The Newtown bee. (Newtown, Conn.) 1877-current, 1890-09-05

Miss Charlotte Elliott is best knownas
the author of that genuine Gospel hymn,
just as am without one plea,
But that Thy blood shed Tor has
She was born toward the close of4he
18th century. Although an invalid and
a great sufferer for the last 80 years OF
her life, she passed beyond even the
flour score years" With reference to
those many years of suffering, she " rites:
day after day, hour after hour, To fight
against bodily feelings of almost over
towering weakness, languor and ex-
haustion, to resolve not to yield to sloth-
fulness, depression and inability, such as
the body causes me to long To indulge,
but to rise every morning determined
for my motto: If any man come after
Me, let him deny himself, take up his
cross daily and follow Me-
The following account of her CONVEX
sion and of the composition of her popu-
lar hymn is published i'm the form of a
tract:
! "a faithful pastor of a small flock
once met one of the young ladies of his
congregation on the street, as she was
on her way to her dressmaker's to havN
dress made for ball. Stopping her,
he frankly asked her her mission; she
frankly told him. Il WISH he said, you
were Christian woman; that you would
forsake all these frivolties and learn to
live nearer to God. Won't you stay
away from this ball, if for nothing else
because asked it,: She replied: Il wish
you would mind your own business, sir.
Good day
This Young lady went to the ball and
danced all night. She went home and,
when her head vs. at rect upon her pill
low, conscience besan its work. She
thought how she hadsSsulted her pas-
tor, the best friend she has PERHAPS. on
all the earth. This torment o. conscience
was kept up for three days, h>tn she
could endure it no longer. Going her
pastors study, she told him how sav>
she was that she had said words thai
caused his heart TO ache. Il have been
the most miserable girl in the world for
the past three days, she said, and now
| want to become Christian; want to
be saved. Oh, what must do to be saw
ed?' The old pastor, his heart full of
, compassion for the contrite spirit before
him. pointed her to the Lamb of God and
: told her how she must give herself to
, God, just as she was. what. just as |
am and one of the most sinful creatures
in the world? You surely do not mean to
say that God will accept me just as
ann? Il mean just that. was the pas
| tors reply God wants you to come to
/. Him just AS you are
, The young lady went home and, retir-
u ing to her room, kneeled beside her bed
, and prayed God to take her. just as she
f was. Reaching to a chair that stood by
the bed, she took a piece of paper and a
, pencil that were there and, under these
a influences. wrote the verses of that beau
: tiful hymn so dear to the heart of every
) true Christian:
"a just as am. without one plea
But that Thy blood was shed tor me.
And that Thou biid'st me come tn Thee,
o Lamb of God, come, 1 come.
= This little hymn. although only about
j. 80 years old. has already been attended
t by many precious experiences. Treat
e ing, as it does, of that rich atoning
blood God has highly honored it By
/ making ir instrumental in bringing many
deeply-stained soul To Him whose
Y blood can cleanse each spot.
A little street waif once came up TO
n New York city missionary and held 1p
v torn and dirty piece of paper on which
: this hymn was printed: please. sir,
:, said he, ssfather sent me to get clear
! paper like that The missionary learn
A. ed that the child-s sister had loved Il
u sing it and that this copy had been found
in her pocket after her death. The faith
err now wanted to obtain a clean set o.
n the verses that they might be framed.
= The son-in-law of the poet wadSwortl
once wrote TO Miss Elliott, thanking he
for the hymn and saying that it had At
= bed.
" stWhen l first read il, :" he; 'stntee, g
q had no sooner finished than she said yer
8. earnestly, That is the thing for me- "A
% least 10 tisees that day she asked me B
= repeat it and ssyery morning from tIls
Mt day until her decease. nrarly two month
.. later, the first thing she. ssked for N
= her hymn. Now my hymn she wo1I
= say, and siac would often repeat Il nfre
il me. line Tor line. IN the day and night.
IL Bishop Melivailse used to say: 9Th
Is my hymn, I.