Valentine Burke, a Missouri criminal, was for twenty years one of the worst characters known to the police of the United States. Sin had put the terrible scars of ferocity and ugliness on his face as he sat brooding in his prison in St. Louis.

While there, he read an account in the newspaper of evangelist D.L. Moody's sermon given in St. Louis. The headline was "How the Jailer at Philippi was Caught." This attracted Valentine Burke's attention because it was usually the jailer that caught him! Also, Burke knew of a town in Missouri called Philippi, so he chuckled to himself as he started to read of this jailer being caught.

He soon found out that it was not Philippi, Missouri, but Philippi in ancient Greece where the jailer was caught years ago about A.D. 53. The apostle Paul and his companion Silas had been cast into prison, beaten and feet made fast in the stocks by the brutal jailer for no crime save that of preaching the gospel. A terrifying earthquake at midnight alarmed the jailer, and, trembling, he fell down before the singing prisoners whom he had beaten, saying in deep earnestness, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" The clear and instant answer was, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved" (Acts 16:30).

At first Burke was angry. Then he became interested, and, finally convicted. No less than nine times were the words, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved" quoted in the report of Mr. Moody's sermon. The prisoner began to see how foolish and wicked his life of sin was. For the first time that night he prayed, confessing his sin, and asking the Lord to save him.

At first the warden was suspicious and thought he was trying "the pious dodge." Burke's trial came and through a mere technicality he escaped conviction and was released. The mighty change of conversion to God had indeed taken place in him. He believed on the Lord Jesus Christ and his soul was saved. For months the ex-convict could find no one ready to trust him and give him work. At last the sheriff was so struck by his altered life, that he made the ex-thief collector of all monies in his office.

On one occasion Burke met a friend on the street and said to him, "Look at my hands and see what the grace of God has done. I'm holding $60,000 given to me by Sheriff Mason to take to the bank for deposit."

One photo of Burke had long hung in the police station. The wild desperado had a face you would shrink from and dread. Years after, the authorities gave this picture to him feeling that character was a thing of the past. Burke had another picture taken which showed the face of a man of great dignity, calm, and spiritual purity. Several years had elapsed between the taking of these two photos which clearly showed the effect of the marvelous grace of God. "This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief" (1 Tim. 1:15).

Burke and Moody are in heaven now. Will you, dear reader, be joining them there? Avail yourself of the salvation procured by the work of the Lord Jesus on the cross of Calvary. We repeat once more those blessed words, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved" (Acts 16:31).

—A.J.P.