I HEARD that a poor Christian woman was very ill, and I thought she might need some encouragement, so I went to see her. I found her looking even worse than I had expected, for her features had lost the beauty of health and glow of youth, and her pale emaciated appearance told at once that Death had already marked her as its victim. The condition of the poor suffering body was indeed deplorable, but I soon found to my great joy, that she was bright and buoyant in spirit, for she knew Whom she had believed, and as her confidence was in the living God as her Saviour, this lifted her heart happily above the weakness and the pain she felt. So that, although I was very sorry to see her look so ill, it was with a thankful heart I noticed how fully she realized the faithfulness of Him who has promised, " As thy day thy strength shall be.”
My next visit found her even worse in body, but as bright, if not brighter in spirit. Truly the Lord was sustaining her in wondrous grace.
Her "outward man" was evidently fast perishing, but her "inward man" was “renewed day by day." She was very weak in body, but in spirit she was “strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might.”
Now it happened that another poor woman, a neighbor of this dear child of God, was at the same time very ill: so ill, indeed, that the doctor gave hardly any hopes of her recovery.
And at one of my visits to the first-mentioned sufferer, she began to tell me of the sad condition of her poor neighbor, adding, in broken sentences, as her failing breath would allow her, “And the district lady when she called told me that Mrs.— will not own that she is so ill. She keeps saying that she shall soon be better. I do not think chi is prepared to die, and they say that her husband does not want anyone to come and read to her. I am so very pleased that you come to read and to speak to me but I cannot help thinking about her and I should be so glad if you would go and see her. Perhaps they would let you in.”
I could not but consider this to be a call from the Lord, so I promised the dear sick one, that I would go as she wished, at which she was not a little comforted. And looking to the Lord to grant an open door, and to give me a word for the poor woman, I went to the house, and knocked. The door was soon opened, I asked for her, and was agreeably surprised at being at once invited in.
There lay the sick neighbor, upon a sofa; and in answer to my inquiries as to her state of health, she told me that she was “not so very ill;" there was" nothing very particular” the matter with her. She spake very freely about the body, but I was anxious to know the state of her soul; and as she was silent upon this subject, I began to speak of the uncertainty of our natural life: no one knew what should be upon the morrow; and then I went on to speak of the certainty of eternal life to all who believe on Jesus. And I told her of the wondrous love that the Son of God displayed for poor sinners upon the Cross. But I soon found, that although my words were very welcome when I spake only of her body, she did not desire me to speak about her soul.
There were two of her children present in the room, and she turned to these, and said abruptly, “Ah, if you had two little children like these, would you like to go away and leave them?” I told her that the very same Lord Jesus, who loved sinners so much that He shed His precious blood that we might be cleansed from all sin, He also loved her children, and she might safely leave them to His kind care and keeping, and as safely commit the salvation of her soul to Him. And again I pointed to Jesus, the sinner's only refuge; but, alas, “the cares of this world" filled her heart, and while I was speaking of things "spiritual," she kept turning the conversation to things temporal.
So I could do no more than entreat the Lord for her, and I left the room with a sad heart.
After this, when I went to the Christian's house, my knock was answered, with a " Yes, you may go up, she will be glad to see you: but you must not stay long: for the doctor says she must be kept very quiet." And I was soon at her bedside, speaking of Jesus.
But whenever, after my first visit, I went to her sick neighbor's house; I was met with, “Mrs.— cannot see anyone to-night, she has some friends with her." Or," Mrs.— is too unwell to see anyone to-night.”
My dear reader, ponder deeply the words, “Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them” (Ecc. 12:1).
Of these two neighbors; the one sought the Lord, while the beauty of youth and health was upon her cheeks: and when the day of trial came, she could lean upon “the everlasting arms;" and though she was suffering pain and weakness, she could still enjoy “peace with God, through Jesus Christ." Indeed, as death approached, she was only the more desirous “to depart, and to be with Christ, which is far better." And she has passed away, her spirit has departed, she is now with her Lord and Saviour in paradise.
But as to her neighbor, how sad was the difference! I know but little of her early life, but the state of mind in which I found her upon my first and only visit, was sufficient evidence to prove that she had not remembered her Creator in the days of her youth; and when "the evil days" came, it was but too plainly shown that she had " no pleasure in them.”
She could plead her own affection for her little ones, but she was evidently a stranger to the love of Jesus! And yet she was at that time upon the very brink of eternity. Only One could save her from the death that never dies. Jesus had invited her to come to Him.
He was able and willing to save her from a doom too awful for the mind to dwell upon.
His precious blood alone could cleanse her from all sin. By Him alone could she come to the Father.
And did she come to Him? Was she saved from "the wrath to come"? Alas, I cannot say more, than that when I saw her, she displayed no special desire to know Jesus, and His salvation. She died with unexpected suddenness. And I never heard any record of her repentance. But her spirit has departed, and where is she When I think of her, I remember the words which the Lord Jesus once spake to those who had not "ears to hear." He said, “And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life.''
Beloved reader, shall He say this of you? God forbid.
“O do not let the word depart,
And close thine eyes against the light;
Poor sinner, harden not thy heart:
Thou would'st be saved—why not to-night?
Our blessed Lord refuses none
Who would to Him their souls unite;
Then be the work of grace begun:
Thou would'st be saved—why not to-night?”
“Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near.”
A. J.