Maria Woodworth-Etter - Holy Ghost Sermons (Pentecostal Pioneers)

by

Maria B. Woodworth-Etter

Pentecostal Pioneers Series

No. 7

Published by The Revival Library

www.revival-library.org

It is just two years since I got 15,000 of my last, large book Signs and Wonders (nearly 600 pages) off the press. Nearly half of these messengers are now out among the people, testifying to the Signs and Wonders wrought in my ministry through the name of Jesus. We constantly get wonderful reports from this book.

For some time there has been a great demand for a book with some of my sermons that will meet the needs of the people, in these days of tests, trials, and tribulations. The present day conditions have been seen and prophesied many times in my meetings. These sermons were preached under the anointing of the Spirit, and are especially intended to get God's people SEALED in the SPIRIT unto the Coming of the Lord, so that they will go Up with Jesus, when He comes for His Bride,

This is my latest work. Under the anointing of the Spirit, I have been enabled to delve into some of the Hidden Mysteries, surrounding the closing of the Gentile Age, and revealing the advent and nearness of the Coming of Jesus.

The Anointing Abides. The work goes on in the newly erected Tabernacle, 2112 Miller street, West Indianapolis, Indiana. See last chapter.

Lend a helping hand in scattering these white-winged, dove-like messengers of God's truth. Our reward will soon follow us. Amen.

MRS. M. B. WOODWORTH-ETTER Evangelist,

SEPTEMBER 1918

I was born In New Lisbon, Ohio, July 22, 1844, and was the fourth daughter of Samuel Underwood. My parents were not Christians, but when I was ten years old they joined the Disciples Church. One year later my father, who was a drunkard, got struck by lightning In a terrible storm and died. It was an awful blow to all our young hearts, to see our father carried cold and stiff into the house, and mother fainting as fast as they could bring her to. There were eight of us children, and soon myself and older sisters had to go out and work to provide for the family. I longed for an education, but this seemed impossible. At the age of thirteen I attended a meeting that a Dr. Holding was holding. When I heard the story of the Cross, my heart was filled with the love of Jesus, and my eyes seemed to be a fountain of tears. When the invitation to seek God was given I was the first one to start, It seemed so far to the front, but I said:

I cant but perish if I go,
I am resolved to try;
For if I stay away I know
I shall forever die,

The minister took a great interest in me and said many things to encourage me, If he could have looked forward and seen my life work for the Master he would have rejoiced to know how kindly he had spoken to the poor little orphan girl. But I did not get fully converted then. The next day as they took me down to the creek to baptize me, I heard some one say: Maybe she will be drowned. It scared me a little. I thought maybe I will, but I said, Lord, I will go through if I do. So asked the Lord to save me, While going down in the water a light came over me and I was converted. The people saw the change and said I had fainted. Then began my new life of peace and joy in a Saviours love. I also felt that I had a call to go out into the highways and hedges, and gather in the lost sheep.

The church in those days did not believe that women had a right to publicly preach Jesus. Had I told them my hearts desire they would have mocked me.

Later, I married a Mr. Woodworth, and hoped by doing so the way would open that I could go out in the work for Jesus, But one trial and hardship after another was my lot. I felt happy with a few little children that God gave us, but soon the Angel of Death took away my bright, blue-eyed darling boy. One year had hardly passed before another one was taken away. About this time my little daughter, Georgia, was converted. We loved so much to talk about the goodness of God, and longed for the time when we could meet the little ones over on the other shore. In a short time she took sick and died, For weeks before she died her face was all lighted up with the glory of God. She would say: O mamma, if you could go with me I would be so happy. I said, Georgia I will try. But that would not do. She said, Oh mamma, say you will. I cannot die unless you promise to meet me in Heaven. I said, Georgia, by the grace of God I will meet you in Heaven. She said, Now I am ready, I know you will come.

The Sabbath before she died she called me to her bedside and said: Mamma, I am going to leave you this week, and began to set her house in order. To me she gave her Testament. Just before she passed over she said: O mamma, I see Jesus and the angels coming for me. It seemed to me that I could see them as they went sweeping through the gates into the New Jerusalem. It was like death to part with my darling, but Jesus was precious to my soul. I could say with David, they cannot come back to me, but I can go to them. Praise the Lord for the Christians hope.

From the time of the sad occurrences just mentioned my health was very poor. I seemed to hover between life and death many times. Now I know that all this time God was preparing me for my lifes work. I could never dismiss the call I had from my mind, and Jesus began to give me such wonderful visions. Heaven is located, its inhabitants are real and not imaginary. I saw Jerusalem in it and talked face to face with Jesus. But I was not willing to go.

When alone I missed my darling so much that I wept as though my heart would break. Then I would always pray; and as I prayed I would forget everything earthly and soar away by faith to the Golden City, and there see my darlings all together shining in glory, and looking at me and saying, Mamma, do not weep for us, but come this way. I would always end in praising and giving glory to God for taking them to such a happy place. Lizzie, our oldest child, aged sixteen, was all we had left of six sweet children.

In all these trials God was preparing me and opening the way for the great battle against the enemy of souls; and now the great desire of my heart was to work for Jesus. I longed to win a star for the Saviours crown. But when I thought of my weakness I shrank from the work. Sometimes when the Spirit of God was striving and calling so plainly, I would yield and say, Yes, Lord; I will go. The glory of God came upon me like a cloud, and I seemed to be carried away hundreds of miles and set down in a field of wheat, where the sheaves were falling all around me. I was filled with zeal and power, and felt as if I could stand before the whole world and plead with dying sinners. It seemed to me that I must leave all and go at once. Then Satan would come in like a flood and say, You would look nice preaching, being a gazing-stock for the people to make sport of. You know you could not do it. Then I would think of my weakness and say, No, of course I cannot do it. Then I would be in darkness and despair. I wanted to run away from God, or I wished I could die; but when I began to look at the matter in this way, that God knew all about me, and was able and willing to qualify me for the work, I asked Him to qualify me.

I want the reader to understand that at this time I had a good experience, a pure heart was full of the love of God, but was not qualified for Gods work, I knew that I was but a worm. God would have to take a worm to thresh a mountain, Then I asked God to give me the power He gave the Gallilean fishermento baptize me for service. I came like a child asking for bread, I looked for it. God did not disappoint me. The power of the Holy Ghost came down as a cloud. It was brighter than the sun. I was covered and wrapped up in it. My body was light as the air. It seemed that Heaven came down. I was baptized with the Holy Ghost, and fire, and power, which has never left me. Oh, Praise the Lord There was liquid fire and the angels were all around In the fire and glory. It is through the Lord Jesus Christ and by this power that I have stood before hundreds of thousands of men and women proclaiming the unsearchable riches of Christ.