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Spiritual Interests

Dr. Mayhews was anxious to have the pupils led into God’s spiritual light, and he labored earnestly, with the teachers as his coworkers, to accomplish this end. One Sabbath, at the close of his discourse, he directed all who truly desired to be Christians to come forward to the front of the platform. Upon this request being made, a small but very intelligent boy arose and came forward. A moment later a tall young man followed his example. Soon a number of other boys and girls came forward and stood silently in front of the platform. To them the doctor addressed some earnest words of counsel, bidding them strive to live rightly and to pray for God’s help. He assured them he would also pray for them; then, in obedience to a signal, they returned to their seats, some of them with new and deeper impressions of the importance of religion than they had before known.

Two prayer meetings were organized by the girls—that is, they were formed into two companies, including every girl in the school, for the purpose of holding prayer meetings. They met every day in two of the large dormitories and read a portion of Scripture, after which they all knelt down and each engaged in silent prayer, rising from their knees as soon as they had finished, leaving those who were still kneeling to proceed undisturbed.

Though this was a step in the right direction, none of them as yet seemed to have clear ideas or convictions of the nature and necessity of a spiritual change—a newness of heart—which can only be obtained through faith in Christ. They were simply performing these acts of devotion as a duty which they felt they owed to God, and they were not looking forward to, or expecting, any change in their natures. Most of them were not aware that they needed any change. But God, who reads the desires and intentions of the human heart, knew who among them were honest in their purpose to walk in “the straight and narrow way,” and he was so shaping their course as to lead their feet thitherward.

Carrie was one of the number who had manifested a desire to be Christians. Though her desire was sincere, she—as is too often the case—relied upon her own strength of will. This, she found, answered very well when life’s pathway was smooth and everything went on harmoniously. But when she met with rough experiences, or anything disturbed the harmony of her atmosphere, she began at once to grow discouraged, and sometimes to think it was “of no use” to try to be good. At such times Mary Mayfield’s gentle, cheerful disposition proved helpful as an example, and the earnest discourses delivered in the chapel sometimes inspired her with fresh courage. But still she had not learned this most needful lesson, that human efforts, unaided by divine power, cannot be successful to any great extent. She had not learned to look to God for help and guidance, but, still trusting in self, she was “Baffled, and tossed, and driven about/By the winds of the wilderness of doubt.”

But God did not leave her to the mercy of these adverse winds. He only allowed them to be a means of discipline, perchance to fit her for the sterner experiences of life and enable her to sympathize with other storm-tossed souls.

One Sunday morning there came to the institution a traveling evangelist of the deaf and dumb. He held a service in the chapel, and, as he was well versed in the deaf and dumb sign language, he needed no one to interpret his sermon to his silent congregation. At the close of his discourse, he announced that he would hold a service in the city in the afternoon for the benefit of deaf-mutes residing there.

At his request, the superintendent readily consented to allow some of the pupils to attend the service. Accordingly, after dinner a number of the boys and girls, most of them belonging to the three highest classes, set off for the church. The girls were so seldom allowed to go outside of the grounds that they enjoyed highly a privilege of this kind when it was granted them.

When they reached the church they were ushered to seats near the pulpit, where they found the evangelist arrayed in surplice, ready to begin the service. On this occasion he knelt in prayer instead of standing, and the deaf and dumb remained seated instead of rising and standing, as was their custom at their chapel service. But they did not bow their heads; they gazed at the evangelist while he, in silent language, offered up a prayer. Arising from his knees, he proceeded to read a passage of Scripture vocally for the benefit of a number of hearing persons present; then he translated the passage into the deaf-mute language. Then came a short sermon delivered first in vocal language and then in sign language. Another prayer followed, and the service closed.

The pupils returned to the institution, some of them, doubtless, benefited by the service, others with hearts untouched.

After this visit the evangelist proceeded on his way to visit other institutions for the deaf and dumb and minister to other souls.