How Prayer Helped in Far New Guinea by W. A. S.

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Jan 25, 1912

How Prayer Helped in Far New Guinea

By W. A. S.

It is not always the will of God to lift at once the burden; but he helps us carry it. Not always does he save from the trial; but he keeps us through it. The Lord from heaven reaches down to grasp the feeblest hand lifted up in the darkness to feel after divine support.

Elder J. E. Fulton, president of the Australasian Union Conference, passes on the following incident, which Elder S. W. Carr reported from the wilds of New Guinea. The boys who are spoken of in this report were taken into the school a year or two ago from raw, unthinking heathenism, and as yet are only feeling their way toward the life of faith. Elder Carr writes:—

While we were in Australia, one mule got lost, and although since our return Solomon nearly got her once or twice, yet it was not until three weeks ago we were able to secure her. She was about fifteen miles from Port Moresby, and all the natives were afraid of her, as she would run at them, and of course they would run away. We sent three boys with a tame mule to act as a decoy, and I told them not to think of returning if they did not get her the first day; they did not return. At noon the second day, one boy returned with the decoy, saying they had seen no sign of the wild mule. At about five o'clock, however, Vaore and the other boy arrived with the mule secured with a halter. Vaore was our best boy (he is now back home in his village). He said he found the mule, which came straight for him. He went straight at it, and the mule ran, and the boys after it. He said he ran up-hill and down-hill, through the long grass, scrub, etc., without getting tired. At last he stopped, and prayed that the Lord would help him to secure the mule with the halter; and after another mile or so he had her. His little experience about praying did us as much good as getting the mule back.

More than once in the story of missions, heathen hearts in distress have cried to the Christian's God for help, and found the answer that made known to them the living and the true God who does things on earth.

Thus it was that Paul, of the African Banza Manteke Mission, was led to the Saviour, later to become a veritable apostle throughout a wild region of the Kongo. Overtaken at night in the swamps along a river, with the wild beasts creeping in the jungle and the crocodiles threatening at the river bank, he cried to the Christian's God, against whom he formerly had been fighting. And the Christian's God sent the answer,—a boat that brought deliverance.

Brother Carr reports the following further experience at the same Bisiatabu Mission, New Guinea:—

I might relate another instance, showing how the boys are getting to know that the Lord hears prayer. One of the horses fell into a swamp the other day, and unknown to us, was in all night. Next afternoon she was found, and we made several attempts to pull her out. At last, while we all held on to the rope, I prayed with eyes open that the Lord would give her the strength to struggle out, and within ten seconds she was on solid ground. Such experiences with the boys are not uncommon, and they are taking a practical interest in what is being taught them. Vaore, who got the mule, said he would return to his village, and after he had taught all he could remember of what he had learned about Jesus, he would return and get a fresh stock of knowledge, to be passed on in due time to his fellows. He has only been gone two weeks. Even when he went, he requested that he might go on Monday instead of on Tuesday, so he would be home on Friday, as he did not want to travel on the Sabbath. For these and similar experiences, we feel grateful to our Heavenly Father. They cheer us along the journey.

And we who hear are cheered along the way by these testimonies to the living

God. The unbeliever might scoff at the idea of asking God to help in common perplexities such as these; but there is One who can lighten the load along the common ways of life. A student in old time, cutting wood by a river bank, was dismayed as he saw the ax head slip from its handle and sink in the deep waters. “Alas, master! for it was borrowed.” A little thing to the well-to-do, but in those days it was a serious thing to the struggling student; and the God of Israel caused the iron to swim, and the young man put out his hand and took it.

The young man Saul, looking for the lost beasts from his father's drove, and inquiring for counsel from the man of God, was in better case than when as king, self-willed, he tried to carry his burdens alone.

W. A. S.