ONE of the sights to be seen by the curious visitor to the cathedral of this ancient city of York is a chained Bible—a relic of those days of darkness in which reading the Bible was a punishable offense, and in which the light and truth of the pure word of God were forcibly withheld from the perishing multitudes. But, in God's mercy, the chains have been snapped, and the truth circulates far and wide in the language of the people. It is now a common boast that we live in a land of Bibles, and, when we hear that boast, might we not suppose that none in such a favored land would be found unacquainted with the Holy Scriptures?
Let us, however, go to a back street, almost under the shadow of our stately cathedral. Here it is not counted shame to riot in the daytime, and drunken brawling’s frequently break the stillness of the night. In this street lived Mrs. P., whose history I desire briefly to trace, in order to show the exceeding grace of our God to a poor sinner.
How thankful ought those children to be who are blessed with Christian parents and homes of peace! Very little of a mother's fond love, or a father's care, was enjoyed when a child by the poor woman of whom I write, and even that little was taken away when her mother died, leaving her an orphan at eight years of age.
The influences of the surroundings on the impressible heart of childhood may be imagined by those who sometimes visit such places as the street I have spoken of. The orphan girl reached womanhood in ignorance of God—ignorance almost as dense as that of the heathen, who, in his blindness, bows down to wood and stone. While still young, she was married. Her husband was a godless, drunken man, and, though she often shared his revels, she was afar off from happiness. Her sons grew up, and followed in their father's footsteps.
Years rolled on, and the woman was very often ill-used by her husband and sons. Neglected by them, she took to hawking fish, and thus, day after day, under the broiling sun, or exposed to the pitiless storm, for twenty years Mrs. P. trudged the streets with her fish-basket,
Constant exposure, neglect, and insufficient food at last told upon her, and the day came when the neighbors looked in vain for the familiar sight of the fish woman and her basket.
Gradually the realities of eternity dawned upon her, and the many sins of a misspent life rose before her terrified gaze. Then anguish of soul laid hold upon her, far exceeding the bodily suffering which she endured. Eternity was near, and she unprepared to meet a sin-hating God.
There is no anguish like that of the sinner convicted of sin, and with only sufficient knowledge of God to inspire fear and terror. Death to the unbeliever is a terrible reality, and the judgment that follows unutterably awful. The pains and the pleasures, the poverty and the riches of this life, alike fade into insignificance when death stares the sinner in the face. Is my reader prepared for it?
To Mrs. P. there was no ray of hope. The neighbors could not help—they were equally ignorant of God and His salvation, Alone, neglected by her family, tortured with pain and mental anguish, the poor fish woman lay dying. Not unseen, however; for the gracious eye of a Saviour God was upon her. And at the right moment a preacher was sent. He was proclaiming the gospel in an adjoining street, when a friend told him of the dying woman's wretched case, and requested him to visit her. He accordingly went, and found the poor creature in a bare, squalid room, lying face downwards upon the floor, groaning in agony. On being spoken to, she rose up, and said she had just dragged herself downstairs to cut some bread for her little boy, who was crying, and, being unable to bear the pain caused by the effort, had thrown herself upon the floor.
In answer to inquiries, she told the story of her life, not hiding how wicked she had been, and concluded with, "Now the doctor says I am dying-dying And, oh, sir, I want to know how I can be saved."
Seeing that the poor woman was fully convinced that she was a helpless sinner, her visitor replied by repeating the beautiful words," God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life."
Eagerly the poor creature burst out, “Is that true, sir? Is that in the Bible? In reply the visitor turned to the 16th verse of the third chapter of St. John's gospel, and read the blessed words from God's own book. Mrs. P.'s despairing heart seized the divine message, as a drowning man seizes the saving rope. At once her burden rolled away, and her face was lighted with a heavenly radiance. Bodily suffering was now forgotten in the joy of forgiveness of sins, and the wail of anguish was exchanged for the song of praise. Together the visitor and the new-born soul thanked the Lord for His grace, and the strains of rejoicing which rose from that miserable room found their echo in heaven.
From that moment until she departed to be with Christ the poor fish woman, now made rich by God's grace, enjoyed uninterrupted peace. Many Christians saw her, and all testified to the reality of her conversion.
On one occasion a visitor wishing to show Mrs. P. that death is for the believer only a passage into the Lord's presence, and that though death was apparently so near, He might first come and take her with all saints to be forever with Himself, began by saying, " If you are a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ—" when she interrupted him with the almost indignant exclamation—" IF! nay, I do believe, I am saved, and I know that I am His."
Such was the assurance begotten in the soul of this poor woman by the grace of God through a simple reception of His word. Would that thousands might receive God's testimony in the same simplicity of faith which brought peace and joy to the dying fish woman.
God has provided one and only one way of salvation, and it is of faith that it might be by grace. The grace that is sufficient to save the most abandoned is needed to save the very best upon earth, "for there is no difference." Has my reader submitted to the righteousness of God, and experienced the joy of this so great salvation? J. C. K.