Some time ago I was at a gospel meeting, where the preacher gave out a hymn, the only words of which I can recall being “Be in time.”
“BE IN TIME, BE IN TIME.”
They ring in my ears all day, and now I am going to pass them on to you, and also tell you of a little incident, that strangely enough, took place on the very morning before the preaching.
I had occasion to travel by train to London Bridge on that day, and happily had plenty of time to take my ticket and watch the train whizz into the station.
I took my seat, the porter shut the door, and soon I felt the train-moving. At that very instant the porter cried “Hurry up!” and hot and panting a young girl rushed along the platform and was pushed into the next compartment by him, at the same time receiving warning to “be in time” another day.
Hardly was she seated, when a lady, who had been studying the books on the stall for at least ten minutes, turned round, saw the train moving, and sprang forward with a cry, “Is that the Mitcham train?”
“Stand back!” shouted the guard. “Stop the train, stop the train! I must get to Mitcham!”
“Too late, madam,” said the porter, and he laid a detaining hand on her arm.
The train was now well out of the station, and I turned from the window to hear the remark of an old woman in the corner.
“Well, now, if she warn’t silly—with them porters calling out ‘Mitcham and London Bridge’ in her ears!”
She was silly, but I felt sorry for that lady. She evidently meant to “be in time” for that train—but—she lost it! How sad!
Now, children, don’t you forget the lesson you may learn from this little incident. Let your ears be open to the gospel cry going on all round you, and answer to it.
Do not even be like the girl who just caught it, but be in time yourself, and then help others to catch the train too.
Remember you are at the door of eternity, and have other work to do than to trifle away time.
ML 03/27/1904