"Are you sure, Phil?" And though reassured when he saw Forbes give a kindly nod to the boys and pass on, it was yet some time before he recovered himself sufficiently to pay any heed to the service.
Hymns were sung, prayers offered, and Scripture read, without much effect upon him. But then a tall, earnest-looking man ascended the platform, and in a clear voice said, "I've a very short text to-night, friends, only four words; and you'll find it in Daniel v. 6, 'His thoughts troubled him.'"
In an instant Mellor was arrested, and leaning forward he gazed earnestly at the preacher, as he narrated the familiar story of Belshazzar's feast, with the mysterious writing on the wall that put so sudden an end to all the festivities, and turned the gay, light-hearted king, who had been the leader of all the merriment, into a pale, trembling, awestruck man.
"Ah, my friends, it only needs a very short message from God to put a stop to all earth's pleasures; and so it was that night when there went home to Belshazzar's heart a consciousness that he was wrong, and so 'his thoughts troubled him.'"
"I think the same might be said of a good many here to-night, and there's nothing has more power to trouble a man than his own thoughts. Poverty, pain, sorrow, all are easier to bear than an accusing conscience, a haunting memory, a condemning thought, for it's a trouble you can't get away from. Some have bad homes, and they leave them; trying situations, and they give notice; bad husbands or wives, and maybe they get a separation; but you can't get a separation from your thoughts, or give them notice to quit, for, go where you will, your thoughts go too, and you've wished you needn't think, and the cry of many a heart is, 'Oh, if I could only forget.' Perhaps you've tried to drown your thoughts in drink, but they won't be drowned; or to banish them by pleasure, but they don't go; and now to-night, in this very hall, they are troubling you. Yes, thoughts of sin committed against God or man. And shall I tell you why they trouble you? Because God is saying to you as to Israel of old, 'I know your thoughts and your works. I know the things that come into your mind, every one of them.' Ah, friends, it's because God knows what you know, that you are uneasy."
"Perhaps it is not thoughts of the past only, but of the future, when you know you will have to meet God in judgment, and you say, 'I don't like to think about death.' Well, now, I'll tell you how to get rid of these troubling thoughts. Instead of keeping away from God, go and tell Him all about it. You see, He won't be surprised at any startling revelations of evil, because He knows it all now; only, before He can help you, you must take Him into your confidence, and, oh! you will find Him a friend indeed. Your sin against Himself He will forgive, for 'if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us'; and won't it be better to get rid of it by confession than to seek to cover it up? And if I have wronged my neighbour, there must be confession to him too. God's Word is very plain about this. He won't forgive unless we ask forgiveness also from the one whom we have wronged; and so, by confession to God and man, there will come pardon for all that is past, and your thoughts will cease to trouble you."
"You see, the writing on the wall didn't trouble Daniel one bit, but he was the only one in that vast assembly who was at rest. And why? He was a sinner indeed, but a forgiven sinner. And so, my friends, it may be with you. And then God's messages shall no more alarm you, not even when the last one comes to bid you meet your God, for, washed in the blood of Jesus, you will be ready to meet Him without fear."
"But one word in closing. God knows your thoughts, but do you know His? Oh, listen. 'I know the thoughts that I think towards you, saith the Lord; thoughts of peace, and not of evil.' Yes, however black your past may be with sin, God has thoughts of peace about it; for Jesus has made peace by the blood of His cross, and He offers that peace to you now. Peace for your conscience, peace for your heart. Will you accept it? Will you come to Him as a poor sinner for whom Jesus died? If so, He will say to you as to one of old, 'Go in peace; thy sins are forgiven thee.' 'Let not your heart be troubled.'"
For a moment there was silence ere the speaker closed in prayer, and then, while every head was bowed, the choir sang softly,—
"Sinner, now thy heart is troubled;