ON the day that England was forced to declare war on Germany, Sir Edward Goschen, the British Ambassador in Berlin, was strenuously doing his best to the last moment to preserve peace, but all in vain.
One of his latest efforts was to call on the German Imperial Chancellor. He found him in a great state of agitation, and unable to conceal his anger that Great Britain should declare war over a word—"neutrality"—a word which, he said, had often been disregarded—over "a scrap of paper," as he contemptuously called the solemn treaty which affirmed the neutrality of Belgium, and to which Prussia had been a contracting party.
He declared the course Germany had taken in violating this treaty was "a matter of life and death" to her. Sir Edward Goschen affirmed, on his part, that it was "a matter of life and death" to Great Britain to respect her plighted word, and to uphold, at whatever cost of life and treasure, the treaty which she was pledged to uphold.
All right-minded persons condemn faithlessness to plighted word. But is it not true, in a far more important matter, that multitudes treat the Word of God as if it were only "a scrap of paper"? They seem to think that its words are of no account.
But every word of God's will assuredly stand.
Does He tell us "The wages of sin is death"? (Rom. 6:23.) Does He tell us, "After this the judgment"? (Heb. 9:27.) Does God ask the question: "How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation"? (Heb. 2:3.) Does He warn us that He must punish sin?
Beware how you treat these warnings. Treat the Holy Scriptures contemptuously as "a scrap of paper," despise its warnings, disregard its entreaties, and you seal your everlasting doom in the lake of fire. Oh! be warned.
The Chancellor of the Exchequer, speaking on Germany's action, asked his hearers if they had any five-pound notes upon them-any pretty little Treasury notes for ₤I or IOS.
"Burn them," said he, "they are only scraps of paper." "What are they made of?" he demanded. "Rags," he answered. "What is behind those scraps of paper?" he asked. "All the credit and honor of the British Empire." And he was right.
And so behind. God's word is all the credit and honor of God. God's word will surely come to pass. This is enough, if realized, to make the careless sinner concerned; to make the indifferent anxious about his soul's salvation. How comforting it is, when turning to its blessed pages to learn the way of salvation, to know that "forever. [God's] word is settled in heaven." (Psa. 119:39.)
We may rely implicitly on God's word, which cannot deceive, change, nor alter. "It is impossible for God to lie." (Heb. 6:18.)
Do we ask the earnest question, "What must I do to be saved?" Hear the divine answer, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved." (Acts 16:31.) How simple! How blessed!
The dying soldier may be at his last gasp in the trench or on the battlefield; the young sailor may be wounded to death on the battleship, or his ship may be sinking beneath wintry waves. If such an one truly and earnestly turns to the Lord in his extremity, and believes on Christ, salvation is his.
But do not presume on the grace of God. If it is good to be saved, it had better be NOW; if you mean to be saved some day, let that someday be TO-DAY, for you know not when death may meet you. Remember, “He, that being often reproved hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy." (Prov. 29:1)
Believing on the Lord Jesus Christ saves the sinner, because He died on the cross, atoned for sin, and shed His precious blood. “The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin" (1 John 1:7), is the divine testimony of Scripture. We cannot be saved by anything we can do. Our religion cannot save us. Our so-called good works cannot procure us God's forgiveness. But, blessed be His name, He points us to His Son. He bids us put our faith in Him. He tells us, “There is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." (Acts 4:12) Thank God, His name is enough.
Do not, like thousands around you, treat God's word as if it were "a scrap of paper,” but approach it with reverence, learn from its holy pages God's way of salvation; above all, receive its testimony in faith in your soul.
“Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, AND THOU SHALT BE SAVED." (Acts 16:31.)
And then seek to tell others, and live for Christ. A. J. P.