Phineas F. Bresee - A Prince In Israel - Media Sabda Org

in Calcutta what was known as the 'Hope School.' It was really an asylum and mission for child
widows, where they could be taught and led to the Savior.
"In 1906 Mrs. Banarjee returned to this country to secure further assistance. The ladies at Portland
again undertook to assist her, and some arrangements were made to raise money. It was thought wise
to seek a wider field, and San Francisco was chosen. At the time of the great earthquake, in April,
1906, Mrs. Banarjee and Mrs. Eaton were on their way to San Francisco, accompanied by a young
gentleman named Biswas, a preacher, who had graduated from a Baptist university in India."
Some Remarkable Providences
At this time some of the most singular providences occurred, which are narrated by Dr. Bresee
as follows: "They learned that the city was destroyed, that the ruins were being consumed by fire,
and that the inhabitants were fleeing by the trainload in every direction. In their earnest, agonizing
prayers for succor and guidance, the Lord seemed to speak to Mrs. Eaton, and say to her: 'Go to Dr.
Bresee, in Los Angeles, and he will help you.' She said: 'I don't know Dr. Bresee. He doesn't know
me. He doesn't know anything about these folks or conditions. It does not seem opportune for me
to go to him.' But again the voice said: 'Go to Dr. Bresee, and he will help you.' She replied: 'I haven't
the money to go. Thou wilt have to send me money, if I go.' In a little time a woman came in, and
saying that the Lord had sent her, put in Mrs. Eaton's hand some gold pieces. She had never seen this
woman before, and has never seen her since. With this money she bought their tickets. and they came
to Los Angeles. arriving late in the afternoon. Mrs. Eaton asked the matron at the depot to call me
up and say that some missionaries from India were there, and wanted to find my house. I replied that
I did not know anything about them, but after a little conversation over the telephone, I asked the
matron to put them on the car and send them up. They were delayed in coming, getting the wrong
car, but, just as Mrs. Bresee and I had started for the prayermeeting, we met them. We knew by the
Indian dress of Mrs. Banarjee who they were, and so when we made sure of their identity, and
learned that they were tired and hungry, Mrs. Bresee decided to go with them to our residence, get
them supper and put them to bed, while I continued on my way to church. The next morning they
told me their strange history, and opened up before me the work that they had in mind. It seemed a
very inopportune time, as the earthquake sufferers were being shipped into Los Angeles by
trainloads. We had taken a large offering for them the Sunday night previous, amounting to $1,200,
and had turned our church building into a receiving station, putting up many beds in the Sunday
school department, the idea being to receive them, and pass them along to such places of a more
permanent character as might be provided. The city was full of refugees, and the offerings of our
people were seemingly exhausted. But, after talking over the matter with them, I decided to call
together our Mission Board.
"The Board of Missions was then largely a local board. The church had not extended very far, and
the members of the board resided, with few exceptions, in Los Angeles. I laid the matter before them,
and the statements from Mrs. Eaton and Mrs. Banarjee were repeated and considered. The board
prayerfully and thoughtfully went over the conditions and possibilities of the work, and finally
agreed that, if Mrs. Banarjee saw fit to put her rescue enterprise and herself in the bosom of our
church, that we would take the responsibility of carrying it on. This was done. On the Sabbath a
public statement was made, Mrs. Banarjee, Mr. Biswas, and Mrs. Eaton were received into the