The Crucial Test*

Although the plans for my commit­tal to an asylum had been frustrated, another attempt was made. One morn­ing my brother said he wished me to go with him to visit some friends in a near-by city. I tried to find out who these friends were, but his replies were vague, and I knew that I was about to face some ordeal. How ear­nestly I prayed that God would pre­pare me for whatever might come. My brother proposed calling a taxi for the trip, but I refused, for some­how I had a feeling that I wanted to see just where we were going, so we walked. I noticed that my brother was extremely nervous, but I endeav­ored to keep up an interesting conver­sation as we went along.

Finally we arrived in front of a large monastery, and my brother in­dicated that I was to accompany him inside the building. Then I realized that I was in danger. I did not re­fuse to enter the building; but before doing so I said, "Brother, you are tak­ing me in here a Seventh-day Advent­ist, and with God's help I will come out of this building a stronger Sev­enth-day Adventist than ever before."

The huge doors of the monastery closed behind us, and I found myself in the midst of a company of monks. While notice of our arrival was be­ing sent to the monk with whom my brother had made the appointment to interview me, I lifted my heart to God in silent prayer. Realizing that for the first time in my experience I was called to be a witness for truth in the bands of the Catholic power, I asked for divine help to stand firm.

I was introduced to the monk by my brother as his sister, and on being pre­sented I simply said, "How do you do?" in true American fashion, for I could not truthfully say I was glad to meet him, and there seemed to be nothing else to say. The monk was very courteous at first, asking many questions of a friendly nature. How­ever, he soon saw that I was not sus­ceptible to his psychological scheme, and finally he suggested that we might as well get right down to the paint in question. Then he said, "I understand that you were baptized a Roman Cath­olic." I countered by saying that I had been christened a Roman Cath­olic, and had communion, but that I was never baptized until I became a Seventh-day Adventist. At this he did not appear well pleased, but he asked me to tell ,him just why and how I had been led to deny the authority of the Roman Church and had become a Seventh-day Adventist. I told him that it would afford me great pleasure to give him the information he asked for; and at the same time there was a hidden joy in my heart because here was a chance for my brother to learn of my experience in accepting the truth, and perhaps an impression would be made upon him.

When I reached the place in the narrative of my personal experience where I referred to the word of God and the prophecies which reveal the nearness of the end of the world, the priest interrupted, and commanded me not to say another word. I begged to be allowed to finish my story, but he refused me that privilege. Then followed two of the most wearisome hours I have ever spent in my life, as that priest tried different tactics to conquer and intimidate me. He suggested that I kneel and acknowl­edge before him that I had denied the authority of the Roman Church, and say I wanted to come back; whereupon he would reinstate me in the church, and give me a position which would bring rich returns. I replied that I would rather scrub floors than yield to such a proposition.

Then he tried in various ways to reason with me, and it was apparent that he was quite familiar with Sev­enth-day Adventists and their doc­trines. Having failed in his methods of flattery, he began to attack my char­acter; and that was particularly hard for me to endure in the presence of my brother, but the Lord sustained me, and gave me the reply which needed to be made. Then he wanted to know how much education I had received, and sought to awe me by reference to his thirty years of college life. I told him that in the matter of conver­sion, God did not depend upon the years spent in college, but that it was the attitude toward the Bible and Christ which was considered, and that I was happy to know enough of the English language to be able to read the Bible. At this he became quite indignant, and I observed a look of anguish on my brother's face.

Once more the monk asked me to acknowledge that I had done wrong and wished to come back to the church. I said, "Come back to what? When I was in the church, I lived a worldly life, and thought nothing of attending theaters and dances, and indulging in all worldly amusements." His reply was to the effect that these were "just little sins." I assured him that the Roman Church might think so, but that they were not small in the eyes of God. I also said, "The Roman Church practices every kind of decep­tion, as I have good reason to know. Here is my brother, who has brought me to this place under deception; and never, if I lived a thousand years, would I deceive him in any such man­ner."

"Do you mean to tell me that you would be serving the devil if you re­turned to the Catholic Church?" the monk asked. I replied that I would be turning my back on God, and de­nying the truth which means so much to my soul. Then, apparently as his last resort, he said, "What you need is a good trouncing!" That is the method that Rome employs, and I prayed that if my time had come to endure the lash of the "trouncer," I might be strengthened to stand the test. I watched the monks pacing up and down the corridor and repeating prayers in my behalf, and soon the priest to whom I had been talking stepped to one side of the room, dipped his finger in "holy water," and prayed to the virgin Mary to intercede for the erring child of the church.

My brother also bowed before the image of the virgin Mary, and begged me to repeat after him the prayer he made. When I refused, he proceeded to light the candles, to write out prayers and present them to the dif­ferent saints, and to place money in the various receptacles, while I looked on, my heart breaking with love for my dear brother and a desire to turn him from the idolatry of Romanism. My brother assured me that he would be willing to spend his last penny, if necessary, in order that my soul might be saved, and I shall never forget the intense anxiety revealed in his face.

After these various prayers and in­cantations, my brother gave the priest a sum of money, and we were permit­ted to leave, my brother promising that he would bring me back on a certain day, which he specified.

What I endured in my home follow­ing this unsuccessful attempt in my behalf, would be difficult to describe. My mother told me that she had never seen a human being change so decid­edly in appearance in one day as I. But God marvelously wrought for me, and my brother's promise to bring me back to the monastery was never fulfilled. My people saw that I had made my decision, and that nothing would cause me to change; and although they still regard me as unworthy to bear the name of the family, the bond of filial affection has been strengthened, and the doors of my home are always open to me. The constant burden and prayer of my heart is that my loved ones may be brought from the dark­ness of Catholicism into the light of this glorious truth, and I have learned to trust them to the care of Him who has done so much for me.