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Looking now more especially at the human side of this instance of an immense moral and spiritual change in the Philippian jailer, let us think, under the guidance of this example, of conversion, its means and tests. Certainly here is an evident conversion. If ever man were squarely turned about, this jailer was. He is no spurious instance of conversion, like Mr. Facing-Both-Ways, in Bunyan's "Pilgrim's Progress."

I. Consider the MEANS of conversion. It seems to me we can divide these means into two sorts — subsidiary and essential. Means subsidiary.

1. The prayers and songs of Paul and Silas. What I mean is that I am sure the brave and beautiful carriage of themselves by Paul and Silas under all his unnecessarily harsh treatment of them — for he far exceeded his instructions — must have made some impression upon the jailer. And it seems to me that this must have been a kind of outlying and subsidiary cause of the jailer's conversion. It is a kind of gospel that even such stupid and cruel eyes as this jailer's must read. And something of blessing is bound to come of it. It is likely to make a path for somebody's conversion. Let us see to it that even amid the most painful circumstances we carry ourselves as Christians should.

2. The shock of the earthquake and the opened doors and the unloosed bonds of the prisoners, and Paul's beautiful calming of the jailer's fear when he would have killed himself, since, if the prisoners had escaped, according to the Roman law death must have been visited on him. This jailer was stirred through his whole nature. In the grip of the earthquake he was convinced of his own helplessness; in Paul's calm bravery he felt himself confronted by the presence of a strange moral power; in the apostle's service, in pro. venting the escape of the prisoners, to him who had been so needlessly cruel, who in harshness had so far exceeded his instructions, the jailer found himself smitten by a new sense of shame — shock, I think that is the word for it. The man was thrown out of his old bad routine into strange and other thoughts about his cruelty and his sin. Well, I do not think conversion possible unless it be preceded by something to which this shock is parallel. It may be an influence very steady and gentle. It may be the quiet result of the education of a Christian home; but somehow, in some way, the man must be, as this jailer was, actually and squarely confronted by the necessity of change in himself. Means essential — Faith. The Greek for "Sirs" in ver. 30, and "Lord" in ver. 31, is the same. He addresses them as "Sires" or "Lords"; they reply, "Trust in the one and only 'Sire' or 'Lord' Jesus Christ." Faith is the only and lonely Jesus Christ: this is the essential means of conversion.

II. THE TESTS OF CONVERSION.

1. Rejoicing hearing of the Lord's word (ver. 32). A man really turned toward the Lord will want to know all he can about Him.

2. Immediate change of life (ver. 33). The cruel jailer becomes at once the merciful man.

3. Immediate confession of Christ (ver. 33). "And was baptized." A thoroughly converted man will not attempt to be a secret Christian.

4. Helpfulness (ver. 34). "And when he had brought them into his house, he set meat before them." That is to say, there is a quick instinct of ministry in him.

5. Joy in the new life (ver. 34). "And rejoiced." When a man turns towards God, God floods him, and that is utmost joy.

6. The man's home is changed (ver. 34). Believing in God wish all his house. A conversion which does not help a man's home amounts to little. Mark also that here is certainly a sudden conversion. The influences which lead up to it may be long, as they are in many cases may be quick, as in this ease; but the conversion, the turning, is, in the nature of the case, sudden. Do not be afraid of sudden conversions.

(Homiletic Review.)

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KJV: And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house.

WEB: They spoke the word of the Lord to him, and to all who were in his house.