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Mizpah — Part II
By Pauli Jayné, Winsted
Following his baptism in a mountain spring in 1942, full-time ministry ("pioneering") became the obvious path for Hal Holcomb and his wife. Requesting unassigned territory from the Watchtower Society, he received not one, not two, but three entire counties—Alpine, Mono, and Inyo counties. These border the straight edge of the states California and Nevada, some 350 miles. His assignment began with the outskirts of Nevada County. He made his first camp in the little town of Truckee, high up in the Sierra Nevadas, in the shadow of snowcapped peaks over 14,000 feet above sea level. Winding his way on narrow, twisting, mountain roads to the homes and campsites of Convict Lake, June Lake, Twin Lakes, Mono Lake, Mammoth Lake and endless hidden fishing sites, he often reflected on the Bible scripture of Jeremiah 16:16 that Jesus quoted when sending out his disciples to preach from door to door. (Matthew 4:19) He felt he had become a true "fisher and hunter of men."
His assignment extended from the highest point in the continental United States, Mt. Whitney, at 14,495 feet high, to the lowest point, Death Valley, some 276 feet below sea level. He felt privileged to be bringing "life" to Death Valley. Building his own aluminum trailer house in 30 days and with $1,000, he made the "tour," as he called it, through this territory a number of times.
An interesting series of experiences could be related while witnessing at Scotty's Castle in Death Valley. It looms up out of the desert floor and was built by a millionaire, Mr. Johnson. An eccentric old hermit, known as "Death Valley Scotty," became his partner and lived in a hideout of his own, a few miles from the Castle. Hal told the story of how he pulled in through the gates early one evening to give a quick "witness" and head for a campsite. In his own words he wrote: "We had been driving all day, were tired, hungry and almost out of sorts. I knew that we would catch them just before dinner hour and our chances were slim. I decided at the last minute to swing in and go right to the front. The Castle is a beautiful place and has class, but so do the servants of the Lord.
"Locating a houseboy, I asked for the manager. He asked whom to say was calling. I answered, 'a representative of the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society.' The manager's wife came out and appeared very nice, but briefly told me she wasn't interested, that they contribute to many religions and Mr. Johnson, the owner, was very religious and was always after her soul. She said she would be frank and if the Lord wanted her, He would have to take her just as she was. I cut down on her then and said, 'I come not for money contribution, I have more money than I can spend. (As long as I have a dollar in my pocket that is true, isn't it?) I come with a gift for you—life, the most precious possession! I don't want your soul, because that dies. The Lord does want you just as you are, only you must learn his laws and ways, therefore we come searching for his sheep. Perhaps you are one.' By this time she was smiling and said, 'Come to my office and I will give you a donation.' But I said, 'You must take something.' 'Alright, whatever you want to leave with me,' she said with a smile. In her office she got $5 and gave it to me. I wrote out Watchtower and Consolation (now called AWAKE!) magazine subscriptions, and placed four bound books, two Question booklets, four colored booklets and two magazines.
"She asked me to pull into the picnic grounds in front of the Castle and camp, use the showers, come up to the main lobby for the evening and to go with the guests on the hour tour of the Castle in the morning. And to think that we were going to roll on by, just because we had a tough day. That should be a good moral for all evangelizers: the saying is, ‘Gold is where you find it,’ and so are the Lord's sheep! The giving of thanks to our heavenly Father was rendered with unusual sincerity as we sat in our tent for evening meal.
"Next morning we went through the Castle with the paid guests, which usually cost $1.10 apiece (a lot of money in that year!). It was the most interesting experience. Such beautiful workmanship and designing! The Castle was seven years in the building, to match Solomon's Temple. Later more work was done, completing the whole in eleven years. I think you will find a similitude in Solomon's day, as most of the work was pre-fit at Johnson's studios in Los Angeles by the world's best craftsmen. Remember Hiram? The tour was a very special treat for us. I thanked the lady for her kindness and asked her to place two books, The Truth Shall Make You Free and The Kingdom Is At Hand with the Reconciliation, Government, Creation, and Harp of God, which I had seen on the bookshelves in Mr. Johnson's bedroom. She said she would. I wrote on the front page of each book, ‘Presented to Mr. Johnson for the courtesy shown a pioneer servant of the Most High God, Jehovah.’"
Hal continued: "We left the Castle before noon and drove four miles to the house that ‘Scotty’ lives in. He comes up to the Castle in the evenings to give the place ‘color.’ He had his place fenced and had a gate, but the gate was open so we rolled up the lane and stopped in front of the house. Not a sign of life, shutters all in place, car is there, a knock on the door, no answer. Pounding a small stone on the door, we walk around the place. I hear someone holler, so back to the door we go! Scotty's outline shows through the dirty screen, naked as the day he was born. ‘What the h— do you want? Who the h— are you?’ he growls. (He had a reputation for swearing, every other word a cuss word.) ‘I am a servant of the living God Jehovah, Scotty, and I am looking for a man of goodwill. Are you that man?’ ‘H—, no!’ he says, ‘How'd you get in here? Dammit, I didn't lock the gate last night, go on out of here!’ ‘Okay, Scotty,’ I said, ‘so long!’ No answer, so I stepped back to the door, ‘Good-bye, Scotty,’ I said. ‘Good-bye,’ I heard him say. Well, when we went through the iron gate I halted and went back and closed them and snapped the heavy padlock and chain in place. I can hear Scotty cuss now when he bounces around the curve and finds himself locked in and won't he wonder how we got in with a car and the gate locked! He is quite a heavy drinker and I would like to hear his story when he went to the Castle that night about two angels of the Lord that woke him from a sound sleep and how they came right through a locked gate!"
To be continued.
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