Lower
Light
Evangelist
Lower Light Evangelist
Summer
S
“We look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein
dwelleth righteousness.” II Peter 3:13
“I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first
heaven and the first earth were passed away.” Rev. 21:1
2008
2013
LOWER LIGHT EVANGELIST
Published Quarterly on a free will offering basis by the
LOWER LIGHT MISSION
Conference Trustees:
John Kennedy, W.O. Kneal, Karin Montgomery,
Edward O’ Neal, David Voss
Missionary Affiliation:
Evangelistic Faith Missions
Editor:
Dave Linville
Publisher:
Old Paths Tract Society, Shoals, IN 47581
Address all Correspondence to: Dave Linville
2700 Gloff Rd., Petersburg, MI 49270
E-mail: [email protected]
Visit us on line at:
www.lowerlight.homestead.com
Volume 77
Number 2
Inside This Issue
Editorial...……….……………………….….Page 2
Obituaries…………………...…..…………..Page 3
The Secret of Spiritual Power..…….....….…Page 4
Tribute To Rev. Eugene Sheldon…………...Page 5
A Miraculous Recovery..…....………….….Page 6
Welcome To Camp Meeting.......…....…...…Page 7
Camp Meeting Ad……………...……….......Page 8
2013 Summer–Fall Events
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2013 Camp, Petersburg, August 1-11.
SE Mich. IHC @ Melvindale, Oct. 1-3.
Petersburg Fall Revival, Oct. 22-27.
Fall Fellowship Rally @ PLLC, Oct. 26.
Melvindale Fall Revival, Nov. 6-11.
Page 2
From The Editor’s Point of View
Following the death
of W. O. Kneal, the
family members were
cleaning out the house
in preparation for the
estate sale scheduled
for May 16,17,18. In
his study was a file
cabinet with nearly
every published LLE. I
had known they were
there but had never
actually seen any of
them. They are all now in my possession, and what
a joy I found in perusing through our history by way
of the printed page. Among these annals of history
I found the following editorial written by our first
general superintendent (then called Bishop) and
our first editor. This editorial was published in the
June 17, 1937, issue, less than two years after the
incorporation date of Nov. 15, 1935. Please excuse
the poor quality of the photo. It was the only one
in the archives. If any of our readers has a newer,
better photo, I would certainly appreciate a copy.
Now sit back and enjoy reading the editorial from
the pen of Rev. Perl McDonnell, Editor of the LLE.
June 17, 1937 Editorial by Rev. Perl McDonnell.
Through the death of Christ Jesus on Calvary, the
pardon of sin was made possible through faith in Him.
Also the power of sin was destroyed. When one becomes saved, accepts this Christ in their life, it is then
they are to reckon themselves dead and actually to be
dead to the reign, love, and practice of sin. It is then
they have fellowship with Christ and become spiritually
alive in their hearts and affections, loving and serving
God in thought, word, and deed., Rom. 6:11 reads,
“Reckon ye also yourselves to be dead
indeed unto sin”. Now, “if we are dead unto sin
how shall we live any longer therein”? No, it is impossible to be dead to sin and still live in sin. What could be
more detestable to a renewed heart which has been delivered from the guilt and dominion of sin, one whose
whole affections are mortified, to allow themselves
Lower Light Evangelist
to continue in or partake of any known iniquity.
We must be dead in our heart and affection, be
crucified with Christ to sin, Satan, and this world.
When living this life, many people who are unsaved
wonder where there is any joy in living it.
All the pleasure and enjoyment of the spiritual
life are maintained and promoted in secrets and
mysteries. The world cannot and never will understand. To understand it one must become spiritually discerned. “That which is born of the flesh is
flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit.”
Ye must be born again, born of the
spirit before one can know and understand. “The
natural man receiveth not the things of the spirit of
God for they are foolishness unto him, neither can
he know them for they are spiritually discerned”.
The saved have sweet fellowship between God and
their soul by virtue of Christ, who is one with God. The
end of this spiritual life will be the saved perfected, that
eternal life which lies so much out of sight in this life but
nevertheless is securely treasured up with Christ in the
tender love and immediate presence of God will be their
reward for faithfulness in this life.
Some day to those who remain faithful, Christ
who is their source, author, sustainer, finisher, and
end of their spiritual life, shall appear in all His glory
to receive them unto Himself and they shall be glorified together with and in conformity to Him in
soul and body.
Oh, the sublime happiness they shall enjoy, as people
dead to sin and risen unto Christ, people who have all
carnal and sinful dispositions removed from their lives
by the Crucified. “Reckon ye yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God”. Editor, Perl M.
******************************************
“The disgrace of falling is in staying down” McDonnell
Address Change Request Notice
Please notify us of any change in your address. Each
return comes with a $.50 postage charge. Thank you.
Your comments and articles of interest are appreciated.
We reserve the right to edit or decline all articles submitted
for publication. Pictures will be returned upon request.
Summer 2013
Obituaries
Rev. Eugene C. Sheldon,
age 89, of Tucson, Arizona,
died March 27, 2013, at his
home surrounded by family.
Gene was born February 8,
1924, in Twining, Michigan.
Rev. Sheldon is survived
by his wife of 67 years,
Betty, a daughter, Julie,
brother,
Ervin,
sister,
Pauline Rodgers, three grandchildren and five great
grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his
daughter, Shelly Jean, brothers, Clarence and Herbert, and his parents.
Funeral services were conducted at Evergreen
Mortuary, Tucson, Arizona, March 30, 2013 by Rev.
Mark S. Bickerton and Rev. Nathan Rhoads. In the
words of his wife, he is safe in the arms of Jesus.
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Ray Kennedy, Jr., better known as June, was
born on the 7th day of March, 1926 , in Cecil, WV. ,
and passed away on Jan. 28, 2013. Ray was the
father of Rev. John
Kennedy, pastor at
Melvindale, MI.
The funeral was
held Saturday, February 2, 2013 at
11:00 a.m. at the
West Hill Wesleyan
Methodist Church,
Grafton, WV., with
Rev. John Kennedy,
Rev. Paul Mullen,
and Rev. Terry D.
Newman officiating.
Death leaves a heartache no one can heal;
Love leaves a memory no one can steal.
Page 3
THE SECRET OF SPIRITUAL POWER
By Rev. Lester Lee
(1916-2008)
"Are you a
Christian,
sir?"
were the words
of Gordon to a
college boy. The
boy turned with
an odd, surprised
expression
and
said, "I am a
church member,
but I fear not
much of a Christian."
To
a
teacher in a ladies' college, where he was asked to speak he
said, "I suppose all these ladies are Christians."
Here he received the same quizzical look. I
don't believe they had real power in their lives.
Now I ask, what kind of a Christian are you?
In the first place, the secret of spiritual
power consists in the union of the Holy Ghost
with purified faculties and natural energies of
the human soul. To the human it consists of
utter abandonment of soul to, and hearty cooperation with the Holy Spirit, not eloquence,
nor style, personal magnetism, or psychology;
these are not natural energies of the human
soul, not even energies of the purified soul. A
soul may be purified and yet not have the
power of God in his soul in an aggressive way,
that he may bring sinners to repentance and
believers into holiness.
The human soul, free from sin, as a mere
creature, has marvelous power over unsaved
souls, yet in itself does not possess that secret
energy which can communicate conviction that
leads to salvation. However holy a man may
be, there must be joined unto him a divine current, a supernatural energy, emphatically divine, which is the vehicle and conductor.
Years ago a thriving town sprung up in the
West because they made a large reservoir in
Page 4
the mountains. In some way the outlet of this
reservoir became stopped up. They turned the
faucets on, but no water came. Soon the people began to move away until the town was
desolate. After the trouble had been discovered, they realized there was no need for the
people to move away.
We have heard it said, "Holiness is power
and all the power we need for the work of God
is heart purity." Listen friend, I believe we must
have our heart cleansed from all inbred sin,
but we must also be filled with the Holy Ghost.
We must have the power of the Holy Ghost in
the scriptural sense of the word. The Apostle
Paul instructed us to be filled with all the fullness of God. One has said, "To be filled with
God wonderful, but to be filled with all the fullness of God we are overawed and overjoyed."
And now the text again has stated in the
marginal reference, "or the power of the Holy
Ghost coming upon you." The power is identified with the Holy Ghost, and is spoken of as a
current, or wave which gushes out from the
conjunction of the Holy Spirit and the human
soul. Just as the current of water in the wilderness did not gush from the rock itself, nor from
the rod, but the rod touched the rock, and
from this union of the rod, and rock streamed
forth the current of divine power. This power
does not go forth from the Holy Ghost apart
from the human soul, neither does it proceed
from the purified soul, but as the Holy Ghost
unites Himself to the human soul - from this
union flows forth the divine current, cleansing,
filling and inspiring us. Thus He succors us according to each emergency with supernatural
light, energy, wisdom, courage and zeal to do
all the will of God.
This power is something God puts within
the soul which the soul itself does not comprehend. So a person under its induement does
not break down with discouragement or suffer
a thousand other defeats that would break the
human soul if left to itself. In electricity, to
make a current there must be a positive pole.
and a negative pole.
Lower Light Evangelist
So with the sanctified, faculties of man form
the negative pole and the Holy Ghost forms
the positive pole. If these are separated, there
is no current, but when united there goes forth
a shock to startle the slumbering, to awaken
sinners, to cause hearers to break down in
penitential weeping, and people are moved to
the Saviour.
I would like to illustrate again how the Holy
Ghost works in an individual. On one occasion
a young preacher was called upon to preach in
a large meeting where there were a number of
well known ministers on the platform. The
house was packed and even the galleries were
filled. He said his knees were shaking and he
was extremely fearful of the task. An old black
lady sitting up in the gallery, under the power
of the Holy Ghost stamped her foot and said,
"Lawd help dat boy!"
The young preacher
said when she said that something struck him
and lifted him out of himself and oh, how the
Lord helped him to preach.
About the time he seemed to come back to
normal again, she would stamp her foot and
say, "Lawd help dat boy!" Needless to say they
had a wonderful service. The scarcity of these
celestial shocks is because professing Christians trust in their own strength or words. Oh
that we could get people filled with the Holy
Ghost so that it wouldn't be us but the Holy
Ghost working in us. God called us out of
Egypt, but sometimes it is so hard to get Egypt
out of us and Canaan into us. Our churches are
full of nice people. They say nice things and
they are very good people, but let us be filled
with the power of the Holy Ghost.
[Lester Lee attended the Petersburg church,
and later served as pastor in several churches
in Michigan. This article was published in the
July, 1961 issue of the LLE] DL
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“Ye
shall receive power after that the Holy Ghost is
come upon you; and you shall be witnesses unto
Me.” Acts 1:8
Summer 2013
Tribute to Rev. Eugene Sheldon
Rev. Mark Bickerton
As his friend, and as his pastor, I can attest to the
fact that Brother Sheldon's life was transformed by
God's saving grace and sanctifying power. He was called
to preach, pursuing that call through prayer and study.
He studied at Spring Arbor College and completed his
ordination requirements through the Department of
Higher Education of the Free Methodist Church. He became an ordained deacon in the Florida Conference and
as ordained elder in the Oil City Conference.
Rev. Sheldon served faithfully as a pastor, shepherding the flock, visiting in homes, hospitals, and wherever
needs were found. He was also an accomplished carpenter and handyman, using those skills to remodel
churches, parsonages, and homes. His warm personality, wit, and humor were also great assets.
In addition to his ministry in the Free Methodist
Church, Brother Sheldon was pastor of the Tucson, Arizona Wesleyan Holiness Church. He was also an elder
for a time in the Lower Light Mission Association. Sister
Sheldon blessed the children's ministry of the Petersburg Camp for several years. They served in ministry for
42 years.
Brother Sheldon was faithful to preach the Gospel of
Christ, biblical holiness, and the sanctified life. This servant of Christ is now experiencing his promised reward.
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Attention!!
We have good news
and an opportunity
you won’t want to
miss! Come to camp
for a free spiritual
checkup and get the
best vitamins you’ve
ever had. “The great
Physician now is
near, the sympathizing Jesus.” Stockton.
Subscription Notice
For a new subscription, please fill out this form and send
it to the Editor.
Name: ___________________________________
Address: _________________________________
City: ____________________________________
State: __________________; Zip: ___________
Page 5
A Miraculous Recovery
Amanda Nichols, daughter of Fran and Tim Nichols, was seriously injured in an auto accident Feb.
26, 2013. She suffered a broken wrist, several broken vertebrae, some broken ribs, a ruptured
spleen, an injured kidney, a punctured liver and a
collapsed lung. After spend several weeks in ICU,
she then remained in
the hospital for nearly
two months, finally
coming home in time to
participate
in
her
graduation on May 30,
still wearing her neck
brace.
While she continues
to recuperate, she plans
to enter Eastern Michigan University this fall.
The family is thankful
for the prayers of God’s people in this time of distress. Amanda is a granddaughter of David and
Grace Linville. What an awesome God we serve!
Why would anyone live without Him?
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News Flash!
Erica and Gabe Wait have
adopted a seven-month old little
girl from Taiwan, named Claire
Ann Marie Wait. Erica is the
daughter of Faith and Joe Trussell,
and a granddaughter of Dave and
Grace Linville. Congratulations!
Page 6
Tribute to Ray (June) Kennedy
Rev, Terry Newman
The sun was slowly getting stronger as the cold
winds of winter gave way to the gentle breezes of
spring. It was the 7th day of March, 1926 and in the
household of Ray and Cora Kennedy a new addition
would arrive before another day would dawn. Yes,
Ray Jr., better known as June, would join the family
circle on this special day. The little town of Cecil,
WV., became the starting point of a journey that
would span many miles and impact many lives.
At the age of 16 June stepped into a man’s world
as he went to work for the B & O Railroad in Grafton. He would walk from the family farm and put in
a long day and walk back home. June made a move
to Canton, Ohio, for a short while working at Republic Steele company, but soon home called and it
was back to WV.
June met a lovely young lady who caught his eye
and his heart and they were married on May 10th,
1954. To this union God added His blessing as He
sent John , Tom, Gary, Margaret “Peggy” , Angie,
Jeanetta “Jan” , and Roseanne “Rosy”. June loved
his family and worked hard to provide for them.
As the responsibility of the family continued to
grow June and Sis moved to a suburb of Detroit,
MI., to find work. He worked for a short while for
Ford Motor Company and various other companies,
but In April of 1971 June sold out in Michigan and
moved his family back to Blueville, WV.
Time takes it toll and with the passing of years
the days came and went until June found himself
growing weaker, and a gradual slowing of the pace.
As the 28th day of January 2013 drew to a close
June’s work here on earth ended. Yes, a weary
heart beat its last as June entered another realm.
He had recently shared with his Pastor that all was
clear and he was ready to go. June shared that he
had sought the Lord and was trying his best to live
for Him. It is now for us to follow his footsteps and
join him on the far side of the river where no pain,
sorrow nor separations ever comes. May God bless
the memories of this great man.
“We get only one life; live it for Christ”
Lower Light Evangelist
Welcome To Camp Meeting
As our 78th annual camp meeting approaches, I
thought it might be interesting to again stroll down
history’s lane and visit our camp meeting “roots”.
According to Wikipedia, the on-line encyclopedia,
the camp meeting is a form of Protestant Christian
religious service originating in Britain and once
common in some parts of the United States,
wherein people would travel from a large area to a
particular site to camp out, listen to itinerant
preachers, and pray.
Camp-meeting religion reinforced older themes
of revivalism, including a sense of cooperation
among the denominations, all of which confronted
individual sinners with the necessity of making a
decision to be converted. These sorts of meetings
were huge contributing factors to what became
known as the Second Great Awakening. A particularly large and successful revival was held at Cane
Ridge, Kentucky, in 1801, where the Restoration
Movement began to be formalized. This camp
meeting was, in fact, that which many contend to
be the pioneering event in the history of frontier
camp meetings in America.
The camp meeting is a phenomenon of American frontier Christianity. Word of mouth told there
was to be a religious meeting at a certain location.
Due to the primitive means of transportation, if the
meeting was to be more than a few miles' distance
from the homes of those attending, they would
need to stay at the revival for its entire duration, or
as long as they desired to remain. People generally
camped out at or near the revival site, as there
were usually neither adequate accommodations
nor the funds for frontier families to use them. People were attracted to large camp meetings from a
wide area. Some came out of sincere religious devotion or interest, others out of curiosity and a desire for a break from the arduous frontier routine;
the structure of the situation created new converts.
Camp meetings in the United States continued to
be conducted for many years on a wide scale. Some
are still alive and well today, primarily among the
conservative holiness groups. Praise the Lord!
The Editor
Summer 2013
WE ARE NOT GROWING OLD
Mrs. Laura Wallrobonstine
They say that I am growing old,
I've heard them tell it times untold,
Often in language plain and bold,
But I am not growing old.
This frail old shell in which I dwell,
Is growing old I know quite well,
But I am not that shell.
What if my hair is turning grey?
Grey hairs are honorable, they say.
What if my eyesight's growing dim?
I can still see to follow Him,
Who sacrificed His life for me,
Upon the Cross of Calvary.
Why should I care if Old Time Plow,
Has left his furrows on my brow?
Another house not made with hands,
Awaits me in the Glory Lands.
What if my tongue refuses to talk?
I still can tread this narrow way,
I still can watch and praise and pray.
My hearing may not be so keenAs in the past it may have been,
But I still can hear my Saviour say,
As He whispers softly, “this is the way”.
The inward man the scriptures say,
Is growing stronger day by day;
Then 'how can I be growing old?
When safe within the Saviour's fold,
Ere long this soul shall fly away,
And leave this tenement of clay,
This robe of flesh will drop and rise,
To seize the everlasting prize;
I’ll meet you on the streets of gold,
And prove that I’m not growing old.
********************************************
[ Mrs. Wallrobonstine was attending the Petersburg
church when I first came to Michigan in 1965. I remember her as a sweet, elderly person who loved the Lord.
This poem was published in the 1937 issue of the LLE,
when she was younger and more active]. The Editor
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“We’ll work til Jesus comes, We’ll work til Jesus
comes, and we’ll be gathered home”. E. Mills
Page 7
Lower Light Camp Meeting
400 East Elm St., Petersburg, Michigan
August 1 - 11, 2013
Ben Crawford
Bill & Crystal Kellogg,
Song evangelists
David Fulton
Missions day,
Thursday, August 8, 10:30, 2:30, and 7:00 p.m.
Daily Children Services 10:30 & 2:30
Robert Bolois
Thurs. thru Sun.
Kneal Memorial Service
Sunday morning, Aug 11
For early room reservations or information please contact camp registrar, Mrs. Lois Kennedy at 586-263-3273.
All meals and lodging are on a donation basis. All donations are tax deductible. Please bring your own bedding. There are also a limited number of trailer and R.V. hookups available. Please leave your pets at home.
Page 8
Lower Light Evangelist