(James Smith, "Marvelous Mercy!" 1862)
The following is an excerpt from
the diary of James Smith:
December 31, 1855.
The last day of the year 1855--
a year characterized by . . .
many severe trials,
many sore temptations,
and innumerable mercies.
In some things, it closes
differently to what I expected--
but how differently it may
have closed!
I might have been in Hell!
O terrible thought!
I might have been on a sick
bed, tormented with excruciating
pain, or reduced to a state
of infantile weakness.
I might have been in great
and sore troubles, tossed
with tempests, and not comforted.
I might have been without a pastorate--
and without a loving people.
Or I might have been guilty
of some heinous sin, lost my
character, and been a fugitive
and a vagabond on the earth!
Blessed, forever blessed be the LORD--
that such is not my case!
My health is good,
my hope in CHRIST is steady,
my congregation good, and
I trust the LORD will yet
work a great work by me.
And now, LORD, I desire
to confess before YOU
the sins of this past year:
I have sinned with my tongue--
and with my temper.
I have sinned in my heart--
and in my life.
I have omitted duties.
I have committed sins.
My motives have often
been impure.
My aims have not been
sufficiently high and holy.
I have been impatient, fretful,
irritable, rash, jealous, envious,
discontented, and ungrateful.
O may the blood of JESUS wash
out every stain!I renounce all hope--
but what centers in JESUS!
I have no refuge, no hiding-place,
no strong tower, no place of safety--
but JESUS.
CHRIST in HIS person,
CHRIST in HIS finished work,
CHRIST in HIS glorious intercession--
is all my hope, all my confidence, all my joy!
I am HIS servant--
and wish to serve HIM alone.
I am HIS subject--
and wish to be ruled by HIM alone.
I am HIS purchased property--
and wish to be consecrated entirely,
eternally, and altogether to HIM!
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
The following is an excerpt from
the diary of James Smith:
December 31, 1855.
The last day of the year 1855--
a year characterized by . . .
many severe trials,
many sore temptations,
and innumerable mercies.
In some things, it closes
differently to what I expected--
but how differently it may
have closed!
I might have been in Hell!
O terrible thought!
I might have been on a sick
bed, tormented with excruciating
pain, or reduced to a state
of infantile weakness.
I might have been in great
and sore troubles, tossed
with tempests, and not comforted.
I might have been without a pastorate--
and without a loving people.
Or I might have been guilty
of some heinous sin, lost my
character, and been a fugitive
and a vagabond on the earth!
Blessed, forever blessed be the LORD--
that such is not my case!
My health is good,
my hope in CHRIST is steady,
my congregation good, and
I trust the LORD will yet
work a great work by me.
And now, LORD, I desire
to confess before YOU
the sins of this past year:
I have sinned with my tongue--
and with my temper.
I have sinned in my heart--
and in my life.
I have omitted duties.
I have committed sins.
My motives have often
been impure.
My aims have not been
sufficiently high and holy.
I have been impatient, fretful,
irritable, rash, jealous, envious,
discontented, and ungrateful.
O may the blood of JESUS wash
out every stain!I renounce all hope--
but what centers in JESUS!
I have no refuge, no hiding-place,
no strong tower, no place of safety--
but JESUS.
CHRIST in HIS person,
CHRIST in HIS finished work,
CHRIST in HIS glorious intercession--
is all my hope, all my confidence, all my joy!
I am HIS servant--
and wish to serve HIM alone.
I am HIS subject--
and wish to be ruled by HIM alone.
I am HIS purchased property--
and wish to be consecrated entirely,
eternally, and altogether to HIM!
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
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