“As I passed a quiet lane, I saw an old woman coming towards me with a tattered cloak, and with a basket on her arm. I crossed the lane to meet her. She curtsied, and I offered her a tract. She shook her head, saying, ‘Many thanks to you, sir; I would take it, and be glad, but I can’t read.’ We then spoke something as follows:
“‘What! not read at all?’
“‘No, sir, not a letter.’
“‘But, suppose you take the tract, cannot get somebody to read it to you?’
“‘No, your honor, I am a stranger; a poor friendless woman: they don’t know me, and the people at the lodging-houses don’t care about reading to a poor woman.’
“‘Did you ever hear any one read?’
“‘Sometimes; not often.’
“‘Did you ever hear any one read a little book something like this?’
“‘I don’t know that ever I did.’
“‘Should you like to know what is in it?’
“‘Yes, if anybody would tell me.’
“‘If you can spare time, I will read it to you now. Will you stay?’
“She seemed to think the offer was kind, and she expressed her gratitude and her willingness to stay. We stood by the bank at the side of the lane, and at once began. I was so anxious that such an ignorant woman should understand, that I did not think the tract half plain enough, and therefore stopped to ask if she knew what it meant, and to explain it as I went on. She listened with great attention, and I noticed that she curtsied every time the name of Jesus was mentioned. When I had done reading, I told her of this, and asked her if she could tell me why she did so. She seemed rather puzzled with the question, and said, ‘Why, you see, sir, in our country (Ireland) they always do ; when the priest reads the name of Jesus,’ (and again she curtsied,) ‘then the men bow, and the women curtesy.’ I said, ‘Perhaps I can tell you more about that ;’ so I quoted the passage in which the words are found, that ‘at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,’ etc. (Phil. 2:1010That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; (Philippians 2:10)), and I tried to show her that such mere outward worship would not do ; that we must confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father (verse 11) ; and that we must love Him and worship Him with our heart. ‘I suppose then,’ said I, ‘that you know who Jesus Christ is, since you bow at His name?’
“‘Oh yes, He is the second Person in the blessed Trinity, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost.’
“ Her knowledge of this seemed to me somewhat surprising. I quoted the other part of the passage in Philippians, and tried to show her how much love to sinners was in Christ Jesus, ‘who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God, but made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men’; and not only so, but ‘being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross’ (Phil. 2:6-86Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 7But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: 8And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. (Philippians 2:6‑8)).
“I told her that Christ came into the world to save sinners. ‘Yes,’ said she, ‘He was born of the blessed virgin.’
“‘Now then,’ said I, ‘do you think Christ is your Saviour?’
“‘Well, ‘tis to be hoped He will be.’
“ ‘I suppose you think yourself a sinner?’
“‘God knows I am.’
“‘So am I; we are both sinners: but how do you think we can be forgiven?’
“‘Well, sir, you see I go to the priest and he gives me absolution.’
“‘Do you think that is enough?’
“‘Why, no, sir; we must do penance when we have done wrong.’
“‘Is that all?’
“‘Why, no: you see we must do good works to please God.’
“‘That is your way; now I will tell you what I think about it. You have heard of the Bible?’
“‘Yes.’
“‘Do you think the Bible is God’s word?’
“‘Oh, yes, I believe it is.’
“‘Well, I have read the Bible, and I never read in it about going to a priest to get absolution. The Bible says, that Jesus Christ died for our sins; and teaches us that it is for His sake that God forgives us. The Bible teaches us to confess to God, but says nothing about confessing to a priest. It says, that “if we confess our sins he (God) is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness,” (1 John 1:99If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9)). The Bible says nothing about our doing penance, but that “Christ suffered for us,” which means, instead of us, when He, “his own self, bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness” (1 Pet. 2:2424Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed. (1 Peter 2:24)).
“‘The Bible teaches us that we must do good works, but that our good works will never save us. Now, you see, it is not going to the priest, or doing penance, or doing good works that will save us, but Christ alone; and we must confess to God, believe that Christ suffered for us, and ask God for Christ’s sake to forgive us.’
“‘Well, sir, but we must have good works too, to make up, you know.’
“ I found it very hard to convince her that our own good works would not save us. I told her what God’s law said she ought to do, and asked if she had done all, or could do it all; and I tried to show her that all the world is guilty before God, and that no priest, or penance, or good works can save anybody. She seemed at last to have some new thoughts on the subject ; for she clasped her hands, lifted up her eyes, and cried out in the most piercing tone, ‘Oh, what is to become of us all.’
“ I replied, ‘I will try to tell you ; God will have mercy upon sinners, but we must receive mercy in His own way. It is because He is so kind and so good that I am saved, and there is the same way for you. The same Bible that tells us of God’s law, tells us too that “God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:1616For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16)). And Jesus said he came to seek and to save that which was lost, meaning just such poor sinners as we are. He was made a curse for us, and it is only by faith in his blood that we can be saved. So there is nothing for us to do first but to believe in Christ ; and it is because Christ bore the punishment for us that we can be saved.’
“ She seemed to have been so taken up with notions of confessing to a priest, and doing penance, and getting absolution, and doing good works, that she could hardly make anything of Christ’s suffering for us. In trying to make her see my meaning, I continued, Christ saw that men were wicked sinners against God. He knew they could never save themselves, and He came to save them. He died for us on the cross, and so now God offers to pardon us—to give us absolution for his sake. We cannot hear God speaking, but He has given us His book, and that is as good as if we could hear Him; and there it is written, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved” (Acts 16:3131And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. (Acts 16:31)). It says, that “we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace” (Eph. 1:77In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace; (Ephesians 1:7)). There is nothing about going to a priest, and there is no need of it: the Bible says, “He that believeth... shall be saved” (Mark 16:1616He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. (Mark 16:16)). We must go to Christ as our Priest, and He has said, “Him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out” (John 6:3737All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. (John 6:37)).
“The old woman had been most deeply attentive. Oh! that some congregations did but pay half so much attention! She seemed to have got something quite new. The tears stood in her eyes; she raised her hands, lifted her streaming eyes to heaven, and then cried, ‘Lord bless your honor, no mortal creature ever told me this before!’
“It is long since I have seen a face half so joyous. I have never preached the gospel with more anxiety, never with more pleasure; and I have never seen anyone who appeared to listen with so much attention, or receive it with so much thankfulness. She stood and wiped away the tears with the corner of her ragged apron: she said she should like to have the tract, and would try ‘any how’ to get somebody to read it to her. I gave her several tracts. I repeated to her the simple first truths of the gospel, and some passages of Scripture, which she thought she should remember. I told her to confess her sins to God, and to take Christ for her priest, as I had taken him for mine. I bade her remember that though we cannot see God, yet God can see us; and though we cannot hear Him, He can hear us wherever we are. When I had given her a trifling alms, and commended her to God and to the blessing of the Saviour, I went away, followed by her warmest thanks and blessings.
“Let me ask, my reader, Have you received the gospel? Are you a believer in Christ? It will be of no use for you to boast of having more knowledge than this poor woman, if you do not improve it. Perhaps you do not go to the priest, you may not do penance, you may say you know better; but do not forget that it is not denying a false religion that will save you, but it is receiving the true. Go then at once, if you have never gone before, to ‘the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world’ (John 1:2929The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. (John 1:29)).”
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