On September 4, 1932, he claims to have received Jesus Christ as his Lord and Saviour, resulting in abandonment of his previous plan to attend medical school. Instead, he began preaching, "drawing large audiences in the South Carolina countryside."
On September 4, 1932, he professed faith in Jesus Christ as his supreme authority, causing him to relinquish his plans for attending medical school. He then embarked on a career of evangelism, attracting large followings in the countryside of South Carolina.