“THAT BIBLE WILL DRIVE YOU MAD,” were words uttered thoughtlessly by a young man, a fireman on the railway, to an older friend of his whom he often found reading that precious volume.
“Oh, no,” was the apt reply, “or it would have done that long ago.” Some time passed after the remark, the two men seeing one another frequently in the course of their work.
One day the young man was drenched by a heavy rain, and through not drying his clothes, the continued dampness gave him a severe cold.
Instead of improving in health, he grew worse, until that dread foe of the human race, consumption, claimed him as one of its victims.
His friend, Mr. E―, now proved his Christian love for one who had mocked him and ridiculed his simple faith, by visiting the invalid, often taking him some little proof of his care, some delicacy it may be, and improving the opportunity by speaking to him about the Lord Jesus Christ, reading the Bible and praying with him.
The poor man’s end drew near, and on a visit which the invalid felt would probably be the last, he said to his faithful companion, “Mr. E―, I want to ask your forgiveness for what I said to you, that the Bible would ‘drive you mad.’”
“Oh, do not mention it, I did not think any more of it”, replied Mr. E―.
“Ah,” the dying man said, “it has often crossed my mind since; and I have learned to love the Book you love, and to trust in your Saviour. You need not fear if you hear I have gone; I shall go to heaven, and I must thank you for all your kindness.”
The story is told from the lips of Mr. E― himself, who felt the deep joy God gives to those who, under His goodness and guidance, seek to commend that Saviour, whom God, in His compassion and love to man, has provided at such great cost.
His salvation is a “great” one (Heb. 2:33How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him; (Hebrews 2:3)). It cost God, and it cost Christ very, very much. It is great because it is so perfect, so complete that whatever kind of sinner you may be, whether you are like Saul of Tarsus, professedly religious, moral, respectable, duped by the devil into thinking you will be accepted by God if you do the best you can, and act up to your conscience; or whether you are an openly wicked sinner, Jesus the Saviour can meet your case perfectly.
Christ is God’s salvation for man, and there is no other. If your hope is in anything, or anyone else, you will find it utterly vain. God’s ‘great salvation’ cost the Lord Jesus much agony, much shame, and the giving up of His precious life. Of this His precious blood bears witness. But though IT COST HIM SO MUCH, it is proclaimed to all FREE ― forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among the sanctified by faith in Him, Christ Jesus the Lord (Acts 26:1818To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me. (Acts 26:18)).
May you recognize, dear reader, the necessity of it, as the subject of our paper did. Without God’s salvation you are LOST. It was not faith in his friend or his Bible, though both were used; but faith in the Lord Jesus Christ that saved him. L. O. L.