A child of God, mentioned to me the case of Mrs. C., who had just left the hospital, and was saying,
"God cannot be Love to make me suffer such bodily agony."
The desire filled me to be able to go to see Mrs. C., and the Lord graciously opened the way.
When I spoke to her of the love of the Lord Jesus in dying for sinners, she surprised me by assenting to all that was said; and, for the first few visits, she said, "yes" to everything, although others residing in the same house said she did not bear testimony to being a saved soul. Why was she so quiet with me? Was it bodily sufferings which made her quiet? No, it was God's own Word going home to her soul, and she did not like it.
One day, while I was speaking to her of the old, old story of Jesus she suddenly raised her voice (which had been made very weak) to quite a loud strain, and said angrily,
"My dear Miss. B., you need not tell me, I know it all! I know it from a child!" And she continued in a loud angry voice, until utterly exhausted, she sank back on her pillow and ceased.
For some minutes I felt quite wordless, and feeling my extreme helplessness, my heart went up to the Lord in silent prayer for a word to speak. He seemed graciously to answer, and to bring to my lips these words,
"Mrs. C., in God's Word we have an account, told by the Lord Jesus of a certain king who made a marriage for his son, and one came in who had not on a wedding garment. When the king came in to see the guests, and saw the man who had not the wedding garment, he asked him how he came without it The man was speechless, and you will be speechless if you wish to go into His presence your own way."
I then arose and stood over her, speaking of the precious blood of the Lord Jesus. She did not again open her lips or eyes, as I pressed a kiss on her forehead, and slowly left the room.
The next three times I called she refused to see me. The nurse apologized for Mrs. C.'s rudeness to me, at the same time remarking that she often heard her engaged in prayer at nights when alone.
The fourth visit she consented to see me, and received me quietly. I asked if I might read God's Word to her. She assented, and I read Matt. 22:1-13; and then spoke of the night when the destroying angel was to smite the first-born in Egypt. The people of Israel had to sprinkle the blood on the lintel, and when God saw the blood, He did not destroy. Similarly, the Lord Jesus on the cross shed His precious blood, so that lying there, she could have all her sins washed away by faith in that blood, which God saw, for
"The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin." 1 John 1:7.
Then kneeling by her bed in prayer, I pleaded aloud to God for her precious soul.
A few days afterward I heard she was passing away, and was quite happy at the thought of going to be with the Lord Jesus; she was speaking to others also, especially to one of her daughters, of the Lord.
I was told she was too far gone to see me; but when I knocked at her door, someone from inside ran to open the door, saying,
"Mrs. C. wants to see you."
When I entered her room she raised herself up in bed, held out her hand and said my name. I bent over her and asked,
"Are you trusting in knowing it all from a child, Mrs. C.?"
Slowly her head moved from side to side, expressing, "No!" When I mentioned the precious blood of the Lord Jesus Christ, and asked if her trust was in that, the head quickly moved, indicating, "Yes, yes!" A few words more with her, and I left her, after she had by signs assented that we should meet in heaven.
Her daughter followed me downstairs, and told me her mother had told them the word spoken on the day of her anger was what God had blessed to her soul.
"Surely the wrath of man shall praise Thee: the remainder of wrath shalt Thou restrain." Psa. 76:10.
An eye-witness said her end was bright, and, as if addressing someone she saw, she exclaimed, "It is Jesus!" and was with Him who proved Himself to be a God of Love, in seeking and saving that which was lost.
Dear reader, this true story is written in the simple hope that it may arouse you to ask yourself,
"Am I like Mrs. C., do I know it all?"
You may know in your head the way of salvation, and be a lost soul; knowledge is one thing, and belief in the heart quite another (Rom. 10:9, 10).
"It is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul." Lev. 17:11.
"The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin." 1 John 1:7.