There was an architect in Chicago who was converted. In giving his
testimony, he said he had been in the habit of attending church for a
great many years, but he could not say that he had really heard a
sermon all the time. He said that when the minister gave out the text
and began to preach, he used to settle himself in the corner of the
pew and work out the plans of some building. He could not tell how
many plans he had prepared while the minister was preaching. He was
the architect for one or two companies; and he used to do all his
planning in that way.
You see, Satan came in between him and the preacher, and caught away
the good seed of the Word. I have often preached to people, and have
been perfectly amazed to find they could hardly tell one solitary word
of the sermon; even the text had completely gone from them.