Suicides and Murders by T.

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Mountain View, California · Jul 22, 1908

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 34, No. 30.

Suicides and Murders.

By T.

EVERY day in the year the papers tell us of the suicides and murders in all parts of the land. These suicides tell in their mute way of the vast amount of suffering and disappointment that fill the world. Men and women have sought for the happiness that this world affords, but have not been able to find it. Loss of money, loss of position, or something of the kind, has filled them with distress and despondency; they see nothing in the world to hope for, and so they end their lives.

The current despatches make brief mention of a father who lost his fortune, and becoming despondent he decided on suicide. He made known his intention to his little twelve-year-old son, and the boy pleaded to be allowed to die with his father. The father finally consented, and took his boy's life with his own hand and then made the attempt to kill himself, but was not successful. He cut his own throat and became unconscious from loss of blood, but was resuscitated. Thus, if his reason returns, the father will have to struggle with the added remorse for destroying the life of his own offspring.

How the knowledge of such things as this should quicken the pace of every Gospel worker! How good it would have been if that poor man could only have been brought to Him who said, "Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light." Matt. 11:28-30.

The Master would have been more to him than all the property he had lost. There is no earthly disappointment that is not much more than met in the personal acquaintance of the Lord Jesus Christ. But we must learn to actually know Him. It will not do merely to know about Him; we must learn actually to know Him.

This personal knowledge of the Master must be had by a study of His word that will bring us into personal touch with the Lord of glory Himself. If you have not enjoyed the rich experience of it, you will doubtless be tempted to say that it is impossible for any one to come into personal touch with Christ by simply studying His word. But such is, nevertheless, the literal truth. God's word gives us a knowledge of His Spirit, and by appropriating this knowledge we may be filled with the Spirit, and that fills us with the presence of Christ. We are made actually to know Him, so that we no longer wander in vague uncertainty. We are not moved by disappointments and distresses, for we stand in the strength of the eternal Jehovah.

What a blessed experience this is, and how we should labor to impart it to every one! How many heartaches and sorrows would be soothed by the healing balm if men would only accept the Saviour who has given Himself for them!