IT has been often remarked that “truth is stranger than fiction," which is undoubtedly correct in this respect, that God sometimes works (indeed, if we are observant we shall say, often works) in the accomplishment of His purposes of mercy in a way which, if not miraculous, is at least so striking in its character, as well as suitable to His ends, as to surpass the most remarkable conceptions of the human mind.
The following, which I lately read, is one of these cases.
Two British soldiers were one evening stationed as sentries at opposite ends of a long, narrow passage (termed a sallyport) leading from the rock of Gibraltar to the Spanish territory beyond. They had doubtless often heard preached the gospel of the grace of God, the glad tidings of salvation, but their hearts long remained untouched.
Each, however, had been lately reading his pocket Bible; and while one of the two was really saved, and rejoicing in God his Saviour, the other was in deepest distress under strong convictions of sin, and earnestly seeking deliverance from the load of guilt pressing upon his conscience.
Neither of the two was aware of the state of soul of the other; moreover, the character of their duties, and the distance they were apart, forbad any communication passing between them.
On the occasion referred to one of the officers had been dining out, and was returning to his quarters in the garrison at a late hour of the night. Coming up to the sentry on the outside of the sallyport, who was the one really saved, the officer expected to be challenged as usual for the watchword in passing him.
But the man, absorbed in meditation on the glorious and blessed things that had recently been made the joy of his soul, on being roused, from his midnight reverie by the officer, to the amazement of the latter exclaimed aloud, “THE PRECIOUS BLOOD OF CHRIST." He soon, however, recovered his self-possession, and the officer, after giving the correct watchword, passed on without remark.
But his comrade, who was anxiously seeking the Lord, and little knew how the Lord was seeking him, and who was sentry at the other or inner end of the sallyport (a passage singularly fitted for the conveyance of sound,) distinctly heard, during the tumultuous tossing's of his troubled spirit, the words, "THE PRECIOUS BLOOD OF CHRIST" mysteriously borne upon the breeze at the solemn hour of midnight.
The words came home to his heart as a voice from heaven, as indeed they were; it was the word of God winged from above. The load of guilt was removed, and those divine words, THE PRECIOUS BLOOD OF CHRIST," thus brought peace to the soul of the sin-burdened soldier. HE WAS SAVED, and that FOR ETERNITY!
Dear reader, I don't want to sermonize over this striking narrative; but let me ask you to observe that it speaks of three persons: one the officer who heard of the precious blood of Christ, and passed on unheeding it; another, the inner sentry, who heard of it as a voice from heaven, and was saved by it; and the third, the outer sentry, who, out of the abundance of an overflowing heart, spoke of it, and was thus blessed to the salvation of his comrade.
These are representative men, and you and I may certainly find our likeness in one or other of them.
Forgive my being personal: LIKE WHICH OF THEM ARE YOU? W. R.
Eternal condemnation must be the awful sentence of God on every soul that despises Jesus. There is not the shadow of a line of middle ground. He who is not “justified by FAITH, "must be condemned for" UNBELIEF"; and condemned forever. Oh! how one's soul is thrilled with these words as the pen writes them down! ETERNAL, CONDEMNATION!