Thrilling Experiences in Mexico by E. W. THURBER

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Tacoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Jan 14, 1915

Thrilling Experiences in Mexico

By E. W. THURBER

E. W. THURBER

All the hardships of mission field work do not fall upon the foreign worker. Many times the native also is called upon to suffer for Christ’s sake.

A short time previous to our leaving Mexico last spring, Brother Godinez, one of our native workers, came to this city, San Luis Potosi, with a bad cut on his forehead, and told us his experience. A few nights before this, four bandits, two of whom were armed with guns, came to the house about eight o’clock. One of them asked for our brother, and when he came forward asked him if he were a Protestant. On receiving an affirmative reply he demanded a hundred pesos. It was impossible to comply with this demand, and Brother Godinez told him so, which so enraged him that he felled our brother with a blow on the head with his gun, saying that he was going to kill him. Sister Godinez offered the bandits the few cents that they had in the house at the time. They cursed her, and asked if she was the wife of that Protestant. She replied that she was. They told her they would finish him, and then kill her for being the wife of a Protestant. She fell on her knees and begged them to spare him. Finally they told her to get up and they would not kill him at that time. They then took all the clothing, except what Brother and Sister Godinez were wearing, and whatever they saw that

pleased them, and went away, threatening to kill Brother Godinez if he did not leave that place and stay away. They said they did not want Protestants there; that they wanted only a good class of people — Catholics.

It was found out later that the men were relatives and friends of a woman, a fanatical Catholic, who has devoted her life to the service of San Jose, or Saint Joseph.

Sometime during the summer there was a fight close to our brother’s house between two small bodies of soldiers. The bullets fell thick and fast. Nine of the soldiers were killed, and their bodies were left unburied. The roads were so unsafe at that time that Brother Godinez would climb the mountain by his house and follow along the ridge, to reach our three little companies of natives of which he has the oversight. This he did for some time, but he says that now it is quite safe in that part of the country.

Pray for this needy field, so near, and yet so foreign in all its ways. Its people are longing and struggling for better material things, and we must teach them the value of truly spiritual things.

San Luis Potosi.