The Man Who Cursed on Calvary


Part 2

Mentally I said, "Well, young man,  I will certainly speak with you tonight,"  because I knew that if he did not leave before the benediction  he would not get out afterward before I could reach him.

And so it happened.
The moment the meeting was dismissed he turned to go,  but the aisle was full,  and I stepped over the area at the front where people were praying,  and asked him if he would mind sitting down for a few moments' conversation.

He looked as though he did mind,  but he was polite enough to say he did not,  so I took him at his word rather than at his facial expression.
A conversation ensued very much as follows, so nearly as I can now remember it.

"I have noticed you here for a number of nights,  and wanted to speak to you before.  May I ask if you are a Christian?"

As he endeavored to reply I saw that he had difficulty with his speech.
In fact, he stuttered very noticeably and he was evidently very nervous.
He replied, "No, I certainly am not!"

"Have you any desire to be a Christian?" I asked.

"Well, that is a difficult question to answer.  I can hardly say."

"Just what is your attitude, then, toward Christianity?"

"You want to label me, do you?"  he parried.
"In that case,  it is rather hard to say what my attitude is.
If you had asked me a few weeks ago,  I would have told you I was an atheist.
But tonight if you must label me,  you would have to call me an agnostic!"

"Well, you are making progress, anyway.
I certainly have much more respect for a man who says 'I don't know,'  than for the man who can look out over this wonderful creation  and deliberately say that there is no God!
May I ask what has led to your change of attitude?"