Kingdom, Judgment, and Victory

Conversion of Gen. Richard Ewell

Transcript: AI Transcript

Professor: John Weaver

Subject: Eschatology

Genre: Sermon

Dictation Name:

Date: 2000-07-09

Synopsis: John Weaver uses the historical conversion of Confederate General Richard S. Ewell to illustrate the biblical doctrines of regeneration and conversion. He argues from John 3 and 1 Timothy 1 that salvation is entirely a work of God, demonstrated by the analogies of birth, creation, and resurrection. Ewell's transformation from a profane soldier to a praying, Bible-reading Christian serves as a pattern of genuine conversion, evidenced by repentance, prayer, and a desire for God's Word.

[John Weaver] I want you to open your Bibles to John 3 and also 1 Timothy 1. John 3 and 1 Timothy 1. And the message is on the conversion of General Richard Stoddard Ewell. And I'll tell you about General Ewell in just a minute. But I want you to look in John 3, and I'm going to set the stage theologically before I give it to you historically. John 3, and let's begin with verse 1. John 3, verse 1.

[John Weaver] There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. The same came to Jesus by night and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God, for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him. Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter the second time into his mother's womb and be born? Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh. That which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I say unto thee, You must be born again.

[John Weaver] The wind bloweth whither it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof. But canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth. So is every one. that is born of the Spirit.

[John Weaver] Now, if you look in 1 Timothy 1 and verse 16, the Apostle makes this statement, Howbeit for this cause I obtain mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show forth all longsuffering for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting. Now, the Apostle Paul makes a bold and a very broad statement in 1 Timothy 1 and verse 16. He states that his life, that is his conversion, was a pattern which was to be hereafter for all of those who believe. All who are converted are converted as the Apostle Paul was converted.

[John Weaver] Now, that does not mean that we have the same degree of conviction or the same degree of intensity that he had in all things, but the pattern is basically the same. And, of course, we find the truth in John chapter 3 that Jesus Christ told Nicodemus, Verily, verily, I say unto you, you must be born again. Now, Nicodemus, the Bible tells us, was a ruler of the Jews. He was a Pharisee. And Christ used a very simple truth to confound this ruler of the Jews. He literally told him that a man must be born again. Now, the word again is from the Greek word anathan, which literally is from above. Literally what Jesus Christ said, Verily I say unto you, you must be born from above.

[John Weaver] In other words, unless you are birthed from above, our Lord says, you cannot enter into the Kingdom of God. Now, there can be absolutely no doubt that salvation is of the Lord. And there can be no doubt for two reasons. Number one, because Scripture expressly declares it. Jonah 2.9 says, salvation is of the Lord. And the second reason, is because there are only three illustrations of salvation in the Bible, and each one of these three illustrations demonstrate conclusively that salvation is the work of God. The first illustration that is given is in John 3, where Jesus Christ said,"...verily, verily, I say unto you, that a man must be born again, or born from above, before he can enter or see the kingdom of God." So here then is the illustration of a birth.

[John Weaver] Now let me just ask you this question. How many of you had anything to do with your physical birth? No one. Not one. You did not one day just decide, well, I want to be born. No. The truth of the matter is you had nothing to do with your physical birth. You were born at the pleasure of your parents. It was their choice and their decision and theirs alone. You had nothing to do with it.

[John Weaver] Now I'm going to show you the same is true of our spiritual birth. The Bible says in James chapter 1 in verse 18,"...of his own will begat he us with the word of truth." Of his own will. So it's God who sovereignly births us. I'm going to develop this in just a moment. But the second illustration is that of creation. In 2 Corinthians 5 in verse 17, he said,"...if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature," or literally, A new creation.

[John Weaver] All things are passed away. All things are become new.

[John Weaver] Now let me ask you a question. How many of you had anything to do with the first creation? And the answer is not one. You weren't even around. The Bible says that God spoke the world into existence. If you will study the book of 2 Corinthians chapter 2, you will remember that the Bible tells us that God spoke And He has shined the light of Jesus Christ into our hearts. So just like we had nothing to do with the first creation, we have nothing to do with the second creation. It's a work of God. The third illustration is found in Ephesians 2 and verse 1, when the Bible says, And you have be quickened who were dead in trespasses and sins. How many dead men have you ever known that have raised themselves from the dead? And the answer is none.

[John Weaver] You don't pass a cemetery and hear someone saying, up foot, wiggle toe, move arm. No. If a dead man is raised, then there must be a power outside of him that is exerted upon him, or else he'll never be raised. Why? Because he's dead. So here are three illustrations. That of birth, that of creation, and that of resurrection. And each one of these three illustrations demonstrate conclusively that salvation is the work of God alone.

[John Weaver] Now, look back in John chapter 3, if you would please, and verse 3. Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, or born from above, he cannot see the kingdom of God. And then in verse 7, marvel not that I said unto you, You must be born again. Now, literally what Christ is doing in John chapter 3 is He is giving us an analogy that we can understand.

[John Weaver] He is telling us that spiritual life is just like physical life in one sense of the word. For instance, before you were born physically, there was a conception, which was the implantation of life, There was maturation, that is, you matured in your mother's womb. And then finally, after that maturation was completed, you were actually born. You came forth. Now, the same thing is true when you think of the spiritual life. You see, conception physically is the implantation of life. For instance, when a woman conceives, She does not necessarily know at that time there is life in her.

[John Weaver] I mean, all of the ladies sitting here today that have had children, can you pinpoint the exact second? That life began, and the answer is no, you cannot. That life was there, but later on there was some maturation, and then there were signs, there were evidences that yes, you indeed were expecting. And then finally, that child was born.

[John Weaver] Now the same thing is true in the spiritual realm. By the way, before I tell you that, let me ask you a question. How do we know? that there's a real child born. You say, well, that's very simple. Pastor, I can see. No. Now, wait a minute. You do know there is such a thing as a stillbirth. There have been individuals that were born that were born dead. What are the two evidences that there has been a real, live child? The very first thing the child does when he's born is what? He cries. The second thing is the child immediately desires milk.

[John Weaver] Now, I want you to remember that because I'm going to show you this spiritually. Let's go back to the physical picture. Here's conception. What is conception? It is the implantation of life. Here is regeneration. What is regeneration? Regeneration is the supernatural work of God whereby He implants life into the soul. It is God who begets us. It is God who regenerates us. It is God who places that life in us. But now, wait a minute, just like in conception, a woman can be pregnant and not know it at that moment. So likewise, an individual can be regenerated and not know it at that moment.

[John Weaver] You say, how can that be? Because after there is the implantation of life, there is secondly, maturation. That is, we begin to mature, that life begins to show signs and evidences. We call it conviction. We call it musings. In other words, we start thinking about things in a different light. We start thinking about our sins differently. We start thinking about truth differently, where before our sins never bothered us, all of a sudden now they bother us. Before we had no consciences about certain things, but now we have consciences about them. In other words, we can no longer do them. We say, whoa, wait a minute, and there is a desire now to hear the truth, and then there is actually the birth. Now, the birth is equal to conversion.

[John Weaver] You see, when the regenerated, convicted sinner repents of his sin, and he comes to faith in Christ, and trusts only in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, that is what we call conversion. That is, he bows to the Lordship of Jesus Christ.

[John Weaver] Now let me put it to you like this. Regeneration and conversion are two different things. They are not identical. Regeneration is the implantation of divine life into the soul, and conversion is the fruit and the evidence of regeneration. In other words, regeneration assures conversion. Once regeneration has taken place, conversion is absolutely certain.

[John Weaver] Now, there's an interesting thing about John chapter 3. Although our Lord tells us we must be born from above. Nowhere does the Bible tell us how to be born from above. Isn't that interesting?

[John Weaver] Now, Billy Graham, a few years ago, came out with a book entitled How to be Born Again. I don't know where he got his information from. He certainly didn't get it from the Bible, because the Bible does not tell you how to be born again. Now, the Bible does tell you how to be converted. See, they're two different things. The reason the Bible doesn't tell you how to be born again is because being born from above is a supernatural work of God. It's something that only God can do. Man can't do it.

[John Weaver] Let me give you a perfect illustration. You remember John chapter 11, Lazarus dies. And our Lord went there with His disciples, and He told His disciples, we go to awake Lazarus from his sleep. They said, Lord, if he's sleeping, he's doing well. And our Lord said, look, let me tell you very plainly, he's dead. And when they got there, he had already been dead four days. And Mary came out to meet the Lord and said, Lord, had you been here?

[John Weaver] My brother had not died. Then Martha came out, Lord, had you been here? My brother had not died. He said, even now if you believe, you will see that he's going to live. I am the resurrection, said the Lord. I just walked into town and he shall live. And what did our Lord do? He walked up to the tomb where Lazarus was buried, and then He said, Lazarus, come forth.

[John Weaver] And what does the Bible tell us? He that was bound with grave clothes came forth.

[John Weaver] Now, let me ask you a question. Did God give Lazarus life inside that tomb which enabled him to walk out? Or did He only give him life after he got up and walked out?

[John Weaver] Now, you know the answer. If God had not done something for Lazarus inside that tomb, he would have never walked out. See, what God did inside that tomb was regeneration. It was the implantation of divine life. When he got up and walked out of the tomb, that is conversion. That is the evidence that God has indeed given us life. You see, regeneration implants life, and conversion then is the full manifestation and fruition and maturation of that life.

[John Weaver] Now, look in your Bibles. I want you to turn, first of all, to the book of Galatians chapter 4. Galatians chapter 4. And notice, if you would please, beginning there with verse 4, I asked you earlier, What were the two signs that a real live baby had been born? And the answer, the answer was... First thing the baby does is cries, and the second thing he does is desires milk. Well, look in Galatians 4, beginning there with verse 4.

[John Weaver] But when the fullness of time was come, God sent forth His Son, made of wool and made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. What does a regenerated, converted man begin to do? He begins to cry and to pray to his heavenly Father, the One who has regenerated him.

[John Weaver] Look in your Bible to 1 Peter 2 and verse 2. Look what the Bible says, 1 Peter 2 and verse 2. He says, As newborn babes, Desire the sincere milk of the Word that you may grow thereby.

[John Weaver] Now, how can you tell that someone is a real, genuine child of God? The answer is very simple. He immediately begins to pray, and secondly, he immediately desires to hear and to be taught the Word of God. He wants those two things more than anything else in the world. just like a physical birth, so it is in the spiritual birth.

[John Weaver] Now, I told you today that I was going to speak on the conversion of General Richard Ewell. Now, I want you to understand that General Richard Ewell only came to Christ by the grace of God, just like anyone else. And although we cannot see his regeneration, we do not know when and where and how God implanted life into him, we can see his conversion and the fruits thereof and judge whether or not the man was genuinely converted according to the Word of God. Now, General Richard Stoddard Ewell of the Confederate Armies was affectionately known as Old Baldy.

[John Weaver] Now, I can identify with that. General Ewell was born on February the 8th, 1817 to Thomas and Elizabeth Stoddard. Ewell. He was raised in a devout Episcopalian household. His mother was the one that had the greatest influence upon his life, and when General Ewell went away to West Point to study at the military academy there, even there he maintained much of his religious training and his religious conviction. However, military life was going to prove the undoing of much of his training. Now, after leaving West Point, Ewell maintained still a belief in God. But organized religion no longer played an important part of his life. In fact, at that time, he did not even own a Bible. The natural skepticism of youth, the wicked influence of military life, and the lack of organized religion on all the frontier posts destroy what little was left of his religious training.

[John Weaver] And another thing was this. Itinerant missionaries or itinerant preachers greatly decayed his religious training. You say, how in the world can that be? Well, you've got to remember that there were many missionaries who worked with the Indians back at that time, and some of those missionaries were unethical in and of themselves. They were not converted individuals. In fact, many of them just took government pay and pay from other churches to go out there and literally party, because Ewell reported that wife-beating and fornication and theft and cheating was prevalent among them. And when his brother William expressed his desire to become a missionary, here is what General Ewell wrote. He said, I was quite shocked at the thought of Williams turning missionary. I have seen so much injury done to Indians here by them that I am rather skeptical as to their utility. Some of the greatest scamps we have are missionaries. Isn't that amazing? Here was a man who was raised with religion, although he was not a Christian, recognized that some of the greatest scamps, as he called them, were those who were claiming to be Christians.

[John Weaver] Now, General Ewell was what you and I would call today a cusser. I mean, he cussed. He was a profane man. And oftentimes, when he drilled his soldiers, he cussed them very lustily. And yet, he loved the men, and they respected him, and they understood that he did indeed love them. One of the funniest things that I read about General Ewell was, in one of the early skirmishes of the War of Northern Aggression, Ewell was in bed, and he was awakened at night by gunfire. So he jumped up in the middle of the night, in his nightgown, and ran to where the Warrington rifles, some of his men had formed, because Union Calvary had come through the little town, shooting up the town. And so he got to his men, still in his nightgown, and he reformed and regrouped the Warrington rifles.

[John Weaver] And the next thing you know, the horses were coming up the road. Well, it was dark and they could not see the men. And so General Ewell stepped down. He said, halt, who goes there? The answer came back, Calvary. And General Ewell replied, what Calvary? At that the Union officer who was leading the cavalry shot a pistol and it grazed Ewell in the shoulder near the neck. By that time his men fired back and laid down such a deadly fire that the federal officers decided they better go another way around Fairfax Courthouse and so they went away. A soldier, a young recruit, noticing Ewell's injury, asked him if he was hurt much. To that, the general replied, it's none of your blank business.

[John Weaver] Take your place in the ranks. Brigadier General Samuel Ferguson later laughed when he heard the story and here's what he said, I've often pictured to myself the old soldier mad as a hornet as being taken by surprise and his command thrown in confusion and smarting to with a wound, having a raw recruit interrupt him with his sympathy. He chuckled. The soldier, however, did not find it so amusing.

[John Weaver] Repeating Ewell's response to Laquanus a short time later, the offended man remarked, You know, sir, that was not only impolite, but very profane. So he just asked Ewell how he was, and he snapped back with that reply. Pastor William E. Dane said this concerning Ewell's speech, He did not confine himself to the dull neutralities of undecorated speech. Private George Terry Eagleston put it more bluntly. Listen to this. General Ewell was at this time the most violently and elaborately profane man I have ever known. Elaborately, I say, because his profanity did not consist of single or even double oaths, but was ingeniously wrought into whole sentences. It was profanity which might be parsed and seemed the result of careful study and long practice.

[John Weaver] So he was a cusser for sure. Colonel Thomas Munford agreed saying this to this, that Ewell was a hard old customer and could swear when he chose to exercise that faculty in a style that defies description. He spared no one when he was cross, but was nobly generous at other times. Ewell was indeed an anomaly. Although he was not a Christian, remember he was raised in a religious home. And one of his posts of duty, there was a young girl that had been captured by the Apaches. And General Ewell went out and confronted the Apaches, and without having a battle with them, literally talked them into surrendering the young girl into his care and his custody. And so the Apaches did so, and when Ewell brought the young girl back into town, I mean, the town was just crazy with joy. They threw a great celebration and a great party and heaped all kind of praise upon General Ewell. And General Ewell wrote to his niece Lizzie and he said this, the people made a great fuss about the child, and not knowing how to thank Providence, vented their gratitude upon me in making a fuss over me.

[John Weaver] Isn't that amazing? Here's a profane man! who can cuss so elaborately, yet at the same time, he recognized that it was God who allowed him to recapture that young girl. And he said, the people just did not know how to thank providence, how to thank God. And so they made a big fuss over me.

[John Weaver] Now, General John Brown Gordon of Georgia, and we can smile when we say Georgia, and by the way, I understand he's a distant relative. I haven't checked that out, but General John Brown Gordon of Georgia said this concerning General Ewell. Gordon regarded Ewell as one of the most unusual men that he'd ever met. Here's what he said. He was a compound of anomalies, of the oddest, most eccentric genius in the Confederate Army.

[John Weaver] But he also had a hot temper and a sharp tongue. No man had a better heart, nor a worse manner of showing it. He was in truth as tender and sympathetic as a woman, but even under the slightest provocation, he became externally as rough as a polar bear, and the needles with which he pricked sensibilities were more numerous and keener than those of porcupine quills." So, he recognized that he could certainly be hard when he wanted to.

[John Weaver] Now, one of the men that had the most profound influence on the life of General Ewell was General Stonewall Jackson. And everyone has heard me speak of the godliness and the character of Stonewall Jackson. Now there were differences between Ewell and Jackson. Jackson was to be the instrument that God used in the conversion of General Ewell, but Jackson was holy and pious while Ewell was profane. Ewell was quick-tempered and excitable while Jackson remained always poised and in control. Ewell's first meeting and acquaintance with Jackson was certainly not what you and I would call good because General Jackson had left Ewell to guard Conrad's store while he had gone off to Staunton, Virginia. And, of course, Banks, General Banks of the Union Army was around there. Everybody knows that General Jackson was always secretive of his plans.

[John Weaver] He hardly ever told his subordinates what they were going to do until they were there and ready to do so. So, he had left General Ewell at Conrad's store, and when James A. Walker of the 13th Virginia called on General Ewell at his headquarters, he heard that Ewell was in a towering rage and decided, you know, now would not be the time to call on General Ewell. But before he could get away, General Ewell spotted him and he hollered, Colonel Walker! Did it ever occur to you that General Jackson is crazy? Now, Walker had studied under Jackson at Virginia Military Institute, And he responded with admirable restraint. He says, I don't know, General. We used to call him fool Tom Jackson at Virginia Military Institute, but I do not suppose he's really crazy. You'll respond, and I tell you, sir, he's as crazy as a march hare. He's gone away, and I don't know where. He's left me without instructions except to stay here until he returns. But Bank's whole army is advancing on me, and I have not the remotest idea where to communicate with General Jackson.

[John Weaver] I tell you, sir, he's crazy, and I'll just march my division away from here. I do not mean to have it cut to pieces at the behest of a crazy man." Leaving Ewell Walker Road to the headquarters of Brigadier Commander Arnold Elsie. Elsie, too, was in a foul humor, having just left General Ewell. When Elsie saw the colonel, Walker had mentioned that he had just come from Ewell's headquarters, and Elsie screeched out, I tell you, sir, General Ewell is crazy, and I have a serious notion of marching my brigade back to Gordonville. So everybody was thinking everybody was crazy. Now, Ewell was certainly displeased with his first encounter with Jackson. And he wrote to his niece Lizzie again, and he referred to Jackson as that enthusiastic fanatic. And because General Jackson was hunting banks' supply trains, and by the way, the logic is very simple, if you cut off the army's supply, they can't think. And because he was hunting the supply train and trying to capture the supplies for his army and to deprive banks of those supplies, then Ewell referred to him as that wagon-hunting deacon because he was a deacon as well.

[John Weaver] Now, it was only after General Ewell began to see Jackson fight and win battle after battle that Ewell's conception of General Jackson began to change. In fact, they became intimate friends and admired and respected each other. General Ewell not only ate with Jackson, but was actually invited to worship services with Jackson. At the Battle of Port Republic, as the battle entered its final stages, Jackson appeared and he grasped General Richard Taylor's hand and he promised to give to General Taylor the guns that were captured of his Louisiana Brigade and give him all those cannons. And then he looked at General Ewell and he placed his hand upon his sleeve and Jackson remarked, and he said, he who does not see the hand of God in this is blind, sir. I tell you, blind. So Jackson was witnessing to General Ewell all along without even Ewell's recognition of it. After they became friends and their respect grew, General Ewell saw Colonel Mumford and he asked about their conversation, what he called Jackson crazy. He asked him if he remembered that conversation because Colonel Mumford was there as well.

[John Weaver] Colonel Mumford replied that he remembered the conversation well. Ewell replied, I take it all back. And I will never prejudge another man. Old Jackson is no fool. He knows how to keep his own counsel and does curious things. But he has a method in his madness. He's not crazy at all. Later, when Ewell was asked about what he thought of Jackson and the Valley campaign, here's what he said. Well, sir, when he commenced the Valley campaign, I thought he was crazy. Before he ended it, I thought he was inspired.

[John Weaver] And so you can see the change in his life. Now, Ewell was tremendously impacted by the character and the godliness of Stonewall Jackson. And he knew about Stonewall Jackson's prayer life. Stonewall used to ride in the battle with his hands raised toward heaven, and all he was doing was praying as he went into battle. But during one maneuver that Jackson had told the men about, General Ewell and another officer or were concerned about the congestion of their troops marching on the same road. And they went to Jackson and his tent and asked him to reconsider and told him that they were concerned about the congestion of the men. And Jackson said, well, I'll give you my answer in the morning. As the men stepped outside, Ewell looked at his friend and said, do you know why General Jackson would not decide upon our suggestion at once?

[John Weaver] It was because he has to pray over it before he makes up his mind. A moment later, Ewell's companion discovered that he'd forgotten his sword. Returning to Jackson's tent, he found General Jackson on his knees praying for divine guidance, just as General Ewell had said. Now, there are several excellent books that are on the life of General Ewell. One of them is Donald C. Fance's book on the biography of Ewell. And then Judith McGuire in her book, Diary of a Southern Refugee During the War, and also Christ in the Camp by J. William Jones, all of these record the conversion of General Ewell. The account of Mrs. McGuire is as follows.

[John Weaver] Listen to what she says. General Ewell relates an incident went on their victorious march through the valley last summer, which is beautifully characteristic of General Jackson. One night when it was evident that there was to be a battle the next day, General Ewell went to General Jackson for his plans. General Jackson replied that he would give them to him the next morning as they had not been yet formed. General Ewell felt uneasy and were restless and could not sleep. About midnight he arose and passing through the sleeping multitudes, he reached General Jackson's tent and was about to raise the curtain to enter it. When his attention was arrested by the voice of prayer, General Jackson was praying fervently for guidance through the coming day. General Yule remarked to a friend that he had never heard a prayer so devout and so beautiful. He then, for the first time in his life, felt a desire to be a Christian. He retired to his tent quietly without disturbing General Jackson. Feeling assured that all would be well, the next morning a fight came off replete with victory.

[John Weaver] And then Pastor Jones writes this in Christ in the Camp. He says, I have from a well-authenticated source that the conversion of Lieutenant General Ewell, Jackson's able lieutenant, was on this wise. At a council of war one night, Jackson had listened very attentively to the views of his subordinates and asked until the next morning to present his own. As they came away, A.P. Hill laughingly said to Ewell, well, I suppose Jackson wants time to pray over him. Having occasion to return to his quarters again a short time afterward, Ewell found Jackson on his knees and heard his prayers for God's guidance in the perplexing movements before him. The sturdy veteran Ewell was so deeply impressed by the incident and by General Jackson's religious character that he said, if this is religion, then I must have it.

[John Weaver] And it was not long after that that he made a profession of faith. Pastor Moses Drury Hoag that led General Ewell to his faith in Jesus Christ. Now, Pastor Hoag had been a friend of the family. In fact, Ewell's niece Lizzie had lived with the Hoags during most of the war. General Ewell had been wounded, had his leg amputated, And during the time of amputation and the healing of that amputation was when Pastor Hogue had talked with and led General Ewell to his conversion in Jesus Christ.

[John Weaver] Now let's ask this question. Was General Ewell's conversion real? Was it genuine? Were there evidences of repentance? And the answer is yes.

[John Weaver] Now, you've got to remember that Ewell previously had been a profane man. He was one who had developed cursing into an art. In fact, a man who knew General Ewell in the 1850s testified that he could swear the scalp off an Apache. Even as late as 1862, he was said to curse in a style that defies description. But after his conversion, Campbell Brown claimed that he only heard his chief swear twice. Once to a stupid courier, and once to a man who was riding his horse cruelly. And an aide, James Power Smith, affirmed that he never heard the general utter an oath. On the contrary, Smith said, he knew General Yule to be a Christian gentleman, reverent, devout, and free from the habit of profanity. Ewell's troops evidently believed that his conversion was real because they said this, it was generally understood that General Ewell never swore after becoming a Christian.

[John Weaver] And I like this account. Pastor W. M. Dame told Hattie after the war, And we had greatly added respect for his character, that is General Ewell's character on this account, for we knew that at four times he did not confine himself to the dull neutralities of undecorated speech, and it took a strong manhood backed by the grace of God to overcome that fixed habit. Now listen, the only exception, the pastor said, that he knew of was when General Ewell dropped a burning coal on his bare foot. On that occasion, the pastor admitted, Ewell did let a single expletive slip.

[John Weaver] Even so, the minister did not find fault. I am sure, said the pastor, the recording angel considered the circumstances and gave him credit and a good deal of it for restraining himself to just one." So he said he understood. I never will forget when I was a boy. I was working with my father. We had a black man working with us and his son was out there. And the little boy, I don't know, was nine or ten years old. And the little boy hit his finger with a hammer. And he come out with a cuss word, you know. And the black man went over. He broke him off a limb and he took that little boy and he just whipped the living daylights out of him. And Daddy said to him, He said, you ought not to beat that little boy like that. He said, I might have said the same thing as I hit my finger. And I never will forget what the black man said. He said, oh, Mr. DJ, he said, I didn't whip him for saying that word.

[John Weaver] He said, I whipped him because he sounded like he had experience in practicing it. So Ewell was one of those who had experience in practicing it, I can assure you. Captain Frank A. Bond had been appointed provost marshal of a town by General Ewell and Captain Bond kept wanting to see some action and of course he was provost marshal and he had to stay in town. And so when the cavalry went through he slipped off with the cavalry and when General Ewell found out that Captain Bond had gone off Without orders, he sent for him and brought him back. And here's what Captain Bond said after General Ewell got through with him. He says, the way that old gentleman pitched in to me when I got back was a caution.

[John Weaver] Why, he said, he had lost a leg, taken a wife, joined the church the previous year, and didn't swear then, but he was sufficiently emphatic without it. So, very obviously, General Ewell then changed his mode of speech after he was converted. I think I told you this, but I was preaching in Thomasville, Georgia, and the pastor's brother came to church that night and God got a hold of him and he was convicted and converted. And after church that night, we went out to a restaurant. We were sitting together and eating and all of a sudden the pastor's brother just broke out laughing, just, you know, almost uncontrollable.

[John Weaver] And I looked at him And I said, what in the world is so funny? And the man was a hunter, a bird hunter. He said, I just got to thinking. He said, I'm going to have to retrain all my bird dogs. He said, they won't understand a word I'm saying now. So it does make a difference after you get converted. But the Sunday after Ewells returned to the army, after he healed from his amputated leg, He met with General Lee, General A.P.

[John Weaver] Hill, and William Pendleton in a worship service conducted by Reverend Beverly Tucker Lacey. Five days later, he was with Pendleton and Bishop John Johns as they were discussing ways to advance the gospel and to proclaim the gospel better to the soldiers. And Ewell's testimony increased with his troops. Sandy Pendleton said this of him. He said, The more I see of General Ewell, the more I am pleased with him.

[John Weaver] He resembles General Jackson very much in some points of his character, and particularly his utter disregard for his own personal comforts and his inflexibility of purpose. Yesterday he rode some 20 miles on horseback. Remember, the man has an amputated leg. Yesterday he rode some 20 miles on horseback, often at full speed, and exhibited no signs of fatigue last night. He is so thoroughly honest too, Pendleton said, and has only one desire, to conquer the Yankees. I look for great things from him, and am glad to say that our troops have for him a great deal of the same feeling they had toward General Jackson, which must increase very much when they find on trial that he is so good a man." So very clearly then, his conversion was general and real.

[John Weaver] At Gaines Crossroads, anticipating a battle with the Union General Millroy, General Ewell issued a general order reminding his troops that the discipline and obedience to orders are the means to secure success." He then asked his troops to join with him in prayer, asking that divine aid in which was the reliance of our lamented and illustrious chief, that is, Stonewall Jackson. Stonewall was dead at this time, and so he said, let's ask God's blessing upon this battle. And after the battle was over, And, of course, the Confederate forces had won. Ewell announced a victory in a general order, and here's what he said. He asked the men and the officers of his command to unite with him in returning thanks to our Heavenly Father for the signal success which has crowned the valor of this command. As had been his predecessor's custom, Ewell directed chaplains to hold religious services in their respective regiments at such times as may be convenient. The significance of the order was not lost on the troops. Listen, said one soldier to the other, John, have you noticed how General Ewell seems to be aping General Jackson or copying General Jackson?

[John Weaver] Hal asked the other, why since Jackson's death, Ewell always has God in every one of his dispatches? Hmm, sounds to me like there had been indeed. change. General Jackson said this concerning his victory over Milroy. He says, next to God. He was indebted to General Hayes' staff and to the men there for the almost bloodless victory over General Milroy. So he was giving thanks to God and recognizing that. General Yule went with Lee to Gettysburg, and on his way to Gettysburg, he had captured Carlisle, Pennsylvania. In fact, General Ewell wanted to march on to Harrisburg, the capital, and capture it, and he was on his way there and would have captured it, because there were very few men there, but General Lee called him back and told him to head toward Gettysburg. As he had captured Carlisle, Pennsylvania, he had been stationed as a young dragoon at Carlisle Barracks, and so he's very familiar with that territory. And so he had captured the town, and he had set up his headquarters, and everyone knew that General Ewell was in charge.

[John Weaver] So after he got settled into his new headquarters, a delegation of pastors came to General Ewell and asked if their churches might be open the next day, which was on Sunday, and that they might preach to the people. Sgt. Lee replied, General Ewell, I wish to attend church myself. The ministers thanked Ewell and then left. A short time later they came back and they asked General Ewell, would the General object If they offered a prayer for President Lincoln?

[John Weaver] Not at all, you'll reply. I know of no man in more need of your prayers than Abraham Lincoln. And of course, the clergyman then silently withdrew. But of course, the churches the next day had more Confederates in them, and then they did Union Sympathizers.

[John Weaver] Now, what am I trying to show you? Look in your Bibles to Acts chapter 9. Was General Buell truly converted? And the answer is yes. In Acts chapter 9, you have the conversion of Saul of Tarsus. And you remember how Saul was ranting and raving against the Christians. He had been consenting to the death of Stephen. He had gone to Damascus with the letters from the high priest that if he found any Christians, he might throw them into prison. We'll look in Acts chapter 9 and verse 11. Of course, everyone knew what Saul of Tarsus was doing to the Christians. And the Lord said unto him, that is to Ananias, Arise, and go in the street which is called Straight, and inquire in the house of Judas, for one called Saul of Tarsus. For behold, he prayeth. What is God telling Ananias? Saying, Ananias, you don't have to be afraid of Saul any longer. I have him tamed. He's on a leash. He's now mine. And the evidence is, he's praying. What in the world is the evidence of true conversion?

[John Weaver] prayer and a desire for the Word of God. After Pastor Hogue returned from England with a large load of Bibles for the troops, General Ewell conveyed his thanks along with the hope and request of Pastor Hogue to join him in prayer. Listen, that I may be assisted in following the precepts of the divine word and that I may be guided by its wisdom. You see, General Ewell displayed the three characteristics of a real converted individual. What are they? Repentance from known sin, prayer to the Heavenly Father, and a desire for the Word of God. We can judge whether or not we have been converted by examining our lives and seeing whether these three things are in them.

[John Weaver] Have we turned from our sins? Are we tamed by the Lord and we now pray and cry to our Heavenly Father? And do we desire the pure Word of God? Isn't it wonderful that the grace of God is able to convert the vilest and the wickedest? He was a profane old soldier, melted, transformed by the grace of God. And the same grace that converted General Ewell will convert men and women today. For God is absolutely sovereign and on the throne. Let's pray. Father, we thank Thee today for Jesus Christ. We thank Thee for the truth of Thy Word, for the truth of history. And Lord, we thank Thee for those whom Thou hast used all down through these years. And Lord, may it be that we can be a Stonewall Jackson to someone else and influence them by the grace of God in our lives.

[John Weaver] Help us to be a witness and a testimony. In the name of Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen and amen.

Conversion of Gen. Richard Ewell

John Weaver | SermonAudio

Lecture Metadata	Details
Speaker	John Weaver
Source	SermonAudio
Media ID	1504152825
Subject	Eschatology
Course	Kingdom, Judgment, and Victory
Genre	Sermon
Date	2000-07-09
Dictation Name
Book	Book 069: Kingdom, Judgment, and Victory — Chapter 1
Source Timed Segments	68

Formatted Transcript

Introduction and Scripture Reading

Weaver opens with John 3 and 1 Timothy 1, setting the theological stage for the message on General Ewell's conversion.

I want you to open your Bibles to John 3 and also 1 Timothy 1. John 3 and 1 Timothy 1. And the message is on the conversion of General Richard Stoddard Ewell. And I'll tell you about General Ewell in just a minute. But I want you to look in John 3, and I'm going to set the stage theologically before I give it to you historically. John 3, and let's begin with verse 1. John 3, verse 1.

The Necessity of the New Birth

Jesus tells Nicodemus that one must be born again (from above) to see the kingdom of God, establishing that salvation is a supernatural work.

There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. The same came to Jesus by night and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God, for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him. Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter the second time into his mother's womb and be born? Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh. That which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I say unto thee, You must be born again.

The wind bloweth whither it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof. But canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth. So is every one that is born of the Spirit. Now, if you look in 1 Timothy 1 and verse 16, the Apostle makes this statement, Howbeit for this cause I obtain mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show forth all longsuffering for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting. Now, the Apostle Paul makes a bold and a very broad statement in 1 Timothy 1 and verse 16. He states that his life, that is his conversion, was a pattern which was to be hereafter for all of those who believe. All who are converted are converted as the Apostle Paul was converted.

Three Illustrations of Salvation as God's Work

Weaver presents birth, creation, and resurrection as biblical illustrations proving that salvation is entirely of the Lord, not of human effort.

In other words, unless you are birthed from above, our Lord says, you cannot enter into the Kingdom of God. Now, there can be absolutely no doubt that salvation is of the Lord. And there can be no doubt for two reasons. Number one, because Scripture expressly declares it. Jonah 2:9 says, salvation is of the Lord. And the second reason, is because there are only three illustrations of salvation in the Bible, and each one of these three illustrations demonstrate conclusively that salvation is the work of God. The first illustration that is given is in John 3, where Jesus Christ said, "...verily, verily, I say unto you, that a man must be born again, or born from above, before he can enter or see the kingdom of God." So here then is the illustration of a birth.

Now let me just ask you this question. How many of you had anything to do with your physical birth? No one. Not one. You did not one day just decide, well, I want to be born. No. The truth of the matter is you had nothing to do with your physical birth. You were born at the pleasure of your parents. It was their choice and their decision and theirs alone. You had nothing to do with it.

Now I'm going to show you the same is true of our spiritual birth. The Bible says in James chapter 1 in verse 18,

Scripture Reading — James 1:18

"...of his own will begat he us with the word of truth."

Of his own will. So it's God who sovereignly births us. I'm going to develop this in just a moment. But the second illustration is that of creation. In 2 Corinthians 5 in verse 17, he said, "...if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature," or literally, a new creation. All things are passed away. All things are become new.

Now let me ask you a question. How many of you had anything to do with the first creation? And the answer is not one. You weren't even around. The Bible says that God spoke the world into existence. If you will study the book of 2 Corinthians chapter 2, you will remember that the Bible tells us that God spoke and He has shined the light of Jesus Christ into our hearts. So just like we had nothing to do with the first creation, we have nothing to do with the second creation. It's a work of God. The third illustration is found in Ephesians 2 and verse 1, when the Bible says, And you hath he quickened who were dead in trespasses and sins. How many dead men have you ever known that have raised themselves from the dead? And the answer is none.

You don't pass a cemetery and hear someone saying, up foot, wiggle toe, move arm. No. If a dead man is raised, then there must be a power outside of him that is exerted upon him, or else he'll never be raised. Why? Because he's dead. So here are three illustrations. That of birth, that of creation, and that of resurrection. And each one of these three illustrations demonstrate conclusively that salvation is the work of God alone.

Regeneration vs. Conversion

Regeneration is the implantation of divine life (like conception), while conversion is the outward evidence (like birth), and the Bible does not tell how to be born again because it is God's sovereign act.

I mean, all of the ladies sitting here today that have had children, can you pinpoint the exact second that life began? And the answer is no, you cannot. That life was there, but later on there was some maturation, and then there were signs, there were evidences that yes, you indeed were expecting. And then finally, that child was born.

Now the same thing is true in the spiritual realm. By the way, before I tell you that, let me ask you a question. How do we know that there's a real child born? You say, well, that's very simple. Pastor, I can see. No. Now, wait a minute. You do know there is such a thing as a stillbirth. There have been individuals that were born that were born dead. What are the two evidences that there has been a real, live child? The very first thing the child does when he's born is what? He cries. The second thing is the child immediately desires milk.

Now, I want you to remember that because I'm going to show you this spiritually. Let's go back to the physical picture. Here's conception. What is conception? It is the implantation of life. Here is regeneration. What is regeneration? Regeneration is the supernatural work of God whereby He implants life into the soul. It is God who begets us. It is God who regenerates us. It is God who places that life in us. But now, wait a minute, just like in conception, a woman can be pregnant and not know it at that moment. So likewise, an individual can be regenerated and not know it at that moment.

You say, how can that be? Because after there is the implantation of life, there is secondly, maturation. That is, we begin to mature, that life begins to show signs and evidences. We call it conviction. We call it musings. In other words, we start thinking about things in a different light. We start thinking about our sins differently. We start thinking about truth differently, where before our sins never bothered us, all of a sudden now they bother us. Before we had no consciences about certain things, but now we have consciences about them. In other words, we can no longer do them. We say, whoa, wait a minute, and there is a desire now to hear the truth, and then there is actually the birth. Now, the birth is equal to conversion.

You see, when the regenerated, convicted sinner repents of his sin, and he comes to faith in Christ, and trusts only in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, that is what we call conversion. That is, he bows to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. Now let me put it to you like this. Regeneration and conversion are two different things. They are not identical. Regeneration is the implantation of divine life into the soul, and conversion is the fruit and the evidence of regeneration. In other words, regeneration assures conversion. Once regeneration has taken place, conversion is absolutely certain.

Now, there's an interesting thing about John chapter 3. Although our Lord tells us we must be born from above, nowhere does the Bible tell us how to be born from above. Isn't that interesting? Now, Billy Graham, a few years ago, came out with a book entitled How to be Born Again. I don't know where he got his information from. He certainly didn't get it from the Bible, because the Bible does not tell you how to be born again. Now, the Bible does tell you how to be converted. See, they're two different things. The reason the Bible doesn't tell you how to be born again is because being born from above is a supernatural work of God. It's something that only God can do. Man can't do it.

Let me give you a perfect illustration. You remember John chapter 11, Lazarus dies. And our Lord went there with His disciples, and He told His disciples, we go to awake Lazarus from his sleep. They said, Lord, if he's sleeping, he's doing well. And our Lord said, look, let me tell you very plainly, he's dead. And when they got there, he had already been dead four days. And Mary came out to meet the Lord and said, Lord, had you been here?

My brother had not died. Then Martha came out, Lord, had you been here? My brother had not died. He said, even now if you believe, you will see that he's going to live. I am the resurrection, said the Lord. I just walked into town and he shall live. And what did our Lord do? He walked up to the tomb where Lazarus was buried, and then He said, Lazarus, come forth.

Evidences of Spiritual Birth

Just as a newborn cries and desires milk, a truly converted person prays and desires the Word of God, as seen in Galatians 4 and 1 Peter 2.

Now, look in your Bibles. I want you to turn, first of all, to the book of Galatians chapter 4. Galatians chapter 4. And notice, if you would please, beginning there with verse 4, I asked you earlier, What were the two signs that a real live baby had been born? And the answer, the answer was... First thing the baby does is cries, and the second thing he does is desires milk. Well, look in Galatians 4, beginning there with verse 4.

But when the fullness of time was come, God sent forth His Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. What does a regenerated, converted man begin to do? He begins to cry and to pray to his heavenly Father, the One who has regenerated him. Look in your Bible to 1 Peter 2 and verse 2. Look what the Bible says, 1 Peter 2 and verse 2. He says, As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the Word that you may grow thereby.

Now, how can you tell that someone is a real, genuine child of God? The answer is very simple. He immediately begins to pray, and secondly, he immediately desires to hear and to be taught the Word of God. He wants those two things more than anything else in the world. Just like a physical birth, so it is in the spiritual birth.

Now, I told you today that I was going to speak on the conversion of General Richard Ewell. Now, I want you to understand that General Richard Ewell only came to Christ by the grace of God, just like anyone else. And although we cannot see his regeneration, we do not know when and where and how God implanted life into him, we can see his conversion and the fruits thereof and judge whether or not the man was genuinely converted according to the Word of God. Now, General Richard Stoddard Ewell of the Confederate Armies was affectionately known as Old Baldy.

Now, I can identify with that. General Ewell was born on February the 8th, 1817 to Thomas and Elizabeth Stoddard Ewell. He was raised in a devout Episcopalian household. His mother was the one that had the greatest influence upon his life, and when General Ewell went away to West Point to study at the military academy there, even there he maintained much of his religious training and his religious conviction. However, military life was going to prove the undoing of much of his training. Now, after leaving West Point, Ewell maintained still a belief in God. But organized religion no longer played an important part of his life. In fact, at that time, he did not even own a Bible. The natural skepticism of youth, the wicked influence of military life, and the lack of organized religion on all the frontier posts destroyed what little was left of his religious training.

General Ewell's Early Life and Character

Ewell was raised in a devout Episcopalian home but became a profane, skeptical soldier, known for his elaborate cursing and hot temper.

And another thing was this. Itinerant missionaries or itinerant preachers greatly decayed his religious training. You say, how in the world can that be? Well, you've got to remember that there were many missionaries who worked with the Indians back at that time, and some of those missionaries were unethical in and of themselves. They were not converted individuals. In fact, many of them just took government pay and pay from other churches to go out there and literally party, because Ewell reported that wife-beating and fornication and theft and cheating was prevalent among them. And when his brother William expressed his desire to become a missionary, here is what General Ewell wrote. He said, I was quite shocked at the thought of Williams turning missionary. I have seen so much injury done to Indians here by them that I am rather skeptical as to their utility. Some of the greatest scamps we have are missionaries. Isn't that amazing? Here was a man who was raised with religion, although he was not a Christian, recognized that some of the greatest scamps, as he called them, were those who were claiming to be Christians.

Now, General Ewell was what you and I would call today a cusser. I mean, he cussed. He was a profane man. And oftentimes, when he drilled his soldiers, he cussed them very lustily. And yet, he loved the men, and they respected him, and they understood that he did indeed love them. One of the funniest things that I read about General Ewell was, in one of the early skirmishes of the War of Northern Aggression, Ewell was in bed, and he was awakened at night by gunfire. So he jumped up in the middle of the night, in his nightgown, and ran to where the Warrenton Rifles, some of his men had formed, because Union Cavalry had come through the little town, shooting up the town. And so he got to his men, still in his nightgown, and he reformed and regrouped the Warrenton Rifles.

And the next thing you know, the horses were coming up the road. Well, it was dark and they could not see the men. And so General Ewell stepped down. He said, halt, who goes there? The answer came back, Cavalry. And General Ewell replied, what cavalry? At that the Union officer who was leading the cavalry shot a pistol and it grazed Ewell in the shoulder near the neck. By that time his men fired back and laid down such a deadly fire that the federal officers decided they better go another way around Fairfax Courthouse and so they went away. A soldier, a young recruit, noticing Ewell's injury, asked him if he was hurt much. To that, the general replied, it's none of your blank business.

Take your place in the ranks. Brigadier General Samuel Ferguson later laughed when he heard the story and here's what he said, I've often pictured to myself the old soldier mad as a hornet as being taken by surprise and his command thrown in confusion and smarting too with a wound, having a raw recruit interrupt him with his sympathy. He chuckled. The soldier, however, did not find it so amusing. Repeating Ewell's response to Laconicus a short time later, the offended man remarked, You know, sir, that was not only impolite, but very profane. So he just asked Ewell how he was, and he snapped back with that reply. Pastor William E. Dame said this concerning Ewell's speech, He did not confine himself to the dull neutralities of undecorated speech. Private George Terry Eagleston put it more bluntly. Listen to this. General Ewell was at this time the most violently and elaborately profane man I have ever known. Elaborately, I say, because his profanity did not consist of single or even double oaths, but was ingeniously wrought into whole sentences. It was profanity which might be parsed and seemed the result of careful study and long practice.

Influence of Stonewall Jackson

Jackson's godly character and prayer life deeply impressed Ewell, leading him to desire the same religion and eventually to faith in Christ.

Now, one of the men that had the most profound influence on the life of General Ewell was General Stonewall Jackson. And everyone has heard me speak of the godliness and the character of Stonewall Jackson. Now there were differences between Ewell and Jackson. Jackson was to be the instrument that God used in the conversion of General Ewell, but Jackson was holy and pious while Ewell was profane. Ewell was quick-tempered and excitable while Jackson remained always poised and in control. Ewell's first meeting and acquaintance with Jackson was certainly not what you and I would call good because General Jackson had left Ewell to guard Conrad's store while he had gone off to Staunton, Virginia. And, of course, Banks, General Banks of the Union Army was around there. Everybody knows that General Jackson was always secretive of his plans.

He hardly ever told his subordinates what they were going to do until they were there and ready to do so. So, he had left General Ewell at Conrad's store, and when James A. Walker of the 13th Virginia called on General Ewell at his headquarters, he heard that Ewell was in a towering rage and decided, you know, now would not be the time to call on General Ewell. But before he could get away, General Ewell spotted him and he hollered, Colonel Walker! Did it ever occur to you that General Jackson is crazy? Now, Walker had studied under Jackson at Virginia Military Institute, and he responded with admirable restraint. He says, I don't know, General. We used to call him fool Tom Jackson at Virginia Military Institute, but I do not suppose he's really crazy. Ewell responded, and I tell you, sir, he's as crazy as a march hare. He's gone away, and I don't know where. He's left me without instructions except to stay here until he returns. But Bank's whole army is advancing on me, and I have not the remotest idea where to communicate with General Jackson.

I tell you, sir, he's crazy, and I'll just march my division away from here. I do not mean to have it cut to pieces at the behest of a crazy man." Leaving Ewell, Walker rode to the headquarters of Brigadier Commander Arnold Elsie. Elsie, too, was in a foul humor, having just left General Ewell. When Elsie saw the colonel, Walker had mentioned that he had just come from Ewell's headquarters, and Elsie screeched out, I tell you, sir, General Ewell is crazy, and I have a serious notion of marching my brigade back to Gordonville. So everybody was thinking everybody was crazy. Now, Ewell was certainly displeased with his first encounter with Jackson. And he wrote to his niece Lizzie again, and he referred to Jackson as that enthusiastic fanatic. And because General Jackson was hunting banks' supply trains, and by the way, the logic is very simple, if you cut off the army's supply, they can't think. And because he was hunting the supply train and trying to capture the supplies for his army and to deprive banks of those supplies, then Ewell referred to him as that wagon-hunting deacon because he was a deacon as well.

Now, it was only after General Ewell began to see Jackson fight and win battle after battle that Ewell's conception of General Jackson began to change. In fact, they became intimate friends and admired and respected each other. General Ewell not only ate with Jackson, but was actually invited to worship services with Jackson. At the Battle of Port Republic, as the battle entered its final stages, Jackson appeared and he grasped General Richard Taylor's hand and he promised to give to General Taylor the guns that were captured of his Louisiana Brigade and give him all those cannons. And then he looked at General Ewell and he placed his hand upon his sleeve and Jackson remarked, and he said, he who does not see the hand of God in this is blind, sir. I tell you, blind. So Jackson was witnessing to General Ewell all along without even Ewell's recognition of it. After they became friends and their respect grew, General Ewell saw Colonel Mumford and he asked about their conversation, what he called Jackson crazy. He asked him if he remembered that conversation because Colonel Mumford was there as well.

Colonel Mumford replied that he remembered the conversation well. Ewell replied, I take it all back. And I will never prejudge another man. Old Jackson is no fool. He knows how to keep his own counsel and does curious things. But he has a method in his madness. He's not crazy at all. Later, when Ewell was asked about what he thought of Jackson and the Valley campaign, here's what he said. Well, sir, when he commenced the Valley campaign, I thought he was crazy. Before he ended it, I thought he was inspired.

And so you can see the change in his life. Now, Ewell was tremendously impacted by the character and the godliness of Stonewall Jackson. And he knew about Stonewall Jackson's prayer life. Stonewall used to ride in the battle with his hands raised toward heaven, and all he was doing was praying as he went into battle. But during one maneuver that Jackson had told the men about, General Ewell and another officer were concerned about the congestion of their troops marching on the same road. And they went to Jackson and his tent and asked him to reconsider and told him that they were concerned about the congestion of the men. And Jackson said, well, I'll give you my answer in the morning. As the men stepped outside, Ewell looked at his friend and said, do you know why General Jackson would not decide upon our suggestion at once?

It was because he has to pray over it before he makes up his mind. A moment later, Ewell's companion discovered that he'd forgotten his sword. Returning to Jackson's tent, he found General Jackson on his knees praying for divine guidance, just as General Ewell had said. Now, there are several excellent books that are on the life of General Ewell. One of them is Donald C. Pfanz's book on the biography of Ewell. And then Judith McGuire in her book, Diary of a Southern Refugee During the War, and also Christ in the Camp by J. William Jones, all of these record the conversion of General Ewell. The account of Mrs. McGuire is as follows.

Listen to what she says. General Ewell relates an incident went on their victorious march through the valley last summer, which is beautifully characteristic of General Jackson. One night when it was evident that there was to be a battle the next day, General Ewell went to General Jackson for his plans. General Jackson replied that he would give them to him the next morning as they had not been yet formed. General Ewell felt uneasy and were restless and could not sleep. About midnight he arose and passing through the sleeping multitudes, he reached General Jackson's tent and was about to raise the curtain to enter it. When his attention was arrested by the voice of prayer, General Jackson was praying fervently for guidance through the coming day. General Ewell remarked to a friend that he had never heard a prayer so devout and so beautiful. He then, for the first time in his life, felt a desire to be a Christian. He retired to his tent quietly without disturbing General Jackson. Feeling assured that all would be well, the next morning a fight came off replete with victory.

And then Pastor Jones writes this in Christ in the Camp. He says, I have from a well-authenticated source that the conversion of Lieutenant General Ewell, Jackson's able lieutenant, was on this wise. At a council of war one night, Jackson had listened very attentively to the views of his subordinates and asked until the next morning to present his own. As they came away, A.P. Hill laughingly said to Ewell, well, I suppose Jackson wants time to pray over him. Having occasion to return to his quarters again a short time afterward, Ewell found Jackson on his knees and heard his prayers for God's guidance in the perplexing movements before him. The sturdy veteran Ewell was so deeply impressed by the incident and by General Jackson's religious character that he said, if this is religion, then I must have it.

Ewell's Conversion and Changed Life

After his leg amputation, Pastor Moses Drury Hoge led Ewell to faith. His conversion was evidenced by a dramatic change in speech, prayer, and desire for Scripture.

And it was not long after that that he made a profession of faith. Pastor Moses Drury Hoge that led General Ewell to his faith in Jesus Christ. Now, Pastor Hoge had been a friend of the family. In fact, Ewell's niece Lizzie had lived with the Hoges during most of the war. General Ewell had been wounded, had his leg amputated, and during the time of amputation and the healing of that amputation was when Pastor Hoge had talked with and led General Ewell to his conversion in Jesus Christ.

Now let's ask this question. Was General Ewell's conversion real? Was it genuine? Were there evidences of repentance? And the answer is yes.

Now, you've got to remember that Ewell previously had been a profane man. He was one who had developed cursing into an art. In fact, a man who knew General Ewell in the 1850s testified that he could swear the scalp off an Apache. Even as late as 1862, he was said to curse in a style that defies description. But after his conversion, Campbell Brown claimed that he only heard his chief swear twice. Once to a stupid courier, and once to a man who was riding his horse cruelly. And an aide, James Power Smith, affirmed that he never heard the general utter an oath. On the contrary, Smith said, he knew General Ewell to be a Christian gentleman, reverent, devout, and free from the habit of profanity. Ewell's troops evidently believed that his conversion was real because they said this, it was generally understood that General Ewell never swore after becoming a Christian.

And I like this account. Pastor W. M. Dame told Hattie after the war, And we had greatly added respect for his character, that is General Ewell's character on this account, for we knew that at four times he did not confine himself to the dull neutralities of undecorated speech, and it took a strong manhood backed by the grace of God to overcome that fixed habit. Now listen, the only exception, the pastor said, that he knew of was when General Ewell dropped a burning coal on his bare foot. On that occasion, the pastor admitted, Ewell did let a single expletive slip. Even so, the minister did not find fault. I am sure, said the pastor, the recording angel considered the circumstances and gave him credit and a good deal of it for restraining himself to just one." So he said he understood. I never will forget when I was a boy. I was working with my father. We had a black man working with us and his son was out there. And the little boy, I don't know, was nine or ten years old. And the little boy hit his finger with a hammer. And he come out with a cuss word, you know. And the black man went over. He broke him off a limb and he took that little boy and he just whipped the living daylights out of him. And Daddy said to him, He said, you ought not to beat that little boy like that. He said, I might have said the same thing as I hit my finger. And I never will forget what the black man said. He said, oh, Mr. DJ, he said, I didn't whip him for saying that word.

He said, I whipped him because he sounded like he had experience in practicing it. So Ewell was one of those who had experience in practicing it, I can assure you. Captain Frank A. Bond had been appointed provost marshal of a town by General Ewell and Captain Bond kept wanting to see some action and of course he was provost marshal and he had to stay in town. And so when the cavalry went through he slipped off with the cavalry and when General Ewell found out that Captain Bond had gone off without orders, he sent for him and brought him back. And here's what Captain Bond said after General Ewell got through with him. He says, the way that old gentleman pitched in to me when I got back was a caution.

Why, he said, he had lost a leg, taken a wife, joined the church the previous year, and didn't swear then, but he was sufficiently emphatic without it. So, very obviously, General Ewell then changed his mode of speech after he was converted. I think I told you this, but I was preaching in Thomasville, Georgia, and the pastor's brother came to church that night and God got a hold of him and he was convicted and converted. And after church that night, we went out to a restaurant. We were sitting together and eating and all of a sudden the pastor's brother just broke out laughing, just, you know, almost uncontrollable.

Ewell's Post-Conversion Testimony

Ewell publicly gave thanks to God, encouraged religious services, and displayed the marks of true conversion: repentance, prayer, and love for God's Word.

At Gaines Crossroads, anticipating a battle with the Union General Milroy, General Ewell issued a general order reminding his troops that the discipline and obedience to orders are the means to secure success." He then asked his troops to join with him in prayer, asking that divine aid in which was the reliance of our lamented and illustrious chief, that is, Stonewall Jackson. Stonewall was dead at this time, and so he said, let's ask God's blessing upon this battle. And after the battle was over, and, of course, the Confederate forces had won, Ewell announced a victory in a general order, and here's what he said. He asked the men and the officers of his command to unite with him in returning thanks to our Heavenly Father for the signal success which has crowned the valor of this command. As had been his predecessor's custom, Ewell directed chaplains to hold religious services in their respective regiments at such times as may be convenient. The significance of the order was not lost on the troops. Listen, said one soldier to the other, John, have you noticed how General Ewell seems to be aping General Jackson or copying General Jackson?

Hal asked the other, why since Jackson's death, Ewell always has God in every one of his dispatches? Hmm, sounds to me like there had been indeed a change. General Jackson said this concerning his victory over Milroy. He says, next to God, he was indebted to General Hayes' staff and to the men there for the almost bloodless victory over General Milroy. So he was giving thanks to God and recognizing that. General Ewell went with Lee to Gettysburg, and on his way to Gettysburg, he had captured Carlisle, Pennsylvania. In fact, General Ewell wanted to march on to Harrisburg, the capital, and capture it, and he was on his way there and would have captured it, because there were very few men there, but General Lee called him back and told him to head toward Gettysburg. As he had captured Carlisle, Pennsylvania, he had been stationed as a young dragoon at Carlisle Barracks, and so he's very familiar with that territory. And so he had captured the town, and he had set up his headquarters, and everyone knew that General Ewell was in charge.

So after he got settled into his new headquarters, a delegation of pastors came to General Ewell and asked if their churches might be open the next day, which was on Sunday, and that they might preach to the people. Ewell replied, General Ewell, I wish to attend church myself. The ministers thanked Ewell and then left. A short time later they came back and they asked General Ewell, would the General object if they offered a prayer for President Lincoln? Not at all, Ewell replied. I know of no man in more need of your prayers than Abraham Lincoln. And of course, the clergyman then silently withdrew. But of course, the churches the next day had more Confederates in them than they did Union sympathizers.

Now, what am I trying to show you? Look in your Bibles to Acts chapter 9. Was General Ewell truly converted? And the answer is yes. In Acts chapter 9, you have the conversion of Saul of Tarsus. And you remember how Saul was ranting and raving against the Christians. He had been consenting to the death of Stephen. He had gone to Damascus with the letters from the high priest that if he found any Christians, he might throw them into prison. We'll look in Acts chapter 9 and verse 11. Of course, everyone knew what Saul of Tarsus was doing to the Christians. And the Lord said unto him, that is to Ananias, Arise, and go in the street which is called Straight, and inquire in the house of Judas, for one called Saul of Tarsus. For behold, he prayeth. What is God telling Ananias? Saying, Ananias, you don't have to be afraid of Saul any longer. I have him tamed. He's on a leash. He's now mine. And the evidence is, he's praying. What in the world is the evidence of true conversion?

Application and Conclusion

Weaver applies the pattern of Ewell's conversion to all believers, urging them to examine their lives for repentance, prayer, and desire for Scripture, and to be a witness like Jackson.

Prayer and a desire for the Word of God. After Pastor Hoge returned from England with a large load of Bibles for the troops, General Ewell conveyed his thanks along with the hope and request of Pastor Hoge to join him in prayer. Listen, that I may be assisted in following the precepts of the divine word and that I may be guided by its wisdom. You see, General Ewell displayed the three characteristics of a real converted individual. What are they? Repentance from known sin, prayer to the Heavenly Father, and a desire for the Word of God. We can judge whether or not we have been converted by examining our lives and seeing whether these three things are in them.

Have we turned from our sins? Are we tamed by the Lord and we now pray and cry to our Heavenly Father? And do we desire the pure Word of God? Isn't it wonderful that the grace of God is able to convert the vilest and the wickedest? He was a profane old soldier, melted, transformed by the grace of God. And the same grace that converted General Ewell will convert men and women today. For God is absolutely sovereign and on the throne. Let's pray. Father, we thank Thee today for Jesus Christ. We thank Thee for the truth of Thy Word, for the truth of history. And Lord, we thank Thee for those whom Thou hast used all down through these years. And Lord, may it be that we can be a Stonewall Jackson to someone else and influence them by the grace of God in our lives.

Help us to be a witness and a testimony. In the name of Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen and amen.

Study Guide

Major Themes

Sovereignty of God in Salvation

Summary: Salvation is entirely a work of God, not of human will or effort, as illustrated by birth, creation, and resurrection.

Evidence: Weaver states, 'there can be absolutely no doubt that salvation is of the Lord... because Scripture expressly declares it. Jonah 2:9 says, salvation is of the Lord.'

Regeneration Precedes Conversion

Summary: Regeneration is the secret, sovereign implantation of life by God, while conversion is the visible fruit and evidence of that life.

Evidence: Weaver explains, 'Regeneration and conversion are two different things... Regeneration is the implantation of divine life into the soul, and conversion is the fruit and the evidence of regeneration.'

Evidences of Genuine Conversion

Summary: True conversion is marked by repentance from sin, prayer to God, and a desire for the Word of God.

Evidence: Weaver says, 'General Ewell displayed the three characteristics of a real converted individual. What are they? Repentance from known sin, prayer to the Heavenly Father, and a desire for the Word of God.'

The Power of a Godly Example

Summary: Stonewall Jackson's prayer life and character were instrumental in Ewell's conversion, demonstrating the impact of a consistent Christian witness.

Evidence: Weaver recounts, 'Ewell was so deeply impressed by the incident and by General Jackson's religious character that he said, if this is religion, then I must have it.'

Transformation by Grace

Summary: God's grace can radically change even the most profane and hardened sinner, as seen in Ewell's abandonment of cursing and new devotion.

Evidence: Weaver notes, 'He was a profane old soldier, melted, transformed by the grace of God.'

Key Arguments

Salvation is entirely God's work

Summary: The Bible uses illustrations of birth, creation, and resurrection to show that man contributes nothing to his salvation; it is a sovereign act of God.

Evidence: Weaver argues, 'each one of these three illustrations demonstrate conclusively that salvation is the work of God alone.'

The Bible does not tell how to be born again

Summary: Because regeneration is a supernatural work of God, Scripture does not give a method for being born again, only for conversion.

Evidence: Weaver states, 'nowhere does the Bible tell us how to be born from above... The reason the Bible doesn't tell you how to be born again is because being born from above is a supernatural work of God.'

Regeneration guarantees conversion

Summary: Once God implants life in the soul, conversion will inevitably follow as the outward manifestation of that life.

Evidence: Weaver says, 'regeneration assures conversion. Once regeneration has taken place, conversion is absolutely certain.'

Ewell's conversion was genuine

Summary: Ewell's dramatic change in speech, his prayer life, and his desire for Scripture align with biblical marks of true conversion.

Evidence: Weaver cites testimony: 'it was generally understood that General Ewell never swore after becoming a Christian.'

The pattern of Paul's conversion applies to all believers

Summary: Paul's conversion serves as a pattern for all who believe, not in intensity but in the basic elements of God's sovereign work.

Evidence: Weaver quotes 1 Timothy 1:16 and says, 'All who are converted are converted as the Apostle Paul was converted.'

Scripture References

John 3:1-8

Context: Read at the opening to establish the necessity of the new birth.

1 Timothy 1:16

Context: Paul's conversion as a pattern for all believers.

Jonah 2:9

Context: Cited to prove that salvation is of the Lord.

James 1:18

Context: God begets us by His own will.

2 Corinthians 5:17

Context: Illustration of salvation as a new creation.

Ephesians 2:1

Context: Illustration of salvation as resurrection from the dead.

John 11

Context: Lazarus as an illustration of regeneration and conversion.

Galatians 4:4-6

Context: The Spirit crying 'Abba, Father' as evidence of conversion.

1 Peter 2:2

Context: Desire for the Word as evidence of new birth.

Acts 9:11

Context: Saul's praying as evidence of his conversion.

Historical References

General Richard Stoddard Ewell (1817-1872)

Context: Confederate general known as 'Old Baldy,' converted after being influenced by Stonewall Jackson.

Stonewall Jackson

Context: Confederate general whose godly character and prayer life deeply influenced Ewell.

Pastor Moses Drury Hoge

Context: The minister who led Ewell to faith in Christ during his recovery from amputation.

Battle of Port Republic

Context: Jackson remarked to Ewell about seeing the hand of God in the victory.

Gettysburg Campaign

Context: Ewell captured Carlisle, Pennsylvania, and allowed churches to remain open, offering prayer for Lincoln.

Donald C. Pfanz's biography of Ewell

Context: Mentioned as a source for Ewell's life.

Judith McGuire, Diary of a Southern Refugee

Context: Cited as a source for the account of Ewell's conversion.

J. William Jones, Christ in the Camp

Context: Cited as a source for the account of Ewell's conversion.

Important Quotes

Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

Significance: Jesus' foundational statement on the necessity of the new birth.

salvation is of the Lord.

Significance: Weaver's summary of Jonah 2:9, emphasizing divine sovereignty in salvation.

Regeneration and conversion are two different things. They are not identical. Regeneration is the implantation of divine life into the soul, and conversion is the fruit and the evidence of regeneration.

Significance: Key theological distinction Weaver makes throughout the sermon.

if this is religion, then I must have it.

Significance: Ewell's response upon witnessing Jackson's prayer life, marking the turning point toward his conversion.

it was generally understood that General Ewell never swore after becoming a Christian.

Significance: Evidence of the genuineness of Ewell's conversion through changed speech.

He was a profane old soldier, melted, transformed by the grace of God.

Significance: Weaver's summary of the power of grace in Ewell's life.

Discussion Questions

How do the illustrations of birth, creation, and resurrection help you understand that salvation is entirely God's work?

Context: Weaver uses these three analogies to argue that man contributes nothing to salvation.

What is the difference between regeneration and conversion, and why is this distinction important?

Context: Weaver emphasizes that regeneration is God's secret work, while conversion is its visible fruit.

In what ways did Stonewall Jackson's life influence Ewell, and what can we learn about being a witness to others?

Context: Jackson's prayer life and character led Ewell to desire faith.

What are the biblical evidences of genuine conversion, and how were they displayed in Ewell's life?

Context: Weaver lists repentance, prayer, and desire for the Word as marks of true conversion.

Why does the Bible not tell us 'how to be born again,' and what does that imply about the nature of salvation?

Context: Weaver argues that regeneration is a supernatural act that cannot be humanly manufactured.

Applications

Examine your conversion

Summary: Believers should examine their lives for the biblical evidences of conversion: repentance from sin, prayer, and desire for God's Word.

Evidence: Weaver says, 'We can judge whether or not we have been converted by examining our lives and seeing whether these three things are in them.'

Be a godly influence

Summary: Like Stonewall Jackson, Christians should live in such a way that others are drawn to Christ through their example.

Evidence: Weaver prays, 'Lord, may it be that we can be a Stonewall Jackson to someone else and influence them by the grace of God in our lives.'

Trust in God's sovereign grace

Summary: No sinner is beyond the reach of God's grace, as demonstrated by the conversion of the profane General Ewell.

Evidence: Weaver states, 'the same grace that converted General Ewell will convert men and women today.'

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | clean_readable_transcript | 2026-06-05T13:02:54Z

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | weaver_study | 2026-06-05T23:38:27Z

Clean Transcript

Conversion of Gen. Richard Ewell

Clean readable transcript. This view follows the Commentary.net cleaned segment text while preserving timestamps for audio follow-along.

I want you to open your Bibles to John 3 and also 1 Timothy 1. John 3 and 1 Timothy 1. And the message is on the conversion of General Richard Stoddard Ewell. And I'll tell you about General Ewell in just a minute. But I want you to look in John 3, and I'm going to set the stage theologically before I give it to you historically. John 3, and let's begin with verse 1. John 3, verse 1.
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There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. The same came to Jesus by night and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God, for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him. Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter the second time into his mother's womb and be born? Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh. That which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I say unto thee, You must be born again.
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The wind bloweth whither it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof. But canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth. So is every one that is born of the Spirit.
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Now, if you look in 1 Timothy 1 and verse 16, the Apostle makes this statement, Howbeit for this cause I obtain mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show forth all longsuffering for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting. Now, the Apostle Paul makes a bold and a very broad statement in 1 Timothy 1 and verse 16. He states that his life, that is his conversion, was a pattern which was to be hereafter for all of those who believe. All who are converted are converted as the Apostle Paul was converted.
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Now, that does not mean that we have the same degree of conviction or the same degree of intensity that he had in all things, but the pattern is basically the same. And, of course, we find the truth in John chapter 3 that Jesus Christ told Nicodemus, Verily, verily, I say unto you, you must be born again. Now, Nicodemus, the Bible tells us, was a ruler of the Jews. He was a Pharisee. And Christ used a very simple truth to confound this ruler of the Jews. He literally told him that a man must be born again. Now, the word again is from the Greek word anothen, which literally is from above. Literally what Jesus Christ said, Verily I say unto you, you must be born from above.
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In other words, unless you are birthed from above, our Lord says, you cannot enter into the Kingdom of God. Now, there can be absolutely no doubt that salvation is of the Lord. And there can be no doubt for two reasons. Number one, because Scripture expressly declares it. Jonah 2:9 says, salvation is of the Lord. And the second reason, is because there are only three illustrations of salvation in the Bible, and each one of these three illustrations demonstrate conclusively that salvation is the work of God. The first illustration that is given is in John 3, where Jesus Christ said, "...verily, verily, I say unto you, that a man must be born again, or born from above, before he can enter or see the kingdom of God." So here then is the illustration of a birth.
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Now let me just ask you this question. How many of you had anything to do with your physical birth? No one. Not one. You did not one day just decide, well, I want to be born. No. The truth of the matter is you had nothing to do with your physical birth. You were born at the pleasure of your parents. It was their choice and their decision and theirs alone. You had nothing to do with it.
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Now I'm going to show you the same is true of our spiritual birth. The Bible says in James chapter 1 in verse 18, "...of his own will begat he us with the word of truth." Of his own will. So it's God who sovereignly births us. I'm going to develop this in just a moment. But the second illustration is that of creation. In 2 Corinthians 5 in verse 17, he said, "...if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature," or literally, a new creation.
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All things are passed away. All things are become new.
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Now let me ask you a question. How many of you had anything to do with the first creation? And the answer is not one. You weren't even around. The Bible says that God spoke the world into existence. If you will study the book of 2 Corinthians chapter 2, you will remember that the Bible tells us that God spoke and He has shined the light of Jesus Christ into our hearts. So just like we had nothing to do with the first creation, we have nothing to do with the second creation. It's a work of God. The third illustration is found in Ephesians 2 and verse 1, when the Bible says, And you hath he quickened who were dead in trespasses and sins. How many dead men have you ever known that have raised themselves from the dead? And the answer is none.
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You don't pass a cemetery and hear someone saying, up foot, wiggle toe, move arm. No. If a dead man is raised, then there must be a power outside of him that is exerted upon him, or else he'll never be raised. Why? Because he's dead. So here are three illustrations. That of birth, that of creation, and that of resurrection. And each one of these three illustrations demonstrate conclusively that salvation is the work of God alone.
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Now, look back in John chapter 3, if you would please, and verse 3. Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, or born from above, he cannot see the kingdom of God. And then in verse 7, marvel not that I said unto you, You must be born again. Now, literally what Christ is doing in John chapter 3 is He is giving us an analogy that we can understand.
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He is telling us that spiritual life is just like physical life in one sense of the word. For instance, before you were born physically, there was a conception, which was the implantation of life. There was maturation, that is, you matured in your mother's womb. And then finally, after that maturation was completed, you were actually born. You came forth. Now, the same thing is true when you think of the spiritual life. You see, conception physically is the implantation of life. For instance, when a woman conceives, she does not necessarily know at that time there is life in her.
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I mean, all of the ladies sitting here today that have had children, can you pinpoint the exact second that life began? And the answer is no, you cannot. That life was there, but later on there was some maturation, and then there were signs, there were evidences that yes, you indeed were expecting. And then finally, that child was born.
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Now the same thing is true in the spiritual realm. By the way, before I tell you that, let me ask you a question. How do we know that there's a real child born? You say, well, that's very simple. Pastor, I can see. No. Now, wait a minute. You do know there is such a thing as a stillbirth. There have been individuals that were born that were born dead. What are the two evidences that there has been a real, live child? The very first thing the child does when he's born is what? He cries. The second thing is the child immediately desires milk.
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Now, I want you to remember that because I'm going to show you this spiritually. Let's go back to the physical picture. Here's conception. What is conception? It is the implantation of life. Here is regeneration. What is regeneration? Regeneration is the supernatural work of God whereby He implants life into the soul. It is God who begets us. It is God who regenerates us. It is God who places that life in us. But now, wait a minute, just like in conception, a woman can be pregnant and not know it at that moment. So likewise, an individual can be regenerated and not know it at that moment.
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You say, how can that be? Because after there is the implantation of life, there is secondly, maturation. That is, we begin to mature, that life begins to show signs and evidences. We call it conviction. We call it musings. In other words, we start thinking about things in a different light. We start thinking about our sins differently. We start thinking about truth differently, where before our sins never bothered us, all of a sudden now they bother us. Before we had no consciences about certain things, but now we have consciences about them. In other words, we can no longer do them. We say, whoa, wait a minute, and there is a desire now to hear the truth, and then there is actually the birth. Now, the birth is equal to conversion.
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You see, when the regenerated, convicted sinner repents of his sin, and he comes to faith in Christ, and trusts only in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, that is what we call conversion. That is, he bows to the Lordship of Jesus Christ.
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Now let me put it to you like this. Regeneration and conversion are two different things. They are not identical. Regeneration is the implantation of divine life into the soul, and conversion is the fruit and the evidence of regeneration. In other words, regeneration assures conversion. Once regeneration has taken place, conversion is absolutely certain.
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Now, there's an interesting thing about John chapter 3. Although our Lord tells us we must be born from above, nowhere does the Bible tell us how to be born from above. Isn't that interesting?
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Now, Billy Graham, a few years ago, came out with a book entitled How to be Born Again. I don't know where he got his information from. He certainly didn't get it from the Bible, because the Bible does not tell you how to be born again. Now, the Bible does tell you how to be converted. See, they're two different things. The reason the Bible doesn't tell you how to be born again is because being born from above is a supernatural work of God. It's something that only God can do. Man can't do it.
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Let me give you a perfect illustration. You remember John chapter 11, Lazarus dies. And our Lord went there with His disciples, and He told His disciples, we go to awake Lazarus from his sleep. They said, Lord, if he's sleeping, he's doing well. And our Lord said, look, let me tell you very plainly, he's dead. And when they got there, he had already been dead four days. And Mary came out to meet the Lord and said, Lord, had you been here?
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My brother had not died. Then Martha came out, Lord, had you been here? My brother had not died. He said, even now if you believe, you will see that he's going to live. I am the resurrection, said the Lord. I just walked into town and he shall live. And what did our Lord do? He walked up to the tomb where Lazarus was buried, and then He said, Lazarus, come forth.
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And what does the Bible tell us? He that was bound with grave clothes came forth.
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Now, let me ask you a question. Did God give Lazarus life inside that tomb which enabled him to walk out? Or did He only give him life after he got up and walked out?
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Now, you know the answer. If God had not done something for Lazarus inside that tomb, he would have never walked out. See, what God did inside that tomb was regeneration. It was the implantation of divine life. When he got up and walked out of the tomb, that is conversion. That is the evidence that God has indeed given us life. You see, regeneration implants life, and conversion then is the full manifestation and fruition and maturation of that life.
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Now, look in your Bibles. I want you to turn, first of all, to the book of Galatians chapter 4. Galatians chapter 4. And notice, if you would please, beginning there with verse 4, I asked you earlier, What were the two signs that a real live baby had been born? And the answer, the answer was... First thing the baby does is cries, and the second thing he does is desires milk. Well, look in Galatians 4, beginning there with verse 4.
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But when the fullness of time was come, God sent forth His Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. What does a regenerated, converted man begin to do? He begins to cry and to pray to his heavenly Father, the One who has regenerated him.
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Look in your Bible to 1 Peter 2 and verse 2. Look what the Bible says, 1 Peter 2 and verse 2. He says, As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the Word that you may grow thereby.
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Now, how can you tell that someone is a real, genuine child of God? The answer is very simple. He immediately begins to pray, and secondly, he immediately desires to hear and to be taught the Word of God. He wants those two things more than anything else in the world. Just like a physical birth, so it is in the spiritual birth.
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Now, I told you today that I was going to speak on the conversion of General Richard Ewell. Now, I want you to understand that General Richard Ewell only came to Christ by the grace of God, just like anyone else. And although we cannot see his regeneration, we do not know when and where and how God implanted life into him, we can see his conversion and the fruits thereof and judge whether or not the man was genuinely converted according to the Word of God. Now, General Richard Stoddard Ewell of the Confederate Armies was affectionately known as Old Baldy.
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Now, I can identify with that. General Ewell was born on February the 8th, 1817 to Thomas and Elizabeth Stoddard Ewell. He was raised in a devout Episcopalian household. His mother was the one that had the greatest influence upon his life, and when General Ewell went away to West Point to study at the military academy there, even there he maintained much of his religious training and his religious conviction. However, military life was going to prove the undoing of much of his training. Now, after leaving West Point, Ewell maintained still a belief in God. But organized religion no longer played an important part of his life. In fact, at that time, he did not even own a Bible. The natural skepticism of youth, the wicked influence of military life, and the lack of organized religion on all the frontier posts destroyed what little was left of his religious training.
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And another thing was this. Itinerant missionaries or itinerant preachers greatly decayed his religious training. You say, how in the world can that be? Well, you've got to remember that there were many missionaries who worked with the Indians back at that time, and some of those missionaries were unethical in and of themselves. They were not converted individuals. In fact, many of them just took government pay and pay from other churches to go out there and literally party, because Ewell reported that wife-beating and fornication and theft and cheating was prevalent among them. And when his brother William expressed his desire to become a missionary, here is what General Ewell wrote. He said, I was quite shocked at the thought of Williams turning missionary. I have seen so much injury done to Indians here by them that I am rather skeptical as to their utility. Some of the greatest scamps we have are missionaries. Isn't that amazing? Here was a man who was raised with religion, although he was not a Christian, recognized that some of the greatest scamps, as he called them, were those who were claiming to be Christians.
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Now, General Ewell was what you and I would call today a cusser. I mean, he cussed. He was a profane man. And oftentimes, when he drilled his soldiers, he cussed them very lustily. And yet, he loved the men, and they respected him, and they understood that he did indeed love them. One of the funniest things that I read about General Ewell was, in one of the early skirmishes of the War of Northern Aggression, Ewell was in bed, and he was awakened at night by gunfire. So he jumped up in the middle of the night, in his nightgown, and ran to where the Warrenton Rifles, some of his men had formed, because Union Cavalry had come through the little town, shooting up the town. And so he got to his men, still in his nightgown, and he reformed and regrouped the Warrenton Rifles.
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And the next thing you know, the horses were coming up the road. Well, it was dark and they could not see the men. And so General Ewell stepped down. He said, halt, who goes there? The answer came back, Cavalry. And General Ewell replied, what cavalry? At that the Union officer who was leading the cavalry shot a pistol and it grazed Ewell in the shoulder near the neck. By that time his men fired back and laid down such a deadly fire that the federal officers decided they better go another way around Fairfax Courthouse and so they went away. A soldier, a young recruit, noticing Ewell's injury, asked him if he was hurt much. To that, the general replied, it's none of your blank business.
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Take your place in the ranks. Brigadier General Samuel Ferguson later laughed when he heard the story and here's what he said, I've often pictured to myself the old soldier mad as a hornet as being taken by surprise and his command thrown in confusion and smarting too with a wound, having a raw recruit interrupt him with his sympathy. He chuckled. The soldier, however, did not find it so amusing.
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Repeating Ewell's response to Laconicus a short time later, the offended man remarked, You know, sir, that was not only impolite, but very profane. So he just asked Ewell how he was, and he snapped back with that reply. Pastor William E. Dame said this concerning Ewell's speech, He did not confine himself to the dull neutralities of undecorated speech. Private George Terry Eagleston put it more bluntly. Listen to this. General Ewell was at this time the most violently and elaborately profane man I have ever known. Elaborately, I say, because his profanity did not consist of single or even double oaths, but was ingeniously wrought into whole sentences. It was profanity which might be parsed and seemed the result of careful study and long practice.
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So he was a cusser for sure. Colonel Thomas Munford agreed saying this to this, that Ewell was a hard old customer and could swear when he chose to exercise that faculty in a style that defies description. He spared no one when he was cross, but was nobly generous at other times. Ewell was indeed an anomaly. Although he was not a Christian, remember he was raised in a religious home. And one of his posts of duty, there was a young girl that had been captured by the Apaches. And General Ewell went out and confronted the Apaches, and without having a battle with them, literally talked them into surrendering the young girl into his care and his custody. And so the Apaches did so, and when Ewell brought the young girl back into town, I mean, the town was just crazy with joy. They threw a great celebration and a great party and heaped all kind of praise upon General Ewell. And General Ewell wrote to his niece Lizzie and he said this, the people made a great fuss about the child, and not knowing how to thank Providence, vented their gratitude upon me in making a fuss over me.
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Isn't that amazing? Here's a profane man who can cuss so elaborately, yet at the same time, he recognized that it was God who allowed him to recapture that young girl. And he said, the people just did not know how to thank providence, how to thank God. And so they made a big fuss over me.
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Now, General John Brown Gordon of Georgia, and we can smile when we say Georgia, and by the way, I understand he's a distant relative. I haven't checked that out, but General John Brown Gordon of Georgia said this concerning General Ewell. Gordon regarded Ewell as one of the most unusual men that he'd ever met. Here's what he said. He was a compound of anomalies, of the oddest, most eccentric genius in the Confederate Army.
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But he also had a hot temper and a sharp tongue. No man had a better heart, nor a worse manner of showing it. He was in truth as tender and sympathetic as a woman, but even under the slightest provocation, he became externally as rough as a polar bear, and the needles with which he pricked sensibilities were more numerous and keener than those of porcupine quills." So, he recognized that he could certainly be hard when he wanted to.
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Now, one of the men that had the most profound influence on the life of General Ewell was General Stonewall Jackson. And everyone has heard me speak of the godliness and the character of Stonewall Jackson. Now there were differences between Ewell and Jackson. Jackson was to be the instrument that God used in the conversion of General Ewell, but Jackson was holy and pious while Ewell was profane. Ewell was quick-tempered and excitable while Jackson remained always poised and in control. Ewell's first meeting and acquaintance with Jackson was certainly not what you and I would call good because General Jackson had left Ewell to guard Conrad's store while he had gone off to Staunton, Virginia. And, of course, Banks, General Banks of the Union Army was around there. Everybody knows that General Jackson was always secretive of his plans.
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He hardly ever told his subordinates what they were going to do until they were there and ready to do so. So, he had left General Ewell at Conrad's store, and when James A. Walker of the 13th Virginia called on General Ewell at his headquarters, he heard that Ewell was in a towering rage and decided, you know, now would not be the time to call on General Ewell. But before he could get away, General Ewell spotted him and he hollered, Colonel Walker! Did it ever occur to you that General Jackson is crazy? Now, Walker had studied under Jackson at Virginia Military Institute, and he responded with admirable restraint. He says, I don't know, General. We used to call him fool Tom Jackson at Virginia Military Institute, but I do not suppose he's really crazy. Ewell responded, and I tell you, sir, he's as crazy as a march hare. He's gone away, and I don't know where. He's left me without instructions except to stay here until he returns. But Bank's whole army is advancing on me, and I have not the remotest idea where to communicate with General Jackson.
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I tell you, sir, he's crazy, and I'll just march my division away from here. I do not mean to have it cut to pieces at the behest of a crazy man." Leaving Ewell, Walker rode to the headquarters of Brigadier Commander Arnold Elsie. Elsie, too, was in a foul humor, having just left General Ewell. When Elsie saw the colonel, Walker had mentioned that he had just come from Ewell's headquarters, and Elsie screeched out, I tell you, sir, General Ewell is crazy, and I have a serious notion of marching my brigade back to Gordonville. So everybody was thinking everybody was crazy. Now, Ewell was certainly displeased with his first encounter with Jackson. And he wrote to his niece Lizzie again, and he referred to Jackson as that enthusiastic fanatic. And because General Jackson was hunting banks' supply trains, and by the way, the logic is very simple, if you cut off the army's supply, they can't think. And because he was hunting the supply train and trying to capture the supplies for his army and to deprive banks of those supplies, then Ewell referred to him as that wagon-hunting deacon because he was a deacon as well.
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Now, it was only after General Ewell began to see Jackson fight and win battle after battle that Ewell's conception of General Jackson began to change. In fact, they became intimate friends and admired and respected each other. General Ewell not only ate with Jackson, but was actually invited to worship services with Jackson. At the Battle of Port Republic, as the battle entered its final stages, Jackson appeared and he grasped General Richard Taylor's hand and he promised to give to General Taylor the guns that were captured of his Louisiana Brigade and give him all those cannons. And then he looked at General Ewell and he placed his hand upon his sleeve and Jackson remarked, and he said, he who does not see the hand of God in this is blind, sir. I tell you, blind. So Jackson was witnessing to General Ewell all along without even Ewell's recognition of it. After they became friends and their respect grew, General Ewell saw Colonel Mumford and he asked about their conversation, what he called Jackson crazy. He asked him if he remembered that conversation because Colonel Mumford was there as well.
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Colonel Mumford replied that he remembered the conversation well. Ewell replied, I take it all back. And I will never prejudge another man. Old Jackson is no fool. He knows how to keep his own counsel and does curious things. But he has a method in his madness. He's not crazy at all. Later, when Ewell was asked about what he thought of Jackson and the Valley campaign, here's what he said. Well, sir, when he commenced the Valley campaign, I thought he was crazy. Before he ended it, I thought he was inspired.
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And so you can see the change in his life. Now, Ewell was tremendously impacted by the character and the godliness of Stonewall Jackson. And he knew about Stonewall Jackson's prayer life. Stonewall used to ride in the battle with his hands raised toward heaven, and all he was doing was praying as he went into battle. But during one maneuver that Jackson had told the men about, General Ewell and another officer were concerned about the congestion of their troops marching on the same road. And they went to Jackson and his tent and asked him to reconsider and told him that they were concerned about the congestion of the men. And Jackson said, well, I'll give you my answer in the morning. As the men stepped outside, Ewell looked at his friend and said, do you know why General Jackson would not decide upon our suggestion at once?
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It was because he has to pray over it before he makes up his mind. A moment later, Ewell's companion discovered that he'd forgotten his sword. Returning to Jackson's tent, he found General Jackson on his knees praying for divine guidance, just as General Ewell had said. Now, there are several excellent books that are on the life of General Ewell. One of them is Donald C. Pfanz's book on the biography of Ewell. And then Judith McGuire in her book, Diary of a Southern Refugee During the War, and also Christ in the Camp by J. William Jones, all of these record the conversion of General Ewell. The account of Mrs. McGuire is as follows.
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Listen to what she says. General Ewell relates an incident went on their victorious march through the valley last summer, which is beautifully characteristic of General Jackson. One night when it was evident that there was to be a battle the next day, General Ewell went to General Jackson for his plans. General Jackson replied that he would give them to him the next morning as they had not been yet formed. General Ewell felt uneasy and were restless and could not sleep. About midnight he arose and passing through the sleeping multitudes, he reached General Jackson's tent and was about to raise the curtain to enter it. When his attention was arrested by the voice of prayer, General Jackson was praying fervently for guidance through the coming day. General Ewell remarked to a friend that he had never heard a prayer so devout and so beautiful. He then, for the first time in his life, felt a desire to be a Christian. He retired to his tent quietly without disturbing General Jackson. Feeling assured that all would be well, the next morning a fight came off replete with victory.
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And then Pastor Jones writes this in Christ in the Camp. He says, I have from a well-authenticated source that the conversion of Lieutenant General Ewell, Jackson's able lieutenant, was on this wise. At a council of war one night, Jackson had listened very attentively to the views of his subordinates and asked until the next morning to present his own. As they came away, A.P. Hill laughingly said to Ewell, well, I suppose Jackson wants time to pray over him. Having occasion to return to his quarters again a short time afterward, Ewell found Jackson on his knees and heard his prayers for God's guidance in the perplexing movements before him. The sturdy veteran Ewell was so deeply impressed by the incident and by General Jackson's religious character that he said, if this is religion, then I must have it.
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And it was not long after that that he made a profession of faith. Pastor Moses Drury Hoge that led General Ewell to his faith in Jesus Christ. Now, Pastor Hoge had been a friend of the family. In fact, Ewell's niece Lizzie had lived with the Hoges during most of the war. General Ewell had been wounded, had his leg amputated, and during the time of amputation and the healing of that amputation was when Pastor Hoge had talked with and led General Ewell to his conversion in Jesus Christ.
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Now let's ask this question. Was General Ewell's conversion real? Was it genuine? Were there evidences of repentance? And the answer is yes.
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Now, you've got to remember that Ewell previously had been a profane man. He was one who had developed cursing into an art. In fact, a man who knew General Ewell in the 1850s testified that he could swear the scalp off an Apache. Even as late as 1862, he was said to curse in a style that defies description. But after his conversion, Campbell Brown claimed that he only heard his chief swear twice. Once to a stupid courier, and once to a man who was riding his horse cruelly. And an aide, James Power Smith, affirmed that he never heard the general utter an oath. On the contrary, Smith said, he knew General Ewell to be a Christian gentleman, reverent, devout, and free from the habit of profanity. Ewell's troops evidently believed that his conversion was real because they said this, it was generally understood that General Ewell never swore after becoming a Christian.
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And I like this account. Pastor W. M. Dame told Hattie after the war, And we had greatly added respect for his character, that is General Ewell's character on this account, for we knew that at four times he did not confine himself to the dull neutralities of undecorated speech, and it took a strong manhood backed by the grace of God to overcome that fixed habit. Now listen, the only exception, the pastor said, that he knew of was when General Ewell dropped a burning coal on his bare foot. On that occasion, the pastor admitted, Ewell did let a single expletive slip.
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Even so, the minister did not find fault. I am sure, said the pastor, the recording angel considered the circumstances and gave him credit and a good deal of it for restraining himself to just one." So he said he understood. I never will forget when I was a boy. I was working with my father. We had a black man working with us and his son was out there. And the little boy, I don't know, was nine or ten years old. And the little boy hit his finger with a hammer. And he come out with a cuss word, you know. And the black man went over. He broke him off a limb and he took that little boy and he just whipped the living daylights out of him. And Daddy said to him, He said, you ought not to beat that little boy like that. He said, I might have said the same thing as I hit my finger. And I never will forget what the black man said. He said, oh, Mr. DJ, he said, I didn't whip him for saying that word.
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He said, I whipped him because he sounded like he had experience in practicing it. So Ewell was one of those who had experience in practicing it, I can assure you. Captain Frank A. Bond had been appointed provost marshal of a town by General Ewell and Captain Bond kept wanting to see some action and of course he was provost marshal and he had to stay in town. And so when the cavalry went through he slipped off with the cavalry and when General Ewell found out that Captain Bond had gone off without orders, he sent for him and brought him back. And here's what Captain Bond said after General Ewell got through with him. He says, the way that old gentleman pitched in to me when I got back was a caution.
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Why, he said, he had lost a leg, taken a wife, joined the church the previous year, and didn't swear then, but he was sufficiently emphatic without it. So, very obviously, General Ewell then changed his mode of speech after he was converted. I think I told you this, but I was preaching in Thomasville, Georgia, and the pastor's brother came to church that night and God got a hold of him and he was convicted and converted. And after church that night, we went out to a restaurant. We were sitting together and eating and all of a sudden the pastor's brother just broke out laughing, just, you know, almost uncontrollable.
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And I looked at him and I said, what in the world is so funny? And the man was a hunter, a bird hunter. He said, I just got to thinking. He said, I'm going to have to retrain all my bird dogs. He said, they won't understand a word I'm saying now. So it does make a difference after you get converted. But the Sunday after Ewell's return to the army, after he healed from his amputated leg, he met with General Lee, General A.P.
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Hill, and William Pendleton in a worship service conducted by Reverend Beverly Tucker Lacey. Five days later, he was with Pendleton and Bishop John Johns as they were discussing ways to advance the gospel and to proclaim the gospel better to the soldiers. And Ewell's testimony increased with his troops. Sandy Pendleton said this of him. He said, The more I see of General Ewell, the more I am pleased with him.
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He resembles General Jackson very much in some points of his character, and particularly his utter disregard for his own personal comforts and his inflexibility of purpose. Yesterday he rode some 20 miles on horseback. Remember, the man has an amputated leg. Yesterday he rode some 20 miles on horseback, often at full speed, and exhibited no signs of fatigue last night. He is so thoroughly honest too, Pendleton said, and has only one desire, to conquer the Yankees. I look for great things from him, and am glad to say that our troops have for him a great deal of the same feeling they had toward General Jackson, which must increase very much when they find on trial that he is so good a man." So very clearly then, his conversion was genuine and real.
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At Gaines Crossroads, anticipating a battle with the Union General Milroy, General Ewell issued a general order reminding his troops that the discipline and obedience to orders are the means to secure success." He then asked his troops to join with him in prayer, asking that divine aid in which was the reliance of our lamented and illustrious chief, that is, Stonewall Jackson. Stonewall was dead at this time, and so he said, let's ask God's blessing upon this battle. And after the battle was over, and, of course, the Confederate forces had won, Ewell announced a victory in a general order, and here's what he said. He asked the men and the officers of his command to unite with him in returning thanks to our Heavenly Father for the signal success which has crowned the valor of this command. As had been his predecessor's custom, Ewell directed chaplains to hold religious services in their respective regiments at such times as may be convenient. The significance of the order was not lost on the troops. Listen, said one soldier to the other, John, have you noticed how General Ewell seems to be aping General Jackson or copying General Jackson?
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Hal asked the other, why since Jackson's death, Ewell always has God in every one of his dispatches? Hmm, sounds to me like there had been indeed a change. General Jackson said this concerning his victory over Milroy. He says, next to God, he was indebted to General Hayes' staff and to the men there for the almost bloodless victory over General Milroy. So he was giving thanks to God and recognizing that. General Ewell went with Lee to Gettysburg, and on his way to Gettysburg, he had captured Carlisle, Pennsylvania. In fact, General Ewell wanted to march on to Harrisburg, the capital, and capture it, and he was on his way there and would have captured it, because there were very few men there, but General Lee called him back and told him to head toward Gettysburg. As he had captured Carlisle, Pennsylvania, he had been stationed as a young dragoon at Carlisle Barracks, and so he's very familiar with that territory. And so he had captured the town, and he had set up his headquarters, and everyone knew that General Ewell was in charge.
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So after he got settled into his new headquarters, a delegation of pastors came to General Ewell and asked if their churches might be open the next day, which was on Sunday, and that they might preach to the people. Ewell replied, General Ewell, I wish to attend church myself. The ministers thanked Ewell and then left. A short time later they came back and they asked General Ewell, would the General object if they offered a prayer for President Lincoln?
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Not at all, Ewell replied. I know of no man in more need of your prayers than Abraham Lincoln. And of course, the clergyman then silently withdrew. But of course, the churches the next day had more Confederates in them than they did Union sympathizers.
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Now, what am I trying to show you? Look in your Bibles to Acts chapter 9. Was General Ewell truly converted? And the answer is yes. In Acts chapter 9, you have the conversion of Saul of Tarsus. And you remember how Saul was ranting and raving against the Christians. He had been consenting to the death of Stephen. He had gone to Damascus with the letters from the high priest that if he found any Christians, he might throw them into prison. We'll look in Acts chapter 9 and verse 11. Of course, everyone knew what Saul of Tarsus was doing to the Christians. And the Lord said unto him, that is to Ananias, Arise, and go in the street which is called Straight, and inquire in the house of Judas, for one called Saul of Tarsus. For behold, he prayeth. What is God telling Ananias? Saying, Ananias, you don't have to be afraid of Saul any longer. I have him tamed. He's on a leash. He's now mine. And the evidence is, he's praying. What in the world is the evidence of true conversion?
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Prayer and a desire for the Word of God. After Pastor Hoge returned from England with a large load of Bibles for the troops, General Ewell conveyed his thanks along with the hope and request of Pastor Hoge to join him in prayer. Listen, that I may be assisted in following the precepts of the divine word and that I may be guided by its wisdom. You see, General Ewell displayed the three characteristics of a real converted individual. What are they? Repentance from known sin, prayer to the Heavenly Father, and a desire for the Word of God. We can judge whether or not we have been converted by examining our lives and seeing whether these three things are in them.
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Have we turned from our sins? Are we tamed by the Lord and we now pray and cry to our Heavenly Father? And do we desire the pure Word of God? Isn't it wonderful that the grace of God is able to convert the vilest and the wickedest? He was a profane old soldier, melted, transformed by the grace of God. And the same grace that converted General Ewell will convert men and women today. For God is absolutely sovereign and on the throne. Let's pray. Father, we thank Thee today for Jesus Christ. We thank Thee for the truth of Thy Word, for the truth of history. And Lord, we thank Thee for those whom Thou hast used all down through these years. And Lord, may it be that we can be a Stonewall Jackson to someone else and influence them by the grace of God in our lives.
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Help us to be a witness and a testimony. In the name of Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen and amen.
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deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | clean_readable_transcript | 2026-06-05T13:02:54Z

Conversion of Gen. Richard Ewell

John Weaver | Freedom Ministries

John Weaver uses the historical conversion of Confederate General Richard S. Ewell to illustrate the biblical doctrines of regeneration and conversion. He argues from John 3 and 1 Timothy 1 that salvation is entirely a work of God, demonstrated by the analogies of birth, creation, and resurrection. Ewell's transformation from a profane soldier to a praying, Bible-reading Christian serves as a pattern of genuine conversion, evidenced by repentance, prayer, and a desire for God's Word.

Introduction and Scripture Reading

Weaver opens with John 3 and 1 Timothy 1, setting the theological stage for the message on General Ewell's conversion.

The Necessity of the New Birth

Jesus tells Nicodemus that one must be born again (from above) to see the kingdom of God, establishing that salvation is a supernatural work.

Three Illustrations of Salvation as God's Work

Weaver presents birth, creation, and resurrection as biblical illustrations proving that salvation is entirely of the Lord, not of human effort.

Now I'm going to show you the same is true of our spiritual birth. The Bible says in James chapter 1 in verse 18,

Scripture Reading — James 1:18

"...of his own will begat he us with the word of truth."

Regeneration vs. Conversion

Evidences of Spiritual Birth

Just as a newborn cries and desires milk, a truly converted person prays and desires the Word of God, as seen in Galatians 4 and 1 Peter 2.

General Ewell's Early Life and Character

Ewell was raised in a devout Episcopalian home but became a profane, skeptical soldier, known for his elaborate cursing and hot temper.

Influence of Stonewall Jackson

Jackson's godly character and prayer life deeply impressed Ewell, leading him to desire the same religion and eventually to faith in Christ.

Ewell's Conversion and Changed Life

After his leg amputation, Pastor Moses Drury Hoge led Ewell to faith. His conversion was evidenced by a dramatic change in speech, prayer, and desire for Scripture.

Now let's ask this question. Was General Ewell's conversion real? Was it genuine? Were there evidences of repentance? And the answer is yes.

Ewell's Post-Conversion Testimony

Ewell publicly gave thanks to God, encouraged religious services, and displayed the marks of true conversion: repentance, prayer, and love for God's Word.

Application and Conclusion

Weaver applies the pattern of Ewell's conversion to all believers, urging them to examine their lives for repentance, prayer, and desire for Scripture, and to be a witness like Jackson.

Help us to be a witness and a testimony. In the name of Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen and amen.

Conversion of Gen. Richard Ewell

John Weaver | SermonAudio

Lecture Metadata	Details
Speaker	John Weaver
Source	SermonAudio
Media ID	1504152825
Subject	Eschatology
Course	Kingdom, Judgment, and Victory
Genre	Sermon
Date	2000-07-09
Dictation Name
Book	Book 069: Kingdom, Judgment, and Victory — Chapter 1
Source Timed Segments	68

Lecture Guide

Outline

Introduction and Scripture Reading: Weaver opens with John 3 and 1 Timothy 1, setting the theological stage for the message on General Ewell's conversion.
The Necessity of the New Birth: Jesus tells Nicodemus that one must be born again (from above) to see the kingdom of God, establishing that salvation is a supernatural work.
Three Illustrations of Salvation as God's Work: Weaver presents birth, creation, and resurrection as biblical illustrations proving that salvation is entirely of the Lord, not of human effort.
Regeneration vs. Conversion: Regeneration is the implantation of divine life (like conception), while conversion is the outward evidence (like birth), and the Bible does not tell how to be born again because it is God's sovereign act.
Evidences of Spiritual Birth: Just as a newborn cries and desires milk, a truly converted person prays and desires the Word of God, as seen in Galatians 4 and 1 Peter 2.
General Ewell's Early Life and Character: Ewell was raised in a devout Episcopalian home but became a profane, skeptical soldier, known for his elaborate cursing and hot temper.
Influence of Stonewall Jackson: Jackson's godly character and prayer life deeply impressed Ewell, leading him to desire the same religion and eventually to faith in Christ.
Ewell's Conversion and Changed Life: After his leg amputation, Pastor Moses Drury Hoge led Ewell to faith. His conversion was evidenced by a dramatic change in speech, prayer, and desire for Scripture.
Ewell's Post-Conversion Testimony: Ewell publicly gave thanks to God, encouraged religious services, and displayed the marks of true conversion: repentance, prayer, and love for God's Word.
Application and Conclusion: Weaver applies the pattern of Ewell's conversion to all believers, urging them to examine their lives for repentance, prayer, and desire for Scripture, and to be a witness like Jackson.

Major Themes

Key Arguments

Salvation is entirely God's work

The Bible uses illustrations of birth, creation, and resurrection to show that man contributes nothing to his salvation; it is a sovereign act of God.

Weaver argues, 'each one of these three illustrations demonstrate conclusively that salvation is the work of God alone.'

The Bible does not tell how to be born again

Because regeneration is a supernatural work of God, Scripture does not give a method for being born again, only for conversion.

Weaver states, 'nowhere does the Bible tell us how to be born from above... The reason the Bible doesn't tell you how to be born again is because being born from above is a supernatural work of God.'

Regeneration guarantees conversion

Once God implants life in the soul, conversion will inevitably follow as the outward manifestation of that life.

Weaver says, 'regeneration assures conversion. Once regeneration has taken place, conversion is absolutely certain.'

Ewell's conversion was genuine

Ewell's dramatic change in speech, his prayer life, and his desire for Scripture align with biblical marks of true conversion.

Weaver cites testimony: 'it was generally understood that General Ewell never swore after becoming a Christian.'

The pattern of Paul's conversion applies to all believers

Paul's conversion serves as a pattern for all who believe, not in intensity but in the basic elements of God's sovereign work.

Weaver quotes 1 Timothy 1:16 and says, 'All who are converted are converted as the Apostle Paul was converted.'

Scripture References

John 3:1-8: Read at the opening to establish the necessity of the new birth.
1 Timothy 1:16: Paul's conversion as a pattern for all believers.
Jonah 2:9: Cited to prove that salvation is of the Lord.
James 1:18: God begets us by His own will.
2 Corinthians 5:17: Illustration of salvation as a new creation.
Ephesians 2:1: Illustration of salvation as resurrection from the dead.
John 11: Lazarus as an illustration of regeneration and conversion.
Galatians 4:4-6: The Spirit crying 'Abba, Father' as evidence of conversion.
1 Peter 2:2: Desire for the Word as evidence of new birth.
Acts 9:11: Saul's praying as evidence of his conversion.

Historical References

General Richard Stoddard Ewell (1817-1872): Confederate general known as 'Old Baldy,' converted after being influenced by Stonewall Jackson.
Stonewall Jackson: Confederate general whose godly character and prayer life deeply influenced Ewell.
Pastor Moses Drury Hoge: The minister who led Ewell to faith in Christ during his recovery from amputation.
Battle of Port Republic: Jackson remarked to Ewell about seeing the hand of God in the victory.
Gettysburg Campaign: Ewell captured Carlisle, Pennsylvania, and allowed churches to remain open, offering prayer for Lincoln.
Donald C. Pfanz's biography of Ewell: Mentioned as a source for Ewell's life.
Judith McGuire, Diary of a Southern Refugee: Cited as a source for the account of Ewell's conversion.
J. William Jones, Christ in the Camp: Cited as a source for the account of Ewell's conversion.

Important Quotes

Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

Jesus' foundational statement on the necessity of the new birth.

salvation is of the Lord.

Weaver's summary of Jonah 2:9, emphasizing divine sovereignty in salvation.

Regeneration and conversion are two different things. They are not identical. Regeneration is the implantation of divine life into the soul, and conversion is the fruit and the evidence of regeneration.

Key theological distinction Weaver makes throughout the sermon.

if this is religion, then I must have it.

Ewell's response upon witnessing Jackson's prayer life, marking the turning point toward his conversion.

it was generally understood that General Ewell never swore after becoming a Christian.

Evidence of the genuineness of Ewell's conversion through changed speech.

He was a profane old soldier, melted, transformed by the grace of God.

Weaver's summary of the power of grace in Ewell's life.

Discussion Questions

[Question]

How do the illustrations of birth, creation, and resurrection help you understand that salvation is entirely God's work?

[Context]

Weaver uses these three analogies to argue that man contributes nothing to salvation.

[Question]

What is the difference between regeneration and conversion, and why is this distinction important?

[Context]

Weaver emphasizes that regeneration is God's secret work, while conversion is its visible fruit.

[Question]

In what ways did Stonewall Jackson's life influence Ewell, and what can we learn about being a witness to others?

[Context]

Jackson's prayer life and character led Ewell to desire faith.

[Question]

What are the biblical evidences of genuine conversion, and how were they displayed in Ewell's life?

[Context]

Weaver lists repentance, prayer, and desire for the Word as marks of true conversion.

[Question]

Why does the Bible not tell us 'how to be born again,' and what does that imply about the nature of salvation?

[Context]

Weaver argues that regeneration is a supernatural act that cannot be humanly manufactured.

Applications

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