The message of the cross is the same in every clime. The Spirit of the
Lord will enlighten all darkened hearts that are receptive to the truth.
In the year 1904 there was a striking occurrence in one of our meetings
in the Punjab district in northwestern India. An intelligent young lady,
a native school-teacher, offered her services as interpreter one Sunday
while I preached on the subject of the ordinances of the Bible.
She became very much interested in the story of the cross, and as the
prophecy was read from the fifty-third chapter of Isaiah, she was much
affected. After interpreting sentence by sentence a vivid description of
the crucifixion-scene and the story of how the Savior gave his life for
the salvation of those who are lost in sin, she suddenly stopped, began
wringing her hands, and fell upon her knees. In the bitter anguish of
her soul she cried, "O Lord! I am a sinner! I am a sinner! Have mercy
upon my soul!"
For a few minutes the services changed to a prayer-meeting. Her efforts
were with such earnestness and sincerity of heart that she was soon able
to realize a fulfilment of the promises by faith, and received a witness
to her soul that the Lord Jesus was now her Savior.
She arose rejoicing and continued to interpret with much fervency of
spirit, realizing the truthfulness of the words of the apostle when he
said that the gospel of Christ "is the power of God unto salvation to
every one that believeth."