It was in the city of Aberdeen the other day that a seafaring man rose up to tell a truly wonderful story. Let me give you ‘the gist of what he said.
With little thought of God in his life, he had gone on till quite recently, regardless of the future, when one night he heard the gospel at an open-air meeting in the Castle Gate. Aroused to some sense of need he went home, but with nothing definite in his mind he knew not where to turn for rest, so that when his wife proposed soon after that they should go to the theater, he agreed and they went.
Horrible to relate, the play was a caricature of the Salvation Army. To what depths will human wickedness go in its rebellion against God! However, God can use even what the devil devisee against Him, and in this case, a part of the proceedings was that one of the lady actors quoted that wonderful text, “Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” (Matt. 11:2828Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. (Matthew 11:28)).
These words of the Lord Jesus, though thus spoken, rivetted the attention of our seaman friend. He bent his head and saw and heard no more, in spite of the nudging’s of his wife and her urgings to look up and see what was going on.
Deeply convicted and anxious, he went next morning to where a gospel tent was erected, thinking, and rightly, that there he might get some help in his distress.
The only person there was the tent-keeper and to him he told his anxiety, and there in the little side tent he learned the grand and blessed news, how God could save and bless righteously a sinner like him-how that believing on the Lord Jesus Christ, the Saviour, and confessing Him whom God raised from the dead as his Lord he would be saved. We read “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead thou shalt be saved.” (Rom. 10:99That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. (Romans 10:9)).
The dear fellow trusted the Saviour, and there and then his burden rolled away. He left the tent a saved man.
It was Sunday, so going home he persuaded his wife and daughter to accompany him to the tent meeting that night, when, thank God, they also were saved by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and, of course, there was great joy in their home.
But now a difficulty arose. He realized that as a saved man he must recognize God in his home, but his children being well grown up, and never having prayed in his life, how was he to conduct family prayers―to kneel and pray in the midst of young men and women?
However, he believed he ought to have family prayer, and determined to make the attempt.
On rising from their knees, however, he felt he had made such a bungle of it, that he could not think of doing so again.
Next night, however, it was deeply impressed upon him that he should continue family prayer and yielding to the heavenly impulse he gathered his household as before. All rose from their knees but the youngest, a boy of twelve.
“What is the matter, Alec?” asked the father. A flood of tears and the words, “My soul,” was the unexpected but blessed answer.
Now it was the newly converted father’s joy to point his weeping boy to the Saviour he himself had found so recently, and after some little time, dear Alec was enabled to trust that blessed Saviour whose precious blood cleanses from all sin.
All went to bed, but after a little his father felt strangely moved to get up and once more assure himself from his boy’s lips that he was indeed right with God, so getting out of bed he told his boy he wanted to be perfectly sure he had trusted the Saviour. Alec assured him he was all right, which drew a laugh from an older brother who slept with him.
Rebuking the laughter the father again sought his bed, but only to rise once more to make assurance as to his boy doubly sure. “Are you quite sure you are all right, Alec?”
“Yes, father, quite sure.”
“Then I think you should get up and we will praise the Lord together, which the boy gladly did, and there, about midnight, father and son, had a praise and thanksgiving meeting to Him who had saved them both from hell.
Next morning the father had to go early to join his vessel, and that week Alec was taken ill and before his father returned from his voyage, had gone to be with the Lord, who had met him in grace and saved him so recently.
What joy amid the sorrow was theirs, who mourned him, that dear Alec was saved before he died. How gracious is the Lord, not only meeting the parents in saving mercy, but reaching their boy so that they might rejoice in the bright and constant hope of meeting him again in that blissful home where death and partings are unknown.
Reader, the same Saviour waits to receive you. Will you not turn to Him in all your need, and take His salvation now? for “If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.” (Rom. 10:99That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. (Romans 10:9)).
F. L. HARRIS.