WILLIAM & CATHERINE BOOTH (PART 22)

Strength from the Heavenly Guide

I leaned on my Heavenly Guide for strength and wisdom, love and power, and He gave me all that I needed—He silenced the demon, strong drink, and quickened the man’s perceptions to receive my words. As I began to talk to him, with my heart full of sympathy, he gradually raised himself in his chair, and listened with a surprised and half-vacant stare. I spoke to him of his present deplorable condition, of the folly and wickedness of his course, of the interest of his wife and children, until he was fully aroused from the stupor in which I found him.

The Prodigal Son and Prayer

I read to him the parable of the prodigal son, while the tears ran down his face like rain. Then, I prayed with him as the Spirit gave me utterance and left, promising to call the next day with a pledge-book, which he agreed to sign. I now felt that my work was done. Exhausted in body but happy in soul, I wended my way to the sanctuary, just in time for the conclusion of the service, and to lend a helping hand in the prayer meeting.

Systematic House-to-House Visitation

The following day, I visited this man again. He signed the pledge, and listened attentively to all I said. Full of hope I left him, to find another similarly lost and fallen; and, from that time I commenced a systematic course of house-to-house visitation, devoting two evenings per week to the work; and, the Lord so blessed my efforts that, in a few weeks, I succeeded in getting ten drunkards to abandon their soul-destroying habits, and to meet me once a week for reading the Scriptures and for prayer.