History Lesson 1

1890 St Louis Tent Meeting




Taken From Biography of Maria Woodworth-Etter, read more here

She had no itinerary, and often changed plans as the Lord led her. Once she was going to California, but in obedience to the Spirit's correction turned and headed for St. Louis instead. The resulting tent meeting at the infamous Kerry Patch, a stronghold of Catholic idolatry and rampant vice, was an epic victory that she describes in her 1918 book, Signs and Wonders. St. Louis, Missouri, 1890: "They had pistols and clubs, and were ready to kill us, and tear down the tent. It looked as if we would all be killed. Several ministers tried to talk, but were stoned down, or their voice drowned out. It looked like surrender or death. "It was an awful sight to see a little band of Christians, sitting nearly frozen to their seats with fear, surrounded by a mob of wild, fierce men and women, many of them half drunk, their eyes and faces red and inflamed. Every effort failed, and we could do nothing with them. I said to my co-workers: "We will never give up, and if they take us out of the tent before we are ready to go, they will take us out dead." I told them to lead in prayer one after the other, and the God of Elijah would answer. "A sister knelt on the pulpit pale as death, her hands and face raised to Heaven, and in a clear ringing voice asked God to save and bless the Judgement-bound multitude. A feeling of the awful Presence of God began to fall on the people. Another sister followed in prayer, then I arose, and stood before them. I raised my hand in the Name of the Lord, and commanded them to listen. I said the Lord had sent me there to do them good, and that I would not leave until the Lord told me to, when our work was done. I told them the Lord would strike dead the first one that tried to harm us or to strike us with a dagger. If any tried to kill us the Lord would strike them dead. The power of God fell, and the fear of God came upon all the multitude. The sweat came on their faces, and they stood like as though in a trance; the men began to take their pipes out of their mouths, and their hats off. The women began to cover up their bare necks and arms with their aprons. They felt they stood naked and guilty before God. They began to get off the seats, and try to sit down, but some fell and lay like dead. Others stood with their mouths open. One Catholic said that I struck him down, and showed him Hell. Tears ran down many faces, through the dirt, leaving streaks. They stood like they were afraid to move, and they all passed out quietly. After that the hoodlum element always respected me."



19 But when they deliver you up, do not worry about how or what you should speak. For it will be given to you in that hour what you should speak; 20 for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you.

http://www.youversion.com/bible/nkjv/matt/10/19



Prayer

We invite you Holy Spirit to strengthen and encourage us. Give us a passion to tell people of the goodness of God toward them. Give us a supernatural courage, remove the fear of man, remove the fear of offending and loose from us the excuses we make for not speaking up. Above all give us a heart of love, especially for those who don't know you, for your names sake, Lord Jesus, Amen