LET no one suppose that he can be converted till he wakes up to the fact that he is lost. When I was in New York City the chaplain of the city prison wanted me to go down to "The Tombs" and preach to the prisoners. I told him I would be glad to do it. I supposed the prisoners were to be brought into the chapel, but when I got there I found that I had got to speak to them in their cells, so that all I could see was the bare walls.
Well, when I had finished talking to them, I thought I would go round and see what effect my preaching had had. In the first cell I looked into I saw three or four men playing cards. I said to them, "My men, how is it that you are here?" "Well, the fact is, chaplain, some false witnesses appeared against us in the court, and we were sent up; but we are not guilty.”
"Well," I said, "there is nothing for me to do here—these men are innocent," and I passed on to another cell. There I saw two men, and in reply to my question what brought them there, one of them said, "I tell you how it is, chaplain: we got caught, and the men that done the deed, they got clear.”
"No one here for Christ to save," said I; and I went along to the next cell, where there were some others. "Well, sirs, how is it with you?" "Oh, we haven't had our trial yet. We'll be out of here in a week or two.”
I never saw so many innocent men in any one day in my life. The only guilty men, it would appear by their remarks, were the magistrates and officers who put them there.
But after a while I found a man away off in a cell by himself. His head was resting between his hands, and I saw two great streams of tears pouring down his face. They did not come in drops, but in streams. "Well, my friend, what's the trouble?" He looked up and said, "Oh, sir, my sins are more than I can bear!" "Thank God for that," said I. The man looked surprised. "What," said he, "are you not the man who has been preaching, and you are glad that my sins are more than I can bear?" "Yes." "I thought you said you were a friend to the prisoner." "So I am." "Well, why are you glad that my sins are more than I can bear?" "Because, if they are too heavy for you, you can cast them on someone who will bear them for you." "Who is that?" "The Lord Jesus Christ; He will bear them for you.”
I told him how Christ left heaven, how He came down to the manger, of His love for the sinner, and His willingness to save him. After I finished my talk with him I said, “Now let us pray," and I prayed with him and asked God to save him. Then I said," Now you pray for yourself." “No," he said," I cannot pray; it would be blasphemy." “No," I said," call upon your God and ask him to save you." When I left him I said to him," Now, I shall be in my room between nine and ten o'clock, and I shall be praying for you.”
Next morning I met him again, and as soon as I saw him I perceived that a great change had taken place. The light of Eternity seemed to be breaking around him. His face was lit up the moment he saw me. I said, "I wish you would tell me all about it." He said, "I thank God that He brought me here, for if He hadn't brought me here I shouldn't have received Christ.”
Christ went into that one cell and set a captive soul free. And why? Because he believed he was lost. If there is anyone who will believe he is a sinner and wants to be saves, such a one Christ will save.
D. L. MOODY.