A SERVANT of the Lord being accosted by a fellow-passenger in a train on the Continent, with whom he found himself for some time alone, the following conversation, in substance, ensued.
After some remarks on the surroundings, he said, “You come from abroad?”
“Yes, from England.”
“It seems to me that that war in South Africa has been more loss than gain, has it not?”
“Possibly! I wish men could settle their differences without destroying each other.”
“That will never be.”
“Not till the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, returns. When He establishes His kingdom, He will make wars to cease.”
“Oh, He won’t come in our day.”
“How do you know? No man knoweth the day nor the hour. He came once according to promise.
He said He would come again, and He surely will.”
“I don’t believe that.”
“I suppose it is. Well, I have arranged in my will that I should be cremated.”
“What is the good of that? It will not hinder God raising you to judgment. He formed you once, that’s clear. And He can and will again. Scripture says, ‘All that are in the graves shall hear his voice, and come forth,’ &c. (John 5:2929And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation. (John 5:29)). ‘And I saw the dead, small and great stand before God,’ &c. (Rev. 20:1212And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. (Revelation 20:12)). Do what you will, you cannot get away from that. Cremation will not save you. It is only the body that dies, and that is all you can cremate. The soul lives on, is immortal. And God will raise you. And hence, if you die as you are, unsaved, you will be in darkness forever.”
“Where?”
“In darkness.”
“I do not believe that.”
“But you are in darkness now; your replies show it. The Son of God said that men love darkness rather than light, and that they hate the light, because their deeds are evil. You know it’s true, that thousands on all sides love their pleasures, their drinking, and singing, and dancing, and play-going, &c., more than God. They could not do such things in the light of His presence.”
A slight smile of conviction crossed his countenance. He had evidenced by his first remarks that his heart was in the world.
“Now, don’t you think it would be wise to look matters seriously in the face, to consider your state before God, and to believe the gospel? You cannot be saved from meeting Him by having your body cremated. But, He has no desire that you should perish. He gave His Son to die for all that they should not perish, and you are one. I saw my need many years ago, bowed, and believed on Christ. And His precious blood has cleansed me, and my sins are forgiven. I know for certain, if this train went off the line, and we were killed, I should be with Christ forever. Where would you be? Such things do happen. Your body might be cremated after death, but where would your soul be? Why should you not have the same joy and assurance that I have in view of the eternal future? God gave His Son for all. Whosoever believes in Him shall receive the remission of sins. Why not you?”
“I cannot believe that any can know?”
“But, my friend, they do know. Thousands know. I know. The resurrection of Christ is God’s witness before all that He is satisfied with and glorified in Him and His finished work. And He has accepted and glorified that Man. Now He tells us plainly, and He cannot lie, that whosoever believes in Jesus his sins are forgiven for His name’s sake. And we take Him at His word. Now, let us suppose that you had been born and brought up in a dark cellar, when all of a sudden, a door is opened, and you are led out into the bright sunlight, would you not experience a very great change?”
“Yes, certainly.”
“Well, that is but a feeble figure of the experience that believers make morally in their souls. We were also in darkness, thick darkness, but light from God streamed into our souls. He brought its out of darkness into His marvelous light. Bow to Him, and He will do the same for you.”
The train stopped at a junction, and our friend might, easily have parted company. But he was evidently impressed by that which he had heard. Apparently, like Adam and Eve with their fig leaves, he had but little, if any, confidence after all in his salvation from judgment by cremation. Hence he came and stood by his fellow-passenger to hear more.
“It seems to me,” continued the latter, “that God in His great love is speaking to you at this moment. He often speaks to men, once, yea, twice, yet they perceive it not. Be wise, then, and listen to Him. Think seriously over what you have heard. In your deceived heart, you have been trying to escape from Him, who is the only source of blessing, by the cremation of your body. But you have forgotten your soul. Satan has duped you. You form part of a lost world, which lieth in the wicked one (1 John 5:1919And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness. (1 John 5:19)). But, behold, now is the day of salvation―God’s salvation. And if only you bow to Him, and believe on His Son, He will remember your sins no more, and you will enjoy all the bliss of His presence forever and forever.”
Listening attentively and earnestly to this moment, his train came up. With a warm shake of the hand, they parted, probably never to meet again on earth. May God grant in His great grace that His own message may do His own blessed work in that poor dark soul. “My word shall not return unto me void. It shall accomplish that whereunto I send it.”
Dear reader, you may be interested in reading these lines, but what do you think yourself of these things? Whether, after your death (and death is here and near) your body were cremated or buried, either embalmed or cast into the ocean’s depth, God knows where your dust lies. With Him all things are possible, and at that solemn moment, when He shall raise the wicked dead, He will raise them all. Not some, but all (John 5:2929And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation. (John 5:29)), and you, if you die in your sins.
But why will ye die? “I have no pleasure,” saith He, “in the death of him that dieth.” “Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as snow; though they be as crimson, they shall be as wool” (Isa. 1). Mark it well, “Come now.” He invites you to come now, and to reason with Him now. Why? Because tomorrow may be too late. Tomorrow is always tomorrow, and its issues are in His hand. All the work is done. Jesus did it. On the throne of God the Saviour is seated, the accepted man, who glorified God, His well-beloved Son. Nothing whatever is left for you to do, but to leave off all your miserable doings, and to believe God’s blessed testimony concerning Jesus. Then to you the plainest of words are addressed, “Their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.” No more. He means what He says. Believe it, and rejoice therein.
With faith in Him, you will have no need to listen to Satan and your own poor deceitful heart as to some false way of escape from God, such as the cremation craze. But, as a pardoned soul, you can rejoice in the hope of your Lord’s return, and look with joy to be glorified in His likeness forever, in that heavenly scene where He Himself has gone. May this be your sure and blessed portion forever, my reader.
E. H. C.