One Saturday evening last autumn I was traveling to W—. When the train stopped at Κ—all the passengers left the carriage, and a very respectable intelligent man, of middle age, got in, sat down opposite me and said, “ I wish my journey was over!” “ Have you far to go, I asked?” “ Yes, to Penzance, but that is not the worst of it; I expect to find the only one I love, except two children, dead.” It was his wife, poor man. His anxiety was intense, having that afternoon received a telegram about her illness, and could not possibly reach her before 2 o’clock Sunday morning. After a little while I said, “Is she sheltered under the precious blood of Christ?” “No, sir!” “Are you?” “No sir! I will be honest with you, I believe if I were to die this moment I should go straight to hell!” I then spoke much to him of God’s love to sinners, quoting John 3:16: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life,” and other passages. He replied, “ You can’t tell me anything I don’t know about the Bible, but I can’t feel it here,” smiting his breast.
“Oh, my friend,” I said, “you never would feel it there, if you lived a thousand years!” With surprise he answered, “ God grant I never may then!” I showed him that he was looking within for some miraculous change, or certain kind of feelings, instead of resting calmly, in simple faith on the Lord Jesus Christ, knowing that,” He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life.” He told me he was a Wesleyan—a Sunday school teacher and preacher, but for thirty years this thought had haunted him, that one day he should wake up in hell—adding “ Only last night I dreamed I was in hell, and saw several I knew there!”
Never shall I forget his intense anxiety and eager look, when with the tears rolling down his face, he said, “ Oh, I would give all I possess to enjoy that peace which you seem to have!” “ But it is without money and without price.’ I answered. Christ hath made peace through the blood of his cross. “ The blood of Jesus Christ, God’s Son, cleanseth us from all sin.”
After a long conversation I felt sure he was a believer, but that the enemy of souls had tormented him in this way. I looked him full in the face, and asked, “ Do you hate the Lord Jesus Christ?”
“Hate Him, sir! hate Him, sir! do you mean h, a, t, e, hate?” “That’s exactly what I do mean,” I said. “Ah! no,” with tears filling his eyes, he replied, “why, He is everything to me, and has done everything for me!” “ Well then, my friend,” I continued, “while you are traveling to Penzance, through the silent hours of tonight, think of Him ‘who bore our sins in his own body on the tree, but who is now at God’s right hand in heavenly glory,’ and think how you have grieved His heart with all your wretched unbelief.”
As the train was nearing W— I took his hand while he firmly grasped mine, and said, “ Good bye, perhaps I may never meet you again.” But he answered, with a faltering voice, and tears filling his eyes, “I shall meet you above.” I reminded him that a little while ago, he had told me that he should be in hell, and, I added, “ by the grace of God I shall never be there.” “ Oh!” he said, “I do believe, I do believe,” and “I shall meet you above”—so we parted; but I do expect to meet my fellow-traveler one day in my Father’s house above.
Now, dear reader, are you saved? are you sheltered under the precious blood of Christ? If not, an everlasting hell must be your portion. But should a doubting, trembling heart read this, then let me assure you, “ He came to seek and to save that which is lost.” Bead Luke 15 and see how God delights to bless a lost sinner.
His word too must ever be the sure resting-place for the soul. “ He that believeth on him is not condemned; but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only-begotten Son of God.” John 3:1818He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. (John 3:18).
G. W.