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CHAPTER    XVII

HOW GOD LED IN OPENING OUR FIRST JEWISH MISSION

1. As God opened the way for us to secure means from the sale of the book, “Practical Lessons from the Experience of Israel,” and in the offerings from brethren and friends, He gave us also open hearts of men and women who were interesting themselves in the work among the Jews. Everywhere we went we found many persons desiring to know what could be done for the Jews. I therefore felt that the time had come when something definite should be done in proclaiming the good news of a risen and soon-coming Messiah to my Jewish brethren. I also prayed that God would give us workers whom He would call to His work, and would give a place where we might begin operations.

2. Knowing that the mission work for Jews was costly, as everything about the work had to be done from a gratuitous standpoint, I felt that I must be sure that the Lord Himself was guiding us to the place, and it was He who was giving us the workers. Since the Lord called His disciples when here on earth to labor among the Jews, why should He not call His disciples again to labor for the lost sheep of Israel? The thought kept pressing upon my soul that God would indeed lead and guide, even as He had led until this time. I felt impressed that the place to begin work was in Boston, Massachusetts. ^(p215) At that time, with nearly three hundred thousand Jews in New England, there was hardly a thing being done for these poor Jewish brethren to bring to them the bread of life.

3. A number of years before this time, there was a location in a certain Ghetto which I felt would be a good place to start a mission work. It was in the heart of twenty-five thousand Jews, quite a public thoroughfare, and very accessible to the Jews. This was about ten years previous to this period, and I had repeatedly wished that a certain building might be the one to be used for this work. Having now secured some money for this part of the work from the sale of the book, according to my previous arrangement, I went with a brother deeply interested in the work, Pastor A. E. Place, to take a trip through the Ghettos of Boston, to see what the Lord would have for us, if the time had really come for a mission to be opened among the Jews. We tramped the streets for a long time, but found nothing. Neither of us felt impressed that we had seen anything yet proper for a location, so we continued on our way making still further investigations.

4. We finally reached the street where I had hoped we might some time locate our mission, if it were the will of the Lord. I suggested to this brother that we make a trip through this thoroughfare, though I knew that the particular store I would like had been rented for many years, and was scarcely ever known to be vacant. As we reached the opposite side of the building, I said to Brother Place,

“Let us go across the street and look at the store that I had always hoped we might have for a mission. You see it is let now, but then we might go and look at it, and see what a nice mission it would make.”

^(p217) 5. We accordingly walked to the building, and to our surprise and wonder, it appeared to be vacant. The signs of the business of the place were all over the store windows, but it seemed as though the people had removed. I at once rang the door-bell at the side, and inquired of the residents above, if the building below was vacant and when it was vacated. The woman said:

“Yes, I think the store is to let. It was vacated by the people last night at twelve o’clock. The proprietor has not yet been around to put up the sign. If you went to see him, may be you could get it.”

This certainly seemed wonderful. This very morning when we were looking for a place, we had found the very building we had planned and hoped for years to have, if it were the will of the Lord; and the very night before at midnight the place was vacated, and not even a sign was posted announcing it to be vacant. It was in a location where property was in great demand, and it could not long be vacant. The brother and I concluded that it was certainly a direct providence of God; and it seemed as though the same Lord who guided Eliezer to get the right person for a wife for his master’s son, was guiding us in the selection of a place to locate our mission.[1] This made us very happy, and we felt indeed that Heaven was showing approbation of the course pursued.

6. We prayed that the Lord would incline the heart of the man to let us have the place so that it might not fall into other hands. Hastening to see the proprietor, we secured the privilege of looking over the place. We soon invited other brethren to counsel with us, and all were decidedly certain that there was no mistake in the selection. How kind it is of the dear Lord to be patient with us in our frailties and in our human weaknesses!

7. I returned to see the proprietor to ask him if I might have the refusal of the place for twenty-four hours. I was informed by one of his associates that they did not do business that way in that section of the city. The man who wanted the place and had the deposit to give, was the man whose it was. He said he could not promise the place for an hour, as there were several who were after it. I said to this man:

^(p218) “You tell the proprietor that I should like to have him keep it for me for twenty-four hours, and then I will let him know what we decide.”

8. I called again to see the owner, and then told him for what purpose I wished to secure the place. He seemed very glad to think it would be put to such a use, as he thought it would be a good thing for the community. He said to me:

“I can get ninety dollars a month for that store for certain kinds of business. I do not want to let it for those kinds; but I should like to have you for a tenant, and your work represented there. If you will take it, I will rent it to you for forty-five dollars a month.”

This seemed to us an additional answer to our prayers, and it looked as though the Lord was making it very clear to us that the pillar of cloud would settle here, and for the present this was the place where a sanctuary for Israel should be erected. The owner informed me that there were a number of persons after the place, and he could lease it very quickly; but he desired that we should occupy the premises. He said:

“I will be willing to hold it for you till the time tomorrow that you request, but at one hour after that, there is another person coming, and if I do not hear from you at that time, I shall let the place.”

9. With this understanding, we left, but the conviction was fastening upon all those who saw the place that our whole experience in connection with it was so markedly providential, that the Lord was clearly indicating to us all that it was the place for the work. At the appointed hour, the deal was consummated, and we blessed God for the wonderful answer to prayer, and for the clear evidences He had given us that we were locating in the right place.

10. Now we needed the workers. Would the Lord as signally indicate to us who the workers should be? After earnest prayer, I felt impressed to visit a sister in Christ who had shown herself devoted to the cause of God. I knew that whoever entered into this work for the Jews would find it a very trying and difficult work, and it needed persons of consecration and deep devotion to the Lord Jesus, as well as a great deal of love for the Jews. Nothing but the love power of Christ and His spirit of self-denial and self-sacrifice would be able to enter into this work for these lost sheep. I knew we should meet with ridicule, scoffing, persecution, and blasphemy; still I knew there were souls who had love so deep for the Saviour and for His own brethren in the flesh that they would be willing to take up this work.

11. Upon calling to see this sister, I laid the whole plan before her, and especially told her of the trials and tribulations which would be met with in the Jewish work. I assured her that there would be many difficulties and perplexities in the way, and much labor that would be unappreciated; but I told her to pray over the matter, and if she was impressed by the Holy Spirit that she ought to enter into this work, we wished her to come. I knew that she was especially adapted for work among the children; and it means a great deal to get at the heart of the Jewish child who has been trained in an orthodox Jewish home. The reader will appreciate this more as we relate some interesting experiences in the next chapter.

^(p220) 12. After prayer, study, and consideration, Miss Person decided to cast in her lot with the Jews, even as Moses cast in his lot with the Israelitish slaves of Egypt.[2] She gave up a lucrative position, and she felt peace with God in the decision she had made. For a number of years she has been a great help in this work. It has cost her health, strength, and much labor, but we believe that in the kingdom of God she will be rewarded for her faithful efforts put forth for the lost sheep of Israel.

(p 221) 13. We very much needed a man to do colporteur work among the Jews. This was an especially hard work, a work that would meet with fierce and stern opposition. This work would meet with much   persecution, it would meet with cursing and reviling, it would meet with hard fighting with the powers of darkness, as we knew that the Jews would resist every effort brought to them to save their poor souls. The Lord gave us the man who was willing to do this, and we felt thankful that the Saviour was opening the hearts of His children to do something for His own lost brethren of the house of Israel.

^(p222)14. In this connection I wish to relate another incident which shows how God was indicating that His hand was in the work, and that He was calling for workers in this branch of His vineyard. I expect to see these workers, and many others, have a part to act in the carrying on of the work among the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

15. As I attended a session of the General Conference at Washington, D.C., in the year 1905, the Lord providentially opened the way whereby the attention of this work was brought to thousands of His believing children. I always felt that God would work out His plans in His own way and in His own good time. I was at that time the only Jewish Christian in the work of the Lord who felt the special burden to labor for the Jews.

16. The Holy Spirit impressed my heart with a message for the people in behalf of the lost sheep of Israel, and it was a source of much encouragement to see many moistened eyes, and to hear so many responsive amens in behalf of the work among the Jews. It seemed as though a heavenly inspiration had come to my soul. A better day was dawning, and God would yet indeed visit and redeem His people. It made me feel very happy, for I felt that it was a blessed opportunity to speak for my brethren, and to plead their cause.

17. At the close of the talk a lady, a gentle sister in Christ, came to me and introduced herself. She told me of her interest in the work of the Lord, and she longed to do something definite for Jesus. She had come to the conference to hear the appeals from missionaries from all parts of the world, and she was listening to hear where the Lord would have her go. ^(p224) She wished to give her life to the service of Christ, and desired to do the work the Lord would have her do. She was listening to calls from among the different nations and tongues, in order to know where she should go. And she said:

“I believe, brother, that the Lord has called me to this work for the Jews. I believe I have heard the call, and I believe the Lord would have me labor for the Jewish people. I feel as though I was appealed to, to do something for these poor Jews, and if you would be willing, I should be glad to come to Boston and to join your company of workers, and to have a part in the work.”

18. I cannot express in words how thankful to God I was that here was another direct answer to prayer, for here the Lord had given to us another worker, — one who loved Christ, and one who was willing to give up the comforts of a beautiful home, and all the pleasures associated with loved ones; and at her own charges, go to labor in the vineyard among the lost sheep of Israel. This was certainly an additional evidence that God was guiding in the work; we cannot ask for bread, and expect that He will give us a stone. It is not like the Lord to do that; and these workers, one by one, were being called by the Lord’s Spirit, and they were manifesting their own will to have a part in this work.

19. Miss Sanderson left much to come and join our working force, and we are sure the Lord did not forget her labors of love and her willingness to do for His sake what she could for the brethren of Jesus. She spent several years with us in Boston and vicinity, in hard work, in much suffering, in great self-denial, in much opposition, and we trust that she may yet be spared to labor for many more lost souls of the house of Israel, and to tenderly weep for them that they may find their own Messiah and Saviour.

20. Besides these faithful laborers, the Lord gave to us other workers who were devoted to the cause of Christ, and who were in sympathy with the work among the Jews. The result was that in connection with the mission we had a home for the workers, and a place where the Jews could come to see us, to talk with us privately about their soul’s salvation. Many friends became interested in the mission and in the home, and Mrs. Wheeler, the matron of the home, was indeed a mother in Israel.

^(p225) 21. There were a large number of friends who attended the dedicatory exercises, Jews and Gentiles, and we were encouraged to see that the time had come when the work for the Jews was being enlarged. With faithful helpers and a central location, we felt that, with the power of the Holy Spirit, the mission would accomplish some good for the Master in having the lost sheep of Israel in Boston and vicinity know that there was a people from among their own brethren who longed to bring Christ to them.

22. Such a place it indeed proved to be. The workers visited not only tens of thousands of Jews in Boston and the near vicinity, but many outlying cities were visited. For many miles around, the mission had indeed become a city which was set on a hill.[3] Jews would come to the mission from cities and towns a long way from Boston, and tell us that they had heard about the work that was being started for their brethren. The blessing of the Lord was going before us, and was with us in our efforts to warn our Jewish brethren of the living Saviour, and we must leave the reader to follow the succeeding chapters to learn more of the experiences which were awaiting us in connection with our efforts for this work in Boston, so signally opened to us by the direct providence of God.