His massive frame, and mighty strength had won him the name for miles around; he was
known to everyone as "Big Bill." He was not only a tall, strong, bearded lumberman of the "Paul Bunyan" type, but a great drinker and swearer as well. Decent folk avoided him; but he did not care what people thought. He was one of the best lumbermen along the St. Lawrence river and apart from that, he lived only for himself. "He feared not God, neither regarded man."
At the time of our story, Big Bill was sitting on a stump whittling a stick. There was to be no lumbering that day; so now he was waiting for someone to go with him for a drink. Just then a boyish voice beside him said: "Mornin', Bill. Have you heard the news?" "What is it?"
"Why, some feller is coming to the island to preach, and they're letting him have the school-house," replied the speaker, a thin, bare-footed lad. Then the boy added with a grin, "I thought you might be going."
"What!" said Big Bill, now thoroughly interested, "what's that you say?"
"Oh, nothin'; only some feller's going to preach in the schoolhouse."
"Not much, he ain't!" exploded Big Bill. "We ain't never had religion or preachin' on this island, and we ain't goin' to start now — not so long as my name's Big Bill. And he affirmed his declaration with an oath.
The night came for the preaching. So did the preacher. And so did the people of the island. Some came to hear the Word of God; but most came to see what Big Bill would do. He was expected to make trouble and it would be a stouthearted preacher that would withstand him.
The meeting began. The preacher was reading his text when the door opened and in stalked Big Bill, loaded for trouble.
The first words to meet his ears were the preacher's text: "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." John 3:1616For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16).
Big Bill stopped and listened. The preacher repeated the text. Emphasized as they were, and read for the third time, by the power of God, the words took hold of Big Bill's heart.
Never before had he heard such words. The strong man was utterly disarmed by the text and he went quietly to a seat near the front of the room.
No one listened to that gospel message with more concern than Big Bill. At the close, the preacher advanced and shook his hand — the hand of the man that had come determined "not to allow any religion or preaching on the island." To his great joy, the preacher learned that Big Bill, as he sat in his seat, had surrendered him-self to Jesus and received Him into his heart. O, the power of the Word of God!