While waiting for our revised Christian Culture Correspondence lessons, we are advertising the Voice of Prophecy lessons for Protestants, and there are many studying them.
Many of the Catholics who would like to study are afraid of being betrayed by their priests or their families. There is no doubt that in many cases severe persecution would follow their acceptance of the message. They do not at the moment have the courage to step out, but we know that this will come.
A little west of Dublin there was a Protestant woman who operated a small shop. She encouraged one of her Roman Catholic customers to attend church with her. People in the community heard of it and reported her to the priest. Soon she was boycotted and threatened, and finally she was forcefully put out of town. This occurred last fall, and is only one of many similar incidents. However, this does not daunt our courage. The work is going forward, and God is blessing and performing wonderful miracles for us.
I had an interesting experience a few weeks ago that I relate with all humility. I was driving along the highway to a small town called Bray on the coast. After making a turn in the road I noticed a woman and small boy waiting for the bus. I stopped and asked her if she would like to ride into town. She accepted, and was chat ting about general topics. Soon she noticed that I was not Irish, but I had noticed that she was Roman Catholic and very poor.
She told me of friends and of her mother, living in Enid, Oklahoma, who used to send them clothes occasionally. Just before I stopped the car she told me she had a little girl in the hospital. I asked the nature of her illness and was told she was suffering from broken hips, although there had not been any accident. The child is five years old and was X-rayed for the first time that week. After questioning I learned that the child had suffered from infancy, and no one seemed to find the trouble. She can manage to walk a short distance, the body swaying backward painfully.
I took her name and address. She was so delighted because I was interested in her little girl. After I had promised to send them clothing we finally parted. I was rather hurried, since I had a Bible study appointment. Driving back to Dublin later, I could not get that dear child out of my mind, realizing the dreadful suffering she must have endured, when I was suddenly impressed with this thought: This is the time of the latter rain; God is per forming miracles. Go back and pray with the mother for the child to be healed. It was too late that day, because I was miles away and had another Bible study in town at 2:30 P.M.
The next morning I was up early, and after much prayer was on my way, but I could not find the house. It was rather an isolated area and the location was not familiar to me. After making several inquiries I had to turn back, since I had another study appointment in Dublin. I decided I would write Mrs. , and ask her to meet me on the highway the following Monday morning. She was there with the boy, even though there were heavy rain, wind, and sleet. We climbed the muddy hill to her cottage, which was clean though bare. There was only a concrete floor no covering. After taking measurements for the clothing I began to talk about the little girl. During our two conversations I had decided that Mrs. was a good woman, devout and sincere in her belief. I told her I was not of the same faith as she, but that I loved the Lord and believed in His promises. I asked if she believed that if we were to ask God to heal her daughter to pray to Him only and not to intercede to any saint or the blessed Virgin, but to ask Him only He would do it if it were for the best. She hesitated, then answered, "Yes, I do." So I asked her to kneel with me.
I prayed earnestly, asking God that if it was His will, the child might be healed so that she could walk again. When she stood up the mother was quite overcome, and seemed unable to let me go. It was still raining when I left. She wanted to accompany me down the road to the car, but I refused. She insisted on coming as far as the next cottage. There, bareheaded in the pouring rain, she kissed me and said, "I wish I could clean your boots."
A few days later was Christmas. I sent toys to the children. A letter acknowledging the gifts told me the doctor had decided not to operate on the girl at that time, but X-rays were being taken each week. Something was interesting them. Oh, that our Lord may be glorified, that these dear ones may see that it is to God alone they must look for help and salvation!
Victory for a Drug Addict
Other miraculous things are taking place. A young man began to take the Bible course and then stopped. On visiting him I learned that he had become a drug addict, having become so quite innocently. He became very ill and depressed and had to stop work. I encouraged him to visit the health institute. Brother Nix did wonders for him. After his first course of treatment he was still taking a few tablets. I asked him if he really wished to give it up entirely. He assured me he did, but that he realized he could not do it himself, because he had tried and failed.
I asked him if he believed the Lord would give him the victory over the habit if we asked Him. He answered Yes. Then I asked him if he would be willing to study the Bible lessons and follow the Lord if he was given the victory. He said Yes. So we knelt together; I prayed first; then taking his hand, I told the Lord that Eric was now going to ask for His help in his own words, which he did. After our prayer he was weeping.
He was not working at this time, and did not return to work until the following Monday. When he entered the employer's office he was told that he could not start working until he had had a complete physical examination by the company doctor and had had shock treatment. This was a surprise to him, and disturbed him very much. However, since there was no alternative, he reported for the physical. After examination by the company doctor he was told that he was perfectly well and that shock treatment was unnecessary.
The Lord gave him complete victory over the drug; he has not desired any tablets since our prayer. He is studying our Bible lessons with the young woman he wishes to marry. How very insignificant I feel when I see the mighty power of God manifested through prayer, yet how thrilling to know that we be long to His family and may expect such blessings!
We rejoice that God has set His hand to finish the work in Eire. Even though at the moment there are not great numbers being baptized, we are finding hungry, thirsty souls. One man said to me last week, "I want to know the truth with a capital T."
These experiences will encourage your hearts as they do ours, for we see the power of the Holy Spirit, and we know we are nearing home.
