custom, I took the Lord's supper twice a
year. I had never heard the gospel preached, up to the beginning of
November 1825. I had never met with a person who told me that he meant, by
the help of God, to live according to the Holy Scriptures. In short, I had
not the least idea, that there were any persons really different from
myself, except in degree.

One Saturday afternoon, about the middle of November 1825, I had taken a
walk with my friend Beta. On our return he said to me, that he was in the
habit of going on Saturday evenings to the house of a Christian, where
there was a meeting. On further enquiry he told me that they read the
Bible, sang, prayed, and read a printed sermon. No sooner had I heard
this, than it was to me as if I had found something after which I had been
seeking all my life long. I immediately wished to go with my friend, who
was not at once willing to take me; for knowing me as a gay young man, he
thought I should not like this meeting. At last, however, he said he would
call for me.--I would here mention, that Beta seems to have had conviction
of sin, and probably also a degree of acquaintance with the Lord, when
about fifteen years old. Afterwards, being in a cold and worldly state, he
joined me in this sinful Journey to Switzerland. On his return, however,
being extremely miserable, and convinced of his guilt, he made a full
confession of his sin to his father; and whilst with him, sought the
acquaintance of a Christian brother, named Richter. This Dr. Richter, who
himself had studied a few years before at Halle, gave him, on his return
to the university, a letter of introduction to a believing tradesman, of
the name of Wagner. It was this brother, concerning whom Beta spoke to me,
and in whose house the meeting was held.

We went together in the evening. As I did not know the manners of
believers, and the joy they have in seeing poor sinners, even in any
measure caring about the things of God, I made an apology for coming. The
kind answer of this dear brother I shall never forget. He said: "Come as
often as you please; house and heart are open to you." We sat down and
sang a hymn. Then brother Kayser, now a missionary in Africa, in
connection with the London Missionary Society, who was then living at
Halle, fell on his knees, and asked a blessing on our meeting. This
kneeling down made a deep impression upon me; for I had never either seen
any one on his knees, nor had I ever myself prayed