p. 154 | Awakening Conscience by W. A. S.

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Washington, D. C. · Feb 13, 1913

Awakening Conscience

By W. A. S.

OUR missionaries in the dark quarters of the earth have continual opportunity to watch the working out in human hearts of the experience described by the apostle Paul: “I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died.”

The untaught Peruvian Indian, for instance, has little idea of the finer distinctions of right and wrong. Elder F. A. Stahl was pleased recently to watch the awakening of conscience in the heart of one young Indian.

The youth was a warm friend of the mission, but had not come very far along the road of the Christian life. He wanted to help, however; and when Brother Stahl was in the town of Puno getting supplies, he left some sacks of barley for the young Indian to bring out to the mission station. It was in the rainy season, and the sacks were wrapped in oilskins.

“Now, can I trust you?” Brother Stahl asked. “You must bring these right through to the mission, because after being carried through the steaming heat this savada will spoil if it is not opened up.”

“Yes, I will do it,” the young Indian said. But Brother Stahl, after concluding his business, made the long journey to the mission station, and found that the young Indian had not come. Some hours passed, and still he did not come. It was too late to go to his village to find him that night, but the next morning Brother Stahl went to the village, and found that some trifling thing had kept the young man from bringing on the supplies direct to the mission.

Brother Stahl quietly escorted the delinquent to the mission station, and when they opened and spread out the barley, it was found musty and damaged. “You see,” he said to the young man, “I trusted you; you gave me your promise, but you have broken your word, and the savada is injured. You have broken your word.”

The Indian said nothing, and weeks passed. Brother Stahl had not asked this young man to bring any further supplies. The young fellow had continued attending the meetings, but the real idea of a broken promise and of the wrongfulness of it had not been thoroughly worked out in his mind.

However, in meetings held just at this time, during the visit of Brethren Westphal and Allen and myself, the Lord had come very near. On the Sabbath the topic was especially the forgiveness of sin, and the prompt and definite dealing with sin. The next week, as Brother Stahl was leaving the mission to be gone for some months, the Indians were helping in packing and saddling our animals for the journey. At the last moment, the young Indian who had disappointed Brother Stahl came up to him, and with tears said, “I am glad that Jesus forgives sins.”

That was all; and Brother Stahl rejoiced to hear the words. It was no set form of confession, but Brother Stahl well knew that the young man was confessing his failure of weeks before. The Spirit of the Lord had convicted him, and helped him to repent of his sins, and to seek forgiveness; and the young fellow wanted Brother Stahl to know it.

So in uninstructed minds that have been befogged, and that are intellectually and morally sluggish, the Spirit of God is awakening the conscience, and the missionaries rejoice as they see the work going forward in the hearts of those whom they love. The living word that is taught day after day and month after month, is like the rain that cometh down from heaven, causing the earth to bring forth and bud. So the spiritual seed-sowing is bringing forth the fruits of righteousness in honest hearts wherever the messengers are laboring.

W. A. S.