"I have had much encouragement," she continues, "in my labors during the summer. Visiting at the Hahnemann Hospital, I have become much interested in some of the patients. They ask me to sit down and talk to them, and I then point them to Jesus as the best Physician for soul as well as body. I have been kindly received by Roman Catholics, and have loaned Bibles to some of them, and some have kept them and paid for them.
"During the months of July and August, I have found many sick, in a.s.sisting whom I have been aided by the Flower Mission.
"I see a great change in families where the Bible is being read. One little girl says, "I read the Bible every day, and so do my father and mother. Now they do not work on Sunday, as they used to do, but go to church, and read G.o.d"s Word."
"My own church has been closed a part of the summer, but the prayer-meeting has been well attended, and there has been much interest evinced. A man who was a drunkard for many years, has given up his bad habits and is now the support and comfort of his family. I gave him a Bible, which he reads, and he seems to be a truly converted man. I have sold several Bibles, as well as given several away."
At one time coming in contact with a very serious case of hardship, she wrote concerning it, "Formerly the mother depended upon the daughter for support, but she has lately been obliged to stay at home, and take care of her mother; and in consequence of this, they have both suffered, as they belong to that cla.s.s who are unwilling to make their wants known.
"I asked if they had attended any place of worship. The mother said she had been a member of a Protestant church in Troy, but since she came to New York, and her circ.u.mstances had changed, not having clothing to make a decent appearance, she had not been to church. She added: "I must say, it was pride, but I could not overcome it. Now I know and feel that I did wrong."
"She is now more comfortable; for I have been able to get her some little delicacies, which she suffered greatly from the need of.
"It is a great satisfaction to us, when we meet with so many cases of want and suffering, to give some relief, however small, but the anxiety and labor that have often to be borne to succeed in the work is great.
I often think that if those who employ us to go forth with the Word of Life in our hands could see us engaged in our work, giving consolation and encouragement to the poor and dest.i.tute, the sick and dying, and as far as in our power relieving their wants, they would feel abundantly rewarded for the good and honorable work in which they are engaged.
"Every month I feel more and more the greatness of the work, and the necessity of laboring with earnestness, in order to compel them to come in, that the Lord"s house may be filled, and that jewels may be gathered for our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. I have brought a number of children into Sabbath-schools, and have induced several to attend church, and feel that my labors have been abundantly blessed, and that during the last month I have been much encouraged.
"I have succeeded in getting five tons of coal for my poor, besides groceries, etc. Have sold three Bibles, and given one away."
CHAPTER x.x.x.
LOST, BUT FOUND.
Love of Christ, amazing love!
Vast as His eternity; Theme of angel choirs above, Theme of souls redeemed like me!
Outward to creation"s bound, Up to Heaven"s serenest height, Universal s.p.a.ce around, Swells the chorus day and night.
Here she writes about a woman whom she visited several years ago, and who attended her meetings: "I lost sight of her for seven or eight years. She moved away from the city. One day recently I was sent for by a sick woman; I found it to be Mrs. V., who had returned. I read, prayed, and visited her until she died, believing in Jesus." Here she reports the conversion of several others whom she has visited and brought out to religious services.
An unknown Christian lady writes thus: "Mrs. Knowles has great success in her work, reading G.o.d"s Word, and leaving the Bible to be read by those whom she visits, when not able to purchase a Bible; one is given in some instances; even the poorest will pay a small sum. A great change is noticeable after the Bible is read with real interest--cleaner children, better-dressed men and women, and a desire to hear the Gospel."
Why this marvellous success? What brought about this personal reformation in the habits and character of parents and children? There are two reasons for this great change, namely: 1. Contact with G.o.d"s Word. 2. Contact with a soul set on fire with the love of Christ. Oh!
the tremendous power there is in divinely implanted affection when it is beautifully blended in a human heart. Sir Walter Scott says:
Love rules the court, the camp, the grove, And men below, and saints above; For love is Heaven, and Heaven is love!
CONSOLATION AMID DOMESTIC DIFFICULTIES.
When we remember that we are penning for publication only a few stray gleanings from the multiplicity of instances of conversion, the reader, we trust, will behold the variety of cases recorded, and we sincerely hope the Christian worker will utilize them for practical purposes.
Some one has said that Paul"s favorite ill.u.s.trations by images are drawn, not from the operations and uniform phenomena of the natural world, but from the activities and outward exhibition of human society, from the lives of soldiers, from the lives of slaves, from the market, from athletic exercises, from agriculture, from architecture.
At this time she again writes: "I visited a family where the mother was a Christian, and the father a Jew. The father being sick for two years past, and unable to support his wife and four children, has gone to his own people. The eldest girl is a member of my Sunday-school cla.s.s. The mother told me one day, as I was speaking to her of the Bible, that she had not seen or read one since she was married; "but," said she, "since Amelia has been in your cla.s.s, she has repeated the lessons she has learned at home, and I am longing for a Bible." I gave her one given me for my Jewish children. She thanked me heartily, and now reads it every day with her children. One Sunday morning her husband came in to see them, and found her reading aloud to the children from the Bible. He asked her what she was reading. She told him it was the Bible, and how she had got it, and that the children went to Sunday-school, and that she went to church. He was not pleased, but could say nothing, as he does not live with or support his family. This poor woman was deeply convicted of sin, and was earnestly seeking for forgiveness and peace, and peace has come to her son through humble trust in the Saviour of sinners. Thus the Lord is prospering our labors, and the meetings begun in trembling, have been blessed to some souls."
It seems her source of unalloyed happiness was in watching for souls, at morning, noon, and night. Her prayers were perfumed with sighs, and cries, and tears for the impenitent. She was one of those so graphically described by Jeremiah: "They say to their mothers where is corn and wine? when they swooned as the wounded in the streets of the city, when their soul was poured out into their mother"s bosom. What thing shall I take to witness for thee? what thing shall I liken to thee, O daughter of Jerusalem? what shall I equal to thee, that I may comfort thee, O virgin daughter of Zion? for thy breach is great like the sea: who can heal thee."--Lam. ii. 12-13.
Long they sat beneath the shadow, And the gloom of moral night, Waiting only for the dawning Of the promised heavenly light.
But they"ve heard the glorious Gospel, Of salvation full and free, Now they read the "Blessed Bible,"
They are coming, Lord, to Thee.
Hasten, Lord, the coming morning Of the bright, millennial day,-- And may we who love the Saviour Labor to extend His sway, Until every ransomed being, On the land and on the sea, Shall unite in one grand chorus, "We are coming, Lord, to Thee."
THE FORTUNE TELLER.
"During the last two months I have met with several interesting cases.
One Jewish woman whom I visited was always pleased when I told her of my interest for her people. Being poor and in delicate health, she could do but little for her own support, and I learned had resorted to telling fortunes. I showed her that this was wrong, and that G.o.d would not bless her, as it did not agree with His Word. She said, "I have often thought it might be wrong, but I am now convinced of it; but what shall I do for my living?" I directed her to prayer for guidance, and a.s.sured her that those who put their trust in the Lord would be taken care of. She has since been to our meeting and requests to have a Bible.
"I visited another woman, whose husband is a Catholic. Her three children are in my Sunday-school cla.s.s, and I am much interested in them. The mother came to the German church, and I gave her a German Bible, as she never had one. Calling one day, I found her in great trouble. She said: "Oh, Mrs. Knowles, I have been praying for you, and the Lord has sent you. I read and prayed with her, directing her to the Friend of sinners for peace. I think she became a true Christian, and soon she wished to unite with the church. Her husband, however, opposed it, and threatened to take away the children from her. He did so, and sent them to the Catholic Sunday-school. But the seed is sown in their young hearts, and they say to their mother, "We will never turn to the Catholics.""
To such as are sorely tried in their households, how comforting are the words of the Apostle: "Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with His own blood, suffered without the gate. Let us go forth therefore unto Him without the camp, bearing His reproach. For here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come. By Him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to G.o.d continually, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name. But to do good, and to communicate, forget not; for with such sacrifices G.o.d is well pleased."
She adds: "During these months I have met with much poverty and sickness. One would almost think it would diminish at this season, but, on the contrary, it is rather worse. I met with a family who had been in the country but two months. The father was a salesman in Germany, and can get no employment in this country. They had nothing to eat in their house, but the Lord opened a way, so that something was provided for them. I read the Scriptures and prayed with them, and the wife expressed a longing to go to a German church. I took her to church, and gave her a Bible."
A JEWESS FINDS THE MESSIAH.
"A poor Jewess, whose husband has been in the Insane Asylum for nearly two years, finds it hard to support her family by peddling. Calling one day, I found her going out without any shoes on her feet, and her health very poor. I bought her a pair of shoes, for which she was very thankful, and pointed her to Christ as her true friend in time of need.
She reads the Bible, and believes He is the Messiah."
"Another Roman Catholic woman, whom I have been visiting for some time, continues to attend church regularly."
CHAPTER x.x.xI.
SEA-SIDE EXCURSIONS FOR MOTHERS AND CHILDREN.
Sure he, to whom, of mind or hand belongs Some craft that doth uplift the thought of men Above the mold, and bring to human ken The joys of radiance, air and clear bird-songs; So that the brow, o"er moist with sullen toil, May catch a breeze from far-off Paradise; So that the soul may, for a moment, rise Up from the stoop and cramp of daily moil-- May own his gift Divine! as sure may trace Its Source, as that of waters kind hands hold To thirsty lips; nor need he mourn (since grace Of his hath such refreshment wrought) if gold Be scant; to him hath richer boon been given An earth-bowed head to raise the nearer heaven.
There is no sight more truly gladdening to the heart of the philanthropist than to behold the large barges, built after the model of Noah"s Ark, gliding swiftly through the beautiful waters of New York Bay, heavily laden with the news-boys, working-girls, or poor mothers and children of the city. Thanks to the New York Press, and the contributors to the Fresh Air Fund, for thus giving the mult.i.tudes of children, that are thickly huddled together in our tenement-houses, an opportunity of inhaling pure air.
One of the pioneers in this good work was the New York _Times_. In 1872, that paper started the "_Times"_ Excursion for Poor Children;" ay, and for poor adults, too. The public n.o.bly responded to the _Times"_ appeal, sending in about $20,000. During the sweltering summer of that year, the _Times"_ people carried to shady groves and seasides tens of thousands of children who, for the first time, saw running streams and green fields. No one can estimate the good done, the lives saved, and the hours of happiness secured to young and old who have so few happy hours.
Not the least was that of softening hearts and opening purses.
In this n.o.ble work we find our deceased friend earnestly engaged instead of taking a vacation in the hot summer months. In her diary we find the following concerning one of these summer seasons: