Frank Eggensberger

The Lord brought me among the Apostolic Faith people and gave me something I had been looking for all my life. I was looking for reality, and reality is what I found when the Blood of Jesus Christ cleansed me from all sin.

I was brought up in the Roman Catholic faith. From the time I was a child, I confessed my sins to a priest. When I was thirteen years old, my mother led me to a monastery where I started preparation for the priesthood. Five years in that monastery with all the Catholic teachings—the Latin and Greek—did not bring salvation to my soul, did not take the sin out of my life. Many times, I confessed my sins, but not one was forgiven. I committed the same sins over again.

I studied and thought I knew some things, but I knew nothing. I did not even know the Word of God. I thought I had to die before I could live right. In the monastery, I was taught that we could not live without sin, that we had to die and go to purgatory before we could be saved from sin.

Something in my heart desired to serve Jesus fully. I asked the priests questions about how to live a clean life, but they could not give me an answer. Many times, on my knees praying before the crucifix, I would say, “If Jesus was in the world, I would serve Him.” Then I would think, But He is not here, so I cannot serve Him. Sometimes as I was going through the woods, tears would stream down my face and that prayer would go up to God. I believe Jesus saw the place in my heart that demanded reality.

Finally, I said, “There is nothing to this,” and I threw everything overboard; I said, “I will just go to Hell.” I traveled all over the country, joining secret societies such as the Odd Fellows, Masons, Foresters, Knights of Pythias, and others. These did not give me rest for my soul.

God was faithful to me. He let me see the light of the old-time Gospel of Jesus Christ. It took forty-five years to find this salvation, but praise God, I’ve got it.

On a Friday evening, I heard about an Apostolic Faith camp meeting taking place. This was in Portland, Oregon. Out of curiosity, I walked down to the campground while smoking my pipe. When I saw the people praying, I said, “I wish I could pray like that.” I know God heard me. The next day, I went back in the afternoon and heard the testimonies. I thought, God must have some wonderful power. Then the people told me that I could live without sin. They said that if I would repent, Jesus would make Himself real to me, come into my heart and life, and set me free from sin. I went back home and thought about it.

That evening, about six o’clock, I headed back to the campground with while smoking my pipe. I had smoked for twenty-five years, and the old pipe was my god. This evening, though, the tobacco did not taste so good. When I got within two blocks of the campground, I took the old pipe and the tobacco and threw them in the bushes. As I turned back to the path, I beheld a vision of the Lord Jesus Christ. He was standing in front of me dressed like a shepherd. He was going toward the campground and He beckoned me to come. Shivers went through my body, and I walked on toward the tabernacle.

When the altar call was given, I stood up to go forward but hesitated. One of the saints came and took me by the arm saying, “Come on, Brother.” I was only too willing to go. As I knelt at the altar, the Lord showed me my miserable condition. I repented with bitter tears, confessing my sins to Jesus—not to a priest or bishop, but to Jesus alone. I laid myself at the feet of Jesus, and He blessed me and spoke peace to me. I knew when the burden of sin rolled away, because in the twinkling of an eye I was made a new man in Christ Jesus. The old tobacco habit was gone—God took it instantly. I had been bound by other habits, too—lying, cursing, stealing and more, but when Jesus came in, the old world went out of this man.

That was July 5, 1914. Today I have the testimony that God has saved me, sanctified me, and baptized me with the Holy Ghost. He has kept me for eighteen years, and the fire is still burning in my heart. My desire is to serve Him to the end.