Harry Morgan

I thank God that He was faithful to my soul when I was a sinner on my way to Hell. I praise God that I walked up old Burnside Street one Sunday morning. I wasn’t looking for salvation when I came to Portland, Oregon. I was a proud, stubborn, haughty, independent man. The power of God was able to break down my proud heart and show me it was an abomination in the sight of God.

For years, I had a good position as a railroad conductor on a train that ran between Chicago, Illinois, and Milwaukie, Oregon. I stole money from the railroad company and put it in the bank and then invested it in land. I had a good salary, a good home of my own, and everything in this world to make one happy, but the world never satisfied the aching void in my heart. I loved my work, loved the rattle of the wheels on the old rails, but it never satisfied me.

I went into the Masonic order and went to their banquets, but they didn’t have the thing that could take sin out of my life; I was still bound and continued to do the things I didn’t want to do. I was connected with a certain religious organization for years, but it turned out to be an awful institution. I turned the whole thing down and said, “God, if You ever lead me among the people that really live the life, I will give You my heart.” I thank God that after several years of misery, I came to Portland, Oregon.

I was walking along Burnside Street one Sunday morning, just in from Chicago, and I looked up and saw the Apostolic Faith sign. God said, “Go up and listen to those people.” I went in and sat down in the back of the church. I had on a beautiful mask of hypocrisy, but the testimonies that I heard that day got under the sham and make-believe and showed me my sinful heart, which was an abomination to God.

I listened with real interest when I heard those people tell how God had saved them and healed their sick bodies. The drunkard, the dope fiend, the fallen woman, and the people high in society all told the same wonderful story of the marvelous things God had done for them. It went down into my heart like a sharp two-edged sword. I said, “This is what I want!” I wasn’t looking for a profession of religion; I had had that for long enough and had cast it aside saying I would never have a thing to do with the church again. That Sunday morning I said, “God, if You will give me what these people have, I will give You my life.”

I repented of all my sin and God heard my cry and rolled the burden of sin off my soul.

When the sermon was over and they asked if there were any who wanted to be prayed for, I held up my hand and said, “Pray for me!” I went forward and got down on my knees at a pine bench alongside the drunkard, the dope fiend, and others. I didn’t know how to pray, but these people prayed for me, rebuking the powers of Hell from my life, and I began to cry. I hadn’t cried for years. I thank God He broke my stubborn heart. I wept before the Lord and asked Him to be merciful to me a sinner. I repented of all my sin and God heard my cry and rolled the burden of sin off my soul. I felt as if the burden of the whole world had rolled off my shoulders. I got up from the altar with real victory in my soul, praising God, laughing, crying, and shouting the victory for the wonderful things God had done for me.

After God saved my soul, He gave me the grace to write to the railroad company and straighten out my crooked life. I had covered my theft so that not even my wife or the men on the run with me knew about it, but when I heard the testimonies of the Apostolic Faith people, I knew I would have to face it—in eternity if not here. It took God to make me confess my sins.

The general manager of the railroad company was a brother Mason of mine. I told him I had stolen from the company for years and had put the money in the bank. Then I had invested it in land in six different states. I placed eighty acres of land at the railroad’s disposal to straighten up that crooked life. It may be possible to hide from our fellowman, but we cannot hide from God.

I straightened up the rest of my crooked life, confessing to the people I had wronged. I had many confessions that were hard to make, but the people freely forgave me. I praise God for the power in the Blood of Jesus that takes sin out and gives one power to live without sin.

I thank God for His healing power also. I was in a serious condition, stricken with diphtheria, and almost died. For six days I couldn’t even swallow water, but I thank God for the prayers of His people. God heard their prayers and delivered me. Shortly after that I was taken with high blood pressure and heart trouble. The people of God prayed again and He heard and answered prayer. Another time, I was taken with paralysis. I couldn’t walk a step, but God’s people prayed and continued to pray. He delivered me, and today I am strong and well.

I praise God for the power in the Blood of Jesus that takes sin out and gives one power to live without sin. The Blood of Jesus takes the thief, the liar, and the double-dealer and makes them straighten up their crooked life. God gives victory over sin and He keeps me every day with peace and joy and happiness in my heart. I praise God that He has kept me by His mighty power for over forty-five years.