October 1931
T h e K i n g ’ s
B u s i n e s s
441
I replied, “After you have finished your work tonight, come to my house, and I will give you my answer.” I was much in prayer throughout that day. The one verse which came to my mind repeatedly was this: “And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.” I did not know how He would per form it, but I felt confident that He would. Surely it would not have been an act of faith to have dismissed the men when the Lord had put His seal upon the work in such a marvelous way. Therefore, when the workmen came to the house that night, I told them to draw up the contract and I would sign it. Within two weeks, I must have seventy-five dollars! The following Friday, I sent my Indian worker, Juan, to Quezaltenango for my mail. He brought me seven or eight letters, but not one of them contained a check. I had thought that the Lord would send me that week at least some of the money necessary for the building of the church. But He did not. It did not matter, however, be cause I had enough' money for food, and the Indian worker did not need to be paid until the next week. The following Friday, Juan again made the trip for the mail, returning with fifteen letters. I spread them out before me to see what the prospects were. One was only a form letter, I thought. That was laid aside; there was no need to open it at all. The other letters were opened one by one. I did not stop to read them. I was looking for checks. In the next to the last envelope there was a check for fifteen dollar's. That was good; it would pay the Indian worker, buy corn for the horse, and provide the missionary’s food for the coming week. Then the last letter was opened. It contained no money. “Well, Juan,” I said, “the money for the church did not come.” “What will you do?” returned Juan. “The Lord is not restricted to means,” I answered. “He does not have to send the money in letters. He can send it in some other way. It does not have to be here until to morrow afternoon at four o’clock. A few days ago, I told you that I knew the money was on the way, for I had the assurance that the Lord had answered our prayer. There fore, I know the money will come.” “Oh,” the Indian replied very expressively. Then he added, “Why don’t you open that other letter?” “Why, Juan,” I told him, “that is only a business letter.” “Well,” said he, “open it anyway.” I did, and I found that it contained a check for sev enty-five dollars! It was from the Student Missionary Union of the Bible Institute of Los Angeles. I had seen a notice in T he K ing ’ s B usiness to the effect that Bible Institute missionaries on the field could become active members of this organization by signing a pledge card, and that they could send in requests for prayer which would be remembered by the members of the student organization. I had written at once: “I want to become an active member. Kindly send me the pledge card. I am sending my request for prayer in advance. Please pray for the needs of the little church which we are building in Santa Maria, that the workmen will not have to leave until the church is finished, and that the money will come in as it is needed.” The week I signed the contract in Central America, the Student Missionary Union received my letter in Los Angeles. The young people prayed about various needs. Some one moved that they send me fifty dollars, and some one else suggested that they make it seventy-five.
The morning after receiving the money, I mounted my horse at four o’clock and rode up the mountain to Qtiezaltenango to cash the checks. I was in the saddle for eight hours—four hours going, and four hours re turning. It was not considered safe for a woman to ride along that road alone, meeting Indians of many different tribes. But I had no fear, for I know the Lord was with me. As I passed the Indians, I said to myself, “They will never believe that a woman is out on this road alone. They will think that I have a guide behind me. And when they, are far enough behind me to find out I have no guide, I will be far enough ahead of them to make it impossible for them to overtake me.” Reaching the city, I cashed the checks and bought my provisions for the week, saving out the required amount for the Indian worker and the horse. I arrived at Santa Maria at exactly five minutes to four, and called, in and paid off the workmen. That night we had a wonderful prayer meeting in the little new church. The building had cost $400.00, and the Lord had sent in every cent ip di rect answer to prayer. Children’s Special Service Mission new work , the Children’s Special Service Mission, is being sponsored by the Bible Institute of Los An geles. This plan, which originated in England, provides for an evangelical, interdenominational work for children to be carried on at the beaches. Branches of the mission are found in England, Ireland, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and India. The mission’s first appearance in the United States was made possible through the generosity of a Canadian friend of the Bible Institute of Los Angeles. The work was carried on at Manhattan Beach, Calif-., during the month of July by a group of five Bible Insti tute students with their chaperones. As soon as the blue and white C.S.S.M. banner was seen on the beach, chil dren came running. Meetings were held each morning in which chorus singing, Scripture memorizing, and Bible study had a part. Young people’s meetings were held each week and also a Bible class, for adults. In the afternoons, there were contests and programs of various kinds. These included the making of sand gar dens, the telling of Bible stories, and the finding of “hid den treasure.” Hand work also had a place. Each child who took part in four contests was awarded a prize. Among the most popular contests was that of Scripture writing on the sand. Many texts were very cleverly por trayed. The entries were graded as to neatness and orig inality. As prizes, Bible story books, Scripture painting books, Testaments, texts, and Scripture puzzles were given. The children were greatly interested. At the final meeting, sixteen boys and girls definitely confessed Christ as their Saviour. Many of this number had never attended a Protestant Sunday-school and might never have heard the simple gospel story as they heard it on the beach. The way is open at the present time for the C.S.S.M. to be continued in California next summer. A number of parents have expressed their desire to see the work con tinued. In Canada, where it has been carried on for a number of years, it has been found that some of the most active Christian workers trace their conversion to a C.S.S.M. meeting. Let us pray that the work may not, only be resumed next summer at Manhattan Beach, but that it may spread to other beaches all along the Pacific Coast.
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