From all that we have seen, heard, and learned since this year commenced, we are the more fully convinced, that “the night is far spent, the day is at hand”— that “the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.” (Rom. 13:1212The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. (Romans 13:12). Jas. 5:88Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh. (James 5:8).) True, He has long patience, blessed be His name, and His longsuffering is salvation. “But the Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. 2 Pet. 3:99The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. (2 Peter 3:9).
The gracious Lord thus patiently waits for the co-heirs of His glory. But when the last co-heir has been called out from the world, and united, by faith, to Himself, the living Head, His body shall be perfected, and the end of the present period, or dispensation, shall come. (Eph. 1:22, 23; 4:1322And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, 23Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all. (Ephesians 1:22‑23)
13Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: (Ephesians 4:13); Col. 3:44When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory. (Colossians 3:4).) The night will then be fully spent, as regards the church, and the morning fully come. This is a deeply solemn thought, which should lead the servants of the Lord, to the most entire, whole hearted, self-sacrificing devotedness. The general— the almost universal— awakening, which we have seen “near home,” and heard of “afar off,” presses home, with something like divine power, this thought to the heart. It is reported, that in Sweden, out of a population of about three millions, two hundred thousand have been awakened to the importance of their souls salvation. In Turkey, it is said, thousands are ready to declare themselves believers in Christ, simply from reading the holy Scriptures. It is estimated that five hundred thousand have been received into the various churches, in the United States, as the fruit of the Revival there. Reports are reaching us from India, Australia, and other foreign parts, that God is evidently working, and turning the hearts of many to the blessed Jesus, the Saviour of all them that put their trust in Him. May God speed the gospel plow, and may many hearts be deeply furrowed, and richly sown with the good seed of eternal life!
But the year 1859 has also been a year of the most special, sovereign, marvelous grace. This is deeply encouraging to every lover of souls. We may call it a year of the most intensified grace of God. Multitudes of the chief of sinners have been singled out— stricken down—truly converted to the Lord, and made happy forever in His changeless love. And many have found, that while they were yet praying, God was, in wondrous grace, answering their prayers. Many have learned this year to speak intelligently and experimentally of “the power of prayer.”
We have many instances before us of the most immediate, direct, and gracious answers to prayer and faith; especially when these have been accompanied by efforts to bring the persons cared for under the sound of the gospel. Would to God that these three things were more uniformly connected in the minds of Christians, viz. faith, prayer, and effort. God’s own appointed means are thereby honored. The object of our solicitude should, if possible, be brought, in faith, to where the gospel is plainly preached to the hearts and consciences of sinners. And so surely as this is done, there will be blessing. This is a mode of action which cannot fail, sooner or later, to be owned of God in blessing. But let us persevere, in faith. Out of many cases which we could relate, we will, for the encouragement of others, select one, which is very fresh upon our minds.
A Christian brother, who is in the habit of speaking to his fellow-workmen about their souls, had frequently spoken to one who was “seeking,” as he termed it; so that he was not opposed; though, for a length of time, he refused to accompany our brother to the preaching. But as he continued seeking, and never finding, he grew weary, and at last consented to go to the preaching. On the evening of October the 7th, they both entered a small room, in the south side of London, where the gospel is preached every Friday evening. During the preaching, it pleased the Lord to reveal to our friend his real condition as a lost sinner, and, at the same time, the grace that meets it. He was deeply impressed, but made peaceful and happy, through seeing that Christ had done everything for him, a poor, ruined, helpless sinner. He left the room, after confessing what the Lord had done for him, a new man in Christ Jesus. But now, his whole heart and soul were deeply concerned about his dear wife and children. He could not help speaking constantly to them, and praying fervently to the Lord about their conversion. They saw his new and wondrous joy, and were struck with the change that had come so suddenly at last. Friday evening, the 14th came, and in walked our new friend and his dear wife. She was evidently filled with emotion, and he was all earnestness. He was, as it were, determined that she should be blessed. She became much impressed under the preaching, and was frequently moved to tears. The great work was evidently begun that evening. This only strengthened the faith and encouraged the heart of the husband. In speaking with him a little after the preaching, he related, in the most energetic manner, the happiness of soul he had enjoyed since last Friday evening. Looking round to his wife, he said, “You have seen what a changed man I am, and how happy I have been all the week.” “Last Monday,” he exclaimed, “my joy was so great, that I thought I should have had to leave my work.” “But,” he added, looking to his wife, “she must be brought too. I shall have all my joy over again in her.” This was true faith. He never seemed to doubt that it would be the case.
On Lord’s day morning, the l6th, our friend, with his wife and daughter, walked into the room before the service commenced, looking so earnest, as if bent on blessing. At three o’clock the same day, there was an address delivered to the children, and the daughter, a young woman, was present. It pleased the Lord, on that occasion, to impress her mind. In the evening the three were present. The husband and father was counting on blessing. He prayed much; and others, who now knew the desire of his heart, were praying with him. His faith, however, was strong. He trusted God. When the service was over, he came up to the preacher, as one who had been watching the action of the truth in their souls, and said, “I believe my wife is all right, but I am not so sure about my daughter.” “You have a little patience,” was the reply; “and I will have some conversation with them immediately.” The wife at once confessed that she had now faith in Jesus, and knew that her sins were washed away by His precious blood. There was much fervor and emotion in her confession. Taking hold of the daughter by the hand, the preacher said to her, “Well—, and what do you think about these things? We know they are very good for old people, but perhaps you don’t care for them yet.” “But I am sure I do, sir. I do believe in Jesus too.” Remembering what the father had said, he was seemingly doubtful, and told her there was no good in imitating her father and mother; that she must believe in Jesus for herself. This brought forth renewed and earnest confession, with tears. “I know,” she exclaimed, “I have faith, for I felt it coming into my heart when you were speaking.” All seemed reality. It was a heart-touching scene. Both mother and daughter were weeping; and others, too, felt a relief in shedding tears of joy over such a display of the wondrous grace of God. But, in the midst of their new joys, the parents said, “We have another, a married daughter, and she must be brought in too.”
Owing to distance and other circumstances, it was Lord’s day evening, the 30th, before they could arrange to get the married daughter and her husband to hear the gospel. The afternoon and evening were very wet; but it did not damp the zeal of our truly earnest brother. The father, with the Christian brother who first brought him to hear the gospel, the daughter, and her husband, were there in good time, though they had a long distance to come. But it proved an evening to them, never, never to be forgotten. The gracious Lord heard and answered the prayers of the father and his friend. It appears that soon after the discourse was commenced, the daughter and her husband were both awakened. The daughter wept greatly. Immediately after the usual service, there is a prayer meeting, they all remained. Much earnest prayer was offered up for them. Before leaving, they were plainly and affectionately spoken to; and, though they could not say that they were saved, they did say, that, as guilty sinners, they had fled to Jesus as their only hope and they knew He would not reject them, for He never turned any away, who came to Him for mercy. But the anxious father could not rest satisfied until he knew that they were happy. He found his way to them on the following Monday evening. And, glory be to God, he found his son-in-law happy, and rejoicing in the Lord. The Holy Ghost had so revealed Jesus to him, on his way home from the meeting, that he had clapped his hands, exclaiming, “I see it all now, I see it all now.” The daughter, he found, quietly resting on Jesus. The father’s heart was satisfied. He could only praise the Lord and worship Him. It was all grace. The Lord had done marvelous things. The following Lord’s day, November the 6th, the whole family, with their original friend, were present in the evening. All were now resting and happy in Jesus. When the Holy Ghost reveals Jesus to the soul, it must be happy. O, to have Him more and more revealed to our hearts, in all His divine fullness!
May the above narrative of God’s wondrous grace, to this entire family, in these last and closing days, stir up and encourage the hearts of many to confide in Him about their unbelieving, yet near and dear relatives.
The night is far spent, and the day is at hand:
No sign to be look’d for; the Star’s in the sky;
Rejoice then, ye saints, ‘tis your Lord’s own command;
Rejoice, for the coming of Jesus draws nigh.
What a day will that be when the Saviour appears!
How welcome to those who have shared in His cross!
A crown incorruptible then will be theirs,
A rich compensation for suffering and loss.
What is loss in this world when compared to that day,
To the glory that then will from heaven be reveal’d?
“The Saviour is coming,” His people may say;
“The Lord whom we look for, our Sun and our Shield.”