J. S.―an old man, who had been a plowman in former years―was taken so ill that he felt he might not have long to live. Then his thoughts were directed to a life of 70 years without God, and with these thoughts came fears and trouble as to where his soul would go when he died. Hearing of his illness I went to see him, and, after inquiring about his bodily ailments, I prayed to God to open my mouth with the suited word, and to give it power to his heart. “Well, J. S.,” I said, “if this affliction ends in death, where will you go then?” “Ah,” said he. “that’s the thing that troubles me, I’ve been praying and praying these many years, but instead of getting rid of my sins they seem to increase more and more.” Anxious to know if God was really working in his heart, I pressed upon him the fearful realities of eternal judgment. He wept much, saying, “Ah, what shall I do? Ah, what shall I do?” Such an anxious look as he gave me I never shall forget, and we wept together. After some silence I said, “My dear J. S., I have a message from God for you this morning.” “What is it?” he asked. I read to him from the 53rd chapter of Isaiah: “He was wounded for our transgressions; he was bruised for our iniquities.” “What,” said he, “is that in the Bible?” “Yes,” I answered, “dear J., and more too, ‘the chastisement of our peace was upon him,’ and now mark, ‘by his stripes we are healed.’” “How is it,” he anxiously asked, “I have not been told this, before. I have heard the Bible read these 40 years in church, and never knew that was there before, why didn’t they tell me?”
“Never mind that,” I answered him, “you’re just in time; and now listen (for it seemed quite difficult for him to remain quiet), ‘All we like sheep have gone astray.’” “Yes,” said he, “that’s my wicked character.” “We have turned everyone to his own way.” “That’s exactly my wicked character,” he put in. “But now listen further to what God says,” I rejoined: “The Lord hath laid on him the iniquities of us all.” “What,” said he, “my iniquities?” “Yes,” I answered, “yours; listen to it again. ‘The Lord HATH LAID ON HIM the iniquities of us all:’” “Praise the Lord,” he called out, “praise the Lord, it is for me.” “Yes,” I said, “for you.”
I turned to his wife and I said “And you see, Mrs. S., it is for you too.” “Yes,” anxiously answered J. S., reaching out his hand to me, “but tell it to me now, I shall soon be gone, tell her afterward. Oh! tell it to me.” I turned and said, “Thus you see that blessed One has been down here, and has gone to the cross, and there he bore the judgment of God for our sins and has forever put them away, by paying down redemption price, even His own blood, satisfying divine justice, meeting God’s righteous demands, and thereby clearing a guilty one like you.” “Praise the Lord! Oh! how shall I praise Him enough,” he answered. He seemed utterly exhausted with the excitement of this good news. I left him quiet for a little till he seemed to rally, and then asked him, “Shall I kneel down and thank the Lord?” “Yes,” said he, “but do let me kneel down too.” I assisted him up to do so, seeing he was so bent upon it, and we knelt down in the quiet of that solemnized sick chamber together. Then in his feeble and simple way he poured out his soul in praise to the Lord for what He had done for his soul. I then helped him back into his chair, for heart disease and dropsy combined rendered it impossible for him to lie down, and left the house, promising to call again in the evening. About seven o’clock I called in again and still found him rejoicing in the knowledge of being saved.
I talked of the love, the power, and the work of Christ, and he broke out in an ecstasy of joy, “Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord! Oh! where should I have been hadst Thou not sent one of Thy children in to tell me the way to be saved?”
Then he turned to me and said, “I must thank you again forever coming to me with that message from God, and now the work is done, and I am saved, bless the Lord!” With my heart full of real joy at God’s wonderful grace I left him, and again after two days called. I found him now very sorrowful, As I came in he reached out his hand, saying, “Oh, I have been waiting to see you, I’m in such trouble.” “What is the matter?” I asked, as I saw Satan had been troubling him, and I looked to the Lord to give me the right word. “I’ve been so naughty,” he said, “for I have been today with worldly things, through people of the world coming in to see me. I want to know, does that affect my safety?” “Can your son cease to be your son,” I asked, “because he is not always talking about you?” “Of course not,” was his answer.
“Then,” said I, “listen to what God says through the Apostle Paul, Neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.’” “Then,” said he, “all is well now, I am happy.” He was now quite exhausted, and his strength rapidly failing, so commending him to God, and the word of His grace, I left him. Many visits I paid him after this, and always found him resting on a living Saviour, who had loved him, and died for him, and in Him he rejoiced, until, gradually day by day sinking, he soon after fell asleep in Jesus, who has promised to come again quickly, when “The dead in Christ shall rise first; then we, which are alive and remain, shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air; and so shall ever be with the lord” (1 Thess. 4:16,17).
J. C.