A Boston sea captain was intemperate, profane, and violently opposed to religion. His wife was a Christian woman, and never failed to pray for him for twenty-three years. At length he forbade her attending the prayer meetings.
She laid her case anew in God’s hands, and awaited the result. When the time for the next meeting came, he proposed to go in her place. She feared that he would disturb the meeting, and expected that he would make it a new subject of ridicule.
He went, and while listening to the prayers, the Holy Spirit began to open his eyes to see his own sins.
Next day he went to his work as pilot on a ferry-boat between Boston and Chelsea with a heavy heart. His burden was great, and he began to think of Christ. As he was making the last trip for the day, a great change came over him.
He hastened home, and told his wife to bring him the Bible. He took the book saying, “We must have family prayers.” Then he read and prayed. He also gave up drinking, smoking, and swearing, and the love for those sins was taken from him. He had passed from death unto life, from the power of Satan unto God.
ML 07/02/1961