Before, however, giving me the sum of money, he insisted upon my coming
inside and sharing his lunch. I felt it was the LORD indeed who was
providing for me, and accepted his offer with thankfulness. When I was
refreshed and rested, he gave me a sheet of paper to write a few lines
to the wife, telling her of the circumstances. On my way back I procured
in Cheapside a money order for the balance due to her, and posted it;
and returning home again, felt myself now quite justified in taking an
omnibus as far as it would serve me.
Very much better the next morning, after seeing to some little matters
that I had to settle, I made my way to the surgery of the doctor who had
attended me, feeling that, although my uncle was prepared to pay the
bill, it was right for me, now that I had some money in hand, to ask for
the account myself. The kind surgeon refused to allow me, as a medical
student, to pay anything for his attendance: but he had supplied me with
quinine, which he allowed me to pay for to the extent of eight
shillings. When that was settled, I saw that the sum left was just
sufficient to take me home; and to my mind the whole thing seemed a
wonderful interposition of GOD on my behalf.
I knew that the surgeon was sceptical, and told him that I should very
much like to speak to him freely, if I might do so without offence; that
I felt that under GOD I owed my life to his kind care, and wished very
earnestly that he himself might become a partaker of the same precious
faith that I possessed. So I told him my reason for being in London, and
about my circumstances, and why I had declined the help of both my
father and the officers of the Society in connection with which it was
probable that I should go to China. I told him of the recent
providential dealings of GOD with me, and how apparently hopeless my
position had been the day before, when he had ordered me to go to the
country, unless I would reveal my need, which I had determined not to
do. I described to him the mental exercises I had gone through; but when
I added that I had actually got up from the sofa and walked to
Cheapside, he looked at me incredulously, and "Impossible! Why, I left
you lying there more like a ghost than a man." And I had to assure him
again and again that, strengthened by faith, the walk had really been
taken. I told him also what money was left to me, and what payments
there had been to make, and showed him that just sufficient remained to
take me home to Yorkshire, providing for needful refreshment by the way
and the omnibus journey at the end.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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