A devoted Christian businessman was struck by an automobile and hurried to a hospital. He was informed he had only about two hours to live. His faith was implicit in the goodness of God hereafter. He had called his family to him and thus addressed them: “Good night, dear wife. Through sunshine and shadow we have walked together. You have been my inspiration in everything I have undertaken. Many times I have seen the Spirit of God shining in your face. I love you far more than the day you became my bride. Good night, dear, I’ll see you in the morning; good night.”
“Good night, Mary. You are our firstborn. What a joy you have been to your father. What a Christian you are, Mary; you will never forget how your father loved you. Good night, Mary, good night.”
“Good night, Will. (He turned to his eldest son.) Will, your coming into our home has been an unmixed blessing. You love the God of your father. You will continue to grow in every Christian grace and virtue. You have your father’s love and blessing. Good night, Will, good night.”
“Good night, Gracie.”
(Charlie was the next. Charlie had fallen under evil influences and grievously disappointed his father and mother. The dying man skipped him and spoke to the youngest child, a beautiful-young girl.
“Gracie, you have long been a song of gladness, a ray of light. When not long ago you surrendered your life to Christ, your father’s cup of happiness was full to overflowing. Good night, little girl, good night.”
“Good-by, Charlie.” He then called Charlie to his side. “Charlie, what a fine promising boy you were. Your father and mother believed you would develop into a noble man. We gave you all the opportunities we gave to the other children. If there has been any difference, you yourself must admit that the difference was all in your favor. You have disappointed us. You have followed the broad and downward road. You have not heeded the warnings of God’s holy Word. You have not hearkened to the call of the Saviour. But I have always loved you and love you still, Charlie. God only knows how much I love you. Good-by, Charlie, good-by, good-by.”
Charlie seized his father’s hand and between sobs he cried out, “Father, why have you said good night to the others and good-by to me?”
“For the simple reason that I shall meet the other members of the family ‘in the morning,’ but by all the promises that assure us of a reunion, by those same statements of God’s Word, I can have no hope of seeing you ‘over there.’ Good-by, Charlie, good-by.”
Charlie fell on his knees by his dying father’s bed and cried out in agony of his soul, praying God to forgive his sins.
“Do you mean it, Charlie; are you in earnest?”
“God knows I am,” said the heartbroken young man.
“Then God will hear you and save you, Charlie, and it is good night and not good-by. Good night, Charlie, good night, my boy.” And he was gone.
Charlie is now a preacher of the Gospel.
The foregoing account of the bright homegoing of this dear man was sent to me by a friend, and in passing the incident on it is with earnest prayer that it might reach the hands of many “Charlies” that are making their way down the broad road to destruction.
ML 04/11/1965