The Ohio Independent Baptist, October 1968

• ,n I • by Ruth Hege l'cti t"' , ,lti 111,)t lier la 1 dying of 'a 11 ct ,t th-c tc.1 c. Her' . had been a " lt) \\. li11gcri11g illne"-. the \\Cck ... - '\l f\:tCht:<.i ir1t 111 nth\ the appcar- .;111Ct; ,.1f the patl1ctically di figured t . 1cc n1 .. 1de (ln'-= pray for a qt1ick re- H r e\' n hi ld ren \Vere now all adult and a\\ ay from home. Only t,,, of then1 had confe d Chri t a a, 1 i ur - Pedro, the third on and 1 idora, a ounger dauehter. From ., .... '-' the e t o the eparation would be nly for a hort time, but what of the ther five? They were lo t and unle they repented he would be eparated from them forever. The dying mother' heart was deeply burdened for them. She her elf had not known the Saviour until her children were grown. Perhap he had failed in her Chris– tian testimony during the years she had known Chri t. She had confessed her failure and God had forgiven her. However it wa now too late to rectify the mi takes made with her children. But God is merciful and it i not Hi will that any should perish. He could still do a work of grace in their hearts. A she lay there uffering phy ically and in the depth of her soul longing for the salvation of her children it became clear to her what he mu t do. The Roman Catholics have the custom of keeping nine nights of wake for the dead - nights often filled with drinking, gambling and carousing. She knew that her son Benjamin, in whose home she was being cared for, would see to it that the customary wake was carried out in honor of his dead mother. Later, when Pedro came to see her she made him understand that she had something to tell him. Pedro leaned closer and strained to hear while his mother spoke slowly and with great difficulty. "Son " she whispered, "promi e me - that after my death - instead of the wake you will have nine evenings of evangel– istic services here in the home." Solemnly Pedro assured her that he would do all in his power to honor her request. She relaxed, satisfied. 12 OCTOBER, 1968 ~I he chi ldren all can.1e tor the ft1ncral. I hall not on forget the piercing cry f de pair which e caped Felipa a th ca ket wa being carried out f the hou e: "Goodbye mother! oodbye forever!' Felipa had come fron1 a di tance to pend the 1 a t week at her mother's bed ide. he had witne ed the offering the la t days of coma, then the final relea e. She wa embittered and cru hed with grief. It di turbed and annoyed her to hear the inging of hymn . How could the e Evangelicals ing at suah a time of sorrow? She could not bear it and did not accompany the body to the cemetery. True to bi promise Pedro brought hi s mother last request to the church. For nine con ecutive evenings a group of believers gathered at Benjamin's house. Every evening faithful brethren by turns brought messages from the Word of Gotl, bringing comfort to the t,clicvcr anll calling l•pon th t111sav<.'cl lo be rcconcilc(I to ,od J~elir>a w,1s 01,c of the fir t ones tl rcsponcl tc) the ( 1ospcl invit,1tion ~ttc.lclcnly all bccan1c clif fcrc11t. A 11c, l1opc wa5 born within her anti h fot1nct herself jo1n1ng in the singi n ol hymn5 of hope and conc;olation. J wa no longer " oodbye f rcver" fa ~he k11ew that she wot1ld sec he mother again, gloriot1sl y tran~formcc in the Lord' prc~cnce. Benjami11, wh had made Jif e o miserable for Ts dora, hi aved si tcr, wa the ne> to confe c; Chri t a aviour. The two of the common-law wives of th brother were saved. Thais, Pedro teenage niece, received Christ and i a joy to ee her piritual progre She has ince come to live in h< Uncle Pedro's hou e so he can atten high school with her cousin Paul who is in the san1e grade. Anoth< adult, a friend of the family who ba come for the funeral and attended tr evening services, declared hi s faith i Christ. Altogether six souls confesse Christ as Saviour during those nir days. Did Pedro's mother participa· in the rejoicing jn the presence < the angels over those repenta1 sinners? We like to think that st did. And will not her prayers for tl three remaining sons, still unsave, be answered? There is nothing tc hard for the Lord. ? FELLOWSHIP OF BAPT ISTS FOR HOME MISSIONS P. 0 . BOX 455 - ELYRIA ,OHIO THE OHIO INDEPENDENT BAPTI