“He Mocked as He Went”

On a bright summer’s evening, some few years since, a small group of people stood listening to a man who was preaching of Christ. Earnestly he entreated them to seize the present opportunity, and come to the blessed Saviour at once, that they might have the joy of hearing from His own lips those precious words, “Thy sins are forgiven.”
For a brief moment there seemed to be a deep impression made on the bystanders; it was but for a moment, for a mocking laugh was heard, as two young lads pushed through the crowd and faced the preacher. The enemy of souls was at work to hinder blessing. As each sentence fell from the lips of the speaker, the lads sought to turn it to ridicule, and still their mocking laughter rang above the words of grace and love. Deeply pained, the preacher paused for a moment, and addressed them pointedly as to their folly, showing that it was against God and His word that they were sinning. He concluded with the words: “You are young, but not too young to die. You are in health, but God can change that in a moment, and say to thee, ‘This night thy soul shall be required of thee.’ Turn, then, and confess your sin, and seek His mercy now. He stands ready to bless and forgive.”
One lad seemed to be touched, and called on his companion to come away and cease his mocking; the other turned away, untouched, for still he mocked as he went. Little did he know the fate that was before him. Little did he think how near his soul was to the awful eternity which lies before the Christless one! The next evening, about the same time, a little group of men wended their way past the spot where the preacher had stood, bearing in their midst the dead body of a lad. It was the body of him who mocked as he went. Alas! how soon was the mocking tongue silenced!
Dear reader, it is a reality that each of us has to do with God for himself, or herself. We may mock and despise, yet we must have to do with Him. We may thrust the thought from us, and shut our ears to His word, still the fact rains, that for all these things God shall bring thee into judgment. We may assent to the truth of His word, acknowledge the necessity of being prepared to meet God, and quietly postpone the whole thing to a future day, yet there stands in His Word the solemn question which I press on you now:—
“How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation?”
Beloved fellow sinner, there is no escape for despisers, rejecters, or neglecters of salvation. May this true incident he used of God to arrest your attention, and may His love draw you to Himself by the precious Saviour, is my earnest prayer.
Let me ask in the words of the hymn:
“Oh, how can you live without Jesus, my friend,
That Saviour, so tender and true;
Whose love knows no measure, no change, and no end,
And who offers it freely to you?”
And yet for entreaty and warning add:
“He is all that you need: He entreats you to come:
Come at once — He invites you “today”;
Tomorrow may seal your eternity’s doom;
At your peril you dare to delay.”