There was a time on earth, when in the book of heaven -
An old account was standing  For sins yet unforgiv’n
My name was at the top – And many things below,
I went unto the Keeper, and settled long ago!
Long ago, Long ago,
Yes, the old account was settled long ago.
And the record’s clear today, for He washed my sins away,
When the old account was settled long ago!

Nicholas Can

A Story  is told about  a steward who worked for Nicholas  II, Czar of all the Russians. This steward had been embezzling from the Czar. One day the Czar called his stewards into the throne room and told them that on the next day they were to bring their books and give an account of their stewardship. Panic struck the guilty steward who rushed back to his chambers to attempt to reconcile his books. Late into the night he worked trying to find a way to justify the shortages, but alas, there was no hope. His pilfering had dug too great hole. What was he to do? Exhausted by the effort and the lateness of the hour, depressed by his guilt, and fearful of the Czar’s anger, there was only one thing to do. He scribbled a note and then reached into the drawer of his desk. His hand closed around the grip of a pistol. His finger found the trigger as he brought it to his temple. Across the courtyard of the palace, the Czar, who could not sleep, was pacing when he noticed the light in the steward’s room. Intrigued, he made his way down the dark corridors until he came to the right door. He quietly pushed it open. There sprawled across his desk lay the motionless steward. The pistol, yet unfired, lay near with his finger still on the trigger. Sleep had overtaken him before he could pull it and end his miserable existence. Nicholas looked at the ledger and saw the huge deficit. And there scribbled across the page were the words, Such a debt! Who can pay it! The Czar touched by the scene took the quill from the stewards fingers and in bold letters wrote, Nicholas can – Paid in full.

 And the record’s clear today,
for He washed my sins away,
When the old account was settled long ago!

 

 

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