First of all, before I begin with the seven principles revealed through the 1948 revival, I should lay down the setting, what the conditions were and how the revival came about.
Prior to the revival in Saskatchewan, Canada, a number of us pastors, evangelists and workers were longing to see a move of God in our churches and meetings. We became alarmed at the spiritual decline, coldness and lack of spiritual hunger among the people. We were anxious to do something about it, but things seemed to grow steadily worse. No one seemed to have the answer. The general consensus of opinion from those who were over us in the Lord was that we were not to expect revival because we were living in the closing days of time and things were going to grow worse, and we were to hold on to the bitter end. We often heard quoted, "Except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved" (Matt. 24:22a).
This only brought more depression in our spirits to the point where we were in despair. Many of us in this large Pentecostal group, because of our desperation and hunger for God, began to fast and pray. Some fasted three weeks, and one brother fasted forty-two days.
This was new to us. One time many of us gathered in this certain place through a chain of circumstances that is not necessary for me to tell here. God was simply bringing us together through a sovereign act at this time.
1948 was the year when many things I could mention began. It was the year the Jews became a nation, and also the year when unions made themselves known. There seemed to be a general quickening in every department and in every country around the world.
One particular day a brother stood to his feet and began to prophesy. Until that time we had not heard much prophecy nor very little about the ministry of a prophet. For over a half-hour God spoke through him about visitation. Because of the heavy anointing, we knew God had spoken to us through this honest brother. He spoke to us about restoration days, and that He would pour out His Spirit upon all flesh. This thrilled our hearts, having lived in an atmosphere of defeatism. It was refreshing, for now we were assured of visitation from God. Joy swept through the camp. Faith and hope were planted in our hearts. God said He would restore all that the Church had lost.
May I deviate to relate how God had prepared my own heart. I ask you to please understand that when I refer to a few of my personal experiences in this book that it is not in any air of self-importance. God was weaving into my own life and into the lives of others some divine truths from His Word. In the same sense that Paul gave testimony of God's dealings in his life through his epistles, and often repeated them before men to witness to the truth, so I wish to share with you and relate this story.
was flying in my airplane one day in the fall of 1947, not too long before the 1948 revival broke out. It was a beautiful day, one scarcely had to touch the controls. I had just been meditating about the divided, powerless condition of the Church in general, when suddenly I heard the voice of the Lord, audibly, above the sound of the motor, say, "Son, I want you to recognize all of My people." I thought for a moment. I know the Lord recognizes all of His people, regardless of where they worship, if they are really saved, so I answered in the affirmative, "O.K. Lord."
You ask how do you know it to be the voice of the Lord? I knew this to be the voice of Jesus, because in 1927, twenty years before, it was His voice that brought salvation to my heart.
I was just a lad of fifteen then, the oldest of seven in our family, and none of us were saved. I had grown dissatisfied with the world. We played for dances, Dad and I on the violin, and Mother on the piano. I was tired of the picture shows and the cards. None of these things satisfied the longing in my heart.
I had never heard the gospel message before. My father and mother made no profession of Christianity. In fact, the Friday night I was saved, Dad and Mother were over at the neighbor's passing the evening playing cards; I was at home baby-sitting my brothers and sisters. We were ignorant of the Word of the Lord.
That night my sisters were tidying up the house and I was out at the barn. I had finished the chores and was leaning on the hayfork outside the barn door. I looked up into the sky on that lovely evening, and as I looked at the stars, I thought, "If God made those stars, He also made me, but I do not know Him." I became very concerned about my soul and the hereafter, because I knew I was a sinner. I looked up into that beautiful sky and said out loud, "God, can a sinner like me know You and be ready for the hereafter?" Then it was God's turn. He answered back in an audible voice and said, "Son, give Me thine heart." I answered back, "O.K." That was how I was saved.
In 1947 I knew His voice immediately, because of this earlier experience. Both of these incidents revolutionized my life. They gave me such a marvelous love for all of God's people in all nations. God had prepared my heart for His revelation that was to come. I might add, that is why God has led me to a travelling ministry today, moving through the Body of Christ since the 1948 revival.
I will now endeavor to bring you the seven principles revealed through the 1948 revival.