WOULD you advise my joining Mr. M.'s church? “said a lady to me one clay.
“May I ask you, first, do you belong to Christ?”
“What do you mean?”
“Have you been saved by the work finished by the Lord Jesus Christ upon Calvary's Cross?”
“I really do not understand you; pray be more explicit.”
“I will quote a verse from God's word, which explains my meaning, ' God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have ever-lasting life ' (John 3:1616For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16)). If you have taken your true place, as one ready to perish, and have believed that God gave His Son to save you, you have everlasting life, you belong to Christ.”
“You puzzle me extremely. You know I am in the musical profession, and my father had me carefully trained, that I might perform at concerts, private theatricals, &c.; but I have grieved him much by refusing such a public life. I prefer something quieter, and more select. Now I play the harmonium at Mr. M.'s, and I really feel it my duty to join his community; do you not think I am right in so doing?”
“Miss W., I dare not answer for you; but let me ask you this, do you believe you are a sinner?”
“I suppose so; we are all sinners.”
“But do you believe that your sins helped to nail Jesus to the cross?”
“I really could not say.”
“Where will you go, do you think, if called to die?”
“To heaven, I hope.”
“On what grounds do you hope this?”
“Well, I am sure, I have given up a great deal of gay society, and many advantages.”
“And yet you have not learned your lost estate, and taken the Lord Jesus as your only Saviour?”
“Well, I can assure you that I have done my best. I have been for eight years trying to find out the difference between hoping and believing; have studied many theological works, and sought in many ways, to do what is right; and yet I seem to be ever learning, and never coming to the knowledge of the truth.”
Ah, Miss W., if you would only let go your own doings entirely, and simply trust God's word, you would find your difficulties cease. Your hopes of salvation are in works of yours, and God says, Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us' (Titus 3:55Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; (Titus 3:5)). Nothing but Christ will do for the judgment day. The One who offers you salvation to-day, will then say to the despiser of His mercy, `Depart from me, I never knew you.' I beseech you not to rest till you know you belong to Christ," and so we parted.
When next I saw Miss W. she had "joined Mr. M.'s community;" was more full of her works than ever, and quite satisfied in the step she had taken. Unless God has since aroused her from her false security, and quickened her from dead works to serve Himself, she is still going on, a professor merely, without oil in her vessel with her lamp.
How cheering to be able to turn away from cold formality and dead works, to an instance of life from among the dead, and to hear from the lips of one saved by grace praises to the Lord.
Arthur K. was but twenty-two years of age, yet his life had been a wild and thoughtless one, when a fatal disease laid hold of him, and its course could not be arrested. Truly gloomy were his prospects, for he was poor as to this world's goods (a husband and father too), death was staring him in the face, and as to eternity all was dark uncertainty with him.
But the Lord looked with pitying eye upon him, and put into his heart the cry which now for the first time fell from his lips, " What must I do to be saved?”
Only a few days before, Arthur's mother had been led to believe on the Lord Jesus, to her soul's rest and joy. Now she said to her son, “My Arthur, Jesus will save you, if you will only trust Him.”
"But, mother, I have been such a bad fellow, will He have me now my life is wasted? For all chance is gone, and I must die.”
“Yes, my boy, only try Him; I am sure He will not cast you out.”
“Oh mother, I wish I could believe it; fetch someone else to tell me of Jesus.”
A servant of the Lord went to see him, who read to him from Romans 10:8-10,8But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; 9That 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. 10For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. (Romans 10:8‑10) " The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith which we preach; that if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thy heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”
Arthur's heart was opened, and he received the truth with grateful joy.
Lord Jesus," said he," thou hast saved my soul! I do thank Thee. So bad, so undeserving, as I am; yet Thou lovedst me, and didst give Thyself for me; How I love the name of Jesus; it is the sweetest name there is.”
During the few weeks he lived, his joy never abated. Often when I went to see him he would say, “Now you have come to tell me more about Him whom my soul loveth. What feasts we have together. Others come to me," he would say," and talk of the world and its doings. I say,—Ah my life has been spent according to the course of this world, but Jesus is my all now; I am going to spend eternity with Him. I shall be so glad to see Him—to be with Him—to be like Him—never to grieve Him by my sins any more.”
When some little delicacies were brought to him one day, to tempt his poor appetite, " Thank you so much," said he," for bringing the Lord's gifts, but I seem to want nothing but Himself—He is so precious. Oh that I could tell you of the preciousness of my Jesus!”
“Would you not like to remain down here a little while, Arthur, just to serve Him?”
“If I were left here long I might grieve Him; no, I could not bear that. But He is going to take me away, I know.”
“Do you suffer much pain?”
“Yes, at times very much, especially at night; but I tell you what I do, I just think of what my Jesus suffered for me. Ah! I say to myself, my pain is light after that.”
“O Christ, what burdens bowed Thy head,
Our load was laid on Thee;
Thou stoodest in the sinner's stead—
Bear'st all my ill for me
A victim led, Thy blood was shed;
Now there's no load for me.”
"An old work-mate came in to-day," said ne on one occasion, “he began by talking about races and betting. I said, 'Stop, mate, I can hear no more; I, by God's grace, am running a race, looking off unto Jesus,—a race begun here that will lead me to glory. I'm very glad to see you, but you must not talk to me of such things as we used to speak of, for they will not help me to think of Jesus. You know what a dreadful chap I was, but God has had mercy on me, and forgiven me all my sins,—because Jesus died instead of me. Mate, won't you trust Him too? ‘He wept, and told me he would sign the pledge, and try to be better.
“No, no,' said I, ' that will not do, God cannot have turning over new leaves, you must come as an out and out sinner to Christ Jesus the Saviour; the price He paid for sinners was His own blood,—believe it, and eternal life is your happy portion.”
Another time a gentleman went to see him, “who," said Arthur, " tried to fill my mind with doubts and fears; but I felt it was Satan's work, so I said, ' Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord ' (Rom. 8:3939Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:39)). Mr.— could not say much more after that, and soon took his leave, and I was left alone with Jesus. Oh my Jesus, how He comforts me”
Arthur's joy increased as his body grew weaker. Of him it could be truly said, ' Though our outward man perish, yet the inward is renewed day by day' (2 Cor. 4:1616For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. (2 Corinthians 4:16)).
Hearing that he was dying, we went for the last time to see him. He was in bed, his poor wasted countenance beamed with heavenly rapture. He smiled at us, and said, “I shall soon see Him, it will not be long now. We have had good times together down here, but
‘What will it be to dwell above,
And with the Lord of glory reign!'
Then he asked us to pray for his young wife and child, who, with his mother, stood by the bed weeping bitterly. He then said "Farewell," and went off in a sort of doze.
Next morning his mother came to tell us he was "absent from the body, and present with the Lord.”
He had slept for some time after we left, then awaking, he exclaimed, "Where am I?" "In your own home, my dear boy," said his mother.
Then, as if recollecting, he said, while a shade of disappointment passed over his face, "Ah, yes, in `the Stowage,' not yet with Jesus. Oh mother, I've been so happy, I thought I was with Jesus; I will go to sleep again, then it will be to be with Jesus; I shall close my eyes here, and awake there 1”
He turned round, closed his eyes, and fell asleep! Devout men carried him to his burial, and ere we left his grave we sang together,—
“Christ the Lord will come again,
None shall wait for Him in vain;
I shall then His glory see:
Christ will come and call for me.
Then, when the Archangel's voice
Calls the sleeping saints to rise,
Rising millions shall proclaim
Blessings on the Saviour's name.
This is our redeeming God!'
Ransomed hosts will shout aloud:
Praise, eternal praise be given,
To the Lord of earth and heaven!'”
Which is my reader's state, mere profession of Christ, or real possession of Christ?
E. E. S.