There once lived a very sinful woman in an estate in our city that was famous for crime, immorality, and lawlessness. This woman got so sick that she knew she was just about to die. She mourned and cried in self-pity. Her young daughter sought to know how she could help her mother and did it.
One night, the agonies became unbearable: she (mother) wanted to know how she could die and not got to hell. She inquired from the daughter but even the daughter could not help. In the struggle, the daughter remembered that on the other estate of the city there was a large church and a minister in charge. She walked to that Pastor’s house that night and knocked on his door. The pastor came out to find a poor, wet, young girl. The girl asked “are you the minister here?” yes, he answered. “Won’t you come and get my mother in?” the minister protested “why? I was just about to sleep. Besides, do you think I can go with you down there to get your mother in? You should have asked for police help if she is drunk to be taken in”. The girl interjected, “she is not drunk or even wet, she is at home about to die and is afraid of going to hell. She wants to go to heaven and doesn’t know how. I told her that I would get her a minister to help her in”. The minister inquired of the location of their home.
When clear of the location, the minister feared for his reputation. That estate was not visited by respectable men without accompaniment of policemen. The thought about his reputation: suppose News Papers reported his visit the following day? What about those who may see him with this girl that late in the night? He thought of a wise way of refusing to go. “Young girl, I suggest that you go back and contact the person in charge of the rescue mission there. He will be glad to help with what you want”. All this time feeling ashamed of his inability to help in what is otherwise his duty.
The girl replied that the rescue mission guy might be good, but she had told her dying mother that she was going to get her the minister. On losing his arguments, he accompanied the girl home. Every time they took a turn into that district, he trembled with fear. They moved into the inner part of the slum to the structure where the mother lay. “I have brought you the preacher of the biggest church in the city” the girl introduced the minister to the mother. “He didn’t want to come but he did. You tell him what you want and do just what he tells you to do”. The woman looked up to the preacher and asked, “sir, can you do anything for a poor sinner? I know I have lived an awful life and am headed to hell. I don’t want to go there. I want to be saved. I want to go to heaven. Tell me what I can do”.
This minister had been teaching his church members on salvation by character, ethical culture, and reformation. He can’t tell her to change her character; there was no time and energy. She was dying. No time for ethical culture and reformation. She has gone too far to reform. Then something told him “why not tell her what your mother used to tell you?” she is dying and it won’t hurt her after all. He said to her “my poor woman, God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). Does it say that in the Bible? She asked. My! This ought to help me in: but what about my sins? “The blood of Jesus Christ his son cleanses us from all sin” (1John 1:7). “All Sin!? Is it what the Bible is saying?” that ought to get me in: then they read 1Timothy1:15. Well, she told the minister, “if the chief got in, I can come. Pray for me! The minister knelt down and prayed with that poor woman and got her in, and while getting her in, he got himself in as well. Two poor sinners were saved together that night in the little house!