The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1910-05-10
Established June IL. 1888.
THE STORY OF JIM OWEN.

this remarkable story during the
special services held in the
Greene Avenue Baptist church
"I'll tell you of the most mar.
velous conversion | ever saw.
have told you it was my JOY
every summer to preach in the
cattle camps in West Texas.
One year when | went some OF
the men came to me and said,
there is one man here on whom
you need not waste your time,
and that is eX-Sheriff Jim Owen.
He'll come once and then he will
curse you all over the mountains;
he always does. They described
him to me so l could not miss
him. One evening l went to
preach, and as | stood before
that great congregation in came
Jim Owen. l preached and the
Spirit of God moved nightly
over that great audience and
many sinners came, but there
Jim sat with a most intent gaze
upon his face, but apparently
unmoved.
After the service we stood
around talking and some said:
Jim Owen was here tonight, but
he'll never come again. He'll
curse you out; he always does
when any preacher comes. He'll
come once and then curse You
and the church out, but some
of the others said, No l believe
he will be back; he had a pecu-
liar expression on his face that
he never had before; he'll come
again.
Il started for my lodging
place, some rods from the camp
away from the noise over a
mountainous region, when /
heard some one talking, but as 1
drew near / realized there were
two of them, and that they were
praying. l did not mean to
eavedrop, but was held to the
spot.
"They prayed something like
this: oh God, Thou hast prom
ised that if two of us shall a.
gree as touching anything that
we shall ask, that Thou wilt
give it us. We are praying to-
night for Jim Owen. They say
he can't be saved, but oh God,
Thou canst save the vilest sinner
save him and let the people know
that nothing is too hard for God;
save jim Owen, that Thou NIGH
test close the mouth of the peo-
pie and get glory to Thyself. >
That's the wav to pray, that's
the way to pray.
Il slipped away they never
knew / heard their prayer but
/ did not sleep. The next eve
ming, when stood up to preach,
in came jim Owen. All the
sermon that l had prepared fled,
and said, Wen sing a stanza,
and then I'll ask this brother in
front to lead in prayer, asking
that God will give me the right
message, His Spirit knows the
needs of other hearts.
Il preached that night from
the parable of the Prodigal Son,
telling it as simply as to a little
child. l said: Here was a man
well reared, but he abused il:
good environment, but he tram
pied it under foot and went
away despite the protests of his
father and friends and wasted
his substance; but when he had
spent all he came to himself.
Oh, that men would come to
themselves He said, 81 will
arise and go unto my father. and
shall say unto him, father ! have
sinned az inst Heaven and in
thy sight and am no more worthy
to be called thy son; make me as
one of thy hired servants"
He not only made the good
resolution, but he kept it. He
arose and came. Now / see that
old father az the gate; he's
watching. ooh, how / wish my
boy would come home; how often
have I longed for him |! Who is
this coming? 1t walks like my
boy, but so many have passed
that ] thought walked like him,