Margaret Fremerey

My family came out West as pioneers. My grandfather, who was a minister, brought his large family from Missouri to the West Coast by ox-team train over the Oregon Trail. The first thing he did when he got here was to learn the language of the Indians so he could talk to them about the Lord. He made sure the rest of the family learned the Indian language too, so I spent one winter on the reservation among the Indians.

I loved the Word of God from the time I was a child when I would listen to the Bible being read for as long as anyone would read aloud to me. But when my marriage failed and my health began to decline, I looked for something else to satisfy my heart. I dabbled in different kinds of religion. I even tried spiritualism and was told I should become a medium. I had a young son, so I got a job to support the two of us. I soon learned that my business associates were Christian Scientists. They said they were in it merely for the healing benefits to the body. This appealed to me and I became involved also.

God’s Spirit began to strive with me and I came under terrible conviction. I wanted to get away from my friends and relatives, so I left my little boy with my two sisters who had no children, and I joined a traveling group of entertainers on a fair circuit headed for Mexico.  

I went from one fair to another trying to get away from the convicting hand of the Lord. Little did I know that I wasn’t getting away from the Lord at all; He was traveling right along with me trying to get me to surrender to Him.

After the completion of my fourth fair, I stepped off the train at midnight in Yakima, Washington, and heard a Voice say, “Margaret, you have gone far enough!” I could not continue any further. The very thought of going on with the entertainers was revolting to me. What I had seen and heard was repulsive. I had already tried to break away from this group without success, but when God spoke to me that night, it was settled. I told my employer I could not go on; I had heard from the Lord! Many offers were made to hold me, but the Lord had a different plan for me.

At Christmas time I moved to Portland, Oregon, and got a job. While looking for a place to live, God led me to a woman who attended the Apostolic Faith Church. I rented an apartment from her for myself and my son. This Christian woman never talked religion to me, but met me with kindness at every turn. I was so broken down in health that I could hardly do a day’s work. When I would come home at the end of the day, tired out, this woman would meet me with a smile on her face and often, a bowl of stew or soup in her hand. She would say, “Here, dear, take this and go into your apartment and sit down to rest.” Every time she did this, the Scripture, Matthew 7:16, would come to me, “Ye shall know them by their fruits.” Her kindness won my heart.

One day she asked me to go to church with her, but I made the excuse, “You people believe in Hell. I cannot worship with you, because I do not believe in Hell.” She said, “We don’t care what you believe. Come along and we will ask the people of God to pray for you; you are ill and miserable.”

I had no excuse left, so I went and that one visit convinced me. I went to the altar of prayer and tried to seek the Lord while others prayed with me, but I could not believe. I was mixed up, having grabbed at so many false religions in my search for God. At last I prayed through and the Lord not only saved me and lifted that terrible load from my heart, but He healed me, too.

Later, as I consecrated my life, He sanctified me, and baptized me with the Holy Ghost. He gave me a good place to work and I had no trouble supporting myself and my child.

Through the years the Lord has healed my body many times. One time I had a cancer on my leg. There was an open sore where it had eaten down to the bone. The people of God prayed for me, anointing me with oil, and I received a clear witness that I was healed. Eventually, new flesh replaced where the hole was and it never even left a scar.

Another time, I fell headfirst down a flight of stairs and broke my arm, crushing the nerves from my elbow to my shoulder. Someone sent for the ministry and while we waited, I told them, “This was no accident. God has called me to a deeper consecration.” I was prayed for and then taken to a clinic. The doctor said I would never be able to put my hand to my head if they did not operate, break the bone, and reset it. I told him, “I have been prayed for and I am not afraid; I will trust the Lord.” This was a severe testing time for me as I was not healed right away. I did not get discouraged, though, because I knew this was a testing time of my faith, and I never doubted that God would heal me. After five weeks of suffering, God instantly healed that broken arm and those crushed nerves. I put my hand straight up over my head and took something from the shelf before I realized what I was doing. I had carried that arm against my side before that. When I saw that the Lord had healed me, I praised Him with all my heart. That arm became my stronger arm, and I have used it since for heavy loads.

I thank God for giving me peace and keeping me under His precious Blood. The Lord has never failed me through my sixty years of Christian experience, and He still takes care of me in the ‘sunset’ of my life.