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A Thrilling Story From Alaska
I was born in Jefferson County, NY, in 1834.
In 1886 I went to New Mexico to try my luck in the mining of silver. The second of this venture, I opened up the largest body of high-grade silver ore that was ever discovered in New Mexico, When the silver went down on account of the demonetizing of silver, I had a block of mines, which had been thoroughly tested
on the London market, and had been accepted by London buyers, for which I was to receive five million dollars. But before my money was paid over, silver began to drop, and consequently the buyers held off. Silver continued to gradually decline in value until the mines were practically valueless. Thus ended my silver mining.
I then turned my attention to gold mining, and for ten long years I worked hard to get a gold mine. But everything went against me.
I then went to Alaska in 1897 to the Copper River country on a grub stake. As I was sledding my personal effects and grub and mining outfit, my eyesight began to fail. I had noticed that my eyes were not good about two weeks before. Finally I came across a deserted cabin. I stopped in this cabin and let the crowd go by, as they expected to find plenty of gold. What hardships men will undergo to find the gold which perisheth!
With my bedimmed eyes, I thought it wise to rest a few days in hopes that my eyesight would improve. But to my surprise and dismay, my eyes kept getting worse, and after 30 days my sight was gone, and there was no apparent reason why I was blind.
My eyes were not inflamed, neither did they pain me. My sad affliction led me to think and wonder about what would become of me. I was alone, had little fuel, and I did not expect anyone to come to the cabin. Deep snow had covered every trail, and there I was, shut out from the world, alone, and blind. There was nothing left for me to do but to remain, eat up my provisions, lie in my cot and keep from freezing. I just waited to see what would turn up.
A panorama of my past life went before me. I was compelled to think, and I also discovered that I was cornered; there seemed to be no way out. I did not believe I would ever see again. I felt that if I could only die and never be found, it would be a relief. Twice in my life before I had been given up to die but this was worse; I wanted to die and could not. I was yet well in body, except that I was poor, old, and blind.
I had a wife and one son in Denver who were depending on me. I had made one last effort to make another stake, and had failed. All hope had fled; the cabin was not in sight; I did not think it possible for anyone to come my way; there was no smoke to lead one to my cabin door; I was completely lost to all the world. Oh, the horrors of being lost ! To be lost in this world is frightful, but oh, to be lost in the world to come‹FOREVER !
In this loneliness, this lostness, I began to feel the need of God and of a Saviour. My mother's sweet face came up before me, and I remembered her prayers with vivid imagination, although she had been dead 40 years. She was a woman of faith, and always believed that God answered prayer. I remembered how she used to pray in the barn way back on the hay where we could not see her. She was the only one in the family who prayed. How I wished that I could believe as she did! I then began to think about praying myself. That was about all that was left for me to do, except to starve and die. I asked God to help me, to send someone to deliver me. I prayed all day and all night, until I went to sleep. I felt better when I was praying. But no answer came. I continued to pray for three days and three nights constantly, except when I would sleep a little. There was no answer, so I became discouraged.
Finally my eyes were turned upon myself. I knew that I was a sinner. I tried to think of something else, but my mind would revert to my own wretched condition, and involuntarily I would begin to pray again. I was cut off from all earthly assistance; I could only call upon God. My past life stalked before me like a ghost: the years of unbelief, and doubt, and sin. Perhaps this was why God did not answer my prayer. I began to think that I was completely cut off from God. Memory was active. "Am I lost from God? Why pray more? I am a lost man, and God will not hear me." I felt that all hope was gone.
Finally, I began to repent of my past life. I saw that I had made an awful mistake, my feelings overcame me for a time. What a sad hour that was to me! But hope, like the rays of the sun, came to my rescue again. I said to myself, "I will not give up: I will pray again." I determined to ask God to answer so that I might know that He heard me. If He would do so, I would believe on Him the rest of my life.
My Sight Came to Me in the Twinkling of an Eye.
I could see as well as ever. It was sudden, so sudden that it fairly surprised me. I was not looking for such an answer. I was entirely overcome, and for a time I forgot everything. Oh, I exclaimed, God has heard and answered my prayer! This is the most wonderful thing I have ever heard of. God must be here, and it seemed that I could feel His very presence. Yes, yes, God is surely here, for, He has given me my sight; there is no mistake about it; I am sure that I was blind, but now I can see. Oh, this is wonderful! If I had only known about this wonderful God, I would have served Him all the days of my life.
I began to get happy. I shouted as loud as I could: "Glory to God!" I danced around that old cabin and praised God. I got the door open, got out and on top of the hard snow. The sun was shining. The whole woods seemed alive; the treetops were clapping their hands, and everything seemed to be praising God. My spiritual eyes had been opened; I was looking upon a new world. While nature seemed to dance, glisten and sparkle, the blessing in my own soul was more wonderful. I was filled with the glory of God‹such peace, such ecstasy, is simply beyond language to describe. The impression made upon my mind is indelible. My whole life was changed in a moment. "Old things had passed away; behold, all things had become new." (II Cor. 5:17). I knew the truth. I had experienced the new life in Christ. I am sure of the "New Birth." I know the supernatural power of God; I am not deceived; it is no delusion. I now know that it is a Divine reality, but words fail me to express it. "It passeth understanding," and it is real to those who enjoy it. I found the richest mine in Alaska‹an inexhaustible mine. The more I take out the more there is left; the deeper I dig, the richer the vein.
Oh, that the world might taste and see the riches of His grace! The riches of earth, such as gold, silver, and precious stones, are but for a time‹a little while‹then they fade away. But the riches of heaven that God pours into the soul will last forever. They do business in the other world on these riches. The more of these heavenly riches you compass here, the richer you will be over yonder. My brother, my sister, do not wait until you are old; accept this free gift today. "Today, if ye will hear His voice, harden not your hearts." I was 64 years old when God met me in that lonely cabin. I had but one chance in 10,000. How narrow was my escape! How fearful to contemplate! Hear the plea of one who knows, DO NOT DELAY.
It might be of interest to the reader to know just how I got out of the old cabin. About June 1, the men came back from their gold hunt up the river. They knew me and where I stopped, and so looked me up. They were in a sorry plight; their toes, nose, and hands were frozen and they were half starved. One of them had a small camera and he took a picture of my cabin where God met me.
My physical and spiritual eyes were miraculously opened, and I dwell upon that hour with pleasure. It is refreshing and sweet to me. I know better now than ever how marvelous is God's grace, and how terrible the soul that is lost. This vision was not given to me to hide under a bushel but to pass along that others who are blind to God and His adorable gospel (good news) may have their eyes opened. Paul said, "To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith. . . ." Acts 26:18.
This great message burns in my heart. I want the whole world to know that God will meet a needy man; that God will convict him of sin; that God will fill his soul, and change him in the twinkling of an eye; that God's Word is true; that there is a supernatural birth. To get into this world, we must be born into it. To get into the other and better world, we must be born again; I know it, for I have been "twice born."
"Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near. Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon." Isa. 55:6-7. ‹S. M. Rugg
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