The following stories relate true conversions, but notice how they vary according to surrounding circumstances.

A traveling minister once spoke to a little maid and found that she did not know anything about spiritual things.

"Who made you?" he asked.

"I don't know."

"Do you know that you have a soul?"

"No, I never heard that before. What is a soul?"

"Do you ever pray?"

"I don't know what you mean."

Finally the minister said, "I am going to Edinburgh and I will buy you a beautiful scarf if you promise to say a short prayer each morning and evening. The prayer has only four words. Just pray, 'Lord, show me myself.' If you promise to pray this prayer, I will bring you the scarf."

The girl was delighted at the thought of the scarf. The prayer was short and easy to say, so she gave her promise gladly. The minister continued on his journey the next day, but did not forget the little girl.

Some time later the minister returned to the little maid's place. When he asked about her, he was told, "Oh, Reverend! Ever since you were here she has been of little help. She only sits and cries day and night. and by now she is so weak that she must stay in bed."

"Oh, please let me see the poor girl at once!" he exclaimed. They led him to a place beneath the stairs where the girl lay upon a straw bed.

"Well, my child," said the minister, "Here is the scarf which I have brought you from Edinburgh. I hope you have done what you promised, and said the prayer that I taught you."

"Oh, no, Sir, I can never take your present. You taught me a prayer that God has answered in an awful way; He has shown me myself, and, oh, what a sight that is! Oh, Reverend, what shall I do?"

It was very clear that the Holy Spirit had taught the little girl of her sinful misery. The minister spoke to her about Jesus Christ who came to seek and to save lost sinners, and taught her another short prayer. It was, "Lord, show me Thyself. " The next morning he was once again on his way.

Many years passed by before the minister heard of the little girl again. When he was old, a woman came to his home to see him. She said, "You will not know me, but I