Pentecostal Possibilities or "The Story of My Life"
by Milton Lorenzo (M. L.) Haney
CHAPTER 49
Further Work in Southern Illinois
Pastor Dellicate, of the Southern Illinois Conference, was on the Wanda Circuit, and having a pretty hard time. He was a minister of beautiful spirit, and true to God, but not very strong bodily. Wanda society was noted for its vacillations religiously. Annual backsliding was a rule only violated in cases where there had been no uplift! The dear man wrote us, giving a full description of the case, and begged us to come and help him. So we went, and I determined that whatever was done this time, should stand the fire. I gave the least possible chance for those who had gone out, on their annual excursion, to get back by any special goal, and made the door of return so narrow, that if they got through it once, they would lose their relish for another excursion. We had a bone scraping time for days, but a solid work begun.
I had variously heard of a big two-fisted fellow, whom they called Guss. Nobody gave the number of times he had been restored in the years agone. All agreed as to his sincerity, but he had been converted late, and seemed to be in want of ballast. Guss had been pugilistic in his tendencies before his conversion, and now a slight insult would result in a knockdown! He was too conscientious to go on professing religion after such out-bursts, and so he gave up. After the meeting had gone for days, it was said one night that Guss was on the back seat. I really feared to see him at the altar, lest he would fail, as before, if he did get restored. He kept coming, however, and moved up a seat or two each night till he tumbled down at the altar. He seemed to have a tussle with devils, but after the struggle of days, broke through into the light. As the Lord graciously pardoned him, his soul seemed filled with unspeakable joy and he shouted tremendously. There was a right ring to Guss's shout, whatever might occur in his future, and I joined him in it! He had said while seeking, if he "could ever get as good religion as he once had, that would be all he would ever want." But two days after his restoration he was again at the altar of prayer. I asked him if he was doubting his experience, and he answered no, but he had now come to seek sanctification
Guss had been a rough man, and was a vile tobacco user. The habit had become so all controlling that he had to rise from his bed each night, and smoke or chew. He really felt his life depended on it. He was plainly marked with its vileness, but I had said nothing yet to him concerning it. He had been several times at the altar crying for a holy heart, when one day he sprang to his feet and walked up and down the aisle. His feeling seemed too deep for utterance, but by and by he gave vent to his soul by puffing, as a steamboat pours forth steam. That occurred about 4 P. M. About 9 o'clock the next morning he was walking alone and, from force of habit, found his thumb and forefinger in his vest pocket feeling for fine-cut tobacco. He withdrew his hand and stopping, said: "What does this mean?" Till that moment he had not even thought of tobacco since he was sanctified! After dinner he found himself again feeling in that pocket as before, and stopped again, in wonder. He then thought he would taste it, and found he abhorred the filthy stuff, and has probably testified above one hundred times that he has never desired it.
A young man who was teaching school at that time got saved, and afterwards became a minister. Years afterwards he wrote, desiring me to come and help him, which I did. While with him, I asked him if he knew what had become of my friend Guss, of Wanda. He said he had kept in touch with him ever since that meeting, and he had never turned to the right nor left. That he had kept that church alive ever since, and was class leader, Sunday School Superintendent, Steward, and in every way the leading man in the church. The spring after that meeting Guss had rented a piece of ground near him, the title of which had been in dispute. While plowing one day, the other party came to him in the field, and forbade him working there another minute. He knew Guss had gotten sanctified, and thought he would not strike him, so he cursed him vilely with bitter forms of profane words. At length Guss awoke to remember that in all this he had not thought of knocking the poor man down, nor even felt the slightest desire to injure him, and he began to shout the praises of God, and the mean sinner fled from his presence, and never troubled him more!
"Oh! there is power in Jesus' blood,
To wash as white as snow!"
This dear man of God yet lives to witness to what I have written, though he knows nothing of what I have written concerning him. On my table lies a letter written by his hand a few weeks since, full of holy triumph, though he is a great sufferer from an injury by a railroad train. His name, and present address are A. M. Sparks Poag, Ills. O, why do people keep doubting that Jesus will save them to the uttermost?
There was a new town on Bro. Dellicate's circuit where he wanted to plant a Methodist Church, but only had two or three members. Another Christian body was there, and leading members opposed the coming of a rival, but allowed him to have a meeting in their building. There was new house in town which would keep the pastor, but as to my wife and self, there was no place for the soles of our feet. A young couple who had recently married, and had partly prepared their new home, offered their house to us during the meeting, however, and my wife rolled up her sleeves and took possession. So we were housekeeping in an hour. Our help in the meeting largely came from a distance, and, learning the situation, they brought provisions in abundance, and while we had many boarders, we had the richest supplies, and best cooking I had met in Southern Illinois!
The meeting widened, and deepened, and God led us to victory. Souls were converted and sanctified, the dear people learned that selfishness is not a good investment, my wife demonstrated her soldierly qualities, and the Methodist people have had a church of their own, in that city, in which to worship till this day! Dear Brother and Sister Dellicate, who were both brought into the experience of holiness while we were with them, have fought a good fight and are both in glory now. What a joy in old age to know that in any sense you have helped souls like these!
God was with us in wondrous power at Lebanon, where McKendree College is located, and we there had the fellowship of many able souls. Brother Henry Brown, a holiness man and son of thunder, was instrumental in leading us there. The most of our pastors took kindly to holiness teaching in that country, and strong men, such as Dr. Hughey, were its unflinching advocates. The church at Summerfield withstood the teaching for a time, but their opposition did not have the vicious element in it, but resulted from previous education. One afternoon I conducted a Bible reading on the Holy Spirit, and a gracious power was present. At the close I carefully asked all present who, in the strength of grace would henceforth obey the Holy Spirit, to rise, and nearly seventy arose. The result of that decision was, that, above that number were beautifully sanctified in a few days. If all God's real children will take an attitude of simple obedience to the Holy Spirit, millions of them will soon be all over in the cleansing fountain. He is always right, let us follow whithersoever he leads.
A woman marked with deep sorrow came into service in a Southern Illinois city, and I intensely desired to help her. I had not heard concerning her grief. It was a joy, at the close of service, to be asked, with her pastor, who was a blessed man of God, to go with her for tea. We had but been seated when she told us the cause of her grief. Her youngest child was a beautiful girl of about sixteen summers, and some time before this, had been persuaded by a traveling man to go with him under promise of marriage, and not the slightest trace of the child's whereabouts was known. Her death would have been preferable to her mother! A holy woman, from the meeting, was invited with us to tea, but the real design was a concert of prayer. We prayed that God would relieve the mother at once from this dreadful suspense, and bring home her wandering child. I have rarely, if ever, seen such a service of prayer. The pastor was wonderfully moved, and we were all moved with him. When we arose he said: "She will be heard from speedily," and I answered: "I believe she will." We both believed she was in Chicago, or St. Louis.
In the first mail of the next morning, a long and earnest letter was placed on the train, and hurried to her mother from Chicago. She had been left at a house of assignation, and abandoned, by the man who had led her astray. Such men richly deserve hanging, and ought to be driven from decent society. She told the whole story to her mother, and in anguish begged forgiveness. About the time we were praying she was filled with horror about her condition. Night coming, she attempted to sleep, but was compelled, by pure soul agony, to arise in the night and write to her mother. I saw and read the letter, arranged with a party in Chicago to find her and send her home, and in less than one week I saw her converted in her mother's house! She became a thorough Christian, married well, and to the last I heard was walking with God. O, there is a power which saves the worst of sinners when they repent and believe!