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Hymn of Promise
By Nancy Allen
In the bulb, there is a flower … In the seed, an apple tree
In cocoons, a hidden promise … Butterflies will soon be free
In the cold and snow of winter …There’s a spring that waits to be
Unrevealed until its season … Something God alone can see
There’s a song in every silence…Seeking word and melody
There’s a dawn in every darkness … Bringing hope to you and me
From the past will come the future …What it holds, a mystery
Unrevealed until its season… Something God alone can see
In our end is our beginning … In our time, infinity
In our doubt, there is believing … In our life, eternity
In our death, a resurrection … At the last, a victory
Unrevealed until its season …. Something God alone can see
Seeds of Faith
How Samuel Morris Found God
Samuel Morris was born in western Africa in the early 1870’s. His birth name was Kaboo. He was a prince among his people, the Kru, being the son of a tribal chief. It was the custom for a chief in those days, who was defeated in war, to give his eldest son to the victor as a pawn to insure payment of war indemnity. On several different occasions Kaboo was a pawn. The last time he was pawned (still at a young age) he was in the hands of a merciless chief who had defeated his father’s tribe in war. His father offered payment with ivory, kernels of palm nuts, and India rubber. In addition, he offered Kaboo’s sister (of whom Kaboo begged his father not to do, for he could bear the hardships better than she) in exchange for his son, but evidently this was not enough for Kaboo was never released. As a pawn Kaboo’s life became one of constant suffering. The chief who held him was savage and cruel. He had the boy whipped every day, making sure that his father was kept informed about the beatings so that payment would be made. The whippings grew worse and worse. The vine was laid to his bare back so much that he could no longer stand or sit up. Then, one day, as Kaboo was being beaten, suddenly a great light like a flash of lightning broke over him. The light blinded all about him. A voice that came from above told Kaboo to “rise and flee.” All who were there witnessed those things but saw no man. At the same time Kaboo was instantly healed and he was given strength from the almighty God to flee from his captors. He hid in the hollow of a tree until night. He then realized he was alone in the jungle where no unaided man could hope to survive for long. But the same friendly Light shone around him by night and guided him to a settlement in Liberia where he eventually found the Lord. Kaboo worked on a coffee plantation, receiving his board same plantation and helped Kaboo find salvation. Kaboo could not yet understand the church service that he attended with his friend, but he could sense the presence of the holy God of the universe there, and sensing Him, conviction for sin entered Kaboo’s heart-for none but the pure in heart can stand blameless before God. He went from that first church service under intense conviction from the Holy Ghost. Kaboo had once heard his friend pray and he asked him what he was doing. His friend replied that he was talking to God. “Who is God?” asked Kaboo. “He is my Father,” replied his friend. Kaboo’s conviction for his sins was deep and piercing and caused him to cry in great agony of soul unto God for the forgiveness of them. He earnestly sought God night after night until one night when his room appeared to grow light. He thought at first the sun was rising but it was still night. His room grew lighter until it was filled with the glorious presence of God. At the same time his heavy burden of sin vanished away. He was full of joy and had peace in his heart, knowing that his sins were forgiven. His body seemed to be as light as a feather. He began to shout and to leap and praised his newly found Savior. Kaboo learned to read and write a little. He was given the name Samuel Morris by a missionary who was stationed there. She had given him some instruction in the Bible. Samuel greatly desired a deeper walk with God. Because of the atoning blood of Jesus Christ, the gift of the Holy Ghost was made available to Samuel, as He is still a Gift today for all blood bought Christians, who, in willing obedience to God, consecrate their entire lives to Him. Samuel learned as much as he could about the Holy Ghost. When he realized that the Holy Spirit was a living Person (the third Person of the Godhead) he was filled with joy. He often studied the fourteenth chapter of John. Samuel was told that if he was to learn more about the Holy Spirit he must go to America and talk to Stephen Merritt, a Methodist minister. Though penniless, Samuel stayed on the coastline for several days, praying to God that he might be taken by ship to America. God miraculously answered his prayer. He was taken aboard a ship destined for America. On boarding the ship, he found a young man lying helpless on the deck. He had been severely injured and unable to walk. Samuel prayed for him, and the young man immediately rose up and walked. The ship’s captain and crew were very savage, and at first treated Samuel with the utmost contempt. Since he lived a holy life before them, the Holy Ghost brought deep piercing conviction into the hearts of many of the crew. The Holy Ghost brought the captain and half of the ship’s crew into the experience of the new birth (John 3:3). Samuel reached America and was able to locate Stephen Merritt almost immediately through the providential guidance of his Heavenly Father. After spending time with Stephen Merritt, it was Merritt who had realized that it was he who had learned more about the Holy Ghost from Samuel Morris-for Merritt, using his own words, said, “He (God) made him (Samuel) the channel by which I became instructed and then endued (with power from God) as never before.” Samuel Morris attended Taylor University, hoping to return to his country, to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ to his own people, but God had other plans for him. Samuel died at a young age in 1893, not being accustomed to the bitter winter climate in America. He was loved and missed by many. Earth’s loss is Heaven’s gain. (Compiled from various sources.) Reader, have you been born again? “Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” John 3:3. Pray, repent, asking Jesus to forgive you of your sins and come into your heart to live now.