Pentecostal Possibilities or "The Story of My Life"
by Milton Lorenzo (M. L.) Haney
CHAPTER 67
The Closing Century
In the service of 1900 we had thirty distinct meetings including nine camps. These were held in Illinois, Indiana, Missouri, Iowa, Maryland and Ontario. The meeting beginning January 12th at Liberty Mills as a battle of peculiar type. A few among the best saints I have ever met were there. The Rittenhouse families are the very elect of God. The home of Father Rittenhouse was a Bethel to my soul. They had had much preaching on holiness, and there was much soundness among holiness people, but a part of the church had rebelled and were now rebelling, against the doctrine and experience. Then they had a lodge room above the audience room in the church. There was a striking interest in the meeting from first to last, and we rarely labored more earnestly; but we were dissatisfied with the results. The following statement was made at the time concerning it: "A meeting of marked power and blessedness to the saved, and deep conviction of the impenitent, but of great resistance. Some sanctified, some converted, some reclaimed, yet but few compared with what ought to have been."
Three days were given to Urbana, Indiana, in the Evangelical Church, many of whose people were beautiful in holiness, and whose pastor and his wife were walking with God. The meeting was marked with its depth of tone and freedom among God's children.
A meeting of ten days was given to Dodge City, Kansas, where much good seemed accomplished. Dear Brother Weaver was the pastor and a blessed man is he. We had helped him in Colorado, and found him a man of God. With the closing service we wrote: "A meeting of gracious power and salvation; last night very blessed. Praise the Lord! Continued by the pastor."
We were with Brother Gott in St. Louis nine days which God recognized, and sealed, in the saving of souls. The earnestness and labor of the people in this mission are rarely equaled. The services went forward with increasing power from the beginning. Some desperate cases were saved. I believe thousands have been saved in the Union Mission, and trust the foundations are now laid for a great work for the future, and I would not hesitate to give consecrated money to the furtherance of its interests. We wrote before leaving, the following words: "Meeting of glorious power in which about seventy-five souls were graciously saved. Nearly all clear and sound. Glory!" There is a rescue mission connected with this which accomplishes the best work of the kind I have ever seen, and ought to receive the hearty support of lovers of the race. The holiness movement has been marked by a return to the life of Jesus in this respect, and thousands of devoted women are toiling day and night to raise up the fallen of their sex. Prayer without ceasing should go up for such, and money should be poured out on the altars of this most self-sacrificing and Christ-exalting work.
There had been about six weeks of revival meetings in the little town of Lincolnville, Indiana, when we opened and people were weary. Our work was in the U. B. Church. whose pastor, Brother Williams and his wife, had both found holiness in a meeting we held in South Kansas. She was, and is, an ordained minister in that church and a blessed woman. He had let go of the experience in part or whole, but was here restored. Ten were saved in one night and the Lord was with us all through. The altar was filled the last night. We also held a meeting at Bethlehem Church with Brother Williams.
March 30th to April 16th we were with Brother Gott again and had a blessed time, though other meetings were running at the time which somewhat divided the interest and working force. Dr. Carradine was preaching in the great Temple which had been purchased from the Baptists by Brother and Sister Hall for a holiness center. Concerning this unwise purchase, and the after foolish departure of the Halls to Dowieism, much could be said, but we hope that the failures and disasters of the whole procedure will serve as a warning to good people not to walk in their footprints. I heard that prince of preachers, Dr. Carradine, in this temple when I could, and was blessed under his ministry. Before leaving Union Mission this time we wrote: "Brother Gott, the pastor, suddenly broke down with trouble at the base of the brain, which his physicians pronounced fatal, and last night was instantly healed by the power of God while a few saints were in prayer for him. Glory be to God!"
The battle at Elkhart, Indiana, was well contested but far away from failure. Brother Brown of the Wesleyan Church was an able helper in this meeting. I wrote in my private record before leaving, the following: "A meeting of unusual hindrances. Three prominent ministers were known to go from house to house to persuade the people to keep away, and it seemed that the whole ministry of the city were of one heart to hinder the work except the U. B. Elder, who is a gracious brother and helped us much, and the F. M. preacher, with seven Mennonite brethren from the country, who were a comfort and blessing. About fifty were thought to be saved in all. There was quite an addition to the North Indiana Holiness Association and a holiness band and meeting started."
Brother Rees and Byron Rees, his son, held a ten days' convention about this time in Normal, Illinois, and stayed at my home. We had a time of great riches in their fellowship and ministry. Much good was done during their stay. We have regretted whatever of extravagance may have accompanied this brother since then, and have aimed to pray daily that God's hand may lead him from all errors and into all truth, for he is capable of being a man of great value to the church of God.
The Iowa State Camp in 1900 was a great and gracious meeting. Carradine and Morrison were the chief leaders. These two giant ministers of Southern Methodism have been a blessing to many ten thousands and a great power in the Des Moines Camp. The Harrises sang with increasing power and other preachers, including G. L. Miller, preached with great liberty and success. Dear Brother Reid seemed at his best and Brother Haney was on wings.
For want of space we are compelled to pass seasons of blessing at Nevada and Maxwell, Iowa, in June of this year, and can only hint at the sweetness and power of a service at Woodline, Iowa, conducted by Brother Ruth. We took in the last three days of this camp en route to Storm Lake. Numbers of these people had been cut off unjustly from the church, but God preserved them from murmuring and bitterness, and I have since found them the very salt of the earth. Of this camp I wrote before leaving: "A meeting of blessed results in view of vicious church opposition." Brother Ruth, and the writer reached Storm Lake to open the camp June 29. The son of Sheridan Baker was there to lead the song and help in the preaching, and preached ably seven times. Brother B. S. Taylor gave us a sermon on Hell that was simply fearful to contemplate.
It was said that some sinners expressed a fear the next day that the crust of the earth would break and let them tumble through into its consuming fires. We wrote at the close of this meeting: "Among the best camps here for years, and Brother Ruth is a successful leader."
En route to Plymouth Camp, in Indiana, we brought wife to Chicago on her way to visit our son in Newark, New Jersey, and hastened on to open camp July 13. This was one in which there was much freedom, and the Lord's people and ministers had a good time. Brother Dustman led the singing, and that part of the service was kept well on fire. Brother Brown helped us here much. Brother B. S. Taylor fell in on his way East, and pushed well for a few days. Some feared, when he came, that his eccentric manner would turn the meeting from its channel, but he behaved well and preached his sermon on Hell with an awakening effect which did much good. We conducted numerous Bible readings which were accompanied graciously by the Holy Spirit. Once a reading on faith was followed by some being prostrated, while some shouted and others screamed with anguish. Brother Geist, of Urbana, preached blessedly, and the prayers and testimonies of the laity were a gracious force for God. Brother Dustman said about one hundred had been at the altar and nearly all were saved. At the close we went down to Urbana, and preached to a hungry, happy crowd, to find the converts of previous meetings were standing well.
This year I was at Silver Heights for the first half of the meeting. There were present Walker, McLaughlin, Ruth, the Harrises, Brother Fowler, Aura Smith, and others. From Tuesday till Saturday there was a battle before much victory was reached. The brethren, especially Dr. Walker, preached with great strength, but there was resistance to the truth. On Saturday there was an outburst of victory and shouting in the camp. The ground had been embarrassed financially and Brother Ruth took one whole morning service to lift that cloud, and raised twenty-three hundred dollars, which has been a blessing to that camp ever since. Fifty to seventy-five saved before my leaving, and a gracious prospect for much wider victory. While writing this I hear of the transfer of our dear Brother Conner, who was the founder of this camp meeting. What glory he has entered upon! Who can forget his triumphant shouting on this ground year after year, or his march at the head of his victorious column, waking the campers each Sabbath morning for years with notes of praise? Blessed Brother Conner, how much thou has suffered, but how wondrous thy present environment! I knew not how much I loved thee till thy spirit fled!
We found the grounds at old Camp Wye, near Baltimore, Md., utterly unprepared, and the meeting opened under circumstances unpropitious. Here the Methodists had worshipped for more than a century. Here Asbury, and Freeborn Garretson, had poured their souls out to God, and fed hungry thousands with their holy gospel. Here multitudes had gathered with shoutings, who are now with the ransomed before the throne. To me the place was sacred beyond common places of worship. Dr. Winchester, and the Harrises, were our helpers, and well and blessedly did they shout on the battle. We found saints there with garments white and clean. There seemed much to hinder, but a blessed work was done. Those old trees under whose shade Asbury poured out the gospel of holiness, listened to the same gospel from the lips of Asbury's sons. There were evidences of decay from the standard of those early years, which gave us pain but some felt their way back to the fountain and we were glad. Dr. Winchester, we found, was a beautiful spirit, and preached with much ability. Brother and Sister Harris were a gracious force in song and helped us on the platform as well.
Dr. Edward Walker was our helper at North Manchester, Ind., this year and revealed a growing strength in the pulpit. Many were saved, but I thought the meeting not equal to the one preceding it. The best of men and women are in this locality. The ministry of Sister Epperson was a potent factor in the camp and many were moved by her agency. This force went to Huntsille Indiana, and held a camp from September 7th to 17th. Of this we wrote at the time: "A meeting beginning slowly midst a world of prejudices and increasing in interest to the end, Sabbath being a day of power."
We were called to St. David's, Ontario, to help the pastor, Brother J. H. Dyke, beginning September 30th, 1900. He and his wife and family I found to be very blessed people, walking with God in a life of perfect love. Think I have not known a whole family which surpassed them. Leading people in their church were not in sympathy with holiness teaching, and hence the faithful ministry of their pastor was an offence to them. That godly family had put in years of spotless living and faithful ministry, hindered and crossed by the unspiritual officials in the church. He called me, though we had never met, and my coming increased their antagonism to holiness teaching, making the battle a difficult one. A few were saved, but only one or two at a time, and it seemed impossible to fill the altar at any time. The pastor's wife had three daughters, aged about 9, 11 and 13 years. Each one of these children was a beautiful Christian, but the middle one I marked as having a remarkable knowledge of God. Each of them had their father's work on their heart and were in daily prayer for the meeting. St. David's was one of several appointments on a circuit and the pastor preached there in the afternoon. So I rested the second or third Sabbath in the forenoon, while he preached at another point. There seemed no one in the house but the middle child and myself, and I heard her in fervent prayer. Coming out of my room into the hall I could hear her distinctly, and found she was not praying for herself at all, but for the afternoon meeting. It was a case of real supplication. I have no power to write it as it occurred to me. The child seemed in lone audience with God. Her soul insisted that God should meet the hearts of the people and bring them to the altar of prayer. The altar must be filled at that hour. She would nearly reach the climax and relax a little, but take hold with a firmer grasp, till she came the third time, and prevailed! When God answered that she should have her desire, she ceased at once to pray, and poured her soul out in praise, clapping her little hands and shouting aloud her praises. Then she sang a hymn of triumph and came downstairs. I gave no intimation that I had heard her, but think I never saw a calmer or more settled soul. When her mamma came in she told her the altar was going to be filled with seekers at 3 o'clock. The father came directly to the church and knew nothing of what had occurred. I preached and had no unusual liberty, but when the call was made the people came at once from every part of the church and filled the altar from right to left. The child expected what occurred as though she had seen it all before hand, and after the altar was filled went and knelt near a penitent sinner. Her father, thinking she was there as a seeker, came and asked her if she was in trouble of soul for herself, to which she replied: "O no, papa, but I am here praying for these dear sinners!" In all this ministry I have not witnessed a more wonderful case of prevailing prayer. Shall we ever learn our rights at the throne?