IT IS FOR the purpose of giving you a copy of a letter written by a young man (a friend of mine) to his mother, that I write these few lines. He left London last October on board a ship bound for Calcutta, and at that time was as gay and careless as to his soul’s salvation as any young man at the age of nineteen well could be. If the name of Jesus was ever mentioned to him by his relations, it most certainly was very seldom, for it is the enjoyment of this world they are seeking after, and not Christ. But the Lord sought after him, and found him on the deep ocean. The steward was a Christian, and it was through his instrumentality that the writer of this letter found the Lord. His heart is (as you may see) so full of Christ that he gives us no information about himself. He has found Him, who alone fully and perfectly satisfies the heart, and who fills it with joy and gladness; and now his desire is that others may find Him. He writes as follows:
“Written at Sea:
-Calcutta, 4th February, 1874.
“My dearest mother:—
“I have again arrived here, and am in the best health imaginable, as I hope this letter will find you and all my dear sisters. In this letter I am going to tell you something that I trust will make you rejoice, and which, I thank God, He has spared me to tell. You know I was on the point of not coming by this ship last voyage, but I am so glad that I did, for when I look back I can see God’s hand in it all; for it has pleased Him to draw me by the cords of His love to believe on Jesus Christ, my Savior, whom I am not ashamed to own. Oh, dear mother, He has drawn the scales from my eyes, He has shown me my own vileness, and has given me faith to believe and be saved—aye, saved! Oh, how I wish that all of us, as a family, could say this! I know that my dear earthly father had this faith, and that he trusted in Christ for salvation. My prayers are for you and my dear sisters, that it may be so with them; but, my dear mother, they are not being taught aright; they think that by going to church, receiving the sacrament, and by their own good works, they will go to heaven. It is a fearful mistake; they cannot be justified by the works of the law. We cannot keep the commandments. Oh, that God in His infinite mercy may show them their true state! May He lead them to the foot of the cross, that they may trust alone in Him who died for them, and washed away sins in His own precious blood. Oh, that they would believe this!
“Dear mother, let me ask you to write at once and tell them this, and let me also ask you, Are you saved? Or how do you think you can be saved? You say, If I keep the commandments, or try to keep them, I will be saved. Now, if only one commandment had to be kept for salvation, tell me who could be saved? Dear mother, redemption through the blood of Christ is a very different thing from our trying to keep the commandments. We must first have redemption through the blood of Christ, even the forgiveness of sins. Obedience will follow; not obedience to law-keeping for your salvation, for you are saved directly you believe. Oh, that I could speak more clearly. You have some indistinct thought that it is something you have to do for God that will save you. Oh, no! It is what Christ has done for us. God has said: ‘Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them’ (Gal. 3:10). And you know that you cannot continue in them. Again and again you have tried, but all in vain. You cannot even be what you wish, much less what God requires. But ‘God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on Him should not perish, but have everlasting life’ (John 3:16). Yes; the death of Christ is God’s own remedy for sin: to deny it, or doubt it, is to make Him a liar. The Apostle Paul says, If we are justified by keeping the law, then Christ is dead in vain (Gal. 2:21). Oh, what wondrous love, dear mother, that He who knew no sin was made sin for us (2 Cor. 5:13). How simple! So simple that people won’t believe it.
“You will no doubt say, ‘I do believe on Him; I was taught to believe on Him; but I was not taught that by believing I was saved everlastingly.’ I wish I could clearly impress on your mind the need of a substitute. Oh, that I could get you to accept Jesus as that substitute! Read Romans 3:23; Matthew 11:28; John 6:37; Galatians 3:10; 1 John 1:7; 1 Timothy 1:15; John 1:29. My dear mother, if you believed this you would have told me long ago, and would not have seen me standing on the brink of destruction. You have other children. Warn them that they may be led to consider this important matter. What care I what the world may say? If we are ashamed of Christ, He will be ashamed of us. And mind, it is not an easy way; it is full of trial and trouble; but only for a little while, and then—Oh, when Jesus comes again to gather His saints, we will meet Him in the air; we will be like Him forever and ever. Cannot we, then, bear to suffer a little, and be laughed at by the world? The servant cannot be greater than his Lord, so as Jesus was rebuked and scorned, so must we, His brethren and sisters, heirs of heaven, and joint-heirs with Christ, suffer with Him. But God will give us that peace which passeth all understanding. He will dwell in us, and we will serve Him who has done all for us, and will not grieve Him.
“My own darling mother, I hope that you and I may meet together at His personal return, when He comes for us. The day is not far off when He will come; but we must remember that He said, ‘Lo, I come quickly.’ He is now gathering in those ordained from the beginning to eternal life. May God, in His mercy, bless this letter to the saving of your soul, for Jesus’ sake, Amen. I hope you will read and think over what I have written. My prayers are for you and all.
“I remain, my dear mother,
“Your affectionate son.”
And now, beloved reader, my prayer is that the Lord may not only have blessed this letter to the conversion of the mother and sisters of this young man, but to you who read it, and know not that your sins have been washed away in the precious blood of Christ. May you find no rest till you can say, “He died for me.”
Yes, He died for you, and He longs to have you as His own. Do not delay any longer, I beseech you, but just come to Jesus as you are, and He will in no wise cast you out. His words are: “Come unto Me all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matt. 11:28). Think of the many thousands that go down to hell, having heard the gospel, and meaning to come to Jesus at some more convenient season, which Satan takes good care shall never come. “Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation” (2 Cor. 6:2). You cannot tell how much longer the Lord will wait before He closes forever this day of salvation; but remember it is either forever with Jesus in the glory, or forever in that world of torment without Him.
—Beacon Lights
* * * * *
│ DOWN—Because too high up Luke 19:5.
│ IN—For the Gospel Feast Luke 14:23.
│ UNTO—For Rest Matthew 11:28.
COME │ AFTER—For Example Matthew 16:24.
│ OUT—For Separation 2 Corinthians 6:17.
│ UP—For Eternal Glory Revelation 4:1.