A True Story.
I SUPPOSE I was about five years old when I was taken by my mother and father to evangelistic services conducted in the little 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 was impressed on un memory and has remained with me ever since.
One night I looked up in the middle of prayer just in time to see the 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 mother was great, promised. But, alas! ever the tempter was near, and again he whispered, “Not tonight.”
Three years more, and my father lay on his dying bed, but, alas! unconscious. 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 your mother.” Then the awful hopelessness of it all dawned on me as never. before, and I replied, “But is it joy?” What hope was there of a happy meeting? In that moment I felt I would gladly have 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 of the day of decision: “Oh, decide now; the night of death may bring you no opportunity for decision.”— Selected.
With acknowledgements to Living Links.