G. HARRY AGNEW
During the early autumn of this year Mr. Agnew entered into that perfect rest of faith for which he had hungered so long. The following account of it is from his own pen:
The Harvest Home camp-meeting of the Pentecost Bands for 1889 was held at Carlinville, Illinois. I went there in response to an invitation given me by Rev. Vivian A. Dake, leader of the Bands, who had formerly been my district chairman in Minnesota. How this beloved brother and true man of God lost his life on the west coast of Africa is recorded in the "Life and Labors of Rev. V. A. Dake," by Thomas H. Nelson. We loved each other as brothers. It was he who had taken me into the church, and he had intended, if the way opened, to come out and for a time help me in the work. The following, extracted from a letter written after my return to Africa, shows how strongly he felt in the matter:
"My Very Dear Harry:--
"I am going to the West coast next fall. I would give my right arm if that would bring me around to you and give me two or three months with you. God may open my way to come. I am glad in God for all he has done... Norway work is going gloriously. Sivert [Ulness] is there, and the people begin to break down. Matie North and Jennie Torrence are in Monrovia by this time. [These two missionaries died soon afterward, and an account of their deaths is recorded in Missionary Martyrs.] I suppose you have seen that Sumner Kerwood was dead?... Get a good smart native boy; adopt him and name him after me, and I will pray for him every day and pray God to make him a mighty power in Africa. Keep your lamp trimmed. Get somebody saved. Go down under the burden, and never stop until the grace of God is magnified.
"Yours in Jesus, Vivian."
There was much very searching preaching on the subject of holiness of heart at this meeting. I had attended a number of camp-meetings previous to this one, and had heard some close preaching, but nothing that came up to what was preached there. Here the carnal mind received severe handling, and the red-hot truths of God were preached fearlessly and attended with mighty power. My so-called experience in holiness had given me much concern. I had long professed the experience, and had endeavored to preach it to others. I thought I was quite radical, and endeavored to persuade myself that all was right. Once in a while, however, when searching my heart and praying an awful feeling would come over me that in some way I was being deceived.
At one time, while lying in bed sick with fever, a strange thought flashed across my mind, to this effect: "How would it do to become so absorbed in God that I would lose as it were my existence; be like a drop of water lost in the ocean?" I remember that at the time this was presented there was a strange shrinking in my heart. It seemed almost as if something had stung me inside. I thought, "What does this mean?" God does not require one to lose his individuality. A human being will have a personality through all eternity, whether he be an angel or devil. At this Harvest Home camp-meeting God showed me that the thing which shrank in my heart at that time was that treacherous foe of God and man -- the carnal mind. The Agag of my soul shrank from being hewed to pieces before the Lord. While listening to the searching preaching on this occasion a thought would come at times that I did not have the experience; but at such times that deceitful suggestion from Satan, "Do not throw away your confidence, but believe that 'the altar sanctifieth the gift,'" would come up, and I would say, "It is not a matter of feeling; it is a matter of faith." This is true; holiness is received by faith in Jesus, but there must be a real taking of sides against one's self, there must be a real turning of the soul inside out before God, without any excuse or apology for the contents thereof. There must be a real death to carnality, a real destruction of the body sin, or the soul cannot enter heaven.
One thing I had always been puzzled about was the demonstrations of some whom I knew walked with God. I could not understand how it was that some ran, and leaped and shouted the praises of God so. I never opposed them, but thought it was just a kind of playful spirit they had when they felt well, and that the running and jumping was just like the frisking of young calves. God let some light on me in regard to this matter at this camp-meeting, so that I have looked at such things with different eyes ever since.
At a close class meeting led by Mrs. L. A. Sherman on Tuesday morning, Aug. 6, I saw I had not holiness of heart. The great struggle with me then was on the line of confession. Would I get up and make a clean breast of my doubts and fears, or would I continue to hug the delusion to my breast that I was sanctified wholly simply because I felt I was consecrated? While kneeling at the altar, apparently for the purpose of helping other souls, the vision that God showed me while I was in a state of delirium, lying in an old hut at Komeni, flashed across my mind, and almost before I knew it, I was on my feet jumping and shouting, "I am going to get the blessing of holiness! God showed it to me in Africa!" I had never jumped before in a meeting. I had rather felt that such things were only done by weak-minded persons; but in the twinkling of an eye all my preconceived theories vanished. * * * Finally I was prostrated in the straw. The carnal mind was still within, but I felt that victory was nigh, as God had promised me years before that the work would be done. I then went out to the woods and began seeking, but came back to the afternoon meeting and went to the altar to be prayed for. I was clearly justified, but sought deliverance from inbred sin, and was determined to stay at the altar till I got it. Oh, what light God let on my heart. I began to see myself in a new light. I saw where I had excused and apologized for "the old man" for years. Anger had been called temptation; pride, self-respect; envy by some other name, etc.; but at this time God made me as honest with him and with myself as I will be at the judgment.
I stayed at the altar till about a quarter to twelve that night. At this time Brother Duke came into the tent where I was seeking, and catching me by the shoulders he gave me a gentle shake, saying: "Now, Harry, get it." This seemed to be just what was needed. It then came to me, "Here are people waiting till I get through; God is waiting to give me what I need; and I am waiting, too." I then looked up to God and said: "Lord, do it." Just then it seemed that some one spoke to me and told me to say, "Do it now." I then said, with all the energy of my soul, "Do it now!"
At once the witness came from heaven that the work was accomplished, and I said: "It is done." I felt all through my being that at last "the old man" was "crucified with Christ." I then went to bed, like a man dazed, and slept for a few hours. As soon as I awoke it seemed that the power of God would jerk me out of the bed. A mighty baptism of the Holy Ghost and fire went all through my being, thrilling me and filling me with "Love divine, all love excelling."
At last the work was done. After having been deceived for years my soul was grounded on the solid Rock -- the Rock of eternal ages. Praise God!
Source: "G. Harry Agnew -- A Pioneer Missionary" (hdm2411), by Wilson Thomas Hogue
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