09. Saved by Blood
Saved by Blood
VICARS’ VOW.—While Capt. Vicars was waiting, in Canada, the arrival of a brother-officer in his room, and idly turning over the leaves of the Bible, his eye caught the well-known words, “The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin.” Closing the book, he said, “If this be true for me, henceforth I will live, by the grace of God, as a man should live who has been washed in the blood of Jesus Christ.”
BLOOD THAT CLEANSETH.—A Christian, visiting among the poor one day engaged a man in conversation about his soul, and while referring to the Bible he held in his hands, was startled by a feeble voice near by saying: “Does your book tell of the blood that cleanseth from all sin?” The visitor entered the room from which the plea had issued, and upon a bundle of straw in a corner he found the wasted form of a suffering woman. Raising herself up on one arm as he entered, she fixed her large eyes upon him and repeated her question. “My poor friend,” he said, “what do you want to know of the blood that cleanseth from all sin?’“ Her voice and manner now became startling as she cried out, “What do I want to know of it? Man! I’m dying; I’m going to stand before God! I have been a wicked woman, a very wicked woman all my life. I shall have to answer for everything I have done!” “Once,” she continued, “as I was passing a door, I heard something about the blood which cleanseth from all sin. Oh, if I could hear of it now! Tell me if there is anything about that blood in your book.” The 1st, 2d, 3d, 4th and 5th chapters of First John were read before she would consent to a pause. Almost from the very first she seemed to find peace and joy in believing in Jesus, in Him who gave His life for the remission of sins. In a few days she passed away—a ransomed soul.
SOLD UP YOUR HAND.—A little boy was dying. His brother told him to trust in Jesus. The little boy asked what that meant, and the brother said: “Fray to Him.” “I am too weak,” the little fellow responded. “Then,” said the brother, “just hold up your hand, Jesus will see you and know what it means.” And he did it. Now, was that not faith? Sid the dying boy not touch the hem of the Master’s garment? Jesus once said: “Him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.” “Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole.” He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.
UNLIMITED EFFICACY.—Let us think of the innumerable stars—millions and millions. Let us suppose them all to be densely inhabited for countless ages by races of fallen beings. We have no figures to show the number of the individual souls, still less to represent the multiplied acts of sin of all those single souls or spirits. But we know this, that the blood of Jesus would have been more than sufficient to cleanse all those countless fallen creatures, and to absolve every separate sinner from every one of his manifold sins.
LUTHER AND SATAN.—It is said that Satan once came to Luther, and, standing at the foot of his bed, presented a long roll containing a list of Luther’s past sins, saying: “These are your sins; how dare you hope for Heaven?” Luther said “Keep on,” and the Devil unwound more of the roll, showing more of his sins. “Keep on,” said Luther, and the Devil continued to unroll the black list of Luther’s past life. At last Luther said: “It is true, those sins I was guilty of, but it is written, ‘the blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all sin.’“