The Final Adversary (16 page)

Katie listened as he related how he had hit bottom, and how he’d blamed her for his being sent to prison. He described his conversion, and finally how God spoke to him about beating her in the street.

“I—I was drunk, Katie,” he said haltingly, twisting his hands together nervously. “It was like a demon from hell was in me! I know it’s a lot to ask . . . but, I’m asking you to forgive me.”

He dropped his head and waited, unable to say more. Katie had hated him for what he did to her, but now that he had told her about himself and the change in his life, and was so obviously sorry, she could forgive. “I forgive you, Barney.”

At her words, hope sprang up in his heart. “You
do?
You
really
do, Katie?”

“Yes,” she said. “After all, if you hadn’t found me and brought me here, I’d probably have died. You saved my life—you and your mother.”

“Oh, Mother did most of it,” he protested at once. Then he took a deep breath and said, “You know, Katie, I feel as if I’ve been carrying a big rock on my back—and now it’s gone!”

Katie was getting sleepy, but she nodded. “I feel the same
way, Barney.” Her eyes began to close and she murmured, “Thank you, Barney . . .”

She dropped off, and Barney left the room. For the rest of the day he went about whistling and singing, returning often to check his patient. That night in the packed service, he sang with all his might.

Awful grinned at him. “You’ve come out from it, dear boy. You was pretty worried about our lassie upstairs.”

The following day Katie got out of bed for a short while to enjoy the sunshine by the window, but most of the week was spent sleeping. Awful would come and sit with her, sharing much about the Rescue Mission. As the days went by, she was impressed by the joy she saw in Gardner and Barney, though neither one pressured her in any way. When she was well enough to go downstairs, she listened to the singing and the preaching, wondering what it all meant.

Lola visited twice, doing most of the talking at first; but as Katie grew more confident, she began to relate her personal tragedy. The heart-rending revelation touched Lola’s heart so deeply that she loved the girl like a daughter—something Katie needed and absorbed hungrily.

Each day she grew stronger and was able to stay up longer. One of those days, when Awful visited her, she said, “I’ve got to leave here.”

“And go where, Katie?”

She had no answer. Just the thought of going back to the dark room and the dreary work of the cafe depressed her. “I don’t know,” she sighed.

“I’ve got an idea,” Gardner said. “There’s a nice room next door. Why don’t you live there? You can help out here at the mission.”

“But . . . I can’t do that!”

“Why not, dearie?”

“Because—well, you must know. You know what I’ve been.” Katie’s face flamed as she referred to her past, and she turned away from Gardner.

Her feeling of shame was not lost to Awful, but he went on as though she as a person was what mattered, not what she had done. “We want you to stay. The room’s already paid for, though I’m bound not to say who paid it. You can eat with Barney and me and help around here with the cleanin’ and a little cookin’. Will you have a go at it, Katie dear?”

Katie nodded, her eyes moist.

Later, Gardner told Lola, “It wuz a kind thing, rentin’ that room for Katie. She had tears in her eyes when I asked if she would stay. I’m thinkin’ it won’t be long before she’s brought to the Good Lord!”

Lola reported to Mark what she’d done and he approved. When they went to services two nights later, they saw Katie sitting at the back of the room, wearing a lovely dress. “Why, she looks so pretty!” Mark said in surprise. “You’d never guess what a life she’s had!”

Andy was there that night. Now that he was out of seminary, he came often and had even preached several times at Gardner’s invitation. He sat close to the front, for that night he had brought a visiting missionary from Africa—Reverend Stanley Beecham. Beecham was a native of Wales and had come to America as part of a speaking tour while he was on furlough. He had so stirred the students at the seminary that Andy had insisted Gardner have the man speak at the mission.

After the congregation had sung a few songs, Gardner introduced the visitor. Reverend Beecham showed no hesitancy as he began. Unlike some pastors who didn’t know how to address the motley gathering at the Rescue Mission, he knew exactly what to say.

“I bring you greetings from darkest Africa,” he said in his melodious voice. “A few weeks ago I was preaching to cannibals in Liberia. I intend to preach the same message tonight. There is but one gospel. It does not change from country to country, nor from century to century. And what is this glorious gospel that can take the vilest of sinners and make them pure? It is clearly set forth in First Corinthians,
chapter fifteen. Paul says in verse one: ‘I declare unto you the gospel.’ And what was that gospel? He tells us plainly in verses three and four: ‘For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; and that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day.’ ”

Beecham’s eyes burned as he looked up from his Bible, his voice holding every hearer with anticipation. “Christ died, Christ was buried, Christ rose again.
That
is the gospel! Anything more than that is false doctrine!” He flipped through the Bible, from Genesis to Revelation. His passion was obvious and his knowledge of the Word of God was awesome. He led his hearers down a logical road, yet with such emotion that there was no escape. “It is Jesus Christ and life, or it is hell forever,” he declared bluntly.

Then he said, “But what shall you do
after
you are saved by the blood of Jesus? Shall you go on merely eating and drinking, living your lives as you please? No! For the Lord Jesus gave us a stirring challenge when He left this earth. You will find it in Matthew, chapter twenty-eight, verses nineteen and twenty: ‘Go you therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.’ ”

For the next half hour, Beecham gave a graphic picture of Africa, pointing out the hardships, the dangers that awaited any man who set foot on it. He did not minimize the problems—on the contrary, he emphasized them. Finally he paused and looked over the ragged men before him. His voice was quiet as he concluded his message.

“Some of you need to come and receive the Lord Jesus as your Savior. He will save you if you will repent and ask Him for His salvation. There may be a few of you—perhaps only one—whom God has selected for a special service. I do not encourage you to come, but if God is dealing with your heart
to follow Jesus to the foreign field, let me say that there is no life better spent than as a missionary for Jesus.”

Beecham stepped back, and soon the altar was filled.

While Barney and others went to pray with the seekers, Beecham remained on the platform, standing erect, still as a statue, his head bowed. Barney had been tremendously moved by the message, and as he looked up he saw Beecham lift his head, then fix his eyes on someone at the back of the room. He suddenly called out, “Jesus Christ is calling you, young woman! Will you come to Him?”

Barney turned to look and saw Katie walking slowly down the aisle, her face pale and wet with tears. The missionary moved toward her, saying, “Let us pray together.”

Barney lifted his head from where he was praying and met his mother’s eyes. Lola was weeping, and she came to kneel with Barney.

They heard Beecham pray briefly, then counsel Katie. Soon her sobs could be heard, and after a time she cried, “Oh, Jesus! Jesus!” and continued weeping.

Barney and his mother stood up. The room seemed charged with the glory of God. They watched as Beecham put his hands on Katie’s head and looked straight up, his eyes wide open. He held that position as if he were listening to someone. Then he dropped his eyes to Katie. “My daughter,” he said slowly, “you are now a handmaiden of the Lord.” Katie’s shoulders shook as she cried. After another pause, Beecham spoke quietly: “You will serve Me far from your native land. Many dark-skinned people will call you blessed, for you will lead them from the darkness of sin to the Light of the world!”

A cloud of silence hung over the room. Only Katie’s sobs sifted into the stillness. Then Beecham gazed around slowly, seeming to search for something. Finally he said, “This young woman is not the only servant of God who will go from this place to the foreign field. The Lord this day is raising up a company who will take the gospel across the sea. And Jesus will be with you always, even unto the end of the world!”

CHAPTER TWELVE

The Company

By August the heat baked the streets of New York. There seemed to be no letup from the blazing sun, and the workers at the Rescue Mission sweltered under it.

But the spiritual temperature was no less hot, for as Awful Gardner put it, “There’s no such thing as a cup of tea or a Christian who’s
too
hot!”

The newspapers had played up the mission for a time, but as the novelty of the “aristocracy” working with slum people grew to be old news, the reporters left for more fertile ground. This was a relief to the leadership, for the crowds that came to satisfy their curiosity took up space the desperate could use.

But if the mission prospered beyond his wildest dreams, Gardner was baffled by something he couldn’t put his finger on. He spoke of it to Barney early one afternoon while they were sitting in the backyard in the shadow of the building away from the blistering sun.

“It’s wonderful, laddie, how so many have found the Lord Jesus. But I’ve been a bit confused lately.”

Barney was lying on his back, a hat over his face. He pulled it free and sat up. “What’s wrong, Awful?”

“Well, I can’t rightly say that something’s
wrong.
” Gardner drew his words out. The perplexed look on his face reflected his uncertainty. “But it seems to me that there’s a kind of—oh, I don’t know! It just seems we’re all sort of waitin’ for somethin’ to happen. And I haven’t the foggiest what the blazes we’re waitin’ for!”

Barney nodded. “I think I’ve felt it, too, Awful. It’s like we’re all waiting for some sort of
sign.
” He laughed ruefully and got to his feet. “Maybe we’re all crazy. Here the mission is going fine and we’re sitting around wondering what’s
wrong.
We ought to be thanking God for all the blessings that’ve come to us.”

“Aye, lad, you’re right, I suppose,” Awful sighed. “Well, let’s go help with the cookin’. With Mrs. Davis out, we’ve all got to pitch in.” They walked inside and found Katie peeling potatoes. “Now, Katie,” Awful said, “you’ve been at it all day in this hot kitchen. Let Barney and me take over.”

Katie smiled. She was dressed in a simple white dress with a yellow trim around the collar, and despite the heat of the kitchen, she still managed to look neat. She had literally bloomed after her sickness, and from the night of her conversion, she’d plunged into the work with a zeal that exceeded them all. “All right. You can finish peeling the potatoes, Awful. And Barney, if you’ll help with the stew, I think I can manage the rest.”

As the three worked together, Barney stole a look at her from time to time, marveling at the change. It was not only outward, though she had regained the beauty he had seen in her the night at Antoine’s, but she radiated a glow of happiness that communicated itself to everyone she met. The rough men who came to the mission treated her as if she were a princess. And the women, most of them prostitutes, could not believe the love she expressed toward them.

As Barney chopped carrots into a bowl, he thought of what Gardner had said, and mentioned it to Katie. She listened to him, then said, “There
is
something, and I think I know what it is.”

“What is it?” Barney asked, holding the knife in midair.

“Do you remember what Reverend Beecham said the night I was converted? He said that some would be called out of this place to serve Jesus overseas.” Katie had been stirring dough in a large bowl, but she paused for a moment. “Barney,
I have no idea how I could ever do such a thing—but I
know
that I will do it someday. And I think what we all feel is God working to get a company ready to go to Africa.”

Barney’s mouth dropped open. “But, that’s—that’s almost impossible!”

“With God,
nothing
is impossible,” Katie affirmed, slapping the dough to punctuate her declaration.

Barney was itching to know what was on her mind. “Yes? Go on.”

“Barney,” she said, her voice so low he had to lean forward to hear, “have you ever felt that God was calling
you
to go as a missionary?”

Her words struck him like a rock. He was so still she knew she had touched a raw nerve. “Barney!” she cried, her eyes bright as she regarded him. “You
have
felt like that, haven’t you? Oh, I’m so glad!”

“Now—now, just a minute, Katie!” Barney protested. “Don’t be rushing me!” He was agitated, and glanced over to see if Awful could hear, but he had stepped out. “Well, I
have
been thinking about it, but I don’t know if God is calling me. Maybe I just
want
to go.” His dark eyes gleamed. “That would be some life, wouldn’t it, Katie? I’ve thought about it ever since Reverend Beecham was here.”

“Barney, if
you
would go, I wouldn’t be afraid of anything!”

He laughed. “Well, I can’t go to Africa just to keep you from being afraid, Katie Sullivan!” Then he sobered. “I can’t see how it could happen, though. I wouldn’t know how to go about it. It would take a lot of money and we’d have to learn the language. And I don’t know how to be a missionary.”

“I don’t either, but I’m going to learn,” Katie said. Then she laughed at herself. “But before I go to Africa, I’ve got to get this supper cooked.”