July 1924
T H E K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S
421
ceived in homes where there were none, people unaccus tomed to attend church were present at the services, cold church members were awakened, doubts were cleared away, some confessed Christ, and many touching incidents showed the hunger for the Word. One woman with her three year old child stood by her gate one afternoon hoping someone would drive past her house so she could ride in the four miles to the town where the meeting was being held, but no one happened to come that way. One woman who washes for a living got up at four o’clock and worked hard all day, even doing three washings between the afternoon and evening meetings, in order to be able to attend the services. She missed only one meeting and had a friend take notes for her on that lesson. The former Bible Institute student is learning again that not in our planning, but in the place of His ap pointment, which may be the place of our disappointment, is found the glorious opportunity of service in behalf of hungry hearts ready to receive His message. Sowing and Reaping As the weeks come and go we realize there must be the sowing as well as the reaping. Sometimes we grow rest less if results are not seen at once and then it seems God gives us a glimpse into what He Himself has been doing. This has been the case in one of our largest classes. The year has passed by and while there have been activities along many spiritual lines, and while the class has given during the year about $3,000 for God’s work, and there seems to be evidences that Christian lives have been strengthened by the teaching of the Word and while the attendance has been regular, there being close to three hundred women present each week, yet there did not seem to be definite conversions. When the reports were all in and the yearly census taken, it was found that fifty-one from that class had united with the church. Of this number some were nominal Chris tians who had come from the east and whose church letters had been lying in their trunk; some were backsliders who had regained their fellowship with God, but some were un saved who had been converted and now confessed Christ for the first time. Let us tell you about one of these women. She had been a member of a Christian Science church for three years. As usual she had seemed helped physically and little by little had accepted their faith. She was in vited into the Bible class, then the Holy Spirit seemed to take the Word and open it up to her. One day she came upon' the text “ without shedding of blood there is no remis sion of sin.” She saw at once that that truth was denied in Mrs. Eddy’s teaching. Again the lesson was on the “ Plan of Salvation.” She saw that works had no place in this plan. It was a free gift, and so week after week she listened as the lessons were given until finally the light came and she believed on the Lord Jesus Christ and was saved. Visiting her one day recently, we found her sitting beside the table with her Bible on her lap and her face aglow with her new found Christ.
BIBLE WOMEN’S WORK Mrs. Lyman Stewart, Supt.— Tw enty-five W om en Engaged in House to House Personal W ork, Bible Classes, and Soul W inning Clubs. A Broken Bridge Around a high hill, on the bank of a Southern California river, in a little cottage quite remote from neighbors, lives a little woman who is obliged to spend many lonely hours while her husband is at work. She has found it uncom fortable to attend church because of her poverty. To this little home a Bible woman wound her way one af ternoon at a great risk of accident. While attempting to cross the only bridge leading to the remote home, two planks that were not securely fastened, stood upright from the motion of the car, but the Lord was there to pilot. The Bible woman was heartily greeted by the lonely woman and soon their conversation turned to spiritual matters. The woman related at length how she had been fairly besieged with Theosophists, but could find no com fort in their paganism. After listening attentively to her, the Bible woman told the marvelousistory of the Cross. With great interest the little woman said;’ “ Yes, I was brought up to read the Bible, but I want to ask you one question that no one has ever been able to answer for me to my satisfaction. Please tell me, will I have to stand up at the great judgment day and give an account for all my sins?” The worker had great joy in telling the woman that her judgment was settled on the cross, and that she would never come into condemnation, but had passed from death unto life if she were a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ. “ There,” the woman emphatically exclaimed, “ that is just what I want to know. No one has ever told it to me as you have,— you have made it so plain; I believe it and do thank you, oh, so much for coming way out here to see me. This question of judgment has worried me for years. Won’t you come back again?” On her homeward way the Bible woman stood by the roadside while the planks were being replaced for the homeward crossing of the broken bridge. She could but recount the blessing of the day and exclaim, “ How in significant is a broken bridge in comparison .with the wel fare of a single soul.” In Desert Places A former Bible Institute student had to go to the desert because of her health. A neighbor, speaking of her said, “ Most people are so depressed at having to come here to live that they show no interest in anything or anybody about them, but Mrs.-------------- began right away to see what she could do to help others. She started a Bible Class and already it has proved a blessing to the whole commun ity.” The Bible Woman was privileged, under the auspices of this class, to hold a Bible Conference for a week in the desert. ' Many had grown indifferent to spiritual things but a goodly number came, driving from a distance afternoons and evenings, to hear the Word, and a real hunger for spiritual things was shown. Bibles long packed away were brought to light, Testaments and Gospels were gladly re
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