He Will Guide by Ida Pilquist

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Jun 7, 1906

He Will Guide

By Ida Pilquist

MRS. IDA PILQUIST

ALL things work together for good to them that love the Lord. Our lady teacher in the girls' school received the sad news, the other day, that her husband, who had been on a visit to his aged mother, had suddenly become very ill on his way home. At once she hired a sedan-chair, and started on the journey to meet her husband. It was about noon, and the cold heavy wind that was blowing made traveling very unpleasant. It was impossible for her to reach her destination before dark, as the distance was more than eleven miles.

Being unable to reach her husband till late at night, she could do nothing but stop at a wayside inn. There she was not able to get even as much as a little boiled water to drink, as the inn keeper was still celebrating the new year, and consequently no fire was built.

Hungry, cold, and weary, anxious for her husband, disappointed because she had not been able to be of any help to him in his sad condition, now downhearted as she was, she felt a great need of the Friend who is ever present in every time of trouble. Therefore she prostrated herself on the damp and dirty mud floor, in the poor wayside inn, and besought the Heavenly Father to have mercy on her husband, and for the sake of Jesus to save his life.

While she was praying, another traveler staying there peeped through the door, and saw the old lady on the floor. Not knowing what was the matter, he stepped in, and said: “Old venerable sister, you must have fainted, and have no strength to rise again. I will help you.” At the same time he gently helped her to rise. Although disturbed in her supplication in this way, she did not become troubled, but told the kind stranger that it was not as he supposed, but that she was asking the Heavenly Father to have mercy on her husband, who was lying sick some miles away. Very much surprised, the stranger inquired who the Heavenly Father was, and where she had heard of him, declaring that he had never heard of any Heavenly Father.

Eagerly he listened to all that Mrs. Ting, the teacher, told him about the dear Heavenly Father and his beloved Son, through whose merit we have the privilege of going to the Father at any time and in any place. He was very much delighted to hear that we can communicate with the true God in our homes, on the road, in the field, and under all circumstances, at any time, both day and night, all the year round. “O,” he exclaimed, “I wish that I also could pray to him who is our Father in heaven, but I do not know how to pray, or what to say, venerable sister. Kindly teach me to pray, for I am in earnest.” “Indeed I will,” said Mrs. Ting, and so called on her son, who had followed her on the journey, to fetch some paper and ink, and write out three prayers—one for morning, one for evening, and one to

use at meal-times. Then the stranger started at once to read his prayers, and before he went to bed, he was able to repeat them all from memory. Mrs. Ting also invited him to come to the mission station as soon as he had some errand to the city, and so learn more of the precious truth she had accepted.

The next day Mrs. Ting and her son joined the sick husband and father, and through prayer and proper treatment he was able to start anew on his homeward way. The following Sabbath morning Mrs. Ting came with her face beaming with joy and gratitude to the Heavenly Father, who so kindly helped them home in safety. On the Sabbath morning a very heavy snow-storm came on, and she said, “God kept back the snow yesterday, in order that I might be able to reach home with my husband, and also be able to keep the Lord's day.”

She also told me how the pocket Bible, which she had taken with her in spite of her hurry when she left home, comforted her, especially the words of Matt. 24:13: “But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.” Now she had also the joy of being with us to celebrate the blessed Sabbath, and with us meditate on the words of God, and thereby learn more of the great lesson of how he will guide us, and that “all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”

Losan, Honan, China.