William Haslam, the well known home missionary, told the following story about himself: "As I was sitting by the fire one wet afternoon, my eyes fell on a little colored picture on the mantelpiece. It was a quaint medieval illustration of Moses lifting up the serpent in the wilderness. It had been copied from a valuable original in Bodleian Library, at Oxford.
I took the picture in my hand and studied it. The cross or pole on which the serpent was elevated stood in the center, dividing two sets of characters. There were serpents on one side and none on the other.
"Behind the figure of Moses was a man standing with arms crossed on his breast, looking at the brazen serpent. He had evidently obtained life and healing by a look.
"On the other side I observed there were four kinds of persons represented, who were not doing as this healed man did to obtain deliverance.
"First, there was one kneeling in front of the cross, but he was looking towards Moses, not at the serpent, and apparently confessing to Moses as if to a church official.
"Next behind him was one lying on his back as if he were perfectly safe, though evidently in the midst of danger; for a serpent could be seen at his ear, possibly whispering, 'Peace, peace, when there is no peace.'
"Still farther back from the cross was a man with a sad face doing a work of mercy, binding up the wounds of a fellow-sufferer, and little suspecting that he himself was involved in the same danger.
"Behind them all in the background was a valiant man, doing battle with the serpents, which were continually rising against him.
"I observed that none of these men were looking at the brazen serpent, as they were commanded to do. I cannot describe how excited and interested I became; for I saw in this illustration a picture of my own life.
"Here was the one way of salvation clearly set forth and four other ways which are not the right way of salvation I had tried them all and found them unavailing.
"This picture was the silent but speaking testimony of some unnamed artist who lived in a cloister in the beginning of the fifteenth century, in the days of ignorance and superstition. But notwithstanding this darkness he was brought into the marvelous light of the gospel, and has left this interesting record of his experiences.
"Like him, I also had fought with serpents; for I began in my own strength to combat with sin, and strove by my own resolutions to overcome.
"From this I went on to do good works, and works of mercy, in the vain hope of thus obtaining mercy for myself.
"Then I relied on the church for salvation, as God's appointed ark of safety; but this left me with a feeling of insecurity, I took another step beyond, and was, I found, as ineffectual as all my previous efforts.
"At last I was brought (by the Spirit of God) as a wounded and dying sinner to look at the crucified One. Then I found pardon and peace.
"Ever since it has been my joy and privilege (like Moses pointing to the serpent) to cry: " 'Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.' " John 1:2929The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. (John 1:29).
Oh, why was He there as the Bearer of sin,
If on Jesus thy sins were not laid?
Oh, why from His side flowed the
soul-cleansing blood;
If His dying thy debt has not paid?
There is life in a look at the crucified One,
There is life at this moment for thee;
Then look, sinner, look unto Him and
be saved—
Unto Him who was nailed to the tree.