Until I was sixteen I was quite a heathen. I never read the Bible. I could not have told you who Jesus was. I knew there was a God, but nothing more. But one Sunday night I had such a longing to go to a gospel service, I said to my brother: "O, Sid, I feel as if I would like to go to service; do come with me!"
"Why, Edith," he laughed, "what has put that into your head?"
My family was immensely amused that I, of all persons, should want to go. My father was practically an atheist. I was such a wild girl, and the leader in all the fun.
After a good deal of persuasion my brother came with me to a large hall. We sat in the back row. My brother thought the preacher was never going to leave off. It was all new to him too. During the service Sid said: "If this is coming to service, I will never come again; I was silly to come." When at last the service ended, I said: "O, Sid, that did make me feel uncomfortable!"
"Now, Edith, don't you begin, for I have had quite enough. Never do I come again," said Sid. "Nor will I," I said.
I thought no more about it until the next Sunday, when again I felt I must go to the service. So I pleaded with my brother to go with me. It never dawned on me to go by myself.
At last he put on his coat and came. We went to the same hall and sat in the same seats. The same thing happened. I felt so uncomfortable; and my brother was rather annoyed with himself for coming.
"I will never, never come again," I said to him when the service was over.
"You said that last week," he replied. "I know nothing nor nobody will get me to come again."
I never thought about it all that week until the time for the Sunday evening service came on. Again I felt I must go. And, oh how I pleaded for Sid to come with me! He did, but very unwillingly as you can imagine. We went to the same hall and again sat in the same seats.
As I sat there I knew I was a lost soul. Nobody had spoken to me personally, but I knew that if I had died that night I should have gone straight to hell.
"O, whatever is the matter with you?" Sid said, as he looked at me.
We went home and my brother hung up his hat and coat, but I paced up and down our large kitchen with my things still on. At last my brother came and said: "Edie, take your things off and sit down." "Sid," I said despairingly, "I'm going to see that man who preached tonight."
"All right, Edie, I will go with you," he replied. I never felt such love for him in all my life as I did at that moment.
So together we returned to the hall. As it happened, the preacher was just coming out. I went up to him and said: "O, sir, I want to be baptized." I thought baptism would save me. The good man looked at me, and then (Oh, how can I write it!) for the first time in my life I heard with understanding the story of Calvary. He spoke to me of the Savior, and told me of His love—how Jesus loved ME.
"O, sir, but I have not given Him a thought all my life! I have cared nothing for Him;' I said. Very tenderly and lovingly he replied: "My child, the Lord loves you and died for you."
For me! I could not tell you how I felt. In my joy I shook my brother and said: "O, Sid, listen to the good news!"
"What must I do?" I then asked the preacher. He took out his Bible and read me some verses. This was one of them: "Him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out." (John 6:3737All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. (John 6:37)).
"O, sir," I said, "I will come this moment." And my first prayer was: "Lord, save me, a sinner; and save my brother too." I rose from my knees and the preacher said: "Have you trusted Him? Do you believe you are saved?"
"Why, of course!" I replied. "Did He not say, `Him that cometh'? And I have come."
In my joy I ran all the way home with my brother. I burst in upon our astonished family circle and said: "I am saved! I have found Jesus Christ!"
I went everywhere telling people; I thought nobody knew the good news. I believe today as I believed then: if only they knew Christ they must love Him.
"But does it last?" someone reading my story may say. Well, it is many years since I came to Christ. I can say from the depth of my being that ever since I heard the wonderful message of God's redeeming love it has been the joy of my life to tell others. There is no joy in the world like seeing the love of God transform lives as it transformed mine.
I have seen drunkards, gamblers, swearers—men of all kinds and conditions—come under its influence, and the result has been wonderful. The Lord Jesus does not reform their lives; He makes them all new, pardoning and forgetting their past. Wonderful Savior! Saving and raising ALL who will receive Him.