A Living Witness by N. H. Pool

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Nov 16, 1916

A Living Witness

By N. H. Pool

N. H. POOL

UPON a former visit to British Guiana, there was an interest reported among the Indians far up the Berbice River, at a place called Kimbia. On my first visit to that place, I found a church so far completed that we held our meetings in it. Then the Indians began to talk about a mission house and a school and a teacher, and promised to build a mission home. At present they have the material all on the ground, and with the assistance of Brother Henry Beck, have a fine house well under way.

On my last visit to Kimbia, I learned how the interest started. The accompanying picture is a photograph of the mother of several of the members. Catherine Daniels has been blind for many years. She does not know her age. While she has the appearance of being quite old, yet with the exception of her sight, she retains all her faculties, and gets about and assists herself very well. She remembers many things of the past, but the one event that made the most lasting impression on her mind was the falling of the stars. She does not remember how old she was at that time, but when I questioned her, this is the story she told me:—

“I had a baby boy about two years old. My husband and I were out on the river fishing. A little after midnight the sky began to appear strange, and it seemed to us that all the stars began to fall to the earth. We were much frightened, and hurried home to tell the others. We thought the end of the world had come. We dared not go to bed, but sat and watched them till the scene all faded away in the morning light.

“Since I heard at the Bootooba Mission that it was a sign that God had given the people to let them know that Christ was soon coming back to the earth, I have had a desire to see him.”

As I sat and talked with that dear old sister, I found a secret desire stealing into my own heart, and I prayed that those blind eyes might be opened to see the Lord come in glory.

As we were about to leave Georgetown recently, it was again our privilege to meet our self-supporting missionary, Brother Fred Hope, who for some time has been following the opening providences of God, and doing what he can to carry the message into the interior among the gold diggers.

God has blessed his work in many ways, and this time he reports a new church building, completed and dedicated, at a place called Pigeon Island. The men began to say among themselves: “It is not right to let Brother Hope live the way he does. We should build him a church and a place in which to live.” And as they talked, they also planned and gave, and in a short time they had money and material enough for the church. Then all lent a hand and began to build, and in a few days they had a place of worship, and a room adjoining for Brother Hope to live in.

Now we are praying that the Lord will give wisdom and grace that a strong company may be raised up there to form another way station for messengers to the great interior.