THESE words were uttered by a career, as he backed the horse and cart on to the edge of the path, at the moment I was passing. They conveyed a message to my heart from the Lord of glory, which I instantly responded to by taking from my bag a small book that I knew was there; and going to the speaker, I went straight up to him, and said, “I heard you say, Wo! back! ‘just now; and I've brought you an interesting little book, called Ready to go.' It will tell you how you can be ready to go." I saw that the few words had done their work, as he replied, putting it in his pocket, "I’ll look into it, ma'am.”
I know not the result of looking into that message from, God to that solitary man by the road-Side. He may have had little or no idea of how much, it concerned him, as, to whether he accepted the Saviour of sinners, as the Saviour for him, a sinner; whether or not he took for himself God's great salvation.
God knows; and the day will declare it. But it is a message in which you, my dear reader, are deeply concerned; and I do ask you lovingly, and for your own sake, to look into it also; and get the question of your salvation settled. Who can tell, but that it may be your very last opportunity?
Then there is another side; I was speaking to a young girl the other day, and telling her that every moment she stayed away from JESUS was a positive loss to her soul. I was musing on those words in Prov. 8, " He that sinneth against ME wrongeth his own soul: all they that hate ME love death.”
What a tender, loving remonstrance that.
He does not speak one word of the wrong done to Himself, of how He feels it; but," wrongeth his own soul." Yes, loved one, if you are a stranger to the love of Christ, you are a ROBBER; not of others, but of your own soul.
Oh, do think of it, your own soul. That precious, never-dying soul. By your own deliberate choice will you consign it to everlasting woe? Oh, do for your own sake confide it to Christ. Ask Him to take it, who knows its true value. Who in His love's deep pity has paid the price of its ransom to God in His own precious blood. What a price! —only love divine could pay it. In His name therefore, I make love's demand on you, O robber! That you will let my Saviour have what you have been holding back so long—your own self. Surely it is not difficult to bow to infinite love love which led Him down that He might, by virtue of His death, take you up. I know but very little of the love of His heart,' but I can say from the deepest depths of my being, that there's nothing else like it.
“Oh! Christ, He is the fountain;
The deep, sweet well of love!
The streams on earth I've tasted,
More deep, I'll drink above.”
May the significant words, "Wo back!" arrest you on your downward path; they are the very words for any one who is traveling on the wrong road; the first thing is to turn, awl then you shall know how perfectly God, in His grace and love towards you, a poor lost sinner, has devised means whereby you may be instantly made "Ready to go;" and you shall taste for yourself that love which eternity will never exhaust. There is enough love for heaven forever: and oh! awful thought; but snot less real, there is enough woe for hell forever. Come, then, as you are, just now, to JESUS, and let Him save you for that eternity.
“Just as I am— Thy love I own,
Has broken every barrier down,
Now to be Thine, yea, Thine alone,
O, Lamb of God, I come!”
R. B.