Reuben Johnson Pardoned
Illustration★★★★I want to tell you a scene that occurred some time ago. Our Commissioner went to the Governor of the State and asked him if he wouldn’t pardon out five men at the end of six months who stood highest on the list for good behavior. The Governor consented, and the record was to be kept secret; the men were not to know anything about it. The six months rolled away and the prisoners were brought up--1,100 of them--and the President of the commission came up and said: “I hold in my hand pardons for five men.” I never witnessed anything like it. Every man held his breath, and you could almost hear the throbbing of every man’s heart. “Pardon for five men,” and the Commissioner went on to tell the men how they had got these pardons--how the Governor had given them, but the Chaplain said the surprise was so great that he told the Commissioner to read the names first and tell the reason afterward. The first name was called--’Reuben Johnson’--and he held out the pardon, but not a man moved. He looked all around, expecting to see a man spring to his feet at once; but no one moved. The Commissioner turned to the officer of the prison and inquired: “Are all the convicts here?” “Yes,” was the reply, “Reuben Johnson, come forward and get your pardon; you are no longer a criminal.” Still no one moved.
The real Reuben Johnson was looking all the time behind him, and around him to see where Reuben was. The Chaplain saw him standing right in front of the Commissioner, and beckoned to him; but he only turned and looked around him, thinking that the Chaplain might mean some other Reuben. A second time he beckoned to Reuben and called to him, and a second time the man looked around. At last the Chaplain said to him: “You are the Reuben.” He had been there for nineteen years, having been placed there for life, and he could not conceive it would be for him. At last it began to dawn upon him, and he took the pardon from the Commissioner’s hand, saw his name attached to it, and wept like a child. This is the way that men make out pardons for men; but, thank God, we have not to come to-night and say we have pardons for only five men--for those who have behaved themselves. We have assurance of pardon for every man. “Whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.”
Also attributed to: Dwight Lyman Moody
D. L. Moody, Anecdotes and Illustrations (©1898, public domain)
The point
Prisoner Reuben Johnson couldn't believe his own pardon was real until finally accepting it; vivid illustration of God's universal pardon freely offered to all.
Alternate wording
Reuben Johnson's Pardon613 words
When I was in Ohio a few years ago, I was invited to preach in the State prison. Eleven hundred convicts were brought into the chapel, and all sat in front of me. After I had finished preaching, the chaplain said to me— “Mr.
Moody, I want to tell you of a scene which occurred in this room. A few years ago, our commissioners went to the Governor of the State, and got him to promise that he would pardon five men for good behaviour. The Governor consented, with this understanding—that the record was to be kept secret, and that at the end of six months the five men highest on the roll should receive a pardon, regardless of who or what they were. At the end of six months the prisoners were all brought into the chapel.
The commissioners came; the president stood on the platform, and putting his hand in his pocket, brought out some papers, and said— “ ‘I hold in my hand pardons for five men.’ “ The chaplain told me he never witnessed anything on earth like it. Every man was as still as death. Many were deadly pale. The suspense was awful; it seemed as if every heart had ceased to beat.
The commissioner went on to tell them how they had got the pardon; but the chaplain interrupted him. “Before you make your speech, read out the names.
This suspense is awful.” So he read out the first name, “Reuben Johnson will come and get his pardon”; and he held it out, but none came forward.
He said to the warden, “Are all the prisoners here?” The warden told him they were all there. Then he said again, “Reuben Johnson will come and get his pardon.
It is signed and sealed by the Governor. He is a free man.” Not one moved. The chaplain looked right down where Reuben was.
He was well known; he had been nineteen years there, and many were looking round to see him spring to his feet. But he himself was looking round to see the fortunate man who had got his pardon.
Finally the chaplain had caught his eye, and said— “Reuben, you are the man.” Reuben turned round and looked behind him to see where Reuben was. The chaplain said the second time, “Reuben, you are the man”; and the second time he looked round, thinking it must be some other Reuben. He had to say three times, “Reuben, come and get your pardon.”
At last the truth began to steal over the old man. He got up, came along down the hall, trembling from head to foot, and when he got the pardon he looked at it, and went back to his seat, buried his face in his hands and wept.
When the prisoners got into the ranks to go back to their cells, Reuben got into the ranks, too, and the chaplain had to call him— “Reuben, get out of the ranks; you are a free man, you are no longer a prisoner.” And Reuben stepped out of the ranks. He was free! That is the way men make out pardons; they make them out for good character or good behaviour; but God makes out pardons for men who have not got any character.
He offers a pardon to every sinner on earth if he will take it. I do not care who he is, or what he is like. He may be the greatest libertine that ever walked the streets, or the greatest blackguard who ever lived, or the greatest drunkard, or thief, or vagabond. Christ commissioned His disciples to preach the gospel to every creature.