The porters at the railway station had cried, "Take your seats for the South!" From the window I observed a man making the utmost exertion to reach the train before it started. It was a struggle.
"All right!" shouted the guard. The engineer answered with a whistle. The train moved. The man sprang aboard just in time. He took his seat by my side. Bang went the door. I said, "And the door was shut." I do not remember that another word passed between us.
Two years afterward, when I had quite forgotten the incident, a friend of mine met the same man. He told him that those words, "And the door was shut,” produced such a solemn impression on his mind that he could not forget them. When he awoke in the morning, and all day long, they sounded in his ears. The madness and danger of delaying his salvation to the last moment became so evident that he believed that the circumstance had been used of God in bringing him to Christ.
Those are, indeed, solemn words in that prophetic parable of the ten virgins. "And the door was shut." Matt. 25:1010And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut. (Matthew 25:10). The gospel train is fast filling; the last passenger will soon be in it. Then how will you feel, not to be just in time, but just too late? Will you be one who shall cry, "Lord, Lord, open unto us"? Then the only answer will be, "I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity." Matt. 7:2323And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. (Matthew 7:23).
Hark you! The gospel porters still cry, "Take your seats!" Perhaps you will say, "I have not paid my fare; and, worse still, I cannot pay it.”
Do you really own, this to be true? Have you tried to pay your fare to heaven by good works? Or do you own that you are still a vile and worthless sinner? Whether you say so or not, God says so. "The Scripture hath concluded all under sin.”
Yes, you stand at the station, and the price required to pass you from the kingdom and power of Satan to God is immense. Yet; strange as it may seem, only those can take their seats who have nothing of their own to pay. The full price has been paid, even the precious blood of Christ. "The blood of Jesus Christ, His Son, cleanseth us from all sin." 1 John 1:77But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. (1 John 1:7).
Accept the fare! the price He paid, and be saved before the door is shut!