The officers of Chicago Avenue Church were greatly troubled at one time that there was not more conviction of sin in the meetings, and had a number of prayer meetings that God might send His Holy Spirit in mighty convicting power.
Not long after that, one Sunday night as I was preaching, I noticed a man in the front seat in the gallery to my left, leaning forward listening most intently. A great diamond flashed upon his shirt front and he had every appearance of a sporting man. He proved to be a traveling man but was also leading a sporting life. In the midst of my sermon, without any intention of drawing the net at the time, but simply to drive a point home and make it definite, I said, “Who will accept Jesus Christ tonight?” Scarcely had the words left my lips when this man sprang to his feet and cried so that it rang through the church like a pistol shot, “I will,” and sank back into his seat overcome with emotion. His action produced a sensation in the audience like a shock of electricity. I saw it was no time to finish the sermon. I was not there to save sermons but to save souls, and I immediately gave the invitation. I said, “Who else in this building will accept Jesus Christ here and now as his personal Saviour?” All over the church men and women, young and old, began to rise to their feet and a large company that night accepted Jesus Christ. Among the number was an old white-haired colonel belonging to a very wealthy family in the east, but who was entirely overcome with strong drink. His family had sent him out to Chicago and boarded him at a hotel there while he drank himself to death, but that night the Spirit of God touched his heart.