“Deep in unfathomable mines
Of never-failing skill,
God treasures up His bright designs
And works His sovereign will.”
THE present spiritual state of every reader is either the result of the working out of God’s bright designs, or the enemy’s dark designs. In a letter to the writer from a Christian friend (J. P.) in South Africa, there is evidence of both, and every undecided reader will do well to consider them.
During a time of great spiritual awakening in Grahamstown, five in one household—father, mother, and three daughters—went to a special Gospel address; and all, but the father, were converted there and then, and for many succeeding years have proved the reality of it. The father’s conscience realized the searching power of what he heard, but the dark design of the enemy was forthwith in evidence. Feeling very uncomfortable, he asked someone to show him the back way out, and returned home. When the others got home he tried to laugh it off! But his wife said, “Oh, Willie, we can laugh, for we have got the blessing, while you have missed it!” And it was evident, even then, that he was anything but satisfied. This unsettled state did not serve the wily enemy, especially as it continued.
So, a few years later, a new means of getting satisfaction was put before him. The suggestion suited him well, and he was not long in setting his heart on it, which was to go to the diamond fields.
But God’s eye was upon him, and His Spirit still striving. Before leaving he said, one day, “I am sorry to leave my family; and I am not converted.” “You can get the blessing now,” answered his anxious wife, “if you only believe”; and then prayed for him. He afterward remarked, “I have never had the same feeling I had the night I went out of the meeting, and missed the blessing. But perhaps I may be converted on the diamond field!” But, alas I it did not prove so.
The next design of the enemy was to bring him in contact with empty profession. One of the party he went with was a professing Christian, and his inconsistent ways proved a great hindrance. On reaching the diamond field he bought a plot of land, commonly called “a claim,” and went on toiling in search of diamonds until he had spent all he had, and found nothing of any particular value. At last he threw down his tools in despair, sold his “claim,” and went to farm-work. No doubt God’s over-ruling wisdom was in this. Success might have served the enemy’s dark designs and proved his ruin. No one but God knew how near he was that moment to what he craved for. It is a significant fact that in four days the man who bought his claim found a large diamond, valued at £1000! while he had to return home, a poor, dissatisfied man! But God had truer gain for him—an “eternal inheritance,” and an unthought of way of bringing him to the knowledge of it.
After a spell of farm-work he became paralyzed and was bed-ridden for eleven months, without any sign of conversion. This led to much deepened exercise in his relations under the same roof concerning him. And at last one of them made the following suggestion: “The man sick of the palsy was ‘borne of four’ and let down through the roof before Jesus (Mark 2:55When Jesus saw their faith, he said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, thy sins be forgiven thee. (Mark 2:5)). There are four saved ones here; let us carry him in the arms of faith, and lay him at the feet of Jesus.” The four then knelt down and prayed earnestly for him. A few days later their exercises were still more increased, for he became unconscious of everything, and lay in this state for three days and nights. It seemed as though his breath might leave him any moment. What a pitiful sight! What deepened exercise for the anxious watchers!
At last, on the morning of the fourth day, he became quite conscious, and said, “I have had a dream,” and asked one of his daughters what she thought it could mean. She took his hand in hers, and, kneeling down at his bed-side, besought the Lord to help her.
In his dream he thought he was traveling in one of the last carriages of a very long train. Looking out he saw his wife beckoning him to come where she was. Of course there was no chance of this until the train stopped. But when it did stop his wife was far away on a high platform, and he in a small enclosure like a sheep Krall, in which there was a very narrow gate and a keeper standing near guarding it. On asking the keeper to let him through, he was told that it would be impossible unless he stripped himself of all his clothing! In great fright he then awoke. At once it occurred to the daughter to whom he named it, that God was using this dream for a definite purpose, and told him what she thought was the meaning, viz., that in his unsaved state he could not possibly get to where Jesus was. In order to get what he wanted he must be stripped of all his self-righteousness; and told him further, how very near he had been to death, and how good it was of the Lord to give him another opportunity. He only sighed very deeply. So after praying with him she left. For several days he seemed to be under conviction. At last he sent for his unconverted son-in-law, and told him that he had, that morning, fully trusted the Saviour, and begged him to turn to the Lord while he had the opportunity. “You have,” he said, “been a good husband and a good father,” and then thanked him for all his kindness to himself. “But,” he added, “there is one thing you have lacked, and that is the most important. Oh, don’t leave it until you come to your death-bed!”
Being asked how his conversion came about, he said, “I have been burdened with my sins for weeks, and this morning the Lord Jesus came before me, and after bowing my heart to Him I felt that the burden was gone, and that He had accepted me.”
He then asked that the children and all the family should come to his bedroom, that together they might thank the Lord for saving him. When all were assembled he was full of thanksgiving, and asked them to sing that lovely hymn, “What will it be to dwell above?”
But how great was his remorse that he had so long neglected the “great salvation”! And he said to two of his daughters, “If you come across the most hardened sinner, NEVER GIVE HIM UP! You see what has been done for me! Of course, you couldn’t save me, but you led me to Jesus, and He has done it.”
After just one week he peacefully fell asleep in Jesus.
Love’s bright design was at last accomplished, and every dark design confounded.
GEO. C.