Part 12 (2/2)

Is this illness to prove serious?”

After the doctor had made an examination, he said: ”I am sorry to tell you you cannot live out the night.”

The young man looked up and said: ”Well, then, I have missed it at last!”

”Missed what?”

”I have missed eternal life. I always intended to become a Christian some day, but I thought I had plenty of time, and put it off.”

The doctor, who was himself a Christian man, said: ”It is not too late. Call on G.o.d for mercy.”

”No; I have always had a great contempt for a man who repents when he is dying; he is a miserable coward. If I were not sick I would not have a thought about my soul, and I am not going to insult G.o.d now.”

The doctor spent the day with him, read to him out of the Bible, and tried to get him to lay hold of the promises. The young man said he would not call on G.o.d, and in that state of mind he pa.s.sed away.

Just as he was dying the doctor saw his lips moving. He reached down, and all he could hear was the faint whisper:

”_I have missed it at last!_”

Dear friend, make sure that you do not miss eternal life at last.

Will you go with Herod or with John? Bow your head now and say:

”Son of G.o.d, come into this heart of mine. I yield myself to Thee, fully, wholly, unreservedly.”

He will come to you, and will not only save you, but will keep you to the end.

THE MAN BORN BLIND AND JOSEPH OF ARIMATHEA

There were two extraordinary men living in the city of Jerusalem when Christ was on earth. One of them has come down through history nameless--we do not know who he was; the name of the other is given.

One was not only a beggar, but blind from his birth; the other was one of the rich men of Jerusalem. Yet in the Gospel of John, there is more s.p.a.ce given to this blind beggar than to any other character. The reason why so much has been recorded of this man is because he took his stand for Jesus Christ.

Look at the account given in John ix., beginning at the fifth verse.

In the previous chapter Christ had been telling them that He was the Light of the world, and that if any man would follow Him he should not walk in darkness, but should have the light of life. After making a statement of that kind, Christ often gave

AN EVIDENCE OF THE TRUTH

of what He said by performing some miracle. If He had said He was the Light of the world, He would show them in what way He was the Light of the world. If He had said He was the Life of the world, He would prove Himself to be such by quickening and raising the dead; just as He did, after telling them that He was the Resurrection and the Life, by going to the graveyard of Bethany and calling Lazarus forth. When Lazarus heard the voice of his friend saying, ”Lazarus, come forth!” he came forth immediately.

The Son of G.o.d does not ask men to believe Him without a reason for so doing. We need to keep this in mind. You might as well ask a man to see without light or eyes, as to believe without testimony.

He gave them good reason for believing in Him, and proved His Messiahs.h.i.+p and authority. He not only told them that He had the power, but He showed them that He had.

These two men, then, were both at Jerusalem. One held as high a position, and the other as low a position, as any in the city. One was at the top of the social ladder, and the other at the bottom.

And yet they both made a good confession; and one was as acceptable to Jesus as the other.

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