The Missionary by Mrs. E. Gauterau

International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Sep 2, 1886

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 12, No. 34.

The Missionary.

By Mrs. E. Gauterau

Central America.

I LEFT San Francisco Dec. 10, 1885, on a visit to my native land and dear relatives in Central America. Having a strong conviction that the Third Angel's Message is the truth for the present time, and that the professors of the same are in duty bound to do all they can to bring its truths before the people as they have opportunity, I took with me many copies of THE SIGNS OF THE TIMES, also tracts and other publications. I very soon had opportunity to use them and some of my fellow passengers became deeply interested. To one gentleman I gave a copy of “Great Controversy,” Vol. 4, and to some ladies several copies of the SIGNS and some tracts.

After a pleasant ride of five days I arrived in New Orleans, and was kindly received and hospitably treated by our brethren in the faith. One of the sisters took me to her own home, entertaining and caring for me until the steamer sailed for Balize, the capital of British Honduras, for which place I was bound. Although I had supplied myself afresh with books and papers, from the mission in New Orleans, I soon found that I had not nearly enough. I spent two weeks very pleasantly in Balize, renewing numerous old acquaintances and making many new ones; and with all I talked and reasoned from the Scriptures about these truths; and so eager and interested did many of them become about this “new religion,” as they called it, that I had to send to New Orleans for a large supply of reading matter to satisfy the demand.

The next place I visited was Corozal, a small town with a population of about five hundred, mostly Spanish, on the borders of Mexico, eighty miles from Balize. The English part of the population are mostly Methodists and Episcopalians. During the five weeks I stayed amongst them I was a welcome visitor in all their homes. I had many Bible-readings and talks with them. I gave away many SIGNS and tracts there, and when I had to bid my friends adieu, one was keeping the Sabbath and many were so deeply interested that if they could only have some one to assist and encourage them, I am convinced that they would take their stand for the truth and become commandment keepers.

Ruatan was my next destination. It is the largest of the Bay Islands, one hundred and fifty miles from Balize. It was the evening I love much (the Sabbath) when I arrived there, and O how delighted I was to find my beloved mother, with my brothers and sisters, all keeping the Sabbath! This was the result of reading matter which I had sent them. The people here were very anxious to know more about this doctrine. My mother's family having set the example and being so favorably known all over the island, there was great curiosity to know what it all meant. And then I began a most delightful work. I had many Bible-readings in different houses. I was eagerly welcomed, and when talking of these truths was listened to most attentively; and it was often said to me, “O how glad and thankful we are that you have come to tell us these important truths.”

But I was especially interested and pleased with my old friend and pastor who invited me to his home, and while there our whole conversation was upon the fulfillment of prophecy and plain reasons from the Bible why we should keep the seventh day. That evening at family worship he prayed earnestly for me, and also that the Lord would enlighten him that he might know the truth. Another Baptist minister, who had charged me with turning his church upside down, and had prepared a lecture to give to his people charging them to beware of the “new doctrine” and avoid me, became my warmest friend. I went and introduced myself to him, and in five minutes after we met he invited me to spend the evening at his house. I went at seven in the evening and we spent several hours with the Bible before us, studying the word. He was especially interested in the signs which the Saviour himself gave, and in the fact that the time has now come when the Sabbath of the Lord, his own appointed seventh day, must be kept. At family worship that night I was deeply touched and impressed, for he asked the Lord that strength might be given me to do this work, and the light might be so shown to him that he might do the will of his Father in Heaven. At the conclusion of our long discussion he remarked, “I thought I knew the Bible from Genesis to Revelation, but it seems to me I did not know anything at all about it.” He is now carefully reading many of our books. “Thoughts on Daniel and the Revelation” he considers a most valuable work. I could have disposed of many copies of that book if I had only had them; I refused the copy that I let him have to three different parties on purpose that he might have it.

There are two local preachers in Ruatan deeply interested in the truth. Many persons are ready and anxious to be baptized. They were sorry that I could not stay longer amongst them, and urged that a minister be sent who would confirm the word, and strengthen and encourage them in the ways of righteousness; promising to receive him kindly and convey him from one place to another as he should have need. I never before spent so happy a time. The Lord helped me wonderfully. If I had a reference or verse to quote, it came so readily to me that often I have opened my Bible and the very first verse my eye rested upon was just what suited that particular point. Often have my heart-felt thanks arisen to the Lord who left me not to myself, but revealed his truth so plainly to this dear people, who are indeed hungering and thirsting for the righteousness of God.

Utila is a small island eighty miles from Ruatan. Two months before I went there a Spiritualist had been holding meetings and preaching Spiritualistic doctrines. My friend who told me about it, was not only willing, but very anxious, for me to have Bible-readings on that subject, and the state of the dead. But it pleased the Lord that I should not do that work, in just that way, for that very evening, when a house full of people were gathered to hear me, I was taken down with a strong fever, which increased to such a degree that for fifteen days I was prostrated. While still confined to my bed, I got all my books around me and marked different passages which I thought would suit the different families, and sent the books to them, in that way bringing the truth to their notice. They invariably bought the books and thus the truth was spread, in spite of my sickness.

On the island of Bonacca there are four Sabbath-keepers, and one of them sent me a message, just before I left my mother's home, expressing much regret that he could not come and speak with me, and thanking me very gratefully for the knowledge of this truth, and hoping we would have a joyful meeting at the resurrection.

I should have sold many more books but for an unfortunate mistake of the steamship company. The two large boxes sent me from New Orleans were not landed when they ought to have been, but were carried back to New Orleans twice, therefore I was almost ready to leave before they came into my possession. However I got the greater part of them disposed of, and what were left my brother kindly undertook to deliver for me, as I had already taken orders for them. In all there were $217 worth of books sold, besides which large quantities of tracts, SIGNS, and other periodicals were given

away. Indeed every family within reach had some reading matter.

While I was there a very pleasing incident occurred. My brother had a large quantity of fruit ready for the market. A vessel arrived, but as it was Sabbath, and as the vessel would not wait but the one day, he had either to cut his fruit on that day or run the risk of losing the sale. Now what was to be done? Work on the Lord's day? No! a Sabbath-keeper would not do that. He would let all his fruit spoil rather than break the commandment. So, much to the astonishment of some of his neighbors, he let the fruit hang on the trees, and the vessel departed without it. To all appearances this was just like throwing the fruit all away, because it was ripe, and would surely spoil before any regular vessel would come again. But this made no difference. He declared it should spoil, before he would gather it on the Sabbath of the Lord. He would trust the Lord to provide. Well, what happened? A stray vessel came in on the next Tuesday, bought all the fruit that could be had (and my brother had about all that could be had), and at a better price than the former one would have given. This greatly strengthened his faith in God and his confidence in the truth.

When I started for home there were thirteen persons keeping the Sabbath, ten of whom desire to be baptized, and are anxious for a minister to come and baptize them, and teach them the way of God more fully.

August 13, I reached my home again, much weakened by my sickness; but inexpressibly thankful for the tender care which the Lord had for me and mine during my absence; and for the privilege of having some part in the spread of the precious truth of God. In all the places which I visited the people are anxious that a minister should come and show them the truth clearly, and I am sure that if a minister should go, a good work could be done in a short time. My prayer is that the Lord will send forth laborers into his harvest, and especially into this field which is so ripe already for the harvest.

MRS. E. GAUTERAU.