While traveling in evangelistic and missionary work a few years ago
another minister and I met with a congregation in a Western city. When
I entered the place of worship, my eyes fell upon a woman sitting near
the altar. She was an object of pity because of her affliction, which
was of a very peculiar nature and noticeable at a glance. Although she
was a stranger to me and began uttering such expressions as "Praise the
Lord!" and "Halleluiah!" yet I felt that I discerned a false spirit
and was strongly impressed that she was possessed with a murderous and
deceptive spirit. At the close of the service we were asked to pray for
her healing. It was evident that she received no help, and although she
made a loud profession of religion, my conviction was deepened that my
former impressions were correct, and furthermore that she was guilty of
murdering an unborn child.
After the next service this woman and her husband invited me to their
home. I went with a prayer that God would send conviction upon them and
save them from their deception and lost condition. After spending some
time in social conversation, I began to talk with them about their
spiritual condition. At first there was some resentment; for the enemy
of souls had made them believe that it was no great crime, in fact, no
crime at all; that she was really justified in committing the deed;
that as no one else knew of it and was not likely to know, she could
cover her sin and go on with a profession as a Christian and receive the
fellowship of other Christian people. She was kindly told that she had
a false spirit, one foreign to the Spirit of God.
She broke down and, with tears streaming down her cheeks, confessed that
she had destroyed her unborn child, and said that the affliction soon
fastened upon her as leprosy did upon Miriam. Not until the time of our
visit did she fully realize the heinousness of her sin nor feel the
weight of her guilt. By justifying herself in the act and professing
religion without repentance, she had opened the door of her heart to
deception.
But now as she became awakened to her real condition, the enemy
whispered, as he has done to many others under similar circumstances:
"It is too late now; there is no hope; for 'they which do such things
shall not inherit the kingdom of God'" (Gal. 5:21). She was told that
those who do such things and cover their sins or continue to do them
without forsaking them and without repenting are the ones who will
not inherit the kingdom of God. "He that covereth his sins shall not
prosper; but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy"
(Prov. 28:13).
Prayer was offered in her behalf, the evil spirits were rebuked, and
she realized a gleam of hope for her deliverance, not only from the
deception into which she had fallen, but also from her sin. She began
to realize that God was ready to forgive her and set her burdened,
repentant heart free, and accept her as his child. Oh, how unworthy
she felt!
Now came the question, "Must I confess this deed to the church, to my
neighbors, and to the world?" "No, the sin you committed was against
yourself and against God," I answered, "and it will do the church and
the world no good to know of it. In fact, a knowledge of it might be
an injury to some weaker ones. You have confessed it to God and he has
forgiven you, and as no one else is injured, there is no one else to
whom it need be confessed."
When she had been made free from her guilt by the grace of God, she
could then come to him with faith for the healing of her body, and she
was delivered from her affliction.
Another case was that of a gambler in one of the Western States who had
often been warned against the evils of gambling, but who would not heed
the admonitions of friends. He continued his life of folly until the
time came when, in the midst of his revelry, a contention arose between
him and a fellow gambler. The provocation was so great that both drew
deadly weapons, and to save his own life and at the same time to wreak
vengeance upon the other man, he fired the fatal shot, and his
antagonist fell dead at his feet.
Immediately sorrow filled his heart because he had shed human blood,
thus making himself a murderer. In a short time he was behind
prison-bars to await trial, and the following message was flashed over
the wires to his brother: "I am in trouble; killed a man today; come."
Brothers, parents, and friends came with their sympathy and tears, money
and influence. Court after court convened, and from year to year the
case was continued or sentence was rendered and suspended. For a long
time he was under sentence of death. Money and influence prolonged the
case, and the indications were that it might be deferred many more years
if sufficient money was available.
It was while in that dungeon awaiting the fulfilment of the
death-sentence that he felt the wooings of the Spirit of the Lord. He
read the New Testament and wrote to us to pray for him. He finally
confessed his sins to the Lord and found peace to his soul. He then
began to appropriate the promises to his own case for deliverance from
prison. God honored his faith and the faith of His servants who were
offering earnest prayers that he might be delivered. Contrary to the
advice of relatives and friends, he dismissed all legal counsel and
decided to place his case entirely in the hands of the God of heaven,
who delivered Daniel out of the lions' den and Peter out of prison. In
a short time his faith was rewarded by a message being flashed over the
wires for the authorities to open the prison-doors and let him go free.
Since then he has spent much time visiting prisoners and encouraging
them to put their trust in the Lord, who is mighty to save.