A Testimony to God's Abounding Grace

Narrator: Chris Genthree
 •  2 min. read  •  grade level: 6
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NEAR the end of the preaching one old man stood up to address the multitude. He was a remarkable-looking man. I was beside him before he rose. A dealer in rags would not have given more than sixpence for all the clothes he had on his person. He bore the marks and tokens of a “hard liver” —a confirmed drunkard. He spoke something to the following effect, as nearly as I can remember: “Gentlemen,” and he trembled as he spoke. “Gentlemen, I appear before you this day as a vile sinner; many of you know me; you have but to look at me, and recognize the profligate of Broughshane; you know I was an old man hardened in sin; you know I was a servant of the devil, and he led me by that instrument of his, the spirit of barley. I brought my wife and family to beggary more than fifty years ago; in short, I defy the townland of Broughshane to produce my equal in profligacy, or any sin whatever; but, ah I gentlemen, I have seen Jesus; I was born again on last night week; I am therefore a week old today; my heavy and enormous sin is gone, the Lord Jesus took it away, and I stand before you this day a monument of the perfect grace of God. I stand here to tell you that God’s work on Calvary is perfect. He is not like an architect who makes a drawing of a building, looks at it, takes out this line and that, or makes some other alteration, and frequently alters all his plan, or even when the building is going on makes some other change; but God drew out the plan of salvation, and it was complete. He carried it out by His blessed Son Jesus, and it is all perfect; had it not been so, it would not have been capable of reaching the depth of iniquity of N—, the profligate nailer of Broughshane.”