As I looked far away on every side I saw nothing but hot dry sand. Over the sand came a man. He was weary, and the hot sun beat fiercely upon his bare head. As he came nearer I saw he was reading a Bible. He was so interested in it that he looked not to the right or left. His face was right down in the Book. Behind him came another, and still another, until there was a great company of people, thousands of them, both men and women. All had their faces buried in the Bible. They were entering the little old shack, passing in one by one. I wondered at so many people being able to get into so small a house. But soon I discovered that the house was enlarging. The door became new and swung upright on new hinges.
As far as I could see across the plain people were coming. Each one’s face was down in the Word of God. They were all moving toward and into the house, now no longer a dilapidated shack but becoming a great strong building. The roof was now of new material, of such a bright red color that my eyes could not look upon it. The sides had become new. From the door clear water was beginning to flow. I could see the sands of the desert carried before it as it went down and out of the building. Then the water burst forth from all sides of the house, till all but the roof was clear, crystal water.
The water spread over the desert, until it had become a mighty river covering the whole country, and people of every nation came running to it. The great house in the center was of such beauty that my eyes could not look upon it. The people began to come out of the house, but they were not the same as when they went into it. They were now large men and women, as tall as telephone poles. Their countenances were shining with the glory of God. In their hands were large nets. These they cast into the stream, in which there were many fish, for as the people of all nations ran and fell into the water they became fish. I could see their tails as they swam about. Each net was brought up full of fine, large fish.
Over the top of the building was written in letters of fire, “THE CHURCH IN UNITY.” As the vision disappeared, I realized I was still on the train. Having my Bible in my hand I opened to this Scripture, “DECLARE HIS GLORY AMONG THE HEATHEN, HIS MARVELLOUS WORKS AMONG ALL NATIONS.” I Chron. 16:24.
Then the Lord showed me that when His people receive, through the Holy Spirit, the revelation of the Word, they will come together in unity; not merely be brought together by some creed or doctrine, but by the revelation of the scriptures, as they are made Spirit and life. This will cause the dilapidated building, which represents the church out in the desert of unbelief and false doctrine, to become new, strong and great, with the waters of the Spirit flowing out to all nations. And just as the Arkansas River, rising at the mountain summit, divided and ran both ways, watering the fields on either side of the mountain, so as the church reaches the mountain summit of God’s love and revelation of the scriptures, the waters of salvation will flow both ways, to the home and also to the foreign field, and there will be a Heaven-taught and Spirit-trained ministry of apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers, for the perfecting of the saints, and for the evangelization of the heathen.
OPENING THE WAY.
Arriving in Salt Lake City at noon the next day, we were told the train we should take for Los Angeles did not carry chair cars, so we would have to wait for a train that left at midnight. We were very tired from our long train ride and went aside in the station to rest. I lay down on a couch in the ladies’ rest room, but just as I had settled down for rest the Lord said to me, “Go and buy your berth on this train, for it will be the last train through.” I did not know what it meant, but I did not doubt the voice of God that had spoken to me so many times in the fifteen years I have been saved.