Scene 1.
THERE he lay-dying, with death and eternity staring him in the face. He had been spoken to previously about his soul, and at the mention of the name of Jesus he only scorned. Seeing he refused everything that was said to him, the speaker left saying, “You refuse the only Name under heaven given among men, whereby we can be saved. God has declared there is none other. He who bears that precious name, and He alone, has power to save. Is he your Saviour?”
Shortly after he was heard to cry out in agony of soul, “I’m dying, and I’m damned.” He asked entreatingly of someone in the room, “Have you no word of comfort for me? I’m dying, and I’m damned!” And with these words upon his lips he passed into eternity. Where? Let us draw the veil over this solemn scene, A warning beacon to all such rejecters of Him, who is God’s salvation.
Scene 2.
A woman lay dying―alas! Christless. She was visited by some Christians, who spoke to her of “Jesus”―the Saviour. At the mention of His blessed name she was seen to start; again and again they repeated it, with the same result. At last she seemed to swoon away; they stood round her bed repeating that precious name of “Jesus.”
Presently she opened her eyes and exclaimed, “Precious name! Tell me more of Jesus.” Gladly the sweet story of His love was poured into her ears, in answer to her request to hear more of “Jesus.”
Say, dear reader, is He really precious to you? Does that name speak to your heart of One to whom you owe everything? “Jesus!” What memories does that name carry with it to the Christian’s heart; telling of the One who came from glory’s highest heights to Calvary’s deepest depths, and shed His precious blood to save him. “Thy name is as ointment poured forth” (Cant. 1:3). At the name of “Jesus” every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that He is Lord, to God the Father’s glory (Phil. 2:1010That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; (Philippians 2:10)). God has decreed it. Bow today, sinner, and confess Him as your Lord and Saviour, and salvation is yours (Rom. 10:99That 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. (Romans 10:9)).
E. E. N.