, 1865-11-25
TIIE ~IIEAl1sR.
AN 1NFIDELB CONVERSION.

Rev. James y: Aut,ew, i'll II, letter many
years ago to the late bishop Mcltcndrcc, gives
the following account Of un inIidcfs conversion.
It may inspire new faith i'll some pious mother,
who has been praying for many years for the
conversion Of her rhil6fcn:
Air. Howard had been an intidel about TWEEN
~ years. during which he seldom attended the
House Of Uod, insomuch tina, he observed 10.
me after his conversion, That he Ind heard bu.
three sermons III SIX yours. The world
had been the sole object OF his pursuit,
and he Ind succeeded in nmnssihs n considers
Die quantity Of its wealth. lie was i'll this
situation in the beginning of 1917.
lie possessed among Il number of other slaves
one namtd Peter, who hsually attended to his
cattle, hnd III whom he reposcd considerable
confidence. Peter had been for many years II
faithful member Of the Methodist church. Some
time il the early part o. The undetermined year
Peter died. When he saw the corpse Mr. How
nrd was struck with stonislmrnt,-for he had
seen him in health, perhaps, only the day be-
fore lie behold the lifrlcss clay,-and exclaimed:
'NIy God Peter, are you dead 7"
At TINT moment, he snys, The reflection came
into his mind -" IcsI yes, you are dead, but
you nre Happy. But how can this be; If you
arc happy, l am wrong" lie banishrd the re-
hection from his mind, but it returned again
and nsnin.
AT length lie resolved to scarch The Scriptures
for himself, and see if there was a su Efficiency of
cogcnt reasoning in the Diblc to co nvince him
of its truth. He would, during this cxaminn-
ton, rcad no other religious books, nor con-
verse with any religious person, bntaSonincd
his examination and reading altogether to the
Bible. 81 ,f 1918
After .hus reading anil examining for four or
five months, lie became fully convinced Of tic
authenticity Of the Scriptures. This took place
on Sabbath morning, about eleven o'clock.
About nine o'clock, he snt down. and wrote T.
full recantation OF his former principles i'll IL
letter to one Of his most intimate associates III
Dcism, requesting him 10 make i, known TO his
former companions in infidcltly, cxhOrti:,g them
TO search for themselves.
He next morning called his family together
and made know. 10 Them tho tiiu iigc Which
had taken place in Ills mind. lie said Ave
have all served the devil together, and, il we
do not repent, we shall all PEI isl." From TIM,
morning he commenced family prayer.
Comparing his life with the sulcred Word, he
ROW began to feel tha, he was Il wrclchcd sin.
ncr, and that something more was necessary
than a simple admission OF the truth Of the
Scriptures. He felt that lie must be born
fsSgpniipe luck nd began to cry nightly to God. AT
being in great distress, he sen, out on t =
bath morning., and cnlling together his neigh
bor., addressed them To this effect ..Iou whc
have IN interest attn throne OF grace, I have
collected you together that you may pray fol
me and yon that do not pray, / wish YOU tc
witness the condition of one intidcl."
They began 10 pr"y about ten o'clock, and
continued in prayc ill. about Two, when The
Lord spoke peace to his soul, und gave hin, The
witness OF mis- acceptance. Shortly after hi,
he came To Wilmington, and liz the presence O;
his former companions, united with our socic-
ty, and has ever sir,ce seemed to EMO ! The life
and power OF religion.
It may. perhaps. be proper to observe tina,
his mother had been praying for him about
forty years. that during Ill that time she had
seen only one Of her childred converted hut
now the Lord gave her TO see her whole family
gathered into the church in the space Of two
months.
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