Signs and Wonders God Wrought in the Ministry for Forty Years/Chapter 20
CHAPTER XX
"MY COUNSEL SHALL STAND"—(Isiah XLVI, 10.)
We arrived at Louisville, Kentucky, January, 1899, after an absence of about two months. We commenced meeting in Bolle's Hall, where the converts of the previous year were holding meetings, and had been ever since we left the city. We found them at their post. I never saw a braver or more powerful band of workers for Christ, or more successful in winning souls and building up Christ's kingdom than these Holy Ghost soldiers in the wicked city of Louisville.
I did not leave a pastor or minister who had had years of practice to take charge of these young lambs and carry the work on, but put in charge of one that had been converted in the meetings.
We stayed two weeks and I organized a church. It was hard to leave them, but I felt God had prepared them to carry on their own work.
From Louisville, Ky., I was led by the Spirit to go to the little town of Shawnee, Ohio. in a valley of dry bones, and lo! they were very dry.
This was a mining country, and there were rolling mills, furnaces and new railroads being built. Nearly all nations under heaven were represented in our meeting.. Sometimes eight or ten different languages were at the altar, all praying at once to the one. God of heaven who is no respecter of persons or conditions. God bless the hard laboring classes who are so often despised by those, who call themselves Christians. Jesus said the common people heard him gladly, and it was so here. But. others sat in the seat of the scornful and stood in the way of sinners, and criticized and mocked the plain gospel of Christ, and denied the power of the Holy Ghost.
One saloon keeper, who had been in the business nearly all his life, was lifted from the gutter and stood up before the people and praised God for saving a poor wretched sinner like him.
Many old men and women were plucked as brands from the burning. Some had not been to church for twenty-five years.
One night eight old white-haired men were converted side by side at the altar. Skeptics and infidels are saved in all our meetings.
One of the brightest talented men in Shawnee—an infidel—was led to the altar by a little girl eight years old. He was brightly converted the next day, went into a trance and had a vision of hell. He saw the awful condition of the people. He had a great influence over the people there, and did all he could to lead them to Christ.
The P. M. minister and his members stood nobly by us all through the battle. In doing so, his church was wonderfully built up and he won the respect and love of the sinners. God poured out his richest blessing upon him; he won stars that will shine in his crown, while those who mocked and criticized will, unless they give their hearts to God, be lifting up their eyes in hell.
People wonder at me travelling from one place to another, suffering all kinds of hardships, deprived of many comforts of life, exposed to wet and cold, heat and storms. I make this sacrifice for the Lord. Christ is all in all to me. This world is not my home. It has no attraction for me. I am laying up treasures in Heaven. I have a mansion there that is built of pure gold, and it can never be destroyed or taken from me. Praise God for the privilege of leaving all to follow Jesus.
Ever since I started in the work God has been raising up men and women by hundreds who have gone out as ministers and evangelists. The young workers have led many into the fold, who to-day are happy on the road to heaven. I receive letters from them telling of their trials and triumphs, for they look to me as a mother for advice. I heard from a brother recently who came out in the first meeting I ever held. He went to preaching right away, and has been in charge of several churches since. To-day he stands as one of the highest in the church.
While holding our meetings in Louisville, Kentucky, my sister, Mrs. S., of Columbus, Ohio, visited us. This was the first time she had ever attended one of my meetings. She had been a church member for years, a teacher in the Sabbath-school, was trying to do all she could, but was not saved herself. She was enduring religion. When she went to the meeting God showed her herself as he saw her in the light of eternity. She was nothing but a dry bone in his sight. She never had the love of God in her heart. She was converted and went home happy, rejoicing because her name was written in heaven. She erected a family altar and could pray with her unconverted husband.
After resting we continued by holding a camp-meeting at Shawnee, Ohio. The Lord was present in power to save souls and heal bodies. I organized a Church of God with a large membership.
None had ever seen a woman baptize by immersion. I was the first woman on record, or ever known to bury the candidates in a watery grave by immersion. God giveth strength and grace, and glory.
Several thousand people stood on the banks witnessing the solemn scene. The meetings were conducted day and night. People climbed in the trees trying to see.. The Holy Ghost fell like a cyclone, men and women were tossed like as in a windstorm. They fell inside and outside the house. The police standing outside were frightened, until they were pale. They said they saw the house shaken, like as a storm, by the power of God. Hundreds were saved. People were convicted for miles around.
We went back in three months, and held meetings in a large tent. Thousands came to the revival, which began at once. Like Pentecost they saw, felt, and heard the mighty power of God. Many gifts, and signs of the Holy Ghost were seen everywhere.
A woman fell, struck down, and lay till evening. They took her home, and she lay till the next Sunday, eight days in all; then she came out shouting and preaching; and. without taking any nourishment, she came straight to meeting, and preached, and told the wonderful experience which she had had.
The fear of God came on the company, and for miles around they said, “We have never seen it in this fashion.” They saw strange things, for God visited his people there. It is not by might, nor power, but by my Spirit, saith the Lord.
It was three months previous to this time that we held the first meeting at Shawnee. God blessed the work. They have three organized churches. One in Shawnee and two within a few miles of there.
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