During our stay at Alameda, we went over to San Francisco and sat on the
porch of the Cliff House overlooking the sea and watched the herds of seals
that were playing on a little island out in the ocean about a quarter of a
mile. They acted like a party of mischievous children. One of the animals
would throw another into the ocean, and the one in the water would come up
dripping. As we watched them, we could imagine that they entered into the
fun of the sport and really felt mischievous.
At Fresno, the next place in our itinerary, a widow provided us with a
furnished house, rent free, with fruit in the cellar and everything needed
to make us comfortable. We remembered at this time that Elijah was provided
for by a widow.
In one part of the house was a woman tenant who soon proved to be our enemy
and tried to persecute us. While we were having worship, she would make fun
of us and disturb us in every way she could. We made up our minds we would
obey the Lord in "putting coals of fire on her head." We sought every
opportunity to show little kindnesses. At first our efforts were all in
vain; she spurned every advance we made. Finally, she took sick, and we
went in and asked the privilege of helping her. At first she rejected, but
finally consented, and we went to work to prepare her food and to do
whatever else was necessary to make her comfortable. Our kindness reached
her heart. After she recovered, she showed some signs of gratitude, and we
improved every opportunity to accomplish our design of overcoming evil with
good. At last she was won to the truth, sought the Lord, found him precious
to her soul, and was ever after our firm friend. It was only about three
years ago, I think, that she sent me one dollar in a letter.
The people in Fresno had heard but little of the present truth. There was
one brother living in the town, however, who had done a little
house-to-house work, lending books, visiting the sick, etc. Among others,
he had made the acquaintance of two aged sisters, one of whom was a
habitual user of morphine. She was a doctor's widow and had acquired the
habit by taking morphine as a remedy shortly after their marriage. As these
old ladies talked with the brother (Martin) and as they learned of what the
Lord had done for the souls and bodies of different people, there was
awakened in their hearts a desire to trust the Lord for deliverance.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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