THE EXPERIENCE OF MINERVA F DUNLAP

Dear editors.

I am enclosing a copy of a letter from Sister Dunlap. I wrote her and asked permission to send it to you for your consideration of publishing it in the Signs of the Times. She gave her consent. I consider her experience very rich.

Sister Dunlap stated in her reply to my letter that she had reread many of the old signs since their association, and had rejoiced with those who told their experiences and enjoyed so much many able writings by our ministers, and if someone should get a small part of the enjoyment from reading hers. That she had in reading. Said experiences, she would be glad.

Yours in precious hope.

BO Thompson

The letter from Sister Dunlap.

South Harpsell, Maine

Dear Elder Thompson.

First, let me thank you for coming so far to speak to our little group. Our hearts were made glad because of the testimony you gave of the great works. Our God can be formed in bringing out of darkness into the light. The Gospel of Grace. What a power it takes to separate one from the fascinations of this world, the natural desires for wealth, position, and friendships, and make him willing to spend time and energy for A cause often hated by his neighbors, acquaintances, and sometimes by his own relations.

You're preaching made my soul rejoice as I recognized the language of a child of our Father. A brother who spoke in words I understood, who worshipped at the same altar and brought the offerings of humility, of broken and company, contrite heart, reverence, and gratitude to God for saving grace and mercies untold.

Thank God, preachers are still being raised up to bring the glad tidings that put a song in our hearts and confirm our faith.

The evening meetings were so precious to me. I am glad some are given the talent to talk beautifully of their experiences. I envied those who can speak freely and I always feel sad and depressed when I reject the opportunity to give a reason for the hope that is within me. I feel that I am not given liberty because I am not worthy to speak his name, and that is true.

I have not fed or clothed or taken in one of these my brethren, on so many occasions, and if I have kept any of his commandments, it is because he has kept me from breaking them.

But I will try to keep my promise and write something about my experience which I can never find words to tell. As a girl, I often went to the Bowdoinham Old School Baptist church with my mother who was a member. I knew what they believed, and sometimes I rather enjoyed the preaching. One incident of my childhood showed perhaps, that I felt even den a love for the people of God. At the time of our association, when we had some members staying with us. I was asked to go on an errand which was not at all distasteful to me, but I couldn't bear to leave those people. I wanted to hear what they were saying, and I wept as if my heart was breaking.

By the time I went to college, however. I had decided that the Old Baptists were old-fashioned and just accepted what they had passed been passed down to them. And I began to regard the Bible as a collection of legends, and not necessarily true. I studied and argued for evolution and went to different churches in the city, trying to find something I liked. I wasn't successful. One thing I remember vividly in Chapel each morning was that different professors would lead the service, and I listened attentively to find out if any of them believed in the grace of God instead of works. I was always disappointed. I attended one of the weekly prayer meetings, but no one sounded sincere and I did not like it, and I did not join any of the so-called religious organizations. After graduation, when I started teaching, I tried going to the Free Will Baptist Church and taught Sunday school for a while and responded to a call on one occasion to rise and accept Christ as my Savior, but passed up the invitation to join the church. As I told the minister, I didn't want to join any but my home church.

My attempt to accept Christ brought me nothing but condemnation. I obtained no satisfaction from that experience and had no feeling of fellowship for the Church. Soon after this, I began to think seriously that I should decide either to join one of the churches that were so busy trying to save souls or to keep away and accept the old Baptist belief. I prayed that I might be shown the way and I was much troubled because I was so undecided.

One summer, when we were holding our yearly association at the home church, my mother was preparing to go to the first meeting. I had no intention of going and was working around the house when my sister came up to me and asked me if I didn't want to go. I decided that I might as well. Elder McConnell was to preach that morning, and as he walked up the aisle to the pulpit, the thought came to me that if a man from a great city like New York could believe in the things the old Baptists believed, there must be something to it. I listened intently as he began to speak. With great humility, he told of his unworthiness to stand before the people of God and try to preach the unsearchable riches. Of his Kingdom, and that he could do so only if enabled by the Holy Spirit, as he went on to tell of salvation by grace. Not of works. I found that he was reiterating the same truths that Elder Beale had been preaching for so many years. I began to feel that he was speaking to me, telling of the searchings and prayers in the heart of a child of God. Prayer is put there and answered by the Holy Spirit. A wonderful glow filled the church and shone around the members. A love for the gospel he was preaching came into my soul. A love for those people gathered there. My prayer had been answered and I knew this was my home.

Can anyone ever tell adequately of the miracle of revelation, of that first love, that joy, and peace, the thankfulness and praise, when the Holy Spirit descends to write His law upon the heart? I felt I was a new person, raised from the dead for a long time after this it seemed sinful to read a newspaper or touched the keys of a piano. All pleasure and worldly things were taken away.

At the next meeting, I tried to tell the Church about my experience. And was received. As Elder Beal was old and felt unable to perform the baptism, it was decided to wait until Elder Keene could come up from North Berwick before the baptism. I had two wonderful experiences when walking home from an evening meeting one night. The western sky was glowing with colors, alive with the power and glory of God, and my feet seemed not to be touching the earth, and my heart was singing his praises. On another night, as I was lying in bed awake, a great light shone from the roof of my chamber and descended to where I lay. No words can express the power in that light, the presence of an infinite being. I felt I should die if the light remained. Tears streamed from my eyes and I couldn't breathe. I felt his love toward me, a Sinner, and I was nothing and less than nothing. I felt then there is a God in heaven, so powerful, so wise, to whom the wisdom of man is foolishness. And he has a people to whom he reveals himself. What an unspeakable gift!

After the baptism, during a visit with an aunt who had been a member for many years, I was lying in bed one night when spirits seemed to be floating around the bed. Then a great cloud settled over the bed. A cloud so filled with his power and glory, his love and mercy that all I could think of was "my God and my God." The cloud lifted and I felt that I could never take one step again without offending. After a while, I got up and walked to the window. It was moonlight. And the great trees and the lawn were pointing to heaven, a Halo around their tops shining with praise to him.

Another experience came as I was walking early one morning and thought of my home. The air was thick with fog and all of a sudden I knew he was there in the midst and I wanted to fall on my face and worship him. The things that came into the heart at times like these, no one can know unless he has been there too. No longer any doubt of a God ever present, powerful beyond any imagination of man. Ruling the universe and doing His will among the inhabitants of Earth and Heaven.

After returning to teaching, I was greatly blessed to be able to attend services in New York, where Elder McConnell and Elder Dotson were preaching, and later in Hopewell, NJ where Elder Vaughn was Pastor. The meetings and Association there were sweet to me, as were our meetings here at home.

I have. Had seasons of darkness and gloom, and others of joy and rejoicing. But always there is a love that draws me to my church and my brethren, and I realize how good God has been to me, the very least and the most unworthy, if one at all.

So I hope that I may sign myself, your sister in a precious fellowship.

Minerva F. Dunlap