Handling Emergencies in Public Meetings
by J. Schwital
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A year or so ago I had a harrowing experience in connection with my work, the recital of which may be of help to someone else meeting a similar problem. I baptized a Jewess, among others. She had: attended one of our academies, received instruction, and requested baptism. She was about eighteen years of age, and at the time of baptism her mother had no objection. But later, on a Sabbath morning, I was called from the pastor's study to the church auditorium. There I found the mother of the girl screaming at the top of her voice, "Where is the preacher ? I want my girl !" Two of the sisters requested that I go to the basement, as this woman had threatened to kill me. I followed them down to one of the classrooms. There the frantic mother jumped at me, shook me, and cried, "I want my daughter. I kill you." She raised her hand to strike me.
Some of those standing by became frightened and went to call the police. Meanwhile, I closely watched every move of the enraged mother. Finally I said to her, "Madam, just a moment. You do not want me ; you want your daughter. I shall help you find her."
At this point she started for the main auditoriuni where Sabbath school was in session. I told the brethren that the best thing to do was to help the woman gently out the rear door of the church. On hearing this she ran violently toward me, holding up her hands and screaming, "I am a Jewess, not a Christian." She used very abusive language against Christ.
By this time a police car drove up, and as the policeman approached her, she became quiet and urned to him saying, "I do not want to hurt the preacher." They took her under observation. This ended the episode. A calm spirit, a soft answer, and presence of mind saved the day.
Another experience may be of interest. I was preaching to a large audience when a man came running toward the pulpit, crying, "Stop, you false prophet !" While this was going on, others cut the electric wires, plunging us into darkness. It happened so suddenly that everyone was shocked into silence, including me. A woman in the audience spoke up, saying, "Preacher, the devil does not want you to give us the truth. Go right on and preach. We shall stay." Meantime the city marshal had taken matters into his hands, rounding up the culprits and compelling them to repair the broken wires. Soon all was restored as though nothing had happened.
One other unusual experience may be of help to someone in a crisis. We were holding a tent effort in a town of about two thousand inhabitants. The attendance was good, and a large interest developed. Without our knowledge the Protestant ministers united with the priest of the town to expel us from the city. They petitioned the city authorities to force us to leave, on the grounds that we were disturbing the peace of the town. One Friday evening a city notice was handed to me, stating these complaints and giving us until the net morning to get out of town, by order of the city police. We knelt in Prayer, asking God for direction.
Then I went to the city police, who referred me to the city attorney, who told me he was already acquainted with our trouble. He said, "Mr. Schwindt, the priest and ministers are after you. It is just too bad. I shall have to carry out the action of the city council, but since you observe Saturday as your Sabbath you can have a three days' extension of time. You need not move out of the city, and I will find you a better lot than the one you have."
The business people of the city got together, found us a lot nearby, moved us onto the lot, and assured us that we would not be molested. There we baptized a large number of people, raised up a church, and the preachers who had in mind to move us were themselves moved.