Part 6

Arising next morning I ate my breakfast off of banana leaves, then gathered the family for prayer. How the power of God did fall and fill every hungry heart! After prayer I told them I must leave them, and return home. We gathered our blankets together, and climbed into the ox cart which had been brought to carry us to the railroad station. I was too tall for the cowhide covering, which was intended to protect us from the sun, so I sat in the back and let my feet hang down over the end, and so rode to town. We sang and talked all the way, about the love of Jesus. Several times we stopped at houses by the roadside and preached to the people, giving them tracts and Bibles.

A large crowd was at the station waiting for the train. I went to the platform and spoke to the crowd. They asked me to give them Bibles and tracts. Some of them were members of the mob which the night before had been ready to kill us for coming into their town to preach the Gospel.

We arrived at Leon very tired and needing rest. But there were so many to be ministered unto and the needs were so great that I went right into the meetings, where God blessed my soul and rested my body.

=The Lord Rolled the Sea Away=

One day a young man who had been in the United States, came to see us. He spoke English well, also had been in different churches and had some knowledge of the Gospel. He came many times to read and pray with us. One day he asked if we would not go to the beach for a day’s outing. We felt we could not spare the time, and it would be too much of a luxury for us. But as he insisted on bringing his machine and taking us, we consented to go and prepared a little lunch. Before going we asked if we might preach to the people on the road. He consented, so we went for the day, taking Bibles and tracts with us. Many were the precious souls to whom we spoke about the Lord Jesus, giving them the little printed messengers. Our hearts were moved with compassion as we saw the extreme poverty of the poor people out in the country, with no one to love or help them. The roads were almost impassable and the heat was intense, but at last we saw the white-caps dashing up against the shore, and felt the cool breeze from the ocean. We stopped some distance from the water and walked down to the beach. Many Indians were there. Some could not speak Spanish, but had a sign language. We spoke to all who could understand us, and they told the rest about the Gospel, for although they spoke Spanish, they also understood the sign language.

There was a dressing place for bathers and a stand where refreshments were sold by the Indians, who could not speak Spanish. I sat down in the shade while the rest went bathing in the surf. Suddenly I was startled by the screams of my daughter, Alma. She and the young man were quite a distance out in the breakers. They were drowning, and calling for help. I saw them go under. My husband was trying to reach them, but the strong undercurrent took him down also. I prayed and called on God to save them.

Running to the Indians, I tried to tell them to run with a rope and save them. I could not make them understand, but suddenly began talking in tongues, with signs, which I afterwards learned was their language. They told the young man that I had implored them to help save my daughter, husband and himself. They ran to help Alma and the young man, but they could not be seen. I started in that direction calling on the Lord to save them. The sea rolled up in a great heap, and there they were on the sand. How it all happened I cannot tell. But I know the Lord rolled the sea away, and they were saved. They were filled with water and Alma was sick. But the Lord soon delivered her. The young man knew the Lord had saved them from death. He was an expert swimmer, but could not swim in that strong undercurrent, which had drawn them so far out before they realized the danger.

How we did praise God for His wonderful deliverance! It was a mighty miracle, which convinced the Indians that God had delivered, for they saw the waters rolled up in a heap. It made them believe. The news of the wonderful miracle God had performed for the missionaries soon spread about the city. It was published in the papers, and many who had not come before, came to see us and were convinced of the Gospel. Many people came from all parts of the Republic to hear the Gospel, and to ask for Bibles.

The dear saints in the homeland sent us Bibles, Testaments and tracts, and the Word of God went forth. We cannot tell how many precious souls were reached by the bread cast on the waters, but we shall know when we reach the beautiful land beyond, and see their dear faces shining with heavenly glory. We are told to sow beside all waters, and are promised that “=he that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him=.” Psalm 126:6.

Many were the nights and times we went forth weeping over the sheep that were out of the fold, lost among the idols, vice and sin of every kind. It was almost more than we could bear when so many of the people came to us, and we were unable to take them all in and help them. We could only weep and cry to the Lord to help us to reach them, and to stir up the saints at home to give all they possibly could to aid in helping them. For this purpose we are sending forth this book, that funds may be raised to send Bibles and tracts to these people.

It was at this time, when many were pressing upon us for help and our means were so limited that God told us to return to the homeland and tell the church of the great need of sending more Bibles, tracts and missionaries to these destitute fields. As we looked to the Lord and told Him we did not have the money to get back home, He spoke and told us we were to pack up and go to the port, and He would send the money for us there for our fare. So we began making ready.

Another missionary and his wife came by, going home on furlough. They were going via Guatemala, believing they could save quite a sum of money by going that way. But the Lord had told us to go via Panama. We packed our trunks and made ready. But oh, how we did hate to tell our dear people we were leaving them, for we loved them so, and they loved and clung to us. We knew they would feel so badly to have us leave them.

When we went to the meeting that night we told them the Lord had led us to return to our homeland, to put the great needs of their country before the people. They cried, both men and women, and pressed upon us until we thought we could never get ready to start. I had to put our suit-cases in a room and lock the doors so I could finish packing, for the house was full of precious souls begging to hear more of the Gospel, and telling us how much they loved us, and what a great blessing we had been to them. Our hearts were breaking over the people, for they were as sheep without a shepherd. May God bless and keep them true to Him.

We were packed and ready to go to the train when there came a big procession of people marching into the house. Some of them we had not met before, and some we had seen on the streets and in the markets, when we were preaching and giving out tracts. Many of them had come to our meetings, had heard and accepted the Gospel, and had been filled with the blessed Holy Spirit. They brought many presents, among them a nice leather bill-book for my husband, a manicuring set for Alma, pretty fans for me, and boxes of candy for Carl. Many useful presents they brought, some of which had cost much money, for everything is much more expensive there than in our country. Even rich people had come and brought presents to show their appreciation of our missionary work among them.

When the train pulled in, and we were about to go on board, several doctors and lawyers and the judge of the city came, saying they were going to the port with us to stay until our ship sailed, and there was the crowd standing outside waving their hands and saying, “Good-bye, don’t forget to pray for us, and send us Bibles.” Oh that scene! We shall never forget it. As the train started the people hung on to the side, waving their hands, and calling “Good-bye, our good missionaries; we love you so much.”

We had many opportunities to witness for Jesus and to give out literature on the way to the port. The people were so hungry they would run and beg for more tracts.

When we arrived at the port station we were taken to a hotel by one of the men who had gone with us, and there a fine dinner was given us in a special dining room, and we had a nice time.

We found we must appear before the American consul twice a day for several days before sailing, as we had come from a yellow fever infected region. We began to go that morning, for the ship bound for Panama would come in seven days.

We made ready to leave on that boat, but there was no money for the fare. As I prayed in my room one morning the Lord said, “Go and ask for your mail.” I thought, “I don’t believe the mail is opened here, but on arriving in the port is immediately sent to the different parts of the country.” But as I prayed again the Lord spoke once more, “Go and ask for your mail.” I knew it was the voice of the Lord, for He had wonderfully spoken to us and led us all the way, so I went. On asking for the mail I was told that no mail was coming for two weeks, and when it did come it would not be opened there but would be sent out to the different parts of the republic.

I returned to my room, wondering. I believed the Lord had sent me for our mail, but why had the postal officials said it could not be obtained there? Besides, there was no mail boat coming until after the other boat had sailed. But as I prayed I heard the voice of the Lord telling me to go again and ask for my mail. I waited until the next morning, then went again. Once more the postmaster told me the same thing, that it would be impossible for me to get my mail there when it did come. I must admit that I felt at a loss to know what to do, or what it all meant. But I couldn’t doubt the voice of the Lord. I waited another day, and prayed until I was sure the Lord was speaking to me. Though I couldn’t see how it all could work out, yet I knew that He knew, and had spoken.

I went again to the postmaster and explained to him that we were sailing on the ship which was then in the harbor, and which was to leave in three days, but again he told me the same thing; there would be no mail boat in for two weeks, and it would be impossible to receive my mail before that time. I returned to my room and, falling upon my face, I cried to the Lord for help, for this seemed more than I could bear, for the enemy was taunting me, saying that the Lord was not speaking to me, that we had been deceived, that the Lord had not even told us to come to the port, and that our fare would certainly not be provided. Nevertheless, the voice of the Lord came again to me, saying, “Ask for your mail tomorrow morning.”

When we arose the next morning we saw another ship at anchor in the port. It had come in during the night. My husband strolled down to the dock, and was informed that this was the mail boat from Panama, also that our ship was not to sail until the following day, because the cargo was not yet unloaded. When he returned with the welcome news I began to pray again about the mail, feeling certain there was something for us on that ship. Then I went again to see the postmaster, this time taking a Testament to give him. This seemed the wrong thing to do, for he was a fanatical church man, and the Gospel was not allowed to be preached in that port. But we had gone unmolested all over the place, distributing tracts, and preaching to the people, and the dear natives had begged for Bibles and the little papers (tracts).

Walking up to the office window, I told the man the Lord had spoken to me, telling me there was mail there for me, which had come in on that ship. He came to the window, began talking about the Lord, and asked me how I knew the Lord had said there was mail there for us. I answered that we had come to port in order to sail on the ship then in harbor, that we did not have our fare, but the Lord had told us the fare would be provided after we reached the port. I was sure there was mail for us there, and would he please give it to me? Handing him the Testament, I told him to read it, and learn about the wonderful Savior who could come into our hearts and talk to us, and lead us in such straight paths. He began to weep, and told me he had never before seen a Bible, had hated and persecuted the missionaries, had hated me when I came inquiring for mail, and had not even believed in God before; but my coming so many times, saying the Lord had told me there was mail coming for me, in spite of my knowing that the mail ship was not due for two weeks, then the arrival of the mail ship before time, and the postponed sailing of the other vessel upon which I said we were to sail, had convinced him that God was actually speaking to me, and he promised to try to get our mail. However, there were thousands of letters, and he was rather doubtful if he could find our mail in the midst of so much other, but promised that if I would return in the afternoon he would do his best for me. In the afternoon, I returned for the mail, which I was sure would be there. The man came hurrying to me, and handed me two registered letters, saying they were on the top of the pile of mail in the first bag he opened. Surely God had spoken to me, he said, and he knew now there was a God, and he was going to serve Him, so as to have Him speak to him, too. And very earnestly he promised to read the Testament, also he asked for a Bible for his wife, and tracts for his friends.

When I opened the two letters there, lacking twenty-five dollars, was the amount for our fare. We sailed the following morning. Later I went into my stateroom to find out the exact amount of money we had, to make sure how much was lacking for the entire trip to the homeland. Sure enough, there was exactly twenty-five dollars lacking. Again I looked to the dear Lord for help to believe for the needed amount, and again He spoke, telling me to open my Bible. I did so, and my eyes fell upon this scripture:

=“And the Lord, He it is that doth go before thee; He will be with thee; He will not fail thee, neither forsake thee; fear not, neither be dismayed.”=—Deut. 31:8

Looking at the little scripture calendar hanging on the wall I saw in the space for the day on which we would land in Panama the identical verse I had just read. Strengthened and encouraged by this, I felt that Jesus would make it all right, and that we were simply to trust and obey.

Upon arriving in Panama we were taken to the American Bible House, where we were treated with the greatest kindness. Dear Mr. Duffey and his wife gave us much valuable information about the whole of Central America, as they were in touch with every mission station, and had themselves been missionaries there for many years.

We had to wait three days for the ship to New Orleans, and we sweetly rested in the Lord and trusted Him to supply that twenty-five dollars.

One day we met a young Mexican on the street, whom we had known in Nicaragua. He was a traveling salesman from St. Louis, Mo. We had given him a Bible and talked to him about giving his heart to the Lord, and he had been very much interested in our work in Nicaragua. We invited him to visit us at the Bible House, and in the evening he came. We read the Word of God and had prayer, and he told us of his having persecuted the missionaries in Mexico. He had never seen a Bible before he met us, but in the United States he had learned that missionaries did a good work among the people, so he no longer hated them. He said he was glad to have met us and heard us preach the Gospel. “In return for this Bible which you have given me,” he said, “and the way in which you have talked to me, I feel I should do something for you, and the Lord,” and he passed twenty-five dollars across the table to me. Praise the Lord! there was the rest of our fare home. Surely God does temper the wind to the shorn lamb, and take care of His little ones, leading them in and out where they can find pasture.

We sailed the next day. Many were the precious souls reached by us with the Gospel while we were in Panama; also on land and on sea after we left there. Shall we not praise God forever for all His goodness to us, and for the privilege of being called to preach to the nations of the earth?

Put ye in the sickle, for the harvest truly is ripe; Put ye in the sickle, and reap with all your might; Put ye in the sickle, for the Lord calleth thee; Put ye in the sickle, and to Him, ever faithful be;

Put ye in the sickle, ye worker of the living God; Put ye in the sickle, in every land ye tread; Put ye in the sickle, for the day is surely nigh; Put ye in the sickle, for Jesus cometh from on high.

—Given in tongues, with interpretation.

LEAVING NICARAGUA FOR PANAMA

We sailed on the Steamship San Juan. After placing our things in the stateroom we went on deck and sat down. A little South American woman came over to me and asked, “Are you a missionary?” I told her I was. “Well,” she said, “I thought you must be a missionary, for no one else would be away down here so far away from their homeland.”

She had been in the States studying to be a nurse, and had been saved through a Salvation Army meeting on the street. She took my arm and said, “Come right over here. There is a poor blind man from Salvador, and he badly needs help.”

We thanked God, for here was another chance to cast our bread upon the waters, another hungry soul reaching out for the truth.

We took some tracts and Testaments and went over to the man. He said he had heard a traveling missionary preach the Gospel several years ago in his own country, and had longed to know more about it; now here we were to tell him. So he praised the Lord, and we wept and told him Jesus loves us so much that He never fails to answer the prayer of an honest soul.

We gave him a Testament and some tracts on Salvation and Divine Healing and the dear little woman read them to him. Day after day he asked for more to be read to him. The woman asked if we could not give her some to take home to Ecuador to her people.

There was only one man on the ship who did not take tracts and read them and ask for more. This man said he had not read the Bible since he was a child. Now he was too old. As we looked at him and saw the hardness in his face, a great pity came into our hearts, and we asked the Lord to have mercy on him and save him.

We arrived in one port in Costa Rica on September 15th, Spain’s Independence Day. The whole country was celebrating. Our ship would have to wait here several days, perhaps a week, the captain said, because all the people got drunk on that day, and it would take several days for them to sober up. We arrived at six in the morning. The noise from the cannon and other things was terrible. We knew about how much time we had to make connections in Panama, and that we could not stay in this port over one day without missing connections. So we prayed that God would make these people unload the ship that day so that we might go on.

At twelve, when we were having lunch, our ship was moving out to sea. The men had come with their lighters and unloaded several tons of the cargo, and we were on our way. The dear old man who would not read the tract, ate at our table. He said he had lived there and in Panama for fifty years, and that was the first time he ever knew them to do such a thing. He knew it was because we prayed. So God was good not to leave him without a witness.

A man and his wife were going to South America. They took tracts and Testaments along which we gave them, and said they were glad to have the light on the Second Coming of the Lord, and on Divine Healing.

There were people on board who were going to Japan, China, India, England and the United States. All took with them the Word of God which we had cast upon the waters. Two young men on their way to school in New York, took along Testaments to read. They said they no longer believed in the Church of Rome, and wanted to read the Bible.

Another boy on his way to South America came to talk with us about the Bible. He said he wanted to read the Bible but had never had the opportunity. So he sat on deck and read it. How he did rejoice to know the truth! He told us how he had gone to the different temples of the idols and saints seeking peace, but had come away from them all without receiving any help. But now he knew the truth, and wanted to carry the good news to his people who were still in the darkness. He said, “Why don’t more missionaries come and tell us the truth? Won’t you go back to your homeland and tell them of our needs and the darkness we are in?”

Stewardesses, waitresses, captains and officers all heard the story of the Gospel, through the bread we cast upon the waters. One officer said he was glad that someone thought of the men at sea. They were always going and had no time to attend church and hear the Gospel. He had had Christian parents, but they were dead. His heart was touched and with tears running down his cheeks he said, “May God bless you for giving me this Testament. I shall read it, and pray every day, as I want to meet my dear mother in Heaven.” He had been at sea twelve years, and that was the first time anyone had said a word to him about salvation.

The doctor on the ship was so interested he would leave his office for hours and come and talk with us. He had been on that line many years and he had been shocked to see the condition in the Latin-American countries, and the church at home seemed to be doing nothing. He took tracts and papers and talked with us about prophecy. He said he knew the Lord was coming soon. We invited him to meetings with us at Colon. He came to the Bible House and to the meetings and said he was going to a Pentecostal meeting when he returned to the States.

While in Panama we visited the Sea Wall M. E. Church, where there is a work among the natives. But all who come to the school have to pay. That leaves the poor population wholly untouched by the Gospel. We looked over the field and found it a great white harvest field, where laborers are badly needed. In all these parts the people are hungry for the Gospel.

There is a little union church in Colon in which a few people are praying for a revival. It is a wonderful opportunity for a band of workers to go and hold evangelistic meetings. There are many English-speaking people in these parts, but Pentecost has not been preached. We believe God will raise up workers and send them to this place. Besides the people who live here, there are hundreds of ships coming and going to all parts of the world. Many souls could be reached.

As I stood on the beach one day, And saw the breakers roll in from the way, The great waters piled up high— I cried, “O, God! open the flood gates of mercy Send rivers of Thy Spirit, don’t pass this people by.”

SAILING FROM PANAMA