THE NIGHT BEFORE SALVATION
by: Gale Brown

This personal testimonial was written on Halloween’s Eve, 1986, 15 years after being saved Halloween morning, 1971. I was driving down the highway during early evening, returning from an electrical job in Hillsboro, Ohio, at a friend, Bill Bowman’s house, seeing the trick or treaters out, and I started thinking about what happened 15 years before. In a few minutes, I pulled off the Route 73 road and wrote these thoughts in 20 minutes or so.

I had gone my way, my familiar game to play, with drugs, music, and women. But I left the dance without much romance, for my girl was very angry with me.

So I sought for release, some way to find peace, you see I was very much higher then I'd planned.

We then went to a party, that was extremely strange, and the costumes of the people covered such a wide range,

So confused and spaced I started back home, to which the. journey seemed ever so long, that once back there I just sat down wanting somehow to feel I was back on the ground.

But Satan saw the open door; and before I knew he was near, he entered my being with startling fear.

I didn't' know what had just taken place, but I was sure everyone could see on my face, that somehow I'd changed, that I wasn't the same - as this evil power that had me bound, began to draw and pull me down.^'

I'll sleep it off - I thought I might, but I only awoke in stark sheer fright. "I must take a walk, and get it together"; so I started out to try to feel better.

But all was horror, and it just got worse, as I felt I was under a terrible curse. Nothing eased my mind as I walked along, though my girlfriend was near, I was all alone.

What could I do? There was nowhere to turn, fear_, had me gripped and I only yearned, for some kind of peace to comfort my plight, as I started back home on that darkest of nights.

But what was this that I felt deep inside, and what were these thoughts of God in my mind? I had never prayed that I could recall, but right now He seemed most important of all.

The peace I welcomed, and as I thought, it grew. He only can help me, this I knew. And the more I thought, the more I could see, that surely He only could set me free.

Should I try it, should I call, on Him whom I knew not at all? And what if I wait - what might be my fate? If I reject this desire that seems so strong, I would surely be doing a horrible wrong.

So with decision in mind and a lump in my throat, I turned my face up to let go of the load.

"God help me,” I cried with all I knew how, and I let go of all to see what happens now.

But with power I could never describe - it surged upward through me in a moment of time. Whatever the results, I know this is it - whatever this power, I'm given to it.

And as His power shot through me and chased out the night, before my eyes burst a brilliant white light. And as I opened my eyes to just look and see, Behold, all was at peace and I was finally free!

Jesus had come like a thief in the night, but He stole me from darkness and brought me to light.