by Pastor Jack Hyles (1926-2001)
HE MADE THE BAPTISTRY
In a former pastorate we were busily engaged in a building program. There was some problem about the installation of the baptistry, so one day I walked over and talked with the men who were doing the work, and we discussed the problems involved.
One of the fellows (the main one) asked me what it was they were installing and for what it was to be used. I explained to him the meaning of baptism and found him to be very interested. I then took time to remind him of the question the eunuch asked Philip: "See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized?" (Acts 8:36) I reminded him of Philip's answer: "'If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest." (Acts 8:37).
In other words, I told him that one had to be saved before he could be baptized. I proceeded to tell him the plan of salvation, and to my delight he expressed a desire to be saved.
He knelt in the uncompleted baptistry and there received Christ as Saviour. The strange thing was, however, that he refused to get baptized after he got saved though he did seem to be sincere in his salvation.
Weeks passed. The Dedication Day came for the new building. To my surprise, down the aisle came the man who installed the baptistry. He was now ready to profess his faith in Christ as Saviour and requested that he be the first person to be baptized in the baptistry he had installed.
It was a wonderful thrill for the people as they watched the first convert being baptized in the new baptistry and found him to be the man who installed the baptistry.
