News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1897-06-09
LETTER FROM SPAIN.
AvENIDA 40, SAN SEBASTIAN, |
APRIL 81, 1897. !

Ny Dear Friends -
So much has happened the last two
months that the onl y way | can let
you all know about it, will be by
means of circular letter.
The best of all must come first,
that is the presence Of the Holy
Spirit with us in a special manner.
In the middle of March there were
some special meetings held in BIZ
arritz, city of France about two
hours distant by train. 1t is a
famous resort and good many
English are there, especially in the
winter, so that although it seems
a little strange, we Americans went
from Spain to France to attend
English services. Mr.. and Mrs.
Painter, Mr.. and Mrs. Sargent and
Mr.. Luce had left their churches in
London for a short time in order to
hold these meetings in different places
for Christians. Some friends of Mrs.
Gulick's in Biarritz were so kind as
to invite number of US up there and
take care of us all the time.
Four of us teachers and eight of
the Spanish teachers and girls were
there three days and two nights, and
[ may truly say that never in my
life have | attended such blessed help
full services. The principal idea was
to prepare oneself for the indwelling
OF the Holy Spirit, and to me the
additional thought of taking God at
His word. He has said that he will
keep us and that we can put all our
care and anxiety upon him and he
will take care of it for us. He is able
to keep US from falling, why then do
we fall? Simply because we do not
take him at His word, and leave
everything in His hands. But we
must go to him every morning and
give up our own will entirely and be
filed with the Holy Spirit and then
there is no need of SHINING all the
time. We shall not be without fault,
but we can be without blame, as Mr..
Sargent said of his little girl with her
first piece of sewing, she had done
the best she could, but the buster
was puckered, yet when she took it
to her mother she received kiss and
"Well done" although it was puck
cred. 1t sounds very little and not
at all new as | try to write it down,
but to US all it was the beginning of
a new life. The gentlemen were very
kind to us, trying to talk slowly that
the girls could follow and giving us
two little private meetings where we
could ask questions and talk familiar
ly, besides the two regular meetings
every day. Then the next day they
stopped here on their way to Gibral-
ter and held service for all, and
even the smallest could catch some
thing of the spirit, even though very
few words could be understood. Our
Spanish pastor said afterwards that
he felt like the sick people who were
put into the street that Peters shad-
oW might fall upon them; he could
understand only a few words, but
the shadow had fallen upon him and
he was refreshed. One of the girls
said day or two afterwards -
Everything seems different from
what it used to-" the girls and the
whole house seem changed and in.
deed they are. We are not perfect
now by any means, but we have re-
ceived wonderful blessing and the
effects will never be lost.
Miss Webb and Ester and Juliana
have gone to Madrid to prepare for
the last examinations at the Univer-
sity. 1t will be the most trying year
of all, as one of the professors is a
very strong Catholic, greatly opposed
to Professionals, and, besides, boasts
that he never gives Sobresaiente.
The boys c. E. Society, about
which we have written, is in a good
condition, and the boys seem to en-
Joy it very much. Antonio no longer
comes. as he is now in a school in
Puerta de Santa Maria, in the south
of Spain. Until this year it has been
almost entirely confined to theologi-
cal students, but now it is going to
enlarge it's scope, and we can have a
place to send the boys, as we receive
the girls. | am so thankful that be
has gone there and can get away
from the influences he had around
him here. The wife of the Director is
the sister of one of our teachers, Miss
Huntington. We hope to send more
in September. Before he left, Miss
Webb and | gave social evening to
the Society. Five came at the APP.
pointed hour, but Luis, the Presi'
dent, and Benito, the Secretary. were
late on account of attending some
examinations at the night class o.
the Institute. However, when they
did come, they brought the good
news that Luis had received Sobre
salaientein arithmetic and geometry
and both of them Bueno in drawing
Wa talked and looked at pictures nj