I WAS born in England and spent the first part of my life there, being brought up religiously by my dear parents in the Church of England. I was, like my parents, unsaved, unsheltered from the coming wrath, not knowing Christ as my Saviour. In July 1875, I left the East India Docks, London, for Maryborough, Queensland. After landing in that place, I was engaged to go about eighteen miles out of Maryborough, on the Upper Mary River. Arriving there, one of the first people I saw was Mr. G. J. S—, a dear servant of the Lord, who was holding some cottage meetings there. Of course I was asked to attend those meetings, and I did so, not that I was, at that time, anxious about my soul, for I did not think anyone could know he was saved, but I went and listened to the Word of God; and one night, after the speaker had gone away, and we were reading the Word together, a person there, Mr. H—stated plainly that he was saved, and that should the Lord Jesus come, he should go to be with Him.
Those words went right home to my heart; I could not forget them, and I looked at him wondering how he dared to say he was saved, as it seemed to me presumption. Next morning I told my master what I had heard Mr. H—say the previous night, and he, too, told me the same thing. That increased my perplexity, but, thank God, He used that as the means of exercising my soul, and it led me to my knees to cry to God to show me His salvation, to open my eyes. He graciously answered my prayer, all praise be unto Him for it. As my employer and I were working together, day after day, he was ever putting the Word of God before me, and one morning before breakfast, in the month of March 1876, I accepted Christ as my personal Saviour. We were speaking together on that precious verse— “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life,” and I saw for the first time that I was included in that word “whosoever,” and, thank God, I knew I was saved, and afterward was baptized, and took my place with those gathered around the Lord, according to Matthew 18:20,20For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them. (Matthew 18:20) “For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.”
Then I became very anxious about my dear parents, and wrote and told them what God had done for me, and, thank God, I have the joy of knowing that both my parents were saved through my letters. God blessed His Word to them, and they are both now with the Lord.
The next I sought to win for Christ was a younger sister; I wrote to her and asked if she was a Christian. She replied, “No, and I do not think I ever shall be, as I am too far away to ever come back to God.” I told her in my next letter that I was pleased to hear her say so. When I heard again, she told me that she was saved. I knew she was in for the blessing as soon as she owned she was lost.
Then I had it laid upon my heart to write to a cousin, one who used to go to school with me, and I put the truth plainly before him. His mother (my aunt) read the letter, and it was blessed to her soul; she was saved through believing in Jesus. The next one was a niece; God troubled her through my letters, and also saved her. Oh, well may I call upon all that is within me to bless and praise His holy and blessed name, for He has been very gracious to me in bringing in one after the other to know His beloved Son as their Saviour.
Now just a word to my unsaved reader. Perhaps you are like me, and do not believe any one can say they are saved. Let me tell you plainly, God loved, and God gave. Why did it please Jehovah to bruise His Son Jesus? We read, “It pleased the Lord to bruise him.” Again I ask, Why? That He might not bruise you, dear reader, that is why. He died, the Just One, for us, the unjust ones, that He might bring us to God. It is Jesus that I desire to bring before you. The angel said to Joseph, “Thou shalt call his name Jesus, for he shall save his people from their sins.” That is why He went to Calvary’s cross—He died to save. “He was delivered for our offenses, and raised again for our justification.”
Oh, dear reader, let me ask you plainly, do you know Jesus? You may know much about Him, but do you know Him? He is such a loving Saviour, and such a mighty Saviour too. Yes, His love is as great as His power, and He wants to save you: do you want to be saved? Are you in earnest about it? God is in earnest, and death, too, is in earnest. You are the only one that is not in earnest. But God is speaking to you—will you give heed to His voice? Why put it off? Tomorrow may be too late: God offers you nothing for tomorrow, no, He says, “Today, if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts.” “Now is the accepted time, now is the day of salvation.” Do you believe Him? Oh, take God at His word now, and be saved for time and eternity.
“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)). You want rest, and it can only be found in Jesus. If you want to go to heaven, you must get there through Jesus, through what He has accomplished upon Calvary: there is no other way, nor is there any other name given among men whereby you must be saved. Will you not accept Jesus now, and go on your way rejoicing?
Remember when He comes it is only those that are ready that will go in; then the door will shut, and the same door that shuts the saved ones in, shuts the unsaved out. Oh, reader, are you ready should the Lord come today? If you have not got the oil, you are not ready: “And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut” (Matt. 25:1010And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut. (Matthew 25:10)). The oil sets forth the Spirit of God, and if any have not the Spirit he is none of His. Oh, reader, where will you spend eternity? May you decide at once before it be too late. “Choose you this day whom ye will serve.”
W. G. P. S.