CHAPTER VII
VISIONS
On arriving at Monroeville, Allen County, Indiana, we called on Brother M., the pastor in charge, and commenced meeting that evening in the Methodist Episcopal Church, November, 1883. The church, with a few exceptions, was dead. There had not been a revival in the town for years, to amount to anything, and nearly everyone predicted a failure. They had not had a mourner's bench for nine or ten years. At the close of the next day's meeting I asked the sexton to set the musical instrument back, and bring up to the front the poor despised mourner's bench. He laughed, and said he would. When the people saw the mourners' bench they said it would be a good joke on me; that we would have no use for it. While preaching that night I shouted victory and told them to clear the altar—for the house was crowded— and called for seekers. They began crowding to the altar, and continued to do so for three weeks, day and night.
The church had become so formal, its members walking so inconsistently, that many of the best men and women had become almost skeptical. I felt that it would require a great display of the power of God to convince them of the reality of experimental religion. God has said: "Whatsoever you desire for the glory of God, I will do it." Believing in his promise, for three nights I prayed for God to display his power in his own way, to show the people that God was working. I prayed with all earnestness, believing he would answer my prayer.
The third day one of the aged sisters fell prostrate and became cold and rigid, as if dead, with no signs of life excepting the beating of her pulse. We laid her on the pulpit sofa. She remained there the rest of the day, and during the evening meeting two other ladies fell over in the same way. The people were very much excited. We told the audience if they would come quietly they could pass around and see them. Some were afraid to touch them. Several of the brethren and sisters stayed, and sang and prayed all night with them. The next day six others fell over; one young lady was over-powered while standing, her eyes wide
open. A sweet smile was on her face. It was lighted up with the
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