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Service Men Speak

Arthur De Luna

[19]

Service Men Speak...

Arthur De Luna

The following is the simple testimony of an American soldier lad, as told at the Editor's dinner table:—

"I am a mixture of Spanish and French," Arthur De Luna smilingly told us.

"Then you were born a Roman Catholic?" we queried.

"Sure," came the answer, "I only wish my folks were saved—they are all Roman Catholics."

"When were you saved, Brother?"

"Oh, when but a lad of fifteen. I worked alongside another boy about my own age. He was also a Roman Catholic, but had come in contact with Pentecostal people, and attended their meetings back in the States. He often spoke to me about my soul's salvation; but I said little. One night, however, I desperately sought God in prayer in the quiet of my own room, and even though I was regularly attending my own Church, God met me. Something in my heart seemed to snap, and with that snapping sensation I felt that "Old things had passed away, and all things had become new." This indeed proved to be the case. I told my mate about my experience, and asked him if that was the "Baptism" he had spoken to me of. 'No,' replied he, 'that was Regeneration—you are a new creature in Christ.'

"Rejoicing in the change of heart which had come to me, I still continued to attend the Roman Catholic Church as formerly, for the two weeks following. Then it was that my friend asked me to go with him to a meeting. I demurred, saying that I went to my own Church and considered that was sufficient; but at length he persuaded me, and I went to that meeting.

"It was my first visit to a Pentecostal meeting; but God met me then and there, and satisfied my hungry soul by baptising me in the Holy Spirit that first night. There is no need to tell you that I never went to the Roman Catholic Church.

Truly I can say I gave nothing and gained all!"