A POOR, miserable woman, addicted to drunkenness and other vices, was wandering the streets one evening without aim or purpose, when she saw a church door open and, hardly knowing what she did, entered and sat down. The preacher at that moment was commenting on the words, “Take heed what thou doest.” The words fell upon her ear unheeded, and when the sermon was over she left as she had come. She still continued her wicked course and still found, as sinners ever find sooner or later, that “the way of transgressors is hard.”
Driven at last to desperation by accumulated miseries, she resolved to destroy herself. For this purpose she went to Blackfriars Bridge, and descended the stairs. She reached the lowest step, the deep waters lay outstretched before her, the midnight lamps glimmered on their dark surface. Despair was in her heart, a death-like silence reigned around, there was no human eye to see or pity, no human arm to save. Untying her bonnet with hurried, nervous fingers, she was about to plunge into the dark river, when suddenly, as though a voice from heaven spoke, she heard in the depths of her soul those solemn words, “TAKE HEED WHAT THOU DOEST!” Instantly the tempter’s power was broken, horror at her own intention seized upon her spirit; and rushing up the steps, shuddering as she went, she hastened home. Anguish of heart and a ruined constitution there laid her on her deathbed. Her past life rose in terrible blackness before her. ETERNITY, eternity with all its tremendous consequences, pressed upon her soul, and a long-neglected Bible did at first but deepen her convictions. At length a Christian visitor was sent to point her to the Saviour of sinners. “Is it of any use for me to hope for pardon?” asked the dying sinner. “It is,” replied the visitor, and opening the New Testament, that precious record of a Saviour’s love, read “This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief.” “The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth from ALL sin.” “He that believeth on the Son of God HATH everlasting life.” “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou SHALT be saved.” “Come unto ME, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” She began to hope, she called upon the Lord for power to believe, and in a little while light broke in upon her soul. Taking God at his word about His dear Son, her dread and terror vanished, and she got settled peace. Like the poor sinner in Luke 7, having had “much forgiven,” “she loved much,” and her dying hours were occupied in tearful praises to Him who had snatched her as “a brand from the burning,” and in testifying to that precious grace which would not let her perish in her sins. Dear reader, it may be that you are one of those who have never, even in thought, approached the depth of iniquity in which this poor sinner wallowed. Moral, amiable, probably religious, you shudder at the thought of such defilement; and yet, unless you are washed from your sins in the blood of Christ, through faith in Him, you will perish everlastingly, in spite of your religiousness, morality, and uprightness; while the poor harlot will shine a trophy of redeeming love for ever and ever in the light of the presence of God and the Lamb!
ML 07/06/1902