Not long ago the writer was staying for a few days near a town called Princetown. It is situated in the very beautiful district of Dartmoor, and is visited by thousands on their holidays every year. But there are others who go there, not willingly, but to serve long sentences of imprisonment for crimes which they have committed. There is a large convict prison there.
It is very rarely that anyone attempts to escape from that prison. When the prisoners go to work in the fields they are in the charge of warders with loaded rifles, while telephones are installed in all the fields so that the authorities soon hear if any prisoner attempts to get away. Occasionally however, in spite of all the precautions taken, a particularly daring prisoner does contrive to escape, but it is not long before he is re-captured or is forced by hunger and cold to give himself up. There is no food or shelter to be obtained for them on the lonely moor that stretches for miles in every direction. So that when an unhappy man is sent to Princetown he knows that he must serve his sentence to the end, and that there is little comfort or joy for him until it is over.
As I was thinking of these men in their misery, something like this seemed to come before me as in a dream. There busily at work in the fields was a gang of prisoners, the warders keeping close watch over them with rifles ready.
Presently a stranger drew near to them, and the warders seemed to recognize him as one who had authority over them. I wondered who this could be, for the visitors on their holidays often shun the prisoners, but this man began to talk with them one by one. I wish I could tell you how gently and lovingly he spoke to them, laying his hand on their shoulders and his face beaming with kindness as he looked into theirs. I drew near to hear what he could have to say to these desperate men―and what a gracious message it was!
“I saw your unhappy state, my friend, and took pity on you,” he was saving. “It was not easy to do, but at last I have secured a pardon for you, and you need never go back to the prison again. You are free. The warder will let you go. Just drop your tools and come with me, and I will see that you are happy once more. If ever you are tempted to do wrong again—come straight to me. I will help you to overcome.”
As I heard his kind words, I expected to see the hardened faces of the men change from wonder and surprise to gratitude and joy, when they realized what a true and great friend had found them out. But I could hardly believe my ears when I heard the different answers he received. One would not hear him out, but started to complain of the injustice of his being there at all and he wanted no pardon. Another was quite content with his lot—he had enough to eat and drink and a roof over his head, and would rather stay where he was. Another went on with his work without heeding the loving words, and as the stranger went sadly to the next he contemptuously turned his back on the one who was so real a friend. Some said they would think it over, and others insulted the good man. It was only one or two who thankfully believed what was told them, and found how true was their friend’s love to them as they left the prison forever, with shouts of joy in his company.
It does not need many words to explain this story. It is a feeble illustration of something very wonderful and true. Everyone who reads this is either like the prisoner who did, or the one who did not believe his friend. The Friend is the Lord Jesus Christ. The prisoners you and I, all alike guilty before God and condemned for it. Yet the Lord Jesus had compassion on us and “when we were without strength,... Christ died for the ungodly” (Rom. 5:66For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. (Romans 5:6)). It was no easy thing to secure a pardon for us guilty ones, but “God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” (Rom. 5:88But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8).) Will you not believe the One Who has such a wonderful message for you? He may not come to you again, and there is no hope of escape from the punishment we so richly deserve except through the Lord Jesus Christ. L. H.
“He maketh me to lie down in green pastures,
He leadeth me beside the still waters.”