Signs and Wonders God Wrought in the Ministry for Forty Years/Chapter 17
CHAPTER XVII
AT ANDERSON, IND. AND HANNIBAL, MO.
After attending the eldership at Indianapolis, we went to Anderson, Indiana, to attend the dedication of the new church, which was built by the church I organized there one year before. It is a large, comfortable house.
From Anderson we went to Urbana, Ill., to visit the Daniel’s Band. The Band met in Busly's hall, which was crowded, all the standing room being taken, and hundreds were turned away. There were a number of ministers present who took part, and spoke of the great work that had been done while we were there before, and still being done by the Band. Many testified that they had been healed four months and were still well. Some had better health than ever before. Three had been healed of cancer. We saw that the converts were strong men and women in the Lord.
We next went to Hannibal, Mo., and stopped at the Park hotel. We rented the rink, paying the rent ourselves. We had one of the hardest battles we ever fought. There was a band of false professors there. No one had confidence in them or their religion, They rushed into our meeting and tried to run away with it. We knew nothing about them, but I saw it was counterfeit. The people of the city saw them taking such an active part, and supposed we were just like them. This had the effect of keeping people away. I bore with them as long as I could, hoping that they would see that they were wrong, and would walk in the light. But none are so blind as those who will not see. I told them they must fall into line with us or fall out. They would not do either, but did everything that could be done to break up the meeting.
When the people saw that we did not approve of such work the interest increased till the largest building in the city was crowded and hundreds were turned away. The first convert was an old man, a saloon-keeper seventy years old. Many people followed, among whom were many of the best citizens. The long altar was filled day and night. Sometimes the altar was cleared in a few minutes, all converted or healed, and filled the second time, and sometimes the third. They were not only stricken down as dead in the meeting, but many miles away. One man was struck down in a trance at his home and lay in that condition for three days. Several doctors went to see him, but could not tell what was the matter with him. He came out praising God, and came to the meeting to tell his experience.
A woman asked the Lord to show her if we were teaching the doctrine of Christ. The Lord showed her in a vision. The plat- form we used for a pulpit, and the altar or mourners’ bench, that reached nearly across the rink, were pure white. She saw me and those who were with me clothed in pure white. On the platform she saw some earthen vessels, white as snow, and over all these was a soft cloud of glory, whiter than the driven snow. Over all the vessels she saw in shining letters: “These are my chosen vessels bearing the pure gospel of Christ in power.” Everything you see is pure white, the symbol of purity. She told the vision to the congregation.
CROWNING OF THE SAINTS
But brighter far than they
The saints shall shine in glory,
As Christ shall them array;
That beauty of the Saviour
Shall dazzle every eye,
In the crowning day that’s coming by and by.
We'll sin and sigh no more,
Behind us all of sorrow,
And naught but joy before;
A joy in our Redeemer
As we to Him are nigh,
For the crowning day that’s coming by and by.
That coming, joyful day,
By earnest consecration
To walk the narrow way;
By gathering in the lost ones
For whom our Lord did die,
In the crowning day that’s coming by and by.