THE LORD GETS ME A CLERGY PERMIT ON THE RAILROAD
When the Lord saved me, he called me into the ministry. I knew the ministry were securing half fare on railroads, but did not know that they had to be ordained before they could get it. But I did know that the Lord had ordained me for the Ministry. So I went to the depot agent in my home town, and asked him if he would sign for me so I could have the benefits of clergy rates. He had known me for some years, so told me he could if I would swear that I was a preacher. I said, "No, I can't swear. If you can't take my word for it, I'll go without a permit." He said, "If you can't swear, I will sign for you." So I sent in my application to the clergy bureau, and a few days later I received the permit, but there was a little slip with it which said, "Are you wholly engaged in gospel work, or do you do some secular work?" I studied and prayed about it and wrote the clergy bureau and sent the permit back and said, "When I travel, I do nothing but gospel work, but when I am home, I preach twice on Sunday and once a week, and through the week I do whatsoever my hands find to do. I do not want any railroad bill against me in the day of judgment. So if you find upon this explanation that I am worthy of your courtesy, I will be very pleased to receive the permit, and if not, I thank you."
A few days later, the permit was returned to me with a letter saying, "Please accept our courtesy. We are not afraid of being imposed upon by a man like that."
When I was ordained, the brethren said, "Now you can get half fare on the railroads." "Well," I said, "I have had that almost seven years already." When I explained to them they were astonished.
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A WONDERFUL EXPERIENCE
I was the evangelist at the South Dakota State Camp Meeting one year. After the meeting was over and I had received my offering from the committee, a brother came to me and wanted to give me $50 extra but I refused to accept it. "Why," he said, "Don't you need it?" "Yes," I said, "I need it badly, but I do not feel I can take it." "Well," he said, finally after much persuasion, "If you won't take it, I'll put it in the bank. For the Lord told me to give it to you, and I don't want it, and it will be there until you call for it."
About nine months later, I needed money and wrote him to see if I could borrow it until the next camp meeting. He sent it right away and wrote saying, "Thank God, it is out of my hands, and I'll never take it back again." At the next camp meeting, I tried again to pay it back, but I failed, so I went to prayer and asked the Lord what I should do. The Lord said, "You give Brother Renbeck fifteen dollars for a new suit, and you keep the rest for your family." (In those days one could get a good suit for fifteen dollars).
I looked for Brother Renbeck and finally he came. He had been weeping, although he still seemed happy. "Why have you been weeping?" I asked. "I need a new suit, and I went out and prayed and the Lord told me I could get a new fifteen dollar one." I reached my hand out and said, "Here is your fifteen dollars." He stepped back and said, "No, no! I couldn't take it from you. You need it worse than I do." I explained to him how it was, and he accepted it and praised the Lord. In those days we didn't know any different than to trust the Lord.
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