THE LATTER RAIN

“BE GLAD then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in the LORD your God: for he hath given you the former rain moderately, and he will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month” (Joel 2:23).

God is here speaking of the early and latter outpouring of the Spirit. We know Pentecost was the beginning of the great “Early Rain,” when one hundred and twenty were baptized with the Holy Ghost and fire in the upper room on the Day of Pentecost, and three thousand were saved in one day; for Peter arose and said: “But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel; and it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh” (Acts 2:16, 17).

God said the outpouring of the Latter Rain should be in the first month. According to the Jewish calendar the first month is April. It was in April, 1906, that the outpouring of the “Latter Rain” came on God’s humble people in Los Angeles, California. His Word was fulfilled. It came in the first month and rapidly spread over the land to India, China, Europe, South Africa, and many other lands. God promised us the Latter Rain, and it has come.

      Some people received their baptism fifty years ago, and some a hundred years ago; but these were the first sprinklings before the rain. We have had the light showers for many years; but the great spiritual outpouring, to ripen the earth’s harvest, has come. Jesus Christ, the Husbandman, is gathering the precious fruits of the earth to make up His bride. “Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain” (James 5:7).

God has also restored the natural rain in Palestine – one of the signs of the times. The Holy Land, which was once blossoming like the rose and flowing with milk and honey, became a barren waste for nineteen hundred years because the Jews rejected their Messiah. They were scattered among the nations and became a hissing and a byword. But when God began to pour out His Spirit, and people began to gather in upper rooms and the Spirit from on High satisfied their thirsty souls. He also sent the rain on Palestine. The latter rain is falling there today and the soil is bringing forth fruit abundantly. The first return of the latter rain, which is so necessary to raising crops in Palestine, came as a slight mist in 1889. This caused great astonishment. The next year light showers came, and since then copious rains have fallen.

The summer of the coming of the Son of God is nigh. We know that God’s Word is true. Heaven and earth shall pass away, but His Word shall not pass away. Today we are on the brink of the greatest miracle this world has ever known. The prophets foretold the coming of Jesus, that He should be born of a virgin, and should be rejected by His people, and led as a “lamb to the slaughter” – and it came to pass. The destruction of Jerusalem was prophesied – and the prophecy was literally fulfilled. When Jesus ascended into heaven, the angel said: “This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.” This same Jesus is coming back again. He has been gone about two thousand years, and we know we are now living in the time of the end when God is fulfilling His prophecies.

How Pentecost Came Again

In April, 1906, there were many true children of God in Los Angeles, California, in many of the churches and missions, praying for the outpouring of the Spirit and for a world-wide revival. A minister coming from the Wales revival at that time stirred the people to prayer, over all the city. There were praying bands in different bodies of God’s people, and probably all the world over at that time, praying for the baptism of the Holy Ghost, as well as for a revival;  but there was one little company of sanctified people who had appointed a ten-day tarrying meeting for the baptism of the Holy Ghost. They were in one accord, and they expected that when Pentecost would fall they would receive the sign of speaking in tongues, as in Acts 2:4. The Lord put His seal upon this company.

On the 9^th of April, 1906, the power fell in a cottage meeting where the little company was assembled. A number received the baptism of the Holy Ghost and spoke in tongues as the Spirit gave utterance. The mighty power of God was manifested. This was noised abroad. Hungry souls came until the cottages could not hold them. Then they rented for a meeting place a humble, old, barnlike building; but it was the place where the Holy Ghost was received. There was room for Him there where He could have full right of way, if not in the churches.

The power of God began falling, and fell night and day. The place was crowded to the utmost. People came and stayed all day – forgot to eat. They came thousands of miles, received the baptism of the Holy Ghost, went back to their homes; the spiritual fire spread and more souls received it – God giving abundant proof that the power was from Him. Drunkards were saved and went out to carry the Gospel. People made restitution and straightened up their lives. Whole families were saved, sanctified, and baptized with the Holy Ghost.

People received the baptism of the Holy Ghost in their homes, on the street, in their kitchens. God gave it to hungry souls wherever they were looking up to Him. Hundreds received the mighty baptism. The altar services were wonderful. People fell under the power of God almost as soon as they reached the altar. Row after row of seats would be turned into altars to make room for seekers.

One of the manifestations that followed the outpouring of the Spirit was the heavenly singing by a chorus of voices in supernatural sweetness and harmony.

The Last Great Outpouring of the Spirit

These last years, or since the great outpouring of the Spirit that came in April, 1906, God has been showing signs and wonders. Thousands have received the baptism of the Holy Ghost and spoken in tongues as in Acts 2:4, in many different lands. Unbelievers and scoffers have been mightily convinced, and have fallen on their faces and sought and found God. Many more nationalities than those present on the day of Pentecost have heard God magnified in the language of the land wherein they were born.

There have been many witnesses to the fact that the Spirit has spoken and been understood in Chinese, German, Russian, French, Indian, Spanish, Armenian, African dialects, Greek, and Latin. In Portland we can witness that the Spirit has spoken to foreigners in their languages – Italian, Spanish, Chinese, French, Hindi, Hebrew, Latin, Portuguese, German, Swedish, and Syriac. In foreign lands missionaries have been heard speaking in the languages of the nations – Chinese, African dialects, and other tongues.

Times without number the Spirit has said in another tongue that has often been understood and interpreted: “Jesus is coming soon; get ready to meet Him.” This is a solemn day in which we live, and great responsibility comes with great light.

The sick have been healed of many diseases – tuberculosis, cancer, rupture, rheumatism, fevers, kidney trouble, catarrh, asthma, and contagious diseases such as scarlet fever, small-pox and diphtheria – also blindness and deafness. Many have laid aside their supports and bandages, and have been set free. The lame have been made to walk, and the cripple healed.

Drunkards are being saved. The demons of drink are cast out in the name of Jesus; the morphine, cocaine, and tobacco slaves have been instantly delivered. Workers are going into prisons, into hospitals, and jails, poor-farms and home for the aged, and souls are being saved. Workers in Gospel autos are distributing papers, holding meetings; souls are saved, sanctified, and baptized, and the sick healed. Churches have been opened in many cities, and hundreds saved. There have been great gatherings all the world over in the interest of the salvation of souls, of sanctification (the destruction of the inbred nature), and of the baptism of the Holy Ghost; and great camp meetings have been held, where the power of God has fallen. Souls who have been saved are praising God.

Time and money that were spent on theaters, fancy dress, drugs, and drink are now being spent in saving the lost. Fallen women have been brought back to purity, are sanctified, baptized with the Holy Ghost, and are giving their testimony to the world and rescuing others.

Hundreds of thousands of free papers have been translated into the languages of the nations and scattered over all the world. Before they are sent out they are prayed over by the ministry. Many people receive the power and blessing, are saved, sanctified, baptized with the Holy Ghost, and healed through simply reading or handling the papers. Missionaries are preaching the Gospel to the heathen and they are being baptized with the Holy Ghost. Without salary this Gospel is being spread. God Himself is calling and sending out laborers. The Gospel is preached on the streets and in churches, without collections, and the work is being carried on by faith. There are no calls for means, no socials, no bazaars, no begging for money – but a free Gospel.

God is advancing this work in marvellous ways. We know that nothing can be accomplished unless God does it. This Gospel has been a Gospel of faith. A collection has never been taken in one of our meetings in all these years. We are depending on no one but God and His people to keep the doors swinging open and the lights flashing out. The public has never been asked for a penny. The God we serve takes care of it all. He said, “Freely ye have received, freely give.”

Many marvel at the modern conveniences that are being used to spread the Gospel, and the way God is blessing it; but it is the simplest thing in the world when you consider that when a soul is born of God the things of the world drop off. They have no theatre tickets to buy, no jewelry; no tobacco bills, no insurance or lodge dues, no doctor bills to be paid (because the Great Physician heals without money and without price). It is easy to spread the Gospel; and no burden at all for God’s people to do it. Their ambition is, above everything else, to spread the Good News of Salvation.

No person has ever been solicited or asked for money to carry on this work. God and His people have carried on this work. The papers and tracts have been published by the hundreds of thousands, and no prices set upon them. The postal rates have been the very highest for the paper, on account of no subscription price. There is no advertising space. All that is advertised is the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and God has honoured it above everything else.

The papers go into all the world, translated into many different languages, along with hundreds of thousands of tracts and circulars, sent without money and without price. Many realize the tremendous expense of publishing this great amount of literature and mailing it into all the world, especially since the advanced postal rate, and count it a privilege to help bear the burden of sending out a pure Gospel: and for this reason God is blessing the work, the literature, and all who have a part in it.

Drunkards and morphine fiends have knelt in the street-meetings, crying to God, and demons have been cast out. The Lord is raising up the fallen to be witnesses to the ends of the earth. The rich and poor, the learned and unlearned, and all nationalities are melted down to one common level in this Gospel, without respect of persons.

Behold Christ making His people one in doctrine, thousands taking the whole Word of God, keeping the ordinances of Christ, being baptized after the example of Jesus’ baptism in the River Jordan! Old-time restitution and a burning hell are being preached without compromise – a real salvation where souls pray through at the altar and receive the witness of the Spirit, and old-time sanctification. People are dressing according to the Word of God, laying aside gold and costly array.

Behold a people practicing James 5:14 for the healing of the sick, and teaching healing in the Atonement! Families that once spent their all for doctor bills are now trusting Jesus alone without remedies. Whole families are saved and united. Many little children, saved, sanctified, and baptized, are lifting their voices in prayer and praise, going to Him for healing when sick.

The whole Word is taught on the adultery evil, and the people are cleaning up their lives. Hypocrites and false teachers are unable to bring in their false teaching and false professions, for the Lord gives discernment to His people and a boldness to stand for His doctrines.

Behold a pure Gospel preached, and a despised people who stand on the Word only, receiving meekly persecutions and false reports, exalting only the Blood of Jesus, God bringing His people together in true fellowship and the unity of the Word!

The “Latter Rain” is falling on the nations, and people are receiving it in their homes and at family altars. A multitude of anointed witnesses is publishing this Gospel, and prophesying; workers are going about the streets and from house to house, and sending the Gospel through the mails.

This is the result of the great outpouring of the Spirit, and those are signs God is showing in these last days. How shall we escape if we neglect this great salvation which God is letting such miracles follow? It is high time for the sleeping church to awake and put on clean garments, and get oil in her vessels and in her lamps, for the cry is going forth in all lands: “Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.” This is the last call before the vials of God’s wrath are poured out in the Great Tribulation. These are the last days preceding His coming for His bride. Now the responsibility is on every one who receives the light, to walk in it, for the light has come; and how shall we escape if we walk not in it, and seek and obtain all that the Blood of our Lord has purchased?

God’s salvation is the only solution to the great problems that are facing this world. God’s grace is the only refuge for this poor, lost, doomed world. Sin is rampant in the very highest circles of society today. Immorality and degradation abound on every hand. Many are trying to bolster up a standard of morality, and stop the mad rush to destruction; but there is no stopping it unless God intervenes. There is no deliverance until He delivers. There is no refuge until they find refuge in Jesus, the Son of the living God.

As truly as God sits on His Throne, we are living in the time of the end. These are days when God is drawing His own to a close walk with Him and preparing them to meet the Lord in the clouds when He comes. He is calling workers into the highways and byways to hold up the Remedy for sin and to warn the thousands who are slipping into a lost eternity.

The same doctrine is being preached today by the Apostolic Faith as was preached in the beginning, in 1906, when God poured out the Latter Rain Gospel. Many have departed from the faith and have both added to the Word of God and taken from it; but the experiences of justification, and of sanctification as a second definite work of grace that people had to receive before the power would fall upon them, are still taught by the Apostolic Faith, and must be obtained before people can receive the real outpouring of the Spirit upon their lives – the baptism of the Holy Ghost.

Jesus may come at any moment. We should be watching and listening for the sound of the trumpet. “Be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.”

“Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the LORD: his going forth is prepared as the morning; and he shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rain unto the earth” (Hosea 6:3).

“And all thy children shall be taught of the LORD; and great shall be the peace of thy children. In righteousness shalt thou be established: thou shalt be far from oppression; for thou shalt not fear: and from terror; for it shall not come near thee” (Isaiah 54:13, 14).