IN the prime of manhood, a young officer of the French Imperial Guard, of an old Roman Catholic family, was shut up in Metz with a portion of the French Army at the time of the Franco-Prussian War.
The German Army was around the city besieging it. A Dutch evangelist took the opportunity of preaching the gospel daily, and after some days he noticed this officer draw near to the circle of listeners.
The state of man and his need of a Saviour was pressed, and that no effort of man could alter his state as a helpless sinner, and nothing could make an atonement save blood, for God had declared, "It is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul " (Lev. 17:1111For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul. (Leviticus 17:11)). And that man must come to God just as he is, and believe the witness that God has given of His Son, that He came by water and blood. The Spirit bears witness to the fact that it was not by water only, but by water and blood, and declares and makes good to every believer the truth that "the blood of Jesus Christ, God's Son, cleanseth us from every sin." (1 John 1:77But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. (1 John 1:7).)
As the evangelist lived in a chamber overlooking one of the ways to one of the gates of the city, he heard the tramp of armed men, and looking out of his window he saw this young officer at the head of a company of men who were about to try to break through the German Army. The officer whipped his sword out of its scabbard and saluting, sang,
“Just as I am, without one plea,
But that Thou shedst Thy blood for me;
And that Thou bidst me come to Thee,
O Lamb of God, I come.”
After some time, he heard this company return, and looking out of his window, saw the officer borne back dead, he having been killed in the sortie.
The scene changes to the Boer War. Before Magersfontein, a soldier of the Brigade of Guards, a Protestant, was lying wounded to death. An orderly came along, and said, "Can I do anything for you, mate?”
“Yes, please, get me a Testament out of my haversack.”
It was placed before him, and he said, “Find me the place where it is written, ' The blood of Jesus Christ, God's Son, cleanseth us from all sin.
It was found.
He then said, "Put my finger on the place.”
This was also done, and in a little while his spirit departed, and he was with the One who shed His blood for him.
The scene again changes to a troopship going out from the East India Docks, London, to the Egyptian War. On board the ship was a trooper who had been convicted of sin in a Wesleyan choir whilst singing,
“Depth of mercy, can there be,
Mercy still reserved for me;
Can my God His wrath forbear,
Me the chief of sinners spare?”
Thus leaving a godly home, and country, the question arose in his mind, "If I never return, where shall I spend eternity?”
A scripture he had often heard came back to his memory: "He was wounded for our transgressions; He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and with His stripes we are healed." (Isa. 53:55But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. (Isaiah 53:5).) And later, the Spirit of God brought before Him a scripture which gave him the assurance of salvation, namely, "the blood of Jesus Christ, God's Son, cleanseth us from every sin.”
And now, dear reader, Romanist, Protestant, Dissenter, do you believe the witness of God? "For this is the witness of God, which He hath testified of His Son. He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself, he that believeth not God, hath made Him a liar." (1 John 5:1010He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son. (1 John 5:10).)
Are you, clear reader, deceived by the teachings of men, to think that you can do anything for your cleansing, then here is a witness that you cannot: "Though thou wash thee with niter, and take thee much soap, yet thine iniquity is marked before Me, saith the Lord God." (Jer. 2:2222For though thou wash thee with nitre, and take thee much soap, yet thine iniquity is marked before me, saith the Lord God. (Jeremiah 2:22).)
A witness to this fact: "If I wash myself with snow water, and make my hands never so clean, yet shalt Thou plunge me in the ditch, and my own clothes shall abhor me." (Job 9:3030If I wash myself with snow water, and make my hands never so clean; (Job 9:30).)
Another witness: Purge me with hyssop [give me to see and know my littleness, sinfulness, and helplessness, that I am without strength,] and shall be clean [nothing of self remain]; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow." (Psa. 51:77Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. (Psalm 51:7).)
Believers in our Lord Jesus Christ and His atoning blood, whether from amongst Romanists, Protestants, Dissenters, the Spirit of God says, "And such were some of you; but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified, in the Name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God" (1 Cor. 9-11), and we can sing, "Unto Him who loveth us, and washed us from our sins in His own blood, and hath made us kings and priests to God and His Father, to Him be glory and dominion to the ages of ages, Amen." (Rev. 1:5, 65And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, 6And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. (Revelation 1:5‑6).)
“Forever be the glory given to Thee, O Lamb of God;
Our every joy on earth, in heaven, we owe it to Thy blood.”
C. H. F.