Fred was one of eleven children. His father was a much-blessed servant of Christ who sought to bring up his children “in the fear and admonition of the Lord.” Although most of his brothers and sisters accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as their Saviour, Fred hardened his heart to the gospel and allowed Satan to turn his thoughts to other things. He soon got into bad company and was led further down the path of sin. He started to drink and got in trouble with the law. His parents and relatives pled with him many times to turn from his downward course, but Fred ignored their pleadings. Finally his parents had to ask him to leave home because of his bad influence on his younger brothers and sisters.
Fred was a grown man when war broke out. With the war came bombing raids that brought terror and destruction and death. During one of the raids, while Fred was helping to put out the fires, one of the bombs hit him and he was killed instantly.
Just four days before Fred died one of his brothers had pled with him once more to turn to Christ from his evil ways. He reminded Fred of the danger of putting off salvation until it would be forever too late. Fred said he did not expect to live through the war, but in spite of this sense of impending disaster he once again rejected the free gift of salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.
When Fred’s relatives heard of his death, the Lord brought the verse to their minds, “He, that being often reproved hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy.” Proverbs 29:11He, that being often reproved hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy. (Proverbs 29:1).
ML-01/29/1978