A year after the Lord saved me, I went to a distant city to engage in
the work of the Lord. One day I wrote a few words of exhortation to my
father on the blank space of a little tract entitled Prepare for Heaven,
and sent it with an earnest prayer that the Spirit of the Lord would
apply the little message to my father's heart. In answer to this letter,
he wrote me thus: "My Dear Daughter: I would give this whole world, were
it mine to give, for this great salvation which you possess and are
writing about." Then he opened his heart and frankly told me of his
miserable condition and of how very hard it was for him to get right
with God. He closed by asking me to pray God to send heavy conviction
upon him.
It is needless to say that I became more earnest in praying and fasting
for his soul. I felt much impressed to write him a helpful letter. Not
only did I feel my inability to do so, but for lack of time deferred
writing until I met with an accident that sprained my ankle badly, and
then one day when I was unable to go about my work, I was reminded of my
opportunity of writing to father. As I began writing and pouring out
my heart to him, the blessings of the Lord rested upon me insomuch that
it seemed I could write scarcely without effort; and as I mailed the
letter, it was with an earnest prayer that the Lord would prepare my
father for all that was written.
Some time later my father told me that he received this letter one
morning before breakfast, and that although the letter was very lengthy,
he sat down by the cook-stove and read it through. He said he marveled
at it, for he had not believed that I was capable of writing the things
that it contained. I do not remember what all I wrote, but I do praise
God that the letter had the desired effect. Strange to say, though
tobacco was not mentioned in the letter, yet when he had finished
reading it, he thrust his hand into his pocket and seizing the thing
that had almost become his constant companion, and holding it up before
throwing it into the fire, said to my mother, with the tears streaming
down his face, "I'll never touch it again if it kills me." Thank God,
who had enabled him to make that determined decision. It meant much to
him and was indeed a good beginning of his complete surrender to God.
I had seen him try many times to quit using this thing that had so
enslaved him. He had even gone as long as six months without it in his
earnest efforts to break loose; but, sad to say, at the end of that time
he had come to the end of his strength, and, not having God to help him,
he was compelled, it seemed, to fully surrender again to the enemy and
thus become more deeply enslaved. Now his decision was very definite,
and in response to his earnest entreaties to the Lord, the abnormal
appetite was removed.
The tone of his letter received a few days later indicated to me that he
was under a weight of conviction and was ready and willing to humble his
heart before the Lord. As there was soon to be a meeting, he said in his
letter, "Daughter, will you please have those good brethren and sisters
pray for me? The Bible tells us that the effectual fervent prayer of the
righteous man availeth much." Portions of his letter were read to the
congregation, and earnest, fervent prayer was offered in his behalf.
At the close of the meeting the minister and his wife accompanied me
home for the purpose of imparting spiritual help to my father. Upon our
arrival we found Father anxious to know the will of God, that he might
find real rest to his soul, if possible. He listened attentively to the
conversation and instruction, but it seemed that he was bound. He had
a desire to pray, but said it seemed that he could not do so. He also
said: "The Bible tells us that we shall know that we have passed from
death unto life because we love the brethren, and now I must know it."
We assured him that it was possible for him to have such knowledge, but
that it must come through faith.
After spending much time in prayer and earnest efforts to help him, we
had to let the case rest, and retired for the night heavily burdened for
the deliverance of his soul. The next morning at breakfast I could see
that my poor father was suffering, and his expression and pallor showed
that he had spent a hard, restless night. Surely the Lord was granting
the request made to me previously by letter, that he might have a deep
conviction. His appetite being gone, he soon left the table.