“I am not ashamed to say that I wanted to stand well with him.  I knew also that my simple, practical style was altogether different from his own, and from that of the overwhelming majority of the preachers he was accustomed to approve.  But my mind was made up.  I had no idea of altering my aim or style to please him, the world, or the Devil.

“I saw dying souls before me, the gates of Heaven wide open on the one hand, and the gates of Hell open on the other, while I saw Jesus Christ with His arms open between the two, crying out to all to come and be saved.  My whole soul was in favour of doing what it could to second the invitation of my Lord, and doing it that very night.

“I cannot now remember much about the service, except the sight of my Professor, with his family around him, a proud, worldly daughter sitting at his side.  I can remember, however, that in my desire to impress the people with the fact that they could have Salvation there and then, if they would seek it, and, to illustrate their condition, I described a wreck on the ocean, with the affrighted people clinging to the masts between life and death, waving a flag of distress to those on shore, and, in response, the life-boat going off to the rescue.  And then I can remember how I reminded my hearers that they had suffered shipwreck on the ocean of time through their sins and rebellion; that they were sinking down to destruction, but that if they would only hoist the signal of distress Jesus Christ would send off the life-boat to their rescue.  Then, jumping on the seat at the back of the pulpit, I waved my pocket-handkerchief round and round my head to represent the signal of distress I wanted them to hoist, and closed with an appeal to those who wanted to be rescued to come at once, and in the presence of the audience, to the front of the auditorium.  That night twenty-four knelt at the Saviour’s feet, and one of them was the proud daughter of my Professor.

“The next morning was the time for examination and criticism of the previous day’s work, and I had to appear before this Doctor of Divinity.  I entered the room with a fellow-student.  He was put through first.  After listening to the Doctor’s judgment on his performance my turn came.  I was not a little curious as to what his opinion would be.

     “‘Well, Doctor,’ I said, ’what have you to say to me?  You heard me
     last night.  What is your judgment on my poor performance?’

     “‘My dear Sir,’ he answered, ’I have only one thing to say to you,
     and that is, go on in the way you have begun, and God will bless
     you.’