On Mule Back Thru Central America with the Gospel

by Mattie Crawford

Arriving at the house of the Christians I was told the people would not allow missionaries to come to that town. Some months before, one of their young men had been converted. When he came back and told it, men, women, and children, with the priests as leaders, gathered, and cut him to pieces in the street near the house where we then were.

The dear native Christians were looking for the people to come at any moment and kill them. They declared that we all would be killed that day. I began praying to find out if I had missed the Lord’s will by coming there, but the Lord spoke to my heart, saying all would be well and not to fear what the people might do. So we gathered inside and prayed to God for protection, and to convict the people of their awful crimes. When we arose from prayer a large crowd was gathered outside, watching us. The house was made of small poles stuck in the ground, with large cracks all around, so we could easily see and be seen.

We planned to leave the house at sunset, to walk out to the farm where we were going to preach the Gospel. I told the dear ones not to fear, but to trust God. However, they were greatly frightened and said the mob would certainly kill me when I went out. But I knew I had been sent there by the Lord, and all would be well.

I went out and spoke to the crowd, and then started down the street, leading to the country. When I looked around only my woman was with me. She told me the others had gone another way, hoping to miss the crowd, which I saw was following us. I saw some women give a boy a machette, and tell him to cut me with it. He came running toward me, talking in Spanish as fast as he could, and swearing at me. I went right ahead. He kept at my side, swearing. The mob followed us. We walked on until we came to where the road left the town, and turned into the country. I felt the power of God coming upon me in a way I had never felt before.

The veins of my neck swelled, and my body began to shake. Then I turned toward the mob and began speaking to them in tongues. They turned and ran, until not one was to be seen. A little disappointed feeling came into my heart. I said, “Jesus, I wanted to die a martyr for you here in this dark land, but now the mob is gone.” The power still filled my being, until I could do nothing but worship God. The native Christians came up. They said they had seen the people run, and heard them exclaim that fire fell from Heaven and burned them, until they could endure it no longer, and they had to run. I did not see the fire, but felt it burning in my soul in a mighty way.

At The Farm

I preached and sang until midnight, and still the people begged me to tell them more “good news” as they called it. Truly it was good news of great joy to those poor people who had so long been under the heavy yoke of the enemy. There was a family of fifteen, also several hired men, besides about twelve travelers who had stopped for the night. They had only one room. When I told them I could not preach any more that night, but must have some rest for my body, and a place where I could lie down, they all went into the room—family, travelers, hired men, some thirty people in all. They took two young calves and three small deer with them, also several hens with their little chicks.

I decided not to sleep with all those people and animals in that room, with no ventilation—as the adobe houses are built without any windows. I told them to fix me a cot outside in the corridor. They said wild animals came at night, and I must not sleep outside. But I decided I would almost prefer being eaten by wild animals to being smothered. As I insisted, they put a cot for me outside, and I did not awaken to see whether any wild animals came. If any came, they did not molest me.

Arising next morning I ate my breakfast off of banana leaves, then gathered the family for prayer. How the power of God did fall and fill every hungry heart! After prayer I told them I must leave them, and return home. We gathered our blankets together, and climbed into the ox cart which had been brought to carry us to the railroad station. I was too tall for the cowhide covering, which was intended to protect us from the sun, so I sat in the back and let my feet hang down over the end, and so rode to town. We sang and talked all the way, about the love of Jesus. Several times we stopped at houses by the roadside and preached to the people, giving them tracts and Bibles.

A large crowd was at the station waiting for the train. I went to the platform and spoke to the crowd. They asked me to give them Bibles and tracts. Some of them were members of the mob which the night before had been ready to kill us for coming into their town to preach the Gospel.