Pentecostal Possibilities or "The Story of My Life"
by Milton Lorenzo (M. L.) Haney
CHAPTER 26
Farmingon
We came out from Peoria in 1857 to the Farmington Circuit. Bro. J. W. Stewart was my colleague the first year, and Bro. Percival Spurlock the second. We had only four appointments--Farmington, Trivoli, Elmwood and Trivoli Center. We alternated on Sabbath days, often meeting at the cross roads. Bro. Stewart was a beginner and often embarrassed in his pulpit efforts. I waited one day at the cross roads to get his report. I cheerily inquired: "Well, John, how did you come out?" He answered: "O, bully! I was enabled to speak for twenty-five minutes before I sat down!" The main point with John was to be able to keep going a sufficient length of time, but this timid beginning had a better ending. John got through all right and became an able and useful preacher. He is still living and is a member of the North Nebraska Conference.
I had been somewhat depressed in spirit as to the work of evangelism. Had the church made provision for evangelists, as it ought to have done, I should have been in that field years before I was. This Farmington appointment pleased me greatly, as I saw it opened a field for the salvation of many souls. I had not been long settled till I opened a meeting at Elmwood, which was signally blessed of the Lord. It was a meeting of more than ordinary power from first to last.
An old apostate who in earlier times had been a class leader under my brother Richard, when he was on the Canton Circuit, by the name of Wadkins, lived near Elmwood at this time. When spiritualism came West it took him in, beginning as it did professing to believe in Christ, and the Bible, and itself furnishing a high state of grace! He and a few other good men were seduced by its subtle, lying agency. But one of them all, so far as I know, ever came back. He returned when I was in Farmington, an utter wreck, with a ruined body and a lost soul! He had been a beautiful Christian, but spiritualism made him a foul debauchee. He was a great sufferer till death came to his rescue, but I was satisfied God did restore and save his soul. He used to be so startled at his former self, when, from his restored light, he saw his fearful past, that he would cry out with agony. He insisted that I did not and could not realize the satanic delusions interwoven with spiritualism, and begged me to give more of my life and ministry to its exposure.
But Fountain Wadkins went on till he was renowned for his vileness. He had utterly rejected the Scriptures, rejected Jesus Christ, and was an enemy of all righteousness. Especially did his very soul make war on anything which looked like soul saving work. As the revival was deepening and widening, "Old Fount," as he was called, became incensed about it, and I heard that he was going to stop the whole work.
One Sabbath night, when there was a great crowd, sure enough there he was, with two of his confederates, on the front seat. His aim was to prevent sinners from coming to the altar, but if he failed in that, he would stop them all from praying! There was a rush of seekers to the altar, notwithstanding his presence, and now came the test of his power to stop all praying. Seeing his design, I spoke to several of my most devoted members, and whispered to Brother McKiser, who was among the blackest men I have ever seen --a splendid specimen of that race and a wonderful man in prayer suggesting to him, and them, that we ask God to knock "Old Fount" down!
When the singing ended I called to prayer, and asked Bro. McKiser to lead us. I have doubted whether I have ever heard a prayer which equaled that. "Old Fount" and his two confederates made a desperate effort, until he was bent nearly double, leaning backward, with clenched fists and body apparently rigid; but the more fearful his demoniacal effort, the higher the black saint rose in prayer, till I was certain "Fount" would be sprawling on the floor! It was a scene witnessed only once in a lifetime.
Suddenly "Old Fount" looked this way and that, as though struck with terror, then sprang to his feet and went down the aisle on a run, and never returned again! The next day he said to a friend of mine: "That Haney is a captain. If he had not called on old McKiser to pray I would have beaten him." He knew well if he did not get out of that house h would come down like a dead man!
Years afterwards Dr. Gruber, a sterling Dutch preacher, was holding a meeting in "Fount's" neighborhood, and the old apostate planned in like manner to break up his meeting. Gruber had heard he was coming and prepared accordingly. He brought two confederates and they were right before him on the front seat, and Gruber preached to them, and at them, bringing out his vileness, consigning "Fount," as an apostate, to eternal damnation! One of "Fount's" confederates broke down utterly and fell at the altar of prayer, but "Fount" rose and ran as before.
The meeting at Elmwood went on till much above 100 were converted, and a number of God's people were graciously sanctified. Among the converted was a young man who had wickedly rebelled against his mother's prayers. He lived in Ohio and had rejected all entreaty. His mother was a woman of great faith, and as the boy grew worse, her praying increased. A few days preceding this time she had held audience with God till she felt her boy must be saved now. When he came in she was in tears and, throwing her arms about his neck plead as only such a mother could plead. It was irresistible.
The son treated her respectfully, but made up his mind he never would go through such an ordeal again. So to be able still to hold on to his sins he resolved to go West. He had reached Elmwood, and concluded to stay over and rest. I think he stopped with a friend and seeing the multitude going towards the church, he went with them. It was the night of power, which drove "Fount" Wadkins from the building. God arrested him there and brought him to the altar.
He knelt near the middle of the altar railing, and I have said through the years I never witnessed agonies of soul so nearly equaling the agonies of hell as in his case. I have regarded it as the most fearful specimen of heart pain I ever witnessed, continuing for two hours or more. But the God who said "the way of the transgressor is hard, and the soul that sinneth it shall die," had also said to that mother "The promise is unto you and your children," now fulfilled His covenant promise and sent her boy back to his mother a saved and happy man. O, let us believe God!
On closing the meeting at Elmwood, I left on horseback the next morning for Farmington, where we were at once to open a similar battle. In front of me I saw a gentleman riding slowly, and as I passed him I found he was weeping. A strong young man of about thirty years, weeping like a child! I could not leave without further knowledge concerning him, and halting, I said: "My friend, I see you are in sorrow. Will you allow me to ask the cause" He responded: "You closed that meeting last night and left me unsaved." I said: "My friend, I gave you every opportunity I could, each day and night for weeks, to come to Christ; why did you not come to Him?"
He answered: "Each time you asked sinners who wanted to be saved to rise, I tried to get up, but there was always something that fastened me to my seat!" This was a simple, but painful, illustration of enslavement by sin. It may be loosely said that he was a foolish man; but we have been there! How many millions there are who, all their lifetime see the right, but have not sufficient courage to meet its conditions, nor strength to break error's chains.
Our little old church at Farmington had been the birthplace of many souls, but was a crude place of worship in its old days. The meeting there was crowded at times, I think, beyond any other house I ever worshipped in. Those on the seats seemed only a part of our congregation. There were nights when it would require an ordinary man from two to three minutes to reach the door from the pulpit. How seekers surrounded the altar in such numbers is a marvel, but they got there. There was no abatement of interest, nor any hindrance interposed.
There was a company of rude young boys from the country, who were annoying for a time, and finding they could stand in the door and prevent people from retiring, they several nights delayed us after dismission. The house was badly ventilated and at times we had to keep the door wide open. In front there was a little old platform made of oak boards, whose edges were turned up by the sun. These rowdies planted themselves on that platform and supported those who barred the door.
I dismissed late, and requested the people to retire as rapidly as possible, but no one retired. After delay a brother reached me, saying the rowdies had filled the door and no one could pass them. I sent two sterling men back to open a passage, and kept kindly suggesting our discomfort and pleading that the way be opened. At last one of my men returned, saying: "The rowdies have full possession of the door and utterly refuse to clear the way." The people standing, I could hardly be seen when among them. So as quickly as possible I was at the front. My voice had lost cadence in pleading, and on reaching the blockade I said in the imperative mode: "Boys, get out of this door!"
It was a nervous surprise that I was there, and there was a sudden move, but it was immediately counteracted, and the blockade more firm than before. I seemed clad with a supernatural power and dashed against the barricade, when the whole thing gave way and the boys in a group went off the platform. But a six-foot green boy of 19 years attempted to regain his place, and acted as though he would strike me, when I gave him a push, expecting to eject him from the platform, but instead of going off decently, his feet stood still and his head went with increased motion, till it struck that oak floor, and six feet of humanity learned obedience through suffering!
From that time forward we never had trouble with those parties. I sat at Peter Cartwright's feet when a boy, and I suppose this striking procedure of mine must have been the sprouting of seed then sown. But something of a violent character seemed necessary. The meeting was glorious to the end. Many were converted and some sanctified.
There was a girl whose name was Mary, and whose family were all ungodly. For many days she had been seeking pardon at Elmwood, and now came eight miles to the Farmington meeting night after night. I saw her to be superlatively in earnest, and a fearless seeker. She stood steadily on her knees with upturned face, and prayed audibly, as she was oblivious to the fear of man. Such usually are saved quickly. I was moved with the thought that she had come so often, and so far, had no help at home, and yet persisted in coming. So I said to Bro. Stewart: "I must give my whole time to that girl till she is saved."
I requested that she stop praying and talk with me a little, and began thus: "Mary, Isaiah says: 'O Lord, I will praise Thee, though Thou wast angry with me, thine anger is turned away and Thou comfortest me.' By this I understand that when we are in sin we are the subjects of Divine disapproval. Mary, have you felt clearly that God disapproved you and that His law condemned you?" "O, Yes." "Well, Mary, Isaiah says: 'Thine anger is turned away,' and Paul says, 'There is now therefore no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus.' Do you feel that God's displeasure is turned away and your condemnation is all gone?" "O, yes," she answered, "I feel that my condemnation is all taken away; but I want the evidence." "Well, Mary, Isaiah says, 'Thou comfortest me,' and Paul says, 'Therefore, being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.' Are you now conscious that God comforts your soul and fills it with His peace?" "O, yes," she responded, "my soul is all full of peace, but I want the evidence!"
Again I said, "John declares, 'By this ye shall know we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren.' Is your heart filled with a love for God's people you never had before?" "O, yes," she replied, "I love God's people, but I want the evidence!" "Mary, do you know that these words I have been quoting are the words of God, and just what he said you should have when you were a converted girl?"
Throwing up her hands she answered, "Why, that is so, praise the Lord!" The seekers at Elmwood came out with a bound, and she had determined she must be saved just as they were, and the Lord was pleased to save her in His own way. His saving work was clearly wrought in her, and He had also given to her the witness of that work; but it did not come in the way expected, so she overlooked both the work and its witness, because she was looking for something else! From that hour she was a superior Christian and a shining light to others.
Years afterwards I saw her at her own home when she was a wife, and the mother of three children, and referred to the battle she had to get saved. "Yes," said she; "but Brother Haney, I was never for one moment doubtful that I was born of God, from that night." It is of incalculable importance that every child of God shall know that he is born of God by the witness of the Holy Spirit; but that witness comes in a great variety of ways.
I think fully four hundred souls were converted in that first year at Elmwood, Farmington and the two Trivolis. The ground had been most thoroughly prepared for a great work by my predecessor, Doctor Magee. He planted and we watered, but "God gave the increase." The old Doctor has gone to his reward, but I am still in the field.