An old herdsman in England was taken to a London hospital. He was very ill, and the doctors gave no hope of his recovery. His little grandchild used often to come and see him, and she would then read to him out of the Bible. One day she was reading the first chapter of the first Epistle of John, and came to the words
“And the blood of Jesus Christ, His Son, cleanseth us from all sin.” 1 John 1:7.
The old man raised himself up and stopped the little girl, saying with great earnestness:
“Is that there, my dear?”
“Yes, grandpa,” she replied, “it is.”
“Then,” said he, “read it to me again I have never heard it before.”
She read it again.
“You are quite sure it is written there?” he said again.
“Yes, quite sure, grandpa,” was the child’s answer.
“Then take my hand, and lay my finger on the passage, for I want to feel it.”
She took the old blind man’s hand and placed, his bony finger on the verse, when he said, “Now, read it to me again,” With a soft, sweet voice, she read,
“And the blood of Jesus Christ, His Son, cleanseth us from all sin,” Again he asked eagerly,
“And you are not making a mistake; you are perfectly sure that is in the Bible?”
“Yes, perfectly certain, grandpa.” “Then,” said the old man, sinking back on his pillow, “if anyone should ask how I died, tell them I died in the faith of those words, “The blood of Jesus Christ, His Son, cleanseth us from all sin.” Soon after, he passed away, peaceful and happy in the sense of all his sin being put away by that One perfect sacrifice.
ML 02/09/1936