Two Irishmen

The conversion of two Irishmen is a very remarkable story. One of these men, knowing that Charles Wesley was to preach in a barn, had gone in beforehand and crept into a sack close to the door, intending, as soon as the preaching had begun, to open the door to the mob outside–the Methodists had agreed to lock themselves in, for fear of an attack. The man in the sack, being fond of music, remained quiet while the hymn was sung. But something more than the music reached him—it was the voice of God, speaking through the words of the hymn to his conscience. He didn’t dare open the door, but waited to hear the prayer. He now felt himself to be a lost sinner, and, forgetting where he was, he began to pray aloud for mercy, to the astonishment of the congregation, who helped him out of the sack. This man was from that moment a true follower of Christ.

The other man, who was also fond of music, had gone to the meeting to hear the singing. He was determined not to hear the preaching, but to stop his ears as soon as the first hymn was over until the second hymn began. He, therefore, sat, after the hymn, with his head down, and his fingers in his ears.

But when God will speak to a soul He can make his voice heard. As the man sat there, a fly landed on his nose. For a moment he moved his hand to drive it away, and, in so doing, nine words only reached his ear — “He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.” From that moment this man, who was an ungodly tavern-keeper, had no rest in his soul. He went, afterward, to seek out the Methodists: listened eagerly to the gospel, and became a converted man.

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Gospel Story 046 from The Story of John Wesley by F. Bevan