Fraternity-Testvériség, 1962 (40. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
1962-03-01 / 3. szám
2 FRATERNITY When I married Ruth Anderson, an attractive and dedicated choir member and organist, back in May, 1916, I was 24 years old, was employed as an artist in the field of men’s fashions and was prospering financially. In all, it seemed like a cloudless sky, but storm clouds already were forming below the horizon. Years before, I had had a tumor in my shoulder but a surgeon had removed it and it apparently was healed. Then came a major complication in the same area. By the following spring — 1917 — the pain was acute. I went to several doctors and took various sorts of treatments, but the affliction grew worse. Finally, I consulted a specialist who made extensive tests. “You’re pretty sick, my boy”, he said kindly. “Tell me the whole truth, doctor”, I replied. “I ought to know what’s wrong with me.” “You have tuberculosis of the lymph glands”, he continued. “I recommend surgery.” He hesitated a moment, took my arm, then continued, “Otherwise I cannot give you much hope beyond three months.” The physician’s words jolted me severely. I left his office in a daze, and with uncertain step made my way to a streetcar. On the car I moved up until I was close to the motorman, feeling some protection in his presence. It gave me an opportunity to do a little thinking. “What shall I do?” I asked myself. “Shall I tell Ruth the whole truth, or conceal what the doctor said until after the baby is born?” Is was July, and our first little one was due in September. I feared the revelation would so upset her that serious complications might develop. I prayed for guidance, and I believed God was directly speaking to me when the conviction suddenly came over me that “Ruth is brave, has a deep faith, and can take it. I’ll tell her all.” This I did, not minimizing the “three months to live.” Ruth received my words with utmost calm ... A feeling came over me that she was like a rock — and that through her the Lord would guide us alright. “Let God’s peace come into your heart, Warner”, she told me, putting her arms around my neck and looking squarely into my face, her eyes aglow with love. “We’ll pray and whatever is God’s will for us, we gladly will do it. In three months we can do a lot for Him; and if it be His will to spare our life together for a longer period, we will thank Him for it and go ahead serving Him.” I do not remember the words we used in our prayer together, but I do know we did not ask for a longer life span. We only asked God to guide and bless us and use us. The heart of our prayer was a plea reminiscent of our Savior’s in Gethsemane: “Dear Lord, we pray that Thy will be our will, and that in all ways Thy will be done.” In no manner did we forgo medical or surgical help, but we felt that if the latter was to be for me, God would make it known. We continued the medical treatments as before, but no revelation came regarding the proposed surgery.
