EXTRACTS FROM CORRESPONDENCE.
There is so much to do that I hardly have time to put it on paper. A few of us are visiting the county jail. We have made two missionary reading-racks,—one for the jail, and one for the hotel. When we first put the rack up in the jail, the place was so dirty that it seemed unsafe to stay there even an hour; but yesterday we found it cleaned up, and looking like another place. We found some of the prisoners reading the literature we had left, and one seemed especially interested. I find that going from house to house with the kindergarten plan is a good way to interest both old and young. Your letter found me taking care of a sick woman and five children. I wish I could tell you all I have done since I sent in those cards. Not that I wish to boast, but I did not think I ever could do half what I have done. My daughter lost her husband about a year ago, and I took her four children home with me. I was canvassing and doing missionary work, but the Lord saw fit to give me other work. I will soon be fifty-nine years old. The Lord has blessed me since I have been keeping his commandments, has healed me twice, and I have better health than when I was younger, for which I praise his holy name. About ten years ago my daughter and I started a Sunday-school here. We used our lessons and the Youth's Instructor. The Lord blessed our efforts, and soon one of the teachers began to keep the Sabbath. Others took hold with us, and we soon turned the Sunday-school into a Sabbath-school. Some who accepted the truth through the influence of our Sabbath-school have gone away, some have given up the truth, and others are working for the Master. We praise God for what he has done for us, and do not feel discouraged because we are few in numbers. I think this is one way in which our sisters can do acceptable work, if they are cautious not to excite prejudice. One evening a neighbor of mine was taken very ill. She and her little girl were alone, and she sent immediately for me. Before I got to the house, I could hear her groaning; and when I reached her, she was turning blue, and her eyes were sinking in her head. I began at once to apply fomentations to the seat of pain, and sent for the doctor. She was feeling better when he came, but he said she had been a very sick woman, and I had done just the right thing. She told all her friends that I saved her life. I do not know why she sent for me, as there were nearer neighbors, and I am a colored woman. I prayed earnestly to the Lord to help me: for I knew that if she died, people would say, “That negro killed her.” I had faith to believe that the Lord would help her; but faith without works is dead, so I worked as hard as I could. Since then my husband and I have held Bible readings with this family, and have aroused their interest to know more about the truth. A girl fifteen years old, who is practically in charge of the home on account of an invalid mother, and whose father does not have much faith in religion, writes:— Papa is so good! and when the house is well cared for, it pleases him ever so much. It is not so much what he says, but the way he beams on everyone when he comes home very tired. During the next week I am going to arrange for a reading-rack to be filled with Seventh-day Adventist reading-matter in our depot. I will take it as my charge, and try to keep it well supplied. There are many more tired fathers, and perhaps brothers, who would be induced to “beam” upon the home folks if the right preparation was made for their nightly homecoming, and much fault-finding and many angry looks would be prevented. There are many more young girls who could take it upon themselves to keep a reading-rack filled with literature in the depot, and thus act an important part in scattering the truth. We hope that many others will follow this young girl's example, and we feel sure that this will lead those who are not Christians to realize the powerful influence of a Christian life. The members of our little church are few in number, but they are faithful workers, and it is through their faithfulness in handing out their reading-matter that my mother, my husband, my brother, and I have come into the true light. My husband, who was formerly preaching for the First-day Adventists, is now preaching for the Seventh-day Adventists, and there are several persons much interested. A young girl fourteen years old writes:— I went to a Baptist meeting a short time ago, and when opportunity was given to testify for the Lord, I gave in my testimony. When I sat down, a woman arose and said that she had never talked in public before, but that she could not sit still any longer when she had heard my testimony. So by the help of the Lord I can do some good wherever I am. I feel that I have a great deal to be thankful for, for three out of five children are with me in the truth. My two sons are indifferent; and as I look back over my life, I can see very plainly where I made the mistake that has led to the present condition, and I would like to speak of it as a warning to others. We were very poor, and when our boys got into their teens, we felt that they must do something to help themselves. We had the greatest confidence in our brethren, and we thought that our boys would be safe with any of them. So we found what we thought were good places, with our brethren, and the boys went away from home. But we soon discovered that they had lost their interest in the truth, and had taken up bad habits; and ever since that, our influence over them has been crippled. If I had it to do over again, I would rather live on a crust than let them go away from home. Never would I let them go, no matter how good a home was offered to them. But I believe that the Lord is able to overrule this mistake, and that I shall have my family united in the kingdom of God. The following is written by a girl fourteen years old, and should certainly call forth our prayerful interest, and lead those who are more favorably situated to a greater appreciation of blessings:— I thought I would write you in regard to Christian work. I live eight miles from any Adventists, or any Adventist church. I have been in the truth three years, and am the only member of our family who believes it. Father and mother are not Christians. Father drinks nearly all the time. I pray for them, and talk with them, but it does not seem to do any good. They do not want me to belong to the church, and try to make me work on the Sabbath in preparation for Sunday. I love my father and mother, but I can not obey them and God too in this matter, and I must obey God rather than man. Please pray for them, and also for me, for I have many trials and temptations. I do not take any Adventist papers, and so do not know much about my brethren and sisters unless I get a letter from them.