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Called By God With God’s blessing, Mary Walsh’s question box became an important part of the evangelistic series. It was advertised in the paper, “Bring your questions,” and those attending brought them on every subject imaginable. The answers Miss Walsh gave not only blessed people spiritually but also boosted the attendance at the series. In spite of all her continuing study and preparation, occasionally a question would pose a true surprise. There were suspenseful moments when she wondered whether or not she would be able to find relevant Biblical material on a subject quickly. But God had promised to give her “a mouth and wisdom” which all her adversaries could not gainsay or resist. God has never failed her. Because of her effectiveness and skill, another challenging assignment came her way. The Boston Commons was a place where individuals or organizations could reserve space and speak on issues of their choice, and a great deal of discussion took place there. The Seventh-day Adventists were assigned a spot by a special tree at one end of the mall. The Catholics were at the other end. Various Protestant denominations ranged in between, each at its assigned concession. Often considerable bitterness was generated between Catholics and Protestants during this period of heated religious debate. Every Sunday Elder Fries and Miss Walsh spoke and answered questions at the Commons. Many people would have avoided such direct confrontation. “But that put us on the map,” Miss Walsh explained. “This is why we could get advertised.” According to Mary Walsh, Elder Fries was a master of the situation in the give-andtake on the Commons. “He was a military man before he became an Adventist,” she explained. “And he had that military bearing, impeccably dressed and groomed. When he would get up, I was proud of him.” (From Walsh interview, July 13, 1984.) Mary Walsh would also walk down the Commons flawlessly attired and cheerfully ready for the unexpected. In the aggressive manner of the times, the pastor of one of the largest churches, a Baptist, advertised in the paper that he would speak against the doctrines of the Seventhday Advent-ists. He was nationally known and drew a packed house. It seemed unbelievable to the Adventists that any preacher would rail against them and their teachings in the way this man did. Accusations that she considered to be untrue and unfair did not set well with Mary Walsh. When she found Elder Fries with some of the other workers looking at the advertisement for the attacker’s meeting, Miss Walsh exclaimed, “Who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?” (1 Samuel 17:26.) The moment she said it, she sensed that she was doomed. Elder Fries insisted that Mary Walsh was the very person to answer the accusations—not only in the church, but also on the Boston Commons. Over her protests he proceeded to advertise that this would happen. “Beg, and plead, and tease, and weep—no sir! I had to do it,” she recalled. “He went ahead and put my name in the paper. I wish you could have seen that crowd on the Boston Commons!” 90