In the small village of C-, there lived an honest and respectable family, composed of eight persons, the father, mother, and six children. None of, them knew the Lord; but the father who had been chosen as elder of the church, made it his pious duty to bring up his children in his own religious’ way, without, apparently, ever thinking of the state of their souls or his own.
Some special evangelistic services were held in the village for the first time, and, in a few days, God in His grace blessed the Word to some five persons. Among the number, the oldest daughter of the elder found peace with God through the finished work of Christ, being cleansed from her sins by His precious blood. From thenceforth, she had a great deal to suffer, especially from her younger sister B-, who mocked continually at her words. B- was not yet seventeen, but her precocious intelligence, her amusing jests, and her pleasant stories had won for her the general favor of the workpeople at a large factory, where she had been employed for some time. All this only helped to render her insensible to her sinful state, and the need of her soul. And the enemy did not fail to foster her popularity, of which she was proud, and to strengthen her belief that she was not a greater sinner than others.
However she had sometimes consented to accompany her sister to the meeting in a neighboring town, but always sought to avoid the questions that the gospel preachers addressed to her. It happened that she was present when the solemn text was dwelt upon in Romans 3. “All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” The Spirit of God applied the Word to her conscience, and she saw herself a guilty and lost sinner before Him. From that time forth she passed through deep exercises of soul, and followed with much interest several gospel meetings held by two evangelists, and the words which she heard wrought constantly with power in her heart and conscience. God had begun to work in the place, in several souls, and one after another were brought to a knowledge of Christ in the course of a few weeks. For several days B- lacked peace. The cock of the factory (for such was B-’s nickname amongst her fellow-workwomen) had ceased to crow, being in anguish of soul, and thinking that she was too great a sinner to receive the pardon of her sins.
Her trouble of soul seemed unbearable, her burden crushing, feeling that each day, each hour, she remained as she was, added to her sins and guilt before God. She sought in vain to keep back the tears which the precious words in John 6:4747Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life. (John 6:47) drew forth, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on Me hath everlasting life.”
She felt the weight of them without being able to apply them to herself. Satan kept whispering “hath not, hath not,” and her own heart, such was her sense of guilt, confirmed it.
However, through the abounding grace of God, at eleven o’clock in the morning, in the midst of her work, the struggle ceased. The living word of the living God had done its living work in her soul. She believed God. In a moment her soul was filled with joy, and letting go her work, she cried out with a voice choked with sobs, “Whosoever – it’s me – I believe – I’m saved – I have eternal life – God says it – O, what joy!”
This sudden and open confession of Christ caused quite a consternation. The superintendents and the workwomen all around her gazed with astonishment, tears flowing down many faces, as she went on to tell what the Lord had done for her soul, and began to sing, before all, a hymn which runs –
“I am Thine, glory to Thy great Name,
O my Savior, I take sides with Thee;
I am Thine, I Thee now adore,
I am Thine, I am Thine.”
It was some minutes before things flowed on in their usual course. Several around were persons with little or no pretension to religion at all, or openly infidel, but as they witnessed the remarkable action of God’s grace in this soul, some said, “We have seen strange things today. It is like a miracle.” Others, “It is not possible.” And again others, “We have seen something supernatural.” Many saw it, but understood it not. “The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned” (1 Cor. 2:1414But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. (1 Corinthians 2:14)). The crucifixion of Christ is to them that perish foolishness, but unto us which are saved the power and wisdom of God (1 Cor. 1:23-2423But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness; 24But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God. (1 Corinthians 1:23‑24)).
B- was saved, and found, like thousands more, that the world with all its pleasures had not been big enough to fill her heart, which now was too small to contain her joy, having found an object in Christ which more than satisfies. God alone knows the effect produced upon the souls which were witnesses of her deliverance from Satan’s power and the mastery of sin, but we would ask each reader of these lines, What impression has all this made upon you? Perhaps you will reply, “O, I believe it was all simply emotion and feeling.” It may be true, that the subject of it was in some measure emotional, but every soul who has passed through the exercises connected with conversion to God, can well understand the exuberance of joy when the moment of liberty came.
Ah some may curl the lip, sneer at the whole thing, and treat it as a sensational story, but it is only to remain in darkness and unbelief, in danger of the eternal judgment of God. Conversion is a reality. Yes, God, Christ, sin, death, and eternal woe are all realities, and deeply solemn realities that you must face. You may shut your eyes, and continue to follow your own self-will, but face God sooner or later you must, either as a Savior or as a Judge. You cannot get away from Him. He holds you responsible.
All the power is in His hand. Bow to Him now as a guilty lost one, confessing your sin, and He will bless you and save you. But continue as you are without Christ, and He will surely banish you from His presence forever.
The salvation of God is very simple. You have naught whatever to do but to judge yourself, and to believe on Him who died. God is for you now, and has shown His great love in the gift of His Son. To refuse or to neglect it, is to expose yourself to His wrath. Redemption was accomplished long, long ago. The work is done, and the One who did it, Jesus, is accepted of God, and glorified in His presence. God Himself presents Him to you as a Savior. And “if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thy heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved” (Rom. 10:99That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. (Romans 10:9)). Will you take those three shalts together now? Then you can sing: “
‘Tis done, the great transaction’s done,
I am my Lord’s and He is mine;
He drew me, and I followed on,
Glad to confess the voice divine.
Happy day! happy day!
When Jesus washed my sins away.”