An Extract.
I BECAME acquainted with a very intelligent Jew in the city of Montreal. His father, I am informed, was a wealthy banker in Germany. I heard this Jew relate his Christian experience in a fellowship meeting, the substance of which, in his broken English, was this: “The Spirit of de Lord take hold of my heart in my Fader’s house in Germany. He makes me feel so bad, I could not eat my food or take my rest.
“My fader said to me, Why you no be happy? You mope round, just so miserable as can be. Plenty of money, why you no be happy?’
“I say, ‘Fader, I find no place for my soul. De money wont buy a place for my soul. I lie down and die one day, and den what good de money to me, and where go, my poor soul?’
“By-and-by I read in a paper about one Dr. F., a Jewish Rabbi in Canada, that find Messiah. I says to myself, I go to Canada to find that Rabbi that find Messiah. When I come to Canada, I ask de first thing, ‘Where is Dr. F.?’ and dey tel me dat he live in de city Hamilton. When I go to de city of Hamilton he not at home. I no find him for two weeks. Then one man show him me at a public meeting, and I look at him till do meeting was out, and as he come I say to him, You Dr. F.?’
“‘Yes.’
“You Jewish Rabbi?’
“‘Yes,’ “‘You find Messiah?’
“‘Yes.’
“Well, you give me two lessons, and I pay you!’ “Dr. F. say, ‘Come to my house, and I give you many lessons, and not charge anything.’
“But I say, ‘O no, Dr. F.’ And he talk to me, and talk to me, and talk to me, but I no find Messiah.
“Den I go to de Catholic Church and talk to de priest to find Messiah.
“De priest, he tell me about de baptism and de holy water; and I say, ‘Go away wid your water, I wants to find a place for my soul!’
“Den I go back to Dr. F., and he say, ‘You Hebrew scholar? Now, take your Hebrew Bible and read what our ancient prophets say about Messiah. Take your pen and write down de exact description dey give of Him, especially the fifty-third chapter of Isaiah; and when you get de prophetic directions how to find Messiah, take your Greek Testament and search, and you will find, as face answers face in a glass, so de New Testament answers to de Old, and dat everything de old prophets say about Messiah wats fulfilled exactly in de person of Jesus of Nazareth. When your judgment be convinced, den bow down on your knees and pray to Got in the name of Jesus, and you find Messiah in your heart. He save you from all your sins.’
“So I followed de instructions dat Dr. F. he did give me, and my judgment he got convinced, and I bow on my knees, and I cry, ‘O Got of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, Got of my feders, I pray to dee in de name of dy dear, suffering Son, Jesus Christ, I be convinced from dy holy books of de Old and New Testamento dat He be Messiah which dow has sent into de world to save sinners. Dow knows what a great sinner I am; but Jesus comes to save de chief of sinners. I trust my soul to Him, I believe He can say of me. O God, have mercy on my poor soul, and save me from my sins for Jesus’ sake. I believe all Dow has say about Jesus, and I take Him as my Saviour.’
“While I pray I feel more and more bad, and I tot my poor soul he must go to hell. Den, I say, if Jesus Christ bore my sins in His own body, and redeemed my soul with His own blood, my soul he no need to go to hell. Den I give my soul to Jesus, I believe in Jesus, and just so quick as lightning, I finds Messiah. He save me from my sins, He fill my soul wid unspeakable joy. My soul he find a home in Jesus. He abide in Jesus now for tree years, and I know Him more and more, and love Him wid all my heart.” He proceeded to tell of some remarkable answers to prayer he had experienced, and such was the artless simplicity of his story, and the light and unction of the Holy Spirit shining through his broken utterances, that between laughing and weeping for joy, when he sat down there were but few dry eyes in that large assembly. He was, at that time employed as a colporteur and Bible-reader to his people of different languages in the city of Montreal.