I was traveling by train with a friend, and after we had gone some distance, he handed a few tracts to our fellow passengers. I observed an old man reading the one given to him with very marked attention. Though he seemed to be a working man, his wrinkled forehead and careworn face bore marks of mental anguish of no ordinary character.
I felt a strong desire to speak to this old man, but hesitated to make a beginning. I mentally offered a short prayer. It was this: "Lord, if it be Thy will that I should speak to this man, cause him to speak to me first.”
I sat still a few minutes, but responded quickly when he put up his finger for me. I went and sat by him. He said, "I want to speak to you." (If the reader does not know the power of prayer, he will perhaps wonder at this.) I looked at his anxious face, as he said, "When I was a young man, I read Thomas Paine, Voltaire, and many such. Their writing suited me well then, for I liked to have my full fling in sin; and I had it, both here and far away across the seas. I traveled both on the continent and also in South America; and what scenes I have been in! But now, (pointing to his gray hair,) oh, this remorse! It smashes me to pieces.”
The look with which these words were spoken touched my heart. Oh, my soul, thought I, how much like hell is the anguish of remorse! Almost before I could speak, he went on to say, "I think the deceitful ways of professors of religion make more infidels than all the books that infidels themselves have written.”
"Well," I said, "if it were not for an old book I have in my pocket, which tells all about that, I should be staggered myself.”
"Indeed," said he; "what book is that?”
"Oh," said I, "it is the Bible; and there is not an evil in the professing church which was not plainly foretold in it. But you have looked long enough at man; there is nothing in him to heal your broken, smashed heart. I want you to look at another object, and that one is God. You will find no deceit in Him; indeed, all is sincere love. I don't ask you to do this or that to get to God; but I want to tell you, smashed under sin and guilt as you are, what God has done to get to you.
"I want to tell you what Jesus the Savior is, and what He has done, as displayed through the cross at Calvary. The love that is seen there is all sincere, and it is all the work of God in Christ.
"Man put Christ to death, but God so loved. Yes, it is the cross of Christ alone that heals the broken heart. It has been truly said, that to heal the broken heart, Christ's own heart must be broken first. It was broken. He died for us, 'the just for the unjust, to bring us to God.'”
There was power in the name of Jesus! A change passed over the old man's countenance; the raging storm was calming down; the goodness of God was leading him to repentance. He had never thus seen God manifest in the flesh as the God of love. He had long been trying to get out of the pit, like so many others, but he had never before seen Jesus coming into it to save him.
Our conversation suddenly stopped—we had reached my station but I trust we shall meet again at the great and glorious terminus—the coming of the Lord.
My friend, this is a great salvation; it is worthy of all acceptation, yes, your acceptation, for "Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief." Can't you trust Him? You will see it can be done. "He that believeth hath everlasting life." "We have redemption through His blood, even the forgiveness of sins." Reader, believe on the Son of God. Having no confidence in yourself, praise Him for all that is past, and trust Him for all that is to come.
He says, "Sin shall not have dominion over you." There may be falterings and faintings, but faith that finishes with self and takes hold on Christ shall be kept safe to the very end.