(Testimony of Sir James Simpson, MD – discoverer of
Chloroform as anesthetic)
NOTE: Dr. Simpson was a famous medical doctor, professor,
and scientist in England during the 1800’s. As a boy, his experiences caused
him to hate seeing pain in others. So he sought out and discovered the use of
chloroform as an anesthetic. He made many other brilliant advances in medicine.
As Professor of Medicine, he was asked to speak with an esteemed gathering of
physicians. Asked what his greatest discovery was, Dr. James Simpson responded,
“That my Lord died for me!” Endnote.
“When I was a boy at school I saw a sight I can never forget – a man tied to a
cart and dragged before the people’s eyes of my native town, his back torn and
bleeding from the lash,. It was a shameful punishment. For many offenses? No;
for one offense. Did any of the townsmen offer to divide the lashes with him?
No; he who committed the offense bore the penalty all alone. It was a penalty
of a changing human law, for it was the last instance of its infliction.
“When I was a student at University, I saw another sight I can never forget – a
man brought out to die. His arms were pinioned, his face was already pale as
death – thousands of eager eyes were on him as he came from the jail in sight.
Did any man ask to die in his room? Did any friend come and loose the rope and
say, “Put it around my neck. I die instead”? No; he underwent the sentence of
the law alone. Was it for many offenses? No, for only one offense. He had
stolen a money parcel from a stagecoach. He broke the law at one point and he
died for it. It was the penalty of a changing human law in this case also; it
was the last instance of capital punishment being inflicted for that offense.
“I saw another sight I shall never forget – myself a sinner, standing on the
brink of ruin, condemned to eternal punishment in the lake of fire. For one
sin? No, for many, many sins committed. I looked again, and behold, Jesus
Christ became my Substitute. But again I looked and saw Jesus, my substitute,
scourged in my stead and dying on the cross for me. I looked and cried and was
forgiven. And it seems to be my duty to tell you of that Saviour, to see if you
will not also look and live. “He was wounded for our transgressions, . .
. and with His stripes we are healed”
(Isaiah 53:5,6). He bore in His own body on the tree all
the punishment for my sin. He died on the cross that I might live in the Glory.
He suffered the just for the unjust that He might bring me to God. He redeemed
me from the curse of the law. I sinned and was condemned to eternal punishment;
He bore the punishment and I am free.
The “Law of God required a perfect
righteousness that I never had. Again, I looked unto Him and I found that
Christ is the end of the Law for righteousness to every one that believeth. The
Law required spotless purity and I was defiled with sin. Again I looked unto Him
who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood. I was a child of
Satan, a child of wrath, but as many as received Him to them gave He power to
become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His Name. And I found in
Him not only my Substitute, but the full supply of every need in my life. I
long to tell you of this Savior for there is none other Name under Heaven given
among men whereby we may be saved!”
