It was the last day of the year. A few of the men had met weekly for prayer, and of late they had prayed earnestly for one of their number who carried his dissipation and recklessness beyond all limits. Just before this sailor's watch on the last night of the year, one of his comrades said to him kindly,
"Jack, we meet tonight to pray the old year out, and we shall pray for you." Jack turned round in a rage.
"Make me your subject, if you dare, and I'll knock your brains out," was his answer.
Overhead shone the stars, and far away gleamed the lights of the city, and still the parting words of his comrade rang in his ears.
"I wonder what they'll say," he thought at length, after his anger had died away. "Well, if they mention all my sins, they'll have enough to keep them busy;" and one after another scene of sin came up before him, scenes from which many of the participants had been called away to judgment. Rousing himself up he tried to shake off their memories, but in vain.
"We'll pray for you," rang in his ears. All at once the texts learned at his mother's knee from his almost forgotten Bible came up before him. Vainly he whistled and sang, and tried to think of everything else.
"O, what a long list of sins I've got scored against me!" he groaned; "I can't ever get them chalked out."
He saw himself undone and helpless; but as One of old appeared to Peter walking on the sea—the blessed "Son of Man"—so across the wild waves of doubt, of anguish, and despair came the Heavenly Comforter into the heart of this poor sailor, saying,
"Be not afraid; only believe."
Alone upon his knees, he believed on the Lord Jesus Christ and was saved (Acts 16:3131And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. (Acts 16:31)). He heard the far-off city bells toll out the dying of the year, and merrily chime in the advent of the new, and a "new creature" Jack arose from his knees, and grasping the hand of his comrade who came to relieve him, said, with a tearful voice,
"Ned, I'm a new man in Christ Jesus."
His conversion was indeed sincere. God's Spirit perfected the good work begun in him; and, as he contemplated the abyss from which he had been snatched, he could not sufficiently admire Divine goodness. Jack was unwearied in his efforts to show his late companions the folly of their ways; and more than one had reason to hold in grateful memory of Jack's New Year.
Will you also, believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and be made anew?