mh % " } S 1 f \C) r s t j Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2018 with funding from University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign https://archive.org/details/lifelaborsofrevv00nels_0 I$ife ar)d labors of Rev.VIVIAN A.DAKE, ORGANIZER AND LEADER of *»»> Pentecost Bands. ««<• Embracing an Account of His Travels in America, Europe and Africa, With Selections From His -»»> g^eiohes, ]?o@ms and gongs, ««<• — BY- JHOMAS U- UELiSON, Ev>ar\gelist. “ For he was a good man, and full of the Holy Ghost and of faith; and much people was added unto the Lord.” CHICAGO : Published for the Author, by T.B. Arnold, 104-106 Franklin St. 1894. Copyright, 1894, By REV. THOMAS H. NELSON. 2 1 . 0*72 “7) / */-9 *>l CONTENTS. CHAPTER I. Parents—Birth—Early traits—Converted at nine—The preacher foreshadowed—Attracts the attention of Rev. B. T. Roberts— Mrs. Joseph Mackey resolves to educate him—How he ex¬ presses his feelings when he hears of it—Goes to Chili—Re¬ claimed—Graduates, and enters the Rochester University— First sermon and its results—Extracts from his Diary— Abundant in labors—His influence at the University. CHAPTER II. First real battle ground—Tent meeting at Albion, N. Y.—Con¬ version of a Catholic lady—The Catholics enraged—Threat¬ ened by a mob—The ringleaders fearfully injured, and the tent unmolested—Leaves college—Appointed to St. Charles circuit—Marriage—Takes work in Iowa—Death of his wife— Success in winning souls—Conversion of a Baptist lady— Extracts from his Diary. CHAPTER III. Sent to Walker circuit—Second marriage—Souls saved—Fearful warning against procrastination—Prays for his members per¬ sonally—Personal work—Wonderful case of Mr. P.—Water¬ loo circuit—One hundred saved during the second year—Sent to Cedar Falls—As a pastor—Infidels and Spiritualists seek to break up his meetings, but fail—“Witch of Endor’’ser¬ mon—How to get preachers—Enlarges his borders—Death of his only child.. *...... CHAPTER IV. Pen portrait of the man—Specimen of his poetry—Historical in¬ cident. CHAPTER V. As an evangelist—Anecdote—Work in Minnesota—Extracts from his Diary—Preaches with power, and quotes Pollock with thrilling effect. CHAPTER VI. Seasons of pentecostal power—Plymouth district camp-meeting— Northfield camp meeting—Sister M. wrestles with God five years, and the whole country is stirred—A long short sermon—One of the “days of the Son of man”—My Cross (po¬ etry)—The Old Song Ever New (poetry). CHAPTER VII. Work at Mankato—Satan’s seat—First Pentecost Band—Opposi¬ tion from the Ingersoll element—Takes a transfer—Confer¬ ence evangelist—Death of Jennie Newville—Delegate to Gen- PAGE 17-24 24-31 31-39 39-56 56-64 64-72 vi. Contents. page eral Conference—“The Land of the Living’’—A unique com¬ pany at the altar—A young lady refuses to yield to God; she soon dies—E. H. Tenney reclaimed—In charge of three districts—Nurses his sick wife—A woman wants to leave her husband because he is a Free Methodist, gets saved and finds she is a Free Methodist herself—Takes a rest—Healed in answer to prayer.. . . 72-79 CHAPTER VIII. Superintendent Roberts encourages band work—Others oppose it—Instructs his workers to trust God for everything they need—Quotations concerning Mr. Dake and his work— Experience (poetry)—Pentecost Bands fairly started. 79-87 CHAPTER TX. Doctrinal views and teachings. 88-101 CHAPTER X. Band work—Startling answer to prayer—Finney on “burden of soul’’—Other bands formed—An infidel converted; he be¬ comes a preacher—Interesting conversion of a Universalist— Railroad employees saved—Overcoming difficulties—Work¬ ers’Warning (poetry)—Bands Nos. 4 and 5 organized—All for Precious Souls (poetry).102-111 CHAPTER XI. Band work— A grocer saved; sends his tobacco back to the whole¬ sale house—Lillian Burt—Interesting incident—Opium slave set free.. 111-117 CHAPTER XII. Band No. 8 formed—A merchant gets saved and throws all his tobacco out of his store—Roman Catholic lady converted— Godly lives—Butterfly of fashion saved—Opposition from church members—An arrow strikes home—Tabernacle pitched at Paw Paw, Mich.—The mob take it to the depot and bill it for Australia; it is recovered—Professors of religion converted at The Meadows—Band meetings at Marengo, Ill.—At Rock¬ ford, Ill.—At “Big Woods’’—First Anniversary of Pentecost Bands—Meetings at Gardner, Ill.—Deep conviction—Op¬ position—Victory—Camp meeting at Evanston, Ill.—Band work in various places—Personal work by the workers—The town paper speaks.. 117-133 CHAPTER XIII. Band work—A hard fought battle—Abundant in labors—In jail— The town aroused—The people threaten to tear the jail down unless the prisoners are released—Released—Marching to the hall with songs of triumph—An awful warning—Conver¬ sions—Powerful meetings at Morris, Ill.—Street meetings stir the devil—Workers arrested at the band home—Rejoic¬ ing in jail—Others come and carry on the work—The mayor glad to let them out—Another street meeting—An editor Contents. page speaks in their favor—In jail again—The secular papers de¬ fend them.133-145 CHAPTER XIY. Band work—Si vert Ulness—A reporter’s plea—Class organized at Mazon—First Harvest Home—Work at Streator, Ill.—Sa¬ loon meetings—Interesting conversions—Street meeting at Ransom, Ill.—The community stirred—The tabernacle raised —A drunkard saved and called to preach; he refuses, back¬ slides, and meets a fearful death—The work spreads among the Germans—A hospitable people—Some fruit garnered above—Plowing on a rock. .146-155 CHAPTER XV. Great crowds—Opposition—Judgments—B. T. Roberts on spu" rious conversions—An infuriated Jew helps to convert a man—More conversions— Arrested— Dismissed— Arrested again, and imprisoned—The mayor in trouble—Released— The marshal asks them to pray—Interesting incidents.... 155-165 CHAPTER XVI, Pushing the work—Praise meeting at Morris, Ill.—The author ‘‘run in’’ for shouting—Exhorts the prisoners—An angry of¬ ficial—Startled—Praying in court—Released—Mr. D. sows a tract; it produces fruit—Meetings at Cornell, Ill.—“Elijah’s ravens not all dead”—At Wheaton—Refined and educated devils—“The man that pra-yed”—Backslidden preacher re¬ claimed—Mr. D. consecrates his little girls to foreign mis¬ sion work—Prayer for money answered.. 165-180 CHAPTER XVII. Wonderful quarterly meeting at Morris—B. T. Roberts present— “Chair beds” at Coleville—Second x^nnual Harvest Home at Streator—Characteristic testimony—Work at Palmyra, III.— A sermon that hit—Church entertainments—Arrested again —Shameful treatment—Catechising the marshal—Friends— Case dismissed—Eventful meetings at Ottawa, Ill.—Mob work at Spring Valley, Ill.—Meetings in various places_ 180-193 CHAPTER XVIII. Ingathering at Ottawa—Opposition by Catholics—Bombs explod¬ ed in the hall—Souls saved—Arrested—Peculiar prisoners— A strange thing—Tried and sentenced—Public sentiment favors the workers—Released—The work goes on—The pro¬ prietor of a billiard hall gets saved and burns his gambling outfit on the street—Arrested again—Catholics at the altar— At the altar for sport; more than he bargained for; breaks down and gets saved—Apostolic exoeriences—Arrested— “Thirty days 1 ’—The people stirred—The city press speaks— ‘‘An elephant on hand”— ‘What are you going to do?”—The tide turns—Victory—Ingatheringat Carlinville—Souls saved —“I want to beg your pardon”—A murderer saved—Begin¬ ning of the Reapers Home’ work—Meetings at Girard—Drag- Contents. PAG* Vlll. ged from the altar—Satan stirred—Striking conversions— Romanists aroused—Mr. D. is struck with a brick—A Catho¬ lic mob attacks the author; rescued; preaches in spite of the mob; the converts guard his house all night—Retribu¬ tion—Night police saved—Glorious work at Fremont, Ind.— Boy dragged from the altar—Interesting conversions—Car¬ pets, neiv or old , worth more to churches than souls—A worker has the “power”; an infidel doctor wants to bleed him—Class formed—A shower of eggs—Wagon wheels off; a sister thrown out—A worker knocked down in the mud— Class formed at Hinesboro, III. 194-214 CHAPTER XIX. Class organized at Shipman—Fiery persecution at Tuscola, Ill.— Junior editor of The Review proposes to “run” the workers out of the county—B. T. Roberts replies to one of his slanderous articles—The Areola Herald defends the work¬ ers—Arrested—Interesting trial—In jail—Class organized— The judge makes a speech—Third Harvest Home—Mr. D. gets a new inspiration—A missionary sanctified—Thirteen baptized—Meetings at Urbana, Ill.—Two men from Ohio get saved; they send for their wives, and they too get saved—An interesting conversion—A votaress of fashion saved—Work at Bunker Hill—Two men killed. 214-231 CHAPTER XX. Band work—Watch meeting at Tuscola—Arrest of fifteen work¬ ers; acquitted—A perjured editor signally defeated—Class organized, and church built at Hillsboro—Band No. 17 goes to Germany—The work in Germany—Wine bibbing minis¬ ters and bishops—The band, refused a permit, returns to America—G. W. Chapman and others go to Africa— Meetings at Centerville, Mich.—An ungentlemanly marshal —Ingatheringat Colon, Mich.—A man with a cork leg walks twenty miles to attend the meeting, and is converted—Per¬ secution—A diabolical plot—Church built at Tuscola—Salva¬ tion and persecution at Atwood—The hose turned on the workers at South Chicago—Victory at Charleston, Ill.—No¬ torious cases saved—Death of Grace Hill—A German saved; he falls under the “power”. 231-248 CHAPTER XXI. Mr. D. abundant in labors—His youngest child converted—His course with children—Harvest Home, 1890—One hundred con¬ verted—Spurgeon on missionary work—Finney on the game subject—R. W. Hawkins on Harvest Home—Mr. D’s ad¬ dress to the workers—“An innovation’’—“Hades Relit”— The Areola papers on Pentecost meetings and work—Con¬ verted in the corn field—T. J. Noland on Pentecost work¬ ers and their work—Westfield, Ill., stirred—A young preacher attends the meeting to take notes, is converted, leaves college and joins the Band—An infidel saved—Class formed and church built—Mob work at Atwood and Sulli¬ van..... 249-265 Contents. IX. CHAPTER XXII. PAGE Opposition at Atwood—The justice connected with the mob— Letter from W. B. M. Colt—Saloon keeper saved at South Chicago—Farewell meeting of missionaries—Starting for heathen lands—Reach Hamburg, Germany—From Hamburg part sail for Norway, others for Africa—Arrival at Norway —Spiritual condition of the Norwegians—Arrival at Africa — Band work at various points in Ill. — The Neoga News on the work accomplished—“One sinner destroyeth much good’’ —A good work at Areola—Finney on revivals—Class organized at Paris—Another at Pana—Interesting meetings at Rantoul, Ill.—Class organized—Meetings in Dunnville, Ontario. 266-282 CHAPTER XXIII. Band Meetings at Casey, III.—An invalid saved and healed—Meet¬ ings in various places—Invited to a “Lawn Social”—Tent burned at Onarga—Turned out of doors for praying—A provi¬ dential opening—Persecution—Reapers Home work—The Missionary Training Home—The work in Norway—Extracts from private notes—Visits North Chili—His love for mis¬ sionary work—His position on the missionary question— Description of the Harvest Home at Charleston by one who was there—Mr. D’s last Harvest Home—His prophetic words. 282-308 CHAPTER XXIV. Band work—Moralizing—Meetings at different points—Workers asked to leave their band home because of their praying— A church member hears Mr. Cheatham praying in a corn field; he kicks him and orders him out—The mob cut the tent down; they try to burn it—Marshall—Camp meeting in Mo.—The enemy stirred at Corning, Iowa—The tent burned—Meetings in the park; also in the skating rink— Opposition and victory—Mt. Etna—Minonk—Mob work— Salvation in Mo.—Catholic converted—Without a stove— Money in answer to prayer—Greensburg, Pa.—The leader before the burgess; ordered to stop the meetings; permission to hold them; arrested; released—The work moves—Saved on the street—Many conversions—Class formed—Church built— Prosperity of the Missionary Training Home; also of the Reapers Home—A lost girl reclaimed—Farewell dinner at the Reapers Home—Farewell meeting at Chicago—For for¬ eign lands—Parting words to the Reapers—Sabbath on the ocean—Letter to his wife from Liverpool—To Pentecost workers. 303-322 CHAPTER XXV. Outward bound—“Kindling Watch Fires”—Letter from Mr. D.—His last report from Norway— Scotland—Visits the grave of John Knox—Receives money in answer to prayer—Attends service at Westminster—At Wesley’s Chapel, City Road— Visits the graves of Wesley, Clark, Watson, Rutherford, Bun- yan, Susannah Wesley, and Watts—Condition and needs of Contents. x. page the work in England—Visits Smithfield where the martyrs were burned—Holds a street meeting—Water thrown on him—Victory at Liverpool—The Mission of Love—Interest¬ ing letters from the India missionaries.322-338 CHAPTER XXVI. Interesting letters from Mr. D. during the voyage, and his brief staj' in Africa—Bishop Taylor on board—A season of prayer with the bishop—Grand Canary Island—Goree Island—Inter¬ esting statements— Talks with the bishop about missionary work-Reaches Monrovia—Takes Thomas out in the bush and prays with him—Visits the graves of our fallen mission¬ aries—Visits the Lutheran Mission—A twelve mile walk among the natives.338-346 CHAPTER XXVII. Band work—Class^formed at Corning, Iowa—Precious meeting at Mt. Etna amidst persecution—The battle waxes hot at Corning—Persecution rages—Houses of the converts mobbed—The leaders threatened with lynching—The mayor glories in his perjury, in open class meeting—The governor requested to send out the state troops and put the town under martial law; he orders the sheriff to protect the preachers— • Brothers Brackney and Dewees get a pounding—District quarterly meeting—More persecution—Class formed—Class organized-at Carbon—News of Mr. D’s death—The work at Port Lambton, Ontario—A remarkable case—Gambler saved—Class organized—Wright City, Mo.—Interesting con¬ version—Mt Pleasant. Pa.—An old man saved—Persecution and triumph—The work at Greensburg—Meetings in various places—Foreign work—Bro. Ulness starts a paper—Mrs. Mary Chapman and Rev. and Mrs. E. Ward in England— A little work there—Letter from Bessie Sherman.346-360 CHAPTER XXVIII. India—Letters from Laura Douglass and Bessie Sherman—Appeal for India—Mr. D's. letter to the children of the Reapers Home—Purchase of land in Virginia for the Home—The African boy, Henry O’Neil; he reaches New York; is sent to St. Louis to be educated for a missionary to his own people—Sixth annual Harvest Home—B. T. Roberts present; he calls the workers his grand children—Letter from Henry O’Neil—Memorial service—Sickness of the missionaries in Africa—Death of Mrs. Torrence—Death of Miss North—Mr. Chapman returns to America—Goes back with Mr. D.— “Martyr Seed and Martyr Fruit 1 ’—Mr. and Mrs. Chapman return to America.361*384 CHAPTER XXIX. Selections from Journal.—S tarts for Germany—On board the Veendam —Praying under difficulties—Rotterdam—Amster¬ dam—The Hague—Up the Rhine—Sabbath at Emmerich— Cologne—The great cathedral—The church of St. Gereon, Contents. xi. PAGE with the skulls of martyrs set in the walls—Castle Crag— Describes the country—“Sweet Bingen on the Rhine’’— Worms—Monument of Luther—An awful scene—Sits on the sidewalk all night—Durennetzen—Preaches there—Stras- burg—The great clock—The grave of Erasmus—The old church in which Ulrich Zwingle aroused the Swiss—Class or¬ ganized at Durennetzen—Preaches in a Catholic village—Mob work—A man stabbed—First society meeting in Germany— Eiffel Tower—Cleopatra’s Needle—Tombs of Napoleon, Duroc and Bertram—Homeward bound—Reaches New York.384-401 CHAPTER XXX. Letters. —To his wife—To the same—To the same—To Henrietta E. Muzzy—To Miss M— —To his wife—Birthday present to his wife(poetry)—To the same—Journal: Monrovia,Africa— Witnesses the Kroos dance—Muhlenburg Mission—Meetings —Christmas in Africa—Stricken with fever.401-413 CHAPTER XXXI. Wrestling with the fever—On board the steamer—Henry O’Neil accompanies him—Letter from Geo. G. Brownell to Mrs. Dake announcing the death of Mr. Dake—From Allen Mc¬ Cullough to Mr. Chapman on the same subject—How the news is received in America—Lines by Rev. S. K. Wheat- lake—Memorial services—In memoriam (poetry).413-422 CHAPTER XXXII. * Reminiscences. —Letter from G. W. Chapman—From G. H. Agnew—From Rev. H. W. Fish—From Rev. A. C. Showers— From Mrs. E. Harriet Howe—From Mrs. E. L. Day—Muh¬ lenburg Mission Station (poetry, by Mr. Dake)—To the Work¬ ers; by T. H. N.423-438 CHAPTER XXXIII. Editorials and Sketches. —Powerless Preachers—Always Abounding—Overturners —Why ?—W ork—Affinities—Dead to the World—Manifestations..438-456 CHAPTER XXXIY. Editorials and Sketches.— Tithes and Offerings—The Dry Bone Yalley Circuit—Walk in the Light—Without the Camp —A Pestilent Fellow—Outline of a sermon preached in the Presbyterian Church, Attica, Ind.—An Address to the Brethren of the Free Methodist Church. 456-470 CHAPTER XXXY. Poems and Songs. —The Wondrous Change—A Hymn—Lo, I am with Thee—Only for Souls—Thousands for Jesus—Part¬ ing to meet again at the Judgment—Blessed Sunlight— xn. Contents. page What have I to boast of?—Where Am I Drifting?—Valiant Hearted Soldiers—Let Me Go to the Vineyard of God—The Old RuggedCross—I’ve Missed It at Last—Eternity’s Beggar —Separation from the World—Though ye have lain among the Pots—The Barren Fig Tree—Everlasting—Redeemed— We’ll Girdle the Globe with Salvation—Deciding To-night— Repent, 0 Ye Sinners—Praise the Lord—The Place of Weep¬ ing—For The Workers—Consecration—The Love of God— Lost in Sight of Home—Birthday Token—Track of Tribula¬ tion—At Ease in Zion—All Things—Needed Laborers—Our Words—The Sabbath—Call for Reapers—God Calls To¬ night—Warning—No face like Thine—The Day of His Com¬ ing—Earth’s Vanities—Dip your Foot in Oil—Hedged In— Benediction..... 471-508 PREFACE. A perfect memoir we are well aware has never appeared on earth nor ever will. Biographers of necessity must con¬ fine themselves largely to the outer court of the lives of their subjects, but when “the books are opened” it will be seen that God, who has had the prerogative of entering the u inner court,” has kept a concise and perfect record, not only of the actions but the affections which gave birth to life’s actions and the temper and spirit in which they were performed. We have written this sketch of our friend’s life because we are convinced that the biographical galaxy of the ecclesi¬ astical firmament is sparsely studded with gems of so rare effulgence. Also to show the faithfulness of our covenant¬ keeping God and prove to young men and women of humble birth who are not blest with many advantages, that they may yet, by a wise and diligent use of their time, supply them¬ selves with that store of practical learning which is essential to success in any undertaking. We have also hoped that it would prove an incentive to ministers of the gospel in all denominations, to seek higher plains on the mountains of holy vision by showing that the excellencies Mr. Dake possessed were not accidental, but the necessary consequence of his fervent piety and indefatigable industry. Where we found our ideas better expressed in the words of others we have not hesitated to use them, knowing that, as the wise man said: “Is there anything whereof it may be said, See, this is new? it hath been already of old time.” Though we have prayed much for divine guidance and have had much of God’s blessed presence in writing, yet we profess Preface. no exemption from errors of taste, judgment or style. We have felt keenly our inability to do justice to the task before us. For this reason we endeavored to persuade our senior Superintendent, the late Rev. B. T. Roberts to write this book, but he was too full of labors to undertake it. We feel convinced, however, that no defects in construc¬ tion or literary precision can essentially mar the lesson which the eventful life of our subject teaches. We are sorry that Mr. Dake did not always keep a journal, he being hindered from so doing by the magnitude of his labors. Had he done so doubtless many interesting and edifying incidents would have been furnished us. That our readers may form correct opinions of the work, we insert a condensed history of all the meetings held by the bands while under Mr. Dake’s control. The successes and failures, triumphs and trials of these workers illustrate all phases of gospel work and will be found very instructive and profitable. Hoping that this work may prove as great a blessing to its readers as it has to the author and those who helped in compiling its pages, we dedicate this photograph of a man of God to the lovers of clean, aggressive salvation work in every land, to holiness people of all denominations, and to the masses. The Author. i . - CHAPTER I. Measured by the rule of this world, the nineteenth cen¬ tury has produced many great men; but weighed in the bal¬ ances of the sanctuary, which require that greatness has its foundation in goodness, great men are exceedingly few. God, through laws best known toHimself, has in some localities so purified and condensed the elements of which common charcoal is composed that, instead of that sable sub¬ stance, we see diamonds of the first water. So, sometimes, from our very midst we are surprised to see men with like passions as ourselves so transformed by the power of grace that they shine out on the moral firmament like stars of the first magnitude. During the controversy in the M. E. church on the sub¬ ject of holiness, which reached its climax in ’59 and forced the Free Methodist church into existence, many able preach¬ ers were compelled to leave the former or sacrifice their con- ♦ sciences. Among the number was Rev. J. W. Dake and his estimable companion. He depended on Holy Ghost power rather than mental culture in proclaiming the words of life to dying men, and God honored his abundant labors with success. There is a completeness and symmetry in all the devel¬ opments of God’s realm. When God joined this pair he gave the wife a faithful, devoted, steady, unobtrusive husband; in the wife there was an earnest, stirring, sociable character and an evangelistic turn of mind, which, coupled with her husband's abilities, fitted them for any position in the church. During Mr. Dake’s pastorate in the little town of Ore¬ gon, Ogle Co., Ill., a son, consecrated to God from his birth, i8 Vivian A. Dake. was born unto them, February 9th, 1854. This was Vivian Adelbert Dake, ordained of God to bless humanity in origi¬ nating the evangelistic movement known as the Pentecost Band work. A man really great, because truly good. He early developed some remarkable traits of character: the musical ability which in after years appeared in his soul-stir¬ ring song’s; the extreme conscientiousness which so often led O O y him to take the unpopular side; an unusual inclination to divine things; love for study and aptness to learn; and the leading characteristic of his life, an undaunted determination to overcome difficulties. At the age of two and a half years he could sing cor¬ rectly the notes of the scale. In his early school days he would work out lessons to which ordinary scholars would succumb. The parents early led his feet into paths of piety. From his infancy he prayed at family worship. At nine years of age he was clearly converted and retained his expe¬ rience for some time. His actions at this time clearly fore¬ shadowed the life he was to lead, as he loved to hold prayer meetings with the children, where he would sing, pray and preach to them, seeming to live far in advance of his years. But, amid the trials attendant upon childhood and the constant change of companions caused by the itinerant life of his parents, he did not keep his experience in grace. Though he never became hardened in sin, like so many American youths, yet there were times when his wild propensities were indulged. But when corrected his heart would be touched; he would burst into tears, throw his arms about his parents’ necks and beg forgiveness. By reference to the lives of the men of all ages, whom God has used for special purposes, it will be seen that they were no ordinary men. God generally raises such from the common walks of life, and so controls the circumstances which surround them that each event tends to develop the faculties which He proposes to use.“ Foreseeing what will Childhood. 19 be needed at a particular juncture, He selects and prepares the means He designs to use. His plans and purposes for the most part are hidden from the world. Even they, whom He intends to use, are not aware of the part they are to per¬ form.” A striking verification of this fact is seen in the lives of Moses, king Saul, Saul of Tarsus, Luther, Wesley, White- field, and others. This was a notable fact in the life of Mr. Dake. His parents 5 circumstances were such that they were unable to give their son the education necessary to prepare him for his life work. God’s merciful providence overruled this obstacle and opened a way which led to the needed fields of knowledge. In August, 1867, at a camp meeting held in Sheffield, Ill., when Rev. B. T. Roberts, senior Superintend¬ ent of the Free Methodist church was raising money to erect buildings for the Seminary at North Chili, N. Y., an inci¬ dent occurred, of which he afterwards wrote: “ One of the first to give, was a bashful boy of about twelve or thirteen, who had outgrown his clothes; as trembling he placed a ten cent piece in my hand, a thrill went over me like a gentle shock of electricity and a voice said, c If the children take such an interest, the school will be a success.’ In 1S70 after the school was in successful operation, I mentioned this circum¬ stance at a camp meeting in New York. Mrs. Roberts said: ‘This boy was the son of a Free Methodist preacher in poor circumstances, getting a scanty support. Will not some one here send him to school? 5 At the close of the meeting Mrs. Joseph Mackey of New York said, ‘ Send for him to go to school, and I will pay his bills. 5 “When the news reached him, that he could get an edu¬ cation, he was in the field hoeing corn; to express his joy, he turned a somersault and stood on his head. He came to our school at Chili, a bright, uncultivated, unconverted boy, thirsting for knowledge, ambitious to learn. He was clearly converted and at once became a power for good.” This was February 23d, 1872, in the eighteenth year of 20 Vivian A. Dake. his age. The determination which was so prominent in the man was manifest in the boy when seeking pardon, as, after vainly seeking peace for some time, he made the expression while on his knees: “I’ll stay here till I bleach my bones, or find pardon.” This resolution made him desperate and en¬ abled him to seize the prize. “ The kingdom of heaven suf- fereth violence, and the violent take it by force.” His joy knew no bounds. He shouted and praised God with a loud voice and even leaped for joy. “His religion,” wrote brother Roberts, “was not of the quiet, unemphatic kind. The love of Christ was like fire shut up in his bones. With others he went from house to house wherever it was acceptable and prayed and exhorted and endeavored to win souls to Christ and to help them on in the kingdom of grace. After graduating at Chili Semi¬ nary, he entered Rochester University. He maintained a creditable standing in his studies and not only kept his relig¬ ious fervor, but his ardor for soul-saving became so intense that he could not stay and finish his collegiate course, so he left college and entered the ministry.” About this time, after having completed three terms in Rochester University, we find him visiting his parents in Iowa and helping his father in revival meetings. In his diary under date of July 12, 1S74, we find these words: “I did my first preaching from a text, at Jefferson, Iowa, to-day in the house of Brother J. The Lord was present and one sister was sanctified and one was saved. Praise the Lord!” July 14th. “ This day finds me traveling through the woods visiting from house to house. O, how I love the work of the Lord! At meeting to-night in a school house I o o tried to impress upon the people the necessity of preparing to meet God. I had great liberty in preaching.” Aug. 5th. “We had a blessed meeting to-night at the house of brother S. Six were forward for prayers and two were blessedly saved. All glory to God!” Conversion. 21 Aug. 9th. “ To-day I filled father’s appointments for the first time in my life. I preached three times in one day. I was much helped of the Lord.” Again he writes: “My dread of formalism increases daily. O, how earnestly I pray the Lord to keep me all aflame with the power of the Holy Ghost. ” Again he strikes the right idea when he says in one of his original, peculiar expressions: “I would rather have the gift of devil-dis¬ lodging faith than all the learning that can be acquired at earth’s schools. ” Under date of Sept. 5th, he writes: “We had a blessed time in our Big Woods grove meeting to-day. I preached my first sermon in the woods to-day and felt the help of the Spirit. A lady from W. was gloriously saved. This afternoon while talking with God respecting going to college, I made an agreement with Him that if, on the next Monday, when I returned to Waterloo, I should find some money in the office to help me, I would take it as an indica¬ tion of His will for me to go. I returned from the grove meeting and on arriving in town, went at once to the post- office. There I found a letter containing a money order and a slip of paper on which was written: ‘This is to aid you to return to college.’ Surely the ways of the Lord are past finding out. I also received a letter saying that Emory C., for whom I had been praying for a year, was converted. Praise the Lord for this!” He now entered the University and under date of Oct. 17, he writes of leading a class meeting there. He speaks of the mobbing of a temperance lecturer on the streets of Rochester, N. Y., by a lot of infuriated liquor men, whose actions indicated the awful power that rum holds in our land, and says: “God speed the cause of prohibition.” Oct. 25th. “To-day I am at Chili Seminary, my spirit¬ ual birthplace, where old things passed away and all things became new. Salvation seems written wherever my eyes 22 Vivian A. Dake. rest. The place and the inmates never seemed dearer than now. As I look around the walls, rendered sacred by many associations and recollections, the thought contained in the words, ‘ There is a spot to me more dear, than native vale or mountain’, rushed upon me with new force.” Even at this early age we find him abundant in labors, taking up the regular course of study and finishing the work of the previous year, also teaching a Greek class at Chili, ten miles distant, besides helping brother Roberts on the Earnest Christian and spending many of his nights in revival meetings. Nov. 5th. “God has signally blest me temporally to¬ day. Dr. Anderson, President of the University, told me this morning that my tuition would be given me. When my church paper came, I found it was credited a year ahead. The blessing of the Lord is surely showered upon me. What shall I do in return for all Thy goodness, O, God? 4 My life my blood I here present, If for thy truth they may be spent’. 4 More shouldstthou have if I had more ’ We are indebted to Miss Kittie Wood, missionary to India, for the following statement, confirmed by brother Roberts, that at this time Dr. Anderson sent word to Chili Seminary to the effect that any graduates of that school who were saved, and wished to enter the University, could have their tuition free, as the gentlemanly deportment and re¬ ligious influence of Mr. Dake and the three other young men from Chili, were worth more to the University than their tuition. April 12th, 1875. “In our society the boys wished Albert and me to join them in getting up a supper. It was a trying time, but the Lord helped us to stand by our principles, and in spite of importunity, scolding and ridicule we quietly said, ‘No.’ ‘I’ll not tone down for anyone, but I’ll shout on as I begun’,” Journal. 2 3 His uprightness was noticed even by his unsaved class¬ mates, as we find recorded in a comical description of the strik¬ ing characteristics of the different members of the class, written by one of their number. Though something nonsensical was said of each of the others, reference was made to the “sterling integrity of Dake. ” May 7th. “Albert went to Chili this morning; about as much talk as ever regarding it. Folks here cannot under¬ stand why Chili has such charms for us. God is in the midst of her. That is the grand cause of attraction.” May 9th. u While a sister was exhorting, the presence of the Lord was felt; the Spirit’s power fell on me, stiffening my hands and arms for a time. It was a new experience. I had never before felt God so near. ” Thus all through his university days, Chili held out her attractions to him. While his intellect was being polished at Rochester, his soul was being fed at Chili, where a “feast of fat things” was being constantly spread. He was thus favored with the best religious influence which, perhaps, could have been found in the nation. The continual cry of Mr. Dake’s soul was for more of God. July 7th. “ I have been praying for a long time for God to let light shine upon me. For two or three days He has been showing me myself. Oh, for more of God! more of His grace! To be lost in God, to be swallowed up in love divine, is my desire. I must have it. I will! I will!” Friday, Jan. 21st, 1876. “I stayed at the Seminary. Brother Roberts preached on placing our faith in the power of God rather than in the wisdom of man. It was a mighty sermon. He is a real Holy Ghost preacher. I owe my present experience to him and his excellent wife, more than to any other human instrumentality.” Again he writes: “My soul triumphs, and yet longs after God. My faith is being increased. I am finding out what it means to hold my peace and suffer for Jesus’ sake. O for more of God!” 24 Vivian A. Dake. May 24th. “ Brother Roberts requested me to come to the Seminary and teach the Greek class the rest of the term, which I have consented to do. ” 1 CHAPTER II. Churchville, N. Y., was his first real battleground, as with others he helped in a tent meeting there. A tabernacle was bought and erected under discouraging circumstances, as it was twice blown down. But the Lord undertook and His power was wonderfully manifested and people wept their way through to the kingdom in the face of much opposition. Brother Roberts opened the tent meeting, with brothers Dake, Mark Harrison and Philip Hanna assisting. At this meeting a man came rushing to the altar where his wife was groaning and pleading for mercy, and dragged her away. A week later she had the privilege of leading him to the same altar where he found glorious deliverance from his sins. Their next meeting was in the tent at Brockport, where a number were saved; then on to Baldwin’s Corners, where they held forth for a few days, seeing a number converted. Albion was next bombarded, where quite a work was done. One of the converts was a young Catholic lady. Speaking of her conversion, he says, under date of Sept. 1st: u It made a tremendous stir. The Catholics boiled over with rage. % Her mother threatened to kill her. In the afternoon her mother met me, and such a storm of abuse it was never my lot to receive before. “Rumors kept coming in that the Catholics were going to tear the tent down to-night, but at the Democratic ratifi¬ cation meeting to-day only two salutes were fired, when an Marriage. 2 5 explosion took place and two Catholics were dangerously injured. One had his arm torn off and was badly burned; the other had his eyes blown out, his skull fractured, his hand torn off and his face and body badly burned. These two young men were the ringleaders of the mob who pro¬ posed to tear down the tent. The people here regard the accident as a direct visitation from God. The tent was unmo¬ lested. The meeting soon closed, much good having been done.” At the close of this meeting he returned to the college at Rochester, where he stayed but two weeks. Then, as brother Roberts says: “ His love for souls was so predomi¬ nant that he could not be persuaded to remain longer in col¬ lege, but started for Iowa where he intended to enter the work of the ministry.” He stopped a week at Spring Arbor, Mich., where he visited Lenna Bailey, daughter of a former editor of the Free Methodist, to whom he had been engaged. In company with her and her mother he started for his home, where they were to be married, stopping at the Illinois con¬ ference which was then in session at Aurora, Ill. Here he was appointed to the St. Charles circuit, but went on to his parents’ home in Birmingham, Iowa, where, in a few days he was married by his father to Miss Bailey. She was very frail, having lung trouble, and was kept from the grave only by the special interposition of Providence. Nov. 23rd. He wrote to his chairman, M. V. Clute of the Illinois conference that he could not take the St. Charles circuit for many reasons, one of which was that the climate in Iowa seemed more congenial to his wife’s health. He took work in Iowa on the Birmingham and Fairfield circuit as junior preacher with Rev. R. S. Ellis. Nov. 24th. He speaks of helping brother Ellis in a revival at Union, Iowa, in which eighteen souls were saved in two weeks, some of the clearest cases he ever saw. He adds: “I love the work of the Lord. I am dying to things 26 Vivian A. Dake. of time and sense. O, I would rather die than exalt self. I will live humble. I long for more of the life of Jesus. I am determined to obey God at any cost.” At this time he began a meeting in Fairfield with brother Ellis, in which quite a number were converted. After his return, Dec. 15th, he received word that his wife was worse. He went at once to B. She was very low, but still recognized him. She was not willing to have him o o stay from the meeting at F., so he went back the next day. Dec. 17th he was again sent for, as she was still worse. He dispatched for her mother, who arrived on the 20th. She had been delirious nearly all day and they felt that the end could not be far off. He says: “Through all this, my bleed¬ ing heart was strengthened by the grace and power of God, and heavy though the stroke seems, I can say, that there is not a murmur in my heart.” He wrote: u Lenna began to grow cold at 11:30 A. M. She crossed the river without a struggle.” Her remains were taken to Galva, Ill., his father and mother, and mother Bai¬ ley and her son, and himself, accompanying the body. At 2 P. M. Dec. 22nd she was buried, Rev. Kelso officiating. He at once started back to his meeting at Fairfield, where one was converted the night of his arrival and five the next night, and thus the work rolled on in power. His love for souls was here manifested by his speedy return to his work, after such a heavv stroke. In his journal under date of Jan. 4, 1877, he says: “ After coming back from the funeral of my precious Lenna, I got a new hold of God for the work. God greatly helped me in preaching. I never felt more of His power than this even¬ ing. Five were seeking, two of whom were clearlv saved. While preaching, I felt like leaving the stand and going down the aisle. I felt much of the presence of God while a doing so.” Even at this early period of his ministry, it is evident Journal. 27 from his wonderful success in winning souls, that the hand of the Lord was upon him, for as Goldsmith wrote, “Truth, from his lips, prevailed with double sway, And fools who came to scoff, remained to pray.” Jan. 6th. u To-night God wonderfully helped me. Nine were at the altar, most of whom found salvation. Sabbath morning brother Ellis preached and I exhorted; there were five forward. To-day has been a day of communion with God for my soul. This evening I preached. I never had such a time to get a text. The hymn was sung, the appoint¬ ment given out and I arose and went at it without any special text. God did greatly help me. Eight ran to the altar and began to plead for pardon. It was a heavenly time.” Jan. 8th. “This evening brother E. preached and I exhorted. Eight more came hurriedly to the altar and were made happy in God in a few minutes.” Jan. 9th. c< There were three saved to-night, praise the Lord! The work moves on in power.” Jan. 10th. “We have been feeling the power of God all the morning. About 11 o’clock I felt I must pray 7 with the unsaved members of the family where I stopped. We dropped on our knees and entreated God for them. Brother H’s niece was gloriously saved. Her husband was very much convicted and began earnestly to seek God. The afternoon meeting was one of blessing. Two were saved and three sanctified. Everybody seemed blest. The evening service was good. Five were seeking, three of whom found the pearl of great price.” Jan. 11th. “This afternoon three were saved, after which at private prayer the husband of brother H’s niece was grandly delivered from his bondage, and was made happy in the newly found love of God. Before getting blest he took his pipe to enjoy a smoke, when something whispered “ No.” He threw the pipe and tobacco into the stove. Praise the 28 Vivian A. Dake. Lord! I love this religion that separates us entirely from the world and its ensnaring pleasures.” Jan. 12th. u Mrs. S., a woman that has attained notoriety here for her fashion-following and love of display, arose in meeting and said that the night before she prayed till mid¬ night to be relieved of the heavy burden that pressed her heart. She was a Baptist and had never heard of separation from the world. She wore about seven hundred dollars worth of jewelry, but the Spirit of the Lord told her to for¬ ever lay it aside. She obeyed, and found deliverance from her load of sin. God is doing a mighty work here. Jan. 13th. U A very wicked man was converted this afternoon. Several at the altar to-night.” Jan. 14th. “This evening was a time of awful power. Sinners were trembling in every part of the house. A goodly number were saved. Praise the Lord!” Jan. 15th. ‘‘A very great snow storm to-day and the roads were blockaded. I waded through the snow to find that only a few of our vast congregation were able to get to the church. And as I was much worn, and we were paying high rent for the church, we concluded to close the meeting. My faith is strong in the Lord.” Jan. 16th. “ While the meeting at Fairfield has been running so well our live class at B. has not been idle. Their daily prayer meetings have given birth to a revival spirit all through the neighborhood.” Jan. 17th. “ This has been a day of humiliation before the Lord. One sister was clearly sanctified in the afternoon meeting. This evening three prayed through into the king¬ dom. O how heaven did come down to-night! God’s pres¬ ence seemed to fill the room. Some shouted, some laughed and some cried. It was a wonderful time. Surely, ‘The blessing of the Lord it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it.’” _ - I Journal. 29 Jan. 18th. “Brother F. received the experience of holiness while two were forward for pardon.” Jan. 19th. “Two souls were saved this afternoon and seven sanctified. Glory to God! The work moves on nicely. Two more saved this evening. Hallelujah! Hell trembles as the work moves on. ” Jan. 20th. “ I visited the jail to-day. There were five men there. I had a very good time praying and singing with them. I intended closing the meeting to-night, but it was at such a height it was impossible to close it. The people acted like children starving for bread. ” Jan. 21 st. “I’m in a strait to-day. My several ap¬ pointments are calling for me, and yet 1 cannot close the meeting here. Mother started with me on my round of appointments. Preached at No. 9 in the evening. The old Methodists at this place were much broken up during ser¬ vice. Many acknowledged that they had lost the enjoyment of their religion and with it the power to overcome temp¬ tation, ” Jan. 23rd. “ Arrived home to-day. This evening the altar was crowded. We cannot close the meeting yet.” Jan. 24th. “ Mr. L. experienced religion to-day. He is the husband of one of our Free Methodist sisters. Several clearly saved to-night. 6 This is the Lord’s doing; it is mar¬ velous in our eyes.’ I never enjoyed more of His presence than now. It is glorious to live here. ” Jan. 25th. “ Old Father W. is seeking God to-day. He has always preached that honesty is the only religion necessary. Morality, has been all his cry. We had an old- fashioned love feast this evening. The converts testified readily and the Lord blest them. Two young men were converted. I am almost worn out, yet leaning on the Lord, and trusting in Him. Opposition to the work runs high. Several ladies have been forbidden by relatives to attend our 30 Vivian A. Dake. meeting on pain of being left homeless. Praise God! The form of the Fourth is with us in the furnace. 55 A clipping from the Free Methodist, at this time states that during his year’s work on the Fairfield circuit he and brother E. saw about one hundred and fifty souls clearly converted. Nearly one hundred of these were saved in the Fairfield meeting. Sixty-seven joined the Free Methodist class, .one hundred and one united with the different Free Methodist classes on the circuit, this year. Jan. 29th. a Have had blessed communion with the Lord this morning. I promised God if He led me, I would return to college in the fall. We have been trying to close, but to¬ day’s prayer meeting settled it that the meeting should con¬ tinue. While praying, we got hold of God for another hundred souls. It was a time of awful power. Old Father W. found the pearl he was seeking. I preached this evening from the words, ‘ I am the man that hath seen affliction. 0 It was a blessed time. There were five or six forward, three of whom were blessedly saved. All agreed that the meeting should be continued. My soul is putting on strength and courage. ” Feb. 1st. “ Another month opens and still the work moves on. There have been ninety-six saved here up to this time. This afternoon at prayer meeting, one was saved; this evening, two. Praise God! The work is going deep and thorough. Some of the hardest drinking men in the country have been saved.” Feb. 2nd. “We had a heavenly time at the meeting this evening. Several were saved and quite a number received the experience of holiness.” Feb. 5th. “My other appointments still keep calling for me, and the roads are very muddy, so much so, that but few can get to meeting. I preached from the text, ‘ It is finished’, and closed the meeting. We had a precious time. The young converts are much blest and very happy. Over Journal. 3 1 one hundred were clearly saved in this meeting We have not seen our second hundred converted yet, but they will come. ” Feb. 9th. U I am twenty-three years old to-day. I dedicate myself to God’s work anew, to obey, serve, suffer and die for Him. AMEN.” CHAPTER III. At the close of the Mt. Zion district quarterly meeting, presided over by his father, he continued to hold special ser¬ vices for nearly a month. Much good was done and many souls saved and sanctified, but we must omit a special account of his labors here, which would be both beneficial and inter¬ esting had we space to insert it. March 3rd. “ Sister Mary arrived from Waterloo, to¬ day. This brought all the children of our family together for the first time in five years. Praise the Lord for His goodness during all this time. Death has not entered father’s family. Also when we parted six and one-half years ago, none of us enjoyed religion; but this found all of the elder children walking with God. My sisters Mary and Flora are pilgrims indeed. God ever keep them so!” April 21 st. “ All day the Lord has been leading me into closer communion with Himself. O, let me be shut in with Christ in God! Am eating, sleeping, and doing all to the glory of God. I do not recollect that I have spoken any idle words this day. Praise the Lord! How He is keeping me! I feel I am ready for life or death. Calls come in for me to open new meetings. Had I a thousand lives I would use them all up in the service of Jesus.” At the Blakesburg camp meeting, held in July, God came in great power during a sermon on holiness, after Vivian A. Dake. 3 2 which Mr. Dake exhorted and invited seekers to the altar. In a moment the altar was crowded and soon all but one were saved. Again, others came and they were saved; still others came, and this time the altar was swept clean, all hav¬ ing been saved or sanctified. The conference of 1877 sent him to the Walker circuit. He spent two years on this work, which was divided the second year, and new points added. He held short meetings at different points on the circuit in which much good was accomplished. While on this work, he married Miss Ida Campbell, of Fairfield, and came back to Walker, where the revival was running high. In his notes at this time, we read: Jan. 31, 187S. “Five saved to-night. Seventeen saved thus far.” Feb. 1st. “Wonderful meeting to-night. Seven for¬ ward for holiness; three received the experience.” Feb. 2nd. “God has wonderfully helped me to preach to-night. Nine at the altar; four gloriously saved.” Feb. 3rd. “Glorious Sabbath to-day. A wonderful altar service; quite a number saved. Two more saved in the evening; several also received the experience of holiness.” Feb. 4th. “Several forward, two of whom were con¬ verted. Glory to God!” Feb. 5th. “Visited and prayed with eight families this morning; three seeking the Lord; to-night two saved.” Feb. 7th. “I have just heard that Miss S., one of the neighbor girls has been terribly burned. Night before last she sat in the congregation, while others were seeking the Lord. She could not be persuaded to yield. One of the converts asked her to seek religion, but she replied; ‘There’s time enough yet’, but last night, while sitting by the sewing machine, the lamp fell over on her, setting her clothes on fire. She rushed out of doors, and the fire blazed higher than her head. She was terribly burned. Lord save her! Journal. 33 The congregation is much moved to-night; quite a number at the altar; five clearly saved, Hallelujah! The work moves well. Wife is a great help to me in the meetings.” Feb. 8th. “ Six at the altar to-night. Hallelujah! Two converted. Thirty-six that we can depend upon, have been converted so far. I’d rather have a few and have them clearly saved and separated from the world, than swell our statistics with baptized worldlings. Miss S. who was burned, died to-day. I am afraid procrastination proved her doom.” Feb. ioth. “ Brother and sister B. were sanctified this forenoon. O how I love to see God’s work go on.” Feb. 12th. “ Several seeking holiness. ” Feb. 13th. a Several saved to-day; the work goes well. ” Feb. 14th.’ “Two at the altar, and one saved. God gives us to see some of the old time power yet. ” Feb. 15th. “Three at the altar; two saved.” Feb. 17th. “House not near large enough to hold the crowds; the aisles are full, and the pulpit full with scarcely room to stand. Too crowded for altar service. Several were seek¬ ing; one testified clearly to having received the blessing. These are times of refreshing, Hallelujah!” Feb. 18th. “ Went down to the school house and had a talk with the school teacher, who has been saved in the meetings^ We encouraged her to take u]D the cross and have prayer/with her scholars. She says she will do it. We have prayed with a number of families to-day, while calling. Much good is done in praying and visiting from house to house. One saved and one sanctified to-night. ” Feb. 24th. “Five seeking to-night. O how small I feel! The more of God’s presence I feel, the more worth¬ less I see myself to be. O to get lower down at His feet!” Feb. 25th. “I took my class book and spread it before me, and prayed for every member on my circuit, separately. Glory to God! I am happy!” 34 Vivian A. Dake. March 6th and 7th. “Have been visiting and praying with the people. 55 At this time, it seems, he was obliged to close his meet¬ ings to attend other points on his circuit. None of his revi¬ vals, so far, could be continued for any lengthy period, on account of the demands of other points on his work. He visited and prayed with the members of his class and with the people in general, wherever he went. He speaks in one place of visiting and praying with thirteen families in one day. At another point on his circuit, he held a tent meeting for a week, at which he says twenty-four were clearly con¬ verted. As he himself says, he put on strength, courage and experience in these meetings. July 8th. “ I visited fourteen families to-day; found a number under conviction. Some promised to seek the Lord at once. 55 July 9th. “Henry and I visited twelve families to-day. One lady saved at prayer meeting to-night.’ 5 He held another tent meeting at Q. on this circuit, where twenty were saved in two weeks, and quite a number received the experience of holiness. The last night of his meeting, he was so worn out with excessive labors that he said: “I could scarcely stand up to-night, while exhorting, but God is my refuge and strength.” Feb. 8th., he wrote: “To-morrow I will be twenty-five years old; a quarter of a century. God only knows whether or not, it shall be doubled. Should it be, I pledge myself to spend it in blowing the gospel trumpet, with no uncertain sound.” If he did not see it doubled, in respect to time, he did in labor for souls. He held a short meeting at B. on this work at which thirty were saved and twentv-eight sane- tided, with much conviction through the country, and pieju- dice cleared away. It will take eternity to tell the good done through the seed sown at these short meetings on his circuit. God was fitting him up for broader fields, into Incidents. 35 which He would soon lead him, where his wonderful powers could be fully exercised. He speaks hereof a young Mr. P. who was under con¬ viction, whose horse fell on him, crushing him fearfully and endangering his life. Mr. Dake stayed with him until one o’clock, praying for him. He grew worse, until it took six men to hold him in bed. While struggling, the man said that the Lord stood on the one side, and the devil on the other, and the Lord said: d, from the origin to the close. Brother Dake was led to attend and assist in this camp meeting and he came in the power of the Spirit, arriving with other brethren late in the evening of June 7th. We quote a few extracts from his private journal, written at this time, which are replete with interest. June 7th. “X started for Hebron, Minn., this forenoon. I found Win, Ro Cusick on the train and we proceeded to¬ gether toward Mankato. First our way was over broad and level prairies, then we struck the Minnesota River, and wind¬ ing around hills, crossing rivers, or leaping between over¬ hanging bluffs lined with forest trees, we finally reached Mankato. It is a quiet city, scattered widely over the bluffs, which are numerous along the river. Here is where twenty - seven Indians convicted of murder in the Sioux massacre of 1862, were all hung at one drop of the trap. From Mankato, we drove ten miles over the roughest of roads to Hebron.” Tune 8th. “Well, here I am in this historic country. 6 2 Vivian A. Dake. Through this very forest roamed the wild Souix Indians. The surges of the terrible massacre rolled within a few miles of this place. New Ulm, eighteen miles northwest, was half destroyed by the Indians. The same summer, and preceding the massacre, the inhabitants of New Ulm dragged an effigy of the Saviour through the streets and burned it. Then came the scourge of God—the Indians. Last summer the same town was literally torn to pieces by a cyclone, and thirty or more people were killed and about two hundred houses destroyed. Within a mile or two of this camp ground went the James brothers after their disastrous raid on Northfield. They stopped in various houses in this valley.” “ Well, God is in the camp. Six tents up. Salvation sweeps this w^av. I preached this afternoon, brother Cusick in the evening. We see victory ahead. The Lord gave us beautiful weather every day of the camp meeting, which is appreciated after the cold, damp weather of last week. God wonderfully blest my soul.” Sabbath June nth. “ This has been one of the highest days I ever saw. I preached this morning. It was a time of solemn interest. ” One who was present describes brother Dake’s sermon in the morning as a powerful one. u The unction of the Holy Spirit rested upon him and the arrows of truth flew thick and fast. He showed the difference between early and modern Methodism. It was indeed a solemn and searching time. The text was i John iii, 2, 3. c Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is. And every man that hath this hope in him, purifieth himself, even as He is pure.’ u Brother Ellis preached in the afternoon. Twenty-two crowded to the altar. O, it was wonderful! Many were saved. The exact number I do not know. All classes were crying for mercy. In the evening brother Cusick preached Work in Minnesota. 63 a powerful sermon; twenty-four came forward and again God’s awful power shook Israel’s camp.” He modestly omits in his record of this day what is stated by our informant, that he exhorted with much help after brother C’s evening sermon. In the course of his ex¬ hortation, he quoted with great feeling and accuracy the following words from “ Pollock’s Course of Time.” “ Eternal Justice! sons Of God! tell me, if ye can tell, what then I saw, what then I heard? Wide was the place, And deep as wide, and ruinous as deep. Beneath, I saw a lake of burning fire, With tempest tossed perpetually, and still The waves of fiery darkness gainst the rocks Of dark damnation broke, and music made Of melancholy sort; and overhead, And all around, wind warred with wind, storm howled To storm, and lightning, forked lightning crossed, And thunder answered thunder, muttering sounds Of sullen wrath; and far as sight could pierce, Or down descend in caves of hopeless depth, Through all that dungeon of unfading fire, I saw most miserable beings walk, Burning continually, yet unconsumed; Forever wasting, yet enduring still; Dying perpetually, yet never dead. Some wandered lonely in the desert flames, And some in fell encounter fiercely met, With curses loud, and blasphemies, that made The cheek of darkness pale; and as they fought, And cursed, and gnashed their teeth, and wished to die, Their hollow eyes did utter streams of woe. And there were groans that ended not, and sighs That always sighed, and tears that ever wept, And ever fell, but not in Mercy’s sight. And Sorrow, and Repentance, and Despair, Among them walked, and to their thirsty lips Presented frequent cups of burning gall. And as I listened, I heard these beings curse Almighty God, and curse the Lamb, and curse 64 Vivian A. Dake. The earth, the resurrection morn, and seek, And ever vainly seek, for utter death; And to their everlasting anguish still, The thunders from above responding spoke These words, which, through the caverns of perdition Forlornly echoing, fell on every ear: ‘Ye knew your duty, but ye did it not.’ The effect was awful as these last words were slowly repeated. The speaker is described as presenting a most striking appearance during this exhortation, forgetful of all else but the awful subject in hand, and the concourse of eternity-bound mortals before him. He paced back and forth on the platform, occasionally brushing back his hair with a gesture peculiar to himself when specially helped by the Spirit, while his words poured forth like a burning torrent. Many trembled while conviction took hold of them. Church members who had never known their sins for- given, afterward confessed that they feared to sleep that night, lest they should awake in hell. i CHAPTER VI. From his journal of June 12th, we quote: “The love feast ran till noon to-day. It was a time of blessing. Nine¬ teen were forward this afternoon and many to-night. The M. E. preacher who had testified that he enjoyed the experi¬ ence of holiness sat on the platform and his own people arose in meeting and told him that if he had the experience as he professed, he had never preached it to them. In the afternoon brother Ellis preached and brother Newville in the evening, when the meeting ran till 12:30. O, the scenes of this day! Eternity alone can tell the results. Brother P. was grandly sanctified. An old grudge in the H. family was settled at the altar. All glory to God! My soul is Work in Minnesota. 65 blest. I have been working hard and my throat is sore, but I exult in God.” June 13th. “The scenes of yesterday were repeated to-day with increased power. Love feast again ran till nearly noon. In the altar service which followed many sought and found the Lord. A noble looking young man who is the ringleader of the young men in these parts, was converted and leaped for joy. Brother Cusick preached one of his characteristic sermons in the afternoon. In the evening brother Ellis was helped in preaching. The altar was again crowded, in some places two deep. Young ladies were seek¬ ing for brothers in the large and heartstricken congregation. They threw themselves into each others’ arms and sobbed and groaned and prayed until mercy came. 44 Three men and their wives, the young men’s father and mother and the father of one of the wives, were all at the altar at once. O, it was grand! How the cause of God triumphed. I found no one who spoke against the meeting. All seemed alike struck by the awful power of our great God. It began to storm while opening the doors of the church this evening. Seventeen joined, besides Henrietta Muzzy, who had been the only Free Methodist in the country, and was the means under God of having the camp meeting here. After this the young man, formerly the ringleader in the devil’s ranks, who was saved in the morning, began to.call on the young men to come to Jesus. After awhile ten or fifteen were at the altar, many of whom were grandly saved. 44 It surpasses words to tell of the scenes of these hours. Angels and saints united in rejoicing over these newborn souls. Sinners trembled and hell shook. O, bless my God forever! At 2:30 in the morning, I took seven more into the church, all young people; most of whom have been saved since the doors were opened in the evening. O, this clean work of salvation! I will preach and exemplify it while I live.” 66 Vivian A. Dake. This was the last day of the camp meeting and words are too weak to describe the scenes of power and glory wit¬ nessed that day and night. The tide of salvation ran so high that it was thought best by some to continue the meeting, but the camp broke up and the preachers were obliged to return to their circuits. This meeting was a small one as regards numbers, there being less than a dozen tents up and only about seven preachers, and they mostly boys;but it was mighty in its results. Mr. Dake went from this meeting to the Plymouth dis¬ trict camp meeting, where the Lord again helped him much in his work. This was a good meeting. The scene of one day is described: u God came in power to-day. The Word went home to many hearts. I was much melted while preaching from Acts i, 8 this afternoon. In the altar service following, God’s power came upon us. O, what an hour of getting down before Him! The preachers, except one, ail went into the flood. Hallelujah! That was the best of it. Brother G. was about to invest in cattle, but he too went into the fountain and God delivered him. This is a grand meeting so far.” From this camp meeting, Mr. Dake attended the North- field camp meeting, held on the Owatonna district. This meeting was noted for the conflict with the powers of darkness, rather than for the visible'work accomplished in soul-saving. Satanic powers were keenly felt in some of the meetings also; the pressure being so great on Sabbath evening that Mr. Dake could scarcely preach. The conflict continued in a peculiar manner until Monday morning, when, after much prayer, the clouds were dispelled and faith triumphed. From this meeting Mr. Dake returned to Hebron, where he found a revival meeting in progress, with all the camp meeting power and glory. Brothers Newville and Childs were in charge. In pleasant weather the meetings continued in the grove and were held in a church near by, in stormy Work in Minnesota. 67 weather. His journal reads: “Went from deacon Muzzy’s to the church. It was crowded full. O, what a time! Twenty or thirty forward, and many of them saved. I could not find a stopping place until nearly 12 P. M. Almost one hundred have been saved as a result of this camp meeting. To-night went to deacon M’s again.” June 29th. “Here I am at sister Muzzy’s home. Here is the scene of her holy living. Here she groaned and prayed and waited on God for five years; but her prayers have been answered. The whole country is shaking under the tread of Jehovah. She managed all the preparations for the camp meeting. When it commenced, she had just fifteen cents to carry it on ; but we lived on the fat of the land. Honey, milk, chickens, fresh fish, bread and all the needed substantials were brought in faster than we could eat them. ‘This is the Lord’s doing; it is marvelous in our eyes.’ Ever since the camp meeting the work has moved on. I have been ploughing corn this morning with an old-fashioned double-shovelled plow.” This being a very busy time among the farmers, Mr. Dake, as was customary with him, when work pressed, donned some of the farmers’ overalls and helped in the work. Many of the farmers who were converts, could often be heard shouting or praying between the rows of corn and then would come to the meeting with shining faces and clear ringing testimonies. a Tho£e who were converted in this meeting were born alive,” writes our informant, “coming through with a shout, and immediately going to work for others. ” This was a marked feature of the meeting. 0 July 2nd was a day of power. Love feast ran in the Spirit. Mr. Dake preached morning and evening and took eleven into the church. An all-day meeting had been fixed for the Fourth of July and “ It seemed ,” writes a friend, “as though the climax was reached on this day. Load after load of people, young and old, made their way to the grove at an early hour. Never had such a Fourth of July been known 68 Vivian A. Dake. in this region. Love feast began at nine o’clock. It was a blessed hour. After love feast Mr. Dake preached from the words: c Proclaim liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof: it shall be a jubilee unto you; and ye shall return every man unto his possession, and ye shall return every man unto his family. 5 Lev. xxv, io. It was a won¬ derful sermon, and as he proceeded wave after wave of glory rolled over the saints, many of whom were young converts. At one time the sense of God’s presence was almost over¬ powering. Mr. Dake was forced to stop preaching for awhile and lean against the desk, too much overcome to pro¬ ceed. His countenance seemed changed, so that his face became white under the anointing of the Holy Spirit. Preachers and saints shouted for joy until one was reminded of the revelator’s description of a celestial jubilee, wherein the notes of praise were said to resemble the sound of many waters. It was found, at the close of the sermon, that he had preached one hour and a half; but so interesting was the discourse, that none seemed to grow weary. “ At the close of the meeting, Mr. Dake went immedi¬ ately into the grove alone as he was often observed to do when he had been especially helped; evidently to escape the praise of well-meaning but injudicious friends.” In his journal, July 4th, we read: “Never in my life was I so helped of God in preaching. Took eighteen into the church this morning, making a total of fifty-four. A good meeting in the afternoon; about forty seeking the Lord. In the evening, over fifty crowded to the altar, many of^whom were clearly saved or sanctified. O, the wondrous display of God’s power! Preached the funeral sermon of Mr. M’s lit¬ tle boy at 10 A. INI., then took the train for Cedar Falls.” July yth. “ Went to Richland and engaged brother M. to go to Cedar Falls, and take my work the remainder of this conference year.” July 9th. “Here I am on my own circuit again. A Work in Minnesota. 69 Sabbath of salvation. In the evening at the Falls, there were nine or ten forward and five saved; five joined the class on probation. 4 O, praise the Lord, for He is good. 5 ” July 12th. 44 Spent the day mostly visiting, praying and settling up my affairs. I go to Minnesota, to-morrow. My official board has agreed to let me go out in several meetings until conference.” July 13th. 44 Wife, Mary and myself came to Ply¬ mouth.” July 14th. 44 Came on to Mankato to-day, found brother H. waiting to carry us to Hebron. In due time we reached the church. Had a salvation time. A good many forward.” July 15th. 44 Meeting going well. Sharp conflicts with the hosts of hell, but victory is ours. I preached twice with some liberty. It is so grand to be saved. I live to God alone; my life is consecrated to His service.” J ul y 16th. 44 This was one of the 4 days of the Son of Man. 5 I baptized a good many this afternoon and took eight more into the church this evening. The meeting to¬ night ran till 1:30. The conflicts, fears, and doubts are all past and the young converts are all encouraged and victorious. As the meeting had continued in the Spirit from the first, strong opposition began to spring up. There had been a clean sweep of the tobacco, fashion and secrecy idols. ” Some who had left all to follow Jesus, and engage in the work for souls, were strongly opposed by friends, and much effort was made to turn them from their course, but all to no avail. They pursued their way with joy, and now after ten years have elapsed, we find some of them true to their calling and laboring faithfully in the Lord’s harvest. The meeting closed about the first of August, after having swept on with little abatement, for nearly three months. The promise on which this praying sister had relied for years, was at last fulfilled, and the desert rejoiced and blos¬ somed as the rose; the parched ground became a pool, and yo Vivian A. Dake. the thirsty land a spring of water. It was during this meet¬ ing that he wrote the first of his songs. We give it in this connection: MY CROSS. 0 my cross! my dreaded cross, On which I die to live! I take my cross, count all things loss, And life divine receive. 0 my cross! my sev’ring cross, That me from all divides! While heart strings break for my Lord’s sake, I, too, am crucified. 0 my cross! my helpful cross! I gladly bear, and lo! With wings I rise up to the skies, My cross, it lifts me so. 0 my cross! my conqu’ring cross! By thee I overcome; With victor’s shout, the earth about, I fly till work is done. 0 my cross! my heavenly cross! That fairer land I see By faith’s clear eye, from Pisgah high, I pant at Home to be. 0 my cross! not thine but mine; I clasp thee to my breast; And nought shall part thee from my heart, Till I with Thee shall rest. 0 my cross! our toils soon o’er Shall never be forgot; By thee through pain rich joys I gain, A crown shadl be my lot. 0 my crown! 0 bliss complete! No conqueror’s brow shall wear A crown so bright, outshining light, As by the cross I’ll bear. Poems. 7 i As we view his life and the extent of his labors, part of these words sound like prophecy, for truly he did with “vic¬ tor’s shout, the earth about, fly till work was done.” He also wrote at this time the song entitled: THE OLD SONG EVER NEW. I have a song my heart would sing, ’Tis not of noble, lord or king, ‘Tis not of beauty, gold or power, Or fleeting joys of earthly hour; Nor yet of self or dearest friend, For earth’s perfection hath^an end. My song is new, and yet e’er old, On Judah’s plain, by angels told, The first, and down the ages grand It floods with glory every land. To God be glory, praise and worth, Good will and geace to men on earth. The Psalmist from the depths did cry, > 1 ‘‘Oh help me Saviour or I die.*’ The Lord inclined His ear and heard, And soothed his fear with gracious word; Upon the rock made sure his feet, And in his mouth a new song sweet. In Chaldee’s land the Jews did sit, Hard by the weeping willow’s feet; Their harps upon the branches hung, Nor praise was offered, song was sung ; By sighing winds the chords were moved, No heart made glad, no spirit soothed. "When asked for music from their hand, “We cannot sing in this strange land ; Our heart, ‘Jerusalem !’ doth cry, For thee we pine, for thee we sigh Unless the heart be fired with song, In vain the numbers roll along. My heart was sad, no song for me Did rise and fall with accents free ; 72 Vivian A. Dake. My sins like monntains round me closed, And all my heavenward flight opposed ; A voice I heard, “Yea, all is done, Ye weary, heavy laden, come. ’’ I listened to the timely word, And cast my burden on the Lord; And song sprang up in endless strain, Like ever-falling, pattering rain ; And wondered as I heard again, “ On earth good will a,nd peace to men. ’’ And now joy ripples through my soul,— •Then streams, then pours, till over-full; I press, I shake, it overflows, And to a saddened world it goes. I’ll sing my song till life shall cease, “ Good will on earth to men, and peace. ’’ CHAPTER VII. Mankato was the next held of his labor. Brother and sister Dake and others, who had labored with him in this meeting, hired a house in which to live and pitched a large tent in the yard and began August 1st. We are sorry that his journals after this time were lost with a satchel, with the exception of some notes, which were kept of his European trips. Xo doubt much of pleasing interest has been lost with these journals, which cannot be gathered from other sources. At the time the meeting in Mankato began, it was a city of five or six thousand inhabitants. Satan’s seat surely was there. Catholicism, secretism, formalism, pride, infi¬ delity and drunkenness abounded. This radical work, which was entirely new to the people, drew large congregations, and many began to seek the Lord. Though greatly wearied in body, Air. D. was much helped in preaching the Word. 73 First Pentecost Band. Soon after this meeting began, he organized the first Pentecost Band. It was not the result of a sudden impulse on his part, for this matter had been on his heart and prayed over for months. While at Ottumwa, Iowa, some time before, the Lord made His will known to him, giving, as he felt, even the name by which the Band should be called. It was brought about at last by a succession of event*, which w T ere clearly from God. It was a most solemn time when brother and sister Dake, brother and sister J. B. Newville, Henrietta Muzzy, Abbie Dunham and J. L. Keene and one of the young converts, covenanted with God to abandon them¬ selves to Him, to spend their lives in the great work of win¬ ning souls. God set His seal to the compact, and an especial blessing fell upon all. This was in August, 1882. Mr. D. was unanimously chosen as leader. This first Pentecost Band was ere long dissolved, but again sprang into being and took permanent form in Parma, Mich., in the year 1885. About this time one of the members was pleading in soul agony for the old Pentecost fire to come on the Band. This promise was given, Act. i, 8: “ But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you : and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.” The one who received this promise yet lives to see how gloriously it has been fulfilled. The meeting at Mankato continued till the month of August ; during which time there w r as much opposition from the wicked element. Threats were made against the tabernacle and workers. The Inger- soll element printed and scattered a thousand circulars, warn¬ ing the people against the “preachers and screechers, who were trying to frighten the people \yith their awful tales of hell. 55 Mr. D. faithfully preached the Word with much earnestness and power. He was nearly worn out through his constant labors and his throat and lungs distressed him o much at times, but he continued with unabated zeal to warn 74 Vivian A. Dake. souls of their danger. There was no such sweep of God’s power at this place as at Hebron, but some were saved and a class organized. Mr. Dake left Mankato, Sept, ist, to attend the Iowa conference which convened at Cedar Falls, Sept. 6th. We are indebted to brother Reilly for the following : “ In the fall of ’82, Bro. Dake, with a good deal of emotion, expressed his convictions to take a transfer to the Minnesota and North Iowa conference. He was granted the privilege of follow¬ ing his convictions in the matter, and was appointed by that conference as evangelist, to hold his membership in their Iowa district. He at once began stirring evangelistic opera¬ tions, and, as was his custom, worked with all his might. u During the year a vacancy in the office of chairman occurred, by the resignation of Rev. R. S. Ellis, and Rev. V. A. Dake was chosen to fill the vacancy. The next year he was elected chairman of the three districts of which the conference was composed. His burning zeal for souls and vehement energy in arousing his brethren to more aggress¬ ive efforts for the lost, produced a general stir throughout the conference.” The Minnesota and Noith Iowa conference convened Sept. 13, in connection with the camp meeting where Mr. Dake began to exhort the preachers and people to greater zeal and devotion in the work of the Lord and to seek for the baptism of the Holy Ghost. At the prayer service which followed, preachers, workers and others began to crowd to the altar until the large place before the stand was com¬ pletely filled ; and as they prayed the baptism came. It was a time of great joy in the Holy Ghost. Pentecost Band work was a new movement and some had looked upon it with fear and disapproval, but all opposi¬ tion seemed to give way before the melting power of the Holy Ghost. Brothers Dake and Newville were appointed conference evangelists. The report of the committee on the First Pentecost Band. 75 state of the work in reference to the band work was as fol¬ lows : “We hail the movement in the way of tent meet- ings as conducted by V. A. Dake and J. B. Newville, as a new departure and pray God to make it a blessing. ” From conference brother Dake and band returned to Mankato, where they soon sustained a great affliction in the death of sister Jennie Newville. She was a most faithful, spiritual and efficient worker, especially at the altar. She had been abundant in labors all through the Hebron meeting and at Mankato. She was taken ill at the conference and died at Mankato. She was buried at Hebron, the scene of her faith¬ ful labors. Mr. Dake, having been elected delegate to General Con¬ ference, left Oct. 9th for Burlington, Iowa, where the Con¬ ference was to be held. In the mean time, a call had come from Glenville, Minn., for the band. Mr. Dake looked over the field and answered the call. Meetings were opened Oct. 3rd, and were carried on by the band while Mr. D. was in attendance at the General Conference. When the Confer¬ ence was over, he with sister Dake returned to Glenville and continued labors till the following February. While at this place, he wrote a poem, entitled : u The Land of the Living,” one verse of which we subjoin. “The land of the living ”, where men breathe to sigh? “The land of the living where men live to die? Where sorrow, temptation, woe, carnage and strife Embitter and harrow our time-given life? “A land of the living’’? Oh yes, that’s above, In the summertide bloom of the land of pure love ; In the land of the dying, we plow and we sow, To the land of the living for harvest we go. The blessing of the Lord attended his preaching and some precious trophies were won for Christ. The whole country for miles around was awakened and many were saved, and quite a large class formed. One night there were 76 Vivian A. Dake. the town physician, a grain buyer, a billiard-hall keeper and a Roman Catholic all at the altar at once. The doctor was most clearly and joyously converted after giving up his tobacco, and seeking God in real earnest. Rev. F. H. Palmer and wife, both lately deceased, were among the fruits of this meeting. Many can point to that time as the turning point in their lives. At one time during the meeting a beau¬ tiful, stylishly attired young lady was in attendance almost every night. She was visiting in the place ; conviction took hold of her and she came to the altar several times, but would not give up her idols and yield to God, though ear¬ nestly entreated to do so. She left town and a few months later the news of her death reached those who had prayed so earnestly for her salvation. This is another fearful reminder that there is always a last opportunity to repent and be con¬ verted. After the meeting was closed, which had been con¬ ducted, first in the M. E. Church, then in a hall, money was raised, and a small house of worship procured. Meetings were carried on at this place by the band for some time, Mr. D. helping when his district work would allow. Much good was done. Brother E. H. Tenney, of precious mem¬ ory, was reclaimed in this meeting and from that time until his death was faithful to God’s call upon him as a preacher of the gospel. The band next began meetings in Osage, Iowa, Mr. D. helping much in his spare moments. Here he made some warm friends who continue to this day. The Osage revival closed the last of May, when Mr. Dake and wife proceeded to Glenville to make preparations for the camp meeting which was held at that place, and largely attended. Mr. D. continued to do the work of both chairman and evangelist till conference, which was held in the fall of ’83, at Glenville, Minn. At this session, several of the ministers took transfers to other conferences, which caused a scarcity of preachers for the circuits in the confer- Faithfulness. 77 ence. Several members of the band were sent to fill the vacancies. Thus, the first Pentecost Band was dissolved, though all the members continued in the Lord’s work in some capacity. During this year, Mr. Dake travelled these three districts, which had formerly been the work of two men, holding twenty-two meetings each quarter. At one time, Mrs. D. was taken very sick at the house of a friend while he was holding quarterly meeting in the extreme northern boundary of the conference. This added much to his already heavy burden, as he waited for tidings from her. She grew worse and a dispatch soon brought him to her bedside, where he proved himself a most faithful and tender husband and efficient nurse, preparing with his own hands nearly all the food his sick wife ate. As she began to slowly recover, he again started for his appointments, taking his little girl with him, that his sick wife might have quiet and entire freedom from care. When going the rounds of his district, he took inflama- tion in his eyes, and although suffering much, he made his way to his appointments and held the quarterly meetings, sometimes preaching with bandaged eyes and having his little girl in the pulpit with him. He continued thus for three weeks, preaching nearly every night. It seemed noth¬ ing could keep him from the post of duty. Truly he was a laborer in God’s harvest field. The Alexandria district quarterly meeting was held at Long Prairie, the county seat of Todd county. This differed from the former in that there was a better attendance of lay¬ men than preachers. This was a good meeting. One man joined the church, whose wife, a member of the M. E. church, told him after meeting that she would not live with 4 him another day. The next day was a day of tempest. All day his wife pressed the conflict, called for paper to write to her brother for money that she might leave him with the six little children ; but he stood firm. At night, Mr. Dake 78 Vivian A. Dake. preached twelve miles west of Long Prairie, at Maple Hill. Bro. S. and wife were there. God broke that woman’s stubborn heart, and she knelt and cried for mercy. Then came victory with such rejoicing. “Why,” said she, “I am a Free Methodist. ” Happening to catch sight of her rings, she cried out : “I tell you I didn’t think I could be plain, but I’ll strip for the race.” Her husband was telling that for two or three years, he and his wife had been two, but now they were one in Christ Jesus. “Yes,” cried sister S. Then he said : “To-day she wanted paper that she mi ght write her brother to send her money so she could leave me with six little children. ” At this time Mr. Dake savs : “Oh, this was blessed, and with renewed courage, I started on my busy rounds of twenty-two quarterly meetings per quarter. O, what open¬ ings all through the Northwest ; beautiful towns springing up all around. Who will enter them? This district is thoroughly awakened. The preachers are as teachable as children. All through our conference they bear with my infirmities, give me encouraging words and send me on my w 7 ay rejoicing. We are united. I know not of a bar or schism, and so unitedly we propose to take this land for God. This is the year of victory. We have slept in ease as long as we will. And the preachers of this conference are ter¬ ribly in earnest to see men saved. Hell shall give way. ” The work of this year was too much for him, and his body began to break down under it. Under his incessant labors his throat and lungs began to fail so that when confer¬ ence came in the fall of ’84, there was a fear that his earthly career would soon be ended. Nevertheless, the brethren a^ain elected him as chairman of the three districts. Rev. T. B. Arnold being present, and seeing Mr. D’s worn-out condition, proposed for him a vacation. He next made a strong appeal to the people for a contribution to help send him away for a short season that he might rest and gain Healed by Faith. 79 strength for future labors. They responded generously, and at the close of the conference, after having resigned his chair¬ manship, Mr. D. with his wife and child accompanied brother Arnold to Chicago. From thence he went on to the Michigan conference, where he was persuaded to take the Spring Arbor circuit, preaching what he could on Sab¬ baths, but holding no revivals till in the winter. He went down to Jackson to help sister W. in a meeting. Fie says : 44 While there in brother Bradfield’s house, I asked brother Stillwell to pray for my body. He did so, and the power of God struck me and went through my body from my head to my feet, and I was healed. Hallelujah, it was glorious! I began immediately to be more active.” CHAPTER VIII. At this time God began to lay the band work on him anew. The name was also suggested as it appeared to be a return to primitive Pentecost methods, for in the revival at Pentecost converts as well as preachers engaged in spreading the gospel. This is why he was so loth to give up the name of 44 Pentecost Band ” when recpiested to do so by the breth ren. 44 For,” said he, 44 I feel our name was God-given. I saw” he writes, 44 the honors of the church. I was wanted in three different conferences to take the chairmanship. I was also wanted to take charge of either of two of the Sem¬ inaries. To go into band work I saw was the way of the cross, the way of reproach and shame. 1 knew many of my friends would turn from me, yet God seemed holding me to it.” About this time he received the following letter from 8 o Vivian A. Dake. Superintendent B. T. Roberts: “North Chili, Monroe Co., N. Y., July 31, 1SS5. ]\Iy Dear Son in the Gospel: Organize your bands. Push out. Be as aggressive as the Salvation Army, but more holy, more serious and have no nonsense about it. Let the Holy Spirit take the place of tambourines to draw the people. * * * We must not let the Free Methodist church become a feeble imitation of the M. E. church. Yours affectionately, B. T. Roberts.” Many strenuously opposed his course of action, some carrying their opposition to such an extent that through zeal for God, we fear they served the devil. This opposition caused his sensitive soul much grief, and to add to this grief, many who had formerly been his best friends, now joined in the opposition to his efforts, which they looked on as a switch on which his train of usefulness would be side-tracked. But he felt that God was leading him, and heaven smiled on his course, which fact was demonstrated by the rapid growth and marked success of the work. He saw many young people, some of whom possessed great natural talents, sitting idly by, doing nothing for the Master; while the circuit preacher was left to do all that was to be done. He was grieved to see many of these young people either leave the church to labor in the Salvation Army, (a work which he did not consider sufficiently deep and thorough, though possessing many admirable traits) or be much of the time void of a clear experience or become entirely backslidden. This on inquiry, in many cases was found to be occa¬ sioned by their refusing to obey the call of God to gospel work, which they felt upon them. They excused themselves on the ground of unfitness for the position of local preachers, pastors or conference evangelists, and there was no provision Band Work. 8 i in the discipline for any other branch of work. He thought that a work should be in existence in which these young people could be trained to do effective work for God and at the same time prove a “ school of the prophets,” where they would receive experience which would make them polished shafts in the quiver of the Almighty; then after becoming settled in a satisfactory personal experience and hav¬ ing obtained a thorough insight into the manner of conducting public work, these bands should prove a nursery, . to which the conferences might apply for pastors when need¬ ing circuit help. Of course, in order to consummate this plan, it would be necessary for the pastors to work in harmony with the move¬ ment and encourage those on their circuits who felt called to public work, to enter the bands for a course of training. This would cause such an increase of workers in the bands, that the conference demands might be supplied without dan¬ ger of dissolution to the bands. But since few pastors have ever seen the necessity of carrying out this plan, the number of band workers does not increase so rapidly, that many from their ranks can be encouraged to take circuits. From the beginning, the divine seal was on the move¬ ment. The first meetings broke out in power, and multi¬ tudes “which sat in darkness ” and in the shadow of death “saw great light.” Young people of both sexes from their farms, shops, schoolrooms, etc., applied for places in the work. Other meetings were soon commenced, and thus the work expanded. Mr. Dake did not deem it necessary for these workers to be educated in science, literature, or even theology, before entering the Lord’s harvest field. Being a thorough scholar himself and seeing the value of education, he did not under¬ value these acquirements, but endeavored to inculcate a relish for study in these young people. But a polished education in a minister, he did not consider essential to success in soul- 82 Vivian A. Dake. saving. In this respect, his work was appropriately named “Pentecost Band” as Christ, in choosing His disciples, and the apostolic church in the choice of its deacons, both seemed to lose sight of educational endowments, and sought for the fullness of faith and the Holy Ghost. The qualification he deemed indispensable, was that each worker should be dead to self. Of course he accepted only young people of promise, with sound understanding and good judgment. This, his clear understanding of human nature generally enabled him to do. He cared not of which sex they were, as he often found young ladies more successful in revival services than young men. He insisted, however, on the sexes working in separate bands, except in cases of husband and wife. He had no fellowship with the idea preva¬ lent in many churches, that “ a minister should wait for a call ” before he began preaching to a certain people. He rather adopted the admonition of the Free Methodist disci¬ pline—“Go to those who need you, and to those who need you most.” His workers were instructed to trust God to supply all their needs, “ according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus; ” and even should opposition to their efforts rise to^uch a pitch that slander, foul epithets, or even mobs or jails should await them, they must not become discouraged, but rather see in the opposition the hand of God at work. We quote here another paragraph from Rev. B. T. Roberts’ sketch of his life. “ As the organizer and director of the Pentecost Bands, his work is well known. It would be difficult to find a class of young men and women more fully consecrated to God, more self-denying, more filled with holy zeal, more thorough in their work, more readv to lav down their lives for Christ, than these Pentecost workers. They have fully demon¬ strated that to reach the masses, no instrumental music, no carnal methods are necessary. Brother D. was a man of uncommon ability, of rare devotion to Christ and His work, Band Work. 83 and of untiring zeal. He was a prodigious worker, and his superhuman efforts have proved too great for his mortal body. He will be mourned bv thousands, and the world will be a loser by his death. He who could rally around him such soldiers of the cross and keep them on the battle-field, was no ordinary man. We trust that his example of zeal for winning souls will be an inspiration and encouragement to all our preachers to devote themselves wholly to God and His work.” His aggressive spirit was manifested in his generally keeping the bands at work on what might be termed the frontier of Free Methodism, that is, in new places where our people had no tooting. In these meetings, classes were organ¬ ized and quite often churches erected, which were in every instance, duly deeded to the church of his choice. Thus he saw Zion’s borders extended by utilizing the latent, though mighty powers of these young people. Although under the ban of many who should have encouraged it, the work steadily increased till at his death nearly one hundred work¬ ers were in the field, laboring successfully for the lost; and we have no reason to believe that many of these workers would ever have done u the work of an evangelist ” had not this movement been started. The following clipped from a friendly paper speaks the mind of many: “THOROUGH WORK. “ The work of the Pentecost Bands led by brother Vivian A. Dake silences sour criticism and wins the hearty approval of spiritual people. The Band conducted the serv¬ ices Sabbath afternoon, and at no time was there such so¬ lemnity and deep conviction. “ The altar was filled, then enlarged and filled again. The general verdict, even of the unsaved people was that the members of the band were capable, prudent, thorough, God-ordained workers. They are in awful earnest and un- 8 4 Vivian A. Dake, derstand the work and fully master the situation. If Vivian A Dake never does anything more than train one such band of wise and Spirit-anointed and successful soul-winners, it will be a grand success for the church of God. ” The success of the work demonstrated so clearly that God was pleased with it, that the General Conference of 1890 recognized it, and made a provision in the discipline for permanent band work. Referring to the tests through which he was called to pass, on taking up band work, he said in effect : 44 While in this strait, with self leaning to church aggrandizement, and the Spirit drawing toward the cross, I saw there was love of position in my heart, and while holding myself open to the light of God, I was more and more convinced that I did not enjoy the experience of holiness, and floods of astonish¬ ing light began to shine on me, in which, while reviewing my past experience, God showed me plainly I had never been dead indeed to self. I saw I had been much helped while keeping a blessed,clear experience in justification, but was mistaken in my experience in holiness. What I now saw to be the 4 carnal mind 5 I had been calling temptation, humanity, etc. I had had many struggles with these things and often attained glorious victories, as I thought, over the temptation, and went on my way rejoicing. Now I saw in light that was unmistakably from God, the depth of de¬ pravity in my heart. 'In my distress, I went to God for de¬ liverance from self. I confessed and deplored my carnal condition. Oh! what anguish of heart was mine, as I poured out my soul in pleading before God. I did not taste a mouth¬ ful of food for several days ; I could not think of doing so. A sense of self-abhorrence had taken possession of me. I had rather die than live in this condition. Oh! such pangs as I then felt, while crying out against 4 the man of sin.” 5 44 Auntie Coon’s faithful prayers and dealings were of great help to me in this critical hour. While honestly con- Band Work. *5 fessing, as Adam Clarke says, the c sore of my soul 5 and heartily turning against the self nature within me, faith began to spring up and a blessed sense of cleanness was mine with¬ out any special baptism. For two or three days longer, I hung in the balance, hardly daring to claim that the cleans¬ ing blood had done the work, knowing how long I had been deceived, but glory to my King! as I looked up in faith and walked in humility, a baptism of fire, power and glory soon fell on my soul, that made me feel unearthly. An intense longing after souls, and an indescribable yearning for the lost, such as I had never before felt now took possession of me, and,” he added, “ I now began my life work. 55 Many of his friends who knew him well have declared that he was mistaken in calling this experience, holiness. They maintained that his life proved that he had the experi¬ ence of entire sanctification many years before this, and that this was a special fitting up for a special work. But since holiness has to do more with the affections and feelings than with the outer actions, and since his own words are so em¬ phatic on the subject, and he the best judge of his own feel¬ ings, we are inclined to think he was correct in his views. Many, we fear, have thus deceived themselves, by taking a special blessing for the experience of entire holiness. Reader, are you among the number? Though your outer actions be in perfect harmony with the Word of God, this is no proof that you are more than simply justified. If the affections of the heart are not holy, and the propensities and bents of the soul are not pure and turned entirely toward God and divine things, you need sanctifying grace. When, after much anxiety and great “ searchings of heart, ,5 he saw his lack, he shrank not from an acknowledg¬ ment of the truth, even though he knew to what reproach and ridicule such an acknowledgment would expose him. This act called dovvn great condemnation as he had preached and professed for years the experience he was now seeking. 86 Vivian A. Dake. It also manifested the candor and honesty of a magnanimous mind. Had many of his opposers done likewise, what un¬ told blessings would have been conveyed to the church of Christ. Had his hearers done so generally, what a 64 cloud of witnesses” would have been added to her number. This wonderful experience marked a new epoch in his life. We here give his own description of his dying to self, and receiving the fullness, as he expressed it five years after¬ ward in verse form, for the benefit of those who might be in like experience. I am coming to Mount Calvary, Where the Saviour died for me, Stricken, burdened, I am coming, Crucify me, Lord, with Thee. CHORUS. I am thirsting, I am dying, As I to Mount Calvary go; For the fullness I am crying, Wash me whiter than the snow. I have left the v^orld behind me, Counting all its gain but dross; And myself I now am bringing, To the altar of Thy cross. Oh! the blackness and the darkness, In thissinful heart of mine, With the light upon me shining, Make Oh! make my heart like Thine. Oh! the pangs of hell within me, Oh! the striving to be free; But the strong man, stronger dying, Rends my heart, opposing Thee. Let me die, 0 cross of Calvary, Nails and spear are welcome now; And with agony unspoken, To Thy death, I gladly bow. Band Work. 87 Hallelujah! it is finished, Crucified with Christ I am. And I’m cleansed from all defilement, Through the all-atoning Lamb. SECOND CHORUS. I am filled, Oh, Hallelujah! As I from Mount Calvary go; And my heart the blood now cleanses, Whiter than the driven snow. Pentecost with all its glory, Power divine upon my soul; On to victory, full of praises, While eternal ages roll. The Pentecost Bands were now fairly started, and doing good work in the field. Band No. 1 with Miss Carrie Kim¬ ball leader, and Miss Emily Nelson, Miss Lizzie Ball, and Miss Mary Primmer, as helpers, opened the first meeting at Parma, Mich., July 25th 1885. A glorious meeting broke out here and a good class was organized. Soon after, No. 2 commenced meetings at Hanover, Mich., Miss Emily Nelson, Leader, while Miss Minnie Rauch took her place in No. 1. No. 2 had Miss Ida Johnson, Miss Bertha Baldwin, and Miss Minnie Baldwin, as helpers. God gave them a victorious meeting. Edward Foulk took charge of No. 3, the first band of young men, with Reuben Schame- horn, Geo. W. Chapman and Charles Edinger, as helpers, all of whom we are glad to say, are still in the Lord’s Har¬ vest field. The shade now began to be lifted from his spiritual lamp, whose rays were no longer restricted to one circuit or district, but through his labors in connection with the bands, a much broader scope was given them. Before proceeding farther with the band history, we deem it necessary to state his doctrinal views. CHAPTER IX. Many less radical teachers thought his views on the subject of holiness were extreme and as a consequence, opposed his teachings. This, of course, caused some con- . fusion. Also, in many places he and his teachings were misunderstood by many who might with a little effort have been better informed. As a consequence of their represen¬ tation, or rather misrepresentation of the man and his work, much harm was done. Many of these men doubtless, were honest in their intentions but lacked information and the people to whom they preached generally having confidence in their wisdom and experience, gave credence to their state¬ ments. Thus the leaven of opposition spread. There is in man an instinctive feeling that though wrong; may grapple with wrong, as it often does, yet right with right cannot contend. Well-meaning and loving friends may take different views and consequently different sides of a question, but when the views of one directly antagonizes the views of the other, both cannot be correct. It is, moreover, an astonishing fact that the teachings of many stand, not by the soundness or clearness of the ideas presented, or even by the strength or force of the arguments offered in justification of the same;but have simply the popu¬ larity and general acceptance of the author and his support¬ ers for their foundation. This is caused by the fact that few men are independent in thought, while the multitudes are so indifferent that they do not put themselves to the trouble of thinking, but rather accept the “ipse dixit” of some trusted friend, whom they suppose to be authority. They overlook the fact that a man’s general goodness is no guarantee that his views are always correct. Few doubt the goodness of W hitefield, Doctrinal Views. 89 Calvin, Knox and Luther and. yet these and many of the noblest of men have held erroneous ideas on many subjects. What untold benefits would the human family receive if men generally would consider, and become self-reliant and reason- able and cease to do their thinking by proxy. We lament the fact that few indeed of Mr. Dake’s opposers seemed to be sufficiently enlightened on the points wherein they opposed him, to be capable of defining his real position. This was not caused by his inability or unwilling¬ ness to plainly state his position, as is proven by his articles which appeared in many of the periodicals of the land, but rather by an indifference or lack of research on the part of those opposing. We state in brief his real position on the doctrines of justification, as including pardon, regeneration, adoption and the witness of the Spirit; and entire sanctification, as embrac¬ ing the crucifixion of carnal self, or cleansing of inbred sin and the baptism of the Holy Ghost. We also add a few quotations from standard orthodox authors and insert his articles farther on. He taught that justification, commonly speaking, embod¬ ied pardon, regeneration, adoption and the witness of the Spirit; but technically speaking (it being synonymous with pardon), it is that act of God, whereby sinners are reckoned guiltless through the atoning blood of Christ. He believed that regeneration was the impartation of the germ of life to the soul; so that the soul previously dead in sin is now born of God, and possessed of faculties and functions of a new nature before unknown. Then when the sinner is pardoned and regenerated God adopts him as a new creature into the divine family, and he is made an heir of God and a joint heir with Christ. This is attested by the blessed incom¬ ing of the witnessing Spirit of God. This entire fourfold experience he taught was received instantaneously by one specific act of faith, which was preceded 90 Vivian A. Dake. by a hearty renunciation of all sin and a perfect surrender of the entire will to God. He believed that this experience would enable man to overcome all the corrupt tendencies of his nature, and live without committing- actual sin. “ He that committeth sin,’ 5 says God, “is of the devil ”. Sin here evidently means a refusing to obey any of the requirements of God. He concurred fully in the statement of Rev. J. A. Wood, that obedience and disobedience are eternal antagonisms and that the real spirit of obedience is ever one and the same for every precept, for all times, and for all circumstances. He believed that submission or consecration to God must be so complete that no demands of His can be refused and justification retained. Mr. Lee, in his . Theology, page 191, says: “Justification, which is by faith alone, carries with it entire submission and obedience to God. * * * The will is right, at the moment of regeneration and it must remain riofht or willful sin will be the result and justification will be lost.” Jesus makes this entire consecration or abandonment to God a condition of discipleship or justification. “ So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.” Luke xiv, 33. Also, Luke xiv, 26, “If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.” The same lesson is taught in the case of the rich young man who came to Jesus, lacking but one thing of inheriting the kingdom, and that was a perfect abandonment to God. This he would not do and consequently he “went away sorrowful.” Yet in many places over the land those who have been re¬ fusing to walk in the light of God and keep his command¬ ments, are told to consecrate fully and believe God for sancti¬ fication; and when they do, of course in submitting on the contested point, they get blest and take that blessing for the Doctrinal Views. 9 1 experience of holiness, when it is evident they have just been saved from their rebellion. c ‘ Whosoever shall keep the whole law,and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.” This loose teaching, he saw was filling the land with a great deal of spurious holiness. The question here arises, if a perfect surrender of all that a man hath, even to his own life and that of his friends must be made at conversion, in what does the experience of holiness consist? “In fact: says some one, “what more can be done?” Let us see. Man sins because in his unregenerate state it is natural for him to do so. The carnal mind is enmity against God and he is liv¬ ing under its sway.. Conversion not only brings pardon, re¬ generation, adoption and conscious blessing to the soul but it binds the carnal mind, or “old man.” Grace predominates and the old sinful desires, though not annihilated, are never¬ theless bound, so that they are not indulged. Though pos¬ sessing the carnal mind, the converted man is not ruled by it, and is consequently not “carnally minded”, which God de¬ clares is a state of spiritual death. Hoi iness cleanses the heart from carnal bias and cor¬ rupt though subjugated passions, and brings in the baptism of the Holy Ghost, enabling the man to love God with all his heart and his neighbor as himself. Thus it was in the o experience of the apostles. They were converted men as all must concede, for Jesus bade them rejoice that their names were written in heaven and empowered them to cast out devils, to heal the sick, to raise the dead, to cleanse the leper, etc. Now it would be blasphemy to say that this power was ever given to unconverted men by Jesus Himself. Yet after this He prays, “Sanctify them through thy truth; thy word is truth. ” He who searcheth the hearts and trieth the reins of the children of men “knoweth what is in man.” He knew His disciples, though obedient and devoted as men without the fullness of the Holy Ghost could be, nevertheless possessed 92 Vivian A. Dake. roots of bitterness which would “ spring up and trouble them, and thereby many would be defiled. ” He saw the subtle carnal nature which in James and John sought for preferment, when one wanted to sit on His right hand and the other on His left in the kingdom. He saw the indifference of Peter, James and John when they went to sleep in the garden while He prayed and sweat blood. He saw their bigotry when they forbade a man to cast out devils in the name of Jesus because he followed not them. He saw their blind zeal and lack of love when they wanted to call down fire from heaven to consume the poor deluded Samaritans because they did not receive Jesus. He saw the stupid unbelief of Thomas in refusing to believe till he could see the nailprints in Jesus’ hands. He saw the in¬ stability of Peter in denying his Lord. He saw their un¬ sanctified ambition in wanting to know who would be the greatest in the kingdom of Heaven. He saw the general lack of spirituality among them all in thinking that His kingdom was of this earth, and He saw their fear of man in fleeing from Him in the garden and leaving Him alone to His murderers. He further saw the need of their being purged from these unholy bents or they would be overcome by them and fall into sin as Peter actually did in denying his Lord. Well did Jesus pray, “Sanctify them through thy truth.” Now as Jesus could not pray in vain for honest, willing souls, we may expect that His prayer was answered sometime; and searching the Scriptures, we find that the answer was re¬ ceived on the day of Pentecost, when after ten days of pray¬ erful waiting on God the Holy Ghost came like a rushing mighty wind, and cloven tongues of fire sat upon each of them. After this we find no more unholy desire manifested in their lives, but rather perfect humility, spirituality, self- sacrifice and love, all the way to their martyr death. One thing to be noticed here is that it was not a more Doctrinal Views. 93 thorough consecration they needed, for as Peter said, they had left all and followed Him ; and they could not consecrate their carnality to God for He had no use for it. They must simply in humble faith, earnest desire and entire submission to God plead with Him for its extermination, which they doubtless did during the ten days they “tarried” in the “ upper room. ” Every real candidate becomes convicted for the experi¬ ence of holiness, not from his lack of consecration,.but because he finds there is discord in his soul. There is something there, which he cannot make “subject to the law of God ” and it hinders him from loving God with all his heart. He sees it, he loathes it and laments, his carnal condition before the Lord and in great earnestness he turns against his de¬ praved tendencies and determines, by the help of God, to be delivered from them. Faith grows desperate. “The violent take it by force.” He is enabled to touch the blood by faith. He feels its cleansing power and realizes that his faith has made him whole. The dross has been taken from the silver and there has come forth a vessel for the finer. He now in a sense “ceases from his own works as God did from His.” The great struggle and unrest of soul is no more. He feels like singing, “Now rest, my long divided heart, Fixed on this blissful center, rest: Nor ever from thy Lord depart, With Him of every good possessed, ’’ Now he enjoys what he knew before only in theory. Mr. Dake affirmed that honest souls would receive light and conviction for this experience if not confused by wrong teaching. He taught that when seekers saw their need, if they confessed their lack, deplored their corrupt con¬ dition and sought honestly and desperately for deliverance, 94 Vivian A. Dake. God would grant unto them that they being delivered out of the hands of their enemies, might serve Him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before Him all the days of their lives. On this point Dr. Clark says : “ In order to get a clean heart man must know and feel his depravity; acknowledge and deplore it before God. Few are pardoned, because they do not feel and confess their sins; and few are sanctified be¬ cause they do not feel and confess their own sore and the plague of their hearts. ” On the subject of confession, the sainted Fletcher wrote: “ O, grieve that your heart that should be only a temple for the Holy Ghost is turned into a den of thieves, a hole of the cockatrice, a nest of spiritual vipers, a cage of unclean birds; envy, jealousy, fretfulness, anger, pride, sloth, formality, self-righteousness, etc.; then by frequent and deep confes¬ sions drag out these abominations, place them in the light of Christ’s countenance and that light and the warmth of His love will kill them as the light and heat of the Sun kill the worms which the plowshare turns up on a hot summer day.” President Charles G. Finney wrote : “In dealing with inquiring sinners my object was to bring them to renounce themselves and their all. * * * I pointed out to them the sense in which they were expected to forsake all that they had and deliver everything to Christ as belonging to Him * * * that His claim was absolute and His property in themselves and in everything else so entirely above the right of every other being in the universe, that what He re¬ quired of them was to use themselves and everything else as belonging to Him and never to think that they had a right to use their time, their strength, their substance, their in¬ fluence or anything else which they possessed as if it were their own and not the Lord’s. * * * I insisted much in my instructions on eiztire conseci'cition to God ; giving up all Doctrinal Views. 95 to Him, body and soul and possessions and everything, to be forever thereafter used for His glory as a condition of ac¬ ceptance with God. ” Yet some dream and even teach that a sinner cannot consecrate to God. Rev. J. A. Wood, in 44 Perfect Love”, page 82, says: 46 Before regeneration there is a gradual proc¬ ess of conviction, repentance, humiliation, consecration and faith. * * * Preceding entire sanctification there is a grad¬ ual process of obtaining light, receiving conviction, hunger¬ ing after purity, confession, prayer and faith.” Mr. Wood here, evidently, as on page 109, uses the terms 44 submission ”, 44 full surrender ”, and 44 consecration ” as synonymous. 44 But,” says one, 4 * when I was seeking the experience of holiness, I was led to make an itemized consecration of all that I had. I had to consecrate to go to Lepers’ Island, and preach to those unfortunates. I had to consecrate to bury my wife and children in the ocean while on the voyage. I had to consecrate to see all my friends leave me because of my obedience to God. I had to consecrate to see the breth¬ ren in the conference condemn me as an extremist, and at last I had to consecrate to see my own limbs fall from my body with the foul disease, leprosy, and when I got through consecrating I received the experience of holiness.” Can any one fancy that a justified soul could refuse to submit to any of the above requirements if God so ordered and yet retain the divine favor? If not, then this is a ques¬ tion of conduct relating to regeneration rather than to holi¬ ness. Considering this, Mr. Dake granted that all the above could be passed through without any new consecration what¬ ever. God simply tested this person on his original conse¬ cration and results proved that it was complete because it stood the test. Even though he found it hard to say yes as he saw those awful possibilities in the will of God, yet this proves nothing more than that his original determination to 9 6 Vivian A. Dake. obey God at all hazards embodied more than he thought; and now, when additional light was shining, he had to hold him¬ self to his contract. The principle of obedience which was his at conversion covered all the possible requirements of the Lord. The additional light which has shone and may yet shine does not require a more thorough submission, but rather that he hold to the principle of perfect obedience which fills the heart of every truly justified person. Were a new consecration needed because of additional light, then we could never be perfectly consecrated, for we may expect additional light as to the demands of God, upon us, till we sweep through the gates. Could it be shown that nice distinctions and accurate technical terms would not fully warrant the statement that consecration must be complete to receive pardon, yet the principle of entire obedience to God, all must concede, is formed in the soul at conversion, which prohibits the young¬ est convert from refusing to obey any of His requirements. Here, then, is the very embodiment of entire consecra¬ tion, manifesting itself in the earliest stage of Christian experience; and this state of submission to God must be retained or the soul, in drawing back from His demands, refuses to walk in the light and thereby forfeits the divine favor. In consequence of this truth Mr. Dake deemed it mis¬ leading to instruct seekers of sanctification to simply con¬ secrate and believe, when they ought to be shown the cor¬ ruption of their hearts in such a manner that they would keenly feel and deplore it, and through faith agonize to enter this strait gate of Bible holiness. He was a firm believer in, and a strong advocate of the Bible doctrine of separation from the world. His teachings on this point brought him much opposition from cavilling Pharisees, who were exasperated at his plainness of speech and his expositions of hypocrisy. Their malignity often manifested itself in their stirring up great persecution on the Doctrinal Views. 97 part of the unsaved through their false and envenomed state¬ ments. He never retaliated at such times, but though he compassionated their weakness and Satanic captivity, yet he reiterated the unwelcome truths of the Bible. The devil has always bitterly antagonized the principle of separation from the world. One may be religious, he may say prayers, he may be charitable, he may be a leader in so-called Christian work without incurring the devil’s dis¬ pleasure. In fact, as none of these things disturb him, he is pleased to have men do all this, “ But don’t make a fool of yourself by leaving the world and renouncing its principles, pleasures, fashions and spirit.” This is the way the devil reasons, and his reasoning is most effectual when it comes through the medium of some church dignitary. This is the very manner in which the devil, through Pharaoh, by compromise, tried to hinder the emancipation of the Jewish slaves when “ God heard their groanings ” and u came down to deliver them.” God com¬ manded that they go “ three days’ journey into the wilder¬ ness,” thus completely separating themselves from the Egyptians, and “ sacrifice and feast unto God”. For justi¬ fied souls feast on heavenly manna and “sacrifice ” much. But Pharaoh said, “Go ye and sacrifice to'your Godin the land” But weigh well the answer of Moses,—noble soul! Would that God’s hosts were led by such preachers to-day! “It is not meet so to do; for we shall sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians to the Lord our God. Lo, shall we sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians before their eyes? and will they not stone us?” He here termed the gods of the Egyptians an abomina¬ tion. The Egyptians, as is commonly believed, deified the ox. The Jews purposed to sacrifice him, but if they sacri¬ ficed the abomination of the Egyptians before their face they would stone them as blasphemers. This Moses knew and therefore answered, “ We will go three days’ journey into the 9 8 Vivian A. Dake. wilderness and sacrifice to the Lord our God as He shall command us”. “Come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, and will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty”. But to come out from among them, and be separate from this Egyptian world is a condition of being made the sons and daughters of God. The devil knows this and therefore opposes this idea of complete separation from the world. If God’s people are allowed to renounce the world in spirit and in truth, both in word and deed, the devil knows that their godly conversation, their plain attire, their righteous principles, their self-sacrificing spirit and their consequent joyous, satisfactory experiences, will throw his counterfeit religion completely in the shade, hence his opposition to the doctrine of separation from the world. The devil would still have the slaves of sin sacrifice in the land. This world worships money, pleasure, fashion, honor, etc., etc. God’s real people sacrifice these things, and if one were to sacrifice these abominations and still endeavor to please this Egyptian world, her children vvpuld deem him mad for sacrificing her gods, and would u stone him”. Pharaoh’s next attempt at compromise was much like the first. He would grant them the privilege of going into the wilderness, only he added, “ go not very far away.” Pharaoh knew that if they were near by, that influence could be brought to bear unon them which would soon bring them back to the leeks and flesh pots. This clearly illustrates the tactics of the devil as he works to-day when through some preacher or church member he influences those seeking God not to go very far away from the world by renouncing its idols. He knows that if they do cross the Red Sea and re¬ tain their idols that they will not go very far from Egypt, and consequently they will soon be back again. God help Christians to learn this mighty lesson. Doctrinal Views. 99 Pharaoh’s third attempt to defeat God was largely on the same plan. He would allow the men to go, only they must leave their wives and children behind. He knew, of course, that husbands, fathers and brothers would not be likely to go very far away from their loved ones and he would soon have them all again. Thus it is to-day; when men seek God, the devil if he must, will allow them to get saved, but will bitterly oppose their endeavors to get their wives and chil¬ dren converted. How many Christian men there are who have yielded to this device of the devil; they are over the Red Sea themselves, or profess to be, and yet they furnish Egyptian idols of fashion for wife and children and seem to think it all right for them to live in Egypt, if they themselves can be free from her slave drivers and brick kilns. O, man! do you not see the need of at once endeavoring to get those loved ones redeemed? for as in Israel’s case redemption and separation from Egypt are inseparable. Pharaoh’s fourth and last attempt to retain his hold on the people of God was on the same line with the other at¬ tempts, viz. : to keep back part of the price. They might ail go, but leave their cattle behind. He seemed to know the truth of the words, 44 Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. ” He knew that if he could keep the possessions of these Israelites, he would be likely to have them also. But Moses, who was faithful in all his house, undauntedly replied, 44 There shall not an hoof be left behind.” Praise God! It is inspiring in these days, when there is such a dearth of moral integrity, to read these courageous words. We would do well to ponder their significance. Moses totally ignored the idea that their possessions, their families or their lives were their own, but acknowledged that all must be entirely surrendered to God as a prerequisite to deliverance from bondage. Many fail here 3 nd seem to have accepted the Satanic offer at this point, for though they IOO Vivian A. Dake. profess deliverance, yet their cattle and possessions are left in Egypt. They run their business on worldly principles while their religion seems to affect their secular affairs but little. Their consecration does not seem to be very thorough. They overlook the words of Jesus, “ Whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath , he cannot be my dis¬ ciple;” and all justified souls are disciples. A complete surrender of all that he has, yea, and his own life also, must be made ere he can cross the Red Sea of separation from the world. We grant that when convicted for the experience of entire sanctification, during the search¬ ings of the Holy Ghost, men will see, as they never saw, the depths of consecration, and may have to struggle hard to hold themselves to the cross under this additional light. But grace enables them to overcome, and keep their former vows of entire obedience unto death. And when they are tested on all points and God has cleansed and filled their souls, they are no more fully submitted than they were in their justified relation, though they see much more clearly what is embodied in the idea of submission. O, that the church of Christ might learn this needed lesson! All over the land we find men resisting the claims of Jesus, and consequently living in rebellion, and yet when labored with, they say : a Well, I don’t profess to be con¬ secrated or enjoy the experience of holiness, but I know I am clearly justified.” These persons make out that con¬ secration and sanctification are synonymous. The loose, heretical teachings on this line are the devil’s tares in God’s wheat field. If we would enjoy a Bible experience in justi¬ fication, not an hoof will be left behind. What these emancipated Jews needed in order to obtain the experience of holiness, was not a more thorough con¬ secration to God, but rather a deliverance from the roots of bitterness which remained in their hearts; such as un¬ belief, idolatry, fear of man, gluttony, murmuring, etc., Doctrinal Views ioi which bothered them in the wilderness. And because they did not seek their eradication, by crossing the Jordan, into God’s promised land, they were overcome by these carnal principles and many of them died in the wilderness as back¬ sliders. Christian reader, weigh well these words and if you have not yet been delivered from those unholy uprisings, even though you feel you are fully consecrated to God, do not stop, do not rest, but seek the Lord in faith and entire sub¬ mission, even with ‘‘groanings which cannot be uttered.” “ Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” Mr. Dake viewed the subject of social and marital purity not only from the standpoint of a true philanthropist and re¬ former, but in the light of Scriptural holiness. Though clear and comprehensive in writing on ethical topics generally, yet when combating the vices which spring from sensuality he manifested surpassing strength, and at times his pen seemed pointed with fire. As he utterly loathed all unclean¬ ness, the powers of his soul were at war with lasciviousness in whatever guise it appeared. He instituted the strongest safeguards and most rigid rules against all demoralizing in¬ fluences in his work. He watched with parental solicitude the deportment of his young people, requiring the strictest decorum on their part. The general scope of this volume does not admit of an exhaustive discussion of this subject. His views are best pre¬ sented in his writings some of which are masterpieces on the subject and will be issued later in manual form. CHAPTER X. We now resume the history of Mr. Dake’s labours in connection with the bands. The opening meeting at Parma, Mich , was held on the evening of Tuly 25th, 1SS5, previous to which a street meeting was held. Mr. Dake was in charge of the opening exercises and preached to a large and attentive audience from the words, “ And the door was shut.” Matt, xxv, 10. The message was accompanied by the Spirit and conviction took hold of the people. With these encouraging prospects the workers pressed the battle, while Mr. Dake went to another point to attend a camp meeting. As the workers prophesied for the first time in public, the Spirit applied the truth spoken and God set His seal on the work at once, by pouring out His Spirit in convicting and converting power. The success which crowned the labors of this—the first work of the bands settled the success of future meetings, as they should be carried on in obedience to God and kept in line with the Holy Ghost. An intense burden of soul for the unsaved began to come upon the workers. What they lacked in experience on lines of public work was made up in zeal and love for the lost. As the work went on in Parma, one after another was wounded by the Spirit and made whole by the blood of Jesus. There were a number of clear and interesting conversions from time to time among those who had been far from God and deep in sin. The converts were of all ages, some being old men who at the eleventh hour made their peace with God. Much of the solemnity of the other world rested on some of the meetings. One young man had been the subject of much prayer by the workers, as it was reported that he kept a secret gambling Band Work. 103 place at the rear of his drug store, which proved a snare to many. The workers had prayed that God would reach his heart and close up that evil resort. Prayer was answered and powerful conviction came on the young man, who was by many accounted one of the first young men of the town. As the workers were prostrated under the burden for souls he left the hall and said to his companions: “ There is some kind of a power in those meetings, either God power or devil power,” but added, “ I will have no such power as is manifested there.” This was the turning point and prayer was answered in an unexpected manner, for the young man was taken sick and died in a week. His conviction was deep. The Spirit strove with him but he would not yield to God; so he passed away impenitent. This sad event added to the burden already felt and a greater measure of conviction fell. On the evening which followed this death, the meeting could not be dismissed, so deep was the feeling. Many remained in the hall and at a late hour two young men left their seats and came to the altar. One of them was soundly converted. This intense burden of soul for sinners which prostrates the one upon whom it comes, is frowned upon by many who cry, “ fanati¬ cism,” but it has ever been prevalent in those real revivals where the Spirit of God has been poured out in great meas¬ ure. Charles Finney discourses on this subject in his “ Revival Lectures ”, pages 60 and 61, in words so clear and convincing that we would lay them all before our readers but for lack of space. He says of these soul burdens: “I will state some of the reasons why these things are essential to effectual prayer. “Why d oes God require such prayer, such strong desires, such agonizing supplications? First, these strong desires illustrate the strength of God’s feelings. They are like the real feelings of God for impenitent sinners. When I have 104 Vivian A. Dake. seen as I sometimes have, the amazing strength of love for souls that has been felt by Christians, I have been wonder¬ fully impressed with the amazing love of God and His desire for their salvation. “ The case of a certain woman of whom I read, in a revival made the greatest impression on my mind. She had such an unutterable compassion and love for souls that she actually panted for breath almost to suffocation. What must be the strength of the desire which God feels when His Spirit produces in Christians such amazing agony, such throes of soul, such travail? (God has chosen the best word to express it—it is travail of soul). U I have seen a man of as much strength of intellect and muscle as any man in the community fall down prostrate, absolutely overpowered by his unutterable desire for sinners. I know this is a stumblingblock to many and it always will be so long as there remains in the church so many blind and stupid professors of religion. But I cannot doubt that these things are the work of the Spirit of God. 0 ,that the whole church could be so filled with the Spirit as to travail in prayer till a nation should be born in a day! “ Second, these strong desires I have described are the natural results of great benevolence and clear views of the danger of sinners. It is perfectly reasonable that it should be so. If the women who are in this house should see a family burning to death in the fire and hear their shrieks and behold their agony they would feel distressed and it is very likely that many of them would faint away with agony and nobody would wonder at it, or think they were fools or crazy to feel so much distressed at such an awful sight. They would think it strange if there were not some expressions of powerful feeling. Why is it any wonder then if Christians should feel as I have described, when thev have clear views * mr of the state of sinners and the awful danger they are in? “The fact is that those individuals who never have felt Band Work. so have never had much real benevolence and their piety must be of a superficial character, I do not mean to judge harshly or speak unkindly. But I state it as a simple matter of fact, and people may talk about it as they please, but I know that such piety is superficial. This is not censorious¬ ness but plain truth.” This burden of soul is far more powerful at times to convict sinners than preaching. Mr. Dake was present a number of times during the progress of the meeting and preached with great liberty and fervency of spirit. While the work was going on at Parma, the Lord called other young men and women from different places and varied employments to work for souls, and bands 2, 3 and 4 were formed and put in charge of meetings by Mr. Dake for he had already proved that responsibility is one of the greatest of educators. In August, about a month after No. 1 began their labors, No. 2, which was composed of four young ladies, was sta¬ tioned at Hanover, Mich. Mr. Dake was present and opened the meetings as was his custom when possible. The work opened well. Con¬ gregations were good and conviction came on the people. The street meetings were largely attended and deep interest was manifested. Afternoon prayer meetings were com¬ menced and one soul was saved in the first meeting. The general results were glorious as God continued to pour out His Spirit. Some who were much opposed to the work were convicted and converted and became warm friends. Some incidents of special interest occurred, one of which we mention here. Mr. Hoag an infidel told the workers that he would embrace religion if he could be convinced of its real¬ ity. United and persistent prayer was offered for his salva¬ tion, which the Lord heard and answered. After a hard struggle with the powers of darkness he was wonderfully Vivian A. Dake.' 106 saved and later entered the ministry in the Michigan confer¬ ence of the Free Methodist church. Another interesting case was that of Mr. R., a Univers.a- list. He was in the congregation one evening when the Lord let a burden of prayer on the workers which was a real travail of soul, and they remained on their knees for nearly two hours, pleading with the Lord that He would manifest His power on hearts. Mr. R. did not like the meeting and started to go home but found he had left his hat. He there¬ fore went back and sat down, and God’s power, so earnestly prayed for, came on him so that he was unable to rise from his seat for several hours. The workers gathered round in prayer for him, but he did not then wholly yield, but on his way home he promised to obey God and was saved at once. His wife was set at liberty two days later. Some young men working on the railroad were reached and saved. Mr. Dake was present a number of times, preaching with great liberty and blessing. Some of the con¬ verts sought and obtained the experience of holiness, and one of the brethren was marvellously healed in answer to the prayer of faith. Band No. 2 closed their meeting Nov. nth, ’85 and went to Kalamazoo, Mich., where they opened a new meet¬ ing Nov. 21st. After No. 2 was in successful operation, No. 3 was formed of young men, E. N. Foulk, leader, G. W. Chapman, assistant. While the work was in progress in Parma, Mr. Dake, on one of his visits here was called to North Parma, a countrv place about five miles distant, to conduct the burial services of a little child which had been drowned. The Lord won¬ derfully helped him in preaching and enforcing the truth. He felt deeply impressed while here that the Lord would have him hold a series of meetings in the place. He applied for the schooihouse in which to hold them; but was refused. He went to the trustees of the Presbyterian Band Work. 107 church which was seldom used; but was also denied that. The way seemed closed; but he could not abandon the hope of holding a meeting there. Soon after, he met Rev. J. Baker a preacher in the Michigan conference to whom he told his desires and his failure to obtain a place to hold meetings. The difficulty was at once removed by Bro. Baker’s stating that he had a large tabernacle which he would sell him for a reasonable price. Mr. Dake accepted the offer and the tabernacle was pitched and meetings were commenced by band No. 3. Mr. Dake walked five miles to be present the first Sab¬ bath. The Lord was present in power from the begin¬ ning. Among those in attendance the first Sabbath was a young man who had been employed in a skating rink at Lansing. Mr. Dake saw him in the congregation before services began and inquired of the workers who he was. They could not tell him, but he remarked : “That young man is going to be saved and will be a worker,” which pre¬ diction came true; for that very afternoon the arrow of con¬ viction entered the young man’s heart. Although he re¬ turned to his home that evening to play euchre he could not drown the voice of the Spirit. He returned to Lansing however, for he thought he must keep his engagement with the manager of the skating rink, but he felt so wretched over his burden of sin that he abandoned his business and returned to North Parma and the meeting, where he was soon born again. This was Sloan McDivitt, who a few days after he was saved felt the call of God upon him to enter the band work where he labored faithfully for several years and then joined the Michigan conference, where he yet labors as one of her pastors. Mr. Dake never held on to his workers when they felt called to other fields; but his heart was deeply pained when he saw them influenced to leave the work by other than the io8 Vivian A. Dake. Spirit of God. He saw danger of their getting out of the Lord’s order and thereby losing His favor and blessing, and settling down in ease, formality and death. His fears in this respect caused him to write the following song. WORKERS’ WARNING. Precious worker, danger signals Float around thee; take thou heed; Bide thee in thy place till Jesus To another field shall lead; Siren voices most enticing, Would allure thee from thy trust, Honeyed words, mere Sodom’s apples, ’Neath the pressure turn to dust. Friends will urge, constrain, persuade you, Point a better easier way, Anything beside, the tempter Will suggest. 0, haste away! Seek another field of labor; Leave your burdens and your band, And in other fields you’ll surely, More respect and love command. Precious jewels thou hast gathered For thy crowning by and by, When thy Lord shall call His faithful To their welcome in the sky; Wilt thou run the risk of losing, All thy trophies, all thy gain? Trifle with the souls thy Saviour Purchased with His blood and pain ? Thou hast felt ’twas God that called thee. Has thy God released thee? Hark! To turn from His will and pleasure Is to wander in the dark ; Bide you in your place, dear worker, Till your Lord shall bring release Then by death or Spirit’s whisper, It will come on wings of peace. Band Work. 109 The work so blessedly begun at North Parma, con¬ tinued until the country for miles around was awakened and a number saved. The meeting was held in the tabernacle until the last of November, when the snow fell six inches deep on it. Two stoves were put up which kept the taber¬ nacle comfortable until the close of the meeting. Some who were converted in this meeting have died in the faith, some are still standing true and some have gone back to the world. The blessing of God rested on the band work and workers and it increased and spread in a most encouraging manner. In October, bands No. 4 and 5 were organized and sent to Battle Creek, Mich., where the work was commenced Oct. 4, 1885. These two bands worked together until Dec. 3rd, when No. 4 was sent to Galesburg, Mich., where Mr. Dake opened meeting for them in an Advent church. The Lord manifested His presence and souls began to seek the pardon of their sins. Meetings were held on the streets, in the saloons and billiard halls and all places where the people could be reached. God said to Jeremiah, “Thou shait go to all that I shall send, and whatsoever I command thee, thou shait speak.” Jer. 1, 7. In the parable of the great supper, Luke xiv, 16-24, Christ teaches His followers to whom they shall go. “ Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in hither the poor, and the * maimed, and the halt, and the blind,” and again, “ Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled,” (verse 23). Mr Dake with the love of Christ constraining him obeyed this injunction and early instructed his workers in the same principles. Rev. Jeremiah Baker rendered efficient help at this time in earnest, stirring addresses and exhortations. No. 5 con¬ tinued the war at Battle Creek, with some success. Dec. 31st, the bands gathered here, to attend the Ingath¬ ering. Mr. Dake took the name of this annual meeting at the end of the year from Ex. xxiii, 16; “And the feast of I IO Vivian A. Dake. harvest, the first fruits of thy labours, which thou hast sown in the field; and the feast of Ingathering, which is in the end of the year, when thou hast gathered in thy labours out of the field.” After the number of bands had increased and they were “ scattered abroad ” it became necessary to form them into divisions, and each division then held its own annual Ingathering, which custom has been continued until the present time. They have been much blessed to the sal¬ vation of sinners, the sanctification of believers and have- proved a source of encouragement and help to the workers. Workers’ meetings which are much like the old-fashioned close class meetings, are held and are presided over by the leader in charge, the assistant leaders in charge, or the divi¬ sional leaders; as the case may be. They are productive of much good to the workers and the manifest approval of God has been upon them from the first. “ Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another: and the Lord hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before Him for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon His name. And they shall be mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels, and I will spare them as a man spareth his own son that serveth him.” Mai. iii, 16, 17. This Ingathering was much blessed of the Lord to the good of souls; many were unable to get inside the large church for the crowd. It was really inspiring to see so many young people saved from every worldly ambition and conse¬ crated to the service of God and hear them sing Mr. Lake’s song. ALL FOR PRECIOUS SOULS. Earthly friendships all are riven, All for precious souls; Hopes, ambitions, joys are given, All for precious souls. Precious Jesus all in all, Conquered at Thy feet I fall, Band Work. i 11 Longing for Thy faintest call; All for precious souls. Home, sweet home, no longer mine, AU for precious souls; Murmur not my soul, nor pine,— All for precious souls. Earth’s fair scenes allure me not, All thy pleasures Pve forgot, Turn I from thy fairest spot,— All for precious souls. Welcome now, reproach and scorn, All for precious souls; Joyful tread the paths of thorn; All for precious souls, Dearest friend may pass me by, Taunts and threats my courage try, Welcome all as swift I fly— All for precious souls. Suffer on,my soul,till death,— Ail for precious souls; Pleading with my latest breath,— All for precious souls. Earth recedes, Thy work is done, Toil is past, triumph begun; Brighter shine than noonday sun With Thy precious souls. CHAPTER XI. The work was then in its infancy and was severely criticised by some and strongly opposed by others. It had blemishes, and some of the workers had incomplete experi¬ ences; but God wonderfully bore with the mistakes, blessed the efforts of the workers, and gave them souls as seals to their labors. As time went on, He deepened their experi- I 12 Vivian A. Dake. ences and taught them more perfectly His will regarding this line of work, which in His hands was destined to reach out to remote places in the earth. As we review the work and see what it has become under the fashioning hand of God, the souls which have been rescued, and other good accomplished, we are filled with wonder and praise. The labors of these workers were of a humble character, consisting of reading and expounding the word, often in the simplest fashion, exhortation, calling from house to house and praying with the people. There were very few at this time who could preach a systematic sermon; but all were expected to know how to “prophesy” and prevail with God in prayer. These, added to personal warning and entreaty, brought the blessing of God and were successful. The success of the six months’ work of the bands was most gratifying and convinced Mr. Dake that he was in God’s order. Soon after this meeting he wrote: “I have struck God’s order. This work is owned of Him. We are conse¬ crated to the death for precious souls, and expect to fall toward heaven. We accept no workers but those who are ready to endure , suffer or die ”. Words give but a faint description of these hallowed times as God poured out His Spirit on Mr. Dake, the work¬ ers and the work at this meeting. After the Ingathering the bands left for their respective fields of labor with new cour¬ age and faith, and Mr. Dake began his round of visitation among the bands, besides visiting other places and circuits in the conference whither he went at the call of the pastors and others to assist them in their work. No. i, closed their labors at Parma, Jan. 8th, 18S6, after seeing quite a number saved. They were next sent to Hart¬ ford, Mich,, where a meeting was begun in the fall of 1885 by the pastor Rev. G. W. C. Smith. Jan. 14, 1886 the meeting was given into the hands of No. 1. The interest Band Work. IX 3 began to increase and people for miles around were in attend¬ ance and the entire community was awakened on the subject of religion. Several were saved during the first week of the meetings and others as the work progressed. Mr. Dake was present a number of times and preached some soul-stirring sermons. There would be from ten to twenty at the altar at times. The church was crowded every night and a good work was done. Kalamazoo, Mich., where No. 2 had been laboring since Nov. 21st, was being visited by the Spirit of the Lord and souls were getting saved. Mr. Dake was present here Jan. 21 st, and preached from Jeremiah, ii, 28,“ But where are thy gods that thou hast made thee? let them arise, if they can save thee in the time of thy trouble.” The Lord wonder¬ fully helped him to show the people their idols. Six came to the altar at the close of the service and three were saved. Mr. Dake remained several days and with great help from the Lord preached and otherwise labored in the meetings and others were saved. A grocer found Christ and packed up all his tobacco and sent it back to the wholesale house, saying : “ I must give up my grocery and enter the ministry. ” These vows he kept. No. 4 proceeded to Lawrence, Mich., where Mr. Dake opened meetings for'them Feb. 8th,’86, with encouraging prospects. Here it was found as in many other places that the way must be prepared for the coming of the Lord. It was evident that the condition of things here at this time called for the work spoken of by the prophet Isaiah, “ Go through, go through the gates; prepare ye the way of the people; cast up, cast up the highway; gather out the stones; lift up a standard for the people.” The Lord blessed the words spoken and sent conviction on the people. Judgment began at the house of God. Members of the church began to see Vivian A. Dake. 114 their lack and came to the altar confessing their backslidings and were restored. Some were greatly displeased because of the truth preached against worldly conformity, while others were much tried over the demonstrations of the Spirit and altogether 44 there was no small stir.” In 44 Fishers of Men” the author says: “It is neces¬ sary not only to hold up the standard and come up to it your¬ selves, but bring enough up to it to make a pattern for others. In promoting a revival this is the first thing to be done. ” Again he says: “It is a great help to a revival to have every one a living Christian. This is as it should be. It was for this purpose that Christ died. 4 Christ also loved the church, and gave Himself for it; that He might sanctify it and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, that He might present it to Himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.’ Eph. v, 25-27. Sin makes spots. Neglect to be renewed by the Spirit makes wrinkles. The experience becomes old and dry. When a church sanctified and cleansed, has a revival, the converts are clean and strong and there is a probability that they will go on in their experience and hold out faithful to the end. ” Pages 82 and 83. Mr. Dake always labored in preaching and exhortation, by prayers and tears, to bring the church up to the Bible standard of purity and power, knowing well that the best re¬ sults in soul-saving could not be seen until such a condition was reached. He was present several times in the early part of the meeting to assist the workers. Rev. D. W. Abrams, now gone to his reward, with fatherly kindness stood by, encouraging the workers and helping by his preaching. Work had been started at Gliddenburg, a country neighborhood, by Band No. 3, Mar. 4, 1886. Mr. D. opened the meeting and the prospect was good for a work of salvation. The next evening one was saved, which greatly Band Work. 115 encouraged the hearts of the workers. On the following evening two more were saved. The work went on amid some conflicts with the enemv, until about ten had been converted, among whom was sister Lillian Burt, who after working in the bands several years became a missionary to Norway as the wife of Rev. S. V. Ulness. Some precious jewels were thus dug out, in meet¬ ings in out of the way places. Mr. Dake once wrote to his workers: “While you dig the lost out of the pits of sin, re¬ member that one of them may be God’s agent to revolu¬ tionize a nation.” We look at the work which has already been accomplished in Norway by these missionaries, the light which has dawned on many hearts and brought a goodly number out from the error and darkness of her state religion, and feel the truth of Mr. Dake’s words. The meeting at Gliddenburg which was the means of gathering in a few souls closed April 14th, the band next going to Paw Paw, Mich. St. Joseph, Mich, had become a real battle ground to No. 6, composed of young men who were left in charge of meetings opened there by Mr. Dake, Jan. 19th. The con¬ gregations increased nightly and some sought and found the Lord. Mr. Dake, accompanied by his wife and other workers, came Feb. 1st, to attend the monthly praise meet¬ ing. The hall was crowded and many turned away unable to get in. From this time they increased in power until quite a number were made happy in the Lord. Among those saved were several young ladies, who labored in the knitting factory, where about three hundred were employed. One of these, who afterward became the wife of one of the preachers of the Michigan conference, was burdened in the mills for the forewoman and lost her strength. Several girls fainted and eight or. more burst into tears. The mill stopped for two hours while they sent for hacks and took eleven girls home, who could not resume Vivian A. Dake. i 16 their work. Two of the girls were confined at home several days and called for some of the saved ones to come and pray with them. This strange occurrence caused such an uproar that, fanned by the rum element, resulted in the workers being turned out of the city hall. Cottage meetings were at?*once commenced and carried on in the power of the Spirit. Sometimes the workers divided their forces and held two meetings the same evening in different parts of the town, and more souls were added unto the Lord. One most interesting case was that of a woman about sixty years of age who had become a slave to the opium habit, having used it for many years. She came to the meet¬ ings and would get stirred by the truth and then stay away; then come again, until at last she told the workers she would take it to the Lord and requested them to pray for her. She affirmed that she had eaten nothing but crackers and milk o for fifteen years, for nothing else could be retained on her stomach. The struggle with appetite was a fierce one. She often said : “ If I die , I will go to heaven clean:” but at the end of two weeks God came with glorious deliverance and the habit was completely broken and the appetite de¬ stroyed. Since that day she has been able to eat a large variety of food without any difficulty. Her husband was also saved from the tobacco habit. Their hearts were greatlv quickened and a happier couple it would be hard to find. They are still victorious and living for eternity. The converts here, as at all places, were faithfully in¬ structed in the way of life. They were shown, as far as possible, the devices of the devil and how to defeat them. They were made to see that entire sanctification was an ex¬ perience received by faith alone, subsequent to justification and distinct from it. They were shown that if they kept blest and clear and walked in the light, the Holy Spirit would soon show them their need of this experience, by revealing to them, as Mr. Wesley says : “The ground of Band Work in Michigan. 117 their hearts, which God would not before disclose unto them, lest they should faint before Him and the spirit which He had made. Now they see all the hidden abominations there, the depths of pride, self-will and hell. ” This, they were shown, was compatible with justifica¬ tion and that the purging out of this old leaven and subse¬ quent filling of the Holy Ghost constituted the experience of holiness. CHAPTER XII. Mr. Dake moved his family to St. Joseph, Mich, in the early spring, finding it more convenient for himself and workers as calls began to come from Illinois and the workers and Mr. Dake usually took the boat from St. Joseph to Chicago. In April, 1886 a call came from Royalton, a country neighborhood six miles south of St. Joseph. Band No. 8, Chas. Edinger leader, was formed and sent there. The meet¬ ings were held in a church situated at the crossing of two roads. This was in the famous fruit region lying along the eastern shores of Lake Michigan. o The meetings were opened April 23rd, and were carried on nightly through the busiest season of the year. The interest became so great that often the house would be crowded while many were forced to remain outside and look in at the windows. The work here was greatly blessed of God from the start. The whole community for miles in every direction was awakened, and some came to the Lord and were saved. Among the first to get saved was a young man who kept a store about a mile from the place of meeting. He had been selling tobacco, but as the light of God shone he threw the whole of it out of his store. Some professors of religion 118 Vivian A. Dake. tried to have him put it back but he refused. A Roman Catholic lady was wonderfully saved. It was no unusual thing to see the whole congregation moved by her artless but powerful testimony. Thus did it please God to bless the simple, earnest ministry of these young men who labored to exalt Christ as a Saviour from all sin and to call men to repentance. They strove to adorn the gospel they professed by godly lives. In this they were so far successful that one of the most hardened men in the community bore witness to the fact that he could not get them to joke, neither could he make them angry. The grace of God was thus magnified in the eyes of the people as they saw these young men saved from light and trifling conversation, with all the joking and jesting so common in these days among professors of religion and even among the ministry. Many seem to forget that God has said in His Word, “If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man’s religion is vain.” Jas. i, 26. Again “Every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.” Matt, xii, 36. Mr. Dake was a pattern to all in this respect, never descend¬ ing to the plane of the ungodly, or indulging in lightness, or joking, or jesting. His soul abhorred it, and he strove to impress it on all, that it was contrary to godliness; and with many admonitions and faithful reproofs he warned the work¬ ers lest they fall into this sin. Though there was the absence of lightness among the young men, there was cheerfulness with joy and praise, which was rare among professors of religion; and the truth they preached, thus enforced by their godly li\ T es, took hold of the hearts of the people and convinced them that it was of God, and gave them a hunger to know more of such a salva¬ tion. After the meeting had been running a few weeks with Band Work in Michigan. 119 several saved, Mr. Dake came and stayed three days, preach¬ ing with much liberty. The Spirit attended the Word and some were wounded by the truth and knew no peace till m Jesus made them whole. The next evening a young lady, a butterfly of fashion and a lover of the dance, came to the altar with others and was blessedly saved. God called her into the band work, and she afterward became the wife of a Free Methodist preacher in the Michigan conference. Much opposition came from formal church members here who at Hst closed the church against them and they were left without a place of worship when the interest was at its height, except as private houses were opened to them. In this hour of need the workers fell on their faces before God and prayed for deliverance. He sent it in His own glorious way by prompting their many friends to purchase a tabernacle. The first dollar was given by an unsaved man whose subsequent conversion we record in this connection. Others contributed until enough was raised to send for the tent. Threats were made that the tabernacle should not be put up, but would be seized and shipped to parts unknown. The workers were undaunted and held meetings in private houses. The tabernacle came and the husband of the converted Catholic woman, an ungodly man who had not been in a church for years, gave permission to pitch it in his orchard. This offer was accepted, the tabernacle was pitched and one soul was saved in the first service. Some weeks previous, on the occasion of one of Mr. Dake’s visits, Mr. W. a portlv, middle-aged man came to the meeting and heard him preach. In the course of his remarks Mr. Dake alluded to “ professors of religion on the front seat and big sinners in the corner.” The shot, fired at random reached this man, as he was very large and sat right in the corner of the church, although unnoticed by Mr: Dake. I2Q Vivian A. Dake. Anger and resentment were stirred within the man and he went away determined to injure the reputation of Mr. Dake and the workers by circulating false reports about him. He came no more to the meetings, and it was not needful that he should, for a dart from the Almighty had pierced his soul. His angry feeling was soon followed by deep con¬ viction for sin. His trouble increased and appetite forsook him and he lost much flesh because of it. He had never received religious training of any kind, and knew not that God’s Spirit was bringing him to repent¬ ance. He had been much given to profanity and Sabbath desecration and spent much of his earnings for liquor and tobacco. As these things came before him he began to put them away. He gave up his tobacco, ceased spending money at the saloons, broke off from his profanity and informed the fruit growers that he could no longer haul their fruit to St. Joseph on the Sabbath. Some were angry, and though they were church members,declared they would give him no more work,which made him wonder at their professing relig¬ ion. The last thing which came before him was his anger toward Mr. Dake and his attempt to injure his reputation. With deep contrition he went several miles to the place where Mr. D. and the young men were raising the taber¬ nacle and with streaming tears confessed his wrong and humbly asked forgiveness. In the evening he came to the altar, and having brought forth fruit meet for repentance was soon rejoicing in the pardoning love of God. His wife and two children were saved as the meetings progressed. He lived true to God and a few years later died in the faith. Others were saved, many of whom were German Evan¬ gelicals. A goodly number joined the Free Methodist class which was formed here. Many who had been their bitterest opposers, afterward became their warmest friends. The meeting closed about the middle of September. The work continued to spread as Band Work in Michigan. 12 I new workers came into the field. About six miles from Royalton, was another country neighborhood, called 44 The Meadows,” where meetings were in progress conducted by Band No. 6. After they left St. Joseph in May, they went to Paw Paw, Mich., where No. 7 Miss Ella Boyer, leader, had labored with some fruit gathered. They found much opposi¬ tion, and congregations were small. After about two weeks of hard labor the hall was taken from them. There had been some saved so a tabernacle was erected and Mr. Dake preached June 1st, and 2nd, when several more were saved. June 3rd, after the meeting was closed, some roughs came and took down the tent and carried it to the depot and billed it for Australia ; but it was recovered before being shipped. The lot was refused them and the way being closed, they left the place and after spending several weeks assisting other bands, the tabernacle was pitched at 44 The Meadows” and meetings opened June 24th. The people were more or less awakened by the Royal- ton meeting and congregations were large from the begin¬ ning. Among the first to get saved here, were some grace¬ less professors. They sought the Lord with confessions and He brought life and power to their souls. Among those saved were D. J. and Frank Feather and their father, also the wife of the former. The young people entered the bands and the oldest brother, after standing some time in this capacity became a pastor in the Michigan conference. As at Royalton, the battle was a hard one. The meet¬ ings were much disturbed by the roughs on several occasions, one being when Mr. D. was present, July 17th., at which time he stayed and preached three evenings. His preaching was in power and two souls were saved. Others were saved in spite of the efforts to hinder the work and the meetings closed in August. In addition to the meetings which were conducted in Michigan, one was being carried on in Marengo, Ill. The 122 Vivian A. Dake. meeting was held by band No. i, having opened April 17th. Marengo, the home of “ Auntie Coon,” as she is familiarly called, was unlike any otherplace where these young workers had labored, because of the great light that had shone on the people for many years. Here that wonderful man of God and preacher of righteousness, Dr. Redfield,had carried on a revival of religion which was attended with great power and the outpouring of the Holy Ghost. Many had rejected the light and hardened their hearts against the visitation of the Spirit, and it was known as a hard field But believing that nothing is impossible with Him, the workers cried for help and it came. A few were saved and conviction came on many hearts, and the experiences of the workers were deepened. Mr. Dake preached here several times with much help from the Lord and a few members of the class were alive with revival fire and gave much help also. The meetings were discontinued a week in Tune to attend the St. Charles camp meeting, where they were joined by No. 4, from Lawrence, Mich. At the close, No. 1 returned to Marengo, while No. 4 went to Rockford, Ill., where Mr. D. had gone to assist the pastor, Rev. B. P. Clark in a tabernacle meeting. On June 29th he left for Minnesota to attend a camp meeting, of which we have no record. Returning to Rockford,July nth, he again preached with power the Word of God. The Lord greatly helped in the meeting and poured out His Spirit on the pastor, the workers and the people. The meetings closed in August with quite a number saved and some sanctified. Among those who received spiritual help was sister Matie North,, who afterward entered the band work and after five years of faithful service as a valu¬ able worker was called to her reward from Monrovia, Africa. The meetings in Marengo closed in July, after which No. 1 opened a new one five miles aw r ay in a neighborhood known as “Big Woods”. A precious work was done in this Band Work in Illinois. 123 tabernacle meeting and there were some grand conversions. One man was saved on his way home from meeting. Sister May Wilcox, of precious memory, was converted in this meeting and afterward became an efficient worker in the vineyard of the Lord, working under the supervision of chair¬ man F. D. Brooke in one of his bands, until God called her home on Oct. 15th, ’92. July 25th, was the first anniversary of the organization of Pentecost Bands and one of the workers at this time wrote: u As we look back over the year we can praise God not only for the wonderful work He has done in the conversion of sin¬ ners but for our own experiences also. God has led us out far ahead of what we were when we started in the work.” It was indeed true, and gathering strength, wisdom and experience in the conflict they went on their way, singing tjie soul inspiring song. “Only for souls, our life work shall be, Only for souls, till death shall set free; We’ll strive as those running after earth’s goals, Only for souls, only for souls.” The conflict was hot at times and the enemy persistent in his efforts to hinder the work and workers but the Lord breathed courage into their hearts. Mr. Dake triumphed marvelously in his conflicts which were great and then rallied the workers and urged them on to victory. He rose above circumstances and taught the workers to do so; and many were the battles won and the blessings received as a conse¬ quence, which would have been lost had they settled down to be controlled by circumstances. From one battle-field to another he went, pushing the work into places which were open for it. In July he opened meetings in Gardner, Ill., for No. 2, who had closed at Kalamazoo, Mich. The meetings were held in a tabernacle until July 25th, when they were removed to a hall, Again the Lord put His Spirit on His handmaid- 124 Vivian A. Dake. ens and gave them u tongues of fire.” They obeyed the com¬ mand of the Lord which says, “ Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and show my people their trans¬ gression, and the house of Jacob their sins.” Isa. lviii, i. The usual results followed. Conviction took hold of the people mightily, and they began to cry out, “ What must we do to be saved?” Some of the most wicked characters in the town were redeemed, some of whom were, like Peter of old, called to be “ fishers of men.” Satan was more stirred here than at any previous meet¬ ing. He moved his followers to many petty persecutions, of which one of the workers wrote: “ They fastened us in the hall, threw missiles in the windows, pounded on tin cans and played mouth organs, threw snapping matches on the floor for people to step on and threw at the doors and on the roof of the band home.” Undaunted, the workers pursued theii* way with joy and kept up fire on the enemy. As in the past, Satan’s schemes to hinder the work of God failed to accomplish anything but good, for his Satanic assaults were followed by wonderful displays of God’s power. An intense burden of soul fell on the workers in some of the meetings which greatly added to the solemnity and con¬ viction already felt. As souls walked in the light, tobacco, secret societies, conformity to the world in dress, and ungodly associations and amusements were abandoned at once, as God’s Word commands. This was the outcome of faithful preaching. Mr. Dake was present a number of times and preached with great help. On Sabbath, Sept. 29th, he preached in the afternoon from the subject, u The current religion of the day is not the religion of the Bible.” Under the anointing of the Spirit he often became a “ son of thunder ” while preaching from such subjects to professors of religion. To the unsaved he used the most awakening texts. He faithfully gave the Band Work in Illinois. 125 wicked warning, as God requires in E ze k. iii, 17, 18. “ Son of Man, I have made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel: therefore hear the word at my mouth, and give them warning from me. When I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life; the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thy hand.” Adam Clarke thus comments on this passage: “ I will visit thy soul for his. O, how awful is this! Hear it, ye priests, ye preachers, ye ministers of the gospel, ye especial¬ ly who have entered the ministry for a living; ye who gather a congregation to yourselves that ye may feed upon their fat and clothe yourselves with their wool; in whose parishes and in whose congregations souls are dying uncon¬ verted from day to day, who have never been solemnly warned by you, and to whom you have never shown the way of salvation, probably because ye know nothing of it yourselves! O, what perdition awaits you! to have the blood of every soul who has died in your parishes or in your congregations unconverted, laid at your door! to suffer a com¬ mon damnation for every soul that perished through your neglect! How many loads of endless woe will such have to bear! “ Ye take your tithes, your stipends to the last grain and the last penny, while the souls over whom you made yourselves watchmen have perished through your neglect. O, wretched and hapless man! Vain is your boast of apos¬ tolic authority while ye do not the work of the apostles! Vain your boast of orthodoxy while ye neither show nor know the way of salvation. The state of the most wretched of the human race is enviable to that of such ministers, pas- tors and teachers.” The Holy Ghost has given us some instruction on this subject which is worthy of consideration. 2 Tim. iii, 1-8. 126 Vivian A. Dake. “ This know also that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthank¬ ful, unholy, without natural affection, truce - breakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, high-minded, lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God; having a form of godliness but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concern¬ ing the faith.” Notice first the nature of the resistance of these Egyp¬ tian magicians to the work of Moses. They did not affirm his acts were not real miracles, nor did they attribute them to Satanic influence; they simply accredited all his claims and then made similar claims for their own religion. They en¬ deavored to imitate his actions. Did he work a miracle? so did they: did he back that up by another? they did likewise. What Moses’ religion enabled him to do, theirs enabled them to do. So their religion was as good and their god as powerful as his. This was their claim. If Moses would convince the people of the divinity of his religion by supernatural performances they would neu¬ tralize his influence by performing similar acts. Thus, through counterfeiting the religion of Jehovah these “men of corrupt minds” most diabolically “withstood Moses,” and the Holy Ghost chronicles the fact that in the last days this will be the devil’s peculiar mode of opposing the truth. The sinners described in the above are to “have a form of godli¬ ness but deny the power thereof;” that is, they are to profess religion and imitate the people of God in many points. Do God’s real people jmofess to hold certain tenets? Band Work in Illinois. 127 these profess the same. Do His people have family worship and pray and testify in the great congregation? so do they. Are God’s saints active in works of charity? so are these. Thus all through the land in these last days there are thou¬ sands of deceived church members, by their powerless form of godliness unintentionally, perhaps, yet nevertheless surely neutralizing the effects of the real power of God on the hearts of the people: and the devil is using these false pro¬ fessors now for the same identical purpose that he used Jannes and Jambres; namely, to keep the people in Egyp¬ tian bondage. It will take eternity to reveal the number of souls •/ damned and the amount of harm done by a popular, pleasure¬ seeking religion which has a form of godliness but denies the power thereof. Though we are strict believers in church organization, yet we cannot help but feel that it would be good for the residue of the people, if the fashionable popular churches in man) r modern cities, with their Egyptian religion would meet the fate of Korah and his army and go down quick into the pit, from whence they came. Numb. xiv. We do not mean the poor, deluded members of such churches, many of whom are simply deluded by the devil, and dream they are on the way to heaven; nor do we mean the unconverted and consequently, blind preachers who point the way to death and call it the path of life. These both have our prayers and heartfelt sympathy; but we mean the entire system of religion which locks arms with the world and accepts Christ without His cross. Mr. Dake saw and felt his responsibility as a preacher of the gospel and never smoothed the truth. But with a bold¬ ness born of love he shunned not to declare the whole coun¬ sel of God to dying men. Many times when about to preach truths which were very distasteful to uncircumcised ears, or to sound forth warning to the ungodly he would select for 128 Vivian A. Dake. his opening- hymn the one beginning, ‘‘Shall I, for fear of feeble man, The Spirit’s course in me restrain? Or undismayed in deed and word, Be a true witness of my Lord?” He would then proceed to give out the truth of God’s Word, which often made a great commotion. During this visit of Mr. Dake at Gardner, three notably wicked young men were saved, who were miracles of grace because of the wondrous change wrought in them. A Free Methodist Sabbath school was formed in the beginning of the meeting. This was the design of Mr. Dake in every place where meetings were held; and is carried out by the bands wherever practicable, that the young may be gathered in and taught the truth without the accompanying worldli¬ ness which attends so many modern Sabbath schools. No. 2 continued in charge here until Sept. 27th, when they left for Blissfield, Mich., leaving No. 4 in charge. Mr. Dake’s time was divided between the bands who were hold¬ ing meetings at the same time, some in Michigan and some in Illinois. After No. 1 closed at Big Woods, Aug. 19th, they attended a camp meeting at Evanston, Ill., which began Aug. 26th. It was said to be a wonderful meeting, because of the power of God which was manifested. A deep work was done among Christians, especially among the preachers. There had been opposition to the band work on the part of some, but the Spirit came in such power that much of it was removed and the band was invited to stay and continue the meeting in the church, which they did, beginning Sept. 2nd. God came in blessing and poured His Spirit on the pastor, Rev. J- D- Marsh, on the workers and on Mr. Dake, for hither he came and preached, true to his oft-repeated asser¬ tion, U I cannot live if I cannot preach.” Band Work. 129 Some of the meetings were times of great blessing. One of the workers wrote: u Language fails to express the blessedness of the meeting on Friday night, Sept. 24th, t886. It was not very free at first. Brother Dake preached from the words, “ Ephraim is joined to idols; let him alone.” Others exhorted. We had testimony meeting and O! what a blessed time it was! A heavenly sitting* together in Christ Jesus. Bro. Dake talked about his mansion in heaven and said he was not worth much, all he had belonged to God, but he was going over to possess his mansion by and by. “ As others sang and testified, the glory of the Lord came upon them in an indescribable manner. Some good street meetings were held, where God’s blessing fell. These meetings were blest to the conversion of a few souls and the clearing up of the experiences of some others. In addition to the meetings held by the bands, Mr. Dake attended several camp meetings, one of which was held at Atkinson, Ill., and another at Ridott, Ill. He also attended the General Con¬ ference at Coopersville, Mich. At the close of the Ridott meeting six more young ladies entered the work, some of them going to Evanston to help No. 1, and some to Crown Point, Indiana, where No. 5 was to labor under the leader¬ ship of Miss Sarah Behner. In September No. 8 closed at Royalton, Mich., and opened meetings at Bainbridge, a country neighborhood. The meetings were held in a tabernacle and were blest of God in the salvation of souls. Mr. Dake spared no arguments, no illustrations, no en¬ treaties to show men the danger of procrastination and the necessity of yielding to God at once. The Lord honored His servant and gave him souls in many places over which he rejoiced with joy unspeakable. With this example before them and a measure of the same constraining love in their hearts the workers partook of the same spirit, as they labored Vivian A. Dake. i 3° from place to place, singing, “ Only for souls ’ mid reproaches and scorn, Only for souls o’er the pathway of thorn. ” The work was kept up with vigor at this place until late in November, the snow falling several inches deep on the tabernacle at one time. Stoves were put in which kept the place quite comfortable. There were a number clearly and joyfully saved and a class of ten organized. There was victory at nearly every point at this time. No. 6 after closing at “The Meadows”, attended meetings at Royalton, and held their farewell praise meeting at St. Joseph, where the Lord poured out His Spirit in large measure. Thev then went to Frontier. Mich., where meet- ings were opened Sept, ioth with a large congregation in attendance. The Spirit was given and one soul sought and found the Lord a few days later. A precious work followed and some were saved in nearly every service. Mr. Dake came Oct. 2nd and preached that night from the words, “For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?” Matt, xvi, 26. Great solemnity • _ rested on the congregation. The next day being the Sab¬ bath, three or more services were held, beginning with the consecration meeting at 6:30 A. M., which w r as a searching time. One v T as saved in this service. Also, in the evening, after Mr. Dake had preached from the word “ Eternity ”, one w r as set at liberty. The Lord continued to pour out His Spirit in the v 7 eeks that followed until over twenty had obtained either pardon or purity. One of the converts v r as a physician who is still standing true to God. Mr. Dake was here again on Nov. 17th, and held a praise meeting, which w r as a time of rejoicing over new r born souls. This closed the series of meetings at Fron¬ tier. Band Work. 131 In the month of November meetings were opened at five new points. On the night of Nov. 15th, 18S6 Mr. Dake with a part of band No. 1 held a meeting at Raisinville, Mich., near the home of the assistant leader Miss Minnie Rauch. The Spirit * was present and Mr. Dake announced a meeting for the following Tuesday night, when he again preached. Per¬ mission was obtained for the use of the church and the meet¬ ing continued by the band until the last of Feb. ’87. Souls began to seek, the Lord at once and were set free. The work increased in power as God in answer to prayer poured out His Spirit. Prayer alone was not the only means employed. House to house visitation was diligently followed and was much blessed of God as it always has been. Mr. Dake and his workers fully believed in the old way of reach¬ ing the people, which dates back as far as Paul’s time. “I kept back nothing that was profitable unto you, but have showed you, and have taught you publicly, and from house to house.” Acts xx, 20. It was not mere friendly calling to chat about the weather and politics and kindred subjects, but “ testifying both to the Jews and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.” (verse 21.) How it was done will be seen in the 31st verse. “ Remem¬ ber, * * * I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears . ” After this manner did Mr. Dake and the workers endeavor to do in every place where they labored. They also visited saloons and places of business when permitted, and many, we trust, will be the fruits of their labors in these places. Mr. Dake was present a number of times and preached with freedom. Seekers were at the altar much of the time and a number were saved. One man after seeking several days received the witness at home in his barn. Another was set at liberty in the woods, and a woman received the evidence of her adoption 1 3 2 Vivian A. Dake. in her home. The workers often passed through tests of faith when little seemed to be accomplished. But by hold¬ ing on steadily by faith the Lord came and souls sought with greater earnestness and were delivered from sin. At Milan, Mich., No. 3 were pressing the battle, and there were a number of clear conversions. Mr. Dake and other workers attended a praise meeting here which was a time of blessing. Commenting on the proceedings, the town paper in its next issue said: “ About six hundred people were drawn to the rink by the song services of the Pentecost Band Wednesday evening. The singing by seven preachers, —three ladies and four gentlemen, was certainly good in melody, and in its searching plea for souls. Rev. Dake is a captain, striking heavy blows while the iron is hot, and he can jump the highest of any preacher we ever saw. “ He said he felt like leaping over a wall. He ’seems to feel more joy over being saved than Mr. A-does over getting to congress. The others were not so far behind in expression, but to our mind the ladies are more graceful in whatever they undertake to do than men possibly can be. Well, many people will condemn such actions as noisy and ridiculous in the extreme, but we are of the opposite opinion for several reasons: “-First, salvation is the only thing we have which is not liable to the hand of robbery, rust, decay and death, and if angels rejoice over the salvation of the human soul, have not mortals the right to the joys of hope? “ Second, the church of the time is too much the elegant Sunday service for the everyday needs of dying humanity, too much a bond of membership like marbles in a bag, isola¬ ted, cold and deaf in personality to the pleadings of the churchless throng- weary, worn and sad by the wayside. “ Third, the Pentecost Band is the living type of our na¬ tive institutions. It defies all encroachments on the freedom of speech, all pretentions of a heartless formality, and all the Band Work. i 33 oppressions of style, whose pernicious example to-day is fill¬ ing the land with defaulters, gamblers and heartless Shy- locks, banded together to crush the poor from the face of the earth. The little Pentecost band have labored through storm and cold and have a right to rejoice in the victory of souls.” CHAPTER XIII. At Blissfield, No. 2 was sounding forth the trumpet where Mr. Dake opened for them Nov. 14th at the time of the dedication of the new Free Methodist church. Mr. Dake had wonderful liberty in preaching the dedicatory sermon from the words found in Heb. iii, 6. “Whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope, firm unto the end.” The meetings which fol¬ lowed were good and God was present in convicting and converting power. Some among the young were clearly saved and became very active for the salvation of others. Band No. 4 Minnie Baldwin leader continued at Gardner, with much help from the Lord. The converts were built up in the faith and others were saved. They closed Nov. 10th, ’86 and went to Braceville, Ill., where Mr. Dake opened work for them Nov. 27th, ’86. This was a hard fought battle in a place where Satan’s seat seemed to be. It was a mining town of about three thou¬ sand inhabitants, and almost wholly given up to the works of the devil. Into such a field as this did God thrust this little band of fire-baptized handmaidens to blow the gospel trumpet and awaken men to their lost condition. Mr. Dake after getting the meeting started was obliged to leave for other I 34 Vivian A. Dake. fields. As the workers prevailed in prayer and preached the Word, the power of the Spirit was displayed which fastened the truth like a nail in a sure place and brought men to repentance. .Mr. Dake came again Dec. 23rd, and remained until the 27th. The Lord gave him great power, in proclaiming the words of life. Sunday evening, the last night of his stay, he preached from the words, “ Men loved darkness rather than light.’ 5 Awful conviction came on the people and towards the close of the meeting a young backslidden preacher and his wife broke away from bond¬ age, and both were graciously restored. The brother went to preaching again and with such help from God that the people were astonished at the change in him. They re¬ mained true to God and are preaching yet. Many, many who were once called to preach the ever¬ lasting gospel are hid away amid the u stuff ” of this world, who, if obedient to the voice of the Lord would soon emerge from their hiding places to become His standard bearers. At Eau Claire, Mich., meetings were opened Nov. 25th ’86 and put in charge of No. 10 which had just been formed, Henry Toonder leader, Worth Vinson, assistant. The citi¬ zens welcomed them and stood by the work, helping in its support by their means. The opening was most encouraging for the Lord was present and began to bless the truth in con¬ victing many hearts. Mr. Dake was present twice in No¬ vember and several were saved at each visit. The second annual Ingathering was held at Raisinville, Mich., where No. 1 were laboring. It began Dec. 30th and continued until Jan. 2nd, ’87. Most of the workers were present from the Michigan division. It had been a year of hard labor and general victory and as the workers gathered into this meeting, the Lord made it a time of refreshing to their souls. At the watch night service Mr. Dake preached from the words u This year thou shalt die.” It was a solemn time Band Work. T 3S and deep conviction rested on many in the congregation. Three meetings were held on the Sabbath. Mr. Dake’s dis¬ course in the evening was followed by immediate results and one soul was saved in the altar service. This was the clos¬ ing service and on Monday the workers separated for their respective fields with renewed courage. No. i continued their labors at Raisinville, and Mr. Dake remained a few days to assist them in meetings. The results of the meetings were apparent after the close of the Ingathering. Conviction deepened and souls broke away from sin and sought the Lord. Among these was a man who was blessedly restored from a backslidden condition. His wife also came to the altar but did not get saved at that time. Mr. Dake went with them to their home and that night and the next day continued in prayer for her soul. The day following she was clearly saved. Some souls seem to require more persevering prayer and faith to bring them to the cross than others. Mr. Dake saw this and made it a point for himself and workers to go when possible with seekers to their homes and pray for and with them until they were set at liberty. Mr. D. came and preached the last sermon on Feb. 27th, from the word “ Farewell.” Tears were in many eyes as God applied the truth, while His servant enunciated it here for the last time. Commending them to God, he and the workers left for other places. At Blissfield, the Lord was still at work and Satan also. Mr. Dake came Feb. 6th, and staved several days and was ‘much blest in his ministrations. The work continued until Feb. 24th, when Mr. D. returned and held a farewell praise meeting. A number were saved during the labors of this band here. The interest increased at Braceville through the month of January and a number more were saved. A large and interesting Sabbath school was organized and the neglected 136 Vivian A. Dake. children were gathered in. The average attendance was about one hundred and fifty and often the number increased to two hundred. The powers of darkness gathered in great force at times but prevailing prayer and constant praise brought victory. The Lord greatly blest the old methods of work adopted in the past,—house to house visiting, street meetings, unceasing personal work, with fearless preaching against all forms of sin. Souls kept coming to God and were gloriously saved. A number who frequented saloons and gambling places were delivered from every evil desire and their fruits proved the genuineness of their conversions. Unpaid saloon bills were settled up and the saloon keepers given to understand that they would receive no more patronage from these parties. Mr. Dake came on Jan. 27th, and while he and the workers, in company with a number of converts were hold¬ ing a street meeting the officers stepped up and arrested them and escorted them to jail. There being so many of them, they were locked in the engine house adjoining the cells. For an hour and a half the happy company had a time of great blessing while the officers looked on in wonder. Exhortations, testimonies and songs filled up the time which seemed short because of the blessing of God. Meanwhile the whole town seemed to be in an uproar and a large crowd at once surrounded the jail and threatened to tear it down, if the prisoners were not released. On being released they marched to the hall singing. Truly the Psalmist’s words were verified where he said, “Thou pre-* parest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies, thou anointest mine head with oil, my cup runneth over. n Psa. xxiii, 5. The following Sabbath was a time of power and liberty. Mr. Dake was especially anointed in the afternoon meeting, and for nearly two hours he proclaimed the truth from the Band Work. *37 words, “Wherefore, come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean things; and I will receive you, and will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Al¬ mighty.” 2 Cor. vi, 17, 18. Worldly comformed church members were much displeased and one of the preachers made public false statements against the bands and the Free Methodist church. Not fighting with carnal weapons, the workers betook themselves to prayer and victory came; and again did sin¬ ners and backsliders break away and get saved. Feb. 27th God sent an awful judgment to warn the peo¬ ple of the uncertainty of time. A man whose heart was fixed on worldly things was crushed to death under a mass of falling stone. It made a deep impression on the heart of an infidel who came to the altar at night, confessing his sin and infidelity. He acknowledged how the Lord had pre¬ served his life that day by restraining him from going out of the coal shaft on the same car with the man who was killed. The cold sweat stood on his face as he told how many times God had warned him of his error. He also confessed to having mocked and rejected Jesus Christ, and burnt up his wife’s Bible and had forbidden his children to read it. Hardened sinners trembled and nine came to the altar and all were saved. Among them was a young man who had repeatedly drank to drown his convictions; but whom the Lord graciously delivered. The work continued for several weeks longer, when meetings closed with many under conviction. At Eau Claire, Mich., the work was carried on through January, February and March. Mr. Dake visited this band, held praise meet¬ ing and was much helped in his labors here. About twenty- five were saved, and a class was organized. The meetings closed Mar. 25th, ’87. No. 1, after closing at Raisinville, received a call from Vivian A. Dake. 138 Rev. F. D. Brooke, pastor of the Free Methodist church at Marengo, Ill., to come and assist him in his vvork. Although it was the design of Mr. Dake to go to as many unoccupied fields as possible where there was no Free Methodist church or class, he answered many calls for bands from pastors and churches who desired their help in meetings. Their greatest success, however, was in opening new fields. Band No. 1 was again welcomed at Marengo by the pastor and the class, and they were given the fullest liberty. After they had been at work for several weeks Mr. Dake with another worker arrived on Mar. 25th, and held a praise meeting. On the Sabbath he preached with much liberty from Heb. xii: 24-26, and in the evening from the words, “No place of repentance.” Conviction came on the people and a young man, a special subject of prayer came to the altar and was saved. Mr. Dake staid two weeks at this time, and was made a great blessing to souls. Floods of light had been poured on this people for many years. Auntie Coon had lived here and testified, and exhorted, prayed, wept and warned this people to prepare to meet God, but thev hardened their hearts and closed their ears to the most earnest appeals. Having done what thev could for their salvation, No. 1 closed their labors here, April 16th, and two of them spent the two following weeks in laboring' in Belvidere, Ill. Several were saved during their stay. Sister Ella Fay consecrated herself to God to labor for souls and entered the Pentecost work in which she labored faithfully until she was united in marriage to Rev. E. N. Foulk with whom she labored, until she passed away in glorious triumph at her mother’s home at Belvidere, in February, ’91. Mr. Dake was kept very busy during the spring months opening new meetings and visiting the bands. As the work spread more bands were called for and laborers kept coming whom Mr. Dake received, putting the new inexperienced Band Work. 139 workers with two of those who had been proven in the bat¬ tle, From nearly every place where the bands labored and souls were saved, one or more were called into the work. On Feb. 22nd meetings were opened at Morris, Ill. Part of the workers had been assisting in other bands but were now formed into band No. 9 with Lillie Plainmond, leader, Rose Myers assistant, who were put in charge of the work here. The town gained a memorable reputation for itself because of the extreme hostilitv shown to the bands and their work by Roman authorities. The reasons they urged for the arrest and subsequent treatment of the workers were flimsy, indeed. The real cause could be traced deeper. Mrs. Ballington Booth, in her book, 66 Beneath Two Flags”, speaking of the arrests of Salvation Army soldiers for holding street meetings, well says, u Ah! There are wheels within wheels; and whenever officers of the Salvation Army are arrested let the Christian men and women of that com¬ munity inquire into the morals and business interests of city officials.” The contest at Morris proved to be an unequal one, for the Lord caused His children to triumph gloriously in many battles and in the face of every foe. Much curiosity was manifested as the band began its work. The congregation increased until at times the hall was crowded to overflowing, although it was large. Such light shone, that souls who had been deceived by popular religion saw the “old paths” and walked therein. Judgment began at the house of God. One evening, while the meeting was in progress a woman in the congrega¬ tion, a member of one of the churches arose in great agony, and told how she had been living under conviction so long that she was under the doctor’s care, when it was only the troubled state of her soul. She made her way to the altar while one of the workers was still exhorting and fell on her o 140 Vivian A. Dake. knees and was soon blessedly delivered and went home a new creature. She exclaimed: “No more doctor’s bills for me!” For some time after this, conviction deepened, and souls were at the altar at nearly every service, and a number were set at liberty, among whom were some cold professors. After this there were two weeks of hard pulling, with no one at the altar. Satan was doing his best by using the Catholics in disturbing the meetings. In* addition to this some complained that the workers were tearing down the churches. Probably this was true. Very likely there was need of some things being torn down in the churches of Morris. Evidently the same work was given into the work¬ ers’ hands that was given to the prophet Jeremiah. We read, “ Then the Lord put forth His hand and touched my mouth. And the Lord said unto me, Behold, I have put my words in thy mouth. See, I have this day set thee over the nations and over the kingdoms, to root out,and to pull down, and to destroy, and to throw down, to build, and to plant.” Jei • h 9’ When a church is built up in unrighteousness, much tearing down is necessary before it can be built on God’s true foundation principles. James Caughey wrote during his revival labors in England: “Samson felt for the pillars whereon the Philistine temple stood. I have been feeling lately for some of the pillars upholding the fabric of Satanic power, and have besidesbeen digging in search of the foun¬ dation hopes of professors, great searchings of heart among them. There is no use trying to build up when there should be a pulling down. ‘ Ye must be born again.’” “Glimpses of Soul Saving,” page 100. Notwithstanding Satanic power and complaints of cold professors, souls kept digging down to the foundation, Christ Jesus. Mr. Dake came Saturday Apr. 9th, and one soul was blessedly saved. The next day he preached from the words, “And they crucified Him,” clearly setting forth Band Work. 141 the truth that the religion of the Bible has always been op¬ posed and that other religionists have crucified and perse¬ cuted the real Christian and always will. In the evening the altar was filled with seekers and several were saved. Souls born amid conflicts are usually strong and able to cope with difficulties. The hall becom¬ ing too small to accommodate the crowds in attendance, the meeting was moved to the opera hall. Mr. Dake was present again Apr. 13th, and preached with his usual free¬ dom and faithfulness. A few days later he was called home to St. Joseph, Mich, by the dangerous illness of his youngest child. . His resignation at such times was remark¬ able when death seemed hovering over his loved ones. Though touched in the tenderest part by grief, he was never heard to murmur or complain; but wholly resigning them to God he calmlv awaited the divine will. His child recovered and he was soon at his post again, going from one place to another, scarce giving himself time for needed rest. In addition to the meetings in the hall, the workers at Morris pushed the battle on the streets; and when permitted, in saloons. The Lord greatly blessed the street meetings and here is where the fight culminated. A stir on the enemy’s side increased,until the officials brought in a piti¬ ful complaint of a “disturbance of the peace.” The disturbance became so unbearable that on May 31st, the city marshal came to the band home and arrested them while in the midst of their washing and escorted them to the court room. He had no trouble with them for they were consecrated to go to prison and went singing, “They say we are too noisy.” The marshal treated them kindly and told them to keep up good courage. After the witnesses had testified against them, the workers pleading “not guilty”, they were fined five dollars and costs, about thirteen dollars apiece. Not being willing that others should pay their fine, they were taken to jail* The record kept of these imprisoned 142 Vivian A. Dake. ones is deeply interesting. The voice of rejoicing and ’ praise was frequently heard and was so disturbing that the sheriff locked them in a cell for a time, but they were heard to shout “ Glory,” as soon as they were put in. He soon re¬ leased them from the “inner prison,” not being able to make them hold their peace. Other workers came and carried on the meeting while No. 9 was in jail, and more souls were saved. On the third day of their imprisonment the mayor and sheriff came to the cell and told the prisoners they could go on condition that they would not go on the street on Sunday nor stop on the street through the week. The workers replied that they dared not make such a promise for they must “obey God rather than man.” The mayor then told them to go any way, which they did, though expecting to stay the full time, eight days. There was evident haste to get rid of them because they could not bear their praying and singing there. So the prison doors opened and they went their way, rejoicing for this precious experience of suffering with Christ. The workers were also thankful for the opportunity they had during their imprisonment of talking to some about their souls, whom they could not have reached in any other w T ay. On the evening of the day on which they were released, they had one of the grandest street marches of the season, when there was a general rally of the young converts, and they marched with the officers following them every step. In the hall God gave a time long to be remembered. The happy faces of those who had been saved encour¬ aged them to greater efforts to snatch souls as brands from the burning. This victory by no means ended the fight. Satanic power was felt in the'meetings that followed for a few nights in such a pressure that they could scarcely breathe. Again they felt led to hold a street meeting which they did on June 6th, While in prayer the marshal came and took In Jail. M3 hold of them. As they rose to their feet the power of God was so upon them that the marshal seemed afraid to touch them, but kindly requested them to move on to the hall. They did so, passing through the crowd, lost in wonder, love and praise. The following is from a secular paper of that county: “ The Herald charges the Pentecost sisters with ‘religious mockery.’ You misapply the word. There is not the sem¬ blance of mockery about any of their performance. We’ll tell you where the mockery comes in. It is the hoodlums that are permitted to harass and abuse the Pentecost workers that reduce deviltry to a fine exhibition of mockery. It is said that there is some talk of arresting and locking up these holy pests. Well, do by all means. It will only add glory to your fair fame. It is a service, gallant and brave, to hop on a few defenseless women and punish them for their wicked annoyance. But while you are doing that, what are you going to do with the hoodlums, the sluggards, the beats and other varieties of vicious citizens that have been permit¬ ted to infest Morris for the last half century? These women who are trying to add a little purity to the world by singing and praying on street corners are apparently more objection¬ able to Morris than street corner assemblies that gather Sun¬ day evenings to either guy, or actually insult, ladies on their way to and from church. Yes, let the girls be arrested and punished and then let the procession move over to the grand stand and listen to the patriotic exercises.” Street marches were continued where the Lord mani¬ fested His presence in large measure, for here was the point of contest. The Lord led them there to face the enemy and march and sing and even testify as they passed slowly along. The workers showed a willingness to comply with the demand of the authorities unless the Lord should give them different orders. They continued their work without moles¬ tation until the evening of June 14th, when the leader and Vivian A. Dake. I 44 assistant leader felt that the Lord led them to hold street meeting. Taking the heavy cross they went to the corner of Main and Liberty streets, singing. The people gathered around but the officers came and told them to move on. After a little time they began to speak and pray, when the marshal took them by the arm and took up the march to the jad. The workers made no resistance, but God let His blessing upon them, and they submitted and were again put in jail, this time remaining for seventeen days. The place was dirty and the bunks full of vermin, and there was nothing between their outside corridor and other prisoners, (two of whom were murderers), but an iron grate. There these men smoked and joked and carried on their vile talk daily. The sisters wept and prayed for these prisoners, two of whom were soon sentenced for life to the penitentiary at Joliet. The close confinement in this obnoxious place caused much suffering on the part of the sisters. The great in¬ justice of these arrests and imprisonments caused much stir all through that part of the country, and the secular papers took up the matter and plead nobly for the workers and their rights for religious liberty. The following from the Seneca, Ill., paper where Pentecost Band No. i were then laboring, shows how some of the neighboring cities regarded the actions of the officials of Morris. “ Reports from Morris state that the members of the Pentecost Band stationed at that place were arrested and fined, including costs, thirteen dollars and ninety cents each, for interrupting the sacred peace of said city. In default of necessary funds to liquidate said fines and costs they were incarcerated in a filthy jail. We have no doubt that many of the witnesses who testified as to their being a nuisance by attracting large crowds on the streets formed a part of the crowd themselves, and were as eager to gather round *the band as any other. A section of the band has been with us at Seneca for several weeks, and we can say for them that nothing in their words or deportment shows them to be other than perfect ladies, sincerely laboring in a good cause, and the people here are imbued too much with the spirit of liberty to dispute the right of free speech and religious freedom. This cannot be otherwise than a question of religious free¬ dom, which our government grants to its citizens. No doubt these people are honestly convicted that it is their duty to proclaim the gospel in the open street and their con¬ victions are well founded. “ There are many who have not heard a sermon for years and who can only be taught to consider the question of theii souls’ welfare through this medium. This was cer¬ tainly the idea of Christ when He proclaimed the Word of God to mankind. He did not seek some statelv taber- nacle, and then announce there would be service there at such a time, and invite all who felt so inclined to come out and hear Him, but He went where the masses were to be found, whether in places of vice or on the street corner. The Word was to be proclaimed to the people, and to do this, the people must be found. It is a principle found in human nature, to seek only for the immediate things of the world, and Christ knew it and He told His disciples to carry His Word to all the people : not to tell the people where it could be found and they could come after it, but carry it to them. “ These people are then acting upon their honest con¬ victions, based upon the words and example of Christ, and we do not want to be one who will not only act against the spirit of the constitution but after the manner of the malign¬ ers and persecutors of Christ, or doing aught against them or their work. ” CHAPTER XIV. The needs of the work in the different parts of the field demanded Mr. Dake’s presence and direction; he was also in attendance at the St. Charles camp meeting, while this band was imprisoned the last time,, and could not be there; but most gladly would he have shared with them the persecu¬ tions from wicked men. He came the dav after the workers were released v June 30th, and the next night held a monthly praise meet¬ ing. In the mean time “ the sound of war” was heard at other points on the field. At Seneca, Ill., twelve miles from Morris, Mr. Dake opened meetings May 13th, with No 1 in charge. He and the workers were much helped in their labors here. The seed was faithfully sown but little success was seen, though some received help. The meetings con¬ tinued until July 21st. At Lisbon, III., ten miles from Morris, the work was opened by Mr. Dake and left in charge of No. 7 which was now composed entirely of young workers, Flora Birdsall, leader, Addie Ettinger, assistant. This was their first experi¬ ence in taking entire charge of meetings. But the Lord graciously poured His Spirit upon them and gave them a few souls as seals to their ministry. The conversion of one young man, Si vert Ulness, was enough to repay them for all the toil and hardships and prayers and tears for the lost. The Judgment alone will reveal the correct estimate of the good accomplished through his labors; as God sent him out also, to preach the Word and win souls. Several successful meetings were conducted by this young man, assisted by other workers; besides erecting sev- Band Work. i47 eral church buildings. A number of those converted in his meetings soon heard and heeded the call to proclaim the glad tidings to others. Thus the promise, “ A little one shall become a thousand, and a small one a strong nation.” Isaiah, lxiii, 22, will be fulfilled in the case of this meet¬ ing at Lisbon* Brother Ulness being a Norwegian, felt that God laid the cause of his own native people on his heart and is now doing successful missionary work among them. Already we begin to catch the gleam of the watch fires which are be¬ ing kindled among the snow-clad mountains of Norway by the one who was saved at Lisbon. We are taught anew not to despise the day of small things, or to count that meeting a failure where onlv one or two are converted. Enemies to •/ the work were found here at Lisbon, as well as friends. The reporter to the county paper sent out strong pleas for the workers at Morris, and at this place, although calling himself an unbeliever. We here quote from him as follows: “ The Pentecost girls are carrying on their fight bravely and with a little more encouragement. The courage they have manifested here is, toms, marvelous and we admit that we regard them with reverential awe. That there is something divine— something above finite power that inspires them, and gives them courage to withstand temporal hardships and cruel criticisms, there is not a doubt. u It is not in the human, purely human, so to endure what these girls endure—for what? Money? Fame? Pleasure? No! there is none of it for them. They are simply trying to save, what they regard as a dying and lost world. They are Christians and followers of Christ. We are something of a connoisseur in religion and when we see a genuine Christian we know ’em quick.” May 16th Mr. Dake opened meetings at Mazon, Ill., for No. 4, who had closed at Braceville. This was a 148 Vivian A. Dake. small place also and the results of the meeting were not great. A small, but substantial class was organized, and one of the members, brother Edward Cryer, who was called into the work of the Lord became a faithful and efficient evangel¬ ist in the bands. A good work was done here under the direction of Mr. Dake, who was several times present. The Michigan division was hard at work. No. 2 Bertha Baldwin, leader, took charge of meetings at Hud¬ son, Mich., which Mr. D. opened for them March 10th, after they closed at Blissfield. This was on Rev. A. Brad- field’s charge and the meetings were held in the Free Method¬ ist church. Some souls were helped but there was no break among sinners. No. 3. were still laboring at East Milan, Mich. On July 1st, occurred the monthly praise meeting at Morris. Mr. Dake had arrived and there was a general rally of Illinois workers. They were reinforced by No. 2 and other workers from Michigan. The company, comprising about forty workers and converts, formed a march on the street headed by Mr. D. At the close of the march, the praise meeting, which was held in the large rink, was a time of Holy Ghost triumph. Special meetings were held at Mazon, Ill., on July 4th. Mr. D. and a number of other workers were present to assist No. 4 who were conducting the regular meetings here. This was an exceptionally good meeting, and the testimonies of the converts gave evidence of wonderful deliverances from sin. On July 22nd Mr. Dake and all the workers assembled at Wilmington, Ill., to attend the first annual gathering of the Pentecost Bands, known as the u Harvest Home.” The meeting was held on a beautiful island in the Kankakee river, within the citv limits. The services were times of blessing and profit. A number of preachers and visitors Harvest Home. 149 from abroad were present, though the attendance from the town was not as great as desired. A few were saved, some reclaimed and a number sanc¬ tified. Under the blessing of the Lord and Mr. Dake’s lead¬ ership, these workers had been instrumental in bringing many souls to Jesus during the year that had passed. It had been demonstrated that it is not the most learned or talented who are the most effectual soul winners; but those upon whom the Spirit of God had been poured out. Mr. Dake saw this and never turned any away who gave evidence of possessing grace and gifts, even though somewhat deficient in education. He knew that with the proper training and discipline, they would become skillful in the work of the Lord. Wes¬ ley well said: “Without love all learning is splendid igno¬ rance, pompous folly, vexation of spirit.” That some have come into the work who are not called, is admitted; but that others have joined whom many would have rejected because of their seeming incompetency, but who have, under God’s blessing become effectual, to a marked degree, is beyond denial. While those who came without the call of God, soon found their mistake and recti¬ fied it by leaving the work with little harm being done. The workers having gained experience by the conflicts of the past and being better instructed as to the devices of the enemy, went out from this annual gathering to their new fields of labor, better fitted to cope with the difficulties they might meet. No. 2 was sent to Mazon, to take up the work left by No. 4 before Harvest Home. They found the converts blest and encouraged for the work. The interest was good, though some opposition was manifested as the tabernacle was raised. Souls were helped and others united with the church. Mr. Dake came twice and preached, and also held I S° Vivian A. Dake. a praise meeting on Oct. 4th, which closed the labors of No. 2 at this place. As Mr. Dake and the workers passed from one field of labor to another they seldom found two alike, nor did they see the same results in every place or receive the same treatment. As the people of one town or community differed from another in their reception of gospel truth, so did their behavior toward the workers differ. The unbelief and hardness of heart of the people in some places made it almost impossible to do any great good. It was so in Christ’s time. It is recorded of His labors in one place : a And He did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief.” Matt, xiii, 58. During Paul’s preaching divers were hardened and believed not, but spoke evil of that way before the multitude, so he departed from them. Acts xix, 9. At Streator, Ill., Mr. Dake opened the first new meet¬ ing after the annual camp meeting. This is a large mining town of fifteen or twenty thousand inhabitants. Several railroads center here and a great amount of business is done. The population is mixed, being made up largely of for¬ eigners. Although there were many churches, it was said to be a hard place, which was proved by the workers before they left. On the opening night Mr. Dake led a street march which was followed by a crowd of people. They were strangers to all in the town and much interest and curiosity were manifested in this new movement. The people fol¬ lowed to the hall where Mr. D. preached. The outlook at this early day was bright indeed. No. 9 was left to carry on the work which they did with some difficulty. The hall belonged to the Miners As¬ sociation, who took possession of it whenever they wished. At such times the workers went to the streets and held meet¬ ings, which were well attended and productive of good. As Band Work. 151 usual, God set His seal on these open-air meetings and applied the truth to the hearts of the listeners. A number of saloon meetings were held. The proprietors sometimes invited them to conduct services in their saloons and kept the best of order while they stayed. They thus had an opportunity to preach deliverance to the captives who might not hear it elsewhere. The crowds increased at the hall as the meetings progressed. The in¬ terest also increased and became widespread, reaching far out into the country. Mr. Dake came at different times and with much liberty declared the truth to the people. The first one saved was a woman who had been nearly killed in a terrible explosion of a powder magazine, which occurred July 22nd, which shook the whole city, wreck¬ ing a number of houses. None were killed but a num¬ ber were injured, and some barely escaped with their lives. This visitation awakened this woman out of her sleep of carnal security and set her to seeking salvation. She re¬ pented thoroughly, confessed her sins, laid aside the trap¬ pings of the world and was blessedly saved. A large proportion of the congregation were miners. Many of these were of the drinking class, but God wrought upon their hearts and some of them were gloriously saved from their sinful lives. Many interesting cases of conversion occurred during the series of meetings held at this place. The declaration of the whole counsel of God aroused opposition from formalists, many of whom set themselves against the work. As usual, these belligerent professors found themselves in the company of Romanists, and others who 44 loved darkness rather than light.” These all con¬ spired to defeat the work of God and the battle was heavy at times, but the hottest fight did not come during the labors of No. 9, On Aug. 13th, the day following the opening of the WQ.rk here, Mr, f). Went to Ransom, Ill., about twelve miles Vivian A. Dake. * 5 2 from Streator, and opened work, at the earnest request of an aged sister, who was the only Free Methodist in the place. A part of band No. 5, Grace Toll, leader, arrived. While waiting for the tabernacle, the workers held a street meeting. God wonderfully owned it, and so blest it to the awakening of the people that the whole community was aroused, so that they came flocking in from the country sev¬ eral miles each evening, to attend the meeting on the street. When the tabernacle came, Mr. Dake opened the meet¬ ing and there was a large and interested congregation pres¬ ent. There was no opposition in the beginning to the work or workers. The first one saved in the meeting was a very wicked, drinking man. He first came to the altar in an in¬ toxicated condition. iVfter two weeks’ absence he came again, trembling under conviction and was wonderfully deliv¬ ered from sin before he left the altar. The change in him was so great as to cause wonder among the people. His whole appearance indicated the great work that had been done in his soul. God afterward called him to preach His everlasting gospel, but pleading his own inefficiency and lack of educa¬ tion he failed to heed the call. Though the workers often prayed with and for him, he lost the light and joy from his soul through disobedience, and even said there was noth¬ ing in the power of God. He left for Chicago, where he was working on a building, when the building gave way and he fell headlong into a furnace and his head was burned from his body. The state of a backslider is an awful one, but who can measure the responsibility of one who has had the call of God upon him and yet refuses that call and goes down to the grave with the blood of souls on him? Oh, backslider, whoever you are, make haste and flee to your cross again and be reinstated in the divine favor. And you who have left your post of duty as a worker together with Christ, hear Hospitality Extended. *53 the pleading cries of those who are calling for help and listen to the shrieks of the damned who might have been saved but for your negligence and rebellion, and again turn your steps toward the vineyard, and labor till your reward shall be given you. The work extended principally among the Germans, who came to the altar, with a conviction so deep that they felt themselves lost, and they prayed and agonized with God until deliverance came. Some of the altar services were glo¬ rious beyond description, as souls who had been seeking in agony perhaps for days, were set free. The work went on till the whole country was awakened. The hospitality of the people exceeded anything before ex¬ perienced. One wealthy German farmer, Wm. Baker, and his wife, opened their large house to the band, where they made their home for weeks. The blessing of the Lord fell copiously on the household. Several among the hired help were saved and other members of the family much blessed. Meetings were held in the tabernacle until Oct. 2nd, when it was blown down and badly torn. A large room over a blacksmith shop was then rented and seated and the work went on with increased interest. A number of souls were saved in that rough upper room, one of whom was a little girl eleven years old who was joyously converted at the children’s meeting one Saturday afternoon. She lived a most happy, exemplary life for three months, testifying and praying and giving of her small hoard of pennies which she had gotten by self-denial, to the mission work, when she was taken sick suddenly and died. No. 5 rejoiced in some fruit safely garnered above. Mr. Dake did some faithful work here and was received with great kindness. During the latter part of the meeting when the storm of persecution raged so furiously at StreatoT, the evil reports reached Ransom, and caused some to turn a cold shoulder; but the Lord over-ruled-all, and fruit was *54 Vivian A. Dake. gathered there which remains to this day. The meetings closed Nov. 3rd with good interest and some seeking the Lord. At Verona, Mr. Dake had opened meetings for No. 6, Sloan McDivitt, leader, Aug. 19th. They had the use of a church here. There were a number of Universalists in the place and the Lord helped Mr. Dake to oppose their de¬ lusive doctrine preaching from the words: “Who shall as¬ cend into the hill of the Lord, or who shall stand in His holy place?” Psalms xxiv, 3. The meetings closed Oct. 23rd and the band went to Otter township, where Mr. Dake opened meetings in a small church called Hopewell Chapel. A very stylish lady was powerfully convicted of sin. She had been vainly seeking the L or d for several years. At these meetings she had the way of salvation pointed out and began seeking with all her heart. After a desperate strug¬ gle she finally yielded to God and by faith received the blessing on her soul. Her worldly attire was at once laid aside for the simple garments of a woman professing god¬ liness. A young man was also clearly saved. These two were the only clear cases during the labors of No. 6 there, though some were afterward saved and a small class formed. Braid wood, Ill., was the next point opened by Mr. Dake after the Harvest Home camp meeting. Band No. 4 was left in charge, Aug. 19th. This was another mining town of six or eight thousand people. There were many saloons and it was no uncommon sight to see little children going to the saloon for beer. The workers endured much privation here, sometimes sleeping in the hall or going without neces¬ sary food; but they praised the Lord and said it was better than Jesus had. The Lord touched hearts and invitations to homes were given and provisions were sent in. The meetings went on but it was like plowing on a rock. There seemed but little good soil for the seed to fall on. The bands on other fields Plain Preaching. 1 5S united in a day of fasting and prayer for the people. The band in charge faithfully and in love, warned and entreated the people. Catholicism was strong. Picnics, dances and saloons were taking up the time, attention and money of many of the people. Band No. 3 opened a new meeting at Edgerton, Ohio, Sept. 3rd, and continued until December. A hard battle was fought here and a few souls were saved. A short meeting was held by No. 8 at Reading, Ill., in November. CHAPTER XV. In the fall of ’87 Mr. Dake moved his family to Whea¬ ton, Ill., it being more convenient for him, as the most of his bands were in Illinois. The Braidwood meeting closed, and No. 4 went to Streator to assist No. 7, who now took charge, in place of No. 9. No. 9 held their farewell meet¬ ing Dec. 6th, after four months incessant fighting. Worn with labors they left for a much needed rest while Nos.4 and 7 pushed the battle vigorously and successfully. Deep con¬ viction was still on the people and many souls were saved. The crowds were so great at times that the stairway leading to the hall was thronged, besides all the standing room occupied in the hall. At such times it became neces¬ sary to lock the door on those who were struggling to gain entrance to the crowded hall. Here, as in the days of Paul, the people“which believed not, moved with envy, took unto them certain lewd fellows of the baser sort, and gathered a company, and set all the city on an uproar.” The strongest opposition came from those who were “moved with envy,” and professors of religion and some preachers took up the matter and circulated scandalous rc- Vivian A. Dake. *5 6 ports and sought in every way to injure the work and the reputation of the workers. But like gold in the fire they came out the purer and brighter for it all. If Mr. Dake and the workers had prophesied ‘‘smooth things” and healed the hurt of the daughter of God's people slightly saying : “ peace, peace, whenr there is no peace, ” all would have gone well and hundreds would have made a profession of religion without forsaking their sins and being born again; but they preached the whole truth, obeying the Bible injunction, “Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and show my people their transgressions, and the house of Jacob their sins.” Isa. lviii, i. James Caughey, when laboring in England met with much opposition and persecution because of his plain preach¬ ing. His remarks on this subject are timely. He says : “I know the preaching that would win hearts without winning souls, would gain friends without making them friends of God; that would secure peace and avoid persecution. I am struck with that sentiment of one: ‘A sermon that was nothing but some general toothless notions in a handsome o o dress of words seldom procures offense or persecution. It is rare that such men’s preaching is distasteful to carnal hearts, or their persons hated for it, but when the gospel comes to the heart to do the great prevailing work, Oh, how impatient they are of the search and smart, and presently have done with it.’ Just so; but I came not to win hearts or friends to myself, but souls for Christ .”—Glimpses of Z,ife,\)?Lge 83. The same fidelity actuated Mr. Dake and the workers and held them to the line of faithful preaching, regardless of consequences. The effects were glorious, for as they wielded the sword of the Spirit victory came. God sent some awful judgments on the people. A miner met his death instantly while going out of the mine to attend the funeral of another miner who had been instantly killed in the mine. Often these judgments of God were Spurious Conversions. i57 made use of by Mr. Dake and the workers in preaching and people trembled as they saw their responsibility to God. The way of repentance, confession, restitution and faith was clearly set forth, and while many were convicted by the Spirit few, comparatively were willing to go that way; while an easier way to obtain heaven was held out to them by unfaithful shepherds. So multitudes stifled their convic¬ tions and grieved the Spirit, proving true the words of Jesus: a Straight is the gate, and narrow is the way, that leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.” Matt, vii, 14. One of the leaders wrote : et with a glad amen, my little girls to foreign mission work; I had never thought of such a thing, but mv heart said, “Amen.” He spent two or three weeks in May at Chadron, Neb. He preached on the street nearly every day and in a large rink at night. He found religion at a low ebb. Church members attended dances. Members of two different Prot¬ estant churches signed petitions for saloons and still another church had a supper for .a firemen’s ball on the stage of the rink while the dance went on below, and the preacher of said church gave an address of welcome to the assembled dancers. Mr. Dake wrote at the time: “ God is helping me to pour in the truth.” We can well believe that he gave the Prayer Answered. 179 trumpet no uncertain sound, with such ungodliness before him. God gave a measure of victory; one young lady was saved, two others helped and others promised to have noth¬ ing more to do with church entertainments. He was again with the band at Streator, in March, where God wonderfully answered his prayer for money. We will insert his own account of it: ‘‘On Monday Mar. 26tli after a semi-monthly payment of ten dollars had been made for hall rent and a needed watch key had been bought for one of the workers, I had one cent in my purse and No. 11 had one cent in their band funds. We had strained every nerve to pay the rent and so we had no prospect of help from the converts or meeting. I took the one cent I had on hand and gave it to sister B-saying: ‘I want my pocket book empty so the Lord can fill it up.’ We were in need and I knew the family at home needed help also. Several of the workers needed articles of clothing. I went to the back of the hall and told the Lord all about it. How He assured me that help was near! I arose * and came to the front just as one of the workers came in with fifty cents which a brother had sent in. I walked across the floor and a sister came in with a five dollar bill in her hand. The needed articles were purchased, Mrs. Dake was sent a supply for present needs, and a few cents left. I went to the Lord again and was again assured that help was near. “In the morning when I went for my mail, I got a let¬ ter from a brother from whom I had not heard for months, with an express order for ten dollars. This money all went to fill a needy place and we gave glory to God. I was by this time so much encouraged and had such a hold on God that I began to talk to Plim about seventy dollars in obliga¬ tions which I was bearing. I got hold of God for the money. I felt so confident that it was coming that I felt no surprise when a few hours later a sister put seventy dollars into my hand. I felt just as I had when a month’s wages were re- i8o Vivian A. Dake. ceived. Hallelujah! 4 My Father is rich:’ I am so glo¬ riously helped on these lines. Burdens are heavy, but Jesus carries burdens and all. Glory to God! I trust Him for all,—thirty-three workers, my family, car fares, hall rents and tabernacles, and yet the Lord is helping. When I get in a hard place I have only to get down and cry to God and He sends the needed supplies. Glory to His name! Our bank check has never failed. We have gotten the cash time and again. Needs multiply and faith increases. Glory! Hallelujah to our covenant-keeping God! Here is our bank check. Try it. 44 My God shall supply all your need ac¬ cording to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus” CHAPTER XVII. On April 14th and 15th Mr. Dake was at the quarterly meeting at Morris, Ill., which he had requested Rev. B. T. Roberts to hold. It was a glorious time, Mr. Dake* wrote of it: 44 Brother Roberts held quarterly meeting here. Sev¬ eral loads of vountr converts were over from Mazon. The •/ O love feast rolled on like a surge of the sea, higher and higher. Sometimes the shouts of praise would drown the singing. Brother Roberts joined in with zest and his 4 Amen ’and 4 Glory to God ’ came with frequency and power. Shouting, singing, leaping for jov, was the order among the converts. It was one of the best love feasts I ever attended. Brother Roberts preached three times and the writer once. The Lord was present in every service. In the afternoon a number were at the altar and one was clearly reclaimed. Morris has been a hotly contested field. We have suffered, even to mobs, jails and blows, for Jesus’ sake but the oppo¬ sition only sinks the work deeper. The town is ruled by Self-denial. 181 rum and Romanism. These two elements are set against Jesus Christ and His cross. Man) r easy-going preachers and professors will never know the joy that comes into the soul as it views a hard-fought,well-won battleground. Amen!” A day or two after this experience Mr. Dake, in com¬ pany with four young men of bands No. 6 and 8, went to Coalville, Ill., to open meetings. Here he had some experi¬ ences of another kind. But he praised the Lord just as heartily in these as in the others. Again we quote his own words: “We were strangers and no one asked us home with them. So each of us arranged a row of chairs, and with our overcoats and shawls, we laid us down on our chair beds. Our stove smoked so much that we had to get up once in awhile and open the doors and windows and let the smoke out. About three A. M., we all got down on our knees and poured out our hearts to God. How present the Lord was all through this night. He was with us and we rejoiced as though surrounded with comforts. Jesus knows what we endure and shares our hardships with us. Glory to His name! This was an unusually hard night because of cold and smoke and we could not keep a good fire; but there was not a murmur—not even from the young¬ est member of the band. All shouted the victory and arose with a smile from their hard beds as if they had been of down.” Few who read of the work and enjoyed the triumphant testimonies of Mr. Dake and the workers, knew what they passed through. Some who heard of the “showers of bless¬ ing” felt it would be grand to be in their place, but one night of sleeping in the hall quite often changed their minds and they departed, not being able to “ endure hardness as good soldiers.” Mr. Dake returned from Nebraska in time to attend a camp meeting in Michigan and afterward one at St. Charles, Ill. The time for the second annual Harvest 182 Vivian A. Dake. Home came which was held at Streator, Ill., in Villa Park, a beautiful place within the city limits. The workers came from all points to join in the feast of tabernacles. A number of preachers were present from Illinois, Nebraska, Iowa, Ohio, Wisconsin and Missouri. Brother T. K. Doty of the Christian Harvester was present and fed the saints with the strong meat of God's Word . Some a elect ladies ” were also present from Chicago and Marengo. It was a glorious time. The spiritual atmosphere was pure and free. Salvation flowed all the time and the glory came down at all hours. The attendance was very large—generally from one to seven thousand people. The order was ex¬ cellent. A goodly number were saved and a*number more were sanctified w T holly. There were some remarkable in¬ stances when God came in great power. Some young people were saved who were called into the work and are still faithful to the call. Mr. Dake wrote of one instance on the 30th: “When twenty were seated at the dinner table and as many more were waiting, a preacher said: ‘Is there any more bread?’ Some one answered: c You will have to finish up with potatoes and salt.’ The bread was all eaten and there was none for the second table. Just then through the trees came two ladies bearing a basket with a supply of bread, cheese, crackers, etc. It was only about five minutes until the last loaf was gone and just then from the opposite direc¬ tion came two ladies with another supply. They said they felt they must hurry. While they were still there another large basket came in, well loaded. There was then great rejoicing as we realized what God had done for us.” There were some ringing testimonies at the annual praise meeting which was a time of blessing and exceeded all the past in the manifest presence and power of God. A characteristic testimony from Mr. Dake will befln or¬ der here: “ This is our annual Harvest Home praise meeting. Band Work. i 33 Since our last anniversary one of our number has gone from our ranks to glory and now swells the chorus of the redeemed on high. (Sister Addie Burt Edinger.) God knows who among us will be the next to fall and take our flight to Himself. If it should be that I fall next, don’t weep for me. If when I am gone you find a tear stealing from your eye, there will be nothing wrong in that, Jesus wept; but I en¬ treat you brush away your tears and run—rush on after souls; sweep out after souls; break through after souls. This has been the crowning year of my life. O how pure and glorious! How shall I tell it? Next year I believe will be a still better and more victorious time of running for souls and for life—eternal life and glory!” The ring meetings were times of great blessing. Thousands of people attended them. The last Sabbath, about three thousand people attended the baptismal service at the river. It was a beautiful and impressive scene. The candidates usually came up from the water shouting for joy. Some new workers came into the work at this meeting, and soon all were ready to go to their respective fields of labor. They proved by experience the truth of what one wrote: “ Faith for victory is an indispensable condition to successful warfare of any kind. It is universally recognized by generals of earthly armies, that if the enthusiasm of ex¬ pected conquest be destroyed and their troops infused with fear and doubt as to the ultimate result, defeat is almost cer¬ tain. This is equally true with respect to spiritual warfare, hence the repeated assurances of victory from the great Cap¬ tain of our salvation.” Mr Dake possessed this faith in an uncommon degree. No one ever saw him discouraged in the face of difficulties, no matter how great. We read: “When Germanus and Lupin and their societies in Wales w r ere assailed by the per¬ secuting Piets and Scots, they vanquished their enemies by shouting‘Hallelujah!’ and to this day an obelisk stands in 184 Vivian A, Dake. the town of Mold, .to commemorate what is called the c Hallelujah victory!’” Mr. Dake was a leader indeed in faith and courage and urged the workers on to constantly use this powerful weapon when assailed by Satan and wicked men. It was at this last mentioned camp meeting that he and some of the workers began to feel that all this discipline and experience was to fit them for more important fields of labor for the lost. The thought of any of his workers being called to foreign fields had not yet entered his mind, yet there was a strong impression on the mind of himself and others, that the Lord was calling and training on the home fields for some¬ thing yet to be revealed. Future events proved that it was a God-given conviction. The experiences that some of the workers passed through were a good preparatory school for missionaries. At the close of the camp meeting No. 7 opened meet¬ ings in a tabernacle in West Streator. called Riverside. God was present and helped again to press home the truth to the hearts of this people. Congregations were large and inter¬ est deep. A number were .saved in these meetings and the workers felt it to be one of the most successful fields. They labored among the people long enough to live down all the slanderous reports which the devil had raised against them. They closed Oct. 2nd. The farewell scene was a deeply impressive one. As the workers and some of the converts stood on the platform in the tabernacle, about two hundred people, many of whom were strangers, came forward and bade them good bye and God speed. With tears of mingled joy and sorrow over the saved and unsaved, the workers left the place, feeling clear of the blood of souls. From the Harvest Home camp meeting Mr. Dake pro¬ ceeded with Band No. 5 to Palmyra, Ill., to open meetings for them there. There was a small Free Methodist class there, who with the pastor had earnestly requested the as- Band Work. 185 sistance of a band. When they arrived Aug. 7th, they were very warmly received by the peoj:>le of all denominations who came out and nearly filled the tabernacle on the opening night. There was much curiosity manifested at first; for a band of women engaged in revival work was a new thing. Mr. Dake stayed but one night, as other duties called him away; but the Lord blessed the efforts of the band. The class was encouraged and quickened and souls began to get into trouble over their sins. Some were gloriously delivered, others were wonderfully wrought upon but did not yield to God. Mr. Dake was present a number of times during the meetings and helped much. He came Sept. 28th, and stayed over the Sabbath. On Sunday evening Sept. 30th he preached a most searching sermon from the text, ‘‘Be sure your sin will find you out.” He uncovered and brought to light sins which were done in secret, and were covered up in society. He knew little or nothing of the people and their lives but God gave him a message which was particularly appli¬ cable to many. There was no small stir. Had Mr. Dake known the secret lives of all in the town, he could not have been more pointed in his denunciation of particular sins. This brought opposition, for, if the truth is not allowed to be the “savor of life unto life,” it will be the “savor of death unto death.” The work continued here until Oct. 7th when the weather became too cold for meetings in the tabernacle. There were some who were unwilling that the meetings should be discontinued and offered to rent the opera house. The offer was accepted and the leader and assistant of No. 6 came to continue the work. The meetings opened in the hall Nov. 7th. The congregations were still large and the Lord worked on some hearts, who were not reached in the tabernacle meetings. One of these was an M. E. sister, Mrs. B—whose hospitality, together with her husband’s, was so ungrudgingly shown toward the workers, when 186 Vivian A. Dake. many others turned the cold shoulder. She was set at lib¬ erty, others helped and the converts blest. During the progress of these meetings there was a church entertainment in town. The workers were obliged to give up the hall one night for it. Finding no description of such things in the history of the apostolic church, it was not rocognized by the workers as belonging to God or con¬ sistent with the principles of godliness. When God’s people departed from Him in olden time,“The people sat down to eat and to drink, and rose up to play.” Ex. xxxii, 6. It is true they offered their burnt offerings and brought their peace offerings and went through with the forms of worship but they were worthless, and God cursed them for the sin of idolatry. The^e church entertainments had no place in the New Testament church and were entirely contrary to the spirit of true religion. Rev. T. K. Doty well calls them the “devil’s love feasts.” Some were greatly incensed against the work¬ ers for their denunciation of the entertainment and a few evenings afterward they arrested the leader and his assistant, while they were conducting a street meeting and took them to the jail. The workers who were left went on with the street meeting for some time and then went to the hall where they conducted meeting. While the meeting in the hall was in progress the young men were locked up. No one, not even the prisoners themselves, knew the cause of their arrest. After a few minutes’ severe choking by the marshal’s grip on the back of his neck, the leader was thrust into the small jail where he was soon given the company of his assistant. Here they were left for about two hours, with no fire and no glass in the window. At the demand of Mr. Robert Bramley, a prominent business man, a fire was ordered to be built for the prisoners. When the marshal who had arrested the workers came to build it ? he was asked by the leader if Again in Jail. i8 7 he was a church member; to which no reply was made. On being asked a second time he replied: “Why do you ask?” To which the young man replied: “None but a false church member could act as you did in choking me and punching the back of my head when bringing me to this place. I feel convinced that you are a church member.” At this he colored deeply, for this proved to be the case. A trial was demanded for them by some of their friends, and they were brought to their own hall for trial just as the meeting was to be dismissed. As they came in with a large company of men and boys attending, the glory of God so fell on the woikers who were “companions of them that were so used,” that they leaped for joy, as they were licensed to do in Luke vi, 23. “ Rejoice ye in that day and leap for joy.” The officials talked over the case until midnight. As none knew on what charge the arrests were made, the police¬ man not being present, they could arrive at no conclusion. So it was decided to postpone the trial until the following Saturday. A description of the arrest and its termination was written by Mr. Dake for publication at that time which we present here: “Perhaps the most groundless arrest that has ever taken place since the work began, took place here at Palmyra, Wednesday, Nov. 28, 1SS8. No. 6, Brothers Nel¬ son and Cryer, assisted by a part of No. 5, were holding a street service, when the officer rushed up with a posse of men and three of them seized brother Nelson and took him away a short distance. Two others came to brother Cryer, then on his knees and asked him if he would promise not to pray. He answered: “No,” and they immediately took him, leaving three other workers and some brethren unmo¬ lested who went on with the meeting amidst howling on the part of some roughs, though none of these were arrested. “Three days after, I arrived and noticed a drunken man staggering around, but the quick-acting officer was no- 188 Vivian A. Dake. where to be seen. The boys were put in the calaboose and stayed several hours. Robert Bramley, (the Onesi- phorus of Palmyra, see 2 Tim. i, 16, 18), came and told the officers the boys should be tried that night, but when conducted to the hall there was no complaint. The officers said when questioned about the matter, that they were not arrested for holding a street meeting, but for the way they had talked against a Presbyterian festival in the hall. They postponed the trial until I came. Saturday, Dec. 1st we ap¬ peared for trial. One Methodist brother said he had five hundred dollars to spend for these boys. Another came to me and said: 4 I am worth ten thousand dollars and you can have as large a bond as you want.’ Of two well to do unsaved men, one said if we would put it through the circuit court he would pay all expenses, and the other said he would back it with all he was worth. 44 When we came up for trial, the officer who had arrested the boys had very urgent business at the county seat; another had a sick horse out in the country, and the rest were miss¬ ing, so the justice came and dismissed the suit. Brethren and friends had come for miles at the early hour of eight A. M. We went down on the street, held meeting, sang 4 songs of deliverance,’appealed our case to the court of Jesus Christ and started on the run for glory, immortality and eternal life.” Ottawa, Ill., was another new field which was entered at the close of the Harvest Home camp meeting. Of all the meetings held, though not notably successful in soul saving, none perhaps was more interesting or more eventful in many respects than the Ottawa meeting. The work was put in charge of No. 4 assisted bv No. 1. The meeting opened Aug. 14th in a tabernacle, but on the opening night the leader of No. 1 Miss Bertha Baldwin, was taken sick with typhoid fever. A week later, the leader of No. 4, Miss Minnie Bald¬ win, was also taken sick with fever, and for some days was Opposition. 189 near death. Miss Rena Brown, the leader of No. 11, was sent to take charge of the meetings. As the workers proclaimed war the opposition began, and grew more marked as the battle went on. Mr. Bram- wellonce wrote: “No great work can be done without much opposition. Never look for peace while you proclaim war.” When the workers went to the place they opened up the meetings with a street march and an open-air meeting. These meetings they continued, holding in various parts of the town and had large crowds in attendance, many of whom had never heard the gospel before. The mayor requested them to hold their meetings on the grounds of the court house in the central part of the city. This they readily con¬ sented to do. Finally, complaints were made by the Roman¬ ists and saloon keepers of the city, that the street meetings disturbed their business. The Catholic element seemed to grow more bitter and it was evident that something unusual was in store for the workers before the fight should end. On Aug. 17th, No. 6 opened meetings in a tabernacle at Grand Ridge, Ill. The blessing of God was on the workers in their labors but the results were small during their short stay. They closed Sept. 20th and No. n, com¬ posed of young ladies, continued the meeting. Considera¬ ble curiosity was manifested on the arrival of the band of young women and many came out to the meetings to listen to the songs, testimonies, prayers and pleadings of these consecrated workers. Mr. Dake came and helped in the battle and several sought and found the Lord. The meet¬ ing closed Oct. 17th. No. 11 opened at Spring Valley, Ill., a mining town of about six thousand inhabitants, mostly foreigners, about one- half of them Catholics, which, together with a number of saloons accounted for the lack of principle and order. Not being able to get the hall in readiness for meeting the first night, the sisters went to the street to hold a meeting and 190 Vivian A. Dake. announce services for the following night. The singing attracted many who greeted the workers with a chorus of yells. They crowded around so close as to almost tread on the workers as they knelt to pray. Street meeting over, the workers started for the hall, followed bv a howling: mob. Looking to the- Lord for protection, they found refuge for the night in the house of a kind family. The Lord kept their souls in peace. The following evening they held their opening meeting in the hall. Men and boys acted as if they were uncivilized and crowded into the hall with hats on, cigars and pipes in their mouths, and were so noisy as to make it almost impossible for the workers to get their attention. At first they seemed more like demons than men. but as the workers talked, the Lord stilled them so that they paid quite good attention during the remainder of the service. As the workers looked into the faces of the people before them they felt that “the harvest is great but the laborers are few.” Right here, in Christian America, with all her boasted progress, her churches, schools, Bibles and ministers they found a people but little removed from heathenism. Though the ignorance and superstition were so great yet the Lord wonderfully helped His little ones in delivering His Word and the people appeared at times to feel the solemnity which rested on the meetings. Mr. Dake was here but once—the latter part of No¬ vember. He led a street march which was good; but when they knelt to pray the howls and yells were deafening and when Mr. Dake stepped out to talk, none could hear him. Rubbish and stones were thrown. One boy was struck and the blood streamed down his face. A man was also struck in the face. The workers were all hid in the cleft of the Rock and received no blows. One of the sisters stepped out and talked a few minutes commanding the respectful attention of the crowd. After the street service they went to the hall followed by the crowd, who soon filled it. Serv- Opposition. 191 ices began and during prayers, two men got into a fight and fora few minutes the devil seemed to rule. Mr. Dake and the workers kept calm until quiet was restored when he preached from the text, u He did grind in the prison house.” The people were held in wrapt attention during the sermon. The following night he preached from the words, u What shall it profit a man, if he gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?” Mark viii, 36. Again did the truth take hold of the people for they sat as if spell¬ bound. When the truth was preached in the power of the Spirit without visible results, the workers rested on God’s Word which savs: “For as the rain cometh down, and the snow •/ * from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the # earth, and maketh it bring fotth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: so shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.” Isa. lv, 10, 11. After this No. 11 were called to join their leader in the battle at Ottawa. In addition to the regular meetings held by the bands, some of the individual members scattered out to different places, to help pastors on their circuits. The leader of No. 9 went to Springfield to help in the work there. Some good work was done among the members with Mrs. Singleton as pastor. No. 9 left Springfield, the leader going to Palmyra, to assist No. 6 a few days, from there going to Waverly, Ill., where Mr. Dake opened meetings for them Dec. 10th. God came in blessing and souls were convicted and converted. Mr. Dake preached here several times with much help from God. No. 10 were sent to Jacksonville, where meetings were opened Aug* 10, 1888. The Lord gave PI is help in these meetings. The congregations were very large at times and 192 Vivian A. Dake. a few souls were saved. Mr. Dake was present several times. The truths he preached stirred some to confess their wrongs and seek forgiveness. He preached three times. On the evening of the 28th he was especially helped in preaching from Heb.ix, 27, u And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment. ” The sermon was in power and as he sang at its close, u Parting to meet again at the Judgment,” great solemnity and apparent conviction came upon the congregation, but no move was made toward the cross. The meetings closed Nov. 2nd. No. 10 labored at Vir¬ ginia and Virden before Ingathering but with small results. After No. 7, Miss Flora Birdsall, leader and Miss Matie North, assistant, closed their labors at Strcator, they left for Michigan, stopping at various places on the way and holding meetings in which they saw some souls saved. They arrived at Fremont, Ind., where a place had been providen¬ tially opened for meetings in a small hall. Mr. Dake was present and commenced the work Nov. 14th. He preached several times at the opening services, then left for other points, leaving the band in charge. The Lord gave special help in all their labors. The crowds in¬ creased so rapidly that the small hall was inadequate and it was found necessary to rent a larger one. People began to awaken as out of a deep sleep. Many were troubled on ac¬ count of their sins. This awakening was general, extending into the surrounding country and stirring up all classes of sinners. There was the usual commotion in the enemy’s ranks when the batteries of heaven were opened upon them. Some who were awakened began to make an effort to get away from the devil’s power and some showed fight. It is often the case in meetings like these that at first everybody is pleased and in sympathy until the truth begins to burn them . Then a great change takes place. As one has said: “Let Ingathering. x 93 the truth strike home with unexpected vividness,then behold the attitude of the carnal mind! What indignation; what malice; what revenge may be against him who flings the fatal weapon and against all concerned. This enmity is nor apt to slumber in a revival. It is like the American snake, seldom caught napping in hot weather. In cold weather when the thermometer is below zero there is no danger from snakes; bring them to the fire, however, and life and enmity will soon appear. It is like fire smoldering under a heap of ashes—that is carnal enmity. Stir it up and it shows red life sufficient to kindle a conflagration that many waters can¬ not quench.” The workers felt this here as at other places, but trust¬ ing in God, they kept up a hot fire on the devil’s works and pressed the battle. The place was thoroughly shaken and a number were gloriously converted. The Eastern divisional Ingathering was begun here Dec. 20th. The bands were scattered so far apart that it was thought best to hold three Ingatherings, Fremont, Ind., Ottawa, Ill., and Carlinville, Ill., being the places chosen for these meetings. Mr. Dake arrived at Fremont, Dec. 20th and opened with a praise meeting. He was anointed of the Spirit in all of his ministrations. A 'number arose for prayers and some were seeking; but the break did not come until after the Ingatner- ing. Mr. Dake left for Illinois to attend the Ingathering there. The last meeting opened in 1888 was at Carlinville, Ill., by No - 5, M iss Grace Toll, leader. Arriving Nov. 28th, with but a few cents in their purse they got the hall in readi¬ ness for the meetings, and for two days and nights they were obliged to make it their home, and held street meetings which were so new that the people seemed afraid of them. On Saturday, Dec. 1st, Mr. Dake came with another worker and held a good street meeting after which he preached in the hall, then left for other points on the field. CHAPTER XVIII. The Ingathering began at Ottawa, Ill., Dec. 27th. The Lord was present to bless His children though the crowd was quite disorderly. Mrs. F. D. Brooke and others, with the help of the Lord spoke and held the attention of the 2^eople. Mr. Dake left for Carlinville to attend the Ingathering of the Southern division, leaving this meeting in charge of some of the older workers. On the night of Dec. 31st, three large bombs or explosives of some kind, were fired off in the hall at Ottawa, producing much confusion. The workers knew that these disturbances were made by Catholics, prin¬ cipally; but they were so sly about it that it was a difficult matter to bring them to justice. The Ingathering closed and meetings continued until January 18th, when they were obliged to give up the hall. They had thought of closing the meetings but hardly felt clear to do so and united in ask¬ ing the Lord to give them one soul, if it was His will for them to continue. The next night a young lady came to the altar and was saved. This settled the matter and another hall was hired and the meetings continued. A few nights later a young man was saved, after a desperate struggle. Soon another was saved, a man who had formedv been a Catholic. Mr. Dakecame and preached, Feb. 10th, and there was much conviction manifested. Others came to help and the truth with reference to Catholicism was proclaimed kindly but fearlessly. On March 15th, chairman O. V. Ketels came to hold quarterly meeting and on Saturday afternoon they held another street meeting at which Mr. Ketels was present. A large crowd gathered and good attention was given. After meeting was over they marched to the hall singing and soon For Jesus’ Sake. i9S were waited on by two policemen, who warned them not to go on the streets again, as business men were making com¬ plaints that their business was being disturbed by the meetings. The police said: u We don’t want to make you any trouble, but we serve the people, and may be obliged to arrest you if you stop on the streets again; you may march and sing but do not stop on the street.” The workers told them that the Lord commanded them to “ go out in the streets and lanes of the city ” and that they could not promise contrary to God’s commands. On Tuesday the workers went out and held another J street meeting and with the exception of the firing of one or two bombs by the crowd, and the burning of a substance which gave out a lurid red light, they had quite a good serv¬ ice. Again on Friday night, March 22nd, 1889, five of the workers made another attack on the powers of dark¬ ness. After marching around the square singing, they stop¬ ped by the court house, and after prayer and song, one of the workers Mr. Fred Osborn led out in exhortation, but was soon interrupted by a policeman stepping up in front of him and saying: “Move right on now, or you will be arrested.” He remained silent for a moment, not knowing just what to say or do. Again the policeman spoke: “Are you going to move on?” He replied: “Yes, as soon as the meeting is over,” at which the policeman turned and went away and the brother went on with the meeting after sing¬ ing a verse to restore order. At the close of the exhortation the policeman returned bringing another with him, and stepping up to the worker said: “ Now move on away from here or we will take you to jail.” Not moving on as or¬ dered, the policeman took him by the arm, and started on toward the jail. One of the sisters, Miss Rena Brown, then stepped out and began to exhort at which the chief police turned about and called out: “You might as well bring them all, Maloney.” Policeman Maloney then arrested the 196 Vivian A. Dake. four young ladies: Sisters Rena Brown, Fannie Birdsall, Minnie Baldwin and May Wessels, and giving them a slight push said: “ Come along,” and they all started for the jail singing: “At the end of our journey we shall wear a crown.” The policemen evidently thought these were peculiar prison¬ ers. They had been used to running in felons, tramps, etc., beastly drunk, but never before took as prisoners those who banquet with angels and partake of the hidden manna and the new wine of the kingdom. Poor deluded Romanists! They looked on in wonder to see the workers get blest, but could not understand it, for they try to satisfy the inmost yearnings of their souls on sacraments, holy water, beads, wax candles and the foreign gibberish of their priests. The workers were finally assigned their cells, the walls of which were lined with perpendicular planks, and the floor of two-inch planks with immense cracks between them, some nearly two inches wide. In these cracks the remains of the prisoners’ food were often thrown, which, with to¬ bacco, whisky and other filth, furnished good living for rats and mice, that might be seen through the cracks almost any hour; while loathsome vermin of various kinds could be seen in abundance. The young man, Mr. Osborn, was thrust into the inner cell and the young ladies, the front cells. A large plank door was between them in addition to the iron grating. In these quarters they all settled down after singing and prayers, to make themselves as much at home as possible. There was no furniture in the jail except some old plank bunks covered with very filthy blankets. Spreading some papers on the floor they spent the night as best they could, endeavoring to rest on these novel beds. There was one other prisoner in the jail. He was a labor¬ ing man and a Roman Catholic, He finally asked them what they were in jail for and they told him for holding meetings on the street and for preaching the gospel. With a look of surprise he said; “Why, that is strange! I am in For Jesus’ Sake. 197 for getting drunk and you are in for telling me not to drink. Queer laws and officers we have here!” Next day they were all marched up to the magistrate’s office to be tried. They marched double file with a body¬ guard of policemen before and behind them and sang as they marched. The streets were crowded witli men and boys and all eyes were turned on the defenceless street preachers. The case was tried before Justice Weeks. Two or three witnesses testified that the streets were blocked. No defence was offered except by a minister of the M. E. church at South Ottawa, who, passing by, heard what was going on, and came in and plead for the young ladies. Said he had a mother and sisters and would not like to see them in a dirty jail, that although he did not preach in the streets himself, he believed in letting those do so who felt led. But these things had no weight and the magistrate gave them ten days and sent them back. The policemen took them back as they had brought them amidst immense crowds of people. A deep silence prevailed and a feeling of solemnity settled down on the people. Knots of men were seen quietly, yet earnestly dis¬ cussing tTie events of the day and it was evident that the city was being deeply stirred. The workers were kept in jail seven days according to jail count, which counts each fraction of a day, a whole one. */ * During this time they had a varied experience. From one to half a dozen tramps were brought into the jail nightly, many times very drunk and noisy. One crazy man was brought. The workers sang and talked and prayed with all who came in and some of the men broke down and wept. Many of the lowest ones they talked to were Roman Catho¬ lics. The policemen and prison keeper were always kind to the workers and came around for a talk nearly every day. They had beds and bedding brought in to make the workers comfortable, and always listened while they sang the praises Vivian A. Dake. of God and talked to them about their souls. The leader of No. i, who had left a few days before the arrest, to join her band, which had gone to Kempton, Ill., was summoned by Mr. Dake to take charge of the meetings. Notwithstanding the imprisonment of the workers and many other reverses which they encountered, they were in no wise discouraged but the meetings went on with greater Interest than before. He who is not willing to preach the gospel in the hardest places is evidently not fit to preach it under more favorable circumstances. Rev. C. W. Sherman printed the following tract and had it distributed all over the city and sent some to the may¬ or: “To the professed followers of Christ in Ottawa, Ill., Beloved brethren and sisters: The Pentecost Bands now laboring in your city are all members in good standing in a Christian church. They have gone forth in the name of Jesus, forsaking home, abandoning all the inviting joys and pursuits of earth, and at their Lord’s command, hasten to the highways and hedges to rescue lost souls. u We have known some of them from childhood and have met them often in their own home circles. These pure maidens are imprisoned in the common jail of your city for the sole crime (?) of singing gospel songs and testifying for Jesus Christ upon your streets, where drunkards reel and curse, and harlots ply their foul pursuit, where murderous rumsellers deal out damning drink to some of your own sons, the minors of the town. Most all of these law-defy¬ ing and God-insulting Sabbath breakers, and other outlaws perpetrate their crimes with impunity under the very eyes of city officials. But the chaste maidens who visit your city on errands of love and mercy, are incarcerated in a filthy pri¬ son, for conducting a gospel service, where there is the least gospel and the most need of it. “Will you not in the name of common Christianity pro¬ test against this outrage upon conscience and the rights of For Jesus’. Sake. 199 men? Reach out a helping hand to those young sisters and wipe out the reproach upon your city and upon the name of Christ.” This stirred up the people more than ever before. Several times the police, visited the workers at the jail, and once the mayor came to try to get them to promise not to go on the streets any more; but they held firm and said they only wanted the same privileges at least as the opera troupe who, the very night the workers were arrested, were out with their band only two or three blocks away, and not only blocked up the street on one side, but all four corners and the center of the street were occupied, while the band only stood between the gutter and the center of the street and the people stood on the broad sidewalk of the courthouse. At no time was the sidewalk so full but that people could pass. Finding their arguments a failure, the officers left, say¬ ing: u You can go free any time you promise not to hold street meetings.” But this was not the end of their trouble. While the imprisoned workers sang, shouted, prayed and made the old jail ring with gladness, public sentiment was turning in their favor. The officers had arrested the workers at the instigation of the Roman Catholics, whose votes kept them in office. The officials of the city bow their heads to the whisky and Roman element, so that these two combined, practically, rule the place. But now the bane of public sentiment was settling down on this gross injustice and it put these officers in a peculiar position, as it were, between two fires. Nothing decisive was reached, however, and on the seventh day of their im¬ prisonment they were released. The meeting that night was better than usual and the few converts seemed more blessed than before. About this time a man from Princeton, Ill., who had been addicted to drinking, was saved in the meeting. He had been proprietor of a billiard hall at Princeton, but was 200 Vivian A. Dake. working at this place as an agent. After his conversion he was offered a sum of money for his gambling outfit; but he refused to sell it, saying that if he could not use it and be a Christian, no one else could. So he wrote his wife to keep the carpets, sideboard, etc., and have all his gambling outfit burned up in the street. This order, we understand, was subsequently carried out by himself. April 2nd the band again felt impressed to go upon the street. Believing the Bible precept that we ought to obey God rather than man,” they went trusting in God, and the four young ladies were again arrested and taken to jail amid .intense excitement. They had a short trial and were sen¬ tenced to thirty days’ imprisonment and the sentence suspen¬ ded until the next offense. That night two Roman Catholic men stayed after meeting to be prayed for. One of them was all broken up and wept and prayed until one o’clock in the morning but did not fully give up, because he feared the persecution which would inevitably come from his papist friends. A German boy was saved at this time and again the workers took courage. Several young men who feigned to be under conviction came to the altar. One of them did not find as much sport as he had anticipated, for conviction seized hold of him and he shook like one in an ague chill, wept and prayed until past midnight and was saved at home the next day. He was blest and gave evidence of having a real change of heart. The experience of these workers is not unlike those we read of in the Acts of the Apostles. In the fifth chapter we read of certain apostles who were c ‘put in the common prison” at the instigation of the high priest and Sadducees, who were indignant at them for teaching and preaching Christ and healing the sick. The angel of the Lord re¬ leased them and they began immediately to preach in the name of the Lord Jesus, the very thing they were com- For Jesus’ Sake. 201 manded not to do. Again were they arrested and brought before the council. “ And when they had called the apos¬ tles and beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. And they de¬ parted from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His name. And daily in the temple,, (the place in which they had been ar¬ rested) and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ.” Acts v, 40-42. Monday, April 8th, the workers again held a street meeting. After prayer they were again arrested and taken to jail, this time with a sentence of thirty days hanging over them. The next day the young man Mr. Osborn who had not been in the previous meeting and arrest, was taken before the magistrate for trial. A lawyer by the name of Lincoln came in and of his own accord, plead the case. He made two points very clear. First: It is a desperate thing to strike at religious liberty, as our forefathers bled and died for liberty, and especially religious liberty. Second: The charge was false. They could not law- fullv arrest and fine him under the ordinance he was said to •/ violate. The ordinance reads in substance: “ No idle per¬ son, or number of idle persons, shall be allowed to congre¬ gate on the streets or sidewalks and draw a crowd around them, or otherwise obstruct the street.” “You must first prove these persons to be c idle 'persons ” said he, “before you can arrest them under this ordinance.” After such a convincing plea, pne would have thought they would have gone no further, but the city attorney said: “ Give him thirty days and send him ba r kP The justice complied at once; so he was escorted back to jail by the police, feeling that he was in keeping with St. Paul and the prophets. The indignation of the better class of people was ris¬ ing rapidly and they expressed themselves to the officers, 202 Vivian A. Dake. who in turn went to the workers and tried to persuade them to promise that they would not go on the streets again. They said: “ You can march and sing or even talk and exhort as you go, but don’t stop.” The workers replied: “No, we must have our liberty.” The city press was publishing articles about the matter and one appeared headed, “An Elephant on Hand!” After stating the facts of the imprisonment and that the workers showed no sign of compromising but seemed perfectly con¬ tented with their quarters, the article ended with the query, “What are you going to do? Board the Pentecosters all summer r ” Public sentiment still grew in favor of the workers. A Baptist minister visited them and gave them words of en¬ couragement. A lawyer, Mr. Kelbourn, visited them in jail and said their imprisonment was unjust and that he would issue a writ of “habeas corpus” and get them out that week if they had no objections to his doing so. Parties visited the jail and offered to pay their fines and get them out, and a responsible man sent word to them that he would see them through if they would appeal the case, but they all declined and said: “ We will let God plead our cause.” On Thursday, near twelve M., lawyer Kelbourn came in with his papers all ready, and was just having the workers sworn, when the mayor, city attorney, marshal and chief of police came in, and after a short and fruitless effort to get them to promise not to hold street meetings, they let them go, say¬ ing: “Take the opera hoiise corner for your street meeting and we will give you a policeman to keep order for you.” This was a hard battle, but God gave complete victory. Two of the workers were quite sick after the last imprison¬ ment, which was the source of some uneasiness to the city officials, who offered them medical help gratis. It was re¬ spectfully declined and their cases put in the hands of the great Physician. The meetings continued until May ioth, For Jesus' Sake. 203 when the workers felt that their work was done here. Many pale faces looked up at the workers as they laid the truth on them for the last time. A few souls had been saved and a small class organized, but the great mass were not reached. As the workers left, they felt that this place, though the scene of much suffering, privation and soul strug¬ gle, had become very dear to them. Their souls yearned over these Roman Catholics, who, although they had not yielded to God, had become firm friends of the band and were under deep conviction. Previous to the arrest Mr. Dake was present and en¬ couraged the workers to be true to God. He took his place with them on the street though threatened with arrest. To avoid a break in the narrative we have continued the history of this meeting until its close, but will now return to the Ingathering at Carlinville, the last of the series for 1888. It began Dec. 27th with most of the workers of the Southern division in attendance. The meeting was held in a hall where a very large congregation attended and deep interest was manifested. The watch night service was held in the large opera house, because the hall was inadequate to seat the crowds. Mr. Dake and the workers joined in a street march. The large congregation listened to the burning testimonies and triumphant songs until many hearts were moved. Mr. Dake preached a most solemn and tender sermon from the word Remember.” Great seriousness was on the people and eternity seemed to draw near. Many wept as the speaker with uncommon unction held up a dying Christ, and showed them the things they should “ remember” and heed, and if they neglected these, how like the rich man in « hell they would remember ” with sorrow and regret their wasted opportunities when too late. As the old year was passing away this was especially impressive. He then sang: “Watch, brethren, watch, the year is dying, 204 Vivian A. Dake. Watch, brethren, watch, the time is flying, Watch, as men watch the parting breath, Watch, as men watch for life or death, Eternity is drawing near.’* An altar service was held and three, out of five seeking, were saved. Mr. Dake remained one day longer and three others were saved out of fifteen who were seeking the Lord. The Ingathering was a great help to the work. Conviction deepened and the interest increased. The fol¬ lowing Sunday evening was a time of uncommon power. As the young sisters preached, sang and exhorted, convic¬ tion fell on the people who filled the hall, and great solem¬ nity was felt. When the invitation was given twelve souls came to the altar and a precious time followed. Four men were saved, three of them being heads of families; some of them hard cases. About this time, the writer, in preaching, touched on the evils of Catholicism at which there was quite a stir and murmur of displeasure, in the rear of the hall. Three nights later he was called by a stranger a block away, who came running after him. On coming up with him he said: u Mr. N., I want to beg your pardon. The other night when you denounced my church I got mad and swore I would throw you through the window if you made a certain statement again. But, when I got home I could not sleep and the next day I felt worse and this continued until I begged God to forgive and take the sin out of my heart and the load off my conscience. > He heard my prayer, and light and peace came, and now, I know that your religion is right and my church is wrong. I am happy, happy! I shall never get mad at the truth again.” Thus, doubtless, it will be found in the eternal morning, that many have found the pearl of great price, as a result of these meetings, that did not find it at the altar. We have never met this poor u brand plucked from the burning” Band Work. 205 since that time, but hope to meet him blood-washed and safe at the Judgment. As the meeting went on a number of boys and girls were clearly and happily converted. Could they have had proper care from Christian fathers and mothers they would doubtless have grown into godly men and women. Some were overcome by the opposition at home. Some were faithful and true and became members of the class which Mr. Dake organized March xoth with sixteen members. One remarkable conversion was that of a boy about thirteen years of age, who a year or so before had shot and killed a man on the streets of Girard, Ill. The father of the boy had been killed by this man in a brawl some time previous and the lad was seeking revenge. The boy had been in the county jail at Carlinville for some time but was finally released and lived there with his mother. He was deeply convicted of his sins and came to the altar and with much earnestness and many tears confessed his great sin, and was forgiven and became one of the bright¬ est converts. He was unusually intelligent and felt a strong attachment to Mr. Dake. There were other clear conversions of drinking; and profane men and tobacco-users, who testified that grace had saved from every evil disposition and perverted appetite. The street meetings especially on Saturday afternoons, were usually times of freedom and blessing. The jail was faith¬ fully visited and the prisoners labored with. Some of them broke down and wept and prayed for pardon, two of whom gave good evidence that they had received the pardoning mercy of God. They were afterwards transferred to the Illinois state prison at Chester, and they continued to write to the workers, telling of their joy in the Lord and their gratitude that when in prison they had been visited and pointed to Jesus. After a lull in the meetings, two young ladies, Misses 206 Vivian A. Dake. Ida and Allie Wormwood, from an adjoining town came to visit friends and attended the meetings. Both of them were converted and called to work for souls and became faithful workers in the bands, where they remain to the present time. No. 5 continued their meetings until May 12th. It was here that the Reapers Home work began to take shape. Mr. Dake had for some time felt the neglected orphan children Laid heavily on his heart. He saw many growing up in sin, untrained and untaught, who might, with proper care and the grace of God, become useful men and women and bless the world. To get as many of these as he could at an early age and train them for God, became one of the great desires of his heart. He had three little girls of his own and had taken another child of a poor woman to raise. A house was rented in May and the band of workers in charge here moved in. Mr. Dake’s family soon came and thus with the four children the work began. At Girard, twelve miles north of Carlinville, meetings w r ere opened Jan. 31st for the sisters who composed No. 12. They had been assisting in the meetings at Spring Valley until this time. The glorious results which followed clearly showed that the field was ripe and all w^as ready for the reapers. The opening meeting was very encouraging. The Spirit fell on the workers and all felt that a glorious work would be done. The second evening a young lady was so awakened and convicted of sin that she came to the altar and began to crv to God for mercv. Her mother came and tried to have her leave the altar but she cried out: “I cannot go until I am saved.” Her father then came and dragged her from the altar over the seats, shaking her every time she cried out to God. The town was stirred all through. A few days later the young lady w r as clearly and joyfully converted and still later her mother and some other members of her family were Persecution. 207 saved. Other souls were also seeking and many were under deep conviction. A11 old gentleman received the witness of sins forgiven at home. Satan began to fear for his kingdom and subjects, some of whom made threats of rotten eggs, etc.; but they were restrained, proving the truth of God’s Word, “ Surely the wrath of man shall praise thee; the remainder of wrath shalt thou restrain.” Psa. lxxvi, 10. Heads of fami¬ lies were brought to repentance and salvation, in a number of instances, through the instrumentality of their children who had been converted in the meetings. Saturday, Feb. 23rd, Mr. Dake came and stayed until March 1st. With his usual earnestness he threw himself into the battle. God was pleased to pour out His Spirit in a won¬ derful manner and seventeen were clearly saved during his stav. Some were notable cases. A number of miners were saved while working down in the shaft. A barber and his wife were saved and also a number among the young people. Mr. Dake was unusually anointed on the evening of March 1st when he exposed some of the secret abominations of the Romish church, which had many followers in the town, and warned the people against it. Of course this greatly stirred the Romanists and incited them to revenge. After Mr. Dake had gone for the night to the home of one of the converts, and was sitting near a window, a brick came crash¬ ing through the glass, striking him behind the ear, cutting a gash to the bone. It narrowly missed one of the workers who was sitting near. Considering the force of the blow and the place where it fell, Mr. Dake was evidently wonderfully preserved by the hand of the Lord, for he suffered no serious results from it after the wound was dressed. With his usual fearlessness and praising God for his deliverance from greater injury, he remained two days longer though he had intended to go on to another point. The mob spirit was thoroughlv aroused and other attacks were made on those who dared to speak out against Catholicism and its iniquities. 208 Vivian A. Dake. Some time after this, the writer, who was in charge of this division was attacked on the street just before evening service, by a furious Catholic mob, who cursed and swore and pulled him about and tore his clothing while trying to drag him to the depot. They gave him five minutes to leave town or be killed, but he told them he was going to the hall to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ to them. They then started to drag him off again, when a woman, seeing the mob abusing him, ran down the street calling for the police. The people rushed to the place which caused the mob to desist from their work. Thus he escaped from their hands and made his way to the hall where he preached, though his clothes were much torn and bespattered with mud. Many of the Catholics came to the hall but the friends of the work stood guard, well armed, several of them having revolvers ready to defend him from a further attack from the blood¬ thirsty subjects of Rome. He rejoiced to be at his post in the pulpit. At the close of the meeting he was accompanied from the hall to the house of one of the converts where he was to spend the night, by a large number of converts and friends who insisted on thus protecting him. All unknown to him some remained and kept watch around the house all night lest an attempt be made by the mob to burn the house over his head. This is the spirit of that power, which is fast gaining control in our land. It is not equalled in bloodshed, brutality, ignorance and general vice by even its legitimate child,—the rum power. Divine retribution was not long in following those who were foremost in this murderous assault. One week from that day two of the leaders of that mob, who were also members of a base ball club, were in a saloon, (the usual resort of such characters) and fell into fin altercation over the results of a base ball game. It led to blows. One struck at the other with his ball club, who raised his hand Band Work. 209 to ward off the blow and was hit between the thumb and forefinger. The blow was dealt with such force that it was said that the thumb was torn from the hand to the wrist. In the heat of pain and passion, the wounded man drew a re¬ volver and shot his assailant, wounding him so severely that he hung between life and death for some time while the would- be-murderer fled from justice. These facts were published by several of the papers at that time and recognized as the retributive hand of God on those who had sought the life of one of the servants of Him who has said: “Touch not mine anointed, and do mv prophets no harm.” Psa. cv, 15. The same spirit was manifested to a great extent toward the young sisters later. But in spite of all opposition the work went on until a goodly number had been redeemed. The night police was found outside the door weeping one night as the workers were about to close the hall. He came inside, others who had not left coming also, and for nearly an hour and a half he prayed and cried for mercy. Such weeping and confessing is seldom heard from strong men. He had not been to the meetings for three weeks, because of the pangs of conviction which were on him. He declared he was the greatest sinner in town. After meeting the condi¬ tions he was given power to believe, and though almost in despair over his lost condition, he was soon manifesting his unbounded joy over his newly found prize and went from one of his sinful companions to another to tell them the glad news and to praise God for deliverance. These interesting and fruitful meetings closed June 9th after continuing four months and a half. A class had been formed with a membership of thirty-four, though nearly one hundred had found pardon. The meetings which were begun at Waverly and carried on by No. 9 were continued until Feb. 23rd, 1889 with good results. A little class of fourteen members was formed as the fruit of this meeting. 210 Vivian A. Dake. The work was moving on in the Eastern division where No. 7 continued their labors at Fremont, Ind. God came in power after the Ingathering and there was a real break among sinners. They sought the Lord at nearly every serv¬ ice. Some of the members of other churches had come to the meetings and endeavored to help at the altar by trying to get souls to believe they were saved before they had repent¬ ed; a thing often done in these days of spurious work. The Lord has given us many warnings, many examples whereby all may be undeceived and make sure work of con¬ version; but many stop short of the new birth and life. We read in Ezekiel, xxxvii that a great work was done in the valley of dry bones even before the life came into them. Souls may come to the altar and give up the world with its pleasures and follies, cease all their sinful actions, leave their secret orders and quit their tobacco using and general meanness, and even hold family worship and yet stop short of the new birth. Great care and faithfulness are necessarv on the part of laborers at the altar that the .seeker be held to continue honestly to seek and call upon the Lord until his faith grasps the promise and life is breathed into his dead soul. The progress of the work here was gratifying. There was the usual “ noise” and u shaking ” which was followed by the coming together of bone to bone, the breath of God bringing life and joy. The first to seek the Lord in this place was a young boy whose skeptical father dragged him from the altar to his home, while still praying, after which his schoolmate, a young boy, dropped on his knees and prayed until vic¬ tory came. The next day the first boy was grandly saved. Store-keepers, school-teachers, farmers, and others were deeply convicted and some of them were saved. We men¬ tion a few cases. One man became so troubled over his sins that he sold out his interest in a grocery store which included a Band Work. 21 i quantity of tobacco that God had shown him he could not sell to His glory. He sought and found the Lord and was an example of piety to all in the place. His wife was afterward blessedly saved. One young man, a cripple, v/alked three miles nearly every night through the snow to the meetings and was saved from his drinking and gambling and went home happy in Jesus. One school-teacher was blest and helped in the meetings whose wife declared she would never bow at a Free Methodist altar and defied the workers to pray her under conviction. Her case seemed a hard and hopeless one but the Lord was at work and during the summer camp meeting held at Ray, Ind., she was clearly converted after hours of struggle. A young lady school-teacher was saved and became very zealous in the work of God, talking to the unsaved and distributing tracts on the street and in the shops and stores; and it was evident that God was fitting her for a life of use¬ fulness in His vineyard. But after a few months she was turned away by the delusive doctrine of Sabbatarianism and lost the Spirit and her zeal for souls. Some members of the various denominations became much interested in the work and their hospitality and kind¬ ness could not be surpassed. But there was much opposition from many professors and some of the ministers. At one time when the subject of discontinuing the meetings in the large hall was under consideration the Evangelical church was applied for. The trustee to whom the application was made did not favor it, though he thought they might have it for one week as an experiment, but raised the objection that as the carpet was new , it was liable to be spoiled by so many rough boys and men who would frequent the meetings. The German Methodist church which was very seldom used was next applied for and the workers were told that the carpet was old and much worn and a crowd would be objec- 2 12 Vivian A. Dake. tionable as it would soon wear the carpet out. The workers trusted God to supply all their provisions without buying any, as their hall rent was so high, and God kept them bountifully supplied. God honored their faith and they lacked no good thing. Many times when out of wood or provisions they told God about it and their prayers were always answered. Mr. Dake helped here a number of times and as he preached the people trembled. A class of twenty-two mem¬ bers was foimed and the converts left in a flourishing condi- tion. The meetings closed March 28th. After a short rest, this band opened meetings at Crooked Creek, Ind., a pleasant village on Lake Greorge, a beautiful summer resort. A few 7 were saved and others seeking, but the time for the camp meeting at Ray, w r as near. This was the camp meeting of the division and was held in connection with the district camp meeting. Rev. A. Bradfield and the writer were in charge. Work was opened at a number of points in the Illinois divisions. In Kempton, 111 ., No. 13 began a meeting at the request of the class, Jan. 13th, 18S9. There w r ere some clear cases of conversion. This band continued here until Feb. 13th. With a change of leaders No. 2 took charge of the work here. Some w 7 ere saved during their labors and united with the class. Froin here they went to Cabery, a small place where meetings were held a short time but with small results. About this time Mr. Dake held meetings at Camargo, Ill., and after preaching a few days, left the meeting in charge of Nos. S and 13. He had remained there over the Sabbath and preached with the help of the Lord. There was a large attendance and the Word took immediate effect. In the prayer meeting the foliow 7 ing day two w T ere saved. The next day a backslider w 7 as reclaimed at his house and in the afternoon of the same day, two more w T ere set at liber- tv. Thus did they see fruit of their labors at once. The work progressed and souls were seeking in nearly every service Band Work. 213 and some found Jesus. One of the workers, a strong young man, was overcome by the power of God and lay on the floor for four hours. An infidel physician was sent for by some of the frightened congregation. On examining the young man he decided that there was a stagnation of the blood and lie must needs bleed him. This the leader of the band re¬ fused to allow, saying that God had his co-laborer’s case in hand and was physician enough to bring him through safely. The doctor then became angry and demanded pay for his services as he was called from his bed to the meeting at a late hour of the night. To which the leader replied, that the unbelieving friends who had sent for him should pay him; that the band had made no call and would pay no charges. God’s Word declares, u But the natural man re¬ ceived! not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are fool¬ ishness unto him: neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned.” 1 Cor. ii, 14. As a result of this gracious outpouring of the Spirit a lady saw she was not right and came to the altar confessing her sins. The next day she was saved. Conviction deepened on the people. Mr. Dake came again and remained over the Sabbath. A Sabbath school was organized and in the evening a Free Methodist class of twenty members was formed. Two were saved at the altar service following. For a time there seemed a lessening of conviction. Then the Spirit came anew and a number more were saved. The enemies of the cross were not asleep all this time, but showed their hostilities in various ways. The workers with a number of the members went to Hinesboro, Ill., to attend the praise meeting. On their return a party of them in one of the wagons was greeted with a shower of eggs. No serious damage was done. On going a few rods farther the two right hand wheels of the wagon came off; the burrs having been removed by some miscreant. The wagon fell Vivian A. Dake. 214 heavilv and one of the sisters was thrown out but was not seri- ously hurt. Assaults were made at different times. At Camargo, one of the workers, brother F. Andrews was knocked down in the mud by a man whose three daughters had been saved in the meetings and had taken the plain way to heaven. The Lord gave grand victories through all and made friends of some who had been enemies. Many more members were taken into the class and a church building begun. The church building was finished o o o before the band left and dedicated by Rev. T. J. Noland. No. 13 were laboring at Hinesboro. The meetings were well attended and the truth reached many hearts. About the middle of June some were saved, and as a consequence the devil stirred up some of his followers to throw missiles through the windows. In spite of the disturbance one soul came to the altar. The meetings closed in the hall June 30th, but the workers stayed and held prayer meetings and took care of the work until time for the Harvest Home. They had a cottage prayer meeting July iSth and 19th, at which Mr. Dake was present. The converts were organized into a small class. CHAPTER XIX. « Meetings opened at Nilwood, Ill., March 20th. These meetings were the first held by No. 14 as it had been but lately formed. It was composed of young ladies. The place was a small one and hard to reach and results were few though several professed to be saved and the workers gained deeper experiences here. At Shipman, a few miles Work at Tuscola, III. 2I 5 below Carlinville, No. 6 began meetings in April and con¬ tinued until shortly before Harvest Home. The Lord blessed their labors and saved some and a small class was organized. The hottest battle of all the fields at this time was being fought at Tuscola, Ill., where Band No. i opened meeting May 24th, assisted by No. 4. The marshal threatened to arrest them if they held street meetings; but they were too familiar with threats, jails and mobs to fear, so went on with their street meetings and were unmolested for a time. Entertainment was very scarce at first and opposition great. Windows in the hall were broken, and red pepper, bricks, cordwood, sticks and other missiles were thrown in. In addition to this the devil circulated the most scandalous reports that he could invent against the workers through one of the town papers. Adam Clarke, in his notes on Matt, xiii, 26, observes: Feb low-workers I am with you on the battlefield and will fie in the triumphal march.” The voyage to Liverpool was a pleasant one, though the sea was quite rough at times and there was some seasickness among the missionary company. How they spent the Sab¬ baths we will let Mr. Dake tell in his own words. “ Sabbath morning, Oct. 1 ith dawned upon us and found us in the midst of the great ocean. We all desired that God should be glorified in that day. Three times I went to the steward before we obtained permission to hold an afternoon service. The steward said this was an Episcopal boat, etc., but finally he gave permission. The Rev. Mr. Nelson of the United Methodist Free Church of England, assisted us. We sang, prayed and testified and I preached a short sermon from Luke, xii, 25. We had a good congregation and seri¬ ous attention. We trust an impression was made for good. In the evening the Episcopalian minister officiated and told his hearers that all they had done on the boat in games and sports was to the glory of God, and he doubted not it was more to the glory of God than as though they had gone around praying and saying, Hallelujah! “While he was thus crucifying his blessed Lord in the saloon w r e were out on deck and a large crowd of steerage Missionaries Outward-bound. 319 passengers were gathered on the lower deck and a number of cabin passengers on their deck. For an hour we sang glorious hvmns and songs and testified while the tide of blessing ran high. Amens came welling up and the melody of heaven went .sweeping over the white-capped waves. It was the best hour I ever spent on the ocean. We told the steer¬ age passengers that if we had been in charge of the boat we should have had them all into divine service. Thev called out, Hear! Hear! This is the English mode of ap¬ plause. “It was a grand time. When sister Sherman spoke, the first cabin passengers said, Amen! Then we sang the dox- ology and retired to roll and rock in our berths and sleep the sleep of the just. We are all in good spirits. The most of us are well. Five of us are especially well. God’s serv¬ ice, the anticipation of coming conflict, and surety of victory, cause us to rejoice in the Lord and joy in the God of our salvation.” On the arrival of the ship at Liverpool, the ^England band was met by friends who took them to Milnrovv, Lan¬ cashire, where they spent some time. Mr. Dake went to see them settled in their place of work, then returned to Liver¬ pool where he remained to help the India band off to their far-away field. The days spent in Liverpool were busy ones. The following letter to Mrs. Dake in the familiar affectionate language of the husband to the wife and mother, gives a glimpse of Mr. Dake’s great love for souls as he saw them in the mission which they attended. “ Liverpool, Eng. Oct. 19, ’91. “My Ow?z Precious Wife :— u This is six A. M. I have been out to get some milk, and Laura and Bessie have the toast and graham porridge ready. O, such a day as I had yesterday. George and I at¬ tended a mission kept by a man by the name of Herbert 3 20 Vivian A. Dake. Wood. He is an ex-member of the Church of England. He calls his mission 4 The Home of Love.’ Then he has another mission which is run by four ladies, 4 The Slum- worker’s Home.’ George and I held meeting at eleven A. M., Sabbath in 4 The Home of Love.’ Had a very good time. Only converts and workers were present. 44 In the afternoon we had an open-air meeting on the steps of the slum home. O what a sight! Little children, barefooted, dirty, ragged, with matted hair, pinched and hungry-looking. Women filthy—faces as dirty as if they had slept in a pigpen! Mamma, I never saw such a sight. After the 4 open-air ’ we invited them in. Some of those poor lost creatures came in. My heart broke! I sobbed and cried and groaned, and the tears flowed in streams from my eyes. O, mamma, I thought, could it be possible they were made in the image of our lovely Jesus? So lost! 44 I threw myself anew recklessly out for a lost world, and if you, Ida, had been here yon would have given me an extra push and said: 4 Go darling, go with all your might, and my praySrs shall be your wings.’ Two poor women knelt at the altar, and my tears flowed for them. One of them was full of rum, but they both prayed. When the meeting was over two women stayed. I went and talked with them and they said they wanted a piece of bread. They had had nothing to eat that day. One was a poor lost creature. The other was a Welsh girl of nineteen. She said her parents were dead. She had come to Liverpool to work, and after a time her work gave out. Then the woman where she boarded took her clothes. Then she could get no place be¬ cause she lacked clothing. The night before she had slept in a four-cent lodging house! I am going to see what can be done for her. I hope to get her saved. 44 O God, have mercy on the lost of this awful city. I see your tears, my darling, and they flow as mine did over those for whom Christ died. Saturday I went out to Roch- Missionaries Outward-bound. 3 21 dale where No. 15 are. Such a pretty ride through the green fields and quaint villages. I went down to Manchester, a great city where they make much of the cotton cloth of the world. At Rochdale, I changed cars and went to Milnrow, two miles further. I found them all of good cheer. It is a quaint old town with narrow streets and brick houses with slate roofs. I think the outlook for work is very good, blessed be God. My soul gets hotter and hotter. George and I start to-morrow for Norway, D. V. I have had a little sore throat, I guess because I have had no preaching to do, for since yesterday it is better. Glory to God! My soul ex¬ ults and praises the Lord. u I long to hear from you, and probably will in Norway. You will soon begin to get my letters, then you will hear from me often. Write me all about everything. Love to all. Much love to yourself. Kiss all the babies for me, down at the Home too . Yours, V. ” To the friends and workers in America, Mr. Dake wrote an account of this meeting and the heart-rending cases he saw, and added: “ I said while in the midst of this awful scene, O Lord, I’ll run for Thee as I never have. O Pentecost workers! prepare for an advance. You have only yet touched the edge of the terrible layers of lost men. Some think we work too hard, and sacrifice life and health too greatly. But could you see these poor drunken wrecks who have sacrificed body, soul and spirit to the devil, I think you would say, no sacri¬ fice is too great to rescue a lost world from hell. While the many settle down in selfish ease, I want to blow a trumpet so loud that you will all feel the needs of the world and will rush forth to work and to 4 count not your lives dear • . UNTO YOURSELVES. ’ “R ight in this Liverpool slum work we want volunteers. Who will arise and go? Pentecost workers, the whole world 3 22 Vivian A, Dake. needs the gospel we preach. Free Methodism in its purity is what the world is dying for. Gird your loins and get ready for the field God will send you to. Yours in the forefront, Vivian A. Dake. CHAPTER XXV. On the 20th of October the India missionaries sailed from Liverpool, and on the 21st Messrs. Dake and Chapman sailed for Norway to visit and encourage the band there who had been seeing the salvation of souls since the close of our last report. Of the visit to Norway we can do no better than to in¬ sert the published account of it by Mr. Dake under the head of “ Kindling Watch Fires.” “From Hull, England, brother Chapman and myself took the steamer EL Dorado, to Bergen, Norway. We took steerage passage. It took us two days and two nights. We were able to endure it but did not eat steerage fare. We had a very smooth passage. We think our God smoothes the sea before us, as the steamers we have gone on, all the way from New York, have had very stormy voyages preceding the one we took. On the steamer the chief engineer was very kind to us. He took us down and showed us all the new machinery of the boat and then took us into his cabin* “We talked with him and asked the privilege of prayer. He knelt with us while we poured out our hearts to God. We believe it was not in vain. In the steerage we prayed constantly 7 . A merchant of Aalesemend was with us. He •/ was touched. When we landed at Bergen, he followed us to our boat (he was going another way) and bade us God¬ speed, and asked us several times to remember him in our prayers, and gave us a warm invitation to come to Aalese- Missionaries Outward-bound. 323 mend, Norway and visit him. Thank God! We will have brother Ulness go in our stead. So God helps us as we travel, to sow the seed. “We found the coast of Norway very beautiful. We changed steamers at Bergen, and took a coasting steamer. We saw beautiful scenery all the way. Villages at the foot of mountains hundreds of feet high. Cattle and sheep feed¬ ing on the sides of the mountains and over beyond, the higher snow-capped mountains four thousand feet above the level of the sea. c< After dinner to-day (Oct. 23rd) brother Chapman and I went into the steerage saloon and sang, read the Bible and prayed. We told the Lord that although the people could not understand us, yet He could make them feel the power ot our prayers. When we finished men, women and children were crowded all around us, looking on with interested faces. “ Inland we went on the bosom of the great fiords (ocean arms) until we came to Sostrand. There had been a dedication of an orphanage there and a great crowd came on the boat. They sang one of their songs, then brother Chap¬ man and I san«;: i I’m washed in the blood.’ Then two schoolmasters spoke to us and asked us to please speak some ‘good’ to the people. We told them we could not talk Norwegian but we could pray. So we prayed and God came. A great crowd.gathered around. One of those who had spoken to us urged us to come to his village and thanked us very much. We shouted and praised God and brother Chapman had a time of blessing. “We soon reached Sogndal. What a meeting with our dear brother and sister Ulness! We sang and wept and shouted. While the power fell, we sang, ‘ It is good to be here.’ ” From August the Norway missionaries had continued their labors in the face of formidable foes and could see the blessing of the Lord attending and His Spirit at work on 3 2 4 Vivian A. Dake. some hearts. They were made to greatly rejoice over the conversion of the aged grandfather of Mr. Ulness. He had never before experienced the saving grace of God. As Mr. Ulness and wife began their labors, the truth took effect in the aged sinner’s heart, and he repented and turned to the Lord. He continued thus in prayer for several months. This determination on his part brought a degree of earnest¬ ness which the Lord rewarded by coming in power to his soul. This was on Aug. 19, 1891. The grandmother had been led out into a deeper experience and the daughter saved some time before, and it was indeed a happy family. Mr. Ulness had strongly felt before going to Norway that God would make him instrumental in leading these aged relatives and other kinsmen to Christ and so it proved. In addition to the meetings at Sogndal, the band had a country appointment several miles from town which they reached by climbing the mountains and making their way over huge rocks. A company of thirty interested and attentive people would gather at these meetings on the mountain side and listen to the truth preached. The warm clasp of the hand and the streaming tears witnessed to the appreciation oi their hearts. Services were held in Sogndal every Sabbath up to the arrival of Messrs. Dake and Chapman. We now continue Mr. Dake’s letter: “What a beauti¬ ful country! Out from brother Ulness’ window we can see an arm of the sea a mile wide while beyond it is a great snow-capped mountain six thousand feet high. Great mountains surround Sogndal on every side with narrow openings for the arm of the sea. Down through the town from the mountains flows the Elve river, ice cold, from which the whole town get their supply of splendid drink¬ ing water. u Oct. 24th. This is our first day at Sogndal. We have been blessed all day. Have met some of the converts. This afternoon, we held an open-air meeting. Brother Chapman In Norway., 3 2 S and I talked and brother Ulness interpreted for us. Some were weeping and we look for fruit. Sister Ulness exhorted in very good Norwegian. We gave out a meeting on the mountain for to-morrow morning, on the street at two P. M., and in a private house in the evening. The watch fire is burning and we are doing our best to add to the flame. Let all the friends of Norway pray. There is a watch fire here that will never go out. V. A. D.” In the following letter Mr. Dake further reports their labors and victories during their brief stay in Sogndal: c< From the first our visit to Norway has been victorious. The day after we arrived we held a street meeting and every day since we have had two or three meetings a day. On the Sabbath we held two street meetings, and in the evening three came to the altar. Two of them belonged to the middle class. Thev have been saved. Four have •/ professed religion since we came. One of them is one of * the brightest sairits I have seen. Her face shines with the light from heaven. Pray for Madam L-, this blessedly saved woman. u There are now about fourteen who have been saved and the work is breaking out in new force and power. The watch fire has been much stirred up and is burning brightly^. The Lutheran church stands right in the way, but our God is mighty. To-day brother and sister Ulness had their first money given to them, they have received from Norway. It was sixteen krona and nine ore, equal to four dollars and thirty-five cents. On Wednesday night I made a call for free will offering for them, and Thursday forenoon two old men, one a rich miser, came down to the house and gave them eight and one-half krona. This was in direct answer to prayer. Sister Ulness had been praying God to lay it on that man to give fifty kronas. Oh these ripening fields! How the fire burns! We are seeing the 3 2 6 Vivian A, Dake. best days of our life. God sent us to Norway and results followed. V. A. D ” The following is the last report from Mr. Dake in Norway: “We left Sogndal, Norway at one A. M. The parting was characteristic of this warm-hearted people. The converts sent us in food and little presents and shook hands with us over and over again. On the steamer we held meetings twice and God came in power. The passengers crowded around us. We were in the third class saloon. Since we left England brother Chapman and myself have traveled steerage. We stand it veiy well on these short trips; but for very long ones it is an unclean, unhealthful way of travel. By the time one has bought a bed and extra food, which all generally need, the expense is not much less than second cabin. In Bergen we staid until Monday, Nov. 2nd. Here God helped us to kindle a fire that will not soon go out. Brother Chapman learned by inquiry that Rev. O. Oleson, an M. E. preacher and the father of a schoolmate of his, lived in Bergen. The young man, Joseph Oleson, had roomed with brother Chapman two years at Evanston, Ill. “On Saturday evening we went to the first M. E. church to hear brother Oleson preach, and were surprised to find a bazaar goi 7 ig on . Brother Chapman met brother Oleson and he asked him to speak. Brother Chapman got up, brother Oleson interpreting, and told the people what Methodism was, and that worldly amusements were not needed to carry on the work. He talked plainly against their bazaars, etc. We stayed only a few minutes. What pain to find God’s house turned into a 4 house of merchandise. ’ In spite of this plain talk, the pastor came to me and asked me to preach for him Sabbath morning. We had four hundred to preach to. Brother Ulness interpreted for me and we had a time of blessing. Hot shots of truth pierced the hearts of the people. Sometimes they swayed to and fro and some stood on their feet and In England. 3 2 7 listened and many wept. There was a stir in the camp. Several came and asked us to stay a week and said we would have many souls. “ An old sea captain took me home to dinner with him, while brothers Chapman and Ulness went with the janitor who did not believe in the bazaar and rejoiced in the truth we had been preaching. At noon brother Chapmen gave the children a talk on Africa. At five P. M., brother Chapman preached in the second M. E. church, brother Ulness inter¬ preted. They had a great shout; both of them shouting the praises of God. About twenty came to the altar seeking holiness, among them our host at dinner, and some were much broken up. ” Messrs. Dake and Chapman were now en route for England where the band had already begun their work for the Lord, at Milnrow, county of Lancashire. It had several chapels and the Established Church of England within its borders. The workers found that spiritual death reigned. They began to pray for the Holy Ghost and fire and held meetings nightly in the hall. Mr. Dake came Nov. nth on his way from Norway and together they held open-air meet¬ ings for it was very difficult to get the people out to the meet¬ ings in the hall. We here insert more of his letters which give an inter¬ esting account of his experiences along the way: “KINDLING WATCH FIRES. M u By the blessing of God we came safely across the North Sea on the good steamship Norge and landed at New Castle- on-Tyne. The same night we ran up to Edinburgh, Scot¬ land. We stood over the grave of John Knox who said while wrestling in secret prayer, 4 Give me Scotland or I die. 5 We stood in the St. Giles cathedral where he preached. The Edinburgh castle was of melancholy interest as marking the place where many reformers and Covenanters met death. 328 Vivian A. Dake. c< We stayed only a short time in Edinburgh and started toward London. We stopped at Sheffield. We found here a band of warm-hearted people. One brother had been formerly a Primitive local preacher, but on account of his out-spoken utterances on Bible holiness he had been forced to leave the Primitive church. He and his true-hearted wife were of one heart with us. We were given a home among them. We believe God has a band of pilgrims in Sheffield. They had never heard secret societies spoken against but they agreed to the truth as we spoke against them. Their gold rings they were willing to lay aside for Jesus. We had a blessed meeting with them. “ From Sheffield, we came to Birmingham. On the train we had the chance to speak to a young lady who promised to write to us,and of whom we believe God will make a worker. God was working on her heart. She was an earnest, simple Scotch girl. At Birmingham we met a man whose heart was all afire. He had joined the Salvation Army for the present. He praised God aloud that we had come to Eng¬ land. u We had by this time got about to the end of our money. It was Saturday and we were going to London; we knew no one there and must have money for lodging. We had been in prayer and told the Lord all about our case. Just as we were leaving brother T--s for the train he took out his purse and gave us money enough to send us on our way rejoicing. I said to him, “How did you know that we had but little money left?” He said he did not know, but God told him to give. He entreated us to return to B., and said God had a great work to do. “We got into London after dark, and found a cheap room up in the attic of a small hotel. We had a grand time praying Saturday night (Nov. 7th) until midnight for salva¬ tion among the bands over Sabbath, and felt that God answered. ” Historic Scenes. 3 2 9 This was Mr. D’s custom on Saturday evenings during the last months of his life. “ Sabbath morning we went to service at Westminster Abbey. In the afternoon we went to Wesley’s Chapel, City Road. Wesley laid the corner stone April ist, 1777. He preached the dedication sermon Nov. ist, 1778. Many times have these walls resounded with his voice. S To the left of the church stands the house in which Wesley died, March 2nd, 1791. Back of the church we stood by the graves of John Wesley, Adam Clark, Richard Wat¬ son and Thomas Rutherford, historic names in Methodism. Men of faith, simplicity and power. “ In the Bunhill Fields graveyard across the way we saw the graves of John Bunyan, Susannah Wesley (mother of John and Charles Wesley) and Isaac Watts. We were much blest as we stood over the grave of Isaac Watts and repeated his grand hymn, ‘When I survey the wondrous cross,’ etc. In Wesley’s Chapel across the way we saw the demoraliz¬ ing, blighting effect of worldliness. The church has been newly fitted up. They have prayer books and in some things are not far behind the Established Church. They have the same high pulpit, the same tablets for the dead and their house of resurrection which Wesley founded has indeed be¬ come a house of the dead. “The service was a children’s service. In the evening brother Chapman attended the Salvation Army. Thus God is helping us. More and more am I convinced that in no land is there greater need of a church which preaches and holds to separation from the world than in England. We are here for that purpose and feel that God is opening our way before us. Hallelujah! My soul burns as we kindle watch fires. I feel in divine order, and to God shall be all the glory. u In England we found none that were with us on the line of separation from the world which we preach. I went 330 Vivian A. Dake. to see Reader Harris, the leader of the Pentecost Mission Band. They teach and believe in holiness as a second work. They publish a paper called Tongues of Fire . I did not have time to find out whether they preached against secret societies and worldly doings in the church or not. “We went to Smithsfields where the martvrs were burned and what a thrill it was to feel that they had ‘ loved not their lives unto the death.’ Here Annie Askew was burned on the complaint of her husband. The noble John Rogers shouted the victory in the fire. Also John Bradford and John Philpot. It was a grand place to my soul. “The second day I was there we were holding an open- air meeting in front of a saloon. While I was praying some one threw a lot of water over us all. As the water came on us, the joy of the Holy Ghost fell also. What a blessed shout and victory we did have. When the water came the crowd fell back, for as is usuallv the case the devil wet his own soldiers worse than us. Some ladies came to sisters Bruner and Cryer while they knelt, and brushed off the water saying, ‘There, there, never mind.’ We didn’t mind; we shouted and praised the Lord and leaped for joy. O glory to God! “ When we got up, the woman who kept the place came out and took hold of brother Cryer and me and gave us a shaking apiece which helped our joy a little more. Glory to God! She then went after the policeman and we thought we might have a chance to go to jail. We were on what we thought was the street, but which we found was paved land belonging to the public house. The policeman asked us to please move into the street and we did so, and our meeting went on in the Spirit. “ O, how I feel God’s power coming on me. I would like to be ‘one’ for every land. I see the need so in Nor- wav, in England, in Africa and in America that I would like to be in every land. My heart is with the dear workers in In England. 33i America and together we will conquer. God is with us. “The grandest victory we have had on our journey we shouted over in Liverpool. The first soul to die the death to carnality and receive the Holy Ghost and fire was a sister in Liverpool, Mrs. M-. She has been seeking a long time and has nearly been in despair. Four weeks ago when we preached in Liverpool she was fasting and praying all day and did not come out to meetings. Her hired girl was out, and when the meeting was over she hastened home and told her mistress that two American missionaries were at meeting o and from what they preached she (the hired girl) was not saved. Then she broke down and sobbed. Her mistress told her to calm herself and tell her what the men had said. Then she told her how we had said that God would destroy all the self-life and that it must die; that we said she must confess the carnal nature to God and that God could destroy the carnal self in an instant. The sister said: 4 1 am very glad, that is what I want,’ 44 She went to praying more earnestly than ever and at midnight the next day she came through shouting victory. She at once went to testifying and in a number of places in the city began to tell them what she had found. How God has led her out! and how clear is the light of God on our path! She received all alone in Liverpool, just what I got in Marengo, Ill. The maid has not yet got the blessing but is seeking earnestly. 44 The leader of a mission work, an Episcopalian clergy¬ man is also seeking the death to the carnal mind. How our souls have been lightened over this glorious victory. Sister M-has also been healed of a cancer. Let us all praise the Lord. Vivian A. Dake.” The work at Milnrow continued until Dec. 6th, the workers using every means within their power to awaken souls. Feeling that the Lord would have them go to another place, they closed. 33 2 Vivian A. Dake. They arrived at the Mission of Love and began labors Dec. 23, 1891. There is much poverty among the lower classes of Liverpool, because of sin and low wages. In the leaders of the Mission of Love, Mr. Herbert Wood and his workers, they found the most spiritual, true and plain followers of Jesus of any since arriving in England. The workers felt much freedom among them. Mr. Wood had left his position as vicar in the Church of Eng¬ land to go into the slums and preach Jesus to fallen human¬ ity. This is a good illustration of the practical Christianity which the followers of Jesus profess, but too few possess. Modern Christianity is too well dressed, too cultured, too dignified to go down into the slums seeking the lost. We see some going down into the haunts of sin to pull souls as brands out of the lire, using their time, talents and money to u lift up the fallen.” The blessing of God had attended this well named “ Mission of Love,” until quite a company had been rescued from lives of sin. Praising God for His goodness the workers took hold of the mission work heartily and as they engaged in earnest efforts for souls they saw such scenes of misery, poverty and sin as they never witnessed before. The curse of drink was a blight on the whole city. Here they continued to labor until the end of the year. We leave them for a time to follow the India Band in their journey across the great deep. We will insert some of their letters which will be of interest to our readers. u Indian Ocean, November 14, 1891. “We are nearing dear India and are both well and very much blest, rejoicing in the Lord. Hallelujah! We had such a good time at family prayers this morning, and are of¬ ten refreshed from on high. We will probably reach Tuti- corin to-morrow night, where I will mail this. My last let¬ ter was mailed at Aden, where we stopped a number of hours. India Missionary Letters. 333 Men came on board selling ostrich feathers, ostrich eggs, etc. The eggs were about as large as a sugar bowl, speckled much like a turkey’s egg. The shells were empty but so thick and strong. In the distance we could see an ostrich farm. Food has to be imported to the English soldiers and those who live here, as it rains so seldom they cannot raise anything for food. They have an immense reservoir for catching a supply of water when it does rain. “This morning we passed the island of Minicoy. It was quite refreshing to see the groves of cocoanut palms that grow in abundance here. It is four weeks to-day since we left Liverpool. Of course we are very anxious to reach our des¬ tination, and shall be glad when sailing days are over. However, the time has been profitably spent, and I have ap¬ preciated such a good opportunity for study. The Bible never opened up to me as in these days. How my soul feasts as I dive into its mine of treasures; its priceless gems of truth sparkle so brilliantly as the light of the Holy Spirit beams upon them. I never had such a nearness and inti¬ macy with God as of late. It is so blessed, and dispels every¬ thing like loneliness or homesickness. The King of Glory has filled all the void made by the absence of friends and loved ones. Glory, glory, glory! “ The responsibilities ahead look great indeed. I truly feel that ‘ He who hath helped me hitherto, Will help me all my journey through. And give me daily cause to raise New Ebenezers to His praise.* Often as I come before the Lord and put Him in ‘remem¬ brance’ He renews His covenant and gives assurance of souls and victory. We expect to spend next Sunday in Columbo, Ceylon. “ How I would love to have you feast you eyes on the indescribably grand sunsets we have witnessed. Such are 334 Vivian A. Dake. not known in that part of the world. The sun sets like a ball of fire dropping into the sea, leaving the sky lit up so grandly, the colors shaded from a fiery reddish hue to the most delicate pink, mixed with the dove-colored clouds. It makes one gaze in awe and wonder. Surely ‘ the firmament showeth His handiwork. 5 44 Almost every evening there is some new and beautiful aspect to the sunset. The nights on the water when the sea is calm, moon shining, stars so bright, gives an idea of the majesty of our God 4 Who hath measured the waters in the hollow of His hand, * * and comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure, and weighed the mountains in scales and the hills in a balance.’ Isa. xl, 12. How grand the thought that He who ‘inhabiteth eternity,’ and 1 sitteth upon the circle of the earth, whose inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers’ in His sight, is so mindful of His children that even the verv hairs of our head are all numbered. 4 This mighty God is ours.’ Hallelujah! 4 The voice that rolls the stars along speaks all the promises.’ 44 One of the missionaries on our ship is a little woman, not quite as tall as I, and no more robust. The Baptist Board send her out. She wanted to go to China as an evangelist, but was sent to India as a teacher. On learning this we felt so thankful that the Lord Himself had chosen our field. Bless His name, He makes no mistakes. 44 1 am sitting on deck writing, have on a thin dress, and there is a pleasant breeze, so it is just comfortable. We have been so favored with good breezes that we have suffered from the heat but little. It is much better at this time of the year in this regard. The Lord has so wonderfully prospered us during all our long voyage, as we have been favored with such good weather and sailing most of the way, and escaped some very hard storms. Crossing the Atlantic we just missed a hard storm, also one followed us; some lives were lost in the Bay of Biscay. The evening we stopped at Tuticorin, India Missionary Letters, 335 S. W. India, we escaped a cyclone in which some sixty or more lives were lost at sea. Truly God has answered prayer. What a mighty God is ours! Hallelujah! Your loving, far-away sister, all for souls. Bessie Sherman. 5 ’ “ Bombay, India. “Dear Workers and Home Friends:— “We hail you from our Indian battlefield, are well,blest and glad to be here. Hallelujah! God has wonderfully been with us, and we are proving c He that dwelleth in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.’ While at sea, storms raged behind and before, but we were kept in safety, just escaping from very severe ones. Truly we felt we were being kept in the hollow of His hand. God who called us forth was ‘ Master of earth and sea and sky,’ and we felt He was answering the many prayers that were ascending from the hearts of loved ones at home. “While at the island of Malta, we were told it was not safe to talk salvation or to distribute tracts, because of an agreement with the Catholics here and the British govern¬ ment, who had promised not to interefere with their religion. But we felt we could not come away without doing our duty to their souls. So we went and improved opportunities to talk salvation and hand out tracts, and returned to the boat feeling good in our souls. We felt if Paul had been placed in similar circumstances he would have gone and preached the gospel, even though it might take him to jail. “ As we anchored in the harbor of Ceylon’s lovely isle, Nov. 21st, we caught the spicy breezes sometime before reaching its shores. We visited the spice gardens, gathering some leaves and flowers to press and send home. We found this indeed a beautiful place, and on visiting a Buddhist temple, thought of the verse, ‘ What though the spicy breezes Blow soft o'er Ceylon’s isle; 33 6 Vivian A. Dake. Though every prospect pleases, And only man is vile?’ Before leaving the isle we visited the Salvation Army Rescue H ome, sang c All hail the power of Jesus’ name,’ prayed and were refreshed. “ A few days later we landed at Madras. Here our sail¬ ing days ended, as we went by rail to Bombay. Sister Kittie Wood met us at the docks and gave us a hearty wel¬ come. We were glad indeed to see her face again, it being sometime since we last met. We spent six pleasant days here, prayed and got blest together as of old. She does her work and feels in divine order. We were afforded something of an insight into the Army work in India, attending meeting every night, and had our first experience in talking through an interpreter. “ Two nights and a day on the train, and we reached Tanna, a suburb of Bombay, and were warmly greeted by brother and sister Prautch. They took us to their pleasant home, situated on a hill overlooking a beautiful valley, which is surrounded by mountains. About the first thing we saw on entering was the word c Welcome ’ in large letters. They have been friends indeed to us, and we pray God to reward them with many souls. We are earnestly praying God to direct us in our work, and are looking for a place in which to begin meetings among English speaking people, of which there are many. We expect brother and sister Ward to join us in our work here. “We feel we made no mistake in coming as we did, but feel God has led all the way in spite of the many voices that called otherwise. We feel so good when we think His still small voice was heard above them all. We will know His will and do it . Bless His name! u Dec. 19th. I am writing to-day in our first band home in India. It has two cosy little rooms, scantily fur¬ nished, but we are happy and feel at home. India Missionary Letters. 337 “ Our room is just across the street from brother Glad¬ win’s office. He gave us some native matting for our floor, and he has been exceedingly kind in many ways. Brother Ward came to Bombay just in time to help us out. He got a box and put in a couple of shelves for our cupboard, and has helped us in buying our rice and the few things we need to eat. He also gave us his cot to sleep on while he sleeps on the floor at brother Gladwin’s. We have our two steamer chairs and two trunks and this is all of our furniture, with the exception of the little oil stove mamma gave us just before leaving Evanston. This looks very much like our band homes do in America, and as we run for souls it is hard to realize we are so far from our loved ones; you all seem so near. We are both real well and united heart and hand for the sal¬ vation of India. Pray for this needy held and obey God when He talks to you about it. Laura E. Douglass. ” “ Bombay, Dec. 25, 1891. cc Glory to God in the highest! Amen! The Lord’s hand has so wonderfully led through all the changing scenes of the past year, and to-day we are celebrating our first Christmas in India. This is my twentieth birthday. Brother Gladwin wished me forty years for God in India, and I said, amen. Last Christmas I was one of your happy number, surrounded by the influence of that glorious Christian home; now rolling seas lie between us, and we are in the midst of dark heathenism. But it is a glorious day to my soul, and it is such a privilege to be here to hold up our wonderful Jesus. u It does not seem much like Christmas to-day. It is more like the Fourth of July. One of our neighbors, who was in the prayer meeting last night, sent us in this morning a plate containing oranges, apples, some bananas, and Christ¬ mas cake, with their best wishes. We had a good dinner. I did not expect so much in India. The Lord is so good. u Last night we had a prayer meeting in our room. 33 8 Vivian A. Dake. There were over a dozen besides ourselves, and we had a good time. They were the English-speaking people that live in our 4 chawl,’ or tenement house, we would call it in America. To-night we have another prayer meeting in a 4 chawl ’ not far away. Last Sunday evening about five o’clock we helped in an open-air meeting on the beach. There was a good-sized congregation, mostly composed of educated natives who understand English. They are em¬ ployed largely as clerks, and were drawn there for recreation. 44 It was an inspiring scene. Behind us lay the peaceful waters of a beautiful bay extending in from the sea, while the heavens were aglow with the glories of the setting sun. Around us were gathered a congregation of attentive, eager listeners. It reminded me of the times when Jesus and His disciples preached to the hungry multitudes upon the shores of Galilee. It is the very same Jesus whom we preach. I enjoyed that meeting so much. When it closed we walked along the beach for some distance and distributed tracts. How I love these dear people. I look into their dark faces and think how Jesus died for them, and how they all have immortal souls that must appear at the Judgment seat, and my ‘ heart melts, my eyes o’erflow.’ Bessie Sherman.” These letters bring the history of band No. 13 to the close of the year. CHAPTER XXVI. The following letters, written by Mr. Dake during the voyage and his brief stay in Africa are full of interest as showing his love for souls, the blessing of the Lord which rested in a peculiar manner upon him in his last days and his To Africa. 339 constant rejoicing spirit. His own record closes at the open¬ ing of 1892. “KINDLING WATCH FIRES.” “Nov. 14th found brother Chapman and myself on board the steamship Kinsembo , bound for Monrovia, Africa. This is the same boat that brother and sister Chapman went over in, two years ago. When they were safely landed, on the return vovage. the boat ran into a rock near Sierra Leone, and sank in thirteen feet of water. She was raised and repaired and has been doing good work ever since. She is twenty years old, but rides the steadiest of any ship I have ever sailed on. ‘ 4 We have had a very pleasant voyage. Have passed the Bay of Biscay and are now on the African Coast within a few hours of Grand Canary Islands. Bishop Taylor is among the passengers. He is very genial and approachable. I have had several good talks with him. One night he came into our cabin and we talked awhile, then we proposed ' prayer, and he repeated a chapter and we had a good time on our knees. 44 Sabbath, Nov. 15th. The Bishop preached in the first cabin saloon from 4 Search the Scriptures.’ God is with us. I arise early and go on the forecastle deck and have an hour with God, consequently my soul is watered and refreshed all the day. When I think of the souls saved and sanctified and the watch fires kindled already on the trip, I am a thou¬ sand times glad that God opened my way to come. I want to preach this clean salvation in every land and tongue. I have learned to say, * Lovet vera Gude,’ which is the Nor¬ wegian for ‘Blessed be God!’ and if I can get a note of vic¬ tory in Kru or Mandingo at Monrovia, I shall find it. All Flail! Hallelujah! 4 ‘ Africa’s shores are in sight. Hallelujah! Many times I have sung: ‘Afric’s shores I long to see,’ tut now I see 340 Vivian A. Dake. them. The low sea coast is in sight. We are this Friday, N ov. 27th, drawing up to Goree in Senegal, one of the French possessions. I shall soon tread African soil, as we are expecting to go ashore in the third officer’s boat when lie lands the mail. We have had a very pleasant trip down from the Canary Islands. It is just warm enough to be pleasant, like delightful June weather. We are now farther south than any point of the United States, and we still go farther south. We shall not reach Monrovia until December 4th, making twenty days-on the trip from Liverpool. “While ashore on the Grand Canary Island last Mon¬ day, we went to get some milk. We could not find a milk- shop anywhere. So a Spanish boy led us back on the mount¬ ain in the edge of the town to a cow farm. The man came up from the field and got two mugs and milked us each some. After ten days of ship fare we relished the milk very much. On this island the poor people live in caves in the hillside. It is always spring here, so that any place that keeps out the rain is Quite comfortable. j. “ But oh how they need the gospel. The climate of these islands is wonderful. They raise cochineal, corn, beans, potatoes, peaches, apples, bananas, figs, oranges, lemons, guavas, dates, sweet potatoes, caladium esculentum, and sugar cane. Cows and sheep abound. I cannot tell how much this journey is firing my soul. I feel the Spirit of Paul, Jud- son, Carey, and our blessed Lord increasing on me. 6 Go ye unto all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.’ “Four P. M. While the ship lay anchored at Goree, which is an island with French forts on it, a boat load of passengers sailed over to Daka on the main land two miles away. This is a town of several hundred inhabitants, a French military station. The people belong to the Joliffe tribe. There are no churches here but Catholic and Moham¬ medan. The caravans from the Sahara desert come down here. To Africa. 34i They also have a narrow guage railway into the interior. How my soul longs for a missionary for Daka. “ I saw the Mohammedans with their Koran, and the Catholic priest with his beads. The climate is quite health¬ ful. They raise many peanuts. I measured a stack 36x25 ft., and about ten feet high. A missionary could do good work here, and soon make a way into the interior. The Joliffe people are quite a bright people. Who hears the Macedonian cry? Men are needed all along this continent whose hearts are on fire, and who are willing to be spent for God. We will be in Bathurst, Senegambia in the morning, D. V. “ Bathurst is the principal town of the English possession called Senegambia. It is situated a few miles from the mouth of the Gambia river. The river here is about three miles wide. The land is flat and sandv. This is an old trading port. It is more healthful than at Monrovia. Here we saw African huts for the first time. The bamboo huts with their thatched roofs were plentiful. Above them, stretched up the long trunks of the cocoanut palm trees loaded with cocoanuts. Orange trees abound. c< On Sabbath day brother Fennele,the British Wesleyan missionary, came to the ship in the governor’s boat, and took sisters Wilcox and Carlson, brother Chapman* and myself to town to meeting at his chapel. Bishop Tavlor had already gone ashore. The chapel is large, holding about six hundred people. The Bishop preached from 1 John, i, 9. “After service brother Chapman and I went out on the street and found a group of Mohammedans, and preached Jesus Christ to them. They asked how God could die, and we then explained to them that Christ died to satisfy a broken law. The blessing of God came on 11s. Glory to His name! While we were busy with these a young boy came up and asked us to go to his house and read the Bible to him. We went, and he led us to a typical African hut. An orange tree 342 Vivian A Dake. loaded with large oranges bloomed above it. We read and sang and prayed with them. There were four African women in the family. “ We took dinner with brother Fennele. Bishop Taylor and the two sisters were also present. Sister Sarah Wilcox preached in the evening from John lii, 14, 15. The large chapel was well filled. O how they sang at the conclusion. The altar was crowded with seekers of pardon and purity. Some were really convicted. We felt that had they been held to separation from the world a good work could have been done. It avails but little to urge seekers to accept Christ who have not given up the world, whether they be civilized or heathen. Three or four professed to be saved. The governor’s boat carried us back to the Kinsembo, and we speedily found our way to our stateroom and to rest. “ Bathurst has had Methodist preaching for fifty years. The people love the truth but are very worldly. The same laxity in enforcing discipline is as apparent here as in our own land. Jewelry, feathers, flowers and gaudy dressing abound. But a grand work could be done here by one who would let the Holy Ghost have His way. c< This is the most fruitful field for immediate work I have seen. There are now Catholics, Church of England, Mohammedans and British Wesleyans here. From Bathurst to Freetown, the capital of Sierra Leone, is two days’ jour¬ ney. The weather became much warmer as we approached Sierra Leone. ‘ 4 One day the Mohammedans on board had an interesting religious ceremony. The priest wrote some verses from the Koran on a piece of paper. Then he washed the words off the paper in some water. Then he took condensed milk and mixed with the water and passed it around, and all drank the milk of the Koran. How unsatisfactory this inky milk to ease the troubled soul! But thank God, the follower of Jesus can get the milk of the Word. Cannot we learn from these To Africa. 343 poor idolaters a lesson of reverence for the Word of God? and may we not be inspired to more continuously drink it? ‘‘We saw sharks to-day, those plunderers of the deep. How like are they to the devil, always on the lookout for prey. No poor man who comes within their reach but feels the sharp teeth of these fierce scavengers. The only safety is to keep out of Satan’s reach. “To-day I had a talk with the bishop on missionary work and its hindrances. The greatest, he said, was the un¬ healthful climate which caused the death of many of his mis¬ sionaries. The bishop is over seventy years old but hale and strong yet. Like Moses “His eye is not dim nor his natural force abated.” He is one of the most childlike men I ever met in my life. He is quite patriarchal in appearance and is without doubt one of the most radical, thorough, aggressive teachers in the M. E. Church. God has evidently fitted him for the work he is doing, which is doubtless the most Scrip¬ tural in the church. His consecration is great. He leaves his wife and family in America and spends most of his life in Africa. “ Sierre Leone is a British possession north of Liberia, and its capital is Freetown. It lies at the foot of a group of mountains, the highest one is fifteen hundred feet. We went ashore here and were very hospitably entertained by brother Jaderquist, and others of the first Soudan missionaries. God sweetly blest us there, and we shouted the praises of God. We saw many things here we had not seen before. We ate mango plums and pawpaws which we found quite good. “We were soon on our journey and in due time Cape Mesurado came in view, and soon we could see Monrovia, at the foot and on the side of the hill. We landed about five P. M. Nov. 18th. You can all imagine our meeting with sister Chapman, after she had been here alone for seven months. She was quite well, although she had had the fever lately. The mission house is surrounded by ‘bush’ and tropical trees. Among those I can see from the window are bananas, oranges, lime, mango plums, cocoanut, breadnut, pawpaw, butter pears, coffee trees and plantain trees. 344 Vivian A. Bake. 44 There are at present four children in the home. Two Congo girls, Susie and Maggie, Frank, a Bassa boy, Lewis, a Vey. Then there are three boys at work. Thomas, a Pessa, Sirsy, a Pusa, and Toe, a Gola. After prayers I took Thomas out in the 4 bush’ and talked and prayed with him. God broke my heart all down as I held him up to a throne of grace. Then he prayed God to forgive him. He said: 4 0 God, take my old bad heart, give me new heart.’ Will all pray God to answer this prayer? He is a bright boy and could be very useful. We are praying God to save him. We will not limit God. We believe He can save here as well as any where. Amen. We are holding on to God to send us a revival. 44 Have been much blessed in secret prayer since arriving in Africa, and have a good strong hold on God for victory in the various fields. Two weeks of African life have given me more insight into the needs of the field than months of cor¬ respondence. Sister Chapman has some native children here whom she is earnestly endeavoring to train for God. 4 ‘I have been to the cemetery and seen the gravesof our dear missionaries, Matie North, Jennie Torrence and Sumner Kerwood. They lie near each other. I felt no sorrow for their death as I stood there. I am glad their warfare is ended, and they are safe in heaven. Their work here has not been in vain. Doubters and fault-finders will yet see that God has received glory from their lives and deaths. 44 Dec. i ith, I went in a log canoe up the St. Paul river to the Lutheran mission kept by brother and sister Day. Had a very pleasant ride. It was novel to glide along the river in a canoe impelled by the vigorous strokes of our Bassa boys. The scenery on the St. Paul river is very fine. The mission station is on a commanding hilltop. It is surrounded by thousands of coffee trees, and many other tropical species. The river rapids make music day and night. We were received in the most hospitable man- On African Soil. 345 ner possible. While we could see the need of a deeper piety, more secret prayer and a more sober walking with God, yet we never saw hospitality that equalled theirs. We found ^them literally ‘given to hospitality .’ “ I have been in many a house where I felt I was one too many, but here everything in the house was at the visitor’s pleasure. Sick and well are equally welcome. All the sick missionaries at the coast come here and are tenderly nursed J without money or price. God bless great-hearted brother and sister Day and brother Goll. An American scientific expe¬ dition was quartered here when we arrived, and the house was full, but we were as warmly received as though we were the only guests and no hint was given that they were crowd¬ ed. God helped in preaching His Word on Sabbath to a mixed gathering of scientists, missionaries, mission children, and native Golahs and Pessas the latter of whom did not understand even the simplest words. My own soul was well watered. Praise the Lord! “ On Tuesday brother and sister Day fitted us out with ten boys and provisions for a twelve-mile walk back among the natives. We started early, crossed the river in a canoe, and were soon single file on the path. We passed native villages every little way. We passed a town which had been deserted in the war that had just closed between the Golahs and Mandingos. We arrived at Henry’s town, our destination, about eleven A. M. “This town is located on the bank of a beautiful, cold stream that flows all the vear round. Mount Coffee is •/ close at hand. We went up on the mountain and saw some yellow and gray monkeys in the trees. Parrots and deer are also seen here. We slept in a native house on a bamboo bed, and ate from a bamboo mat. Each night we had serv¬ ice. It was a strange scene. The fire burning in the cen¬ ter of the town, the natives almost naked, eagerly listening to ‘God-palaver,’ (as they call preaching) the mud huts with 346 Vivian A. Dake. their roofs of leaves, etc. Henry Stewart, the head man of the town, is one of brother Dav’s mission bovs. u We stayed two days and then made our way back to brother Day’s homelike mission. On the 18th we took the little steamer that runs down the river and returned to our home in Monrovia. Found brother and sister Chapman us¬ ually well. We expect to commence meetings in the M. E. church the evening of Dec. 20th. The needs of this work are great.* We want to do more than we are able without the help of God’s people.” CHAPTER XXVII. Leaving the foreign work for a time we will return to the work in the United States. Wright City, Mo., was opened by band No. 5 Dec. 21st. The place was quite a small one but there was considerable interest and a good work was done before the year closed. The Ingatherings, for the Illinois division, were held at Onarga and Marshall. A number were present at Onarga, from the bands, besides other visiting brethren and sisters* The past year had been one of severe tests, but many had been the victories enjoyed. The faith and fidelity of these workers in the face of hardships and conflicts was inspiring to witness. The watch night service was a time of great blessing from the Lord. The Ingathering at Marshall was also a profitable meet¬ ing though there were not so many workers present. The congregations were large and much conviction was mani¬ fested. A few were converted and the workers were en¬ couraged to labor on. The Ingathering at Corning, Iowa was a time of glori¬ ous power. About one thousand people were in attendance. At Corning, Iowa. 347 Many were converted and a Free Methodist class of thirty- one members was organized at this time. The meeting at Mt. Etna was increasing in interest. Conviction was deep and conversions clear, as day after day, souls repented and believed in Jesus. As the Lord continued to bless, Satan raged and set agents actively to work, to break up or hinder the meetings. But the more he opposed, the higher rose the tide of salvation. Amidst the flying brick¬ bats and showers of eggs at times, the workers walked unharmed and kept at their work of pulling souls out of the fire. Persecution continued and threats were made but the Lord worked through it all until a large number were saved. A class was formed of those who wished to be known •v to the world as the followers of Christ. Such do not come in large numbers in these days of popular religion. Not many are willing to reach heaven by the way of Sinai, Gethsemane and Calvary, hence the great opposition to this death route experience as taught in the Bible. u Straight is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life,an