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James  A. Stewart wrote about Stephen Grellet, a Christian businessman, who was suddenly led of the Spirit to leave New York City and go and preach to the lumbermen in the lumber camps in the backwoods of Canada. On his arrival, he discovered to his dismay that the lumbermen had moved further north and had left empty camps. Having walked with God and obeyed the Spirit constantly for years, it was no test of faith for Stephen Grellet to stand in an empty canteen hall in an empty camp and preach to nobody! It was not until many years later, however, that he understood the meaning of his mission. One day in the street of New York City he was accosted by a stranger, who told him that he was the man whom God had used to be the means of his conversion. He related the following story: One day he had been sent back by his foreman for some tool left behind in the lumber camp, and on approaching the camp he was startled to hear, as it were, a voice from heaven. He knew that the camp was empty. Following the direction of the voice, he was amazed to discover a solitary figure standing on a platform, preaching to nobody! He was so frightened at this strange sight that he left the camp as quickly as possible. However, the words from the Holy Scripture which fell from Stephen Grellet’s lips found a lodging place in his heart and conscience, and were the means of his regeneration.

In Acts 10, the Spirit of God did a similar work in lives of Cornelius and Peter. In the providence of God, the Spirit led both of these men together so Peter could preach the Gospel to Cornelius. Alexander MacLaren wrote: “God as it were, put one hand on Cornelius and His other hand on Peter and drew them together.”