This is the story of Charles Spurgeon's conversion, in his own words. The preacher whom Spurgeon describes was the Rev. Robert Eaglen. Taken from Charles H. Spurgeon: His Faith and Works, H.L. Wayland, 1892.
I was miserable, I could do scarcely anything. My heart was broken to pieces. Six months did I pray, prayed agonizingly with all my heart, and never had an answer. I resolved that in the town where I lived I would visit every place of worship, in order to find the way of salvation. I felt I was willing to do anything if God would only forgive me. I set off determined to visit all the chapels, and though I deeply venerate the men who occupy those pulpits now, and did so then, I am bound to say, that I never heard them once fully preach the gospel. ... At last, one snowy day, I found rather an obscure street and turned down a court, and there was a little chapel. I wanted to go somewhere, but I did not know this street. It was the Primitive Methodists' chapel. I had heard of this people from many, and how they sang so loudly that they made people's heads ache; but that did not matter. I wanted to know how I might be saved, and if they made my head ache ever so much, I did not care. So sitting down, the service went on, but no minister came. At last a very thin-looking man came into the pulpit. He opened the Bible and read these words: "Look unto me and be ye saved, all ye ends of the earth." Just setting his eyes upon me, as if he knew me all by heart, he said: "Young man, you are in trouble!" Well, I was, sure enough. Says he: "You will never get out of it unless you look to Christ." Then, lifting his eyes, he cried, as only a Primitive Methodist could do, "Look, look, look!" I saw at once the way of salvation. O, how I did leap for joy at that moment! I know not what else he said, I was so possessed with that one thought. ... I looked until I could almost have looked my eyes away, and in heaven I will look on still, in my joy unspeakable.
Steve notes:
I am always fascinated with conversion stories. Mine isn't very exciting- I didn't see any major flashes of light or have some unusual happenings that pointed me toward Jesus that I can remember. I was just fed up with the world. Even after I prayed my prayer, I continued to make sinful mistakes in areas I probably should have known better. I still struggle with sin and can only resolve it by getting on my knees in prayer and turning from my sins.
I believe some people have the perception of Christians that we think we're better than others. I admit there are some legalistic Phariseetic believers that are unduly judgmental of nonbelievers. But if Christians truly live, believe what's written in the Bible, we fully realize we are sinful wretches that are only pulled from death by the grace of Jesus Christ.
Romans 3:10
As it is written:
"There is no one righteous, not even one;
