Stanley Frank

It was in 1916 that my father first heard a street meeting held by the Apostolic Faith people. As a result, he and my mother were both saved. The day the Lord saved my father, He also healed him of eczema that was all over his body. When he retired that night, his skin was as free of scabs as that of a newborn baby. I thank God for that heritage I had of growing up in a Christian home.

I was a boy who was hard to handle. I would not do anything to please my father. He used the razor strap on me, and took the keys to my car, but only prayer ever brought me to my knees. I spent my money in the pool halls, dance halls, and at card games.

I was living in Portland, Oregon, with my parents and sister. I could hardly speak a decent word; I would curse and swear and blaspheme the name of God right in front of them. But I thank God for the Apostolic Faith people who were praying for me.

One day, when I was twenty-five years old, I walked into a Gospel service at Sixth and Burnside. I was ripe for God’s salvation. I was ashamed of the things that had attached themselves to my life, and I was ready to forsake my sins and call on God for mercy.

When I knelt to pray, everything came up before me—every deed I had done, every sin I had committed, every article I had stolen, and every man I had robbed. I told God I would go back and straighten up my life and make restitution. In a moment of time God’s power came down and saved my soul. He also healed me of a rupture that a doctor told me required surgery.

I asked the ministers to pray for me and for the letters of restitution that I would be writing. The next day I began making restitution, facing the men I had wronged, taking back the things I had stolen. Before my father was saved, he used to say he thought the desire to steal had been born in him. I had felt the same about it; I stole things I never did use. I knew when I was doing it that I would someday have to make it right.

I had taken automobiles out of a garage in one of the largest firms in Portland, so I could take the oil and gas and other things.

I even had to make restitution to the Portland Police Department, because I had lied to them to get a job that paid more than $50 a week. I thank God that He helped me straighten up that crooked life.

I thank God that the Lord helped me to start back over my life. I made restitution and confession going back to my high school days when I stole things out of the chemical laboratory.

I worked for the Union Pacific Railroad and after I received salvation, I went right back to work in the railroad shops. Several men realized there was a change in my life and spoke to me about it. I wasn’t cursing and swearing in every sentence like I used to. Before, I talked like the railroad men. I tried to be like the rest of them; I tried to be hard-boiled. I thought it was smart. Afterwards, I could live a clean life.

I thank God that He helped me straighten up that crooked life.

For seventeen years, I enjoyed privileges in the Gospel. I went to street meetings, jail meetings, and hospitals. I played the organ in these meetings and told what God had done for me. Then, after I was married and had five children, my wife and I began to look other places for our pleasure. We neglected to read the Bible and to pray, and we stopped going to church. Sin came into our lives, and my heart became full of rebellion.

I joined fraternal organizations and was proud of my progress. I worked long and hard. They had confidence in me and put me through the chairs— I became a master of the lodge at the Masonic Temple. I also got into the Shriners. My children followed in my footsteps.

But all was not well. There was misery in our home. It was without love—just a place to live. Once when my wife threatened to pack up and leave, I told her I would help her pack.

There were people praying for us, and God began to talk to our hearts. One day, while playing golf with my younger son, I had a heart attack on the golf course. In His mercy, God was calling.

We began going to church, coming in just before the service and leaving right afterward so no one could talk to us. My heart would be heavy on the way home. Sometimes I was afraid that the Lord would strike me into eternity, and I knew I would go to a devil’s Hell.

On the evening of March 21, 1976, my wife and I were in the service again. God was talking to our hearts. Tears ran down my cheeks, but I was so proud! I sat there with my diamonds and my past-master pin from the Masons. Before we could get out that night two men, who I had known for most of my life, came down from the platform to ask us to pray. I responded by putting on my overcoat and stepping out into the aisle to leave. My wife was ready to yield to the Lord, though. She asked me, “Won’t you pray?” We knelt there in the chairs, side by side, repenting of our sins.

The Lord forgave our sins and put His love back into our hearts. He also restored our love for one another. I put my arm around my wife and kissed her. That was really something for me. I had neglected her for a long time.

At this time, I had diabetic neuritis, and was expecting to be in a wheelchair by Christmas. I had such pain that my wife had to wrap my limbs to keep my clothes from touching them. I was wrapped from my armpits down. I lost sixty pounds. Twenty-five percent of my body was numb, and the numbness was spreading. Even my mouth and tongue would go numb when I tried to eat. I had asked the doctor what would happen when it reached my heart. He said, “You can only hope and pray.”

I asked the ministers to anoint and pray for me. I could not walk up onto the platform, so they came to me. They also came to my home to pray for me. One Sunday morning, while listening to the broadcast from the church, I felt a definite touch from the Lord. He healed me! How I do appreciate these years of good health that I have enjoyed! It is glorious to have health in my body and salvation in my soul.

I worked for the Union Pacific Railroad for forty years, and they trusted me. For twenty years, I had been taking things home that I wanted—even furniture. After receiving salvation, I made trip after trip back there to return items. One time someone said, “Not again! You are not bringing back more!” I told them, “Yes, I am returning everything that says U.P.R.R. on it.”

There was one thing that I had taken that I could not find. I was bothered about it for over three years. I looked high and low, in the garage, in all the cupboards, in the attic, and in the basement, but just could not locate it. Then one day, my son-in-law asked if I had a big cardboard box that he could have. I went out to the garage and, high overhead, I found one that I had thought was empty, but when I took it down, there was the item. Thank God, I took it back!

I thank God for this glorious Gospel. I would not exchange it for anything in this world.