THEY were carried to their graves in the same hearse." And this statement was repeated with emphasis, because, doubtless, of the rarity of such occurrences. “Carried to their graves in the same hearse!”
The tone of the speaker was loud and solemn-so loud that all in the railway carriage could overhear. The impression left on our minds was also solemn. Death is solemn: and people speak of it in bated breath. The grave, too, carries solemn thoughts to the mind; for it tells us that however strong or noble, or proud we may be, our end, in time, is the dust. But there are occasions when tidings of death are specially solemn; and the fact of two people were they husband and wife? were they young? were they rich? were they noble? what they were is no matter-two people dying and being carried together to their graves might certainly arrest the thoughts of travelers in a railway carriage. Silence followed for a while. The speaker drew no lesson. His words ended with death and the grave. His thoughts might have gone further; but few, very few, care to think, far less to speak, of that which follows the grave. Death and the grave are bad enough, but what shall we say of judgment? of meeting the Judge of all!
“Can you tell me," I said, “if you know what followed their interment—of the beyond?”
“Tell you what, sir?”
“Of the beyond," I loudly replied.
“Ah "said he," no mortal man can tell you that. We cannot speak for others, each must answer for himself.”
The old story, thought I; the Bible might as well never have been written, or Christianity introduced, for the majority of its professors!
Alas! alas! Once I asked a gentleman if his sins were forgiven. He retorted, what business had I to ask him such a question. Well, I said, you, of course, acknowledge the creed?
“Yes," said he. Then, I said, there is such a thing as "the communion of saints," and had your sins been forgiven we might have enjoyed happy communion together. Perhaps, like many, he connected saint ship with heaven, or the calendar at farthest.
Yes, people have plenty of Bibles, but is it not remarkable that you cannot find one in ten who KNOW that their "beyond" is to be the glory of God? Not ten per cent of the professors of Christianity know whether they are saved! Is that a sweeping statement?
Come, reader, to settle the difficulty, let me ask: "Are You saved." Can you say, apart from your natural and groundless hopes, on the authority of the word of God made good in your soul by the Holy Spirit; can you say that you are saved? Pause and consider.
Remember you are either saved or lost; middle ground there is none. “By grace ye are saved," said Paul to the Ephesian believers.
“If our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost," wrote the same apostle to the Corinthians. "Saved or lost," which, dear reader, are you?
The funeral procession of a saint is a procession of triumph! a march of victory. The funeral element is gone! To the saint, death has no sting, the grave no victory! For him Christ hath abolished death. Glorious abolition. Slavery is over. “He that heareth my word, and believeth on Him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come unto condemnation, but is passed from death into life.”
Jordan's deep waters are behind. Oh how the eye of faith delights to roam over these fields of deathless glory that stretch out in front. Magnificent prospect!
The funeral procession of a sinner is the most awful sight that can be seen on earth.
The hearse may be imposing, the equipment of the horses costly, the mourning carriages numerous, the retinue large. The coffin may be of the finest workmanship, and the headstone of marble; the inscription may be enviable, and the willows may weep-but, spite of all this pageantry, the whole thing is a total, a ruinous, an eternal defeat! A procession to a sinner's grave is a procession also to a sinners' hell. That is the "beyond.”
Now, what I desire, my reader, is that you should be saved. Thank God you may be.
Notice—" Unto you is the word of this salvation sent." The gospel is charmingly personal— the word of salvation is sent to you—to you. If it be a word, then hear (" Faith cometh by hearing,") and, if a word of salvation, when heard, salvation follows. “By grace ye are saved through faith." That is when a soul believes. Do you really believe?—then salvation follows, and much, very much, is included in the word "salvation." But this is yours when by grace you believe on the Lord Jesus Christ.