Fallen at the Battle's Front by Frank S. Bond

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

Fallen at the Battle's Front

By Frank S. Bond

It was in the autumn of 1902 that the silent plea of the millions of Spain impressed my dear brother, Walter G. Bond, and myself that we should leave our pleasant home surroundings, our loved ones, our native land, and come to Europe.

The following October we moved to the city of Sabadell, where we soon opened a small school for boys and began our first series of public meetings. Walter took an active part in those first efforts in Spain, and the Lord added his blessing. Within a few months several dear souls were rejoicing in the light of this great threefold message. Some of these were directly from Catholicism. One of those first fruits was a boy who attended our little school, and who, with his mother, came to our night meetings. He is Brother Joseph Abella, who is at present one of our missionaries in Oran, North Africa. Another who accepted the message at that time was Sister Lola Casals, who later, with Brother Abella, attended our school at Gland, Switzerland. Sister Casals developed into a faithful Bible worker, but death cut short her work in April of this present year.

In the summer of 1904, because of death in his wife's family, Walter was called to lay down his work in Spain for a time. In the fall of 1905 he returned to the field of his choice, and has since served as director of the Spanish Mission.

God has blessed his efforts to build up the work in this difficult field. Our membership is still small, but there are perhaps one hundred and forty who are endeavoring to be faithful. These are scattered about in the different provinces, the greater number being located in the province of Barcelona.

About two months ago Walter started out to visit the various groups of members and interested persons. He held meetings at Jerica, Rubielos de Mora, Valencia, Alicante, Cartagena, Murcia, and Baeza. The Lord blessed him in presenting the word in all these places. According to previous arrangement, he, in company with our native worker, Brother Lope Nicolas, began a series of special meetings in Baeza. The attendance was large and regular, and a goodly number manifested much interest in the message presented. After two or three weeks' labor, my dear brother was taken severely ill with acute peritonitis. On November 1 he telegraphed me to come to Baeza, and I reached him the morning of the second. A few days later his wife and youngest child reached Baeza, and a few days before his death, my wife and child were also with us.

Those were days of great anxiety for us all. We employed the best medical help available, and gave water treatment freely, finding it necessary to send a distance of about fifteen kilometers for ice. We often placed our needs before the Great Physician, and he at times brought relief to his suffering child, but it did not seem to be his will to restore his servant. From almost the very beginning of his sickness, Walter seemed impressed that it might prove fatal. He sought the Lord earnestly, and claimed forgiveness for all his sins. At times his suffering was intense, but through it all he manifested continually those sweet Christian graces of the true child of God. His earnest desire was to have a further part in the Lord's work, and to be with his dear little family, his wife and three children, but he seemed resigned to God's will. His earnest counsel to relatives and friends during those last days will not soon be forgotten.

It was on the morning of November 12 that our loved one fell asleep in Jesus. We mourn our loss, and the loss to the cause of God in Spain, but our hope of a soon-coming Saviour and the resurrection of his people comforts our hearts. Our working force in Spain is left very small—one ordained minister, one licentiate, three Bible workers, and a small force of canvassers, for about nineteen million people. Are there not a few additional laborers for Spain? Will not one or more young ministers in the United States offer themselves to help carry forward the work which death compelled my brother to lay down?

Walter was born in California, Feb. 6, 1879, and died Nov. 12, 1914, at Baeza, Spain.

“Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labors; and their works do follow them.”

FRANK S. BOND.