THE CONVERSION OF “PAUL”
O N o n e o p o u r N a v y ’ s G u id e d M is s ile C ru is e rs a y o u n g s a ilo r w h o se id e n tity w e sh all con ce a l, f o r th e sa k e o f p r o p r ie ty , cam e in to th e s ta te ro om o f C h a p la in S u lliva n . L e t u s g iv e h im th e n am e o f “ P a u l.” P a u l h a d a p ro b lem , a s e r io u s p r o b lem . H e h a d b een a p p re h e n d e d b y th e c it y p o lic e f o r a rm e d ro b b e r y , in a le s s e r s e ctio n o f th e c it y k n ow n as “ T h e J u n g le .” A s th e s a ilo r u n fo ld e d h is s to r y t o th e ch a p la in , it b e cam e v e r y e v id e n t th a t “ T h e N e w L if e ” w a s th e o n ly a n sw e r t o th e p ro b lem . T h e re w a s n o se cu la r o r tem p o ra l so lu tio n . T h e s a ilo r w a s in v ite d t o a S u n d a y e v e n in g e v a n g e lis tic s e r v ic e on th e sh ip th e fo llo w in g S u n d a y. A g o sp e l te am fr o m n e a r b y B io la C ol le g e in L a M ira d a , C a lifo r n ia , w a s t o com e o n b o a rd th a t e v e n in g t o a s s is t C h a p la in S u lliva n in th e s e rv ice. W h en S u n d a y cam e, P a u l w a s
th e r e and G od s p o k e t o h im th a t e v e n in g . A f t e r s e e in g th e ch a p la in d u r in g th e w e e k , h e cam e b a ck to th e e v e n in g s e r v ic e th e fo llo w in g S u n d a y . D u r in g th e e n s u in g w eek s, th ro u g h th e co n s is te n t co u n s e l and w itn e s s o f D o n K a y sta d , w o r k in g o u t o f th e C h ris tia n S e r v ic e D e p a rtm e n t o f B io la C o lle g e , P a u l m a d e a cle a r- c u t d e cis io n f o r C h rist. T h is w a s a g e n u in e co n v e rs io n— h e stu ck t o it, even in th e p re se n ce o f m a n y o f h is sh ipm a te s w h o rid icu le d h im f o r “ G e ttin g r e lig io n .” H e b e cam e a ctiv e a t d iv in e s e r v ic e s on th e s h ip a n d a t th e C h a p la in ’s B ib le S tu d y g ro u p . B u t P a u l h a d a p o lice r e c o r d w ith fe lo n y c h a r g e s fa c in g h im . A p p e a r in g in c o u r t o n th e a p p o in te d d a y , h e w a s c o n v icte d o f th e c r im e a n d w a s se n te n ce d t o a su b sta n tia l te rm on th e c o u n ty h o n o r fa rm . B e ca u se o f th e s e rio u sn e ss o f th e ch a rg e , it b e cam e n e ce s s a ry u n d er
th e U n ifo rm C o d e o f M ilita r y J u s t ic e t o d is ch a rg e P a u l fr o m th e N a v a l s e rv ice . N e v e rth e le s s h e w a s v is ite d b y th e ch a p la in in th e co u n ty ja il, a n d se v e ra l tim e s b y D o n R a y - sta d on th e c o u n ty fa r m w h e r e h e w a s s e r v in g h is se n te n ce f o r a rm e d ro b b e ry . P a u l’s C h ristia n te s tim o n y p e r sis te d , an d h e b e cam e a rea l exam p le, b o th s p iritu a lly a n d m o ra lly , t o h is fe llo w p ris o n e rs . D e e p ly co n ce rn e d f o r h is m o th e r, an d h e r sp iritu a l w e l fa r e , h e w r o t e t o C h a p la in S u lliv a n f o r h elp . S o a t P a u l’s re q u e st, th e ch a p la in s e n t a lo n g a B ib le t o P a u l’s m o th e r w h o re s id e d in n o rth e rn C a li fo r n ia . T o th is tim e , P a u l is c o n tin u in g to liv e th e C h ris tia n life w h ile y e t a p r is o n e r o f th e co u n ty . H e p lan s, u p on h is re tu rn t o s o cie ty , to en ro ll a t o n e o f o u r C h ris tia n co l le g e s t o p re p a re f o r th e L o r d ’s w o rk .
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THE KING'S BUSINESS
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