Chicago, Illinois, 3554 Vernon Avenue.

 

I am urged, both by friends and by the Lord, to write the story of my experience in seeking the fullness of God, and I trust it will prove some blessing to those who hunger and thirst after righteousness.

When my attention was first drawn to the teaching of "The Baptism in the Holy Spirit," with its outward evidence of "speaking in Tongues," it did not appeal to me; not because I did not need the Holy Spirit in greater fullness but because I was not sufficiently hungry for the good things of God.

But after some little study and investigation of the remarkable movement which is beginning to sweep the earth in God's mighty power, I began to seek God in real earnestness. I wanted the peace and joy that I saw in those who had received the Baptism in the Holy Spirit.

Services for the teaching of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit were begun in "The Stone Church," Thirty-seventh Street and Indiana Avenue, Chicago, June 30, 1907 conducted by the Rev. F.A. Graves, Misses Marie Burgess and Jeanie Campbell, and my husband.

The above workers met in our home to pray God to bless the work.

While in prayer I became occupied with God for myself. I asked God to cleanse me from all sin and to give me whatever other blessing He had for me. While thus engaged in prayer I had a mental picture of the cross, and I was down at the foot of it. It seemed as though I were being pushed down until I saw myself about a foot high. It was very vivid. I felt that God was showing me myself as He saw me. I said, "Yes, Lord, I know I am small in your sight." The next day I had great joy and when I began to pray again for a clean heart, God showed me that I had received it the day before at the foot of the cross.

Soon after this experience I was talking with these same workers and suddenly my heart seemed about to burst. I did not know why, for I felt no condemnation for sin. I was troubled and began to ask God to show me what it meant. I had had nothing in the way of manifestations showing me that God had cleansed my heart. I began to weep and continued until my heart seemed entirely empty, after which a great peace came over me.

I was now very hungry for the Baptism in the Holy Spirit. I began again to seek and again I began to weep. This time it did not seem as though I were weeping but rather that Christ was weeping through me. God was thus showing me the suffering and agony of Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane. I passed through the Garden experience with Christ, God letting me suffer all I could stand. I felt any more grief would kill me.

The next night I wept with Christ all night over lost souls.

I did not myself invite or create these experiences. I had not at this time thought of Christ's sufferings. I believe these experiences contain a lesson which I shall some day understand better than I do now.

Saturday night, July 20th, I felt impressed again to pray for the Baptism in the Holy Spirit. I had the assurance that I would be baptized. I went to my bedroom, knelt and asked God to take full possession of my spirit, soul, and body. I was alone for two and one-half hours. Then I called Miss Burgens into my room. We prayed together and God wonderfully blessed us. My heart was filled with praise. I am not demonstrative and the only way my feelings were expressed were "Glory to God" "Praise His Name!"

While Miss Burgess was kneeling beside me I felt a great glow and a burning heat over my head. I heard Miss Burgess cry out, "Oh look at the beautiful lily." I could not raise my head for the power of God was so great. In a few minutes he said, "Oh the beautiful Dove just above your head." Again the Lily appeared and then the Dove. This time the Dove's wings were outstretched over my head. I felt the power go through my body and knew that the Holy Spirit had taken possession of me. The power of God was so great that Miss Burgess drew away from me, weeping as though her heart would bread, saying, "I can't stay near you." I could not say a word at this time. I was awed into silence by the presence of God. Miss Burgess came back to me and again I felt the power of God. She said, "There's a beautiful robe over you, which must be the robe of righteousness." At this time I asked God to let me see something. In an instant the light broke above me, a beautiful dove appeared for a moment and vanished.

How unworthy I am to have the emblems both of Christ and the Holy Spirit appear to me! Immediately after this my chin began to quiver and I probably spoke a word or two in a foreign tongue.

The power of the Holy Spirit was with me in a marked way all day Sunday and Monday. The Holy Spirit continued to manipulate my facial muscles and vocal organs. Monday night I sang and talked a little in a foreign language. Praise His Holy Name!

When the language was forming and I was making peculiar sounds, the suggestion came to me that I was doing it myself. The temptation was so great that when the manifestations ceased, I attempted to repeat the sounds myself and found it impossible to repeat them.

The next morning Satan again tempted me and I felt depressed. I cried earnestly to God. My attention was called to the 4th of Matthew; when I read, "Then the Devil leaveth Him and behold angels came and ministered unto Him," a great joy came upon me and has remained. Praise His Name! I have been a Christian a number of years but often regretted that the Blood of Jesus and the Cross of Christ were not more real. All my experiences the past week have clustered around the Cross. What a wonderful, wonderful Savior! "Oh that men would praise the Lord for His goodness and for His wonderful works to the children of men!"

See Him all ye people in all His fullness.

The above story is told only for the glory of God. It is sent forth with the prayer that the Christ Who baptized me in the Holy Spirit may baptize others also.-Mrs. W.H. Piper.

 

From: The Apostolic Faith, Vol. I N. 10, Los Angeles, Cal. September 1907

 

 

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