Signs and Wonders God Wrought in the Ministry for Forty Years/Chapter 9
CHAPTER IX
"BY MY SPIRIT, SAITH THE LORD"—Zech. IV, 6.
On the evening of the 24th of August, 1884, we found ourselves in Maples. As we stepped off the train we were welcomed by several of the dear friends.
I had three meetings a day, which were attended with interest, and I felt that God was with us continually. All who came with the right spirit were made to rejoice.
There were fourteen ministers present.
The object of this meeting was to have a reunion, bringing the brethren and those who were converted in the meetings of the year previous together. In this respect we had several hundred converts come together, and all came up to the front and showed what God had done for them.
We had several police on the ground, and they were not needed, as the best of order prevailed. There was said to be from one to eight thousand on the ground every night.
On Sabbath it was wonderful how the Lord sustained me and gave me courage and strength to conduct all the meetings. I had never addressed such a multitude before. I had a bad cold all the time, but God gave me a voice so clear and strong that I could be heard distinctly all over the grove. Many aged people said they never saw such order and interest at a camp-meeting. There was solemnity resting over the people. They always seemed sorry to see the meeting close.
There were many converted. One was an old lady seventy-seven years old, who belonged to the Dunkard Church. Her son and his wife were converted in the winter, and are great workers in the vineyard of the Lord. One old man, leaning on his staff, whose locks were white with the frosts of many winters, was converted. I felt he was a brand plucked from the burning. Another brother, sixty years old, who had been trusting to morality all his life, had his eyes opened to see the need of eternal life. Jesus says: "You must be born again;" "Eternal life is the gift of God;" "It is not by works, lest any man should boast."
The last Sabbath day, the day I closed, we administered the Lord's Supper in the grove. It was a solemn time. There were the converts with white locks frosted with the snows of many winters, trembling on their staves. There were the lambs of the fold, with their faces shining with the love of God. There were the young men and ladies just starting in life. There were the middle-aged fathers and mothers, with the great responsibilities of life resting on them, all sitting around the table of the Lord; some for the first time and others for the last.
AT NEW HAVEN
By the earnest request of Brother S., the pastor, I commenced a series of meetings at New Haven, Allen County, Indiana, in the Methodist Church. I realized that I was set down in a valley of dry bones. I found very few Christians; only two or three that could take hold of the work. We held on to God, by faith and prayer, expecting to see the walls fall. They at once began to come to the altar, and came by scores. As many as forty and sixty came at once. We had cast the gospel-net and taken in so many fish that we could not get them to shore.
I prayed: "Oh, God, send us help." In answer to prayer, Brother S., the singing evangelist, and others, came.
The churches united in the work. We held the meeting part of the time in the Methodist Church, which, continued for two weeks, and resulted in hundreds of conversions, most of whom were taken into the churches. A Catholic was converted in this meeting. One dear sister in her seventieth year, and another fifty, who had been church members for years, said they had been deceived, and had been spiritually blind. Now they rejoiced in the God of their salvation.
I never saw so many young men come out in one meeting. Two of them have since been licensed in the Methodist Church.
A little girl, eight or nine years old, came to the altar. I asked her several questions. She said she wanted to be Jesus' little lamb, and very soon her little face was lighted up with the love of God. I asked her if her parents were Christians. She said her mamma was in heaven, but her papa was wicked; that he drank. I told her to talk and pray with him, and tell him if he did not come to Jesus he would be lost.
A few evenings after she made her way through the crowded house to the pulpit. I saw the little mite; she was waiting for me to speak to her. I took her in my arms and asked her if she still loved Jesus. She said: "Yes, but papa is sick. I talked and prayed with him, but could not get him to meeting." The trouble was, he was sin-sick. God had sent conviction to his heart. He saw he was a sinner and on his way to hell. I told her to tell him to come to meeting to-morrow; that he might not get well.
He came with her, and I took him by the hand and asked him if his little girl had talked and prayed with him about his soul. He said she had, and began to tremble and weep. I told him he was standing in the way of his child; that he did not want his child to say in the Great Judgment Day: "I never heard my father pray." He went with me to the altar. An old man who was converted a few days before prayed with him, and it was not long till he was blessed. They clasped each other around the neck, their white locks like cotton, both weeping for joy. It was an affecting scene. Truly, "A little child shall lead them."
I went from there to Maples, and was kindly welcomed in the little chapel by the brothers and sisters. I found a full house and the little band of faithful workers; and they did a great work in the meeting.
About fifty of the converts came from New Haven and went to work. As they came up the aisle, their bright and happy faces shining with the love of God, I commenced to sing, "Reinforcements now appearing, victory is nigh."
The people at Maples were acquainted with most of these persons, and they were surprised to see the great change in them, as one after another got up and testified of salvation and the love of Jesus in their hearts, and exhorted sinners to flee from the wrath to come. Two of these were little boys. They had walked from New Haven, five miles, to be at this meeting. They talked like little preachers. We had a glorious time.
The revival commenced at once. We continued the meeting ten days. The power of God was wonderfully manifested.
After at Little River we went to Massillon on Saturday and had three meetings in the church, and the house was crowded. Massillon church has indeed become "A City set on a Hill." Of the hundred that had been converted in the past winter, they told me they were all standing firm. Bless the Lord! they were nearly all there to speak for themselves. Six or seven would rise to their feet at once to speak of the love of Christ.
Oh, how I praised God when I saw the happy faces of the dear brethren and sisters, fathers and mothers, and the young people, who were almost like my own children, so strong and steadfast, and determined, by the grace of God, to go on till they got into the beautiful city of God.
While holding meeting at Wood's Chapel, I went with several brethren and sisters to visit an old man who was not able to go to church. He had been seeking the Lord for some time, but was not satisfied.. He sent for me. He could hardly wait till I got there. He met me at the door. He was very feeble. The house was full, and we had a very solemn time. The old man was saved; he exhorted and praised God. Two other men were converted, and we were all made to rejoice and praise the Lord. There were shouts in heaven as the angels took the news back that the prodigal was coming home.
One night, at the close of the meeting, a messenger came, saying he was dead, and reqested me to come and preach his funeral. It rained all night, and when I started it was still raining. I had to ride eight miles; I was hardly able to sit up. I knew the house would be crowded, and so I found it. I felt very weak, but I trusted in God, and looked to him to give me strength and voice. The words came to me: "And desire shall fail: because man goeth to his long home, and the mourners go about the streets."—Ecclesiastes xii. 5.
I attended the eldership of the Church of God, which convened at Columbia City, Indiana, in September, 1884, where we met many of the brethren from the different places where we had held meetings. One of the converts was licensed to preach, and two were preaching who had been elected elders in the church.
I was ordained eldress with the authority to administer the ordinances and to solemnize matrimony. My earnest prayer is that I may live low at the Master's feet, as clay in the potter's hands, fit for the Master's use.
I was called on to preach. It was quite a cross. I had preached in the presence of as many or more ministers, but I was much exhausted from constant labor. I spoke from the text: "Here am I; send me." God gave me liberty, power and voice. Oh, praise the Lord for his goodness and help in every time of trouble. How wonderfully he has verified his promise: "Lo, I am with you always, even unto the end."