I could. When I go out in my boat, and the
storm rages, and I don't know whether I shall ever see land again, it
would be a good thing if I could look up through the wind and tempest,
and could say gladly, I know that I have passed from death unto life."'

I thought I heard a groan when he said this, and I looked round, and saw
one of Duncan's mates burying his face in his hands.

'Do I hear one of you mothers say, "When I lie awake at night, and the
baby will not let me sleep, and I get out and look from my window at the
stars shining down upon me, I would give a great deal to say, as I think
of the heaven above those stars, 'I know that I have passed from death
unto life'"?

'And you, my friend, when the day comes, as come it will, when you lie
on your bed, and you see by the doctor's face that you will never get
out of it again; when you say to yourself, as the neighbours sit round,
"This is my dying bed, and they are watching to see me die," oh, what
would you not give at that solemn time to be able to say, "I know that I
have passed from death unto life"?

'Do you want to be able to say it? You cannot want it more than God
wants to hear you say it. The Christ stands on the shore beside us
to-day, and He yearns with unutterable longing, that each man, each
woman, each child here present, should be able to take up the words of
my text, and say, "I know that I have passed from death unto life."'

Then he went on to tell us that it was not a long, weary, toilsome
journey which we had to travel to reach the Christ. He was present
amongst us now. He was very near to each one of us; His arms were wide
open. He was waiting to receive each one who was willing to cross the
line; one step would be sufficient, one step into those open arms. Then
we ended by singing a hymn, which seemed to me a very beautiful one:--

'Only a step to Jesus!
Believe, and thou shalt live:
Lovingly now He's waiting,
And ready to forgive.

Only a step to Jesus!
A step from sin to grace:
What has thy heart decided?
The moments fly apace.

Only a step to Jesus!
Oh, why not come and say,
"Gladly to Thee, my Saviour,
I give myself away?"
Only a step, only a step,
Come, He waits for thee;
Come, and thy sin confessing,
Thou shalt receive a blessing:
Do not reject the mercy
He freely offers thee.'

I was glad to see at the end of the service that Duncan's mate was still
sittin