Many miles up the great valley of the Nile stands a large village, called M—. Like most of the Egyptian cities and villages, there are heaps of rains to be seen as you approach it, affording evidence that many generations have lived and passed away on this spot; and, when the rubbish became so great in one place that they could no longer level it down for human habitation, they withdrew to some place near by, and continued to build. But, to me, the most interesting spot in the village, as it now stands, is a small room, where the gospel has been preached, with clearness and power, for some years past, and which has proved, I doubt not, to be the birth-place of a good many souls. Those who have come under the power of the truth, generally meet together every night for praise and prayer, and there is opportunity, for any who can, to minister the word.
One evening, when they were thus assembled, the preacher was led to take as his text: “Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near; let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him: and to our God, for lie will abundantly pardon.” (Isa. 55:6, 76Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: 7Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. (Isaiah 55:6‑7).) He pressed immediate repentance upon the impenitent, and the present: acceptance of Christ for salvation. He unfolded the greatness of God’s love and mercy, and His willingness to accept the vilest sinner at once, if he would only look to Christ.
At the close of the meeting all arose to disperse but an ill-visaged stranger, who was observed remaining in his seat. Some of them approached him, and began to speak with him. His only reply to them was: “The Lord has called me tonight! The Lord has called me tonight!” After further inquiry, it appeared that he was a young man belonging to a troupe of vile characters roaming about from village to village, to sing and dance, and cater to the basest lusts of human nature. He was of christian origin, but a wicked life of sin had long kept him at a distance from all who had any fear of God before their eyes. Hence, he had become an outcast and a vagabond; and, humanly speaking, he deserved, to be treated as a moral, leper. His troupe had reached this village, and lie chanced to be passing this gospel room just as the people were going in, and it occurred to him that he would just go in awhile? and see what they were doing. But the God of all grace and compassion had His eye set in mercy upon the vile outcast. The words of truth reached his conscience and heart, and, after the sermon, he remained, as it were, spellbound, in his seat. After talking with him, they were convinced that a work of God had taken place in his soul. Without question or hesitation, he abandoned his lewd companions, and during the few weeks he remained among those who had been God’s messengers to him, he gave ample proof that the Lord had actually called him that night.
But he who sows to the flesh, must, in God’s wise and holy government, reap corruption. His former life of sin had not failed to fill his body with the seeds of disease, which began to make rapid progress, and, in a short time, brought him to the grave. But he fell asleep in Jesus. Oh blessed, blessed sleep!
About the same time, there occurred another remarkable case in the same village. It was the case of a poor man who was literally a leper. He, too, was called effectually by the word of grace. He lingered on for some time, while the poor body was decaying and dropping to pieces, but was so happy in his soul, that he was a wonder to those who visited him. And, it is said that his last days were almost ecstatic, for his soul was filled with a sense of Christ’s presence and love. Death had not a single terror for him. He knew that the blood of Christ had cleansed him perfectly, and that he was whiter than snow. All the Christians of the town were astonished that such a man could have such an experience as that. All their holy men and famous monks, from St. Anthony down to the present, after years of painful penances and conflicts with demons, could never venture to affirm that they were as sure of going to Christ as if they were already there. And no wonder, for a vile mixture of works and faith never yet set a soul free and gave it a foretaste of heavenly blessedness. Well, the poor leper, saved by grace and filled with glory anticipatively, bore his testimony and passed away to Christ. His body, too, rests in hope, for it will, ere long, be raised, glorious, incorruptible, and powerful. This, also, is a precious part of the blessed hope, given us through grace. We know that God will raise, or transform, these vile bodies, and give them a form and fashion like to Christ’s own body in glory.
I believe that there are innumerable bodies of God’s saints resting in that valley of the Nile, all precious to Him, and waiting for the long expected morning of resurrection. The learned and curious of this world ransack the ancient tombs to find the mummified remains of the old heathen, but God cares for the bodies of those who are sleeping in Jesus. B. F. P.