The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1880-09-29
For the Central Presbyterian.
F." Just AS / Am"
BY REV. II. H. HAYES.

Just AS I Am"
BY REV. H. H. HAYES.
Dear fellow sinner, please read what I
here say. The beautiful hymn, begin
ming with the above words, tells every
anxious soul exactly what to do. If you
ask, What shall do to be saved PIN
this hymn is the safest answer l ever saw
outside Of the Bible. Indeed, this an
swer speaks from the Bible. 1t is the
word of God uttered in human language.
For the sinner who is perfectly careless,
and who has no serious thoughts about
his soul, am not now writing. But I
call to you, who are wishing you could
be Christian. You have felt the guilt
and d power of sin. Sin gives you trouble
and sorrow. You are longing to be saved
from it, not merely in fear of punish
ment, but because sin is wrong and hurt
full. You wish to please God. You de-
sire to obey His gospel Now then at
tend. Gods first call is: believe in the
Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be
saved All through His gospel, He is
saying: "Whosoever will, let him come"
Jesus says, Come unto me" God says,
" Hear We Him." What then is your
first duty? Obedience! If you would
please God, obey Him. Thus your first
step is explained in the first verse of this
hymn.
Just as [ am, without one plea
But that Thy blood was shed for me-
And that thou bid'St me come to Thee,
Lamb of God, I come"
Think Can you not say this much?
=" But [ am so sinful l am not worthy
to come" The next verse marks your
way:
Just as I am, and waiting not
10 rid my soul of one dark blot
10 Thee, whose blood can cleanse each spot
o Lamb of God come"
Will you ever get better by waiting?
Does delay bring any satisfaction? Oil
1t is not for what you are or can be. but
for what Christ has done and is for sin
ners, that God is to accept and save you.
DO you not know that? "But I find it
so hard to cease from sin ! NY tempta-
lions are so strongl I fear to trust nv
self. L doubt if [ can endure, if [ come"
Then look at the next verse:
Just as 1 am though tossed about,
With many conflict many q doubt
tlghtings within and fears without,
Lamb of God, come"
Do you not see the way of duty here?
But [ am so weak; so unsatisfed; so
ignorant. do not see nor know what to
do. I have no fitness, and in addition to
this SIN seems to pray upon my thoughts
continually. Bad thoughts and bad feel
ings keep me back: That is, you are
" diseased" sick-sin is the disease
What will you do when your body is
diseased? when you feel "all wrong" and
begin to weaken and waste under physi-
cal sickness? Give yourself into the
care of your physician. Now Jesus is
The Great Physician" of souls. And
what does the next verse bid you do?
Just as l am, poor, wretched, blind =
Sight, riches healing of the mind,
Yea, all in Thee [ need to find;
Lamb of God, 1 come"
"But how am [ to know that I will be
received and cared for? What is to be
my evidence of acceptance?" You have
all that is needful when you find your
self able to take God at His word, and
say:
Just as I am Thou wilt receive
Wilt welcome, pardon, cleanse, relieves
Because Thy promises believe,
O Lamb of Cod come"
Do you say: The way is simple: I do
feel that I can say this much?" Then
act Say it all, at once. And now crown
this action with your conservation to
Christ. Give yourself to Him; then live
for Him. Think how long and patiently
He has waited, and how He has borne so
lovingly, all your former carelessness and
rejection. Why, dear soul, He has spared
you because He loves and wants to save
you This is the great reason why you
still live. Can you resist and sin against
such love any longer? All, no But
now close up the matter by saying:
Just as I am, for love unknown
Has broken every barrier down
Now to be Thine and Thine alone,
O Lamb of God, come"
Kneel down and give yourself to the dear
Saviour in the words of this hymn, and
because the "zoronai8e" says so, you shall
be saved The way is SO open, SO easy,
so plain, that if you now hesitate, and
therefore remain unsaved, the reason
which Christ once gave for the loss of
souls, will be the only one applying to
your case: Ye will not come to me that
ye might have life"
fl,o 0o,4r,1 p-o.L-.l.-.--