THE KING’S BUSINESS WORK IN THE OIL FIELDS
524
By Frank J. Shelley
A LL twice-born people, children of God, believe that no person can bring forth fruit unto God, or do the things that will please Him, unless they continually “Abide in Him.” Thjs month we have been brought to realize that the reason for so many. Chris tians backsliding from God, taking up with God-dishonoring teachings, and becoming side-tracked ' through some form of Gala tian heresy, is because the vital elements of fellowship with God have been utterly neg lected. The Lord graciously gave us some visi ble results of our ministry in a little revi val meeting which was held in the early part of the month. About a dozen con fessed the Lord as Saviour, Christians were aroused from their slumbers, and we were greatly blessed in holding fellowship meet ings' here and there. The latter part of the month was spent in the Santa Maria fields. This is truly a lovely situation, and many dear children of God were found, but, alas, some scoffed at the Word of the Lord, some had been deceived by a Mormon elder who had been working there, having baptized two famil ies into the Mormon faith, the head driller also becoming a convert. An address on “The Way of Life” showed up the teach ing of Mormonism, with which I have had quite a good deal of experience. The Mor mon elder came and sat on the, front seat while the people were warned what the effect of believing such doctrines would be. He became very angry. Many afterward told us that they were fully convinced of the wickedness of this man’s doctrine/ A little, tract, “Why I Could Never Be a Mormon,” Was later left at every house in the town. ' " • -
Meetings were held for over two weeks in this section, and the Lord gave us a Roman Catholic lady, who told us that she saw the truth of God and was done with Romanism forever, which made us very happy. The Superintendent of the lease after wards told me that the people who went into Mormonism were, with the exception of the foreman above mentioned, usually people' who were quite unreliable—dancers, card-players, and that Sort •of professors. What a contrast with that beautiful Word of our Godc “He that is begotten of God, keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not” (1 John 5:18^. In our spare time, whilst in this field, we prepared a simple chart of the dispensa tion!, eliminating the great mass o f' data shown on most charts. This seemed to arouse a great interest, among the men. It was used in meeting the Mormon and has been a great help. We are at the “Devil’s Den” as we write this, and it is well named. They have a saloon here in which many a murder has been committed. God has a few here who gave their hearts to Him eight months ago, the first time the Gospel had been preached here in ten years. The assistant engineer, a Danish young man, has given himself to the Lord, and intends to take a course at the Bible Institute. The Associated Oil Company has a big station here, and the works are now being guarded day and night since the war fright. One can almost see men’s hearts failing them, and the signs of the times seem to indicate the very near coming of our Lord. What sweet words are His to the heart that rests in Him : “Peace be unto you” (Luke 24:36).
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