AND BEGINNING AT MOSES AND ALL THE PROPHETS, HE EXPOUNDED UNTO THE 
ALL THE SCRIPTURES THE THINGS CONCERNING HIMSELF—Luke 24:27, 
AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF THE 
LATE REV. C. A. BILLHEIMER 
(Continued from last issue) 
The city of Wabash had been 
blessed with the able labors of the 
Rev. J. W. Brown, some time be- 
fore my going there. He left a 
testimony of his efficiency, in a 
beautiful church edifice on North 
Manchester avenue in the city, to- 
gether with a spiritual body, which 
has since become a strong church. 
In,my pastorate here the confer- 
ence associated with this, the 
church in the city of Huntington, 
- which has since also become self- 
supporting. These two churches 
have now become strong churches 
in the conference. At this time 
these two cities were connected by 
an interurban line making it pos- 
sible to serve both churches. 
From the city of Wabash we 
moved to Lewiscreek. There were 
three churches on this charge: one 
at the town of Hope, and the Wes- 
ley Chapel church twelve miles 
east, together with the church at 
Lewiscreek. The condition of the 
church and cammunity at Lewis- 
creek became a great burden to me 
the first year of my pastorate there. 
I had the comfort of having, on 
this charge, an aged minister, a 
man of unusual ability, and a very 
cordial yokefellow he became. 
Much of the work accomplished on 
this charge was due to the efficient 
cooperation of this veteran of the 
cross. He was a mighty preacher 
of the old time gospel of the Son 
of God. He was ever ready to 
help the pastor in any way pos- 
sible. 
Here occurred the greatest re- 
vival the writer ever participated 
in, or witnessed. On reaching the 
place, the pastor and family were 
received with open arms by the 
church and community. The at- 
GOLDEN TRUTHS 
tendance at. the church was small. 
A lodge across the way seemed to 
be absorbing the interest of the 
whole community outside the 
church. Quite a company of men 
had banded themselves together 
nine years prior to this, agreeing to 
stay away from the church. ‘This 
agreement had been faithfully kept 
for nine years. On lodge nights 
their attendance was very large. 
The pastor was never treated 
better anywhere than he was here 
by these very men, but they would 
not come to church. This burden 
had become almost unbearable at 
the close of the first year there. As 
we went to the conference we 
wrestled and prayed constantly. 
But it seemed we were bumping up 
against what seemed to be an im- 
movable wall. Time after time as 
we bumped up against this stone 
wall we came back more deter- 
mined than ever. Finally a doz- 
en or more preachers got together 
on the platform of the old taber- 
nacle. They were united. A great 
burden seemed to cover them. 
They prayed, and then they prayed 
again, and yet again. All at once 
the heavens opened. Their peti- 
tions went through. Such a time of 
rejoicing! I feel the unction of it 
yet. I told them afterward that 
when they got through I jumped 
on the back end of their cart and 
rode into victory, and when I got 
in, I left my burden there. 
From the very beginning of the 
second year at this place, things be- 
gan to happen. The sudden death 
of some of the prominent citizens 
of the community began to soften 
the religious prejudice of the peo- 
ple, and to bring to the church 
many people unaccustomed to at- 
tending. At this time we began 
holding special meetings, with good 
results, some outstanding bad 
characters being converted. Every 
turn that was made gave more 
prestige to the church work. Now 
all classes were attending the mee , 
ings. a 
One good meeting followed — 
another. We were fortunate — in 
securing the services of the Rev. 
Preston Roberts, a converted Tex- 
as Cowboy. There were many 
conversions in these meetings. — 
Several months later we were as- — 
sisted by the Rev. Sam Hawkins, — 
he being the resident pastor men- 
tioned above. He proved himself — 
to be a mighty preacher and a suc- ~ 
cessful soul-winner. Many more ~ 
were saved by the power of God. 
A few months later the Rev. 
C. G. Pain added his evangelistic 
services in this continued revival, — 
resulting in many more coming 
into the kingdom of Ged. These 
meetings continued over the space 
of three years, there being conver- — 
sions in the regular services even 
when no special service was on. 
A number of ministers of the | 
Gospel came out of this revival, 
most of whom have been ordained * 
and are still engaged in the service 
of the Lord. 
While on this charge my health 
gave way, and | spent one winter _ 
in Florida, living in a tent near 
Hains City. I preached some dur-— 
ing my stay here and also on my 
way back as I passed © through 
Georgia. My son, Paul, who was 
then sixteen years of age, was 
voted in by the church to carry on 
as pastor of the work while I was’ 
gone. This he did much to the ad- 
vantage of the work, but seeming- 
ly to his own disadvantage, as he 
gave up his high school i or 
4 
Mi oe 
i 
(To be a Z | 
& 
