I WENT to seek out a friend the other day, I whom I had not seen for several years. On coming to the street, in which he used to live, I was surprised at the many alterations I saw, and my mind reverted to early days. I soon found myself at my friend’s house, and knocked at the door, which was opened by an elderly person, whom I recognized as his wife. I asked whether I might see Mr. R. She looked sadly at me, and said, “It is only Mrs. R. now.”
“Is he dead, then?” I inquired, in astonishment.
“Yes, it is three years ago this Christmas since he died,” said she, and proceeded to tell me the sorrowful story.
“It was a few days before Christmas. We had been talking over our future plans, and he appeared quite well, and very cheerful. Towards evening he said, ‘I think I’ll get to bed early, as I feel a little tired.’ So he had some refreshment, and went upstairs. I stayed up a little longer, waiting to see if the postman would bring us any letters. About an hour afterward, I, too, went to bed, and in coming into the room, I said to him, ‘There is no letter for us tonight.’ Receiving no answer I spoke a little louder, and as he did not reply, I touched him, and I found him to be quite cold. I put my ear to his mouth, but could not hear him breathe. The doctor was immediately sent for, but on arriving he pronounced that life was gone.”
How solemnly the words struck me―dead, yes, dead. Oh, poor fellow, with no time for repentance! As I looked back on bygone days, I thought of the many times we had talked together, and recalled his good temper and amiability. But this awful thought I could not shake off―Where was his soul? What had he thought of Christ? Was he ready for eternity? As a man lives so shall he die, and as he dies so shall he be raised again. Oh, how terrible and how solemn!
Well, after his wife had told me all, I put the question to her― “Are you a Christian?”
“Oh, yes,” she exclaimed, in almost a joyful tone.
“And how long has that been?” I inquired.
“Ever since I was a child,” and she gave me quite a catalog of proofs―she had been brought up religiously, she had led a moral life, and had avoided such things as she thought God did not tolerate, yet she admitted she did not even attend church very often, but added that if she died, God would set right what she had done wrong, and so it would be all right in the end.
“But what about God’s Son,” I said, “who gave Himself to die on the cross for sinners? What about Christ, whose blood was shed to make atonement for our sins? We must realize our condition as ruined, lost, and hell-deserving sinners, or we shall not even value the free and full salvation God proclaims to all who desire His mercy.”
Mrs. R. then confessed she was unprepared to meet eternity, but because she thought it would affect her enjoyment of the trifling pleasures she loved, she said, “I can’t, I can’t give my mind to it.”
Oh, think of eternity, think of that never-ending existence, and ask yourself the question―Where shall I spend eternity? One unforgiven sin is enough to shut you out from heaven. God warns you that after death is the judgment. God will not set all right then. It will be too late, too late, forever. E. A. S.