There are many secret enemies of the gospel, but some express their hatred of God's good news with violence. This true story begins with a violent attack upon a lone preacher in the open air by a gang of heartless men.
They had thought to frighten the evangelist away by hurling threats and profanities; but when these failed they hurled stones, one of which struck the preacher.
As he continued, regardless, to present God's invitation to lost sinners, their wrath finally overflowed in a general onslaught on the defenseless man. In the attack one powerful fellow struck him to the ground, where he lay still and silent and to every appearance dead.
The sight of the pale, motionless form suddenly subdued and over-awed the mob. Addressing the man who had struck the blow, one of them said: "I say, there will be hanging for this!"
With one terrified glance around, the guilty fellow fled. Through alleys and byways, and fields beyond the town he flew, till finally, hiding behind a hedge, he waited for the night.
With the darkness he stole back to the town and into a wretched court he called home. Creeping up the rickety stairs he silently reached the door and entered his room.
"What's the matter, Daddy?" called a frightened child out of the gloom. It was the voice of his only child, Jimmy, the only other occupant.
"You don't need to know," answered his father roughly; then added, "I must hide, Jimmy; where can I go?"
Jimmy peered into the darkness, then pointed towards the bed in the corner. Threatening the child with dire consequences if he made known his whereabouts, the fugitive dragged himself under the bed.
"There'll be hanging for this." The words rang like an alarm bell in the ears of the almost distracted man. Hanging meant death in its most dreadful and hideous form. But would even death by hanging be the end? Something whispered that it would not.. Then echoed back four long-forgotten words: "After this the judgment."
The preacher whom he had struck down had just been telling them of the way to escape that judgment. If only he had listened instead of striking him dead!
Morning dawned and found him still under the bed. He dared not venture out; but to help pass the, dreadful hours, he sent Jimmy to buy him some "snuff", a powdered preparation of tobacco to which he was addicted.
Now a singularly strange thing happened. On the counter in the shop where the snuff was sold lay a large old Bible, the pages of which the shop keeper used for wrapping-paper. It followed that a page was torn out of the Bible to wrap the snuff which Jimmy bought and carried home to his father. That page contained the ninth chapter of Hebrews.
Something to read was a welcome break to the man beneath the bed. Anything to break the monotony and the ever-growing suspense! With difficulty in the dim light he read until he reached verse twenty-two, where he abruptly stopped.
"Without the shedding of blood is no remission."
What did that mean? Did not God also say that he must die? Was there no forgiveness for him even from God? He had forfeited his life to man, he knew; but had his sins forfeited his life to God?
Those were the most dreadful hours. At last he could bear the suspense no longer, and sent Jimmy once more to the shop for snuff. He hoped that it would be wrapped in another page from the Book and tell him more.
But the meanwhile other shoppers had come and gone. When Jimmy arrived, the shopkeeper was still tearing pages from the Bible. This time the snuff was folded in 1 John, chapter one. The guilty man carefully unfolded it and read until his eyes rested upon verse seven: "The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin."
What a message from God to his sin-burdened soul! Blood had been shed for his sin— not his blood, but the blood of God's own Son. God must be satisfied or He would not have sent such a message.
But why did God give His only Son to die? the man asked himself in wonder. Then he remembered hearing, "God is love" —that God loves the sinner, though He hates his sin.
"But how much of his sin did the blood of Jesus Christ cleanse away? The words said, "All sin." Not, surely not, the sin of yesterday— murder?
Yes, the words were, "All sin”— past, present, future, all alike. It was "the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth from all sin."
And in those words the man who was hiding from human justice, found refuge from divine judgment, and rejoiced in the blood that was shed for him.
Time passed on, till one day the glad news reached him that the preacher whom they had left for dead, had not been killed, as they supposed. He had recovered and was preaching again. With courage which only grace can give, his assailant went to hear him, and afterward confessed all. He was joyfully welcomed and freely forgiven.
While the preacher continued to tell out the glad tidings, the man who had been a leading enemy of Christ, became one of His faithful witnesses too. Amid bitter persecution from those who were formerly his associates in sin, he declared the gospel of God.
When we were enemies,
We were reconciled to God
By the death of His Son.