MARK had been taught to despise the One whom Reginald, in such deep and earnest tones, was speaking of in that twilight hour; but now what he heard from his tutor's lips sent an arrow home to his soul, and only the Divine Hand who sent it could heal the wound thereof.
Reginald told Mark that the despised Nazarene had been sacrificed for him: that He, as the God-Man, was the true Passover, and that he was sure He was God, or he would not trust in His blood. How that through the Paschal lamb in Egypt of old, being slain, the Israelites had been sheltered from the judgment of the destroying angel, but the faith of the Israelite in each household had to be exercised; one could not act for another, and it did not do merely to put the. blood in the basin; it must be put, as Jehovah had willed it, on the door-post of each house, and through the blood the trembling Israelite could go inside and feed on the paschal lamb; but the Israelite, strong in faith, could also go inside, resting with confidence on the word of Israel's God, "When I see the blood I will pass over you." He did not say, when you see the blood, so that the trembling Israelite, and the one strong in faith, were both alike safe 'neath the blood-stained lintel; but the full enjoyment of rest and peace, which was the outcome of individual faith in Jehovah, was only possessed by the one who fully trusted that mighty Deliverer. And when Israel's feet trod the shores of Egypt's sea, that same One brought them through on dry land, on the ground of the shed blood; but to those who endeavored to traverse that untried path any other way, those crystal walls of salvation, which proved such a safeguard to the Israel of God, were only judgment to the Egyptians. So it is now—whoever wants to be saved from impending doom must come God's way; none other will do. "There is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved," but the name of Jesus. He said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." Faith is the gift of God. We are saved by grace, through faith, and that not of ourselves: it is the gift of God.
Reginald chose this subject, as the preparations for the Passover were being made, and everything, amidst all the worldliness of that Jewish household, was being carried out in the strictest form, only again verifying the truth of the scriptures, which they only knew in the letter thereof.
Mark drank in eagerly every word. The Spirit of God was teaching that son of Abraham. None other can reveal the hidden things of God: it is all foolishness to the man of the world, and still Israel's
God so loved the world as to give His only Son to be the Paschal Lamb to take away its sin.
"Lo! He comes with clouds descending,
Once for favored sinners slain.”
Mark received these words, not only into his head, but into his heart, and the seed sown by Reginald sprang up into eternal life.
That evening was a remarkable one to those two. Mark begged to be excused from the family gathering, and retired to his room, and there, alone with the God of Israel, this Jewish youth poured out his soul to his Jehovah, and confessing like Daniel of old the sins of his fathers, and ere he rose from his knees he possessed that God-given peace that the world can neither give nor take away. The language of David became his: "Bless the Lord, oh my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name." He found joy and peace in believing: not in tears, not in prayers, but simply in believing.
When he thought of his Savior-God being the lowly Nazarene, he was lost in wonder. The name of Jesus was indeed precious to him now, and oh! how his heart yearned over his nation; but more especially so over his father and mother, who had only brought him up for this world.
He longed to read that little volume that he had so often seen in Reginald's hand; he had not read the truths unfolded in that precious volume, the New Testament; its admonitions and its injunctions he was ignorant of; he was however naturally an upright youth, who would have scorned to act meanly. He knew nothing of those words, "Whosoever is ashamed of me before men, of him will I be ashamed before the holy angels 'n heaven." Yet he felt that he could no longer keep this secret from his father. His heart, too, yearned within him to tell of a Savior's love, and so he made up his mind to confess that Savior. He well knew the issue of events dependent on such a course, so again he repaired to the throne of grace and found help for this time of need, and sweet peace filled his soul.
"How sweet the Name of Jesus sounds
In a believer's ear;
It soothes his sorrows, heals his wounds
And drives away his fear.”