A Russian Story. From a Letter:
BROTHER X and I had a remarkable time together in the city of X. Already from the first days of our visit great blessing rested on the gospel meetings. One evening, when the hall was crowded with people, there sat right in the front a head-master of the―school, who regarded those assembled with all disdain.
In that meeting there were a number of farmers, working men and communists present, as well as a number of educated people. When I had concluded my address, a dirty, dark-looking, unshaven man, who had sat just inside the door, and who had evidently listened with deep interest, called out to me: “Do you see my black face? But inside I am far blacker! Under the government of the Czar I was eighteen years in Siberia in chains. From my youth upwards I have been a criminal and a murderer. At the time of the revolution I was liberated and at once became a communist. I received unlimited rights. To murder others was now my delight and I had the power to do so. With or without authority I have killed more people than can be counted in this hall.”
Bursting into tears, he threw himself on the floor, and I asked him whether he knew the Gospel of Christ.
“No,” he answered, “I never heard, or read it; I entered here as by chance, and have now heard it for the very first time. I am sorry for my past. Can such a man as I yet find forgiveness?”
To us it certainly seemed impossible that such a one could obtain forgiveness of sins and commence a new life. On such occasions one can only witness to the great love of the Saviour. Therefore I repeated the words: “Though your sins be scarlet, they shall be as white as snow.”
Thereupon even this man received peace with God. To us, however, it seemed as if we had witnessed the healing of one possessed; for he was so full of peace and his face beamed as he sat amongst the people. Then suddenly he seated himself on the floor and said: “I am not worthy to sit down beside other people.” I begged him, however, to keep his previous seat.
The head-master listened to all, but with impatience. At last he rose in a rage, stamped with his foot, and said: “Why should I listen to all this talk of uneducated people?” Then he left the place. His wife remained seated. To me it was a relief when he disappeared, because during the whole address he had stared at me as if weighing each word most critically. After a quarter of an hour he returned, and wiping the perspiration, caused by deep emotion, from his brow, he asked: “Dear Mr. Preacher, what must I do?”
I answered: “A man so well educated as you are ought to know the way into the kingdom of heaven.”
“That is just what I do not know, because I have been an atheist and have not bothered myself about the Gospel.”
I said: “The way is simple, humble yourself before God, repent from your sins and confess them as this murderer has done and the blood of Christ can also cleanse you from all your sins. There is no other way.”
“Ah,” he cried, “you point to this murderer and think perhaps that I, as an educated man, have not such a past! During twenty-five years I taught at the—in—, and had a position of honor. Only with great trouble could I escape with my life at the time of the revolution and come here. I must acknowledge that I was fifty-five years an atheist, and had to do with 1,000 scholars every year, and I taught them there is no Creator, no God, no heaven, no hell. This is now terrible to me; for since the revolution I have met some of my former scholars who have taken part in all this work of destruction and godlessness. It is my work. I have killed more human beings than this murderer. I have poisoned the souls of men and thus trained them to become murderers, and now they go on with this work. This man committed in his own person those crimes, but I through the many. With his conversion his past life ceases to continue, but I can never make good what I have done. Even if God would forgive me, my work would continue. For such as I there is no salvation.”
Quite broken, he hung his head and hid his tear-flooded face in his hands. Thereupon I read the wonderful words of the divine love and invitation to a lost humanity. Then he stood up, and turning to all those assembled, he said: “It is such as I who are responsible for the Russia of today. We atheists are at fault for this terrible misery. We have robbed men’s consciences and ruined Russia. Pray for me, I am deeply humbled and I believe that God will hear your prayers.”
All present wept, so moved were they. Thus a prayer meeting commenced which can never be forgotten. The old man himself cried out: “O God, if Thou art, then reveal Thyself to me. If Thou canst still grant me grace then let me know it today and pardon all my sins!”
His confession made a deep impression on all. Then followed thanksgiving on the part of the newly-converted, and whilst we sang a short hymn, the old schoolmaster and the old murderer embraced one another as if they had been long lost brothers.
On the following day I was invited to table in the house of the old schoolmaster. It was a joy to see how he and his wife held each other’s hands and rejoiced together in God’s salvation, which she, too, had obtained.
When we went to the evening meeting, he said: “Go ahead with my wife, I must still attend to something.” Whilst we were singing the first hymn, he entered with a whole class of his elder scholars, and that same evening some of those lads and lasses, who esteemed him very highly, found peace with God.
It was wonderful to see how the old schoolmaster witnessed of Jesus and led others to him as if he gladly would have made good his former damage.
We remained a fortnight in that place and many poor sinners found the way to the Friend of sinners.
With God nothing is impossible! But do not forget John 3:3,3Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. (John 3:3) which reads: “Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:33Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. (John 3:3)).
[This letter was also printed as a treatise in German by Ad F. Eoll, Vennes-Lausanne.]