Pentecostal Possibilities or "The Story of My Life"
by Milton Lorenzo (M. L.) Haney
CHAPTER 68
Nineteen Hundred and One
Nineteen hundred and one opened up with a dangerous and persistent attack of la grippe, which more nearly approached an utter breakdown of my robust body than anything which had ever preceded it. To think of a possible end of my activities for Christ, required more grace than of fifty added years to spread His glory among men. I found my soul preferred the battle field to heaven, and He gave me the desire of my heart. From February 8th to March 31st of this twenty-sixth evangelistic year my time was given in short services, specially in the interests of I. H. A. work, in the following towns in Iowa: Clarion, Bristow, Burchinal, Swaledale, Fort Dodge, Des Moines, Independence, Nevada, Maxwell, Buena Vista and Newberg. At each of these places God met and blessed us, and we met with precious saints whose records are on high. The work thus done was under pressure, as la grippe had not released its hold upon me for a day, and for a whole month afterwards, at home, I suffered with weakness in my throat, rheumatism, and other evils flowing out of the malady.
May 3d to 13th we spent in the Holiness Assembly, held in the First M. E. Church, Chicago, which was a great and gracious service. During its passage many evangelists preached in the city and suburbs, and souls were saved in each place as far as we heard. We spoke one night in the First Swedish Church, where about twenty professed to come out into the light. The spirit of the Assembly was blessed. There was a strong disposition on the part of its leader to fraternize with those who differed with us, and what could be done to reconcile existing differences was freely done. Great good was accomplished, and the whole of the last night was given to prayer, with souls being saved nearly every hour. We wrote at the time as follows: "The Assembly the best I ever saw. Including souls saved where evangelists were sent, there must have been about two hundred. My own soul settled upon the rock!"
Before the Iowa Annual we held brief meetings at Dickens and Mt. Ayer, where God's voice was heard and souls were saved. Of the latter meeting it was said: "A service encompassed with hindrances, but greatly blessed of the Lord to those who were there. Thirteen or fourteen were saved, I think, and God's saints wonderfully enriched by the Holy Spirit. Praise the Lord."
Brothers Morrison, and Ruth, were the leading preachers this year at Des Moines, though the National Association held its annual business meeting there this year, and, for a day or two, Dr. Fowler and other members were present. The preaching by these brethren seemed simply wonderful to those who heard. In many instances the Divine glory swept through, and over, the crowd and God's truth was clothed with fearful authority. It was thought that seventy-five or one hundred were saved on the second Sabbath. Of this meeting we wrote at the time: "Thought to be the best camp ever held by the Association. Probably about two hundred saved, besides the children. Numbers saved in the street meetings. Holy unity!" Brother and Sister Jacobs were a power in this meeting, and the Harrises probably never did better. Brother Haney was in the battle, and lifted above the world.
The camp at Des Moines was followed by another not half so large at Council Bluffs led by Brother Ruth. This camp was planned by dear Sister Baller, who was carrying a mission in this city. The preaching was done by Brothers Ruth, Haney, J. M. and M. J. Harris, with others helping. Surely God was wonderfully gracious to us all. The meeting was held on the devil's ground, an old Sabbath resort, with a saloon--now closed up--within the enclosure. We wrote concerning this camp at the time: "Closing service with victory on every side. A meeting owned and blessed of God, from first to last. Have rarely seen it equaled in liberty and power. About 150 supposed to be saved. How good God is!" This was followed by a convention in Dr. Savage's church in Omaha, which was a great help to man.
The Colorado State Camp was held at Greely this year, with Brother Ferguson and the writer as its leaders. It was a real battle for victory, with the night services largely attended. There was fearful conviction, but not so wide yielding. Brother Ferguson preached with much power, largely addressing the ungodly at night. We seemed on the eve of a great break for days, but it did not come. We were impressed that more would result from the teachings than was seen in this camp. Dear Brother Da Foe, the President of the Association, was working day and night, despite his extreme frailty, and his spirit was a constant benediction. What Christ-likeness does appear in many of God's afflicted saints.
In 1901 we were again at Silver Heights, Indiana the favorite spot where God has so often been revealed. Brothers Ruth and Walker preached with great power and the ministry of Aura Smith helped the people on to God. Brother and Sister Harris were an unusual inspiration. The old time power was not wanting in the camp. Brother Haney was much blessed himself but feared he was not made so wide a blessing to others. Sister Aura Smith has, for a great while, been loved by the New Albany people and was there this year with her happy face, and, with some testimony and exhortation, helped lift us toward God. We then wrote: "God with us from first to last. Many saved, but not as many as I desired."
Two conventions held in Pueblo in September and October were greatly hindered, 1st, by the presence of two bodies of brethren not in harmony with each other; 2nd, by a very unfortunate location, and 3rd, by walls of prejudice built up through a bad handling of the subject of holiness. Dear ones who are unwise in their methods, harsh in their spirit, and abusive in their language, never will know till the judgment day how much damage they have done to the cause they thus aimed to advance. There were desperate cases at the altar, and some of them saved. One fallen preacher who had become a drunkard, and when at the altar seemed to have the fires of hell consuming his vitals, had at times to be held by two or three men. The sight was appalling. At last some light appeared to dawn on the black night of his soul, and we hoped, but it was difficult to avoid painful fears. At times we seemed to be attempting to rescue the damned! Yet in the midst of it all some met the Lord and were saved, and we came away with gladness.
Our twenty-seventh evangelistic year was opened in the National Convention in Chicago, January 9th, 1902. Brothers Fowler, Reid, Walker, Whitcomb, Haney and others preached the glorious gospel of holiness. At the time it did seem I never had heard such preaching. Brothers Fowler and Walker were beyond themselves, and God was with them wondrously. Souls were saved in nearly every service and I made a note of two old men who were converted one night with others. The pastor of the Wabash Avenue M. E. Church, where the convention was held, is a Christian gentleman and treated us with much kindness.
Ere this meeting closed we opened in Ada Street M. E. Church with a blessed young pastor who is a worthy son and representative of John Wesley. Here souls were reclaimed, justified and sanctified, and added strength given to the saints of God. The elect of God are in this church and such pastors will never lower the standard of our Divine religion. Before the National at Des Moines, we held short conventions in Marshalltown, Bryantsburg, Epworth, Cascade, Fort Dodge, Cherokee, Le Mars, Des Moines, Grinnell, Woodbine and De Soto, Iowa. The National at Des Moines, we thought, transcended all which had preceded it in the West, and at its close we wrote that from three to six hundred souls had been saved. Eternal thanksgiving to God and to the Lamb!
The Washington State Holiness Annual Camp was opened at Elberton, Washington, June 27th, Dr. Bresee, of Los Angeles, and the writer being chosen to lead it. Being in an obscure place and encircled with mountains of prejudice, the attendance was small, and by persistent rains we were driven into a church, but such men as Brother Bresee can make a meeting of interest in a desert! Precious souls from his church in Los Angeles with others from Washington were there, who helped mightily, and we had a glorious time.
We were aided at Medical Lake, Wash., especially by Brothers I. G. Martin, and St. Clair, in a camp very small at first, but larger and glorious as it proceeded. This was a meeting of peculiar blessedness and its results surprising.
The camp at Lyndon, near the northwest corner of the State seemed less than the least in its show of tents and assemblies. Located in the deep wood in such timber as we had never seen before, with apparently everything against us, Brother Martin and I seemed nearly alone. The first Sabbath God put it into the mind of twenty-two young people to fix up a four-horse rig, with a large hay rack on the wagon, who came from Whatcome on the Sound, and spent the day returning in the night and before they reached Whatcome, Monday morning every one of them was either converted or sanctified. This was not all done in camp, but they had a revival meeting in the hay rack on the way, till the last soul found liberty. Then a Swedish minister, miles away hearing of our destitution, traversed his circuit and brought us a delegation of forty earnest souls for the second Sabbath. A beautiful deer came out of the wood and gazed at us a while, and bears came down within two miles and got apples. A small Indian tribe is in that neighborhood whose children are being taught by our dear friend, Laura Pippit Brown, whose ministries in Illinois and Iowa can hardly be forgotten. We had her preach and it had the old time ring to it, and her husband is a blessed man of God. Out of the converts of this meeting came a County Holiness Association which has been at work through the year and God has given them about 100 souls. They have bought a beautiful camp ground at Ferndale and now we are invited to hold their local camp meeting! How good God is!!
August 5th and 6th Brother I. G. Martin, and myself, spent in a brief service in Fairhaven, on the Sound. The fire of the Lyndon Camp has extended here and we had a blessed time. The Whatcome County Holiness Association was organized here with Brother C. W. Jones as its President, and he has led the Association to wider victories during the year than any other in my knowledge. Coming down Puget Sound to Seattle, we had ten days of glorious service in that city. Many were saved and among them a business man who had broken down with strong drink and was in utter darkness as a skeptic. He had not been in a church for ten years. A friend of his excited him about the wonderful preaching in the tabernacle and he came from curiosity and to please his friend, and was wonderfully saved. A fallen Methodist minister who had been tampering with so-called "Christian Science" till the darkness of bald Atheism had gathered round him, broke down in the meeting, and, after three days of indescribable agony, got back to God. The wail of his soul was among the most piercing of all cries I ever listened to. He would look into my eyes and repeat with soul bitterness, "Oh! the darkness of these years!! Oh!! the terrible darkness of my soul!!!" His agonizing cry brought people from two blocks away to listen to his wail. It was the agony of hell begun in that torn breast. The cry of a lost soul, with its back turned on God. Why will God's people with open eyes tamper with that subtle and devilish delusion. Not one case can be given who has gone with Christian Science, who has not lost God. We appended this note at the close of that meeting: "A meeting of great grace from God. A few desperate cases saved--saved gloriously. O the depth of the riches of our wonderful Christ!"
The State Colorado Holiness Association had planned to have their annual camp fifty miles west of Denver, but a few days before its opening, sickness broke out and they were compelled hastily to prepare a ground in the city. A great and difficult task was upon them, but they were equal to it, and when we reached the camp it was surprising to find the work so nearly completed. The Association is on solid grounds and is led by a brother to whom God has given a sound head. A holiness leader with an unsound head is always a dangerous man. He may be ever so pure in heart, but if his head is unsound, God never appointed him to be a leader. He may, in a secondary sense, be a leader, so long as he himself submits to sound leadership of a sound overseer. Dr. Hills, of Texas, and the writer were chosen as the special workers in this camp, with Sister Boyce as assistant. Dr. Hills' preaching was strong and clear. His teaching was sound to the core, and many were reached through his ministry. Sister Boyce was a precious power in the midst of us. Among the holiness people here there are strong and glorious men and women, and through their prayer of faith and active work the camp went forward from the beginning. There have not been many camps--if all the facts are considered--which surpassed this glorious meeting in Denver. I put its days down as among the best of my whole life and believe that God gave us about two hundred souls.
We closed this year with a free, beautiful and blessed convention of ten days with Brother Robinson, and Brother Ferguson in Indianapolis, where the Lord rescued precious souls in Dr. Bye's church; and three meetings of from ten to fifteen days each at Ford, Spearville, and Ness City, Kansas. My old friend Bisbee, had moved into that country and I was called there by his agency. Solid work was done at Ford, but much hindered by mixtures there in previous years. Some blessed souls in that locality. At Spearville, and Ness City, we found such a measure of death prevailing in the churches that it seemed impossible to counteract it, and so strong a trend worldward, especially at the latter place, that its memories are painful to me. But we closed this twenty-seventh evangelistic year finding heaven nearer and the road leading to it more enchanting than ever before.