A GOSPEL meeting was held in the coach-house at N—R―. The audience had dispersed, and the preacher, Mr. B—, who was just starting to drive to a friend’s house near Norwich, to be ready for the early train to London next morning, found that he had left something behind, and returned to the coach-house to seek it, where the young coachman and his wife were putting out the lights.
Mr. B—said to him, “Have you decided whose side you mean to be on for Time and Eternity?” The coachman, R—H—, answered, and said he hoped to go to heaven, but there was time enough yet; and, looking at his wife, added that they were yet young, and need not trouble about such things yet a while.
Kindly but gravely the evangelist said: “I entreat you, don’t trifle with eternal things. How do you know that this night your soul may not be required of you? Will you do this for me before you go to bed tonight? Take a sheet of paper and write on it these words, ‘If I die tonight, I shall go to hell,’ and pin it over your bed.”
R—H—promised readily that he would do as he was asked. Mr. B—hurried off, and the coachman and his wife went to their house in the yard.
After supper they were retiring to rest when the wife said, “Oh, Robert, you’ve forgotten to do what you promised to the gentleman.”
“So I have; I’ll do it now,” he said; and kneeling down by the table, began to write carelessly across the paper in large text hand, “If I die tonight”— then he stopped and looked at the words; they were solemn and serious. What if he did die? Death seemed nearer, more real— “If I die tonight!” As he pondered, the clock in the yard struck ten. It sounded like the knell of his departure. Mechanically he wrote on, “I shall go to hell.” He started and trembled. There, in his own handwriting, was the answer to his thoughts. His sins passed in review before him. Could he pin that paper over his head and sleep? What should he do? His eyes seemed glued to the paper. As he looked, a tear fell—then another, and blurred the last dread word. He looked hastily up; his wife was stooping over him, her eyes full.
Drawing her to kneel down beside him, they wept together over their thoughtlessness and their danger. The sins of their past lives came to remembrance. Hitherto they thought they had not been wicked people, and had felt that if they kept out of bad company and did their duty all would be well. Though they had been indifferent to God, they had not opposed; but all looked different now. Together they cried to God for mercy, but no light came, and in this state of mind they both continued for a fortnight.
At last their unhappiness became so great they determined to sit up all night and search the Bible, to see if there could be mercy for them. As the clock in the yard struck hour after hour and still no light came, they felt as if their day of grace was passing fast. They seemed to find nothing in the Bible but what confirmed their worst fears. “The soul that sinneth it shall die,” “The wages of sin is death,” and similar verses.
Four o’clock struck, and in despair R—H—pushed the Bible away and sat with bowed head. The candle had burned out, and the morning light was coming in. At last he raised his head, saying, “Ah, wife, surely I have heard of a Saviour for sinners like us. Surely the Bible tells how God can pardon sins through the blood of Christ;” and pulling the Bible again towards him, he read just where, when pushing the book away, it had fallen open, “I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins” (Isa. 43:2525I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins. (Isaiah 43:25)).
Yes, there were the words plainly enough. How was it that he had not seen them before? Trembling and joyful he pointed them out to his wife.
“See, that’s what we want.” They thought they would look and see if there was more to confirm this. Turning over the leaf, in the next chapter they read, “I have blotted out as a thick cloud thy transgressions, and as a cloud thy sins. Return unto me, for I have redeemed thee” (Isa. 44:2222I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and, as a cloud, thy sins: return unto me; for I have redeemed thee. (Isaiah 44:22)). The light burst upon them both.
“It is enough, O LORD. We do come to Thee now, through Thy Son, our Saviour.” In joyous thanksgiving they praised God for His pardoning love to so great sinners; and as the clock struck five, they blessed Him who had sent them light and joy, and turned the sound which had been so terrible to them into a token of the beginning of a new and better day.
The wife has now gone to her rest, but R—H—still lives to testify of the Saviour he that night found, and of the happiness which then came to them.
S. A. B.