II. The Power of Gods Word to Deliver Men From Sin.
A single incident which was brought before
the notice of the writer must suffice to illustrate the above mentioned
truth.
Some forty years ago a Christian gentleman stood
upon the quay of the Liverpool docks distributing tracts to the sailors. In the
course of his work he handed one to a man who was just embarking on a voyage to
China, and with an oath the sailor took it, crumpled it up and thrust it into
his pocket. Some three weeks after, this sailor was down in his cabin and
needing a "spell" with which to light his pipe felt in his pocket for the
necessary paper and drew out the little tract which he had received in
Liverpool. On recognizing it he uttered a terrible oath and tore the paper in
pieces. One small fragment adhered to his tarry hand and glancing at it he saw
these words, "Prepare to meet thy God." When relating the incident to the
writer he said, "It was at that moment as though a sword had pierced my heart."
"Prepare to meet thy God" rang again and again in his ears, and with a
strickened conscience he was tormented about his lost condition. Presently he
retired for the night, but sleep he could not. In desperation he got up and
dressed and went above and paced the deck. Hour after hour he walked up and
down, but try as he might he could not dismiss from his mind the words,
"Prepare to meet thy God." For years this man had been a helpless slave in the
grip of strong drink and knowing his weakness he said: "How can I prepare to
meet God, when I am so powerless to overcome my besetting sin?" Finally, he got
down upon his knees and cried: "O God, have mercy on me, save me from my sins,
deliver me from the power of drink and help me prepare for the meeting with
Thee." More than thirty-five years after, this converted sailor told the writer
that from the night he had read that quotation from God's Word, had prayed that
prayer, and had accepted Christ as his Saviour from sin, he had never tasted a
single drop of intoxicating liquor and had never once had a desire to craving
for strong drink. How marvelous is the power of God's Word to deliver men from
sin! Truly, as Dr. Torrey has well said, "A Book which will lift men up to God
must have come down from God."