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Around the World in 88 Years -E Book - Arthur Burt

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presence, I made certa<strong>in</strong> we were never alone toge<strong>the</strong>r. If peoplebegan leav<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> room where we were, I got out quickly. Neveronce did our eyes meet. For three years this cont<strong>in</strong>ued, but <strong>in</strong>that revival, <strong>the</strong> Spirit of God came upon me one weekend.I woke up one Friday with every part of my body trembl<strong>in</strong>g as ifI were ill, but I wasn’t ill. I looked at my hands, at my trembl<strong>in</strong>gf<strong>in</strong>gers, and rebuked myself. “Stop it!” I commanded. “Stop it!”I could not stop shak<strong>in</strong>g. For <strong>the</strong> next three days, my entire bodytrembled every moment I was awake.God spoke one Word to me dur<strong>in</strong>g that period. It was, “Button.”I knew <strong>the</strong> whole button <strong>in</strong>cident was an issue of my pride asGod dealt with me, but I cried, “No! I’m not go<strong>in</strong>g to admit I’mwrong. If I do, <strong>the</strong> whole th<strong>in</strong>g will start aga<strong>in</strong>, and I’m not marry<strong>in</strong>gMarjorie Coates. If she were <strong>the</strong> last girl <strong>in</strong> all <strong>the</strong> world, Iwouldn’t have her. Wild horses couldn’t drag me back to thatgirl!”God kept after me, and I knew I would have to apologize to her.I went down to <strong>the</strong> kitchen where Marj, wear<strong>in</strong>g her apron, wasbak<strong>in</strong>g bread. I apologized, and what I had dreaded, happened…it started aga<strong>in</strong>. It was not that she didn’t suit <strong>the</strong> affection of myheart, but <strong>the</strong> pride <strong>in</strong> my heart had been greater than my affection.Once my pride was out of <strong>the</strong> way, I was open to resume<strong>the</strong> courtship.I Touched <strong>the</strong> Glory.In 1939, a Pastor Simmons <strong>in</strong>vited me to m<strong>in</strong>ister at a church <strong>in</strong>Lancashire. When I arrived, I was surprised to f<strong>in</strong>d that PastorSimmons was a young woman who was exceed<strong>in</strong>gly smart anddressed <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> height of fashion. She owned a bus<strong>in</strong>ess and hadmoney, personality, <strong>the</strong> position of pastor, and by any standard,she would be called attractive.I stood up that first night and m<strong>in</strong>istered on <strong>the</strong> glory of God toa small company assembled, perhaps 40 people. I taught that itdoesn’t matter what a person does, but what does matter is whyhe does it, because God is after our motives. He is after truth <strong>in</strong><strong>the</strong> <strong>in</strong>ward parts, not eye-service by men-pleasers seek<strong>in</strong>g to keepup with <strong>the</strong> Jones’s. Jesus describes natural men’s lives that look65

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