WHAT a constant source of wonder and inquiry, which even the verger who shows visitors round the building cannot unravel, is that strange inscription on a large slab in the nave of one of England’s Midland cathedrals, consisting of but one word, “MISERIMUS” (MOST MISERABLE MAN).
What depth of sorrow must the one who lies underneath have gone through, and evidently no alleviation in the thought of future happiness: how many have, through mercy, learned anal owned their misery, and then looking up at the Blessed One who was lifted up on that center cross between the two robbers on Calvary, found not only relief from their misery, but actual joy— like one of those said robbers who had the blessed assurance of being that very day and forever with the Lord “in paradise.”
And this brings before me another of the same kind, expressive of misery. In the churchyard of a watering-place on the Essex coast is to be seen an upright gravestone with only one word again, “MISERIMA” (MOST MISERABLE WOMAN) engraved on it. For years it stood alone on the north side of the graveyard, as if people did not like their dead to be associated with such.
In this case history has handed down the sad story. A young lady, having been betrayed and forsaken by the one she trusted, took lodgings at this then little-known out-of-the-way watering-place. After destroying everything by which she could be identified, as she thought, she one morning hired a bathing machine and asked the owner to have it dragged out as far as he could: the water is very shallow just here, so this meant the machine being a long way from the shore. The owner waited and waited for the hirer of his machine to signal for it to be drawn on shore again, but he waited in vain, and, getting alarmed, waded in to see what was the matter. On reaching the machine he discovered that the lady had tied herself down under water to one of the wheels and was quite dead. Of course, there was the usual inquest, and the burial as far from the other dead as possible—as if she could hurt them, poor thing!—and the stone erected with just that one word on it. Since then the place has increased, the graveyard nearly filled up. So this “MISERIMA” has many laid near her, her tombstone is amongst many others, and her story is almost forgotten.
How true it is that “the way of transgressors is hard”! But what of the man who deceived and forsook his victim?
Oh! if someone who knew of the Father’s love and the cleansing power of the precious blood of Christ could have told these two people of pardon for the worst and pointed them to Christ, instead of being “MISERIMUS” and “MISERIMA” they might have been the happiest of the happy: for as Dr. Valpy wrote:
“My sins deserve eternal death,
BUT Jesus died for me.”
Or, as the poor girl at Aldershot exclaimed as she seized a tract which some self-righteous one refused, headed,
“His blood can make the foulest clean:
His blood avails for me”
“Give me that: it just suits me!”
We will turn now to another epitaph to be seen today in the churchyard of Bury St. Edmunds, in Suffolk. It is to the memory of a person named Dancer, and is dated 1795. It concludes with a solemn word to you, my reader, if still unsaved. This is what it says:
“My friend, it is an awful thing to die. Obtain a saving interest in the BLOOD of Christ: only an assurance of having THAT sustains me now, or will you, under ye conflict with DEATH.”
May that speak to your heart as it did to mine, as one able to endorse the truth as to the PEACEGIVING POWER AND PRECIOUSNESS OF THAT BLOOD WHICH CLEANSETH FROM ALL SIN.
Another tombstone comes before me. It is in a pretty country churchyard in Dorsetshire, and it bears the following confession of utter ruin as a sinner and the blessing of assurance through faith in what Christ has done. This is the inscription:
“HERE LIE THE MORTAL REMAINS OF THE REVD. OCTAVIUS PIERS, LATE VICAR OF THIS PARISH, WHO DEPARTED THIS LIFE 23RD FEB. 1848, AGED 59. HE WAS A POOR, LOST, MISERABLE, HELL-DESERVING SINNER, NEVERTHELESS THROUGH INFINITE MERCY HE WAS ENABLED TO LIVE AND DIE IN THE FULL ASSURANCE OF THE RESURRECTION TO ETERNAL LIFE, THROUGH THE ALONE MERITS AND SUFFERINGS OF HIS DEAR LORD AND SAVIOUR JESUS CHRIST. WHO DIED FOR HIS SINS, ROSE AGAIN FOR HIS JUSTIFICATION, AND WHO NOW EVER LIVETH AND SITTETH AT THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD TO PLEAD THE CAUSE OF ALL HIS REDEEMED PEOPLE, AND HE SHALL COME AGAIN IN MAJESTY AND GLORY TO RECEIVE THEM TO HIMSELF AND TO BRING THEM TO THAT BLESSED PLACE WHICH HE HAS PREPARED FOR THEM, THAT WHERE HE IS THERE THEY MAY BE WITH HIM THROUGHOUT THE ENDLESS AGES OF ETERNITY. TO HIM, THEREFORE, WITH THE FATHER AND THE ETERNAL SPIRIT BE ALL GLORY, AND PRAISE FOR EVER AND EVER, AMEN AND AMEN.”
Yes, indeed, to Him who died for sinners be glory—now, and for ever and ever.
Oh, the countless number of the redeemed! an INNUMERABLE host, for the Word says so: and will you, my friend, be amongst that number and with them and myself join the chorus “unto Him that loveth (R. V.) us and washed us from our sins in His own blood. . . . to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever” (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)). Or—which God forbid—will you be amongst that company spoken of in Rev. 6, which represents from the highest to lowest, from kings to slaves, calling upon the rocks and hills to hide them from the wrath of the Lamb. Only think of it: THE WRATH OF THE LAMB, when they and you might be under the shelter of His precious blood and so delivered from the judgment which is hanging over this world! It MUST be one of the two—either most miserable, or fully assured through simple belief in God’s Word, looking for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of our great God and Saviour, Jesus Christ.
“Though thy sins are red like crimson,
Deep in scarlet glow,
Jesus’ precious blood shall wash thee
White as snow.”
S. V. H.