The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1906-06-06
Strange Experience Of an Infidel.
By THE REV. JOHN T. FAIRS.

By THE Rev.. JOHN T. FAIRS.
For the encouragement of those who
have long prayed for the conversion Of
some friend or loved one, I tell the
following: I
About two years ago I made the &C;
luaintance of a colporteur Of the Amer
lean Tract Society who was doing some
difficult work for Christ in a very
creditable manner. We were thrown
together for many days. During this
time I learned the story Of his life-a
wonderful story. On the day when
these lines are written the mail brings
another chapter Of his history-a chap
ter as wonderful as those told before.
He was born in Bohemia, a Catholic
and was, when a lad, in training for
the priesthood. For sever years he
was an officer in the Austrian army;
then he became editor of a Bohemian
paper in New York City. While there
he was known as a leader among the
infidels of his p~eople-and so became
fitted for the editorship Of an infdel
magazine, and later of q political paper
with inidel bias. !
Week after week he wrote articles in
which he said everything he could
think Of against Christianity. But
when he sat down to write his leader
for the issue Of Christmas week, 1901
be had a strange experience.
Against my will I resolved to say
something about the birth Of Christ"
be told me. II did not know what ]
was writing. There was a power
which drove me on. l wrote Of the
birth in poverty and the lie Of suffer-
ing. I spoke the horrible death. The
! central point of the article was the ar!
gument that those who are blasphem3
ing Christ now are of the same char
acter as those who cruciied Him-the
most miserable creatures CT earth. As
I wrote my tears flowed like a food.
Later, my assistant told me I must
not print the article. I told him,
What I write goes in When l e a
the proof l realized for the first time
what I had said. I was ashamed to 90
back on my words to the assistant; so
the article was printed. I knew what
would be the result"
An explosion followed. Subscribers
were enraged. Enemies were made.
Yet the editor felt himself still fit to
be editor of an infdel paper. He was
dissatisfied, it is true. He began an
Investigation which led him to believe,
successfully, in Buddhism, Christian
Science and Spiritualism. Then he be-
came a preacher of morality. Con-
vinced Of evils among the Bohemians,;
r. 4..&ol - 1r,1co1 do Thinh anr0 Onh
their leaders. I
Next day a Christian friend gave him
a copy of the New Testament. Il sat
down at once and started to reat
! Romans he said. "That day I read
all of Paul's epistles. AS I read there
came to me an understanding Of the,
events of eight years. I knew I wasI
saved through Jesus. On Sabbath 4
went to church. From that day MY
paper stood for Christ" Three years.
| later he left the editorial Office for
! Christian work among his people. ,
When he told this story he said he,
was happy but for one thing. His wife
refused to be reconciled to his new hfe-i
She threatened to leave him. The,
| children were taught to despise him
1T is a burden" he said. But I am
praying for her. And I believe the day.
will come when God will soften her
hard heart and we shall be together in
His service"
Our paths have lain apart for two
years, and 1 heard nothing from him
until this glad message came: '
Thanks to the Lord, He increased
so greatly my happiness that 1 feel
bound to tell you. You know how 1T
pleased the Lord to chasten me and
teach me patience and other Christian
virtues. God the Father has had mercy
upon my wife. She prosecuted me more
vigorously after my return from st.
Louis, I was compelled to leave home
and family for the sake Of peace. 4
secured q position and sent $45 a month
regularly to her. = y She prohib-
tied the children to write me letters
For seven months I did not exchanges
letters with her ave the monthly en-
yelope with the check. But last Satur-
day I received a letter from her say,
ing: 4 have taken refuge at the feet.
Of the Lord Jesus and in prayers =
ask Him, Not my will, but Thine. be-
uCLS. Allu 50, uLdliy, l houho PSo>Sst
I perceived what a wife would do that
follows the Lord Jesus. Now l have
rested my case with Him, and knoM|
wherever He will lead me I shall,
walk in the right way" 4
Joyfully my correspondent concludes:,,
"My prayers are answered. After six
years of wrestling with my Lord I am
rewarded most gloriously. My wife is,
to-day a child Of God, made holy byi
His grace alone. Only last April sheI
burned my Christian books and tore
my Testaments. q To-day, fol-
lowing Lord Jesus, she comes back al
loving wife, full of tender feelings and
true devotion. How great is the love;
of Jesus Christ, and what a power is
His! How great is the mercy Of our
Sod!w-Herald. y