Part 2.
WELL-NIGH three years had passed away since the Saviour’s message had been carried to that cottage. There had been great changes. The one then so ill, after several months, rallied for a little time, and the mother who so tenderly nursed her had passed into eternity almost suddenly. This was followed by the breaking up of the home, and the father and two of his daughters left the district without any assurance being given by the sick one that she had accepted Christ—God’s salvation for lost sinners. She confessed she was a sinner, but she had not learned in God’s holy presence that she was so vile that nothing but Christ and His finished work could meet her case; she had not given up all and trusted in Him alone.
Still the Lord was gracious unto her, for He would yet be honored by her coming to Him, weary and burdened, to find her rest in Him.
She went far away, but her sister, who knew the Lord, the friend who first visited her, and another, agreed together to cry to God continually that the seed sown might be blessed to her salvation. Now in a large city we find her again confined to her bed, where she has been about a year, and the end is drawing near. The converted sister had been sent for, but on arriving the patient was so weak that she did not recognize her for some little time. One day, however, she called her sister by name, and as she bent low to catch the faint whisper, she said, “I came to Him, you know, and He forgave me all.”
Her sister, wishing to be assured, said, “How do you know it, dear?”
“Know it! Why, I came to Him, and He forgave me all—yes, all.”
We praised the Lord for His grace in not only saving her soul, but in allowing such a clear testimony to be given for the comfort and encouragement of those who, with longing desire, had prayed for it.
She spoke of the visits paid her nearly three years previously, and thanked the Lord for bringing her to Himself.
After this she became unconscious, and rapidly sank, and soon was with the One who loved her, and gave Himself for her, and who had forgiven her all. One had planted, another watered, and God alone could, and did, give the increase, answering the prayers of those who prayed incessantly for her salvation. All praise to His name! Fellow-laborers, pray on.
It is very important to remember that God’s salvation is for all, and not only for the sick, and that He would have us to entreat by the mercy and long-suffering of God, and to warn by the terror of the Lord.
When visiting the sick one I often spoke to others of the Lamb of God’s own providing—the ransom that He had found to deliver them from going down to the pit. I told them that God’s salvation was not only for the dear one in the upper room, or for those whom we think to be near eternity, but also for those in good health. It was for all present, if they each would accept it—for the young as well as for the old; and possibly those then in good health would be the first to pass into eternity. And indeed how soon this became a reality as to the mother!
Especially did I feel led to press this on a younger sister, who was also in a delicate state of health, feeling that the Lord would have her for His own; and so He did, for, as we shall presently see, she has now for some time been happy in her Saviour’s love.
A few days after receiving the news of the increasing weakness of the sick one, a letter was handed to me bearing the post-mark of a village in Kent. On opening it I found it to be from this younger sister, and the following extract is taken from it: —
“Dear Mr.—, at last I can answer your letters, but how can I tell you what is in my thoughts? How I should like to see you; but as this cannot be, I will do the best I can. I know how glad you will be that I can at last say from my heart that Jesus died for me! I do not understand it even now, but I know it’s true. I feel just as if it was for me, and no one else.”
Then follow a few lines showing how the old enemy sought to shake her confidence in the Lord and His Word by occupying her with experience and self, instead of looking to the Lord Himself, and resting implicitly on the Word of God, wherein is made known His acceptance of and satisfaction with the work of His beloved Son, and His acceptance of all true believers in Him.
She writes: “I was wondering if I should be able to continue, or whether I should go back again, and then I thought perhaps even now I am mistaken, I am so sinful. Then came the best of all. It seemed just as though I heard someone say, ‘Fear not, for I have redeemed thee; I have called thee by thy name: thou art Mine.’ And that seemed enough for me. Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners, and I am sure I am one.
“You said, in one of your letters to me, ‘You hoped you would soon hear I was rejoicing in the knowledge of the forgiveness of sins and in Christ Jesus my Saviour.’ (Oh, how sweet that my Saviour is!) Well, what you then hoped for has come to pass, and I feel I must tell you so, for one reason, because you were the means, under God, of first awakening me to a sense of my danger; and although it is two or three years ago now, I did not say much, but it made me feel very uncomfortable, and I was not happy from that time, and had no peace until I came to Jesus, and found it in Him. Can you wonder, after being in darkness so long, that when the light did come it so changed everything that I did not know how to take it in? It was indeed a glorious light to me, and I can never thank Him enough for all He has done for me; but I can love and trust Him, and that I mean to do with His help all my life. Be it long or short, it is in my Father’s hand, and I know, come what may, it will only be for my good; and if I am in darkness (as it were) for a bit (for I am sometimes), I suppose there is something wrong in myself, so I go to God’s Book, and I never fail to find something that clears away all doubt.”
Would to God that all Christians did the same!
Before her conversion, she passed through deep agony of soul, and wrote thus to her sister: “I am almost driven to despair; I cannot endure this any longer.”
When her sister told this to the one who had first spoken to her about her soul, he said, “Thank God for it, for now she is come to the end of self. God can and will work.”
Fellow-traveler to eternity, let me ask,
Have you peace with God?
Are you prepared to meet God? Time hastens you on to the end of that journey from which no traveler returns.
Think, oh! think of eternity, that long forever that knows no end! I beg, yea, I plead with you, to come now to Jesus as you are—lost, guilty, and undone—trust in Him and in His finished work, and then you, with all believers, will be able to say, “Being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Rom. 5:11Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: (Romans 5:1)).
Think of what you are doing in refusing to accept Christ—God’s salvation. Remember, I pray you, at what a marvelous cost salvation is now offered to you, free and full; and yet you turn from it? Have you ever thought of the love of God in giving His beloved Son to die for such poor, lost, undone sinners as you and I? That spotless One, in His love to you, went to the cross and bore the judgment of God against sin, and “suffered for sins, the Just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God” (1 Peter 3:1818For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit: (1 Peter 3:18)); “died for our sins according to the scriptures.” He who knew no sin was made sin, and a holy, sin-hating God hid His face from Him, and His blessed lips uttered that agonizing cry, “My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?” And all this was for you and for me!
Fellow-traveler, we near eternity! Oh, think of that mighty, unsolved problem!
“How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation?” HOW?
R. G.
GOD is now claiming subjection to His Son. There is not an infidel nor a rebel, however great, who shall not bow the knee to Jesus. If in grace, it is salvation; but if the heart does not bow to the grace, the knee must bow under the judgment. “Wherefore God also hath highly exalted Him, and given Him a name which is above every name: that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven (i.e., celestial), and things in earth (i.e., infernal), and things under the earth (i.e., infernal); and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Phil. 2:9-119Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: 10That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; 11And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:9‑11)).