book contained, the father put Ramiro to deciphering some of its pages.  Guided, no doubt, by the Holy Spirit, he fell upon the New Testament and laboriously read on and on for months and months The neighbors—­all ignorant alike—­would come and listen to Ramiro spell out sentence after sentence, he becoming more expert as the days went by.  He would read, they would listen and discuss, the Holy Spirit, in the meantime, fixing the sacred truth in their hearts.  This persistent reading of the Word went on for two or three years to a time when the Lord opened to Dr. J. J. Taylor, of Sao Paulo, a door of opportunity in Mogy das Cruzes.  He found twelve people ready to follow on in the Lord’s ordinance.

Since that time even more abundant fruit has been gathered.  Dr. Taylor at first baptized three of Ramiro’s cousins who hail from the same village twenty miles away and recently he baptized the uncle, aunt, some more cousins and Ramiro himself.  Ramiro taught the words of many hymns to his family and neighbors.  Through him and his book his aged grandparents, ninety years old and bedridden, rejoice in the Savior.

How great must be the might of the Word of God which can convert to salvation strong men through the faltering lips of a child And yet, after all, is not this the combination which alone is powerful in spreading the gospel—­a simple, child-like heart, through which the Word may speak forth?  “A little child shall lead them,” because it can be artless enough to give simple utterance to the Word of God.  Oh, for more in all lands who will give unaffected voice to the Word of God!  That message has power in it if it can get sincere expression.

We need to realize more than we do the transcendent importance of giving wide circulation to the Bible in foreign lands.  The illustrations given here of the wonderful success of the Book should help us to reach a better appreciation of the value of the Word of God in mission endeavor.  Certainly, there is marvelous power in it.  Its enemies fear its might; therefore, they fight desperately to prevent the circulation of it.  Would that we could have as keen a realization of the vitality of this Book as do its enemies.  Surely then, we would do far more for the sowing of the Scriptures beside all waters.

CHAPTER XIV.

The Mettle of the native Christian.

In 1894, Francisco da Silva, soon after his conversion in Bahia, went to Victoria in the State of Espirito Santo to live.  He went into the interior with some surveyors, and in addition to the work he was called upon to do, he found time to tell the story of Jesus.  Eight people were converted and he wrote Dr. Z. C. Taylor to come and baptize them.