THE GREAT BLASPHEMER

William Hone (about 1780-1840) was thought to be the greatest blasphemer in England.  He said every evil thing he could think of against Christ, the Church, the Bible and God’s truth.  He was brought to court for blasphemy, but was able to escape imprisonment, although most people believed he should have been punished.

What could have made William speak such evil things and mock the Lord?  He had been brought up in a strict Christian home and had been taught the Bible; but there were two things that made him very bitter.  Every time he did something wrong, even small things, his father made him learn a portion of the Bible.  So he soon grew up to hate the Bible because it was an instrument of punishment to him.  On one occasion when he was sitting on the stairs learning a chapter, he angrily threw the Bible down the stairs and said, “When I am my own master, I will never open you.”  Later William did not open the Bible for thirty years.  He also became bitter because of his father’s attitude towards the Methodist preacher, John Wesley.  His father often called John Wesley a child of the devil, a deceiver and other dreadful names.  William was sent to a school where his teacher was a follower of Wesley.  She was very kind to William.  After a time she became ill and William was one of the students allowed to visit her.

On one occasion another visitor arrived; it was John Wesley!  William gazed with fear and wonder as Wesley, with long white hair entered.  He did not look like a devil; in fact he had a kind and loving face.  Wesley said some kind words to the teacher and then knelt down and prayed.  As he left he said kindly to William, “God bless you my child, and make you a good man.”

William realized that there was hatred and bitterness between Christian people, so he lost all confidence in his father and in the Church, and began to mock and scorn all religion.  However, there were two main things that led to William’s conversion to Christ.  The first was a strange dream.  He dreamt that he visited a strange house to see a friend.  While he waited in a room he noticed the wooden window shutters of an unusual design and that one shutter had a knot in it.  Some time later William visited a house in the country for the first time.  He entered a room, which to his amazement, was the very room he had seen in his dream.  He immediately looked at the shutters on the window and there was the very knot he had seen in his dream.  William was now convinced that there were unseen powers in the world.  He had believed that nothing spiritual existed, but now he was convinced otherwise.

The second thing that changed William’s thinking took place in Wales.  While on holiday he was riding a horse.  Wishing to find some directions he called at a house, there he saw a young girl sitting in the doorway reading a book.  He was surprised to learn that she was reading the Bible.  William said that he supposed it was her duty to read the Bible.  The girl replied that she loved the Bible and it was her joy and delight to read it.  For the first time William realized that the Bible could be a source of delight, even for young people.

William began to seriously think about his soul and the things of God and by God’s grace he was led to repentance and salvation, which amazed everyone who knew him.  He then began to preach the gospel he had sought to destroy.

To explain his experience, William wrote the following poem:

The proudest heart that ever beat

Has been subdued in me:

The wildest will that ever rose

To scorn Thy cause or aid Thy foes,

Is quelled, my God, by Thee.

Most glorious Saviour, here I see

A trophy of Thy grace,

Such as should ever silence those

Who would Thy Majesty oppose,

And dare Thee to Thy face.

Thy will and not my will be done!

I’d be for ever Thine;

Confessing Thee, the living Word,

My Saviour Christ, my God, my Lord,

Thy cross shall be my sign.

Compiled by,

Rev R. Cameron-Smith.