CHAPTER XVIII
AT SPRINGFIELD, ILLINOIS
After aber other missions, we went to Springfield, Illinois, pitched our tents in Oak Ridge Park and commenced a union meeting to build up the Temple of our God. We made the call for all ministers and Christian workers to come up to the help of the Lord. Not one of the city preachers responded to the call except the Lutherans, several of whom came to the front. We were not acquainted with one person in the city. The voice of God said: "Go, and I will be with you." We lived in our tents, hired a cook, paid all expenses, trusting God to provide all needful help. The first few days the weather was very wet and everything was against us. Although there were but eighteen persons present the first night, we shouted victory and told them that God was going to shake the city. The interest increased until there were thousands present. The altar was crowded day and night. They came from different States and all parts of the country to be healed of all manner of diseases. They were brought on beds, on the cars, in chairs, on crutches and in cabs, hundreds being healed and converted. There were three that, we know of who were brightly converted and died before the meeting closed—a young lady and an old man nearly eighty years of age; another, an old man, saved at his home on his death-bed. Others were converted at their homes, and some in the woods. A little girl was carried into the meetings in her mother’s arms. She was as helpless as a babe two days old. She had spinal meningitis, was paralyzed all over, her brain was impaired, her ‘ head dropped on her breast and she had no use of her back and limbs. She had been sick for six months. For four months she had eaten nothing but a little milk. I laid hands on her and commanded the unclean spirits to come out of her. In five minutes she could sit up straight and raise her arms above her head. In five minutes more she could talk and rose upon her feet, stepped up on the high altar and walked with her mother to the street cars; went home and could eat anything she wanted. The next morning she was the first one up, running from house to house telling what God had done for her. It shook the whole neighborhood.
This child could not exercise faith and did not seem to
94
