Goodbye Joe (KJV)

The whistle blew, and in the railroad shops of a Pennsylvania town the men laid aside their tools, hurried past the watchman, and went out the large gates to their homes, happy that another week of work was ended.I worked in those shops for a number of years with a young fellow named Joe. He was hard-working and friendly. He loved hunting, and the season had just arrived. Joe couldn’t wait to get away from work and out into the woods.The shops closed at noon on Saturday, and Joe’s plans for the weekend were all arranged. I had spoken to him many times about the love of God and how to prepare for eternity. I longed for Joe’s salvation, and pressed on him his deep need of the Saviour, who suffered, bled and died to save us from eternity in Hell. “Christ died for our sins … He was buried … He rose again the third day” (1 Corinthians 15:3,4). I pleaded with him to not reject such wonderful love and mercy, urging him to repent and believe the gospel—to receive Christ now. Smiling as though