Letter: Freedom of choice is real, and our daily decisions do matter
A letter from James Hardy:
A story is told about a vicar of Llandovery called Rhys Pritchard (1579–1644).
He was allegedly an awful drunkard, until he saw a goat which has been enticed into a bar fall sick after alcohol consumption. Henceforth, the goat wisely declined to take alcohol.
The goat incident is said to have helped Rhys Pritchard overcome alcohol abuse, and to have played a role in his transition to a much deeper faith.
I worked for a few years in a large Welsh town as a GP and noted how quite a number of my clients were addicted to alcohol.
If the goat in the Rhys Pritchard story has any ancestors who happen to read this paper, then perhaps they could make a beeline for bars.
The goats could have a bigger prophetic role than lots of pulpit preachers.
I never cease to marvel at the impact of groups like Alcoholics Anonymous and Stauros. Freedom of choice is real, and our daily decisions do matter.
Conviction of sin and conversion are real, as the unusual story of Rhys Pritchard and the goat reminds us.
James Hardy, Belfast BT5