A Brief Note From Kansas
While the Gospel Guardian is not a "health magazine," perhaps a few lines can be spared me to bring some of my friends up to date as to my present condition. I have now been for nearly a year in a fine "rest home" only one and a half blocks from where my daughter, Verna, lives. She comes every day to take care of me, helping with my dinner and supper. With the aid of a hydraulic lift she does it very nicely. My arthritis is not quite so bad; in fact, I feel better than I have for the past two years. But of course there are those ninety-four years I've covered, so the time of my departure can surely not be far off. The doctor has given Verna a handful of prescriptions to be filled as I need them; so I am really doing quite well. I was ninety-four last March 14, and am now well into my ninety-fifth year.
As I look back over these long, long years, many memories come flooding back to me. I began preaching in 1888, and did my early work in groves, school-houses, living rooms of rented farmhouses, and wherever I could find anyone willing to listen. I took the confession of six grown people once at a Sunday afternoon appointment. On another occasion I arrived at a place on Saturday night to find that the "liberals" had put in an organ and had locked the doors against those who they called "antis." The loyal brethren wanted to break the door down, and go ahead and use the house which their money had built. But I calmed them down, and told them that that material house was of little importance — truth, and obedience to God are all that really matter. There was a bright moon overhead, so we all sang a few songs; I quoted perhaps a chapter from memory; we all prayed together, and then I preached the old, old gospel story to them. It is an occasion still bright in my memory. The "New Light" people had a very good country meeting house in the community not in use. George Steed, a bachelor, went down and bought the house, paying cash for it out of his own pocket. After a few years the "liberal" element gradually lost interest and ceased to meet. But twenty-four years after that memorable night I returned from Kansas to hold a fine gospel meeting in the house brother Steed had bought. They had a faithful and zealous country congregation there, earnestly seeking to serve God.
Perhaps this little incident, one of hundreds that might be recalled, will serve as some slight encouragement to some of our faithful young gospel preachers to stand firmly for the truth. From the days of the great Paul even until now, and probably until the end of time, those who stand for the truth are destined to suffer hardship or even persecution. But the victory is certain!