Part One
Helen was a Swiss girl who had Christian parents. They longed to see Helen saved, but their daughter loved the world, its pleasures and companions, and would not take heed when warned of the outcome.
A dear Christian friend was visiting Helen’s home, and had asked her again and again to cross the ocean to America with her. Helen’s parents wished her to go to break up an undesirable friendship she had made. Remember, evil commucations corrupt good manners.
Helen always refused her friend’s request. At last, one day, she said impiently, “O, yes! I will go,”
She did not really think she would go, but so many of her friends spoke to her of the trip, when the time came she saw she would have to go. Her friend Miss B. went before, and Helen was to follow shortly with Miss B.’s brother.
The vessel was so crowded that a passage could not be had in the same class as the brother, so Helen was obliged to travel in the steerage.
When the vessel arrived in New York, Helen was treated as a steerage passenger, and shipped off with all the immigrants to Ellis Island. Miss B. was awaiting her arrival in New York, and when she did not come, she went down to the Island. There she was told that Helen had been sent on to Boston, which was to be the end of her journey, as her ticket stated.
Helen had not gone to Boston however, for a man, who pretended to be a representative of the company, had asked her where she was going. She told him she must return to New York where her friends were waiting, but the company was sending her to Boston. He said he would take her to her friends and asked for her ticket. Helen gladly gave him the envelope, which contained her and all her money. As he returned the enbelope, she saw him pass something to a man standing next to him. She into her envelope and to her dismay the money was gone.
“Please return my money,” she begged earnestly, “I can go nowhere without it.’’
“I haven’t your money,” replied the man, “come with me and I’ll take you to your friends. If we cannot find them, I’ll take you to a hotel.”
“But,” answered Helen, “I have no money to pay the hotel.”
“Never mind,” said he, “I’ll attend to that, and you will soon get a place.”
He took her to a mission in New York, not far from the boat landing. Poor Helen, frightened and sad, she was without money and without friends, in a strange city! She knew not where she was going. But One, whose watchful eye never wearies, was looking at her. At the mission, Helen noticed familiar texts hanging on the wails. It was time for services, and imagine her surprise when the speaker read the same Scripture as her own dear father had read when she left her home in Switzerland. The hymn was the same her brother had sung. Helen thought of home and wept bitterly. The Lord began a work in her soul right there, which continued till she was happy in the knowledge of Jesus Christ as her Saviour.
ML 02/16/1941