“Well, Lord, we pray Thou will help us. I’m glad, Jesus, that I can stand
here today and say that after all these years of trusting in Thee, Thou
hast helped me. Help them, God. We beseech Thee to help us here today.
Help us as we go along from day to day. There’ll be troubles, the way will
be dark and dreary sometimes. The sun will not always shine, there’ll
be rain and dark clouds, but they’ll soon clear away. It is the work of
the devil to make it hard for us. It is the devil’s work to make us weak
physically, so that it will be hard to bear the strain of God’s work. Oh,
devil, why do you strike us when we’re down? Why do you prey upon our
weaknesses? Why do you do it? You know, devil, you and I are enemies. We
always have been.
“There’s no compromise between us. You know, devil, I’ve never uttered a
word, preached a sermon or written a line that I didn’t believe was right
and that I’ll not stand upon. I wouldn’t take back a single thing I ever
said. And say, devil, if there’s anything in my sermons that doesn’t hurt
you, tell me, and I’ll take it out, and Lord, if there’s anything in my
sermons that doesn’t help your work, tell me, and I’ll take it out. I’ve
learned to love these people Lord. Oh, their friendship and generosity
have been wonderful. I never saw such love and kindness, Jesus. I’ve been
overwhelmed by it. And now, today, there may still be some who have not
yet taken their stand, and who’ll be the first to come down and take me by
the hand.”