The kitchen in a farmhouse in a country village had been opened for the preaching of the gospel. The Christian farmer had been round the village inviting the neighbors in; and when the evening came, there was one woman there that they had little expected to see. She was well known to almost all as a notorious character, and more than one would be saying on that evening, "Whatever has brought her here?" While thinking of one motive or another, common to fallen human nature, perhaps no one would think that He who came to seek as well as to save the lost was going after another lost sheep (Luke 15:44What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it? (Luke 15:4)), and had Himself drawn her into that kitchen to hear the words of life.
Again and again was Carrie found in her place at the preachings, and no one but He who was drawing her by the cords of love, knew what was going on in that sinful soul.
"O God, Thine everlasting grace
Our scanty thought surpasses far!
Great in almighty gentleness,
Thine arms of love wide open are.”
One evening Carrie did not come and her seat remained empty. One can easily understand, if any notice was taken of it, what would be said by some of the neighbors. "Perhaps, it was the mere novelty of the thing that had attracted her, and at length she has become weary of it"; or, "it may be that the words spoken had been too plainly set forth for the conscience of one who was serving Satan as his willing tool, and so she had got away from the light.”
However, time passed on, and one day the farmer received a message that Carrie was very ill and wished to see him. He went, and found her evidently dying. Having been told that Mr. Blank was there, she looked up and said, "I'm so glad you've come. I did want to see you. I'm going home.”
"Going where?" he said.
"To heaven," she replied.
Desiring to test her ground for such a statement, he asked her, "But how can such a sinner as you be in such a holy, happy place as heaven?”
She turned her eyes, already glazed by death, and answered: "I am a sinner; but there's that precious blood," and then passed away to be with the One who still receiveth sinners.
Simple but blessed testimony, containing repentance toward God and faith toward the Lord Jesus Christ. As one of old, this poor sinner confessed, "I have sinned." And the grace of God could assure her, as it had done to David, "The Lord hath put away thy sin.”