ONE evening he came home from business complaining that his leg was troubling him, and on examination we found a neglected wound on the front of his leg, caused by his falling over something in the office.
Although the leg had been bad for several months, my father had not said anything to anyone about it; and now, through the long neglect, it was indeed in a very serious condition, for erysipelas had set in. The doctor was sent for, and he pronounced my father's life to be in danger.
Every remedy was tried, and even an operation was performed on the leg; nourishment was given night and day every fifteen minutes; but, in spite of all our care and labor, he grew weaker and weaker.
Our greatest trouble was that we had no evidence of his soul's salvation. But what a mercy at such a time as that to know that our Lord knows all about it.
I was resting one afternoon at my dear father's side when that precious word came to me, “This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby." (John 11:44When Jesus heard that, he said, This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby. (John 11:4).) I thought perhaps it meant that our dear father's life would be spared, but the Lord meant something far more precious than that, as the reader will see.
Just nine days after my father's illness commenced, the doctor came in the morning, and, to our great distress, said that our dear one would only be with us about twenty-four hours. It was a great shock to us all, as we naturally clung to the hope that he would eventually recover. But now what was to be done? One thing we felt was that we must tell him. This was done, and I cannot describe the alarm of our dear father. He called for me, and when I entered the room he was getting out of bed, although he had scarcely been allowed to move on account of his bad leg.
He said as I came in: “They tell me I have only a few hours to live, and I am not ready. What shall I do?”
I went to him, and tried to quiet him down, and got him into bed again. But his distress of mind was dreadful. "What was he to do? He was not ready.”
What a mercy in such a case and at such a time to be able to say there is nothing one can do but to cast one's self on the Lord Jesus, and trust in His finished work on the cross.
I spoke of the thief on the cross. What could he do?
I said, “Dear father, throw yourself on the love of God, cast yourself on the Lord Jesus.”
All at once his arms went up, and with a very loud voice he cried, "Lord Jesus, save me, a sinner.”
After that he swooned from the extra exertion, and being so weak. But oh, the joy of it! I shall never forget it. To know that our dear one had cried to the Lord, and if we had not been allowed to hear his voice again, it would have been sufficient; we should have been quite sure our dear Lord answered that cry. (Rom. 10:1313For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. (Romans 10:13).)
All through the rest of that day (the Lord's, Day) he was praising God for His boundless love to him, and longing to see that precious Saviour who had saved him, and kept asking how long it would be before he saw His face.
All through the night he was full of joy; it was wonderful and beautiful to hear him; and at nine o'clock on the Monday morning he fell asleep so, sweetly and quietly.