OUR young friends in America, Canada, and England, who have so kindly and lovingly sent help for the leper homes, will read with interest the following letter from Mrs. Bailey: ―
“Dear boys and girls,―You have not heard anything about Lohardugga in FAITHFUL WORDS, and, as it is interesting to know something about different places and different asylums, I will tell you two stories which Mr. Hahn, a missionary there, told us.
“On one occasion there was a poor leprous woman found near the asylum at Lohardugga. She was lying under a tree, cast out by even her own mother, and was so very ill that she had to be carried into the asylum. Everything was done to make her comfortable and happy. But nothing that was done seemed to touch her heart the least bit.
“One day Mr. Hahn’s little girl ran along beside her father, holding his hand; they came towards this woman’s house, and heard her crying bitterly. ‘Papa, why is that poor woman crying so?’ said the little girl. ‘I think it is because she is suffering pain,’ he said. ‘Oh no, papa,’ replied his little daughter, ‘I don’t think that’s the reason; I think it is because she has no pillow under her head. Just look how she is lying with her head on the hard ground! Do let me run home and fetch a pillow for her?’ He gave her leave, and away ran the little girl for a pillow, which she very soon brought back to Mr. Hahn, who himself arranged it under the poor woman’s head. From that moment she became quite changed. Instead of being cross and hard, she became gentle and loving.
“The kindness of one little child was the means of making a way into her heart and thus of obtaining her real attention to the words of everlasting life. After a time she became a true Christian, and as long as she lived she continued to be bright and happy. As she was dying she called out, ‘Jesus calls me. I am ready to go.’
“I said that Lohardugga was one of the places where we have a children’s home. There were some children in this home, whose father was in the asylum, a leper. He was one who would not receive the Lord Jesus, and was quite careless about his soul. Meantime in the children’s home his children had been led to love the Lord and to become His followers. When they learnt about Christ for themselves, their hearts went out with longing for their father. They were very sad about him, but continued in prayer.
“One day they arranged a little plan between themselves to gain their father’s interest.
“‘Christmas is very near now,’ said they together; ‘we will make a special effort to win our father for Jesus. We will cook some food of which he is particularly fond, and we will take it to him ourselves and coax him to eat it from our hands. If he does, his caste will be broken, and perhaps he will be the more willing to hear us speak of Jesus.’ They carried out their little plan: they went to their father with the food they had prepared.
“‘Dear father, we have cooked this food ourselves, and we have come to see you eat it, that you may know how much we love you, and how much we long for you.’ They were accompanied by some Christian brethren, and before commencing their little feast they sang hymns, and prayed to the Lord that He would turn their father’s heart to Himself. Then they spoke most earnestly to the father, begging him to become a Christian. He was quite broken down, and said he could no longer hold out against his children’s entreaties. In time he became a real disciple of our Lord.
“Thus these dear children were the means of bringing their father to Christ.
“May I ask all of you, dear boys and girls, who know something of the power of prayer to remember always our children in the children’s homes, and to pray that they may not only give their hearts to the Lord, but be used by Him to lead others to know and love Him.
“Your affectionate friend,
“ALICE BAILEY.”
The Editor hopes he will be able to continue to send help to these leper homes, and he thanks those who have already contributed to the work. Contributions are acknowledged on the second page of the cover.