THE snow fell heavily, as I walked home beside a young woman called Annie S―, and sought to persuade her to put her trust in Him who changeth not, whose love never grows less, and who, when He takes up a poor, lost soul, gives it a title to everlasting glory.
Do you know Him, reader? He left heaven and came into this world to save sinners, and what does He give? that which He Himself has, a home forever in the glory of God! Fancy, poor sinful dying creatures like you and me having a title to the glory of God! ―a title no one can dispute, and no devil dare deny. And yet all who simply trust in the Lord Jesus Christ are entitled to the same place that He has. Why is He called the Lord of Glory, but because He came from glory, to win to that glory all those who come to Him? Reader, have you come to Him? “He tasted death” that He might bring “many sons to glory.”
I had met Annie S― in the following way. Calling one day upon a Christian, living in a large institution, I was speaking of Christ and of His never-ceasing love and care over His people, when my attention was attracted by two young women in a corner of the room, who, whilst washing some clothes, talked and laughed together in an undertone.
“Do you care about these things?” I asked one of them; “do you love the Saviour?” She hung her head and did not reply, while my friend at the fireside answered, “She knows the Bible well, and has been taught it from a child, but she puts it all away, and says she does not believe it is God’s Word, but I think it is only pretense.”
Here Annie S― broke in, “I don’t know if all you say is true―you have only the Bible to prove it, and I don’t believe it.”
“Do you believe that Jesus is the Son of God?” I rejoined.
“Oh,” she answered, “I suppose so, but no one can know; you have only got the Bible to go by, you have never seen Him.”
“No,” I replied, “I have never seen Him, but I know He loved me, and gave Himself for me. I know I am saved from an endless hell by His death, and I know that He is my never-dying friend. You may think it fancy, but it is a real, true thing to know the Lord Jesus Christ as a friend and comforter for life, and in death. I have lost many a thing I used to have, and many a friend is dead and gone, but Christ makes and keeps me perfectly happy. I see those who have much to make them happy, dissatisfied and discontented, while every day He fills my heart with joy. If only you knew Him. Are you happy?” I asked, stopping, for Christ seemed so precious that words failed me.
“Happy!” she said; “oh, I am happy enough, but I don’t believe in hell. A short life and a merry one for me. Besides, I tell you, I don’t believe all that,” and she turned away with a short laugh.
“You don’t believe in hell,” I said, “where their worm dieth not and the fire is not quenched.” Come now, I put it to you, as a reasonable woman, which is best, to live as you are doing, a short life though a merry one, and then a leap into the dark, a going out into eternity, not knowing whither; or to give yourself now to Christ, and be His now, and His in death, leaving this world only to enter upon an eternity of bliss? “Besides,” I added, “think of your soul; it lives forever, and where, is the question.”
“Oh,” she answered, beginning to scrub again at her clothes, “I don’t believe I have a soul.” I rose to go, for I saw this was not the time to press the truth, and that her last speech was mere bravado before her companion. I said a word to her in passing, and, as Annie came with me to the door, I said to her, “I saw you did not want to speak before others, may I come and see you when you are alone? And tell me really, would you not like to know Christ, and to have Him as your real friend? I am sure you need a friend.”
She twisted her apron in her fingers, as she answered in a softened voice, “I should, but I am too bad, you don’t know me.” She named a day in the end of the week, and I left, thankful that she seemed to have some little sense of sin.
Friday came, and remembering her words at leaving, I resolved not to heed any apparent indifference on Annie’s part, but looked to God to bless His Word and enable me to speak boldly. To my dismay, I found two other women with her; moreover, it was dark, and they did not light the lamp, so with my closed Bible in my band, I sat, looking up to God to help me. We spoke of one or two things, but I lacked courage to propose reading when there was no lamp, and the firelight gleamed fitfully on the wall.
Suddenly, close beside my chair, I saw one of those rolls of texts, in large type―one for each day of the month―which one often sees in station waiting-rooms, hospitals, and other places. The good print was plain enough, and by the firelight I read, “Now is the accepted time, now is the day of salvation.” The words came to me with power, as only God’s Word can, so I read them aloud, “Now is the accepted time, now is the day of salvation.”
A little way down the roll came these words, which I also read out, “How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation?” The Lord helped me to point out how important it was to decide for Christ now, and that in the Scriptures salvation is always offered now, offered free, without money and without price, because of-the death of Christ. On the cross He said, “It is finished;” the work of redemption is complete, and it is now, in virtue of His blood shedding, that salvation, a full complete salvation, is offered to sinners.
“But oh,” I said, “it is now, it is never tomorrow, now is the accepted time, now is the day of salvation. By-and-by another day will dawn, the day of judgment; now it is the day of grace, then the day of eternal judgment on all who do not belong to Christ. Whose are you going to be? Are you going to belong for eternity to Christ or to Satan. Satan would have you put off; with him it is always tomorrow, but Christ offers you salvation now; oh, come to Him now. When He comes in that day, that other day of judgment, you will never be able to say He did not press you to come to Him in this day of grace, for His own Word meets your eye all day long. ‘Now is the accepted time, now is the day of salvation.’”
More I said, and pleaded long with them all, and Annie especially, to decide for Christ that night, otherwise what hope of escape could she have, for “how shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation?” She came to let me out. “I know it,” she said, “I have been well taught in the Bible, and I know that if the Lord were to come I should be left behind, but you don’t know me. I have been such a wicked sinner; I am one of the worst in the place, and my heart is hardened; I can’t give up sin.”
“Then, Annie,” I said, “are you going to be lost? Are you going to let Satan drag you to hell, when Jesus died for sinners?” She did not answer, but was anxious, very anxious, I could see, and I walked away with a light heart, looking to God, that she might be blessed at the preaching of the gospel on the following Sunday, which she had promised to attend.
Sunday evening came, a cold, snowy night; it had been a clear, frosty winter’s day, but towards night heavy showers of snow fell, and I much feared Annie would not be at the meeting. I went early and asked God continuously that she might be blessed if there. After the meeting I saw her waiting for me near the door; I went to her, and found her husband and a girl friend were with her. The snow fell so heavily that I saw we could not stand in the street, and proposed walking home with her. “Don’t wait for me, William,” she called out to her husband, “I’ll be home soon,” and there under the umbrella I pleaded with her again about her soul. Had she got any blessing at the preaching? She did not know. She would like to be a Christian, but how she could, she did not know. She was so very bad, had been such a very great sinner, she could not trust the Lord in the face of such wickedness.
“Sinners,” I said; “it was sinners Jesus came to save.” Could she not say that hymn ―
“Just as I am, without one plea,
But that Thy blood was shed for me,
And that Thou bidst me come to Thee,
O Lamb a God, I come.”
“Oh, Annie,” I said, “do come; come to Christ tonight. I don’t believe you’ll ever come if you don’t come now. You know that ‘now is the accepted time.’”
“I know,” she said; “that night you came and spoke in the dark, I lay awake all night, I was afraid of waking in bell if I fell asleep, and I asked God to save me, but I’m too great a sinner; and another thing, if I did believe in Christ, I could not keep it up, I should go back into the world again, they would all laugh at me.”
“Annie,” I said, “you were bold enough for Satan the first day I saw you; could you not make a bold stand for Christ? He died that you might be saved; has ever any one loved you like that?” “No,” she replied.
“Then,” I went on, “Jesus says, ‘Whosoever shall confess me before men, him shall the Son of Man also confess before the angels of God’ (Luke 12:88Also I say unto you, Whosoever shall confess me before men, him shall the Son of man also confess before the angels of God: (Luke 12:8)). Think, if you confess Christ here, at the last day He will confess you before His Father, and all the angels. He will call you by name, and say you shod up for Him here. Make up your mind, and start from tonight boldly for Christ.”
Here we paused, for we had nearly reached her house, and yet I felt it impossible to let her go undecided for Christ. “Annie,” I said, “I can’t leave you till you make up your mind. I feel that if you do not make up your mind tonight, you may never be a Christian.” Annie paused irresolute as I said again, “If you do not choose Christ tonight, God alone knows whether you will ever have either opportunity or inclination to do so again. Give yourself once and forever to Christ; believe on Him, and salvation is yours.”
“And must I do nothing?” she asked. We were standing under a lamp post and I opened my Bible and read her the words, “By grace are ye saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God. Not of works, lest any man should boast” (Eph. 2:8, 98For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9Not of works, lest any man should boast. (Ephesians 2:8‑9)).
“But how should I know that my sins were forgiven?” she asked.
“ ‘Through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins.’ Jesus died for sinners, and the soul that comes to Him and trusts in His precious blood has life through His death. Trust in Him, Annie,” I said, “and that minute you pass from death unto life, for ‘he that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life.’”
She was silent, and we walked on together. “Well,” she said at last, “I will trust Him; there never was such a, sinner, but He died for sinners, and His blood will cleanse from all sin.” “From all sin,” I replied. “God says it.” She decided for Christ, and found Him there and then.
Dear reader, if you are a Christian yourself, have you ever tried to win a soul from Satan’s grasp for Christ? Remember He died for all, and it may be your privilege to share in the joy which is “in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth,” and to be the instrument in God’s hand of Christ being glorified in the eternal salvation of a soul. What a glorious privilege!
H. R.