, 1865-11-25
THE IEAI)lGR.
AN 1NFIDEL.s CONVERSION.

Rev. James q. Andrew, in II letter mnny
years nyo To tie late Bishop Mrkcndrcc, gives
the 10 llowiug account, o!un iniidcl' sconvcrsion.
1t may inspire new faith i'll some pious mother.
who has been praying Tor many yenrs for the
conversion Of her rl,ilcr,n:
Air. Howard had been an infilcl about TWEEN
" years, during which he seldom attended the
House Of God, insumuch that he observed to
me after his conversion, that lie had heard but
three sermons in six wears. The world
had been The sole object Of his pursuit,
and he had succeeded in amusing n c"nsidcra-
BILE quantity Of its wealth. lie was i'll this
situation in The beginning IF 1877.
lie possessed among II number of other slaves
onc named Peter, who usually attended to his
cattle, and III whom he rcposcd considc,ab able
con.idcncc. Peter had been for many years II
faithful member Of the Methodist church. Some
time in the carly part OF the abntc-naincd year
Peter died. When he saw the corpse All How
ard WAS struck with establishment. fot lac had
seen him i'll health, perhaps, only the day be
fore he bsllrld the ~lifclcss clay and cxclaimed:
"My God Peter, nrc you drud r.
At thu, moment. he .nys. The reelection came
into h- mind I" Yes yes. you nrc dead, bu,
you nlr happy. Blu, how can tins be: If YOU
are happy, | am wrong lie bnnishcd The re-
Acction from his mind, bu, it returned agnil
and again.
Al length he resolved to search The Scriptures
for himself, and see il there was n sufficirncy Of
cogcnt reasoning in the bible tn convince him
Of its truth. lie would. during this cAnt,inu-
ton, rcnd no other irligi l.. bouksI nor CON
verse with any religious person. but eronfinch
his examination and reading altogether TO the
Bible.
After :hns reading ard examining for four or
five months, l.. became fully convinced Of the
authenticity Of Tie Scriptures. THIS took place
on Sabbath morning. about eleven o'clock.
About one q clock, he .nt down and wrote n
full rccnntntinn OF his former principles III a
letter to one Of his most intimate associates III
Dcis,n, requesting him TO make it knownt To his
former companions in inldclity, cxhortiag them
to search for themselves.
lie next morning called his family together
and made known Ia them thu ci,u.i.c which
had taken place III his mind. lie sid: W.
have I'LL served the devil tn9",h"r, amA, j! wc
do no, repent, we shall all perish From thu,
morning he commenced family prayer.
Comparing his life with TIE suc:cd Word, he
ROW began to feel that he was II wrctchtd sin
ncr, and ,hut something more wn, necessary
than II simple admission OF the truth Of tho
Scriptures. He felt that lie must be born
rttlr!sppc s.nd hsSan TO cry nightly TO God. AZ
being in great distress, he sen. ont on a - 50
bath morning, and calling together his nr,Sh-
bur., addressed them to tins elect '.lou who
have an interest nj a throne OF .iuce, | have
collected you together that you may pay foi
me and ynn that do not pray, l wish you 10
witness the condition OF one iniidcl.'
They Began 10 pray about ten o'clock, and
soiltinuc! III r,n yer ill about Two, wilrn III,
Lord spoke peace 10 his soul, md gave linn The
witness OF mis- acceptance. Sholtly n.trr thi-
he came 10 Wilmington, and in the presence OF
his former companions, united with our suci,-
~, and Inns ever since seemed TO cnjo, Tie life
and power OF religion.
II may. perhaps, he proper to observe tina,
his mother Ind been rrnfing for him about
forty years that during all that time she had
seen only one OF her childred converted but
now the Lord gave her TO see her whole family
gathered into the church il, the space Of two
months.