AS I write, the howling wind outside reminds me of the solemn words uttered by the Lord from heaven—" The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit'? I am staying at the house, and greatly enjoying the fellowship, of a dear Christian man whose history, as told me by himself in a simple manner, I now write, in the hope that God may use it as a means of blessing to others: and it seems a very good illustration of the text just quoted.
My friend lived near Brighton as a boy of eleven years of age, and his father managed a flour mill, the stairs of which this lively lad often climbed, to find his father in the loft or on the upper floor, upon his knees in earnest prayer to God. This parent was of the stern Anglican type, and very strict with his children in a religious way. Doubtless he was a God-fearing man, though (as his son now sees) not in the happy liberty and full light of the gospel. It is evident however, that a work of God began very early in the heart of the subject of this sketch, for he well remembers, whilst very young, looking down upon the "Brighton Levels" from his home on the hills above, and seeing the Fair of those days in full swing, with a feeling that he could not happily go there; whilst often at this period he would slip away into a secluded nook formed by an elder hedge, and there pour out his young heart before God.
About this time some members of his family were seized with fever, and he was fearful of being attacked himself, when, one day, something seemed to say to him as he stood near a stile, which he had never attempted to jump, "Now, you run and try to jump over that stile, and if you succeed you won't have the fever." He made the jump and cleared the stile, and did not have the fever; but he confesses to having been somewhat superstitious in those days.
Leaving school at an early age, Mr. T was employed as a miller's assistant; and whilst thus engaged at Brighton in a steam mill, he became a teacher in a Sunday school, though he himself felt it was a case of the blind leading the blind!
Leaving Brighton, he removed to a remote and very lonely place for some years, and during this time, he seems to have been in a state of anxiety as to his immortal soul. Moving again, he became a most regular and very earnest attendant at church—thinking this was the way to be saved, which was now the great desire of his heart. He tells me that at this period he most earnestly prayed, Lord, have mercy on me a miserable sinner!" At this place Mr. T— was made churchwarden, but he assures me that neither he nor the vicar had any sense whatever of the pardon of their sins, through the all-availing sacrifice of Calvary's cross.
His next move was to the village of Y—in Kent, as a baker and grocer, where the church attendance was still continued, though the soul was still in darkness as to God's great and wondrous salvation in Jesus Christ. After the lapse of two more years of uncertainty and groping, a memorable day came. Mr. T—was a very industrious, hard-working man in his business, but he did not "forget God." One morning he was quite alone in his bakehouse at four o'clock, and having made his dough, was waiting the usual hour for it to "prove." He little knew how very near he now was to proving, to his own soul's joy, that he was a sinner saved by _race; but "the wind bloweth where it listeth," and in that bakehouse there was soon to be one born of the Spirit.”
My friend always kept a Bible in his bakehouse and he now took it down, as he had done many times before, for the purpose of reading some portion. On this occasion he opened, unintentionally, upon John 5 and was reading the chapter, which he had often done before, when (as never on any former reading) he was particularly struck with the twenty-fourth verse, Verily verily, "I say."
He said aloud, "Who is it speaking”
Answer seemed to come, "It is I, the Lord Jesus.”
“Is it Thou, Lord? To whom art Thou speaking then?”
“Look at the verse, and you will see.”
“Unto YOU." "What, Lord, art Thou really addressing ME? What is it then Thou wouldest say to me?”
“He that heareth my word,"—
“Yes, Lord, I hear Thy word, and this is the first time I have heard Thee. What next, Lord?"—"and believeth on Him that sent me,"—
“Yes, Lord, I surely believe that God the. Father sent Thee. What next, Lord?”
—"HATH EVERLASTING LIFE.”
"Hath everlasting life! Thou sagest so, then I HAVE IT!!" and putting his hands together, and lifting them in the attitude of praise, he stood upon tiptoe and gave thanks to God for His "unspeakable gift.”
When re-visiting his former place of residence he called upon an old Christian man who had known him years before, and rapping at the door, it was opened by the old gentleman, who did not recognize him, owing to his altered appearance.
Mr. T— then said to Mr. B—, “If you please sir, do you know anyone hereabout who is SAVED and GOING TO HEAVEN?”
The old man looked alarmed, and drew back behind the door, supposing he was being questioned by a madman, and saying, "What? What?”
The question was repeated in a firm and sober voice, and was responded to by another, “Why do you ask such a question?”
Mr. T— then made himself known, and told of his own assurance that he himself was saved by grace, and going to heaven. He was then welcomed into the house, where- both knelt in fervent praise to God for “the salvation, which is in Christ Jesus.”
A. T— is now just about seventy years of age, and has been kept by the power of God for many long years. He is sitting in my presence as I write this brief account of God's way with him, “rejoicing in hope of the glory of God.”
My reader, do you realize that 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) is a voice from the Lord Jesus Christ to you. If so, are you' joying in God through Him, and happy in the assurance that, having passed from death unto life, you cannot come into condemnation? In short, are you one of the happy number, who, having believed in God's word of love and grace, are "SAVED AND GOING TO HEAVEN?”