The Bible And The Deaf And Dumb
The following is taken from the British and Foreign Bible Society's
Report for 1885, being an extract from one of their agents in Belgium
named Gazan:--"For the last fourteen years Gazan has been in the habit
of getting shaved by a barber who also keeps a drinking saloon. Though
not a member of a temperance society Gazan is an abstainer, and is none
the less welcome, and he occasionally is able to sell to persons who
f
equent the place. One day last year when the barber's shop was full, a
man was there who had often prevented people buying, and when Gazan left
began to say all the harm he could of him. This he heard from the
barber's wife, who expressed great annoyance at it. Some time after a
young man, deaf and dumb, called upon Gazan and gave him to understand
he wanted a Bible. With the aid of a pencil they carried on a
conversation, in the course of which Gazan showed him several passages
marked in the Bible. This was on a Sunday morning, and in the afternoon
the deaf and dumb young man came back to attend the service, for which
Gazan lends his room; and he continued to come Sunday after Sunday, when
by signs and giving him passages to read he was interested in the
service. He was introduced to the deaf and dumb evangelist in Brussels,
and having found work as a printer, is living there now, lodging at the
house of M. Crispells, who holds the service at Louvain. On Christmas
Day he went to Louvain to see Gazan, and showed him a number of texts
which had been pointed out to him during his former visits, and showed
remarkable familiarity with the Scriptures. This deaf and dumb young man
is no other than the son of the man above referred to, who had spoken
against him in the barber's shop. The conversion of his son has had a
remarkable effect upon him; he is now quite a changed man, and does all
he can to assist Gazan and to induce people to buy his books."