theory of the stork’s delivering new family members was ridiculous, but I was completely unsophisticated. I was attending a select “finish ing” school in eastern Canada when my aunt sent for me. My uncle was on the west coast, hospitalized with an incurable illness. My aunt, dis tracted by her teaching duties and her concern over my uncle, tried to guide my affairs to some extent, but was unable to keep me under the close scrutiny to which I was ac customed. I became acquainted with several young men, and because one of them was so much fun and I en joyed being with him more than any one I had ever known, I married him. We never went to church. With the exception of my husband’s grand mother who I now know was a true Christian, his people were carnal Christians. In fact, I doubt if they were Christians at all then. Unknown to me, my husband had done quite a bit of drinking before our mar riage. As time went on, he drank to such excess that he became a con firmed alcoholic, often appearing in places of ill repute and becoming well-known to the police. He is still in this condition. Since this marriage was not ap proved of by my family, I did not hear from my mother for several years. In three and a half years, I bore three baby girls, the third one being the only one to survive in fancy. Then my marriage ended in divorce. Practically alone in the world, with a baby to support, my only real training that of a dancer, I was definitely handicapped in earning a living. I danced and sang and posed as a model and worked in an ice cream shop. In the course of my work, I again came in contact with many young men, and soon married one who was the exact opposite of my former husband. I£e was morally upright, did not drink or smoke. But he was an atheist, absolutely un yielding in his views and unsympa thetic to my desire to start going to some church. Soon after my son was bom, we went into professional en tertainment—bands, orchestras, night clubs and radio. My husband was a fine musician, and under his able tu toring, I became better than the average “blues” singer. People began to notice me and to say that I was headed for fame and fortune. I heart ily agreed with them, for I was en tranced with the attention I was get ting. But my second marriage also terminated in divorce. Although in the beginning I had participated very little in the rev elry that went on about me, I was becoming more worldly and wicked. Through all the hard years, when I was still innocent of any actual wrongdoing, I thought God was un-
justly punishing me. For some strange reason, I never doubted His existence. Maybe it was from hearing and seeing the Christmas play so often that I always believed that Jesus Christ was the Son of God. I did not know about the forgiveness of sins or the finished work of redemption on the cross. I went from one church to another, reading their literature and studying their doctrines. In one church, I taught dancing and gave recitals. I went to fortunetellers, consulted as trologers and was an avid reader of the "what the stars have in store for you this month” magazines. During this time, I got all my units together and re-entered school. Having credit * for a year spent in nurses’ training, I finished college work. Then. I began smoking cigarettes. I decided the Golden Rule was all the guide I needed and excused my mounting trespasses by pointing to my record as a careful and devoted mother. I told myself that as long as I hurt no one else, it was really no body’s business what I did. But I soon learned that our sin hurts every one around us. I finally married for a third time. Less than a year afterward, my cir cumstances almost overwhelmed me. They were so serious that I be gan going to church occasionally, be cause in my heart I knew that only , God could help in such a situation —if it were *not too late, and if He would help such a one as I. The Lord led me to the right person, a Chris tian lady who took a deep interest in me at once. She called on me and talked to me of the things of the Lord. She asked various people to pray for me. I was so hungry to hear the truth that I could not get enough! So, although I received no encour agement or sympathy at home, I went to church and other Christian activities every time I could man age it. Not long after this, I went to a Christian musical program, and when it was over, the pastor gave the in vitation to accept the Lord Jesus as« Saviour. There was nothing for me to do but to raise my hand in re sponse. The last barrier was down. I surrendered myself to God and things were different for me from then on. In spite of my great unworthiness, God has blessed me beyond all tell ing. In a very spectacular way, He delivered me from the habit of smoking cigarettes. One by one the things incompatible with a born- again Christian are falling away from my life. The most wonderful (Continued, on next page)
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THROUGH THE BIBLE I B O O K B Y B O O K L By Dr. W. S. Hottel Noted Writer, Author, Teacher VOLUME ONE (treating Genesis and Exo dus) is just off the press! VOLUME TWO (treating Leviticus) will be available soon! The first edition is limited, but your check or money order for $1.29 will enable you to secure your copy by return mail, post paid! Dr. William L. Pettingill says: “ I consider Dr. Hottel one of Goa’s best gifts to the Church, and I rejoice in his widepsread ministry in this day of famine of the Word of God . . Dr. H. A. Ironside says: “ Dr. Hotters ability to rightly divide the Word of Truth is manifested in this first volume. . . ” Dr. Bob Jones, Jr., says: ” . . . a very ex cellent book, particularly for an approach to systematic Bible study . . CHRISTIAN LITERATURE SERVICE 2376 Thomas St., Berkley, Michigan FROM D ARKN ESS TO LIGHT (Continued from previous page) I led an extremely sheltered life. My few friends were carefully chosen and I was allowed company at home on rare occasions, never any young men friends. My life was entirely dif ferent from that of other young peo ple my age. I held my own in con versation with my mother’s “cult ured” friends and with older people constantly. The bright spot in this period was the extensive dancing course my mother gave me- I was more than ordinarily talented along these lines. Neither my mother nor my aunt ever discussed with me the problems which would arise in a woman’s adult life. Manners were freely dis cussed, but morals were never men tioned. Naturally I knew that the
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