Today’s story is about a preacher converted by his own sermon. William Haslam (1818-1905) wrote in his biography, From Death to Life about coming to Christ during his own sermon in 1851. While William failed to realize he was not a genuinely converted Christian, it was apparent to people in his congregation. He faithfully administered the sacraments and talked about the Christian life, yet the idea of opening his heart to Christ had eluded him. One day his gardener became converted, which deeply saddened William, as he thought the man was deceived. William went to a trusted pastoral colleague, who challenged him to consider the state of his own soul. The next three days were tortuous for him.
William read in Sunday worship the gospel lesson from Matthew 22.42, “What say ye of Christ?” As he reflected on the passage in the course of his own sermon, his conscience told him, “You are no better than the Pharisees.” He sensed Christ was calling him as he preached and later testified in his biography, “I felt a wonderful light and joy come into my soul.” There was something in his speech that prompted a fellow pastor in the congregation to stand and declare, “The parson has converted. Hallelujah.” The congregation erupted in celebration and sang the Doxology.
William was never the same and his awakening brought revival to England. Years earlier, when William was talking about constructing a spire for his new church, an elderly woman asked, “Will you begin to build your spire from the top?” He thought it was a strange question, “No, madam, not from the top, but from the foundation.” She replied, “This is right” and resumed her knitting. Her question drove the point home. Don’t begin at the wrong end. Start at the foundation with Christ.
The following prayer recalls a song I learned in Sunday school: