42
Conclusion
A certain writer says, “It was customary, as it is now in less enlightened countries, to regard deaf-mutes as imbeciles, and to treat them with neglect. Both from the nature of their affliction and by common consent they were excluded from society.”*
Thus regarded, they are doomed to go through life with no knowledge but what they by chance pick up. Think of the isolation, the loneliness, the utter wretchedness of such a life! In this condition the deaf-mute is unable, through his ignorance, to hold communion with other minds by reading books; he is unable, on account of his misfortune, to join in the pleasant conversation of friends or hear the Gospel preached; he knows nothing of God, of his laws, or of salvation through Christ—in fact, thus situated, he is ignorant of almost everything. Surely, such a condition is one to incite pity! Yet the uneducated deaf-mute of the present day is in almost the same condition. But, thank God, there is now a way of escape for him from a life of such ignorance and wretchedness. Yes, experience has amply proved that there is a way of escape; and in this may be seen an additional proof of God’s love and care for all his creatures.
Eight years have come and gone since the time of the beginning of my story. The silent children who then for the first time entered upon the pursuit of knowledge in the I Institution for the deaf and dumb have grown from boys and girls of ten or twelve years into young men and women, finished their seven- or eight-years’ course of study, and left the school. Let us see what changes these years of life in the institution have wrought in them. They came there ignorant, ill-mannered, and in some respects almost helpless human beings. Some of them showed tendencies to vice which needed to be checked. Others had been pampered and humored by overindulgent parents and needed proper discipline to fit them for the sterner experiences of life.
By degrees we have endeavored to trace their progress up the ladder of knowledge. Step by step they have progressed until, instead of being ignorant and helpless, worthy only to be classed with imbeciles, they are in most cases intelligent, refined, and shrewd young ladies and gentlemen. Instead of being burdens to the state and the world in general, they are now enabled to be blessings and helps. Instead of being objects to be looked down upon by their hearing brothers and sisters, they can command their respect and esteem. They have gained a knowledge of God and of his laws; are able to go forth into the wide world, looking unto him for help and strength; and are prepared to fight the battle for the right against the wrong bravely and well.
Soon after Carrie Raymond left the institution, she received a letter from one of the lady teachers, in which she said, “A feeling of sorrow is in my heart because I did not urge you to give your heart to Jesus while you were with me. He has a right to your service. Will you not give it to him?” In reply to this letter, Carrie wrote saying she was by no means indifferent to her soul’s interests, and that she was trying to live a Christian life. It is true she was trying to do this, but chiefly in her own strength.
Time went on, and then a series of religious meetings were announced to be held in a little schoolhouse near Mr. Raymond’s home. In company with her sister, Carrie one evening attended one of these meetings. After the sermon, the minister invited all who loved the Lord to arise and speak for him. In response to this request several arose and spoke. Carrie’s sister arose, as the minister thought, to speak, but in reality to go to a seat in the rear of the room. When he discovered his mistake, he felt prompted to urge those who had not yet realized Jesus to be their Savior to come forward to the mercy seat and seek pardon and peace. He tried to impress upon his hearers the danger of delays.
As the minister proceeded, Carrie observed her sister bury her face in her hands and, finally, arise and hurry to the seat nearest the minister’s desk. Then suddenly Carrie herself, for the first time, felt that she was a great sinner under condemnation. A longing to know Jesus as her Savior came into her heart, and she burst into tears. Her mother came to her and asked her if she wanted to go to the seat where her sister was. “What for?” she inquired. “To be prayed for,” answered her mother. Yes, she did want to go for that—she felt she needed to. And without a moment’s hesitation she went forward and knelt beside her sister. While all were bowed in prayer, she felt more forcibly her need of Jesus as her Savior; she silently prayed, “Jesus, do not pass me by.” When she arose from her knees, the minister, who was not acquainted with her, stepped up and spoke to her, seeing which, a friend came forward and informed him that she was a deaf-mute. He looked perplexed for a little while and then ventured to motion to her to arise and speak; but she only shook her head. Then he asked her sister to speak, and she arose, with a face glowing with earnestness, spoke a few sentences, and then, resuming her seat, sat with bowed head.
When the benediction had been pronounced, the two ministers present came to Carrie and shook hands with her, and one of them pointed, joyfully, heavenward. But she shook her head mournfully, for the first time feeling that she was totally unfit to enter heaven. But still she longed to know Jesus as her Savior. She felt that she could never be happy again without the knowledge that he was her Savior indeed. After greeting Carrie, one of the ministers went to her sister and spoke a few words to her, upon which she raised her head and, in a joyous manner, clasped her hands, and, with a face full of earnestness and joy, began speaking. Carrie could not hear a word she said, but she knew, from her happy expression of countenance and her joyous aspect, that Jesus must have received her and spoken peace to her soul. She forgot her own grief and soon felt confident that Jesus would receive her, too.
Two days later she attended another meeting, hoping to go away at its close rejoicing in a Savior’s pardoning love. But no encouragement was given her. Everyone—even the minister—seemed to have come to the conclusion that, as she could not hear, the emotion manifested by her at the previous meeting was caused by mere excitement. She went home feeling cast down, but not discouraged, for she felt that Jesus understood her, and that as long as she earnestly sought him, he would care for her.
The next morning she felt constrained to write out a statement of her feelings and convictions to present to the minister. This she did, telling of her unavailing struggles to overcome her temper and self-will. She spoke of having sometimes rebelled against her lot, and thought God unjust in permitting her to be deaf. “But I do not think he is unjust now,” she said; and then she spoke of her sincere desire to be a Christian.
The following Sunday morning the minister read this statement to the congregation. That evening another service was held, and Carrie, who had, up to this time, experienced no relief—no change—attended as usual. Just after the first prayer, she felt, as she afterwards expressed it, as if she had been blind all her life and sight had suddenly been bestowed upon her. She realized, as never before, what a wonderful, loving, glorious Savior Jesus is, and her heart exulted in the thought, “He is my Savior.” The weary load that she had felt for the last few days was gone, and in its stead were peace and joy. As soon as the service was over she informed the minister and others of the change she had experienced, and they rejoiced with her and gave God the glory.
Life now seemed much brighter, and it possessed a new meaning for her. She began to realize that it was not given for mere selfish gratification. She was eager to press forward and help on the cause of her glorious Master. Little did she know what trials and discouragements she would meet. But she now had the strong arm of an almighty Savior to depend upon for help—a Savior who has said he will never leave nor forsake those who put their trust in him.
Time went on, and the following summer she was baptized. Then a door was opened, as she felt, for her to do service for Jesus. This open door was in the shape of a position as teacher in another institution for the deaf and dumb. We may, at some future time, write of her experience as a teacher.
To Cleo Benton and others, she wrote in glowing terms of the new joy she had experienced; but the replies she received indicated almost indifference on the subject, and sadly she realized that so many do not understand what a precious friend and savior Jesus is. Cleo Benton wrote to her, urging her to quit writing about Jesus and go back to her gay style of letter writing, but she had no taste for that now. And why should she not rejoice that Jesus was her Savior? Why should she not speak of him, since he had done so much for her? She knew that she must still live on surrounded by silence; she knew she must still struggle on in rough paths; but she felt that life would never be the same to her that it once was. Her heart, once so restless and unsatisfied, now found sweet companionship with her new though unseen Friend, and she felt so safe and happy in his keeping. She now understood how Jesus can lighten life’s burdens and brighten life’s pathway as nothing else can, and she longed to have others understand it, too.
Before closing my story I wish to speak briefly of others of our “silent throng.”
Gertie Hawley was for a while engaged to instruct two little deaf-mute girls in private families. Then she married a gentleman who could hear and speak.
Others were also married—most of them to persons who, like themselves, were deaf and dumb—and are living happily. Some—in spite of the tendency to appoint, for the deaf and dumb, teachers who can hear and speak—secured good positions in institutions for the deaf and dumb. Some entered upon other trades for which the training they received had fitted them. One of those who, after finishing the course of study and taking a four-year course of study in the National Deaf-Mute College for Young Men, at Washington, secured a position in government employ that brought him one thousand dollars per annum. A few, who never had much self-respect, became tramps and vagabonds. Some, though well qualified, found themselves unable to secure employment, and so remain quietly at home.
Among those who went out after finishing the course of study, but few were able to testify definitely of the saving power of Jesus. But it is believed that many have since experienced this power and are going on their way rejoicing in a Savior’s love, looking forward with gladness to the life beyond the grave and to the time when they “shall see the King of heaven in his beauty,” when “the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped, and the tongue of the dumb shall sing.”
Let me say just a few more words more concerning Carrie Raymond. The romantic dream of her school days proved to be but a castle in the air, which, by and by, tumbled down; but, strange to say, she did not mourn over its fall. She had begun to rear a structure more enduring, and she went heartily into the work. Of that work in all its completeness only eternity may speak.
*Editor’s note: This quote is from Rev. J. H. Pettingell, “What the Bible Says of the Deaf and Dumb,” American Annals of the Deaf 26, no.4 (October 1881), 238.