The Story Of A Bad Man's Salvation


While doing personal work in a community known here as Cane Creek, going from home to home leaving religious tracts, Gospels of John, and pleading the cause of Christ, after following the little winding trail for many miles, I came to a section of beautiful level land, completely surrounded by great high mountains excepting the valley through which I had come. Following the trail a little farther, I came to a little community store, across the road from which there was another small building. Around this building was a group of young men telling vulgar jokes, swearing, smoking cigarettes, and one could smell the faint odor of alcohol.

I went over to these men and started telling the story of Jesus and the plan of salvation. One by one they began to leave until after awhile there was only one young man left. He was rather a nice looking young man. Going over and putting my arm about his shoulder, I plead with him to take Christ as his Savior. He turned his face to me with tears in his eyes and said, "No one has ever talked to me like this. Why, I am the meanest man in this valley. I have just been on a drunk, had a fight and tried to run some folks from their home." I asked him if he was satisfied to go on living in this manner; would he like to ask God to help him be a better man, to surrender his all to Him and be a real Christian.

So we knelt there on the side of the road. The eyes of many curious people were turned our way as we went to God in prayer. He was not perfectly satisfied, so we went to an old field under some trees where we again went to the Throne of Grace. This time I got him to ask God to forgive him his sins and save his soul. After much prayer, when we arose, he was weeping and praising God for victory.

I asked him if he had a Bible and if his mother was saved. He said he did not have a Bible and that none of his family were saved. He also added, "I was recently released from the state prison and I have served more than one sentence on the chain gang." But read this man's life story as told to me:

"I was born in May 1908 in South Carolina, in a home that did not know God. My father was a drunkard and bootlegger who spent lots of his time cursing and kicking mother and beating my brother, sister, and myself. He kept his liquor hid at the house. One day while playing, we children found it and were attracted to it by some pretty flowers and fruit pictured on the bottles, but it did not make us drunk. but we went one day for another bottle, and as there were no small ones, we decided to drink out of a larger one, the contents of which made us dog drunk. We were soundly beaten for this, not so much for being drunk, but for taking the liquor which my father drank and sold.

"We never attended Sunday School or any church services and I do not remember any preacher of Christian worker coming to our house. At the age of 12 years, I was sentenced from one to five years in the reformatory. Part of this sentence was commuted. At the age of 15 years, I was given a year's sentence for stealing. Shortly after being released, when I was about 16 years of age, I was again sentenced, this time for 18 months on the chain gang. At the age of 18 years I was sentenced to the state penitentiary from 18 months to three years—again for breaking and stealing. At the age of 21 I was sentenced to serve 6 months on the chain gang. When I was 24 years of age I was sent back to the state prison for 3 years, and again at the age of 29, from 1 to 2 years. I am now 31 years of age.

"Our home was a regular hell hole. All we knew or heard was being beaten like dogs or hearing vulgar language or vilest profanity and seeing drunken men and women in our home."

I returned to the community a few days later, gave him a Bible and encouraged him in his stand for the Lord. When I left he was sitting on the store porch reading his Bible. On the following Sunday I went to his home and had prayer with his mother who made a definite stand for God. I will never forget that scene of this old gray haired mother and her son, with their arms about each other, praising God for salvation.

In contrast to his former life as a sinner, this young man has really been trying to live for God's glory. Not long after his conversion he came to a meeting in which we were helping to conduct, and gave a clear cut testimony of God's grace in saving him. He has also witnessed for Christ in his own home and community as well as led in prayer and church services. When we went to his home recently, we found him reading his Bible. When we started to leave, he gave me his hand and said he was going all the way with God.

We are truly thankful for another home which has taken a definite stand for God. Though we may sink beneath human sympathy or hope, we are never out of reach of God's great love.


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Walking Barefoot Ministries

© 2000 by Jeff Doles