John Nicholson's Testimony and Experience with Preaching

“When a lad of about sixteen years, in the city of Edinburgh, I was walking along a public thoroughfare which passes through the meadows, one Sunday morning. My attention was attracted to two men, who were bare headed. One of them—the shorter of the two—who had a bright, kindly face, was preaching. At that moment he was testifying that God had raised up a prophet in these days and established the gospel in its fullness, as it existed in the days of the ancient Apostles. A glow passed through my being and according to my recollection, I was perfectly satisfied that this preacher spoke the truth. A number of people who were standing around shouting derisively at the two men, and some of them picked up stones as if about to pelt the objects of their anger. This excited my sympathy for the preachers and indignation toward the persecutors. My feelings were so intense that I involuntarily buttoned my jacket and had there been an actual disturbance I believe I should have taken an active part in defense of the preachers. The latter walked away, and I followed them some distance, impelled by curiosity and interest which appeared unaccountable. If that can be called a testimony of the truth, the manner of its reception can only be explained on the ground of its being through the agency of the Spirit of Truth, “which maketh all things manifest.” Some time after this, I was in a meeting house where the same man was preaching. He was the late Elder John Lyon. He was speaking of the mission of the Elders of the Church, and he looked directly at me and said, “And you will be one, too.” I was baptized shortly after that.”

— John Nicholson, The Young Woman's Journal, vol. 4 no. 6