Publisher’s Note

The English translation of this story, as far as we have been able to tell, was first published during World War II. We have taken the liberty of making a few changes to benefit the understanding of our audience. Yet we have maintained the simplicity of the story, in keeping with the previous editors and with the message of the gospel of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

This remarkable testimony of the power of God’s word has been previously published in several languages, but we desire that even more souls may consider this witness for truth. We have here before us a picture of the essential pattern of salvation—a soul arrested by the Spirit of God, and surrendering to its Creator. Unlike Greasy, most of us are surrounded by religious influences pointing with some degree of truth toward the Savior. But no matter what agent God may use to arrest our hearts, there is no other way to reconciliation than that which Pasha Tikhomirov found. In the solitary recesses of our innermost souls, the Spirit of God will come alone to convict us of offending the law of truth, and to offer us the gift of life. “No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him.”* (John 6:44) When facing the Supreme Judge, we have no other mediator than Christ Jesus, our atonement. “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”* (John 14:6)

Our prayer is that the Lord may use this story to arrest the sinner in his skepticism, warn the mere professor of their false hopes of heaven, and stir the believer to renewed labor in the vineyard of our God. “But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience.”* (Luke 8:15)

—The Publishers, 2010