The Lord was pleased to manifest His grace to A- a young girl whose fiery temper and frivolous mind gave but little hope for her conversion. Nevertheless, nothing could have been more real, and, breaking at once with the world she had loved so much, she made rapid progress in the faith, and seemed to desire nothing save to glorify the Savior who had redeemed her.
But the Word of God gives us abundant examples of falls and of slackness, even with men most eminent for their piety and noted for their faith, and we could easily quote Abraham (Gen. 12), Solomon (1 Kings 11), Jehoshaphat (1 Kings 22), and many more, whose alliance with the world has shown their weakness. A- also was to make the sorrowful experience of what it is to turn away from God; and, for us, she is another witness that “He that soweth to his flesh, shall of the flesh reap corruption” (Gal. 6:88For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. (Galatians 6:8)). Satan was setting a subtle snare before this young Christian by putting into her heart to marry an unconverted man; and this she was trying to do unbeknown to the brethren whose fellowship she had enjoyed. But the Lord, in His goodness, allowed that pecuniary interests should become a matter of disagreement between the parents of both parties, and this put off the marriage so that A-’s brethren heard of it while it was yet time to seek to hinder it.
One of the brethren in particular felt urged to give her a serious warning, and having gone to see her, he asked her the following question: “Do you not think that, despite the corruption which is in the world, there are yet families so bound to each other that no member would undertake anything without the approbation of the other members?”
A-, who had not the least thought that this brother knew a word of her circumstances, answered: ‘‘Yes, certainly, such can be found, and it would be easy to mention cases.”
“Well, tell me,” continued this brother, “which ties are strongest, those of the flesh or of the Spirit?”
“Evidently those of the Spirit,” answered A-. “It is grace which has created them and nothing can break them.”
“We, then, who are God’s family,” added this brother, ‘‘are we not to do what even the men of the world approve, and have confidence in one another? And, if so, how can you do the exact opposite, inasmuch as you have sought not only to hide from us your intention to marry, but also your marriage itself?”
A- answered nothing, but burst out in tears, while this brother, addressing the mother, asked if perhaps she had not urged her daughter to this marriage. The mother answered, she had not influenced her daughter in any way, but that A. was very anxious to have the marriage take place as soon as possible, and that she had been the more determined since hearing that a sister in the Lord, who had done the same thing in a neighboring place, was not hindered from attending meetings.
“This, then, is all you care for,” continued the brother, addressing A-, “and you doubtless think that a man who will not forbid your attending meetings is quite enough of a Christian for you to marry him.”
“But,” answered A-, “I believe he would do much more than let me go; I hope he would go with me, for he already seems to me well-disposed, and, as he says himself, perhaps I might be the means of doing him good and hastening his conversion.”
“And what blessing would you have God grant you when you begin by disobeying Him, who forbids His children to be yoked with unbelievers? (2 Cor. 6:14-1814Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? 15And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? 16And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 17Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, 18And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty. (2 Corinthians 6:14‑18)). Remember that obedience is better than sacrifice (1 Sam. 15:2222And Samuel said, Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams. (1 Samuel 15:22)), and is all-important in God’s sight. ‘Blessed is the man in whose spirit there is no guile’ (Psa. 32:22Blessed is the man unto whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile. (Psalm 32:2)). Besides, have you been initiated in the counsels of God to know if your intended husband is ‘ordained to eternal life’? (Acts 13:4848And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed. (Acts 13:48)). You say he is well-disposed: I wish it to be so; but do you know that many people become very pious when marriage comes in question, and Satan himself can appear as an angel of light to satisfy his own desires. And what happens to those Christians who have allowed themselves to get into such a position? The mask does not fail to fall from the companion they have chosen for their pilgrimage; his feigned godliness soon gives place to ungodliness, and the poor Christian is made to feel the consequences of his unfaithfulness, for while he walks toward heaven, the other follows the path of perdition.”
Upon returning home this brother felt the need of beseeching the Lord to make effectual what he had said to A-. He asked Him, with supplication, to turn her away from her evil course, or to take her away from this world, rather than let her dishonor His name by such an act; for though A- seemed to perceive, in some measure, her bad state of soul, yet her object remained, and Satan was ready to help her in every possible Way to pursue and obtain it, and this would not have failed had not God Himself taken the matter in hand.
A-, however, had been shaken, and she went to a friend of hers to unburden her heart. She confessed she felt very unhappy at the thought the brother above-mentioned knew the whole affair, and that her mother had given him all its details. “O!” she cried, “now I see my state and the evil I have been playing with.”
Nevertheless, to divert her mind and calm the impressions she had received, she resolved to visit a sister of hers who lived at G-, some distance away. While waiting for the train which was to carry her away, she called on a friend of her mother’s to beg her to do all in her power to bring about a settlement of the matter which hindered her marriage, so as to end, as soon as possible, the conflict going on in her mind.
The thing then seemed inevitable, and there is where self-will can lead one who has got away from. God. A- arrived at her sister’s in full health, but five days after. she was seized with a violent fever, and, after three days of suffering, she passed out of this world. But from the earliest beginning of her sickness, the Word of God reached to the bottom of her heart; she judged herself seriously and recognized she was sick unto death. She refused the help of three physicians who surrounded her, saying she knew very well why she was thus struck down. As she could not say more to those who surrounded her because they ignored her case, she begged them to send for the brother by whom God had shown her her state, that, before departing, she might express to him her thankfulness, and tell him what was her happiness in going to God, now that she had found perfect restoration in the ocean of His grace. This grace filled her heart and removed her from this world full of joy, without the least murmur or complaint having been perceptible during her sufferings. Even after a severe paroxysm, she asked if nothing had passed her lips by which the Lord might be offended. But nothing had passed them, and praise so filled her that one of the friends having asked her what she desired them to ask the Lord for her, she answered: “Give thanks, I have all things.”
Somebody remarking that death was a painful thing, A- answered with an inexpressible smile: “No, it is not dying to go to one’s God!” And until the Lord took her to Himself, her happiness failed not one moment. She loved to repeat the hymn,
Nothing, O Jesus, but Thy grace,
Nothing but Thy blood most precious,
Which give a guilty conscience peace,
Can make holy, and righteous.
Thus was God pleased to bless the last moments of His child whose tears were changed into joy, and distress in songs of triumph. She is now happy and blessed with the Lord, who chose to take her to Himself rather than let her commit an act which would have marred her whole Christian life by dishonoring the beautiful name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
May these facts bring more soberness and spirituality, first of all in the Christian who has been their witness, and also in every Christian who may read these lines, that we may be steadfast and unmovable (1 Cor. 15:5858Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord. (1 Corinthians 15:58)), following hard after the Lord (Psa. 63:88My soul followeth hard after thee: thy right hand upholdeth me. (Psalm 63:8)), in the paths of holiness and truth, uniting our hearts to fear His name (Psa. 86:1111Teach me thy way, O Lord; I will walk in thy truth: unite my heart to fear thy name. (Psalm 86:11)).
“Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? and what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?”
(To be Continued.)