SOME years ago a man named John went with his wife to live in a remote village of the United States of America, where he opened a grocery store. John soon became a prosperous man, and was much liked by all his neighbors, being of a genial and kindly disposition, as well as having a character for honesty and straight forwardness in all his business transactions. But for all this, John was, sad to relate, a man who scoffed at all religion, openly avowed his disbelief in the existence of God, and never attended a place of worship.
After some years John’s old Christian father died, and in his will he bequeathed him, amongst other things, a large and much-valued old family Bible. “What a fool was my father,” said John to his wife,” to leave me a book which is absolutely worthless to me! It must have cost quite ten dollars too, and yet if I sell it, it will only fetch a few cents. How can I make any profit out of it? Let me see―yes, I shall use the pages as wrapping-paper in my shop” ―and, spite of his wife’s remonstrances, he placed the book on his counter and tore out the pages one by one to wrap up his customers’ purchases in.
For some time did this godless man continue thus recklessly to tear to pieces his father’s Bible; and if some of his customers felt a little shocked, they did not trouble to give expression to their feelings.
One day, however, a farmer living at some distance came into the shop to buy some nutmegs. John proceeded as usual to tear a leaf from the Bible and place it on the scales; but, just as he was about to weigh the nutmegs, his customer called out, “Wait a bit, John! That page you have taken to wrap your merchandise in is sacred to me; you have torn it out of my God’s blessed book; you shall never make use of it for any purchase of mine! Give me the nutmegs without any paper,” and putting them loosely into the pocket of his coat, the farmer walked out of the shop, leaving John feeling very uncomfortable.
“Is this book really so different from other books?” he asked himself. “I must see if this page contains anything extraordinary,” and folding it up, he put it into his pocket.
That evening, when business was over, he seated himself by the fire, and drawing the page from his pocket, he unfolded it and began to read. It happened to be the last chapter of the book of Daniel. Slowly and carefully he read the solemn words, and a feeling of awe crept over him as he thought of resurrection and judgment, of the portion of the wicked and of the just. But when he came to the last verse, the voice of God, whom lie had hitherto despised and ignored, spoke loudly. “But go thou thy way till the end be: for thou shalt rest, and stand in thy lot at the end of the days.” He was filled with alarm. “That is just what I am doing,” said he, “I am going my way until the end, and there is no doubt I shall then rest in my grave; but must I too stand in my lot at the end of the days? Then in which lot shall I stand? Mine will assuredly be the lot of the wicked―mine the shame and everlasting contempt!”
The arrow of conviction had entered the conscience of the careless scoffer, and now he saw himself a guilty sinner in the presence of a holy God. Filled with misery and unable to rest by day or night, he at length spoke of his trouble to his wife.
“Oh! John,” she exclaimed, “I always knew it was very wrong to tear up that Bible. Let us fetch what now remains of it, and see if it will help you.”
The dilapidated book was fetched from its position on the counter, and together they began to read. This time it was in the book of Revelation. But every word his wife read seemed only to increase his fear, and when she came to the words, “their works do follow them,” he groaned, “Oh! wife, I wonder if my works will also follow me? I don’t want them to, for they have been so wicked.”
But the blessed Spirit of God who had thus aroused this sleeping sinner, having first shown him his great need, guided him to other portions of the blessed book in which with delight he read of the great salvation which had been accomplished for him by Another. He saw that the Christ of God whom he had once despised and ignored was his only deliverer from the judgment which he so feared. With joy he learned that the precious blood of God’s holy Son could cleanse all his sins, and in simple faith he rested his soul upon the value of that blood to God, so that his misery and fear had soon given place to peace and joy. He now longed to read the whole of God’s precious book. The remains of his father’s Bible he placed on a table, and by its side a new Bible of a similar edition which he had purchased, and in reading which he now found his greatest joy. And if any wondered why the two large Bibles were thus placed side by side, John delighted to tell them how the torn one recalled to him the time when in his lost and sinful condition he had scorned a God of love, and abused His message of grace; and the new one spoke of that wonderful day in his history when Christ became his joy and treasure. He now “goes his way” with a glad heart, no longer fearing to “stand in his lot at the end of the days.”
But where will my reader stand at the end? Pray, let him ask himself― “Where, and how do I stand now?” He has started a new year, but where will its end find him? if in eternity, what will his lot be? Is the inquiry worth an answer? Then let him never rest again till a satisfactory one can be given. J. D.