The Curfew That Was Not Heard
Good News – May 2020 – Grace & Truth Magazine
The Curfew That Was Not Heard
Oliver Cromwell was an English military strategist and member of parliament in the 17th century. During Cromwell’s days, a young soldier under his command was condemned to death for a relatively minor infraction. His execution was to take place at the hour of curfew on a set day.
The young man’s fiancée begged the judges that they might at least spare her beloved’s life, but her pleas were not heard and the sentence continued in effect. Desperate, she went to the old church bellman to see if she could convince him to not ring the curfew bell that would signal the execution, but nothing could keep him from his duty.
On the day set for the execution, in a final attempt to save the life of the one she loved more than she loved herself, the girl climbed up into the bell tower and hid there until the late afternoon. At dusk the old bellman arrived to perform his task. The girl clung to the huge clapper, wrapping herself around it, and waited in anguished silence. The old man began to pull at the rope. Clinging to the clapper, shaken and battered mercilessly, the girl absorbed in her body the blows of the heavy iron, silencing the huge bell. The bellman was deaf and did not realize that his efforts were not rendering a sound. He continued pulling at the rope until he fulfilled the required tolls and then left the church.
After he left, the young woman, battered and bloody, came down from the tower and ran to the execution site. There, Cromwell impatiently awaited the curfew’s sounding. With a glance toward her beloved, the girl threw herself at the feet of the general and confessed what she had done.
He listened to her and, seeing her torn and bloody clothes and bruised and battered body, he was profoundly moved by such a demonstration of love. He said, “Go. Your lover will live. The curfew was not heard.” Such selflessness so impressed the severe Cromwell that he vacated, or revoked, the young soldier’s sentence and set him free.
It would be impossible to measure the gratitude of that young soldier toward his beloved. He was saved from death at the cost of his beloved’s suffering!
Does this not remind us of the words of the prophet Isaiah when he spoke of the Lord Jesus Christ, wounded and bruised for our sins (Isa. 53:5)? We, too, were condemned to death – eternal death – under an inflexible sentence. But in His wonderful love for sinners the Lord Jesus Christ came to save us at the cost of His life. He brought salvation so sinners might be set free from death – and this when we were His enemies!
“He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities ... and by His stripes we are healed.” —Isaiah 53:5 NKJV
“God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” —Romans 5:8
What should you do, friend, after reading this moving story? If you have not received forgiveness for your sins and eternal life, you can say right now to Jesus Christ something like this: “Lord, I believe that You died on that cross for me, sinner that I am. I want to thank You and receive You as my personal Savior.”
Why not do so now? We can tell you how.
If you have already received the Savior, thank Him again now for His love and for dying for you. Remember, He arose from the grave and He hears you when you speak to Him.
This article is available from us in Spanish only, as tract #115.