IN a large city in the west of England there lived a man, a bitter persecutor of his Christian wife for many years. At last a course of sin and drunkenness brought him to death's door. When he found he must die, he was like a madman, walking up and down the passage with an ax on his shoulder, declaring to his wife that if any Christians came to speak to him about his soul, he would dash out their brains with the ax.
Just then one knocked at his door, whereupon his wife opening, said, "Well, what am I to do? There is one come to see you." Coward-like he slipped the ax behind the door, and said, in a gruff voice, "Do as you like." The brother who called, not knowing what had transpired, began to preach Christ to him. He was distressed beyond measure, and for three weeks Satan was tearing him before he left him. At last he found peace in believing; and upon my visiting him, he said, "Mr. S—, when I am buried the club I belong to will walk, and I wish you to preach the gospel to my drunken companions in sin. Don't mince the matter; they all know what I was. Point them to the same Savior that has saved me.”
Shortly after he departed to be with Christ. There were hundreds round his grave, and we read that solemn yet blessed scripture, "Be not deceived, neither... idolaters, nor ... thieves, nor drunkards, shall inherit the kingdom of God " (1 Cor. 6:9, 109Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, 10Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. (1 Corinthians 6:9‑10)); and then pointing to the coffin, I said, " 'And such were some of you; but ye are washed, ye are sanctified, ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.' Now you must reject or accept this testimony; I am but the echo of our brother's words he is speaking unto you from that coffin." We heard from creditable authority that three of his companions accepted the testimony, believed in Jesus to the saving of their souls, and have since passed away to be with Him. Thus was the wife's faith and patience rewarded, and they will yet spend a blissful eternity together.
“Those that arrived at riper age
Before they left the dusty stage,
Thought grace deserved the highest praise
That washed the blots of numerous days,”
C. C. S.