She would His story tell!
She continues: "A short time since, on entering a house, the woman who opened the door asked if I was a missionary. When I said 'Yes,' she said, 'The Lord has answered my prayer. I prayed that He would send one to me to read the Bible and pray with me.' Before, when she had been visited, she would hide away to avoid the visitor, but now she desires to be a Christian, and wishes some one to read and pray with her often. She is very poor, but is now seeking the true riches. One who had been very ill, but had recovered, gladly received a Bible, for which, though she is very poor, she gave me fifty cents. I have met with much encouragement in the Sabbath-school and sewing-school. Many mothers are, through their children, interested in religion, and come gladly to the mothers' meetings, and my earnest prayer is that the Lord will help me in the future as He has done in the past."
Her prayerful spirit was marvellous. This was the reason why she was able to impart such comfort and encouragement to others.
I called recently in the suburbs of the City of Brooklyn to see a member of the Allen Street Church, and, after reading God's Word and prayer, our conversation turned to a beautiful portrait that hung over the mantel-piece. The lady remarked, "That is the picture of my departed sister, who died in New York. She was faithfully visited during her sickness by Mrs. Knowles." She continued, "I like to think of her, because she used to tell me after she was gone, 'I pray for you by name every day.'" Perhaps that is the reason why she comes now so many miles through the long, dreary, stormy winter months, to teach a class in the Allen Street Sabbath-school, and some of the scholars are Hebrew children. This person for whom she prayed never misses any of the services at the church.
"Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost have made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with His own blood. For I know this, that after my departure shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock."
This is the injunction of the Apostle Paul to the elders at Ephesus, but it is exceedingly appropriate to all who are engaged in missionary work of any kind, and it cannot be faithfully complied with unless there is pastoral work performed from house to house. Who is sufficient for these things?
During February and March, 1885, she again writes: "During the last two months I have been engaged as usual in reading the Scriptures from house to house, and wherever I have visited have been allowed to do so, with very few exceptions. Visiting lately in a tenement house, a woman came out, telling me that I would never go to Heaven, and using other insulting language. I only said, 'Poor woman, I pity you.' A Catholic woman, who heard her, asked me into her room, took me by the hand, and with tears in her eyes expressed her sorrow that I should be treated so ill. I told her it did not harm me as much it did themselves. I then asked if I might pray with them, and when we arose from prayers several of those present were in tears. 'How can you pray for one who has abused you so?' said they. I replied that Jesus prayed for His enemies, and we must imitate His example. One of these women came to our mothers' meeting, and asked me for a Bible, and promises to read it."
Here she complied with the command of Christ: "I say unto you, love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you."
What a wonderful exhibition we have in the above interview of the spirit of Him who was suspended on the cross for our sins, for we read: "That when they were come to the place which is called Calvary, there they crucified him, and the malefactors, one on the right hand, and the other on the left. Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots."