THEY SAW IT HAPPEN!The dramatic story of men of God who were greatlyused in the Pentecostal outpouring of the20th Century.Compiled By Gordon Lindsay

THEY SAW IT HAPPEN!

The dramatic story of men of God who were greatly

used in the Pentecostal outpouring of the

20th Century.

Compiled By Gordon Lindsay

THEY SAW IT HAPPEN

This is the dramatic story of several men of God who were used in the great Pentecostal outpouring of the 20th century.

This first chapter introduces the outpouring of the Spirit in Topeka, Kansas, which began in Charles F. Parham's school at the midnight hour. January 1. 1901 — the very moment the 20th century began! In December 1924 during a revival in Portland, Oregon, the writer heard Rev. Parham recount the experiences which took place in Stone's mansion. It was during these services in Portland that the writer was converted.

Before the revival gathered full momentum in America, there was a remarkable visitation in Wales under the leadership of a young man by the name of Evan Roberts. During the period of 1904-05 the entire country of Wales moved Godward.

Shortly after the Wales revival the center of events shifted to Los Angeles, California. In a humble building located at 312 Azusa Street there was a little band of praying people. Passersby probably never gave the place a second glance. Nevertheless it was here that the blessing of God would be poured out in such measure as to extend its influence to the uttermost parts of the earth. Material on this revival is taken from the Frank Barlteman diary which is one of the most sensitive accounts of what took place in the Azusa revival.

The last chapters are accounts of the ministries of Raymond T. Richey and Charles S. Price. Although their campaigns were on a larger scale than most, their stories are typical of many Holy Ghost men of God that made the apostolic ministry a reality in the 20th century. For a number of years Raymond T. Richey was associated with the writer. Once we made a missionary trip together to Latin America. Charles S. Price held his first great healing campaign in the mountain town of Ashland, Oregon, where the writer, years later was pastor. Dr. Price promised to pray about a return meeting there, but this never materialized for the Lord took him home shortly after this.

The passing of Charles S. Price, Aimee Semple McPherson and Smith Wigglesworth all took place about the same time, bringing to a close an era. Shortly afterward a new group of evangelists arose whose ministry would result in bringing the Full Gospel message into many of the historic churches.

CONTENTS

THEY SAW IT HAPPEN

CONTENTS

CHAPTER I, The Outpouring at Topeka, Kansas

CHAPTER II, The Revival Spreads

CHAPTER III, The Great Welsh Revival

CHAPTER IV, The Historic Azusa Revival

CHAPTER V What Hath God Wrought! By Eloise May Richey

CHAPTER VI, The Story of the Conversion and Healing Ministry of Dr. Charles S. Price

CHAPTER I, The Outpouring at Topeka, Kansas

The Outpouring at Topeka, Kansas, at the Birth of the Twentieth Century

(The outpouring of the Spirit which occurred in Charles Par-ham's school at the midnight hour January 1, 1901—the very moment the 20th century began, is generally accepted as the be-ginning of the great Pentecostal revival, repeating the experience of the Early Church. The writer heard Reverend Parham in December, 1924, and was converted to Christ in his service. He heard him tell the experiences of that epic event which occurred in the Stone's mansion. The introductory chapter recounts the events of that memorable time.)

In the year 1898 in Topeka, Kansas, Charles F. Parham established a divine healing home called Bethel Home. The lower floor furnished a large chapel and reading room. The second floor had fourteen rooms and provided a place for those seeking healing. Special divine healing services were held, and many who came received deliverance.

In the month of March, 1900, Reverend Parham decided that he would visit some of the headquarters of various movements in America where apostolic truths were being preached. He visited such places as Dr. Dowie's work which was then in Chicago, Dr. A. B. Simpson's work at Nyack, New York, and other places. He summed up his impressions made during his visit in the following words: "I returned home fully convinced that while many had obtained real experience in sanctification and the anointing that abideth, there still remained a great outpouring of power for Christians who were to close this age."

When Mr. Parham returned to Topeka he found the preachers he left in charge had not only taken over his building, but most of his congregation. He went to his room to fast and pray. Instead of employing means to force those who had taken his property to return it, God led him to open a Bible school. Through a series of miracles he was able to secure a mansion patterned after an English castle, located one mile west of Washburn College in Topeka.

He opened the Bible school in October, 1900. Of the invitation that was sent out, he said, "We invited all ministers and Christians who were willing to forsake all, sell what they had, and give it away and enter the school for study and prayer, where all of us together might study and pray, where all of us together might trust God for food. fuel, rent, and clothing. The purpose of this school was to fit men and women to go to the ends of the earth to preach 'this gospel of the kingdom . . . for a witness unto all nations . . . (before the) end come.' It was not our intention to learn these things in our heads only but have each thing in the Scriptures wrought out in our hearts. And that every command that Jesus Christ gave should be literally obeyed."

The building procured for a school was actually a mansion. The builder who patterned it after an English castle lavished large sums of money upon it. There were beautiful carved staircases and finished woodwork of cedars of Lebanon, cherry wood and bird's eye maple. The builder ran out of funds when he came to the third floor, so he had to finish it with ordinary wood. It thus came to be known as "Stone's Folly."

At the top was a cupola with a dome on either side. One of these was made into a prayer room. On the day the building was dedicated for the school, one of the men who prayed in the prayer room saw in a vision above the building "a vast lake of fresh water about to overflow, containing enough to satisfy every thirsty soul." Those who had come to the school took it to be the token of something very special that God was about to do.

The prayer room became a vital link in the enterprise. Volunteers among students took their turn of three hours' watch, so day and night prayer ascended unto God. Sometimes a student would volunteer to stay all night in prayer.

Altogether there were about forty persons gathered in the school. The method of study was to take a subject, learn the references on that subject, and present to the class in recitation what had been learned. Mr. Parham taught during the sessions, and each day the presence of the Spirit was increasingly felt.

In December of 1900, the students had an examination upon the subject of repentance, conversion, consecration, sanctification, healing, and the soon coming of the Lord. Now they had reached a problem in their studies. What about the second chapter of Acts? Mr. Parham had an appointment to hold some services in Kansas City during the Christmas holidays. Before leaving he addressed the group as follows:

"Students, as I have studied the teachings in the various Bible schools and Full Gospel movements, conviction, conversion, healing, and sanctification are taught virtually the same, but on the baptism there is a difference among them. Some accept Stephen Merrit's teaching of baptism at sanctification, while others say this is only the anointing, and there is a baptism received through 'the laying on of hands,' or the gift of the Holy Ghost. Yet they agree on no definite evidence. Some claim this fulfillment of promise 'by faith' without special witness, while others have wonderful blessings or demonstrations such as shouting or jumping. Though I honor the Holy Ghost in anointing power both in conversion and sanctification, yet I believe there is a greater revelation of His power. The gifts are in the Holy Spirit and with the baptism of the Holy Spirit the gifts, as well as the graces should be manifested. Now students while I am gone, see if there is not some evidence given of the baptism so there may be no doubt on the subject.

"We see the signs already being fulfilled that mark the soon coming of the Lord, and I believe with John Wesley that at Christ's second coming the church will be found with the same power that the apostles and the early church possessed."

Charles Parham went to Kansas City and returned to the school on the morning preceding watch night services in the year 1900. At about ten in the morning he rang the bell, calling all the students into the chapel to get their report on the matter at hand. To his astonishment they all had the same story: that while different things occurred when the Pentecostal blessing fell, the indisputable proof on each occasion was that they spoke with other tongues.

Evening came, and the watch night service began. As the midnight hour drew near and the twentieth century was about to begin, a Miss Agnes Ozman asked that hands be laid upon her that she might receive the Holy Ghost, since she hoped to go to foreign fields. Rev. Parham relates what followed:

"At first I refused, not having the experience myself. Then being further pressed to do it humbly in the name of Jesus, I laid my hand upon her head and prayed. I had scarcely repeated three dozen sentences when a glory fell upon her, a halo seemed to surround her head and face, and she began speaking in the Chinese language, and was unable to speak English for three days. When she tried to write in English to tell of her experience, she wrote in Chinese, copies of which we still have in newspapers printed at that time.

"Seeing this marvelous manifestation of the restoration of Pentecostal power, we removed the beds from a dormitory on the upper floor, and there for two nights and three days we continued as a school to wait upon God. We felt that God was no respecter of persons, and what He had so graciously poured out upon one, He would upon all."

Two days later Charles Parham preached at the First Methodist church in the city. He related what had happened and told them that upon returning he expected the entire school to be baptized in the Holy Spirit. On returning that night, he ascended to the second floor, and passing down the corridor he heard something wonderful. He pushed open the door to the upper room which was lit with coal oil lamps. But lo, "the room was filled with a sheen of white light above the brightness of the lamps."

Twelve ministers, who were in the school from different de-nominations were filled with the Holy Ghost and spoke in other tongues. Rev. Parham gives this report of what followed:

"When I beheld the evidence of the restoration of Pentecostal power, my heart was melted in gratitude to God for what my eyes had seen. For years I had suffered terrible persecution for preaching holiness and healing and the soon coming of the Lord. I fell on my knees behind a table unnoticed by those upon whom the power of Pentecost had fallen, to pour out my heart to God in thanksgiving. All at once they began to sing, 'Jesus Lover of My Soul' in at least six different languages, carrying the different parts, but with more angelic voice than I ever listened to in all my life.

"After praising God for some time, I asked Him for the same blessing. He distinctly made it clear to me that He raised me up and trained me to declare this mighty truth to the world, and if I was willing to stand for it, with all the persecutions, hardships, trials, slander, scandal that it would entail, He would give me the blessing. And I said, 'Lord I will, if you will just give me this blessing.' Right then, there came a slight twist in my throat, a glory fell over me, and I began to worship God in the Swedish tongue, which later changed to other languages and continued so until the morning."

The news of this miraculous restoration of Pentecostal power was quickly noised about. Reporters from various newspapers besieged the place. Professors of languages, government interpreters gave the work a crucial test. One interpreter claimed to have heard twenty Chinese dialects spoken in one night. There was a general agreement that the students were speaking in the languages of the world with the proper accent and intonation.

On January 2, Rev. Parham and a number of the students went to Kansas City. The newspapers heralded their coming with large headlines on the front page. It was reported that newsboys not knowing a Pentecost from a holocaust ran wildly up and down the street crying with their papers: "Pentecost, Pentecost, Pentecost— Read all about Pentecost."

At the conclusion of the Kansas City meetings, the workers returned to Topeka. But shortly after this, the building was sold by its owner to be used as a sort of roadhouse. The place that had heard the voice of worship and praise to God, where Pentecost in the last days fell was to be desecrated by worldly revelry and debauchery. The workers were shocked and had a feeling that such actions would not go unpunished. Rev. Parham warned the purchaser that they could expect disaster. Shortly after, a mysterious fire broke out and consumed the building.

CHAPTER II, The Revival Spreads

The Lord showed Charles Parham that the message of the baptism of the Spirit would go through a period of testing for about three years before the outpouring of the Spirit would be manifested in full measure.

In the fall of 1903, Brother Parham. considered the leader of the new movement, went to Galena, Kansas, and began holding meetings in the Arthur home. The place soon proved too small to accommodate the crowds who came to hear the message. A large tent was secured and pitched in a vacant lot nearby. Miracles began to take place as the blind, deaf, and lame and all manner of diseases were healed. When cold weather set in, a large storeroom was secured and furnished where the meeting could be continued. The people came from surrounding towns, and the crowds overflowed into the street. God stretched forth His hand to heal and to save by the hundreds.

Mrs. Charles Parham describes the character of the meeting:

"There was deep conviction, heart-searching, great humiliation and wrongs were righted as believers sought the baptism of the Spirit. Some would receive the Holy Spirit while Mr. Parham was preaching, and others in their homes while at work. No sacrifice was considered too great when souls became hungry for God. The Lord had done exceeding abundantly above all that we asked and thought. We stood amazed in His presence as we witnessed the mighty miracles of God and another wonderful outpouring of the Holy Spirit."

Some understanding of the move in Galena can be had from an article carried in newspapers at the time. The following article appeared in the Cincinnati Enquirer, January 27, 1904. Of course it mistakenly termed Mr. Parham a "divine healer":

"It is doubtful whether in recent years anything has occurred that has awakened the interest, excited the comment or mystified the people of this region as have the religious meetings being held here by Rev. C. F. Parham. familiarly termed, 'The Divine Healer.' "Over three months have elapsed since this man came to Galena and during the time he has healed over a thousand people and converted over 800. When Rev. Parham first began to attract attention he was holding services in a large tent and soon the streets in that vicinity were crowded nightly with people who were anxious to see and hear the wonderful man who was healing the sick, the maimed and the blind, without money and without price. When it was found that the tent was utterly inadequate to accommodate the crowd which assembled, a large double storeroom that would shelter 2,000 people was procured, a platform was built at one end. stoves were set up, rough pine boards were installed to be used as seats. Here the past six weeks Parham has preached to a crowded house and the interest shows no sign of abatement. In this rude temple, cures that are looked upon almost in the light of miracles have been performed. During the services there have been as many as 50 people at the altar at one time seeking to be restored in soul and body. Here people who have not walked for years without the aid of crutches have risen from the altar with their limbs so straightened that they were enabled to lay aside their crutches, to the astonishment of the audience.

CURED BY FAITH

"These cures, they claim, are affected solely through prayer and faith. Nothing else is done, though Rev. Parham often lays his hands upon the afflicted one while the devotions are going on, with the result that some say it is due to his own magnetism that so much is accomplished.

"Parham and his followers do not advocate Christian Science or Spiritualism, but their belief condensed is that God is able to overcome all. cure diseases of both body and soul, and will do so if they live a consecrated Christian life and depend on Him for all.

" 'The Healer' makes no charges and takes no credit upon himself, saying that he is only teaching the people the 'true way.' He takes no collections during the meetings, but, notwithstanding, has had the needs of himself and family well provided for by donations from a grateful public.

"Mr. Parham is a slight, spare man extremely delicate looking, and. in fact, he has said that he was an invalid and badly crippled until he was healed through prayer. His face is pale and earnest looking, while masses of brown hair cover his remarkably shaped head. Mr. Parham is the possessor of such a wonderful personality that some have accused him of hypnotizing his followers.

"Others go as far as to term him a fanatic, but one and all regardless of sect or prejudices, agree that he has brought about conditions that were never before witnessed in this section. Evening after evening the large room is packed with people, many of whom 'have gone to scoff but remained to pray.'

"Here the man of prominence and position clasps hands with the uneducated son of toil or oft times of those who have had a prison record back of them. Here women who have formerly lived for society and gaiety, kneel beside some fallen sister and endeavor to point her heavenward. Here the 'followers' receive what they term 'the Pentecost' and are enabled to speak in foreign tongues, languages which they are, when free from this power, utterly un-familiar with.

"One evening recently (watch night meeting) over 400 remained at the meeting the entire night singing, praying and speaking in different languages. Not until daylight did they disperse and a strange sight they presented, wending their way homeward in the gray light of the morning.

"On another occasion hundreds congregated on the banks of Spring River during one of the coldest days in winter and witnessed Mr. Parham immerse almost one hundred converts in its icy waters, not one of whom, however, contracted even a cold.

"But of all the wonderful things which have transpired in connection with these meetings nothing has attracted the attention of the public as has the 'healings' which have not been confined to an ignorant, uneducated class of people. On the contrary, some of the most conservative, intelligent persons, not only here, but within a radius of over a hundred miles, have visited 'the healer' with wonderful results.

"The list of those who have been benefited by Rev. Parham's visit to this section is indeed a large one and has done much to regard the man with almost superstitious awe, but when one meets him in his everyday life he is so quiet, so unostentatious, so sym-pathetic, that he invariably wins confidence. His wife, Mrs. Par-ham, is in every sense of the word a home woman and heartily in sympathy with her husband's work, although on account of the three little ones is necessarily not able to take a very active part in it. However, her sister, Miss Thistlethwaite, is a close attendant at the meetings and an earnest worker. The Parham home, or 'stopping place,' as they call it, is always full of visitors, some of whom have come many miles to consult 'the healer,' others are objects of charity, whom the people are befriending. In the last two weeks branches of the Parham meetings have sprung up in almost a dozen of the different mining camps of this district all of which are attracting large crowds and it is difficult to enter a company where the wonderful results of these meetings are not the chief topic of conversation."

One of those young men who attended the meeting was Howard Goss. He was a natural athlete and was captain of a professional football team. To keep in training he would run twelve miles every morning.

Young Howard was far from being a Christian. Neither he nor his brothers attended Sunday school or church or read the Bible. His brother John was an infidel and he passed around such authors as Paine, Voltaire, Ingersoll, and others. Howard was strongly affected by these atheistic teachings.

This was the state of things with Howard Goss when Charles Parham came to town with his revolutionary teachings. The stir that followed naturally attracted his attention. Happenings in the revival were being reported day by day by students who were attending the same school. Curious over these events. Howard himself went to the meetings. As he saw the miracles taking place, he became convinced that there was indeed a God. But it was the speaking in other tongues that finally persuaded him that the work was of God. "Tongues are a sign to unbelievers." After personal witnessing by Mrs. Arthur's sister, he went forward to the altar. He sought God for two weeks without seemingly getting through to God. But eventually peace came to his soul and he knew that his sins were forgiven. In the middle of winter Brother Parham baptized 100 converts in Spring River. Howard Goss says, "None of the converts who were baptized developed a cold as the result of the experience. I was one of that hundred."

Brother Goss described Charles Parham's ministry in the following words:

"I remember well Brother Parham's preaching. Himself a personable, gifted, accomplished, original and forceful thinker and a vivid, magnetic personality with superb, versatile platform ability, he always held his audience in the curve of his hand.

"People sat spellbound, one moment weeping, the next rocking with laughter, as the words flowed from his lips like water gushing from a fountain. But through it all he was sending home with clean, incisive, powerful strokes, the unadulterated Word of God.

"His humility, his meekness, and consecration impressed everyone most favorably, and he became a father to us all. He took the Word of God literally and practiced it as such, teaching us that each command Jesus ever gave should be literally obeyed at any cost. Prevailing prayer solved every problem, and it was the foundation of all his work.

"A former Methodist minister, he had become a licensed exhorter with that group at seventeen years of age. But shortly before I met him, he had declared himself undenominational. As I remember it, the change had come about in this way.

"Investigating the different new religious movements which were flourishing just before the turn of the 20th Century, he had come to see more light in the Word of God than ever before.

"Dr. Dowie and Dr. Sanford preached Divine Healing, but preached sanctification as being also the Baptism of the Holy Ghost. Some of their teaching he believed and saw clearly, but to some he had no witness in his heart. Everyone seemed especially confused on the evidence of the Holy Ghost Baptism."

During these meetings God had been talking to Howard Goss to go into the ministry, but he hesitated. Then one Sunday morning he had a serious accident. A horse kicked him in the face, injuring his eye and tearing his jaw open. As he lost consciousness he heard a voice saying, "This is your last chance." He answered, "Yes. Lord, I'll go." The church prayed for him and God marvelously healed him. In the years to come Rev. Goss became a leader of a large Full Gospel denomination.

In the summer of 1905, Reverend Parham took a band of 24 workers to Houston, Texas, to open a work. By fall young Goss was ready to go. They had what was called a convocation in Houston. After this they put the workers in companies of five to eight each and sent them out to carry the message. Many young people who later became outstanding figures in the movement were saved and received the baptism.

The events at this time remind us of the days of the persecution when the disciples, following the stoning of Stephen, were scattered abroad and went everywhere preaching the Word. At that time the workers had an inflexible rule that no public offerings of any kind were to be taken. Often they were without money or food, so they spent their time in fasting and prayer. Although this was not the Scriptural method of financing a functioning church, it did, nevertheless, teach the workers to put their trust wholly in God.

Houston was the center of operations, and during a period in which a special school session was held, a colored woman by the name of Farrow was engaged as a cook at the school. After receiving the baptism of the Spirit she felt the call of God to go to Los Angeles. Brother Parham provided money for her fare. In Los Angeles she started a prayer meeting. She wrote back to Houston that someone be sent to assist her. A colored Baptist preacher by the name of Seymour who had attended morning sessions at the school was sent. When he arrived he found God working there mightily. He became a prominent leader for the Azusa Street work.

CHAPTER III, The Great Welsh Revival

(While the Pentecostal outpouring was gathering momentum in America, attention was temporarily diverted to Wales. There God singularly used a young man by the name of Evan Roberts in a revival that shook the nation. Percy Brewster, who visited Christ For The Nations recently, was a friend of Evan Roberts. He told us something of this great visitation. The editorial staff gathered further information about this historic revival from other sources. During the period of 1904-05 the entire country of Wales was moved Godward. The redeemed children of God were taking captivity captive and pulling down Satan's strongholds. The bars were closed; the movie houses were closed; and evil curses on the lips of the miners were changed to praises of God. During the lunch hour, the ministers held prayer meetings; and sacred hymns echoed out of the dark pits of the coal mines. With the revival only a few months old, the converts had already numbered a hundred thousand. The devil was being overthrown as he lost stronghold after stronghold. Hate no longer reigned and division no longer crippled—the love of Calvary prevailed.

At the forefront of this unprecedented move of God walked Evan Roberts. He was a coal miner whom God had called to the ministry. He was characterized by his obedience and sensitivity to the Holy Spirit; and when he preached, it was a message direct from the throne room of God. Newspapermen from around the globe flocked to Wales, and the world read in wonder and awe at this "moral revolution" in Wales.)

Mrs. Jessie Penn-Lewis, an esteemed Christian journalist and eye-witness of the Welsh Revival wrote, "The Pentecostal character of the awakening in Wales is unmistakably clear. Undoubtedly with this revival, we entered upon a new era of the world's history with supernatural workings of God such as have not been known since the days of the Early Church ..." Dr. Cynddylan Jones pointed out that the question. " 'Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed?' was brought to the forefront through the Awakening. It is a question still loudly ringing out to the Church with tremendous consequences to a world dependent upon its being faced in truth by the people of God." He continues with, "It is the call to the Church at the close of the dispensation to arise and receive the Pentecostal clothing of the Spirit which is her birthright and her need for an effectual witness of Christ in the world. What God did in Wales is an object lesson of what He is prepared to do for His people in every land, if they will seek His face and obey the conditions for His workings. If true members of Christ in every nation—be they few or many—were to each receive what God means by a Baptism in the Holy Ghost and fire, signs and wonders would follow. It has been truly said that the world cannot be 'revived,' for it is dead! A world-wide revival, therefore, means the quickening of the people of God—a bending of the Christian."

And it did happen; it was indeed in the hands of the body of believers in Wales. It was a reality, and yet when reading of it today, it develops a dream-like quality and seems distant and far away. It is as if a veil enveloped the whole event. The main books on the subject are now out-of-print. There is a very real aura of mystery shrouding this mighty work of God. Sherwood Wirt, editor of Billy Graham's Decision magazine, says, "The story of the Welsh revival has never been thoroughly reported, and it should be given close scrutiny by Christian scholarship."

A YOUNG COAL MINER WITH A "SCORCHED BIBLE"

However, there are some aspects of the revival which are only partially hidden and one is the ministry of a young man of 26 named Evan Roberts. There is unanimous agreement that God used Evan Roberts, who had worked in the Welsh coal mines, to spearhead the revival. His life reflects unique lessons of profound depth for the Christian. Evan Roberts was born in the town of Loughor. Wales, on June 8. 1878. His father was an ordinary working man. Evan was one of 14 children, and he left school at the age of eleven to become a door boy in the pit of the coal mine. Later he began cutting coal. He always took his Bible with him into the pit; and during his ministry to follow, he used this same Bible to preach from. The pages of the Bible had been scorched in a mine explosion in which his brother. Dan, was injured; and it became famous as his "Scorched Bible." At the age of 24, he left the coal mines to answer a call to the ministry. In 1904, he began making plans to enter a Methodist Preparatory School for study.

During this time, the saints were praying for revival. And it seems that "all things were working together" to bring about the will of God that men's souls be rescued from the hand of Satan. So young Evan took his "Scorched Bible" and marched off to study for the ministry. And no doubt at that time little did it occur to him what God was going to do through him. But it is significant that he had prayed for thirteen years for what he called, "a visitation from God." Perhaps it was this life of faithful, fervent prayer that enabled God to enter him into a ministry that was to shake the world. It should be noted that scholars wrote that "A solid foundation of prayer was evident throughout the ministry of Evan Roberts; he evoked prayer wherever he went."

THE BAPTISM IN THE HOLY GHOST AND A REVELATION OF CALVARY

He had his "day of visitation." And the first manifestation came in the privacy of his own room in Loughor, Wales. He says, "The Holy Spirit manifested Himself in an overwhelming manner which filled my soul with divine awe." This experience occurred in the spring of 1904, right before he left for school. In a rare personal interview with Evan Roberts a year before he died, Rev. P. S. Brewster of Wales said that Evan told him of this experience with the Holy Spirit. He said, "I was lying in bed one day and felt vibrations; my body began to tremble. I got out of the bed, and as I was kneeling down by the bedside, I was lifted up and my lips began to move in utterances which cannot be described. There was a tremendous surging of joy that came over me."

Then in September of that year, he and nineteen other young people went to Blaenanerch, Wales, to attend a religious meeting there. Evan was deeply moved by the service and broke down completely when at the close of the meeting, the evangelist said, "BEND US, OH LORD!" At those words. Evan relates, "I fell on my knees with my arms over the seat in front of me, and the tears flowed freely. I cried, 'Bend me. bend me, bend US!' " The Holy Spirit came and melted his whole being by the revelation to his heart of the "love of Calvary." And "Calvary's Love" was to become the theme of the revival which was to merge before young Evan. The Love of Calvary in that "God commended His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8).

Evan went on to say, "Tears streamed down my face. And a great burden came upon me for the salvation of lost souls." This great meeting in Blaenanerch was a turning point in his life. Shortly thereafter, he received a vision from God. He told his close friend, Sidney Evans, "I had a vision of all Wales being lifted up to heaven. We are going to see the mightiest revival that Wales has ever known. The Holy Spirit is moving just now. We must have a little group and go all over the country preaching."

THE HUMBLE BEGINNING THAT SHOOK THE WORLD

The Holy Spirit bade him go to minister to the folk in his home town of Loughor, Wales. It bore upon his heart. He was extremely sensitive to the leadings of the Spirit and this sensitivity was to be a characteristic of his entire ministry; a London newspaper later reported, "He seems more sensitive to the influence of the Holy Spirit within him than almost any Christian in our time." Another said, "Evan Roberts carried a sense of God's presence with him. It was not personality; it was not an academic background. He was guided and yielded to God—completely yielded. He was only moved as God moved him." So Evan returned to his home in Loughor as the Lord had commanded. Upon arrival, he greeted his younger brother Dan with the words, "A mighty revival is coming to Wales!" But it was impossible for him at that time to know the part that he was going to play in this merciful move of God. But being willing to play even the smallest part in whatever God wanted to do, he requested permission from the local pastor to hold a prayer meeting after the regular service. Although only sixteen adults and one little girl showed up, he continued on with complete assurance, faith and belief that Wales was going to have the greatest revival it had ever known. This turned out to be his first "revival service," and this small, humble beginning was to launch the most memorable and powerful meetings ever held in Wales.

While these meetings began quietly enough (they lasted from October 13 through November 12, 1904), it was not long before an astounding work of the Holy Spirit became evident in their midst. By the evening of November 6, some sixty young people came to receive Christ as their Saviour. The salvation of sixty of its young people aroused quite a bit of interest in the somewhat small town of Loughor, and consequently the townspeople began to pour into the services until the building was packed each night with prayer going on until 3 a.m. Before long, almost the entire population of the town was being transformed into a praying multitude. It is remarkable to realize that this move of God had been pivoted on the obedience and faith of one young man—Evan Roberts. He obeyed the call of God to Loughor, and there before his very eyes, the Lord fulfilled His Word. The meetings were so unusual that a newspaper in Cardiff, Wales, The Western Mail, was the first to cover the revival. The following is an excerpt from the article printed in 1904: "A remarkable religious revival is now taking place at Loughor. For some days a young man named Evan Roberts, a native of Loughor, has been causing great surprise at Moriah Chapel. The place has been besieged by dense crowds of people unable to obtain admission. Such excitement has prevailed that the road on which the chapel is situated has been lined with people from end to end. Evan Roberts, who speaks in Welsh, opens his discourse to say that he is in communion with the Spirit of God. The preacher soon after launches out into a fervent, and at times, impassioned oration. His statements have had most stirring effects upon his listeners. Many who have disbelieved Christianity for years are again returning to the fold of their younger days. One night, so great was the enthusiasm invoked by the young revivalist that, after his sermon, which lasted two hours, the vast congregation remained praying and singing until two-thirty in the morning! Shopkeepers are closing early in order to get a place in the chapel, and tin and steel workers throng the place in their working clothes."

NO FLESHLY EXALTATION OR PROMOTION

It should be realized that when the secular press reports in the above manner, the revival must have been truly unlike anything they had previously encountered. The Wales Revival was different from anything we have known in this century. In our interview with Rev. P. S. Brewster of Wales, we asked him whether any of the revivals in our day were actually comparable to the Welsh Revival; he answered, "/ don't think so. I think too much of what we have had was organized religion. Yet out of the midst of an organized evangelistic effort, it is possible for revival to spring out. We must discern what is organized, what is sponsored, and what is God-breathed. How far the human can project his personality without interfering with the work of the Lord is something that must be considered."

It is pertinent to note here that in today's evangelistic efforts, massive publicity and promotional campaigns are utilized to bring the ministry of an individual before the public eye. In extreme contrast with this was the ministry of Evan Roberts, who, though he became by far the most publicized preacher in the world at that time, he repeatedly refused interviews with newspaper men who came from every part of the globe. He had no desire for publicity and adulation. He was acutely conscious that his ministry was of God and not of himself, and he walked cautiously in prayer before the Lord with great concern, lest the Holy Spirit be grieved and withdraw from his midst. He knew that without the presence and power of the Holy Spirit, nothing of lasting value could be accomplished. There was no promotion of the personality of Evan Roberts; in all things Jesus Christ and the blood of Calvary were lifted up, thereby drawing dying mankind to salvation.

IT WAS THE BURDEN FOR THE CHURCH

But from the beginning Evan's strongest burden was always the "Church." "Bend the Church, and save the world" was the cry of the revivalist. "Bend," meaning to remove the human resistance to God's will and obey Him in love and liberty. It was an appeal to "get the Christians right with God so that the Holy Spirit might break out in converting power upon the unsaved."

THE HOLY GHOST IN PENTECOSTAL POWER BORE WITNESS TO THE CROSS

The preaching was a return to "the blood that stained the old rugged cross." The Cross was unveiled in fresh and vivid power, while thousands looked; men and women were smitten with grief and triumph of Calvary, and the Holy Ghost in Pentecostal power bore witness to the Cross. And the once dismembered body of the Church, that had been torn asunder by petty grievances and the hair-splitting of doctrine, found itself rallied, as by a voice from heaven, to the banner of the Cross. Man-made denominational barriers completely collapsed as believers and pastors of all denominations together worshipped their majestic Lord.

The presence of the Lord God moved among the people. As one written account of the revival stated, "The glorious fact and outstanding feature of the mighty awakening in Wales was that the sense of the Lord's presence was everywhere throughout the

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entire nation. It bore the witness of thousands of young converts rejoicing in the thrill of their new-found Redeemer. These were drunk with the new wine of the Spirit, and like the young converts in the Book of Acts, they went everywhere preaching the Word, without the authority of man—having the ordination of the Holy Spirit."

And what effect did it have on the nation as a whole? The newspapers of that day reveal the profound, practical influence of the Wales Revival on the masses. The Bible Society's records show that over three times the number of Bibles was sold than before the revival broke out. The reading of light literature was exchanged for Bible reading, and shops were cleared of their stocks of Bibles and Testaments. Prayer meetings were held in coal mines underground, in trains, and in all kinds of unexpected places. It changed the order of men's minds—they went singing to work and came home singing. The cinemas closed, the public houses (bars) closed; and people paid their debts of long standing. A restitution—a "making things right" was the order of the day. Families were reunited, long severed friends reconciled. Hearts flowed together in true fellowship of the Lord. Along with the spirit of unity and love came the spirit of sacrifice and the wondrous spirit of liberty, which strikingly bears the marks of Pentecost. It was not an unusual thing to see a young girl of eighteen speak under the evident control of the Holy Ghost. The servants and handmaidens were prophesying as foretold by Joel.

In the book published in 1905 entitled The Awakening In Wales and Some of the Hidden Springs, Mrs. Jessie Penn-Lewis writes, "The Spirit of God worked in mighty power in 'signs and wonders' being wrought among the people. 'Signs and wonders' in miracles of physical deliverance for souls. One convert who had been a gambler and a drunkard, with his bodily frame shattered by his life, gave testimony that since the day of his conversion, he had been perfectly restored to normal health.

"Others, too, told of the healing power of God. A minister tells how he was taken ill in the midst of his work, but he appealed to the Lord and found himself instantly healed." As has been said, the Awakening in Wales was indeed "the Acts of the Apostles up-to-date." People fell to the ground under the conviction of the Holy Spirit. There were many manifestations of the Holy Spirit. There was tremendous singing, tremendous prayer—there was confession of sin and true repentance, and a complete coming out from the things of this world.

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PREACHING FROM DIVINE INSPIRATION

Evan Roberts spoke from divine inspiration. That is, he did not prepare a sermon in the usual manner of finding a Scripture passage, making notes, etc. ... He spoke from direct inspiration of God. The Spirit would descend upon him; he would rise to his feet and give forth a message from the throne room of God. It was spontaneous and inspired; lips of clay became lips of fire. And although the message was not new—it was the Cross of Calvary with a call to repentance, confession, and receiving of the gift of eternal life—it was an amazing rediscovery of an old truth told in a new way for that generation—it was the truth manifested in the power of the Holy Ghost, and men's hearts melted. And, in the event that Evan felt he did not have the divine inspiration from God to preach, he would simply not preach! He therefore became known as the "silent preacher."

One aspect of the services which must not be overlooked was the singing—"Oh, the Singing!" It was a revival of singing. One newspaper wrote, "The fact is, unless heard, it is unimaginable and when heard, it is indescribable." No hymn books were used. Once a song was started, it seemed to be motivated by a simultaneous unity; the melody and song were caught up by the whole congregation, merging into a myriad-headed personality of song in a perfect blending of mood, purpose, and unity, which is only possible through the Spirit of God. Three-fourths of the meeting consisted of this "singing in the Spirit." "It was a mighty chorus rising like the thunder of the surge on a rock bound shore."

THE WORLD WATCHED IN WONDER

And all the while, the rest of the world watched; some recall that the news of the Welsh Revival "pushed the war off the front pages" with reports such as: "Wales is in the throes of ecstasies of the most remarkable religious revival it has ever known. It is nothing less than a moral revolution." All the world bore testimony to these practical and factual evidences to the power of God —"seeing the man which was healed standing before them, they could say nothing against it." A notable miracle had been wrought and could not be denied. The chapels and churches in Wales were filled, and the services took their own course under the guidance of the Holy Ghost.

The message of the Welsh Revival emphasized the "distinction between the Holy Spirit's work in conversion, and in baptizing the believer with the Holy Spirit. A publication called the Methodist Recorder reported that "the churches themselves have experienced a great quickening, and many, both ministers and people, have testified to a new joy and power, and to receiving a Baptism in the Holy Spirit."

As we get "caught-up" in the recalling of what some consider "The greatest spiritual revival of our century." (—quoted from Billy Graham's Decision magazine) we can't help but wonder "What was the secret?" Evan Roberts answered this question himself: "We have seen the miracles of God's love tonight—and what is the secret? The secret is that we have worked and obeyed." But he also said, "But let no one pray for a mighty baptism of power who is not prepared for deep heart searchings and confession of sin . . ." He spoke on the "uselessness of praying for the fire of heaven to descend when the altar was unbuilt and the sacrifice unprepared .. ." And one point that should be taken to heart by the world is that Evan felt all during the movement in Wales that they were on the eve of a revival that would go over the entire world.

And now comes a peculiar sequel to the ministry of Evan Roberts which indicates how the powers of darkness assault those who are greatly used of God. After going day and night for many months without rest, Evan Roberts suddenly announced he was retiring to a week of solitude. Apparently he was in an intense battle with the powers of darkness. He returned to the pulpit and continued preaching for a season, but one year later almost to the day, Evan Roberts preached his last sermon. He then retired to "seclusion in prayer." And he spent the remainder of his lifetime, until he died in 1951, in intercessory prayer.

The people of Wales were left confused and bewildered after Reverend Roberts' public ministry ceased. No one could give a satisfactory explanation as to what happened. At any rate Evan removed himself from the forefront of the revival.

Nevertheless, in the providence of God, the divine plan was now about to be fully unfolded. The world-wide outpouring of the Spirit could never be identified with the ministry of one individual. The Pentecostal revival in Early Church power was about to begin, and it would move not through one individual, but through the whole body of Christ. The place where the Spirit was next to fall in profusion was in a humble building on Azusa Street in Los Angeles. The workers and missionaries who received mighty baptisms of the Spirit there would fan out through the whole world carrying the message of Pentecost everywhere.

CHAPTER IV, The Historic Azusa Revival

(Strangely enough there is very little literature extant regarding events of the Azusa revival. In this respect it bears a similarity to the divine visitation in the days of Christ. There were many volumes written about the wars of Caesar and other events of the century before Christ, but almost nothing during His lifetime. The truth is that the world largely ignored what was taking place in the land of Israel during those years. The great and the mighty of those days were totally ignorant that events occurring there were to shape the world as nothing ever had before. Likewise in 1906 the ecclesiastical world passed by the little building on Azusa Street giving it scarcely a second glance. It little realized that the fire that was burning there was soon to spread into all the world.

The writer saw this little building early in his ministry. Soon afterwards it was torn down to make way for a modern structure. The workman who dismantled it no doubt little realized that an important chapter in history had been written within its humble walls.

As we have said, there is little literature available on the events that took place at Azusa. One of the most sensitive accounts we do have was written by Frank Bartleman. We have taken excerpts from the Bartleman diary for this chapter. He attended those meetings in his youth.)

The real thing is appearing among us. The Almighty will again measure swords with Pharaoh's magicians. But many will fail to recognize Him even among professed followers. We have been praying and believing for a Pentecost. Will we receive it when it comes?

The present Pentecostal manifestation did not break out in a moment like a huge prairie fire and engulf the world. In fact no work of God appears that way. There is a necessary time for preparation. Men may wonder where it came from and not be conscious of the preparation; but there is always that foundation. Every movement of the Spirit of God must run the gauntlet of the devil's forces. The Dragon stands before the bearing mother, ready to swallow up her child (Rev. 12:4). The enemy did much counterfeiting. But God kept the child well hidden from the Herods until he could gain strength and discernment to resist him. The flame was guarded jealously by the hand of the Lord from the winds of envy, criticism, and unbelief. It went through the same experiences that all revivals have. Its foes were both inside and out, but God's perfect work is wrought in human imperfection.

I went to Burbank Hall, Sunday morning, April 15, 1906. A colored sister was there and spoke in tongues. This created quite a stir. The people gathered in little companies on the sidewalk after the service, inquiring what this might mean. We learned that the Holy Spirit had fallen a few nights before on April 9 at a little cottage on Bonnie Brae street. They had been tarrying very earnestly for some time for an outpouring of the Holy Ghost.

For some reason I was not privileged to be present in that particular meeting. I went to the Bonnie Brae meeting in the afternoon and found God working mightily. We had been praying for many months for victory; the pioneers had broken through and the multitudes were to follow.

There was a general spirit of humility manifested in the meeting. They were taken up with God. Evidently the Lord had found the little company at last through whom He could have right of way. Others were in the hands of men. and the Holy Spirit could not work. Others far more pretentious had failed. That which man esteems had been passed by once more, the Holy Spirit choosing a humble "stable" outside ecclesiastical establishments.

AZUSA ST. MISSION—HUMBLE BEGINNING

The meeting was moved to 312 Azusa Street. They had cleared enough space to lay some planks on top of empty nail kegs, with seats enough for possibly 30 people. These were arranged in a square, facing one another. On my first visit to Azusa, I found about a dozen saints there. Brother Seymour was in charge. The "ark of God" moved off slowly but surely. It was carried on "the shoulders" of His own appointed priests at the beginning. The "priests" were alive unto God through much preparation and prayer. Discernment was not perfect, and the enemy had an advantage, but the saints soon learned "to take the precious from the vile." The combined forces of hell were determinedly set against us in the beginning. It was not all blessing. In fact the fight was terrific. But the fire could not be smothered. Strong saints gathered together by the help of the Lord. Gradually the tide rose in victory. But from a small beginning, a very small flame.

THE INEVITABLE PERSECUTION BEGINS

I gave a message at my first meeting at Azusa. Two of the saints spoke in tongues. It was soon noised abroad that God was working at Azusa. All classes began to flock to the meetings. Many were curious and unbelieving, but others were hungry for God. The newspapers began to ridicule and abuse the meetings, thus giving us much free advertising, and bringing crowds. The devil overdid himself. Outside persecution never hurt the work; we had the most to fear from the working of evil spirits within. Even spiritualists and hypnotists came to investigate and to try their influence. Religious crooks and cranks came seeking a place in the work. This is always a danger to every new work. This condition threw a fear over many that was hard to overcome.

We found early in the Azusa work that when we attempted to steady the ark, the Lord stopped working. We dared not call attention of the people too much to the working of the devil. Fear would follow, but God gave the victory. Through prayer, the presence of the Lord was with us. The leaders had limited experience, and the wonder is that work survived at all against its powerful adversaries. But it was of God; that was the secret.

The San Francisco earthquake was surely the voice of God to the people of the Pacific Coast. It was used mightily in conviction for the gracious after-revival. In the early Azusa days both heaven and hell seemed to have come down. Men were at the breaking-point. Conviction was mightily upon the people. When men came within two or three blocks of the place, they were seized with conviction.

The work was getting clearer and stronger at Azusa. God was working mightily. It seemed that everyone had to go there. Missionaries were gathered there from Africa. India, and the islands of the sea. Preachers and workers crossed the continent and came from distant islands with an irresistible drawing to Los Angeles. It was God's call. Holiness meetings, tents, and missions began to close up for lack of attendance. Their people were at Azusa.

There was much persecution especially from the press. They wrote us up shamefully, but this only drew the crowds. Some gave the work six months to live. Soon the meetings were running day and night. The place was packed out nightly. The whole building upstairs and down had now been cleared and put to use. Great emphasis was placed on the blood for cleansing. A high standard was held up for a clean life. "When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him" (Isa. 59:19).

A RETURN TO THE FIRST LOVE

Divine love was wonderfully manifest in the meetings. They would not even allow an unkind word said against their opposers in the churches. The message was the love of God. It was a return to the "first love" of the early church. The Holy Spirit baptism as we received it in the beginning did not allow us to think, speak, or hear evil of any man. The Spirit was very sensitive, tender as a dove. The Holy Spirit is symbolized as a dove, and we knew the moment we had grieved the Holy Spirit by an unkind thought or deed. We seemed to live in a sea of pure divine love. The Lord fought our battles for us in those days. We committed ourselves to His judgments fully in all matters, never seeking to defend the work or ourselves. We lived in His wonderful immediate presence. And nothing contrary to His pure Spirit was allowed there.

The false was sifted out from the real by the Spirit of God. The Word of God itself decided absolutely all issues.

PRIDE WAS CAST DOWN

We had no pope or hierarchy. We were brethren. We had no human program. The Lord Himself was leading. We did not even have a platform or pulpit in the beginning. All were on a level. The ministers were servants according to the true meaning of the Word. We did not honor men from their advantage in means or education but rather for their God-given gifts. He set the members in one body.

God broke strong men and women to pieces and put them together again for His glory. It was a tremendous overhauling process. Pride, self-assertion, self-importance, and self-esteem could not survive there.

No subjects or sermons were announced ahead of time, and there were no special speakers for such an hour. No one knew what might be coming or what God would do. We wanted to hear from God through whomever He might speak. The rich and the educated were the same as the poor and ignorant, but they found a much harder death to die. We only recognized God. No flesh might glory in His presence. They were Holy Ghost meetings led of the Lord. It had to start in poor surroundings to keep out the selfish human element. All came down in humility together at His feet. There was no pride there. The services ran almost continuously. Seeking souls could be found under the power almost any hour night and day. The place was never closed or empty. God was always there.

DELIVERED FROM ECCLESIASTICAL HIERARCHISM

When we first reached the meeting, we avoided as much as possible human contact and greeting. We wanted to meet God first. The meetings started themselves spontaneously in testimony and worship. We had no prearranged programs to be jammed through on time. Our time was the Lord's. We had real testimonies from fresh heart-experiences. A dozen people might be on their feet at one time trembling under the mighty power of God.

Presumptuous men would sometimes come among us. Especially preachers with their self-opinionation. But their efforts were short-lived. They generally bit the dust in humility going through the process we had all gone through. In other words, they died out, came to see themselves in all their weakness, then in childlike humility and confession were taken up of God and transformed through the mighty Baptism of the Holy Spirit. In my own case I came to abhor myself. I begged the Lord to drop a curtain so close behind me on my past that it would hit my heels. He told me to forget every good deed as though it had never occurred as soon as it was accomplished; then go forward again as though I had never accomplished anything for Him, lest my good works become a snare to me.

We saw some wonderful things in those days. Even very good men came to abhor themselves in the clearer light of God. The poor preachers died the hardest. They had so much to die to — so much reputation and good works. But when God got through with them, they gladly turned a new page and chapter. That was one reason they fought so hard. Death is not at all a pleasant experience, and strong men die hard.

AN EYEWITNESS OF THE AZUSA REVIVAL

Rev. A. G. Osterberg, long a prominent figure in the Full Gospel world on the West Coast was an eyewitness of the Azusa revival. He gives some interesting sidelights to events that occurred in this remarkable move of the Spirit. In an interview with the author he said:

I have been asked relative to the outpouring of the Spirit in the Azusa Street Mission, "What in your judgment was the outstanding spiritual phenomenon of the revival?" My reply was, "Without question in the speaker's own judgment, it can be answered in one word, namely 'tears.' "

Having been a Christian since boyhood, my observation has been that the greatest hindrance in the entire realm of revivals is the hardness of heart and spirit. Its cause is spiritual rebellion against God, exercised in an embezzled human sovereignty. Among Christians hardness of heart is probably the greatest single obstacle and hindrance to revivals. The Azusa revival began where every revival should rightly begin—in repentant tears. It began in tears, it lived in tears, and when the tears ended the Azusa revival ended.

Tears of guilt confession; tears of fault confession; tears in humble contrition; tears of self-denial and abnegation, in expression of soul humility, until high-mindedness was brought low; tears of sheer gladness and heavenly joy; Holy Ghost tears intermingling testimony and praise, often overflowing upon the congregation as a benediction from the battlements of glory. All the mechanical arrangements in the world would be unable to arrange such a program. All the great preachers of earth's dominion could not accomplish it. It was inspired and divinely procured by the Holy Ghost.

CHAPTER V What Hath God Wrought! By Eloise May Richey

(In the 1920's God raised up a number of evangelists whose ministry especially emphasized healing. These men and women drew large audiences, and many souls answered their altar calls. One of those evangelists was a young man by the name of Raymond T. Richey. In later years he was associated with our ministry and on one occasion went on an overseas tour with us. The following account, written by his wife Eloise May Richey is taken from the book WHAT HATH GOD WROUGHT])

Raymond T. Richey, sixth of a family of eight children, was born September 4, 1893, on a large farm near Atwood, Illinois. As a boy and also as a man he was always a bundle of energy.

At the age of eight, while playing with one of his cousins in a big pasture on the farm, a stick thrown in the air fell down, seriously injuring his eyes. As he grew older the result of the injury caused his eyes to weaken rapidly. This with general poor health and worry brought on a complete nervous breakdown.

Occasionally he would attend a church service somewhere. A few times he raised his hand for prayer, but there was no change in his heart. As the months passed, his eye condition worsened until he was not able to do work of any kind. A specialist who was consulted told the family the case was hopeless—within two months he would be permanently blind.

These words of the eye specialist came to the lad with a numbing shock. The whole earth was a thing of darkness, of gloom, and of despair. New Year's Eve came with its hilarity and its fun. Raymond had gone to his room and retired early. He lay there tossing from side to side until finally the bells were ringing, the whistles shrieking, and the new year was dawning. Then Raymond T. Richey did something he had not done since he was a little boy. He rolled out of bed and dropped down on his knees in prayer. He took the Bible his mother had given him in one hand and with tears streaming down his cheeks, he looked up toward heaven and cried, "Oh God, my mother's God and the God of this Bible, if you will take me to Fort Worth, where my sister is in that revival meeting she has been writing me so much about and save my soul and heal my eyes, you can have this life of mine if it can be of any service to you."

Three days later he was on the train speeding to Texas and to the revival meeting. That night when he arrived Arch P. Collins, a Baptist minister was preaching. Raymond did not answer the call that night, but the next evening before the preaching while the singing was going on, he fairly ran to the front and knelt at the altar crying to God to save his soul. And that night at the altar he found pardon and peace.

After the service had been dismissed Raymond asked Brother Collins to pray for his eyes. Next morning when he awoke, he found he could open his eyes without difficulty. Not only could he open them, but that terrible milky veil that had been between his eyes and everything he had tried to look at was gone!

When Raymond returned home he expected his friends would all think he had gone crazy. But oh, what a different story when they found out that he was not totally blind, sick, weak, a nervous wreck that they had all been expecting to see, but a young man with clear, strong eyes, who had been doing hard work on the plains of New Mexico. They were eager to hear him tell what Christ had done for him. And many, as a result of his testimony surrendered their hearts to Christ.

Upon his return to Chicago, he remembered that he had pledged to the Lord to give his whole life's service to the cause of Christ. But upon consulting ministers and older Christian workers, what was his surprise and dismay to find that almost without exception they discouraged him. He listened to their advice and went back to work again.

Needless to say he was thoroughly miserable. Hour after hour was spent wrestling with God in prayer, but he would argue with the Lord and say, "Oh God, I can't go."

It was about this time that he visited his brother's home and found his sister-in-law and his mother talking to a friend who for years had been stiffened with rheumatism until it was impossible for her to use her arms. She had heard how God had healed Raymond's eyes and asked if he would pray for her. They knelt in the living room and asked God to loosen the stiffened arm, and instantly it was done. This was one of the very first healings in answer to Raymond's prayers, but many other like incidents followed.

Then came the call to Texas of the whole Richey family. The father. E. N. Richey, became pastor of the Gospel Tabernacle at Houston, Texas, with Raymond as his assistant. The war started at this time, and Raymond pleaded with God for a tabernacle in which the 33,000 men at Camp Logan might hear the Gospel. While praying for a place to hold meetings for them, he picked up the Bible and opened it to Jeremiah 33:3: "Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not." He met God's challenge, and God met his faith. The tabernacle was built, and many hundreds of the boys at Camp Logan, kneeling in the sawdust found Jesus. Among those saved in the tabernacle was I, who later became Raymond I. Richey's wife.

Nevertheless, after months of wading through mud and slush ministering to the sick and dying, Raymond finally went down completely. The best army specialists were consulted and they said to him, "Richey, you have tuberculosis. Your chance is a slim one. Go to California for a year and take a rest cure. Read nothing, not even the Bible. This may help you; we cannot be sure. Certain it is, that you will live only a short time if you do not do this."

In Southern California he lay in bed discouraged. Then the Lord spoke to him of the healings that had already taken place in his family. Repentant and broken he whispered back, "Dear Lord forgive me; I do remember and I do believe." Reaching for his Bible he opened to Psalm 103 and he read the third verse: "Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases." Pushing back the covers he raised up in bed. The devil was trying to discourage him, but he knew God had spoken and he was believing for victory in his body. His strength came rapidly, and he knew he was healed. This was in September, 1919, and after that time he was in meetings almost continually.

In October, 1920, Warren Collins was to begin a meeting in Hattiesburg. Mississippi. Raymond promised to assist him. He went a week or so early to make necessary arrangements and to advertise the meeting. The building was secured; hotel reservations were made; and advertising put out for Warren Collins to begin on a certain day. Then came a telegram from Brother Collins saying that it was impossible for him to come.

There was Raymond T. Richey in a strange place, among strange people, all arrangements made for the meeting, and a wire from the evangelist that he would not be there. He was certainly at the end of his resources. Then God spoke to him and told him to go ahead and conduct the meeting himself. But he would not listen to the Lord. The committee that had secured the first evangelist advised him to go home, and they would help him to secure money to pay the bills. But he could not get the consent of his own heart to do this.

Finally he locked himself in his hotel room. For three days and three nights he fasted and prayed that God should make His will so plain to him that there could be no doubt and no hesitation in his own heart as to just what God would have him do.

At the end of those three days, with no money at all and with no cooperation, not even from the committee that had invited the other evangelist, he left his room, went to the newspaper office, and placed an ad stating that on Thursday he would begin "An Old Time Revival and Gospel of Healing Meeting" in the Red Circle Auditorium. On that evening the revival began.

There were about fourteen or fifteen people there, and they came with an air of "What do you expect?" But he refused to be discouraged. Richey gave a short talk on the need of a revival and what would be required to bring one; a good prayer service and the meeting was dismissed. The next evening it rained, but there were thirty or forty present. But on the third night the sick were prayed for. The first person to be prayed for was a young lady with a crooked arm. The doctors had done everything possible, even trying to straighten it with some kind of a mechanical device. Raymond prayed for her, and instantly that arm was straightened. This was written up in the newspaper the following day. That evening the building was filled.

In three weeks of meeting, God saved hundreds of souls and hundreds were prayed for for healing. This was in September, 1920, and the meeting marked the beginning of the third phase of Raymond T. Richey's work for the Lord. The following month the writer was married to Raymond T. Richey by Rev. Arch P. Collins of Fort Worth, Texas, the one who conducted the revival meeting in which Raymond gave his heart and life to Christ.

Brother Collins was a great inspiration to Raymond's life. For some time he was very closely associated with him in the ministry, and it was Brother Collins who taught him the great secret of waiting upon God. Not an occasional hour did he pray, but many consecutive hours, and should you have been fortunate enough to occupy a room adjoining him and to awaken during the night, it was the rule rather than the exception to hear the low murmur of his voice as he communed with the Lord.

Then began a series of healing campaigns that was to make history. Raymond's brother Andrew and his wife Anna joined the party. They too had experienced marvelous healings. Anna in fact had been raised from her deathbed. Campaigns were held in various cities in Mississippi.

THE CAMPAIGN IN HOUSTON

One afternoon while in Laurel, Mississippi, as we were praying, suddenly an awful burden for Houston, Texas (our home city), seized Raymond and then Anna. We prayed and wept before the Lord, and He made it clear that we were to go to Houston and to launch a campaign; not just a revival meeting in "a church," but a great city-wide interdenominational campaign, where the thousands could be reached with the Gospel of Christ. When we reached home, we talked with some of the loved ones about it, but they were a bit fearful for us. Such a meeting would require thousands of dollars and would necessitate numbers of trained workers. We did not have the money, and we did not know where to secure the workers. However, so sure were Raymond and A. J. that it was the voice of God that they secured a large tent seating about a thousand, rented a piano, built seats, arranged for lights, and launched the campaign.

The first night a soldier boy was saved; a few nights later he was prayed for and healed, and was soon discharged from the army hospital. Crowds began to come. Soon all the seats were filled, and people were standing around the tent trying to see and hear. Raymond announced that if money could be raised to pay the rent in the city auditorium, we would go down there. In just a few minutes' time, the money was raised.

For forty nights this revival continued and increased in attendance and interest and in conversions and healings all the while. Night after night the city auditorium seating many thousands was filled. At times even standing room was a premium. God gave us 5,000 conversions in this meeting, and some of the most marvelous miracles of healing I have ever witnessed.

One morning, it had been announced that there would be a special service for those who had to be brought in on cots and wheel chairs — there were thirteen carried in on stretchers from ambulances besides those that had come in wheel chairs. After the message and the great altar service, where hundreds found Christ in salvation, these thirteen were prayed for, and twelve of them were healed and able to go home either on the street cars or in automobiles of their friends. Only one returned home in an ambulance.

Thus began a series of campaigns which took the Richey party across America and into the cities of the Caribbean. In one city, Tulsa, Oklahoma, there was a parade in which a truck carried a full load of crutches, casts, wheel chairs, etc., that had been discarded by those healed in the meetings. During World War II the Richeys secured a red, white, and blue gospel tent, and they went from army camp to army camp to bring the Gospel to men and women in the armed forces.

CHAPTER VI, The Story of the Conversion and Healing Ministry of Dr. Charles S. Price

(This book would not be complete unless we included a chapter on the remarkable ministry of the late Dr. Charles S. Price as told by himself. He had a silver tongue and moved audiences even during the time he was, what is generally termed, a "modernist." But after God came into his life, he received an anointing for ministry that resulted in the conversion of multitudes. Added to this were mighty miracles in his services which in some cities shook to the depths the strongholds of ecclesiastical skepticism. His story follows.)

I was born on a quaint little English street in a little brick house that jostled right up to the sidewalk, with no lawns in front and no gardens in back. When I was two years old my little sister, Jessie, was born. The arrival of the sweet baby was in a sense clouded with a deep sorrow, for the birth of the child meant the death of my mother. I do not remember my mother, although there have been times, especially in later years, when she seemed to be very, very near me. I have been told that before she went away to glory she took me in her arms and dedicated me to the service of the Lord. One of these days in the not too far distant future I am going to have a real happy visit with the mother I never knew.

HIS NEW STEPMOTHER

A few years later my father married again. It is my belief that he could have searched the world around and not found a sweeter or a nobler woman than the one I learned to call my mother. This dear mother was very insistent that plans and preparations be made to give me the best schooling that they could possibly afford. Through the sacrifice of my parents it was possible for me to go through school and college. It was during these years that followed that I began to drift. While I loved my parents deeply, I foolishly began to believe that their outlook on life was old-fashioned and rather narrow. For a while I labored with a Sheffield law firm, and at first was fascinated by the atmosphere of the courtrooms. After a while I became restless and moved to Canada. From Canada I felt impressed to go to Spokane.

One night in early autumn I was standing with my back to a lamp post listening to the singing of a little band of mission workers. When the street meeting was over a little old lady detained me. "Do you know God wants you?" she said. Suddenly I felt uncomfortable. I am afraid that I was rather rude in the way I excused myself and hurried away. Halfway across the Monroe Street Bridge, I stopped. A peculiar feeling had come over me. I began to feel as if God had spoken to the old lady and a feeling of dread and awe came upon me. Slowly I retraced my steps and I arrived eventually at the mission.

What a battle went on in my heart that night! The road I was going led down. I knew it. I was getting to the place that I did not care what happened and while I was not in the gutter, I was slipping down, down, down, and I knew it was disaster and sorrow in the end. When Mr. Stayt gave the altar call I sprang to my feet, squared my shoulders and marched down to the front. That night I gave myself to God. I was desperately in earnest. I was absolutely sincere. I did not have the great emotional experience that came to me in an event that I shall describe later.

For a while I labored in the Free Methodist Mission that taught and practiced the old-fashioned Wesleyan doctrine of scriptural holiness. They were wonderful people, and they lived very close to God. In the meantime, to support myself, I got a job with a large grocery firm. Before long I was making huge caldrons of caramels of every kind and description. I became quite an expert in the manufacture of chocolate centers.

Events moved swiftly now. I was admitted to the conference and was ordained by Bishop Smith. I built two parsonages and raised all my benevolences, and prided myself on the result of my church ministry. Then something happened. While in the Life Line Mission, news came of the falling of the Holy Ghost in the city of Los Angeles. An evangelist up from California came to see me. He spoke to me in convincing terms of the falling of the power. He told of the miracles of healing, of the latter days and the soon return of the Lord. I promised him that I would go home and pray. I did and slowly conviction came over my soul. I promised to meet with workers at a certain time and place the following day, that I might be filled with the Holy Ghost. I went home walking on air.

THE VOICE OF THE MODERNIST

On my way to the prayer meeting, the next day I met a certain minister. I enthusiastically explained the situation to him and that I was on the way to a prayer meeting. To my amazement he gripped me by the arm and said, "Price, I can not let you go. You'll wreck your future—your life. You are young and inexperienced. If you take this step you will regret it as long as you live." Listening to his voice I yielded. He pleaded for the chance to show me wherein these people were wrong. All afternoon I sat with him in his study, and when I left he had given me half a suitcase of books that I promised to read. I did not go to the prayer meeting. That was the turning point of my life. With all my heart I believe that God led me to Spokane so that I might step through the open door into the glorious experience that I am enjoying today, but I listened to the voice of a modernist, and by my own act I closed the door. I foolishly turned my back on the Cross and started along the trail that led to the labyrinth of modernism.

I very soon got to the point where I could explain every religious emotion from the standpoint of psychology. The result of it all was that I drifted down the long highway that led to modernism. I never gave an altar call—never led a soul to Jesus—never preached the glory of the born-again experience. I was spiritually blind, leading my people into the ditch.

The years marched swiftly by. Methodist pastorate followed pastorate. Slowly and surely I was climbing the rungs of the ladder to what my ministerial brethren called success. I began to be in demand as a speaker in churches throughout the countryside. I commenced to emphasize the social ethics of Jesus. How my heart grieves when I contemplate those days that might have been filled with so much good for God, and yet, after all, they were so empty. After a while I reached the place where my godly presiding elder had to take me to task for some of my modernistic utterances. I began to feel the restraining, binding influence of the Methodist Episcopal System. I made up my mind to sever my connection with Methodism and branch out into the broader field that the Congregational Church offered me.

After a time in Alaska, I took a pastorate in Santa Rosa. Then came the call to Oakland. I became a popular type of preacher. I was appointed a "Four Minute Man" and used to speak from every theater stage in the city, during the days of World War I. My work brought me a letter from Woodrow Wilson, then President of the United States. I belonged to five fraternal organizations. For many months I was on the stage during the week and in the pulpit on Sunday.

LODI, CALIFORNIA

Then I moved to Lodi, California, a beautiful town of northern California. I was pastor of the First Congregational Church. It was a wonderful church with wonderful people. Sickness came into my home, and when all my own funds were gone battling it, that church loyally took up the burden and gave me more than was needed. I was presented with two automobiles while there. I greatly enjoyed my pastorate.

LIGHT FROM HEAVEN

It all began when a good brother came running across the lawn outside the parsonage to meet me one summer day. His eyes were fairly dancing and on his face was the joy of heaven itself. Clasping my hand, he said, "Brother Price—Hallelujah!—Hallelujah!— Praise the Lord!" I gazed at him in amazement. Expressions like that were not usual in my church. Throwing back my head, I commenced to laugh. Still clasping my hand, he said, "Hallelujah—I have been to San Jose and I have been saved—saved through the Blood. I am so happy I could just float away."

It amused me. The more I ridiculed him the more vehement he became in his testimony. I then discovered that some more of the members of my church had contacted that meeting and were loud in their praises unto God. Slowly a bitter antagonism commenced to creep into my heart. They told me of a great campaign where thousands were saved and thousands were being healed. Inserting an advertisement in the paper that I would preach the following Sunday on "DIVINE HEALING BUBBLE EXPLODES," I made my way down to San Jose, armed with pen and paper to take notes. I intended to return the following Sunday and blow the whole thing to pieces. As I neared San Jose, a peculiar feeling came over my mind. Across the street was a huge sign, with the words, "Auspices of William Keener Towner." I could scarcely believe my eyes. Dr. Towner had been the pastor of the First Baptist Church in Oakland, and on more than one occasion we had gone into the theater together. He was a splendid man and Kind, but I knew that he was not the type of preacher to back an old-fashioned Holy Ghost revival meeting.

Going to the very edge of town I found a huge tent seating approximately 6,000 people. To my utter amazement it was packed and a great crowd was standing around the outside.

QUESTIONINGS

I glanced down the aisle. Walking up toward me I saw my old friend, Dr. Towner. Standing on my tiptoes and waving my hand, I called across, "O, Bill, O there Bill!" We were intimate friends —enough to call each other by our given names. His dear face broke into a wreath of smiles. Rushing over to me he grabbed my hand, "Charlie Price," he said, "well Hallelujah! Glory to Jesus!—Praise the Lord." My jaw dropped. A look of amazement came over my face.

Looking into my eyes with a serious expression he said, "Charles, this is real. This little woman is right. This is the real gospel. I have been baptized with the Holy Ghost. It is genuine, I tell you. It is what you need." He shook my hand and left me, promising to see me later.

Once again in an advantageous position, I looked over the crowd. Why there was Ole, my old Swedish usher! During Chautauqua days I was forced to remonstrate with him, because of his dirty habit of chewing Copenhagen snuff. Ole looked different to me. He was cleaner and there were no dark corners around his mouth.

He displayed a big red badge and said, "Hallelujah! Praise the Lord Jesus! I ban an oosher."

Mischievously I said, "Where is the snuff, Ole?"

Back he came at me with, "Hallelujah, I ban saved; I ban healed; I ban filled with the Holy Ghost; I ban so full of glory there ain't any room for snoos."

The folk in the crowd were beginning to look at me in every direction. I asked Ole to find me a seat. Ten minutes later he came back.

"What a yob!" he said. "What a yob! But I ban got one for you."

I followed him down the aisle, and to my added embarrassment, he led me to the very front, across the long altar, then pointed to a chair that was empty in the section reserved for cripples. That was where I belonged, but I did not know it at the time. All the way down the aisle I could hear people mentioning my name. My face turned red. One good sister said in a very audible tone of voice, "Praise the Lord, here comes Dr. Price. I hope he gets something."

"SAVED FROM MODERNISM"

It was not the sermon that convinced me that night, half so much as the altar call. The altar was literally filled with people. A mechanic near me got saved and, at the very top of his lungs, shouted, "Hallelujah. I'm saved. Isn't it wonderful? Isn't it glorious, Mr. Price?" I tried to conceal my embarrassment because of the noise that he was making. The best I could do was to say, "Yes, brother, stick to it, stick to it"—and I got out of the tent as fast as I could.

I did not sleep that night. Deep down in my heart something told me that in recent years I had been wrong. Not insincere, but wrong. That is why I tossed restlessly through the long night watches, and no sleep came to give me relief.

The next night a masterful message came from the lips of the evangelist and my modernistic theology was punctured until it looked like a sieve. Arriving at my hotel room. I threw myself on my knees and cried out to God. The heavens were black above and no answer came, yet in my sincerity of heart I promised God that I would change.

The following night I went early to the meeting. Dr. Towner saw me wandering around looking for a seat and slipping his arm affectionately around me, said, "Charles, why not come to the platform? There is nothing to be ashamed of. Let us sit together tonight and enjoy the service." Having gone on the platform, there were no seats available except on the front row. So there I had to sit. All during the opening part of the service I was conscious of God speaking to my heart. Halfway through the message I made up my mind what I was going to do and kept praying to God for strength to carry out my resolution. The message was over. It was the moment of the altar call. At the call for sinners, I tremblingly stood to my feet. A hand was put to my shoulder and a voice of a prominent Presbyterian minister sounded in my ear. "Charles, she is calling for sinners. She is calling for people who need to be saved." I whispered back, "I know it," and kept standing. Then came the rest of the invitation. "Come down and kneel before the Lord. Come ye weary and heavy laden and He will give you rest." Down those steps I walked. I was in the act of kneeling at the altar when the glory of God broke over my soul. I did not pray for I did not have to pray. Something burst within my breast, an ocean of love divine rolled across my heart.

This was real! Throwing up both hands I shouted, "Hallelujah!" So overcome was I with joy that I commenced to run across the altar. Dr. Towner followed me and wept for joy!

Night after night found me tarrying in the Baptist Church. How tenderly God dealt with me. How sweetly He led me, step by step, and nearer and nearer to the glorious Baptism. Then came a glorious night. Into the Sunday school room I went, and I saw so many people under the power I began to be bothered again about that undignified position for a Congregational minister. I noticed the piano. There was a little space back of it, and it made a private room. When I thought that I would not attract any attention, I got back of the piano and took the piano stool with me. I had room enough to kneel, but not to fall over.

I started to pray and I prayed and prayed until I lost all sense of time. About one o'clock in the morning Dr. Towner came along with two deacons and started moving the piano. He looked at me and said. "Why don't you get out in the middle of the room where the power is falling? Get where God is blessing the people."

BAPTISM OF THE HOLY GHOST

Dr. Towner evidently decided that I was getting in earnest, so he started to pray. I raised my hand. This was the first time I had done that, and I commenced to look up with my eyes closed. When my hands were up for a little while I felt an electrical feeling starting down my fingers and when it got to my arms, my hands began to tingle and I looked at them and they were shaking. I was surprised, and I couldn't have stopped if I had wanted to, and I wouldn't resist the Spirit. Then down it came to my body, glorious, wonderful power; and I suddenly got a whole bolt of glory. Did you ever watch the waves of the ocean as they break and roll and break? A wave breaks and then rolls back and then another wave?

Then, with my eyes closed, I seemed to be looking up into the dark. Suddenly like a knife, there appeared in that awful dark, a light and it flashed like a lightning flash across the blackness above my head. The heavens were split and they commenced to fold up until I could see the glory of a light through that opening in the sky. Then as I gazed at that beautiful light, a ball of fire came down towards me, lower and lower it came until it got to the level of the darkness on either side. It began to shoot out darts of fire. Then the ball came down a little lower. It shone so brightly it banished the darkness. I just watched, fascinated and entranced, those tongues of fire. It then touched me on the forehead and I felt a quiver go through my body and then my chest began to heave and I started praising God. The Comforter had come!

BACK AT LODI

Back I went to my home at Lodi. The following Sunday the place was packed to the doors. The preliminary part of the service was cut short, for I was anxious to get to my message. I really expected to be dismissed from my pulpit. I never believed that those dear people who had been so kind and good to me would tolerate the type of preaching that I was determined to give.

How easy it was to preach that morning! The glory of God flowed like a river until I could hardly speak for the sobbing of the people. "As long as I am pastor," I said, "you will hear one burning message from this pulpit—Jesus Christ and Him crucified." At the conclusion of the sermon I gave an altar call. To my amazement over eighty people knelt at that altar. My own church people were hungry for more of God. We commenced to hold meetings and multiplied the number of prayer services. The power of God commenced to fall. Attendance reached the thousand mark and the church auditorium and the Sunday school rooms would be full of praying people. People came from neighboring cities.

GOSPEL TEAM

I then organized the Lodi Gospel Team. It soon grew until it had close to one thousand members. Every Friday night, hundreds and hundreds of people would meet at the church with signs on the back of their automobiles, reading "Lodi Gospel Team." A parade would start to some nearby city. More than once I have seen that parade stretch out over two miles. The whole city was feeling the power of the revival. It was not until high church authorities commenced to interfere that we felt led of the Lord to organize a separate and independent church. Many years have passed since then, but those precious people to whom I used to minister are still standing for the old truths and worship God in Bethel Temple, dedicated to the preaching of the Full Gospel.

EVANGELISM

About this time I felt the call of the Lord to go into evangelistic fields. It was a sad departing when I left Lodi. This was on August 17, 1922.

It seemed incredible to believe that in one short year the Spirit of the Lord would take me from a little California town and catapult me into great arenas, where I would preach to vast throngs of ten thousand people night after night. But such was the case. My first meeting was in Ashland, Oregon. The ministerial union invited me and rented a building that seated more than the population of the town. It was soon packed to the doors. All the churches of the city were closed for the meetings, and having told the ministers that I was going to preach the whole truth, I proceeded to do so. The power fell. Hundreds were saved and hundreds were healed. The first person that I prayed with for bodily healing fell under the power of God. I myself was afraid. I prayed for the second one and the same thing happened. I trembled in the presence of the Lord, but both of them rising to their feet and proclaiming they were healed gave me courage and I went on praying. After that scores and scores would be prostrated under the power at one time.

GREAT CITY-WIDE REVIVALS

After that I went to Albany. Practically the whole high school class of that town gave their hearts to Jesus, and it has been re-ported that it was impossible to hold a public dance for one year after the meeting. One church received a hundred members, another seventy-five, another sixty and another fifty, but most of the converts were from without the city. At Roseburg. Eugene, Victoria and Vancouver, B.C., this same soul-winning power was evident.

In Victoria there was the healing of Lady Ruby Dimmick. She was a daughter of a Methodist minister, and her healing from paralysis and a crippled condition was so evident that it awakened the province. Newspapers all over Canada and the United States printed the story. The Literary Digest printed an account of the case. In three weeks in Vancouver, the owner of the arena declared that 250,000 people went to hear Dr. Price preach.

THE STRANGE CASE OF THE MINORITY REPORT

(One of the noted ministers, Rev. T. J. McCrosson, B.A., B.D., who witnessed Dr. Price's ministry in Canada, wrote the following account in his book, "Christ's Paralyzed Church X-rayed," which he calls "The Strange Case of the Minority Report." They tried to stop Dr. Price from holding healing campaigns by a so-called investigation which claimed that no true healings took place. But the opponents were stopped cold. The following account tells what happened. This in no way reflects against many excellent physicians, not a few of whom believe in Christ's power to heal.)

Evangelist Charles S. Price went to Vancouver. B.C., and opened meetings there in the great Arena seating some 12,000 people. It was fairly well filled from the start. But soon miracle after miracle began to happen. Then several thousand were turned away every night for the last two weeks. Along with others, this writer addressed audiences outside, night after night, ranging from two to ten thousand (the last night) after the great Arena had been filled to capacity. On at least three occasions, we counted one thousand persons and over, coming to God on a straight altar call for sinners only. The average altar call for those three weeks would be around three hundred a night and seven nights per week. Over 6,000 souls were saved in those three weeks.

As soon as this great revival closed, an investigation committee was appointed by several modernistic pastors and doctors who were out and out enemies of divine healing. Every man on this committee except two (one lawyer and one minister) were bitterly opposed to the evangelist and divine healing. When the majority report was published, these two men published a minority report which denied the majority report completely, but this minority report was smothered so the world never heard of it, while the majority report was broadcast to the ends of the earth.

HOW THEY EXPLAINED THE MIRACLES

We had lunch with the authors of the minority report the very next day after both reports were published. The majority report said: Scores of persons who had been cured by God through the prayers of the evangelist came before the committee. They were all glad to testify for the glory of God. Each one was thoroughly examined and found to be well. Then they were asked, "What doctor said you had cancer, tuberculosis, inward tumor, goiter, diabetes, or whatever the trouble was?" When they named the doctor, they were dismissed, and those doctors were then called before the committee. Then they were asked, "Did Mr.. Miss or Mrs. So and So have cancer, tuberculosis, inward tumor, or goiter or diabetes or whatever the trouble was?" The physician, in every case, replied, "Well, I certainly thought they had it. I gave them a very thorough diagnosis, and put them through every test known to medical science." Then some preacher or doctor would say in substance, "But doctor, these people are now well, and don't you know the day of miracles has passed? Don't you think it is far more likely that you made some mistake in your diagnosis than that this person was really cured of her cancer by prayer?" Then the dear doctor, having been taught all his life that miracles today were impossible, and knowing that the sick person was now well, concluded that it was far more likely that he had been mistaken in his diagnosis (though he had felt absolutely certain at the lime), than that such a great miracle could have happened. It truly did put each of these dear doctors in a hard place.

When the doctor made this admission, then this wise committee reported that So and So only imagined that he or she had had cancer, tuberculosis, rumor, goiter, diabetes, or whatever the trouble was, for their own physician had admitted to the committee that they never did have such a disease. Thus, to all who know the real facts, the famous investigation committee's report is utterly worthless.

THE SHORT LEG LENGTHENED

When it came to the case of Miss Ruby Dimmick, whose paralyzed leg God lengthened two inches in a moment of time and, at the same moment, developed the calf of that leg to equal the other, the committee reported (without even having consulted the only physician who knew all the facts) that this was a simple psychological cure. The evangelist had in some way succeeded by his suggestion in getting her to use her will power and let that leg out the full length. There was therefore no miracle at all. But was Miss Ruby able also, by her own will power, to develop the shrunken calf of that paralyzed leg to the same size as the other? What a nonsensical explanation of this wonderful miracle!

When Dr. Price went next to Calgary at the unanimous invitation of the Ministers' Association, not a preacher was at the station to meet him. Why? Because they had all read the report of the Vancouver investigation committee, and of course believed it. Conscientiously believing this report to be true, and thinking the evangelist a faker, they had also persuaded the daily papers to refuse all "ads" the evangelist might desire to insert, and in the face of the Vancouver report who could blame them? We all would have done the same under similar circumstances.

The evangelist, however, had already rented the great Arena seating 8,000 at a cost of $250 per night for three weeks. It looked from the human standpoint as if he would surely be stranded financially.

During that month this writer happened to be the guest preacher at the Grace Presbyterian Church of that city, and so was able to tell that splendid congregation the truth about the Vancouver committee's report. Then about the third night of the meetings (which up to that time had attracted less than a thousand people on account of the opposition of all the churches and no advertising whatsoever) God began to confirm His Word with wonderful signs following, and at once the Arena was packed and hundreds turned away. People then came from fifty miles around and soon from one to three hundred souls were being saved each night.

AN INVESTIGATION DEMANDED

In this great Calgary campaign after some six or seven hundred persons had been completely healed through prayer, the meetings began to affect the income of some of the doctors. Then one leading physician published a letter in the papers. In this letter he stated that not one genuine healing could be found, and that the evangelist was just hypnotizing the sick people and so making them believe they were well. He closed his letter by urging all the doctors in the city to meet on a certain night at a certain place and appoint a Calgary investigation committee to prove to the world once again that this evangelist was a fraud.

The evangelist, at the advice of his friends, had appointed a committee of three in this Calgary campaign to secure the names of every sick person who had been prayed for and was completely healed. As soon, therefore, as any person was fully healed, they reported to this committee, and the committee secured a sworn affidavit from each stating: (1) What disease they had had; (2) what doctor said they had had this disease, and (3) how much money they had paid the doctor for his services.

HOW THE OPPOSITION WAS SILENCED

After this physician had published his letter, the secretary of this committee phoned him and said, "Doctor, you say that no one has been healed in this campaign." "No," he replied, and then he abused the evangelist. The secretary then read to him the names of ten of his own patients who had been completely healed, and also what each one had paid him for doctoring the disease which he had said they had. Then he read the names of some ten other doctors whose patients had also been cured, and how much money these patients had paid to each of them. The money paid by these patients ran from $1,000 down to $10. Then the secretary said, "Tell all these doctors that if they write any more adverse letters in the paper, or proceed to appoint another investigating committee, that our committee will enter suit against you and all these other doctors for taking money under false pretenses." It is needless to say that there was no Calgary investigating committee appointed. Had Dr. Price done this same thing in Vancouver (as all of us know who were in that great campaign), the Vancouver investigation committee would never have been heard of.

We became acquainted with Dr. Price during his later years. Since he began his great healing campaigns in Ashland, Oregon, where we were pastors for a few years, we invited him for a return visit. He seemed inclined to accept our invitation. However, within a few months the Lord called him home. Strangely enough, not only Dr. Price but Aimee Semple McPherson and Smith Wiggles-worth, all prominent figures in the movement, died within a few months of each other. It was the end of an era, and another was about to begin. Within a few months William Branham was to appear on the scene following a remarkable vision from the Lord. Then came other men on whom the mantle rested for a season. But that is a story that belongs in another volume.

Free gifts to every willing believer, power to live victoriously in the closing evil days of this age. Study the Holy Spirit—His character, His purpose,

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Table of Contents

THEY SAW IT HAPPEN

CONTENTS

CHAPTER I, The Outpouring at Topeka, Kansas

CHAPTER II, The Revival Spreads

CHAPTER III, The Great Welsh Revival

CHAPTER IV, The Historic Azusa Revival

CHAPTER V What Hath God Wrought! By Eloise May Richey

CHAPTER VI, The Story of the Conversion and Healing Ministry of Dr. Charles S. Price

Table of Contents

THEY SAW IT HAPPEN

CONTENTS

CHAPTER I, The Outpouring at Topeka, Kansas

CHAPTER II, The Revival Spreads

CHAPTER III, The Great Welsh Revival

CHAPTER IV, The Historic Azusa Revival

CHAPTER V What Hath God Wrought! By Eloise May Richey

CHAPTER VI, The Story of the Conversion and Healing Ministry of Dr. Charles S. Price