15. CHAPTER X - A RESTING-TIME IN WALES

CHAPTER X A RESTING-TIME IN WALES BLEST MEMORIES OF A FRAGRANT FELLOWSHIP

I LEFT for Wales in December, 1910. I saw Mr. Hyde the previous October and knew that he intended taking his furlough early in 1911. I asked him to take a run across to see me when passing through England, and he replied, as he generally did, that he would call if the Lord would open the way. I gave him my address but he lost it. The day before his steamer was due to arrive in Liverpool he asked a C.M.S. missionary who was on board whether he had any idea what part of Wales I came from. I had only a casual acquaintance with this missionary and had never seen his wife, but he immediately told Hyde that his wife had my address and he went down to her cabin and brought it up. To this day I have no idea where she obtained my address. The steamer arrived, in Liverpool on Good Friday and he crossed over to Birkenhead to get a train for my home (Llangollen). When he reached the station he was told that only one train ran on Good Friday and that had gone. Some one overheard the question and answer, and told him that there was a cheap excursion train going direct to the place and told him to book an excursion ticket which he did, but, when he reached the train, he was told that he could take no luggage with him and he had all his belongings in a big American trunk. He waited a moment and prayed I am sure, when the guard came to him and said, ’ Go and secure your seat and leave your trunk with me, I shall bring it in my van ’ and he did so. All these incidents I have mentioned were clear indications to him that he was in the line of God’s Will. He lived so near the Lord that he was sensitive to the slightest promptings of His Will, and he seemed to know at once when the Lord was not with him. How everything fitted together because all was under the direct control of God for the good of His servant. But this was not all. It had been arranged by the mission that I should be on deputation work for some time in Carnarvonshire just those days, but at the last moment the tour was cancelled because the people were too busy in arranging for the installation of the Prince of Wales as Prince in Carnarvon, for arrangements to be made for missionary meetings, and so, I had a fortnight’s rest in my old home, and I wondered what was behind all this. I was glad of the quiet time, but I felt there was some other reason. On Good Friday morning I went round the little town just as I used to go when I was a boy, and told my wife that I would be back in less than an hour, but when I arrived back my wife rushed to the door and said, ’ Guess who has come. Of all your numerous friends which one would you like to see and have his company on Good Friday ?’ I could not mention any one but I felt that there was some joy in store for me, and I saw that my wife was greatly excited for she had longed for years to meet Hyde. Then, she said, go to the bed­room and see who is there having a wash.’ I rushed upstairs, and there was Hyde with his face beaming with joy, and that was the beginning of a month or two of a little Heaven on earth for me. It was not difficult for me to persuade him to make his home with me for some weeks. A dearly beloved doctor and his wife who lived near begged that they should entertain him, and as I knew that he would be far more comfortable there than in the little house where we stayed, and I knew that he needed the care of a doctor, we gladly allowed them to have him there to sleep, and he came for most of his meals to us. What a time that was ! He and my wife seemed to understand each other from the very first hour and no brother and sister in the Lord ever loved each other, and understood each other, better than they did. What time we spent around that little table where we had our meals The fellowship was so sweet, the blessing asked for before the meal commenced, often turned into a lengthy prayer, and the food became cold, but our hearts were warmed up, and every morsel we ate seemed to be tasty and to have an additional relish. What a privilege it is to have one of the Children of God who lives in His Very Presence with us at the table. It became the Lord’s banqueting house and we freely drank of His Spirit. What would 1 not give to have one of these days back again. Will the members forgive me for dwelling so long on this, I had such a blessing I can never forget it.

We went round to visit some of the old saints, and, among others, we called on a dear aged child of God who was very deaf. Mr. Hyde himself was deaf. This dear old lady shouted to him, that she missed the services very much, for I cannot hear anything when I go,’ she said, and to her surprise he said, ’ you ought to praise God for that.’ She thought that he had misunderstood her, and she said again, I cannot hear, I tell you,’ and he answered ’ That is why I tell you that you should praise the Lord.’ Then he explained to her what he meant. He said that it was rarely that he could hear anything when he went to the services but that it was a fine opportunity to pray, everything was so quiet and the whole environment seemed to help him to pray and worship. He said that he looked at the preacher and prayed for him, then at the different people and prayed for them as he looked at them, until he began to praise God for being deaf as it gave him such a glorious opportunity for prayer and adoration. The dear old lady laughed heartily and entered into the spirit of his remarks and said quite cheer­fully, ’ I think I shall try that way too.’ And some two or three years afterwards she wrote to me and said that she praised God for what Hyde had said, and that it had made a wonder­ful difference in her life. She has gone Home ’ and no doubt they have been drawn together on the other side and praise God together for all the way that He led them.

What walks we had together on the moun­tain side, and we would sit down together on one of the rustic seats provided for visitors, and have a time of prayer together, or throw our­selves down under some of those shady trees, and have fellowship with the Master. How one longs for him !

It was during some of these walks that he gave me some of his early history. He spoke a great deal about his mother, what an earnest Christian she was, and what careful training she had given him. He often spoke of her singing ; and over and over again he said that she was the best singer he had ever heard, and such a holy woman. I felt at the time that he just longed to go home to her. When he was staying with me, he often spoke of Keswick and his one desire then was to remain in England over Keswick Week. He wanted to attend the Convention and to have McCheyne Paterson with him there and he was giving me the privilege of being with them so as to make a Trio and we were to have a Prayer Room in Keswickduring the Convention, and to continue in prayer day and night. He and McCheyne Paterson were during the Convention and failed to attend. The Lord allowed me to go there, but we did not have the Prayer Room, though I did sug­gest it. I often think what would have been the result if they had come there. Mr. Walker of Tinnevelly was present and would certainly have joined us. To this day the Prayer Room ’ has not had its place at Keswick, but there has been so much prayer for this, that it may yet come, and then Keswick will be as near perfection as we can imagine any holy gathering this side of Paradise. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the world-rulers of this darkness, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

—Ephesians vi. 12. For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh (for the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong-holds).

—2 Corinthians x. :3-4.

God can work wonders if He can get a suitable man. Men can work wonders if they can get God to lead them. The full endowment of the spirit that turned the world upside down would be eminently useful in these latter days. Men who can stir things mightily for God, whose spiritual revolutions change the whole aspect of things, are the universal need of the Church.

God wants elect men—men out of whom self and the world have gone by a severe crucifixion, by a bank­ruptcy which has so totally ruined self and the world that there is neither hope nor desire of recovery : men who by this insolvency and crucifixion have turned toward God perfect hearts.

—E. M. BOUNDS in POWER THROUGH PRAYER.’