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July, 1944
humble Christian. In his care we left part of our baggage. Then we march ed through real tropical country amid giant trees. In places the grass, twenty feet high, waved over the edge of the trail and s h a d e d us.- JSoon we were at the front gate of the pret tiest little mission house that we have seen in the Philippines. The building was a marvel of economy and bam boo, a real gem of beauty in the midst of the jungle. Next day, with the local Filipino pastor, we walked two and a half , hours through the parboiling humidity, up and down many a hill, to hold a service in a converted chief’s big house. That big native home, open at the .sides and high off the ground, surrounded by banana and other tropi cal plants, furnished a significant set ting for the preaching of the gospel. At the .close of the service fourteen- adults came forward to pray for sal vation-fourteen more souls added to the 140 or more Christians, including the Chief and his wife, where all had been pagans only two years before. Among the converts that we met at Kidapawari, where we stayed that night with friends, of a sister .mission, was an elderly, sweet-faced Woman of eighty. In,her unregenerate (lays, she had killed five women with her own hands, strangling them in a rage, but one would never guess her past to look at her. She has become as great a power for good as she once was for wickedness. Her son, too, had become a Christian who was alert on his Master’s business. On a journey to the North as a trader, he witnessed to the tribesmen and there followed some remarkable conversions. From that small beginning a great flame was kindled, and in that area over 5,200 have been converted from raw heathenism. It was up in this country, far from the coast, that I penned most of this description. I callHit the Douglas Mac- Arthur Country because our distin guished leader focused our attention upon it by his dramatic escape through that very territory. A devout Christian himself, he; would rejoice to know that thousands have bowed to his Lord in the jungle that gave him refuge. There is something in the hearts of the converted Filipinos which the Japanese cannot imprison and that is the joy of salvation. Sunday morning, far up in the in terior, the converted tribespeople were streaming -into the church at nine ( o’clock. Service was dismissed at three. I preached only two hours through an interpréter. The audience was dis appointed; they thought I should have taken another hour or two! By count of the church secretary, 465 were present. Just a few years previously, most of them had taken part in the [Continued on Paae 2371
Carol Stuart stood alone. She had no Christian friend either in the hospital where she trained, or in the big city in which it was located, the going was hard. But when she could say, *'l am satisfied with only Jesus; I am thrilled with His companionship,” things began to happen f o r . . .
The Student Nurse
B AROL STUART sat forward a little. Her dark eyes rested in tently on the dancing couples in the center of the room. She searched especially the faces of the girls who were, like herself, student nurses. She was looking for some sign that would indicate a*kindred spirit. But she saw only enjoyment of the dance. Until today, Carol had not known that it was compulsory for the student nurses to attend the hospital’s social affairs. The superintendent of nurses had refused her permission, to remain away. The cold weight that was her heart seerned to grow heavier, an ! the years of training stretched endlessly ahead. Had she made a mistake in coming to this hospital? Had she acted too hastily, a s s o m e o f h e r friends, thought? Why had God sent her to this Jewish hospital? Or had He sent her? The questions raced through her mind. Weary and heartsick, she closed her eyes, and against the throbbing dance music she prayed: "Father, help me to be strong for Thee. Even if there should be no other Christian in this place . . . Give me some sign, even tonight, that I may know I am in Your will.” She opened her eyes and saw one of the girls coming toward her, a tall, golden girl whose smile was warm and friendly. “ I’ve noticed you sitting here,” she said to Carol. “You aren’t having a bit of fun.,Would you like me to teach you to dance? It isn’t hard.” “Thank you for coming over,” Carol smiled.. “But, you see, I do know how to dance. Before I became a Christian, I danced a great deal. If you’d like to know why I don’t dance now, sit down and I’ll tell you.” The girl looked startled for a mo ment, but she sat down. “ Carol Stuart,“ known by another name, is a registered nurse and has completed one year as a student at the Bible Institute of Los An - «e/pf.
“When I gave my heart to the Lord Jesus Christ,” Carol began simply, “I gave Him my life, too. I wanted-to do «nothing I could not share with Him. I did not feel that I could take Him to a dance,"I’m here tonight because it is compulsory, but I know He under stands and it is all right. Do you know the Lord Jesus Christ as your Saviour? If you don’t, I’d like to tell you about Him.” “I’ve never heard anyone talk like this,” the girl said, rising and prepar ing to move away. “It interests me, but I have to go now. Perhaps an other time we can talk.” But Carol was satisfied. She had her “sign." The'quick, fervent prayer that she had breathed a few moments before had been answered. Other girls came to her that evening, offering to teach her to dance. To each she gave the same reply. Some were embarrassed and excused them selves Quickly; others were interested, or polite enough to sit and listen for a time. No one could say whether any heart had been touched deeply, but Carol was content to know that she was in the Lord’s will and that He had work for her to do here. From that first night, she hoped a Bible class might be begun. As it was a Jewish hospital, no organized religious classes could be held, but she was free to invite the girls to her room to liste.n as she read. As she gave the first invitation for a Tuesday evening, she wondeied whether any would come. When the time arrived, her room was cowded! Girls sat on the floor, the bed, and her one chair. Carol had begun to read from the book of Romans When, suddenly, from the room next door, a girl’s strident voice began an irreverent shouting of the w o r d s of the beautiful hymn, “Fairest Lord Jesus,”' to swing time. Carol flushed, but kept on reading. [Continued on Page 234]
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