AT the close of the year 1862, a servant of Christ, while laboring in the gospel in a rural village, heard late in the evening that an old man was dying, and he went to visit him.
On the way he met some persons, who assured him that it would be useless to go, as the man was lying in a state of unconsciousness from paralysis, and that he had been speechless and wandering in his mind for some time previously.
On arriving at the house the old man's daughter-in-law said, “He will not know you, sir.”
“He cannot hear you," added her husband; "yet I should like you to see him.”
Believing in the grace of God, and the power of His word, he resolved to do so, and on ascending to the chamber found the dying man as described, namely, in a complete state of unconsciousness; his eyes were closed, and the only indication of life was that he continued to breathe.
The case did indeed appear most hopeless. Nevertheless, the visitor approached the bedside, and, trusting in the Lord, began to address what appeared to be an all but inanimate form.
He had not spoken half-a-dozen words before the aged sinner opened his eyes, and fixed them on the face of the speaker, who observed, that although fast glazing in death, there was a gleam of intelligence in them, which soon assumed an expression of unutterable anxiety.
Whether paralysis had affected his entire frame, or the near approach of death deprived him of all power to move, it was impossible to say; but it was evident that the poor man could not so 'much as turn his head, or move a limb. There he lay, utterly, hopelessly helpless. .
What could such a one DO to be saved? NOTHING, absolutely nothing. Speechless, deaf, paralyzed, dying, and but a moment before senseless, nothing but the sovereign, glorious grace of God, that snatches the brand from the burning, could avail him. A case more decidedly manifesting the utter helplessness of the sinner to take any part, however small, in effecting or bringing about his own salvation, it would be hard to find.
Setting before him the all-sufficiency of the blood of Christ to save the sinner, and the terrible sin of rejecting the grace of God, the preacher sought to exercise the conscience of the dying man as to his own condition, and especially the sinfulness of being content to live nearly four-score years in the world without Christ, rejecting Him daily for nearly eighty years.
The earliest gaze of the listener convinced the preacher that he was understood, and, persuaded that the Lord would bless the word, he left, promising to visit him again.
Two days afterward, namely, on Christmas Day, being in the same village, he called the second time.
“He hasn't spoken a word since you were here last," said one.
“And doesn't take any notice, or seem to know any of us," said another.
Several of his grown-up children had assembled in the house, expecting that every moment would be his last. They were all children of God, and it was a solemn thing to think that the father of so many believers in the Lord Jesus Christ should go down to the grave unsaved, or at best that they should part. from him in the distressing uncertainty which, notwithstanding the morality of his life and general conduct, they felt respecting him. For well did they know that mere morality, even though accompanied by a profession of religion, can save no man.
On ascending the stairs, the visitor found the old man in the same condition as before.
Lifting up his heart to the Lord, he began again to set Christ before him, and again did he observe with thankfulness that hearing and consciousness were restored, and that the dying man fixed his eyes earnestly upon him and listened intently to every word. Then turning to prayer, the servant of the Lord besought his gracious God to enable the dying man to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, to pluck him as a brand from the burning, and to restore him his speech, that he might say whether he was saved or not, and, if saved, give a testimony, though with his last breath, to the wondrous grace of God.
Rising from, his knees he then went straight to the bedside, and spoke as follows: “Well, you have heard what I have asked the Lord to do. Now tell me, do you believe in the Lord' Jesus Christ, whose precious blood cleanseth from all sin?
His glazing eyes were fixed upon the speaker's face, his head and body seemed immovable, but there was, for a moment or two, a working of the muscles of the throat, browned by many long years' exposure to sun and wind in the fields, which his hard hands would till no more. His lips trembled, and then suddenly, for the first time since stricken with paralysis, some days before, he spoke.
A firm, decided "Yes!" was the answer he gave to the important question put to him.
“Are you saved?”
“I am." It was with difficulty he spoke, and it seemed to cost him immense effort.
“Are you QUITE SURE that you are saved through Christ, and Christ alone?”
“Yes!” And there was an emphasis in that yes not to be mistaken.
“Do you really believe that Jesus died for you, and His blood HAS put away your sins?”
“Yes, I do"; and his earnest gaze added confirmation to the husky tones of his dying words.
“Thank God I" whispered his son, who stood beside him; and then being anxious to ascertain that he was fully conscious of all he was saying, he asked, " Do you know who this is that is speaking to you, father?”
The old man replied in the affirmative.
“Have you ever heard him preach?”
Again he gave an affirmative answer.
“Where?" asked the son.
The old man's eyes turned to the opposite window, to signify that it was in the open air; in fact, just opposite the house in which he then lay.
“Bless the Lord! he does know what he is saying," exclaimed the young man; who, had his faith been more active, might have understood that the Lord would not have given back his speech to the dying man so evidently in direct answer to prayer, merely to mock us with unconscious words.
In this village some persons had long gone about telling the poor ignorant people that they could not know they were saved till the judgment day. The dying testimony of this aged man was therefore doubly valuable. He died the next day, but from the moment that the interview above given terminated, he never spoke another word; as if the Lord would make it manifest that his speech was given him for a special purpose, by almighty power in answer to prayer.
Dear reader, are you a believer? If so, what encouragement you have in this simple narrative of facts to rest in that word of promise, “Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in My Name, He will give it you.... Ask and ye SHALL receive, that your joy may be full " (John 16:23, 2423And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you. 24Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full. (John 16:23‑24)). JOH 16:23-2423And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you. 24Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full. (John 16:23‑24) Have you unconverted relatives, friends, acquaintances?
Use, in the energy of faith, the word of God and prayer. Walk in close communion with Him who loved you and gave Himself for you, and, sooner or later, here or hereafter, you will surely see the blessed results.
Reader, are you yet unconverted? See what a gracious Saviour you are rejecting.
He pitied the gray-haired man of four-score years, and snatched him from eternal ruin in his last hours. Let this exhibition of His grace win your heart to Him. He is as ready to save you. Beware how you despise His grace. GRACE DESPISED IS JUDGMENT INVITED.
J. L. K.