Five years after the baptism of this man Dr. Taylor was finally able to make the journey to Conquista, where he found the church well organized, with a house of worship built at its own expense and with the pastor’s home erected near by.  The missionary says, “I now understand why God never permitted me to visit Conquista during these five years.  I believe it was for the purpose of showing me that the native Christians can and will take care of themselves and the gospel if we will only confide in them.  I wonder how many churches in the United States have built their own house and pastorium and sustained themselves from the start?  Not a cent from the Board has been spent on the church and the evangelization done by Brother Queiroz.”

Another example of the power of the Bible in spreading the gospel is found in the way the gospel came to Guandu, State of Rio, and the country round about.  One night in Campos in 1894, after the missionary had finished his sermon, a young woman approached him and said, “My father has been teaching us out of that same book you used.  Would you not like to go out in the country to visit him?” The missionary replied that he would, and then the girl explained how the Bible came to this community.

One evening a colporteur approached her father’s door and asked for entertainment, saying he had been refused by several families along the way.  To the host’s inquiry as to why he had been refused entertainment for the night the colporteur said:  “They declined because I am a Protestant.”  The man replied.  “Come in and welcome.”  After the dinner Mr. Vidal (for that was the farmer’s name) asked what this Protestantism meant.  The colporteur explained and preached the gospel to the best of his ability.

When the time came to retire the colporteur said, “It is my custom to read the Scriptures and to pray before I retire.  If you have no objection I would like to do so tonight.”  Mr. Vidal answered, “I shall be glad for you to do so.”  The colporteur read and there in the dining hall before the curious onlookers knelt and poured out his heart to his Heavenly Father.  He called down the blessing and the favor of God upon the family.  The tears poured down his cheeks as he lifted his soul in this prayer.  After he finished praying Mr. Vidal said, “I have never heard prayer like that.  Teach me how to do it.  I have heard Latin prayers repeated, but they did not grip me like that.”  The colporteur replied by explaining that prayer must be from the heart.  He then took out a Bible and said, “I want to make you a present of this book.  You have been kind to me.  Read it, for it has in it the Word of Life.”  He went away the following morning.  We do not know who he was—­only the record on high will discover his person to us.

The book left behind became a great light for Mr. Vidal.  He read it and was so impressed with its teachings that he taught the Word to his family and neighbors.  His house became a house of prayer and teaching.  When Missionary Ginsburg went out there, preached the Word and explained about Christ, he asked those who wished to follow the Lord to stand.  Practically the whole company stood.  They had been prepared, by Mr. Vidal The missionary went back a few times and soon a church of about forty members was organized and was called the Church of Guandu.