HE was a poor, sinner. A regular drudge of the devil, sunk in heathen darkness. But at midnight the light of God streamed into his soul, and he was saved for the bright glory.
It was in the ancient city of Philippi, he was by calling a jailor, and his heart was as hard as the manacles that he bound round the wrists of his prisoners, but when God in matchless grace reached him all was changed.
Strange incidents had happened on the previous day. Two dear servants of God went to that city. The message they carried was one of love, and told of a Saviour for guilty sinners. For this, their only offense, they were dragged before the magistrates, who ordered them to be beaten with the cruel Roman scourge, their naked backs were lacerated, even to the flowing of their blood. Then the jailor took them and thrust them rudely into the inner dungeon, and made their feet fast in the stocks. Afterward, no doubt, he ate his supper without a single qualm of conscience, and went soundly to sleep. But what of his prisoners? Were dark forebodings filling their hearts, and do we find them bemoaning their lot? Nay. The glory light was streaming into their souls, and it
MADE THEM SING FOR JOY.
Such a Saviour they possessed and such a spring of joy was theirs that the deep affliction they had passed through did not touch their happiness. Let me ask you, reader, Do you possess the same Saviour and the same joy? “And the prisoners heard them.” Strange sounds indeed to fall upon their ears in such a place. But more, the voice of prayer was mingled with the hymn of praise, and that reached the ear of God. He answered by a mighty earthquake, which shook that prison to its foundation, and also shook that sleeping jailor into the sea of soul-trouble. He knew not where to turn. But the devil, who was eagerly watching his poor dupe, drove his hapless bark through those stormy waters almost on the rocks of a suicide’s eternity. It was then that God arrested him, and that command of mercy,
“DO THYSELF NO HARM,”
sounded through the midnight darkness. It held him back from destruction. He called for a light, and trembling as a guilty sinner in the sight of God, he cried, “What must I do to be saved?” Quick as thought the answer came to that inquiring one, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved.” And there on the spot he was saved. The precious blood cleansed him, and to the Saviour’s bosom that poor sinner was clasped in one eternal embrace of infinite love. There was joy in heaven, and joy in the heart of that saved sinner that night.
Friend, wouldst thou know the cause? It was the grace of God that did it; because Jesus died, He was free to do it. It delighted His heart to save that poor, hell-deserving sinner in days gone by, and it will delight Him to save thee today, if thou art still unsaved. Oh! flee to the Saviour, ere thy sins plunge thee into the eternal darkness of hell. Only believe Him, and He will save thee, and that just now.
J. T. M.