Results of a Long-delayed Back-Call

The following letter was published in April 24, 1946, Consolation (now Awake!):

“I have decided to take my stand on the right side, for Jesus Christ and for the extension of His kingdom. I was always a member of the United Church, and I always thought, like the rest of them, that was the way Jesus wanted us to go, but since the first of August I have been reading your books, and in these four months I have made up my mind to accept this way.

“My people! I do not even know the man’s name that came to my door. At that time I had no use for anything. I was weary, worn and sad. I am the mother of five sons and live in an outpost where there is so much work to be done that I hardly know which duty to perform first.

“Well, when the man came, I obtained 50c worth of those little books, such as Peace—Can It Last? and a lot of others. I have been reading these every Sunday, and looking up the scriptures to which they call attention, and have found that they are true.

“And now I want more reading matter, and want you to let me know what steps I must take to put myself on your side. Meantime I am enclosing $1.00 for The Watchtower, and I want you to let that man know that I have read the books and am now ready to live for God.

“He will remember me as the one from whom he obtained the bottle of milk. Had I known that he was a disciple of Jesus Christ I would not have taken any money for the milk.

“My people! I want your prayers. I am all alone, except that I have Christ on my side; but with that I know that nothing can harm me. I will be looking forward to hearing from you, and receiving The Watchtower, as I am definitely interested. May God bless you in your work, and may you receive many souls for your hire. (From an island in Placentia Bay, Newfoundland)”

Years have passed since then, and although our office wrote this woman several times we never got a reply; she was in such an isolated place that we never contacted her again in the intervening years. But the backcall has been on my conscience ever since, so the other day we drove our little car out through the mountains to the coast and I borrowed a fisherman’s dory to row the grueling course to the off-shore island—for this was my call, and I even remembered the house where the lady had sold me the milk.

She had never received our letters nor The Watchtower in 1946, but through the years she had prayed that the Jehovah’s witness would some day return. Now you should have seen her kneeling in the dim lamplight by my case in her humble home and taking out the new books one by one. As each book or booklet was drawn from the satchel she would burst out with an exclamation of joy. “A Bible with a concordance—Just what I wanted!” “At last The Watchtower!” It was joyful to sit back and let her get the full benefit of each new discovery.

Now our sister is no longer alone. Although throughout those five years she preached and stood firm for the truth, now she gets a friendly call four times a month by your magazines sent from Brooklyn and she has written the branch office that she is very happy again to have her strength renewed. These are the far-flung results, then, of your good work there at Brooklyn, and an example of what is happening all over the world, for “Jehovah knows those who belong to him”.