(un)Forgotten Story of the Voronaev Children
For if history indeed forms our identity, we are left without identity once we forget our history. Yes, we still have feature ahead of us, but it is disconnected from our past and from our experience. It is disconnected from our identity and from our story. We still have a future when we forget our history, but it is not our future – it is someone else’s. It is the future someone else wants us to have…
Dionissy and Olga Zaplishny
Missional in Memphis
Presenting at SPS in Memphis
The Apostolic Faith (February – March, 1907)
God is still manifesting His power in Los Angeles.
* * *
The Pentecost has crossed the water on both sides to the Hawaiian Islands on the west, and England, Norway, Sweden, and India on the east.
* * *
A brother in Honolulu received the Pentecost, by hearing of God’s work through the paper. He said when he got down to seeking in earnest, the Lord baptized him with the Holy Ghost and he spoke in two languages.
* * *
We rejoice to hear that Pentecost has fallen in Calcutta, India, over ten thousand miles away on the other side of the world: Praise God. We have letters from China, Germany, Switzerland, Norway, Sweden, England, Ireland, Australia, and other countries from hungry souls that want their Pentecost. Some of these letters are in foreign languages. Missionaries write that they are hungry for this outpouring of the Spirit which they believe to be the real Pentecost. The world seems ripe for the Pentecost in all lands and God is sending it. Amen.
* * *
One of the missionaries from Los Angeles in Liberia, Africa, had been able to speak to the people in the cru tongue. Another sister there wrote in an unknown language under the power of the Spirit, and it was understood and read by one of the native kings there.
* * *
Requests for prayer from hungry souls are coming in from all over. They want salvation from sin, and sanctification, and the baptism with the Holy Ghost, and healing of their bodies. So the requests are presented and handkerchiefs are blest and the power of God comes upon us in praying for them; and we receive letters saying that they are receiving their Pentecost and being healed. Praise God.
* * *
March 19th was a wonderful day at the Mission on Azusa St. Three ministers from Tennessee received the enduement of power from on high and the glory of God filled the upper room. Others received the anointing of the Spirit and some were slain under the power of God.
* * *
Bro. Stewart from Phoenix, Arizona, came to Azusa Mission and sought the baptism with the Holy Ghost, and God laid him out under the power of the Spirit and took complete control of him, speaking through him in tongues. He was filled and overflowing with the Holy Ghost when he returned to Arizona. And Mother Griffith, also from Phoenix, has come and received her baptism.
* * *
The work at Azusa Mission is growing deeper and more powerful than ever. Praise God. Meetings continue every day with seekers at every service, and the three meetings run very near together. All day meetings on Sunday. Three other Apostolic Faith Missions continue in the city and God’s blessing is upon them. The workers from these missions and from suburban towns meet together for conference on Mondays to study the Scriptures and get deeper into the things of God and for conference in the work of the Lord. The spirit of unity, love and power is manifest. Other like missions are being established in a number of towns.
* * *
Bro. Andrews and wife, Gospel workers from Tennessee, came to Azusa Mission for the express purpose of receiving their Pentecost and Bro. Andrews has been baptized with the Holy Ghost and is filled and overflowing with the Spirit. He and his wife were so hungry and had such faith that the Lord wanted them to come, that, not having the means, they started and walked quite a distance, till the Lord gave them the fare, and He is abundantly rewarding them.
* * *
Bro. W.H. Durham of 943 North Ave., Chicago, Ill., and Bro. H.L. Blake of Ruthton, Minn., who are both preachers of the Gospel, came to Los Angeles to see and investigate what God was doing. They both were baptized with the Holy Ghost and went back filled and saturated with the power of God, speaking in tongues and magnifying God. It was a great blessing to us to have them with us and see what great things the Lord did for them and the blessing overflowed upon all God’s children. They are members of the World’s Faith Missionary Association.
* * *
Sister Rees from Oakland visited Azusa Mission recently. She brought a report from the saints in Oakland that a leader was needed there in the work, one called and prepared of the Lord. We prayed for God to call someone. Bro. Irwin received the call and went with his wife. His report comes just as the paper is going to press: Oakland, Cal., March 21.-“God is undertaking for us here. Two received their Pentecost last night with Bible evidence. Others are seeking pardon, sanctification, the promise of the Father.”-B.H. Irwin.
A number from Winnipeg, Canada, have come to Los Angeles and are now rejoicing in the baptism with the Holy Ghost. Others have come from the Atlantic coast and from Colorado and different states and they have received a Bible Pentecost, evidenced by speaking in tongues, and from other centers workers are going out to the ends of the earth, till we cannot keep track of them. The Lord is speedily preparing His people for His coming.
* * *
We cannot give a report of all that have gone out into the work since the last paper, for they are going almost every day. Bro. and Sister H. McLain have gone to San Jose, Cal., to take charge of the work there and Sister Agnes Jacobson and Bro. Harmon Clifford are also in the work in San Jose. See report from there of how God is working. Bro. Turney and wife who were at San Jose are now in Honolulu. Bro. and sister E.W. Vinton from near Boston, Mass., who received their Pentecost in Los Angeles, have returned to tell the glad tidings. Their address is 12 Leyden St., Medford, Mass. Bro. C.E. Marsh expects to join them there in preaching this Gospel Bands of workers have gone out to other places and started the work.
* * *
Since the last paper, Bro. Seymour visited San Francisco and San Jose and reported that God had some of the most precious saints there filled with the Holy Ghost and shining for God that he had ever seen and that the power of God was wonderfully manifest.
* * *
There are a number of papers on the Apostolic line that are springing up. We cannot tell how many there are, because we hear of new ones we have not seen. But there are three clean cut papers besides Apostolic Faith, out and out for a Bible Pentecost according to Acts. 2.4 and with subscription free. They are the Apostolic Light, Portland, Ore., The New Acts, Alliance, Ohio (which now includes Pentecostal Wonders) and The Apostolic Evangel, Royston, Ga. (formerly Live Coals.) These papers are all about the size of the January number of this paper and they are filled with the wonderful works of God, and are spreading the glad tidings of another Pentecost all over the world. They are all supported entirely by free will offerings.
________
PENTECOST IN OTHER LANDS.
In London.
23 Gairloch Road, Camberwell, S.E. London, Jan. 20.-A little band of Christians have been waiting here about nine months for their Pentecost and am glad to say that one sister has received her Pentecost with tongues. Praise Him! Will you continue to pray that all may receive, the writer included. I feel very hungry. Yours in Jesus Christ, C.H. Hook.
In Stockholm.
Stockholm, Sweden, March *.–Please, dear ones, help us to praise the Lord. The first soul came through tonight receiving the baptism with the Holy Ghost and Bible evidence. Bless God!-Eric Hollingsworth and wife.
This message was just received from our brother and sister who have gone to Sweden with this precious Gospel. They wrote of the salvation and sanctification of souls and now we rejoice with them that Pentecost has fallen in Sweden’s capitol.
In Sweden.
We are having a wonderful time in Sweden. Hundreds have been saved and sanctified. Over a hundred baptized with the Holy Ghost. Praise God! Glory! Glory! Glory! Many have been healed by the dear Lord. Signs as on the day of Pentecost are following, talking and singing in tongues. I cannot tell you all now that God has been doing. The work is spreading fast. Many are seeking for a clean heart and there is oneness among God’s people. God shall have all the glory.
I am still talking and writing in tongues. A missionary interpreted what I have been writing in Syriac and Armenian. I was singing Chinese one night, a missionary said. I am busy every day and going from place to place. Strong opposition from many, but God gives the victory. Glory! Andrew G. Johnson, Address, 48 Skofde, Sweden.
In Honolulu.
Honolulu, Hawaii, March 11.-Immediately upon our arrival here, we found two wholly consecrated souls, hungering for more of God. Bro. Mayfield threw his mission open to us and told us to go to work. So we opened fire upon the enemy the first night of our arrival here. God owned and blest the truth. Nine have received their Pentecost, and in every case they have spoken in new tongues. Sister Mayfield has received her Pentecost and healing for lung trouble. Myself and wife have both spoken in the Korean language, Koreans present testifying to the same. We believe that will be our next field of labor.-H.M. Turney and wife.
IN CALCUTTA, INDIA.
Feb. 21.-The Lord has led Sister Nelson and myself here to Calcutta to behold the wonderful works of God. He has sent three of His witnesses from America, filled with the Holy Ghost, to shown forth His power and proclaim this wonderful Gospel which we and many others have been hungering for so long. Praise His dear name! It is Mr. and Mrs. A.G. Garr and Miss Gammon. God is working in mighty power in our midst. Several have received the baptism with the Holy Ghost and speak with tongues, and many have been saved. We have meetings every day beginning about four p.m. and go on as long as the Lord leads. We are so hungry and do believe that God will soon satisfy our longing souls.
Mary Johnson.
Home address: Dehiwala, Court Lodge, Ceylon, India.
In Norway.
Solfies, Pl. 2, Christiania, Norway, Jan. 29.-God is wonderfully demonstrating His power here in the Norwegian capital. It is about ten days since I held the first meeting in the large gymnasium that will take when crowded from 1,500 to 2,000 people. People from all denominations are rushing to the meetings. Over twenty have received their Pentecost and are speaking in tongues. Several have been in trances and had heavenly visions. Some have seen Jesus at our meetings, and the tongues of fire have been seen again over my head by a freethinker, convincing him of the power of God. Many are seeking salvation and souls are being gloriously saved. Hundreds are seeking a clean heart, and the fire is falling on the purified sacrifice. The fire is spreading very rapidly. Glory to God! I received word from the country districts that the fire is falling there. People who have attended the meetings are taking the fire with them to the towns around about. The account of God’s work for my soul has been inserted in many religious papers, and has caused a stir. All can see it is the work of God’s Holy Spirit. Hallelujah! Some of the languages spoken are European. One man was thrown on his back, a preacher, last Sunday morning in the Student’s Hall, and when he rose, he spoke in four languages, one of these was English. He could speak none of them before. After that, he prophesied and invited sinners to come to Christ. Numbers threw themselves down and cried for salvation, cleansing, and the fiery baptism with the Spirit. Praised be God! Several preachers are seeking their Pentecost. Go on praying for the advancement of the Kingdom of our Lord and King * this grand old century. Fraternal greetings from those baptized with the power and fire from on high. Yours in Christ Jesus, T.B. Barratt.
________
If you get the light on your soul, you will go forward or else backslide.
________
The more of the Holy Ghost you have, the more love, the more humility, the more praises.
________
This is not a “do, do” religion, but it is the religion of the Lord Jesus Christ. Man has got to be born again. You cannot get it through moral culture, refinement, or giving up, but you must be born into it. It is through God’s beloved Son who washes you, cleanses you, and makes you a fit subject for heaven.
________
Every sanctified person has the abiding anointing in their soul, and they know His Blood cleanses every moment, but you need the baptism with the Holy Ghost which is the enduement of power, that will make you a witness to the uttermost parts of the earth.
________
This Gospel cost us too much to run off into fanaticism and be led by visions and dreams. When we get spiritual there is greater temptation to get puffed up. We must put all visions and dreams on the square of God’s Word and try them. The Word must prove all things. When we throw down God’s truth, the plummet of His Word, is shows up the counterfeit.
________
People receive the baptism with the Holy Ghost while about their work. One sister in Whittier received hers while she was baking a cake.
________
The Holy Ghost is a real living Person that comes down upon you in great and mighty power. Dear loved ones, when He comes upon you, you know it. When He comes in, He comes talking. Your jaws will be unloosed, and He will commence speaking through you.
________
We are Christ’s spiritual bride now, but there is to be a real wedding take place and a real marriage supper. Those that sit down to this supper will be His queen, the ones that have made their robes white and have the seal of God in their foreheads. O let us not miss this supper. We are listening now for the sound of His chariot wheels.
________
The Lord has taken Spiritualism and Christian Science out of people in this mission, and filled them with the Spirit, and they are sitting at the feet of Jesus. We teach against Theosophy, Christian Science, Magnetic Healing, Spiritualism, Hypnotism and all works of the devil.
NEW SCANDINAVIAN REVIVAL.
—
The Witness of “Tongues” Manifested in Christiania.
The following report of the Pentecostal revival in Norway is published in the North Mail, Edinburg, England. It is a letter from the Vicar of All Saints, Sunderland, England, Bro. A.A. Body. He had been to Christiania, Norway, visiting Bro. Barratt’s meeting.
My four days in Christiania cannot easily be forgotten. I remember well the scenes two years ago, when I stood with Evan Roberts in the pulpit at Ton-y-Pandy, but, wonderful as such scenes in Wales were, the scenes in the Torvegadon Mission Room and other places were more supernatural. I believe that very soon we shall witness the same in England.
Warmly welcomed by the pastor and his co-workers, I sat, of necessity, on the low, large platform, with its table and four forms. The room was an upper chamber, down a court out of a busy street. It was very bare, with forms without any backs. But the enthusiastic congregation did not think of comfort.
Boys and girls around me, from seven to twelve years of age, were seeing visions and speaking in tongues-as well as older folk.
A bright-faced lad cried out with intense vehemence (eyes closed, right hand on heart, left hand stretched out)-“Oh . . .I see the house of Satan thrust down and down . . . . . and now the host are entering Heaven. Oh! . . . . they are going to shut the door! and some will be too late. Oh! Jesus, Jesus.” Then he commenced to shout in a rapid unknown tongue, and a few minutes later he was just a simple, lovable Norwegian boy again.
Then a university student (under the power of the Spirit) cries with great vehemence (to the “Djarvlen”), “Go . . .Will you go! . . . Will you go!” All this time perhaps a dozen are speaking or praying in Tongues, or prophesying, and prayer and praise “In the Spirit” is going on all over. Then suddenly a high-pitched musical voice is heard cutting into everything-prolonged, and then dying away. It is a woman praising Christ in the Spirit.
A brother on my left breaks out into Tongues; three times in that meeting he did the same. First it seems to be in English, very rapidly spoken: “Come, come, come, come now to the Savior,” etc. Then it seems to be like Chinese; “chung, chow, chow,” etc., or *** Then he changes into a chattering sort of Tongue. I am assured that all there are Holy Ghost people. “The flesh may get in a little,” says the good pastor, “but not much.”
“Tongues” at Keswick.
People of course, ridicule; but those meetings go on every day, and twice a day, and not in one place of meeting only nor in one single town. At Christiansand and Frederickshaldt and many other places the same is going on, and it spreads quickly from each person who receives the Gift!
A Christian merchant in a high position in Denmark came with others to see and hear, and he told me that he was convinced it is of God. The working people chiefly fill the meetings, and the difficulty is to get them to leave when the time comes to close.
And, it must be added, practical results follow these strange meetings.
Pastor Barratt (of whom more below) said that till recently it was difficult to attract to religious meetings. A Salvation Army officer advertised that a man would rise from his coffin and preach the Gospel, but even this did not effectively draw. But now twice a day and every day and week after week these meetings are thronged by enthusiastic crowds, who go out to spread the strange flame, which they are convinced is Pentecostal and Heavenly and Scriptural.
The meetings are liable at any moment to be swept by a wave of spiritual power sweeping through all human arrangements. At times the noise is strangely awesome, almost appalling to an “outsider.”
Some of us ask ourselves the question, how will this affect the Keswick Convention meetings and other gatherings this year? Those who have “Tongues” will be present, and unable and unwilling to control them when moved by the Spirit.
The Rev. Thomas Ball Barratt, the leader of this movement, is almost a Norwegian. He was four years old when his Cornish parents brought him to Hardanger. Eventually he became a missioner of the Methodist Episcopal Church, but he has practically detached himself from any church ties, and the world he feels is his parish.
He was in New York last autumn when influences from the Los Angeles movement began to reach him, and he received a mighty “Pentecost,” witnessed to by “Tongues.” A letter he wrote home stirred up the spirit of expectancy, and on his arrival the work immediately began, and on New Year’s Day in Norway the revival commenced, and has continued ever since, and is spreading all the time.
Of my own inner experiences whilst in these meetings I must refrain from writing at this point, but I reverently thank God for the privilege of being present.
________
“He will guide you into all truth.” We ought to take the Holy Ghost before any other teacher. We should have no teacher between us and the Holy Ghost.
The Apostolic Faith
312 Azusa Street
END OF PAGE ONE
Published by
THE APOSTOLIC FAITH MISSION
Headquarters, Los Angeles
SUBSCRIPTION FREE
Please write very plainly in sending in your address for the paper. Some letters have to go into the waste basket, because the addresses are illegible or incomplete. If any fail to get the paper, please let us know.
________
We send out papers free, but free will offerings have come in to enable us to publish and send to all that ask for them.
________
We have been publishing 30,000 papers at an issue, and of this number 40,000 are printed.
________
Anyone desiring to distribute papers, has only to drop us a card saying how many you can use to advantage, giving your address very plainly, and we will send by return mail or as quickly as possible.
________
A convention of Prayer is to be held at Alliance, Ohio. The saints from Akron, Cleveland, Canton, and East Liverpool will meet there, and it will no doubt be a time of great power and blessing. The date is March 30th.
________
TWO PAPERS IN ONE.
this number six of the Apostolic Faith has been enlarged. It is a double paper, the February-March number. We have no stated time of publication but expect to get it out every month, the Lord willing. This time it has been unavoidably delayed. Many have been looking for it and wondering why it did not come before. We praise God for the privilege of sending it out now to hungry souls, and pray God that it will be a double blessing.
The Lord has been greatly enlarging the work. Stacks of letters come in which we have not been able to answer, but may our correspondents take this paper as an answer, as our hands are so full of the precious work. We have received many blessed reports and testimonies which it has been hard to condense into this paper. Many precious letters had to be left out for lack of space.
________
THE PURCHASE OF THE AZUSA MISSION.
The lot and buildings at 312 Azusa Street have been purchased by the Apostolic Faith Mission** Holy Ghost men have been elected as trustees, who hold the property.
We believe the Lord chose this spot for His work, for He has wonderfully poured out His Spirit in the mission, which started about a year ago from cottage prayer meetings where the Pentecost first fell. Now, through Spirit baptized ones who have gone out, and through papers published here, there has been raised up a mighty host. Praise God!
The property was purchased for $15,000, and 44,000 has already been paid down on it. Any friends wishing to have a share in buying this Mission for the Lord may send offerings to Bro. Reuben Clark, who is secretary of the board of trustees. Address 312 Azusa St., Los Angeles.
It was necessary to buy this mission as a headquarters for the work, in order to hold it, as it would soon have been sold for other purposes. The situation is favorable, being centrally located and in surroundings where no one will be disturbed by prayers or shouts going up sometimes all night. Praise God! The Mission building was formerly a place of worship where souls had been saved years ago, and the spot thus made sacred; and during the past year, hundreds have been saved, sanctified, healed, and baptized with the Holy Ghost.
________
APRIL NINTH A JUBILEE DAY.
To the Apostolic Faith People, Saints, and Friends; the ninth of April is the birthday of Pentecost to us, for the Pentecost fell here on April 9, 1906. May all that have received this precious gift, the baptism with the Holy Ghost, honor that day as a jubilee feast, in praise and thanks to God for sending the old time Pentecost back to earth again.
We pray God that a great revival of salvation may flow in all missions on that day, and that we may all get in one accord; and we believe that the fire of God will fall in every mission, and that many will receive the baptism just as they received it on the day of Pentecost, according to the second chapter of Acts. Praise God! We have much to praise God for; in a year’s time, He has spread this work over the earth. Hallelujah to His holy name!
God is still working here in Los Angeles. Souls are receiving their personal Pentecost. Bless His holy name! We expect to hear from all the missions where this wonderful Gospel is preached, great victory on that memorable day.
________
The Spirit takes the Word of God to reprove the world of sin, righteousness and judgment. He shows the sinner that he needs to be saved from a burning hell of fire and brimstone. You may say you do not believe it, but yet you read in the Bible where the rich man was “tormented in this flame” and called for Lazrus to bring a drop of water to cool his parched tongue. If the doctrine of annihilation were true, why was not the rich man burned up?
________
VIRTUE IN THE PERFECT BODY OF JESUS
Jesus gave His perfect eyes for us, perfect hearing, perfect smelling, tasting and feeling: for Jesus gave a perfect body, that laid in the tomb three days and three nights and was taised by the power of the Holy Ghost. Those eyes that had slept in the tomb under the great power of death were quickened and brought to life again by the power of the Holy Ghost. So, through the perfect body of our Lord Jesus Christ, we can receive perfect healing of sight, hearing, tasting, smelling.
We read in the precious Word of God (Ac. 2. 26) where David is speaking of the Lord Jesus, “My heart rejoiced and my tongue was glad, moreover also my flesh shall rest in hope: because Thou wilt not leave My soul in hell, neither wilt Thou suffer Thine Holy One to see corruption.” And we find that Jesus’body was one without carnality. It was a body that God prepared from heaven by the Holy Ghost and sent down into this world to be the Bread of Life. Therefore Jesus could speak with the authority in Jno. 6. 51. saying, “I am the living bread which came down from heaven.” If any man eat of this bread, he shall live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh which I will give for the life of the world.”
The Jews could not understand this. They said,” How can this man give us His flesh to eat?” Then Jesus said unto them, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, except ye eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His Blood, ye have no life in you.” O how true this is. May we drink His Blood daily and eat His flesh, through faith in His word for salvation, health, and healing. If His flesh had seen corruption, then we could not have healing for the body nor look for an immortal body from heaven. So dear beloved, we get healing for our body, soul, and spirit and an immortal body from heaven at His coming, through the perfect body of Jesus. Praise our God!
________
DIGGING FOR OIL.
I once asked a man who was digging oil wells, how he found the oil. He said, “We bore down six to eight hundred feet, then we strike the rock. Then we bore through that rock about five feet, and on down to the second rock, about three feet thinner than the first. Then we strike a lake of oil.”
It reminded me of salvation. Digging down to the rock represents repentance. When you get through all the dirt and mud and strike the rock, that represents salvation in Christ, for Christ is the rock. But when we get upon the rock, we have to build.
The man said they had to bore through two rocks before they struck the lake of oil. It reminded me of the two weeks of grace. We cross the Red Sea, then Jordan, and then we receive our inheritance. Elijah crossed Jordan and looked up into heaven as Elijah was caught up in the chariot of fire, and the mantle of Elifah fell upon Elijah. This is a type of receiving the baptism with the Holy Ghost, for Elijah prayed for a double portion of the spirit of Elijah.
The second rock represents the second work of grace, sanctification. You go down through that rock and strike the lake of oil and it gushes out in plenty. The oil represents the baptism with the Holy Ghost. Some get the anointing and are filled with holy laughter, and take that to be the baptism. But, if we go on through that other rock, we will get to where the lake of oil is.
When we have the baptios of the Spirit, we have an experience according to Deut. 32: 13, “He made him ride on the high places of the earth, that he might eat the increase of the fields: and he made him to suck honey out of the rock, and oil out of the flinty rock; butter of kine and milk of sheep;,with fat of lambs, and rams of the breed of Bashan, and goats, with the fat of kidneys of wheat; and thou didst drink the pure blood of the grape.” Praise our God! We find that before people receive the Pentecost, they have hardly enough for themselves; but when they geat over into Canaan, the promised land, which is the very type of our entering into the promise of the Father, they become rich and are able to lend and able to give, for they have fruit in abundance, everything plentiful. The baptism with the Holy Ghost gives us the rivers of salvation. Praise God! O may every child of God seek all that He has for them.
________
NO EXCUSE FOR SIN.
In justification, we can overcome all the power of the enemy. We have no right to live in sin at any time. Who, the Son makes free is “free indeed.” What is he free from? From sin. Dear ones, we want to honor the Blood of Jesus. The Blood has never lost its saving efficacy. Just one drop of His Blood overcomes Satan. The one who in justified, with the Blood in his heart, if he will obey the Spirit, will always live from sin.
Every justified soul is being drawn of the Spirit to sanctification, though he may not know it. He is conscious of a hungering for more of God, and the Spirit continues to show him there is higher ground for him. If he continues to walk in the light, he will he led right into the fountain for sin and uncleanness, the Blood will cleanse him from all sin, the old man the body of sin will be hung on Calvary’s cross and Christ enthroned in his heart. Bless God, when Christ is enthroned and crowned within, then old Ishmael, the bond woman’s son. which is the old Adam and carnality, is put out. The soul is delivered from the warfare within. He does not have to live in the same house tormented by the inward fores of doubts and fears. The free child rules, which is Christ.
________
HEAVENLY VISIONS.
Thirteen saints met in a cottage prayer meeting in Los Angeles and all were in the Spirit and of one accord. They knelt in prayer expecting the Lord to manifest Himself. The power of God fell and every one was caught up in the Spirit and saw visions from God. Bro. McLain says he saw a beautiful white dove for some time on the back of his chair. One sister saw an angel come into their midst with a golden harp in her hand. Several had the same vision of the Savior. He held a book in His hand. They saw the nail print and the blood trickling down while He wrote their names in the book with His finger with the blood that ran from His pierced hand. He stood on the other side of a river. The waters of the river looked bloody. An angel about the size of a child twelve years of age stood in front of the Savior. It went about the room and hovered over the heads of all in the room. One brother had not yet received his Pentecost, and a star was seen to come and light on his forehead, while he was testifying. The brother that was healed of blindness by the power of God some time ago saw an angel with a golden candle stick about three feet high. Praise God. He is wonderfully fulfilling His Word in His children. Acts. 2, 17.
________
REBECCA; TYPE OF THE BRIDE OF CHRIST-Gen. 24.
“I pray thee is there room in thy father’s house for us to lodge in?” These words were spoken by Eliezer, Abraham’s eldest servant and steward of his house, to Rebecca when he had found her at the well in answer to his prayer. Eliezer (meaning “God’s Helper”) is a type of the Holy Spirit, and Isaac is a type of Christ. Now as Eliezer was seeking a bride for Isaac, the won of Abraham, so the Holy Spirit today is seeking a bride for the Lord Jesus, God’s only begotten Son.
Eliezar was sent to Abraham’s country and to his kindred to take a wife for Isaac. So God our Father has sent the Holy Spirit from the glory land down into this world, and He, the Spirit of truth, is convicting the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment, and is selecting out of the body of Christ His bride. He is seeking among His kindred, the sanctified, and Jesus is baptizing them with the Holy Ghost and fire, preparing them for the great marriage supper of the Lamb. Praise our God! Eliezer was under oath not to select the bride from the Canaanites but from Abraham’s kindred. So God is not selecting a bride for Christ among the sinners, for a sinner must first get saved and sanctified before he can be one with the Lord Jesus. Heb. 2:11 says, “For both He that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of now, for which cause He is not ashamed to call them brethren.” So He is seeking a bride among His brethren, the sanctified.
“Christ so loved the church that He gave Himself for it; that He might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the Word; that He might present it unto Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.” Eph. 5: 25-27. So Jesus today is selecting a sanctified people, baptizing them with the Holy Ghost and fire to greet Him at His coming. Rebecca was a virgin, the type of a sanctified soul. So the Holy Ghost today is standing at the heart of every pure virgin (sanctified soul) pleading, “I pray thee is there room in thy heart that I may come in and lodge?” O beloved, we see many of the sanctified people today rejecting the Holy Spirit, just as people rejected Christ when He was on earth here. IT seems there is no room in their hearts for the baptism with the Holy Ghost and fire. May God help them to open their eyes and see that the time draweth nigh for His coming. O may Christ’s waiting bride wake up and let the Holy Ghost come in.
Rebecca was a type of the wise virgins. When Eliezer met her at the well and asked her to let him drink a little water from her pitcher, O how sweet and ready she was. She answered and said, “Drink, my Lord.” And she hastened and let down her pitcher upon her hand and gave him drink, and it pleased him. The Spirit is a person. He can be pleased, He can be quenched, and He can be insulted, as we find Ananias insulted Him. We please Him when we accept the words of Jesus. Then Jesus sends the Holy Spirit to witness in our hearts.
When Rebecca had some giving him drink, she said, “I will also draw water for thy camels.” Christ’s bride must do everything without murmuring. O how sweet it is when we have the mighty Spirit in our hearts; we are ready for service; we are ready for watering the whole entire world with the precious well of salvation in our heart. Beloved, when the Holy Ghost comes, He brings the well of salvation and rivers of living water.
“And it came to pass, as the camels had done drinking, that the man took a gold earring of half a shekel weight and two bracelets for her hands of ten shekels weight of gold.” Praise God. This is what our beloved sanctified people receive when they receive the witness of the anointing of the Holy Ghost upon their hearts, as when Jesus breathed upon the disciples before Pentecost in the upper room, where He said, “Receive ye the Holy Ghost.” The disciples had the witness in their hearts that very moment that “both He that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one.” For He had opened the Scriptures to them, (Lu. 24:32) and their understanding was opened, (Lu. 24:31) “And their eyes were opened and they knew Him.” So with us, when we receive sanctification and the witness of the Spirit in our hearts to our sanctification, the Scriptures are opened to us, we understand them, and our eyes are anointed. We see a picture of it in Rebecca. When she had received Eliezer and let him drink our of her pitcher and had watered the camels, he gave her the earrings and bracelets of gold. O beloved may we let the Holy Ghost sup our of our heart pitcher, for the Lord says, “Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if any man hear My voice and open the door, I will come in and sup with him and he with Me.”
And when He comes in, He opens His precious treasures to us, bracelets and earrings, great weights of gold. O how blessed it is when the precious Spirit enters into our hearts like Eliezer. He tells us the great wealth of our Father and of our Christ, for He opens up our understanding, and enlightens our minds. His continual conversation is about the Father and Jesus. Eliezer was the very type of the Holy Spirit who takes the things of Christ and shows them unto us, for He told Rebecca of the wealth of Abraham and Isaac, giving her jewels. And she wore them, showing that she was the espoused of Isaac. Hallelujah! Jesus breathed the Holy Ghost on His disciples and said, “Whosoever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whosoever sins yet retain, they are retained.” Thus they had the witness in their hearts that they were candidates for the baptism with the Holy Ghost and fire. He commanded them, “Tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye endued with power from on high.” Praise our God!
“I pray thee is there room in thy father’s house for us to lodge in?” Beloved, is there room in your heart that God’s blessed Spirit can come and lodge in? Rebecca was a wise virgin. She met Eliezer at the well and received the bracelets and earrings; but she did not receive them until she had allowed him to drink out of her pitcher and had watered the camels. Many others stood by, no doubt; but they did not do any watering of the camels. O may all of Christ’s waiting bride be filled with the rivers of living water that they may water the thirsty, parched hearts with the rivers of salvation.
Rebecca wore her jewels. She did not put them aside or into her pocket, for we read that Laban saw them on his sister’s hands. When we have received the abiding anointing in our hearts, someone can always see it shining forth upon our faces. Praise God!
When Eliezer had fed the camels and had come into the house, and when meat was set before him, he said, “I will not eat until I have told mine errand.” O beloved, we should be so zealous about the bride of Christ that nothing will be able to turn us aside. We find the first overthrow in the human soul was through the appetite; and when the Holy Ghost sends us on His mission, may we not be satisfied until we have told it, and of His coming back to parish again.
Then he told his mission how that Abraham had sent him to his kindred to take a wife for his son, and he said, “And now if ye will deal kindly and truly with my master, tell me, and if not, tell me.” They said, “The thing proceedeth from the Lord” and gave Rebecca to be his master’s wife. When people are living under the guidance of God’s Holy Spirit, it does not take them very long to hear the voice of God, and they are willing to obey. Praise God! Then Eliezer ate and tarried with them that night, because he had received the desire of his master’s heart and his heart.
But on the morrow, her brother and mother said, “Let the damsel abide with us a few days, at least ten days.” But he said, “Hinder me not.” It is best, when we hear the words of God and the Spirit is upon us, to receive now the baptism with the Holy Spirit, instead of waiting two or three days and meeting friends and meeting the devil, who will try to persuade us out of it. If Rebecca had remained, perhaps her friends might have talked her out of going with Eliezer over the plains away off to that distant land to her husband Isaac.
Eliezer said, “Hinder me not.” O may we do nothing to hinder the entrance of the baptism with the Holy Ghost. We should see that everything is out of the way and nothing to stand between us and this glorious blessing. Then they called Rebecca and said to her, “Wilt thou go with this man?” And she said, “I will go.” To receive the baptism with the Holy Ghost, we must forsake all and follow Jesus all the way. For the Lord Jesus says, “For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and cleave to his wife.” So we that are Christ’s bride must forsake all and cleave to Christ, as Rebecca left father and mother, brother and sister, and rode on the camel to meet Isaac.
“And Isaac went out to meditate in the fields at eventide; and he lifted up his eyes and saw, and behold the camels were coming. And Rebecca lifted up her eyes, and when she saw Isaac, she lighted off the camel” to meet him. Now we are living in the eventide of this dispensation, when the Holy Spirit is leading us, Christ’s bride, to meet Him in the clouds.-W.J.s.
________
The sinner and harlots and gamblers are receiving this blessed Holy Ghost before the church members. The first shall be last and the last first.
________
One tenth of all we own belongs to the Lord, besides an offering, as much as He says. If He says a half, we will have to give a half. Giving to the Lord is just as much a part of worship as the testimony and prayer. If there are people who do not believe in giving an offering, they do not believe in the Scriptures. When we consecrate, we consecrate our pocket-books.
END OF PAGE TWO
PENTECOST FALLING.
In McKeeaport, Pa.
322 Brown Ave., McKeeaport, Pa., Feb. 8.-The Holy Ghost has fallen on about a dozen here and they are speaking in tongues and we do not know where the work will stop. There have been two received their call to China. We praise God for His wonderful grace and power.
-S.F. Black.
In Mobile.
Davis Ave. and Ann St., Mobile, Ala., Feb. 1.-After a hard battle in this wicked place, the Lord gave me a tent in answer to prayer. We give God all the glory for victory. Five have been sanctified and three received Pentecost. One brother that has been crippled for years has been healed in his foot and can walk without a stick, and we are expecting a great work of the Lord here soon.-F.W. Williams.
In Spokane.
Spokane, Wash., Mar. 21. Thank God, the work of the Holy Spirit is reaching into the remotest places of the earth. Upwards of thirty have received their Pentecost right here in Spokane in the past few days, speaking in tongues, writing, and praising God in all things. The Apostolic Light will be somewhat delayed, owing to my removal from Portland office to the work to which God called me in Spokane.-M.L. Ryan.
In Burgess, S.C.
Burgess, S.C. March 16.-We are having a wonderful meeting in our midst. Several are being baptized with the Holy Ghost. The people are coming by crowds and God’s great work is spreading. Glory to God for this wonderful salvation that is coming back to earth again.”-Mc. D. Brown.
In Santa Cruz, Cal.
Pentecost has fallen in Santa Cruz. The last report from there people were getting saved, sanctified, and baptized with the Holy Ghost, and healed. Many seeking. Bro. and Sister T.W. McConnell have been laboring there and Bro. Wilkinson has been assisting.
In Long Beach.
The Lord is blessing in Long Beach, Cal. We cannot tell just how many at this date have received their Pentecost and speak in tongues. Hungry souls are seeking. The street meetings are attended by crowds. Last Sunday night, many had to be turned away. Bro. McCauley has charge of the work. He says, “The Lord has wonderfully planted the seed of salvation in Long Beach in street meetings every Sunday afternoon. O how I praise Him for the outpouring of His Spirit. A baby that had been sick all its life was wonderfully healed in answer to prayer. Peace be to all the saints in Christ Jesus. Amen.”-E. McCauley, Long Beach, Cal.
In Des Moines.
1624 Oakland Ave., Des Moines, Ia., Feb. 21.-God is working here. Seven or eight are speaking in tongues and others awakened to the truth. I myself have received the gift and speak in many different tongues. Can interpret the same. the burden of the Spirit seems to be the blindness of the people, the soon coming of the Lord, the awful judgments that are coming, and to prepare messengers and a bride for His coming. The mission is becoming a center for the hungry ones and too small to accommodate the people. God bless you all. We have had no teaching outside, except our own close walk with God and getting down, down, down before Him and proving Him who never fails. Praise His name. Yours in the rapture, E.C. Ladd.
In San Francisco.
215 Locust Ave., San Francisco, Cal., Mar. 3.-The Lord is working mightily in San Francisco. Many souls have been converted, sanctified, and baptized with the Holy Ghost and fire, and healed by the power of God. One Methodist preacher by the name of H.O. Lanham who came to our meetings a few days ago received the baptism with the Holy Ghost Tuesday night (Mar. 5), and spoke in tongues as the Spirit gave utterance. A Baptist preacher who was backslidden got saved, sanctified and baptized with the Holy Ghost and healed, and is now ready to go out and preach the Gospel of Christ in its purity. Bro. Prentiss came to us from Los Angeles and the Lord is blessing him in the meetings. Yours truly in the Lord.-Adolph Rosa.
In San Jose.
25 Short Ridge Ave., San Jose, Cal., Mar. 4.-Praise God for victory. Thirteen have received their Pentecost and Bible evidence since we came here Glory to God! The whole place is stirred. Sunday there were eight healed as soon as I anointed them, and they shouted praises to God. Sunday was a hallelujah day all day. Praise God. Sinners are under awful conviction here. The hall is crowded and the people cannot all get in. We are looking for the power to fall as on Pentecost. Yours in Christ, H. McLain.
In Topeka, Kan.
924 N. Kansas Ave., Topeka, Kans., Feb. 21.-Glory to Jesus for the real Pentecostal power that is coming back to His people. About three months ago, Bro. and Sister Batman stopped off here for a few days on their way to Africa, and told of the wonderful work of God going on in the West, and it made us real hungry for more of God, and we began to seek earnestly for the Baptism with the Holy Ghost. Soon afterwards a band of workers came from Denver and were with us ten days. Several received the baptism while they were here. After they left, we went through some very severe testings, but we held on and when we needed help the worst, God sent Bro. Tom Hezmalhalch and a band of workers to us, for which we praise Him with all our heart. They were with us four weeks and their labors were owned and blessed of God in establishing the work here. A good many were saved and sanctified and baptized with the Holy Ghost. One young man received his call to the foreign field. We expect the work to move right on. Yours in Jesus, C.E. Foster.
In Alvin, S.C.
Alvin, S.C., Mar. 2.-In January we heard of Bro. G.B. Cashwell of Dunn, N.C., that had been to Los Angeles and received the Holy Ghost and spoke with tongues. So our hearts began to hunger more and more, and after praying over it, my wife and I decided to invite him to come to our Pentecost meeting which was to begin the 8th of February. He came to us and stayed three days, and in those three days, there were about twenty-three saints that received the baptism of the Holy Ghost, and all of them spoke with other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. I am glad to tell you, dear saints, that I am one of the twenty-three. As soon as He came into my soul, He spoke with my tongue in an unknown language. Thank God, the Comforter has come at last. Glory! Glory! Glory! We have had several short meetings since we received the Holy Ghost in which several were saved, sanctified, and eight or ten others have received the baptism with the Holy Ghost and all speak with other tongues. Demons have been cast out in the name of Jesus.-F.M. Britton.
In 8th and Maple Ave. Mission, Los Angeles.
The old time Pentecostal power returned to us during the four days and nights tarrying meeting we had beginning Dec. 28 and went over New Years to 5:30 a.m. Some got their Pentecost with the Bible evidence, some converted, some sanctified, some healed. Glory to God! We had been going through a sifting time. Some proved it does pay to hold on to God when the enemy is doing all he can to discourage us. Our God is a God of power. So now we can sing, “I’m pressing on the upward way, New heights I’m gaining every day.”
Later.-A poor lost woman, a victim of the cocaine habit, come into the meetings, was convinced of sin, and as a second definite work was sanctified and has obeyed God confessing Christ in baptism. This is a wonderful case. So the work is going on. A sister got the baptism sitting in her seat. Others justified. God is with us and we are expecting greater things of Him.-W.H. Pendleton, Pastor.
________
PENTECOSTAL POWER IN INDIANAPOLIS.
312 Azusa St., Los Angeles, Cal., Mar. 20.
Apostolic Faith: After an absence of over three months, it is with great joy that I am able to be with the saints at Azusa Mission once more. The same old power is manifest, and many new faces from the north, south, east, and west are seen, having come for their Pentecost.
The Lord gave us a gracious time of Pentecostal power at Indianapolis, Ind. Many received the baptism with the Holy Ghost and are speaking with tongues. They came in from different parts of Indiana and are now going forth to spread the good news. This will be a center of power, being an inter-urban railway center like Los Angeles.
After being forced out of several places, the Lord gave us a nice hall and chairs to seat it, at 1111 1/2 Shelby street (Fountain Square) and the meetings are still going on there. The last Sunday the writer was permitted to be present was a wonderful day power. The meeting seemed to have wings, and the whole room had to be used for the altar service.
In spite of the great opposition from church people and holiness professors, many dear hungry souls are launching out into the ocean of God’s love, and finding a satisfying portion. A great many were healed. Rheumatic demons and all manner of aches and pains were compelled to fly, at the name of Jesus.
“It is so sweet to trust in Jesus,
Just to take Him at His word.”
A brother who had been troubled with eczema a long time was instantly healed; and a few days after, upon examining his skin, nothing remained but blue spots where scabs had been. His wife also was healed.
The elder of the Zion (Dowle) Church and his wife came to the meetings and confessed their need of Jesus in Pentecostal power. They also sought healing and the dear Lord healed them. The wife and daughter received their Pentecost and the husband was seeking.
Bro. and Sister Lehman, returned missionaries from Africa, found their Pentecost and spoke in tongues as the Spirit gave utterance. They had spent five years in learning the Zulu language, and were rejoiced to find “the more excellent way.”
The Lord willing, the writer will remain in Los Angeles until May, when a camp meeting will be held in Lamont, Okla., May 15 to 30. Bro. Cashwell of Dunn, N.C., will probably be there also. After this meeting, a large tabernacle will be pitched in Indianapolis, probably the first week in June; and meetings will continue indefinitely. Our dear Lord is certainly coming soon, and we must be busy spreading this wonderful salvation to the hungry people.
-G.A. Cook.
________
“Now ye are clean through the Word which I have spoken unto you.” Jesus has given us the Word, and if we live in the Word, the Word will be in us, the Blood will flow and we will always be white and clean; but the moment we get out of the Word we become unclean and wander into dangerous paths.
HUNDREDS BAPTIZED IN THE SOUTH.
High Point, N.C., Jan. 24.
To the Saints at Los Angeles and all over the world, Greetings in Jesus name!
The work at Dunn, N.C., still continues in His name. In the three weeks I was here, about fifty received the baptism with the Holy Ghost and spoke in tongues, which is the witness of the baptism as on the Day of Pentecost; and about fifteen of the fifty were ministers of the Gospel. Some are from Georgia, some from South Carolina, and some from North Carolina. Some are called to China to preach this blessed truth. God has blest me in casting out devils, healing the sick and in discerning of spirits.
Bonneau, S.C., Feb. 11.-I came here last Friday by invitation of the holiness people in this section, known as the saints or Church of God. They claim not to belong to any organization and have been keeping the feast of unleavened bread for three or four years and worshiping in upper rooms.
Friday, Saturday, and Sunday were three days set apart for service to tarry and wait for Pentecost, eating nothing but unleavened bread and drinking cold water. I saw at once that they had brought themselves under bondage to keeping the feast and that there was danger of their feeling that God was under obligations to them to send the baptism with the Holy Ghost, because they kept it. But I never met sweeter sanctified people in all my life. I prayed to God to show them that it was not keeping the feast that brought the Holy Ghost. I did not mention it to them at all, but joined them in the feast. Saturday, dear Bro. Britton, their leader, came to me and said he felt that the Lord would be pleased for them to dismiss the keeping of the feast. So he announced it to the people.
Some had already received the baptism, but after that I have never seen the power of God manifested as I saw it here. Twentythree received the baptism with the Holy Ghost and all spoke with tongues.
On Saturday, one very old sister came in who had never heard anyone speak in tongues, and no one was speaking in tongues when she came in. She began to shake hands with the saints, and before she sat down, the power fell on her and she was baptized with the Holy Ghost and commenced speaking in tongues, a perfect language.
Bro. Bridgers, an evangelist of the M.E. Church, now at Marion, S.C., came to the meeting and was baptized with the Holy Ghost and power and spoke in tongues for some time, a perfect language. Praise God for Bro. Bridgers.
Royston, Go., Feb. 27.-Hundreds of precious souls in the South have received the baptism with the Holy Ghost and speak in other tongues. Closed a series of meetings at Taccoa, Georgia, Sunday night. God was with us in great power from start to finish. I did not keep an account of how many received their Pentecost, but they all spoke in tongues, and all that receive the baptism with the Holy Ghost will speak in tongues. All do not have the gift of tongues as taught in I. Cor. 12, but they all spoke in tongues on the Day of Pentecost and at Cornelius’ house, and those that Paul laid hands on at Ephesus, and all that I have heard and seen receive the Holy Ghost have spoken in tongues.
I am receiving letters every day from north, south, east and west from people that have attended my meetings, saying that they have received their Pentecost and speak in tongues.
People have been pulled here by take it by faith, reconsecrate, baptism of fire, “dynamite,” and “lydite” till the faith of the people is almost gone. Praise God for Pentecost. Get your justified experience all in good shape, then get the sanctified experience of a clean heart. Then when your faith takes hold of the promise of the Father and Son, and the Word of God, you will have great joy as they did that went up from Olivet to Jerusalem. Then you can praise and bless God and the Holy Ghost will come in and praise God Himself in unknown tongue, and you will never doubt it any more, if they burn you at the stake of behead you. He will bear witness of Himself. Let us not come short of the promise.
-G.B. Cashwell,
Address, Dunn, N.C.
________
DEMONS CAST OUT.
[The following account of a Spiritualist being saved and sanctified, is written by Bro. J.E. Sawders, Homestead, Ohio., in New Acts.]
We have had some of the most wonderful experiences with demons, that I have ever seen in my life. One woman, a Spiritualist, from the age of sixteen, was possessed with a legion of demons. The devil threw her on the floor where she fought and foamed froth out of her mouth, saying: “I hate Jesus Christ,” many times, and blasphemed God in the most diabolic manner possible to imagine. She pointed right up in the faces of those praying for her, with a hellish laugh, challenging and defying God Almighty, saying, “Ha! ha! She is mine, ha! ha! she belongs to me, etc.” Well, we prayed in Jesus name till she was gloriously delivered, and settled down like a lamb at the feet of Jesus, and for hours prayed and praised Him, until He forgave her, then cleansed her heart, and since then she has been seeking Pentecost. Last night she got up and told her whole experience, and it was simply wonderful indeed. She is very intelligent and she now feels that God is going to use her for revenge upon the devil and his hellish work in Spiritualism. These cities are full of Spiritualists and no doubt God will use this woman now to expose the thing from an experimental standpoint.
PENTECOST IN MIDDLE STATES
—
Extracts From Reports In “New Acts.”
—
In Canton, Ohio.
Fire is falling at Canton, Ohio. At least seven at that place have received their baptism at Bro. Rohrer’s mission. Deep conviction. The stoutest hearts slain under the power. Sinners coming home to God.
In Pittsburg, Pa.
“We have been holding services in the South Side Mission for the last three weeks steadily every night. Prayer has been answered and four of the seeking ones have received their Pentecost and speak in a strange language. One boy twelve or fourteen years old, speaks Italian very distinctly and interprets in English. The sisters speak sentences and quote texts of Scripture, and sing in the language they have received and interpret. Two of the sisters have the same tongue and when one begins to sing some hymn, the other starts in and voices the same words.”
In Akron, Ohio.
Feb. 15, a Methodist minister from another part of the state, received his baptism with the Bible evidence. Bro. and Sister Welch of the South Street Church, have just received their Pentecost. The Spirit whispered to him that God also had touched his eyes, and he found it was so, being able to read without glasses. One lady had said to Bro. McKinney, “I have become almost discouraged, I have been seeking so long without receiving.” A night or two afterwards, when the special revival meetings commenced in her church, she went forward to help and pray with the seekers for pardon of purity, when somewhat to her surprise as well as that of others, the baptism came and she began speaking among them in a new language. A returned missionary from India has very recently received the intense desire of her hart at Akron, and the Spirit has spoken through her in attestation of the baptism.
In Potterbrook, Pa.
Praise God, the Holy Ghost came today. A minister slain under the power. Demons cast out of many. Then Pentecost fell, and ten persons came through with stammering lips and other tongues. Rev. Robbins speaking in a clear language, the Spirit also sang through him. One lady speaking in tongue said. “Jesus is coming.” Real Pentecost. Praise God.
In Homestead, Pa.
“We are sweeping this place for God now. Yesterday afternoon, we had a most remarkable service. Rev. J.T. Body lay for hours under the power, then began to speak clearly and fluently in a new tongue. A man who heard him speak last night told the audience that it was the Hebrew language. He has a marvelous experience.
A young woman was rescued Sunday morning from the police station, went to the altar and was converted Sunday night, was sanctified Monday afternoon and testified to having a pure heart. And Monday night, after lying under the power was baptized with the Holy Ghost and spoke distinctly in a new and flowing language. The lady who rescued her, came through at the same time, and spoke much in Spanish, which I easily understood. The congregation sat and listened in amazement, in the presence of the wonderful operations of the Spirit of God.
A young preacher named McNight, who sat in a large chair under the power, gave out some indistinct utterances, then broke out in a flow of High German, and I understood absolutely every word be uttered. It was wonderful to me. It seemed to me almost as if he had learned the language in which he had spoken so fluently and clearly, so I asked him if he could speak German, and he said No. He is either of Irish of Scotch ancestry.
The meetings go on every day from 2 p.m. until 12 and 1 a.m. Last night the new hall 22 by 70 was well filled. We began with testimonies, when the power came upon us so that there was no opportunity to speak or even read a verse of Scripture. They began coming to the altar, largely young men, and filled two 16 foot altars, then all the front seats. The power was so irresistible that people fell from their seats until the floor was literally covered with prostrate people. One man got the baptism in his home and speaks in a tongue. This makes eight or ten at this date, and scores are seeking at every service.-J.E. Sawders.
________
In a meeting in a place where there was a rough element recently, a cowboy declared that he would break up the meeting that night, and brought his six shooter with him for that purpose. The workers left the matter with God, and kept holding on to Him in prayer. He went out and they heard noises as if he were trying to barricade the door. Soon he came in, sat down, and drew his six shooter, but immediately let it drop on the floor. This he repeated three times. When the altar call was made, he went outside, but one of the workers who was burdened for his soul followed him and knelt on the ground in the darkness not far from him and got hold of God, then came in again and knelt in prayer. The next he knew the boy was at the altar. He had thrown his six shooter to some of his companions. He broke down and cried for mercy and God came to his help and saved him. He got up from his knees and shook hands with nearly everyone in the room. The last we heard of him was that he rode four miles to get to a cottage prayer meeting.
END OF PAGE THREE
THE WARFARE, THE RAPTURE AND AFTERWARDS.
O Son of God, arise,
And put Thine armor on;
Hell’s forces all are marshaling.
The day is almost done.
The night is hastening fast,
The morn will soon appear;
The battle strong will not last long;
Our Christ will soon be here.
courage, brother, do not fear,
The Lord is on our side;
The hosts of hell cannot prevail,
No matter what betide.
The devil’s time is short,
And that he knoweth well;
And so with rage he hath come down
With all the force of hell.
Look not to right or left,
Trust not in kith or kin;
Our eyes must be on Christ alone
If we expect to win.
“Resistance unto blood”
Is now the battle cry;
No time to parley with the foe,
The signs are in the sky.
The sun is darkening,
The moon is turning red;
The awful day of doom is near,
Brother, the Lord hath said.
Let him that is afraid,
Back to his home return;
No coward in this war may fight,
Too hot will be the fire.
To prisons some will go;
Satan will press us sore,
Inspiring those that we love most
To wound us to the core.
Cast out of synagogues
By blinded shepherds here;
Our names still stand at God’s right hand,
So we have naught to fear.
Be faithful unto death,
And give thyself no care;
Lay down thy life for Jesus’ sake,
A crown of life to wear.
The Rapture.
The Lord of glory comes!
Jesus Himself draws nigh!
Angelic hosts are thronging Him
As he descends the sky.
Lift up your heads! Look up!
Redemption draweth nigh.
The battle’s o’er, the victory won,
The saints now mount the sky.
From ocean bed and graves,
From earth’s remotest climb,
From east and west, from north and south,
In majesty sublime
All glory crowned, they rise
With songs of loudest praise
To Him who bought then with His Blood,
Bridegroom of endless days.
After the Rapture.
A sense of awe creeps o’er
The hearts of men now left.
Wives their husbands cannot find;
Husbands of wives bereft.
Men sleeping side by side-One left alone to stay;
Two women grinding at the mill-One quickly caught away.
With faces blanched, men look
Each other in the eye;
Women and children screaming run
And wish that they could die.
Men rush from the saloon
And crowd the place of prayer,
From brothel, race, and gambling hell,
While some still linger there.
The blatant infidel
Now seeks to hide away,
And men who never bowed before
Now settle down to pray.
True picture of the end
Is here in rhyme laid bare,
When Jesus comes to claim His bride
And saints the rapture share.
Brother, heed the warning given,
Let every soul press on;
Get right with God while yet there’s time;
Let no man take thy crown.
-Bro. A. Beck.
________
A party of seven workers from Azusa Mission, all baptized with the Holy Ghost, went to Bonsoll, a country place about a hundred miles distant, to carry this blessed Gospel. The first night they had a cottage prayer meeting, and the second night had thirty people in the little school house. Before closing the meeting, they gave the altar call and there was such a rush to the altar that some fell over the seats and one woman nearly knocked the stove down. Twenty-seven in all came to the altar and 22 of them got saved. They held meetings the rest of the week with good attendance. Souls were saved and sanctified every night. On Sunday they had water baptism and 14 were baptized in the creek by immersion. One lady fell under the power of God just after she came out of the water. In these meetings there was no preaching. God Himself did the work. All but one of them were young workers and they just let God use them as channels.
A CHICAGO EVANGELIST’S PENTECOST.
943 W. North Ave.,
Chicago, Ill., March 19.
Dear Readers of the Apostolic Faith:
I desire to give my testimony for the glory of God, and in the hope that it will prove a blessing to many that read it.
Nine years ago I was deeply convicted of sin, through the Bible and the Spirit moving upon me, which He continued to do till I truly repented of my sins, and earnestly sought the Lord, finally yielding all to Him, and pleading His mercy. He revealed to my heart Christ dying on the cross, and His voice whispered to me, “Christ died for your sins.” Instantly my heart believed, and His peace flooded my soul, and the joy of His salvation was wonderful to me. Later I saw and grasped by faith the truth of sanctification, and the Spirit witnessed to my heart that the work was done, and the Holy Ghost wonderfully wrought in my life.
Five years ago I was called into the ministry, and all these years the Spirit has been with me in a wonderful way. Sometimes I would be overcome by His power. In brief, I honestly believed I was baptized with the Holy Ghost, and testified to it. God had done so much for me, that it was hard for me to believe that there was more for me, except of course, development as I went on with God. And still there was a longing in my heart for something. I traveled as an evangelist from coast to coast, and preached the Gospel in almost every large city in the United States, speaking to as high as 1,000 people at a time, often seeing from twenty-five to one hundred at the altar in a single service. And many were saved, sanctified, and many healed. But some way all this did not satisfy me, and for a year the heart hunger has increased. Like all holiness people I have met, I kept praying for love, power, etc.
finally I heard of the work of God in Azusa Street Mission, Los Angeles, and said to my people, That is the work of God. Later I heard someone preach that the speaking in tongues was the Bible evidence that we had received the baptism in the Holy Ghost, and not understanding it I rejected it. But I saw those who were speaking in tongues had something that I did not have, and I finally became a seeker. And the Lord impressed me to go to Los Angeles, and attend the meetings, and seek the baptism in the Holy Ghost. Finally on Feb. 8, I arrived there, and Sunday, Feb. 10, I attended my first all-day meeting. The first man I met on entering the building was Bro. H.L. Blake of Ruthton, Minn., who still believed he had received the baptism with the Holy Ghost in sanctification, and the anointings and fillings that followed; but I told him I was convinced that what I had was not the baptism.
The first thing that impressed me was the love and unity that prevailed in the meeting, and the heavenly sweetness that filled the very air that I breathed. I want to say right here, that I have attended many large holiness camp meetings and conventions, but I never felt the power and glory that I felt in Azusa Street Mission, and when about twenty persons joined in singing the “Heavenly Chorus,” it was the most ravishing and unearthly music that ever fell on mortal ears. It seemed and still seems to me, I could not sing in that chorus. I know it came direct from heaven. I at once became an earnest seeker, and day after day, I went down before the Lord, and He was true to me. he showed me myself as He saw me. I can never forget the state of utter helplessness to which He reduced me. He even took away the spirit of prayer, my testimony was removed from me, I saw myself apart from Christ as it were, and it made me desperate. I can never forget the faithfulness of Sister Good, and others, in dealing with me. Next to God, I am indebted to them, dear faithful souls, laying down their lives for others; and all the reward they receive so far as I can see, was the plain clothing they wear and food they eat.
After I had been there a little over two weeks, devoting the entire time to seeking my Pentecost, on a Tuesday afternoon, when very much disheartened, suddenly the power of God descended upon me, and I went down under it. I have no language to describe what took place, but it was wonderful. It seemed to me that my body had suddenly become porous, and that a current of electricity was being turned on me from all sides; and for two hours I lay under His mighty power, and yet I knew I was not baptized yet, though I literally felt transparent, and a wonderful glory had come into my soul. Again on Thursday evening following, His power came over me, and I was prostrate on the floor for two hours, and still I knew I was not baptized, though I received a great spiritual uplift.
But on Friday evening, March 1, His mighty power came over me, until I jerked and quaked under it for about three hours. It was strange and wonderful and yet glorious. He worked my whole body, one section at a time, first my arms, then my limbs, then my body, then my head, then my face, then my chin, and finally at 1 a.m. Saturday, Mar. 2, after being under the power for three hours, He finished the work on my vocal organs, and spoke through me in unknown tongues. I arose, perfectly conscious outwardly and inwardly that I was fully baptized in the Holy Ghost, and the devil can never tempt me to doubt it. First I was conscious that a living Person had come into me, and that He possessed even my physical being, in a literal sense, in so much that He could at His will take hold of my vocal organs, and speak any language He chose through me. Then I had such power on me and in me as I never had before. And last but not least, I had a depth of love and sweetness in my soul that I had never even dreamed of before, and a holy calm possessed me, and a holy joy and peace, that is deep and sweet beyond anything I ever experienced before, even in the sanctified life. And O! such victory as He gives me all the time.
Almost three weeks have passed, and all this is with me, and is deepening all the time. My soul is melted over and over again, and many times I feel as if there were, and I believe there is a dynamo of power in me; there is nothing selfish about this, but it is fathomless, real, literal, blessed, grand. O that all the world would seek and find this wonderful gift of God! It is something that speaks for itself. I have not had to witness to the saints I have met for when they hear me speaking in tongues and praising the Lord, they just exclaim, “Brother Durham has got his Pentecost.” Glory to God!
After receiving the baptism, I remained a few days in the home of Bro. and sister Osterberg, to whom I am deeply indebted for their great kindness to me, and left for Colorado Springs March 6. Sunday the 10th, preached three times in the G.A.R. Hall to a crowded house, and the power of God was on the people. About fifty came to the altar, and several came through and spoke in tongues. I also spent two nights in Denver, preaching to large audiences, and full altars, and a number came through and spoke in tongues. From there I came to Des Moines, Iowa, and preached twice in Mrs. Judge Ladd’s Mission, which was crowded, and the altar was so full I could not get to all of the seekers to deal with them.
Saturday, March 16, I reached home, and found that the Lord had taken good care of my dear wife and baby during my absence, and Sunday, March 17, we had the largest attendance in the history of the Mission, and again the altar was so full, that it was hard to deal with the people. And so the work goes on, the Spirit falls like rain wherever I preach His word, and it seems there is no effort on my part. I will close my testimony by saying to all who read it: This work is of God, there is no doubt of that. And I would advise all my friends to seek the baptism in the Holy Ghost, till they get the evidence in tongues, for it always follows; I know of no exception.
Now just a word concerning Bro. Seymour, who is the leader of the movement under God: He is the meekest man I ever met. He walks and talks with God. His power is in his weakness. He seems to maintain a helpless dependence on God and is as simple-hearted as a little child, and at the same time is so filled with God that you feel the love and power every time you get near him.
-W.H. Durham.
________
FOUND THE PEARL OF GREAT PRICE.
The Pentecostal blessing is truly a pearl of great price and worth all the seeking I did to obtain it. For over three weeks I sought, and over fifty times I arose from the altar to face the world, without my enduement of power. During the three weeks I spent in Oakland, I was at the altar at every call. After returning home, I continued to pray and seek.
When I heard that workers had come to Woodland, I was very anxious to get down. The dear Lord opened the way, so I spent one Sunday with them, again a seeker. But no, not yet. I came home, very happy, for I had received full assurance that I was wholly sanctified, perfectly free from sin. Glory to His name!
Then my sister went to Woodland and received her Pentecost the second night she attended the meeting. How happy we were to hear of it. I believe the Lord directed this to take the last spark of jealousy out of me, for I truly rejoiced with my sister. As soon as she came home, I wheeled a most wonderful filling the second night.
The dear Lord had much dross to burn up, before I could come out as a purified article, ready for service. For over an hour and a half, I lay under the power of God on the mission floor. There the blessed Jesus took away all pride and fear of the people. I simply obeyed the dictates of the Holy Spirit. Glory to God. It was no longer I but He. The power seemed to center in my hands, and I promised God I would obey Him in the future and lay hands on the sick, whenever and wherever He sent me.
Then, after I had pledged I would go with Him, came the tongues. They said I spoke four languages. O the love, joy, and peace that flooded my being as I arose from the floor. I was indeed a new creature. Praise Him.
That night, just before I went to sleep the Lord gave me a vision. It was of the New Jerusalem coming down out of heaven, and the rainbow-encircled throne, just a part of that given in Revelation. Oh how beautiful; and what it means to me, I shall never forget. The blessed Lord is filling me as fast as I can bear it and not become puffed up.
Last Sunday I was given the proof that I had the gift of tongues. I spoke in several, and ever since then the tongues are there, just bubbling up like a spring of living water. At any time, I can speak, often keep talking while at work. How I praise Him for this gift. Now I am waiting for the gift of interpretation. The Holy Spirit has also given me power to write five foreign languages, one in Japanese. I am just resting in His hands as the Potter’s clay, ready to be molded for His highest service.-Maggie Geddis, Brooks, Cal.
________
You might as well send a thousand men to dam the Amazon river as to try to stop this Gospel. It is only foolishness to try to stop the mighty power of God.
THIS IS THE POWER OF THE HOLY GHOST.
The Lord gave me a bright conversion when I was 15 years old. Soon after this, He gave me the Holy Spirit as my sanctifier, which I supposed was the baptism with the Holy Ghost. My father, being a highchurchman, opposed my new-found joy and my young, tender life found shelter in Mrs. Baxter’s home. She became a real mother to me. God led me graciously on and made my life fruitful in winning many souls to Christ. Later on, I was married to James Hebden, a successful contractor and efficient mission worker. Over two years ago, we came to Canada. Some searching trials awaited us here, but God proved sufficient. Early in the summer of 1906, we began to feel a lack of power, especially to heal the sick. We sought the Lord for power. Coming in one day sick in body, I asked husband to pray for me. He refused, saying, “It is no use as long as you run so much.” (I was very busy visiting for God). The Spirit said to me, “This is a call to prayer.” Thereafter, I gave myself to more earnest prayer, especially for “power from on high.”
We had just recently rented this building for the Lord’s work. I tolled very hard, scrubbing the stairways, etc., and retired quite weary about 11 o’clock. It was Saturday night. I had scarcely lain down when the Holy Spirit prompted me to arise and pray. I obeyed. Soon the power of god fell upon me. The Lord said, “Tongues?” I answered, “NO, Lord, not Tongues.” There was a pause, “Tongues?” And I replied, “Anything, Lord, Tongues or anything.” Instantly, the Spirit of God seized my hands, clasped them, shook them and pressed them deeply into my cheek, then rested them upon my shoulder. Here the power lifted having continued till after midnight. The next day the power fell upon me where it left off in the night and brandished my hands causing them to strike every part of my body down to my feet. In the afternoon, I went into the meeting below, (we lived on the second floor), and sat quietly by the organ, intending to say nothing of my new experience. However, I was not sitting long, till the Spirit fell upon me and moved me to exclaim loudly, “This is the power of the Holy Ghost; this is the day of Pentecost.” The people were greatly moved and melted to tears.
This same Sabbath evening, while lying on the couch, not expecting to attend the meeting, the Holy Ghost whispered, “He was wounded for our transgressions. He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon Him, and with His stripes we are healed.” Feeling led to go into he service, I went and sat on the front seat facing the speaker. I had scarcely sat down when the leader read, or quoted the scripture just cited. Immediately, the Holy Ghost fell upon me and shouted that same scripture through me with mighty super-human power, two or three times. Some who heard it said that it was not my voice at all, God seemed to take the meeting into His own hands, and His power fell on all present.
On Monday while alone, I began to sing. I said, “Is this tongues, Lord?” And at once He spoke through me some unknown language.
At night, I again declined going to the Bible reading. But suddenly the Holy Ghost seemed to lift me and carry me down to the service. The saints were just arising from prayer as I entered, when the Spirit spoke in power three times through me in a tongue and in English, “This is the power of the Holy Ghost; this is the day of Pentecost.” I disappeared as suddenly as I had appeared, leaving the people overwhelmed with the power of God.
Truly it is the real baptism with the Holy Ghost and fire as John Baptist foretold. There is an unspeakable joy in speaking in tongues and it brings deep solemnity and conviction on the people.
About the middle of this month (Feb., 1907), God gave me a greater measure of power and now I have “the gift of tongues.” I can speak and preach at will in three languages with great fluency any length of time. At first I find that I had tongues as a sign, now as one of the gifts. God also gives the interpretation as He wills. Oh, how humble we need to keep before the Lord so that He can manifest His mighty power.
About the middle of December my husband received his Pentecost and God is mightily working our midst.
Dear reader, let god have His way. How much that means! Blessed Jesus!
Yours in His precious name.-Mrs. James Hebden, 651 Queen East, Toronto, Canada.
________
Bro. Paul says, “He that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifieth himself.” I tell you I would rather speak in tongues when I want to speak for my own edification. I would rather quit using my own tongue and speak in other tongues as the Spirit gives utterance. There is a power, a glory, bless God, that comes down from heaven that passes all understanding. No wonder the Corinthian church all wanted to speak at once. Paul says, “Let him pray that he may interpret.” Greater is he that prophesieth than he that speaketh with tongues, except he interpret.” So many prayed and received the interpretation.
________
On the day of Pentecost, they were immersed into the Holy Spirit. The Spirit “filled all the room where they were sitting.” It is one thing to be filled as a glass filled with water and another thing to be submerged as when you plunge the glass out of sight into the fountain.
REPORT FROM OHIO AND PENNSYLVANIA.
Alliance, Ohio, Jan. 22.
The battle is on and the devil is surely howling, but O how sweet Jesus keeps me in the midst of it all. We are en-route for Pittsburgh, Pa. Some of the Akron workers have gone and have great victories there or near there in Homestead, Pa., a suburban town. We have been invited to many of the Christian Missionary Alliance homes and Missions.
At Akron, Ohio, the meetings have been going on night and day since Dec. 5. People are coming from all around, Indiana, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and other places.
Rev. Lupton who is in charge of the work here is a Friends minister, a very holy, devoted man of God. He has a Missionary Training School or home built for the purpose of sending workers into the harvest, full-fledged Apostolic workers. The school had been going on for three years, and he had been teaching more than he had really experienced. Hearing of the work at Akron, he with eight or ten students came, accepted the teaching, tarried nine days, and received his Pentecost. He speaks in five different languages. Eight of the students and some others have also received the baptism with the Holy Ghost.
Bro. Lupton makes the proposition that we use the home here for a headquarters for the Middle States. I feel it is of God and a good thing, as the Akron work and this is one. They can go on street car from one place to the other. The home has 14 rooms, I think. In the upper room furnished for a classroom, many have received their Pentecost. The Akron paper, “Pentecostal Wonders” has been consolidated with Bro. Lupton’s paper, “The New Acts.” The home here is three miles out of the city of Alliance, God’s chosen spot where people can come from Cleveland, Akron, and Canton.
They have a large camp ground here, tents and everything to push out into the great battle for God. Many are fighting to the bitter end, but God is raising up precious workers to push the work. One young student got through last night in the basement fixing the furnace, putting in coal. I met him in the hall and he told how he had received the Holy Ghost in the cellar. We had a great time praising God.
Cleveland, Ohio, Mar. 1.-We are having great victory here. Have been here more than a week. The fire is falling. Many getting through. Nine received Pentecost this week. I came just for one day but God is holding me.
-Ivey Campbell,
Address 251 College St., E. Liverpool, Oh.
________
ON THE WAY TO AFRICA.
Near Las Palmas, Africa, Jan. 4.
Our hearts rejoice in the omnipresent God this morning. We thank Him as never before. His loving presence is with us. He has prepared the way before us. We behold Him on our right and on our left. When in the United States, it did seem that we could not leave the hungry souls. They seemed to be crying out for the bread of life. In England we find the same thing. We could only touch here and there, but wherever we went, we found waiting souls. As some dear souls said in the Church of England, “We have been preached to and taught so much, but our souls are just longing to step over the line into freedom and perfect love.” One of their ministers said “We are altogether too formal, we need the power of the Holy Spirit.”
My heart was made to tremble the other day while talking with a brother. He said, the Welch revival has gone flat; the churches heard the music, felt the power, reached out, and tried to graft it on to their creeds and formalism and they have lost their power. It made me think of a story our dear Bishop Taylor used to tell us, about an old lady that wished to teach her sparrow to sing like her canary bird; so she confined them both together in a cage, and in a few days the canary had lost all its song, and could only chirp like the sparrow. Let this be as it may with the Welch revival, let the dear ones at Azusa street, take warning, keep under the Blood, keep to the Scripture, and let the God of love bruise Satan under your feet. Praise His Name, we are more than conquers through Him who loved us, and gave Himself for us.
The goodness of God has been manifested in so many ways to us while this great ship is plowing its way through the briny deep. he has given us a little corner in the extreme front of the ship on the upper deck, where a few of us meet together for the study of the Word and prayer. This is a wonderful spot. There is a goodness in God’s mercy like the wideness of the sea. After prayer this morning as I stood upon this extreme end of the boat looking east, west, north and south, and saw this placid water, with not a ruffle to disturb its peaceful bosom, it seemed as though we were standing in the midst of one immense circle, water as far as the eye could reach in every direction, and yet He holdeth the waves in the hollow of his hand, and this great God is love, and even the hairs of our head are numbered, and not a sparrow falleth to the ground without His notice, and He knoweth us all by name.
We believe that our coming to Africa will be blest to others.
We love you all and you are much in our prayers. We ask you all to pray for us that we may be faithful and humble unto death. We expect to see many of you from Azusa street in our field of labor. may the God of peace keep you all unto his appearing.-Samuel J. Mead, Lincoln Station, Caconda, Benguella, Africa.
GLORY!
What is glory? come tell me now,
Where can I go to find its hue;
What can I do, and tell me how
To understand what glory’s true?
Midst all the glory of the world,
There is a glory pure and clear,
‘Tis neither pomp nor power nor word,
But Jesus in my heart, so dear.
He is the Glory of my soul,
He is the Light of all my ways,
He is my Life and perfect whole,
My Glory now and all my days.
No other glory will you need,
Than Him in whom no night can dwell;
The angels chant and sing and plead,
No other glory can we tell.
Yes, Jesus is my Glory here;
Within, around, and all the way,
On earth, in heaven, always near;
Yes, He’s my Glory-joyous lay.
Dear saints of God in whom He dwells,
Be sure He has the right of way
In all we think or do or tell,
In all our heart and what we say.
Think not that Glory sure is won,
When we our selfish ways pursue,
for Glory rests in Him alone
To whom all things are due.
It is the lustre marks the star,
And heat and light the sun;
Although in heaven above so far,
Their glory through the earth doth run.
So Love eternal marks our God,
Uniting all His saints in one,
That Love, so known in Christ our Lord
Is just the very same in men.
One life, one heart, one mind,-the Word
Declares we here and now must be;
The Glory of all glories heard
In Christ is perfect unity.
-T. Hezmalhaich,
2341 Fletcher Ave., Indianapolis, Ind.
________
TRANSFORMED BY THE HOLY GHOST.
—
Publishers receive the Pentecost and it Transforms a Paper and Changes a Whole Movement.
The position of Live Coals has been completely changed. god unmistakably revealed to the editorial staff the unscripturalness of the views they entertained, and entire renunciation of the same took place.
Speaking in tongues as an evidence of Pentecost was stoutly opposed and rejected. The paper did not oppose the speaking in tongues as such, but to make a distinction between this and the gift of tongues * to be an unscriptural distinction to sustain a fanatical proposition. But when this distinction was seen, and that speaking in tongues evidenced Pentecost in every instance where it was given in the Bible, we all with one accord accepted that view and instantly fell into line with joy. Two of those working on the force have at this writing received the baptism, and the others are earnestly seeking, and it is hoped that they will have obtained their Pentecost ere this reaches the eye of the reader.
Henceforth the paper will be unqualifiedly committed to the truth that Pentecost is evidenced by speaking in tongues, and will forever defend it against all opponents of same, and will publish nothing contrary thereto.
All articles, contributions and testimonies in harmony with this view will be published, and all contrary thereto will be rejected. It will be purely a Pentecostal organ, and will be the breathing place for all who have the baptism of the Holy Ghost in Pentecostal reality.
All testimonies of those who do not have it but are seeking it will be published and all who have the baptism of the Holy Ghost may have free right to its columns from time to time.
Its name will be changed in harmony with its change of position, and will be called The Apostolic Evangel.
The paper will be kept free from all advertisements, as heretofore. We propose to issue a clean paper or none.
We desire all who have Pentecost to pray that it may be a Pentecostal organ indeed, and do all you can to make it so.-Apostolic Evangel, Royston, Ga.
________
PENTECOST IN THE NORTH.
The last report from Portland, Oregon, was that eighty people had received the Pentecost and were speaking in tongues. Many sinners have been saved there. Many young men were saved, but the old were saved as well. One man of seventy-one years, a drunkard, came to the meeting. He said that night it seemed a sheet was let down before him filled with beautiful roses and a voice said to him, “Go back to that mission and you may have one of these roses.” He went back and got saved and sanctified and baptized with the Holy Ghost.
From 75 to 150 seekers were at the altar call, the audience was dismissed. The reporters wanted to stay, but of course could not. So they get a young man to go up to the altar and feign to be a seeker, so as to hear of the proceedings from him. He came and knelt with a bottle of whiskey in his pocket, and the result was he got saved and did not hunt up the reporters. He had wronged a man out of $20. He went out on the street and found him and brought him into the mission. The man was so interested he did not want to go home. He and his people were professed Christians but found they did not have anything. They sought the Lord and the whole family received their Pentecost.
Sister Florence Crawford has been home from Portland to Los Angeles for a time, coming by the way of Oakland and Santa Rosa. she returned north again March 19. She said of the work in Portland, “I could not describe the work in Portland. The crowds were driven away and the doors locked when the hall was packed. They fell screaming to the floor under the power of the preaching. God honored His Word with signs and wonders. They brought many sick and those possessed with demons from far and near and God healed them.
“At the close of the last service I was there, after the Lord had sent a wonderful message through Bro. Ryan, the seekers fell like dead men, sinners were saved, believers sanctified and baptized, and O how God did heal the sick.
“At Santa Rosa, at the first meeting, Sunday, the power fell before the meeting was half through. Two received Pentecost at the close of the meeting, two sanctified and two sinners saved. Five received Pentecost there. Nearly all the members of the Baptist Church came down. Some found they had never been converted and had to begin at the beginning and get saved and sanctified. Some of them received the baptism with the Holy Ghost.”-Florence Crawford, Home address, 149 E. Ave. 53, Los Angeles, Cal.
________
A MINNESOTA PREACHER’S TESTIMONY.
Los Angeles, California.
March 5, 1907.
“Ye are my witnesses, saith the Lord, (Isaiah 43: 10-12.)
When in my 21st year, I was deeply convicted of my sins, and sought and found pardon of God, through our Savior Jesus Christ, and I truly believed that His precious Blood had been applied to my soul, to the washing away of my sins. But like many others, I soon lost the bright evidence of my acceptance with God but did not entirely backslide or go back into sin, as I loved God’s people and took pleasure in attending meetings, where at times, the Lord would bless me. But in the year 1881, in a prayer meeting, the Lord clearly set me at liberty, and established me in the justified relation, in which state I continued for about a year, when the Lord gloriously sanctified my soul.
Since that time I have had many anointings of the Spirit, and like other holiness people thought that I had the baptism with the Holy Ghost. So when I came to the Azusa Street Mission, I was quite certain of three things, viz; that I already had received the baptism with the Holy Ghost; 2nd, that I could set these people right from a scriptural standpoint in regard to their views as to the speaking in tongues being the Bible evidence of having received the Holy Ghost; 3rd, I believed God would give me discernment of spirits to know whether this work was of God.
On Sunday, Feb. 10, I had the privilege of being seated in the midst of the assembly at Azusa Street Mission, near the preacher’s stand. As the meeting progressed, I became convinced that God was there in mighty power and that this is indeed the work of the Holy Spirit, and that this people had an experience in the Christian life that I had not attained to. It was not so much the speaking in tongues that convinced me, as the heavenly unction that rested upon many, as they testified, and as the Holy Ghost sang through them, to the edification of others, and I wish to confess that before the meeting closed I was hungry for God. The Lord let me see clearly that He had something more for me, and that He wanted me to tarry until endued with power from on high.
I commenced to go down before the Lord, the hunger increased from day to day and was intensified so that I cried out from the depths of my soul, in the language of scripture, “As the hart panteth after the water brooks so panteth my soul after Thee, O God.” After about two weeks, earnestly seeking at the altar and in secret prayer, with other means as the Holy Spirit led, on Feb. 25, the Lord baptized me with the Holy Ghost and fire, and spoke through me in an unknown tongue as the Spirit gave utterance. (the Bible evidence of the baptism of the Holy Ghost,) Acts 2:4; Mark 16:17; Acts 10:45, 46; 19:6.
Some may ask the question, What have you more than you had before you received your Pentecost? I have far greater liberty and Divine unction on me in dealing with souls, and there has come into my life an overflow of love and joy with a deep settled peace planted in the depths of my soul, a something that is inexpressible and indescribable. To God the Father, Son and Holy Ghost be all the praise and glory for ever.-H.L. Blake, Ruthton, Minn.
________
Holy quietness does not mean to hold your mouth shut and not praise God. It means that the Spirit hushes all the flesh. The Lord is in His holy temple and let all flesh be silent before Him. This quietness will let the Spirit speak out in praises and shouts and song. It is holy quietness in heaven, when the praise is like the voice of “many waters” and “mighty thunderings.” (Rev. 19:6) We want this holy quietness all the time, so we will get used to heaven before we get there.
________
When we are sanctified, we have the Holy Spirit witnessing that Christ is crowned and enthroned within. We have Him bringing forth the fruits of the Spirit; but when we are baptized with the Holy Ghost, He comes in with His gifts.
HOLINESS BIBLE SCHOOL LEADER RECEIVES PENTECOST.
—
Bro. Levi R. Lupton, Who Has a Bible School at Alliance, Ohio, Gives His Experience of Pentecost.
Sabbath, November 30th, was the day I had been looking for. For nine days and a number of nights I had been an ardent and untiring seeker, tarrying for my personal Pentecost, and each waiting day brought added hunger, and strengthened my conviction that I was on the right line, and that God was well pleased with the course pursued. Yet, I passed through some of the darkest conflicts with the devil that I had ever experienced. It was just in the act of crucifixion when the Son of God cried out with all the power of His being, “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” Beloved reader, when you get what I am talking about, you will have light on some things you never had before, and be in possession of what you hitherto have never had.
The service that night opened at 10 a.m. with from thirty to forty people present. We soon went to prayer. I once more with great earnestness, told God of my soul hunger, and how I wanted to be filled with the Holy Ghost, and, bless heaven forever, this time He gave ear, and I soon found myself on the floor under His gracious power, where I remained for nine hours. At this point I am very conscious that words fall in an attempt to describe what took place. In fact, I never expect to be able to tell much of what God did for me upon this occasion. My prayer upon this morning was one of consecrating my body as I had ever understood it before. Yes, my body. I took it member by member telling God I wanted Him to possess, to use it as never before. He took me at my word and really took possession, I then became perfectly helpless and for a season my entire body became cold, and I was unable to move even to the extent that I could not wink an eye for a short time.
Yet, I was perfectly conscious and restful in my soul and mind. After some three hours the power of God left my body except in my shoulders and arms, which remained stiff during the entire time I was upon the floor. After some four hours had passed, I began to speak in other tongues. The dear Lord had taken my jaws and vocal organs and moved them in His own peculiar manner, as was witnessed by many of those who stood by. In the meantime I was made to realize as I had never known anything about in the past, what it meant to be clay in the hands of the potter, and what others can never know experimentally, until they as absolutely submit themselves to God for the same purpose.
I have well grounded reason to believe that He took me and spoke through me in a number of different languages. I was given a number of messages to people in a personal way, and was permitted to interpret many things which I spoke. At this time I wish to have it well understood that I was not seeking the gift of tongues, but the gift of the Holy Ghost, holding myself open to receive any of the promised gifts, (Cor. 12:7-11) which He saw fit to bestow upon me, and it pleased Him to give me the gift of tongues. I say reverently that since then, I can speak at will in tongues, and yet I hold it as a sacred trust.
Furthermore, I wish to state that during the time I was under the power of God, I had other remarkable revelations which I am not now free to relate.
________
WORK INCREASING.
This work seems to be increasing in power, despite all the efforts of self-appointed critics and antagonists. The writer has not a single doubt but that Brother Seymour has more power with God, and more power from God, than all his critics in and out of the city. His strength is in his conscious weakness, and lowliness before God; and, so long as he maintains this attitude, the power of God will, no doubt, continue to flow through him.
We tremble for some of our friends, who claim that God has revealed to them, that “this whole work is of the devil.”
We can not, dogmatically affirm that these persons have not received a revelation; but we are perfectly sure that such a revelation was not from God. The Almighty doth not pull down with one hand, what He buildeth up with the other. Satan is not in the rescue work; nor does he lead his followers to magnify the atoning blood of Christ, nor fill people with a desire and a passion for saving souls. We have never known Christ more magnified than in Azusa Mission. To ascribe this work to Satan, appears to us to be very much like ascribing the work of Christ, done in power of the Spirit, to Beelzebub. We tremble for all those who have made any such rash decision. May God in his great mercy help them to reverse such decision, and get to the place where he can give them the equivalent of what He is giving many in Azusa Street Mission.-A.S. Worrell in Gospel Witness.
________
The Blood conquers all the forces of hell. After we get the power of the Holy Ghost on our souls, we need the Blood just as much, because the Blood brings life and sweetness. As long as we live under the Blood, we will have life and be preserved and the very sweetness of heaven will be sprinkled upon us, but the moment we get from under the Blood, we will be a different person altogether. You can tell when people are living under the Blood. There is sweetness, quietness, joy, happiness, rest, and all the fruits of the Spirit, but leave the Blood out and the works of the flesh are sure to manifest themselves.
TESTIMONIES OF HEALING.
“As I opened your letter and read it, there was such a wave of glory flooded my soul. As I laid the handkerchief on my forehead, I received such a clear witness that the work was done, also my husband got the witness. O how I praise God for the great Physician that can cure all manner of sickness.”-Viney McNail, Mt. Repose, Ohio.
“Received the handkerchief all right, and God sent two distinct waves of power over us. The lady had been recovering for some time and was helped by the laying on of the handkerchief. All glory be to God who does the work. She has taken no medicine, but is healed by faith. Hallelujah!”-S.A., Morrisburg, Ont.
A woman in Santa cruz was walking along the street with packages of drugs in her hands, which she had just purchased at the drug store, when she passed by the Apostolic Faith meeting and something said to her, “Go into that little mission and you will be healed.” They were praying for the sick. This sister had been greatly afflicted with rheumatism, but was instantly healed. She was sanctified and is seeking the baptism.
“dear ones in Christ:-I write to tell you that God healed me before the handkerchief got back to me. O praise His dear name forever.”-Mrs. A.L. Werhan, Box 175, Lamont, Okla.
A sister in Minneapolis was going to the hospital to have an operation performed which would cost $60. She says the Lord spoke to her and told her if she would send that money to Azusa Mission, He would heal her. She did so, asking that it might be used to send a Holy Ghost baptized worker there, and the Lord healed her. Thank God for the great Physician. She writes since then, “The Lord has baptized me with the Holy Ghost and with unknown tongues. I saw God with a crown on His head and cloven tongues of fire came on me, and I got under the power of God.”-Mrs. Ferman, 320 Cedar Ave., So., Minneapolis, Minn.
“We are rejoicing today over the clear demonstration of our God’s power. Just two weeks ago today, we were called to pray for a lady here who had been hopelessly insane for two months past. She was to be taken to the Asylum at Stockton on Monday, February 11th, but prayer was offered, hands laid on and our blessed God healed her. When the authorities came with the doctors to take her away, the insane spirit had gone out. She was clothed in her right mind. Praise God. The work was done before we got through praying. She told me today that the first she knew she was sick was to find my wife and myself praying for her. ‘O,’ said she, such a load was lifted from my heart. It seemed to me that something was there crushing my very life out of me, but your prayers lifted the load and it was gone and has never returned. O, praise God forever.” Wm. Davis, Sacramento, Cal.
“I want all of you to know how the Lord has cured me of an incurable disease of about eight years standing, and made me perfectly whole. Glory to God! He also gave me a discernment of spirits, till I could see the epileptic demons, demons that had been tormenting me so long. The Lord sent Sister Kennison from Redlands over to pray for me, and she came and we fasted and prayed for about four days. We had a hard fight with the devil, but thank the Lord, we at last got glorious victory. The Lord also healed my eyes after wearing glasses for over four years, and I find no use for them any more. Praise the Lord! I have been prayed for many a time before, but it always came back. I did not believe in this Pentecostal experience and fought against it, but just as soon as I sought and found it, I had them pray with me and was healed. Now I am just waiting on the Lord and expecting Him to lead me. On land or sea, no matter where, Where Jesus is, ’tis heaven there.”-Margaret Gill, 822 W. Walnut St., Santa Ana, Cal.
________
HEALING.
Jesus still heals today. We read in James 5. 13, the duty of every sick child of God in the body of Christ. Let us read His Word: “Is any among you afflicted, let him pray.” Praise God! Jesus said, “Men ought always to pray and not to faint.” But many precious children of God today, instead of praying, commence grieving. But God’s word says, “Let him pray.” And if we obey His Word, He will heal us. We read in Ps. 107. 20, “He sent His Word and healed them, and delivered them from their distresses.” We read again in Prov. 4. 20, “My son, attend to my words, incline thine ear unto my sayings.” Jesus is speaking through the power of the Holy Ghost through Bro. Soloman to every believer to keep His precious Word. “Let them not depart from thine eyes, keep them in the midst of thine heart; for they are life unto those that find Him and health to all their flesh,” (the margin says medicine.)
We read in Ex. 16. 26, “I am the Lord that healeth thee.” Jesus said in John 3. 14, “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up; that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have eternal life.”
Dear beloved, we see in receiving the words of Jesus, it brings not only life to our souls and spirits but to these physical bodies. For His words are medicine to our bodies through faith. “Praise God!” We find all the apostles believed in healing of the body and practiced it, for that was a part of their commission, “Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you.” We read in Matt. 10, 1, “And when He had called unto Him His disciples, He gave them power against unclean spirits to cast them out and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease,” in the name of Jesus of Nazareth, these things should be done. We read in the 6th verse of the same chapter, “And as ye go preach, saying The kingdom of heaven is at hand; heal the sick; cleanse the lepers; raise the dead, cast out devils; freely ye have received, freely give.”
Dear beloved, we must obey God. We find that the apostles taught and preached the whole doctrine of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. We read in Acts 9, 33, “And Peter found a certain man named Aeneas which had kept his be eight years, and was sick of a palsy. And Peter said unto him, ‘Jesus Christ maketh thee whole. Rise and make they bed.’ And he arose immediately. And all that dwelt at Lydda and Saron saw him and turned unto the Lord.” Praise our God.
Dear beloved, Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever. On the 18th of this month, there was a woman healed in the upper room of the Azusa Mission that was paralyzed in her whole right side. She could not move her hand or foot. But in five or ten minutes after prayers were offered for her, we asked her to rise and walk, and the power of god went through her and she arose and walked. Now she can walk just as well as ever and use her hand. Praise God! Hallelujah!
“Now there was at Joppa a certain disciple named Tabitha, which by interpretation is called Dorcas. This woman was full of good works and alms deeds which she did. And it came to pass in those days that she was sick and died. Whom when they had washed, they laid her in an upper chamber. And forasmuch as Lydda was nigh to Joppa, and the disciples had heard that Peter was there, they sent unto him two men, desiring that they would not delay to come to them. And Peter arose and went with them. When he was come, they brought him into the upper chamber; and all the widows stood by him weeping (crying) and showing the coats and garments which Dorcas had made while she was with them.”
See this body of saints standing around the corpse, weeping because their loved one had departed. But O to see their faith so perfected in the Gospel that they believed that Peter had the gift of faith even to do the same work that his Master did at the grave of Lazarus. O dear saints, we have so much in this precious Gospel-not only is there power to save from sin, power to heal our bodies, and power to baptize us with the Holy Ghost, but it has power to raise us from the dead. Glory to God! When Martha met Jesus and said unto Him, “If thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.” (Jno. 11:22) she expressed her faith in these words, “But I know that even now, whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee.” When Jesus saw her faith, after she had spoken these words, He said unto her, “Thy brother shall rise again.” So these precious widows that stood by Dorcas’ body had the same faith perfected in them. As Peter had been with the Lord Jesus in the great healing meetings and even in the homes where He had raised the dead, they believed and had the faith that Dorcas would be raised from the dead. Praise our God! For they believed the commission that the Lord Jesus had given, “Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers.” And they taught and practiced everything to the letter.
Dear loved ones, we must come up to the standard. May we not stop, but may we go on to perfection, until we do reach the standard of the faith that was once delivered unto the saints. The Gospel is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth it. Praise our God! Hallelujah!
________
There is nothing sweeter, higher or holler in this world than sanctification. The baptism with the Holy Ghost is the gift of power upon the sanctified soul, giving power to preach the Gospel of Christ and power to go to the stake. It seals you unto the day of redemption, that you may be ready to meet the Lord Jesus at midnight or any time, because you have oil in your vessel with your lamp. You are partaker of the Holy Ghost in the Pentecostal baptism, just as you were partaker of the Lord Jesus Christ in sanctification. You become partaker of the eternal Spirit of God in the baptism with the Holy Ghost. Jesus was a God before He received the baptism, sanctified and sent into the world, but yet He could not go on His great mission, fighting against the combined forces of hell, until He received the baptism with the Holy Ghost. If He needed it, how much more we as His servants ought to get the same thing.
________
“And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly, and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of the Lord.” The Spirit has prayed for us that we might have sanctified bodies, so we should expect to have pure bodies until Jesus comes, that the holiness of God might be flowing out of us more perfectly than ever before. If Christ’s bride, His body, were a mass of disease, it would look as if He had gone out of business and we would have to get the doctors to help Him out. But we do not need a doctor to help Christ heal His body. We have just as much right to honor the stripes of Jesus as we have to honor His Blood on the cross. “With His stripes ye are healed.” This is a blessed salvation that gives us a body pure from disease, that we may be a perfect monument of His truth and witness to the healing and sanctification of our body, soul, and spirit. Oh the blessed atonement brings so much with it.
SIGNS OF HIS COMING.
The question has been asked, How do we know as to the soon coming of the Lord, and what are the signs of His coming?
We read in Matthew 24 where the disciples asked Jesus, “What shall be the sign of Thy coming and of the end of the world?” And Jesus said, “Take heed that no man deceive you, for many shall come in My name, saying, ‘I am Christ’; and shall deceive many. And ye shall hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that ye be not troubled, for all these things must come to pass; but the end is not yet. For nation shall rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom; and there shall be famines and pestilences and earthquakes in divers places. All these are the beginning of sorrows.” These things first must come upon all nations. They surely are the true signs of the coming of our Lord Jesus. Praise His holy name!
“Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you; ye shall be hated of all nations for My name’s sake. And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another and shall hate one another. And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.” How true that is. We find because of iniquity, men and women gradually lose their first love; next they fall away; third, they crucify Christ, and fourth, they put Him to an open shame. O may God help us to see that we are living in the fulfillment of the signs of the time. But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.
Jesus went on to say, “And this Gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations, and then shall the end come.” He also said, in Luke 21:28, “When these things begin to come to pass, then look up and lift up your heads, for your redemption draweth nigh.” So when we see these things coming to pass; wars and rumors of wars, nation rising against nation, famines, pestilences, and earthquakes, we know that they are signs of His coming.
We also read in Daniel 12:4, that in the last days, “Many shall run to and fro and knowledge shall be increased.” We find now a spirit of restlessness among the nations and among the people everywhere. Running to and fro on railroad trains and on ships, moving from one place to another. Also we see the wonderful discoveries and inventions, the electric cars harnessed to electricity and running with great speed, the telegraph, telephone, and wireless telegraphy, by which messages are carried at lightning speed all over the world.
In Nahum, 2: 3-4, we read of the day of His preparation: “The chariots shall be with flaming torches, in the day of His preparation, and the fir trees shall be terribly shaken. The chariots shall rage in the streets, they shall jostle one against another in the broad ways; they shall seem like torches, they shall run like lightnings.” In these days, we have trains running from 60 to 90 miles an hour, and as they pass, they shake the very ground, and the trees even bow to the trains as they pass. Also we see Nahum’s prophecy fulfilled in the automobiles which are seen in all our cities. They are the chariots that rage in the streets and jostle one against another in the broad ways. They run with bright lights “like torches” at night, and with the power of electricity which is that of “lightnings.” So we see the prophecy written thousands of years ago by the prophet is now fulfilled, and it tells us that this is the day of His preparation. May God help us to see that the coming of our Lord draweth nigh.
Jesus also gave us a sign of His coming in the parable of the fig tree, Luke 21:29-32, “Behold the fig tree and all the trees; when they now shoot forth, ye see and know of your own selves that summer is not nigh at hand. So likewise, when ye see these things come to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand. Verily, I say unto you, ‘This generation shall not pass till all be fulfilled.” Jesus, in speaking of the fig tree putting forth its bud, is speaking concerning the Jews, for they were god’s fig tree that was planted in His vineyard. We read in Mar. 11, “And seeing a fig tree afar off having leaves, He came, if haply He might find anything thereon. And when He came to it, He found nothing but leaves; for the time of figs was not yet And Jesus answered and said, “No man eat fruit of thee hereafter forever.” This cursing of the fig tree was a type of the rejection of the Jews, because they rejected Christ. so they were to bring forth no fruit until the Gentile age should be fulfilled. We are living now in the closing of the Gentile age. The Jews shall again bring forth fruit as God’s people, His fig tree. We can see now the signs of the budding of the fig tree. Jesus said, in Matt. 24, “Now learn a parable of the fig tree. When his branch is yet tender and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh. So likewise, ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near even at the doors,” that is, know that His coming is near. We find that the Jews, of whom He was speaking, should bud out again, and when they commenced to bud, it would be a sign of His coming.
He says in Luke 21:32, “Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass away, till all these things be fulfilled.” What generation? The Jews. We find that they did not run out. They are the least mixed people upon the face of the earth. They have not passed away as a distinct people, and shall not pass till all these things be fulfilled. His promises are true and sure. Hallelujah! We see the signs of new life in them, in their gathering back to Palestine, where they are now going by thousands, and may soon become a nation again. They have the means to purchase Palestine and are making all preparations to rebuild the temple at Jerusalem. Also God is making their land which was cursed, to blossom as the rose and bring forth fruit abundantly. The rainfall has been restored to that country, and it has become very productive. So we are living in the days when the fig tree shoots forth, and Jesus told us we should know by this that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand. “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but My Word shall not pass away.”
Another proof we find in the times of refreshing we are now having from the presence of the Lord. “Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord; And He shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you; whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began.” Acts 3:19. We thank God for the refreshing times, the times of restitution, when God is restoring the church back to light and power and glory, and she is becoming a burning and shining light to this world again.
Bro. James says, “Be ye patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until ye receive the early and latter rain,” Jas. 5:7. The early rain that God sent was on the day of Pentecost, in the early morning of the apostolic age, which is the outpouring of the Spirit. And in these last days, He is sending the refreshing times, the latter rain, another Pentecost. Bless His holy name!
In Palestine, in order to raise crops, they needed two rains. When the ground was broken and the grain was planted, God sent the early rain that the crop might grow. He also sent the latter rain to bring it into perfection, that it might be ready for harvest. And now He is pouring out the latter rain upon the church, the baptism with the Holy Ghost and fire. We are receiving the Pentecost, speaking in tongues as the Spirit gives utterance, and the wonders and signs are still following. Praise our God! Be ye also patient, brethren, stablish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.
________
THERE IS SOMETHING IN THIS FOR JESUS.
As a holiness preacher, I believed as I interpreted the Scriptures, that I had been baptized with the Holy Ghost. But I found through the hearing of the Word and searching of the Scriptures that I had accepted sanctification and the anointing of the Spirit as the baptism with the Holy Ghost. And being brought to Los Angeles, Cal., by a mysterious providence by the hand of the Lord, I fell in the midst of God’s people at Azusa Street Mission. I saw the real and I saw the counterfeit, the wheat and chaff. I said to the Lord, I do not see any glory in this for You. And a voice came back to me saying, as long as you continue to see the lack in others, I cannot show you your lack. Then I took my Bible and went alone with the Lord, for I was sick of myself and did not want to hear the voice of anyone else but Jesus. And after staying with Him all night, I came into the meetings the next day and listened to the testimonies according to the Scriptures that I had read, and to those who were speaking in tongues. The voice of the Lord said to me, “There is something in this for Jesus.” I answered back, Well, Lord if there is anything in it for Jesus, I want all that is in it, for my life is of no pleasure to me save for His glory, When I did that, I rose up and went to the altar, and humbled myself at the feet of those whom the Lord seemed to have so miraculously dealt with.
And when I had given up my mind and all I thought I knew about sanctification and the baptism with the Holy Ghost, the Holy Spirit marvelously manifested Christ to me as I had never experienced before. In this peculiar manifestation, I found myself singing, “The Comforter has come” in unknown tongues. Then Christ was manifested to me on the cross; after which He carried me again to the Scriptures to confirm in me the witness of the Holy Ghost, Mark 16.16, 17. The Spirit showed me that the Bible is the mind of God. He had written His thoughts and left them upon record, and we should not think contrary to His thoughts. I accepted it, and knew that the tongue in which I spoke was the evidence of the baptism with the Holy Ghost. Acts. 2. 4; 10. 46; I Cor. 12.10.-J. Jeter, Home. address 3101 Wolf St., Little Rock, Ark.
________
The real Pentecost that has been hidden for all these centuries, the Lord is giving back to earth through some real humble people that have no better sense than to believe God. But many are like Nicodemus saying, “How can these things be?” But you cannot reason it out, you must believe God. Man is born with his back toward God, and the only way to get right is to be born of the Spirit through the Blood of Calvary. Then after we are sanctified and made pure, Father has not only the fruits of the Spirit but some precious gifts, presents for us. Many do not know that Father has gifts for His people. They are selling out their birthright. Now when the Lord comes in and sanctifies us, He breathes into us a faith that beats the devil. “This is the victory that overcometh the world, even your faith.” If you have this faith, you can claim every promise of God, every foot of land in Christ Jesus. May God help us to contend for every foot of land, every height and depth in His love.
THE BAPTISM WITH THE HOLY GHOST.
Dear one in Christ who are seeking the baptism with the Holy Ghost; do not seek for tongues but for the promise of the Father, and pray for the baptism with the Holy Ghost, and God will throw in the tongues according to Acts 2. 4.
We read in Acts 1. 4, 5, “And being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith He , ye have heard of me. For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.”
This promise of the Father was preached unto the disciples by John the Baptist. And Jesus reminded the disciples about this baptism that John had preached to them in life. In England we find the same thing. Math. 3, 11. John, after warning the Jews and Pharisees against sin and hypocrisy, preached the doctrine of the baptism with the Holy Ghost. He said first, “Bring forth therefore, fruits meet for repentance.” God is sending our His precious ministers to preach repentance to the people and turn them from their sins and cause them to make restitution according to their ability, and to have faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and be saved. Glory to God!
And then they must get sanctified through the precious Blood of Jesus Christ, for He says in John 17. 14-19, “I pray not that Thou shouldst keep them from the evil. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. Sanctify them through Thy truth; Thy Word is truth. As Thou hast sent Me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth.” God wants His people to be sanctified, because He says again in Heb. 13. 12, “Wherefore Jesus also that He might sanctify the people with His own Blood, suffered without the gate. Let us go forth therefore unto Him without the camp, bearing His reproach.”
Then Jesus taught the disciples to tarry at Jerusalem. They obeyed Him and waited for the promise of the Father. “And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing, mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.” Acts 2, 1-4.
Wind is always typical of the Spirit or of life. “And it filled all the house where they were sitting.” The rivers of salvation had come and had filled the whole place, and they all were immersed or baptized in the Holy Spirit. Praise God!
“And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire.” Beloved, when we receive the baptism with the Holy Ghost and fire, we surely will speak in tongues as the Spirit gives utterance. We are not seeking for tongues, but we are seeking the baptism with the Holy Ghost and fire. And when we receive it, we shall be so filled with the Holy Ghost, that He Himself will speak in the power of the Spirit.
“And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.” Now, beloved, do not be too concerned about your speaking in tongues, but let the Holy Ghost give you utterance, and it will come just as freely as the air we breathe. It is nothing worked up, but it comes from the heart. “With the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth, confession is made unto salvation.” So when the Holy Ghost life comes in, the mouth opens, through the power of the Spirit in the heart. Glory to God!
“There were, dwelling at Jerusalem, Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven. Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language. And they were all amazed and marveled, saying one to another, ‘Behold, are not all these which speak, Gallileans. And how hear we every man speak in our own tongue wherein we were born?” Acts. 2. 5-8.
Beloved, if you do not know the language that you speak, do not puzzle yourself about it, for the Lord did not promise us He would tell us what language we were speaking, but He promised us the interpretation of what we speak.
In seeking the baptism, first get a clear, definite witness in your soul that you have the abiding Christ within. Then there will be no trouble in receiving the Pentecostal baptism, through faith in our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, for it is a free gift that comes without repentance. Bless His holy name!-W.J.S.
________
TENNESSEE EVANGELIST WITNESSES.
“These signs shall follow them that believe.” In My name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; they shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.” Mark. 16. 17, 18.
I had a false interpretation in my heart concerning the speaking in tongues. I did not take it literally as I did, “They shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.” For years God had given me the knowledge of healing, and He had marvelously wrought with me and many cases of disease had been delivered. I interpreted the speaking in tongues to mean that we left off blaspheming, etc. But when I got to the place where, hungering and thirsting for God, I consented to His Word, I saw that we did not need that interpretation, that the only reason we were not enjoying the speaking in tongues was because we did not accept it. Then I felt I had gone to the end of myself. I had the care of a pastor over many flocks far and near and yet was so hungry and thirsty. The Lord showed me the humility of Jesus. How He came and presented Himself for baptism with the rest. I saw that I should not be above my Master. If He needed the Holy Ghost, I needed it to do the will of God, and Jesus would give me a better consolation to my own heart.
In order to loosen my hands from everything, the Lord showed me how Moses was concerned about Jethro’s sheep in the dessert. He saw the bush of fire and God got His attention and got him on the ground where he could speak to Him. He showed me how the disciples forsook their nets, and even when they had received their commission, He stopped them to tarry at Jerusalem that they might receive the promise.
I had a great desire in my heart to come to Los Angeles. I had preached the Pentecost to my people and they were hungry for it. When I came, it was not strange to me for the Lord had showed it to me in a vision. I went to the altar and the Lord put a parable before me, if you were going to marry, would you be sad? I said, no, when I was going to be married, I was glad. He then showed me this was wedlock to Christ. If there was anything imperfect about me, He would make it right and marry me anyway. Then my faith was settled and laid firmly hold on the promise.
As I arose from the altar and took my seat, I fixed my eyes on Jesus, and the Holy Ghost took charge of me. I surrendered perfectly to Him and consented to Him. Then I began singing a song in unknown tongues, and it was the sweetest thing to have Him sing that song through me. He had complete charge of me. I let Him have my mouth and everything. After that it seemed I was standing at the cross and heard Him as He groaned, the dying groans of Jesus, and I groaned. It was not my voice but the voice of my Beloved that I heard in me. When He got through with that, He started the singing again in unknown tongues. When the singing stopped I felt that complete death, it was my life going out, but it was a complete death to me. When He had finished this, I let Him hold my hands up, and they rested just as easily up as down. Then He turned on the joy of it. He began to lift me up. I was passive in His hands, I was not going to do a thing. I could hear the people but did not let anything bother me. It came to me, “I charge thee, O daughters of Jerusalem, that ye stir not up nor awake my Beloved until He please.” S.S. 8, 4. He lifted me to my feet and then the light of heaven fell upon me and burst into me filling me. Then God took charge of my tongue and I went to preaching in tongues. I could not change my tongue. The glory of God filled the temple. The gestures of my hands and movements of my body were His. O it was marvelous and I thank God for giving it to me in His way. Such an indescribable peace and quietness went all through my flesh and into my very brain and has been there ever since.-C.H. Mason, 609 Stephens Ave., Memphis, Tenn.
________
MESSAGES IN TONGUES INTERPRETED.
“The Spirit comes in mighty power upon His people. Look up unto Jesus now and receive from Him. O Jesus is my Almighty King. Look up into the face of Jesus and see this great Savior. He is more than all the world to me. Jesus is altogether lovely. Glory and honor crown Him. Be in adoration unto this wonderful Savior.”
“They that sat in darkness saw great light, and to them that sat in the valley of the shadow of death, a light is sprung up. Jesus is the same today as He was in old times. He will heal the body, cleanse from sin, and give the baptism with the Holy Ghost. He leads on to a life of light. There is freedom for all who would escape the power of the enemy. Seek Him now. O come. God came into the world to seek and to save that which was lost. He has redeemed us by His own precious Blood.”
________
PRESERVED AND SEALED.
The Blood of Jesus Christ sweetens a person. We cannot have much confidence in a religion that does not keep a person sweet. If there is jealousy or any of the works of the flesh manifest the devil must have slipped in. This salvation sweetens, seasons, and preserves you. You know to preserve a thing means to keep it. In order to preserve milk, you must wash the vessel and sometimes sun it. Then it is fit to fill with the sweet milk, and when you want a drink you go into the pantry and pour it out, and O how good it is.
So the Lord cleanses the vessels and makes them sweet and clean. Then He fills them with His holy love that keeps them saved and sanctified. He could not put it into a dirty vessel. The Lord has cleansed vessels, and your soul is the vessel. He cleanses from all unrighteousness and afterwards pours in oil. And when He fills you up with oil, then He sends you out to proclaim His precious Word. This oil keeps us pure and sweet and preserved. He also seals you with the Holy Spirit of God unto the day of Redemption. Eph. 4. 30. He seals you to keep anything from getting in that would sour or embitter. When we obey the Word of God, then no sin can enter, for the Blood preserves us and Christ is enthroned within. The devil is on the outside. Christ always His scepter of righteousness and true holiness, and keeps the place clean.
________
The Lord pours out the Holy Ghost upon our souls to give us power to lift up a risen Savior.
WHAT THE PENTECOST DID FOR ONE FAMILY.
Eight years ago, I was shown that there was more than justification and sanctification for us; there was a power the disciples had that I must have. Being placed in the position I was, as superintendent of home and foreign missions in Winnipeg, Canada, a city of a hundred thousand, I certainly felt my lack of power. I was called of God to give up my business, worth at least five or six thousand a year to me. The Lord had for me more than I then possessed; I got to the point where I must have all God had for me.
Just as I decided to take charge of a church and circuit offered me, the Lord spoke to me and said, “You must go to Los Angeles and take all your family.” Afterward He spoke to my dear wife and said, “Get ready and go with your husband.” Just before leaving for Los Angeles on the train, a friend passed me a copy of the Apostolic Faith. I was much interested and was determined to see for myself, but with the thought that this speaking in tongues was of the devil and I was going to do all in my power to stamp it out. After a trip of nearly 3500 miles, we arrived in Los Angeles on Sunday morning, Nov. 29. I left my family at a hotel and proceeded with my son on a search for Azusa Mission. After I was there a short time, a lady got up and testified, and the power of God fell on her and she began to tremble. I had seen enough of God’s work in my experience to know when He was working. I at once left my seat, and went over and stood beside her. Of course I showed myself as a spy, but did not mind that as I had promised several of God’s people before leaving Manitoba that I would make a report of this work and let them know if it was of God or the devil. Well, glory to God, after this sister trembled for a few minutes, she started to speak in an unknown tongue to me, and to my surprise, after she had uttered a few sentences, she spoke in English, giving the interpretation of what she said. And the Spirit at once changed her tongue back again to the unknown tongue. Thus she spoke and translated quite a while. Glory to God for the convincing power.
My son and I then left the room, and as we went out he said, “Well, papa, what do you think of it?” I said, “I do not know, but this I do know, the power is in that place and God’s Spirit had hold of that woman.”
My wife and I attended the meetings and it was not long till we got real hungry for the glorious gift that God has for us, His people. Now, as there is quite a bit of Scotch in me, I must be thoroughly convinced before I will give in. Knowing part of different Indian languages and trading dialects used throughout Canada, I said, “Now God, if you want to convince me that this if of you, just let some of the Christians speak in a tongue that I understand.” Glory to His name. I thought He would take someone that I did not know and then I would have to find out whether they had ever been up there; but instead of that He took a young lady from the same place I came from, and put her under the power, gave her the Pentecostal gift and made her sing an Indian song that I had known since I was a boy, and I knew that she never was closer than 1,200 miles from the Indians, and had never been taught by anyone. She then changed into another unknown tongue, which afterwards proved to be the Armenian language. After speaking for a few moments in this tongue, she drew my attention by signs, as her English was gone, to an Armenian man near by who was greatly interested in what she was saying. I stepped over to him and asked him if he understood what she was saying. He replied, “I no speak your tongue, but that lady speak my tongue and talk to me about Jesus.” The perspiration broke out upon the man like beads, and he commenced to tremble; and this was the means of his conversion. Glory to God, this is what tongues are doing.
I asked the Lord then to convince my wife and give it to her, if it was for me. And it was not long till she got in earnest about the matter and God got her to the end of herself, and opened heaven, and let the promised gift fall, and she began to speak in unknown tongues. I thought I never saw her so happy, and glory to God, she is still happy.
This made me very hungry and I was determined to have it, so I went in with all my might. But to my surprise I found I was not nearly as high up the mount as I thought. I found out I did not posses the experience of sanctification, and was a long ways from living the sanctified life, in God’s sight. While looking on the lives of others that professed it, I justified myself in thinking I compared with their experience, but this was not what God wanted. I had to be pure and clean in His sight. With the help of kind friends, the love of God, and one dear saint who interceded for me thirteen hours prostrate on the floor, I was brought to the knowledge that I had my family between me and God and thought more of them than of Him, as well as having many other things in the way which the ordinary sanctified person may not think amounts to much. Now as I got all of self and the rest of the rubbish out of my heart, God gave me the witness to my entire satisfaction. I knew I had a clean heart. Glory to God. Hallelujah to His name. Are you there, reader? If not, dig down till the old Adam nature and roots of bitterness are out of the way. Then He will breathe on you and you shall receive the Holy Ghost.
I tarried and prayed and in about nine days, He baptized me with the Holy Ghost and gave me the Bible evidence of speaking and singing in tongues. Upwards of half an hour my language was taken from me and God used me as He saw fit.
More than that, since I came here, the Lord took my little girl, just eleven years old, saved, sanctified, and baptized her with the Holy Ghost and she is now speaking in six or seven different languages, two of which have been interpreted, Spanish and Latin. The other day while she gave her testimony in the Azusa Mission, the Spirit spoke through her in a plain, distinct Latin tongue. At the same time, she raised her hand and pointed with her finger straight at a stranger, and called him by his own name, and told him to go downstairs in the big meeting and tell his experience, and go out and preach the Gospel of Christ. Now this was an educated man who had been preaching infidelity for 19 years and had spoken to as many as 7,000 people in one meeting, who had paid 50 cents each to hear him. He was simply all broken up and went downstairs, taking the child with him. He told his story, saying, “This child preached to me, and of all the sermons I ever heard this was the most powerful.” He declared he was willing to go and preach Jesus, got down on his knees and began to seek God.
Yet people will say, “What is the use of the tongue?” This is one instance, I have attended those meetings for nearly three months, and during that time there has been scarcely a day that something has not happened through interpretation of tongues or someone being present who understood what had been said, which brought conviction on someone and started them to seeking God.
Still more, the Lord has taken hold of my eldest boy, sixteen years of age, who was a wayward boy and was fighting hard against the evidence of tongues; saved him, sanctified him and baptized him with the Holy Ghost, and spoke through him in unknown tongues, and called him to preach the Gospel. Glory to God. Thanks be to His holy name for what He has done for me and my family since I came down here. I do not know how to praise Him enough.-R.J. Scott, Supt. Home and Foreign Missions, Winnipeg.
________
A HOLINESS PREACHER WHO RECEIVED PENTECOST.
422 Citizen’s National Bank Bldg.,
Los Angeles, Cal.
I know when I really repented of my sins and turned away from them that God did for Christ’s sake forgive me. He gave me the blessed evidence that the work was done. “We know that we have passed from death unto life because we love the brethren,” and “if any man be in Christ Jesus he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” He has a new life implanted in his heart. God gives us all the evidence we need for every thing He does for us.
After I was really converted to God, and wonderfully blessed of the Lord, I heard the Holiness people teaching that the Lord would sanctify our souls, but I did not see how it was that the Lord did not sanctify us when we were converted. So, I went to studying the Word of god, and soon found that I did not get sanctified when I was converted. Not only by reading the Word, but from the testimonies of others that had the experience. But you know, Satan was on hand to tell me that I could grow into it, so I tried to grow into the experience, and made a complete failure of it. But when I made a complete sacrifice to God-all on the altar-bless God, He really did sanctify my soul, and gave me the real evidence; the witness of the Holy Ghost that the work was done, and the carnal mind was destroyed; and, Oh, what a sweet peace did flood my soul. I was wonderfully anointed time and again for the work of the Lord, and when I heard of the baptism with the Holy Ghost that some claimed they had received since they were sanctified, I said they never had been sanctified, or they would know better. But I went down to investigate the matter. And when I first went to Azusa Mission, I heard Brother Seymour preach the Word. He said that the disciples were sanctified before the day of Pentecost, and of course, I could not swallow that, because that was not in harmony with the rules and teachings of the Holiness church of which I was a member. He told us to search the Word, and so I began to do this, and the Word made it clear to my mind that his statement was true, and I became hungry for more of God. But the tongue business was a hard problem for me, and I took the 2nd chapter of Acts, and tried to harmonize my sanctified experience with the experience the people got on the day of Pentecost, but I could not get them to harmonize so I came to the conclusion that they got something that I did not get. I then began to tarry and pray night and day, and did not stop until I was wonderfully baptized with the Holy Ghost, and He gave me the blessed evidence which always follows, which is the speaking in tongues.
The Holy Ghost has spoken five different languages through me since I got my Pentecost, some of which has been interpreted. I am glad the Lord knows all the languages of the nations.-W.A. Love.
________
The Lord gave us on the Day of Pentecost, (Acts 2-4), a real experience of a personal Pentecost, and that standard should be kept up till He comes.
________
One token of the Lord’s coming is that He is melting all races and nations together, and they are filled with the power and glory of God. He is baptizing by one spirit into one body and making up a people that will be ready to meet Him when He comes.
PENTECOSTAL TESTIMONIES.
“I am so glad to say that I have received my Pentecost and speak and sing in other tongues, as the Spirit gives me utterance.” -Bro. C.G. Carr, Dunn, N.C.
“I went to Azusa Mission to make fun, but a little girl about eight years old got up and testified to the saving power of Jesus, and while she spoke, the Holy Ghost convicted me of my sins. I went to the altar and cried out to the Lord to save me from sin. Now I can witness His saving power and His cleansing power and His keeping power. O how I praise Him for saving, cleansing and baptizing me with the Holy Ghost. He has given me six languages. Now God has called me out into His work and O how I delight in His service.”-Mack E. Jonas, Long Beach, Cal.
“For 26 years I have been trying to live a good Christian in a justified life, but at heart I was never satisfied. My soul cried out for something. I heard of a tent meeting where there was strange preaching, Apostolic Faith. I was led to that meeting by some unseen power. I read my Bible and found that this was the true doctrine of the Bible. Then I went forward to seek the Lord with all my heart to be sanctified. After seeking for seven days, the Lord for Jesus sake sanctified me. I sought six days longer for my Pentecost, praise God, and now speak in tongues. Mobile is being stirred up. We give God the glory for this wonderful salvation.”-Julia Jenkins, 2 Hurcules St., Mobile, Ala.
“Thank God for deliverance from all sin, through the precious Blood. I had been sanctified and anointed with the Holy Ghost years ago. Have been ten years in His work. When I came to Azusa Mission, I went in for the baptism with the Holy Ghost immediately. Had some digging to do, but the Lord met me. I was filled with the Holy Ghost many times and was shaken many times by the power of God. But when I became a little child, clay in His hands, He baptized me with the Holy Ghost. At first He spoke just a few words through me. But recently He spoke different languages and sang songs in unknown tongues. Just lately the Lord healed me of quite a severe sickness. He has given me better health than ever, for which I thank Him. O, it was so sweet to have Him talk and sing through me when I was sick, during the night seasons. Sometimes I sang for hours and in a new voice and it did not tire me. He also interpreted. He said, “Jesus is coming.” It rejoiced me so much, and then He sang a song right from heaven about His coming. O, praise God for the privilege of being in His work here.”-Clara E. Lum, Apostolic Faith Office, 312 Azusa St., Los Angeles.
“I have entered into the deeper experience. Have received the speaking, singing, and reciting poetry in a number of languages, with power to use one or two at will in public services or with private persons when the Lord leads. I first entered into this way of blessing on the 21st of January at Homestead, Pa. Have been many times there and elsewhere wonderfully exercised in these things under the power of God, each time receiving something new, with love and all the fruits of the Spirit increased, and adoration to Jesus intermingled. My daughter also received her Pentecost in our church, singing and speaking in a tongue. Since receiving the experience, I have been on the go, preaching and taking part in some meeting nearly every night till very late, a thing impossible for me in the physical before. Great work going on all through this section. With great gratitude of heart, I praise God for His goodness to me and others in my church. I meet with no expressed opposition from persons in my church, for which I am very thankful.”-J.T. Boddy, (pastor Pentecostal Church), Cambridge, Ohio.
(The brother who writes the above publishes a paper, the “Full Gospel” at Cambridge, Ohio. It is a free, Pentecostal paper. We just received it as this goes to press.)
Beloved, I was saved about 17 months ago from a wretched life. When I called on God, He heard my prayer and saved me instantly. What convinced me of the reality in salvation, was the peace that came into my heart. The desire for opiates went out immediately, and I was cured of the drug habit. The Lord has also healed many others of the drug habit. And God has healed my body, after being afflicted over six and a half years. When all physicians failed, the Man Christ Jesus healed me. The devil had me bound hand and foot for years. Thinking myself wise, I became foolish. but, beloved, God sent His transforming power through the Blood of Jesus and burst all the shackles, and shook off the handcuffs of hell, and today I am a free man in Christ Jesus. Then He sanctified me wholly and gave me a clean heart. Then He baptized me with the Holy Ghost on Jan. 22, at Azusa Mission. Dear ones, all I live for is Christ. I sold out, body, soul, and spirit to Him. My desire is to point souls to the bleeding Lamb of Calvary that takes away the sin of the world. The Holy Ghost, the third person of the Trinity, speaks through me in the languages of the nations whenever He chooses. And He is now engaged in pulling the rope which rings the joybells of heaven in my heart. And there is a revival going on in my soul continually, and the choir is singing and praising God in the unknown tongues. The Holy Ghost is the leader and is well qualified. He came from the college in heaven. Beloved, it is no more I but Christ. To Him be all the glory.”-Tom Anderson, 312 Azusa St., Los Angeles.
“When I heard of the Holy Ghost movement, I did not think it was for me. Still there was such a hunger for more of God. One evening at our mission prayer meeting I became all broken up, and falling on my knees called upon God and received an anointing, and after that I received a touch of the power in almost every meeting, until the time when I was fully baptized with the Holy Ghost. O praise His Holy name. I have just begun to live. We can never be perfect in the sight of the world but we can in the sight of God. Praise Him. It is heaven below my Savior to know. It is heaven to go to heaven in.”-Nellie Burnwell, Benton Harbor, Mich.
“Dear Saints, how I praise the Lord for the way He saved and sanctified my soul and baptized me with the Holy Ghost. And He has wonderfully healed my body. When this movement began, I could not see that it was of God, but how I praise Him for leading me out into the blessed sunlight. I have the baptism with the Holy Ghost and speak with tongues.”-Phoebe Conaway, Long Beach, Cal.
“Dear Brethren: Your second package of the Apostolic Faith came safe to hand. I have sent them from Virginia to Florida and across the Atlantic. I sent out to Rev. S.T. Lee, Key West, Fla. He got his Pentecost, and they are doing a noble work among the holiness people. They talk, sing, and pray in an unknown tongue. Among the prettiest songs I ever heard was sung by a sister in Spanish. I heard two boys sing the same song in Spanish. I praise the Lord for the work that is going on. Christians are shouting, devils howling, and hypocrites growling, so let the papers come. I have not received my Pentecost yet, but my wife, daughter and son-in-law have, and I am still tarrying for it.”-W.A. Heath, Wallace, N.C.
“I received the Holy Ghost in San Jose, in November, and came to Kelseyville, in December. And when I received the January paper and read what the Lord was doing in other places, the power of God came on me mightily. I was alone and was lifted to my feet and stood on tiptoe with both arms extended above my head, and began to speak in tongues and to interpret, which I never had done before except a very little. Since I came here, one lady has received the Holy Ghost with a tongue, also the gift of writing some unknown language and the deaf mute signs. Another lady came from Healdsburg and has also received the Holy Ghost with a tongue, also the gift of writing some unknown language and the deaf mute signs. Another lady came from Healdsburg and has also received the baptism and the Chinese tongue. Still another who received the Holy Ghost in Oakland and the Chinese tongue, is here. She expects to go to China as soon as the Lord opens up the way. Two are seeking and we have been holding some meetings in one of the churches. The Lord is blessing His work.”-Frances R. Townsend, Kelseyville, Cal.
“The Lord is doing wonderful things here in Chicago. Even the children are receiving the baptism with the Holy Ghost and speak in tongues. On the 21st of December in a little mission on Halsted St., the Lord baptized me with the Holy Ghost at one o’clock in the night. I began to speak in tongues. There were many present at that time, and I went around shaking hands and speaking in tongues. O, the deep settled peace in my soul. And yet it seemed the Lord had more for me. On January 31, while attending a little cottage prayer meeting, the fire fell on me and there I was for about two hours and a half praying and singing in tongues. The Lord showed be a vision of heaven. The buildings looked as if they were inlaid with diamonds. I saw the people coming, and they came to one with authority sitting with a great book. He turned the leaves and passed the people through a very narrow way. And facing the great river I saw very many people who had not on the robe or righteousness. The Lord showed me that we as Christians should preach to them.”-Mrs. E.W. Sterling, 6132 Prarie Ave., Chicago.
“I first heard through the Way of Faith of this wonderful work. Then Bro. Cashwell went to you and got his Pentecost. He lives only seven miles from us. I never saw such a change in him and such a power in the meetings, I went to seeking the Holy Ghost. I’d been sanctified ten years and been preaching holiness nearly that time, and thought I had the Holy Ghost baptism, but God showed me that I’d stopped at great joy and the witness of the Holy Ghost; and I laid down my theory and went in for Pentecost and received it. Glory to God. I jerked so I shook the whole house, and my tongue fairly flew, saying something I knew not what. My wife, mother-in-law and another sister received it and speak in tongues in this county. We all got it at Dunn with scores of others. Sister Stewart sang nine songs at my house Saturday in an unknown tongue. We knew the tunes of three. All the rest were entirely new. My wife spoke and interpreted at the church Saturday a part of the 103rd Psalm and the rest an exhortation to sinners. Others are seeking.”-Your brother on the way to Glory, H.H. Goff, Benson, N.C.
“Oh, I than God, my dear Heavenly Father, for permitting me to live in this day and age. Hallelujah. Never in my life did I realize so much of the presence of my dear loving Savior. He is in His holy temple, and is saying to me, ‘Be still and know that I am God.’ Last night during the service while a little song was being sung by a young colored sister and the cross of Calvary was mentioned in the song, the Holy Spirit began to speak through another sister sitting next to me in a language of India. I understood it and began to write down the interpretation as follows: ‘Behold the Lamb, the bleeding Lamb. O, the blood is flowing down from His side. At this moment, I became unconscious and the Spirit seemed to carry me away to the scene upon Calvary, nearly two thousand years ago. And, oh, human language cannot express what I saw. O, the glory and beauty of that scene before my spiritual eyes. Hallelujah. I was permitted to look into the heart of my blessed Lord as He hung upon the cross. O, the divine sympathy and tender love toward every human soul. Lord, help all Thy dear children to see the real value of a lost soul, just as Thou dost see it.”-Geo. E. Berg, Hermon, Cal.
“I am praising God for a free and full salvation. I am saved, sanctified and baptized with the Holy Ghost. I was fifteen before I was converted. My girl friends were all joining churches and I wanted to join too; but praise God I did not join till after my father got in touch with the church of God and came for us to go to church. We went to hear Sister Farrow preach and also to hear her speak in tongues. We continued to go to the meeting every night. My mother had her ankle broken, but praise His name, we went anyway. Mamma and papa went to the altar. Sister Farrow laid hands on mother and she was reclaimed, sanctified, and baptized with the Holy Spirit, and spoke in tongues and was healed instantly. Also my sister received the Holy Ghost that night, and I was converted. The next evening I went to the altar again and was sanctified. That night I was baptized with the Holy Ghost. Glory to His name. How I love Him. My love for Him cannot be expressed. Please pray for me that the Lord will use me to His glory anywhere.”-Julia H. Robinson, (aged 16 years), 3104 Dallas Ave., Houston, Tex.
“I have been working in missionary work nine years on the highways and in the hedges, teaching the Gospel in my sanctified life; and now I have received the fulness of Pentecost. While I was at the Saint’s meeting and we were upon our knees, the Holy Spirit taught me to sing, ‘A charge to keep I have. And when we came to the verse, ‘O, may it all my powers engage to do my Master’s will!’ the Holy Ghost filled my heart with joy and I began to sing in tongues. I thank God for His wonderful blessing. Afterwards I sang in tongues and interpreted. And the first words were:
Praise God from whom all blessings flow,
Praise HIm all creatures here below,
Praise Him above, ye heavenly host;
Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost.
And ever since then, I have been speaking in unknown tongues, praying and singing in the highways and hedges. And I say again, Praise God from whom all blessings flow.”-Laura A. Sims, Davis Ave. and Ann St., Mobile, Ala.
“The Lord is wonderfully blessing me. He has just used me in holding a four week’s meeting near Archbold, Ohio. Four souls were saved, about 25 or 30 dear Christians have been made happy in the love of God and we are now tarrying for the baptism with the Holy Ghost.”-Gideon Zigler, Swanton, Ohio.
“Over three months ago, Bro. Turney, who was baptized with the Holy Ghost, came up to San Jose from Los Angeles. He came to the Florence Mission where I had been attending. The third night I went to the altar and got saved. (I had been converted when I was twelve years of age but backslid.) The next night I was sanctified. The third night I lay under the power of God for about three hours. I was drunk on the wine of the Kingdom. Hallelujah! Part of the time I was unconscious. Then I would start to sing some of the real old hymns. Part of the words I knew and part I did not, but the Lord would put those in my mouth I did not know. Glory to Jesus! Then I saw a bright light around me which shone for a long while. The next night I received my Pentecost. I do not know how many languages I have spoken but the Lord does. He has given me many precious gifts. He has surely given me the holy boldness, for I was very timid. But now, hallelujah, I am bold for Jesus. The Lord also has given me the gift of heavenly songs. Sunday night He sang through me and interpreted. The interpretation was this, ‘There is a time coming, sinner, when you shall meet your doom. Flee from the wrath that is coming. Flee from the wrath that is coming.’ The Lord is my healer. I was seeking healing, and before the saints laid hands on me, I was healed. My mother has received her Pentecost, and my little brother is seeking his.”-Alberta Hall, 218 N. 4th St., San Jose, Cal.
“Hallelujah to our God! Praise His dear name! The fire struck Benton Harbor and me at the same time, almost, through Sister Robinson who came a few weeks ago bringing glad tidings of great joy. O, how our hearts rejoice over the fire that was kindled and is spreading fast. I had often when a child, read the book of Acts, comparing men of that time to the Christians about me, and wondered why we lacked the same power. The full Gospel people of this place have held meetings for three years and over at the home of Bro. and Sister York, and have been praying for God’s fullness. Well, hallelujah, He met us, as He always does those who seek Him with all their hearts. I at first felt the blessing was not for one so unworthy as myself, but went again to the meeting two weeks later, and the fire commenced running over my flesh. On the next Sunday morning at six o’clock meeting, I was slain under the power of God. The dear Holy Ghost entered His temple with much shaking of the flesh, but, oh, the peace and joy and glory that filled me since Jesus came to abide. Since November 24, He has spoken through me in five different languages, one of which was Russian-German. He permitted me to sing to His glory in tongues and interpret. This place is mightily stirred.”-Nellie Gilbert, Benton Harbor, Mich.
“I was justified about 35 years ago and lived it, but when I heard of sanctification and divine healing, I fought against them. Finally I was taken sick with the rheumatism and thought I was going to die. Then I had my husband lay his hands on me and pray for me, and the dear Lord did wonderfully heal me. Then I sought for sanctification, and on March 1, 1906, the Lord wonderfully sanctified me. Last August my husband went through the South preaching holiness. When he came back, he heard about the meetings in Los Angeles where the people had the baptism with the Holy Ghost and speaking in tongues. He said if it was of God, he wanted it, and if not he wanted nothing to do with it. He went up to Los Angeles and came back and said to me, “Darling that work is of God, and I am going back to Los Angeles and stay at the Azusa Mission until I get the baptism with the Holy Ghost.” I said, “You were a Christian when you were in Oklahoma, you came to California and got sanctified, now you are ready to get something else. How many religions do you want?’ He paid no attention to me but went to the Mission and came back with the baptism and speaking in tongues. I did not fight it but sought for the baptism with all my heart and on the 30th of November, God baptized me with the Holy Ghost, spoke through me in another language and gave me the interpretation. O, glory to God for this wonderful salvation.”-Mollie McCauley, Long Beach, Cal.
“Last December, my sister and myself who had received our Pentecost, went to Arizona on business and to visit relatives. While there, four were baptized with the Holy Ghost. All glory to God! While at my sister’s, an old friend called on us, one who was a deep sinner. I talked to him of his soul, and the Holy Ghost began to speak in tongues through me, and also through my sister. I saw that he understood, and asked him if he understood what she said. He replied that he did. It was, “The table is spread with good things, if you will come and eat,” and it was the Spanish language. It was a perfect language, he said. We had a glorious time in Arizona; saw our beloved sisters baptized with the Holy Ghost, also one dear niece and one brother-in-law, J.R. Hopkins. One sister received the gift of writing and also the interpretation of her languages. She has spoken and interpreted the soon coming of Jesus.”-Elizabeth M. May, Whittier, Cal.
“Having for many years been reaching out for God’s best, and never reaching a place of continued satisfaction, I want to write about my experience in receiving the baptism with the Holy Ghost. About Oct. 1, I returned from Colorado to Los Angeles. I had the real anointing on my soul, and could not believe that I did not have the baptism. Every account of the baptism in the New Testament contains the positive statement that they all spoke in new tongues, (except that of Samaria, and it is indicated there in the fact that there was something so wonderful that a magician offered money to buy the power. Ac. 6.19.) Yet I insisted that tongues bore no more significance to the baptism than any of the gifts as recorded in I. Cor. 12. God would not let me rest in this, but took the anointing away. This caused me to go deeper for the truth. Then God showed me that the seeming restriction of tongues in I. Cor. 12th and 14th chapters was a regulating of the manifestation of tongues to the law of love. I then began seeking for the real baptism with the Holy Ghost as on the day of Pentecost. Satan seemed to exhaust his resources in opposing me, and the weeks of waiting were tedious in the extreme; but God’s grace was sufficient, and last I came to the place where God could meet me. On March 3, in the upper room about 6 p.m. I fell under the mighty power. The Spirit worked my flesh with great vibrations for some time. At last I felt as though I were dying, and I was told I looked like it. Slowly, surely my life seemed to ebb away, until at last unconsciousness took place. How long I lay I do not know, but the first thing I was conscious of was a new life flowing in. Soon my jaws and tongue began to work independently of my volition and the words came, a clear language. All glory be to God. Now I feel a power for witnessing I never had before and an assurance of power in service that shall grow as I remain faithful. May all who read this testimony reach out for all God has for them.”-Arthur B. Shepherd.
________
We never saw a salvation that brought such peace and joy to homes and families, and did so much for poor suffering humanity. There are many happy homes where the whole family, father, mother, and children have been brought in and all baptized with the Holy Ghost. They are homes of prayer and praise and rejoicing and they are going about telling the glad story.
________
We preach Christ, His birth, His death, His resurrection, and His coming again-and not only His coming but His reigning in His millennial kingdom, and His white throne judgment, and then the new heavens and earth and the New Jerusalem coming down from God out of heaven, when He shall have put all enemies under His feet and He shall reign eternally, and we shall abide with Him forever and ever.
END OF PAGE FOUR
Mission Conference at York
Mission-Minded Missionary or International Harvester?
A New Perspective on the Idea of Mission Work
By Kathryn N. Donev
I have never seen myself as “mission-minded.” To be honest I don’t even really know what this statement means. Maybe it is an out-dated phrase, but during my college years I would constantly be faced with these words. Then when I married and moved overseas I met many people whom identified with this saying. However, I noticed that many of these “mission-minded” people enter the international context completely the opposite because they were lacking in culture sensitivity. And for the most part, this unfortunate insensitivity was unaware to them. Without being sensitively aware of your location there is limited connectedness to the people to whom you attempt to minister. And in addition when there is the other barrier of language, one at times works in a context of misunderstanding and ineffectiveness regardless of how “mission-mind” one may be.
So before answering the call to missions and going on your first cross cultural experience, there are a few things to consider:
1. Be informed about the cultural differences of the people you are trying to reach because your good intentions may be misunderstood and even offend.
2. Keep in mind you are not going on a site-seeing tour but to help others see the true light.
3. Just because something makes sense in your language, doesn’t mean it will make sense interpreted into a foreign language. Clichés are to be avoided.
4. Remember that you are going to lift up others and not yourself. The song that says “It’s all about YOU,” actually refers to Christ.
5. Consider that the people you are ministering to are real and not objects to be put on display in a savvy PowerPoint after returning home from your trip.
6. Just because you go to a foreign country doesn’t make you a missionary.
7. It is when you put yourself in the shoes of the people you are helping, that you just may learn some do not even have shoes to wear.
8. Aid is not the answer to all problems. Sometimes the people you are going to assist have real problems and spiritual needs.
9. It is not the power of money that saves souls, but the power of a Heavenly Father.
10. There is a major difference between being “mission-minded” and being an international worker.
If you want to genuinely minister to another, you have to meet the needs that they have and not the ones you want them to have. Not everybody is in need of a pair of socks or a toothbrush. Not everybody has a cookie cutter problem that can be fixed with one solution, which is found in a brown paper bag. If you want to be effective on the field, consider the difference of being an international worker versus being “mission-minded.” Perhaps, you should listen to where God is calling you to work and not be influenced by emotions of where it would be exciting to visit. And just maybe consider embracing the idea of working tirelessly instead of simply being mission-minded without a clue. Consider that perhaps the answer of you not being effective in your context is not to go across seas to try to be effective in another context. It’s great to have your mind on missions, but it is insufficient to only think about missions on a whim; if this is even what this statement “mission-minded” means at all.
