H A R R r M * & V f R LOOKING BACK FROM BEULAH BY MRS. MOLLIE ALMA WHITE ON THE OVERRULING AND FORMING HAND OP GOD IN THE POVERTY AND STRUGGLES OF CHILDHOOD, AND THE HARDSHIPS OF LATER TEARS; THE BATTLES, VIC- TORIES AND JO?S OF THE SANCTIFIED LIFE THE DISCOVERY OF THE PATH THAT LED TO IT. THE APOSTASY OF THE MODERN CHURCH, WITH SCRIPTURAL SUBJECTS AND COMMENTS. PENTECOSTAL WORK. "Ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein and ye shall find rest for your souls. Jer. 6:16. And I saw the denominations great multitudes in the wilder- ness of this world pitifuly confused in the way. Inordinate de- sires, "the lust of the fleslh and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life," had darkened their understanding. The path to the "goodly land" was lost filled with sand by the crossing and re- crossing of gay young crowds "who sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play* and by the elders who "turned aside quickly out of the way" to worship other gods*. The guide posts erected by early leaders were cut down. Blind guides were abundant and badly muddled as the rest. The Guide book was being highly crit- icised and the miraculous and supernatural eliminated ; "the land of _milk and hupney" was considered doubtful* and the leaks and onions bf the kingdom of darkness more to be desired. I saw the wrath of God descend upon them. Fire destroyed themt. And "the Lord made a new thing; the earth opened her mouth and swallowed* " up the gainsayerst, that were famous in the congregation, men of renownS;" and of the others, the wilder- ness was full of their carcasses**. *Ex. 32:6-8. tHeb. 3:18. JNum. 10:2. Num. 16:30. fJud. 11. SNum. 16:2. **Num. 14:29. PUBLISHED BY THE PENTECOSTAL UNION, DENVEE, COLOEADO. Copyright, 1902, by Mrs. M. A, White. TO HIM WHOM I LOVE, WHO HATH ENRICHED ME WITH A GREAT POSSESSION, AND IN THE MIDST THEREOF HATH BECOME THE FAIREST OF TEN THOUSAND TO MY SOUL, TO WHOM I HAVE DEDICATED ALL THINGS, TO HIS CAUSE I Dedicate this Book. To the few that are finding the narrow way and walking therein, may it be a benediction. To the unsanctified, may it create a fear lest a prom- ise being left them, they fail in unbelief. To the unsaved, may it be a voice crying, Repent, Prepare to meet thy God for He cometh to judge the quick and the dead. TO THE HOLINESS PEOPLE AND THEIR FRIENDS IN ALL LANDS. I am happy to introduce Mrs. Mollie Alma White, the gifted authoress of this book, having en- joyed a happy acquaintance with her and all the Bridwell family from her childhood; in the provi- dence of God witnessing her glorious conversion, as well as that of her brothers and sisters, during my pastorate at Vanceburg, Kentucky, in 1878-9. At that early date, as I felt fully assured, she received her call to preach the everlasting Gospel, through native timidity, however, postponing her response to the heavenly vision till the Lord gloriously sanctified her eight years ago, which marks the epoch of her embarkation on the good old Gospel ship by the side of her noble husband, now widely known in the holi- ness movement, Rev. Kent White. Durir?g~tKese eighTyears ^ne has traveled extensively in this great northwest, giving the Gospel trumpet no uncertain sound. This is no ordinary book, made up of creedistic and dogmatic platitudes, like thousands which are not worth reading, but it is well filled up with heavenly dynamite and Holy Ghost fire, destined to burn and blow up the readersTeveT and anon impart- ing those galvanic shocks calculated to keep the reader spellbound with interest, edification, inspira- tion, and putting him on the heavenly boom at race horse speed. Sister White belongs to a preaching family, parents, brothers and sisters, in the sanctify- ing power of the Holy Ghost, keeping their lights burning and the trumpet sounding in their respective fields of labor, dispersed over the continent from their "Old Kentucky Home" to the Pacific ocean, among whom her brother Charles* whose conversion I witnessed when a little boy in the great revival above mentioned, is now standing at the front of the Colorado conference, M. E. Church. This book should be in every home where God is feared and Jesus loved. Saints will receive light, help and heavenly impetus while they read it ; luSrUi- while sinners will be stricken with Sinaic thunder- bolts and brought down to the feet of Jesus. It really needs no commendation from me or any one else. It \vill paddle its own canoe and stand upon its own merits. Now to the Father, Son and Holy Ghost we devoutly commend Brother and Sister White, with all the Pentecostal Missions, of which they have many in different states, and all readers of this book resting in the delectable hope of meeting them in the bright upper world. W. B. GOODBEY. June, 1901. *Rev. Charles W. Bridwell withdrew from the Confer- ence in 1902 and united with a holiness church in Denver. CONTENTS. Page. Introduction 3 CHAPTER I. Childhood Conviction and Conversion 9 CHAPTER II. The Inward Conflict Trials in School 21 CHAPTER III. Leaving Home God's Presence and Blessing 32 CHAPTER IV. School Teaching in Montana Masonic Ball Card Playing A Noted Gambler's Experience 41 CHAPTER V. Return Home In College Overwork Missionary in Utah Testings 54 CHAPTER VI. In Montana Last Year as a Teacher School Election Trials and Triumphs 67 CHAPTER VII. In Denver Marriage Struggle Against Wordliness. . . 77 CHAPTER VIII. Lamar Charge A Pastor's Wife Church Festivals Christmas Tree Furnace of Affliction 84 CHAPTER IX. A Mountain Charge Heart Cry for Purity Ladies' Aid Society 99 CHAPTER X. Consecration and Sancuiication Soul Triumph Ill CHAPTER XI. The Bible a New Book Importance of Infinite Testi mony Telling It to King's Household Ministers Shutting Up the Kingdom of Heaven Against Men Revelations of the Holy Spirit "Out and Into" Beulah Satisfied With Jesus (Song) The Sab- bath a Type of This Rest Additional Light- Shorn Samsons 121 CHAPTER XII. Experiences of Bodily Healing Revival Fires at Erie and Pleasant View R. A. Calkin's Testimony View of Hell Achan in the Camp Secret Socie- ties the Great Diana 138 CHAPTER XIII. The Boulder Conference The Results of Preaching Holiness Camp Meeting False Prophets Meet- ings in Montana and Idaho Blind Watchmen 158 CHAPTER XIV. Remarkable Experiences Revival Meetings at L and Bald Mountain Conflict with Satan Over a Sick Bed for a Soul Still Fighting Holiness Tab- ernacle Meeting at Longmont "Aunt Rebecca" Second Camp Meeting 17S CHAPTER XV. Box Elder Revival Young Man's Death Bed Conver- sion A Mother's Letter Black Hollow Revival Scene at a Family Altar Holyoke Meeting 193 CHAPTER XVI. Compromising in. Denver Banner of Holiness Low- ered Removal to the City Opening of the Pente- costal Mission Work Street Meetings 205 CHAPTER XVII. Leadville Conference Conference Babies and Bottles Carnival Experience Leadville and Cheyenne Missions Opening of the Missionary Home and Bible Training School Starting the Work in Butte City, Montana 217 CHAPTER XVIII. The Priest and Levite : The Mission, the Good Samar- itan The Widow of Zarephath Baal Worship Troublers of Israel Hireling Evangelists 236 CHAPTER XIX. Chicago National Holiness Assembly Metropolitan Holiness Convention Revival Meeting at Paris, Kentucky 252 CHAPTER XX. Shut Out of Pleasant View Praise Christ the Re- deemer, Heavenly Bridgegroom and Coming King The Tribulations Carnality and Its Damnation. 261 CHAPTER XXI. Trip to Cheyenne, Butte City and the Pacific Coast Tokens of God's Favor Revival at San Jose Or- ganization of the Pentecostal Union Holiness Conventions Meeting at Sioux City Buffalo Rock Camp Meeting 277 ADDENDA. Conventions at Rockford, Kewanee and Danville, 111. . . 290 APPENDIX. The Methodist Church A Fallen People Church Au- f borities Prophecies, Warnings and Present Sta^ : . . . .299 o te BACK FW BEUltAH. CHAPTER I. CONVICTION AND CONVERSION. When nine years of age I was deeply convicted of sin one evening while listening to a conversation in our home. My father and mother, with some relatives, were talking of the eternal torments of the wicked. One dark picture after another was drawn, and while standing some distance from them, apparently unnoticed, I was so overcome with the fear of hell that I could hardly move. I soon caught my father's eye, when he reminded me that it was bedtime. I left the room with a longing to unburden my heart to some one, for a consciousness of sin had settled upon me, and the need of a Savior was thus early felt in my life. Daylight was anxiously looked for, in hopes that it would bring relief, but this did not raise the darkness from my soul. We lived in Lewis County, Kentucky, nine miles from Vanceburg on the Kinnikinic, and were without an easily accessible Sunday school or church. Two years passed without an opportunity of attend- ing a meeting, yet there was such concern at times 9 IO LOOKING BACK FROM BEULAH. about my salvation that- I was unfit for work or play. My mother was familiar with many of the old Methodist hymns and often sang them about her work and before retiring at night. Wesley's hymn on the final account greatly impressed me. "And must I be to judgment brought, And answer in that day For every vain and idle thought, And every word I say? "Yes, every secret of my heart Shall shortly be made known, And I receive my just desert For all that I have done. "Thou awful Judge of quick and dead, The watchful power bestow; So shall I to my ways take heed, To all I speak or do. "If now thou standest at the door, let me feel Thee near, And make my peace with God before 1 at Thy bar appear." The songs she sung were the only sermons I heard. They were used by the Spirit to deepen my conviction. Among them were: "Come Humble Sinner in Whose Breast," "There Is a Spot to Me More Dear," and "Show Pity Lord, O Lord For- give." I meditated on these hymns day and night, and asked her to buy me a book so I could learn them. CONVICTION AND CONVERSION. II She had so many things on her mind that my earnest appeal went unheeded. Having no other resource, I believed that God would answer my prayer, and knelt down and asked Him for the book. Two weeks later I went to visit my married sister. In the evening, when my brother-in-law returned from town, he threw a beautiful gilt bound hymn book in my lap with the remark, "I thought we needed a hymn book here." Much of my time was spent at their home with the book in some secluded place, memorizing hymns. Two years elapsed. A revival meeting was in progress five miles from our home. My father, oldest brother and two of my sisters, were converted in this meeting. I only had the opportunity of going twice. At the first service I went forward to the altar, and the next evening joined the church on probation, but no real change of heart was experi- enced and my soul groped on in darkness more miserable than before. Having been encouraged by receiving a hymn book in answer to prayer, I prayed for a Bible also. I had been attending our district school for some months, when one day the teacher came to me and said, "Do you know you are going to win the prize in your spelling class?" This was a surprise to me, for my sister, who was in the same class, was considered a much better speller than myself. The prize was to be either a Bible or an album, and when asked which I preferred, I exclaimed "THE BIBLE !" On the last day of the term she placed in my hand a beautiful gilt edged Bible with a clasp. 12 LOOKING BACK FROM BEULAH. It was valued above anything that I had ever owned. All my spare moments were devoted to the New Testament. The first four books were read and re- read. The time was drawing near for me to be bap- tized, and taken into the church. I was living in hopes that peace would come to my soul then, but in this I was mistaken. The membership vows and water baptism brought no change. Now that I was a church member, I supposed that every one thought that I was a Christian, but too \vell I knew better. Jesus called the Scribes and Pharisees, "hypocrites" and a "generation of vipers." My accusing con- science said, "Hypocrite, hypocrite." There were rattlesnakes and vipers in that part of Kentucky which were a constant dread, and the thought of be- ing compared to them horrified me. The pastor, S. Pollard, visited our home oc- casionally, but never spoke to me about my soul. My oldest brother was taken down with typhoid fever and for weeks his life hung in the balances. He was not saved, and the thought of his going into the hell that was pictured in the Bible, nearly dis- tracted me. There were days that I had scarcely any appetite for food. He, like myself, was a mem- ber of the church, but if he had been converted I was satisfied that now he was a backslider. I watched him very closely and wondered why the other mem- bers of the family were not more concerned about his soul. One Sunday morning I ran all the way to the home of my oldest sister, without being sent, to tell her that he was worse. She did not manifest the CONVICTION AND CONVERSION. 13 sorrow that I expected she would, and I burst into tears and went back crying. Arriving at his bedside again, I found an old German neighbor standing by him. As he turned away he shook his head and groaned. I understood what it meant. Our pastor had not yet called, and I wondered why mother did not send for him. There was a change for the better the next morning, but somehow I felt that something was going to be done in his behalf. Looking down the road I recognized our preacher coming on horse- back. Soon he was at his bedside reading and pray- ing. As he read the third verse of the iO3d Psalm, "Who forgiveth all thine iniquities ; who healeth all thy diseases," every muscle in my brother's face quivered, his expression changed and indellibly stamped itself upon me. I believed God saved him at that instant. Mother wept and the preacher said, "It is done." I could not restrain my emotion and left the room to weep, feeling that all was right be- tween him and God. But how about my own poor soul ? was the question that hung gloomily upon me. I would willingly have chosen sickness, if that would have brought about the desired change, as it had in the life of my brother ; yet after recovering he was not always true to God. Two more years of trial and suffering passed by. One Sunday afternoon, with my brothers and sisters I attendee! quarterly meeting in Northcott chapel, seven miles away. The presiding elder for whom the chapel was named preached the sermon. His text was, "There is a friend that sticketh closer 14 LOOKING BACK FROM than a brother." (Prov. 18:24.) To me, it was a wonderful sermon. He told of one who had neglected his soul's salvation and died without hope. Kind friends had administered to his wants and done all that loving hands and words could do to comfort him in his dying hour, but instead of angels coming to bear him away on their snowy pinions, demons were present to escort him to the black walls of de- spair. As he described the horror of the dying man crying, "Drive them back," an unseen power took hold of me; I sat motionless, wishing an altar call might be made, and that some friend would help me forward, but to my disappointment no invitation was given. After returning home the darkness was intense. I sought places of retirement where I might breathe out my soul to God. Often in the night deliverance seemed very near and the blessing almost in sight, when the enemy would whisper, "If you are con- verted you will shout and awaken everybody in the house." Whether or not I would have shouted, I do not know, yet through fear that I might, I was kept from the coveted treasure. My father invited a minister of the M. E. church to preach in our school house, where a class was formed and our membership placed. He was a bright young college graduate, preached good ser- mons, but was lacking in power. He wore a gold ring on his left hand which he flourished gracefully. I wondered at his disregard of God's word, and the Methodist discipline, which forbade the wearing of gold, and was annoyed with such thoughts as who CONVICTION AND CONVERSION. 15 would be the -fortunate young lady on whose finger the ring would be placed sooner or later. In a short time a girl of my own age was wearing it, who^ be- came his wife before he left the charge. And so my thoughts were distracted from spiritual things by these inconsistencies. "The little foxes spoil the vines." ^ Would to God that all could learn this les- son and ministers as well as others would leave off their gold. Mother often remained at home and re- lied on me to rehearse the sermon to her, which I could usually do minutely. The young preacher promised to hold a pro- tracted meeting for us, to which we anxiously looked forward. At last the services were begun, but after preaching three evenings, he closed, claim- ing that duty called him elsewhere. He did not remain long on the charge, and another young preacher was sent, who proved to have less ability and spirituality than his predecessor. Our hopes for a revival were again blasted. The Lord had answered my prayer for a hymn book and Bible, converted my brother and raised him from a bed of sickness, and now I believed it was time to pray for a preacher to come who would hold special services and give us a chance to publicly seek the Lord. There were no regrets when our pastor left. Anxiously I waited for his successor, W. B. Godbey, who was sent in answer to prayer. Since then he has become well known as the pioneer of the holiness movement in the south and as an author of holiness books and commentaries. Of late years he has un- 1 6 LOOKING BACK FROM BEULAH. folded into one of the ripest of Bible scholars and teachers, carrying with him, as an inseparable com- panion, his old Greek Testament from which he gives his Bible expositions. His writings are "weighty and powerful, but his bodily presence is weak," yet like Paul of great endurance and tireless energy he continues to labor for the cause he loves even unto the end. Dead to the world he lives unto Christ. The influence of his saintly life, together with his books of such intellectual and spiritual un- derstanding, will engrave his name high among God's imperishable ones of earth. He came to us with that peculiar appearance that has ever been characteristic of the man, without worldly aspira- tions or conformity. He wore a sack coat, a soft felt hat, a white handkerchief around his neck and rode horseback over his circuit. His eyes were weak and he usually kept them closed while speak- ing, sometimes removing his steel rimmed glasses to brush away the tears. He said that since the Lord had sanctified him he had become a weeping prophet. He preached five and six times on the Sabbath and usually every night in the week, holding revivals in all the school houses within the bounds of his circuit. He began special services in our neighborhood November 5, 1878. I was away from home and did not attend the first service ; the second evening I went forward to the altar with others on the first invitation. Our hired man knelt near me, whom I had always considered very wicked, as he attended balls and places of amusement, where we were not allowed to go. After a short struggle he leaped to CONVICTION AND CONVERSION. \"J his feet shouting. On the other side of me was a worldly neighbor girl who loved to dance; she too began praising God for deliverance. These conver- sions were a great surprise to me. I naturally sup- posed that they being more worldly than myself, would be longer in finding Christ. In this my self- righteousness was manifest, which was as filthy rags in God's sight. I had to learn that salvation is a free gift, and not merited by any one; also that grace would reach as far as sin had gone, when con- ditions are met with simple faith in the atoning blood. In great distress I left the house unsaved. I could almost hear the wails of the lost, with the feeling that one more step would take me over the hrink into the awful abyss. Everything hitherto tried had failed to bring relief. I now felt I was be- yond the power of the preacher or any one else to help me, and I had no desire to sleep or eat. The next day, as far as possible, I remained out of sight. My heart's cry was, "I must be saved to- night or perish forever." On entering the meeting house that evening I found the seats all taken except two benches near the speaker, that were used for mourners. I sat down on one cf these near the end, .and held tightly to keep from falling to the floor, for I was almost prostrated under my lead. The text was Romans 6:23, "The wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." Breathing became difficult as the preacher thundered the terrors of the law. The old serpent seemed to be tightening his coils about me. Conviction was settling down with such power on l8 LOOKING BACK FROM BEUI king appointed to have charge of the gate, was trod- den upon and died. He saw, but ate not thereof. Many persons are walking through the gates of dead ecclesiasticisms, over the bodies of pastors, presiding elders and bishops, in search of the bread of life. If these persons, having charge of the gates, THE BIBLE A NEW BOOK. 125 fail to swing; them open and let the people through, they will be trampled under foot as was this lord. "Woe unto you -scribes, and Pharisees, hypo- crites ! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against \ men ; for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ' ye them that are entering to go in. * * * Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse that first which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also." Jesus compared them to "whited sep- ulchers," which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones and all un- cleanness." (Matt. 23 113, 26, 27.) The sanctified eye will enable you to detect the cesspools of iniquity in high places as well as down in the slums. Let the great Surgeon remove the beam (of depravity) out of your eye "and you will be able to see clearly to locate the mote .that is in your brother's eye. "The light of the body is the eye ; if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light." When carnality is removed through the sanctifying fires of the Holy Ghost things are brought to a proper focus through a purely spiritual lens, and not until then can the eye be single. Many persons who once had light now have none. Refusing to walk in the light, they have forfeited what they had. Truly their darkness is great. Hosts of so-called pastors, instead of leading their flocks to green fields, are guarding gates to keep them out. Instead of being a Caleb or a Joshua in trying to get the people to go forward at the command of God. and possess the land (Numbers 126 LOOKING BACK FROM BEULAH. 14 Ch.), they act the part of the ten spies, whose names are not worth remembering, declaring the land can not be possessed. From this direful calam- ity, the Apostle in Hebrews exhorts the Christians to fear lest they fail to enter into their inheritance through a similar unbelief. Two out of the twelve chosen to explore the land believed God's word. Is this the proportion of the ministry that believe to-day? The ten with their giants and fears blocked the way, and turned Isreal into the desert. How many supposed spir- itual guides to-day are saying, "It can not be pos- sessed," and are turning hungry multitudes into the desert to languish and die! Canaan does not stand for heaven, but for the sanctified life. "We which have believed do enter into rest." (Heb. 4:3.) "I am drinking at the fountain, Where I ever would abide; For I've tasted life's pure river, And my soul is satisfied; There's no thirsting for life's pleasures, Nor adorning, rich and gay, For I've found a richer treasure, One that fadeth not away. "Is not this the land of Beulah? Blessed, blessed land of light, Where the flowers bloom forever, And the sun is always bright. "I can see far down the mountain, Where I wandered weary years, Often hindered in my journey, By the ghosts of doubts and fears. Broken vows and disappointments Thickly sprinkled all the way, But the Spirit led unerring To the land I hold today." THE BIBLE A NEW BOOK. I2/ "And in this mountain shall the Lord of host make unto all people a feast of fat things, a feast of wines on the lees, of fat things full of marrow, of wines on the lees well refined. And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God ; we have waited for Him, and He will save us : this is the Lord ; we have waited for Him, we will be glad and rejoice in His salvation." (Isa. 25:6-9.) OUT AND INTO. The following beautiful poem contrasts the Egypt of sin with the Canaan of a holy life : "He brought us out * * that He might bring us in." Deut. 6.23. "Out of the distance and darkness so deep, Out of the settled and perilous sleep, Out of the region and shadow of death, Out of its foul and pestilent breath, Out of the bondage and wearying chains. Out of companionship ever with stains Into the light and glory of God Into the holiest made clean by the blood, Into the arms, the embrace and the kiss, Into the scene of ineffable bliss, Into the quiet, of Infinite calm, Into the place of the song and the psalm. Wonderful love that'has wrought all for me; Wonderful love that has thus set me free, Wonderful ground upon which I have come, Wonderful tenderness welcoming home. "Out of the horror at being alone, 128 LOOKING BACK FROM BEULAH. Out and forever of being my own; Out of the hardness of heart and of will, Out of the longings which nothing could fill. Out of the bitterness, madness and strife, Out -of myself and all I call life: Into communion with Father and Son, Into the sharing of all that Corist won; Into ecstacies full to the brim, Into the having of all things with Him. Into Christ Jesus, there ever to dwell, Into more blessings than words e'er can tell. Wonderful lowliness draining my cup! Wonderful purpose that ne'er can give up! Wonderful patience that waited so long, Wonderful story to which I belong. "Out of my poverty into His wealth, Out of my sickness into pure health, Out of the old into the new, Out of the false, into the true. Out of what measures the full depth of "Lost." Out of it all but an infinite cost! Into what must with the cost correspond, Into that which there is nothing beyond. Into the union which nothing can part, Into what fills every want of the heart, Into the deepest of joys ever had Into the gladness of making God glad? Wonderful Persqn whose face I behold! Wonderful story then all to be told ! Wonderful all the dread way that He trod, Wonderful end, he has brought me to God!" Unknown. BEULAH. Thou shall no more be termed Forsaken; neither shall thy hand any more be termed Desolate; but thou shalt be called Hephzibah, and thy land Beulah: for the Lord de- lighteth in thee, and thy land shall be married. And as the bridegroom rejoiceth over the bride, so shall thy God rejoice over thee. Isa. 62:4-5. My beloved spake, and said unto me, Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away. For lo! the winter is past, the rain is over and gone; the flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of birds is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land. Cant. 2:10-12. Now 1 saw in my dream, that the pilgrims were got over the Enchanted Ground, and entering in the country of Beulah (Isa. 62:4; Cant. 2:10-12), whose air was very sweet and pleasant; the way lying directly through it, they solaced themselves there for a season. Yea, here they heard continually the singing of birds, and saw every day turtle in the land. In this country the sun shineth night and day; wherefore this was beyond the Valley of the Shadow of Death, and also out of the reach of Giant Despair; neither could they from this place so much as see Doubting Castle. Here they were within sight of the City they were going to; also here met them some of the in- habitants thereof; for in this land the Shining Ones com- monly walked, because it was on the borders of heaven. In this land also the contract between the bride and the bride- groom was renewed; yea, here, "as the bridegroom re- joiceth over his bride so did their God rejoice over them." Here they had no want of corn and wine; for in this place they met with abundance of what they had sought for in all their pilgrimage. Here they heard voices from out of the city, loud voices, saying, "Say ye to the daughter of Zion, 'Behold thy salvation cometh! Behold, His reward is with Him!' " Here all the inhabitants of the country called them "The holy people, and redeemed of the Lord," "sought out," etc. Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress. i HAVE THE VICTORY. MRS. KENT V> UIT. , 1 The blocxl of Je-sus cleansetb me, 1 have the vie - to - ry~\ \ From ev-'ry trace of H'HI' J'm free, I have the vic-to-ry;/ I Tho' in the fier - y furnace tried,. I have the \ With Je-sus now 1 in cm - ci - fled, 1 have the vic-to-ry, I On wings o.f love my soul mitr ta high'r, I have the vie - to ry, ) l I've found in him, my heart's desire, I (Om/f. ~ . . . . . )f f Tri-umphant in my heart I sinj;, I have the vie to - ry, i I My troph-ies all to him \ bring, 1 ((Jniit )J ^r^^-^^l^-^^^-f-^I^-O-,, ^q^^z^^z^z^rzj^^Kd.g=:^ , ^=t^x=l| t?-?^-j-i-fr--r-*7 *" r~* 1"^~- ^-^-i^*-'-*^* J "in -r^ 4^*^*- C: | have the victory. Oh! halicluj.ili, sing with m , I ?ve the vie-to ryT' The -^^ - > /-> blood of Jjsusc'eaajet^D^I -av'Tevic-to-ryT^ Th bl 'd, theblfrace wherein we stta^ I have the victory. SABBATH RKST. 131 THE SABBATH A TYPE OF THIS REST. We read in Hebrews 4 :g : "There re- maineth a rest for the people of God, or, as the mar- gin says, "A keeping of the Sabbath." The R. V. gives it, "A Sabbath rest." If our Seventh Day Advent brethren would but rightly interpret the Sabbath, they would seize its inner meaning with joy and leave the Saturday Sabbath alone, which they have signally failed to establish. Have they not lost the substance and grasped the shadow ? We read, "Verily my Sabbaths ye shall keep; for it is a sign between me and you throughout your gen- erations ; that ye may know that I am the Lord that doth sanctify you. Ye shall keep the Sabbath therefore ; for it is hply unto you. Every one that defileth it shall surely be put to death. It is a sign between me and the children of Israel forever." (Read Exodus 31 :i3, 17.) We emphasize, that yc may know that I am the Lord that doth sanctify you. This meaning is fully carried forward into the New Testament. Many are the proselytes of blind guides. They have put their heads in a noose like animals being led to the slaughter, unconscious of their awful doom, the fatal blow is given and they drop spirit- ually dead at the feet of their murderers. O for the light to reveal the cloven hoof of sin ! The twilight of the regenerated experience is not sufficient. The noon-day light of the Sun of Righteousness must flood your soul, for the "natural man receiveth not the things of the spirit of God, for they are foolish- 132 LOOKING BACK FROM BEULAH. ness unto him, neither can he discern them, for they are spiritually discerned." When Alexander, the world's conqueror, asked Diogenes what favor he might bestow upon him, the humble philosopher replied, "Get out of my sun- shine." The man of sin, though subjected by grace, eclipses our vision of the true Christ. Paul says the body of sin must be destroyed. The Holy Ghost, the great executive of the Godhead, with your con- sent, will put him to death now. ADDITIONAL LIGHT. I knew nothing of the holiness movement, hav- ing read only the church papers. My husband and brother were both preaching without the experience, and I had not yet learned that there was any re- proach on the cause, supposing that Methodists were true to the principles on which Methodism was founded. I did not know that backslidden bishops and presiding elders were sending preachers to "Hardscrabble" for preaching this doctrine. A new world was opening to me. When in Dr. Yoakum's office one day, he hand- ed me "The Way of Faith," a holiness paper. I had never seen such a paper before. He gave me a copy to take home. After looking it over I found it to be entirely different from the "Christian Advocate" that had been coming to our home for years. It was food for my soul. A few days later he sent me another publication equally as good. I found in it liberal offers to subscribers and immediately began to take subscriptions for it. Before long it was com- ing to at least thirty homes on my husband's charge. ADDITIONAL LIGHT. 133 Some money .that was given to me as a Christmas present was used in sending it to my relatives. While doing all that I could to spread holiness, a shadow came over my soul as I thought of laying our lives on the altar of a church where almost the entire membership and ministry are ignorant of this, the crowning doctrine of the Bible, and look upon it as a delusion or some sort of superstition or fanat- icism. Only a weakly form of it has been at all tol- erated. Where it rises up with any strength, the old Adam nature that has grown to enormous pro- portions and power in the church, with all the cun- ning and craft of the old serpent in Eden and the worldly wisdom of man, combine to crush it out. I was now gradually being enlightened on the sub- ject. My husband when a young man had marked ability as a financier, but we had willingly sacrificed all to devote our entire time to the denomination that we believed was the nearest right. We were born and cradled in the two great branches of Meth- odism, he of the north and I of the south. I made nearly a thousand dollars teaching school the year before we were married, and gave up this position with an offer of increased wages, to enter a life of service with him in the ministry. I had labored also to help educate my brother Charles, whom my mother had dedicated to the ministry when a child. When he was not two years old, I remember the anxious look on her face as she tossed in pain on her bed praying to God to spare her life to hear him preach the gospel. While at- 134 LOOKING BACK FROM BEULAH. tending school at Millersburg he was led into the experience of holiness by one of the students and walked in the light of it for several months, but like many others, had lost it before he became estab- lished. SHORN SAMSONS. After Samson had laid his head in the lap of Delilah, he went out and shook himself, but wist not that the Lord had departed from him. The fallen church, which Delilah represents, is everywhere supporting a shorn ministry. Millions are being poured into her coffers to pay college pro- fessors, presiding elders and bishops, with their clip- ping machines, to carry on the wholesale business of shearing the prophets. Many young men with bright experiences, en- tering some of the so-called Christian institutions, not only lose their experiences, but are shaken in their orthodoxy by ideas imbibed from dead theo- logians, higher criticism and other subjects det- rimental to spiritual life and growth. If a spiritual young man runs the gauntlet of the colleges and seminaries (often properly called cemeteries) and does not lose his locks, or get struck down too dead to be resurrected as a preacher, the clipping machines of the annual conference await him. Samson in the glory of his strength rent the lion like a kid. The lords of the Philistines paid Delilah large sums of money, and furnished the ma- terial with which to bind him, but the green withes were broken as tow when it touches the fire. Thev SHORN SAMPSONS. 135 bound him with two new cords, but the Spirit of the Lord came mightily upon him, and they were broken as flax that is burned with fire. He slew a thousand men with the jaw bone of an ass. After the upper room believers received the baptism of the Holy Ghost and fire they could no longer be bound with the bands of Judaism, neither will the bands of dead ecclesiasticism hold a man that is filled with the Spirit. He must have liberty to catch the foxes and tie firebrands to their tails to destroy the fields of the Philistines. The seven locks of his head were woven into a web and fastened to the beam with a pin, but awak- ening out of his sleep he walked away with the beam. Had Samson kept his head out of the lap of Delilah, he would have escaped the calamity that befell him. Pulpits are everywhere filled with a bald-headed ministry, and the shearers are being kept busy to supply the demand. A few pop guns loaded with paper wads are being fired, a report is heard, but no one is hurt. Some who have had the power like Samson, have had their eyes put out and now go around like a blind horse in the old beaten path of a treadmill; they are forever going and getting no- where. My father used a blind horse in the bark mill of his tannery. The animal became so habituated to the mill, that instead of grazing, when turned out in the green pasture near by, we often found her going around and around in a circle, at the same gait she was accustomed to in the mill. This would be kept up for hours unless some one had mercy upon her 136 LOOKING BACK FROM BEULAH. and broke the spell. Before she lost her sight she was a valuable race horse. The sanctified experience will start you out at race horse speed for glory. No more circuitous routes or beaten paths. Nothing less than the baptism of the Holy Ghost and fire will break the pulpit treadmill spell of to-day. Poor old blind Samson. was a pitiful sight, bound with fetters of brass and grinding in the prison house of the Philistines, after having been a mighty victor, single handed, over their armies. As we see him in his humiliation at the mill, we think of the trium- phant spirit in which he walked away with the gates of the city, posts, bar and all carrying them to the top of the mountain. The lords of the Philistines gathered them- selves together to sacrifice to Dagon, their god, for they said, "Our god hath delivered Samson, our enemy, into our hand." They had now in their power the destroyer of their ^country, who had mul- tiplied their slain. When their hearts were merry they called for Samson out of the prison house that he might make them sport. The shorn prophets are the laughing stock of devils while vultures from the pit prey upon their congregations. Ever and anon there is a jubilee in hell over one who has had great strength but who, alas, has fallen into the hands of the shearers. If these poor victims would awaken to the fact that their strength is gone, and let their locks grow again, they could pull down the pillars on the heads of the Philistines, and like Samson, accomplish more by their death (of the old man) than by their life. They might lose their SHORN SAMPSONS. 137 ecclesiastical standing, but they would regain their strength, and be a terror to the workers of iniquity. Some are courageous enough to go just to the dan- ger point and no further. A few dare to be true, suffering the reproach of Christ. Jesus said to His disciples when He sent them forth, "He that findeth his life shall lose it, and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it." We never live until we die, "For he that is dead is freed from sin." "But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness and the end everlasting life." (Rom. 6:7, 22.) It is one thing to be a servant of human organizations, and another to be a servant of God. An organization is human when man has taken the reins out of the hands of God and set himself up in the place of the Holy Spirit's wisdom and guidance. King Saul did this. Sorrow and ruin attended his wild and selfish career, that at last brought self-destruction. To be a servant of Gocl may mean to be dropped from the hands of a bishop to the bottom of the ladder; and as these human structures have no real foundation under them, it is well to go down and build on the rock against which the gates of hell can not prevail. Never mind the scoffs and jeers or sickly smiles of spectators while the descent is being made. When the bottom has been reached the coming up will be glorious. It was so with Daniel, who was cast into the lion's den, and Joseph, who was thrown into a pit by his brethren, came out with his face toward a throne. CHAPTER XII. HEALING FOR THE BODY REVIVAL FIRES ON THE ERIE CHARGE. Three weeks after the Lord sanctified me, I re- ceived faith for the healing of my body. The treat- ments received from the best physicians with their prescriptions of medicines, change of climate, scen- ery, and study of music, painting, etc., were carried out with but little profit. My wrecked nervous con- dition had been one of torture almost intolerable, baffling medical skill. No sooner were my eyes closed in sleep than all kinds of distorted figures would appear before me hideous reptiles and other creatures with human heads would look into my face. Beautiful forms would vanish and reappear as monstrosities. If I had not been as well as usual during the day, or there had been any unusual ex- citement, my husband would often sit at my bedside to awaken me out of these horrible nightmares into which I was sure to fall. The physician once said that my sleep was like that of a man in the delirium trcmens. Sometimes a knock on the door would throw me into a nervous chill. I was unable to hear pathetic stories of poverty or suffering, and had not been able to attend a funeral service without injury for four years. When awakening at night there were often dark clouds hanging over me, and the only way that relief could be obtained was to arouse 138 HEAUNG FOR THE BODY. 139 my husband to talk or pray with me. I believed it was God's will to heal me, and I promised to use all my strength in His service and for His glory. I knew no other way than to take it by faith as I had sanctification, and did so. I felt no immediate change but was conscious that He was undertaking for me. Several days of severe testing followed, during which time I stood on the promises and re- sisted the devil. In looking to Jesus, determining not to doubt, the neYvousness all left me, and my sleep became as sweet as that of a child, with no more frightful dreams or night-mares. My friends could all see that a great change had taken place in my body. To the glory of God I can say that I was completely healed of this chronic disease, but since then I have had my faith tried quite severely by sickness in other forms; but in every such instance have gotten the victory by faith. "Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivereth him out of them all." (Psa. 34:19.) Four years ago I took a heavy cold in a tent meeting at Leadville. For three months I suffered with severe pains in my chest, coughing almost con- stantly. Yet I went on with my work. While in Cripple Creek I stepped into the office of a physician one day with a sister who was taking treatment. Before leaving, at her request. I had my lungs ex- amined and was told that I had all the symptoms of quick consumption, and unless the disease was checked I might not be living in six months. In our work I often lead the open air meetings. I was told this would have to stop immediately and was 140 LOOKING BACK FROM BEUL.AH. handed a prescription for cod liver oil, and told to have it filled at the first drug store. While I slipped it into my pocket I did not have it filled, nor had I any intention of doing so. On my return home I found the Mission had suffered in my absence. I went to the service the following Sunday night. My mother came in a few minutes before the meeting. She looked at me and said, "You might just as well close this Mission now for it will have to be closed sooner or later." I thought she meant it would close on\ account of my health, but asked her no questions. At that mo- ment about fifteen men filed into the room and took their seats and looked up at me with such a sad and pitiful look some the pictures of despair. I never had a greater desire to live than I had at that mo- ment not for myself, but that I might preach the gospel to just such persons as were before me. [ knelt down and began to pray aloud. I do not know what I said, but I know the Spirit of God had pos- session of me. A quickening came into my body. 1 arose to my feet and. said to mother, "He has touched me," and without further preliminaries stepped to the front and began to preach under a gracious anointing of the Spirit. I knew I had a new lease of life, and that the Mission would not close, but that others would be opened up. The pains left my chest and the coughing ceased. This was Dec. 4th, 1898. Last August (1901) I had consumption of the bowels. A physician was consulted. I told him my case was in the hands of the Lord, that I did ERIE; CHARGE. 141 not want treatment; only to know the nature of my trouble. He said he was not a Christian but gave an instance, when he was in distress, of a re- markable inswer to his prayer. He frankly told me that even had I desired treatment he could do nothing for me, 'aid that as I believed in prayer I had better pray. I was face to face with the grave and fully realized that my help must come from God alone. Before consulting- the physician, through hours of severest testings, my case was so fully in the hands of the Lord that I had not an anxious care, rejoicing that I was His for life or death. The Lord had raised me up before and I \vas sure that He would do so again if my work was not done. At this time Mr. White w r as away in a revival meet- ing. I suffered severely for several days and fainted and fell in the night, wedging myself in behind the bath-tub, where I might have perished had not one of the sisters heard my groans and come to my re- lief. The crisis came two or three days later, when, after a few hours of intense pain, Jesus, the great physician, came to my relief. To Him be all the glory. For eight years I have taken no remedies and my faith and trust have been in Jesus alone as my physician. THE ERIE CHARGE. In June, 1893, the conference sent us to Erie. Colo. We were delayed in moving almost three weeks because of the former pastor's remaining- to , hold a church supper to raise some of his back sal- 142 LOOKING BACK FROM BEULAH. ary. The house he lived in was not a parsonage, but the only one in the town available for the pur- pose. On our arrival we found his family still in the house, but ready to go the next clay. The preacher's wife felt it her duty to enlighten us in regard to some things about the work. She told us of a certain local Methodist preacher who called himself the "daddie of the town." He was the leading church official, popular as a politician and the organizer of most of the lodges in the town and of many throughout the state. She said he would expect to hold the funeral services and \vanted all the weddings. She advised us to let him have his way in things to avoid trouble, however unjust it might be. After she told me this I knew there would be a connection. Our baby was just recovering from the whoop- ing-cough and we were feeding him on prepared foods. The change of water did not agree with him, and a week after our arrival he was at death's door. On July i Qth he had rallied sufficiently to be taken to Glen Park, in the mountains, and after we had been there a week his life was again despaired of. The doctor left us one night about half past two o'clock without any hopes of his recovery. Xo one but God knew our hearts as we watched the little sufferer. As he had been so miraculously raised up be- fore. I could not help but think that he would be spared now. I believed there was a lesson in it for me, and I asked the Lord to let me learn it quickly, when mv soul was instantly hushed bv the voice of ERIE CHARGE. 143 the spirit saying, "Will you go and preach the gos- pel if his life is spared?" My answer was, "Yes Lord." I felt sure that He would not require me to go unless I was perfectly satisfied that the chil- dren would have the proper care in my absence. The next morning the baby was much better, and mes- sages for the people began to burn in my soul. My husband returned to his charge and for nearly four weeks T was left alone \vith the two chil- dren. It would have been impossible to have taken this responsibility before the Lord sanctified my soul. There were several critical times passed and some severe tests before we returnd home, but through them all ] had -complete victory. At our first prayer meeting after my return the local preacher was present and took a prominent part. The opportunity was given for testimony. I could think of nothing but, "Woe unto you when all men shall speak well of you, for so did your fath- ers to the false prophets." (Luke 6:26.) I had no thought of the preacher when I quoted the pass- age; but it was an arrow directed by the Holy Spirit, for he took it all to himself. The Lord kept his hand upon me; and at every service I attended, without wishing to antagonize him, it seemed I would and that it could not be avoided. The situa- tion became more and more interesting until he open- ly rebelled. The services of Rev. Thomas Leach and his singer were secured for evangelistic work. The two-edged sword of full salvation was used and the church and town stirred as they never had been. 144 LOOKING BACK FROM BEULAH. He was the first person I ever knew to make an altar call for seekers of both pardon and purity. 1 was anticipating a spiritual feast before these brethren came, but two days after their arrival our baby took another relapse and was again given up by the physician, who left the house and reported him to be dying. My husband retired to some se- cret place to pour out his soul to God while I was left alone by his side. Feeling that the Lord had something to say to me, my heart cried, "Speak for Thy servant heareth." Then came the words clear and unmistakable, "If his life is spared, will you preach the gospel?" It was the same question that was asked two months before, but after his recovery I doubted whether it was the Lord, saying "Surely He did not give me these children to leave in an- other's care." I was willing to help all I could in the services at home, but was in hopes the Lord would not ask me to go where it would take me from the children. The second test was sufficient to re- move all doubt and my soul said yes once more to God. At this moment my husband came in and for the first time during all the baby's illness he was resigned to his death. It was Sunday morning and the evangelist told the people that in all prob- ability the child would not be living at the close of the service. Many persons came to the house during the afternoon and were surprised to find him still alive, and changing some for the better. THE PLEASANT VIEW MEETING. A few weeks later special services were begun PLEASANT VIEW MEETING. 145 at Pleasant View, a little country church on this charge five miles from town. The baby was still very delicate and required constant care. I was seeking every opportunity to study God's word, which was opening with new light. I found holiness everywhere on its pages and longed to preach it to the people. I believed it was God's will for me to help in the meetings just start- ed, but did not know how to leave the child. One day it came to me that he could be left with my niece, if he would only sleep while we were away. That evening he went to sleep at half past six o'clock and did not awaken until eleven. The next evening this was repeated and I saw that God's hand was in it and ventured to go. For four weeks he slept through the hours of our absence. My husband preached the first few evenings, but there were no seekers. The burden of my heart was to see be- lievers sanctified. After he had preached rather lengthily one night, unable to sit still longer, I asked if I might speak for a few moments. My lips were touched with a live coal and in a short time thirteen persons bowed at the altar for sanctification, and five soon followed for pardon. The power of God was manifested in the deliverance of souls from their bondage. After the service the pastor was very much depressed. He said he was afraid the scrip- tures I used had been strained to bring out the sec- ond work of grace. This was an unexpected trial to me. I sought consolation from a young Salvation Army brother who was riding with us, when to my surprise he decided against me. This made it much 146 LOOKING BACK FROM harder for me, as I had great confidence in the broth- er's experience. He claimed to be sanctified, and I believed he was. It was the best thing for me in the end, as I learned not to look for the approval of men after the Holy Spirit had given the message. Having been in the experience only a short time, I had yet to learn that silence was my greatest weapon and the Spirit was being grieved by my trying to defend myself and the word. Arriving at the church the next evening, I was met at the gate by a brother who was waiting to give me some advice. He had been visiting through the neighborhood during the day and found some persons who attended the service the night before greatly stirred over the preaching of holiness. He believed in holiness, but thought it was not the time to preach it. The words had no sooner fallen from his lips than I detected the cloven hoof of the enemy. Satan had come as an angel of light to de- feat the preaching of a whole gospel. I saw it clear- ly, and it only made me more determined to de- clare the whole counsel of God regardless of con- sequences. There was great power in the meetings. A man converted Saturday evening shouted until he was so hoarse that he could not speak above a whisper for three days. His whole family was brought to Christ. His father was converted un- der Peter Cartwright and truly we were seeing the old time religion. Persons who were converted at the beginnning of the meeting were sanctified before its close. Con- VIEW MEETING. 147 viction was so great it was almost impossible to get the people to leave the church at night after the serv- ice closed. The news of the revival spread all over the northern part of the state. Some persons who were not able to attend were converted in their homes. Restitutions were made and family altars established. This community until of late has been a holiness center. BROTHER R. A. CALKINS' TESTIMONY. "When twenty years old I joined the church at Marshall, Wisconsin, and without any change of heart the preacher told me I was all right. Soon after I moved to Kansas. Wishing to unite with God's people there I received a very flattering let- ter from my former church pastor. "Subsequently I moved to Colorado and rinding no church near enough with which to unite I carried my letter in my pocket and trunk until it was worn out. I married after coming West and my wife and others supposed I was a backslider. A revival meet- ing was held a number of years ago at this place, at which she was converted. One day on returning home she came out and embraced me, telling me it had been the happiest day of her life. This so con- victed me that I was awakened to the fact that I had never been converted myself, although I had been a respectable church member for sixteen years. I be- lieve now that one can be a respectable member of any denomination, meet the obligations placed on him and go straight to hell. I had willingly carried the financial burdens of the church and often prayed 148 LOOKING BACK FROM and testified in class meeting, the substance of my re- marks being that I did not have as much of the love of God in my heart as 1 wanted, but I hoped to meet them all in heaven. "A few days after my wife's conversion I, too, j:eciyjed_jhe_wj^aiejs_^jt^ Spirit to the pardon of my sins. I lived in the up and down experience for several years, often times feeling under condemna- tion and then repenting and praying until peace was restored. I knew there was something lacking, but did not understand the doctrine of holiness, there- fore remained in the twilight experience. The above meeting at Pleasant View found me in an un- settled condition praying for a better experience. Night after night I went to the altar not for pardon but for purity. As the Holy Spirit revealed inher- ited corruption I sickened at the sight of my own heart. On the eighth night, after the hardest strug- gle of my life, when the altar call was made they were singing, "Standing on the promises of God." The enemy whispered, "Are you going to make a fool of yourself by going up there again?" At that moment the burden rolled away and wave after wave of glory deluged my soul. My friends heard it miles away. Some of them had supposed I had all the salvation there was for me." This brother's face glowed as his heart burst forth from day to day in holy laughter. At times it seemed that the earthen vessel would break if the hand of God was not stayed. I had been sustained for weeks by supernatural strength, attending our sick baby and household du- PLEASANT VIEW MEETING. 149 ties during the day and driving- five miles to the church and back of nights, often continuing the ser- vices until ten and eleven o'clock. The night's rest was continually broken by the care of the baby, but almost invariably the Holy Spirit would awaken me at five o'clock with a burden for souls. I would pray until six, sometimes receiving the evidence that certain persons would be converted the following evening. I suffered from the continual exposure and when the meeting closed, had a severe cold on my lungs. I did not feel sick, but was greatly in need of rest, and the only way to get it was to go to bed. I did this and stayed there for ten days. During this time the Lord was wonderfully precious to my soul. The baby had the best of care and was improving fast in the hands of a young woman who had been converted in our meetings. One day, I do not remember whether I was dozing or not, I had a vision of hell. It was terrible beyond words to tell. I saw it as a pit and standing close enough I looked over into it. I could see miles and miles into its awful depths. The mouth of it was an en- closure of four black walls. In this narrow passage demons w r ere pressing their way out and in. Those just entering hacj victims in their embrace screaming with horror. One great black monster had my mother, another equally as ferocious was carrying my oldest brother, who was then unsaved in Mon- tana. I had been concerned for four weeks about my mother's salvation, knowing that she was not in a safe place spiritually. I had been writing letters to her, which I am sure were used of the Lord in I5O BOOKING BACK FROM bringing her closer to Himself. Before many months the Lord brought her to Colorado, where she re- ceived great help and light at our first holiness camp meeting. Three months later my brother Emery was saved in Montana. ACHAN IN THE CAMP. One Saturday morning while reading the story of Achan a burden was rolled upon me for the Sun- day services. I saw him who caused the defeat of Israel's army as a type of the "old man" of sin. The Lord was burning a message into my soul and pre- paring the way for me to deliver it. I thought of no particular person as Achan in the camp, but could see clearly that the man of sin must die before we could expect victory. I said nothing to my husband about my leadings until he called me to the study and told me that he had no message for the morn- ing congregation. I told him I understood why. He took the hint. On the way to the church my body was weak under the pressure of the Spirit. I knew gospel dynamite was going to explode before that service closed. My husband asked me to tell him my subject, but the Lord made me withhold it until the time. I could see divine wisdom in. this afterwards, as he would have thought of the local preacher, and would have been afraid that the message would be too personal. As I stepped out on the floor to speak my limbs fairly smote together, so great was the power of the Spirit upon me. The battle was or- dered of the Lord, and for about thirty minutes shot and shell fell thick and fast in the ranks of the enemy. ACHAN IN THE CAMP. There were tears of repentance and storm clouds of wrath, the latter especially upon the face of the local preacher, who arose to his feet and began to justify himself and to antagonize the pastor who had fol- lowed with an exhortation. He took all that was said to himself, and kept the floor until he had made his defense, then evidently expecting a reply he re- turned to his seat. People were called forward for prayers. A miner, under conviction for several days, broke down and came to the altar. He was used of the Lord to minister an awful rebuke to this brother. As he came to the front he stopped at the head of the aisle where the local preacher sat in a chair facing the congregation. He put his hand on his shoulder and pushing him back said, with tears and trembling, "Man, do you know what you are doing? You are fighting against God. He is with these people. I am a sinner." Then in a few words he gave this brother an epitome of his life in the town, and in it said: "Instead of helping people to Christ, you have darkened their lives," making mention espe- cially of a young man then lying in the graveyard on the hill. "You have been given to story telling too low for the houses of ill fame on Market street in Denver." It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. His rebukes are some- times terrible, making man's beauty to consume away. The audience sat motionless and speechless while the sword of truth uncovered sin. I made some reference to lodges which aroused the beast of depravity. Ephraim was joined to his idols and wished to be let alone. The crv that 152 LOOKING BACK FROM went up in behalf of these ungodly organizations during the next few weeks doubtless had a striking similarity to the uproar at Ephesus, when the idol- atry of that city was made manifest under the preaching of Paul and his co-laborers. About twelve humble disciples had received the Holy Ghost subsequent to their conversion and shook the foundations of the heathen city. In much confusion the idolators cried out, "Great is Diana of the Ephe- sians," until the town clerk appeased their wrath by telling them that they were in danger of being called into account by the authorities for the uproar. There was almost everything in the order of lodges represented in this town of Erie. Special services were began. Unusual inter- est was taken by the unsaved and non-churchgoing people, while the attendance of the membership was very small. The women as well as the men were more interested in their lodges than in salvation, and excused their absence by saying that they had to attend the lodge. Although a small place it kept the local preacher and his lodge folks busy attending funerals. They came out on dress parade and made a great ado, especially at the grave, where they re- minded me of the Bannock Indians in their orgies over their dead. A committee waited on the presiding elder to ask for our removal. A few days later he called and severely reprimanded me for saying anything against lodges, giving us to understand that he was a Free Mason himself. I told him that my father had been too, but dropped the lodge after his conversion. ERIE) CHARGE. 153 There was a sting in his reply when he said that he was a Christian and he had not dropped his lodge either, adding that a person could not be a Free Mason unless he was a believer. This we doubted. Philip Zang, the great Colorado brewer, be- longed to thisTofcter. His beer cursed the lives of thousands and took the bread from the mouths of poor women and innocent children. Yet this man, the papers said, had the greatest funeral ever wit- nessed in the history of the city; a thousand dollar aluminum casket was used with three thousand dol- lars in flowers, woven into magnificent designs of which they made special mention of Crosses, Gates Ajar and Anchors. The bands played the delicate strains of a funeral march at the head of a cortege of double carriages over a mile long. To Rev. was extended the courtesy of a few remarks in which he said : "The deeds of Mr. Zang are a sufficient mon- ument to his memory." But the men who were especially set up as the principal actors on the occa- sion, performing the funeral rites, were of the be- fore-named order. They laid away the man whose name is on a sign at almost every door of the hells of suicide and debauchery in the West. If our pre- siding elder considers this lodge a good thing, then he should have considered himself highly honored in this procession as a pall-bearer. Reader, how did some of our pastors and bishops look in mourning for their deceased brother? Must one be a believer to be a Free Mason ? So devils believe and tremble. Persecutions were coming thick and fast. I felt I could face a regiment of demons if my hus- 154 BOOKING BACK FROM band would only stand with me, but he was not in the full light and could not see things as I did. My burden for him and my brother Charles, who were both preaching without this experience, was almost crushing me. The meetings continued with good results, not- withstanding the difficulties in the way. The desire to see my husband sanctified eclipsed every other in- terest. My tears would flow in spite of restraining efforts when I would think of what might be accom- plished if he were sanctified wholly. At times he became troubled and asked me why I wept. I shrank from telling him, knowing the controversy that would follow, but unable to avoid the question longer my heart was unburdened one Sunday morn- ing as he was standing in the door with his Bible under his arm just ready to start for the church. To my surprise he made no reply and walked off. I saw that God had taken hold of him. The majority of the church members had but little use for me but thought he was about right and often remarked that they believed in the kind of sanctification that he had. On entering the pulpit that morning he confessed publicly that he was not sanctified. The Lord -honored the confession and used it to stir the people. For hours I waited upon Gor 1 in fasting and prayer for his sanctification and received the assurance that something would be done soon. He writes of his experience that came shortly after this : "I arose one Sunday morning with such a sense of unworthiness that I cried out in prayer, wishing ERIE CHARGE. 155 that I might be put away in the Rock of Ages and covered up out of sight. I went to the church at eleven o'clock; Brother Harvey Calkins was holding evangelistic meetings for us. After the opening ex- ercises I took a seat in the congregation, with that humble, unworthy feeling that would have hidden me away in the lowliest vale or place accessible. At the close of the sermon the evangelist called people forward. I knew it was my duty to go to the front, and went up and kneeled behind the pulpit to be hidden from view. Suddenly the Spirit came in power upon me and a shout arose from the depth of my being that I knew, when it reached my vocal cords, that if God had His way with me, I would shout at the top of my voice. I had told my wife I would never shout, that it was not my nature. Sa- tan said, if you do you will make a fool of yourself and that nice man and woman in the back part of the church, whose friendship you prize, will never have anything more to do with you. I said, I have conferred with flesh and blood long enough these thoughts were quicker than a flash, when yielding myself up to God, a mighty shout of "Glory to God ! Glory to God !" broke forth from my lips. Then, a quiet, sweet peace settled down on my soul and the Spirit said, "stand up." I arose and looked over the congregation and instead of seeing any mani- fest displeasure, the people were weeping under the mighty presence of God and the man and woman, I was tempted over, were coming to the altar. Again the Spirit distinctly spoke to me, saying, "May I not with a shout save some one when everything 156 LOOKING BACK FROM else has failed?" I said, "Yes, Lord." Years be- fore when seeking sanctification I was similarly tested and yielded to the tempter. Later, I received the experience and let it be absorbed by the world. Now God took me over the same grounds which, with the witness of the Spirit, was full proof to me that God had sanctified my soul. Glory to God ! In the next few months I shouted several times under a similar pressure until I was free to shout or not to. God wonderfully bore with me in my unworthiness and infirmities and graciously poured out His Spirit upon me in the pulpit. When we came to Denver I murmured and complained some over the life of faith and the apparent hardness and uncertainty of the work. I soon learned better, and God marvelously provided for our needs. He has taken me through some severe refinings and given me some of the deepest lessons on the crucifixion and death of the old self. With humiliation and tears I confess to a weakness at times past of grieving the gentle blessed Holy Spirit that is so precious in His ministrations, that finally led to an experience some months ago that had in it the most hopeless soul appalling dark- ness that could be described. In infinite mercy I was delivered from it, and to-day I rejoice in the blood that cleanseth from all sin, and, as did Hezekiah, like the waters of Shiloah, 'I shall go softly all my years.' " KENT WHITE. I had been almost as much burdened for my brother Charles as I had for Mr. White. He came to visit us, and the Spirit came mightily upon me one night at the family altar in prayer. Hastening ERIE CHARGE. 157 from the room he called to me from the head of the stairs to tell me that he was afraid I was beside myself. I had joy in knowing that the Holy Spirit had directed an arrow that he was unable to remove from his heart. After he returned to his charge he wrote me that peace had come t^ his soul. Years of experience have taught me that persons who are really justified will not fight the "second blessing." We have known some persons at the beginning of a revival meeting, whom we believed to be truly jus- tified, who refused to walk in the light in making the consecration necessary to obtaining the blessing and thereby forfeited what they had. Three months later my brother was sanctified at our first holiness camp meeting, but he relapsed into ecclesiastical bondage and lost the blessing. ""More than one hundred and fifty souls pro- fessed conversion during the last few months of the Conference year, which closed with the finances all in good condition, yet there had been no entertain- ments or other questionable means of raising money. The blessing of God had been upon the work from the beginning of the year and streams of living water flowed out to the people. Many persons grasped our hands with a "God bless you" in expressing their gratitude for the humble instrumentality used in the salvation of their souls. The revival reached Lafayette and other min- ing towns near by and several school districts. CHAPTER XIII. THE BOULDER CONFERENCE IN EVANGELISTIC WORK BIBLE SUBJECTS AND COMMENTS. A committee was sent to the Conference to make sure of our removal. I had awakened to the fact that the Methodists were a fallen people, yet I did not fully comprehend the situation until the power of evil that dominated this body was made manifest. They showed their disapproval of the year's work, and of the revival that was so far- reaching, by severely criticising the work that had been accomplished and by granting the request of the committee for our removal. Regardless of their antagonism to holiness, I determined to give no uncertain sound in testifying at the love feast on Sunday morning. The bishop had heard of me in the cabinet and was watching me Very closely. They reported me to him as making a hobby of holiness, which they seemed to think was a fearful thing to do. Nine years have passed, and as my experience widens and deepens, the subject becomes more and more precious. Before the day was over many questions were asked by persons who were lamenting their spiritual poverty and the fact that their pastors did not preach holiness. One sister said that she had heard of it years before in the east, and knew it was just what 158 BOUNDER CONFERENCE. 159 she needed, but did not know how to obtain it. A preacher became especially interested in the subject. He had been sanctified years before, but through dis- obedience lost it. Strange to say this was the preacher God was preparing to follow us upon the Erie charge. When the appointments were read we were to go to Broomfield circuit, a charge consisting of two country school houses with no parsonage. Previous to this, it had been supplied by students from the University of Denver. This was perhaps my great- est test since the Lord had sanctified me, as I had tried hard to look at things from the standpoint of right instead of from human prejudices and eccle- siastical corruption. My husband said from the be- ginning that we would lose our standing in the Con- ference if we worked on definite holiness lines. There was nothing like a living in sight, but it was not that I was afraid of coming to want, for I had proved God and founcf that His promises are true. From a human standpoint it was somewhat humiliating in the eyes of the people, especially when our enemies were apparently triumphant, but I had died to them and was not particularly concerned about what they thought or said. The fact that my work seemed to be cut off gave me the greatest con- cern. There was a great lesson which an overruling providence had for me, which perhaps could not have been learned in any other way, i. e., a knowl- edge of the' apostate condition of Methodism. I found that the old church which I had loved so long, and which was raised up to spread Scrip- l6o LOOKING BACK FROM BEUIvAH. tural holiness, was no longer a healthy branch of the true vine, but had become withered and sapless, the habitation of unclean birds. To be sure there were sickly signs of life in some parts of it, but a deathly burning blight is fast consuming the whole. My eyes were opened to many things since the great change had taken place in my heart, but this exper- ience was necessary to reveal the truth in its fullest sense, and was the means of driving the last nails of death to the fallen church. My husband tried to comfort me, and took me out to see Brother Calkin's family in the country, thinking perhaps they might be able to cheer me up. They were powerless, how- ever, to relieve the death pangs of my soul, for I was slowly but surely dying. The end was reached the next day about noon when the greatest and most unspeakable joy filled my soul. I was suddenly lifted from the low lands to a mountain peak in Beulah, higher than any yet ascended. The cord that bound me to the old mortified mother was clipped and I was free. It was liberty beyond all words to express. "My soul mounted higher in a chariot of fire, Nor did envy Elijah his seat." I knew not what the future would be, but one thing had been learned, that these great organizations with their millions of money and members, we could only use as mission fields, and in carrying the cup of salvation to them we must not fail to declare the whole counsel of God, keeping clear of the corrup- tion in them lest we also be consumed. Nothing less than the baptism with the Holy Ghost and fire BOULDER CONFERENCE. l6l will keep one from being contaminated. If you are a flame of fire every unclean thing that touches you will be burned up. If_you have the Pentecostal bap- tism, they will separate you Irom their company and casFoUt your name as evil. Some people are strong enough to come in con- tact with the most malignant form of contagious diseases, while others dare not run such risks. The Pentecostal baptism will free you from contagion and nothing short of it will lift you above the dan- ger line. There is a sort of worldty insanity developed in these denominations that reminds me of an in- sane mother I once knew, who stripped her two weeks' old babe and put it in a band box in a cold place to freeze to death. It was taken out of the box and warmed and placed to its mother's breast for nourishment, but she repeatedly pushed it away. There was a strange unnaturalness in her lack of affection for the child ; yet at times she showed traits of a real mother how like the old church mother in whose arms new-born babes are unsafe. If the holiness people, outside of these organizations, don't protect their spiritual infants by keeping the fire burning in cottage meetings, independent churches, missions, etc., they will not survive the treatment they will receive at the hands of the insane mother, in whose lap they are sure to fall. THE FIRST HOLINESS CAMP MEETING. Our attention was called one day to a beautiful grove at Pleasant View, near by the little church 1 62 LOOKING BACK FROM where I was used in my first revival work. The owner, in taking us around over the grounds, re- marked that one person had said it would be a good place for a beer garden, another that it would be just the place for a camp meeting. I had never before heard of a holiness camp meeting, but for days I could not get rid of the thought of having one in this grove. I kept it continually before the Lord, be- lieving He would open the way. During this time I did not tell it to anyone for fear there would be objections to calling it a holiness camp meeting, and I knew this would be a device of the enemy to de- feat our purpose. I had prayed earnestly for the Lord to put it on the heart of my husband, and Bro. R. A. Calkins to co-operate with me. In this my prayer was answered. We enlisted the aid of Dr. F. E. Yoakum, and proceeded to perfect the plans. Dr. Yoakum se- cured the services of Rev. Thomas H. Leach and Singer T. A. Marshall, of Charleston, S. C., for a holiness convention in the Hay Market Mission, Denver. At this convention the Colorado Holiness Association was organized, October 4th and 5th, 1893. Officers elected were A. C. Peck, president; Dr. F. E. Yoakum, vice president ; Kent White, sec- retary; Milo Stark, treasurer. The following March 23rd, Dr. Yoakum and others from Denver held a morning and afternoon service at Pleasant View, and approved of the plans for the first camp meeting in Herring's grove, June 26th to July 5th, 1894; also granted the request to have Dr. W. B. Godbey as the evangelist. A few months before FIRST CAMP MEETING. 163 this I had written Dr. Godbey to come and hold services in our church. He said he could not come then as his time was taken up with holiness camp meetings. My burden for him to come to Colorado was of the Lord and he now accepted the invitation. At the time appointed the meeting opened. Sis- ter Hattie Livingston was with us from Iowa, and kindly let us have the use of her gospel tent for this and five successive years. During this time my hus- band had the work of nearly all the officers to do. Many remarkable things were brought about in the camp meeting in answer to prayer. In the first service the flood gates of heaven were raised and our souls inundated. We shouted for joy. It was truly as Dr. Godbey said, "A stream from the heavenly ocean from beginning to end." My brother groaned in the-straw,.until Adam Jhe^first diedTancf returned to his charge to preach an uttermost salvation. I had been praying for my mother arict'God gave me the evidence a few months before that she would be at this meeting. It seemed to be too good to be true. Imagine my feelings when a wagon drove up from the depot to the edge of the grove with my mother and nephew Charles (Tony) Davis from Kentucky. The next day mother was at the altar. She sought and received a blessing. The shouts of my husband stirred me to the depths, and the groans of my brother awakened in me the keenest sympathy, but the sight of her upturned face as she cried, "This is what I have been wanting all these years," was more joy than I could bear. I took it to be sancti- fication, but afterwards she said it was not that that 164 BOOKING BACK FROM BEULAH. she received ; she got it later. She stayed with us for two years and kept the children while we went re- sponsive to the call of the Lord in evangelistic work. Not being able to get a house on the new cir- cuit, we found it most convenient to live at Erie, from which place the appointments could be easily reached. The circuit pulpits were provided for and the Lord opened the way for us to hold revival meet- ings and gave us the greatest victories of our lives. In the providence of God we remained in the town nearly two years longer, which greatly increased the humiliation of those who had sought to get rid of us, for in so doing they had only furnished help on the other side. While the people of Erie were delighted with their new pastor, imagine their chagrin when he sought and obtained the blessing of sanctification at the camp meeting. They were beginning the new year with a worse problem than they had before. From time to time the red hot gospel shot was poured ugon them. SeveTaTmteresting scenes were witnessed where our presence added to their discom- fort. One Sunday morning when the pastor was about half way through his discourse two men arose and publicly denounced it. They reminded me of lions ready to spring upon their prey, but could go no further than their chains would permit. THE DILLON MEETING. July 23rd, 1894, I left Erie and joining my brother the next day at Denver, we took the train for Montana. We had a number of relatives at Dil- lon, all of whom were unsaved. It was here that I DILLON MEETING. 165 lived true to the light in a justified experience for a number of years, and was now going back to tell them of something I had in addition to the first work of grace. My brother, who had been preaching in an alti- tude four thousand feet above Denver, needed a change, and after some hesitation he consented to go with me. On our arrival the members of the Methodist church immediately gave us a unanimous invitation to hold meetings for them. Their pastor had gone to the mountains for an outing, but they thought with the consent of the official board he would not object. He returned in a few days, but instead of being in favor of the meeting he expressed himself as being decidedly opposed to it. The Baptist minister would have been in favor of union services if the co-operation of the M. E. pastor could have been secured. The churches being closed to us, we sent to Denver for our gospel tent and set it up. There had never been anything like it in the town before and naturally it attracted a great deal of attention. The power of the Lord was manifest in every service from the first. At one time there were seven- teen seekers at the altar, the most of whom were Methodists, the pastor's mother-in-law being among them. My sister Nora, after she received the light, was used of God in bringing in my oldest brother, who had been backslidden for a number of years. Several months before I had dreamed he was dying unprepared to meet God, and later had a vision of hell and of his going into it, which so burdened me l66 LOOKING BACK FROM BEULAH. that I prayed until I received the evidence of his salvation. Most of the seekers received a clear ex- perience of sanctification, and after the meetings closed in the tabernacle they started holiness meet- ings in the homes. Their numbers increased until it was hard to find parlors large enough to accommo- date the people. Through their prayers a revival was brought about in the M. E. church. There was no spirit of come-outism manifested, and all they asked was the privilege of continuing the weekly meetings, but the heads of the church were opposed to this and took measures to stop them. We were told that a preacher said at conference that if he were sent to the charge he would crush that movement. He was sent and he crushed it. He came as an angel of light, pretending to have the experience of holi- ness and proposing to make all of the church services holiness meetings. In this way the enemy wilily crept in, and the work was stopped after continuing more than two years. FALSE PROPHETS. It is astonishing how many people are caught by these church wolves in sheep's clothing. God says, "Spots they are and blemishes, sporting them- selves with their own deceivings while they feast with you ; having eyes full of adultery, and that can not cease from sin; beguiling unstable souls; an heart they have exercised with covetous practices; which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam. * * * While PROPHETS. 167 they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption." (II. Peter 2:13-19.) "Nev- ertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal. The Lord-knoweth them that are His." (II. Tim. 2:19.) John says, "Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God ; because many false prophets are gone out into the world. (I. John 4:1.) In this time of awful apostacy, it behooves us to heed the above warning. Satan has kept his preachers busy all through the centuries and there are more of them to-day whose records are being written on the black parchments of the pit than any time in the history of the world. Sometimes they wear long hair but they are not so much to be feared when they come like this. One may be a spiritualist, a Mormon elder or a devotee of Mrs. Eddy's so- called Christian Science, a Universalist or an anni- hilationist or even a Dowieite, yet in these channels it will be easier to locate them as heretics or fanatics than many who are found in the rank and file of professed orthodoxy. The time may have been when some of the latter had real spiritual light, and a desire to see souls saved, but they have long since lost their grip on the word of God and forfeited the rights and claims of a Christian minister, and are now manipulating the forces that are set in motion in the regions of the lost. They belong to the sala- ried ministry, move in religious circles and fill prom- inent offices and pulpits, courteously granted to them by the fallen denominations to which they belong. You may find them in the Epworth Leagues and l68 BOOKING BACK FROM Christian Endeavor Societies; in Sunday School Conventions, Conferences and Synods; in the social circles of the rich, in the theological chairs, on the lecture platforms and in the banqueting halls at the bishops' receptions. They often preach the baccalau- reate sermons and edit the church papers. They may be found among the delegates to the General Confer- ences and the Synods, or among the Secretaries of the Benevolent Societies or at the heads of Book Concerns. Some of you would never have thought of looking in these places for the class of preachers John is talking about. You will be blind to all of this until the baptism of the Holy Ghost and fire burns the scales off of your eyes. Listen to Jere- miah's words, "Hear now this, O foolish people, and without understanding; which have eyes, and see not; which have ears and hear not. * * * For among my people are found wicked men; they lay wait, as he that setteth snares; they set a trap, they catch men. * * * They are waxen fat, they shine: yea, they overpass the deeds of the wicked: they judge not the cause of the fatherless, yet they prosper. * * * Shall I not visit for these things ? saith the Lord : shall not my soul be avenged on such a nation as this ? The prophets prophesy falsely and the priests bear rule by their means ; and my peo- ple love to have it so: and what will ye do in the end thereof?" (Jer.-5 121-31.) Paul says they are "traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God; having a form of godli- ness, but denying the power thereof;" and adds, "From such turn away." (2 Tim. 3:4-5.) FALSE PROPHETS. 169 Not long ago a pastor in Denver, who claimed to have the Holy Ghost, took his flock and attended the famous Gentry dog show within a block of the holiness tent meeting. The Ringling Brothers, with their great circus, paraded the streets with a piece of canvass thrown over an elephant's back adver- tising the beer of a famous brewer, and following it came a Methodist preacher, with his family, going to the circus. Another pastor went to see a prize < fight. Not much worse does the degenerate priest of Mexico who attends the cock and bull fights on Sundays. A picture comes before me of false prophets skulking away behind the charred walls of perdition to avoid meeting with souls they had helped to de- lude and damn. Ever and anon they are greeted with scorpion tongues of fiery denunciation. The door of mercy is forever closed. The gulf widens and hell's eternal night continues to blacken, while its victims sink deeper and deeper into its awful depths. Like animals led to the slaughter many will never understand until the fatal blow is given. Sin causes stupidity and blindness, and the whole diffi- culty lies in an unwillingness to forsake all and fol- low Jesus, hence they become the dupes of false prophets, false doctrines, and every form of demo- niacal heresy. The Lord says, "Whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, can not be my disciple." (Luke 14:33.) How many are clinging with their hearts to the things of the world and vainly imagine that they will be saved? "Love BOOKING BACK FROM not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world the love of the Father is not in him." (I John 2:15.) Soon we will be under the white lights of the judgment bar. The Judge of all the earth will open the book. "There is nothing covered that shall not be revealed; neither hid, that shall not be made known." (Luke 12 :2.) We are commanded to "Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and declare unto my people their transgression, and to the house of Jacob their sins." (Isa. 58 :i.) The preacher who spares carnality is not worthy the name, and will suffer an awful retribution. Peo- ple arc looking to him, instead of reading their Bibles and seeking light from God; hence the greater his responsibility, while they will be judged for follow- ing him when there was abundant evidence that he was not being led of God. Truly the time has come "when they will not endure sound doctrine, but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teach- ers, having itching ears." (II. Tim. 4:3.) John Wesley says of such preachers, "They say much of the promises and little of the commands, that they corrupt their hearers, vitiate their appetites so that they cannot endure sound doctrine or receive true nourishment. They feed them with sweet meats until the bread and meat of the kingdom becomes unpalatable, and it is often extremely difficult to re- cover them from their enfeebled state and get strength and vigor in their souls. Preachers of this kind, though it may appear otherwise, spread death rather than life among the people." Then such pro- PROPHETS. fessors of religion are harder to deal with than those who make no profession at all, and yet they think that the wheels of God's machinery would stop if they ceased to co-operate. They are like the Jews at the time of Christ, who thought they were indis- pensible in the economy of God; that there was no doing without them; that they were the seed of Abraham and that there were none to take their place. They needed some one like John the Baptist to cry in their ears, "God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham." (Matt. 3:9.) The publicans and harlots stood a better chance to go into the kingdom than the priests and elders (Matt. 21:31), yet they believed they would have an abundant entrance. Again some of the carnal-minded ask, "Have any of the rulers believed on Him?" If so they can afford to put themselves on record, too ; if not, there is too much at stake. Like the chameleon, they im- mediately change their color. It takes much of the grace of forbearance to deal with church professors who have no salvation. Jesus had a trial of it that ended in His death. MEETING AT POCATElvLO, IDAHO. On our way to Dillon we stopped off at Poca- tello, Idaho, to avoid traveling on Sunday. Attend- ing the Methodist church the next morning, we met the pastor, who asked us to hold a meeting for him on our return. We found the church as cold and lifeless as a graveyard. It took almost two weeks of hard pray- LOOKING BACK FROM ing and preaching to dig the people out. The pastor prayed to be filled with the Spirit, but it was useless to pray such a prayer unless he was willing to be emptied. If he had only confessed his backslidings and stepped out of the way of others, the barrier in the meeting would have been removed; but instead of this, at every request for those who were sancti- fied to stand, he was the first on his feet. As the ostrich fleeing from his pursuer, sticks his head in the sand and vainly imagines he is not seen, so peo- ple covering up sin in their hearts imagine their spiritual standing is not discerned, but it is. (I Co*-. 2:14-16.) The last Sunday evening my brother preached, and I followed with an exhortation which for some reason did not please the pastor. On reaching the parsonage, after the services, he turned on me like a ferocious beast. The tiger that had been crouching away in his soul was turned loose and, white with rage, he poured his wrath upon me. We wonder at the mercy and patience of God. The sermon was on temperance, and I remarked that the professing Christians were voting with the saloon men. This stirred him, for he was a politician and had been voting with the saloon keepers for the accursed whiskey traffic all his life. Truly sin in the pulpit is worse than sin in the saloon or brothel. BUND WATCHMEN. Isaiah (56:10-11), speaking of false prophets, says : "His watchmen are blind ; they are all igno- rant; they are all dumb dogs, they can not bark; PROPHETS. 173 sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber. Yea, they are greedy dogs, which can never have enough, and they are shepherds that cannot understand; they all look to their own way, every one for his gain from his quarter."' God's people had become a reproach and other nations were preying upon His heritage. These na- tions He compared to the wild beasts of the forest, typical of the wild beast of depravity, which is de- vouring His flock everywhere. How could it be otherwise with prophets that are compared to dogs that are blind, ignorant and dumb, sleeping, lying down and loving to slumber. They could neither see nor hear the approach of the enemy, taking their ease right in the time of greatest danger. Who are foolish enough to keep a watchman of this kind on guard ? Only those who are. blind, dumb and igno- rant themselves. Spiritual blindness and ignorance lead to all kinds of blunders, and under these condi- tions human weakness will manifest itself in the form of pity, church loyalty, submission to false prophets and carnal pastors. We have heard persons of this class say, "Our pastor is not very spiritual, but he is a good man." A woman lately said to us, "Our pastor delivers nice sermons, but why is it we seem to die under his preaching?" It is said that when ^Eschines, the ancient Greek orator, spoke, the people said, "That is beautiful;" but when De- mosthenes, his opponent, delivered an oration, they would say, "Let us go and fight Philip." Many preachers are brilliant and beautiful that is all. There are others, when heard, the people say, "Let 174 LOOKING BACK FROM us quit the evil of our doings ;" "let us get convert- ed," or, "let us get sanctified." People everywhere to-day deplore the state of the minister in the-pulpit. They acknowledge that he is void of spir- itual life and power, yet they feel it is their duty to give him their consecrated money, sim- ply because they pity him. The truth is they are keeping him in a place where he can do more harm than a thousand demons, for "if the blind lead the blind both shall fall into the ditch." Some professed holiness people say we must pursue this course, keep sweet and try to get the preacher into a better ex- perience. While he is no more precious than any other person, yet the devil appears as an angel of light and has his soul weighed and valued above whole congregations that he is helping -to delude and damn. Some of our people haven't common sense enough to keep them out of the fire on this point. The light in them has become darkness, and how great is that darkness. God's plan is to expose hypocrisy, not to cover it up. It is our business to uncover sin and call things by their right names, whatever the consequences may be. The old church forests are full of ravenous beasts, preying upon God's heritage with only here and there a pastor who refuses to cry peace, peace, when there is no peace. -Those wild beasts may be truly designated by the word carnality. Look for immense piles of brick and mortar, stained glass, cushioned pews, and here you will find the carcasses of their prey. Pride, lust, avarice, deceit, malice, envy, hatred are the very essence of carnality, and these things have eaten like PROPHETS. 175 a canker until the very vitals of the denominations around about us have been reached. While this pro- cess goes on, the pastors instead of being- like true watchmen on a tower, "are all greedy dogs, all look- ing to their own way; every one for his gain from his quarter." Once I saw a comic picture of a sly old fox with his foot on a duck's neck. With a grin of satisfac- tion, he asked "whose little ducky are oo?" The reply was, "I'se your little duck)'-." In picture num- ber two there were only a few bones and feathers left. A word to the wise is sufficient. CHAPTER XIV. REMARKABLE EXPERIENCES IN THE WORK. We reached home after an absence of eleven weeks. Our little Ray was playing near the gate. He had so improved in health that I did not recog- nize him at first. Arthur, the oldest, who had ac- companied us, seeing my confusion, said : "Mamma, don't you know him ? it is Ray, sure it is." He was no longer the little delicate child I had constantly watched and wept over for months. It took all the grace God had given me to stay away from him until my work was done. Mother had written to me how fast he was gaining in flesh, but I was not pre- pared for this surprise. Truly the Lord had done more than I had asked or thought. Never had my labors been so fruitful in the same length of time. "He brought us out from thence that He might bring us in, to give us the land which He swore unto our fathers" (Deut. 6:23) a fruitful land. Within six months seven of my nearest relatives were re- claimed or sanctified, one or two having received both experiences. Paul's words to the Philippian jailor, "Thou shalt be saved and thy house," were being fulfilled in my case, and I marveled at the humble instrumentality used to bring it about. One thing I knew, that every atom of my being was con- secrated to God and that I was on His altar either for service or sacrifice. EXPERIENCES IN THE WORK. 177 "Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God. And whatsoever we ask we receive of Him, because we keep His commandments, and do those things that are pleas- ing in His sight." (I. Jokn 3:21-22.) If Enoch of the antediluvian world could know that he pleased God, how much more reasonable that we should know it now in the Holy Ghost dispensation. The Son is not honored when we continually bemoan our lukewarmness, shortcomings, crooked paths, etc. An uttermost salvation is provided and we have nothing to do but pay the price and take it. After resting for two weeks I went to help one of our Methodist brethren, holding two meetings on his charge. At the first place a great work was done. There were shouts of victory from liberated souls. At one service every person in the house converted and unsaved were on their knees. A moment of silent prayer followed, when the power of God fell on the people. A brother was so convicted on com- ing to the altar that it frightened him and he ran from the house, not stopping until he reached his brother's house two miles away. They questioned him about leaving the church. He told them that he felt so much worse after going forward that he thought it best to get out of there in a hurry. He could not be induced to return. Many persons on the very threshold of the kingdom were driven back by the enemy because of ignorance of thejpffice work of the Holy Spirit jn Bringing them to see theTngTTt- ful condition of their heart. An avaricious old man and his wife living in LOOKING BACK FROM the community were invited to attend the services. They came, but with the determination not to give a penny, as .he thought it was his money they were after. Jesus going to abide with Zaccheus, and His giving to the poor (Luke I9th ch.) was the subject of the evening discourse. He took the mes- sage all to himself and before the work of conviction was accomplished in his heart, he placed his hand up- on his pocket and said, "You haven't got anything out of my pocketb^k yet.' The people said that he would not come again. Early the next evening he called at the home where I was being entertained and handed me a ten dollar gold piece. He was on his way to the church and at the first invitation, to the surprise of ail, he and his wife came forward and gave their hearts to God. With her it proved to be the eleventh hour; she was soon called to meet her God. A Presbyterian, who showed no signs of spir- itual life, excused himself from testifying by saying that he confessed Jesus in his daily walk. The Scrip- ture was quoted to him, "For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation." (Rom. 10-10.) This and other passages convicted him and he went to the altar. The light soon broke in on his soul and he was ready ever after that to tell what the Lord had done for him. His timidity had been a great humiliation to him as he had been unable to speak in any kind of public meetings. Now, he re- joiced in his freedom, testifying for Jesus. The next meeting was held at L . Here the EXPERIENCES IN THE WORK. 179 people were 'building on the sand of good works and church membership. Their ministers had dealt largely in untempered mortar, and when the sledge^ hammer of God's word began to shake theiFoId wall, they became frightened and were afraid to have the foundation discovered. There were twenty-two persons at one time at the altar. The most of them were church members who had never been converted. They complained that I was preaching to Christians after they had invited me there to preach to sinners. Whatever profession they may have made, I believed I was preaching to sinners just the same. While the pastor professed holiness, I knew that he did not. have the experience, and his profession of it was simply to dodge the issue. I was led one day to tell him what I thought but shrank from it, knowing that the pre- siding elder had recommended me and I feared it would close up my work in the churches. That night I tried to speak but found it impossible even with a familiar subject. I was humiliated and told them I could not speak unless the Holy Ghost gave me the message. The special meetings closed that night. The next Sunday I rode with the pastor to his other appointment. We were talking about the closing service, and my being unable to speak, when he said he was partly to blame for it himself, but went no further with the confession. God says, "Judgment also will I lay to the line, and righteousness to the plummet; and the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters shall overflow the hiding place." (Isa. 28:17.) In this meeting I lost a vie- l8o LOOKING BACK FROM tory by consulting with flesh and blood (a presiding elder) instead of being guided by the Lord. I gave way through fear to influences that are stripping evangelists everywhere of their power. I was not so conscious of it then, but it came to me later. I thought I was just using a little wisdom. It taught me a lesson. A few hours after reaching home our youngest child, who had been so well during my absence, was taken very ill. I believed that God could keep him from sickness while I was at home as well as when I was away and prayed to this end. The as- surance was received that it would be so, and for six years neither of the children have known what it is to be sick, with the exception of a case of measles. To-day, September 2Oth, 1900, I am a thousand miles from home. My husband writes: "The children are well. I have great soul rest and the evidence that God will bless you in the work there." With the Psalmist, my heart cries, "Let everything that hath breath praise the Lord. His soul shall dwell at ease and his seed shall inherit the earth." (Ps. 25:13.) "I will abide in Thy taber- nacle forever: I will trust in the covert of Thy wings. For Thou, O God, hast heard my vows; Thou hast given me the heritage of those who fear Thy name." (Ps. 61 14-5.) REVIVAL AT BALD MOUNTAIN. Our next meeting was at Bald Mountain, where my brother was pastor. My husband preceded me there a week and, with the pastor, had done some REVIVAL AT BAI^D MOUNTAIN. l8l faithful calling and preaching, several having been converted in their homes. Sunday morning I attended the class meeting where the spiritual pulse of the church was felt. By their testimonies it was evident that the old man of sin was becoming very offensive to some, as they told of their struggles, failures, ups and downs, etc., and their desire for deliverance. The anointing of the Lord was upon me. In the first service, I had only spoken a few minutes, when the people began to weep all over the house. My husband followed with an exhortation. The invitation was given and the, altar and front seats were soon filled with seekers. The power continued to fall as men called on God with faces bathed in tears. The Sunday School superintendent, who was a local preacher, was at one end of the altar suffering the pangs of "Old Adam" in death agonies, while at the other end a class leader cried for deliverance. The latter w r as the first to receive the blessing, while others soon followed. One brother leaped to his feet shouting. Some were making confessions of their wrongs and were embracing each other. In the afternoon the Sunday School was turned over to us, which closed with fifty scholars and their teachers at the altar. In the evening the house was packed to the gallery. I never felt greater weakness than when going on the rostrum to speak, not knowing a word I was going to say. The class leader who had shout- ed over the death of the "old man" in the morning got hold of the horns of the altar in prayer. While 1 82 LOOKING BACK FROM BEULAH. he was praying the Lord gave me a message, and for another forty minutes the Holy Ghost had the right of way. People trembled in their seats. This was one of the old battlefields in the Colorado Con- ference. The devil had previously contested every inch of the ground. There were many powerful con- versions during this meeting, the following being among them : A CONFLICT WITH SATAN OVER A SICK BED FOR A SOUL. Two brothers in the prime of life were em- ployed in a mine. Both were worldly and drifting away from the influence of an early Christian home. Their father had died in the triumph of a living faith ; their mother, still alive, was praying for them across the sea. In the dismal recesses of the gold mine, hun- dreds of feet below the surface of the earth and thousands of miles from their boyhood home, these brothers worked, unmindful of that sainted father arid praying mother. An awful but merciful God startled them from their sinful sleep. A large rock from its place in the wall fell upon one of them, crushing his lower parts and breaking his back. The unharmed brother stood for a moment transfixed with horror, powerless to remove the three-ton rock that had pinioned him to the earth. He cried out, "Call on God" and fled for help. Help came, the rock broken in pieces by sledges liberated the man alive to the amazement of all. For some time he was kept under the influence REVIVAL AT BALD MOUNTAIN. 183 of morphine, which produced its ghastly effects. There he lay unconscious, his breathing labored and heavy, unprepared to meet his God. Providence spoke to people in terrible tones as they looked on the scene. Those under deep conviction trembled. Even the unsaved prayed for the salvation of his soul. After the influence of the narcotic had worn off he was exhorted and prayed with, but no action in behalf of his soul could he be persuaded to take. He affirmed that he would not die a coward; he would die as he lived. Finally, in great distress of mind, people called on us to make a special effort. We went, but he gave us no encouragement. He sorely tried us by his indifference. "Too late; no use to pray," he would say. He finally consented to our offering a word of prayer. We felt the opposing forces against us trying to drive us from the room, but the Spirit held us. One of us bowed in tears while the other besought him to look to Jesus and pray. He delayed, but at last he said, "Lord be mer- ciful to me a sinner." Instantly mighty ejaculations of prayer burst forth so earnestly as to be startling. What a reve- lation God immediately gave this man of his heart, what an uplift from indifference to earnestness. Only for a brief period did the Savior withhold Himself, then as He showed His face in the power of His salvation, the poor penitent cried, "Blessed Jesus! Blessed Jesus! I am saved! I am saved! I am saved !" Powerless to move his body, he turned his eye to his brother and cried, "Lord, save my brother," 184 LOOKING BACK FROM and for him and his unsaved landlady he prayed most fervently. He shouted for joy, "Mother's prayers are answered." "My father's face has been before me in this room with tears in his eyes as he said, 'Son, look to Jesus.' ' For fifteen days he preached, prayed and sung, lying on his back, not expecting to live from one day to another. At the end of this time, sensation that had left his body from the waist down, returned, which gave promise of an extension of life, but in a most pitiable condition. The burden that was upon us gave us the as- surance that the Spirit had not left the dying man. A mother's and father's prayers were answered in his being spared from sudden death, and our being held to the bedside until the benighted, reluctant soul yielded to Christ. Such an experience made us trem- ble, then weep for joy. Surely the salvation of Jesus is wonderful, yea glorious. Let angels rejoice and let us never despair of a soul. Three years and a half later the pastor of this church informed us that James Letcher, the subject of the above sketch, died in triumph. He grew in grace and in the knowledge of God, manifesting a spirit of submission in his suffering to the end. They were anxious to have me assist in a re- vival meeting on my husband's charge. Three times I went to begin it, not because I had any leadings of the Spirit, but simply to please my husband and the people. Each time the meetings were defeated either by the weather or by sickness in the homes. The Lord had so wonderfully blessed our labors at THE; LORD LEADING. 185 other places that they naturally supposed we would have a revival here, which they hoped might result in a new church building, but it was not the Lord's plan for us to take root again in the conference. He had pulled us up to replant us in a larger field. We thank God for the instruments used to bring this about, however severe they might have seemed at the time. "Surely the wrath of man shall praise Thee : the remainder of wrath shalt Thou restrain." (Ps. 76:10.) We were not depending alone on this charge for support, for the Lord sent in supplies from other sources and we lacked nothing. Concerning our future we were not left in the dark. Three weeks before the conference it was made plain that we were to go into the evangelistic and missionary work. At ten o'clock one morning we were praying together when the light flooded our souls and the path was made clear before us. A year before we would have been entirely unprepared for this, but the various experiences through which we had passed gradually brought us to it. In asking the Lord to give me additional evidence from His Word, I picked up the Bible; with my eyes closed I opened the Book and placed my finger on the page, after having said, "Lord, put forth your hand and touch the scripture." I had opened to the first chap- ter of Jeremiah, my finger upon the first line of the ninth verse, which read : "Then the Lord put forth His hand." I was so overcome it was some time before I could read what followed. My own words were repeated in answer to the request for additional 1 86 LOOKING BACK FROM light. As soon as I could see through my tears I continued to read, "and touched my mouth. And the Lord said unto me, "Behold I have put my words into thy mouth. See, I have this day set thee * * * to root out, and to pull down, and to destroy, and to throw down and to build, and to plant." The seventh and eighth verses were for me also : "And the Lord said unto me, say not I am a child; for thou shalt go to all that I shall send thee, and what- soever I command thee thou shalt speak. Be not afraid of their faces; for I am with thee to deliver thee, said the Lord." My husband when he received his first students' appointment, went to his room and fell upon his knees feeling incapable for the work and cried, "Lord I am but a child, I can not go!" Look- ing through tears at his Bible open in front of him, his eyes met the above words, "Say not I am a child," etc. He believed it was from God and the Spirit so witnessed, so I believed God spoke to me as truly as He did to the prophet of old. We never enjoyed a conference session more than the one that followed. Although misunder- stood by many of our brethren, God had spoken to us as plainly as he did to Abraham when he called him out of Ur of Chaldea to go into a country that he knew not. And he promised to bless them that blessed him and curse them that cursed him. Some thought it the height of folly to venture out without a salary. We remained at Erie nearly a year, going from there into evangelistic work. We had our greatest results from meetings held in school houses. Here the people's hearts were not so hard- STILL FIGHTING HOLINESS. 187 ened and they had not been spoiled with mere forms of religion. Persons converted in these meetings are standing to-day in the holiness movement in Colorado. STILL FIGHTING HOLINESS. The battle against holiness was still going on at Erie. They sent the pastor away who followed us, and now had a pastor who was a Free Mason and were exultant over their apparent victory. He took charge of the work in June and on the Qth of July dropped dead at the home of one of his mem- bers in the country. Up until the time of his death I was in igno- rance of his being a Free Mason, and was first ap- prised of it when I saw members of the organiza- tion in charge of his body. Ten days preceding his death I attended a prayer meeting at the church. A brother in a boastful spirit told of a certain meet- ing where the pastor was present. He claimed that the presence of God was there. I supposed it was a cottage prayer meeting, and never knew the differ- ence until after the preacher was dead, when I learned that it was a lodge meeting and that the re- marks of this brother were especially for my benefit. The lodge devotee is very sensitive and will fight fiercely for his order, as divine and all sufficient, until God has opened his eyes. Dr. Godbey says that the lodge is the "best thing the sinner has. living in the land of Moab; but the Christian, living in Canaan, does not find it necessary to go to Moab for fellowship and entertainment. Persons who are will- ing to walk in the light soon see they are not of God. 1 88 LOOKING BACK FROM The brethren of the country church asked the presiding elder to send Brother I. F. McKay, a holi- ness man, to the charge. Before preaching a ser- mon he said, "Sister White, these holiness fighters will keep me about a month." At the end ol theUrst month he was dismissed from the charge. The next man to come was one who at some time had had great spiritual light. One could tell that he once enjoyed the experience of sanctification. We trembled for him as he was brought face to face with the difficulties on this charge. His place was not a desirable one unless he was ready to suffer and be sacrificed with the rest of us. All eyes were upon him. Would he lift the blood-stained banner, and preach a full salvation regardless of consequences, or would he compromise? He was a middle-aged man, formerly a presiding elder, with a brilliant mind and of keen discernment. In conversation with him we recognized his executive ability and his full comprehension of the situation, over whicn he wept and prayed with us. After attending our holiness convention at Longmont he confessed to us that he had never found persons who were straighter in doctrine and who had been more grossly misrepresented. The fact that he had had great light made it more peril- ous for him to compromise, which we were afraid he would do. One sister on whom the burden was especially laid, accompanied by my mother, went to his home and in a spirit of love gave him a solemn warning. He immediately secured one of the most spiritual men outside of the holiness ranks to assist LONGMONT MEETING. 189 him in a revival. Satan appeared as an angel of light with the argument that it would be detrimental to young converts to preach holiness to them as they must be fed with milk and not with meat. He was removed at the end of the conference year, at his own request, and died in a few weeks. A short time before his death he wrote to us request- ing the prayers of the holiness people for his healing, and if possible for one or both of us to come and see him, but if not to send the sister who in company with my mother had given him the warning. TABERNACLE MEETING AT LONGMONT. The Lord pjaced a burden on me for Long- mont, a town of twelve hundred inhabitants. The churches were closed against holiness, and the only possible opening was to get the city hall or use a gospel tent. On the train I met Bro. C. Hill, the Free Methodist pastor of that place, who said tha" the Holy Spirit had laid it on his heart to invite me to bring our gospel tent and hold a meeting for them. He had made a final test by asking the Lord if it were His will to let him see me that morning. The arrangements were made and the meeting opened the latter part of July with a good corps of workers. Brother Hill had been faithful in uncovering sin and preaching a full gospel and his little band was ready for work. Brothers G. W. Ray and I. P. McKay assisted in some of the meetings. Open air meetings were held every evening pre- ceding the services. Many of the farmers hitched their teams and waited until the service was over LOOKING BACK FROM BEULAH. before returning to their homes at night. One Sab- bath evening the presence of the Spirit was power- fully felt pleading with young men to yield to God at once. Conviction was great, but there was no re- sponse. The next day six of them were badly scalded by an explosion of the boiler in a canning factory, one of them fatally, who never spoke intelligently after the accident, and died in a few hours. Hun- dreds heard the gospel preached as they had never heard it before. The country people drove in for miles to attend the services. On Sabbath evenings the tent was full and many gathered on the outside. It was a time of seed sowing as well as ingathering of some souls. We asked the Lord for two hundred souls, and while we did not see more than thirty saved and sanctified at that time, we believe we shall see them in heaven ; for almost every place we have labored in the state since then we have met persons who were convicted in this meeting and many of them have since been brightly converted. ""AUNT REBECCA/'' The sainted Rebecca Grant, a colored sister, camped on the ground and with her prayers, songs and testimonies, did a work for God that only eter- nity will reveal. She afterward worked in our Den- ver missions and other places where there were pressing calls for her. This humble sister endeared herself to many hearts. She was a servant of ser- vants, and never complained in any suffering, but gladly and silently endured hardships for the good LONGMONT MEETING. of others and for the cause of her blessed Lord. She was given to much fasting and prayer. In meet- ings her dark face would light up with a smile and she would spe?k with great unction of the Spirit. Some of her characteristic remarks were, "Well, children, de blessed Lord is right in my soul dis mornin' ! He has heard my prayers. He pity dis poo' old colored woman and had mercy on her. Oh, children, but 1 love Him ! O glory ! He never will get rid of me!" Again she would say, "I^am_all dressed urjjnj^sus. I am the king's daughter; my clothing is of wrought gold; my raiment of needle work." Speaking of Jesus, she would call Him in the greatest delight, her Ishi. When the brethren would talk about Jesus in class meeting, she would shout out, "Talk about Him, children! Talk about Him !" No matter how indifferent an audience might be to some speakers, unusual interest was al- ways manifest when she spoke. Many persons in trouble sought Aunt Rebecca's little home in the outskirts of Denver, and would re- sort to her tent on camp grounds where Cod's com- forting, saving and sanctifying grace came down. La'tely, God called her home after sever?! days of great suffering, in which she was fully resigned, often saying "Lam ready; please Jesus take me." Several hundred persons attended her funeral, where the Spirit of God was blessedly manifest. Saints wept and shouted for joy, and sinners trembled and tvrr;ed to the Savior. Our camp meeting followed at Fort Collins. There were perhaps thirty-five hundred people on LOOKING BACK FROM BEULAH. the ground the last Sabbath, who heard the preach- ing of a full gospel. They often asked "Is this a new doctrine?" Truly holiness was being preached on virgin soil, yet there was no lack of churches or of that class of people called Methodists, whose bus- iness, John Wesley said, was to raise up a holy people. The old fair ground was used for the encamp- ment, about one and one-half miles from town. Large numbers of unsaved people would come out of evenings, mostly from curiosity. Many were con- victed and converted, and quite a number left the grounds rejoicing. A farmer, living near by, was present several evenings, and a number of the preach- ers and missionaries talked to him about his soul. The last service he attended four different persons pleaded with him to yield to God, but he stoutly re- sisted, telling them he did not believe in hell, claim- ing to be an honest man, treating his neighbors right, etc. He declared he would stand his chances with the rest of them. The next morning he was found a few hundred yards from the camp ground in an unconscious condition. He died a most hor- rible death a few days later. His face was bruised, but his friends were not able to ascertain the cause. I visited the sick room in company with a woman who had spoken to him about his soul the night be- fore the accident. We tried to pray, but our mouths were closed. It looked like demons from the pit were in possession of his soul; we felt their power and left the room. It was too late. CHAPTER XV. BOX ELDER, BLACK HOLLOW AND OTHER REVIVALS. From this place we were called to Box Elder, a rich farming community, to hold a meeting in a school house. One of the leading men of the neigh- borhood, at whose home we were entertained, brought his carriage to the railroad station for us. On the way he told us he had attended the camp meeting on purpose to find out if the people that professed holiness had anything more than he had. After a thorough investigation he decided that they did not, and he never had any second work of grace either. We knew that he was numbered with thou- sands of others that were deluded by the devil and that in all probability he would be a hindrance to the meeting and to his family of grown up sons and daughters. Before our arrival, a worldly young man, en- gaged to one of his daughters, was brought from the harvest field sick. We were at the home three days before we were invited to see him, he having requested that we be kept away, as he did not want to be talked to about his soul. Finally our host, not thinking it looked well, asked us to come to his room for prayers. He was very stubborn and kept his hand over his eyes. When about to leave the room I was moved of the Spirit to go back to his bedside 194 LOOKING BACK FROM and tell him not to be afraid of us, that we would not try to force him to accept salvation ; that Jesus would not do that, promising also that we would not in- trude again unless he wished to see us. I believed that the Lord would work with him as well as his affianced, who was as indifferent as himself. Gospel messages were given "not in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance." (I. Thess. 1 15.) After about ten days the break came and fully thirty persons re- sponded to the altar call. Three days later, when the smoke of battle had somewhat cleared away, the thrilling testimonies and shining faces gave evidence that a genuine work had been done in their hearts. Some were testifying to sanctification 'as a second work, when our host arose and began to talk against it. It was like throwing a wet blanket over a flame. The young man was no better, and we were glad when the services of this brother were needed at the bedside and he was thereby kept from the meetings. On the last Sabbath afternoon there were thirty- five at the altar; some had never been there before, others were new converts seeking a clean heart. The meeting lasted for hours, and in their earnestness they forgot the time. The scene became more in- teresting when mothers and fathers with their chil- dren wept their way to the cross. About seventy persons came into the light of salvation in our meet- ings at this place. They formed a class and have had a pastor ever since. Some time before one of these families lost three children and a brother of the mother bv drown- BOX ELDER. 195 ing in the lake near their home. The children were dressed for Sunday School, when an uncle, with another young man, a friend of his, drove up to the gate. They insisted on the children and their father going with them for a boat ride. As they were ready for Sunday School, it was with some reluct- ance that the father consented. The children were delighted. When the boat was about ten feet from the shore it capsized and all were thrown into the water. After a desperate struggle the father escaped with the youngest child in his arms, the other chil- dren and the two young men were drowned. It was supposed that the young men's feet caught in barbed wire at the bottom of the lake. In this father's tes- timony he said that he had been a Christian before and when living close to God had always prayed that if he should ever backslide that He would bring him back at any cost, then added with great emO' tion, "My prayer has been answered at an awful cost." His wife, grieving for her children, fell away to a mere skeleton. Some of her relatives, especially one sister, severely censured him for not saving the other children. This woman had one child of her own who was in the habit of playing about the door. One day it was missing and, almost frantic, she be- gan to search and found it drowned in a ditch near by. When God sees fit to inflict punishment we should lay our mouths in the dust lest the strokes fall on us. As the young man was growing worse it was thought best that the family be relieved of the bur- den of our entertainment. As we left the door that 196 LOOKING BACK FROM BEUL,AH. day I was impressed with the truth that if he recov- ered at all it would be a narrow escape, and I knew that he would send for us before any crisis came. Two or three days later we went back at his request to pray with him. As he extended his hand he said, "Everything is against me; I might just as well give up. Please pray for me." In less than three quar- ters of an hour he was gloriously converted, after which he begged his betrothed to give her heart to God also. On this day several hundred miles away there was a prayer scene in his old home where his mother and some friends were wrestling with God for his salvation. He lived a few days after this. Just before passing away 1-"- asked them to sing "Jesus Lover of My Soul." This young man had great influence over the young people in the commu- nity, and it was believed that, had he not been on a sick bed, he would have kept many of them from giv- ing their hearts to God. The mother and two daugh- ters in this home were stricken down with the same disease, the former dying six weeks after the close of our meeting. We visited the neighborhood and held a few services before the young ladies had fulh recovered. One took a relapse and kept her bed until late in the winter. We never learned what the doctor bills amount- ed to during these months of sickness and death, but it must have been a great deal, for the physician had to drive about fourteen miles every trip he made. Our brother with the Zinzendorfian idea of getting it all at conversion, had his heart set on the things of the world. God knows where to BOX ELDER. 197 put His hand, when the heart is not right. "It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God," but it is better to suffer chastisement, how- ever severe, than to be left to the ravages of the wicked one. "Whom the Lord loveth He chasteneth." The following is a copy of the letter written by the mother of the young man above referred to : "My Darling Boy : I was glad to hear from you, but sorry to hear of your sickness. Hope you are better. Was greatly rejoiced to learn that you had enlisted as a soldier for Jesus. It may be strange to you but I was not very much surprised. "The 8th, the same day you were converted, Bro. and Sister S were here when we were hav- ing worship. Sister S prayed for you, and of course I was praying, for I was feeling very bad. I stayed on my knees quite a while after the rest got up, and the Lord so wonderfully blessed me I could hardly tell just what it was, but I knew that you would be saved and the angels were rejoicing over a sinner coming to God and my heart was filled with joy and gratitude. "Last night, after hearing of your conversion, I rejoiced and praised God nearly all night. Bless His name. Now Charlie be true. It is so hard to have you sick away from home, and mother some- times thinks she can't stay away from her boy. With many kisses to my darling. Good bye. "YOUR MOTHER." Then the father enclosed a letter expressing thanksgiving at his conversion, with an exhortation to be faithful. IQ8 LOOKING BACK FROM BEULAH. To-day the peaks of the Rocky Mountains stand on the West above his grave as white robed senti- nels, and will guard the grave of the sleeper until the Christ of the resurrection comes in the East and re- leases them of their vigil. One evening in the above meeting as I prayed the Spirit came upon me in mighty power. A man came and asked us to visit him at his home several miles away, adding that he could not understand why we would be working as we were and making such sacrifices if there was nothing in religion. He said he was an infidel, and we found he was living in a nest of them in his part of the community. He told us his father was a preacher, that he had be- longed to the Presbyterian church himself, but found nothing in religion and withdrew from the church. We went to see him the next day. We told him we did not come to go over the grounds of infidelity with him, as he desired us to, but would say to him that if he would seek God with all his heart, He would be found of him. (Jer. 29:13.) He said he had no faith, that he could not believe, etc. He was told just to seek God, to be honest about it, not to be ashamed to make a public effort, and go to praying. He was held right to this and that night after being talked with personally, he went forward to the altar. There was no expression of feeling or conviction about him, but cold and professing to have no faith, he said he would go forward on our word as an honest man desiring the truth. After he had knelt a few minutes at the altar, he arose, BLACK HOLLOW REVIVAL. 1 99 turned to the audience, and said : "I have ten times the faith I had when I came here" and business-like he knelt and continued praying. We found him the next day under such conviction that he had quit work. We knelt and prayed together in his home. In his effort to pray aloud he threw up his hands and began to laugh. The Spirit of God had touched him and he was a new creature. This was about the middle of the week. The next Sunday evening he arose in the Amen corner of the building, weep- ing, and said "I did not know that God Almighty had such a blessing for a human being as T received the past week." Then he told about his conversion. This brother is now preaching the Gospel. THE BLACK HOLLOW REVIVAL. After returning home to rest a few days, we went back to commence a meeting in an adjoining neighborhood. It was in one corner of the famous potato district. At nearly every farm house men and women were working early and late. There were only a few out at the first two services. My hus- band became discouraged with the outlook and said we had better close the meeting and come again at a better time. I had great victory in my soul for the meeting before leaving home, and was positive God .had led us thus far. Believing that the Spirit would be grieved by giving up without further trial, we proposed to stay until it was clear that the Lord was through with us. Seeing our purpose, several persons manifested a disposition to co-operate. One evening after school hours we were driving 2OO LOOKING BACK FROM past the school house and went in where we could be alone to pray. We' had been driving in the cold winds, and sleeping in cold rooms, which I was not accustomed to, and while on my knees I took a chill which was followed by a fever, and I was unable to attend the services that night. By the next morn- ing all the symptoms of pneumonia were developed. My husband and the family where we were being entertained said that a physician must be called, to which my consent was not given. Our hostess had become so interested in the subject of sanctification that she persisted in asking me questions about it even when I was suffering the most. She and her husband had been Christians for years, but had never heard this doctrine preached be- fore. The pain in my body became so great that I groaned aloud. My husband told the family in an adjoining room that I had been healed many, times before in answer to prayer, and asked them to come in and unite with him in my behalf. He poured out his soul to God for my healing, but our hostess cried to the Lord to sanctify her soul. When she was through the Holy Spirit came mightily upon me, and lifting my head from the pillow I prayed not only for her sanctification but for the salvation of the whole community. The pain all left me and the perspiration stood on my forehead. No one could doubt that the Lord had healed me. Some- time during the following night the sister received the witness to her sanctification, and the next morn- ing her face fairly shone as she prayed, all on fire, for her family and others. The daughters began to BLACK HOLLOW REVIVAL. 201 pray, "O God, give me what mother's got; give me what mother's got." The oldest daughter soon re- ceived "the blessing." The news went forth the next day that I was healed and would be at the meeting that night. The house was full to overflowing. The power of the Spirit was in the word spoken. When the altar call was made, a son-in-law of the family with whom we were stopping, sitting in a back seat, cried out "I can't stand it any longer," and started for the altar. He had only gone a few steps when his soul was liberated and he shouted for joy. The people had never seen anything like this and through curiosity the potato diggers left their fields to come to the services. The revival swept on until the card parties and dancing circles were broken up. While bowing at the family altar one morning, we were trying to lead another of the daughters of the above named family into the experience of holi- ness by telling her to "reckon herself dead indeed unto sin." (Rom. 6:11.) The father apparently had been doing a good deal of thinking but was very quiet until this time. As the steps of conse- cration were being taken not a word was said to him, when he cried out "I see it, I see it." He sprang into the air with a shout that startled every one from their knees; he caught the babe in his arms and tossed it to the ceiling, saying, "I never loved you as I do now," then hugged and kissed the whole family. Since this his shouts and testi- monies have often been heard and enjoyed at the annual camp meetings. 2O2 LOOKING BACK FROM BEUL,AH. An old brother who had been in a backslidden state for many years lived near. He avoided any conversation about his soul, but was very talkative on other subjects: We had never seen a greater slave to tobacco than he was. He was hedged in until there was apparently no way to get at him, and I became so burdened for his soul one night that I could not sleep. His white head and face were continually before me. We went to his house the second time and succeeded in getting him upon his knees. At first he would not pray, but after much solicitation he called on God to have mercy upon him. The Spirit interceded with groanings that could not be uttered, when presently his prayer was turned into praise. He sang: " 'Tis done, the great transaction's done ; I am the Lord's and He is mine." Ten days later he was seeking sanctification and after struggling over his pipe he gave it up and re- ceived "the blessing." He cried out at the altar, "Lord, I give it up, I give it up," and the victory was won. During five years this brother has re- mained true to God and has been the means of lead- ing his companion to the Lord. The work of grace did not stop in this commu- nity after the meetings closed. A week or two later a man who was considered one of the hardest sinners in the place, was converted while riding along the road. We labored here just three w r eeks and closed after seeing many old-time conversions and a num- ber of persons clearly sanctified. It was a notable fact that the work done in country school houses and HOLYOKE. 2O3 out of the way places always stood, but lambs left in a fallen church were devoured by wolves. After this meeting my husband went to help the M. E. pastor at Windsor, where God gave a re- vival. I went to assist my brother, C. W. Bridwell, at Holyoke, Colo. The following is an article he wrote to the Christian Witness: "The Lord has been pouring out His Spirit on our people in great measure. The entire community has been stirrqd as never before in its history. Sin- ners have been converted; believers sanctified and the church lifted up out of the ruts. Special ser- vices were begun November the i6th and concluded after three weeks of hard labor. My sister, Mrs. Kent White, had the meeting in charge. She preached under the power of the Spirit and the altar was crowded with seekers from night to night. It was an occasion of much joy when all classes were seen coming forward with one accord and calling on God for salvation. The church was filled night after night with eager crowds. Some of the principal busi- ness and professional men were reached and saved. Prodigals who had been away from their father's house for many years came back and received the kiss of reconciliation. It was wonderful to see the shining faces and hear the thrilling testimonies. Di- vine love has taken the place of envy and strife in the hearts of certain individuals. Family altars have been erected. A few months ago, when I became pastor, there was much opposition to the doctrine of sanc- tification, but constant teaching under the guidance of the Spirit has swept away much of it, and now 2O4 LOOKING BACK FROM living testimonies form an argument which opposers can neither gainsay nor resist. The people are hungry for holiness literature and many books have been sold. One young man who had come home from college on his vacation was convicted of imbred sin and has since ded- icated his life to the ministry." We reached home in time for the holidays, within three months there had been four meetings held with over two hundred conversions and sanc- tifications. In the latter part of the winter we held two meetings in school houses where several young people were converted who have since been called to the Lord's work, among them Sister Delia Huff- man, a farmer's daughter, who has since proved one of our most efficient workers. CHAPTER XVI. THE OPENING OF THE PENTECOSTAL MISSION. On visiting Denver a few weeks before we moved to the city, I found the banner of holiness was lowered in the Hay Market Mission, where it was once honored. Instead of preaching sanctifica- tion, persons were employed to fill the pulpit who were fighting it. Those who once had liberty in preaching and testifying were now held back. The superintendent asked me to speak for them the next evening. Awakening at three o'clock the following morning I had Acts 19:2 on my lips, "Have ye re- ceived the Holy Ghost since ye believed?" I was so burdened during the day that I was unfit for the business that I had to attend to. Sanctification as a second work of grace, and the importance of defi- nite testimony, burned like a fire in my breast. I knew something was coming, for I fairly trembled under my load all day. My soul was suffering the real birth pangs of a new work which began with this message. On reaching the hall a little early I walked back to Sixteenth street and around the block. There were broken cisterns that could hold no water in every direction. I asked the Lord to open an artesian well of salvation in the heart of the city where famishing multitudes might quench their thirst. On returning to the hall I found the congregation had gathered and the superintendent 205 2O6 LOOKING BACK FROM BEUL,AH. beckoned me to the platform. After reading the scripture lesson there was a slight struggle for lib- erty, when my soul broke through amidst the shouts and amens of the people. The sword of truth was unsheathed. Forty minutes quickly passed. When the altar call was made, there was a rush in two directions some to the front and others to the door. The assistant superintendent stood near the door to comfort those whose idols had been discov- ered and otherwise smarting under the truth. The leader on the platform looked like a pouting child. Soon there were shouts of deliverance from seekers at the altar. A Presbyterian minister in the congregation took my hand and said, "God bless you, preach on ; it is the truth." The leader said he did not wish to criticise me, but he did not think it necessary to use the word sanctification, as it aroused so much opposition. He stated that there were other terms that could be used which would not offend the people. He said the folks down in New York called it, "the infilling of the Holy Ghost," and that he had adopted the same term. I did not know until several weeks after that I was on trial in this service, it being under considera- tion we were told, whether my husband and I should be employed as assistants in the mission, but this meeting spoiled it all and the victory was won for holiness. Two years before the Lord gave me Psalms 121:8: "The Lord shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth and even forevermore." My mother was in Denver on a visit. She de- OPENING IN DENVER. 2O/ cicled to stay, and rented furnished rooms, which was additional evidence that we were to follow. For two years, when we were absent in the work, she kept the children, but now felt that the responsibility was lifted. We were without any visible support, and to move into the city was quite a step of faith and must be clearly known to be the will and leadings of God. It meant more than double our house rent and fuel bill and general expenses. All of which was duly weighed and critically considered by my husband. He was a good manager but seemed to be over-cau- tious and hesitated until I began to take the pictures from the wall and pile them on the floor, for I had settled the matter on my knees and knew that God would supply our needs. He wrongly held back some he afterwards confessed, to see how strong my conviction was believing himself God wanted us in Denver. He dreaded ^a day or two of house hunting, and being brought up in the coun- try was distressed with the thought of being cooped up between houses with no room. In the burden of the undertaking I even prayed that the first house shown us for rent might be the place God had for us, and had the assurance that it would be so. I went ahead with the thought of looking for a house. Starting twice to the rental offices I was consciously stopped by the Spirit and given to understand I must wait. Mr. White was left to pack and ship the goods. When he came we went into that part of the city, where we were impressed we were to live and were shown a house, suitable in size, with a 208 LOOKING BACK FROM BEULAH. large yard and a rear gate opening into Lincoln Park. There were large double parlors, just the place for a weekly holiness meeting. As this was thought of, the blessing of God came upon my soul and I said "this is the place." We thought, at first, of nothing but the price, which was a third more than we calculated to pay, and how to manage this, with the extra expense of living, we did not know. Making a final test we asked the Lord that the rent might be reduced if it were His will that we take this house. It was secured for one dollar less, and in a few hours the household goods were transferred by a brother free of charge. The railroad company made a mistake, in our favor, in weighing our car of household goods and the freight bill was small. Wher their attention was called to it, they said the weight was official and could not be changed, and smilingly added that it was our gain and their loss. God's hand was in all these little things in the moving, and in the first house shown us with its arrangements and surround- ings. The knowledge of this gave us courage and strength for the work ahead of us. Two weeks after we were settled, the Thursday afternoon holiness meeting was started in the large double parlors of our home. The most spiritual people of the city attended. It was like an oasis in the desert. There have been conversions, sanctifi- cations and many remarkable cases of healing in these meetings. Some of the regular attendants have passed away in the most triumphant faith. Services OPENING IN DENVER. 2O9 held on holidays have been special seasons of re- freshing. A place was opened for Sunday afternoon holi- ness meetings near the center of the city, in a side' room of the Haymarket Mission. We only met there a few times, however, when the superintendent of that work said we must find another place, as he did not care to have his folks attend our meetings, claim- ing they were tired and needed to rest and be ready for the night services. At the last service in this hall a large gospel tent was offered us for gospel work. The next thing was to find a suit- able location near the center of the city where the services could be preceded by open air meetings. We were led definitely to the house and I believed the Holy Spirit would direct to the very spot where this tabernacle was to be erected. While waiting upon God I was impressed to ask my hus- band to go to Twentieth and Arapahoe streets and see if there were not some vacant lots in that vicin- ity. Here they were found less than a half a block from the corner. The ground was secured free of charge on which the tent was erected. On June the i6th the first meeting was held. From night to night the altars were filled with seek- ers and the attendance increased. Hard-hearted men and women wept their way to the cross and when delivered from their sins often shouted uproariously. With Mother Vorn Holtz we soon had help enough to conduct two meetings. The business men were often stirred by persons calling upon them to make restitution for wrong business transactions, theft,. 2IO LOOKING BACK FROM BEUL,AH. etc. In every case they were forgiven by those whom they had wronged. We lived at the north end of Lincoln Park, where great multitudes gathered on the Sabbath. We very much desired to preach to the people in this park if the way could be opened. With great travail of soul upon me I asked my husband to see the city commissioners and find out if permission could be had to hold services there. I continued in prayer and was still more impressed that some action must be taken at once or souls would be lost that we might possibly reach. The hand of God was upon me for some purpose. My husband said that there had been a city ordinance passed that no re- ligious services were to be held in the parks, and therefore thought it useless to make an effort of the kind. I went away alone to pray and returned with a still greater burden. My husband, seeing my tears, consented to go and see the commissioners whether anything was accomplished or not. I went with him and it proved just as he had said nothing could be done. As we left the office he asked, where next ? I told him I would go up to the gospel tabernacle to pray and he could do as he liked. I had gone only a few steps when some one spoke to me. I was wondering what this peculiar burden meant, and could hardly collect my thoughts long enough to see where the voice came from. At this moment a brother whom I had met two years before at our first camp meeting, stepped to my side. After in- quiring about the success of our work, he said he had just rented a building near Seventeenth and OPENING IN DENVER. 211 Market streets, for his business, and that he did not need the second floor and wanted a mission opened there. Still absorbed, I did not catch his words until they were repeated. I told him we would need such a place when the weather got too cold for our tabernacle. He asked, "Why not take this now?" I told him we could not pay the rent. He said, "Never mind about that, I will take the Lord for.it." It flashed upon me that this was the explanation of my burden. The place was taken and seated with benches made of plain lumber. Mother Vorn Holtz, assisted by others, was put in charge. Previous to this it was well known as the old "Buckeye Gambling Hall;" now it became a "Peniel" of prevailing prayer, and in seven weeks time there were two hun- dred and twenty-five that professed salvation at the long bench used as an altar. The services at both places were preceded by street meetings. Thousands heard a full gospel in the open air. All classes stopped to listen. Many who followed into the hall would fall on their knees at the altar before any preaching was done more than they heard on the street. Afternoon prayer meetings were held daily. The open air meetings were attended by the power of the Spirit. Some of the workers fairly trembled as they stood before the people with burning mes- sages. As the holy anointing came upon me I felt like running through a troop and leaping over a wall. Persecution and opposition only made me stronger. It was liberty beyond words to express. "Whom the Son makes free is free indeed." This freedom 212 LOOKING BACK FROM BEULAH. had cost me everything my church, reputation and all. SOME REMARKABLE STREET MEETINGS. One evening as I left home with two or three workers to hold an open air meeting at Sixteenth and Larimer street, I was told that we needed five dol- lars worth of groceries. My husband was away from home and I had less than fifty cents in my pocket. A few songs were sung and a prayer of- fered when a large crowd began to gather around us. The messages were given with power. Many wept, others were indignant and a number of drunk- en men, staggering through the crowd, made a dis- turbance. A conflict with the powers of darkness was on. As the word went forth a quietness stole over the audience. A man on whose face sin had left its traces placed a five dollar bill in my hand and said "Please pray for me." Another handed me a dollar, and others gave smaller sums. We never take collections on the streets and had said nothing about money. Before closing eleven men raised their hands for prayer. This meeting ran for two hours. At this time we were without a hall. Again on the same corner, it was sprinkling rain. Less than a dozen persons stopped, the ene- my mocked while two or three of the workers were speaking. The outlook was discouraging and we were on the point of giving up the meeting and re- turning to the hall, when the Spirit moved me to speak. The first sentence was scarcely uttered when the Holy Ghost fell upon me. It was a shock from OPENING IN DENVER. 213 the heavenly battery. The people came from every direction and soon a multitude was enmassed about us. After speaking forty minutes a song was sung; some of the people moved on and gave place to others. Resting a few minutes the Spirit gave an- other message, this time a half hour long. Perhaps a thousand people heard the gospel on the street that evening after we had been at the point of giving up the meeting as a failure. At another time our usual street congregation had gathered. An old man who held spite against me, because he was called down in a meeting on account of the evil spirit he manifested, took a stand a few feet from us and began to talk. Confusion followed and the people kept running back and forth to hear what was said. No policeman was in sight and ere long the street was blocked with people thronging upon us. The old man kept pace with two of the speakers. A crisis was coming and some- thing must be done or the enemy would have the victory. It was against the city ordinance to stand on the sidewalk and preach, but as there was not standing room in the street I saw nothing else to do. As I faced the crowd the Holy Spirit filled my gospel gun with dynamite. There was no lack of ammu- nition ; nothing to do but fire. Our intruder's voice failed and he tried to get away when a burly fellow took hold of him and brought him back. He said : "You commenced this fight and you will have to see it through. My voice is given out," he replied. "That don't make any difference, you will have to talk as long as she does," was the answer. A num- 214 LOOKING BACK FROM BEULAH. her of persons surrounded him to prevent his es- cape. He made another effort to speak, but could scarcely be heard above a whisper, when a policeman appeared and told him if he ever disturbed another meeting they would arrest him. We had prayed many times that the work of the enemy through this man might be stopped as he had often disturbed us before. One evening the weather was a little cold and it seemed almost useless to try to hold the people. As the sword of truth entered hearts, a man stand- ing in front of us became very restless and suddenly taking a bill from his pocket and shaking it in our faces said vehemently, "I'll give you this if you will stop." No attention being paid to him he became furious, repeating his first statement over and over, shaking the bill at me. He drew a large audience the people coming from all directions. John 3:19 was read: "And this is the condemnation, that light has come into the world, and men love dark- ness rather than light, because their deeds are evil." We told the people that this described the condition of the man who was trying to hire us to quit he loved darkness rather than light. He suddenly dis- appeared. The enemy overshot the mark and drew numbers of people to hear the gospel who other- wise would not have stopped. Near the close of a street meeting at Eighteenth and Larimer a young man stepped forward and said, "I came to make light of this service, but God has laid His hand on me while standing here. I have been wayward and rebellious. Lately my mother OPENING IN DENVER. 215 sent for me from Kentucky to come home and see her again before she died. I went to her bedside and hardened my heart against her dying pleas. I am the grandson of Bishop , of Kentucky. God has laid His hand on me on this street corner to- night. I give myself to Him and feel that He saves me." A sister was preaching on the street with great power when a man who looked like a tramp began to scoff. My mother, who was present, touched his arm and begged him not to disturb the meeting. He asked abruptly, "Who are you anyhow?" She made no reply. He added, "I am from Kentucky." "I'm from Kentucky, too," she said, "and I am more ashamed of you than ever." He then let it be known that he was from the town in which we had lived for many years. When he learned this he was amazed and said, "Then I suppose you must have known my people there." He proved to be the prod- igal son of our family physician who had been a banker in the town. Long since he had seen his parents, my mother had stood at their bedside and helped to close their eyes in death. When she told him this he wept bitterly and lamented his fallen condition. I remembered his brother in the banking business, and his two sisters as being the handsom- est girls in the female college. Alas, to what a low state this wanderer had fallen! Clad in filthy rags, with vermin on his body, begging a dime with which to get a cheap bed or buy a glass of rum. Mother wrote to his brother in Kentucky, living in luxury, telling him that she had found his long lost brother. 2l6 LOOKING BACK FROM His reply was that he did not claim kin to him and would rather not hear anything more about him. We could not help but think of the similar spirit shown by the elder brother in the parable of the prodigal son. The interesting incidents and experiences in the work are seemingly links in an endless chain, wrought out link by link in the flaming forge of Pentecostal fire. CHAPTER XVII. THE LEADVILIvE CONFERENCE AND MISSION WORK. Near the end of our summer's campaign I at- tended the annual conference at Leadville. I had no thought of going until a young preacher who had been sanctified in the tabernacle meeting begged me to do so. He said he had friends there who would gladly entertain me; whom he hoped I might help spiritually. A friend handed me ten dollars to pay my railroad fare and two sisters offered to take care of the house and children in my absence. All this was done without my making any effort or express- ing a desire to go. I went not knowing what the Lord had for me to do, but intended to walk in the light as it was shed in my pathway. Bishop Vincent led the conference. He talked against women preachers, altar services, pastoral calling, the modern gospel songs, etc. He trampled the God honored customs of old-time Methodism under his feet. I could not have withstood his fierce attacks on Christian experience had I not been founded on the Rock. But bless God, that His thoughts and ways are as high above man's thoughts and ways as the heavens are above the earth. He hides the mysteries of grace from the wise and pru- dent and reveals them unto babes. While the wings of Satan were brooding over 2l8 LOOKING BACK FROM the Conference the Holy Ghost fire was burning in my soul. I had an experience that a misled bishop could not talk me out of. Glory to God! "We wrestle not against flesh and blood but against prin- cipalities and powers, against the rulers of the dark- ness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places." (Eph. 6:12.) The backslidden officers of this Conference re- minded me of Ahab's wicked reign. This wicked king did more to provoke the Lord God of Israel to anger than all the kings of Israel that were before him. (I. Kings 16:33.) The spirit of Jezebel, was present in the leaders of this conference. They were on the track of the Lord's prophets and determined to have the head of one Naboth, whom they stoned behind closed doors and took his inheritance (cre- dentials) from him. This was during the great strike at Leadville among the miners when thou- sands were wandering idly up and down the streets. No grander opportunity was ever offered^to preach the gospel to the unsaved. An audience of a thou- sand men could easily be reached any evening within two blocks of the church. With a hundred and fifty preachers in town the Conference made no effort to reach the multitudes. With the assistance of two or three persons we held open air meetings. It was in- spiring to look into the faces of these miners and talk to them about Jesus, while the Pharisees stood off on the ragged edges of the great crowd and criticised. There were some of the younger preachers who would have gladly been with us had they not been afraid their heads would be taken also. O for the BABIES AND BOTTLES. 2 19 Pentecostal baptism to deliver men from the bond- age of ecclesiastical tyranny. Without solicitation the Congregational church was offered us in which to hold services. Several ministers were at the altar, and before the conference session closed there were about thirty persons in all who professed either par- don or purity. The people asked many questions about the Pentecostal work and wished there might be a mission in Leadville. I left with the promise that if the Lord willed I would return and open one. CONFERENCE BABIES AND BOTTLES. Real babies have their place, but the unnatural- ness of a dwarf usually brings a blush to the cheek of the mother. Paul says, "I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ." (I. Cor. 3:1.) It is sad to see old babies without teeth, unable to masticate or di- gest food. The bottles they have carried so long have soured the milk; their digestive organs have become impaired so that the very sight of meat nauseates them. The sanctified experience will enable one to discern quickly between a real baby and a dwarf. God likes real babies. Their words are sweeter than honey in His mouth, but the sallow 7 , sickly, whining, forty-year-old ones He would rather have kept out of sight, on special ooccasions at least; but, strange to say, they clamor for the front seats, particularly at the annual and general conferences. They like 220 LOOKING BACK FROM BEULAH. gold-headed canes, tall silk hats, big appointments and to be called Doctor, Doctor. At these assemblies mere is a strange clatter of tongues, mingled with confused and indistinct sounds, followed by a general clashing and often smashing of bottles. In addition to the individual bottles there are special bottles, the largest of which is labeled "University" and is carried by the chan- cellor. It has a long nozzle and stands much higher than all the rest. On its first appearance there is a general clapping of hands, then the stopper is re- moved and the gas and froth escape. Having ceased to effervesce, there is little left but dregs, when the members are called to empty part of the contents of their bottles into it. Then as nothing more can be done, the stopper is replaced and it is set aside to be reopened at the next annual meeting. This bottle has taken the place of the artesian well of salvation that used to overflow at these gatherings. * There are some bottles that are real conference relics, old wine skins, whose contents are discussed each succeeding year. They are handled very care- fully by the fallen church officials lest some preacher who owns a new wine tank in Canaan should come along with an extra supply, mingle the juices and cause a fermentation that would break the old bot- Said a prominent Methodist divine a year or two ago to a number of his ministerial brethren: "At University Park they are putting education where our forefathers put religion." Is this not what the Methodists and other de- nominations are doing everywhere? Education and other things are taking the place of vital Christianity, and they are breaking the first commandment: "Thou shalt have no other gods before me." PENTECOSTAL, MISSIONS. 221 ties. The new wine preacher is called upon to report and then retire. The bishop watches him very closely, then looks knowingly over his glasses and asks to hear from his presiding elder who comes forward and with deep intonations pronounces him unsafe. One bottle of which there is much said is "The pastor, his own evangelist." At the sight of it there are many hearty approvals and amens. It is called the safest in all the conference museum. All wine transferred to this bottle must pass through the cabinet laboratory and a thorough analysis is made and the elements of fermentation removed. If this process has not been sufficient to remove all the germs of life there is a cry of danger, and the pas- tors are advised to keep their old bottles securely corked lest they become the receptacles of the new wine and be destroyed. Symbolically, this may be a bottle mixture, but the labels bear the stamp of divine truth just the same. Our annual camp meeting followed at Fort Col- lins. Dr. Godbey, under God's guidance, led the hosts. A train went out from Denver carrying over one hundred campers, nearly all of whom were Christians, including evangelists and missionaries, who formed the nucleus of the meeting. There were large crowds at the services, especially on Sundays, and God's blessing was on the people in convicting, converting and sanctifying power. Mother Vorn Holtz returned east and all of our efforts were centered at the mission hall with the 222 LOOKING BACK FROM every night work outside and in. Saturday after- noon meetings were held for the children in addi- tion to the Sunday School. The children were al- most destitute, and nearly a thousand garments were sent in and given out to them during the winter months. Scarcely a night passed that souls were not saved. During the Carnival a band of workers went to Twentieth and Market and held a midnight meet- ing. The power of God was marvelously manifest. Soon there came a shower of eggs from roughs in- cited by inflamed rum sellers, whose prosperous Car- nival trade, for the time, had been stopped. A Meth- odist minister in this meeting said he would not have missed the experience for a thousand dollars; that he got a new manifestation of what God was to the Wesleys and others who were stoned for His sake. Nothing daunted, they continued to preach until many broke down and wept. They were fol- lowed into the hall by seven penitent souls, who, with bitter tears, confessed their wrongs and sur- rendered to God. The work continued until New Years-r when the Peniel Mission was opened by James Howell and my brother, C. W. Bridwell. Their hall was well furnished and in a much better location. Many of the people left our services and went there, giving for their reason that they liked to hear Howell pray and Bridwell preach. In two weeks we did not have an audience unless new people were gathered in from the streets. Previous to the opening of this Mission they had both helped us in our meetings. PENTECOSTAL, MISSIONS. 223 Some folks thought it strange that this work should be started at this time by those who were so closely related to us. Six weeks previous to this our two boys were sick with measles, the older quite se- riously. As I watched at the bedside night after night the Lord talked to me in a special manner concerning the future of the work, and that we were not to be confined alone to Denver, but must reach out all through the great Rocky Mountain region. However, the tendency was to build a nest and settle down. When the Peniel Mission was opened I saw it was the Lord's plan to stir up our home nest for a time, in order to push us out into new places. The last of February 1897, we were impressed that Leadville would be our next field of labor. I asked if it were His will for me to go, to let some word come from the sisters I had met there a few months before. A letter soon came from a person who had opened a Mission and wanted me to come and take it off her hands. I supposed it was from Sister Mary Henderson, the president of the W. C. T. U., whose name I had forgotten, but on my ar- rival was disappointed in meeting a woman of en- tirely a different character. I saw that nothing could be done with her work, and found she was unwilling to turn it over to us, as she had proposed to do. After ten days of suffering., privation and much prayer, it was clear to me that another mission should be started entirely independent of her. With the as- sistance of Sister Henderson, we opened on the second floor of a building on the main street of the city. I returned home after nearly a month' 3 224 LOOKING BACK FROM absence and my husband took up the work and car- ried it through the summer, part of the time in a tent, with the help of Bro. Edwin Brace. In the after part of the summer I went back for a short time, after which Bro. J. A. Da Foe took charge of the work, laboring there for nearly three years. He writes the following for the Pentecostal Mission Herald, in 1898: "During the past year the work has been sig- nally blessed of the Lord. At least five hundred and twenty-five services, including street meetings and services at Oro, have been held. While we have no exact figures, it is safe to say that one hundred and fifty persons have professed faith in Christ, among them some very remarkable cases. A number have experienced entire sanctification. "The hall has been purchased, fitted up and opened a"t Oro, where in addition to the services al- ready mentioned, a Sunday School is being success- fully conducted. We have also an interesting mis- sion school in Leadville. We have been able to dis- tribute through sales and donations quite an amount of religious literature, including Bibles, books, pa- pers and tracts. Much house to house missionary work has been done and provisions, fuel and cloth- ing have been distributed as necessity required. The evangelistic meetings, conducted in the mission by Revs. W. B. Godbey, C. B. Langdon and others, have been times of spiritual refreshing and a great help to the work. The Lord has most wonderfully stood by us, encouraged our hearts and given suc- cess to our efforts. To Him be all the glory." PENTECOSTAL MISSIONS. 22$ After we made up our minds to open missions in other places, the Lord having allowed a sifting in the Denver ranks, raised up a new band of faith- ful workers to stand by the Pentecostal Mission. All the time we were sinking deeper into His will and becoming more firmly founded upon the Rock. The Lord favored us with a visit from Mr. White's mother, who stopped with us for nearly two years. In our absence He provided in her a faithful guardian for our two boys. In the early part of 1898 we were called for revival work to two country districts near Greeley, Colorado, where about eighty persons were convert- ed or reclaimed, and some clearly sanctified. One beautiful little church was built without the noise of dishes at festivals or money changers at bazaars. People marveled at the way funds came in. Money was on hand to meet all claims when the building was finished ready for the seats. A pastor at Gree- ley said : "It was one of the most glorious demon- strations of saving power I have ever witnessed. Sinners were convicted and gloriously converted, and believers were sanctified wholly. People of all denominations were baptized by the Spirit into one body and have kept the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace." In addition to our city missionary work, we supplied this work for nearly two years. Of the Mission at Colorado City, Miss Emma Bailer wrote: "This work was opened on the tenth of May, 1898, in the business center of the town, among sa- loons, brothels and gambling halls. The Lord placed 226 LOOKING BACK FROM a great burden on us for the people, and being clear in our leadings, we opened a Mission on the faith line in the face of opposition and discouragement. A friend in Colorado Springs paid the first month's rent, and with the assistance of Mrs. Kent White, we opened against the powers of sin and darkness. The Holy Spirit attended the word with power, and souls were rescued from sin the first night. The Lord raised up friends to furnish living rooms for the workers and pay the running expenses. The street meetings have done much good. The songs and exhortations draw many from the saloons, who stand and listen attentively. Some, after entering the hall, said it was the first service they had at- tended in years." On the Fourth of July, 1898, at a Holiness Convention held at Pleasant View, a presentation of the Pentecostal Mission work was requested. Some feared that it would check the spiritual tide that had been steadily rising. However, a short time was given to Edwin Brace and myself for the purpose. As we told of the leadings of the Holy Spirit and of the trials and blessings of the work, the people were so moved upon, that they came forward, un- asked, and laid down $43.25 to start the work at Cheyenne. We had told them how the Lord was burdening us for this place and that two or three persons were ready to go and help. This was fol- lowed by a crowded altar service and a mighty out- pouring of the Spirit. The Cheyenne Mission was opened a few days later, July 2Oth, with James Bowes and his three PENTECOSTAL MISSIONS. 22/ nephews, earnest and capable workers, assisting us. For over a month services were held in a tabernacle pitched half a block in front of the Congregational Church. During the time, the workers rilled pulpits in 'different churches and conducted prayer meetings in the homes. The street meetings drew and held the people. At first the spirit of indifference and unbelief created in the very atmosphere a hardness that it required courage to face and took time to break down. Like thawing ice these powers began to loosen up and one by one persons would come to the altar. Most of the people converted or helped in this work have gone to other parts of the country. Some, we occasionally meet in our travels; others we hear from by letters written to some of our mis- sionaries. There is always a time of seed sowing, sea- sons of prayer and waiting on God before harvests are given in the Missions. We have learned to pray, and hope, no matter what comes while working for God in hard places, remembering that "He that ob- serveth the wind shall not sow ; and he that regard- eth the clouds shall not reap." (Eccle. n 14.) Services began in the hall on the 24th of Au- gust. On September i6th, Misses Lovina L. Leach and Helen C. Bushfield took charge of the Mission. Miss Bushfield became an active worker in our first tent meeting in Denver. She left a good position to give her life to the work. After laboring for two or three jears in this high altitude, she needed a change and went to California and thence to Hono- lulu, still working in missions. At last, worn out 228 LOOKING BACK FROM and in need of rest, she wanted to go to her home in Canada. After reaching there she wrote, "I could not doubt God's leadings in my past life and now I knew he wanted me to come home, yet I had not one dollar to travel six thousand miles with, and no one knew my need but God. I prayed and believed that He would answer, though it looked like asking a great deal. God converted a rich man in the mis- sion. and put it in his heart to come and tell me that I ought to go home and take a rest. He put a bag of gold in my hand containing $275.00. Oh, God is so good, and faithful to His word !" After a few months of rest and study in a Bible school, she wrote that she was ready for the work either in Colorado or the foreign field. While we miss her here, yet we are thankful that God chose her for India, for which place she sailed in November, 1901. Miss Leach was for five years a teacher in Bish- op Taylor's work in Chili, and had been a missionary in California before coming to Colorado. In the Pentecostal Missions she has put in several years of faithful work. She sees along the way those who have been brought to Christ through her ministry. Sister Delia Huffman, for over a year, was in charge in Cheyenne, and since has been in more re- sponsible positions in Butte City and Cripple Creek. We saw her converted and have witnessed the strug- gles and victories of her soul as she steadfastly has pressed forward and upward to her high calling in Jesus Christ. She has become an inseparable com- panion in the work. Bro. Jonas A. Peterson, a cowboy, came into PENTECOSTAL MISSIONS. 229 the sanctified experience in our meeting in Cheyenne. He bought a large supply of holiness books and as he drove his team across the plains and through the National Park, working for ranchmen, he read these books and the Bible and inwardly digested the truth. We met him in Butte a year later and marveled at his growth. He has been working in the Butte mission ever since, part of the time in charge. He passed through some testings but stood true, and God rewarded him. He now has a devoted Chris- tian wife to share with him in the labor and the reward. We have a number of young people entering the mission field in whose lives God is already clearly manifested and who, if faithful, "shall receive a hun- dred fold now in this time, houses and brethren, and sisters and mothers, and children, and lands with persecutions, and in the world to come eternal life." (Mark 10:30.) The fifth annual camp meeting of the Colorado State Holiness Association was held at Greeley Sep- tember, 1898. The work previously done in revival meetings, we held in the country around, drew many hungry souls, as well as curiosity seekers, to the ser- vices. The altars were filled with a goodly number of seekers and many prayed through to victory. It was here that my soul was burdened to put the Pen- tecostal work before the people, but the committee hesitated to have me do so. They finally consented to my having a few minutes, but their reluctance and apparent dissatisfaction, when a little more time was taken up than was allotted, caused me great suffer- 230 LOOKING BACK FROM ing for two days afterwards, when the Lord came and comforted my heart by showing me that it was His will for the Pentecostal folks to have a camp meeting of their own. After the summer's work was over the Lord kept me waiting before Him for several weeks. We were feeling the need of a home training school for our missionaries. A number of young people were willing to give up their positions and devote their whole time to the work. Some of them only had a slight acquaintance with the Scriptures and but a limited knowledge of the English language. Others did not have the advantage of orthodox training in their early life, and therefore knew but little of the doctrine to which Paul told Timothy "to take heed." Such persons, though they may have a bright experience, unless enlightened, will be greatly hindered in their work if not set aside. Much of the so-called wild fire and fanaticism, that sometimes creeps into the holiness movement, would be avoid- ed, if young Christians could have the proper teach- ing at the start when they can be easily led. The Methodist Hymnal did much to establish me in the right doctrine. It ought to be studied and used more by the young people. My desire to see a home and training school increased until it became a great burden. The financial question seemed to be the greatest problem, but I believed the Lord would fur- nish the means to open it and carry it on. One night I dreamed that instead of asking the people for money, we should call them together for prayer. Letters were written to our countrv friends, as well PENTECOSTAL MISSIONS. 23! as those in the city, asking them to meet with us in prayer on the first Thursday afternoon in No- vember, 1898, at our home, 1226 W. Thirteenth ave- nue. Forty-five of the most spiritual people were present. As the matter was presented, the burden rolled off me on to them. Some shouted, others wept and said, "It is of God." Different ways of securing means to open the home was suggested, but it was clearly shown me that I must ask no one for anything myself, or in any way lean on the arm of flesh, and that in trusting the Lord fully He would move on the hearts of others to bring or send it in. Within a few weeks, money was on hand to pay the first month's rent; also furniture and pro- visions to begin with. On the first of February, 1899, the home was opened in a ten-room building on Twenty-second street. Three months later we moved to 2348 Champa street, our present location a much larger and more commodious place. We have had from sixteen to twenty-five persons in the Home since it was opened, and truly He, who is the head of the work, has supplied all our needs ac- cording to His riches in glory. On the first of the month, our rents have always been met. We have no resources of our own and there are no individuals on whom we are depending, neither have we any subscribers to the Home, and while we make no charge for board, room rent, etc., some have made us a free will offering, according to their ability. No one who is called of the Lord to this work is barred out for want of means. We pay no salaries 232 LOOKING BACK FROM BEULAH. and hire no servants. All are the love slaves of Jesus and what they do is done as unto the Lord. MISSIONARY WORK IN MONTANA. On the 27th of June, 1899, my husband, two boys and myself left for Butte City, Montana, to open a mission. We did not have money to take the trip, yet so clear were the leadings of the Spirit, that Mr. White packed his trunk, bade the folks good bye and left on Saturday for Greeley, where he was to preach on Sunday, and join us there at the train on Tuesday. Instead of receiving five or six dollars as was customary, they paid him thirty, the amount needed. The Lord was very precious all the way on this thousand mile journey, and showed His hand in tokens of favor that meant much to us. We visited our friends a few days at Dillon and then went on to Butte. We found living expenses were high and it was almost impossible to rent a room at any reasonable price. It was still harder to find a hall for our work, centrally located, where we would be able to reach the people. In our extremity we thought of renting a rather poorly located store room at a high rental, when a case of scarlet fever next door to it, stopped us. We now had only a few dollars left and had to change our rooming place the next day. It \vas Sunday after- noon and we felt that something would have to be done quickly, if it were done at all. We had been in many such places before and found no way out but to pray through. While we were waiting upon our knees before God the evidence came that a place 3 2 ra p G, 3- 5 o 9 9 a a a p i 3 - - CD? ^ & S sf g a- Q CD <1 & O T3 g; O tl- i-- co 1-2. 5- a a.B-1 g 1 & " &- ^ O" 2 5 P rr 3 ' p is- ?' (C K w S 5- 2 2. B H a a 3 3 P ( r- a o. o s> 030 *> * w *- &B a " S* " td B o PENTECOSTAL MISSIONS. 233 would be quickly found. The next morning, just as I awakened, I saw my husband's gold watch before me. The thought came: sell the gold and put the works in a silver case. We had known for some time that the Lord would be pleased to have the gold put to better use, especially when the scriptures forbids the wearing of it. He had once tried in Denver to sell the case and failed to receive a satisfactory offer. The gold in the case was sold for thirty-three dollars and the move- ment put in a silver one costing five. I was led to walk out in the resident portion of the city and again look for housekeeping rooms. A lady was showing me some rooms, and in the course of the conversation I told her why we had come to Butte and our failure to find a hall. She was a "Lat- ter Day Saint," and her people had searched the city over to find a place in which to hold their meetings. She said there was only one room in the city trrtt could be had for our work. "It will suit you ex- actly, as it is central, and can be had for a reasonable price." It was the dining-room of a large boarding house, just a few feet down from the sidewalk. The room was secured and the first two weeks' rent paid with the watch money. The Methodists were building a new church and gave us their old seats. But our difficulties were not ended, for the chief of police forbade us holding open air meetings. He was unreasonable and im- polite and said if we attempted to do so he would take us to jail. The Mayor gave us no encouragement and told us that whatever the Chief said would have 234 LOOKING BACK FROM BEUI,AH. to stand. There was no way to get the people into the hall without the open air meetings, and it meant we were to go no farther or face the jail. We made up our minds to do the latter. We trembled a little as we sang our first song on the street corner, not knowing what moment an officer would lay his hand upon us. The battle was fought and the victory won in our own hearts, and they were not permitted to touch us. Glory to God! He can shut the lions' mouths and open the doors of prisons. From night to night we proclaimed the gospel message in this Gomorrah of the West. Never had we seen the bul- warks of the enemy so prominent or sin so bold- faced. As we preached, prayed and even agonized God gave us the assurance that His word would hammer in pieces the rock. Until help arrived nearly four months later neither of us missed a service, yet we were won- drously sustained through this long physical strain. The establishing of this mission, we believed, would become the doorway for the entrance of Holiness to the great Northwest. We labored for six weeks be- fore we had a real convert, but the break came at last and there were seekers at almost every service. A home for missionaries was fitted up ; most of the furniture being donated. Our hearts were made glad by seeing a few persons come into the experi- ence of sanctificaticn. I returned to Denver after an absence of about six months. My husband remained three months longer. Bro. J. A. Peterson came to our help first, followed by Sister Sadie Wilder. The following is PENTECOSTAL MISSIONS. 235 their printed report : "The Pentecostal Mission at 77 E. Park St. is doing much good and deserves a great deal of encouragement. During the first year of its existence it has held three hundred and forty open air meetings in which many thousands have heard the gospel. Three hundred and thirty-five ser- vices have been conducted in the hall, with a total at- tendance of about twelve thousand. There have been eighty-four who have professed conversion and twenty-two sanctification. Besides visiting and praying with the sick, distributing of tracts and other religious literature, much house to house call- ing has been done. The Mission has no other re- sources than the voluntary contributions of the peo- ple." CHAPTER XVIII. THE GOOD SAMARITAN. Do you love your neighbor as yourself? The following incident may help you to answer the question. A mission was to be opened in O. T., a place notoriously bad. It was reported that there were in it thirty-two saloons and perhaps a brothel for each. Three miles away was the town of C. S., with millionaires, magnificent churches, and ministers who lived in splendid houses, received large salaries and rode in fine carriages. There were no saloons there. This made the liquor business, with all its attendant evils, in O. T. very prosperous, for hun- dreds came on the cars and in carriages to this mod- ern Gomorrah to debauch themselves in the cess- pools of sin. "There are persons in those closed car- riages who hold high positions in C. S.," said a rep- resentative church woman of C. S., a friend of the mission," and some of them have their names on church books and are found in their respective pews on Sunday morning." With song books and Bibles, a little band of workers took their places in front of a palace saloon. The hydra-headed monster stared at them with hell- ish defiance. Above the noise of wheels, scoffs and jeers they sang, "Throw out the life line." Silk- hatted coachmen hurried past, while many in the 236 PENTECOSTAL MISSIONS. 237 saloon came out to hear the song. There was evi- dent confusion in the ranks of the enemy as some alighted from the cars and hid themselves quickly be- hind the bar screens. All was silence when a message came from above like a thunderbolt from the sky. Traffic in drink was checked for the time. The proprietor stepped to the door and looked on with a fiendish glare, while the storm clouds of wrath wrinkled his brow. The meeting was closed with an invitation to the little Pentecostal Mission only a few steps away. The missionaries were followed by a number of persons, who encouraged their hearts by their earnest looks and close attention. As they waited before God at the same place the next evening they felt that reinforcements had come from above. Only a part of the first song had been sung when the saloonkeeper stepped out and turned off the large arc light in front of his door and left them in the dark. Then they sang familiar pieces, held more tightly to Jesus and grew bolder in spirit. The messenger's lips were touched with a live coal. Men stood and listened, apparently power- less to move for the next thirty minutes. Then the gospel net cast into the street was drawn into the hall, where a learned DD. from C. S. was announced to talk. He did not appear, but the presence and power of God was manifest as it always is when fhere are persons He can work through and hearts He can work in. The next day the above referred-to sister called ta see the leader. She hesitated to speak, and judg- ing from her manner she thought she had a great 238 LOOKING BACK FROM BEULAH. sui prise for her. She said, "I have been talking with my pastor at C. S. and find that he is not in sympathy with this work." Her pastor was the man an- nounced to preach the night before but failed tD come. When asked what his objections were she replied, "He said he was afraid it would sap his church." He had hundreds of members, among them millionaires, and received two thousand five hundred dollars salary. They were planning to build a ninety thousand dollar church. He claimed they needed all the money they could get and did not care to spare any of his members who were inclined to help the Mission. Moreover, it was known that Rev. P., a brother pastor in the town, thought that the Mission was not at all needed and felt very bad because it had been started. She then added : "If these min- isters oppose the work, your efforts will be in vain." She was discouraged, but believed the Mission was just the thing for the place. The leader agreed with her that these ministers could hinder it, but that God was able to carry on His work over the head of every opposition, which He had done in the history of every true missionary movement. He had chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise and the weak things of the world to confound the mighty. After the sister said "Good evening," and left the room, the leader dropped on her knees, scarcely able to see through her tears, and cried out from the depths of her soul, "O, God has the old church in which I was born and of which I have been a mem- ber for nearly a quarter of a century come to this ?" PENTECOSTAL MISSIONS. 239 Her heart grew heavier and she said: "I must remain here on my knees until some victory is achieved and new strength received to go forward in the work." Her Bible was beside her and from It she had received courage in many a hard battle. As it opened her eyes fell on the* story of the Good Samaritan. Substituting C. S. for Jerusalem and O. T. for Jericho, she then read : "A certain man went down from C. S. to O. T., and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed leaving him half dead." She saw that this unfortunate man represented a class of people which the missions were trying to reach. Sin robs its victim of virtue, friends, money and all that a true man or woman holds dear. It bruises the conscience, weakens the will power, dead- ens the sensibilities, debilitates the nerves, develops the sensual and makes what should be the temple of the Holy Ghost the habitation of demons. It clothes with rags and makes deadly, ghastly wounds, that none but the Great Physician can heal. How skillfully the surgeons' knife must be used! How carefully the wound must be bound by loving hands ! These unfortunate ones are as powerless to loosen themselves from the serpent's coils as this man who fell among thieves was to bind up his wounds or re- lieve his thirst. They must have help and have it quickly. The gospel oil and wine must be freely used. No other remedy will avail. "By chance there came down a certain priest that way, and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. And like- wise a Levite when he was at the place, came and 24O LOOKING BACK FROM BEULAH. looked on him, and passed by on the other side." This event revealed the true character of these men. What class of people does this priest and Levite represent? You will find them in the story. The Levite is the Rev. P., who thought the Mission was not needed in his town. He came and looked on and passed by. The priest, the learned DD., looked in one evening and also passed by on the other side. "But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was." If these persons are ever reached we must go where they are, for certainly, they are unable to come to us, hence the command, go into the by-ways, hedges, streets, lanes, etc., and gather the maimed, the halt and the blind that the table of the Lord may be furnished with guests. "As he journeyed," signifying that it was his business to travel. Persons who bear the vessels of the Lord, filled with the oil and wine of the kingdom, are not in a state of inactivity. "He had compassion on him." Jesus looked on suffering humanity wounded by sin 'and wept over the scene. "He poured in oil and wine." There is enough for all the wounds that sin has made, if emptied and cleansed vessels can be found to bear it. The prophet commanded tne widow to bring the vessel into the chamber and the oil was stayed only for a lack of more vessels to be filled. "He set him on his own beast." True religion is always self-sacrificing. He did not turn him over to others, but stayed with him through the night and paid the bill himself. "Which now of these three, WIDOW OF ZAREPHATH. 24! thinkest thou, -was neighbor to him that fell among the thieves ?" THE WIDOW OF ZAREPHATH. When the Lord sent a famine in the time of Israel's apostacy (I. Kings, I7th ch.) He com- manded Elijah to turn east and hide himself by the brook Cherith. After the brook dried up the word of the Lord came again to him saying, "Arise, get thee to Zarephath, which belongeth to Zidon, and dwell there ; behold, I have commanded a widow wo- man there to sustain thee." Strange that the Lord would send His prophet to a poor widow's house to be sustained in time of famine, but God never makes ajnyjmistakes. The outlook must have been anything but encouraging to Elijah when he met the woman at the gate gathering sticks to cook the last handful of meal that she and her son might eat it and die. If some holiness evangelists had been in Elijah's place they would have backed out at once, concluding that they were out of divine order and had mistaken the voice of the Spirit. But nothing daunted, the prophet asked her to bake him a cake first and after- wards make for herself and son, assuring her that the Lord had said the barrel of meal should not waste, neither the cruise of oil fail till the Lord should send rain upon the earth. At this time no greater test could have possibly been put to her. With a starv- ing child at her side, and looking into an open grave, she was asked to give the last morsel she had to sus- tain life, to a stranger, on the promise that God would work a miracle. This meant surrendering all 242 LOOKING BACK FROM BEULAH. even unto death. The death route must be taken before the station of divine miracles is reached. It was so with Abraham, "as good as dead" (Heb. ii :i2.) We have jio evidence that the widow of Zarephath hesitated to obey the word of the Lord that came to her through the lips of His prophet. The Holy Spirit will reveal God's words to us if we keep in touch with Jesus, regardless of the channel through which they may come. Elijah was no doubt a total stranger to the widow, and perhaps not of prepossessing appearance, yet he was sent of God to bring relief to her in time of her distress. She might have objected to the messenger, or argued that the risk to run was too great, and then again that if God intended to increase the oil and meal He could do it first as well as last. The safe way from a human standpoint would have been to hold on to what she had. In that way life might have been prolonged until help would come from another source or until she saw for herself the increase of the meal in the barrel. But in this there would.have been neither sacrifice nor faith, and "without faith it is impossible to please God'' (Heb. 11:6.) "Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen'* (Heb. ii :i.) Faith is trusting in the dark. God has many surprises for those who are risking all for His sake. A little girl who was tenderly endeared to her old rag doll was asked by her father to throw it into the fire. She did not understand \vhy this request was made, and hesitated with tears in her eyes, then threw it into the flames. The father, delighted with WIDOW OF ZAREPHATH. 243 the act of obedience, brought out a large bisque doll with real hair and blue eyes and handed it to her. She leaped for joy and smothered him with kisses. There is so much reserve on the part of God's child- ren that they are often kept in spiritual poverty when they might be fat and flourishing, wearing the festal garments and eating at the King's table. Some persons let their business come between them and God, often breaking the Sabbath or en- gaging in other questionable things, claiming that it is necessary to do so in order to provide for their families. As well might the saloonkeeper say that he had to sell liquor to support his family. If God's word condemns one, it does not justify the other. A sister recently sanctified in Kentucky was condemned for buying vegetables on Monday that were gathered on Sunday. When the wagon came around the next Monday morning she refused to buy, giving her reason, and in doing so received a great blessing. It is hard to keep from entangle- ments in business and social life, but God who has commanded us to keep ourselves unspotted from the world is abundantly able to see us through. For five years I have not been on a railroad train or street car on Sunday, and yet I have never missed an en- gagement on account of it. The Lord has always provided a way for me. A little planning and fore- thought will enable one to meet engagements and keep the Sabbath. Many persons grow faint-hearted when the way is not clear before them, and take things in their own hands and failure is sure to fol- low. If the widow had been careful for herself the 244 BOOKING BACK FROM BEULAH. barrel of meal would have wasted and the cruise of oil failed. The love of money is a stagnant pool in the backslidden holiness movement of to-day that needs draining, to say nothing about the lust for gold in the denominations. Paul in his self-sacrificing min- istry, said : "Demas hath forsaken me, having loved the present world." There is nothing in God's word that will justify a hireling ministry, yet many evangelists and preachers have put a price on their labors in order to protect themselves, and are un- willing to give their services without wages being in sight, and the result is evident to all, their cruise of oil has failed. Such persons are already fallen. Others do not stipulate sums, but at heart they are just as covetous, and have their eyes on the "filthy lucre" as truly as those who do. Old dry bone preachers talk salary, salary, and backslidden holiness evangelists flatter the dead churches for the purpose of opening doors for themselves. If they can leave a meeting with the good will of the pastor in charge, a hundred dollars in their pocket and a promise from the presiding elder that they can work any place on his district, they consider the meeting a success. But with few exception, if the truth were only known, it was more of a success for the devil than for God. We recently heard a humble brother say, "The first campmeeting with a remuneration of a hundred dol- lars is sufficient to make some evangelists top-heavy," and added, "It is astonishing how some people watch the newspapers to see what is said about them." Good Lord help us to die so dead that we can say BAAI, WORSHIP. 245 like St. Paul, -"None of these things move me." A person who has really been crucified with Christ will not be easily resurrected. When the transforming power of grace reaches the heart one of the first noticeable changes is a dis- position to liberality. Persons who have been natur- ally close will open their pocketbooks if they walk In the light. Refusing to do so, they bank tlr stream from the heavenly ocean and leave themselves ro wither and die. Many are suffering such a fate. God has spoken to them, but unlike the widow, they have refused to comply; others are misapplying their consecrated money, which is equally deplorable. God's true prophets warn the people against these blunders and point out to them the real cause of Christ, which languishes for lack of means. Strange it takes some good folks so long to get awakened to the fact that it is displeasing to God for them to sup- port iceberg religious clubs and north-pole preachers. Reader, do not be foolish enough to think you will receive a reward for money used in this way. The truth is you are putting it in the best place possible to help the devil fight holiness, who cries, "Church loyalty, be loyal to your church !" BAAL WORSHIP. The widow was commanded to help Elijah, who had the arduous task of ridding the country of the false prophets of Baal. Many persons will preach against Baal worship, but will not slay his prophets. Instead of doing this, they are feeding them at Jeze- bel's table. How long will people willingly close 246 LOOKING BACK FROM their eyes to the truth and pour their money into the coffers of an apostate church? As I write these words the fire burns in my soul with an increasing desire to warn the people against this idolatrous practice. God pities some people in their ignorance and stupidity and bears with them for a time, other- wise their stream of supplies would have been cut off long ago. While He chides with us in mercy, remembering we are dust, yet it is dangerous ground and perilous when we close our eyes against the light. I stand before Him in awe and ask that my face may be hid in the folds of His garments while my soul is poured out in tears. "And it came to pass, when Ahab saw Elijah, that he said unto him, 'Art thou he that troubleth Israel?'" (I. Kings, i8th ch.) And he answered, "I have not troubled Israel ; but thou and thy father's house, in that ye have forsaken the commandments of the Lord, and thou hast followed Baalam." God's prophets never trouble Israel ; it is only backslidden Israel that they disturb. When Holy Ghost men and women are accused of splitting the church you may be sure that church is backslidden. A church that has embraced the world and simply be- come a religious club does not like to be disturbed in its carnal security. It is easy to follow in the wrong path when men who stand high in social, religious and official positions lead the way. The wicked king Ahab certainly emblematizes corrupt human govern- ments, and his idolatrous queen, the fallen church. They were both equally persistent in the worship of Baal. Jezebel was the daughter of Ethbaal, the idol- BAAI, WORSHIP. 247 atrous king- of the Zidonians. She fed the false prophets and slew the servants of the Lord, and suc- ceeded in plunging the nation into more dreadful apostacy than it had ever been. It was at this time that Elijah appears on the scene, and is accused of troubling Israel, as holiness people are accused of troubling the church. He made a fitting reply to the king when he answered, "I have not troubled Israel ; but thou and thy father's house, in that ye have for- saken the commandments of the Lord, and thou hast followed Baalim." Allured to the groves of idolatry by profligate leaders, the people were tempted to. bow at the shrine of Baal and kiss his image. Is'hot the same condi- tion of things apparent to-day ? Multitudes of good people have become fearfully involved in political corruptions and dead ecclesiasticisms, voting to license harlotry and the liquor traffic and following Baal in the churches. They are led by presiding elders and bishops into associations of ungodly I lodges, where with the saloonkeepers, drunkards, in- / ridels, blasphemers, liars, adulterers, smokers, etc., \ they are all bound together with theiSands of secrecy, branded with the same iron, and sworn to protect each other. I asked a Methodist preacher to tell me what good his lodge did him. He replied, "When I am sent to a new place and need help, all I have to do is to give the distress signal and the Free Masons will come to my assistance." Is not this leaning on Baal instead of trusting in God, who has said, "I will never leave thee nor forsake thee?" Will He not say of them, "They have forsaken Me, the 248 LOOKING BACK FROM BJJULAH. fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cis- terns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water." (Jer. 2:13.) Again, "Thus saith the Lord, cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the Lord. For he shall be like the heath in the desert, and shall not see when good cometh ; but shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, in a salt land not inhabited." (Jer. 17:5-6.) A number of years ago, I met a young man in this state who was studying for the ministry. He finished his course in the Methodist University, then went to Boston to further pursue his studies. Late- ly I read a letter that he had written to a pastor in Colorado, stating that he was expecting to make a visit back to the Rockies, and that he wished to make an engagement with him to lecture in his church for the sum of fifteen dollar. There was not a hint in this letter to show that he had a burden for lost souls, or a desire to help any one into a better life, but as a spider weaves a web around himself, and looks through the flimsy gauze, it was plain to be seen that he had an eye for self only. He had been for years packing his brain with knowledge, which resulted in a fifteen dollar lecture. The pastor, making no re- ply, he received another letter stating that he would give his lecture for six dollars. This brother claims to be called to preach ; if so, he is eating at Jezebel's table. In the early days Methodism would not ha\e counteru'inced this departure from New Testament principles. Will such work ever disturb fallen Israel ? No true minister of the gospel takes the lecture plat- BAAI, WORSHIP. 249 form. When he does he becomes one of the wan- dering stars that Jude tells about, no longer held ir> hi? orbit by divine power, but lost in the iiiisls and shadows of a sin-cursed world. "Woe u'lto them ! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and lan g'-eed- ily after the error of Balaam for reward, and per- ished in the gainsaying of Core." When Elijah came unto all the people and said, "How long halt ye between two opinions? If the Lord be God follow Him; but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word." This argument is just as applicable and unanswerable now as it was before the prophet was translated in his chariot of fire. God is raising up an unpolished min- istry, not unlike the illiterate fisherman, to thunder in the ears of the cultured DD.'s, who have become soft and effeminate in their preaching and practices. There are people who may be helped in the apostate denominations, but they are not reached by support- ing false prophets and walking over the old beaten paths of Baal. Elijah's plan to exterminate idolatry and save Israel was to take the heads off these lying prophets. This course is quite different from the course some professed holiness people are taking. Take Elijah's track and Jezebel will pursue you. But, hallelujah! the sooner she gets on your track the better for you. If she is not after your head it proves that you are a false prophet. No sooner were the prophets slain than there was a sound of abundance, of rain. How long will the heavens be shut up against the famishing mil- 250 LOOKING BACK FROM lions, because the professed children of God and even holiness professors are laying their sacrifices on Baal's altars? We are told that the false prophets were many and the bullock used for their sacrifice was given unto them. They dressed it and called on the name of Baal from morning untill noon, saying, "O Baal, hear us!" (i. e., O Lord, hear us.) But there was no voice, nor any that answered. And they leaped upon the altar which was made, but no fire fell. There are leaders in the holiness movement who are still exhorting the people to lay their sacri- fices on the altars of worldly churches. The truth is their offerings have lain there so long already the stench has scented up the vultures from the pit and reached the nostrils of God. The false prophets cut themselves and make a great bluster, chant their doleful anthems and blow through pipe organs, but the fire does not fall, yet they tell us to conserve holi- ness in these clubs. Good Lord deliver us ! A certain class of comeouters who have made the mistake of refusing any kind of church government based on New Testament principles, and becoming anarchists in their spirits have, like the black pony, taken the bit in their mouths and leaped over the precipice. Satan has taken advantage of this, hoisted a reg flag, called "comeoutism," and is now pawing before it like a wild bull in a cage. One glimpse of the mon- ster frightens some poor weak-kneed professors out of their wits and they fly back to Baal's charnel- house, where black birds roost and scorpions crawl. Is it any wonder Elijah mocked them, arid said, "Cry aloud, for he is a god ; either he is talking, or BAAL WORSHIP. 251 he is pursuing-, or he is in a journey, or perad venture he sleepeth and must be awakened." No doubt they called him uncharitable and accused him of being Pharisaical and bigoted. Baal's prophets must have been sorrowful spectacles, cutting themselves with lances until they were reeking in their own blood. Many preachers like Baal's prophets are on the road to spiritual and physical suicide, the victims of their own weapons, while the death blow to multiplied thousands has already been given. CHAPTER XIX. CHICAGO HOUNESS CONVENTIONS. May 2nd, 1901, my mother and myself left Den- ver for Chicago to attend the National Holiness As- sembly. We arrived at the Union depot the next evening, where we were met by a committee who es- corted its to the large auditorium at the corner of Clarke and Washington streets. There were about two hundred and fifty delegates present. As I en- tered and looked upon the congregation I was im- pressed with the great number of gray-headed mem- bers in this gathering, some of whom had started in the high way of holiness in the days of Inskip and Phoebe Palmer, to whom they frequently referred. Prominent among them were C. J. Fowler, Presi- dent ; George Hughes, editor of "The Guide to Holi- ness;" M. L. Haney, author of "Inheritance Re- stored;" Thos. K. Doty, whose book, "Lessons on Holiness," I read many years ago. They represented the old holiness movement and tenaciously held to their so-called Wesleyan views of Bible holiness, but according to history these services were woefully lacking in the spirit and power that characterized the meetings in the past. It was evident that the move- ment which they represented was fast being sub- merged in the old casts of dead churchanity. There was a painful pressure on the services, which those, 252 CHICAGO CONVENTION. <* 253 who had complete liberty in the Holy Ghost could not fail to detect and an undercurrent in their hearts and minds that was seeking an outlet. There were issues at stake that those living in places remote from holi- ness centers were apparently ignorant of. The pre- millennial coming of our Lord, divine healing and the exposure of modern ecclesiastical corruption had but little place in this assembly. It is not enough to say that I did not feel the felowship of the Spirit with the leaders, for there were times when long dry sermons were being de- livered that I felt my heart would burst through its walls, for like Jeremiah, His word seemed like fire in my bones, but there was no opportunity to give vent to my feelings, and I was almost persuaded not to remain through the session, but happily the Lord had a feast awaiting me -of which I was unaware. About fifteen minutes to 12 o'clock on the fol- lowing Monday I heard strains of music that seemed almost heavenly. On inquiry I found out that the Metropolitan Church Association, a body of holiness people, were beginning services across the hall. The speaker lost the attention of his hearers, as every one seemed to be more or less excited and anxious to get into the other meeting. Not wishing to be rude by leaving in the midst of the discourse, I remained in my seat for a few minutes looking for an opportunity to quietly pass out. Some one whispered, "If you want a place to stand in there you had better go quickly." On reaching the door I pressed my way through the eager spectators, and beheld a sight such as I had never seen before. The same song book was 254 BOOKING BACK FROM BEULAH. being used, the very same songs being sung as in the services which I had just left, but there was some- thing about this singing, mingled with the shouts of victory and holy laughter, that started a whole or- chestra to playing in my soul, and with the rest I felt like dancing to the music. I had never been in a spiritual atrnosphere that equaled this. There were eight or ten persons on the platform, leaping, jump- ing, dancing and clapping their hands and presenting a scene that was indescribable. I thought of King David dancing before the ark, and of the dancing over the return of the prodigal son. Instantly I saw that it was not only beautiful but scriptural. The breezes from the heavenly ocean were wafted to my soul and waves and billows of glory rolled over me. I found myself in touch with the whole affair. My thoughts went back to the days of Elijah when he said, "The God that answers by fire let Him be God." This was truly a Mount Carmel scene, for the fire fell, the heads were taken off the false prophets and souls got through to God amidst the thunderings and lightnings of divine power. There were many shorn prophets in the audi- ence, and as the two-edged sword was wielded some trembled, others turned pale and others hissed and openly attacked the speaker, but amidst it all souls were weeping their way to Calvary, while others who had been delivered were leaping and shouting for joy. The leaders of this convention were Rev. Duke M. Farson and his companion in the work, Rev. E. L. Harvey. The demonstrations, which were one of CHICAGO CONVENTION. 255 the most characteristic features of the services, beg- gars description. Brother Harvey and Andy Dol- \ bow could jump higher, come down lighter and keep ! it up longer than any of the rest. The great beads / of perspiration rolled down their faces and as vent was given to the pent up energy within, conviction went like an arrow to the hearts of the unsaved. These two gatherings might be compared to two great brush heaps on fire. The first was smoul- dering in smoke and ashes with here and there an outbursting flame, while the other was at the height of conflagration, yet like the burning bush was not consumed. The great fire drove out the ground rats, blowing vipers and hissing serpents that could be heard on every hand. I was so captivated by these services that I determined to camp on their trail, and that evening attended the Metropolitan church, of which Brother Parson is pastor, at the corner of Huron and Noble streets, where there was the utmost liberty in the Holy Ghost. I had never seen M. W. Knapp until he was pointed out to me on the crowded platform in one of these meetings. He was sitting in a humble position on the floor, apparently very comfortable. A few days later I was asked to speak in this church, and on the following Sabbath spoke three times to large congregations. I might add, that in fellowship with the saints it was the greatest day of my life. The altars were successively filled and souls swept through to victory. There was a great stir in the community of this church and many persons were excited over the miracles of grace wrought 256 LOOKING BACK FROM BEULAH. there . One or more policemen often stood around the door as the great crowd made their way through the entrance to the auditorium. I found one whose heart had been touched and as I waited on the corner for the street car, he told me of some of the strange things that were coming to pass in these meetings. The revival had been running for nearly three months, and I understood that during the first ten days there were a thousand seekers at the altars. All the doctrines of the Bible were honored and duly set forth. I heard testimonies of bodily healing where nothing less than a miracle had been performed. Persons were struck down under the old-time gospel power like they were in the days of Wesley and Finney. They believed in old-fashioned holiness and hell and preached with such power that men got un- der conviction and cried for mercy. The old walls of dead ecclesiasticism, that some of the professed holiness people had helped to daub with untempered mortar, were struck with the sledge hammer of God's truth and brought down. I had long since learned that it was useless to try to conserve holiness in these idolatrous religious clubs, called churches, but ifi'vam I had looked for a people who would handle things without gloves and deal with these advocates and their unscriptural methods according to their folly. I found them in this company. It might be said of them, they were "as fair as the moon, clear as the sun, and terrible as an army with banners." MEETING AT PARIS,, KY. May the I4th, 1901, mother and I arrived at KENTUCKY MEETING. 257 Paris, Ky., where two sisters and a brother lived. Three days after our arrival, Mrs. Savage, the oldest, was sanctified, and Mrs. Boardman, who was in a backslidden state, was under great conviction. Some of the Methodists invited me to preach in the church Sunday morning, and so advertised the meet- ing. The pastor, who was off on a vacation, heard of it and took the first train home, interviewing the members of the official board and claiming the right to fill the pulpit himself. He had been preaching but once on the Sabbath and I understood had left to be gone until conference. His deliberate setting aside of those who had planned for the service Sun- day morning aroused a spirit of displeasure in the hearts of some, that led to the securing of the court house the next day, in which to hold a series of meet- ings. This was the largest and most commodious biulding in the city. On the following Monday even- ing we opened fire on the forts of the enemy. Bro. Burns of Covington, Ky., was with us for a time and rendered valuable assistance. My sister, Mrs. Boardman, who was the most fashionable dressmaker in the city, was reclaimed and sanctified and went out of the business entirely. There was a great commotion when she sent back to the ladies of fashion their goods untouched. This was used of God in advertising the meetings. She enclosed notes telling them the Lord had taken her out of the business. Their indignation and curiosity were both aroused, and they came to see what had caused this marvelous change. Our numbers in- creased from eighty-five in the first service to about 258 LOOKING BACK FROM four hundred later on. Forgetting ourselves and man's wisdom, we just let God order the battle and went in to be used as it pleased Him. The court house was in such a conspicuous place we were, afraid the officials would object to our hav- ing the use of it after they learned the character of the meetings. Mrs. Boardman and myself were walking along the street talking over the matter the day before we were to begin. She pointed out a person standing by the door of the postoffice and said, "Do you see that man dressed in police uni- form? If he objects to this meeting, he has the power to stop it. He has been here about twenty- seven years, is the chief of police and is simply the king of the town. The colored people are so afraid of him that if they happen to be standing in groups and see his dog coming around the corner they will disperse." My brother was unsaved and mixed up in the county politics and then running for office. Knowing the condition of the churches and that there was not a place where spiritual food could be obtained, a burden was rolled upon me that I fairly groaned under. I asked God to put His hand on this officer who had the power to stop the meetings. His wife, who was a backslidden Methodist, came out to one meeting and expressed herself favorably in regard to it. He was a Roman Catholic and had no use for Protestant religion. A few days later he passed by our door. Things at the court house were beginning to get warm. As I looked at him I con- tinned to pray to God in his behalf, and watched him as far as I could see him, still asking God that he KENTUCKY MEETING. 259 might not be permitted to interfere with His work. He went home that evening, not sick or even com- plaining, and went to bed, addressing his last words to his dogs. The next morning his wife was awak- ened about 4 o'clock by a peculiar noise, and found it to be the death rattle in his throat. She hastened to the telephone and called a physician, but before he arrived her husband was gone. The whole town and country turned out to the funeral. So passed away the man who was most feared. His career of intimidation was ended. God saw fit that the book : of his life should be closed. The meetings continued with unabating interest until within two days of the time to close. The col- ored people filled the galleries, and on this evening there was only one white person came forward when the invitation was given, but the conviction was so great among the colored folks in the gallery that seven arose for prayers. We dismissed the white congregation and invited the colored people down to be prayed with. The recognition of this down-trod- den race raised so much antagonism in the hearts of some of the white folks that they succeeded in getting the city officials to stop the meetings by refusing to let us have the building any longer. I went with my sister the next day to interview them on the sub- ject. She asked them for permission to continue the meetings two days longer. They refused on the grounds that smallpox might break out among the colored folks, as there had been a few cases on the outskirts of the town. We knew that this was not their real objection. My sister, in the glow and 260 LOOKING BACK FROM BEULAH. fervor of her new experience, warned them of the consequences that might follow their interfering with the Lord's work. She told them frankly she believed something would happen to them or the building, and continued to exhort them until they were apparently anxious to get rid of us. On the way home she persisted in saying that a judgment of God would be sent on them. Soon after this the court house burned down. During the conflagration she sent word to the men who had refused to let us continue the meetings, asking them if the fire were not worse than smallpox. They made no reply. The things that were said and done in the meet- ings spread all over the country, reaching Millers- burg, where the female college and military school were located. The students called their parents up at Paris to talk to them over the telephone about the meetings. We did not feel that under the circum- stances, in the short time that we were there, it was so much our business to get people converted as it was to expose hypocrisy and counterfeit religion and lay a foundation on which something permanent might be built ; yet there were about twenty-five who sought the Lord and some received a definite experi- ence. They have since held their cottage meetings against the protests of their pastors, and others have been added to the number. It pays to go to the bottom and start on the rock. After spending a few days at Brother Knapp's Bible School at Cincinnati I returned to Denver, where some precious experiences awaited me. CHAPTER XX. SHUT OUT AT PLEASANT VIEW CHRIST AS RE- DEEMER, HEAVENLY BRIDEGROOM AND COM- ING KING THE TRIBULATIONS. A few days after my arrival, the* Fourth of July (1901), Holiness Convention was announced to be held at Pleasant View. This annual meeting, God had used me in helping to launch forth six years be- fore, and up to this time I had attended them all, but now my name as a worker was left off the bills and some of the leaders were not backward in saying that they did not care to have me there. This was not much of a surprise to me, as I knew it was only an outburst of what some of them had in their hearts for at least three years previous. It was only a ques- tion now as to what God had in it for me as I saw the time of separation had come. I stayed on my knees before God for many hours, and He came to me with the sweetest assurance that His will was be- ing wrought out in my life, and this experience was to be used in bringing the rain and sunshine to de- velop the flowers and fruits in the garden of my soul. The Gettysburg battle of my Christian ministry was fought at Pleasant View, where I had many spiritual children to whom I was tenderly endeared. This was the birth place of the holiness movement in Colorado, and had it not been for the everlasting 261 262 LOOKING BACK FROM arms that sustained me there, my body would have succumbed to the powers of hell that surged against me and I would have gone down to the grave. "It was not an enemy that reproached me, then I could have borne it; neither was it he that hated me that did magnify himself against me; then I would have hid myself from him, but it was thou a man mine equal. We took sweet counsel together and walked unto the house of God in company." (Ps. 55:12- 14.) My rieart was comforted by the above words as I waited upon God, realizing that I had been true to Him and His seal of approval was upon me. It was evident that the holiness movement of Colorado had taken a compromising attitude and had come to the place where it could truly be said that it was neither cold nor hot. A few persons who were ambitious for leadership were catering to worldly denominations and ecclesiastical dignitaries and their identity as holiness people was lost. Instead of be- ing the apple of God's eye they were like the Laodi- cean church nauseating to Him. Remembering the pit from whence we were digged, I determined to be true at any cost, rather than be submerged in its slime again. Forty-eight hours were spent be- fore God in fasting and prayer, when new revela- tions of His will concerning His work came to my heart. The most unspeakable joy filled my soul as He revealed His love to me in the relationship of the heavenly bridegroom. Some things were kept in my own heart, even from those who were dearest to me, and to-day my soul mounts up on eagle's wings into the very bosom of His power and glory, breath- AT PEASANT VIEW. 263 ing the pure atmosphere of cloudless sunshine. O Thou matchless Christ! "Every day will I bless Thee and I will praise Thy name forever and ever/' "Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised and His greatness is unsearchable." "He will keep the feet of His saints and the wicked sliall be silent in dark- ness." How glad I am that He has enabled me to take the crucifixion route. How glorious to die to this sin-cursed world and the powers that sway it" and then mount up on gold tipped pinions above its wreck and ruin. "Let the righteous smite me; it shall be a kindness ; and let him reprove me ; it shall be an ex- cellent oil, which shall not break my head ; for yet my prayer also shall be in their calamities." (Ps. 14: 15.) The strokes that have been laid heavily upon me have only proved a kindness and an excellent oil, for it was then my Beloved drew me into the secret chamber where His words were sweeter to my soul than the honey and the honey comb." Wounds made at the hands of mere nominal professors, are not to be compared to those made by holiness people who once had the blessing and have lost it. "This was the most unkindest cut of all." They, like Joseph's brethren, will put their victim in a pit and sit down to eat bread, forgetting the anguish of his soul. "No weapon formed against Thee shall prosper." Tt proved a kindness to Joseph, an ointment to his head, and a doorway to a throne. The Psalmist said his prayer should be in their calamities. We have never prayed that calamities should be sent upon any one, but have asked the Lord to lay His hand on those 264 LOOKING BACK FROM who were hindering His work and within three months of the above experience five of the officers of this Association were at death's door at one time and others reaping an experience of disappointment too bitter to find words to express. These, and some other chastisement* +W followed were all from the hand of a loving Father, who loves the least of TT is children too well to forsake them, or leave them to their own understanding. The Psalmist said, "T am grieved with these that rise up against Thee ; I count them enemies." Persons who are trying to lower the standard of holiness until it will not be offensive to a backslidden church have lost "the blessing" --if they ever had it, and are the enemies of the cro c< > of Christ. Soon after my return from Kentucky we lost our hall on Larimer street. I had a shout in my c oul. knowing that God's hand was in it. A large gospel tent was put up at Twenty-third and California streets, where we held every night gospel meetings, culminating in a big revival led by Brother F. A. Fergerson. At least seven hundred people were at times seated under the canvass, while there were scores standing on the outside. It was evident the Lord was bringing the work to a higher plane than it had hitherto been, for many of our missionaries and Bible students as well as others were enjoying a spiritual freedom that they had never known be- fore. This aroused antagonism in the hearts of cold- hearted professors, which was used of the I ord in giving us greater strength with which to Combat the enemy. PRAISE. 265 It was during this meeting that my brother, Chas. W. Bridwell, was married to Lillian O. Thomas, a young lady from the holiness ranks, who had attended our services, especially the Thursday afternoon holiness meetings, for five years. She had stayed in the ranks and been true to God, while suf- fering some severe persecutions from her own church. God's blessing was upon the little quiet wedding that took place at the home of her parents, 1305 South Ninth street, on the evening of Septem- ber 17, 1901. Mr. White performed the ceremony in the presence of a few friends. During the prayer that followed the ceremony there were outbursts of praise and joy as the Spirit of God was poured out on the little company. Thus did God set his seal upon the newly wedded couple. PRAISE. "Let everything that hath breath praise the Lord." (Ps. 150:6.) Volumes have been written on the illustrious author of this text, but only a few have even a small conception of the magnitude of "The Blessing" that caused the Psalmist's lips to break forth in the above words. If every living creature could use its breath audibly in praising Him "That loved us, and washed us from our sins in His own blood," the half could not be told. If the strings of ten thousand instruments would vibrate in har- mony with the heart tuned to heaven's music, the half could not be told. The Psalmist calls on his angels, all his hosts and the sun, moon and stars to praise Him ; and "The 266 LOOKING BACK FROM BEULAH. heavens of heavens and the waters above the heavens." "Praise Him in His sanctuary; praise Him in the firmament of His power." There is noth- ing so becoming to a saint as praise. He who has been created in the image of God, a little lower than the angels and redeemed from sin should show forth the praises of Him, "Who hath called us out of darkness into His marvelous light," and "Made us heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ." "Sing unto the Lord a new song and His praise in the con- gregation of saints." Angels can never join in the songs of the redeemed. This privilege belongeth alone to the saints," who have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb." O glory ! glory ! "Where sin abounded, grace did much more abound." "There was no arm to save, there was no eye to pity, Until Jesus our Savior from Glory came down; He was mighty to save, He was strong to deliver, He has bro't us salvation, a robe and a crown." "Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Sing the triumphant strain; Hallelujah, for the blood and the Lamb that was slain." He stood in our place as a condemned criminal before the bar of justice. "The chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and with His stripes we are healed." Though hell bound and hell deserving He broke the yoke and snapped the fetters and let us go free. Should we not use every faculty of our being to His glory and praise ? "What shall I render unto the Lord for all of His benefits?" The very best that we can render is small. "Let Israel rejoice in Him that made Him ; THE BRIDEGROOM. 267 let the children of Zion rejoice in their king-." "Let them praise His name in the dance; let them sing praises unto Him with the timbrel and harp." "For the Lord taketh pleasure in His people." (Ps. 149: 2-3-) THE BRIDEGROOM. The world is waxing old like a garment. Satan has had it clothed in mourning and groaning under the curse for the past six thousand years, but the time has come for the saints to lift up their heads and rejoice for their redemption and the restoration of all things draweth near. "The voice of my beloved ! behold, He cometh leaping upon the mountains, skip- ping upon the hills." "My beloved is like a roe or a young hart; behold, He standeth behind our wall,. He looketh forth at the windows, showing Himself through the lattice." "My beloved spake and said unto me, 'Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away" (Cant. 2 :8-io.) The divine spouse will soon come down on a white cloud to take His bride away. He has been watching her from the lattice work of His windows as she toiled in His vineyard under the scorching rays of a meridian sun. She is the sun- burnt maiden, who has captured the King and will sit with Him on the throne of His millennial glory. He has heard her sighs and counted her tears and looked upon her in pity and compassion when thorns were pricking her feet and briars were tearing her hands. He has listened to the scoffs and jeers of her persecutors who will soon receive a just retribution. A. great loving hand has reached down and drawn 268 LOOKING BACK FROM the cruel arrows from her heart, wiped away the blood drops and poured in a soothing balm. Who shall forbid her from leaping and dancing in the sun- shine of His presence ? Well may the poet sing : "His name yields the richest perfume, And sweeter than music His voice: His presence disperses my gloom, And makes all within me rejoice." "Content with beholding His face, My all to His pleasure resigned: No changes of season or place, Would make any change in my mind." It matters little whether we please or displease others so the smile of His love-beaming eye is upon us. "The winter is passed the flowers appear in the earth ; the time of the singing of birds is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land." (Cant. 2:11-12.) Every sanctified heart is like the spring time with the beautiful flowers, singing birds, rippling waters and cooing doves. This experience is a miniature millenium within itself. The Bride- groom comes like a young hart skipping over the hills and then like a dove He nestles down deep in the soul, where He coos over His beloved. What is swifter than the roe or the hart? Some bright day, Jesus will come over the eastern hills, swifter than the morning light, wrapped in the fleecy clouds of His glory. The bride will hear His voice like that of a dove cooing for its mate, saying, "rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away." The bars of the tomb will burst ; the members of the bride both dead and living will be changed in the twinkling of an eye and fly away to meet Him in the clouds. He PREMIUJNNIAI, JUDGEMENTS. 269 will bring His beloved to the banqueting house, where His banner of love will be over her. "Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honor to Him; for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and His wife hath made herself ready. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white; for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints." (Rev. 19:7-8.) She will sit down in His shadow with great delight, and His fruit will be sweet to the taste. -(Cant. 2:3.) PREMILLENNIAL JUDGMENTS. While the orchestries of the skies are playing their rapturous strains, the premillennial judgments, which the bride will neither see nor hear, will be sweeping the earth. Myriads of the ungodly, left in the world, clad in the black armory of death and de- spair and marshalled by the hosts of hell, will keep step to the infernal frenzy of the lost. Jesus said, "Except those days should be shortened there should no flesh be saved ; but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened." Then "The sun shall be dark- ened, and the moon shall not give her light and the stars shall fall from haven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken." (Mat. I4th ch.) Shall we not praise Him who hath made it possible for us to escape all these things ? The ungodly will weep and wail and gnash their teeth and cry for the rocks and hills to fall on them, but it w 7 ill be too late. "And they cast dust on their heads, and cried, weeping and wailing, saying, 'Alas, alas, that great city, wherein were made rich all that had ships in the sea by reason 270 LOOKING BACK FROM BEUL,AH. of her costliness ! for in one hour is she made desol- ate.' " "Rejoice over her thou heaven, and ye holy apostles and prophets ; for God hath avenged you on her. * * And the light of a candle shall shine no more at all in thee ; and the voice of the bridegroom and of the bride shall be heard no more at all in thee ; for thy merchants were the great men of the earth ; for by their sorceries were all nations deceived. And in her was found the blood of prophets, and of saints, and of all that were slain upon the earth" (Rev. 18:19-24.) While the marriage supper will be in progress somewhere in the firmament another supper will take place in the earth. An angel standing in the sun, will cry with a loud voice, saying to all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven, "Come and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God ; that ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses, and of them that sit on them, and the flesh of all men, both free and bond, both small and great" (Rev. 19:17-18.) Here is a most horrific picture of the tribulation wars. The world is so cor- rupt now that it is almost impossible to live in it. What will it be when the voice of the Bride and Bridegroom is no longer heard in it, and these fowls which typify devils the black vultures from the pit are filling their foul stomachs with the flesh of humanity. One will surely have to suffer a martyr's death if he escapes hell then and gains heaven. If the chilling winds of carnality have such deadening influence on a soul now, how will it be when this car- OUR COMING KING. nival of the pit, is in full blast. How unspeakable should be our joy when we think of the possibility of escaping the latter and sitting down at the mar- riage supper of the Lamb. This earth is the purchased possession of the Son of God, who carries the title deed to it, but ever since the king of darkness came from the charred walls of his pandimonium and placed his cloven hoof on its virgin soil, it has been in rebellion against God. The first king and queen were captured in the gar- den of Eden, and a generation of murderers were brought forth, but rest assured that the recording angel with pen dipped in the blood of the world's Redeemer has kept an account of every dark deed which will be brought to light and receive a just recompense. The long dark night of sin is fast com- ing to to a crisis when the discordant voices from re- bellious hearts, corrupt human governments and apostate churches will be forever silenced. The time- honored empires and kingdoms will crumble and fall and the crowns will be snatched from the heads of their incumbents. The blood of the martyrs will be avenged, and their murderers assigned to the vaults of eternal separation, and the black catalogue of crime forever wiped out, no more to stain the fair pages of the world's record. OUR COMING KING. Then will be fulfilled Zechariah's (14:4) proph- ecy, "And His feet shall stand in that day upon the Mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem." John said, "I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the Mount 2/2 LOOKING BACK FROM Zion, and with Him an hundred and forty and four thousand, and they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and no man could learn that song, but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth" (Rev. 14:1-3.) This company represents Jesus, and the Bride who flew up to meet Him in the clouds, and is now returning with her divine Spouse from the banqueting cham- ber, where the nuptials have been celebrated. She is "the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of .heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband" (Rev. 21:1.) Paul speaks of a resurrection that is out from the dead (Phil. 3:10), to which he was striving to attain. This takes place at the beginning of the premillennial judgments, when the living and dead saints are translated. "These are they which were not defiled with women." The fallen church is rep- resented in the Bible by a woman who has broken wedlock. The one hundred and forty and four thou- sand were not defiled by her. "These are they which follow the Lamb withersoever He goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the first fruits unto God and to the Lamb." Many deceived per- sons think they can affiliate with backslidden churches, that have long since broken spiritual wed- lock and married the world, and still belong to the bridehood. This is a delusion of the devil. It is un- reasonable and utterly impossible to support her in- stitutions, walk in her streets, peer in at her windows and drink out of the wine cup of her fornications without being contaminated. Yet multitudes are do- CARNALITY DAMNATION. 2/3 ing this and vainly imagining that they are the chosen ones. It could not be said of such, "In their mouth was found no guile," or that they would be found without fault before the throne of God" (Rev. I4thch.) When the first king and queen stepped out on this newly created sphere, there was no spot to mar its beauty ; but they proved unworthy and succeeded in wresting it from its spiritual orbit, and plunging it and their own posterity into a long black night, with deeds too dark to be depicted on the screens of time. Adam, the first, was a failure, but Adam the second has stepped to the front as the world's Redeemer. He will capture His Bride; slay His antagonist and sit down with her on His father David's throne and rule the world in righteousness. "And it shall be in that day, that living waters shall go out from Jerusa- lem; half of them toward the former sea, and half of them toward the hinder sea; * * and the Lord shall be king over all the earth; in that day shall there be one Lord, and His name one." (Zee. 14:8-9-) CARNALITY AND ITS DAMNATION. "My mother's children were angry with me; they made me the keeper of the vineyards ; mine own vineyard have I not kept" (Cant. 1:6). "Hearken, O daughter forget also thine own people, and thy father's house" (Ps. 45:10.) Of necessity the bride of Christ is pressed into fields of labor that she never would have had to enter if her mother's (church's) children had kept the 2/4 LOOKING BACK FROM faith and helped to bear the burden and heat of the day. They are looking after their worldly interests and commending themselves with works of self- righteousness, they feel no need of the sanctifying blood of the Lamb. At the same time jealousies arise when their sacrifices are fireless and rejected. They are not righteous and like Cain they would kill their brother. It is a carnality diametrically opposed to holiness. What a monster ! It is fallen Adam as a fugitive in a pugilistic attitude, with wrinkled brow and darkened countenance, firmly set teeth, clinched fists and hardened muscles. He came from the regions of night, forced his way into the fair garden of the soul and fouled the lilies of purity under his feet. Here he has barred the doors and reigns su- preme. His only conqueror is Adam the second (Christ) who, by your yielding to him, will enter the gateway of your soul and search him out in the se- cret chambers and "bind the strong man and spoil his goods" (Mat. 12:29.). These goods are the works of the flesh: are adultery, uncleanness, fornication, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcrafts hatred, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunk- enness, revelings, etc., etc. Cain, a true representa- tive of the flesh, brought an offering without blood and was not accepted. Abel, emblematizing the new man, brought the sacrificial lamb and the fire from heaven consumed his offering. "Without the shed- ding of blood is no remission" of sins. Carnal religion has no blood in it, therefore its ambassadors are enemies to the cross of Christ. Isaac was the child of promise. Ishmael, who was CARNALITY DAMNATION. 2/5 born after the flesh, persecuted him who was born after the Spirit, even so it is now. "For the Spirit lusteth against the flesh and the flesh against the Spirit and these are contrary one to the other" (Gal 5:17) Sarah, who emblematizes the new church, said that the son of the bond woman should not be heir with her son. Isaac typifies the new birth, Ishmael the old man of depravity. He mocked Isaac and was cast out on the weaning day. The time will come in the experience of every regenerated person, when Adam the first must die or the result will be spiritual death to those who retain him in their heart. Had Ishmael been permitted to stay he would have killed Isaac. Jacob crossed his hands and blessed Ephriam, the youngest son of Joseph. Esau sold his birthright and Jacob the younger obtained the in- heritance, then Esau sought to kill Jacob. Adam the first forfeited his rights to an inheritance, selling this world and humanity out to the devil. Adam the second redeeming it with his own blood, but the son of Belial firmly intrenched in his stronghold, the human heart, refuses to retreat, obstinately contest- ing every inch of the ground, until rivers of blood have flown and mountains of dead have been heaped up. Multiplied millions have gone down un- der the stroke of the grim monster and are now writhing in the flames of torment where they will be the victims of torture forever. The bands are playing funeral notes. Slowly moves the procession behind the livery draped in black, bearing the remains of the departed soul to the city of the dead. The body is consigned to the 2/6 LOOKING BACK FROM earth and the minister repeats "earth to earth and dust to dust." Flowers are placed upon the coffin lid, a few words of consolation are spoken to the friends in mourning. In the meantime the spiritual eye pierces the blackness of night and in the citadel of the pandimon- ium, sees a lost soul just entering the realities of a burning hell. Ten thousand demons in their frenzy torture him with coals of fire and red hot branding irons. He shrieks and groans in vain trying to re- lease himself from his tormentors, but it is too late. He refused to let old "Adam" die in spite of the ad- monition "to put off the old man with his deeds." He clung to him to the end, now like a lump of lead he has sunk into the pit of despair to breathe the foul pestilential breath of tobacco chewers, drunkards, harlots, murderers, suicides, etc. There is no re- pentance in liell ! It is too late ! Mercy was rejected, and the die cast! The door is forever closed, and the soul is left in hopeless remorse to writhe in the flames of torment forever! CHAPTER XXL ON THE PACIFIC COAST TOKENS OF GOD'S FAVOR ORGANIZATION OF PENTECOSTAL, UNION. In the afternoon of October 3, 1901, it was made clear to me that I should visit the Mission at Cheyenne, Wyo., and in less than two hours I was off, arriving there after 10 o'clock. As our mis- sionaries had moved since we last heard from them I did not know where to find them. I made a few inquiries of persons who were unable to give me any information in regard to them. The weather was cold and damp and I was getting chilly in the night air, when I paused and asked the Lord to direct my steps. Strange as it may seem, I turned and went in an opposite direction and walked straight to the Mission hall. A little newsboy pointed the building out to me when I was a short distance from it. The Lord blessed this visit to the salvation of sinners and the sanctification of believers. I was alone in prayer about three days after my arrival there, when suddenly the artesian well began to overflow in my heart. With it came the evidence that the Lord had planned an evangelistic trip for me by way of the northwest to the coast. I believed that I was to spend two weeks in Butte City on my way. We had paid the rents and settled the bills at the Home before leaving and I had no money to spend on 278 LOOKING BACK FROM such a trip. However, it was clear to me that the money would be on hands for my ticket. I was so confident of this that I told Sister Leach, the leader of our work there. Five days later I received a postal card from Brother Peterson, the leader of our "Butte Mission, telling me that he had sent the money to Denver for rny fare to Butte. He knew nothing of my leading and no one had said a word to him about the money for my fare. I returned to Denver and started on the i6th for Montana, arriving at Butte two days later. I found the Mission in a prosperous condition. The Lord wonderfully blessed my labors during the next two weeks. I said nothing to any one about going further, and was wondering how the way was going to be opened, when one day Sister Peterson came in with a smile and asked me how I would like to go to California. I told her I would be pleased to go if it were the Lord's will. She came back later and told me her husband would buy my ticket if I would go, and in the meantime decided that she and little Alma, her three-months-old babe, would accompany me. I had long wanted a trip on the ocean, and God had promised me that I should have it, but supposing that I would not be able to get my usual half-rate fare this way, I said nothing about it. A few hours before we were to leave, Brother Peterson came in and asked me how I would like to go from Portland, Oregon, to San Francisco on an ocean steamer. T told him I would be delighted with such a trip. He went back to the ticket office and telegraphed to Port- PACIFIC COAST. 279 land and secured clergy rates and received an an- swer just in time for us to take the train via Poca- tello, Idaho. Before leaving Butte the saints put enough money in my hands to pay my expenses on this trip, some of which was not given me until I was on the train seventy miles south, whe f e I found my sister and her four children on the platform waiting to see me. Little Dale, her six-year-old boy, had broken his arm a few days before, but came lugging a bas- ket of lunch with the other for me. This was a touching scene and brought tears to my eyes, as I felt it was a token from God that He would supply all my needs on this trip. As the train was just pull- ing out a brother handed me four silver dollars. A morning or two later we were running along by the beautiful Columbia river within a hundred miles of Portland. The mountain scenery along this river beggars description, and the luxuriant vegetable growth added to its charm. My soul was full of music, and I felt like vying with the bird of a May morning that almost splits its throat to do justice to its surroundings. Before reaching Portland, Sister Peterson and the baby were both quite sick caused by the motion of the train. We knew no one in this city, but I asked the Lord to have some of the saints meet us there. The assurance came to my heart that He would answer the prayer. When we stepped off the train, I looked around, but saw no one I felt like speaking to but a policeman. I asked him about the hotels, telling him that we were missionaries and 28O LOOKING BACK FROM wanted a nice quiet place where the charges would be reasonable. The moment I said this, his face lighted up and he asked me what society we were working for. I told him we were Pentecostal folks. He said, "I am interested in the Pentecostal work myself." We found him to be a Christian man who had secured his office through Christian influence. He seemed very much interested in us, and in less than twenty minutes had put us on a street car and sent us to his quiet little home in the outskirts of the city, where his wife, a beautiful Christian lady, received us with great kindness. He was off duty at noon, and had previously announced a holiness prayer meeting in the neighborhood for that after- noon, which I was asked to lead. The saints were wonderfully- blessed as the Lord poured His spirit on me in giving a short Bible lesson. At the close of this meeting we had more friends than we had made in some places in a year, when we had less salvation. Their homes were open to us and it seemed they could not do enough for us. A Free Methodist preacher who was present asked me to talk in his church the next evening, where we had a real spiritual feast. At the close of the service against my protest the pastor insisted on taking an offering for me. When some of them bade us good-bye the next even- ing on the steamer it was like parting with friends we had known for years. Considering God's deal- ings with us during our three days' stay in this city, it will ever be one of the bright spots cherished in our memory. As our steamer, the "Columbia," was loosened PACIFIC COAST. t 28l from the dock and moved slowly out in the river, my thoughts turned toward home and loved ones and the possibility of never meeting them again, yet I felt as secure as the little bird in the cleft of the rock. We reached Astoria about 4 a. m. the next morning, where our ship lay in port until 8 p. m. waiting for daylight and high tide before attempting to cross the bar at the mouth of the river. Here as I stepped out on deck my eyes beheld the wonders of God and His handiwork that would simply exhaust the descriptive powers of the most gifted writer. The mouth of the river dotted all over with vessels of every description, lying at anchor and plying the waters amidst flying sea birds, with the beautiful mountain scenery on either side and in full view of the great Pacific, made a picture never to be effaced from memory. As the great waves broke against our vessel when we were crossing the bar, I thought of the stream of life on which I had sailed for fifteen years after my conversion, before crossing the turbulent waters of consecration and sailing out into the great ocean of God's love where its height, depth and breadth can not be measured. I remembered that the Psalmist said, "They that go down to the sea in ships, that do business in great waters ; these see the works of the Lord, and His wonders in the deep. For He commandeth and raiseth up the stormy wind which lifteth up the waves thereof. They mount up to the heaven ; they go down again to the depths; their soul is melted be- cause of trouble. They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, and are at their wits end." 282 LOOKING BACK FROM BEULAH. (Ps. 107:23-27.) The above picture was actually before my eyes. I was seeing the wonders of the Lord and His works in the deep, which was veri- fied spiritually in my Christian experience nine years before when the Lord sanctified my soul and truly it can be said, I have been doing business in great waters ever since. The stormy waves lifted our vessel up to the heavens, then she would go down again into the depths. In less than half an hour three-fourths of the passengers were seasick and reeling to and fro. like drunken men. I had prayed that the Lord would not let my trip be spoiled by sea sickness, and re- ceived the evidence that I should have the desire of my heart, and while others were lying prostrated on their beds in their state rooms dreadfully nause- ated, requiring the assistance of the servants on board, I was perfectly enraptured with the wonders of the ocean. In the afternoon I began to feel some of the symptoms of sea sickness, enough to convince me that I would be no better than the rest if my trust were not in God. I went down to the supper table but could eat no food. The waiters looked at each other and smiled as much as to say, "she will not be down again." Some of them had been remarking how I had kept up while others were so sick. I told them my trust was in Jesus. I was conscious of the victory, the enemy thought he had gained, and went to my room and asked the Lord just for His glory to keep me well. In less than ten minutes every symptom of sea sickness was PACIFIC COAST. 283 gone and I was troubled no more during the rest of the journey. About 3 A. M. on the third morning after our embarkation we were Hearing the "Golden Gate" of the great metropolitan city. The lights were glimmering along the shore and there was no fog to hinder our immediate entrance. I arose and dressed long before the break of day and sat looking out at the window while Sister Peterson and little Alma slept. A view of San Francisco, a city of four hundred thousand people, lighted with electricity, made a beautiful picture. I thought of the city which hath foundations whose builder and maker is God and here amidst the roaring waves a revelation of God's glory that is to be revealed at the end of life's journey overwhelmed me. When the old ship Zion has made her last trip, I want to be there, I do; With heads all uncovered to greet the old ship, I want to be there, don't you? When all the ship's company meet on the strand, I want to be there, I do; With songs on their lips and with harps in their hands, I want to be there, don't you? When Jesus is crowned the king of all kings, I want to be there, I do; With shouting and clapping till all heaven rings, I want to be there, don't you? Hallelujah we'll shout again and again, I want to be there, I do; And close with the chorus, Amen and Amen, I want to be there, don't you? We disembarked at seven A. M. and in a few hours had crossed the bay and were located in the home of one of God's saints in Oakland. Here we 284 LOOKING BACK FROM BEULAH. stayed three days before leaving for San Jose, the former home of Sister Peterson. This place is said to be the garden spot as well as the Gomorrah of the coast. I certainly could not do justice in trying to give the reader even a slight idea of the beauty of this almost tropical city, with its various palm trees, flowers and fruits that met my vision in every direction. The roses and calla lilies that are favor- ites of most everyone, grew in such profusion that I was reminded of the little girl, who had been crowded and stinted in a tenement house of a big city. She was taken to see the ocean, when she said, "O mamma, I am so glad there is enough of some- thing." MEETING AT SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA. On Friday afternoon, Sister, Peterson and my- self were walking up one of the main streets of the city in the direction of the Christian Alliance hall, where we were expecting to attend a meeting, when I caught the eye of an old man who had a pop corn and candy stand on the corner. We had only gone a few steps when he came running after us calling, "Madam, madam, are you not from Colo- rado?" He stood trembling with excitement as he confronted us. I told him, yes, I was from Denver. I did not recognize him at first. He said, "I know you, but I can't recall your name. We lived near you in a little terrace facing the alley. My wife attended your meetings. She was taken sick and given up by the physician and you prayed with her and the Lord healed her. O she must see you. She PACIFIC COAST. 285 will be delighted to know you are here." After the close of the meeting, an hour and a half later, we were again walking up the street and were overtaken by this brother, who handed me a dime, begging me to take a street car to his home. We had only gone a half block further when we met his nineteen-year- old son, who was apparently as much excited as the father. He said, "You are going to see mother I know, and I must go with you ; I want to see what she will do." His mother was almost overwhelmed with joy. They lived in a large rooming house where there were a number of other families, among them Rev. T. W. Matthews and wife, leaders of the Florence Mission. Sister Matthews was called, to whom I was flatteringly introduced. Our good sis- ter told her that I was the greatest preacher in Colo- rado, was at the head of the holiness work and the president of the Colorado Holiness Association. I told her she was very much mistaken, that I had never been the president of the Association. She af- firmed that I was, as she had been to the camp meet- ings and seen for herself. I felt that I was being misrepresented to this strange lady, and if an oppor- tunity were given me to do a little work for the Master it would put me in an embarrassing position. I was asked to talk at the Mission the next evening, which opened the way for a two weeks' revival meeting, in which God was glorified in the salvation of many precious souls. It was about five days be- fore the real break came, but after that the house was crowded and the altar was filled at almost every service. On Saturday evening the power fell upon 286 BOOKING BACK FROM BIvULAH. the people, and souls were liberated with mighty shouts of victory which brought people from the streets and clerks from the stores for blocks around. They filled the aisles and stood looking with wonder on the scene about the altar. One dear old saint, who drove in from Santa Clara every evening, had been praying for months for a revival in this Mis- sion. When the outlook was the least encouraging he would say, "Soon the cannon balls of salvation will be rolling up and down these streets." Not all have the gift of preaching, but everyone can pray, and yet there are only a few persons who become mighty instruments in prevailing with God for the salvation of souls. We need more prayers and less of the chaffy preaching that is stamped with the counterfeit brand of holiness. I bought my ticket over the Coast Line and Santa Fe route home, spending a few days in Los Angeles. Here I met Dr. F. E. Yoakum, before mentioned in this book, whose miraculous healing has become widely known. A drunken man was driving a horse furiously down the street and the shaft of the buggy struck the doctor in the back, breaking two of his ribs. The concussion was so great and the wound so bad, it was thought he would not be gotten home alive. He weighed 225 pounds and was reduced to 100 pounds through months of awful suffering. He underwent operations and suf- fered from a flow of puss from about the vital or- gans, which were said to be hopelessly affected. He was left for dead at one time by an operating sur- geon, and during his sickness a large number of PENTECOSTAL, UNION. 287 physicians said he would never recover. But the hand of God touched him, and in ninety days he gained ninety pounds. He is now a strong and healthy man. Write him at Highland Park, Los Angeles, Cal., for a published account of this mod- ern miracle. I attended one of his meetings and had the opportunity of speaking on divine healing and telling of the wonderful things that the Lord had done for me, of which the doctor was somewhat ac- quainted. I visited my sister, Mrs. West Meade, whom I had not seen for a number of years, and at- tended three services at the Nazarene church, where I \vas asked to give a message on Sunday evening. This was followed by a talk from C. W. Ruth and the altar call in which fourteen persons came for- ward, among them my sister. This church, though simple in its organization, was like a city set on a hill, w r hose light could not be hid. I reached home December i2th, after an ab- sence of nearly two months. I had seen many old- time conversions and sanctifications, and had traveled four thousand five hundred miles by sea and land. THE ORGANIZATION OF THE PENTECOSTAL, UNION. That the time had come to organize our work, I could no longer doubt. Any delay now would simply mean to get in the way of the Holy Ghost. For years God's word had been hammering in pieces the rock and much of the opposition to our inde- pendent movement; still there were difficulties to face that none but God could help us through. My husband was still undecided about the organization, 288 LOOKING BACK FROM but the Lord made it plain to me that He wanted a holiness church in Denver, where the people could enjoy their spiritual liberty, and if we did not obey His voice He would raise up some one else to go forward with the work. The problem of what to do with our converts had hung, over me like a night-mare for seven years. In spite of all our efforts to make church homes for them in our missions, where the most of them were born, they were drawn away into backslidden churches, where they soon died spiritually. This caused us real soul travail beyond words to express, yet there was so much darkness on the church ques- tion that to preach about it meant to meet a regiment of demons.- Satan has his strongest fortifications right at this -point. Here is where he comes as an angel of light and is deceiving the people by the mul- titudes. One must have the martyr spirit, be will- ing to run the gauntlet and become a target for arch fiends, if he breaks through the enemies' breast works and plants the banner on the heights of holi- ness. We organized December 29th, 1901, with fifty charter members. Men have separated themselves from their worldly fraternities, such as lodges, unions, etc., and have taken the narrow way. We have had greater persecution, to be sure, but the blessing of the Lord has been upon us a hundred fold in every way. Some of our workers have been arrested and taken before the chief of police, but in this we have reasons to rejoice, as it only proves that w r e are in the apostolic succession. THE) GOODLY LAND. 289 THE GOODLY LAND. "Thou shall be called Hephzibah (i. e. married) and thy land Beulah (i. e. my delight)." Isa. 62:4. "Though nature's strength decay, And earth and hell withsand, To Canaan's bounds I urge my way, At his command; The watery deep I pass, With Jesus in my view; And through the howling wilderness My way pursue. "The goodly land I see, With peace and plenty blest; A land of sacred liberty, And endless rest. There milk and honey flow, And oil and wine abound; And trees of life forever grow, With mercy crowned. "There dwells the Lord our King, The Lord our Righteousness, Triumphant o'er the world and sin, The Prince of peace; On Zion's sacred height, His kingdom still maintains: And, glorious, with his saints in light Forever reigns. "He keeps his own secure; He guards them by his side; Arrays in garments white and pure His spotless bride; With streams of sacred bliss, With groves of living joys, With all the fruits of paradise, He still supplies. "Before the great Three One They all exulting stand, And tell the wonders he hath done Through all their land: The listening spheres attend, And swell the growing fame; And sing, in songs which never end, The wondrous name." ADDENDA. Sioux CITY, IOWA, Aug. 15 to 27, 1902. We were called here by Dr. A. L. Day, the leader of an independent mission, and began meetings in a Gospel tent, corner Fifth and Jackson streets. The congregation the first evening was small, but God honored His word by sending the truth home to hearts, and bringing the people out to the service the next afternoon. The second evening the tent was filled. My brother, C. W. Bridwell, gave the mes- sage, which was followed by a burning exhortation on the apostacy of the modern churches. Six souls came to the altar. From this time the messages were given us red hot from the skies, the sword was thrust in to the very core of ecclesiastical corruption back-slidden holiness movements were not spared. From the standpoint of human wisdom everything would have gone to smash, and we would not have had an audience after this, but we were determined to declare the whole counsel of God regardless of con- sequences, if we had to walk out of town. But the Holy Ghost was at the head of the battle and we sang, "If Jesus leads this army, we will outshine the sun." We faced the foe and witnessed his inglorious defeat. All classes of people thronged the tabernacle, hundreds were standing on the outside unable to get seats. Business men, railroad officials, merchants, mechanics, society women and ministers of almost every denomination, attended the meetings. We did 290 ' ADDENDA. 29 1 not expect the preachers to attend these services, more than once at least, yet they continued to come. God's spell was upon them and they were compelled to say amen to the truth. Some of them gave us their subscription for the Pentecostal Union Herald and asked how long we had been preaching about the fallen condition of the churches as we are now. We told them we had been preaching this way ever since the Lord opened our eyes by the baptism of the Holy Ghost and fire as a second work of grace, nine years ago. The premillennial coming of the Lord was preached in demonstration and power of the Spirit. It is remarkable how His seal was on this truth. At the request of the leaders we continued the meeting two days longer. The results in this meeting were very satisfactory. There were a number of interest- ing experiences, one of an old man, seventy-three years old, who was wonderfully converted. I saw him sitting out at the edge of the tent, and went after him when the altar services were nearly over. He came in and sat up in a chair too badly crippled to kneel down. He threw r up his hands and prayed; then when the light came he cried, "It is a fine bless- ing ! I can see Jesus ! He has forgiven me ! Take them (my sins) all Lord, don't leave any!" His testimony brought conviction on the people. Our next engagement was at Buffalo Rock Park, August 28 to September 7. The first day a train with campers arrived from Chicago. Quite a number of tents were soon up on the ground. The 2Q2 LOOKING BACK FROM BEULAH. meetings from beginning to end were full of victory. The messages came in power. No cut and dried pro- gramme had been prepared. The Spirit had His way. Frequently one not expected to preach would come forward with a flaming message. There was no conflictions nor unpleasantness among the breth- ren. It was a blessed place to be; yet, the probing and heart searching in this meeting was deep. The conditions for Pentecostal victory were not made easy. Those who came forward to the altar went through an old time dying out process. No idols were spared, and seekers were exhorted to stay at the altar until the fire fell. ROCKFORD, ILL., Oct. 2 to 12. "We were called to assist in this convention by the Metropolitan Church Association of Chicago. Three red hot meetings were held daily in the Men- delssohn Music Hall, a large building in the center of the city. At the night services the building was packed and people stood in the gallery. The Gospel was preached in the old fashioned way with Pente- costal results. Seekers cried to God for mercy ; some wept bitterly, while others fell over on the floor and groaned for deliverance. The "signs" that Jesus said would "follow" were manifest in these meet- ings. KEWANEE, ILL., Oct. 31 to Nov. 9. (From reports of the meeting.} The Kewanee ten days' convention, under the leadership of Sister Kent White, Brothers J. W. ADDENDA. 293 Lee, E. L. Harvey and D. M. Parson, was the most wonderful meeting in many respects that we ever at- tended. It had long been a subject of special prayer, and God is visiting the town with conviction, and a number of homes with salvation. Kewanee never witnessed such a religious demonstration before. The large opera house boxes, parquet and both gal- leries is packed to its utmost capacity with many turned away. This proves conclusively that all we need to draw the masses to-day is the Holy Ghost. People stand and listen attentively throughout the entire service. There is no sneering, but an eager- ness to catch every word. The Gospel is proving to be the power of God unto the salvation and sanctifi- cation of many souls. It is a sight to see the bright, happy faces, and the unmistakable evidences of changed lives of proud hearts humbled, of hard hearts softened under the influence of the Spirit. Glory to God ! One young woman with a very hard heart, who had opposed the work, going so far as to call the workers "dead beats," got under deep conviction. Her life could be summed up in these words : "She lived for self, she thought for self, For self and none beside ; Just as if Christ had never lived, As though He never died." She spent much money on her clothes, with no thought of her soul. Early in the convention God powerfully convicted her, and the proud girl could be seen down at the altar begging for mercy. He did have mercy and saved her, afterward sanctifying 2Q4 LOOKING BACK FROM BEULAH. her wholly. Then came the question of her finery. The things that had nearly sent her soul to hell, were not fit to give to another, and as God had used the fires of the Holy Ghost to burn the love of them out of her heart, she used fire in which a sixteen dollar hat, a thirty-five dollar silk dress and several other garments were reduced to ashes. Could you see her now standing in street meet- ings or praying with souls at the altar, you would see a living miracle to the saving power of God. This meeting went right on after convention closed. A. G. Garr was put in charge, who had a packd house the following Sunday night and seven souls saved. DANVILLE, ILL., Oct. 31 to Nov. 9. (From reports of the meeting.') This Convention \vas opened in a small build- ing, but the first Sunday was moved into the Ar- mory, the largest building in the city. Brother W. E. Shepard preached morning and afternoon. Four or five souls were saved at each service. Sister Kent White preached at night on the awful spiritual famine now devastating the many so-called churches of our land. The congregation was dazed. Some believed the report, some thought it overdrawn, while others grumbled. God sealed the truth with conviction and buried it deep in the hearts of many. The city became greatly stirred. The devil and his aides were greatly perplexed. At nights the great building was alive with people, filling every nook ; many had to stand. The daily papers kept the serv- ADDENDA. 295 ices advertised, and people came in from the towns and country around. The street meetings drew large crowds. The people were amused and amazed at Christians with their "cups running over." They flocked around us like small boys at a circus, as we sang and shouted and danced for joy. O glory to God ! Salvation so free, so full and so fine, It keepeth me happy in rain or in shine; I'm looking for Jesus to come from on high, And take His Bride to His home in the sky. - On the closing Sunday a Holiness Church was organized to conserve the work and protect the lambs. We are going to Racine, Wis., to-morrow (D. V.) with victory perched upon our banners. The war eagle is screaming and Satan is howling. Glory to God^! (This book goes to press at the time of the Ra- cine meeting. At its close a series of meetings is planned to follow in New England, commencing at Springfield, Mass., Nov. 28th.) ( Taken from the Danville Press. ) Hundreds were converted to the Holiness peo- ple's belief during their meetings and it is sincerely regretted by those who were saved that the meetings were not continued longer. They stirred Danville up to a religious fervor that it never before experi- enced and the result, had they continued their meet- ings for another week, would have certainly been beneficial to the sinners of Danville. A continuous 296 IvOOKING BACK FROM BEULAH. meeting was held Sunday and many converts were added to the already large list. A pledge was taken from the members of the Eastern Illinois Holiness association, already in Danville, that they would sever their connection with that association and unite with the Chicago Holiness people. Many took the pledge and a large sum of money was subscribed to- wards establishing a Holiness church in this city. The last meeting was held Sunday night, and the Armory was unable to seat -one-third of the peo- ple who desired to attend. It is estimated that fully five thousand people came to attend the meeting. The streets about the Armory were crowded with people and the churches were almost deserted. * * BREWERY TO BIBLE SCHOOL. From the brewery to a Bible school in two days is the remarkable experience of a Danville youth, Charles Hollingsworth, the fifteen-year-old son of Mrs. Anna Hollingsworth, residing at No. 26 Clark street. Mrs. Kent White of Denver, Colo., one of the evangelists who conducted the meetings, boarded at the home of Mrs. Hollingsworth. In the family of the latter was her fifteen-year-old son, a bright, manly little fellow, who was compelled to give up his school and accept a position at the brewery to help his mother support the family. He never liked the work, but made a fair salary, which helped his mother considerably. Mrs. White took a great fancy to the boy and took him with her to- the meeting on Friday night. On the following morning he made a remark at the breakfast table that led the evangelist 3 . a Co ADDENDA. 297 to inquire where he was employed. He replied : "At the brewery." "What do you do?" "Bottle beer." The good woman nearly fainted when this in- formation was imparted to her, and straightway fell to her knees and prayed for the young man. That night he returned home and, handing his mother his week's wages, announced that he had given up his position. Although his mother sorely needed the money that her son made, she was willing to give this up, and was thankful that her son had given up his position. Mrs. White prayed and fasted all that night and a portion of Sunday,, and on Sunday night the boy told his mother that he had given his heart to God. On Monday morning, a short time before Mrs. White was ready to depart for Chicago, she told Charley that she could not leave him now that he had consented to live for God, and after a hurried consultation with the boy's mother, decided to take him to Chicago and enter him in the Metropolitan Holiness Bible school. The boy was overjoyed when told of the plans and left with the evangelists for Chicago. He was placed in the school last night, only forty-eight hours after the time he was em- ployed in the brewery, an experience that does not fall to the lot of every young man. When seen by i reporter for The Press last night Mrs. Hollings- worth stated that she could not express her thanks to Mrs. Wliite for the kindness she had shown her son. The boy has a half-brother in the ministry, Rev. Hollingsworth, of Catlin. Mrs. Hollingsworth said 298 LOOKING BACK FROM that she was a member of a church in this city, but that the pastor never talked to her nor her children as Mrs. White did, and no member of the church had ever called upon her or assisted in any manner while there was sickness in the family. Charley will be prepared for the missionary field. [APPENDIX.] THE METHODIST CHURCH A FALLEN PEOPLE. FROM THE HIGHEST AUTHORITIES OF THE CHURCH PROPHECIES, WARNINGS AND PRESENT STATE. "In 1729 two young men in England, reading the Bible, saw they could not be saved without holi- ness, followed after it, and incited others so to do. In 1737 they saw, likewise, that men are jus- tified before they are sanctified ; but still holiness was their object. God then thrust them out to raise a holy people." Methodist Discipline. In 1824 the Bishops said in their pastoral ad- dress, "Never was there a period more momentously interesting to our church than the present. Do we as preachers, feel the same child-like spirit which so eminently marked our first ministers? Do we come to the people in the fullness of the blessing of the gospel of peace? It is not enough merely to preach the gospel truth, but we must preach a full gospel from a full ieart and preach it, too, in the demonstration of the Spirit and with power. And above all, do we insist on the present witness of the Spirit and entire sanctification through faith in Christ? Are we striving by faith and obedience 299 3OO LOOKING BACK FROM BEULAH. to elevate our hearts and lives to the standard of gospel holiness ; or are we wishing to have the stand- ard lowered to our unsanctified natures? In short, are we contented to have the doctrine of Christian holiness an article of our creed only, without becom- ing experimentally and practically acquainted with it? Or are we pressing after it as the prize of our high calling in Christ Jesus? "IF METHODISTS GIVE UP THE DOC- TRINE OF ENTIRE SANCTIFICATION, OR SUFFER IT TO BECOME A DEAD LETTER, WE ARE A FALLEN PEOPLE. It is this that lays the ax at the root of the Antonomian tree in all its forms and degrees of growth; it is this that in- flames and diffuses life, rouses to action, prompts to perseverance,- and urges the soul forward to every holy exercise and every useful work. IF- THE METHODISTS LOSE SIGHT OF THIS DOC- TRINE THEY WILL FALL BY THEIR OWN WEIGHT. THEIR SUCCESS IN GAINING NUMBERS WILL BE THE CAUSE OF THEIR DISSOLUTION. HOLINESS IS THE MAIN CORD THAT BINDS US TOGETHER. RE- LAX THIS, AND YOU LOSSEN THE WHOLE SYSTEM. This will appear more evident if we call to mind the original design of Methodism. It was to raise up and preserve a holy people. This was the principal object which Mr. Wesley, who, under God, was the great founder of our order, had in view. To this end all the doctrines believed and preached by Methodists tend. Whoever supposed, or who that is acquainted with the case, can suppose NOTE. Capitals above are for emphasis. METHODIST CHURCH. 30! it was designed, in any of its parts, to secure the ap- plause or popularity of the world, or numerical in- crease of worldly or impenitent men? Is there any provision made for the aggrandizement of our min- isters, or the worldly-mindedness of our members? None whatever." This was signed by Bishops Mc- Kendree, Redding, George, Soule and Roberts. These forefathers realized wherein the power of the church lay in her great doctrine of holiness. \Yhen the church commenced to drift away from it they cried out in alarm. Eight years later in the General Conference of 1832, they said: "Among primitive Methodists, the experience of this high at- tainment may be said to have been common; now it is rarely met with among us. . Is it not time for us, in this matter at least, to return to first principals? Is it not time to throw off the reproach of inconsist- ency, with which we are charged in this matter? CONFESSIONS OF THE BISHOPS IN IQOO. Seventy years pass away and the question is asked everywhere, "What ails the church?" The church papers declare that they are no longer a re- vival church. The prophecy of the Bishops of 1824 is fulfilled. It is a known fact that the doctrine of entire sanctification is a dead letter and according to her own words the church is a fallen people. In 1900 the Bishops called for a week of fasting and prayer and are driven to make the following con- fession : "To-day our. Methodism confronts a se- rious situation. Our statistics for the last year show a decrease in the number of our members. Year 3O2 BOOKING BACK FROM BEULAH. before last our advance was checked. Last year our advance column has been forced back a little. The lost ground is paved with the dead. And there are now, unhappily, many Methodists who lack present knowledge of the New Testament Salvation. They have slipped a cog in their experience, and, like many old families who have to date back to some buried ancestor to find their virtue and title to their nobility, have to date back to some dead experience to find their assurance and title to spiritual nobility. * * * Let us not deceive ourselves. This de- cline in our membership is not an accident. It comes from a sufficient cause. That cause is the slipping cog in our experience, our lack of spiritual power. "The heroes who starved in the old prison pens had many signs of their famine. They became thin, raw boned, stoop-shouldered, hollow-chested and hollow-eyed. Their joints were stiff, their bones ached, and their muscles were sore. They lost all the signs of youth. These were not distinct diseases. They were only symptoms of one awful disease famine. Suitable and sufficient food would drive away this horrible brood of ailments and restore youth with its beauty and power. So it may be in our church life. We have one dire disease spiritual famine lack of the witness of the Spirit, lack of personal experience, lack of spiritual power. And the symptoms are many and varied but the disease is one." We all know r that this is but moderately put and the great doctrine of sanctification is avoided altogether. The church has drifted so far away METHODIST CHURCH. 303 from it that it is not even named by the Bishops in 1900. Such a haven is now a hopeless one. It is not a question now of sanctification, it is one of jus- tification. One of the old ministers of the church lately said to us with tears, that one of the Bishops declared, that one-half of the church if it ever had any salvation had lost it, and another added, "yes, two-thirds of it is unsaved." This is coming nearer to the truth but if the full truth were known it would be appalling. Let us read what some of the church papers have to say. Take the Western Christian Ad- vocate, in its issue of July 19, 1893. The editor, now Bishop David Moore, said : "The great trouble with us to-day is that the rescuing of imperiled souls is our last and least con- cern. Many of our congregations are conducted on the basis of social clubs. They are made centers of social influence. Membership is sought in order to advance one's prospects in society, business or pol- itics. Preachers are called who know how to Smooth down the rugged text to ears polite, And snugly keep damnation out of sight. "The Sunday services are made the occasions of displaying the elegancies of apparel in the latest fashions. Even the little ones are tricked out as though they were the acolytes of pride. If the 'Rules' were read, it is to comply with the letter of a law whose spirit has long since fled. Their class books are filled with names of unconverted men and women. Official members may be found in box, dress circle, and parquet of opera and theater. Com- 304 LOOKING BACK FROM BEULAH. municants take in the races, and give and attend card parties and dances. The distinction between inside and outside is so obscure that men smile when asked to unite with the Church, and sometimes tell us that they find the best men outside. "When we go to the masses, it is too often with such ostentatious condescension that self-respect drives them from us. "And yet we have so spread out, under the in- fluence of the rich and ungodly, that they are a ne- cessity to us. The enforcement of the unmistakable letter of the Discipline for a single year would cut our membership in half, bankrupt our Missionary Society, close our fashionable Churches, paralyze our connectional interests, and leave our pastors and Bishops unpaid and in distress. But the fact re- mains, that one of two things must happen the Dis- cipline must purge the Church, or God's 'Holy Spirit will seek other organized agencies. The ax is laid at the root of the tree. The call is to repent- ance. God's work must be done. If we are in the way, He will remove us. Our spirit needs to be "The arms of love that compass me, Would all mankind embrace:" and our aim to "Tell to sinners 'round What a dear Savior we have found; To point to His redeeming blood, And cry, 'Behold the way to God!' " "Let each reader begin with himself, and rest not until he realizes that the kingdom of God is set METHODIST CHURCH. 305 up within him. We have need to be in greater haste to flee for refuge than had the poor fireman in Chi- cago. 'He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.' ' In this article he confessed that many of the congregations are but social clubs and that to enforce the letter of the Discipline which is taken for Bible discipline would virtually cut the church to pieces. This is a fearful arraignment of the whole church bishops, ministers and members. . It is the truth and how can they escape the curse of God? There is no effort at reformation. How can they escape the judgments of God ? The fact is that the church has become so heavy with worldliness and corrup- tion that she has no power of reformation in her. We quote from the Epivorth Herald, the organ of the young people of the church, the following lamentable confession from its editor : "What is the Methodist Episcopal church going to do about the inroads of fashionable sins among the membership of her city churches? The trend toward worldliness is appalling. Theater going has become common among Methodist members. Card playing is a regular amusement in hundreds of Meth- odist homes. Our "leading people" send their chil- dren to dancing schools. Other sinful diversions are indulged in without apology. Unless something is done, and done quickly, we will be swamped by this tide of worldliness. While we wink at worldliness and utter no word of rebuke, what reason have we to expect the widespread revival for which we have been praying? .How can we expect tjhe boys and girls, and the young men and women of our homes 306 LOOKING BACK FROM BEULAH. to be converted? What right have we to believe that God will smite our communities with convic- tion? "If these things are right and doing no injury to the spiritual life of our people, let us encourage them. But if they are wrong, and are clearly ruin- ous to vital godliness, then why should not our bish- ops and editors and ministers thunder against them ? Why should we have practically one code of ethics for the country, and another for the city? Why should we set up one standard for our poor people and another for the rich ? The spirit of compromise is abroad in the church. It is the devil's most subtle method of undermining her power. We must stop this temporizing with evil this yielding of one point after another for the sake of pleasing people who want to serve both God and mammon. We need a liberal infusion in our pulpits of the sort of moral courage which made the fathers terrors to evil-doers of high and low estate, and made Meth- odism a synonym for an aggressive, reformatory, spiritual, consistent Christianity." Such confessions might be multiplied ad infin- itum, but we will add but one more and that from a prominent man outside of the church. Under the caption, "What Methodists Have Done," The Michi- gan Advocate some time ago, published this signifi- cant article : "Though not a Methodist himself, the late Dr. Dale, of England, was a grave student of Metho- dism, and ao' fier - y darts are hurled at you, Sfcmd on the ev'ryaiieyoumeet, False prophets rise and teachers, "too, Stand on the gate we'll enter in, Then trust His word as 'tis given von, Stand on the ~ M. A. ' A. Errr-: CHORVK. >TFTr Stand in>f. standing on the Rock, Sliding on the Rock, I'm standing on the Rock, Standing on th? Rack that e'er sha'l rrnyo Oh. I'm stand . Oh, I'm standing on the Rock, yes, I'm. standing on the Rock,' Standing on the Rock that ne'er si ail move -* P f rf f- . by Mr. Kent Wlnle Front page of August number. JA monthly paper with no advertisements. ALMA WHITE, Editor. 50c a year. With "Looking Back KENT WHITE, Asso. Ed. and Pub. AUGUST, 1 9O2 from Beulah" $1.25. The Mount of the Holy Cross, (elevation 14,176 feet) one of the highest mountains in Colo- rado, hangs out upon its great dark form a snow white banner of the Christian faith. It is formed by two transverse mountain gulches of great depth, in whose rocky embrace lies embedded the eternal snow. All that gaze upon this "sign set in the heavens" are filled with wonder and awe. It brings before the devout Christian the atoning blood that wash- es whiter than snow and faith's vision that grasps the final triumph over evil of the Man of Calvary of whose Kingdom and peace there shall be no end. University of California SOUTHERN REGIONAL LIBRARY FACILITY 405 Hilgard Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90024-1388 Return this material to the library from which it was borrowed.