“O Lord,” we prayed, finishing the Sunday morning meeting, “keep us this day in Thy love, in Thy Spirit. Grant that we may pray much, and prepare us for the meeting of to-night, that Thy Name may be glorified. For Jesus’ sake, Amen.”

As usual, many of us settled to meet here and there after lunch, for passing the afternoon by praying at home.

***

In such a manner, about fourteen brothers and sisters bowed their knees in the sitting-room of Bro. Kromhout in deep adoration to the Lord, their Heavenly Father. Their hearts were fulfilled with praise and thanksgiving. As delivered people they thanked their Lord because they are permitted to enter with great boldness into the Holy place through the Blood of Jesus by a new and living way. They praised Him for the grace to worship there, and to have a blessed communion with the Son of God. Six of them may give thanks too for the Pentecostal Baptism promised to God’s people (Acts 2:39), and assured by His Death, Resurrection, and Ascension to the Father (2:33).

Earnest prayer went up to heaven for the others, that these, according to the richness of His glory, might be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inward man. The only plea is the shed Blood—

HIS OWN BLOOD,

and the promises that are in Him the yea and the Amen unto the glory of God through us. Knowing that He is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that they ask, they gave glory to Him.

The cry, “Victory by the Blood of the Lamb,” is continually on their lips! How could it be otherwise? They all know that the Victory of the Lamb is their Victory (Rev. xii., 11).

 

***

Hardly had they got upon their knees than the Holy Ghost fell suddenly on Sister Kök. She had been waiting for the Pentecostal Blessing twelve months already, and she had always expected it. More than 40 others got their Pentecost before her.

Once, in the beginning of her waiting-time, she received a blessed anointing; still another the 10th of January, 1908. Meantime, her husband received his Baptism. In one of the prayer meetings, when Pastor Boddy was in Holland, she had a wonderful vision showing her the suffering, death, and resurrection of her Saviour. Certainly very good encouragements, as it were, to steadfastness in prayer and to go on to trust Him to give her the promise of the Father. Should she receive that desired blessing that very evening? The Crown-blessing, as Andrew Murray calls it!

***

Meanwhile the evening came down! The curtains were drawn up to get into the room the last frail light of the dying day. But it did not avail very much; it was nearly dark outside. Looking out through the window (we were in a house three stories high, in an outside quarter of the town). We only saw a dismal, celestial vault. No sparkling stars shone with kindly greetings from heaven. Nobody thought about these things; all were in earnest prayer, and we didn't light the gas lamps; perhaps it might disturb this blessed prayer meeting!

***

That evening the Holy Ghost was in our midst. Everyone felt His presence; they bowed themselves with their faces to the ground upon the carpet and worshipped and gave thanks unto the Lord, because He is good, and His mercy endureth for ever. Jesus, the Baptizer with the Holy Ghost and fire, was ready to fulfil a cleansed temple with the Spirit. Allelujah!

Mightily the Lord's hand was upon Sister Kök. Glory and gladness filled her soul. "More, Lord, still more.' O what a happiness; O what a joy; O what a love! Saviour, I thank Thee for Thy love! Yea, Thou art the dearest of ten thousands to my soul, the bright and morning star.

O all we get by Thy Blood; that divine life flowing out of Thy side; and that . . . for me, an unworthy one. O praise Him.

A new song came up in her heart; an unknown heavenly melody was on her lips. She felt herself singing in the Spirit.

We all became silent, listening to the first message that came. A quick hand wrote down the following words:--

 

Holy, holy, is the One who comes in the name of the Lord.

All nations, make rejoicings now, make rejoicings now.

Oh, Zion, now proclaim His Honour!

Adore Him, adore Him, adore Him. . . .

O adore Him, the King of ages . . .

Lo, He comes! Jesus, Jesus, Jesus.

He comes in the clouds of heaven

Every tongue will confess Him

Every knee will bow. He is the King.

No one will be able to hide himself for His greatness.

He is the glorious one. Amen.

 

Brother, Sister, are you ready to meet Him? Truly ready? Are your sins under the Blood of Christ, and is your vessel filled with the oil of the Spirit?

“Oh, Iet thy garments be always white, and let not thy head lack ointment."

Suddenly, a few moments afterwards, Bro. Kromhout became sensible of a divine truth. Although he knew, like we all do, that the Son of God came to save the world, it never before affected him so verily. Now it moved the depth of his soul. ‘O,” he cried out, "how wonderful, how wonderful. . . . God became a man, and that for me." He sunk down in adoration. The Spirit of God was upon Him too.

His wife, baptised with the Holy Ghost, and Bro. Kök, came to make intercessory prayer for him, while Sister Polman pleaded for Sister Kök for the full blessing.

A boy, nine years old, little son of Bro. Kromhout, shed tears! "O mammie," he said, “I also long to be baptised." "Pray, darling, pray," she answered, taking him in her arms, "our beloved Lord will hear your prayer, and He says that the promise is for the children too" (Acts ii., 39).

"If you not become like this child .. ..."

***

Bro. Kök felt himself bound to turn his head, and looking outside, to the South, he perceived a splendid star. But--no--it could not be a star! A large ball of fire moved through the air, sparkling and bright; sometimes standing, then again moving, going slowly up and down! It was a very remarkable thing indeed, because no stars were visible in the palpable, dark air. "Look here," he called, not even believing what his own eyes saw, "do you all see that light?'' Everyone then looked on high, discovering the approaching light immediately. Suddenly it seemed to be extinguished. Sister Zitvast, still in prayer, didn't come to the window. Not with standing thereof, she also called the shining light a wonderful one, but she had not seen the light outside, still another light, spreading its rays over the head of Bro. Kromhout. "Wonderful Heavenly Light," she called in devotion, then she persevered in prayer, praising the Lord in Tongues.

***

There may be unbelieving people saying about the wondrous light we have seen: "There's nothing remarkable at all. Perhaps it was an ordinary appearance of Nature; say, a meteor, for instance!" To them we communicate that it has not been seen by the Royal Observatory at Utrecht, nor at the Meteorological Institute at de Bildt.

The Directors of those Institutes both answered according to that question: "It cannot have been a Meteoric Light," nor any other appearance of Nature!

We believe it has been a similar Revelation as the one observed at Wales during the well-known Revival about four years ago! Some past occurrences do affirm that opinion. Last year Pastor Boddy and others saw a light above his Church.

In the School of Pandita-Ramabai many times the fire has been seen upon the baptized ones--once in a meeting at Sweden, another time at Switzerland, and last, not least, during the Pentecostal Conferences in the United States of America.

Now they all burst out in praise to Jesus! Sister Kök got right through (?) in this moment. Sister Polman received a new re-filling. With gladsome looks in their eyes, hands uplifted to heaven, they both were singing and speaking in tongues, glorifying the name of the Lord Jesus.

O what a glory, what a joy!

Look out now. See again that beautiful light!

Very high the fiery ball appeared for the second time! It seemed to become opened, having a beam behind, when it (I cannot express it well; goes to above and goes to beneath, every time some moments standing full in rest).

O we wished it to be continued like the lamps of fire, which John saw, burning from the throne of God, which were the seven spirits of God (Rev. iv., 5).

All were in deep adoration and surprise, but fully (calm in spirit).

“Lord,” we prayed, “once more!“

Indeed, the light came back a third time, moving to and fro. . . . Alas, unexpected there came an impediment into the room . . . and the glory disappeared.

But still our mouth was filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing (Ps. cxxvi., 2). Hallelujah.

One sister was baptised with the Holy Ghost and fire; two brothers received a blessed anointing, and all of us were encouraged by the Holy Spirit.

***

Then we hastily left that good place, because it was nearly half-past-seven, being the time to open our public evening meeting, where a large, hungry crowd waited for spiritual food! The Lord was amongst us again. We finished that glorious day rejoicing in His hallowed Name.

 

From: Confidence, No. 9, December 15th 1908, pag. 22-24, Sunderland, England

 

 

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