WITHIN twenty miles of London, not long ago, two men might have been seen conversing together. One was setting before his friend the way of life. Earnestly and lovingly he pressed his companion to receive God’s gift of eternal life and turn to Jesus— “the way, the truth, and the life.” He listened carelessly, turned on his heel, and as he bade his friend farewell, exclaimed, “You go your way; I will go mine.” He had chosen his way, rejected the offer of mercy, and continued his journey along “the way of death.” What his thoughts were as to turning another day I know not; what his resolutions for the future no one living can tell.
That same week he took the train to London, spent some hours there, and returned by the last train at night. His home was at a wayside village, and the nearest station was M—. On his way from London he fell asleep, and slept so soundly that he did not awake when the train stopped and the porter called out, “M— Station.” The signal was given, steam turned on, and the ponderous train began to roll out of the station. A sudden jerk aroused the sleeper; he discovered that the train was moving away from the place at which he intended to alight. He jumped up, rushed to the door, leaped out, was caught by the wheels, and instantly crushed to death. His lifeless body was picked up and carried to his sorrowing friends. But what of his soul? “You go your way; I will go mine” was his response to the last offer of mercy he is known to have had. Think of it, reader awaked from sleep, and hurried in a moment into eternity!
Sooner or later you also must pass into eternity. It is of little moment whether you do so surrounded by loving hearts and hands ready to minister to every need, or in a moment are hurried out of this world. The great and all-important questions are: Are your sins forgiven? Have you eternal life? Are you personally acquainted with the Lord Jesus Christ? We seek to awake you to the solemnity and importance of decision for Christ now. “To-day if ye will hear His voice, harden not your hearts” (Heb. 4:77Again, he limiteth a certain day, saying in David, To day, after so long a time; as it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts. (Hebrews 4:7)).
In contrast to the case of the young man whose sad end speaks so solemnly to us is that of another young man who fell asleep whilst traveling one night from London. A fellow-passenger, fearing he might go beyond his destination, aroused him from sleep, and then used the occasion to speak to him about the salvation of his soul. Finding he was unsaved, he warned him of the peril of being quietly lulled to repose and indifference about such an urgent matter. He listened, his eyes were opened to see his peril, and with deep and earnest anxiety he turned to the Saviour, and experienced the blessedness of passing from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God. His feet trod “the way of life” for the first time. Ever since, in speaking of that memorable journey, he says, “I was awaked out of two sleeps that night.”
Friend, which of these two young men is a picture of yourself? Which path are you in? What road are you traveling, the “way of death” or the “way of life”?
H. N.