved." Acts 16:31.

“If any man will do His will, he shall know." John 7:17.

Treasures

Treasures are varied, and their value is according to individual estimation. We speak of treasures in the sea, treasures hid in the sand, treasures in the heart of the earth, treasures of science, and so on.

Or one may speak of his vast accumulation of money in a bank, and call this his treasure. A mother folds her babe in her arms, and calls it her treasure. A little child directs your attention to his toys and books, and calls them his treasure. All these are valued in their way; but none of them are lasting! Earthquakes, floods, and failures remove the banks; death takes the child; destruction follows the books; and where are the treasures?

Dear reader, have you felt the loss of treasures? Then is your heart open to receive a lasting one?

“There is treasure to be desired and oil in the dwelling of the wise." That treasure is Christ; the dwelling of the wise is His home. Do you want Him? You may have Him. He is even now knocking at your heart's door. Will you let Him in?

A few weeks ago I was walking in a seaside village when I was accosted with the following words by a countryman whom I had never met before. "Mister," he said, "I have something to tell you. There is a poor old man down the road a piece who has lost his treasure. He had managed to lay by from his hard earnings the sum of $140.00. He hid his money in two wheat-) stacks and the other night lightning struck the stacks and they were burnt down. All his money was lost in the fire.”

“Poor man!" I exclaimed. "And what did he do?”

“Why, he wept and wailed, and refused to be comforted.”

“Well, my good man," I said, "I must tell you of my great treasure.”

“Have you got one, too?”

“Yes, I've got a treasure, and it cannot be destroyed. No fire can burn it, no flood wash it away, and no circumstances can lessen it. Even death can have no dominion over my treasure.”

“You must surely mean the Lord God Almighty?”

“My friend, my Treasure is Christ, God's beloved Son, who is now seated at the right hand of the Majesty on high. He has been upon this earth and suffered a shameful death upon the cross. It was there that He bore the punishment for my sins, and for all those who believe upon Him.

“Do you wonder at my calling the Lord Jesus my Treasure? You would not if you knew Him. The more one thinks of Him, the more is one amazed at the exceeding beauty and riches and glory that are in Him! Listen to His words: 'Riches and honor are with Me; yea, durable riches and righteousness. My fruit is better than gold, yea, than fine gold; and my revenue than choice silver.'"(Prov. 8:18,19.) Is not Christ worth having?"

"Yes, He is; and I'm doing my best to obtain Him.”

"What is your best?”

"I fall, down upon my knees ten or twelve times every day, and say my prayers.”

"And you think to earn salvation in that way?”

"Yes, I do. I know God is merciful, and I am no scholar. I am poor and old; but I hope when my time comes to die that He will accept the best I have to give Him.”

“My friend, you will never get God's great Gift by any of your doings. God has shown His marvelous mercy to man in sending His own Son into this dark world. God gave His dear Son to die for you and for me— poor, guilty, lost sinners. Would you then do despite to that precious shed blood by trying to earn or to buy its benefits?

"If you want to partake of the mercy of God you must have it entirely apart from all your own works. You must accept the work done upon Calvary's cross for you. Go to the Savior. Tell Him you have nothing but your sins to bring Him. Tell Him your treasures of wickedness profit nothing, but that you believe His Word: 'The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth from all sin.' Believe it in your heart, and you will enter into life eternal. As His own, you will become a part of His treasure. Will you not acknowledge Him now as Savior and Lord? Only thus can you partake of the benefits of God's great Gift.”

“For 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.

The Heart-Searcher

"Who told you about me? Someone did, else you could not have known." So said a young man to an evangelist he had heard speaking the night before. The reply he received was, "God knows all about you, and He tells me what to say.”

“You might as well have called out my name last night," said the young man. "Some turned around to look at me while you were speaking.”

“My instructions are to open your eyes; to turn you from darkness to light; and to bring you from the power of Satan to God, that you may receive forgiveness of sins. When a man's eyes are opened, he sees and knows that he is lost, and that there is nothing between him and hell. If you were to die as you are, where would you go?”

“Ah," he replied, "I know only too well. I have known this for nearly three weeks.”

“Why then did you not come before?”

“I have come three or four times to your gate, but could not summon courage to come in. I thought it would be so foolish to tell you my fears. You would think I had committed murder, or gone out of my mind. I have prayed and read the Bible, and it only makes me feel worse and worse. I have been trying to live a better life; but I get nowhere. On Sunday I heard what you said about the house that was built on sand.”

The preacher interrupted him by saying, "Do you understand now about building on the Rock?”

“Yes," he said, with a smile; "I think I see that instead of doing my best, I ought to rest on the finished work of Christ.”

“Have you done so?”

“I have tried to, but I do not feel any better.”

“Wanting to feel," said the preacher, "is a device of the devil to keep you from salvation. It is surprising how he tries every one with that device, and hinders many. If you believe that Christ died for you, you should thank Him for it.”

“How can I thank. Him if I don't feel saved?”

“My dear man," said the preacher, "I do not want you to thank Him for what you feel, but for what He did. Did He die for you or not? If He did, then thank Him! Tell Him, if you like, how unworthy you are to do so; but thank Him nevertheless.”

“Unworthy enough," he muttered. "He will see what a hypocrite I am, and send me away.”

“No," said the preacher; "a hypocrite is a person who thanks when he does not mean it; but you mean it, and yet do not give thanks. Thank Him as well as you can, until you can thank Him better. Praying is like knocking at a door: and thanking God is like going in when it is opened. The wall is salvation; but the gate is praise. (Psa. 118:19-24.) Come, let us thank Him for His love in giving His Son to die for you.”

As they knelt the young man looked up and said, "I feel better already.”

“Oh, never mind your feelings," said the preacher. "Thank and praise God—say, 'Glory be to God; Jesus died for me'!”

Soon the young man came into joy and liberty. He exclaimed in glad tones, "How wonderful! I am saved! I am sure I am.”

It is God who searches the heart; and He it is who knows all about us. He is the One who by His Spirit draws the erring and the lost to Jesus. The devil will indeed hinder if he can by leading the tried soul to depend upon his feelings. But God leads on, showing that His Word gives the only' ground of rest; and that salvation comes through faith and is never founded upon feelings.

He Died for All?

"He died for all"—
Has died to save;
His life a ransom freely gave;
Bore man's mad hate, e'en hell did brave;
Sank low beneath God's judgment wave;
Peace He has made,
He died to save!

"He died for all"—
He died for me;
Met all my need and misery;
Annulled my old, sad history;
Assured my future destiny;
O, bliss to see
He died for me!

"He died for all"—
Has died for you!
Endured sin's just and awful due;
Brought thus God's love and light to view;
From high now wafts the message true!
Your soul to woo—
He died for you!—

"He died for all"—
The great, the small;
But only saves from sin's dark thrall
Those who in faith before Him fall!
The rest His wrath shall soon appall.
Heed, then, the call—
"He died for all!”

"Are there not with you, even with you, sins against the Lord your God?”

2 Chron. 28:10

“All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.”

Rom. 3:23

April

The One Who so Loved Me

My Jesus, I know that Thy blood can save,
For I know it has saved me;
I once feared death, and the dark, dark grave,
And a darker eternity.

My sins were a fearful, a loathsome load;
No language my sorrow could tell;
And oh, as I walked the broad, broad road,
I knew 'twas a journey to hell.

But I heard of One who loved me so
That He came from His throne on high,
To bear the weight of my sin and woe,
And to bleed on the cross, and die.

He washed my sins in the crimson flood
That flowed from His open side;
And I knew I was saved by the precious blood
Of the Lord who was crucified.

So now, a sinner redeemed by blood,
In Christ accepted I stand,
And wait, as a blood-bought child of God,
For my home in the heavenly land.

And this is the joy I seek below,
As I sing of His love so free,
That others the wondrous love may know
Of the One who so loved me.

My Substitute

When I was a boy at school, I saw a sight I can never forget—a man tied to a cart and dragged, before the people's eyes, through the streets of my native town. His back was torn and bleeding from the lash. It was a shameful punishment.

For many offenses? No; for one offense. Did any of the townsmen offer to divide the lashes with him? No; he who committed the offense bore the penalty all alone. It was the penalty of a changing human law, for it was the last instance of its infliction.

When I was a student at the University, I saw another sight I never can forget—a man brought out to die. His arms were pinioned to his sides, his face was already pale as death—thousands of eager eyes were on him as he came up from the jail into our sight.

Did any man ask to die in his stead? Did any friend come and loose the rope, and say, "Put it round my neck, I will die instead"? No; he underwent the sentence of the law. For many offenses? No; for one offense. He had stolen a money parcel from the mail. He broke the law at one point only, and died for it. It was the penalty of a changing human law in this case also: it was the last instance of capital punishment being inflicted for that offense.

I saw another sight—it matters not when—myself a sinner standing on the brink of ruin, deserving naught but hell. For one sin? No; for many, many sins committed against the unchanging laws of God. But again I looked, and I saw JESUS, my Substitute, scourged in my stead, and dying on the cross for me. I looked upon Him. I cried to Him, and I was forgiven. Now I love to tell of that Savior, to beg you to LOOK AND LIVE.

"There is life in a look at the crucified One;
There is life at this moment for thee;
Then look, sinner, look unto Him and be saved—
Unto Him who was nailed to the tree.”

White Rain

Sambo was a big, black man who was soldiering in France, far from his native land. One day he was standing at the door of a shed, looking out on the bleak, unhappy countryside. It was bitterly cold, and Sambo took on almost a bluish tinge, so keenly did he suffer from the weather of that winter afternoon. Now, as he looked, the expression on his face changed. His eyes and mouth were each like a big, round O, so widely were they opened as he saw big, white flakes falling to the earth.

“What's the matter, Sam?" asked a British soldier who was standing near.

“Ooo! White rain!" Sambo answered, in a hushed voice.

“Oh, it's the snow you are watching. Have you never seen snow before?”

“Never, sar! No snow in my country.”

Then, as the snow began to fall more thickly, Sambo ventured out. Soon his delight knew no bounds as the fleecy flakes fell upon him and the countryside became beautiful with a coating of pure, white snow.

The British soldier, who was a Christian, watched Sambo enjoying himself for some time. Then he asked: "Can you tell me anything that is whiter than snow, Sam?”

“Yes, sar," the other answered, in a serious tone; “the soul that is washed in my Savior's blood is whiter than this beautiful snow.”

“Why, Sam," came the response, in pleased tones, "where did you hear about that?”

“Way in my country. Mission'ry learn me to love Jesus. We sing in meeting, 'Whiter than the snow.' See my hands, big black hands! That just like my big black heart. Now look!”

Sam bent down. When he rose again his hands were completely covered with snow.

“Oh, the grandness of it! Black sins all gone, never to be remember' any more. All is pure white like this beautiful snow.”

There and then two men, the black and the white, shook hands as brothers in Christ Jesus. They had both learned the great lesson that, no matter what the color of the skin may be, the only thing that can make white the black heart of any one is the precious blood of Jesus.

Have you found this out for yourself, dear reader? God's Word tells us: "The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from ALL sin." 1 John 1:7.

Take Your Bearings

The evangelist had been speaking to a group of seamen, urging upon them the need of immediate acceptance of the Savior. As he concluded his final prayer, he saw standing near him a sailor whose weathered face bespoke many years of ocean faring, but the shining countenance also told of the in-living Christ. Shaking his hand, the preacher said, "Where did you find the Lord?”

Instantly came the answer: "Latitude 25; longitude 54.”

What a puzzler! "Latitude 25; longitude 54. What do you mean?”

The old salt replied: "I was sitting on deck, and from a bundle of papers before me I pulled one out. It had in it one of Spurgeon's sermons. I began to read it. As I read it I saw the truth that I was lost and needed a Savior. I received the Lord Jesus as my Savior. I jumped up off the coil of ropes, SAVED. I thought if I were on shore I would know where I was saved, and why should I not know on the sea? And so I took my latitude and longitude. That's where I found the Lord—latitude 25; longitude 54.”

The sailor knew his need, and he wanted a change. In his anxiety he had picked up one of Spurgeon's sermons, so clear as to man's utter ruin by the fall and God's glorious remedy through the shed blood of His Son. The Gospel, which declares that "Christ died for our sins,... was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures" (1 Cor. 15:1-5), was immediately believed and he was "saved.”

The Savior had died, the sailor had believed, the Scriptures gave the assurance of a present and perpetual salvation. Sailor-like, he took his bearings and found the spot of his salvation: latitude 25; longitude 54.

Friend, ask yourself: Am I saved? When was I saved? Where was I saved? How did I get saved? If sure you are saved, praise God! If uncertain, take your bearings. Look to Christ right now. "Believe and be saved.”

"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.

A Know-It-All

A child of God mentioned to me the case of Mrs. Conyers, who had just been discharged from the hospital. She had said with much bitterness: "God cannot be a God of love and let me suffer such bodily agony.”

The desire filled me to go to see Mrs. Conyers, and the Lord graciously opened the way. On my arrival at her home, I immediately spoke of the love of the Lord Jesus in dying for sinners. To my surprise she assented to all that I said, and for my first few visits she said "yes" to everything. But others residing in the same house said her testimony was not that of a saved soul. Why did she seek to deceive me? Was it bodily suffering which made her so quiet? No, it was God's own Word striking home to her soul, and she did not like it.

One day while I was talking to her of the old, old story of Jesus, she suddenly raised her voice (which had become very weak) to quite a loud pitch. Angrily, she said: "My dear Miss Barnes, you need not tell me that. I know it all! I have known it from a child!" And she ranted in a loud, angry voice until, utterly exhausted, she sank back on her pillow.

For some minutes I was wordless, stunned into feeling utterly helpless. My heart went up to the Lord in silent prayer for the right word to speak. He graciously answered and brought to my lips these words: Mrs. Conyers, in God's Word we read of a certain king who made a marriage for his son. According to the custom, he sent wedding garments to the invited guests; but one came in who had not on a wedding garment. When the king came in to see the guests, he saw the man who had not the wedding garment. He asked him how he came without it. The man was speechless. Mrs. Conyers, when the Lord comes, you will be speechless if you attempt to go into His presence your own way.”

I then arose and stood over her, speaking of the precious blood of the Lord Jesus. She did not again open her lips or her eyes, and I slowly left the room.

Three times I called to see her, but she refused my visits. The nurse apologized for this rudeness, remarking that she often heard her patient praying when alone. On my fourth visit she consented to see me, and received me quietly. I asked if I might read a portion of Scripture to her. She agreed, and I read Matt. 22:1-13. We then spoke of the Passover night when the destroying angel was to smite the firstborn in Egypt, except in those houses where the blood was on the lintel and door posts. When God saw the blood, He did not destroy. Similarly, the precious blood of the Lord Jesus, shed on the cross of Calvary, had power to cleanse from all sins. Lying there, she could by faith receive the full benefit of that work and know that all her sins were washed away in that precious blood. Kneeling by her bed in prayer, I pleaded aloud with God to save her precious soul.

A few days later I heard that Mrs. Conyers was passing away, and was quite happy at the thought of going to be with the Lord. Hurrying to her house, I was told she was too far gone to see anyone; but when I knocked at the door, someone ran to open it, saying: "Mrs. Conyers wants to see you.”

When I entered, she held out her hand and murmured my name. I bent over her and asked: "Are you trusting in knowing it all from a child, Mrs. Conyers?”

Slowly her head moved from side to side, expressing, "No!" When I mentioned the precious blood of the Lord Jesus Christ, and asked if her trust was in that, the head quickly moved, indicating, "Yes, yes!" A few words more with her, and I left, assured in my heart that we should meet in heaven.

Dear reader, this true story is written in the simple hope that it may arouse you to ask yourself: "Am I like Mrs. Conyers? Do I 'know it all'?”

You may know in your head the way of salvation, and be a lost soul. Knowledge is one thing, and belief in the heart quite another.

“It is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul." Lev. 17:11.

“The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin." 1 John 1:7.

Come!”

There is nothing mysterious or mystical about "coming." It is one of the simplest of words; a child understands it. If Christ were standing before you now, and you heard Him say, "Come," would you have to ask what He meant?

When the Lord walked upon the Sea of Galilee, Peter requested: "Lord, if it be Thou, bid me come unto Thee on the water." Jesus said to him, "Come." It was the simplest of things to obey, though the circumstances were contrary to nature.

In the words of Frances Ridley Havergal, "Fear not, believe only; and let yourself come to Him immediately! Take with you words, and turn to the Lord. Say unto Him, 'Take away all iniquity and receive [me] graciously.' You know that His answer is, 'Him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out.'

“Do you still feel unaccountably puzzled about it? Give a quiet hour to the records of how others came to Jesus. Begin with the eighth of Matthew, and trace out all through the gospels how they came to Jesus with all sorts of different needs. Trace in these cases your own spiritual needs of cleansing, healing, salvation, guidance, sight, teaching. They knew what they wanted and they knew whom they wanted. And consequently they just came.”

Come then to Him with all your need, and if you
"—ask Him to receive you,
Will He say you, 'Nay?'
Not till earth, and not till heaven
Pass away!”

John Bunyan knew the value of this verse, John 6:37. He wrote for sinners like himself:

“But I am a great sinner," sayest thou.