On one of my early evangelistic trips in Canada, I visited a mother of eighty-six years, who was living with her daughter. This matured lady was a distant relative of mine, who had known me when I was a little boy. Not having been in touch with the family for many years, she was very glad that I had come to see her. When she had the opportunity, she began to tell me with a happy heart how she had found “peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
She had united with the church early in her girlhood. She had been taught to fear God, to be honest, humble, conscientious, and not to indulge in worldliness. However, her church held that it was unscriptural and presumptuous to believe that God gives assurance of forgiveness to one who truly repents and believes in the Lord Jesus Christ—a glorious truth the Word of God clearly teaches. She told me how her heart had longed for many years for this assurance; how she had prayed again and again that God would be merciful to her and not let her be lost forever, but let her at last, for Jesus’ sake, enter heaven. Then, with her face lighted up with joy, she related how one day the dark cloud that had hung over her soul lifted, and heavenly peace filled her heart. She received the sweet assurance of forgiveness of sins, and from that moment she knew that she was a child of God.
While she was speaking of the Lord’s gracious dealings with her, the daughter came into the room. When she heard her mother telling me of what God had done for her in the evening of her life, I saw a frown on her face. Then she said very emphatically, “Mother, you had better be still. You are nervous—and you will cause us more trouble.” Not saying another word, but smilingly looking at me, the mother saw that I understood the situation; that it was not the mother’s nerves, but the daughter’s conscience. The poor young woman, though a faithful church member, knew nothing about the grace of salvation to which her dear mother had testified.
Four years later it was my privilege to visit the home again. The dear mother was still there—now ninety years old. The daughter received me in a different spirit. After an exchange of friendly greetings, she said, “Mother is resting in her room. You may go in and visit with her while I look after my work.”
The dear old saint recognized me at once, and said, “I am very happy to see you again.” Then she continued, “You remember when you were here the other time, I told you how the Lord shortly before had spoken peace to my troubled heart and had given me full assurance of salvation.”
“Well do I remember your clear testimony,” I answered.
Then her face beamed with glory as she continued, “But God has done more for me since that time. Just three weeks ago the Lord Jesus baptized me with the Holy Spirit. They tell me that Pentecost is not for us. It was only for the Apostle and early Christians.” Then, with special emphasis, she reaffirmed, “BUT IT IS FOR US, because Jesus was here and He baptized me with the Holy Spirit.”
Her heart was overflowing with joy, and her ninety-year-old face was an inspiration for me to behold. I was reminded of what is said of Stephen, “And all that sat in the council, looking steadfastly on him, saw as it had been the face of an angel. . . . But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up steadfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God, and said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God.”
If I had not believed in the baptism with the Holy Spirit as a definite experience subsequent to the new birth, I would have been fully convinced by the clear ringing testimony of this saintly old mother. This godly soul, so far a I know, never had the privilege of hearing sound preaching on salvation, much less on the deeper Christian life; nor did she have any books on these lines. This one thing was profoundly impressed upon me that the chief qualification for salvation and also for the baptism with the Holy Spirit is a real SOUL HUNGER FOR GOD. This precious sister got the experience before she got the doctrine. Many have the doctrine but are lacking the experience.
“For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground: I will pour my Spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring.” And once more: “Blessed are they that do hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled.”
The foregoing account comes from the book Dwell Deep by Dr. J.E. Ramseyer; compiled and edited by S. A. Witmer.
Dr. Ramseyer was part of the Defenseless Mennonite Church before becoming co-founder of the Missionary Church Association (now Missionary Church) in August 29, 1898 and continued as its spiritual leader for 46 years.
“The particular issues which led to the expulsion of the early leaders from the Defenseless Mennonite Church were the baptism with the Holy Spirit as a crisis experience following regeneration, certain truths related to eschatology, immersion as the only mode of baptism, and divine healing. J. E. Ramseyer brought the conflict in the church to a crisis by being rebaptized by immersion in August 1896. Others followed his example in baptism, and these with others became the nucleus of the new church.” (Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online)
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