QUOTE:
"I wonder if we did a poll of all those who came to Christ as adults, what would they say brought them to Christ?"
This could be a very edifying thread - why don't you start it, Frank?
I was searching the web for the history of a hymn when I found the story below. I used it in our church bulletin. It blessed me. And since I had a little space left I did a search on SI's quotes tread and found a very appropriate on that goes with the testimony.
These two pieces blessed me - hope they will you, too.
ginnyrose
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HISTORY of the SONG “MY JESUS I LOVE THEE”
This beloved hymn which so profoundly expresses the believer’s love and gratitude to Christ, was written by a very young man, named William Ralph Featherston. (at times spelled Featherstone)
William was born on July 23, 1846 in Montreal, Canada. He was the son of John and Mary Featherston. Ralph's family were all members of the Wesleyan Methodist Church of Montreal. It has been told that young Featherston penned the words to this lovely hymn at the time of his conversion experience, when he was sixteen years of age. Though information about William Featherston is scarce it is believed that after it was written he sent the text to his aunt Mrs. E. Featherston Wilson living in Los Angeles, she quickly asked for its publication. The original copy of this much loved poem, in the author’s boyish handwriting, is still a cherished treasure in the family. Strangely, however, the hymn text appeared anonymously with a different tune in an English hymnal, The London Hymn Book, published in 1864.
A Protestant Minister once related the following story regarding this hymn "My Jesus I Love Thee," to a large audience in one of the Rev. E. P. Hammond’s meetings in St. Louis.
“A young, talented and tender-hearted actress was passing along the street of a large city. Seeing a pale, sick girl lying upon a couch just within the half-open door of a beautiful dwelling, she entered, with the thought that by her vivacity and pleasant conversation she might cheer the young invalid. The sick girl was a devoted Christian, and her words, her patience, her submission and heaven-lit countenance, so demonstrated the spirit of her religion that the actress was led to give some earnest thought to the claims of Christianity, and was thoroughly converted, and became a true follower of Christ. She told her father, the leader of the theater troupe, of her conversion, and of her desire to abandon the stage, stating that she could not live a consistent Christian life and follow the life of an actress. Her father was astonished beyond measure, and told his daughter that their living would be lost to them and their business ruined, if she persisted in her resolution. Loving her father dearly, she was shaken somewhat in her purpose, and partially consented to fill the published engagement to be met in a few days. She was the star of the troupe, and a general favorite. Every preparation was made for the play in which she was to appear. The evening came and the father rejoiced that he had won back his daughter, and that their living was not to be lost. The hour arrived; a large audience had assembled.
The curtain rose, and the young actress stepped forward firmly amid the applause of the multitude. But an unwonted light beamed from her beautiful face. Amid the breathless silence of the audience, she repeated:
‘My Jesus, I love Thee, I know Thou art mine;
For Thee all the follies of sin I resign;
My gracious Redeemer, my Saviour art Thou;
If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus, ’tis now.’
This was all. Through Christ she had conquered and, leaving the audience in tears, she retired from the stage, never to appear upon it again. Through her influence her father was converted, and through their united evangelistic labors many were led to God.
~http://www.biblestudycharts.com/HH_My_Jesus_I_Love_Thee.html
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Shun all the wretched foolishness and corruption--of light, silly, and amorous songs; on the same principle that you would shun books of the same nature. Sacred music is the true refuge of the Christian. I wish your ears, your hearts, and your tongues were often tuned to such melodies. The play-house, the opera, and the concert-hall--have deluged our society with perversions of the heavenly art of music. Music was designed to lead the soul to heaven--but the depravity of man has greatly corrupted God's merciful design for music. ~- Legh Richmond
