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Testimonies for the Church Volume 1
The night after receiving so great a blessing, I attended the advent
meeting. When the time came for the followers of Christ to speak in
His favor, I could not remain silent, but rose and related my experience.
Not a thought had entered my mind of what I should say; but the simple
story of Jesus’ love to me fell from my lips with perfect freedom, and
my heart was so happy to be liberated from its bondage of dark despair
that I lost sight of the people about me and seemed to be alone with
God. I found no difficulty in expressing my peace and happiness,
except for the tears of gratitude that choked my utterance as I told of
the wondrous love that Jesus had shown for me.
Elder Stockman was present. He had recently seen me in deep
despair, and the remarkable change in my appearance and feelings
touched his heart; he wept aloud, rejoicing with me and praising God
for this proof of His tender mercy and loving-kindness.
[33]
Not long after receiving this great blessing, I attended a conference
meeting at the Christian church, where Elder Brown was pastor. I was
invited to relate my experience, and I felt not only great freedom of
expression, but happiness, in telling my simple story of the love of
Jesus and the joy of being accepted of God. As I spoke, with subdued
heart and tearful eyes, my soul seemed drawn toward heaven in thanks-
giving. The melting power of the Lord came upon the assembled
people. Many were weeping and others praising God.
Sinners were invited to arise for prayers, and many responded to
the call. My heart was so thankful to God for the blessing He had
given me that I longed to have others participate in this sacred joy. My
mind was deeply interested for those who might be suffering under a
sense of the Lord’s displeasure and the burden of sin. While relating
my experience, I felt that no one could resist the evidence of God’s
pardoning love that had wrought so wonderful a change in me. The
reality of true conversion seemed so plain to me that I felt like helping
my young friends into the light, and at every opportunity exerted my
influence toward this end.
I arranged meetings with my young friends, some of whom were
considerably older than myself, and a few were married persons. A
number of them were vain and thoughtless; my experience sounded
to them like an idle tale, and they did not heed my entreaties. But I
determined that my efforts should never cease till these dear souls,
for whom I had so great an interest, yielded to God. Several entire