ONE Sunday, the writer was engaged with some other Christian workers in Oxfordshire, going from place to place distributing tracts and proclaiming the gospel. In driving into a tolerably large village they found a group of men assembled near the green, whose curiosity was excited by seeing a white pony and chaise stop in their midst. This curiosity increased as one of the strange visitors rose and said, “We are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God." (2 Cor. 5:2020Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God. (2 Corinthians 5:20).) "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." (John 3:1616For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16).) "Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this Man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: and by Him all that believe are justified from all things." (Acts 13:3838Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: (Acts 13:38).)
That voice rang clearly through the stillness, and many were the hearers who stood at their garden gates listening to the message of pardon for "all manner of sin" (Matt. 12:3131Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men. (Matthew 12:31)), through faith in the blood of the Lamb.
An aged woman, wrapping her shawl around her, came slowly down the lane, and taking up her position close to the step of the chaise, stood all but motionless, listening to the words of eternal life. She had planted her stick firmly upon the ground, and leaning forward, until bent nearly double, was supporting her whole weight upon the staff.
As soon as the speaker had finished, he was curious to know something of this interested hearer; so quietly stepping to the old dame's side, said, as he took her hand, " I see you are leaning upon your stick, mother; are you leaning upon Christ, I wonder?"
The aged eyes brightened; the face which had been turned to the earth was lifted to the beautiful sunshine, as she answered with quaint emphasis, “That be just what I'm doing. Leaning on Jesus."
“So it is ' Thy rod and Thy staff they comfort me,' with you?”
"Ay, it just be, sir; it's comfort, it is."
“Then you have a strong staff to lean upon; lean hard; for you are getting weak, I see."
“Smartish on for ninety, sir."
So, just to test her, the following question was put—" Well, I suppose after so long you do not want to give up your Saviour?"
If the reader could have seen the old lady, as she straightened her bent frame to its full height, and gave her reply, all doubt as to the value of genuine piety would have fled. “Part with my Jesus? Not for the world! The world?—Not for ten thousand worlds! "
We never find a real Christian discovering in old age his faith in Christ to have been in vain. Here was a poor, simple-minded creature, “smartish on for ninety," who had proved the truth of God's promises during a long life, and who reckoned her Jesus to be better than “ten thousand worlds."
“So you have given your heart to Him?” continued the preacher.
“Ay! my heart, my soul, my body—He's got it all,"
What a happy instance of full and complete trust—all given into the hands of the Lord Jesus. L.