AFTER the fierce and terrible battle of Abu-Klea, in the Soudan, two young soldiers were conversing together in one of the tents. The youngest of the two, little more than a boy, had received a fatal wound, and lay all comfortless and weary in his blood-stained uniform. His comrade, who was a Christian, and acting as a nurse, sat by his side, trying to cheer and soothe his suffering companion, by reading portions of the New Testament. "Shall I read a little more to you, Davie, my lad, it's a comfort in the dying hour you know?" said the Christian soldier. Davie nodded assent, and he went on reading from the eleventh chapter of Matthew's Gospel. Presently he came to the twenty-eighth verse, and read over slowly and pathetically the words― "Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”
“Stop, Jamie," said the dying youth, "these words were never meant for me. You know I've been God's enemy all my life, and I've fought hard and sore against Him; these words can never be meant for me. No, no, I've been His enemy―they cannot be for me.”
“Enemy or not, I assure you, Davie, my lad, God speaks these words to you. His enemy you, no doubt, have been, as I once was, but here God offers you His terms of peace." "Terms of peace, Jamie, did you say" muttered the dying lad, "terms of peace, let me hear them over again." "That I will, Davie, just listen to them, man," and Jamie read aloud―"now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us, we pray you, in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God. For He hath made Him to be sin for us who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him," "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved.”
The dying lad's face changed, and raising himself partly on his couch, he clasped his hands, and looking up to heaven, said, "I accept the terms! I accept the terms! O! Christ of of God I surrender to Thee;" and then sank back exhausted.
All through that day he lingered in life, at times, in a whisper, saying, "thank God, at peace, at peace." As the setting sun threw its parting rays on the marble brow of the dying youth, a sweet smile played on his countenance, and ere the morning dawned on the busy camp he was absent from the body, and present with the Lord. There, amid the horrors of a blood-stained battlefield, within a few hours of eternity, he accepted God's terms of peace and surrendered himself to Christ.
How much easier for you who are in health, and amid the comforts of home to do the same. God's terms of peace are just the same to you, today and now, as they were to that young soldier on the far off deserts of the Soudan.