That One Word
“I NEVEK can forget that word wMcli was once whispered to me in an inquiry-meeting,” said a pious man once to a friend. “What word was it?” “It was the word Eternity. A young Christian friend, who was yearning for my salvation, came up to me as I sat in my pew, and simply whispered ‘Eternity’ in my ear, with great solemnity and tenderness, and then left me. That word made me think, and I found no peace till I came to the cross.”
The sainted McCheyne (our Summerfield) was once riding by a quarry, and stopped to look in at the engine house. The fireman had just opened the door to feed the furnace with fresh fuel; when McCheyne, pointing in to the bright hot flame, said mildly to the man, “Does that fire remind you of anything?” The man could not get rid of the solemn question. To him it was an effectual arrow of conviction. It led him to the house of God, and will lead him, we trust, to heaven.
A single remark of the Rev. Charles Simeon, on the blessings which had resulted from the labors of Dr. Carey in India, first arrested the attention of Henry Martyn to the cause of missions. His mind began to stir under the new. thought, and a perusal of the life of Brainerd fixed him in his resolution to give himself to the dying heathen.
It is said that Harlan Page once went through his Sabbath-school to get the spiritual census of the school. Coming to one of the teachers, lie said, “Shall I put you down as having a hope in Christ? “The teacher replied,” AW “Then,” said Mr. Page very tenderly, “I will put you down as having no hope.” He closed his little book and left him. That was enough. God gave that young man’s soul no rest, till he found a hope beneath the cross.
A member of my churchy not long since, overtook a young lady on her way to the prayer-meeting. She asked the young woman if she never thought of her own salvation? The lady thus addressed, replied, that during all her life, she had never had one word spoken to her before, about the salvation of her soul! Within a month from that time, she became a devoted member of the flock of Christ.
Fellow disciple! have you never yet spoken one word to an impenitent friend about ttie most momentous of all questions? Then I fear that you will find no one in heaven that you were the means, under God, of sending there. Though you may reach the “many mansions” yourself, I fear that yur crown will glitter with no splendors, It will be a starless crown.