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RESULTS OF A LIFE OF PREVAILING PRAYER

William Taylor, now M.E. Bishop to Africa, and one of the greatest of living men, was converted in 1841, when about twenty years old. He soon entered the ministry and spent seven years in the Baltimore Conference, and a second seven years in California. While there he became known the world over as the “California Street Preacher.” At the end of that time God clearly called him to general evangelistic work and for nearly forty years he has proved himself one of the most mighty men in Christian faith and labor that the church of God has ever known. In every continent on the globe and many of the Islands of the sea he has proclaimed to listening multitudes the unsearchable riches of Christ, and untold thousands have been converted to God. His first field, outside of the United States and Canada, with the exception of a few months in England & Ireland, was Australia, where God gave him six thousand souls as the result of the labor of two and one-half years.

But more wonderful victories awaited him. From Australia God led his servant to Africa, and, there among the heathen; speaking what was to him an unknown tongue, God wrought so mightily, so gloriously, that the record is one of the most remarkable that can be found in all the history of the Christian Church. In the short space of’ seven months nearly 8,000 souls were converted. Out of this number 1,200 were colonists, and the rest were Kaffirs, Fingoes and Hottentots. The following account of a meeting held at Heald Town is quoted from “Life of William Taylor,” by E. Davies, and is a fair illustration of the victories of that seven months tour in Africa. “The Wesleyan Chapel will hold about eight hundred. The first service was to the natives, but Charles Pamla was not there to interpret; but they found a Kaffir boy, who, after private instruction from Mr. Taylor, answered a good purpose.

His name was Siko. He put the sentences into Kaffir very rapidly. An extraordinary power rested upon the audience. Silence reigned, except the suppressed sobs. After the sermon the simplicity of the gospel was explained, and the way of salvation by faith, and when they were invited, about three hundred rushed forward to take the kingdom by storm. They all prayed audibly, and the floor was wet with their tears, yet none seemed to be crying louder than their neighbors. The pastor was afraid, but God was in the movement. “Fourteen whites were among the seekers. As soon as any one was converted he was placed in a seat on the side of the pulpit and had an opportunity to testify for Christ. One hundred and thirty-nine natives and seven whites gave their names as converted in one service, which lasted five hours. “In a few days after he held another service in the same place, at which God’s power was manifested almost as on the Day of Pentecost. It surpassed anything Mr. Taylor ever saw. It was as the Spirit of God moving upon the waters, yea, as the Spirit that moved in the valley of dry bones and raised them up an exceeding great army.

At this second service at Heald Town there Were one hundred and sixty-seven converted, making a total for two services of three hundred and six natives and ten whites saved.Many will wonder what kind of preaching could produce marvelous results. He remarks:

I. He preached the law, as proclaimed from the burning Mount of Sinai, the law-that is holy, just and good, the law that is our schoolmaster to bring us to Christ. He sought to kill before he made alive, to convict before he sought to point out Christ.

II. He preached the gospel in all its wonderful and glorious provisions of justification, regeneration, adoption and the witness of the Spirit, and that no professor of religion should live without this grace.

III. He preached purity of heart and the baptism of fire to all true believers, and his speech and his preaching was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power.

IV. He spent much of time in wrestling with God for divine guidance and power to win souls. At one place he could not succeed in starting a school until he had spent a whole night in prayer. All the most important movements of his life were the result of prevailing prayer.

As a result of his faith and devotion, self-supporting missions have been established, not only in Africa, but also in India and South America, that are a wonder to the world. Christ-like in his devotion, strong in faith and mighty in prayer, his life with its results must prove a never-failing inspiration to church till time shall be no more.

RESULT OF JOHN S. INSKIP’S PRAYER

From the life of evangelist, J. S. Inskip, we quote the following incident, which occurred while he was pastor at Springfield, Ohio, January, 1851. A few days before its occurrence, he recorded in his journal that he felt unusually encouraged to look unto God for a revival of religion in his own heart, and among the members of his church, and that he was favored with much freedom in discoursing upon the duty and encouragements to prayer. We give the account in his own words:”This has been one of the greatest days I have ever seem! In the morning I went into the high school and conducted the opening exercises. I then went into the church and attended to some items of business, intending to go subsequently into the country. As I passed along the street I received a message from Brother Howard, requesting me immediately to repair to the high school. I went without delay and found in one of the rooms of the institution such a scene as I never witnessed before. There were over thirty of the young ladies and smaller children weeping and crying aloud for mercy. The exercises of the institution were suspended.

We held a meeting for the benefit of the students in the afternoon. I presume, during day there were some eighteen converted. At night we held a society meeting. There were some eight or ten more convent making in all some thirty conversions during the day. Twenty joined the society. I never knew such a work. To God be all the glory, glory, glory in the highest! My soul is unspeakably happy.” From this manifestation of Divine power, the work spread into the town. It was a time of great excitement.

REMARKABLE HEALING OF MRS. SUSAN E. MILLER

When I was twelve years of age I felt the need of a new heart. I asked God for it, and He gave it to me. I am now forty-six years old, and oh, how wonderfully the Lord has led me! I must say, there is nothing so grand and glorious as to know that we are of God’s chosen ones. When I came to Grand Rapids five years ago I became acquainted with S. B. Shaw (President of the Michigan Holiness Association), and his very worthy wife. I saw them live by faith alone for all things, both spiritual and temporal.; and of them I learned how to consecrate myself wholly unto the Lord.

I had been afflicted with rheumatism from a child; and had spent large sums of money for my recovery, but could only find relief for a few weeks at a time. I was sick and helpless in bed with inflammatory rheumatism, when I heard through Mrs. Shaw of Mrs. Dora Griffin. I sent for her to anoint me. After she had done so, and while she was praying for my recovery, the Lord touched my body, and I was healed that very same hour, and have never been troubled with rheumatism since; praise God!

One year after this, the piles came upon me, and I suffered greatly. After trying many remedies and doctors without relief, I said: “The Lord has healed me, and He will heal me again; ” so I went to the “Beulah” rest, and after prayer and anointing, I was healed, and went home happy, healed and saved in both soul and body; praise His name forever!

Dear friends, you who are sick of sin and sick in body, come to Jesus, and be healed, soul and body. — Mrs. Susan E. Miller.

REMARKABLE EXPERIENCE OF C. H. SPURGEON

On his fiftieth birthday, C. H. Spurgeon was interviewed in reference to his long and eventful ministerial life, especially as to his confidence in the efficacy of prayer. Being asked whether he had in any way modified his views, he replied:

Only in my faith growing far stronger and firmer than ever. It is not a matter of faith with me, but of knowledge and everyday experience. I am constantly witnessing the most unmistakable instances of answers to prayer. My whole life is made up of them. To me they are so familiar as to tease to excite surprise; but to many they would seem marvelous, no doubt. Why, I could no more doubt the efficacy of prayer than I could disbelieve the laws of gravitation. The one is as much a fact as the other, constantly verified every day of my life. Elijah, by the brook Cherith, as he received the daily rations from the ravens, could hardly be a more likely subject for skepticism than I.

Look at my Orphanage. To keep it going entails an annual expenditure of about ten thousand pounds. Only one thousand four hundred is provided for by endowment. The remaining eight thousand six hundred comes to me regularly in answer to prayer. I do not know where I shall get it from day to day. I ask God for it, and he sends it. Mr. Muller, of Bristol, does the same on a far larger scale, and his experience is the same as mine.

The constant inflow of funds-of all the funds necessary to carry on these works-is not stimulated by advertisements, by begging letters, by canvassing, or any of the usual modes of raising the wind. We ask God for the cash, and he sends it. That is a good, material fact, not to be explained away.

But quite as remarkable illustrations of the efficacy of believing faith are constantly occurring in spiritual things. Some two years ago a poor woman, accompanied by her neighbors, came to my vestry in deep distress. Her husband had fled the country; in her sorrow she went to the house of God, and something I said in the sermon made her think I was personally familiar with her case. Of course I had known nothing about her. It was a general illustration that fitted a particular case. She told me her story, and a very sad one it was.

I said: ”There is nothing we can do but to kneel down and cry to the Lord for the immediate conversion of your husband.” We knelt down, and I prayed that the Lord would touch the heart of the deserter, convert his soul, and bring him back to his home. When we rose from our knees , I said to the poor woman : “Do not fret about the matter. I feel sure that your husband will come home, and that he will yet become connected with our church.” She went away, and I forgot all about it. Some months after she reappeared, with her neighbors, and a man, whom she introduced to me as her husband. He had indeed come back, and he had returned a converted man. On making inquiry and comparing notes, we found that the very day on which we had prayed for his conversion, he, being at that time on board a ship far away on the sea, stumbled most unexpectedly upon a stray copy of one of my sermons. He read it.

The truth went to his heart. He repented, and sought the Lord, and as soon as possible he returned to his wife and to his daily calling. He was admitted a member, and last Monday his wife, who up to that time had not been a member, was received among us. That woman does not doubt the power of prayer. All the infidels in the world could not shake her conviction that there is a God that answereth prayer.

I should be the most irrational creature in the world if, with a life every day of which is full of experiences so remarkable, I entertained the slightest doubt on the subject. I do not regard it as miraculous; it is a part and parcel of the established order of the universe, that the shadow of a

coming event should fall in advance upon some believing soul in the shape of prayer for its realization. The prayer of faith is a Divine decree commencing its operation. – Faith Made Easy.

Redfield In A Hard Place

John W. Redfield was a remarkable revivalist among the Methodists and Free Methodists. He died not many years ago. From his memoir, prepared by J. G. Terrill, we take the following: “The Sunday came, and I went to church. A goodly number had come, probably from curiosity, to see the new preacher. I had resolved to deliver my own soul regardless of persons or conditions, by declaring the whole counsel of God. But I saw no favorable indications. After a few efforts during the week following to bring about a change, and finding it all in vain, I went to sinners and exhorted them to flee from the wrath to come. The response from them was: “‘Go, look after your ungodly members.” Sunday came again, and I delivered my message in view of the judgment; When I was leaving the church, I met the principal member of the official board, who accosted me thus: ‘We don’t like your preaching here at all, nor the chapters you lead from the pulpit. Hell is not very popular here.’ “I inquired: ‘Will you tell me, brother, what I have preached that is not Bible truth?” “Well,” said he, “I believe it is true.” “‘Do you want me to preach lies?” I asked. “I went home, weeping along the street. I now saw I was going to accomplish anything, I must do it with might. So, Monday morning, I went to the grove, and before, the Lord in prayer. It seemed as though the power I experienced of darkness were all about me. The sensations were as if by the hardest effort I was overcoming great obstacles and rising higher and higher, until my head struck against a rock, and I sank back overcome. I arose and sought another place to plead with God, and there experienced the same. Thus I continued day after day through the week. I would go to the house once in a while and get something to eat, and then return to the struggle. Sometimes my agony was such that it seemed to me I could rend the heavens with my cries for the salvation of sinners. It seemed to me that if I could hold on until the victory came, I should see them saved. When Saturday night came my very brain seemed sore, and the jar of my step gave me pain. I felt a kind of bewilderment coming on, but I had received no answer. I had resolved, in the name of God, to see a break and salvation come to the church, on the next Sunday, or an end put to its standing as a stench in the nostrils of the Almighty and the world. “Sunday morning came, and with eyes sore from weeping, and my brain tender from the continual struggle of the week, I walked softly and carefully to the church, and into the pulpit. In opening the service, I said to the membership. “This day ends my labors in this place. You do not want me here, and I do not want to stay, for I am heartily tired of pouring water on to rocks.

But if God will help me, I will either see a break today, or see this ungodly apology for Methodism annihilated. I have asked no man’s money; I go at my own expense; but I shall go straight for God.” Nothing seemed to move in the morning. In the evening I went into the pulpit again, and announced that I should redeem my pledge. Of course, this aroused their hate to a high pitch. As God helped, I pointed out the track of an acceptable disciple, and the only one that could possibly pass the gates of Paradise. At the close of the sermon, I asked those, and only those who meant it and would take this track and where needed go to their neighbors and confess to them, and pray with them, and who would seek for the blessing of holiness until they knew they had it, to rise. I didn’t believe I could get them to come forward. Two only arose, and they were of the most lowly. ‘Well,’ said I, ‘there seem to be but three of us, counting myself as one, and God besides; but I think we will try and have a prayer meeting.

Those two and myself were all that would kneel, I in the altar and they at their seats, about half-way down the church. I opened with a short prayer, and began to rise in spirit until I struck that rock again. I then asked some one else to pray, but no one responded; and I tried again with the same experience and result, and the third time, and the fourth, and fifth until the sixth time, in immediate succession. I now felt that this is the last time, and that if I did not get the victory, God would say to me: ‘Let them alone.’ The case was a desperate one, and I knew the world and the devil were against me, and the church members who would not kneel; but I said in my prayer: ‘O God, I’ll go as far as I can.” Again in spirit I began to rise, and soon I struck that rock again, and it seemed to shiver to atoms. Instantly the house was filled with the Divine glory. The two who were kneeling with me fell, and their shouts and screams were so loud that they alarmed the village. The people came running in to see what was the matter, and as they crowded up the aisles and saw the two prostrate under the power of God, tears each other down their faces; and the poor tempted members began one after another to confess their hostility and ask for pardon, and promised to take the track pointed out to them. I stayed one more week, and forty-five sinners were converted. The preacher, who had abandoned the work returned and revival went on in power for some time. — Ten or fifteen years afterward, I heard from that society, and it still was well.’