His voice faltered, and the big tears fell from his eyes despite his efforts to restrain them. Relaxing his hold on the minister, he sank upon his seat, and buried his face in his hands.
“Poor Groves,” said the minister, “there is one left to love you, Jesus Christ, the sinner’s friend. And tonight I come to offer you pardon in His name. Will you accept it?”
“Jesus Christ does not love me; He will not pardon me. I cannot hope,” said Groves, amidst tears and sobs.
“How can you doubt His love? Did He not die for you the shameful death of the Cross? Does He not invite you in His Word to come unto Him and have life? Hear what He says, ‘Him that cometh to Me I will in nowise cast out. He that believeth hath everlasting life.’ Will you not believe in Him and be saved?”
“Oh, I do believe, I never doubted. I believe all that is written concerning Christ, and it is this that troubles me. Oh, that I could doubt it, for I might then die in peace! But hell is my portion. Its pains have seized upon me already.”
“The simple assent of your understanding to the truths of the Gospel can never save you. You have sinned against a holy, just, and good God. You must repent of your sins and believe on Him with all your heart.”
“It is too late now,” replied Groves. “If I could he restored to liberty, I might hope, by acts of devotion to God, to atone in some measure for the evil I have done. Christ will not accept me now.”
“Had you a thousand lives to live, Groves,” said the minister, “and all of them should be spent in doing good, you could not thus atone for a single sin. You cannot merit your salvation by good works. Grace alone can save you. You have only to believe and live. To exercise saving faith, you have only to believe that God is sincere in making you the offer of salvation. Then, repent of your sins, and take God at His word; comply with His terms, and He will save you. For this let us pray.”
The minister and the murderer knelt together in prayer—earnest, importunate prayer; mercy was all their plea.
In this manner they spent the greater part of the night. The morning at length dawned; but ere the sun had scattered the morning clouds, the Sun of Righteousness by its healing beams had dispersed the thick clouds of darkness that enveloped the soul of the poor prisoner. George Groves gave the clearest evidence of being a changed man; not converted simply, but regenerated and renewed by the Holy Spirit. Death to him was stripped of all its terrors. On the day of his execution the minister accompanied him to the scaffold, and then, for the last time, they knelt together in prayer. After an affectionate parting, they separated to meet again in heaven. He died expressing a firm reliance in Jesus Christ for salvation, and rejoicing in hope of the glory of God. Death was robbed of its sting, and the grave of its victory.
ML 04/29/1906