A HAPPPY RAILWAY JOURNEY

 By FEH

Towards the end of the second world war I had occasion to travel by train from the Midlands over the cross-country route to Andover Junction. Entering the dimly lighted carriage I found every compartment except one to be empty. The exception was at the extreme end of the carriage and was occupied by several officers of the U.S. Army.

I chose a non-smoking compartment and settled down to what I thought would be a quiet journey of several hours.

A few minutes before the train left a tall American soldier entered the compartment. After some conversation regarding the cigar he was smoking he threw it out of the window and lay down at full length on the seat opposite to myself. As he did so he exclaimed, “I don’t want a compartment to myself, I intend to stay here with you.” I then noticed that he was somewhat intoxicated and to say I was a little afraid is a very mild statement.

After a while he looked at me and said “I am staying with you because I want to go to sleep and I am afraid of missing my station at Ludgershall,” (a town near to which were some Army camps). “I want you to wake me up.” He had previously ascertained that I was traveling beyond that point. He then ventured the remark that he had overstayed his leave in Birmingham and had apparently spent his time in very questionable surroundings. Becoming very talkative he went on to say that he hoped to return to the States very soon and was afraid his mother and father (of whom he spoke quite tenderly) would be greatly disappointed if the Army Authorities punished him by canceling his leave.

Then quite unexpectedly he sat up and said with some sadness – “You may not believe it, sir, but before I joined the Army I did none of the bad things I am doing now – and it would break my parents’ hearts to see me as I am.” Asking his age I found it to be exactly that of my own son, and my heart went out to him. I did not interrupt, and continuing he said, “I have spent all I had in a week of wickedness and I’ve got nothing out of it.” Looking earnestly at him I replied: “That is where I differ from you. I will tell you three things you have got from your week of evil.” Vehemently he retorted – striking his fist into the palm of his other hand, “I tell you I’ve got nothing out of it.” Very quietly I said “Yes – three things. First – you have an uneasy conscience – your own words as to your parents prove that. Secondly – you have a vitiated body; and then after a pause I added, “and you have an unsatisfied heart.” Staring hard at me he said, “You are dead right.”

He was quite sober by this time, and as the train traveled on it was a joy to speak to him of One who could deal with all that sin had brought in. Evidently his parents were godly folk - and perhaps at that very moment were praying for their boy; when I spoke to him of the Saviour he said “My parents talk like that.” The preciousness of the blood of Christ, God’s complete answer to guilt and sins; the cleansing power of the Word of God – the blessedness of the whole “spirit, soul and body” being preserved blameless by the sanctifying power of the God of peace, were some of the things spoken of in that railway carriage. Sleep was out of the question – and ere long that sin – soiled G.I. was on his knees confessing his parents’ Lord as his. Tears ran down his face as we rejoiced together – proving afresh the truth of God’s holy Word that the gospel – (yet feebly presented) was still “the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth.” It needed a dynamic power to break the three–fold cord of an uneasy conscience, a sin – stained body, and an unsatisfied heart, but, thank God, the gospel is just that – it is God’s dynamic power unto salvation.

That “power unto salvation” is available to all – the writer has proved it; it is the only power that can deliver the reader from the chains of sin and guilt, however strong or otherwise these chains may be. This so-called old fashioned gospel, scoffed at by men, has stood the test of time and circumstances. Thousands are rejoicing in its delivering power. Will you not put God’s word to the test NOW? There is complete freedom from the bondage of sin to be found in Christ, but there is also the blessedness of a heart completely satisfied in the knowledge of that precious Saviour, and the possibility of a life of purity as the Holy Spirit of God makes the Word of God Himself a living reality to those who know Jesus as Saviour and Lord.