Don Wolfe, Sr.

How thankful I am that I had a mother who faithfully read the Bible stories to me in my childhood, instilling in my young heart a confidence in the Word of God. In our church there was still the altar bench, and I heard sermons about Heaven and Hell, and that one must be born again. I went forward and gave my heart to the Lord in a revival service when just a boy. I knew I was saved. Wonderful peace and joy came into my heart.

That one could have a life of victory over sin every day was never preached in our church, and it was not long until I was trying to live a Christian life in my own strength. I was told that the only difference between a Christian and a sinner was that the Christian confessed his sins and the sinner did not. I surely was faithful in confessing my sins every night, but I was bound to do them again the next day.

I used to hang onto the promise, “Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled” (Matthew 5:6). I believed the time would come when God would fill my heart with satisfaction. Though I believed the Bible was God’s inspired Word, I went on with a mere profession of Christianity.

After marrying, my wife and I moved to Denver, Colorado, transferring our church membership. There we were in a young married couples’ Sunday school class that had a monthly party, playing cards and sometimes going as a group to a dance pavilion. We loved the theater and other worldly amusements.

Many times I wondered why the Lord seemed so far away. I didn’t feel the contact with Him I had once experienced. I neglected to read the Bible, so how could I know how a Christian should live?

It was when I fully surrendered my all to the Lord that I once again experienced that wonderful peace and joy of Heaven.

Being interested in art, I finally went to Washington, D. C., to attend an art school. My wife was to follow soon afterward. The first evening I was there, coming down from my room in the Y.M.C.A., I met a blind man by the door talking to a group of young men. Out of curiosity, I joined the group. He was quoting Scripture, and I stood there amazed, hearing texts I didn’t know were in the Bible. He told about victory over sin, holiness without which no man should see God, and the baptism of the Holy Ghost.

I realized then that I didn’t have what the Bible says a Christian should have. But how I wanted it! I went forward to an altar to seek for the baptism of the Holy Ghost. It wasn’t long until God showed me that it was not the baptism I needed, but I needed to again repent of my sins. He gave me true repentance, and I was willing to pay any price. It was when I fully surrendered my all to the Lord that I once again experienced that wonderful peace and joy of Heaven. The love for worldly pleasures went out, and I had victory. I threw my pipe and tobacco into the furnace and literally cleaned house. Everything displeasing to the Lord went out.

I believed the text in 1 John 3:9, “Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin” and I knew I was free from sin, but I couldn’t find anyone else who believed it. I asked the Lord to let me know definitely, and I could take you to the very spot on my mail route on Wyoming Avenue in Washington, D. C., where God whispered to me, “An honest man stealeth not.” I knew it was the Lord’s answer to my prayer. It helped me to take a stand on that Scripture, “Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin.” Two months later the Lord sanctified me wholly, and later baptized me with the Holy Ghost.

I prayed that the Lord would lead me to a people who preached the whole Word of God, and I was given an Apostolic Faith paper that was published in Portland, Oregon.

As I read it, I knew those were the people I wanted to be with. In 1931, my wife and I came to the camp meeting, and met people here who prayed that we would be able to move to Portland. In 1935, God performed a miracle in that I was able to transfer 3000 miles to the Portland post office, when jobs were very scarce.

All these years I have had the privilege to worship God with the Apostolic Faith people, and bring up my son in this blessed faith. I found people I could have confidence in, and I never lost that confidence. I played clarinet in the church orchestra for many years, and since retiring early from the post office, I have been privileged to give my time in service for the Lord. As my son grew to manhood, he, too, dedicated his life to the Lord, and today conducts the Portland Apostolic Faith orchestra and choir. He also has a Christian home and a family who love the Lord. How much we have to thank the Lord for! These days my thoughts are on the coming of the Lord.