THIS IS THE OUTPOURING OF THE SPIRIT IN THE LATTER DAYS
The Last Message the Lord Is Going to Give to this Dying World
From Pasadena, Cal.-- #1 5 baptized workers have lately gone out from the little mission to carry the Gospel
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Atlanta, Ga.---People are still going to the altar for the salvation of their souls, and are being filled with the Holy Ghost. Many being healed. —"The Bridegroom's Messenger," 78 N. Broad street.
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Findlay, Ohio. —In the Alliance Mission over fifty have received their baptism of the Holy Ghost, and in the Apostolic Faith Mission a large number more.
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Port Angeles, Wash.---The work was started here about the 10th of November, and we have been greatly renewed. Have seen six baptized with the Holy Ghost, speaking in tongues. —Mrs. M. E. Reed.
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Lima, Ohio---There have been twenty-five or more received the baptism of the Holy Ghost since last fall, and numbers have been saved. —Jesse Clark, 948 Birch avenue.
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Doxey, Okla., Beulah Home---More than one hundred and twenty-five have received the baptism and speaking in tongues as the Spirit gave utterance, since last May. - Frank T. Alexander.
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New Haven. Conn.---There are about fifteen Holy Ghost baptized persons in New Haven. They have a Pentecostal paper, “Apostolic Rivers of Living Water," 65 Park street, New Haven.
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Chicago, Ill---During the last ten months, hundreds have been baptized with the Holy Ghost. Every one of them have spoken in tongues at the time they were filled. Hundreds have come from a distance and many of them have been filled with the Holy Spirit. -W. H. Durham, 943 W. North Ave.
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Denver—At the Apostolic Faith Mission, corner Twenty-Fourth and Lawrence streets, quite a number have been saved, sanctified, healed and baptized with the Holy Ghost and fire. One sister came down from the country to undergo an operation, came to the mission the same night and was healed of a tumor.
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Seattle, Wash.—Brother Will Trotter wrote that while at this place, six received the old-time power of Pentecost and the heavenly choir was heard at almost every meeting. When the altar call was given as many as forty would flock to the altar. People full of holy joy and coming from all around.
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Elkton, Mich.—Glory to God for what He has done for us. A good number were baptized with the Holy Ghost, speaking in tongues. Some were saved and some healed. The fire is still burning and will continue till Jesus comes. People came from far and near to the meetings so that the fire was carried to different parts of Michigan. -Sol. Klopfenstein,
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Eureka, Cal.—Praise God! We had an all-night prayer meeting Saturday night. Had a wonderful time but a more wonderful time Sunday night. The power fell till it just shook the old building from top to bottom it seemed. The Lord cut tongues loose in marvelous ways. Glory to God for the way God is working. Souls have been saved, sanctified and baptized with the Holy Ghost. —J. C. Timmons.
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Indianapolis, Ind.---One of the most blessed companies of Pentecostal saints, filled with the love of God and seeing souls saved, sanctified and baptized with the Holy Ghost is the Apostolic Faith Mission in Indianapolis, where several hundred have been baptized with the Holy Ghost, now under the leadership of Brother Haywood, 9404 N. Bismark street.
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San Jose, Cal.—The Lord has renewed my strength of body and opened up His precious Word and helped me to give it out, far beyond my expectations of what He could ever do with me. I have been such a Jonah, but those days are past, and now I delight to do His will. My helper, Sister Carrie Pool of Sawtelle, is a real overcomer. The Lord has given her great liberty of late and she dances before the Lord as did David, and when she does the power falls. There have been some clear baptisms here and quite a number reclaimed and sanctified. —Helen M. Kellerman, 246 Alameda.
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Minneapolis and St. Paul---God has visited these places with the old time Pentecost, and the signs are following. There is an Apostolic Faith Mission at each place and the work is spreading. At some meetings numbers have been baptized with the Holy Ghost and it was almost impossible to close. At one time, twenty-eight were baptized in water. God has healed the sick and cast out demons and saved and sanctified souls who are rejoicing today.
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Waycross, Ga.—I want to tell you what God is doing for Waycross. Since I came here, seven have received Pentecost and spoken in tongues. One received in my home yesterday, was under the power of God for about three hours, talking in tongues for about an hour. The Wesleyan church is out for Pentecost in Waycross, and the pastor is seeking. God is working in power. My oldest son has received the Holy Ghost and speaks in tongues. —Mrs. M. J. Wilson, 60 Folks street.
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Ashland, Ore.—A few saints here have the baptism of the Holy Ghost. They have blessed cottage meetings. One afternoon they had just had a Bible lesson on the first chapter of Ezekiel and were sitting talking of the soon coming of Jesus for His bride, when the Holy Ghost came upon them like a rushing wind and filled the room. They had a wonderful time singing and praising God in tongues. Brother Westbrook, whom the Lord called there to work in answer to prayer, says the only message the Lord gives him is, "Tell My people to get ready, I am coming soon."
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Ardmore, Okla.—Souls are being saved, sanctified and healed in answer to prayer. Some of the Holiness people and Salvation Army here have sought and received Pentecost with Bible evidence. One man came from Texas, an infidel, had read all the infidel books he could find; and when he heard the speaking of tongues, be said, "This is God," and broke down. He now has the baptism. His son came to the altar and soon began to cry out for deliverance and several demons came out of him. He is happy in the love of Christ now, testifying and praising the Lord. "Wherefore tongues are for a sign, not to them that believe but to them that believe not." -W. H. Lyon, 614 C street S.E.
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Oklahoma City, Okla.—Jesus baptized me with the Holy Ghost as John 1:33 and Matt. 3:11 says He will do. O the blessedness of sins forgiven and the sweetness of a sanctified life, which is the preparation of the soul for the Abiding Comforter. But when He baptizes with the Holy Ghost, He not only witnesses that He abides but the Holy Ghost speaks for Himself and tells us the desires of our Father in heaven. Oklahoma City has a mission on the Apostolic line. It was one year old the 6th of February. Scores of people have been saved, sanctified and baptized with the Holy Ghost and signs following. —Annie R. Harrington, 214 W. Fourth street.
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Baltimore, O. —A little over a year ago, we received some of the Apostolic Faith papers, and after reading them carefully, we found the light our souls longed for. And at once a few of us became earnest seekers. After nearly a year of seeking God sent Sister Mary Yaegge to us. She had been in Los Angeles and received her baptism and is on her way to Switzerland, her native country to tell them of the Pentecost. On Thanksgiving night, a brother received the Holy Ghost and fire with the speaking in tongues. Since then eight others have received their baptism. We have had some remarkable cases of healing of long standing, chronic diseases. -John W. Pitcher, 401 Nehage street.
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Topeka, Kans.—The saints have been wonderfully blest here, receiving new light and walking in it. Bro. Brelsford's were with us three Sundays. The last Sunday they were with us was a day that shall never be forgotten. In the morning we had a baptismal service which was graciously blest of God, and we had a shouting time on the banks of the Kansas River, and in the river too. In the afternoon, we had the Lord's Supper which was grand. And after that for the first time, we observed the washing of the saints’ feet, which was the best of all. The power fell wonderfully as we obeyed this command of our Lord. Some got more free in the Spirit than they had ever been. O glory. It pays to obey the Word. "If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them. The afternoon meeting ran into the night and God only knows what was accomplished. —C. E. Foster, 924 Kansas avenue.
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Orange, Cal.—One Sunday we thought surely the Lord would send workers down from Azusa, but glory to God, He came Himself and took the meeting into His own hands. After a few prayers and testimonies, a young girl came rushing up the aisle and began crying to God for her baptism. She fell over in a little while under the power, and the Lord gave her a blessed baptism, speaking and singing through her in the sweetest tones that were blessed to hear. She lay under the power all day. We had started with songs and prayer for the evening meeting when conviction seized on a young man on the back seat, and he came rushing up to the front and threw himself down on his face and began weeping his way to the cross, calling on God to cleanse his black heart. He was seeking his baptism before he went away. -Sister Roba M. Schoepf.
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Revival in North Carolina —The good Lord has done a wonderful work at Rowan F. W. B. Church since I wrote you last. We have now about sixty Holy Ghost baptized members who are gifted with the unknown tongue and are shouting happy all the time, At Wilmington, God is wonderfully blessing the members, of the F.W.B. Church. A large number have received the Holy Ghost and speaking in tongues. The other churches there will have nothing to do with this Holy Ghost work, with the exception of the colored Holiness Church, and the Lord is wonderfully pouring out His Spirit on them and they are talking in tongues. At the Northeast F. W. B. Church in Dublin county, a large number have received the baptism. Also at Frenchs Creek Tabernacle, Bladen county, under Brother Ed. Henry and wife, numbers have received the baptism of the Holy Ghost and are speaking in tongues. Near Atkinson, Bender county, the Spirit has been poured out and twenty or more have received the Holy Ghost with signs following. The work is still going on and God is being glorified. Glory. Hallelujah, to the Lamb forever! Amen! —A. J. Bordeau. Colly, N C.
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Mobile, Ala.—At the Gospel tent meeting on Texas and Rapier Avenue, the Lord has been working in power. One Saturday night a young man came to the altar and God sanctified and baptized him before he left the tent.
Many have been healed instantly by prayer. A sister who had been suffering for six years who had tried many physicians without getting any help, heard of our meeting, came and was healed, sanctified and baptized, and the Lord has called her to work with us. The police interfered and commanded us to close the meetings by 9 o'clock, but the Lord continues to bless the work. We have not been able to keep an account but within four days the Lord dealt with twenty or thirty and most of them received the baptism.
The oldest lady in Mobile was slain under the power and sanctified. Children have received the baptism also. —F. W. Williams.
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Portland, Ore.—They have a real live Pentecostal work here. The workers have been scattering the Gospel in hospitals, jails, ships, etc., and on the street with a Gospel wagon. They are expecting a great time at the campmeeting this summer as God has His way.
Many cases of disease have been instantly healed and homes made happy by sin being removed.
Sinners have been saved by the score. Deaf ears have been unstopped and eyes have been restored, the saints laying aside their glasses.
Sister Crawford went to pray for a sister for her healing. She laid hands on her and God healed her, and then God sanctified her, and then God baptized her with the Holy Ghost. Her husband who was sitting by her side was a backslider and cried out to God for salvation and God saved him. So wrote Brother Griffin.
An opium fiend was soundly saved and gave up a package of opium. He arose and testified what God had done for him, the sobs shaking his whole body. A drunk was saved and gave up his tobacco. A man was sanctified and gave up his lodge pin.
In the Christian Alliance Mission, a blessed spirit prevails, and souls have received the baptism of the Holy Ghost.
A daughter had hands laid on her for healing the first time she came to the meetings. As she stood testifying to her healing, the baptism of the Holy Ghost fell on her.
The saints prayed over a handkerchief for an unsaved one that the doctors said could not be helped, and she was immediately healed by the handkerchief being put under her pillowslip.
The saints have a real missionary spirit and have been sending hundreds of dollars to famine sufferers and true workers in foreign lands. —Apostolic Faith Mission, 223 Madison street.
"SEE, MAMMA, SEE! IT'S NICE UP THERE"
(From a letter by Mrs. Lillian Garr, April 7th, on Steamship to Yokohama, Japan.)
Two weeks ago, my Lord walked through our garden and plucked our only flower and my darling was taken to be with Jesus. My Virginia, though only three years of age, prayed and cried over souls. So often I found her in the bathroom, walking the floor in most earnest prayer, pleading that God would pour out His Spirit and baptize with the Holy Ghost.
How good it was of the Lord to give my darling a vision before passing away and to leave such messages for my heart. When in great agony, she suddenly ceased groaning and raised up, with one finger pointing to heaven and a bright look taking the place of the look of suffering, she said, "See, Mamma, see! Its nice up there!" That was her way of expressing what was beautiful.
Again while my own dear Chinese friend was bending over the bed, the groaning
ceased, and the sweet voice sang out in Chinese, "My soul shall overcome
by the Blood of the Lamb." And the nurse joined in with her in Chinese.
That has been the cry of my soul to be an overcomer at His glorious coming;
and when my darling, in the midst of such agony, sang of the power of the
Blood to make us "overcomers," what a message it is to us.
A Baptized Chinaman —There is a dear Chinaman, Brother Ham, that was once an idol worshipper, living at Canton. He received the Holy Ghost through the instrumentality of Brother and Sister McIntosh. Brother Ham is certainly the humblest man I have ever seen, and seems to be more a pattern to the believers than anyone I have ever been with. We cannot speak to him except through an interpreter, but oh, you can feel the blessed influence. He can find a secret place of prayer the best of anyone I ever saw. No matter how many are around, he will kneel and pray. —Sister A. E. Kirby.
A Norwegian minister heard of the present outpouring of the Spirit through "The Apostolic Faith," which be found on the seat in a mission. He began praying and asking the Lord to give him the baptism if it was of God. He was then in New Jersey. One morning as he was praying, the fire fell. His landlady came in and found him lying on the floor, unconscious, under the power of God, but she, supposing him to be in a dying condition, gave the alarm. The brother came through speaking in tongues and shouting the praises of God. When be came to himself, the room was filled with people and a doctor had been applying restoratives. Glory to God! There are some things that science cannot find out.
Tongues are simply a gift that God throws in with every one that gets the baptism with the Holy Ghost. The continual evidence that you are baptized is Christ himself and the Word of God.
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Alliance, Ohio, Campmeeting—There will a Pentecostal campmeeting at the Missionary Home Grove June 18 to 28. —"The New Acts," Alliance, Ohio
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Apostolic Faith Campmeeting —We are expecting a great campmeeting at Portland beginning the first of June and continuing indefinitely or until the Lord closes it. It will no doubt be a time of the outpouring of the Spirit as all keep in unity and come meet to God. Address Apostolic Faith Campmeeting, Portland, Ore.
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The Apostolic Faith
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QUESTIONS ANSWERED
How do the Pentecostal people stand on lodges, secret orders and labor unions?
"Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? and what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? and what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? For ye are the temple of the living God, as God hath said, I will dwell in them and walk in them, and I will be their God and they shall be my people." (2 Cor. 6:14, 16.) Beloved, we cannot have fellowship with Christ and be united in any of these ungodly movements. We have to obey the voice of the Spirit: "Wherefore come out from among them and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; that I will receive you, and will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be My sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty." (2 Cor. 6:17, 18.) "Come out of her, My people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues." (Rev. 18:4.)
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Eternal Punishment. We believe in eternal punishment—not
in annihilation of the wicked. "Then shall He say also to them on the
left hand, Depart from Me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for
the devil and his angels." (Matt. 25:41.) "And the devil that deceived
them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the
false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night forever and ever."
(Rev. 20:10.) So we believe there is an everlasting hell as there is an everlasting
heaven. There could not be an everlasting heaven, if there were not an everlasting
hell. “And these shall go away into everlasting punishment; but the
righteous into life eternal"
(Matt. 25:46.)
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Restitution. "If the wicked restore the pledge, give again that he had robbed, walk in the statutes of life, without committing iniquity; he shall surely live, he shall not die." (Eze. 33:15.) We believe that every man should make restitution according to his ability, for the Word says so. "And Zacchaeus stood and said unto the Lord: Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken anything from any man by false accusation, I restore him four fold. And Jesus said unto him, This day is salvation come unto this house." (Luke 19:8, 9.) So we believe that people should make restitution in order to enjoy salvation or to maintain salvation. Many are not able to make all restitution, but as God provides, they should make a complete restitution in order to enjoy full salvation. Many souls today are hindered because when God gives them light on making restitution, they fail to do so and lose their blessing or sweet experience. Let us obey God.
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Regeneration. Regeneration is the new birth implanted in the soul, following godly repentance for sin. The sinner is then washed from his pollution and born of the Spirit, which we call conversion or justification or the first work of grace. He becomes a new creature through the power of the Holy Ghost and the Blood of Jesus Christ. The sinner is pardoned and regenerated the moment he accepts Jesus, so regeneration and pardon go together. The man may have been twenty years in sin, but when he accepts Jesus all his sins are blotted out. "Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized everyone of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost." (Acts. 2:38.) Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in His Blood, to declare His righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forebearance of God." (Rom.3: 15.)
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Offerings. We praise God for the precious offerings that are being sent by the saints for the famine sufferers in China and India and for the missionaries that have gone forth. The Portland mission has been an example in the line of helping the heathen. They are sending offerings to help the starving and the missionaries among the heathen. The Pentecostal people give so gladly and freely without any collections being taken. It is a sign that should follow every Pentecostal assembly. God wants all His missions to have a real part in the work in every land, both sending missionaries and supporting the work. Some of the very poor saints have come with shining faces with their gifts or dropped them off quietly into the free will offering box or brought a donation for the Lord's table. Paul encouraged the Philippian church in the grace of giving not that he desired a gift but he said, "I desire fruit that may abound to your account."
Those who have not had the paper before, if they will send and ask, may have a roll of back numbers free, as long as they last.
MESSAGES IN TONGUES INTERPRETED
Spoken in the Power Of the Spirit in Brother A. H. Post in Chicago
Our Lord says; I smile upon you when you are seeking My will, My glory only. There must be no glorying in names or orders or systems, only in Myself alone. All fullness is in Me, all power is in My Gospel.
While you have great and strong foes to resist, I am mightier than all of your foes and will give you more than victory if you keep low at My feet.
The place of power is low at My feet, and the place of blessing is under the Blood, I wait to reveal Myself and mighty things that you have not attained to, and beyond all that you know, and will do it there under the Blood. I am seeking the hearts of men and am using every means to reach them.
My promises and word are established in the heavens and they will never fail.
I am trying to teach My children simplicity of faith. The essence of faith is just committing everything and yourselves, body, soul, and spirit, to Me, and I will do it all. I do not need any of your help at all.
My children must keep putting everything under the Blood, each prayer, testimony, and all things; moment by moment, for the human heart is imperfect and sin-warped, and there is always need to keep pleading the Blood. You never plead in vain.
Yield and trust; it pains my heart that My children haven't more confidence in Me.
I don't want My children to trust or rejoice in any experience or gifts, or in any thing but Me. I have given these things only that I might be glorified.
The great lesson of humility is to know and remember we are earthen vessels. Pure humility is the subjection of the human to the divine.
I want my dear ones to be free and trustful, and to recognize that all I purchased on the cross is a free gift and they cannot deserve or earn anything.
You are going to have hard tests but all heaven is back of you. You can only come to Me and get anything through the merits of My Son, and it is waste of time to plead or bring anything else, for soul, body or spirit to receive anything from Me.
All My children can do or need to do to receive anything, is to yield and trust and praise. The praises beat back the powers of darkness.
I have many things to say to you but you cannot bear them now; but it rejoices My heart to have My dear children seeking and reaching out for Me, to have them offering praise to Me and searching after Me. There is a mighty conflict upon and before you, and I am now working to strengthen and establish My children and make them steadfast and able to stand against the foe.
Lust when it has conceived beareth sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, bringeth forth death. You must not receive anything from the devil or accept his suggestions. Suggestions or thoughts he brings are not sin until you receive them. Refuse to have them, in the name of Jesus.
If the devil suggests to you to take any glory to yourself, refuse to receive the thought, in Jesus' name. My children must give Me all the glory, for I will not suffer any flesh to glory before Me, not even good flesh. Have I not told you this?
You set your heart like a flint to do My will, and I will bring you through. When you get down and seek Me with all your heart, you will find Me.
Victory comes only through trusting Jesus, and keeping under and pleading the Blood.
Let the Lord have His way.
This is a battle and you must be watchful and pray without ceasing. The enemy is strong and mighty, and you must keep your eyes on Jesus and His Blood to conquer.
The Lord is my light and my salvation. Whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be fearful?
All power is given Me in heaven and on earth. Lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the age. Remember Lot's wife. Never look back. Set your face like a flint, and don't look back, but look ahead to the cross, for you will get victory only through the cross.
The Lord is our help, a very present help in time of need.
Rest in Me and I will give you victory.
I, the Spirit of liberty and of truth, will speak, if you will let Me have My way." (Rev. 3:20-22; Acts 17:11.)
I have discovered that the Spirit in bestowing the "gift of tongues" is different from merely "speaking in tongues." The gift is permanent, the speaking in tongues only occasional. The gift has to be sought; the other is not sought-only the baptism is sought, and when it is received, He speaks in tongues. The gift is not bestowed upon all, but distributed; the tongues upon all who receive the baptism. —J. H. King.
Sister Garr writes that there is a precious Pentecostal band in Hong Kong, China, who are looking for Jesus' coming. They came in a body to see Brother and Sister Garr off on the steamer to Japan. She says, "I shall not forget the faces pleading with me to pray for them and to send them 'sheep as they were only lambs,' God showed us clearly to come to Japan and then as He directs to the States." Address Brother and Sister A. G. Garr, Yokohama, Japan.
ENRAPTURED WITH THE GLORY OF GOD
From “The Promise," a Free Pentecostal Paper
Published at 651 Queen Street, East Toronto, Canada
On Sunday morning, the 17th of March, 1907, while sitting in the prayer room over the mission at 651 Queen street, Toronto, Ontario, waiting for the people to gather for prayer, the power of God descended upon me. My soul was being richly blessed when suddenly as though a cyclone had broken loose upon me, a most irresistible and uncontrollable power took possession of me. It was tempestuous round about, but yet glorious. I was literally lifted by the power of God and set upon my knees.
In the midst of this heaven born storm I felt my jaws moved, but soon I was unconscious and lost to all around me. When I regained consciousness I was sitting on the floor, my back against the wall and my vocal organs were being operated in a most extraordinary manner. Soon I became apprised of the fact that I was actually talking in another tongue, and the thought flashed through my mind that if this was talking with other tongues, I would be quite satisfied to not talk in English any more, but to thus adore forever, my blessed Redeemer. The English language seems insipid and expressionless and was all too circumscribed for my soul to utter its inexpressible bliss. The real experience is indescribable. It seemed too sacred, heavenly and holy for a mortal to enjoy on earth. How much more real Jesus seemed to me than ever before. At times it appeared as if my soul must leave its tenement of clay. I was enraptured with the glory of God.
Having been taught that any experience that did not bring more love into the soul could not be of God, I thought of this test, but, oh! it just seemed as if what I had experienced in the past, grand and glorious it. was, was not to be compared with the intensity of the degree of love now experienced. I was thoroughly convinced that this experience was of God.
I had been fearful of becoming affected by my surroundings, but in that quiet room before many people had gathered for prayer, the Lord let the mighty baptism upon my soul. It was all through His mercy, and I will never cease to praise Him.
I had not heard much teaching along this line and did not know from a doctrinal standpoint how to express myself, but my soul was delighted and satisfied with Jesus, and I longed to see all others receive a like experience.
During the two years preceding this I had a feeling as if I were coming up to something, the work, especially in old centers needing a fresh impetus. In new fields the Lord was pleased to give us some gracious revivals, but nevertheless, we had a longing for a general upheaval such as would contract a self-complacent spirit which tended to destroy Christian aggressiveness. On receiving the above mentioned experience, although being theologically at sea, I felt the requisite had come. We went ahead with our work full of faith and of the Holy Ghost, God working with us. Some others received the same mighty baptism which greatly encouraged us. ---G. S. Paul.
TESTIMONIES TO LORD'S HEALING
Our little baby one and a half years old was taken sick with diphtheria and was quite sick for a few days, but we called on one of our elders and acted according to the word of God. And He made the baby well at once nearly. —Andrew Hansan, Fosston, Minn.
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A young man came to the mission and though unsaved, he asked prayers for his sister, who lives in Elmo, Texas, and was sick and suffering, and he returned to thank the saints for their prayers and to thank God, and brought a letter from his sister telling of how the Lord healed her when she received the letter.
I received my baptism two years ago and O the joy it has been to my soul. The Holy Ghost gives power to overcome every trial. These have been days of testing, but praise God, in trial we can walk with Jesus. Glory, Hallelujah. I have witnessed the baptism of many a precious believer. God has healed me of pneumonia since leaving Topeka, where He used me to witness for Him and open up a mission. God is showing me He is soon going to send us to the Philippine Islands, and as soon as He opens the way we will go and establish work in that dark land. —Mrs. Louis M. Thayer, 1326 Pine street, Pueblo, Colo.
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My physicians told me that I would have to submit to an operation for appendicitis. The thought of the surgeon's knife was unbearable. Every time I opened my Bible, I would turn to healing. One day I said to myself, if Jesus healed those people, why can't He heal me? The saints in Chicago prayed for me Sept. 29th, and I felt the healing power go through my body from my feet to my head, with a message in an unknown tongue and the interpretation (Isa. 53:5). I knew from that moment I was healed. Thanks to our God. He will heal others if they will only trust Him. —Mrs. I. D. Krester, Leal, N. Dak.
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All praise to our God! Just a year ago God gave me a clean heart; and a little over a week after my conversion, I got the witness to my sanctification; and in just eight weeks from that time, I was baptized with the Holy Ghost and speaking in tongues. The night God sanctified my soul He took away from me the opium habit of twenty years' standing, and praise His holy name, I have never had a desire for the stuff from that day to this. O it is wonderful what the Lord will do for us when we will become as clay in the hands of the Potter. Since the Lord so blessedly delivered me from the drug habit, I have taken Him as my healer for one year, and bless God, I expect to trust Him the remainder of my days. How I do thank Him for this precious baptism of the Holy Ghost. --A. Holden, Indianapolis, Ind.
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I received your letter and the anointed handkerchief, praise God! I felt that the Lord was going to heal me. I could hardly wait to get out of sight before I was on my knees, thanking the Lord for the prayers of His people and receiving their prayers. In my left ear I was deaf but now I can hear again my eyes are heap stronger. I cramped all night so I could not lie in bed, but would have to sit up most all night; I suffered so much pain but now that is all gone and my appetite is restored. I crave to receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit, the good anointing that will lead me into all truth, so that I will be able to understand His Word better. —Your saved brother, John Hill, Tempe, Ariz.
GOD'S WONDERFUL DEALINGS
It is with joy in the Holy Ghost, I give my testimony of God's wonderful dealings with me.
Eleven years ago my husband and I gave our hearts to God in a little mission in Grand Rapids, Mich. We have been much in the work of God since then, but always felt a need of more of God's wonderful love in us. The man fearing spirit would predominate many times and hinder God's using us in His glory. The hunger and thirst for God in my soul was often intense, and many times in agony of soul I cried out for God to fill me and use me to His glory.
Praise God for His wonderful goodness to me! In this condition, He sent husband and I to Los Angeles, Cal., Oct. 30, 1906, hardly knowing the object of our journey; but He soon revealed to us the reason for the trip by sending us into Azusa Street Mission. There I found a height and depth in Christian experience that I had not attained to.
After attending one meeting I knew this was what the prophet Joel has spoken of referred to in Acts 2:17,18, and I at once became an earnest adherent to the faith once delivered to the saints. I began to seek earnestly for a clean heart, and soon heard Him say, "Now ye are clean through the Word which I have spoken unto you." Hallelujah!
Then I began to seek for the baptism of the Holy Ghost and fire. God showed me many things I would have to do before I could receive the promise of the Father.
After several anointings of the Spirit, God put a fast upon me, which lasted ten days, during which time the hunger in my soul for God grew so intense that it seemed as though I should die if God did not manifest Himself soon.
It was then that God began to deal with me through signs and wonders. On Feb. 28, 1907, darkness overshadowed me, and it seemed that God had left me alone. Even the Spirit of prayer had left me. All I could say was, "Oh, God, do not leave me alone!” This continued all night, without sleep. At daybreak God put a spirit of praise upon me, and it continued four hours without intermission.
The power of God came upon me and I was prostrate.
God showed me Africa with all its darkness. I replied, "Yes, Lord; I will go if you send me." Then He showed me the Star of Bethlehem. That night I had the baptism of fire. Praise God, for His wonderful goodness to me a poor unworthy child.
March 2nd I went into the Azusa Street Mission and arose to testify, about two o'clock in the afternoon, and the Spirit gave me 1 Cor. 2:2: "For I am determined not to know anything among you save Jesus Christ and Him crucified." Also Exodus 4:12; Luke 12:12. While repeating the foregoing Scripture, the power of God came upon me, and for about two hours I was thoroughly shaken in my body. At this point I began to question in my mind whether this was of God. He immediately took the power of shaking from my whole body, and began to shake each member separately.
When I felt one eyebrow and the eyelid shaking separately, then I knew it was of God. I was under the power of God about nine hours, and then began to speak in tongues.
Now I can truly say the Comforter has come, and I am going on. —Sister E. W. Vinton, 12 Leyden street, Medford, Mass.
In Sunderland, England, where the Pentecost fell, two secretaries, baptized sisters, are kept busy writing and sending out tracts and free literature. It is the same in Azusa Mission, for two years two sisters have been kept constantly busy sending out the blessed reports and answering letters from all parts of the world.
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Justification brings peace, sanctification brings rest, and the baptism of the Holy Ghost brings power.
THE APOSTOLIC FAITH
PENTECOST IN BOMBAY, INDIA
(Wonderful Testimony of Sister Laura Gardner of the Alliance Mission, Berachah Home from "Cloud of Witnesses," a Free Pentecostal Paper Published in Bombay, India)
For about fifteen months God has been dealing with me in a very special way, leading me to know more of Himself. One thing after another in my life was brought to the test till at last I felt as thoroughly stripped as it seemed possible for one to be. All this time my heart was so hungry and crying out for more of God. I saw I had no power in my service for Him and thus was led to seek the baptism of the Holy Spirit that I might have the promised power as spoken of in Luke 24; 49 and Act 1:8.
There were others of the family who had been led along in the same way as I had, and after coming from our annual convention, where we had much blessing, we began to have special times of waiting upon God for the baptism of the Spirit. The morning of the eighth day while we were at prayer God gave me a vision in which Jesus appeared by my side and told me He was coming with great blessing for us, that we must be patient and continue to wait on Him and be very sure we were ready for anything it might mean to us. He also told me to tell the others.
The next day, November 29, l907, was our all day of prayer, and at the close of the evening meeting, while the closing prayer was being offered, the power of the Spirit came upon two of us at the same time. I was violently shaken, first my arms, then my head and so on till my whole body had been shaken member by member. My tongue shook and strange noises came from my mouth. The babbling and shaking continued at intervals for about five days, at which time I was enabled to pray clearly in a tongue quite unknown to me. God has shown me the meaning of a few of the words, and I am usually conscious of the subjects about which I am praying; but do not understand the words. I never knew such blessing and rest and peace as that which came to me in yielding to the Spirit in the shakings and also in the tongue. Now it is far easier to pray in the tongue than in English.
But God had something further for me, and has spoken to me several times in visions. Sometimes it has been like Peter's experience in Acts 11:5, "While in a trance I saw a vision." During the past three weeks I have had six visions, four of which were given me after my falling into a trance. One of these I wish to tell you a little about as God told me I was His witness and should tell those things which I had seen and heard.
In one of our evening meetings, during a time of quietly praying to myself, I suddenly seemed to be enveloped in a cloud and Christ came to my side riding on a white horse. On His head was a golden crown and in His right hand He carried a glittering sword. On His breast was an open book with leaves of gold, upon which in letters of flaming fire were the words, "I am He that liveth and was dead." I had seen Him in this form before, but not on the horse. He told me He had come to take me to Heaven. I asked if it was death. He said, "No, it is not death, but it is like it."
Vision of Heaven
We went up and up till we came to Heaven's gate which swung open as we approached. I fell at His feet in adoration and wonder, and while there beheld the beautiful gates of pearl and streets of gold. All at once I saw an innumerable company of children carrying their arms full of flowers and singing praises, marching up a hill. I could not see the end of the procession, it was so vast. Then came hosts of people carrying palm branches, and in the distance a great company with harps singing praises to God. From this company came my mother and little brother to the gate, looking smilingly at me for a few moments and then disappeared. It was such a comfort to know they were so happy though they did not speak. I begged to go in, but my Guide said "Not now." After the procession had disappeared in the distance He said to me, "Now you may go in, but you cannot mingle with the host." He led the way always on the white horse, around to one side at a distance. I had asked, while outside the gate, where all those whom I saw were going; now I saw they were going up a high hill. Looking up I saw the throne "high and lifted up." The form upon the throne was enveloped in a rainbow cloud to the waist.
From under the throne issued a stream which rushed down the hill in an ever-widening stream of clear, sparkling crystal water. The banks of the river were lined with beautiful trees covered with a luxuriant growth of leaves and delicious fruit. All was a glitter of glory and splendor and magnificence such as I had never even imagined. I could not stand before it but lay prostrate on the ground.
I gazed and gazed till I was told it was time for me to return. How I begged to stay, it was so quiet and peaceful and joyously happy! But Jesus said, "No, you can't stay now but it won't be long, for I am coming soon."
I was very loath to leave and while returning through the air I looked back at the glory and splendor many times. When near enough to the earth to distinguish people moving on it, I began to feel the dreadful oppression of sin; it seemed that the weight of it would crush me. I suffered agonies for the sins of the people. Jesus said to me, "Now you know just a. little of what I suffered while on earth." Soon after that he left me, and consciousness returned. I found the sisters who were with me still waiting. They told me it had been about two and a half hours that I had lain unconscious to everything around me gazing fixedly upward.
"In a Very Short Time"
A few days later, in another vision, I saw the preparation for the marriage supper of the Lamb. Jesus said to me, "The Bride is nearly ready, I can finish the work in a very short time."
At another time, while I seemed to be in the clouds with Jesus, on nearing the earth, I saw many people look at Him, then putting their hands over their eyes, run hither and thither from His presence. I thought their eyes were dazzled by the brightness of the fiery words on His breast, but he said, "No, I am trying to show the Church in these days the things I have been showing you here (the Baptism of the Holy Spirit and things connected with it); but many blind their eyes and turn from me. The high ones, the leaders will not see, but they too must come." What a. pain it brought to my heart! Jesus said, "If it pains you so sorely, how do you think my heart must feel ?"
Dear friends, is this not true? Are not many of the Church blinding their eyes to what God is doing by His Holy Spirit these days? And is He not telling many people all over the world that His coming is near? Let us not grieve Him, but let us yield to His workings in us that we may be ready for Him. He wants His children to receive all that He is offering them. Oh, what joy and peace and satisfaction it brings as we yield to our blessed Savior.
WAVES OF GLORY
Glory to God! Pentecost has come this way. I was saved when I was young; but there would be times when things would go wrong, and I wanted something more to help me on this way. I felt I needed more of His divine love. I prayed for more power to overcome sin. This was before I heard of holiness, but I kept on praying. One night I had prayed and struggled for power to overcome the devil; and when I lay down that night to rest, it seemed as though I laid right in my Savior's arms. I was in a trance. O what a sweet resting place. I cannot describe the joy and peace that was in my soul. "Whether in the body or out of the body," I could not tell. I know I was with the Lord and He showed me wonderful things. I have been under the power of God many times since.
At another time, I was praying for God to show me if my heart was clean; and He took me away in the Spirit and showed me my name written in the Lamb's Book of Life, everything blotted out—nothing against me—my robe was clean and white. Glory, glory to God! But at times I would be hungry for more of Christ in me.
I began reading and searching my Bible, and found those signs were not following as Jesus promised to those that believe. (Mark 16:17, 18) I was not satisfied, I wanted all God had for me. I read of the work in Los Angeles and husband wrote for a copy of the Apostolic Faith and they sent us a package of them and we distributed them far and near. I got so hungry for my Pentecost, I began to fast and pray for about two weeks. In this time I saw a vision of a ball of fire that rose up out of a dark place and passed on by. I rejoiced to see it. Some seemed to look after it, while others would not. I knew then that I would get the blessing. By this time, Brother and Sister J.W. New returned from Brother G.B. Cashwell's meeting at Dunn and we started a meeting at Peniel Holiness Church. Sister New had received her Pentecost and she opened the altar service for all that wanted the Pentecost to come. Several went and I for one went, not to come away till I received my Pentecost. And glory to God, I received it before I left the altar. O the power of God that filled and thrilled my very being. It seemed that Jesus had come into my very life and taken up His abode with me. O, I can't describe the waves of glory that ran through me. O glory.
My tongue began to twist in my mouth, and I began to talk in an unknown tongue. Then the Lord gave me power to talk to the people—about Jesus in my own tongue. Since then I have talked, prayed, sung, and preached in other tongues as the Spirit gave utterance. Glory, glory, praise Him! —Mrs. W. A. Heath, Wallace, N.C.
GOD WORKS THE SAME IN ENGLAND
(Testimony of Brother C. H. Hook, 23 Gairloch Road, Camberwell, London)
It seems to be the will of God that I should write a brief outline of my experience, only to the glory of God. First I must say that I do not know the day of my conversion, for as far back as I. can remember, I loved the Lord, being brought up by Christian parents who knew the power of the Gospel of Christ unto salvation (I thank God for such parents). When I was at the age of seven years, I used to preach the Gospel in our garden, and the Lord gave me conversions, praise be to His name! In those days, I often prayed for more power from God, but as I grew older, other things began to take hold upon me and God became secondary. Nevertheless the Holy Spirit did not leave me, for I was always longing to live a closer and cleaner life.
Well, I went on in this way for about fourteen years, then I heard of the Welsh revival and felt I must go and get baptized in the Holy Ghost. The Lord did break me up and gave me such a vision of Calvary that I from that time began to know Christ in quite a new and deeper way and to realize more of the preciousness of the Blood of Jesus. I shall never forget those wonderful meetings.
A New and Wonderful Experience
When I came back, I began to ask God to baptize me and show me what was hindering me receiving, but got no answer then. A few days later, while sitting on my bench having my tea all alone, I asked the Lord again what was hindering. A short time after the Holy Spirit fell upon me shaking me from head to foot. Almost unconscious to everything around me, it seemed that I was in heaven and full of glory and praises. This was a new and wonderful experience to me and I thought I had my baptism. Day after day the Spirit would come upon me at 5 or 6 o'clock p. m. with such power that sometimes I would have to stop work and weep with joy. This went on for about two months, and then I heard of a paper called the Apostolic Faith of Los Angeles, which was sent to a sister in the Lord who, through this paper, began seeking the Pentecost with the sign of tongues. And after she had received, I began to think that I had not received my baptism after all, so began seeking for all that God had for me.
Baptized in the Little Vestry of All Saints, Sunderland
I was much blest while tarrying, had many anointings and several visions of Jesus and Calvary. Later in l907 I went to All Saints' Sunderland, where Brother A. A. Boddy and a few others were seeking. And I had a vision of Jesus then and also a prophetic vision that Sunderland would soon be visited by the Holy Ghost. Well, I had been waiting for nearly nine months, and on Christmas, l907, I received my Pentecost in that little well-known and favored vestry of All Saints, Sunderland
I told Brother Boddy that I believed I would receive that very day, and at about 5 o'clock p. m. in the waiting meeting, I received with my friend who came with me. I felt my heart growing larger and larger and Jesus coming nearer and nearer till He came right in and filled me with joy. Then my tongue began to move, Satan said, "Do not let go or it will only be you doing it not the Lord. You only want them to think you have received when you have not." Well, I gave heed to it a little time. Then Brother Boddy came over and laid hands on me and immediately my tongue began to go under my breath and the devil tempted me the same as before, but this time I did not heed him, and I spoke a few sentences in another tongue, but very indistinctly, and I repeated them several times. The devil told me I made it up, and I tried to speak it again but could not. So the devil left me a little time but not very long for I lost all my joy, and the devil told me I was a farce. If it was the Lord that had done the work, he said, I should have spoken very plainly and been filled with exceeding joy. By this I was somewhat downcast and asked the Lord to speak through me very plainly if He had done the work (which I did not doubt, though I was tempted). The next day the glory began to flow in, which encouraged me for a little time—not for long, for the devil would still be at me about the "tongues."
Well, the last day came that I was to be in Sunderland, and the devil tried me more than ever, telling me that I should go home with a very cloudy baptism. "Yes," said he, “you are not baptized at all." But I continued to believe I was. So the last meeting came, and my friend had a second anointing, and came through speaking in tongues for half an hour very clearly. Then the devil was at me more than ever and said, '"There you see, he has the right thing but you have not." So I was a little discouraged. Then I prayed to God, if ever I prayed in my life, silently, to speak through me very plain just this once, if He spoke no more forever. Then the devil tried me about faith and said, "You do not believe God will answer your prayer, as you do not, God will not hear you," and such like things did he put into my mind. But I said, "Lord, I will stand on your word, your promises are sure."
Then the scripture came to me, "Whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer believing ye shall receive." Then I said, "Lord, I believe."
About half an hour after this, the Spirit fell upon me as never before in my life, and suddenly I realized the room was filled with the presence of Jesus. My eyes were shut, yet it seemed that the room was filled with Blood and light and my soul was filled with glory unutterable. During this time the Lord said to me, "There is another one here I want to baptize," and I gave it out, and later on in the evening it was fulfilled. Glory to His name!
Vision of Jesus
After a little, I had a vision of Jesus, and He held His arms out to me; then came to me and embraced me, and my whole being was filled with unutterable love for Him and all that were in the room. With this, I began to praise Him but could not for my tongue began to tremble. Then the devil said, "Do not let go or it will be yourself doing it. But I ignored him and let my tongue go. Soon as I did, the Spirit took my jaws in a most powerful manner and spoke for Himself in two tongues for nearly two hours, my friend tells me, and was only stopped by breaking down through travail of soul, being choked with crying, O how I do praise God for his faithfulness and wonderful love toward such a worm as I, that He should give me the Holy Spirit of promise. I must say right here, let not the reader think it is the height of blessing, but it is only the beginning of real life in the Spirit
Temptations Follow the Baptism
Since I have been home, I was "driven into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil." This was the worst trial of my life, most horrible darkness. It seemed that I was forsaken of God and man. This lasted for over two weeks, and it went all of a sudden in the following manner: I was reading the 17th chapter of Leviticus, and when I came to the 11th verse, my soul was over- whelmed with joy, and I had to put down my Bible and fall upon my knees and praise God for the victory through the atoning Blood of Jesus, for that word Blood came with wonderful force to my soul as never before. The devil had been telling me that I had an evil spirit in me; but when the above occurred, the Lord said to me, "Do you think the devil would tell you you had a wrong spirit if it was his? A proof it is not his or he would have told you it was all right." I saw it all then. O how I did praise Him for showing me these things.
Beloved reader, do not be surprised if you go through a very dark experience after Pentecost, for all I have heard of go through it sooner or later. So do not be discouraged, for the Lord says, "My grace is sufficient for thee."
Since this experience, the dear Lord has begun to make me a channel for His precious Holy Spirit to flow through to others. Praise His holy name forever and ever! Please pray for me that I may be kept humble and contrite. The dear Lord keep me behind the Cross till He come. Even so come, Lord Jesus.
Scribes and Pharisees Condemn It —Brother Boddy in England writes; "One of the clear proofs that Pentecost with tongues is of God is that all the Scribes and Pharisees of the present day condemn it. I have seen many receive the Gift of Tongues and the Baptism of Power, but never among them were there any critics or a fleshly or proud man or woman. We can testify in the United States that it is the same. The God of Pentecost is the same in all ages and all places. The Spirit falls on the lowly. The Christ of the manger is He that baptizes with the Holy Ghost, and He has been letting the Spirit fall in "manger" homes and "manger" hearts. That is one reason that the Pharisees do not understand it. He did not come to their churches. It was because there was no room for Him, "no room for Him in the inn."
Little Girl Healed
Baby Bell, the 4-year old daughter of Mrs. C. A. Russell of Spokane, Wash. was healed instantly April 14, l898. This little girl never could walk, had spinal trouble and would go into convulsions when she tried to take a step. She would say, "Other children walk and has a good time, but I can't." Her mamma and I took her to the Apostolic Faith Mission here and the saints laid hands on her and asked our heavenly Father to heal the little one in Jesus' name. They stood her on the floor and she did not go into a convulsion. She walked from the altar down to the door and back, then from the mission to the hotel several blocks and up two flights of stairs. Now she walks and runs and plays and loves to tell about being healed. She is a jewel in the home. —lleana Bevins, Spokane, Wash.
A brother started out from Pasadena without "purse or scrip" after receiving his baptism of the Holy Ghost, to carry this Gospel. The Holy Ghost spoke a message in tongues, saying that he should not want for food or lodging, and though he has walked from town to town, he writes that he has not lacked but the Lord has supplied him, without any knowing his needs. A bottle of oil was prayed over in the name of the Lord and the Spirit said, "Everyone that is anointed with this oil will be healed." He writes that it has been proved true and a large number have been healed. In one prayer meeting, which lasted twenty-six hours, two received the baptism of the Holy Ghost. Many were anointed and fell under the power of God and souls were saved.
Don't preach to please the people but to please God, because hell will be full of men-pleasing preachers. God wants us to uncover men's sins and make them so dreadful that they will forsake their sins and get salvation. We want old time sanctification and the preaching of everlasting hell fire and brimstone. We want that which will stand throughout all eternity.
If you want to know God better, enter into a fast with Him. The first day it may seem hard but the next day will be manna in your soul, and the next day it will be still better. There will be such manna in your soul that it will be sweet as honey.
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THE APOSTOLIC FAITH
Praising and Magnifying God
A Boy's Testimony
I am praising the Lord for what He has done for me. He has sanctified and baptized me with the Holy Ghost and I am filled with inexpressible joy. The meetings are growing in interest and new ones are being added to the Lord. Glory, Hallelujah! —Your young brother in Christ, Willie E. Belcher, 103 Oak Grove street, Minneapolis, Minn.
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The dear Lord has saved and sanctified me with His own precious Blood and has kept me saved upwards of eleven years, and bless God, has healed me many a time just with my own simple faith. And blessed be His holy name, last September He baptized me with the Holy Ghost in Woodlawn, Ala. —M. A. Dees, Dora, Ala.
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A year ago the 18th of February, I received the gift of the Holy Ghost, and it has been the most blessed year of my life. Jesus has revealed some precious things to me, for which I give Him all the glory. We are having souls saved, sanctified, healed and baptized with the Holy Ghost, speaking with other tongues, and devils are cast out. —Mrs. M. W. Cochran, 303 Spitler Avenue, Dayton, O.
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Truly "this is that." O the greatness of this wonderful baptism. The wonder that fills my soul to think I should live to see this day when the Holy Ghost is poured out, and see the mighty signs and wonders follow this great power. I can't get used to it. There remains yet the same amazement that I had when I heard the dear ones speaking in tongues two years ago, when it stirred my very being, and I wondered if it could be possible it was for me. O my very soul is on fire with loyalty to Jesus for all He's done for me. To have Jesus and the power of the Holy Ghost in our lives in this wicked and adulterous generation, oh it's wonderful. Bless His name. —Sister Florence Crawford, Portland, Ore.
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"Something in My Heart Kept Crying to Be Like Jesus"
The Lord wonderfully convicted me for sins, and I did not know what was the matter with me. I wept and cried night and day. By chance I went to the Salvation Army and went to the altar, and God wonderfully saved me. Glory to His dear name. That was seventeen years ago. I lived like most of people, what they call an up and down life. But, glory to God, about three years ago, I got light on holiness, and I was real hungry for something in my heart kept crying to be like Jesus. And the Lord in His tender mercy heard my cries and sanctified me wholly. Glory, glory to God! And then when I heard what wonderful things the Lord was doing for you dear saints, there came a hunger in my soul for the Holy Ghost, and on May 30th He came in to abide. Glory to His name, and spoke for Himself. —Mrs. R J. Youree.
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Get Quiet Before God
O so many times has it been sounded in my ears that every minute used in the affairs of this world is wasted time, wasted time. Sometimes as the door closes behind my little daughter and she starts to school, I drop on my knees with my face on the carpet and call on my God who would be inquired of. Sometimes she comes in chattering like a little magpie. I will try to tell her some bit of news, but she is so taken up with what is on her little mind that she does not hear what I am saying. And I said, "Well, my child, when you get quiet, then I will tell you something." And the Lord said, "My child, when you get quiet, I will tell you something." O that we would get quiet before God and give Him a chance to speak to us. It is so blessedly sweet to hear Him tell us something, the great Creator of this globe speak to me, even me! O it is wonderful! Glory to God! —Ella M. Thrailkill.
Jesus Visiting the Churches
I saw Jesus in a vision going to the doors of the churches and listening while He knocked. An angel was by His side with sword in one hand and pen in the other, separating and recording the precious from the vile. This is a time of winnowing the harvest, storing away the seed that shall be able to stand the test in the awful day of His appearing. It will be an awful day to those "found wanting," but joy and rapture to those that sit at His feet in humble service and expectancy. God has shown me "the city coming down," "the wall," "the new earth," "the river of crystal water," "the tree of life," "the glory of the Lord filling the earth as the waters cover the sea." Every blade of grass and leaf of the trees and grain in the fields was edged with gold, and even the river that ran through seemed to be gold from reflection. —Sister E. C. Ladd, Des Moines, Ia.
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There is such a power in the paper. It did me so much good before I was saved. I never read the Bible then, so I know the paper is sent from God. Glory to God, He is doing wonderful things now-a-days. He has filled many here with the Holy Ghost, glory to His name, and I know this is from God. Jesus is coming soon, we can see that by the signs if we read the Bible. —Levi Anderson, Queen Star Route, Fosston, Minn.
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To Cure the Tobacco Habit. —Thousands have been redeemed from lives of slavery and diseases by the power of God. To cure the tobacco habit, if you will get right with God, and ask Him to take the desire away, He surely will do it. I know from experience, for I was once a slave of the filthy weed. But God took the desire away from me. —Wm. F. Hill, Schell City, Mo.
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When I was down to Los Angeles to the campmeeting, I told you that grandma was seeking her baptism and you told me to tell you when she received it. Well, grandma received her baptism on the night of her 76th birthday, Dec. 15, 1907. One of my uncles received his a night or two before. — Evelyn Andrews, Oysterville, Wn.
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“Shouting and Praising God All Day”
The papers have been a great help to me. Last Sunday while praying, I began to speak in a new tongue. O hallelujah, Glory! The half was never told. I am a new creature in Christ Jesus. Been a follower of Christ for twenty years and have had His Holy Spirit too but nothing like this. Praise God! It seems as though I had been made all over new. It is glory all through my entire being and I go about my work shouting and praising God all the day long. How I praise Him that the Pentecostal wave is coming this way. The Lord's coming is very near. Praise His dear name! —Mrs. Geo. Marden, Winterport, Me.
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"I Went Out and the Holy Ghost Came in”
I was saved at the age of 17, and for more than thirty years, lived a justified life. Three years ago, God convicted me for a clean heart and the Holy Ghost came in and witnessed to my cleansing. Praise His name forever. On April last I sought for the Baptism. I went out and the Holy Ghost came in and spoke through me in tongues as an evidence of the baptism of the Holy Ghost. How I praise Him. God has a little band here of five that have received the baptism of the Holy Ghost and fire. —W. A. Kersh, Ottawa, O.
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The Lord wonderfully forgave me of my sins over eight years ago, and then I obeyed (Rom. 12:1) and God sanctified me and took out that carnal mind that Paul speaks about in the 8th of Romans. I enjoyed a sanctified life for eight years, but all that time needed more power from God. On the 23d of January at prayer meeting, God baptized me with the Holy Ghost and fire, singing with other tongues as the Spirit gave utterance. Praise God! My two little girls have received the Holy Ghost, speaking in other tongues, one is 12 years old and one 14. —Mrs. J. K. Armstrong, Ardmore, Okla.
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The Same Old Time Pentecost
While sitting in my seat, praising and blessing God and listening to Brother Argue preaching from the text, "While Peter yet spake these words" (Acts 10:44, 46), suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing, mighty wind (Acts 2:2-4), It struck me, I was lifted from my seat, carried to the front of the hall, where I fell under the mighty power of God—the Holy Ghost had come in to abide—only a few seconds and I was praising God in other tongues. This lasted for some time when my soul bursting with glory burst forth with strains of heavenly music. Oh, the glory, the unutterable sweetness that filled my soul. He gave me a new song—words, tune and all.
Having, been laid aside for over two years with nervous prostration, since
receiving my baptism, He has healed my body too, and I am again in the "thickest
of the fight" preaching Jesus, the same yesterday, today, and forever.
—Ella M. Goff (Evangelist), 299 St. Johns Avenue, Winnipeg.
From "The Apostolic Messenger," a blessed Pentecostal paper published by A H. Argue, Winnipeg, Canada.
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"Came from God"
At one of the meetings in New Haven, Conn., which I recently attended, in an altar service, I prayed to God for a positive evidence of Pentecostal power. I said in my prayer, “Lord, I do not want hypnotism, mesmerism, or spiritualism, or any other power but Thine. I do not feel it in my body now, but if this power is of Thee send it on me immediately." The words were hardly out of my mouth when the power came down and laid me on the floor.
This power, I can say, came from God, and from no other source. My body has been burning with a heavenly fire for two months. I have this marvelous power with me all the time. Glory to God!
I have been blessed with the gift of tongues, and have the greatest spiritual uplift when the Spirit speaks in an unknown tongue. I have also had the interpretation, at times. —Jas. W. Seeley, 890 Chapel street, New Haven, Conn.
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"Wanted to Touch Jesus"
Since receiving the Holy Ghost, I have had some great blessings. Once God showed me the ark of the covenant. It was of pure shining, transparent gold. Jesus stood in the center just back of it. The words came to me, ‘The mountains shall depart and the hills be removed. but My kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of My peace be removed.” Then He seemed to show me what was in the ark, how the law was to be written on my heart, the manna was for the physical life, and the rod for power. Jesus was clothed in a long white garment to the feet. His head and His hair white like wool, and around His head a flame of fire. I wanted to touch Him, and this is what I kept saying in some language, "Oh, Ya-zu!" which I think is Oh, Jesus. —Estelle A. Bernauer.
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A Blessed Baptism
I was converted forty-one years ago and sanctified thirty-one years. Was given up by the doctors to die of cancer. Was under the doctor's care for more than twenty years. The Lord healed me and I have not taken a drop of medicine since. All glory to God. I received the Holy Ghost the next day after the Lord so marvelously healed me, and have had at different times wonderful demonstrations of the power of God in my body, but not like the demonstrations I had when He baptized me with the Holy Ghost. O Glory! I laid under the power from 6 o'clock until after 10 New Year's evening at the Apostolic Mission. I did not receive the speaking in tongues at that time but sang such sweet melodies without words, they told me. The next day I was under the power again from 2 o'clock in the afternoon till after 7 in the evening, coming out from under the power singing and speaking in unknown tongues. The other sisters present spoke the same language and talked and sang with me. —Mrs. F. T. Grose, 130 Meeks avenue, Findlay, O.
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“A Sweet and Sacred Memory"
Praise the Lord for His unspeakable gift through Jesus Christ our Lord! The old Azusa Street Mission shall always be kept in sweet and sacred memory, as it was there my heavenly Father chose to bestow upon me, unworthy creature, the baptism of the Holy Spirit and the outward sign of speaking in other tongues. I had prayed the Lord for quite a while to receive this great gift, and finally when He came, O how I did value it and am praising the Lord continually. Glory! Surely I can't keep still of telling what the Lord has done for me. I am out in the service of my Master pointing people to the Lamb of God who is able to save to the uttermost. —C. V. Carlin, Greenwood, Cal.
"The Spirit Finished the Prayer"
I tarried for my personal baptism a little more than a year. While waiting, I had many anointings The 15th of March, 1908, while sitting in my seat in the meeting, the Holy Spirit was poured out upon me. I felt I was losing strength in my body but had great peace within. I had the assurance that the Holy Spirit was taking control of my body. "Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost”. While lying powerless on the floor, His presence was real to me. Home and the things of earth faded away. It seemed that the cross hung over me. I raised both arms and reached the cross and pressed it to my heart. By choice I took the narrow way, the cross, the reproach and ridicule with the people of God. While praising my Savior in adoration, I felt a trembling wave coming from the innermost part of my being in torrents of praise and bringing melody of song unto the Lord. I realized the words of Jesus, "The water that I shall give shall be in him a well of water." And the sign did follow. I spoke in an unknown tongue as freely as in my own language. I think it was the next morning while praying, I brought a name before the Lord and began to pray. My language was changed, the Spirit finished the prayer. I brought before the Lord a sinful person. Again the words were taken away and the Spirit prayed, groaning within me. All glory and praise be unto Him. —Mrs. M. Lussier, 14 Crandall street, San Jose, Cal.
THE HOLY GHOST REVEALS SECRETS
I want to confess that I was a murderer, a liar, a thief, an ex-convict, having served a term in the Allegheny, Pa., penitentiary, and that I had left my wife and home and three little children in destitute circumstances, for the love of strong drink and the follies of sin. I was a Catholic and a drunkard. I was on one drunk for ten years, hardly sober during that time.
I was converted in Los Angeles, California, March 7, '97, on the way to see Corbett and Fitzsimmons fight at Carson. The Lord took away the appetite for drink. I had tried many times to quit drink and tobacco. The Lord saved me from them both. After I was converted, I went to Jesus with my tobacco. I said I never could quit it. A sister said to me, "Did not the Lord take away the drink habit?" I said, "Yes." "And cannot he take away the tobacco?" I said, "Praise the Lord," and threw away my tobacco and have never wanted it since.
I served in the Philippino Insurrection at Manila in Company C, First Washington, U. S. V. I kept wonderfully saved and came back shouting the victory. When I would get down to pray at night, the soldiers would throw their boots at me, but I never threw them back and they had to come and get them in the morning, and in this way I soon won their hearts.
I heard of the outpouring of the "latter rain" in Los Angeles, California, a company of saints had waited on the Lord for the baptism of the Holy Ghost as in Acts 2, and the Spirit came upon them and they began to speak with other tongues as the Spirit gave utterance. I was a constant seeker for seventeen months in different missions.
In a little cottage prayer meeting about the 25th of last February, I got a clear witness that I was sanctified.
And on March 4th in a mission in Pasadena, I went to the penitent form as usual and got deeply in earnest for the baptism with the Holy Ghost. The Spirit had been after me for over a year saying, "Why don't you confess that you have been in the penitentiary and that you left your family in destitute circumstances?" I would think it was the devil telling me that. I said, “That is no honor to me or to God or any bodyelse. That thing is under the Blood and I have written to my children to forgive me." But that night I asked God to excuse my ignorance and set aside all hindrances and baptize me on trust, then show me my fault and I would make all wrongs right. And, praise His name, He took me at my word and did it. Glory to Jesus!
While I was under the power, Brother David Barth was standing over me and talking in tongues and Sister M. A. Fish was there and she interpreted the language.
The Holy Ghost was saying in tongues, "This man was a robber, a thief, a liar, and served a term in the penitentiary, and he left his family in destitute circumstances. He was also a murderer. And unless He confesses these things, God cannot use him to His glory. But the Blood has atoned for all this, and now the Lord has poured out His Spirit upon him”.
Sister Fish interpreted some of these words, but the saints would not believe her at first. She went home and prevailed with God, and cried on account of their unbelief in the Holy Ghost, and the Spirit showed her that Haslop would gladly confess as soon as it was revealed to him.
Just before the next night service, Brother Barth, the leader of the mission, came to me and said, "Brother, the Holy Ghost says that you are a murderer, a liar, a thief, an ex-convict," etc. I was astonished for none of them knew my life. I asked him where he got it. He said it was revealed by the Holy Ghost. I told him, "Yes, I did, I killed a man." Of course it was in the Philippino War, and they were shooting at our men. I saw a Philippino shooting at our Company B and took deliberate aim at the fellow and shot him. There were others that claimed the honor, and I was glad they did. I hoped I was innocent and dismissed it from my mind, until the Holy Ghost showed that I was a murderer.
And I went forward and confessed the whole, and the fire fell into my soul till I thought it would burn my heart clean up. I shouted and praised God till I was so hoarse I could hardly speak. It was a direct revelation from God by the blessed Holy Ghost. He also revealed that I owe money I had to pay which I intend to do. —George Haslop.
A FREE GIFT
The Lord Jesus said (Acts 1:5,8): "John truly baptized with water, but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost, not many days hence. . . Ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you, and ye shall be witnesses unto Me, both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost parts of the earth.” Glory to God. Hallelujah to His name!
Dear loved ones, this blessed Holy Ghost is a free gift. He comes to the sanctified heart. We receive Him by faith. You can receive Him today if you are saved and sanctified and there is a longing in your soul. Just get down before God and cry out for the baptism with the Holy Ghost, and receive it by faith, and get up and thank Jesus for Him, and He will manifest Himself in you.
Every man born into this world is born lame. Every man that has not Christ in his soul is a lame soul, lame in his affections, lame in his appetite, lame in his will; and there is nothing that can restore but the Blood of Jesus Christ. If you will let Him have your soul, He will restore a holy appetite, holy thoughts, a holy affection. He will be the brightest gem of your soul. Every soul since Adam sinned has been born a lame man, a lame woman; but Jesus Christ paid the debt, and He is just as willing to restore as He was 1900 years ago when He met that lame man at the pool. The man was lame; but when Jesus Christ got through with him, he was a whole man. If you will put your case in the hands of Jesus, He will heal you soul and body.
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It was the Holy Ghost that empowered Jesus to pass through the judgment hall, through the crucifixion and through the grave. That same power of the Holy Ghost raised Him from the dead. We need that same power to make us witnesses unto Him and make us able to suffer with Him, and it is that same power that is going to catch us up to meet Him in the air.
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It does not take education or anything artificial to bring the power of the Holy Ghost. It is an unseen power that the world cannot understand or learn. It is not studied up or worked up; it comes down from heaven.
