Since reading the foregoing paper in MS, a scene, long past, has been brought afresh to my mind, as a blessed contrast. It happened in a country town about twelve years ago. A brief sketch of which may serve as a companion.
Several evenings had been devoted to preaching, prayer, and conversation with anxious souls. A goodly number were deeply impressed, and many were truly converted; but our present object is to speak of one only.
It was thought desirable to have a general tea meeting, and invite the anxious and those interested in the gospel. After tea and before the address, when many were moving about and conversing freely on the concerns of the soul—a poor emaciated-looking woman came up to me with a sheet of hymns in her hand, and placing her finger on the words, “Jesus is mine,” said, with much feeling, “ I could not sing these words last evening, but, oh, thank the Lord, I can sing them tonight.” “Thank the Lord indeed, my dear woman,” I replied, “and are you happy now?” “Ο yes,” she said, “but I was so unhappy last night,” and went on explaining her feelings and experience in something like the following words:
“When we all stood up to sing that hymn, ‘Jesus is mine,’ something said to me, You can’t sing that, Jesus is not yours. And there I stood trembling with fear, and could not sing a word. And when I saw you all so happy, my heart was like to break. I did not know what to do; and after I went home I could do nothing but cry; I could not sleep; and I prayed, and prayed, that the Lord would save my soul, and give me faith to say ‘Jesus is mine.’ And the Lord had mercy on me, for He did answer my prayer, and I could say before I fell asleep, ‘Jesus is mine,’ and I am quite happy now.”
“I am delighted to hear what you say; you ought to be the happiest woman on earth, what a noble prize you have found! But do you remember how you came to feel sure of Jesus being yours?”
“Well, it somehow came before my mind, that Jesus had died for me as well as for the others, and I should believe that and put my trust in Him, for He will never cast me off; and I did feel that I could trust in Jesus, and that I could love Him for having died for me a great sinner; and I should like to sing that hymn tonight, if you will give it out.”
It was not difficult to see that all was real, and that the Holy Spirit had been her teacher. I mentioned the woman’s desire to the meeting with some of the circumstances, and we sung the hymn with great joy of heart, the woman joining with us. Those who are familiar with such scenes know the peculiar joy which such an instance of God’s grace produces. It is a sweet foretaste of heaven. Having ascertained how she came to the meetings, we parted, never to meet again in this world. Soon after this she was called home.
I afterward learned from the sister who induced her to come to the meetings, that she was a poor charwoman in bad health. But rest was near. Her illness increased. She was told at the hospital, that she must undergo an operation as the only hope of recovery, but the surgeon was afraid that she was too weak to survive it. After consulting the kind friend who had brought her to the meetings, she consented to submit to the operation. She said she was not afraid to die, and that if it were the Lord’s will to take her home she was happy to go. Her friend accompanied her to the operating room, but a scene occurred, seldom witnessed in that frightful place. When fixed in the right position for the operation, her mind seems to have turned to Jesus. In place of thinking of the terrors of the knife—and full of terrors it must be to a woman’s heart—she commenced singing her favorite hymn: u Now I have found a Friend, Jesus is mine; His love will never end, Jesus is mine; Though earthly joys decrease, Though human friendships cease, Now I have lasting peace, Jesus is mine.”
We must leave the reader to imagine the effect of such an unusual occurrence in an operating room, especially if the students were present. The operation was performed, but the patient sank under it, and shortly after fell asleep in Jesus.
But whence this courage? the courage that could sing in such overwhelming circumstances? To be strapped to a table, to be surrounded with students, to see the surgeon with the sharp instrument in his hand, is more than enough to shake the strongest nerve, and make the stoutest heart to quail. How then, it may be asked, could a poor charwoman—a woman without education, without cultivation of any kind, so rise above the circumstances in which she was placed? There is but one answer to this question—She knew Jesus. Not merely, observe, pardon and salvation, precious as these are; but she knew Jesus Himself—the person, as well as the work, of the Lord Jesus. We believe a doctrine, we rest in a truth, but strictly speaking we love neither. We can only love a person. This is power; this was the power of the poor charwoman. To lean upon an arm that will never grow feeble, to meet an eye that will never grow dim, to confide in a heart that will never grow cold, is rest and peace and joy; but joyless must the soul be that knows not the person of the Lord Jesus, even though knowing pardon and salvation.
Dear reader, where art thou, what hast thou? Knowest thou the value of His work for thy conscience, and the preciousness of His person for thy heart? Thou believest that He is the Savior of the world, but believest thou that He is thy Savior? What art thou without Him? What would this world be without a sun? Bright, compared to the darkness and desolation of thy Christless state. Still He lingers in love for thee. Come to Jesus now. He waits, He longs, He loves to receive thee. Turn not a deaf ear, a careless heart, to His invitations. Wrath is reserved for the rejecter of Christ; the sword but slumbers in its sheath. Oh! turn, turn, TURN, to Him now—just now—while His arms are extended wide to fold thee in the everlasting embrace of His eternal love. Matt. 11:28-3028Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. 30For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. (Matthew 11:28‑30); John 6:3737All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. (John 6:37); Luke 7:36-5036And one of the Pharisees desired him that he would eat with him. And he went into the Pharisee's house, and sat down to meat. 37And, behold, a woman in the city, which was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at meat in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster box of ointment, 38And stood at his feet behind him weeping, and began to wash his feet with tears, and did wipe them with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment. 39Now when the Pharisee which had bidden him saw it, he spake within himself, saying, This man, if he were a prophet, would have known who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth him: for she is a sinner. 40And Jesus answering said unto him, Simon, I have somewhat to say unto thee. And he saith, Master, say on. 41There was a certain creditor which had two debtors: the one owed five hundred pence, and the other fifty. 42And when they had nothing to pay, he frankly forgave them both. Tell me therefore, which of them will love him most? 43Simon answered and said, I suppose that he, to whom he forgave most. And he said unto him, Thou hast rightly judged. 44And he turned to the woman, and said unto Simon, Seest thou this woman? I entered into thine house, thou gavest me no water for my feet: but she hath washed my feet with tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head. 45Thou gavest me no kiss: but this woman since the time I came in hath not ceased to kiss my feet. 46My head with oil thou didst not anoint: but this woman hath anointed my feet with ointment. 47Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little. 48And he said unto her, Thy sins are forgiven. 49And they that sat at meat with him began to say within themselves, Who is this that forgiveth sins also? 50And he said to the woman, Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace. (Luke 7:36‑50).