Like the Penitent Thief who was crucified next to Jesus, Ernest Gaither (1924 - 1947), also found salvation during the closing moments of his life. While biding his time on death row, Gaither was taught a neat little trick that all doubters should try, God showed up and Gaither learned of his worth. The attached article by Joseph Martin Hopkins, was most likely written in response to the 1962 Supreme Court decision in Engel v. Vitale. This decision stated that it is unconstitutional for state officials to compose an official school prayer and encourage its recitation in government schools. Hopkins had this to say:
"Is this what the Founding Fathers intended? It has been well stated that to the contrary, their concern was that the American people enjoy freedom of religion, not freedom from religion." Between 1906 and 1909, the Holy Spirit had come to dwell among the people in Los Angeles. One April day, in a run-down livery stable that was converted to a church, Pastor William Seymore (1870 – 1922) broke out into tongues and so did everyone within earshot. In fact, people blocks away began to speak in tongues and witnessing to all passersby. Within no time, the walls of that "tumble-down shack on Azusa Street" were decorated with the crutches, canes and hearing horns of the recently healed. Little is known about the deep religiosity of U.S. Army General Douglas MacArthur (1880 - 1964), and much can be learned by reading the attached article from Newsweek:
"His faith is life-long, as is his avowed habit of reading a chapter of the Bible every night, no matter how tough his day has been." In the early Sixties, American church attendance was dropping as a new spirit of secularism was sweeping across the fruited plains. More and more merchants and restaurateurs were opening their businesses on Sundays and challenging the age-old Blue Laws as a result. This article examines what the Bible said about "keeping the sabbath holy", and why Blue Laws were enacted in so many states. "Somebody said The Lord's Prayer, and the meeting broke up. I walked three blocks to the subway station. Just as I was about to go down the stairs - BANG - It happened! I don't like that word miracle, but that's all I can call it. The lights in the street seemed to flare up. My feet seemed to leave the pavement. A kind of shiver went over me and I burst out crying...I haven't touched a drop since, and I've since set four other fellows on the same road." |
