The University of Cambridge, England, boasts many deep thinkers. One of them was named Tom. Also in the corn» munity was a priest by the name of Hugh. Both young men were well respected and could have been friends except for one thing. I high believed that priests could forgive sins. Tom insisted that lite sinner could come boldly before God in prayer and receive forgiveness just by asking.
«That’s ridiculous,» Hugh would say.
«But it’s true,» Tom would state firmly.
One day Tom came up with a plan to get his message across. Ile knew Hugh believed that anyone who had sinned should Me fess that sin to a priest, so he made his way to his room, knocked softly, and entered. «Please hear my confession,» he said.
Hugh blinked. «Well, well,» he chuckled. «My preaching ha. paid off. You’re coming over to my side, huh?» Tom bowed his head. «I confess that it has been a thrill to learn that Jesus forgives sins freely. But I’ve been tempted to tell a man named Hugh that Jesus loves him, too, and wants to save him, and will forgive his sins, even if he doesn’t burn candles and kiss little statues.» Hugh sat in silence for a long moment, then hung his head as the Holy Spirit spoke to his heart. Perhaps It was true, Maybe God did forgive the sins of anyone who asked.
It was one of the strangest conversions in history. From teen on Hugh Latimer and Thomas Bilney were great friends and became effective preachers for God. Eventually both gave their lives as martyrs for their freely forgiving Lord