NINE years ago I was working at my trade (a hairdresser) in Glasgow, living at home with my parents, who, though church-goers, were not born again. As a young man I felt that things were too straight for me, and I wanted to get away from all parental restraint. I thought the best way to manage this was to get a situation away from home, and this I very soon succeeded in doing. I set out one Monday morning for my new situation, thinking, Now I will see life. I did not know that the’ Scripture had said, “He that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him” (John 3:3636He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him. (John 3:36)).
I sought life in the wrong place, going into the pleasures of sin as far as my means would allow, and often beyond them. It so happened that the people I went to work with were Christians. After the first week there, they, having found out that I had not been to the church on the Sunday, invited me to a Gospel Meeting, which was held in the Good Templars’ Hall every Sunday evening. I went for several weeks, and God spoke to me at those meetings.
How well I remember the long, dreary nights when under conviction of sin. A young man shared the bedroom with me, who worked on the railway. Every alternate week he worked all night. How I dreaded that week he worked late, for I knew there was no sleep for me. Things went on thus until Saturday night, 21St October 1899. I intended to come up to Glasgow to spend the week-end, and got away a little earlier from business to catch the last train. I hurried up as quickly as possible, but just got into the station as the train was moving away from the far end of the platform.
On the way back I called at the shop, and the lady at the counter expressed her sorrow at my losing the train; but, putting her hand on my shoulder, said, “Never mind, James; perhaps you will get saved tomorrow night.” That was the last thought in my mind at the time. Next evening found me and my companion sitting in our usual place, the back seat. It was a testimony meeting. Five young men were telling from full hearts what the Lord had done for them. While the first one was speaking, the confession was wrung from my heart, doubtless by God, You have no testimony of God’s saving grace to tell like that. As one after another spoke, the anxiety created within my soul increased, and long before the meeting was over, how I wished that their Saviour was my Saviour too.
The meeting being over, and the usual invitation given to those who were anxious to remain, I turned to my companion and said, “Ned, are you going to wait tonight?” “No,” he said, as he rose and made for the door. I sat still. One of the young men who had been speaking came down and sat beside me with open Bible. After a few words of conversation he turned to John 3:1818He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. (John 3:18). Whether he read the whole verse or not I do not remember. The words “he that believeth not is condemned already” fastened themselves to me. He then showed me that Christ came not into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved, and that there is no condemnation to them who are in Christ Jesus.
As a guilty sinner I there and then accepted the sinner’s Saviour, and passed from death unto life. “Hallelujah, what a Saviour!” I missed the train for. Glasgow, but found the express for Eternal Glory, and trust this testimony may be blessed to some precious soul.
J. C.
IF you do not act upon the light when you get it, you will assuredly be invoked in thick darkness. Hence, therefore, as another has said, “Never go before your faith, nor lag behind your conscience.”
C. H. M.