IT was Sunday morning, just as the people were entering the various’ places of worship, that Constable X― was on point duty in the south-west of London.
Suddenly his vigilant eye caught sight of a man staggering along the footway. Very strange, thought the constable, a man drunk at this hour on a Sunday morning, the public-houses not open yet. Then the constable noticed the man give a lurch, and sink to the ground.
Constable X―walked up to the man, and shaking him by the shoulder, said, “Come along, my man, get up, pull yourself together, and get along home, if you don’t wish to be locked up.”
The man, however, made no attempt to rise, and a few moments later, a doctor passing by said to the constable, “Is there anything the matter?”
“Only a drunk man, doctor,” said the constable; but the doctor evidently noticing the man’s appearance, felt his pulse, and after a further examination said, “The man is dead.”
Constable X― procured the ambulance, and conveyed the body to the mortuary.
On searching, a leaflet entitled “General Gordon’s Confession; or, I am always ready to die,” was found in the dead man’s pocket.
The story on the leaflet narrates that when General Gordon was sent on a mission of peace to King John of Abyssinia, the king received him with suspicion and distrust, saying to him in a fit of ill-temper― “Gordon Pasha, do you know I could kill you on the spot, if I liked?”
General Gordon calmly replied― “I am perfectly well aware of it, your majesty. Do so at once, if it be your royal pleasure; I am always ready to die.”
Why could General Gordon answer so calmly? The answer is he knew the salvation of God―he was a true Christian―always ready to die.
The policeman in our narrative is a saved man. As to the other we can make no further inquiries. But can you, reader, say that you are saved? Let me ask you, “Are you, like General Gordon, always ready to die’?”
The sudden death of this unknown man is a voice to you. How suddenly he died? Was he a Christian? We know not. But we know God had warned him. The tract in his pocket proved this.
Both General Gordon, who was ready to die, and the man of our narrative, are both gone.
But you, are you ready to die? Do not shirk the question. Do not delay. You may never have a dying bed. General Gordon had not. The man in our narrative had not. You may never have one. Are you ready? Tomorrow may be too late.
Accept the Lord Jesus as your personal Saviour now. Let me quote in conclusion two or three texts of Scripture, and I pray God that you may pay heed to them.
H. E.