Traveling one day on the Underground Railway, I found myself alone with a middle-aged man, to whom I offered a little paper, entitled "The Red Signal," or something like that.
This soon led to a conversation, for after reading the first line or two, he looked up and said, "How strange that you should have given me that paper, for only this morning I was counting up the striking warnings I have had, and I ran up to six, so I think I may say this is the seventh, for I see the writer says he wishes to send out a warning.”
And then he went on to tell me of his hair-breadth escapes. He had been very near death down a deep well, and had only been saved by holding on some projecting bricks by his fingers till he nearly dropped down into the water below from the agony, and then help came and he was pulled up.
Another time he was all but smashed in a railway accident, his companion being killed by his side.
On another occasion he was in the greatest danger when doing something to the gigantic wheel at Earl's Court, being one of the engineers employed.
After listening thus far, and fearing our journey together might soon end, I interposed with the question, "May I ask, have you heeded these repeated warnings? God is very good, and speaks to us loudly sometimes in this way, that we may be prepared should death overtake us.”
"Well," he replied, "I suppose it is a matter for surprise that so far I really have done nothing; it has made me think a little seriously for the time, but business and other things put it out of my head, but I think I must begin now.'
"Begin what?" I asked. "Why, to think about it.”
"But," I said, "while you are thinking, you may meet with another accident which may prove fatal. What then?”
"Of course that would be a bad job," was the reply, "but I've escaped so often, I get almost to expect I always shall.”
"Let me beg of you," I urged, "to prepare in the only way possible; go to the Lord Jesus Christ as a poor guilty sinner, cast yourself on Him as utterly helpless to do anything, trust in His finished work alone, and His blood will cleanse you from all your sins, and fit you for God's holy presence.”