A FEW weeks ago I was asked by a friend to go with her to see a woman who was not expected to live, but who was very anxious about her soul. Never can I forget her look of anguish and anxiety as we entered the room—it seemed as if she would lay hold of us to save her if we could. Oh, how gladly would those who know the Lord give to others the same blessed knowledge were it possible; but no, each soul must have to do with God alone, and receive from the hand of the One who died for sinners forgiveness of sins.
I felt as I stood by the side of that dying woman, how willing but how powerless I was. Was God less wining? Oh, no; and He was “able to do exceeding abundantly.” So we knelt and prayed, that He would put forth His hand and snatch this soul as a brand from the burning. And He heard. We spoke to her of Jesus, who had died for sinners, and the Lord in His mercy opened her eyes to see not only that He could save, but that He would save. She believed, and she was saved, and, contrary to our expectations, she lived for some little time, and testified to all about her, of God’s wondrous love to a poor sinner like herself.
In that same town, many years before, this poor woman was a girl in the Sunday school, but heedless of salvation, and after living for many years abroad, and being twice married, she was brought back, as she herself said, to hear from one of those same Sunday school teachers, “words whereby she might be saved.”
E. J. M