Set Free

Years ago, an Englishman had gone out to California, made his fortune in the gold fields. He wanted to go back and live with his own people. So he sent his money by check around, back to England, and he came overland on the Santa Fe Trail to Kansas City and down to Missouri, and then the Mississippi and ended up in New Orleans, where he was going to take ship to New York and from there to England.

And as a tourist in New Orleans, he did as most tourists do, so he went down to the slave market, only then, in the early 1850s, there were still slaves being sold. And as he went into the market, he saw a lot of men gathered there. One party was put on, a young Negress, very beautiful for her race, and he heard the men as they were speaking about her.

He saw two evil-looking men bidding for her quite heatedly, and then he heard them say what they would do with her. And his heart just revolted against the whole twine-ish thing. And finally, when they were bidding and the biddings were getting, prices were getting very high and small, he just couldn't stand it.

And so he beckoned to the auctioneer and he said, a figure which was exactly twice the last bid, utterly beyond anything that had ever been paid for a slave in that market before. He said, have you got the money? He came up and he said, yeah, you got the money. And so the bill of sale was made out, and he went over to the block to take the woman that he'd purchased.

And as she came down one step and stood just about level with his eyes, she had made a mouth full of spittle and she spat right full in his face and hissed through her clenched teeth, I hate you. He said nothing to the back of his hand. He wiped the spittle away, took her by the hand, walked down the street across this intersection, threw the mud down that street until he came to a little office building.

She couldn't read, didn't know what it was. He went to the desk, began to speak. The man behind the desk began to protest.

He said, I insist, it's the law, I insist. And finally he came back, paid some money and got a paper. He walked over to the woman that was like a beast ready to spring on him.

He handed the paper out and said, Here, here are your manumission papers. Who's reading it? She still just nodded at you. I said, didn't you understand? I said, here are your manumission papers.

She said, I know, no. You paid twice as much for me as they've ever paid for anybody on that block. And you're giving me the, I don't believe you.

He said, yes. These are your manumission papers and he put them in her hand. And she said, stop, listen to me.

Do you mean to say that you bought me to set me free? He said, yes. That's why I brought you to set you free. Tears came up into eyes that hadn't known tears for a long time.

They just spilled over. Her face softened. And then she slipped down on her hands and knees.

And she reached down and put her hands around those rough miner's boots. And then laid her cheek down on the toe of one of them. And through her tears she sighed, oh, you bought me to set me free.

You bought me to set me free. You paid more than has ever been paid before. Just to set me free.

And then through her tears she looked up and said, oh, sir. All I want in life is to be your slave. You bought me to set me free.

The Lord Jesus Christ bought you to set you free. And when you understand that, then it's the joy of your life to come and stand against the door of grace and let Him bore through the ear of your heart that you can be His loyal slave forever. He bought you to set you free.

All come to Him. Kiss His nail-pierced feet. And take from His hand that great salvation that He purchased with His blood.

And remember, He bought you to set you free.