Our arrival in the city aroused much curiosity
among the people. As we passed through the
streets they came out of their houses and followed
us to see where we were going. When we
came in sight of the house where lived a Christian
woman, who had suffered much at the
hands of her people, she came out to meet us.
The power fell on her, and she danced for joy,
and we wept and shouted. A crowd soon gathered
to see what had occurred, and we had a meeting
right there, telling them of the Savior’s love
and His willingness to save them from all sin, and
to present them faultless before His Father. These
people had persecuted this dear sister for ten years
after she was saved. They would come and whip
her, throw her goods into the street, and tell her
they would kill her if she did not turn back into
the Roman church, but she stood true, and now
had the Baptism of the Spirit, and in her house
we had our meetings.
We slept on cow hides for beds, with a straw
mat under us. We ate our food out of gourds for
two weeks until our things came and we could
get a house. It was sweet to be in the Master’s
dear service.
Street Scene in Leon
The city of Leon is anti-American because it
is the headquarters of the Liberal party, which
is trying to overthrow the rule of the church of
Rome. The United States appointed a president
twelve years ago, thus stopping the revolution
then in progress. As the president is a
church man the Liberal party hasn’t much love
for an American.
This was a difficulty which we had before us.
Not only were missionaries hated, but we were
American missionaries, which was far worse.
We looked to the Father for a house in which we
might live, and preach the Gospel to these dear
people. A man came to us and said we could
have a house, so we moved in the following day.
It was a poor thing to call a house, being dirty,
and infested with scorpions, lizards, and a
species of ant which builds a big mud house
and eats not only one’s clothes but also the
furniture.
We were situated between two saloons and
houses of ill-fame, right in the slum district.
People danced, drank and caroused all night
in these places. It was a pretty good place in
which to open fire on the enemy, being right in
the midst of his works. When an army advances
to fight the enemy it goes to the strongest point.
On one side of our house, which was built of
thin lumber, there were cracks in the wall, and we
could look through the cracks into the saloon.
We remembered the scripture which says we
are not to light a candle and put it under a
bushel, but on a candle stick, so all can see;
so we would get out our little organ and sing
and play, then kneel and pray, and the people
would peep through at us. We were told they
might throw rocks at us, and burn down the
house, and might even kill us, but we were not
there to draw back, so we opened fire with the
heavy artillery of God’s power in the Holy
Ghost.
We had not had, as yet, any public meetings,
but had been waiting on the Lord for guidance.
One morning there appeared a woman in our
doorway, crying out
“Will You Come and Pray for My
Baby? It Is Dying!”
We went with her to her home, which was a
few doors away. There on the bed lay a little
child, seemingly just passing away. A crowd had
gathered about the door. When I saw the baby
and that crowd there arose a cry to God from
the depths of my soul to heal the child, thereby
proving His power to the people. The child
seemed to pass away, but we called on God to
heal it for His glory. The little thing rose up,
climbed off the bed, and began playing on the
floor.
The mother shouted and gave herself to the
Lord then and there. The doctors had given
the child medicine to make it die easy, for it
had been sick a long time. The mother brought
the baby to our house, and sang, and praised
the God of Heaven until the people from far
and near came to see the child. She afterwards
took the child and went all over the city
from house to house telling how God had healed
it and saved her. Then the people began to
come to be prayed for. Often they would
come and stay far into the night.
Mother with child that was raised up from death
We were having such a blessed time that we
forgot about living in the slums, and about the
saloons on either side of us, although at first
we could not sleep for the noise from them.
Soon we discovered they had moved the saloon
which was so close to our bedroom. When I
saw the proprietor come into the meetings, with
others who came for prayer, I asked him if he
had moved. He answered he had, as he did
not feel good to have a bar so close to where
we prayed so much. Besides, he said, he had
no customers left, as they all came to hear us.
Hallelujah! Jesus did move in a mighty way.
On the other side was the biggest house of
ill-fame in the city. Men and women gathered
there by dozens, some of them perfectly nude,
dancing and drinking at all hours of the night.
It was so awful we felt that hell had been uncapped
in that place. But here came the
“madame” to us, asking for prayer, saying she
was sick, and she knew she was living a bad life.
After her came many others. We prayed with
each one and gave them each a Bible, until
there were some mighty changes wrought in
that section of the city.
One Dark Night
when the rain was falling in torrents, we were
sitting around our feeble candle-light, reading
our Bibles. We heard a knock on the door.
It was late, and we had been warned by both
missionaries and the Christian natives, to be
very careful to whom we opened our doors
after night, as there were people who would as
soon kill us as they would an animal, so we did
not open the door immediately. The knocking
continued, and we heard a man’s voice asking
us in Spanish to let him in. My husband partly
opened the door, and in the small opening we
saw a tall, dark native. He pushed into the
room, looking very much frightened. When we
asked what he wanted, he asked if we were the
missionaries. We told him that we were, and
he told us that five years before he had found a
Bible, and began reading it. He had become
convinced of the truth of the Gospel and wished
to talk with us. We talked and prayed with
him, then asked him to come to the meetings.
He said his mother was very angry because he
did not go to the church any more, and he was
afraid that if he were to come to our meetings
the people would kill him. That was why he
had come on such a dark, wet night to have a
talk with the missionaries. We were reminded
of the ruler in Israel who interviewed Jesus in
the night.
Waiting for the Gospel
He came to the house every night for two
weeks. When we opened our class in English he
attended. We always had a lesson from the
Bible, and the scholars had to learn scripture
verses. One day this man came out boldly and
said, “I am coming to the meetings.” By this
time we had several of the leading citizens of the
city attending our meetings. This young man
has since been called to preach the Gospel to his
people. Pray for him. The following is a copy
of a note he wrote us when we left Leon.
“I am returning your book. I thank you so much for
it. It has been a great blessing to me. Please pray for
me, as I feel a call to preach the Gospel. Send me Bibles
and tracts from your land for my people.”
Others came to the class, being anxious to
learn English. The judge of the city, doctors,
lawyers, and many others heard the Gospel
preached. To one young man who came to
the class we gave a Bible in English, and one
day he came to ask us some questions. The
priests had told the natives we were nice people
but were teaching error, for we taught people to
read the Bible and the Bible was a very bad
book, and they must not read it. But this
precious boy was convicted of sin, and was
seeking God. We asked him to pray the Lord
to forgive his sins, and then to believe that God
did it. He asked for a prayer-book, so he could
pray. We told him we never used prayer-books;
we simply asked God to forgive us and save us
from our sins. He was sweetly saved and went
away to bring a cousin to the meetings. This
cousin was also saved. These two were among
our brightest pupils. They could read and
speak English quite well in a few months.
One morning, very early, before we were up,
there came a knock on our door and a little
brown-faced Indian girl appeared. She was
about thirteen years old, and very pretty. She
asked us to take her as a servant. She had
nowhere to go, and had been sleeping in the
market. As I looked at that dear little brown
face and heard her story I looked up to my
Heavenly Father and breathed a prayer that
He would remember the thousands who, like her,
had no home and were perishing. We told her
we would take her, and I wish my readers might
have seen that dear little face light up with joy
because she would have a home with the missionaries.
She was a very bright girl, and very
quick to learn. Soon she could play the organ
and sing the Gospel hymns. How she did love
to go to the meetings and to read her Bible!
Carl’s Ball and Bat
Carl had a ball and a bat which had been
brought from the homeland, and in the daytime
he would go out into the small park near the
house, gather all the boys from the streets, and
play ball with them. They had never seen a
ball or a bat before, and it was all very wonderful
to them. Carl’s face would become very red
from the heat, and the children thought it queer
to see a red-faced boy with such white hair, and
such peculiar things as the ball and bat. He
would play with them until lunch-time, then
they would come home with him, and he would
get his Bible, read from it, and tell them of
Jesus, and numbers of them were brought to
God in this way.
Carl, with his boys
Many boys and girls came to us asking for a
school and a home, but I am sorry to say that
we could not possibly take them in, our house
and means would not permit. But we are asking
God to stir up the people in the homeland to
give till there shall be a home and school opened
in this dark city of Leon where these precious
jewels may be gathered in and taught the Bible,
and the way to God.
We were having precious meetings, and one
day a man came saying he had walked a long
distance to find the missionaries, to get them to
come to his home and teach the Gospel. Husband
and I went with him, going as far as possible
on the little railroad, then walking the rest
of the way. When we arrived we felt as if
every drop of our blood were boiling, we were so
hot, walking so far under the tropical sun. We
found the family gathered to hear the Word of
God, and thought of Peter going to the house of
Cornelius.
“Oh, the love that drew salvation’s plan!
Oh, the grace that brought it down to man!
Oh, the mighty gulf that God did span!
At Calvary.”
The Lord touched these dear hearts with His
love in a mighty way. They wept, and cried
to Him to save them. Even the little children
were hungry to seek the Lord. Far away from
all Christians, in a dark land, filled with idols,
where the powers of darkness fill the very air,
were those precious souls, just waiting for someone
to come and tell them of a Savior’s love.
There are many thousands just like them. Dear
reader, what will you do to get the gospel to
them? Ask the Lord to show you what He
would have you do.
I shall never forget the scene when we started
to leave these people. They clung to us, begging
us not to leave them. But there were our
own dear children at Leon, in a foreign land, far
away from all loved ones, and with no one to
protect them, and the shadows of night were
beginning to fall. We had to pull ourselves
away from those pleading, soul-hungry people,
and say good-bye. We promised to come back
when we could, telling them we must go back to
our little ones, and the work in Leon. The
father and mother had seven bright-faced boys,
and asked us if we would take them into our
school, and we told them we would if we could
but we were not able for lack of means.
Returning it seemed as if the slow train would
never get to Leon. We were tired, and our feet
were blistered from the long walk in the terrible
heat. But as we looked to the Lord to refresh
our bodies and heal our sore feet, the Holy
Spirit came sweeping through our beings, so
refreshing us that we hardly knew we had gone
through such an ordeal.
In a few days there came a call to another
home far away in the mountains, where the
people were begging that the Gospel be brought
to them. I took a native woman with me and
we traveled on the train as far as we could go.
We purposed going to the home of some native
Christians who lived in that town, and
who had been in the meetings at Leon, where
we thought to rest until the sun went down, as
the other trip had taught me not to walk far
under the hot sun. As we passed down the
street I heard the people calling out in Spanish,
“Hay una Evangelista!” (There is a missionary!)
But I thought nothing of it, knowing they were
not accustomed to seeing foreigners walking
through their streets.
Arriving at the house of the Christians I was
told the people would not allow missionaries to
come to that town. Some months before, one
of their young men had been converted. When
he came back and told it, men, women, and
children, with the priests as leaders, gathered,
and cut him to pieces in the street near the
house where we then were.
The dear native Christians were looking for
the people to come at any moment and kill
them. They declared that we all would be
killed that day. I began praying to find out
if I had missed the Lord’s will by coming there,
but the Lord spoke to my heart, saying all would
be well and not to fear what the people might
do. So we gathered inside and prayed to God
for protection, and to convict the people of their
awful crimes. When we arose from prayer a
large crowd was gathered outside, watching us.
The house was made of small poles stuck in the
ground, with large cracks all around, so we could
easily see and be seen.
We planned to leave the house at sunset, to
walk out to the farm where we were going to
preach the Gospel. I told the dear ones not to
fear, but to trust God. However, they were
greatly frightened and said the mob would certainly
kill me when I went out. But I knew I
had been sent there by the Lord, and all would
be well.
I went out and spoke to the crowd, and then
started down the street, leading to the country.
When I looked around only my woman was with
me. She told me the others had gone another
way, hoping to miss the crowd, which I saw was
following us. I saw some women give a boy a
machette, and tell him to cut me with it. He
came running toward me, talking in Spanish as
fast as he could, and swearing at me. I went
right ahead. He kept at my side, swearing.
The mob followed us. We walked on until we
came to where the road left the town, and turned
into the country. I felt the power of God coming
upon me in a way I had never felt before.
The veins of my neck swelled, and my body
began to shake. Then I turned toward the mob
and began speaking to them in tongues. They
turned and ran, until not one was to be seen. A
little disappointed feeling came into my heart.
I said, “Jesus, I wanted to die a martyr for you
here in this dark land, but now the mob is gone.”
The power still filled my being, until I could do
nothing but worship God. The native Christians
came up. They said they had seen the people
run, and heard them exclaim that fire fell from
Heaven and burned them, until they could
endure it no longer, and they had to run. I did
not see the fire, but felt it burning in my soul in
a mighty way.
At The Farm
I preached and sang until midnight, and still
the people begged me to tell them more “good
news” as they called it. Truly it was good news
of great joy to those poor people who had so
long been under the heavy yoke of the enemy.
There was a family of fifteen, also several hired
men, besides about twelve travelers who had
stopped for the night. They had only one room.
When I told them I could not preach any more
that night, but must have some rest for my
body, and a place where I could lie down, they
all went into the room—family, travelers, hired
men, some thirty people in all. They took two
young calves and three small deer with them,
also several hens with their little chicks.
I decided not to sleep with all those people
and animals in that room, with no ventilation—as
the adobe houses are built without any
windows. I told them to fix me a cot outside
in the corridor. They said wild animals came at
night, and I must not sleep outside. But I
decided I would almost prefer being eaten by wild
animals to being smothered. As I insisted, they
put a cot for me outside, and I did not awaken
to see whether any wild animals came. If any
came, they did not molest me.
Arising next morning I ate my breakfast off
of banana leaves, then gathered the family for
prayer. How the power of God did fall and fill
every hungry heart! After prayer I told them
I must leave them, and return home. We gathered
our blankets together, and climbed into the
ox cart which had been brought to carry us to
the railroad station. I was too tall for the
cowhide covering, which was intended to protect
us from the sun, so I sat in the back and let
my feet hang down over the end, and so rode to
town. We sang and talked all the way, about
the love of Jesus. Several times we stopped at
houses by the roadside and preached to the
people, giving them tracts and Bibles.
A large crowd was at the station waiting for
the train. I went to the platform and spoke to
the crowd. They asked me to give them Bibles
and tracts. Some of them were members of the
mob which the night before had been ready to
kill us for coming into their town to preach the
Gospel.
We arrived at Leon very tired and needing
rest. But there were so many to be ministered
unto and the needs were so great that I went
right into the meetings, where God blessed my
soul and rested my body.
Where I preached until midnight, and the entire family was brought to the Lord.
The Lord Rolled the Sea Away
One day a young man who had been in the
United States, came to see us. He spoke English
well, also had been in different churches and
had some knowledge of the Gospel. He came
many times to read and pray with us. One day
he asked if we would not go to the beach for a
day’s outing. We felt we could not spare the
time, and it would be too much of a luxury for
us. But as he insisted on bringing his machine
and taking us, we consented to go and prepared a
little lunch. Before going we asked if we might
preach to the people on the road. He consented,
so we went for the day, taking Bibles and tracts
with us. Many were the precious souls to whom
we spoke about the Lord Jesus, giving them the
little printed messengers. Our hearts were
moved with compassion as we saw the extreme
poverty of the poor people out in the country,
with no one to love or help them. The
roads were almost impassable and the heat was
intense, but at last we saw the white-caps dashing
up against the shore, and felt the cool breeze
from the ocean. We stopped some distance
from the water and walked down to the beach.
Many Indians were there. Some could not
speak Spanish, but had a sign language. We
spoke to all who could understand us, and they
told the rest about the Gospel, for although they
spoke Spanish, they also understood the sign
language.
There was a dressing place for bathers and a
stand where refreshments were sold by the
Indians, who could not speak Spanish. I sat
down in the shade while the rest went bathing
in the surf. Suddenly I was startled by the
screams of my daughter, Alma. She and the
young man were quite a distance out in the
breakers. They were drowning, and calling for
help. I saw them go under. My husband was
trying to reach them, but the strong undercurrent
took him down also. I prayed and
called on God to save them.
Running to the Indians, I tried to tell them
to run with a rope and save them. I could not
make them understand, but suddenly began
talking in tongues, with signs, which I afterwards
learned was their language. They told
the young man that I had implored them to
help save my daughter, husband and himself.
They ran to help Alma and the young man, but
they could not be seen. I started in that direction
calling on the Lord to save them. The
sea rolled up in a great heap, and there they
were on the sand. How it all happened I cannot
tell. But I know the Lord rolled the sea
away, and they were saved. They were filled
with water and Alma was sick. But the Lord
soon delivered her. The young man knew the
Lord had saved them from death. He was an
expert swimmer, but could not swim in that
strong undercurrent, which had drawn them
so far out before they realized the danger.
Where the entire family was brought to Jesus, and the mother’s
hand was healed of blood poisoning. Note the hand wrapped
in a large piece of cloth.
How we did praise God for His wonderful
deliverance! It was a mighty miracle, which
convinced the Indians that God had delivered,
for they saw the waters rolled up in a heap. It
made them believe. The news of the wonderful
miracle God had performed for the missionaries
soon spread about the city. It was published
in the papers, and many who had not come before,
came to see us and were convinced of the Gospel.
Many people came from all parts of the
Republic to hear the Gospel, and to ask for
Bibles.
The dear saints in the homeland sent us
Bibles, Testaments and tracts, and the Word of
God went forth. We cannot tell how many
precious souls were reached by the bread cast
on the waters, but we shall know when we reach
the beautiful land beyond, and see their dear
faces shining with heavenly glory. We are told
to sow beside all waters, and are promised that
“he that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing
precious seed, shall doubtless come again
with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with
him.” Psalm 126:6.
Many were the nights and times we went
forth weeping over the sheep that were out of
the fold, lost among the idols, vice and sin of
every kind. It was almost more than we could
bear when so many of the people came to us,
and we were unable to take them all in and help
them. We could only weep and cry to the Lord
to help us to reach them, and to stir up the saints
at home to give all they possibly could to aid in
helping them. For this purpose we are sending
forth this book, that funds may be raised to
send Bibles and tracts to these people.
It was at this time, when many were pressing
upon us for help and our means were so limited
that God told us to return to the homeland and
tell the church of the great need of sending more
Bibles, tracts and missionaries to these destitute
fields. As we looked to the Lord and told Him
we did not have the money to get back home,
He spoke and told us we were to pack up and
go to the port, and He would send the money
for us there for our fare. So we began making
ready.
Another missionary and his wife came by,
going home on furlough. They were going via
Guatemala, believing they could save quite a
sum of money by going that way. But the
Lord had told us to go via Panama. We packed
our trunks and made ready. But oh, how we did
hate to tell our dear people we were leaving them,
for we loved them so, and they loved and clung
to us. We knew they would feel so badly to
have us leave them.
Where Carl attended native school to study Spanish. Neither
the teacher or any of the pupils could speak a word of English,
so he very soon acquired the Spanish.
When we went to the meeting that night we
told them the Lord had led us to return to our
homeland, to put the great needs of their
country before the people. They cried, both
men and women, and pressed upon us until we
thought we could never get ready to start. I
had to put our suit-cases in a room and lock the
doors so I could finish packing, for the house was
full of precious souls begging to hear more of
the Gospel, and telling us how much they loved
us, and what a great blessing we had been to
them. Our hearts were breaking over the
people, for they were as sheep without a shepherd.
May God bless and keep them true to
Him.
We were packed and ready to go to the train
when there came a big procession of people
marching into the house. Some of them we
had not met before, and some we had seen on
the streets and in the markets, when we were
preaching and giving out tracts. Many of them
had come to our meetings, had heard and accepted
the Gospel, and had been filled with the
blessed Holy Spirit. They brought many presents,
among them a nice leather bill-book
for my husband, a manicuring set for Alma,
pretty fans for me, and boxes of candy for Carl.
Many useful presents they brought, some of
which had cost much money, for everything is
much more expensive there than in our country.
Even rich people had come and brought presents
to show their appreciation of our missionary
work among them.
When the train pulled in, and we were about
to go on board, several doctors and lawyers and
the judge of the city came, saying they were
going to the port with us to stay until our ship
sailed, and there was the crowd standing outside
waving their hands and saying, “Good-bye, don’t
forget to pray for us, and send us Bibles.” Oh
that scene! We shall never forget it. As the
train started the people hung on to the side,
waving their hands, and calling “Good-bye, our
good missionaries; we love you so much.”
We had many opportunities to witness for
Jesus and to give out literature on the way
to the port. The people were so hungry they
would run and beg for more tracts.
When we arrived at the port station we were
taken to a hotel by one of the men who had gone
with us, and there a fine dinner was given us in
a special dining room, and we had a nice time.
We found we must appear before the American
consul twice a day for several days before sailing,
as we had come from a yellow fever infected
region. We began to go that morning,
for the ship bound for Panama would
come in seven days.
We made ready to leave on that boat, but
there was no money for the fare. As I prayed
in my room one morning the Lord said, “Go and
ask for your mail.” I thought, “I don’t believe
the mail is opened here, but on arriving in the
port is immediately sent to the different parts of
the country.” But as I prayed again the Lord
spoke once more, “Go and ask for your mail.”
I knew it was the voice of the Lord, for He had
wonderfully spoken to us and led us all the way,
so I went. On asking for the mail I was told
that no mail was coming for two weeks, and
when it did come it would not be opened there
but would be sent out to the different parts of
the republic.
Women coming from the market place
I returned to my room, wondering. I believed
the Lord had sent me for our mail, but
why had the postal officials said it could not be
obtained there? Besides, there was no mail
boat coming until after the other boat had sailed.
But as I prayed I heard the voice of the Lord
telling me to go again and ask for my mail. I
waited until the next morning, then went again.
Once more the postmaster told me the same thing,
that it would be impossible for me to get my mail
there when it did come. I must admit that
I felt at a loss to know what to do, or what
it all meant. But I couldn’t doubt the voice of
the Lord. I waited another day, and prayed
until I was sure the Lord was speaking to me.
Though I couldn’t see how it all could work out,
yet I knew that He knew, and had spoken.
I went again to the postmaster and explained
to him that we were sailing on the ship which
was then in the harbor, and which was to leave
in three days, but again he told me the same
thing; there would be no mail boat in for two
weeks, and it would be impossible to receive my
mail before that time. I returned to my room
and, falling upon my face, I cried to the Lord for
help, for this seemed more than I could bear, for
the enemy was taunting me, saying that the Lord
was not speaking to me, that we had been deceived,
that the Lord had not even told us to
come to the port, and that our fare would certainly
not be provided. Nevertheless, the voice
of the Lord came again to me, saying, “Ask for
your mail tomorrow morning.”
When we arose the next morning we saw
another ship at anchor in the port. It had come
in during the night. My husband strolled down
to the dock, and was informed that this was the
mail boat from Panama, also that our ship was
not to sail until the following day, because the
cargo was not yet unloaded. When he returned
with the welcome news I began to pray again
about the mail, feeling certain there was something
for us on that ship. Then I went again to
see the postmaster, this time taking a Testament
to give him. This seemed the wrong thing to
do, for he was a fanatical church man, and the
Gospel was not allowed to be preached in that
port. But we had gone unmolested all over the
place, distributing tracts, and preaching to the
people, and the dear natives had begged for
Bibles and the little papers (tracts).
Alma with her music class in Leon
Walking up to the office window, I told the
man the Lord had spoken to me, telling me there
was mail there for me, which had come in on
that ship. He came to the window, began talking
about the Lord, and asked me how I knew
the Lord had said there was mail there for us.
I answered that we had come to port in order to
sail on the ship then in harbor, that we did not
have our fare, but the Lord had told us the fare
would be provided after we reached the port. I
was sure there was mail for us there, and would
he please give it to me? Handing him the Testament,
I told him to read it, and learn about the
wonderful Savior who could come into our
hearts and talk to us, and lead us in such straight
paths. He began to weep, and told me he had
never before seen a Bible, had hated and persecuted
the missionaries, had hated me when I
came inquiring for mail, and had not even believed
in God before; but my coming so many
times, saying the Lord had told me there was mail
coming for me, in spite of my knowing that the
mail ship was not due for two weeks, then the
arrival of the mail ship before time, and the
postponed sailing of the other vessel upon which
I said we were to sail, had convinced him that
God was actually speaking to me, and he promised
to try to get our mail. However, there
were thousands of letters, and he was rather
doubtful if he could find our mail in the midst of
so much other, but promised that if I would return
in the afternoon he would do his best for
me. In the afternoon, I returned for the mail,
which I was sure would be there. The man
came hurrying to me, and handed me two registered
letters, saying they were on the top of the
pile of mail in the first bag he opened. Surely
God had spoken to me, he said, and he knew
now there was a God, and he was going to serve
Him, so as to have Him speak to him, too. And
very earnestly he promised to read the Testament,
also he asked for a Bible for his wife,
and tracts for his friends.
When I opened the two letters there, lacking
twenty-five dollars, was the amount for our fare.
We sailed the following morning. Later I went
into my stateroom to find out the exact amount
of money we had, to make sure how much was
lacking for the entire trip to the homeland. Sure
enough, there was exactly twenty-five dollars
lacking. Again I looked to the dear Lord for
help to believe for the needed amount, and again
He spoke, telling me to open my Bible. I did so,
and my eyes fell upon this scripture:
“And the Lord, He it is that doth go
before thee; He will be with thee; He will
not fail thee, neither forsake thee; fear
not, neither be dismayed.”—Deut. 31:8
Looking at the little scripture calendar hanging
on the wall I saw in the space for the day on
which we would land in Panama the identical
verse I had just read. Strengthened and encouraged
by this, I felt that Jesus would make
it all right, and that we were simply to trust and
obey.
Upon arriving in Panama we were taken to
the American Bible House, where we were treated
with the greatest kindness. Dear Mr. Duffey
and his wife gave us much valuable information
about the whole of Central America, as they
were in touch with every mission station, and
had themselves been missionaries there for many
years.
We had to wait three days for the ship to New
Orleans, and we sweetly rested in the Lord and
trusted Him to supply that twenty-five dollars.
One day we met a young Mexican on the
street, whom we had known in Nicaragua. He
was a traveling salesman from St. Louis, Mo.
We had given him a Bible and talked to him
about giving his heart to the Lord, and he had
been very much interested in our work in
Nicaragua. We invited him to visit us at the
Bible House, and in the evening he came. We
read the Word of God and had prayer, and he
told us of his having persecuted the missionaries
in Mexico. He had never seen a Bible before
he met us, but in the United States he had learned
that missionaries did a good work among the
people, so he no longer hated them. He said
he was glad to have met us and heard us preach
the Gospel. “In return for this Bible which you
have given me,” he said, “and the way in which
you have talked to me, I feel I should do something
for you, and the Lord,” and he passed
twenty-five dollars across the table to me.
Praise the Lord! there was the rest of our fare
home. Surely God does temper the wind to
the shorn lamb, and take care of His little ones,
leading them in and out where they can find
pasture.
We sailed the next day. Many were the
precious souls reached by us with the Gospel
while we were in Panama; also on land and on
sea after we left there. Shall we not praise God
forever for all His goodness to us, and for the
privilege of being called to preach to the nations
of the earth?
Put ye in the sickle, for the harvest truly is ripe;
Put ye in the sickle, and reap with all your might;
Put ye in the sickle, for the Lord calleth thee;
Put ye in the sickle, and to Him, ever faithful be;
Put ye in the sickle, ye worker of the living God;
Put ye in the sickle, in every land ye tread;
Put ye in the sickle, for the day is surely nigh;
Put ye in the sickle, for Jesus cometh from on high.
—Given in tongues, with interpretation.
Alma with her English class of native girls
