Visions of Christ

A number of those who attended the Mission saw the Lord in the meetings. These were of all ages, children of about nine years, young men, young women, old men and old women, saints and sinners. Three of the conversions were caused directly by a vision of Christ. The Writer (who did not see the Lord) was asked to come and speak to a lady at the back of the hall while one of the addresses was going on. He went and found the lady trembling from head to foot (like an old-time Quaker), her eyes rivetted on a corner of the hall, and tears running down her cheeks. She said she could see the Lord. She described Him, and how His eyes moved, etc. Another went into the enquiry room and gave her heart to God. When asked by Mrs. Denham if she had felt the power of God in the meeting, she answered “Felt the power? Why, I saw the Lord immediately I entered the hall, and have been gazing at Him all the afternoon.” A soldier in the Royal Flying Corps was brought in by another in the same service who had consecrated himself to God at a previous meeting, and after hearing the address was obviously convicted, but would not yield to God. Asked by Mrs. Denham if he could see the Lord, for she could, he answered “No”; whereupon she prayed the Lord to open his eyes. The Lord heard her prayer; the soldier saw Christ, and, seeing Him, wept and immediately gave his heart to God.

THE HEAVENS OPENED

On Thursday evening Stephen Jeffreys was preaching about visions, and pointing out that in the Scriptures visions frequently were given to God’s people when they were suffering tribulation and persecution for His name. Examples cited were Paul, who was left for dead at Lystra and caught up into the third heaven; John, to whom the Revelation was given when he was in banishment in the Isle of Patmos for the Word of God (Rev. i., 9); and Stephen, who was stoned for telling the religious people of his day that they did always resist the Holy Ghost.

While Stephen Jeffreys was speaking of how the heavens were opened to Stephen, God opened the heavens to him (Jeffreys) and he saw into the glory, saw the Lord and the whole scene of Stephen being stoned. Jeffreys’ face changed, his lips trembled, all could see that his eyes were opened to behold the unseen realities. He stood looking up into heaven and spoke of what he saw, asked the congregation if they could see too, but they could not. When the vision passed and he looked at the congregation everything appeared to him to be glittering, for he was dazzled with the glory he had been priviliged to see.

From: A REVIVAL AT THORNTON HEATH.,

Confidence, Vol. XI, No. 4, Oct.-Dec. 1918, pag. 64, Sunderland, England

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