The Lutheran Pioneer St. Louis — 1905, Page 21

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The Lutheran Pioneer.

sons asked me frankly why Dr. Judson had not
talked of something else; why he had not told a
story; while others showed their disappointment

by not alluding to his having spoken at all. On the
way home I mentioned the subject to him.
“Why, what did they want?” he said; ‘‘I pre-

sented the most interesting subject in the world, to
the best of my ability.”

“But they wanted something different—a story.”

“Well, Iam sure I gave them a story — the most
thrilling one that can be conceived of.’’

“But they have heard it before. They wanted
something new of a man who had just come from
the opposite side of the earth.”’

“‘Then I am glad they have it to say that a man
coming from the opposite side of the earth had
nothing better to tell than the wondrous story of
Jesus’ dying love. My business is to preach the
Gospel of Christ, and when I can speak at all, I dare
not trifle with my commission. When I looked upon
those people to-day, and remembered where I should
next meet them, how could I stand up and furnish
food to vain curiosity, tickle their fancies with amus-
ing stories, however decently strung together on a
thread of religion? That is not what Christ meant
by preaching the Gospel. And then, how could I
hereafter meet the fearful charge, ‘I gave you one
opportunity to tell them of me— you spent it in
describing your own adventures |’ ”’

After a few moments of silence I heard the
‘dear missionary repeat to himself the words of the
great apostle: ‘‘I determined not to know anything
among you save Jesus Christ, and Him crucified,’’
1 Cor, 2, 2.

The Cleansing Blood.

The Rey. McAll, the well-known Protestant mis-
sionary, who, in 1871, began mission work in Paris
among the most wretched people of that wicked city,
one day received from some unknown person a let-
ter with the request to visit a poor, sick woman.
With great difficulty he, in one of the most ill-famed
streets, found the wretched place where the dying
woman lived. Before the door stood a wild-looking
fellow—the woman’s son. The missionary asked
him whether a sick woman lived there, mentioning
the name that had been given him in the letter.

‘Yes, she lives here; what do you want with
her?”’ was the rough answer.

“T heard of her being sick and thought she might
wish to see me.’’ ‘

“What do you want of her? Do you want to talk
with her about religion???

21

‘‘When a person is sick, he is glad if someone
comes to see him. If you were sick, you too would
be glad if someone came to inquire about you.”’

These words seemed to quiet the young fellow;
still he wanted to know for what purpose this visit
was made, saying that he would allow no one to
talk religion to his mother.

The missionary said, ‘‘I propose a compromise.
I will not go to your mother without your consent.
You are to tell her that I am here and ask her
whether she wishes to see me. If she says ‘no,’
then I shall leave. If she says ‘yes,’ then you will
let me see her; will you not?”’

At last the young man consented; he opened
the door and asked, ‘‘Mother, someone wants to
speak with you. Do you wish to see him or not??’’.

Plain and clear the answer came from the sick-
bed, ‘‘If he wants to speak about the blood that
cleanses, I will see him; otherwise not.’’

The missionary was astonished on hearing these
words. Turning towards the woman’s son, he said,
“‘That is the very subject on which I wanted to
speak with her. Well, an agreement should not be
broken; as a man of honor I hope you will keep
your word.”’

‘“Yes, an agreement is an agreement,’’ the
young man murmured as he opened the door and
let the stranger in.

The missionary could hardly find the wretched
bed on which the dying womanlay. He knelt by the
bedside and said he was glad to hear that she knew
the precious truth about the blood that cleanses.

‘‘But I do not know that truth! I know noth-
ing about the blood that cleanses!”’? the woman
cried out; ‘‘therefore I said I would see you, if you
could tell me something about it.’’

‘“‘But how strange that you wanted to learnsome- —
thing about the cleansing blood without knowing its
value!’ said the missionary. ‘“‘How did you come
to hear of it?”

‘Thirty years ago,’’ she replied, ‘‘I sought anal
ter from a storm in a large house where there was
preaching. It was the first and the only time that
I wasinachurch. I heard the preacher recite the
words: ‘The blood of Jesus Christ, His Son, cleanseth
us from all sin.’ That is all I know of the sermon,

‘but these words came to my mind again and again.

Now I die and know not what will become of my ~
soul. Can you tell me anything about this cleans-
ing blood?”’

It was a sweet task to bring to this poor soul the
glad message of the finished work of redemption.
As a drowning person grasps the rope, so she laid
hold of the salyation which is in Christ Jesus.