A STRIKING case of conversion took place at N― in September last, of a young woman of the age of twenty, which, with her parents’ consent, is noted down for the readers of GOOD NEWS, in the hope that the Lord will use it for the good of souls.
Clara A — had, from her childhood, been carefully brought up, cherished, and over by her beloved parents. She had received a plain education, and had attended a Sunday-school, so that her advantages in these respects were good; but, like thousands of others, she had entirely neglected her never-dying soul, until it became almost too late. About two years ago she was taken ill, and it soon after became but too apparent that consumption had set in. The progress of this insidious disease in her case was slow, and, like many others in similar circumstances, she felt certain at times that she should get better. The subject of salvation did not at first seem to occupy her attention. Occasionally, indeed, she would be seen reading her Bible, but, being of a nervous and reserved disposition, she was backward in opening her mind to others. About the close of last August, her condition became so critical, that she was confined to her bed, and on the Saturday following, viz., September 1, her mind was suddenly aroused to a sense of her danger, on finding that all hopes of her getting better were vain, and that she must soon, very soon, leave this world. The thought of what would become of her soul came upon her with tremendous weight, and awoke the inquiry, “What must I do to be saved?” She looked back on her past life, but saw nothing upon which she could rest her troubled soul with safety, while she looked forward to eternity with a thrill of horror. What a condition! A soul on the ‘border of eternity, and nearing the precipice of that awful place, “where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched” (Mark 9:4444Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. (Mark 9:44)), being forced on by every approaching moment, with nothing to cling to nor Test upon.. What an object for the mercy of God! Her conscience was much exercised; she felt the heavy burden of sin; she was “like the troubled sea when it cannot rest.” She could not extricate herself; she knew not where to look for help, and she could only cry again and again, “What must I do?” On Sunday morning it came into her heart to pray to God, Her prayer was as follows: “O Lord, I know not what to do! Wilt thou send one of thy servants to tell me what I must do, and show me the right way?” How simple, but how real! It was the prayer of an anxious, sin-burdened soul. That prayer was heard in heaven and an answer immediately granted, as will be seen. On the same day (viz., Saturday, the 1St of September) on which she was first aroused to a sense of her danger, the writer of this paper overheard two females conversing about a young woman who was dangerously ill, and not expected to live. He inquired the young woman’s address, and made a note of it. On Sunday morning, while in fellowship with some other Christians at the Lord’s table, he was very much reminded of his Lord’s love to him, in not only saving him from eternal death, but also in raising him up in spirit now with himself; that it was not death which separated him from Christ, but that His death had forever separated him from the world unto Himself, and that when He was done with him here on earth, He would take him to His Father’s house above, having already fitted him for His presence. The thought of how he could prove to his Lord that he loved him, arose naturally from a sense of His great love to him. He was then impressed with the desire of at once visiting this afflicted young woman, and could not rest until he had done so. In the afternoon he called at her residence, and was at once shown into the room where she lay; after which, at her request, they were left alone. At this time he knew nothing of what she had previously passed through, but the following conversation took place. He said to her, “Dear friend, how do matters stand between your soul and God?” As she did not answer, he added, “Are you ready for heaven?” “No.” “Do you desire to go to heaven?” “Yes,” she answered, quickly. “What do you require to fit you for that blessed place?” “I don’t know,” she replied. “Do you feel yourself to be a lost sinner?” “Yes, I do.” Seeing that a Bible lay beside her, the writer said, “Find Luke 15, and let us see what God has said,” and, pulling out his own Bible, read gently the parable of the lost piece of silver. Having finished reading, he asked, “Do you understand the meaning?” “No, I do not,” she replied. The visitor then proceeded to comment upon the parable as follows: “That piece of silver is a true picture of your condition as a sinner. Notice, first, that piece of silver was lost; so are you, and, if you are not found and saved shortly, you will be lost forever.” This truth was by no means new to her; her mind had been previously opened to see, and now to acknowledge herself a lost sinner. He proceeded, “Secondly, that piece of silver was not only lost, but lifeless; so are you. As to the new life in. Christ, you are indeed lifeless, ‘dead in trespasses and sins;’ hence all your efforts to merit such a standing, whether past, present, or future, are worthless, and will leave you in the same place — a sinner still.”
Alas, how many stumble here! Their worthless and wretched. DOING hinders them from seeing and resting alone on the finished work of Christ. When the sinner is aroused to a sense of his condition by nature, the highest thought of his heart is to do something to inherit eternal life. Such was the thought of the rich young man of Matt. 19; of the lawyer of Luke 10; of the jailor at Philippi, Acts 16. It has been the thought of thousands. It was the thought of this young woman. But oh, when the anxious sinner sees, and is enabled to grasp, the truth that the work of his salvation was wrought out long, long ago, in the person of Jesus Christ on the cross, what a change takes place! Wrong and hard thoughts of God are then swept away; sorrow is turned into, joy; the tossing of a guilty conscience is calmed by the peace-speaking blood of Jesus, while His blessed person is more than enough for the heart. Moreover, the great enemy is defeated and his suggestions displaced, by the truth of God, and hence the triumphant shout of “Victory! victory!”
But to return. While the dying girl listened with anxious attention, the visitor continued.: “Thirdly, that piece of silver was not only lost and lifeless, but it was valuable; and so are you in God’s gracious eye — so valuable that the Son of God left those mansions above, and came to this sinful world, that he might purchase the sinner for himself, at the tremendous cost of his own life; and lift such out of their lost, lifeless, and wretched condition as sinners, and raise them to brightest, spotless glory.” As these and other similar truths fell upon her ear, her countenance lighted up — yes, like a piece of silver reflecting the candle’s light. The Spirit of God had, undoubtedly, opened the heart of this afflicted one; and when the light of God’s holy word shone in, it could not be hid. But although she was now like a loosened stone in the quarry, she was not yet lifted out; she had not as yet obtained deliverance. But the time for that also was not far off. When he had, at her own request, prayed for her, and was about to take his departure, her visitor said, “I desire to leave with you two verses to ponder over when I am gone,” and, reading Acts 13:38, 39,38Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: 39And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses. (Acts 13:38‑39) bade her farewell. He never saw her again alive; but, after she had fallen asleep in Jesus, her dear parents told him that both on the day he left her, and on the day following, she was frequently engaged in reading these verses and in prayer, and that it was while reading Acts 13:38, 39,38Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: 39And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses. (Acts 13:38‑39) that she obtained perfect and blessed liberty. Yes, the Lord gave her to see that “by him all who believe are justified from all things.” She cried out to her distressed mother that she was now happy that Jesus was hers, and that she longed to go to him. Her mother said, “My dear child, I shall soon lose you.” She answered, “Mother, don’t cry for me; I cannot cry, for Jesus has dried up all my tears.” Her mother said again, “My child, don’t you fear to die?” “No, mother, I am happy now. On Sunday, I did pray to the Lord to send one of his servants to tell me what I must do, and to show me the right way; and now I am happy; I do believe in Jesus, and am safe. I do not fear to die.” These are the breathings of a new-born soul, not then a day old. In the most blessed assurance and fullest confidence in her Lord’s love, young as she was in the faith, she could say with great firmness, “I do believe in Jesus, and am safe. I do not fear to die.” And again, “Jesus is mine.” On Tuesday she called for her younger brother, warned him against putting off the salvation of his soul, and entreated him to follow her to heaven. On Wednesday morning, about four o’clock, her friends, observing a great change, her mother said to her, “My child, you will soon be gone.” She answered, “Mother, I cannot sing, I have no strength.” Her mother said, “You need not fear, my child, if you are resting only in Jesus.” “Mother,” she replied, “I do rest in, Jesus, and am ready,” and in a few minutes she was gone — “absent from the body, present with the Lord.”
H.