S t t t i l y C . / H e x a ttd & i A t i E F E O F D E I » I F A T E « S E R V B C E
ness, however, he passed away. In 1911, Miss Alexander moved to Can ada. While there on a short visit, she contracted tuberculosis and re turned to England to recuperate. Friends told her that she should come to California to regain her health. In 1914 she arrived in Los Angeles to start life anew. Because of her sacrificial service through the years, Miss Alexander may have lacked money, but she has ■never lacked friends. She typifies the Scripture which declares that one who would have friends, must show .himself friendly. Not long after she arrived in Los Angeles, she came to know some of the people at the Bible Institute of Los Angeles. While work ing in a nearby hospital as a nurse, she became acquainted with Mrs. T. C. Horton through the Lyceum Club. “ The people at BIOLA were so friend ly,” Miss Alexander recalled. “Moth er Horton used to jokingly call me ‘The Episcolopian.’ (I was attending the Episcopal church at that time.)” It was in 1920 that Miss Alexander was forced to go to the hospital for a very serious operation. Doctors de spaired of her life. “ Aunt Carrie Brooks was in the same room that I was. Mrs. Dennis was supposed to call on her one day, but instead, Miss Ethel Lee came. Since Miss Lee was also English, we had much in com mon. But, I was not interested in the tracts and other helps; I tried to turn her off. I remember coming out of the ether after my operation to find her sitting by my side. Ethel Lee and I were inseparable after that.” In response to God’s saving of her life, Miss Alexander dedicated many years to His service. In 1923, Miss Alexander was grad uated from BIOLA and took up full time work with the BIOLA Bible Women teaching regular classes of teenage girls. During her 36 years of service, Miss Alexander taught six classes a week, some with enrollments as high as 100. “These are called ‘Euodia Clubs.’ Dr. Torrey gave them that name, for it means ‘Fragrance’ and is taken from II Corinthians 2: 14.” Today, her girls are scattered around the world serving with various mission boards. Others are pastors’ wives; many more are in varied areas of Christian service. “ Each morning, I pray around the world,” Miss Alex ander remarked. “ This is my way of ‘holding the ropes’.”
Miss Alexander’s life could not be called one of retirement. “ I try to spend as much time as possible writ ing letters. Missionaries appreciate keeping up with news from homer Then too, there are many friends who appreciate knowing the progress at La Mirada. This information often has brought increased financial help for the Vision and the Venture.” Cer tainly the Ethel Lee Memorial Bible Hall is a tribute to the earnest work and prayers of this dedicated servant, and particularly her close friends Misses Helen and Betty Babcock. “To everyone who gave to the Ethel Lee Fund,” Miss Alexander pointed out, “ 1 have given a padded coat hanger which I have been able to knit. It has kept my hands busy, and I want to do something for my Lord. Now I sell the hangers and give the money to the campus fund.” Emily Alexander has claimed the promises of God for her daily life, not the least of which is her favorite verse: “ Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my right eousness.” Isaiah 41:10. With a note of prayer and gratefulness to the Lord, Miss Alexander wanted one point to be stressed, “ People must know that I want no praise from man, but that God might receive all the glory. Let’s keep on praying and remembering that our Lord is still on the throne.” Her life bears the same “ fragrance” of Christian love which for so many years she has taught and exemplied for “ her girls.” I Corinth ians 15:58. Miss Alexander has missionaries for whom she is praying located on the mission fields of the world.
Though now retired. Miss Alexander's hands are kept busy day by day. I met her when I was only twelve, but what she told me changed my whole life,” Miss Emily J. Alexander, former Bible woman for BIOLA de clared in a recent interview. “ She was a missionary home on furlough from China. She told me about the Lord Jesus Christ, and I gave my heart to Him. I can remember the change that took place in my life because of that priceless experience.” Miss Alexander was bom Januarv 23, 1875 in London, England, “With in the sound of Bowbells,” she has tened to explain. “My mother died when I was bom, and so during the early part of my life I moved around, staying in the homes of various rela tives and friends. I had been told that my mother was a wonderful Chris tian woman. In those early years, father would say, ‘Emily, where did you get that temper? You’re not a bit like your mother.’ While I had never seen her (I will some day) I wanted to be like her. When the Lord saved me, my temper was one thing He helped me to control.” Emily Alexander has lived a full life of service for Christ in witnessing to men, women, boys and girls with whom she has come in contact. As a trained nurse, she and a friend estab lished three homes near London. One was for handicapped girls, another for working girls who came to spend the holidays, and a third for girls who were mental and nervous cases. While carrying on this work for 17 years, she became engaged to her friend’s brother who was a minister in the Church of England. Because of ill- 24
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THE KING'S BUSINESS
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