The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1879-12-03
What Brought Me to Christ
BY REY. RoBERT Il. WILLIAMS.

BY REV. ROBERT H. WILLIAMS
Various things have had an influence
in leading us to Christ. Sometimes tri-
fling and most inappropriate things under
the blessing of God, become the instru-
ments of our salvation. Preaching has
been the most effective human agency to
bring men to Christ Under the preach
ing Of the Apostle Peter, three thousand
souls were converted. The people prayed
all night, and Livingstone preached the
next day, and five hundred were brought
to Christ.
A stranger stepped up to a minister Of
New York some time ago, and said, |
heard you preach in Western town ten
years ago. That sermon revolutionized
my whole life; it brought me into the
church, and into the ministry. have
never seen you since, but am glad to
thank you now.
A youth by the name Of John Owen
went to London to reside. He wanted to
hear the pulpit celebrities of that city.
He sought Dr. Calamy' church, but he
was absent. He FASTENED then to the
church of the eloquent MIR. Jackson, and
plain, obscure preacher from the coun-
try, occupied the pulpit that day But
that preaching, weak compared with what
he expected to hear was the power OF
God unto Ovens salvation Little did
he think, as he wandered about that Sab
bath day seeking celebrities, that his
souls need would be supplied by an hum
bic instrument compared with those whom
he sought.
Multitudes have been brought to Christ
by reading the Bible In these days of
great progress in heather countries, we
often read of the power OF this Book upon
the hearts of those who have not heard
the voice of the minister Many in our
own land have been led to Christ while
reading the Word of God Finney, the
great revivalist when student Of law,
owed his conversion to his increased in
terest in the Bible. He said Whenever
| found reference by the law-authors to
the Bible, | turned to the passage and
consulted it in It's connections. This soon
led to my taking new interest in the
Bible, and l read and meditated on it
much more than l had ever before in my
life.
When Daniel Baker was travelling
through the South, he called on young
man to lead in prayer at one Of his meet
ings. That young man was not a Chris
tian, but attempted to comply with the
request From that time that young man,
who afterward became distinguished
Baptist minister, dated his conversion.
John Bunyan acknowledges the good
he received from a conversation he had
heard He says 1.-The good providence
of God called me to Bedford to work at
my calling and in one of the streets of
that town came where there were three
or four women sitting at a door in the
sun, talking about the things of God. -
Ebenezer Erskine, distinguished Scotch
divine, had been in the ministry some
time before he experienced change of
heart One day he heard his wife talk
ing to his brother Ralph about the in
terests of his soul, and this conversation
brought Ebenezer to the feet Of Christ
The first deep impression Of eternal
things Dr. John Breckenridge received,
was when a student at Princeton, he
heard the singing Of the hymn "Awaked
by Sinai's awful sound.
Harlan Page was in the habit Of writ
ing letters, and in this way won many to
Christ
A child asked her uncle to tell her
about Jesus, as her mother was in the
habit Of doing, and the request and his
inability to comply awakened strange
questions in his mind, and he was led to
Christ
An old lady near DR.. Guthrie's Church
was asked how she was awakened from
spiritual DEATH and she replied By Dr.
Guthre's bells. When they rang on Sun
day I wished they would leave of-they
troubled me-
The conduct and EXAMPLE of persons