LETTER XXXIV.
Valley of Achor, April 4th, 1819.
Mrs. Lawson,
MY VERY DEAR FRIEND,
With grief of heart I have to inform you, that poor Dean is appointed to die on Thursday morning. This is a most distressing circumstance, as I know the poor fellow entertained a hope that it would be proved an act of insanity. My feelings will be sorely distressed, as I shall have the pain to hear his poor trembling footsteps on the scaffold. May God prepare his soul, and assure him of his interest in Christ. May he feel the pardoning love of God—this will be as pillars of marble, to support his sinking heart. Oh that he may be washed in the dear Redeemer’s blood, and clothed with his righteousness, that he may be accepted of the Father the moment the soul quits the body. Glad should I be to visit him, and pray with him, but that is not allowed. Last night I was very low about him, and suddenly opened upon the 37th Psalm, The Lord will not leave him in his hand, nor condemn him when he is judged. If his last letter to me was genuine, he is saved in the Lord, with an everlasting salvation. His soul is every thing now, the body will soon be lifeless. Solemn thought, affecting idea—to be cut off by an untimely death, in the height of health and manhood! How truly awful; what has sin done, and Oh how great is the power of Satan. The Lord will put an end to the empire of Satan, and confine him down to darkness, fire, and chains, and we shall say Amen to Satan’s sentence. I trust poor Dean has found mercy at the hands of God. Various letters I have sent him, and glad I am the Lord enabled me to point him to the bleeding cross. His first letter to me, was a proof his mind was very dark, and his last letter proves his increase in light and faith; if the Lord has thus blessed my poor letters to him, you and I can see that I was not sent here in vain. It is well, the Lord has many means to bring his children to the knowledge of the truth. What God did to Pharaoh, and his host, reached the ear of Rahab the harlot, in Jericho, and she was converted. The fame of Solomon’s wisdom was heard in the country of the Sabeans, and proved the conversion of the queen of Sheba. The wonderful destruction of the Assyrian army, reached to Babylon, from thence came the wise men to worship Christ, and a church was formed there. A famine drove Naomi from Bethlehem, and she carried the knowledge of the true God to the country of Moab, which proved the conversion of Ruth. The Syrians invaded Israel, and took a little maid captive, which terminated in the conversion of Namaan. A famine drove Elijah to a widow at Zidon, and Elisha’s passing by a house at Shunem, proved their conversion. Paul and Silas were taken up, and put in prison, and Onesimus was confined in the same place for felony, and Paul was the means of his conversion there. A person swore that against me which I knew nothing about, and I was doomed to this place for a time. I dread the approach of Thursday, the shock will be great, but it will be soon over; and then, O what a transition—what bliss will his spirit feel, and what gratitude to God for bringing him home from an ignominious death, to eternal life. I have been informed Mr. Hyat, of the Tabernacle, visited him several times, and those visits have been blessed to his soul. I find faith and patience wants strengthening, but all fullness is in Christ. I am glad prayer is making in the Church for Mr. D.
Ever your’s,
Ruhamah.
LETTER XXXV.
Valley of Achor, May 8th, 1819.
Mrs. O,
MY DEAR FRIEND,
I well know your concern about the state of poor Mr. D. Yourself and your dear sister—dear indeed by a three-fold cord of nature, grace and trials, have expressed much anxiety for some information on the subject of his conversion and end. I have but few materials to furnish you with that account, as my situation precluded all intercourse with him, except by letter and a distant view of each other. This was no small matter of sorrow to me, for many weeks, nor could I often help exclaiming in the pathetic language of Jeremiah, “Truly this is a grief, but must I bear it.”
Some time ago, I wrote a few lines to your dear sister, giving her an account of the death of three unhappy men (see Letter 19) but as I could gain no satisfaction about them, sufficient to call your attention to admire that grace, which I was informed they were favored with, I left the subject. God forbid that I should exercise more charity to dying men, than the Lord has manifested. I am well convinced that the Judge of all the earth will do right; and although he giveth not account of his matters, yet the day will declare his righteousness, and every dark and mysterious providence will be unfolded; let us therefore wait the great teacher, Death, and God adore. I am not enraptured with the various accounts of the closing scene of many, nor am I moved with the darkness to which God’s dear people may be liable at the end of their warfare; all was darkness when the eternal Son of God was dying, yet, he was the Son of God, and Satan may be permitted to harrass a believer to the very gates of heaven; yet thousands are deluded to the last moment, whose hopes are built upon the sand, and whose religion sinks with their lives, when their false refuges and lying confidences give way. Many profane graceless characters die like lambs, but Oh, could we see what terrors surround them upon its approach to an angry God, in the world of spirits, it would harrow up our very souls. Many proud pharisees, who are trusting in themselves that they are righteous, that they are better than others, die in the same state. Many flaming, professors, who boast they have done much for God, and his cause, find in death that God has done nothing for them; and those who only have received the system of truth in the notion, and yet destitute of its power, are in the same awful state. Many who have come to an ignominious end, have been left to die with a lie in their mouths, declaring their innocence of their crimes; and others have patched up a peace with God, as they call it, by a little sorrow for sin, the receiving the sacrament, by forgiving their enemies, and dying in peace with all the world. These are some of the various delusions, in which many of our poor fallen race leave this world for eternity; but I am happy to say, that I believe many have gone from the fatal drop to endless bliss, who have been convinced of sin, cried for mercy in God’s way, and obtained a sense of pardoning mercy through the doing and dying of the adorable Mediator. This has inspired a holy confidence in the mind, that maketh not ashamed, a hope that cannot fail, as it centers in the person and finished work of Christ. Great indeed has been the false confidence of many. Mary, queen of Scots, a rigid papist, went to the block to be beheaded, in a strong confidence. Rosseau, the infidel philosopher, died as calm as a summer’s evening breeze, and the celebrated Addison said in death, “See in what tranquility a christian can die;” and yet, alas! what was the ground of their hopes? But the person who is the subject of this letter, was indeed better taught, and we must appeal to the church and the world on his behalf, and say, “Is not this a brand plucked out of the fire.”
It is a mercy to find the Pearl of great Price in early life, as it saves the soul from a thousand thorns, which gall the consciences of those, who do not experience the pardon of their sins till the terrors of death approach. The Lord has given us one particular instance in his word, of the victory of his grace in the soul, as the body was wracking in the agonies of death, and this is recorded that none might despair, and none might presume. Two malefactors were crucified with our dear Lord, on Golgotha; and when impious profane wretches, with the hell-hardened priests, were insulting him in his agonies, thieves that were crucified with him, did cast the same in his teeth. This shews the awful state they were both in, but Oh, the freeness and sovereignty of divine grace—the Lord selected one of those to be an instance of it—at this awful period the Lord Jesus looked upon him, and began his work of grace; the effects were soon visible, in reproving his companion, and submission to his fate, the acknowledgment of his just sentence, with a high commendation of the illustrious sufferer. This was presently vented again in prayer, crying first to his companion in sin and sorrow, “Dost thou not fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? We indeed, justly suffer, but this man hath done nothing amiss.” Then perhaps writhing his agonising body towards his Redeemer, he strove to shew his veneration, by lowly bowing his head. The effort tore his lengthening wounds, and the blood gushed forth in larger streams; but disregarding the pain, and the streaming blood, he cried, “Lord, remember me, when thou comest into thy kingdom.” The dear Saviour, with a divine smile, which entered the heart of the poor malefactor, looked on him with benignity, grace, and love; and with a gentle voice replied, “This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise.” No doubt this sweet promise was attended with the full pardon of his sins, a sense of divine love, and a joy full of glory. The peace of God, which his dear Lord was now making for him, filled his wondering mind, and fitted his new-born soul for celestial triumphs. Here was grace indeed—sovereign, rich, and free. He saw his Redeemer in agonies, he beheld the midnight darkness which veiled the heavens, he felt the earth quake, and he heard the rocks split when his Lord exclaimed “It is finished.” No doubt with strange emotions of love, grief, wonder, capture, surprise, adoration, and joy, he cast his dying eyes on his suffering Saviour; he saw our Jesus bow his dear head in death, having obtained eternal redemption for all who come to God through him; and no doubt he longed for the moment when he should breathe his last—but his heart was once more to be broken. The soldiers came to break the legs of the malefactors, but his Lord was dead already; and the poor thief, with dim dying eyes; yet saw the murderous villain drive a spear in the heart of that Christ that had pardoned his sin; his soul struggled to get through the body, to the bosom of its Saviour and its God. His legs being broken, he then expired, and his disimprisoned soul fled to the paradise promised him. This was grace indeed.
Oh for this love let rocks and hills
Their lasting silence break.
This almighty grace, I humbly trust, accomplished the salvation of Mr. D. It appears from what I can learn, that he had lived in thoughtlessness and folly, and those amusements which are calculated to fasten the bands of spiritual death the firmer; but the Lord stopped him in his mad career, in a very awful way, and with one tremendous sin, punished others, and made it an awful, but gracious means to bring him to reflection, to seeking the Lord, and to that repentance that needeth not to be repented of. Sin rose to its heighth, Satan did his utmost, and the hand of the Lord appeared; the awful moment of temptation came, he complied, he sinned with an high hand and an uplifted arm—ignorant of the nature of sin, he vainly supposed a child wanted no Saviour, forgetting it is written, “I was shapen in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me.” He performed the fatal act, and ushered the soul of the child into eternity, destroyed its body, robbed its dear parents of its affectionate embrace, involved them in sorrow, and plunged himself into the deepest horrors, real and imaginary; forfeited his life to the just laws of his country, and if grace had not been manifested, he would have complicated his own everlasting destruction. Oh, the extent of the crime! how dreadful! His tortured heart could feel no rest day nor night, till he gave himself up to justice. I saw him come into prison, and strange to tell, I felt a spirit of prayer for him influence my mind, which, more or less, abode with me till his execution. I knew how it would be with him, and I daily feared he would die by his own hands; but the Lord appeared gracious, not only in preserving him, but in giving him a serious concern about his never dying soul. There was a person in the same class with him, who had been for some time also with me; this person often took occasion to talk seriously with Mr. *** D. and observing the state of his mind, he advised him to write to me; but I being a stranger to him, and his mind sadly agitated, he requested his companion to write to me, and lay before me his distressed feelings, and begged to know from me if there were any hopes held out in scripture, for such a character as he was, and if there were any murderer ever obtained eternal life. I endeavored to answer him according to the word of God, assured him I was glad to find him under concern for his soul, and asking the way to God. I pointed out the nature and design of the Gospel, in the revelation of a Saviour, exactly suited to such sinners as he was; the invitation to poor sinners, who were led to cry for mercy from a feeling sense of need; the freeness of divine grace, and above all, I constantly urged the necessity of an application of the atonement to the conscience, and shewed him according to my poor abilities, that the salvation he now stood in need of, consisted in the sense of pardoning mercy. This I urged upon him to cry day and night for, and never rest till he knew for himself his sins were forgiven, and then I knew all the happy holy consequences that would follow.
I next pointed out the excellency of the good and just laws of the land in which we live, and although I was most cruelly charged as an enemy to all laws, divine and human, yet this was as false as God was true, as I consider the wholesome laws of the country, to come the nearest to the precepts of the sacred scriptures, and that a Christian, in his best state of mind, esteemed and loved every law of God. Great peace have they which love thy law. The next step I took, was to point out those parts of scripture, which suited his case and this I constantly enforced, as I hoped he grew in knowledge, and in seeking the Lord; but I did not answer the question in reference to the possibility of a murderer’s salvation, for some time after, because I considered it necessary that he should be truly wounded, till the healing balm was brought.
I shall not enlarge upon the subject of the various letters I sent him in his unhappy situation, but with respect to the question, “The doubt in the minds of many, whether it is possible for a person guilty of murder, to obtain eternal life:” The scriptures are clear upon this subject. Many have obtained it, although they most justly forfeit their natural lives, agreeable to the divine injunction, “Whoso sheddeth man’s blood, by man shall his blood be shed.” And if a murderer is not detected and executed by the laws of his country, yet, in general, some evil befals them, and they seldom die a natural death; for the word of God is mostly fulfilled in this particular. But, with respect to the soul, the salvation of that is an act of free, sovereign mercy. The passage of John’s Epistle, 3rd chapter, 15th verse, should be read in its connexion, and you will find that it explains itself, “Whoever hateth his brother is a murderer, and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.” This text refers to those hypocrites in a profession of religion, who, in heart, hate those that are truly called of God to the enjoyment of the truth; and such, indeed, is the nature of the holy law of God, that it views unjust anger in the mind, as murder; so says the Lord and fulfiller of his own law, 5th of Matthew. Who then can hope for salvation from the broken Covenant of Works; but it is very evident that some who have committed murder have been pardoned by the blood of the atonement, and are now in heaven. God’s highly distinguished servants, both Moses and David, were guilty of Murder; Moses killed an Egyptian and hid him in the sand, and David gave orders to captain-general Joab to place Uriah in the front of the battle, that he might be killed; this cruel act was resented by the Lord, for although his sins were pardoned, yet David had a broken heart within, and perpetual wars without. While Manasseh was in a state of nature, it is said he wrought very much evil in the sight of the Lord—moreover, Manasseh shed innocent blood very much—and yet, Oh the wonders of free victorious grace! Manasseh is brought into trouble, into a prison, and into fetters, and there the Lord convinced him of sin, humbled his heart, gave him a spirit of prayer, and made himself known to him as a sin pardoning God. Some of the murderers of the Son of God were pardoned: for these the dear Saviour prayed, while they were in the very act of crucifying him, “Father forgive them.” And when the bold and faithful apostle Peter preached to them, he charged the murder of the Saviour to their consciences, God gave them faith to believe in him, grace to receive his word, repentance unto life, and they were baptized in the name of that very Jesus whom they had crucified. I might also mention Saul of Tarsus, who gives a most affecting account of himself, in the 26th of the Acts. And who can tell the list of those who have been humbled and renewed by the grace of God, and who went from the fatal gibbet to glory? This I trust was the sad, but through mercy, happy case with Mr. D.
After the lapse of a few weeks, when his agitated bosom would permit him, he wrote to me—there was nothing in his letter but what was very natural to expect from a person in his situation; yet, from a few sentences, I was encouraged in my hope that he was seeking the Lord. I gained information of him every week, and always wrote to him accordingly. His fears, terrors, and horrors overwhelmed his trembling spirit, and I hoped there was more than nature in it. Some pious men brought him some religions Tracts. Good Mr. Smith of Penzance, once visited him, and by the good hand of God, his terrors abated, and his mind was gradually opened by the Holy Spirit, to see the value of Christ, and to make application to him for that mercy and grace he delights to display. I frequently observed him at the chapel, and when our worthy Chaplain advanced any precious sentence of the fullness and freeness of grace, he used to look at me with smiling approbation; by this I could see he was, at least, gaining some knowledge of the right way, and rejoicing in the truth. He experienced very violent temptations from the enemy, sometimes to suicide, then to doubt the authenticity of the Bible. Various were his tossings of mind and deep was his distress, till the Lord led him to receive the atonement in his mind with power; this was done in the use of the means. I could humbly wish to have known how this came into his mind, whether by the impression of any scripture, or in any open manifestation of power, light, and liberty. I heard he was more comfortable than he used to be, and wrote to him to know the ground of that comfort, and the real state of his mind, to which he sent me the following simple and plain Letter.
Mr. C.
MY DEAR FRIEND & WELL WISHER,
I feel much indebted to you for your good advice and kind attention to me under my heavy afflictions. I have the pleasure to inform you I am a wonder to myself: my mind and heart prone after the riches of Christ—there is no name under heaven, nor in heaven, so precious as his to me.—You know what the Bible promises to all believers. I have read it, and thought it reached any case but mine, but now, thanks be to God, I find my case and sins were what our blessed Saviour shed his blood for—such rebels as me! A free pardon is held forth for such vile creatures as I am. I thank God from my heart, he has done a great work for me—the blood of Christ is precious blood—he is strengthening me much in faith. I find he is all I need. I am nothing but sin, and have done no good in all my life, yet he holds a free pardon for me. He has answered my polluted prayers, and every promise in the book tells me it is for me. The blessed and Holy Spirit has opened my blind eyes, and shewed me what I am and what Christ is, in some degree, but his riches and mercies none can fathom—his promise takes away the sting of death. I am looking to him, and put all things into his hands, and it will be well.
Kind Sir, I remain, your’s, &c.
A great Sinner,
R. Dean.
From this simple letter I received some degree of consolation, and finding his mind was open to receive the atonement for the pardon of all sin, I judged it now expedient to lead his attention to that glorious robe of imputed righteousness which is the end of the law and the glory of the gospel, that he might be able to say
Jesus thy blood and righteousness
My beauty are my glorious dress;
’Midst flaming worlds, in these array’d,
With joy shall I lift up my head.
I pressed his attention to that capital blessing, knowing that faith had to do with that alone to render us just before God; that while the blood of Jesus took away all sin, the obedience of Christ to the Law fulfilled all righteousness—the one excludes from hell, but the other brings us to heaven; “For in the Lord shall all the Seed of Israel be justified, and shall glory.” I had, after this, much uneasiness of mind on behalf of poor Mr. D. his situation with so many awful characters, in the same part of the prison, I knew was not very favorable to his growth in grace; yet I knew, if the work was genuine on his mind, it would be carried on; but some persons had attempted to console his mind with this idea, That on his trial it would be proved he was insane. I feared this would throw him into a careless frame about his soul, and I fear it did for a time, but the speedy approach of the assize alarmed him, and I hope the Lord quickened him again. I wrote to him not to listen to any such ideas for a moment, and reminded him of the first intimation of Satan to out first parents—“Ye shall not surely die.” I trust this had the desired effect; he was tried and cast for death, as I expected, and his fatal day was appointed, but deferred to wait the decision of the fate of another, who was afterwards reprieved. This was indeed rather an uncommon circumstance, but I fondly hoped the Lord had so appointed it, that poor Mr. D. might be the better capacitated to enter into his awful presence. In reference to his state of mind, during this period, the worthy minister of the place constantly visited him, and held forth the suitable consolations of the gospel to his view, nor were those visits in vain. I frequently heard Mr. D. pray aloud, and with much energy. The day before his execution (April 7, 1819) he was visited by a Nobleman and his respectable Friend, who, in imitation of their divine Lord, delights to go about doing good; may God prosper their efforts, and another day fulfil in those honorable persons all those gracious promises in the 41st Psalm, 1, 2, 3rd verses. Some pious, Friends from the Methodist Society often visited him, and prayed with him, and I trust felt the presence of the Lord with them; as an evidence of his approbation of their work of love, some continued with him all the night previous to his execution: Mr. D. received them kindly and gratefully. The visitors did not perceive the least sign of insanity, but a calm composedness of mind, and an humble trust in the atonement of Christ, and without the shadow of a doubt of the pardon of his sins. Believe me, I feel an emotion of gratitude and tears while I write this. He could give no account what induced him to commit the horrid deed, but spoke very composedly on every subject. He joined the gentlemen in prayer, and singing an hymn—
Behold the bleeding lamb of God,
Nail’d to the shameful tree;
How vast the love that him constrain’d
To bleed and die for me.
About an hour after, leaning upon the shoulder of one of the visitors, he requested him to sing that sweet hymn again, in which he joined them, with a sweet and heavenly frame of mind; but Satan was to have his last onset, and about the middle of the night the enemy harrassed him sorely, deep darkness pervaded his mind, and his heart trembled with fear. The dear friends perceiving this, advised him to retire and read alone, and they withdrew to the other end of the room. After he had read a little, he fell on his knees, and prayed most fervently, consistently, and scripturally. Satan left him, and his mind became quite serene. At seven in the morning, when he was preparing all things necessary for his final departure, he addressed a fellow prisoner in a most surprizing and affecting manner; spoke of the mercy he had received, and encouraged him to call on God for pardoning mercy, through the doing and dying of the Lord Jesus Christ. The visitors then read a letter from his dear friend, the uncle of the dear child, in which he praised God for the mercy Mr. D. had found, and from the tenor of the letter, we trust the day dawns on his mind, and the day star begins to shine.
Mr. D. attended the solemn service at the chapel, and received the Lord’s supper; not to make his peace with God, but in thankfulness to his dear Lord who had made it for him on mount Calvary. The solemn bell announced his approach, and my soul was overwhelmed with solemn grief, which I endeavored to vent out in prayers and tears. At nine o’Clock I heard him, having ascended the scaffold, in supplication, which increased in fervent entreaties, and committing his soul into the hands of the Redeemer. His petitions were earnest and importunate, and as he increased in agitation, so also in devout intreaties, crying, Lord Jesus receive my spirit; Look, look upon a poor murderer. Oh, by the blood of the cross, by the blood of calvary, look upon me. Lord have mercy upon me. Lord— here he was going to speak again, but the drop fell, and his soul took its flight to the bosom of its Saviour and its God; with Christ in his heart, heaven in his eye, and Lord—on his tongue. Thus died poor Mr. D. a sinner, saved by grace alone.
I trust his sad case was laid on the hearts of many God-fearing persons, and many prayers were put up for him, nor did they return empty. Some of our dear friends had several precious tokens for his good; and I am happy to say I gave some hope, that the death of Mr. D. is the means of the spiritual life of one in the family: perhaps it will not end here. I must add, that the worthy family to whom the child belonged, most freely forgave him the rash act, and paid every attention to him during his confinement.
From this short account of poor Mr. D. I think we may discover some of those blessed evidences which characterize a real believer. His brokenness of spirit and honest confessions, prove his humility before God: his crying day and night to the Lord, evidence his eternal election; his mind being led to the Saviour manifested his adoption, and his receiving the atonement and resting upon Jesus, shewed that his faith was genuine. His temptations demonstrate Satan’s hatred to him, and his entreaties for mercy to the last moment, prove that he had obtained mercy: “Is not this a brand plucked out of the fire?” I would call your attention in this letter, to the infinite evil of sin, the mystery of divine providence, the wonders of almighty grace, and the necessity of fervent prayer for divine keeping; “Hold thou me up, and I shall be safe;” but this would fill a volume. You can recollect I have observed, that the Lord in general resents a murder in his own way, and in his own time, although the murderer may escape condign punishment. This has been proved in many instances, one of which I have just read in the Methodist Magazine, which I will just mention in few words.
A gentleman was riding over Hounslow Heath, when a poor man, with his little boy, ran after him to solicit relief; but the gentleman refusing, the beggar continued his intreaties, which aggravated him that he drew his sword and laid the poor beggar on the ground, and then rode away: the poor boy screamed out that his father was killed. Ten years after this, as he was riding near the same place, some boys were playing at cricket, and one of them hit the gentleman’s toe with his ball. It was painful, and a surgeon at Brentford, told him it would prove of dangerous consequence. He came to London for advice, and was informed he must suffer amputation, as a mortification had actually taken place. He would not give his consent to this, and death approached. The doctor asked him if he knew any thing of the boy who had thrown the ball, and he said he did, for he well remembered he was the son of the old man, whom he had killed some years before.—Verily, there is a God that judgeth in the earth.
Wishing you all grace, I remain,
Ruhamah.