p. 732 | A Deserted Idol by W. B. WHITE

Pacific Press Publishing Association · Mountain View, California · Nov 24, 1914

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 41, No. 46.

A Deserted Idol

By W. B. WHITE

A Great Drought Was in the Land—The Native Heathen Implored Their Tree Idol for Deliverance—No Help Came—Answer to the Prayers of the Mission Workers

By W. B. WHITE

Superintendent South African Missions

FAR away in central south Africa, in the province of Rhodesia, a hundred miles from any railroad, are our Shangani mission station and school. The country about is very arid, and subject to extended droughts; and some years it is very difficult to raise much from the soil. To the natives, their crop means much. If this fails, they are soon on the verge of starvation, since they seldom lay by anything for the future.

THE FORSAKEN IDOL, A TREE THAT WAS ONCE WORSHIPED IN RHODESIA, SOUTH AFRICA, AS A GOD

The year 1911 was an exceedingly dry one, and the crop of corn was depending on immediate rain. The natives about the station were very anxious, as well they might be; for if rain did not soon fall, the crop would be lost, and they would then be brought into a very straitened condition for food.

One morning, our native teacher came running into the mission house, exclaiming, “See all the people about the great tree!”

Our teachers, on looking out, saw scores of natives about a great baobab tree that stood not far from the house, and they seemed to be in the attitude of worship. They had calabashes in their hands, full of water, which they were raising and lowering before the tree. Some were waving branches, while others were singing and clapping their hands. The tree was an idol to them, and they were imploring it to send them rain on their crops.

Notwithstanding their offerings, and their singing, shouting, and clapping, the rain did not come. All about this tree, which is seventy feet in circumference, the grass was trodden down by the people who came to pray and make offerings to this heathen god.

A week after this, our mission workers gathered together one Sabbath morning, and sent to the heavenly Father a prayer of faith that rain might descend on the parched ground, that the crop might be saved and His creatures supplied with food. As they prayed, there was not a cloud to be seen in the sky, and there was no indication that God had answered them; but as night drew on, the clouds began to gather, and in an hour or so a hard rain was falling, which saved the crop.

The next morning, the head man of this tribe came to the mission, and said, “Now we believe in the true God; and we shall say good-by to this tree, for it does not hear us.”

And sure enough, the whole tribe has turned from this idol, and to-day the grass has grown high about it. It stands deserted.

Five among that company who formerly worshiped it, have now given their hearts to God, and have received Christian baptism. Others are in our schools, and it sounds good to hear them singing such hymns as “Down at the Cross,” and “Sweet Promise, ‘I Will Come Again.’” Many are inquiring for the true way.

God does hear the prayer of faith when it rises from the lips of His children; and as He knows our needs, He will answer according to His will.