Chief of Scotland Yard
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SIR ROBERT ANDERSON, K.C.B., LL.D., Chief
of the Criminal Department of Scotland Yard,
London; author of "The Gospel and its Ministry,"
"Hu-
man Destiny," etc., was brought up in a Christian home,
and led what is known as a religious life, with occasional
transient fits of penitence and anxiety; but in 1860 the
conversion of one of his sisters
through services held in
Dublin by J. Denham Smith, awakened new spiritual
longings. He was persuaded to accompany her to one of
these meetings; but the light came the following Sunday
evening through a sermon in his own church. The preacher
was the Rev. John Hall (afterwards of New York), who
boldly proclaimed forgiveness
of sins, and eternal life as
God's gift in grace, unreserved and unconditional, to
be
received by us as we sat in the pews. "His sermon
thrilled
me," Sir Robert wrote, "and yet I deemed his doctrine
to be unscriptural. So I waylaid him as he left the vestry,
and on our homeward walk I tackled him about his here-
sies. . . . At last he let go my arm, and, facing me as we
stood upon the pavement, he repeated with great
solem-
nity his Gospel message and appeal.
'I tell you,' he said,
'as a minister of Christ, and in His Name, that there
is
life for you here and now if you will accept Him!' After
a pause--how prolonged I know not--I exclaimed, 'In
God's Name I will accept Christ.' Not another word
passed between us; but after another pause he wrung my
hand and left me."
He ended his journey in 1918, in his 77th year.
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