CHAPTER V

AT HOME IN SCHOOL-OVERWORK-MISSIONARY

IN UTAH TESTINGS

HE TIME CAME for me to return home.

TH

On the 13th of May, 1884, after an absence of a little more than two years, I left Montana for Kentucky. Many changes had taken place in my absence. My eldest sister had died, leaving seven children, five of whom were living with father and mother. Mother was careworn and had aged very fast. She had reared a large family of children of her own, and the burden of these grandchildren was telling on her. She was relieved of three of them, however, a few months later. My eldest brother, and also a sister, had married and left home. The summer season was just opening, and there was a great deal of sewing to be done. There was no one else to do it, and I undertook it myself; for six weeks I scarcely took time for my meals. When the fall term of the female college opened, I entered the school, worn out with the summer's work, taking five studies besides music. The teachers said I would break down, and insisted

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on my not trying to do so much.

But I car

ried through the term all that I had begun, believing that this year would end my school days, and I wished to accomplish all that was possible.

At the close of this year of hard study I became alarmed at the spiritual dearth in my soul, when a letter came from Mr. White, telling of the wonderful outpouring of the Spirit in Thomas Harrison's meetings at Denver, and also relating an instance of a young woman's receiving the Holy Spirit. He said that it was my privilege to have "the blessing, and urged me to seek it. One night, conscious of my need, I waited quite a while before God in prayer for a new token of His favor. He opened the heavens and poured out a great blessing upon me. I wondered if I was sanctified, and yet I had not definitely sought the experience. I was only praying for a new token of His love and favor.

I had now made preparations to return to Montana. Before leaving home I wrote to Mr. White at Denver, telling him that I expected to pass through that city, and would probably spend a few hours there between trains. He received the letter, but misunderstanding the time that I should arrive, did not expect to meet me, as he was intending to leave the city immediately, and supposed that

I

I would not arrive until several days later. had given up seeing him, when he walked into the waiting room at the Union Depot, accompanied by Evangelist Thomas Harrison. It was a providential meeting. Finding, on examining my ticket, that I could stay over until the next day, I concluded to do so.

I met Mr. White's pastor, Rev. I. H. Beardsley, some of whose relatives I had known in Kentucky. He and his wife kindly invited me to stay at their home over night. Mr. White took me about the city next day, which was growing rapidly, many fine buildings being erected. He improved the time by talking on the subject of holiness. Before leaving that afternoon, we knelt together in the old St. James M. E. Church and prayed. The Rev. Mr. Beardsley was then pastor of this church. At that time I had only a vague idea of sanctification, and did not know that it means the destruction of the carnal nature. W. B. Godbey had left some books at our home on the subject, but he said that he preached the Gospel many years before being sanctified, and this led me to believe that it was not to be obtained by everyone, and that even preachers could preach a lifetime and get to heaven without it. It looked unreasonable for me to expect so much in so short a time after my conversion. While praying I

received a blessing, but doubted that it was sanctification, and therefore did not claim it.

After my arrival at Dillon, Montana I learned that the district school boards in the towns and country had engaged their teachers. I owed seventy-five dollars to an uncle for my railroad transportation, and all I had was a little change in my pocket. The Methodist Conference was then in session at Dillon. In a testimony meeting I told of having received a great blessing, which led Rev. T. C. Iliff, superintendent of the Utah Methodist mission, who was present, and looking for teachers for the Salt Lake Seminary, to make inquiries about me.

My uncle and aunt were about to move to their ranch, expecting to rent or lock up their house in town. My sister Nora was one of the sisters, who, at my aunt's first invitation, refused to go to Montana, but two years afterward she decided to go. She went a few months before I made my second trip. She was invited to spend her summer vacation on my uncle's ranch. The fact that the schools were all taken, and that I had no money and no place to stay, seemed to be overlooked by all. My extremity was reached, and I had no one to look to or lean upon but God. Praying almost constantly for three days, I felt that a crisis was near. The Spirit