The cleansing blood!

Some years ago, in Western New York, I stood in a crowded assembly preaching. I remember that I was struck upon this point of doctrine, and I cried out to my congregation, in great earnestness, "The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth, cleanseth, CLEANSETH, CLEANSETH us from all sin." Just then a gentleman who sat four or five seats from the front looked right up at me. His eyes sparkled, he seemed to grasp the idea with great force. By and by he grasped the seat in front of him. He acted as he leaned a little forward, as if he was going to jump right up over the heads of the people to the pulpit. I could hardly understand the meaning of his actions.

I drove home the idea with force, feeling, as I remember, that I could not let one of that congregation leave without believing that the blood of Jesus cleanseth us from all sin, and just now. I passed from the thought. The man settled back, but his countenance shone with perfect radiance.

The next morning, as I sat in my room, there came a hasty knock at the door. I opened it, and there stood that man. "Good morning, sir," said I. "Good morning; you don't know me?" " Yes, I do know you," said I. "I don't know your name, or where you live, but you are the man who sat so and so in my congregation yesterday?" "Yes," said he," and I have come in to tell you about it."

"Seven years I have been a member of the church, and I have been to sacraments, and supposed I was all right, but , sir, I never had an idea that I was to be saved by the blood of Christ, and that alone, until yesterday, in your sermon, when you struck into the thought 'the blood of Christ cleanseth.' Somehow, in an instant, my heart grasped that thought and I said, 'That is what I want,' and at once I realized that the blood took away my sins and saved my soul, and I thank you for those words" -- Albert P. Graves

From: 2700-PLUS SERMON ILLUSTRATIONS By Duane V. Maxey

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