Page 147 - Unseen Hands by Nona Freeman

In the Furnace
has been banned. A time has been set for the last ser vice, and we Americans have to leave."
Brother Freeman went and helped them in everyway possible. He talked to many officials, made a vain attempt to see the emperor, and tried to encourage the mis sionaries. Nothing could be done to extend the existence ofthe United Pentecostal Church in Ethiopia. On Tekle's suggestion, they changed the name to the Apostolic Church of Ethiopia, hoping that elimination of the word Pentecostal would help the work to survive.
The only avenue of service possible would be under the auspices of a school. Brother Wendell bought land in the name of his deacon Amare, and the believers quickly built the modest Apostle Peter's School to serve as both an elementary school and a limited outreach. They secreted a small baptistery under the floor.
The time came for the last service. Both missionaries refused to preach. "It is as if we are preaching our own funeral," they said.
God gave Brother Freeman a message of faith. Among other things he said, "The early church operated illegally most of the time, but they reached the known world in a short time. You may be temporarily deprived of regular services as you have known in the past, but no decree can annul the power of the Holy Ghost that you have in your heart.
"Use the Holy Ghost's power! You cannot go in pairs, but you can win souls one by one. Find a hungry heart; love and teach and pray until that one is filled with God's Spirit. Sendhim to the workers to bebaptized inthe name ofJesus and then findanother hungryheart.Remember, the name of Jesus cannot fail. We will ask the churches
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