Thorpe, a successful preacher of the gospel, was, before his conversion, one of the greatest antagonist and enemies of Whitefield, the well know English evangelist. He not only delighted in disturbing him in public meetings and hindering his activity as a pro-claimer of the message of the cross, but, whenever he had an opportunity, he made a fool of him. He possessed an unusual talent for mimic, by which he knew how to imitate, in an astonishing way, the preacher's motions, voice, posture, and pantomime, and he would ridicule him and his words whenever possible.
On one occasion at a pleasure party, he and his three friends wagered who could imitate the evangelist most perfectly. They all were supposed to open the Bible at random and preach a sermon on the first verse their eye caught sight of. After all the sermons had been heard, the audience was to judge.
Thorpe's three friends had already performed their part in a godless manner, when lastly his turn came. When Thorpe mounted the table, which was set for a stage, he declared, "I shall beat you all!”
He was handed the Bible. He opened it and God directed his eyes to fall on the solemn words of Luke 13:55I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. (Luke 13:5), "Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.”
He read the words and the same moment he uttered them, he felt their whole power. The sharp two-edged sword of the Word of God penetrated into his soul like a bolt of lightning. His conscience awoke. He saw himself a guilty sinner before God, and a deep horror took hold of him. He felt that the words just read were intended for him personally, and from this conviction taking hold of him with irresistible power, he preached his sermon.
Perhaps never had these truths, guilt, death, eternity, and coming judgment, been painted in darker colors than in this address, because it totally lacked any mingling with grace whatsoever.
In later years, Thorpe often used to mention that, if ever in his life he preached with God's help, it was at that time. The profound solemnity of an awful eternity, the necessity of repentance, the threatened perdition of the soul, and the terrors of the second death, stood before his soul. He preached to his guilty lost friends how he was guilty and lost himself. The solemnity that fell over his listeners, only deepened the sense of guilt in his own soul, and while his emotion rose every minute, words poured over his lips with such force, sharpness and power of language, that, as he tells later, the hair on his head must have stood on end from fear and dread.
No one dared to interrupt him, for it was evident to all under what overpowering influence he spoke, and even when the first surprise of some turned more and more into rage, while with others a growing astonishment took its place, all sat spellbound, gazing at him and listening.
When finally he stepped off the table, deep silence prevailed, and not a word was spoken about the wager. His three friends immediately left the company without another word, and it need hardly be said that he never returned to his old friends.
After a time of deep inner suffering and conflict, there arose in his soul the radiant light of the full blessed gospel—and he became a much used preacher of repentance—and Grace.