In a level, near the bottom of a deep coal pit, sat a group of dusky miners eating their midday meal, and occasionally looking towards one of their number who sat a little apart nervously fingering his frugal meal of bread and cheese, but seeming afraid to commence eating it. At length he raised his hand to his head, took off his cap, and while his eyes were closed, his lips moved in thanksgiving to God. This was evidently what his fellow workers had been watching for, as one of their number immediately said, “He is really saved; he has taken off his bonnet!”
God had witnessed to the Light of Life in that dark mine, and these invariably, before commencing to eat, uncovered their heads and gave thanks to God for the food He had given them. So distinctive had this become amongst the men, that no one was reckoned a real Christian who did not thus openly acknowledge God.
The reality of John’s conversion had been severely tested that day. On descending the shaft in the morning, he surprised the men in the cage by telling them he was saved.
“Saved!” “Turned a canting hypocrite!” “Consider yourself better than us!” came from a number of voices. “We will soon see if it is true.”
They kept their word. Insults were heaped upon him in close succession. When after patient labor he had filled a hutch with coal, the pin of a partially filled hutch was substituted for the pin of his full one; thus on reaching the top the full one would be placed to the credit of the one who exchanged the pins, and the light weight to John’s account. Angry words and fierce blows would at any previous time have followed this deception, involving loss. But John suffered in silence, for he knew he was being abused for Christ’s sake. The climax was reached at dinner time, when, after much natural shrinking, he took off his bonnet and, as the others styled it, ‘said a grace.’
“Try him once more.” said one. The suggestion was quickly acted on. A pail of water was dashed over John’s head drenching his clothes and spoiling his meal. Two toil-hardened hands met in a firm grasp, and Walter said, “Well done, John; you have witnessed a good confession!”
How did this wonderful transformation come about? Walter and he shared the same room. — “I could not bear him.” said John, when telling of his conversion afterward, he was always reading the Bible, or some religious book, and praying, and preaching at me. I often stayed out at night till I thought he would be in bed; but as soon as I got in he started and talked to me, and told me I was a lost sinner, and that I must be born again.
“The Lord is coming,” Walter said to John as they went to bed. “Is He?” said John stoically; and then thought, here he starts lecturing me again, after I stayed out shivering in the cold till I thought he would be asleep.
“He will take me with him to glory,” continued Walter. “Indeed!” muttered John.
“He will raise all the dead who have fallen asleep in Him and change all those living who believe in Him; we will ascend together, and be forever with Him.”
“There is a prospect of peace for me at last,” said John.
“A prospect of peace for you,” said Walter, earnestly. “Yes, there is; false peace will be your portion then; nobody will care to trouble themselves about your immortal soul then; nobody will say to you, ‘Turn ye, turn ye, for why will ye die?’ You will be let alone for judgment.”
Silence fell on the darkened room. John shifted uneasily from side to side, uncomfortable at the thought that Walter was praying to God for him. He was just about falling asleep when Walter said, “The Lord may come tonight, and so, if I am away in the morning, you will know where I am.”
“Away in the morning!” It sounded a little alarming. If it could be true! Was it possible this great event Walter spoke of could really happen? He buried his head in the bedclothes and tried to banish thought in sleep. It was all in vain. “Away in the morning!” kept sounding in his ears. “Walter will go, and I will be left!” and the sin-burdened lad threw his arms around the sleeping Christian, and held him tight, earnestly praying that if the Lord did come, He might take him too.
Friend, do you know anything of spending a night thus? Has the solemn thought of meeting God ever driven sleep from your eyes?
“What must I do to be saved?” asked John.
“Do! what can you do? Neither weeping, or praying, or working, on your part, could make atonement for your soul. But nothing now remains to be done. Christ has done it all. He shed His precious blood to make atonement for your sins. You have only to trust in Him. Listen to His own precious words, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that heareth My word, and believeth on Him that sent Me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation, but is passed from death unto life.” (John 5:24:).
Again they knelt; this time to thank God for another soul loosened from the slavery of Satan and brought into the glorious liberty of the children of God. Then they went out to their daily toil to bear witness to the saving and keeping grace of God. M.M.