THE above words fell from the lips of a young man who was lying in the H— Smallpox Hospital, just about to leave this world for ever.
He had been a fine, strong, healthy young man, eighteen years of age, had often heard the Gospel and been spoken to about his never dying soul, but he had only laughed at all such speaking. A few weeks before he was taken ill, I spoke to him about the coming of the Lord. “For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God, and the dead in Christ shall rise first. Then we which are alive and remain, shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air, and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
I asked him if he would like to be left behind when the Lord comes? He laughed, and said, “Are you sure and certain of going to heaven?” I said," Yes, quite certain.”
“Then," he said," I will tie myself to you and then I shall not be far behind, shall I?”
On his death-bed, he said to me, “I often used to think about what you told me, although I laughed at you." Reader, have you heard the Gospel and been aroused, but tried to laugh it off? Remember this, oh I Christless soul there will be no laughing in hell.
Come, then, to Jesus now, you may not have four days to die in like this young man, A few weeks after this was said he was taken ill one Friday morning, and on the Saturday became worse, but got up on the Sunday, and on the Monday he went to see a doctor, who gave him a blue paper signed "Smallpox." He was sent to sit in a room till the cab came to take him away to the hospital. I wanted to go and speak to him, but was warned not to being told it was dangerous, and I should take the malady; still, I felt I must go and tell him again of the Saviour's love. I thought if he should die and I not see him again, what remorse I should feel.
A short time after this, the postman brought a letter for him, so I thought the Lord would have me tell him again of the Saviour of sinners, before he left for the hospital, and here was the opportunity. I took the letter down to him and sat with him till the cab came for him. He said then, “I shall not come back again." I heard no more till the Wednesday, when I heard he was very ill. On the Thursday his sister came and asked me to go and see him as he was dying (his brother was afraid to go). I said I would as soon as I could, which was not till 8 o'clock, but the Lord helped me to get away then. When I reached the hospital I was told no visitors were allowed.
However, on asking permission of the matron, I was allowed to go into the ward. About half way up the ward on the left hand side, dear F was lying, hardly able to see; he had turned very nearly black, and was almost twice his former size. I asked him if he knew me, he said “Yes." I told him he was dying, and he said “That young man next to me was as ill as I am, and he has got well "But," I said “F., the doctor says you cannot live.”
I spoke then to him of his condition as a lost and helpless sinner, and that as such, he could not enter the presence of a holy and sin-hating God, I said, " Think dear F., you are just on the very brink of eternity when you close your eyes, you will awake in eternity, where will you spend that eternity? (The nurse had told me the doctor said he would go off when he went to sleep). He was very quiet for a short time, then he opened his eyes and said, “Him that cometh unto me I will in no wise cast out.”
“Come unto me and I will give you rest.”
I said, "And he will not cast you out, F.”
“No, he will have me.”
“But have you come to him?”
“Yes, Jesus died for me.”
“When you go to sleep to-night you will not wake up in this world again, where will you open your eyes?”
"In heaven.”
"Are you sure you will be in heaven”
“Yes I shall be in heaven to-morrow, my mother is coming to see me to-morrow, but I shall be in heaven. I know when I go to sleep I shall not wake up again; I feel I shall be choked, I have thought of what you and George (another Christian, in the same house) have told me, and I wish I were going to live a little longer now.”
“Why, are you afraid to die?”
“No but just to show them how to live, I would live differently now.”
“You do not think it cruel of God, for takings you away now?”
“I am quite happy now, and ready to go.”
“What shall I tell your old companions?"
“Tell them they will see it when it is too late.”
“But, F., it is not too late for you?”
“Oh, no, I am quite happy now.
“What shall I tell the mistress, and master, and your brothers and sisters?”
“Tell them the same, they will see it when it is too late.”
Oh, reader, you who are still unsaved, think what a message to bring from that dying bed, to those he loved. God grant, Christless soul, that you may see it before it is too late. Time is short, and eternity is certain. God has declared in His word that “Now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” Think not that because you are young, you may or will not die yet. If you had told dear F., a week before he died that he would be dead in a few days, he would have laughed at you.
Reader, if God were to say to thee to-night, “This night thy soul shall be required of thee,” where would you spend your eternity? Decide for Christ now, while you have health and strength, and then you will have the privilege of telling to others what great things Christ has done for you.
After F. had thus spoken, he was very calm, and asked me to tell his relations what to do with his things, and asked me to accept of a few little things in remembrance of him. He then said, “I am going to heaven, and I want to meet all my dear ones there.”
At this moment the nurse came and said I must go, as it was time for the night-nurses to come in. F. called a nurse and said his bed was not right, when she took him up in her arm, like a child, and put it right. When she left, he said, “They are so kind to me. But I shall not be here to-morrow." I said," Good night.” F. replied "Good night, I am quite happy." I heard the next day he passed away about two hours after I left, to be with that One, who will cast none out, who come to Him.
Dear reader, if still unsaved, may God allow you no sleep or rest, till you can say, Christ died for me, I am quite satisfied and happy. Then if you should be called away, in less than four days, you will be ready, God grant that you may accept His salvation, before it be too late.
L. B.