Steve readily consented, wondering who of the wounded could know him.
Following the attendant, Steve found himself before a mattress, on which a man was lying, whose face was so mutilated that he could not decide whether he knew the man or not. He knelt down, and taking the hand of the wounded man in his own, gently asked him what he could do for him.
‘Do you not know me, Joubert?’ the man faintly asked.
As Steve looked at him inquiringly, without seeming to remember him, he said,—
‘Do you not remember Tuesday evening?’
The voice of the man, faint as it was, seemed now to recall to Steve the scene of two evenings before, when a mortal man denied the existence of his Maker, and dared God to strike him dead, if indeed God there was.
‘My God, hast thou indeed taken this man at his word, and shown sinful man Thy might? Bock, Bock, why did you ever deny your God, and bring yourself to this?’
‘Why, indeed? Joubert, for God’s sake, for the sake of the God you worship, tell me what I must do to escape from the wrath to come? You said truly there is a God of Wrath as well as a God of love. Teach me to escape the God of Wrath and find the God of Love, before it is too late! for now I know that there is a God of Wrath! He has found me indeed. Oh, God, it is terrible—terrible! The darkness surrounds me. Give me light? Give me light?’
Steve was shocked and grieved inexpressibly at this scene. He murmured a prayer for guidance how to aid this erring soul.
‘Bock, old man, your sin was terrible. But God has already shown you some of His great love; for it can only be out of love and mercy that you were not killed outright, and were given the opportunity to still live and repent. If you truly repent, there is still mercy for you, even now!’