Part 5 (1/2)
Words and Music by Mrs. FLORENCE ROBERTS.
The messengers tap on the windows.
The windows of the soul.
They carry this news from our Savior, ”I died that ye might be made whole.”
”I died that ye might be made whole, I died that ye might be made whole.”
The messengers tap on the windows.
And beat their wings on the bars; They carry the news to the sinner, ”You can become bright as the stars.”
”You can become bright as the stars.
You can become bright as the stars.”
The messengers tap on the windows.
Three times they come and they go; Jesus saith, ”Tho' your sins be as scarlet.
Trust me. I will make them like snow.”
”Trust me. I will make them like snow.
Trust me, I will make them like snow.”
The messengers tap on the windows; Behold, I freely forgive Whoso-ever will come, let him do so, Partake of salvation and live.
”Partake of salvation and live.
Partake of salvation and live.”
The messengers tap on the windows; Sweet peace from our Savior they bring; Sweet peace which is past understanding,-- The windows now open. Come in.
The windows now open. Come in.
The windows now open. Come in.]
It was very precious, very blessed. Erelong, however, my companions in the work received a call to other places, whilst I received a definite call to remain. That first evening alone on the rostrum--shall I ever forget it? All day I had been praying (not always on my knees) for a text for _my first public message_ or sermon, but not one could I settle on. Whilst the audience was gathering, we sang many hymns. This was followed by a few voluntary prayers; then came the embarra.s.sing moment. I was compelled to inform the congregation--and it was a large one--of my predicament, and besought them to kneel again with me in brief supplication for a text. ”Praise G.o.d from whom all blessings flow!” my Bible fell open, my eyes riveted on these words: ”And immediately the angel of the Lord smote him because he gave not G.o.d the glory, and he was eaten of worms and gave up the ghost.” Acts 12:23.
Positively the message came from the Lord. As I spoke I was as though in a trance. The altar filled with seekers, and souls stepped into that precious fountain still open in the house of David. How happy I was! To G.o.d be all the credit, all the glory.
Amongst the seekers was one who presently told me that for _forty-one years he had been a drunkard._ He certainly looked as if he had--poor, bloated, filthy, loathsome, ill-smelling creature. I can not find adjectives enough to describe him. Everybody avoided him. It surely was a testing time for me. Also, I had trying experiences thereafter with this particular soul; for, though he certainly found salvation, he was such a weakling that he was ever leaning upon the arm of flesh; in consequence of which I endured much persecution. He haunted me much of the time, morning, noon, and night, so that I was subjected to unkind remarks and ridicule; but, remembering the words of our Master in Matt.
5:11, 12 and Paul's in Phil. 2:7, I endeavored to bear this for the sake of his soul. Much later, when I was in the work in San Francisco, he took up his abode there, and shortly afterward the blessed Lord saw fit to provide him with an earthly companion (he was a widower), a most worthy Christian woman, who tenderly ministered to his needs until Father called him home, little more than a year following the earthquake and fire of that great city. Concerning that catastrophe he wrote me as follows:
San Francisco, Potrero Camp, Opp. S.P.R.R. Depot, Third and Townsend Streets, April 29, 1906.
My dear Sister Roberts:
We are alive and well. Praise the Lord. On the morning of the eighteenth we were roughly thrown from our bed by earthquake, and our house broken all to pieces, and it was afire before we were rescued.
Two men (G.o.d bless them!) took my dear wife and me with ropes, and by the time we were in the street the house was burning furiously. Two poor women on the lower floor were burned to death. We lost all we had except the clothes we had on and our Bibles. These we had been reading the night before and had left at our bedside. As we went out, we each took a Bible. I had a very fine collection of religious books, some very valuable, but all went in smoke; but, thank G.o.d! he saved our lives. I a.s.sure you we have thanked him in prayer many times since we escaped.
We got over on the Potrero and we had to sit in the hot sun all day the eighteenth, nineteenth, and twentieth, and in the cold night wind, and we had nothing to lie down on nor to cover us to keep the cold out. My wife asked a woman to loan her a blanket to throw around me. She would not do it, yet she had enough extra ones for a dozen people. Finally near morning of the second night a lieutenant from the Presidio (regular army) came along and saw us sitting in the cold, and asked if we were so bad off as that. I told him yes. He said he would see about that. He went and took a heavy pair of blankets from that woman and brought them to us. We wrapped ourselves up in them and sat down again.