by Pastor Jack Hyles (1926-2001)
I STAYED IN THE GIRLSī DORMITORY
Once I spoke at a Bible Institute in Georgia. When I arrived at the college, I was taken to my room. Was I surprised to find that I was staying in the girls' dormitory! Yes, you got it right the girls' dormitory. This was enough of a shock, but that wasn't all. I stayed in the back corner of the girls' dormitory, which meant that I had to walk past all of the rooms and through a big parlor to get to my room. In the parlor there were sofas, pianos, etc. where the girls would lounge. Hence, when I entered the dormitory I had to cry loudly, "THERE'S A MAN IN THE HOUSE!" Then the girls would scamper, each to her own room, peeking out the door to be sure I was safely tucked away in my own room before they came out again. What embarrassment! Can you imagine coming in after a service at night, hollering loudly, "There's a man in the house!" and then walking awkwardly past the dormitory doors and down the parlor to your room!
We had a wonderful conference. On the closing night I spoke on a burden for lost sinners. After a wonderful service and a time of fellowship around the altar with many of the people, I returned to my room. For the last time I was to walk into the dormitory, holler loudly, "There's a man in the house!" and timidly walk down the middle of that parlor that seemed to be a four-lane highway down the middle of Main Street.
To my surprise, however, all the girls were waiting for me at the door. I immediately thought perhaps they were giving me a little farewell party. Then I noticed that each girl had her housecoat on, her hair rolled up, and the usual "junk" on her face. Can you feature how I felt when I walked in the dormitory to find all those girls waiting for me in such a condition? (I guess I felt like Solomon when he came home at night!)
When I inquired as to the purpose of their waiting up for me, they all began to praise the Lord with tears running down their cheeks, telling me of some wonderful things that had happened. Several of them had gotten so burdened for their loved ones that they had come back to the dorm and made long-distance calls to them. Several loved ones had been saved over the telephone. What a tremendous revival we had as we rejoiced over the salvation of mothers and fathers!
One girl had called long distance to Pennsylvania, and with a sobbing voice she won her daddy to the Lord Jesus Christ.
Winning folks on the telephone is not really a new thing with many soul winners. It has been my joy to win several people to Christ over the telephone. Just a few months ago, after our evening service, a young man was so under conviction that he called me and said that he had to get saved immediately. I told him over the phone how to be saved. I prayed with him; he prayed the "sinner's prayer" and was sweetly converted over the telephone. The next Sunday morning he came forward and was baptized.
There is a fine lady in our church now whom I led to Christ over the telephone a few years ago. This is just another way of winning souls for the Lord Jesus Christ.
As I left the Bible Institute I was made to rejoice that I had stayed in the girls' dormitory. My awkward walk and timid crying of "There's a man in the house!" became worth it all as many of the girls had become telephone soul winners.
