William Cowper, the Olney poet and writer, was in great distress of soul. He knew himself to be a sinner, lost, helpless, and desperate. If he should be called to leave this world, what awaited him?
Almost beside himself with fear, in his desperation he turned to the Bible. Aimlessly he scanned the open page. There, like a special message to him from God, he read: "Being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in His blood, to declare His righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God." Rom. 3:24, 2524Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: 25Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; (Romans 3:24‑25).
On this scripture William Cowper rested, and found peace for his soul.
He afterward wrote the hymn which is a favorite of many and has brought peace and blessing to souls throughout the world—
"There is a fountain filled with blood,
Drawn from Immanuel's veins.”
In one instance an ex-convict, recently released from a long prison sentence, was brought under the sound of the gospel after his liberation. At the close of the service, Cowper's hymn was sung by a company of saved sinners. These happy believers knew well through God's grace the meaning of its words, and proclaimed heartily the lines:
"The dying thief rejoiced to see,
That fountain in his day;
And there may I though vile as he,
Wash all my sins away.”
Listening intently, the convicted man said to himself, "That admits me.”
He humbly took the sinner's place and claimed Christ as his Savior.
Truly, "this Man [Christ Jesus] receiveth sinners!”
Another trophy of God's grace, a young Irish farmer, used to say: "God has saved me, praise be to His name! And He'll never hear the end of it, for I'll praise Him for all eternity.”
Then he would sing with all his heart:
"Then in a nobler, sweeter song,
I'll sing Thy power to save;
Though this poor lisping, stammering tongue,
Lies silent in the grave.”
Numerous others saved under the sound of this gospel hymn have told of their blessing; but in one instance it was a simple chorus sung after the hymn that brought peace and joy to a listener.
It was on the last night of our series of meetings. Time after time the audience had sung verse after verse of "There is a fountain." Then came, as a benediction:
"I will believe, I do believe,
That Jesus died for me;
That on the cross He shed His blood,
From sin to set me free.”
A young man had attended all the meetings, but "could not see" God's simple way of salvation. Later he told us that he was saved while that chorus was being sung.
"It was that 'for me' that did it: I just claimed it as mine.”