"The Turning Point."

A FEW weeks since I was driven to a railway station through a lovely part of Bedfordshire, and, getting into conversation with the coachman, I found out that for many years he had been in the army, and had been an officer’s servant. “I went to India,” said he, “soon after I enlisted, and that was the turning point in my life, sir.”
“What do you mean by the turning point?” I inquired.
“Oh! I was turned to know the Lord, I was converted.”
“That was good,” I rejoined. “Tell me how it came to pass.”
“Well, I was at one of the hill stations, and a young fellow in my regiment asked me if I would go with him to a meeting one Saturday night. He said there was good singing, and though I did not care for the things of the Lord, I liked singing, and so I said I would go. The meeting was addressed by a Captain T―, and he spoke very earnestly and very nicely about God’s way of salvation. I got thoroughly aroused as to my state as a sinner, and for a fortnight was in real distress of soul. Then at a similar meeting I was in such misery that I got up in the middle of the address, went to the top of the room, and asked to be prayed for. My request was followed by earnest prayer, and while on my knees the Lord revealed Himself to me, and I got the sense that I was pardoned, and I found peace with God.
“I left the meeting rejoicing, but on my way to the barrack-room the devil said to me, ‘Now, do not confess Christ, it will bring you into great persecution if you do, for all the men in the room will be sure to make fun of you,’ and I knew what that meant in a barrack-room. I argued with him that Christ said, Whosoever shall confess me before men, him shall the Son of man also confess before the angels of God; but he that denieth me before men shall be denied before the angels of God’ (Luke 12:8, 98Also I say unto you, Whosoever shall confess me before men, him shall the Son of man also confess before the angels of God: 9But he that denieth me before men shall be denied before the angels of God. (Luke 12:8‑9)). I felt that I must confess, for I knew the scripture, ‘If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.’
“The devil kept on saying, Do not confess Him, do not confess Him, keep quiet,’ and I was fairly staggered to know what to do. However, I looked to the Lord to give me strength to confess His name among my fellows. It was late when I got into barracks, all the men were in bed, and asleep, and the lights were turned down. I got on my knees by my bedside and thanked the Lord for His grace in saving my soul that night, but of course nobody saw me. When I turned in I began to wonder what I would do in the mailing, and I resolved that I would rise early, before the other men were up, hoping that again no one would see me. When I awoke in the morning I found to my dismay that I had overslept myself, and all the men were up and dressing. What shall I do now? ‘I said to myself, I think I will pray under the blankets,’ but then I thought the Lord would neither hear nor answer that sort of blanket-prayer, so I rose, dressed rapidly, and then knelt down to Fray.
“I expected a volley of boots and oaths, but instead of that profound silence reigned. The Lord restrained them all from saying one word, and the first step of confession having been taken, the rest was easy work. I was enabled to confess Christ with my lips and in my life, and very soon some of my comrades got converted also, among them the young man who first took me to the meeting, for at that time he was not decided. From that day to this, over seventeen years, I have had joy and peace in the Lord, and have never ceased to thank God for being turned when young to know Himself.”
The beaming face and happy eye of the coachman attested the truth of his joy in the Lord.
And now, my reader, let me ask you, Has “the turning point” in your history come yet? If not, let it be now. Very likely your difficulty is that of the young soldier, the lack of courage in confessing the Lord, whom you believe on in your heart. Get hold of this clearly, that the heart and the mouth must go together. You get right with God by your heart, and you get right with man by your mouth. Ponder these words, “The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth and in thine heart: that is, the word of faith which we preach: that if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation” (Rom. 10:8-108But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; 9That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. (Romans 10:8‑10)).
That is exceedingly simple. With your heart you believe that Christ died for you, and that God raised Him from the dead. This faith in Him and in God’s action towards Him constitutes you a righteous person. The heart being thus affected operates on the lips, and with the mouth confession of Jesus, as your Lord, is the natural sequence, “Thou shalt be saved” is what God says to the person who so believes and confesses, and the happy knowledge and assurance of salvation is the legitimate fruit of the lips in such a case. The young soldier knew he was saved, and confessed it. “Go thou and do likewise.”
W. T. P. W.