“Mr. G— wrote his niece and sister to say that he was suddenly converted while riding home on horseback.”
SO writes a young friend in Jamaica. The Mr. G— referred to has for many years been earnestly prayed for by his Christian relatives. More than one bearer of the glad tidings has spoken to him plainly and pointedly about his soul. But it all seemed utterly in vain. Now, however, it appears that he has been "suddenly converted.”
My reader is perhaps inclined to be somewhat skeptical as to these "sudden conversions." They are phenomena which cannot be explained in the terms of twentieth century ethics. They suppose an experience altogether beyond the bounds of human reason. No wonder, then, that there have always been men ready to sneer at "sudden conversions.”
Facts are facts, however. Let me give you two more, vouched for as true by a gentleman well known to the writer.
A reckless man, riding home from market one day, was thrown to the ground by his horse falling. Fearing that he was going to be killed, he cried to God while in the act of falling, and was saved before he reached the ground. His life from that moment bore witness to the reality of his conversion. Subsequently he became a preacher of the Gospel, and wrote some lines commencing:
Between the saddle and the ground,
I mercy sought and mercy found.”
A godless bricklayer was blown off the scaffolding of a house by a violent gust of wind. As he fell, the Scriptural words about the stormy wind fulfilling His word" came to his mind, and before he reached the ground he was converted. He was marvelously saved from serious injury by alighting upon some cabbages, and lived for many years to bear testimony to the grace of God.
These facts, which might easily be multiplied, cannot be explained except by acknowledging the supernatural intervention of God. Bring God in, and all is clear.
I am not by any means asserting that in every case of conversion His intervention is so distinctly manifest. Nor is every conversion what is called a "sudden" one. But, unquestionably, in every real conversion there is a definite work of God. Conversion is not merely a change of mind, accompanied by more or less repentance on the part of the sinner. It is not merely a decision to abandon sin and practice righteousness.
In real conversion there is a turning of the soul to God, a transference from darkness to light, a bringing from the far-off land to the joys of the Father's home. All this may not be understood at once. It rarely is. But none the less, that is conversion.
Now nothing but the direct intervention of God in mercy could bring this to pass for any soul. If God has not acted, the "conversion" is a spurious one: it is nothing but the action of the human mind and will.
Must the sinner, then, fold his arms and say, "I must wait for God to act"? By no means. Grace has placed exhaustless stores of blessing within reach of those who claim them through Christ. If you feel your need, apply to Him. Trust Him for salvation. He will respond to your call, you will be pardoned, welcomed, saved. And then you will be the first to own that from beginning to end it is all of God's mercy.
Reader, are you converted? H. P. B.