FINDING “GIRL” IN THE BIBLE

Seventh-Day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · May 27, 1880

FromThe Advent Review and Sabbath Herald, Vol. 55, No. 22

FINDING “GIRL” IN THE BIBLE.

An English town-missionary, a short time ago, related a remarkable incident. There was a lodging-house in his district which he had longed to enter, but was deterred from so doing by his friend, who feared that his life would be thereby endangered. He became at length so uneasy that he determined to risk all consequences and try to gain admission. So one day he gave somewhat of a timid knock at the door, in response to which a coarse voice roared out, “Who’s there?” and at the same moment a vicious-looking woman opened the door and ordered the man of God away.

“Let him come in, and see who he is, and what he wants,” growled out the same voice. The missionary walked in, and bowing politely to the rough-looking man whom he had just heard speak, said:—

“I have been visiting most of the houses in this neighborhood to read with and talk to the people about good things. I have passed your door as long as I feel I ought, for I wish also to talk with you and your lodgers.”

“Are you what is called a town-missionary?”

“I am, sir,” was the reply.

“Well, then,” said the fierce-looking man, “sit down and hear what I am going to say. I will ask you a question out of the Bible. If you answer me right, you may call at this house and read and pray with us or our lodgers as often as you like; if you do not answer me right, we will tear your clothes off your back and tumble you neck and heels into the street. Now what do you say to that? for I am a man of my word.”

The missionary was perplexed, but at length quietly said,—

“I will take you.”

“Well, then,” said the man, “here goes. Is the word girl in any part of the Bible? If so, where is it to be found, and how often? That is my question.”

“Well, sir, the word girl is in the Bible, but only once, and may be found in the words of the prophet Joel 3:3. The words are, ‘And sold a girl for wine, that they might drink.’”

“Well,” replied the man; “I’m dead beat; I durst to have bet five pounds you could not have told.”

“And I could not have told yesterday,” said the visitor. “For several days I have been praying that the Lord would open me a way into this house; and this very morning, when reading the Scriptures in my family, I was surprised to find the word girl, and got the Concordance to see if it occurred again, and found it did not. And now, sir, I believe that God did know and does know what will come to pass, and surely his hand is in this for my protection and your good.”

The whole of the inmates were greatly surprised, and the incident has been overruled to the conversion of the man, his wife, and two of the lodgers.—Selected.