Page 11 - good and useful man 2022 cover page

strangers into their home. Charles and his older sister Cora
walked a mile to and from school. At night, their father helped
the children with their studies. On Sundays, the family
worshiped together in church.
When Charles was 10, something sad happened in the
Cowman home. A baby sister named Lillian was born. Charles
adored her and often helped his parents take care of her. But
just after she turned one, Lillian became sick and died. When
they took her body away, Charles was so sad that he felt like
his heart was broken. He wept by her little grave, and in pain
and anger, he cried, “God, why have You taken my baby
sister? How could You do such a thing?”
One Sunday morning after Lillian died, the preacher at the
Cowmans’ church announced, “We need God to visit us. I will
lead some services where God can work in our lives.” In those
days, these meetings, called revivals, were common. It was a
time when God’s Holy Spirit could wake up people’s
relationships with God.
Charles and his family attended the nightly meetings. While
singing the words to the hymn, “Come, ye sinners, poor and
needy, weak and wounded, sick and sore,” Charles stood from
his seat and walked to the front of the church. He fell to his
knees and wept. God spoke to him and said, “Your baby sister
is with Me, and some day, you will see her again.” From then
on, Charles imagined God, the Good Shepherd, carrying his
baby sister Lillian in His arms like a little lamb. God took
away his tears.
Some people thought the revival was a waste of time as
only one little boy gave his life to Jesus. But they did not know
that one day, that boy would become the founder of a Christian
mission organization that would share the Gospel with
thousands and thousands of souls.

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