One evening, in the summer of 1888, I came along Arch Street where, in a
basement room at Broad and Arch, some women were holding a prayer
service. I entered and joined with them. Three poor, ragged, soiled men
were converted. I saw the women were even more inexperienced with the
phenomena of sudden conversions than I was. So I stepped forward and
pledged the converts to a Christian life. Then I appealed to the good
men present to see that the converts had a good meal that night, and
asked for work for them. Good men at once promised both.
When the meeting was dismissed a gentleman came to me and said, “We need
you at the Sunday Breakfast Association to speak next Sunday night. We
shall have over 1000 men present, all needing to find God. You are one
of the women who can speak without any of the Little Johnny death-bed
scenes, and we need you.” I replied, “If you asked me to talk on
Dickens, Shakespeare, or any literary character, I could easily do it,
but to win souls to Christ, I am not at all sure I could do it.” He did
not argue, he simply said, “I give you your opportunity.” That startled
me, and I said, “I will try.”
So the next Sunday evening at the Breakfast Association I made my first
talk before an audience largely of the submerged tenth. The galleries
and the platform were filled with well-dressed people, and, instead of
trying to save some soul, I tried to make a fine speech. My rhetoric was
perfect, my periods nicely rounded, my illustrations pertinent, and I
sat down pretty well satisfied with my fine self. Mr. Bean saw what I
had done, so he shook a few grains out of all the chaff I had given
them, made the application, and let me down as easily as he could.
But while I sat there God's Spirit dealt with me. “What if a mother of
one of these lost men had had your opportunity,” said God's Spirit,
“would she have talked platitudes to the galleries and the platform?
Would she? Would she?” I saw my sin. As I fled from the house I nearly
cried aloud in my shamefaced grief. When I got to my room I went to my
knees and I cried to God my deep shame, “Dear Father, I have sinned. I
know now that is not my work. My business is to instruct the intellect.
I will leave the winning of souls to preachers and mothers. Help me to
bear the testimony of a well-ordered Christian life, speaking for you in
my own social set, but I am not equal to facing those who have looked
long into the eyes of sin and suffering and sorrow, and are uncomforted
with a knowledge of Thy grace.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account