Keruba, a notorious bandit in India, became concerned in his old age about the life he had lived and began to seek for peace at idol shrines.
From one to another he went in a fruitless search until one day he went to a large city to attend a great celebration. As he walked about, he heard a sound that attracted his attention. It was the clear, silvery tone of an American bell, very different from the Hindu bells he was accustomed to. He asked about it and was told that it was the bell which rang to call the Christians to worship.
Christians? Who were they? He had never heard of them before, so he went in the direction of the sound and came at length to a large building. People were going in and, after a moment's hesitation, Keruba followed them. He listened and looked around with curiosity, but when the speaker read the text, "The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin," his attention was caught and he listened with deepest interest. The speaker caught sight of Keruba's eager, anxious look, and preached Christ Jesus and Him crucified as though he had no other listener.
The service ended and the people left, but Keruba lingered until the missionary came out. Then, stepping up to him, he said: "Is this all true that you have been preaching?"
"It is," said the missionary, "for it is just what God Himself has told us."
"Well, you say that the blood of Jesus Christ can cleanse us from all sin; can it take away the stain of murder?"
"Yes, indeed it can if the murderer truly believes on the Lord Jesus. God declares that `whosoever believeth on Him shall receive remission of sins."'
"Well, but supposing a man has committed two murders. Can he be forgiven them?"
"He can."
"Five murders?"
"Yes, even five."
"Supposing he had murdered ten innocent persons?" asked the man earnestly.
"God can forgive and blot out ten murders."
"But supposing it's twenty instead of ten?"
"God will forgive twenty murders for the sake of His Son, Jesus Christ."
"Oh, will He forgive me?" exclaimed the man, tears filling his eyes and streaming down his cheeks. "I have murdered twenty poor innocent creatures! O God, have pity on me!"
The missionary grasped his hand and wept with him, while Keruba unfolded to him the whole story of his life and of his distress of mind during the past year. He told him how he had tortured himself and tried in every way to ease his conscience, but in vain.
"But now," he exclaimed, "I have found the Lord Jesus Christ! You say He died for me. I feel here, in my heart, it is true. Oh, Jesus Christ, I want you! Oh, take away my sins!"
And as twilight stole into the hall, the missionary and the bandit knelt together, praying. At last Keruba rose from his knees feeling his heavy burden all gone. The Lord had taken it away.
In a few days he went back to his own place and told his friends what had happened how wicked and wretched and miserable he had been, but that Jesus Christ, the Savior of the guilty, had given him pardon and comfort.
They wondered at his words, but more than all, at his happy face so changed from what it had been. As before he had won followers to himself, so now with all his zeal and might, he strove to win followers to Christ.