The Meanest Thief in Minneapolis

I was preaching one hot summer night in Minneapolis. The room was packed, mostly with men. The windows had been taken out of the cases to get a little additional fresh air. “When I gave out the invitation a man arose by one of these windows near a door. As soon as I pronounced the benediction, he shot through the door, not waiting for the after-meeting. I forgot all about the after-meeting and saw only that man. I do not know to this day what became of the after-meeting. I reached him just as he was about to go down the stairway. I laid my hand on his shoulder and said,” My friend, you stood up to-night to say you wished to become a Christian.” “Yes.” “Why did you not stay to the after-meeting? “” It is no use.” “God loves you,” I said. “You don’t know who you are talking to,” he replied, “I am the meanest thief in Minneapolis.” “Well,” I said, “if you are the meanest thief in Minneapolis, I can prove God loves you,” and I opened my Bible to Romans 5: 8, “God commendeth His love towards us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” “Now,” I said,” “if you are the meanest thief in Minneapolis, you are certainly a sinner, and this verse says that God loves sinners.” It touched the man’s heart and he went quietly with me to my office. “I was released from prison,” he said, “to-day, and started out to-night with three companions to commit one of the most daring burglaries that was ever committed in Minneapolis. By to-morrow morning I would either have had a pile of money, or a bullet in my body. I passed by the corner and heard your open air meeting. A Scotchman was speaking. I am a Scotchman and my mother was Scotch. When I heard that Scotch tongue, it made me think of my mother. The other night in prison I dreamed of my mother. I dreamed that she came to me and besought me to give up the evil life I was leading. When I heard that Scotchman speak it brought it all back. I stopped and listened and my companions tried to pull me along but I would not go. They cursed me but still I stayed. When you gave out your invitation for your meeting in the hall, I followed you and listened to your sermon.”

I explained to him the way of life and he accepted the Saviour. We knelt side by side in prayer. He offered the most wonderful prayer but one I ever heard in my life, and went out of my office rejoicing in the knowledge of sins forgiven.

A short time before the meanest thief in Minneapolis but now a happy child of God.