p. 16 | Spain by Frank S. Bond

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Dec 20, 1906

Spain

By Frank S. Bond

VALENCIA.—The Lord is working on hearts here. Were this not so, the enemy would not be engaged so actively as he is. Two weeks ago an intelligent lady, much interested in the study of God's Word, in company with her two daughters and a lady friend, was in attendance at our Sabbath-school. The mother a few days later stopped going to mass and the confessional.

The daughters were very much against her. Last evening she called to tell us that the older daughter, who is nineteen years of age, has left home. She went away without letting her mother know she was going. The mother has a sister who is a nun in a convent in the town of Jativa, fifty kilometers from Valencia. About a week after the young lady's departure, her mother received a letter from this sister, stating that her daughter was in Jativa with her uncle and his family. Her reason for leaving home was that her mother wanted her to become a Protestant. This is a hard trial for this mother, and she needs our prayers.

A number of interested listeners attend our Thursday afternoon meetings in another part of the city. One boy who attends is a student in a Catholic school, and he has told his teacher that from now on he can not attend school Thursday afternoons. This boy is about fifteen years of age. He takes great interest in the studies, and we have hopes of him.

Our two colporteurs in Valencia are of good courage, though their sales here have not been nearly so large as in some other parts of the country. The principal reason for this falling off in sales is readily understood by one who is on the ground. If fifty per cent of the people of Cataluna are unable to read, I think I am justified in saying that sixty or sixty-five per cent of the Valencianos are ignorant in this respect.

Our landlady, who is an intelligent

Castilian, comes to our home every Wednesday for a Bible study. To-day since I began writing, she called for her study. We took up the Sabbath question, showing how Christ and the apostles regarded it. We also called attention to Jeremiah 6 and Isaiah 56 and 58, showing that in these last days God is calling out a people to keep the whole law. After ending our study, this lady informed me that she had already begun to keep the Sabbath. The study to-day has certainly strengthened her determination to walk in all the light.

Our hearts are full of praise to our Heavenly Father for the evidences we have that he is leading us. It is, indeed, a privilege to be at the battle's front, where we are ever called upon to uphold the banner of truth. The time has surely come when this message should be quickly carried to every town and village of old Spain. Why should not some of our strong young workers in the more favored conferences of the home field decide on Spain as their future field of labor? The same money which supports them there would support them in Spain. There is plenty of territory for all who may decide to come. Here we do not have to search the records to find some town which has not been worked. The whole field is before us. If any one feels that the Lord calls him to prepare for this field, we shall be glad to give any desired information about the country and its needs. Who will come over and help us? FRANK S. BOND.