For many years I lived for this world, seeking happiness in it, trying hard to satisfy my cravings for pleasure with dancing parties, concerts, races, fairs, games and amusements of every description, but a voice within me would whisper, "This is all very good if it would last forever"; but the thought of death, and of the judgment that comes after death would trouble me. Thus I never got what I so much desired—real, undisturbed joy. With all my ungodliness, I had my place of worship and used to attend every Sunday, but my religion gave me as little satisfaction as my amusements.

This went on until a young friend, a companion of mine, was saved through that precious verse in God's Word, "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life" (John 3:16).

Two months after he was saved, as we talked together, he asked me, "Is this world all that is worth living for?" I was angry at his disturbing my mind with questions about eternal things and left him; but I could not get away from that question: "Is this world all that is worth living for?" No, I knew it was not. I knew there was a heaven and a hell. I knew I was a sinner and had lived after the flesh these many years—years of rebellion against God and on the road to destruction. My peace was broken; I saw my lost condition and resolved to lead a different life.

I began by refraining from swearing; and even reproved some of my companions that did so. I tried to pray; I asked God to have mercy on me, but no peace could I find until one morning while walking down the street, the lines of a hymn came into my mind:

"One there is above all others,
Oh, how He loves!"

I asked myself, can it be possible that He loves me? In a moment the answer came from God in that verse, "For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly" (Rom. 5:6). I said, "Why, that is just me; for I am without strength, and have been ungodly,, and if Christ died for such, He died for me." So there and then I trusted Him, confessing my sins, and was filled with joy and peace in believing. "Happy day when Jesus washed my sins away."

—From a tract