HAVE had a very sad experience tonight," said a woman earnestly to me. There were three of us. I had been holding a gospel meeting in a populous Durham mining village on a Sunday evening, and was returning home. I had got into conversation with a man and his wife, and after a little talk the wife made the remark quoted above.
She went on, "We have been to chapel tonight, and a young local preacher was the supply. He spoke very earnestly on the text, Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.' He kept ringing this verse in our ears, and his one burden was the importance of deciding for Christ at once.
“Well, the service ended, and the congregation dispersed. Just outside the door of the chapel a young man, who had been present, was laughing and joking with some girls, when Suddenly he fell to the ground and died without a moment's warning.”
I could see that the event had shaken the nerves of the woman, and, as she ceased her story, a very solemn feeling came over us.
Was the young man converted, or was his conduct, laughing and joking at the close of a solemn. gospel appeal, an indication that he had remained untouched by the warning, so specially suited to his case had he but known what the near future held in store for him?
We cannot say. We must leave that. "Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?" But, oh! we turn to your case with great solicitude.
Are you converted? Are you saved? If not, never did the young preacher's text apply with greater force to your case. You never were so near the closing hour of grace as you are now. Would that God gave you wisdom to understand the pressing importance of the statement, "Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation" (2 Cor. 6:22(For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succored thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.) (2 Corinthians 6:2)).
The fact that "now is the accepted time" proves that there is nothing for you to do to be saved but to believe. It is a marvelous fact that God can, and does, offer to save you on the spot, just as you are. Your sins are no barrier, for "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)).
If only you were in deep earnest about it, how simple it would be to accept God's offered mercy through faith in Christ.
I once visited a lady in a Scotch watering town. Frail and wasted, she evidently was not long for this world. After a little conversation, in order to gain her confidence, I ventured to ask, "Are you saved?”
Her answer thrilled me. She covered her face with her thin, wasted hands, and shuddered as she exclaimed with deep pathos, "I would give worlds to know that.”
It was such joy to explain to her that she could do nothing towards her salvation, that Christ had done everything, that on the cross He had triumphantly exclaimed, "It is finished," and that His place in glory was the proof of God's satisfaction in His work; that all she needed to do was to trust that Savior, and God would save her on the spot. We opened our Bibles, and read Acts 10:43; 13:38, 39; 16:3143To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins. (Acts 10:43)
38Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: 39And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses. (Acts 13:38‑39)
31And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. (Acts 16:31); John 5:2424Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. (John 5:24), and other plain Scriptures.
I shall never forget how the light broke in upon her, and when once she saw that all she had to do was to trust the Savior, she jumped at the offer, and earnestly accepted the Lord Jesus as her Savior.
She lingered some months, giving a bright testimony to her faith in Christ. She has now passed away to be with Him who died for her and saved her.
Will you not trust this same Savior? He is so trustworthy, and He will do all that He has said He will. "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)). "He that heareth My word, and believeth on Him that sent Me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life" (John 5:2424Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. (John 5:24)).
Miss Havergal truly wrote—
“They that trust Him wholly
Find Him wholly true.”
Remember time is flying fast. Life is uncertain Sudden death seems the order of the day, street accidents, short illnesses, virulent epidemics constantly warn us that we should be ready at any time. Whether we die at twenty or eighty matters little. It is not when we die, but haw we die, that matters.
My reader, if you died today how would you die? You would die either in Christ or in your sins, either a sinner saved by grace, or a sinner in your sins.
Was it for nothing that Christ died? Was it not that sin's dreadful penalty should be paid, and God enabled righteously to offer forgiveness and salvation to "whosoever will." Will you not face facts here and settle the question of your eternal destiny by trusting the loving Savior now?
THE EDITOR