At 6:30 in the morning I boarded the train, on what is known as the French Railroad, for the town of Bayamon. This town, only six miles from the capital, San Juan, appears much larger than it really is. At 7:30 the train steamed alongside of the little station, about half a mile from the town.
Several little boys, some of them boot-blacks, with bright, black, shining faces, came eagerly forward, offering to carry my grips, and to show me to a good hotel. In about twenty minutes we reached the hotel.
This town of 2,500 inhabitants was founded in 1772, and, unlike many of the small towns of Porto Rico, has several good streets, town hall, jail and barracks. From all appearances one would judge that at one time it was a wealthy place.
A Glimpse of Porto Rico.
Having a few hours to spare, before beginning my canvassing work, I decided to visit the Orphanage, which is under the auspices of the Christian denomination. At the earnest solicitation of the matron, I spent my spare time at the Home. During the afternoon I had the privilege of seeing the children work. This Home, which is now caring for fifty girls, has brought happiness to many lonely little ones. Most of the girls have been taken from the lowest and poorest of homes and families. They have been cared for and educated, and many of them have been placed in good homes, where they are giving good satisfaction to those who have employed them.
These girls, from five years old, are taken into the kitchen and taught all kinds of housework. As I watched them going back and forth to and from their work, with their joyful faces, and merry voices singing Gospel hymns, I could not but believe that the Spirit of God was co-operating with the work of the teachers.
After the kitchen work was done, many of the little ones gathered upon the balcony in small groups for their lesson in sewing. Each group was in charge of one of the older girls. The lesson for that afternoon was one in darning, and each girl darned her own stockings.
Just as the sun was sinking, we drove out a few miles into the country to see the farm which they have purchased for their Boy’s Industrial Home. The beautiful winding road, with the mountains in the distance, covered with lovely foliage, and the quiet of night settling upon nature, re-awakened within our hearts the desire to labor for this poor people as we have never done before.
As I listened to the experiences of my hostess, in which she told me of her work with her girls, and what the power of God was doing for some of them in changing their lives, I realized, as never before, “that God is no respecter of persons; but in every nation he that feareth Him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with Him.”
She told of a bright girl of twelve, whose godparents had put her in the Home. Naturally lively and self-willed, the matron knew much wisdom would be needed in dealing with her. Time after time the Christian woman presented the girl to her heavenly Father. At times she feared her efforts were being wasted, but one evening, she was surprised to see the girl leave her playing companions and come to her side. Seeing a serious look on the child’s face, she inquired the reason, and, to her surprise, the child replied, “Teacher, I want to be a Christian, I want to follow Jesus.”
After questioning her closely, the matron was convinced that she had weighed the subject carefully and understood the step which she was about to take. Her godparents, who are devout Catholics, had warned her repeatedly to have nothing to do with the Protestant religion; they had even threatened that if she did they would cast her off forever. Nevertheless, the next Sunday she followed her Lord in baptism.
At eight o’clock in the evening the babies, as the little ones are called, were put to bed, and the older girls gathered in the school room for their Bible work. I wish you could have seen their happy faces, and the interest they took in the study of God’s Word. As their teacher reviewed them on the lives of the kings of Israel, I plainly saw that not only the historical facts were imbedded in their memories, but practical lessons had been drawn from Israel’s experiences, and had left a lasting impression upon their young minds.
The Spirit of God is working with souls in Porto Rico; God has His jewels even here, hidden, within the homes of the rich and educated, and within the homes of vice, ignorance, and filth. The time is fast hastening on when these jewels will be gathered with the rest of the faithful ones. “After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands.”
