Ernest Cochran

We first attended an Apostolic Faith Church camp meeting in Portland, Oregon in 1928. That summer, we drove to Portland from Montana in a Model T Ford. I was just an old drunken cowpuncher and my parents hoped that I would let the Lord do something for me.

The church papers from the Apostolic Faith had been coming to our home for years. My mother would read them and cry—and I would run. The Lord was talking to my heart, but I thought in order to be a good cowpuncher I had to curse like a sailor, drink moonshine whiskey, and smoke cigarettes. Down inside I was so miserable.

My eyesight became so poor that I couldn’t tell a good steer from a bad one, and I couldn’t read the brands anymore. It was then that we made the move to Portland.

One Sunday morning, in the tabernacle, I heard the wonderful story of how Jesus could save, heal, keep, sanctify, and baptize with the Holy Ghost. I got through the first meeting all right, but in the second meeting, when I heard people telling of how God had cleaned them up and they had gone back to make restitution, I couldn’t take any more. I left my seat and started down the aisle. I decided I was going to change masters and start for Heaven.

I threw my cigarettes under a seat and fell in a heap at the altar. There, I called on the Lord for mercy. One of the faithful brothers put his hand on my shoulder and prayed, “Oh God, melt his stony heart.” Then, to me, he said, “Get honest with the Lord.” I didn’t know if the Lord would believe what I was promising, because I had lied to Him so often.  But my burden of sin rolled away; the darkness of midnight went out. I had something real. I was like a young boy again! The condemnation was gone, and I began to sing, “There is a fountain filled with Blood.” I don’t know how I remembered that song, but my mother had sung it when I was a child. It sounded good to me. It still sounds good.

It was a marvelous day when I looked the world in the face. I didn’t know how I was going to trust God for healing, but they said that God would put it in my heart—and He did.

We have been sick many times even unto death. When we couldn’t get prayers through ourselves, we phoned the church and God’s people prayed and God answered. A year ago my ear was stopped up; the whole side of my head was numb. I prayed a while and finally God said, “Go on the platform.” I went up there and the ministers prayed for me, and it just went. God healed it! This winter the same thing came back again. I went on the platform, but I didn’t get healed right away. The devil said, “Oh yes, you better go to the doctor, you better do this, you better do that.” Some of Job’s comforters were around to tell me what to do. One of the workers said, “He is just the same God today.” Shortly after that I got the flu. Right in the middle of that, God healed my ear. I praise Him for it today.

God has helped me for these many years.  I am a blind man, but God takes good care of me.  God has taken me around this country to all fifty states. I have been in Mexico and Canada, too. I have troubles too, but I thank God there is power in the Gospel. The way is not grievous; it is growing brighter and happier every day. I praise God for something that satisfies my heart. The precious Word is down in my soul.