January 1931
T h e
K i n g ’ s
B u s i n e s s
9
A World-Wide Ministry to Sailors
f N far-away Vienna, Austria, God spoke to a lad of fourteen years of age and burdened him because of his sin. In that great city of three million peo ple, he knew not a single born again one who could help him to find relief for his sin-burdened soul. God in His providence brought him as an immi grant across Europe, across the Atlantic, and across the continent to Oakland, California, in order that the cry
and which would have been denied him and many others like him had not God raised up Christian stewards who enabled the Institute to provide thorough Biblical train ing without cost. The Bible Institute of Los Angeles has always emphasized practical work for its students in addition to the studies in the class room. One day after classes were over, a student, who had been conducting meetings at the chapel among railroad men on Terminal
of his heart for a Saviour might be met. There, in due time, God sent a faithful m in ister who knocked on the door of the poor imm igran t home and left an invita tion to near-by c h u r c h services which were being conducted in the only language that the boy understood. The invitation was accepted and the warm welcome giv en at the church led to the lad’s regular attendance. After a short time, it was an nounced that a spe cial series of gos pel meetings would
Island and who was compelled to give up the work on ac count of illness, ap proached our young friend and asked him to take over the task. The work
was small; the field was hard. There were many discour agements. Further, it was far from the city, and among very poor people who could give little for its support. It seemed to offer a poor p rospect— nothing that indi cated that it would be the beginning of a life work. Yet the call was clear. The task was taken up, and in the face of many difficulties the post was held ag a in st th e enemy. A L ife W ork B egun After the homes on the island had been visited several times, with meager results, attention was called to a new field. A ship was boarded—a small lumber schooner which was at one of the docks on the island that forms a part of Los Angeles harbor. The crew were invited to attend the meetings at the chapel, but they promptly and flatly refused. However, they offered no objection to an impromptu meeting then and there, nor to the distribu tion of gospel literature among them. This encourage ment led to other visits to near-by ships, and almost be fore the student realized it, a new and large field lay open before him. Although it required a long and (to limited purses) an expensive ride by rail, other students were soon taking part in the ministry. It meant they must rush out after afternoon classes at the Institute, and that they had very little time (if they had money) for suppers. But the zeal of God was in their hearts. Often, behind lumber piles or in empty box cars, prayer meetings were held be fore the evening’s work was begun on the ships.
be held in a tabernacle not far distant. The lad went there every night in the week, listening to the services, although they were conducted in the English language—to him a strange tongue. His attention was particularly drawn to a motto on the wall bearing part of a verse of Scrip ture. With the aid of a small dictionary, he studied the text faithfully night after night: “The blood of Jesus Christ, his Son, cleanseth us from all sin.” At the close of the week, the meaning of the message had not only been understood intellectually, but it had sunk deeply into his heart. He was born again by the Spirit of God and freed in an instant from the burden of sin of the past years. L ed S tep by S tep The next chapter in his life that showed the providence of God was a vacation trip to Mount Hermon, the well- known Bible conference grounds in the Santa Cruz Moun tains. The lad was now grown to young manhood and had an earnest desire to know more of the Word of God. Through one of the Bible teachers, the late Dr. J. R. Pratt, he first learned of the Bible Institute of Los Angeles. Two or three years later, he went to Los Angeles and to the Institute. There he found opportunity to obtain the knowledge of the Bible which he had so eagerly sought,
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