From Our Workers in Mexico

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Mar 20, 1913

From Our Workers in Mexico

A LETTER from Miss Grace White, one of our Bible workers in Mexico City, dated February 22, has just been received. In it she speaks of some of the experiences through which she and our other workers had passed during the last few weeks of turmoil and danger in that unfortunate center. Referring to the outbreak February 9, she says:—

“I was on my way to give some Bible studies that day, as usual, and reached the Center before I knew what was going on. Just after I got off the car that morning, I heard some quick shots, and every one began running in my direction, crying, ‘Run! run!’ I could not see any reason for their running; and as I had never heard battle shots before and was not thinking of a revolution right in the very heart of Mexico City, I waited to see. All ran into the nearest doors, and some invited me to enter, but as I was as much afraid to go in as they were to stay out, I remained in the street. After walking around some, I found some one who knew enough to tell me what it meant. I heard more firing, saw some of the wounded carried by, and then as there were neither cars nor coaches in operation, I started to walk home, it being impossible to get to my readers.”

“In the excitement that prevailed one could find out but little, but by the next day we knew that there was a cuartelazo (a general military uprising), that the rebel forces had possession of the citadel with all the reserve of arms and ammunition, while the government forces were entrenched in the national palace. They seemed to be about equally well prepared for fighting indefinitely, and day after day, for ten days, the sound of shot and shell came plainly to our ears, though we are over four miles from the Center. The continual firing came to be the signal that the situation was unchanged, as sunset day after day found the position of the combatants practically the same. There were many killed, but the majority of them were non-combatants whose curiosity cost them their lives. In a number of cases, however, the death-dealing shell fell upon those quietly working in their homes.”

Sister White writes of the change which took place in the government, the resignation of President Madero and the election of General Huerta as provisional president, events with which most of our readers are more or less familiar. Of the feeling of the people toward this last change in the administration, and of the preservation of our workers, she says:—

“The joy of the people is very great, as great as was their fear and dejection during the time of suspense. Among some of the queer incidents was the pathetic sight of two Chinamen skirting the Alameda one day with a dish-cloth extended between them, for protection. That illustrates the idea that was current that a white flag is just as good to indicate neutrality as to ask a truce. It was displayed on every vehicle from an automobile to a hand-cart, and ranged from a handkerchief to a half-sheet.”

“Every one seems anxious to get to work again; all are tired of loafing. We have wondered how the poor managed during this time of enforced idleness, for the great majority of them never have a crust in the house for to-morrow.”

“As far as we know, none of our people suffered any loss. Yesterday I learned that the original plan was for the attack to be made from the side of the plaza where the most of our congregation in Mexico City live, but for some unknown reason it was changed. I felt that it must have been caused by Him who said, ‘Ye are the salt of the earth,’ and that the presence of some of his ‘little ones’ had saved that section from destruction.”

“Mrs. Caviness, Miss E. V. Martin, and I are near one another, and so we had or made frequent opportunities to compare experiences and to pray with one another. We were glad to be able to say that we were finding the promises true, and that they stood every strain placed upon them. We felt the presence of our great Captain, and knew that he sent his soldiers to protect us. While different friends and neighbors were watching at night and trusting in their own power to care for themselves, we had the sweet assurance that ‘the angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them.’”

“We know that these terrible experiences are the forerunners of worse ones, and that as we meet these we either gain strength to stand firmly before those farther on, or we do not. Our overcoming to-morrow depends on our overcoming the enemy to-day. It is so easy to become used to things and not realize what they mean! I found that one can become relatively indifferent to a bombardment, but let us pray that none of us become indifferent to the attacks of Satan.”