My only brother and I were on a holiday at a pretty watering place. Everything around was beautiful: the high hills behind, the calm lake in front; the bleating sheep on the hill sides, yet I was far from happy. In fact, I had been almost good for nothing for six months. A strange heaviness hung around me. Our doctor did not understand my complaint, and I could scarcely describe it myself—only I was very often troubled with thoughts of the future world and wondered where I would be when earthly life was past.
My mother advised me to join the church, which I did. That gave me no relief.
The minister gave me a district to visit, but I found no pleasure in that. I felt there was something still wanting, something that I knew that others had, and I had not. What this was, or how it was to be had I did not know.
In this strange condition of mind I accompanied my brother to S. He was sure the change of scenery, and the splendid boating and bathing, would soon bring me to my wonted health and spirit. Charlie thoroughly enjoyed the frivolous company, and was in his element, but I soon tired of it. I saw that all the round of pleasure was hollow underneath. It did not satisfy.
Our landlady was a very nice person, and did her utmost to make us comfortable. She was the most peaceful, contented, and happy person I had ever seen, and it was not because she had few troubles or cares. When we were a little acquainted, I asked her one day if she could give me her “Recipe” for rest and happiness. Smiling she said,
“I’ll be very glad to do that—it’s Jesus.”
I was taken aback at this strange answer, and thought she must suppose that I was an infidel or something of the sort. So I replied,
“O yes, of course we all must have Him.”
“But not everybody has Him,” said my landlady quietly— “some are rejecting Him, and many others are trying to hold on to the world and Jesus too, but that will not do.”
These words went to my heart like an arrow; they described my case exactly.
“But it is not so easy for us young people to give up the world just yet. When we come to your time of life it will be easier I suppose,” I said.
“Not a bit, my young lady,” said she, “but a great deal worse. None but Christ can break the string that binds the heart to the world, but as soon as Christ is received into the heart, it is the easiest thing on earth to let it go, because you have something so much better.”
I had never heard of such a thing before. I had been taught that Christianity was a hard, uncertain battle: that few, very few indeed, ever attained to the ideal of being a Christian, and these few only did so through great conflicts. Here was a simple woman, apparently in the enjoyment of something that made her heart glad every day, and she declared it was Christ.
I believed in my heart she told the truth: that she was a real Christian, and I determined to find out, if that were possible, the secret of the whole matter. Many an hour I spent with her in the kitchen, asking all sorts of questions, to all of which she gave the one simple answer,
“It’s all in Christ. You just need Him, and if you receive Him as your Saviour and Friend, all will be well.”
The dear simple woman told me how God had loved me and given His Son to be my Saviour, that I had only to receive Him as mine, as my own personal Saviour, just as if He had come to save me alone, apart from all others, and assuring me from His own Word that if I did so I would be saved.
I shall never forget the afternoon that the simplicity of God’s way of salvation dawned upon me as I sat alone. I saw my brother Charlie coming along, and as soon as he got to the garden gate I said,
“I’m saved.”
I could have danced with joy, and praise God, the cloud that hung over me vanished that hour. I know that Jesus is mine: He has given me eternal life (John 3:16). He is my peace (Eph. 2:14), and my keeper (Psa. 121:5). O how changed life is to me. I only wish I could tell everyone of Him who came to save, as that woman told me of Him by the lake side that summer day.
Reader, are you at peace with God? If not, will you receive Jesus Christ today as your own and only Saviour? Christ has taken my heart’s burden away, and given me His own peace. He has cleansed me from my sins in His precious blood (Rev. 1:5). He has given me eternal life (John 3:15), with the assurance that I shall never perish (John 10:28), but live with Himself in glory forever (John 17:24).
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ.” (Eph. 1:3).