I thank God that the gospel is to be preached to every creature. I thank God the commission is so free. There is no man so far gone, but the grace of Godcan reach him; no man so desperate or so black, but He can forgive him. Yes, I thank God I can preach the gospel to the man or the woman who is as black as hell itself. I thank God for the “whosoevers” of the invitations of Christ. “God so loved the world that He gave his only begotten Son, that whosoeverbelieveth on Him should not perish, but have everlasting life,” and “Whosoever will , let him take the water of life freely.”
I heard of a woman once who thought there was no promise in the Bible for her, they were all for other people. One day she got a letter, and when she opened it, found it was not for her at all, but for some other woman of the same name. It led her to ask herself, “If I should find some promise in the Bibledirected to me, how should I know that it meant me , and not some other woman?” And she found out that she must just take God at his word, and include herself among the “whosoevers” and the “every creatures” to whom the gospel is freely preached. I know that word “whosoever” means every man, everywoman, every child in this wide world. It means that boy down there, that gray-haired man, that maiden in the blush of youth, that young man breaking a mother’s heart, that drunkard steeped in misery and sin. Oh, my friends, will you not believe this good news? Will you not receive this wonderful gospel ofChrist? Will you not believe, poor sinner, that it means you ? Will you say it is too good to be true?
I was in Ohio a few years ago, and was invited to preach in the State prison. Eleven hundred convicts were brought into the chapel, and all sat in front of me. After I had got through the preaching, the chaplain said to me: “Mr. Moody, I want to tell you of a scene which occurred in this room. A few years ago, our commissioners went to the governor of the State, and got him to promise that he would pardon five men for good behavior. The governor consented, with this understanding — that the record was to be kept secret, and that at the end of six months the five men highest on the roll should receive a pardon, regardless of who or what they were. At the end of six months the prisoners were all brought into the chapel; the commissioners came up, and the President stood up on the platform, and putting his hand in his pocket, brought out some papers, and said, ‘I hold in my hand pardons for five men.’” The chaplain told me he never witnessed anything on earth like it. Every man was as still as death; many were deadly pale, and the suspense was awful; it seemed as if every heart had ceased to beat. The commissioner went on to tell them how they had got the pardon; but the chaplain interrupted him. “Before you make your speech, read out the names. This suspense is awful.” So he read out the first name, “Reuben Johnson will come and get his pardon;” and he held it out, but none came forward. He said to the governor, “Are all the prisoners here?” The governor told him they were all there. Then he said again “Reuben Johnson will come and get his pardon. It is signed and sealed by the governor. He is a free man.” Not one moved. The chaplain told me he looked right down where Reuben was; he was well known; he had been nineteen years there, and many were looking round to see him spring to his feet. But he himself was looking round to see the fortunate man who had got his pardon. Finally the chaplain caught his eye and said, “Reuben, you are the man.”Reuben turned round and looked behind him to see where Reuben was. The chaplain said the second time, “Reuben, you are the man;” and the second time he looked round, thinking it must be some other Reuben. So men do not believe the gospel is for them. They think it is too good, and pass it over their shoulders to the next man. But you are the man tonight. Well, the chaplain could see where Reuben was, and he had to say three times, “Reuben, come and get your pardon.” At last the truth began to steal over the old man; he got up and came along down the hall, trembling from head to foot, and when he got the pardon he looked at it, and went back to his seat, and buried his face in his hands, and wept. When the prisoners got into the ranks to go back to the cells, Reuben got into the ranks too, and the chaplain had to call to him, “Reuben, get out of the ranks; you are a free man, you are no longer aprisoner.” And Reuben stepped out of the ranks. He was free! That is the way men make out pardons. They make them out for good character or good behavior. But God makes out pardons for men who have not got any character, who have been very, very bad. He offers a pardon to every sinner on earthif he will take it. I do not care who he is or what he is like.
He may be the greatest libertine that ever walked the streets, or the greatest blackguard who ever lived, or the greatest drunkard, or thief, or vagabond; but I come tonight with glad tidings, and preach the gospel to every creature.--DL Moody
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