Publisher's Synopsis
This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1922 edition. Excerpt: ... XIII. ABOUT REPENTANCE. June 22. I was reading in a book today that a deathbed repentance has no value whatever. Also someone said to me not long ago, "Ishii San, your repentance has come very late. It would have been well had you repented sooner." This greatly disturbed me, when I heard it twice, and for a while I wondered if it were really true. Without doubt I had been a notoriously bad man out in the world; I had caused infinite trouble to others and I had lived an utterly selfish life. And now when I have done all the harm I can and the end is near, I turn to God and beseech Him to save me from my past sins. Have I repented too late? Upon further thought, however, I have come to see that there are two kinds of deathbed repentance, and that there is a very great difference between them. Under certain circumstances a deathbed repentance may be too late, but it need not always be so. There are those who have heard of the love of God from childhood, but who neither believe nor practise what they hear. They put God out of their minds and live entirely for themselves. When such men come to die, God may not hear, however much they call upon Him. On the other hand, there are some who have never heard whether there be a true God, or a Christ of love; and not knowing, they sin. But if these repent when they hear that there is a God of pity who yearns for ABOUT REPENTANCE them in proportion to their wrongdoing, then Christ, I believe, will take their sins upon Himself, and forgive us even if repentance comes only as we die. / say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in Heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons who need no repentance. To be sure I have repented very late, but I could not have repented at...
