A GREAT BATTLE

Denounced Publicly -- Praying All Night -- In a "Holiness Mob" -- God Wins the Battle

I will make thee unto this people a fenced brazen wall; and they shall fight against thee, but they shall not prevail against thee: for I am with thee to save thee and to deliver thee, saith the Lord. Jer. 15:20.

     The writer had a good opportunity to test his experience at a state camp meeting held in middle Georgia.

     The first day, I was asked to preach, and had much help from God. At the close of the service I felt strongly led to the woods for secret prayer, whereupon I opened my Bible and my eyes fell upon the words at the head of this chapter. I had no sooner read them than the power of the Spirit so came upon me that I could not refrain from shouting and laughing aloud. I did not then know what it meant, but later found that it was preparatory to the battle that should ensue. The next day a prominent lady evangelist, whom they had engaged for the meeting, arrived. Her strong personality from the start either intimidated the people, or demanded their respect.

     The second night things were moving under high pressure but for some reason there were not satisfactory results. The lady evangelist made various propositions, such as, "Every one who is saved and not sanctified, come forward and give me your hand." "Every one who is not saved, but wants our prayers, give me your hand." Sometimes the order was to clap the hands, or shake hand kerchiefs. These tests quickly located every one, but to all of them I did not feel led to respond, so sat quietly in the spirit of prayer; whereupon I was pointed out and addressed in a shrill tone: "Brother, why don't you take part in this meeting?" A pause of silence for an answer, then I said, "I feel burdened." "So you are burdened, are you," came with a sarcastic tone.

     At the close of the service she said to me: "I have been impressed with your appearance ever since I saw you, and would like to have you take part in the services." I thanked her, but told her I personally knew many of these handshakers and could not rejoice over their professing holiness.

     The people dispersed and I quietly remained to spend the night alone in prayer.

     The next day, a confidential talk took place, at the close of which I remarked: "Sister, I fear you are just where I myself once was -- preaching a theory without the experience. You seem to manifest such an impatient spirit when things do not start or stop to suit you. And then, there seems to be such a lack of discernment in dealing with souls around the altar, hurrying them through to profess holiness when you ought to see at a glance that many of them are without saving grace. I have been so burdened for you and this meeting that I could not sleep the past two nights, and I am quite sure this burden is of the Lord. Now, I do not know whether this will do you any good or not, for there is not one evangelist in a hundred who rises as high as you who will ever humble himself and go down. However, I have delivered my soul, and will meet this talk at the judgment. Let me add, in conclusion, please do not consider me your enemy, but keep this to yourself, and weigh it before God. He alone can show you. I shall pray for you and say nothing to anyone."

     She was moved upon, and with tears thanked me, saying that she, herself, had some doubts about her experience.

     The next morning the service was being operated with a stern hand, but for some reason lacked freedom. What could be the matter? Is there an Achan in the camp? No; but there on the front seat sat one who, like Mordecai, did not bow, or quickly fall into line at every crack of the whip. This she could stand no longer, and with pointed finger said, "What is wrong with you, Sledgehamer? You don't think I have the experience, do you?" Coming closer she repeated, "Now, you don't think I have the experience, do you?" This was repeated several times, and, of course, had its desired effect in stirring the prejudices of the people.

     No attempt was made to answer until I looked around to find an enraged crowd upon their feet denouncing me. I had known what it was to be egged, rocked, arrested, shot at and surrounded by different kinds of mobs, but this was the first holiness mob I was ever in. When I saw them closing in upon me I asked if I might say a word. She replied that I might, and immediately, as in the case of King Saul, the Spirit came upon her and she began to defend him whom she had sought to destroy. She turned upon the preachers and others, saying: "Sit down, every last one of you; I tell you to sit down and listen to this man of God. When you get so interested in my soul that you will pray two whole nights for me as he has, then you can speak, but not until then."

     All was very quiet again, and every eye was riveted upon the lone man, expecting him to take his opportunity to "skin them alive." Instead, he quietly stepped upon the bench and began to tell what a wonderful thing it was to be saved from all inward stirrings and to be kept calm in times of pressure and misunderstanding. When he was about to sit down she knelt at the altar and said, "Pray for me!"

     There might have been some hope of her getting an experience had she not been bolstered up and biased after she left the auditorium. But she was told it would never do for one so prominent, and especially the "invited help," to go to seeking a better experience. "What will the anti-holiness people say?"

     The next day the fight was on in earnest, and for four or five days I was publicly scorned and hissed at in testimony and preaching. As I walked across the camp ground I could hear them say to each other, "There he goes! See how plain his wife is!" No one dared associate intimately with me lest he fare likewise. A preacher was heard to remark, "What we need to do with Shelhamer is everyone give him the 'cold shoulder,' and he will leave."

     The privilege of testifying 'was officially refused me by the president of the meeting, and on being asked the reason why, with promise that nothing would be said to reflect upon anyone, he replied, "That may be so, but you will speak in such a way as to discount the rest of us." By this time several began to get under deep conviction, and followed me to my tent to pray, but a stop was soon put to that. Finally. About the eighth day one of the preachers who had been looking on arose and said, "Brethren, I do not believe I am a sanctified man. I know I could not stand what that man has stood and keep sweet. If you folks had treated me as you have treated him, I would have skinned you alive long ago. I do not ask any of the rest of you to pray for me, but I would like that abused man to pray with me."

     He knelt at the altar and, after a pause, the president said, "Go and pray with him, Brother S____." The seeker prayed through to a good experience, and this was like a bombshell in the camp. A second preacher arose and said he was also a candidate for a better experience, and with this the tide began to turn. He who was under began to rise, and they who were on top began to sink, many of whom came around and apologized.

     God frequently whispered to my soul, saying, "If you will hold still and let me defend you, you will be preaching and shouting long after your opposers have been forgotten." This is already true in both respects. The last that was heard of the evangelist, she had joined the Dowieites, and later died. She sent five dollars and requested me to send her a book teaching holiness, as we understood it. The president of the camp meeting did the same. He was also frank enough to confess that the light we had received was at present too strong for his people, but he hoped to bring them up to it. Later, he met a violent death. After these years of our living down prejudice many of those who were former opposers have become staunch friends.

     These things are mentioned merely to show that it is better to let God vindicate and fight the battles than to try to do so yourself. But if you are not dead, during such times the self-life will become agitated and you will say something -- generally too much. Get everything burned out that cannot hold still.

     The Will Of God

 

      "He always wins who sides with God,

     To him no chance is lost;

     God's will is sweetest to him, when

     It triumphs at his cost.

 

      "I love to see Thee bring to naught

     The plans of wily men;

     When simple hearts outwit the wise,

     O Thou art lovely then!

 

      "Ill that He blesses is our good,

     And unblest good is ill;

     And all is right that seems most wrong,

     If it be His sweet will."