A child of God mentioned to me the case of Mrs. Conyers, who had just been discharged from the hospital. She had said with much bitterness: "God cannot be a God of love and let me suffer such bodily agony.”
The desire filled me to go to see Mrs. Conyers, and the Lord graciously opened the way. On my arrival at her home, I immediately spoke of the love of the Lord Jesus in dying for sinners. To my surprise she assented to all that I said, and for my first few visits she said "yes" to everything. But others residing in the same house said her testimony was not that of a saved soul. Why did she seek to deceive me? Was it bodily suffering which made her so quiet? No, it was God's own Word striking home to her soul, and she did not like it.
One day while I was talking to her of the old, old story of Jesus, she suddenly raised her voice (which had become very weak) to quite a loud pitch. Angrily, she said: "My dear Miss Barnes, you need not tell me that. I know it all! I have known it from a child!" And she ranted in a loud, angry voice until, utterly exhausted, she sank back on her pillow.
For some minutes I was wordless, stunned into feeling utterly helpless. My heart went up to the Lord in silent prayer for the right word to speak. He graciously answered and brought to my lips these words: Mrs. Conyers, in God's Word we read of a certain king who made a marriage for his son. According to the custom, he sent wedding garments to the invited guests; but one came in who had not on a wedding garment. When the king came in to see the guests, he saw the man who had not the wedding garment. He asked him how he came without it. The man was speechless. Mrs. Conyers, when the Lord comes, you will be speechless if you attempt to go into His presence your own way.”
I then arose and stood over her, speaking of the precious blood of the Lord Jesus. She did not again open her lips or her eyes, and I slowly left the room.
Three times I called to see her, but she refused my visits. The nurse apologized for this rudeness, remarking that she often heard her patient praying when alone. On my fourth visit she consented to see me, and received me quietly. I asked if I might read a portion of Scripture to her. She agreed, and I read Matt. 22:1-131And Jesus answered and spake unto them again by parables, and said, 2The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son, 3And sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding: and they would not come. 4Again, he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them which are bidden, Behold, I have prepared my dinner: my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come unto the marriage. 5But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise: 6And the remnant took his servants, and entreated them spitefully, and slew them. 7But when the king heard thereof, he was wroth: and he sent forth his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city. 8Then saith he to his servants, The wedding is ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy. 9Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage. 10So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good: and the wedding was furnished with guests. 11And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment: 12And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless. 13Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. (Matthew 22:1‑13). We then spoke of the Passover night when the destroying angel was to smite the firstborn in Egypt, except in those houses where the blood was on the lintel and door posts. When God saw the blood, He did not destroy. Similarly, the precious blood of the Lord Jesus, shed on the cross of Calvary, had power to cleanse from all sins. Lying there, she could by faith receive the full benefit of that work and know that all her sins were washed away in that precious blood. Kneeling by her bed in prayer, I pleaded aloud with God to save her precious soul.
A few days later I heard that Mrs. Conyers was passing away, and was quite happy at the thought of going to be with the Lord. Hurrying to her house, I was told she was too far gone to see anyone; but when I knocked at the door, someone ran to open it, saying: "Mrs. Conyers wants to see you.”
When I entered, she held out her hand and murmured my name. I bent over her and asked: "Are you trusting in knowing it all from a child, Mrs. Conyers?”
Slowly her head moved from side to side, expressing, "No!" When I mentioned the precious blood of the Lord Jesus Christ, and asked if her trust was in that, the head quickly moved, indicating, "Yes, yes!" A few words more with her, and I left, assured in my heart that we should meet in heaven.
Dear reader, this true story is written in the simple hope that it may arouse you to ask yourself: "Am I like Mrs. Conyers? Do I 'know it all'?”
You may know in your head the way of salvation, and be a lost soul. Knowledge is one thing, and belief in the heart quite another.