“Now that everyone is agreed and agreeable, shall we see what has become of Miss Annie?” It was evening time and Grandma was talking as she pulled her glasses and the book from her large apron pocket, and began to read:
A diversion—a new thing had come to our city. Everyone was talking about it. Revival meetings in churches were not new, but this—well, this was BIG. Religious services were never held in theaters, but all were invited to attend in no less a place than the large Metropolitan Hall which had doubled for theater and opera house since that building had burned down. Furthermore, no collection or admission fees! This was indeed strange. Handbills and advertisements were all over town, and many planned to attend, if for no other reason than curiosity. I suppose because of my frivolous state, my mother determined to attend, and me with her.
Well, the next day, when I was upstairs in my bedroom still fuming inwardly about that experience, my mother called up to announce a visitor for me. I promptly scurried down the stairs.
“Emily! How glad I am you came! My lessons are just finished, so let’s go to my room and close the door before Mum finds another meeting for me to go to!”
“Oh, Annie! I heard you had to go to the BIG meeting. What was it like, anyway?”
“Well, to begin with, I didn’t like it, and I left quite upset and shocked.”
“Honestly! But whatever happened?”
“He, Mr. Alexander Marshall from Scotland, (he did roll his r’s in rather a fascinating way) talked about, let’s see___. Oh, by the way, that Mother of mine had to march right down to the front rows. Some of our people from school were there. Imagine! I felt my face growing quite pink. Well, I do remember a verse on a cotton lantern that said something about believing or not believing and being condemned already if you didn’t. Could it be? Even before the judgment day? Anyway, it’s seared in my mind, for it was in bold red letters. I brushed it aside, pro tern, but every time I shut my eyes I see it. I can even remember where it is found—John 3:1818He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. (John 3:18). That Scotchman was thundering out ‘Eternity where? Young man, where will you spend eternity? Young woman, where will you spend eternity?’ And he actually pointed at people! Had he pointed to me, I’m sure I would have swooned dead away on the spot. Oh—and they had this notion about having two speakers because of a Bible verse, ‘In the mouth of two or three witnesses every word shall be established.’ The second preacher was a young, dark, rather attractive English chap. (But wait until you hear more about him!) His name, I think, was Richard Irving. Anyway, he’s the one who approached me afterward (kindly enough at first, I must say). I was standing, waiting impatiently for Mother. You won’t believe what he said to me!”
“Oh dear, Annie, what did he say?” Emily was spellbound.
“He asked me straightaway, ‘Have you made up your mind to be saved?’
“ ‘No!’ I replied.
“Then he quickly asked, ‘Have you made up your mind to be damned?’ Imagine! I turned on my heel and stalked over to Mother. ‘Come on home!’ I said grimly. ‘They use swear words up here!’
“Mother looked rather stricken. When I told her about it in the cab on the way home, she almost appeared amused.
“ ‘Well, darling, it is in the Scriptures.’
“There’s no understanding her sometimes. But I did not find it amusing, I assure you.” Turning to Emily with narrowed eyes, I continued, “When I said my prayers last night, I asked God not to let me die before I was saved.”
“Oh, Annie, you didn’t! Isn’t that like—well—oh, do be careful, Annie!” She seemed a little shocked.
“I do so want to enjoy the ball—and a little life,” I blurted out, tears close to the surface. Somehow, the charm of the ball was eroding. Emily rather weakly suggested that maybe we shouldn’t put it ahead of everything. Our delight in planning fell flat and she left early. I heard soon after, that she also had accompanied her Aunt Hetty to the Metropolitan, for the meetings were still in progress.
At breakfast the next morning, Mother informed me that I was to have a house guest soon. Spring holidays were near, and I snapped wide awake at once.
“Your cousin Hortense Simpson and her college friend Miss Curts (our pet name for her was ‘Curtsie’) will be calling. Friday, I believe, Hortense leaves for her home and Curtsie asked if she might stay with you, Annie, during her absence. You know that they have lodgings with their music teacher from Albert College. She, it seems, will be away. They are such fine ladies,” Mother went on. “Both have asked for membership and have been received on probation into the Methodist church. They are older than you, but their lives are well ordered. You would do well, Annie dear, to consider and follow their regular Bible reading habits, and faithful church attendance, to say nothing of their sober ways. I believe our Hortense’s father is a minister and Curtsie is, as you know, engaged to a minister. They tell me that they have been enjoying the meetings over at the Metropolitan, although they say they are quite puzzled over the Scottish preacher’s insistence that we can KNOW that we are absolutely safe for eternity. I noticed that too in the sermons. They claim, among other Scripture verses, that 1 John 5:1313These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God. (1 John 5:13) proves it. I have always been taught that one must hold on to the end, and not until that time could one know one is sure of heaven.” Turning to Father, she raised her voice and asked, “What is your opinion, Henry, dear?”
Now my father had his face buried in the Daily Tribune. “Oh, yes, yes, yes, my love,” he answered, folding up the paper. “I—well—I lost you there, but I must indeed run along to the office.” He had pulled out his gold watch, pecked Mother on the cheek, and left rather unduly fast, I thought.
The prospect of entertaining dear Curtsie and Hortense was not particularly exciting to me. They were talented music students, however, and I thought to enjoy them over the piano somewhat. They both sang like angels—at least so it seemed to me. (I know now that angels do not really sing.)
I was definitely not pleased when Friday rolled around and they appeared to take me off to another MEETING. My French lesson was spread out before me, and I pleaded my case as best I could, to no avail. It seems a cab had been called and was arriving very soon, and after the meeting Hortense would continue on to the train station. Curtsie was to come home with me then. Inwardly fuming, I put my lesson away. Suddenly I remembered that we were supposed to carry a Bible to the meeting. And it wasn’t even Sunday! My father had said that people thought you a little unbalanced in the head if you carried a Bible on weekdays. Naturally I didn’t want to be seen doing it, so I rummaged for a small white one and arranged to wear an ulster (overcoat). Slipping the Bible in the roomy pocket, I covered it well with a handkerchief.
In the cab on the way, I heard with chagrin that these women were actually intending to inquire further after the meeting and get assurance of salvation if it were to be had at all. “They are taking mean advantage of me!” I pouted to myself. “I had no idea ‒ I will not get involved with these preachers!”
One of the speakers that day was Mr. George Groves of Australia. He spoke on the twenty-third Psalm, stressing “The Lord is my Shepherd.” Not a shepherd, or a good shepherd, but my shepherd, denoting relationship. The only other thing I remember besides these comments, was his discourse on the “two footmen.” “Any man,” he said, “could be considered wealthy to have one footman, but to have two footmen would indicate great wealth. Every Christian possessed two—Goodness and Mercy—for the last verse of the Psalm says ‘Goodness and Mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.’ "
At last the service was over, and sure enough, my friends desired an interview. A Mr. A. S. Rolph sat with cousin Hortense on the bench opposite us, and Mr. Groves seated himself by Curtsie and me. At once she sought to know how assurance might be obtained.
Need I tell you that I put some space between us? I couldn’t quite turn off my hearing, however, and bits and pieces drifted my way. It went rather like this:
Curtsie: “I do not feel saved... tried to live a Christian life... gone to church, etc, etc.”
Mr. Groves: “You are looking to the wrong place. If you want to see the sunset, where would you look? In your heart to feel that it was set?”
Curtsie: “No, I would look at the sky in the west.”
Mr. Groves: “Right! If you want to see your sins washed away, where will you look? In your heart?”
Now she had, as many of us, learned the verse in Sunday school, “Look unto ME and be ye saved, all ye ends of the earth, for I am God and there is none else.” This verse flashed before her, and I glimpsed such a look of ecstasy as I had never before seen on her face.
Curtsie: “Why no! I would look at Calvary—‘Unto Him who was nailed to the tree!’ HE DIED FOR ME! Oh! is that all? And here I’ve been doing, working, praying—and it’s all DONE!”
So uneasy had I become, that I had nearly slid off the end of the bench. If only that cab would come! Glancing over at Hortense, I saw the same look on her face! She had red spots in each of her cheeks, and I could see her lips forming the words, “Why! Is it as easy as that!!”
No longer able to sit quietly, I drifted toward the door. Then to my horror, Mr. Groves slipped over and greeted me with, “Are you interested also?”
“Oh, no,” I carelessly replied, giggling as I tossed my head.
If he had only known the storm raging within my heart! As any girl knows, a giggle can hide a lot of feeling not necessarily compatible with a giddy giggle.
At last the “all aboard” sounded and we were summoned to the cab. The girls were exuberant, sharing their newly found joy, and I sat glum and miserable. Now at every true conversion, I believe that there are always two others present beside the one under conviction. One is, of course, the Holy Spirit of God, convicting and pleading; the other is an emissary from Satan. Within my breast, these two now waged a battle. I began to think, prompted by the Spirit of God, “Why can not you also be as happy as they are? You want to be saved someday. Why not today?”
Then the Dark One whispered, “But the Ball—the fun in life you deserve and wanted so much to enjoy!”
“Oh, if only the ball were over!” I groaned. “But there is yet time, surely?”
Now the Spirit suddenly brought to my remembrance a sad tragedy which had occurred only recently, but I had shoved it to the back of my mind. A young schoolmate had gone home for lunch and had suddenly died of a weak heart. “But,” I argued, “my heart isn’t weak!” Immediately, however, the Spirit caused me to question myself, “How do you know?”
“Horrors! I just might not live for that `someday!’ " I exclaimed to myself.
Suddenly, it seemed as if the Lord Jesus Himself were saying to me, “Annie, will you have ME, or the Ball—WHICH? NOW!”
Oh, the electrifying impact of that question! My TIME had come! Eternal life, or eternal death? Christ or the party? To refuse Him was unthinkable! “Lord Jesus,” I cried, “I will have YOU!” In a flash I knew, “I am His, and His forever!” Joy and light poured into my soul such as I had never before known.
Full of my wonderful news, I turned to my companions and bluntly announced, “I’m saved now, too.” Believe me, I was totally unprepared for their reaction.
Hortense gasped in a shocked manner, “Oh Annie, please don’t make fun! It’s too solemn—too serious a matter!”
“But I tell you I am! Really!”
“Oh, darling Annie, please don’t!” Curtsie exclaimed shocked. “How can you talk so, dear?” Had I remembered that only minutes before I had callously tossed my head and giggled as I had turned away from the servant of the Lord, I would have understood their doubtful attitude. How could they believe me? I insisted some more, but they resisted as before.
Well! The train came in, but before Hortense boarded, I heard her whisper to Curtsie, “Oh, if she would only be quiet!”
Oh the way home, however, I was able to get Curtsie to listen as I told my experience—just opposite a hotel as we traveled down Main Street. But I had always been a good actress. This she knew and felt that I must prove myself.
Upon reaching my home, we ran right into Father. I couldn’t keep the news in, and joyfully sang out, “Father, I’m saved! I’m a Christian at last! Where is Mother?”
“Humph!” he sniffed. Then he called after me as my skirts disappeared down the hallway, “I’ll give you two weeks!” Poor Father. He had seen a good many revival-meeting professions fizzle, and he was skeptical.
But Mother—now she was a different story. She herself knew the great Savior and His love. Had she not earnestly prayed for this moment? From her I received a tender, loving kiss and “God bless you, my child.” At last someone took my salvation seriously!
“There!” exclaimed Grandma, laying down her glasses and closing the book. “She put up quite a battle, didn’t she? But, Mark, you and Ginger were correct. God and Mother won the day. Tell me, children, do you think that she now longed to attend that ball?”
“No, Grandma,” quietly answered Crystal. “You read that she had never known such joy. Anyway she chose the Lord.”
Josh had seemed very serious and thoughtful. Now he opened up, “I sure wish my friend Joe would get saved.”
“Joe who? Not Joe Deguchi?” Mark looked interested. “What a great surfer he is!” Pausing, he went on, “I saw you and him talking down by the rocks last Saturday morning.”
“Yeah, I mean him, all right. Y’know he holds a number of surfing awards, but he’s sure not much of a student. Just can’t seem to ‘hack it’ at school.”
“Oh, poor boy! He’s probably dyslexic and they didn’t help him in time!” Crystal sympathetically exclaimed.
“I’m sure! Just because you have that problem doesn’t mean every other Tom, Dick and Harry does too,” retorted Josh not too kindly.
“Well—so, maybe he does.” Mark came to her defense. “I read that at least 400,000 kids in this country have that condition—that they know of.”
“Okay! Okay! Well, anyway, Saturday I had pulled up by the rocks ‘cause I was beat, when Joe drops down beside me.”
“ `S’matter, Josh? You’re not giving up already?’ "
“ ‘Who—me? Naw! I’m just resting!’
“Joe kicked in the sand kind of aimlessly, then he said, ‘Been watchin’ yer performance. Notice ya always try to keep outa trouble, Josh. Well I like that.’ "
A strange sort of explosion was heard from Ginger’s quarter as she ducked to pick up her napkin. Josh glared her way, but prepared to continue. Grandma heard her muffled remark to Crystal, “Him, keep out of trouble? How touching!”
“Now, what’s the matter with you?” Mark glared this time. “Be quiet! I want to hear this!”
“My nose is ‒ ah ‒ needs blowing,” and Ginger blew loudly into a tissue.
Grandma looked sternly at Ginger as she thought, “Josh so seldom opens up to us these days. What a pity to interrupt with foolishness. But then—‘foolishness is bound in the heart of a child,’ " she sighed inwardly.
“Well, to try to continue,” Josh went on, “I said, ‘Thanks, Joe. I have my ups and downs. It isn’t easy.’ "
“ ‘I hear you folks are ‒ well, kind of religious ‒ go to church a lot,’ Joe continued. ‘Just what do you believe, anyway? Mind telling me?’ "
“Oh, wow!” Mark was impressed.
“He wasn’t laughing at me or anything. So I told him that first we believe the Bible ‒ all of it ‒ was God’s message to us. Didn’t hold with the evolution theory at all. Oh, I don’t know what all I said, but I brought in John 3:1616For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16) and salvation through the Lord’s death on the cross. He just listened, and pretty soon he said, `Thanks’ and went back to the water.
“He’s the kind of guy you can’t push. When he opens up again ‒ if ever ‒ who knows?”
“He must be kind of ‘neat,’ " Ginger finally conceded.
“I really am pleased to hear this, Josh,” Grandma smiled. “Did you realize that you bore some fruit for your Lord last Saturday?”
“Aw, Grandma! He didn’t get saved, or even answer me really. How can that be fruit?” Josh looked a little embarrassed.
“Oh, but it is. Christ was honored and held up as Creator and as Savior. Then, too, if your life at school had been like the young fellow in Prov. 5:1414I was almost in all evil in the midst of the congregation and assembly. (Proverbs 5:14), (of him we read ‘I was almost in all evil in the midst of the... assembly’)—then you never would have had the chance to witness to Joe. However, I think we should end this session. I’m sure we all want to pray for this young man. We read in the Scripture that some planted and others watered. Praying is watering. Now let’s get on with the evening.”