I WAS waiting on the platform at S― in Scotland. A train pulled up. “Is this the train, for C―?” I asked an official. “Yes, sir,” he replied. I accordingly took my seat.
Following close upon my heels, and sitting down at the same moment, was a strongly-built man, I judged to be about thirty years of age. I noticed he was greatly agitated. Turning to me suddenly he said, “If I had had time I should have knocked him down, sir.”
“Who do you mean?” I asked.
“Why, that official; he did not give you the same answer he gave me I’ll warrant, sir. I asked him where this train was bound for, and he answered, ‘Bound for Hell.’”
The passengers were all attention in a moment.
“What an awful expression,” said I. “And yet, when you consider it, there may be a good deal of truth in what that official said. I do not wish to justify his rudeness for a moment. But in all probability the majority of passengers in this train are truly bound for Hell. But I can thank God I am bound for Heaven. I was once bound for Hell, traveling on as fast as sin could carry me, but God stopped me on the West Coast of Africa and turned me right about, and now my terminus is Heaven.”
Turning to the other occupants of the carriage I asked: “And now, my friends, what about you? Are you ‘bound for Hell’ or for Heaven which?” Absolute silence reigned! Continuing, I said: “If you are bound for Hell on the ‘downward line,’ why not ‘change’ and get on the ‘upward line,’ and be bound for Heaven? And now, what about you my friend? turning to the first speaker, “where are you really bound for?”
“Why, sir, I want to be on the road to Heaven. I’m glad I didn’t strike that man. The fact is I have just been liberated from prison this morning, having served twelve months for striking a man who never recovered consciousness. That official was like enough to have sent me back again. But, sir, I came out of prison with the intention of traveling a different road. I have been bound for Hell true enough; but during my twelve months in prison my eyes have been opened, and I have learned more than in all my life previously. I have been reading the Bible and the good books sent to the prison, and the chaplain told me to be sure and bolt through my old associates who would be waiting for me at the prison gates, and I did so and got clear of them all; but I almost struck that official.”
“What! do you mean to say then that your hands have been imbrued in a fellow-creature’s blood, and that you have been instrumental in sending a soul into a lost eternity? What a mercy you are spared! Tell me, how did it happen?”
“It was a glove fight, sir. I hope he was a good living man.” Here the tears started to his eyes. “I did not intend to do it,” he continued; “the poor fellow slipped and I struck him at the same moment; he became unconscious and never opened his eyes again. I was tried for manslaughter and got twelve months. I hope God will forgive me; I am resolved to live a different life now; although I did that, I can assure you, sir, I have never used that word hell as that official did. My people are all Christians. I am a disgrace to them, the only black sheep in the family. But God helping me, I’ll be different.”
“Then what is your name and where is your home?” I asked.
“My name Isaiah D― M’K―, and my home is―Street, N —, or that is where my wife and children were living when I last heard of them. I am now going to try and find them.” Tears stood in his eyes while saying this.
My heart ached for the poor fellow as I saw the mistake he was making. What a real thing the power of sin and Satan is. And how impossible it is for men in their own strength to break away from it.
“M’K―,” said I, “I can see your intention; you have made up your mind to turn over a new leaf and to do your best to gain heaven at last, haven’t you?”
“Yes, sir, that I have. I have had enough of the old road.”
“Stop, M’K. —. You are on the wrong road still. You will never reach heaven by the road you are now traveling. You will find you will blacken your new leaf worse than the old leaves, for passion grows stronger and the devil is ever seeking to lay fresh traps for you. You almost dropped into it this morning. Besides, if you could keep your new leaf clean, what about the old leaves? For ‘God requireth that which is past,’ the Scriptures assure us, and again, ‘without shedding of blood is no remission.’ Turning over new leaves will never save your soul. You must turn back the old leaves and repent of your many sins, and get them washed white by the blood of Jesus. What you need, M’K —, is my Saviour. He alone can save you from sin’s penalty, and He alone can save you from sin’s power. You are making the greatest mistake in the world in supposing that you can gain heaven without my Saviour’s blood and without my Saviour’s power. Fifteen years ago I cried to Him to save me from the very sins which are hurrying you down to hell. I was as fond of the boxing booth, &c., as yourself. I can testify to his saving grace and keeping power ever since that time, for never for one single moment have I practiced those sins to which I was enslaved previously. One sin is enough to shut you out of heaven! Think of that passion that rose up just now; it may lead you to the gallows next. Nothing short of salvation will do for you, M’K —. And there at God’s right hand sits the Saviour of sinners, waiting to be your Saviour if you will only repent and own your lost condition and cry to Him to save you. ‘For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved’” (Rom. 10:1313For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. (Romans 10:13)).
Are you making the same mistake, my reader; turning your back upon what Christ has done to save you from the penalty of sin in the past, and all that He is prepared to do to save you from the power of sin in the present, and seeking to save yourself by your own doings? Fatal delusion! The devil will laugh at you, ere long, for your stupidity. “What saith the Scriptures?” Listen. “I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for my own sake, and will not remember thy sins” (Isa. 43:2525I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins. (Isaiah 43:25)). “Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out” (Acts 3:1919Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord; (Acts 3:19)). “Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish” (Luke 13). “Except ye be converted, ye shall not enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matt. 18:33And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 18:3)).
“I only wish I could have had an hour with you alone, sir,” said poor M’K―, as the train pulled up and I got out at C―, leaving him to go on to N—. Handing him a little book-the history of my own conversion―I bade him good-bye, asking him to meet me in heaven through the blood of Jesus. Upon reaching Lincoln I wrote to him at the address given. My letter was returned.
What havoc sin makes now; but oh, think of eternity, my reader, and―
“Flee now to Jesus, flee now to Jesus;
Flee and thy sins all confess;
Flee now to Jesus, flee now to Jesus;
He is still waiting to bless.”
E. E. C.
N.B.―Should this meet the eye of D. M’K.―, will he send his present address to E. E. C., c/o the Editor of this Magazine.