The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1892-08-07
OUR SUNDAY COLUMN.
Original and Otherwise-Pre-
pared by Mark.

There is one hour that will come to
every reader Of this column that will
be the supreme hour. I refer to
YOUR DYING HOUR.
want to talk with you about your
dying hour this morning, and l feel
that cannot say a word that would be
more helpful than to reproduce a con-
versation that occurred between two
persons about the dying hour year or
two ago.
The conversation ran along in this
way and proved to be bread cast upon
the waters:
II have just been to the funeral of a
very dear friend" said | to a merry
looking man, whilst waiting for the
train. And it is no small comfort,
when q friend departs, to know with alb
solute certainty that that friend is gone
to be with Christ, which is far bettur."
II should think" said he, there are
very few die that will have that GER
tainty. At least not many would like
to chance it, il it were put to them to-
day mean If the questions were put.
Are you so sure of heaven that you
would not mind dying today" 1 re-
piled, Il fear even amongst those
who profess to be Christians too
few would stand that test. But it
was very different with my departed
friend. She had only been ill q few
days, and on the day before her death,
knowing there was no human posi-
bility of recovering, she calmly said,
Il would not exchange places with the
Queen Not the shadow of doubt
passed over her happy soul. She rested
not in anything she had done. but in
the finished work of Christ Jesus, the
Son of God. Precious Jesus. thy blood
and righteousness never fail in the hour
of death. Nothing can be so certain as
that which God hath said, That whose
ever believeth on Him shall not perish,
but have everlasting life"
''Well," said he, sit is happy thing
when person has such confidence; but
fear there are very few who have the
happiness TO enjoy it, Man is SO given
SIM
Every true" 1 replied. ''But you
have not yet sinned beyond the grace of
God. God is the God OF all grace, and
that grace is seen on the cross surpass-
ing all your sins. Who can tell the
value of the blood of Jesus, as God sees
it? myself am the chief of sinners. 1
have not one particle of worthiness.
But tell you, if we are all killed before
we reach home 1 have no fear or ques-
ton whatever about my salvation. 1t
was eternally settled by the death of
Jesus"
"Ah!" he said, cit seems to me poor
thing to hurry ones salvation on"
What is? Is Christ poor thing to
trust? Is Gods word poor thing to
trust?"
"Oh, no; l mean i. is poor thing to
hurry on faith. To think that if you
have faith you will be saved, let you sin
and do as you like"
"Ah, my dear sir, but the man that
has real faith in Christ does not want to
sin. He hates it, and longs for and de-
lights in holiness; and he is the only
one that gets delivery from sin. But
now you try from this day, in your own
way, never to sin again"
81 have tried" said he, many IA
time, still I sin in thought, word and
deed. But l think 1 now see that to
believe in Christ is the only way to get
both saved and give up SHINING"
Reader, what as to your dying hour?
You cannot help the thought crossing
your mind at times. Can you now?
Your dying hour may be very near; yes,
very near! Now are you prepared for
this hour? Why are you going on care
lessly in sin? Well may you tremble at
the thought of your dying hour. Are
you trusting in forms and ceremonies eff
human religion? All. These will ut
terly fail you in your dying hour. But
mark the blessed condition of every
saved sinner:
Therefore, being justified by faith.
we have peace with God through our
Lord Jesus Christ"
Is this your condition? Are you sat
isfed? Have you peace with God?
Then, my reader, II you should fall
asleep before Jesus comes again, yours
will be happy dying hour. Old John
Bunyan said. with a rugged energy Of
expression, that he made bis dying day
his companion keeper. May it be thus
with all who read this column.
MARK.