A BETTER RIGHT.

Hoa Maori, Issue 25, 1 July 1892, Page 1

A BETTER RIGHT.

SjaN the highlands of Scotland there was rthe highlands of Scotland there the once a lad who was counted the 'eli? terror of the whole of the neighbourhood in which he lived. "i One day, after committing some depredation, he ran away, and ashed the captain of a whaler to take him on hoard his vessel. The captain consented, and the ship went on its long voyage. ■ ' ■’> ' " .•( j $ When out at sea the youth began to think df his sin; and, acknowledging his guilt, felt that he was only fit for hell fire.' iJ.-vr J ■ J Thiswas “the fear of the Lord,” and “the beginning of wisdom.”' It - was i God who had , begun the work in the conscience of this wayward sinner . i and soon the lad whs] met by the One who said, “ Come unto Me, all ye that labour and i are heavy laden, and

I will give you rest." He found that rest in the One who died for him. ' "' He now longed to he able to tell, in his own town, what the Lord had done for him ; and after the voyage was over he returned there. The night following there was a "wake;" and he, among others, went to show his sympathy with the bereaved ones. A catechist was also present; and he, hearing of this young man having turned religious (as they called it), said to him, ■'Young man, you might read us a chapter out of the Bible." Now," he thought, "this is a chance for me to tell what the Lord has done for my soul.' ;■-"•■•'

So after reading, he rose and said to the people,'" You all know what a dreadful character I was when, living here; Well out there, on the high seas, the Lord Jesus Christ washed all my sins away in His precious blood, and now lam saved." He then sat down. •■■'• The catechist, getting up at once, asked, !' Young man, do I understand you ■ to say that you know you are saved: Yes, sir," he replied; ' The catechist turned to the people and said, "You have all known me for twenty yoars, as an honest man and catechist. Is there one who can lay a finger on any wrong action in my life ? and yet I would not dare to say that I am saved, and that my sins were forgiven. _ Eising again, the young man said "I have a better right to say it than you, sir.' "What," said the catechist, "you who were not fit to be in society ! A thief, a liar, who had to run away for fear of prison! : "Yes," answered the young man, "I was only fit for the flames of hell. But, sir, I will tell you why I have a better right to know my sins forgiven than you. You bring to God twenty years of an honest life, and put that up before Him as your merit, /can only put before God a life of sin, and hell as my desert;. but on the top of all that I put the'blood of Jesus Christ, God's Son, which cleanseth from all sin. — John 1, 7. This is my plea, sir,—the blood. This is

my only title before God ; not my goodness." Reader, what is your title? What is your plea ? ;, . j "To Him [Christ Jesus] give all the prophets 'witness, that through His name whosoever believeth in Him shall receive remission of sins."— ■ 10, 43.—" In whom we [believers] have redemption through His blood, even the forgiveness of sins —Eph. 1, 7.—ls this forgiveness yours?