Years ago young Nelson, the son of an English clergyman, went to the Canadian Northwest. There he homesteaded on the plains several hundred miles west of Winnipeg.
He had traveled with a party of thoughtless, pleasure-seeking young fellows who knew little about farming. A good deal of their time was spent in shooting, hunting, and other sports. Their evenings were filled with playing cards and reading novels. If they had had any "religion" in England they had surely lost it now. However, it is one thing to have a Sunday "religion" and quite another to have Christ as one's personal Savior and Friend. So it was that these young men found the solitude somewhat irksome. To vary the monotony, they paid occasional visits to the settlers in the district.
Several young Canadians from Ontario often came to hold gospel services in the farmhouses around. Nelson now and then put in an appearance, and was a severe critic of the preachers and preaching. One evening in a spirit of bravado he asserted that there was no hell. The Canadians showed from Scripture God's declaration regarding the doom and destiny of the wicked, giving chapter and verse for their statements when the young fellow was cornered he boldly asserted that he would not believe in a place of eternal punishment even though the Bible said so.
One day Nelson had to go to the post office twelve miles away. Returning homeward, the sun had set, and he had several miles to travel without a road, track, trail, or landmark of any kind. The night grew dark, and after traveling for a considerable time he concluded he must have lost his bearings. He knew that people had been lost on the prairie, and had perished from cold and hunger. If he missed his way he might travel north toward Hudson Bay without meeting anyone.
It is one thing for a person to express disbelief in eternal truths when surrounded by a circle of admirers. How very different it is when, alone, one is conscious that the searching eye of a holy and sin-hating God discerns the deepest recesses of the soul. As Nelson began to realize the fact that he was lost on the prairie, with no one to comfort or help him in his extremity, a sense of helplessness took possession of him. In spirit he crossed the Atlantic again, returning to the loved ones in England whom he might never see again. His memory reverted to scenes of bygone days. What a fool he had been to follow his foolish companions and neglect his soul's salvation! As he thought of the coming day of reckoning, he trembled. God's Word declared: "Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth; and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thine heart, and in the sight of thine eyes: but know thou, that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment." Eccl. 11:99Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth; and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thine heart, and in the sight of thine eyes: but know thou, that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment. (Ecclesiastes 11:9).
Nelson knew he was not prepared for such a meeting. The outlook was anything but encouraging. He had always believed in hell! Most so-called skeptics and scoffers do. Now he was convinced that hell was near at hand, and he was overpowered with the conviction that he was in the conscious presence of Almighty God. More and more clearly did he perceive that he was not only lost on the prairie, but that he was a lost, guilty, helpless sinner on the way to hell.
"Is salvation possible to me?" "Will God save me?" "What must I do to be saved?" were the questions that now filled his mind. Scriptures that he had learned when a child in far-off England came before him, and among them was 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): "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."
His spirits rose as he perceived that in spite of his innumerable sins God loved him. He so loved him as to give the Lord Jesus to die as an atoning sacrifice that he might not perish.
The joy of the Lord filled his soul. The peace of God took possession of his heart. When the morning dawned, to his surprise and delight he discovered that he was close to a settlement. With a heart full of gratitude to God for his two-fold deliverance he could say: "I was lost on the prairie last night. I was a lost sinner, but Jesus found me and I thank God I am now saved for time and eternity."
Friend, have you taken the lost sinner's place and claimed the lost sinner's Savior?