About this time we providentially received a copy of a holiness paper, The Gospel Trumpet, which taught a higher life, namely, entire sanctification. This came as a light from heaven. We began to earnestly seek this experience. Before we reached this experience there were a few other occurrences in [pg 505] our Christian life of which we wish to speak. At this time we were very ignorant of the Bible. It was our custom to have prayer at the schoolroom after the children were all gone to their homes. We would then go to our home with a heavenly glory resting upon us. One evening on our way home, we met a company of our former worldly associates. They accosted us in their customary worldly way. We replied somewhat under the influence of their worldly spirit. I felt the glory depart, and an emptiness instead. I went on my way hastily, asking God to smile upon me again. He taught me by this that he had chosen me out of the world and its witticisms, and that slang phrases were foreign to his salvation.
Soon after this, one morning in November when laboring in my garden a transparent glory shone all around me, and my soul was filled with peace. It was on election day. After working a few hours amid rapturous bliss, we went to the place of voting and cast our ballot along with political men. A shade came over my spirit, and for the remainder of the day it appeared that God had forsaken me and would never smile on me again. He taught me once more that he had chosen me out of the world and that politics in civil government was foreign to the kingdom of heaven.
The Christmas-time drew near, and great preparations were being made by the people for their festivities. In these we found nothing congenial to our [pg 506] spirit. We had decided to remain at home on the night of these festivities and have a protracted Bible reading and prayers. We looked forward to the evening with pleasure, expecting great blessings from God. Just before we were ready to begin our Bible reading wife was taken with a severe aching in the head, that threatened to mar the enjoyment of the evening. We wondered why it was that God permitted us to be thus interrupted, when the Holy Spirit whispered, “If you will ask God, he will heal her.” Accordingly we fell upon our knees and petitioned God for his healing virtue, and instantly she was healed. This was our first experience in divine healing.
In the following February a Holy Ghost minister came to our place and held a short series of meetings. He taught us the way of God more perfectly. We entered the glorious experience of entire sanctification during this meeting. We also beheld the body of Christ, the one true church, and saw in a clear light the monstrous beast religion in all her evils. God soon after called us into his work. We sold our little home, all we had of this world, and used the means in the work of the Lord. Our work for God has been independent of the creeds of men, teaching a full salvation and trusting God for everything. We have held meetings in over twelve of the different states, and have never asked for money. Not on one single occasion have we taken up a collection. It would require volumes to tell of the many times the Lord has [pg 507] blessedly answered our prayers. God has never called us to any conspicuous position in this world. The great faith for the building of orphanages and homes, and establishing missions has been entrusted to other men. Our faith has been only for our daily bread and needs. Oh, what an assurance our heavenly Father gives us that he will never forsake us. We do not want the riches of this world. We would rather not have them. There is a blessedness in taking our every want to Jesus. To look unto him daily for your temporal as well as spiritual support has a strong tendency to draw one very near to him.
We would take pleasure in telling you of many of the instances in which God has heard and answered our prayers, but fearing you will take less pleasure in reading we will forbear, only saying that God has been petitioned for corn for our horse, and the prayer answered in a marvelous way before the day was over. We have asked God for a spool of thread, and our prayer has been answered at once. One time wife was on her knees asking God for soap, when there was a rap at the door, and upon opening it a lady presented her with a bar of soap. Almost daily the Lord is petitioned for flour, meat, sugar, or clothes, and he always gives us what we need. It is wonderful and just as glorious as it is wonderful. In fact, such a life is made up of glory.
Some one may wonder if we ever have any tests of our faith. Oh, yes; there is where the greatest [pg 508] glory is. Not long since we were much in need of a dollar. In searching through my vest pocket for a match I found a dollar bill all neatly rolled up. Where it came from, and how, I never knew, only that the Lord sent it. Just last night, our twelve-year-old daughter said, “This is the last Sunday I can wear these shoes. Unless I get a new pair I shall have to stay at home.” We asked her if she had been asking the Lord for a pair. She answered, “Yes, sir.” This morning in our family devotions we made especial mention, amid some other things, of the shoes. In less than two hours a Christian man came to the door and presented her with a pair. Yes, we would rather have a faith and trust in God than the wealth of a world. We feel more secure.
The times God has healed different ones of our family we are unable to number. For the past eight years he, and he only, has been our physician. We have not in that time spent one cent for medicine. We have three children, aged four, six, and eight years, who have never tasted medicine. They never were given a dose of any kind of soothing syrups or “teas.” God has always healed from the toothache to a broken limb. It does not take much of the Lord's means to provide for us. We wear no superfluous clothing. Our daily fare is plain and common. We use no stimulants, narcotics, nor medicines, and consequently just a few pennies a day is all we need. God in his great goodness supplies all these, while [pg 509] we go telling the world of the wonderful blessings of salvation.
We are at present engaged in ministerial work without salary. In all our meetings we take up no collection, we ask for no money in any way of man, and we have no other source of support but in God alone. Just as the apostles lived in the morning light, so we live in the evening light. Just what they enjoyed, we enjoy. In their preaching they gave God's people warning of the apostasy. In our ministry we preach, “Come out of her, my people.”
We enjoy more of the love of God than ever before. His very life and power and glory fills our soul to the full. We are led exclusively by his Spirit and are fed and clothed by his bountiful hand. Our life is one of blessed contentment. Our home is a heaven and our happiness is complete. Even as we write, the waves of glory roll over our soul until we are made to shout praises to our God. We have never a care nor a sorrow, but a faith and trust in God that keeps us above every wave of trouble. We are dead to the world and living alone for his glory. His great heart's love sweetens and tenders every fiber of our soul, and bids us wait in brighter hope the happy day when he shall call us to our home.
O home of my soul,