SEVERAL years ago, two young lady companions who had just returned from finishing their education, were entering, with bright anticipations, upon a round of gaieties. Possessed of much that the world highly values, they found amusements and pleasures alluring. They knew not, and did not care to be told, that they were walking in the broad way which leadeth to destruction. “Let us enjoy ourselves; time enough for that by and by,” they would say to any who sought to arouse them from their dream of pleasure. Alas! to how many have those words been like an opiate lulling them to sleep, only that they may, when it is too late, awake to the great realities of life and death and eternity.
One evening, hearing that there was to be a gospel address given in a mission-hall in a suburb of the city where they lived, out of curiosity these young ladies resolved to go to the meeting. The subject was taken from the words, “We must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ.”
That night it dawned for the first time upon those careless souls that they too must appear before God. Both went home under deep conviction of sin. On the following evening another address was to be given, but it happened that both had an invitation to a party on that evening.
What were they to do?
“Do come again to the meeting,” said one; “never mind the party.” “I cannot,” replied her friend; “I am unhappy enough as it is, and the meeting will only make me worse—the party will set me right, and drown all these thoughts.”
After earnestly pleading with her companion to accompany her, the one who had first spoken went alone, saying to herself as she made her way to the mission-hall, “Perhaps there I may find peace.” That night the Lord answered the deep need of her heart; she found, peace through the precious blood of Christ, and from that time her life was “bright with His praise,” and she found a joy in following the Lord, and seeking to serve Him, far beyond any of which she had ever dreamed while pursuing the phantom which the world calls pleasure.
After two years of happy married life, she was taken home, leaving her baby boy to the Lord’s care, while to her sorrowing husband and friends she spoke loving words of cheer and comfort.
“Good-bye,” she said. “This is my marriage day, and I am going where it is far better—to be with Jesus.”
She asked them to sing—
“Saviour, more than life to me,
I am clinging, clinging close to Thee.”
And just as they ceased singing her spirit departed to be forever with the Lord.
And what of her companion?
She went to the party, and as she hoped, the intoxicating draught of excitement and gaiety helped to drown the thoughts which had begun to intrude upon her. She, too, married, and after several years spent in the amusements and frivolities of fashionable circle, she, like her former companion, lay upon her death-bed. On being told that she had not many days, it might be not many hours, to live, her agony of soul was dreadful to behold. Her cries for mercy rent the silence of that death-chamber, as she repeated, “I” cannot die! I cannot meet God! I rejected Him once, and now the door is shut.”
A Christian friend told her of mercy to be found even at the eleventh hour; but she only replied, “It is too late, too late—I rejected Christ when He came to me;” and thus, with these words of despair upon her lips, she died.
As we think of that solemn death-bed scene, we cannot refrain from asking- you, dear friend, into whose hands this little paper may come, Does it not breathe a word of warning to you?
We pray you, do not seek to stifle conviction of sin and your need of a Saviour; do not put off accepting Christ. It is a solemn thing, in answer to the invitation of Christ, who bids you “Come” to Him, to say “Tomorrow.” God says, “Today;” and, be assured of this, God’s “Today” and mans “Tomorrow” never meet.
ML 06/25/1916