l the greater
portion of a small sum which I happened to have about me when I departed
on my dolorous wandering, and with this I purchased clothes, and altered
my appearance considerably. On the evening of the second day my friend
said, "I am going to preach, perhaps you will come and hear me." I
consented, and we all went, not to a church, but to the large building
next the house; for the old man, though a clergyman, was not of the
established persuasion, and there the old man mounted a pulpit and began
to preach. "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden," etc.,
etc., was his text. His sermon was long, but I still bear the greater
portion of it in my mind.

'The substance of it was that Jesus was at all times ready to take upon
Himself the burden of our sins, provided we came to Him with a humble and
contrite spirit, and begged His help. This doctrine was new to me; I had
often been at church, but had never heard it preached before, at least so
distinctly. When he said that all men might be saved, I shook, for I
expected he would add, all except those who had committed the mysterious
sin; but no, all men were to be saved who with a humble and contrite
spirit would come to Jesus, cast themselves at the foot of His cross, and
accept pardon through the merits of His blood-shedding alone.
"Therefore, my friends," said he, in conclusion, "despair not--however
guilty you may be, despair not--however desperate your conditions may
seem," said he, fixing his eyes upon me, "despair not. There is nothing
more foolish and more wicked than despair; overweening confidence is not
more foolish than despair; both are the favourite weapons of the enemy of
souls."

'This discourse gave rise in my mind to no slight perplexity. I had read
in the Scriptures that he who committeth a certain sin shall never be
forgiven, and that there is no hope for him either in this world or the
next. And here was a man, a good man certainly, and one who, of
necessity, was thoroughly acquainted with the Scriptures, who told me
that any one might be forgiven, however wicked, who would only trust in
Christ and in the merits of His blood-shedding. Did I believe in Christ?
Ay, truly. Was I willing to be saved by Christ? Ay, truly. Did I trust
in Christ? I trusted that Christ would save every one but myself. And
why not myself? simply because the Scriptures had told me that he who has
committed the sin against the Holy Ghost can neve