TWICE-BORN MEN
REMARKABLE CONVERSIONS OF WELL-KNOWN MEN
IN DIFFERENT AGES AND IN VARIED RANKS OF LIFE
Compiled by HY. PICKERING
An Egyptian Sheikh
SHEIKH ABD-EL-MASEEH told this story in the City of Glasgow, in the presence of the Editor of this volume:
“I was born at Fej, in Morocco, in the year of the Flight 1293 (1875), a Moslem by religion, my father being a distinguished Sheikh, learned in the teaching of Islam. I attended the College in the Mosque of Al Karvin; sat at the feet of the distinguished teacher, the Said Mohammed Ibn Jafer; went on a pilgrimage to Mecca in 1902, and was returning when, reaching Suez, I noticed as I passed along one of the streets a place open, with this sign written above it, ‘Food for the souls of men,’ and on the door a printed paper. I went up to read it, and found written these Words, ‘Come unto Me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest’ (Matt. 11. 28). I was astonished at the saving, and said to my friend, ‘Who can the owner of this place he, who thinks so much of himself that he can say this? No one can use words like these but God, the Blessed?’ I said, ‘I must enter the place and ask about it.’ My companion tried to dissuade me, but I said I would not go from thence until I found out the truth about this Man who said, ‘Come unto Me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.’ So we went in. I asked them, ‘What do you sell here?’ They replied, ‘We have Holy Books for anyone to read, and also to buy if they wish.’ I said, ‘What are the Holy Books?’ For I thought they meant the Koran, or the Moslem Commentaries. They replied, ‘They are the Old and New Testaments—the Taurat and Zabour and Engeel.’ I asked to be allowed to read them, and they gave me a book, and we read and talked until sunset. My companion was very angry at our conversation, and got up, saying to me, ‘Come away, and let us pray the sunset prayers.’ And although we were in the midst of our conversation, I was obliged to go.
“I could not touch my supper that night, and, saying nothing to anyone about what was in my heart, I slipped oft alone to that place, and meeting one of the men, asked him to finish the conversation we had been interrupted in. The subject was about Christ being the Son of God, and the meaning of the Cross of Calvary, and till late that night we talked, arranging, ere we parted to meet early on the morrow. All that night I remained in a state of tumult, and next morning found me at the door of the place at 6 a.m., although we had not arranged to meet until 8 o’clock.
“My conscience has found rest from what has always troubled me in it, and I know that there is to man one Saviour and Intercessor, and one only, Who has redeemed me by His precious Blood, the Lord Jesus to Him be the glory for ever and ever!
“Oh, how great was His love, bearing all the toil and agony, and dying on the Cross that He might save me, the poor miserable sinner, and that I might inherit His Heavenly Kingdom! How unworthy I am of it all! For I confess that I was sinking in the sea of disobedience and self-will, a great burden of sin resting upon me, and had nothing good to recommend me to God; but He Himself prepared the way in His mercy, and said, ‘Come unto Me, weary and heavy laden one, and I will give you rest.’ I rejoiced in that great promise, and my heart was glad, and I fled for refuge to the Strong Tower. I believe His Word to all like me who had gone astray, ‘Him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out”’ (John 6. 38).
In all the ages of time and in all the climes of earth, no one ever yet came, in honesty of heart, to the Lord Jesus Christ, as a weary and heavy laden sinner, but found, as this Egyptian found, and as millions of all sorts and conditions of men and women have found, that HE welcomed and saved them, and fully satisfied their longing souls. You put it to the test and you will fund it true. “COME UNTO ME, … and I WILL GIVE YOU REST.”