Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1879-11-26
Mr.. Moody and the InfideI.


Mr.. Moody, in one of his recent sermons
at Cleveland, gave a most interesting ac-
count of the conversion Of skeptic TO
Christianity. He was in a little town in
Illinois number of years ago, and had Just
commenced the grand work which has since
swelled into such glorious volume al could
not preach" he modestly said, " but could
get up little meetings and talk. At the
close Of one Of these meetings a lady came
to me and said, Mr.. Moody, 1 wish you
would come and see my husband, and talk
with him about his SOUL | consented, for
she seemed greatly burdened, and asked for
his name. When I heard it I said, You
must excuse me; can't go to see that man,
he is booked infdel, graduate Of the
Eastern colleges and | am mere STRIPPING;
| can't go and meet him. Il would like
you to go, Mr.. Moody she replied, and talk
to him about his SOUL you had better
said |, have some one who is older; can't
meet him in argument 1t is not argu-
ment he wants. said she, earnestly, he has
had enough of that what he needs is some
one to invite him to Christ She pleaded
so hard that | went down to see him. / went
to his office, and after shaking hands and in
Producing myself, told him my errand. He
laughed al me and said 1 had come on
foolish errand-that he did not believe in
Christ or Christianity, or in the Bible.
talked to him awhile aud brought out some
Of his infidel views. Finally said, Judge
| will be honest with you; can't meet you
in argument, but there is one favor | would
like to request of you.' What is that p he
asked That when you are converted you
will let me know WE'LL said he, Il will
grant you that request and with good
deal of sarcasm he repeated, will let you
7 rN.I A. II
of his office / heard the clerks snicker.
They thought, 10 doubt, had made great
fool of myself.
"a year and half after I went back TO
that city. l was the guest of friend, and
while one day in the sitting room, servant
came in and said there was man in the
parlor who wished to see me. 1t was the
old judge. when | saw you last he said,
Il told you, when | was converted would
let you know, and have come to tell you
that am converted said, Judge, I wish
you would tell me the whole story He
took his seat and said, Well, I will tell
you. My wife and children had gone to
meeting one night, and there was no one in
the house but the servant and myself. |
got to thinking, and said to myself, suppose
my wife and my children are right and l
am wrong. Suppose they are all on the way
to heaven, as they profess to think, and am
. on my way to hell. / Just dismissed that
thought at once. The next thought was,
+ Judge, do you believe there is a God who
! created you? Yes, / believe that. This
/ world never happened by chance. Then
came the thought, if there is Creator, and
one that created you, the one that created
you could teach you. WE'LL he said, that is
s. so the God who created me could teach
q me- And he smiled and said, The fact
a was, Mr.. Moody, thought nobody could
: teach me sat there by the fire; l was too
. proud to get down on my knees. l said,
z 40 God, teach mel"' 1t was an honest
/ prayer. And if there is au honest infdel
r anywhere to-day who will make that prayer
. out of the depths of his heart, God will
teach him more in five minutes than all the
a infidels can teach him in twenty years.
He said God began to teach him, and
>. he began to see himself in different light
y He had been, in his own estimation, one Of
y the best men that ever lived, but now, said
q he, began to see myself a sinner That
7 was something new. He felt burden upon
i, him, and things began to look dark. Fear
y ful that his wife might return and see that
something allied him-that he was troubled
he went to bed and pretended to sleep. But
he did not sleep wink that night, and before
morning he began to pray, D God save me
take away this burden-this load of sin !
J. But he said he didn't believe in Jesus Christ
IS he didn't want any daysman between him
a and God; didn't want any mediator; he wa
q going right straight to the Father; was go
:, ing to settle the question without Christ
d But the load grew heavier, and it grew
n darker.
's "When the morning came, he said to his
n wife he was not feeling very well, and
1t would not stay to breakfast. He wanted t.
r get away, and went to his Office. All tht
p time he kept on crying, 20 God, take away
n this burden. At his office men came to se'
e him on business, but he could not do any
q business. He tried to tell his clerks wha
a to do, but could not tell them. He tolt
q them they might take holiday. Then h
Q, locked the door, got down on his knees ant
q cried, For Jesus sake take away this loat
q of SIM He said bundle rolled off whel
V he arose from his knees, and his heart wa
e light as air. Said he, wonder if this is no
q what my wife has been praying for thes
q years-if it is not what the Christians cal
y conversion p He started for home. Hi
!. wife saw him coming, and thought he wa
81 coming home sick. She met him at tn
y door, and said, My dear, are you sick
'e IIe looked up and said No, have beel
u converted + Mr. Moody said the jndge
D. 'twentyone long years that wife had praye'
l. for me, and she could not believe her ear
T. when told her was converted. She said
p Come into the drawing-room." There
!, knelt down, and made my first prayer will
,e my wife, and, Mr.. Moody, have had NOR
Is enjoyment in the last three months, than II
. all the rest of my life put together