An Interesting Reminiscence by Sybil Read

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D.C. · Apr 18, 1912

An Interesting Reminiscence

By Sybil Read

ABOUT twenty or twenty-two years ago, Brother T. Whittle canvassed Goulburn, Australia, with “Daniel and the Revelation.” I believe that was the first work done there. He was very successful in his delivery, and passed on.

My late foster-mother was among those who purchased the book. Though not particularly interested in such themes herself, she ordered it with the intention of presenting it to her father. But about the time of the delivery of the book, he died, so she kept it herself and read and reread it, studying it with intense interest. No matter who came to the house, she would talk of the wonderful things in this book, the Sabbath included.

In June, 1894, a man called selling papers—the Bible Echo. As soon as he began to talk, mother brought out her precious book, and was surprised to find the man was acquainted with it, and thought as highly of it as she did. Before he left, mother decided she would no longer desecrate God’s holy day. She kept the next Sabbath, and I with her.

I think it was one day during the week following our first Sabbath that a cab stopped at our door, and an aged woman whom I had never seen before alighted. It was Mrs. Griffiths. I learned afterward that when mother was a girl her parents’ farm joined that of Mrs. Griffiths at Merrilla, and the Methodist Church services were always held at Mrs. Griffiths’s house. She had a daughter who died when a young woman. This daughter was a very earnest Christian and Bible student, and would frequently tell people that God had not changed the Sabbath, and was not honored by the keeping of Sunday.

Although Mrs. Griffiths and my mother now lived less than two miles apart, they had not met for years. When Mrs. Griffiths came, she told mother she had felt impressed to call on her. She had not been long in the house when mother told her that she had found the truth for this time, and was keeping God’s true Sabbath. I well remember the dear old lady’s joy and astonishment. When they had last met, mother was not a Christian. Mrs. Griffiths told us she had been much troubled over the Sabbath for some time past, and said, “Now I understand the impression to find you.”

Before she went home, she decided to keep the next Sabbath, and she did; and though over seventy years of age, she would walk about a mile and a half to our house to study God’s Word with us on the Sabbath. How well I remember that little Sabbath-school of three members aged seventy-two, sixty, and fourteen respectively. We had one, or perhaps two, of Sankey’s hymn-books and our Bibles. The Bible Echo had Sabbath-school lessons published in it, and we used them while we had them. What precious seasons we had together! We were not personally acquainted with any one else of like faith, save the man who sold us the papers; and we never heard from him again, though through him we knew there were some Sabbath-keepers in Sydney. But Sister Griffiths had met no one. We had no set time for closing our meeting, but as I look back now I see that we unconsciously followed the Sabbath-school with a missionary meeting, for we would talk of the literature scattered during the week, of persons interested through our efforts, and plan for further work.

Sister Griffiths loved the message dearly. The truth was very precious to her. She did not disconnect with her former church till she had tried in class-meeting and in every possible way to present the truth to its members, and she never neglected any opportunity with friends and relatives. She was always happy when she could entertain God’s messengers, and her life was a bright testimony to the keeping power of her Saviour. SYBIL READ.