IN a little country town, lived one, who, for years, had been in trouble of mind concerning her eternal future. She was truly anxious to find peace with God, but she was hindered by the false doctrine that some are born to be saved, others to be lost; yet she was unwilling to give up hope. She would frequently send for me, and ask me to pray for her, which I ever most readily did, taking the opportunity to earnestly plead with her to cast herself on Christ, and to fully trust Him. The answer would invariably be, “I can’t; I wish I could; but don’t give me up.”
This distressed soul constantly attended the preaching of the word, and eagerly drank it in, but the only effect apparently, was to make her inure miserable. I almost despaired of her conversion but at length God’s time came for answering prayer. One Sunday evening I was about to conduct a service in the town, and, on retiring beforehand for prayer, the burden of souls pressed so heavily upon me, and especially the case of this woman, that I said, “Lord, Thou art surely going to bless tonight; let Mrs. —be saved.”
At the very moment that the preacher was thus alone with God about the woman, she was alone with the devil, who tempted her spirit, whispering these thoughts into her heart: “You are a fine hypocrite, going to hear the gospel preached, making people believe you want to be saved, and you know you never will be.” “Well, after this night I will never go any more, but I will go this once,” she said.
During the address this verse was quoted, “The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart; that is, the word of faith, which we preach; that if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.” Rom. 10:8, 98But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; 9That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. (Romans 10:8‑9).
As the people were leaving, a voice whispered to the preacher, “I have got Christ tonight!” and there stood before him the woman for whom he prayed, saying, “Lord, let her be saved”—the very woman, who had told the devil she would go to no more gospel meetings after that night.
“It was that verse that did it,” said she; “how was it you never told me these things before? I could not help myself; but just said in my heart, ‘I do confess Thee, Lord. I do believe in my heart that God has raised His Son from the dead, so I am saved. I will tell them at once, I will confess Him with my mouth.’ Then the devil whispered, ‘Don’t do it now, there’s your neighbor behind you.’ I was nearly yielding to the temptation, and felt a darkness coming over my soul so I hastened to confess Him to you.”
She did not rest with telling me; she went home and told her husband, and then her friends, what great things the Lord had done for her. She still rejoices in the Lord.
ML 10/17/1909