Mary Thomas had been brought up by a God-fearing mother whose earnest desire was to see her child brought to the Lord. She often spoke to Mary about her soul, as did others interested in her welfare; but their words made no impression. She heard what was said, but paid no attention; her heart was hardened and she was far from God.
One night when she was still in her teens, Mary had a dream which made a very vivid impression upon her. She dreamed that she had died and was in hell. In that dreadful place she saw the flames kindling and leaping about her.
Awakening from this horrible dream she was in great terror. She would have been glad to go to sleep again and forget this terrible vision, but she felt that she did not dare do this. She feared that she might awake in hell in reality.
Mary had allowed all warnings, all admonitions to slip by unheeded. She was as one that heard not. Her own purposes and plans had filled her heart; but now God was opening her ears and she would have to hear.
"In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falleth upon men, in slumberings upon the bed; then He openeth the ears of men, and sealeth their instruction, that He may withdraw man from his purpose, and hide pride from man. He keepeth back his soul from the pit." Job 33:15-1815In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falleth upon men, in slumberings upon the bed; 16Then he openeth the ears of men, and sealeth their instruction, 17That he may withdraw man from his purpose, and hide pride from man. 18He keepeth back his soul from the pit, and his life from perishing by the sword. (Job 33:15‑18).
Morning came; and Mary, busy with her duties, forgot all about her dream, and the day passed quickly by. But God did not forget. That evening there was a Gospel meeting to be held some distance away, and Mary, with a group of young folks, went over the hills to attend it.
They reached the place—a private house—and entered. Soon the room was filled.
When all were seated, Mary looked about her to see who was there, and very quickly concluded that there was present only one unsaved person besides herself. This made her very uncomfortable, and all the more so as every word the speaker uttered as he proceeded seemed to apply to her. At least, she thought it was intended for her.
This was too much for Mary; she could not endure it. But what should she do? Being of a ready mind she soon devised a plan. Feigning severe toothache, she muffled her wraps up about her face and ears and leaned her head on her hands.
But all in vain! She had thought to drown the sound of the preacher's voice, but his words still reached her ears. This tried her sorely, but she had still another source of anxiety: she fancied that all present were watching her to see if she were moved by the message. This touched her pride and she inwardly resolved that they should know nothing of her thoughts. She closed her eyes, began to breathe heavily, and in every way she could she pretended to be asleep.
How subtle, how deceptive the arch-enemy is! And how the heart of man yields itself a willing victim to his wiles!
But the Lord had His eye on this dear girl and He was about to break through her defenses, and to overcome her willful opposition. While she was refusing to hear, and seeking to hide her' thoughts, the speaker uttered, three times dyer, in ringing tones, these solemn words: "Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched." Ah, Mary was roused now. God was speaking! Toothache and sleep vanished. Before her rose her terrible dream of the night before, and now God, by His Word, seemed to confirm the horror that rose in her soul.
How terrible! There WAS a place where the fire would never be quenched. God's word declared it, and she had in spirit tasted of it. Was this to be her portion forever?
While these thoughts crowded into her mind the closing hymn was read and sung. One verse arrested Mary's attention. It was this:
"God calling yet! I cannot stay;
My heart I yield without delay.
Vain world, farewell! From thee I part;
The voice of God has reached my heart."
Mary listened; the words sank down into her soul. Yes, God was calling. Should she yield? Here was the world she loved, with all its enticing allurements. Could she say farewell to it? Truly the voice of God had reached her heart; but instead of yielding at once, she struggled against it. She knew God was now calling her; but in spite of the terror that had been hers, she was not ready to give up the world. That would be too great a sacrifice!
At first she thought she would like to have Christ and the world, too; but she knew in her own soul that this would not do: she could not have both. Then a voice seemed to say: "Which will you have—Christ or the world?" Still she did not yield. Her inward reply was: "I want both!"
On the way home Satan still further assailed her; he whispered that she was "too bad" to come to the Lord, she was "too frivolous," she was "too young." Poor Mary, conscious that she was serving Satan, answered him in her heart: "I'll serve you a little longer. Then if I don't find peace I'll turn to the Lord."
How true it is that "the god of this world" blinds "the minds of them which believe not"! Mary thought she might serve Satan and have the world, and yet get peace! And if not ah, peace was beginning to look sweeter to her than all else.
This unholy resolution did not settle the question. Quite the contrary, for she felt more and more wretched as they walked towards home. She wished that some one of the little company would speak to her; but no one spoke, and she walked on filled with gloomy thoughts and forebodings which at times were displaced by gleams of hope.
On reaching home she sought her mother and said to her: "Mother, how did you feel when you were saved?"
Her mother answered: "I believed that Jesus, in His great love for me, had died to put away my sins. I beheld Him suffering for me, bearing my iniquity, and my heart overflowed with love for Him. I felt free from my guilt and shame, for He had borne it all away." She then asked Mary: "Do you now believe, my child?" And in simple faith Mary answered: "Yes."
"How thankful I am," said her mother.
"It has ever been my prayer that your heart would turn to Him who bore your judgment and the punishment due you on Calvary. May He ever keep you close to His wounded side."
Ah, now the truth reached Mary's heart as well as her conscience. She did believe on that blessed One who had suffered for her sins, and her soul rejoiced. The conflict was over. She thought again of the world and its pleasures: its hopes and joys would soon pass away. She gazed by faith at the suffering Savior on the cross of Calvary, and her heart overflowed with sorrow and love. Then she beheld the glorious prospect: in the Father's house! Instead of the horrors of eternal torment, her portion now was to be forever with the Lord who loved her and washed her from her sins in His own precious blood. (Rev. 1:55And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, (Revelation 1:5).)
Dear one out of Christ, God is calling yet. Have you heard His voice, and will you refuse Him? He is stretching out His hand to you; and will you not regard? Beware! If you "set at naught" His counsel, and will none of His reproof, the day will come when He will "laugh at your calamity," and will mock at your fear, when it cometh as desolation, and your destruction as a whirlwind.
Ah, then it will be too late. You will call, but get no answer; you will seek, but you will not find. Have not these words a voice for you as well as for dear Mary Thomas?
"God calling yet! I cannot stay;
My heart I yield without delay.
Vain world, farewell! From thee I part;
The voice of God has reached my heart."