Gordon Lindsay - Men Who Heard From Heaven as Told by Themselves

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Wilbur 0«Hvl*

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SKETCHES FROM THE LIFE STORIES OF MEN WHO HAVE HEARD FROM HEAVEN AS IN BIBLE DAYS, AND WHOSE MINISTRIES ARE NOW REACHING MILLIONS OF PEOPLE ALL OVER THE WORLD FOR CHRIST

MEN WHO HEARD FROM HEAVEN

Clifton ErlduM

Gayla Jackson

Vilmr Gardner

T. I. Otbern

Raymond T. Rlchoy

W. T . Granr

Richard Vinyard

M e n W h o Heard F r o m Heaven Sketches from The Life Stories of Evangelists Whose Ministries are Reaching Millions As Told By Themselves Compiled % \ g O R D O N Author of

LINDSAY

BIBLE DAYS ARE HERE AGAIN WORLD EVANGELIZATION NOW A M A Z I N G DISCOVERIES IN T H E WORDS O F JESUS PRESENT EVENTS IN T H E LIGHT O F PROPHECY L I F E O F J O H N ALEXANDER DOWIE T H E WORLD TODAY IN PROPHECY DRAMATIC GOSPEL SKETCHES O F LIFE AND DEATH THUNDER OVER PALESTINE EDITOR O F

The Voice of Healing

PUBLISHED B Y T H E VOICE O F HEALING PUBLISHING CO.

ORAL ROBERTS UNIVERSITY LIBRARY

COPYRIGHT, 1953 BY CORDON LINDSAY

PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES A T COUNTRY LIFE PRESS, GARDEN CITY, NEW YORK

Books, from which sketches are taken, are as follows: " T H E PRICE O F GODS M I R A C L E WORKING POWER" BY "SUPERNATURAL DELIVERANCE" BY CLIFTON

A. A. A L L E N

ERICKSON

" T H E GOD O F M I R A C L E S LIVES T O D A Y " BY V E L M E R GARDNER " T H E G R A C E O F GOD IN M Y L I F E " BY W . V. G R A N T " T H E MINISTRY A N D HEALING OF A L T O N L.

HAYES"

"DIVINE D E L I V E R A N C E " BY G A Y L E JACKSON "SCARS A N D STRIPES O F C A L V A R Y " B Y S T A N L E Y W .

KAROL

"CHRISTS DELIVERANCE FOR SOUL A N D BODY" BY W .

B.

MCKAY

" H E A L I N G T H E SICK A N D C A S T I N G O U T D E V I L S " B Y T . L .

OSBORN

" i S A W T H E L O R D " B Y W I L B U R OGILVD2

Other books by these evangelists are listed below: A. A. Allen "GOD'S G U A R A N T E E T O H E A L "RECEIVE "DEMON

YOU"

YE T H E HOLY GHOST" POSSESSION—IS I T

REAL?"

Velmer Gardner "l

S P E N T S A T U R D A Y N I G H T I N T H E DEVTL'S H O U S E "

"HEALING FOR

YOU"

" W H E N GOD FIGHTS

RUSSIA"

" T H E WORLD'S M E A N E S T

THIEF"

W. V. Grant "DIVINE H E A L I N G ANSWERS,

$1"

"DIVINE H E A L I N G ANSWERS,

$2"

"FAITH FOB YOUB

HEALING"

" H O W T O R E C E I V E T H E H O L Y SPIRIT

BAPTISM"

" S P I R I T U A L GIFTS A N D H O W T O R E C E I V E

THEM"

T. L. Osborn " R E V I V A L FIRES S W E E P

CUBA"

OSBORN BOOKLETS—SET O F FIVE "THE

CREATIVE

"WORD "THE

REVELATION O F FAITH"

"INFINITE "SIX

WORD"

CONFESSION"

LIGHT"

METHODS O F POWER"

Stanley W. Karol "WHYS AND

WHEREFORES"

"YOURS F O R T H E ASKING"

All books obtainable from The Voice of Healing, Box 8658, Dallas, Texas

Contents

CHAPTER 1.

PAGE

T H E P R I C E O F GOD'S M I R A C L E - W O R K I N G P O W E R

1

A. A. Allen 2.

GODS H A N D WAS UPON M E

J

Rudy Cerullo 3.

" A N UNUSUAL

CALL TO HEALING

Clifton 4.

WITH

MINISTRY*'

12

Erickson

T H E "SWORD"—A

FLAME

19

Velmer Gardner 5.

" T H E GRACE O F GOD IN M Y LIFE"

25

W . V . Grant 6.

H O W GOD SPARED A N D DIRECTED M Y L I F E

30

Philip N. Green 7.

R E A C H I N G A C O M M U N I T Y F O R CHRIST

37

L. D. Hall 8.

" H O W GODDEALT IN M Y U F E "

44

H, E. Hardt 9.

DEATH STRUCK B U T GODPERFORMED

A MIRACLE!

54

Alton L. Hayes 10.

T H E STORY O F M Y C A L L

60

Gayle Jackson v

VI 11.

CONTENTS ONE LETTER

CHANGED M Y LIFE

73

Richard Jeffery 12.

M YTESTIMONY AND CALL

79

Stanley Karol 13.

H E C A L L E D M E T O "RESCUE T H E PERISHING"

Warren 14.

84

Litzman

I W A N T E D T O K N O W T H A T M A N C A L L E D "jESUS"

88

Michael Mastro 15.

"i SPENT

SEVEN HOURS

IN HEAVEN"

96

Rev. and Mrs. W. B. McKay 16.

" T H E A P P E A R A N C E O F CHRIST T O M E "

Louise 17.

CONFIRMED

A L C O H O L I C A T 22—NOW A MESSENGER O F

DELIVERANCE!

107

David 18.

Nunn ll6

I SAW T H E LORD

Wilbur ig.

101

Nankivell

M Y L I F E STORY

Ogilvie

A N D C A L L T O T H E HEALING MINISTRY

121

T. L. Osborn 20.

M Y PERSONAL EXPERIENCE O F T H E BAPTISM O F T H E H O L Y SPIRIT

129

Everett B. Parrott 21.

"WHAT

GOD H A T H

Rev. 22.

WROUGHT"

134

and Mrs. Raymond T. Richey

VISIONS O F T H E L O R D

148

A. C. Valdez, Jr. 23.

W H E N CHRIST O P E N E D A DOOR F O R M E

Richard Vinyard

l6l

Men Wno Heard From Heaven

(This chapter is the story of a minister who cried out to God to show him the reason that he did not have the power of God in his ministry. After battling many hours in prayer and fasting, a supernatural light filled his prayer closet and a Voice from heaven began to speak to him and tell him the reasons for his lack. The vision revolutionized his ministry.)

Gliaf>ler 1

The Price of God's Miracle-working Power BY A. A. ALLEN

H ow long had I been here in the closet? Days or just hours? Surely it seemed days since at my request I had heard my wife lock that closet door from the outside! Was I really getting anywhere with God? Would G o d answer? Would G o d satisfy that hunger of my soul or would I have to admit defeat again as so often I had done? N o , I'd stay right here on my knees until G o d answered or I would die in the attempt! T H E R E S O L U T I O N T O PRAY F O R POWER It was while pastoring my first church in Colorado, that I definitely made up my mind that I must hear from heaven, and know the reason that my ministry was not confirmed by signs and wonders.

2

MEN

WHO

HEARD F R O M H E A V E N

I felt sure if I would fast and pray, G o d would in some way speak to me, and reveal to me what stood between me and the miracle-working power of G o d in my ministry. I was so hungry for G o d i n my own life that I felt I could not stand i n the pulpit, nor ever preach again until I heard from God, and I told my wife my plan. It was then that I had the greatest battle of my life. Satan was determined that I should not fast and pray until G o d answered. M a n y times he whipped me or tricked me out of the prayer closet. Satan knew that if I ever contacted G o d , there would be much damage to his (Satan's) kingdom, and he meant to do a l l i n his power to hinder me from making that contact. D a y after day I went into the prayer closet determined to stay until G o d spoke to me. Again and again, I came out without the answer. I always justified myself by saying I would pray it through tomorrow. Things would be more favorable then. A D E T E R M I N A T I O N TO G E T T H E ANSWER One day, while at the table, God spoke to my heart. I had only taken one bite of food, and I stopped. G o d had spoken to me. I knew that until I wanted to hear from God more than anything else i n the world, more than food, more than the gratification of the flesh, G o d would never give me the answer to the question that was i n my heart! I arose quickly from the table, and said to my wife, "Honey, I mean business with G o d this time! I'm going back into that closet, and I want you to lock me inside. I am going to stay there until I hear from G o d . " I heard her lock the door from the outside. Before she left, she said, " I ' l l let you out any time you knock." I answered, " I ' l l not knock until I have the answer that I have wanted so long." A t last I had definitely made up my

GOD'S M I R A C L E - W O R K I N G P O W E R

3

mind to stay there till I heard from God, no matter at what cost! Hour after hour, I battled the devil and the flesh in that closet. Many were the times I almost gave up. It seemed to me that the days were slipping by, and my progress was so slowl Many times I was tempted to give it all up, and try to be satisfied without the answer—to go on just as I had been doing. But deep i n my soul I knew I could never be satisfied to do that. I had tried it, and found that it was not enough. No, I would stay right here on my knees until G o d answered, or die i n the attempt! T H E DOOR O F H E A V E N OPENS Then the glory of G o d began to fill the closet. I thought for a moment that my wife had opened the door as the closet began to grow light. But my wife had not opened the door of the closet—Jesus had opened the door of heaven, and the closet was flooded with light, the light of the glory of God! The presence of God was so real, so wonderful, so powerful that I felt I would die right there on my knees. It seemed that if G o d came any closer I could not stand it! Yet I wanted it, and was determined to have it! Was this my answer? Was God going to speak to me? Would God at last, after these many years, satisfy my longing heart? If only H e would speak to me now! If H e would just answer my one question: "Lord, w h y can't I heal the sick? W h y can't I work miracles i n your name? W h y do signs not follow my ministry as they d i d in that of Peter, John, and Paul?" I HEAR T H E VOICE OF GOD! T H E N , L I K E A W H I R L W I N D , I H E A R D HIS VOICE! IT W A S G O D ! H E W A S S P E A K I N G T O M E ! T H I S W A S THE GLORIOUS ANSWER FOR WHICH I H A D WAITED SO L O N G !

4

MEN

W H OHEARD F R O M

HEAVEN

In H i s presence I felt like one of the small pebbles at the foot of the towering Rockies. I felt I was unworthy even to hear His voice. But H e wasn't speaking because I was worthy. H e was speaking because I was needy. Centuries ago, H e had promised to supply that need. This was the fulfillment of that promise. It seemed to come faster than any human could possibly speak; faster than I could follow mentally. G o d was talking to me. It seemed G o d was speaking to me so rapidly I could never remember it all. Yet I knew I could never forgetl God was giving me a list of things that stood between me and the power of G o d . After each new requirement was added to the list i n my mind, there followed a brief explanation, or a sermonette, explaining that requirement and its importance. I located a short piece of pencil and a cardboard box and began to write down the things one at a time. W h e n the last requirement was written down o n the list, G o d spoke once again, and said, "This is the answer. When you have placed on the altar of consecration and obedience the last thing on your list, Y E S H A L L N O T O N L Y H E A L T H E S I C K , B U T I N M Y N A M E Y E S H A L L S E E M I G H T Y M I R A C L E S AS I N MY N A M E Y E PREACH T H E WORD, FORB E H O L D I GIVE YOU POWER OVER A L L THE POWER O F T H E ENEMY." G o d revealed to me at the same time that the things that were hindrances to my ministry, and had prevented G o d from working with me, confirming the word with the signs following, were the very same things which were hindering so many thousands of others. N o w it began to grow darker i n the closet. I felt H i s mighty power begin to lift. F o r a few more moments, H i s presence lingered, and then I was left alone. Alone, yet not alone! I trembled under the mighty, lingering presence of God.

GOD'S M I R A C L E - W O R K I N G P O W E R

5

I fumbled at the bottom of the cardboard box on which I had been writing. In the dark, I tore the part, on which I had written, from the box. In my hand I held the list. A t last here was the price I must pay for the power of God i n my life and ministry. The price-tag for the miracle-working power of Godl Frantically, I pounded on the locked door. Again and again I pounded. A t last I heard my wife coming. She opened the door. The moment she saw me, she knew that I had been with God. H e r first words were, "You've got the answer." "Yes, Honey, G o d has paid me a visit from heaven, and here is the answer." In my hand was the old brown piece of pasteboard, with the answer that had cost me so many hours of fasting and prayer and waiting, and—yes—believing! M y wife and I sat down at the table with the list before us, and as I told her the story, we both wept, as together we went down the list. There were thirteen items on the list when I came out of the closet, but I erased two which were personal, and to me alone. The remaining eleven things make up the contents of my book. There is one entire chapter devoted to each of these eleven requirements. If you, too, have longed for the manifestations of the mighty power of God in your life and ministry, I trust that these things shall inspire you, and that God may speak to you as H e d i d to me, and may lead you on to victory and greater usefulness. Since G o d spoke to me that day in the closet, many pages have been torn from the calendar. In fact many calendars have been replaced by new ones. As the time has passed, one by one I have marked the requirements from my list. Finally I was down to the last two. It seemed that I would never be able to mark off the last two. Never w i l l I forget the day I looked over the list and found only one thing left. I had to claim that promisel W h y have I seen such a change in the results of my ministry? Y o u ask why? Have you not guessed? The last item of the

6

M E N

W H O HEARD F R O M

HEAVEN

list G o d gave me i n the closet of prayer has been marked off the listl W i t h the marking off of this last requirement has come the fulfillment of God's promise. The sick are healed, devils cast out. Mighty miracles are seen i n the Name of Jesus, as His W o r d is preachedl ( T h e rest of the story of the vision is told i n Brother Allen's book, "The Price of God's Miracle-working Power.)

(Shaftter 2

God's Hand Was upon Me BY RUDY CERULLO

I was brought up a Roman Catholic, with church dogmas instilled in my mind, and no real knowledge of God's W o r d to keep me hungry for Christian truth. The two rites of the Church, "Communion," and "Confirmation," I went through with, and yet, without a knowledge of Salvation, except that I was told because I was a good Catholic, I would go to heaven when I died. Church was a formal affair, and I attended through fear of consequences, as we were told that one Sunday meeting missed would mean much agony i n purgatory, for this was considered a gross sin. I saw very few, if any, in our church striving for spiritual development, and, therefore, lost all desire for things pertaining to G o d other than a one-hour weekly visit to church. It was at this time i n life that my brother came in contact with a F u l l Gospel young man, and through his invitation, went to a Pentecostal church and was saved. Then, through the consistent Christian living of my brother Larry, I was led to feel my need of Christ and accepted the Lord as my Saviour.

8

MEN

W H O HEARD F R O M H E A V E N

I confessed my sins to H i m and then, through faith, accepted the washing away of my sins to the saving of my soul. This was different from m y church for there, by the rites and church membership, heaven would be attained, but, praise G o d , I found true deliverance to a heart hungry for G o d and ready to receive H i m . I immediately, after salvation, sought the baptism and received a wonderful experience, after which G o d called me to preach. This call came to me when I was seeking G o d and reading, " W i t h Signs Following." I read one day a prayer that I pinned i n m y Bible. " G o d , find my heart i n closest intimacy with Thee, that I will give my life to Thee until I expect and have a ministry with signs following, the preaching of the W o r d . " Thus, at an early age, I felt a call to a ministry of Bible Deliverance that didn't begin to be fulfilled until nine years later. D u r i n g these nine years, I preached at young people's services, on street corners, and i n jails and missions. Then, at the proper time, I took my Bible school training. After graduation from Bible School, I ministered about two and a half years i n pastoral and evangelistic work where I came i n close contact w i t h the ministry of Deliverance. U p until this time, it was very difficult to have the size and quality of meetings I longed to be i n , where G o d could work in a supernatural way, but I saw how it could begin when I attended my first Healing Campaign i n Reading, Pennsylvania, under the ministries of Brothers T. L . Osborn, and Gordon Lindsay. It was i n this meeting that my hunger was intensified a thousandfold for a real ministry of the supernatural. Just as I read, and prayed and felt called in this manner nine years before, I again felt the same surge of glory in my soul with a witness that T H I S W A S IT, and I wouldn't be satisfied with anything less!

GOD'S H A N D

WAS

UPON

M E

9

Before my very eyes God performed such miracles and displayed such power through His servants, that I realized truly, "Bible Days were here again." I praise G o d that the Lord led me into this great deliverance ministry, which nine years before, God had revealed H e wanted me to have. This all transpired because two men of God obeyed H i m and visited our section of the country. I am very happy that I am now associated with them in the great project of the Voice of Healing. The Reading, Pennsylvania, meeting was the first Healing revival I attended, but it was enough to convince me that G o d had this ministry for me as a fulfillment of my call nine years before. Feeling this so strongly, I went home, and canceled two scheduled meetings, and sought G o d until I felt assured, upon the promises of God's Word, that I, too, could pray for the sick, and they would be healed. During this time of seeking G o d for a ministry of Bible Deliverance, I attended a few of the Vinyard meetings i n Linden, N . J., the first time he was there. It was there that all my questions and fears about launching out into this ministry were removed by the godly guidance of Brother Vinyard, whom the L o r d made a real blessing to me. In my first Salvation-Healing Revival in the fall of 1949, on the first night, G o d showed Himself to be the God that answers prayer. I prayed for the sick that night and G o d healed a man who was deaf in both ears, and a girl who had been deaf i n one ear all her life. From that night, I was persuaded that the individual led by God with a "Thus saith the L o r d , " could accomplish mighty exploits through believing faith. T H E F I R S T R E A L M I R A C L E came in the second Healing Revival we had, in Western Pennsylvania. W e were looking

10

MEN

WHO

HEARD F R O M H E A V E N

to G o d for a break. O n the third night, a man came in with a bad case of palsy, and an injured spine sustained in a foundry accident two years before which left him a complete cripple in the left leg. H e had to drag it along and had no use of it or the four small toes on the left leg. Also, there were four dead, or numb spots on his leg. H e was operated on and the doctor's diagnosis was that several vertebrae were crushed. They said he would never work again. This crippled-palsied man was saved, and then wanted to come into the prayer line. At this point (early in my healing ministry) a fear gripped me, and I told him to wait three days while I fasted and prayed until I was sure G o d would heal him. Suddenly G o d spoke to me and said, "Who is going to heal him anyway?" That was enough for me, for almost immediately an unexplainable power swept over me which minimized my fear and gave me power to rebuke Satan. I called the man into the prayer line and was given such freedom in prayer as I breathed the name of Jesus. I felt such an anointing upon me as I prayed, "In the Name of Jesus" three times. I opened my eyes and saw that his palsy had stopped instantly. The man asked what he should do next. Since I had never before seen anyone prayed for as a cripple and did not know how to answer him, I sought God's guidance and H e led me, and spoke through me. I heard myself say, "Walk in Jesus' Name," and walk he d i d ! At first, his leg dragged, then it loosened. Oh, how he praised G o d ! The Biblical story of the cripple at the Gate Beautiful came to my mind, and I asked the man to do the same things. I said, "Run, in the name of Jesus," and run he did after which he turned flips in the air, crying out and praising G o d , saying, "I'm healed, not only the palsy is gone, but my injured spine, crippled leg, and four dead spots on my leg are healed, and G o d has placed new life in my body." H e went back to work seven days later.

GOD'S H A N D

WAS

W O N

M E

11

It was that miracle which caused me to so yield to G o d that fear could no longer hinder me. After that, a fearless move of God's Spirit prevailed in all our services. God then led me into greater doors of services and instead of preaching to the tens and twenties, God gave us hundreds and even thousands to minister to. W e secured a tent seating 1800, then went to Mexico, where hundreds were healed and hundreds came to G o d nightly. Since that time, the L o r d has allowed me to minister to many in Convention Halls, large evangelistic meetings, large churches, tent meetings, and camp meetings. I have had the privilege of ministering in three different countries. The Lord's guiding hand, and the Spirit's leading has revolutionized my living, and accelerated my ministry. A l l manner of sicknesses, disease and habits have been dispelled in the name of Jesus, because my hunger for the supernatural led me to a new fellowship with God, W h o , in turn, gave a new ministry with "Signs Following." H o w I thank and praise H i m because H e called me, as a young boy, into His service. Also, may I say, in closing, that when Bible Deliverance came within the scope of my ministry, it brought a Salvation and Holy Ghost Baptism ministry that before was unknown to me. More people have been saved and filled in one deliverance meeting, than I used to have i n six to twelve months of revival campaigns before. Therefore, I say " O h , how much the Lord has done for me!"

Gkofikr

3

" A n Unusual Call to Healing Ministry" BY CLIFTON ERICKSON

The call of G o d has been upon my life since I was a boy. At approximately five years of age, I turned to my mother one day and said: "Mother, when I grow up I am going to be a preacher." Something caused me to say that, and I am sure it was the Spirit of the L o r d . When I became eighteen years of age, we were living on a ranch which was located in the foothills about twelve miles from Wenatchee, Washington. A converted logger began a revival campaign i n a little packing shed three miles from where we lived. After working ten long hours in the field, we would walk over the hills to hear this man preach the gospel. CONVERTED IN PACKING SHED One memorable night, with tears streaming down his face, he preached a simple message telling of the Love of G o d and His power to save. As he plead with the people to repent and be converted, m y only sister rose to her feet, went forward and dropped upon her knees, then my mother and father and my

"AN

UNUSUAL C A L L TO HEALING MINISTRY"

13

two brothers followed, and all of them knelt together at the altar. As I stood at the rear of the building, there was a strange stirring in my soul as the Spirit strove with me. I knew the call of G o d was upon me for the ministry, and I faced a decisive moment i n my life. The minister had preached into my very heart, and I was deeply convicted of my sins. I continued to deliberate for a short time, and then surrendered my w i l l completely to the Master, and went forward to the altar. As I knelt and asked the Lord to forgive my sins, and deliver me from my bondage, a sweet peace came into my soul. I knew that I had at last found the true joy for which I had been seeking. In the light of H i s glory and grace, the things of the world became strangely dim. Immediately after my conversion I began to devote much time to Christian work. I undertook the responsibility of being young people's leader i n the little community church, and during that time many of the young people of the community were gloriously converted. I soon began to realize my need for a deeper walk with G o d . We had been studying i n the book of Acts concerning the Baptism of the H o l y Spirit, and I was convinced that this Bible experience was for me, so I began to seek for it with all my heart. I finally became so desperate that I determined to fast and pray. As I was praying, the Spirit of the Lord came upon me, and these words were spoken: "If you w i l l fast and pray for three days, you w i l l receive the Baptism of the Holy Ghost at ten o'clock the third evening." M y heart was thrilled with expectancy as I waited for the promise. RECEIVES U N U S U A L SPIRITUAL E X P E R I E N C E The third evening we decided to have a prayer meeting and many Christians gathered together in our home to seek the face of the Lord. As I prayed, I K N E W that the message I had

14

MEN

WHO

HEARD F R O M H E A V E N

received would be fulfilled. I waited, and W H E N T E N O'CLOCK ARRIVED, T H E POWER O F GOD CAME A N D S W E P T M E A C R O S S T H E R O O M , L E A V I N G M E PROSTRATE U P O N T H E FLOOR. THEN, A N A N G E L WAS S E E N B Y M Y F A T H E R AS IT A P P E A R E D I N T H E R O O M AND H O V E R E D OVER M E , REACHING FORWARD TO CLASP M Y HANDS AS T H E Y RESTED U P O N M Y BOSOM. As I was lying there, with the power of G o d mightily upon me, I felt the hands of the angel. M Y F A T H E R S A W A T O N G U E O F FIRE APPEAR IN T H E ROOM, REST UPON M Y H E A D , A N D D I S A P P E A R AS IT E N T E R E D M Y BODY. A T THIS M O M E N T I F E L T A BURNING, CLEANSING F L A M E ENTER, A N D SURGE T H R O U G H M E , IN W A V E A F T E R W A V E , INCREASING IN INTENSITY UNTIL IT S E E M E D THAT MY W H O L E BEING WAS B E I N G P U R G E D . Then I felt a power begin to move within, and increase until I could restrain myself no longer, I O P E N E D M Y M O U T H A N D B E G A N TO SPEAK IN A H E A V E N L Y L A N G U A G E , extolling and praising G o d for His marvelous power and glory. I had received the Baptism of the H o l y Spirit. The message spoken to me three days before, had come to pass. After this glorious experience, others began to prophesy in this manner: "If thou wilt prove thyself faithful and obey my call, I w i l l place my power upon thee, and thou shalt go forth in a ministry of deliverance. If thou wilt stay humble, I w i l l show thee my w i l l , and thou shalt minister to great congregations. I will confirm the preaching of my word with signs and wonders, and many shall be saved." After this experience, I walked in heavenly places for days. As I walked and talked with God, the joy I experienced was indescribable.

"AN

UNUSUAL CALL

TO HEALING

MINISTRY"

15

CHOOSES WIFE A short time later, I met the young lady, Miss Vivian Gardner, who was to be my life companion. W e were engaged, and after much prayer and waiting upon the Lord, we were happily married. After our marriage, we went through a time of severe trial and testing. Vivian had been suffering a great deal from stomach ulcers, and was finally confined to bed, for she could not keep even a cup of warm water i n her stomach. W e finally became desperate. I went upon my knees by the bedside, and we cried out to God for deliverance. As we prayed, I felt inspired to place my hands upon her, and rebuke the affliction. When I did, the power of God came so mightily that the whole bed shook from the impact, and my wife arose, healed. F A C E D WITH BLINDNESS The following winter we went through another severe trial. We were hauling logs from the mountains down to the farm, where we cut them into cordwood. The spring hanger bolt on the truck had sheared off, and I was replacing it with a new one. As I was pounding it i n with a hammer, a piece of steel struck my eye. Thinking that the piece of steel had merely glanced off the eyeball, cutting it, I neglected going to the doctor, but when the pain became unbearable, I went and found that my condition was very critical. The steel had pierced the eyeball, and lodged in the pupil. After several attempts the physician finally removed it, and when he did, the mucus ran out. He then told me that infection had begun in both eyes, and there was a possibility that I would become totally blind. H e put a bandage over the pierced eye, and told me to return. I went back twice, but he gave me no hope, for

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my condition was much worse. By this time, the pain was becoming so excruciating that I could hardly bear it. I will never forget how I felt, as I walked away from the doctor's office, faced with the seriousness of my condition. I had finally come to the realization that my condition was hopeless as far as human help was concerned and my only hope was to trust G o d . As I considered the possibility of the removal of both eyes, and of being blind all my life, I determined not to return to the physician, but to trust the One Who had saved my soul, and become my dearest friend. I prayed: "Jesus, You have never failed me, and I know that at this time when I am in such dire need, Y o u w i l l intervene and heal me." M y suffering became more intense, I had to keep my hand over my unbandaged eye most of the time for the light would cause great pain. Most of my time was spent i n bed, or pacing the floor and praying. W e heard that there was to be a Bible Conference in Wenatchee, so I decided to go and be prayed for. Several ministers who believed i n the power of God were there. After the message was preached, I went forward and asked them to pray for me. As they prayed, I felt healing virtue go through my eyes, and I tore the dark glasses and bandage off. When I opened my eyes I was staring at a large light bulb, but felt no distress. I went home that night praising G o d for His mercy. The next morning as I awakened, I was in great pain, my eyes seemed to be worse than they were before. I dressed and went into the living room, and began to pace the floor, and pray in this manner: " O h G o d , I know you healed me last night. L o r d , I believe your word. You said: 'They shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.' ( M a r k 18:18.) If there is anything hindering the fulfillment of your promise i n my behalf, I pray that you w i l l show me." M y wife and parents tried to show me sympathy, but I refused, for I knew that if I received their sympathy I would be giving up. I was facing the

"AN

UNUSUAL CALL

TO HEALING

MINISTRY"

17

crisis, I had to believe God, and not become resigned to my condition. The tears were streaming down my face from the pain. I finally became exhausted and went to bed, and plead for them to come and pray for me that I would have faith and not give up. (Friends, O F T E N T I M E S W E H A V E T O R E A C H OUR EXTREMITY, BEFORE W E A R E IN A POSITION T O R E A C H G O D . ) I arose again and went into the living room and began to pray. As I paced the floor, G o d began to speak to me, regarding the call into the ministry. I had hesitated, because I so keenly felt my incapability. I was just a farm boy, and I could not see how I would be able to preach the Gospel to the multitudes. The call that I had received had become vague i n my memory, and I had been neglectful, but now I was facing the issue. I knew deliverance would come, only as I was willing to be obedient to the call. I said: "Yes, Lord, what is it that you want me to do?" Then the message came: "If you w i l l obey my voice, and do my w i l l , I w i l l heal your eyes." I said: "I w i l l . " Then the Lord spoke again, telling me to go to a certain town i n an adjoining state, and begin to preach the Gospel. I answered: " L o r d , w i l l you speak to my wife, that she too may know your w i l l ? " In a short time, my wife came from another room, where she had been praying and said: "Honey, G o d has just spoken to me. H e said if we w i l l go to a certain town, and begin preaching the Gospel, you w i l l be healed." S H E H A D R E C E I V E D T H E M E S S A G E A F T E R I H A D P R A Y E D T H A T IT W O U L D B E R E V E A L E D . M y brother-in-law and sister consented to go with us, and we made preparation as quickly as possible. M y brother-in-law drove, for I was unable to do so. When we arrived at our destination, a home was miraculously provided, and we began meetings in a small auditorium. W e had just enough money to make the trip and rent this place for our meetings. I C O U L D N O T S E E TO R E A D , B U T T H E FIRST N I G H T AS I S T O O D T O P R E A C H M Y S E R M O N , I C O U L D S E E T O

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R E A D M Y T E X T . The following day I suffered, but when it was time to preach, I C O U L D A G A I N S E E T O R E A D . W e continued, and when two weeks had expired, I could see perfectly. I was able to read and drive my car, I was completely healed. What rejoicing there was, how we praised G o d that we had obeyed His voice. I H A V E H A D M Y E Y E S T E S T E D , A N D T H E Y A R E P E R F E C T L Y N O R M A L . (Dear friend, if you are in difficulty, be encouraged to stand fast, and believe God, for the answer w i l l come.) PROMISED MINISTRY BEGINS W e had campaigns, through the winter months, in several assemblies; and then were invited to conduct a revival i n one of the largest churches in the state. In this meeting, many received the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, and several were converted, but there was an increasing hunger in my soul to see greater things. In desperation, I went before the L o r d in fasting and prayer. I knew that the multitudes could be reached only as God intervened by means of the supernatural. The condition of this lost world became my burden, and I cried: " O h God, if you can, use me for the sake of others." The words of the Master: "Ye shall receive P O W E R , after the Holy Ghost is come upon y o u , " were emblazoned before my eyes. P O W E R to cast out devils, P O W E R to heal the sick, P O W E R to preach convincingly to the lost. The L o r d spoke to my soul again, as H e did in days past. "Son, keep i n mind at all times, that as I bless and anoint you, it shall be for the sake of others only. You must realize, without me you are unable to minister effectively, but as you stay humble, and seek my face, you shall know my power, and see my glory." Little did I realize, that the prophecies I had heard years ago, and the message I had just received, would be literally fulfilled in a few short days.

@kaf>ier 4

Witn tne '"Sword" . . . a Flame BY VELMER GARDNER

I graduated from the Northwestern Bible College in 1938 in Seattle, Washington. I immediately entered the evangelistic ministry, and also served as the President of the Alumni Association of this school for nine years. After a short time on the evangelistic field I pastored three churches in the state of Washington. It was while pastoring my last church in 1943 that G o d began to speak to my soul i n a greater way than ever before. I spent hours in prayer and God gave me faith to believe H i m for great revivals with miracles of healing. I resigned my church, bought a trailer house, secured a correspondence school course for our two children and started out believing God for Apostolic revival. I had dedicated my life afresh to God and had promised H i m to pray for the sick i n every revival. In the first campaign I prayed for many hours a day seeking God for a demonstration of His power. I read the book of Acts again and again. M y heart was broken as I compared it with

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our churches and evangelism today. I listened to the great men of faith, such as Smith Wigglesworth and Dr. Charles Price, and my soul was stirred and faith inspired. I cried out to G o d and said, " W h y can't w e have meetings like that today?" G o d spoke to my soul and said, "You can if you'll pay the price." I determined to have God's best regardless of the cost and to let this generation see the power of God. I announced a healing service for the next night and spent all day fasting and praying. The devil came to me and said, "Not very many people get healed when you pray for them, do they?" I answered, " N o . " ( N o use trying to lie.) Those were days when faith was very low. Very few preached healing or had any faith. I had a lot of hope and a little faith. One man stood and testified like this: "I thank God for His healing power. I had a very bad cold. So I left church early, took a hot bath, drank some hot lemonade, took a couple of aspirins, rubbed myself down good with Vicks, put on a hot mustard plaster and went to bed and trusted God to heal me." (Amazing faith how sweet the sound.) Yes, those were difficult days to pray for the sick and the devil was trying to discourage me. I rose from my knees and began to talk back to the devil. I said, "Listen devil, I'm praying for the sick tonight. If the first one I pray for falls dead I'll say, 'Next.' If that one dies, I'll go on down the line. If they all die I'll go to another church and start praying for the sick there. I'm going to pray for the sick because God's W o r d says, if I call He'll answer, if I lay hands on the sick they'll recover. M y job is to pray, it's up to G o d to heal." The devil left me then and a new revelation of the power of God's word flooded my soul. I prayed for the sick that night and many miracles were wrought by H i s power. I prayed for the sick then i n every meeting and w e saw miracles of healing that shook cities and brought great revivals.

WITH

T H E "SWORD"

. . .

A FLAME

21

In Eugene, Oregon, i n 1948 I conducted my fourth revival campaign for Pastor Gordon Kampfer. The meeting had a small beginning, but finally grew to tremendous proportions, with people saved and healed and filled every night. Great crowds came for many miles each night. This great revival lasted for 10 weeks. It was during this meeting that God visited my soul again. I was praying and reading the Bible one Saturday morning. I read Mark 13:34, " F o r the Son of M a n is as a man taking a far journey, who left H i s house and gave authority to His servants." T H I S V E R S E O F S C R I P T U R E S E E M E D T O L E A P O U T O F T H E PAGES O F T H E B I B L E INTO M Y V E R Y S O U L . Then God spoke to my soul and showed me the "authority'' He had given to His servants today, and that no sickness, disease or devils could stand before our prayers. He showed me that every demon power was subject to His servants that were filled with His power. I immediately began to pray for the sick with a new found faith. It wasn't a struggle anymore. G o d had spoken to me through His word and at last I had a living faith for suffering humanity. A short time prior to this great experience with God, I was in another revival in Washington state. The news came to me that D r . Price and Wigglesworth had both suddenly been called to heaven. I went down i n the basement of the church and cried my heart out. I thought of all the sick, twisted, deformed, broken bodies. A n d then I thought of how few men were praying for the sick and had a compassion for the suffering. I cried until it seemed I couldn't stop. Both of these men had been such a help to me. I cried, " O h , God why did you take them? The world is filled with sickness and disease. The world needs the faith of Wigglesworth and the preaching of Price, but now they're dead and their message gone." In brokenhearted despair I lay before G o d on the cold basement floor. T H E N L I K E A M I G H T Y F L A M E O F F I R E

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G O D ' S SPIRIT B E G A N T O B U R N W I T H I N M Y S O U L . I knew that I was i n the presence of the One that walked into the fiery furnace. I knew that the God that sent fire on Carmel had seen my tears. H i s Spirit spoke to me and said, "It is true, Price my servant is dead, Wigglesworth my servant is dead. But the God of Price and Wigglesworth still lives. A n d if you will humble yourself and walk softly before me, I will be with you as I was with them." God promised miracles of healing and revivals that would shake the world. I leaped to my feet and began to praise G o d for the answer to prayers that had burdened my soul for years. At that very time G o d began to raise up men all over the country. M e n of faith. M e n that believed God. Men of prayer. Men of holy character. Miracles of healing were wrought. BIBLE DAYS W E R E H E R E AGAIN. At this time Rev. Gordon Lindsay invited me to his church in Ashland, Oregon, where he was pastoring. We were there nine weeks and again God moved in a great way. During our stay there, Brother Lindsay told me of the great burden on his heart for bringing the churches together in great Union Campaigns and the great revival he believed God was going to send the world. It was during our time in Ashland that he resigned this thriving church and organized the Voice of Healing magazine. In the providence of G o d , Bro. Lindsay organized some great Union Healing Campaigns i n the state where I was in meetings. I postponed one of my meetings and went to a week of these healing services. I saw the verse of scripture God had burned into my soul, " o n our authority over sickness and the devil," put into practice by God's humble servants. I saw what God would do if we dared to believe. I saw miracles that thrilled my soul. Immediately I began holding meetings i n large auditoriums and saw G o d move with signs and wonders I had never seen before. People would come for hundreds of

WITH

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. . .

A FLAME

23

miles every day to the services. Scores were being saved. God's blessing was upon my soul. I was the happiest I ever had been in my entire ministry. I was sure everyone would be as happy over these great revivals as I was. However I soon found out that this was not the case. M a n y of my friends began to oppose these great revivals. I knew that if I wasn't careful I would lose the favor of men. I had invitations to nearly a l l the largest churches in our movement. So to keep popular I compromised the message God had given me. I stopped praying for the sick and even began opposing some of the men i n the healing ministry. God's blessing lifted from my soul. The meetings became empty and lifeless. God's anointing had departed. I became discouraged and was planning on quitting the ministry. M y great revivals were over. N o healings, very few conversions, no one being filled with the Spirit. M y soul was empty of God's blessing. I still had more invitations for meetings than I could fill, but I wasn't satisfied. There were no results. God was merciful once again and allowed me to go to another great healing revival. There I heard God's Word preached under one of the greatest anointings I had ever felt in all my fife. I saw hundreds answer a single altar call. I saw miracles that stirred my soul. I saw Jesus being exalted and magnified. I cried out to G o d and asked H i m to forgive me. / prayed and cried out to God all night and promised God if He would forgive me and anoint me again I'd preach the gospel of deliverance without compromise or fear of man. I told God I'd follow Him if every church in America closed its doors to me. I promised God I'd preach healing and pray for the sick if I had to do it in the corn fields. I felt the fire of G o d once again begin to burn i n my soul. Immediately hundreds began coming to Christ i n our meetings. Miracles of healing were again wrought. We purchased a large tent and equipment and have seen thousands come to the altar

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seeking salvation. W e have seen hundreds receive the Holy Ghost. W e have seen totally blind eyes instantly opened. W e have seen the deaf hear and cancers and tumors die. W e have seen dying people leap from stretchers. W e have seen the paralyzed leave wheel chairs. W e have seen the lame leave their crutches and limp no more. Friends, B I B L E D A Y S A R E H E R E A G A I N and as for me and my house " W E W I L L S E R V E T H E L O R D . "

Gkaf>Ur 5

"Tke Grace of God in My Life" BY W. V. GRANT

JLhere were a few things that I wanted to do before I got saved. I wanted "to get" a certain school teacher who had whipped me unmercifully with a stiff limb. I intended to "bump off' a guy who had stolen a gun and had given me so much trouble. I intended to kill a neighbor's mule because he had killed our mule; and, of course, there were a few places I wanted to go before I changed my way of living. I began to pray, but determined that no one should know that I was under conviction until I was saved. I had an impression to tell Mama, but I was ashamed. Every time I would start to pray, I would hear someone coming and look up to find no one. I began to feel that I was the meanest man in all the world. Among the mean things which came up before me was a picture of myself in the back of churches laughing and making fun. I thought of how I mocked those who had testified. At last I made up my mind to go to the altar, during a large revival campaign of about five thousand people. I knelt down and

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began to pray. I can still hear those prayers of the neighbors and kinfolks, as they surrounded me i n that sawdust. As I unloaded, I got to where I could lift one hand at a time and then lift my head before that large crowd. I then unloaded all my sins, and my feet were so light that it seemed I was just touching the floor now and then. I felt as light as a feather, instead of as heavy as a bale of cotton. JESUS H E A L E D M E I was prayed for to be healed the night I received the Holy Ghost, but the next morning I could see no difference i n my physical condition. As I was praying, i n the bottom of a dry branch near the corn patch, I opened Mama's Bible and Exodus 15:26 seemed to leap out above all the rest of the verses, just for me. I d i d not know that it was in the Bible before. The verse said that if I would obey God, I was healed. The devil said no one could obey G o d , but that I would die. I told him it would be a short route to glory. God then sent a peace into my soul which drove out all fear, doubt, worry and unbelief. 7 threw my medicine down. I did not know how, hut I believed that I could go on without it. About two weeks passed before I could tell a great deal of difference; but somehow G o d helped me to live. In two months I had gained twenty-five pounds; in six months forty pounds. U p until then, my stomach had felt as dead as a piece of wood, but now it was alive. I began clearing land for seventy-five cents a tenhour day. M y uncle had the same trouble I had had. I wrote him such a long letter that he had to pay extra postage to get it. H o w ever, he d i d not believe me. H e died soon thereafter. After Jesus healed me, I could plow all day and could walk from four to fourteen miles to and from church each night. Previously I was not able to stay u p until nine o'clock one

"THE

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O F GOD IN M Y L I F E "

27

night each week. It seemed that I was now living in a new world among new people. THE LORD WILL GUIDE After I was saved and filled with the Spirit, the Lord began teaching me to trust H i m for guidance, even in the little details of life. One night I was riding O l d Lidge, a twenty-five-yearold, bare-backed, tough-mouthed, stubborn mule through those mountain roads, which all looked alike, when I lost my way to a cottage prayer meeting. After trying a long time to keep him from going home, I decided to just turn him loose and pray. Old Lidge turned off each road just right and carried me to the door of the prayer-meeting, stopping at the gate. If God can guide a mule, we should not be more stubborn than Old Lidge. I was determined to pray three times each day as Daniel did, and I prayed for G o d to let me go through something as Job d i d , so I could show H i m how I loved H i m by trusting H i m . I prayed for hours at a time with my face i n the leaves, pine-straw or the cotton-seed. God saved many of the roughest boys in that country. One lady told me that she d i d not approve of her boy running with me, after I had helped him get saved and filled with the Spirit. She said she wanted him to make a mark i n the world. H e joined the army and was lost in battle after he backslid. SAW FIRST " H E A L I N G C A M P A I G N " Sometime after I had been called to the ministry and was pastoring a church, I heard that several of my members and some other neighbors were going to Shreveport, Louisiana, to a "Healer." I will admit that something within me rebelled against the thought. One of them gave me a magazine called

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"THE VOICE OF HEALING." After I read this I saw no one claimed to be a " H E A L E R . " I changed my mind and told them I believed I w o u l d go along with them. I felt impressed of the Lord to carry others who needed healing. There I saw Brother and Sister Gordon Lindsay and Brother H a l l and a girls' trio for my first time. I was amazed as I saw the results that took place i n that "Healing Campaign." It seemed like Bible Days were here again. The only fault I could find was they were doing many times as much as I was. Then when I saw the group who responded to the altar-call my heart cried out, "That is just what the world needs today!" People were there from far and near. I stepped to the phone and told my wife I would not be home as early as I had planned. B u t I stayed and observed this, and realized that i t was what my heart had always cried out for. I went back happy because my members received marvelous healings. It would have been so easy for me to get up and preach against " H E A L E R S " the next Sunday morning. But I am so glad I went and found it to be just what I had been trying to do, but on a much larger scale. It is better to get a hundred souls saved than one. From that day the desire to stay there and toil for weeks to get two or three saved left me. I decided that I would stay in my room and pray two hours each morning and two hours each afternoon. "FASTING A N D PRAYER" U p to that time I had been against long fasts, and I am yet, unless G o d leads i n that direction. I had never fasted over four days. After getting a preacher to take care of my church, I shut myself up i n a room and fasted the number of days that G o d directed. On the last day of the fast, the voice of the Lord spoke

"THE

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29

plainly to me. I will not tell you what it said, but you can read it in Mark 16:17-18. It is so real when God speaks a verse direct to you. I would not take a thousand worlds for that experience. It was something I had been waiting on to happen for seventeen years as I prayed and waited. It was just what I believed always, even before I was saved. I have had no new revelation. I did not know exactly all that God had done for me at that time until later. Immediately, I saw people healed of heart trouble, cancer, arthritis, and several things. People were delivered from whiskey and cigarettes, surprising the neighbors. The Sunday School went to twice as much as it was when we came there, and people came for miles to be prayed for. Several were delivered from the hospitals. One night God gave me a vision about my future connection with " T H E V O I C E O F H E A L I N G " Magazine, even giving me the new address which they now have. N o one knew about it then, as far as I know.

Ghafiier

6

How Go J Spared and Directed My Life BY PHILIP N. GREEN

A state of emergency had existed for more than thirty-two hours. A baby boy, prematurely born, lay very still in the anxious arms of the eighteen-year-old mother, while the spark of life flickered only faintly as dawn replaced darkness on April 17, 1916. This crisis had chilled the pride of heart and cut deep lines i n the face of the father as he silently watched for every sign of life i n his first-born. The doctor, very weary from his constant vigil throughout the long night, looked apprehensively at the tiny form, and broke the stillness with somber words. "Your baby has little chance to five; if he survives, continual illness w i l l be his lot, and he w i l l be a daily care all the days of his life." O n Doctor Bradley's books today can be found a n entry of ten dollars for services rendered— "why charge more for a dying child's entrance into this life?" F o r many weeks i n the small, red house beside the railroad tracks i n Calumet City, Illinois, the old oil lamp burned low every night. T h e bitter battle for life continued over a period of many months as complications were met one by one.

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LIFE

31

Outside and to the right stood the single bridge over the Calumet River. At infrequent intervals the bridge had to be moved by hand in a semi-circle to make room for passing boats. For this work the company paid my father a mere sixty dollars a month. Every two or three weeks for fourteen years, D r . Bradley was summoned to our home. D a y or night, he would come to do what he could to keep life i n a suffering, feverish, weak and pain-racked body. When I was six, my parents moved to 4522 Towle Avenue, Hammond, Indiana, where they still reside. School days were unhappy days, while the cloud of repeated illnesses hung low. My weight was never up to standard. Lack of blood plagued me in spite of medications. A crossed right eye with a weak left eye made glasses necessary even before school days began. My tonsils would swell often and literally fell apart when removed, when I was twelve. Infected and soft teeth brought suffering when other pains were mercifully quiet. M y lungs were not strong, and general constitutional weakness resulted in multiplied pains through the utter lack of the essentials that would make one robust. Every winter brought fevers, colds, pains; every summer brought regret because lack of strength kept me out of happy childhood games. During many a night, the only rest possible came while dozing between the groans that would awaken me to the consciousness of multiplied pains in my entire body. I was dismissed from school by order of the doctor for some months because of my condition. The mental impact, especially when one feels that a normal life w i l l not be possible, is most dreadful. Sooner or later it leads to frustration. I wept alone many hours, fully conscious of sub-normal health. In the bathroom one day with the door locked, I opened the familiar medicine cabinet and wondered what would end mv suffering quickly and relieve the strain on

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family finances. Continual suffering had been my lot, while my parents and two younger sisters enjoyed good health. During my fourteenth year, I overheard my mother and a friend talking about a certain Pentecostal church. After repeated requests to attend, I found myself listening to a tall Kentucky preacher on January 2, 1931. H e invited sinners to the altar and, although mother was tugging at my coat, I pressed forward to the altar, and was saved that night. I was baptized i n the Holy Spirit on February 8th, and called to preach M a r c h 31st. M y first sermon was delivered on A p r i l 10, 1931 just one week from my fifteenth birthday. I then resolved to trust G o d for my healing. This shocked my parents, because for fourteen years I had lived by the aid of many things medical. Faith grew and my glasses were removed i n September of 1931, after wearing them for nine years. A physician had said my eyes could never be any better; therefore, I resolved to trust God to heal my eyes, also. Instantly God healed them, as I believed H i m . M y eyes have been perfect since that dayl Training was next. I n 1932, I attended Central Bible Institute and during the summer held evangelistic meetings in Alabama. License to preach was issued during that summer when I was seventeen. After the second year in Bible School, I returned to Alabama for evangelistic meetings. In 1935, I graduated from Central Bible Institute, at 19. The same year —on Christmas Eve, I married Montez Coleman at Frisco City, Alabama, whom I had met i n the Excel Tabernacle, Excel, Alabama, when I held a revival there. She was the president of the Christ's Ambassadors there, and was going with an unsaved young man, whom she nobly purposed to win to the Lord. However, I soon persuaded her she should marry a preacher— me, which she did. Rev. A . L . Shell officiated. I was ordained i n January, 1936 in Sullivan, M o . Our first pastorate was in A s h Grove, Missouri. After a few months, we

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entered evangelistic work and went to Florida. By a miracle, Florida Bible Institute opened its doors and I graduated in May, 1937 while pastoring a small church i n Tampa. Taylor University was our next educational stop and we both worked hard that year. Financial difficulties did not permit us to return to that great school of the Methodist Conference. M y wife and I accepted the pastorate of the Assembly of G o d church i n Eagle Lake, Florida, i n 1938. While there our daughter—Norma Montez Green was born on June 28, 1939. Soon after her birth, we felt the L o r d leading us, and for one and one-half years stayed in evangelistic work, using original blackboard charts in the South and East. While i n this work and when holding a revival i n Gary, Indiana, in 1941, we were invited to start a new work in C h i cago. A group of Southern people asked that we become their leaders. W e remained i n that city eight years, and Chicago Gospel Assembly continues to operate at 1901 North Lowell. I had planned to remain in Chicago for years, but G o d had other plans for us. M y wife became seriously i l l , in February 1946, and went quickly down to the doors of death. Loved ones came from Alabama and Indiana. G o d worked a miracle and raised her up, but the nerve strain of the big city made it necessary for us to leave Chicago. I was crushed, but God knew bestl Through her illness, G o d was dealing with me to make a deeper consecration to H i m . Divine Healing Revivals had begun. One evangelist was i n Chicago. Sister Green wanted to attend because she had not received sufficient strength i n her body to stay up all day. G o d gave strength to my wife, and did a work i n my heart at the same time, calling me gradually into the knowledge that I was to have a ministry of miracles. W e moved to Florida and took a teaching position i n Trinity College (Pentecostal). There, in the sunshine, my wife im-

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proved and gained strength enough to attend classes regularly. W e graduated together when she received her B.A. degree and I completed my thesis for the Master's degree. During the early part of the year of 1950, because of H i s dealings with me, I was so constantly conscious that the L o r d had a richer, fuller ministry for me than I had ever known, and I daily sought H i m , fasting and praying much to learn more fully what H i s w i l l for my life was. O n the 17th of A p r i l that year, I went down to the beach and spent that day apart from everyone, in fasting and prayer, and asked the Lord to show me in such a way definitely what His complete will for my life was. Therefore, it is not strange that the latter part of May, 1950, while reading a text on philosophy in my office, preparing to write a text on the "Believers Approach to Philosophy," the L o r d spoke O N E S E N T E N C E to me, "If you will close your library, and read only one Book, I will give you miracles wherever you go." I was a bit surprised and amazed, though I should not have been. O n June 1st, I began systematic Bible reading that takes me through the Bible from Genesis to Revelation six times a year. Two revivals had been arranged for the summer months, so we went to Ghicago for the first Tevival. I had an interview with the Dean of the Graduate School, University of Chicago, and received papers for admission for work toward the Doctor of Philosophy degree. Transcripts had been submitted and tentative acceptance had been given. I was happy. About a week later in my old study in Chicago, one day I found myself on my back on the floor with the glory of G o d so mighty upon me, that I wept in fear. A burning sensation was evident i n my chest. I was neither unconscious nor in a trance. N o person was to be seen—only the wonderful presence of God!

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That night, the sick requested to be prayed for; this had not been planned. During my entire ministry, to be sure, I had prayed for the sick—rather half-heartedly, as they came and asked me to pray for them, as most Pentecostal pastors and ministers prayed for the sick, though—I'll confess—I rather wished they would not make that request of me, because I knew i n my heart that I d i d not have sufficient faith for the L o r d to heal them, but I d i d want to have. I felt that God's powerful visitation i n my body had resulted from the reading of His Word, and I was thrilled as I saw miracles take place that night which stand todayl The news spread rapidly. The second revival was only two miles from my boyhood home. Among friends who knew me from the time I was converted, miracle after miracle happened. After a year on the field, pictures and testimonies were submitted to Voice of Healing. The healing of M a r y Ruth Gist ( T V H - M a r c h , 1953) took place in my second Deliverance Revival, and my home town newspaper carried the story in the Sunday edition, November 19, 1950. About October, 1951, the Lord asked if I would minister overseas. M y heart gave a positive answer, and I called my wife to tell her the decision. A t the Healing Convention i n Tulsa, in December, Brother Lindsay requested that I say a few words about my work. The same day Brother DuPlessis asked if I would go overseas and promised to arrange the meetings. I accepted and The Voice of Healing has carried reports of the campaigns there. At this writing, a week of services among the students has just been concluded at Southwestern Bible Institute, and the second annual repeat meeting in the 1st Assembly in Waxahachie, Texas, is in progress. Twenty-two years ago Jesus came into this broken body. His

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w i l l has been first, all these years when we served as evangelist, pastor, and teacher. Nearly 20,000 pages have been read and re-read in the W o r d since June 1, 1950. M y wife and daughter work hard in Faith Tabernacle, where she is pastor, i n Tampa, Florida, and pray for the Lord to direct my life i n Deliverance Campaigns around the world. W e both have our work to do for God—my wife as a pastor and, for me, the work is Deliverance Revivals as G o d directs. God spared my life way back i n 1916 when my parents were not saved. Throughout the years, H i s hand has directed i n the educational field, and, for over two years now, H e has lead i n America and overseas i n Deliverance Services. I give H i m all the glory, H e saved me; healed me; called me to minister, to pastor and teach, and now to deliver through H i s name!

Reaching a Community for Christ BY L. D. H A L L

In the early years of the twentieth century, the Henry Lee H a l l family left their Missouri home in search of a more prosperous place to raise their children. They spent two years on the plains of North Dakota growing wheat. While there, i n February of 1906,1, their sixth child, was born and named by my grandfather, L e o n Dakota. M y parents left the wheatfields of North Dakota to move to the great northwest. F o r some years they lived i n Washington, and then moved to Oregon. M y parents were sincere Baptist Christians. Sundays found our family of children filling a pew between our mother and father. Though I was kept i n regular church attendance, I d i d not answer the call of G o d , and the great truths of the Gospel d i d not take hold of my heart. While I was still a child my oldest sister married. She and her husband, M r . and Mrs. D . W . Heydon, lived in Spokane where D r . John Lake pastored a large church that was shaking the countryside with its doctrine of divine healing. They became interested, and my sister received the baptism of the

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H o l y Spirit. These two people later had great influence for good in my life. During my teen age years, I became rather unruly, and one day after a disagreement with my father, I left home. I took the train for L i n d , Washington, where my Pentecostal sister and her husband lived on a large wheat ranch. While traveling on the train, I became very sick. W h e n I reached my sister's home, I was so i l l that I asked for some medicine that might relieve the pain. They told me that for some time they had used no medicine, but that they would pray for me if I wished. Although this was new to me, I told them to pray. When they laid hands on me and prayed, I felt the power of God go down through my body, and I was healed. After resisting the L o r d , for three days, I finally yielded my heart to H i m . The next few days were glorious days, packed full of the joy of the Lord, prayer meetings, and studying the W o r d day and night. Three weeks later I went to Spokane with the Heydons on business. While there we attended Dr. John Lake's church. The next morning we went to a cottage prayer meeting, and there I received the baptism of the Holy Spirit. O h what a glorious experience, and it has continued on till now. I stayed with the Heydons and helped them on their ranch for some months. They were a real help to me as we spent many hours praying and studying together after the day's work was done. After reconciliation with my mother and father, I moved with my parents to Portland, Oregon. There we attended another of D r . John Lake's churches. A t this church we saw every type of healing and miracle take place by the hand of G o d . This stirred my heart, as well as the lives of other young men in the church. Many nights we sought the Lord all night in prayer meetings. It was at this time that I answered the call of God to the ministry. In January of 1926, Brothers Gordon Lindsay, T o m Welch,

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and myself left Portland for our first evangelistic efforts. W h i l e in San Diego, California, Dr. John Lake laid his hands on the three of us, and ordained us to the ministry. W e left there to set up a tent i n the town of E l Cajon not far from San Diego. During this tent meeting, we saw the hand of the L o r d outstretched in saving grace, baptizing power, and healing deliverance, as G o d confirmed His Word. The next four years of labor were spent in pioneer work. Through the results of this labor, several churches were started. In June of 1928, Miss Gladys Lindsay and I were married. In 1930 I accepted the call to pastor the Four Fold Tabernacle i n Taft, California. Many years of pastoral work have followed. In recent years I began to feel dissatisfied with what was being accomplished. I felt that the church should be making a greater impact on the community. It was at this time, over four years ago, while pastoring a church in Grants Pass, Oregon, that Brother William Branham conducted services i n the near-by town of Ashland, where Brother Gordon Lindsay was pastor of a thriving church. Many from our church attended these services. This marked the beginning of the upward surge in our church. The folks began to claim the promises of healing and miracles confirming the Word of G o d . They came back from that meeting with testimonies of healings that stimulated faith, especially mine. Shortly after this meeting, I made a trip to California where I attended part of a service conducted in Visalia. I was able to get this evangelist to come to the Grants Pass Assembly of G o d for a series of meetings. For one week, we saw miracles, signs and wonders performed by the hand of the Lord, in the ministry of our brother. Later on, he returned for two other meetings. From the very beginning, the church was packed, and soon we had to add extra chairs to utilize every available space. Even the prayer room was filled; there the people could hear

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but could not see what was going on. Then folks stood outside, looking i n the windows when there was no more standing room inside. I n the course of these meetings, we saw blind eyes opened, the deaf hear, and the dumb speak. Cots were emptied of their patients. One man who had been in a wheel chair for three years, absolutely helpless, and who had to be carried to the bed from the wheel chair, is now walking and has general use of his body. Just recently I talked to this man in a meeting i n our tabernacle, and he testified over the microphone. After three years, the healing was still standing. After these meetings, I was given a leave of absence from my church, and for about nine months I traveled, assisting i n union services. The scope and results of these meetings were phenomenal. This opened my eyes to a marvelous truth, and I began to search the Word. I soon realized that we had been substituting other legitimate but rather powerless means for God's biblical plan to reach the world with the Gospel. When Jesus sent forth H i s disciples, H e said, " A n d into whatsoever city ye enter . . . heal the sick that are therein, and say unto them, the kingdom of G o d is come nigh unto you." (Luke 10:8,9.) After the day of Pentecost, the disciples found that the responsibility of healing the sick and afflicted, as well as the salvation of men's souls, rested upon the Church. In order to reach the multitudes they felt the need of the miraculous i n their ministry. This truth is shown in Acts 4:29, 30. . . And grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word. By stretching forth thine hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done by the name of thy holy child Jesus." These scriptures, with other similar ones, became indelibly impressed on my mind, and I fully realized that, if the Church was to accomplish its G o d given task of reaching the lost, this was the way to do it. Later I was privileged to travel with the Branham party,

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having charge of the erection of the large tent and equipment. I also conducted many of the afternoon instruction services, and ministered to the sick and afflicted at that time. It was marvelous to me to see God heal every manner of disease and affliction. Viewing the results of these tent campaigns, gave me a great vision of what could be accomplished in the Rogue River Valley where Grants Pass is located, if this type of meeting could be conducted there. Shortly afterwards, while holding a business meeting i n our local church, I mentioned the vision of my heart, and suggested that the only way we could break this community open on a large scale for G o d was to erect a large tabernacle, and bring more of these men with their sign gift ministry to the community. The whole church was stirred with enthusiasm, and in a very few days, land was secured, as donations poured in. The lots were cleared of brush and trees, by large "cats" and by the help of the people of our congregation i n volunteer labor. The Lord laid the burden of this tabernacle on the heart of Rev. Edward Grafstrom, one of our brethren. W i t h his supervision, and the help of men, women and children, the first part of this tabernacle was erected, while I continued in tent meetings with Brother Branham. I n December, 1950, at the completion of the first section of the building, with a seating capacity of about 2,000, Rev. William Branham conducted a week of healing meetings. During these meetings, Brother Branham had charge of the dedication service for this tabernacle. This meeting was a real success. People from all over the United States attended. The building was packed to capacity—with people standing, and many turned away, the last three days. We have many fine testimonies of conversions and healings during these services. Following this meeting, in the month of March, we secured Rev. A . A . Allen as evangelist. His services lasted for almost

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five weeks, during which time many marvelous deliverances, conversions, and healings took place. The locality was greatly stirred because of several canceled engagements for operations of people who have given testimony of healing. W i t h the Lord's hand against the opposing forces, this opposition has lessened. Everyone was encouraged to enlarge the capacity of the tabernacle. So with generous donations, this has been made possible. The seating capacity of the tabernacle has been enlarged to over three thousand. The overall dimensions of the tabernacle are 100 feet wide and 184 feet long. The parking facilities have been enlarged, until now with five acres of land, we can assure plenty of parking space. Since the addition has been completed, Brother William Branham has returned for a second meeting of one week, and following him other brethren have ministered to the people. The services with these men of G o d who have similar spiritual gifts, certainly gave this valley a shaking, and added to the already numerous miracles of salvation and healing. A t the present time it is necessary to use the basement and other rooms of the parsonage to accommodate the Sunday School in our regular church building. Not only has our church prospered, but other churches of this city and neighboring cities have benefited from the results of these meetings. After holding several campaigns in local churches, I am all the more convinced that the message of deliverance for soul, spirit and body is God's program for the closing days of the Gospel dispensation. Therefore, I launched out i n full time evangelistic efforts,, with the great commission of our L o r d Jesus Christ pre-eminent i n my heart. " A n d H e said unto them, G o ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. H e that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be

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damned. A n d these signs shall follow them that believe; in my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; they shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover." (Mark 16:15-18.)

Qkaf>ier 8

"How God Dealt in My Life* BY H. E. HARDT

M y preaching ministry began at the age of five. A slab pile at a nearby saw m i l l provided the platform, a block of wood a pulpit and the back cover of an old almanac, the precious Book. M y congregation consisted of brothers, cousins, and all the animal race i n the neighborhood that were tame enough to listen. About this time, a revival was held in a nearby town, under the roof of a Methodist church that was all but abandoned. A Christian layman heard the Macedonian call and requested that he be permitted to hold meetings. The few remaining board members, with what was left of the congregation decided to open the church and permit the well-meaning layman to try his hand at preaching. God honored the feeble efforts of this struggling handful and a revival broke out. M y mother, the most godly woman I have ever known, packed her little brood, consisting of three boys and one girl, into the one-horse open wagon and with dad, who would rather have been excused, took off over a dirt road for the meeting house.

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Well, it was really a revival. The preaching was under the anointing of the Spirit. The power fell. Folks got happy and shouted. The crowds turned out and many were saved. I sat with bare feet, dressed in ordinary boy fashion of one belonging to a poor family. M y feet were usually tucked under me, for both safety and warmth, as that congregation sang the praises of our Blessed Redeemer. Although only a five year old, something struck fire i n my heart and I sang as though heaven had come down on me. I tightly gripped a song book, and being too young to read, I followed the happy congregation as they sang, "Since Christ my soul from sin set free, this world has been a heaven to me." I still feel the glory as I write. Good old Methodist daysl Well, that is where I got the unction for the beginning of my ministry on the slab pile. Little d i d I know that some day, I would have a real congregation to listen, that thousands would get saved and yet other thousands get healed and delivered from all the atrocities of a mean devil. M y mother was saved many years before, in a similar meetinghouse at the age of sixteen. A t that time, their means of travel consisted of an ox-cart, drawn by two long-horned animals, traveling at the breath-taking speed of two miles per hour. In mother's report of this meeting, she stated that many fell under the power. The pastor and deacons were not alarmed. They said the folks were just in a trance and would be all right and really happy for the experience. Mother's consecration remained steadfast, although my dad was unsaved and sometimes was very cruel and unkind to her. Father did not drink, gamble nor smoke, but he was very profane, hightempered and, at times, unkind. Soon after my experience preaching from the slab pile, mother became very i l l . The doctor's report showed that one vertebra had decayed from her spine, consequently her body became bowed together. For this the doctor prescribed a body

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brace. This consisted of a heavy steel support across her hips and back, and buckled tightly around the abdomen with a heavy leather girdle. Steel supports extended up her back with shoulder straps to keep her upright. A t the same time, the doctor's report showed one lung entirely gone and the other badly affected with galloping consumption ( T . B . ) . In this condition she was taken to Johns Hopkins Hospital, of Baltimore, Maryland, for observation. The tiresome trip of over eighteen miles of dirt roads availed her nothing and she was returned home to our humble little cottage, to die. Realizing her three boys had been dedicated to G o d before birth, she pleaded with G o d that she might live. Mother knew that, with father unsaved, should she pass away, God's plan for her boys might never be fulfilled. W h e n she dedicated us to God, she vowed that all should preach the Gospel. Mother had never heard a message on healing, but she knew Jesus and H i s Word. In her hour of greatest sorrow, she knew that God would not fail her. Mother's prayers prevailed. God healed her and i n about six weeks she was able to do her own work. A t that time, she was forty years old. Just fifty years later, she passed away, at the good old age of ninety, in perfect health. She had fulfilled her years. G o d had fulfilled his promise. "The number of thy days I will fulfill." (Ex. 23:26.) At this point let me state, that all three boys have been preaching the Gospel for many years. Boys of the third generation are now doing likewise. To God be all the praise. Mother's healing had a dynamic effect on my life, although as I approached young manhood, I declared myself an atheist, trying as far as possible to stifle my early experience and godly training. M y disposition was much like that of my father. I resented his unkindness to my mother and vowed vengeance when I became grown. This resulted in my leaving home at an early age. Following a brief college course, I became a traveling salesman. I was now only eighteen. I was thrown in with

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men much older, living principally in commercial hotels and boarding houses. M y companions were generally unsaved, consequently, for many years, I seldom attended church. I had learned to pray at mother's knee. However, i n the quiet hours of the night, when companions were at rest, I found myself in a battle. It was difficult to get away from my early training. Time and space will not permit the story of my wandering, neither is it pleasant to think upon. M y praying mother would never give up. I was dedicated to G o d . H e had promised, and it must come to pass. In the meantime, father had gotten saved. M y brothers and sisters had received a Pentecostal experience. M y name had been listed on the prayer roll of a number of churches. Of course, I d i d not know of this until later. I became a business man. I was successful. Many men were under my command. The board of directors for the company, of which I was superintendent, commended me on my sound policies and my ability to make money. M y tireless effort to make a success in life brought results. I married a sweet moral girl, although not saved. Children came into our home. I became much interested in making for them a good home and seeing that they were well educated. I lived to make money, raise a good family, establish a good home and be prosperous. At the age of thirty-one, G o d began to deal with my life in a very definite way, although I d i d not recognize it at the time. My wife became desperately i l l . Doctors said there was no hope. I could not let her go. M y atheistic declaration would not support me. M y desperate cry went up to G o d , "If there is a G o d , and you care, heal her now." Like a flash from another world, a Divine Person laid His hand upon my wife and she rose to a sitting position, and, down her pale face, tears streamed. She cried, " D a d , it is all right now." O h , the heights and depths of mercy. O h , the length and breadth of love. God had healed her. Was my life changed? Would I serve H i m now?

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The shame of it all is that the next day, amid the busy cares, the perplexing problems, and labor troubles, found me still cursing, blaspheming and filled with worldly activities. The battle continued. The summer ended, the long cold winter followed, life was not so full and there was more time to think. G o d had ordained it that my younger brother should approach me regarding attending a revival service—being conducted in a small tabernacle in Hagerstown, Maryland. I consistently refused to attend. I told him, I wanted to be kind, but he must not approach me any more on the subject of religion. For some reason, quite strange for me, after considerable persuading, I broke down and agreed to attend. The tall white-haired evangelist, now past middle-age, a deeply consecrated man, spoke with great earnestness. His text was taken from Mark 16:17: "These signs shall follow them that believe." H e emphasized healing and deliverance. I resented the fact that something was taking hold of me and declared I would not yield. I returned a few nights later, being under deep conviction. When the altar call was given, I literally ran and fell at the altar, crying, "If there is a G o d , please save me now." It was not hard to pray, but quite hard to believe. This occurred on Friday night, January 22nd, 1923. After about an hour at the altar, a voice that I soon recognized, said to me, " N o w , you have made a handsome fool of yourself; you have said for years that there is no G o d . N o w you have cried to H i m and what do you have?" W e l l , sure enough, as far as feeling went, I was pretty well stumped. I determined to believe the Bible regardless of feelings. The following day, being Saturday and payday for my men, I leaped into my T. M o d e l and took off to town for the pay roll. Just as I rounded the bend a short ways from home, I began to sing, " D o w n at the Cross." O h ! Glory! Something happened! The bottom fell out of heaven; I was immersed i n His Glory. The heavenly

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choir began to sing, and the angels set heaven's pipe organ to its highest pitch. Were my vocabulary sufficient to express the joy, I would like to tell you what happened. I have tried now for nearly thirty years to tell it, but language seems to fail me. M y name was written in heaven. I had received eternal life. I had become an heir of G o d the Father and joint heir of Jesus Christ. What joyl I shall fully express it in the next world. Soon m y ministry began. The call was definite. M y limited education was streamlined to fit the business world. It was too late i n life to attend a Bible institute. M y family was growing and needed my care. There were many hindrances. M y business career and associates must be scrapped. Not that they were not legitimate, but the call of G o d was upon me. It had been smothered for years; now I must respond. H o w would it unfold, and many other questions, came to my mind. In H i s time, the door was opened and I was not disobedient. The W o r d of God began to burn in my soul. Early in the mornings, after getting my men started on the job, I would literally run off to the woods and hide away with G o d for hours. Message after message was given to me by the Spirit. A great passion for the lost gripped me. Sickness, sufferings and the bondage of so many people, who professed to know Christ, troubled me. I yearned for G o d , in the daytime and at night. The Bible was a challenge to me. The mighty miracles of the Gospels, also the constant stream of miracles throughout the Book of Acts gripped me. I wanted it to be so now. I wanted to see the sick healed. In the church where I was saved, the sick were prayed for with great success. Many were healed. M y pastor was my champion and still is. He constantly preached under a mighty anointing. M y spiritual life was fed from the Word. I shall ever praise G o d for my experiences in my early Christian life, more especially for the unveiling of the Word through our pastor. I soon learned to know the value of the

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W o r d . I discovered that it was indeed quick and powerful. It was molding my life for future ministry. I had read a new book. It was life and power in my bones. H o w I longed to tell others, pray for the sick and give full time to the ministry. Soon the way opened. A minister nearby, pastoring a small group, was married and found that his income was not sufficient. O n the night that he preached his farewell message, he suggested that the group get i n touch with me. They d i d , and soon I found myself pastoring this small group, but in connection with my business. The work grew until the building would not accommodate the crowds that came. Many sick were prayed for and G o d honored H i s W o r d . A t this time I was impressed to open a work i n the town where I had lived for many years. Many of the people of my acquaintance knew of my experience, but had never heard me preach. A large tent was secured and erected on one of our properties. Crude seats were arranged, ministers and evangelists were invited. I took my turn with others. People walked for miles; some came by horse and buggy, others came in autos. G o d mightily blessed. Soon the way was opened to secure the auditorium of our local high school and the revival was on. W e were greatly opposed by some of the local churches, but to no avail. The greatest revival ever to be conducted i n that community was well under way. After this meeting, a lot was granted for our property and a church was erected; thus, my testimony was brought to the town where I had lived for many years. It was difficult for me to confine my efforts to a small community, but I really wanted to pastor this church and reach the people that I had known for these many years. One night, as the altar service was well under way, I was walking across the platform, singing, " I ' l l go where you want me to go dear L o r d . " Little did I think that God was talking to my own heart, but I was singing for the benefit of those at the altar. However, three weeks from that night, I found my-

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self on the platform in a large skating rink in central Pennsylvania, ministering to a congregation—estimated to be more than a thousand. Thus, G o d was leading to a greater ministry in an enlarged field. This proved to be the greatest revival that had ever been witnessed i n that section. Eighty-five were immersed, hundreds were healed and many saved. A t the same time, I was experiencing a greater hunger for G o d . Many hours were spent in fasting and prayer. Preachers from far and near heard of this revival and I was invited to conduct evangelistic services i n their churches. Soon I was speaking in our major prayer conferences and conventions. I was also greatly used i n pioneering new fields. The supernatural followed my ministry and many were healed and filled with the Spirit. Constantly my heart was reaching out for God. I was not yet satisfied with my ministry, nor the miracles that were taking place. In my quest for God, I began to read every book that I could find on healing, prayer, and the gifts of the Spirit. For a number of years there was a lull i n the healing ministry. Such men as Doctor Charles S. Price, P . C . Nelson, and Smith Wigglesworth, had passed away. I wondered, with the passing of these men, " W i l l the ministry of healing be forever lost?" I could not accept that position. Since my conversion, I had been convinced that this age would close in a mighty sweeping revival of the supernatural. I looked for that revival with great anticipation. I would not yield to doubt. Dark clouds were gathering i n world affairs. Wickedness was the order of the day, but God's W O R D W O U L D P R E V A I L ! H e had spoken and H e would bring it to pass. In this state of mind, I continued to give myself over to prayer and seeking G o d . Jesus did not create a passive church. No, never! The church is militant! The prophets and apostles possessed a militant spirit. I was sure that I was following a Bible pattern and I refused to permit the unbelief and indif-

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erence of others to influence my life. M y heart hunger for God would not be denied. While I was conducting a meeting i n the New England states, a book was placed i n my hands. This occurred about seven years ago. I was cautioned regarding this book as few really understand it. However, in it, I found what I had longed for. The author of this book had found the "dynamic of faith." It had changed his life. H i s spirit became militant. H i s style of writing indicated he belonged to the school room. H e possessed great knowledge of both Hebrew and Greek. Chapter after chapter of this book was read and re-read. A new faith was gripping me. Every word was backed by positive scriptures on the subject of faith. Redemptive blessing was the keynote. "Throne right" was emphasized. The next step Jn my life was to put my faith into action. If it worked for him, it would work for me. God is no respecter of persons. I resolved to emphasize the positive side of the Gospel more than ever before. W o u l d I find others who had received this "dynamic of faith"? H o w would it be received? Our F u l l Gospel traditions must be recognized. As a whole, we all embraced healing i n our teaching, but, i n our practice, we used caution. Of course, this was bordering on unbelief. Excuses were offered for sickness and few, if any, with a Scriptural background. One night in each week, during my evangelistic meetings, had been set aside for praying for the sick. Much good was accomplished, but now something had happened in my life. Every night must be a night when God's people would be delivered from sickness, habits, fear, and other types of bondage. I launched out. The sick came. They were healed! As I prayed in the healing line, G o d increased my faith. Of course, there were some cases that were stubborn. The enemy took advantage of this and endeavored to magnify my failures. At this time, I was conducting a meeting in the Middle West.

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Here the L o r d brought me in touch with another man, a younger man. H e was having remarkable results. We compared notes. Our experiences had run parallel. This encouraged me greatly. Several other books were added to my library that were an encouragement to faith. Greater miracles took place in each succeeding meeting. The Word of God in my mouth and heart was bringing results. I became more fearless. I began to use better methods in my approach. M y altar calls were conducted differently. Soon many people were healed, sitting in their seats. In a Western City a lady with a broken neck, came into my meeting. She was healed as I ministered the W O R D and removed the neck brace. She then responded to the altar call and was saved. Another, as she was being prayed for, flung her crutches away and walked perfectly. M y heart rejoiced. Greater crowds began to attend my meetings. The vision of my early experience was beginning to unfold. Now, healing is the order of our meetings. THEY ARE NEVER WITHOUT THE SUPERNATURAL. The gifts of the spirit are manifested. Surely H i s coming is soonl

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Deatk Struck But God Performed a Miracle! BY ALTON L. HAYES

I t was during the year 1950, when the L o r d spoke to my father and me about building a church i n the north part of Dallas, Texas. W e soon raised enough money to begin our foundation, and we worked hard from morning until dark digging pier holes and pouring the foundation. At this particular time, we lived at Midlothian, Texas. One evening when we had finished work, we got in our car (my father, my wife and I, and our two little girls, with my nephew) and began driving home. W e were going south, when another car approached us going north. The driver was intoxicated and suddenly, without notice, he turned his wheels i n front of us causing a terrible collision. The impact resulted in the motor being driven backward into the front seat. At the same moment, my father's head went through the windshield. He received compound fractures, his bones coming through the flesh of his right arm, and through his legs. His head having gone through the windshield, and his legs being wedged under the seat, there was nothing we could do for him immediately.

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In the meantime, I managed to get out of the car. I was in a dazed condition, but was able to walk to a filling station about a hundred feet away. There was a woman there and I asked her, "Are you a Christian?" She replied, "Yes." I said, " W o u l d you pray for me?" She looked at me and saw the blood on my face, and suddenly became hysterical. At that moment a man ran i n the store and said, "There has been an awful tragedy. I am sure there have been several people killed i n that car wreck. W e had better call an ambulance." I was conscious just long enough to say, " C a l l Dudley Hughes, on Jefferson Street. Brother and Sister Hughes are good friends of ours." So they called Dudley Hughes and that was the last I remembered. I fell unconscious, as the ambulance rushed to the scene. It is against the law to take six people at one time in an ambulance, but they saw our condition, and they got us all in. M y father was pulled out of the front seat of the car and was put in the ambulance with us, and we were taken to the Methodist Hospital i n Dallas. By this time my father had lost so much blood, they could not understand how he was still alive. Friends gathered i n the corridor of the Hospital, while the doctors and nurses tried to do their best for us. Soon a doctor went out into the hall and said, "If you want to see any of the Hayes family alive, you may see them now. None of them w i l l live longer than possibly thirty minutes." Many people went into the emergency room, and they looked at us for what they thought was the last time, alive. The doctors had no hope for my father, but they started giving him blood transfusions. He lingered on for many days, although the doctors continued to entertain no hope for him. His face was so lacerated that they did not even take stitches. They just put big clamps on his face. They expected that if he lived, they would have to use surgery to help his disfigured face. Then on the tenth day, they took the dressing off of my father's face and, to their surprise, God had already done the plastic surgery!

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It was true; father did not have a scar! The doctors could not understand it, and they told my father, "It was a higher power that healed your face." His physical condition was somewhat improved, but they said that even if he lived, he would be an invalid the rest of his life. A t first they said his legs could not be set because his bones were chewed up into little splinters. But he was praying and folks all over Texas were praying. The doctors could not understand, but God was re-creating bones all the time. They took a number of X-rays and at last said that there was enough new bone to set the legs. They set his legs and placed him in a cast, and after many days the doctors X-rayed again, and said, " W e believe that it is going to be possible for this man to walk again, but it is going to be on crutches." They attempted to set his bones, and the L o r d was certainly with them, in performing the work. After wearing this cast for 119 days, they put him in braces from his hips on down and they placed locks on each knee. M y father, like a baby, had to learn to walk all over again, but soon he was able to hold his balance very w e l l . One night my father was i n the church, and the power of G o d fell. As he was walking up on the platform on his crutches, the glory seemed to sweep over the place, and he felt that God had given him increased faith. So he said, "After a service like this I feel that G o d w i l l heal my body." H e laid his crutches down and started to walk all over the building. H e began to cry and shout that G o d had performed a miracle. From that night forward he d i d not have to walk with his crutches. In another service, just a few nights afterward, when the glory of the L o r d came down again, my father said, "The L o r d has healed me and I don't have to use these braces any longer. I believe that G o d can help me to walk normally this night." So, he took off his braces. H e walked all over the building, stepped upon the platform that was about eighteen inches

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high and, from that night, he has walked normally. His crutches and his braces today stand in the closet of his home. HOW GOD HEALED M E At the time of the collision, my head struck the middle of the front seat. This caused the seat to be knocked loose from both hinges. The impact broke a blood vessel in my head, and I began to hemorrhage at once. Blood was gushing out of my nose as we were being taken to the hospital, and it seemed my end had come. The doctors examined me when we arrived, and they said, " W e don't see how this boy has lived as long as he has." For fifteen days I lay on a hospital cot, which everyone thought was my death-bed. A t times I would become conscious and would feel intense pain in my body. I was so miserable that I would cry out to God to let me die. I would toss and tumble from one side of the bed to the other. Sometimes the pain would be so severe that I would pull the hair from my head. Then I would go off into unconsciousness again. O n the fifteenth day, about seven o'clock in the evening, big clots of blood began to pass from my head into my stomach. This nauseated me, and I began to pass large clots of blood. A l l during the night I hemorrhaged, and by morning I was rapidly weakening. During the day my heartbeats became weaker and weaker. When I was conscious I realized that the doctors and medical science could do nothing for me, and that soon I must die. It was at this time that I began to call on God. As I prayed, I thought of the millions of people going to hell without God. I cried to the Lord and said, " G o d if you will raise mc off of this death-bed as a testimony to You, I will go before the people and preach with all the strength that You give me, to win every lost soul I can from a devil's hell. Lord, I w i l l seek You for a deeper depth and higher height, to know more of

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Thy truths, and I w i l l try my best to be the man that You would have me to be." A t 6:30 that night the Lord spoke to me and said, " M y son, you are going to live." This was the best news I had heard in all my life. As soon as G o d spoke to me that I would live, the hemorrhaging stopped. Then the L o r d showed me a vision of hell. I saw refined, cultured people from all walks of life before me. As I stood, looking into hell, I saw millions of inhabitants, some rich and some poor. Some would call my name and say, "Brother Hayes, isn't there something you can do for us? Can't you give us a drink of water?" Then I thought of the Scripture where God has said, "My Spirit will not always strive with man." I said, "I wish tJiat there were something I could do for you. I would even be willing to give my own life's blood if it would save you out of this place. T h e L o r d said i n J o h n 3 : 1 6 — " 'God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.' You had your chance, but the day of your opportunity has gone. You have crossed over the boundary line of grace and, regardless of your vows and your resolutions and your prayers to God, there is nothing that can save you. No one can help you. You have sinned away your day of grace." When I awoke m y heart was stirred, and filled with such love as I had never known before. God gave me a compassion for the souls of men that I never before had. I realized the sad condition that the w o r l d is in, with people going on day by day, careless and unconcerned. There was one incident that impressed me, while I was lying there on that bed. A t one time the nurses came in and injected a needle into my right arm and began to give me a blood transfusion. I had felt life going out of me, and my chest and lungs seemed to be caved in. But when the blood began to flow into

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my body, I felt new life coming where death had seemed to have taken hold. As I looked at that blood, I thought how much life there is i n it. A n d then I thought of the blood of Jesus, and of the life that there is i n it. There is power i n the blood to overcome every evil force and to bring deliverance to every sinner and to heal any man or woman that is dying of cancer, even when the doctors say there is no hope. There is power in that blood to cleanse from all sin as the Scripture says in, I John 1:7— "The blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin." What a miracle it was when the Lord raised me upl G o d created a new ear drum i n my left ear. The doctors said I would never have normal use of my left eye. It had been paralyzed and I could not move it i n any direction; I could not close my eyelid; my face was disfigured. I had facial paralysis on the left side. Blood clots were pressing against my brain, and my head was almost a size larger than normal. A t seven o'clock, the night the L o r d spoke to me, I felt a bolt of power go through me from the top of my head to the sole of my feet. I knew that I was healed. Four days later I was dismissed from the hospital and was permitted to go home. Sometimes people have asked me why it was that the Lord allowed such a tragedy to occur. Just before I was healed I asked the Lord why this happened when I had been trying to serve H i m with all my heart, and to win souls for Christ. Then the Lord said, Romans 8 : 2 8 — "All things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose." I can certainly say that through this tragedy the L o r d has given me a greater love than I ever had before for lost souls and suffering humanity.

Gkafrter 10

Tne Story of M y Call BY GAYLE JACKSON

It was i n a small town i n the central part of Missouri that I was born, on the first day of August, 1913. Into a very humble home I came, the third child in a family of nine children, eight living, one dead. It was i n this part of Missouri that I spent most of my boyhood days. GOD SPEAKS T O M Y HEART A T T H E A G E O F F I V E At the tender age of five God began to speak to my heart about my life's work. A t that time my parents were unsaved, so both they and other relatives misunderstood my feelings. Father had not made a profession of faith, and mother was a nominal member of the Baptist church; neither of them had experienced conversion and they failed to instruct their children i n spiritual things. B u t let me pause to say that outside of the fact that my parents were not Christians, no boy on earth was ever blessed with sweeter or more precious parents. At the time of writing, mother has been gone for many years, but my father is still alive and active for all his 73 years.

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Time cannot dim the scenes of yester-year . . . when I was a little boy at mother's knee . . . or when I was running across the yard to meet a tired, but smiling daddy, returning home after a hard day's work. As I would meet him at the gate, he would pick me up in his arms and caress me. Little did my father know that in those childhood days of mine, G o d was speaking to me and revealing to me that I had been chosen of the L o r d to be specially used in His service. I well remember when my father and mother would ask me, "Gayle, what are you going to be when you grow up?" A n d they would laugh heartily when in my sincerity, I would always answer, " A preacher." I knew even then that I was called to preach. I can say from experience that God does speak to children and it is never wise to discourage a child of spiritual desires, regardless of its age. God, at that moment, may be raising up one who will lead thousands to Christ. W e l l do I remember never-to-be-forgotten school days—days .that I spent as any other normal child. I received my education in a rural grade school, and later a rural high school in central Missouri. During those days God kept speaking to my heart about my life's work! Whenever the teacher would ask us what we would be when we grew up, I always would answer, "a preacher." The other boys and girls would laugh at my answer. I suppose that the laugh was quite in order, though, for by this time I was getting to be quite a mischievous little lad. But regardless of what I d i d , there was still that voice constantly speaking to my heart, "I have chosen you." Always I wanted to attend church and Sunday school. M y parents hardly ever attended, nor was it compulsory that I go, but I always wanted to go. Therefore, on Sunday mornings, before mother's death, I would be up, and with her help, getting ready for Sunday School. M y brothers and sisters rarely would go with me, and I still remember my mother waving from the doorway, as I would skip off alone to the church.

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CONVERSION Believe it or not, friends, God walked and talked with me as I made that Sunday morning journey to Sunday School. The world will never know what those visits meant to me. It was along that little dusty path on Sunday mornings, that I received my first impressions of God's plan and destiny of my life. I was not converted yet, though I wanted to be, but I felt I was too young. But as G o d continued to speak to me, I became very conscious of my sins and prayed often each day. God's presence caused me to be interested i n religion and I attended all the revivals that came near our home. It was at one of these revivals that God spoke to my heart and I went to the altar and was definitely converted. The revival came to a close, but as there were no regular church services, one by one the converts began to drift back into their old ways. Soon I was among those that had gotten into a backslidden state. However, I was never the same after my conversion and the desire for God in my heart was only intensified. A G R E A T SORROW COMES For the next three years of my life, I was just up and down as far as my spiritual fife was concerned. Then came the greatest sorrow that ever came to our little home. The dark picture is painted on my memory as no artist could paint it— the sickness, conversion and death of my mother. It was in the early winter of 1927. One evening, about an hour after sundown, my mother had placed the steaming supper on the table and called the family in to eat it. The meal was excellent and all of us children enjoyed her cooking. I can sec her now as she stood by the table and instead of taking her

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seat as usual, she told father and us to go ahead. She complained of being i l l , and said she wouldn't eat. As far as I know, mother never again sat down with us to eat another meal. She went to bed and the family physician was called. He carefully examined mother, then shook his head and announced that mother had contracted double bronchial pneumonia. Eleven days later my mother passed away. During the illness that preceded her death, mother sought God. She called for the Christians to pray for her, and she was gloriously saved. After her conversion she had a sweet vision of heaven, which lingered for hours. With a very rational mind, mother described to us the beautiful scenes she was seeing in heaven. She told us she would soon be there. She described a beautiful stairway leading from her window into heaven and she would not allow anyone to stand by the window and shut out the view. Just before she left us, she called my father and gave him final instructions concerning the children she was leaving behind. There were eight of us, the eldest being about fifteen years old, and the youngest five months. One of the remarks stamped so indelibly upon my memory was that made by mother to father. She said, "Charley, do you want me to stay here and help you bring up our children, or shall I go on to heaven? As it is, the way is clear, not one thing i n the way. But if I did stay here there might be some little thing about the size of that (measuring the tip of her finger) that would get in my way and I would be lost." That was a question he couldn't answer. M y father loved my mother supremely, and with a tearstained face and a broken heart he turned from her. This incident made a lasting impression upon my life. One little thing can keep us out of heavenl

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H E LOSES HIS M O T H E R Next, my mother called me to her. I was her little tousledheaded boy, who loved his mother beyond everything. Out of eight children, I was the only one she called to her. She knew how I had always felt, and she took my hand in her hands and looked up into my face and said, "Gayle, you w i l l meet mother in heaven, won't you?" Through my tears and with a choking voice I said, "Yes, mother." Then she released my hand and turned away. The next news I heard was, "Gayle, your mother is gone." M y heart was broken and I could hardly stand the thought. But today I can see through it all. A n d I w i l l keep that promise that I made to mother, to meet her i n heaven, where death, sin, and sickness never come. The passing of mother left me very quiet, and caused me to think more deeply of my life's call. As time went on, my father moved to another part of the country, feeling that the change would be good for us all. In our new home i n southern Missouri, father began to allow us more liberty, and his hand of restraint was lifted, to a great extent, thinking he was being kind to us. H e loved us and wanted to be good to us. W e realized this, too, so I took advantage of this new liberty (as most children do) and became a very sinful child, so that by the time I was 18 years old, I had drifted into the depths of sin. But during this period of drifting, God would constantly remind me of my calling and the promise I had made to my dying mother. I made many promises to God and read the Bible frequently because I knew that some day I would need Biblical knowledge to carry out the plan of G o d for my life.

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C O N V E R T E D IN MISSOURI R E V I V A L About three years went by since we had moved to southern Missouri. Then, the news was spread that a great revival was in progress at Kennett, Missouri. This was about five miles from where we lived. The hunger i n my heart for G o d led me to this revival, where God made it plain to me that my hour had come. I was now 18 years of age, almost 19.1 attended the revival night after night. I listened to the young Evangelist as he preached most earnestly. I thought of my promise to mother, and also of God's plan for my fife. I knew that when I gave my heart to G o d I must begin preaching. N o one knew what was going on in my heart. Each night as people streamed to the altar, I would stand and try to fight off conviction in my heart. I rushed to the altar, confessed my sins, promised God that I would preach, and was gloriously converted. About 40 days later, G o d filled me with the mighty Baptism of the Holy Ghost. B E G I N N I N G O F MINISTRY I did not wait any longer. From that hour, I began preaching —in school houses, on street corners, and in the church where I was converted. Those were days of heaven on earth. M y heart and soul were aflame with the Power of the Holy Ghost, and I felt happy at last that I was in the will of God. "YOU'LL BE BACK IN A WEEK" M y first call to hold a revival was to Memphis, Tenn. I felt a little "shaky" btit I knew that God had called me and would go with me. So, off I went to Memphis to preach a revival. I bade my father good-bye and told him that I was going off to

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preach. H e laughed and said, "You'll be back in a week," but it has been almost 18 years now and I've never been back home yet, only on a short visit. I have been actively engaged i n the Lord's work for almost 18 years, with a full-time ministry. Not once has G o d ever failed me in any way. Though I have failed H i m , no man ever desired to please H i m more than I. God has been with me all along the way. H e has been my everything. I never knew the blessing of a good pastor, as I immediately began preaching when I was saved. I leaned on G o d for my teaching. I knelt before H i m and buried my face i n His H o l y W o r d and asked H i m to teach me by His Spirit. I found in the Bible a scripture that says: "If any man lack wisdom, let him ask G o d , who giveth to all men liberally and upbraideth not." So I sought G o d and H e blessed me and gave me great revivals. M y first revival was a great meeting under a large tent with many saved and filled. This thrilled my soul and made me to know that G o d was with me, as I had few if any, natural talents, except to speak as G o d directed me. LIFE'S G R E A T E S T BLESSING—MY W I F E It was i n the Memphis revival that G o d gave to me the greatest blessing of my life, my precious wife and helpmeet. It was a little humorous how my marriage came about, as I, with boldness, declared from the pulpit that I was not i n terested in the girls, and would appreciate it if they would just let me alone. But one night the pastor announced that a certain young lady would sing. She stepped up and sang a very beautiful song, entitled, "Love Found A W a y To Redeem M y Soul." That very night G o d said to me, "That is to be your wife," so the very next day found me knocking on Evelyn's door. I simply went in and told her what I had come for. W e had a short courtship of about two weeks and were married. Eighteen years have passed and I feel more sure today than

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ever before that G o d spoke to me that night and gave to me my life companion in the work of God. I do not have words or space to express all that my wife has meant to me in the work of the Lord, and to my life's happiness. Suffice it to say that she has meant everything to my ministry. M y first revival came to a close with results far beyond my expectations. I suppose that I felt as the Disciples felt when they returned to the Master, rejoicing because devils were subject to them. So with my God-given companion by my side, and believing that I was in the center of His will, we moved on to our next engagement. This was a little city about seventy miles north of Memphis, known as Dyersburg, Tennessee. A large Gospel tent had been erected for our campaign. It was a great sight to see the tent packed out, with hundreds standing around in each night, unable to find a seat, but the great thrill of my heart was to see the weary, sin-burdened men, women, and children coming to Christ each night as the i n vitation was extended. Many knelt at the old-fashioned altar and found Christ precious to their life after listening to my very simple, but God-anointed messages. From this point, we moved on into several cities and states, G o d going before us, and standing with us to confirm His Word. "LITTLE MARIE" Here, at this time, I would like to mention the sweetest blessing that ever came to our home. M y wife and I had been married a year when we adopted Little Marie. We took her from the St. Peter's Orphanage at Memphis, Tennessee, where she had been placed as an infant. Marie is my wife's sister. She is the fifth child in their family, and her mother died when she was born. M y wife was the oldest child, being only fourteen years old at the time of her mother's death. There were three children between my wife and Marie, ranging in ages

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twelve, nine, and down to the little brother who was two and one-half years old when their mother died. Their father, realizing the great responsibility of children and caring for a small infant, placed the baby i n the orphanage (not to be adopted out, as he paid them to keep her), to remain until she was old enough that the other children could take care of her. During the time she was in the orphanage, my wife and I married. W e visited the orphanage quite often, and we felt that G o d would have us take Little Marie to bring her up as our own. We did so, and have never had one moment of regret, as she has always been an angel to our household. W e feel that we have been richly rewarded for taking her and loving her as our own, as she has been the source of much joy and happiness to our hearts. She gave her heart to God as a child and was filled with the Holy Spirit and has lived a pure life for God. She is grown now and married to a fine Christian man. It is our privilege to have them with us in the Gospel work at this time. I feel that it is in order to explain this, since Marie is just like our own child. W e have no children of our o w n . God blessed us as we traveled far and near—my wife and baby and I. W e were having great revivals, but my heart was hungry, ohl so hungry—and there was such a God-given desire in my heart to seek G o d earnestly. I read my Bible and spent much time i n prayer and fasting. It was a common thing for me to go without food or water for three days at a time, and praying several hours a day, earnestly seeking G o d for His guidance and greater revivals. G o d honored my sincerity by giving great revivals wherever we went. About the time that the first year of my ministry had passed, God began to speak to me about healing. I had spent most of my time preaching salvation and a Spirit-filled life for every believer, but G o d had begun to speak to me about the sick and suffering.

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C A L L E D TO H E A L I N G MINISTRY It seemed that every blind, cripple, or sick person that I met was inaudibly crying out to me for deliverance. Over this feeling of compassion, I wept much, and prayed and fasted more, until my pillow at night was wet with tears. So I began preaching healing, as taught i n the Bible, and praying for the sick on each Friday night in my meetings. In these services we saw a few miracles and many healings. This was very encouraging to me, so I continued this type of ministry for about eight years with outstanding results. Then, one Sunday afternoon in November, 1939, out of the clear sky, G o d made it plain to me that I was to go to the little town of Sikeston, in the southeast part of Missouri, and build a church to the glory of God. It is a town of about 10,000 population. At that time I had my evangelistic schedule and dates made several months in advance, to conduct revivals in various cities in Florida and Texas. I knew that it was God that was leading me to Sikeston, so I obeyed. I canceled my meetings and dates and went to Sikeston. W e labored i n Sikeston for nine years, but our labors were not in vain. G o d gave us a very fruitful ministry. Our church grew until our Sunday School attendance reached the average of 363. W e had a lovely group of members. It seemed that we now had everything that we had hoped for: a good church, nice income, and many kind friends. At this very moment, when it seemed that we should have been the happiest, I became the most restless that I have ever been in all my life. RESTLESSNESS, MISERY STRIKE I prayed and prayed. When I retired at night I could not rest. I would get up from bed and go into the living room,

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kneel by the divan, and bury my face in the rug. M y heart was so heavy. Hours and hours I spent talking to God. Every day and night I asked H i m , "What is it, Lord?" while from the natural standpoint I had everything that a minister could ask for. It seemed that my prayers had been answered, but in my heart was that indescribable something that kept me so stirred that sleep left my eyes and I could not rest. I sought God, but the restless feeling remained. I became desperate. I told G o d that I would do anything that H e said do; that all I possessed H e had given to me, and I would give it all back to H i m if H e wanted it. I felt if I were willing to sacrifice material things that G o d had given to us, that maybe it would help. In my desperation, and in my hope to find a solution to this new experience, I talked the whole thing over with Evelyn. I told her that I felt if we would give to G o d of the material things with which H e had prospered us—that would solve my problem. MATERIAL SACRIFICE DOES NOT AVAIL She readily agreed that whatever I thought we should do, she would stand with me. W e had built and paid for a little home at a total cost of $7,300. It was ours with no indebtedness against it. W e mortgaged it for $7,500 and took every penny of the money and all that we had saved, placed it all together, and gave $10,000 to our church building fund. This we both d i d cheerfully; but, to my surprise, this gift or sacrifice did not change my feelings for the better—if anything I grew more restless than ever. It was at this moment of my life that God once again spoke to me concerning this sick, sinful habit-bound world. That great feeling of compassion came upon me again with, it seemed, a thousand times more impact than ever before. The

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cry of a sick world seemed to be pleading with me, calling, "Help! Help! H e l p ! " As was my custom since my conversion, I read my Bible in search of help for that hour. There I had always been able to find the answer to every problem—God's W o r d and prayer. As I read and prayed I was shown that I was able, by the Power of the Holy Ghost, to carry on the ministry of my L o r d and the apostles. God made it plain to me that if I would pay the price, my hour had come to fulfill the purpose for wlu'ch I was born—to carry the message of Divine Deliverance to a lost world. I looked around me on every side and I could not see Bible Days in action. I read in God's Word, Matthew 17:21, " H o w beit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting." Those words fastened themselves upon my soul. I could not get away from that memorable text uttered by our Lord nineteen hundred years ago. ALONE WITH GOD Now I knew what it was all about. I was to step forth into the work that G o d had called me to. The hunger in my soul was so great that I had come to the place in my life that I had rather die than live if I could not see a broken, demonoppressed world set free by the mighty power of G o d . One afternoon as Evelyn and I sat in our living room this great call was resting heavily on my heart. I said, "Evelyn, darling, G o d is calling me to go out and set the captives free, but I must first prepare myself. M y preparations may take me near to death, and I do not know where and when it will end, but you need not prepare any food for me until I let you know. If I become unconscious, please let me alone and allow no one to disturb me. I am going alone with God."

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GOD GIVES MINISTRY O F D E L I V E R A N C E At that hour, m y seeking God i n prayer and fasting began i n deeper earnestness than ever before. I do not tell any more how long I fasted, but suffice it to say that during this period of seeking G o d , H e spoke to me twice, face to face. Don't misunderstand me, I never saw G o d ; but I heard His voice speaking to me, saying, "Son, thy prayers are accepted of M e . Go, and I w i l l go before you; and as long as you w i l l give me all the glory, and live holy, and walk humbly before me, no disease shall stand before your prayer." I hope that y o u w i l l understand that all this was a little amazing to me at first, and I must say that I trembled i n His presence and wondered just how it would all come to pass. I testified to my church of what G o d had told me and they believed my testimony to the extent that a cancer, a blind eye, deafness, paralysis, and many other diseases were healed before I was able to resign my church and go forth with the message of Deliverance. One of the many things that troubled me was the question of whether sinners would get saved and people receive the Holy Ghost when I preached Healing: but O h , thank G o d ! I can report to you that, at this writing, thousands are being saved, and as many as 500 in one night have received the Baptism of the H o l y Ghost, plus the thousands that are being healed of all manner of disease. Thank G o d ! H e is confirming His W o r d . The blind see! The deaf hear! The cripples walk! Cancers die, and all manner of sickness leaves as this great Sign-gift, Salvation, Divine Healing Revival moves on! I believe that this is God's last call to a sinful world so I urge one and all to prepare to meet your G o d .

@kaf>ier It

One Letter Cnan^ed My Life BY RICHARD JEFFERY

I was i n a revival meeting, in a little town in the State of Oregon, i n the spring of 1947, when the mailman left a letter in the mail box that began a series of stories of a man who was praying for the sick and who was having outstanding campaigns i n which the blind were seeing, the deaf were hearing, and other miracles of healing were taking place. I must confess that, as I read my father-in-law's letter that day, I was skeptical. I doubted seriously some of the statements made concerning the miracles that were common i n the meeting. I had preached Jesus as the Saviour of the soul and the Healer of the body for a number of years and, though I had prayed for the deaf and the blind, yet not one time had one of them received deliverance. I had pastored a small church in Spokane, Washington, for one year and I believed the reports we had heard of D r . John Lake's ministry there. D r . Lake's daughter, Elizabeth, was our church pianist, and I had believed with a l l of my heart what I had heard her and her

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mother tell us, yet I had stood defeated, baffled at the lack of what I thought ought to take place, as we prayed for those who would come for prayer from time to time. I had been saved during the summer of 1936 in a small Full Gospel church i n Sebastopol, California. I had suffered with asthma for 20 years and only two weeks after my conversion, I was prayed for and received healing. I was set free by the power of G o d , and these sixteen years that have come and gone have been spent in good health, with no sign at any time of that dreadful malady. In June of 1937, G o d spoke to my heart to labour for H i m in the consecration service at the graduation exercise of the Maranatha class i n G l a d Tidings Temple in San Francisco. As that great choir sang, "Hear the L o r d of Harvest sweetly calling, who w i l l go and work for me today," God spoke to my heart and I said, "Here am I, Lord, send me." I have never been sorry of that consecration I made that night. On A p r i l 5, 1939, Jesus baptized me in His Spirit, while attending a revival at the Assembly of G o d Church i n Riverside, California. Then came that eventful fall of 1941, when we cast everything aside and went into full time service for the Master. The next six years were spent i n pastoring two churches, and having many revival meetings up and down the Pacific Coast. Those were years i n which I believed in healing. Certainly H e could heal; had I not been healed? A n d the marvelous part of it a l l was that occasionally some soul would press through and touch the hem of H i s garment. That was an encouragement to me. I n the casual sort of way, there were people healed, but the deaf had come and gone with nothing. The b l i n d continued i n their darkness, i n spite of my rebukes and my encouraging words. The lame went haltingly on their way, with my heart bleeding and crying out to G o d for something that would help them. I had taken the attitude that heal-

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ing was theirs, for G o d had healed me. I knew it would work. But, though I was sincere and honest, I was mistaken. G o d never heals people because H e healed me. He heals them because they believe His wonderful Word, because they claim His promise, because they refuse to be denied. H o w many times in those yester-years has my heart hurt me as I stood defeated, apparently having failed. But I thank G o d that Jesus came and showed me the way. Then came that letter. In it was the story of a man to whom G o d had appeared, and now, in the Name of Jesus, the blind were seeing, the deaf were hearing and congregations of tremendous size were gathering in this man's meetings. Ambulances were bringing the sick to the meetings for prayer. M e n were coming who were lame, and would leap for joy as the healing hand of the L o r d was laid upon them. As I read that letter that day, I said to myself, "I do not believe it. After all, if all these things were happening, they would happen in my meetings, for I pray for the sick and it does not happen that way. Occasionally some are healed all right, but I do not believe all this." In the next two months, or possibly three, I heard that man's name mentioned over and over again. Each time it seemed that the stories of the miracle-working power of the L o r d would grow, and, by that time, I was definite in my declarations of unbelief. It was in the fall of 1947, while in a revival in northern California, that one day the pastor of the church where we were i n meeting, and I went into Klamath Falls, Oregon. There on the street we met a brother whom the pastor knew, who asked the question, "Have you heard the news?" and, of course we did not know what news it was he referred to, nor why all the jubilance and the glory his face radiated. Naturally, we inquired what was going on. His immediate reply was, "Brother Branham is coming to Ashland for a few clays of meeting."

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Ashland was only some 85 or 90 miles from where we were in that meeting and, as we journeyed on our way home, the good pastor decided he would be in Bro. Branham's services there. I declared, "It w i l l hurt our revival," but he declared, "We'll take our congregation with us." M y mind was made up. I would not move one step toward that meeting although it was only two hours drive or so from where we were. The pastor announced that I would stay and hold the fort for the three days of the meeting, but that all who wished could feel free to go to Ashland, Oregon, to Brother Branham's services. They all went but myself and a few folk who had no way of going. W e held the fort all right, but there wasn't much to hold. O h , how I have wished since then that I had broken my w i l l and had submitted to H i s will W h o governs the universe, and W h o holds the stars in their place. God had something in store for me, but I had stubbornly refused. Then came a trip into Northern Oregon to visit my wife's sister and her husband. I'll never forget that night, as we stood at the door and lightly knocked for admittance. Of course the family was happy to see us, but before our greetings were hardly finished, I was asked, "Have you been i n any of Brother Branham's meetings?" Of course I had not been, and confessed I had not been. Then began a story that took seven hours long to tell; of the miracles, and of the discerning of spirits; of the authority to cast out evil spirits i n the Name of Jesus and, I confess to you, my heart was broken that night. A t three o'clock in the morning, I purposed to be i n the meeting Brother Branham was to have in Fresno, California, on December 9, 10, 11, 1947. It was a cool December day, at two o'clock in the afternoon on December 9, when we came to the auditorium. Nevertheless, there were well over 250 people there, at that hour, and by evening that large auditorium was filled.

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In that service that night after several people had been prayed for, there came a deaf mute girl, of about 18 years, for healing. I'll never forget it. When Brother Branham asked that we bow our heads, I certainly bowed mine. I had asked that night for Jesus to forgive me for my stubbornness and unbelief i n the whole matter, and now I was doing my very best to believe, though I had never seen a deaf person receive healing. I bowed my head nearly to my knees, and cried out to God, "Please help that poor brother who is surely on the spot before all these people." But I discovered something. That brother had already been helped. He had already made the contact with God, that I needed so sorely. I was the one who needed the help, and Jesus, in response to my cry, heard me, and I found grace to help in time of need. The next year, while pastoring a church just north of San Francisco, some 50 miles, I sought God earnestly. H e showed me the way. It was the W O R D way. Something happened in my heart. I'm not exactly sure what it was. As I sought the Lord, I discovered what my heart had longed for, for so long, had taken place. There was an assurance, a knowledge that what G o d had said in H i s W o r d was true. I needed nothing else. The first person ever healed of blindness, in any of my meetings, received that healing in my own church. The first deaf person who was made to hear, received that hearing in my church, and it was there that instantly the lame were made to walk. It was there that the Son of God spoke to my heart to take this marvelous ministry of deliverance to the people of the world. Four full years have come and gone since my first healing campaign, but those years have been filled with glory and power as the Acts of the yesterdays again take place, through faith i n the Christ of the Bible. That One Whom we love and serve, W h o walked Judea's dusty road, W h o trod the sandy

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shores of Blue Galilee, Who fed the 5,000, Who healed the sick and raised the dead, stands by to honor His Word, as people come believing the promise of a never-changing God. In the present campaign, miracles have been the order of the day. It can best be expressed by Pastor R. H . Marshall of the Bethel Assembly of G o d Church here i n Indio. These are his words, as he has given them to me. " W e are, at the present moment, i n one of the finest meetings that I have ever attended. Night after night the power of the Lord has been manifested. Some of the most outstanding healings have taken place at the tent, in which the meeting is conducted, that I have ever had the privilege of seeing. "This is a campaign where souls have been saved, healed and filled. "The F u l l Gospel churches of Indio have gotten behind this move, and it is a real move of God, for which we praise H i m . "Deaf ears have been instantly opened; the mute has been made to speak; goiters have melted away; crossed eyes have been straightened; the diabetic has received complete healing; and the lame has been made whole. "We, here in Indio, surely can say that 'Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, and today, and forever.'" (Heb. 13:8.)

Qhaftier 12

My Testimony and Call BY STANLEY KAROL

A s I write my testimony, I am humbled, for in every experience I see the miraculous hand of God or the familar foot-print of my Saviour by my side. "Glory to G o d in the highest." You see, by all process of reason, I should not be existing nor even writing this article. For there was a time when the medical men examined my mother and informed her that she would never have another child. Oh, yes, she had children but they all died. None lived very long. A few days, weeks, months, and they were gone. And now according to the physician there would be no more. Words would fail me to express her feeling but every time I read of Hannah i n the O l d Testament, I relive her experience. For mother did just as Hannah of old. With the doctor's statement ringing in her ears, she went to church and prayed. There she vowed to G o d that if He gave her a boy, she would give him back to the Lord as a minister for His glory. Some say that miracles do not happen today. However,

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I am a living miracle that refutes that teaching and shows that miracles do happen today. At the age of about four or five, I took ill and everyone despaired of my life. The fever raged and I moaned and cried clay and night. Every cry left a new scar on the heart of my mother. M y parents began to seek the best medical help for me. There were three doctors that examined me within a period of a few hours. But one after the other had the same thing to say, " N o hope. Your boy cannot live any longer than twenty-four hours." Once again my folks faced the impossible. It was Sunday and I was getting worse and my life was slowly ebbing away. Frantically mother tried to call another doctor, but one after the other was out, or busy. Those that were there previously, only reminded her that it was no use. What could she do? In desperation, she wrapped me up i n a blanket and said, "If no one will come here, I will go to them." She started out on foot, with a fever-ridden child in her arms, and a broken heart i n her bosom. A l l offices were closed and no one would give her an audience. Still seeking, she looked up and saw a church, and remembered that this was the very place in which she made her covenant with H i m . Also that I was a gift of G o d and an answer to her prayers. H e gave me to her, and now she had brought me back. It was up to H i m . H e was her child's last hope. If G o d would not undertake then this was the end. She would rather have me die i n a church than in a doctor's office, so she entered to pray. W h e n she finished praying, she came over to where I was and noticed that her boy was smiling again. W r a p p i n g me up, she carried me back home, confident that the impossible had happened again. I am a living proof of that. "Glory be to G o d . " Bear with me as I recount another incident out of my life for the glory of G o d . Once again I found myself bedridden and, as a result of this new attack upon my body, I lost the use

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of my legs. Yes, I was paralyzed from the waist down. Every time I looked into the face of my parents, I could see their expression as they were asking themselves the same question over and over again, "Would our boy ever walk again?" This was another impossibility. I know what it is to look out of the window and see other children playing ball or tag, to see them running, hiding, or climbing a tree, and there I was, upon my cot, helpless. Many a hot tear found its way down my cheek. Life can seem cruel and fate a tyrant, during such an experience. As clouds at times rob the sun of its glory so also the glory of God is hidden by tear-bedimmed eyes. But we know that i n spite of the clouds, the sun is shining and the heart full of faith knows that i n spite of pain and tears, there is a G o d on the throne W h o sees all and loves all. So once again, faith conquered and there was the happy day when I took my first few steps. "Only a few," you say. W e l l , yes, only a few, but they were the promise of more to come. M y father often urged in later days, when he saw me playing ball, to take it easy. H o w could I take it easy? H a , I had to make up for lost time. Can you stop a man who has been blind and tell him not to look at the flowers so much; or a man who was deaf not to listen to the birds? So, I had to run, and run I d i d . One would think that a man with these experiences would surely be a firm believer in miracles and also Divine healing. But that was not so. Y o u see, I became the minister that mother wanted, but, during my training at the seminary, rationalism crept in. O h , yes, miracles were i n the Bible, but these things did not happen today. I began to think that these things were an exception and not a rule. Years later, in the ministry, I found myself a physical wreck, my nerves shattered by a break-down, sinus, ulcers, weak eyes, and a hernia. Surely there was no healing now, for I was a minister and, if anyone should be healed, I deserved to be. This was my theology. Then reports began to trickle in. I heard of William Bran-

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ham and Gordon Lindsay. I met people who were healed through their prayers. Secretly I began to fast and pray. I repented before G o d . Then I decided to launch a healing campaign i n my own church. Many told me that it would not work. People would not go for it i n our section. However, we launched out in our first healing revival. Our church saw the greatest revival in all of its history. M y people were healed. I was healed of all my troubles. I realized that truly "Bible Days are here again." The miracle-working G o d of my youth became the God of this minister once again. N o w the rocks and stones were transformed into monuments of God's grace and healing power testifying to all, as i n the Bible times, that "Hitherto hath the L o r d helped me." As I write this, I am thrilled beyond words. Think of it; it happened to me. Immediately after this visitation, G o d began to deal with me about launching out i n a healing ministry. I accepted my first such meeting about three years ago i n N e w York City. The prophet's mantle touched me and I followed him across Jordan's River. N o w the question was, " W o u l d I be able to come back the way I came?" (II Kings 2:9-14.) I asked the L o r d to give me some easy cases when my first prayer line was formed. I wanted to try this mantle on a "pond," rather than a "river" such as Jordan. I am so thankful that G o d did not answer my prayer! W h e n I looked up at the people, who had come for prayer that they might be healed, the first man I saw i n line was the hardest case i n the building. H e was a big man, suffering from partial paralysis from his waist down. Not able to kneel nor walk in some time, he was expecting God to heal h i m . Here I was face to face with Jordan itself. H o w this crippled man was able to be first i n line, I w i l l never know. Placing my hands on this man, I bound that spirit in Jesus' Name and felt the healing virtue flowing into his body. Testing his legs, he found he could bend them. The Spirit of G o d

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uttered through me a command for him to run. What a thrill to see that man running up and down the aisle with hands upraised, giving G o d the glory. Jordan had been conquered. Thanks be to God! Thank God for this ministry of deliverance. I am happier now than I have been i n all of my ministry. M y joy is not founded only on the fact that it has meant so much to me personally but because I have seen what it can do for others. In the past three years, I saw more people converted and brought to G o d than in all of the past 13 years that I ministered. Previously I wondered but I know that, "WORLD EVANGELIZATION NOW" is possible through healing and miracles.

(SkafyUr 13

He Called Me to 'Rescue the Perishing BY WARREN LITZMAN

The greatest thrill that ever came to my life happened at the time I was in deep sin and could find no way out. It was then I turned to G o d and met the Lover of my soul. When I gave my heart to Jesus, I gave H i m everything I had. About two years later, I was gloriously filled with the H o l y Ghost and Power. From that time, I felt someday the L o r d would use me, somehow, in His service. A few years later, while I was going to college at Baylor University, some friends of mine and I were conducting weekend revival services, when I felt that G o d had definitely called me to His service. I put that call to the test, as I wanted to be sure that the L o r d wanted to use me. I asked the Lord if H e wanted to use me, to put His approval upon my ministry by saving souls in our next weekend revival. M y answer came, as in the next meeting, 21 souls were saved in three services. From that time on, I had a passion to see souls saved. When I got out of school, the Great Revival of Deliverance was in the beginning. I began to preach revivals over the coun-

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try and, for about two years, G o d blessed. But I was still not seeing the greatness of Pentecostal power in action. I was filled with the Holy Ghost, but something was missing in my life. I began to search my heart and life and to get closer to God. In about a year's time, the miracle took place that gave me the power to pray the prayer of faith and set the captives free. This is the story of how the power to deliver the captives came to me: Many have asked me the question, " H o w d i d you get into the ministry of deliverance?" or, "What happened to you that caused you to start praying for the sick?" I have been asked concerning my ministry in many ways. I have always noticed that the person inquiring asked in an excited manner, expecting an exciting answer. For example, one lady asked me to tell about the dreams and visions I had when God called me to pray for the sick. A minister asked me what sickness God healed me of when I started i n the ministry of deliverance. Almost without exception, someone asks me to tell my life story. M y answer is that God's W o r d led me to pray for the sick. The Bible promises deliverance for the sick and, therefore the W o r d of God is my life story. I have noticed that when I tell the people I have no astounding testimony, some of them become crestfallen. I have no scruples against those who have such wonderful testimonies; however, this just didn't happen to me. It seemed every time I heard one of the brethren in the healing ministry tell of his experience of inspired faith, I would leave disappointed, for I didn't have the prerequisites. Either the preacher had been on his death bed and G o d healed him and spoke to him, or he had been given visions of himself delivering humanity. I had never been sick, was perfectly healthy, and did not have dreams and visions. It looked hopeless. One day I read i n Mark where "these signs shall follow them that

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believe." I began to study what the word "believers" means. As I did, I saw that I could be a believer. With this scripture and a theme from the life of one of our old-time preachers, "Preach the W o r d and hold on to God, until the signs follow," I began to pray. I prayed hours each day. Often times I would pray at night after the services were over. I prayed until I almost had a nervous breakdown. A t the same time I was praying, I preached at night. This left me quite weary. There were many weeks and months during this time I became disappointed because I could see no change, but every time I did, the theme I had chosen cheered me on, "Preach the W o r d and hold on to God, till the signs follow." I found the more I preached the W o r d the more power I received. Finally, one night I was preaching. I prayed for them and the signs began to follow. A t least fifty people came forward for prayer—every kind of ailment was represented. As I prayed, I felt the mighty power of God flow into the sick. The power of G o d was so strong that night, that most of those prayed for were smitten under the power of G o d . As a result of that service, many miracles took place. One lady coughed up a cancer the next morning. Several were healed of eye diseases and nervousness. A tumor disappeared and some, who were unable to work because of physical disabilities, were able to return to their job. Many great miracles occurred during that revival and it lasted over seven weeks. A little later on, while I was seeking the L o r d one day, I received a definite call to liberate people in body, soul and spirit. I was greatly impressed with the need of a perishing world and the Lord said to me, "Rescue the perishing, care for the dying, snatch them in pity from sin and the grave. Weep o'er the erring one, lift up the fallen, tell them of Jesus, the mighty to save."

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Since that day our campaigns have been known as the "Rescue the Perishing Revivals." As the years have gone by, I have seen mighty things done for God as I saw the perishing rescued. About three years ago, the L o r d opened the door for greater evangelism, as we purchased our large gospel tent seating over 2000. Most of our meetings are city-wide or union campaigns and souls are being saved by the thousands. Hundreds of sick are being healed. Cities are being stirred and Jesus is being glorified. The most wonderful thing about it all, is that the same God that helps me, can help anybody.

Gkaffier

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I Wanted to Know Tkat Man Called "Jesus" BY MICHAEL MASTRO

k-Jome years ago, i n 1911, my Mother and Father were living in Italy. M y Father visualized the Stars and Stripes and decided to make America his home. H e didn't have sufficient money for h i m and Mother to both come to America then, so D a d came first and, a few months later, sent Mother money to come to him. O n November 28, 1912, I was born. I am the eldest of five children. Soon after m y birth, m y father moved to Atlantic City, N . J . There I received m y education. As a lad of 14,1 became so hungry for reality. I didn't know God, yet I attended the Roman Catholic Church, and was faithful and consistent. M y Mother was a very devout Catholic. She prayed for hours, often from four o'clock in the afternoon until 8:00 and 9:00 o'clock at night, praying to the Virgin M a r y and to the various Apostles. Many times she said to me, "Son, be good, serve G o d , live for G o d . "

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However, I didn't know what the new birth was, nor what it meant to believe the W o r d of God. I didn't even know what the Word of G o d was. It was given to us i n Latin. When I was 17, D a d sent me to Philadelphia, Pa., to attend a barber school, but I still wanted G o d . One night, just after I had retired, in Philadelphia, a man came into my room. As this man came into my room, I noticed he was dressed differently than is usual. He looked different. He had beautiful long dark hair. As I looked at Him, I said to myself, "Surely, this must be that man called Jesus." I looked at Him for some time, then got out of my bed and ran to Him. I recognized that this was the Christ! I fell down on my knees and took the hem of His garment. I kissed it, looked up into His eyes, and said, "Jesus!" He seemed to speak to me with His eyes, and say "I'll see you later," and He left me. I was heartbroken to see Him go. In spite of that vision, as I went along, I went deeper in sin. I realized however, that I was lost and undone, that I needed someone to help me. I attended Mass, but came out still groping for reality. I so wanted to know Christ, this Jesus, I had seen that night, Who saves from sin. However, since I was groping for something, I knew not what, I turned to the world for happiness. I took up dancing and worked hard at it. M y Mother would often say, as I came in late at night, "Son, you're not going to live long. This tap dancing w i l l kill you." I weighed only 137 pounds, and was so fast on my feet they called me "lightning." I was considered outstanding. M y promoters had great things i n store for me. However G o d directed my life differently. One day, as I gave an exhibition dance, in Atlantic City, N. /., I met Mary Titanish, the girl who is now my wife. She

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had beautiful blonde hair. I looked at her and thought, "My! she is lovely!" She still is. One Sunday afternoon, Mother said to me, "Son, you're not happy." I said, " M o m , it's true. I'm not happy." She said, "Son, why don't y o u go i n your room and pray to Jesus?" I said, " M o m , you know we don't pray to Jesus. W e have to go to the V i r g i n M a r y , or one of the Saints, or one of the Apostles." Then she said, "Son, you go and pray i n your room, and I'll bring someone here to teach you how to pray to Jesus." She then went and got a millionaire's wife, Sister Julia Tumolillo, who's husband was a banker i n Philadelphia. This lady h a d been led to Jesus through her colored maid. She was saved i n a little Pentecostal Mission i n Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Readers, America, villages, cities and towns, want to know about that man called Jesus! They want to know about H i s power, they want to know about His life and virtue; they want to know about the forgiveness of sin, healing for the broken body, the fullness of the Holy Ghost, and His coming again. I remember the first time I went to a Pentecostal church. It was such a strange church to me. I had never been in a church like that. I went w i t h Sister Tumolillo. As I entered, I looked around for some images, statues, and the stations of the cross, and I didn't see any. I thought to myself, " M y , this is a funny looking church." It was a great big one, and I thought Sister Tumolillo would sit near the back somewhere but, O h M y ! she kept on walking, and I followed her. Everybody turned around and looked at me. She kept walking, going toward the front, and stopped at the very second row. Brother Wilfred A . Brown was the pastor. H e looked at me and said, "Praise the L o r d ! " I thought, "I wonder what this is a l l about." I knelt down and made the sign of the cross at the side of the pew, and when Sister Tumolillo went i n , she turned around and prayed

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towards her seat, and I thought, "This is a strange way." I was praying towards the platform, and again made the sign of the cross. I heard her get up and sit down, and I did the same thing. Brother Wilfred A . Brown preached from the Gospel of St. John, but it was Greek to me. Every once i n a while he would preach about Jesus. I kept saying to myself, " H e doesn't preach like Sister Tumolillo, but I suppose it's all right." Sister Tumolillo said, "Now, if he says, 'Who wants to be saved?' you want to be saved, don't you Michael?" I said, " W e l l , yes. I want everything that goes with this." She said, "You just raise your hand." Then Brother Brown said, "Is there anyone here tonight who wants to be saved?" and he looked at me. I "kinda" blushed and lifted my hand and L o ! and Beholdl the other one went up. The next thing I knew, I was up at the front of the altar. The next I knew after that, there was a group of men all about me and I heard them saying loudly, " G o d save him! G o d save him! God bring him in! Oh, G o d , save h i m ! " I had a date with Mary and it was getting late; therefore, I was rather disturbed. I looked up at Brother Brown and was "kinda" scared to talk to him, but I had to go; so I said to him, "Father Brown," (you see I didn't know you were supposed to say "Brother") "could I go now and come back some other time? Is it all right?" H e said, "Sure thing. W h e n w i l l you come back?" I said, "When do you have this again?" He said, "We'll have this again Sunday morning." I said, "111 be out." M y friends, for three days the flames of hell were coming up and licking my feet. I actually saw the flames of hell. The thought of eternity continually bothered me. O h ! Eternity! O h ! H o w long? I wrestled with this thought for conviction was

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upon me. I could not eat or sleep for three days. The Lord showed me Satan himself. Oh, there was such a hunger. I wanted God. I wanted reality. I wanted the L o r d to fill me with His love. Finally on Monday morning, August 10, 1934, Jesus came into my heart. I was so happy! H e took the heavy load of sin that I was carrying and said, "You are now clean, you are now purified, your sins are forgiven!" H e said, "Walk with me and I'll walk w i t h y o u . " For seven days I walked and talked with Jesus. Hallelujah! After that, I took a little Bible and went over to my girl friend's house and said, "Mary, this is wonderful!" I said, "Listen, I have a proposition to make w i t h you, but I want you to follow the Bible and that man called Jesus." It took me two hours but I finally said, "I want you to marry me." I said, " I ' l l call you tomorrow morning at 9:00 o'clock. Say 'Yes' if you want to follow Jesus. But, if you say 'No,' 111 never call you again." I called her the next morning at 9:00 o'clock and said, "What is your answer?" She cried, and said, "Yes." Hallelujah! But, my friends, before I called her on the phone, I called upon Jesus. I said, " L o r d , if you don't want me to have Mary, let her say ' N o . ' " I was out and out for God. During that time the Lord had been dealing with Mary also. About a week after I was saved, the Lord came to her—she heard a knock on her door. She asked, "Who is it?" The voice answered, "It is the Lord." She fell down on her knees right there and asked IIim to forgive her sins and He gloriously saved her. She had been so timid about going to church with me because she had been reared in the Greek Catholic Church and the Protestant mode of worship was so strange to her she did not know how to approach the Lord to ask Him to save her. But otir Lord knows our hearts, and came to her.

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After I was saved, my love for tap dancing, and my profession of dancing left me. I cared for it no more! Shortly after that, the L o r d came to me and told me that he wanted me to go and preach His glorious gospel, and I so happily answered His call. I didn't know the Bible, His Word, and I was just as hungry to know it as I had been to find Jesus as my Saviour. I would hear Brother Wilfred A . Brown preach and would take in everything he said. Then I would go out on the street corners ar^ preach and I went up and down the streets doing personal w V k . I was so happy about my Jesus and was so zealous and ai ious for everyone else to know H i m and love H i m as I d i d . Soon I had an opportunity to attend Central Bible Institute in Springfield, Missouri, and graduated with the class of 1938. Sister Mastro also attended with me and graduated i n the same class. After graduation and entering the ministry, I pastored seven churches and built two large churches. While attending Central Bible Institute, on the 13th day of March, 1937,1 received the Baptism of the Holy Ghost, in accordance with Acts 2:4. I was pastoring in Hamburg, Pa., i n the month of July, 1949, when I met a pastor friend who told me about a wonderful meeting near me. He said, "Mastro, Osborn and Lindsay, Evangelists of the Voice of Healing, are coming to town, with a big tent." I said, "Is that right?" Then he said, "Are you going to come i n and cooperate?" I said, "I don't know anything about them." H e said, "Haven't you heard of Evangelists, Lindsay and Osborn?" I said, " N o , I haven't." I had never heard of them. Then he said, "They are coming and I want you to hear them." One day, after the meeting began, I went to hear them preach. M a n y people were there. As I looked on, I met another

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pastor I knew who also said, "I have been trying to call you. I wanted you to come and cooperate with us. W i l l you?" I said, "I'll let you know." I am surely glad I got in on that meeting. I heard Brother Tommy Osborn preach the glorious message of faith. I wore glasses then. I had hardening of the arteries in my eyes. One night Brother Osborn preached such a wonderful message on faith. I went home and took off my glasses in my study room and said, "God, this is fust like in the days of Apostles. I saw deaf ears come open tonight. I saw the crippled walk, people with heart trouble jump in the air, and still they had good toind." Then I said, "God heal my eyes." Friends, God healed mi/ eyes! M y little girl, Dolores, who had to wear glasses with real thick lenses, after seeing me take off my glasses and not have to wear them any more, said, " D a d d y , I believe Jesus w i l l heal my eyes too." I laid my hand on her eyes and prayed, and G o d delivered her also. The school doctor examined her eyes soon after that and found them 20-20! Amen! He said she no longer needed glasses! Praise the Lord! That meeting grew by leaps and bounds, and I kept attending. This was just what my soul had been hungry for. I watched Brother Lindsay as he taught the Word of G o d i n the instruction services. G o d blessed i n a marvelous way. Friends, there were now thousands of people there, sitting i n the afternoon meetings. People were standing up to hear them preach the glorious W o r d , telling about Jesus and that Bible days are here again, that the L o r d is again visiting His people, that " H e is the same yesterday, today and forever." (Heb. 13:8) I said, " G o d , this is what I have been waiting for." I had always believed that H e healed, but new faith was born in my heart. So I went on a fast and prayed for ten days and said, "Oh, God, make yourself even more real to me," and H e didl

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H e said, "This is it. Take your Bible—proclaim me—I am the Christl" I said, "Jesus, Lord, I'll do it!" As 1 watched that meeting, I was so greatly impressed. Myl My! people couldn't get seats. They came as early as jive o'clock in the morning to get seats. I told my board about the meeting. They said, "Brother Mastro, let's close the church and go," and we went. W e traveled 36 miles round trip. M y , they were for it! Churches all around, within a radius of 100 miles were coming to that great Osborn-Lindsay Meeting. It grew and grew! I saw thousands of people saved, I saw thousands of people healed, by the mighty power of God. Let me tell you, Bible Days are Here Again! Hallelujah! One night, they gave me a prayer line. I had just come out of my fast and waiting on the Lord and was still attending the meetings. When they gave me this prayer line, I saw people with cancer healed, and a boy with a double cyst on his spine, instantly healed. He had just had an operation and had been told by the doctor that he could never drive his car again. He bowed down, bent his back, leaped into the air and said, "I'm healed! Tm healed! I can drive againf Oh, it was glorious. A woman with a tumor on the side of her stomach the size of a b i g eggplant, came i n the line to be prayed for. I said to Sister Mastro, " L a y your hand on her side, as I pray for her." Sister Mastro and the lady laid their hands on her side and they both began saying, "It's shrinking, it's going down!" and it left completely! I tell you, people with eye trouble, stomach trouble, and many other ailments were instantly healed. I can't begin to tell you all that happened! H o w I thank G o d for Brother Lindsay and Brother Osborn, and that G o d sent them to Reading, Pa., and for the way God, through them, inspired my faith to launch out into deeper things for H i m .

Ghafthr

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I Spent Seven Hours in Heaven" BY REV. AND MRS. W. B. McKAY

I was born on the eastern shores of Nova Scotia, Canada, of Episcopalian parents. W h i l e working i n the French metropolis of Montreal, Quebec, I met my husband, Rev. W . B. M c K a y . W e were married there and a few years later moved to Toronto, Ontario, established our home and were planning to settle there for good. But one day my husband came home saying that G o d had opened up the way for both of us to go to Bible College. I was opposed to such a move; we were so happy and comfortable in our new home, and everything I wanted was so graciously granted me. One night the L o r d showed me, in a dream, my home burned to the ground. Also H e showed me the Bible College. H e said to me, " W h i c h w i l l it be?" Quickly I cried, " O h , Lord, I w i l l go at once!" The training and spiritual atmosphere in the Bible School was wonderful. W e had the privilege of spending many happy hours in prayer with other fine students of the school. The study of God's W o r d , under the teaching of our beloved presi-

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dent of the school, D r . Paul F . Bcacham, prepared my husband and me for our life's work for the Master. MY H E A V E N L Y VISION One Sunday afternoon, shordy after the dinner hour, I retired to my room. The other students and my husband went to hold their weekly jail services. The L o r d spoke to me, directing me to pray. I closed the curtains i n my room to keep out the glare of the sunshine. While praying, I felt myself falling into darkness. Shortly after this my room began to light up; it was flooded with light brighter than I had ever seen. Suddenly the door of my room opened, and standing in the door was the Lord Jesus Himself, with a host of angels! It is impossible for me to describe in every detail the loveliness of Jesus. H e wore a spotless white gown, and H i s brown hair fell down to H i s shoulders. His eyes of steel gray, yet so full of compassion, held me spellbound. H e came into the room holding a white robe i n His hands. Coming over to where I was praying, H e put this beautiful robe on me A N D A T T H A T M O M E N T M Y S O U L C A M E O U T O F M Y BODY, A N D I SAW M YBODY STILL LYING W H E R E I H A D B E E N P R A Y I N G . Then Jesus told me, "I have come for you to show you the splendors of heaven." A t that moment, the angels began to lead the way out of the room. They were small, except the first angel who was leading the way. Then, outside of the room, the angels gathered i n a circle around Jesus and myself. W e began to float up in the air . . . around and around we went as we ascended up to heaven. A beam of light pierced through the fog-like air and showed the way for this host i n which Jesus and I were encircled to travel up into heaven. W e stopped at one place and Jesus said, " L e t us not linger here, this is the first heaven; we must go higher." The angel leading the way for all, at that moment

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began to rise higher, and the rest of us rose to follow. W e d i d not go straight, as one would imagine, but we went around i n a circle, traveling upwards around and around. The singing and the music from the angels as we traveled upwards is beyond my words to describe. W e stopped again and this time Jesus said, "This is the second heaven; let us not linger," and we all began to rise higher. The next time we stopped, Jesus said, "This is the third heaven." The angel that was leading the way took me by the hand and led me into the city of God. I looked and my eyes beheld a w a l l of glittering stones, different colors, beautiful beyond human conception. That large gate of pearl was wide open, and the angel led me through the gate to the street of highly polished gold. There were steeples pointing upward which shone like diamonds. The angel took me by the hand a n d showed me a large tree laden with fruit, and alongside of the tree was a river as clear as glass. Sitting by the river, on soft grass, were multitudes of people, small i n stature, with no wings, but hair hanging down their backs. Some among this number recognized me and called me by name, and I knew them. In fact, some had been crippled on earth, and now they were enjoying the perfection of heaven, smiling, singing, and always watching the gate that was wide open to see who was coming next. A N O I N T E D BY JESUS F O R SPECIAL W O R K The angel then took me to stand before a chair, which seemed to be as large as a mountain and made of pure gold, where sat Jesus. The light from His face was so bright I fell at His feet. H e spoke words of comfort, and said to the angel, "Bring me the vessel of o i l . " A t that moment my husband stood beside me. Jesus poured o i l on both of our heads, saying, "I A M A N O I N T I N G B O T H O F Y O U F O R A S P E C I A L

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WORK. Y O U W I L L BRING DELIVERANCE T O SUFFERING PEOPLE. I H A V E A SPECIAL WORK F O R YOU TO DO." I spoke then, asking Jesus what this work would be. A t that moment H e brought before me an army of afflicted, some on crutches, others on cots, and many i n wheel chairs. A l l these precious folk waited in a prayer line in a large tent. Jesus said, "I H A V E C A L L E D Y O U S E R V A N T S T O P R A Y F O R T H E S E A F F L I C T E D ONES. YOU W I L L H A V E MIRACLES OF HEALING, THE LAME WILL WALK, DEAF WILL HEAR, DISEASE W I L L GO W H E N Y O U PRAY OVER T H E S I C K A N D A F F L I C T E D ONES. Y O U M U S T STAY H U M B L E THAT I MAY WORK THROUGH YOU. SOME T H A T I H A V E C A L L E D T O THIS MINISTRY O F S E L F DENIAL H A V E GONE BACK. I KNOW YOU W I L L BOTH STAND TRUE." It seemed I had spent a long time i n heaven. The angel took me by the hand and directed me away from the throne where Jesus was sitting. W e began to float in the air. The same light that had penetrated the fog on our way up to heaven was there again. O h , I d i d want to stay with Jesus and enjoy that wonderful, peaceful place. But when Jesus spoke to me the words of comfort and told me of the work that H e had planned for us, I was glad to go and work in the fields that are white unto harvest. W e came back down from heaven in a similar manner as we went up to heaven. I came right back to my body and the room where I was praying. DOCTOR F O U N D NO PULSE When I opened my eyes again, there stood my husband over me, with a doctor and the president of the college. The doctor stated that before I came to he could find no pulse and was very much disturbed.

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I am so thankful that the L o r d gave me this marvelous trip into heaven, for it has revolutionized my life and ministry of deliverance. M y husband and I are enjoying these marvelous miracles that Jesus promised H e would give us. W e are seeing vast congregations filling our b i g tent, hundreds of souls led to Christ i n every campaign, and miracles of healing performed.

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"Tke Appearance of Cnrist to Me BY LOUISE NANKIVELL

I t was at the close of the General Council in Minneapolis, September 1941, that I went into a complete physical collapse —unable to sit up, to hold up my head, to eat any food whatever, or to sleep. Although I had collapsed once before, about six weeks prior to this, my condition had now become so serious that I was taken to a hospital with what the hospital reported as " i n labored breathing"—apparendy dying. M y body was literally gone to pieces. M y blood was "gone." The body chemistry had failed. The internal organs were i n a condition spoken of by physicians as being "burned out." It was not just one organ, it was all of them. BODY PREMATURELY O L D M y husband's brother in St. Paul sent an outside doctor in to the hospital to look me over. After an examination, he made some brief explanations about my state to nurses at my bedside. Then he turned to me, and i n a gruff, harsh voice, ad-

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monished, "You re too young, too young to be in this condition. You have no business being this way." Strangely enough, I was in the same condition as an aunt of mine, a dear, precious saint of G o d , i n Chicago, my home city. But she was old, up in her eighties, and her body was worn out; her organs would never function again. The doctors had been carrying her along for a while by artificial aids they were giving her. W h e n she passed away, the same things which had been done for her were being done for me. GIVEN UP TO DIE I realized that I was dying, and that statement, "You're too young to be i n this condition," rose up before me, and created a bitter spirit toward the L o r d within my heart. No, I wasn't afraid to die. I can honestly say that. But I thought of the years of service I could still have for the Master, and I didn't want to go. Nothing was prescribed by the doctor, and no attempt was made by the hospital to give me food or drink. In fact, nothing was done for me, except that shots were given in the arm to keep me quiet at night, and a nurse watched me constantly. I sank very low and my suffering was unbearable. O h , how could a mortal endure such torture, such torment in body and survive! W o u l d I ever live through another night? It would never do to go into the presence of the L o r d with a bitter soul. A n d so, expecting momentarily that my spirit would take its flight, I yielded myself into the hands of the Lord, and the L o r d made me willing to die. M y husband had been sent for, and stayed with me after I rallied until it was safe to take me down to Chicago, as I was too i l l to get home alone. Much prayer was offered for my healing, but no change came in my physical condition. From the first, I had daily been

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given as large a quantity of sleeping drugs as could be safely administered, but after a year and a half had elapsed, I was still too i l l to sleep most of the time, even with drugs, and was still being "carried along" on artificial aids that were being given. In fact, at this time, i n desperate attempts of faith for healing, when these aids were laid aside, I was unable to sit up, to eat any food whatever, or to even drink milk. There was a burning within my body, and as the doctors were silent on the cause of my trouble, we thought I had a cancer. Feeling that I might just as well be facing the facts, I asked the physician point blank one day, " D o I have a cancer?" " N o , " came the prompt reply. "If you did, you would have been i n a box three months." I questioned further as to why I d i d not get better. It was then he told me I was in the same condition as another patient he was treating, who was suffering from pernicious anemia and could not last much longer. Pernicious anemia with complications! A n incurable condition! A fatal disease! RESOLUTION TO SEEK GOD I began to do some serious thinking. If the time of my earthly sojourn was limited, a good way to go would be praying. So despite unbearable suffering, I offered myself to my blessed L o r d in hours of constant prayer for days and weeks. But the heavens were as brass. There seemed to be no ray of light. Approximately one year and nine months had gone by since I had become seriously i l l and I was in the same dreadful condition.

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T H E V O W TO PREACH IN SACKCLOTH In desperation, one day I humbled myself repeatedly before the L o r d , and made a secret vow to preach i n sackcloth, if H e would b r i n g me out of my living death. " L o r d , I've preached your Gospel for years. You've been faithful i n healing many sick i n the meetings. I know I'm unworthy, but surely, after seeing many healed by Your H a n d in my o w n ministry, it wouldn't be that I cannot be healed, that I shall have to go to an untimely grave. O h , Lord, if y o u w i l l bring me out of my hopeless condition i n a short time by some supernatural act of Divine intervention, so that all can see that Y O U have done this, 111 go out and preach your Gospel dressed i n sackclodi." T w o or three weeks went by and a Saturday night came. After retiring, I talked with the Saviour. " L o r d , all I am, all I have, my life, my health is i n Your hands; I rest it all with You." V I S I O N O F T H E L O R D JESUS That same night, or rather i n the hours of Palm Sunday morning, our L o r d Jesus appeared to me in a "vision of the night." I thought I was praying. The next thing, I thought I had gone into a trance. This "going into a trance" was as definite a transition as though I had gone through a door, stepped from one room into another. I seemed to be saying to myself, " W h y , I've gone into a trance and I've never been i n a trance before," when suddenly the L o r d Jesus Christ appeared. H e stood i n front of me as plainly as any person I have ever seen. O h , how beautiful H e looked. More beautiful than any words of mine can adequately describel H i s raiment was white and flowing. H e d i d not have a halo over H i s head as I have

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SO often seen in pictures, but from around His form, there emanated a strip of radiant light. The light followed in a continuous glow around the profile of His body—head, shoulders, arms, sides—appearing to be diffused from within. There was a stately splendor about His person, and such a placid calm. I could not see His form all the way down, as H e was standing behind a table. Suddenly Jesus vanished as quickly as H e had appeared, and my disappointment was overwhelming. JESUS T H E G R E A T PHYSICIAN BRINGS D E L I V E R A N C E W i t h i n three days, the change in my body was so great, I was like another person. I went to the physician and related my story of what had happened. He said that it could be accounted for through the appearance of Christ. H e told me there had been cases known to medical science where through an "apparition," as he termed it, the whole course of the human body had been changed. H e would attribute my healing to an "apparition" and write it down in the records. A n d now I was faced with a vow which I never expected to keep, as I never expected to get well. I told my husband, also the pastor of our Assembly and his wife, and all agreed the only thing to do was fulfill it, as it was made i n all good faith. W H Y T H E VOW? But why should a person make such a vow? Before I had become i l l , while ministering in white, I had seen the ever deepening shadows of spiritual darkness falling upon this sinful and adulterous generation. I had read in the Bible how prophets, kings, common people, men, even women and children in olden days had put on sack-

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cloth when the people had departed from the Lord. At one time a whole city put on sackcloth—at another, a whole nation. (Why the day w i l l even yet come when i n awful darkness and tribulation the L o r d will permit two witnesses (Rev. 11) to prophesy clothed in sackcloth.) So one night in a revival meeting, I spoke on the subject "Sackcloth and Ashes." Suiting the action to the word, I wore a sackcloth dress for the occasion. N o w I was incurably i l l . If the L o r d would raise me up, how gladly would I minister in sackcloth, not as an illustrated sermon, but as an act of humiliation and heartfelt gratitude. I would call America to put sackcloth and ashes upon her heart. Thus has come about this present ministry. A n d the L o r d hath spoken unto me, " G o and tell how great things I have done for thee. N o case is beyond M y help. I can do as much and more for others as I have done for you. 'Whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound i n heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.' In M y Name, b i n d the powers of darkness and disease, and the diseases w i l l no longer be able to operate i n the bodies of the people." I could see diseases of every kind like so many soldiers standing up against a wall, bound so that they could not move. The L o r d is loosing the people from all manner of sicknesses and infirmities, confirming His W o r d by doing mighty signs and wonders. A l l praise be alone to His matchless Namel

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Confirmed Alcoholic at 22— Now a Messenger of Deliverance! BY DAVID NUNN

M y background has been Pentecostal, for I was born into a Pentecostal family, for which I thank God. D I V I N E L Y H E A L E D W H E N JUST A BOY When I was just a young boy, I was converted to Christ in an open-air meeting. As a very small boy, I came in close contact with Divine healing, for my pastor at that time was Reverend J. C . Hibbard. H e believed in Divine healing and had a ministry of healing himself. One day, I stepped on a nail which penetrated my foot. From that, my foot became swollen and very painful. I went to Brother Hibbard, and he prayed for me. INSTANTLY, A L L T H E PAIN A N D SUFFERING LEFT! M y foot had been healed by the power of G o d ! That was my first experience of Divine healing.

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MY PARENTS MAINTAINED FAMILY ALTAR My Father and Mother were Pentecostal believers. They knew what it meant to pray food in. They knew what it was to have God's power intervene and save them from sure destruction, as they prayed and sought the L o r d . M y Father and Mother would call us children around to have our evening devotions and we would sit there and have the W o r d of G o d read to us and then would have prayer. Often they would tell us how God had worked in their lives, how H e had so often heard their prayers, healed their bodies, and had provided food for them when they were in need. FAMILY DIVINELY DELIVERED FROM FLOOD I shall never forget the story my Mother so often told us, which has thrilled my heart over and over again because I think it is one of the most outstanding miracles I have ever heard. It is a story of an instance of Divine intervention that always reminds me of the Children of Israel's miraculous crossing of the Red Sea. This happened before I was born. M y parents lived in South Texas near the San Gabriel River. Mother and Father told how the rains had swollen the river until the water came up to the doors of their home. The water had risen so high, it was already i n the house. M y parents walked to the door and looked across the river. There they saw their pastor raise his hands toward heaven and begin to pray. They began to pray, also, seeing their danger. They went out of the house onto higher ground, raised their hands toward heaven and again began to pray. W h e n they started praying and seeking God's help, it was about 7:30 i n the evening.

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By 9:00 o'clock, the waters had receded and he sent a wagon team over to get our family and take them to the other side. B y 4:00 o'clock the next morning, the waters had risen again, even higher than they had ever been before. Yes, I'm thankful I was reared in such a home and by parents who believed that God answers prayer. I feel that I owe my ministry today to a praying father and a praying mother, who knew how to trust G o d and who taught their children to believe the promises of God, and to call upon the name of the Lord. BACKSLID—BECAME A N ALCOHOLIC As stated before, I was saved when quite young and lived for the L o r d many years but, in spite of my good background and early training, I backslid and stayed away from the L o r d for a long time. While in that backslidden condition so many things happened. I went all the way down into the bondage of sin. A t first, I began to sin just a little. The devil always tricks us that way. I then became worse and worse and, by the time I was twenty-two years old, I was an alcoholic—a confirmed alcoholic. I spent as much as $700.00 in one month on liquor, and all the rottenness of the flesh. I was in the army during W o r l d War II—a confirmed alcoholic. G o d only knows how bad I was but H e was still watching over me i n His mercy. L I F E S P A R E D BY GOD'S M E R C Y Many times I recall how God miraculously spared my life during the war. Buzz bombs were kept from killing me. One time a V-2 exploded over my head and I was spared from that

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horrible death. G o d has been such a good God to me! H e is a God of power, and One Who answers prayer! God even answered my prayers while I was i n sin. I know G o d answers prayerl D E L I V E R E D F R O M D R I N K - C A L L E D TO PREACH When I came back to the L o r d H e , by the power of the Holy Ghost, delivered me from the bondage of drink and all the evil habits of my life and put such a fire in my soul as I had never had before. H e filled me completely with H i s precious H o l y Spirit. I W O N D E R E D A B O U T T H E SIGN-GIFT MINISTRY When I began preaching God's Word, I wondered why there was an absence of the manifestations and signs that Jesus said would accompany the preaching of His Word. I asked, "Where are the signs of the apostles? Where are the signs Philip had with him down in Samaria; where are the miracles that the Apostle Paul wrought? Where are the true disciples who w i l l go and pray for the sick until the sick are healed?" I wondered also why these things d i d not accompany my ministry. I prayed for the sick and a few people were healed, but I was so dissatisfied. I cried, " O h G o d ! where are those mighty miracles? W h y doesn't the blind see when I pray; why doesn't the deaf hear when I pray; why doesn't the paralysis leave when I pray?" These and many other questions went through my mind and I was so burdened about it.

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I N E E D E D M O R E O F GOD'S POWER I held a number of campaigns, while going through that period of unrest and dissatisfaction with my ministry for G o d . In 1949 I began a meeting in Dallas, Texas, in Little Bethel Assembly of God Church. God was moving, souls were being saved and people were being blessed of G o d and filled with the Holy Spirit. During this meeting, a little girl came up to me, who had facial paralysis. She looked at me and closed one eye. She could not close the eye on the other side of her face. The eyeball would turn up inside of her head. I looked at that child with such compassion and prayed for her, but seemingly nothing happened. M y heart went out to her and I looked again at that child and said, "Honey, you come back Friday night. I'll fast and I'll pray that G o d w i l l heal you. You come believing, Friday night, and I w i l l pray for you again." I did not understand faith then as I understand now, or that little girl could have been healed that night. When I went away from there, my heart was so heavy. I had gone away and had not brought to her the deliverance that Jesus paid for at Calvary. I had failed one who needed help so badly. M y heart was broken. I so wanted more of God's powerl Tears came to my eyes. Seemingly, there was no way that I could minister the power of G o d . During those days, I prayed and sought G o d so desperately. I pleaded, " O h GodI give me this miracle to confirm my ministry, if I am called of You to preach Your gospel. I want to know that I have a Bible ministry. I want to know that You have called me to preach. You must confirm my calling!" I said, "God, I'm depending upon You for this miracle, that

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I might know I have a call from heaven, and that I have not entered this warfare of my own accord." I fasted and prayed as I promised and, that Friday night, when I got to the service, I was so weak I could hardly preach. I'll never forget that night, as long as I live! MINISTRY C O N F I R M E D - P A R A L Y Z E D GIRL H E A L E D ! After I had preached, that little girl came forward. I laid my hands on her and prayed. I prayed five or six times. When I had finished, I told her to go home and believe the L o r d . Five days after I had prayed for her, the little girl was playing outside. A l l of a sudden, her little eye closed. The paralysis had left her face. She ran inside to her daddy, grabbed him by the pants-leg and said, "Look, Daddy, what Jesus has done for me!" That day, her mother called me on the phone and said, "Carolyn M a y can now close her eye." I said, "That's wonderful! You should write your testimony and tell what G o d has done for you." But her mother said, "Brother Nunn, the paralysis has not all left her body." The Spirit of God fell upon me while I was talking on the phone, and I said, "Sister, by Sunday night, every bit of it w i l l be gone." I don't know why I said Sunday night, but I d i d . That Sunday night, I went back to that church and preached again for the pastor. W h i l e there, that little girl came up behind me and tugged at m y pants-leg. I looked around and she said, "Look, Brother N u n n ! " and closed her eyes. Oh, what a thrill that was! To look into that little face that had been paralyzed and see that all the paralysis was gone! Her arms were free from the paralysis also. A l l of it was gone. Her body had been made whole—by the Power of G o d !

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COMMISSIONED TO H E A L T H E SICK I remember in January of 1950, after I had accepted the pastorate of a church, how sweetly the L o r d came to me. That morning, to which I refer, G o d spoke to me and said, "Get up from here and go into every city, heal the sick therein and preach the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand." I understood, from that, that G o d would have me go and declare the truth of Divine Healing and that H e was promising me that H e would work with me, confirming His Word—with signs following!—that I was to preach that Jesus was coming, and that H e was coming very soon! I have done just that, for the past three years, and, during that time, I have seen literally thousands of people set free by the power of G o d . Hundreds have been saved and healed in a single campaign! FEAR O F DEAFNESS REMAINED It is such a joy when the L o r d gives a special victory over fear. I remember that, after God had called me into this glorious ministry of deliverance and I had left my church and gone forth, I obtained a tent and began a meeting but, somehow, fear remained in my heart. I could pray for every affliction, believing God would heal, except one thing. Each time I saw a deaf person coming to me, fear would grip my heart. I would begin to tremble on the inside, and the devil would say, "What if his ear doesn't come open? You have prayed for a lot of people whose ears didn't open. H o w about this one?" After that, fear would always grip my heart. I was so grieved about it and sought G o d earnestly to remove it.

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In the latter part of 1950, i n Bastrop, Texas, I was conducting a meeting. One day, i n the home of the pastor, he, another friend of mine, and I, got into quite a discussion and it became a real debate. Our argument became very heated and they wouldn't listen to my side, and I wouldn't listen to theirs. I immediately saw that we were not accomplishing anything; therefore, I looked at them and said, "Brethren, you don't have to preach tonight, but I have to. I have an obligation to the people, and I must go pray through. I've lost my victory over this discussion." I, therefore, asked them to forgive me and I walked out of the house, over to the church, and there I knelt before G o d and began to pour my heart out to H i m . As I left that house and went to pray, I realized that was the best thing that could have happened to me. That was one time the L o r d made the devil to praise H i m . I had lost my temper, but I had self-discipline sufficient to know that I had an obligation to G o d , and to the people, to preach to them the message that G o d had laid on my heart. I could not do that when my spirit was not i n harmony with that of my brothers. I had to have that peace restored between us, to have God's fullest blessings on my ministry. R E F I L L E D W I T H H O L Y SPIRIT During the time I prayed there at the church, and waited o n God, H e gave me one of the greatest refillings of the Holy Ghost I had ever had. It even eclipsed the Baptism of the Holy Ghost I had received. So much power and glory came into m y soul that afternoon! E v e n those men, with whom I had argued, said that, as I came into the service that night, they felt the power and glory of G o d extending even to where they were sitting. Truly G o d answers prayer!

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D E L I V E R E D F R O M FEAR OF DEAFNESS That night, as I stepped under the tent, I was filled and charged with the mighty power of God. Fear was far from mel I had had a visitation from God, and His power had liberated me from fear. The deaf came but, thank G o d , there was victory. Five deaf people, in a row, came. Five in a row were healed! They heard the tick of a watch. They heard the slightest whisper. Every one of them, without a single exception, was healed by the power of God. From that hour, I have no longer been afraid to pray for any affliction, deafness, leukemia, cancer, or any other ailment, because I have known, since that hour, that the same God who heals headaches and minor ailments heals all other afflictions, too, and it takes only one touch for H i m to do the job!

I Saw tke Lord BY WILBUR R. OGILVIE

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JLhis is something out of this world; and when I say that, I am not just using a figure of speech. I mean it. I saw the L o r d ! I was converted i n 1934 i n the little town of Deadwood, South Dakota, a historical town that had been known for its wickedness since the gold strike of 1876. It was the home of such W i l d West characters as Poker Alice, Calamity Jane, W i l d B i l l Hickok, Deadwood Dick, and Potato Creek Johnny (whom I personally knew), and many others. A n d it was there that Preacher Smith was martyred by the Indians. I lived with my parents i n a cabin near Mount Moriah, where many of these notorious and famous persons are buried. M y body might have been there in the graveyard today, and my soul in hell, had it not been for the mercy and goodness of the Lord in sending an evangelist to my town. M Y VISION O F T H E LORD I was i n a prayer meeting i n the upper apartment of a house on Charles Street and hoping that this night I would re-

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ceive the baptism of the Holy Spirit. The pastor did not know what was taking place when I began crying out with a loud voice and in great conviction, "What meaneth this, that I see the L o r d Jesus?" About 100 feet i n front of me stood the L o r d i n H i s glorified Bodyl It is an impossibility for me to describe what the Saviour really looked like. Words fail me. Many of the prophets and aposdes tried to describe H i m , but were at loss for words. N o doubt this epiphany is identical to the experience of the apostles Peter, James and John on the Mount of Transfiguration, as recorded i n Matthew 17:2, with the exception I saw no man save Jesus. IN T H E PRESENCE OF T H E LORD I was as much saved then as I ever will be, but the first thing that came to my mind was that I was in the presence of the Judge. I felt a great fear and wondered if the L o r d would turn me away. Jesus then began walking toward me, His feet moving like lightning. The L o r d appeared through the walls of the room as though they were not there. (See Luke 24:36.) Jesus walked around me several times. His eyes were always on me. H e never once looked any other way. I was so awestruck with his majesty, and so conscious of my weakness as a human being, I would have tried to escape, but there was no way of escape. I turned my back on H i m and fell on the floor and covered my face. I seemed to realize at this point that I was not seeing the Lord with my natural eyes, but that the eyes of my soul were opened. (See II Kings 6:17.) The vision vanished instantly and the ones praying with me were amazed at the demonstrations, and were not sure as yet just what was taking place. I began to tell them as best I could, and was disappointed at their not being able to see

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the L o r d too. But they declared they had felt the Lord's presence i n a mighty way. After talking this over and searching my heart, I knew that everything was under the blood of Christ. W e were led by the H o l y Spirit to pray again. A n d after a few minutes of prayer, the L o r d appeared the second time, standing in front of me as before, with His flaming eyes of fire fastened on me. F o r a moment he stood erect, and then walked directly towards me. Truly H i s countenance was like lightning and H i s raiment whiter than snow. Peter's experience on the mount always stayed with h i m . W h e n he was an old man, he was still talking about it. (2 Peter 1:17-18.) This vision never left me. It is as fresh on my mind as when the L o r d appeared to me that night in 1935. H i s eyes were as flames of fire and were riveted on me. God helping me, I want to say, like the Apostle Paul: "I was not disobedient to the Heavenly Vision." (Acts 26:19.) J E S U S IS A L T O G E T H E R L O V E L Y I was attracted most of all by the eyes of the Lord, which I must repeat, were as flames. As Solomon said, " M y beloved is altogether lovely." Jesus appeared to be about six feet in height and about 190 pounds i n weight. H i s hair was a most beautiful golden or auburn color, curly and hung down His shoulders to the middle of His back. H i s beard was of the same color. Christ's garment was white beyond any description. The muscles in His back were like those of a wrestler, and H i s shoulders and arms like those of an athlete. The second vision, like the first, lasted only a few seconds, not more than two minutes at the most. H e disappeared as quickly as H e appeared. Again, after explaining to Christian friends the best I could of what had taken place, we went to

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prayer for the third time. We had no sooner begun praying when Jesus made H i s third appearance to me. This time H e never looked at me, but was standing at my right and a little i n front of me, perhaps about eight or ten feet away. H e appeared to be shaking H i s head in great anger as H e looked over the town of Deadwood. HOUR OF WRATH AT HAND I expected H i m to spring like a lion on the town at that very moment, and trample it as a winepress is trodden underfoot. But even as I thought judgment was about to come on the town, H e vanished out of my sight. I have not seen Jesus since, but I know some day I w i l l see H i m again—when every eye shall see H i m , and every tongue confess that H e is L o r d to the glory of G o d the Father. Then every knee shall bend, and Christ will be crowned K i n g of kings and L o r d of lords. Are you prepared, dear reader, for that wonderful time? M Y B R O T H E R IS C O N V E R T E D O n my way home that night, I stopped at a pool hall where my brother, Arthur, was running a gambling game. W e stepped out the back door into the alley, and I told him of the vision. M y brother was saved and is still saved. A n d he has won many souls to the Lord. I went home, and as I opened the door of our little cabin, my aged parents were frightened at my countenance, and cried and ran from me. I d i d not know what caused them to act in that strange way. But after a while I was able to tell them what I had seen, and they were able to tell me why they were afraid of me. I "wist not that the skin of (my) face shone. . . ." M y skin shone much like Moses' face shone when he talked with the L o r d on M t . Sinai. (Exodus 34:29-30.)

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H E A L I N G MINISTRY BEGINS Wife and I began to hold special Divine Healing services around over the country from one to three nights at a place. In no time, we had more calls than we could take care of. W e are now on the field i n these special services. God is wonderfully manifesting his power i n healing the sick and the afflicted, as in the days of the apostles. The blind receive their sight, the lame walk and deaf ears are unstopped, cancers and tumors melt away and many other miracles are wrought i n the Name of the H o l y C h i l d Jesus. This mighty demonstration of Christ's power to heal has also brought to each church a great revival, and many are being converted and baptized with the H o l y Ghost. To Christ be all the glory!

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My Life Story and Call to the Healing Ministry BY T. L. OSBORN

I was born on a farm near Pocassett, Oklahoma, the seventh son in a family of thirteen children, raised on a farm, and schooled in the country. W h e n I was at the age of 12, my brother, who had just been converted under an old brush arbor a few weeks previously, took me with him to attend a revival being conducted in the old sway-roofed " F a i t h Tabernacle," down by the railroad tracks i n Mannford, Oklahoma. Dressed i n my country styled overalls I went, and when asked to play the piano for the singing, I very nervously but happily consented. When the Evangelist made the call for sinners that night, I was joyfully converted. From that time I loved to go to the little church, but many times the work on the farm kept me in the field until too late to get to the meeting. Many nights I have wept from disappointment at not being able to go to the services.

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C A L L E D TO PREACH A t the age of fourteen, while walking i n the woods, hunting for the milk cows, I began to weep. It seemed foolish to me and I wondered why I should be crying so much. I stopped to pray, kneeling beside an old limestone rock. The L o r d Jesus spoke to my spirit and made me know that H e had chosen me to preach His Gospel. A t the age of fifteen, I left the farm to accompany a very fine minister of our community i n conducting some revivals. I shall never forget the night when I walked out of my home, leaving my father and mother i n tears. The last of seven sons was leaving. I knew there were many responsibilities on the farm, and far too much work for D a d to do alone, but I knew also that the L o r d had spoken and I must obey. F o r two and one-half years I accompanied this minister i n many wonderful revivals which took us through Arkansas and Oklahoma, and finally into California where a beautiful young lady from Los Banos, California, attended our meeting. She became my wife one year later. For two years my wife and I traveled i n California, preach' ing the Gospel of Jesus Christ. O n M a r c h 25, 1943, our daughter, Marie L a Vonne, was born but lived only seven days. The grief and disappointment of this was almost unbearable, but we determined to press on with the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and recompense our loss with spiritual births i n the kingdom of heaven. In the spring of 1944 we drove to Portland, Oregon, to conduct a revival and there became the pastors of the Montavilla Tabernacle. While in Portland, on January 20, 1945, our son, Tommy Lee, Jr., was born.

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MISSIONARIES I N I N D I A Three weeks after his birth, we resigned the Tabernacle and began seven months of itinerary work in several states, preparing to sail for the land of India as missionaries. Nearly a year was spent i n the great eastland of India, during which time we were privileged to see many happy conversions. H o w often since returning to America we have regretted that we did not understand the ministry of Divine Healing while i n India, but since we have been fortunately enlightened, we greatly anticipate returning to the East with the message of healing. In the fall of 1946, we returned to the United States, and accepted the pastorate of the F u l l Gospel Church of M c M i n n ville, Oregon. O n March 21, 1947, we were blessed with the gift of our little daughter, L a Donna Carol. During our time of pastoring the church at McMinnville, God dealt with me i n many wonderful ways. It was during this time that a lady i n our church happened to inform me of the death of Dr. Charles S. Price. I had never met the man but had read scores of his wonderful sermons, and through doing so, I had learned to love the man dearly. W h e n I heard of his death I went to the church and began to weep aloud. It seemed as though I could not contain my grief. The faith heroes of the past few years began to pass through my mind like a panorama. I thought of Wigglesworth, of Gipsy Smith, of Kenyon, of Price, of Dowie, and of others, not one of whom I had ever met or heard preach, but they were gone forever from this world's scene of action. I would never meet them here. The world would never again feel the impact and marvelous influence of their ministry. W e would only talk of them and hear of their exploits of faith. Oh, it broke my heart. It all seemed very strange to me as to why it should affect me like it d i d when I didn't even know those people.

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I began to ponder it all. I said, " L o r d , those great men are all gone now. A n d millions are still dying. Multitudes are still sick and suffering. To whom will they now go for help? Who will now stir our large cities and fill our large auditoriums with the mighty power of God, hearing the sick, and casting out devils? What w i l l this world do now?" Thus I questioned in my heart, and G o d heard and answered my questions i n a marvelous way, though not immediately. VISION O F CHRIST CHANGES L I F E A few days after this, during the month of July, 1947, we attended the C a m p Meeting at Brooks, Oregon, where Hattie Hammond was ministering. After she preached her wonderful message on "Seeing Jesus," I returned home very stirred i n my soul. Hearing this message was another step G o d had planned in my life. The next morning I was awakened by a wonderful vision of first, the Cross, next the angel Gabriel with his trumpet, and then the appearing of Jesus Christ in Person. N o tongue can tell of H i s splendor and beauty; no language can explain the magnificence of the power of His presence. I lay as one dead, unable to move even a finger or toe, awe-stricken by H i s presence. H e was altogether lovely. I am held by unexpressible joy and reverence even now as I try to write about it. Of all I had heard, the half h a d never been told me about the wonderful Christ. His hands were beautiful. They seemed to vibrate with creative ability. H i s eyes were as streams of love pouring forth into my innermost being; H i s feet, standing amidst clouds of transparent glory, seemed to be as pillars of justice and integrity. His robes were white as the light. His presence, being enhanced with such love and power, drew me to H i m . Oh, the half cannot be told! After perhaps thirty minutes of utter helplessness, I was able

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to arise, and I went to my study and fell on my face i n full surrender of my entire life to H i m whom I had come to know as " L O R D . " M y life was changed. I could never be the same. O l d traditional ideas I had held began to fade away, and I felt impressed daily by a new and increasing sense of reverence and serenity. Everything was different. I wanted to please H I M . O h , how I wanted to please H I M . That is all that has mattered since that blessed morning. W i t h the vision still fresh before me, and the burden of the passing of many of the great men of faith heavy upon my heart, I sought carefully the Lord to know His perfect plan for my life. In the month of September, 1947, we accepted again the pastorate of the Montaville Tabernacle in Portland, Oregon, and settled down for what we expected to be a long period of ministry in the lovely Northwestern "City of Roses," but God had this, too, planned only as a short step in His plan for our lives. THE BRANHAM MEETING Rev. William Branham came to Portland and conducted a healing campaign i n the large Civic Auditorium. I heard about the great miracles of healing and of the wonderful ministry G o d had given to dear Brother Branham. I went, and sat i n the balcony. I can never express the emotions of my heart in response to the operation of the Gifts of Healing ministered to Brother Branham by the angel he tells about. For three or four years I had been greatly stirred about the traditional methods I had been using in regard to the sick and demon-possessed. I continually said that we were on the "wrong track" in our manner of dealing with the suffering people. I always had believed that it could and should be done the Bible way. W e would call the whole church to pray for one

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person, hoping that some one might be able to pray the prayer of faith on the sick's behalf. I knew this was not the Bible way. As I watched Brother Branham minister to the sick, I was especially captivated by the deliverance of a little deaf-mute girl over whom he prayed thus: "Thou deaf and dumb spirit, I adjure thee i n Jesus' name, leave the child," and when he snapped his fingers, the girl heard and spoke perfectly. When I witnessed this, there seemed to be a thousand voices speaking to me at once, all i n one accord saying over and over, "You can do that." "That's the Bible way—Peter and Paul d i d it that way, and S O C A N Y O U . " "Start N O W - Y o u can do that-thafs what G o d wants you to d o l " I went home i n a new world. I had witnessed the B I B L E I N A C T I O N . It was the thing I had always longed for. A t last I had seen G o d do what H e promised to do. M y entire life was changed that very night. DAYS O F PRAYER A N D FASTING Many days of fasting and prayer followed that night. M y wife and I went before G o d determined to be channels through which God might work H i s mighty works of deliverance today. W e immediately sent near and far, telling the people to bring their sick, diseased, crippled, blind, deaf and dumb. W e began to preach deliverance for all, to pray for the sick, and needless to say, God began immediately to work miracles, because we had dared to take H i m at H i s W o r d . W e began to A C T O N T H E W O R D . If G o d said it, then it had to be. If God promised to do it, then H e M U S T B A C K I T U P . A few weeks of happy results followed, but still my heart was not satisfied. I notified the church that I would see no one nor speak to anyone personally or by phone until I let them know. Mrs. Osborn assumed the pastoral responsibilities and I went into an upstairs room alone, to remain until G o d spoke

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to me. I remained there only two days and nights and at the middle of the third day the spirit spoke to me very clearly and distinctly, and at last God answered my question concerning the death of so many heroes of faith, and the awful need that still existed throughout the world for this great ministry of deliverance. T H E H O L Y SPIRIT S P E A K S The Spirit spoke thus: " M y son, as I was with Price, Wigglesworth and others, so w i l l I be with thee. They are dead but now it is time for Y O U to arise, to go and do likewise. Y O U cast out devils; Y O U heal the sick; Y O U raise the dead; Y O U cleanse the lepers. Behold I give unto Y O U power over all the power of the enemy. Be not afraid. Be strong. Be of good courage. I A M W I T H T H E E A S I W A S W I T H T H E M . N o evil power shall be able to stand before T H E E all the days of T H Y life as you get the people to believe my Word. I used those men in their day, but this is Y O U R day. Now I desire to use T H E E . " The challenge of this commission given directly from the L o r d caused me to tremble exceedingly, but I knew G o d meant every word He had spoken.. More days and weeks of fasting and prayer followed this tremendous commission, and more healing and miracles were the result. The w i l l of God was determined very definitely i n the matter of resigning the church, and taking this "Gospel of the Kingdom" to the ends of the earth for a witness among all nations and peoples. Thus we began, and that was the early spring of 1948. Since that time we have had the unspeakable pleasure of seeing thousands of people healed of all manner of incurable diseases and physical disabilities, and have been able to lead thousands of sinners to accept Jesus Christ as Saviour.

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T H E JAMAICA REVIVAL We have been able to conduct Healing Campaigns already in over a dozen of our states and on the Island of Jamaica. In a single campaign which we conducted, as many as one hundred and twenty-five deaf-mutes, ninety totally blind and hundreds of other equally miraculous deliverances have resulted. Happy and joyful conversions have numbered as many as nine thousand in one revival. This brief sketch of my life and of the numbers of miracles wrought through the simple "prayer of faith" and mighty Name of J E S U S C H R I S T is enclosed for only the following reasons, viz., to "make known HIS D E E D S among the people" (Psalm 105:1), to prove that "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, and today and forever" (Hebrews 13:8), and to do our part in witnessing to H I S F A I T H F U L N E S S , because H e has said, "Ye are M Y witnesses, saith the L o r d . " (Isaiah 43:10.) Amen.

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My Personal Experience of the B aptism of the Holy Spirit BY EVERETT B. PARROTT

I was reared in an old-fashioned Methodist home; educated for the Methodist ministry, and preached i n Methodism ten years as pastor and evangelist. At the close of one of the annual Methodist Conferences, I went to my evangelistic appointment, and started revival meetings i n a Methodist Church. I was getting along nicely; and about the end of the first week felt led to open the service for an experience meeting. A lady got up and said, "I thank God for saving my soul, and healing me of tuberculosis in its last stages." A man arose and said, "I am thankful God saved me, and healed me of cancer? I was terribly wrought up. It was the first time i n my life I had heard anyone testify that they had been healed directly by faith i n God. I said, "Where have you Methodist people been?" They said, "There has been a great revival i n a neighboring city, where many have been saved, baptized with the H o l y Spirit, and healed physically." I began immediately to investigate. I went to the homes of those who had testified to being healed—talked with them personally—went to their phy-

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sicians and found it was actually true. I got in my car and started to that neighboring city to learn more. I passed a little newsboy on the street, peddling his papers. H e was singing, "I know the L o r d , I know the L o r d laid H i s hands on me." I looked at the little fellow who seemed to know what he was singing about, and I thought, "If the Lord ever got near enough to me to lay H i s hand on me, I don't know what I would do." I was i n such a hurry to learn more I stopped at the first Church I came to, as I entered that neighboring city. It was a Presbyterian Church. I walked up to the Manse and rang the doorbell. The minister came to the door. After introducing myself, I said, "Brother, I hear you have had a great revival in your city." H e said, "That is true." I said, "I hear many people were saved, and many were physically healed." H e said, "That is true; many of the members of m y Church were healed in the revival." I said, "Brother, where is that evangelist, and where is he going to hold his next meeting?" The minister very obligingly told me in detail. I thanked him. I told Mrs. Parrott we would cancel all our evangelistic engagements and go to that revival meeting. If anybody else had any more of God than we had, we were candidates for more. Didn't the Bible say, " G o d is no respecter of persons?" W e started for that meeting—arrived on a cold, dark, rainy Monday night. The meetings were held in a large Public A u d i torium, seating some thousands. The place was packed out and hundreds were standing on the outside in the rain, unable to get in. I had my note paper i n my pocket and my pencil well sharpened. "Let that evangelist make one unscriptural statement and I'll get him. Haven't I preached from this Bible for ten years?" But my first problem was how to get inside. The custodian of the building, an old friend of mine, was standing in the doorway, looking out over the crowd that couldn't get in, when he saw us and said, " W h y Brother Parrott, bring Mrs.

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Parrott and come in. There is always room for a minister." That is how we got in. M y custodian friend urged us to go to the section reserved for ministers. I said, "No, we will enjoy the meeting much more right here," and we crowded in a seat just back of a lady with a large hat. I thought we were hidden, when presently the evangelist came in through the very door we had just entered. M y custodian friend grabbed the evangelist with one hand and me with the other, and said, " D r . , meet the Methodist evangelist." There I was, face to face with the "man of the hour." He was so humble and kind. H e said, "Bro. Parrott, come along to the platform with me, and pray for me while I preach." H e was so sweet and kind, I began to think he was going to turn the meeting over to me. I was captivated by his humility. If my superiors in my Church could have drawn a crowd on a bright Sunday morning as large as this man had on a cold, rainy, dark Monday night, they would have brushed past me, not even glancing in my direction. Excusing myself, I remained i n the back. The evangelist went to the platform and began his sermon. H e preached an hour and fifteen minutes. His sermon was simple. His message was the plain gospel, clear as a bell from beginning to end. Nothing profound—nothing complex, just the simple story of the Man of Galilee, who had lost none of His matchless power. There I sat, note paper and pencil in hand, unable to find a single objection. I discovered immediately the only difference between his theology and mine was he actually believed his, and I did not believe mine. I believed the Bible, but it was only a head belief. I attended the meetings continually. The evangelist announced he was going to pray for the sick on a certain night. There they were, on stretchers, in wheel chairs, on crutches, with braces and bandages; all manner of sickness and disease. It looked as it must have looked at the Pool of Bethesda. The

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evangelist said, " W e are going to have a great Divine healing service here tonight." I thought, "Brother, we had better have one." The first person he selected to pray "the prayer of faith" for was a lady w i t h a large goiter. The goiter was so large it could easily be seen from the back gallery. I thought: " W h y did he have to select such an outstanding case for the first one, why not pray for someone whose sickness could not be seen?" I hid my face i n my hands and did not look up until I heard the minister say, "Thank G o d , this goiter is melting under the mighty power of G o d . " I saw it disappearing like a toy balloon that had been punctured by a pin. I don't believe there was a dry eye i n the place as the thousands praised God. A n d from miracle to miracle, as the revival continued, I observed everything that was said and done. One night, approximately two hundred high school boys and girls crowded into the back gallery. Before that service was dismissed I saw those boys and girls make their way down to the altar, surrendering their fives to Christ. (I might stop right here to say, many of those boys and girls are the leading evangelists, pastors, and missionaries today.) When I left the meeting that night I said, "I don't care what anybody says, this is G o d . " I followed the meeting for an entire month, and was so busy helping other people get saved, I forgot about myself. It had not dawned upon me that G o d wanted to do something for me. One afternoon as I was sitting i n the preachers' row, suddenly, and entirely unexpected, I saw Jesus, my risen L o r d . H e came directly toward me. N o one else seemed to see H i m . His beautiful, nail-pierced hand touched my shoulder. H i s lovely piercing eyes penetrated my soul. H e said, "I want you to receive the Baptism with the Holy Spirit." I am not given to emotion, but the sight of my risen Lord

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broke my heart. I wept like a child. I must have sobbed loudly, for I disturbed the preacher. He turned to me and asked, "What is the matter with you, Parrott?" I replied, "Dr. I have wasted ten years of my life by trying to preach without the Holy Spirit." He said, "Thank God, you don't have to waste any more." I rushed to the altar in the presence of some thousands of people. I promised God I would do anything, if He would only give me the Baptism with the Holy Spirit. I told God I would give up my call to the ministry and go out and sweep the streets for a living if only He would give me the desire of my heart; but I refused to continue without the Holy Spirit. I waited on G o d , day and night. One morning i n a prayer meeting, about ten o'clock, the fire of G o d began to fall and G o d baptized me with the Holy Spirit—an experience that not only transformed my life, but my entire ministry. Since then, I have been able to see more souls saved during a four-week revival than i n all those ten years previous. Friends, I would rather part with fife itself than to part with what G o d d i d for me when H e baptized me with the Holy Spirit.

(Skaftler 21

"What God HatL Wrought* BY REV. AND MRS. RAYMOND T. RICHEY

JR.aymond T. Richey, sixth of a family of eight children was born September 4, 1893, on a large farm near Atwood, Illinois. As a boy and also as a man, he has always been a bundle of energy. From birth to manhood, he was never strong, never very well, but always busy at something. A t the age of eight years, while playing with one of his cousins in a b i g pasture on the farm, a stick thrown i n the air came down on his nose, one end striking one eye and the other end striking the other eye. His eyes, always weak, rapidly grew worse. When he was ten years old, the big farm was sold and the family moved near Chicago i n order that the children might have better educational advantages. Raymond's eyes were so very bad, however, that he was able to attend school only a short time each semester and finally was unable to go at all. At the age of fourteen or fifteen his eyes grew rapidly worse. Worry, occasioned by this and general poor health, brought on a complete nervous breakdown.

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The small town where the Richey family moved when leaving the farm offered little in the way of amusement to tempt the restless, nervous, excitement-craving nature of the lad, but Chicago, with its gaiety, its frivolity, its fun, both innocent and otherwise, was only a short distance away and easily accessible by rail. It was in Chicago that Raymond forgot fathers teaching and mothers prayers and with a determination and an energy worthy of a better cause, he sought for all the pleasure available. Occasionally he would attend a church service somewhere. A few times he raised his hand for prayer. Once or twice he even shook hands with the evangelist and promised to lead a better life; but there was no change of heart, and so it was that his good resolutions, his handshaking, and so forth, profited him nothing. D O O M E D TO BLINDNESS As the months passed, his eye condition had become so serious that he was not able to do work of any kind. For years, all his glasses had to be ordered for him abroad, but finally there came a time when even these thick glasses were unable to help his eyes, and he was forced to wear dark glasses, so that his eyes might be protected from the light. One day he overheard a specialist say to his brother the following words, " M r . Richey, your brother's eyes are as bad as they can be. There is nothing more to be done. The case is absolutely hopeless. H e may be able to see a little for perhaps another two months, but at the end of that time, there will come total and permanent blindness." You who have good strong bodies cannot imagine the terrible numbing shock that went through Raymond T. Richey's mind as he heard his doom pronounced by that eye specialist. It seemed to him that all the sunshine was gone from

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the earth. The whole earth was a thing of darkness, of gloom and despair. The songs of the birds were no longer sweet in his ears and the perfume of the flowers no longer appealed to him. A terrible feeling of despair pierced his heart. H e brooded over his approaching misfortune until his nerves, never strong, gave away completely, and it was decided it would be better to send h i m away. Perhaps among other surroundings, away from home, away from old friends, he would have opportunity to face things with better courage. O n a cold morning i n December he started to visit a friend i n Canyon City, Colorado. As he kissed his mother good-bye, he walked carefully down the icy steps into the yard, then turned around for another look at that dear face and thought, "Yes, soon 111 be coming back home, but never be able to see those dear features again," and a feeling of despair shot like a dagger through his heart. GOD DEALS WITH HIM W h e n he reached his destination, his father's friend met him and d i d everything possible to make his time pass pleasantly. But what can make the day seem pleasant, when you realize that with the setting of each sun you have one less of a definite number of days left to see the mountains, the canyons, and many wonderful things of interest that are being shown you i n an effort to make you forget? Finally, New Year's E v e came, with its hilarity and its fun. Trying to get away from it all, Raymond had gone to his room early and retired. H e lay there tossing from side to side, until finally the bells were ringing, the horns blowing, the whistles shrieking, and the N e w Year was dawning and then Raymond T. Richey did something he had not done since he was a little boy. H e rolled out of bed and down on his knees in prayer. l i e remembered that Mother had put a Bible i n his suitcase

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when he left home, and so he got his Bible; although he could not read a word of it, he held that Bible in his hand and with tears streaming down his cheeks he looked up toward heaven and cried, " O h , G o d , my mother's God and the G o d of this Bible, if you will take me down to Fort Worth, Texas, where my sister is i n that revival meeting she has been writing us so much about, and save my soul and heal my eyes, you can have this life of mine, if it can be of any service to you." Then, strangely comforted and quieted, he went back to bed and to sleep. A n d for the encouragement of those of you who are praying for the salvation of loved ones, I want to say just here; that just one hour before this (accounting for the difference i n Central and Mountain time) as the N e w Year dawned i n Illinois, Raymond's oldest brother, Andrew, on his knees i n a watch-night service, had solemnly pledged himself to God, and to his own heart that he would pray daily for Raymond until he should know that he was saved. "While they are yet speaking, I will hear" G o d hath promised. In less than three days, money came from his father and a letter, saying "Son, I think you had better go down to Fort W o r t h and stay with sister awhile." God answers prayer! That same day the letter came, he was on the train speeding toward Texas and the revival meeting. HIS R E S O L U T I O N W E A K E N S But the nearer he came to her home, the fainter grew the determination of giving himself to Christ, which had been so strong when he left Canyon City. When he reached there at last, and was given a joyous welcome, he found they were just ready to sit down to the evening meal. When the meal was finished, they asked him to accompany them to the revival meeting which was being conducted; their invitation was de-

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clinetl with the excuse of fatigue. To his astonishment, they announced that they were singing in the choir and would have to go anyway, and for him to just make himself at home until they returned. They d i d not urge him to go; so he decided he "might as well go," and, putting on his hat, he went with them. G o d spoke that night through the lips of Arch P . Collins, forty years a Baptist minister, but Satan had the young man bound and when the altar call was given, he felt he should go and keep the promise made so solemnly to the L o r d less than a week before, but he could not. Others responded, the service was concluded, and Raymond T. Richey went home that night, more miserable than when he came. The next night again he said he would not go; again he found himself on the way to the meeting. The sister and brother-in-law, led of G o d , d i d not go to the choir, but stood one on each side of h i m quietly praying and pleading for his soul, hanging i n the balance. Suddenly, while they were yet singing, without one word from the preacher, the bands of Satan were loosed, and w i t h a cry i n his heart to the L o r d for help, he left his seat and fairly ran to the front and knelt at the altar crying to G o d to save his soul. Before preacher or congregation could realize what was happening, men and women, old and young, were coming from every corner of the tabernacle, kneeling at the altar and finding pardon and peace. A t the close of the altar service, the preacher announced that there was no necessity for a sermon and that service would be dismissed. HIS E Y E S A R E H E A L E D After the service had been dismissed, Raymond remembered the request he made of G o d and he asked Brother Collins if he would pray and ask G o d to heal his eyes. A n d that dear servant

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of the L o r d that dared to believe that God was able and w i l l ing to keep His Word, anointed that boy in the name of the L o r d and prayed the prayer of faith for those eyes. (James 5:14-16.) Raymond went home with his sister, unable to tell any difference at all in his eyes, but believing that it was done because G o d had promised it. The next morning when he awoke, he found he could open his eyes without difficulty. Not only could he open them, but that terrible milky veil that had been between his eyes and everything he tried to look at was gone. His glad shout summoned his sister from the rear of the house and they had a happy time shouting and praising G o d for what He had done. A little later he walked out on the porch and the enemy again whispered, "It would be well for you to take great care of your eyes now that G o d has healed them; so you had better put on your glasses and protect your eyes from the glare and from the wind and the dust." Raymond yielded and the glasses were put on, but not an object could he see through them. The sun was dimmed and that awful veil was over everything. Not till then did he realize that he was temporizing with Satan, and in his desperation, he raised his face toward heaven and cried, " L o r d , help me . . . I know You did heal my eyes last "night and now, Lord, if I haven't sense enough to leave these glasses off, You help me." In his own words, "Quick as a flash, a puff of wind blew those glasses from my eyes and onto the concrete sidewalk and they were broken into a thousand pieces. I picked up the nosepiece from the ground and put it in my pocket as a souvenir." This healing was in the year 1911. THE E F F E C T OF HEALING O N FRIENDS When Raymond returned home a year later, he expected that his friends would all think that he was crazy and would

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not have anything to do with him. But oh, what a different story, when they really began to find out that he was not the totally blind, sick, weak, nervous wreck that all of them had been expecting, but was a young man with clear, strong eyes, who had been doing hard work on the plains of N e w Mexico. H o w eager they were to hear h i m tell what Christ had done for him. M a n y of those young men and young women have surrendered their hearts to the Master and some are i n active service for Christ, because one young boy, only seventeen years of age, dared to believe G o d , dared to put H i m to the test. T H E C A L L TO SERVICE U p o n his return to Chicago, he remembered that he had pledged the L o r d to give his whole life's service to the cause of Christ. Immediately he began to consult ministers, friends and older Christian workers and what was his surprise and dismay to find that almost without exception they discouraged him; some on one ground and some on another. H e listened to the advice of man and went back to work again. Needless to say, he was thoroughly miserable. Hour after hour was spent in wrestling with G o d i n prayer, but he would argue with the L o r d and say, " O h G o d , I can't go." FIRST H E A L I N G It was about this time that he visited his brother's home one day and found his sister-in-law and her mother talking to a friend who for years had been stiffened with rheumatism until it was impossible for her to use her arms. She heard how G o d had healed Raymond's eyes and asked if he would pray for her. They knelt i n the living room and asked G o d to loosen the stiffened arm and instantly it was done. This was one of the very first healings i n answer to Raymond's prayers, but many other

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like incidents followed. H e would pray and G o d would heal; then back home and down by his bedside he would go, praying G o d to keep him humble and keep his eyes on Christ. Time went on and G o d opened doors here and there and as the doors opened, Raymond entered into them and G o d saved souls and healed bodies in answer to the prayer of faith. Then came the call to Texas, not just Raymond T. Richey this time, but the whole family. Father E . N . Richey became pastor of the Gospel Tabernacle at Houston, Texas with Raymond as his assistant. During those busy days, Raymond's heart was constantly crying out to God for a wider field of usefulness and a greater ingathering of souls. It was about this time that the terrible war came. H e plead with G o d to open the way for a tabernacle in which the 33,000 men at Camp Logan might hear the Gospel. While praying for a small place to hold meeting for them, he picked up the Bible and opened it to Jeremiah 33:3 " C a l l unto M e and I will answer thee and shew thee great and mighty things which thou knowest not." H e met God's challenge and G o d met his faith. The tabernacle was built and many hundreds of the boys of Camp Logan, kneeling i n the sawdust, found Jesus. Among those saved in the tabernacle was myself, later to become Raymond T. Richey's wife. It was at Camp Bowie, Fort Worth, Texas, wading through mud and slush, ministering to the sick and dying, after months of going beyond bis strength (often not even taking time to eat), that Raymond finally went down completely. The best Army specialists were consulted and they said to him, "Richey, you have tuberculosis. There is only one hope for you and that at best, is a slim one. Go to California for a year and take the rest cure. Relax completely. Read nothing, not even the Bible. This may help you, we cannot be sure. Certain it is that you w i l l live only a very short time if you do not do this." In Southern California he lay on his bed discouraged. But

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God spoke to him of the healings that had taken place previously in his family, including his own deliverance. Repentant and broken, he whispered back, "Dear L o r d forgive me, I do remember and I do believe." Reaching for his Bible, it opened to the 103rd Psalm and he read the third verse: "Who forgiveth all thine iniquities, W h o healeth all thy diseases." Pushing back the covers, he raised up in bed, and slowly creeping from the bed, he stood erect. The devil was trying all the time to discourage h i m , but he knew God had spoken and was now believing for victory i n his body. His strength came rapidly and he realized that he was healed. Opening the door, he ran down the steps to the dining room, where his friends with whom he was staying were having the noon meal. H e frightened them terribly; they thought surely he had lost his mind. But G o d had healed him. This was i n September 1919, and since that time he has been in meetings almost continually. For years G o d had been speaking to Raymond about the wonderful message of Christ as the Healer, but more than ever in the fourteen or fifteen months since he had been healed of T.B. But ever there were excuses and procrastination. Brother Warren Collins was to begin a meeting i n Hattiesburg, Mississippi, i n October 1920, and Raymond promised to assist him. H e went at the appointed time, a week or so early to make necessary arrangements and advertise the meeting. The building was secured, the hotel reservations made; the advertising put out for Warren Collins to begin on a certain day. Then came a telegram from Brother Collins saying, it was impossible for him to come. C a n you visualize the situation? There was Raymond T. Richey in a strange place, among strange people, making arrangements for another evangelist to come and conduct a meeting; a building was secured, advertising bills to be paid and hotel bills to be paid and not only no money with which

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to pay bills, but a wire from the evangelist himself, saying he would not be there. He was certainly at the end of his resources. G o d spoke to him and told him that he should go ahead and conduct the meeting himself, but he would not listen to the Lord. The committee who had secured the other evangelist advised him to go home, offering to help him secure money to pay the bills, but he could not get the consent of his own heart to do this. Finally, he locked himself i n his hotel room. For three days and three nights he fasted and prayed that God should make His will so plain to him that there could be no doubt and no hesitation i n his own heart as to just what God would have him do. At the end of those three days, with no money at all and with no cooperation, not even from the committee that had invited the other evangelist, he left his room, went to the newspaper office, placed ads stating that on Thursday he would begin an " O l d Time Revival and Gospel of Healing Meeting" in the Red Circle Auditorium. O n that evening the revival began. A MIRACLE OF HEALING TAKES PLACE There were about fourteen or fifteen people there, and they came with an air of "Well, what do you expect?" But he refused to be discouraged. A short talk on the need of a revival and what would be required to bring one was given; a good prayer service and the meeting was dismissed. The next evening it rained, but there were thirty or forty present. But on the third night the sick were prayed for. The first person to be prayed for was a young lady with a crooked arm. The doctors had done everything possible, even trying to straighten it with some kind of a mechanical device. She was prayed for and instantly that arm was straightened. This was written up i n

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the newspaper the following day. That evening the building was filled. MARRIAGE In three weeks of meeting, God saved hundreds of souls and hundreds were prayed for for healing. This was in September, 1920, and the meeting marked the beginning of the third phase of Raymond T . Richey's work for the L o r d . The following month the writer was married to Raymond T. Richey by Rev. A r c h P. Collins of Fort Worth, Texas, the one who conducted the revival meeting i n which Raymond gave his heart and life to Christ. Brother Collins was a great inspiration to Raymond's life. F o r some time he was very closely associated with him i n the ministry and it was Brother Collins who taught him the great secret of waiting upon G o d . Not an occasional hour did he pray, but many consecutive hours, and should you have been fortunate enough to occupy a room adjoining him and awaken during the night, it was the rule rather than the exception to hear the low murmur of his voice as he communed with the Lord. A t the conclusion of the wedding ceremony, Brother Collins called us into another room, and for a few minutes talked to us of the great harvest fields and scarcity of laborers, and then we knelt in prayer and oh, how he prayed that the blessing of God might rest upon us in a very special manner. At 9:40, we took the train for Meridian, Mississippi, where on the following Sunday evening the first revival meeting was launched. H o w we prayed and how G o d blessedl From there we went to Hattiesburg, and then to Prichard, Alabama. Meantime, G o d had been talking to Raymond's brother Andrew, and his wife, Anna. For many years they had been active Christian workers. There came a telegram and another

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telling of the awful illness of Raymond's brother's wife, and how our hearts ached and how we prayed. I had not learned the secret of praising the Lord, and so all I could do was to beg that her life might be spared and that she might be healed. T o comfort me and because he really believed it in his own. heart, m y husband would whisper to me, "Praise the L o r d , dear, G o d is going to heal Anna. She and Andrew w i l l be with us holding meetings soon," and I tried to believe. I n a story too long to be told here, the burning fever was assuaged, and Anna was raised from what appeared to be her death bed. Indeed, as the miracle was wrought, some of the neighbors expecting death momentarily, thought, when they heard the shouts, that she had died, and phoned the father-inlaw that she had died. H e came running to find, not death, but resurrected life. A few months later Andrew and his wife joined with Raymond i n the great revivals which were to follow. There were financial tests to come first. Crops had been poor, and we could not afford to eat all our meals i n the restaurant. W e would come from the grocery store, and with a "Sterno" burner, a small table, paper dishes, tin spoons, etc., we would manage a fairly satisfying meal, whether it was very nutritious or dainty and appetizing or not. We used the same basin to wash our hands, our dishes and part of our clothing, but fortunately soap and hot water were plentiful. W e were young, we loved G o d ; H e was saving souls and we were happy. W e had other trials. Some time later, I suffered intensely for five days from pain that went through all my joints. People wondered why (if we believed in praying for the sick) I was not healed. W e do not know why this test came, but at the end of the time above mentioned, God instantly delivered me. I arose, dressed myself with the assistance of my sister-in-law, walked down the steps to the car, and went to the service.

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T H E CAMPAIGN IN HOUSTON One afternoon while in Laurel, Mississippi, as we were praying, suddenly an awful burden for Houston, Texas (our home city), seized Raymond and then Anna. W e prayed and wept before the L o r d and H e made it clear that we were to go to Houston and launch a campaign; not just a revival meeting in "a church," but a great city-wide, interdenominational campaign, where the thousands could be reached with the Gospel of Christ. W h e n we reached home, we talked with some of the loved ones about it, but they were a bit fearful for us. Such a meeting would require thousands of dollars and would require numbers of trained workers. W e d i d not have the money and we d i d not know where to secure the workers. However, so sure were Raymond and A . J., that it was the voice of God that they secured a large tent seating about a thousand, rented a piano, built seats, arranged for lights and launched the campaign. The first night a soldier boy was saved; a few nights later he was prayed for and healed, and was soon discharged from the army hospital. Crowds began to come. Soon all the seats were filled and people were standing around the tent, trying to see and hear. Raymond announced that if money could be raised to pay rent i n the city auditorium, we would go down there. In just a few minutes' time, the money was raised. For forty nights this revival continued and increased i n attendance and i n interest and i n conversions and healings all the while. Night after night the City Auditorium seating many thousands was filled. A t times even standing room was at a premium. God gave us 5,000 conversions in this meeting and some of the most marvelous miracles of healing I have ever witnessed. One morning, when it had been announced there would be

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a special service for those who had to be brought in cots and wheel chairs, there were thirteen who had been brought on stretchers i n ambulances; this besides those that had come i n wheel chairs. After the message and the great altar service, where hundreds found Christ in salvation, these thirteen were prayed for, and twelve of them were healed and able to go home either on the street cars or in automobiles of their friends. Only one returned in an ambulance. SAN ANTONIO From Houston, we went to Beethoven H a l l in San Antonio, and the campaign was not without its discouragements. Newspapers would not write up the meetings, and we had difficulty persuading them to even accept advertising. But the people prayed and sinners came and God saved them—the afflicted came and G o d healed them. The attendance increased until Beethoven H a l l was far too small. We moved to a large warehouse further from the city, but God filled that. Scores of soldier boys came from army camps near San Antonio and God saved and healed many of them. A n open air meeting for Mexicans was held in beautiful San Pedro Park. There was a bandstand there, and also an open-air dance pavilion. Raymond took one and A . J. the other. Messages were given through interpreters and hundreds of dear Mexicans knelt there on the ground and sobbed out to the Lord their surrender to H i m . The service began at nine-thirty and lasted all day. It was four-thirty when the last one was prayed for. When they were ready to leave, there were two big piles of crutches and canes. W e can never forget San Antonio and the Mexican meeting.

QUaftUr 22

Visions of the Lor J BY A. C. VALDEZ, JR.

M y story begins several years ago while I was pastoring a church in Phoenix, Arizona. I was greatly burdened in my soul, because I felt we were not seeing the results we should in the way of souls being saved and believers going on with G o d . I found out that all over America and throughout the world, many were falling b y the wayside and spiritual stagnation was prevalent. The hearts of Christians were getting hard. Backsliders were going deeper into sin, and sinners were even more wicked than at any other period i n the history of the world. Recent authenticated statistical reports uphold what I say, as to the degrading conditions of the world today. Surely there must be a way out i n such a wicked, perverse generation of time. M y heart was broken and crushed, and the burden for a lost and dying world gripped my soul. One day while i n prayer, with my Bible open before me, my eyes fell upon a Scripture that seemed to loom right up before me. The Scripture was Psalm 119:126, "It is time for thee, Lord, to work: for they have made void thy law." In my prayer I said, "Yes, dear God, the people have been so wicked and the

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Christians have grown so cold, and by their actions and deeds they have made void Thy law. Since they do not keep Thy commandments, it is time for Thee, Lord, to work." Precious friend, when man moves out of the way and G o d steps in to work, you w i l l see more accomplished in five seconds than any man can do i n five years. GROANINGS A N D TRAVAILINGS Shortly after this, I was awakened out of my sleep one night with a very heavy burden gripping my soul. I went into the church prayer room and prayed until break of day. A few days later this same burden came upon me again. Once more I spent hours in groaning and travailing i n the Spirit. At the time I d i d not understand what this burden was for, but I felt I would die. A l l I could do was pray until relief would come. The burden would leave me for several days and then it would come back upon me. If this burden had remained upon me constantly, I have no doubt but that I would have died. It would be hard for anyone to appreciate how I felt or what I went through, unless one had gone through a similar experience. This burden was upon me approximately two years, lifting from me for several days and then returning. At times I became desperate and fasted and prayed for hours at a time. Once I was convinced my time had come, and other times I felt possibly some member of my family was to be taken away. Reflecting upon those days of fastings and waitings, I can now see the hand of Almighty G o d , as H e was purifying me and preparing me for the ministry that was some day to cause thousands to come to Christ and many thousands to be healed.

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A MESSAGE AT MIDNIGHT One night about midnight, I was awakened out of a deep slumber. I felt a presence enter my room that frightened me. Then I heard soft footsteps coming into my room and my heart stood still. A voice came out clear and distinct, saying, "Son!" I looked, but could see nothing but darkness. The voice spoke the second time, "Son!" This time I definitely knew G o d was speaking to me, and I trembled with fear. I was not i n the presence of a president or an earthly king with splendor and power, but I was i n the presence of God Almighty, Creator of the heavens and the earth . . . One who speaks the w o r d and worlds come into existence suddenly. Yes, I was i n the presence of the K i n g of kings! I trembled, realizing the fragility of poor humanity i n the presence of G o d . A VISIT F R O M A N G E L S Realizing my need of help i n this momentous hour, I cried out to G o d to please give me the strength to take i n this most glorious and supernatural event. Immediately, angels from heaven were dispatched to my bedside and began to minister to me. I felt something warm touch the top of my head and flow to the bottom of my feet. Divine strength came into me, and immediately I felt at ease and comforted and my entire body seemed to be i n a glow of glory. T H E G I F T IS G I V E N The third time the voice said, "Son!" This time, with my ears tuned to heaven and my spirit under control, I listened with eagerness in that solemn hour. The voice said, "I am giving to you the gifts of healing: power to open blind eyes; to unstop

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deaf ears; to cause the dumb to speak; the cripples to walk; power to cure cancers and tumors, and sicknesses and diseases of all kinds. I give unto you power and authority over demons, and I want you to tell the people I am coming soon!" PROPHECY There were many other things the voice told. Some were prophetic, concerning my own life, which happened exactly as the voice of the Lord said they would. M y wife and I have gone over some of these prophetic utterances and have marveled at the accuracy of the prophecies, a number of which have already been fulfilled to even the most minute details. MIRACLES TAKE PLACE Following this experience, I began to pray for the sick and afflicted, and many mighty miracles were performed in the Name of Jesus. True to the prophecy, blind eyes were opened; the deaf heard; the dumb spake; the cripples walked; cancers were healed, and many other divine cures too numerous to mention. TWO THINGS G O D ASKED M E TO D O However, there were two things that God asked me to do that I resisted. The first was leave my church and take the message to the nation. The second was to acknowledge publicly that G o d had given to me the gifts of healing. Those two things were difficult for me to do. I did not actually come out and tell G o d I would not do those two things, but I just kept putting G o d off. I hated to leave my church. I was deeply attached to my flock. I loved them as I would my own children and many of

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them had been born into the faith through my ministry. I had pastored this congregation for approximately ten years i n all, and I knew it would be difficult for me to break away from them. The one thing I especially resisted was to publicly acknowledge the gifts of healing. There is much criticism attached when one claims to have the gifts of healing. In times past, and even now, there are those who claim to have the gifts and do not possess them. Such a thing has brought reproach and much persecution to those who do have the genuine gifts of healing. Any man who dares to claim he has the gifts of healing is going to be persecuted and most of his persecution will come from lukewarm and backslidden church people, and, sad to say, some ministers. Now my friend, when G o d tells you to do something, you had better do it, regardless of what the price may be. If you do not do what G o d tells y o u to do, you w i l l suffer for your disobedience. This thing I learned from experience, which you w i l l presently see. God was blessing my ministry and hundreds were being healed. M y congregation was overjoyed and grateful recipients of the wonderful new ministry given their pastor. Many were being saved and my church was experiencing a time of reviving. But I was not carrying out the order G o d had given me to leave my church. I was so absorbed i n my new success and with plans and thoughts for the future of my church, that I had completely neglected to fulfill what G o d had commanded me to do. I had not acknowledged the gifts! I had not left my church! I was so intensely interested i n my local efforts and in my own church affairs, that I had completely forgotten God's plan for me. After a few months, I noticed my ministry did not have the effect it formerly had. Fewer people were being healed. The power I once had seemed to be ebbing and becoming less

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and less every day, until finally I realized something was wrong somewhere. I prayed and sought G o d , but still to no avail. WIFE BECOMES ILL Then one day my wife became very i l l and was confined to her bed. Her illness became more serious, and I began to pray and seek G o d in her behalf. Instead of getting better, she rather grew worse, and her condition became desperate. I knew something must be done. With the duties of my pastorship, and being up with my wife at all hours of the night, fasting and praying for G o d to heal her, and realizing the intense seriousness of my wife's illness, my spirit began to break. Apparently, all that I might do by fasting, praying, and hoping brought no relief. I felt like a little mouse who had been cornered by a hungry cat and there was no way out. WIFE'S CONDITION BECOMES M O R E CRITICAL I n desperation, when I saw that all I had done was to no avail, and my wife hopelessly sick and on the border of death, I cried unto G o d and said, "Dear Lord, I have prayed and fasted. I have wept until there are no more tears. M y body is worn and my spirit is crushed. I know, dear L o r d , this has come upon me for some disobedience on my part. I know it is my fault somewhere, dear Jesus, but my prayers are not answered and I have come to the end of myself. Please, dear L o r d , forgive me for leaning on the arm of flesh, but I am not able to bear this anxiety any longer." When I said that prayer in desperation, I rushed my wife to the hospital and the best doctors i n the land were immediately brought to her side. For days those doctors nobly fought for the life of my devoted wife. She was given penicillin and sulfa drugs to bring

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down the raging fever i n her body. A l l attempts to save her began to fail one by one. It was one disappointment after another. One failure piled on top of another failure. Still I kept hoping, praying, and trusting that maybe, at the last moment, a miracle would take place and my wife would begin to recover. A L L HOPE GONE Then that dreadful moment came. I was advised to get ready for the shock. M y wife could not live. A l l hope was gone. The last tie had, at last, broken and the angels would soon come to bear the spirit of my poor, tired, and suffering wife. Relief from a world of pain and woe was now to come only by the gentle release of death. When the full realization of this event began slowly to dawn upon me, it seemed nothing in the world more dreadful could happen. R E F L E C T I O N O F T H E PAST I reflected upon the past years of our happy life together working for Jesus i n H i s great vineyard. Together we had worked side by side, bringing precious souls to Christ. The road had not always been easy, but we had shared each other's burdens with a smile. W e had wept together. We had smiled together. In sorrow, we shared as one, and, thank God, not all had been sorrows, but we had our times of rejoicing also. N o w the time had come when death must separate us, and it was more than I could bear. I shall never forget those terrible moments. I left the hospital and rushed to the church which I was then pastoring. In the lonely quietness of that little church, I began to weep like a child, until it seemed my soul, spirit, and body were like liquid. M y spirit crushed and broken, I found myself

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talking to God as though H e were standing right before me. "Dear G o d , " I said, "of all men I am most miserable. I have prayed, but no help is to be had. Now, dear God, all I can say is as even your servant Job did say, "Thou hast given and thou hast taken away, blessed be the Name of the L o r d . ' " GOD ANSWERS In that moment of deepest sorrow, I began to feel a presence fill the place, until the very atmosphere seemed to radiate with God's glory. Then out of the stillness the voice of the L o r d came with such tenderness, even as a father, saying to me, "Son, remember what I have asked thee to do, and yet you have not done those things." Then I remembered that God had asked me to leave my church and to acknowledge the gift. I cried unto the L o r d and said, "Dear Lord, if you will only heal my wife, I will do anything you ask me to do, regardless of what it is." God knew I meant that with all my heart, for in the next moment the dear L o r d spoke and said, " M y son, be of good cheer, for the work is done!" WIFE MIRACULOUSLY HEALED I knew that everything would be all right now. It just had to be! The glory of the L o r d came down into my soul, and I do not know just how long I stayed there rejoicing in the glory of my wonderful Saviour. A l l I know is that about nine-thirty that evening I found my way to the telephone and called the hospital. The first one to answer the telephone was the nurse who had attended my wife. She immediately recognized my voice and said, "Rev. Valdez, I have great news for you. Your wife is going to live!" N o one can ever know how happy I was at such wonderful

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news. I felt just like I was walking on air, and all I could do was weep, my heart was so full of gratitude. M y wife began to mend immediately and her recovery was amazingly fast. As soon as she returned from the hospital, we began to make immediate plans to leave our parish and let God lead us into the field to which H e had called us. M Y FIRST VISION One night, soon after this, G o d gave me a marvelous vision. I was awakened out of my sleep by the sound of a multitude of voices singing. The song they were singing was in a minor refrain, and was a plea for Jesus to help them. It was not a song of triumph and victory, but a song of sadness and pleading for help. As I sat upright i n my bed listening, a panoramic picture swept before my eyes. I beheld a huge sight of a nation of people i n desperate need. These people showed the marks of pain and suffering and intense agony. A man walked up to me with his sick wife in his arms. She was the very sight of death. Her face was distorted and lined with agony. The man said, "Please pray for my wife that G o d will heal her, for God has sent you to us." When I saw their despair, I wept with pity for them and said, " M y friend, I wish I could do something for you, but the power I once had is gone and I can do nothing for you." The man's countenance dropped, and i n great sadness he said, "If you can't help us, then we shall surely perish." Quickly, I realized that since G o d had entrusted me, at one time, with the gift of healing, I would be held responsible at the day of judgment for not fulfilling the need of the people i n the calling which G o d had given me.

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POWER RETURNS In desperation I cried unto God and said, "Please, dear G o d , trust me with this gift just one more time that I might minister to these poor and needy people." G o d heard that cry of my heart, and immediately I felt my body surge with healing power and I placed my hand upon this poor, sick woman. She was instantly healed and jumped from her husband's arms every whit whole. Immediately there appeared a blind man standing before me. I placed my hand upon his eyes and he went away seeing. The lame passed before me and leaped for joy. A l l manner of sickness and diseases were cured in a moment. A N E W S O N G AS V I S I O N E N D S In this vision, it seemed I had been ministering to these afflicted people for hours, when I noticed the mournful song that had been sung by this great multitude had faded away, and from the opposite side came a heavenly anthem of joy and gladness. I looked where the sick and afflicted came from and saw the number had diminished to a mere handful. F r o m the opposite side, I saw these same people, but now, instead of showing the marks of pain and agony, there was joy and sunshine written on their faces. They were rejoicing and clapping their hands as they sang a new song. Rather than the song i n minor refrain, it was a song of triumph, victory, and joy, and their faces were radiating with gladness. The voice then spoke to me, i n the vision, and said, "These afflicted I am sending you to, for my Blood was shed for them. Take this message to the nations and be thou faithful unto death and I w i l l give thee a crown of life."

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I LEAVE MY CHURCH W e had already made plans to leave my church, and I shall never forget how difficult it was to sever those ties which held us to the little church we loved so well. The parting made our hearts to bleed, but we knew G o d was in it all and we wanted to do His w i l l . W e went to Lake Charles, Louisiana, and conducted a two weeks' revival. G o d blessed i n a very sweet way, but the gift d i d not return. From there we went to several other places. M Y S E C O N D VISION Then one night I was awakened out of a deep sleep by a presence that entered my room. The glory of the L o r d began to fill the room, and I knew I was about to experience another supernatural visitation, as the glory of the L o r d began to charge the atmosphere of that bedroom. The fear of the L o r d came upon me and I began to quake. As I looked up, I saw the ceiling of that dark room begin to fade away, and i n the heavens appeared a light slowly descending. M y eyes followed this glorious sight until it had come right into my room, and as it d i d , my bedroom became as light as day. Words cannot describe this marvelous heavenly light. Where my room had been completely dark just a few minutes before, it now was brilliantly lighted. Even the designs of the wallpaper could be plainly seen and every detail of the room was clearly visible, and nowhere could any shadows be seen. A PILLOW DESCENDS Following this light, there appeared a pillow coming down from heaven. As I looked at the pillow, fear struck my heart

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and I turned my head from the sight of it. I knew upon that pillow would be revealed to my eyes a sight that I w o u l d fear to look at. Then I began to feel the pillow rest upon my chest. As I d i d , I cautiously and slowly turned my head. There lying upon that pillow was the lifeless form of our youngest child, my little boy. Yes, this man-child which we had prayed for, G o d had given us. I then heard a voice saying, "This child which I have given thee, wilt thou give back to me?" I was stunned for a moment, but I realized G o d was speaking and I must answer at once. So without any further delay, I said, "Yes, dear Lord, if you want this child, you may take him." GOD PROVIDES A R A M I felt sick after I said that, and asked God to give me grace. I felt like a knife had pierced through my heart. It was not easy to give up my child. I would rather die a thousand deaths than do that. I awoke my wife and told her about it. W e both felt sick in our hearts and very sad. Each day we expected to see that little fellow be taken away from us, and our hearts were heavy. Thank G o d , I am able to say, at the time of this writing, we still have our little boy. I firmly believe with all my heart that God was trying me even as H e d i d Abraham of old. G o d asked Abraham to offer Isaac as a sacrifice, and when the L o r d saw Abraham was willing to do that, God prepared a ram for the sacrifice and Isaac was spared. I feel so grateful to my heavenly Father because H e prepared a ram for me and spared my "little Isaac." G O D BRINGS B A C K T H E GIFT God spoke to me that same evening and told me the gift would return and to begin to prepare myself for it. I immedi-

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ately began to wait upon G o d , even as the one hundred and twenty d i d i n the upper room just before the day of Pentecost. W i t h anticipation I began to look for it and to expect it. T o Jesus I give all the glory, as I know H e is the One who is doing the healing. If G o d were to lift this gift from me, I could do nothing whatsoever. I realize the sacredness and responsibilities of this holy gift, and each day I prayerfully ask G o d to guide my footsteps, my actions, words and thoughts; and that my soul, mind, and body be constantly kept pure and sanctified i n the Blood of Christ.

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WLen Ckrist Op enea a Door for Me BY RICHARD VINYARD

. t o r years, as I read the scriptures and studied them, I wondered what had become of the power of God as manifested i n the lives of the Disciples. When I was saved, the thing that appealed to me most was the ministry of deliverance and healing. I sought all the information I could obtain from older brethren. However, when I expressed my feeling and desires, I was told to be cautious, that I would destroy my ministry, if I became too strong on divine healing. SOFT P E D A L H E A L I N G Therefore, listening to those whom I had counseled with, I put on a soft pedal and taught it only as a believer's privilege. But, being stirred as I read the W o r d , time came when I had a nervous breakdown and, on visiting a physician, was told that only a six months' rest could help me. Since I had no money and was unable to preach or work, I

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threw myself on the mercy of God and, in desperation, sought His face and H e healed me. Within three weeks' time I had the best health I had had i n years. However, as time went on, I found myself hungry for more of God's truth and power, but could find no one who could teach me properly. I then heard of Reverend William Branham, was shocked at the statements made about him, and staggered at the thought of seeing anything like it! Yet had such a burning desire to see it. I was invited to co-operate with one of his meetings, his first visit to Kansas C i t y . Needless to say, I was glad to be i n vited. W h e n I saw the power of God so marvelously manifested through his life, I said to myself, "I have always believed this is the way it should be and that this is God's plan." TEEN-AGE COMMENTS I then cried out to G o d to forgive me of my shortcomings and to heal my body of other afflictions, as I believed! G o d healed me again. Praise His Name Forever! The thing that stirred me most was on Sunday morning when I was visiting the departments of my Sunday School and overheard my teen-age boys talking of Brother Branham's ministry and I stopped, where they could not see me, and I listened to learn what impression the meetings were making on my boys. After much praise of Brother Branham and his work, one of the boys said, "I believe Brother Vinyard can do the same! Isn't he God's servant too?" That cut my heart. I could no longer stand on the sideline and listen. I went in among them to face their feelings. One of them challenged me w i t h the words, " W h y don't you do these things? Don't you believe i n Christ too?" I made a confession that day that was hard to make but honest. "I was not where I should be w i t h G o d , " was the only

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answer I could find. O n one side I faced The Word; on the other side, lives which I was to influence. I asked them to pray for me, as I intended to meet the conditions. One of my boys said, "I know you w i l l make it." H e had confidence in me. I was deep in thought and concern for days after. F E L T DISSATISFIED Two months passed with seeming fruitlessness and I again became restless and dissatisfied with my ministry, feeling that I was a complete failure. In June of that year, G o d awakened me one morning at four o'clock and began to speak to me. He told me H e had seen the longing of my heart all those years and that, from that day on H e would give me a ministry of healing and wherever I should go, people would believe when I prayed and H e would heal them. I well knew the voice of God, for I had heard it many times in the past years i n H i s ministry, i n my call to preach H i s W o r d , to build a church and a parsonage and to give when H e wanted something of my life. I was surel There was now no doubt in my mind. I knew it was God! I slept no more that day, but pondered these things and wondered how it would all begin. The next Sunday morning on my way to church the L o r d told me to tell my people what had happened. That morning I preached on healing and told my congregation what the L o r d had revealed to me. I then prayed for the sick and many were healed by His power. F r o m that day on, G o d began to move i n my life. Doors opened everywhere. From June through September I was kept busy preaching in local churches, praying for the sick, and seeing G o d heal them. The first "stone b l i n d " man I ever prayed for was healed on the spot and still sees today. Praise G o d !

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L O V E D HIS C H U R C H I was very happy in my church, loved my people and had no thought of leaving them. However, on my vacation I went East for a revival with old friends of mine, never thinking G o d was leading me out to the evangelistic field. In the third week of that meeting Christ again appeared to me, i n person, and asked me if I would go to the Eastern part of the United States and minister for H i m . I did not want to give up m y church and told H i m how dearly I loved my people. H e then said, " W o u l d you love these people for me, as you love your church?" I answered, "I don't know anyone out here, and no one knows me." H e replied, "I set before you an open door, and no man can close it." W i t h tears streaming down my face I said, "Yes, anything L o r d , anythingl" I wondered what my wife would say when I told her what had happened but, before I could tell her anything, she came to me and said, " G o d has called you to leave your church, and to give your life to the healing ministry!" I N V I T E D T O SPEAK The next day we were visited by a Dean of a Bible school and invited to speak at a convention. I made no promise but said I would pray about it. I waited upon God and H e said, " G o ! " W i t h fear and trembling, I obeyed. The principal speaker was asked to step aside and give me the meeting. Graciously, he d i d so. I felt embarrassed, but God said, "I am with youl" From the first night G o d d i d great and mighty things i n answer to prayer. The convention closed and I went back to

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my church, after a month's absence, to tell them of the great results and to praise G o d . I was home only two days when I received a call from New York City. I then d i d not know a soul i n N e w York and thought, " W h o can that be?" It was a pastor whom I had never met, inviting me for a meeting. I hardly knew what to say. But I again heard the Lord say, "This is an open door." Therefore, I accepted the invitation and, from that day to this, G o d has confirmed H i s promise, performing all manner of great rniracles and healings wherever I have ministered, whether i n large or small churches. H E IS T H E S A M E Y E S T E R D A Y , A N D T O D A Y , A N D FOREVER! W e have seen thousands come to Christ, and find H i m as their personal Saviour and Baptizer and churches have been brought into existence, as a result of my answering the call from G o d . TO H I M BE A L L T H E GLORY-FOREVER!