Arthur Hiatt

I was just starting out in life when I came into one of the Apostolic Faith meetings and heard testimonies of victory over sin.

My parents were not Christians, but they wanted to bring me up right so they sent me to Sunday school. I had great ambitions for the things of the world—wanted to make something of myself—but none of my ambitions were to serve the Lord. I would compare my life with many who went to church and I thought I lived as good as they did.

Later, when my father was converted, we moved to Portland and stayed in the home of some relatives who were Christians. I felt they were like angels, and I was afraid to say anything—afraid my tongue would slip. Before that, I had thought I was so good.

I really gave up to the Lord, and He saved me and healed me as they prayed for me.

One day I became very ill and my relatives asked me if they could pray for me. I hesitated; I did not want to say no, so I finally said yes. I really gave up to the Lord, and He saved me and healed me as they prayed for me. I exclaimed, “I am saved and I am healed!” The next day I felt as though I were walking on air, as though my feet did not touch the sidewalk.

After I was saved, I went to work in a factory. I was young, and the people teased me and tried to talk my religion out of me. Even the foreman, a professing Christian, tried to trip me up, but none of them could make me stumble. Before I was saved, all they would have had to do was to laugh at me and I would have gone with them; but it was different after my conversion.

I told him, “I am interested in serving the Lord; I am a Christian!”

I had been saved only a short time when I prayed that the Lord would give me a chance to talk about salvation to a boy with whom I worked. One day he asked me what I was most interested in. He was interested in airplanes. I told him, “I am interested in serving the Lord; I am a Christian!” He wanted to know more about it and came to church with me. God saved him, and his mother and father were saved too.

During World War I, I worked in the shipyards among many hundreds of men, and God kept me every day with the victory in my soul.
For many years it has been my privilege to sing in the Lord’s work and to tell this wonderful Gospel story in different places. It is the joy of my heart to tell of God’s great love to mankind; and I am thankful for the many souls I have seen saved at the altars of prayer.

I can say I have never been sorry one minute for having become a Christian early in life. The Gospel is real to me and I have enjoyed the blessings of God for more than fifty years as I have given my life in service to Him.‍

Converted at just fifteen years of age, Brother Arthur Hiatt became an ardent Christian worker. An outstanding tenor soloist, he also made several cellos which were superb in tone and workmanship. He was one of the charter members of the Apostolic Faith orchestra, and played regularly with this musical group from the time they were organized in 1918 until the day of his passing in 1967. He was a versatile musician,  playing various instruments, and was also a member of the original Morning Star Male Quartet. Missionary-minded, he especially appreciated opportunities to go with other workers on evangelistic trips. For ten years he traveled with the crew who made missionary voyages on board the Lower Light. On July 12, 1967, not knowing that he was singing his last song here on earth, he sang at a street meeting, “I’ve Anchored My Soul in the Haven of Rest.” Truly, this man sang his way through life and on into Glory!