Lee Pope

I thank God that He led me under the sound of this mighty Gospel. I praise Him for this wonderful salvation, for the old-time religion, and for a people who uphold the standard of the Bible—the whole truth.

For more than forty years of my life I drifted in sin. I was a sinner of the worst kind. I smoked cigarettes and drank bad whiskey. I was just an old drunken logger, cow puncher, and miner—no good to anyone. I know what is on the other side of life; I know what I went through. I suffered in sin and was a defeated man. I drank until my little family, my health, and everything else good in life were gone.

One night while standing on a street corner in a drunken condition, I heard a band of Apostolic Faith workers testifying. They said God had saved them and taken the very desire for sin out of their lives. There was a ring of authority in their testimonies, and I was not so drunk that I couldn’t see they were telling the truth. I made up my mind right there—as drunk as I was—that I was going to get what they had.

I followed the Apostolic Faith people to their meeting place. They told me that if I got on my knees and prayed, God would save me. I told them I could not quit the drink and cigarette habit; I had been bound by cigarettes for forty-one years, and the booze had its fangs fastened in me. I did not think I could give them up. They said if I would pray an honest prayer, God would take those things out of my life.

No one had ever told me before that God could come down into a man’s life and save his soul, clean him up, and take out the sin. It was pretty hard for me to believe that God could save a sinner like me, but I put their God to the test. I staggered to the altar and got down on my stubborn knees. I did not get through that night, but I came back the next night and prayed honestly and earnestly. God saved my soul, and I knew it when the work was done. In a moment of time, He broke every habit and appetite that had me bound. It was nothing short of a miracle.

He also took the turmoil and unrest out of my heart. In its place, He gave me peace, happiness, and victory. Since then, I have not had any desire for that old life of sin. Instead, I went back over my crooked life and straightened it up. It takes God to make a man do that. Salvation is real!

I had two little children when God saved me, and I did not know where they were, but I said, “The Lord will restore those children to me.” He knew where they were, and He brought them back. Now they are both with me in this Gospel. I praise God for it.

God also healed my sick body when he saved me; He healed these diseased lungs. I am strong and well these days. I put in nine hours today on a defense job. This way is so wonderful that I can’t fully express it!

This Gospel is real—there is no sham about it. I have the victory in my heart. After work today, I hurried to get down to the street meeting to testify about it. I count it the greatest privilege. I praise God for this old-time religion.