"'Lord Jesus, I do thank Thee for bearing my sins; I trust myself to Thee to be saved. I want to be forgiven through Thy death, and because Thou hast been punished in my place.'"
"Is that all?" she said.
"That is all!" I answered. "You cannot do more. One of my husband's tenants was in great trouble a few months ago; he was not at all a rich man, and he had got into some rather serious difficulties with a neighbour of his. My husband heard of it, and when he had been told the whole story, he felt that the man was to be pitied. The poor wife came and pleaded with tears in her eyes that he would help them, so my husband went to the trial to see what could be done. The sentence was pronounced—the man was to pay £20, or failing that, he was to go to prison. The poor man could not have paid even £5, for he was very badly off, so he was quite prepared to be led off to prison. But at that moment my husband stepped forward, and laid down the £20. What was left for the man to do? Nothing, but to come forward and to say with tears in his eyes,—
"'Mr. Stanley, I thank you kindly, sir; I shall never forget it as long as I live!'"
"I see," she said; "I see it all now; and is that just what I have to do?"
"Exactly," I said; "you must go to the Lord Jesus and say,—
"'Lord, I have nothing with which to pay. I am a great sinner, and owe a great debt, but Thou hast paid it all; I look upon Thee as my Saviour, and I shall never forget it as long as I live.'
"It is quite touching to see that poor man's love for my husband now; he tries in every way he can to show his gratitude."
"I see," she said; "and we love Him because He first loved us. Oh, Mrs. Stanley, thank you so much!"
I did not leave the house until I had reason to believe that Alice had indeed taken the Lord Jesus as her own Saviour, nor until she could tell me with a smile on her thin, wasted face, "I am not utterly miserable now, for I have a sure hope for the future; He has forgiven me."