(Extract from a Letter from New Zealand.)
“I PROMISED to let you have an account of my conversion to our Lord Jesus Christ. I have put it off from time to time on account of not being able to make up my mind to start. However, as it may be a help to someone, I will delay no longer, trusting that the LORD may bless it to some soul. I was brought up in New Zealand, at Wellington, my parents being amongst the first to settle there.
“My father and mother, some of my brothers and sisters, were Christians, so that my home training and influence was most godly. When I was very young my parents used to tell me Bible stories. I was very interested and they left a big impression on my mind. I remember, too, how I used to talk to others about the things of God, and how earnestly I used to pray.
“For a long time my friends thought that I was saved, but, as I got older, my nature, which was only enmity to God, began to exert itself, and plainly proved that I was very different to what my friends thought me to be.
“At the age of about fourteen years I remember I had no time for any boys who I thought were religiously inclined. In fact, such boys used to get a rough time from my hands, and then I began to plunge into all sorts of sin, and finally, leaving my parents’ home, I went and joined myself to a theatrical company. I knew then that I was not saved, and that to die in my sins meant, as the scripture saith, ‘the wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God’ (Psa. 10:1717Lord, thou hast heard the desire of the humble: thou wilt prepare their heart, thou wilt cause thine ear to hear: (Psalm 10:17)).
“Not knowing hardly where I was going I one day turned into a Salvation Army Barracks, not very far distant. I had made up my mind to have some fun, by disturbing the meeting, but my attention was arrested by three Maoris (natives of New Zealand), who bore testimony to the saving grace and keeping power of our Lord Jesus Christ. Then the thought came to me, How shall I meet God?
“It was then I became deeply in earnest about my soul’s salvation, and when on my knees, being completely broken down by the Spirit of God, I was led to cry out, God be merciful to me a sinner.’ The Lord Jesus proved His Word to be true, Him that cometh to Me I will in up 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)). I knew I was saved then, but I did not enjoy full deliverance until God showed me from His Word, ‘There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus’ (Rom. 8:11There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. (Romans 8:1)). As I read on, from verse thirty-two to the end of the chapter, I had ‘joy and peace in believing,’ and have never since doubted my being saved.
“These are the particulars as promised, and if you are still anxious to put this into your Gospel Magazine you are at liberty to do so.”
F. W. B.