With such need and opportunity
as presents itself to us on every hand, the following account is given to stir
up and encourage our hands and feet in the gospel. We may not see results at
any given time, but let us be sure that it is life-giving seed (which is the
Word of God), that we sow and some of it will fall on good ground.

 

An aged woman had come quite a
distance to attend a gospel meeting, the subject of which was the Lord’s
coming. She was nearly blind, but God was pleased to open her spiritual
eyesight, and two things were made known to her in the power of the Holy
Spirit. God gave her the certainty of eternal salvation, and also made
known to her the blessed hope of the coming again of the Lord to take His
saints to heaven to be with Him where He is.

 

These two things were entirely
new to her; she had never heard them before. She returned home filled with
"the peace of God which passeth all understanding." She told her
husband the blessed news that she had learned. The Lord opened his heart also
to receive the glad tidings, and much of their time was spent in thanksgiving
and worship.

 

They had an elderly neighbor
about the same age as themselves. One day when they had knelt down, giving
thanks together that they were both cleansed in the blood of the Lamb from all
their sins, and were waiting and longing for the coming of the Lord in the air
to take them to Himself, this neighbor came in to see them, as he was
accustomed to doing. As both of them were rather deaf, and so entirely absorbed
in thanksgiving, they did not hear him come in.

 

He listened with amazement; such
joy he had never witnessed; such words he had never heard. It was not prayer,
but thanksgiving to Him who had saved them with an everlasting salvation—who
had made them fit for His holy presence in holiness and love. They were in
heaven in spirit, and they were talking to One they knew well, and they never
seemed tired of talking to Him. They talked to Him about His coming to take
them to Himself. Their friend was fairly lost in amazement. At last the dear
aged couple rose from their knees. Their visitor said, "Whatever does all
this mean? I have been going to church these seventy years and saying my
prayers, but I cannot say that I am even saved, let alone saved forever, and
saved perfectly. No, I surely cannot. And you are speaking to God as if you
knew Him. And what can you mean about the coming of Christ to take you?"

 

Then the woman told the gospel
she had heard:how God loved; how He had sent His Son; how the Lord Jesus had
offered Himself the perfect sacrifice for sins; how God declared that all who
believed were justified from all things, and their sins and iniquities God
would remember no more; yes, and how that by one offering all who believed were
perfected for ever; and that Jesus assured all who heard His words and believed
God who sent Him, that they had eternal life and would never come into
judgment but were passed from death unto life; and that Jesus told them not to
be afraid; He was gone to prepare a place for them, and would come again to
receive them to Himself.

 

She spoke from the deep
enjoyment of Christ in her own soul. God blessed her words to their neighbor
friend. Though over eighty years of age, he, too, was brought into the
enjoyment of peace with God. As a little child did he receive the truth from
this couple. Heavenly indeed was the communion of these three aged pilgrims.
Much of their time was spent together in worship and communion, waiting for the
Lord Jesus from heaven. When the neighbor saw the smoke going up from the
chimney of their home, he was soon over there with them in thanksgiving and
praise.

 

It became necessary, after
awhile, that the old couple be taken care of. A son took them to his home, not
far away; so this happy little band was separated. The plan had not been told
them, but the parents were taken as on a visit first, and then told that they
would remain. Morning after morning their former neighbor looked for the smoke
from the chimney. It never rose again, and after a few mornings, the Lord said
to that man, "Come up hither"; and, sweet as is fellowship here
below, it was now with him "far better."

 

So, dear brethren, let us be
stirred up. Little enough time is left us. What are we doing with it? Let us
balance our concern to hold fast to the truth with diligence in the gospel. In
the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thine hand:for thou
knowest not whether shall prosper, either this or that, or whether they both
shall be alike good (Eccles. 11:6).

 

"See, the shadows lengthen
round us,

Soon the day-dawn will begin;

Can you leave them, lost and
lonely?

Christ
is coming — ‘Call them in’."