A KING CONVERTED | AdventAI

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Jan 2, 1893

A KING CONVERTED.

GEORGE THE THIRD, king of the Friendly Islands, was brought to Christ through that old apostle to the Friendly and Navigators' Islands, Rev. Peter Turner. When the first chapel was opened, and the king came in and saw the preacher in the pulpit, a man higher up than himself, he was displeased. But instead of making any trouble about it, he had a pulpit built for himself the next week in the opposite end of the chapel, a few inches higher than the minister's pulpit. When the king saw the missionary ascend to his pulpit, he quietly went up and seated himself in his pulpit.

After a while the missionary and his leading men united together daily to read God's book of instructions, to see how they were to proceed in their work, and prayed daily for the Holy Ghost to come down and "abide with them," and through their agency do his mighty work of saving the king and his people. After continuing thus to wait "with one accord" for many days, the Holy Ghost came in mighty power.

The news ran all over the island that the Holy Ghost had come, and was waiting to lead them to Jesus, and save their souls. The people flocked together from every direction, and while they listened to the words of God from his book, "they were pricked in their hearts," and many cried out in agony of their souls, and were so affected by the awakening power of the Spirit that to the number of from two to three hundred at one time they lay apparently dead for hours, but always came up rejoicing and praising God for his great salvation.

The king himself was awakened, and came down from his high pulpit, and sat in the dust. His proud heart yielded to the Spirit's power. Still it did not give way all at once. He told the missionary he wanted to give up his sins, and seek God, but did not want to bow down with his common people, and asked the missionary to allow him to pray behind the altar screen, which was a network of young bamboo rods, and would conceal him from the eyes of his people.

Brother Turner said, "Yes, King George, you may kneel down wherever you like, and give your heart to God." The king went behind the screen and fell down on his face and cried to God to have mercy on his poor soul. He is a man six feet four inches high, and rolling in an agony of soul he kicked down the screen and lay full length before his people, and cared for nothing but how he might save his soul.

His pride was broken, and he fully felt the burden of his sins, but got no relief till after he went home that night. About midnight he gave his wicked heart to God, and received Jesus, and got all his sins forgiven, and received a new heart. He wrote a letter to Brother Turner that night, telling him that he had found Jesus, and that his soul was happy.—African News.