REG, as a boy grew up in Toronto. He cannot remember when he learned to skate. But in that city of sports, hockey had become almost his year-round game. While still in his teens Reg’s aggressiveness attracted the professional scouts on their lookout for young talent. He played semi-professional hockey and later became a professional.
In 1955 Reg married a young lady whose parents were devout Christians and indirectly Reg came under the influence of the gospel. He was deeply impressed with the godly consistent lives of the Greers and admitted that “being saved” was not like any religion he had ever known.
When his wife first became a Christian Reg showed signs of concern, but his attendance at meetings could only be spasmodic as he was fully occupied as a hockey player. At times he expressed a desire to be saved and never failed to show respect toward Christian people.
During the training camp for the 1968-69 hockey season Reg had the best record in camp. He felt certain of a good year ahead even though he was now thirty-four years of age. As the season opened he lifted the paper one day and learned he had been traded. This came as a shock so rather than move he reluctantly resigned and took another position.
For the first time in his life Reg had evenings free and attended special gospel services every night. He became so troubled that at the risk of being dismissed from college he came to meetings rather than attend night classes.
One Saturday afternoon a friend spent two to three hours with him going over the Holy Scriptures. He went back to a gospel meeting where he wept like a child. Some who know of his rough handling of other players on the ice could hardly believe their eyes when they saw this powerfully built athlete weeping in a gospel meeting. He could see he was lost and going to hell and nothing else mattered to him. Reading Isaiah 53:6 he could see he was a lost sheep that had gone astray. “All we like sheep have gone astray. We have turned every one to his own way and the Lord hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all.” Isa. 53:6.
Reg knew he had turned to his own way but could not believe that the last part of the verse really was for him. How could he ever know that God had laid his sins on the Lord Jesus?
He despaired of ever being saved and threatened not to go back to the meetings but Sunday afternoon he began to get ready for meeting as usual. As he was shaving he felt further from salvation than at any time in his life. He had learned the bitterness of being lost. Suddenly the closing words of Isaiah 53:6 flashed into his mind. He saw if he was in the first all, “All we like sheep have gone astray,” then he must be in the last all: “And the Lord hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all.” In that moment he believed that Christ bore his sins on the cross.
At the end of the meeting that night as he went out the door a look of peace and joy was on his face. The speaker ventured to ask him if he was saved. He had told no one yet but could hold it no longer, and said: “Well, all I have is that Christ bore my sins.” He was assured that no one else had more than that. A sinner needs no more.
“This is all my boast and plea, Jesus died for me.”
The Gospel Monthly
ML-04/18/1971