D.L. MOODY - "The Way to God" And How to Get There

"After the battle of Pittsburgh Landing I was in a hospital at Murfreesboro.

In the middle of the night I was aroused and told that a man in one of the wards wanted to see me. I went to him and he called me 'chaplain'- I was not the chaplain- and said he wanted me to help him die.

And I said, 'I would take you right up in my arms and carry you into the kingdom of God if I could; but I cannot do it. I cannot help you die!'

And he said, 'Who can?'

I said, 'The Lord Jesus Christ can- He came for that purpose.'

He shook his head, and said, 'He cannot save me; I have sinned all my life.'

And I said, 'But He came to save sinners.'

I thought of his mother in the north, and I was sure that she was anxious that he should die in peace; so I resolved I would stay with him. I prayed two or three times, and repeated all the promises I could; for it was evident that in a few hours he would be gone.

I said I wanted to read him a conversation that Christ had with a man who was anxious about his soul. I turned to the third chapter of John. His eyes were riveted on me; and when I came to the 14th and 15th verses- the passage before us- he caught up the words,

'As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up; that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.'

He stopped me and said, 'Is that there?'

I said 'Yes.' He asked me to read it again; and I did so.

He leaned his elbows on the cot, and clasping his hands together, said, 'That's good; won't you read it again?'

I read it the third time; and then went on with the rest of the chapter. When I had finished, his eyes were closed, his hands were folded, and there was a smile on his face. Oh, how it was lit up! What a change had come over it! I saw his lips quivering, and leaning over him I heard in a faint whisper,

'As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up; that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.'

He opened his eyes and said, 'That's enough; don't read any more.' He lingered a few hours, pillowing his head on those two verses; and then went up in one of Christ's chariots to take his seat in the Kingdom of God." --D. L. Moody