THE UPS AND DOWNS 
 
 OF 
 
 A PIONEER PREACHER 
 
 E. E. SHELHAMER 
 
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 Cornell University Library 
 BX8419.S54A3 
 
 The ups and downs of a pioneer preacher: 
 
 3 1924 011 500 232 
 
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 http://www.archive.org/details/cu31 92401 1 500232 
 
THE UPS AND DOWNS 
 
 OF 
 
 A PIONEER PREACHER 
 
 ALSO 
 
 SOME OF MY MISTAKES 
 
 AND 
 
 ^A^HAT THEY TAUGHT ME 
 
 BY 
 E. E. SHELHAMER 
 
 Editor "The Repairer." Also Author and Pnbllsher of "Heart Searching 
 Talks to Ministers," "Pointed Bible Readings on Various Subjects," 
 "Rules and Helps to Holy Living," "Popular and Radical 
 Holiness Contrasted," "Hell and Eternal Punish- 
 ment," "False Doctrines and Fanaticism 
 Exposed, " and various other 
 Books and Booklets. 
 
 REPAIRER PUBLISHING COMPANY, 
 ATLANTA. GA. 
 
COPYRIGHT. 1915 
 
 BY 
 E. E. SHELHAMER. 
 
^0 all young people, especially young 
 men w^o ^ave tl)e courage to follow l^elr 
 (Bod-glven convictions, an5 w^o woul6 
 rather be deeply spiritual t^an popular or 
 prosperous, is t^ls volume lovingly dedi- 
 cated. 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 Chapters Page 
 
 I— A Start in Life 9 
 
 II. — Struggle for an Education 16 
 
 III.— Incidents of First Revival 24 
 
 IV. — Notable Happenings 28 
 
 V. — Inconsistencies of No-Sects 36 
 
 VI.— Five Months' Revival 42 
 
 VII.— Demons Cast Out 51 
 
 VIII. — Divine Healing 56 
 
 IX.— Shallow Revivals 62 
 
 X.— Seeking Heart Purity 70 
 
 XL— New Experiences 77 
 
 XII.— First Trip to Florida 84 
 
 XIIL— "In Persecutions Oft." 90 
 
 XIV.— A Great Battle 96 
 
 XV.— The Tide Turns 104 
 
 XVL— Value of Public Confession 109 
 
 XVII. — God Supplies Expenses 113 
 
 XVIIL— Self-f orgetfulness Pays 118 
 
 XIX.— Discretion Toward Women 123 
 
 XX.— Spiritual Affinity 128 
 
 XXL— Honoring God in Little Things 134 
 
 XXIL— God's Veto 142 
 
 XXIIL— Omnipotent Faith 147 
 
 XXIV.— The Sorrows of Life 150 
 
 4 
 
• Contents. 5 
 
 XXV. — Old-time Persecutions 159 
 
 XXVI.— God Loved Me Too Well 186 
 
 XXVII.— Peculiar Covenants 192 
 
 XXVIII.— A Few Ups and Downs 199 
 
 XXIX.— A Few Downs and Ups 209 
 
 XXX.— A Few Tests 215 
 
 XXXI.— Results of a Small Beginning 222 
 
 PART n. 
 
 Some of My Mistakes and What They Have 
 Taught Me. 
 
 Mistake 
 
 I.— Zeal Without Knowledge 229 
 
 II. — Too Secluded and Unsociable 233 
 
 III.— Too Confidential 235 
 
 IV.— Getting Ahead of the Spirit 238 
 
 V. — Dealing with Fanaticism 241 
 
 VI. — Defeating Our Own Object 244 
 
 VII.— Creature Comfort 247 
 
 VIII. — Doing Eight Things in a Wrong Way 251 
 
 IX. — A Commercial Turn of Mind 254 
 
 X,^-Stressing Minor Issues 258 
 
 XI.— Too Busy 262 
 
 A Retrospect 266 
 
INTRODUCTION. 
 
 This remarkable volume tells the interesting 
 story of the dealings of God, man, and the devil 
 with the author from his boyihood until the pres- 
 ent. The title of the book is well chosen, for the 
 "ups and downs" of this faithful itinerant preach- 
 er have been numerous, and as varied as numer- 
 ous. 
 
 His early struggles to secure an education, in 
 the face of unfavorable circumstances, made him 
 resourceful and taught him the value of time and 
 money, and he deserves commendation for the 
 success he has attained by indomitable purpose, 
 diligent study and hard work. 
 
 The lovely spirit he has shown in all the oppo- 
 sition and persecution through which he has pass- 
 ed shows that he has learned tenderness, compas- 
 sion and humble love from the Lord Jesus. 
 Humility is a Christian grace that is rare 
 indeed in these days, but the reader of the follow- 
 ing pages will be impressed with the genuine hu- 
 mility of the man who meekly bore ill-treatment 
 and maintained his integrity as a representative 
 of his lowly Master. 
 
 Few Christians are living today who would 
 give publicity to the errors they have made, as has 
 the author of this volume done. And these are 
 given for the sole purpose of warning others of 
 the dangers.to which they are exposed and having 
 them profit by his mistakes. Instead of trying to 
 
 6 
 
Introduction. 7 
 
 justify himself, or keeping secret what others 
 have not discovered, this good man bares his own 
 breast and exposes his own errors for the good of 
 his readers. 
 
 While the book contains a narration of per- 
 sonal experiences, the fact is made prominent that 
 a wholly-consecrated, fire-baptized life is the 
 ideal one. 
 
 No one can read these pages without admiring 
 the author for his sincerity, humility, persever- 
 ance, tenderness, thoroughness, and adherence to 
 the right as it has been revealed to him through 
 the various channels the Lord has employed to 
 teach His servant. 
 
 I have been personally acquainted with the au- 
 thor for years, and his self-sacrificing, strenuous 
 labors for the church and humanity, and the kind 
 and humble spirit he has manifested, have greatly 
 pleased me, hence my interest in his book. 
 
 He has been an active man, and has published 
 a large amount of wholesome literature. Because 
 of his extensive travels and his ability to readily 
 understand human nature, he has acquired much 
 knowledge of conditions existing in the world at 
 large, and his narration of events transpiring 
 during his life is given in an intensely interest- 
 ing manner. I commend this volume to all. 
 
 J. T. Logan, 
 Editor of The Free Methodist. 
 Chicago, Illinois, 
 
 April 15, 1915. 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 Generally, when the doings or sayings of an 
 individual are published it is because, in reality 
 or fancy, he was an extraordinary person. Be it 
 far from the author of this volume to pose for one 
 moment as such. No! No! And it is his earnest 
 prayer that those who may chance to read these 
 pages will not see the subject, but rather the God 
 who is ever waiting to make something out of 
 nothing, and glad to use the "weak things of the 
 world to confound the mighty." 
 
 It seems to be God's way, either to choose ma- 
 terial from the most unlikely, through which to 
 show His supernatural workings, or when choos- 
 ing the more efficient, first to take them through 
 a process of grinding and humiliation to the in- 
 tent that "no flesh should glory in His presence." 
 
 That no one should "glory" in Jus flesh, the 
 author has deviated from all other books of like 
 character and inserted "Part II," "Some of My 
 Mistakes and What They Have Taught Me." 
 Though we trust the reader has never fallen into 
 any of these errors, yet it may stimulate faith 
 and reveal pitfalls to read some of the general 
 mistakes into which most Christians fall. 
 
 For the purpose of encouraging those who 
 have meager gifts and limited opportunities, and 
 to help them master their environments, is this 
 unpretentious volume sent forth. 
 
 The Author. 
 
THE UPS AND DOWNS OF A PIONEER 
 PREACHER. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 A START IN LIFE. 
 
 "Ragged Elsie"— Farm Life— A Reckless Boy— "The 
 Young Preacher" — Trials at the Iron Mill — Goes West 
 in Search of Education. 
 
 /* is good for a man that he hear the yoke in his youth. 
 Lam. 3:27. 
 
 This is an age of luxury and laziness, and 
 parents make no greater mistake than to let their 
 children grow up unaccustomed to hard labor and 
 self-denial. The more a child is humored the 
 more he becomes self-willed and less liable in 
 afterlife to submit to God or man. The less he is 
 familiar with hardships the less easily can he 
 adapt himself to them, or sympathize with others 
 under similar circumstances. 
 
 Occasionally a wealthy parent wakes up to this 
 fact, hence not only gives his son a college train- 
 ing, but one at common labor as well. The writer 
 was not blessed (or cursed) with wealth, there- 
 fore had some practical experience with poverty. 
 
 (9) 
 
10 The Ups and DoTvns of 
 
 For this reason alone have I felt led to pen these 
 pages, not to call attention to myself, but to mag- 
 nify God's omnipotent grace which can enable any 
 poor, weak boy to triumph over all unpleasant en- 
 vironments in the pathway of life. 
 
 I was born December 16, 1869, being the sev- 
 enth child of Josiah and Susan Shelhamer, who 
 then lived in an old log house nestled among the 
 hills of Western Pennsylvania. They named this 
 child Elmer Ellsworth, who, as he grew up, was 
 more commonly known as "Ragged Elsie," doubt- 
 less from the fact that I got a new suit of clothes 
 only once in two or three years, which, of course, 
 looked rather odd on a rapidly-growing boy. 
 
 I know something about the blessings of pov- 
 erty. Sleeping upstairs in the old log house, I 
 have awakened more than once with enough snow 
 on the floor and bed to make snow balls. I did not 
 know what it was to have underwear until in my 
 teens. I confess it was a little embarrassing go- 
 ing to school with patched clothes, while other 
 boys wore brass buttons and starched shirts. They 
 had pie, cake and red apples for lunch, while I 
 went out behind some large tree many a time to 
 eat my buckwheat cakes or coarse bread, with 
 nothing on but black apple butter which was so 
 strong that even now I can almost feel it burn. 
 
A Pioneer Preacher. 1 1 
 
 A feeling of sadness conies over me as I 
 think of those early days, especially at the close 
 of school, when scarcely any one came to visit us 
 and we were too poor to go visiting. Notwith- 
 standing this, I grew to be over six feet tall and 
 have since preached to those who, because of my 
 appearance, were ashamed to have me in their 
 company. 
 
 At an early age I began to earn my own clothes 
 by working on rainy days, and in the evening af- 
 ter the usual day's labor, clearing out old fence 
 rows and thickets and raising vegetables therein. 
 Many a time did I thus work until long after 
 dark. This was rigid discipline, but better for me 
 than going fishing, bathing, or to ball games with 
 the neighbor boys. Though a little galling, nev- 
 ertheless it taught me the secret of economy and 
 dependence upon my own resources. The noon 
 hours were spent in committing to memory Scrip- 
 ture verses for the Sabbath-school, sometimes 
 hundreds being repeated the following Sunday. 
 The Sabbath-school was over three miles distant, 
 and to prevent rubbing the heels by the old brogan 
 shoes, they were carried in hand until outside the 
 church, and there put on. 
 
 Thus for some time I bid fair to become a good 
 man, but all this was eclipsed before the age of 
 
12 The Ups and Downs of 
 
 sixteen, when I had become a wild, reckless boy, 
 so much so that my parents and relatives despair- 
 ed of my salvation. Thoug-h others were being 
 converted in the revival meetings then in prog- 
 ress, nothing seemed to move the boy who was 
 breaking his father's heart. To the surprise of 
 all, without any one ever speaking to me (for 
 they had given me up) I broke with sin, and ten 
 other boys and men followed me to the altar. Af- 
 ter three days and nights seeking, I was soundly 
 converted, and at once declared I would be as out 
 and out for God as I had previously been in seek- 
 ing pleasure. 
 
 I soon received a definite call to labor for the 
 salvation of others and it was so apparent that my 
 former associates began calling me the "young 
 preacher." 
 
 I well remember my first series of sermons. I 
 had been powerfully converted and frequently re- 
 tired to the old log barn for prayer. The ther- 
 mometer was around zero and though I had 
 crawled behind some corn fodder to get away 
 from the cold wind, yet it was so severe I had to 
 rub and strike my hands together to keep from 
 freezing. Notwithstanding this, I had so many 
 things to pray about that an hour seemed but a 
 short time. As I read my little pocket Testament, 
 
A Pioneer Preacher. 13 
 
 certain passages loomed up before me and I could 
 see fields of thought that to my mind had never 
 been touched. This inspiration was so great, that 
 more than once did I rush from behind the shocks 
 of corn, leap upon a box, or half-bushel basket 
 and preach to the logs and corn-stalks, warning 
 them to flee from the wrath to come. Of course 
 I had in mind a large congregation. I did not 
 then know that God was training me to preach 
 later on, to things almost as hard as hickory logs, 
 and as dry as corn-stalks. It is good, however, to 
 be trained beforehand for life's work, though we 
 do not know at the time what our calling may 
 involve. 
 
 Not having any outlet through which to give 
 vent to my pent up desires, I thought it necessary 
 to take a theological course in order to prepare 
 myself more fully, and when I apprised my moth- 
 er (though a very pious woman) , she replied dis- 
 ■ couragingly. I was surprised, then paused and 
 asked her whether she would rather have me en- 
 ter the ministry or go back into sin and graduate 
 in drunkenness, fighting and gambling. She im- 
 mediately consented, and accordingly I began to 
 prepare for my life's work, and the next summer 
 was spent in attending an institute preparatory to 
 a college course. The next perplexing question 
 
14 The Ups and DoTens of 
 
 was, "Where shall the money come from for such 
 a course?" As my parents were not able, without 
 sacrifice, to help me through school, I obtained 
 work in the iron mill. Some thought I could not 
 stand the hard work, but I was determined to suc- 
 ceed. At the mill they started me in on night 
 turn, from 6 p. m. to 6 a. m., in the galvanizing 
 department. Here the fumes of the chemicals 
 were so strong that they flaked my dinner pail as 
 though galvanized. This was the kind of air that 
 had to be breathed. The boss and most of the 
 men were Roman Catholics, and, as their custom 
 was to initiate every newcomer, they set in to ag- 
 gravate and annoy me. The boss often came and 
 told obscene stories and sang vulgar songs, all of 
 which were turned away from without the sanc- 
 tion of a smile. At other times he watched when 
 a heavy load of iron was being carried that could 
 not be dropped and seized this opportunity to 
 come and sing his songs and tell the latest joke or 
 story, but, as before, they found no response. At 
 the end of two weeks this ungodly man, being 
 convicted and convinced, ceased his persecution 
 and declared that if any one mistreated the 
 "young preacher" he would be discharged. 
 
 This mention is made to show that where there 
 is a fixed purpose in the heart to live for God it 
 
A Pioneer Preacher. 15 
 
 can be done, by old or young. "Three days" was 
 the time given by my friends for me to break 
 down at the hard work, but, instead, I was there 
 three weeks. Then sufficient having been earned 
 to go West, "three months" was given me to get 
 homesick and return, but, instead, it was nearly 
 three years. Where there is a will there will be a 
 way, or one will be made. Napoleon, when con- 
 fronted with the question, how he and his mighty 
 army would cross the Alps, declared, "There sha;ll 
 be no Alps," and he scaled them. If he without 
 God could surmount seeming impossibilities, sure- 
 ly those who are assisted by Omnipotent grace 
 ought to do as well. 
 
CHAPTER II. 
 
 STRUGGLE FOR AN EDUCATION. 
 
 Enters College — "Bachelor's Hall"— Loses the Fire — The 
 "Close-Class Meeting" — The Reclamation — The Out- 
 come. 
 
 Wot slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the 
 Lord. Rom. 12:11. 
 
 The education of our youth is becoming a 
 great problem to conscientious parents. The fact 
 is, in most of our public schools the morals are 
 so corrupt that they poison the mind of a child be- 
 fore he is ten years of age. The writer has per- 
 sona;l knowledge of a little girl (daughter of 
 prominent holiness parents) who came home one 
 evening from school and said, "Mama, I've got a 
 beau." Then to clinch it, continued: "You know 
 you said I could do as the other girls did when I 
 was ten years old, and I am ten today." It is 
 hard to say which of the two, the mother or the 
 child, needed the severest rebuke. No wonder 
 John Wesley said, "You might as well send a child 
 to the devil as to send him to the public school." 
 
 This is an alarming condition of things, but 
 what is more, is that many of our religious schools 
 
 (16) 
 
A Pioneer Preacher. 1 7 
 
 seem little better. Can this be proven? Let us 
 see. Every unbiased mind who is in a position 
 to know will admit that many of these so-called 
 holiness schools are not pronounced against the 
 first approaches of fashion, foolishness and flirt- 
 ing. Is it not too often the case that after a term 
 there, a young person returns home more capable 
 than before of reasoning away past light and con- 
 victions ; or worse still, professing a tame, sickly 
 type of religion? If he were formerly very con- 
 scientious along the finer lines of holy living, the 
 tendency is to broaden him and rob him of his 
 original, heaven-born views. The result is, he 
 would rather mingle with semi-worldly holiness 
 people than the despised few, and he is wont to 
 criticise the old-fashioned saints as being "back 
 numbers" and not "up-to-date." 
 
 Most young people are not able to withstand 
 the subtle influences of "backslidden respectabili- 
 ty." And when they see the teachers given to 
 more or less worldliness and formality, yet amia- 
 ble and refined, it is natural to pattern after and 
 quote them rather than those who are a terror to 
 evil doers. 
 
 Of course this is not the case in a non-relig- 
 ious school. Thiere a young Christian soon be- 
 comes a "speckled bird" and every one knows his 
 
'^ 
 
 1 8 T'fte fyps and Doivm of 
 
 position. It may mean isolation or persecution, 
 but this will put him on his guard and develop 
 sturdiness of character more than would a com- 
 promise spirit. The fact is that sooner or later 
 he must rub against and grapple with the spirit 
 of this old world, and the sooner he (through 
 grace) masters it, the sooner he will amount to 
 something. True, the means of grace and good 
 influences must not be discounted, but on the oth- 
 er hand if the martyr stuff is in a youth he is 
 bound to succeed thoug'h in a non-religious school 
 or community. His feet may be knocked from 
 under him once or twice, but up he will get, not 
 to fall over the same thing again. He who is de- 
 pendent upon favorable circumstances to succeed 
 on any line will always be a weakling. Hence, un- 
 less a student maintains a fixedness of purpose to 
 withstand open wickedness on the one hand and 
 compromise on the other, he will surely go under, 
 whether in a public school or holiness college. As 
 the writer has had a little practical experience 
 along this line, he trusts he does not speak unad- 
 visedly. 
 
 After earning enough to go West, I for the 
 first time, bade good-bye to home and friends. A 
 day and night of travel brought me to the little 
 city of Wheaton, Illinois (twenty-five miles west 
 
A Pioneer Preacher. 19 
 
 of Chicago), where preparations were begun for 
 that long-cherished education. In order to lessen 
 expenses four of us preacher boys kept "bache- 
 lor's hall" the first year. One got breakfast, an- 
 other dinner, I supper, and a fourth one washed 
 all the dishes. In this way we were able to live 
 at the rate of from thirty-five cents to $1.50 a 
 week and grow fat. My first recitation came at 
 9 :30 a. m., hence it gave me five hours (from 4 
 a. m. to 9 o'clock) for manual labor ; then another 
 hour in the afternoon and all day Saturday. I 
 always kept several small jobs ahead for slack 
 times, and averaged from $2.00 to $6.00 a week. 
 The studying was done at night, sometimes 11 :30 
 finding me poring over my books. The other 
 boys could not understand why they could not get 
 work while I had more than I could do, but the 
 secret was in leaving white cuffs and gloves at 
 home and going prepared to take anything i could 
 get. Sometimes I got the promise of only an 
 hour's work, but went at it with a relish and fre- 
 quently would get in a day or more at that same 
 place. Any kind of work was solicited, such as 
 • gardening, whipping carpets, mowing lawns, 
 trimming trees, sawing wood, unloading cars, 
 cleaning out cisterns and sometimes other very 
 unpleasant work, but I was determined to make 
 
20 The Ups and Dorerts of 
 
 the best of it and not let my father borrow money 
 or sell a horse or cow, which would have been 
 gladly done that he might assist me. I de- 
 clared that if a boy at the age of eighteen could 
 not educate and care for himself, he was not 
 worth educating. 
 
 The following summer I traveled in Iowa, and 
 when I returned, with all expenses met, I iiad 
 less than five dollars to apply on another year's 
 expenses. What should I do; back out, write 
 home for help, or buckle into it again for another 
 year? Tlie members of the faculty advised me 
 to stick to it and accordingly I did, went through, 
 passed every examination, and came out in the 
 spring with ten dollars in cash, more clothes and 
 better health than ever in the past. I speak of 
 this simply to encourage others to master every 
 difficulty, surmount every obstacle and insist on 
 getting through the world without begging, or 
 selling principle. There is an honest way to suc- 
 ceed. 
 
 I now wish to speak of my struggle against 
 the encroachments of a worldly, popular spirit 
 in school life. I found this a first-class place 
 either to grow in grace or to lose the fire. Dur- 
 ing the first year I succeeded in keeping on top, 
 though of course I was more or less isolated. The 
 
A Pioneer Preacher. 21 
 
 next year diflferent tactics were employed and I 
 found myself being complimented and sought af- 
 ter. Unconsciously I succumbed and lost the keen 
 edge which previously had made me a constant 
 reproof to worldlings and compromisers. I tried 
 to console myself with the thoug'ht that I had just 
 gotten out of a little narrow rut and was now 
 merging into a broader field of thought and use- 
 fulness. Nevertheless, some of the students said, 
 "You do not get us under conviction as you did 
 the first year." I continued to take active part 
 in and lead religious services, and one Sabbath 
 morning, walked down the railroad, two and one- 
 half miles, where was a little white church, and 
 after entering, found myself in an old-fashioned 
 close class-meeting. Some of those who were 
 questioned became angry and answered back, 
 while others left the house. I thought to myself, 
 "This is a hot meeting, but I will not leave, nor 
 resent, but meet the issue." So I arose and said, 
 "I doubt whether my experience will stand close 
 .questioning. I am saved from all outward sin, 
 but have been attending school, and little by little 
 have come to live on the same plane with those 
 around me. Now I am going to the altar and 
 would like to have you pray with me." This 
 broke up the class-meeting, and while two or 
 
22 The Ups and Downs of 
 
 three old saints knelt around me, I consecrated 
 to walk in past 'light and it was but a little while 
 until the old-time joy and holy boldness were mine 
 again. 
 
 The next morning I returned to where a num- 
 ber of us theological students were boarding and, 
 as was the custom, each one began to relate where 
 he had been on Sabbath and what he had heard. 
 Now and then a pleasant joke was dropped, ac- 
 companied by a hearty laugh; but when it was 
 noticed that I did not participate as usual, one of 
 them remarked, "Well, what is wrong with Shel- 
 hamer? He is not fit for an old cow to associate 
 with; see, he has his tie off; he has been down 
 among those old Free Methodists; it is too bad; 
 he is a good fellow, but now he is ruined and will 
 spend the rest of his days preaching to empty 
 seats and a few old cranks, while we will be filling 
 city pulpits." I said to the young men, "Boys, 
 you can ridicule me if you like, but you know very 
 well that I have not had the unction of the Spirit 
 of late as I had when I first came, and now I have 
 simply taken my original stand." To this they 
 all agreed. 
 
 I remained that year and kept on top of pub- 
 lic opinion. The next summer I entered evan- 
 gelistic work and did not get back to Wheaton 
 
A Pioneer Preacher. 23 
 
 again. It was several years before I visited the 
 place and when I did, I naturally inquired what 
 had become of my old collegiates. One had died 
 from the effects of bicycle riding, another was 
 clerking in a little grocery store, another was 
 driving a bakery wagon and still another was 
 preaching for a worldly congregation. 
 
 Well, what had become of the young crank? 
 God forbid that I should boast, but in the same 
 length of time that would have required to have 
 completed my course, He gave me a number of 
 successful revivals, from which he called some to 
 preach the gospel here and in foreign lands. The 
 fact is, instead of "preaching to empty seats," 
 God had enabjed the writer to see more, travel 
 more, preach to larger crowds and get more souls 
 saved than all these young student preachers put 
 together. Did it pay to take a radical, pronounced 
 stand for God? 
 
 Each student had high ambitions to make a 
 mark in the world, not knowing that the best and 
 quickest way to do this was to get the fiery bap- 
 tism, then "cry aloud" against every form and 
 phase of sin. It may mean rocks and jails, but 
 it is a sure way to make the world feel that you 
 have an existence for good. 
 
CHAPTER III. 
 
 INCIDENTS OF FIRST REVIVAL. 
 
 First Meeting at Atwood, Illinois — Justice of Peace Makes 
 Disturbance — Eggs, Rocks and Pistols — Brave Willie 
 — Infuriated Mob Destroys Tent — Opposer Slain Un- 
 der the Power of God. 
 
 I will not he afraid of len thousands of people that have set 
 themselves against me round ahout. Ps. 3:6. 
 
 The real work of God always provokes oppo- 
 sition; such opposition may or may not assume 
 an open attitude, though this is preferable, as it 
 discovers the enemy's strength. Sometimes the 
 devil works above ground and then again he 
 seems to quit the field, when the fact is he is work- 
 ing underneath, hoping to suddenly knock the 
 props out and let the whole thing cave in. It is a 
 good thing right after every victory to be fortified 
 for a new attack from some unexpected source. 
 As a rule, the revivals that prove the most last- 
 ing in their results are those in which the "ones 
 and twos" have been saved at a time, instead of 
 "a great landslide." It is preferable to have 
 pressure and persecution from the first, instead 
 
 of coming afterward. 
 
 (24) 
 
A Pioneer Preacher. 25 
 
 I well remember the first meeting in which I 
 assisted. At the age of nineteen, I felt that I 
 could no longer be caged up inside the old stone 
 walls of Wheaton College, and accordingly joined 
 a company of three young men at Atwood, Illi- 
 nois. Souls were getting saved and interest was 
 running high, when the devil made his appear- 
 ance in the form of the Justice of the Peace and 
 other lewd fellows. Their first attempt was to 
 cut down the tabernacle, but succeeded in getting 
 it only half down, when we intercepted them. 
 The next night we remained after service, but 
 well for us that we extinguished the lights, for 
 we were shot at and missed but a few feet; we 
 thanked God in at least that instance for "dark- 
 ness rather than light." 
 
 Another night we received a shower of stones 
 and eggs while pronouncing the benediction. No 
 one was hit but the daughter of the man who 
 threw a large stone weighing two or three pounds. 
 
 We had just retired when another shower 
 came against our house, the rocks coming through 
 the windows and the eggs painting and staining 
 the outside. For the time being there was nearly 
 as much racket on the inside as on the outside, 
 for one of the dear boys jumped out of bed and, 
 after brushing a lot of old shoes, baskets and va- 
 
26 The Ups and Downs of 
 
 lices aside, succeeded in finding a safe place un- 
 der the bed, far back against the wall. After a 
 moment's silence, he shouted out in an unmis- 
 takable tone, "Hallelujah!" I was trying to lo- 
 cate our disturbers, and said, "Willie, what are 
 you doing under the bed? Get out of there and 
 show your bravery another way." But no, he 
 was too secure to run any risks. 
 
 The meeting ran on and, along with others, 
 the railroad agent at that place was blessedly con- 
 verted and afterwards entered the ministry. A 
 barber gave up his sins and opened up business 
 each morning with prayer. This seemed to in- 
 furiate our opposers the more, and accordingly 
 they banded together to cut or burn down the 
 tent. We remained inside and when the mob ar- 
 rived, met them at the entrance with lighted 
 matches, but were overpowered with brickbats, 
 revolvers and dynamite. The tent was cut down 
 and blown to pieces, but we were still determined 
 to get souls. No hall or other building could be 
 rented for services as any such place was like- 
 wise threatened. So we took to holding strwet 
 meetings, but even here we were assailed with 
 eggs thrown up into the air from the back part 
 of the buildings; they spattered all around, but 
 failed to hit the mark. 
 
A Pioneer Preacher. 27 
 
 Finally, an aged widow opened her house for 
 the meetings and the crowds filled the rooms and 
 yards. Some were seeking, others shouting and 
 still others cursing. One man said, were it not 
 for the crowd he would put a stick of dynamite 
 (which he then had) under the corner of the 
 house where Shelhamer was preaching, and blow 
 the whole house to atoms. The power of God was 
 so manifest that a cursing young man was struck 
 down and when he was able to speak, began to 
 seek salvation and said he would never oppose 
 the work again. One young lady, who had been 
 converted, fell under the power and lay as one 
 dead, so that some questioned among themselves 
 if it were genuine; in order to test it, a wicked 
 young man procured a long rod from a tree and 
 reaching through the uplifted window, twisted a 
 wad of hair from the back of her head, but she 
 never flinched. God was surely in the place, and 
 it was not due to masterly sermons, but rather 
 to simplicity in prayer, testimony and fiery ex- 
 hortations. From this revival a class was formed, 
 out of which four or five good workers and young 
 preachers came. It meant the destruction of our 
 tent, showers of eggs, bullets and brickbats, but 
 what of it, since the influence of that meeting is 
 still sweeping on and will continue to all eternity ? 
 
CHAPTER IV. 
 
 NOTABLE HAPPENINGS. 
 
 Deliverances From Death — Woman Slain Under Power of 
 God — Mobs and Eggs — A Red-haired Man Led Out. 
 
 Thou hast caused men to ride over owr heads; we went 
 through fire and through water: but thou hroughtest us out 
 into a wealthy place. Ps. 66:12. 
 
 Many honest souls are more or less harassed 
 over the thought of sudden death, not because 
 they are unprepared, but because they are fearful 
 lest they fail to accomplish all that they ought to 
 before their departure. It would help them if 
 they could realize that he who is divinely led is 
 immortal until his work is done. 
 
 As long as one is abandoned to the whole will 
 of God nothing can befall him but what is for his 
 good. "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they 
 shall see God." When they get to heaven ? Yes, 
 and long before they get there. They see Him in 
 His providences; yea, in the very same circum- 
 stances under which most people complain. Thus 
 they make stepping-stones of their stumbling- 
 stones, and rise to grander views of things di- 
 vine. 
 
 (28) 
 
A Pioneer Preacher. 29 
 
 Often have sickness and accident come within 
 an inch of taking my life; yet an unseen hand 
 protected me until I could rally and go forward 
 in the pathway of duty. A few of such incidents 
 I will here relate. 
 
 While in a meeting at Stewardson, Illinois, we 
 slept in the hall for a while before being invited 
 home with any one. Then we rented a house and 
 kept "bachelor's hall" and had the privilege of 
 living for a week on nothing but Irish potatoes, 
 and graham mush. We had no sugar, hence often 
 sang, "The Grace of God, it is so sweet." Later 
 on when the meeting broke through, we had more 
 things sent in than we could eat. The revival 
 lasted several months, day and night, and being 
 overworked, I was suddenly taken down with 
 hemorrhages and lung fever. 'Twas said I could 
 not live, and friends flocked in to bid me good- 
 bye. Of course, I thought my time had come, as 
 two brothers and three sisters had gone with con- 
 sumption at about the same age. The best doc- 
 tor in town was doing all he could but to no avail. 
 Friends wrote to an adjoining town for a man 
 of faith to come and pray for and anoint me "in 
 the name of the Lord," according to James 5:4. 
 He did so and at midnight, December 16, 1889, I 
 was instantly and miraculously healed. The next 
 
30 The Ups and Dorvns of 
 
 morning I dressed and sat by the fire. The doc- 
 tor was notified that he need not come any more, 
 and thinking I was a corpse, he questioned, "Is 
 he dead?" The answer was that I was healed 
 and well. He did not believe it, so came down to 
 see me, and after taking my temperature, which 
 had been up to 104 1-2, declared that something 
 miraculous had taken place. The same day I 
 walked up town through a snow a foot deep. 
 Some of the business men took hold of me, saying 
 I was crazy and ought to be at home in bed. The 
 fact was, I looked like a dead man, but began to 
 mend, and in twelve days had gained seven 
 pounds. The meeting continued and I was at my 
 post again in as good or better shape than before. 
 There were other things of importance in this 
 meeting. One of the workers sold himself to a 
 wicked Catholic editor, turned traitor, and the 
 last I saw him he was fearfully haggard, saying 
 he had sinned against the Holy Ghost and was 
 dimply awaiting the hour of death to be damned. 
 Such terrific conviction seized hold of Catholics 
 who had come to mock that though it was in the 
 dead of winter they sat and fanned themselves, 
 as if in August. A large, two-hundred-pound 
 German woman was under terrific conviction, but 
 declared she would "never go to the altar," and 
 
A Pioneer Preacher. 31 
 
 accordingly arose and started for the door, only 
 to fall full length — which shook the building. 
 She could not move nor find peace until she con- 
 sented to be helped to the altar. This enraged 
 the devil, and when we were dismissed we found 
 a mob awaiting us in the dark passageway lead- 
 ing to the pavement. At this I felt inspired to 
 say, "Just wait a moment and I will find out who 
 it is," and rushed into the midst with a lighted 
 match only to see them scamper in every direc- 
 tion. The next night they were prepared, and as 
 soon as we had started home the eggs began to 
 come thick and fast, but not one took effect until 
 I, looking back, said, "Where are they coming 
 from?" Just then one smashed upon my elbow. 
 I expected, as soon as I reached home, to have a 
 time of cleaning, but could not find a spot. Nev- 
 ertheless it taught me a lesson to "remember Lot's 
 wife," and never look back. 
 
 On another occasion the rowdies set in to 
 break up the meeting. I arose to preach and 
 had not gone far when I took in the situation and 
 felt divinely inspired to say, "Now, we are here 
 to do good, and if anybody, great or small, un- 
 dertakes to disturb this meeting I shall come 
 right down and take him by the collar and lead 
 him out." I preached on and soon noticed that 
 
32 The Ups and DoTons of 
 
 a red-headed young man was anxious to test my 
 strength. I paid no attention for a while, until 
 the Spirit said, "Take him." Then very deliber- 
 ately I walked down the aisle as though going 
 by him and when I came to him said, "You come 
 with me." He made as though he would set him- 
 self, but immediately became as powerless as a 
 child and walked right along. It had a good ef- 
 fect upon the audience and from that time we 
 had good order. It might prove a sad mistake to 
 undertake such a thing again, especially in one's 
 own strength, simply because God undertook on 
 this occasion. 
 
 A second narrow escape from death is given 
 in the following incident: 
 
 While attending a camp meeting at Terre 
 Haute, Ind., some thirty preachers and workers, 
 including the writer, went to the Wabash river 
 for a bath. The current here was very swift, 
 being from four to ten feet deep. But I had been 
 in before, and had no difficulty in swimming to 
 and from a huge tree that had lodged in the bend 
 of the river. 
 
 On this occasion several of us were walking 
 in midstream, but it was so deep that we had to 
 stand on our tiptoes to successfully keep head 
 above water. Finally it became so swift that we 
 
A Pioneer Preacher. 33 
 
 had to swim, but the tiptoe strain had given me 
 the cramps and I could not use my lower limbs. I 
 had the use of my arms but the rest of my body 
 was subject to the swift undercurrent which was 
 carrying me down into deeper water every mo- 
 ment. Presently I went under for the first time, 
 and then called for help, but there was such a 
 splashing and diving that I was not heard. I 
 struggled awhile and went under the second time. 
 By this time the cry was general, "Brother Shel- 
 hamer is drowning!" Some stood speechless on 
 the bank, while three or four brave fellows came 
 swimming to my help, one diving underneath and 
 lifting my head and shoulders out of the water 
 until I could get a good breath, but as he swam 
 out from underneath me I went under the third 
 time. As I came up one caught me by the arm, 
 but in the struggle I was swept away from him 
 and down I went the fourth time. When I came 
 up I gasped and caught another breath, only to 
 succumb to the mad current once more. But 
 thanks be to God and those brave boys, that as 
 I came up this time, I was met with an old, sink- 
 ing boat, which I seized, only as a drowning man 
 could. It sank with me, leaving naught but my 
 head above the water, but it served until some 
 fishermen came to my rescue with a better boat. 
 
34 The Ups and Downs of 
 
 Afterwards we were informed that a number 
 of men had drowned in that same treacherous 
 place. Steamboats had passed up and down the 
 same channel. 
 
 In this battle the great God alone could step 
 in and rob death of its victim. It was only His 
 miraculous power, for generally men never sur- 
 vive after going down the third time. I have 
 heard unsaved men say that all their past sinful 
 record came up before them the first time they 
 went under, but, blessed be God, no such scene 
 came before me during the entire struggle. 
 
 I seemed to be passing through a dark valley, 
 and though I feared no evil, yet all hope of getting 
 out alive was swept away, until the third time of 
 going down. I was fully expecting to wind up in 
 a watery grave, and the only thing I desired to 
 say, was to leave some parting word to be sent 
 home to the little, heart-broken wife. 
 
 The devil seemed pleased to keep out of every 
 mind the thought of prayer; he gave consent for 
 me to go to heaven, if he could only stop my get- 
 ting other souls there. As I went down the third 
 time one brother cried out, "Lord, help him," 
 "Lord, save him," and immediately the darkness 
 overhead vanished, and then a volley of prayers 
 arose from those on the shore, as well as those 
 
A Pioneer Preacher. 35 
 
 struggling with the mad waters. When I was 
 going down the last time, I could hear the sound 
 of prayer. It was then for the first time that 
 hope revived, and I thought, "How can God let 
 these prayers sink?" From that time on, I felt 
 confident that though I was chastened sore, "He 
 had not given me over unto death." I appreciate 
 life as never before. Since that awful struggle, 
 one day seems fraught with more opportuiiiti?s 
 for receiving and doing good than did one week 
 before. 
 
 "Surely, goodness and mercy shall follow me 
 all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the 
 house of the Lord forever." 
 
CHAPTER V. 
 INCONSISTENCIES OF NO-SECTS. 
 
 After Three Years Absence Returns Home — Experience 
 With The "No-Sects" — Their Inconsistencies and 
 Destructive Work. 
 
 Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether 
 they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out 
 into the world. I Jno. 4 -i- 
 
 Every heresy is as old as the devil himself. It 
 may take on new and various forms to keep up 
 with the times and suit particular occasions, but 
 the underlying principle is as old as the first de- 
 lusion in the Garden of Eden. 
 
 "Of late years many have seen the formality 
 of ecclesiasticism, and in their unwise efforts to 
 correct it, they swing to the other extreme, and 
 advocate the abolition of government, or anarchy 
 in religion. The remedy has proven as bad as 
 the disease, and thoughtful Christian people are 
 looking for God's original plan, which is found 
 between these two extremes, yet at a safe dis- 
 tance from either. This body that contradistin- 
 guishes itself from the sectarian churches, has, m 
 the few short years of its existence, been ruptured 
 into over a dozen warring sects, each calling itself 
 
 (36) 
 
A Pioneer Preacher. 37 
 
 the "only true church." While doing this it has 
 failed to recognize the fact that all who are saved 
 from known sin and have the spirit of Jesus are 
 its members. It has therefore, by excluding some 
 of the Lord's real people, made itself a sect in 
 the strictest sense of the word, and by withhold- 
 ing recognition and fellowship from some who 
 have the Spirit, because of their real or supposed 
 lack of light, it has made its leaders ecclesiastics 
 of the most unmerciful sort. Though the Scrip- 
 ture is declared to be of no private interpretation, 
 yet the private interpretation of some passages 
 of scripture as given by the leaders, forms the dis- 
 cipline of these people; and that discipline has 
 been so changeable, erratic and inconsistent, that 
 division and Babylonish confusion of the worst 
 sort have been the result. Some factions of them 
 use the common ordinances and declare that all 
 who discard them will be damned ; others discard 
 all the ordinances and unchristianize all who use 
 them. Still others add feet washing and assert 
 that its omission is a sin punishable with eternal 
 death, while the anti-feet washers declare the 
 opposite. Again the private interpretation of 
 scripture, used as discipline and government, has 
 led to internal wars even among the members of 
 the various factions." 
 
38 The Ups and DoTons of 
 
 As was said before, after nearly three years' 
 absence I returned home for a short stay. Of 
 course every one wanted to come out and hear 
 "Rag'ged Elsie" preach. To their surprise the 
 Holy Ghost began to convict right and left until 
 old, hardened sinners were at the altar crying Xu 
 God for salvation. Deep things of long standing 
 were unearthed and confessions and restitution 
 were made. 
 
 I noticed that several of my relatives who had 
 in former years taken much active part in revival 
 services, now absented themselves entirely, though 
 they lived within hearing distance of the church. 
 After inquiring, I found that they had joined a 
 faction of the "No-sects" (for there are a num- 
 ber of them) known as the "Saints," the "Gospel 
 Trumpet" being their official organ. I called upon 
 them, urging them to assist in the meetings as 
 they did during the revival in which I was con- 
 verted. But they turned upon me, saying they 
 had received great light ("The evening light") 
 and that I must likewise walk in it and "come out 
 of Babylon," or be damned. I asked, "What do 
 you mean by 'Babylon?'" They replied, "Con- 
 fusion." "Well," said I, "God bless you, there is 
 no confusion in me; heaven is inside of 
 me." But, no, I could not persuade them 
 
A Pioneer Preacher. 39 
 
 to attend the revival, for they had heeded 
 the command, "Come out of her" (meaning 
 all forms of church organizations) and to go 
 would be to encourage "man-made institutions." 
 They carried on services at the same hour that 
 we did and finally built a separate place of wor- 
 ship, tvithin one rod of the church, so that the 
 "confusion" they were seeking to avoid was doub- 
 ly increased. They talked much about their great 
 freedom and of how they did not belong to any- 
 thing but Christ, but the fact was, they were in 
 more bondage than we, for they dare not sanction, 
 or attend any other service than their own. 
 
 Later on when invited to one of their big tent 
 meetings in town, I went and preached for them, 
 though I had to cancel an engagement at our own 
 church to do so. The fact was, we practised what 
 they preached more than they themselves did. 
 And should we not enter every open door in or- 
 der to get the truth of God upon the people? I 
 will preach for anything under the sun if I get 
 a chance, and they will take it. 
 
 Oh, the absurdities carried on in the name 
 of freedom and religion! These deluded souls 
 wanted to come to our services but dare not do 
 it; they were interested in the salvation of their 
 neig'hbors, but because one of their big preachers 
 
40 The Ups and Downs of 
 
 had prophesied that there would never be any- 
 good done in the old Shelhamer church and that 
 it was forsaken of God, therefore they must never 
 enter. There was much Scripture quoted and 
 misinterpreted to substantiate their views. Fi- 
 nally they became so bitter that they denounced 
 me openly and declined to invite me into their 
 homes lest they should be guilty of "bidding him 
 God speed." I succeeded, under God, in getting 
 several to break loose from that spirit of bond- 
 age, which was equal to Catholicism or Seventh- 
 Day Adventism. This angered and fortified the 
 others, who actually warned me with tears, saying 
 I had resisted the light, the blood of souls was 
 upon me, and I had sealed unto myself damnation. 
 Later on one of their preachers gave me a couple 
 columns of free advertisement by way of denun- 
 ciation in "The Gospel Trumpet." 
 
 I have noticed one general characteristic about 
 this and similar delusions, viz., the adherents 
 are ever ready to quote and argue Scripture, but 
 oh, there is such a lamentable absence of holy joy 
 and the spirit of prevailing prayer. They can 
 talk or sing for hours with more relish than they 
 can commune with God thirty minutes. 
 
 Contention and strife ran rampant in that 
 community for several years until now there are 
 
A Pioneer Preacher. 41 
 
 no services and both places of worship are aban- 
 doned. I often thank God for getting me out, like 
 Abraham, from my "kindred and father's house," 
 and sending me west, only two weeks before this 
 destructive element entered and ruined, perhaps 
 the most spiritual church in that part of the coun- 
 try. Doubtless in my zeal I would have gone 
 with them, for their preachers at first confined 
 themselves to salvation themes and "reserved the 
 strong meat until the people could bear it." This 
 of course generally caught the zealous and inno- 
 cent. Any system of religion that leaves such 
 havoc in its wake as this does, is certainly not the 
 kind that Christ instituted, notwithstanding all 
 they may say and quote about "unity" and "one- 
 ness." (In our book on "False Doctrines and Fa- 
 naticism Exposed," this and many other latter- 
 day heresies are handled at length, without 
 gloves. ) 
 
CHAPTER VI. 
 
 FIVE MONTHS' REVIVAL. 
 
 Greensburg Meeting — No Crowds — Sermon to One Man — 
 Two Weeks' Sleeping on the Floor — Arrested — The 
 Tide Turns — Church Packed for Five Months — Un- 
 wise Pastor. 
 
 Be ye steadfast, unmovaile, always abounding in the xoorlc 
 of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labor is not in 
 vain in the Lord. I Cor. 15:58. 
 
 There is great need of resolute determination 
 on the part of soul-winners. The fact is, this is a 
 superficial age and we think we must have favor- 
 able circumstances before attempting a revival. 
 Then, after it is begun, everything must move off 
 smoothly else some official will get frightened. If 
 things do not break through immediately there is 
 talk of "not protracting any longer." Most evan- 
 gelists can stay only ten days or two weeks at 
 most and must have a good singer, a choir, a 
 promise of $100.00 or more, and a nice boarding 
 place in order to succeed. 
 
 Is this the way nations go to war? Is this the 
 way to take a city? Never! Some of the great- 
 est victories ever won have been preceded by long 
 
 sieges and many privations. And shall we be less 
 
 (42) 
 
A Pioneer Preacher. 43 
 
 valiant for immortal souls? Oh, for more of that 
 invincible, irresistible faith that can not be turned 
 down; that which refuses to recognize obstacles 
 or inconveniences! Many a meeting has closed 
 right on the eve of victory ; and in other instances 
 when the devil could do no better, he has compro- 
 mised with a small concession of a few souls 
 when there should have been scores of them. 
 
 I felt led to open up a meeting at Greensburg, 
 Pa., an old aristocratic town of 12,000 inhabi- 
 tants, some thirty miles from Pittsburg. We suc- 
 ceeded in renting an old Covenanter Church on 
 Main street, which had stood idle for years. The 
 day after renting it another party tried to get it, 
 but I had it for one month, with privilege of 
 three. Another young preacher was with me and 
 we set in to bombard the place. We found that 
 the city officials had succeeded in keeping the Sal- 
 vation Army out and now they felt indignant that 
 the army had entered (as they thought) in citi- 
 zens' clothes. 
 
 The first night we went up to the center of the 
 city, opposite the courthouse, and had street ser- 
 vice. As it was a new thing in the place, we soon 
 had an immense crowd around us. We invited 
 the people to the church where we anticipated a 
 good sized audience. Instead, three illiterate 
 
44 The Ups and Doivm of 
 
 looking people came. The next night we had two, 
 the third night one and the fourth night none, but 
 God had clearly sent us there and we had been 
 diligent to call, advertise and invite the people 
 out, hence felt it was a test of faith and He would 
 eventually honor the attempt. We preached every 
 night, audience or no audience, and trusted that a 
 God-sent arrow would fly out of the open door 
 or window and wound some passer-by. One 
 night when there was only one present, I preach- 
 ed (for that was what we called it) until the 
 perspiration flowed freely and the lone stranger, 
 who was a crippled, red-headed boy, began to 
 look this way and that, and doubtless thought 
 "Thou art the man." Well, he was, for later he 
 got saved and went to preaching. He told me 
 that the thing that took hold of him was the ear- 
 nestness manifested on the preacher's part when 
 there was no one present but himself. He 
 thought, "If that man has such concern for my 
 soul surely I ought to be concerned." 
 
 Afterward, when he himself was in a series of 
 meetings in the mountains of West Virginia, and 
 a great snow storm was raging, he thought he 
 would not go, but finally did and found only five 
 people present. His first impression was, "Just 
 have a prayer and dismiss," but then the thought 
 
A Pioneer Preacher. 45 
 
 came, "If Brother S had done so, I never 
 
 would have been saved." So he mounted the 
 stand, took a text and preached with all his might. 
 The result was that two out of the five came for- 
 ward and were converted the same night. See 
 the power of example ! 
 
 The first two weeks of the Greensburg meet- 
 ing, no one invited us home and not being on the 
 popular line, where money flowed freely, we ate 
 and slept in the church. The floor in front of the 
 pulpit was the bed, and for pillows we turned 
 chairs upside down and leaned up against them. 
 Like Paul and Silas, we frequently praised God 
 at midnight, though I confess that at the end of 
 two weeks the floor could be very sensibly felt, 
 and as it was in October, it was rather chilly 
 sleeping, too. 
 
 One night, during one of our street meetings, 
 I was summoned by an officer to appear before 
 the mayor, when the following conversation took 
 place : 
 
 "You are holding meetings down in the old 
 Covenanter Church, are you?" 
 
 "Yes, sir." 
 
 "Well, that is where we want you to stay and 
 not come out on the street." 
 
 "But we feel that there is a class of people on 
 
46 The Ups and Downs of 
 
 the street who never go to church and in order to 
 reach them, we go where they are." 
 
 "Well, we do not want you on the street, and," 
 (speaking to the policeman, he said) : "If they 
 come out again, arrest them." 
 
 "Very well, we shall obey God rather than 
 man ; if He will release us we will cease, but if not, 
 you will find us out bright and early tomorrow 
 night." 
 
 "I think He will release you if you tell Him 
 the mayor said so." 
 
 "God does not listen to mayors." 
 
 With this I left and continued our street meet- 
 ing. That night the preacher boys both prayed 
 God to handle things and, accordingly, early the 
 next morning the mayor with another brother 
 Free-Mason, knocked and came in tremblingly, 
 saying, "You can have street meetings, only do 
 not come out on Main street this week, as it is the 
 week of the fair." 
 
 We continued in the church for a month, at 
 the end of which our congregation averaged only 
 about twenty-five and these were a new lot every 
 night, rendering it difficult to get conviction on 
 the people. There was only one soul converted 
 during the month. 
 
 We felt determined to succeed and get the 
 
A Pioneer Preacher. 47 
 
 truth on the people, hence resorted to the street. 
 One Saturday as we came singing up the street 
 and approached our appointed place for meet- 
 ing, the chief of police (who was a Catholic) met 
 us and ordered us to pass on. We continued sing- 
 ing, and again he ordered us to pass on or he 
 would deal "roughly" with us. The people saw 
 that he was angry and came rushing together 
 from all directions, until there must have been 
 several hundred around us. 
 
 Presently he took hold of my assistant, who 
 was standing next to him, and said, "Come with 
 me." At this I saw that the crowd was agitated 
 and, motioning with my hand, said, "Just be still 
 a moment and we will preach to you." At this 
 the "Chief" looked around to see if I was follow- 
 ing, and when he saw that I was getting ready 
 to speak, turned and grasped my arm, saying, "I 
 want you, also." I took one step, then said, ".Just 
 wait a moment; we have not had prayer," and 
 before he had time to protest we were upon our 
 knees. He at once let go of us; then it was our 
 time and we took hold of him, holding him fast 
 while one, then the other, prayed perhaps fifteen 
 or twenty minutes. We told God how venders 
 and patent medicine men could come out on that 
 very corner and sing obscene songs and crack 
 
48 The Ups and Dovem of 
 
 coarse jokes, then cheat and get the people's mon- 
 ey, and it was all right. But when two boys came 
 along singing religious songs and trying to do the 
 people good, they must be arrested. We asked 
 God to have mercy upon the officials and lay not 
 this sin to their charge. By this time men were 
 "fighting-mad" in our favor. 
 
 We were taken to the mayor's office to have a 
 hearing. Men and women pressed their way to 
 the front, while one said, "What are the charges ? 
 I will pay it, if it is $20.00." Another cried out 
 and said, "I will pay it if it is $100.00." Still 
 farther back one spoke, "I would not touch those 
 boys for $1,000.00." By this time the old mayor 
 was getting frightened and seemed to feel as did 
 the Scribes and Pharisees when they sought to 
 lay hands upon Jesus, "but feared the people." We 
 were released, went out and finished our street 
 service. 
 
 The daily papers took it up, and from this 
 time people began to come to the church, many, 
 of course, just to see what kind of beings we were 
 that we should be arrested for preaching the gos- 
 pel. Bible conviction began to seize hold of them 
 and sometimes the churchyard was full of people 
 one hour before service in order to get seats. The 
 interest was so great that men climbed up on the 
 
A Pioneer Preacher. 49 
 
 trees and windows outside, to look in as the aisles 
 were packed out to the street at both entrances 
 and it was difficult to have enough room for the 
 seekers to kneel. God was in the midst, saving, 
 sanctifying and healing the people. The meet- 
 ing continued for five months. We organized a 
 class of nearly forty, built a nice church and dedi- 
 cated it free of debt in nine months from the time 
 we entered the town. 
 
 On one occasion a traveling man was out for 
 a walk Sunday morning and came down by the 
 old church. We were having altar service and 
 a number were seeking holiness; one was pray- 
 ing in a loud manner, saying, "Let me die," and 
 another was saying, "Yes, kill him out." The trav- 
 eling man rushed back to his hotel, saying, "Send 
 some officer down to that old brick building at 
 once, for there is a big fight there." And he was 
 right, for a number died the death to carnalitj 
 and got free indeed. One Sabbath morning while 
 we were preaching, a young man who had been 
 cramped and held down just as long as he could 
 stand it, sprang into the air saying, "That's the 
 stuff," and from that time on was known as 
 "Shouting Tommy." 
 
 There were several preachers dug out in that 
 meeting, but from lack of proper care, the work 
 
50 The Ups and Dotvns of 
 
 ran down. It is very noticeable that in order 
 to avoid a reaction after a good meeting, much 
 depends upon the pastor who follows the revival, 
 especially if it be conducted by an evangelist. If 
 the pastor is out of harmony with any of the views 
 or methods of the former, and especially if he be 
 unwise enough to let it be known, he will either 
 poison the minds of the converts against their 
 spiritual father or, in his attempt to do so, do a 
 worse thing, kill his own influence over them and 
 then the work will be sure to run down. This is 
 too frequently the case. However, taking all 
 things into consideration, the results of this meet- 
 ing directly and indirectly can be computed only 
 in eternity. 
 
CHAPTER VII. 
 
 DEMONS CAST OUT. 
 
 A Murderer's Threat — Demons Cast Out — Sin of Fathel 
 Affects Child — The Devil Professes Religion. 
 
 He gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them 
 out, and to heal all manner of sickness. Matt. 10:1. 
 
 While Holy Writ declares that Jesus Christ 
 is the "same yesterday and today and forever," 
 the same can be said of Satan. He possesses and 
 controls human beings today just as he did in the 
 times of Christ. 
 
 We are accustomed to speak of it in polite 
 terms as "fits," "spasms," "convulsions," etc., but 
 the fact is, in many instances it is nothing more 
 or less than demon possession. Much of the in- 
 sanity so prevalent is nothing but devil possession. 
 He assumes different forms as "a dumb spirit," 
 "an unclean spirit," "a lying spirit," etc. Doubt- 
 less this is why those who are thus possessed are 
 given to dumbness, licentiousness, or inveterate 
 lying, as the case may be. God wants to offset 
 this by empowering His ministers to cast them 
 out according to His word in Matt. -10:1, and 
 
 Mark 16:17, 18. 
 
 (51) 
 
52 The Ups and DoXens of 
 
 Another incident took place during the Greens- 
 burg meeting, of which I desire to speak. One 
 day I was walking along the street and met a 
 burly looking man, accompanied by several other 
 like characters. He stopped me and in a fit of 
 rage said, "I will be one of twelve men to ride you 
 out of town on a rail and tar and feather you. I 
 would just like to cut your heart out and erect it 
 on a pole." I asked him what reason he had for 
 speaking thus. His answer was, "For separating 
 families." I told him we had not done so, but 
 that his wife had been saved in our meeting and 
 what harm could there be in that? He likewise 
 would have been saved had he not rejected light. 
 I remembered seeing him under such deep con- 
 viction that he turned pale and trembled, but 
 promised to yield at another time. He was told 
 then, that he would either yield to God, or turn 
 against Him and His people. 
 
 After his wife was blessedly saved we were 
 invited to their home to pray for their little thir- 
 teen-year-old daughter who had fits. It was a 
 case similar to that recorded in Mark 9:14-29. 
 As soon as we entered the house she came running 
 to us, jumping up and down, clapping her hands 
 against each side of her head and gnashing her 
 teeth together. Then she fell down and "wal- 
 
A Pioneer Preacher. 53 
 
 lowed, foaming." We knelt and in Jesus' name 
 rebuked the foul spirit and for seven days she 
 was free from those awful spasms; she was pre- 
 viously accustomed to having several each day. 
 The seventh night this wicked father bepan curs- 
 ing in her presence and declared God had nothing 
 to do in curing his little girl, but that it was sim- 
 ply a natural change. While he was thus blas- 
 pheming, she took another spasm. Then he raved 
 and tore, choked his wife and threatened to kill 
 her if she went another time to those meetings. 
 She went and he waited for her outside the door 
 with a huge club and, raising it, declared he would 
 be as good as his word, but God held his mur- 
 derous hand so that he did not have the power to 
 strike her. 
 
 He now saw that he must employ different 
 tactics, so began attending a sham revival at his 
 church, went forward, professed religion, shout- 
 ed and rolled on the floor. The next morning it 
 was reported all around what a wonderful re- 
 vival was in progress, and that they had the most 
 remarkable conversion the previous night that 
 they had had for years. When I heard of it I 
 said, "Praise God, I am glad to hear it, but if it 
 is genuine, doubtless he will be coming around 
 asking pardon for wanting an opportunity to cut 
 
54 The Ups and Dorem of 
 
 my heart out." He never came, however, but 
 said to his wife, "Now since I want to do better, 
 you ought to help me and go with me to the church 
 of my choice." Well, there seemed to be a great 
 change in him and she did not know what to an- 
 swer, but as she wanted to come to our services, 
 they finally compromised the matter and he sug- 
 gested that she go one Sabbath with him and he 
 go the next Sabbath with her. Very well; she 
 went her day with him, but the next Sabbath 
 he had the headache so bad he could not go any- 
 where. When his day came again he was able 
 to go to church and of course took her along, but 
 the next Sabbath, was very ill and desired that 
 she remain at home and care for him. Thus it 
 went on until she began to get her eyes open. 
 
 Finally he made one more proposition, viz., 
 "Tell those boys I will give them thirty days to 
 heal my little girl and if so, I will then go along 
 with you and join their church, but if not you 
 must go with me and join where I belong." When 
 the eager wife spoke to me, I replied that we did 
 not make contracts with the devil, and were not 
 fishing for members, but at any rate we would 
 set a day of fasting and prayer for the little girl. 
 We did, and again she was miraculously deliv- 
 ered from the tormenting spirit and for twenty- 
 
A Pioneer Preacher. 55 
 
 nine beautiful days the child was restored to her 
 mother. But this devil-possessed father saw that 
 his thirty days were about completed and accord- 
 ingly came home the night of the twenty-ninth 
 and began to curse and swear, saying, "I see there 
 is no use in my trying to do right, for you will 
 not go with me to my church and I can't go with 
 you to the other place." At this the poor child 
 was again taken with convulsions. Why God 
 should permit such a thing I do not know, but 
 sometimes He does recognize the faith and obe- 
 dience of parents for the healing of their children. 
 From this incident, as well as many others, I have 
 learned that the devil can profess religion, shout 
 and become very pious when it is to his interest 
 to do so. 
 
CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 DIVINE HEALING. 
 
 Divine Healing — Hit in tlie Face While Preaching — Bil- 
 liard Player Enters the Ministry — Hopeless Case of 
 Typhoid Fever Healed— Infidel "M. D." Has More 
 Faith Than the "D. D." 
 
 Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy dis- 
 eases. Ps. 103:3. 
 
 What about healing? All will admit that Jesus 
 Christ "has power to heal the body." "Why," 
 they say, "He can do anything." Such mental 
 assenting to His Divinity is good but it gets no- 
 where. The question is, does the atonement make 
 provision for the body as well as for the soul? If 
 so, we are living beneath our privilege in being 
 sick and incapacitated, when we might be well 
 and at our best for God. 
 
 The philosophy of healing is plain. The God 
 of nature has imparted healing properties to cer- 
 tain roots, plants, minerals, climates, etc. Now, 
 if we were innocent and knew as much as dogs 
 and cats, our intuition would tell us how and 
 where to find relief. But since we do not know 
 what to take God has mercifully made provision 
 whereby we can come to Him and, like the woman 
 
 (56) 
 
A Pioneer Preacher. 57 
 
 spoken of in Mark 5 :28, get the virtue direct and 
 first-hand rather than by way of the drug-store. 
 Doubtless Christ could have told this woman of 
 some natural remedy, but since He was the em- 
 bodiment of "every good and perfect gift," He 
 permitted her to get all she needed by touching 
 Him. 
 
 On another occasion he turned water into 
 wine. You have seen Him do this many times, 
 but by the slow process of nature it usually takes 
 about six months instead of six minutes. The 
 rain falls upon the earth, the vine drinks it up, 
 there are green, then ripe grapes, and in the end 
 water is turned into wine. In times of emergency 
 Christ can either hurry up natural law or set it 
 aside and impart His life-giving virtue, which is 
 as good or better. Hence, these natural or manu- 
 factured remedies may be allowable to those with- 
 out faith (provided they can hit on the right 
 thing every time) , but God has provided "a more 
 excellent way" for those who will implicitly trust 
 Him. Of course, this does not imply that we act 
 the fool and carelessly disregard the laws of 
 health; but it does mean that when we do all in 
 our power, the Omnipotent God stands ready to 
 do for us what we can not do for ourselves. Hal- 
 lelujah ! 
 
58 The Ups and Downs of 
 
 At Leec'hburg, Pa., we were preaching in the 
 opera house. Souls were now being saved at the 
 same spot where the devil had previously per- 
 formed. Here we had some interesting street 
 meetings. One evening while I was speaking 
 from a large stone in front of the post-oifice, I 
 realized that the "prince of the power of the air" 
 was disturbing the elements in the form of rocks, 
 mud balls and other things. Presently a mud ball 
 hit me square in the face, but did not stick. When 
 the anointing oil is upon us, we can plow through 
 this old world of lust, pride and covetousness 
 without anything (spiritually, and many times 
 literally) sticking to us, or impeding our progress. 
 Another street meeting held in front of a bil- 
 liard hall brought out some of the players, one 
 of whom was convicted, converted, went to preach- 
 ing and is still a marvel of grace. 
 
 A woman who was down with typhoid fever 
 heard of our healing meetings and sent for me 
 to come and pray for her. Her neighbors de- 
 clared they would never have that man pray in 
 their homes, especially a sick room, for he prayed 
 so loudly it would disgrace them. But she in- 
 sisted, so her husband came to invite us over. As 
 we entered the house the doctor was leaving. He 
 had left eighteen fever powders with strict or- 
 
A Pioneer Preacher. 59 
 
 ders not to eat one morsel, lest it produce death. 
 It was then seven days since she had taken any 
 nourishment, excepting a little boiled milk. I 
 began talking to her about her Christian experi- 
 ence, and found it unsatisfactory. At one time 
 they both enjoyed religion and held family pray- 
 ers with their children, but fashion and money- 
 making drowned it out, until God had to permit 
 a fire to sweep away their business property with 
 no insurance. They owned their own home, but 
 were now again considered among the common 
 people. I asked her if, in case she got well, it 
 was her full purpose to renounce the world, give 
 herself wholly to God and again erect the family 
 altar. She replied that it was. I then read some 
 scripture and knelt at her bedside to pray. As 
 I rehearsed her former life with present vows to 
 God, I heard her throw her large gold ring on 
 the chair, and the next moment she sat erect in 
 bed praising God and clapping her bony hands 
 together. I then anointed her with oil in the 
 name of the Lord for the healing of her body. 
 Her husband looked on in amazement, and as soon 
 as I left the room she called for her clothes and 
 arose, went down-stairs, and ate such things as 
 the rest of the family had for dinner. That af- 
 ternoon she went out on the street to tell her 
 
60 The Ups and Downs of 
 
 neighbors what the Lord had done for her, and 
 met her pastor, who had previously been to see 
 her and prayed for her "speedy recovery." By 
 this time he had heard of her healing and said, 
 "Woman, you are all excited and under the influ- 
 ence of that fanatic who was in to pray with you, 
 and as soon as his influence lifts, you will fall 
 prostrate on the street. Go home and go to bed." 
 She praised God and told him she felt as well 
 as ever in her life, and though still poor in body, 
 she believed she would soon gain in flesh. An- 
 other preacher denounced us and preached a ser- 
 mon against Divine Healing, saying, "The days 
 of miracles and supernatural events ceased with 
 the Apostolic age." But what good did it do 
 these D.D.'s ("Dumb Dogs," Isa. 56:10, 11) to 
 bark like this? There was this living example, 
 right in their midst. The infidel doctor mani- 
 fested more honesty than they, for he declared 
 it was supernatural and desired to read up on the 
 subject, while they did not. 
 
 It is fitting to remark that the wom- 
 an did not take a relapse, but rather 
 grew stronger, joined our society and was made 
 class-leader. Her husband was reclaimed and did 
 some good preaching. Their home became a home 
 for ministers. Their well-to-do relatives far and 
 
A Pioneer Preacher. 61 
 
 near heard of it, sought salvation, and as a result, 
 other classes were organized that never would 
 have been, had it not been for this incident. The 
 loss of property and a case of typhoid fever were 
 blessings in disguise. 
 
 "God moves in a mysterious way 
 
 His wonders to perform; 
 He plants His footsteps in the sea, 
 
 And rides upon the storm. 
 
 "His purposes will ripen fast, 
 
 Unfolding every hour, 
 The bud may have a bitter taste, 
 
 But sweet will be the flower.'' 
 
CHAPTER IX. 
 
 SHALLOW REVIVALS. 
 
 Sleeping on Benches — Disturbance at a Sham Revival — 
 "Throw Him Out of the House"— Conditions of Sal- 
 vation Unchangeable. 
 
 Art thou he that troubleth Israel? I Kings 18:17. 
 
 Elijah was looked upon by some as a "troubler 
 in Israel." From time to time God raised up 
 other prophets who likewise were a "Terror to 
 evil-doers and a praise to them that do well." 
 Thus He preserved a clean people who exposed 
 all kinds of departures from righteousness. 
 Should not this be the case still? Does not this 
 age need men who are so pronounced on every 
 issue that God's voice through them will be heard ? 
 The night was freezing weather, and we Aad 
 no place to sleep except in the town hall, where 
 we had just closed out our first service. Accord- 
 ingly, we pulled benches up to the small stove and 
 with Bible for a pillow and overcoat for a cover- 
 ing, we spent our first night in Uniontown, Pa. 
 The fire went out and this gave us a good chance 
 to spend the rest of the night in prayer and medi- 
 
 (62) 
 
A Pioneer Preacher. 63 
 
 tation. It paid to lay a good foundation, for now 
 there is a brick church there valued at $10,000. 
 It was a cold beginning but a good ending. God 
 gave us a good meeting, and we had to move to 
 a larger hall. However, our spiritual fruit was 
 principally hand-picked, rather than windfalls. 
 The former do not count so fast, but are better 
 keepers. 
 
 While our meeting was in progress, a "big 
 meeting" began not far away. It had run only 
 about two weeks when it was reported that nearly 
 one hundred had been converted, sometimes ten 
 or more in one night. A bright young man who 
 had been converted in our meeting said to me one 
 evening, "How is it that we see only a few saved 
 each week, while over in this other meeting they 
 are getting saved, as many as ten in one service?" 
 I did not think it wis«, or just, to question the 
 thoroughness of the meeting when I did not have 
 positive evidence, so said, "We do not have ser- 
 vices next Monday night, and I will go over with 
 you." We went, and instead of taking a back 
 seat (as preachers generally do when they attend 
 another meeting) , we pressed our way as far to- 
 ward the front as possible. The preacher spoke 
 well, and cried out against many popular evils. 
 When the altar call was given and many respond- 
 
64 The Ups and Downs of 
 
 ed, we pressed our way forward to assist. It was 
 difficult to get a chance to do much, for as soon 
 as a seeker knelt, some authorized worker or con- 
 vert immediately began talking to him. As far 
 as we heard, nothing was said about renouncing 
 the world, or praying through to victory but rath- 
 er on this wise: "Do you acknowledge 
 that you are a sinner? Do you want to 
 be saved? Well, then, accept Christ as your 
 Savior." Those giving affirmative answers 
 to these or similar questions were encouraged to 
 arise and say they had believed on Christ. Of 
 course, this .brought a sense of relief, for any one 
 will feel better at the thought of escaping hell 
 and having a hope of heaven. If such a hope can 
 be had without much sacrifice and humiliation, 
 multitudes are ready to accept and embrace it. 
 Such seems to have been the case in this meeting. 
 At the close of the altar service there was 
 a general hand-shaking and a number came and 
 shook my hand, calling me by name and saying, 
 "Don't you know me? Why, I have heard you 
 preach many a time in your hail, and also at the 
 camp meeting!" Then I inquired, "What are 
 you doing here? Have you been converted in 
 this meeting?" The answer was always in the 
 affirmative. Hence I took the liberty to ask in a 
 
A Pioneer Preacher. 65 
 
 pleasing manner: "And what does your religion 
 do for you? Does it keep you from getting an- 
 gry when things go wrong?" 
 
 "Not always. You know we all get worried." 
 Another came, and as he was still using tobacco, 
 I said, "I am glad you have decided to live for 
 God; but may I ask, what does your religion do 
 for you? Does it give you victory over all un- 
 clean habits, such as tobacco, etc.?" 
 
 "Oh, well, the Bible does not mention tobac- 
 co." 
 
 "Would you like to know the reason why? 
 Simply because it is too filthy, and then the Bible 
 is a book of principles covering every unclean 
 and unrighteous thing without necessarily men- 
 tioning it in so many exact words." 
 
 "Oh, well, we were getting along so nicely 
 until you came ; you just came to disturb our 
 peace." 
 
 A third one, who was a fashionable woman, 
 greeted me, and after telling me she had frequent- 
 ly attended our meetings and had just professed 
 Christ, I ventured to ask, "And does your religion 
 save you from the love of the world, with all its 
 customs and fashions?" 
 
 With both hands uplifted, she said, "It makes 
 no difference what you wear, if your heart is only 
 
66 The Ups and Doxens of 
 
 right. I could wear rings on my fingers to the 
 tips, and get to heaven." 
 
 I did not know until that instant that she wore 
 five rings, but replied, "My sister, you might as 
 well say, 'It makes no difference how much I 
 lie, if my heart is only right.' It is to be sup- 
 posed, if the heart is right, your outward life will 
 correspond with the Word." 
 
 With this, they surrounded me saying, "You 
 have just come here to disturb our peace," One 
 woman held a broom in her hand, another took 
 hold of my overcoat and began pulling toward the 
 door, and a third convert, who was a man, said, 
 "Let us throw him out of the house!" This en- 
 raged an on-Iooker who was a non-professor, and 
 stepping up, said, "If you throw him out, I will 
 throw you out and stand you on your head." I 
 told them it was so crowded, if they would just 
 give me a little time I would quietly depart. As 
 soon as we were out, the young convert who had 
 been silently taking it all in, said, "I can see the 
 difference now." 
 
 "Yes ; they act just like I did before I was con- 
 verted." 
 
 In every place where an uncompromising gos- 
 pel is preached, there will be found many who 
 get under conviction, but do not want to pay the 
 
A Pioneer Preacher. 67 
 
 full price and clean up the bottom. The devil 
 takes in the situation and is pleased to have a 
 "cheap rate" revival scoop in such souls, for he 
 well knows that after they have taken on a pro- 
 fession of religion, it is almost impossible to get 
 them to consider the thought that they are yet 
 without God. Oh, that souls could understand 
 that it cost just as much to get and keep the favor 
 of God in one place as in another. A profession, 
 or relief of conscience can be had easily, but re- 
 member, when you want the witness from high 
 heaven, it means an unconditional surrender at 
 whatever altar you may kneel. God declares that 
 he who seeks an easier way, "Turneth away his 
 ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall 
 be abomination." 
 
 The writer does not want to be critical, but 
 duty compels him to cry out, not only against sin 
 of all kinds, but against such superficial methods 
 as are used in our great revival campaigns where 
 multitudes "accept Christ" (?) by "hitting the 
 sawdust trail," shaking hands, or signing a card. 
 
 We have attended these meetings, studied 
 their methods, and witnessed the sad after effects 
 of such campaigns. If this class of evangelists 
 posed as reformers, we could bid them Godspeed, 
 but when they get hundreds and thousands to 
 
68 The Ups and Downs of 
 
 think that the new birth consists in a handshake, 
 signing a card and mentally accepting Christ, we 
 cannot be partakers with them in thus deceiving 
 souls. 
 
 When gold and diamonds are more apparent 
 than "modest apparel;" when the secret lodge 
 system is winked at and the doctrine of holiness 
 slapped at; when the cries of a penitent or the 
 shouts of a saint create confusion, when tobacco- 
 soaked preachers and fashionable church mem- 
 bers are among the "personal workers" — when 
 these are some of the earmarks in a "campaign," 
 what kind of converts may we expect? No won- 
 der Wesley cried out and said, "How terrible is 
 this! When the ambassadors of God turn agents 
 for the devil ! — when they who are commissioned 
 to teach men the way to heaven, do in fact teach 
 the way to hell. If ever asked, 'Why, who does 
 this ?' I answered, 'Ten thousand wise and honora- 
 ble men ; even all those, of whatever denominaton, 
 who encourage the proud, the trifler, the passion- 
 ate, the lover of the world, the man of pleasure, 
 the unjust or unkind, the easy, careless, harmless, 
 useless creatures, the man who suffers no perse- 
 cution for righteousness' sake, to imagine he is in 
 the way to heaven. These are false prophets, in 
 the highest sense of the word. These are trai- 
 
A Pioneer Preacher. 69 
 
 tors both to God and man. These are no other 
 than the firstborn of Satan; the eldest son of 
 Apollyon, the destroyer. These are far above the 
 rank of ordinary cut-throats ; for they murder the 
 souls of men. They are continually peopling the 
 realms of night; and whenever they follow the 
 poor souls they have destroyed, 'hell shall be 
 moved from beneath to meet them at their com- 
 ing.' " 
 
CHAPTER X. 
 
 SEEKING HEART PURITY. 
 
 A Crisis in Life — Seeking Heart Purity After Having 
 Professed and Preached it for Years — Crucifixion 
 Ratlier Than Consecration — What the Old Writers Say. 
 
 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that 
 the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should 
 not serve sin. Rom. 6:6. 
 
 I here feel led to refer to my seeking the ex- 
 perience of heart purity. It was on this wise. 
 After doing some evangelistic work in Ohio, Penn- 
 sylvania and West Virginia, I was much worn in 
 body, and for a change temporarily took charge 
 of an orphans' home in Virginia. Like Moses on 
 the "back side of the desert," I found this a good 
 place to get away from the people and enjoy long 
 seasons of waiting upon God. While doing so, 
 the Holy Spirit unexpectedly discovered to me that 
 my experience needed a general overhauling. 
 
 I had been professing and preaching holiness, 
 and numbers had professed the experience under 
 my ministry. I see now that though I was partly 
 responsible, nevertheless one reason I did not get 
 down to business before was that no one got me 
 
 (70) 
 
A Pioneer Preacher. 71 
 
 under conviction. When the thought came that I 
 did not have what ought to be included in the 
 mighty baptism with the Holy Ghost, I naturally 
 looked around to see some one to whom I could 
 unbosom my heart. I had become so well ac- 
 quainted with the inside life of ministers that I 
 confess I did not know where to go, so again con- 
 cluded that if they had it, I had also. They may 
 have had the experience, I hope so, but for some 
 reason their lives and preaching did not bring 
 conviction. 
 
 On several occasions I had special seasons of 
 fasting and prayer, each time receiving mighty 
 quickenings of the Spirit, but like others, stopped 
 short with these, instead of taking them as an in- 
 centive to the final crucifixion. 
 
 I well remember one of these occasions, in 
 which the Holy Ghost tried to lead me into the 
 genuine experience. We were having a farewell 
 service, when a number of bright, intelligent con- 
 verts came forward, and attributed their salva- 
 tion to something I had said or done. I felt a 
 sense of inward satisfaction over the thought that 
 my labor had not been in vain in the Lord. Very 
 well, doubtless it was all right to feel thus, but 
 what about the contrast of feeling when other 
 converts who were equally bright, spoke in the 
 
12 The Ups and Dorvns of 
 
 same manner of my co-laborer; this was what 
 opened my eyes. Outwardly I appeared just the 
 same, but way down inside of me there was some- 
 thing that did not rejoice. I also noticed that it 
 did not affect me thus except with particularly 
 bright and promising converts. After going 
 home I determined to investigate what such an 
 unpleasant sensation could be. The next morning 
 at family prayers I said, "Brethren, I do not 
 believe I am sanctified wholly. I have serious 
 doubts whether all unholy tempers and tendencies 
 are eliminated." One spoke up, "You surely must 
 be under pressure; I have been closely connected 
 with you for months and have never noticed in 
 one instance anything like pride, lust, self-will or 
 covetousness." I replied, "Very well, but you 
 have seen only the outside and not the inner mov- 
 ings of my soul." 
 
 This illustrated the power of regenerating 
 grace. Yet at times I had misgivings and won- 
 dered in my own mind how these things could be 
 consistent with a holy heart. I talked with my 
 brethren in the ministry about it and they eased 
 me down instead of probing to the bottom to try 
 to locate the trouble. Some called it "tempta- 
 tion," and some "human infirmities." Neverthe- 
 less, my peace was disturbed and my soul longed 
 
A Pioneer Preacher. 73 
 
 for deliverance. Somehow I could not obtain a 
 satisfactory witness and it seemed no one could 
 help me to go further and deeper than they had 
 gone themselves. On several occasions I followed 
 the directions of my brethren and made a "full 
 and complete consecration and dedication" of all 
 my powers to God. The result was a great bless- 
 ing and illumination of the Spirit. Of course I 
 was urged to call this "holiness" and did so in 
 strong terms. But in course of time I was again 
 conscious of a lack and strongly felt that heart cry 
 for something better. I kept it to myself and con- 
 tinued to profess and preach, not knowing any- 
 thing else to do. 
 
 But not until this time, in Virginia, did I, as 
 Wesley says, "see the ground-work of my heart, 
 the depths of pride, self-will and hell." I had 
 heard great and good men preach holiness, and 
 had been instructed to "make an entire consecra- 
 tion and take it by faith," which accordingly I 
 did and received a great "blessing." But now un- 
 der the white light from heaven it seemed to me 
 that this hurrying and singing one through did 
 not reach the case, at least my case. Hence I be- 
 gan to read up, and found that the early writers 
 were more thorough in their methods and expres- 
 sions than most of those in our day. 
 
74 The Ups and Downs of 
 
 Adam Clarke says: "Few are pardoned be- 
 cause they do not feel and confess their sins, and 
 few are cleansed from all sin or sanctified be- 
 cause they do not feel and confess their own sore 
 and the plague of their own hearts." 
 
 Fletcher says: "The deeper our sorrow for 
 and detestation of indwelling sin are, the more 
 penitently do we confess 'the plague of our heart ;' 
 and, when we properly confess it, we inherit the 
 blessing promised in these words : "If we confess 
 our sins He is faithful and just to forgive us our 
 sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." 
 
 "To promote this deep repentance, consider 
 how many spiritual evils still haunt your breast. 
 Look into ' the inward 'chamber of imagery, 
 where assuming self-love, surrounded by a multi- 
 tude of vain thoughts, keeps her court. Grieve 
 that your heart, which should be all flesh, is yet 
 partly stone ; that your soul, which should be only 
 a temple for the Holy Ghost, is yet so frequently 
 turned into a den of thieves, a hole for the cocka- 
 trice, a nest for a brood of spiritual vipers, for 
 the remains of envy, jealousy, fretfulness, anger, 
 pride, impatience, peevishness, formality, sloth, 
 prejudice, bigotry, carnal confidence, evil shame, 
 self-rig'hteousness, tormenting fears, uncharitable 
 suspicions, idolatrous love, and I know not how 
 
A Pioneer Preacher. 75 
 
 many of the evils which form the retinue of hy- 
 pocrisy and unbelief. Through grace detect these 
 evilsi by a close attention to what passes in your 
 heart at all times, but especially in an hour of 
 temptation. By frequent and deep confession 
 drag out all these abominations. These sins 
 which would not have Christ to reign alone over 
 you, bring before Wm; place them in the light of 
 His countenance, and if you do it in faith, that 
 light and the warmth of His love will kill them, 
 as the light of the sun kills the worms which the 
 plow turns up to the open air in a dry summer 
 day." 
 
 These and other holy men led me to believe 
 that God's method in dealing with the carnal 
 mind was confession and crucifixion. The gen- 
 eral idea is to seek a great blessing. Now, as I 
 abandoned myself to the operations of the Spirit, 
 He revealed to me in order, one phase of carnali- 
 ty, then another, dwelling on some particular ten- 
 dencies longer than others, according to my dis- 
 position. Many times during this overhauling I 
 was so overpowered by the Spirit that I was 
 ready to declare the work done. But then after 
 holding still, the same faithful Revealer would 
 uncover some other, and, if possible, more subtle 
 trait. He kept this up for some time, until I com- 
 
76 The Ups and Downs of 
 
 pletely died out to my feverish haste — to that dis- 
 position that wanted to profess quickly in order 
 to protect my reputation and the cause of God. 
 
 Oh, how I thanked Him then and do yet, that 
 He did not let me stop short, though at times, I 
 had great peace and joy. Instead of my having 
 to force myself, it was the highest sense of relief 
 to "drag out" every abomination. Finally He 
 brought me to the end of myself where it was 
 easy and natural to believe to the cleansing of the 
 soul. I dared not confess any more. I could do 
 nothing else but look up and say, "I believe Thee 
 to do it now, now, NOW." Then He gave the 
 witness so clear that I realized the Omnipotent 
 gaze could scan me through and through and find 
 nothing more that He saw ought to be removed. 
 That precious blood still flows over and cleanses 
 my heart from all sin. Praise His adorable 
 name ! Reader, how is it with you ? Do not rest 
 in a profession, but hold yourself to the cross, un- 
 til the precious Blood, through faith, cleanses and 
 permeates your entire being. 
 
CHAPTER XI. 
 
 NEW EXPERIENCES. 
 
 Courtship and Marriage — Ten Years of Happy Married 
 Life — Tlie Unexpected — Blairsville Meeting — Dealing 
 With the Color Line. 
 
 Where no counsel is the people fall: but in the multitude of 
 counsellors there is safety. Prov. 11 :H. 
 
 Marriage is of such a momentous nature that 
 of all things it should not be taken in hand unad- 
 visedly. Many a life has been blasted because of 
 haste in this matter ! Then many more there are 
 who though they have not been a complete fail- 
 ure, yet have not accomplished what they might 
 have, had God been permitted to wholly order 
 their steps. 
 
 When God originally chose a helpmeet for 
 man He did not take the material from his upper 
 extremities lest she should rule over him, nor did 
 the Creator use a part of man's lower extremities 
 lest he should trample her under foot. But God 
 took a "rib" from near Adam's heart that she 
 should be loved and protected by him; that she 
 should run by his side, and be equal with him, 
 and that his rights should be her rights. Now, to 
 get the proper companion, a man who is not clear- 
 
 (77) 
 
78 The Ups and Doxons of 
 
 ly led of the Spirit runs twenty-three chances out 
 of twenty-four of getting the wrong rib. 
 
 1 have much to be thankful for that God mer- 
 cifully prevented my doing as many young people 
 do, in foolishly falling in love, getting married 
 and then settling down to struggle for an exist- 
 ence. 
 
 Some time after my conversion God permitted 
 a love aifair to be broken up. For the time being 
 it almost broke my foolish heart, but it was the 
 best thing that could have happened. God saw 
 that though she was beautiful and had religion, 
 yet she was not the forceful character I needed to 
 help master difficulties, and be a good balance- 
 wheel. Her after life proved that she was not the 
 one for me, God had something better, but it 
 required years of waiting. It frequently pays to 
 wait. While in prayer at a camp meeting in Illi- 
 nois, the Lord first revealed to me my counterpart 
 in the person of a powerful little preacher, Miss 
 Minnie Baldwin. Though we had not said a word, 
 the same thing was revealed to others. We did 
 not see each other for one year, during which 
 time only three letters were written by each of 
 us. We resolved to keepi our eyes upon the throne 
 more than upon the post office. At the next year- 
 ly meeting we were happily united, and lived 
 together for ten beautiful years, after which the 
 
A Pioneer Preacher. 79 
 
 most unexpected thing of my life took place ; God 
 kissed her pure spirit away. Much could be said 
 here, but more will appear in another chapter. 
 
 After our marriage our first meeting togeth- 
 er was at New Brighton, Pa., the result of which 
 was one of the strongest classes in the Pittsburg 
 conference. In some respects this place had no 
 better showing than the work at Greensburg (for- 
 merly mentioned) except that here at New 
 Brighton the pastor took hold and fell into line 
 without being quick to take exception to every lit- 
 tle difference of opinion that might come up. This 
 pleased the converts and they were ready to fol- 
 low their new Joshua anywhere he might lead 
 them. It seems a great pity that some pastors 
 have so completely dried up and gone to seed that 
 well-nigh everything they touch dies upon their 
 hands. And yet these are the very ones who get 
 tried when they are not given one of the best ap- 
 pointments. Oh, that a bolt of heavenly lightning 
 might strike such ! They would make a big blaze 
 for they are so very dry. 
 
 Our next opening was Blairsville, where we 
 rented the old M. E. Church, using the upstairs 
 for services and the class-rooms for living quar- 
 ters. They were so dirty and barny-looking that 
 the tidy little wife wept when we entered, but as 
 
80 The Ups and Downs of 
 
 there was no available house, we had to make the 
 best of it. Soap, water and muscle soon made 
 things look cozy. This was a successful four- 
 months' meeting, several preachers, workers and 
 one missionary to India, besides a good class of 
 pilgrims, being the result. Thus we have several 
 representatives who are preaching during the 
 same hours that we are sleeping. Sometimes get- 
 ting one preacher or missionary dug out in a re- 
 vival is equivalent to a large number of common- 
 place souls. 
 
 One of our next places was in old Virginia, 
 not far from Richmond. This was my first expe- 
 rience laboring in a section where the color-line 
 existed, and I was full of zeal to obliterate it. I 
 felt it was so unjust and unscriptural that the 
 colored people were excluded from the religious 
 services that I began to invite them. They came 
 and filled up the back seats that were unoccupied. 
 It was not long before they began to feel at home, 
 and became very free in assenting to the truth. 
 The whites began to take exceptions, but we 
 thought it was simi;ly prejudice, and they needed 
 to be taught that the colored man had the same 
 right to salvation that any white man had. 
 
 But they could not be thus taught, and we 
 found it impossible to turn in a few weeks a sen- 
 
A Pioneer Preacher. 81 
 
 timent that had held sway for generations. The 
 result was that the white people stopped alto- 
 gether, and finally used violent methods to intimi- 
 date the colored people from coming. When the 
 colored people ceased to attend we thought to 
 have good attendance from the whites again ; but 
 no, by some secret understanding among them- 
 selves, they agreed to stay away. It would never 
 do to sit on the same seats, live in the same house, 
 or on the same street, that was formerly occu- 
 pied by "niggers." I found that though God had 
 enabled me to be more than a match for mobs, 
 arrests, poverty and dynamite, this kind of preju- 
 dice was too much for me. The people would 
 smile and be apparently friendly, but that old 
 sectional feeling was deeply seated within. I 
 confess I did not know how to take them, for I 
 had been accustomed to meeting hostility open 
 and above-board. 
 
 There is that distinguishing feature about the 
 North and the South. In the North, you will 
 either be welcomed or openly opposed, while in 
 the South the people will either fall in love with 
 you so as to almost drown you with their hospi- 
 tality, or you will be given a "good letting alone" 
 without being told the reason why. In the North 
 each town or community stands upon its own 
 
82 The Ups and Downs of 
 
 merit, so that if you are opposed in one place you 
 can go a few miles distant and be heartily re- 
 ceived. In the South they are more clannish and 
 if one man, or community, is set against you, the 
 others will be likewise. This clinging to each 
 other may date back to the "reconstruction pe- 
 riod" at close of the (un-civil) war, when intense 
 poverty and suffering cemented these people to- 
 gether. 
 
 Each section is to blame for its attitude toward 
 the other. The Northern papers and people ex- 
 cuse the colored man and look upon him as a 
 martyr ; then the Southern papers go to the other 
 extreme and picture him as unworthy our respect, 
 or of an opportunity to rise. 
 
 The fact is, there is a great difference between 
 the colored man of the South and the colored man 
 of the North. This may be the result of two 
 things, viz. ; first, it may be that in the past the 
 better class of colored people have gone North. 
 Nevertheless, there are many intelligent, indus- 
 trious and spiritually-minded colored people 
 throughout the entire South. It is a pity that 
 there is little, if any, distinction placed between 
 such and those who are illiterate and vicious. 
 Second, those who go North feel that there is 
 more respect shown them than in the South, and 
 
A Pioneer Preacher. 83 
 
 it has a tendency to put them upon their honor 
 to maintain that respect. If a man knows that 
 merit and good behavior will entitle him to a place 
 among men (irrespective of birth) it will go a 
 great way toward his elevation. The negro of 
 the South knows that he is under and that every- 
 body intends to keep him there. This has a ten- 
 dency either to embitter and make him more vi- 
 cious, or to stultify all possibility of development 
 and in the last analysis leave him a mere stoical 
 machine. 
 
 I have found from experience that the best 
 plan in dealing with this difficult question is to go 
 ahead and mind your own business, letting the 
 colored people draw their own line. If they drop 
 in to service pay no attention, else you offend one 
 or the other class. Nearly every zealous North- 
 erner has to learn the lesson for himself, and at 
 first cripple or kill his influence and usefulness 
 before he will be convinced that he cannot come 
 South, single-handed and convert everything to 
 his way of thinking in a moment of time. Preach 
 repentance, restitution and surrender to God, and 
 as fast as the people get under conviction they 
 will forget their old prejudice. After all, God 
 alone can save the Southerner from his hot-head- 
 edness, and the Yankee from his cold-bloodedness. 
 Let us give Him a chance. 
 
CHAPTER XII. 
 
 FIRST TRIP TO FLORIDA. 
 
 Experience at Jacksonville, Florida — Mrs. Shelhamer 
 Preaches to Immense Crowds in Atlanta Convention — 
 Returns to the North. 
 
 Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from 
 thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee. Gen. 
 
 na. 
 
 God and His providences often lead in a 
 round-about way before we find our proper place. 
 Sometimes His leadings are very clear, then again 
 He chooses a circuitous route, as in the case of 
 Abraham, whom He "led in a way that he knew 
 not." The command was, "Get thee out of thy 
 country, and from thy kindred, and come into a 
 land that I shall shew thee." 
 
 We did not know what it meant, but in order 
 to escape the severe winters of the North, and be- 
 cause of a strong conviction to labor in the South, 
 the fall of 1894 found us in Jacksonville, Fla. 
 With but a few dollars left, we began to realize 
 that we were strangers in a strange land. But 
 with an indomitable purpose we set in to wake up 
 the most wicked small city we were ever in. Af- 
 
 (84) 
 
A Pioneer Preacher. 85 
 
 ter preaching here and there, we opened a mis- 
 sion in the center of the city, though the only 
 available place was a hall on the third floor, for- 
 merly used for a cigar factory, and later as a 
 rendezvous for tramps. In fancy I can hear the 
 horrible snores and nightmares now as those poor 
 fellows kicked and rolled over at the head of the 
 stairs, where they fled in order to escape the 
 police. After a siege of cleaning we curtained 
 off a corner which we called "home," and began 
 operations. We had some interesting services (so 
 much so that we were threatened with arrest) , but 
 being in the third story, and especially the fact 
 that it rained every night, except two, during 
 February, made it difficult to get a large attend- 
 ance. This made finances very low, and some- 
 times I sold the last postage-stamp in order to get 
 something to eat. 
 
 The air was raw and penetrating, and I suf- 
 fered more with cold than in Chicago, when the 
 weather was 35 below zero. I was harassed fre- 
 quently with the thought, "This time you have 
 made a mistake and gotten out of divine order." 
 But after long seasons of prayer faith again tri- 
 umphed, assuring us that God would yet get glory 
 out of it, which He did in more ways than I could 
 mention here. We were being prepared for bet- 
 
86 The Ups and Downs of 
 
 ter things, as great testings and victories gener- 
 ally come alternately. 
 
 In the spring the way providentially opened 
 to hold a meeting in Waycross, Ga. At times 
 the house could not contain the people, and the 
 daily paper published extracts from my wife's 
 sermons. One of the first altar calls brought 
 about forty seekers. At first I thought to myself, 
 "We have now found a ripe field and shall have 
 the greatest revival of our lives." But my fond 
 hopes soon fled, for we could not get one to utter 
 a sentence of prayer. There they sat as much as 
 to say, "Now you sing us through or relate some 
 touching incident to make us weep and feel good, 
 for that is the way we carry on big meetin's 
 here." One of us led in prayer, but no sooner 
 had "Amen" been said, than, to our surprise, 
 small and great, old and young, scrambled to their 
 feet, and made for their seats. We glanced at each 
 other in wonderment for a moment, then dismiss- 
 ed with a determination to study the situation 
 further. The fact was, they were not thoroughly 
 awakened, but acted largely because others did, 
 and not from a sense of personal need. We ceas- 
 ed to give any more altar calls for several days, 
 during which time old-fashioned repentance and 
 restitution were preached. When the next invita- 
 
A Pioneer Preacher. 87 
 
 tion was given only a few responded, but they 
 were ready to do their own praying through, un- 
 til victory came. This was an object-lesson, and 
 made others hungry to find God. 
 
 We found that the Southern people were more 
 of a religious turn of mind and not so skeptical 
 as those in the North, but on the other hand were 
 much harder to mold into strong, sturdy Chris- 
 tian characters. In the South it is an easy thing 
 to see the altar crowded, but it is quite another 
 thing to see them pray through and then stick. 
 In the North the preacher can hurl the truth at 
 the people, sometimes several weeks before any 
 one will move, and then, perhaps, only one at a 
 time, but such are generally young giants from 
 the start. 
 
 This meeting ran three weeks, and we were 
 offered one hundred dollars to continue longer, 
 but we were not after money; moreover we felt 
 the people had all they could well digest for the 
 time. There were other openings, but we accept- 
 ed the one at Jesup, Ga. Here we were surprised 
 to find the pastor who invited us, though pro- 
 fessing holiness, still using tobacco and wearing a 
 large Freemason badge. His wife, who played 
 the organ continued to wear her jewelry. After a 
 few services the old gospel plow began to turn up 
 
88 The Ups and Downs of 
 
 things that were thought to be successfully cov- 
 ered up, and this scared the poor pastor. He 
 publicly stated that though the meeting was doing 
 great good, yet he and some of the stewards 
 feared, if it continued, it would split the church. 
 He took tXvo votes to try to close, but each time 
 the majority wanted the meeting to go on, and 
 it did, though he left town. I then and there 
 decided not to attempt again to work with a se- 
 cret-society, tobacco-using preacher, unless he 
 promised, beforehand, to keep hands off and not 
 get frightened. 
 
 While here, I received a sample copy of a little 
 paper containing an announcement of a holiness 
 convention to be held in a large tent in Atlanta. 
 Though total strangers, we felt led to go. The 
 first day we remained unnoticed, but one morning 
 after the writer had testified. Brother Dodge 
 (now deceased) came walking toward him with 
 hand extended and said: 
 
 "Well, bless the Lord, who are you anyway?" 
 I was asked to preach that afternoon, and 
 every day after that during the convention. My 
 little "son of thunder" took the night services, 
 immense crowds coming to hear her. Most of the 
 preachers, along with many others, went to dig- 
 ging, and it was declared to be the deepest meet- 
 
A Pioneer Preacher. 89 
 
 ing that they ever 'had. We had never met such a 
 teachable and appreciative people. They con- 
 tended among themselves who should entertain 
 us, and numerous homes were open to us for the 
 entire summer. But there is another chapter to 
 this. We finally decided to go North and return 
 in the fall. 
 
CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 "IN PERSECUTIONS OFT." 
 
 Returns South — Mission in Atlanta — Driven Out — First 
 "Repairer" OflSce — Sectional Prejudice — Tent and Gos- 
 pel Wagon Donated — A Whole Street Meeting Ar- 
 rested. 
 
 They that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer perse- 
 cution. II Tim. 3:12. 
 
 As a rule, things do not turn out exactly as 
 one anticipates. Many times when we have mis- 
 givings concerning our incompetency the Lord 
 steps in and happily surprises us, but when we 
 feel quite self-confident concerning a matter, then 
 He has to permit rebuffs and disappointment. In 
 one instance we are depressed, then comes a lift- 
 ing above it all; then again we have a specially 
 free time, and when so, it is wise to "rejoice with 
 trembling," lest we have an equal humiliation. 
 
 In revival work it is quite safe to allow that 
 when everything is favorable to begin with, soon- 
 er or later the unlocked for will be forthcoming. 
 The beginiiings of a good cause are generally 
 small and discouraging, but the outcome proves to 
 be a tremendous success. These things ought not 
 to discourage faith, but rather fortify one to be 
 
 watchful as well as full of expectancy. We found 
 
 (90) 
 
A Pioneer Preacher. 91 
 
 these principles held good concerning the work in 
 Atlanta. 
 
 We returned from Pennsylvania, November 1, 
 1895, and by invitation, began a meeting at once 
 in a mission on Peters Street, then under the 
 auspices of the North Georgia Holiness Associa- 
 tion. The revival was a clean sweep, taking in 
 holiness professors, many of whom found they 
 did not have the genuine article. After a number 
 prayed through it brought light and conviction 
 upon others until it reached the leader, who saw 
 that to get right meant restitution. Though rich 
 and well able to do it, he backed down, wrote to 
 the president of the association (who was out of 
 the city) to return quickly, for "Shelhamer," 
 said he, "is about to organize a Free Methodist 
 Church in the mission." Such a thing had never 
 been intimated, or even thought of. However, it 
 brought the president back and immediately his 
 countenance toward us was changed. He said the 
 meeting must close and locked the door. Seeking 
 souls desired us to pray with them, and having no 
 place, we invited them up-stairs into our 12x14 
 room, which was bed-room, tract-room, "The Re- 
 pairer" office, and all we had in the world. Here 
 the fire broke out anew, and in order to stop it 
 they raised the rent to twenty-five dollars a 
 
92 The Ups and Downs of 
 
 month, knowing, of course, that we could not meet 
 it. A reporter was sent to interview me, and 
 came out in his paper in large headlines, "S'hel- 
 hamer Lost the Mission." He went on to de- 
 scribe my height, color of hair and eyes, then 
 said: "If he ever does succeed in establishing a 
 congregation here it will be a unique one, for 
 the lightest word he uses is law." Now the op- 
 position began and from the same pulpits where 
 I had formerly preached, I was now denounced. I 
 had preached in different city churches, but they 
 were now all united in opposing the "crank from 
 the North." One dear old preacher spoke to me 
 thus: "Understand, I have nothing against you, 
 only I wish you had stayed where you belonged, 
 and I had never seen you." A prominent woman 
 in religious circles said, "All I wish is that the 
 Mason and Dixon wall had been one hundred feet 
 high, and one hundred feet thick so that Shel- 
 hamer could never have gotten over it." 
 
 We were forced to move from above the mis- 
 sion, having to use a wheelbarrow because of 
 lack of funds. We did not then realize that God 
 was permitting it all in order to enlarge our bor- 
 ders. Venturing by faith, we rented a seven- 
 room house. Having outgrown this, our next 
 move was to an eleven, and the third to a seven- 
 
A Pioneer Preacher. 9^ 
 
 teen-room house, each time being more centrally 
 located. 
 
 During the first year or so the fight was on in 
 earnest, even the children being taught to ridi- 
 cule any one who dared to come toward our ser- 
 vices. At first our meetings were held in private 
 dwellings. A large woman, whose husband got 
 saved in our meetings, was so enraged that she 
 wanted to horsewhip me if I ever stepped inside 
 her door. She boiled over, then came to the meet- 
 ing and was blessedly saved. People came from 
 different parts of the city to attend our morning 
 family prayers which frequently lasted until 
 noon, and sometimes till toward night. A man 
 from Iowa heard that we needed a place of wor- 
 ship and shipped, prepaid, a new tent worth one 
 hundred and fifty dollars. Another man from 
 Chattanooga, Tenn., sent a Gospel Wagon, capa- 
 ble of seating ten, or more. All we lacked now, 
 was a team of horses to take us from place to 
 place where we could sing and speak to the mass- 
 es. Finally a business man whose wife had re- 
 cently been saved, came forward publicly in the 
 tent^meeting and told me he had two fine horses. 
 Though he belonged to a big city church, and 
 professed holiness, I knew he would get frighten- 
 ed if the Holy Ghost stirred up a commotion, so 
 
94 The Ops and DoTons of 
 
 remarked, "Well, we will pray about it." Though 
 he did not utter a word, he was stirred to the bot- 
 tom, for he thought I would shout and make a 
 big ado over him and his horses. He went home 
 and told his wife that he never saw such an un- 
 thankful man in all his life. It seemed to take 
 this to let him see his true condition, and the fol- 
 lowing night he felt himself hanging over hell. 
 Early the next morning he was down at our home 
 to pray through, and until nine o'clock that night, 
 without any intermission, God reined him up to 
 one thing after another as fast as he could belch 
 it out. The solemnity of the judgment pervaded 
 the place, so that every one felt like prostrating 
 himself upon his face. God got the man, his 
 horses and entire family. 
 
 Some time after this we were holding a street 
 meeting and the police started to arrest us, and 
 took this brother, as he was in charge of the wag- 
 on. I intercepted them saying: "You can not 
 take him unless you take the others, for I am his 
 pastor and more responsible than he for this 
 meeting." He said, "All right, I will take the 
 whole pack," and called up the two-horse patrol. 
 While waiting for the patrol we pitched in to get 
 our money's worth out of the service. Presently 
 the horses dashed up to the ring and an officer 
 
A Pioneer Preacher. 95 
 
 came in and took me by the arm, saying: "Come 
 on, Cap," and crowded sixteen of us into the wag- 
 on. As the driver put the lash to the horses we 
 started up and sang, "All hail the power of Je- 
 sus' name." There was just the right crowd on 
 to make the springs ride easy. Sam Jones de- 
 nounced the action of the mayor in one of the 
 daily papers, saying, "There was more real piety 
 in that old patrol that day than in any ten square 
 acres in Atlanta." We stood a trial, won the case, 
 and since that time have had the inside track on 
 large and interesting street meetings, which have 
 sometimes lasted for three hours. 
 
 The Baptist Ministerial Association had the 
 courage to draw up a resolution taking issue 
 against the action of the mayor, but the Meth- 
 odist preachers waited until the papers and pub- 
 lic sentiment were in our favor, then they like- 
 wise expressed themselves. "A friend in need is 
 a friend indeed." 
 
 Since God has helped us to live down the two- 
 fold prejudice, religious and sectional, it is pitia- 
 ble to see some of our former opposers. They 
 would like to join in, in the interesting services, 
 and act as though nothing had ever occurred, but 
 God and conscience will not let them. This 
 proves that a thing is not settled at all, until it 
 is settled right. 
 
CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 A GREAT BATTLE. 
 
 Camp Meeting at Indian Springs, Georgia — Praying All 
 Night— In a "Holiness Mob"— God Wins the Battle. 
 
 I will make thee unto this people a fenced hrazen wall; and 
 they shall fight against thee, but they shall not prevail against 
 thee: for I am with thee to save thee and to deliver thee, saith 
 the Lord. Jer. 15:20. 
 
 The necessity of having an experience in grace 
 where all unholy elements are removed, is proven 
 from the fact that there come in every life ctucial 
 tests, or unexpected success, the result of which 
 may cause shipwreck unless every treacherous 
 principle is eliminated from the soul. God per- 
 mits these things (as in the case of Job and oth- 
 ers), either to show us What grace has accom- 
 plished, or to reveal existing tendencies that we 
 thought were removed. 
 
 The writer had a good opportunity to test his 
 experience at a state camp meeting held at Indian 
 Springs, Ga. 
 
 The first day, I was asked to preach, and had 
 
 much help from God, though some thought the 
 
 (96) 
 
A Pioneer Preacher. 97 
 
 standard of regeneration rather high. At the 
 close of the service I felt strongly led to the woods 
 for secret prayer, whereupon I opened my Bible 
 and my eyes fell upon the words at the head of 
 this chapter. I had no sooner read them, than the 
 ■ power of the Spirit so came upon me that I could 
 not refrain from shouting and laughing aloud. 
 I did not then know what it meant, but later 
 found that it was preparatorj' to the battle that 
 should ensue. The next day a prominent lady 
 evangelist arrived, whom they had engaged for 
 the meeting. Her strong personality from the 
 start either intimidated the people, or demanded 
 their respect. 
 
 I believe it was the second night, things were 
 moving, or attempting to move, under high pres- 
 sure, but for some reason did not meet with sat- 
 isfactory results. She made various propositions, 
 such as "Every one who is saved and not sancti- 
 fied, come forward and give me your hand." "Ev- 
 ery one who is saved and not sanctified, but wants 
 to be, give me your hand." "Every one who is 
 not saved, but wants our pray-ers, give me your 
 hand." Sometimes the order was to clap the 
 hands, or shake handkerchiefs. These tests quick- 
 ly located every one, but to all of them I did not 
 feel led to respond, so sat quietly in the spirit of 
 
98 The Ups and Downs of 
 
 prayer; whereupon I was pointed out and ad- 
 dressed in a shrill tone : "Brother, why don't you 
 take part in this meeting'?' A pause of silence 
 for an answer, then I said, "I feel burdened." "So 
 you are burdened, are you," came with a sarcastic 
 tone and air. 
 
 At the close of the service she came down 
 from the platform and said to me: "I have been 
 impressed with your appearance ever since I saw 
 you, and would like to have you take part in the 
 services." I thanked her, but told her I person- 
 ally knew many of these handshakers and could 
 not rejoice over their professing holiness. 
 
 The people dispersed and I quietly remained 
 to spend the night alone in prayer. 
 
 The next day, a confidential talk took place, at 
 the close of which I remarked : "Sister, I fear you 
 are just where I myself once was — preaching a 
 theory without the experience. You seem to 
 manifest such an impatient spirit when things 
 do not start or stop to suit you. And then, there 
 seems to be such a lack of discernment in dealing 
 with souls around the altar, hurrying them 
 through to profess holiness when you ought to 
 see at a glance that many of them are without 
 saving grace. Then, again, I have been so bur- 
 dened for you and this meeting that I could not 
 
A Pioneer Preacher. 99 
 
 sleep the past two nights, and I am quite sure 
 this burden is of the Lord. Now, I do not know 
 whether this will do you any good or not, for 
 there is not one evangelist in a hundred who 
 rises as high as you, that will ever humble him- 
 self and go down. However, I have delivered my 
 soul, and will meet this talk at the judgment. 
 Let me add, in conclusion, please do not consider 
 me your enemy, but keep this to yourself, and 
 weigh it before God. He alone can show you. I 
 shall pray for you and say nothing to any one." 
 
 She was moved upon, and with tears thanked 
 me, saying that she, herself, had some doubts 
 about her experience. We then shook hands and 
 separated. 
 
 The next morning the service was being op- 
 erated with a stern hand, but for some reason 
 lacked freedom. What could be the matter? Is 
 there an Achan in the camp? No; but there on 
 the front seat sat one who, like Mordecai, did 
 not bow, or quickly fall into line at every crack 
 of the whip. This she could stand no longer, and 
 with pointed finger, said: "What is wrong with 
 you. Sledgehammer? You don't think I have the 
 experience, do you?" Coming closer she repeat- 
 ed, "Now, you don't think I have the experience, 
 do you?" This was repeated several times, and. 
 
1 00 The Ups and Downs of 
 
 of course, had its desired effect, working upon 
 the sympathies of the people. 
 
 No attempt was made to answer until I looked 
 around to find an enraged crowd upon their feet 
 denouncing the disturber of the peace. (Jer. 
 6:14). I had known what it was to be egged, 
 rocked, arrested, shot at and surrounded by dif- 
 ferent kinds of mobs, but this was the first holi- 
 ness mob I was ever in. When I saw them clos- 
 ing in upon me I asked if I might say a word. 
 She replied that I might, and immediately, as 
 in the case of King Saul, the Spirit came upon 
 her and she began to defend him whom she nad 
 sought to destroy. She turned upon the preach- 
 ers and others who were on their feet and said: 
 "Sit down, every last one of you; I tell you to 
 sit down and listen to this man of God. When 
 you get so interested in my soul that you will pray 
 two whole nights for me as he has, then you can 
 speak, but not until then." 
 
 All was very quiet again, and every eye was 
 riveted upon the lone man, expecting him to take 
 his opportunity to tell what he thought of them. 
 Instead, he quietly stepped upon the bench where 
 he could be seen, and began to tell what a won- 
 derful thing it was to be saved from all inward 
 stirrings and to be kept calm in times of pres- 
 
A Pioneer Preacher. 101 
 
 sure and misunderstanding. When he was about 
 to sit down she knelt at the altar and said, "Pray 
 for me." 
 
 There would have been some hope of her get- 
 ting an experience had she not been bolstered up 
 and prejudiced after she left the auditorium. But 
 she was told it would never do for one so prom- 
 inent, and especially the "invited help," to go to 
 seeking a better experience. What would the 
 anti-holiness people say? 
 
 The next day the fight was on in earnest, and 
 for four or five days I was publicly scorned and 
 hissed at in testimony and preaching. As I 
 walked across the camp ground I could hear them 
 say to each other, "There he goes! There he 
 goes!!" No one dared associate intimately with 
 me lest he fare likewise. A preacher was heard 
 to remark, "What we need to do with Shelhamer 
 is that every one give him the 'cold shoulder,' and 
 he will leave." 
 
 The privilege of testifying was officially re- 
 fused me by the president of the meeting, and on 
 being asked the reason why, with promise that 
 nothing would be said to reflect upon any one, 
 he replied, "That may be so, but you will speak 
 in such a way as to discount the rest of us." By 
 this time some began to get under deep con- 
 
1 02 The Ups and Downs of 
 
 viction, and followed me to my tent to pray, but 
 a stop was soon put to that. Finally, about the 
 eighth day one of the preachers who had been 
 looking on, arose and said, "Brethren, I do not 
 believe I am a sanctified man. I know I could 
 not stand what that man has stood and keep 
 sweet. If you folks had treated me as you have 
 treated him, I would have skinned you alive long 
 ago. I do not ask any of the rest of you to pray 
 for me, but I would like that abused man to pray 
 with me." 
 
 He knelt at the altar, and after a pause, the 
 president of the camp meeting said, "Go and pray 
 
 with him. Brother S ." The seeker prayed 
 
 through to a good experience, and this was like 
 a bombshell in the camp. A second preacher 
 arose and said he was also a candidate for a 
 better experience, and with this the tide began 
 to turn; he who was under began to rise, and 
 they who were on top began to sink, many of 
 whom came around and apologized. 
 
 God frequently whispered to my soul, saying, 
 "If you will hold still and let me defend you, you 
 will be preaching and shouting, long after your 
 opposers have been forgotten." This is already 
 true in both respects. The last that was heard 
 of the evangelist, she had joined the Dowieites, 
 
A Pioneer Preacher. 103 
 
 and later died. She sent five dollars and request- 
 ed me to send her a book teaching holiness, as we 
 understood it. The president of the camp meet- 
 ing did the same. He was also frank enough to 
 confess that the light we had received was at 
 present too strong for his people, but he hoped 
 to bring them up to it. He seemed willing (at 
 a later camp meeting) to let wife preach, but 
 some of his committee were afraid. After these 
 years of living down prejudice many of those who 
 were former opposers have become staunch 
 friends. 
 
 These things are mentioned merely to show 
 that it is better to let God vindicate and fight the 
 battles, than to try to do so yourself. But if you 
 are not dead, during such times, the self -life will 
 become agitated and you will say something — 
 generally too much. Get everything burned out 
 that can not hold still. 
 
CHAPTER XV. 
 
 THE TIDE TURNS. 
 
 Attends an Annual Conference — Committee Meets Train 
 But Misses Their Man — God Captures Things — Rank 
 Superstition. 
 
 All things work together for good to them that love God. 
 Rom. 8:28. 
 
 God knows how to make the wrath of man 
 to praise Him. Likewise living faith, which is 
 akin to Omnipotence, turns everything to its ac- 
 count and circumstances that once caused defeat 
 are now incentives to greater victories. Like the 
 mariner who harnesses up adverse winds to pro- 
 pel him toward the desired haven, we can learn 
 the tactics of spiritual navigation and plow 
 through things that most people sink under ; yea, 
 we can so outwit the concerted schemes of men 
 and devils that in the end God will receive more 
 glory and His cause more lasting good than had 
 they never occurred. 
 
 The experience at the Georgia camp meeting 
 opened up the way for considerable free adver- 
 tising. The "big guns" began to boom in every 
 direction. One of the leading holiness papers in 
 
 (104) 
 
A Pioneer Preacher. 1 05 
 
 the South opened its columns for two noted writ- 
 ers to warn the people against the "Fanatic from 
 Atlanta." Letters flew thick and fast to head off 
 any openings I might receive, and of course they 
 were successful. In addition to letters, some 
 places were actually canvassed by holiness preach- 
 ers, in order to keep me out. This continued for 
 three years in a most refined and unrelenting 
 manner. Its coming from prominent holiness 
 leaders naturally gave force and was the more 
 convincing that I was "unsound" and "danger- 
 ous" sure enough. 
 
 About this time I received an invitation to 
 attend an annual conference session in the south- 
 ern part of the State. The president of the con- 
 ference was remonstrated with for giving the 
 invitation, whereupon he answered, "I have heard 
 so much about that man I want to see if he has 
 hoofs and horns; let him come." 
 
 "No, but it will split this conference." 
 
 "Well, if one man can split this conference it 
 ought to be split wide open." 
 
 It was evident that talking was of no avail, 
 hence some other measure must be adopted to 
 prevent my arrival. Accordingly, a committee 
 was appointed to meet the train and intercept me, 
 telling me my presence was not wanted. They 
 
1 06 The Ups and Downs of 
 
 met the train but failed to see the fellow for 
 whom they were looking, as they had him pic- 
 tured "about fifty years of age, heavy-set, with 
 gray hair, shaggy eye-brows, chin beard, sour- 
 looking and ready to find fault at the first little 
 thing he saw." Instead, they saw a slender, 
 smooth-faced, boyish-looking fellow get off, and 
 said among themselves, "Surely that is not he; he 
 looks too innocent and humlDle to hurt anybody." 
 Lest they offend a respectable stranger they let 
 him pass. 
 
 He walked down to the church where the con- 
 ference was being held and was asked to preach 
 that night. The preachers and people were on 
 their guard watching every gesture and weighing 
 the orthodoxy of every expression, but while so 
 doing the Spirit was at work, and sandy foun- 
 dations were being undermined. As soon as he 
 sat down the president of the conference arose 
 and said : "Brethren, I see under the light of the 
 Holy Ghost that I am a backslider, and I for one 
 am going to the altar." 
 
 Others followed, and soon the place was filled 
 with sobbing and praying. God seemed to take 
 them by surprise and capture the whole thing. 
 The next day, while in business session, the sec- 
 retary of the conference arose and said, "Breth- 
 
A Pioneer Preacher. 1 07 
 
 ren, they say an open confession is good for the 
 soul, and I am going to make one; some of the 
 rest of you need to do likewise, but I will let you 
 do your own confessing. I see clearly that I have 
 been fighting against one of God's prophets, and 
 by listening to everything I heard I have closed 
 many doors against him, but by the grace of God, 
 from this time on I will open as many as I have 
 closed. Come up here, Brother Shelhamer." 
 
 I did so, and not only the secretary, but eight 
 or nine preachers followed in hand-shaking, em- 
 bracing and weeping. During that conference 
 session a number of preachers and people came 
 out into a large place. The committee related 
 afterwards how they missed their man at the 
 train. The secretary who published a paper, vol- 
 untarily came out in fl;, as he had on the confer- 
 ence floor, only at more length, and from that 
 time there were more invitations than we could 
 fill. 
 
 Notwithstanding the fact that the backbone 
 of prejudice was now broken, yet there still ex- 
 isted, as doubtless there always will, individual 
 cases. One evangelist has frequently declared 
 that "Shelhamer has a mesmeric power that he 
 throws over the people." 
 
 Another instance : In a series of meetings in 
 
1 08 The Ups and Downs of 
 
 South iGeorgia, some came through curiosity, a 
 few of whom ventured to go forward at the close 
 of the service and shake hands, thereby getting 
 a closer view of the "monstrosity" in charge. 
 After returning to their seats they urged one of 
 their company, a woman, to go up and shake 
 hands. She replied, "Never! I would not shake 
 hands with that man for anything in the world." 
 
 "Why, we did, and he was a pleasant man to 
 talk to." 
 
 "Aye, that's it. He acts meek and humble 
 until he gets his power over you, and then you 
 are helpless." 
 
 At another place certain ones positively re- 
 fused to shake hands for fear the "power" might 
 be transmitted to them through the hand. Sure- 
 ly, we do not need to go back to Paul's day to 
 find superstition and deep-seated prejudice. Nev- 
 ertheless, in all this, faith triumphed, and we 
 could not have thought up anything half so in- 
 teresting by which to advertise ourselves, or the 
 work of God. During these years we could fre- 
 quently and truthfully quote : "By evil report and 
 good report: as deceivers and yet true; as un- 
 known, and yet well known." II Cor. 6:8, 9. 
 
CHAPTER XVI. 
 
 VALUE OF PUBLIC CONFESSION. 
 
 Atlanta Convention — Five Preachers Seek Holiness — Pub- 
 lic Confession — Texas Meeting — Presiding Elder Re- 
 claimed. 
 
 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us 
 our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. I Jno. 
 1:9. 
 
 Truth appeals to the conscience even when 
 the will rejects it. 
 
 Some people do not believe in confession, but 
 as a rule these are the very ones that need to dc 
 some of it. A number of years ago we were hav- 
 ing a Holiness Convention in Atlanta, and among 
 the seekers were five preachers. They were in 
 different parts of the hall pouring their hearts 
 out to God. 
 
 One brother was bemoaning the principle of 
 covetousness, and in proof thereof told God how, 
 when he Tauilt his house and used half a keg of 
 nails, instead of returning the unused portion he 
 just let them stand around until the hardware 
 man had forgotten all about it. 
 
 Another brother was seeing the deceitfulness 
 
 (109) 
 
1 1 The Ups and Doivns of 
 
 of his nature and that his tendency was either to 
 evade or exaggerate the truth. On one occasion, 
 years before, he had killed a neighbor's dog and 
 nobody could find who did it. 
 
 Other brethren were busily engaged, under 
 the light of God, with some evil temper or dis- 
 position, when an old brother came in and sat 
 down where he overheard a seeker praying. The 
 good brother presently arose and said, "I do not 
 believe these brethren are so bad as they say they 
 are." The following day he came again and some 
 of the seekers were striking fire. This brought 
 conviction and he said, "Though there is some- 
 thing in us that does not like to hear these con- 
 fessions, yet there is another voice that says the 
 same principle is in you and you ought to ac- 
 knowledge it." 
 
 Doubtless this is one reason why God sees fit 
 to bless and use public altar services. Some 
 things may not need to be confessed in public, but 
 when the Spirit leads out on any line it is safe 
 to follow and let God take care of the consequen- 
 ces. At least two things will be the result; the 
 pride and fear of the seeker will be crucified, and 
 conviction will be sent to those who hear. 
 
 I will give an account of another case in a 
 meeting I held, or rather let the Holy Ghost run. 
 
A Pioneer Preacher. 1 1 1 
 
 in Texas. It was forty miles from the nearest 
 railroad station. The house at which I was en- 
 tertained was one mile from the nearest neigh- 
 bors and we could hear the wolves bark at night. 
 The little church stood out alone on the prairie 
 and I wondered where the people were coming 
 from, but nevertheless they filled it. Young la- 
 dies, as well as men, came on Texas ponies as fast 
 as they could gallop. 
 
 A young man was smitten under conviction, 
 came to the altar, then arose and went to another 
 young man to ask pardon. This unlocked tilings 
 and was the beginning of a good meeting. The 
 young man afterwards became our right hand 
 man as office editor. In that same meeting God 
 got hold of a backslidden preacher who had for- 
 merly been a presiding elder. He said that he 
 had attended a meeting previously at Abilene, 
 conducted by a noted holiness evangelist, and had 
 gone forward as a seeker. The evangelist urged 
 him to "claim the blessing," and finally declared 
 that God had revealed to him that there was noth- 
 ing wrong with the seeker, but what he needed 
 was to "brace up" and not cast away his confi- 
 dence. This seeker said that at the very time, 
 he was guilty of committing one of the basest 
 forms of iniquity. Oh, the need of doing clean 
 
1 1 2 The Ups and Dorons of 
 
 work and not 'healing the hurt of the daughter 
 of my people slightly, crying peace, peace, when 
 there is no peace.' After some hearty confes- 
 sions and writing some forty letters, he was glo- 
 riously reclaimed. His entire family moved to 
 Atlanta, where they likewise found God. 
 
CHAPTER XVII. 
 GOD SUPPLIES EXPENSES. 
 
 An Experience in Philadelphia — Preachers Who Allow 
 Themselves to be Called "Doctor" — God's Way of 
 Raising Expenses. 
 
 My God shall supply all your need according to his riches 
 in glory by Christ Jesus. Phil. Jf:19. 
 
 We had just closed a good meeting in Brook- 
 lyn, N. Y., and were on our way to Western Penn- 
 sylvania, but by request stopped over Sabbath in 
 Philadelphia. Three services for the day had 
 been announced in a certain church where the 
 "Great Evangelist from Atlanta, Ga.," was to 
 preach. The (first thing we did upon entering 
 was to take exception to the bulletin, especially 
 the "Great." It is this accursed thing that fat- 
 tens self in little six by seven evangelists. Preach- 
 ers who allow themselves to be addressed "Doc- 
 tor," or "D. D.," could effectually stop it if they 
 wanted to do so. 
 
 The church was nearly three miles from the 
 
 place of entertainment, but rather than encourage 
 
 men to run or ride street cars on the Lord's Day, 
 
 we started early and walked. The services were 
 
 (113) 
 
1 14 The Ups and Dotvns of 
 
 well attended and a number were definitely helped 
 of God. Advantage was taken of the good crowds 
 to raise money for the winter's fuel, a nice sum 
 being collected each time. Not a word was said 
 about helping to bear the traveling expenses of 
 the preacher. Instead of hinting that I needed 
 money, I said to myself, "Well, Hallelujah ! This 
 will give me another occasion to let God in His 
 own way, pay the bills." Moreover, no one in- 
 vited me home, no hotel was near and I was too 
 weary to walk to my place of entertainment. 
 About this time the people had nearly all left, 
 when up walked an old brother and his wife, who 
 lived but a short distance, and invited me home 
 with them. I accepted and began contemplating 
 a good rest after a hard day's work. 
 
 It was about 11 p. m., when I retired and 
 soon was wrapped in the peaceful arms of slum- 
 ber, but was suddenly awakened to a full realiza- 
 tion that there were too many in the same bed. 
 With one bound a lamp was seized and lighted, 
 which revealed scores of those fellows that hate 
 the light, because their deeds are evil. After do- 
 ing my duty freely, I suspicioned that perhaps 
 there was still a reserve force, so kept the light 
 burning and lay uncovered, but no sooner had I 
 again fallen into sweet repose than a flank move- 
 
A PioneeT Preacher. 1 1 5 
 
 ment was made on the side where light did not 
 shine. 
 
 This was too much to endure, and though it 
 was 1 o'clock, I arose and, after dressing went 
 down-stairs and longed for day. Even the lounge 
 whereon I sat seemed to be infected. Presently 
 my thought began to run thus: "I would rather 
 walk out here for Jesus than ride a Sunday street 
 car. Yes, and preach the gospel thrice without 
 a cent or a 'Thank you !' More than this, be left 
 to stand around in an embarrassing mood won- 
 dering where I shall sleep; all of this is in the 
 contract, but it is hardly fair, when one has done 
 this for Jesus' sake to suffer a night attack like 
 this ; especially when he at the best has none too 
 much blood to spare." 
 
 At last,- after weary hours, daylight began to 
 dawn and I made preparations for a speedy exit. 
 Of course I must thank the dear old people for 
 their hospitality. So, after sC short prayer, I was 
 about to shake hands, when the old sister (who 
 was near-sighted and doubtless this accounted for 
 some things), suddenly paused and said, "Wait, 
 Brother S — !" She started up stairs and after 
 returning put into my hand a "widow's mite," 
 saying, "I feel God would have me give you this." 
 I did not look at it then, but thanked her and 
 
1 1 6 The Ups and Dotons of 
 
 thought to myself, "Well, the dear old soul doubt- 
 less has laid away some small amount that has 
 been given her and now she has fallen back upon 
 that as the only thing she can give." After I 
 had started down the street toward the car line 
 I felt curious to know how much she had given, 
 and behold, it was a five dollar bill! I paused 
 looked back and said, "I feel ashamed of that 
 short prayer and have a mind to go back and 
 pray it over." 
 
 That was a life long lesson in trusting God to 
 furnish expenses from the most unexpected 
 sources. The church people did not do their duty, 
 so God had to move that dear old saint to help 
 grease car wheels. But that was not all of it — 
 she carried off the blessing that they might have 
 had. 
 
 I remember another incident that occurred at 
 a camp meeting in Ohio. I had been engaged to 
 assist for ten day^, sometimes preaching three 
 times a day. Good and frequent collections were 
 taken and when I left, the treasurer handed me 
 ten dollars — hardly enough to pay for my ticket. 
 I said to myself. "Bless God, I am not after mon- 
 ey, yet a preacher can not live on wind." I went 
 off feeling sweet and rejoicing over one more oc- 
 casion to prove a miracle-working God. At the 
 
A Pioneer Preacher. 1 1 7 
 
 very next camp meeting the. sum of seventy-five 
 dollars was put into my hand, though I was there 
 but three days. I would rather trust God to see 
 me through, than do as many evangelists, fix a 
 price, or worse — make a fuss because I do not 
 get about so much. 
 
 When God sees that a person or a community 
 is limited in means, He excuses them (and the 
 evangelist likewise ought to) and leads others 
 who are more able, to pay the bills. But when 
 any one deliberately fails to do what God sees he 
 could, then He transfers the blessing and reward 
 to where it properly belongs. "There is that 
 scattereth, and yet increaseth; and there is that 
 withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to 
 poverty." Prov. 11:24, 
 
CHAPTER XVIII. 
 
 SELF-FORGETFULNESS PAYS. 
 
 St. Louis Camp Meeting — Preaching Old Sermons — The 
 Secret of Getting Money. 
 
 Look not every man on his own things hut every man also 
 on the things of others. Phil. 2 :^. 
 
 I was invited to a camp meeting at St. Louis, 
 Mo., but was late in getting there, owing to the 
 great flood in East St. Louis. When I arrived 
 the meeting was in progress and rather than look 
 on with an assumed air of generalship, as evan- 
 gelists sometimes do, I felt led to kneel down and 
 pray the prayer of faith for the meeting. We 
 were soon baptized into one spirit and instead 
 of standing aloof and waiting for a formal intro- 
 duction, we began shaking hands and embracing 
 each other in the Lord. 
 
 At this meeting "Doctor B." and a "round- 
 the-world evangelist," and the writer were the 
 principal speakers. The world-wide evangelist, 
 though considered very radical, split his hair in 
 the middle and wore the latest style of tie, cuffs 
 and everything else in accordance. In these and 
 other respects his appearance was of such a 
 
 worldly type of character that I saw at a glance 
 
 (118) 
 
A Pioneer Preacher. 1 19 
 
 we could not work together in perfect accord un- 
 less God melted us together, so the first thing I 
 did was to get a special anointing of love for him. 
 I put my arms around him in the first service and 
 from that time, though I preached against all 
 signs of departure from plainness and simplicity, 
 he dared not explain away the truth as preachers 
 often do. He could not gainsay the melting. I 
 found that, under the anointing, I could say al- 
 most anything without there being a reaction, 
 as was the case when I spoke in my own strength. 
 
 Another thing I have learned by experience, 
 is that in order to be effectual for God in each 
 new place, it will not do to resort to the same 
 methods and sermons that proved successful in a 
 previous meeting. It is natul-al to do this, but 
 in so doing we place a premium upon means and 
 methods for success, instead of depending wholly 
 upon the Supernatural. It is so easy to become 
 self-suflfiicient, relying on past unction and old 
 "outlines," instead of feeling the need of going 
 down afresh in fasting and prevailing prayer for 
 new displays of divine power. 
 
 Some evangelists and preachers keep a list of 
 sermon outlines with dates showing when and 
 where used, lest they deliver the same discourse 
 the second time in the same place. We think a 
 
1 20 The Ups and Downs of 
 
 much better way than this, is to continually live 
 in the Supernatural. Then old texts can be used 
 and each time the preacher will say things he 
 never thought of before. It is a query how men 
 can be content to preach time after time from the 
 same text, with no new revelations nor thunder- 
 claps of God's awful power. No wonder they 
 soon become seedy and are out of demand. Self- 
 sufficiency and being content with present attain- 
 ments have withered more than one preacher. 
 
 I found in this meeting that not every holiness 
 preacher who could say good things from the pul- 
 pit could with equal grace be content with a small 
 collection. The last morning of the meeting the 
 treasurer of the camp informed us that, owing 
 to the flood, many had been kept away, and they 
 had succeeded in collecting only thirty dollars for 
 the preachers. He suggested that it be divided 
 equally among the three. This did not take well 
 at all with the other two, though it was more than 
 sufficient to cover their expenses. My traveling 
 expenses amounted to nearly thirty dollars, but 
 I felt led to tell the treasurer to wait on the other 
 brethren first and I would take what was left. 
 The brethren left Monday morning as early as 
 they could get off, and as my train did not leave 
 before noon, I preferred to remain on the camp 
 
A Pioneer Preacher. 121 
 
 ground and pray. All the campers had been 
 drained for money and I did not see where my 
 fare was coming from, but nevertheless felt easy. 
 After having a good time praying through I 
 left my tent and walked across the camp ground, 
 when I met a stylish looking lady who had come 
 to the altar the first day I preached. She wanted 
 to get a couple of my little books, the price of 
 which amounted to but fifteen cents. She asked 
 me if I could change a ten-dollar bill and of course 
 being unable to do so, I said, "Just keep the books 
 and get all the good out of them you can." But 
 no, she must pay for them, and after trying in 
 vain to get others to change her bill, she came and 
 said, "I think God wants me to give you this 
 bill. I have five cents left which will pay my 
 fare home and that is all I need." Later on I met 
 the treasurer, who said that the same woman had 
 given him twenty dollars for the man who 
 preached her under conviction. This, with his 
 ten, made a total of forty dollars, and best of all 
 we had not grumbled or hurt our influence in get- 
 ting it. Oh, that men would so die out to cov- 
 etousness and love of leadership as to hold still 
 long enough to let God reveal His miracle-work- 
 ing power in their behalf! 
 
 Another incident along this line: A prom- 
 
1 22 The Ups and Downs of 
 
 inent evangelist and the writer were in a large 
 camp meeting near Oil City, Pa. He received 
 fifty dollars for services rendered. The treas- 
 urer afterwards came to me and said, "What shall 
 we give you for your help?" 
 
 I replied, "God will not let me put any price 
 on my labors." 
 
 "Well, others do it and it is all right for you." 
 
 "I do not care what others do ; I have made a 
 covenant with God to accept as from Him what- 
 ever is given and be content therewith." 
 
 "Will you be satisfied with fifteen dollars?" 
 
 "Yes, or fifteen cents. I have never been left 
 yet; and should sufth a thing ever occur, it 
 would be one instance in which God Almighty 
 failed." 
 
 Another evangelist who was standing by and 
 heard the conversation said, "You could have had 
 a great deal more if you had but asked for it." 
 
 "Yes, but that accursed thing has ruined more 
 than one and I am determined it shall not get the 
 start of me." The result was, the fifty-dollar 
 man was dropped while the fifteen-dollar man 
 was invited back for the second and third years, 
 each time receiving more than he expected. The 
 avarice and grasping spirit of men hurt them 
 more than all the opposition that can come for 
 hurling the truth at the people. 
 
CHAPTER XIX. 
 
 DISCRETION TOWARD WOMEN. 
 
 Experiences With Women — Long Hand-sliakes — Avoiding 
 "Sticky" People — Dealing With Inordinate Affection. 
 
 Abstain from all appearance of evil. Gal. 5:22. 
 
 It is not always wise to pray with those of the 
 opposite sex when they desire it. 
 
 Why such a statement? Would it not be 
 wicked to refuse? That depends. There is a 
 difference between praying with and praying for 
 an individual. He who gives himself up to soul- 
 saving must study, not only to show himself "ap- 
 proved unto God," but, likewise, must study the 
 peculiarities of human nature. It is the disposi- 
 tion of some souls to cover and evade facts ; they 
 prefer to do their seeking alone, and thus profess 
 as quickly and easily as possible. Such cases 
 generally have a hard siege of it and sometimes, 
 in order to more thoroughly crucify their pride, 
 the Spirit will lead them to seek in public, or at 
 least with a confidential friend. 
 
 But we have in mind another class, whose dis- 
 position is to lean upon others for help rather than 
 
 upon God. Such a soul thinks "If I could only go 
 
 (123) 
 
1 24 The Ups and Downs of 
 
 to a certain place, or had a certain saint to pray 
 with me, I believe I would get a great victory." 
 This is simply a subtle form of unbelief that de- 
 pends upon the human more than upon the divine. 
 This class would receive more lasting help, as a 
 rule, in fighting the battle out alone with God. 
 If they only knew it, they would develop more 
 strength of character by taking time and learning 
 the lesson first handed, than by seeking comfort 
 even from the holiest man. Saintly as he may 
 be, he cannot impart lasting consolation only as 
 he gets it from heaven, and every other soul has 
 the same privilege of hearing from the skies, as 
 he. It remains then for the soul-winner to al- 
 ways sense the situation and at one time seek an 
 opportunity to talk or pray with a struggling 
 soul, then at another time, throw him off on God 
 as one would a boy into the water ; not to fright- 
 en, but as a last resort, to teach him to swim, 
 which knowledge may in after years be the means 
 of saving his life. 
 
 This thought is more applicable to those of 
 the opposite sex. More than one holy man has 
 made shipwreck because of undue intimacy with 
 women. The writer has had some experience 
 in associating with women of strong, winsome 
 personality, but thanks be to God's grace, that 
 
A Pioneer Preacher. 1 25 
 
 thus far He has kept him clear and clean in word, 
 thought and deed. 
 
 I well remember the time I incurred the dis- 
 pleasure and public censure of a lady evangelist, 
 because my hand was not permitted to be held at 
 the close of a conversation and hand-shake. 
 Though preaching holiness, she admitted that 
 there was one thing about her experience that 
 she could not fully reconcile, a longing to love and 
 be loved and a mania to read and write love-let- 
 ters. 
 
 At another camp meeting the writer conduct- 
 ed a service, after which a young lady evangelist 
 arose and said she was convinced under the 
 searching light, that she did not have the experi- 
 ence of entire holiness. Then she came to the 
 
 altar aJone and requested that "Brother S " 
 
 come forward and pray for her. The other 
 preachers looked on to see what I would do. I 
 saw at a glance that to go forward and pray, 
 would simply make myself prominent, and have 
 a tendency to arouse jealousy on the part of other 
 preachers. Moreover, I saw that the seeker felt 
 too important and was not sufficiently sick to die, 
 so I quietly knelt down out of sight behind the 
 seat where I was sitting. Presently her husband 
 came and said, "Did you not hear my wife say 
 she desired you to come and pray for her?" 
 
126 The Ups and DoTvm of 
 
 I replied, "Yes, but to avoid being conspicuous, 
 I think it better to remain here in silent prayer." 
 The result was good, for it helped to crucify self 
 in the seeker, set well upon the preachers, and 
 caused my own heart to feel sweet and humble, 
 without a reaction. 
 
 At still another camp meeting a young woman 
 thought no one could help her except the writer. 
 Every time she came to the altar she knelt right 
 in front of where he stood. Of course he always 
 walked away and prayed with some one else. She 
 finally got mad, then went to seeking God in earn- 
 est. We fear that many times preachers allow 
 souls to get converted to them instead of the Lord. 
 When those of the opposite sex are continually 
 sticking to you, as a rule, it is because there is 
 a sticky principle within you that loves and al- 
 lows it. 
 
 I will relate another incident that was a life- 
 long lesson to me and I trust may be to the reader 
 also. A gifted sister of a strong personality 
 came to our home. Her gifts and knowledge of 
 things soon brought her into high esteem and 
 frequent counsels as to the best methods for en- 
 larging the work. But it soon became apparent 
 that she was being pushed forward faster than 
 was good for her experience; A sudden reverse 
 
A Pioneer Preacher. 1 27 
 
 revealed an ugly disposition. Then came a tem- 
 porary seeking and strained humility that dared 
 not be investigated too closely lest it explode. Fi- 
 nally the Spirit would have me speak kindly but 
 firmly thus: "Sister — , there is something about 
 you that I consider treacherous and deadly in its 
 character. At one tim« it is as though it would 
 rise up, antagonize and overpower me were it not 
 firmly withstood. At another time it assumes 
 such a pliable and teachable attitude as to com- 
 pel admiration. In short, sometimes when duty 
 compels me to step to your room for a moment 
 (she was my stenographer) , I feel like screaming 
 out, 'Snakes in this room knee deep !' " At this 
 she boiled over and poured out all kinds of epi- 
 thets upon me, but the Spirit permitted it all, to 
 uncover the unclean thing and bring about a 
 thorough cure. Heartrending confessions were 
 prayed out, of how more than one good man had 
 been brought under her power and in spirit made 
 either to suffer or submit. The result of this 
 faithful dealing was, she prayed through to a 
 rich experience and afterwards thanked God many 
 times that she had been permitted to associate 
 with those who dared to withstand her. She af- 
 terwards wrote an article so timely we give it a 
 place here. 
 
CHAPTER XX. 
 
 SPIRITUAL AFFINITY. 
 
 Inordinate Affection — Cause and Cure. 
 
 ' Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; 
 fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concu- 
 piscence and coveteousness, which is idolatry. Col. 3:5. 
 
 This dangerous and soul-destroying delusion 
 is not unknown in some high religious circles. 
 Such alliances never exist between those of the 
 same sex. It seems quite innocent, even com- 
 mendable in the first stages, and is a pleasant con- 
 trast to the icy coldness which prevails in many 
 churches. 
 
 There are various forms taken by these af- 
 finities, and they are covered by many different 
 garbs, but when exposed in their true colors, they 
 will be found unclean and smelling of brimstone 
 and the bottomless pit. 
 
 Religious unity and congeniality may become 
 their channel of admission. We knew an instance 
 of this kind. A lady was thrown much into the 
 company of a noted and successful preacher. He 
 was genial and attractive, but of high moral char- 
 
 (128) 
 
A Pioneer Preacher. 1 29 
 
 acter and correct deportment. He was a married 
 man. No danger was thought of. There was 
 unusual harmony of thought and opinion between 
 them and a subtle something underneath the sur- 
 face that drew them together. She became rest- 
 less and unhappy if she did not hear from him 
 frequently, no matter where he was. Business 
 required correspondence, so the unhallowed feel- 
 ing grew on her part. He was drawn in more 
 or less, but she was the sufferer. There was not 
 a thought of impurity ; yet she awoke to the fact 
 that her affections were placed upon a married 
 man, that he stood where God should stand in her 
 heart, and that she worshiped the creature more 
 than the Creator. When the light of God shone 
 on her heart she saw the whole thing was black 
 as hell and unclean as the vilest. Yet awful as 
 it was in its slimy depths, they had never indulg- 
 ed even in the familiarities so common among 
 some religious workers. Neither of the victims 
 had any wrong intention; both abhorred every- 
 thing unclean, but Satan drew them into his net 
 unawares. 
 
 Others are not so discreet as these were, and 
 many who have uncongenial companions play 
 with fire by cherishing an affinity for some one 
 who fills the place to them that their companion 
 
1 30 The Ups and Dorvns of 
 
 should occupy. They may be moral in outward 
 conduct, and seek only for human sympathy and 
 tenderness from the favored friend; but too fre- 
 quently they find to their cost that the current 
 of unhallowed desire has overflowed the banks 
 of propriety. 
 
 Unwise confidences to one not the husband or 
 wife, may be the door through which this deadly 
 thing approaches. Never mention the faults, 
 real, or supposed, of your husband or wife to 
 another, especially to one of the opposite sex. It 
 inspires human sympathy and that produces 
 something worse. 
 
 Again, it frequently starts out v.fith the nat- 
 ural gratitude and love the young convert feels 
 toward the one who has helped his or her 
 soul. This perhaps more frequently occurs v/hen 
 the convert is an attractive young girl, and the 
 evangelist or pastor who was the means of her 
 conversion is regarded with an affection and ven- 
 eration which may easily run into something else. 
 Many a pure young life has been cursed by this 
 awful blight, and all of the freshness has gone 
 out of it forever. 
 
 In such cases there is great need of wisdom. 
 The young convert should not be chilled by cold- 
 ness ; but if the object of such affection is a wise. 
 
A Pioneer Preacher. 1 3 1 
 
 as well as a clean man, he can take such a course 
 as will check the first symptoms of danger witli- 
 out unduly wounding the other party. 
 
 Another form may be found among mission 
 and slum workers, laborers in rescue homes, and 
 the like. An attractive young wife with an un- 
 congenial husband, finds an outlet for unsatisfied 
 longings in charitable or church work. She meets 
 a man who gives her the sympathy her soul 
 craves. She tells him of her husband's coldness 
 and opposition to her "work for the Lord." He 
 responds with pity, and censure of the absent 
 husband. The snare is prepared and they walk 
 into it. He can not think of much else but his 
 helper in the work; she has no rest out of his 
 company. Notes are passed ostensibly on bus- 
 iness. They frequently meet alone, and pray to- 
 gether for the success of the work they are en- 
 gaged in. The feeling increases until it becomes 
 such a drawing together as must result (unless 
 God interposes) in shame and disgrace. This is 
 the natural ending of such unholy associations, 
 although they sometimes go on for a while with- 
 out the victim falling into what the world calls 
 sin. 
 
 Another form of this unclean alliance is seen 
 when a young man is held in bondage by a woman 
 
1 32 The Ups and Downs of 
 
 older than himself and sometimes married, who 
 has acquired an undue influence over him. The 
 man in such cases seems to suffer the more. Ho 
 becomes demoralized, loses will power, and, if a 
 minister of the gospel, is likely to be lost to his 
 work and ruined forever. The secret force of 
 controlling power with such a woman is very 
 great, subjugating conscience and ruling all deci- 
 sions. At this stage it runs into devil-possession. 
 One of the parties can often by this fatal power 
 call the other to his side from any practical dis- 
 tance at any time. The victim is obliged to go. 
 Sometimes when a high religious profession is 
 maintained, they cloak this desire for the pres- 
 ence of the other under prayer and say they 
 'pray" the other to them when they want them. 
 There is a hidden depth in every unsanctified 
 soul, where flows the corrupt current which gen- 
 erates these aflanities. Constant watchfulness is 
 the only safeguard, the death of the "old man" the 
 only cure. Beware of the beginnings. Never over- 
 step the limits of modest reserve of manner. 
 There need not be coldness, but avoid those lung 
 hand-shakes, those confidential talks, that for- 
 ward manner and look. We have shuddered to 
 see a minister of the gospel hold the hand of an 
 attractive woman (and it seldom happened with 
 
A Pioneer Preacher. 1 33 
 
 one not attractive) looking into her eyes, and 
 manifesting a lover-like familiarity. Then the 
 exaggerated flattery to evangelists and Christian 
 workers is a fruitful entrance for unholy desire. 
 
 The Word of God calls this unhallowed draw- 
 ing toward another, inordinate affection. See 
 Cor. 3:5, where it is classed with the vilest sins; 
 the one who harbors it is guilty in the eyes c!; 
 God, even if no acts of uncleanness are commit- 
 ted. Any affection for an unlawful object, that 
 makes the subject restless and unhappy in the 
 absence of the other, is the first stage of affinity, 
 or inordinate affection. 
 
 All such emotions and feelings spring from 
 carnality and are incompatible with a holiness 
 experience. If indulged and willingly yielded to, 
 condemnation results. Hearty repentance, and 
 turning from the one who inspires the feeling, 
 resolutely "cutting off the right hand," is the 
 only hope when infected by this deadly thing. 
 Deep confession to God, and genuine crucifixion 
 of the carnal mind will complete the cure. 
 
CHAPTER XXI. 
 
 HONORING GOD IN LITTLE THINGS. 
 
 Convictions Against Sunday Travel — Camp-Meeting in 
 Oregon — God Honors Those That Honor Him — Dis- 
 appointments, "His Appointment." — What It Cost Me 
 to Break the Sabbath. 
 
 Take us the foxes, the little foxes that spoil the vines: for 
 our vines have tender grapes. Songs of Bol. 2:15. 
 
 He who becomes slack in little things will soon 
 question the importance of greater things. 
 
 They are not always great things, but some- 
 times apparently small ones, in which God tests 
 the fidelity and character of men. The little things 
 do not make character so much as they reveal it. 
 Straws show better than telegraph poles, which 
 way the wind blows. Lot thought it a small thing 
 to take advantage of Abraham's generosity and 
 pitch his tent "toward Sodom." King Saul thought 
 it a light thing to assume the office of priest and 
 offer sacrifice before going into battle. One of 
 these lost everything but his soul, and the other, 
 it is feared, lost even that. 
 
 There are apparently little things in our day 
 
 around which revolve great principles. Sabbath 
 
 (134) 
 
A Pioneer Preacher. 135 
 
 desecration is one. Notwithstanding the fact that 
 many holiness people ride on street cars and some 
 on steam cars on Sunday, the writer has never 
 felt clear so to do. When a minister sets, or en- 
 courages a wrong precedent, it lends more force 
 to that particular departure than when a non- 
 professor or a layman does the same thing. More 
 than this, if such a minister be looked upon as a 
 very spiritual man his example is doubly harm- 
 ful. We can not be too exemplary on lines of 
 conversation, improving the time, plainness of 
 attire and remembering the Sabbath day to "keep 
 it holy." He who holds conscientious scruples 
 along these lines loses nothing, and possibly may 
 gain a great deal. It is always safe to be on the 
 safe side. 
 
 I was in a camp meeting in Oregon which was 
 to close on Sunday night. The following Sabbath 
 I was to be in a similar meeting in Ohio, but in 
 order to do so I must leave on the Sunday night 
 train, thus necessitating at least an hour's ride 
 before midnight. It was either do this or wait 
 twelve hours for the next through train which 
 would necessitate Sunday travel at the other end 
 of the line. Well, what should be done? Go to the 
 woods, of course, and hear from God. After so 
 doing I felt clear to wait the twelve hours and 
 
136 The Ups and Dorons of 
 
 trust God to land me somewhere the next Satur- 
 day night. The result was that I was much 
 helped of God in preaching Sunday night, after 
 which, with others, a young overgrown boy came 
 and prostrated himself at the altar, and after a 
 long struggle found peace with God. Later on Le 
 wrote me that he was still saved and felt called 
 to preach. Did it pay to stay and miss the Sun- 
 day night train? 
 
 Another incident. We were booked for a 
 camp meeting in West Virginia. Accordingly, 
 we left Atlanta in time to reach our destination 
 before Sunday. But on arriving in Cincinnati 
 two hours late we found we had missed the east- 
 bound train. This made it impossible to reach 
 camp until early Sunday morning. It would have 
 been easy to reason that we were not responsible 
 for the delay, hence must reach our destination 
 where we could do some good even if we had to 
 travel into the first hours of the Sabbath. But 
 what about the Word that says, "Shall we do evil 
 that good may come?" Sometimes God deals 
 with men today as he did with Hezekiah, "left 
 him, to try him that he might know all that was 
 in his heart." II Chron. 32:31. After getting 
 still before God in spirit, the thought presently 
 came that my brother-in-law lived at Zanesville, 
 
A Pioneer Preacher. 137 
 
 Ohio, which was right on my way, and he had 
 previously written, urging me to stop off some 
 time and preach for them. I looked at the sched- 
 ule and found I would get there at 10 P. M. "All 
 right," said I, "I will do that very thing/' V/hen 
 I arrived, there was a camp meeting in progress 
 of which I had not known, and then I could clearly 
 see that if we always eyed the glory of God, we 
 would be able to spell "Disappointment" with an 
 H — and make it read "His-appointment." 
 
 After preaching twice on Sabbath the com- 
 mittee gave me a "lift on the way," and again I 
 renewed my journey, praising God for delays and 
 other things that, without grace, would worry 
 and annoy. 
 
 WHAT IT COST TO BREAK THE SABBATH. 
 We have had the privilege of preaching the 
 Gospel in New York, Philadelphia, Buffalo, Cleve ■ 
 land, Chicago, St. Louis, and most of the large 
 cities on the coast, besides smaller ones here and 
 there, but have never been compelled (though 
 others may have thought so) to use the Sunday 
 street car. Strange then, that we should let the 
 "jinrikisha" be the first and only offense. 
 
 We were now at Port Said, Egypt, having stop- 
 ped off at other ports along the way, but in each 
 
! 38 The Ups and Dotens of 
 
 instance were saved the unpleasantness of em- 
 barking or disembarking on the Lord's Day. 
 
 After embarking for India we found that all 
 the North German Lloyd steamers (over which 
 line we had booked to Yokohoma), were due to 
 arrive in Colombo on the second and fourth Sun- 
 days of each month. Notwithstanding this, while 
 going down the Red Sea we remembered the God 
 of miracles and prayed Him to either speed or 
 delay us in landing. To the surprise of the sail- 
 ors they were enabled to cast anchor at 3 p. m. 
 Saturday, for which we rejoiced. 
 
 After spending six weeks in India, we re- 
 turned to Colombo to resume our journey to the 
 Orient. We were in hopes that our incoming 
 steamer would be ahead or behind time as before, 
 but to our dismay she landed Sunday at noon. 
 Instead of remaining in port eighteen or twenty- 
 four hours as usual, she posted notice to set sail 
 Sunday night at 12 o'clock. What shall we do? 
 Why embark of course! That is what most ho- 
 liness professors and preachers would do. Yes, 
 and that was what we did, though it was not God's 
 best plan, hence we paid dearly for it. 
 
 It is so easy in times of sudden distress or 
 emergency to lean to one's own understanding 
 and reason away conviction and God's plain 
 
A Pioneer Preacher. 139 
 
 Word. We think it a light thing to do this if it 
 will only suit our own convenience. So we rea- 
 soned that it would cost too much to wait two 
 weeks for the next steamer when perhaps the 
 same thing might occur again. Then what about 
 disappointing the missionaries who were to meet 
 us at Shanghai and conduct us up into the inte- 
 rior where we were to have a convention? That 
 would never do. But the still small whisper of 
 the Spirit came with equal force, "Shall we do 
 evil that good may come ?" Some of the mission- 
 aries present tried to make it look right and nec- 
 essary to go, but the Spirit said, "Thou shalt not 
 follow a multitude to do evil." 
 
 Every time we resorted to the Word for direc- 
 tion we opened to something like this: "Take 
 heed to yourselves and bear no burden on the 
 Sabbath Day; neither carry forth a burden [our 
 baggage] out of your houses on the Sabbath 
 Day." These with many other passages and 
 checks of the Spirit seemed to go against all rea- 
 son and indicate that we should remain for two 
 weeks on that beautiful island of Ceylon, where 
 the "spicy breezes blow." We needed the rest 
 and had we remained, no doubt God would have 
 enabled us to help some of those hungry but 
 worldly missionaries. 
 
1 40 The Ups and Downs of 
 
 The time was now passing and we must de- 
 cide one way or the other. Oh, that souls could 
 always remember that a hurry spirit is not of 
 God. But here we weakened, then failed. "You 
 must not be so over-conscientious," said the mis- 
 sionaries. "We are not under the law but under 
 grace." "What harm," say they, "could there be 
 in taking a street car, or a jinriksha to the jetty, 
 where the company's launch would convey us to 
 the steamer; especially since our boat would not 
 sail until after midnight." So we yielded to the 
 pressure and compromised by waiting until near- 
 ly midnight and then secured our conveyances, 
 but with a cast down air. Oh, what a ride that 
 was! 
 
 We took the steamer, but had a hard 15-day 
 voyage, arrived in Shanghai late and during a cold 
 snap. The result was, that some of the mission- 
 aries were sick and it was so cold that the thought 
 of getting together in a convention was imprac- 
 ticable. We spent but two weeks in the interior, 
 had an attack of pneumonia and returned to 
 Shanghai just in time to miss our boat for Japan. 
 This boat was ahead of time and was the one we 
 should have waited for in Colombo. Now the 
 only thing left to do was either to pay board in 
 cold, dirty Shanghai for two weeks or forfeit our 
 
A Pioneer Preacher. 141 
 
 passage to Japan on the North German Lloyd, 
 and pay transportation again on another line. 
 We preferred to do the latter, and paid out $28.00 
 passage money — the same, exactly, that it would 
 have cost for board for two weeks on that beau- 
 tiful island of Ceylon. 
 
 We gained nothing by getting agitated and in 
 a hurry. We set or followed a bad example, 
 missed a golden opportunity for doing and re- 
 ceiving much good, while my wife suffered much 
 during the rough voyage and I almost lost my 
 life in China. Two weeks later the weather was 
 fine for sailing and traveling up into the interior. 
 
 What did we learn by all this? We learned 
 anew that God does not so much want the Gospel 
 preached, that He is willing to indorse Sabbath 
 breaking. Of course this position may cause us 
 loss, yea, distress. But of what value is our re- 
 ligion if it does not stand some sacrifice? It is 
 always safe to be on the safe side. "Them that 
 honor me I will honor." 
 
CHAPTER XXII. 
 
 GOD'S VETO. 
 
 God Vetoes Trip to the Coast — Gives Something Better — 
 Trip to Colorado — Swamps of Arkansas — Too Many 
 in One Bed — Preaching at Depot. 
 
 The steps (and stops) of a good man are ordered iy tJie 
 Lord, and Ee delighteth in his way. Ps. 37 :23. 
 
 Sometimes God permits unpleasant circum- 
 stances to come our way in order to wean us more 
 fully from creature comfort and self-sufficiency. 
 
 It is a much better test of a subdued spirit to 
 be able not to ask any questions when denied a 
 request, than to shout over a supposed answer 
 to prayer. The fact is, many times, unless souls 
 are deeply saved from self-interest, they uncon- 
 sciously tip and lean their prayers the way they 
 want things to come out. They are more or less 
 agitated and concerned as to the outcome. They 
 can not say with Madame Guyon : — 
 
 "To me remains no place nor time, 
 
 My country is in every clime; 
 I can be calm and free from care, 
 
 On any shore since God is there." 
 
 The writer had a little experience in this re- 
 spect. He was billed to assist in three meetings 
 
 in Oregon, two of which were camps. Time came 
 
 (142) 
 
A Pioneer Preacher. 143 
 
 for leaving, and two tickets were purchased, one 
 being for the true help-meet. Baggage was roped 
 and lunch prepared. Two hours before time to 
 leave, while in prayer, the Lord spoke and said, 
 "Do not go." It was as unexpected as a thunder- 
 clap out of a clear sky. 
 
 Preachers, more than any other class of men, 
 become capable of reasoning away the dictates 
 and leadings of the Spirit. Doubtless the reason 
 is that they become so accustomed to spiritual 
 things that their minds finally take that form ; 
 they become more or less confident of their ability 
 to determine the best course hence human reas- 
 onings are relied upon and substituted for the di- 
 vine. 
 
 In this case human reason said, "Go!" You 
 are advertised and expected, great good can be 
 done, your health will be improved, and all ex- 
 penses provided; besides, it will look vacillating 
 on your part not to do so ; tourist sleeping-car ar- 
 rangements have been made, and a number of 
 friends have already bid good-bye." Notwith- 
 standing all these plausible arguments, my spirit 
 became restless the moment we again considered 
 going. There were but a few moments left in 
 which to finally decide. It was a new experience, 
 indeed. When reputation and every pleasing 
 
1 44 The Ups and Doivns of 
 
 thing were set aside the Spirit -brought rest again, 
 with the assurance that whether we could always 
 understand God's dealings in advance or not, it 
 was safe to obey Him. 
 
 It was a little like Abraham's experience when 
 God told him to offer up Isaac, his only son. God 
 let him go on and build the altar, and lay the wood 
 in order, then bind Isaac and lay him on the altar 
 upon the wood. But when he stretched forth his 
 hand and took the knife to slay his son, "The 
 angel of the Lord called unto him out of heaven 
 and said, Abraham, Abraham : and he said, Here 
 am I." 
 
 A hurry spirit is always unsafe and danger- 
 ous. "He that believeth shall not make haste." 
 
 Shortly after this unexpected experience, we 
 saw many things to reassure us that the kind in- 
 terposition was of God. 
 
 Surely the Scripture is true wherein we are 
 told that "The steps of a good man are ordered 
 of the Lord, and He delighteth in his way." 
 Sometimes it might be more appropriate to read 
 it thus : "The STOPS of a good man are ordered 
 of the Lord." Yes, and it may take more grace 
 sometimes to stay than to go. 
 
 "While place we seek or place we shun, 
 The soul finds happiness in none; 
 But with my God to guide my way, 
 'Tis equal joy to go or stay." 
 
A Pioneer Preacher. 145 
 
 After God so kindly vetoed this trip, we ielt 
 slow to say we were going anywhere. But the in- 
 vitations kept coming, and accordingly, we start- 
 ed for Denver, Colorado, where we were to con- 
 duct a meeting before assisting in two camp 
 meetings in the same state. 
 
 We had gone as far as Memphis, Tennessee, 
 when two young brethren who were going with 
 the writer, got off to have their tickets changed, 
 and, because of the crowd, were left. The train 
 was pulling out so hurriedly that I could not get 
 off with five grips, hence had to stay on until the 
 first stop, which was nearly forty miles in the 
 swamps of Arkansas. Here at "Marked Tree," 
 I put up for the night awaiting their next train. 
 After retiring it was not long before I found that 
 the bed was already occupied, and upon lighting 
 a match, readily saw that there were too many 
 for me. But I was tired and decided to make the 
 best of it, so kept the light burning in hope of 
 keeping off the "Philistines." This, however was 
 fruitless, as they finally made a flank movement 
 where the light did not shine. The mosquitoes 
 likewise took their share of the prey. The frogs 
 on the outside kept the music going until the long- 
 looked-for break of day, when to convince me 
 more fully that I was in a tough place, I looked 
 
1 46 The Ups and Dorens of 
 
 out o±' the window to see a man get rid of his 
 breakfast, and, later on, the grunt of a hog re- 
 vealed the fact that he was true to his scavenger 
 nature in eating up indigestible things. By this 
 time the preacher bounded out of bed with the 
 remark, "Well, this is one more page in history." 
 But this was one of the "all things" and we 
 must make the best of it, so we hastened to the 
 depot to find a motley crowd of sawmill men, all 
 shades and colors, waiting to see our train pass 
 through, which was late, owing to a train-load of 
 soldiers that stopped to take water; whereupon 
 we seized the opportunity and began singing and 
 preaching to the large crowd. Many were like 
 heathen, having never heard of such a thing. 
 Then followed the distribution of tracts which 
 helped to banish the memory of the preceding 
 night, and as we boarded the train to again meet 
 our lost brethren, we felt that perhaps God want- 
 ed those soldier boys and others to hear a mes- 
 sage, and get those tracts before going into eter- 
 nity. "Blessed are ye that sow beside all waters," 
 even if there is a green scum of poisonous malaria 
 covering them, as was the case at "Marked Tree." 
 It means much to be "instant in season and out of 
 season," — pulpit, and out of it. 
 
CHAPTER XXIII. 
 
 OMNIPOTENT FAITH. 
 
 A Sixteen-mile Drive — Catching tlie Train — Just Misses a 
 Montlt's Quarantine. 
 
 All things are possible to him that helieveth. Mark 9:83. 
 
 If we only knew it, we are well-nigh Om- 
 nipotent. Perhaps there never lived a man who 
 fully proved all the possibilities of faith and 
 prayer. Why, then, are we so dependent upon 
 wicked men and Sabbath-breaking corporations? 
 Since Christ authorizes us to command things 
 apparently as immovable as trees and mountains, 
 surely in this day we ought to walk upon the 
 "high places of the earth." 
 
 For one, the writer is heartily ashamed of the 
 few exploits of faith in controlling men and 
 things, yet in a limited sense we have been ena- 
 bled to demand boats, railroad trains, etc., to wait, 
 or hurry up, as the case might be. I will here 
 speak of one instance. 
 
 We had closed a good camp meeting, down in 
 Mississippi, where the redbugs are thick, weath- 
 er hot and fleas dance all night to the fiddling of 
 
 (147) 
 
1 48 The Ups and Downs of 
 
 the mosquitoes. But people are hospitable and 
 common enough to preach to in shirt sleeves. 
 
 Here we had an interesting drive of sixteen 
 miles to Hazelhurst, where we were to take the 
 train. The conveyance came so late that we were 
 told we would never make it, but we ventured, 
 any way. The heat was intense, the roads were 
 dusty, and three of us, besides a trunk and three 
 valises, crowded into a two-horse surry. The 
 horses perspired freely while we kept praying 
 that the Lord would undertake for them and us. 
 At last we turned the corner, some twenty rods 
 from the depot, just in time to see the train pull 
 in. For the time being, our hearts sank within 
 us, and the driver said, "We can not make it," 
 but the thought of waiting nearly twelve hours 
 for the next train made me desperate to the very 
 last. Just then the whip broke in two, and the 
 horses became frightened at the engine and the 
 driver gave up, but I still insisted on making one 
 more attempt, and with it reached the depot, 
 grabbed the trunk, carried it across the street, 
 threw it into the baggage-car unchecked, then 
 ran and bought a ticket. Now I had to run back 
 to the buggy to get two valises, and by this time 
 the train was moving off, but I made the suc- 
 cessful leap, leaving the other poor preacher to 
 
A Pioneer Preacher. 1 49 
 
 wait twelve hours for the next train. All in the 
 world he had to look after was a small valise, 
 but he was so spellbound, watching the "Yankee," 
 that he missed the train. 
 
 I never heard how he came out, for the next 
 day after passing through Jackson, Mississippi 
 (where I had to change), the quarantine went 
 into effect, because of yellow fever, and had I 
 missed my train I doubtless would have been 
 held there for a month. Sometimes it pays to 
 "get a move on you." 
 
CHAPTER XXIV. 
 
 THE SORROWS OF LIFE. 
 
 A Remarkable Woman — The Unexpected — Another Re- 
 markable Woman — The Departure of Sweet Little 
 Juliette. 
 
 The Lord gave and the Lord hath taken aioay; blessed he 
 the name of the Lord. Job 1:21. 
 
 To the observing, it is noticeable that when a 
 family is exempt from sickness and sorrow for 
 years, then there often comes a sudden crash, and 
 various calamities all pour in about the same 
 time. If we had our choice, doubtless we would 
 prefer having our troubles distributed evenly 
 along the pathway of life, rather than have them 
 come like an avalanche. But, "Shall not the 
 Judge of all the earth do right?" 
 
 As already stated, after ten years of beautiful 
 wedlock, my noble helpmeet was taken from me 
 as with a stroke. This was the most unlooked 
 for occurrence of my life, and was like a bolt of 
 lightning from a clear sky. 
 
 I will here quote from her life, "A Remarka- 
 ble Woman," written by her sister, Mrs. Bertha 
 
 B. Smith : 
 
 (150) 
 
A Pioneer Preacher. 151 
 
 "She looked forward to added responsibility 
 in the near future with pleasure. The privileges 
 of motherhood had not been hers, because of 
 physical weakness. But with increased health 
 came the prospect, and her heart beat with joyful 
 anticipation. 
 
 "During this period she clung to her husband 
 with the tenderest aifection. Next to God he was 
 'the light of her eyes.' When he would come 
 down from the office, after an hour or , two of 
 work, her face would light up like a pleased child. 
 When business called him away again, her eyes 
 would follow him with a wistful expression. 
 While her love for him was always supreme, and 
 their relations most tender and affectionate — a 
 perpetual 'honeymoon,' yet hers was not a cling- 
 ing nature. She evidently felt an intuition that 
 separation was to take place, though perhaps not 
 defined even to herself. 
 
 "There came a day of suffering, followed by 
 a night of agony for her, and fearful suspense to 
 husband, sister, and other loving friends. The 
 morning found three doctors with their instru- 
 ments, a little waxen form prepared for burial, 
 and the mother lying very low and unconscious. 
 
 "She rallied and her symptoms were quite fa- 
 vorable for nearly two days. There came a 
 
1 52 The Ups and Doivns of 
 
 change for the worse in the night, and for thirty- 
 six hours she lay moaning and unconscious. 
 Even then we did not despair. We have often 
 heard her say that she was immortal till her 
 work was done. As the whole household were 
 up praying for her the last night, that comforting 
 thought was brought forcibly to the writer. The 
 Lord had brought her back from the jaws of 
 death several times, and He could and would do 
 so again, if her work was not yet done. We did 
 not give up hope until she was gone. Though 
 unconscious of the presence of friends and loved 
 ones weeping around her, she caught a glimpse 
 of 'the things prepared for them that love Him,' 
 and her eyes lit up with glad surprise and heav- 
 enly glory, then her pure spirit took its flight at 
 about 5 :30 a. m. on the 28th of March, 1902. 
 
 "The shock of her death was like a thunder- 
 clap from a clear sky. It was especially so with 
 her husband who was completely crushed and 
 almost in despair. We had not once anticipated 
 her leaving us." 
 
 The fondest recollections I have of her are 
 not so much the caresses and loving words which 
 were showered upon me, but the strength of 
 character and greatness of soul that she exhibited 
 under all circumstances. She was a woman of 
 
A Pioneer Preacher. 1 53 
 
 poise and saintly dignity. She was endowed 
 with a quiet, unassuming power to mold char- 
 acter that left its imprint upon all with whom 
 she lived or labored. Her refined sensibilities, 
 godly counsels, and sometimes reproofs were 
 worth ten thousand times more to me than silver 
 or earthly honor." 
 
 There was nothing soft or sentimental about 
 her. She had no use for affectation in herself 
 or others. She was surprised that anyone could 
 act deceitfully. She frequently remarked that 
 she was an "old-fashioned person." But this did 
 not keep her from being pleasing in her ways. 
 One moment she was capable of becoming the 
 most child-like and gleeful, so as to make every 
 one, children and all, delight to associate with 
 her. The next moment if duty demanded it, 
 whether in the pulpit or home life, her very pres- 
 ence made every one feel that she was in com- 
 mand and her wishes must be respected. In a 
 judicial sense, she was a dignified woman. In 
 another sense she was a pure, innocent little girl. 
 
 Another characteristic was her strong intui- 
 tiveness and discernment of spirit. We were 
 generally safe in relying upon her judgment per- 
 taining to weighty matters, and she did not abuse 
 this power; many times while others were asleep, 
 
1 54 The Ups and Do'wns of 
 
 she was wrestling with God concerning the work, 
 or for some one who was nearing a crisis. 
 
 She was the happy combination of mirth with- 
 out lightness; firmness without severity; econ- 
 omy without closeness; good rule without an ex- 
 acting spirit, and bearing responsibility without 
 anxiety. In short, she was a well saved, sym- 
 metrical character — a balance-wheel to me and 
 many others. 
 
 For sometime after her departure I could not 
 control my sorrow or suppress my feelings. Only 
 those who have had a similar experience know 
 anything about the lonely evenings, long nights 
 and dreary days that followed. I could not bear 
 the sight or sound of former things and longed 
 to follow her, or so bury myself in hard work as 
 to forget the past. I consecrated to go the rest 
 of the journey of life alone and never think of 
 companionship again, for who could ever fill the 
 vacancy? 
 
 But this was not God's best plan. In the 
 course of time. He unexpectedly revealed to me 
 that my sainted companion had been my "mold- 
 er" and had gone as far as she could in molding 
 my life, and that now I needed a "mellower" — 
 one whose tenderness and sympathetic nature 
 would have an equally wholesome effect upon my 
 
A Pioneer Preacher. 1 55 
 
 natural severity. Many criticised and drew com- 
 parisons between the two, saying the latter was 
 not to be compared to the former. But now af- 
 ter another ten years of beautiful wedlock, I and 
 many others agree that God and His Providences 
 made no mistake. 
 
 It is worth more than millions to have had 
 such environments and surroundings. Surely I 
 cannot be anything but a good man, a holy man. 
 God help me! I must not be anything else. 
 
 And if, in after years it develops that this 
 unprofitable servant has attained to anything at 
 all worthy of mention, I will owe it first to the 
 grace of God; second, to the two godly compan- 
 ions He gave me, and thirdly to the poverty and 
 persecution that have been mine to suffer. Thanks 
 be to God forever and ever. 
 
 A SECOND SORROW. 
 
 After another ten years of beautiful wedlock 
 a second sorow came into our home. This time 
 it was the sudden departure of our third child, 
 sweet little Juliette. She was nearly two years 
 old and from the first was strangely sweet and 
 dignified in her ways. We called her our "little 
 saint," and I frequently remarked, "This child is 
 too heavenly to stay with us long." 
 
156 The Ups and Doivns of 
 
 And it was so, for when that dread disease, 
 membraneous croup attacked our darling, we 
 prayed and did all within our power but to no 
 avail. After laying the little blossom away we 
 were tooth very sad and tried to comfort our 
 hearts with the following thoughts: "The Lord 
 gave and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be 
 the name of the Lord." When the Lord loans us 
 anything, He has a perfect right at any time to 
 recall the loan, and when He does, it is doubtless 
 because He desires a higher rate of interest — ■ 
 more glory. 
 
 It is not for us to chide ourselves or anyone 
 else and say, "Why did we not think to do this or 
 that; it might have averted this sorrow." But 
 did we not act, at the time, up to all the light we 
 had ? If so, it was God's business to either bless 
 our efforts or overrule them and show us some 
 better way. Moreover, had He designed other- 
 wise, He could have answered prayer at the last 
 moment, as He has done in thousands of other 
 cases. It is enough then to know that nothing 
 happens with God, and all our efforts are futile, 
 only as He blesses them. "Except the Lord build 
 the house, they labor in vain who build it." 
 
 God forbid that in a fit of despair I should say 
 with Jacob, "All these things are against me." 
 
A Pioneer Preacher. 157 
 
 Rather let me say with Paul, "All things work 
 together for good." God is in His Providences, as 
 well as in His grace, and if so. He has wisely 
 planned or permitted this affliction for our good 
 and His glory. Thomas Upham says, "That 
 which God permits, is as essential, in the fulfill- 
 ment of His wise and glorious administration, 
 as that which He does." 
 
 Jeremiah said, "The Lord doth not afflict will- 
 ingly, nor grieve the children of men." David 
 said, "Before I was afflicted I went astray," and 
 again, "It is good for me that I have been afflict- 
 ed, that I might learn Thy statutes." Anything 
 therefore, is "good" that enlarges the vision, mel- 
 lows the spirit, broadens our sympathies and 
 weans us from earthly things. Millions of saints 
 have been comforted by reading of the patience of 
 Job, the Psalms of David and the Lamentations of 
 Jeremiah. But we never would have had these, 
 had it not been for afflictions, privations and per- 
 secutions endured by these worthies. "Shall we 
 receive good at the hand of God and shall we not 
 receive evil?" 
 
 This is a world of hate, hunger and heart- 
 breaking sorrow of various kinds. Surely suf- 
 fering humanity needs some source of comfort. 
 But how can we comfort others unless we our- 
 
1 58 The Ups and Doivns of 
 
 selves have tasted their griefs? We are told not 
 only to "rejoice w^ith them that rejoice," but also 
 to "weep with them that weep." Perhaps God 
 sees that the only way we can from the heart car- 
 ry out this injunction, is to give us a like experi- 
 ence with thousands of others. 
 
 One writer has said, "It is better to have loved 
 and lost than never to have loved at all." A re- 
 bellious heart would naturally ask, "Why does 
 God give us these little treasures, if He does not 
 intend- for us to keep them ?" But faith answers, 
 "We are better off for having possessed and lost 
 them (nay, sent them on ahead) than had they 
 never been ours." When we get to heaven, per- 
 haps we will see that God permitted millions of 
 these little cherubs to be born just to help beauti- 
 fy that Place of Bliss. And since that is to be our 
 eternal abode, why not rejoice even through our 
 tears that the Lord sees fit to pluck the choicest 
 of our flowers for such decoration. 
 
CHAPTER XXV. 
 
 OLD-TIME PERSECUTIONS. 
 
 Arrested Three Times in Lakeland, Fla., for Preaciiing on 
 the Street— The Lousy Old Jail— The Inner Cell— The 
 False Trial — The Final Deliverance. 
 
 No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and 
 every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou 
 shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the 
 Lord. Isa. 54 :n. 
 
 The beautiful city of Lakeland, Fla., well de- 
 serves the significant name, for it is surrounded 
 by nine little bodies of sparkling water on the 
 banks of which are luxuriant orange groves, 
 whose golden fruit forms a pleasing contrast 
 with the long rows of olive green foliage extend- 
 ing down to the water's edge. 
 
 In the midst of this little city are to be found 
 some of the nicest of people and some of the best 
 schools of the South. No saloons mar the beauty 
 of its streets or the peace of its homes, for Lake- 
 land is a cultured town, and, in many respects, a 
 moral one. 
 
 It was at this place that we opened up meet- 
 ings in the old opera house in the year 1911, hold- 
 
 (159) 
 
1 60 The Ups and Downs of 
 
 ing services in the hall and sometimes on the 
 street. People were kind to us and seemed to ap- 
 preciate our labors, and when in the spring, we 
 started north, we were met at the depot by a num- 
 ber of our friends, and laden with luscious Flor- 
 ida fruit. 
 
 In the fall, we returned, commencing opera- 
 tions in a large tent. We had a five-roomed fam- 
 ily tent, besides a small one for a cook room ; so 
 lived comfortably all winter, using a hot stuff 
 stove on cool days for heating. 
 
 Bishop Sellew and wife, besides others, came 
 south and ably assisted us in the meetings that 
 winter, preaching with us on the streets at night 
 and sometimes on Saturday afternoon. 
 
 During the winter we had held a public debate 
 on the street with a Mormon elder, and so sig- 
 nally won the victory that he left on the midnight 
 train. The daily paper come out the next day, 
 lauding us for our services to the city, and com- 
 plimenting us in general. 
 
 The third year we returned and opened ser- 
 vices in a little plain church which we had bought. 
 
 It was at this juncture that we were to be 
 tested. How should it come? By sickness and 
 death? by mobs, such as surrounded John Wesley 
 in his itineracy? Was it to hear the creaking of 
 
A Pioneer Preacher. 161 
 
 prison doors, with Bunyan and Madame Guyon? 
 Let us see. 
 
 After our first street meeting the chief of po- 
 lice informed us that if we wished to hold any 
 more street services it would be necessary to ob- 
 tain a permit, and he added, "I doubt if you will 
 be able to get one." 
 
 Acccordingly, I went to the mayor (who was 
 a Baptist deacon) to try to obtain one, but he 
 put me off evasively; then I tried again, praying 
 with him in his office. He said he would let us 
 know later, but did not until time for street meet- 
 ing, when I could not find him in his office, or 
 on the street, so I phoned him at his residence. 
 
 I told him we were now ready to hold our 
 street meeting, and would like to have his per- 
 mission. But he said he was not prepared to 
 grant it. I asked him what he would do were the 
 Salvation Army to come to town, which was like- 
 ly to be the case in such a growing city. He said 
 he supposed he would have to grant them a per- 
 mit. 
 
 "Well, if you can give them one, why can you 
 not give us one, since we are doing the same kind 
 of work?" 
 
 He answered, "Because you have a church in 
 which to worship." 
 
162 The Ups and Dotpns of 
 
 "Very well, but the Salvation Army have a 
 hall. We are not after nickels and dimes, but 
 we want to lead men to Christ." 
 
 "Well," he said, "I believe street meetings, if 
 conducted properly, do a great deal of good, and 
 if I had my way about it I would grant you a 
 permit, but the ordinance is so drawn up that I 
 cannot do it. I could grant you a license for five 
 dollars a day, the same as I grant to circuses and 
 barbecues, but there is no provision made for is- 
 suing permits for preaching the gospel on the 
 streets. 
 
 I replied, "I am very sorry then, for we will 
 have to go without it." 
 
 THE FIRST ARREST. 
 
 Since our own efforts had been fruitless three 
 times, also the solicitations of some of our friends, 
 including business men, had been turned down, 
 we felt very clear to go ahead and hold our street 
 meeting; whereupon the chief of police appeared 
 and ordered us to stop. Neither the street nor 
 sidewalks were blocked, and a drummer spoke 
 up and protested against his disturbing us, say- 
 ing that there was no call for it and that they 
 were enjoying our meeting. 
 
 He answered, "I have got to do it or lose my 
 
A Pioneer Preacher. 1 63 
 
 job." A number of voices rang out, "I'd lose my 
 job then rather than arrest a preacher for preach- 
 ing the gospel." But he went ahead and arrested 
 me, and started for the jail. 
 
 I turned around and said, "Wife, you go ahead 
 and finish the meeting." 
 
 "No, she wont." 
 
 "Yes, we are one and you are commissioned 
 to stand by me." 
 
 The courageous little woman stepped out and 
 began speaking, when the crowd cheered until she 
 had to stop and wait until they were through. 
 
 We had gone only a little way toward the jail, 
 when some business men intercepted us and of- 
 fered bond for my appearance at court. Public 
 opinion was running high in our favor, and men 
 denounced the arrest as an "outrage and a dis- 
 grace to civilization." 
 
 The next Monday morning we appeared for 
 trial, and after a lot of palaver by the tobacco 
 soaked, Freemason judge, I was fined five dol- 
 lars and costs; but the fine was "suspended" on 
 good behavior. 
 
 The judge himself, along with the attorney, 
 also the editor of the daily paper who was a 
 Catholic, declared that they doubted whether such 
 an ordinance was constitutional and thought it 
 
1 64 The Ups and Downs of 
 
 should and would be repealed; but until such a 
 time, it should be respected. 
 
 Moreover, they said that they were satisfied 
 that if I should appear before the city council at 
 its next meeting, provision would be made for 
 resident pastors and reputable people to hold 
 street meetings: that the ordinance was drawn 
 up particularly for "long-haired, and tramp 
 preachers," and not for honorable men. 
 
 I thanked them kindly, and answered that if 
 the ordinance was drawn up for a certain class, 
 it should be applied to that class and not to me, 
 for I did not belong to that crowd, but to a church 
 that, from the bishop down, believed in open air 
 preaching. 
 
 THE SECOND AREEST. 
 
 In the interim of our first arrest and the next 
 council meeting, three weeks hence, public senti- 
 ment ran high, and the good citizens of the place 
 felt ashamed of the manner in which we had 
 been treated. Strange to say, not one of the pas- 
 tors of the city ever peeped in our favor; they 
 must first feel the pulse of the people, for this is 
 the way to look after the butter and bread. 
 
 The Methodist pastor gave as a reason, that 
 whichever position he took, he would offend some 
 of his members. I replied that he should have 
 
A Pioneer Preacher. 1 65 
 
 the courage to take his stand for the right, re- 
 gardless of consequences. 
 
 In order to show that we were law abiding, 
 we now declined to hold any more street meet- 
 ings, though urged to do so. 
 
 One Roman Catholic man came to our home 
 on Saturday and earnestly requested us to hold 
 another street meeting. "For," said he, "I want 
 the satisfaction of knocking the policeman down 
 when he comes to arrest you, for I am from South 
 Carolina" (the mob state). I answered that 
 we could not afford to hold a street meeting in 
 order to give him such satisfaction. 
 
 At last the time arrived for the city council 
 to meet, Saturday, 2 :30 p. m. There was so much 
 feeling in our favor that I did not consider it 
 necessary to take a large delegation with me, but 
 appeared alone before the honorable (?) body. 
 The mayor was not present, so by virtue of his 
 office, the president of the city council (a Unita- 
 rian) , became mayor pro tem, and presided. He 
 treated me with silent contempt, though he knew 
 me to be a minister of the gospel. After they 
 had disposed of much of their other business, 
 calling to me he said: 
 
 "Have you anything to say to this body?" 
 
 Whereupon I arose and, bowing to the chair- 
 
1 66 The Ups and Downs of 
 
 man, said, "Gentlemen, I heartily approve of 
 some ordinance regulating preaching on your 
 streets, but I have appeared before your honora- 
 ble body to request that you so modify your or- 
 dinance pertaining to street meetings that it will 
 not exclude resident pastors, or honorable men 
 who are preaching a good gospel." 
 
 The chairman retorted, "So you want us to 
 make a special provision for you, do you?" 
 
 I replied, "I have asked nothing of the kind. 
 What I request for myself I request for all evan- 
 gelical ministers of your town." 
 
 Leaning back, he said, "It is the opinion of 
 the chair that this ordinance remain just as it 
 is." With but little said, the motion was put, 
 and the preacher ruled out. 
 
 It is needless to say that I walked down those 
 stairs with less exuberance than when I walked 
 up. Now our last hope was gone, and we must 
 either submit to this unjust and unconstitutional 
 legislation, or go ahead and act as though it did 
 not exist. 
 
 Having resorted to prayer, and conferred with 
 a number of our friends and some business men, 
 we felt clear to hold another street meeting. 
 
 The noble little band had sung a couple of 
 songs and I had taken my text when the chief of 
 
A Pioneer Preacher. 167 
 
 police appeared for duty, and, without any pre- 
 liminaries, arrested me the second time. 
 
 A number of business men were ready to go 
 my bond, but the answer was, "I have orders to 
 lock him up." Accordingly, he started with me 
 for the old, lousy jail, above which was the city 
 hall. While on the way, bond was offered for 
 from $100 to $500; then to $1,000; then to $1,- 
 500; but all was refused as though I had been 
 guilty of murder or treason. 
 
 I had been locked up but a short time when 
 the door opened and in came one of our preachers 
 who had continued the meeting after I had been 
 arrested. 
 
 The town was stirred and a number of busi- 
 ness men, headed by a Presbyterian elder, signed 
 a protest and demanded our release. The feel- 
 ing ran so high that the jail was threatened to 
 be torn down. The officials saw that the only 
 thing to do was to turn us loose, to appear at 
 court Monday morning. As soon as we were out 
 we announced that we would go back and finish 
 our street meeting. This pleased the people, and 
 the street was crowded with friends who were 
 marching behind us to our old stamping ground. 
 We had a good time preaching and warning the 
 people not to hold any malice toward the officials, 
 
1 68 The Ups and Doivns of 
 
 but to repent and flee from the wrath to come. 
 
 THE SECOND TRIAL. 
 
 The next Monday morning, the yard, court 
 room, and stairway leading to it were all crowd- 
 ed with people to see the outcome of the trial. 
 We had to press our way through the crowd and 
 were given seats near the judge. When my case 
 was called and the charges were read, the judge 
 asked me if I pleaded guilty. 
 
 I replied, "Yes and no. I answer in the af- 
 firmative, concerning the preaching on the street, 
 but in the negative as to being guilty of any mis- 
 demeanor." 
 
 "Then," the judge continued, "I am not here 
 to pass upon the justice or legality of this or- 
 dinance, but since it has become a law of the city, 
 it becomes my duty to defend the law when bro- 
 ken ; hence I must fine you, and it being the sec- 
 ond offense, I must impose upon you the limit of 
 the law, which will be twenty dollars and costs; 
 also, the former suspended fine must be added 
 to this." 
 
 I waited a moment, then arose and addressed 
 the judge as follows: 
 
 "Your honor : If I have been guilty of doing 
 anything to mar the peace or dignity of your 
 
A Pioneer Preacher. 169 
 
 city, if I have been drinking or quarreling, or 
 using bad language, I ask you to send me up. But 
 for preaching the gospel — for trying to lead men 
 to forsake sin and become better citizens and hus- 
 bands — for this, I feel I have done no wrong; 
 and to pay a fine would be equivalent to an ac- 
 knowledgment of guilt: therefore, I cannot con- 
 scientiously pay such a fine, nor will I allow any 
 one else to pay it for me." 
 
 When I sat down there was deep silence and 
 men were weeping. Finally, the pause was bro- 
 ken when a business man proposed to appeal the 
 case to a higher court and pay all the expenses 
 himself. The judge jumped at this opportunity 
 to escape censure and responsibility, and said, 
 "Thank you; thank you, Mr. Smith. I am glad 
 somebody wants to see this tested in a higher 
 court." This looked like Pilate of old, trying to 
 wash his hands. 
 
 I replied, "Thank you, Mr. Smith, for your 
 courtesy, but at the time my trial is called again, 
 I may be up north or out west in a revival meet- 
 ing, and I could not afford to stop and come down 
 here then. Therefore, I prefer to have it settled 
 here and now." 
 
 After some parleying on the part of the law- 
 yers, my request was granted, and thus the "pes- 
 
1 70 The Ups and Dorvm oj 
 
 tilent fellow" was again on the hands of the judge 
 for disposal. 
 
 There was such strong feeling that the judge 
 did not dare sentence me then and there to jail 
 or the chain gang. 
 
 The next day, while riding along with Bro. 
 Gardner, who had likewise been fined, the chief 
 hailed us and said, "Well, what about paying 
 your fine?" 
 
 I replied, "You heard our statement, that we 
 could not pay a fine for preaching the gospel, 
 nor allow any one else to pay it for us." 
 
 "Well," said he, "the only thing to do then is 
 to go to jail." We answered, "Very well; here 
 we are," and he locked us up. 
 
 As soon as we entered our new thirty days' 
 home, we began to prepare for the worst. In one 
 corner of our apartment, which was 12x14 feet, 
 stood an old sanitary bucket which had no cover, 
 and had not been emptied for some time. 
 Through the bars, in the colored department, 
 stood another, and the odor was so sickening that 
 I gagged when I tried to eat a lunch. There were 
 two little windows, 2x4 feet in size, nine feet 
 above the cement floor, through which we were 
 to receive our sunlight and a little fresh air. 
 With considerable effort we could climb the wall 
 
A Pioneer Preacher. 171 
 
 and crouch in the window facing the street, for 
 a little while. While sitting here, I announced 
 to the passers by and those who were standing in 
 groups outside, that there would be preaching 
 from that pulpit at 7 p. m. 
 
 When the hour arrived, a good crowd had 
 gathered. After singing we announced that we 
 had preached on the streets of Brooklyn, Pitts- 
 burg and other large cities in this and foreign 
 countries, and were protected by the officers, but 
 we had to come to Lakeland to be locked up in a 
 filthy old jail. 
 
 My little wife, who was sitting in the buggy 
 outside, was ordered by the chief to move away. 
 The citizens protested, saying he could not drive 
 her off the street, as that was the place for a car- 
 riage. Finally, he led her away, only to have her 
 turn around and come back and show her fidel- 
 ity as a true wife should do. 
 
 At the close of the service, the chief entered 
 and said, "The next time you preach from the 
 window, I have orders to lock you in the inner 
 cell: more than this, you must work the streets 
 tomorrow." 
 
 At this I mounted the window and said, 
 "Good night, wife; please send down my old 
 
1 72 The Ups and DoTvns of 
 
 clothes early in the morning, for the order is 
 that we must work the streets tomorrow." 
 
 One man spoke out from the crowd, "No, you 
 will not. I will work in your place." 
 
 I replied, "We must work or live on bread 
 and water." 
 
 Another voice said, "No; you will not; we 
 will see that you get something to eat." 
 
 Again I answered, "Do you see the signs 
 recently posted, saying no one is allowed to hand 
 anything in or speak to the prisoners?" 
 
 Another voice called out, "Tell us the moment 
 you want out, and the door will come down." 
 
 I replied, "Don't resort to violence, men, for 
 we will not come out unless the officer takes us 
 out." 
 
 At this, one influential man raised his fist 
 and said, "Every man who is a man, let me see 
 your fist." A score or more arms went up. The 
 order was, "Swing into line and follow me." They 
 marched two by two to the mayor's home and 
 awoke him, saying, "We have just come to tell 
 you to come down and let that preacher out of 
 jail, and if you do not know how to unlock it, we 
 will show you how it is done." 
 
 It is needless to say that he did so, and we 
 were released. 
 
A Pioneer Preacher. 1 73 
 
 When we stepped out of the filthy place the 
 stars were shining, and, looking up we said, 
 "Well, it is nice to breathe free air again; sup- 
 pose we sing, 'Praise God from whom all bless- 
 ings flow." 
 
 This was the first time we ever heard a crowd 
 of men who were fighting-mad, sing the doxology, 
 but they were ready to do anything we suggested. 
 It sounded so well the first time, we repeated it. 
 Thus ended the second chapter in this episode but 
 there is more to follow. 
 
 THE THIRD ARREST. 
 
 The fight was now on in earnest. 
 
 The Catholic editor joined hands with the 
 Unitarian "city boss," in creating sentiment 
 against us. The majority of business men were 
 for us in spirit, but being without grace, like the 
 Jews of old, were afraid to openly espouse our 
 cause. There were only a few who dared to do 
 so, and as a result were boycotted, and suffered 
 loss in business. 
 
 About this time a couple of new brethren 
 came to the city, and as it was Thanksgiving Day, 
 they thought every person would feel more or less 
 religious, and there would be no objection to their 
 going out on the street and at least singing a 
 
1 74 The Ups and Downs of 
 
 couple of songs. But the police did not feel over- 
 ly religious this morning, so marched them off to 
 jail. The fact that they were strangers in town 
 and did not have much prestige, left them with- 
 out the sympathy of the people at large. Know- 
 ing something of the filthiness of the old jail, I 
 went and bailed them out until their trial should 
 be called. This, of course, identified me with 
 them and made it appear that it was a "put up 
 game to defy the laws of the city." The judge 
 was "sick" ( ?) and could not preside at the trial, 
 hence the president of the city council was pleased 
 to take his place. It is needless to say that each 
 of the prisoners was promptly fined and given the 
 full extent of the law — twenty dollars and costs. 
 As they did not feel clear to pay, they were sum- 
 moned to jail for thirty days. 
 
 We were now convinced that it was a waste 
 of time to try to hold any more street meetings 
 under these conditions, for we would no sooner 
 get started than we would be interrupted and 
 arrested. But now I felt clear to take out a li- 
 cense (for which I paid five dollars per day) and 
 thus keep within the bounds of the city ordinance. 
 
 Any one can readily see that such an ordinance 
 was drawn up purposely to keep the gospel off the 
 streets, as the originators did not suppose that 
 
A Pioneer Preacher. 
 
 175 
 
 CITY LICENSE. 
 
 CuMMiy a/ faa. ). 
 
 Ci.,<.tU,l,.l«nJ. \ N9 1427 
 
 Z^ 
 
 In QConalltrratlflii of the sum 
 
 Municipal__IJ5ense Tax, pairt to the Tax Collector, and the Clerk's E«^ of Twenty-five 
 Cent|(jji<f receiQ^-jifbf'Teotjjptierebvu'cknowIedged, 
 
 wJiereby Licensed to engage to «f maaage the basiness, profession or occupation of 
 
 "street preachers" would be able, or willing to 
 pay out such a sum. But we felt clear to do so. 
 Accordingly, when we began singing the people 
 came running to see the preacher arrested. We 
 soon allayed their fears by showing a little slip 
 of paper and saying, "Friends, do not get excited; 
 some of you have come to see the preacher ar- 
 rested, but you will not see it today, for this little 
 paper protects us. In Lakeland and San Fran- 
 cisco, you can do almost anything; climb a tele- 
 graph pole, stand on your head, sing lewd songs, 
 and cheat the people out of their money, if you 
 can only dig up the five dollars and pay your 
 "license." This little paper cost me five dollars. 
 
1 76 The Ups and Downs of 
 
 and it is good for but one day. Preachers gen- 
 erally expect money to be coming their way, but 
 this time it is going the other way." We con- 
 tinued : 
 
 "In this city you can take out license for doing 
 dray work which will let you cut and mess up 
 the streets, and it will cost you but five dollars 
 a year ; or if you wish to run a grocery store and 
 pile up barrels, boxes and hen coops on the side- 
 walk, throw banana peelings, rotten apples and 
 decayed vegetables around, where people have to 
 walk — ^you can do all this and more too, for 'fif- 
 teen dollars' a year; but understand friends, if a 
 man wants to preach the gospel and thereby lead 
 drunkards, blasphemers and sinners to Christ, he 
 can not have this privilege for five dollars a 
 year, or fifteen dollars a year, but it will cost him 
 five dollars a day : or in other words one thousand 
 eight hundred and twenty-five dollars per year. 
 Now if this is not legislating against a certain 
 class, yea, against the gospel of Jesus Christ, then 
 tell me, what under the sun do we call it!" 
 
 By this time the crowd were so wrought up 
 that they began throwing money at me until I 
 had to tell them to stop, we had enough. 
 
 We did this for three consecutive Saturdays, 
 and were then refused, even this privilege, though 
 
A Pioneer Preacher. 1 77 
 
 we shook five dollars at the city clerk. One man 
 sent us one hundred dollars, saying, "This will 
 give you twenty licks at them, and if they cut you 
 off use it for living expenses." 
 
 The city boss who was the spokesman for the 
 officials, finally came out plain and revealed the 
 spirit that formulated the ordinance, when he 
 said, "We do not want preaching on the streets 
 of Lakeland. This is a moral town. If you 
 want to do that kind of work, go to Plant City 
 or Tampa, where they have saloons." 
 
 I replied, "Yes, but you see men staggering 
 along these streets, just the same." Finally pub- 
 lic sentiment prevailed and they were compelled 
 to change the ordinance, the thing for which we 
 had contended from the beginning. 
 
 During this time, the two brethren who were 
 still in jail, were one day singing and preaching 
 from the window with telling effect. Of course 
 we drove down and listened to them. 
 
 Finally, the order was given that next time 
 they preached from the window they should be 
 locked in the inner cell; and when the hour ar- 
 rived, wife and the writer were sitting in the 
 carriage just outside the jaO. Our brother was 
 commenting on the thirty-seventh Psalm, when 
 the "chief" appeared and ordered him down. The 
 
1 78 The Ups and Downs of 
 
 preacher answered that he would come down as 
 soon as he had finished his Psalm ; whereupon the 
 chief proceeded to take him by force, but being 
 unable, went out and deputized two strong men, 
 and the three tore him from the window and 
 locked both of the brethren in the inner cell. 
 
 At this sight I spoke out and said, "I protest ; 
 this is a step backward toward the Dark Ages 
 and Spanish Inquisition." The chief ordered me 
 to "drive on" and when I declined to do so, came 
 out and said, "I have orders to arrest you for 
 criticising." 
 
 I jumped from the buggy and, lifting my hat 
 and bowing to the people, said, "I have protested 
 against this cruelty and now am being arrested 
 myself for so doing." As soon as I was locked 
 up, the police removed all the chairs, so that I 
 was compelled to either stand or sit on the cold 
 cement floor. This was about 1 o'clock in the 
 day, and, looking ahead, I saw that my trial would 
 not come off until the next day, which meant 
 for me to spend the night with a lot of drunks 
 and lousy tramps. I therefore concluded that I 
 would do better to be with the brethren in the 
 inner cell, where we could at least sit, if not lie 
 down, and I knew how I could easily get there. 
 
 Accordingly, I climbed to the window and 
 
A Pioneer Preacher. 179 
 
 announced, "There will be preaching from this 
 pulpit at seven o'clock tonight." Of course we 
 had a crowd, and had not proceeded far when the 
 chief arrived with two others; after some effort 
 they succeeded in pulling me down, and locking 
 me up also in the inner cell. 
 Now we began to sing: 
 
 "Dare to be a Daniel, 
 
 Dare to stand alone; 
 Dare to have a purpose firm, 
 
 Dare to make it known." 
 
 The crowd outside joined heartily in the cho- 
 rus, while the police tried to suppress them. 
 When he could not do so the door opened and in 
 came our Sabbath School Superintendent, a young 
 man only seventeen, who had been blessedly 
 saved in our meeting. He had been inside but 
 a few moments when he mounted the window and, 
 as a result, landed in the inner cell. 
 
 The singing continued: 
 
 "Many mighty men are lost 
 
 Daring not to stand, 
 Who for God had been a host 
 
 By joining Daniel's band." 
 
 And when the chorus was reached, those on 
 the outside joined in again, when the door once 
 more opened — this time Mrs. Beeson, my wife's 
 sister, came in. Now things were getting very 
 
1 80 The Ups and Downs of 
 
 interesting, and men began to get their revolvers 
 ready. The mayor came and urged the crowd to 
 disperse; but they refused to do so until the lady 
 was liberated. In a short time she was released 
 and the rest of us spent the night in the inner 
 cell, which was about four by six feet. 
 
 That was a memorable night. We sang and 
 shouted and sang again. Nevertheless the doors 
 did not fly open, as in the case of Paul and Silas. 
 
 Many people pitied us, but had they known 
 the peculiar glory that flooded that old cell, they 
 would have saved their pity. When the glory 
 subsided a little we tried to sleep, but the two 
 bunks (one above the other), being so narrow, 
 we had to lie spoon fashion, head to foot. Not- 
 withstandingr this, we might have rested some 
 had it not been for the fact that we were fre- 
 quently awakened by the hardness of the bed, or 
 the loud snoring or vomiting of some drunk, just 
 through the bars. At these intervals we im- 
 proved the time by singing. 
 
 One of the drunks, raising on his elbow, said, 
 "What are you in here for? You ought not to 
 be in here." Some one spoke up, "You are in 
 here for getting drunk and they are in here for 
 telling you not to get drunk." And still another 
 said, "Queer laws we are living under here. 
 
A Pioneer Preacher. 181 
 
 Lakeland is up to date. It is noted as a city 
 where they built a church in one day, and where 
 they lock up ministers for preaching on the 
 street." 
 
 On one occasion the chief came in and said to 
 me, "Why do you make us all this trouble? Oth- 
 er preachers in town do not do so." 
 
 I replied, "If they were obeying the command 
 of their Lord and following the example of their 
 respective founders, they would all be going out 
 into the highways and hedges preaching to those 
 who were too poor or did not have the disposition 
 to go to church." 
 
 Some of the brightest converts we have ever 
 seen have dated their salvation to street meet- 
 ings. John Wesley, Whitefield and their coadju- 
 tors held open air services, sometimes preaching 
 to as hig'h as sixty thousand at a time. 
 
 THE THIRD TRIAL. 
 The next morning at nine o'clock, having spent 
 the night in the inner cell, I was taken out 
 for my third trial — ^this time, not for preaching 
 the gospel, but for "inciting a riot." Any one 
 can see the fallacy of this charge, since I was not 
 responsible for what men did or threatened to do 
 outside the jail while I was in the inner cell. 
 
1 82 The Ups and Dorens of 
 
 At the city court I was informed by the judge 
 that he could not try me, as mine was now a 
 State case, hence I was turned over to the deputy 
 sheriff who took me to Pilate (Judge T.) Of 
 course many said that this dear old judge would 
 not sustain the charge against me, and would 
 throw it out of court; but when it came to the 
 trial he could not withstand the officials, for they 
 must all cling together, regardless of justice; how 
 else could they get their bread and butter? 
 
 Thougih we had a competent lawyer who had 
 been judge of the county for eight years, and the 
 city had a young upstart of a lawyer who was 
 not near the equal of our attorney, yet at the 
 close of this preliminary trial, the judge looked 
 wise and in a very deliberate manner, said, "I 
 find enough evidence against the defendant to 
 bind him over to the circuit court." At this the 
 young lawyer jumped to his feet and said, "Now, 
 judge, we are tired of straw bonds, and hope you 
 will demand a bond that is a bond sure enough; 
 for we are tired of this man, Shelhamer." 
 
 He was in hopes that the judge would fix a 
 bond that would be so high that I could not meet 
 it, and consequently, would have to lie in jail for 
 two months, awaiting my trial. The bond was 
 fixed at two hundred dollars, and a prominent 
 
A Pioneer Preacher. 183 
 
 business man requested the privilege of going on 
 as bondsman, after which he took the paper to 
 others and finally presented it to me with over 
 three hundred thousand dollars pledged. There 
 were so many names that it had been necessary 
 to attach an extra sheet. 
 
 When I took it to the judge he did not look 
 up, so I said, "Good morning, judge. They wanted 
 a bond that was a bond sure enough. I guess I 
 have one. There are over three hundred thou- 
 sand dollars pledged here, and if you want more 
 I can easily get it. I trust this will hold the 
 prisoner all right." There was no answer and I 
 said, "Good day, sir." 
 
 When my time came for the final trial at Bar- 
 tow, the county seat, I was there on time, but the 
 attorney for the state informed me that he had 
 not filed a bill of information against me. He 
 said that it was nothing but a piece of persecu- 
 tion, and he did not purpose trying such cases. 
 
 When I returned to Lakeland my friends were 
 overjoyed at my liberation, while our enemies 
 were chagrined. 
 
 About this time letters began to pour in to 
 the mayor from the Governor of the state, from 
 our friends from Maine to California, and from 
 Canada to the Gulf, all condemning the action of 
 
1 84 The Ups and Downs of 
 
 the city officials in this outrage to civilization. 
 The mayor said he was almost afraid to open his 
 mail, lest his eye fall upon the maledictions that 
 were constantly pouring in. The chief of police 
 declared that he had lost more sleep over it than 
 any other thing that had come his way. Poor 
 fellow ! He said he had to do it or he would lose 
 his "job," and in the next city election he lost 
 it by a large majority, after which he took sick 
 and was bedfast. This gave me an opportunity 
 to show him kindness by visiting and praying 
 with him. Others also came in for their share of 
 retribution in the way of sudden deaths and dis- 
 graces. The mayor and the president of the 
 city council, along with others who opposed us, 
 dropped down and out. They did not know it 
 would cost so much to relegate the gospel from 
 their streets. 
 
 We were urged to sue the city for ten thou- 
 sand dollars, but declined to do so. As it was, it 
 cost the city dearly. We heard a real estate man 
 say that it had cost the city fifty thousand dollars 
 and a bad reputation besides. He was at the 
 depot one day when the train from the north 
 pulled in. A man looked out of the window ^nd 
 asked, "What place is this?" As soon as he 
 saw "Lakeland," he said, "Drive on; this is 
 
A Pioneer Preacher. 185 
 
 where they lock up preachers for preaching on 
 the streets." 
 
 Not only the religious, but the daily papers of 
 the north took it up and vindicated our cause. 
 The following summer, while laboring in camp 
 meetings in various states, we had so many 
 friends and sympathizers because of this, that I 
 sat down one day and wrote a business man of 
 Lakeland as follows: "Please thank Mr. M. (city 
 boss) and all his associates for the great favor 
 shown us in giving us so much free advertising. 
 I did not know we had so many friends until 
 now." 
 
 In closing, I feel like saying with Paul: 
 
 "But I would ye should understand, brethren, 
 that the things which happened unto me have 
 fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the 
 gospel." 
 
 "And many of the brethren in the Lord, wax- 
 ing confident by my bonds, are much more bold 
 to speak the word without fear." Phil. 1:12, 14. 
 
CHAPTER XXVI. 
 
 GOD LOVED ME TOO WELL. 
 
 Speculating Preachers — My Experience in Real, (Un- 
 Real) Estate — Quick and Big Money a Hurt, Rather 
 Than a Help. 
 
 Give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food con- 
 venient for me: lest I be full and deny thee and say, Who is 
 the Lord? Or lest I le poor and steal. Prov. 30 :8, 9. 
 
 We fear it is a hindrance rather than a help 
 for a minister of the gospel to handle or own much 
 money. As a rule, riches and the power of the 
 Holy Ghost do not go hand in hand. Peter said 
 to the lame man, "Silver and gold have I none; but 
 such as I have give I thee : In the name of Jesus 
 Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk." I would 
 rather have power to say, "Rise up and walk," 
 than be able to say, "Here is a check for one thou- 
 sand dollars." 
 
 When we first went to Florida I determined 
 that the "commercial spirit" should not get hold 
 of me. While in California I noticed with grief 
 how many heralds of the cross had been side- 
 tracked by this snare. 
 
 Many a preacher goes to a warmer climate 
 (186) 
 
A Pioneer Preacher. 187 
 
 for his ihealth. He has "sore-throat," "indiges- 
 tion," or a "nervous breakdown." He does not 
 want to be entirely idle, since he has been accus- 
 tomed to a life of activity. He is not there long 
 before he becomes acquainted with some citizen 
 or real estate agent who has done well, speculat- 
 ing on land. Wishing him a pleasant stay they 
 suggest that he may as well take an option on 
 some lots for ninety days, as he will not be out 
 anything, and in this way he can pay the expense 
 of his trip and perhaps clear a thousand dollars, 
 as many others have done. At first he looks du- 
 bious, but little by little is drawn in. 
 
 I had traveled around the world and from the 
 Great Lakes to the Gulf, and had never had a 
 settled home of my own. While in Lakeland, Fla., 
 I was offered three nice lots in the growing sec- 
 tion, at fifty dollars each. Thinking this would 
 be a nice location for a little home, I accepted 
 the offer. Later, when we bought a church 
 in the same town for one thousand dollars, 
 the pilgrims were so poor that we were able to 
 raise but two hundred. In order to close the 
 deal we must have five hundred dollars for the 
 first payment; and as no one else came forward 
 with the money, I proposed to put my three lots 
 on the market and turn the money in on the 
 
1 88 The Ups and Dotvns of 
 
 church. After much advertising and long wait- 
 ing, a buyer came who took them at three hun- 
 dred dollars. He had not held these lots longer 
 than two weeks when he was offered six hundred 
 for them. As soon as the property left my hands, 
 the other man could double his money, but God 
 loved me too well to let me do so. 
 
 After having secured the church, some one 
 suggested that it would be nice to get the four 
 vacant lots in the same block for pilgrims who 
 might want to built near the church. According- 
 ly, I wrote to Jacksonville, but my letter was 
 returned marked "uncalled for." About the same 
 time an enemy to our work wrote to the same 
 party and succeeded in buying the lots, held them 
 but a few days and doubled his money. 
 
 God loved me too well. 
 
 Another instance : A reliable real estate agent 
 seemed to take a liking to me. He said he had 
 just cleared $50,000, and would like to help me 
 make a little money. He suggested that I take an 
 option on sixty acres of land, so took me out on 
 an auto driveway in the direction in which the 
 city was fast building. There was enough timber 
 on the place to pay for it. He offered it to me for 
 forty-five dollars an acre. I was to pay a small 
 sum down to hold it and in six months' time 
 
A Pioneer Preacher. 169 
 
 triple my money. As I had a little money on hand 
 which I was to use later on in publishing a new 
 book, I told him I might do so. If the deal went 
 through, I of course would gain, and if not, he 
 would refund the "purchase price." It all seemed 
 "Providential." ( ?) Oh, how the devil has used 
 that word ! 
 
 But I waited and wrote repeatedly, attempt- 
 ing to secure a clear title, and finally had to give 
 it up. A short time after this, another man took 
 hold of it and soon had good papers. He had 
 held it only a little while when he was offered 
 two hundred and fifty dollars an acre for the 
 front acreage. God loved me too well to let me 
 clear $3,000 in so short a time. I had planned 
 on using it to get out good books and help estab- 
 lish holiness in Florida, but other men have like- 
 wise entertained great and good plans until the 
 money was actually in their hands and then they 
 changed or forgot their former plans and said to 
 themselves, "I never made money so easily and so 
 fast in my life before; I believe I will try it 
 again." And he got into the current and never 
 got out again. Poor Demas! Paul said, "He 
 hath forsaken me, having loved this present 
 world." 
 
 Still another instance: I tried to help a poor 
 
190 The Ups and Dotons oi 
 
 widow by advancing money to pay her back 
 taxes on some lots in Chicago. The lots were 
 hardly thus redeemed till we were notified that 
 her ungodly son had put a mortgage on them 
 which would soon be foreclosed. Now, in order 
 to save the sixty-five dollars already advanced, it 
 became necessary to lift the mortgage. This we 
 did, bringing the entire sum invested up to over 
 six hundred dollars. But we were told that since 
 the lots were on Madison street, they were worth 
 three or four times this amount, so we felt safe 
 in going ahead. We offered the lots for one thou- 
 sand dollars, thinking a buyer would readily be 
 found. But instead, they remained unsold for 
 several years, during which time about three 
 hundred dollars were paid out for special assess- 
 ment taxes for sidewalks, sewerages and other 
 things. We were finally glad to sell them without 
 any profit. This, with much criticism and mis- 
 judging of my good intentions, convinced me that 
 God loved me too well to let me make money on 
 Real Estate. Others can double their money in a 
 few days, but this kind of success has ruined more 
 than one good man, and God has loved me too well 
 to let it come my way. I have never known one 
 man (and I have known many) who has made 
 money fast, who in his serious moments did not 
 
A Poineer Preacher. 191 
 
 say, "I have done so to my own hurt. I am less 
 spiritual than when I was struggling with pov- 
 erty." 
 
 "Ill that He blesses is most good, 
 
 And unblest good is ill; 
 And all is right that seems most wrong, 
 
 If it be His sweet will." 
 
 God kept me not only from getting into a spirit 
 of speculation, but also from too much apprecia- 
 tion. Most young preachers and evangelists seem 
 to strive for recognition and popularity. They 
 bow, fawn and scrape before the "higher ups" in 
 order to get their names and pictures in print; 
 they tone down and go back on past light, in fact 
 are willing to lose their identity if they can only 
 stand in with ecclesiastical diplomats, or those 
 who have a little money. God in mercy did not 
 let me do this, but on the other hand, held me to 
 the most radical and unpopular truths. This was 
 what saved me. Grant that I may have had more 
 zeal than knowledge at times, in championing cer- 
 tain unpopular issues, such as death to carnality, 
 plainness of dress, etc., yet God mercifully over- 
 ruled it and used it to 
 
 "Keep me little and unknown, 
 Loved and prized by God alone." 
 
 Very few, especially young preachers, dwell deep 
 enough in God to survive luxuries and a large 
 circle of friends. God loved me too well to let me 
 have either. 
 
CHAPTER XXVII. 
 
 PECULIAR COVENANTS. 
 
 "Never Pray for Money." — Sunday Mail — Taking Sub- 
 scriptions on Sunday — Reading tlie Word. 
 
 Keep therefore the words of this covenant, and do them, that 
 ye may prosper in all that ye do. Deut. 29 :9. 
 
 God may lead us into special covenants for 
 various reasons. First, in order to commit some 
 special charge to us. Second, to fortify us against 
 danger or disobedience. Third, to test or 
 strengthen fidelity in us or others. If He sees fit 
 to lead one to make a covenant peculiarly hard 
 and self-sacrificing, it is not because He arbitrar- 
 ily delights to do so, but perhaps because some 
 need severer measures than others to get them 
 through to heaven. Or it may be that God wants, 
 even in this loose age, examples of fidelity and 
 integrity. Sad that sometimes He has to search 
 before He can find those who are made of martyr 
 material and able to stand the pressure. The 
 more we renounce for Jesus' sake, the more we 
 get in return ; so do not pity those who give up 
 and suffer more than others ; they are rather to be 
 
 (192) 
 
A Pioneer Preacher. 193 
 
 envied. While God has no favorites, yet there 
 are a few who die out to all things but His glory, 
 and to such He is pleased to reveal His secrets. 
 
 There is a vast difference between having a 
 good time in secret prayer, and entering into a 
 special covenant with the great God. The fact is, 
 covenants are, as a rule, few and far between, 
 while glorious seasons of communion with our 
 Lord should be daily. It may require the latter to 
 prepare the way for the former. Daniel fasted 
 and prayed twenty-one days and then God re- 
 vealed to him wonderful things that those who 
 were with him could not see. Sometimes, upon 
 one word whispered to the soul, hang untold 
 events for weal or woe. 
 
 I will speak of a few such occasions when 
 words of special interest and meaning were se- 
 cretly spoken to my heart. 
 
 When we first opened up mission work in At- 
 lanta, expenses were high, and we were without 
 any income; this drove us to our knees. While 
 others were asleep, the writer was wrestling in 
 prayer sometimes to nearly midnight. It gen- 
 erally required a good part of the time to first 
 pray through for finances, after which the way 
 was clear to prevail for souls. One night while* 
 thus praying, the Lord very kindly but positively 
 
1 94 The Ups and Downs of 
 
 laid His hand upon my mouth and said, "Never 
 pray for money again; see to it that you keep 
 tender in spirit and burdened for souls and I will 
 do the rest, and see that you have all you need." 
 I said, "All right. Lord; I take Thee at Thy 
 word." This was so real and made such a pro- 
 found and lasting impression upon my mind that 
 ever after, when we have been embarrassed finan- 
 cially and I have started to pray about it, I have 
 been reminded of that contract and instead of 
 praying for money, I looked around to see if I 
 had become harsh in spirit or careless in the 
 practice of self-denial. As soon as I had re- 
 newed my covenant and had a season of breaking 
 up before God, invariably finances began to come 
 in. I have proven this time and again. 
 
 Another covenant was that of not sending out 
 mail at such a time in the week that would ne- 
 cessitate its being handled on the Sabbath day, 
 excepting such as must cross the seas or other- 
 wise cover seven days to reach its destination. 
 Many times when tempted to break over on ac- 
 count of the work of God, or when hundreds of 
 dollars were at stake demanding an immediate re- 
 ply, I have found that by waiting till the follow- 
 ing Monday, God in a very special way has pro- 
 tected and cared for results. So much so that 
 
A Pioneer Preacher. 195 
 
 had I become fearful and set aside this covenant, 
 I would have been the loser and matters of vital 
 importance vs^ould have suffered. "He that be- 
 lieveth shall not make haste." 
 
 Another covenant was that of taking sub- 
 scriptions for my paper or selling song books on 
 the Lord's Day. Frequently at camp meetings 
 and conventions, people who have lived in the 
 country or at some distance have driven in on 
 Sunday, and, as it was their only chance they 
 desired to renew their subscription for my paper 
 or buy one of my new books. I always let them 
 know that I do no business on the Lord's Day. 
 Rather than sell, I have frequently given away 
 books to those who could not get them on any 
 other day. When they have insisted on knowing 
 the price I have declined to tell. Then they have 
 insisted on making an offering to the work, and, 
 as a rule, it has amounted to much more than the 
 regular price. In this way I have kept a good 
 conscience, avoided the appearance of evil, and 
 never lost, but rather, profited. 
 
 It is so easy to let down little by little, until 
 former convictions 'have come to be uncertain 
 and unreal. This was the way the Salvation Ar- 
 my began: At first they sold the War Cry on 
 Sunday because it did so much good.(?) This 
 
1 95 The Vps and Downs of 
 
 opened the floodgate, and it was not long before 
 they were selling books and having ice cream fes- 
 tivals and charging admission to "Hallelujah 
 weddings." Oh, let us "Abstain from all appear- 
 ance of evil." 
 
 Another peculiar covenant was that of taking 
 time, upon rising, to read two or more chapters 
 in the Word and to wait to hear what God would 
 say, before seeing any one, or reading anything, 
 even to a headline on a paper. God is jealous for 
 our first love and first thoughts. All earthly loves 
 and comforts should step aside that our Lord 
 may first speak and reveal His plan for the day. 
 "But the room may be cold or it may be impossi- 
 ble to get alone!" Very well, our Lover is not 
 unreasonable; should such be the case. He has- 
 tens to tell us more in a few moments than in 
 whole hours when we take pains to pamper the 
 flesh. It was hard to learn this lesson. Many 
 times, when crowded with important mail or a 
 piece of work around home, I have, for the time 
 being, set aside this covenant and have proven 
 before the day was past that what I did was a 
 failure and had to be done over. 
 
 And still another: For years I have found it 
 safe to recognize the voice of those who were over 
 me, as the voice of God to me. When at camp 
 
A Pioneer Preacher. 197 
 
 meetings or conventions, where there were three 
 or more services daily, I have ventured on several 
 ocasions to suggest to the committee on public 
 worship a change in the programme. Though I 
 felt sure I was aiming alone at the glory of God, 
 I have proven time and again that in the end it 
 was best to hold still and quietly take everything 
 as from God. When I have thus rested in God 
 and humbly accepted what was given me, He has 
 often stepped in and at the last moment changed 
 the programme or made some one sick in order 
 to let His unworthy servant deliver a burning 
 message that a large congregation needed to hear. 
 It is blessed to lie low and let God in His miracu- 
 lous way set before us open doors that no man 
 can shut. 
 
 Other covenants besides these have had much 
 to do in the health and protection of us and our 
 children. When we have obediently kept them 
 we have felt well nigh Omnipotent. We could 
 easily claim the holding of trains and steamers 
 over time, or hurry them up, defy wrecks, pesti- 
 lences and persecutions, compelling all, with one 
 simple act of faith to work together for our good 
 and His glory. It is easy to believe God for ev- 
 erything when we are keeping these heart-cove- 
 nants, some of which are too sacred to reveal 
 to any one. 
 
198 The Ups and Downs of 
 
 But when we compare ourselves with others 
 and think that after all, there is no need to be so 
 particular and peculiar, then we are left to our- 
 selves and much time, energy and money are 
 wasted. "Who gave himself for us, that he might 
 redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto him- 
 self a peculiar people, zealous of good works." 
 
CHAPTER XXVIII. 
 
 A FEW UPS AND DOWNS. 
 
 Cold Shoulder — God's Vindication — The Trunk of Books. 
 
 / have learned in whatsoever state I am therewith to be 
 content. I know how to ie abased and I know how to abound. 
 Phil. 4:11, 12. 
 
 As a rule the pathway of life is strewn with 
 up? and downs, appreciation and depreciation. 
 God in mercy has it so, for if all were apprecia- 
 tion we would get puffed up, and if all were de- 
 preciation, we would be cast down. Doubtless 
 the majority of people need more of the latter 
 than the former to keep them in their proper 
 places. The writer has had a taste of each. 
 
 At the close of the last camp meeting for the 
 season, wife and I started for New York, where 
 we were to take ship for our missionary tour 
 around the world. On the way we stopped off to 
 attend an annual conference which was then in 
 session, where we were acquainted with a num- 
 ber of brethren. We had not been there long when 
 we found that there was quite a spirit of antag- 
 onism toward us. 
 
 Finally, a leading brother called us aside and 
 
 said, "There is a good deal of feeling against you 
 
 (199) 
 
200 The Ups and Downs of 
 
 here. Many of the brethren think you have been 
 on the independent line and have failed to hold 
 yourself continuously to regular pastoral work. 
 You are sort of an irregular and come and go 
 as you please. They think if they could publish 
 and sell books, and thus be able to take a trip 
 around the world, they also would do so ; and the 
 result would be, every one would do about as he 
 pleased. There's quite a feeling against you. In 
 fact, I'm tried with you myself." 
 
 I replied, "Perhaps it is true. I have felt 
 called to do pioneer work, and my methods may 
 seem to be more or less independent, and not ac- 
 cording to the regular order of ministerial labor. 
 But if these who are tried with me will suffer a 
 word of explanation, I may be able to clear up 
 some perplexities. If I cannot now point to any 
 existing results of my 'gadding about,' then I 
 deserve the reprimand. On the other hand my 
 good brethren will doubtless bear with me, if un- 
 der God I can refer to a number of good societies 
 in various states, several of which are the largest 
 in the church ; also a new district in Georgia and 
 Florida (now a conference) , besides scores of re- 
 vivals from the Atlantic to the Paciiic. In each 
 instance of our starting a new work, sometimes 
 sleeping on the floor and going hungry ; when we 
 
A Pioneer Preacher. 201 
 
 finally succeeded in bringing the work up to where 
 it was self-supporting, we have stepped aside 
 and let another enjoy the benefits. Have these 
 brethren accomplished similar results? If so, 
 I will rejoice and will not feel hurt at their going 
 to the Holy Land and around the world, espe- 
 cially when the Lord providentially opens up the 
 way." 
 
 But though we made this explanation, we 
 were given the "cold shoulder" and a chance, as 
 old Benjamin Pomeroy would say, to "grow tall 
 sitting on a low bench." 
 
 After this week of pressure and ostracism, we 
 continued our journey, stopping off at another 
 conference which was yet on our way to New 
 York. This time we were expecting similar 
 treatment, but to our surprise, a hearty welcome 
 was given. This was in such striking contrast 
 that our hearts were melted. Here we were asked 
 to deliver a number of messages. The cold treat- 
 ment at one place prepared us for the warm re- 
 ception at the next. 
 
 Another instance, this time in another direc- 
 tion : 
 
 We were attending a camp meeting. Various 
 ministers had been put up to preach, but the "ex- 
 tremist" had not been asked to pray, sit on the 
 
202 The Ups and Dovfns of 
 
 platform or do anything, though he had been on 
 the ground several days. It became so noticea- 
 ble that the good bishop insisted on "showing due 
 courtesy to the visiting minister." 
 
 "But he is an extremist," was the reason 
 given. 
 
 "That is a mistake," replied the bishop. "I 
 have heard him on other occasions." 
 
 Several more days passed and at last he was 
 asked to speak on Monday morning. Of course 
 there would not be many present at that time, 
 and the fanatic could not do much barm. It was 
 amusing to see the theologians and old reliables 
 come in and take seats where they could hide be- 
 hind some one else and yet get a full view of the 
 "good meaning, but unsafe" preacher. 
 
 For the first fifteen minutes it was "hard 
 sledding" and looked as though he would not 
 make it. The presiding bishop was the only one 
 whose sympathy was fully with the speaker. 
 When God saw that he refused to cut and slash 
 in self-defense, He let down from the skies such 
 a heavenly anointing that the people looked like 
 grasshoppers. Confessions were made and many 
 remarked, "That was the way we heard it twenty- 
 five years ago." 
 
 When we refuse to defend ourselves, God steps 
 
A Pioneer Preacher. 203 
 
 in and vindicates us better than we could our- 
 selves. Oh, that we could always remember this! 
 
 And still another instance: Years ago after 
 coming South, I endeavored to return and answer 
 the roll call at my old conference at least oncfe in 
 two years. In order to do so it was necessary 
 to take some books and Bibles along to sell and 
 thus pay my car fare, which was about twenty 
 dollars each way. A large body of ministers and 
 delegates were present. 
 
 Being well acquainted with the pastor, I read- 
 ily obtained permission to stand my trunk at the 
 door. A representative of the publishing house 
 was present and had several large tables near the 
 pulpit. He, of course, had the advantage over 
 me, which was right. Nevertheless, in order to 
 be loyal to the church I told him I would not offer 
 for sale anything he carried, but would put such 
 out of sight, in the bottom of my trunk. He re- 
 monstrated and said I should go ahead, that he 
 had a much larger stock than I, and would not 
 be affected much by my sales. Yet I did as I 
 promised. 
 
 On the second or third morning, as soon as 
 the chair called for "new business" a good broth- 
 er arose, and, taking a firm stand, said he had 
 a "resolution," as follows: 
 
204 The Ups and Down of 
 
 "In view of the fact that the publishing house 
 has a representative agent here, 
 
 "Resolved, That we patronize our own pub- 
 lishing house to the exclusion of all others." 
 
 When he sat down one of my warm friends 
 arose and said: 
 
 "Mr. President, I do not fully understand the 
 meaning of this resolution. There is no other 
 publishing house represented here and we do not 
 know to whom this paper refers, unless to Bro. 
 Shelhamer, who has a few books to sell. This is 
 the only way he can get here, and we are always 
 glad to see him." 
 
 Now the battle began, and these giants locked 
 horns in debate. Finally, it was ruled that if 
 one preacher had a right to sell books at confer- 
 ence, all had the same right, and they might as 
 well all turn in and be book agents. 
 
 But my friend objected, saying: "The cases 
 are not analogous. We all receive Salaries and 
 can get here for a few dollars, but our brother 
 is doing pioneer work in a needy field, without 
 salary or support, and it costs him at least forty 
 dollars to attend conference. I think this is an 
 exceptional case, and we ought to make provision 
 for the same." 
 
 Nevertheless the vote was taken, and the res- 
 olution went through. After I had caught my 
 
A Pioneer Preacher. 205 
 
 breath, I arose and begged pardon if I had grieved 
 any of them, telling them I had "done closed" my 
 trunk, and there was no need of this waste of 
 time, that it all could have been saved had they 
 but intimated to me that I was overstepping my 
 rights. 
 
 The whole thing was amusing and looked like 
 stopping a big express train, and calling all the 
 train men out to debate over a gnat that had got- 
 ten on the track. The great question was, "Shall 
 we shoot him off or run over him ?" 
 
 Many came to me afterward with sympathy 
 or indignation, and wanted to buy some books, 
 but with a smile, I declined. "Well," said they, 
 "If you will not let me have anything, here is 
 some money I felt like giving you." 
 
 At the close of the conference I had over two 
 hundred dollars and a trunk of books to sell at 
 some other point along the way. 
 
 Did it pay to be sanctified and hold still? Did 
 it pay to let God fight the battle? 
 
 It would have been so easy to have said some 
 sarcastic thing or to have announced that my 
 bo6ks could be seen across the street, but this 
 would have been fighting my own battle. Oh. that 
 preachers as well as others could die out to the 
 bottom and get an experience that would enable 
 
206 The Vps and'Dotens of 
 
 them to hold still and 'answer never a word.' 
 This is the great need of the holiness movement 
 — power to hold still while under pressure. 
 
 "He that ruleth his spirit is better than he 
 that taketh a city." 
 
 Depreciations and criticisms from brethren 
 in the church do one good, and enrich and broad- 
 en him if he takes them ih the right spirit. On 
 the other hand, if he is resentful, he is likely, 
 sooner or later, to grow sour, become critical and 
 finally make shipwreck. 
 
 It is surprising how men can "feel hurt" 
 over some little inattention, or lack of promotion, 
 and threaten to leave the church because of it. 
 Why ! I have had enough to come against me from 
 holiness brethren, high and low, to have caused 
 me to leave the church and turn infidel long ago, 
 had I let it. But I could not afford to do so. 
 Where would I go? We shall find misunderstand- 
 ings everywhere. Wesley said, "Expect contra- 
 dictions with crosses of various kinds." 
 
 This is a part of the contract. God help us! 
 If a man has What he professes, he will keep 
 sweet and smiling when he is set aside and left 
 unnoticed. He who feels tried because he is not 
 put forward and noticed, needs to be at the altar 
 instead of in the pulpit. 
 
A Pioneer Preacher. 207 
 
 Again, Wesley said, "The ill-usages and losses 
 and crosses are better means to growth in grace 
 than when everything is according to our liking." 
 I have found it so, and I think that at the judg- 
 ment we will thank God more for criticisms than 
 for flatteries; more for misrepresentations than 
 for vindications; more for hardships than for 
 comforts. All these things will seem little and 
 trifling then. 
 
 We might well pray, with an early saint, 
 "Grant me prudence to avoid him that flattereth 
 me and to endure patiently him that contradicteth 
 me." 
 
 Yes, I have had a few Ups, along with many 
 Downs, but I confess the former are not so help- 
 ful to grovsrth in grace as the latter. Nearly ev- 
 ery promotion to which one looks forward, is dis- 
 appointing, and he longs for something higher 
 and better. 
 
 I well remember how righteously exalted I 
 felt when given an exhorter's license. But I was 
 not satisfied, until licensed to preach. The next 
 "Up" was ordination, after which I was elected 
 conference evangelist, then district elder and later 
 still, delegate to general conference. But what of 
 it? 
 
 In all these things, God kindly let me have 
 
208 The Ups and Doxens of 
 
 enough perplexing cares and criticisms to keep 
 me humble and enable me to say, "All is vanity 
 and vexation of spirit." I have often wondered 
 why men were so anxious to go to general con- 
 ference. They have been known to pull wires, 
 paying out considerable, to move from one confer- 
 ence to another, for no other apparent reason 
 than to be "in the saddle" and finally be elected as 
 delegate to some general gathering. What could 
 have been the motive? Election to some little 
 office, or a trip with all expenses paid? No won- 
 der such men can take advantage and ride in pull- 
 mans, and dine in diners, without any eflfort to 
 curtail expenses. It is like boarding at a luxu- 
 rious hotel and asking a self-sacrificing mother 
 at home to pay the bills. No one is fit to go as 
 delegate to general conference or any other gath- 
 ering, until he is perfectly willing to stay at home. 
 I know a little lady who, though conference pres- 
 ident of the Woman's Foreign Missionary Society, 
 when elected delegate to general conference, pre- 
 ferred to practice self-denial and let the reserve 
 delegate go in her stead. She said she would rath- 
 er hold a revival and see souls saved than have the 
 pleasure of attending that great gathering. It is 
 next to heaven to live with such a person. 
 
CHAPTER XXIX. 
 
 A FEW DOWNS AND UPS. 
 
 First Camp Meeting— On Same Ground Twenty-five Years 
 Later— The Noted Evangelist and His Oblivion. 
 
 Promotion cometh neither from the east, nor the west, nor 
 from the south. But God is judge: he putteth down one, and 
 setteth up another. Ps. 75:6, 7, 
 
 Doubtless the Psalmist wrote these words 
 from experience, as well as from inspiration. 
 How true! Today a man may tower above the 
 greatest; tomorrow he may cower before the 
 meanest. 
 
 As I grow older, and see the possibilities of 
 obscurity and the uncertainty of popularity, I am 
 inclined more than ever, to be considerate of 
 others, especially of the poor. I feel like tipping 
 my hat to every ragged, ignorant boy ; for, later, 
 when he has become a great speaker, I may be 
 glad to find a seat in his audience. Or, when he 
 sits as judge, I may need to ask of him a favor. 
 
 Treat the boy considerately, for you may some 
 
 day want him to treat you the same. 
 
 Shortly after my conversion I attended my 
 (209) 
 
2 1 The Ups and Doivm of 
 
 first camp meeting. It was all new to me. I was 
 a total stranger to the campers and they seemed 
 to think that mine was not a genuine case of re- 
 ligion, because I had not been cast in their mold. 
 I received few and feeble "Amens," and was 
 left to stand around alone, without fellowship. 
 It became so noticeable that an on-looker remon- 
 strated with some of the brethren about it. One 
 of the preachers "felt led" to tell me not to be 
 so noisy during the altar services, while others 
 treated me with cold suspicion. It was a great 
 trial, coming as it did from holiness people and 
 those who should have taken me in, and if need 
 be, taught me the way of the Lord more per- 
 fectly. 
 
 Right here is where good people sometimes 
 make a great mistake, and become narrow and 
 sectarian toward a stranger, or one who is not 
 of their crowd. Suppose he does not pray or 
 testify with our particular tone of voice. Or, 
 grant that he does not dress so plainly as we. 
 Will we ever help him by huddling together and 
 treating him as though he were a leper? 
 
 I remember how I looked upon those minis- 
 ters! "I would give the world," thought I, "if 
 I could exhort and move the people like Brother 
 p ." But since then the same man has come 
 
A Pioneer Preacher. 21 1 
 
 to me in despair, because his brethren had ex- 
 pelled him for crime. 
 
 Then there was another brother who could 
 give such fine Bible readings. "Oh, if I could 
 only be with that man and learn the scriptures !" 
 thought I to myself. Since then, he came some 
 distance to have us help pray him through from 
 a backslidden state. 
 
 Another brother who was much gifted in song 
 and prayer, but passed me by when I hoped he 
 would speak, has since spoken, and asked me if I 
 could give him a home. 
 
 He who hushed me up at the altar service, 
 lost his reason and was in a pitiable condition the 
 last we heard. 
 
 I did not dream at the time, nor did they, that 
 there would be such changes in a few short years. 
 Nor did I even fondly hope that the time would 
 come when the same awkward country boy would 
 be invited to preach on the same camp ground, 
 to thousands of hearers. Many seekers came to 
 the altar, some of whom had passed by the lonely 
 boy twenty-five years before. "It is a long road 
 that has no turn." 
 
 Another down and up: I was assisting a 
 general conference evangelist in a tent meeting. 
 Some of the members found they were not right 
 
2 1 2 The Ups and Dotons of 
 
 and the pastor blamed me for "unsettling them." 
 Accordingly, he met me one evening outside the 
 tent and said with a good deal of feeling, "I am 
 very sorry, but I will have to ask you not to take 
 part in any more of the services." Of course I 
 did not want to be a hindrance to the meeting, so, 
 instead of taking my place on the platform, sat 
 in the audience. 
 
 After singing a couple of songs the evangelist 
 looked around to see his helper, and, spying me 
 in the audience, said, "What are you doing down 
 there, Brother Shelhamer? Come up here where 
 you belong." I confess I was in a strait betwixt 
 two, and looked first this way, then that; but 
 finally decided that the evangelist was proper au- 
 thority. This made the pastor look cheap and I 
 was sorry for him, but the order was, "Come up 
 higher," and I had to obey. It was another case 
 of "Downs and Ups." 
 
 At the close of this tent meeting I was invited 
 to assist in a good camp meeting in the same city, 
 but have never seen the little authoritative pas- 
 tor since, though that was nearly a score of years 
 ago. I fear he has had his Downs, and but few 
 Ups. 
 
 And still another: About fifteen years ago, 
 when we first came south, a noted evangelist felt 
 
A Pioneer Preacher. 2 1 3 
 
 it his duty to write me up in a large holiness 
 paper and denounce me as a fanatic and crank 
 from the north. Because of his prominence and 
 power, this greatly hurt my influence. Other 
 preachers and workers of less prominence took 
 it up and of course many doors were closed 
 against me. At the time, I thought it a great ca- 
 lamity, but now I see that God ordered it, to keep 
 me from coming into appreciation too rapidly. 
 A young preacher is to be pitied rather than en- 
 vied, who is pitch-forked into prominence all at 
 once. Very few can stand it. 
 
 It was the making of Joseph to be thrown 
 into prison unjustly for over two years. It took 
 this to ripen and mellow hina. 
 
 During these fifteen years of misrepresenta- 
 tion, we were publishing a paper of our own, and 
 could have said strong and hurtful things against 
 those who were doing all in their power to crush 
 and injure us; but dared not do so, for we felt 
 'that God would stop defending us the moment 
 we began to defend ourselves. When God saw that 
 I was willing to be of no reputation, the tide final- 
 ly began to turn ; and later I was invited to con- 
 duct a series of services at Asbury College, Wil- 
 more, Ky. 
 
 Now the president of this school, Rev. H. C. 
 
214 The Ups and Dorvm of 
 
 Morrison, takes up his pen and endorses through 
 
 the same paper, him whom the noted evangelist 
 
 had formerly denounced. But this comes after 
 
 having patiently waited for fifteen years. Strange 
 
 that about the time the unpopular man comes up, 
 
 the prominent man should go down, to rise no 
 
 more. 
 
 I have learned two lessons from this. One is 
 
 that when we are misunderstood, if we answer 
 
 "never a word," 
 
 He who has the might, 
 Will sure defend the right. 
 
 Another is, that no man can become so power- 
 ful and secure, but that he can go down in dis- 
 grace. He may be mightily used of God, and in 
 such great demand that he can set his own price 
 and get more calls than he is able to fill; yet, 
 unless he remains humble and holy, he will sooner 
 or later go down. It is a fearful thought that 
 there are men now in hell and others on the way, 
 who once towered and soared above higher planes 
 than many of us ever walked. 
 
 "Let him that thinketh he standeth take heed 
 lest he fall." 
 
CHAPTER XXX. 
 
 A FEW TESTS. 
 
 The Impudent Moslem — Fumigating A Home With Pray- 
 er — Licentious Preachers — The Sectarian Bigot. 
 
 He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he 
 that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh u, city. Prov. 16:32. 
 
 A number of years ago, I needed a watch, but 
 thought a cheap one would answer the purpose, 
 so bought one. In a short time it began to go 
 wrong and kept me in uncertainty. I could not 
 afford to miss trains and steamers, so bought a 
 seventeen jewel watch, and since then have had 
 no trouble. It was a source of great comfort and 
 confidence, while touring Palestine and other 
 lands, sometimes out of reach of civilization for 
 days, to know that I had correct time, and need 
 not worry about making connections. 
 
 Years ago I needed an experience, and tried 
 the cheaper kind, laying 'all on the altar and be- 
 lieving the altar would sanctify he gift,' etc., etc. 
 But occasionally I had trouble on the inside. Af- 
 ter having tried this cheap method several times, 
 I keenly felt that there was a death and resur- 
 rection through which I had never passed. 
 
 (215) 
 
2 1 6 The Dps and Dorvns of 
 
 After days of crying out against my inward 
 foe, I received a baptism, blessed be God, that has 
 stood the test ever since. 
 
 I well remember a test of grace which came 
 to me at Hebron, Palestine. A company of us 
 had driven down from Jerusalem, and having 
 gone up to Abraham's oak, we ate a lunch and 
 prepared to see the city. Before doing so we un- 
 dertook to take a picture of the pool of David. 
 About the time I found the focus, a young Mo- 
 hammedan came and deliberately held his hand 
 before my camera. I motioned for him to step 
 aside, but he simply gave a defiant grin. Then 
 I moved and he waited until I was again ready, 
 when he stepped up and did as before. I moved 
 again, and this time had wife stand between me 
 and the stone wall. Now when he saw that his 
 plan was thwarted, he grabbed from the head 
 of one of his comrades, a filthy fez (a red cap 
 worn by the Turks) and with all his force, threw 
 it into my wife's face. 
 
 Brother, what do you thinlc you would have 
 done in such an instance? I 'know what I would 
 have done at one time, before I had saving grace. 
 I had such an uncontrollable temper around the 
 blacksmith shop that my father called me the 
 "black sheep of the family" and said he feared I 
 
A Pioneer Preacher. 217 
 
 would sometime land in the penitentiary or on 
 the gallows. Two weeks prior to my conversion, 
 I had a seven-round fight with a grown up man 
 and gloried in the fact that he was afraid to meet 
 me in a second bout. I speak of this with shame, 
 but only that I may magnify the grace of God. 
 
 Now, for this impudent Moslem to insult 
 my wife thus, and for me to feel no anger or re- 
 sentment, was surely contrary to my nature. Yea, 
 it was nothing more or less than the mighty grace 
 of God. Not until after this occurrence did we 
 realize our danger. It then appeared that a band 
 of robbers were in the rear, urging this young 
 fellow on, to the intent that he aggravate us until 
 we should retaliate. Then they would have an 
 excuse to resent it, with the result that we would 
 be robbed if not murdered. Such was a frequent 
 occurrence at this fanatical center, a man having 
 been killed the day before we visited the place. 
 I would advise the reader not to visit Hebron, 
 until he is sure he is sanctified wholly. 
 
 Another test on a different line: I was en- 
 gaged in a meeting in a large city, and was en- 
 tertained in the pleasant home of a fine young 
 couple. The husband left early in the morning, 
 and was gone all day at his work. The front 
 and back doors were kept locked, and no one 
 
218 The Ups and Downs of 
 
 could see in or enter without ringing the bell. 
 The weather was intensely hot, and the rooms 
 were so arranged that the only way to get air 
 was to open the door which led from one room to 
 another. I did not like the appearance of things, 
 and requested the pastor to get me another place ; 
 but this was not convenient. Then I walked the 
 streets in order to avoid coming in close contact 
 with the only one in the home. Finally, I became 
 desperate, and resolved to fight it out on my 
 knees. I told God that I was not responsible for 
 present conditions; that I would change them if 
 I could, but since I could not, therefore, I de- 
 manded in Jesus' name, complete victory over 
 every evil suggestion that was placed in my path- 
 way. The result was that God let down so much 
 of His presence that the atmosphere of the home 
 became marvelously changed. Up to this time a 
 fleshly, sensual spirit seemed to predominate. 
 But now God's awful presence was in the ascen- 
 dency, and the place became peculiarly sacred. 
 
 We become responsible, if we allow our minds 
 and imaginations to wander in the least; we be- 
 come responsible if we let evil suggestions get too 
 near and hang around us, unchallenged. 
 
 Doubtless this is where most men begin to go 
 down. They do not resolutely resist the first ap- 
 
A Pioneer Preacher. 219 
 
 proach of temptation. It is worth the effort, to 
 be able to feel that one has left a home or com- 
 munity as pure as he found it. 
 
 i have known men who were such slaves to 
 lust that they closed a good meeting too soon, and 
 went out of their way many miles to reach home, 
 if but for a day. God help us ! Such men ought 
 to stop preaching holiness until they can get vic- 
 tory over themselves. 
 
 Still another test: I was invited to assist in 
 a couple of camp meetings of another organiza- 
 tion. The bills were struck and full preparation- 
 was made to take the long journey. But when 
 the District Elder of that particular section heard 
 of it, he wrote a "protest," signed by several of 
 his preachers, against my coming. I replied that 
 I was loyal to our church, even if I did accept an 
 invitation to assist in a camp outside her pale; 
 and, to prove my loyalty, I would be glad to divide 
 the time and assist our own people in any meet- 
 ings, for which they might arrange. But another 
 letter came, saying, "We decline to accept your 
 services." 
 
 Here, again, it was nice to be sanctified whol- 
 ly. At one time I would have written this good, 
 but sectarian brother that I was going just the 
 same ; and please to let me know when God had 
 
220 The Ups and Dotem of 
 
 made him vicegerent of that part of the earth. 
 But this would be no way to prove perfect love; 
 it would rather prove carnal pride. God wants 
 to save us so deeply that when another manifests 
 bigotry, we will be magnanimous enough to show 
 a better spirit. As a rule, one will gain a greater 
 and more lasting victory by making concessions 
 and giving in, than by manifesting self-will un- 
 der pretense of being led of the Lord. Oh, that 
 we would always remember to practice this. 
 
 Well, how did it turn out? After prayer and 
 consultation I felt clear at the last moment, to 
 abandon the trip. I realized that the Elder had 
 fight in him, and he would simply hurt his own 
 soul as well as any meetings I might hold within 
 the bounds of his district. I did not have to wait 
 long until I received an invitation from another 
 Elder in an adjoining conference, and the result 
 was that we had more calls and to larger places, 
 than would have been the case had we insisted on 
 carrying out the first plan. 
 
 A sanctified experience is an enigma to carnal 
 men. We triumph over them by letting them 
 trample upon us; we get our way by giving up 
 our way ; we shine the brighter by giving up our 
 own wit and brilliancy ; we run the faster, by go- 
 ing slowly with God ; we are appreciated the more 
 
A Pioneer Preacher. 221 
 
 for being willing to be set at naught. Oh, the 
 beauty of going out of ourselves and being swal- 
 lowed up in God. When we commit all to him, he 
 commits much more to us. Reader, have you ever 
 learned these secrets? Theory and head knowl- 
 edge will not do. The only way is to get a heart 
 experience. 
 
CHAPTER XXXI. 
 
 RESULTS OF A SMALL BEGINNING. 
 
 The Story of Two Tracts— "The Making of Books There 
 is No End" — God Shovels in as We Shovel out. 
 
 Who hath despised the day of small things? Zech. 4:10. 
 
 Everything and everybody has had a small be- 
 ginning. The athlete was once a helpless babe, 
 the mighty oak was once a tiny acorn, and the 
 universal church a handful of fishermen. 
 
 As one little match has swept prairies, vast 
 forests and large cities, so the publishing of two 
 small tracts has started a fire that has swept 
 around the globe and will never be extinguished 
 to all eternity. 
 
 When twenty-one years of age, we held a meet- 
 ing in Greensburg, Pa., to which we have already 
 referred.. During this meeting I saw the need 
 of tract distribution on the streets and in house 
 to house visitation. I could not find exactly what 
 suited me, so undertook to write a couple, one for 
 open sinners and the other for cold church mem- 
 bers. Ten thousand of each were printed. These 
 tracts were so in demand that in the course of a 
 
 (222) 
 
A Pioneer Preacher. 223 
 
 year they were gone. The next year, four varie- 
 ties were added to the list, making six in all. 
 Sixty thousand of these were printed and in one 
 year they likewise were exhausted. The next 
 year I added six more, making twelve kinds. Ten 
 thousand of each again were printed, making one 
 hundred and twenty thousand. As before, they 
 lasted but one year. The number was again 
 doubled, swelling the list of subjects now to twen- 
 ty-four. We still held to the ten thousand im- 
 pressions, which made two hundred and forty 
 thousand. 
 
 By this time we saw that God had evidently 
 called us, not only to preach the gospel, but also 
 to publish clean-cut literature. More tracts were 
 added to the list, until over seventy different kinds 
 were being published. 
 
 Now we felt led to launch a holiness paper en- 
 titled "The Repairer." This has been published 
 for about twenty years. Other papers have come 
 and gone. At first they left us far behind in ap- 
 pearance, force of contributors and editorial abil- 
 ity, but in a couple of years they blinked out, 
 while our little sheet has steadily plodded on. 
 
 Next we felt led to begin publishing books 
 and booklets. The tracts now, instead of being 
 the leading feature, took third place, for each sue- 
 
224 The Ups and Downs of 
 
 ceeding year we have added to the book list until 
 some thirty or more, costing from one hundred to 
 one thousand dollars each, have been published. 
 At this writing, four new books have just been 
 finished which cost over two thousand dollars, 
 and this one is to cost over one thousand. 
 
 You may ask, "Where do you get the money 
 for all this?" I answer, "By honoring God." In 
 connection with our tithe, we have made numer- 
 ous donations of books to orphanages, rescue 
 homes, poor preachers and missionary work. As 
 fast as we have shovelled out, God has shovelled 
 in. Our custom has been to sell these books at 
 such a small margin that the poorest could secure 
 them. Our profit sometimes has been one or two 
 cents a copy, and many times the books have 
 been sold at actual cost. These books have been 
 circulated all over the United States and in many 
 portions of Canada and other foreign countries. 
 
 Many preachers invest their money in real 
 estate and other kinds of secular business that 
 bring more rapid returns than we have experi- 
 enced in handling books. But such money does 
 very little good, and very often it has been an 
 actual curse. Money is no good unless it can be 
 made a blessing to others, and we know of no bet- 
 ter way to be a blessing to others than to set 
 
A Pioneer Preacher. 225 
 
 them to reading good literature. Men will read, 
 when they will not go to church. This is a sure 
 way to mold character and bless the world after 
 we are gone. Would it not be grand if those who 
 have money lying away doing no good would put 
 some of it into a movement like this, instead of 
 waiting until they make their wills for ungodly 
 lawyers and children to set aside? 
 
 I have often wondered why God ever laid the 
 work of publishing upon such an incapable one as 
 myself. I have coveted the ability of some of my 
 brethren when I haVe seen their polished style 
 and beautiful language. But perhaps if I had had 
 such ability I might have accomplished about as 
 little as they. Some men can take a pen and 
 make their thoughts readable at first writing, 
 while I have to go over mine several times ; ever, 
 then they lack polish. Notwithstanding this, God 
 has held me to it, and He has been pleased to use 
 these weak efforts in the enlightenment and sal- 
 vation of many souls. 
 
 It reminds me of the incident of the noted 
 sportsman who knew all about getting game and 
 could give philosophical ideas on hunting. But 
 after doing so, on one occasion he headed a party 
 and went out to hunt and failed to get anything. 
 On his return he met a colored man who, likewise. 
 
226 The Ups and Dorons of 
 
 was returning from a hunt and was loaded down 
 with game — whereupon he inquired of the colored 
 man, "And how did you get so much game? Did 
 you shoot them on the wing, or how?" "Yes, 
 Massa, I hit them wherever I could, on the wing, 
 tail or head, just so I got them." Sometimes God 
 has to take the weak and ignorant things to "con- 
 found the mighty." 
 
PART II. 
 
 Some of My Mistakes and What They Have 
 Taught Me. 
 
 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for an- 
 other, that ye may be healed. James 5:16. 
 
 Webster says that a "mistake is an error in 
 opinion or judgment; misconception, misappre- 
 hension, and deviation from propriety." That 
 we all have made mistakes none will deny. Some 
 of these have been more serious than others. A 
 mistake may be so serious as to be criminal in its 
 effect. 
 
 The principal difference between a mistake 
 and a sin lies in the fact that the intention is pure 
 in the one, but not in the other. Though perhaps 
 a mistake may not incur the divine displeasure, 
 yet it may hurt one's influence and bring havoc 
 to the work of God. For this reason we should 
 pray for grace and wisdom to be kept not only 
 from sinning, but as far as possible from making 
 blunders. The more conscientious one becomes, 
 the more aggravating will appear even his mis- 
 takes. 
 
 (227) 
 
228 The Ups and Downs of 
 
 The writer can testify of a truth that his mis- 
 takes have been greater sources of mortification 
 than many of the sins of his former life. Not- 
 withstanding the fact that they have been very 
 grievous to me, I dare not waste time, or please 
 the devil mourning over them, but will believe 
 Gk)d to so overrule them, tha,t in the end, others 
 along with myself may get more good and His 
 name receive more glory than had they never oc- 
 curred. 
 
 To relate a few of them (for their name is Le- 
 gion) may lower me in the reader's estimation, 
 but if he can profit at my expense and thereby 
 avoid similar errors, I will hope that, like Sam- 
 son, I may accomplish more through my blunders 
 than through my seeming successes. 
 
MISTAKE I. 
 "Zeal Without Knowledge." 
 
 I always did admire zeal rather than formality 
 in religion. My father ground into me when a 
 boy, that "What is worth doing at all is worth do- 
 ing well." This remained with me, and somehow 
 when I got religion I got it all over and later on 
 when I entered the ministry, naturally took to the 
 radical rather than the conservative element. 
 
 I will here relate an incident which occurred 
 shortly after I began to preach. I had read and 
 heard how Lorenzo Dow, Peter Cartwright and 
 others were used of God in reproving and awaken- 
 ing sinners. One day while in a certain town 
 looking up a place to hold metings, I was walking 
 along and saw a man coming toward me. I was 
 suddenly impressed with the thought that I must 
 warn him of the coming judgment. Just as he 
 was about to pass me I reached out my hand, and 
 taking hold of his shoulder, said: "Dear man, 
 you are going to the judgment, and where will you 
 spend eternity?" No answer was given and he 
 walked on. Presently I glanced back; he had 
 stopped and was looking at me. I rejoiced in- 
 wardly and thought, "You are struck with con- 
 
 (229) 
 
230 The Ups and Dorvm of 
 
 viction as with a lightning bolt out of a clear 
 sky." Perhaps he was and perhaps he was not. 
 He may have been wondering what fanatic had 
 just escaped from the asylum. It doubtless would 
 have been just as effectual to have first greeted 
 him, or given him a tract, then delivered the mes- 
 sage. Sometimes a little thing like a tract will 
 introduce one and open the way for a personal 
 conversation. 
 
 Well, what did this teach me? It taught me 
 that there was no special virtue in being blunt and 
 abrupt. It taught me that in order to deal faith- 
 fully and be "free from the blood of all men," I 
 need not be discourteous. It taught me that if 
 God has used eccentric and outspoken men in the 
 past it was not due to the fact that they naturally 
 were such, or that they were His special favor- 
 ites, but because they were simple enough to let 
 Him use them, and perhaps they would have been 
 more mightily used had it not been for some of 
 their crude peculiarities. 
 
 Another lesson I needed to learn: As I began 
 to travel more extensively I saw that men were 
 going to hell by the carloads, and felt I must do 
 something to rescue them; accordingly I always 
 carried a lot of leaflet tracts for distribution in 
 the trains, depots, etc. 
 
A Pioneer Preacher. 231 
 
 But here was my mistake: upon entering a 
 train or boat I could not feel restful and easy un- 
 til I had first "done my duty" toward the salva- 
 tion of all on board. Hence I proceeded to dis- 
 tribute tracts and sometimes gave a few pointed 
 words of exhortation. If I thought that the cap- 
 tain or conductor might object, I made it a point 
 to go either ahead or behind him so as not to 
 encounter him. Sometimes he would be enraged, 
 but I would rejoice that I had been persecuted for 
 righteousness' sake, not thinking that possibly it 
 might be for my own lack of discretion. 
 
 It remained for me to find the secret of dis- 
 tributing tracts and performing other cross-bear- 
 ing duties with ease and naturalness. Here was 
 the divine plan; upon entering a train or any 
 other public conveyance, I was not to get agitated 
 or in a hurry, but first sit down in a restful, pray- 
 ing mood and believe God to be more interested 
 in the salvation of souls than I possibly could be ; 
 this being true, I could afford to hold myself in 
 readiness and be glad to be an errand boy for 
 Jesus. I was to have no preconceived program, 
 but at such an instant as the Holy Spirit might 
 say, "Now is the time," to go forward without a 
 moment's hesitation and trust God for conse- 
 quences. 
 
232 The Ups and DoTens of 
 
 And what did this teach me? It taught me 
 that there is no gallling yoke attached to the lead- 
 ings of the Spirit. It may mean opposition or 
 self-denial, but there is a buoyancy and holy de- 
 light in that direction. How different are the 
 drivings of Satan and fanaticism! You feel you 
 "must do your duty," but, oh, what a dread and 
 strain are associated with it. 
 
 It also taught me that I must be myself in 
 God. I was not to be like Jehu, Peter Cartwright 
 or any one else, but like Jesus. He is the perfect 
 example. 
 
 I am aware there are two kinds of dispositions. 
 One gets ahead of the Spirit, and the other lags 
 behind. One is ever ready to take hold and do 
 something, though in an awkward way, while the 
 other sits back and looks wise, excusing himself 
 that he is not called to such juvenile work. Some 
 men, like some horses, need to be held back that 
 they miay live longer and have more reserve force 
 for special occasions. Perhaps this' suits my 
 case. Others need to get a move on them and do 
 something. Yes, do something! I mean you, you 
 easy-going, namby-pamby, goody-good-for-noth- 
 ing sort of a fellow, wake up and do something, 
 even if you do stumble over yourself while doing 
 it. 
 
MISTAKE II. 
 Too Secluded and Unsociable. 
 
 After I got a real sight of carnality and its 
 subtle workings, then the mighty deliverance that 
 came after six days of dying out (the disciples 
 were at it ten days), I began to think that very 
 few professors, including the ministry, knew what 
 it was to pass through that deep, inward crucifix- 
 ion to the self life. It seemed my eyes were so 
 enlightened and my spirit so susceptible, that now 
 I could discern the outcroppings of the "old man" 
 where formerly I did not think he existed. It 
 was all so clear to my mind that I thought any 
 one could surely see it if he wanted to. In my 
 efforts to undeceive others I fell into a grievous 
 fault myself, becoming denunciatory and driving 
 in my manner of preaching. I dwelt more upon 
 the crucifixion agony than upon the resurrection 
 glory. It put them to seeking (which doubtless 
 was necessary) , but did not proportionately stim- 
 ulate hope and faith. My brethren became afraid 
 of me, for they said that I did not have confidence 
 in their experiences. 
 
 The reason I could not have full confidence in 
 some holiness brethren, was that their jesting, 
 
 (233) 
 
234 The Ups and Dorem of 
 
 joking remarks and sometimes undue freeness and 
 familiarity toward those of the opposite sex 
 seemed so horrible, that in spirit I ceased to fel- 
 lowship them. They felt it keenly and said they 
 could not get near me. Here was my mistake, 
 and not until I took my first trip to Georgia did 
 I fully recover from it. 
 
 While at Stone Mountain in a meeting, one 
 morning, wife and I ascended the mountain and 
 there spent the day in fasting and prayer. God 
 in mercy flooded my soul with a special melting. 
 He revealed to me the possibility of keeping so 
 bathed in holy oil that instead of holding com- 
 promising brethren off at arm's length lest I take 
 on some of their ways, I could draw up close to 
 them and if need be let them pour upon me all of 
 their views, and nothing would stick because of 
 the anointing. More than this, the only way to 
 stab a man under the fifth rib is to get up close 
 to him. 
 
 To me this was a valuable lesson. It taught 
 me that, like the tugboats in the filthy Chicago 
 river, we could plow through the contaminating 
 things of this old world and nothing would stick 
 to us. Yea, the obstacles themselves, instead of 
 hindering, so far polish us that sooner or later 
 we will see that they were just the things we 
 needed. 
 
MISTAKE III. 
 
 Too Confidential. 
 
 We are in a world of misunderstandings. The 
 motive or intention may be as pure as heaven, 
 and yet the behavior open to severe criticism. In 
 our efforts to avoid this we are liable to swing 
 from one extreme to the other. It seems too bad 
 that about the time we get half way balanced up, 
 we either go to heaven, or become so tame and 
 conservative as to cease to wake up the dead. 
 
 In my second mistake just mentioned, I fell 
 into the error of denunciatory preaching and shut- 
 ting myself up in spirit from my brethren lest I 
 should become tainted with their sentimental 
 ways. In short, I became too unsociable. Now 
 after recovering from this I went to the other 
 extreme, and in several instances became too con- 
 fidential. On one occasion a preacher was seeking 
 help in his experience, and being troubled along 
 the line of amativeness, asked me how I lived. I 
 insisted that it was not my prerogative to say 
 how other married people should live, as that must 
 be a mutual agreement between themselves, but 
 
 then went on to relate a little of my personal ex- 
 
 (235) 
 
236 The Ups and Dotvm of 
 
 perience and the blessedness that came from such 
 a life. Later on he backed down, then made cap- 
 ital of what I had said. In this, I was sincere but 
 was too confidential. 
 
 From this incident let me here exhort the 
 reader: keep some things to yourself. Remem- 
 ber, intimate friends may not always remain such, 
 and should they turn, they are capable of doing 
 you more hurt than any one else. One writer has 
 said, "Never make confidants." And a greater 
 one has said, "Trust ye not in a friend, put ye not 
 confidence in a guide : keep the doors of thy mouth 
 from her that lieth in thy bosom. For the son 
 dishonoreth the father. The daughter riseth up 
 against her mother, the daughter-in-law against 
 her mother-in-law; a man's enemies are the men 
 of his own house." Micah 7 :5, 6. 
 
 Do not tell all your plans and inner convic- 
 tions, for sometimes things are repeated, not in- 
 tentionally to hurt you, but it gives the devil a 
 chance to work against you. Always have a bus- 
 iness understanding in "black and white." Un- 
 der no circumstances trust to memory, for mem- 
 ory sometimes forgets. No difference how saint- 
 ly the person, sometimes he changes, his mind. 
 And remember that people will more readily be- 
 lieve a woman's statement than a man's. Gener- 
 
A Pioneer Preacher. 237 
 
 ally speaking, they have a right to, except in bus- 
 iness matters. In this respect, as a rule, women 
 are changeable. For this reason when once a 
 good Christian lady gave me a deed to a house 
 and lot I kept it awhile, then, without her asking, 
 gave it back to her. Another good woman of- 
 fered me eight hundred dollars with which to buy 
 a home, but I thanked her and declined, saying 
 she might need it herself, later on, I have been 
 thankful many times since, that I did not accept 
 it. It is easier to get into a thing than it is to get 
 out. 
 
MISTAKE IV. 
 
 Getting Ahead of the Spirit. 
 
 Doubtless if we believed God more implicitly 
 we would make fewer mistakes. It is so natural 
 to become restless and over-anxious, especially on 
 critical occasions, lest things should not come out 
 all right. At such times we act as though God 
 had deserted us, or to say the least, had to be 
 coaxed mightily to consider the situation. 
 
 I well remember the time when the business 
 man who offered us the horses, came to our home 
 to pray through, and was at it from early morn- 
 ing until nine o'clock at night. No nourishment 
 had been taken and such unearthly groans and 
 confessions were being wrung from his soul that 
 he could not stop, nor could we offer a suggestion. 
 Up until about eight o'clock, the Holy Ghost 
 seemed to say, "Everybody stand back while I 
 deal with this man's depravity in judgment fury." 
 About this time the presence of God lifted a little 
 and the man felt great relief, but did not have a 
 clear witness. 
 
 Here was where I made a mistake. I feared 
 
 that he had had such a threshing out, that to stop 
 
 (238) 
 
A Pioneer Preacher. 239 
 
 short and leave without the assurance and httle 
 or no joy, would bring a reaction and he would 
 become disgusted and never return. Accordingly, 
 I urged him to press his case until he was fully 
 satisfied. For another hour he agonized, largely 
 in his own strength, and finally said, "I am so 
 weak in body that I can go no further." Without 
 saying much, he departed. During the night the 
 Lord began to talk to me, saying that one hour 
 out of the Spirit did more hurt physically, men- 
 tally and spiritually than all the other ten or 
 twelve. Oh, what anguish of soul I suffered that 
 night. I told God that if He would only overrule 
 it and give us another chance, I would have sense 
 and discernment enough to keep out of His way 
 and stop when he stopped. He took me at my word 
 and sent the dear man back with additional 
 light which he could not have afforded to have 
 passed over, even had it been possible to have re- 
 ceived the witness of the Spirit without it. As 
 before said, he and his entire family took the way. 
 I can see now that God had to permit this 
 blunder of mine to teach me a valuable lesson, 
 viz. : to rest in Him and believe Him to bring all 
 things to pass. It taught me that when one fully 
 commits himself, his family and his interests to 
 God, no power other than his own can wrest them 
 
240 The Ups and Doivns of 
 
 out of the Omnipotent grasp. "Neither shall any 
 man pluck them out of my hand." 
 
 It taught me that though it is a great art to 
 get souls to the altar, yet they are generally 
 "healed slightly" who are pulled there prema- 
 turely. If they are too honest to profess, and yet 
 are not under deep conviction, they are ashamed 
 to return, and thus we defeat our own object. 
 
 It taught me that though superficial teachers 
 abuse faith and let souls profess too easily, there 
 is on the other hand a possibility of not using the 
 strong arm of faith enough, hence, limiting God's 
 willingness and ability to finish what he takes in 
 hand. While we are anxious to see a soul get the 
 victory on the spot, yet if he is nowhere near the 
 end of himself, is it not better to hold him to the 
 point of submission rather than have a spiritual 
 abortion? Like a young chick, the seeker who 
 does not peck his own way out, at the best will 
 be only a weakling.' He who has to have others 
 help him pray through, will have to be prayed 
 through again, or, to say the least, will always 
 need help, instead of being able to help others. 
 
MISTAKE V. 
 Dealing With Fanaticism. 
 
 Fletcher said, "The fanatic speaks far more 
 confidently than the real humble, holy, inspired 
 saint of God." 
 
 Others may confess and acknowledge their 
 faults, but a fanatic, never. He will acknowledge 
 anything rather than that he is fanatical and im- 
 pressional. 
 
 During my early experience I was associated 
 with a brother who was given to fanatical notions, 
 the result of which had a tendency to affect me 
 more or less. Afterward, through divine grace 
 and the wisdom of a faithful companion, I wa,3 
 enabled to fully recover myself. Perhaps God 
 permitted this, that later on I might be able to 
 help others. But in my effort to do so I can see 
 now where I made a mistake. I saw how ruinous 
 and contagious it was, hence undertook to sup- 
 press it. In so doing it seemed necessary to go 
 after it publicly. I doubt now whether this was 
 the best method, since fanatics seem to delight 
 in opposition. True, it is hard for a pastor to 
 
 see his work demoralized and not take his stand, 
 
 (241) 
 
242 The Ups and Downs of 
 
 but he can often do so without dragging it into a 
 public service. It seems a pity to compel a whole 
 congreigation to listen to a subject that affects 
 but two or three persons. Besides it is resorting 
 to the pulpit to correct what might be done more 
 effectually in private. Then it looks a little like 
 taking advantage of another when he cannot 
 answer, and this has a tendency to separate, rath- 
 er than unite in spirit. I found this so by expe- 
 rience. More could be said, but I will close by 
 quoting from my other book, "False Doctrines 
 and Fanaticism Exposed." 
 
 It is a sure characteristic of fanaticism to go 
 from one flight to another; from one startling 
 position to another. The fact is, it does not stand 
 the wear, and as soon as one extraordinary lead- 
 ing loses its inspiration, rather than admit a fail- 
 ure, another suggestion or prophecy is launched, 
 and so on, until it becomes almost impossible for 
 God, or any one else to arrest it. If a failure or 
 collapse does finally come, it will vindicate itself 
 by placing the responsibility on those who did not 
 quickly obey and run at the first crack of the 
 whip. As a rule it has to run its full course and 
 to oppose it strenuously is to feed and prolong its 
 existence. It thrives on opposition and can not 
 bear to be left unnoticed. This will kill it more 
 
A Pioneer Preacher. 243 
 
 quickly than anything else ; keep sweet and do not 
 act as though it were around. If it exhorts and 
 takes the denunciatory attitude, do not contend, 
 but put your own construction on it and say. 
 Amen. If it shouts and screams do not look mo- 
 rose, but turn in and let God give a sample of 
 genuine blessing. An ounce of this will silence 
 and disperse fanaticism more effectually than a 
 ton of argument. 
 
 The way to fight strange fire is not to whip it, 
 for in so doing you only scatter it; but build an- 
 other fire and make it so hot that it will envelope 
 the former. Fight wild-fire with real fire. Amen. 
 
MISTAKE VI. 
 
 Defeating Our Own Object. 
 
 "If what I wish is good 
 
 And suits the Will divine, 
 By earth and hell in vain withstood, 
 
 I know it shall be mine." 
 
 If God has a message that He wants delivered, 
 and you are to be the mouthpiece, you need not 
 be discourteous or press your way in at a half- 
 open door in order to do so. It is His truth, and 
 if you keep in readiness He will surely give you 
 an opportunity, or, should carnality shut you out, 
 you will get credit just the same. Many times 
 earnest souls make a mistake right here. 
 
 Perhaps at some general gathering a certain 
 theme was either neglected or abused and you 
 longed to say something. No opportunity was 
 given, so you resorted to the testimony service 
 and there^delivered a long exhortation. The re- 
 sult was that you either killed your influence en- 
 tirely or gathered around you a certain class who 
 saw things just as you did and then the authori- 
 ties took it in hand and you were given no further 
 opportunity. Doubtless had you remained low 
 and as far as possible manifested harmony, you 
 
 (244) 
 
A Pioneer Preacher. 245 
 
 would have been given an entire service and then 
 you could have taken time and handled your sub- 
 ject in such a way as would have either enlight- 
 ened or silenced everybody on the ground. But 
 you took things into your own hands, got in a 
 hurry and defeated your own object. The writer 
 has done this very thing. 
 
 Oh, that we could always sense the situation 
 as Jesus did. He went up to the feast at Jeru- 
 salem, but not until it was half over (John 7:14) 
 did He make Himself known. And even then, 
 though He taught some in the temple. He patient- 
 ly waited until the "last day, that great day of the 
 feast," and then it was that He "stood and cried, 
 saying, 'If any man thirst let him come unto me 
 and drink.' " 
 
 Well, what did this mistake teach me? It 
 taught me to measure my strength and not spring 
 an issue or a fight until I felt sure I had enough 
 force and cooperation to clean it up. It taught 
 me that when the superficial side is very strong, 
 one should not necessarily endorse it, or openly 
 oppose it, but, as when bathing in the surf and a 
 breaker is coming toward him, "duck under" and 
 let it go over his head. To withstand it, is to be 
 knocked down and likely drawn under by the 
 swift under-current. Fanatics will say that to 
 
246 The Ups and Dotvns of 
 
 do this is a compromise, but many times it is the 
 best policy. Wesley seemed to know this secret 
 when he penned that wonderful poem, one verse 
 of which says: 
 
 "Oh, wouldst thou, Lord, thy servant guard 
 
 'Gainst every known or secret foe; 
 A mind for all assaults prepared, 
 
 A sober vigilance bestow; 
 Ever apprised of danger nigh. 
 And when to fight and when to fly." 
 
MISTAKE VII. 
 
 Creature Comfort. 
 
 '^Creatures no more divide my choice, 
 
 I bid ;them all depart; 
 His name, His love, His gracious voice. 
 
 Have fixed my roving heart." 
 
 The more we find consolation in earthly things 
 the less we will feel the need of seeking it from 
 above. The sooner we get weaned from hu- 
 man joys, the sooner we will find the joy that has 
 no reaction. 
 
 Just to the extent that we let creature comfort 
 satisfy, to that extent will the Creator add bitter 
 to the sweet. 
 
 THAT WONDERFUL BABY. 
 
 Yes, it is the sweetest, prettiest, smartest and 
 most promising specimen of humanity in town. 
 This is generally the case, especially with the first- 
 born. And this God-given affection is not to be 
 despised, for without it, the little darling would 
 be neglected, suffer and die. Be it known then 
 that we are not advocating stoicism, or the crush- 
 ing out of natural affection, but we want to no- 
 tice a few ways in which these little flowers may 
 become hindrances, especially to young preachers. 
 
 (247) 
 
248 The Ups and Doivns of 
 
 1. In Prayek. — It is so easy upon waking to 
 fondle and love the little one until the time and 
 desire for communion with God have gone. Oh, 
 the valuable article that should have been writ- 
 ten, or the glorious revelation of some Scripture 
 that was missed, for a few prolonged caresses. 
 
 God is jealous for our first and freshest lOve 
 and the more we permit something else to usurp 
 its place, the more He will be compelled to mix 
 bitterness and disappointment with our substi- 
 tute. The more consolation we seek from above, 
 the less will we need from below. Should earthly 
 joys and blessings be ours then God has a double 
 claim upon us and our adoration and self-sacrifice 
 must likewise increase, lest these very things be- 
 come curses. 
 
 2. In Pastoral Visiting. — There is no bet- 
 ter way to make one more sympathetic and for- 
 get his own little troubles ; there is no better way 
 to break down prejudice and build up a con- 
 gregation; there is no better way to get new, 
 practical matter for a sermon, than pastoral vis- 
 iting. Satan knows all this and is pleased if he 
 can get a man (or woman) to be so taken up with 
 the cares or pleasures of the home that the work 
 of God will have second, rather than first place. 
 Doubtless more than one circuit has suffered, or 
 
A Pioneer Preacher. 249 
 
 to say the least has not grown as it should, simply 
 because excuses were made to stay at home when 
 with a little effort, soul refreshing calls could have 
 been made. 
 
 3. In Study. — ^Conference has convened, the 
 report has been read, with more or less excuses 
 interspersed for lack of success. The next ques- 
 tion : "Have all the conference studies been 
 brought up ?" Then there follows a prolonged ef- 
 fort to explain: "My eyes," "my nerves," "sick- 
 ness in the home," "had to work for a support," 
 etc., etc. True, sometimes some of these things 
 are great impediments, but where there is a will 
 there will be a way, or we will make one. 
 
 If there were only a little more system, or 
 where system is broken into by the irregularities 
 of baby life, there could be progress made if more 
 tact and determination were employed. For in- 
 stance, look ahead and devour a page or chapter 
 while baby is asleep or being held by a visiting 
 neighbor. Or, have the good wife or some good 
 reader read aloud while the resolute man keeps 
 time with the washing machine or something else. 
 To this, Bro. Failure is ready to smile or criticise, 
 but let us remark that if the early pioneer preach- 
 ers and some since their day have succeeded 
 against great odds, why can not others do so who 
 
250 The Ups and Dotvns of 
 
 have as good or better advantages? Adam Clarke 
 when a school boy was known as "the blockhead," 
 but he persevered until something cracked loose 
 in his head and then he left every one out of sight. 
 He mastered Greek and wrote most of his noted 
 commentaries while traveling circuits, on horse 
 back. "Nothing succeeds like success." 
 
MISTAKE VIII. 
 
 Doing Right Things in a Wrong Way. 
 
 Thou Shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart; thou shall 
 in anywise rebuke thy neighbor and not suffer sin upon him. 
 Lev. 19:17. 
 
 Finney says : "Men are bound to reprove their 
 neighbor for sin. Love to God plainly requires 
 it, and love to your neighbor demands it." 
 
 There are many commendable things that can 
 be performed in a wrong spirit; for instance, 
 there is such a thing as correcting a child in the 
 wrong way ; giving to God's cause from a wrong 
 motive; testifying in such a manner as to draw 
 attention to self, or to let some one know what 
 you think of him; worse still, preaching against 
 certain evils in such a way as to attack the prej- 
 udices of the people, instead of appealing to their 
 reason, or conscience. Doing these and many 
 other things at the wrong time or in the wrong 
 way, often does more harm than good and defeats 
 the object of the one doing it. But we desire 
 more particularly to notice the art of successfully 
 reproving our neighbor. 
 
 It required a long time for the writer to learn 
 
 this. Perhaps I have not fully learned the lesson 
 
 (251) 
 
252 The Ups and Downs of 
 
 yet, but am pressing on to know. Not until I 
 had passed through many a misunderstanding and 
 misrepresentation myself, did I fully learn that 
 there are two sides to every story : that when any- 
 one was charged as being guilty, I should no' 
 allow myself to be easily biased or influenced 
 against him and accordingly, pass sentence before 
 hearing the other side. If he was an accountable 
 being, doubtless he had a reason for taking the 
 course he took, and surely as a Christian I ought 
 to go as far as an atheistic judge, who is supposed 
 to be on the prisoner's side until he is proven 
 guilty. 
 
 Oh, that many who are looked upon as models 
 of piety could take a few lessons along here. It 
 is so easy to fall into the habit of discussing the 
 strong and weak points of absent brethren. This 
 leads either to evil speaking or to something about 
 as hurtful — feeding pride and bolstering up self 
 in view of the fact that you are not so bad as the 
 one discussed. I can feel sad even now as I look 
 back and see where, upon false or inferential evi- 
 dence, furnished me by some influential one, I 
 formed an opinion, or went further and censured 
 another, when later on I found him to have been 
 greatly misrepresented. Is it not as wrong to rob 
 another of his influence for good as to rob him 
 
A Pioneer Preacher. 253 
 
 of any other thing? If he be a minister this is 
 his capital, this is his bank account, and it is no 
 greater crime to steal his horse and buggy than 
 to kill his influence for good. 
 
 "But," says one, "his influence is not good." 
 Then you should follow the Scriptural plan (Matt. 
 18:15-17), and go to him like a man and "tell 
 him his fault between thee and him alone." It is 
 cowardly and mean to wait until you have a crowd 
 on your side, or after you get away, to write a 
 letter. But even here there is a possibility of 
 making a great mistake : not only must the proper 
 method be employed, but the proper time as well. 
 It is not best to deal with another in a heated 
 or severe manner. It does not produce good or 
 lasting results. Besides, it lessens one's influ- 
 ence. The greater the offense the more need 
 there is of calmness and melting. This can not 
 be had without much prayer and deliberation be- 
 forehand. Another secret is to study the dispo- 
 sition and watch for the opportune moment when 
 the reproof will be accepted. Oh, the need of di- 
 vine wisdom in dealing with immortal souls. Lord, 
 give it to us all. 
 
MISTAKE IX. 
 A Commercial Turn of Mind. 
 
 The idea of getting gain possessed me at an 
 early age, and my young mind began to scheme 
 how I could earn a few pennies of my own. I 
 roamed the valleys in search of elder berries which 
 were dried and sold to the huckster at three cents 
 a pound. In exchange, he gave me young chick- 
 ens at from ten to fifteen cents each. These I 
 turned into hogs, and the hogs into calves, and 
 the calves into colts; so that by the time I had 
 finished the country school and was about to start 
 to college, I was following Jacob's example in 
 stock raising. Had I continued thus, I would 
 doubtless have become rich. 
 
 But God ordered otherwise. It is usually 
 those who have ability to make money whom He 
 calls to a life of trust. Christ did not call tramps 
 and easy-going men to follow Him, but rather 
 those who were wide-awake and capable of doing 
 something. 
 
 On arriving in our new field in the South, we 
 had no means of support. Times were hard and 
 money scarce. It was as easy to get ten dollars 
 in Pennsylvania, as one dollar in Georgia. So 
 it may be clearly seen that had we been after 
 
 (254) 
 
A Pioneer Preacher. 255 
 
 money and appreciation we would have remained 
 in the old Keystone State. God and His provi- 
 dences seemed to hold us in Atlanta, and little by 
 little, we gained a foothold. After three years 
 had passed and we had a family of twenty-five or 
 more workers to feed, it meant close figuring in 
 order to get through. In addition to our own 
 family, the poor and homeless frequently called 
 for food. 
 
 Our compassion for this class of people gave 
 us the idea of starting a coal and wood yard, in 
 order that we might give work to the unemployed. 
 In connection with this we fitted up a lodging 
 house above our mission, where men could get a 
 bed for five and ten cents ; and if they did not have 
 the money, they could work it out in the wood 
 yard. Much coal and wood were given away, 
 and to those who were able to buy, we sold. 
 
 We had no thought of our own interests in 
 the way of money making, but, to our surprise, 
 the business more than paid expenses, and the first 
 year we cleared two hundred dollars. The sec- 
 ond year we enlarged, and the profit was over 
 one thousand dollars. At this point, the tenden- 
 cy would have been to plunge in for all we could 
 make, but instead, we felt led to abandon the coal 
 business and devote our time and energies to 
 
256 The Ups and Doivm of 
 
 printing. Here, as well as in other projects, much 
 detail work and figuring were required. 
 
 In addition to all this, we were getting in 
 deeper by taking charge of a Rescue Home in 
 Cleveland, Ohio. Now we had a family of fifty 
 or more to support, and it meant an expense of 
 about two hundred dollars per month. There be- 
 ing no steady income, the burden was thrown 
 upon the writer. This financial strain necessa- 
 rily developed and made me a financier, which I 
 now fear was a mistake. Had I spent my time 
 and energy in prayer, study and writing, instead 
 of figuring and economizing, I believe I would 
 have been much farther along spiritually; and 
 perhaps would have seen as much accomplished 
 philanthropically. 
 
 And how shall I profit by this? If by dili- 
 gence and frugality, I have been able, not only 
 to carry these burdens, but in addition, to lay 
 something aside, I am resolved, not to do as men 
 generally do — plan and speculate that they may 
 get more; but to publish and circulate good liter- 
 ature that never would have been circulated had 
 there not been something upon which to draw. 
 
 I have known men who had ability and felt 
 led to write something that would have stirred 
 thousands, but they never did so, because there 
 were no means available, to push it through. 
 
A Pioneer Preacher. 257 
 
 Instead of straining to save something for a 
 "rainy day," let us set something in motion that 
 will live after we are gone ; and He who takes care 
 of the sparrow will surely take care of us. 
 
 But how can it be done? By economy, self- 
 denial, and good management. Suffer a few sug- 
 gestions. By doing our own cleaning, pressing 
 and many other things that most people hire done. 
 Instead of having beefsteak and canned goods 
 once or twice a day, fruit, cereals and vegetables 
 are cheaper and more healthful. A daily news- 
 paper does not seem to cost much, but in a year 
 it runs up to about five dollars, besides crowding 
 out the Bible and time for secret prayer. 
 
 We have known preachers' families to be al- 
 ways poor because their ideals of living were too 
 high. They always wanted the best of every- 
 thing. Suffice it to say they owed bills here and 
 there or were so close pressed that they were nev- 
 er able to do much toward helping God's cause. 
 
 Another reason why some people are not blest 
 financially as they might be, is that they are too 
 narrow and self-centered. It pays to tithe and 
 practice liberality. There is nothing gained in 
 giving just as little as possible in order to protect 
 a reputation. "There is that scattereth, and yet 
 increaseth; and there is that withholdeth more 
 than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty." 
 
MISTAKE X. 
 Stressing Minor Issues. 
 
 The tendency with every man and movement 
 is to be more radical at the beginning, than in 
 after years. Rev. B, T. Roberts, founder of the 
 Free Methodist Church, said, "No church has been 
 known to retain its original purity, simplicity and 
 power longer than one generation." Youthful 
 minds do not have the scope of vision of older 
 ones, hence are more fiery and less reliable than 
 those of maturer years. As a rule, he who is ex- 
 tremely radical at the start, later on becomes 
 more charitable in his views, and consequently, 
 more efficient in his labors. On the other hand, 
 he who has always been "wise" and "sane" and 
 never made any bad breaks, to hurt his reputa- 
 tion, has likewise never gained much of a repu- 
 tation for breaking through formality and dead 
 orthodoxy, and snatching souls off the brink of 
 hell. The first is like the buzz saw that rips and 
 makes the dust fly, but needs ballast and power 
 to drive through the knots and hard places. The 
 second is like the smooth-running balance wheel 
 
 that looks nice, but does not get down to detail 
 
 (258) 
 
A Pioneer Preacher. 259 
 
 work and lay hard things wide open. Each needs 
 the other, to be successful. 
 
 A mistake of my early ministry was the mak- 
 ing too much of detail and minor issues ; dealing 
 with the outside, out of proportion with the in- 
 side. Somehow I got the impression that, to be 
 an old-time, uncompromising preacher, I must 
 frequently fire into secret societies, tobacco, jew- 
 elry, Sunday street cars, tea and coffee, pork and 
 oysters, neckties and mustaches, etc., etc. It was 
 like spending time in cutting off the various 
 boughs of a noxious tree, when the proper thing 
 would have been to lay the axe at the root. 
 
 Madame Guyon said, "Preach to the heart if 
 you want lasting success." 
 
 No doubt this is the reason converts under 
 one kind of preaching have more endurance and 
 stability of character than those under another 
 kind. In the first instance law and righteousness 
 are preached; in the second, the emotions are 
 stirred by touching incidents, and souls are en- 
 couraged to think their religion consists in a big 
 shout and giving up a few outward things. 
 
 The fact is, God will never send a man to hell 
 because he got drunk, committed adultery or 
 murdered his wife, but rather because he was all 
 wrong at heart. The doing these and other aw- 
 
260 The Ups and Dotptxs of 
 
 ful things, did not make the man wicked, but he 
 did these things because he was already wicked 
 at heart. If we can get the sinner's heart thor- 
 oughly broken and subdued, he will give up, not 
 only all sinful practices, but all sinful desires. 
 
 This method of emphasizing outward refor- 
 mation rather than inward regeneration, precipi- 
 tated needless opposition, and gave me a reputa- 
 tion that required years to counterbalance. If 
 the devil could not get me to become tame and 
 powerless, then he was pleased to have me be- 
 come suoh an "idol smasher" as to make people 
 afraid of me. This closed many doors that I 
 might have entered. 
 
 And why did God permit me to fall into this 
 error? Perhaps because He saw that people In 
 general have always taken to men who were of 
 an intense and radical type, and, being of that 
 order, I was in a fair way to popularity, which 
 would doubtless have been my ruin, as has been 
 the case with so many. 
 
 Popularity and human praise are more to be 
 deplored than blunders and an imperfect under- 
 standing. Had I used more wisdom in my early 
 preaching, I might have had a wider influence, 
 and perhaps less grace. This is often the case. 
 
 But I must be content. Doubtless even Peter 
 
A Pioneer Preacher. 261 
 
 and Paul had to their dying days, some things to 
 regret. 
 
 It is lilce certain kinds of fruit. That which 
 ripens quickly is most in demand and brings a 
 fancy price, while the sour and gnarly varieties 
 require longer time for ripening, but are later on, 
 appreciated more than the other, because of their 
 lasting qualities. Perhaps it is a merciful pro- 
 vision of God to keep some kinds of fruit (men) 
 from ripening too fast. The market would be 
 glutted. 
 
 I do not wish to be misunderstood. While I 
 believe in taking the safest position on every 
 question and at the proper time speaking out 
 against every wrong practice, yet I consider it a 
 mistake to press some things upon souls, when 
 there may be other things they need to renounce, 
 a thousand times more important. 
 
MISTAKE XL 
 Too Busy. 
 
 If the devil cannot keep a man in obscurity he 
 will let him become so popular and in such de- 
 mand that he will have little time for prayer, 
 reading and meditation. When these three things 
 do not stand out prominently in a minister's life, 
 he ought to make for the woods or stop preaching. 
 It is not enough to go through with the form, or 
 make-believe, but the whole soul must be inunda- 
 ted frequently in order to be fresh and inspiring. 
 Sad to say that about the time most preachers ac- 
 quire more or less ability as soul winners, they 
 are sidetracked into doing something else. The 
 sucessful man is bid for and as a result becomes 
 loaded down with various things, such as com- 
 mittee work, correspondence, lecturing on prohi- 
 bition, raising money for schools, rescue homes, 
 church dedications, etc., etc. All these things 
 may be worthy, but there are plenty of good men 
 who are capable of doing the same, without di- 
 verting the man of God from his original calling. 
 We have only about so much energy anyway and 
 it pleases the devil to have us use it up on some 
 
 (262) 
 
A Pioneer Preacher. 263 
 
 "side line," when vastly greater returns would be 
 produced by holding to the main line. As one has 
 said, "Many a man's spirituality has been buried 
 in the grave of his activities." How true ! 
 
 Here is where I made another mistake: I 
 have been too busy. Of late years I have lived 
 such a public life that I have failed to be as do- 
 mestic as I should have been. Having been an 
 evangelist and District Elder for twenty-five 
 years has necessitated my being away from home 
 most of the time. At first it was not so serious, 
 as wife and little girl could accompany me. But 
 later, when we had three children and they need- 
 ed schooling, this plan was abandoned, and I did 
 not see my family for from one to four months. 
 After a long absence from home I have had to put 
 forth special effort to get acquainted with my own 
 children. 
 
 I fear there are few men, myself included, 
 who are broad enough and deep enough to be in- 
 tensely spiritual and thoroughly domestic at the 
 same time. Domestic cares have a tendency eith- 
 er to make one more sympathetic and magnani- 
 mous, or on the other hand to make him narrow 
 and exacting. In too many instances the latter is 
 the case. If one insists on making a success of 
 the home, he will not be at his best in soul saving ; 
 
264 The Ups and Downs of 
 
 and if he gives himself up fully to the work of 
 the Lord, then the home is apt to be neglected. I 
 have wondered if it was not a mistake foi- Chris- 
 tian workers who have no children to adopt them. 
 Parental affection is lacking and to set in to culti- 
 vate it, one does so at the expense of spiritual de- 
 velopment and passion for souls. 
 
 For ten years or more, I have, under God, been 
 able to do about three men's work ; and as a result 
 my mind has been so pre-occupied by business 
 cares and religious responsibilities, that some- 
 times my apparent indifference and absent-mind- 
 edness have been a source of trial to others. 
 
 I am writing these lines with tears as I re- 
 member our sweet, blue-eyed, golden-haired baby 
 girl, who, when she occasionally slipped into the 
 study where I was battling with a stack of mail 
 or working on a new book, would whisper or 
 speak in an undertone to her mother and say, 
 "Papa." She seemed to feel she was intruding. 
 Though I generally smiled and gave her a kiss, I 
 feel a sense of sadness now that I did not take 
 more time to let her climb up into my arms and 
 "yove" (love) me. But I was too busy. I would 
 give a great deal if I could once more hold that 
 well-poised little form which now sleeps up on the 
 silent hill. Had I only known that the little bios- 
 
A Pioneer Preacher. 265 
 
 som would have been with us so short a time, I 
 would gladly have given her some of the time I 
 have spent in tears, kneeling at the little grave. 
 
 And what have I learned from all this? I 
 have learned that being too much absorbed, even 
 in good things, is not best for soul, mind or body. 
 Solomon must have known something about it 
 when he said, "Of making many books there is 
 no end; and much study is a weariness to the 
 flesh." 
 
 Perhaps God has to do as the gardner does, 
 transplant some flowers in order that those that 
 remain may have more room for enlargement. 
 He has to let sorrow and adversity come, in order 
 to slow some of us down, and get us back to the 
 good old days of quietude and meditation. 
 
 Yes,I fear I have lost much by being so busy, 
 buying up every moment of time and wishing I 
 could buy at a fancy price what others wasted. 
 While I would rather take this course than the 
 easy-going, self-indulgent life that most people 
 live, yet I am reminded that Jesus said, "Take 
 heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be 
 overcharged with. . . . the cares of this life, and 
 that day come upon you unawares." Luke 21 :34. 
 
A RETROSPECT. 
 
 In looking back over my short career, there 
 are many things I could wish were different. 
 With the knowledge now possessed, I think I could 
 greatly improve upon the past. However, there 
 are some things for which I am glad. Let me 
 mention a few. 
 
 First, I am so glad I obtained a genuine case 
 of religion with which to start. This was what 
 saved me from a premature grave, to which my 
 reckless living would have led. Or, in case it had 
 not cut short my life, doubtless the present time 
 would have found me, like many others, quarrel- 
 ing, and struggling for a mere existence. 
 
 With saving grace, God gave me the courage to 
 follow my convictions. It meant a good deal for 
 a boy of sixteen, while yet seeking religion, to go 
 against the example of his respected father and 
 white-haired pastor, in giving up the use of to- 
 bacco and the occasional drinking of ale, though 
 the latter was used by them, only for medicinal 
 purposes. 
 
 It is a wonder that this did not damn me. My 
 
 father was a good man and exemplary in every 
 
 (266) 
 
A Pioneer Preacher. 267 
 
 respect except that the doctors had urged him to 
 drink ale and use a little tobacco for his dyspepsia. 
 The devil and some of my relatives used it and 
 said, "Do you think you will ever become a better 
 man than your father? See how he prays and 
 gets happy in the Lord! What harm can there 
 be then in a little tobacco?" This almost silenced 
 me, but I finally said, "I cannot help what father 
 or the dear old pastor does, I am not their judge, 
 but nevertheless I doubt if it is to the glory of 
 God, and I am done with it," 
 
 When I took this stand, father said, "If my 
 boy will give these things up for Jesus' sake, I 
 will also." Was not the youth going too far 
 when, next, he remonstrated with his parents, 
 against being irregular in having family worship ? 
 Surely he was becoming too religious when, 
 though the entire family used pork and strong 
 coffee, he felt like abstaining. These and other 
 things may seem insignificant, but sometimes lit- 
 tle things strengthen or weaken character more 
 than do great ones. 
 
 It requires more courage to withstand the 
 jeers of friends because of some so-called "non- 
 essential," than because of things which are gen- 
 erally recognized as sinful. 
 
 The call to preach and the consequent leaving 
 
268 The Ups and Downs of 
 
 of home to attend college, were the next shocking 
 things to my parents. But sometimes it is the 
 making of one to, like Abraham, 'get out of his 
 country and from his kindred and from his fa- 
 ther's house.' It throws him upon his own re- 
 sources and the weaning develops him. God knew 
 His business when He thrust me out. Open air 
 singing and preaching on the street and in camp 
 meetings have so strengthened and enlarged my 
 lungs, that I do not expect to go, as did two broth- 
 ers and three sisters, with that dread disease, con- 
 sumption. 
 
 Second. Another thing that I have never re- 
 gretted was that I cast my lot with those who 
 held to the doctrine of holiness. It was while at- 
 tending a Congregational college that I felt I 
 ought to take this position. I knew that nearly, 
 if not all the school faculty, were against the doc- 
 trine, as taught by John Wesley. I saw also that 
 as soon as a theological student joined the col- 
 lege church, he was helped financially and pro- 
 moted in various ways. Now, for me to be the 
 only one in a large class to identify myself with 
 the despised holiness people, especially the "howl- 
 ing Free Methodists," meant that with one stroke 
 I cut off all hope of ever amounting to anything. 
 It was like stepping on board a sinking ship. 
 
A Pioneer Preacher. 269 
 
 "We are sorry for him," they said. "It is the 
 last we will ever hear of him." But after these 
 years, all I can say is that I return the sympathy 
 and am sorry for all those students who, to be 
 more popular, failed to take a decided stand for 
 this central of all truths. I fear they have had 
 their downs, but few ups. 
 
 For example: I was assisting in a camp 
 meeting at Elgin, 111., a few years after leaving 
 college; and, as I was walking down the street one 
 day, a man drove up in a rickety old bakery vvag- 
 on and hailed me, saying, "Hello, Shelhamer !" I 
 spoke to him, but said, "I confess I do not know 
 you." 
 
 "Don't you know me? Come now, I know you 
 do." 
 
 "No, I cannot place you." 
 
 "Aw ! you know John C. — " 
 
 "What! is that you, John? What are you 
 doing in that old bakery wagon ? I thought \ ou 
 were called to preach." 
 
 "I thought so too, but I could not make it go, 
 and I have a family to support." 
 
 Who was he? He was a great singer. He 
 was the champion debater in the literary society. 
 He was the valedictorian on graduation day. The 
 phrenologist who had felt his head, declared that 
 
270 The Vps and DoTvns of 
 
 he had the most symmetrical head he ever exam- 
 ined. "You can be a musician, a lawyer, a phj'- 
 sician, a preacher, or anything," said he. And 
 sure enough, he was driving a plug of a horse, in 
 a wabbling old bakery wagon. He was one 
 among many who had pitied me for taking a pro- 
 nounced stand for holiness. 
 
 Third. Another thing that I do not regret is 
 that I gave myself up to pioneer evangelism. 
 We have been offered good pastorates with fine 
 parsonages in which to live ; we have been offered 
 the Eldership where the apportionment was many 
 times what we were getting on the frontier: but 
 we have felt clear to continue to venture out and 
 trust God for everything. 
 
 It develops one more to have to grapple with 
 hard and unexpected problems in opening up new 
 work than with equally difficult qiiestions, where 
 there are resources and counsellors at one's com- 
 mand. 
 
 Then another means of development is trav- 
 eling. It enlarges one's horizon and frees 'him 
 from petty prejudices. There are many good 
 men who are loyal ^nd true, but who are amaz- 
 ingly narrow and easily biased. It would be a 
 great blessing if they could travel more than they 
 do. I do not advocate a roaming spirit, that neg- 
 
A Pioneer Preacher. TJX 
 
 lects responsibilities and causes the work of God 
 to suffer; but it is my humble opinion that it 
 would be a means of grace, breadth and effective- 
 ness, if some men could only get out of their nest 
 and flap their wings a little. 
 
 I consider it equal to several years in college 
 to have toured Palestine and other foreign lands. 
 With my conversion came a longing to see the 
 Holy Land, but this never materialized until after 
 twenty years of hardships and self-denial. After 
 I had consecrated to give up the longing desire, 
 the Lord granted even more than I had thought 
 or asked, and let me preach the gospel, not only 
 in Jerusalem, but unto the uttermost parts of 
 the earth. I often wonder if God is waiting for 
 us to give up some cherished plan before he can 
 consistently give us something better. Or, it may 
 be that like Moses, it requires years of privation 
 on the "back side of the desert" to ripen and pre- 
 pare us for more effectual service. 
 
 Fourth. Hard as it is on human nature, yet 
 I thank God for all the criticism and ostracism 
 which have come my way. Many times I have 
 been so crushed that for the time being, hallelu- 
 jahs were rather faint, but through grace I was 
 enabled to keep smiling. Though they came from 
 high and low, I did not receive one blow too many. 
 
272 Ups and Downs of a Pioneer Preacher. 
 
 True, some of them were uncalled-for, some were 
 unkind, but God graciously turned them to my 
 account and they have broadened and enriched 
 my soul. 
 
 When I was penniless and friendless, I had to 
 take everything. Later, when God smiled upon 
 and gave me more or less recognition, then came 
 the subtle temptation that has ruined more than 
 one man: "You have suffered enough; you nave 
 some rights and it is beneath your dignity to 
 silently bear these unjust misrepresentations." 
 Thank God I did not yield ! Many a man has gojie 
 down, after years of climbing, to a place of influ- 
 ence and power, simply because he could not take 
 in a magnanimous and Christ-like manner, everj'- 
 thing that came against him. Then he began to 
 pull off in spirit from his brethren, especially 
 those who had the courage to tell him his faults 
 or inconsistencies. Next he was like a ship ;m 
 the high seas without compass or rudder. And 
 lastly, he was either a shipwreck, or worse, a 
 floating derelict. God help us ! 
 
 When we get to the judgment we may find 
 that misunderstandings and ill-usages have played 
 a greater part in keeping us humble and getting 
 us safely through to the skies, than anything else 
 except the Blood of Christ. Farewell. 
 

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