A HINDOO, having had his conscience awakened, inquired of various Brahmins, how he might make atonement to God for his sins. All agreed that it was by torturing his body, that his guilt was to be expiated; and the mode recommended was:
“Thou must drive a number of iron spikes through thy sandals; and on these sandals thou must place thy naked feet, and walk to the sacred station, at the Godavery River (distant 480 miles). If, through loss of blood, or weakness of body, thou art unable to proceed, thou mayest halt, and wait for healing and strength. When thou halt performed this, thou mayest ‘hope’ that thy soul will be cleansed.”
The poor Hindoo was in earnest to save his soul; and severe as the penance was, he did not hesitate, but immediately set out on his painful journey. At length he felt compelled to halt beneath a wide-spreading tree.
It happened that a Christian missionary was accustomed to take his stand beneath this very tree, and to proclaim the word of life. The poor foot-sore devotee had not been there long, before the missionary came to his wonted labor, and cried aloud, “The blood of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, cleanseth from all sin.” He began to describe what sin was in the sight of God, and pressed guilt home; he showed the utter hopelessness of man’s saving himself by any self-imposed suffering; and pointed out God’s way of salvation, through the blood-shedding of his own well-beloved Son.
The poor Hindoo drank in every word; and at length, plucking off his sandals, sprang up, and cried out, “This is what I want!” He gladly received and believed the Word, and became a living witness that the blood of Jesus Christ does cleanse from all sin.
ML 10/06/1912