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Timely Intervention

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Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · May 5, 1910

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 87, No. 18.

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Timely Intervention

By W. A. S.

AFTER Brethren Stauffer, Snyder, and Nowlen had pioneered the way with English and German books in Brazil, it was decided to establish a depository in Rio de Janeiro. Accordingly in 1894 Elder W. H. Thurston landed, with his family, in that great city, to take up the work. Being insufficiently supplied with funds at the beginning, they saw some close times, and once again it was shown that “man’s extremity is God’s opportunity.” At the General Conference in 1901, Elder Thurston related an experience of those first days in Brazil, as follows:—
The time came when we had nothing to eat in the house, and no money (I tell it to show how God will work for those who put their trust in him); so the next morning I told my wife I would go to the post-office to see if there was anything there. There was nothing. On my way back I met the missionary of the sailor’s home (this was Sunday morning), and he invited me to come to the mission and speak that night. I told him I should be pleased to do so, and went home. That evening I spoke to the sailors on the love of God, and our dependence upon him; but I made no reference whatever to our condition. At the close of the services, a man came to the desk and said, “See here, come to my room,” and turned squarely around and started off. He was a missionary who had a room in the mission building. I followed him to his room, and he said, “Here is a little money. I want you to take it and use it until I call for it,” and he handed me a little sack of money,—about seven or eight dollars. “Well,” I said, “I did not ask you for money.” “I know it,” he replied; “but every day I am gathering this in, and it is in my way. I want you to take this and use it; you may need it.” Then I told him we were out of money, and had nothing to eat, and it was just what we did need. We had a very enjoyable season there, and my wife and I went home and thanked the Lord.
From time to time, as I met this man on the street, he would hand me from five to twenty dollars, and say, “Here, take this; I have no use for it; I do not need it; take it and use it; you may need it. Keep it until I call for it.” It ran up to about one hundred or one hundred fifty dollars; and when I sent the money to this man, he said, “I never did such a thing before in my life as to hand money out and not have a scratch of the pen to show for it; but,” he said, “I know how it came; God told me to give you that money because you needed it.” Well, we thanked God for this experience, and took courage.
How well we know that there was nothing of chance or accident about such an experience as this. Only the special intervention of the Lord could have prompted the friend in need to act so abruptly and in so unusual a manner just at the time of necessity.
W. A. S.