IN the year 189—one of our Highland regiments was stationed in a Scotch garrison town. A work of God commenced among the men, and not a few brave soldiers of Her late Majesty Queen Victoria became “good soldiers of Jesus Christ.”
Great indeed is the honor—open to you, dear reader—of serving the “Captain of Salvation,” and, under Him, carrying in the enemy’s land the banner, on which, with His own blood, He has inscribed His sweetest name of—Love.
Among the recruits to the latter company was a young man who had served Satan faithfully, found him to be a hard master, exacting to a degree, and offering small return in this life, while his prospect for eternity was black as black could be. Delivered from such thralldom, and brought under the beneficent sway of the Lord Jesus Christ, he longed for the blessing of his comrade, Charlie—, who had been a boon companion, and was now a special object of solicitude.
A kind-hearted, jolly fellow, but without Christ, the new-born soul oft-times spoke to him of Jesus. Oh the charm of that name! It belongs to One who is the beloved of God’s heart, and the chiefest treasure of the hearts of those who know Him. It throbs with love, it speaks of forgiveness of sins, it proclaims salvation, it is the pledge to the simple believer of all the blessing that the God of love can bestow.
Reader, do you know Jesus? Do you love Him? Can you say with us, “He is the chiefest among ten thousand... yea, he is altogether lovely.... This is my beloved, and this is my friend”? (Song of Sol. 5:10-1610My beloved is white and ruddy, the chiefest among ten thousand. 11His head is as the most fine gold, his locks are bushy, and black as a raven. 12His eyes are as the eyes of doves by the rivers of waters, washed with milk, and fitly set. 13His cheeks are as a bed of spices, as sweet flowers: his lips like lilies, dropping sweet smelling myrrh. 14His hands are as gold rings set with the beryl: his belly is as bright ivory overlaid with sapphires. 15His legs are as pillars of marble, set upon sockets of fine gold: his countenance is as Lebanon, excellent as the cedars. 16His mouth is most sweet: yea, he is altogether lovely. This is my beloved, and this is my friend, O daughters of Jerusalem. (Song of Solomon 5:10‑16)).
Going into his room one morning, our friend was surprised to find Charlie packing his kit.
“Hallo!” said he, “what’s up now?”
“I am under orders for India,” replied Charlie, “am having a month’s furlough before going, and am off home tomorrow.”
Feeling that it might be his last opportunity, the Christian urged upon him the claims of Christ, and the need of his immortal soul.
“Look here, Bill,” replied Charlie, “I know you are right, and when my time in India expires, and I return, I will be a Christian.”
“But, Charlie,” pleaded Bill, “who gave you a lease of your life? You may be called into eternity at any moment, and what about your soul?”
Charlie replied, “I mean to have a month’s spree, Bill, go to India, and be a Christian when I return, but not before.”
Next day, with several other men, he left for his home. Arriving at a large junction, and finding that they had a considerable time to wait for a connection, the party adjourned to a place of refreshment. Charlie ordered “drinks all round”; his companions wished him “good luck”; he raised his glass, and addressing his friends, said, “Here goes the first glass of a month’s right good booze—” The glass dropped from his hand, and he fell upon the floor—dead. His soul had passed into—?
Reader! had it been you, where had your soul gone? Stay a moment! lay not aside this paper, nor turn the page, but consider. It might have been you; you may be the next. Where will you spend eternity?
We can imagine someone saying, “The Gospel Messenger is ever and anon narrating some such terrible incident as this.” Yes, friend! we tremble lest in mad folly, blinded by Satan, you should longer trifle with your soul, and add yet another to the appalling list of the devil’s dupes, who meant to be saved, but perished through procrastination.
Be assured, dear unsaved reader, your position is precarious. As you read these lines, you are on the verge of eternity, and on the brink of hell. The mercy of God has kept you out of it, until this moment; but it will be at your peril, yea, at the risk of being forever lost, if you trifle with that mercy one moment longer. “Boast not thyself of tomorrow, for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth” (Prov. 27:11Boast not thyself of to morrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth. (Proverbs 27:1)), is the solemn admonition of the Word of God; whilst in Proverbs 29:11He, that being often reproved hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy. (Proverbs 29:1) it peals out still another note of warning, “He that, being often reproved, hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy.”
Oh the incomparable love of God! Not only has He provided salvation, and put it within the reach of all, but over and over and over again He warns those who neglect His “great salvation,” of their tremendous danger.
The other day we stood by the grave of one who was called away just as suddenly as Charlie, but, thank God, he was ready. While a young man he trusted the Lord Jesus Christ, became a happy possessor of salvation, a child of God and an heir of glory. Saved by sovereign mercy, he was a happy man! When, in the prime of life, the summons came, he was in the company of the Lord’s people, and he went to delights forever in the company of his precious Saviour, whom he knew and whom he loved.
Beloved friend! let us plead with you. Think, oh think of your soul’s eternal destiny. You are keen as to this world’s interests; you pursue with almost frantic excitement that which concerns this life. What about your sins? — your soul? — Eternity? God loves you. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:1616For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16)). Jesus died for you, for “Christ... died for all” (2 Cor. 5:1414For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: (2 Corinthians 5:14)). The Holy Spirit urges you today, saying, “Today if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts” (Heb. 3:7-87Wherefore (as the Holy Ghost saith, To day if ye will hear his voice, 8Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness: (Hebrews 3:7‑8)). All heaven is interested in your blessing. Satan alone seeks your doom. We beseech you, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, who died to save you, who, alive and glorified at the right hand of God, waits to bless you; by His dying agonies, by His longsuffering grace, by the shortness of time, by the uncertainty of life, by the reality of eternity, by the value of your never-dying soul, come to Jesus today as a needy, guilty, helpless sinner; believe in Him, rest your soul upon His finished work, and you shall know the sweetness of God’s Word, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house” (Acts 16:3131And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. (Acts 16:31)).
W. B. D.