STEVE and his pal Tom lived in a small town twenty miles from the city. One of their favorite pastimes was to go down to the railway station and watch the trains come in.
One Sunday afternoon they stood on the station platform wondering how they could best spend the hour before the next train arrived.
“Whitney,” they asked an old railroad porter who was going by, “how can we have some fun?”
“If it’s fun you want,” replied old Whitney, who was himself a scoffer and infidel, “you just run up the ladder and look in on old Roger, the signal man. You’ll see him up there reading his Bible, and he’ll give you a lot of tracts, and maybe preach you a sermon in the bargain; it will be the best bit of fun you ever had in your life.”
The words were scarcely spoken before the two thoughtless young fellows were scrambling up the ladder and looking in the open door of the signal tower. Sure enough, there was old Roger taking a break, with his open Bible before him; and to add to the “fun,” he got up and handed each of the boys a tract, asking them to read it.
“Read it! O yes!” said Tom and began to read aloud a sentence here and there in a mocking tone, much to Steve’s delight. Then thinking to rouse old Roger’s anger, they both pushed into the signal room; but they were not prepared for what followed. Without saying a word the old man got up, locked the door behind them, put the key in his pocket and sat down.
“Boys,” he said, “it is seldom I have such an opportunity to speak a word to you about your souls. I have one now and I will make the most of it. I will read you some passages from God’s Word. Will you kindly be quiet while I do?”
“Nothing doing,” they said. “We didn’t figure on hearing a sermon; so please unlock the door and let us out.”
“No,” said old Roger, “you must first listen to what I have got to say. You know how often accidents happen on the railway. How can I know if there might not be one today? And what account could I give of myself to God if I had this opportunity of speaking to you of Christ and had neglected it? If one of you were killed, I should feel your blood was on my conscience.” And in spite of their angry remonstrance, old Roger read one passage after another from the Word of God. He spoke to them of the awful danger of sinners going on unsaved, of the love of God even to those dead in sins, that love shown in sending His Son to die for them. He told them that God had pardon and life for such as they were because of what His blessed Son had done upon the cross.
Finally he finished, and unlocking the door he said, “I can do no more now but pray for you.” The two boys then went down the ladder cursing and swearing. Steve took the next train to the city, returning later in the evening; while Tom stayed behind. Both were thoroughly disgusted with their hour’s fun.
Both boys tried to forget old Roger’s remarks, but Steve at least was to be reminded of his last words in a way he little expected. Returning from the city several hours later he stepped off the train and at once saw something unusual had happened. A little group of men with solemn faces were crowded around the office door, and blood spots were all over the platform. “There might be an accident today, and one of you might be killed,” were the words that rang in Steve’s ears.
“What has happened?” he inquired.
“Someone slipped off the platform as the last train went by; it took both his legs off. They carried him into the office, and he’s dying there now.”
Steve pushed his way through the crowd. Was it his friend? No; God had not yet closed the door for Tom. The dying man was old Whitney, and kneeling by his side in earnest prayer was Roger.
In a few minutes all was over, and Steve now began to realize that the man who but a few hours before had been scoffing at the Word of God was himself gone to appear in God’s presence. What an awful thought! Could there be any hope for me, thought Steve. Then he learned that the old porter’s last words were, “Fetch Roger, the signal man! I’m dying. Fetch him! I want him to pray!” They hastened to get Roger, who came at once, but the eternal condition of that poor old despiser is to us unknown, and it must remain so until the coming of the Lord.
But there was one traveling sinner who that night went again to hear the words of life from old Roger, who had spoken to him in faith but a few hours before. Steve believed and was saved. His friend Tom remained unmoved; in fact, his heart seemed to be far harder after that solemn occasion than it had been before.
Circumstances alone do not change one’s heart. It is only by the mighty power of the Spirit of God that under any circumstances a sinner is brought to repentance. Thus the thief on the cross believed and was saved — his companion who alike saw the dying Saviour before him, as far as we know, perished in his sins.
ML-02/04/1973