The Personal TouchChapman, J. Wilbur (John Wilbur)
Religion
The Personal Touch
Chapman, J. Wilbur (John Wilbur)
Evangelistic work; Salvation -- Christianity
Every Christian ought to be a soul winner, and however many other
obligations may rest upon him, the obligation of introducing others to
Jesus Christ is of the first importance. If our lives are right; if we
are wholly submitted to Him; if we are quick to do His bidding; if we
have a familiarity with the Scriptures; if we have a confidence in the
willingness of God to save; then we are emboldened to seek the lost and
turn to those who are furthest away from Christ.
To know that others have been won to Him is always an inspiration.
Recently in one of our meetings in New York, the Salvation Army forces
came to assist us, and they brought with them some men and women whose
stories of conversion were truly remarkable. In quick succession they
appeared before an audience of several thousand.
The first speaker modestly began by saying: "What I am this afternoon,
I am by the grace of God. For years and years I had been nothing but an
every-day drunkard. Not far from where the Salvation Army held their
open air meetings was an old lamp post. One Sunday afternoon I heard
their music and their singing, and I made my way to this lamp post. If
it had not been there I believe I would never have been saved, for I
was so intoxicated I could not stand.
"After the meeting was over one of the sisters came to me and said, 'My
brother, wont you come along to the meeting? You need salvation.' 'Yes,'
I said, 'I need something better than what I have got.' At the same time
I did not go--I finished up the day in the saloon. I came out into the
open air again and the devil said, 'You cannot mix with these people
they are too far above you.' By and by there came a man who said he had
been every bit as bad as I was, and he told me how his life had been
changed. And my eyes were opened then and there, and I kept going to the
meetings and I got some decent clothes, and a home of my own--though I
had been working every day I had not a home to go to--but when I was
converted all became changed. And now I am perfectly happy. My life is
completely made over. I never think of drink and have no desire for it.
I have a happy home and a "little lump of glory" for a wife.
"When I first became a Christian the devil said to me, 'You cannot stay
there with those people, there is a whisky bill you have not yet paid.
Suppose you are out in one of those open air meetings and the saloon
keeper should see you and say, 'Why, he owes me six dollars,' what
could you say then?' I went to that saloon keeper and said to him, 'How
much do I owe you?' And he said, 'Six dollars.' 'Well,' I said, 'I want
to pay it.' I did pay it then and there, and glory to God He has kept
me from then to this day."
The next testimony was that of a former anarchist. Before he was
converted he did not have a shirt to his back. He is now a business man
in New York City, and prosperous.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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