I WAS asked to speak to a young man, who had stayed behind after a gospel meeting. I found him in great distress of mind, and laying my hand on his shoulder, I asked gently, “My friend, what is your trouble?” He replied, “I am anxious about my soul. I had been going to a Bible class, until I got troubled in my conscience, and then gave up attending. My companions laughed away these impressions, but I could not keep from my class. I have been going on in this miserable way for months, sometimes going to the class, and then again keeping away from it for weeks. Now tonight, since I have been sitting in this hall, the Spirit of God has said to me, ‘This is your last chance; if you don’t accept Christ tonight you will never have another opportunity.’”
“Oh! sir,” he added with intense earnestness, “tell me, can my sins be forgiven?”
I told him that God had said, “though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow,” that “the blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth from all sin,” and that the promise was, “if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” “Now,” I said, “my brother, let us get down on our knees, and confess your sins to God, and ask Him to forgive you.”
Together we knelt down, and the young fellow, in broken, heartfelt words, poured out his soul to God, asking His forgiveness. Ere we rose from our knees, the answer came, and he was able to thank God that his sins, which were many, were all forgiven. As we shook hands on parting he said, “I am a different man since I came in here. I came in a miserable man, and am going out a happy one.”
S.