One day, as I was passing through a village, I sat down in a sunny place to rest.   An old lady about sixty years of age, was sitting nearby with her needle work in her hands.   As I engaged her in conversation, I found that she was, by no means, stupid.   I turned the conversation to worship, and found that, like most all Chinese people, she was deeply interested, though hopelessly in the dark, regarding true worship.

     Then, I began speaking of the One God, the light of the world, creator and benefactor of us all.   Soon I was on the story of the cross, and Christ's death for lost men.   The interest deepened from both sides, for her interest intensified mine for her.   It occurred to me, "What if my own precious mother, were far away, in some heathen village, without God, and without hope in the world?"   Before I left, it seemed, that new life was breaking on her soul.   She said, "This is good news.   I believe it."   Her long life of worshiping idols, was an unmistakeable proof that, there is one true God, but it had never occurred to her to seek Him, and her idolatry had lead her further from Him.   Before I left, she besought me to come again and tell her more of the true God and Savior.

     A few weeks later, we brought the tent to this village, and preached a week there, and this lady, Mrs. Li, opened her home to us, something unusual in those days.   She attended all the meetings, and her brother, 75 years old, was converted.   He was wheeled up to Taian, in a wheelbarrow, and was baptized at the church there.   Mrs. Li wanted to go, but her husband was dead, and her only son, now the head of the house, refused to allow her to go.

     About three years after this, just before the extreme heat of summer came on, I passed by this village again, and called on the Li family.   To my sorrow, I found her son was ill unto death, with hemorrhaging.   As always, I had services in the home, praying especially for the sick son, and exhorting him to accept Christ.   I felt, I could scarcely hope to see this sick man again.

     The summer months passed, and I heard nothing from the Li family.   As soon as I could, I went to see them.   Never did I see, Mrs Li, happier to see me.   She said, "We have been longing to see you.   Why have you not come."

     I replied that there had been too many places to go, to come and see her earlier.   Then, I asked, "How is the sick son?"

     "That is the reason I have wanted to see you," she said.   "My son is well, and he is out in the field at work, and he, too, believes in Jesus."   She said, "You know, when you were here and prayed for him, he sent for a doctor, who told him, medicine would not help him."

     She then explained, how that afterwards, her son, in despair, turned to the one possible hope left, his mother's God.   He called for her and said, "Mother, will you pray for me to the true God?"   Of course she was willing.

     She had her son carried out under the trees, in the back yard.   There she had his wife and children kneel around his bed, while she led in prayer.   She testified that, from that hour on, her son continued to improve, until he had completely recovered.

     When I saw him, he was perfectly well, and testified that the Lord had saved his soul.   Soon after that, he came to services in Taian, and was baptized.

     It may be asked, "Is not this divine healing?"   Yes, in a real sense, all healing is divine healing.   But, it is not like the miracles recorded, in the New Testament, of the Apostles and others.

     Every evidence, both in the Word, and in church history, goes to prove that those special gifts, and miracles, were given to set God's age-long seal upon His Son, and His Holy Word, and they are a thing of the past; not to be repeated until the Lord comes.

     We should not forget that the gifts of Faith, Hope, and Love abide.   These, through the prayers and godly walk of the saints, are, and have been, throughout this age, God's testimony to the Living Word, and the power and the presence, of the Holy Spirit, in His churches.   This vital prayer life, in faith and love, is for the very least of the saints, as well as for the greatest. (Matthew 17:20, 21. Romans 12:3. Ephesians 4:7)

     Sister Li simply exercised the right of every child of God, when, in simple faith, she prayed for her son.

~ ~ from "56 Years In China."

Link

     Bible Missionary Baptist Church of Portland, Oregon, has a missionary, Joseph Blalock, in Skamokawa, Washington.   He will be holding a tent revival meeting there.   We, at Bible Missionary Baptist Church, covet your prayers for this work.

Letters To The Editor

     Based upon this passage of scripture, the Roman Catholics, and some Protestants, have required that women wear a scarf, veil or some sort of covering, over the head, whenever they enter a church house.   Some women have even been made to wear some fancy little doilies on their head, as an everyday custom, supposedly a sign of their great piety.

     Ever since I was a boy, all Missionary Baptist preachers, I have known, have taught, and believed, that this passage of scripture was self explanatory.   Almost always, a passage of scripture, has the explanation in itself, and here in the 15th verse, it says plainly, that a woman's hair "is given her for a COVERING."

     In recent years, some preachers have attempted to take our churches back, under those old superstitions, concocted by priests who could not read the scriptures.

     One brother, emphatically declares, that covering in verse 15 has no connection, because it is a different word in the Greek, from that translated "covered" in the previous verses.   True, the words are different, because in the other verses, the VERB, to cover, is always used, (a form of the Greek verb, kalupto,) but in verse 15, a NOUN, peribolaion, is used, which means, "that which is thrown around; clothing, covering, vesture, cloak, mantle, veil."   It is a word of more general meaning, but it certainly does mean covering.

     Paul, is here revealing the feelings, and the custom, of his day.   Which, I think, should be for our day also.   He says, the man is the image and glory of God, and the woman is the glory of the man.   The man should glory in his wife, and she should try to be a glory to him.   And long hair is a glory to a woman.

     Most husbands feel that way today, even though, many wives don't want to care for long hair, so they cut it short.

     Likely, the customs of Paul's day were similar to those of China, in the olden days, when I first arrived there.   It was not long, before it was explained to me, that, one could easily tell the difference between a young married woman, and one that was not married.   Young girls, and all unmarried women, wore their hair in braids down their back, except for a thin fringe of bangs across the forehead.   But when the girl got married, those bangs were pulled out, and her long hair was done up on top of her head.   Thereafter, that was the way she wore it ~ ~ to show that she was married.

     I feel certain, that is the reason, Paul used the noun, peribolaion, in verse 15.   It is a pictorial word, that vividly describes the action, of a woman who takes her hair, twists or braids it, and throws it around her head, bringing it together, heaped on top, where she fixes it with a pin, or string.   That is how the woman, who is a married woman, out of respect, for her husband, was to wear her hair.   Thus, her head was covered.   This was most important when in public prayer, or witnessing.   In private, alone with her husband, she might let her hair down.

     Paul concludes the whole matter, however, by saying, "But, if any man seem to be contentious (is thought to disagree) WE HAVE NO SUCH CUSTOM, NEITHER THE CHURCHES OF GOD."

~ ~ J.R.B.

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