THE CONVERSION OF HERCULANO The preaching hall in Pernambuco was crowded with attentive listeners. One of these was Herculano, a Brazilian of giant proportions. His eyes were riveted on the speaker, who, with impassioned zeal, proclaimed the mighty truths of a majestic text: “The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin.” When the service was over, Herculano said, “Missionary, I’ve never heard anything like this before but I like your message about the cleansing blood of Jesus. That is what I need.” When the missionary suggested a visit to his house for the purpose of further discussion, he readily assented and a meeting was arranged for the following day. The next morning the missionary was informed that it would be an act of extreme recklessness to visit Herculano. Said his informant: “Herculano is a giant in wickedness as well as in size, and is interested, not in Christianity, but in robbing or killing you. Moreover, the district in which he lives is a veritable den of thieves and murderers. Even a policeman will not go there alone and strangers who have ventured to enter have never been heard of again. The missionary knelt in prayer of renewed consecration to his Master, then set out on his journey. At the appointed place Herculano met him and guided him to his small adobe hut. When they reached the place, every living thing vanished in haste. Herculano’s wife, children, dogs and cats were terrified at his presence and fled as for their lives. The missionary sat on an old kerosene box, looked into the bloodshot eyes of his auditor and said: “Although warned that it would probably mean death to come to this place, I have fulfilled my promise. I am here because I am more concerned about your soul than about my own life.” Then in simple language he told of the gospel of salvation, of God’s love, of Christ’s death and of Calvary’s cleansing fountain. “The cleansing blood—that is what I need!” exclaimed Herculano. But even as he spoke his face blanched and his enormous frame trembled violently. His unregenerate nature was aroused and he was engaged in a fierce conflict. He was struggling with a savage impulse to seize the missionary and strangle him. The missionary was skilled in dealing with souls. He knew that the soul-winner’s final resort and most potent weapon is prayer. “I then slipped to my knees,” relates he, “and the big giant knelt beside me. Then, with trembling voice and eyes overflowing with tears, I began pleading with God on behalf of this poor soul.” Soon he heard a body fall prostrate to the floor and a choked voice, expressing an agony of sorrow and despair, cried out for mercy and forgiveness: “O God! save a poor, degraded, miserable sinner! Wash me in the cleansing blood of Jesus!” Such was the piteous, continual cry of this man as he rolled in agony on the floor. Finally Herculano rose up, saying he was assured the Lord had heard and saved him. He then related some of the highlights of his career. He was the hired assassin of an influential politician; because of his crimes he had spent seventeen years on Convict Island; recently released, he had gone back to making his living by murder and had already carried out orders to assassinate a man. The cleansing blood of Jesus! That is what I need! Wash me in the cleansing blood of Jesus! “The blood of Jesus Christ, God’s Son,” That was the text that transformed Herculano from a vicious savage to a gentle saint. It was that same stupendous text that wrought a stupendous history in the life of Solomon L. Ginsburg, the Firebrand of Brazil, who was instrumental in Herculano’s conversion. THE STORY OF SOLOMON GINSBURG wholesomewords.org tebeth.wordpress
Posted on: Mon, 17 Jun 2013 02:30:04 +0000
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