SOME years ago, when the Crystal Palace, as it now stands, was just completed, an honored servant of God, the late Mr. Spurgeon, was asked to preach in it, which he consented to do.
But the thought came to him, How should he modulate his voice so as to be heard all over the immense building?
So early one morning he went to try it for himself, when it was empty. When he got there he hesitated for a moment as to what he should say, when suddenly the words came to him, “Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.”
This he shouted at first with all his might, causing it to echo round and round the building, making him say to himself, “This will never do.” Again and again he repeated, until satisfied as to the pitch of his voice, “Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.”
Some years after, one of the workmen employed in repairing the roof of the Crystal Palace, was on his dying bed; a friend went to see him, and, upon asking him if he were ready to meet God, he replied, “Yes, quite; “adding,” When I was employed some years ago in helping to repair the Crystal Palace, I was very unhappy about my soul, and one morning upon the roof, when I felt the burden of my sins very heavy, a voice came all of a sudden, from whence I do not know, or who it was I do not know, but it said, ‘Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world,’ and in one moment my burden of sins was gone forever.”
Dear reader, have you ever heard a voice telling this blessed news to you? To how many of our hearts has it brought a message of peace and pardon! and as we feel the comfort of it to our own souls, we long that others should share it with us. And if you remember when John the Baptist first uttered those words, two poor sinners, just like ourselves, heard him say them, and they left him to go after that blessed “Lamb of God.” And what was the result? Jesus saw them following, and invited them to come and see where He dwelt, and they stayed with Him (John 1).
And that is just what He does now, for He “died for us, that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with Him.”
Think of this holy, blessed Saviour wanting us poor sinners to live with Him always in His home. He tell us, “I go to prepare a place for you,... and I will come again and receive you unto Myself, that where I am, there ye may be also” (John 14:33And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. (John 14:3)).
S.