Chapter 2—An Overruling Providence

The opportunity came for me to study medicine at Ann Arbor, Mich. The Lord raised up some folks to lend me some money and Providence opened up splendid opportunities for me, in fact, some of the best that were obtainable in those days. Some of them I know came directly in answer to my prayers,—and why not? I had no selfish purpose in wanting to become a medical man; I desired to do somebody some good with it. FF 18.1

It is easy for us to recognize an overruling providence in the large events of life, those that clearly and visibly affect our destiny; but why do we not see it also in the smaller things? Life does not consist of haphazard and chance circumstances; but God has a definite plan for each one of us, which is just as complete as if we had been the only ones that lived on the earth. The attention of God has been specially directed to the careful arrangement of all details and all heaven is at our disposal, if necessary, to assist us not only in finding our work, but in performing it. FF 18.2

Sometimes the dense fogs of human discouragement envelop us to such an extent that our natural eyes cannot discern the glorious possibilities that God is holding out to the youth in this generation, who are to see the culmination of all things, and who may repeat in their earthly career the very life that Christ lived as He walked among men. But let us remember that even in the darkest moments of our experience, the same power that controls and upholds the universe is directing our lives. FF 19.1

One who has fully grasped the thought that every circumstance that comes into his life is permitted by the hand of divine love, will begin to enjoy some of the sweets of heaven while still on this earth. FF 19.2

***** 

I went to Bellevue Hospital, New York, to complete my medical course and to secure greater opportunities in real medical missionary work. While there, I lived in the mission home of Dr. Dowknott, a man of great faith who was at that time conducting a splendid medical missionary work in the slums of New York City. FF 19.3

I had a small rear room with very poor furniture, and I soon discovered I had a lonesome feeling. A man came and asked me if I did not want to go to the mission. I said “Yes,” and he took me into some poverty-stricken places where there was nothing to eat and no comforts in life, and then to the mission. He gave me a glimpse of the world’s need. FF 20.1

When I went back to my room that night, the wall paper which hung down from the ceiling in one corner looked like a beautiful scroll such as you see on Christmas cards, and the old furniture had been transformed into sixteenth century antique furniture, such as you pay a high price for these days. The room was the same as when I left, but I had been transformed. I had seen the needs of the world. FF 20.2

I had not been there long when the Doctor announced to me that I was to lead the mission meeting the next Tuesday night. I began to make excuses,—said I could not do it. He said, “Tut, tut, man, you are to lead that meeting.” I did it. FF 20.3

One of my first experiences comes to my mind. A man came to me and wished to be shown the way to God. I read him text after text, demonstrating the plan of salvation, as I thought, in a very conclusive way. Everything was arranged under appropriate heads: there was a firstly, a secondly, thirdly, and fourthly, and so on. When I was through, the man said, “Is not there a shorter way?” I was obliged to answer that I knew of none. “Well,” he said, “then I can't be saved; this is too much for me.” When I went back to my room that night I asked the Lord to show me a shorter way if there was one, and He did so. All there is for the sinner to do is to come; God will do the rest. The promise is, “Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest,” and “Him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out.” FF 21.1

I was invited to take charge of a Sunday school class of boys who bore every evidence of being more interested in the candy they so vigorously tried to snatch from one another than in the peaceful gospel of Christ; but I breathed a prayer to God that I might be filled with the Spirit of the Master that I might love the unlovely, and that I might make the gospel so interesting that the boys would forget to pull each other’s hair or to crawl under the seats. Instead of the fond mother’s embrace and tender sympathy that was bestowed upon us, these children have the blows of a drunken father and the curses of an equally fallen mother. Talk to these children of love; it has no meaning; it can only be conveyed in one way, and that is to love them. FF 21.2

A boy whom they could not control in the other classes was given to me. He tried my patience to the uttermost and almost broke up the class, so I dismissed him. The next Sunday he was not there, but my heart yearned for him. I had read the words, “Those whom we push off may be the ones whom Christ is especially seeking to save.” So I went and hunted up this boy and told him that I loved him and asked him to forgive me and come back and we would get along all right. That boy was changed, and I hope to spend an eternity of bliss with him. FF 22.1

I asked permission of the superintendent of the mission to let me have the mission room every Sunday afternoon that I might put something into the lives of those children. In they came,—those dirty, ragged, undisciplined street Arabs. I told them about a God of love who, like as a father pities his children, pitied them (Psalm 103:13); but it made absolutely no impression on them. On the contrary, I thought they resented it. They had been kicked and cuffed and mistreated by their parents and they did not want to hear anything about a God in heaven who would treat them the same way. FF 23.1

The thought came to me, I myself must love these youngsters. It was easy to feel sorry for them, but to love a dirty, rough street urchin whose hair was full of vermin—how could I do it? I asked God to put his love into my heart for them and He answered my prayer, and then I found it was unnecessary for me to advertise that fact to them. The language of love is universal. If you feel kindly toward even a dog he will wag his tail and give you a look of recognition. Then I could tell those children there was a God in heaven who felt towards them just as I did, only infinitely more. I will never forget the last meeting we had together, when I was to leave the city; some of these children said with tears in their eyes, “Who will love us now when you are gone?” One of the sweetest experiences of my life was when I knelt down with those children in that parting meeting and committed them to the Father of the fatherless and to that Friend that sticketh closer than a brother. “The entrance of thy words giveth light,” even to the “street Arabs” of New York City. FF 23.2

At that moment I rededicated my life to God and asked Him never to permit me to be a loveless being. I believe some day when my feet shall have the privilege of treading the streets of gold I shall have with me some of those children as fruits of that labor of love. FF 24.1

Medical missionaries are needed who have so much love for fallen humanity implanted in their hearts by the Spirit of God that the condition of the most loathsome and unlovely will move them to go about doing good even as did our blessed Master. FF 24.2

You may not be able to bring to those who need your help genius or skill or wealth; but if the Lord has touched your heart, you can bring what is far better—compassion. FF 25.1

***** 

In the Battle Creek Sanitarium years ago when I was there, there was a good deal of backsliding. It wrung my soul. The thought came to me that I must pray more in secret. I thought of the fresh air shaft leading out from the basement, where no one ever visited. I went there to pray several times a day. That place saved my soul. I need it just as much to-day. I have temptations to-day I did not have then. There were some things that tempted me then that seem a joke to me now. I look back and wonder why they should have ever influenced my life. But I need just as much to be alone with God to-day, to plead as though my mortal life was at stake. So do you. FF 25.2

There is something that goes with experimental religion. I suppose there are some of you that occasionally pray in secret, and then there are other days there is no special incentive. We never pray for rain in rainy weather. We never pray for cold in the winter; we have plenty of it, but perhaps on the Fourth of July you may think about it. Don't neglect secret prayer. It is the soul of religion. FF 25.3

***** 

I want to tell you of one of my experiences the first year I had charge of the nervous department at the Battle Creek Sanitarium. I had a patient, a physician, who used to come in, and one day he said, “Doctor, how old are you? I never knew a man who was so full of information. You have a marvelous future before you.” In the afternoon a humble sort of patient came in and told me how that big doctor was ripping me up the back to fifteen or sixteen others of my patients. Since then nobody ever comes and flatters me but I think of that big doctor. That drove me to God. FF 26.1

***** 

When Joseph went down to Egypt there were no great attractions held out for him. When Daniel took the first steps toward Prime Minister, the lion’s den was on the road. He had a time table too, I think. When you see a great providence painted on the sky the devil paints it there. God’s providences are always veiled. We accept them by faith. God says, “Strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life.” But as you go on you begin to see the beautiful picture the Lord paints for you. The devil said, “I will give you the world.” But the Cross is on Christ’s road. FF 26.2

Some years ago in Battle Creek a splendid girl I knew had a gift for music. She played on the violin. One day she came to me and said, “Dr. Paulson, I have a great providence; the Lord has been good to me.” She told how a good lady in Chicago had come to take her home with her; she was going to ride in an automobile in the park, and this woman was going to put her through the Chicago Conservatory of Music, and all that. I said to that girl, “That does not sound like the Lord’s providences. The Lord has that in store for you and a lot more too, but you cannot take such a short course to it. Stay right where you are, and when the Lord opens to you another step in His providence, it won't be a desirable thing, but you will know it is right.” How many young people I have known in the last ten or fifteen years, who have been switched off by the devil painting great things in the sky; they chased after them like children do after a rainbow, and they never found them. I explained the thing to the girl. She said, “Why is it you people never want us nurses to have anything?” I said, “It is because I do want you to have something that I am advising you as I am.” She went away sorrowful. She wanted that experience badly, and she went and got it. FF 27.1

Years afterwards I was attending a western camp-meeting, when a lady came to me, and said, “Dr. Paulson, you are interested in the poor; please give me a quarter to help a poor woman up here in a hotel to get her trunk. The hotel people have taken her trunk to be sure they will get something for the room rent, and I am raising some money to help her.” I said, “What is the girl’s name?” And I found out that was our nurse. She had gone through—I have not time to tell you—the winding path. FF 28.1

What she had in mind was all right, but she could not be on a throne in Egypt without paying the price, taking the necessary discipline, going through the necessary hardship, being tested and tried. She expected to jump right from where she was, a dreamer of dreams, right up to the throne of Egypt. The devil does things that way, and as I said, he does not deliver the goods. FF 28.2

One of the greatest experiences of my life was when I was placed in a position where I was compelled to do something I wasn't prepared to do and by being compelled to do something I developed a greater gift. I asked the Lord to help me do the thing right. I have tried to do the same thing for others, to thrust them out to do things. Many times it is easier to do it myself than to hunt up somebody to do it. Many a mother is wearing herself out because she doesn't want the trouble of laying burdens on the children and seeing that they do them right. FF 29.1