Marianna Slocum – Bringing the Good Seed to Mexican Tribes.

 By Simonetta Carr - Posted at Place for Truth:

Published October 28, 2024

Marianna Slocum was excited about her upcoming wedding to Bill Bentley, a missionary she had met two years earlier. The big date was only six days away. They had just returned to her home after Bill’s speaking engagement in New Jersey and an enjoyable sight-seeing in New York.

Romance

They had first met at Camp Wycliffe – now known as Summer Institute of Linguistics (SIL) International – near Sulphur Springs, Arkansas, where they both studied in preparation for service as missionary Bible translators. Bill had already begun work among the Mexican Tzeltals in Bachajon, in the State of Chapas, and returned there after his training. Naturally friendly, he had become popular among the locals for his prowess on the accordion and his lovely singing voice.

Marianna accepted an assignment as a missionary to the Chols, about seven hours by foot from Bachajon. The Chol and Tzeltal languages are both in the Mayan family.

Bill visited Marianna’s station frequently, always by foot because he didn’t want to assume a higher position than the natives by using a car. She fell in love with him although he didn’t show any particular interest in her. “Everything about him attracted me,” she said: “his manly good looks, his lovely tenor singing voice, but most captivating of all was his complete dedication to the work of the Lord.”[1]

He made it clear that he was not interested in romance for its own sake. On January 6, 1941, however, he sent Marianna a letter stating that he was sure she was God’s choice for him. On Valentine’s Day of the same year, he brought a heart-shaped cookie for Marianna and officially proposed to her. They planned to marry on August 30 at her family home in Philadelphia.

That month, they spent a month at Camp Wycliffe, visited Bill’s parents, attended a week-long conference at Keswick, N.J. where he was asked to speak, took a short sight-seeing trip to New York City, then returned to Marianna’s home to prepare for the wedding.

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