That Spring Thursday night

 

O-o-oh someday I’ll see the King in His beauty.

Someday all heaven will dazzle my sight

Someday I’ll finish my last “daily-duty”

And it all began that Spring Thursday night.

– eab, 9/11/14 (part of a song)

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Bryan – converted to Jesus Christ

ON THIS DATE

Edgar A Bryan was converted to Jesus Christ, 4/26/1956, in the village of Bremen, OH.  It was at the old  Pilgrim Holiness Church, (in town) then pastored by the impressive J D (John Denver) Webb, Sr. (father of evangelist Orlow C Webb).  It was a Thursday night revival service.  The evangelist is not remembered but could have been Bro Howard Williams as the Williams were at Bremen more than once in those years.

Yours truly was raised (youngest of four) in the Christian home of Clyde D & Ruth E Bryan & knew better than to use “four letter” language around them, but had picked up a foul-mouth habit, which was practiced at school in Somerset.  The next day on lunch break four or five of us were returning to campus from eating “down town” when I, from habit used the word “h_ _ l.”  It was said without thinking but immediately I felt badly.  I told the rest of the guys to go on & as I walked slowly up the alley I asked God to forgive me – He did, restored the joy to my heart, & to God be the glory, I have never said that word “as a bad word” since.  I cannot testify that I never sinned after that Spring Thursday night but I can say it was THE major turning point.  Though at times I yielded to temptation the set of my soul was toward God & heaven.

That conversion kept me through the last weeks of the 7^th grade, all the 8^th grade, & propelled me toward God’s Bible School.  The decision to go there (some 140 miles of two-lane road away) was a mutual one between my God-loving parents & 14½ yours truly. All four years of high school were spent at God’s Bible School.  There I made many life-long friends.  There I participated in the famous Thanksgiving Dinners. There I held my first job (off campus) at Jewish Hospital.  There I attended my first IHC – never forgot the night I heard H Robb French. And, there I met my life-love, the former Martha M Scarbrough.

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Titanic minister – died

ON THIS DATE

John Harper died 4/14/1912, in the icy waters near the Titanic.  He was a Baptist preacher from Glasgow, Scotland who was returning to preach again at Moody Church where he had previously ministered a three month period. He & his daughter, Nana were aboard when she “struck an iceberg” about 11:40 PM.  John wrapped Nana in a blanket & handed her over to go into a lifeboat.  He handed his own life-jacket to another passenger.

A survivor clearly remembered that John shouted “Women, children & the unsaved into the lifeboats.” It was John, according to book, The Titanic’s Last Hero, who called upon the band to play “Nearer, My God, to Thee.”  He prayed on deck “with holy joy on his face.”  When the ship started lurching he jumped into the water swimming from one to another urging them to call on Jesus & be saved.

One, Aquilla Webb, told four years later how John had come near him (both floating on wreckage) asking if he was saved.  Webb said he was not to which John said “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ & thou shalt be saved.” A wave pushed John away but God allowed him be swept by Webb again & John asked “Are you saved now?” When Webb answered in the negative John repeated the verse & shortly after was claimed by hypothermia & slipped under the cold water. Webb said, “I am John Harper’s last convert.” 

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Lew Wallace – born

ON THIS DATE

Lewis Wallace was born 4/10/1827 at Brooksville, IN (on US 52) the 2^nd of 4 sons born to David & Esther French Wallace. His father was a West Point graduate, lawyer & governor of Indiana (1837-1840) &  mother was a daughter of congressman John Test.  Lew left school (at 16), served as a copyist & studied law before going to the Mexican War. In 1849 he was admitted to the bar and served in the Union army in the uncivil war. He was a part of the court which tried those charged with assassinating President Lincoln.

Lew met Susan Arnold Elston, proposed in ’49, & married her 5/6/1852 in Crawfordsville. Susan was the daughter of Isaac Compton & Maria Akin Elston. Isaac was a merchant of means;  Maria had a Quaker (Friends) background. Susan would play a part in her Lew’s conversion. Pres. Hayes appointed him governor of the Territory of New Mexico (1878–81).  It was in Sante Fe that he completed the manscript of Ben Hur.  Pres. Garfield made him Minister to the Ottoman Empire (Constantinople, Turkey 1881–85).

Wallace at one point considered himself an atheist. He gathered material “proof” against the Bible.  Susan believed in the Lord & prayed for him. He realized his error & was converted. He reportedly asked his wife what he could/should do with all the material he’d collected – it provided foundations for Ben Hur, A Tale of the Christ (pub.1880) which was enormously successful.  Lew died in Crawfordsville, IN, 2/15/1905.       

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Joseph Parker – born

ON THIS DATE

Joseph Parker was born 4/9/1830, Northumberland, England, son of a stonemason in whose home the Bible was “the book most read.” One Lord’s Day walking home with his godly father & a Sunday-school teacher, Joseph declared his love to Christ & asked Him into his heart. His 1^st sermon (18) was from, “It shall be more tolerable for Tyre & Sidon at the judgment, than for you” (Luk 10.14). His 2^nd (also preached open air) was from Deu  32.41 but it was from the villagers response to his 3^rd that he based his call to preach.

In peaching travels he met his “Annie” & wed her 11/15/1851, daughter of Mr/Mrs Wm Nesbitt a farmer, trustee, & deacon of Horsley Congregational Church where they were married. Their sweet love was interrupted by Ann’s death 12 years later.  He married Emma Jane 12/22/1864, at Sunderland,  daughter of Mr/Mrs Andrew Common, J.P., banker, & Nonconformist.  (Her life was from 6/20/1846 to 1/26/1899.) 

Althouth Parker received an honorary Doctor of Divinity from Chicago University (at age 32) he was basically a “self-made man” being in his office around 6 AM for study & pray & taking meditative saunters about noon, thinking over texts he had been studying.  He began “Thursday Morning Meetings” (actually starting at 12 noon) for the business men of London (a hard city) & held them for 30 years.  He announced (9/28/1884) he’d begin preaching through the Bible – thus producing his 25 vol. The People’s Bible. After serving 33 years at London’s City Temple, (seating 3000 – often full) he died, 11/28/1902.

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Ray Palmer – died

ON THIS DATE

Ray Palmer died 3/29/1887, Newark, NJ.  He was born 11/12/1808, Little Compton, RI, son of Judge Thomas Palmer but grew up in Boston.  He attended Phillips Academy (Oliver Wendell Holmes was a classmate) & graduated from Yale.  After that he taught at woman’s schools & studied theology privately.

In 1834 he entered the ministry pastoring the Congregational Church, Bath, ME (1835-1850) & the First Congregational Church, Albany, NY (1850-1865).  Finally he served as Corresponding Secretary of the American Congregational Union until retirement (1878).

He published 11 books among them are Closet Hours, Hymns & Sacred Pieces, Hymns of My Holy Hours & Other Pieces, Complete Poetical Works, & he penned 38 hymns. Dr. Duffield (wrote English Hymns) expressed his regard this way, “He has written more & better hymns than any other American.” Palmer met Lowell Mason on a Boston street who asked him to write something for a new hymnal. Palmer located what is below in his old notes. Mason composed the tune & days later told Palmer, “You may live many years & do many good things but I think you will be best known to posterity as the author of “My Faith Looks Up to Thee.” Mason was right – this hymn has been translated into over 20 languages.

“My faith looks up to Thee, Thou Lamb of Calvary, Savior divine!

Now hear me while I pray, take all my guilt away, O let me from this day be wholly Thine!”

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Duncan Campbell – died

ON THIS DATE

Duncan Campbell died 3/28/1972. He was born 1898 in the Scottish Highlands, 5^th of 10 children of a stonemason & wife, genuine Christians. As a youth playing his pipes at a dance he left under Holy Ghost conviction. He quickly associated himself with Faith Mission (1913). Later he trained with & worked for them in the Highlands & Islands among his native Gaelic speakers. In ’25 he married Shona Gray.

He served with the United Free Church but disagreed with their union to the Church of Scotland & resigned. He served a church at Balintore & at Falkirk. 1949 saw him returning to Faith Mission & ministering again at Skye. In God’s timing he went to the Island of Lewis (Outer Hebrides) where two sisters in their 80’s had prayed for revival & their vision was caught by pastor & deacons who prayed in a barn for months.

Though he later headed-up The Training School for Faith Mission Campbell is remembered today for how God was able to use him in the Hebrides. He was a strong advocate of the second work of the Holy Spirit following being clearly converted.  He did not pull toward an altar but used a separate room for seekers.  After unreliable reports of events on Lewis, he published, The Lewis Awakening, an official account.

In his later years he traveled sharing the wonderful news of God’s moving.  Those travels included the US.  In the fall of ’71 Larry Grile & I took my 68 VW to an Ohio River town  & heard him speak. I strongly encourage reading: When the Mountains Flowed Down – Duncan Campbell  www.revival-library.org/catalogues/20thcentury/campbell.html  learning more about a man of prayer & modern revival.

Campbell Quotes: “Revival is a community saturated with God.”

“75% were gloriously saved before they came near a meeting…the power of God was moving.”

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Out of the abundance of the heart

Various voices lift various concerns but only the born anew will trumpet the “New Birth.”

AND Only the pure in heart will trumpet “Heart Purity.”

“…Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh” [or the pen writeth] Mat 12.34.

– eab,   3/19/15

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Word

“The LORD rewarded me according to my righteousness;

according to the cleanness of my hands

hath he recompensed me.”

Psa 18.20

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Heaven’s Attraction

 

On the distant horizon it has dimly shone,

Heaven – is it your goal, alone,

Or have you talked to Him via “telephone”

Have you prayed un-uttered words – a groan?

Do you want to see Him face to face,

Who on Mount Calvary hung in your place?

Heaven without Him, is a selfish goal.

Christ is the true attraction of the tempered soul.

– eab,  3/18/08

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