As in most small towns even today, everybody knew everybody else, and a stranger would be immediately noticed.
One day, a stranger came to town. He was like many other travellers in those days, but he had an urgent message for people in the town. Stopping at every store he passed on Main St., he told everyone to follow him to the church.
It was market day, and Main St. was filled with people. Curious, and somewhat taken by the urgency in his voice, the townsfolk began to surge toward the little hill at the end of the street.
The minister opened the doors and everyone came into the church and took their places in the pews. They didn't know what the stranger had wanted, but assumed he was an itinerant preacher who was going to give a sermon.
But the stranger was not among them. The people all looked around for him, but he was not among them.
They were about ready to leave when they heard the sound of water rushing very close by. Someone looked out and reported that the town was awash in water from the nearby river. Shops, houses, everything below the level of the hill had water surging around and through it.
The minister took the pulpit and raised his voice in a prayer of thanks that this stranger had come to guide the people to the church just in time, for if he hadn't, surely many would have been lost.
And the people never forgot this incident. They say that it was
the very Son of God who had come and saved them.
~~~~~~~~~~~
William J. Williams died in 1971 and was buried in the Sawtelle
Veterans' Cemetery in Los Angeles, on Marne Ave.