DURING a visit in the north or England, I was staying a little time with a pointsman on the line. His house being close to his box, I had a good opportunity of seeing his movements, and watched with interest the working of his instruments. As I sat and saw the watchful vigilance with which he surveyed the line (and from his glass tower he had an ample view of the various lines of rails, both up and down, from three different directions), sometimes casting an inquiring look at his clock, and then listening to the voice of his telegraphic communicator, or sending a message on to the next pointsman, I could not but see that he held a responsible place, and that upon his faithfulness or unfaithfulness depended both the lives of hundreds, and property to the value of thousands. Besides, he must have the confidence of his employers, or they would not put him in so important a position, for he needs a steady eye—a firm hand—and a wakeful disposition.
I could not help reflecting on the resemblance between him and the Lord's servant, the divine pointsman. The Lord's servants are in a place of trust; placed as they are along the whole line of service, and situate as they are in their towers of light, and from whence they are able to survey every point with the lamp of truth; knowing that all the little branches are for the purpose of picking up the one's and two's from the many isolated places, to join the great main line that runs direct from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of God's dear Son. Humanly speaking, how much depends upon the faithfulness and firmness of the Lord's servants; for in proportion to their faithfulness or unfaithfulness are souls drawn to, or driven from the way of life. “It is required in stewards that a man be found faithful." (I Cor. 4:2.)
I saw that the man acted according to his orders. Nothing was left to his inventive faculties, though there was room left for both discretion and judgment. So with the Lord's servants who are called to a place of trust, to guide souls aright from darkness to light—from death to life. They are to watch and pray. There is to be dependence and watchfulness; and if there is to be power, the servant must have the full assurance of faith, and the mind of Christ. How can a wavering or an ignorant servant act efficiently, or be of service to others, when he does not know whether he ought to be handling the divine points, which may put precious souls on the wrong line? much less can a stranger take the place of a well-instructed servant; although in divine things, alas! this is too much the case.
Nothing seemed to escape the observation of the man at the points. He seized the levers, and with firmness and decision brought over and braced up tight his different points, so that the express at its topmost speed, as well as the luggage train which wended quietly along, went by with confidence and safety; and then, as the last carriage had cleared its points, he could signal on to his fellow servant a-head that all was right. Had he a suspicion that any one had tampered with the line beyond him, then he had his signal, "CAUTION." At certain other times I saw he placed the ominous "DANGER" signal on high, and it would have been madness for anyone to have proceeded in the face of that; yet, no sooner was the obstacle removed, than "ALL CLEAR" announced that the whole line was free. How sorrowful, that the unconverted should choose to go on in spite of the assurance that destruction awaits them if they continue to travel in the wrong way!
Oh, dear pointsmen of the Lord! how are we acting? Has the truth of God such power over our souls and over our affections, that we feel it to be not only a duty but a place of the highest privilege to guide souls aright? Do we not know that, side by side with the lines of truth, Satan has laid his lines of error? and so cunningly, too, has he connected his points, that vigilance is needed, lest the unwary servant turn the too-confident traveler on to the line of error: in such cases how great a distance has been traversed before the mistake has been discovered-that instead of being on the line of truth, which leads to God and to heaven, they find themselves on the line of error, which leads to Satan and to hell. But, blessed be God, in cases where the right way is sought, the points are always close at hand, whether for restoration or salvation.
To put a train off a siding, or one from a down line, the pointsman, by his lever, brought over both rails. It would never have done to have brought over one only, that would have been fraught with danger. So I say with a christian; his doctrine and his walk must agree. The word of God insists upon a pure doctrine and a holy walk, or how can we be ensamples unto others? or how can we let our light so shine before men, that they may by our good works glorify our Father who is in heaven? It will never do to have a broad line of doctrine and a narrow line of walk. That does not honor God, and therefore He cannot honor us by using us for blessing to others. Men have their broad guage and their narrow guage: one boasts of his line being the safest way to heaven, while another contradicting it, assures the doubtful traveler that his is the only sure way; but, Jesus says, "If any man will do the will of God, he shall know of the doctrine (John 7); and He also says, "He that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life" (John 8:1212Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. (John 8:12)). God has His guage, and only those who have Christ have wisdom to find it—Christ is the way, and the truth, and the life. If you would find the clue, you must find Christ; and He is found by believing what God path written concerning Him: that he that believeth on the Son of God bath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation. His guage is so broad that it will admit every one that comes as a poor, helpless, hopeless sinner, and accepts salvation as the gift of God, which will convey him to the blessed terminus of glory by the power of God; and yet His guage is so narrow, that it will receive none who have a single bit of goodness or self-righteousness. (Rom. 3) How can such ever hope to reach heaven? for unless a man is born again of the incorruptible word of God, he is unholy; and to be holy, he must have Christ by faith, for "without holiness no man shall see the Lord." (Heb. 12) I have known some whose doctrine is as high as can be, and whose walk is so low that the world calls them hypocrites. If a man is living Christ, as well as preaching Christ, there will be a sweet odor round about him. God will take care of that. If it is the reverse, it will be sorrow and judgment. If this be the case in a real christian, God will deal with him in discipline; he will be chastened, in order that he may not be condemned with the world.
A train came by, and the driver gave what seemed to me to be a whistle of inquiry, as to whether all were clear so that he might proceed; and the man responded with his signal, ‘all right.’ So I would say to the inquiring—or doubtful—or anxious soul, who asks, "What must I do to be saved?' I would say, look at the divine signal of truth which grace has raised—and which the most ignorant can understand—Believe on Christ, and live. There is nothing for you to do. One, even Jesus, who has gone on before, has cleared the whole line, in order that you might travel safely and securely to where He is. You are not even asked to help to move the points, or to put a finger to the lifting of the signal. No; everything is done. He has atoned for sin, and opened up a way to God for every one that believeth on Him. There could be no safe traveling on an unfinished railway. He does not want such as come to work and help, and therefore hope to be saved for what they have done, but "him that worketh not" is accepted. (Rom. 4:55But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. (Romans 4:5).)
The Divine Workman undertook and finished the great work, and He says, "This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent." Do heed that pure light which assures you that all is clear: this will give you confidence and peace.
But if you would travel an inch in the new and living way which Jesus has opened, you must come empty—perfectly emptied of good works and resolutions, or whatever the load may be made up of. God wants empty sinners to fill with His bounty—His love and grace, His peace and joy.
Poor heavy-laden souls, whose hearts are full of sorrow because of that load of guilt—because of the burden of an accusing conscience, see that the cross is God's starting point, and testing point, too—there you will find release. Jesus says, "Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy-laden, and I will give you rest" (Matt. 11:2828Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. (Matthew 11:28)). Yes, however heavily you may be laden with iniquity and hardened by sin, He will deliver you from the load, and rest shall be yours, and peace with God, if you will believe in Him whom God bath sent; then you will go on your way with rejoicing; and not only shall you be able to sing with the Psalmist, "He loadeth us with benefits," but you shall find it a path encompassed with glory, and the trials by the way working out for you a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. It is only those who are full and rich, and who want to purchase salvation, that are "sent empty away.”
To the cold and careless Christian who has believed on the name of Christ, but who has been beguiled from his simplicity in Christ, and whose walk is not according to Scripture, I would say, Do you not see the many cautions in the way of exhortations that are held out before your eyes? you are like an up-train on a down-line that leads to death and destruction. It is the case sometimes that a christian has gone on in the wrong way, in spite of exhortation and remonstrance, until he has had to be smashed to pieces as regards his body and his circumstances—and who but the God of all grace, who breaketh to pieces, can take those remnants and build them up again? there confession is needed, and "if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:99If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9)). The apostle speaks of some being enemies to the cross of Christ, because of their carnal walk; (Phil. 3) and James says, to be a friend of the world is to be an enemy of God. (James 4:44Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God. (James 4:4).) It says, The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, and He delighteth in his way (Psa. 37:2323The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord: and he delighteth in his way. (Psalm 37:23)). Paul, that dear man of God, was so consciously living near to Him, that he could say, "Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ." Divine pointsman that he was, he was ever pointing upward: to the sinner it was Christ the Savior, to the saint it was Christ the Lord.
Am I speaking to a poor sinner, one who cares not on what line he is traveling? I would say, See you that solemn "DANGER" signal there? Read it: "He that believeth not shall be damned!" Is not that painfully plain? Will you not stop your downward course? see, there is the turn-table close at hand, whereby you may be turned in the right direction. How rich and full are the provisions of grace—there it is, just where you stop—"The truth as it is in Jesus:" the truth whereby you are turned from darkness to light—from the power of Satan unto God, that you may receive forgiveness of sins, and an inheritance among them that are sanctified by faith in Christ. (Acts 26:1818To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me. (Acts 26:18).)
You may as well expect that engine to turn itself without being brought to the turn-table, as to hope you can be turned to God by anything you can do, whether by crying, sorrowing, or suffering. The Thessalonians were turned from idols to the true God by belief in the truth; and thus they had their faces heaven-ward, and were waiting for the Son from heaven. Oh! you who are traveling on that broad guage to destruction, get on to that turn-table which grace has provided, in order that you may be led to the narrow guage that leadeth unto life eternal.
How well provided was the man at the points both for day and night. High up—above bridges and banks, through the dark night, did the various colored lights throw their beams, warning or assuring the distant travelers the state of things a-head. And when the thick fog sought to cloud the brilliant rays, then he had his fog-signals in readiness to announce if danger threatened. So does the gospel sound its warning notes of danger to a poor benighted traveler, when the thick clouds of error seem to obscure or dim the brilliant rays of divine truth that shine on every hand through the dark night of the world's history and ways. Hark at its solemn sound: "He that believeth not the Son shall not see life but the wrath of God abideth on him." (John 3)
The man at the points looked at his clock, which told him that the time was short; the hour was fast approaching when he would cease to handle the levers, and when he would no longer raise the signal, but would leave the post of service to go home—the place of rest and honor. How far more precious than worldly wealth or worldly honor will be that "Well done, good and faithful servant, enter thou into the joy of thy Lord" to every one who has sought to stand loyal to Christ—as a divinely-sent pointsman, who pointed to Christ as the way, and the only way, that leadeth unto life eternal. But it has a voice also for the unconverted: it tells of a coming hour when the last signal shall be lowered, and the lamps extinguished, never more to be lighted; when the lever and the points shall be untouched—when the door shall be closed, and the watch—tower shall be empty—when the last train shall have conveyed the very latest passenger home. Oh 1 what a scene of darkness and confusion will that be: not a ray of light to illume that thick darkness which will go on increasing till it ends in the “blackness of darkness forever;” not a sound of welcome to be heard amidst the pain, and anguish, and sorrow of the judgments that shall come upon the ungodly, which shall end in "weeping, and wailing, and gnashing of teeth." Would you, dear unconverted reader, escape this? Then come while you may; then believe what God has said about His Son: that whosoever believeth on Him shall not perish, but have. everlasting life: and for you there shall be a home and a welcome when the day of service is over and the toil is ended, and you shall enter into the rest that remaineth for the people of God-a rest which shall not be disturbed by sin or sorrow, or sullied by failure-and where all will be according to His heart, whose glory and joy it is to have His people near to Himself.