cast in His teeth the
titles which He had claimed or which had been attributed to Him,
informed him what were the pretensions of Jesus; perhaps he may have
witnessed and heard the trial before Pilate. But, when we attempt to
go further back, we have nothing solid to found upon. Had he ever
heard Jesus preach? Had he witnessed any of His miracles? How much
did he know of the nature of His Kingdom, of which he spoke? Guesses
may be made in answer to such questions, but they cannot be
authenticated. I should be inclined with more confidence to look
further back still. He may have come out of a pious home; he may have
been a prodigal led astray by companions, and especially by the strong
companion with whom he was now associated. As there was a weeping
mother at the foot of the cross of Jesus, there may have been a
heart-broken parent at the foot of that other cross also, whose prayers
were yet going to be answered in a way surpassing her wildest hopes.

The question of the possibility of sudden conversion is generally
argued with too much excitement on both sides to allow the facts to be
recognised. Among us there may, in one sense, be said to be no such
thing. Suppose anyone reading this page, who may know that he has not
yet with his whole heart and soul turned to God, were to do so before
turning the next leaf, would this be a sudden conversion? Why, the
preparation for it has been going on for years. What has been the
intention of all the religious instruction which you have received from
your childhood, of the prayers offered on your behalf of the appeals
which have moved you, of the strivings of God's Spirit, but to lead up
to this result? Though your conversion were to take place this very
hour, it would only be the last moment of a process which has gone on
for years. Yet in a sense it would be sudden. And why should it not?
What reason is there why your return to God should be further
postponed? There are two experiences in religion which require to be
carefully distinguished: there is the making of religious impressions
on us by others from the outside--through instruction, example, appeal
and the like; and there is the rise of religion within ourselves, when
we turn round upon our impressions and make them our own. The former
experience is long and slow, but the latter may be very sudden; and a
very little thing may bring it about.

Another way in which it is possible to minimise the greatness