Soul-food Salvation

     "My English father, a young civil engineer, worked for the British government in Calcutta, India," says Mervyn G. Hardinge. "One afternoon while my father sat on the train, he decided to quit smoking. He opened his compartment window and tossed out his cigarettes, lighter, pipe, and tobacco pouch.
     "A year or two later my parents also decided to quit drinking alcoholic beverages. Soon after that a meat scandal was disclosed in the newpapers. 'Why don't we become vegetarians?' they asked each other. Mother sought everywhere for a vegetarian cookbook, but to no avail. My father marveled that he survived the next two years.
     "One day an American lady was at the door selling religious books. Mother turned her down flat. But as the lady was closing the gate, Mother felt compelled to call out, 'If you have a vegetarian cookbook, I'll buy one.'
     "Two weeks later the literature evangelist returned with the book. Mother was ecstatic! After paying for it, she stood at the door leading through the pages of the recipes. The lady asked, 'Do you know how to cook vegetarian food?'
     "'No,' was Mother's response, 'do you?'
     "'Yes,' replied the literature evangelist. 'Would you like me to help you?'
     "'The American lady came regurlarly to help Mother learn to prepare vegetarian dishes. A friendship developed. Gradually the visitor began to talk about the Bible as they stood by the stove. Mother grew interested, and then Dad also. In time both were convinced and were baptized.
      "That's how the Hardinges became Seventh-day Adventists! Three of their children have spent their entire lives working for the church. But what if that literature evangelist had only sold the book and made enough effort to form a friendship? What if she had no interest in healthful cookery? What if she had been too busy to cook and to teach my Mother?"