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….. among
Pentecostals it is very common for children to speak in tongues. In fact I
soon found an account of just such an event among the heap of letters on my
desk. This one was from William C. Pickthorn, |
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This story
occurred at a cottage prayer meeting which, according to my diary, was held ‘about
two miles from the Noy Mine’ out of Ironwood, |
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Public
meetings were held in a tent in Ironwood. Quite a number of responsible
people who were well known in the community came to the service. The diary
entry of July 30th, records a visit in the home of a family named
Erickson. A young lady who had spoken to me the night before was there. Her
mother had been healed by the Rev. Block the previous winter through prayer.
The whole family had been interested in the Baptism of the Spirit, but were
afraid of the experience because they were told ‘tongues’ was of the devil.
The mother said she would like to attend one of the cottage meetings, but was
afraid to do so. |
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She
finally agreed, and was present. I noted particularly that she was watching a
boy of about 12 years of age, who sat on the floor with his hands clasped
about his knees. The boy was praying fervently. While I watched, he began to
speak in a language which I could not understand. Then he began to sing in a
language which I did not understand. |
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Mrs.
Erickson began to cry. I was quite disturbed, and tried to apologize to her.
Her reply to me was somewhat as follows: ‘No, this boy has not upset me. That
is not why I was crying. I have known this boy all his life. I was with his
mother when he was born. He had just sung a song to me in praise of God, a
song I never heard before and a song I know he has never heard before, and he
spoke it in my language, Swedish, and he does not known my language. When he
was praying, he was praying in Swedish’. |
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From: John
L. Sherrill, They speak with other
tongues, published by Fleming H. Revell Company, printed in |