LAWTON CHURCH OF GOD, LAWTON,
OKLAHOMA
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LIFE
SKETCH The writer was born September 1st, 1865, in Hilltown township, Bucks county,
Penna. Both my father and mother were devoted and
consistent Christians, and members of the Evangelical Association before I was
born, hence I grew up in a home-atmosphere of real spirituality and godliness.
For this I am devoutly thankful. Among my earliest recollections are the family
altar, the For several years I lived on the farm with my
Grandparents, who also were devout Christians, and here too the influences of
religion constantly surrounded and restrained me. Having but limited means, my
parents were unable to provide me with any special educational advantages.
Living in a country village or on the farm, I never had the privilege of
attending even a graded school, and for the most part attended a country school;
and even here circumstances compelled an irregular attendance. At the age of sixteen it was decided that I
should learn some trade, and so arrangements were made for me to go to a
neighboring town (Quakertown, Penna.) to serve an apprenticeship in a printing
office. Here again I found myself surrounded with religious influences, as the
proprietor of the printing office was a Christian gentleman. In the same office
with me was the son of a preacher. We became quite intimate friends. After a few
months he was sent for by his father to attend a camp meeting. At once I
surmised the object in view, and remarked to a fellow-workman that when the
preacher’s son would return from the camp meeting he would be religious. The
more I thought of it, the more fully I believed it would be so, and the thought
greatly distressed me. Somehow, I felt that if he was converted I
would have to be. As he returned on Monday morning, just one look into his
countenance, before he had uttered a word, convinced me that my fears had come
true. Instantly I was in trouble, and under deep conviction. I felt there was a
chasm between us. Without saying much to me upon the subject of religion, he
declared his purpose to attend the midweek prayer meeting, and insisted on my
going with him; this I finally consented to do. This was on a Friday night. Here conviction
became so pungent and intense, I publicly confessed myself a seeker; after much
earnest crying and agonizing prayer to God, by day and night, confessing my
sins, I was gloriously converted on the following Sunday night. The pastor of
the church I attended, after an earnest sermon, invited seekers to come forward
to the altar of prayer. I rejoiced in the opportunity, and rushed forward to the
altar, fell upon my knees, and plead for mercy. At about 9:30 o’clock, God in
mercy heard my prayer, the burden of my guilt, was rolled away, the light of
heaven broke into my soul, the Spirit witnessed with my spirit that I was
pardoned and accepted of God, and was indeed a new creature in Christ. Although
I had been averse to religious demonstrations, I now found myself shouting aloud
the praises of God. I was born again and knew it. This occurred early in
September, 1882. Praise God forever more! Soon after this I was baptized and
united with the church. During the following year I lived a most
earnest and devoted Christian life, attending faithfully all the means of grace.
I carried two testaments—one German and one English—in my pockets, and used
my spare time in studying the same. Thus I maintained a clear justified
experience. But I had gone only a very short time in my Christian experience
until I discovered, much to my amazement, that there still remained a
“something” in my heart that hindered me, and at times even defeated me. The
principal manifestations of that “something” were, a man-fearing spirit, the
uprising of an unholy temper, difficulty in forgiving and loving an enemy, etc.
I learned that Jesus could remove the root of those difficulties out of the
heart. Just one year after I had been so gloriously
converted, while yet in my first love, I definitely sought the experience of
entire sanctification. After seeking earnestly for some days, one Sunday night
while walking down the sidewalk toward the church conscious that I had
consecrated my all for time and eternity, I was enabled to look up into heaven,
and say “I believe that the blood of Jesus cleanseth my heart from all sin
now; He sanctifies me now,” and suddenly and consciously the Holy Ghost fell
upon me, and I knew just as positively and as assuredly that God had sanctified
me through and through, as I had known a year before that he had pardoned my
sins. I rushed into the church, and before the pastor had time to announce the
opening hymn, I told the congregation what had occurred on the sidewalk, and
that God had sanctified me wholly. Billows of glory swept over me until my joy
seemed to be utterly inexpressible and uncontainable. Oh, the blessedness of
that hour! Surely heaven could be no better. And from that day to the
present—now almost twenty years—Satan has never had the audacity to tempt me
to doubt even for one minute that God did not then and there sanctify me wholly. In the spring of 1884 I accepted a position in
a printing office in This greatly assured and comforted my heart. The “open door” of opportunity in the
providence of God, was at once before me. I selected as my first text, Again, in a most mysterious manner, the open
door of opportunity was before me, and so in the fall of that same year (1884) I
accepted an invitation to assist a church in a special series of revival
meetings, and resigned my position in the printing office. Since that time I
have never had a vacation of three weeks and have averaged more than one sermon
a day each year. I have preached and testified to the gospel of holiness
everywhere, and have never had a revival engagement, where the services
continued one week or more without seekers at the altar. I regard it as a conservative statement when I
say that in my meetings I have witnessed more than thirty thousand souls kneel
at the altar seeking pardon or heart purity. Four times I was elected as
Presiding Elder—each time over my protest—but with it continued the work of
holiness evangelism. I have traveled more than one hundred and fifty thousand
miles in filling my engagements, and have labored in thirty-three states and C.
W. Ruth
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