experience, giving the date. In time the answer came, which said
that--though no date could be given, as no note had been made of it--as
far as could be judged, it was about the same time that I had had the
burden of prayer that my friend was passing through a time of such
temptation as seemed almost overwhelming. But the letter said: "I was
brought through victoriously; I know that it was your prayers that
helped me."
* * * * *
The following incident may seem trifling to some; but to me no answer in
my life ever brought more intense relief. For this reason I have
reserved it, as the final testimony of the original prayer record.
My husband had gone to hold revival meetings in a distant province, and
while he was away I went with my Bible-woman to a certain out-station at
the urgent request of the Christians, to preach at a four-days'
"theatrical," which brought great crowds. The four days there were
enough to wear out the strongest; for many hours daily we had to face
unruly crowds coming and going; and at the end of our stay I turned my
face homeward utterly worn out. My one thought was to get to Wei Hwei,
our next station, for a few days' rest with my youngest children, who
were attending school there. A sight of them, I knew, would recover my
energies better than anything else.
But in getting home I in some way lost the key of the money-drawer. It
was Friday, and the train for Wei Hwei left on Saturday at ten o'clock.
Different persons came for money, but I had to put them off with some
excuse. There was too much money in the drawer for me to leave with the
key lying around somewhere; besides, I myself could not go without
money.
As soon as I had my supper I started searching everywhere. Drawers,
pigeonholes, shelves, were all searched in vain. After hunting for two
hours, until I was too exhausted to hunt any more, I suddenly thought,
"I have never prayed about it." Stopping still just where I stood by the
dining-table, I lifted my heart to the Lord. "O Lord, you know how much
I need a rest; you know how much I long to see the children; pity me,
and lead me to the key."
Then, without wasting a step, I walked through the dining-room, hall,
and women's guest room into Mr. Goforth's study, to the book-case (which
covers one side of the room), opened the door, slipped two books aside,
and there was the key. So near did the Lord seem at that moment that I
could almost feel his bodily presence. It was not that I remembered
putting the key there, but he led me there.
Yes, I _know_ God answers prayer.
IX
TO HIS PRAISE!
"They shall abundantly utter the memory of thy
great goodness."
THIS chapter is written more than seven years later than the foregoing,
in further testimony and praise.
Returning to Canada at the time of the Great War, we came face to face
with a serious financial crisis. Only two ways seemed open to us. One
was to lay our affairs frankly before the Board, showing that our salary
was quite insufficient, with war conditions and prices, to meet our
requirements. The other course was to just go forward, get a suitable
home and whatever we required, and trust our Father to supply what was
needed above our income. We decided on the latter course.
A dear daughter felt indignant that we should have a salary insufficient
for our needs; but we assured her that to trust God for what was lacking
was not begging. The day came when this child and myself took possession
of our new home. As we entered the dining-room we found a large mail
from China on the table.
One letter was forwarded from the lady in Australia whose gifts, in the
past, seemed always to have met some felt need. Her letter enclosed
fifty pounds, with the expressed wish that thirty pounds should be used
for work in China, but twenty pounds was to be used to meet some
personal need. I handed the letter to my daughter, saying: "Shall we not
believe that God will undertake for us? It seems to me as if our Father
were beside us saying, 'My child, take this hundred dollars as an
earnest of what I am going to do for you.'"
Tears stood in her eyes as my daughter gave the letter back, saying:
"Mother, we don't trust God half enough!"
Were I to attempt to write the history of the months that followed, a
long chapter would be required; but my testimony along this line is
surely sufficient.
* * * * *
It was on this same furlough that I came to have an enlarged vision of
my Heavenly Father's willingness to undertake in what some might term
the minor details of everyday life. Missionaries, especially we
missionary women, know only too well how we are criticized in the matter
of dress, when in the homeland and when traveling. I have had, through
the years, not only many amusing but trying experiences in this
connection, and I resolved to make the question of dress a definite
matter of prayer. And I rejoice to testify that the result of this
decision became a constant source of wonder and praise. Yes, I found the
Lord could guide me even in trimming my hat to his glory! That is, so
that I could stand up before an audience and not bring discredit to my
Master. Praise his name!
"There is nothing too great for his power,
And nothing too small for his love!"
At the time of the Great War a son had gone to England with the first
Canadian contingent. When this news reached us in China, I began to pray
definitely that the Lord would use my son's gifts in the best way for
his country's good, but would keep him back from the trenches and from
actual warfare. My boy did not know of this prayer.
Some weeks after reaching England he was looking forward to leaving for
the trenches in France, when orders came that he was needed in the
Orderly Room, and his unit left without him. Months later a call came
for volunteers, to fill the great gaps made at the time of the first
use of gas. My boy resigned his position, and joined the company of
volunteers to be sent to France. Just before they were to leave he was
again sent for from Headquarters, and told he was to go to the Canadian
Base in France as adjutant. His duties in this capacity kept him at the
Forwarding Base. A year later he again planned to resign, in order to
get to the trenches. He had begun making arrangements for this step,
when he had a fall from his horse, which caused him to be invalided home
to Canada, where he was kept till the close of the war.
It would indeed be difficult to persuade his mother that all this
happened by chance; for one day, when in great distress, expecting any
day a cable to say he had left for the trenches, I received a most clear
assurance from the Lord that he had the boy in his keeping.
* * * * *
After our return to China, when in great trouble, I prayed the Lord to
grant me a clear sign of his favor by giving me a certain petition,
which affected a child in the homeland. The request was a complicated
one, including several definite details. A little more than a month
later, a letter reached me from the one for whom I had asked the Lord's
favor. She wrote joyously, telling that she had received just what I had
asked for, and in every detail as I had prayed.
* * * * *
When my husband resigned the regular field work of Changte, Honan, it
became necessary for us to find a home elsewhere. The only suitable
place, meeting all our requirements, was on the hills at Kikungshan,
South Honan. On going there to get a site for our home, though we looked
for more than a week, we could find no place. As we started down the
hill, one morning soon after midnight, I was feeling our failure very
keenly, for we had given up our old home. When my husband saw how bad I
felt, as he told me later, he began to cry earnestly to the Lord to give
us a site. And before we reached the station the assurance had come that
we would get a place. A friend on the train, traveling third class, saw
us getting on the second class, and came in for a few words before
getting off the train. When he heard we had failed to get a site, he
said:
"I know of a beautiful site which our Mission is reserving for a future
missionary. I'll ask them to give it to you."
A few days later the treasurer of this Mission wrote us that they had
unanimously and gladly voted to give us the site.
I am now writing these closing words in our God-given home, built on
this beautiful site, one of the most lovely spots to be found in China.
So from this quiet mountain retreat, a monument of what God can give in
answer to prayer, this little book of Prayer Testimonies is sent forth.
As the past has been reviewed, and God's wonderful faithfulness
recalled, there has come a great sense of regret that I have not trusted
God more, and asked more of him, both for my family and the Chinese.
Yes, it is truly wonderful! But the wonder is not that God _can_ answer
prayer, _but that he does_, when we so imperfectly meet the conditions
clearly laid down in his Word.
In recent years I have often tested myself by these conditions, when
weeks, and perhaps months, have passed without some answer to prayer,
and there has come a conscious spiritual sagging. As the discerning soul
can plainly see, all the conditions mentioned in the list below may be
included in the one word "Abide."
Conditions of Prevailing Prayer
1. Contrite humility before God and forsaking of sin.--2 Chron. 7:14.
2. Seeking God with the whole heart.--Jer. 29:12, 13.
3. Faith in God.--Mark 11:23, 24.
4. Obedience.--1 John 3:22.
5. Dependence on the Holy Spirit.--Rom. 8:26.
6. Importunity.--Mark 7:24-30; Luke 11:5-10.
7. Must ask in accordance with God's will.--1 John 5:14.
8. In Christ's Name.--John 14:13, 14, and many other passages.
9. Must be willing to make amends for wrongs to others.--Matt.
5:23, 24.
Causes of Failure in Prayer
1. Sin in the heart and life.--Psa. 66:18; Isa. 59:1, 2.
2. Persistent refusal to obey God.--Prov. 1:24-28; Zech. 7:11, 13.
3. Formalism and hypocrisy.--Isa. 1:2-15.
4. Unwillingness to forgive others.--Mark 11:25, 26.
5. Wrong motives.--James 4:2, 3.
6. Despising God's law.--Amos 2:4.
7. Lack of love and mercy.--Prov. 21:13.
X
VICTORY FOUND
AT THE close of this little volume it seems fitting to recount again a
wonderful personal experience, narrated in The Sunday School Times of
December 7, 1918.
I do not remember the time when I did not have in some degree a love for
the Lord Jesus Christ as my Saviour. When not quite twelve years of age,
at a revival meeting, I publicly accepted and confessed Christ as my
Lord and Master.
From that time there grew up in my heart a deep yearning to know Christ
in a more real way, for he seemed so unreal, so far away and visionary.
One night when still quite young I remember going out under the trees in
my parents' garden and, looking up into the starlit heavens, I longed
with intense longing to feel Christ near me. As I knelt down there on
the grass, alone with God, Job's cry became mine, "Oh, that I knew where
I might find him!" Could I have borne it had I known then that almost
forty years would pass before that yearning would be satisfied?
With the longing to know Christ, literally to "find" him, came a
passionate desire to _serve_ him. But, oh, what a terrible nature I had!
Passionate, proud, self-willed, indeed just full was I of those things
that I knew were unlike Christ.
The following years of half-hearted conflict with sinful self must be
passed over till about the fifth year of our missionary work in China. I
grieve to say that the new life in a foreign land with its trying
climate, provoking servants, and altogether irritating conditions,
seemed to have developed rather than subdued my natural disposition.
One day (I can never forget it), as I sat inside the house by a paper
window at dusk, two Chinese Christian women sat down on the other side.
They began talking about me, and (wrongly, no doubt) I listened. One
said, "Yes, she is a hard worker, a zealous preacher, and--yes, she
nearly loves us; but, oh, what a temper she has! _If she would only live
more as she preaches!_"
Then followed a full and true delineation of my life and character. So
true, indeed, was it, as to crush out all sense of annoyance and leave
me humbled to the dust. I saw then how useless, how worse than useless,
was it for me to come to China to preach Christ and not _live_ Christ.
But how could I live Christ? I knew some (including my dear husband)
who had a peace and a power,--yes, and a something I could not define,
that I had not; and often I longed to know the secret.
Was it possible, with such a nature as mine, ever to become patient and
gentle?
Was it possible that I could ever really stop worrying?
Could I, in a word, ever hope to be able to live Christ as well as
preach him?
I knew I loved Christ; and again and again I had proved my willingness
to give up all for his sake. But I knew, too, that one hot flash of
temper with the Chinese, or with the children before the Chinese, would
largely undo weeks, perhaps months, of self-sacrificing service.
The years that followed led often through the furnace. The Lord knew
that nothing but fire could destroy the dross and subdue my stubborn
will. Those years may be summed up in one line: "Fighting (not finding),
following, keeping, _struggling_." Yes, and failing! Sometimes in the
depths of despair over these failures; then going on determined to do
_my_ best,--and what a poor best it was!
In the year 1905, and later, as I witnessed the wonderful way the Lord
was leading my husband, and saw the Holy Spirit's power in his life and
message, I came to seek very definitely for the fulness of the Holy
Spirit. It was a time of deep heart-searching. The heinousness of sin
was revealed as never before. Many, many things had to be set right
toward man and God. I learned then what "paying the price" meant. Those
were times of wonderful mountain-top experiences, and I came to honor
the Holy Spirit and seek his power for the overcoming of sin in a new
way. But Christ still remained, as before, distant, afar off, and I
longed increasingly to know--to _find_ him. Although I had much more
power over besetting sins, yet there were times of great darkness and
defeat.
It was during one of these latter times that we were forced to return to
Canada, in June of 1916. My husband's health prevented him from public
speaking, and it seemed that this duty for us both was to fall on me.
But I dreaded facing the Home Church without some spiritual uplift,--a
fresh vision for myself. The Lord saw this heart-hunger, and in his own
glorious way he fulfilled literally the promise, "He satisfieth the
longing soul, and _filleth_ the hungry soul with goodness" (Psa. 107:9,
A. V.).
A spiritual conference was to be held the latter part of June at
Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, and to this I was led. One day I went to
the meeting rather against my inclination, for it was so lovely under
the trees by the beautiful lake. The speaker was a stranger to me, but
from almost the first his message gripped me. Victory over Sin! Why,
this was what I had fought for, had hungered for, all my life! Was it
possible?
The speaker went on to describe very simply an ordinary Christian life
experience--sometimes on the mountain-top, with visions of God; then
again would come the sagging, and dimming of vision, coldness,
discouragement, and perhaps definite disobedience and a time of
down-grade experience. Then perhaps a sorrow, or even some special
mercy, would bring the wanderer back to his Lord.
The speaker asked for all those who felt this to be a picture of their
experience to raise the hand. I was sitting in the front seat, and shame
only kept me from raising my hand at once. But I did so want to get all
God had for me, and I determined to be true; and after a struggle I
raised my hand. Wondering if others were like myself, I ventured to
glance back and saw many hands were raised, though the audience was
composed almost entirely of Christian workers, ministers, and
missionaries.
The leader then went on to say _that_ life which he had described was
_not_ the life God planned or wished for His children. He described the
higher life of peace, rest in the Lord, of power and freedom from
struggle, worry, care. As I listened I could scarcely believe it could
be true, yet my whole soul was moved so that it was with the greatest
difficulty I could control my emotion. I saw then, though dimly, that I
was nearing the goal for which I had been aiming all my life.
Early the next morning, soon after daybreak, I went over on my knees
carefully and prayerfully all the passages on the Victorious Life that
were given in a little yellow leaflet that the speaker had
distributed.[1] What a comfort and strength it was to see how clear
God's Word was that victory, not defeat, was his will for his children,
and to see what wonderful provision he had made! Later, during the days
that followed, clearer light came. I did what I was asked to do--I
quietly but definitely accepted Christ as my Saviour from the _power_ of
sin as I had so long before accepted him as my Saviour from the
_penalty_ of sin. And on this I rested.
I left Niagara, realizing, however, there was still something I had not
got. I felt much as the blind man must have felt when he said, "I see
men as trees, walking" (A. V.). I had begun to see light, but dimly.
The day after reaching home I picked up a little booklet, "The Life That
Wins,"[2] which I had not read before, and going to my son's bedside I
told him it was the personal testimony of one whom God had used to bring
great blessing into my life. I then read it aloud till I came to the
words, "At last I realized that Jesus Christ was actually and literally
within me." I stopped amazed. The sun seemed suddenly to come from under
a cloud and flood my whole soul with light. How blind I'd been! I saw at
last the secret of victory--it was simply Jesus Christ himself--his own
life lived out in the believer. But the thought of victory was for the
moment lost sight of in the inexpressible joy of realizing CHRIST'S
INDWELLING PRESENCE! Like a tired, worn-out wanderer finding home at
last I just _rested_ in him. Rested in his love--in himself. And, oh,
the peace and joy that came flooding my life! A restfulness and
quietness of spirit I never thought could be mine took possession of me
so naturally. Literally a new life began for me, or rather _in_ me. It
was just "the Life that is Christ."
The first step I took in this new life was to get standing on God's own
Word, and not merely on man's teaching or even on a personal experience.
And as I studied especially the truth of Christ's indwelling, victory
over sin, and God's bountiful provision, the Word was fairly illumined
with new light.
The years that have passed have been years of blessed fellowship with
Christ and of joy in his service. A friend asked me not long ago if I
could give in a sentence the after result in my life of what I said had
come to me in 1916, and I replied, "Yes, it can be all summed up in one
word, 'Resting.'"
Some have asked, "But have you never sinned?" Yes, I grieve to say I
have. Sin is the one thing I abhor--for it is the one thing that can, if
unrepented of, separate us, not from Christ, but from the consciousness
of his presence. But I have learned that there is instantaneous
forgiveness and restoration to be had _always_. That there need be no
times of despair.
One of the blessed results of this life is not only the consciousness of
Christ's presence, but the _reality_ of his presence as manifested in
definite results when, in the daily details of life, matters are left
with him and he has undertaken.
My own thought of him is beautifully expressed in Spurgeon's words:
"What the hand is to the lute,
What the breath is to the flute,
What's the mother to the child,
What the guide in pathless wild,
What is oil to troubled wave,
What is ransom to a slave,
What is flower to the bee,
That is Jesus Christ to me."
The special Bible-study which I made at that time was embodied in a
leaflet. Proving helpful to others, it is added below.[3]
=God's Presence=
The secret of Victory is simply Christ himself in
the heart of the believer. This truth, of Christ's
indwelling, is, and always has been, a _mystery_.
Romans 16:25.
Ephesians 3:9 with Colossians 1:26, 27.
Ephesians 5:30, 32 (R. V.).
Colossians 4:3.
Christ himself taught this truth.
John 14:20, 23; 15:1-7; 17:21-23.
Matthew 28:20.
Revelation 3:20. (See also Mark 16:20).
It was a vital reality to the Apostle Paul.
Romans 8:10.
1 Corinthians 6:15.
1 Corinthians 12:27 (R. V.).
2 Corinthians 5:17.
2 Corinthians 13:5.
Galatians 2:20.
Galatians 3:27.
Galatians 4:19.
Ephesians 3:17.
Philippians 1:21
1 Thessalonians 5:10.
Hebrews 3:6.
The words "in Christ," which recur in many other
passages, will have a new literalness when read in
the light of the above.
The Apostle John had a like conception of Christ's
indwelling presence.
1 John 2:28 to 3:6, 24.
1 John 4:4, 12, 13, 16.
1 John 5:20.
=God's Purpose=
As Victory is the result of Christ's Life lived
out in the believer, it is important that we see
clearly that _Victory_, and not _defeat_, is God's
Purpose for his Children. The Scriptures are very
decided upon this truth.
Luke 1:74, 75.
Romans 5:2.
[A]Romans, chaps. 6 and 8.
1 Corinthians 15:57.
2 Corinthians 2:14.
2 Corinthians 10:5.
Ephesians 1:3, 4.
Colossians 4:12.
1 Thessalonians 5:23.
2 Thessalonians 3:3 (R.V.).
2 Timothy 2:19.
Titus 2:12.
Hebrews 7:25.
1 Peter 1:15.
2 Peter 3:14.
1 John 2:1.
1 John 3:6, 9.
And many other passages.
That Christ came as the Saviour from the _power_
as well as the _penalty_ of sin we see in Matthew
1:21, with John 8:34, 36, and Titus 2:14.
=God's Provision=
God knew the frailty of man, that his heart was
"desperately wicked," that even his righteousness
was "as filthy rags," that man's only hope for
victory over sin must come from the God-ward side.
He, therefore, made kingly provision so rich, so
sufficient, so exceeding abundant, that as we
study it, we feel we have tapped a mine of wealth,
too deep to fathom. Just a few suggestions of its
riches:
God's _greatest_ provision is the gift of a part
of His Own Being in the person of the Holy Spirit.
The following are but some of the many things the
Holy Spirit does for us, as recorded in the Word:
He begets us into the family of God.--John 3:6.
He seals or marks us as God's.--Eph. 1:13.
He dwells in us.--1 Cor. 3:16.
He unites us to Christ.--1 Cor. 12:13, 27.
He changes us into the likeness of Christ.--2 Cor. 3:18.
He helps in prayer.--Rom. 8:26.
He comforts.--John 14:16.
He guides.--Rom. 8:14.
He strengthens with power.--Eph. 3:16.
He is the source of power and fruitfulness.--John 7:38, 39.
Some of the victorious _results_ in our life, as
Christ has His way in us, are shown in:
Romans 8:32, 27.
Romans 15:13.
2 Corinthians 9:8, 11.
2 Corinthians 2:14.
Ephesians 1:19.
Ephesians 3:16, 20.
Philippians 4:7, 13, 19.
Colossians 1:11.
1 Peter 1:5.
2 Timothy 3:17.
Jude 24.
John 15:7.
To the seeker for further Scripture help the
writer would suggest a plan that has proved a
great blessing to herself.
Read the Psalms through, making careful record of
all the statements of what the Lord was to the
writers of the Psalms. The list will surprise you.
Then on your knees go over them one by one, with
the prayer that Christ may be to you what he was
to David and the others.
Take a Cruden's, or better still a Young's,
concordance and look up the texts under such
headings as Love, Fulness, Power, Riches, Grace,
etc., grouping them into usable Bible studies. As
a sample, taking this last word, "grace"; the more
one studies it the more wonderful does it become.
Here are some of these headings:
Grace for grace.--John 1:16.
Sufficient grace.--2 Cor. 12:9.
More Grace.--James 4:6.
All Grace.--2 Cor. 9:8.
Abundant grace.--Rom. 5:17.
Exceeding abundant grace.--1 Tim. 1:14.
Exceeding riches of His grace.--Eph. 2:17.
But let us remember that to simply know of riches
will never materially benefit us. We must make
them our own. All fulness dwells in Christ. It is
only as we "apprehend" (which means take hold or
take in) Christ through the Holy Spirit can it be
possible for these spiritual riches to become
ours. The slogan of this glorious life in Christ
is just "Let go and let God."
FOOTNOTES:
[1] This leaflet, giving a carefully selected list of Scripture
references on the Victorious Life, may be had from The Sunday School
Times Company, 1031 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, Pa., at 50 cents per
100 copies; or 15 cents for 25 copies; postpaid.