IT HAPPENED in a gospel mission in Toronto. A well-dressed man came in one Saturday evening under the influence of drink. They persuaded him to wait until he was sober and then one of the workers there took him home at 1:30 in the morning.
Sunday evening he was back again to the gospel meeting and waited for the after-meeting. One keen Christian worker spoke to him.
“Can God save a drunkard and gambler like me?” the man asked.
“Yes,” was the reply. “I was both, and He saved me.”
Then the man went on: “I prosed a man I would play cards with him tonight for $500 and a piano. If I fail to keep my appointment I shall lose my wager.”
The young Christian answered: “The night I was converted I had promised to play a man for $125.00 and a bicycle. I lost my wager but I found Christ. That was the best day’s winnings I ever had.”
“That settles it,” said the man; “Christ for me.” And he knelt down and received Christ into his heart that night.
The following Saturday at a meeting for praise and thanksgiving the new convert told his story as follows: “I was born to wealth and luxury. My mother was a proud society woman. When I was seventeen I went to a great missionary meeting and my heart was deeply stirred. I went home and said, “Mother, I am going to be converted and become a missionary.”
“Mother’s eyes flashed as she responded, ‘Wendell, I would rather see you in hell.’ This destroyed all my good intentions made at the meeting and from that day on I went from bad to worse. Last Saturday I was as near to hell as any man could possibly be. Now, by the grace of God, I am saved and on my way to heaven.”
ML-05/13/1973