A young married woman, wife of a Mohammedan, was lying ill in
one of the mission hospitals in North India. While there she
was daily taught of the love and compassion of the Savior,
and she soon desired to know and serve Him. Her husband was
told of her wish and was exceedingly angry and had her removed
immediately from the hospital. He prohibited the mission ladies
from visiting her. But just before the conveyance came to take
her away she called the doctor and missionary to her and said:
“I can be taken away from you, but not from Christ, for I can
pray to Him even behind the purdah, but I want you to remember
my desire. You know Jesus well, I only know Him a little; when
you meet me at the judgment seat of heaven, just go to Him and
tell Him who I am and how anxious I was to publicly confess Him
on earth. Make it plain to Him, please.”
(2040)
* * * * *
There is an old Indian legend that a poor man threw a bud of
charity into Buddha’s bowl and it blossomed into a thousand
flowers. So we throw the bud of Christian truth into isolated
and scattered communities, into the far-off lands, and lo, it
bursts forth into a thousand fragrant blossoms and bears fruit
in every activity of human life.--J. A. HUNTLEY.
(2041)
* * * * *
The first fruits of the gospel on mission fields are growing and
ripening by the river of the water of life, day by day. No more weighty
proof of the success of missions can be found than the transformation
of individual character and the every-day life.
One of the Chinese brethren is a ferryman, poor in money,
but rich in faith. One evening he ferried a passenger over
the river, who had a lot of things tied up in a cloth. After
throwing the cash for his fare into the bottom of the boat, the
man departed hurriedly. The Christian went to pick up the money,
and found a pair of gold bracelets, worth $400, which the man
had dropt. He tied up his boat and tried to find the man, but
he was lost in the crowd. The boatman went home much troubled.
According to Chinese law, he could keep them if unclaimed. After
prayer, he decided to go to the chapel. The preacher heard
the story. Said he: “Your passenger doubtless was a robber,
and these things have been stolen. I will go with you to the
mandarin, and we will give the bracelets up to him. A search
will be made, and the owner found.”
This was done, and the mandarin said: “Well, I have never seen
or heard anything like this. Your religion must be a true
religion, and your God a living God, thus to influence a poor
man to give up wealth for conscience’s sake.” (Text.)
(2042)
See TRANSFORMATION.