"Well, my man, you haven't much longer to serve. What will you do when you leave here?" The speaker was a tall, broad-shouldered policeman with a pleasant face and a winning, although somewhat authoritative, manner. He addressed his question to a convict in a British penitentiary.
This man, whose worn clothing bore mute testimony to his many years of serving a sentence "at hard-labor," was a striking contrast to the hearty police officer. His sullen, rebellious face spoke loudly of the unrepentant spirit within. He gave no answer as, standing by the edge of the water, he continued his work on the boat which was to take him and his fellow convicts to their daily toil on the other side of the harbor.
The sea rippled in the early morning sun, rocking the boat to and fro. As the policeman stood watching the hard, set face of the man bending doggedly over his work, his heart was moved with tender pity and yearning. If this old man, grown old in the service of Satan, could know the love of God, how it would alter that hard, unyielding face! Perhaps something of his feeling found expression in his voice as he repeated his question, for the old convict looked up and grunted, "What?”
"You are an old man now, and it isn't everyone who would employ you. What do you think of doing when you leave here?”
The old man straightened up. His face took on, if possible, a more defiant look as he replied: "The first thing I'll do when I leave here will be to murder a policeman.”
"Oh, so the first thing you will do is murder a policeman?" The words were repeated slowly and questioningly.
"Yes," replied the convict; "that will be my first job. He gave false evidence against me. That is, he swore to more than the truth. He'll pay for it with his life. I had a letter from a chum of mine and he said he had my old 'Bess' (his gun) at home safe and plenty to 'eat and drink' (ammunition).”
"Well, after you have murdered your policeman, what then?”
"Then I shall be caught and locked up. You know I can't get away from you cops." He spoke recklessly and with a bitter laugh.
"Yes; and after you are caught and locked up, what then?”
"Then I shall be sentenced.”
"And after you are sentenced, what then?”
"Then I shall be hanged.”
"And after you are hanged, what then?”
There was no answer. The man's thoughts had apparently traveled beyond death. He was evidently startled. Did he know that Scripture says, "It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment"? Heb. 9:2727And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: (Hebrews 9:27).
"Have you a Bible in your cell?" asked the policeman.
"Yes, and I've read it through hundreds of times to kill time.”
"Well, have you ever read, 'God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life'?”
"No, and that ain't in my Bible.”
The convict slowly repeated: "should not perish—have 'everlasting life," adding, "Yes, I'll look it up. And I can tell you, you are the only one that ever spoke kindly to me except once. I'll look, but it ain't in my book." There was no time for more; but the seed had been sown, and the policeman prayed that it might take root.
The next day there was an indescribable change in the old man as he walked down to the water. The officer was there anxiously looking for him. "Well, my friend," he said in his pleasant way, as the old man stepped into the boat, "did you read 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) last night?”
"Aye! I read it," he answered, "and I didn't know it was there, though I've read it over and over. But do you mean to tell me," he continued with great earnestness, "that it means me, a convict off and on for fifty years?”
The heart of the policeman burned within him as he replied, "Yes, oh yes! It means you. It is God's Word, you know, and God 'always means what He says. You are one of the world, aren't you? And God so loved the world.”
The old man stretched out his arms and said, "Sir, they might have cut off my finger joints, or burned my hands off and I wouldn't have given in; but such love as this breaks my heart." He sank into the bottom of the boat and sobbed aloud.
The officer stood silently by. His heart was filled with joy. He had asked God that this soul might be saved, but that he should see it was more than he had asked or expected.
Presently the old man looked up. "Oh, sir," he said while the tears ran down his cheeks, "if you only knew my past life you wouldn't be surprised that this wonderful love of God breaks my heart. I've never known love since my mother died. I was only five years old; and my father kicked me out of doors, telling me to go and get my own living. Since then I've knocked about the world and every man's hand has been against me. Sometimes I begged, sometimes I stole.
"All my life I have been in and out of jail, never long out at a time. Only one man in the world was ever kind to me and he was warden of a prison.
"I had picked up gardening here and there, and the warden gave me his garden to tend to. 'My man,' he says, 'I trust you with my garden to keep it, and what seed you want ask me for. If you don't know what you want ask me and I'll give you what I think is best.' Oh, sir, do you think I ever let a weed grow in that garden? No! I was true to his trust. They tried to get me out of it—told him I was lazy and they had caught me sitting down. But he bade them leave me to him—said his garden never looked so good. But the time came when he was moved on, and since then I've not had a kind word spoken to me.
"Ten years ago I was charged with setting fire to a farm; but the policeman told much more than the truth about it and I was, sent up for hard labor. Yesterday when you spoke to me I had murder in my heart. But oh, sir, I can't kill that man now. God and His great love have filled my heart. Now all I want is more of Him.”
The policeman was deeply moved. He gave him a number of scriptures and told him where to find them in the Bible. The old man scratched on the boat the chapters and verses to remember to read when he returned to his cell.
For several days the officer watched for him at the boat landing, but he never came again. Upon inquiring he found that he had been discharged.
Friend, if you have never turned to the Savior God, turn to Him NOW, for this is the accepted time. "Behold NOW is the day of salvation.”