A DEFINITE PROMISE

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Aug 7, 1879

A DEFINITE PROMISE.

At a missionary meeting, Miss Haswell, the Burman missionary, told how she came to enter the gospel work. It was not because her father was a missionary; for the remembrance of the loneliness and deprivations she had experienced in childhood in Burmah, caused an aversion toward that life. After her school education in America, she returned to her home in Maulmain, rather to be with and assist her mother than to become a missionary. At the time of her return cholera was raging. One of the native preachers died, and his daughter was very sick. She was abandoned by the native women, and Miss Haswell herself went to take care of her.

“Do you think I shall die?” asked the sick girl.

“I hope not,” replied Miss Haswell; “but if that should be the will of God, are you afraid to die?”

“Oh, yes! I am afraid; it is all dark.”

The responsibility of her position forced itself upon her, and she sought to direct the thoughts of the girl to the assurances of God’s word.

“If I should make you a promise, a definite promise, would you not believe it?” said Miss Haswell.

“Yes, indeed, I would.”

“The great God, the true God, has made a definite promise that he will forgive our sins, for the sake of his Son who died for us. Will you not believe him?”

The poor girl at once believed, and quiet came into her soul, which deepened during the talks they had together. And when, the next day, the young girl died in her arms, peacefully trusting in Jesus through her instructions, she knew the joys of the missionary’s life, and found them sweeter and greater than its trials. From that time she devoted herself to this work.

This idea of resting upon a definite promise of God is the true idea of faith. Faith is not a dreamy, indefinite ecstasy; it is believing what God has said. “Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”

When Miss Haswell started her mission-school she had many discouragements. At one time, before she received any regular support, when her food and money for herself and the ten girls she was trying to educate were entirely gone, she called the girls together in the morning, told them the facts, reminded them that our heavenly Father hears and answers prayer; and resting on a definite promise, they there prayed together for daily bread, as only those pray who are in actual want. In the afternoon, a Burmese woman came, bringing fifty rupees,—twenty-five dollars,—as a gift. Her husband, who was a Christian, had died some time before, leaving directions that if a certain debt were ever paid the amount should be given to the teacher. It had been paid that day. Miss Haswell called the children together again, and after repeating the story, they gave thanks to Him who was ever afterward, to those Burmese girls, the true hearer and answerer of prayer.

Let us learn the blessedness of resting upon the definite promises of God. They are many, and great, and precious; and they cover all our needs. Let us embrace them with all our hearts, and be followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

“Oh, for a faith that will not shrink, Though pressed by many a foe! That will not tremble on the brink Of any earthly woe!

“A faith that shines more bright and clear, When tempests rage without; That when in danger knows no fear, In darkness feels no doubt.”