A MORNING’S shooting expedition―an accident―an internal injury―and a dying bed! Words how few and easily written, and yet they describe events of eternal moment to an immortal soul!
Life was a very pleasant thing to Colonel G―, for it was made sweet to him by all that a man values here below. Rank and wealth were his, the affection of his relatives, the esteem of his friends, and the respect of his neighbors―he possessed them all to an uncommon degree. But now he is laid upon a bed of sickness, soon to become a bed of death, and sees slipping from his grasp all the earthly treasures which his heart had so valued. The prospect before him was not a pleasant one, for though a man of strict integrity, upright, honorable, and generous, he was yet a stranger to God and to His salvation, and the thought of meeting Him had no pleasure in it. We like not to hazard our welcome to the house of one who is a stranger to us.
Unwelcome, however, as the thought of death was to him, he felt that he must meet it with a soldier’s courage, so he nerved himself to die.
Conscious of integrity, what had he done, forsooth! that could make him fear death?
Colonel G―’s sister was a Christian, and she loved him with a true sister’s love. How terrible if he should die without Christ! she thought, and urged by the fear of it, she besought God continually to save him in any way―to deliver him from going down to the pit―to save him in His own way―and God heard her, for He loves to hear and to answer prayer.
She often spoke to him about Christ, and of the danger of putting off the soul’s salvation, but he appeared unmoved, yet she waited on, hoping, trusting, often fearing, knowing not how the answer to her prayers was to come, for the time war shortening, and yet he showed no sign of repentance or of brokenness before God.
Believing that it must be the Spirit of God only who could convince him of sin, she, one day, read to him Romans 3, and through it an arrow from God’s quiver entered his conscience, and rankled and festered there.
“None righteous, no not one, ―all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;” then had not he sinned, and was not God holy, and how should he meet Him? At last the proud man was completely broken down, and from the anguished depths of his broken heart he owned himself a lost sinner before God, for God had taken him in hand, my reader, and He does His work thoroughly. How sweet it is to trace His ways with one upon whom He has set His blessed heart to deliver him!
A servant of God living in the town one day went to visit him, a stranger to him except by name. A long time he had cried to God for a message and an opportunity to deliver it, and at last God opened the way. Sitting down by the sick man’s bed, after a little while, he asked him gently, “Colonel, are you afraid to die?”
“Indeed, I am not.”
For a moment the Lord’s messenger was disappointed. Had not his Master given him a message, but had he come to deliver it to a man who did not feel his need of it?
Again he asked, “Are you afraid to meet God?”
“Ah, that is the thing! I am afraid to meet God, for I am a sinner―a great sinner. Oh, I am a great sinner, and I fear to meet Him in my sins.”
Gently the answer came, “This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the chief” (1 Tim. 1:1515This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. (1 Timothy 1:15)). The sick man closed his eyes as if pondering the words, then slowly asked, “Can you give me a token that, that verse is for me?”
“There is one thing I cannot believe, and that is, that a man can know his sins pardoned if he has not got a deep sense of the presence of Christ and a full enjoyment of Him, and I have not got that.”
“Ah, you are reversing God’s order, looking for the feast before you have got the robe on, that fits you to enjoy it,” replied the visitor. “You must first of all believe God’s message about His blessed Son and the perfection of His work on the cross, and then you will have the enjoyment.”
“But can you not tell me how I may know that the work of Christ is accepted for me?”
“Yes, God has said (Isa. 44:2222I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and, as a cloud, thy sins: return unto me; for I have redeemed thee. (Isaiah 44:22)), ‘I have blotted out as a thick cloud thy transgressions, and as a cloud thy sins; return unto me, for I have redeemed thee.’ ‘I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins’ (Isa. 43:2525I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins. (Isaiah 43:25)).”
Once more the listener closed his eyes, God’s voice was speaking to him, and he must need listen to it.
“You know you are a sinner?” the visitor asked,
“Yes, a great sinner.”
“Do you believe the Lord Jesus bore your sins?”
“Yes.”
“Where were your sins when the Lord Jesus was on the cross?”
“They were on Him, God laid them on Him.”
“Where is He now?”
“At God’s right hand in glory.”
“And the sins, where are they, are they still upon Him?”
“Oh no! He could not be upon the throne if they were.”
“Then where are they?”
Another pause! the day of life is dawning―the clouds are vanishing―at last the light has broken in. “Oh! they are all gone,” he cried, “blotted out by God! I never thought of that. Thank God! they are all gone. Oh, let us praise Him I help me to praise the Lord.” And with glad hallelujahs they praised the God of Love.
Loud songs filled heaven’s high courts that day, for had not the Father’s voice been heard, “Let us... be merry... for it is meet that we should make merry and be glad;” and there was joy in the presence of the angels of God, for the heart of the Father and the heart of the Son rejoiced.
Yes, the sinner was saved, my reader, saved forever by the Saviour-Son of God. Do you know Him? He is Jesus: the Father’s only Son, His delight I Behold Him, the Lamb of God, as He sits in the midst of the throne! once the humbled man, now the exalted one―the object of heaven’s worship―the theme of saints’ and angels’ songs. Would you know Him? Then gaze upon Him as He is, ten thousand rays of glory beaming forth from each thorn-wound on His blessed brow!
What mean those wounds, sinner? They tell of that hour when Jehovah was pleased to bruise Him for you and for me. Do they not whisper to your heart, “Trust me, sinner, for I have suffered for thee!―suffered that thou mightest eternally rejoice. Behold and see if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow which is done unto me, wherewith the Lord hath afflicted me in the day of his fierce anger”? (Lam. 1:1212Is it nothing to you, all ye that pass by? behold, and see if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow, which is done unto me, wherewith the Lord hath afflicted me in the day of his fierce anger. (Lamentations 1:12)), and must it be all in vain for you? “Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matt. 11:2828Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. (Matthew 11:28)), “for him that cometh unto me, I will in nowise cast out” (John 6:3737All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. (John 6:37)).
Well, you have followed my story so far, and I can almost fancy I hear you say to yourself, “How well it was that that sick man heard the gospel! now he will be resigned to die!”
Resigned to die! Ah, it is a great deal more. Come with me and listen. Some days have now elapsed, and that strong man, laid low in the glory of his strength, is dying. See, a young man stands by his bedside, watching with sad interest the changes in the dying face. Hark! they are speaking. “The last has come, Colonel, you are about to pass into eternity―to meet God.”
“I know it, doctor.”
“There is just one question I should like to ask you; if you were restored to perfect health, would you wish to remain here?”
“Not for worlds.”
“Why?”
“Because I have a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better.” And he is gone! Jesus had won his heart from earth and its attractions. Has He now yours, my reader? Would you like Him to win it? Then remember Him as He hung upon the cross, crushed beneath the burden of our sins. Where were your sins then? “Laid upon Him,” do you answer? He is in heaven now, without one sin upon Him, then ask yourself in God’s presence where yours are now. W.