Page:About Mexico - Past and Present.djvu/385

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"LIGHT THAT SHINETH IN A DARK PLACE."
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churches. These Christian sisters took the measure of tier plan, and sent her back to her work with a heart newly inspired with love and faith, believing that the day would soon come when she should see "the gospel preached in Mexico by the Mexicans themselves." She had secured funds which enabled her to employ not only four, but eight, men.

As soon as possible Miss Rankin gathered her laborers together and prepared to send them out two and two, as in apostolic days. The morning came for their departure, and she noticed that two of the young men looked troubled.

"Why are you anxious?" she kindly asked.

The men said they expected opposition, and were particularly afraid of a priest who would meet them with arguments against the Bible. They were so ignorant; how could they answer him?

Miss Rankin opened the Bible at the tenth chapter of Luke and drew attention to these words: "And he sent them two and two before his face to every city and place whither he himself would come," emphasizing the last clause, assuring the men that, as they were going out in Christ's name to preach his gospel, they might expect his presence and blessing, as he had promised. This scriptural view of the case restored confidence, and the young brethren cheerfully took up their bundles of books and departed, Miss Rankin looking after them with the joyful exclamation in behalf of Mexico, "Arise, shine, for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee."

At the close of a month, the appointed time, every man came back with the same story that the seventy told to Jesus eighteen hundred years ago. The two