Pentecostal Possibilities or "The Story of My Life"
by Milton Lorenzo (M. L.) Haney
CHAPTER 63
A Wide Battle Line
The nineteenth evangelistic year involved twenty-two distinct meetings, including nine camp meetings. These were held in Illinois, Iowa, Wisconsin, Indiana and Missouri. A gracious work of God was accomplished at Fairbury, Illinois, Feb. 1-27, 1894. Brother Havermale, the pastor, sustained us in preaching holiness, and made special request that I prepare a special Bible reading on holiness for his people, which has since been used as among the very best readings of my whole ministry. Souls were converted and sanctified. We had conflict, but we had victory.
At Stronghurst Illinois, we held a protracted service and gathered many sheaves. The Lord has kept the record and knows what has come out of it, but we trust after the sifting at the judgment, a goodly number will shine as stars forever and ever.
The Des Moines Camp, or Iowa State Annual, came June 14-25 this year. These annuals have never been held without gracious results and it brings comfort to remember that we have been closely identified with them.
It is surely remarkable that good and great men, after all these years of observation, should fail to see the hand of God in these wonderful camps. Thousands of people have been saved in them and the least possible harm has come out of them.
We held two camps in Wisconsin this year, one at Loyal, and the other at Dexterville, in the north part of the State. It was a luxury to feed those hungry sheep. They greedily swallowed everything I said till it seemed as though a man with a scoop shovel were needed to supply them! I broke out saying: "You people are the greediest lot of folks I ever met; you remind me of a nest of young robins in cherry time, every one with his mouth open!" when an old lady sprang half way to her feet, saying: "Well, you scurry round then, and get something for us to eat!"
Rev. J. W. Martin had preceded me in that country and laid solid foundations. He has ever been a safe and clear teacher of holiness, and his work abides. Brother Hunt, a layman and merchant, with a few other good men, have proved true to this work through the years and it is a great comfort to help such men. We had among those grand old pine trees a glorious time with both God and man. These people have largely been separated from the wide helps of the holiness movement but the work goes on and will never die. Again we were in the battle at Silver Heights (New Albany, Ind.) But few camps in the country do better work, or are more successful than that on Silver Heights. Its foundations were laid with prayer, and tears, and shoutings, and God has owned it from first to last. Among the very elect of all God's ministers who have poured out their souls on that holy hill Thompson, Pepper, Fowler, Ruth, Collins, Updegraff, Joseph Smith, Keen, Walker and others of the Lord's anointed, have wept, and prayed, and preached, as men rarely pray and preach. May those grounds be kept sacred for the spread of holiness to the end of time!
The Des Moines Camp of 1894 was not inferior to any which had preceded it. For many years the I. H. A. has secured the best ministerial help and possessed a strong body of laymen, who are a mighty factor in such battles with sin. The annual employment of J. M. and Mrs. M. J. Harris to lead in song, has greatly added to the interest and power of this meeting. We recognize them as the best camp meeting leaders of song in America.
We had camps this year at Farmington, Fairbank, and Melrose, Iowa, and shared in the National at Decatur, Illinois, where we saw much that was glorious. We had only moderate success in protracted services at Swan Creek, Dallas City, La Prairie Center, Preemption and Geneseo, Illinois. Had also a ten days' convention at Bedford Ind., which was good but hindered by internal dissensions. The Boston Convention, where we had Dr. Walker and Dr. Levy, with the writer as preachers, was a season of great grace. After Dr. Levy preached on Sabbath morning I was calling seekers, when two men came up the aisle who were specially marked by a life of sin. The one in the lead was neatly attired, and intelligent, but dreadfully fallen. He came to where I stood, and, in tears, asked if there was possible hope for him saying he had spent thirty years in the penitentiary, and now felt if something was not done for him he would have to go back again, for his old trend to iniquity would rule him. I assured him of salvation if he gave up sin and trusted Christ, and he knelt before God. The other seemed depraved without and within, but knelt at the altar weeping. Refined and beautiful women came and knelt at the altar to help those fallen souls. One of them came inside and knelt in front of that vile man and putting her angel face by the side of his depraved and filthy one, in tears poured out her soul's sympathy in his behalf. These men seemed both to be converted and expressed their joy because of pardoned sin. A wealthy Unitarian woman, who had but recently buried her daughter, was in anguish of soul, and passing that church she was constrained to turn in to the convention, and witnessing the sacrifice and love of those holy women for those wretched men, was broken down and brought to Christ. She came up the aisle saying; "O, this is Christ! I never saw Him before," and insisted that our city missionary take these men to his mission and care for them, she meeting the bills. We found the Boston holiness people intelligent, victorious and loving, and have longed to meet them again.
The twentieth evangelistic year opened at Clarion, Iowa, January 13th, 1895, where we had victory, but much of the good accomplished was counteracted under pressure in the years which followed, as has been the case in many localities. Some remain, who are wheat without chaff, and will never go away from God. It is wonderful that through all the ages, people who have utterly shaken off sin and the world, have been cut off from the society of others, misjudged, hindered and opposed. We had meetings at Woodhull, North Henderson and Victoria, Ills., in each of which God stood with us in the rescue of souls.
Again the National Committee held the camp at Des Moines, Iowa. There were present Dr. Fowler, Dr. William Jones, McLaughlin, Isaiah Reid, G. W. Wilson and L. B. Kent. Brother Fowler led with great earnestness and preached with gracious power. Dr. Jones in this camp appeared as a giant in Israel, and some of his discourses are spoken of to this day. McLaughlin was at his best and all the ministers were helped of God. The meeting was a gain on others which had preceded it, an eternity will unfold its results. I was exceedingly sick from poison for a brief time, but made the following note at the close: "A meeting of gracious power, many scores saved, probably seventy-five the last Sabbath. My soul takes hold on God for an illimitable life with Him. All hail the power of Jesus' name!"
Of the District Camp at Wilcox, Wisconsin, this note was made at its close: "A meeting of marked interposition of God, and the success of holiness preaching. Souls converted, reclaimed, sanctified." One of the blessed ministers in this camp went out into a happy eternity that year. There were from seventy-five to one hundred saved at our little camp on Peiro Circuit, Climbing Hill, Iowa, July 10-16. Brother Isaiah Reid rendered very efficient services, and was made a blessing to many here.
The National Camp at Silver Heights this year was blessed. Brothers Fowler, Bresee, McLaughlin, Wilson, Haney, Pickett and Mrs. M. J. Harris took part in the preaching. The camp was preceded by a few days of service in New Albany, and on the ground, to prepare the way for victory. Brother Conner usually put in months of prayer and shouting before the camp opened, and then, in some cases, had services in the city the previous Sabbath, followed by services of prayer and preaching on the ground before the official camp was opened. In this case that preliminary meeting was especially owned of God. For many years the National and other camps have been greatly enriched by the presence of Brother and Sister Harris, in the service of song, and occasionally Sister Harris has preached, with gracious fruit following her ministry. Brother H. is becoming more and more efficient, not only in singing, but in leading of people's meetings. Dr. Bresee was a signal blessing to this camp, as he has been for many years wherever God has sent him. God's ministers do not fail to be efficient whenever and wherever they are true to holiness. It seemed on this hill in '95 His ministers were as a flame of fire. Hundreds were saved, and at its close we made this brief note: "A meeting of marked power. Many saved. The best ever held here."
Dr. Edward Walker and myself held a camp at Sigourney, Iowa, Sept. 14-23, in this year. There was great resistance to the truth. Dr. Walker is one of our strongest ministers, and he preached with great power on the ground. We two had a wonderful time with the Lord and the more we were opposed, the more closely He took us under His wings. The pastors in the town had combined to oppose the meeting weeks before it was opened as we were repeatedly informed, and threw their weight against it while it progressed. Good men do such things sometimes, not knowing what they do. If the holiness movement is of God, surely His servants ought to wake to see that they cannot fight it without fighting Him. There is a thread of excuse for this in the fact that some of its advocates have acted unwisely, and in some cases badly, but good men ought to think. What valuable cause have we ever heard of which has not been injured by its professed friends? What church? What phase of the true religion? What doctrine of the Bible? What good thing has not been perverted and made a curse in this world? If ten persons have made bad work of sanctification, how many tens of thousands have made bad work of justification? I find and record a note made at the close of the Sigourney Camp, as follows: "Closing service brief but precious. A meeting against which all the pastors combined for many weeks previous to its opening and throughout its continuance!!! Among the most deeply spiritual meetings of all my ministry---God manifest in every service. Great resistance to truth, but some saved beautifully."
A meeting at Lineville, on the line between Iowa and Missouri, was held for about two weeks, which was contested at every turn, but we had victory within and without. God had some beautiful saints in that locality, and on both sides of the State line. Some of them are now with Him, in robes of light, and others are on the way. My heart view of this meeting at the time was thus expressed: "Satan did use the Lord's professed people wonderfully against the meeting, but God was with us and fifty souls were saved." Whatever may be said about holiness preachers, or preaching, they do get people saved where others fail.
We were eleven days with Brother Bisbee at Logan, Kansas, where there was division in the church and ground for alarm as to its future. Brother B. had been sent there with the hope of saving it from dissolution. The battle was hot, but truth prevailed and the powers of darkness were driven. I find this note was made at the time concerning it: "A meeting of remarkable power and revelation of God. Great transformation of this bleeding church. Many reclaimed, many sanctified, some converted, and the pastor, Brother Bisbee, goes on with the work."
After a brief time on business in Kansas, and having but thirty-five minutes to leave for the cars, I preached in Hoxie as though I were running a race, but asked seekers to rise, and five sprang to their feet, when I left for Delta, Colorado, beginning Nov. 24 and continuing four weeks. Dear Brother Weaver was the pastor of the church and had faithfully executed the will of his Master. I have known but few who were so utterly given to the work of God. Delta was a place of material prosperity, and the leading members of his church given to money making. His deep spirituality and glorious Gospel was an offense to some of them, as is generally the case with worldly professors. Much good was done, but great results seemed well nigh impossible because of prevailing evils within the church. The following note was made at the time between my soul and God: "A meeting much hindered by those who have opposed the Godly pastor--some of them very influential. The other ministers and churches also put their might against it because of holiness teaching. Many were reclaimed, many sanctified, many were converted, though the number of the latter was small. Never, perhaps, went through a meeting more fully in harmony with God, and accompanied with the riches of His grace." Unspiritua1 people, churches and ministers, can be united against holiness preaching and testimony when nothing else will unite them. Brother Weaver will sing when the stars are falling!