Pentecostal Possibilities or "The Story of My Life"
by Milton Lorenzo (M. L.) Haney
CHAPTER 22
Mt. Morris
In 1853 we were sent to Mt. Morris, where at the time the Methodists had a flourishing seminary. The trip with our goods across the country was long and tedious, but I think neither of us thought of complaining. A parsonage building had been started, but was some time in its completion. The old church was quite insufficient, but the new seminary building was to have a fine audience room. Both were finished while we were there. Professor Mattison was the President of the seminary. He was a scholarly man and a very glorious minister, walking in the light of holiness. I felt from the time I met him that he would mightily help my ministry. Dear man, he was then so near the Holy City that its light shone on and around him. He was with us but a brief period. The last sermon he heard me preach was on holiness. He was hardly able to be there, but went home and finished his record with a reference to the sermon, expressing strong words of praise to God for his glorious gospel, and closed his diary in both Greek and English with the words, "Glory to the Father, Glory to the Son, and Glory to the Holy Ghost." He was ill and he felt from the beginning that his work was done. My soul gathered such strength from communing with this man of God. One day he said: "I will send for you when the time comes, and I want you to stand by my bed and sing while I am crossing:
" 'On
Jordan's stormy banks I stand
And cast a wishful eye
To
Canaan's fair and happy land,
Where my possessions lie.'"
The time came, and I was summoned to his bedside He had each of his boys come into his room and gave them his dying charge. It was surprising to me the minuteness with which that charge took in their whole relations. He laid upon them each the care of their mother, and insisted on the utmost tenderness toward her. When the oldest son came in, his charge was wonderful, relating to his mother and the two younger boys. Speaking of the youngest, he said: "You are older and stronger than he, and you can oppress him." Then with a force and pathos not to be forgotten he repeated: "Don't oppress him!" Sister Mattison shared in the best things which were in his heart, and to each of us he had a word. And now his work was done! He added, "I want to repeat my faith," and forthwith recited the Apostles' Creed, after which he aided: "Glory to the Father, Glory to the Son, and Glory to the Holy Ghost!" and crossing his hands over his breast, he looked at me, saying: "Now, Brother Haney, sing!" Surely Moses' face could hardly have been more wonderful, and the room was filled with God! We sang, but when the hymn was through Professor Mattison was with the bloodwashed throng! Such a life; such a death! O, why have I not been a better man?
Two of those sons have since been ministers, and we trust the spirit of their father rests upon them.
In the first year my brother Richard was my Presiding Elder, and his family resided in the city. The districts in those days were much smaller than now, and up to that time Presiding Elders were chosen in view of evangelism as well as superintendency. My brother was absent much of the time on the district and threw his soul into the work of getting people saved. His quarterly meetings often ran into each other, and thus for many weeks he would lead a continuous revival service. In this way young ministers were inspired with zeal for the soul saving work, and a host of sinners converted. Dr. Luke Hitchcock took his place the second year, and I found him a father to me, a faithful officer, and an able minister.
In our first year at Mt. Morris we were called to lay away our little darling in her sixteenth month. I was prostrated with temporary illness for a day or two, and my wife's cares were pressing. The baby had cost the slightest trouble, and was rarely out of health, but seemed at this time to be unusually disquieted. I think she had rarely, if ever, been corrected, as a word of reproof was more to her than the rod to other children. She was crying and her mother brought her to me to quiet her. I said as carefully as I could: "Libby, Pa don't like to have you cry," and she instantly ceased, but she was in heaven in twenty hours! She was cutting teeth, as we found, and it made her restless, and in a few hours was thrown into spasms and hurried away to the bosom of Christ. We were again alone and the world seemed lighter than ever. For many days that little empty chair, those little shoes and toys, and the absence of our darling would bring the tears; but God upheld us and we have never repined nor wished her back. A half century has nearly gone and our two children have been with the King. It will be sweet to meet them soon, as we shall at heaven's gate. Months after this God graciously gave us our second son, who was a great comfort to us through childhood and youth and became a gospel minister.
Professor Pinkney, who had been formerly President of the seminary, took the place of Dr. Mattison on the decease of the latter. He was a man of superior abilities as a teacher, and a very able minister. He was by no means as deeply spiritual as his predecessor, but gave his whole weight to aid me in my work. He had a good corps of teachers, who were Godly and a help to my ministry. Prof. Martin was especially Christlike, and of much value to the meetings. Because of my youth and evangelistic tendencies, I had been called to Mt. Morris in view of reaching the young people in the seminary. When the right time came we opened a revival meeting, which resulted in the conversion of more than one hundred souls, and the sanctification of a number of God's children. These were largely students, and many of them persons of much promise. I think at least seven ministers came out of that meeting, and some of them are still in the field.
The Misses Wilson and Comstock led the school in scholarship (at least among the girls), and were both highly prized. Miss Wilson was a fine mathematician. She was a girl of refined manners, and dignified life, but was not a Christian. The matron of the school was an earnest worker, and had interested herself specially in Miss Wilson's salvation. She did not yield at once, but about the middle of the meeting she gave her heart to God and became a marked follower of the Lamb. Miss Comstock was the daughter of Dr. Comstock of Joliet, Ills., also a Methodist preacher. She had grown up under the most careful training and was scrupulously moral. She was really a Pharisee of the strictest sort, although she had never become a church member, nor had she been converted. She was entrenched in self-righteousness. I had strongly desired the conversion of those two girls especially in view of their influence upon others. I found Miss Comstock a perfect lady, but a very difficult case to reach. When Miss Wilson was converted I thought through her Miss Comstock would come down, but she stood stiffer than ever before. She would look me right in the eye and say: "Mr. Haney, do you think I could ever identify myself with the church?" Her views of her own moral standing were such that she really felt it would degrade her to come to the level of God's people! But prayers unceasing went up for this poor, deluded soul.
One evening before sunset Prof. Martin came down, somewhat excited in his manners, and said: "Miss Comstock is very anxious to see you!" I answered, "What does that mean?" and he said, "I think she has changed her views." On reaching her room I found her majesty prostrate on the carpet with agony of soul she had never tasted before! Miss Wilson and the preceptress were in tears praying for her salvation. The Holy Spirit had lifted the veil from her deceived heart and given her a view of her real self. The abhorrence with which she now looked upon herself I probably have never seen equaled. The Lord wanted to save her, but He proposed that she should first find out she was lost! That she should see herself in contrast with His real people, and apprehend the subtle devilish power which had held her. O, what self-loathing, what confessions of her deceived condition, what inward horrors, as God showed her that she was a vile leper in His sight! But the point of utter despair, of self-extinction was reached, and it seemed to her like the darkness of the second death begun, when Jesus came and the battle was ended! Her conception of the exceeding sinfulness of sin was so clear, and fearful, that immediately after her conversion she was a candidate for complete inward holiness. Her conversion was so marked and wonderful that it could not be doubted, but it brought her such views of God's holiness, that her glad soul hastened into the fountain of cleansing. Her experience of entire sanctification was equally clear and definite.
She was possessed of a wonderful power to bring others to the Christ, and rarely failed to rescue those she sought. There was a girl in the seminary who had resisted all entreaties, whose chums in the school and her sister had been converted; but she remained obdurate. Mary came one day to her boarding place, and this girl was seated on the opposite side of the room. She walked with a quick step to where she sat and knelt right down before her and never got up till the other was converted! Nor did this die with the excitements of the meeting, as will be seen from the following incident:
In the third year of the war, I think it was, I came home at Conference time. One day a large number of ministers were extending friendly greetings, when a brother said to me: "Dr. Vincent was inquiring for you." I had known of the Doctor as a great man, but had not met him, and wondered why he should desire to see me. It then occurred to my mind, as I was just from the front of the Western army, that he was in pursuit of war news. So I said to the brother: "Where is he?" And he led me to the doctor and gave me an introduction. Doctor Vincent seemed as glad to meet me as if I were an old friend and said:
"I understand, Brother Haney, that you profess the blessing of holiness." I said: "Yes, I do ;" and he proceeded to give the steps which led him into that grace. He was stationed at Joliet, Ills., and the first Sabbath of his pastorate he had a general class meeting after preaching. Among others who spoke there was a girl who gave in her testimony to the experience of sanctification, and Vincent said: "I did not like it and resolved that I would prevent its being repeated. She seemed to be a modest girl, and so before the services closed I gave a hint that it was not best to set ourselves up above our brethren."
But the good Doctor was surprised in the next meeting to hear her repeat her former testimony, as though nothing had occurred! He then made statements more direct and extended against such testimony, and felt sure that would end it; but the dear man met with a still greater surprise in a third meeting to hear the renewal of her testimony, as though everybody believed it! She made no reference to what her pastor had said and gave no symptom of a resentful spirit. The Doctor made up his mind, then, to see her at her home and get this heresy out of her. So he made her a patient, but persistent visit, and insisted he was her pastor, and the Bible exacted obedience to ministers, etc., etc.
She insisted that she was loyal to her pastors and did nothing with design to affront or disobey them, but was, on the other hand, aiming to do all she could to help them. And when they met again she witnessed, as before, that God had sanctified her soul! The Doctor added: "She conquered me, and I got the blessing!" I asked the name of this girl, and he said it was Miss Comstock.
At this distance of time I may not have given the exact words of this interview, but the facts I have faithfully recorded, in view of meeting them in that day. This great man's soul, under the moulding influence of the indwelling Holy Ghost, was as simple as a child's and beautiful, as he walked with God in the light of new-born love made perfect. Mary is in heaven, and Dr. Vincent one of our Bishops. I wonder if his great soul is still flooded with this glorious light?