<TITLE>06. Par 17-19</TITLE>L-17 "And when the enemy comes in like a flood," He said, "I'll raise up a standard against it." And I believe the enemy's a dashing, and God's here to raise up the standard. That's why I go back home, to find out. Now, Lord, I done the best I could, now what do You want me to do next? And you pray for me, will you? And I--I'll always remember you. And thank you much. And I'll assure you friends, that the money that you gave tonight, a portion of your living... I'm sorry that we even have to do that. I never took up an offering in my life.
My wife's setting down there, she'll probably laugh when I say this. And I remember one time... I wonder, if there's an old minister here, has been around here for two or three days. And I remember, I said to wife, I said, I come in. We had a debt we just couldn't meet hardly, and I said, "Honey, I'm going to take up an offering tonight."
She said, "I'm going over to watch you."
So she got a chair and set down in it; there she was a watching me. And I said, "Uh, friends, I'm going to (ahem... um) I'm just in a little tight place," I said, "(Ahem), I'm going to..." Ha. Now, not that they wouldn't do it; they'd do anything for me.

L-18 But I'd been pastoring for twelve years, never received one penny of salary in my life. See? And I--I--I worked for a living. I was young and able, why not work. I was put here to do something, so I'd preach the Gospel in the--the night and work in daytime. I've went a many time right through with my old ragged patrol clothes on, come to a farmers house and talk to him about the Lord; they'd say, "Yes, I believe," and repent. I'd get my clothes, go right down to the river, the creek and baptize them all in the Christian faith, walk on out start on down the line, walking again.
Met a hobo on the railroad track one day and led him to Christ. Walking about a half mile to an old pond, throwed back the scum, back like that, just had to hold him down a long time to get all of his clothes wet. Brought him back up. Yes, sir, that's right. He went on the road rejoicing. Down... He wet and me too. We... And he turned one way and me the other; shook one another's hand and hugged each other, wet clothes on, going back to our work.
Why, the Lord's real, He don't have to be all dressed up to do anything. The inside's where it has to be dressed to do anything.

L-19 Then, I remember that night, we couldn't hardly make the ends meet. So I--we went over to take up an offering. And I said, "Friends, I--I--I hate to ask you," but I said, "if you got a nickel or dime," I said, "I got a little debt, and I just can't meet it, and they're pushing me," I said, "want to take up a little offering. And--and," I said, "Brother Wiseheart," bless his soul, he's in glory today, an elderly man. I said, "Go get my hat."
And he went over to get my hat. And everybody... Poor little old woman setting down there, Mrs. Webber, she went down under that little checkered apron, you know how the women used to have that pocket on the inside of the apron, pulled out that little old long pocketbook, them little snaps over the top of it. It was during the time of the depression when things was really hard. She begin to pull out those nickels, every time I see her reach in there I just feel my heart go out like that. I couldn't take that poor thing's money. I looked at her; I said, "Oh, I was just kidding you all to see what you'd do." I said, "I didn't mean that." My wife looked at me. Ha.


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