Melvin Frost

I appreciate the heritage God gave me of Christian parents, a Christian home, and Christian training. I could never get away from these things. I was brought up under the sound of this Gospel. Nearly the first place I was taken was into the Portland tabernacle the year it was dedicated. Dad was a minister and he practiced what he preached. I did not hear things in my home that shook my faith in God. I heard things that gave me confidence. I heard prayer in my home many times. I heard it for me, too. I was taken to church and Sunday school continually whether I liked it or not. Today, I am thankful for the old-time religion, but I did not always enjoy it. I just endured it before God saved me. I could not draw away from it, though, and eventually it brought me to God.

I knew the Gospel was the only way. I saw Christian lives lived before me every day. For a time I tried in my own strength to do what only God can do. I lived quite carefully, following the teachings of my parents to a certain extent. I did not touch tobacco or liquor, and was never inside a dance hall or theatre. I did not use swear words, and to consider using God’s name in vain was the farthest thing from my mind. The devil would tell me, “You are living all right.” That moral life did not bring me happiness, though.

I had unrest in my life. I knew Jesus was coming again and this fairly haunted me. There were nights when I could not sleep. I would think that I could awaken in the morning and be alone. I would go to my parents’ room to see if they were still there.

I knew I was not right with my Maker; I had sin in my life and was procrastinating every day. There was condemnation in my heart, and one day that condemnation became too heavy. I fell on my two knees and prayed, “God, help me to enjoy the old-time religion and I will give You my life.” I did not know what peace meant until then. I am thankful I no longer fear Jesus’ coming; I am looking forward to it.

After I became a Christian, I began to help my dad in different Gospel ventures. I remember in the 1930s we held a meeting in the mess hall of a little CCC camp about twenty-one miles southeast of Klamath Falls, Oregon. The next Friday, my dad said, “Son, tomorrow the boys out at the camp are going to be off duty for the weekend and you might be able to do some good. How about going out there and just mixing among the boys? Sing with them, talk to them, and invite them to the Sunday morning meeting. Tell them we will send up to sixteen cars to pick them up. And tell them we will give them a good home-cooked meal, and they can stay over for the night meeting.” I said I would do it and was headed out the next day when he added, “I want you to look up one boy in particular. A fellow named Carver. Somehow I have a feeling that he could be the key to something.” My dad was a praying man. I did look up Carver, and eventually he became the third overseer of the Apostolic Faith organization.

Present-day blessings are just as real, just as thrilling, as when I first became a Christian. I have joy, peace, and contentment in my heart. I am more determined than ever, since God saved me, sanctified me, and gave me the baptism of the Holy Ghost, to press forward in the battle of the Cross.