TWICE-BORN MEN
REMARKABLE CONVERSIONS OF WELL-KNOWN MEN
IN DIFFERENT AGES AND IN VARIED RANKS OF LIFE
Compiled by HY. PICKERING
Chief of Scotland Yard
SIR ROBERT ANDERSON, K.C.B., LL.D., Chief of the Criminal Department of Scotland Yard, London; author of “The Gospel and its Ministry,” “Human Destiny,” etc., was brought up in a Christian home, and led what is known as a religious life, with occasional transient fits of penitence and anxiety; but in 1860 the conversion of one of his sisters through services held in Dublin by J. Denham Smith, awakened new spiritual longings. He was persuaded to accompany her to one of these meetings; but the light came the following Sunday evening through a sermon in his own church. The preacher was the Rev. John Hall (afterwards of New York), who boldly proclaimed forgiveness of sins, and eternal life as God’s gift in grace, unreserved and unconditional, to be received by us as we sat in the pews. “His sermon thrilled me,” Sir Robert wrote, “and yet I deemed his doctrine to be unscriptural. So I waylaid him as he left the vestry, and on our homeward walk I tackled him about his heresies. . . . At last he let go my arm, and, facing me as we stood upon the pavement, he repeated with great solemnity his Gospel message and appeal. ‘I tell you,’ he said, ‘as a minister of Christ, and in His Name, that there is life for you here and now if you will accept Him!’ After a pause—how prolonged I know not—I exclaimed, ‘In God’s Name I will accept Christ.’ Not another word passed between us; but after another pause he wrung my hand and left me.”
He ended his journey in 1918, in his 77th year.