I MUST tell you about the conversion of a young policeman whom we had in to tea the other evening. In reply to my query as to how he was converted, he said (as near as possible I repeat his words):—
“About six years ago (when about twenty-five years of age) I got married. Corning home unexpectedly a few evenings after, I found my wife on her knees praying. I was so horrified and frightened that I went out again and thought to myself, Well, whatever shall I do? Oh, to think that I could have been such a fool as to marry a religious woman.” (Note, the wife was quite unconverted at the time, but he did not know this).
“Hating all religion, and yet being afraid to say anything to her, I actually thought seriously of running away to America! However, while these thoughts occupied my mind other thoughts came in, and I began to think of what an awful sinner I must be that I had never thought of praying, and that hitherto my life had been completely godless. My conviction of sin grew deeper and deeper, and though I never mentioned the subject to her, I got utterly miserable. I felt I was under condemnation and could not escape.
“I did not know where to turn for relief, till at last I thought of one of my comrades whom we all knew to be a good man. Two or three times at night I went up to him on his beat and tried to get out what I wanted, but courage failed nae, till at last one night, driven to desperation, I said to him, ‘Oh, Joe, what am I to do? I feel I’m such a sinner.’ Immediately Joe was filled with delight, and holding me in his hands said, ‘Why, Tom, I’d rather hear this than that they had made me superintendent!’
“‘Why,’ said he, ‘I thought there was something up these last few days, as I noticed you had given up your jokes and tricks with the other men when in the barrack room’; and then he told me of Jesus and His precious blood that cleanseth from all sin. I got a measure of peace, but was not really at rest, not feeling fully assured that I was perfectly safe. This feeling grew and grew, till at last I considered myself as bad as or worse than before.
“At this time I was so intensely in earnest that I used to pray all the time on my beat, and indeed have knelt down at night on the flags in pouring rain crying to God to do anything to me, to let me break my arm, or my leg, or smash me anyhow, but to let me know for certain that I was saved.
“About this time a gospel tent was put up by some preachers near my beat, and one night when I was passing, two of the preachers came out and saw me, and asked me would I have an eye on the tent if this was my beat. ‘Yes, sir,’ I replied. The following Sunday evening I passed and heard them preaching, but did not go near as some of my new friends in chapel had warned me against them, saying they were a sect to be strictly avoided. Still, I thought I’d just go near the door at the end, and as I came up I heard the preacher repeat the scripture, ‘Verily, verily, say unto you, He that heareth My word, and believeth on Him that sent Me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life’ (John 5:2424Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. (John 5:24)).
“That was enough for me. Immediately my whole soul was filled with joy and peace in believing, and has been ever since.
“When I went home I was so happy I told my wife that I was converted and knew I was saved; but she, instead of rejoicing with me, was very angry. Then for the first time I found out that she herself was not saved! However, it was not long before the Lord saved her too. Seeing me so happy and sure, she got anxious herself, and could not rest till she had got the same blessing.”
“I thought upon my sins and I was sad,
My soul was troubled sore and filled with pain;
But then I thought on Jesus and was glad,
My heavy grief was turned to joy again.
“I saw my sad estate, condemned to die;
Then terror seized my heart, and dark despair
But when to Calvary I turned my eye
I saw the Cross, and read forgiveness there.
“I saw that I was lost, far gone astray—
No hope of safe return there seemed to be;
But then I heard that Jesus was the way,
A new and living Way prepared for me.”
W.P.
Now, Now.—There are two very solemn “nows” in Scripture—the “now” of future despair and the “now” of present salvation. To a lost man in hell it was said, “But now... thou art tormented.” To you it is said, today, “Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” How awful, in time to pass the one, and in eternity to reach the other!
GEO, G.