THERE lived in a village in Cornwall a man who attended the church services regularly, who sang in the choir, and, being musical, played an instrument in the band, and was looked upon as a respectable inhabitant of the county.
When he got to be over sixty years old his health broke down, and a friend visited him during his illness, and asked him concerning his hope in Christ.
In his reply he spoke of the "water of baptism" as the ground of his confidence.
His friend and neighbor referred him to the fourth chapter of the Gospel of John, verse 10, where Jesus said to the woman of Samaria, "If thou knewest the gift of GOD, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink, thou wouldest have asked of Him, and He would have given thee living water.”
"What water was this?" asked his friend.
The man did not know what to say in reply; and his friend told him that it was the same water as that spoken of by the Lord in the third chapter of John.
When talking to Nicodemus, Jesus said,
“Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.”
Peter also tells us, by the Spirit, in the first chapter of his first Epistle, verse 23, Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of GOD, which liveth and abideth forever.”
The man listened attentively, and the light of God's word shone into his soul.
On the occasion of the last visit to the sick man, his friend saw that he was so far gone in his illness as to be almost speechless. The breathing of the dying man was evidently painful and difficult.
His friend waited in silent prayer for him to speak.
After waiting for more than half an hour, the sick man broke the silence, and said fervently, “Lord Jesus Christ!" as if speaking to the Lord in prayer.
His friend then stepped forward to the bedside, and said to the dying man, "Nothing but Christ,” now; referring to his former confidence in water baptism.
He replied, "Nothing but Christ, no shilly-shally, now.”
Thus his soul was resting peacefully on the Rock (Matt. 7:24, 2524Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: 25And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. (Matthew 7:24‑25)), "Christ Himself, the Rock of Ages," instead of upon the shifting sands of ordinances.
About four hours after this the dear man passed away in perfect peace, to be with Christ, his Saviour and Lord.