A True Story.
I SUPPOSE I was about five years old when I was taken by my mother and father to evangelistic services conducted by the Rev. Johnson in the little Baptist chapel at my old home. I was too young to carry away any distinct impression of the character of the services, but one little incident impressed itself on my memory and has remained with me ever since.
One night, I looked up in the middle of prayer (naughty little girl that I was) just in time to see the fair head of the evangelist bent over my father’s in earnest conversation and to catch the latter’s low-toned answer: “Not tonight.” I did not hear the question, but, child though I was, I understood that my father had put off the great decision, and in my childish way I regretted it.
Eight years passed away; another evangelist visited our little Bethel and again to my father came the appeal: “Won’t you decide for Christ?” and again from his lips came the answer, “Not tonight.”
The years passed swiftly on, and one never-to-be-forgotten night my father was summoned to my mother’s dying bed to receive from her lips one more appeal. Oh, how she pleaded with my father: “Promise that you will meet me in heaven, John,” she said with a last effort, and father, whose love for my mother was great, promised. But, alas, even then the tempter was near, and again he whispered “Not tonight.”
Three years more, and my father lay on his dying bed, but, alas, unconscious. Oh, how earnestly we prayed that he might rally, if only for a few moments, to make his peace with God, but in vain! Slowly but surely he slipped away from us. It seemed as if another voice than his was saying, “Not tonight.” I shall never forget that awful time. As we stood watching with bitter tears the last struggle, a friend standing by whispered: “What joy for dear mother.” Then the awful hopelessness of it all dawned on me as never before, and I sobbed out, “But is it joy?” What hope was there of a happy meeting? In that moment I felt I would have gladly given up my hope of eternal life if I could have saved my father.
The memory of it all has shadowed my whole life because of this. I want to say to anyone who may be putting off the day Of decision: ― “Oh, decide now; the night of death may bring you no opportunity for decision.”
“To die without hope—have you counted the cost?
To die out of Christ and your soul to be lost?
Renounce every idol, tho’ dear it may be,
And come to the Saviour stow pleading with Thee.
L.G.H.