Life and 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 sketches, poems and songs

BX 8419 .D34 N44 1894
Nelson, Thomas Hiram, 1863
Life and labors of Rev.
Vivian A. Dake

Life ai)d Labors

Rev.VIVIANA.BAKE,

ORGANIZER AND LEADER

of

•»»> Pentecost Bands. ««<•

Embracing an Account
of

His Travels in

America, Europe and Africa,

With Selections From His

•»»> §^aieh@8, ^oems and gongs, ««<•

VI-
POMAS Ji KELSON, Evangelist.

— •

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.

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER I.

PAGE

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 17-24

CHAPTER II.

h irst 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 24-31

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 31-39

CHAPTER IV.

Pen portrait of the man — Specimen of his poetry— Historical in-
cident 39-56

CHAPTER V.

As an evangelist — Anecdote — Work in Minnesota — Extracts from
his Diary — Preaches with power, and quotes Pollock with
thrilling effect v 56-64

CHAPTER VI.

Seasons of penteCostal power — Plymouth district camp-meeting —
Northfield camp meeting-«-Sister M. wrestlea 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) 64-72

CHAPTER VIH

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-

vi. Contents.

pagic

eral Conference — "The Land of the Living1' — A unique com-
pany at the altar — A young lady refuses to yield to God;
Bhe 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 VIIl/
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 IX.

Doctrinal vie«vs and teachings. 88-101

CHAPTER X.

Band work — Startling answer to prayer — Finney on "burden of
sour' — Other bands formed — An infidel converted; he be-
comes a preacher — Interesting conversion of a Univer,salist —
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, III . — At Rock-
ford, 111. — At "Big Woods' ' — Firat Anniversary of Pentecost
Bands — Meetings at Gardner, 111. — Deep conviction — Op-
position— Victory — Camp meeting at Evanston, III. — 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, 111. — Street meetings
stir the devil — Workers arrested at the band home — Rejoic-
ing in jail — Others comf and carry on the work — The mayor
glad to let them out — Another street meeting — An editor

Contents. ' vii.

PAGE

speaks in their favor — In jail again — The secular papers de-
tend them 133-145

CHAPTER XIV.
Band work — Si vert Ulness — A reporter's plea — Class organized
• at Mazon — First Harvest Home — Work at Streator, 111. — Sa-
loon meetings — Interesting conversions — Street meeting at
Ransom, 111. — 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, III. — The author
''run in1' 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, III. — "Elijah's
ravens not all dead" — At Wheaton — Refined and educated
devils — "The man that prayed" — 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 Annual Harvest Home at
Streator — Characteristic testimony — Work at Palmyra, 111. —
A sermon that hit — Church entertainments — Arrested again
— Shameful treatment— Catechising the marshal — Friends —
Case dismissed — Eventful meetings at Ottawa. 111. — Mob
work at Spring Valley, 111. — Meetings in various places 180-193

CHAPTER XVIII.
Ingathering at Ottawa — Opposition by Catholic- — Bombs explod-
ed in the hall — Souls saved — Arrested — Peculiar prisoners —
A strange thing — Tri^d 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 a^ain — Catholics at the altar —
At the altar for sport; more than he bargained for; breaks
down and gets saved — Apostolic exopriences — Arrested —
"Thirty days'* — The ppople stirred — The city press speaks —
''An elephant on hand" — 'What are you going to do?" — The
tide turns — Victory — Ingathering at Carlinville — Souls saved
— "I want to beg your pardon" — A murderer saved — Begin-
ning of the Reapers Home' work — Meetings at Girard — Drag-

viii. Contents.

PAG»

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, new 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, 111 194-214

CHAPTER XIX.

Class organized at Shipman — Fiery persecution at Tuscola, 111. —
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, 111. — 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
— Ingathering at 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, 111. — 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 same
subject — R. W. Hawkins on Harvest Home — Mr. D's ad-
dress to the workers — "An innovation'1 — "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, 111., 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.

PAGE

CHAPTER XXII.
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 111. — 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,
111.— Class organized — Meetings in Dunnville, Ontario 266-282

CHAPTER XX III.
Band Meetings at Casey, 111. — 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 282-303

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

x. Contents.

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
stay 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'' — Mr. and Mrs. Chapman
return to America 361-384

CHAPTER XXIX.
Selections from Journal. — Starts 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' 1 —
Worms — Monument of Luther — An awful scene — Sits on the
sidewalk all night — Durennetzen— Preaches there — Stras-
burg— The great clock — The grave of Era:>uius — The old
church in which Ulrich Zwingle aroused the SVi^s — 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. Cuapman — From G. H.
Agnew— From Rev. fl. 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 ? — Work — Affinities — Dead
to the World— Manifestations ! 438-456

CHAPTER XXXIV.

Editorials and Sketches.— Tithes and Offerings— The Dry
Bone Valley 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 XXXV.

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— .

Contents.

page

What have I to boast of ?— Where Am I Drifting V— Valiant
Hearted Soldiers— Let Me Go to the Vineyard of God — The
Old Rugged Cross — 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 Gtobe 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.. 471-50£

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 u the books are opened " it will be seen
that God, who has had the prerogative of entering the " 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.

♦

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 to Himself, 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 firmamentlike 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., 111., 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 songs; the extreme conscientiousness which so often led
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' 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, 111., 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 1870 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?' 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.'

"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
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
earthVschools. "

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, 4 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?

' My life my blood I here present,
If for thy truth they may be spent'.
' More shouldst thou 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 1 2th, 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 V

Journal.

23

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. " 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!"

Vivian A. Dake.

24

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. "

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: " 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.

25

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 writh 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, 111. 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
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: "Lenna began to grow cold at 11:30 A. M.
She crossed the river without a struggle." Her remains were
taken to Galva, 111., 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 heavy 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 clearly saved.
While preaching, I felt like leaving the stand and going
down the aisle. I felt much of the presence of God while
doing so."

Even at this early period of his ministry, it is evident

Journal.

21

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. " 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. " 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 1 1 o'clock I felt I must pray 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. nth. "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. 1 2th. " 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. "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. 4< 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,
M}' faith is strong in the Lord."

Jan. 16th. u 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.' "

Journal.

29

Jan. iSth. "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. 2 1 st. "I'm in a strait to-day. My several ap-
pointments are calling for me, and yet I 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. * 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

3°

Vivian A. Dake.

meeting on pain of being left homeless. Praise God! The
form of the Fourth is with us in the furnace."

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. " 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.2 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 haidest 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, 4 It is
finished', and closed the meeting. We had a precious time.
The young converts are much blest and very happy. Over

Journal.

31

one hundred were clearly saved in this meeting1 We have
not seen our second hundred converted yet, but they will
come. "

Feb. 9th. " 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 2 1 st. "AH 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

32

Vivian A. Dake.

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 hirn 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. 1 st. "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. 1 2th. "Several seeking holiness. "

Feb. 13th. "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. 1 8th. " 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 up 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."

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 Sth. "I visited fourteen families to-day; found a
number under conviction. Some promised to seek the Lord
at once."

July 9th. " Henry and I visited twelve families to-day.
One lady saved at prayer meeting to-night."

He held another tent meeting atQ. 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. Sth., he wrote: fc' 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 twenty-eight sanc-
tified, 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: " Will you be mine?" As soon
as he said: " Yes, Lord", God's healing power struck soul
and body, and he swung his poor bruised arm and struck his
breast, saying: "See what the Lord has done for me".

The conference of 1S79 sent him to Waterloo circuit.
Here he remained two years. The second year Rev. J. M.
Reilly was sent to help him as junior preacher. The latter
is our authority for the statement that about one hundred souls
were saved this second year, and the work so extended that
it was necessary for the conference of 1881 to make a divi-
sion, brother Dake being sent to Cedar Falls. Brother
Reilly speaks of him in this early stage of his ministry, thus:
"As a pastor, he was thorough, and dealt faithfully with his
people. He made himself at home among them, whether
at their houses, or in their fields, or wherever they were. I
have known him a number of times, to take off his coat, and
help in the harvest, corn or hayfield, while he talked with
the men about their souls, and before leaving he would kneel
with them in the field, and get blest with them in prayer."

During the latter part of the winter of 1SS1 he held a
meeting with the help of Henry C, a converted drunkard,
at a school house in Butler County. An infidel club had
been organized at this place, and a strong spiritualistic influ-
ence prevailed in the neighborhood. Quite a revival broke
out. In his journal at this time we find written: "Twenty-
eight saved so far, and meetings still running good." The
spiritualists and infidels turned out in force and tried hard, by

36

Vivian A. Dake.

the use of Satanic measures, to break up the meeting. They
would come as close as they could to the stand, and concen-
trate their attention on the speaker, or the converts, evidently
for the purpose of confusing them, but it was clearly demon-
strated that " Greater is He that is in you, than He that is in
the world."

"One night a woman claimed to be controlled by the
spirit of a Sioux chief and did a great deal of stamping and
muttering, which made some disturbance in the meeting.
Mr. Dake announced that he would preach the next night
from the subject of the " Witch of Endor". A large crowd
gathered to hear him. He showed the de2olorable condition
of king Saul, who had once been anointed of the Lord for
His service, and blest with His presence, but now had become
so degraded as to consult a fortune teller, seeking light in a
witch's den. This bore hard on the leader of the infidei
movement, for he had once been a Methodist class leader.
He produced several passages of Scripture to show how
abominable in the sight of God these things are, dwell-
ing especially on Isa. vii, 19. "And when they shall say
unto you, Seek unto them that have familiar spirits, and
unto wizards that peep, and that mutter: should not a people
seek unto their God ? for the living to the dead ? " The simi-
larity between the Bible descriptions and what the people
had been accustomed to see among the spiritualists, was so
striking that the truth readily prevailed, and the meeting
went on.

A class was organized and a Sabbath school started
where the spiritualistic infidel club had flourished.

I think Mr. Dake answered to Wesley's ideal minister
of the gospel, one who fears nothing but sin and knows
nothing but God, fully as well as anyone I have ever known."

He seems from the very first to have taken a stand with
the primitive church fathers in getting everybody at work
and thus multiplying their talents and usefulness. One of

Public Work.

37

his letters to the Free Methodist at this time, closes with
these words: "I saw some appeals in the paper to this effect:
'PREACHERS, we want Preachers!' 1 thought while
reading it, what is that man doing? There are preachers
buried in the graves of sin everywhere. If we want preach-
ers we must dig them out. I believe if some of our confer-
ences that are appealing so loudly for help to the outside
world would set small and great to work within their bounds
they would soon be sending laborers into the great outside
harvest field. The fishermen, shepherds and publicans, they
seem afraid to send out.

" We need some fathers in Israel, like Paul, Wesley and
Asbury ; superintendents or chairmen, to direct on the field
of battle, but not to do all the work. Don't be afraid of the
bovs and girls; send them out; give them your help and bless-
ing, and their freshness, strength and zeal, united with your
experience and wisdom will gain the battle. I am young in
experience, but I find those everywhere who want to work,
and only need encouragement to become efficient. If we go
to work ourselves and give others a chance, the chariot will
roll on. 4 Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then
cometh harvest? Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields;
for they are white already to harvest'."

At Cedar Falls he held quite a successful meeting. The
Hall was filled, and many went away for want of room. The
altar was filled with seekers almost every night. Many pro-
fessed to get converted, but none were counted but those who
turned from all their idols, such as tobacco, secrecy, worldly
pleasures, fashionable apparel, etc., renouncing "theworld?
the flesh and the devil "in DEED as well as in word. Of
this kind he counted fifty, forty-one of whom joined the
Free Methodist class at that place.

Revs. E. P. Hart and T. J. Gates helped him for a few
days during this meeting. He erected a substantial church
building at this place this year. He did much visiting among

3*

Vivian A. Dake.

the people, sometimes reading the Bible and praying with
over a dozen families in a day.

He also held quite a good meeting at Waterloo, where
many were saved; also a short meeting at nearly all the
neighboring school houses on this large circuit. In fact, his
journals, from his earliest ministry, form one continuous
record of revivals, held in connection with his circuit work.
The school houses and halls in adjoining towns and country
places, were largely used as preaching points. He believed
in Zion stretching forth the curtains of her habitations by
lengthening her cords, and strengthening her stakes, thus
making the desolate cities to be inhabited. Isa. liv, 2, 3.

He took up so many new preaching points that his cir-
cuit appeared almost like a district. He had no fellowship
with the practice so prevalent among modern preachers, of
settling down on one small charge, to the neglect of all the
neighboring "waste places". His love and zeal for souls
could not be anchored to any one -point, while others per-
ished for the living bread. He deemed it selfish in his mem-
bers to request it of him, and demonstrated the fact that
Christians grow in grace more rapidly when thrown on their
own resources for a time, while the pastor is engaged at other
points, than when permitted to throw all the responsibility
upon him. In his visiting from house to house, he often took
with him young men of his classes, that they might be en-
couraged in doing this much-neglected part of God's work.
He also had them lead prayer meetings, exhort or preach,
thus developing their spirituality and ability, and producing
pillars on which to lean in his revival efforts.

He passed through another bereavement, Aug. 11, 1S81,
in the death of his only child, a little boy three years old. He
records it thus: "My little darling Bertie is no more. He
passed away easily. Another strand joined to the cable that
pulls me heavenward; yet, by God's grace, wife and I are
enabled to say, ' The will of the Lord be done'. Amid the

Characteristics.

39

blinding tears, a vision of a cherub, singing redemption's
song, cheers our hearts. O glory to God! My heart bleeds,
and yet triumphs. As we came back from the funeral, how
lonesome the home appeared. It seemed almost that I could
see Bertie's bright blue eyes peering through the lattice work
of the porch, or hear the patter of his feet, or the sweet
music of his voice, saying : 4Papa! Papa!' — Hushed forever
on earth, but in Heaven, — O yes, we shall see him again."
1 1 is home, so clouded by this stroke, was brightened by the
advent of a daughter Dec. 15th, whom they called Mary.

CHAPTER IV.

Fiery-hearted men, of energetic dispositions, who keep
the meekness and power of the spirit of the Master, have
always been in great demand in the church of Christ. They
must inevitably surge to .the front rank of usefulness from
their obscurity, be it ever so remote.

Deliberative souls, who ponder the why and the wherefore
of all things and demand a well-grounded reason for every
undertaking, and who seek out a new and improved mode
of operation, startling the world with late-born ideas, that are-
the fruits of their reflection, are also an essential factor in the
church. But when a man appears in the court of the Lord's
house, who has these two traits centered in himself, he of
necessity rises above the rank of talented men to a man of
genius.

Such a man leaves the impress of his life indelibly
stamped upon the minds of his own and succeeding genera-
tions. These are the moral Sampsons who carry off on their
Herculean shoulders the Gaza gates of apparent impossibili-
ties, and snap the withes of difficulty that keep more ordinary
men enthralled. Such a man was Mr. Dake.

He was a man of striking appearance, tall, well propor-

4o

Vivian A. Dake.

tioned, with an open countenance, and a pleasant, though not
handsome face. The expression in his mild blue eyes and
the lines of his mouth, denoted determination and firmness
of character. He was a man of vigorous mind, possessing
great oratorical powers, a perfect command of language and
unusual self-possession. A born speaker, he was at home in
the pulpit. His countenance portrayed intelligence, affability
and tenderness.

The biographer of J. H. Livingston so exactly describes
one trait of the character of our subject that we quote from
him: "His conversational powers were remarkable, and like
his other powers were consecrated to the good of men and
the glory of God. I never knew him in any circle, in which he
might be found, to hold a conversation of any length, which
he did not turn into some channel for religious improvement.
This was done in a manner so discreet, appropriate and gentle,
as not to awaken prejudice, but to conciliate, and induce
respect and good will. It was not uncommon for him in
mixed companies, when the secular concerns of the day were
the theme of conversation, to interweave religious sentiments
and reflections, so naturally deduced, so wisely stated, and so
courteously and kindly applied, that even those who were
generally most indifferent to religion could not but reverence
it as it thus appeared, in its venerable representative and
minister."

We have seen Mr. Dake when he was transacting busi-
ness with railroad officials and other business men, and
noticed how his discretion and judgment were equalled only
by his devotion to God. Hi? words were so appropriate and
well chosen at such times, that he gained the respect of all,
and succeeded in approaching them on the subject of eternal
things, often conducting a conversation of some length, where
ordinary men would have failed. His public and private
prayers were always indicative of close communion with God,
and characterized by a holy pathos and seriousness, which

Characteristics.

4'

were truly marvelous. Sometimes his discourses were ren-
dered the more impressive, by accompanying tears, while the
bliss of the redeemed, or the despair of the wicked were viv-
idly portrayed to his audience. His most striking character-
istic in the pulpit, was his extraordinary earnestness, which
could not fail to attract attention, while his natural bearing,
and easy, fearless manner, showed to all that he was master
of the situation, and made one feel at home in his presence.

Another feature Was his wonderful voice, rich, deep and
powerful, yet under perfect control. We have stood on the
outer limits of a congregation of several thousand people, at
a camp meeting, and distinctly heard every word he said. He
could whisper or thunder at will, swaying whole congrega-
tions by the modulations of his voice. His delivery was de-
liberate and emphatic, not generally loud or hurried, but
when under special divine unction, he took on strength and
speed till a volume of burning truth was poured forth. Start-
ling incidents from real life often figured in his sermons.
Striking anecdotes, thrilling episodes, historical and imagi-
nary, sat in his sermons like jewels in a crown, while poetry,
like a crystal stream sparkled through the green pastures of
both his discourses and writings.

His apparently inexhaustible imagination, and his happy
art of word painting, made the imagery of his discourses
appear as life. The influence of the latter was infused with
his deep-toned piety, his self-sacrificing spirit and humble
bearing, which could not fail to wield a moulding influence
for good. Whether feeding the flock, strengthening the
weak, or thundering the anathemas of heaven at vice, all was
done in a harmonious strain, which made his manner capti-
vating, while the truths uttered cut to the heart. The mind
was charmed by his zeal and eloquence, while the conscience
was smitten by his pointed truths. He somehow possessed
the power to take men by storm, and make his thoughts their
thoughts, by clothing them in fire which burned into their

42

Vivian A. Dake.

souls in spite of prejudices. His descriptive powers were
most marvelous. We have heard him describe, illustrate and
denounce forms of wickedness and error, in such terms that
persons in the congregation, to him unknown, but who were
known by others to be holding to the things condemned,
have been seen to blush and hide their faces or leave the
place in a rage.

His pen deserves some notice here. He excelled as a
preacher, rather than as a writer. Though his writings were
not of the exegetical type, they were eagerly looked for, and
read with avidity by many. It was not the nice distinctions
contained in them which charmed, but his great personality
which stood out in bold relief. His articles were written
peculiarly for the hour, and accomplished the desired end.
His personal characteristics were prominent in all his writings.
His presence was felt in them, as that of a general is felt on
the field of battle by his soldiers.

" Eloquence ", wrote Dr. Stevens, "is the rarest, if not
the greatest power of genius, while pathos is the greatest, if
not the rarest power of eloquence". Mr. Dake possessed
these oratorical qualities in a marked degree; but these fasci-
nating gifts of themselves, are often a greater curse than
blessing to their possessors. It is only when they are sancti-
fied to the Master's use, that they become a medium of bless-
ing to mankind. We have no desire in this sketch, to extol
the accomplished orator, but rather the grace of God which
made him what he was.

The flowery oratory, so prevalent in the pulpits of the
nineteenth century, was never indulged in by him. The
power of his eloquence lay in the earnestness and depth of his
feelings. His style was peculiarly his own; earnest, terse and
simple; while his language was better fitted for oral discourse
than to be embodied in book form. Though this fault di-
minished his ability for didactic writing, it added to his power
as a speaker, in wdiich capacity he excelled. His colloquial,

Characteristics.

43

animated address, studded with an abundance of appropriate
figures, seldom failed to rivet the attention of even the most
careless of his congregations. He frequently laid aside his
didactics and adopted the logic of the affections.

This proved, however, the cause of several blunders in
his earlier experience. For though it is a source of regret
that many go head first rather than heart first in the religious
realm, and though the right of conscience must be jealously
respected, yet many points must be determined by reason,
rather than by conscience. The neglect of this on the one
hand has pushed some of the noblest of earth into wild fanati-
cism, while a corresponding neglect of the other has inevi-
tably run into the rankest rationalism and the most frigid
formality. The heart and the head, the emotions and the
reason, are each as essential in the religious sphere, as in the
temporal. God has wisely bestowed both on the human race
and neither can be neglected without loss.

These early blunders of Mr. Dake were not grave, how-
ever. They consisted in the excessive fastings of both him-
self and some of his first workers, extreme self-denials, such
as frequently staying up all night to pray, when they were
already wearied with much labor. These mistakes were
remedied as sogn as discovered, and his humility and candor
manifested in the frankness with which he acknowledged
them, and the broken spirit with which they were deplored,
left no doubt as to the genuineness of his repentance.

At times in his less mature experience, on seeing such a
prevalence of superficial work, which he heartily abhorred,
and in endeavoring to shun this delusion, his tendency was
to hold seekers to an overly itemized confession of their lack.
He was, however, early rectified on this point, by the Spirit's
elucidation of it, and he proved to be one of the most
thorough guides in the church, though his opposers continued
to make capital of his mistakes. Good would it be for the
church of God, if her guides to-day, generally saw and felt

44

Vivian A. Dake.

the needs on these lines as our brother did. Though we need
to guard against an excess on these points, which in their
early experiences, characterized the work of many of the
holy men of all ages, (the logical Adam Clarke and the
sainted Bramwell not excepted), yet it is an evident fact that
our danger as a church, lies in the opposite extreme.

Self-indulgence tends to indifference and slothfulness.
These slothful spirits cannot do thorough work on Holy
Ghost lines for they are in part " blind leaders of the blind."
Thus, many are taken into church fellowship and allowed to
profess a high state of grace, who have never seen or felt
their real need, and consequently are deceived. Who will
say that the rigorous discipline which those early church
champions endured had nothing to do with their marvelous
success? Let those of our day, who can boast of equal and
abiding success, without severe self-denial, rise and speak.
"Great is the mystery of godliness."

The philosophy of fasting and self-denial remains yet to
be seen, but the benefits derived therefrom, as every real
Christian can testify, justify the sermons and exhortations
thereto, and the apostolic, prophetic and patriarchal precept
and example. God give us such a baptism of love for the
souls of men as will make us so self-forgetful that we will
fast and pray, and in submissive humility refuse to be com-
forted, till we see them saved "with an everlasting salva-
tion!" Amen.

There is a race of men who are like sailing vessels, often
letting much valuable time go to waste, while waiting for
favorable winds. Mr. Dake was not of this vacillating, in-
decisive class. But though he turned to good account all
outside influences as favorable breezes, yet like a mighty
steamer, he depended for propelling force upon his own in-
trinsic powers, aided by divine grace, rather than outside in-
fluences. He was quick in discernment and prompt in ac-
tion. With him, to plan was to perform; to resolve was to

Characteristics.

45

execute. He possessed that keenness of perception that saw
at a glance the favorable moment, and seizing with a resolute
determination the opportunities presented, he overcame ob-
stacles that have conquered giants possessed of less decision.

Crises often arise when to falter, is to lose the fight.
Hesitation at this point is a sure sign of weakness. " They
are the weakest, however strong, who have no faith in them-
selves or their powers." To inspire confidence in others, we
must manifest the fact that we have confidence in ourselves.
There is no more pitiful sight than to see persons possessed
of great abilities, going down to their graves in useless ob-
scurity, for the want of a little decision of character. It is
better occasionally to decide wrong, than to be forever
wavering and hesitating. "Like waves of the sea driven
with the wind, and tossed; let not that man think that he
shall receive anything of the Lord." The exercise of a little
godly decision will take the universal joints* out of men's
moral back bones and make them more like the sturdy oak,
than the clinging ivy.

Though "in the multitude of counsellors there is safety,"
and it is well to preface all our actions with forethought and
caution, yet God never gave us the power of personal de-
cision to be crushed to death and trodden under foot, but
rather as an inestimable blessing when legitimately used.
To act while others are reflecting, is often to spring to Al-
pine heights, to which the deliberator will have a laborious
ascent.

A consciousness of the purity of one's motives is ar* assur-
ance of strength, which enables the weak to say, " I am strong."
Though far removed from self-conceit, Mr. Dake was very
self-reliant. He depended for success upon the blessing of
the Lord and upon his own powers and exertions, rather
than the interposition of fickle friends of fortune. Like the
lone tree on the prairies, whose roots sink deeper into the
earth for every savage breeze that shakes its branches, the

46

Vivian A. Dake.

difficulties he encountered and the opposition he endured, not
only proved the strength of his positions but also grounded
him in them. " They knit his muscles more firmly, and taught
him self-reliance, just as by wrestling with an athlete who is
superior to us, we increase our own strength, and learn the
secret of his skill." In this practical school he bought, rather
than borrowed his knowledge, and what he learned he never
forgot. The general success of his projects is sufficient
argument to prove the wisdom of his measures.

Feeling the purity of his intentions, and the rightness of
his actions, he stepped into the arena of holy conflict with
the intrepidity and firmness of a gladiator, manifesting at the
same time a patience and meekness that well accorded with
his position as a minister of Jesus. He was well compen-
sated for his mighty conflicts, privations and labors by seeing
many sheaves brought into the Lord's garner. To win souls
was his only object, and he concentrated all his powers to
this end. The superficial thinker may say of such men, that
they are all one-sided, like the handle on a pump, but pump
handles are very indispensable and useful. Besides, it will
be found upon investigation, that the men who have shaken
the world and changed the course of human events in all
ages, have not generally had universal talents, but were
rather men of one business.

Few men have powers vast enough to make a success of
a multij^licity of pursuits at once. It is wise from among the
legion of professions that present themselves for acceptance,
to choose out one darling occupation, " and leaving all others
cleave only to her; as long as ye both shall live." A plu-
rality of pursuits, as a plurality of wives, is followed by bane-
ful results, though not to the same extent. In business as in
marriage, the monogamist is the happiest and the safest.
When a preacher of the gospel finds time to carry on a pay-
ing secular business, it is plainly because he is "robbing God."
The work of the Lord, if rightly attended to, demands all

Characteristics.

47

his time. No gospel preacher can very well be barren or
unfruitful, if he centers all his powers on this one object, the
salvation of souls. He who keeps his "eye single" will
surely have his "whole body filled with light." It has been
well said: "He who scatters himself on many subjects soon
loses his energy, and with his energy, his enthusiasm, and
how is success possible without enthusiasm ? "

Once form the habit of reading, hearing, thinking, etc.,
that you may be better qualified in your chosen undertaking,
and you have indeed found the philosopher's stone that will
turn all things to gold at the first touch. This seemed to be
an easy and natural trait in Mr. Dake. All that he read,
heard or witnessed, furnished lessons and illustrations of use-
fulness, and were often used in his discourses with good effect.
His life reminded one of the bee, that not only sips honey
from choicest flowers but also from the rankest weeds.

His increase of power with God brought a proportion-
ate increase of opposition, coming often from those who
should have been his friends. But this is no more than his
divine Master and the holy men of all ages have received.
Like Him, he was often "wounded in the house of his
friends." Some said, "he is a good man," other said, "nay,
he deceiveth the people." The enemy had good reason to
fear and oppose him, for wherever he labored the strong-
holds of darkness were shaken and many of Satan's chief
votaries were captured, renewed by divine grace, and became
devoted soldiers of Jesus. He proved the truthfulness of the
prophecy: "All that will live godly in Christ Jesus, shall
suffer persecution." We are not surprised at the opposition
he received. The devil often inspires some unsaved church
member to raise an uproar and cry " wild fire," "fanaticism "
etc., and thus cover with shame and odium the reputation of
God's most eminent servants, and make them appear as the
"filth of the world and the offscouring of all things;" and
this is often done under the pretense of defending the church,

48

Vivian A. Dake.

by demanding that all things " be done decently and in
order." Let us hope, however, that a blind zeal for the
church rather than intentional hypocrisy, causes them to
oppose the real work of God, as in the case of Saul of Tarsus.

When people are void of the grace of God, they are gen-
erally blind and know not what they do. God describes
them thus, " Unto the pure all things are pure, but unto them
that are defiled and unbelieving, is nothing pure; but even
their mind and conscience is defiled." The poet Pope well
says:

"All seems infected, that the infected spy,
As all looks yellow, to the jaundiced eye."

Though the waves or. opposition often rolled high
around his bark, it was never swamped, for Christ was with
him, making "all things work together" for his good. The
hindrances thrown in his way, often by misguided zealots,
proved through grace, mediums of great blessing to him.
Though his love for the secret place was already great, these
often drove him to his knees and made his visits there more
frequent and of such long duration, that he sometimes spent
whole nights in prayer to God. He learned as Longfellow
says, to "know how sublime a thing it is to suffer and be
strong."

He came from those seasons of private devotion with a
radiance on his face that gave a silent testimony to the divine
unction on his soul. Oftentimes the burden of his prayer
was for those who opposed him most. It was his custom to
rise at an early hour to hold communion with God. A barn
or shed was often the secluded spot where heaven came to
greet his soul. At such times he would give vent to his pent '
up feelings in such loud pleadings, that many of the neigh-
bors would be awakened, some of whom became greatly con-
cerned about their souls and afterwards found peace with
God. The best proof we can give of his private devotion,

Characteristics.

V)

was his great public success in soul-winning. Jesus said,
•'By their fruits ye shall know them."

The extent and magnitude of his labors, wonderful
though they were, scarcely equalled the intense earnestness
with which they were performed. He deeply felt the import
of the truths he preached; every look and gesture adding
weight to his words. Thus, prejudice vanished and truth
conquered where defeat would have been unavoidable if
presented with less fervency. Especially was this the case
when dwelling on the terrors of the Judgment or the respon-
sibility of the sinner. Many times during these impressive
discourses, they were attended with such a burden for his
lost hearers that it could not be expressed in words, but was
beheld in the tears which flowed freely down his face. For a
time the sermon was stopped, and the people were silent as
death, held bound as by a spell, or else weeping out the pent
up feelings of their hearts. Though many may be favored
with greater intellects and a larger store of acquired knowl-
edge than he, yet few could work more assiduously to turn
all their powers to soul-saving purposes.

"He was cast in one of nature's finest molds,''

and so original and peculiarly himself, as to form a confirma-
tion of the statement that " When God makes a saint, he
throws the molds away, as he never makes two alike."

Those who would imitate him or work in his armor,
had but small success, for he was inimitable. The unbounded
love that filled his soul carried him at times in the minds of
some, beyond the bounds of sober reason, while he exulted
in God with transports of feeling that made him "leap for
joy." But he was content to be counted as "a fool for
Christ," that He might be lifted up, who was " made of God
unto him, wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemp-
tion." Through grace he was enabled to "rejoice with them
that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep." For, as

So

Vivian A. Dake.

has been said of another,

" He was never elated, while man was oppressed,
Never dejected, while another was blessed."
While his course of action forced him to endure rigid
privation, he shared also in the joys and comforts of the best
American homes. He had many standing invitations to visit
families of position and affluence, where he knew a hearty
reception awaited him. These expressions of regard often
came from members of other denominations than his own,
and not infrequently from persons who did not belong to
any church.

The rigorous self-denial which he practiced, though it
tended to give him more perfect control of his appetites and
passions and made him more heavenly-minded, proved at
times, too much for his health, when with reluctance he would
desist for a time. This rigid discipline in connection with
his boundless labors, tended to make him prematurely old.
His great incapacity for rest, fanned the flame thus kindled.
This trait of his character was very prominent. His mind
was constantly employed reviewing the work and planning for
greater results in all departments. In fact, he was dissatis-
fied if he could not spend every moment in prayer, study,
exhortation or counsel.

Recreation or even rest was but little indulged in by him,
for he was so consumed with the ruling passion of his life, —
that of winning souls. The burden of his prayer, the object
of his discourses and writings, and the labors of his hands
were all directed to this one theme. As one wrote of him:
"'Only for souls' was his divine inspiration, breathed out
in holy song, sounded forth in unctious pulpit power,
groaned out in mighty and prevailing prayer, and was bis
rallying cry to his workers."

We have heard him say that he always pressed after
the light of the Spirit. He was careful to let the Holy Ghost
lead in all his ministrations; consequently, Christ was exalted,

Characteristics.

5'

the Word of God fearlessly declared, the Spirit poured out
and souls saved. Like his Master he was a friend of sinners
and knew no hard cases, and leaves many he has helped to
"pull out of the fire" to carry on God's work.

Mr. Dake might be equalled or even surpassed in debate
or council, but in the height of pulpit power his peers were
few. His sermons were full of life and power. A living
faith in a living Saviour, and the repentance and restitution
necessary to this experience and the inevitable doom of those
who reject God's mercy, were his constant themes. He en-
deavored to keep "Christ and Him crucified," the central
theme of all his discourses. Science, philosophy and sensa-
tional topics were left to be discussed by others, to the starva-
tion of the immortal souls of their congregations. God had
called him from these secular themes to a more " holy call-
ing" and he never "built again the things he had destroyed."

As he felt his divine Master frowned on the whole
liquor traffic, he being a strong Prohibitionist, his light on
this vital question was never put under a bushel. His fiery
eloquence was seldom seen to better advantage then when
denouncing this nefarious business.

He looked for immediate results from his ministrations,
nor did he look in vain. He grasped in the mighty arms of
his faith the lost souls of his hearers, and bore them with
giant-like strength to the throne of grace. In his zeal for
their salvation he occasionally, in the minds of some, over-
stepped the bounds of pulpit dignity and appeared extrava-
gant, or even theatrical in his bearing, but this mattered little
to him, as he sought souls rather than fame, and in this he
was "neither barren nor unfruitful." If ever a man was
completely absorbed in the will of God, that man was V. A.
Dake.

All things worldly lost their charms for him. He used
earthly things only as stepping stones to higher spiritual
attainments; his every desire seemed to be toward divine

52

Vivian A. Dake.

things. His disinterestedness and freedom from selfish ambi-
tion, were always apparent in his labors, to those who were
willing to see them.

When charged with an unsanctified ambition to organize
a new church he positively denied any such intention. His
last words to the writer, in the house of sister Dickson in
Philadelphia, when on his way to New York, en route for
Africa, were to this same effect. He had just received a letter
which referred to this false charge, and as he was leaving
us the oversight of the band work here in his absence, we
asked him for an expression of his whole mind on this sub-
ject, declaring at the same time our hearty disapproval of
holding any such idea. His frank reply showed that he had
not changed in the least from his former position. He said:
"No, brother Nelson, I have no such intention. If ever
there is a convocation called with that object in view, you
must call it yourself, for I assure you, I never will!" The
statement was then made that primitive Methodism as taught
by Wesley and maintained in the discipline of the Free
Methodist church would live when the world wason fire,
and that no man or company of men could better it. To
this he assented freely, and added that all he wanted was the
privilege of keeping his conscience clear to follow the will
of God in all things and run after souls.

Many of the preachers and some of the leaders of the
church did not endorse the position he had assumed, either in
setting his. young people at work at home without going
through all the routine of church regulations, or of his let-
ting those who were qualified for, and felt called to foreign
fields, go to their fields without the consent of the Mission
Board.

He maintained that as neither the Board nor the church
were responsible for any portion of the necessary funds,
either to send them to their fields or to support them on their
arrival there, that they, therefore, had no right to demand

Characteristics.

53

that these missionaries should not go without the Board's
sanction.

He further argued that Boards of necessity were slow
and cumbersome and that there was a more expeditious mode
of accomplishing the work. He interpreted the action of
Paul and Barnabas, as recorded in the thirteenth chapter of.
Acts to be on this plan. He said when they felt the call of
God to do foreign missionary work, they did not go to Jeru-
salem to see the leaders, nor did they even write to an execu-
tive committee, but simply stated their convictions to those
there assembled, who acknowledged the call of the Holy
Ghost, ordained them and sent them out. Then they went
trusting God for everything. This he thought to be the
apostolic mode. He thought that the annual conferences
were better acquainted with the qualifications and experiences
of their own respective members than a Board, who perhaps
had little personal knowledge of the one professing to be
called.

He allowed that the General Conference should hear
through the annual conference secretaries, about the state of
the work in foreign fields. This of course was all said from
a "trust in God" point of view, as he looked with disappro-
bation on the whole "salary" system, and thought that
preachers should trust God exclusively for their support,
after doing all in their own power, without neglecting their
work, or holding the official boards good for a stipulated
salarv.

Those who opposed his views said that though the
church was not held responsible for the money used in these
missions, yet many of her members contributed to their sup-
port, and therefore the church had a right to demand that all
her rules governing missionaries should be observed. On
these points there was much dissatisfaction.

The General Conference of 1890 had voted that evan-
gelists and chairmen of districts could organize bands and

54

Vivian A. Dake.

carry on band work. This Mr. Dake had done for some years
previous to this Conference session, and as he was a regu-
lar evangelist in the Illinois conference, this decision did not
affect him. But the next fall, because he could not in con-
science submit to all the demands of his brethren on the
points mentioned, he was left without an appointment. This
virtually robbed him of the power to go on with his band
work, as far as church endorsement went, as he was neither
a chairman nor an evangelist.

"Primitive Methodism," wrote W. H. Stockton, of the
Primitive Methodist Church, "appears to have been the pur-
est and most useful revival of truth as it is in Jesus, ever
known in the history of the church — but originally Method-
ism was only spiritual. Since then it has become ecclesias-
tical. Its spiritual character has always been its glory. Its
ecclesiastical character has always been its shame. From
the beginning, its government has been an intermitting vol-
cano, starting at various intervals into flaming eruptions and
filling the circuit of its power with saddest devastation.
Alas for all man's government! Alas for all over-govern-
ment!— all unyielding government, all idolized government!
Would to God that Christ might be confessed all in all, that
the time might be hastened when « the government shall be
upon His shoulders. ' "

Many now prophesied that Mr. Dake would not submit
to such treatment, but would at once organize a new church.
His answer to the writer's question in Philadelphia, therefore
set the stamp of falsehood upon these prophesies. Had fame
or ambition been his aim he surely would have taken a less
absurd method for its accomplishment. History repeats
itself, and once more leaves future generations to justify
the actions of the reformer. He suffered great mental agony
over these difficulties between himself and his brethren,
sometimes spending hours and even whole nights in tearful
pleading to God for guidance. He proved that " there are

Characteristics.

55

deeds which have no form, and sufferings which have no
tongue." He shone out brighter for the tests he endured.

God's people have ever proved like scented flowers —
most'odorous when most crushed. He was completely de-
livered from a disposition to retaliate when told of an imaginary
or real fault, even though he sometimes had evidence that
the object was simply to wound his feelings. In meekness
and humility he would express his thanks for the same and
promise to pray over it and walk in the light. Even when
malignity and falsehood were turned loose on him, he mani-
fested the spirit of the Master by maintaining silence, and as
Addison says: " Silence never shows itself to so great ad-
vantage as when it is made to reply to calumny and defama-
tion, provided that we give no just occasion for them."

The grace of God kept him triumphant through it all,
and he was never found in a dejected mood. But though
the waves of opposition rolled high and his physical man ap-
peared much shaken, yet music bubbled up spontaneously from
his full heart. The following was written while passing
through one of the heaviest afflictions of his life, and dedi-
cated to one of his workers:

I WILL REJOICE.

Though flocks and herds may perish,

And fields may yield no store,
Though friends should all forsake me;

I will rejoice evermore.

Though persecution cometh,

A fierce and vengeful roar
Of hate, reproach and scorning ;

I will rejoice evermore.

Though feeble, faint and suffering,

With burdens laden sore,
I'll shout till breaks the dawning;

I will rejoice evermore.

56

Vivian A. Dake.

For God, Himself commandeth,

I wait to hear no more,
But ran to do His bidding;

I will rejoice evermore.

Then on through every conflict,

Till gleams the heavenly shore,
And angels join the chorus;

I will rejoice evermore.

History tells how Napoleon,when reaching a certain pass
in the Alps was brought to a halt, his general remarking that
the ammunition wagons could not be drawn over so high a
ridge. Bonaparte went to the leader of the band, found an
inspiring march and ordered it played. The whole band
struck up the animating music, and under its inspiration the
ammunition wagons went over the difficult place. Thus,
through the influence of Mr. Dake's cheerful musical nature,
he was lifted over many a mountain of difficulty; and by his
example others were often inspired to follow in his footsteps.
He always met frowning adversity with a smile, as says
Aristotle: " Suffering becomes beautiful when anyone bears
great calamities with cheerfulness, not through insensibility,
but through greatness of mind."

We are convinced that some have opposed Mr. Dake
and his work through ignorance, because they had given
credence to some of the falsehoods that had been circulated
by his enemies, as some had even used the press as medium
for circulating these evil reports, and flattered themselves
that they were annihilating the Pentecost work.

CHAPTER V.

Though possessing marked ability as a reformer and an
organizer, and proving himself a successful pastor, he was

As an Evangelist.

57

preeminently an evangelist. Superintendent B. T. Roberts
truthfully wrote: "When on a circuit he did not feel satisfied
with simply filling his appointments but kept revival fires
burning all around him. As a chairman (presiding elder)
he did the work of an evangelist and kept the current of sal-
vation flowing all the while." He was not only an evangel-
ist himself, but tried to infuse evangelistic fire into all who
came under his influence. This his strong, radical nature and
clear, definite experience and fervent piety well fitted him to
do. He saw and deplored the fact that preachers are prone
to settle down on one small circuit and neglect to be "al-
ways abounding in the work of the Lord."

The spirit of Jesus is an evangelistic spirit. No great
moral awakening has ever shaken the world that has not
been attended by great evangelistic awakening and labor.
On the other hand, no great spiritual dearth has been known
which has not been characterized by a lack of evangelistic
fire and a spirit of indifference. The church of God in all
her times of spiritual prosperity, has had an abundance of
men whose labors have tended to "bring her sons from far."
The great revival of the first centuries was an evangelistic
movement. In fact, the Christian church was born and
nourished under evangelistic labors, as the apostles worked
much more in that capacity than in that of pastors.

The history of the great revival of the eighteenth cen-
tury is another confirmation of this truth. Charles and John
Wesley, Whitefield, Hill, Harris, Ousley, Clark, Benson,
Coke, Asbury and in fact, nearly all the mighty men of this
period were largely evangelistic in their labors. Even the
circuit preachers in those days were sent out, not only to
become shepherds for the sheep already in the fold but also
to do the work of an evangelist on their respective circuits
that sometimes covered several hundred square miles. These
general and local evangelists were wont to preach ten, twelve
and fourteen times each week, besides traveling several

Vivian A. Dake.

thousand miles on horseback every year to appointments. In
this regard, Mr. Dake was a Methodist indeed, and deserved
the sobriquet he often applied to himself, "an old-fashioned
Methodist." He generally preached from eight to twelve
times each week and traveled almost incessantly, seldom in
later years, preaching more than a few days in a place.

We regard as an ominous sign the scarcity of Bible evan-
gelists among us. The inspired apostle in enumerating the
different orders of the Christian ministry from the higher to
the lower, in Eph. iv, n, puts the order of evangelists before
that of pastors. "And he gave some apostles; and some,
prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teach-
ers." We are sorry to see God's order reversed to-day in most
of the existing churches and feel grieved at the effort being
made by many conferences of various denominations to force
those into the pastorate, who declare themselves led by the
divine hand to a broader field of labor.

The love for the lost which filled Mr. Dake's heart con-
strained him to preach much on the streets, in the city squares
and in the parks. In fact, he remained in few cities or towns
any length of time that he did not sing up a congregation in
the open air and preach to them. In these open-air meetings,
he was right at home, and his discourses were sometimes most
wonderful. As he looked into the faces of the neglected
and destitute ones that often formed part of his audience and
saw them as sheep without a shepherd, he would at times be
melted to tears.

We quote an instance related by Mrs. Cronk, of Belvi-
dere, III., as one of many: "One day, as Mr. Joel Cronk was
passing a business place in Belvidere, the proprietor in an agi-
tated state of mind, asked him, 'Did you see that man?'
' What man?' was the reply. ' Why, a tall man, with black
hair, got off the train. He sang a piece. The man and the
song were wonderful. He stopped, and for a few minutes,
preached to the assembled crowd, then started down the

Open-Air Meetings.

59

street again, singing with his hat in his hand, the crowd fol-
lowing. A few blocks further on, he stopped and preached
again.' Mr. C. guessing who the strange visitor was,
turned, drove back and found Mr. D. at his favorite busi-
ness." He took him to his hospitable home where Mr. D.
ever found a welcome.

Coinciding fully with the apostle's admonition, "Re-
deeming the time because the days are evil," he seldom left
an opportunity unimproved of awakening men to their awful
danger. We have known him when in a well-filled railroad
coach, where all seemed more than usually light and
thoughtless, to rise with the gravity of a judge and proceed
with a brief and pointed discourse on the shortness of time,
the uncertainty of life and the consequent need of being at
peace with God. Instantly the frivolity ceased, and the
solemnity of eternity seemed to take possession of the pas-
sengers. In these respects too, he was an old-time Methodist.
Would to God we had many more such!

He manifested the zeal and diligence of an apostle in the
work of the ministry. All his business transactions were
prefaced and concluded with prayer; and no task was so
arduous, but he kept his cheerful disposition through it. In
fact, he seemed to pursue his difficult and laborious course
with as much pleasure and zeal as men of the world do their
sports. To such cheerful dispositions which grace can give
to all, the billows of opposition and persecution only tend to
lift heavenward, as the sea bird is borne higher by the waves.

Though his ideas of self-denial and strict discipline bor-
dered on austerity, he was no narrow-minded bigot, but was
settled in the conviction that an acceptance of the Scriptural
tenets which he promulgated was essential to the temporal
and eternal welfare of the human race. Like one who be-
lieved and felt what he preached, he engaged in his work
with enthusiasm, "in season and out of season". His prac-
tical mind entertained no feeling of fellowship for a merely

6o

Vivian A. Dake.

cloistered theology. He exemplified the teaching and exam-
ple of his Master, who "went about doing good" to the
souls and bodies of men; this was his only ambition. His
ideas of practical holiness were honored of God.

His paternal government was remarkable, despite his
youth. He was a father to every worker in his bands, as
well as to every child in the Reapers Home. He carried
them and their interests on his heart, and every effort possi-
ble was made in their behalf.

At the close of his own conference in the fall of 1881,
he attended the Minnesota and North Iowa conference,
where he was greatly blest and helped of the Lord. He
so endeared himself to the brethren, that he was persuaded
to make this his field of labor for the coming year. June
7th, 1S82, he started for Hebron, Minn., to assist in a camp
meeting. Hebron was situated about ten miles west from
Mankato. and was a thickly settled farming community, with
a post office in a farmhouse. This meeting was a remarka-
ble one in many respects.

There was but one Free Methodist in the community, a
sister whose heart was burdened for the salvation of this peo-
ple. There were some Congregationalists, a few Baptists
and Methodists, the latter of whom had built a church where
all three denominations worshiped. But there had been no
revival for years. This sister who had lived there for years,
had been earnestly praying the Lord to send a revival of old-
time salvation. The burden for souls increased until she
felt led to pray for a camp meeting to be held in the neigh-
borhood.

The nearest Free Methodist class was about twenty-five
miles distant. The nearest town was ten miles and the near-
est railroad station was six, and the thought of holding a
camp meeting in this remote locality seemed impracticable;
but God, whose ways are not as man's ways, brought it about
in a remarkable manner. Exercising her faith in God, she

Work in Minnesota. 6i

went a distance of sixty miles to the district quarterly meet-
ing to express her convictions to the quarterly conference,
who voted unanimously in favor of holding the camp meet-
ing at the place.

There was no committee on arrangements except the
Lord and this sister. But the work of preparation, such as
procuring suitable ground, clearing it up, hauling lumber and
getting teams to meet the people at Mankato, etc., went on
smoothly. People of all denominations and no denomina-
tion, saved and unsaved, were alike interested, and helped so
freely that when the day of opening, June 7th, arrived, every-
thing was in order. The camp meeting was held in a beauti-
ful grove on a bluff overlooking the Minnesota River valley
and was owned by James Handley, a member of the M. E.
church, who freely gave the use of the ground for the oc-
casion. It was remarked by some that they never knew of a
camp meeting which had so little of the human and so much
of God, 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. "I started for Hebron, Minn., this forenoon.
I found Wm. 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."

June 8th. " Well, here I am in this historic country.

62 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 way. 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. " 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. 4 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.'

" 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.

6;>

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. ITe paced back and forth
on the platform, occasionally brushing back his hair witli 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.

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.

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.

" 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.

" 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: "God came in power to-day. The Word
v/ent 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, all
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 Newx'ille 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.

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 substantial 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. " Those 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.

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: '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.' Lev. xxv, 10. 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. M., then took the train for Cedar Falls.''

July ^th. " 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. ' "

July 1 2th. "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. " Wife, Mary and myself came to Ply-
mouth."

July 14th. " 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. " 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."

July 16th. "This wras one of the 'days of the Son of
Man. ' 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

7o

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 ray cross! my dreaded cross,
On which I die to live !

1 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 eross! 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 shall 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<

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 natulan 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 peace to men on earth.

The Psalmist from the depths did cry,
"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 ;

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Vivian A. Dake.

My sins like mountains 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 and peace to men. "

And now joy ripples through my soul, —
Then streams, then pours, till over-fuil ;
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 field 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 retched a large
tent in the yard and began August ist. 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. No 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, Mr. D. was much helped in preaching the Word.

First Pentecost Band.

73

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 events, which were
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
was 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 with their awful tales of
hell. " 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
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.

"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 North 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. Ehike 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: "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'1? 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

7<3

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 jyeld 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. II. 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 wrho 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 ?&3, 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
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 might
write her brother to send her money so she could leave me
with six little children. "

At this time Mr. Dake says: "Oh, this was blessed,
and writh 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
way 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
again 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 ey 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. He says :
"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 " Pentecost Band " when requested to do so by the breth
ren. " For," said he, " I feel our name was God-given. I
saw" he writes, "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

8c

Vivian A. Dake.

Superintendent B. T. Roberts:

"North Chili, Monroe Co., X. Y.,

July 31, 1S85.

My 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.

81

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 such 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. W e 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 ready to lay 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.

8.3

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 by 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 " 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 : " While in
this strait, with self leaning to church aggrandizement, and
the Spirit drawing toward the cross, I saw there was love
of j}osition 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' 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 'the man of sin.'"

"Auntie Coon's faithful prayers and dealings were of
great help to me in this critical hour. While honestly con-

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85

fessing, as Adam Clarke says, the <sore of my soul' 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."

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," 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 down great condemnation as he had preached
and professed for years the experience he was now seeking.

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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 "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 world 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.

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87

Hallelujah! it is finished,
Crucified with Christ I am,
And I'm cleansed from all defilement,
Through the all-atoning Lamb.

SECOND CHORUS.

Iam 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 wlTom 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 tfce 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 Whitefield,

Doctrinal Views.

89

Ccilvin, 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

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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," 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
right 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.

9i

experience of holiness, when it is evident they have just been
saved from their rebellion. l< 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.

Holiness 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
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

9-'

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 nail prints 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 saw7 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 w*ere 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 entire consecration 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 "Perfect Love",
page 82, says: "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 " submission ",
"full surrender", and "consecration" as synonymous.

"But," says one, " 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

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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 vfe. 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 maybe 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, <4 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 "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 God in 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

93

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 th.e 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 would deem him mad for sacrificing her
gods, and would "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 upon 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
all go, but leave their cattle behind.

He seemed to know the truth of the words, "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, " 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 and 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
Kgypt. 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 : u 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 oi 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 <cgroanings 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 July 25th, 18S5, 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 wTork 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 atter 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

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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 bee'n 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 does 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

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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).

"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 they have clear views
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.

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 Universa-
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. 2 1 st. 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 bis visits here was called to North Parma, a country
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 im pressed while here that the Lord
would have him hold a series of meetings in the place. He
applied for the schoolhouse in which to hold them; but was
refused. He went to the trustees of the Presbyterian

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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.

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
shalt go to all that I shall send, and whatsoever I command
thee, thou shalt 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 rilled," (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,
1 6, 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. Dake'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 1 1

Longing for Thy faintest call ;
All for precious souls.

Home, sweet home, no longer mine,

All for precious souls;
Murmur not my soul, nor pine, —

All for precious souls.
Earth's fair scenes allure me not,

All thy pleasures I've 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, —

All 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-

112

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. 1, 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.

"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.
21st, and preached from Jeremiah, ii, 28, " But where are thy
gods that thou bast 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 ihem 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

H4

Vivian A. Dake.

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 "there was no small stir."

in "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.

"5

encouraged the hearts of the workers. On the following
evening two more were saved.

The work went on amid some conflicts with the enemy,
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

n6

Vivian A. Dake.

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
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 greatly
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 hefore 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.

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

n8

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 lives, 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

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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
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 last
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 portly,
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.

Manv who had been their bitterest opposers, afterward
became their wannest friends. The meeting closed about
the middle of September. The work continued to spread as

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121

new workers came into the field. About six miles from
Royalton, was another country neighborhood, called "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 "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, 111. The

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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 other place 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 June 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, 111., 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 1 1 th,
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 away in a neighborhood
known as "Big Woods". A precious work was done in this

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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:
" 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
the 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, 111., 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-

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Vivian A. Dake.

ens and gave them " 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 an?t
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 their
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 wrhich 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, " 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

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125

wicked warning, as God requires in Ezek. 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 iu his iniquity; hut 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,

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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 profess to hold certain tenets?

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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)' 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

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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, 111., 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 wras
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-repented asser-
tion, "I cannot live if I cannot preach."

Band Work.

i 29

Some of the meetings were times of great blessing.
One of the workers wrote: "Language fails to express the
blessedness of the meeting on Friday night, Sept. 24th, 1886.
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, 111., and
another at Ridott, 111. 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

i3°

Vivian A. Dake.

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. They 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 was a searching
time. One was saved in this service. Also, in the evening,
after Mr. Dake had preached from the word " Eternity ",
one was set at liberty. The Lord continued to pour out His
Spirit in the weeks that followed until over twenty had
obtained either pardon or purity.

One of the converts was a physician who is still standing
true to God. Mr. Dake was here again on Nov. 17th, and
held a praise meeting, which was a time of rejoicing over
newborn souls. This closed the series of meetings at Fron-
tier.

Band Work.

In the month of November meetings were opened at
five new points.

On the night of Nov. 15th, 1886 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

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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

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i33

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, 111., 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

134

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." 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. The}' 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 "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
'S6 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 " This year thou shalt die." It was a solemn time

Band Work.

i35

and deep conviction rested on many in the congregation.
Three meetings were l?eld 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. 1 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 stayed 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 w7as organized and the neglected

i36

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. "
P>a. 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 man)' 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 Raisin ville, received a call from

?33

Vivian A. Dake.

Rev. F, D. Brooke, pastor of the Free Methodist church at
Marengo, 111., 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. I
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 they 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, 111. 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

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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, 111.
Part of the workers had been assisting in other bands but
were now formed into band No. 9 with Lillie Hammond,
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 hostility 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, "Beneath Two Flags",
speaking of the arrests of Salvation Army soldiers for
holding street meetings, well says, "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

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."
Jer. i, 9, 10.

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 106.

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.

14J

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 calmly 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 ar\d 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, wrhich 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 way.

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.

i43

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.

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
jail. 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,
111., 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

In Jail.

145

at Seneca for several weeks, and we can say for them that
nothing in their words or deportment shows them to he 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 stately 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.

44 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 day after the workers were released,
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, 111., 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, 111., 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, Sivert 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.

M7

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 only 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, to us, 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.

"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, 111.,
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, 111., 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, 111., to attend the first annual gathering of
the Pentecost Bands, known as the "Harvest Home." The
meeting was held on a beautiful island in the Kankakee
river, within the city 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 wrork 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

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 : "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, 111., 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.

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 "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
Work here, Mr. D. went to Ransom, 111., about twelve miles

Vivian A. Dake.

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. After 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.

153

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. B^ker, 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 w<as
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 Streator,
the evil reports reached Ransom, and caused some to turn
a cold shoulder; but the Lord over- ruled all, and fruit was

154

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
placer" 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.

Avery stylish lady was powerfully convicted of sin.
She had been vainly seeking the Lord 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
wefe the only clear cases during the labors of No. 6 there,
though some were afterward saved and a small class formed.

Braidwood, 111., 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 w^as like plowing on a rock, There seemed" but little
good soil for the seed to fall on. The bands on other fields

Plain Preaching.

155

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, 111., in
November.

CHAPTER XV.

In the fall of '87 Mr. Dake moved his family to Whea-
ton, 111., 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 re»

Vivian A. Dake.

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, when 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: 4 A sermon that was
nothing but some general toothless notions in a handsome
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 Life,\>2i<gQ. 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 nnd
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:
"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 : " We are seeing some saved who
strike the Rock and eternity alone will reveal the good done
in this place. God is showing us more and more the precious
worth of one soul, and the necessity of seeing men com-
pletely delivered from the world."

The late Rev. B. T. Roberts has some strong and truth-
ful words on spurious conversions, from which we quote:
" Men love security, other things being equal. They give
a decided preference to the safe side. They spare neither
pains nor expense to guard against possible calamities. For
this reason, insurance companies carry on a thriving business.
There is generally an instinctive fear of the future. Upon
the brink of eternity the boldest stand and tremble with an
indefinable dread of their impending doom. Any system
that gives plausible provisions for carrying man safely
through this darkness into the unclouded light of eternal day
will have its votaries. The more plausible a promise and
the easier the conditions, the greater will be the number of
adherents. Make the standard of Christianity sufficiently
low and you can very easily multiply conversions. Give to
men an assurance of heaven without requiring them to deny
themselves and take up their cross daily and follow Jesus
amid reproach and persecutions, and many will be found
eager to embrace the advantageous offer."

He proceeds further to show* the evidences of a spurious

Vivian A. Dake.

conversion. " First. The so-called converts do not truly
repent of their sins. They go forward for prayers and per-
haps kneel. They make no confession of their sins, never
shed a tear, never utter a cry for mercy, nor manifest in any
way the earnestness of a soul longing to be delivered from
the dangers of hell. When they have wronged others they
make no restitution. A few prayers are offered for them,
interspersed (if they are persons of wealth or position) with
compliments. They 'feel better,' join the church, sleep on
with others and finally wake up in hell.

" Second. The subjects of these spurious conversions
do not have any real victory over sin. In this respect they
are the same as they were before. If they were fretful and
impatient before, they are fretful and impatient still. If they
were the slaves of tobacco, they still defile their bodies with
its use. Those who were the devotees of fashion in any
degree before their so-called conversion, remain to the same
extent ' conformed to the world.' The Word of God does
not possess sufficient authority with them to induce them to
discontinue for the sake of Jesus, the wearing of ' gold or
pearls or costly array'. i Tim. 2:9.

'•If they were fond before their profession, of the light
Satanic literature of the day, they read it still, with as much
avidity as ever. The grosser vices which would injure their
respectabilitv, they .avoid.

"Third. They are strangers to the joys of salvation.
When they see others rejoicing « with joy unspeakable and
full of glory,' it looks to them like the wildest enthusiasm.

"Fourth. They have no love for closet duties. Close,
pointed, searching preaching disturbs them and they seek
the ministry of those who speak 4 with enticing words of
man's wisdom.'

" Fifth. Thev are sadly wanting in genuine humility.
Their very confessions are full of self.

" Sixth. They oppose Bible holiness. For a superficial,

Band Work. 159

fashionable holiness they may have sympathy ; but they mani-
fest bitter hostility against true holiness.

"Do they give up worldly associations? They will
leave the church before they will the lodge! Secret socie-
ties have a stronger attraction for them than the house of
God! Worldly pleasures draw them with far greater force
than does the beauty of holiness or the social means of grace.
These are some of the marks of a spurious conversion/'

Whenever a number were saved and formed into a
class Mr. Dake instructed the workers to take steps if pos-
sible toward building a house of worship. The leader of
No. 2 who came to Marengo, 111., to rest at once began such an
enterprise and donations were made of money, stone and
labor for the erection of a place of worship which was finally
completed and dedicated. Meanwhile meetings were con-
tinued with success and some trouble removed and souls
helped. In November No. 2 commenced meetings at Union,
a small place east of Marengo. The place was hardened
under rejected light received in the past and but little was
accomplished.

As the year drew to a close most of the workers gathered
at Streator, 111., to attend the annual Ingathering. From
Ohio and the different fields in Illinois they came rejoicing
over sheaves gathered.

All felt encouraged to renew the battle and expect
greater victories the coming year. The meeting continued
in Streator, with no decrease in interest or power. No. 7
continued in charge assisted by other workers, all of whom
were gaining rich experience in this field. Many incidents
of deep interest transpired which we cannot record. As God
worked, Satan worked also and decided opposition was
manifest.

A Jew who lived in an adjoining building became so
infuriated over the sound of prayer and praise so often re-
sounding through the hall that he would hammer on the

i6o

Vivian A. Dake.

partition and yell loudly to disturb the meeting. One night
a drunkard was at the altar and the workers were beseech-
ing God for his salvation. The captive soul seemed bound
hand and foot and it was a fight with the powers of darkness.

The Jew pounded on the wall and made quite a disturb-
ance, but only served to awaken the seeker more fully and
he sprang to his feet and exclaimed: "I will be saved!"
The Jew did not realize how much good he was doing for
the man was afterward converted. Mr. Dake came on Mon-
day and stayed about a week. His labors were much blest
of God. On March Sth, at the close of his preaching six
came to the altar and two men were saved. Sabbath after-
noon, the ioth, he preached on holiness, after which ten
came forward and began calling on God, some for pardon
and some for purity. Several were delivered.

On the evening of March nth, an immense crowd
assembled, to whom Mr. Dake preached from the words :
" Turn ye to the stronghold, ye prisoners of hope." At the
close of his discourse, which was freighted with power and
liberty, a rush was made for the altar and fifteen souls were
crying for mercy, most of whom found the desire of their
hearts. No. 7 left the work in charge of No. 11, Rena
Brown, leader and opened a new meeting in Coalville, a
suburb of Streator.

Mr. Dake visited these bands several times in April.
On the 23rd, brother B. T. Roberts accompanied him and
preached in the evening to a large congregation from the
words found in Psa. lx, 1-3. The power of God rested on
him and deep conviction was on the people. Some came to
the altar and many rose for prayers. To the children of God
it was a time of great blessing.

In April, No. 11 was followed by No. 12, Lillian Burt,
leader. Sometimes the enemy seemed to be gaining the day
and again the " Captain of the Lord's host" would cause the

In Jail.

161

enemy to fall back before His little ones, and glorious were
the results as many souls were liberated from sin.

The history of this meeting as herein recorded, gives
but a faint idea of the glorious scenes which transpired to
the defeat of the devil's forces. Meetings had been running
without intermission for about nine months when No. 12
took charge. Nothing had been spared in the way of earnest,
faithful labor to awaken souls and bring them to the cross.
Many had been rescued, but persistent effort was still made
to bring in lingering ones who were yet counting the cost.

Some were brought to a decision for Christ and the
converts were strengthened and built up. It was during
the labors of No. 12 that the opposition to street meetings
culminated in the arrest of the workers. Members of
Bands No. 5, 6, 7, 8 and 1 1 were present at Streator,
which was a central point for all the neighboring bands. It
being a large place and the meeting a heavy one, other m
workers often dropped in to assist in the meeting or to
recuperate. This accounts for the number here at this time.
Four brethren were here and shared in the arrest with the
sisters.

The workers had been warned by the authorities to
refrain from holding meetings on the street, as it had been
customary for thein to do for the benefit of the masses
who thronged the streets of this coal-mining city.

On June 7th they felt led by the Lord to deliver their
souls on the street again, so they proceeded to their accus-
tomed place, but the marshal came promptly and arrested
them. An interesting account of their arrest and imprison-
ment is given by one of the sisters.

"June 7th, ten of us, viz: T. H. Nelson, Harvey Brink,
Sivert Ulness, Sloan McDivitt, and sisters Flora Birdsall,
Rose Myers, Lillian Burt, Grace Toll, Jennie Tate and
Bertha Campbell, were arrested for holding a street meet-
ing and taken to the city hall at a fast rate, while we sang

162 Vivian A. Dake.

all the way, ' 'Tis a heaven below, my Redeemer to know,'
and for about an hour, while awaiting the appearance of
the city attorney, we occupied the time singing, praying,
testifying, shouting, etc., enjoying a real praise meeting and
'feast of fat things' to the great satisfaction of over a thou-
sand people who rilled the court room or thronged the
building outside, and to the chagrin of the city officials who
were forced to sit thus under fire until the arrival of the
attorney. Surely it was a heaven below. They fined us
after a trial but remitted the fine and dismissed us on a
mittimus, i. e., committing us to prison on a second offence
without a new trial.

"The following day Barnum's show was in town and
the devil had many street meetings and marches but no ar-
rests were made. On Saturday, June 9th, we again went
forth in the name of the Lord trembling under the cross,
but with holy bolJness, and began our meeting with pray-
er, after which the officers took us to the city hall and showed
us our ' apartments,' while the throng was almost innumer-
able.

"We sisters were given the marshal's private office, as
there were no cells for 'ladies' and the brethren were shut
in with the hoodlums, drunkards and jail vermin. All
through the night we heard the shouts and songs going up
from the cells of the brethren and on Sunday we spent
the grandest day of our lives, singing, praying and praising
God all day, until it seemed the prison doors would give
way.

" Sisters Hulbert and Penrod came up from Reading,
not knowing of the arrest and they and the two brethren
who 'escaped' carried on the meetings in the hall. Many of
the principal business men of the city were so indignant
at our beinr incarcerated that strong threats were made
to sue the city for damages.

"The mayor was so troubled that it did not take him

In Jail., 163

long to find a suitable place for our street meetings. Pre-
vious to our first arrest he had denied us a place on the
streets, saying that the park was for such purposes; but we
tried the park and found that the mass of people who throng
the streets would not frequent this place, it being on one
side of the town.

"Mr. H. a prominent merchant freely offered us a lot
close to Main street, just in front of the place where they
arrested us. We aptly termed it 'Liberty Spot.' The
mayor released us on Monday afternoon, though our time
was not out until Thursday. The marshal kindly asked us
to pray before we left and when we arose from our knees in
that city hall many eyes were wet with tears and we bade
them a good by and told them that it had been a most pre-
cious place to our souls. Glory to God!"

A note from one of the brethren who was arrested says:
" The arrest was made on Saturday night, when jails gen-
erally have the most inmates. We had been in the jail
scarcely five minutes when one of the poor wretches who was
under the influence of liquor began to beat one of the breth-
ren over the back with his cane. He in return seemed to
think this was a part of the penalty for holding street meet-
ings and meekly submitted to the ordeal. But one of his
companions, less disposed to see his brother suffer such indig-
nities, seized the inebriate and put him in a cell and fastened
the door on the outside.

"The marshal had searched our pockets and taken from
us our handkerchiefs, pocketbooks, Testaments, pocket
knives, combs, etc., leaving us nothing with which to busy
ourselves. On account of our filthy quarters we could sleep
but little, so we spent most of the night singing and praising
God. Like our brethren in the Philippian jail we sang a
hymn at midnight.

"The next morning we were visited by the marshal who
said that our praying and singing must cease as the mayor

164

Vivian A. Dake.

(who lived some distance away ) could not sleep for our noise.
We told him we thought it was not our noise but his con-
science which troubled the mayor, and that we could not
promise not to pray.

" The Roman Catholic policeman who acted as our
jailer doubtless never had such prisoners before. He seemed
somewhat surprised when we grew happy, asking God's
blessing on our frugal meal which consisted of baker's bread
and water, with bologna thrown in. But the latter proved
to be as unwholesome and indigestible as the fresli bread.
But we accepted the situation as permitted of God.

" At three o'clock, Monday afternoon we were released
and invited to pray in the hall where the sisters had just a
few minutes before been granted the same privilege. Our
pocket possessions were returned to us and we were informed
that we could hold street meetings on a vacant lot just across
from the post office, the town agreeing to furnish us police
protection. Surely God made the wrath of man to praise
Him in this peculiar trial."

The sainted Rutherford was at one time in his ministry
imprisoned for Jesu*' sake and he wrote: "I never knew by
my nine years' preaching, so much of Christ's love as He
hath taught me in Aberdeen by six months' imprisonment."
These workers found it true in their case, and sang:

"Pm blest with the fulness of love,
My heart is with gladness set free;

And prisons do palaces prove,

While Jesus forever saves me."

While they were in jail a Swede boy was met on the
street by one of the converts and found to be much concerned
about his soul. He came to the window of the room where
the sisters were confined and with tears streaming down his
face told how he had sought satisfaction in North and South
America and in Sweden. He had just learned of the im-
prisonment; "and," said he, 4< Christians used to be put in

Band Work.

jail because they served the Lord and I know you are Chris-
tians, and I want to be saved." The young ladies talked
with him and pointed him to Jesus and he returned to the
hall and sought the Lord. At last light broke into his dark-
ened heart and he was gloriously saved.

God sent him out after souls and now he is preaching
the gospel and proving successful in the work of the Lord.
This is brother Henry Johnson. Thus did God bless the
strange experience of these workers to the salvation of at
least one precious soul.

CHAPTER XVI.

We will turn to the records of other meetings during
these months. After the close of the Ingathering, No. 3
returned to Edgerton, Ohio, and resumed the work there
and also held meetings in the country about six miles away.
When Mr. Dake visited them in February some were
reclaimed and others were saved after he left. Meetings
were continued until April, when the band removed to
Blakeslee, Ohio.

Several new points were opened by Mr. Dake after the
Ingathering. At Tonica No. 8 labored for a few days, but
the people were inaccessible to the truths preached and only
one soul was saved. They next assisted in a meeting at
Mazon, 111. During the few days they labored here, five or
six were converted. They then went to Morris, 111., at the
request of the pastor, Rev. J. M. Clark. The meeting in-
creased in interest, the class seemed blest, but great indigna-
tion was still held toward the work, especially by the officials
of this Rome-ruled city, where a few months previous, the
young ladies of No. 9 passed through such shameful indigni-
ties behind her jail bars for the " crime" of holding a street
meeting.

i66

Vivian A. Dake.

About the evening of March ioth a special praise meet-
ing was held and many were present from Mazon, the other
charge on tne circuit. As the long line of workers and
pilgrims were marching down the street, singing one of the
songs of Zion, the writer who was leading the band felt a
special blessing coming upon his soul and he shouted aloud
for joy. Instantly he was seized by the Catholic marshal
who shook him roughly, saying, I'll run you in!"

We were marched to the county jail where, after being
searched and all our pocket possessions taken from us except
our watch, which was overlooked, we were locked up, while
the assistant leader H. D. Brink led the march to the hall
where a blessed time was enjoyed and the baptism of the
Holy Ghost came on the saints.

In this our first jail experience (it being a few months
before the arrest at Streator) we were not to be deprived of
our meeting, but proceeded to exhort the prisoners, who con-
sisted of about a half dozen tramps, two or three thieves and
one insane man.

We grew rather loud in our devotions at times, at wnich
the jailer (the county sheriff) became enraged and hurriedly
opening the large iron door of the main room of the prison,
he yelled, in language not very religious : " What does
all this noise mean? it must be stopped at once!" But as
the writer was in jail now and nothing more could be feared,
the praying and exhorting went on, and the iron door was
slammed shut and some hot words uttered as the sheriff
retreated.

Sometime after midnight we were awakened by an
awful feeling that something was not right in the cell. We
listened intently but no sound could be heard; yet the feeling
grew stronger that some awful presence was in the room and
was drawing nearer and about to touch us.

A sickening feeling of dread began to take possession of
us, when on lifting our hearts to God it instantly vanished and

In Jail.

167

a sweet sense of security and peace became ours. We waited
in breathless expectation to see what would be the outcome
of this strange feeling, a rustling was heard in the uncovered
straw that formed our pillow. It was now time to act!
Fortunately, we had a parlor match in our pocket which the
jailer failed to find and we suddenly lit it, which flashed out
through the cell, disclosing the insane man on his hands and
knees before the bed !

He must have seen or heard our watch early in the
evening and had come to steal it. The snapping of the match
full in his face so startled him that he threw up his hands,
opened wide his mouth and eyes and when commanded to
leave the cell, which was left unlocked, he made about two
bounds to the top of the iron stairway that led to the upper
row of cells, and we slept soundly the rest of the night.

The next morning we were visited by the marshal who
escorted us to the citv hall where our trial was to take place.
The mayor being in New York, some one was found to
take his place. We were asked to plead guilty or not guilty
to the crime of " making an unusual noise" on the street, to
which we responded: " We'll have to pray first." "What!
No praying in here! " shouted the marshal. " Let him pray! "
cried a score of voices in the crowd, for the hall was full.

Down on our knees we went, followed by several of
the members of the class who were present, and who re-
sponded with hearty " Amens " to the prayer for the profane
officials who cursed and swore, thus breaking the law they
were sworn to protect, and yet arrested God's people for
singing Zion's songs and shouting the high praises of God.

To the question, " Guilty or not guilt) ?" the response
came: " Well, your honor, if it is an unusual thing and a
crime punishable with imprisonment in Christian America to
praise God on the street, I am guilty and by the grace of
God, I'll be guilty again as soon as I get out." This answer
for a moment nonplused the mayor, pro tern. He colored

i68

Vivian A. Dake.

up, and nervously fingering his law book, said: "Well, that
is the law, and we must fine you five dollars and costs, or
eight days in jail." The class leader from Mazon, Mr. W.
Harper, and others quickly volunteered to pay this fine, but
we objected, saying: " I was free born and have done noth-
ing for which I should be deprived of my liberty, and do
not propose to have God's money go to the devil, to purchase
my freedom. I'll go to jail first."

After being whispered to by the acting mayor, the
marshal started with us to the jail; but on getting out on the
street we were left to ourselves while he went off about
other business. We sent after him to come back and at-
tend to taking us to jail, saying: UI am in his charge
now, and he must take care of me." The marshal returned
and took us to jail, where we spent some time in transcribing
Bible texts on the stone wall of the prison, with a pencil
loaned us bv a friend.

Another friend came with the tidings that friends among
the unsaved business men had promised to sue the city if
we were not out before four o'clock that day. Then the
jailor came with the information that we were at liberty
now to go; whereupon we told him we could not go, un-
til the one who put us in came and took us out. Acts
xvi, 37. Soon the Roman marshal reluctantly walked into
the prison, took us by the arm and led us out; at the same
time, giving us back our confiscated possessions.

This arrest gained many friends to the work in this
place and proved the source of much good, verifying the
promise, "All things work together for good to them that
love the Lord."

Mr. Dake on hearing of the proceedings, was soon at
the scene, highly .approving of the action of the arrested
worker. Though pressed by many friends to appeal the
case to the higher courts Mr. Dake refused to do so, not
wishing to retaliate.

An Unusual Noise

169

He thought, however, that the good people of Morris,
who had long been duped by Roman Catholic chicanery in
politics should know of the corruption that existed among
their municipal officers. He accordingly wrote the following
tract, three thousand of which, he had sown through the
streets of Morris.

"AN UNUSUAL NOISE.1'
" What was it? The blowing up of a powder magazine,
such as paralyzed Streator a few months ago? or an earth-
quake shock, such as terrified Charleston, S. C? or was it
the roar of a cyclone, louder than ten thousand freight trains,
such as horrified Mt. Carmel, 111., a few days ago? No, it
was none of these. What was that 'unusual noise' that
caused so much commotion? It was the shout of a Pente-
cost worker, saying, ''Glory to God!'' It could scarcely be
heard two blocks away, yet the marshal of Morris shook; and
the rum holes of Morris shook; and the dead church mem-
bers of Morris shook; and the pit of hell shook; and while
they shook they shrieked, 1 That man is making an unusual
noise.' Pentecost Band No. 8 followed by a number of
brethren and sisters, were marching down the main street,
singing; and as they sang without making a halt, one of the
workers shouted, 'Glory to God!' He was immediately
arrested and hurried off to jail, and the complaint which the
marshal entered against him was,4 Making an unusual noise.'
To shout, 'Glory to God,' was, to the officials of Morris,
making an 'unusual noise.' Morris in this respect, is very
much like another densely populated place where 'Glory to
God' would be a very 'unusual noise,' but where the usual
noise is the cursing of devils and the 'wailing and gnashing
of teeth' of those who on earth hated the unusual noise God's
little ones made when they shouted 'Glory to God.' Mark
you, profane swearing and low, vulgar talk is not an 'unusual
noise 'in Morris. The howl of the drunkard and the saloon
brawl is not an 'unusual noise' in Morris. Men, too drunk to
walk straight, can enter into and disturb religious meetings and
no officer can be found ; but let a man of God shout ' Glory to
God !' and the marshal of Morris is on the spot to drag him off to
jail for making an 'unusual noise'. Thank God, marshal; thank
God, cold church members of Morris; thank God saloon
keepers; yes, thank God, all of you who aid and wink at
blasphemers and saloon protecting officers who arrest Chris-

170

Vivian A. Dake.

tian young women for holding street meetings and disturb-
ing the peace and arrest God-fearing young men for shout-
ing 4 Glory to God' — 4 making an unusual noise' and let
drunkards stagger on the streets and run against or chase
from the sidewalk your wives and children, and let gangs of
loafers blockade the corners and make low, vile remarks in
the hearing of your daughters, and let bold blasphemers roll
out torrents of foul oaths insulting true Christian men and
women who walk the streets. But that Christian man must
not say 4 Glory to God' whom he must hear cursed, or the
marshal will arrest him. I say, thank God there is one tri-
bunal that will not call shouting,4 Glory to God ' an 4 unusual

noise.

WflAT GOD SAYS:

'Let the inhabitants of the Rock
sing, let thern shout from the top
of the mountains.' Isa. xlii, 11.

'Glory to God in the highest.'
Luke ii, 14.

1 Cry out and shout, thou inhab-
itant of Zion : for great is the Holy
One of Israel in the midst of thee.'
Isa. xii, 6.

'And all the people shouted with
a great shout, when they praised
the Lord, because the foundation
of the house of the Lord was laid.
But many of the priests and Le-
vites (preachers) and chief of the
fathers (officers), who were ancient

men wept with a loud voice,

and many shouted aloud for joy:
that the people could not discern
the noise of the shout of joy from
the noise of the weeping of the peo-
ple: for the people shouted with a
loud shout, and ihe noise was
heard afar off.' Ezra, iii, -11-13.

' And I heard as it were the
voice of a great multitude, and as
the voice of many waters, and as
the voice of mighty thunderiners.
saying, Alleluia; for the Lord God
Omnipotent reigneth.' Rev, xix, 6.

WflAT MORRIS SAYS:

This is an unusual noise.

Those angels should be fined for
making such an unusual noise.

If you obey this command on
the streets of Morris the marshal
will arrest you for making an J un-
usual noise.'

If it had been on the streets of
Morris, instead of Jerusalem, we
would have arrested them, preach-
ers, officers, women, children and
all, for making such an "unusual
noise.'

We would put a new law on the
statute book of Heaven and put
them all in jail for disturbing the
peace with such an 'unusual noise.'

An Unusual Noise.

"Yes, thank God! it is not an 'unusual noise' in Heaven.
Saints praise Him, angels and archangels praise Him and
their mighty shouts of ' Glory to God!' roll up against the
throne like 4 mighty thunderings. ' And if some Pentecost
worker should walk down the streets of gold and in the ful-
ness of his joy should shout ' Glory to God!' there will be
no uniformed marshal to drag him off to jail for making an
'unusual noise.' But in Morris, four Pentecost sisters and
one Pentecost brother disturb the peace, by shouting ' Glory
to God!' and the mayor, marshal, justice, formal church
members, saloon keepers, blasphemers, pool players nod their
heads, blink their eyes at each other, saying, 'an unusual
noise,' and his Satanic majesty, with all his troops of 'cast-
out-from-heaven ' followers jeer back, 'Yes, yes; put them in
jail. They are disturbing our peace. It is a very 'unusual
noise.' 'Vengeance is mine, I will repay, saith the Lord.'
We might sue the city. A talented Eastern lawyer has
offered to sue the city of Morris at his own expense for false
imprisonment on seven counts; but we have appealed to one
court and we have the decision for Morris, its mayor, its jus-
tice, its marshal, its solicitor, and its false-swearing witnesses.
This is the text of the decision, ' Inasmuch as ye have do7te
it unto one of the least of these, my brethren, ye have done it
unto me. '

(Signed) Jesus Christ.
"And will not God avenge His elect? Will He not
visit the city which allows Christian young women to be
incarcerated in the same jail with low vile men, with only a
few iron bars between them, exposed to their insults, forced
to listen to their conversation, and to suffer their gross con-
duct, and also suffocated almost every hour with sickening
clouds of tobacco smoke, pushed violently into their cell and
locked up, or dragged into separate cells by an ungodly
sheriff, if they sang or prayed a little louder than usual, while
the blasphemy on the other side of the bars, and the oaths

172

Vivian A. Dake.

pouring out from the lips of the sheriff — the servant of the
county — must be suffered by them, and all this for the
space of seventeen days, for the crime of holding street meet-
ings?

" Will He not avenge Himself on a city which allows
its perfumed marshal to roughly collar and drag to jail a law-
abiding Christian young man for the crime of shouting
'Glory to God' on the streets, and locking him in the same
room with drunken hoodlums and a crazy man who in the
night attempted to rob this Christian boy? ' Yea, He will
avenge them speedily.' Morris will feel the retributive hand
of God for her sins which cry unto the very Heavens:
1 Verily, I say unto you, it shall be more tolerable for the
land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment, than
for that city' — Morris.

"I do not mean that anything in this 'scourge of small
cords' shall be construed to mark all who live in Morris as
guilty. I gladly except that band of noble women and their
sympathizers who a few days ago appealed to the officials of
Morris, to prevent a Company of stage-struck, unclean
females from corrupting the morals of their children, but
were denied their request by the men who arrest Christians
for making an 'unusual noise,' but who protect saloons and
unclean stage exhibitions; nor do I mean those business men,
headed by a certain humane banker who signed a petition
for the release of those falsely imprisoned ; nor do I mean
any of the officials of Morris who are out spoken against such
oppression.

"But I mean the Protestants of Morris who encourage
such ungodliness; I mean the Catholics who allowed the old
Inquisition spirit to control them and who persecuted these
defenseless ones because they were of a different belief,
while the officers winked at their wrongdoing. I mean the
officers of Morris who so forgot their manhood and their
oath of office and their duty to the oppressed, as to do the

An Unusual Noise.

i73

devil's bidding; and in days to come, 'The double-shotted
batteries' of public opinion^ and the ' chain-lightning ' of
their own aroused consciences, together with whatever of
hatred a just God may have against such a 'betrayal of pub-
lic trust' will do more effective work than my feeble 'scourge
of small cords.'

(Signed) I conoclast (Idol-smasher)."

The tract had the desired effect. It awakened the Prot-
estant population who began to see that they were not gov-
erned righteously by American law, but domineered over by
the " scarlet whore " — the Roman Catholic church. Great
agitation followed this burst of eloquence. The American
Protective Association and the fearless editor of the Morris
Herald soon after took up the war and pressed it to such a
successful issue that three years later the Protestants arose
en masse, marched to the polls, threw off the Roman yoke
and put Protestants in every office, both in school and munici-
pal elections, thus proving the truth of Mr. Dake's prophetic
statement: "And in days to come the double- shotted batter-
ies of public opinion, and the chain-lightning of their own
aroused consciences, together with wriatever of hatred a just
God may have against such a 'betrayal of public trust'
will do more effective work than my feeble * scourge of
small cords'." So the battle went on and influences were
set in motion which will never end.

Band No. 8 opened meetings at Cornell, 111., June 14th.
Again was the Spirit poured out on the workers as they
contended with the powers of darkness. God applied the
truth and two were saved.

In considering the false reports circulated here, con-
cerning the workers, we are reminded of Caughey's words:
" We read of a viper which hides its teeth in its gums,
requiring good sight to detect them. Simplicity might con-
clude them harmless. Provoke the viper and the teeth are
instantly seen protruding in battle array! It is thus with

174

Vivian A. Dake.

the carnal mind the world over. This enmity is not apt to
slumber in a revival." Earnest Christianity, page 167.
On entering this place the peojDle determined that the work-
ers should receive no support from them. For two weeks pro-
visions were scarce and the young men slept in the taber-
nacle.

At last one afternoon the leader of the band overheard
one of his workers reading a letter aloud which he had
written to his sister, from which he read these words: "The
people of this town are determined to starve us. We have
had but three square meals in two weeks." (Of course they
had some additional lunches.) This touched the leader's
heart, and he went into a corncrib near the tabernacle to
enquire of the Lord if His promise was about to fail,
" Bread shall be given him, his water shall be sure;" and
feeling that his prayer was answered he returned to the
tabernacle where in a few minutes the express agent in-
formed him that a large box had arrived at the depot for
them. Upon opening the box after bringing it to the tent,
they were pleasantly surprised to find it filled with a great
variety of eatables, such -as canned fruit of different kinds,
lemons, oranges, dried beef, bread, roast chicken, etc., suffi-
cient to last them for some weeks.

The box had been sent by the class at Morris, 111., with-
out solicitation from the workers. Thus they proved, as
one of the workers remarked, that "the ravens of Elijah's
time are not all dead yet." They had no home nor cupboard
in which to store these supplies, hence they were stored in
the pulpit. After this the tactics of the devil were reversed
and provisions poured in from various quarters, until much
of it had to be given away. Thus again they proved the
words true, " Trust in the Lord and do good; so shalt thou
dwell in the land and verily thou shalt be fed."

The meetings did not continue long here. Complaint
was made against the workers because they prayed so much.

Prayer. 175

One woman was heard to remark to her neighbor when the
tent was erected : " Now you will hear some of the tallest
praying you ever heard. They will be at it from night
till morning and from morning till night again."

Yes, it is "tall praying" that is needed these days —
prayer that will reach the throne and will command the
attention of God. A similar complaint was made against
the Methodists of olden time and they were arrested. Mr.
Wesley humorously states the particulars as follows:

"I rode over to a neighboring town to wait upon a
justice of the peace, a man of candor and understanding,
before whom I was informed their angry neighbors had
carried a whole wagonload of these new heretics; but when
he asked what they had done, there was a deep silence, for
that was a point their conductors had forgotten. At length
one said: 'Why, they pretend to be better than other peo-
ple, and besides, they pray from morning till night.' Mr.
S. asked: 'But have they done nothing besides?' 'Yes,
sir!' said one old man, 'and please, your Worship, they
have converted my wife. Till she went among them, she
had such a tongue, now she is as quiet as a lamb.' 'Carry
them back, carry them back!' replied the justice, 'and let
them convert all the scolds in the town.' " — Wesley's Journal.

This complaint was often raised against the workers.
One wrote of Ann Cutler, a saint of Wesley's time: "I
never heard of anything against Ann Cutler, except her
manner of approaching the Lord. I hinted before that
she prayed with great exertion of voice and in this she
never lost her foes. She was in our house several months
at different times. It was her usual custom to arise at
midnight to pray, and return thanks for mercies received.
Going to rest again she slept until four, which was her regu-
lar hour of rising. She continued until about five, pleading
for herself, our family, the society, the preachers and the
whole church. If we had no meeting at five, she retired in-

176

Vivian A. Dake. *

to the chapel and there continued In earnest prayer for
another hour.

" About six she went into her room and read the Scrip-
tures with prayer. When she labored with her hands she
would retire twelve or fourteen times a day and pray a few
minutes at a time. She continued frequently very long in
private, but was very short in public and in general with a
loud voice."

It is said that she met with great opposition and suffered
much reproach; but it is also written that wherever she
went there was an amazing power of God attending her
prayers. All who will go that way will meet with the same
complaint and reproach, but they will have success in soul-
saving, that others do not.

No. 4, after assisting at Streator for a time, went to
Wheaton, 111., to assist the pastor, where they were joined
by No. 5 who had been laboring at Mt. Palatine, 111., with
but little success. There are eight or more churches in this
place and no licensed saloons. Nevertheless it has been found
a very difficult matter for the "common salvation" to gain a
foothold. One observed : " The devil is educated and very re-
fined here." The town is noted for the prominent and
aggressive stand which is taken by many on the great re-
forms of the day. But the religion which brings the baptism
of the Holy Ghost and fire upon its possessors is sadly
needed.

There were many professors who were like those de-
scribed by Caughey, when he wrote : "But York, like most
places I have visited, is not without such as Tertullian called
silken Christians who bear no cross and are notorious at the
'knack of hoping', as Goldsmith speaks : ' To be carried into
heaven on the back of the church.' The gates of glory will
be too low, I fear, to admit such riders; such church appen-
dages will be dropped off in the hour of trial." Church devils
desire to be unmolested, as when Jecus found a man in the

Band Work.

177

synagogue which had a spirit of an unclean devil, he said to
Christ, "Let ms alone, what have we to do with thee?"

Some street meetings were held which caused quite a
ripple of opposition. The truth preached by Mr. Dake and
the workers was unpalatable to cold professors. The attend-
ance was quite good and a few were interested and loved the
old Bible truths, but the plain way of the cross and the demon-
strations of the Spirit were shocking to the delicate ears and
refined tastes of most of the people in this cultured town.

There were other obstacles in the way of a united effort
to win souls, and the meeting closed with but little done,
except the sewing of the seed. Mr. Dake was present several
times during this meeting. He was greatly interested in the
salvation of the place and on one of his visits he felt drawn
to hold a street meeting, which he did before the band came.
It was generally his practice to rise early and retire to some
secluded spot to pray. Often in his earnest pleadings, his
strong voice would sound out for a block away. He was
thus known to some as " the man that prayed."

Meetings were opened at Coalville, a mining suburb of
Streator, by No. 7, April 25th. The Lord was with them
there and several were awakened and saved, among whom
was a backslidden preacher, who repented and confessed until
God restored him to his first love.

June 16th No. 11 opened meeting at Ancona, in a taber-
nacle. Two days after they began here a heavy storm came
up just as the workers were getting the tabernacle ready for
the evening service. They fastened the curtains of the tent
as securely as possible but in a few moments the center poles
began to reel, and seeing that their only safety lay in flight,
they made haste to leave the tabernacle which fell just as they
got outside. They were drenched with rain, having no time
to prepare for a storm. But they praised God for the de-
liverance from the falling center poles which were very
heavy.

i78

Vivian A. Dake.

The tabernacle was soon raised and the meetings con-
tinued. Mr. Dake came twice toward the close of the meet-
ing, preaching several times; but the results were small and
the meetings closed. He had visited the bands and held
praise meetings and answered some of the many calls which
came to him outside of the band work.

In January he spent a few days helping the preacher of
the New Bedford circuit, Illinois conference. He preached
many times there, with much help from God. Several were
saved, others helped and many were awakened.

From there he went to help the brethren on the York-
town circuit. Five were saved the two nights he was there.
In February, he went to a "blessed round of praise meet-
ings," as he was wont to express it. His trips among the
bands were seasons of great enjoyment for him. After this
he attended a district quarterly meeting at Decatur, Mich.,
where he met with many old friends.

Of his own labors at these places we have no account at
hand, except that he received a warm greeting from old
friends and converts. He was entertained at the hospitable
homeoi brother Brown, while at Hartford, from which place
he wrote: 4' We had a real breaking up this morring at the
family altar, and I consecrated with many tears, yet with a
glad amen, my little girls to foreign mission work; I had
never thought of such a thing, but my 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.

'79

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. 26th 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 Him 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. " My God shall supply all your need ac-
cording to His riches in glory by Christ ^esus"

CHAPTER XVII.

On April 14th and 15th Mr. Dake was at the quarterly
meeting at Morris, 111., which he had requested Rev. B. T.
Roberts to hold. It was a glorious time, Mr. Dake wrote
of it: "Brother Roberts held quarterly meeting here. Sev-
eral loads of young converts were over from Mazon. The
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 « Amen 'and
' Glory to God ' came with frequency and power. Shouting,
singing, leaping for joy, 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. Many 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, 111., 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, 111. The time for the second annual Harvest

182

Vivian A. Dake.

Home came which was held at Streator, 111., 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 j^reachers 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 "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 wholly. 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: '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 be in or-
der here: " This is our annual Harvest Home praise meeting.

Band Work.

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 were assailed by the per-
secuting Picts and Scots, they vanquished their enemies by
shouting * Hallelujah!' and to this day an obelisk stands in

Vivian A. Dake.

the town of Mold, to commemorate what is called the
'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 Xo. 5 to Palmyra, 111., 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.

sistance of a band. When they arrived Aug. 7th, they were
very warmly received by the people 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

i86

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.

i«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, 1888. 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-

i88

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 Presbyterianjestival 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: '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.

"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 mass-
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 'songs
of deliverance,'appealed our case to the court of Jesus Christ
and started on the run for glory, immortality and eternal
life."

Ottawa, 111., 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 by 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.

near death. Miss Rena Brown, the leader of No. n, 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-
well once 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, 111. 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, 111., 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

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 by 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
for a few minutes the devil seemed to rule.

Mr. Dake and the workers kept calm until quiet was
restored when he preached from the text, "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, " 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 says: " For as the rain cometh down, and the snow
from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the
earth, and maketh it bring forth 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. 1 1 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, 111., 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 His 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, "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, "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.

l93

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 not
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, 111.,
and Carlinville, 111., 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 Ingather-
ing. Mr. Dake left for Illinois to attend the Ingathering
there.

The last meeting opened in 1888 was at Carlinville, 111.,
by No. 5, Miss 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 XVIIL

The Ingathering began at Ottawa, 111., Dec. 27th. The
Lord was present to bless His children though the crowd
was quite disorderly. Mis. F. D. Brooke and others, with
the help of the Lord spoke and held the attention of the
people.

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 1 8th, 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 formerly 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.

i95

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: " 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
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 jDrisoners' 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 with 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 the 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 nois}'. 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

198

Vivian A. Dake.

of God and talked to them about their souls. The leader of
No. 1, who had left a few days before the arrest, to join her
band, which had gone to Kempton, 111., 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, 111.,
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.

" 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
rumsellcrs 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
betw een 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: "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, 111., who had
been addicted to drinking, was saved in the meeting. He
had been proprietor of a billiard hall at Princeton, but was

2QO

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 u 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 w,e
read of in the Acts of the Apostles. In the fifth chapter
we read of certain apostles who were 4< 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-
fully 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 4 idle persons] " said he, "before
you can arrest them under this ordinance."

After such a convincing plea, one would have thought
they would have gone no further, but the city attorney said:
** Give him thirty days and send him backP 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, hut 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? "

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 house 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 wThich 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: "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 "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 10th 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, 111. 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, wher^ 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
were 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 was 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 cry to God for mercy. 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 fewr days later the
young lady was clearly and joyfully converted and still later
her mother and some other members £>t her family were

Persecution.

207

saved. Other souls were also seeking and many were under
deep conviction, An 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
stay. 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 thoroughly
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 frieVids 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 an 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 my 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 hal!. 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.

2IO

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
necessary 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
" 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 bov, 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.

211

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, walked 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 wrorn and a crowd would be objec-

212

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 formed 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 lieorge, a beautiful
summer resort. A few were saved and others seeking, but
the time for the camp meeting at Ray, was 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, fan. 13th, 1889. There were 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 were saved during their labors and united
with the class. From 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,
111., and after preaching a few days, left the meeting in
charge of 'Nos. 8 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 following day two were saved.

The next dav a backslider was reclaimed at his house and
in the afternoon of the same day, two more were set at liber-
ty. 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
he 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, " But the natural man re-
ceiveth 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, 111., 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

214

Vivian A. Dake.

heavily 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
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 18th and 19th, at which Mr.
Dake was present. The converts were organized into a
small class.

CHAPTER XIX.

Meetings opened at Nilwood, 111., 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.

215

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, 111., where Band No. 1 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:
** Satan has a shoot of iniquity for every shoot of grace, and
when God revives His work Satan revives his also. No
marvel, therefore, if we find scandals arising suddenly to
discredit a work of grace when God has begun to pour out
His Spirit."

Perhaps in no place up to that time, had the opposition
taken the form of false accusations and scandalous stories as
in Tuscola. It was commenced by relatives of some of the
converts from Camargo, six miles distant, who were violent
in their opposition and tireless in circulating slanderous
reports of the work and workers. Charles Wilson, the
junior editor of a Tuscola paper — The Review, made him-
self a champion of these parties and began at once to publish
a series of reports which perhaps were never equaled for
falsehood, foulness and calumny. These misrepresentations
were the fruit of malice, rather than mistake and aroused
opposition. Sometimes they would fill two columns of the
paper. Only a corrupt heart and vile imagination could
turn out such weekly budgets of foul stuff as this editor was

2l6

Vivian A. Dake.

guilty of. He declared that he had a religious war on hand,
which was to run the Pentecost Band out of the county.
He was not content with the results of publications in his
own town but sent copies of his slanderous sheet to editors
of various towns where other bands were laboring, to be
copied in their papers and thus destroy the influence of the
bands in those places. We would insert some of these
articles, copies of which we have at hand but we consider
them unfit for publication. One extremely false and slander-
ous article of this kind apparently from the pen of this editor
appeared in the St. Louis Republic. We here give Super-
intendent B. T. Roberts' reply to the same:
"A STRANGE SECT."

" In reading the article in the St, Louis Republic for
Dec. 24th under the above heading, we were in doubt as to
whether it was intended to be a statement of fact, or whether
some aspiring youth was trying his 'prentice hand at wit
and humor. But as it will doubtless be taken as true, we
deem it proper to make a brief reply.

"In general terms we say, that the article in question is
not only an exaggeration, a gross caricature; but for the most
part it has not even the semblance of truth. The 'Pentecost
Band' is not a sect. It is not an 'offshoot of the Mormon
church.' In short, every statement affecting the moral
character, or the religious standing of the Pentecost Bands,
in the above article, is downright, unmitigated falsehood.
The Pentecost Bands are Christian workers, moral, pious,
godly, self-denying. They belong to the Free Methodist
church. Each band is composed of about four, either all
young men, or all young women. They devote all their
time and all their energy to getting sinners converted to
God. Anyone who will send thirty-five cents to the Free
Methodist Publishing house at Chicago, can obtain a Disci-
pline and find out their doctrines. Their great offense is
threefold.

Work at Tuscola, III.

217

"First: They get men converted from beer and to-
bacco, as well as from other sins, and this makes saloon-
ists mad.

" Second: They get women converted from love of jew-
elry ahd fine dress.

" Third : But worst of all, they get poor drunken, deluded
Roman Catholics converted, and this stirs up the fiercest
opposition against them. This is the sum of their offending.

B. T. ROBERTS,
Senior Superintendent (or Bishop) of the Free Methodist
Church, 104 Franklin St., Chicago, 111."

We also insert an editorial note which appeared about
this time in the Areola Herald. Areola is a town only eight
miles from Tuscola. The people at this place it would seem,
were influenced in favor of the Band by the articles that
appeared.

"IN DEAD EARNEST."

" The Herald had a call Saturday from Rev. Vivian
Dake, of Michigan, the founder and supervisor of the Pente-
cost Bands. He informed us that the item we republished
from the Chicago Herald was a correct statement as to the
origin and purposes of the bands: and the way it came to be
published in that paper was thus: A letter had been received
at the Herald office from a newspaper publisher in this county
who had made himself conspicuous by his continued persecu-
tion of the bands. The letter was so viciously denunciatory
of the Pentecosters that the editor of the Herald would not
permit its publication without further investigation. Accord-
ingly he sent a reporter to interview Mr. Dake at his office
in Chicago. The result of the interview was the consign-
ment of the letter to the wastebasket and the publication of
the item we copied. Mr. Dake's first sight of it was in our
paper.

"Rev. Dake is an earnest man, full of zeal and energy,
and has every mark of a gentleman and a Christian. We

2l8

Vivian A. Dake.

had the pleasure of hearing him preach Saturday night and
went away fully convinced that he was doing a work in
which all his faculties were enlisted in carrying out his con-
victions. How any harm can come to a community from the
labors and examples of these people we cannot see. *They
certainly are enthusiastic, but how anyone who believes that
the whole human race is doomed to an endless hell and that
he has a salvation from this doom to offer, can go about the
work of soul saving in a cold, calm, indifferent way is a
mystery to us."

As a consequence of the devil's free advertising, people
came from a great distance to see the ''strange people" and
were convicted of sin and sought and found mercy. Many
of the older ones exclaimed: " Why, this is only old-fash-
ioned Methodism revived!" Thus again did God make "all
things work together for good to them that love the Lord."

Prejudice gave way to a great extent, as God began to
work on hearts. Homes opened to the workers and the
devil once more overshot his mark. After holding on in
prayer and faith, the workers were rewarded by seeing two
men step out from the enemy's ranks, and come to the altar
and after two days of earnest seeking they were clearly saved.

From this time seekers were almost constantly at the
altar and were gloriously delivered. There was but little
abatement of the opposition which finally culminated in the
arrest of the workers July ist on the charge of " misde-
meanor." One of the workers wrote: " Some unprincipled
men filed the complaint, the very lowest of the town, who
are doubtless put up to it by others. Our friends are right
on hand. We appeared for trial at one P. M., but were
released on one hundred dollars bail till Monday. Mr. W.
sent his wife with a carriage to conduct us to the trial, much
to the disgust of our enemies who wanted us to be put in jail
until the hour of trial and marched through the streets like
criminals. We find we have scores of friends. Two men

Work at Tuscola, III.

219

signed the bonds while others have hired the lawyer and are
looking up the witnesses. All we have to do is to 'watch
and pray.'" The editor who published his weekly budget,
of filth was at the bottom of the whole affair.

The workers went to the afternoon prayer meeting after
they were released, where they had a glorious time. In the
evening souls were seeking and the blessing of God came upon
the workers until they were wonderfully filled with joy.

They held meetings as usual and on Monday appeared
for trial. The sisters — Bertha Baldwin, Fannie Birdsall,
Minnie Baldwin and Allie Wormwood, were arraigned before
the court and a courthouse full of people to answer to the
charges made against them. It was the same old complaint of
an il unusual noise." " The unearthly moans and screams of
some one in distress." Some said they were alarmed by the
cry of " fire" and found it proceeded from the old courthouse,
(which the band occupied for meetings).

It was so. Tuscola never heard such sounds before in
all its history. But it awakened souls out of their sleep
of carnal security and brought them to the cross. Such
a noise of preaching, singing, shouting and praying was
heard as well might offend sensitive and uncircumcised ears.
Caughey wrote: M If we preach the preaching that God bids
us and as He hath commanded us, with our might and with
an influence from above attending, then there will be a4 noise'
which some folks dislike so much, and a shaking that will
frighten the nice, delicate, refined and nervous ones ] but an
army of living, converted souls will be an argument, with a
thunder shout at their gate. Hallelujah ! Let us open all our
batteries then, trusting in the power of Christ." It was so at
Tuscola. As Bible truths were preached in the power of
the Holy Ghost, a noise was heard of groans for lost souls,
cries of awakened sinners and calling for Holy Ghost fire.

There were sixteen witnesses against them and as many
testified for them, Nearly all were prominent citizens, who

220

Vivian A. Dake.

said they saw nothing unusual in the meetings. Some
thought there had not been noise enough compared with
meetings they had been in years before.

Had these plaintiffs lived. in other days, when God poured
out His Spirit so mightily in convicting, converting and
sanctifying power that men and women fell as dead;or cried
— yea even roared, on account of their sins, they would not
have considered it anything unusual to hear these things and
the shouts of those who were delivered from the awful power
of Satan. There were some at Tuscola who remembered
the old time meetings of power and plead for these workers.
After all the witnesses had been heard, the judge, to the
astonishment of all, fined them one dollar and costs, which
they felt would not be right for them or anyone else to pay
for worshipping God. They were therefore taken to jail,
singing as they went. The key turned in the lock about
seven P. M. July 15th, and they were prisoners for Jesus'
sake. From early morning of the 16th, until their release
the next afternoon, there was a stream of visitors; Christians,
friends and strangers offering sympathy and substantial aid.
The workers were released in time for the afternoon prayer
meeting, when accompanied by their friends they marched
singing to the place of meeting. The house was full. One
soul was saved.

In the evening the "fire" — the cry of which had so
alarmed some — fell and the meeting took the form of a jubi-
lee, one in which heaven and earth joined. Mr. Dake could
render the band no assistance at this time, he having left
America for Germany, at the call of some brethren there,
who were longing for Holy Ghost salvation. His trip to
Germany is reported elsewhere. He returned toward the
close of the Ray camp meeting June 21st. He then went to
Tuscola in time for the meetings which followed the release
of the band from the jail. The Lord wonderfully touched
his heart and lips with fire as he joined in the general re-

Third Harvest Home.

22 1

joicing on the evening of which we write. God helped him
to preach the truth to the people with uncommon unction
and as the invitation hymn was being sung, the altar was
filled with seekers. The next day one was saved and in
the evening Mr. Dake organized a class of sixteen mem-
bers. Others expected to join but the rule against secret
societies shut them out until they could withdraw from
their lodges.

A collection was taken for the purpose of paying the
workers' car fare to and from the Harvest Home camp
meeting. The judge made a speech which was liberally
responded to by those who wished the workers to return.
Sunday was the crowning day. The best of the wine was
reserved until the last of the feast. Mr. Dake preached,
souls were saved and others joined the class. He wrote of
this day: "A glorious Sabbath! How can it be told? I
preached three times and was helped of God. In the even-
ing amid great rejoicing two souls were born again."

All of the meetings closed and the workers gathered
at Carlinville, TIL, for the third annual Harvest Home. It
was held in a grove a short distance from the city limits.
A number of friends from different srates were present.
The camp meeting opened July 25th with a praise meeting.
It was a time of great joy. Showers of blessing fell on
the workers in this opening meeting. They had come up
out of mobs and prisons and had endured reproach and per-
secutions as soldiers of the cross and the Lord was pleased
to pour out His blessing. This opening meeting was but a
prelude to the triumphant seasons that followed. The first
part of the meeting was especially marked by a most heav-
enly atmosphere. A visiting preacher expressed the feel-
ings of many when he remarked that it was the most heav-
enly place he was ever in. It was indeed so. As the
workers rehearsed all that God had done for them, heaven
came down. The singing was especially inspiring. One

222

Vivian A. Dake.

song of Mr. Dake's composition, notably so:

"Hasten, brother, hasten, blow the trumpet long;
Break, upon the idlers and the worldlings song;
Send the notes of warning, here and everywhere,
Let them see their danger, all their sin's weight bear.''

As verse after verse was sung, some shouted, others
wept, until the last verse which rang out triumphantly:

"Gone is every murmur, Heaven is come to me;
Battling for the Master, free, indeed! I'm free!
Shout, ye hosts of Heaven! Hallelujah cry!
Back from earth to Heaven, Hallelujahs fly.

Chorus.

"Are you ready, brother? Hear the battle cry!
In the hottest conflict, going forth to die;
Conquerors through Jesus, death is spoiled of pain,
Losers now are winners, death is endless gain.'1

It was not the wrought up feelings of one hour, but
the bursting forth into a flame of love and consecration,
which sent them forth with joyful hearts to face the stern
realities of the battlefields of the future — some to far off
lands, and greater conflicts, and some even to death.

Of the Pentecost workers since this meeting, six have
reached the "heavenly heights," Mr. Dake among the
number; with Matie North, Jennie Torrence, Sumner Ker-
wood, Emma Brown and Bertha Edinger. All died at
their posts with their armor on ; and those who remain are
still singing:

"Eyes of angels on us, from the heavenly height,
Eyes of saints made perfect, as we toil and fight;
Eyes of God Almighty, shall we lose the day ?
No, my soul shouts victory! Eager for the fray.''
The Lord was present in wonderful power in some of
the evening services and eternity seemed near, as God gra-
ciously helped His servants in preaching the Word. Though
. quite a number were converted in this meeting, it did not in

Band Work.

223

this particular equal the previous Harvest Home at Streator,
III. Many, however, were brought into the experience of
holiness. Some preachers and workers, who had professed
to enjoy the experience, saw their lack and went down before
God and found the cleansing and fulness of the Holy Ghost.
About twelve o'clock one night a returned missionary,
brother G. H. Agnew, was in agony over his carnal condi-
tion, and just before he received the experience of holiness,
Mr. Dake got a new inspiration and using 1 Sam. xv, 32, 33,
as a type of inbred sin, wrote the song beginning:

"0, this Agag inbred sin, I have long endured within."

The missionary mentioned was gloriously sanctified, and
has been praising God ever since for the light which shone
on him there, revealing the 4< old man" "and his deeds."
He subsequently returned to his field in Africa. There were
other deliverances as glorious, when the camp resounded
with shouts of praise.

This meeting closed Aug. 12th. After the farewells
were spoken the workers scattered to their various fields.
At the close of the Harvest Home, Mr. Dake went to the
Vermont camp meeting. We have no record of his labors
at this place. He then went to Camargo camp meeting
which was under the supervision of his assistant, who was
helped by the workers of the Northern Illinois division.

It began Aug. 10th, was a good meeting and largely
attended. Many in the region had heard evil reports about
the bands and came to see for themselves when their preju-
dice vanished. The order was excellent, although the crowds
were large and no officers present. Mr. Dake administered
the ordinance of baptism here to thirteen candidates. The
w orkers, at the close of this meeting, took a much needed
rest before going into new ones.

The first meeting in the Illinois division opened at Lov-
ington, Aug. 29th in a large tabernacle with No. 8 in charge.

Vivian A. Dake.

The attendance and order at the opening service were very
good. By public preaching and testimony, and house to
house visitation, the workers endeavored to awaken tjie
people.

The methods adopted by Mr. Dake, and carried on in
revival meetings by himself and workers, were new to the
people in nearly all places where they labored ; hence, there
was often much prejudice to encounter and sometimes it re-
quired several weeks to "live it down". It was so here, bid
God blessed His Word and convicted the people of sin and
they began to seek His face.

Mr. Dake came after they had been laboring about
three weeks. The power of God was manifested and souls
wept as they felt their need of salvation. The workers kept
pressing the battle and shouting the victory and were soon
rejoiced to see some break away from the power of Satan.
Others who had been hoping that they were Christians, be-
gan to see that their hopes were built on the sand. There
was a real break in the meetings, Oct. 4th when several were
set at liberty. The tabernacle became too cool for comfort
and a stove was put in. The afternoon meetings at private
houses were times of blessing and salvation.

About this time some of Satan's agents cut the ropes
of the tabernacle, but no serious damage was done. Dis-
turbances were made in the meetings but the work went on.
A class had been formed of thirteen members and subscrip-
tion papers for a new church were made out and circulated.
Many were moved to help and work began on it Nov. 4th.

The workers now divided their time in helping to build
the church in the forenoons and holding prayer meetings
in the afternoons with preaching in the evening. After a
lull in the meetings and a hard fight for a time God sent the
power to bring souls to the cross and every day for some
time, some glorious seasons were enjoyed.

Mr. Dake in company with Harry Agnevv, missionary

Band Work.

225

to Inhambane, Africa, visited the band the first of December,
staying several days. He was again helped of the Spirit, in
proclaiming liberty to the captives, and stirring up the work-
ers and the class to greater zeal and diligence in the Lord's
service. He took four more into the class and December 1st,
he baptized seven in the river.

Other places claiming his presence and help, he and
brother Agnew left just as the quarterly meeting was to be-
gin. This meeting was in charge of chairman Noland
and was a time of blessing and salvation. Meetings were
continued in the tabernacle until December 18th when they
were closed to make preparations to dedicate the new church
which service was held on Sabbath, Dec. 22nd, and after the
indebtedness had been raised, the house was presented to
God free of debt. The Ingathering at Tuscola was now at
hand which was attended by all the workers of the division.

Meeting was opened at Urbana, 111., Aug. 30th, with No. 1 1
in charge. They found that there was a famine in the
place, u Not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but
ot hearing the words of the Lord." Amos, viii, 11. The
people as a rule were of the working class; but among all
classes there were anxious inquirers after the truth. The
band held their first meeting on the street at four P. M.,
where a large crowd gathered who seemed interested. In
the evening another street meeting was held, followed bv
service at the hall, which was a time of interest.

The meetings increased in power until a wave of salva-
tion swept over the place. The old-time slaying power was
manifested. The congregations were very large, and one
Sunday night, the floor near the pulpit settled an inch or
more, and the meetings were at once moved to the base-
ment of the Universalist church. At the end of one month
the doors were closed against them there. They then found
an old store building and fitted it up and set up their banner
there in the name of the Lord. There were some interest-

226

Vivian A. Dake.

ing cases recorded. One Saturday afternoon as the workers
were holding a street meeting, two men from Ohio, who
were machine agents, came near and heard the service and
came to the hall in the evening to learn more of the way.
It was given out on that evening that on the next day an
old-fashioned class meeting would he held. These two men
decided to be present and find out what it was like. They
came, but as the leader questioned the professors as to their
experiences, they felt they could not stand the tests. Both
professed religion and one of them was an M. E. class leader.
The Lord let light and conviction on both of them and they
returned to the meeting in the afternoon, went to the altar
and were both saved. Some time after, they received light
on worldly conformity in dress and laid aside their gold and
other showy articles of attire and became very useful in the
work of winning souls. They were so overjoyed at the ex-
periences they had received that they sent to Ohio for their
wives, who came and were also saved.

A woman who washed for a living, and who had a very
wicked family was convicted deeply of sin and became
a seeker, but did not find peace at once. One day when at
home washing, alone with her little girl, the burden on her
soul grew so heavy that she left her tub and went to pray
and was overcome by the power of the Spirit. Her child,
greatly frightened, ran for the neighbors, who in turn sent
for the workers. They came and prayed with the woman
and she was saved, and is still a soldier of the cross.

The writer remembers one night in particular when the
Spirit of the Lord was poured out in an unusual manner.
The altar was filled with seekers. The workers had preached
to a crowded house, then gave the invitation, singing for
some time, and no one responding, they were about to close
the meeting, when a young lady was stricken down and fell
across the seats, and began screaming for mercy. Some
came to the altar, others knelt at various places in the con-

Band Work. 227

gregation, some literally screaming for mercy. Still others
who had taken their seats in the pulpit during altar serv-
ice, fell under the power of God like Saul of old, and in
great agony of soul, called on the Lord for deliverance.
For some time the scene was indescribable. The prayers,
cries and groans of the seekers mingled with the high praises
and manifestations of joy by those who had found the pearl
they sought, greatly rejoiced the hearts of the workers.

One fashionable lady was so convicted of pride by the
Spirit of the Lord, that she took her stylish bonnet from her
head and threw it into the fire, then her finger rings met
the same fate. On thus completely renouncing her idols,
she found peace with God at once. People stood up all over
the house and looked on in wonder. Young converts only
a few days in grace were prostrated under soul burden for
the lost. Five were saved that evening and much conviction
felt. The friends of some of those who were prostrated
were frightened and came and picked them up and laid them
on the seats and tried to revive them with water. The inter-
est continued for some time. The hall they occupied was
much too small and they began to think of building a church.
Divine help was given and the new church was completed
and dedicated, of which we will speak later. The work
went on in power until the Ingathering at Tuscola, 111.

We now return to the records of No. 12, which opened
after Harvest Home at Bunker Hill, 111., Sept. 2nd. There
was much deadness in spiritual matters here and but little
desire to know the truth was manifested. The workers
put forth the same diligent efforts here as in other places,
where their labors had been greatly blessed to the salva-
tion of souls. The blessing of the Lord was upon them
in all their efforts to present the way of salvation to the peo-
ple. It has been noticed at other times and in other places,
as it was here, that where great prominence is given to head
culture, heart culture is too often neglected and it is difficult

228

Vivian A. Dake.

to get hold of the people to lead them into the simple,
lowly religion of the Lord Jesus who said, "Take my yoke
upon you and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in
heart and ye shall find rest unto your souls." Matt, xi, 29.
Jesus Himself had this to meet in His ministry. While the
rich and great, as a rule, turned away from Him, <c The com-
mon people heard Him gladly." Mark xii, 37.

We do not undervalue education. When linked with
the Holy Ghost, it becomes a powerful aid in the work of
overthrowing error, and establishing the saving truths of
God in the world. We admit that some of the holiest of
men, and some of the most powerful, spiritually, have been
those of great learning; but there is danger of leaning too
much on these agents. George D. Watson of the M. E.
church has written some pertinent words on this subject
which we quote. Speaking of mental culture, he says:

" Can't we have a few brains without this boast and
strut over them, which ministers are indulging in? Can't
we have a little learning without getting down and saying
prayers to it? Culture is just as really an idol in the Prot-
estant churches of to-day as Diana was in Ephesus, and
just as truly worshiped by some preachers and churches as
%Mary '> \s in the church of Rome. The Judgment day
will prove what we say. There are preachers throughout
the church, who every day think more about culture than
they do about Jesus. Who every week say more about art
and science than they do about the Bible or holy books.
Who talk more about culture than of holy things. Nay,
many of them positively nauseate a conversation on personal
holiness, and this is an absolute proof that culture is wor-
shiped in their thoughts, words, and reading, more than
Jesus is.

« Culture is not a good per se. Learning is only good
when in subjection to God. Where not in subjection to the
will of God, it is a vain, proud, self-conceitedj boastful, vile

Culture.

220

usurper of the Holy Spirit and lias sent many a smart preacher
to the flames of hell, and is sending some more there. After
all this strut over modern culture, what is it? It is a subtle
worship of matter. The science of our religious schools is
that of sun waves, sand grains, and fish scales, far more than
it is of God and the immortal soul. When boiled down it is
the science of dirt, more than the science of Deity. In the
college professor, the pulpit, the so-called religious newspaper,
you can see that their petty god of culture is used as a sub-
stitute for holiness and the power of God."

These people have a form of godliness but deny the
power thereof. As an agent in getting salvation they, at
heart, deny the power of the Holy Ghost, who alone is able
to awaken and convict men of sin, and depend on education,
eloquence and entertainments to attract the masses to the
churches. ♦

An evangelist was walking on the street of a town, which
is famous for its schools of learning. Two brethren were
walking near him and he heard their conversation. One, a
pastor, was complaining that he could not draw a congrega-
tion. The people would not come to hear him and in his
trouble asked the other for counsel, and was advised by him
to study elocution. Nothing was said of seeking the baptism
of the Holy Ghost, which alone is sufficient to make "sons of
thunder" out of unlearned and ignorant men, and draw thou-
sands to hear and believe the Word preached.

Many times in the work in which Mr. Dake and his
helpers were engaged, was this popular evil encountered. A
few in Bunker Hill manifested a desire to be saved and one
man who had been called to the work of God in former
years, sought the Lord and was clearly converted. The
meetings closed Dec. ist.

While No. 12 were in labor at Bunker Hill, No. 5 were
engaged in meetings at Hillsboro. The blessing of God was
on their labors from the first and souls began to seek God

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Vivian A. Dake.

and get saved. Some clear and joyful conversions are re-
corded of this meeting. Many poor mariners on life's sea
were helped into the lifeboat who were sinking in a life of
sin and shame. Their conversions were thorough and were
evidenced by an entire and permanent change in their lives.

Two men were killed during the progress of this meet-
ing. One by the caving in of a well, and the other by a
runaway team. One of them had been personally labored
with several times by the workers; but he refused to yield to
the claims of God and gave for his reason that some years
before he had joined one of the churches and professed
religion. " Now," said he, " I see that I took conviction for
conversion and under the light of your preaching, I see the
truth, but if I go to that altar the people will say that I have
been a hypocrite all these years. I cannot do it." Not long
after this, while working in the bottom of a well, it suddenly
caved in upon him and it took his friends several days to
recover his corpse. The Word of God says: "He that
being often reproved hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be
destroyed, and that without remedy." Prov. xxix, I. It is
a sad mistake when men appeal to a denominational roll to
show that they are Christians. They should rather turn to
the Word of God and measure themselves by that infallible
standard. God says they are not wise who measure them-
selves by themselves. What an inestimable blessing it would
be if mankind generally would weigh themselves in the bal-
ances of the Bible rather than the scales of the church; then
would they find that members are bom rather than taken into
the church.

Mr. Dake visited the band at this place Nov. 21st and
preached from the text, "For the bed is shorter than that a
man can stretch himself in it: and the covering narrower than
that he can wrap himself in it." Isa. xxviii, 20. He was
greatly helped as he showed the people that their own right-
eousness and professions without bearing the cross, or suffer-

Work at Tuscola, III. 231

ing the reproach of Christ would come short in the Judgment.
Several came to the altar and two were saved,
t

CHAPTER XX.

We now return to the records of No. 1. After the
camp meeting and a little rest, the workers of No. 1 re-opened
the meetings at Tuscola, Sept. 7th. The converts had kept
saved and free and were on hand to work for others. Con-
viction was on the people and the interest was still great
although the meeting had been closed for over a month.

Sunday morning Sept. 8th the converts met in a class
meeting at half past nine and a Sabbath school was organ-
ized at two in the afternoon. An aged man who had once
been saved, but had fallen away was reclaimed during the
day. Others rose for prayers. Sunday, Sept. 15th the altar
service continued from the three P. M. service, until ten P.
M. Two young men were saved and many were seeking.
Tuesday, the 17th, Mr. Dake came and preached from t
Cor. vh, 29, with much liberty. At the invitation a number
came to the altar and some were saved.

Mr. Dake came Nov. 25th also, again the 28th, which
was Thanksgiving day. He was, as usual much helped and
anointed in declaring the truth. Meetings continued every
night through December and several were saved December
28th. Mr. Dake and the workers of the division met here
for the Ingathering. The converts came also from the places
near by where meetings had been held. Wave after wave
of ^lory was felt and workers, young converts and older
pilgrims united in praising God wTith varied manifestations
of the Spirit. It was a Pentecost indeed.

Mr. Dake preached after love feast from the words,
"Thou therefore endure hardness as a good soldier of Jesus

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Vivian A. Dake.

Christ, no man that warreth entangleth himself with the
affairs of this life; that he may please Him who hath chosen
him to be a soldier." 2 Tim. ii, 3,4. All the day God was
present. Mr. Dake was much helped in preaching and the
altar was filled with seekers for pardon and purity.

Watch night meeting was a memorable time. Mr.
Dake opened the service with a talk on missionary work.
Some workers stated their convictions and leadings in re-
gard to being called to foreign work. After this Mr. Dake
preached a stirring sermon from the words: " Seek ye the
Lord while He may be found, call ye upon Him while He
is near." Isa. lv, 6. The Spirit drew very near as one
after another told of past victories, present blessings and
future hopes. When all had spoken sister Birdsall sang:
" A Sad Call," opening with the verse:

"Death is a melancholy call,
A certain Judgment for us all,
He takes the young as well as the old,
And wraps them in his arms so cold,
'Tis awful, awful, awful!"

The power of the Spirit accompanied this song, and the
people felt His presence so that when the invitation was
given souls rushed forward and the altar had to be enlarged.
The scene that followed was beyond description. The pray-
ers of seekers and groans of those burdened for souls, with
the expressions of joy as one after another found pardon,
made angels rejoice and devils roar. Stones were thrown
through the windows but the altar service continued until
two o'clock in the morning. The next night Mr. Dake
preached with power, also the night of Jan. 2nd. Souls
were saved each night. On the third he left for the Hills-
boro Ingathering, which was being conducted by his assist-
ant. He returned again and preached Jan. 6th and 7th.
On the 10th of January the workers were again visited by
the marshal, with warrants for the airest of fifteen workers,

Work in Tuscola, III.

233

some of whom had never been within two hundred miles of
Tuscola.

It was evident that the addresses, as published in the
Vanguard, had been referred to for names. Only four of
the number were then in town, three of whom had been
arrested on the previous occasion. The trial was appointed
for the following day. The young ladies decided not to
have any lawyer or witnesses, though many friends offered
assistance. A jury was called for and granted. For five
hours the trial was in session, and about twenty witnesses
testified to having been disturbed by the noisy meeting on
the night of December 31st. The prosecuting attorney
made his plea and then one of the sisters, Miss Minnie Bald-
win, arose and made a statement of the work accomplished
in soul saving during their meetings. The Lord helped her
to show the injustice of arresting workers under the ordi-
nance applying to a drunken rabble, disturbing the com-
munity \y their riotous noise or nonsense. She showed
that the object of their presence in the town was to get
men so soundly converted to God that they would not
break that very ordinance. And that they had been suc-
cessful in their efforts many of Tuscola's worst rowdies,
who had been converted in the meetings were willing to
testify. The crowd was melted to tears. Even the jury
and city attorney were much moved by this impassioned
appeal to their sense of justice. A verdict was soon ren-
dered of " not guilty."

The writer arrived m town while the trial was in prog-
ress, and as his name was found among the unfortunate
fifteen, he was arrested and tried as soon as the young ladies
were cleared. The Junior editor of the Tuscola Review,
who had reported so many scandalous articles on the work
and workers, still manifested a zeal which deserved a better
cause. The young man plead his own case against the city
attorney. A number of witnesses who seemed to be wholly

234

Vivian A. Dake.

under the influence of this editor, in his "religious war",
testified that they were disturbed by the noise, especially on
New Year's eve, as the watch night service had run late.
They also testified that they had seen the prisoner take part
in the services; but as the only real objection seemed to be
to the noise of New Year's eve, and the witnesses were not
sure that the prisoner was there at that time, it looked as
though he was about to escape out of their hands. This, of
course, the editor could not allow, when a little false swear-
ing would stop it. So when the other witnesses had proved
nothing definite, he took the stand and testified that he saw
the prisoner there on the night in question, and that he saw
him take part in the meeting and he considered the prisoner
one of the most noisy occupants of the hall at one o'clock A.
M. He had really seen the prisoner there at the beginning
of the Ingathering and he doubtless thought that he was
there all through the meetings. But this was not sufficient;
he must swear that he knew him to have been there if his
testimony would weigh anything, and this he unhesita-
tingly did.

The prisoner then took the stand and testified that, on
the night in question, he was in the city of Chicago, nearly
two hundred miles away and had been there for some hours
and had preached twice on the night in question in a church
on Morgan street as the pastor, Rev. F. Do Christie and his
people would test i f v. This testimony threw consternation and
confusion into the ranks of the opposers. The editor was
sitting on the floor behind the judge. He opened his eyes
as wide as possible and looked the picture of despair. The
night police, who had been converted in the meeting, then
took the stand and testified that he had seen the prisoner
take the midnight train and start for Chicago on the night
of the 30th. The hotel night clerk who had also been con-verted
in the meeting, affirmed the same thing, as he had accom-
panied the prisoner to the train. One of the workers also

Work in Tuscola, III.

235

testified to the truth of this statement. At this a murmur of
indignation was heard all over the house. The lawyer made
a faint plea, however, and tried to convict the prisoner.
But the trial was soon dismissed and the prisoner allowed to
go free, even before the jury had rendered a verdict. They
soon brought in a verdict, however, of "not guilty."

Indignation against the editor now assumed formidable
proportions. Many of the friends insisted on taking him at
once to Springfield on a state warrant for ferjury, but the
released prisoner compassionated his weakness and said:
" No, we must show mercy to him, now that we have him in
our power." After much persuasion they consented to the
proposition and the matter was dropped. This effectually
ended the editor's " religious war " and made many friends
to the work of God.

All through the fall months the work was carried on by
Mr. Dake and his bands. We have not full reports of some
of the meetings, but the blessing of the Lord was upon
them.

No. 16 held some precious meetings at Girard, 111., where
the converts were much helped. They labored there until
sometime in October when they went to assist No. 5 at
Hillsboro.

No. 2 held meetings at Fillmore, 111., in November and
some souls were helped in their experiences. No. [5 labored
awhile at Fairbury, 111. We have no record of this meeting.

The workers of the Southern division gathered at Hills-
boro for the Ingathering, which began Jan. 2nd, 1890. It
was a time of blessing and power throughout. On the even-
ing of the 3rd Mr. Dake preached from the words: " For
we must all appear before the Judgment seat of Christ." He
graphically described the Judgment scenes and the meetings
and partings that will take place there. Sinners were made
to feel their condition deeply, while the workers groaned in
soul travail for them. The next day in the afternoon prayer

236

Vivian A. Dake.

meeting a young man was saved. He had sought the Lord
in meetings held in Palmyra, more than a year before, but
did not get deliverance until this meeting. In the evening a
special subject of prayer who had been a backslider for seven
years, was reclaimed.

The evening service on the Sabbath of Jan. 5th was an
especially solemn time. Mr. Dake preached from the words:
" For the great day of His wrath is come and who shall be
able to stand?" He had unusual unction and liberty in the
enunciation of most awful truths. When the invitation was
given the altar was filled with seekers and six were born
again; while great burden of soul rested on all the workers.
The work went on with power for several days. Mr. Dake
left for Tuscola on the 6th.

On the evening of the 6th, a praise meeting was held.
Two had been saved at their homes during the day. A
number came to the altar and four more were set at liberty.
On the evening of the 7th two more were saved. Mr. Dake
returned from Tuscola, and preached in the evening and
another soul was set free. The Ingathering was especially
blessed of God to the good of souls. A class of twenty-three
was organized. Steps were taken to build a church. Two
of the workers remained after the meetings closed to take
charge of the work and push the church building to comple-
tion, which was done in due time and it dedicated to God.

After attending the Camargo camp meeting, directly
after Harvest Home, and making some visits, No. 17 started
for their far-off field, Durrenentzen, Germany. (We record
Mr. Dake's visit there in another place). He had formed a
class of Free Methodists and they had earnestly entreated
that a band be sent to them. They gave of their means for
the expenses of the workers who should go.

The leader of No. 17, brother John Rockenbach, was a
German and feeling concerned for his countrymen was
assisted to that field with brother C. F. Andrews as his

Work in Germany.

237

helper. They sailed from New York, Sept. 26th arriving
at Dtirrenentzen Oct. 15th. They found the class which Mr.
Dake had organized in good spiritual condition, with the
exception of two. The hindrances to Bible salvation were
many and of a vastly different nature from those in America.
The growing of grapes for wine was extensively carried on
by nearly all in the neighborhood. The following words
written by Mr. Dake while there, show what there is to con-
tend with in that land. " We raised the blood stained banner
of the cross to the little flag staff of Free Methodism, here at
Durrenentzen, Germany, yesterday afternoon. .Twelve heads
of families stepped up to it and promised to be true, to the
principles represented. This means much in this wine-mak-
ing country. The chief stronghold here is the fact that
Evangelical preachers, elders and even bishops drink wine in
defiance of their discipline which forbids it. At a late Evan-
gelical conference in Switzerland' the preachers signed the
pledge, but said they could not enforce the discipline in
Alsace. I do not know a member in their church in all
Alsace but that keeps and drinks wine, except the preachers.
The bishop himself drank wine with brother Hofert, and
they were strongly fortified behind this fact. Last week the
whole question trembled in the balance. They would come
and question me to see if there was any compromise, but I
held steadily to our principles and most of the main ones have
rallied around the banner."

The workers when they arrived found them true and
full of life and reaching out for deeper things. At the first
meeting, held a few days after their arrival, an officer came
in to find out where they were from and who and what they
were. The law of Alsace forbids any church to hold meet-
ings where more than twenty are gathered together, with-
out a permit from the government. They were therefore,
closely watched lest their number should exceed twenty.

Meetings continued to be held on Sunday and some

238

Vivian A. Dake.

through the week. The blessing of the Lord fell richly
on the little class. Most of them began to seek the ex-
perience of holiness without delay. It was not long until
all were rejoicing in the precious grace. Others were
saved. All this time earnest efforts were being made to
obtain a permit from the government which was lcfused
them by the Lutheran authorities.

After waiting and trying in vain, the leader was at
last banished, by the officials, into Baden. Again was the
effort made to obtain a permit, but they were unsuccessful.
They did not. see their way clear to go forward without
one, and the band thouglit best to return to America,
which they did, reaching New York March 9th, 1S90.

Some have counted this work a failure because of these
things. Others do not look at it so, for some of that little
band are holding steadfast and making progress in grace.
The fire which was kindled there may yet increase and
burst forth into a blaze of Holy Ghost power. May the
Lord lay this important field on some competent, spirit-
anointed laborer who will reap fruit in the near future from
the seed sown there.

The African band, Geo. W. Chapman and wife and
Sumner Kervvood sailed from Philadelphia on the Steamer
O/it'o, Sept. 28th, 1889. They had a prosperous voyage
from America to England, where they staved a few weeks,
while getting their iron house completed, when they again '
sailed from England to Monrovia, where they arrived Nov.
1 8th. A place was found where they lived until they could
put up their iron house. A plot of ground was bought and
two more leased, and they soon were occupying their own
home. Work was begun among the Americo-Liberian peo-
ple, to whom they preached until such time as they could be-
gin their labors among the natives. The blessing of the
I/)rd rested upon them, as thev began and carried forward
this work forHim.

Band Work.

239

The Michigan division took up the battle again after
the Harvest Home camp meeting with an increase of work-
ers. No. 7 went to Centerville, Mich., where meetings were
opened Sept. 19th, Rev. J. Baker assisting. Brother-Baker
had preached at this place prior to this time and much light
had shone while the truth had been" faithfully proclaimed.

The attendance was not large at first but as the Spirit
was poured out there was an increase of listeners. The
county fair was held just across the street from where the
workers had their home, and the occasion was improved by
them for distributing tracts and talking with the people.
They believed in improving every opportunity to warn
souls to flee from the wrath to come. They also held street
meetings which attracted large crowds. Just as one of these
meetings was progressing smoothly, the marshal came and
taking hold of Mrs. Nelson who was leading the band,
jerked and pushed her violently against an iron railing'and
down the street, then told them to " move on." The joy of
the Lord kept them through the test and after having an
interview with the president of the village, they were given
liberty to hold street meetings, but the devil was greatly
stirred. Mr. Dake came Oct. 30th and had great help from
the Lord in preaching.

There was much sectarianism in the town, and many
were held by church pride. At the close of the sermon, a
man who had been a subject of much prayer and soul bur-
den broke away and after a desperate struggle, prayed his
way through to victory. Mr. Dake remained several days
preaching every night. Others were saved during his stay.
He left for other points Nov. 4th, but returned again the
10th, when the Spirit was again poured out. The meeting
soon closed and No. 7 spent some time assisting other
bands.

No. 9 with an entire change of members, Matie North,
leader, spent a few weeks at Crooked Creek, Ind., where

240

Vivian A. Dake.

Xo. 7 had previously labored. There was but little ac-
complished. When the meeting closed the workers visited
Centerville, Mich., to assist No. 7 until they closed. Mr.
Dake then opened meetings for them at Colon, Mich. A
large and attentive congregation gathered. The congrega-
tion increased with the interest until the hall would not hold
all who came. A few broke away from sin and pressed
their way to the cross, by which they were crucified unto
the world and the world unto them.

Meetings were also held at Union City, Mendon, East
Gilead and Marcellus, where some souls were saved and
the truth scattered. Through many conflicts and privations
the Lord wonderfully sustained and comforted them. The
divisional Ingathering at Colon began Dec. 21st. All the
workers in the Michigan division were present, also some
who had formerly been in the work besides many friends
and pilgrims. Sunday was a day of power. Services were
continued, either at the church or the band home, and sev-
eral were saved and some sanctified as a result.

A missionary meeting was held by G. H. Agnew and
the hearts of the people were moved as Africa and the re-
demption of souls there was laid before them. Some from a
distance came to the Ingathering and were saved. One
young man, with a cork leg walked twenty miles to the
meeting. While kneeling at the altar he took from his
pocket, tobacco in four forms; saying he had bought it on
the way, but that he was done with it. He also belonged
to four secret societies which he renounced, and soon prayed
through to victory and felt well j>aid for his trip.

A young man, a backslider, struggled and groaned for
two hours, and then yielded to God and the glory came into
his soul. While he shouted, laughed and testified another
young man, a very wicked one, melted down and fell on his
knees and almost roared for deliverance until God came
in saving power. Just as he was set at liberty a boy

Band Work.

241

began to cry and was persuaded to seek God, which he did,
until he too found peace. It was a precious season. One
of these converts has done some efficient work in the Lord's
vineyard and if he continues to walk writh God will doubt-
less do great good in the world as a preacher of the gospel.

The Reapers Homework had prospered in an encourag-
ing manner. The Lord had given efficient helpers to carry
it on and two more children had been added to the Home.
Mr. Dake was much opposed to sending the children to the
public schools where they were exposed to so much that is
evil among all classes of children, many of whom were un-
clean in conversation and actions. The children were there-
fore taught at home. When the number of children in-
creased, regular school sessions were held by a competent
teacher. The Reapers Home schoolroom has ever been a
place where the Spirit could come at will.

We now come to the close of 1889. The Lord had given
many victories in the salvation of souls, over which all re-
joiced. But where a few scores had been rescued since the
last Harvest Home millions more were sinking, and there
was no time to stop and take a holiday, although some who
were worn in the work rested a short time to recover physi-
cal strength for coming battles.

Mr. Dake had been abundant in labors among the bands
and also in places outside, where he had received calls for
help. At Colon, one night eggs were thrown at the band
home and also at the hall. Another time some roughs at-
tempted to break up the meeting by throwing a quantity of
red pepper on the stove. The people were considerably af-
fected by it but the workers managed to sing, " We'll drive
this battle on," during the storm of coughs and sneezes. The
Satanic forces kept up their hostilities until the closing serv-
ice. On that night they had formed a diabolical plan to
cause the sisters to be thrown down the stairs as they went
to the hall. But some of the citizens becoming acquainted

242

Vivian A. Dake.

with the plot formed a guard and attended them to and from
the hall.

The closing services, Feb. 23rd, were good. The con-
verts were much blest and God was glorified amidst all.
From Colon, the workers of No. 9 went to Hartford, Mich.,
and began meetings March 3rd, in the Free Methodist
church at the request of Rev. A. Bradfield, pastor in charge.
The people came to the opening service full of interest and
curiosity. God let light on them and they began to see
what it would cost to confess and forsake their sins. The
pastor preached the Word with great plainness and power.

Mr. Dake came March 20th and preached especially to
backsliders. The Holy Spirit carried the truth to hearts and
a few were set at liberty. Some members of the class saw
their lack and began to seek God. A number desired a clean
heart; some took the way but others seemed content with
the dangerous and uncomfortable position of a formalist.

The meetings closed at Hartford, April 20th and after a
short rest, No. 9 opened meetings in a tent at Keelerville,
Mich. The meetings, of which we have little report, were
continued until July 15th when No. 14 took charge.

The most of the bands, in this division were composed
of young workers but they kept good courage through all
their hardships and gained experience thereby. In Illinois
the work went on in power. At Tuscola No. 1 continued
the meetings in the old courthouse till Jan. 23rd, when some
opposers of the work succeeded in getting them turned out
of it. Subscriptions had already been secured and a lot pur-
chased for a new church and the work began at once. It
was completed and dedicated April 6th. After all the slan-
der, arrests and other bitter persecutions, which were in-
tended to drive the workers out of town, the work flour-
ished, souls were saved, a good class organized and finally a
neat church 30x50 was built and dedicated free of debt.
Even the enemies of the work could see God's hand in

Band Work.

243

this mighty victory and some sent money to help pay for the
church.

The work was continued at Lovington, 111., where No.
8 had labored, with such success that a goodly number were
saved, a class organized, and a church built and dedicated
before the Ingathering; after attending this meeting they
returned and carried forward the work.

The afternoon prayer meetings were largely attended
and were productive of much good. The meetings closed
at Lovington, Feb. 12th, 1S90. They opened in Atwood,
April 29th assisted by No. 17. God was with them from
the first but a hostile feeling was manifested in the early
meetings. Dr. B. and his son, who was the village barber,
and others opened their homes and kindly cared for the
band all through the conflict.

The workers rented a small house in the same lot on
which the tabernacle was pitched which they occupied.
After holding meetings for about two weeks one soul was
saved. A few days later hostilities were commenced in
earnest by some one throwing a stone through the top of
the tabernacle, which struck a girl, injuring her considerably.
Several souls sought the Lord and were set free from their
sins. The meetings continued through May and June with
much interest and many conversions. A railroad ticket
agent, George Bula, was gloriously saved here. He was
afterwards called to leave all and be a fisher of men. He
responded and entered the work among the bands, where he
has labored as a successful soul winner.

A few evenings later, nearly all the ropes of the taber-
nacle were cut, letting one of the center poles down. This
was done after the workers had closed the meeting and re-
tired. The next day the ropes were mended, and the tent
raised again. Mr. Dake was present at this time and was
much blest of the Lord in his labors. While the workers
were engaged in repairing the tabernacle which was torn by

244

Vivian A. Dake.

a violent windstorm on July 14th, a gang of men came and
warned them not to raise it again; but the warning was un-
heeded and it was again erected. Here the devil and his
followers, as usual, resorted to mob violence to silence those
whose truths he could not meet with argument. In fact,
bricks, rotten eggs, and slander have always been the devil's
best arguments against the doctrine and experience of holi-
ness as taught in the Bible.

The next evening as the benediction was pronounced,
a number of eggs were thrown into the tabernacle, hitting
some of the congregation. Later, a revolver was discharged,
the bullet hitting a fence near one of the workers. The
meeting was discontinued July 21st, in order to attend Har-
vest Home camp meeting.

The meeting at Urbana which No. 11 were holding,
continued through January, February and part of March.
The church building was completed, and dedicated Feb. 16th
by Superintendent G. W. Coleman. God came in much
blessing at the dedicatory services. There were six hundred
dollars to be raised before the house could be dedicated. This
was undertaken with the assistance of chairman Noland.
About four hundred dollars were raised at the morning
service. In the evening the balance was secured. The work-
ers continued to hold meetings in the new church until
March 9th, when they closed, after having labored there a
little over six months. A class of thirty-four members was
organized and a neat church erected. The work was left in
charge of Rev. James Murphree.

Mr. Dake opened meetings in the Free Methodist church
in South Chicago for No. 11 at the request of some of
the preachers of the Chicago district. Much labor was
bestowed on the place by the workers and pastors of the
churches of that district. The gospel was faithfully preached
in the Spirit yet there were few who would receive it. Hav-

Band Work.

245

ing obtained permission to hold street meetings, an aggressive
warfare was kept up on the streets.

Satan made some unsuccessful attempts to drive them
off. One of these was made by a saloon keeper who played
a big brass horn and danced and yelled and went through all
manner of contortions and then finished up by turning a
garden hose on the intrepid street preachers. About sixty-
five street meetings were held during the labors of this band
here. Mr. Dake was present twice and stayed several days
each time. During each visit some souls accepted the truth
preached and were saved. The meetings continued until
July 20th, when they closed to allow the workers to attend
the Harvest Home at Urbana, only twelve souls having
yielded to God.

A meeting was opened Jan. 15th by No. 15, E. G. Cryer,
leader, at Bethany, 111. At first the meetings were not very
well attended, and for several nights the young men of the
band slept in the hall on the plank seats and had very little
to eat. The meeting was fiercely contested by the enemy.
The workers wrestled in prayer, called on the people at their
homes, and delivered the truth, trusting in God for -victory.
During Hie last few days in February and until March 12th
only two or three were seeking God, at which time five came
to the altar and for ten days souls were seeking and some
were saved every night. The plain truth stirred the devil in
graceless church members and there were no more seekers
for some time.

Mr. Dake was present March 28th and preached. Deep
conviction was on the people and another break came in the
enemy's ranks. The band continued the meetings until July
23rd. A small class was organized and a church enterprise
was started when the band left for Harvest Home.

A meeting was also opened at Edwardsville, 111., imme-
diately after the Ingathering and carried on by No. 16, Bes-
sie Sherman, leader, until April 20th. We have been unable

246

Vivian A. Dake.

to find the record of this meeting and one conducted at the
same time at Fillmore, 111., by No. 2, Mrs. Vivian A. Dake,
leader.

Other new meetings were opened at the beginning of
the year, one of which was at Sullivan, 111. This meeting
opened Jan. 24th in charge of bands No. 12 and 18. The
reception of the workers here was very cold indeed, owing to
the prejudice which doubtless had been caused by the false
reports which had been circulated through that region by the
Tuscola paper. The street meeting on the opening night
was accompanied by a great noise from the rowdy element.
But the officers overlooked that and ordered the workers off
the street which order they refused to obey. The prejudice
was overcome somewhat and the people were kind, but they
did not generally accept the truth. It was a hard pull nil the
way through. Mr. Dake came March 26th and preached a
wonderful sermon from Numbers, xxiii, 10 — "Let me die
the death of the righteous, and let my last end be like his."

Conviction was on the people. Many who had never
looked serious before during the meeting were moved to
tears. No one came to the altar, but quite a number arose
and requested the prayers of the workers. The bcfnd held
on until about June 5th without seeing much fruit for their
labor. The seed was sown in tears and a few yielded to
God and * were saved. Some prominent church members
saw the light, confessed their sins and made restitution for
their deeds and found the grace they had long and vainly
professed.

A class was organized and, as a place of worship was
greatly needed, subscription papers were circulated. A good
start was made in obtaining money. Two of the sisters re-
mained at the close of the regular meetings to attend to the
building of the church until time for the Harvest Home.

One of the most successful meetings of the year was
the one held at Charleston, 111. It was opened Feb. 21st by

Band Work.

247

No. 4 who carried it on for some months. This band was
followed in succession by Nos. 6 and 28. Charleston is
quite a busy place with a population of about six thousand.
The work was commenced with a street meeting as the
workers were unable to get a hall or church. Feb. 25th the
ladies of the W. C. T. U. , became interested and secured
them the Universalist church for meetings.

It is worthy of note that the city officials treated the
young ladies with kindness as they went to the street to hold
services. In muddy weather the marshal would direct them
to a good place. The people were hungry for the truth
and it is not strange under these conditions that the Lord
poured out a mighty blessing which brought salvation to
many souls. Feb. 26th, a railroad man who had been under
conviction for some time was saved while on his train. His
conviction was so deep that he went into a box car while
the train was in motion, determined to stay until God spoke
peace to his soul, which was not long withheld. He im-
mediately made his way over the top of the cars to the
caboose that he might tell the other train men what God
had done for his soul. He had been missed and it was feared
that he had fallen from the train. This man had been noted
for his wickedness and his conversion was a surprise to the
people. A number of other notable cases were recorded of
those who came and "confessed their deeds." Acts xix, 18.
One was a woman who kept a house of ill repute, and stored
goods for a notorious band of county thieves. She was
brought under deep conviction for sin. The hearts of the
workers were moved with deep compassion as this poor soul
wept, prayed and began to straighten up the past. After
months of seeking, accompanied with restitution, she was
saved. A young man on his death bed sent for the workers to
pray for his salvation. They visited him, prayed and talked
with him and he was saved. A few days later he died, prais-
ing God,

248

Vivian A. Dake.

Some precious fruit was gathered here which has already
been garnered on high. Sister Grace Hill, who was saved
in these meetings, became a most exemplary follower of
her Lord. Feeling called to the work, she took her place
in the Reapers Home as teacher, which place she filled with
ability, though young in years. Growing in grace and
rapidly ripening in Christian character, she made her influ-
ence felt for good all through the Home. After a few months
of labor she was taken with fever which ended her prom-
ising young life. The memory of her gentle, yet dignified
ways, her happy shining face, when the glory of the Lord
shone upon her, will never be forgotten by those who knew
and loved her. She was indeed a choice spirit. God gave
many such trophies who were faithful until death.

One, a strong young German who came to the altar and
cried to God for mercy. After truly repenting of his sins,
his faith laid hold on Jesus who set his soul free. The glory
which attended was so great that he lost his strength and
was prostrated for a time.

Many of the altar services were times of great power,
when souls would come through with a shout. No. 4 con-
tinued their labors here until May 2nd when No. 18, Fannie
Birdsall, leader, took charge. The work went on with un-
abated interest, until the time for Harvest Home. Mr. Dake
came March 25th and preached with much help and two
were saved in the altar service following.

He was constantly on the move from one point to
another, preaching every night, and often four times on the
Sabbath. He believed that an extraordinary application of
ordinary means was needed in these days of famine and for-
malism, to awaken and save the slumbering human race.
Plain it is, that the old regime held to in many churches,
does not awaken and save the people. He labored much
outside of the band work during the time between the In-
gathering and Harvest Home, of which we have no record.

CHAPTER XXI.

After getting the work among the bands in order, Mr.
Dake w ent to Oil City, Pa., arriving Jan. 25th and remain-
ing until Feb. iSth. He was much helped of God in preach-
ing and in all his labors. Fifteen were saved the first week
and a number more during his stay. His labors here are re-
ferred to in another place in a letter from the pastor, Rev.
A. C. Showers. From this place he went to Franklin, Pa.,
and spent some days; then he proceeded to Gerry, N. Y.,
where he hoped to get a whole night's rest, not having had
one for a long time; but the news of his arrival spread far
and wide, and a congregation gathered to whom he spoke on
the need of separation from the world.

He has been censured for not taking more rest, but it
was next to impossible for him, when among the churches
and friends to find time to rest, so many demands were
made upon him to preach or labor in some way. He
went to Sharpsville, Pa., and preached, then on to Illinois.

In May he spent a number of days at the Reapers
Home and during this visit his youngest child, Ruth, was
converted. She was not yet five years old, but so faith-
fully had she been taught that she well understood that she
needed a " new heart. " The following letter written to
the workers on leaving the Home for another place shows
the depth of his feeling for the Home and children:
"Sisters B., F. and M: —

"How my heart has gone out for you and the precious
children as I came on the cars. My eyes filled with tears
and my soul was moved. O, I know you will keep blest
and share that burden with me. Please read about Moses
and where certain ones were chosen to bear the burdens
with him (Ex. xvii, 12). God gave me that Scripture.

250

Vivian A. Dake.

Amen. Glory to God! Shout victory over the devil.
The Lord will give you strength for soul and body. O,
my sisters, I am in the fire over that Home. I am with you in
spirit as I go. Love the children. You can do all with
them, if you get their love. Break down with them."

The burden of his exhortations to those in charge of
the children always was " love them. " All reproof and cor-
rection must be in love to be effectual. He had learned the
secret of love to melt and subdue hearts and felt it must be
the moving power all through the Home.

No harshness or undue severity were allowed in reprov-
ing the children, but faithfulness and firmness were insisted
upon. No act of disobedience or rebellion, however small,
was allowed to pass uncorrected, but was promptly dealt with
until the offender was thoroughlv penitent and subdued and
had received forgiveness from the Lord.

The children were taught that, "If we confess our sin,
He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins," and many
touching scenes have been witnessed when under the melting
influence of the Spirit, the little penitents would confess their
wrongdoing to the Lord and to one another, and plead for
forgiveness.

Mr. Dake fully believed that the children should be con-
verted at an early age. He acted in accordance with this
belief and labored and prayed and sometimes agonized for
their salvation. God honored his faith, and he saw his own
little girls, and the other children in the Home, clearly saved
before he died. He had great sorrow of heart when he saw
the children of professed Christian parents growing up
unsaved and worldly, and he felt that it need not be so, if
due effort was made to bring them to Christ while young.

Having had a call to visit Texas he went there in May
and spent about three weeks, We have no report of his
labors on this trip, On his return he attended the camp

Band Work.

meeting at Naperville, 111., in June and from there he went
to Algona, Iowa, to attend the district camp meeting.

The time for the fourth annual Harvest Home which
was to be held at Urbana, 111., in July, 1890, had come. All
eyes and hearts were looking to God, to make it the best
ever held, nor did any look in vain.

The meeting began July 30th, although the workers
gathered a few days earlier. The attendance was larger than
ever before. There were about twenty preachers, besides
the seventy band workers present. A published report of
the meeting says:

"The ministerial brethren in attendance were too numer-
ous to mention. Some sought and obtained a powerful
unction of the Holy Ghost.

" There was not a word of lightness uttered in our hear-
ing by any who took part in the services, and there was no
visiting or feasting. The food was simple and all strangers
and people not otherwise provided for, were cordially invited
to the "long table" which the Lord supplied liberally. The
services were characterized by the same awful conviction and
searching of hearts. The groans and cries of scores of truth-
smitten seekers were mingled with the rejoicings of the
redeemed. About one hundred were saved and sanctified.
The love feasts were times of much blessing as the clear tes-
timonies rolled forth from purified hearts. We would be
glad to give some of them here, but lack of space forbids.
Missionary fire had begun to blaze with no small heat, and
at the meeting the flame increased as the missionaries who
had been called to foreign fields related their experiences and
call to the work. At the close of some of the missionary
meetings, the altar was filled with seekers, and some were
gloriously saved, which proves clearly that a Holy Ghost
missionary meeting will not hinder the work of soul saving.
On the contrary if the missionaries are spiritual the Lord

252 Vivian A. Dake.

usually blesses them to such a degree that the work of salva-
tion goes on with increased power.

Many appear to think that they can enjoy a high degree
of grace and yet manifest but little interest in missions and
missionaries and refuse to spend their means for their sup-
port. .Mr. Spurgeon once said: "I am often asked if the
heathen will be saved if we do not send them the gospel.
I reply, I do not know, but I do know there is a question
far more vital for you and me to answer: Shall I be saved
if I refuse to obey my Lord's command to send them the
gospel? "

Also Mr. Finney, in a lecture, "How to Promote a
Revival," mentions the want of care for the heathen, as one
of the obstacles in the way of a revival. He says on
this subject: " Perhaps you have not cared enough for them
to attempt to learn their condition; perhaps not even to take
a missionary paper. Look at this and see how much you do
really care for the heathen, and set down honestly the real
amount of your feelings for them, and your desire for their
salvation by the self-denial you practice in giving of your
substance to send them the gospel. Do you deny yourself
even the hurtful superfluities of life such as tea, coffee and
tobacco? Do you retrench your style of living, and really
subject yourself to any inconvenience to save them? Do
you daily pray for them in your closet? Are you from
month to month laying by something to put in the treasury
of the Lord when you go to pray? If you are not doing
these things and if your soul is not agonized for the poor
benighted heathen, why are you such a hyj^ocrite as to pre-
tend to be a Christian? Why! your profession is an insult
to Jesus Christ." — Revival Lectures, page 40.

The missionary meeting, Sabbath, Aug. 3rd at three P.
M. was wonderfully owned of the Holy Ghost. The tide
of salvation ran high and a real missionary spirit filled the
place. It is a difficult matter to describe a Holy Ghost

Sending out Missionaries.

253

meeting. This was one. The platform was filled with
workers and preachers, among whom were brother and sis-
ter Ulness for Norway, and sisters North and Torrence for
Africa; and all told of their call to foreign work while the
Lord graciously poured out His Spirit. Then Mr. Dake
followed stating his growing convictions for world-wide
evangelism (to which the writer says Amen). Three years
before at the Harvest Home, he had said to the workers:
"There is a great upheaval in my soul. I have a concep-
tion that God is organizing and training these workers for a
great mission. Though not clearly defined, I feel great op-
portunities and responsibilities are in our hands."

He had attempted to put aside these convictions and
abandon the foreign feature of his evangelism rather than
seem to be insubordinate to his church; but in making the
attempt, darkness settled upon his soul, and he began to lose
interest in all his God-appointed work. " Go ye into all the
world and preach the gospel" was again obeyed in intention
and the smile of God was again obtained.

Aug. 4th, baptismal services were held and seventeen
were baptized by immersion. It was a glorious season
because of the presence of God. The ring meetings were
good and altogether the meeting rolled on " gloriously", as
one said: "Every wheel was well oiled with salvation.
There was no friction, no fighting, no compromise." But
as Rev. R. W. Hawkins said of this meeting, at a camp
meeting in Michigan: "There was more glory to the square
inch in the meetings than in any other camp meeting I ever
attended."

One precious feature of this meeting was the clear sanc-
tification of so many. Several healing services were held
and a number of the workers and others were healed. On
the last morning a farewell meeting and march was held for
the outgoing missionaries. With songs, shouts and tears
the missionaries and workers marched across the ground and

254

Vivian A. Dake.

into the tabernacle where the missionaries halted, and the
workers and friends passed along speaking their last fare-
wells. It was a heavenly, yet solemn time; for all knew
that the way before them was one of conflict, toil, suffering
and possibly death; but every worker was consecrated "unto
death". The meeting closed Aug. 10th.

In the last workers meeting, Mr. Dake made the
following address to the workers:

" This is certainly an inspiring scene. Thank God we
are getting up into the heights where we can see some-
thing. When I went up to the top of the Eiffel Tower
in Paris, I could see far stretches and grand, beautiful
landscapes that I could not survey while I was creeping
along in the crowds below. We are, as a body of Christian
workers, scaling the heights of holiness, up, up, above the
low levels of selfishness, and where we can see the glori-
ous fields of sacrifice. Soon we will be separating: this
is our last workers' meeting, and soon the rushing trains
and ocean steamers will be swiftly bearing us all to our
fields of warfare, near and far.

4<God grant that this may be a year in which we know
of no retreats, no ease-seeking and home-going from any
point on the battle line. We are not out for pleasure, or
to forage through the land for luxuries to eat, but for re-
lentless war upon sin and the destruction of carnality. Amen!
Make holiness prominent, always and everywhere. Take
this blessed truth among the people, but get the funda-
mental truths, that precede the doctrine, firmly fixed in
their minds. We are to lead forth a vital and thorough
work of salvation. We believe in the utter hurling down
of sin, and in tearing down and throwing overboard the
whole kingdom of carnality. Hallelujah!

* 'Remember that God has brought you from obscurity to a
place where the eyes of three worlds are more or less scan-
ning your work and making critical observations of your

At Arcola, III.

2^5

conduct. They are looking to see how the conflict is turn-
ing. Act prudently and always with seriousness. Deport
yourself as if you realized that the Son of God was by your
side. While you press the unyielding demands of truth,
make all due allowance for the special relations of any case.
Remember how long some one had to follow you patiently
and with forbearance and love. No inflexible methods of
dealing with all classes and individuals can be adopted. Let
this be a year in which more than ever we shall all go forth
weeping.

"I want to say to these leaders and assistant leaders,
that ours is a dual work in an important sense. The world
regards us as soul savers, and such we are ultimately, but
immediately we are also trainers, who are disciplining work-
ers who are under us in the Lord. I want you to guard
rigidly the helpers you have in your bands. Be wise, and
watch over the recruits. Especially guard them against all
that we deem improprieties in conduct toward the opposite
sex. Tolerate nothing of the kind. Let there be no excep-
tional cases whatever. Do clean work and you will find
favor with God."

One of the new meetings opened after Harvest Home
was at Arcola, 111., where band No. i commenced a meet-
ing Aug. 15th, 1890 in a tabernacle. A crowd was pres-
ent the first night. The citizens had read the slanderous
articles in the Tuscola Review, but the people generally
seemed to have a determination to hear and judge for them-
selves. The congregations were large from the first and
included some of the most influential people of the place.
They soon felt that the band were in Arcola to do good
and it was their duty to stand by them.

The spirituality of the professed Christians was very low.
There had been no revival for years, not even a superficial
one. This was indeed a ripe field. The editors of the town
papers wrote articles in favor of the band, contrasting their

256

Vivian A. Dake.

fervent earnest work with the half-hearted way that the
churches generally labored for souls.

The workers visited from house to house, and prayed
with the people, as was their custom. One afternoon the
sisters went to the house of one of these editors and talked
and prayed with his wife. The next paper contained an
article headed "An Innovation," stating the circumstances and
that during all the years he had lived in this place of churches,
preachers and professors, no prayer had ever been offered in
his house before.

Another issue of the same paper printed the following
article in commendation of the truth preached:
"HADES RELIT."

" For some years past sinners have been taking a great
deal of comfort from the preaching of evangelical ministers.
Ingersoll said positively that there is no hades; Beecher said
it wasn't quite as hot as it had been represented; since then
all the preachers have been eliminating the brimstone, smoth-
ering down the flames, using fire extinguishers on the coals,
covering them with fresh earth, and even planting trees and
flowers and opening ways for purling brooks to meander
through its flowery meads. Sinners trusting to their state-
ments, have about come to the conclusion that hades as mod-
ernized is rather a desirable place to go and have acted in
conformity with that idea. To some this change has not
been so pleasant as contemplated. They had experienced
during their lives many slights, insults and injuries which
they had not been able to avenge and which they had no
hopes of avenging in this world. They had fondly hoped and
believed that their enemies would get a good scorching after
death. To have this hope dispelled, was not agreeable to
them. The advent of the Pentecost Band has caused a
reversal of feelings with both sinners and saints with venge-
ful hearts. The latter class is rejoicing while the former is
trembling with fear.

At Arcola, III.

257

"For these Free Methodists have pumped out the water,
raked off the soil, relighted the fires and restored the brim-
stone to the lower regions; and the cauldron is again seething
and the flames reaching out their forked tongues for victims.
The Pentecost Band preach the good, hot, old-fashioned hell
of our grandfathers and sinners tremble while the vengeful
saints rejoice."

Mr. Dake came Sept. 6th for the first time and stayed
over the Sabbath. God blessed the truth preached. Some
were seeking Salvation and the outlook was good for a revival.
The following article appeared in the Arcola Record at this
time:

" The meetings at the Pentecost tabernacle are increas-
ing in both numbers and interest. The tent could not near
hold all the people in attendance Sunday night. So far, the
meetings have been conducted with the- best order, and re-
spectful solemnity. The good behavior and respectful atten-
tion of those attending contrasting very favorably, if not
excelling, the order and decorum of other revival meetings
held in the different churches in town.

"Those conducting the meetings appear deeply in earn-
est, and show by their words and works a faith worthy of
any Christian denomination. Their preaching is plain, prac-
tical, unvarnished and to the point. If the different churches
of Arcola possessed one-tenth of the faith and earnestness
manifested by these lady evangelists, there would be a won-
derful revolution in the social and business affairs of Arcola
society."

Some who made no profession of religion at all, helped
liberally with their means and a new church was soon in
process of erection. The papers continued to publish articles
regarding the work which was being done, of which, the two
following are samples: The first under the title of "A
Good Kind " says:

w" The Pentecost Band claims to promulgate a religion

258 Vivian A. Dake.

which if accepted, will penetrate deeper than the emotions,
and that the emotional manifestations of its possessors are
merely the ebullition from the deep seated forces at work in
the heart. This religion prompts him who gets it not only
to good works in the future but to restoration and atonement
for the past.

" A grocer in town, who is not a very demonstrative
Christian and therefore not liable to the suspicion of being
biased in that direction, tells us that he has had two cases
recently confirmatory of their claims. One party after, as
he thought, he had received this salvation came to the store
and paid an old debt of two dollars, which was outlawed.
Another came and restored fifteen cents of overchange re-
ceived over the counter. We trust such evidences of the
good work these ladies are doing may continue to accumulate,
and we urgently request that those of The UeralcTs sub-
scribers who are far in arrears will go to the tent and place
themselves under the reforming influences." The second
contained the following remarks:

" The Pentecost Band has truly done a wonderful work
in the short time it has been in Areola. The sisters held their
first meeting here Friday night, Aug. 15th of this year, and
with this issue of The Herald their church building is rapidly
approaching completion; only a week over three months hav-
ing elapsed since their arrival here. True, the converts have
not been many, yet the new building is a wonderful monu-
ment to their earnestness and zeal. And this is the town,
according to the Tuscolans, that was very wicked and
where they couldn't stay. Fie, Tuscola, fie."

Another meeting which was opened immediately after
the camp meeting was at Thomasboro, 111., the opening
services being held Aug. 12th by No. 14, led by Florence
Wilkin, assisted by Ida Wormwood. There was only one
church building in the place, which was owned by the
Episcopalians, The Methodists were holding meetings in a

In Arcola, III.

259

schoolhouse. Some curiosity was manifested at first but as
the meetings progressed in the tabernacle curiosity was
changed to conviction and souls began to seek the Lord,
the first one being a young girl who was saved.

Mr. and Mrs. Dake came Sept 5th to visit the band.
He preached from Isaiah xxxiii, 14. "Sinners in Zion are
afraid." He was much helped of the Spirit. Some took
the truth to heart while others evidently scorned it. There
began to be quite a stir as the Lord worked in these meetings.

One young man was in such trouble of soul that he
sought to drown it by drink, but failing in this attempt,
sought the only remedy known for a sin-sick soul and found
it to his great joy. He testified that he had not been sober
a moment for over two weeks.

Another young man received the witness of his pardon
while on the way home from meeting and shouted over his
new-found joy until he was heard three-quarters of a mile
away. Another was converted in the cornfield. Mr. Dake
came again on his round of visitations and was much helped
in preaching from the text, " Not this man but Barabbas."
About this time steps were taken toward building a church.
The dedicatory service on March 1, 1891, was a time of re-
joicing to the class and to the workers and friends in the
town. The building was void of lofty spires and useless
decorations. It had no kitchen or pantry for church suppers,
no loud sounding organ, or shelf for an infidel choir ; but
was a neat modest structure where all who would might
" worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness." It was en-
tirely in keeping with primitive Methodism which cannot be
said of many modern church edifices, which, with the high
style of art in which they are built, and the costliness of deco-
ration resemble a play house more than the house of God.

Too often they are weighed down with a huge debt,
which can only be a lasting disgrace and reproach -to the
work of the Lord, Could there be a return to primitive

260

Vivian A. Dake.

simplicity and plainness in the construction of houses of
worship and in the lives of their occupants, as in the days
when the church and the world walked far apart wre wrould
witness greater displays of power and glory every where.
Mr. Dake's voice was always lifted up against the inroads
which the world was making on the church, and because of
his faithfulness in this, he suffered much opposition.

The following quotation from a published letter by
chairman T.J. Noland voices the mind of many with refer-
ence to Mr. Dake's work in connection with his bands:

" May 15, 1S90.

"I wTill just say here that I am a Free Methodist, and
would not encourage disloyalty in anyone, nor in any set or
faction in the church. I do not believe there is a Free
Methodist in the connection that knows me, that would sus-
pect me of such a thing. I have spent nine weeks alto-
gether in connection with the Pentecost work, and in labor-
ing with the workers, and I pronounce them in the strictest
sense of the term, Free Methodists. They are plain in ap-
parel, more so than the generality of Free Methodists.
They are stronglv in favor of enforcing discipline. They
believe in conversion, also in entire sanctification, and enjoy
these experiences. While they believe in salvation by faith
they do not believe in believing you have got it in order to
get it.

" I would advise those who are afraid of their work,
especially those tinctured with this 4 naked faith ' idea, to get
one of these bands to come on their work. It would pay
you well to support a band for six months, just to get straight
on this idea. They are a blest people and believe in getting
others blest. They me self-denial, in fasting often, and
frequently in opening work they sleep in halls on naked
boards, and live for days on small rations, sometimes nothing
at all. Instead of trying to get people to believe they are
Christians in order to become such, I have seen them ques-

Church Edifices.

261

tion the conversion of those who professed to be converted
among themselves, telling them to continue to seek until
they knew they were converted.

" Now I have known among Free Methodists those who
urge seekers to profession on the ground that if they had
confessed their sins they were converted, forgiven, and had a
right to testify to justification, witness or no witness. It
does not seem strange to me that such persons should oppose
these consecrated, self-denying saints who teach that when a
soul is converted something takes place, that

'Heaven comes down our souls to greet,
And glory crowns the mercy seat.'

"It does seem strange that some I have known in other
years who taught this same theory, are now the strongest
friends to these Pentecost workers. Anyhow if it is real, it
shows the power of truth over error. I question .whether
there is a conference in the Free Methodist church that has
four or five preachers, who would go in a place like Tuscola,
111., and hold meetings every night from eight to ten months,
and rent a hall at eight dollars per month, and a house at six,
and raise the money from their congregation to pay it, and
also their living. I think they would feel the need of more
faith than they had when on their circuits, and but few there
are who would try it at all.

"Another mark they have that shows to whom they
belong and for whom they work. They are persecuted more
than the common run of Free Methodists; the devil howls
wherever they go. Now if there are any Free Methodists
who are not persecuted, it is because they are not giving the
kingdom of Satan much trouble. The band at Tuscola was
twice imprisoned, not for holding meetings on the streets,
but for worshiping God aloud in their own hired hall.
********** *

" God forbid that I should ever oppose such self-sacrific-

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Vivian A, Dake.

ing saints as I have found in these Pentecost workers. I
have more than ten thousand square miles of territory in the
northern end of the Wabash conference, and they are welcome
to occupy every unoccupied mile of it."

About the middle of August No. 19 with Nettie Davis
and Flora Montonye, leaders, opened at Westfield, 111. A
United Brethren college situated there had about one hundred
and fifty students. It was a clean, pretty town, which had
many professors of religion. The opening service was en-
couraging, congregations were attentive, and workers were
much helped of the Lord.

Later this band was reinforced by band No. 4. Large
crowds were in attendance, but it seemed nothing would
move. Repentance was preached, but the people seemed to
act as though the workers were preaching to souls in another
countrv. They thought the meetings were good, liked the
workers and provided well for them, but this did not satisfy
the workers.

The Lord answered prayer and led them to hold Bible
readings on holiness. The people of Westfield did not
believe in holiness as a second work. A holiness meeting
was announced for Sabbath afternoon. It stirred the town.
The students that were attending the college came with
their tablets and pencils to take notes in order to fight the
doctrine. Among the number was a young preacher,
brother William Cheatham. The Lord wonderfully poured
out His Spirit on the meeting. Brother C. began to take
notes, but the Spirit took hold of his heart and his hand
trembled so that his pencil fell to the floor while tears
rolled down his cheeks. He arose for prayers and he,
with another young preacher, was gloriously saved. He
felt the Lord would have him leave the college and enter
the band work. He has since been instrumental in the sal-
vation of many souls.

From this time there was a wonderful stir. Preachers

Atwood, III.

263

condemned them in their pulpits, but the work moved on.
One very wicked man sought the Lord and found pardon.
Many others found peace. One infidel was saved through
the instrumentality of this meeting. He left his- secret
societies and renounced the world forever.

Mr. Dake came on his monthly visitation. His preach-
ing was in demonstration of the Spirit and with power,
and a new impetus was given to the work and souls were
set at liberty every day for some time. A class was formed,
which was added to, as the meetings continued. A house
of worship became a necessity and the* workers and con-
verts proceeded to take steps towards its erection. Consid-
erable interest was manifested in the church enterprise, by
the business men, who helped with their means. The foun-
dation was partly torn down by roughs and in many other
ways Satan showed his disapproval of the work; the church,
however, was soon dedicated free of debt.

We are sorry that the records of the Taylorville meet-
ing cannot be found. We know, however, that Band No.
1 3, Miss Laura Douglass, leader, had a very successful
meeting at this place where a good class was formed and a
neat church building erected and dedicated ere they closed
their labors.

Hard battles were being fought on other fields where
persecution hotly raged. One of these was Atwood, 111.,
which had been reopened by No. 8, E. E, Shelhamer and
Fred Andrews, leaders. They pitched the tabernacle in a
new place and began the battle once more, and after hold-
ing meetings about ten days opposition on the part of many
assumed such formidable proportions that a riotous mob
came to the tabernacle one night, after meeting was dis-
missed and lights were out, and threw a brick at the brother
who was watching the tabernacle and ordered him to leave
at once.

This brother went to tell the other workers and while

264

Vivian A. Dake.

gone the mob cut the tabernacle down and set it on fire.
All ran to the rescue as quickly as possible and succeeded
in putting out the fire, before much damage was done. The
workers kept the blessing of God on their souls and held
meetings in private houses until they could repair and again
raise the tabernacle which they did Sept. 3rd.

The Lord manifested His presence in every meeting and
souls sought Him and one was saved during the week which
followed. On the night of Sept. 9th a brickbat was thrown
during service and came through the tent, nearly striking a
sister, who was praying. The workers remained after
meeting to watch the tabernacle, as they feared an attack
would be made upon it. About ten o'clock the mob came
and as one of the brethren struck a match, a brick was
thrown, cutting him badly on the temple. Another match
was lighted when a shot was fired at the exposed worker.
The workers scattered around through the tabernacle and
passed out on the opposite side and went to the house of
one of the brethren. While there they heard an explosion,
and several revolver shots were fired by the bloodthirsty mob.

A second and very heavy explosion followed the first.
They had put dynamite under the center poles and amid dev-
ilish cheers the tabernacle was pulled down and rent in fine
pieces, destroying it past all repair. The enemy thus seemed
to triumph for a time, but with prayers for their enemies and
praises to God for these " light afflictions " the workers ac-
cepted the situation knowing that God could get glory out
of it. This occurrence caused a great stir in the- town and
some who had formerly been enemies strongly condemned
the deed.

The workers visited at Sullivan, 111., where a mob
spirit was also manifested and threats were being made.
A great many suppose that the day of persecution has
passed and that there must be something wrong with the
ones who are persecuted, but God's Word declares, "Yea,

"Ye Shall Suffer Persecution."

265

and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer perse-
cution." 2 Tim. iii, 12.

The spirit of the world is always the same as in the days
of Christ; virtue hangs bleeding on the cross while vice
flourishes on the throne. When the truth is preached in
demonstration of the Spirit and in power, opposition will al-
ways follow while men live in sin. God, in speaking of
Cain's murdering his brother says," Wherefore slew he him?
Because his own works were evil, and his brother's right-
eous." Then after giving us this illustration of the vindic-
tive, persecuting spirit of the world He proceeds with these
words, "Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you."

Would to God that gospel ministers every where could
awake to the fact that it is not enough to hold orthodox
theories and preach " naked " truth. Truth from the pul-
pit should never be naked, but clothed with jire and backed
by the power of God. Preachers must feel, if they would
be felt and they will be felt by sinners just in proportion
as they feel for them. We need more feeling; mighty
feeling if we would burn the truth into the hearts of men
and stir their stupidity by our impassioned appeals and
where this is done the devil's rage will be felt. The his-
tory of God's faithful ones in every age proves the truth
of this.

John Wesley, the founder of Methodism was made to feel
the rage and spite of hell. Mobs pursued him, thirsting for
his blood; eggs, dirt and stones were frequently showered
upon him and at times he was knocked down and shamefully
treated. After one assault he wrote: u Blessed be God, I
received no hurt, only from the eggs and dirt; my clothes
indeed abhorred me and my arm pained me a little from a
blow received at Sheffield." What some of these workers
endured was small compared to what the men of God suf-
fered in the days of early Methodism. All who will fol-
low their Lord will share in His sufferings.

CHAPTER XXII.

On the return of the band to Atwood, a few days later,
they opened meetings in a private house which was crowded,
and many could not obtain admittance. The Lord was pres-
ent and some souls were set at liberty. Street meetings
were also held. A few days later the town was again in an
uproar. Threats were made of blowing up the houses, where
meetings were being held and several revolver shots were
fired during meetings.

Several members of the town board came at the close of
meeting and told the band that they had the town all excited
and people could not sleep. The next day they went to see
the town board but could do nothing to satisfy them, as the
members of the board were against them. The justice of the
peace was connected with the mob and nothing could be
expected of him. This failure to satisfy the town officials
was also a repetition of the usage of ancient times. Mr.
Wesley wrote: " A constable followed and told me: 'Sir
Edward Blacket orders you to disperse the town and not
raise a disturbance here.' I sent my respects to Sir Edward,
and said if he would give me leave I would wait upon him
and satisfy him. He soon returned with an answer, that Sir
Edward would have nothing to say to me, but if I preached
again and raised a disturbance he would put the law in exe-
cution against me."

Mr. Dake came a few days later encouraging and
instructing the workers much to their joy and profit. An
effort was made to get the use of one of the churches for Mr.
Dake to preach in, but all were refused and he went on to
Lovington. The band closed their regular meetings at
Atwood, Oct. 1 2th and after a few days went to Stewardson,
111., where they opened meetings Oct. 23rd in a hall. Reports

Band Work.

267

of this meeting are not very full, but there was a good degree
of interest and some were saved and a Free Methodist class
was organized.

As was stated, some of the leaders returned to their
fields to complete the church buildings which had been com-
menced. Hillsboro, III., was one of these places. No. 5
had been laboring there and a church was finished and dedi-
cated in the fall. No 15 returned to Bethany, and worked
on the church for a time, which was at length completed by
the pastor and dedicated by Rev. VV. B. M. Colt of the
Central Illinois conference.

Brother Colt in writing of this experience to a relig-
ious paper adds: "I am glad to report to brothers Osborn
and Cryer and their Pentecost co-laborers that their self-
denial, sacrifice and suffering in the beginning of this work
has not been in vain, but has been rewarded by the organi-
zation of a live society, who worship God in Spirit and
the erection of a neat church where the pure Word of God
can be preached with the Holy Ghost sent down from
Heaven. I bid you Godspeed. May His blessing attend
all your future efforts to do a like work wherever you may
be called to labor, is the prayer of your brother and fellow-
laborer in the work of soul saving. On Sabbath, Dec. 2Tst
we dedicated the church free of debt, to Him who pro-
vided the means for its erection. The meeting is still going
on and the Lord is graciously at work saving and sanctifying
souls. W. B. M. Colt."'

Litchfield, III.

At South Chicago, meetings were continued after Har-
vest Home by No. 11, Rena Brown leader. Among those
saved were Swedes, Germans and Swiss, some of whom
could speak but little English. A young man who had
kept a saloon in Chicago fell on his face and with tears
and confessions plead his case until God came and saved him.

268

Vivian A. Dake.

The work in Carlinville, 111., was continued by No. 2,
Mrs. Dake, leader. Sabbath services, Sabbath school, class
meetings and weekly prayer-meetings were conducted by
this band who also had charge of the Reapers Home work
until the Home was removed to another place. The bless-
ing of the Lord was on the little class and on the workers
as they walked in the narrow way.

The bands that were preparing for foreign fields were
No's 12 and 9. Brother and sister Ulness as leaders of No.
12 spent some time visiting places where they had labored
and held missionary meetings as the way opened. No. 9
did likewise until Oct. 1st, when both bands, with the ex-
ception of one member, reunited for a farewell meeting at
the Morgan street Free Methodist church, Chicago, 111.
They were accompanied by Mr. Dake and others and the
presence and blessing of the Lord made it an interesting, en-
joyable occasion. From this place they journeyed on toward
New York, stopping at various points, where they held
missionary meetings. The Lord was with them and "show-
ers of blessing " fell.

They held a meeting at West Mecca, Ohio. They
found a class there all alive and in harmony with the Holy
Ghost. The Lord of hosts was with them. The follow-
ing evening a meeting was held in the Baptist church at
East Mecca, which was a time of especial blessing. Hearts
were touched and a good free will offering given to help
the missionaries.

At Sharpsville, Franklin and Oil City, Pa., meetings
were held which were signally owned and blest of God.
A meeting was also held in the W. C. T. U. hall at Titus-
ville, Pa. The hearts of the missionaries were greatly
refreshed and encouraged in meeting with the pilgrims at
these places. After visiting Jamestown, Gerry and Sala-
manca, N. Y., and holding meetings where more financial
help wTas procured for the work, they reached Brooklyn, N.

For Foreign Fields.

269

Y., where they held their farewell- meeting, 011 the afternoon
of Nov. 2nd. The Lord was present and encouraged the
workers by a most generous offering from His children.

On Nov. 5th they embarked on the steamship Wicland
of the Hamburg American line. The party consisted of
brother and sister Ulness and brother Foss of No. 12, for
Norway, and Matie North and Mrs. Jennie Torrence of No.
9, for Africa.

They arrived at Hamburg, Germany, Nov. 17th after
a safe passage. Here the bands separated. On the 21st the
Norway band sailed for Bergen, Norway, arriving there
Nov. 26th. They had a stormy passage over the North Sea
for two days. Arriving at Sogndal they went immediately
to the home of brother Ulness' grandparents, where they
were warmly welcomed by them and the other relatives.
In a few days they rented three rooms and began the
study of the language which Brother Ulness had to a great
extent forgotten, during the years he had spent in America.

Norway is a cold country, very beautiful in summer,
with its great variety of mountain scenery. Sogndal is shut
in by lofty mountains on every hand with narrow valleys be-
tween. The coast is cut up by arms of the sea, from which
the people obtain their supplies of fish, which is the main ar-
ticle of food. Bread, coffee and fish, barley mush, whey and
potatoes is the food of the common people. Milk is very ex-
pensive. They keep the cows up on the mountains in sum-
mer and send milk down once every week or two. There
was no butcher shop within two hundred miles.

One reason for the poverty of this country is the caste in
society. There are three classes of people: the upper, middle
and lower classes. The upper class is composed of preachers,
lawyers, judges, doctors and officials. The preacher can-
not be distinguished from the rest, but drinks liquor, plays
cards and bears rule over his members. Theirs is a state
religion— Lutheran, The preachers charge for baptism,

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Vidian A. Dake.

funeral services and even for administering the Lord's Sup-
per. The missionaries were deeply moved as they saw
the error and darkness that prevailed. Their time to the
close of the year was mostly spent in becoming acquainted
with the language.

Mrs. Torrence and Miss North, the band for Africa
sailed from Hamburg, Germany, on the steamship Prof.
Norman, Dec. 2nd. It was a German steamer and most
of the crew were of that nationality, hence the workers
could hold no public services but they distributed a num-
ber of German tracts. They landed at Monrovia, Liberia,
Dec. 23rd, 1890, and were warmly greeted by Mr. and
Mrs. Chapman, who were still weak from a recent attack
of fever. These recruits took hold of the work at once
and held divine services in a schoolhouse at Krootown, dis-
tributed tracts, visited the people and taught the children.
The natives eagerly crowded around them to whom they
spoke through an interpreter.

Late in the summer meetings were opened in Kansas,
111., by No. 18. Several were clearly saved; others were
deeply convicted, most of whom were heads of families,
but failed to yield to God. The meeting closed Nov. 30th.
After the Harvest Home No. 7 returned to Charleston, 111.,
to continue the work and complete the church enterprise
which had been started before camp meeting. The lot,
stone and labor were all donated and work was begun .

At this stage of the work No. 6, Harvey Brink and
Henry Johnson, leaders, arrived. They took hold of the
church work and helped to complete it, so it was ready for
dedication, Sabbath, Nov. 30th. It was a glorious time as
the pilgrims, converts, and town people gathered in to the
services. Rev. T. J. Noland preached the dedicatory ser-
mon after the indebtedness of two hundred and seventy-five
dollars had been raised and the house was given to God free
of debt. In the evening the Spirit of the Lord was poured

Band Work.

271

out. Six came to the altar, three of whom were soon saved.
No. 6 continued the meetings and many more were saved
and sanctified. Mr. Dake was present but twice during
this band's labors here. Some precious seasons were en-
joyed and some souls saved during each visit. Meetings con-
tinued here until Feb. 22, 1891.

Several new meetings were opened in December, 1890,
one of which was at Paris, 111. The meetings were held in
a hall and opened with good prospects Dec. 4th. No. 4 was
assisted by No. 18. The congregations were large and
attentive, both on the street and in the hall. The work did
not take so deep a hold on the people as at Charleston,
though the same workers labored there with the same ear-
nestness. The meeting continued until the close of the
year with some success.

Pana, 111., was another new field of labor and was also
opened Dec. 4th with No. 5 in charge. Mr. Dake came
Dec. 27th, accompanied by Mrs. Dake, and remained two
days, preaching twice. On this occasion he used the awak-
ening texts: "Escape for thy life; look not behind, thee,
neither stay thou in all the plain; escape to the mountain,
lest thou be consumed." Gen. xix, 17, and " How can ye
escape the damnation of hell ?" Matt, xxiii, 33.

Such texts at times produced most startling effects on
his hearers who had never heard much about the punish-
ment of the wicked. The intense earnestness with which
he treated these subjects awakened many sleeping souls and
brought them to the cross. The power of the Holy Ghost
was upon him in large measure at this time, which was felt
by the congregation, bringing deep conviction on some
hearts.

We pass to other fields where new meetings were in
progress. At Farmington, Ohio, No. 15 began meetings
Dec. 9th and carried them on to the close of the year but
without seeing much success Meeting was opened atHege-

272

Vivian A. Dake.

wisch, 111., Dec. 5, 1890, by No. 11 assisted by No. 20, Susie
Sherman, leader. It was a needy field having sixteen saloons
and but little religious work. This meeting was conducted
at the request of the Chicago District Missionary Association.
Two of the Chicago pastors were present and assisted at the
opening service. Other preachers from the district came
from time to time and gave much help in the meetings,
which were held in the opera hall, which seated five or six
hundred persons.

Neoga, 111., was opened Nov. 25th, with No. 17 in
charge which had an entire change of members, Fred
Osbom, leader. Mr. Dake came two days after the opening
and preached with his usual help. The Lord blessed the
faithful preaching of the Word to the conviction of souls.
The hall was very small, but well filled.

The band visited from house to house and soon convic-
tion settled down on the whole town and at nearly every
house they called people broke down and wept. It was several
weeks before any would come to the altar, but they were so
deeply convicted of sin that, at last, they did come and sev-
eral were clearly saved. From this the meetings increased
in power and souls were saved at every service, sometimes
four or five at one altar service. Some of them were heads
of families and others bright and intelligent young people.
A class was organized which numbered thirty. The rowdy
element was almost entirely broken up in the town and
gambling cliques were saved.

The following brief article which appeared in the
town paper Neoga News, shows the estimation in which the
work was held: "The Pentecost Band has been having a
very interesting time this week. Many of the boys have
gone to the altar and been converted. The Lord can work
in a hovel as well as a fine temple. Many persons are at-
tending the meeting who never attended any other church.
So let none hinder them, but help and pray for them, and

Band Work.

273

both churches will be benefitted and the morality of the
town improved. We noticed a grand sight yesterday,
there were ten of our boys, who a few days ago, were
rough and noisy, inarching in two ranks to a prayer meet-
ing in the east part of the town. That is right boys! Keep
it up and you will never regret it. In that crowd there was
mental ability and intelligence enough to do great good if
properly used. This is the effect of the Pentecost Band
and we bid them all God speed."

A subscription was started for the purpose of building
a Free Methodist church and was well under headway
when an incident occurred which nearly wrecked the pre-
cious work God had done. One of the young men of
the band was a new worker, who had been in the work
but a few days. He was a promising young man and had
much influence over the people, could talk readily and was
a good singer. He worked zealously for a time and was
active in pushing the church subscription, but evidently lost
his hold on the Lord and backslid, for he manifested a bad
spirit and showed a disposition to resent reproof. He kept
the confidence of the people but showed an increasing dis-
position to have his own way. Matters grew worse until he
announced his intention of going home and requested the
privilege of leading the evening meeting, which, he said
would be his last before leaving.

It was granted him and he took his stand against the
band and the issues which had caused controversy and said,
in substance, " Chew your tobacco and smoke your cigars,
dress as you please and belong to your secret lodges too,
only get this love of God in your heart and I won't ques-
tion your experience."

The worldly minded professors, who did not want to
give up their idols, supported him with their hollow-
sounding a mens; he did not leave town, however, for sev-
eral days, but called on the young converts and pressed his

274

Vivian A. Dake.

views. It was a trying time to the band, for like Absalom
of old, he had by fair words stolen the hearts of many of
the people. The band committed the matter to the Lord
and waited for Him to vindicate His own cause. The young
man remained in town for some days, until some of the con-
verts, seeing his inconsistency, returned and stood by nobly,
all through the remainder of the meeting. But the public
had received such a shock by the occurrence that the work
was practically stopped.

Other bands came and tried to raise the work to its
former prosperity, but were not able. A terrible injury had
been done which could not be repaired. Thus was proved
the truth of that Scripture, " One sinner destroyeth much
good." The work was given to the conference and the
church was completed and dedicated the following fall. A
small class remains as the fruit of that work.

The Ingathering of the Southern Illinois division at
Areola, began Dec. 29th, 1890, in the new church which was
about completed except plastering. Workers and converts
gathered from different places. The opening praise meet-
ing was grand. Meetings were blest of God and souls were
seeking salvation.

Mr. Dake came the 31st for the watch night service.
The crowds were great each night before, but the church
was overflowing on this occasion. At the altar call, some
who had been subjects of prayer for weeks, rushed to the
altar where grand deliverances were obtained. One man
had been held back by his secret orders but he was glad to
let all go and was immediately set free. Another had been
a great drinker, but God touched his heart and he earnestly
sought the Lord and was delivered. The meeting ran past
the midnight hour, so great was the interest. Souls contin-
ued seeking God over Jan. 1st and Mr. Dake preached a
wonderful sermon at night. He left Jan. 2nd but the work

The Revival Spirit.

275

went on and souls continued to get saved. The breaking
up among sinners, so long prayed for had come.

The regular meetings closed at Areola Jan. 6th to
admit of plastering the church, but souls continued seeking
in cottage meetings and in Sunday services. The dedica-
tion took place Jan. 25th in connection with a quarterly meet-
ing. The indebtedness was speedily raised. Eleven more
joined the class. This made two churches which No. 1 saw
erected and dedicated in less than a year. Mr. Dake was
not present at the dedication but came Feb. 3rd and preached
a powerful sermon to the unsaved.

The band remained to take care of the young society
until April 24th, when they left it in the hands of a pastor.
The Lord had done great things for the people of Areola.
The class was substantial and believed in gettin'g blest and
sinners were still trembling. It is a serious question and one
of vast concern, to a young class and those still unsaved,
whether the revival spirit should die out, as it does many
times, and the church settle down to a treadmill round of
Sabbath services and weekly prayer meetings without expect-
ing to see sinners saved right along. After the great revival
on the day of Pentecost we read that u They continued stead-
fastly in the apostles doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking
of bread, and in prayers. And the Lord added to the church
daily such as should be (were, in the original) saved. Acts
ii, 41, 47. Fresh baptisms were poured out on believers and
great fear came upon all as God worked, and we read, ** Be-
lievers were the more added to the Lord, multitudes both of
men and women." Acts v, 14. It is plain that a living,
apostolic church should keep constantly a measure of the
revival spirit, which will keep sinners awakened and under
conviction, and the need of desperate efforts to arouse and
revive the church will not be so necessary.

Finney in discoursing on the subject of revivals says:
" If religion is ever to have a pervading influence in the world

276

Vivian A. Dake.

it cannot be so. This spasmodic religion must be done away
with. Then it will be uncalled for. Christians will not
sleep the greater part of the time and once in a while wake
up and rub their eyes and bluster about and vociferate a little
while and then go to sleep again." — Revival Lecttires, page 1 1 .

If the agencies which are employed to bring about and
carry forward a revival of religion should continue to be
used, the revival spirit would largely continue, and instead of
backsliding the church would grow in grace and sinners
would be saved. But how many settle down, leave their
first love, grow cold and formal in their religious exercises
and go on year after year with no effort to keep themselves
revived. Dissensions and jealousies and evil speakings are
very likely to follow this state of things and the spirit of
worldliness creeps in while sinners sink into hell unconcerned
and unawakened.

Many a flourishing and prosperous work has gone down
because of a failure to keep the revival spirit burning. Mr.
Finney further says, in speaking of a church asleep: "Noth-
ing but a revival of religion can preserve such a church from
annihilation. A church, declining in this way, cannot exist
without a revival. If it receives new members they will for
the most part, be made up of ungodly persons. Without
revivals there will not ordinarily be as many persons con-
verted as will die off in a year. There have been churches
in this country where the members have died off and there
were no revivals to convert others in their place till the
church has run out and the congregation has been dissolved.
A minister told me that he once labored as a missionary in
Virginia on the ground where such a man as Samuel Davis
once flashed and shone like a flaming torch, and that Davis'
church was so reduced as to have but one male member and
he, if I remember right, was a colored man. The church
had become proud and was all run out. I have heard of a
church in Pennsylvania that was formerly flourishing, but

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277

neglected revivals and it became so reduced that the pastor
had to send to a neighboring church for a ruling elder when
he administered the communion.

" Nothing but a revival of religion can prevent the
means of grace from doing a great injury to the ungodly.
Without a revival they will become harder under preaching,
and will experience a more horrible damnation than they
would if they had never heard the gospel. Your children
and friends will go down to a much more horrible fate in
hell in consequence of the means of grace, if there are no re-
vivals to convert them to God. Better were it for them if
there were no means of grace, no sanctuary, no Bible, no
preaching and if they had never heard the gospel than to
live and die where there is no revival. The gospel is the
savor of death unto death if it is not made a savor of life
unto life.

" There is no other way in which a church can be
sanctified, grow in grace and be fitted for heaven. What is
growing in grace? Is it hearing sermons and getting some
new notions about religion? No, — no such thing. The
Christian who does this and nothing more is getting worse
and worse, more and more hardened and every week it is
more difficult to rouse him up to duty." — Revival Lectures,
pages 25, 26.

In view of these solemn truths what responsibilities rest
upon those into whose hands a young society or class is en-
trusted, to keep the revival fire burning and all stirred up to
labor, pray apd believe for the salvation of souls.

After the Ingathering the workers returned to their
fields where meetings were in progress, while others went to
open up at new points. No. 2 were abundant in labors at
the Reapers Home also helping carry forward the work in
the class. No. 4 continued the meetings at Paris, 111., where
there was a lively interest and much good being done. Mr.
Dake came Jan. 4th staying two days and preaching to

278

Vivian A. Dake.

large congregations. A number came to the altar and some
found peace.

The meetings here were transferred to the care of band
No. 21, and No. 4 went to assist on the Ohio division. As
the meeting in Paris progressed, others sought the Lord and
were, saved. The band was reinforced by Miss Viola
Light, a young convert from Charleston who had been
called to the work.

A class of twenty members was organized. Some
precious seasons were enjoyed in the meetings which fol-
lowed, and several more were saved. The Reapers Home was
moved! to this place, from Carlinville, 111., in April. The
special meetings closed here April 7th though interesting
prayer meetings and Sabbath services were continued. A
new church was started here also. The band remained
until Harvest Home camp meeting carrying forward the
work on Sabbath in a tabernacle and soliciting subscriptions
for the church.

No. 5 continued the work at Pana, which was going
in power. On Jan. 1st the meetings were removed to a
larger hall with a seating capacity for several hundred peo-
ple. The following night one soul was saved. Others were
set at liberty in the Lord as the meetings went on. The hall
was crowded night after night with a deeply interested con-
gregation. Mr. Dake came again Jan. 31st and remained
over the Sabbath preaching three times on that day.

His sermon in the morning on holiness, was very clear
and was made a blessing to believers. At the invitation fol-
lowing the sermon, eighteen came to the altar to seek the
experience. It was a precious time. Large crowds were in
attendance in the afternoon and evening. Three were saved
in the afternoon and one in the evening. A large number
were saved during this band's labors here. Some hardened
sinners broke down before God and were saved. Confession
of wrongs, making restitution and straightening up all

Band Work.

279

crookedness of past dealing was the result of their repenting.
The forerunner of Christ preached repentance and told his
hearers to " Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repent-
ance," and added, " Therefore every tree which bringeth not
forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire."
Matt, iii, 8, 10.

The doctrine of repentance is largely omitted in modern
preaching or has been so modified as to mean nothing, and
godly sorrow, the putting away of sins and making restitu-
tion is seldom witnessed. O, for ten thousand preachers to
preach in trumpet tones " Repentance toward God, and faith
toward our Lord Jesus Christ," until multitudes of souls dead
in trespasses and sins will " Awake to righteousness and sin
not." The clear and joyous manner in which souls wrere
" born again " at Pana were the fruits of deep and thorough
repentance. The work was continued until May 11, 189T.
A class of thirty-four members was organized, twenty-six
being received into membership at one time. Rev. W. B.
M. Colt officiated on this occasion. The Holy Spirit was
poured out in a glorious manner. A church enterprise was
started of which we will speak farther on.

The work at Hegewisch was continued by No. 11, the
interest and conviction deepening. Mr. Dake came again Jan.
27th and preached from the words, <4The harvest is past, the
summer is ended and we are not saved." Jer. viii, 20. At
the invitation the altar was filled with seekers, some of whom
were saved the following day. This work continued until
the last of April. Others were saved and a class of fifteen
was organized. Mr. Dake was present again in April
preaching and encouraging the workers.

At Charleston the work continued until Feb. 22nd and
a number more were saved. The work at Westfield which
has been reported, reached far into the new year. The
dedication of the new church took place in March, of which
we have no report.

280 Vivian A. Dake.

No. 13, Laura Douglass, leader, kept at their work at
Taylorville, until Miss Douglass, who had been called to
India, left for a rest and to make preparation for her far-off
field. No. 15 assisted by No. 22, May Burner, leader, con-
tinued in the Ohio work, which was begun in December.
The meetings were held in a Congregational church in
Farmington. Mr. Dake and wife came Feb. 12th. He
had great liberty in preaching from the text, "And the
door was shut." Matt, xxv, 10. The Lord was present
in power and hearts were moved by the truth; but no one
yielded to God. A few were saved later. In April the
meetings were removed from the church to a tabernacle,
where one soul was saved.

Several new meetings were opened at the beginning of
the year on the Illinois division, one being at Rantoul, 111.,
which was opened Jan. 3rd, 1891 by band No. 23, Nettie
Hulbert, leader, assisted by the pastor at Urbana, Rev. T.
B. Adams. Catholicism and secrecy had some strongholds
here. The Lord blest the truth preached and after about
three weeks some began to seek Him and one was saved.
This aroused the enemy somewhat and one evening a brick
came crashing through the window but no one was hurt.
Mr. Dake came Feb. 7th and was much helped and blest in
preaching. Twenty arose for prayers and after meeting
was dismissed two young men who were under deep con-
viction prayed until they were saved. Conviction deepened
and others were set at liberty.

An interesting meeting was held here by the Reapers
Home band who stopped on their way to Paris. The matron,
Mrs. Belle S. Allen and one assistant and seven of the chil-
dren were present. It was an uncommon sight to the
people to see children testifying to salvation and taking
hold in a religious meeting, and much interest was mani-
fested. It is expected in these days that children will figure
largely in Sunday school exhibitions and display their beauty

Band Work.

281

and brightness in various ways; but to have them converted
and able to witness to the fact and manifest their joy over
the same is an almost unheard of thing. There would
be fewer tears and less sorrow over the misconduct of young
men and women were as much labor bestowed by parents to
get them converted in childhood as there is to cultivate their
minds and make them shine in society.

A class was organized, of those who had been saved and
when the meetings closed May 31st there was much rejoicing
over what the Lord had done at that place.

Meetings were opened in Dunville, Ontario, Can., by
band No. 7, Feb. 9th in a hall. The workers found little
spirituality among professors of religion on this new field.
Some who had previously held meetings here had been
crooked in their lives and this had caused much prejudice,
which had to be met and overcome but God gave courage
and faith to the workers and some were saved.

Mr. and Mrs. Dake came in March to help on the work.
Mr. Dake had great liberty in preaching the terrors of the
law from the words, " Awake thou that sleepest, and arise
from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light." Eph. v, 14.
Great solemnity rested on the people as the Spirit attended
the truth. One man broke down, confessed his sins, threw
his pipe and tobacco on the floor, and sought and found par-
don. Few there are who have courage to tear the bandage
of sin from the eyes of the people and make them see their
peril.

Mr. Caughey speaking of this says: "So long as a
minister will keep his distance and not use too harsh means
to remove the bandage he is praised for his eloquence or
ingenuity. But if the sword of truth cut into the bandage
or if the sparks of truth fall upon it and burn it, or by any
unifsifal "boisterousness he shakes and loosens the fastenings
so that daylight Jlashes through upon the conscience, then
woe be upon him! He is a troubler of Israel, The carnal

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Vivian A. Dake.

mind is indignant ! Ministers, not a few, recoil from the
deed, fearing the penalty and so deal with a gentle hand and
soothing words. Thus Satan has his way. He leads the
captive onward to the pit and meets with but trifling inter-
ception. Thus, multitudes never lose the bandage till the
flames of hell burn it off."

Mr. Dake dealt out plain truth which made some very
uneasy, for it touched their idols. Some drew back, but
others walked in the light and were saved. God continued
to help in the declaration of His truth. Many were under
conviction and some yielded to God and were saved in the
meetings, which closed June 12th, to allow the workers to
attend the Harvest Home. Much light had shone on sin and
the way of life was clearly pointed out.

CHAPTER XXIII.

As the spring months passed some meetings closed and
new ones were opened. Casey, 111., was opened Feb. 29th
by band Xo. 19 with Vina Winne in charge. The hall in
which meetings were held proved too small to hold the peo-
ple who came and many were, at times, unable to get in.
Again did the Lord pour out His Spirit in convicting and
converting power. A number were clearly saved.

One, an invalid lady, of good moral life, came to the
meetings. She had been under conviction for two years but
refused to walk in the light. The Spirit again strove with
her and she came to the altar, and after hours of seeking fell
under the power of God and lay for some time. At length
she began praising God and exclaimed: I am healed — soul
and body." Her conversion made a deep impression through-
out the town. A deeper interest was added to the meetings

Band Work.

283

by the coming of the converts from the neighboring towns,
where meetings had been held. These gave glowing testi-
monies of the power of God to save. No. 19 was called to
another field of labor and No. 29 was left in charge of this
meeting.

After the dedication of the church at Thomasboro which
occurred March 1, 189 1 , No. 14 opened meetings at Paxton,
111. Mr. Dake was present April 4th and 5th and preached
with liberty, but "the word preached did not profit them,"
doubtless for the same reason given of old, — "not being mixed
with faith in them that heard it. " There was no move to-
ward God. No. 14 labored here until May 4, 1891. It was
found that the people had had much light on holiness in the
past and some had known what real salvation was. As the
meeting progressed some were convicted and a few were
saved, but the most of the people were unyielding though
seemingly convicted by the truth. After several weeks of
faithful labor the work at Paxton, 111., closed June 29th.

Meetings were opened at Red Oak, Iowa, March 7, 1891
by No. 17. There was a Free Methodist class here. The
meetings were continued until April. Bad roads, small con-
gregations and a heavy pressure upon the meeting were some
things encountered here and not much was accomplished.
After visiting and helping in meetings at Shenandoah, Coin
and Imogene, Iowa, No. 17 pitched a tent at Blanchard, and
opened meetings May 13th which continued until June 23rd.

Onarga, 111., was the last meeting to be opened before
the Harvest Home camp meeting. It was begun June 13th
by No. 30, Hattie Cone, Leader. The sisters comprising this
band were much helped of God in declaring His word and
some were convicted of the truth. One man arose in the
meetings and publicly confessed that he had been a church
member for years but had never been converted. A lady
testified that she had been told to simply believe the Bible
and be baptized. She was baptized and tried to believe, but

284

Vivian A. Dake.

never knew her sins forgiven. These two began to seek
God for the salvation of their souls.

The pastor of one of the churches came to the taber-
nacle, where the young sisters were earnestly laboring to
turn souls from their sins to God, and asked them to read an
announcement of a "Lawn Social" to be held by his church
and invited the congregation over and said: "Come over
yourselves and have supper. " The workers though young
in years and experience, had been taught of the Lord to
"Have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness
but rather reprove them, " and promptly declined to read the
announcement.

Some articles against them and the work appeared in the
papers, and not long after, the tabernacle was set on fire, and
completely consumed. Nothing daunted by this the meet-
ings were continued where the tabernacle stood as the seats
remained uninjured. Some of the citizens were stirred over
this occurrence and began to take up a subscription to pur-
chase a new tabernacle, but wished it understood that it was
more to redeem the reputation of their town, which had suf-
fered for this act, than because they were in sympathy with
the work or sorry for the workers.

A few days later they were turned away from the home
where they had been staying. They then rented a room
but soon the old complaint of too loud praying was raised
and again they were obliged to move out. There was no
place in the town where they could go and setting their
trunks and other possessions out under a tree, they patiently
waited for the Lord to provide. They were not cast down
in their souls, but rejoiced in the Lord believing that He
would send help. While sitting, eating their frugal meal
beneath the friendly branches of a tree Mr. Dake unexpect-
edly came, evidently sent of God for their encouragement
and help. An old colored lady on hearing of the situation
offered them a small house in the edge of the town which

Work in the Reapers' Home. 285

they accepted and though very humble, it seemed like a
palace, for the Lord dwelt with them there.

The meetings went on and persecution continued. One
evening the ropes, which held the large center pole, on which
the gasoline lamp still hung, were untied and the pole fell
narrowly missing one of the converts. Though the lamp con-
tained two gallons of gasoline and was burning at the time,
through the mercy of God no harm was done.

A few days after this the lamps were taken away and the
workers found at meeting time that they had no light.
Friends substituted lanterns and the meeting went on in the
freedom of the Spirit. Showers of blessing fell on the work-
ers and the few converts who were standing at their posts
amid such hostilities from the enemies of Christ. This con-
tinued until the time for the annual Harvest Home and the
meetings were discontinued to be taken up again at the close
of the camp meeting.

The Reapers Home work which had been removed from
Carlinville to Paris, 111., was in a flourishing condition under
the blessing of God. A commodious brick house with ex-
tensive and finely shaded grounds was secured in the eastern
part of the city. The Lord sent in means to purchase some
necessary furnishings and it was soon filled up with children
until it was again crowded. The Lord greatly blest
this branch of the work and it multiplied on Mr. Dake's
hands. At this time eight of the children were converted
and giving good evidence of a change of heart. Mr. Dake's
visits to the Home were times of great joy to the children
who loved him very dearly. Though using much firmness
and faithfulness in training and correcting them it was done
in such love and tenderness that it completely melted and
won every little heart.

We give a glimpse into the Home life and the kind of
work which was carried on there in Mr. Dake's own words:
"On last Sabbath evening we had a melting and breaking

286

Vivian A. Dake.

up time. Before prayers Carrie and Minnie took little Ruth
into the schoolroom to pray with her. Ruth had not been
blest much for a week and needed help. Carrie and Minnie
with streaming eyes begged Jesus to help Ruth and soon the
help came. The Spirit's presence was felt all over the Home.
In another room Mary, Lottie and Lana were praying for
Bessie who is a new girl and unsaved; and in another room
Ernest and Albert were praying for George who is a new-
boy at the home. He broke up a good deal and promised
to get saved. Then we gathered for prayers and O, how
the Holy Ghost came. The children were much blest. God
encourages us. It does our hearts good to see these mother-
less children under this clean influence preparing for useful
lives. Apoor woman came to us with her five-year-old child
the other day but we could not take it. If we had room we
could easily find a hundred children. 4 The hope of Israel' is
the work among the children."

About this time an elderly sister came. A pleasant cot-
tage was found near the Home which was given free of
rent and the "Old Saints Home" came into being. This was
to be a place where old, helpless, dependent ladies could find
a salvation home. No admittance fee was to be charged.
Those who have nothing are taken in gladly. The Lord
smiled on the work and supplied the needs and though some-
times brought to a severe test of faith, the children never
went hungry. The Home is supported altogether by dona-
tions sent by those who are interested in such work.

The work of salvation, education and training went on
in the Home. Family prayers were times of great blessing
and help to children and workers. Mr. Dake felt the spirit-
ual training to be of the first importance. The soul first then
the mind and the body. His ideas of training and governing
children wrere old-fashioned. He did not spare the rod when
a case arose which demanded its use. It was not used has-
tily or with an impatient spirit, but with kindness the child

The Missionary Training Home. 287

was talked with and made to understand its fault, then cor-
rected and prayed with until all melted and subdued.

Mr. Dake felt that, first of all, the wills of the children
must be subdued and brought into subjection and to this end,
he and his assistants at the Home faithfully labored. He
would remark that he would rather that his little girls would
die in infancy than grow up to have their own way. He
believed that the work must be begun at an early age and if
faithfully done would bring them into submission to God
with far less trouble than those met with who have had their
own way.

He believed that the best success could be obtained by
frequently praying with the children alone and always sought
in his letters to the Home to impress on the minds of those
in charge of the children the inestimable value of so doing.
It has been observed that nothing has been so effectual in
melting their hearts and keeping them right as this.

Mr. Dake exercised great care, to guard against all
impurity among the children. He saw the awful tide of
impurity which is sweeping through the world and poisoning
the minds of the youth. His soul abhorred it and he set to
work to guard the children in the Home against it. No
impure words were allowed and any offense on this line was
promptly corrected, and the children instructed in the way of
purity of life and words. Eternal vigilance is the price of
safety on this line.

The Missionary Training Home at St. Louis, was in
active operation at this time. With the development of
foreign band work came the necessity of a home where out-
going missionaries could prepare for their fields and which
should also be open to home workers for rest and better
preparation for their work.

While this was not designed for an educational institu-
tion in its proper sense, yet it afforded opportunities for study
and training in a practical manner, under experienced super*

288

Vivian A. Dake.

vision in such things as make workers more competent in any
department of the work. Following his better judgment
Mr. Dake chose The Training Home for the opening of
this work, and the blessing of the Lord rested upon it in a
marked degree.

This Home had been a missionary training home for
years in a measure. A number who have gone to foreign
fields had been workers in the office and members of the
family for some time previous to their going. A missionary
spirit pervaded the place to such an extent that these workers
were unconsciously trained for their work. To accept what
God had set forth was Mr. Dake's custom and accordingly
when the need of a Missionary Home was felt, this Training
Home was chosen. His expressed purpose was that none
should act as leaders of such a work who were not delivered
from the carnal mind and baptized with the Holy Ghost; as
a clean wrork was considered of the utmost importance and to
help souls to a clear and thorough Bible experience was the
greatest work of the Home.

Situated in a great Western railroad center this Home is
conveniently accessible to the workers. Among the essen-
tial things to be taught in the Training Home is practical
hygiene. This is deemed of great benefit to missionaries.
While the Home has not been a sanitarium in its proper
sense, it has proved a sanitary blessing to those who have
shared its privileges. Hygienic living, as far as practical, has
been one peculiar feature of the band work. To most of the
workers this was a new experience but the discarding of
unwholesome food from their diet has proved a great bless-
ing.

Notwithstanding the great strain of evangelistic labors
many of the workers have improved in health by hygienic
living and with the little experience and knowledge that most
of the workers have had on this line they have been prac-
tical light-bearers in this respect and a consequent blessing to

In Norway.

289

many. Salvation includes the best of earth's blessings as
well as heaven's if we live for them. At this time sisters
Bessie Sherman and Laura Douglass were here preparing for
their future work in India.

The Norway band having become proficient enough in
the language to talk to the people began meetings in January
in the band home, and as they held up the "old paths" God
worked and sent conviction so deep that some would sit with
bowed heads or weep all through meeting. They would also
say: " If I was only like you," and pity themselves without
seeming to know that Jesus wanted to save them from their
sins and make them like Himself.

The congregations increased until the little band room
was full. It would only accommodate a hundred people.
There was great prejudice among the members of the
Lutheran church and much opposition to the work was
manifested. Their members were warned not to attend the
meetings and many dared not disobey. The workers kept
praying and believing, using those weapons of warfare which
were mighty through God to the pulling down of strong-
holds.

They soon rejoiced to see hard hearts breaking and
about the middle of February two were saved, one being a
relative of brother Ulness. Others were clearly and joyfully
converted as the work went on, and with shining faces testi-
fied to their deliverance from sin. Up to July 20th about ten
had been saved, some being hard cases. Some had been slaves
to the tobacco habit but as light shone it was given up.

Mr. Dake in company with his wife, spent part of the
month of January, [891 in Iowa. He had a very enjoyable
time attending the district quarterly meeting at Shenandoah
of which he wrote: "It was one of the best of quarterly
meetings. The Firebrand sisters made me think of some of
our own fire-baptized workers. Saturday evening there was
deep conviction on the people. God manifested His power.

290

Vivian A. Dake.

The altar was filled and several were reclaimed or saved.
Sabbath morning the fire broke out in the love feast. The
saints, like David of old, danced before the Lord with all
their might. It was a blessed hour. God helped in His
truth as we preached the Bible doctrine of confession and
death to the 'old man' and the amens rang out on every side.
Glory to God! We find many of the West Iowa pilgrims
are blest and they are glad to stand by the old track."

They also assisted Rev. M. D. Myers for a few days in
revival services at Imogene, Iowa. We next find him and
Mrs. Dake at Bolivar, N. Y., where they assisted pastor
E. M. Sandys in revival services. His labors here were
much blessed to souls. As a faithful watchman on the walls
of Zion, he sounded forth warnings against the spirit of
worldliness which creeps in unless resolutely resisted. He
had seen some evidences of it here and shunned not to declare
the truth. The results we give in his own words:

"They welcomed the truth and the bows and bunches of
ribbon were taken off. Saturday afternoon the class leader
got up to speak and pulled off his necktie and told the young
converts they should not stumble over him. Then another
old brother got up to speak and the Holy Ghost came on him
and off came his necktie. You should have seen that old
brother when he got his choker off; how he skipped about
the church.

" Some have taken exception because I said that neck-
ties choke our preachers. • I affirm they do, to the extent that
they cannot consistently talk to the sisters about the necessity
of plainness in dress when they themselves put neckties on
and depart from the plain way. So you will find, under the
ministration of the preachers who wear neckties, the world is
creeping in. Twenty-three joined the class on Sabbath by
letter and on probation and stiil the battle goes on."

We make a few extracts from his private notes written
at this time; " God gave me one of the best times of my life

Diary Entries.

291

to-night preaching from the words, 1 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.' 1 John, 3, 2."

Feb. 22nd. "God was in the love feast and it was very
good. Amen. The other exercises were passably good.
But the Holy Ghost did not have channels to flow through."

Feb. 23rd. "A good day. Good news from all around.
Word from Norway was cheering. God came in power to
my soul while reading my letters."

Feb. 24th. " Have been very busy but have felt that
God was cheering me. Much helped in secret prayer.
Prayed more than usual, hence more blest. Amen. The
Lord helped in preaching and two came to the altar."

Feb. 25th. "A bright morning to my soul."

Feb. 28th. " This evening Mr. J. H a promi-
nent merchant in town came to the altar and was powerfully
converted. He had been long under conviction and his con-
version was a triumph. 4 Let the battle go on.' "

From Feb. 29th to March 1 ith they visited and held meet-
ings in Rochester, North Chili, West Webster, Tonawanda and
Lockport, N. Y., and also visited the bands at Dunville, Ont.
We have but little to give our readers of his labors in these
meetings save what he himself wrote, and he said but little of
his own work. He writes of "Old Genesee" and his visit
and reception at these places and also his observations on the
state of the work and the evidences of worldliness as follows:

"We spent a number of days on this old battlefield. At
Rochester, North Chili, Tonawanda and Lockport, we
were warmly welcomed and saw the hand of God in
convicting and helping the people. The truth was gladly
received. There are saints in this conference who know no
retreat. There is a revolution taking place here. Young
men, who believe in the Holy Ghost and who keep the unc-
tion on them are coming to the front. A number of good

292

Vivian A. Dake.

revivals have been held in various parts of the conference."

After speaking of the needs at some places, he mentions
the worldly conformity in dress and in house furnishings and
says : " Here you see many finely furnished houses. Extrav-
agance in furniture is at the expense of God's poor. Brussels
carpet, silk upholstered furniture, gilt picture frames, lace
curtains, marble top furniture, etc., consume the money that
might be used in pulling sinners out of the fire. God help
us to keep to the plain way. It was in this conference I was
converted, educated and called to preach and many old
friends gave me a warm clasp of the hand and encouraged
me in trying to 4 girdle the globe with salvation.' "

He also reported a day at North Chili, which shows his
own enjoyment of being among the friends of his school
days and how he turned everything to God's glory and the
helping of souls. We give it as he wrote it while there on
this trip:

" Thursday, March 5th Mrs. Dake and I came to the
well-remembered place. Sister Benson Roberts met us at
the depot and we were soon at the old farmhouse. On the
way, we paused by the ruins of the old seminary and I
pointed out to my wife the place where I was converted. It
was a desolate scene — the crumbling fragments of >the wall;
but all are striving in faith and reaching forth to see it
rebuilt. (This has since been done.)

"We were warmly and heartily entertained. God came
to the evening meeting in power and two were blest. Father
and mother Roberts were present and in the Spirit. We
stopped for the night at professor Roberts'. The next morn-
ing we went to father Roberts' to dinner in company with
Benson and wife. We had just finished our dinner when a
delegation of students arrived and filed into the house. They
had learned that Mrs. Dake and I were going away that day
and held an indignation meeting and had come to request us
to stay over the Sabbath. Of this their 1 spokes- woman*

A Day at North Chili.

293

informed us. We were much affected and the Holy Spirit
filled the place. We told them our appointments were out,
hut we would return next week and we would pray now.
So we went to our knees, and there was a breaking up time.
Three of them were blest and saved. Glory to God! At
three P. M. professor Roberts turned the school session into
a meeting. God came again. Two more struck through
into liberty. Oh, it was so blessed. Father Roberts was in
his element and rubbed his hands and said: 'Amen! Praise
the Lord!' and sang snatches of old-fashioned songs. Mother
Roberts was plain and simple as ever. God endorsed the
meeting. It made us think of old times when Albert Stil-
well, Phil. Hanna, Emma Chesbro, myself and others were
converted and when Id^i Winget, Jennie Sellew and Lucy
Coleman and Orlo Moore, now in heaven, used to shout for
joy.

" There are plain pilgrims here now, but some have
too stylish an appearance and some show compromise
in their own dress and that of their children. But the truth
was gladly received — more eagerly in fact than we have seen
in any other place on our journey and the outlook is for a
deluge of old-fashioned powrer. Professor and Mrs. Roberts
promise God and the people that they shall have here a sal-
vation school on Holy Ghost lines."

Of this trip he writes in his journal : " The Lord has been
with us and has given us many souls. Glory to God! I am
full of blessing. My God keeps me in perfect peace all the
time. The work is going in power. Mrs. Dake is doing
well in raising money for the Reapers Home."

From March nth to 38th he writes: " We have held
meetings in Alma and Cedar Springs, Mich., and are now
in Richland County, Wis. God is with us. Some were
saved in the meetings. My soul reaches out after all the
will of God. I feel missionary fire in all my bones.
God help us to get a thousand for the dark lands of the

294

Vivian A. Dake.

earth. In this place our people were mobbed awhile ago.
God is with them. They are worshiping in a granary.
Amen."

We have no detailed account of Mr. Dake's work
from April till the latter part of July of this year. We
only know that he was abundant in labors and visited
some of the bands in April and spent a few days at the
Reapers Home, a place where he delighted to be, but
where he could seldom spend much time owing to other
duties.

He attended camp meetings at various places in Wiscon-
sin, Illinois and Iowa, doing the work of an evangelist. He
endured afflictions and made full proof of his ministry. The
last entry he made in his journal is characteristic of him and
though few in words it gives a good insight into his life.
He writes March 28th to July 7th:

li This 7th day of July finds me still at the work of
the Lord. The fire burns. Am clean in soul. Great op-
position to Pentecost missions is manifest but Jesus smiles.
Praise the Lord! May God keep me steady."

The opposition became more general during these
spring and summer months, and some of it coming from
familiar friends and brethren whom he loved, made it heavier
for him to bear. The spirit which he showed at this time
was Christlike indeed, and entirely free from resentment or
retaliation. He said but little about the opposition he was
receiving and when he did have occasion to mention it, it
was with the kindest spirit.

We have seen him weep and pray over it, but with prom-
ises to be true to his convictions and with love and prayer
for his brethren he would arise and go on his way greatly
comforted and cheered by the blessing of the Lord. He
could lift up his face without spot to God for he was con-
scious that there was no selfish motive in his heart but simply
an overwhelming desire to reach as many souls as possible

Independent Foreign Mission Work. 295

and as quickly as he could "in every land;" hence he moved
on in what to him, was the light of God as it shone on him,
and continued the missionary work he felt called to do. He
was indeed a missionary.

He had the great qualification for one, i. e., he saw and
felt the needs of the heathen both home and foreign. Jesus
said : " The field is the world." Wesley said : "The world
is my parish." His soul sang out the watchword, "We'll
girdle the globe with salvation.'' He lived so near the cross
an^l drank in so much of the Master's spirit that hewasoften
heard to exclaim, w hile rising from his knees with streaming
eyes, ' O this lost world, this lost world!"

The failure of brother R. L. Harris' missionary enter-
prise in Africa seemed to rebound on the church and dampen
her missionary zeal. He saw and deplored it and began at
once to plead loudly for the heathen. He felt that neither
the churches in general nor the church of which he was a
member were doing for these darkened ones as much as
should be done. He prayed and -labored much to create a
missionary interest everywhere. Wherever he preached, a
missionary spirit was soon manifested. He infused both faith
and fire on the subject into all he could reach. His sermons,
songs, exhortations and writings were full of pathetic plead-
ings for heathen millions. Yet he never intended to start a
mission movement separate from that of his church. The
independent feature of his mission work seemed not of his
own planning; but rather to have been thrust upon him by
what he considered the unwise or unjust action of his breth-
ren in the church.

For instance, when brother Chapman and wife felt the
call upon them to go as missionaries to Africa, he having had
practical proof for years of brother C's ability said: "Amen,
George, I'll help you raise funds to go "but added: "The
church must sanction your going." He then advised brother
Chapman to join the Wabash annual conference. They voted

296

Vivian A. Dake.

that he be ordained both deacon and elder with a view of his
going to Africa. He was duly ordained by our Senior Super-
intendent. This left brother Chapman not independent,
but in the hands of the annual conference to break up new
fields outside of conference boundaries, as had frequently been
done in our church.

The next year brother Ulness felt the divine hand lead-
ing him to his native Norwegian hills. Again, Mr. Dake
said: " Sivert, Fll help you. " Brother. Ulness presented
himself for membership in the same conference, and was
unanimously received, many of the brethren having tor
two years seen his successful labors in new fields in their
midst. The question of his ordination was then brought be-
fore the conference for consideration. After some discussion
a motion was made that he be ordained deacon and elder,
with a view to going to Norway. The president of the con-
ference, contrary to former precedents, ruled that there was
no power in the church to appoint a missionary to foreign
fields outside of the Missionary Board, and hence that the
question was out of order. There was a strong feeling in
the conference in favor of ordaining brother Ulness accord-
ing to the precedent established by the Senior Superintend-
ent, Rev. B. T. Roberts.

Many thought that the president was arbitrary in his
ruling, but through respect for his age and position submitted
without further questioning. This left brother Ulness with
two ^alternatives, either to go under the board as a regular
missionary, which he did not feel clear to do, or else go as an
independent missionary. He, knowing that some members
of the board did not feel favorable to the Pentecost Band
work, chose the latter. The General Conference of 1890
sustained the ruling of the president, though made contrary
to the usages of the church in the past, as the Michigan an-
nual conference had for years sent a missionary to Missouri,
and the Central Illinois conference one to Kentucky. This,

Independent Foreign Mission Work. 297

however, took the power to legally do so longer out of their
hands. This forced the necessity upon band workers of
going as regular board missionaries, or else going independ-
ent. Thus, originated the independent feature of Pentecost
Band foreign work, which Mr. Dake had not, originally in-
tended.

He said that the annual conferences were composed gen-
erally of spiritual, level-headed, safe men and they being best
acquainted with the experience and qualifications of the one
professing to be called to foreign fields, were much more
competent judges than a mission board who were largely
strangers to him. He, therefore believed that the mission-
aries might report directly to their annual conferences and
through them to the General Conference and a regular board
was therefore unnecessary. He believed this would tend to
spread missionary fire, the respective conferences provoking
one another to love and to good works on this line.

We are sorry that from the first, some have misjudged
his motives in acting as he did. We have endeavored to give
a plain statement of his position on the mission question.
We trust all will grant honor to whom honor is due, but
fear it will take the opening of the books in the white light
of Judgment to convince some. With these convictions that
he felt wrere from God, he could not do otherwise than he
did, and "with malice toward none, and charity for all" he
pursued his work.

Had he been possessed of the self-willed, stubborn spirit
of which he was accused, there would not have been mani-
fested the patience and meekness which he showed toward
those who opposed him. To one of his dearest friends who
did not see as he did on the mission question he wrote: "If
you cannot stand with me, I will love you just the same and
plod on in the will of God." He kept the blessing of the
Lord on his soul and feared not the outcome of being true to
God and his convictions. There was a sound of war in the

298

Vivian A. Dake.

land and the battle grew hot as the time for the annual Har-
vest Home drew near; but all were looking to the Lord foi
grander victories than had ever been known in the work.

The large and beautiful fair grounds at Charleston, 111.,
had been secured and the meeting began at the appointed
time. The following excellent description of the meeting
which was written by the editor of the Firebrand and pub-
lished in that paper, with a few corrections, will give our
readers a good understanding of these Harvest Home camp-
meetings.

" The arrangement for public services was on the largest
and most practical scale we ever saw. Three large taber-
nacles were laced together making a space about one hundred
feet wide, and fifty feet deep. This was seated inside and
out, so as to accommodate two thousand people. The plat-
form was seated to accommodate the preachers and workers
— a hundred or more, as might be necessary.

"Besides the large tabernacle, two other large tents were
pitched, one for the young ladies of the work, the other for
the men. Several family tents were full and with a number
of small tents made an easy equivalent to one hundred com-
mon tents on the ground. One of the buildings on the
grounds was brought into use for a dining hall and managed
by a delegation of boys and girls who took their turn about
in washing dishes, cooking, waiting on the table, etc., so that
there would not be any partiality shown and all might have
a fair chance to attend the services. The provisions for the
table were supplied in answer to prayer. Flour, vegetables,
meat, and money came in abundance and they lacked no good
thing:; ard hundreds were fed who came as visitors and
guests. They always knelt in prayer before eating, and with
songs and praises partook of what God provided. Heaven
came down their souls to greet, and glory crowned the mercy
seat. A pipe from the city water works came right into the

Harvest Home Camp Meeting. 299

eating hall, which was very convenient. Seventy five dol-
lars was paid for the use of the grounds.

"About three weeks were consumed by the meetings, in-
cluding the days spent in preparation and clearing up. It lasted
over three Sabbaths. We were privileged to be there five
days of this time. The meeting grew in interest and depth
of earnestness from the beginning to the end. The altar
work was of the most thorough stamp of anything it had
ever been our privilege to see. Lost souls were never left
alone. Sometimes the altar work did not close till near
morning and seekers nearly always came through before
they left the altar. There was no daubing with untempered
mortar by those engaged in the meeting direct. Occasionally
some visitor, who did not know the way by experience
would try to make it easier than the Bible did.

" The singing was the best we ever heard. The words
and music both were largely composed by the singers them-
selves. So they were prepared under the inspiration of the
Spirit for all stages of Christian experience. Wherever a
seeker needed help, help was ready.

" The young people who had given their lives to this
work showed remarkable adaptation for everything that
seemed to be required of them. They were as ready to do
drudgery as anything else. Order was excellent, considering
the crowds that assembled every night— from one to three
thousand.

"One thing was noticeable and that was the almost entire
freedom from anything of a self-nature. Very little was
said of anything but salvation. To get an opportunity to
testify, one had to be ready, stand up and hold his place, till
his turn came. There was no time to waste. There was
seldom any preaching in the morning, as the love feast near-
ly always ran until dinner time before the order of the meet-
ing could be changed.

" There were representatives of nearly all denominations

300

Vivian A. Dake.

at this meeting. They came from far and near but the bulk
of those attending was from the Free Methodist church, as
this work is a child of Free Methodism. There were camp-
ers from Canada, New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Illinois,
Michigan, Iowa, Missouri, Kansas, Wisconsin, Texas and
Indiana, whom we met. How many more states were rep-
resented it is hard to tell. It was indeed a national camp-
meeting.

"A great many came to see, what they had heard a
great deal about. Some came with hearts full of prejudice
and misgivings in regard to the work of the Pentecost
Bands. Others came to get saved and die the death to
carnality. It was a melting time. Hearts were united as
never before. Eternity alone will unfold the amount of
good done in this meeting. Others came to learn more of
the work and among the latter was the writer. The spirit
of heaven which is harmony and love, was manifest on
every hand. Walls of prejudice came tumbling down.
Misunderstandings were corrected. Mutual acknowledge-
ments were made and the spirit of Christ ruled the giounds.

" The following ministers were present: J. W. Dake,
Iowa; T. J. Noland, W. B. M. Colt, and F. D. Brooke,
Illinois. These were acting chairmen in the respective
conferences. Benson H. Roberts, Principal of Chili Semi-
nary, T. J. Gates, evangelist. Pastors and preachers, G.
W. Griffith, I. J. Brown, T. B. Adams, J. N. Eason, W.
S. Sansom, D. W. Sa4a, M. N. Huston, M. J. Turgeson,
brother Hull, J. S. Robinson, Father Tinkham, I.J. Lang-
don, C. W. Sherman, editor of the Vaitguai'd, C. S.
Hanley, editor of the Firebraiid. Besides, there were
others whose names we did not get. These were all outside
of the band work.

"There were several marked features about the camp
meeting which made it approach the nearest to the apostles'
line of any we ever attended. First, the unbounded hospi-

Harvest Home Camp-meeting.

301

tality exercised. Mr. Dake literally obeyed the command,
'Use hospitality one toward another without grudging.'

" This hospitality brought many to the camp meeting
who could not take care of themselves, who would have been
deprived of the benefits and blessings but for it. Mr. Dake
trusted in God to supply the needed provisions to feed all
who should come. God honored his faith. From seventy-
five to a hundred were fed at a meal, and never did they fare
so well. From all quarters help came. Potatoes, apples, flour
and fruit were shipped in liberal quantities irom various points
in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan and other states. Money also
was sent from interested friends. It was an interesting
scene, as the workers and visitors gathered in the long din-
ing hall at meal time.

''The second feature was the unity of the Spirit which
prevailed all over the camp ground. There was no discord,
no clashing, no sulking; all was free and harmonious.

"Third, was the remarkable missionary spirit which pre-
vailed. This was so great that it might be called a missionary
camp meeting. There was scarcely a service in which the
Spirit did not lead out on the line of missions, and it was
wonderful how God set His seal to this line of work. Some
special missionary meetings were held, the first being devoted
to the interest of the India mission, and as the two sisters
and others spoke, the Lord manifested his approval by showers
of blessing until at times it was glorious. The England band
had its special meeting where God again manifested His ap-
proval in repeated blessing. Although so many hearts were
drawn out for the dark regions beyond the sea, it did not in
the least, detract from the work of soul saving at hand, but
rather seemed to further it, for the tide of salvation ran high
from the beginning of the meeting.

"Many souls were saved and reclaimed and a goodly
number obtained the experience of holiness. Lastly, were
the glorious manifestations of divine approval in various ways.

302

Vivian A. Dake.

Sometimes the glory would fall in an indescribable manner
and again there would be such a sense of God's presence as
filled many souls with silent awe. One Saturday forenoon
was this especially the case, as the Spirit led out on mission-
ary work and other lines of truth. Some were overpowered
and sank down, others fell on their faces and all recognized
the glorious presence of the great God."

On the last Sabbath afternoon, the bands formed in line
according to their numbers with Mr. Dake at their head.
Converts and friends joined the company until the ground
was nearly encircled with a line of triumphant, singing
soldiers of the cross. Avery large ring was formed and with
crowds of people surrounding it this meeting took the form
of a farewell service for the out-going bands. It w7as a
glorious hour. The windows of heaven were opened and
showers of blessing fell. Many hearts were moved by the
triumphant testimonies and shining faces of those 44 who
counted not their lives dear unto them. " Preceding this fare-
well march and meeting, memorial services were held in the
large tabernacle for those who had died during the past year.
Three on foreign fields and two on the home field. This
was a tender yet triumphant service. There was nothing
somber about it. Instead of the black garb of mourning so
commonly worn for the dead, the greater part of the sisters
wore white dresses, the emblem of purity and heaven. There
were some tears, as several spoke of the dead and their
labors.

Mr. Dake spoke last. His words which seemed pro-
phetic of his coming death, will be interesting and we insert
some of them as taken down, at the time: " Five have gone
to glory from our ranks this year: three from Africa and
two from the home fields. We feel far less sorry over these
than over those who ran from the field. I do not wish them
back. I see a heavenly band around the throne. They are
joining in the song of Moses and the Lamb. Thank God

Harvest Home Camp Meeting.

303

for this hour and for this inspiration. Next Harvest Home
if brother Dake's place should be vacant, let there be no
tears, but let clear testimonies, happy faces, and white dresses
tell of triumph, for I shall surely join the band around the
throne." He little thought — nor did anyone — that his place
would be vacant at the next annual Harvest Home.

This service seemed to prove an inspiration to the work-
ers, and though their comrades had fallen, they renewed their
consecrations and felt a resolute determination to press on and
plant the standard of the cross ''in every land " as God should
lead the way. This camp meeting was the last gathering
where Mr. Dake and his workers were permitted to be to-
gether on earth and the Lord seemed to fill every cup to
overflowing with heavenly joy, as for the last time they sat
together in a workers' meeting. These were times of great%
profit as the work and its interests were discussed, and Mr.
Dake counseled and encouraged the workers, and allotted the
bands to their respective fields.

The meeting closed and the workers scattered to their
various places. Those who were going to foreign fields held
meetings, visited friends, and made preparations for their
departure. Some were in need of rest and did not go imme-
diately into meetings — while others did, some on* the old
fields and others on new ones.

CHAPTER XXIV.

No. 4 returned to Onarga and opened meetings again,
God gave His presence and poured out His Spirit on the
workers, but the people generally refused to welcome the
truths preached and but few were reached. The band
remained here until Dec. 4th, doing all in their power to
persuade men to repent, and then left for other fields, leaving

304

Vivian A. Dake.

the meetings in charge of other workers, who continued
until Dec. 23rd when the Ingathering was held here.

No. 5 returned to Pana and carried forward the work in
building the church, which was dedicated Oct. i6thby Revs.
Christie and Fleming. It was a day of rejoicing to the saints.
The indebtedness was all raised and the house given to God.
Several were saved during the meetings held at this time.
The class was then turned over to the church.

Great responsibility rests upon those who have the care
of newborn babes in Christ, to see that they are properly
nourished and led in the way of life. God has ordained that
the church should be a nursing mother to those who are born
unto her. He says in Isaiah lxvi, 10-12. "Rejoice ye with
Jerusalem, and be glad with her, all ye that love her: rejoice
for joy with her, all ye that mourn for her: that ye may suck,
and be satisfied with the breasts of her consolation; that ye
may milk out and be delighted with the abundance of her
glory. For thus saith the Lord, Behold, I will extend peace
to her like a river, and the glory of the Gentiles like a flow-
ing stream : then shall ye suck, ye shall be borne upon her
sides, and be dandled upon her knees." Great grace and
peculiar wisdom are needed to preserve and strengthen the
spiritual life of young believers in Christ. Much is often
lost for the lack of faithful shepherds who can feed the
lambs and keep the wolf from the fold.

A church which was devoid of spiritual life and power
was praying for souls to be saved. The pastor, a godly man
who had recently been sent to them inquired qf his flock
what they would do with the converts after they got them,
saying: " Can you take care of, and feed them? Babes need
great care, they must have food, light and heat,or they will die."
It is a pertinent question and one that the churches of Christ
will do well to heed. In Christ's last wTords to Peter in John
xxi, after His resurrection we see the commission which He
gives to every shepherd of Israel. After enquiring closely

Responsibility.

into Peter's love for Him, and being assured of its genuine-
ness, Jesus commands him to build up the church by feeding
the flock.

Some have deemed His wording inappropriate as twice
He enforces the necessity of feeding the sheep and speaks
but once of feeding the lambs. This order they say should
be reversed as the lambs need the most care. But a little
consideration will show that the Master spoke wisely. If
the old sheep of the flock are fed and well cared for, the
lambs will not generally suffer, as following their dams,
milk and heat will be provided for them. The figure is
significant. If the old Christians are well fed with the
strong meat of the Word and led into green pastures of
entire sanctification, their clear definite testimonies, their
happy lives, shining faces and strong, vigorous experiences
will prove a blessing and a feast to the young converts or lambs
of the flock, and in following their footsteps they will be
fed. But to feed the flock of God in this Scriptural order
and give much prominence to the doctrine and experience
of holiness is a hazardous undertaking on the part of a shep-
herd. Jesus proceeds to show that in doing this, Peter will
sacrifice not only his reputation but his life also, and as
heaven is cheap at any price He concludes with the words,
" Follow me."

This He requires of everyone in charge of the flock of
God. Many come short and their unfaithful work incurs the
displeasure of God who has said : "Woe be to the shepherds
of Israel that do feed themselves! should not the shepherds
feed the flocks? Ye eat the fat, and clothe you with the
wool, ye kill them that are fed: but ye feed not the flock.
The diseased have ye not strengthened, neither have ye
healed that which was sick, neither have ye bound up that
which was broken, neither have ye brought again that which
was driven away, neither have ye sought that which was
lost; but with force and with cruelty have ye ruled them.1'

306

Vivian A. Dake.

Ezek. xxxiv, 2-4. Ma\- God awaken every unfaithful shep-
herd and make the church a nursing mother indeed.

Xo. 7 and Xo. iS returned to the Canada work and be-
gan meetings at Port Lambton, Ontario, in September, 1 89 1 .
The population was principally Catholic and though there
was much freedom given in speaking the truth but few were
willing to receive it. Meetings were also held at Sombra,
and efforts made to reach the sailors on the St. Clair river
boats which are often moored at Port Lambton. Many at
Port Lambton were under conviction and several were clear-
ly and happily converted to God. Among them were some
who had been very dissipated, but the change in their lives
was marked and marvelous.

The work at Paris, 111., was opened again at the close of
the Harvest Home, with Xo. 19 in charge. They began
meetings Aug. 19th in a tabernacle in the Western part of
the city, a locality where many of the working class lived.
The attendance was quite good and there was considerable
conviction. There were quite a number of papists in the
vicinity; and but few of these were accessible to gospel truth.
Work on the church had been commenced soon after the
Harvest Home and was progressing well at this time.

The Ohio work was again taken up by bands No. 21
and 22 consisting of young ladies who returned after Har-
vest Home and began meetings in a tabernacle. They held
a stirring street meeting which aroused the people. In a few
days complaint was made here that they pravel too much and
too loud in their band home. They were requested by the
owners of the home to leave, which they did.

They soon found a furnished room and again settled.
The same day one of the young men, brother Cheathan who
had stopped here to assist a few nights in the meeting while
on his way to the Eastern division, went out to a secluded
place in a cornfield to pray. A man heard him and came and
kicking him violently ordered him out of the field. Brother

Band Work.

3°7

C. took it joyfully and began to talk to his angry assailant
about his soul; whereupon he was informed that the man
was a member of one of the churches. In the time of Christ,
44 He came unto His own and His own received Him not."
As a warning to others we insert the fearful fact that this
man, on the same spot on which this took place, was him-
self kicked to death by a horse some months afterward.
Psa. cv. 15.

There was no abatement of the persecution at this place
as time went on. A few days after this occurrence their
tabernacle was cut down by some 44 lewd fellows of the baser
sort. " It was raised again however and then the lights were
destroyed for a time by their mixing water with the gasoline
just before meeting. Their plans failed as the friends rallied
to the workers' assistance, cleaning and refilling the lamps,
and the meeting went on.

The cool fall weather had come and the tabernacle be-
came uncomfortable. Diligent search was made throughout
the town for a suitable place to hold meetings, but none could
be found. A wind storm arose, which blew the tabernacle
down and the mob set it on fire which damaged it much. It
was evident that the Lord would have them leave this place
where they had received such treatment.

When Jesus sent out His twelve apostles, He gave them
charge saying, 44And whosoever shall not receive you, nor
hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or city, shake
off the dust of your feet. Verily I say unto you it shall be
more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the
day of judgment, than for that city." Matt, x, 14, 15.

Mr. Dake visited Marshall, 111., Sept. 4th and preached
with liberty from the words, 44 Be ye also ready." This
meeting had been started by Band No. 11. Mr. Dake came
again Sept. 24th, which was his last visit before starting for
Norway and Africa. It was a time of blessing and profit to
the workers who were to see his face no more on earth.

3o8

Vivian A. Dake.

Some sought and found the Lord in these meetings, but
there was no such special outpouring of the Spirit here as the
band load witnessed in other places. They continued until
January 9th, when the hall was taken from them, and after
holding a number of street meetings, saloon meetings and
prayer meetings they closed Jan. 22nd, 1S92.

Band No. 1 were invited to take charge of a camp meet-
ing at Briscoe, Mo., which began Aug. 21st. The meeting
continued after the camp meeting closed until Sept. 13th
with much interest. People came for miles around and
seemed hungry for the truth. Some sought the Lord, but
no great work of salvation was done. The tabernacle was
then removed to Troy, Mo., and No. 1 commenced meetings
there and continued until Nov. 12th when the weather
became too cold and as no hall could be rented they closed.
Several were helped in their experiences.

Among meetings opened soon after the close of the
Harvest Home camp meeting, was one at Corning, Iowa.
Band No. 25, William Craig, leader, was sent here and meet-
ings were commenced in a tabernacle Aug. 26th. Congre-
gations were small at first because of a camp meeting which
was in progress there. After this closed the interest and
attendance increased until the tabernacle was found to be too
small to accommodate the people. The Lord poured out His
Spirit and souls" began seeking salvation. Sandy foundations
began to shake as the truth was preached in the power of
the Spirit and souls began to clear away the rubbish and dig
down and build on the Rock. This aroused the opposition
of the enemy and the tabernacle was set on fire and burned
to the ground. The workers then took one of the gasoline
lamps which remained uninjured and hung it on a tree in
the park and the people came out and sat on the grass listen-
ing to the Word as wrhen Christ preached to the multitudes
on the mountain side. Meetings were held in the park three
nights and were quite well attended.

Band Work.

309

A large skating" rink was next secured and the meetings
transferred there. Some were saved the first week. The
work went on in power amid great opposition. Windows
were broken in and missiles thrown at the workers, but souls
were saved in the midst of it all. Other workers came to
assist, among whom was the writer and wife. Some won-
derful meetings were enjoyed. At one service seven were
converted and many others seeking. More will be said
about this meeting elsewhere.

The work also opened at Mt. Etna, about ten miles dis-
tant where Band No. 34, Miss Orrel Garrett in charge, began
meetings Dec. 15th in the M. E. church. This band con-
sisted of young ladies one of whom had been saved in the
Corning meeting. The Lord was present and conviction
took hold of the people at once. In a few days a backslider
was reclaimed. Others followed and the work went on with
power. Although the Ingathering at Corning was not
many miles away, the interest here was such that the work-
ers could not leave to attend it.

Minonk, 111., was opened Nov. 21st by Band, No. 28
who held meetings in the Advent church. A street meeting
was held the first evening, at which the meeting in the church
was announced. The workers were greeted with scoffs and
sneers. It did not seem a promising field. There were
many foreigners who worked in the mines. Many in the
place were church members, and about one-half were Roman-
ists. There were eight saloons, consequently there was
much wickedness, but with hearts yearning over the lost, the
workers, looking to God for help, began their labors.

Night after night mobs gathered, missiles were thrown
and in many other ways wicked men, urged on by the enemy
of all righteousness, sought to break up the work of the
Lord. Amidst all these hostilities the workers kept the
sweetness of love in their hearts and labored earnestly for
the salvation of the people, some of whom sought the Lord

3io

Vivian A. Dake.

and were saved. The work went on until the close of the
year.

The work in the St. Louis division extended to Pacific,
Mo., where band No. 31 opened about the first of October.
They could secure no place to hold meeting, but rented a
small band home and went to the street to talk to the people
who crowded around to hear and gave good attention. Many
were professors of religion and members of some church, but
the hungry expression depicted on some faces as they heard
of a full salvation gave evidence that they lacked the satisfy-
ing portion.

The first few days in the baud home were times of test-
ing to their faith. They had borrowed a small stove and
picked up sticks from off a hill near by to make a fire on
which they cooked their scanty meal. Tears rolled down
their faces as they lifted their hearts to God in love, humility
and praise. They had no beds and very little bedding. They
used their wraps and clothing for bedding and slept on the
floor of their little band home. But the Lord touched the
hearts of some who enquired after their needs and bountifully
supplied them in every way. The crowds increased at the
street meetings and the burden of the people laid more heavily
on the hearts of the workers who continued praying for a
place to hold meetings. About the middle of October, the
Methodist Episcopal church, in which services were held
onlvoncein two weeks was offered to them, which they gladly
accepted as from the Lord. Meetings ran smoothly and in the
Spirit for a time but light began to shine on some who were
not willing to walk in it, and they became unfriendly to the
work and workers.

Three souls were saved, and the meetings in the church
closed December 6th, but were continued on the street and in
private houses until Dec. 15th, when they secured the use of
a hall. Three days later another young lady was clearly and
joyfully saved in the band home. The following day a

Band Work.

young man was saved and returned to his home to witness
for Christ in an unsaved family. Two days after this a
Catholic lady sent for the workers to come to her home.
The)' found her hungry for soul food. She was honest and
as the sisters read to her from God's Word she saw how the
Catholic religion had made her a slave instead of a free woman.
Her heart grasped the truth and she saw that the way of sal-
vation was through Jgsus Christ. As they knelt to pray she
began with childlike simplicity, to tell out her heart to the
Lord, who heard the cry of her soul and she looked at the
workers and said, " Why, I don't feel my sins any more at
all." She began at once to walk in the light and was made
strong in the strength of the Lord. Other souls were saved
until there was a little company of nine who were rejoicing
in the forgiveness of their sins. Meetings continued in the
hall until Jan. 17th. Then some cottage prayer meetings
were held.

After the meeting closed the workers were put to more
severe tests. The lady who owned the stove came and took
it away leaving them without a fire. They had but a few
cents in money and one of the workers was sick. About ten
dollars was due for rent and fuel, but their trust was in the
living God to whom they told their needs and asked for help
which came in the shape of twenty dollars from a friend.
This enabled them to pay all indebtedness.

About the 12th of October, meetings began in Greens-
burg, Pa., conducted by band No. 8, E. E. Shelhamer,
leader, who had gone to that place from Harvest Home.
Their first congregation consisted of three persons. Street
meetings were held where immense crowds gathered to listen,
but no one would go to the church, as the people thought
these workers were Salvation Army soldiers in disguise.

One night while holding meeting the police led brother
E, E. Shelhamer, to the office of the burgess, (mayor) who
Ordered them to stop the street meetings. He answered: "If

3I2

Vivian A. Dake.

God will release us we will stop." The burgess replied:
" God will release you if you tell Him that the burgess said
so." "God does not listen to burgesses," the leader made
answer, and went on his way.

Early the next morning the burgess came, shaking and
trembling to the church, where the young men slept, — the
church being their only shelter for two weeks and the floor
their bed, and gave them permission io hold street meetings.
During the first of the meetings one night only one man
came. The brethren preached as usual and the man was
saved and is now preaching the gospel. The congregations
increased somewhat but at the close of the month did not
exceed fifty. Street meetings became more numerous and
on Xov. 7th there were present at one street service seven or
eight hundred people when the workers were arrested; but
the business men came to the rescue promising to pay one
hundred dollars if need be and the workers were released.
The arrest proved a blessing to the work, for crowds of peo-
ple came to the church until half of the people could not get
in. Some would sit in the windows and some climbed trees
near by.

One night when the house was packed, the writer was
preaching, and an arrow of the Lord smote a man in the
crowd outside so sorely that after vainly endeavoring to get
into the church to request prayers and get saved, he got down
outside in the midst of the crowd and prayed through to vic-
tory and at the close of the meeting he elbowed his way into
the, church to tell of his new-found prize. The work rolled
on in glorious power until fifty or sixty had been converted.
A Free Methodist class was organized and a church built
worth about two thousand dollars.

In the Missionary Training Home in St. Louis the pres-
ence and blessing of the Lord was manifested in a large
degree. Here God came with refreshing dews and some
found healing and cleansing. Spiritual needs are given the

The Training Home.

3*3

first attention and the family altar is always a place of soul
help. Many come in from the city and country for soul help.
It was on training of «soul winners that Mr. Dake laid the
most stress. None were thought to be well fitted for foreign
fields who had not been successful in winning souls at home,
consequently city mission work is carried on as far as practi-
cal with the great abundance of other work. A missionary
spirit pervades the Home. Fridays are set apart as mission-
ary days; Bible reading, songs and prayers for the mission-
aries with the reading of letters from foreign fields are in
order. Sisters Douglass and Sherman completed their prepa-
rations here prior to their departure for India; also sister E.
Appling for the same field two years later.

The blessing of God rested on this Home. A steady
faith is required to meet all the demands and opportunities
and make them tell to the furtherance of the work in hand.
Some benefactions are received from time to time from peo-
ple of God upon whose hearts He lays that work. Many
voung people have had cause to lift their hearts to God
in gratitude for the teaching and spiritual benefits re-
ceived here. Several who came expressly to work on the
paper, which is carried on in connection with the Home,
were clearly saved and nurtured in the spiritual atmosphere
of this place and became strong soldiers of the cross. The
Home workers have been rewarded by seeing these go out
into God's vineyard and fill useful places.

The influence of the Home cannot be seen as readily as
it is felt by the surrounding neighborhood. To those who
cannot find a satisfying portion in the popular churches of
the city the presence of God in the midst of this little band
of Christians is very refreshing. The workers carry out
Joshua's resolution, "As for me and my house, we will serve
the Lord."

In the Reapers Home work there had been a steady
increase of prosperity and blessing. Numbers increased un-

3i4

Vivian A. Dake.

til a third building was a necessity. A cottage was procured
which was occupied by Mrs. Dake, an assistant and several
children. The Children's Home was a place of blessing for
workers and children.

The cottage which was occupied for the Old Saints
Rest Home was sold and the Home removed to another
cottage more pleasantly situated. This soon became a place
of refuge to a poor lost girl who was found by the workers,
incarcerated in the jail for vagrancy. Her case was brought
before Mr. Dake and wife, who became at once interested
in her welfare. She told them of her desire to be saved
and to lead a better life.

Mr. Dake had long felt deeply moved over this class of
"poor unfortunates" and consequently opened a door to this
lost one. She was brought to the Old Saints Home and
put under the charge of Miss Henrietta Muzzy, who deep-
ly felt the responsibility of training her, being entirely in-
experienced in dealing with such cases. Love came to the
rescue and she consecrated to be a mother to lost girls and
went to work for this one, who was but sixteen years old,
yet sunken so low. She was in a pitiable plight. A few
days later she was taken ill with typhoid fever and for
several weeks lay very low. The best care that loving and
skillful hands could bestow was given her.

The town authorities came to the help of the over-
burdened ones, furnishing a physician, night nurse and
laundress gratis. The girl recovered and efforts were made
to get her converted. The Lord did graciously help and
there was a decided change in her. Not having a suitable
place to keep her, she was sent to the Rescue Home at
Omaha, Neb., and from there to a reform school where she
is making progress in learning and it is hoped will be forever
free from all her past sins and be made meet for heaven.

It was Mr. Dake's will and expectation to be able to
provide a home for fallen women as soon as the Lord should

The Old Saints' Rest Home.

315

open the way to a suitable place. The experience with this
girl, so young, yet so fallen, only intensified the desire to
rescue the children and train them for God before they could
fall into such grievous sins.

Some of the children taken into the Home, were from
such surroundings and influences as would have been their
ruin, but through love, care and the godly training of the Home,
have been saved and are manifesting improvement every
way. Some most interesting and blessed times were enjoyed
as the Spirit came on them at family prayers. Those who
were saved would pray for those who were not, with great
earnestness, so that their utterances often reached passersby,
on the street and in the neighboring houses. Showers of
blessing often fell in the schoolroom.

The Lord touched many hearts who responded and sent
money, clothing, fruit and vegetables. One brother sent a
horse which had become a real necessity, and for which the
workers and the children had been praying.

After making all provisions possible, for the Home be-
fore he left for England, Norway and Africa, Mr. Dake re-
turned to the Home for a few days and on Sept. 28th, gathered
the inmates of each of the Homes together at the Children's
Home for a farewell dinner. The school closed on this day
also and there were some pleasing exercises of the children.
In the afternoon about two o'clock, all gathered on the ve-
randa for the parting. As the buggy, which was to convey
him and his wife to the depot, passed down through the
trees he waved a last farewell and passed from their sight.
He proceeded to Chicago then on to New York to join the
missionary company.

The farewell meeting at Chicago had been held Sept. 9,
1891 atFarwell Hall. A goodly number were present. The
mothers of sisters Laura Douglass and Bessie Sherman were
there and both expressed their joy in giving their daughters
to God for foreign fields. The out-going missionaries spoke?

316

Vivian A. Dake.

and all seemed to feel it a grand privilege to give their lives
for Jesus. Some new missionary songs, composed by Mr.
Dake and his workers, were sung with telling effect.

Then came the farewell from loved ones. Grace wonder-
fully triumphed. One of the sisters wrote: " Mamma stayed
until almost time for us to leave, then I bade my precious
mother good by, doubtless till I meet her shining face in
glory. In the midst of all I can truly say < His yoke is easy,
His burden is light.' Hallelujah! The cup is so sweetened
with glory that the bitterness is all gone. " Yet before this
loving daughter had received the perfect grace of God, she
had always wanted to die just a little before her mother and
be buried in the same grave with her.

Those bound for India journeyed eastward, leaving Chi-
cago the night of Sept. 15th. They stopped at several places
on the way, where they met with much kindness from friends.
They spent the Sabbath at North Chili, N. Y., very pleasantly
and profitably. The kindness of friends and the wonderful
manner in which the Lord provided for them and opened
their way, filled their hearts with thanksgiving. Taking
their journey by easy stages, so as to be in good health and
strength for the^ sea voyage, they reached New York,
Oct. 5th and were joined by Mr. Dake and the other mis-
sionaries.

The company consisted of Miss Laura Douglass, Miss
Bessie Sherman, for India; Mr. and Mrs. Edward Cryer and
Miss Ruth Bruner, for a mission in England; Mr George
Chapman, who had come to the States to recover his health,
for Africa; and Mr. Dake who was to visit England, Norway
and Africa. All were triumphant. All expressed a desire
to be on the way. One, after going on board sent back these
words to fellow- workers and friends: "O this blessed mo-
ment, I have anticipated it for years and now it has come.
My highest ambition is to spend my life for Jesus and souls."

There were more smiles than tears as the last farewells

Missionaries Outward-bound. 317

were said. The company on board sang that beautiful hymn,
"Crown Him Lord of All." It was fitting that the last
words heard — floating across the water, should be — "Crown
Him Lord of All." The ship moved slowly around, and
once more they saw each others faces, then parted, some to
meet no more until they meet around the throne.

Before Mr. Dake left the home shores, he sent the fol-
lowing parting words to the workers:
"Dear Fellow-Reapers:

"In pursuit of our divine call to kindle watch fires in
every land, I embark Oct. 7th, D. V., in the steamer Majestic
of the White Star Line. Pray for me as I go to England,
to Norway, Germany and Monrovia to assist in making the
watch fires blaze. God is with us. We shall see the clean
salvation exemplified In the lives of those who are now in
darkness. My heart is with you in your toil and self-sacri-
fice. Do not lay the cross down. I know you will, if pos-
sible, be more true to God and souls while oceans roll between
us than as though we were laboring together. Pray for
brother N. and stand by him in the conflict.

" Remember you are Free Methodists and keep the
interest of the cause which is dearer to you than life, always
uppermost. No church contains such a proportion of fire-
baptized saints, and we are joined to all the living. Oh, the
wide spread fields. See the towns all around you that need
the light. See the men and women that pass you by the
scores on their way to hell. Cannot you stop them? Get
tjiem to pause for a moment, and say to them 'BEHOLD
THE LAMB OF GOD !' then look beyond the boundaries
of the ocean at the millions in the blackness of the night of
sin. Whose heart is shut against the ones for whom Christ
died? Look! Look! at the perishing multitudes hellward
bound!

" Wanted ! ten thousand to labor in every land. Wanted !
those who will work without salary. Wanted! those who

3i8

Vivian A. Dake.

will take the fare by the way and shout, 'Glory to God!'
Arnen! They are coming; the tread of their feet is heard.
There is a call from Jamaica, West India. Who will fill it?
There are calls from Australia, Tasmania and New Zealand.
Who will go? Calls from Sweden and Germany wait for
workers. . Now, who wants to go home? Let all the faint-
hearted pack their satchels and leave quickly to make room
for the Gideons, the Shamgars, the Daniels, the Davids and
the Deborahs, the Marys, the Pricillas, and the Dorcases,
who are coming. Amen! All hail! With fingers in your
ears, eyes on the mark, feet on the thorny path, hands filled
with pitchers and lamps, hearts aflame, on to victory! Fel-
low-workers I am with you on the battlefield and will be 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 1 th 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 we were out on deck and a large crowd of steerage

Missionaries Outward-bound.

3*9

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. They
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 Milnrow, 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 Own Precious Wife: —

"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

320

Vivian A. Dake.

Wood. He is an ex-member of the Church of England.
He calls his mission ' The Home of Love.' Then he has
another mission which is run by four ladies, ' The Slum-
worker's Home.' George and I held meeting at eleven A.
M., Sabbath in 'The Home of Love.' Had a very good
time. Only converts and workers were present.

" 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 ' 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!

" I threw myself anew recklessly out for a lost world,
and if you, Ida, had been here you would have given me an
extra push and said: 4 Go darling, go with all your might, and
my prayers 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.

" 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.

321

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 iound 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.

" 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 « count not your lives dear

UNTO YOURSELVES. '

"Right in this Liverpool slum work we want volunteers.
Who will arise and go? Pentecost workers, the whole world

322

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. 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 wrarm 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.
Wre 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.

''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.

M 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 sang: '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*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.

" Oct. 24th. This is our first day at Sogndal. We have
been blessed all da v. Have met some of the converts. This
afternoon we held an open-arr meeting. Brother Chapman

In Norway

325

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 111 Sogndal:

** 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. They have been saved. Four have
professed religion since we came. One of them is one of
the brightest saints I have seen. Her face shines with the

light from heaven. Pray for Madam L , this blessedly

saved woman.

" 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

326

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 very 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, 111.

"On Saturday evening we went to the first M. E. church
to hear brother Oleson preach, and were surprised to find a
bazaar going 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 1 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.

327

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/'
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, 'Give me Scotland or I
die. ' 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.

" 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 fcr 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.

" We had by this time got about to the end of our money.
It was Saturday and we were going to London; we knewr
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 put

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.

329

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 1st, 1777. He
preached the dedication sermon Nov. 1st, 1778. Many times
have these walls resounded with his voice.

?' 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^hildren'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.

" In England we found none that were with us on the
line of separation from the world which we preach. I went

33°

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 martyrs were
burned and what a thrill it was to feel that they had 4 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 o.pen-
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 usually the case the devil wet his
own soldiers worse than us. Some ladies came to sisters
Brunei" and Cryer while they knelt, and brushed off the
water saying, 4 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-
way, 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. 331

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
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: 'lam very
glad, that is what I want.'

"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, 111. The maid has not yet got the blessing but
is seeking earnestly.

"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.

332

Vivian A. Dake.

They arrived at the Mission of Love and began labors
Dec. 23, i8c)[. 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 £he fire, using their time, talents and money to
''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.

" 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. '

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 4inhabiteth eternity,' and * 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 very
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."

" 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 '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. 2 1st, we caught the spicy breezes some time 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,

1 What though the spicy breezes
Blow soft o'er Ceylon's isle;

33^

Vivian A. Dake.

Though every prospect pleases,
And only man is vile?'

Before leaving the isle we visited the Salvation Army Rescue
Home, sang 4 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 '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!

"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 field and obey God
when He talks to you about it.

Laura E. Douglass."

"Bombay, Dec. 25, 1891.

"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 birtrlday. 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.

" 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.

" Last night we had a prayer meeting in our room.

338

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 1 chawl,' or tenement house, we would call it in
America. To-night we have another prayer meeting in a
* 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.

" 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 1 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 voyage, 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.

•'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.

"Sabbath, Nov. 15th. The Bishop preached in the first
cabin saloon from ' 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, 1 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 Mandirgo at Monrovia, I shall find it. All
Hail! Hallelujah!

" Africa's shores are in sight. Hallelujah! Many times
I have sung: 'Afric's shores I long to see,' tut now I see

34°

Vivian A. Dake.

them. The low sea coast is in sight. We are this Friday,
Nov. 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
he lands the mail. We have had a very pleasant trip down
from the Canary Islands. It is just warm enough to be-
joleasant, 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.

"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. 4 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 sandy. 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 us. 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 feit 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. Jewell*}', 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.

" This is the most fruitful field for immediate work I
have seen. There are now Catholics, Church of England,
Mohammedans and British Wesley ans 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.

" 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?

14 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. Dake.

" There are at present four children m 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 Joe, a Gola. After prayers I took
Thomas out in the '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: <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.

"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.

<{I have been to the cemetery and seen the graves of 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.

"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

Her 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
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 year 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 4 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 Day's mission boys.

" W e 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
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. " Straight is
the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and
few there be that find it." Matt, vii, 14.

The work continued at Mt. Etna until May 31st, 1892.
This is but a brief account of this precious meeting and its
results. Many most interesting incidents must go unrecorded
for want of space. While the work continued here in the
new year, the battle was growing hotter at Coi ning, until it
exceeded anything in the history of the work. In many
places where the band labored the greatest opposition came
from Romanists; but here at Corning the opposition came
from the masonic element, which had been stirred to wrath
because of the numbers who had been saved and left the
lodge. Satan does not like to be molested in any part of his
kingdom and he will not suffer the loss of his subjects with-
out a manifestation of his wrath in some way. For some
time at Corning the work continued unmolested with a glo-
rious sweep of God's power, as scores began to seek and find

348

Vivian A Dake.

the light of life. Then came war from the enemy's camp
which was being wonderfully shaken by the truth. The
records of the meeting are very interesting and show plainly
that persecution has not ceased in the nineteenth century, if
enough of the power of God is manifested to shake the king-
dom of darkness.

From the Ingathering, the meeting ran on with in-
creased interest, which aroused the enemy to greater hostili-
ties. Feb. 25th the writer and wife arrived to assist in the
meeting a few weeks. At this time the mob gathered and
threw missiles through the windows and on the pulpit. One
worker was hit on the head. At the close of the meeting
the mob followed the writer and wife to the house where
they were stopping and at a given signal the electric lights
were turned off as the managers of the electric light plant
seemed to be in league with the mob. Then under cover of
darkness — the chosen time for the devil's deeds — the mob
yelled, threw brickbats, stones, etc., but the workers were
under the protection of the Almighty. Through fear of
prosecution at the hand of Mr. Weed, publisher of the Free
Press ,at whose hospitable home the workers were stopping,
the enemy desisted from further attack.

The fetid masonic breath wafted pestilential poison in
every direction until the opposition was as widespread as
virulent. Reporters were called in to take notes of the
meetings. Fearful caricatures were sent to the papers in
Chicago, St. Louis, Des Moines and other places. Band
No. 25 was composed of four young men, William Craig and
H. B. Brackney, leaders. One of the papers either through
malice or mistake said that the band numbered '« twenty-five
holy brethren." This was about as near right as most of the
other statements concerning the meeting. In these misrep-
resentations the mob was justified and the workers and their
meetings condemned. This emboldened hell's terrestrial
hosts and the opposition assumed more formidable propor-

At Corning, Iowa.

349

tions than before. But as the opposition grew, the power of
the Highest was displayed in greater measure, until daily
prayer meetings began to be held in some of the business
places, as several ot the business men and their employees
had been converted in the meetings. This seemed to add to
the flame of persecution and they too came in for a share
of it.

Several of the houses of the converts were mobbed and
they themselves assailed with missiles on the streets. Threats
were made of lynching the leaders of the meeting, who
seemed especially the proteges of Providence. Things as-
sumed such an aspect that one of the citizens telegraphed the
representative at Des Moines to have the governor send out
the state troops and put the town under martial law, as the
city officials could not or would not enforce law and
grant protection to its citizens. One magistrate who was the
city mayor and a member of a Protestant church had testified
in class meeting that the workers appealed to him for legal
protection and that he had refused it. This was a queer
testimony for a class meeting but so it was that he was thus
flaunting his perjury to the world; as he had sworn on tak-
ing his office to enforce the law and was now glorying in the
fact that his oath had been broken.

A letter from the governor of the state to the sheriff of
the county demanded that he protect the preachers, and under
his friendly escort they were often safely led to their lodg-
ings. This served to stir up the whole community, but the
battle went on and converts and workers were wonderfully
filled with joy and praise. A letter was next sent to the
writer as leading in the work, telling him that the workers
would be given twenty-four hours to leave town. It was
said that the mob was hired by a Freemason, who was also a
member of one of the prominent churches.

March 8th, after the meeting was dismissed, the mob lay
in wait to take him and his assistant, William Craig, but they

35°

Vivian A. Dake.

providentially missed them. Being determined to wreak
their vengeance on someone, they took brothers Brackney
and Deweesand pounded them unmercifully, until it was with
difficulty they could walk. This was old-fashioned persecu-
tion revived on a small scale. In the days of Wesley, John
Nelson and other Methodist preachers, mobs surrounded
them, knocked them down, threw them into the horsepond,
beat and otherwise misused them, sometimes leaving them
for dead, all because they were faithful preachers of right-
eousness and fearlessly denounced sin. Then, as now, they
often looked in vain for help from magistrates.

At this place the mayor was appealed to for protection,
but being in sympathy with the mob, refused to give it.
Persistent and continued efforts were made to break up the
meeting, but there was no abatement of interest and souls
were saved in the midst of it all. April 2nd, the district
quarterly meeting was held here. It was largely attended
by preachers and pilgrims from the West Iowa conference.
The Lord was present and made it a glorious meeting.
Many were converted. The mob, still raging, resorted to a
new expedient to break up the meeting. They put odor
musk, red pepper, etc., in the hall. It was counteracted by the
burning of powerful acids. This expedient also failed to
stop the meeting.

April 25th there was another attack when rocks were
thrown through the door and window. At the close of the
meeting the bloodthirsty crowd lay in wait for brother Craig
with clubs and bricks. As he passed from the hall, he was
struck in the side with a brick bat but having a song book
in his pocket, the force of the blow was broken. The converts
and workers gathered around and prevented the throwing of
more bricks. The officers and a number of citizens came
and escorted him home in safety. One of the officers shot
his revolver off which so frightened the mob that they dis-
persed.

At Corning, Iowa.

35i

Sometime later the meeting was put in charge of band
No. 4 composed of young ladies. The mob now changed
its tactics from brickbats and clubs to calumny as the young
ladies took charge. On the return of brother Craig from
other meetings they began their old warfare and one night
while the invitation was being given for seekers of salvation,
the windows were kicked open and bricks, stones, and tor-
pedoes were .thrown into the hall. At the close of the meet-
ing as brother C stepped from the door, he was knocked

to his knees by a brick from one of the mob, who were
there, armed with clubs, etc. The converts came to the
rescue and escorted him home.

A good class was left at Corning and five hundred dol-
lars in cash and subscriptions were raised toward building a
church. The work was then turned over to the church. One
of the precious results of this work here was the conversion
of a number of young people and their call to labor in the
vineyard. Eight or nine were thus sent forth, several of
them went into the Pentecost work and two into the work
among the Wesleyan Methodists.

A meeting at Carbon began March 22nd in a school-
house, band No. 35, H. B. Brackney, Albert Schilling, lead-
ers. The Lord came in convicting power and a number
were reclaimed and good results were seen from the labors
here. A class of twenty-one members was organized.

Some meetings were closed during the early winter
months and others opened. The meeting at Minonk, 111.,
was continued after the Ingathering. Amidst all the tumult
and strife the young men of this band kept the sweetness of
love in their hearts and labored on for the salvation of the peo-
ple. Some sought the Lord and were saved. The workers
continued to hold out the offers of mercy to this Roman
Catholic town with all faithfulness, until it was clear that the
Lord would have them withdraw from that field, which they
did the last of April.

352

Vivian A. Dake.

Mr. Dake was soon expected to return and take his
place at the head of the work, but on Feb. ioth, the over-
whelming news came from Bywater; Tanqueray and Co.,
New York City, that he had died of African fever at Sierra
Leone, while on his way home. The news went swiftly over
the wires and fell with crushing force on the wife and chil-
dren, the aged father and mother, the workers in the bands
and the multitude of friends, throughout the country.

It was truly wonderful how grace triumphed in this try-
ing hour. After the first stinging effects had passed, there
was a rallying of faith, hope and courage all through the
work. Although so "smitten of God and afflicted," the
workers went on with the work, which had lost its visible
head, with full faith in God that He who had raised it up
would still lead on His little host to victory.

The work at Port Lambton, Ont., Canada, continued
and two more were saved. The work ran deeper as the
workers held on in persistent prayer and faith. God honored
their faith and sent conviction to some hard hearts. Great
conviction rested on the people at times. Strong men trem-
bled under it. One man, who had been a drunkard and had
no regard for God, was a regular attendant at the meeting.
He was in the field one day, driving a machine, when some-
thing went wrong. In anger and defiance against the Lord
he raised his arm and declared he "would break the machine
though God stood before him." Instantly his arm became
stiff, his side began to grow numb, and not until he prayed
for forgiveness to the God whom he had defied could he
move his arm. For months two of his fingers remained
crooked. He at last began to break off his sins, stopped his
drinking and was so troubled that he sought the Lord whom
he had so stoutly resisted and was soon converted. His wife
who had been a graceless professor, sought the Lord also
and was saved. Their house became a house of prayer.

Another man who had been a great gambler was saved.

Band Work.

353

This man's conversion made no small stir among the people
in that region. A genuine conversion will always make a
stir. The change from darkness to light, from Satan unto
God is so marked, that amazement will follow such a mar-
velous work. The more notoriously wicked or worldly a per-
son has been the greater will be the stir.

Heaven is stirred with joy over the sinner that repents.
Hell is stirred with rage over the loss of a subject and earth
is stirred with wonder at the change wrought by grace. The
wife of this converted gambler was also clearly saved and
filled with praise. Some young men were also saved in this
meeting. Port Lambton had been a hard field but the ham-
mer of truth, constantly applied broke some flinty hearts to
pieces. A class was organized and left in the hands of the
chairman of the district. The meetings closed in April.

Meetings at Wright City, Mo., continued until April
23rd. A few were saved. Some interesting cases, one was
that of an old man seventy-two years of age. Some months
before, band No. 1 had held a service in a church near Troy,
Mo. The old gentleman heard of this and although he had
but little confidence in women's preaching, concluded he
would hear what they had to say. He went, and was so
impressed with what he heard that he felt he must help get
a band to Wright City, and used his influence in that direction.
The band came and the old gentleman attended quite regu-
larly. He began to be convicted of his sins and sought the
Lord earnestly. The Lord heard and answered and par-
doned all his transgressions. The workers continued to hold
up the light and truth with much blessing and help from the
Lord, until April 23rd, when they closed.

Feeling the need of rest, after months of labor, they
went into the country to the home of this aged convert. The
workers began to hold cottage prayer meetings in the neigh-
borhood. God manifested his power in the first meeting and
six souls sought salvation. It was a neglected field and the

354

Vivian A Dake.

light was readily received. People came to the meetings for
miles, with great punctuality, regardless of inclement weather.
A precious work was done, many being saved. Great
liberality was shown to the workers at this place. The
meetings continued until time for Harvest Home when the
workers left for that gathering, rejoicing over the sheaves
garnered during their labors here.

In the Eastern division the Lord poured out His Spirit
and the work extended to other points. The Greensburg
meeting continued through the winter and spring months
with many glorious visitations from the Lord.

Mt. Pleasant, Pa., was opened Mar. ioth by band No. 8.
The records of the meetings reveal much of deep interest.
As they marched down Alain street singing, the attention of
the people was arrested and quite a number followed them to
the hall. The numbers increased nightly and the Spirit of
the Lord was poured out as the workers proclaimed the truth
which makes souls free.

The first to get saved was an old man seventy-six years
of age. At the eleventh hour he came to make his peace
with God. The hall soon proved too small to contain the
numbers who came and many were unable to obtain admit-
tance. There were no worldly tactics resorted to to draw the
crowd, no operatic music, or sensational preaching. It was
the Holy Ghost which drew them, as in days of old when
multitudes gathered to hear the plain, simple story of the
cross. God's power was felt and souls broke away and
fled to Christ for refuge.

This aroused the enemy and opposition began to come.
Doors were shut in the faces of the workers at some places,
where they called to talk and pray with the people. The
opposition increased as God poured out His Spirit on the
worker^ and the enemy became more demonstrative,
rock was thrown at the leader, brother Cheatham, which
might have resulted seriously had it not hit his watch, crush-

Band Work.

355

ing the case and works, thus breaking the force of the blow.
The persecution only added to their joy and increased their
love and zeal for souls. The Lord sent deliverance in answer
to prayer, when danger threatened.

Quite a number were saved and a good class formed.
The time for the divisional camp meeting was drawing near and
the meetings closed June 14th, to allow the workers to attend.
This camp meeting which was held the latter part of June at
Greensburg, Pa., was a glorious meeting. There were won-
derful displays of divine power in some of the services. The
scene witnessed one night, deserves especial attention. God
alone preached. While natural lightning flashed, thunder
roared and rain fell outside, the lightning of God's truth, the
thunder of His power and showers of grace were witnessed
inside the tabernacle. The sixteen foot altar was soon filled,
a second sixteen foot plank was added, which was also quickly
filled, a third was brought and it too was filled, making forty-
one seekers in all at the altar and a few seeking at their seats.
O what a burst of prayer rent the heavens! It was soon
changed into shouts of deliverance, over those who had found
liberty. It was grand! All except two or three prayed
through into the kingdom in a short time.

The camp meeting closed with the dedication of the new
church, June 28th, 1892. Seven hundred dollars were raised
in a short time and chairman D. B. Tobey dedicated the
house to the service of God, free of debt. At the close of
this camp meeting the workers left for the Harvest Home
camp meeting.

As the work expanded in this division new meetings
were held. Leechburg was opened March 31st by No. 21,
Phebe Farnsworth, leader. The Lord blest the truth and
souls were saved. We have nothing but a general report of
this meeting though it proved successful in the conversion
and sanctification of many souls. The meetings continued
until the divisional camp meeting mentioned above.

356

Vivian A. Dake.

The interest was increasing and the prospect for a har-
vest of souls in the division was very bright as the workers
left for the Harvest Home. After that meeting they returned
to Pennsylvania and resumed the work which continued with
increased power in every place.

On the Iowa division a number of meetings were opened
in the spring months. Band No. 31 commenced meetings in
April, at Lenox, Iowa. A few were saved during these
meetings, others were helped into deeper experiences while
others were deeply convicted by the truth. The meetings
closed June 12th.

Marshalltown and Ottumwa were visited and meetings
held by No. 18 at the former and No. 28 at the latter place.
There were no great results at this time though the final har-
vest will doubtless reveal fruit from the seed sown.

Band No. 1 1 held meetings at Oskaloosa, at the request
of the pastor, Rev. J. B. Newville. The meetings were
held in the Free Methodist church. The band arrived
April 23, 1892, and began their labors at once and continued
until May 29th. Some good was done though but few were
saved.

They next opened at Newton, Iowa. There was a
small class here, but much prejudice existed which the
workers found hard to remove. There were sixteen churches
and no saloons in the town and one might suppose it to be a
good field for the gospel to take root. The meetings opened
June 1st. The congregations were small at first, but in-
creased as the work continued. When the people would not
come to them at the hall the workers went to them on the
streets and boldly declared the truth there. Souls were
visibly moved though but few were brought to repentance.

One man was clearly converted and others received help
in their experiences. Meetings continued here until the an-
nual Harvest Home, an account of which will be given later.

We resume the history of the foreign work": The work

Foreign Work.

357

in Norway was much blest of God in the beginning of the
new year. One new point was opened. Several were seek-
ing and the outlook for the salvation of that people was very
encouraging. Steps had been taken to build a Free Method-
ist church. The devil worked to defeat this project but the
Lord encouraged the workers and it was completed in due
time. Brother Ulness started a little paper to help get the
truth before the people — the lid Tungen or Tongue of Fire.
Little by little the truth gained ground and the eyes of some
were opened to see that the foundation of their state religion
was rotten and they lost faith in it.

The converts were a simple-hearted company, but stood
well in the midst of many conflicts. A good class was formed
at Sogndal, where the church was built, and much good ac-
complished in the meetings held at other places in this land of
snow and ice. This brings the history of the Norway work
up to the time of the Harvest Home at Newton, Iowa.

In May the England band were cheered by the arrival of
Mrs. Mary Chapman, returning from the mission in Mon-
rovia, Africa, and a few days later by the arrival of brother
and sister Ward and their two children, who were on their
way to America for a brief rest; brother and sister Ward
having spent eleven years in mission work, near Bombay,
India. They remained with the England band about a
week laboring with them and encouraging their hearts.
On May 28th the missionaries sailed for America.

June 14th the workers were obliged to leave the place
they were occupying as the whole premises were needed
for other purposes. One open-air meeting was held in
Mill Road, a very sinful and degraded section. It continued
over two hours as the workers and converts distributed the
bread of life to these poor captives of Satan.

The sisters of the band visited some of the worst streets
in Liverpool, going upstairs and down, into dark, damp cel-
lars, where the people were huddled together in filth and ver-

353

Vivian A. Dake.

min. The people at these places drank, fought and blas-
phemed in their utter misery and sin. The band continued to
labor in a mission on Main street for over two months when
they received a call from Birmingham, to labor there for a
time. They accepted the invitation arriving there Oct. ist.
The meetings were held in a mission hall, furnished for
their use by a wealthy lady. Several were converted and
others received help during the two weeks' meetings at this
place.

After visiting Manchester, Milnrow and Liverpool they
embarked for America Nov, 2, 1S92 on the steamship Majes-
tic, leaving many warm friends and some fruit of their labor.
This step was reluctantly taken, but as their way seemed
hedged up it was thought best for them to do so. The home
workers at the annual Harvest Home had extended an invi-
tation to them to return and assist in the home work, if they
felt clear to do so.

The work in India advanced, under the leadership and
blessing of the Lord, as the two young sisters took up the
work. They began at once the study of the Hindustani
language, under a good teacher and labored among the Eng-
lish speaking people in the meantime. They also held open-
air services and spoke to large crowds, Rev. E. F0 Ward in-
terpreting for them. The letter which we here insert gives
better glimpses of their work and experiences than we can
otherwise procure:

"Bombay, Jan. 1, 1892.

"Dear Home Friends: —

" 'The Lord of hosts is with us the God of Jacob is our
refuge.' The very welcome letter from home came Mon-
day morning. Letters from St. Louis reach us in a day or
two over a month. It is so wonderful to think how those
might v waters are spanned by such a regular system of mail
steamers. How thankful I am for this blessing; it refreshes

Foreign Work.

359

one like 'cold water to a thirsty soul.' Last night we at-
tended watch night service in the M. E. church.

"This morning a Parsee woman who lives next to us
brought in some nice sour milk cheese. The Parsees are a
people who worship fire, water and the earth, i. e., they hold
these sacred. Instead of burying their dead or cremating
them, as the Hindoos do, they put them in what is called the
'tower of silence ' and in a few minutes the flesh is all eaten
by the birds — vultures, etc.

u These people are something like the Jews in America
regarding their business. They are mostly educated and
wealthy. This family who live next door can hear our pray-
ing and praises to God, real plainly. We did not know what
they would think of it, but the lady seems real kind. Her
husband, who speaks English, said she liked us and did not
want us to go away. It did us good for we feel it is God
getting hold of their souls. God lives to answer prayer.
Hallelujah!

"We had such a good open-air meeting. I cannot tell
you how I enjoyed it. Laura and I both talked and brother
Ward interpreted. The crowd was large and pressed eagerly
around us. Laura and I have learned to sing some hymns
in Hindustani, so we can take right hold and help with the
singing. It is much easier to learn to read than to talk.
Brother Ward is a good teacher and I enjoy studying the
language very much.

" I had such a blessed season pouring out my heart to
God this morning. I think I never had such a hold on God
and such nearness to Him in prayer as now. Glory to God!
He is doing so marvelously for my unworthy soul. It is
such a privilege to lay myself at His feet and give wholly to
Him all my ransomed powers for the rescue of the lost in
this land.

" I am feeling well. The Lord teaches me about taking
care of my body. My faith does not waver. Has not the

360

Vivian A. Dake.

Lord everything in hand, body and all? I feel that as long
as I keep close to Him and follow carefully in all things,
there is no cause to fear, for ' Father's at the helm.' Brother
and sister Ward join us heartily in the battle.

" We often meet Arabs on the street and there are usu-
ally some at our meetings. I love to look on them, because
they dress in such an ancient manner and it always carries
me back to God's covenant with Abraham and his descend-
ants. I think their style of dress is the same as in the days
of the patriarchs. A tew days ago we saw a woman with a
ring in her nose, which came down on her chest. I counted
twenty bracelets on the arm of a girl. Besides this she had
a ring on every finger, — thumbs and all, immense ear orna-
ments and rings on her toes.

"It is surprising that professing Christians will follow
the example of these heathen, and more astonishing that mis-
sionaries will deck themselves in 'gold and pearls and costly
array.' I sometimes feel with the prophet, 'O that my head
were waters and mine eyes a fountain of tears,' that I might
weep over these things which are such hindrances to God's
work. Amen. I feel like rushing into the battle and preaching
separation from the world and the clean death track with all
my might. The Lord has sent us here for this. With much
love to all, Bessie Sherman."

We cannot pass by the subject of ornaments and fash-
ionable attire mentioned by our young missionary, without
further attention, knowing its importance and the deadly
effect which follow their use both in home and foreign lands.
It is such a widespread evil' among the people professing
Christianity, that many think little or nothing about it; or the
great expense which is incurred, thus robbing God of His
due, or of the influence which is exerted against the simple,
self-denying, cross-bearing religion of Jesus.

CHAPTER XXVIII.

The missionary sisters found the same things to contend
within India as in America with heathenism added. For-
mality and lack of spiritual life were prevalent among many and
looking unto God for strength they cried aloud and spared
not. The)' believed that they were commissioned to preach
entire deliverance from carnal self and the enduement of
power from on high. They began their mission at once.
The Lord blest the truth preached and light began to shine
on some hearts revealing the "old man" of sin.

The first to receive the light and walk in it were some
prominent missionaries. One of these testified as follows:
<4My work (as a missionary) was never as satisfactory as it
ought to have been because of the lack of a thorough work
in my own soul. We hailed with great joy the coming of
the Pentecost Band to India and soon after the sisters arrived
in Bombay last December we joined them in tent meeting
work among the English speaking people of Bombay. At
the commencement I soon found what I lacked." After deep
heart searchitigs and confessions of their condition he and
two others were delivered from the carnal mind and praised
God for bringing them to see the way.

A letter from Miss Laura Douglass tells of the progress
of the work.

" Bombay, Feb. 6, 1892.

"Dear Fellow Workers: —

" We are glad to write you to-day of our victories in
India. God is with us and His love burns in our hearts. I
praise Him for the day I settled it to be true to my call and
rained my hot tears on the floor of that little band home.
Hallelujah! I see so clearly how God has led us all the way
and am glad to tell you we are burdened for India.

362

Vivian A. Dake.

" We find many here who are crying 4 peace, peace,
when there is no peace,' but we are crying to God for peace
on the old-fashioned line, and believe it is coming, blessed be
His name. Less than a week ago we began work on the
devil's own territory and are not expecting him to sit by and
fold his arms and say, amen; but the One that led us forth
when the battle raged the hottest in the past, is our leader
still. In His name we have unfurled our banners and believe
victory shall perch upon them. Already some have been
seeking God. We expect to hear the cries of the lost and
the shouts of the newborn all along.

"Brother and sister Ward are with us and much blest.
God has been helping them. They leave soon for America
and are looking forward to the coming Harvest Home. We
shall miss them much, but God will see us through and we
shall look forward to the coming of our re-enforcement next
fall. Speed them on dear workers. Oh, how I love this
land! My soul cries c give me India or I die.' We are well
and much blest. Yours in God for India's lost ones,

Laura E. Douglass."

Another letter from Miss Douglass reads as follows:

l* Feb. 20, 1892.

''Dear Workers: —

" All hail! God is on the India battlefield. Hallelujah!
The devil tried hard to defeat us in getting in here but God
opened the door and we are having some blessed times.
Three missionaries got the light on holiness and have been
cleansed.

"Six have been converted to God and others are seeking.
A number have told us they could not sleep after attending our
meetings, until two or three in the .morning. A Moham-
medan that has been out almost every night and one with
whom God was striving lost so much sleep that he began to
fear he was sick and went to the doctor to find out what to

Foreign Work.

363

do, and the doctor told him that the trouble was he had been
attending our meetings, and that we were all mad and if he
did not stay away he would go mad too. We are looking to
God earnestly for his salvation. He feels our religion is
right.

" It is almost like death for a Mohammedan to become a
Christian. He has to leave all his kindred, wife and all,
unless she turns too, and they would put him to death if they
dared. All pray for him. The power of God is stronger
than caste. This man gave us a rupee the other evening.

u Brother Ward preached from the 'text, < Seek ye the
Lord while He may be found.' From the first song we felt
there was conviction on the people and before we could give
the invitation a lady came out and bowed at the altar, two
others soon followed and two were saved. Hallelujah!
India is suffering from formalism and spiritual death as well
as from heathenism and we feel it will take the thunderings
and lightnings of Mount Sinai to move things in tin's land for
God; but we are expecting them. Hallelujah! Prevail in
prayer for us. Yours in God for India's millions,

L. E. D."

A later one from Miss Sherman is full of interest.

"March 4, 1892.

" These are the best days of my life. My soul is taking
on strength. True, we are not without conflicts with the
devil and the powers of darkness, but the Lord is teaching
my 4 hands to war and my fingers to fight.' Amid sin and
defilement the blood keeps me clean. I feel such purity all
through my soul. O how amazing this wondrous work of
grace. I do not wonder that angel minds desire to look into
it. With the hosts of hell pressing on every side we are
marching on,seeing naught but our starry crown. I believe
the old cross shall conquer on these shores; though we fall
we shall triumph.

364

Vivian A. Dake.

" The life and death of dear Louisa Ranf, are an inspira-
tion to us. We have often felt how grand it would be to
have her by our side in this war. But our God has ordered
all. Praise His name! She is wearing her robe of white in
glory, amid the numberless hosts above. I do not wonder
that the devil tries hard to defeat those who are preparing to
go to foreign fields as clean, Holy Ghost missionaries, to
hold up the old-time landmarks. He hates this way, and he
sets all hell at work trying to defeat God's plans. But
blessed be God, the old cross shall triumph and a watch fire
of pure Bible salvation shall be kindled in every land. We
are determined to be true till latest breath and die at our post.
We are fasting and praying for the work here. We feel
God must move in mighty power and shake the foundations
of darkness.

*4 This week we went to call on the wife of the Moham-
medan who attends our meetings. She, like all other high
caste women, never goes out unless she is in an enclosed car-
riage, or covered from head to foot with a vail or wrap that
completely envelops her, leaving only places for the eyes,
with lace sewed over them. They had prepared a dinner
for us consisting mostly of fruit, there being six kinds,
oranges, bananas, ripe figs, grapes, musk-melon and water-
melon. We sat on the floor and ate with our fingers as they
do. How my heart went out for the salvation of these souls.
She was a sweet looking little woman. She had on much
jewelry. What a star she might make in glory if saved.
The man is a good Hindustani teacher, and we have engaged
him to teach us. We hope it will be the means of getting
conviction more deeply on his soul.

"There are many wonderful things in India, about the
people, their religions, etc. It is like a great mine of won-
ders, and we are always finding out something new. We
also see such sights of poor distressed beggars. Yesterday
sister Ward and I were going along the street, and on the

Foreign Work.

365

sidewalk sat a man with his hands and feet rotting off with
leprosy. A little farther on was a man who had lost a part
of his leg; then a little farther on a blind man, and all beg-
gins:. Sometimes there will be half a dozen or more in a
row along the sidewalk. I can see now how it was when
Jesus went about healing such as these. How many of these
would do as did blind Bartimeus, if they could hear the foot-
steps of Jesus of Nazareth! There are so many things here
that make the Scriptures seem real. But how many come to
the heathen, not as the lowly Nazarene, weeping over these
lost ones, but with their worldliness, and a cold, dry-eyed Chris-
tianity, and live so far above the natives that one would not
take them to be followers of Him who became servant of all.

0 when we become dead to self and all but God, how it lets
us down to humanity, so we can feel their woes and sorrows
and lift them up to God. O glory, hallelujah!

"We have moved this week to rooms that are in abetter
locality and more healthful. There are many English and
Eurasian families around us. O the Lord is so good, where shall

1 His praise begin ? We have considerable difficulty in getting
the people out to meeting, and when they do come there is
much fallow ground to break up. The darkness on their
minds is truly thick, even among church members, they are
so ignorant of Bible salvation. But we are much encouraged
from on high and believe the work shall yet have a foothold
in this city, though the digging may belong and hard. Hal-
lelujah! How grand to live where there are no discourage-
ments, but where faith mounts above and pierces through
the smoke of battle and brings the triumph nigh. God has
promised us souls. 'We shall reap if we faint not.' Glory!
Hallelujah!

Bessie Sherman."
The tidings of Mr. Dake's death was being borne to
them across the great deep, but did not reach them until
March. Their reception of the news and the triumph of

366

Vivian A. Dake.

grace in the trying hour is described by Miss Sherman in the
following letter:

"March 19, 1S92.

"The news of brother Dake's death was a shock to us
indeed, it came so unexpectedly. It seemed to make the
physical tremble, but our faith and courage did not waver
but took a deeper, firmer hold on God. Praise His name!
We walked the floor and sang while the tears flowed, 4 Let
the battle go on, I will die at my post, I will fall in the van
of the conquering host.' At prayers we tried to sing, ''All
for precious souls? It was a melting time, brother and sister
Ward, Laura and I all in tears, and we promised God to
stand by and live ' only for souls'* as never in the past. O
my soul gathers courage to press on in the conflict till we
too, like our fallen leader shall 4 brighter shine than noon-day
sun, with our precious souls.' I feel so glad to think that he
went while standing true and without compromising and
losing the fire as so many have done. I never had anything
to so thrill my soul with determination to stand true.

"This mission work must not fail. I feel confident
there are great things ahead for India, if God has His own
way. This is truly a ripe field and there are openings for
work on many lines. How my soul is stirred as I think of
it. In the first place there is this English work, that needs
to be carried on all through India in the large city and town
centers. Then in Bombay there is such a need of rescue
work. Brother Gladwin was in that work with his wife
some time before she died. It stirs one's soul to the depths
to hear him tell of the needs of that work. There is a place
provided for orphan boys, and those who would be left to
sin and vice, where they are properly taught and protected,
but none for girls. There is a wide-open door ever ready
for them to lead lives of shame. No doubt thousands of
these might be rescued and fitted for useful lives, if some
one could take it in hand. Impurity is terrible in India, and

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367

the need for those who will go to the rescue is very great.
Then there is this great mass of millions of natives to be
penetrated. I have felt such a burden for that work. I
believe that God will develop this work in its different lines
and that we will move forward in spite of opposition from
earth and hell. Hallelujah!

" I feel great and unutterable things burning in my soul
for dear India. God has hold of this work Himself. I feel
sure we are in God's order and in our right place. I see how
all the work of my past life has just been getting me ready
for this work. Glory to God! How wisely He works out
His designs so unknown to us! How little I knew what
God was planning for me. But it is so blessed to know that
we are in the very place that He designed. We are more
and more convinced that God sent us at the right time and
earnestly pray that He will plainly order in regard to the
right persons and the right time for re-inforcements. Amen !
Watch fires shall flame from one end of this land to the
other. So long as the power of the Holy Ghost is in this
work it is bound to go; there is no stopping it.

" I feel just as free to shout and get blest as at home. I
know of no other way to keep above the depressing influ-
ences of heathenism and formality but just to pray, rejoice
and shout our way right through, if anything it is more
necessary in a land like this than at home, and besides all
that, when we live where the blessings come and the fire
falls how are we going to help it? I know of no stamp of
workers that are more needed in India than those who know
how to take the kingdom by force. The old apostolic line is
our pattern. Hallelujah! I go this way, and am deter-
mined to keep alive and cut loose at every cost. Amen!
We belong to the Daniel band who dare to stand alone, and
so long as heaven smiles, all is well.

"O that we may never falter till we leave the cross and
seize the crown. How I praise God for the example of those

368

Vivian A. Dake.

who dared to be true amid opposition of friends and foes.
The ties that draw us toward God and heaven are increasing
while we are still left in the conflict.

* From the battlements of glory,

Holy ones are looking down ;
We can almost hear them shouting

On, let no man take thy crown !'

Much love to all. Bessie Sherman."

But few can realize how keenly they felt the removal of
him who had been as a father to them, but having been dis-
ciplined in the school of Christ they were prepared to submit
patiently and even joyfully to the will of God, be it ever so
painful. The letters which follow tell of their blessings and
victories and intense longing for souls in India.

" May 14th, 1892.

" Truly these are blessed days for us. Our souls are ex-
panding and taking in God as never in our lives. Never did
His work lie more heavily on our hearts, nor were its needs
more clearly seen and felt by us. But as we wrestle with
God in the secret place our souls triumph and we are assured
of victory. Hallelujah!

" Our wonder-working God! When our funds run low
we tell Him so. When the body trembles we talk to Him
about it. When the devil is stirred and it looks every where
as though things were going to pieces, again His ear is bent,
and at all times in all places He is all we need. Red Seas
give way before Him, lions' mouths are stopped and souls
are rescued from a gaping hell. Praise the Lord forever!
These things we are proving true in India. Our tent meet-
ings have closed, but we are not settling down by any means.
We see enough every day to keep us stirred.

" Very recently there passed our door a procession of
men, women, and children with their native drums, horns and

Foreign Work. 360

the like. In the midst of the procession was a man with a
large wreath of flowers so wrapped around his head that we
could scarcely distinguish his features. In his arms he carried
a child of four or five summers, decked in much the same
manner. Upon enquiring what it meant we learned the man
had just been married to the babe in his arms!

u These, with many other similar sights we see every
day are enough to fill our hearts and keep us melted before
God. But when we think of the corrupt examples many
persons professing Christianity set before these, we feel un-
utterable things in our souls. Oh for consecrated workers to
rush to the rescue of the dear people of this land. Her doors
are open wide before us and her walls are tottering. Bless
God! We meet many who daily tell us they have lost
all confidence in the Mohammedan religion and the religion
of their fathers. These we want for our God! And we
know there are many who cannot themselves stand in the
breach, who are willing to help in getting others here, and in
furnishing weapons and ammunition with which to push the
work. Amen!

" We are praying God to roll a sense of the sufferings
and needs of the people of India upon the hearts of many,
until they feel they will die if they cannot either get here, or
help in some way to bring them to God. We are praising
God every day we live for the privilege of being here.
Truly our souls are bound to this land with a love that is
stronger than death. Yours to be faithful unto death,

Laura E. Douglass."

The departure of Mr. and Mrs. Ward would have doubt-
less been felt more but for the kindly aid of Rev. Wallace
Gladwin, editor of the India Watchman. Having been a resi-
dent of that land for many years and being fully acquainted
with the conflicts, difficulties and needs of missionary life in
India, he was able to give them much assistance and counsel.

37°

Vivian A. Dake.

The Lord thus raised the friends to help these young
sisters in their arduous task. We close the report of this mis-
sion with a short appeal for India.

"INDIA!"

" India has a population of 288,000,000. It is about one
half the size of the United States, but has more than four
tLnes the number of inhabitants. Out of these 288,000,000
souls it is said that more than 18,000 pass into eternity every
day and 752 every hour. If nothing else would rouse us to
be up and doing certainly this should.

" We scarce know of a field so white for harvest, or of a
heathen land with so few barriers to the onward march of
the gospel. In China the hostility of the government to
foreign elements is a serious difficulty. In Africa the scarcity
of means of traveling, lack of civilization, literature, etc., are
obstacles yet to be overcome before salvation's glorious day
can fully dawn. But here is India with her doors wide open
with 14,000 miles of railroad, besides an abundance of govern-
ment roads, good postal and telegraphic connections,
numerous schools, printing presses, newspapers, books, etc.,
besides the protection of a powerful Christian government
and years of preparatory work done by missionaries. Truly
the way has been paved for the glorious onward march of
the kingdom of our God.

" Men of the world are wide awake to improve these
grand opportunities for earthly gain. Large numbers of
English government officials and business men engaged in
manufacturing, trade, etc., are living with their families in all
parts of India. Little is thought of their leaving their native
land and circle of friends and taking up a home in this
strange land for the sake of getting wealth. And shall we be
less sacrificing for souls?

" When the gold fields of the far West were opened up
what a rush there was! Home, friends, comfort, and even

ArrEAL for India.

37 1

life were sacrificed for a fortune — treasures that rust and
decay. Here we see more glorious opportunities presented
than were ever offered hy the richest gold fields of earth, a
chance to gather gems that shine when the jewels of earth
have long faded. These 'pearls in heathen shadows dim'
shall endure when the stars have ceased their shining and this
world is no more.

''People of the world are anxious their children should
make a fortune. God is laying His hand on some of your
sons and daughters and calling them to be jewel gatherers
on some foreign shore. God's only Son was a foreign mis-
sionary to earth. O the workers that are now needed in the
field! Shall those who feel the call not be sent speedily to
the rescue? If you cannot come yourself, you can invest
something to help send others and it will come back a hun-
dred fold in eternity, and you too shall share in the grand
reward. Will you have gems to bedeck your diadem or will
you be content to barely save your own soul and wear a
'starless crown'? Bessie Sherman."

The work at the Reapers Home went on as usual. The
hand of the Lord was upon it. More children came in until
the capacity of the Home was all taken up. Mr. Dake's
presence and counsel were much missed, but he continued
sending words of cheer across the water which came at long
intervals.

Though so far away and with so much other work upon
his hands and heart he remembered the precious children
and sent them the following letter from Liverpool, which
was received with much joy by them.

"Liverpool, England, 10-17-91.
"My Dear Mary, Carrie, Ruth, Minnie, Ernest,
George, Lana, Albert, Nora, Myrtle and all
the Dear Children: —
"Papa Dake is well and blest and hopes and prays that

372

Vivian A. Dake.

you may all be blest. The great Atlantic ocean, three
thousand miles wide, rolls between us, but Jesus is with us
just the same. I came over in a great ship as long as from
our front gate to the Old Saints Home. The great waves
rocked it like you rock your hammock; but God took care
of us. We are now in England.

"We landed at Liverpool, England. Get the atlas and
have auntie Allen show you all the places that papa Dake
goes to. You can see away across the ocean from New
York City to Liverpool, on the map. Monday we go to
Hull, on the other side of England. Then brother Chap-
man and papa take the steamer to >J3ergen, Norway, and
then another steamer to Sogndal where brother and sister
Ulness.live. Yesterday papa went to see some wax men
and women. There was Queen Victoria of England and
her children, all life size; there were army generals and
many others. A lady stood looking at the figures with a
book in her hand. Brother Chapman thought she was alive,
but when he looked closer he found that she was only wax;
she was so life-like.

"There are many donkeys and Shetland ponies hitched
to wagons five or six times as large as themselves. They
call the street-cars, 'trams.' The trams have a place on the
roof where people can ride. While papa was riding up
there one day two little boys came running on the sidewalk
and turning somersaults and going over on their hands and
feet like a wheel. Then they would cry, ' ha-penny please.'
A 'ha-penny ' is a half-penny and equals one of our cents.
The bovs (one was as large as Lana and the other as large
as Carrie) ran about a mile and, as we did not throw any
half-pennies, they stopped running. Was that not a hard
way to earn money? Think of those little boys on the
street, both going barefoot in the cold, and then think of
your nice warm home. Papa wants you all now to get down
on vour knees and sing 'Praise God from whom all blessings

The Reapers' Home.

373

flow' for your nice Reapers Home. I expect you all to live
for God. I pray much for you. God bless my darling
children. As ever, Papa Dake."

When this letter was read to the children in the
Home all did get down on their knees and sing, "Praise
God from whom all blessings flow" and a special blessing
came down upon them and little hands and voices were
lifted up to God in praise. Time passed and all began to
look forward to the home-coming, when on the evening of
Feb. nth, a messenger arrived from St. Louis, at midnight,
telling them that papa Dake had gone over to be with
Jesus.

It is not necessary to describe the scenes of that sad day
which followed . Many of the children were tooyoung to real-
ize their loss but to Mrs. Dake and the workers who had the
responsibility to dear,it was a testing time. Yet all was not giref
and tears. There was the joyful assurance that with Mr.
Dake it was4' far better" and that he was gathered with all
the faithful ones "who loved not their lives unto the death."
The Home and its future were to be considered and on con-
sultation it was decided by all that the work must go on,
though the founder had fallen in the battle. For some
time previous to this Mr. Dake had sought guidance in re-
gard to a permanent Home.

His desire was to secure a piece of land on which suit-
able buildings could be erected for the reception of chil-
dren and aged pilgrims. Here he intended the children should
be taught to work and the Home thus become in part self-
supporting. Some money had been given for this object
but no suitable place could be found before he left this
country.

After his death it seemed more of a necessity than ever
that the Home be located permanently. Rent was high and
many children were turned away for lack of room. Early
in the spring a communication was read from a lady in Vir-

374

Vivian A. Dake.

ginia, who had several hundred acres of land, which she felt
ought to be used for the Lord and offered it very cheap.
The climate was found to be delightful with an abundance of
pure, soft, spring water. The farm contained many acres
of excellent pine forest which would furnish all the lumber
needed for buildings, etc. Above all a needy and much
neglected field presented itself,both among the colored and the
white population. After due deliberation and prayer, on the
part of the leaders in the work, it was evident that the Lord
was leading to this place. Steps were immediately taken to
secure the land,' five hundred and sixty-four acres.

There was one farm house on the place which had for-
merly been a planter's dwelling. It was in good repair,
though it had been built many years. The farm is located
about thirty-eight miles south-west of Richmond, Va., and
eight miles from Crewe. There were a number of acres
under cultivation while the remainder was in timber.

A brother and wife in New York offered themselves
to go to the farm and do what they could to prepare the
way for the coming of the family in the fall. Another
volunteered his help in getting out logs for lumber to put
up the needed buildings. The work began to move slowly
but encouragingly. The hand of the Lord was plainly seen
upon it from the first. God was unmistakably answering
prayer for this branch of the work.

We notice in reading Mr. Dake's journal, kept in Africa,
that he prayed on Christmas for a permanent place for the
Reapers Home, and that he received the witness that it
would be given.

Though work on the farm was begun late in the spring,
some progress was made in getting out logs and lumber
which was sawed on the farm, a man donating the use of
his mill and labor for a time. Considerable was accom-
plished before the time for the annual Harvest Home camp

The Reapers' Home.

375

meeting. Much money and labor were needed before the
Home could be made to accommodate so large a family.

That the Lord wanted such a Home, where children
could be trained and educated for Him, there was no doubt
and that He would provide all things necessary to carry it on
all were equally assured.

Mr. Dake had arranged to bring home with him a native
African boy named Henry O'Neil. Henry was with him
when he died and was taken ashore by a kind missionary,
who buried the boy's benefactor in the cemetery at Sierre
Leone. Henry remained at Sierre Leone for a time.

Money was afterward provided for his passage, and he
arrived 'safely at New York and was sent to the Training
Home at St. Louis, where under godly teaching he is making
rapid progress in grace and learning, and gives promise of
making a faithful and efficient missionary to his native country.
God's designs are beyond mortal ken but as He works them
out they are wonderful in wisdom and far-reaching in results.
Well did the poet sing:

" Deep in unfathomable mines

Of never failing skill,
God treasures up His bright designs
And works His sovereign will."

The most eventful year in the history of the Pentecost
Bands, and over which the deepest shadows and brightest
flashes had been thrown, drew to a close. Chastened, yet
triumphant and unfaltering, the workers gathered at Newton,
Iowa, for the sixth annual Harvest Home. It was a large
gathering, many coming from different parts of the country,
but principally from the West. There were five large taber-
nacles on the ground, four of which were used as dwellings,
and forty smaller tents. About forty pilgrims came from
Shenandoah, Iowa, in a special car. We quote from Rev.
M. H. Shepard, regarding this meeting:

<4 A number of ministers were present some part of the
time, Reverends B. T. Roberts, F. D, Brooke, T. J. Gates,

376

Vivian A. Dake.

E. E. Hall, L. Mendenhall, J. B. Newville, G. W. Endicott,
E. F. Ward and wife from India, J. I. Murray, C. S. Hanley,
J. M. Reilly,Geo. Stover, C. W. Sherman, Henry Greenslet,
G. B. Wilson, M. H. Shepard, Rev. Rawls, S. W. Holmes,
C. W. Ruth, J. W. Dake and wife (father and mother of
our subject), Geo. Griffith and others whose names were not
learned with local preachers and evangelists from various
places; and Henry, the African boy, who by his counsels and
godly conversation put to shame many who live in this en-
lightened land."

Rev. B. T. Roberts came at the first of the meeting, but
could remain only four days as other appointments called him
away. He endeared himself to all, by his kind and fatherly
talks to the workers whom he called his grandchildren, for
he looked upon Mr. Dake as a son in the gospel. He
preached with his usual unction several times, counselled the
workers in love, and joined with them in fervent prayer and
praise. He was indeed a father in Israel. All were glad
that he was permitted to be with them if only for a few days.
The parting from him was a most heavenly and touching
scene. As the time of his departure for the train drew near
the workers and pilgrims gathered about him, whom he ex-
horted to be true to God to the last, and as he entered the
buggy and moved slowly across the grounds to the gate the
workers and others followed in procession singing, "God
be with you till we meet again," while this venerable man of
God waved his last farewell, many looked on his beamingj
kindly face for the last time, for the following February he
too received the summons to rest from his labors, and spiritual
father and son were reunited on the other shore.

All through the camp, in the meetings and out, one
presence was missing — that of Mr. Dake who had been the
captain of the Lord's hosts in this little company in all pre-
vious camp meetings. The burden fell heavily on those
next in line. Many things were to be considered regarding

Sixth Harvest Home.

377

the future of the work and it was a testing time. The Lord
helped much and many precious seasons were enjoyed as
another year's warfare was planned for God and souls. We
copy from the report of another:

'* The power of God was manifest. The large altar
was frequently filled to over flowing. The groans of the
penitents and seekers of holiness were mingled with the
cries, prayers and shouts of the saints. Those seeking pardon
and holiness were usually held right to the Bible line of sepa-
ration from the world and death to carnality and seekers
came through alive. We heard more praying in the woods
than ever before on a camp ground. Some of the workers
seemed to have the determination of Jacob and would not be
put off. It was remarkable that at this large camp meeting
there was no disturbance of order as is usual at camp meet-
ings. We shall never forget the shining faces of the work-
ers and their shouts of victory."

Mr. and Mrs. E. F. Ward held a service in the interest
of India, which was full of inspiration. Mrs. Mary Chap-
man, from Monrovia, Africa, was also present and spoke in
regard to that mission. The native boy, Henry O'Neil was
an object lesson of what could be done in the salvation and
training of the children of that dark land. The following
letter written while waiting at Sierre Leone, where Mr.
Dake died shows the progress made in grace and education
by this boy not long delivered from heathenism. It was in
reply to one written him by Mrs. Dake, after it was learned
that Mr. Dake was bringing him to America to educate and
train for mission work in Africa:

"Freetown, W. C. Africa.
"My Dear Sister Dake: —

" Very thankful for the beautiful letter you have sent
me. I much pleased. Dear sister, I think I will come over
by the Lord willing. I have nothing to do but to trust Him.
That only way we shall do this. I praise the Lord forever,

378

Vivian A. Dake.

amen! My dear sister, I thank my dear brother Jesus for
the goodness He have done to me. But will you please
remember me in you evening and of a morning prayers, and
I will remember you in my prayers. But I tell you the true
my dear sister Dake if you take care of me as well as Bro.
Dake was going to do, very well. I feel very lovely. But
again my dear mother will you pleased sent me one good
beautiful letter to read.

"This letter I have written to you is my own letter. I
give love to you but I have nothings to said after all. Tell
all you people 4 how do' for me. I give love to them. Dear
sister will you please answered me as soon as you can. The
Lord bless always for you goodness you have done to me.
My dear sister Dake it good to have salvation in you soul, it
is wonderful to be repent. But I want to come over so you
can sent me to school.

"I only been school one year. I very thankful for the
letters you have sent to me. I want to come over, but I can
do nothings except the Lord be with us. My dear mother I
never see you before but you write very kind. The Lord
He will bless you. I tell you the truth God is a wonderful
Lord. He been good to me all this time. He kept me from
all evil. ' Let not your heart be troubled, ye believe in God
believe also in me. In my Father's house are many man-
sions, if it were not so I would have told you.' My dear
sister Dake see the word J esus speak to me. He would make
me feel joyful. Pray for me will you please. I have noting
to say after all. Tell all yourlTttle children 'how do' for me.

I, Henry O'Neil."

On the afternoon of the last Sabbath of the camp meet-
ing the memorial service of Mr. Dake was held. An im-
mense congregation gathered in the large tabernacle, who
listened attentively to the exercises. The memorial sermon
was preached by the writer from the words found in Luke
ix, " For whosoever will save his life shall lose it,"

In Africa.

379

Others followed both preachers and workers and with one
accord bore witness to his worth and the spiritual help re-
ceived by associating with him and by his sermons, exhorta-
tions and faithful personal dealing. At the conclusion of
the memorial exercises the Reapers Home work was pre-
sented. Mrs. Dake and several children from the Home
were present and much interest was manifested. Donations
of several hundred dollars in cash and subscriptions were
made to help carry on that branch of the work.

In concluding the band history we must return to the.
African work.

The battle at Monrovia was being pressed on in the face
of great difficulties, the greatest being the unhealthfulness of
the climate. The workers were frequently attacked with
chills and fever and Mr. Kerwood with dysentery which
terminated his life. The news of his death reached this coun-
try just as Mrs. Torrence and Miss North were about to leave
New York en route for Africa.

Feeling that the Lord was leading, they went forward
trusting the future to Him. Mr. Kerwood's death left Mr.
and Mrs. Chapman alone. The}' felt their loss, but rejoiced,
though in sorrow, knowing that he was with the redeemed.

They were much cheered by the coming to Africa of A.
L. Buckwalter, one of Bishop Taylor's missionaries. Though
connected with another mission he was a faithful friend who
gave them needed help. He too was taken ill with fever
one day, while at Mr. Chapman's home and was there con-
fined to his bed four weeks, very ill and some of the time near
death, but he finally recovered sufficiently to be removed to
the M. E. seminary. We mention him with gratitude as he
rendered much service during Mr. Dake's illness at Monro-
via. Mr. C. and wife rejoiced at the coming of Mrs. Tor-
rence and Miss North feeling that they could better carry on
the work with their help, though grave fears were enter-
tained that they might not be able to endure the climate,

38o

Vivian A. Dake.

The fact that Mrs. Torrence had lived there for two
years before, gave them hope that she would pass through
the second acclimating process with safety. They had them-
selves just recovered from an attack of fever and all went to
work to bring salvation to that people. One of the little
girls was converted soon after the arrival of Mrs. Torrence
and Miss North.

Some most precious seasons were enjoyed by them as
they met in prayer around the family altar. The work con-
tinued about six weeks when Mrs. Torrence was taken sud-
denly ill with hemorrhage of the stomach. She lingered
about two weeks and passed away. This was a great blow
to those remaining, as she was a good worker and had charge
of the children. She died Feb. 16, 1891.

Though a heavy loss had been sustained those who
were left, carried on the work until March 14th, when Miss
North was taken with the dread fever and passed peacefully
away March 23rd. Many had feared that she would not be
able to endure the climate, but she felt God leading so clear-
ly that she committed herself to Him and labored on until
the summons came. Her whole journey from America to
Africa seemed to be one triumphal march. Her journal
abounds in expressions of triumph, blessings and great joy at
being permitted to go to that land as a messenger of Christ.
Her heart yearned over the people, her prayers and tears
flowed for their redemption and she gave herself without re-
serve to live and labor or to die in their behalf. She had al-
ways been one of the most faithful, joyful workers in the
bands and her end was as glorious as her life had been. The
glory of God filled the place, as with angelic smile and up-
lifted hand " Matie" passed away.

Again they felt alone and the most severe testing time
was yet to come for Mr. Chapman's health began to fail.
Congestion of the liver and spleen fastened upon him, to such
a degree that a change of climate was felt to be the only

In Africa.

381

thing which could restore him to health, Mr. Dake had
written him some time previous to this to return to America
and recruit his health, but after the death of these two mis-
sionaries it was a sore trial to think of leaving Mrs. Chap-
man to labor alone in that land of death and darkness. But
as the rainy season came on he again took chills and fever in
addition to the other complaint and his only alternative
seemed to be to come. He accordingly embarked for
America. On arriving here he began at once to recover so
that when the time came to return in company with Mr.
Dake he was in excellent health.

During Mr Chapman's absence Mrs. Chapman carried
on the work at Monrovia. She took in a number of chil-
dren and instructed them several hours each day. She had
the church repaired and conducted divine services, taught
school, visited the sick and kept herself busily engaged dur-
ing Mr. C's absence, except when she had attacks of the
fever and when the rain prevented.

On Dec. 5th, after she had been alone several months,
Mr. Chapman returned accompanied by Mr. Dake. The
time passed rapidly away as they talked, prayed and sang
together and looked over the needs of the work. It is
evident that Mr. Dake had a strong premonition that the
Lord would take him to Himself from Africa.

Some count it a grievous mistake to sacrifice human
life thus for the redemption of the heathen, as three of his
workers had fallen already, but others do not look at it in
this light. Bishop Taylor has suffered the loss of a vast num-
ber of his faithful ones, over whose death he deeply mourns,
but he says: "Hecatombs of living sacrifices have yet to be
laid on the altar for the redemption of Africa." In the
March number of the Earnest Christian of 1887, there is an
article on " Martyr Seed and Martyr Fruit in Africa," which
contains according to our minds a true view of these deaths.
We quote some thoughts from it;

382

Vivian A. Dake.

"Who says that God is a slack paymaster, or that the
blood and tears shed for Him are as water spilled on the
ground which cannot be gathered up? He does not settle
with His workmen at the end of the week or year, but
He settles at last and it would greatly strengthen our faith
if we would diligently study His payroll, observing the
sacrifices and sufferings set against each name and then
tracing through history till we find the corresponding recom-
pense. The principle and the promise are equally explicit.
'Except a corn of wheat fall in the ground and die, it
abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.'
'We see the dying grain but the harvest is so remote that
we often fail to trace it to its seed.'"

The writer of the article tells in a number of instances
what glorious harvests have been gathered on the field where
the early missionaries fell. He spoke of Melville Cox, who
lies in the same graveyard where three of the Pentecost
workers lie buried. "Though a thousand fall, Africa shall be
redeemed," were the words which he had inscribed on his
tombstone.

This devoted and gifted young Methodist had given his
life to Africa, going out in 1833, but the deadly climate
brought him to the grave ere he had done his work. The
prayer which that silent tombstone has been holding up to
God for half a century shall be answered yet. " Thirty-three
missionary societies according to a recent estimate are now
working for Africa. They are compassing the dark conti-
nent on every side like the divisions of an invading army
moving in toward the center to close upon the last strong-
holds of cannibalism and the slave trade. And now on the
fields of West Africa where Cox thus fell, there are over
forty thousand members of the various churches, besides
hundreds in seminaries preparing for preachers and thousands
of children and youth under Christian instruction and hun-
dreds of thousands who have heard the gospel." — Tkompso7t.

In Africa.

383

u Never was Africa so unlikely to be given upas to-day.
The heroic Golat of the French mission to the Senegal was
a true prophet. Both he and his wife fell, in the battle with
hardships and fatal climate, within a year after reaching their
station. But his farewell words were: 4 Do not be discour-
aged if the first laborers fall in the field. Their graves will
mark the ivay for their successors who will march past them
with great strides.'" Well did this writer say after telling of
the harvests which had been gathered from martyr seed in
Africa.

•

" All this sets us to thinking and reckoning how the
graveyard of Africa is becoming a Gods-acre ripening with
the fruits of abundant conquest." However some may look
at these deaths from our ranks, Mr. Dake's especially, we
can but feel that an abundant harvest will yet be reaped from
the martyr seed which has been planted in African graves.
To human sight there seems to have been but little accom-
plished by the lives and brief labors of these faithful work-
ers, but the eye of faith already sees that developing which
gives promise under God of glorious fruitage in coming
years. The Judgment day will declare it and we can leave
it until then.

The news of Mr. Dake's death reached Monrovia a few
days after he passed away. Deep sorrow was felt by Mr.
and Mrs. Chapman at this unexpected termination of his
sickness, for they felt hopeful that the sea air would prove so
beneficial that he would recover.

This brings the history of the African work up to the
lime of the seventh annual Harvest Home at Newton, Iowa
in July, 1892. As another was elected by the bands to fill
Mr. Dake's place at this meeting we cease to follow their
history farther and simply add that in about one year after
Mr. Dake's death Mr. and Mrs. Chapman because of failing
health abandoned the mission and returned to America where

384

Vivian A Dake.

they soon regained their health and took their place in the
Work of the Lord.

CHAPTER XXIX.
SELECTIONS FROM JOURNAL.

After committing the supervision of the band work to
the writer who was. acting as his assistant, and bidding his
wife good bye, Air. Dake started for Germany May 1, 1SS9.
Under this date he writes:

c< God has wonderfully opened my way. Brother Hofert
of Chicago, pays all my expenses. I have much to praise
God for. We started by the Grand Trunk railway for New
York City."

May 2nd. " We are traveling all day through Michigan
and Canada. We stopped some time at Suspension Bridge, and
I went out on the new cantilever bridge and had a good view
of Niagara Falls."

May 3rd. "All night we traveled through New York
state and arrived at New York City this morning."

May 4th. " This morning we boarded the steamship
Vecndam of the Royal Netherlands line, bound for Rotter-
dam, Holland. We passed through the harbor by the mag-
nificent figure of the Goddess of Liberty, and out into the
Atlantic ocean. Often I have read of the ocean and seen
its outlines on the map, but now for the first time I am
lost in its immensity. What a masterpiece of God's handi-
work, reminding me of the great God whom I serve; too
deep, too wide to be comprehended by my littleness. How
I feel my humanity as I look on the grandeur of its sing-
ing waves. O, Jesus! I love thee more and more! This
is my first day at sea. Sisters Haberlien and Hofert of
Chicago, are also on board going to visit friends in Ger-
many."

Selections from Journal.

385

May 5th. " This is the Sabbath. I am holding pray-
ers twice and three times a day with the steerage passen-
gers, and this evening I preached to them awhile and had
good attention. I am holding up Jesus and His light is on
my soul. We are having very pleasant weather."

May 6th. " Every day we see steamships. One is
now far away on our southern quarter. Have had some
opportunity to speak for the Lord to day. I have been
thinking and praying much for my dear wife and precious
workers. May God anoint them with power from on high
and give them many souls. I have the assurance that I
will have success on my journey. We had prayers twice
to-day in the steerage. In the evening the passengers played
cards and swore and talked loud while I prayed; but God
was with me and gave me great grace and patience, so I
loved them all."

May 7th. "Still the weather is fine. We saw a steam-
ship in the morning and asked her to report us at New
York. God has made those ashamed who acted so rudely
while at prayers and they are very kind and were present at
prayers twice to-day. Glory to God! O how good He is!"

May 9th. The sea is rough to-day. The waves roll
high. Saw a school of porpoises. They leaped clear out
of the water in their gambols. Many of the passengers
are sick. The Lord graciously gives me good health and
favor with the passengers."

May 10th. 4< Arose at four A. M. Went out on the
stern of the ship and spent an hour alone with Jesus. O,
such a precious hour. I got such a hold of God for the
success of my mission to Germany; also was much led out
in prayer for my wife that she should find the place of re-
sponsibility which she ought to fill in the work of the Lord.
O Jesus, I thank thee for that precious hour, one of the
sweetest of my life. I have had a blessed morning.

" Saw a whale for the first time. He arose out of the

386

Vivian A. Dake.

water ten or fifteen feet, three or four times. I am among
a drinking, swearing, gambling set, but my soul is kept in
perfect peace. The waves are rolling quite high, so that
the tossing of the ship is breaking the dishes in the pantry.

" We had a rough time at prayers to-night. Some card
players grew very boisterous while we prayed, and continued
to laugh and curse and yell after we retired until two A. M.,
but the Lord kept me sweet."

May i ith. " Ship rocks considerably. Arose at five A.
M., and went to prayer. God is with me. All around me
is drinking, gambling, swearing, etc., but my soul is sepa-
rated from sinners. Had a hard time at prayers to-night
because of mockers."

"Sabbath, May 12th. "I have kept this day unto the
Lord. Held prayers with the passengers twice; otherwise
there has been no indication of the Sabbath on board the
ship."

May 13th. "We are- drawing near the English coast
and are looking for the lighthouse on Scilly Island. Expect
to be in sight of 4 Merrie England' to-morrow. In the last
twenty-four hours we have come two hundred and eighty-
five miles."

May 14th. "This morning for the first time in ten
days we saw land. How good it seems to see it. I am so
thankful to God who has brought me safely through to the
present hour. After passing the Lizard, we saw the rocky
coast of Cornwall, England. Beautiful fields are in sight,
dotted with houses, castles, forts, lighthouses, signal sta-
tions, etc. We have not yet sighted France. We have
passed the Island of Portland, with its citadel and frowning
battlements. I long to be in England and fight a battle for
the Lord. About seven P. M., we passed the Isle of Wight
with its many historical connections."

May 1 6th. "We steamed up the Rhine to Rotterdam.
We passed Delhaven from whence the Mayflower started on

Selections from Journal. 387

its journey two hundred years ago. Holland is a pretty
land. Long-armed windmills are • seen everywhere. The
houses are mostly tiled. I went ashore at Rotterdam. The
streets are very clean, even the alleys being paved. One sees
many strange things. Most of the draying is done by carts,
drawn or pushed by men, with a dog or two hitched up to
help.

4( I accompanied sisters Hofert and Haberlien to the train
which they boarded for Col mar. Then I took the train for
Amsterdam, passing through The Hague, the capital, and
Leyden, the most ancient city of Holland, also Harlaam.
Here I am alone among the Dutch in Amsterdam.

M I took a room at a hotel and after I had rested, boarded
the tram car and had a view of the city. It is built on canals.
Many of the streets are narrow but well paved. In the
evening I went to the Crystal Palace, a wonderful building.
I am the Lord's, soul and body.

May 17th. "I awoke late" this morning. Went to
Ryke's Museum, comprising two hundred rooms full ot
paintings. The greatest works of the Dutch masters are
here — Vandyke, Rembrandt, and others. « The descent
from the cross' was fine. 'Joseph fleeing from Potiphar's
wife ' was very striking. The dam is a public place around
which are the palace and other buildings.

"I am sitting in a little shop where I have just had
some chocolate, milk and biscuit for dinner, the first I have
eaten to-day. I am not alone in this strange land for God
is with me. The streets are very crooked, but the canals are
straight. People come to market on the canals. The tram
cars are similar to our American street cars.

" From Amsterdam I came to The Hague, the national
capital. I went about the city some. Visited the Houses of
Parliament and the old prison gateway where prisoners were
confined in the times of the Spanish inquisition. These
buildings were erected in the 15th century. I also visited the

388

*

Vivian A. Dake.

Protestant cathedral of the fifteenth century, and went
through the palace. It is plainly yet richly furnished. I
saw some magnificent presents which were given to the king
on his silver wedding. One of them was a table, costing
£4,000 or $20,000. From The Hague I came again to
Rotterdam at the request of the missionary of the Seaman's
Home. I had a blessed time at family prayers. I must note
the fact that the fields in Holland are flat and ditches run at
short distances. The Hollanders are a very polite people,
young and old touch their hats to strangers. Would that
Americans were thus courteous. But a more slow-going
race than these Hollanders, are hard to find.. They go to
market on canal boats which the}' push along with poles, or
else raise a small sail if the wind is favorable. I am pleased
with the country."

May 18th. "This morning I took a steamboat for a
trip up the Rhine. There are villages all along the river.
We have just passed two frowning forts, one on each side
of the river which is full of all kinds of crafts, large and
small, steam and sail. Church spires, towers and domes
meet one's eyes in nearly every direction.

"Yesterday at The Hague when I reached the depot,
the guide ordered a cup of milk for me, and I supposed
a cup of coffee for himself; but his coffee proved to be
beer. I told the waiter to take it away, as I did not drink
beer myself, nor could I pay for it for some one else. They
seemed much astonished, but the beer was removed.

"Praise the Lord! I have a sweet sense of His presence.
I expect to stop at Emmerich on the border of Germany, over
Sunday, and proclaim Jesus to the people. I have been on
the boat for two days. I must leave her to-night, as I have
never travelled on the Sabbath when it was avoidable, and al-
though I must stop among strangers with but little money
in my pocket, I will trust God."

May 19th. " The holy Sabbath finds me in Emmerich.

Selections from Journal.

3%

After morning1 meeting at the Evangelical Lutheran church,
I visited the Catholic cathedral. This is an ancient building.
I was told that the body of the church was built in the fifth
century, and the spire in the thirteenth century. It is at one
corner of the town and is enclosed by walls, which were
formerly walls of defense for the city.

" In the afternoon I took my Bible and went out into
the country. I walked down the Rhine until I came to a
quiet place, then I had a good long talk with my Lord, and
the peace of heaven like a benediction settled down on my
soul. While I was praying a German came along and asked :
* Are you sick ?' I told him : 40 no, I am praying, that
is aM.'"

May 20th. " I again resumed my journey up the Rhine.
It is now two A. M., here and while I am writing this, the
brethren and workers in Michigan and Illinois and my dear
wife in Iowa are doubtless engaged in their Sabbath evening
services, as k is about 8 P. M. there.

''The view from the river is beautiful. An old ruin of
the fourteenth century, the residence of the king, stands on
the left. It is called Kaiser swert. Dasseldorf is a large
tower with an old ruin castle on the river bank. The castle
or fort was built in the sixteenth century. Landing at Co-
logne I visited the great cathedral, which was the most con-
spicuous object in sight. It is called the greatest gothic
church in the world. It was commenced in 1248 and conse-
crated in 1322 and has been completed only within a short
time. It is 444 feet long, 201 feet wide externally and 282
feet through the trancepts. The height of the roof inside is
145 feet, the height of the spires 512 feet.

"It was wonderful to walk beside it, but to enter and
see its vast yet architectural proportions, and its beautiful
finish was grand indeed. In the south aisle are the windows
presented by Louis of Bavaria in 1846. I ascended five hun-
dred and two steps on the main spire. From there I had an

39°

Vivian A. Dake.

excellent view of the city and surrounding country, the beau-
tiful Rhine valley with its cities and villages, and Cologne
with its many churches.

" I visited St. Andrews church, which contains the body
of Albertus Magnus; also the church of St. Ursula, reputed
to contain the bones of the eleven thousand virgins who were
slain by the Huns, but they could not be seen. I also visited
the church of St. Gereon, built in memory of the Theban
legion and their captains, Gereon and Gregory, who suffered
martyrdom in the reign of Dicoletian. I saw the skulls of
many martyrs set in the walls. We left Cologne at half
past nine P. M."

May 21st. " I arose this morning at half past one in
time to see Castle Crag of Drachensfels. It is 1066 feet
high. The castle was built in the twelfth century. Esper-
lia, farther down is a basaltic cliff 665 feet high. We passed
Lintz on the left hand as you go up the river. It is an an-
cient walled town. Andernach on the right is one of the
most interesting towns on the Rhine. Its ruined castle, lofty
watch tower and ancient walls were in plain sight from the
ship's deck. The tower has a breach made by the French
guns in 1688. At Neowidon on the left, I saw the German
palace of the Prince of Wales. It is a large, oblong build-
ing, situated close to the river, and of plain though pleasant
architecture. Across the river from Neowidon is Weissen-
thurne, and on a hill back of the town I could see the monu-
ment to the French general, Hoche, who crossed the river
here in 1797.

"Engers on the left is where Caesar is supposed to have
crossed the Rhine the second time. We passed the island of
Niederwirth, and saw its prettily cultivated fields and convent
church built about 1500 A. D. Coblentz is at the junction
of the Rhine and the Moselle and is quite a large town.
Right opposite is the Gibraltar of the Rhine, Ehrenbralzur.
It is the strongest fortress in Germany, a high and rocky

Selections from Journal. 391

crag, fortified and casematcd from bottom to top. The rocks
are also perforated with subterranean works. The castle of
Stolzenfels belongs to Queen Augusta, and is one of her
summer residences. It is on the side of a little hill three
hundred feet above the Rhine. It was first built in the
thirteenth century, destroyed by the French in the seven-
teenth, and now restored.

" Across the river is Oberlahinstein, and just above it is
the pretty old castle of Lahnech. It has a legend connected
with it as all the old castles have. Rhense on the right has
a wall of the fourteenth century. Ranbrach on the left is
overtopped by the superb setting of Marksburg castle.
This is the boldest, most romantic spot we have yet seen
on the Rhine. The castle sits on the summit of this rocky
crag like a king on a throne. Above Bornhofen are the
twin castles of Steinberg and Libershien. They are close
together on two rocky peaks. The vineyards extend to the
very foundations of the castle.

" We are in the midst of the famous Rhenish vineyards.
The mighty hills which here hem in the river on both sides
are almost covered with vines. All up the slope amid sec-
tions of rocks and boulders are the vineyards. This is the
most beautiful scenery I have ever seen. The hills are from two
hundred to a thousand feet high and enclose us completely.
All the way from Coblentz the scenery grows more intensely
wild and picturesque. Villages, towns, cities, citadels, towers
and castles pass by in quick succession. A railroad runs on
each bank of the river, close to the water's brink. Just here
on the right the hills are so rocky that no vineyards can be
planted.

"O the grandeur of this unsurpassed scenery ! It speaks
volumes of praise to Him whose I am and whom I serve.
Far above Welmich is seen the castle of Thurnberg, or the
Mouse, built in the fourteenth century. It is a gloomy, grand
old pile of ruins. The legend that gave it the name of

392

Vivian A. Dake.

Mouse, is that an oppressor of the poor was there eaten by
mice. Over four hundred years since its construction,
and where are its gay occupants? Who were they ? Where
are they buried? Thus in ruin and oblivion ends all earthly
grandeur.

"I saw-the ruins of Castle Rheenfels, the largest pile I
have yet seen. Its situation is not so commanding as Marks-
burg, but the castle pile is wonderful. From the bottom of
the hill to the top it was wall after wall. On the left above
the town of St. Goarhauser, is the castle of the Cat.
St. Goarhauser lies across the river. Zurlei is an immense
rock four hundred and thirty-three feet high. The river
makes a sharp turn around the rock. At this place the rail-
roads on each bank run through tunnels. The right hand
ro;id requires two tunnels to enable it to evade this rocky
river pass. We have just come in sight of Oberwesli. It
has a gothic church of the fourteenth century, but the tower
has never been finished. Several old towers lend a picturesque
appearance to the place. The castle of Shonberg erected in
the twelfth century is also in plain view. The hills slope
back from the town, while across the river they arise almost
perpendicular from the water. The old wall of the tower is
quite well preserved.

" Caub on the left comes next, and above it the castle of
Sutenfels. In the river in front of the town is 1 The Plattz '
build by Louis of Bavaria in the fourteenth century to exact
toll from the vessels passing in the river. It is queerly built,
rising one story high,with portholes and projecting windows,
and a smaller tower rises from the center.

" The scenery here is beautiful. The hills are a perfect
net work of vineyards, while the town is built in a line along
the base of the hills with 'Plattz' in front and the castle in
the rear ground. Now I see the old ruins of Stohleck and
Farstenberg, two castles close together. On the left, Torch
has a church built in the thirteenth century. It is in a re-

Selections from Journal.

393

markable state of preservation. Across the river on the left
is Neederheimbeck, and above it the castle of Heimburg.
And then in succession the castles of Loonech Fahlenberg
and Rheinstein. The last two have been restored and pre-
sent a very correct appearance of a feudal castle.

"And now comes to view 'Sweet Bingen on the Rhine.'
Oft I have read of it, but little dreamed that I should behold
it, but it is even so. We behold and are now drawing to-
ward Bingen, which has existed in story and song. And it
certainly deserves the appellation of 4 Sweet Bingen on the
Rhine.' It is at the juncture of the Rhine and Nake. The
town is situated in the basin formed by the junction of the
rivers. Opposite on the wooded height of Neiderwald, is
the national monument commemorating the restoration of the
German Empire. It stands seven hundred and forty feet
above the river and consists of a pedestal seventy-eight feet
high. The town extends to the banks of the two rivers and
off on the slopes of the lofty hills at the rear.

" We stayed in Bingen only a few minutes, and now we
are steaming for Mayence. It is more level here. For the
first time in traveling many long miles I can see away into
the country. We came to Mayence at three P. M. I went
to see the church, a fine old structure of the tenth century,
but it was not open, and being very weary I did not go
further. Mayence was a Roman camp B. C. 38. We re-
main here until three A. M., when we start on our last day's
journey."

May 22nd. "I left the ship this morning at Worms,
and now I am on the very spot where Luther met and defied
the pope and the prelates. Emotions profound fill my heart
and tears fill my eyes as I think of that little monk standing
here on that eventful day. He saw arrayed against him the
temporal and ecclesiastical powers, with the pope at their
head, and intent on his destruction. Yet hear him say:
4 Here I stand, I cannot do otherwise. God help me!' He

394

Vivian A. Dake.

depended on God in that awful hour and refused to compro-
mise his principles.

" Where the Diet of Worms was held is now a mansion
surrounded by a beautiful garden, in which I am penning
these notes. Close at hand is the great cathedral, built in the
thirteenth century. It is a silent morning hour, much differ-
ent from the time when Luther was confronted by his bitter-
est enemies, and took his stand# by the grand truth, ' The just
shall live by faith.' That stand and that truth shook the
foundations of Rome and gave us the Reformation.

"I was much impressed with a view of Luther's monu-
ment. It stands on a square substructure and measures forty-
one feet, nine inches on each side. At the four corners are
pedestals of polished syemite, eight feet, two and three-fourth
inches high, on which are the statues of the mig htiest support-
ers and promoters of the Reformation. Frederick the Wise,
Elector of Saxony, nine feet in height, Philips the Magnani-
mous, Landgrave of Herse, nine feet, two inches, Philips
Melancthon, nine feet, ten inches, John Reuchlin, nine feet,
one inch.

" In the inner area sits a female figure emblematic of
the cities of Augsbery, Magsdeberg and Spires. On the
inner faces of the battlements are the arms of the twenty-
four cities which fought and suffered for the Reformation.
On the four socce pillars jutting out from the richly orna-
mented chief pedestal, are seated the statues of the four
earliest champions of the Reformation, viz: The French-
man, Peter. Waldus, 1 197 ; the Englishman, John Wycliff,
1397; the Bohemian, John Huss, 1425; the Italian, Hieromi-
nus Savanarola, 1498. These are surmounted by the colossal
statue of Luther eleven feet, four inches high, with a pedestal
twenty-eight feet towering above and crowning the whole.
In front we read the bold, decisive words, which were per-
haps the indirect cause of the monument being erected:
'Here I stand, I cannot do otherwise! God help me!'

Selections from Journal.

395

Amen. Many of Luther's energetic expressions, and en-
STavingrs of incidents in his life relative to the Reforma-
tion are to be seen in different places about the monument.

" The women of the town come to the bank of the
river to wash their clothes. There were scores of them
washing in the river and spreading their clothes on the grass,
or hanging them on lines to dry. I sat on the entrance
to the ferry across the Rhine, and ate my bread and orange,
and drank milk from a 6eer bottle. I have been strangely
moved while visiting Worms, and I vow to be true to God.
I know the war will rage; but I am the Lord's alone and He
will keep me.

u I came by train to Manheim, and am now waiting for
a train to Colmar. An awful scene is before me. Every
waiting room in this country is a saloon and men and women
are all drinking beer. My soul is burdened, but what can
I do, only pray and cry out against it?"

May 23rd. " I arrived in Colmar at half past twelve
A. M., but could not find an empty bed in the place, so I
sat on the sidewalk and prayed and praised the Lord until
morning. I was thankful it was not raining. I thought
of Him who had not where to lay His head, and of Jacob's
pillow of stone; and though I did not see the angels as did
the patriarch, yet I felt their presence.

61 1 started for Durennentzen this morning through a
most charming country; passed several villages and reached
my destination at seven P. M. I went at once to the house
of John Hofert, the brother of my Chicago friend, who has
so nobly helped me on this trip, and whose excellent wife
came over in the same ship. I find real saints among these
hospitable Germans. Glory to Jesus! In the evening seven-
teen or eighteen gathered into the house, and we had a blessed
time. I prayed and sang and talked, though my German is
somewhat defective."

May 24th. " This has been the most precious day I

39^

Vivian A. Dake.

ever spent on earth. At four A. M., while singing and
praying, my soul was much blest, my face was bathed in tears,
and I got such a sight of Jesus on the cross as charmed my
soul. I was much impressed with the words of Isaac Watts:

1 When I survey the wondrous cross,

On which the Prince of glory died;
My richest gain I count but loss,
And pour contempt on all my pride.1

I saw, so plainly, that no matter what I received, it was pur-
chased by the blood of Calvary, and that excluded all hu-
man boasting."

May 26. (< I arose at four A. M., and had a blessed
hour and a quarter's talk with my adorable Master. How I
saw my own littleness. He showed me clearly that 'They
that dwell in the secret place of the Most High, shall abide
under the shadow of the Almighty.' This afternoon the
people gathered in from the surrounding villages and I read
a chapter in German and preached from Mark viii, 34. God
lifted me up much and gave power to His Word. I felt
God was fitting me. After speaking meeting, we held an
altar service and five came to the altar seeking holiness.
God was there."

May 28th. « We took the train for Strasburg to-day
and went at once to the great cathedral. It is a wonder-
ful building, but not so striking as the one at Cologne. The
clock is the greatest curiosity. I was there at noon and saw
it in operation after eleven A. M. At the first quarter a
child comes out and strikes the quarter; at the second quarter
a youth comes out and strikes; at the third quarter a middle-
aged man strikes; at the fourth, an old man. Thus all the
stages are represented. Then death with a scythe in one
hand strikes the hour of twelve. When he strikes, a child
below turns the hour glass over. When the striking ceases,
the twelve apostles pass out in front of the Saviour, and each

Selections from Journal.

397

one bows to Him, and as they pass, the cock flaps his wings
and crows three times.

" The clock keeps the Zodiac. All the planets move in
their order, just as they move about the Zodiac, and with the
same time. A ball representing the moon, turns just as the
moon is full or partial. A globe turns on its axis as the
earth turns. A hand shows what hour the sun rises each day,
another what hour it sets. The clock keeps the day of the
month, also the ecclesiastical time. The room was crowded
with people to see it.

"i ascended to the roof of the building, and had a beau-
tiful view of the city. The church is gothic and was begun
1015 A. D. Right near it stands the oldest dwelling house
in the city, six hundred yeavs old. I saw also the monu-
ment of Gutenberg, inventerof the printing press. The war
of 1871, between the French and Germans, raged around
Strasburg. I saw great earth works about the city. I came
back to Colmar in the forenoon; got acquainted with the
head assessor. He invited me to his home. I went and
prayed with him. God was with me."

May 29th. " This morning I arose at half past three
and took early train for Basle. On arriving here I went
to the old Minister church, where lie the bones of Eras-
mus. I saw his sepulchre, also that of Empress Anne of
Hohenburg, wife of Emperor Rudolph I, of Hapsburg.
Count Thurstein, also is buried here. He was the Protector of
the Chapter and died 13 18. This church was commenced
in 1356 A. D.

" From Basle, I went to Jurich, scene of the labors oi
Ulrich Zwingli. He was slain in the battle with the Catholic
canons. I visited the old church where he aroused the Swiss
to battle for their release from popery. It is of the tenth cen-
tury and very plain. I traveled nearly all day amid charm-
ing Swiss scenery. What I have seen of Switzerland is

398

Vivian A. Dake.

picturesque indeed. Took train back to Mansenheim this
evening and am again at Durennentzen."

June 2nd. "This has been a glorious day. This after-
noon I organized the first Free Methodist church (class) ever
organized on European soil. It numbered twelve. They
are all blessed, plain pilgrims. It has been a great step for
them, as they have had to give up their wine making, and
this is the staple here. In the evening brother Haberlien,
who lives in another village took me and some of the class
over to his home where I preached again. It was a Catholic
village, and a mob quickly gathered outside. They sang,
yelled and swore, and then fell to fighting and one man was
stabbed."

June 3rd. "We walked to a village three miles distant and
held meeting. One woman was at the altar seeking the Lord,
and many others wept loudly. There was much conviction
on them."

June 4th. " Good meeting to-night at brother O's. The
whole class were seeking holiness."

June 5th. "In my morning devotions I was much im-
pressed with the coming of the Lord. I must watch for His
coming. I see the great harvest, and so few to enter in.
Help, O Lord, and send laborers in thy harvest field. A little
while and the kingdoms of this world must become the king-
doms of the Lord and of His Christ. Every land must hear
the glorious news. God help me to forget every earthly
pleasure, to know no man after the flesh, and love most where
I see most of the image of Jesus my Lord. When I fall, I
want it to be face foremost toward my purchased possessions.
Glory to Jesus!

" I held to-day the first society meeting ever held in
Germany. We elected brother H. class leader. I did feel
thankful to my prayer answering God. I still feel much im-
pressed about my Lord's coming. While praying in a barn
God came with much inspiration to my soul."

Selections from Journal.

399

June 9th. " A glorious Sabbath. Two more joined the
class and the power of God was felt all day."

June 10th. " This morning Ibadethe friends good by
and started for Paris, France."

June 1 ith. " After traveling over French soil all night?
this morning we traveled through beautiful country and are
now in Paris, before noon, We took a cab and went to sis-
ter Hofert's uncle's, who is a servant of the Grand Duke.
We found him in the Duke's palace. He took us to a restau-
rant for dinner. Then we went to the Universal Exposition ;
I suppose the most wonderful one the world ever saw. I
went upon the Eiffel Tower. It is a thousand feet high, and
presents a grand view of the city. I have a nice boarding
place here with a Swiss lady."

June 1 2th. "This morning we visited the « Place De
La Concordi,' saw ' Cleopatra's Needle ' and the place where
the guillotine stood where Louis XVI, Marie Antoinette, and
three thousand others suffered death between June 21, 1793?
and May 3, 1795. I felt the solemnity of this place. We
next visited the 'Arch De Triumph,' a magnificent piece of
architecture. Then we passed on to the Madalian church.
After dinner we went to the Hospital De Inralides, where the
tomb of Napoleon is situated. It is one of the most beautiful
things I have yet seen. As I stood and looked on the sar-
cophagus that contains all that is earthly of the mighty war-
rior, and thought of his battles and downfall and probabili-
ties for another world, I was choked with emotion, and amid
my tears I said:

* I'd rather be the least of them,

Who are the Lord's alone,
Than wear a royal diadem

And sit upon a throne.'

"The tombs of Louis Napoleon and Joseph Napoleon and
Marshalls Duroc and Bertram are also here. The beauties
of the building and the rich furnishing can be understood

400

Vivian A Dake.

only by being seen. Many of Napoleon's cannon are about
the grounds.

"Next we went to the Palace of the Louvre and Tuiler-
ies. This kept us most of the afternoon. Hundreds of rare
paintings-and rich treasures of art are here. From this place
we visited the Place De La Bastile. Here stood the old
prison in which Madam Guyon was incarcerated. Thousands
of others here suffered untold agony and a fearful death. It
was destroyed in 1789."

June 14th. " Farewell to Paris — I am homeward bound.
We leave the city of society to-day, and I rejoice at the
thought of soon being again in the front ranks of the Lord's
army. We had a pleasant ride through France, then crossed
the line into Belgium. We passed close by the battlefield
of Waterloo, and through Brussels, the capital. We also
passed Antwerp, of historic fame. It is completely sur-
rounded by earthworks. We arrived at Rotterdam at six P.
M., and went on board the vessel."

June 15, " At three A. M., we left Rotterdam, and are
now in the English Channel. I have been praying all the
morning and feel much of the sweet peace of God in my
heart."

June 21st. <4 To-day the camp meeting begins at Ray,
Ind. The quarterly conference and the Michigan bands
have united to hold it. Brother A. Bradfield and brother
Nelson have it in charge. I am praying that God may make
it a wonderful meeting. The wind increased all day and at
times the waves rolled over the upper decks. I was on deck
much of the time and enjoyed the glorious scene."

June 22nd. " I have been much blessed to-day in pray-
ing God to send floods of holy rain on the camp ground at
Ray, Ind."

June 27th. " We reached New York at five P. M.
Praise the Lord for the safe voyage! Left at nine P. M.
for Chicago, 111."

Selections from Journal.

401

June 29th. " I reached the camp ground at Ray, Ind.,
two days before the meeting closed. God is here in power.
Glory to His name! I was much helped in preaching in the
evening. It seemed good to be in meetings again with the
workers. The Lord gave us a time of blessing."

June 30th. '* This has been the best Sabbath of my
life. A time of power on the camp ground. Some preach-
ers as well as others are seeking holiness."

July 1st. "The camp meeting closed. The Lord gave
us money to pay car fares for ten workers, to the annual
Harvest Home to be held <at Carlinville, 111. Brothers
Shumway and Donley have again helped us nobly on
finances."

July 3rd. <4 Reached Chicago to-day and spent the
night at the hospitable home of brother and sister Hofert."

July 4th. " Brother Hofert's folks, brother Harry Ag-
new from Africa, ten workers and myself spent the day
pleasantly in Lincoln park, and thanked God for the rest we
enjoyed."

CHAPTER XXX.

We append a few letters to his wife and children and
others as being of interest, also the last entries in his journal .

"Hebron, Minn., June 12, 18S2.
"My Own Dear Ida: —

"How I am blest of God! This has been the greatest
experience of all my life. I can't tell you much about this
work of grace. My eyes have seen wonderful, wonderful
things in the last few days. God did help me to preach the
gospel yesterday morning. O my dear, I wish I could tell
you. The meeting commenced in power and it has kept

402

Vivian A. Dake.

increasing every moment. Souls were saved and sanctified
every day, until yesterday the great day of the feast. I
preached in the morning. In the afternoon brother Ellis
preached. What do you think! Twenty-two came forward
and oh, what a time! In the evening twenty-four were for-
ward. This afternoon nineteen were forward. All classes,
sinners, formalists and backsliders; all together crying and
groaning for mercy. Many are coming out into the light
and the work goes on. I do not know when I shall get
home. Well good by dear,

Vivie."

"Hartford, Mich., Feb. 7, 1888.

"Dear Wife: —

" Of course I always thought that our girls would work
in the Pentecost work, but this morning I have, under the
pressure of the Spirit consecrated Mary for India, Carrie for
Africa, and 'Kittie' (Ruth) for anyplace He calls. Oh, oh!
It brought the tears in showers, but I was glad to make the
offering. Now then if this be the will of God I shall praise
Him forever! Be more careful with them in training them.
They are the Lord's and we must be careful of another's
property. Let Mary save her pennies and talk to her about
the missionaries and read to her about them from the papers.
God bless you my darling, and my sweet babies.

Vivian."
"On Train, March 4, 1889.

" My Dear Own Ida: —

" How God is with us. Twenty-one were saved last
week at Girard, 111., and three more last night, a gambler
and his wife and the wife of one of the young converts.
Friday night I came near going to glory. I gave the Catho-
lics some truth and after I had gone home with a man and
was sitting at the table some one threw a brick, through the
window, which struck me on the head just back of my right

Letters. 403

ear, cutting a deep gash. It broke every glass in the win-
dow. I did not know what had happened at first, but just
thought I had been shot. I tell you I was rejoiced to suffer
for Jesus. Glory to His name!

Good bye, Vivian."

4<To Henrietta E. Muzzy.

"DURENNENTZEN, GERMANY, June 5, 1889.

u Sister Etta: —

" The God of battles undertake for you. Only believe
and all things are possible to him that beheveth. O, what a
day this has been. I have been watching for His coming all
day. God gave me a beautiful piece, words and music, to-
day, 'Watch for His coming.' I have another one, ' What a
sinner I have been.' I whistled the tunes out and learned
them so I can sing them.

u Oh the floodtides of eternity have been gushing
through my soul all day. I have had my ears full of the
sound of the Judgment and my eyes of eternity, so to speak
lean see the fields. O, Etta, pray God to send laborers
into His vineyard. Ask R — and L — to pray and all who
are there. Make a special point of it. Does not God tell us
especially to pray tor that} My soul is bursting full of zeal
and fire. From every direction the cry comes for laborers.
Now everybody claim Acts ii, 17, 18.

Your brother, Vivian A. Dake."

The following is a letter of advice to a seeking soul.

" R , III., Jan., 30, 1888.

"Miss M —

" I am so glad that the light of 'God is shining on your
soul. Don't fail to go to the bottom and let God's light shine
on you. You are on the right track. Confess all out to
God and confess to others as God lets the light on your soul.
Get 'Fletcher on Christian Perfection' and read pages 61,62,

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Vivian A. Dake.

and 63. Oh! it means so much to get down through all the
moral uncleanness and all the carnal sympathy. Oh! how
this pulls and hauls unclean souls toward each other. But
when one dies out the real death, how separate he feels from
everybody around him. Lord bless you, my sister. I am
sure God will take you through. I don't think you know
what I mean by carnal sympathy. I mean that quality of
depravity that draws people together and then develops into
inordinate affection and inordinate affection into lust. Every-
body, everywhere, unsanctified are poisoned, more or less,
with this carnal drawing. But when the 'old man' is truly
crucified one of the most apparent results is the absence of
this carnal drawing. Oh! sister, don't stop short of it.
Flesh will cry, ' not now, to-morrow'. God will show you
if you want to see. You will find yourself taking sides with
the 'old man', but decide against him, expose his every de-
formity to the gaze of your Christ and He, by His active
agent the Holy Ghost, will effectually do the divine part of
the work. It is your part to cry out against him, to expose
him to the gaze of your God and God's part to overcome)
subdue and kill. Amen. Glory to God! You will see the
depths of pride, self-will and hell in your heart. Do not try
to think yourself better than others. You may be outwardly
better; but to what do you owe it? Your own inherent
goodness? Nay, but to the restraining influence that God
has thrown so graciously about you.

"No human being ever had a more depraved heart (nat-
urally speaking) than you. Here are all the elements of sin
and only take away the restraining grace of the Spirit from
about you and you would be a devil incarnate. Do not try to
think otherwise. Oh! hate sin, abhor uncleanness. Did not
the ' old man' pursue your Christ to Calvary? God help you
my sister! You will know when you are dead. You may
not be filled at once. You may not seem to be filled, by feel-
ing for days. Do not fear. Have you the consciousness of

Letters.

405

death? Go down until your pickax strikes fire. That is the
way the miner knows when he strikes the rock.

" The settled consciousness will fill your soul — 4 dead and
clean.' Faith will do her work easily and without great
effort, for unbelief, the creature of depravity, dies with its
master. Oh! sister the glorious tidings of salvation will
come to your soul like brooks of water from a barren rock to
the thirsty and perishing multitudes. Then you will know
for yourself, and you will call any place good and content-
ment begotten of God will fill your being. Glory! Glory!
You must be sure and obey quickly and put your own ways
from you. Quickly and cheerfully substitute the opinions of
others for your own. Delight in the cross and make self-
denial your daily exercise.

" When you are dead to sin you will feel the content-
ment of heaven in your soul. Right there in the midst of
naturally distasteful surroundings you have found your place.
Do you not fit the place? Do not try to fit the place to you,
but let God prepare you for the place.

4 While place we seek or place we shun
The soul finds happiness in none;
But with my God to guide my way
'Tis equal joy to go or stay.'

Vivian A. Dake."

"Sogndal, Norway, Oct. 24, 1891.

44 Darling Wife:

" Safe at last in Lillian's mountain home. O, it is so
beautiful. I wish you were here. Out of the window I can
see an arm of the sea a mile wide. Sivert, George and I put
a line out and caught a fish to-day. All around the town are
mountains two or three thousand feet high, while one six
thousand feet high shoves its snow-capped summit up among
the clouds.

" Away up the sides of the mountains you can see the

406

Vivian A Dake.

houses of the peasant farmers. The scenery is grand and
sublime. Sivert and Lillian were so glad to see us. We
sang, 'It is good to be here' and God's power came on us
all. Bless the Lord! This afternoon we held a street meet-
ing. A good many people came. I preached and Sivert
interpreted. We sang and prayed and gave God the glory.
Some wept and some were much stirred up. We had a fine
trip from Bergen. We came on the steamer C our man dor en.
We are away inland on the great fiords. All the way the
mountains closed around us. We had prayers on the steamer
and at one place a great crowd came on and we sang and
prayed with them.

"To morrow we go away up the mountains to have
meeting. We have a street meeting in the afternoon and
meeting in a private house in the evening. God be with
you. Be true. Throw yourself out for souls. Do not stay
at home. Get out to meeting every Sabbath and at least
once a week. I did not hear from you here. We start
away from here Monday, Nov. 2nd, D. V. Then I shall
look for mail from you at Milnrow. Write me in Africa
after Nov. ist. Love to all. I am so well and free and
blest. Glory to God! Tell the little girls that papa loves
them. Tell them papa went in a rowboat on the ocean
to-day. It was very nice. We caught a fish we will have
for dinner to-morrow. Wish you could have some of our
fresh fish. Pray much for me. It is now six P. M., and
is quite dark. It is half past seven A. M. with you. I shall
go to bed about the time you are having dinner and prayers.

Good bye. Vivian."

"London, England, Nov. 8, 1891.
"My Dear Precious Wife: —

" I am now in London. W^e stopped at Birmingham
two hours and I saw brother Trenfield who has been- writ-
ing to me. He was very glad to see me and gave me some

Letters — A Tribute.

money which we thanked God for. We were just out and
God sent it in time. Bless His name. We are away up in
the top of a small hotel, called The Wellingboro. It is near
the midland depot.

" This morning George and I went to service in West-
minster Abbey. It is the church where all the English kings
and queens are crowned. I saw the grave of David Liv-
ingstone, who died alone in Africa, on his knees. I was
so glad to see his tomb. It is in the Abbey. We saw St.
Paul's Cathedral. It is a marvelous building. Here I saw
the grave of England's praying general Gordon, who was
killed at Kartoum, Africa. We went in the afternoon to
Wesley's Chapel on the City Road street. Wesley built it
and preached in it many times. He lies buried just behind
it. I stood by his grave. Near him lies Adam Clarke, the
great commentator, and on the other side Joseph Benson,
another commentator.

"To one side lies Richard Watson who wrote Watson's
Institutes. At his side is Thomas Rutherford. On one
side of the church is the house where Wesley died. Across
the road in Bunhilifield's cemetery are the graves of Samuel
and Susanna Wesley, John's father and mother, also of
John Bunyan and of Isaac Watts who wrote c Were the
whole realm of nature mine', etc. It was a grand privilege.
Praise the Lord! I send you some grass and the twig of a
tree, both from the grave of Susanna Wesley. Also send a
flower from the grave of John Wesley and a leaf of 4 live-
forever' from the grave of Dr. Watts. Have just written
another article — ' Kindling Watch Fires.'

Your own Vivian."

BIRTHDAY PRESENT TO MY WIFE.

WRITTEN ON NOV. 22, 1891, IDA'S THIRTY-FIRST BIRTHDAY.

"Gladsome day returning,
Marks another year,

4o8

Vivian A. Dake.

With its joys and mourning,

With its hopes and fear;
Marks another layer,

On the wall of life,
Through our Great Preserver,

For my precious wife.

Stormy, cold November,

Twenty -second day,
Day I shall remember,

Oft in tuneful lay;
Out of it came beauty

Sparkling forth with life,
Music, worth and duty —

Ida May, my wife.

Fourteen years together,

Have we walked as one,
In all sorts of weather,

Night and noonday sun :
But the latest birthday,

Finds our hearts more true,
Than when in our heyday,

Journeying was new.

Little Ruth and Carrie —

These the precious gems
And our eldest Mary,

In our diadem;
May this day forever,

Mark its moments trod,
Faltering, no never,

Nearer all, to God.

Much have you to live for,
Great the work to do;

All the strength you pray for
Shall be given to you.

Life is not a trifle,
Living do your best,

Do not one power stifle-
Heaven will bring you rest.

Vivian A. Dake.

Journal.

409

" Monrovia, Dec. 7, 1891.

"My Very Dear Wife: —

" I am here on the field. I have a nice window facing
the west and north. I look out of my west window to the
far-away land where my darling watches and prays. The
weather is very hot. Am quite well and very happy. I am
in God's order. O, the darkness. I took one of the heathen
to the bush and prayed for him. My eyes run down with
tears. — Keep yourself in the love of God. O, darling pray,
— knee work. O, do set your soul's eye on Jesus.

Yours with love to babies, Vivian."

JOURNAL.

Sept. 22nd to 28th, 1 89 1 . "Have been visiting the
bands and getting the Reapers Home in shape with a view
to being absent nearly a year in foreign lands. To-day I
bade good bye to the children and workers and started for
Chicago, en route for New York.

Sept. 29th. " Staid over night in Chicago. Wife is
with me."

Oct. 1st. " Bade wife good bye in Chicago to-day and
started for New York."

We omit his journal on shipboard as it is largely given
in his letters.

Dec. 6th. " In Monrovia, Africa. Arose early and
went to the love feast at the M. E. church at six A. M.
Was much blest in testimony. In the afternoon I went again
to hear one of Bishop Taylor's missionaries preach."

Dec. 7th. " This morning I took a boat and rowed out
to the steamer and got a bag of rice. Have enjoyed African
food very much; have eaten cassada, plantain, palmnuts and
eddoes. Went up to the seminary this evening and saw
brothers Buckwalter and Smirl, two of the Bishop's mission-
aries.

Dec. 8th. " Two Kroo men came in to prayers. We

4io

Vivian A. Dake.

went to Krootown this evening and saw the Kroos dance.
They had a tom-tom (drum) which they beat, and they
danced in a circle, one behind the other. It was a weird
scene in the darkness. We went to a Krooman's house
and prayed with him. He professes to be a Christian but
has two wives. He needs another touch of divine grace."

Dec. nth. "This morning I had my first expe-
rience with African workmen. I hired three boys last night
to row the canoe this morning. We sent after them twice
and then went after them but they would not come. I
went to the beach and hired three boys there. We had a
large native canoe hewed out of a single log.

«« We went up an arm of the sea to the St. Paul river.
We passed by continuous mangrove swamps. The St. Paul
is a wide river with beautiful scenery on either bank. There
were cane and coffee farms and the houses were large and
well built. We reached Millsbury about noon, and sending
our boys back with the canoe, we walked two and a half
miles to the Muhlenburg Mission. The large mission houses
are situated in the midst of a large coffee farm and the trees
by the hundred were in bloom. We were heartily welcomed
by brother and sister Day, the missionaries. Brother Smirl
was with me. A party of American explorers were there
at the Mission. Natives of both sexes and all tribes and
sizes, crowd continually to brother Day's."

Dec. 1 2th. "About forty raw heathen had a 'palaver'
to-day at the Mission house and brother Day gave them
each a yard of overall stuff for some work they had done.
They were of the Pessa tribe, nearly naked and had their
hair shaved back to about the middle of their heads. I have
been real blest to-day."

Dec. 13th. ''Preached twice to-day in the Mission
chapel, and was blessed. Especially in the evening I had a
real touch from God. My soul was melted at the thought
of the wondrous love of Jesus. I felt extra well after

Journal.

411

preaching twice and sweating profusely in this hot climate.
My audience was all sizes and conditions, from the educated
white man, to the raw heathen."

Dec. 18th. " To-day after good byes we took the little
steamboat, the Sarah Ann for Cape Mesurado. We had
a pleasant ride. Six miles this side of Monrovia our steamer
struck on a sand bar and we rode into town in a surf boat."

Dec. 20th. "This evening I commenced meeting in
the M. E. church of Monrovia. There was a good turn out
and a shaking among the people. The Lord helped me
much from Jer. xii, 5."

Dec. 21st. "A steamer from home came in last night
and we got our mail this morning. We got the news of
the death of Grace Hill, our teacher in the Reaper's Home.
She was a choice spirit, sober-minded and always bent on
doing God's will. She has gone to her reward. I found a
steamer would return Jan. 23rd when I expect to sail for
England. We had a good meeting at six A. M., in our
bamboo church at Krootown. I was much helped in preach-
ing at night in the M. E. church. We hold two services
every day, one at Krootown in the morning, and in the M.
E. church at night. A lady came forward without invita-
tion to-night. My soul was watered though God gave truth
which did not bring many ' aniens.' "

Dec. 22nd. " At Krootown we had a good crowd.
They were very attentive to the truth and I believe some are
under conviction. A good time in the meeting at night."

Dec. 23rd. "I talked to the Kroo men from the parable
of the sower. Neka and Nimla, two head members were at
the altar, and then came to the band home and we had prayers
together. Preached with liberty at night."

Dec. 24th. " Brother Chapman and I got a canoe to-
day and went to Barnersville. We went up Stackton Creek
four and a half miles, and then turned off in to another creek
and went to its source. It was a fine ride. We found a nice

412

Vivian A. Dake.

country. We had prayers with Mr. Howard Tyler, an
American negro, who came over thirteen years ago, and was
the first settler at Barnersville. We passed thirty-six canoes
in coming back."

Dec. 25th. "This is the strangest Christmas I ever
spent. I am in a tropical land. The birds are singing in the
evergreen trees and the trees are loaded with fruit. Plums,
pears, cocoanuts,bananas, plantain, pawpaws, cherries, oranges,
limes and lemons await the picker. The weather is very
hot,. J, prayed and received my Christmas gift, a most
blessed baptism of the Holy Ghost. God gave me the prom-
ise of permanent buildings for our Reapers Home. I prayed
for all the workers by name, and got so blessed I leaped for
joy and ran through the house. Had a good time at Kroo-
town this morning and in the M. E. church at night."

Dec. 26th. " Went to Krootown and felt God's blessing
on me. I talked to them from the parable of the barren fig
tree. No meeting at the M. E. church to-night."

Dec. 27th. <4 1 went to the Holiness Band meeting at
six A. M., led the meeting and had a blessed time in holding
up the light. I went to the Presbyterian church at eleven
A. M., and gave them a talk; to Krootown in the afternoon
and had a good turn-out and God's presence. At night we
had a blessed time using the parable of the rich man and
Lazarus. Have been struggling with fever all day and to-
night was feeling bad. Brother Chapman gave me a cold
water pack. The Lord blest me and I got quite easy. This
is my first experience with African fever."

Dec. 28th. i( I feel some better this forenoon though
my head still aches. I got melted to tears over Isaac Watts'
hymn:

1 Lord how secure and blest are they,
Who feel the joys of pardoned sin.'

The sweetness of heaven came into my soul. Oh, how safe
I feel. Bless the Lord! A text on the wall is about me like

His Death.

4i3

a defense, 4 The Lord is my light and my salvation, whom
shall I fear.' A gracious watering of God's Holy Spirit
helped me soul and body."

CHAPTER XXXI.

For some time before leaving America it had been evi-
dent to Mr. Dake's nearest friends, that his superhuman efforts
were carrying him fast to the river's brink. He seemed to
feel it himself, and often spoke of going. He said to the
workers: <4If any of. you are near when I die, have me
buried on the field where I fall, and shout over my triumph,
rather than weep over my departure, as you rush on after the
lost.

"He was taken with the dread African fever on Mon-
day, Dec. 28th, 1 89 1, at the mission house of brother and
sister Chapman, Monrovia, Africa. From a letter written
by sister Chapman after his death, we quote the following:
" He was taken down one week ago to-day, was better the
next day, but we felt he was taking the African fever, and
as he was very much run down, we advised hi in to get ready
to start for England on a steamer then a week overdue. The
fever ran pretty high Saturday, but all thought it would be
best for him to go, and get the sea air and into a cooler atmos-
phere as soon as possible."

He was carried on board the steamer by native men,
and left under the care of Mr. Smirl, a missionary from the
M. E. seminary, and Mr. Brovvnell, a scientific explorer, both
of whom were taking the steamer for England. Henry, a
converted native accompanied Mr. Dake, who intended he
should be educated and trained for missionary work in Af-
rica. Brother Buckwalter, of Bishop Taylor's mission, and
brother Chapman, who had been very attentive to Mr. Dake,

414

Vivian A Dake.

and nursed him through his sickness thus far, went on board
and made all necessary preparations for his journey, We
cannot do better than to insert Mr. Brownell's letter in full,
written on shipboard.

"Ship Afandingo, Jan. 10, 1892.

"Mrs. V. A. Dake — Dear Madam: — Having been
with your husband much of late, I feel it my duty to write
you fully as I can concerning him. I know not whether you
have heard the sad news as yet; if not I will say at first, that
he died at Sierre Leone, Jan. 5, 1892 of African fever. He
had been sick nine days, and died while delirious. He was
taken sick on Monday, Dec. 28th, at Mr. Chapman's in Mon-
rovia. They kept him there till next steamer, which was on
the following Saturday. Mr. Smirl and I also took that
boat. We boarded the ship about midnight, as they were to
sail before daylight and did not arrive before evening. Mr.
Dake was carried in an invalid chair by natives. We had
then to take a surfboat about a quarter of a mile to the
ship. He remained in the chair and was carefully hoisted
into the ship, and placed in a berth in the same room as Mr.
Smirl and myself, He felt well and very cheerful. Next
morning, Sunday, he felt very well indeed, and was jubilant
in the thought of soon reaching a temperate clime. The
ship's physician who had not been to see him the night
before, said: 4 Why, you are all right. I expected to see a
sick man.' He did indeed appear to be done with the fever.

He said that his back was healthy as a baby's, and his
stomach the same. His temperature was almost normal.
Next morning he was worse and had considerable fever. He
had taken no medicine at Mr. Chapman's, except wet packs.
The doctor on the ship insisted that he take medicine or he
would be put ashore at Sierre Leone, as he was responsible
for his life. Accordingly he took several doses of quinine,
and one or two other medicines.

His Death.

4*5

'« We reached Sierre Leone about noon on Monday,
and Mr. Smirl and I went ashore for oranges and limes, leav-
ing him in charge of Henry, the black boy whom he had
decided to take with him to America. We returned in a
few hours, having called on the missionary residing there,
named McCullough. We found Mr. Dake feeling about
the same. Toward evening Mr. McCullough came off in a
boat to see Mr. Dake. It seems he and Mr. Chapman had
stopped at his home on their way out to Liberia. He had
not been able to sleep for several nights, and was given a
sleeping draught at 10 o'clock Monday evening. Monday
night he slept but little. At five o'clock in the morning, I
was awakened by Mr. Smirl calling me loudly. ■ I jumped
from my berth to see Mr. Smirl and Henry holding Mr.
Dake, who was calling loudly, and trying to get out of bed.
We soon got him back, but he remained delirious until one
o'clock P. M., when he passed quietly away. I was in the
room when he passed away, and so quiet was it that I could
not tell the exact moment of his death.

"We immediately sent word to Mr. McCullough to see
if he could arrange to have him buried on shore, as our ship
left in a few hours and he would have to be buried that night
at sea. Soon Mr. McCullough came and had a coffin brought.
He was wrapped in a sheet placed carefully in the coffin, and
carried ashore. Our ship then left. You will hear the rest
from Mr. McCullough. He was resigned all the time and felt
that God was teaching him some great lesson. His things
were immediately sealed up, and the captain is responsible
for them. To say that I sympathize with you in this great
sorrow, would be a very slight expression of my feeling.
But I believe as you do in an overruling Providence and I
believe he is much better off than ever before. May God
bless you my dear sister, is my earnest prayer.

Very truly yours,

Geo. G. Brownell,"

416

Vivian A. Dake.

An account of this burial and the last acts of sympathy
and love manifested by kindly hands is given in the letter be-
low, written by Mr. McCullough, missionary at Sierre
Leone.

"Freetown, West Coast, Africa, Jan. 18, 1892.
"Dear Brother ChxVpman: —

"I hardly know just what to say; — but presume you
have been made aware of the calling home of our brother
Dake on board the steamer, Mandingo^ on the 5th inst.
Brother Dake passed sweetly away with a smile on his face.
When the steamer arrived here it was reported to leave in a
few hours and it was shortly before the time set for leaving
that I was informed of brother Dake's presence and illness
on the steamer. I went on board and did what I could, but
had to leave soon because the steamer expected to go, it being
about seven o'clock P. M. The next morning I was sur-
prised to learn the steamer was still in harbor. I had a fever
patient in our house, brother Codding, to look after, and as
the steamer was expected to go at any time, I did not go on
board in the morning. About three P. M., word was sent
me that brother Dake had passed away about one o'clock
P. M. I immediately took charge of affairs and brought the
body ashore and had the funeral the next morning at eight
o'clock. The captain of the steamer took charge of the per-
sonal effects of brother Dake and said he would turn them
over to the proper authorities in Liverpool. He gave me £^
to cover expenses here, and of this sum nine shillings are
left. The grave of our departed brother will need some
stones put around it to keep it from sinking down when the
wet weather comes. This will cost four or five shillings.
The rules of the country are as follows: For a temporary mark
over a grave,a mark for one year, ten shillings. For a permanent
mark, thirty shillings. This is just a license to mark the
grave, the material for the work and the labor of making it

His Death.

4i7

is extra, Brother Dake left no message behind. When I
saw him the day the steamer arrived I did not think he was
dangerously ill. I thought if the vessel ran out into cooler
air that eve he would get along all right. I was told that he
became delirious that night and had scarcely any rational
moments afterwards. He talked of his wife and children a
good deal. Sometime before the end he fell into a comatose,
which continued until the last. Two of our party, brother
Codding and Jaderquist, have had slight attacks of fever this
year, but we are all right now, I think. The rest of the
party are well. The boy Henry O'Neil, who was with
brother Dake is with us here. We find him a very good boy
and want to keep him as long as he will stay. He still wants
to go to America. Allen McCullough."

No cablegram was sent to his friends at home, and the
letter written by Mr. Brownell was not received in America
until after the news had been received by the office editor of
the Vanguard through By water, Tanqueray & Co., agents
of the White Star line of steamers. The editor, Miss Anna
Abrams, started immediately to Paris, 111., to the Reapers
Home to bear the sad intelligence to the widow and orphans.
The writer and sister Nelson having received the news while
in New York state, started for the scene of sorrow, reaching
there on Feb. 16th. Mr. Smirl visited sister Dake a few
days after the news was received (where we had the privi-
lege of meeting him) and manifested his tender love for Mr,
Dake and his sympathy and kindness in visiting the home,
which necessitated his going many miles out of his way home
to Nebraska, while at the same time he was quite sick from
the effects of the fever himself. Every one from the oldest
to the youngest, and every heart torn and bleeding was
brought face to face, in imagination, with the last moments,
the deathbed scene, and peculiar surroundings. Even the
little orphan children, for whom God had provided the com-

4i8

Vivian A. Dake.

forts of this Home through the kindness and efforts of our
brother, wept the words they could not utter, and they felt

keenly the loss sustained.

Though his death cuts off a life so well adapted to the
work of soul saving, we bow in submission to the providence
of God, " whose ways are not our ways." God can carry on
His work over the graves of His workmen. Our feelings on
this subject cannot be better described than in the language
of Pomeroy: "I hear voices from the dead; for God has
some deceased ones, whose speaking He has not stopped yet.
And at times I stand still and speechless before the murmur-
ing dead — the talk of muffled tongues, muffled in blood! The
martyred hosts of the glorified are more alive to me to-day than
many good sort of folks who never died, that is, I feel them
more — feel the restraints and inspiration of their inflexible
rectitude. For a good man once in the wrorld and well set
going, is not easily got out of it. There is often more of
him left after he has gone out of sight than appeared while
he lived. Superhuman dying is the great amen to a right-
eous life, and often induces a re-estimate of the person."

Planets are celestial orbs that reflect the light of the sun
around which they revolve, and from which they derive their
light, heat and glory. In this they are types of the children
of God in whose flesh (naturally ) dwelleth no good thing, but
when in harmony with God through the blood of Christ,
they become like unto those heavenly bodies, and radiate not
their own light, but the reflected rays of the sun of right-
eousness and the glory of the first begotten of the Father,
"letting their light so shine before men," etc.

Astronomers tell us that at one time there existed be-
tween Mars and Jupiter a mighty planet, which according to
the theory of Olburs, was shattered by some tremendous
convulsion, but instead of being destroyed took form in over
two hundred and twenty -five lesser orbs, known as the aster-

His Death.

419

oids, each of which is a perfect planet in itself. Can we not
see an analogy between this and the subject in hand?

Many sadly mourn the death of our brother and lament
the fact that he worked himself into the grave so early.
We dare not say it was a mistake. God who sees the
end from the beginning knows best. Who, but God
can say that the fact of his being taken away in such a man-
ner has not infused new life, zeal and courage into scores,
yea, hundreds of others, who are fast coming to the front
to reflect the same rays that were emitted from his holy
life.

Such men live on in their influence on the lives of
others. Though the original planet has disappeared, we
have spiritual asteriods as a result of that disappearance.
Surely he will be mourned by thousands and the world
will become a loser by his death. Rev. S. K. Wheatlake
wrote on his death the following lines:

LINES ON THE DEATH OF V. A. DAKE.

He fainted on the battlefield,
Secure behind faith's trusty shield;
With armor on the warrior fell,
Unsmitten by the darts of hell.

He fell beneath meridian sun,

At noon a full day's work was done,

No more he treads the battleground,

No more the cross — he wears the crown.

No more he'll join us in the fight
Against the wrong for God and right;
Close up the breach in which he stood,
Be bold to strike or die for God.

Oft we were blest mid battle roar,

To hear him shout his victories o'er,

And when his sword flashed forth the light,

We waxed more valiant in the fight.

420

Vivian A. Dake.

Gird up your loins. No longer weep,
God giveth His beloved sleep.
Soon far beyond the battle fray,
We'll meet on coronation day.

But hark! hear ye that battle cry,

Stand firm, the hellish foe is nigh;

With Spirit's eword and victor's song,

Quit you like men. In God be strong.
Mr. Dake's many friends manifested their sympathy
for his bereaved family by the tender letters of condolence
to Mrs. Dake and the religious journals of the country. A
memorial service in commemoration of his death was held
in Muhlenburg mission Jan. 17, 1S92, by Rev. A. E. Day
of the Lutheran church, another service of this kind was
held in the Mission of Love, Liverpool, England, Feb. 11,
1892, by Rev. Herbert Wood, of the Church of England.
A third was held at Kempton, 111., April 17th, by the
Peoria district of the Illinois conference, Rev. F. D. Brooke
presiding. A fourth one was held by the members of Chi-
cago First Church, May 26th, O. V. Ketels, pastor. The
fifth was held by the Pentecost Bands at their annual Har-
vest Home camp meeting at Newton, Iowa, July 31st, at
which the writer presided. Next, the Illinois conference
convened at Elgin, 111., of which Mr. Dake was a member,
held a memorial service Oct. 9th, presided over by presi-
dent B. T. Roberts, who so soon followed him to rest and
reward. These memorial services were times of great bless-
ing,especially the last one. Many interesting incidents rela-
tive to Mr. Dake's fervent piety and faithful labors were
related as tributes to his memory. All seemed to feel that
a" fyince in Is7-aeV> had fallen, especially his workers and
brethren of his conference.

Tears flowed freely and all seemed to forget past dif-
ferences, and strove to become more united in the work.
Much was added to the impressiveness and solemnity of the
last two meetings by the singing of the following hymn,

His Death.

421

composed by Mr. Dake's assistant.

IN MEMORIAM-V. A. DAKE.

Rest, worker, rest,
Thy toilsome task is done;
God deemed it best,
'Neath equatorial sun,
To have thy lonely grave
Kissed by Atlantic's wave.

Rest, laborer, rest,
Complete thy work, we find;
Thou art more blest
Than we who're left behind;
Thy task is early done;
Rest at God's Harvest Home.

Rest, laborer, rest,

The prize is thine at last.

On Jesus' breast

Thou dost forget the past;

Safe from the strife of tongues,

Join in the seraphs' songs.

Rest, toiler, rest,
Thy burdens laid aside;
% In white robes dressed

Beyond death's chilling tide,
Safe from the darts of hell,
With all the blood-washed dwell.

Rest, reaper, rest,

The sweat that damped thy brow

When harvest pressed,

Is changed to glory now;

From whitened fields of sin,

Thy Rheaves are coming in.

Rest, pilgrim, rest,
Thy weary march is o'er;
None may molest,
On that effulgent shore;
Thy race, at last, is run,
Thy arduous work is done.

422

Vivian A. Dake.

Rest, warrior, rest,
Thine armor thrown aside.
The victor's crest
By hands once crucified
Is laid upon thy brow, —
No need of armor now.

Rest, martyr, rest,

Where shines eternal day;

For souls oppressed

Thy life was worn away;

Tho' some may say, "'Twas wrong,''

The Master says, " Well done."

In the resurrection morning, what a glorious retinue of
blood- washed martyrs, who "counted not their lives dear
unto themselves " will arise from the dust of this graveyard
of missionaries to go up to the coronation scene and hear the
"well done", no more to feel the scorching of the "equato-
rial sun " while burning fevers and poisonous vapors are for-
gotten in the rapturous enjoyment of breezes from angelic
wings and odors from amaranthine groves of Paradise. They
shall walk the streets of God's luxurious Eden and hear a
multitude who have been saved through their influence call
them blessed.

Many shall come up from Africa's jungles, saved
through the preaching of their silent tombstones; and many
shall rise from England's and America's factories and farm
lands as trophies of their martyrlike sacrifice. In the van of
this purified host will conspicuously appear the forms of Liv-
ingstone, Cox, Moffit, and the subject of these pages, and
others who have sacrificed their lives for Africa's millions.
O, Ethiopia, when shall thy sable sons be redeemed? when
shall they reach forth their hands unto God?

CHAPTER XXXII.

REMINISCENCES.

FROM G. W. CHAPMAN.

''Monrovia, Africa, Dec. 21, 1892.
"Dear Brother Nelson: —

"In reply to your request I send you some reminiscences
of the last days of Rev. V. A. Dake: On Nov. 14, 1891. he
and I sailed for Africa. He spent most of his time reading
his Bible and the lives of Dr. Adam Clarke, Bishop Coke
and others. He spoke of Bishop Coke dying on his way to
India as a missionary and intimated that the Lord would
take him on this trip but as I did not believe it, he attributed
it to a temptation from the enemy. Yet he seemed to retain
an inner conviction that he would never see his wife again,
of whom he spoke in the most affectionate terms.

"He asked me what I would do if he should die. I
told him I would go on the same with our work. He said:
'That is what I want you to do.' He expressed himself,
that if God took him, he wanted the Pentecost Band work
to go on the same. He would not say much about his dying
for fear it would discourage me.

"Every morning at. daybreak or before he would go
to the bow of the boat and pray. He would break down
and cry to God in agony of soul as though a lost world
was on his heart. We reached Monrovia, Dec. 5, 1891.
The next day we attended the M. E. class meeting. Here
brother Dake testified to God's saving power with his heart
melted before the Lord. His testimony was like an oasis
in the desert to those who knew the joyful sound. We
had some native men working for us and he began to labor
with them immediately. He would pray and weep over
them as though they were his own children.

424

Vivian A. Dake.

"He went to Mr. Day's mission twenty-five miles from
Monrovia and stayed a few days returning Dec. 18th. He
commenced a meeting in the M. E. church and preached
every night for a week, holding one at the same time in
the morning at Krootown. There was quite an interest
manifested among the heathen and some professed to be
saved. Brother Dake prayed for them with a burdened and
longing heart to see them raised out of heathen darkness.

"I never saw a preacher or missionary, who had such
great love for souls. On Sunday night Dec. 27, 1891, he
preached the last sermon that he ever delivered, in the M. E.
church in Monrovia, from Luke xvi, 19. He dwelt mostly
on the latter clause of the text, ' He fared sumptuously every
day.' He warned his hearers of living in luxury and for
this world. He ended his discourse with a heartfelt appeal
to them to arouse from their lethargy. He had a little fever
while preaching and continued to get worse.

" On Jan. 2, 1892, we took him on the English homeward
bound steamer at ten o'clock at night and laid him in his
berth. We thought it best for him to go and get the sea air.
He took me by the hand and said: 1 God be with you till we
meet again;' then said: 'George, meet me in glory.' And
we parted to meet no more on earth. During his sickness
he would frequently get out of bed, fall on his knees and
pray. He lived each hour ready for his Master's coming."

FROM REV. G. H. AGNEW, MISSIONARY.

" Inhambane, E. Africa, June 10, 1892.
" My Dear Brother Nelson: —

" Like others I was, of course, greatly surprised to hear
of the departure for glory of our beloved brother Dake. It
seems strange that one so eminently useful, such a burning
and shining light should be taken and us left behind. He
was the firsts and I believe the best, Free Methodist preacher

Reminiscences.

425

I knew. When he first came into the store where I was in
St. Paul, Minn., he took me by the hand and enquired about
my soul's welfare, I felt attached to him at once. He was
at this time chairman of the Minnesota and North Iowa con-
ference. It is now eight years since he took me into the
church. I have never regretted that step. I can never
regret having got into church fellowship with such people as
he represented.

''Atthe time brother Dake visited us at St. Paul, there
was another brother associated with me in business, who was
also a Christian. In conversation with brother Dake at one
time a thought struck him and he exclaimed: 'Oh, wait un-
til I tell you a joke,' or words to that effect, but without
waiting for what was coming brother Dake said: ' I never
joke, let us pray,' and dropped immediately upon his knees.

'* Many preachers would have listened to the joke,
laughed and added another one to it, but this was not his
style. He had no time for jesting, but was a man of God,
reproving, rebuking, exhorting with all longsuffering, all in-
tent on getting souls to the blood and believers to the foun-
tain of cleansing.

" Any one traveling with him on railroad cars, etc.,
could not fail to see how interested he- was in the salvation of
others, giving out tracts, quoting Scripture, sometimes stand-
ing up before a whole carload of passengers and repeating:
'It is appointed unto men, once to die , but after this
the judgment,' exhorting men and women to become recon-
ciled to God.

"I shall never forget the first and only Harvest Home
camp meeting I attended. I went there a carnally minded
man although like many others imagining I was all right.
Brother Dake's exhortations to get clean scorched like fire,
but the 4 old man' inside would hide although there was a
restlessness within which, at times, was painful. However
God let me see myself in all my natural loathfulness and

426

Vivian A. Dake.

I began in earnest to cry for deliverance from the body of
death. A few minutes before I got through Brother Dake
came into the tent where I was and caught me by the
shoulders giving me a gentle shaking. This was the point.
I saw as it were, God waiting to deliver me; / was wait-
ing to be delivered and brother Dake was anxious I should
get through. A cry that reached the throne came from me
and the work of entire cleansing was done. Brother Dake
seemed about as blest over it for the time as I was
myself. This was the beginning of almost anew life to me.
I was then in perfect harmony with all those who were
cleansed, which I never had been before.

"I loved to be in the company of all those who had
reached the Rock, and especially was I glad whenever I had
an opportunity of being with our beloved brother who al-
ways gave me as it were, new strength for the battle against
sin."

FROM REV. H. W. FISH.

"At the Clyde district camp meeting held at Weeds-
port, N. Y., Aug. 21-28, 1889, brother Dake was present.
He came by invitation of the writer and arrived on the
camp ground on Thursday. The meeting was going with
some interest. That evening he was invited to preach.

"Before he began his sermon he sang (assisted by Rev.
F. D. Christie) the hymn beginning with 4 We have gather-
ed to hear of the Saviour ' with the chorus, 'Parting to meet
again at the Judgment.' Awful solemnity came upon the con-
gregation and there could be seen weeping in every direc-
tion. He gave out his text from 1 Sam. xxviii, 15. 4 God
is departed from me.' From the beginning of the sermon
until the close sinners were made to feel their wretched con-
dition as none but a man filled with the Spirit of God could
make them feel. His appeals to those who were crucifying
Christ afresh were very touching. His description of a

Reminiscences.

427

backslider at the Judgment and finally lost in hell, will never
be forgotten by those present.

" When the invitation was given for seekers the altar
was crowded. There was rejoicing on earth and in heaven
that night over the prodigals returning home. Many were
heard to say: 'that was the most vivid, searching preaching
we ever heard.' Again while pastor at Saratoga Springs,
N. Y., in the year 1890, brother Dake was with us Sunday,
Oct. 13th, also Monday and Tuesday evenings. His sermon
Sunday morning from Heb. xii, 1, will long be remembered
by those present. Many were made to feel that there were
weights and besetments about them that hindered their run-
ning the race from earth to Heaven. Fathers and mothers,
old and young, were seen weeping all through the congrega-
tion.

" At the close of the sermon the pastor announced that
there would be a class meeting after the congregation was
dismissed and all that desired could remain. The whole con-
gregation remained. That was a searching time and under
the light of the truth many entered into a more complete con-
secration to God and the entire abandonment of all those
things that savor of the world or indicate the presence of
pride.

" The Monday evening meeting was a time of marked
victory. After singing and a season of prayer, brother Dake
opened the Bible to his text. He then requested the congre-
gation to join in singing the hymn beginning:

r0 tor that flame of living fire
Which shone so bright in saints of old,

Which bade their souls to heaven aspire,
Calm in distress, in danger bold. '

While singing the last stanza the Spirit of God was greatly
manifested. Brother Dake requested that we repeat the
stanza, which we did several times with telling effect. He
finally closed the Bible and said: 4 1 cannot get around that.

428

Vivian A. Dake.

T%is is my.text, 4 Remember Lord the ancient days.' He
began to speak on the baptism of the Holy Ghost as lived and
preached by the fathers. He made plain the hindrances in
the way of receiving this primitive power.

"As he was closing his sermon the power of God came
upon him in a wonderful manner, which caused him to leap
as those who leap for joy. He said: 'I suppose I have lost
my reputation as a preacher by leaving my text, but I had
no reputation when I came.' But while he did leave his text
and followed the Spirit it was a wonderful sermon. He in-
vited seekers to come to the altar and the scene that followed
is indescribable. Sinners and backsliders were crying for
mercy while the saints were pleading for the baptism of fire.
The meeting lasted until about midnight. Some were slain
by the power of God while others sang and prayed with
those who were seeking.

" God was present in every meeting in saving power.
Among our brother's last words to the writer as we parted
at the depot, to meet no more on earth, were these: (calling
me by my first name as he always did) 'Horace, pray, pray,
you can pray a hole through anything.' Thus he spoke from
his own personal experience. Here he had found the secret
of power."

From Rev. A. C. Showers.

"Franklin, Pa., Apr. 25, 1892.

"Brother Nelson:

" Rev. V. A. Dake assisted me five weeks in meetings
at South Oil City, Pa. During this time, after the first serv-
ice, the altar was crowded with seekers. Such a meeting was
never witnessed by me in these parts. I am safe in saying
that hundreds never succeeded in gaining admittance to the
church.

"The preaching was in demonstration of the Spirit and
with power. At one time the power of God so accompanied
his discourse as to almost overpower me. I suddenly arose

Reminiscences.

429

from my chair and sank again with an overwhelming sense
of the truth he presented. The saints in general were
quickened. Our work as a result took on a holier, more
spiritual character. The people of South Oil City will never
forget him. His ability as a preacher, while here, was attribu-
table not so much to sermonic distinctions as to his unc-
tion and native force.

" He was never at a loss for imagery, forms of rhet-
oric, words and expressions. His power as a speaker was
largely in his oratorical ability, which was not mechanical
but natural; he felt what he said. At onetime in describ-
ing the scene of souls being lost he took his watch and in
declaring that every time a watch ticked a soul dropped into
eternit}, we were so impressed that we could almost see
and hear the thing itself. He dealt with men as for eter-
nity.

"As regards his success in these meetings it can never
be estimated. Now after two years we feel the effects.
- His personal piety and devotion were Scriptural in the
extreme. He usually arose at five o'clock and sought God
in prayer. He was frequently heard praying for 4 Ida' his
beloved wife. Often he would drop everything and run
to pray. He prayed one time for fifty dollars which
shortly came. His self-denial was remarkable. When he
got any money he enclosed it in a letter to missions, Reapers
Home, workers, or some other part of the field for God.
He was wearing a worn-out overcoat while among us and
being apprised of our intention to purchase a new one for
him, he asked for the money insisting that God's cause need-
ed money more than he did the coat. I might rehearse ad
infinitum, but desist to let the angels finish the eulogy."

FROM MRS. E. HARRIET HOWE.

"Franklin, Pa., Apr. 16, 1892.
"Mr. Thos. H. Nelson: —

"During the winter of 1890, brother Dake assisted in

43°

Vivian A. Dake.

holding a series of meetings in Oil City, Pa. He was ex-
pected to help the workers in Franklin, Pa., when through.
In the meantime the quarterly meeting for Franklin came
around. Rev. R. W. Hawkins was chairman of the district
and conducted the meeting. He had invited brother Dake
to be present on Sunday, but brother Dake thought perhaps
he ought to remain in Oil City, therefore his coming seemed
doubtful. Arrangements were, however, subsequently made
by which brother Showers, the pastor in Oil city, brought
brother Dake to the meeting in Franklin. Entering the love
feast early, he was happy and full of the Sj^irit.

" The testimonies were grand and brother Dake praised
God while the place was heavenly indeed. Then brother
Hawkins in the power of the Holy Ghost preached from the
words of Jesus in John xiv, 3, * I will come again.' The
glory and power descended upon the saints. Brother Dake
was greatly moved. As brother Hawkins finished he arose
instantly and began singing that grand hymn of his own com-
positionWatch for His Coming,' to the music which he
also composed. None had heard the song and but few had
met brother Dake. The result was glorious and will never
be forgotten by any who entered into the spirit of that hour.
It was entirely unpremeditated as he did not know of the
subject to be presented until he heard the sermon which was
on the second coming of Christ, and many souls to-day are
richer for the truth of that sermon and the inspiration of that
song. Brother Dake found brother Hawkins waiting to
greet him when he entered into rest. Both are with Jesus.
I copy the hymn.

"WATCH FOR HIS COMING."

He is coming, He is coming.

Can you read the signs afar?
Do you hear the tread of nations,

As they march to join in war?
Do you hear the gospel herald,

Reminiscences.

43i

Calling loud in every land?
0, ye nations, turn, repent ye,
For His coming is at hand.

Chorus.

Watch for His coming, watch for His coming,
Watch for the hour draweth near;

Soon through the dawning,

Will burst eternal morning,
And the Lord to greet His faithful will appear.

He is coming, He is coming,

All His foes to overthrow;
And the hidden plots of darkness,

All the universe shall know;
O'er His enemies triumphant,

He shall reign upon His throne ;
Ev'ryknee before Him bending,

Him, the mighty God shall own.

He is coming, He is coming,

Oh! the awe-inspiring sight,
With the blasts of Judgment trumpets,

He is coming in His might.
He is coming on the lightning,

With His bright angelic cloud;
'Mid the roar of mighty earthquakes,

And ten thousand thunders loud.

He is coming, He is coming,

For the sighing and oppressed,
And the longing eyes shall see Him,

And the weary ones shall rest.
Hear the falling of the fetters,

And the crash of op'ning graves;
Overthrown is death's dominion.

Shout! ye saints, no longer slaves.

He is coming, He is coming,

And our eyes our King shall see;
Long has been the time of watching,

But He's coming after me.
Floods of joy within are bursting

43 2

Vivian A. Dake.

As I catch His glorious smile;
He is coming", quickly coming,
He is coming for His child.

"Brother Dake sang the hymn entire with the chorus
after each stanza. He afterward told me how he composed
the hymn while watching the marching of the German army,
while reviewed by the Emperor."

Numerous letters of condolence were received by Mrs.
Dake showing the high estimation in which Mr. Dake was
held by his many friends.

For want of space we must omit all except the follow-
ing which contains an account of his poem on the u Muhlen-
burg Mission."

" MUHLENBURG MISSION, )

West Coast, Africa, Sept. 1, '92. \
"My Dear Sister: —

" It is not on account of any lack of interest or sympathy
for you in your great bereavement that has caused me to be
so tardy in writing to you. Ever since we heard of the
death of your dear husband I have had it in my mind to
write. I had read his writings and sung his hymns so much
that I felt I knew him. His name through the Vanguard
and brother and sister Chapman, became familiar to us long
before he came to Africa and we saw him face to face and
had the rare pleasure of having him with us in our own
home.

" As I now recall the event and the precious memories
of the songs he sang, the edifying converse and his earnest,
soul-thrilling, up-lifting prayers, all, all seem to have been
special messages from God. I cannot now hear some of the
hymns he sang and taught us while here, without feeling my
heart growing larger and my desire for souls more earnest.

"Yes, brother Dake's short stay among us was fraught
with help and blessing to all. While he was here, one day

Poem.

433

when I went into the room where he was sitting at the table
writing, that serene, heavenly, restful calm seemed to have
settled down over his face giving him the expression of one
from some other sphere, where cares, sickness, pain and weari-
ness of flesh are unknown. He was sitting there writing and
looking up with a smile said to me: ' Sister Day, I have
written some verses; here they are. Shall I read them to
you?' Of course I said yes. After he got through and I ex-
pressed my pleasure in them he said: < They are for you if
you care for them.' (inquiringly) i Yes, indeed; I said
nothing would please me more. He said he wanted to do
something for me. I was always so busy and doing something
for him, I considered it the greatest pleasure to minister to
him and all God's workers whom we have the pleasure of
entertaining.

M I will send you the verses in his own kaitd to see if
you wish to copy them or have them printed. You can do
so and then will it be too much to ask you to kindly return
them? as I prize them the more because they were written,
not printed. Praying God's blessing and care for yourself
and dear little ones, and the work which lay so near brother
Dake's heart, I am your friend and sister in the Master's
service, Sincerely,

Mrs. E. L/Day."

Following are the verses referred to:

"MUHLENBURG MISSION STATION."

' 1 Beautiful for situation
Muhlenburg, the mission station,
On the highlands by the river;
Where the sungod from his quiver,
Shoots his arrows bright and shining,
All the life-germs quick divining,
And by death the life quick bringing
With his arrows sharp and stinging.
Loudly roars the rapid river,

434

Vivian A Dake.

'Praises singing to the Giver
Of its purity and motion,
Leading us to true devotion.
Round about the habitation
Springs the tropic vegetation ;
Palm trees with their crow us of glory,
Subjects they of song and story,
And bananas golden cluster,
And the pawpaw yellow lustre,
Lime trees with the fruit refreshing
And the oranges possessing
Satisfaction for the weary.
Coffee trees with ruddy berries,
Mango plums and pears and cherries.
These and many other furnish
Cheer, life's joy to brightly burnish.

Planted here from sternest duty,
Mid these scenes of passing beauty,
Neath the glorious light of Heaven,
And the thousand blessings given,
But here death's darts fly unceasing,
Dangers evermore increasing;
And as martyrs in the fire,
Heard their Master say 'Come higher,'
Counted not their lives their treasure,
Winning Christ's eternal pleasure,
Go these Christians who here labor
For their long-lost heathen neighbor,
Risk their lives their souls to lighten,
Give their all their night to brighten,
Cut their lives off prematurely,
That the light of Heaven securely
Here may blaze like beacon station
On a dark and heathen nation.
Like the ships on stormy ocean,
Sinking midst the wild commotion,
Sights afar the lighthouse burning,
Toward the haven joyful turning,
So light from this mission streaming,
On the darkened heathen beaming,
Gathers them from every station;

Poem.

And they come to hear of Jesus,
Who alone from sin can free us.
Only mightier prayer prevailing,
And a faith that knows no failing,
Will bring more from sin's dominion,
Changed in heart as in opinion.
But when sick, with life in danger,
This the harbor for the stranger.
Here he finds a sister, brother,
Love of father and of mother
Poured out on him without measure,
From their hearts' unstinting treasure.
While to all is due this mention
There is one to whom attention
Should be called in faithful numbers,
One who neither sleeps or slumbers
But pours out her life like water,
Like the Master, is His daughter
In her care for every stranger
In the lovely land of danger.
God hath taken all her treasures
To a land of heavenly pleasures,
And her heart by this hath broken
As His Word hath truly spoken,
Whom the Lord doth love He chastens,
And His own work thus He hastens;
Cuts the earthly love asunder,
Leaves the soul in weeping wonder.
As the rose when bruised is sweetest,
And the gold and silver meetest,
When its dross removed by fire,
Fits it for a purpose higher,
So the soul refined by trial,
Scorched by wrath's severest vial,
Shines as ministering angel
On continuous evangel.
And the thoughtful note the dealing
Of our God His love revealing,
And anew the story tell,
Jesus doeth all things well.
May the blessing of our God
Soften thus the chastening rod

436 Vivian A. Dake.

To our friends, we humbly pray,
Till all night is lost in day."

Many who opposed the work now looked for a speedy
dissolution of the bands, and even by some of his closest
friends, grave fears were entertained for the safety and suc-
cess of the work, now in the absence of its originator.
But the work was too well grounded on the Rock to be
shaken even by such a blast as this.

" They that trust in the Lord shall be as mount Zion,
which cannot be removed, but abideth forever." Among
the letters which appeared in the various periodicals at his
death, was the following, written for the members of the
bands by Mr. Dake's assistant:

"Dear Workers: —

" Our beloved leader in charge has gone to his reward.
He died as he lived, with his harness on, full of labor for
the lost. He has received the prize which we have yet to
fight for.

" Shall we generously rejoice over the divine dispensa-
tion that has crowned with a garland of never-fading glories,
the head of our loved one? or shall we selfishly lament our
loss? We trust that this blow will drive all more fully into
the shadow of the Rock, than ever before. Let God's work
now as in the beginning, take a fresh start from the graves
of its fallen champions. His real people take on strength
in the battle, and courage in the furnace, and thus God is
glorified. His work flourishes over the tombs of His work-
men. Glory to God! Will you still stand by the 'old
landmarks' and push the clean gospel 'far as the curse is
found'? We hear a hearty Amen! God seal it! Our light
shall still blaze out on the blackness cf this world, till thou-
sands are won for the Master and we rest in that grand
Sabbath land. Amen, look up! Rejoice in God ; — neverget
your heads down, or let your victory notes languish. Napo-

Reminiscences.

437

leon once said that the truest wisdom, was a resolute determi-
nation, and that the word 'impossible' was only found in
the dictionary of fools.

"Has our leader fallen ? Then so much more the need
of our standing true. Shall we do it? Yes, and like him,
fall on the field with our armor on, and the sweat of hard-
fought battles on our brow. He waded knee deep in death
for years and did not die at last; he just fainted through
sheer exhaustion from overwork and God took him out of
pity. Shall friends bemoan his mistake?

" God give to His church a million thus mistaken. O,
workers, lie on your faces before God and weep and groan
over the lost, till you are so surcharged with divine electricity
that like our noble brother, you will feel like grasping earth's
Judgment-bound millions in the arms of your faith and carry-
ing them to the cross!

"It must not, shall not die! Let each of us pray 1 as
aforetime ' and stand in our places about the camp and before
the mighty tread of the Captain of our salvation the unclean
hosts of the Midianites shall be swept from the field!
AMEN! Hold your candles high. The world needs your
light; the church needs it; — in many places preachers and
leaders need it. God help us to keep it blazing brightly.
You can count on us in every test to do our little part, and
measure up wherever we can.

Yours, to obey God « till the day breaks

and the shadows flee away.' T. H. N."

In reply to this appeal there was a general rally among
the workers. They promised to still follow the shekinah
and live on their knees, as they were not working for Mr.
Dake, but for Jesus and He was not dead. Their subse-
quent success is the best proof we can give of their keeping
this vow. But few have left the work while those that re-
mained at their posts of duty, took on responsibility and

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Vivian A. Dake.

moral strength sufficient to give the work an impetus that
carried it beyond all danger from the loss it had sustained.

CHAPTER XXXIII.
EDITORIALS AND SKETCHES.

" POWERLESS PREACHERS."

" Are you enquiring why you do not succeed in your
work and why the church is, as a whole, retrograding? Let
God answer you. < 1 have somewhat against thee because
thou hast left thy first love.' Rev. iii, 4. Brother, answer
the following questions as for eternity.

"First. Have you not lost your unction in the pulpit?

" Second. Have you not lost your longing for secret
prayers?

" Third. Have you not lost your love for continual
searching of the Word of God?

" Fourth. Have you not lost your burning zeal for per-
ishing souls?

" Fifth. Have you not lost the fulness of the Spirit, so
that you must stop and reason with yourself to convince your-
self that you are really what you say you are? If so, will you
answer at the bar of your conscience, with the light of God
shining upon you, this question, What have you left? Oh!
do not lay the lack of success and the dying out of the work
to the extravagancies of a few anointed ones or to the 4 new
movements' springing up among us. It is the lack of the
Holy Ghost in your heart and life. Thank God some are
seeing it. Six or eight preachers in the last three or four
weeks have confessed their heart backslidings and have found
the old joy and power. A true revival must begin in the
pulpit. Don't begin to say, * Well, but I am true to the

Editorials and Sketches.

439

issues.' It is this dry hammering upon 4 issues ' that kills.
Come brother, get the Spirit on you or God will remove your
candlestick out of its place. I feel divinely commissioned to
sound an alarm in our holy mountain. We are burdened
with an unbaptized ministry and we shall surely fail to do the
work God has given in our hands unless the ten-days' prayer
meeting shall begin with every dry and formal preacher.

c< Then shall we go forth '"clear as the sun, fair as the
moon, and terrible as an army with banners.' We believe in
an unctious straightness. « The letter killeth, but the Spirit
giveth life.' ' Who maketh his * * * ministers a flame of
fire.' 1 Tarry ye at Jerusalem until ye are endued with power
from on high.' Let the Pentecost begin.

" 'Flame of fire' is the new testament definition of a
minister. 4 Who maketh his * * * ministers a flame of
fire.' How filled this figure is with meaning and earnestness.
No idleness; — grasping on to everything, inflammable, wind-
ing its fiery arms around everything in its pathway. The
flame of fire rushes on. So God's minister has no time for
idleness. He is a flame of fire for the salvation of men. His
body may be consumed, his all, it matters not. The zeal of
God's house eats him up. He is in an agony for the souls of
men. He cries out 4 Give me souls or I die.' He has no
time for mirth, trifling, vain talk and chitchat, mere visiting
or whiling away of time. He has no time to go over to sis-
ter C 's to have a good social visit. He is aflame with

love and zeal.

44 God pity those who call themselves ministers and have
no more fire about them than an arctic iceberg. They shiver
at the very thought of fire, and have a moral chill if a flame
of fire comes into their vicinity. Such know nothing about
the life more abundant. They live where the forms of life
are very low and small. The faithful minister has 'a wall
of fire round about' him. He lives in the torrid zone where
the forms of life nre very numerous and luxuriant.

44^ Vivian A. Dake.

" He partakes of the nature of the wall around him until
he himself becomes a flame of fire. He is full of life, has
4 life more abundantly.' He runs, crying, * Life, life, eternal
lire.' A flame of fire consumes everything" inflammable,
pleasant, beautiful things or disagreeable.

'« The man of God arises in his might against all sin.
Reproves the class leader for shaving and blacking his boots
on the Sabbath, the class leader's wife for buying milk or
riding on the street cars on the Sabbath day; and the man
who gives the most toward his support for breaking his
contract with the unsaved wheat buyers. Reproves his mem-
bers for laying up treasures on earth; for making a god of
their stomachs; for getting the Sunday headache and the
prayer meeting rheumatism; for lightness and trifling; for
whispering and backbiting, for worldliness and compromise.

"He reproves men for building fine houses to please the lust
of their eyes and buying rich furniture, and spreading sumptu-
ous tables and laying up money for unsaved children to damn
their souls with, while God's cause is moving slowly for lack
of means and thousands rushing to hell. He fears no man :
he fears God. He is ' so dead that no desire doth rise to ap-
pear good, or great, or wise, in any but his Saviour's eyes.'
Brother ministers, are you a flame of fire}

" While God's ministers are to be a flame of fire, all of
God's people are to have a wa ll of f i re. * I will be to them
a wall of fire round about and the glory in the midst of them.'
The fiery wall of the saint is first a defense. As wild
beasts hate and fear natural fire, so devils and worldly-mind-
ed men hate this fire (divine power). The wall of fire is the
security of God's saints. Within it they are safe. Then it
is a separation. The world is divided from the saint by a
wall they cannot pass over. If they attempt to come with
worldly, combustible trash, it takes fire and adds to the flame.

" Hence the world keeps far off from the saint. A
mighty gulf is fixed between. They cannot stand the fire.

Editorials and Sketches.

441

A man surrounded by this wall never testifies: 4 1 have such
hard work to keep the world away from me,' for the world
keeps its distance. The wall of Jire chases away the dark-
ness. On the face of the saint the heavenly glow radiates,'
caused by such a divine* surrounding and chases all the dark
clouds away.

"The pathway is plain, enlightened by the light of
the Lord. They do not walk in darkness but have the
light of life. It is accompanied by the glory. Where
the wall of fire is, there the glory is in the midst. If you have
not the glory you have not the wall of fire; hence no de-
fense, no separation, no light. But the glory is the inner
accompaniment of the fiery wall. God's saints are full of
glory, because full of God, filled with the Spirit. Do you live
for God? Are you all on fire? Wake up!The alarm is be-
ing sounded. No soldiers in heaven's army but those who
have * the glory for a defense.' "

" ALWAYS ABOUNDING."

44 None but the most important work, could call forth
such an expression as the above. 4Always' referring to
the extent of time, and -abounding' to the extent of effort.
How many content themselves with spasmodic effort.
Sunday religion, protracted meeting earnestness is the rule,
while the exception is to find one always 4 in season and
out of season' earnestly preparing for eternity and warning
the lost. This does not give any time for pleasure seeking
and worldly recreation. It monopolizes every moment, day
and night, winter and summer, seedtime and harvest, to
God's glory.

44 Men act as though they could give a certain portion of
their time to God's cause and then they could do as they
please with the balance. Oh, what a sight to see men 4kill time.'
Argument: On the battlefield, killing time when the left
and center are being routed! Afire brigade killing time when

442

Vivian A. Dake.

the city is in danger and high up in the lofty blazing blocks
the shrieks of hundreds agonize for deliverance! A life crew
killing time, when each moment the roaring breakers threaten
to swallow the sinking ship with all on board! The engi-
neer and fireman killing time when the blazing cars are
devouring the passengers pinioned down by broken timbers
and heavy seats!

" You killing time when the hosts of devils are captur-
ing and dragging down thousands! While the fires of per-
dition blaze threateningly about the dwellings of lost men!
while the Judgment gathers blackness about the old shattered
hulks of time, and while the shrieks and moans of the dying,
amid the blazing wrecks of despair are ever in our ears!
Yes, killing time! and the murderers of the same will be
held for trial at the coming Judgment day and will be
sentenced to death (eternal) for breach of the commandment
« Thou shalt not kill.'

" O, your wasted moments, spent in gossiping, evil
speaking, snoozing in bed, social chitchat, trifling and jesting,
every moment heavily laden with eternal responsibilities.
God and the devil, Heaven and hell, time and eternity, sin
and death never take vacations. You who have but a narrow
alloted space to do up the work of preparation for a vast,
boundless, unexplored eternity and spend most of that hand-
breadth in vacations! Awake! Arouse! Arise! ' No room
for mirth or trifling here.' No time for indulgence in any
known sin.

1 Lo, on a narrow neck of land,
'Twixt two unbounded seas I stand,

Secure, insensible.
A point of time, a moment' d space,
Removes me to that heavenly place

Or shuts me up in hell.'

Time speeds away! The door will be shut! Time

Editorials and Sketches.

443

wasted. Life gone. Souls lost. Summer ended. Eternity
here. Too late, too late!"

OVERTURNERS.

" You have heard of the < overcomers] but did you ever
hear of the 'overturners '? They are the people of whom
the Thessalonians said: 4 These that have turned the world
upside do-Lvn are come hither also.' Acts, xvii, 6. What a
stir and commotion there is wherever they go. They find
the world wrong side up and they are 4 turning men (through
God) from darkness to. light and from the power of Satan
unto God.' 4 Thou art full of stirs, a tumultuous city, a
joyous city: thy slain men are not slain with the sword, nor
dead in battle. For it is a day of trouble, and of treading
down, and of perplexity of the Lord God of hosts in the
valley of vision, breaking down the walls, and of crying to
the mountains.5 Isa, xxii: 2, 5.

44 Sinners in the church and out do not want to be dis-
turbed and so they regard these overturners as 4troublers in
Israel.' Those who find the most fault, as in the days of
Paul, are backsliders in our own midst. We read in the con-
text, 4 But the Jews which believed not, took unto them cer-
tain lewd fellows of the baser sort and gathered a company,
and set all the city in an uproar.'* Acts xvii, 5. Indeed they
saw the danger to their idols, their sins, their pleasures, if
these men continued to succeed. Their complaint was, 4 These
all do contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying there is an-
other king, one Jesus.' Acts xvii, 7. Here is the testimony
of an enemy.

''No compromise with sin and wrong here for the sake
of having influence with the sinner. Moses refused to be
called the son of Pharaoh's daughter. If we would not be
out and out in the matter, the worldling would stand it better*
The only way to do is to go in and turn the works of the
enemy clear over. 4Ephraim is a cake not turned,'

"Tt must be turned over. Vet the carnal professor*

444 Vivian A. Dake.

Ephraim, would rather have the uncooked, sticky side turned
up to catch the world, than to be turned toward God. O,
what an outcry there is if you try to turn them over: 'judg-
ing,' 'discouraging the people of God,5 'doing more harm
than good,' 4 bringing everybody to your notion,' 'righteous
overmuch,' and kindred speeches, while loving and clinging
to their stickiness. But God's way is to turn them over and
the over turners are always ready to do their part as co-
workers with God. What an overturning there is when
souls are seeking religion! How the old notions and ideas
go overboard and how pliable and submissive they become to
all the will of God. How quickly they say the cross is the
way to glory. O, may God send out more overturners!
They are multiplying and the songs and shouts of rejoicing
foretell of the giad jubilee. Before, all their roots took fast
hold of the world downward. Now, their tendencies are
all upward. How they thirst and faint after God and the
eye of the soul is on Him continually. No work is too hard
if Jesus be there. Hallelujah! Join the overturners."

"WHY?"

"A Free Methodist pastor asked me the other day the
question: 1 Why is it that Our preachers were more success-
ful in their earlier ministry than in after years?' There may
be special reasons in individual cases, but there must be a
general reason why this fact is true. That it is true in many
places, we have only to look abroad over the field to see that
many wiio are exhorters, local preachers, or in their first
years of the conference rarely ever had a barren year and
saw, each year, numbers added to the Lord, now go year
after year without any special breaking up under their labors.
Why is this?

" The tenor of the Scripture shows the true gospel line
to be an increase of power and success. ' And every branch
that beareth fruit he purgeth it, that it may bring forth 7norc

Editorials and Sketches.

445

fruit? The carnal heart suggests many excuses for this un-
scriptural state of things, but God says, 'They shall bring
forth fruit in old age.' Outside of the few who are < Always
abounding in the work of the- Lord,' and who, as years ad-
vance, have increased the more in strength, the young and inex-
perienced are the ones who bear the heat of the day and hold
the telling revivals, while many, who were once successful,
oppose, criticise, are more or less at ease in Zion, and spend
their energy and strength in laborious effort in another direc-
tion than the salvation of souls.

" Some who oppose every new movement are so back-
slidden that if souls are not saved according to their notion,
they will overthrow the work if in their power, even
if more souls are thus saved than they have brought to God
in many a year. The energetic brother who is all for
God they oppose with their broadside of compromise and
death, if possible to bring him down to the same level of
calm deathlikeness with themselves.

" Others criticise. Thus they forfeit the little spiritual
life left in them, by their unjust suspicions and unrighteous
criticisms. These settle down on little dying circuits with a
few more-dead-than-alive members and preach little, visit
less and practice self-denial least and complain bitterly be-
cause their little class does not better support them. Many,
after a few years, deliberately decide between being soul-
savers or preachers (?). Having decided to be a preacher
they slowly relax their efforts for soul saving and turn their
attention to « firstly,' 'secondly,' 'thirdly.' Now then you
will see them studiously pouring over skeleton sermonbooks,
and note book in hand taking down the wise sayings of great
preachers. They have fully set out on the tide to be a
preacher.

" Perhaps before long they may be persuaded to take
a course in a theological seminary. Thus they run on after
a prize which they have set out to win. Instead of seeing

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Vivian A. Dake.

many souls saved they now have the privilege of hearing
their admirers say: 4 Was not that a grand sermon?' The
die is now fully cast and in proportion as they push in that
direction, with that aim in view, in the same proportion they
lose the power to prevail with God and man. To have
consecrated their talents for soul saving and preached with
all their natural and acquired might with the sole aim of
glorifying God, they would have earned its legitimate wages,
— the salvation of many souls. But they have left slowly but
surely the glory of God out of the question and now they
are barren indeed.

" Here seems to be the key to the scene that is constant-
ly transpiring before our eyes. Our schools which are in-
tended to subserve a proper end, are made tributary to this
device of the devil, and so when a young man is called
to preach there are many found who at once urge him to
go to this or that seminary.

''This is wrong. Keep the schools clean, and a place
where the fire shall continually burn, then send .the unsaved
children there and the saved also whom God has not called.
But when God calls whether it be a fisherman at his net, a
taxgatherer at his office, or a college graduate on a persecut-
ing tour, let the nets, the office and the journey be forsaken
at once and the God-called herald begin to lift up his voice
everywhere. Then will he see his work rewarded with a hun-
dred fold in this world and in the world to come everlasting
life. We are following in the wake of the stra?tded
churches around us, and will inevitably go on the same rocks,
unless we call a halt."

"WORK."

"What can be more extraordinary than the Bible lan-
guage applied to work? 'Work for the night cometh,
when no man can work.' ' Always abounding in the work
of the Lord.5 ' Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it
with thy might.' 'The violent take it by force.' 'Run,

Editorials and Sketches.

447

with patience, the race.' These are expressions covering
the utmost of effort for God. No lost time is involved.
Every moment employed. No languid movement. 4 Do it
with thy might. ' Yet on every side, if any one gets in
earnest, comes the cry, ' Take it easier; you are killing your
workers.' Think of a man taking it easy on the edge of
Vesuvius! No room for trifling or ease here in this smoul-
dering crater of time!

4< At the time of the Chatsworth horror, while shrieks
and cries rent the air, and the victims, pinned down under
the broken car timbers saw the flames surely approaching
them, and while men, with the energy of despair dug up
the clods and dirt with their hands to put out the fire, some
ladies found a man, a little removed from the accident, lying
on a pullman mattress. They asked him where he was
wounded. He said: 'Nowhere.' They said: 4 Then give
us this mattress for the wounded.' He said: 4 No, I have
paid for it and propose to keep it.5 They said: 4 You will
not,' and secured help and dragged the heartless wretch from
his place of ease.

" But what is this compared to those who take their
ease while the flames of hell kindle on the poor victims of
sin, pinioned under the wrecks of time. Preachers who
work as though there was no Judgment to come; profess-
ors who walk and talk as though there was no * lake of
fire.' How many does drink destroy every year? How
many thousands do evil habits and pride bring down to the
grave? What is the number of the host sacrificed to the
Moloch of lust and wrong eating? Can you marshall these
unnumbered multitudes? Then shall there be a hue and
cry if one man or woman shall literally 4 wear out' for the
Master? ' He that loveth his life shall lose it, and he that
loseth his life, for my sake, shall preserve it unto life eternal.'
Not recklessly or presumptuously, but in earnest, agonizing
work for the lost, until the weary wheels stand still, 4 the

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Vivian A. Dake.

golden bowl be broken,' and the Master says, 4 It is enough.'

O, for men and women who will prove what they so
often sing, 4 Let me die at my post.' O for a thousand self-
sacrificing ones, who 1 love not their lives unto the death,'
and are ready for sacrifice or service in any land. Who are
as ready like Napoleon's soldiers, to make a bridge of their
bodies to carry others over, as to sing the conqueror's song.
Amen! Amen!!

-AFFINITIES."

"This is the catchword for a most delusive and danger-
ous doctrine. Under its apparently harmless shadow is hid-
den a slimy and soul-damning system of spiritual wifery. The
premises are, that every soul has its perfect counterpart in the
opposite sex, and if there is not congeniality in the marriage
relation, if they do not feel the communion of kindred spirits,
then they will find that other self outside of marriage bonds.
There are two phases of this error. First, when it is plainly
taught. Then in fact the marriage relation is only a form,
while soul-union is sought elsewhere. What though out-
ward rectitude is observed, the soul is wrapped in the slimy
folds of spiritual adultery.

" Wrong affections fire the heart. Inordinate affection
classed, by God, with fornication, (Col. 3, 5,) reigns in soul.
Any unlawful affection is an inordinate one. This is the
seed of sin. It is but one step from the soul-embraces of in-
ordinate affection to the sinful, sensual embraces of actual sin.
The one who, strong enough in himself to resist outward sin,
teaches this foul doctrine does it to the utter undoing of
weaker and more sensual souls. Its legitimate offspring is
uncleanness and despair. 'For this cause shall a man leave
his father and mother and cleave unto his wife and they twain
shall be one flesh.'

" The second phase is the delusive one where the inordi-
nate affection comes disguised as a proper affection. Many

Editorials and Sketches.

449

souls that would turn away disgusted if the open doctrine
was taught, are snared by this 'angel of light.' Some one
has been a great help to another, the instrument of conversion
or great good. The enemy comes saying this is your father,
your mother, your son, your daughter in Jesus. You think
you have only love for them as a Christian. The deception
is complete. The unwary soul is snared. The same inordi-
nate affection is doing its deadly work, and unless there is an
awakening, the terrible fall is sure. May God protect His
little ones from these snares. The only safety* is to keep so
lost in God that no flesh spot can touch the soul.

"An interest in another that draws one toward them,
and leaves one disturbed and restless in their absence, is of
the enemy. Avoid it. If either phase of these affections has
taken possession of your soul and been yielded to, do not
profess holiness. That vile affection has polluted your soul
and left its slimy traces along the entire length of your af-
fections. It must die. It eminates alone from the foul life
of carnality. It smells of brimstone and leaves the plague
spots of hell in its track.

" Confession to God of our carnal state is needed, deep
and pungent. This affection inordinate, springing out of the
putrid depths of the carnal mind must be severed from the
soul. O what a deliverance! The affections which the will
could not control are brought into line with purity. God
takes up the entire being. Satan comes and finds nothing in
us. Our affections are set on things above and not on things
on the earth. May we all be sanctified wholly and preserved
blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen."

" DEAD TO THE WORLD."

" Very often when souls are seeking the distinct blessing
of holiness, you hear those who are instructing them telling
them to 'die out to the world.' Also, while preaching, some
teach that in order for the soul to be cleansed they must 'die

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Vivian A. Dake.

to the world.' This teaching is confusing and delusive.
4 Whosoever is born of God overcometh the world,' saith the
apostle John. This Scripture teaches that the justified soul
has overcome or is dead to the world. Must not justified
souls have victory over their friends, over earthly riches, over
worldly pleasures, over sinful appetites ? Yes, we say. Very
well then, why confuse the seeking soul by teaching that
they must die to the world when seeking holiness? A justi-
fication that does not deliver from the world is worth nothing.
Let us keep the line clear and evident, between us and the
world. There is a death for the soul seeking entire holiness.
Not to the world but to the 'old man.' This death we must
taste . It is a real death. The 4 old man ' will continually try
to turn our attention to something else in order to shield him-
self. Rev. F. D. Brooke once illustrated this point well. He
said when they were boys on the farm they had a dog they
used to play with, and the dog would catch them and pull
them to the ground. One day his brother set the dog on him
and as he saw he could not get away, he pointed ahead and
began to call, 'seek, seek.' The dog thinking there was
something ahead ran on and left him. So when the soul is
stirred by the. evil within and begins to seek God the 4 old
man' begins to cry, 4 seek, seek,' and tries to turn the atten-
tion of the soul to something else. Amen! Let us hold
steadily to God's living truth. Justification delivers from the
world, entire holiness delivers from the carnal mind."

"MANIFESTATIONS."

<4 A clear understanding of the mind of the Lord with
reference to manifestations is necessary to a good experience.
There are two dangers that everybody is exposed to in a
greater or less degree.

44First, quenching the Spirit and failing to obey God.

<4 Second, giving manifestations greater weight than
God does, and thinking that they alone, are evidences of a

Editorials and Sketches.

45*

good experience. Either mistake is fatal. That God gives
His saints various exercises when under the Spirit, He de-
clares. 1 And there are diversities of operations, but it is
the same God which worketh all in all? I Cor. xii, 6.

" Some men lay down their human rules as to what
the operations of the Spirit are, but God says, 4 diversities.'
There are circumstances in which God's saints leap for joy.
Many (even some professing holiness) are opposed to jump-
ing. But Jesus says: 'Blessed are ye when men shall hate
you, and when they shall separate you from their company,
and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil for
the Son of man's sake. Rejoice ye in that day and leap for
joy.' Luke xxvi, 22, 23. This is no figure of speech. It
is a plain declaration and those who have gone through the
experience, especially when it came from friends and false
brethren, have felt that superabundant joy. Some oppose
any noise which is not an intelligent shout. The prophet
Isaiah says, 'Cry out and shout, thou inhabitant of Zion:
for great is the Holy One of. Israel in the midst of thee.'
Isa. xii, 6. The prophet Zechariah says, 'They shall drink,
and make a noise as through wine.' Zech. ix, 15. This text
refers to the saints of God, and is an exact prophecy, fulfilled
to the letter at Pentecost, when the opposers cried out:
'These men are full of new wine.' Acts ii, 13.

"The saints when full of the Spirit, are variously exer-
cised. The Bible sanctions, by example and precept, falling
under the power of God, leaping for joy, shouting, crying,
and laughing with holy joy. These exercises, when the in-
dividual is led to them by the Spirit, should not be quenched.
If men oppose, or preachers cry down, let the Holy Ghost
have His own way. According to the Word of God, all
who are filled with the Spirit will manifest it in some manner.

" The second danger comes in judging experience by
manifestations. When one judges the holiness of another by
manifestation, they are wide of the mark. These are no

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Vivian A. Dake.

criterion, except when accompanied by a holy heart and life.
The great danger of self comes in when we begin to seek ex-
ercises instead of God or when we seek the manner of exer-
cises instead of leaving God to lead us as He will. Let us
remember that we may be unsaved and go through all these
exercises; that they are no criterion of experience; that we
should not seek them, nor desire any special manifestation.
If we guard these points and unrestrainedly give ourselves up
to God, seeking only more of God, we will have 'indeed
freedom,' 4 run and not be weary,' 4 have our mouth filled
with laughter and our tongue with singing,' and sometimes
be unable to tell 4 whether in the body or out of the body.'"
"HOLINESS."

44 What is it and how obtained? 4 Holiness is whole-
ness.' It is a state of being, through the agency of the atone-
ment, that brings us back to the purity held by the human
race before the fall. When a soul is wholly sanctified it is as
pure as angels and relatively as pure as God. 4 Be ye there-
fore perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect.' This
does not mean absolute perfection, but relative or conditional
purity or perfection. They may become impure. They are
not perfect in judgment, but in purpose. Not perfect in
knowledge, but. in obedience.

44 To obtain holiness there is necessary : first, light ; second,
conviction; third, confession; fourth, crucifixion; fifth, saving
or appropriating faith. Faith, in general terms, stands out as
the sole condition of entire holiness; for without faith not
one step can the seeker take toward God. He must have
faith with the enlightening, faith with the conviction and
faith with the confession. But appropriating faith is based
upon conditions that are as inviolate as the faith itself.

44 The common method of teaching that holiness is ob-
tained by consecration and faith, is very blinding and can be
proven from Scripture, only by giving the words a strained
meaning, such as they are not capable of bearing.

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453

" First, light. No soul will seek God until he has light
upon his heart. The Word of God is a lamp unto our feet,
and a light unto our path, and through the Word we get
light. The Spirit shines upon the Word and reveals the
truth to us. God uses His people also. 1 Mark the perfect
man, and behold the upright, for the end of that man is
peace.' 4 Living epistles, known and read of all men.'
To this end, reading of the Word, preaching, expounding,
teaching and testimony in the Spirit are a necessity. By
these means the light shines. The state of the soul is re-
vealed to the understanding. « The depths of pride, self-
will and hell appear.'

"The old man which is 'corrupt according to the deceit-
ful lusts 'is discovered in his hiding place. The carnal
mind which 'is enmity against God ' is shown in his oppos-
ings. The body of sin the seed of sin, containing the germ
of every carnal manifestation, the vital chit of every foul
fruit of the flesh, becomes manifest under the blazing light of
God, in all its native ugliness.

"The light does not show one up as being not very bad
and the old nature trained almost to purity's perfection, and
some one else as the one whose thoughts and the imagina-
tion of whose heart is evil and that continually. But the
light discovers to every one, that 4 from the sole of the foot
even unto the head there is no soundness in it; but wounds,
and bruises, and putrifying sores: they have not been closed,
neither mollified with ointment.'

" This brings the soul to conviction. Not a light sur-
face feeling that is easily dispelled by a sociable neighbor or a
good dinner; but a deep, increasing, unendurable agony of
soul, that cries out, lO wretched man that I am! who shall
deliver me from the body of this death ?'

" Conviction settles down upon the soul. The image
of the enemy of all righteousness is seen in the carnal mind;
the mark of the beast; the same leprosy that shall forever

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drive the soul from the companionship of the holy. Then
does the soul loathe, abhor and turn awa'v from all earthly
sights and sounds. With Paul, while darkness gathers round,
so far as earthly ambitions are concerned, if necessary with-
out food and drink for three days he cries to God. No
pleasure to the man who feels the weight of sin's death with-
in him. Not that length of time, or outward expressions are
an essentiality here; but that the knowledge of the depraved
state revealed to a justified soul will produce the most in-
tense conviction with its necessary accompaniments.

"The next step is confession. The soul addresses itself
to God, against a common enemy and acknowledges the state
within. If we confess our unrighteousness He is * faithful and
just to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.' Not of necessity
must the confession be made to man, except when men have
been involved through the deception of the carnal mind, but
to God. Not of past deeds of sin, but of the hidden qualities,
propensities, and manifestations of the man of sin within.
When the conviction is deep and pungent the confession will
not be forced, but will come forth as a relief to the anguish-
stricken soul. This process of the Spirit, confession, will
bring the soul to the human part of the crucifixion.

"The light and the confession bring to view the man of
sin. Instance, when the soul is wrapped in the strong coils
of covetousness and avarice, confession brings to light
more fully the nature within and delivers over the 4 old man'
to the Holy Ghost, who doeth the work. We cannot kill
self, only in the sense that we can confess the carnal mind;
hand it over, renounce it, and will its death. This the
Scripture means when it says, 1 They that are Christ's have
crucified the flesh, with the affections and lusts.' Have cru-
cified. We need not fear a Bible expression. Given in a
Bible sense, consecration does not cover the foregoing. To
attempt to make it, is to strain it beyond its legitimate mean-
ing. You cannot consecrate the carnal mind; hence if it can-

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455

not be consecrated, it remains there, necessitating another con-
dition to the faith that sanctifies, which we have called cru-
cifixion.

" The soul has now arrived at the place where faith
appropriates the blessing. In the majority of cases, we doubt
not, faith will be simultaneous with this point of contact.
There need be no long and labored effort to get the soul to
believe, for when he has had the light, felt the depths of
nature, confessed to God, crucified the 'old man,' and without
reservation or equivocation, handed over his powers to God's
service and glory, it is easy to have faith in God. The
necessary accompaniments of holiness are assurance, purity,
peace and power. Following the appropriating faith, the
witness of the Spirit brings to the soul the assurance of the
work completed.

" The soul is pure, the movements of sin are gone. No
motions of fleshly lusts that war against the soul. No inward
stirrings. The wisdom that is from above is first pure, then
peaceable. The peace of God succeeds the whirlwind of
battle that has agitated the soul. 4 Great peace have they
that love thy law, and nothing shall offend them.' They
have constant peace.

"Power is a necessary accompaniment of holiness. A
powerless soul is an unholy soul. Carnality is weakness.
When souls are seeking power they should be seeking purity.
The Pentecostal enduement of power was purity of heart.
Mark Peter's words, 4 And put no difference between us and
them purifying our hearts by faith.' 'But tarry ye at Jeru-
salem, until ye be endued with power from on high.' True
holiness knows the nature from which it was delivered, the
soul-honesty that was necessary to the work, and the Holy
Spirit, who, as active agent, accomplished the work and
brought in the great deliverance, and the freedom from war-
ring elements, the music of peace that flows through the

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soul, the power divine which upholds, fills and makes it
mighty for battle and for conquest unto the glorious end."

CHAPTER XXXIV.

" TITHES AND OFFERINGS."

"How many to-day are robbing God. God's demand
upon every Christian is one-tenth of the increase. The sys-
tem of tithing does not belong to the Jewish system of
religion alone. The patriarchs tithed in the days of Abraham,
for after the recapture of the king of Sodom, Abraham gave
tithes of the spoil to Melchisedec, king of Salem, which
Melchisedec was a type of Christ.

"The Son of man, when reproving the scribes and Phar-
isees said, 4 Ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and
have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment,
mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to
leave the other undone.' Matt, xxiii, 23.

" The Son of God endorsed this truth thus plainly. How
many then are robbing Jesus Christ. They do not give Him
His tenth. That is His rent that He charges for His air,
sunshine, earth and rain. We, however, have the pleasure
of paving it out according to His will. If this were prac-
tical everywhere, we have no circuit so poor but a preacher
would be well supplied. Ten families would support a
preacher and ten preachers would send a missionary and
support him on the field.

" This is only God's right. He complains bitterly and
says, ' Ye have robbed me, even this whole nation.' It is
only common honesty. The neglect of it stunts our souls,
injures our joy, and paralyzes the work of the Lord. If
the people of God only gave Him what is righteously His,

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457

the banner of the cross would soon wave in every land.
God's money is laid up for a 'rainy day' or worse if possi-
ble, to be willed to unsaved children and relatives, that
they may use it to fight God with, and strengthen themselves
in their strongholds of covetousness and pride.

" Will you rob God? Beware! He will have His own.
If you do not give it to Him, He will take it out of you in
calamities that shall overtake you. But those who tithe
think they have done all that is necessary. They have done
nothing. They have only given God back that which be-
longs to Him. If you want to give to God, then you must
make Him an offering. God does not want to be robbed in
offerings. He asks His people, over and above the tenth to
make offerings from their nine-tenths. Thus will they glo-
rify God.

" The one who preaches this truth is called grasping,
and few dare to do their whole duty for fear of man. But
the truth must be proclaimed, and if the one Who proclaims
it is counted an evildoer; let him glorify God on this behalf.
1 Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be
meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the
Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven,
and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room
enough to receive it.' Mai. iii, 10."

"THE DRY BONE VALLEY CIRCUIT."

" Never perhaps was a preacher called to travel upon a
more discouraging circuit than Ezekiel. But the first point
that we notice is that he was carried there by the Spirit.
This of itself is enough to give courage to a true child of
God. None can hope to succeed when ambition, selfishness
or desire for ease has dictated their labor. But when the
Spirit not only leads, but carries the man over all obstacles
and opposition, he can be courageous on the Dry Bone Val-
ley Circuit, We do not hear Ezekiel saying: 'Well this is

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the hardest circuit in the conference, and I know there must
have been wire-pulling or I would have gone to a better
field. I will pack up and leave.' No, God had sent him
and he began to look for divine orders. The first was to
look his field over thoroughly. This he did and he found
' many bones and behold they were very dry.'

" God does not send His servants to work in the dark.
He wants them to know the circumstances and then like a
skillful surgeon take the proper steps to remedy the trouble.
God did not hide the state of the circuit from Ezekiel. He
showed him many bones and they were very dry. There
was not even an old saint to say Amen! There was
not one that was gasping to keep alive. They were all dry
bones, and very dry at that. But we hear no murmurings,
no discouraged words. God says, 4 Can these b*ones live?'
Ezekiel casts the burden back on the Lord and says, 4 Lord
thou knowest.' That is the same as though he had said,
there is no help in the human, but thou, O Lord, canst do
all things; whatever you command me to do, I am here
to do.

" Then God commanded him to preach to the dry bones.
Without a word he began to say, < O dry bones hear the
word of the Lord!7 O what faith in God is here exemplified.
The preacher had not preached long until there came a shak-
ing among the dry bones. 'Bone came to his bone.' Many
want a revival, but they are not ready for it on the shaking
line. How many societies need this shaking. It will bring
bone to his bone. Old troubles will be gotten out of the
way and there will be a coming together, a confessing, a re-
penting and making right that will prepare the way for God's
great work of grace.

" The shaking may not be a very pleasant process, but
it is a very profitable one. There may be noises and motions
that may not seem very respectable or cultured, but if bone
comes to bone and the flesh covers them, never mind. In a val-

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459

ley full of dry bones there may be a violent demonstration to
break loose from the mass and find the normal place, but let
the Spirit lead and keep hands off, and God will see to the
results.

'< By this time there was much encouragement on the
Dry Bone Valley Circuit. The next command to prophesy
to the winds to breath on the slain, was quickly obeyed and
lo! where there had been a valley very full of dry bones,
'stood up an exceeding great army.' Now the faith was lost
in sight and the troubles of the past were forgotten in the
victories of the present. Agreeable surroundings were not
an evidence of being in divine order.

" Never was Ezekiel more in divine order than when he
set out to travel the Dry Bone Valley Circuit. No official
board to sta^d by ; not one old mother in Israel to clap her
hands and say, Amen! Nothing but death. But God
brought one live man there, and the Dry Bone Valley Cir-
cuit had to change its name to the Resurrection Valley Cir-
cuit. God makes us alive to bring us in contact with death,
for His glory."

"WALK IN THE LIGHT."
u The apostle John makes walking in the light the con-
dition of sanctification. The meaning of the apostle is gen-
erally given rather vaguely. But there is no need of indefi-
niteness. The Bible definition of light is: 'Whatsoever
doth make manifest is light.' The light of God upon the
heart of a sinner shows him his sins, the remedy for sin, and
the end of a life of sin. The light upon the heart of a be-
liever shows him the carnal nature hidden deep within.
Here is the necessity of walking in the light. God lets the
light shine upon the carnality of the heart, and if we walk in
that light, it discloses to us our state of soul more and more.
If we love the light we will hasten to walk in it. The saved
soul does love the light but so deceitful is the carnal mind
that it is hard to call the self-life which is so threaded through

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our being, carnality. Mr. Wesley saw it when he sang,
4 Chase this self-love through all my heart, through all its
latent mazes thou.' To walk in the light is to acknowledge
the carnal mind. Then as we see its manifestations, to con-
fess them. The great trouble of getting souls to confess
their carnal nature, is the cause of much shallowness of ex-
perience.

" Men who are naturally very prudent and saving hate
much to confess their covetousness; others hate to confess
their pride. Many are like the Brahmin who had a micro-
scope given to him. In examining his rice he found microbes
in it. He knew they were meat, and his religion said he
must not eat meat. He could not get along without his rice,
so he made up his mind the cheapest way was to throw his
microscope away. #

"Just so, many draw back from the light of God when
it shines so clearly upon their heart sin, and shows them
what they have so long petted, and have thought so fondly
was a very satisfactory part of their proper being — is in fact,
nothing less than the carnal mind, the fell destroyer of man-
kind. Then comes the struggle, and often the soul throws
away the light and wanders in the darkness of a superficial
experience. Whenever the light shines upon any manifes-
tation of the carnal nature, we may then know that the body
of sin is there.

•'Here again, many sad mistakes are made. When the
light shines, instead of walking steadily in it, they get a
victory over that manifestation, repress the 'old man' and
leave him in the depths below, God's light will not fail to
show us our state. Then open your eyes while it shines
upon the foe within. How we will be astonished! How
the light will reveal the slimy, putrid monster within.
' Corrupt.' What depths of meaning. All veiled in dark-
ness. We know it not because we do not walk in the light.
The light shines but we do not advance in the light.

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'Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead and
Christ shall give thee light.'

"Now walk in the light. As you confess, your heart
will break up and you will feel your great Deliverer near.
Walking in the light will bring us to the point of victory.
We need only to walk in the light and we shall know just
what the will of the Lord is. Light makes everything
plain, shines away all doubt, and gives us to see the track of
life which leads direct to the mount of crucifixion and the
hour of deliverance.

"WITHOUT THE CAMP."

" The apostle used this figure to typify a necessary con-
dition of salvation. There is nothing popular about the re-
ligion of Jesus. The man who took the scapegoat outside
the camp, took the reproach of the people with him, and was
himself involved for the time being in the reproach. Thus
Jesus suffered outside the gate. He bore the reproach. He
did not die in the city surrounded by friends. We are ex-
horted to go forth unto Him without the camp. * If wTe suffer
with Him, we shall also reign with Him.' Many who want
the glory are not ready to take the c lone way.' But the real
saints of God are ready to follow wherever they can see the
footsteps of their Master. It means to stand alone.

" We cannot be saved by companies. We must learn
to'stand alone. It is pleasant to have good companionship,
but the child of God is ready to stand alone in the breach.
Some are good soldiers in a crowd; but how few can follow
Jesus alone when all the reproach falls on their devoted
heads. It means to receive the reproach of the multitudes.
Some think that because the multitude reproach you, you
must be wrong. Jesus received the reproach of the throng;
so must those who go with Him. It will come seemingly
like an overflowing tide, and the weak and faint-hearted
will fall in with it. But the resolute few boldly withstand
it for Jesus' sake.

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" The call of God is for those who will go outside the
camp. There are plenty of camp loungers; plenty who love
to eat the good things and enjoy the ease; but God wants
those who will take reproach and hardship outside the camp.
Let not God's little ones fear. Only be sure that you follow
the Master, that your lives tell for Him, and you will find
Ilim also outside the camp. Let not the one who loves pop-
ularity think to find it in the way of the Nazarene. He will
find the joy that the world knows not of; he will find the
way of life; but the applause of the world goes in another
line. This is the line where comes the glory. The saints of
God find it better to take it and the glory that follows, than
to have an empty profession without God in the soul.

" It is a place of freedom outside the camp. No straight
jacket nor ecclesiastical red-tape to kill out the life of the
soul, but a blessed freedom in the Lord. Amen! Then
away to the field, the battle, the reproach. Fight for your
Master, die for Him, and enter into your reward."

"A PESTILENT FELLOW."

" This was the name given to the apostle Paul by his
accusers. He made a stir wherever he went and did not
allow men to sleep the sleep of death. He shook the very
foundations of sin and a backslidden Judaism by the thunders
of his God-given truth. The men, thus disturbed sought
means to rid themselves of this troubler so they began to call
him a 'pestilent fellow.'

" When a man takes a stand by the old paths and cries
out against compromise, and denounces compromise in dress
and church buildings; when he stirs up sleepy preachers,
compromising preachers, 'dumb dogs that cannot bark,' it is
very convenient to begin to cry out a pestilent fellow. But
God's little ones know the joyful ring. They understand
where the ark of God is and they will be ready to take their
stand by the truth of God.

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463

" This cry against Paul drove him out of Judea and sent
him a prisoner to a distant land. But it only enlarged his
circuit and gave him a chance of preaching the gospel from
the throne of the Caesars. Here at Rome was the gathering
place of the world and as the apostle preached, his words
were carried to all parts of the world. These cries against
the true children of God may sway the people for the time
behig, but God has His hand over His own work and will
never suffer it to be tested only so that the pure gold shall
shine forth undimmed. Let all of God's little ones keep hum-
ble; let them not return any of the rallving cries of Satan but
keep to the work of God and surely God will make the wrath
of man to praise Him." #

OUTLINE OF SERMON PREACHED IN PRESBYTERIAN
CHURCH, ATTICA, INDIANA.

"Text: 4 And the house, when it was in building, was
built of stone made ready before it was brought thither: so
that there was neither hammer nor ax nor any tool of iron
heard in the house, while it was in building.' 1 Kings vi, 7.
The stones for the temple had to be quarried. They were
imprisoned by rubbish, bound fast by the earth. They must
be digged out. These stones are not dead. They are * lively
stones.' But they cannot stay in quarry, and at the same time
undergo the process of preparation. Christ must have way,
and with Almighty power must excavate us. Some do not
want to submit to the process. They do not want to give up
progressive euchre parties, they do not want to abandon the
theatre and opera and the world. But all this rubbish must
be wrenched away and from it all, we must be quarried.
Some of you well remember where and when Christ came
with levers and pulleys and with grappling hooks and digged
you from the * hole of the pit' and hewed you from the rigid
rocks and tore you from the spirit-entombing rubbish of sin.

" This is a soul harrowing process, this separation from

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the world. Colonel D was smitten with conviction for

sin and fell into the hands of a Presbyterian pastor, a man
of God, who dealt faithfully with souls. When he came
inquiring, 4 What must I do to be saved?' he told him he
probably had some preliminaries to attend to.

"'You have dealt largely in horses, colonel, have you
defrauded any one?'

44 4 Yes, there is an honest old man over there, and I
filched seventy dollars from him in a horse trade.'

44 'Well,' said the elder, 4 you must make restitution there
before you can believe to the saving of your soul.'

"The colonel hurried away and confessed his wrong
and handed over the seventy dollars and came back asking:
4 What must I do to be saved? ' I thank God that the elder
did not cry: 4 Believe, believe, believe and join our church,
and give us your influence and your money,' as some minis-
ters do. He probed his conscience deeper still.

44 4 Colonel, you have handled notes to a great extent,
have you wronged any one in that line?'

4'4Yes;Iheld a note against a penurious old deacon,
who was proverbially stingy, and grasping. He came and
paid me one morning and I handed him the note. After he
had gone I glanced across and saw he had left the note behind.
I said, I will make that miserly old man pay for some of his
scrapings. I filed the note away, and when I thought he
had forgotten the affair, I dunned him for the money and
confronted him with the note. In spite of all, he had it
to pay.'

4' 4 You must clear up that or you can never be saved.'

44 Away he went confessing and restoring. He felt some
easier after he had handed over the amount of the note, and
came to the pastor's study with a lighter step, but only to be
met with more soul-searching.

44 ' Colonel, you have held many mortgages of late, have
you oppressed and robbed any body in this business?'

Editorials and Sketches.

465

"' Yes, yes, an unfortunate man, in feeble health with a
wife and family. I took advantage of a flaw and forced his
property from him.'

"'You must right the wrong or lose your soul eternally.'

"Away he went and found aweary woman, weeping at
her work, in a hut in which they had sought shelter. Want
was staring all around. 'Where is your husband?' he said.

" 4 O, he is over yonder, trying the best he can to get
something to keep the wolf from the door. He has a hard
struggle and we are almost to the brink.'

"'Well, cheer up, and dry your tears,' said he. ' Here
are seven hundred dollars I took from you, and here is my
note for eight hundred dollars more, that belongs to you.'

"Before he left that house God had shown colonel

D what he must do to be saved. No man can believe

until he makes right every known wrong.

" The next process is to bring the stones into line.
This represents sanctification. You find the Word of God
is very clear and explicit upon this doctrine; teaching em-
phatically that .we are to be cleansed from carnal tempers,
from unholy elements of nature after we are converted. Read
the first epistle to the Thessalonians and see how very nat-
ural that is in setting forth the truth of holiness. You find
it is addressed to those who are soundly converted. They
were elected by the grace of God. ' We give thanks to
God always for you all, making mention of you in our
prayers; remembering without ceasing your work of faith,
and labor of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus
Christ, in the sight of God and our Father; knowing,
brethren beloved, your election of God.'

" In the third chapter Paul prays, ' And the Lord make
you to increase and abound in love, one toward another, and
toward all men, even as we do toward you: to the end He
may stablish your hearts unblamable in holiness before God,
even our Father.' He is not praying for something that has

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been done or for something to be done for unconverted souls,
nor for something that is impossible to have done now. And
in the fifth chapter he is still praying for the same thing, and
that it may be done now. We give you Scripture texts that
need not the least twisting or turning to bring them to bear
upon this subject. 1 And the very God of peace sanctify you
wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body
be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus
Christ. Faithful is He that calleth you, who also will
do it.'

"This doctrine is not of man, but is taught in the
wondrous words of the Son of God, when He said, 'Thou
shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all
thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy
mind, and thy neighbor as thyself,' and is taught * in
your Presbyterian catechism: ' The chief end of man upon
the earth is to glorify God, that he may enjoy Him for-
ever.' Amen.

"Noiselessly, stone upon 5tone, grew this great temple of
God, built of stones made ready before they were brought.
'There was neither hammer,nor ax,nor any tool of iron heard in
the house while it was building.' So is the house on high
built of ' lively stones,' ' an holy priesthood,' the eternal tem-
ple of our God. But the quarry is not a quiet place. There
is heard the sound of hammers and chisels. There drills are
ringing, and workmen shouting and running and sweating.
There goes a blast, #ind there a great ledge of rock comes
thundering down. The quarry is a place of business, and
there is the noise and whirl of eager activities, as souls are
excavated and fitted for the symmetries and the sympho-
nies of heaven. A man who had never heard a piano be-
fore was so thrilled and enraptured with the wondrous
melody that he started off to find the piano factory, expect-
ing there to be ravished by the many, mingling strains of
music. But he found only the whirl and buzz of machin-

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467

ery, the rasping sound of saws, the clatter of hammers, the
patter of hurrying feet, and dust, and din, and stroke, and
shout, with which the work went on. Wait awhile; nor
chide the din and rush and shout; we are making pianos.

"But these 4 lively stones' after they are brought into
line, are to be polished. A short time since they were
shapeless hard-heads or rough boulders of granite. You can
see your features reflect in the massive pillars that rise in
front of the court house in Chicago. God polishes with
life's tests and trials, until His saints shine.

«' A chaplain in the war of the rebellion lay sick in the
far South, near unto death. No kind hand ministered to
him, except that of an old black woman. He complained to
her one day as she came with her black face beaming with
joy, into the tent, and bewailed his lonely and afflicted con-
dition, far from wife and family and friends.

" 4 You know nothing of such trials, Chloe, and so you
are cheerful and happy and shining with joy.'

"4I know nothing of trials, massa, do you say?'

"And then she told him how her old master tore her
darling children from her, one by one and sold them into the
southern rice swamps to toil and die; and how at last he sold
her good old husband who had loved her so long, and she
saw him driven off to rice swamps to die, and she never saw
her dear ones again, and in her old age her master sold her
to die in the same way ; and as she talked on, the chaplain
rose up and looked at her face that shone while the tears
streamed down her cheeks, and he cried out:

"' Chloe, Chloe, how can you keep the joy beaming and
glory shining under such sorrows? '

"cO massa, when I sees a dark storm gathering,' sajd
she, and she put up her hand as if she saw some black
cloud was coming into the tent, 'then I just look round on
the other side and there is Jesus, and it is all bright there.'

"' Among whom ye shine as lights in the world.' Amen.''

468

Vivian A. Dake.

A few months before Mr. Dake sailed for Africa he wrote

the following:

"Dear Brethren of the Free Methodist Church: —

"As a humble member of (I firmly believe) the best
church on earth, I make my defense to you. Inasmuch as I
am misunderstood, and many do not know me face to face, I
feel led of God to declare my intentions. My father and
mother are members of the Free Methodist church. I was
born, brought up and educated in these influences, and have
never belonged to any other church. I have served the
church as pastor, chairman, and evangelist, and have never
refused toil and hardship for God's cause.

" Some years ago God showed me our young people
going to the Salvation Army, or backsliding for want of work,
and laid their cases on my heart. I saw the necessity of a
work for those who did not feel called to preach but to
B give all their time to labor for the salvation of souls.
When I saw this work, I saw the misunderstanding I must
bear, the jealousies I must brave, the plots I must be the
subject of. But I said with an anguish-torn heart: 'Thy
will be done.' It was not an easy thing for me to lay
down all the honors given me so freely by the church. In
the struggle I discovered a love for place and position, and
that I was not sanctified wholly. After an awful struggle
and a death to carnal self, I came out into the blessed light
of purity.

"The first year of the band work witnessed many
mistakes all of which were repented of. The enemy, on
the plea of doing thorough work, endeavored to drive me
to an error. But out of all snares the Holy Spirit led me.
The conflict began at once. The first year a chairman told
me: 'I shall drive you out of the Free Methodist church
before the end of the year.' When the year closed, I was
in the church, but he was out.

Editorials and Sketches.

469

"The greatest trial was, that brethren and leaders did
not think I was in the right work. They insisted I should
travel districts. Three times I made the attempt to submit
to their will, but three times darkness came over my soul and
the districts were given up. God kept saying: 'This is the
way, walk ye in it.'

" At first I did not see missionary work connected with
the band work. But as time went on, conviction began to
settle on individual laborers, with reference to work in for-
eign lands. As they had stood by us on the home field we felt
it our duty to stand by them in the foreign field. This has
deepened to a divine conviction. I want to do it in the church
of my choice, and she, under God, shall have the classes and
church buildings. I have no ambition but for souls, no desire
but to glorify God, and no aim but to gain heaven.

M 1 Division ' is the cry in some papers, and on conference
floors; but my voice does not cry division. A brother minis-
ter asked me at the Wabash conference: 4 Is there not some
secret plot to divide the church?' I answered him: 'No,
and if ever I leave the Free Methodist church it will be at
the end of the ecclesiastical toe.' The work was begun
with a firm conviction that it did not cross one rule of the
discipline in either the home or foreign branches of the work.
The church has no law against loyal members associating
under regulations mutually agreed upon, to work for God
and souls. Neither is there any law against individuals en-
gaging in foreign missions. The powers of the Mission
Board are not crossed in the least. They are to have charge
of all missions established by the Board, and charge of all
funds raised by the church machinery. Believing this we
have continued to labor with all our might for the interests
of the work of God. And now, dear brethren, we simply
ask to be accorded the privilege of getting all the souls we
can, and building all the churches possible, and will give God
all the glory.

47o

Vivian A. Dake.

" During the past year we have given the Illinois confer-
ence one new society, the Central Illinois, five new societies,
with one church dedicated and three under process of erection;
the Wabash conference, five new societies with three churches
dedicated and one under way, in addition to lots for two more
churches. These are all dedicated to the church and the
societies handed over to the respective conferences.

" Our rule has been to go upon no circuit unless the pas-
tor and official board desire us to come. We have been at
work largely upon new ground. Dear brethren, I cannot
but do the work I am doing. If it be of men it will fail, but
if it be of God it cannot be overthrown. I feel the mission-
ary fire in every vein. It reaches out to every land. With
all the mistakes of the past under the blood, with threescore
valiant co-laborers, consecrated to the death, and ready for
service in any land, who are not asking for good circuits or
large salaries but for a chance to fight, and suffer, and die for
the Master, we salute you! We ask you to give us the lib-
erty of the past quadrennial, and we will bring in many more
souls. But brethren our souls are poised, we have suffered
much to reach this place of calm trust, we believe we are in
divine order, and if asked what shall we do if our brethren
do not agree with us, we return simply the answer of Peter
and John, 'We ought to obey God rather than man.' We
mean to be humble, to make no reach after human place or
position, but to run and fly after the lost. In Jesus,

Vivian A. Dake."

CHAPTER XXXV.

POEMS AND SONGS.

THE WONDROUS CHANGE.

My past of life,
How gad to me the memory !
The heartaches and the sighs;
The longing want for something always wanting;
For joy e'er seeking, yet joy fore'er pursuing;
The phantom in my grasp I sometimes seemed to have;
It vanished like the will o' wisp,
And left me gazing mournfully on gilded bubbles,
Where I'd thought was real good,
i came and went, and came again,
In empty sound of meaningless pursuit;
In search of something new to ease my aching heart.
I wandered o'er my circling course
In path so often trod,
Like beaten path of treadmill;
Recognized at last; I cried
" My wasted days ! ' ' Life is but vanity.
No rest I found, no peace, no ease of conscience.
For like the troubled sea which cannot rest
But casteth up continually mire and dirt,
So is the wicked.

While I wandered thus like shipwrecked mariner,

Who, without compass, chart, logbook, helm, or masts,

Driftsthrough the pathless darkness of the deep,

A ray of light divine beamed on my darkness.

It consolation brought, in words sweeter than music,

14 Come unto me all ye who weary are and laden heavy,
And 1 will give you rest."

" Come now and let us reason, saith the Lord
And though your sins as scarlet be, or crimson,

472

Vivian A. Dake.

They shall be as white as snow.''

I saw my wrong. A life of self I'd lived.

But now with all my heart I turn to Him,

Who died and rose again.

0! I remember well, when I surrendered

All my life to God.

The peace that passeth all human understanding
Filled my soul.

I turned my vision heavenward,
And the gates of glory lifted up their heads,
To let the conquerors in.
Heaven smiled, angels rejoiced,
And to its far, remotest bounds,
Hell groaned disappointment at my gain.
And now I live and yet not I,
For Christ my Saviour liveth in me.
To do His will is more than meat or drink,
And morning, noon and night the dews of heaven,
Like showers of rain upon new mown hay,
Refreshingly perfume my soul.
Oh joy supernal! bliss unspeakable!
God is my Father, I His child,
Redeemed from death and hell;
And with my heart made pure
And garments white in His own blood,
I upward press my way to gates of pearl,
And gold-paved streets ;
And all the eternities of bliss
In Christ and Heaven; —
All mine.
Written June, 1882.

A HYMN.

Jesus Thy blood doth cleanse from sin

Though red as scarlet dye
Whiter than snow, without within

By faith I'm cleansed, e'en I.

My soul the inward fire doth feel,
That speaks my spirit free,

In me Thy love Thou dost reveal,
And naught remains but Thee.

Poems.

473

What need I more since I am Thine,
Bought with Thy precious blood;

Darkness dispelled by light divine,
And swallowed up in God.

Thy blood to feel, Thy power to prove
Ah this will not suffice!

Till all shall know Thy perfect love
The joys of paradise.

Written May, 1883.

LO I AM WITH THEE.

When just before my sinful soul
The Red Sea billows raging roll,
While hosts surround I cried:
" The God of Moses— where is He?'*
" Poor sinner, here, to make for thee
A way through swelling tide.'*

When Jordan's stream my pathway crossed,
Fearing my Canaan would be lost,
Sweet land of rest, I cried:
"Elijah's God— where now is He?''
'* Believer, here, to make for thee
A way through swelling tide.'*

When tempest-tossed from wave to wave,
No strength in me nor power to save
From sorrow's depths, I cried:
"Oh help thou Christ of Galilee."
" Lo! I am here to make for thee
A way o'er swelling tide."

When heavenly scenes burst on my sight,
Flooded with glory; crowned with light,

While death's dark waves divide,
I cry: "My portion fair I see,
Thy promise sure, Thou art with me,

My way o'er swelling tide."

Written 1883 or '84.

Vivian A. Dake.

ONLY FOR SOULS.

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.

Chorus.

Souls all exposed to sin's dark blight,
Souls all exposed to eternal night;
Oh, haste to the rescue, for time swiftly rolls !
Only for souls; only for souls.

Only for souls, while the tear-drops start,

Only for souls though with aching heart;

Go, friendships and pleasures, — your death knell tolls;

Only for souls; only for souls.

Only for souls, with zeal eaten up,

Only for souls, Gethsemane's cup,

My heart, thou the altar where burnetii live coals;

Only for souls; only for souls.

Only for souls, be it far or near,

Only for souls, the summons we'll hear,

From the heat of the tropic, to earth's steady poles;

Only for souls, only for souls.

Only for souls, tho' the conflict be long,
Only for souls, 'gainst an enemy strong,
Victorious the issue, — our God all controls;
Only for souls; only for souls.

Written 1885.

THOUSANDS FOR JESUS.

There are thousands who wander in darkness

On the perilous mountains of sin,
We will seek them with cries and entreaties,

Though our eyes may with weeping be dim.

Chorus.

We are after our thousands for Jesus,
Our glorious all-conquering King,

Poems.

We will snatch them as brands from the burning,
Then thousands shall victory sing.

There are thousands now dwelling sad-hearted,
In the valleys and shadows of death.
4 4 No one cares for my soul," they are crying,

And they sigh with their fast-hastening breath.

In the byways of ruin they wander,

They tread on the brink of despair;
They sit with the scorners, ne'er dreaming,

That danger and death lurketh there.

The lowest and vilest downtrodden,

In the murkiest midnight of sin
Shall see the glad light of the Gospel,

And with us and our King enter in.

To the cross of the uplifted Saviour,

Our thousands are coming with haste,
From the mountain, the woodland, the prairie,

The city and desolate waste.

Yes, thousands are coming; salvation

Shall sweep like the waves of the sea;
And the songs and the shouts of rejoicing,

Shall foretell of the glad jubilee.
Written 1885.

PARTING TO MEET AGAIN AT THE JUDGMENT.

We have gathered to hear of a Saviour,

Of infinite mercy and love,
But this meeting will soon, soon be ended,

Shall we meet that dear Saviour above?

Chorus.

Parting to meet again at the Judgment,
Parting to meet no more here below,
Oh how sad the thought to thee,
Traveler to eternity !
Parting to meet again at the Judgment.

0 how swiftly the moments are flying!
0 decide, turn to Jesus and live!

Vivian A. Dake.

If you go to the Judgment a sinner,
What excuse to your Lord can you give ?

Pause a moment, consider, e'er going,

Look about on these faces to-night,
You will meet them again at the Judgment,

Are you ready to face Judgment light?

Once again there'll be meeting and parting,
When we stand at the great Judgment throne;

Will you join in the greetings eternal,
Or shall Jesus forever disown?

0 ye saints of the Lord shout for gladness!

For your fears and your sorrows are o'er;
You are ready to meet at the Judgment,

Or to meet here below nevermore.

Second Chorus.

Ready to meet again at the Judgment!
Ready to meet no more here below;
0, how glad the thought to thee;
Traveler to eternity,
Ready to meet again at the Judgment.

BLESSED SUNLIGHT.

Oh, the sunlight of heav'n, blessed sunlight of heav'n!

How it lights up the soul from on high,
Till the soul sees its guilt, and the blood that was spilt,

And " my Lord and my Savior,' ' doth cry.

Oh, the sunlight of heav'n, blessed sunlight of heav'n!

How it shines on the old man of sin,
Till the soul says, "my foe from my heart forth shall go

And the sunlight finds all pure within.

Oh, the sunlight of heav'n, blessed sunlight of heav'n,
O'er my path like the bright noonday sun,

It continually gleams, with its life-giving beams,
And I drink constant joys while I run.

Oh, the sunlight of heav'n, blessed sunlight of heav'n!
I shall dwell in eternity's noon,

Poems.

477

Where there cometh no night, but where Christ is the light,
And eternities vanish too soon.

WHAT HAVE I TO BOAST OF?

What have I on earth to boast of?

Why are gifts so glorious mine?
God and heaven am I the heir of;

Why dost Thou, Lord, claim me Thine ?

Chorus.

Jesus hung on Calv'ry's mountain;

Cried and groaned, and bled for me;
And from out His wounds the fountain

Gushed forth to set me free.

Jesus died, the God-life bringing;

Jesus wept, my tears to stay ;
Jesus groaned to give me singing;

Bore hell's night to give me day.

He was poor to give me treasure;

He was slave to make me king;
He was hated without measure,

Heaven's love to me to bring.

Have I joy, 'twas sorrow bought it;

Have I power, or grace, or love,
Have I wealth, 'twas Jesus brought it

Down to me from heaven above.

Hark! I hear 'mid every pleasure,
Sounds of Calvary's mournful night,

And behold by every treasure,
Calvary's cross appears in sight.

Where, then, where is room for boasting,

In the sight of Calvary's cross;
In the blood alone I'm trusting,
Counting other gains but loss.
Written in Germany, 1889.

478

Vivian A. Dake.
WHERE AM I DRIFTING ?

Dark, dark are the waters around me,

No star sheds a beam on my night;
Has darkness eternally bound me?

I'm drifting, I'm drifting from light.

Chorus.

Oh! where am I drifting? Oh! where am I drifting?

Oh! who can foretell me my doom?
Oh! where am I drifting? Oh! where am I drifting?

Out into eternity's gloom!

The highlands of heaven I've sighted,

Far from them I meaningless roam;
Its glories eternal I've sighted;

I'm drifting, I'm drifting from home.

No trace can I see of earth's shorelines,

No sign of her joys or her cares;
Alone on eternity's confines,

I'm drifting, I'm drifting oh! where?

The spell of eternity holds me,

Eternity's secrets are near;
'Tis sin's gravitation controls me,

I'm drifting forever, I fear.

Back, back fly the curtains of darkness,

Revealing eternity's death;
Amid all that horror of blackness,

Alone and forever I drift.

VALIANT HEARTED SOLDIERS.

0 valiant hearted soldiers, of all our faithful bands,
God calls to greater labors, alike on sea and land.
In vain He shall not summon, ready to die or live,
" Send me," we answer gladly, " Our all we freely give,''

Chorus,
Then out, away, and onward,

To darkest heathen lands,
To take this world for Jesus;

Press on, ye valiant bands.

Poems.

479

God-called and spirit-burdened, for service ev'ry where,
In dark and distant countries, in line for service there.
E'en life most freely given, to rescue men from death;
And crying, 11 Jesus only," till life's supremest breath.

No time for lamentation, nor for the fun'ral tread;

Let those who dwell in darkness, dead souls, watch o'er their dead.

The Master calls thee, hasten, whene'er you hear His voice;

0 let not self or Satan, but Jesus guide your choice.

Ten thousand sit in darkness, ten thousand stretch their hands,
Ten thousand cry in anguish, " O'come and save our lands!"
Hasten ye soldiers, blood-washed, and called of God to go,
Hasten on wings of morning, that all your Lord may know.

This, this your mission, workers, to ev'ry land and tongue;
Go, go proclaim the story, e'en as your Lord has done!
Farewell, cry as you hasten, to home, and ease, and friends;
Then forward, outward ever, till life and toil shall end.

LET ME GO TO THE VINEYARD OF GOD.

Let' me go, let me go to the vineyard of God,

Let me go and forever abide;
Ever valiant and strong in the work of the Lord,

Working close by the crucified side.
Let me go, tell the world, I am dead to its charms,

For my friends ring a final death knell;
From the vineyard of God I have heard the alarm,

Work to do, dearest idols, farewell.

Let me go, let me go to the lowest of earth,

Sinking down in their filth and their sin;
For my Saviour has shown me their infinite worth,

And I hasten my work to begin.
What tho' death I see oft! What tho' perils are mine!

I am strong in the might of the Lord.
And I hasten to join in the work so divine,

And I conquer by His mighty Word.

Let me go, let me go till the sheaves are all bound,

And are meet for the garner on high;
Till the Lord of the harvest shall say, "I have bound

All my sheaves for the sweet by and by."

Vivian A. Dake.

Let me go, let me go, till I've crossed the cold stream,
And have joined the redeemed on the shore;

Till I've swept thro' the gate like the lightning's bright gl
And I gaze on my Christ evermore.

THE OLD RUGGED CROSS.

The old rugged cross! yes, I love it;

Its burdens, reproaches, and shame;
And naught else on earth do I covet,

But to bear it for Jesus' name.

Chorus.

The old rugged cross, yes, the old rugged cron,

'Tis the badge of discipleship here;
And the way to a throne, and a kingdom and crown,

As the way of the cross shall appear.

The old rugged cross, I will cherish;

He bore it up Calvary's hill;
He bore it that I might not perish,

I'll bear it in love for His will.

The old rugged cross, highest honor

E'er granted to creature of God;
To bear the great conqueror's banner,

I'll gladly " pass under the rod."

The cross of my Christ, the anointed,

The badge of redemption from sin,
Its reproach marketh all those appointed,

Crowns and kingdoms eternal to win.

I'VE MISSED IT AT LAST.

M I've missed it at last," he repeated,

While the shades of despair gathered fast;

" My hopes are forever defeated,

I have missed, I have missed it at last!"

Chorus.

" I've missed it at last, missed salvation,

From the pure and the holy outcast;
Never more peace to feel — dire damnation —
I've missed, I have missed it at last."

Poems.

11 The thief on the oross I remember,
Ne'er refused till the summer was past,

And now in death's chilling December,
I have missed, I have missed it at last!"

I've sold out my soul for a feather,
No hope in the whirlwind's fierce blagt,

I'm undone forever and ever,
I have missed, I have missed it at last!'*

** The Spirit insulted, resisted,
Still plead till the die I had cast,
I said: ' Go thy way' — I insisted;
He went, I have missed it at last!'*

He buried his face in the pillow,
With horror his soul all aghast,

And back from eternity's billow,
He shrieked: " I have missed it at last!"

ETERNITY'S BEGGAR.

A rich man was he, and his acres were broad,
And his barns he tore down to build more;
" But thy soul is required, thou fool " said his God,
Then to whom shall thy goods be restored?

Chorus.

Eternity's beggar! the call he had heard,
But the warning, he turned it away.

0 sinner! then list to the voice of thy God,
And turn to the Lord while you may.

He looked all aghast at the sound of that voice,
And gazed on his rich, earthly store;

But it melted away; he had made a sad choice,
He was poverty's slave evermore.

Out, out from his mansion he wandered away,

To the depths of eternity's night,
To beg for relief, and to long for the day,

Which shall gladden, no never, his sight.

Vivian A. Dake.

SEPARATION FROM THE WORLD.

Take the world with its follies and riches,
All its pleasures I've counted but dross;

And the dread of the coming to-morrow,
Mocks its joys, turns its gains all to lose.

Chorus.

Farewell, my sinful pleasures,

Farewell, my comrades all;
Farewell, my earthly treasures,

I go at Jesus' call.

While my heartstrings are breaking asunder,
And I tearfully gaze on the dead;

From the wreck of my earthly ambition,
To my Jesus for refuge I've fled.

All that fame or that pleasure can offer,
All that wealth or that honor can buy;

All, yea all, that I've hoped for my time life,
Gladly goes, on His cross let them die.

I now gladly give all up for Jesus,
Take the cross, die the death to the world;

Separation, the motto I herald,
O'er the cross is that motto unfurled.

THOUGH YE HAVE LAIN AMONG THE POTS.

Tho' ye have lain among the pot?,
Covered with the dust of neglect ;

No work done for Jesus,

Who from sin hath freed us,
On which thy soul can reflect.

Chorus.

Yet thou shalt be as the wings oi a dove,
Covered, with silver, yellow with gold,

Yet thou shalt be as the wings of a dove,
Thrilled with a joy that can never be told.

Tho' ye have lain among the pots,
Unfit for u^e anywhere;

Poems.

Spotted with sinning,
Hindered from winning,
Joys which thy God doth prepare.

Tho* ye have lain among the pots,
Hard by the centers of sin;
Heart by sin crushed,
Voice by hell hushed,
Bruised without and within.

Tho' ye have lain among the pots,
Heavenward joyfully come;
Laurels entwining,
Heaven's light shining,
Honored and fitted for home.

THE BARREN FIG TREE.

Lo! these years I came expecting,
Fruit to find on this fair tree;

But its mission long neglecting,
Naught but leaves, alas ! I see.

Chorus.
Cut it down, cut it down,
Cut the barren fig tree down.

At my last year's visitation,
Was the ax laid at its root;

Mercy's year of expectation,
Hath, alas! produced no fruit.

It is but a graceless slumb'rer,
Bearing only worthless leaves;

Cut it down, the barren cumb'rer,
Making room for fruitful trees.

Fruitless one, alas, professing,
That a child of God you are;
This your fate, no grace possessing,
" Cut it down and do not spare."

EVERLASTING.
There's a world everlasting,
Of jasper and pearl;

Vivian A. Dake.

And onyx and beryl,

And diamond and gold;

And glory untold,

And there I shall dwell, ever dwell.

Ever dwell, ever dwell,

And there I shall dwell, ever dwell.

There's a house everlasting,

Not builded with hands,

Nor founded on sand,

But built on the rock,

Where cometh no shock,

And there is my home, ne'er to roam.

There's a crown everlasting,

A crown of pure gold,

And stars, I am told,

If lost ones I bring,

To the feet of my King,

That crown I shall wear, ever wear.

There's a hymn everlasting,
The Lamb is the theme,
So strong to redeem,
A hymn never old,
And yet ever told,

That hymn I shall sing, for my King.

There's a King everlasting,

He comes on His throne,

His children to own,

They waited full long,

With prayer and with song,

And now He has come, welcome home.

REDEEMED.

Redeemed, yes redeemed, lo! He dies on the cross,
And, lo! for my sins He is counted but dross,

Poems.

485

Redeemed by His stripes, we are ever more healed,
And peace to our souls by such love is revealed.

Chorus.

Redeemed, yes, redeemed I am washed in the blood;
Redeemed, made a king and a priest unto God:

Redeemed, yes, redeemed, saved from sin here below,
With pow'r to o'ercome, in the light glad to go;
Redeemed from the follies of fashion and pride;
With heavenly patterns our longings to guide.

Redeemed, yes, redeemed, by the blood of the Lamb,
Redeemed, sing His praises, His only I am;
He bought me, and taught me His wonderful love;
Redeemed and made white as the wings of a dove.

Redeemed, sing the chorus, ye saints in the sky,
Redeemed, sound the victor's notes, roll them on high;
Redeemed, join His praises, ye lowly of earth;
Redeemed, tell the world of our Lord's wondrous worth.

At the close of a missionary class meeting at the seminary at North
Chili, N. Y., Feb. 21, 1892, where much of the Spirit's presence was
manifested, while singing the following piece; Supt. B. T. Roberts re-
marked to his wife and others: " If Adelbert Dake had done nothing
out write that piece, his life work would have been a success."

WE'LL GIRDLE THE GLOBE WITH SALVATION.
Behold the hands stretched out for aid,
Darkened by sin, and sore dismayed,
0 will you to their rescue go,
Lost wand'rers down to endless woe?

Chorus.

We'll girdle the globe with salvation,

With holiness unto the Lord;
And light shall illumine each nation,

The light from the lamp of His Word.

In heathen lands they watch and wait,
And sigh for help which comes so late;
And grope in sin and nature's night,
Forever vainly seeking light.

Vivian A. Dake.

0 flash the tidings! shout the sound,
In darkest lands the world around,
Till all the earth, from pole to pole,
Shall full salvation's echoes roll.

The watch fires kindle far and near,

In every land let them appear,

Till burning lines of gospel fire,

Shall gird the world and mount up higher.

DECIDING TO-NIGHT.

When are you coming to Jesus ?

When will you turn from your sin ?
Time more convenient ne'er cometh,

Why not this moment begin?

Chorus.

Now you're deciding, now you're deciding,
Yes, you're deciding to-night;

Near is the Lord in the vale of decision,
Shall it be darkness or light ?

Time enough yet, are you saying?

Sometime I'll yield, not to-night ?
Procrastination brings ruin,

Smites brightest hopes with a blight.

View all your prospects of glory,

Bo't with the blood of the Lamb;

Take them this hour by deciding,
Join in the conqueror's psalm.

Will you then hesitate longer?

Mid this assemblage of death ?
Flee to the stronghold of safety.

Death, hell and Judgment out-breath.

REPENT, 0 YE SINNERS.

Repent, 0 ye sinners, your Lord cries aloud,
My kingdom's at hand, and my heavens are bowed,
I eome for salvation my mercies are stirred,
I'll spare thee if contrite, rely on my Word.

Poems.

Chokus.
Repent, repent,

Repent or gain heaven, no never,
Repent, repent,

Repent, or you'll perish forever.

Repent, 0 ye sinners, repent while you may,

With tears and confessions, His wrath you may stay,

Do not as did Esau, your birthright despise,

He sought for the blessing, but none heard his cries.

Repent, 0 ye sinners, and turn from your sin,
Repenting, forsaking, restoring begin,
As Zaccheus said to his Lord at the tree,
Fourfold I'll restore to all wronged by me.

Repent, 0 ye sinners, or perish you must,
Your sins will your soul to the lowest hell thrust,
Repent, hear the warning, sin-sick and storm-tossed,
Repent or forever and ever you're lost.

PRAISE THE LORD.
Warbling birds, and buzzing bees,
Croaking frogs and breeze-swayed trees,
Purling brooks, and silent rocks,
Each of their Creator talks.
Sing the birds a song of praise,
Unto Him who makes their days,
Bees are buzzing busy strains,
Each proclaiming honeyed gains,
Which their Lord had wise prepared,
For their need, the? least, had cared.

Frogs are croaking in the marsh,
Sounds monotonous and harsh;
But it says as plain as words,
41 We are happy as the birds.
They bask in their native air,
We rejoice in swamp-life fare,
For our God has made us meet,
To rejoice from 'neath His feet.''
Hear the music of the brooks,
Purling o'er the silent rocks.

Vivian A. Dake.

And the sounds which gurgling come,
As the brooklets farther roam,
Form into a sweet refrain,
Mingled echoing of the name,
At which saints and angels fall,
" Crown Him, crown Him Lord of all."

Sing the birds and buzz the bees,
And the frogs croak in the lees,
And the tree tops beck and nod,
And proclaim their Maker, God.
Rugged oaks, and tallest pine,
And the twining.clamb'ring vine,
And the spruce with dress of green,
And the poplar's silver sheen,
And the birch and maple tree,
And the palm from o'er the sea,
..Where the lofty cedars grow,
And the Banyan shadows throw,
All rejoice and clap their hands.
Born in wide, diversant lands,
But they praise their Maker one,
He their Maker, He their sun.

Shall the birds and bees and frogs,
And e'en the unthinking logs,
Shall they all their Maker praise,
Through the length of all their days,
And our souls and voices dumb
To give praise for all the sum
Of the Saviour's love to me,
Which from sin hath set me free ?
With a thousand tongues 'twere vain,
To set forth the wondrous gain,
Which is mine since Christ hath died,
And hath called me to His side,
Let the world my Saviour praise,
Every creature all their days.
Praise Him loud with every breath,
Praise Him even unto death.
Praise the Father, praise the Son,
Praise the Spirit, every one.

Poems.

Praise Him all ye heavenly host,
Father, Son and Holy Ghost.

THE PLACE OF WEEPING.

From Gilgal came the angel,

Where Israel had sworn,
1 We'll make no league with Canaanites;

Their altars down be torn.''
And when by circumcision

In one eventful day,
The dark reproach of Egypt's sin,

The Lord had rolled away.

The angel paused at Bochim,

And said, "I'll never break,
The covenant I made with thee,

For my own glory's sake.
But ye have not obeyed me,

Nor kept the covenant,
Ye dwell among idolaters ,

And to their music chant.

1 This goodly land I gave thee

To be thine heritage,
But ye have spared mine enemies,

Whose lust 'gainst me doth rage.
I therefore will not drive them

From out thy fruitful land, *
But they shall pierce thy sides like thorns,

Their gods as snares shall stand."

Then loudly wailed the people,

And owned the angel just;
And to the Lord they sacrificed,

With faces in the dust.
The place was known as Bochim,

For there they wept to see,
That thorns and briars all their lives,

Their portion sad must be.

At Bochim, place of weeping,

How few can e'er be found,
In sorrow that the Canaanites,

49°

Vivian A. Dake.

Still dwell in holy ground.
0 gather there ye people,

With sacrificial zeal,
And free the land of enemies,

Their death knell loudly peal.

FOR THE WORKERS.

I've no room in my soul but for Jesus, •
No time but to serve Him each day;

Pre no words but to speak oat His praises,
No joy but His presence alway.

I've no crosses to bear but are helpful,
No sorrows but bring greater joy,

I've no trials but make me shine brighter,
No tests but my hope can destroy.

I've no fears but are vanished forever,
No sins but are under the blood,

No foes but I've freely forgiven;

I am clean, washed in Calvary's flood.

I've no earth house, but one sure in heaven,
And there I'll forever abide;

My Jesus invites, and I'm going
To sing evermore by His side.

CONSECRATION.

I consecrate my life to Thee, dear Lord,
To labor with my might, call nothing hard,
Use all my strength with every passing day,
Then ask for more, and hasten on my way;
Pluck brands from out the burning while I live,
Then heavenward fall, and falling, heaven receive.

I consecrate my time, my length of days,
And every moment shall speak forth Tby praise,
E'en to old age will I renew my strength,
Mount up on wings as eagles, and at length,
When all my time is spent in Thine employ,
Drop off this flesh and enter into joy.

Poems.

I consecrate my money, Lord, 'tis Thine,
And not a mite will I speak of as mine,
Naught will I spend in selfishness or ease,
But seek alone, Thee only, Lord, to please,
Strive not to lay up treasure here below,
But all my treasure safe in heaven bestow.

I consecrate my powers of soul and mind,

In Thee my powers shall meet employment find,

My judgment and my will and memory store,

Imaginations, thoughts, shall evermore,

Be captive to my Christ, the crucified;

Each all their work perform, yet in Thee hide,

Affection's wealth, 'pour incense on Thy head,

And grosser appetites forever dead.

I consecrate my body, yes I may,
Serve Thee with e'en this mortal lump of clay.
My eyes, my ears, my tongue, my feet, my hands,
Shall quiet be, or haste at Thy commands,
And for Thy glory they shall be kept meet,
Yea e'en the food, which by Thy grace I eat,
My transient home, the raiment which I wear, —
In this and all, Thy glory my sole care.

I consecrate my home, my friends, my all,

And forth I go, heeding Thy gracious call.

Ready for any place, afar or near,

The place that others shun I will not fear,

But gladly go, if I may only bring,

One wanderer more, to serve my God and King.

I consecrate to suffer naught within,

That presence shows of dark orig'nal sin.

But by God's grace, drive deep the 'venging spike,

That to the carnal heartlife, death shall strike;

Suffer no signs of wrath, impatience, pride,

Of hellish lust, or malice prone to hide

Deeply within; or fear, or love of praise,

But by Thy blood made pure outlive my dayi.

I consecrate to do, to go, to dare,

To suffer with my Saviour, and to bear,

Hardness, as soldiers should, on every field,

Vivian A. Dake.

To run the race, to weakness never yield,

Refuse all honor, ease, or earthly store,

Take up the cross, deny self more and more,

Bend all my energies to save the lost,

And with some stars, gain heaven at any cost.

THE LOVE OF GOD.

How vast the love of God to me,
An ocean boundless, deep, and wide,

I plunge in its immensity,
And I am lost beneath iti tide.

The love of God who can proclaim,
An angel's tongue might try in vain,

And earth's ten thousand voices lame,
In singing of a Saviour slain.

The love of God, its depth and height,
Its length and breadth are mine to prove,

But when I've searched with human might,
I cry aloud, 'tis boundless love.

The love of God that saved from death,
That snatched from Satan's cruel power,

I'll magnify with every breath,
And shout aloud with life's last hour.

LOST IN SIGHT OF HOME.

Long in far-off countries,
Has the good ship been,

Many storm waves breasted,
Many dangers seen ;

Now all hearts are hopeful,
Distant shore lines loom,

And all tongues are singing,
"Home! In sight of home! "

Chorus.
Sad indeed to perish,

While we distant roam;
Sadder for the wanderer,

Lost in sight of home.

Poems.

493

Fiercely roars the tempest,
Round a helpless bark,

Struggling with the breakers,
And the storm clouds dark;

Hope, from every bosom,
Evermore is gone,

Loud the breakers thunder,
"Lost in sight of Home!"

Souls of men who trifle
With eternal things,

Thinking not of danger,
Till it lurking springs;

See your doom foreshadowed,
Unwarned shall it come,

And the mournful ending,
"Lost in sight of home! 19

Seen are Heaven's coast lines,

But the furious gale
Beats in all its madness,

Rending every sail;
Bursts of endless sorrow,

From the lost ones come,
Mutt'ring thunders echo,
"Lost in sight of home! "

The following to Mrs. H. A. Coon who prayed for Mr.
Dake while seeking the experience of holiness.

BIRTHDAY TOKEN.

Dear auntie, receive this small token,

A breath from the heart of your child,
Remembrance of love never broken,

But joined in a God reconciled.
Long years have you traveled life's pathway,

In comparison mine are but few,
But the sunshine of your closing life's day,

Does my spirit and body renew.

So this is the fifty-ninth chorus,
In your sweet, joyful pilgrimage song,

494

VlYIAN A. DAKE.

And loved ones, — to Himwho hath borne us
Through trials, — the chorus prolong ;

Each year counts a verse in the hymning
Of praise to our Savior divine,

And the birthday brings in the glad summing,
The chorus in which we all join.

Deep, deep rolls the bass of thy sorrow,

And pain's piercing tenor runs high,
Then notes changing with coming to-morrow,

All hail! for its coming draws nigh.
The alto of love— a hosanna,

With notes purest, sweetest, though strong,
And the Spirit's full glorious soprano,

Hatli blended the wTaole into song.

The sharps and flats — discord dire,

If standing alone, out of place,
They add to the harmony, fire

As trials to souls bringeth grace,
The rests often seem to be wanting,

For the song is sung "while 'tis day,"
But for thee, rest eternal is'waiting,

Where working is resting for aye.

O'er each verse crescendo appeareth,

An increase of peace and of power,
And diminuendo applieth

To the world with its swift passing hour.
The key is the key of Salvation

The tune, in the Holy Ghost joy,
And the strain "in this world tribulation,"

Bringeth sweetness that naught can destroy.

The swan that before never singeth,

At death sings a song passing sweet,
And the curfew at eventide ringeth,

When sunbeams from darkness retreat.
So thy song gathers sweetness from sorrow,

And lightens despair's darkest night.
The last verse thou' It sing on the morrow,

All Heaven will join with delight.

February 9th, 1888.

Poems.

TRACK OF TRIBULATION.

There's a track of tribulation

By the saints of ages trod,
'Tia the highway of the ransomed,

And it leadeth up to God.
'Tis the way the Man of Sorrows

Journeyed in His low estate,
When He sought the lost and found them —

Was there ever love so great?

Lost, yea, lost with none to rescue ;

Arms too short, and strength too small,
Till the Son of God came swiftly

With a love that conquered all.
Came to poverty and scorning,

Came to mocking and distress;
Came to .final joy and triumph

Over sin and hell and death.

Oh that hour, when touched by pity,

He from off His throne came down,
'Mid the shouts of untold millions

Laid aside His kingly crown,
Gladly too, His reputation,

And in form of sinful man,
Knowing well the path of suffering

He redemption's work began.

Oh the scene that spread before Him,

In this lost and ruined world;
Where the hosts of hell are gathered,

And rebellion's flag unfurled.
Like the mighty rushing torrent,

Swift to hell the millions sped,
Sinking down, forever sinking,

In the region of the dead.

Scenes of suffering and of sorrow,

Crowd upon the rugged path
Which the Saviour meekly traveled,

Mid the storms of hellish wrath.
Saviour of the lost and ruined,

By the lost and ruined spurned,

Vivian A. Dake.

And for love's most sure deliverance,
On His head their hate returned.

Scenes of Nazareth and Gethsemane,

Pilate's hall and Herod's throne,
Scenes where all with one consenting

Did their blessed Lord disown.
Was there ever love so gracious ?

On this tribulation track,
Patiently He journeyed onward,

Nor did give one answer back.

Lonely watch of dark Gethsemane,

Prone upon the cold, damp ground,
Burdened with the sins of many,

With no friends to gather round,
Forced the blood from all its channels

Trickling down from every'pore
Witness dire of pain and anguish

Which for thee, the Saviour bore.

Tumult fills the hall of judgment,'

Silent stands the patient One.
Crown of thorns, spittings, revilings,

Shower upon God's only Son.
"Upon us and our children,

Be His blood" they fiercely cry.
Crucify Him, crucify Him!

On to Calvary! He must die!

Up the track of tribulation

Patiently the Lord doth go,
Bearing on His back the burden,

End of all His pain and woe;
Blessed cross ! which Jesus carried

Mid that dark tumultuous throng,
Cla sp I to my heart forever,

This the theme of all my song.

Crowning scene of love at Calvary,
Rugged cross and cruel nail«,

E'en the thief who suffered with Him,
Bitterly his Lord assails.

Poems.

Gushing blood — a fountain flowing",
From His feet, His hands, His side,

Moves no stony heart to pity;
They His tears and love deride.

Nature draws her veil of pity,

O'er the sufferings of the Lord,
Darkness dense, and then the earthquake,

Sympathy for Nature's God.
Oh the love immense, unfathomed,

Even at His latest breath,
Beam 8 His eyes with love and pity,

And with love He conquered death.

Look ye here! ye scorned followers

Of your persecuted Lord.
Gaze upon those dying features ;

Listen to the wondrous words;
Even now in keenest anguish,

Greater, far, than mortal knew;
Father merciful, forgive them,

For they know not what they do.

Thus the saints of all the ages,

Took the track their Saviour trod;
Glorying in the roughest pathways,

Leading only to their God.
Tribulation worketh patience,

Tribulation's hottest fire
Brings the tribulation glory —

Mid its flames they mount the higher.

They were stoned, were sawn asunder,'

Tortured, tempted, mocked and scourged,
To the deserts and the mountains,

To the dens and caves were urged;
Walked on thorns of persecution,

Drank the bitterest cups of gall,
Mixed with tribulation glory,

Shining conqueror over all.

See the foot prints of our Saviour,
O'er His royal track divine;

498

Vivian A. Dake.

And apostles, fathers, martyrs,
All have walked this heavenly line.

Hail, all hail, reproach and sorrow,
Partners of Christ's sufferings here;

Partners of His final triumph,
Through the grand eternal years.

Know ye not this track of trial

Is the only way to Heaven ?
They shall suffer persecution,

Who to Christ their all have given.
But the waves shall not o'erflow thee,

And the flames shall do no harm;
He that to the end endureth,

Safe shall be from all alarm.

Who are these and whither came they?

These that stand before the throne ?
Clothed in robes of spotless whiteness,

Known to saints, to angels known;
These are they who washed their gannenti

In the Saviour's precious blood;
And through tribulation's fires,

Now they stand before their God.

Written 1886.

AT EASE IN ZION.

At ease in Zion ! woe to those
Who in their sins idly repose,
And sing the songs of worldly mirth,
Forgetful of their Saviour's worth.

At ease in Zion! woe to thee,

The trumpet sounds ! awake and flee,

Nor rest in such a dangerous state

Lest thou should'st wake at last — too late.

At ease in Zion, while the lost
Upon the waves of strife are tossed,
And loud they call, "Ho, brother, save!
0 snatch us from the yawning grave.'*

At ease in Zion, woe at last,

Poems.

499

The harvest o'er, the summer past;
With fires devouring you must dwell,
'Mid everlasting flames in hell.

ALL THINGS.
Romans 11:36.

For of Him are all things,

The Lord of the sky;
He rides on a cherub,

He ruleth on high;
By Him was created

All things that exist,
And by Him they now

And shall ever consist.

Chorus.

Let the morning stars sing,

Let the loud anthems ring;
Let all that hath breath catch the word;

Let the worlds join the song;

Let creation's vast throng,
Swell the anthems of praise to the Lord.

And through Him are all things,

He holds in His hands
The worlds He's created,

And by Him they stand.
The least grain of sand,

Or the mightiest sphere,
In His smile remain,

In His wrath disappear.

And to Him are all things,

His glory they sing;
Both now and forever,

Their Almighty King;
While all things created

A loud chorus raise,
And the universe echoes

The notes of His praise.

Vivian A, Dake.

NEEDED— LABORERS.

Needed— ten thousand laborers,

Wanted at once in the field,
Workers whose hearts are victorious,

Those who will die but not yield.
Jesus the Lord of the harvest field

Sends forth the call far and wide;
Few, yea, few are-the laborers,

Pray for a great harvest tide.

Needed — bold hearted laborers,

For the dark corners of earth,
Those who amid all hell's cannonry

Prove forth their heavenly birth.
For them the lost most beseechingly,

Stretch forth their hands, call for aid;
From the four winds comes the echoing

Art thou not, loiterer, dismayed?

Needed — now needed laborers

For all the isles of the sea,
Where the thousands are dying fast,

Seeking glad tidings from thee.
Look thou at China's vast multitude,

Who have not heard of your Lord.
Will you sit down then in idleness,

While they die lacking God's Word?

Look thou at Africa's heathen tribes,

Ah, they are stretching their hands,
Workers from land of the setting sun,

Come, oh come, dwell in our lands.
Darkness as dreadful as Jauggernaut,

Crushes poor India down.
Haste thee on wings of the morning winds,

Bear them their blood-purchased crown.

Bear thou the lamp of the Word of God,

Hold up its light everywhere,
Search out the lost in the darkest lands,

Show them a brotherly care.
Jesus the Lord of the harvest field

Whispers, "I'm with you alway,"

Poems.

Bind up the sheaves for the gathering.
Fast comes Eternity's day.

OUR WORDS.

How sober should we live,

How thoughtful here below,
And all our powers of being give

That all our Lord may know.

No room for jest or joke,

Nor idle, careless laugh;
While sinners by death's whirlwind stroke

Are carried off as chaff.

But earnest, sober words,

Seasoned with salt of grace,
Well pleasing to our risen Lord

If spoken face to face.

0 let our words declare,

That we our Savior know :
And heavenly thoughts find echo there,

And heavenly blessings flow.

THE SABBATH.

How sweet the joy the Sabbath brings,
My soul the joyful anthem sings,
And smiling nature joins the lay,
And crowns with song God's holy day.

How free this day from worldly care,
From morn till eve alone 'tis prayer,
And praise divine, attunes the heart
And fills with glory every part.

Sweet day of rest, to saints 'tis given
A fitting earthly type of heaven,
Its solemn hours will guide us well,
Up to our home with Christ to dwell.

A Sabbath rest with Sabbath joy,
And peace and love without alloy,

Vivian A. Dake.

And one unending Sabbath lay,
All hail! all hail! that glorious day.

CALL FOR REAPERS.

Reaper, wherefore dost thou linger,
Harvest fields are ripe to-day,

And the Master loudly calleth,
Hasten, reaper, while you may.

Great the work and few the workers,
Work increases, workmen fall,

Gird thee for the day of labor,
Haste thee at thy Master's call.

None can fill thy place appointed,
None canst save what thou canst eav«,

Thou alone canst snatch some wanderer
From a yawning, gaping grave.

Hast thou fears of men's opinions?

Do thy friends retard thy way ?
Art thou seeking, vainly seeking

For thy soul some earthly stay?

Storm clouds darkly lower yonder,
Day declines, the end is nigh,
"Harvest past— the summer ended,"
Shall thy soul forever cry?

Ah ! you answer to the summons,
See your life's work, enter in.

Praise the Lord, no soul shall perish,
Through thine idleness and sin.

Golden sheaves you now may garner,
Garner safely for the skies ,

And the reaper's song eternal,
You may sing with glad surprise.

'Midst the harvest home rejoicings,
Circled round by gathered grain,

Kindred spirits — fellow-reapers,
Swell with thee the glad refrain.

Poems.

GOD CALLS TO-NIGHT.

God calls to-night; He calls for thee,

He calls thee from thy sin;
He calls to life, the way is free,

Oh! enter, enter in.

God calls to-night, Oh! heed His voice,

Throw every idol down;
And make Him now your only choice,

He'll choose thee for His crown.

God calls to-night: from death's sure dart

He'll hide thy soul away;
Extract the sting, heal every smart,

And change thy night to day.

God calls to-night. Wilt thou refuse,

And madly from Him turn ?
Thy head against His buckler bruise,

And all His mercies spurn ?

God calls to-night, to some the last.

Reject this offer given,
And all thy hope is over past,

Of ever gaining heaven.

WARNING.

Math. xxiv. 20,21.
Pray ye that your flight be not in the winter,

When danger is gathering round;
When the darkness comes fast,
And the winter's fierce blast,

And no refuge on earth can be found.

Chorus.

Flee to the strong hold,

Flee to the strong hold;

Haste to the Lord while you may.

Soon comes the night,

And the storm in its might,

Flee to the stronghold to-day.

Vivian A. Dake.

Pray ye that your flight be not in the winter,

When harvest forever is past;

When the summer is o'er,

And there's mercy no more,
And eternity holds thee at last.

Pray ye that your flight be not in the winter,

Yes, pray as a man for his soul;

While 'tis still called to-day,

And of hope there's a ray,
E'er the billows of wrath o'er thee roll.

NO FACE LIKE THINE.

No face like Thine, my Savior,

Fair as the lily white;
Amid the throng that drifts along,

Shedding a heavenly light.

Chorus.
I shall see His glorious face,
I shall see Bis glorious face;
And gaze upon it evermore,
My Savior's glorious face.

No face likeThine, my Savior,

More marred than any seen;
By crown of thorn and Calvary's morn,

The heavens and earth between.

No face likeThine, my Savior,
Brighter than noon-day sun;

For saints, 'tis light — for sinners, night,
With work of judgment done.

No face like Thine, my Savior,

O, Majesty divine;
No sun, no moon, but Christ alone,

Of heaven, the Light sublime.

THE DAY OF HIS COMING.

He cometh, He cometh,
The Judge on His throne,

Poems.

With ten thousand thousands,
Redeemed for His own.

' The dead are arising,

From graves opened wide,
No time for excuses,
No coverts to hide.

The sun plunged in darkness,
The moon dipped in blood,

All nations are wailing
At sight of their God.

'Mid hoarse muttering thunders

And loud roaring seas,
And earthquakes confounded,

The sinner shall be.

To saints and to angels,

His welcome is smiled,
Come blest of my Father,

Through blood, reconciled.

EARTtTSVANITIES.

I have sought pleasure, this wide world around,
Drank its cup deeply, but none have I found,

Sweet for a moment, then bitter as gall,

Flash like a meteor, then darkness o'er all,
Vanities all, yea, much lighter than air,
Briars for roses, for peace, heaviest care,

Heart-sick and weary, to whom shall I go?

Help, or I perish, Thy mercy, Lord, show.

Friendships were mine with the fairest of earth,
Heart knit to heart of true merit and worth,

Gone, and I'm left with the perishing clod,

Chords snapped asunder — "Pass under the rod.'
Low 'mid the ashes of sorrow, I lie,
Covered with sackcloth and wishing to die.

End of perfection, to whom shall I flee?

Savior, have mercy, I would come to Thee.

Treadmills of duty that never are done,
Conflicts and battles but victories none.
Troubles, like billows roll over my head,

Vivian A. Dake.

Fearing, yet wishing to lie with the dead,
Wishing 'twere morning, as fast speeds the night,
Wishing 'twere evening, when breaks morning light,

Restless and wretched, 0 must I thus roam ?

No peace, no Jesus, no hope and no home.

My heart is weary of din and of strife,
Weary of living this unmeaning life,

Satisfied never, no peace and no rest,

Warring waves ever beat fierce on my breast.
Discord, confusion, wherever I go,
Life is so empty, a vanity show.

0 must I ever in wretchedness sigh ?

Help me, my Savior, I perish, I die.

Hark! 'tis a voice like the waves of the sea,
Breaks on my soul, with glad tidings for me, —
" Come unto me, all ye weary and worn,

Heavily laden, your burden I've borne.
Cast it all down at the foot of the cross,
Joy for your sorrow, and gain for your loss,

Plenty for poverty, gladness divine."

Lord, I am coming, Oh. may I be Thine?

Gladly I yield to the mandate above,

Cast down my burden of sin for His love,
Take up my cross, and its weight I adore,
For His dear sake, who for me the load bore.

Dead to the world, and the world unto me,

From all its follies, forever set free,
Quick as a flash, comes the light all divine —
Jesus my Savior, I'm Thine, I am Thine I

Now I have found what my soul long has craved,

Glory to Jesus, I'm saved, I am saved!
Saved from my sorrow and strivings and sin,
Saved from my foes from without and within.

Heaven has come with its sweetness and rest,

Satisfied ever, continually blest,

Well springs of joy, floods of glory divine,
Shout the glad news, Lord -eternally Thine!

Poems.

DIP YOUR FOOT IN OIL.
Deut. xxxiii. 24.
If your path in life is weary,

Dip your foot in oil.
If your days are dark and dreary,

Dip your foot in oil.
'Twill make your pathway lighten,
'Twill make your dark days brighten,
'Twill from you sad cares frighten,

Then dip your foot in oil.

Chorus.

Then dip your foot in oil,
'Twill lighten all your toil,

'Twill smooth rough ways,

Brighten dark days,
Then dip your foot in oil.

If to peace you are a stranger,

Dip your foot in oil.
If your end seems full of danger,

Dip your foot in oil.
Peace like a mighty river,
Shall fill your soul forever,
And death shall bring no quiver,

Then dip your foot in oil.

If you wish a joy undying,

Dip your foot in oil.
And a life time free from sighing,

Dip your foot in oil.
Your heart to pour forth singing,
Your notes of victory ringing,
Your feet toward heaven springing,

Then dip your foot in oil.

HEDGED IN.

The saints of God are safe,
From all assaults of hell;

For Satan hath himself declared,
That saints in safety dwell.

Vivian A. Dake.

For God hath hedged us in,
And Satan powerless stands;

His rage and hate and hellish spite,
Our Father countermands.

No robbers, storms or death,

Can cause a saint to fear;
They rage without that God-made hedge,

And Father's always near.

Chorus.
Hast Thou not made a hedge

On every side around
About his house and all he hath,

And caused him to abound ?

BENEDICTION.

Grace and mercy, peace and love,
From the triune God above,
Be upon us while we part,
Join us each to each in heart;
Save the wandering and the lost,
Ere they pay the fearful cost,
Shed upon us each this hour
Saving, cleansing, keeping power.