No Longer an Enemy

During the Revolutionary War there lived a Baptist pastor in Ephrata, Pennsylvania named Peter Miller who was a close friend of General Washington. In that same town also lived Michael Wittman, an evil-minded man who did all he could to abuse and oppose this pastor. One day Michael Wittman was caught in a plot against the Colonial army and was arrested and sentenced to death. When the old preacher heard about Wittman’s arrest, he started out on foot and walked 70 miles to Philadelphia to plead for this man’s life.

Washington said, "No, Peter, I cannot grant you the life of your friend."

The preacher exclaimed, "He is not my friend--he is the bitterest enemy I have."

Washington cried, "What? You’ve walked 70 miles to save the life of an enemy? That puts the matter in a different light. I will grant the pardon."

And he did. And Peter Miller took Michael Wittman from the very shadow of death back to his own home in Ephrata--no longer as an enemy, but as a friend.

Source: Sermon by T. Michael Crews titled "How to Defeat Your Enemies" on SermonCentral.com (http://www.sermoncentral.com/sermon.asp?SermonID=98983&Page=2)

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