Minutes of the Annual Session of the Detroit Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church Volume 28-34 (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1883 Excerpt: ...Erastus was thrown upon his own resources and obliged to support and care for himself. His mother, though poor in this world's goods, had that which was of vastly more value to her orphaned boy--a pure religious character and a deep religious experience. The fervent religious instruction which she gave him and the ardent and trustful prayers which she offered in his behalf were worth more to him than silver or gold. They took hold upon his heart and settled him in the conviction that the pardon of sins and a conscious peace with God is the imperative duty and the glorious privilege of every soul. In his life record he says: "At the age of ten I felt my sins a burden to me. I sought and found forgiveness. But as soon as I felt myself saved I also felt that it would be my duty to preach the gospel to my fellowmen. To this my heart would not consent. Resistance to this conviction of duty cost me, during many years of my life, my religious hope and enjoyment. O the miseries I experienced during these years of perverse rebellion Sometimes my distress Of mind was so great that I would promise the Lord that if he would restore to me the joys of his salvation I would gladly do His will. But after the divine love came back to my poor heart the burden seemed so fearfully great that I shrunk back from my vows and fell again into condemnation." This conflict did not cease until the crushing hand of affliction, in the death of a son and daughter and a severe personal sickness lasting about two years, and bringing him very near to death, made him feel the utter folly of contending with the Almighty. He finally yielded to his convictions of duty, and entered the ministry in 1851. He was received on trial in the Michigan Conference in 1852. His appointments in ...