PENTECOSTAL POSSIBILITIES or
STORY OF MY LIFE By Milton Lorenzo (M. L.) Haney
CHAPTER 47
often difficult to lose them at all. At times we were in the church at midnight, where cries were going up to God.
Bro. Rutledge noticed that a hardened sinner was there to the last each night, and yet was not saved, and he said to him as they were going out: "Bill, you are a curiosity to me. Every night you are among the last to go away, and yet you are not converted. Will you please explain to me why you are here?" Bill responded: "Mr. Rutledge, I don't care so much about the preaching, but I stay here to hear these people pray! I never heard such praying as this! Why, it seems like the people are talking with God!" That is what it was, and that was the great central power of the meeting. People will be saved when God's children really get hold of Him, as these did at Mason City.
One of my boys, who had been a wonderful Christian from his conversion, till after we moved to Bloomington, was in the public schools, with a stability of character beyond his years, and a walk with God which made his life a marvel. He had advanced beyond his classes, which brought him in contact with boys much older than himself. These were full of subtlety, and real heart wickedness, but their mothers desired that my boy should visit them, in the hope that his influence would bring them to Christ. These mothers asked my wife to allow her boy to fraternize with theirs. Mrs. Haney wrote me for counsel about it, and thought the child so strong that he would not be injured by the contact, so I suggested that she grant their request. If she had been left to her mother instincts I think she would have refused, but with my consent she acceded to their wishes. The boy wrote me he was under trial and wanted help, but I had such confidence in his devotion to God that I did not fear an serious result; but afterwards, on reaching home, I saw the light of God had disappeared from his face! We both awoke to the fact that he had let go of God!
When the meeting at Mason City became so glorious I wrote his mother to send him to me, hoping to lead him back to Christ. His heart was yet tender, and in a few days he felt the Lord had returned to his soul. He wrote his mother about his restoration, and Mrs.---, the mother of the boy who had led him away, was much rejoiced, and now wanted to send her boy down, that I might get him converted. I will call his name Charley. My wife wrote that his mother had great confidence in me, and would like to send Charley down to get him saved, so I agreed to have him come. Finding my boy had returned to God, Charley came to the altar as a seeker, and made a clear profession of pardoned sin. I could not see through Charley's experience, but could not entertain the thought of its being bald hypocrisy. I had never known of one so young, who could play the hypocrite in a case like this, and would not entertain the thought concerning him. He prayed in public, and gave in his testimony bravely; but something was wanting! He proposed that he and my boy walk up town, and asked me if they might. I consented, but soon found that he was trying to get my boy into difficulty!
It soon became clear that every movement he had made was false, and there was not a shadow of truth in his professions; but the whole movement was to undermine and destroy the faith of my child.
I make this painful record to move parents to avoid the ruin of innocent boys by rigidly keeping them from the grip of such subtle satanic agencies. When a pure young soul is thoroughly saturated with such poison, it rarely ever recovers from its effects, and moral character thus wounded will rarely, if ever, outgrow the scar. How sad and fearful the corrupt and corrupting agencies brought to bear on the children, and youth, of this generation!
PENTECOSTAL POSSIBILITIES or
STORY OF MY LIFE By Milton Lorenzo (M. L.) Haney
CHAPTER 48
Campaigning in Southern Illinois
In these first years of evangelism, much time was given to Southern Illinois, and much occurred which cannot now be easily recorded. The best results sometimes were reached at desolate places.
There was a cry for help at Petersburg, and I went with expectation of victory. The M. E. Church there had been fearfully weakened and brought low, but the special gift of faith for soul saving, which came to me as the result of giving my life to evangelistic work, seemed to turn mountains into mole hills, and made success a certainty. A few names were here, as in Sardis, whose garments were not defiled; but a genuine revival was a thing of the past. Having so little to build on, I was led to preach much to backsliders, and sinners, and crowds of them were before me.
A prominent brother in the church was alarmed for the church, and greatly feared fanaticism in a body which had hardly drawn a good, healthy breath in years. My services, of course, were in painful contrast with what he had been having, and his soul became fearfully stirred. In concert with him was an elect lady, who was rich, and had a powerful influence. Other dead men and women were awakened sufficiently to fight the truth, but these two held the reins. I saw God had put a throng of perishing souls into my hands, and these dead professors stood fearfully in the way. One night, as I faced a crowded house, I was so wrought up for their salvation that it seemed as though it might take my life. I was in an agony of prayer, and these people must be save or I would die! Doubtless many good people are not able to understand such experiences, but others have had them. It was a touch of Gethsemane which will not be forgotten, and I, doubtless, did not think whether I was pleasing my brethren or not. The prominent brother, alluded to above, was standing in a group of sinners who could not find sitting room, and said to them in the midst of my agony: "I wish you would take that calf out of the house!" The next morning a little girl came to my room and said:
"Mamma wants you to come up to our house right away," and the child seemed nervous. I found her mamma was the rich woman previously referred to, and I said: "Tell mamma I will be there in a few minutes." When rods away from her mansion I heard the cry of her agonized soul! On reaching her parlor I saw her prostrate form hanging over a chair, and I listened to her groans for deliverance. She had long, beautiful hair, which she prized very highly, but it was now disheveled and tossed this way and that, as though used for a mop to wipe up her tears from the carpet! Her special friend and church brother, who had been her right hand supporter in opposing the meeting, was stretched on the carpet nearly fifteen feet away, and rolling to and fro with agony. I have rarely seen a strong man so mentally distressed. I noticed, too, that he attempted to give vent to his soul in forms of statement, and groans, patterned after mine the previous night, and his gestures were shocking, but he was oblivious to what men or devils thought, as he felt himself ready to tumble into hell! From a worldly standpoint, it was now my time to call on sinners to take out the calves! But I shared their agonies till God came and lifted them up. I think the brother, though a prominent church official (as many now are), had never been converted, and his poor, deceived soul was dreaming of an arrival in heaven with his heart filled with hatred to holiness! But when God laid that deceived heart open to
itself, he saw, and felt, perdition's flames kindled within him, and was as a brand plucked from eternal burning! His conversion was glorious, and his love for me thereafter "surpassed the love of women!" Our sister was wonderfully reclaimed from a backslidden state, and was afterwards beautifully sanctified.
These barriers being out of the way, sinners flocked to the altar, and the community was moved to its inmost centres. O, if the stumbling blocks in the church were removed, her unconverted and backslidden members really saved, how God's work would go forward on the earth!
A great holiness work spread southward through Illinois, involving some glorious camp meetings at Hillsboro, Greenville, and elsewhere. Rev. W. B. M. Colt, with Frank and Henry Ashcraft, were instrumental for a time in saving many souls in that section. My wife accompanied me in that field and was a powerful factor in the meetings. We knew no barren service, and I have no recollection of a single failure. The work was largely among the Methodists, but both ministers and members of other churches shared graciously in this general out-pouring of the Holy Spirit.
A Baptist minister, whose name was Smith, had been sanctified wholly and was a very blessed man of God. He had a church in the country, where a number of his people had reached the fountain, but others were in rebellion against the teaching, and he asked us to come and teach his people doctrinally. The prejudice of his older members largely gave way, and the Lord poured His Spirit upon us. An old "Ironside" Baptist doctor, who was practicing medicine in that locality, was boarding with the postmaster, who was a holiness man, about seven miles away. The news of the work spread, and the postmaster was anxious to come. So he succeeded in inducing the doctor to come with him. He was from Arkansas, in former years, and an exceedingly odd old genius. I noticed him the first night as being startled with the meeting, and before leaving he made a remark which showed his soul was deeply stirred. The second night he was there again, and when I called seekers of pardon, and holiness, he rushed to the altar with a broken heart, and God graciously sanctified him. His testimony was unique, and profoundly interesting. It was odd, like himself, but it was difficult for any spiritual mind to doubt his experience.
The change in him was so wonderful that he could hardly contain himself. We had to go about fifteen miles across the country to our next meeting, and he insisted on taking us there in his carriage.
It was a great treat to hear him talk about the Lord by the way, and he was with us in the first service, which was a great uplift to the meeting. I gave an opportunity for testimony, and could I give a verbatim report of his testimony, it would be a wonderful blessing. He said he was an old Ironside Baptist of the strictest sort, and had thought that but few people were right but them. He had heard of the meeting at Smith's Church, but heard we were Methodists, and he did not like the Methodists.
In spite of himself he wanted to go, but he heard we were not only Methodists, but preached sanctification in this life! The postmaster, with whom he boarded, was one of them and he urged him to go. So, seeing the meeting was in a missionary Baptist Church he thought he would venture, but he came there so set that nothing should move him. Having sat down with great determination to adhere to his old principles, but this man opened up on holiness, and the first solid shot which came from this old columbiad crashed through his old iron sides and he went home with a broken heart!
On coming back the second night his old iron sides utterly gave way, and he fell down at the mourners' bench, and God sanctified his soul! People are rarely moved as was that audience, and his
testimony was more than equal to an ordinary three days' service in its soul saving effects. The fire burned so wondrously in the old doctor's soul, that he gave up his practice and went to Arkansas to devote the rest of his life to bringing those who had formerly known him, to this great salvation. O, why do not God's people, and ministers, see that holiness is the key to the world's salvation?
PENTECOSTAL POSSIBILITIES or
STORY OF MY LIFE By Milton Lorenzo (M. L.) Haney
CHAPTER 49
Further Work in Southern Illinois
Pastor Dellicate, of the Southern Illinois Conference, was on the Wanda Circuit, and having a pretty hard time. He was a minister of beautiful spirit, and true to God, but not very strong bodily.
Wanda society was noted for its vacillations religiously. Annual backsliding was a rule only violated in cases where there had been no uplift! The dear man wrote us, giving a full description of the case, and begged us to come and help him. So we went, and I determined that whatever was done this time, should stand the fire. I gave the least possible chance for those who had gone out, on their annual excursion, to get back by any special goal, and made the door of return so narrow, that if they got through it once, they would lose their relish for another excursion. We had a bone scraping time for days, but a solid work begun.
I had variously heard of a big two-fisted fellow, whom they called Guss. Nobody gave the number of times he had been restored in the years agone. All agreed as to his sincerity, but he had been converted late, and seemed to be in want of ballast. Guss had been pugilistic in his tendencies before his conversion, and now a slight insult would result in a knockdown! He was too conscientious to go on professing religion after such out-bursts, and so he gave up. After the meeting had gone for days, it was said one night that Guss was on the back seat. I really feared to see him at the altar, lest he would fail, as before, if he did get restored. He kept coming, however, and moved up a seat or two each night till he tumbled down at the altar. He seemed to have a tussle with devils, but after the struggle of days, broke through into the light. As the Lord graciously pardoned him, his soul seemed filled with unspeakable joy and he shouted tremendously. There was a right ring to Guss's shout, whatever might occur in his future, and I joined him in it! He had said while seeking, if he "could ever get as good religion as he once had, that would be all he would ever want." But two days after his restoration he was again at the altar of prayer. I asked him if he was doubting his experience, and he answered no, but he had now come to seek sanctification
Guss had been a rough man, and was a vile tobacco user. The habit had become so all controlling that he had to rise from his bed each night, and smoke or chew. He really felt his life depended on it. He was plainly marked with its vileness, but I had said nothing yet to him concerning it. He had been several times at the altar crying for a holy heart, when one day he sprang to his feet and walked up and down the aisle. His feeling seemed too deep for utterance, but by and by he gave vent to his soul by puffing, as a steamboat pours forth steam. That occurred about 4 P. M. About 9 o'clock the next morning he was walking alone and, from force of habit, found his thumb and forefinger in his vest pocket feeling for fine-cut tobacco. He withdrew his hand and stopping, said: "What does this mean?" Till that moment he had not even thought of tobacco since he was sanctified! After dinner he found himself again feeling in that pocket as before, and stopped again, in wonder. He then thought he would taste it, and found he abhorred the filthy stuff, and has probably testified above one hundred times that he has never desired it.
A young man who was teaching school at that time got saved, and afterwards became a minister.
Years afterwards he wrote, desiring me to come and help him, which I did. While with him, I asked him if he knew what had become of my friend Guss, of Wanda. He said he had kept in touch with him ever since that meeting, and he had never turned to the right nor left. That he had kept that church alive ever since, and was class leader, Sunday School Superintendent, Steward, and in every way the leading man in the church. The spring after that meeting Guss had rented a piece of ground near him, the title of which had been in dispute. While plowing one day, the other party came to him in the field, and forbade him working there another minute. He knew Guss had gotten sanctified, and thought he would not strike him, so he cursed him vilely with bitter forms of profane words. At length Guss awoke to remember that in all this he had not thought of knocking the poor man down, nor even felt the slightest desire to injure him, and he began to shout the praises of God, and the mean sinner fled from his presence, and never troubled him more!
"Oh! there is power in Jesus' blood, To wash as white as snow!"
This dear man of God yet lives to witness to what I have written, though he knows nothing of what I have written concerning him. On my table lies a letter written by his hand a few weeks since, full of holy triumph, though he is a great sufferer from an injury by a railroad train. His name, and present address are A. M. Sparks Poag, Ills. O, why do people keep doubting that Jesus will save them to the uttermost?
There was a new town on Bro. Dellicate's circuit where he wanted to plant a Methodist Church, but only had two or three members. Another Christian body was there, and leading members opposed the coming of a rival, but allowed him to have a meeting in their building. There was new house in town which would keep the pastor, but as to my wife and self, there was no place for the soles of our feet. A young couple who had recently married, and had partly prepared their new home, offered their house to us during the meeting, however, and my wife rolled up her sleeves and took possession. So we were housekeeping in an hour. Our help in the meeting largely came from a distance, and, learning the situation, they brought provisions in abundance, and while we had many boarders, we had the richest supplies, and best cooking I had met in Southern Illinois!
The meeting widened, and deepened, and God led us to victory. Souls were converted and sanctified, the dear people learned that selfishness is not a good investment, my wife demonstrated her soldierly qualities, and the Methodist people have had a church of their own, in that city, in which to worship till this day! Dear Brother and Sister Dellicate, who were both brought into the experience of holiness while we were with them, have fought a good fight and are both in glory now.
What a joy in old age to know that in any sense you have helped souls like these!
God was with us in wondrous power at Lebanon, where McKendree College is located, and we there had the fellowship of many able souls. Brother Henry Brown, a holiness man and son of thunder, was instrumental in leading us there. The most of our pastors took kindly to holiness teaching in that country, and strong men, such as Dr. Hughey, were its unflinching advocates. The church at Summerfield withstood the teaching for a time, but their opposition did not have the vicious element in it, but resulted from previous education. One afternoon I conducted a Bible