Throw Dat Coat Away

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Nov 14, 1865

"Throw Dat Coat Away."

In his precious work, called "None but Christ," Dr. Boyd recalls the following instructive anecdote:

A poor negro slave in the West Indies was led, under the preaching of the gospel, to feel himself a lost, undone sinner. He had been a very wicked man, drinking and swearing, and giving vent to his vile passions; yet the same night in which he was convicted of sin he believed in Jesus, and at once found peace. His master was awakened under the same sermon; but as he had lived outwardly what men regard as a very good, moral life, his proud heart rejected the finished work of Christ, and set about trying to save himself. This went on for about a month, and the poor Pharisee was becoming more wretched, when he resolved to have a conversation with the happy negro, and the following accordingly took place.

"Sam, you are happy?"

"Yes, massa, I be," he said, with a face beaming with joy.

"Well, Sam," said the master, "I have come here this morning to find out what it is that makes you happy. You know, Sam, you and I first began to think about God the same night, more than a month ago; and you, though you were such a bad fellow before, seemed to find peace at once, while I, who have always been what the world calls a good man, have been going on in darkness and sorrow ever since, and it seems to me I only grow worse. It is a great mystery, Sam, and I don't understand it."

"O, massa!" said the poor slave, "it ain't no mystery at all to me, 'cause you see dat's the berry reason. Sam was such a bad fellow, and hab on such dirty ragged blanket, that when God called him he knew it wasn't fit to go 'fore God in, so he trew it right away, and den God put on him the robe of Christ's righteousness; and den, of course, when Sam had dat on he couldn't help being glad and full of peace. But massa hab on a real good coat and he did not like to trow dat away, for he thought if it was fixed up a little it would do to go 'fore God; so when he sees a dirty spot he says, 'Oh, I'll wash dat!' and when he sees a hole, he says, 'Oh, I'll patch dat!' and so he goes on trying to make his old coat do; but it nebber will; for God won't receive massa in dat coat, no matter how much he fix it up. But if massa will only trow dat coat away, and let God put de robe of Christ's righteousness on him, den massa can go in 'fore God and not be 'fraid, but he happy like poor, bad Sam."

The slave paused, and looked at his master, as if to see the effects of his bold language. A smile broke over the master.

"You are right!" he exclaimed, as he grasped the rough, black hand held out to him: "I have been trying to fix my old coat, but I thank God, I am done with it now. I'll have on the robe of Christ's righteousness as well as you, and I see that will bring me peace and joy. God bless you, Sam; you have taught me a precious truth."