"Thus it was with me."

(Ruth Bryan's personal testimony. From "The Marvelous
Riches of Savoring Christ--The letters of Ruth Bryan")

"Where sin abounded, grace did much more abound!"
    Romans 5:20

Ah, indeed! I felt there never was such a wretch,
such a living mass of putrefying sores and corruption!
Others might be worse outside--but I felt the sin was
not less polluting, because it worked chiefly within.
And I thought if the Lord ever saved me, I would be
the greatest wonder in heaven, and that there
never could be such another trophy of redeeming love!
Nothing less than sovereign power and irresistible grace
would ever be sufficient for such a hell-deserving one
as myself!

Thus it was with me. It seemed too good to be
true--that I, who deserved the lowest hell, and had
felt so long as though I were hanging over it--should
be delivered forever from it! "Deliver her from going
down to the pit--I have found a Ransom!"

The blood of Jesus is the only way by which
a poor sinner can enter into heaven itself.
Coming with that precious blood, the vilest
shall not be shut out, for it "cleanses from
all sin."

Secret sin,
open sin,
old sin,
long-continued sin,
sins against light and knowledge,
sins against judgment and mercy,
known sin,
unknown sin,
every kind and manner of sin which a poor
trembling, Spirit-convinced sinner feels--
does this powerful blood take away!

My sins were as scarlet, my guilt of crimson dye;
but blood of a richer hue which flowed out from
the veins of my precious Savior has made me
white as snow! None need despair, since He
has saved such a worthless, hell-deserving one
as myself!

"Where sin abounded, grace did much more abound!"