FOR OVER ten years, in the foul darkness of a Brazilian prison, Pedro had dragged out a wretched existence. The monotony was only relieved by the shoemaking with which he was able to earn a little money and thus obtain something better than the bare prison fare. Sentenced to thirty years’ imprisonment, the prospect of another twenty years of confinement stretched drearily before him.
One day, however, the dead level of life was broken by the small excitement of a visitor from the outside world, an Englishman, who had come with literature to distribute to the prisoners. Pedro was aroused to interest. True, he could not read, but he thought that if he had a book, he might teach himself to read. It would relieve the awful grayness of the long years that lay before him. It would, perhaps, save his reason: many of his fellow-prisoners had lost theirs.
Mr. Frederick Glass, the missionary visitor, was glad to find a man wanting to purchase a Bible. Having secured a copy, Pedro gave himself to the task of learning to read his new treasure. By degrees he did accomplish this, and day by day he pored over the Book, gripped by its contents. He discovered from its pages that he was not only judged and sentenced by the law of his country, but that he was condemned as a sinner in the sight of a holy God. How glad he was to learn also that the Lord Jesus Christ, God’s only begotten Son, had borne his, Pedro’s, sins in His own body on the cross at Calvary! In simple faith, Pedro took the Saviour at His word, and, coming to Him, was not cast out. The light of God had shone into the dark heart shut away in that dismal Brazilian prison, and Pedro was a new creature in Christ Jesus. Very diligently he read and re-read the precious Book, and day by day the Holy Spirit taught him its meaning.
A few more years passed and Mr. Glass returned to Goyaz, where the prison was, and settled down to preach the gospel. Several soldiers were converted and began to witness for their Lord. One day a little band of them visited the prison with tracts for the prisoners, and they returned to Mr. Glass with the story of a man in that prison who owned a Bible and appeared to be converted.
At once Mr. Glass remembered the sale of a Bible some years previously, and hastening to visit the prison, he obtained permission to have a talk with Pedro. He was taken to the barred window of the filthy cell where Pedro had lived for fifteen years, in which a dozen or more men were confined.
Pedro, hearing his name called, picked his way across the cell, and came to the window through which, to his joy, he saw the face of the man who had sold him his Bible. The light behind Mr. Glass shone full on Pedro’s face, which was lit with a radiant smile as he put his hand through the grating for a grip of real fellowship from a brother in Christ. What a revelation of the grace and transforming power of God! Who could enable a man to live a Christian life surrounded by hardened, blaspheming criminals!
Mr. Glass visited Pedro as frequently as possible, but at the end of a month he was unexpectedly recalled to Sao Paula, and had to pay a farewell visit to the prisoner.
He found him very troubled, not so much at his friend’s departure, but because of his keen desire to be baptized. He had read of the Lord’s word in his Bible, and the young soldiers had told of their baptism, and Pedro’s heart was set on this thing. Mr. Glass explained to him that God understood that in his case this was, humanly-speaking, impossible and that He would honor him for his desire, but Pedro could not see it in that light, and Mr. Glass had to leave him unsatisfied.
A few hours later, just as he was making final preparations for leaving on the following day, a soldier brought Mr. Glass a note from the prison. It was from Pedro, telling him that shortly after he had left, the head jailer had selected two men to go down to the river the following morning at six o’clock, to carry the sweepings of the prison, and he, Pedro, was one chosen. Could Mr. Glass be there? Immediately the missionary saw that God had thus made a way for the fulfillment of His servant’s deep desire.
Next morning, the little company from the prison wended its way down to the river, where Mr. Glass awaited them. So beautifully had God arrand every detail, that four out of the five soldiers chosen to accompany the prisoners, were converted and baptized men. After the simple ceremony, a radiant-faced Pedro went back to the prospect of fifteen years more of prison life. His life and testimony henceforth in that dark place were such that many were won to his Saviour. Later, like Joseph, God gave Pedro favor in the sight of the head jailer. He was taken out of that terrible cell and allowed to do his work in an old unused building. Eventually his sentence was shortened and he was released, but he remained in Goyaz, an honored Christian and servant of Christ there.
ML-09/23/1962