In Mexico Again by G. W. CAVINESS

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Dec 24, 1914

In Mexico Again

By G. W. CAVINESS

G. W. CAVINESS

ALL our brethren are aware of the fact that when the United States took the port of Vera Cruz, all Americans were ordered out of the country. Our workers thought best to leave for a time. Soon all were located along the southern boundary of the United States, working among the thousands of Mexicans in that part. Five months were spent in the United States by most of our workers. However, the work at the printing office was carried on during this time by our Mexican workers and through correspondence. In the last days of September it seemed that things were settled so that we might again enter the country. It was my desire to visit the brethren in the northern part of Mexico, in the cities of Torreon and Monterey. On account of the revolution and the fact that the northern part was the scene of the greater part of the fighting, and for lack of communication, it had been impossible for me to visit these places for two years. Much of the time we did not have even correspondence with our brethren there. Torreon especially suffered much, being taken and retaken several times during the fighting. So it was a great privilege for me to meet the brethren in Torreon and find that they had all been preserved during the troubles. Many of them told me that in the last storming of the place they got into the most secure corners of their houses and remained quietly there, praying God to protect them, during the greater part of three days and three nights.

Brother and Sister Gomez have a large two-story house. For a number of years they have given the use of a large room on the first floor for meetings. Rifle bullets passed through the windows of the upper story, where they live, but fortunately no one was hurt. The room where I slept during my recent stay had a rifle bullet hole through the window just over the bed, a reminder of what conditions had been.

We found the brethren full of courage, and a goodly number interested in the truth. We held meetings with them for about two weeks, baptized six, celebrated the Lord's Supper, then set our faces southward for the city of Mexico, leaving Brother Robles with them to carry on the work for a time. He reports a good interest, forty or fifty attending the meetings regularly. One sister, a Bible worker, is studying the Bible with more than thirty Roman Catholics. We expect that in the near future some of these will accept the truth.

On our trip south we saw a great deal of warlike preparations. Indeed, all the way from Chihuahua to Aguascalientes the sidetracks were filled with troop trains; soldiers and war munitions were on every side. We had to get a safe conduct at Juarez in order to enter the country, and had to wait in a number of places, as the trains were all occupied carrying troops. We saw no danger, and only felt the inconvenience of having our travel broken up so much for lack of trains. I had expected to go over to Monterey, but there were no trains in that direction, so it was impossible. It is my intention to visit that place before long.

In Mexico we found our home unmolested, and the work going on in the printing office as usual; but we find that the price of everything has increased very much during these months. Brother Schulz did not leave the country, but continued his work, and it is astonishing to see the amount of small books and papers he has sold during the time. He has cleaned the shelves of the office of nearly all the papers left over from other years.

All the workers have now returned, and have taken hold of the work with energy. We expect to press forward with greater rapidity than ever before.

There is in many places an interest to know what the present condition of the world indicates. The very first day, as I was going to the center of Tacubaya to get my trunk from the station, a man stopped me on the street and asked where in the Bible it says, “Nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.” I did not know the man, but he doubtless thought I knew where to find Bible texts, and so came to me for help.

Things are still uncertain in Mexico, but we believe that the Lord will overrule matters so that the message may be carried to these people in a short time.

We ask the prayers of our brethren and sisters everywhere that this may be the case.