“Some of the readers of the Observer sent me money, but more prayed for our work. Now, join with us in praising God for a message straight from the throne of our dear, loving heavenly Father.
“To everyone who helped, even to the amount of five cents; to those who denied themselves usual comforts to help the Mission; to those who gave to help provide shelter for the poor—to each of us He sends, I am sure, this dear message, 'I glorify you in order that your faith may be strengthened and that you may glorify me.' If any of us has ever had any doubt of God's special providence to His children, let this concrete example be a permanent love-message of assurance to every such doubter.”
NEXT STEP OF FAITH
By June, 1913, we found that nearly every Sunday night more than one hundred persons had to be denied entrance on account of lack of room. We saw by taking down a partition on the north side of the chapel between chapel and hall, we could seat at least one hundred more. We were just over the strain of the last payment, and we were loath to ask our friends for more help, but as God continues to each of His children the blessings which they daily enjoy, so each child of God must continue to help in His work, and relying on Him “who worketh with us,” we ordered the wall taken out at a cost of about $900, which afterward proved to be $1300. Again I had to make myself responsible for the payment of that amount. It was all paid on time.
In this faith chapter I desire to insert the following from the Gospel Tidings of June, 1913:
MR. WHEELER'S STORY
“At the Sunday evening service, December 18, 1912, Mr. Wheeler said: 'When I was in charge of religious work at the United States jail some years ago, one Sunday, after service, I went round, as was my custom, to shake hands with the men behind the bars. I came to a fine-looking man, to whom I said, “Why are you here? I have often seen you on the street, and I have thought of you as a good citizen.” “O Mr. Wheeler, I have been a good citizen. My wife and I have a little store in Georgetown, where we sell oysters in the winter and ice cream in the summer. My wife gave me $65 to settle our bill with the wholesale oyster man, and I took a number of drinks, and finally went into the marble saloon and took a drink with some strangers, and as surely as I tell you I do not remember another thing until I found myself in a cell at the station house.”'
“On further inquiry Mr. Wheeler found that the prisoner was charged with passing counterfeit money. It appeared that after he came out of the saloon a Jew was crying clothing on D Street. This man went into the Jew's clothing store, bought a suit of clothes, for which he offered a $50 bill in payment. The Jew could not make change, so took it to a neighbor, who assured him the bill was bad, and the man's arrest immediately followed.
“Mr. Wheeler went often to the cell to pray with and for the poor prisoner, who devoted his time to the study of the Gospels. He was soundly converted. Mr. Wheeler said, 'Do not trust alone to your lawyer. Appeal to Jesus Christ now to clear you, for, as far as I can see, man cannot.'
“His lawyer told Mr. Wheeler that the court would surely send the prisoner to the penitentiary. On the morning of the trial several Christian men met together and prayed over the case. The court convened at 10 A.M., and the case was immediately called. A stranger asked to be sworn as a witness. He said about this: 'I was in Washington on the day this affair occurred. I do not often take a drink, but I happened to be in the saloon when this man came in. He took a drink with two young fellows who happened to be there, and the liquor made him drunk at once, when one of the young fellows said, “It is my turn to treat, and I will, if any of you can change a $50 bill.” This man brought out lots of money, and got the $50 bill in exchange. I left Washington the next day, that is how I was fortunate enough to remember the date. I got back yesterday, and happened to see a statement of this case in the evening's paper, and I felt simply compelled to come and give my testimony.'”