The Bishop of the Blackdowns
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GEORGE BREALEY preached the Gospel for many
years in the Blackdown Hills in the west of
England,
and was much used in the conversion of souls. When he
was a young man he was careless and heedless regarding
eternal matters. On a certain Sunday he thrashed two
young men who taunted him with being a "Methodist,"
and afterwards took them into a tavern to give them a
drink! George's mother found
the three playing cards.
With a breaking heart Mrs. Brealey exclaimed, "Oh, my
dear son, it pains me more than I can tell to find you here.
I never expected to find you in such a place as this," and
immediately fell on her knees and pleaded with God for
George's conversion. George could not stand this, and
turning to the others, he said, "Good-bye, mates, I shall
never enter this place as I have done." "What!" was
their response, "you going to turn Methody! He's
afraid
of his mother!" This was a severe cut to the high-spirited
youth, who immediately replied, "No, I'm not afraid of
my mother; you know that I love her, but I am afraid of
God and my sins. WILL EITHER OF YOU GO TO HELL FOR
ME?" "No! we don't want to go to Hell
for ourselves,
much less for you." "Then don't laugh at me
for turning
round and wishing to escape," was his response. Not long
afterwards George Brealey accepted of Christ as his
Saviour through believing the Gospel of God's grace.
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