The Conversion of John R — 

 •  8 min. read  •  grade level: 8
 
IT was very nearly a year ago that I left my work for a day or two to attend a conference in London. Praise be to God, we had a happy time in hearing about our Saviour and our Lord, and in rendering to Him the homage of our hearts. I should have liked to stay for the last day, but I felt compelled to return, and surely it was God's voice that spoke within.
No sooner had I reached my office than I was told that two of the men, working for the contractors who were carrying out certain works under my direction, had been dismissed for absenting themselves without leave and returning in a state of drunkenness; and imagine my distress when I heard that John R—, a young man who had worked steadily and well for many years, whose father I knew and respected, was one of the two delinquents.
I hastily went out to the site where the works were being carried out, and upon inquiring of the foreman I found that the report was only too true. John R—was leaving the works a ruined man! I pleaded that he was led by an evil companion; that I knew him to be steady; that he should have another chance; but the foreman was inexorable, and his reply was, " He'll never work for me again, sir; he's by far the worse of the two." This charge was unfortunately borne out by my own inspector, a good Christian man, who told me that he had never heard worse language than had come from John R.'s lips. Only a few minutes later I met the pair of them coming to claim their tools before leaving the works for good. John R—saw me, lowered his head in shame, and passed me by. I watched my opportunity, and it was not long before I was able to speak to him face to face.
“Jack!" I said, "has it come to this?”
He bit his lips and forced back his tears.
“Don't speak to me now, sir," he stammered. "It's too late now. It's too late now.”
And he went on muttering, as tears flowed copiously from his downcast eyes, " Don't speak to me now, sir; it's too late now; " and so for the time I left him, not knowing what to do or how to help.
After dinner I again visited the works, and, having had my look round, I was returning to my office when I saw John R—and his noisy mate, their tool bags over their shoulders, leaving the precincts for good. I hurried past them, and turning, called out to John R—in an off-hand way, “I wish to see you, Jack, in my office for a minute before you go.”
I reached my office and prayerfully awaited his arrival, and how thankful I was to hear his steps upon the stairs I Once within, I shut the door and bade him be seated, and then as man to man I spoke to him, seeking to touch his heart by appealing to him through his parents, through his young wife and little child, Soon he was sobbing in an agony of mental pain, "O God! my poor wife! O God! my little darling!" and it was indeed pitiful to be a witness of his vented grief. I found that he had been drinking off and on now for six months, that he had spent ₤4 IOS. in drink during the three days of that Whitsun holiday, and that his mate (who was waiting in a public house outside) had been the chief cause of his downfall.
I told him of the love of God in sending Jesus Christ to suffer for our offenses; to die for our sins. But although his repentance was manifestly real, his mind was too much shaken to grasp the full meaning of the message. He felt his powerlessness to resist and hardly dared believe that if he accepted God's salvation, God would be his strength. Indeed, in reply to my question as to what he would do, if his drunken mate asked him to have a drink after leaving me, he cried out that he was not able to refuse. "I've no will now, sir," he stammered.
I managed however to get one promise out of him; that he would not go off "on the roads" with his mate as they had arranged to do, for I knew that, once "on the roads," Satan's victory was practically complete. (You, my readers, who have not had dealings with those who have taken to the roads for their living cannot be aware of all the misery that the term implies). And more than this, John also promised to come to my men's Bible class the next evening. I was powerless to do more, and so, with a prayer that God would bless him, I bade him good-bye.
The morrow came, and at its close the Bible class hour when the usual men arrived, but not John R—. My heart was full of misgivings, and it was a joy to hear the bell ring again and find Mrs. R—at my door with a message from John to say that he was so sorry but that he was too ill to come. The effect of three days' debauch was heavy upon him, and clearly God's hand was in it, for his wife told me that the drunken mate had been hanging around their house all day and constantly asking where John was, until finding that his efforts were wasted he had at last decamped. Poor Mrs. R—was much affected when she spoke of her husband, and especially when she told me that she had never known, before the last few days, that he "did not believe in God." For his drunken mate, who had bent him to his evil will, was a professed anarchist and an atheist as well.
Before allowing her to leave, I told her that I would expect to see John in my office the next morning, and it was with great joy that I found him waiting for me. The effect of the alcohol was now past, and John was ready to listen, and to weigh what words he heard. I saw plainly that God was working in his soul, and, when he broke down in tears over his sin, I told him of the cruel shameful death of Christ, who on the cross was made sin for us that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
No atheism now! He had drunk enough already of its bitter waters. On his knees he called upon God for the promised mercy and the needed grace, and he rose up "a new creature." Old things: had passed away; all things had become new.
Joy filled his heart and mine, and filled the heavens too to the praise of the One who died for all. Oh! that all would own their need of that dying love of Christ. We look around, and wherever we look we are forced to cry, "How few! How few!" John then told me with shame how he had `cheeked' and insulted his foreman, and, as I was anxious to get him work and unwilling to lose his capable services, I was thankful to hear him say, prompted by a hitherto unknown spirit, that he would apologize fully if he were employed again. I approached the contractors who were quite opposed to the idea of giving him another start, but eventually God ordered it otherwise. John offered the foreman a full apology which was accepted, and again he started work.
How different was his behavior now! Not a word against him from any quarter, but a universal acknowledgment of the complete change in his character and behavior. He saw the work through, and so satisfied were his employers now that, having another contract on hand, John was written to and asked if he would accept an offer of employment there. Truly the man of faith, beholding the effect and knowing the cause, could not fail to exclaim, "What hath God wrought.”
But this is not all. There is (and can we refrain from praising God for it?) the other side; tile side of trial and endurance for the Master's sake. And John has had his heavy share. He was engaged upon a great harbor-works, and, having gone to take up his job, he was met at the gates by four men in whose company he would have to work. The fame of his conversion had preceded him, and he was told that he had better return the way he had come as no "bible-thumping" was wanted there. But he threw off the objections, and bravely insisted upon his due. Advantages were taken of him at every turn. His mates laughed and threw epithets at him, and, even when he left his tools behind at the dinner hour, were cruel enough to steal them so that when he came back his bag was empty. And upon another contract, where he was employed subsequently, his mates were so foul-mouthed and addicted to drink that after a hard trial he left the job. Don't think that he himself told me anything about this bearing of the yoke of Christ, this fellowship in His sufferings, of his own accord; for I dragged it from him, and that with the greatest difficulty.
I have just heard from John, and it is a joy to know that he is still rejoicing in his Saviour's love, and still in touch with God.
Well, my prayer is that God will bless this little testimony and skew to all who read it the power of God to save even those who have denied His very name, and having saved them through the blood of Christ, to keep them to His praise and glory.
L.L.