THE scholars of a Sunday school were told to find texts upon the three following truths, write them down, and bring them to their superintendent: ―
“(1) ―You must be born again by the Holy Spirit, or you cannot enter the kingdom of God.
“(2.) ― Your sins must be washed away by the Saviour in His own blood, or you cannot be saved.
“(3.) ―The Lord Jesus is coming from heaven to gather to Himself all believing children, whether living or in the grave, before He appears in flaming fire to judge this present evil world.”
After a month had passed, their superintendent collected the best answers, and had them printed. One of the papers was given at the school treat to each of the children and their friends, and amongst the rest to a young woman, Mrs. T —, known to one of the elder boys, James―.
James, our scholar, worked where Mrs. T― ‘s husband was foreman, and shortly after the school treat the youth fell sick. God saw well to cut James down like a flower. He was in his class one Sunday, the next he was with Jesus in heaven. On the Saturday, his teacher was with him in the morning, and at night he had the affecting duty of telling the dear boy that he was dying. But, oh! how peacefully did James receive the solemn tidings.
He calmly thanked his teacher, adding, “You have been a father to me;” and then turning to his widowed mother, he bade her good-bye, asking, “If he had been a dutiful son to her? He said he would like to go to be with Jesus, and only wished to live that he might be a comfort to his mother it her old age. His sister asking James if he were happy, the dying youth said,” Yes; I do not feel any sting in death.” Then his brother asked him if his sins were forgiven, and, without any hesitation, James replied. “Yes. I believe they are all washed away in the blood of Christ. The blood of the Lord Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all sin.” After which he bade his two brothers put their trust in Jesus Christ, and be good boys to their mother, and so he fell asleep.
Mrs. T― was greatly impressed by the last words of our Sunday scholar, and from the time that she heard them she began to seek the Saviour. The school paper which she had taken home she read over and over again. Now it so happened that Mrs. T― never heard the word of God preached again after the evening of the school treat. She took cold shortly after, and was laid on her dying bed. Upon that bed she thought frequently over the three bible truths, and the texts written under them by the children, and how she longed that her death might be as peaceful as that of James, ―our scholar! One Sunday afternoon, when the school was assembled, a messenger came to us in breathless haste begging James’s teacher to come at once to Mrs. T―, who was beseeching the Lord to save her, and saying she could not die till her sins were pardoned. The teacher left the school while his fellow-workers prayed together that the poor trembling one might find the Saviour and so die in peace. Upon entering her room he found Mrs. T― crying to God, with intense earnestness, in the very word of the school paper― “O God, give me the new birth. Oh that I may be born again. O God, wash my sins away in the blood of Jesus and save my soul. Oh let me not die until Thou hast saved my soul.”
Her cries were so earnest and continued that nothing could be said at first, but after she had quieted down a little, a few verses of God’s word of salvation were read, which the poor dying woman drank in with the avidity of soul-thirst. Then, kneeling beside her bed, we earnestly besought God to manifest His mercy to her soul. He heard and answered; and she who, in her distress, had said, only a little while before, “I cannot find Jesus, or I would come to Him,” now, with a beaming face and glad voice, burst forth, “While you were praying, the Saviour appeared to me, and I have come to Him, and He has received me. My sins are all forgiven. I am not afraid to die. I shall go to heaven now.”
Her soul was full of praise, and, with the true instinct of the new life, she at once turned to her husband beseeching him to come to Christ himself. Yes, she who had been so sorely pressed down beneath the weight of her guilt, filled with the love of God, became a preacher of peace through the blood of the Lamb! In a moment all was changed! From darkness to light, from death to life, from Satan to God. Marvelous change! The Holy Ghost filled the frail vessel so richly with divine grace and love that her overflowing heart poured forth its praises in abundant streams. The next day Mrs. T — peacefully fell asleep. Her last words, as she beckoned with her hand, were― “Come; come gentle Jesus, quickly come for me.”
Thus did the gracious God use the word of our dying scholar and the lesson paper for the salvation of this precious soul. Nor was this the only case of which we heard, for the Sunday after James’s death, while two youths were conversing together, one told the other that James was dead, and that he had said, with his last breath, that he was happy, and that his sins were washed away, adding, “James has gone to heaven but if it had been Me, I should have gem to hell.” The other youth then tried to comfort his friend. “You cannot comfort me, Harry, for you have not peace yourself,” was the truthful, though cutting, reply of the lad. From that night Harry did not rest until he could say, “My sins are all washed away in the blood of Jesus.”
Reader, are your sins unrepented of and unforgiven? Will they sink you into hell? Oh come to Jesus, and He will wash away your sins and make you holy and happy forever. Ponder the three truths of our Sunday school paper. Ask yourself, Am I born again of God’s Spirit? ―are my sins washed away by the blood of Jesus? ―am I ready to meet the coming Lord? And rest not then until from your heart of hearts you can truly say, “I believe all my sins are washed away in the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ.”
R.