A Deathbed Decision Delayed Too Long
Illustration★★★A prominent American evangelist tells this experi- ence: “I was asked to go to the bedside of a man who was very sick. I talked with him quite a while, urging the decision upon him in view of the fact that everything showed he had not long to live. He wanted to think it over longer. Finally, I had to leave to catch a train.
As I was about to go the man said to me, ‘When will you be this way again?’ I said, ‘Probably in two or three days.’ He said, ‘Will you come to see me then?
I will think these things over and talk with you again then.’ I replied, ‘I will gladly come again, but there is no need of putting it off until then.
It is dangerous to delay any longer.’ He answered, ‘No, I will wait until then, when we talk the matter over again.’
I took that train for this town where I was to speak, but before I reached my destination, I was handed a wire that this man had passed away. That tomorrow when he was going to make the decision never came.”
Class 11, Illustrations that encourage Christians to believe in the power of prayer for the conversion of the unsaved around them, or for their loved ones. These illustrations must be also thoroughly authenticated. They encourage people to believe in such wonderful results, we must know these events did happen. They are of especial value when they are incidents related by some great preacher or religious leader in whom all have confidence.
The point
An evangelist urges a dying man to decide for Christ; the man delays promising to think it over but dies before the evangelist returns, illustrating the danger of postponing.