EDWIN WAKEFIELD, who resided at Chester, was during his last illness led by the Holy Spirit to feel that he was a guilty sinner, and also into deep and earnest penitence on account of his sins. He confessed his sin to God, and prayed earnestly for pardon. The Scripture plan of salvation in its beautiful simplicity was laid before him. An expression used in prayer by one who visited him, namely, “My Saviour,” arrested his attention. It was a new idea to him, and he became very anxious that he himself might be able so to speak of our blessed Lord Jesus Christ. Some passages of Scripture were quoted, which came with new light to his mind, especially these two, “him that cometh unto Me I will in no wise cast out,” and “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved.”
Commenting on these passages, he observed, “He doesn’t say, ‘I’ll see about it,’ or ‘I’ll consider what can be done for you,’ but ‘Thou shalt be saved!’ That’s plain enough, isn’t it? ‘I will in no wise cast out.’
“That’s straight! You can’t get aback of that.”
And by continuing to talk about these gracious declarations of Holy Scripture and using them in his prayers he obtained great encouragement in seeking the mercy which he felt he needed. He refused, however, to be satisfied with anything less than a conscious pardon. To one who was thanking God on his behalf, he said, “But I’m not in the boat yet” and, although he was almost worn out for want of sleep, he did his utmost to keep awake until he knew that his sins were forgiven.
At length he was enabled to trust in Jesus, and pardon came! He said, “It came with a jump. You couldn’t stop! Fifty-five years’ sins all forgiven in less than five minutes! I should have thought it was impossible, but He did it for me, and it was no trouble to Him.” And then Edwin’s soul was filled with peace and rejoicing! He said, “You may all leave me now. I was afraid to sleep, but I am not now.”
Speaking of the change produced in him, Edwin said, “It sticks there, never to be broken again. He will keep hold on me! My Saviour! Those words are blazing in my eyes now! I shall never forget them if I live seven hundred years!”
Referring to the simplicity of the plan of salvation, he said, “God knew I couldn’t do anything, so He gave me to believe what He had done for me. Trust in the Lord Jesus! Any child may trust. Trust in Jesus! That was simple.” These were some of his expressions after the Lord had made His mercy known to him. He was very thankful to God for the many mercies bestowed upon him during his past life, making special mention of several deliverances from the very jaws of death, and imagined God saying, as he was rescued from a watery grave, “I can’t let him go yet; he’s too great a sinner!”
But above everything else, he was grateful for pardoning mercy. He spewed the genuineness of his gratitude by doing what he could to bring others to the Saviour, saying, “We must tell people about this. There are plenty that don’t know. I didn’t know myself till yesterday!” And so he continued trusting in his Saviour until he passed away to join the blood-washed throng in heaven.
J. W.