Amy Carmichael :: Nor Scrip—24. Blessed Be Such Coincidences

Over and over again during this writing I have stopped, gone to our account books and gifts books, and once again verified every fact, and to make doubly sure got D. C. W., whose work is embodied in the accounts, to verify them for me, lest by any chance any mistake should slip in unawares. From the beginning of the work the accounts have had the help of careful overlooking. First Mr. Walker, whose mathematics lent themselves to such small things without protest, used to initial them every month, and those initials made me feel safe; then when he passed, another of our number celebrated for accuracy checked them for me; and then, as if to assure us of a more than fatherly care, the perplexity of the exchange had no sooner set in than one whose joy is in figures was given to us; to her this book owes the translation of pounds to rupees, annas, pies, and to her, too, I owe the work set forth at the end of the book. For the sake of simplicity the pound has been counted as fifteen rupees, all through, for the perpetual changes of exchange would confuse the English reader.

Finally we have had the help of our oldest friend in India, Rev. John Stewart, Secretary of the United Free Church of Scotland Mission. One would hesitate to ask such help from a busy mission Secretary, however kind, but old friendship makes such things possible, and the result of all this is, this little book is no fairy tale, but just true. Those to whom such ways of the Lord are familiar will not need this word of assurance, but there are some for whom it is required. And though to the writer every page suggests time, place, occasion, to verify each little happening, and to recall afresh that eternal comfort and good hope granted in hours without number to the least and weakest of all His family, has been very nourishing to faith.

Among the records which were thus looked up, and handled, is a long envelope with the Toronto postmark, and according to the sensible Canadian and American fashion; with an address printed in the corner.

Inside this envelope is a letter annotated to the following effect: The sum we had prayed for was £50. The first letter opened contained three gifts, one for £8 12s. 9d., one for £12 10s. and one for 10s. There was nothing in any other letter till we came to this long envelope at the bottom of the pile. In it was a draft for $147.39, or in pounds, £31 15s. 2d. £8 12s. 9d., plus £12 10s., plus 10s., plus £31 15s. 2d. = £53 7s. 11d.

For the two who opened that mail together, the happy memory of that gift is set in green wood, by a running river. It came when two of us were in the forest, and we two and the others in Dohnavur had been specially asking for £50 by that mail. The joy of receiving it is vivid in me now. Was it only a coincidence? Blessed be such coincidences.