FOREWORD
IN THE EARLIEST DAYS OF MR. FULLER'S PREPARATION
for the ministry, it was his burning desire and constant prayer that he
might be able to reach with the Gospel the people in the neglected
places, the lonely ones who had no chance to go to church - no
opportunities to attend Bible conferences and no one to point them to
the Lamb of GOD Who taketh away the sins of the world.
How
marvelously GOD answered that prayer, above all that my husband could
ask or think, for there were no radio programs in 1920! Very soon after
they came on the scene, he became deeply impressed with the
possibilities of using this new medium for sending far and wide the
good news of salvation.
Then one night, in a berth on a train
speeding from Philadelphia to Chicago, a burden of prayer came down on
my husband, and GOD clearly revealed to him that he should undertake a
Gospel program by radio. Feeling entirely inadequate, he shrank away
from the task, but GOD continued to lay the burden on his heart. [ 7 ]
Very
soon after returning to California, he took steps to buy time on one
small station in Santa Ana. That was in 1925, and it marked the
beginning which led eventually to the world coverage of the greatly
loved Old-Fashioned Revival Hour. How gracious GOD has been to grant
Dr. Fuller thirty continuous years of preaching the Gospel by radio!
As
we look back over those blessed years of growth, we see a rugged,
uphill path, with many obstacles in the way which, in our own strength,
would have been insurmountable. But the light of GOD's goodness, mercy,
and faithfulness has shown over every step of the way! Satan's
opposition has been very real over the years, for isn't he the prince
of the power of the air? And hasn't the Gospel been going out through
His realm? Ah yes, Satan is powerful, and he did his best to hinder and
block at every turn. But GOD is all-powerful, and He certainly helped
us times without number, encouraging and comforting His own.
Even
during the depression years there was steady growth in the number of
stations, because of the faithfulness of Christians who were willing to
sacrifice where there was often so little to give, in order to extend
the radio coverage and reach more listening ears. GOD bless those
faithful radio friends and supporters! [ 8 ]
Eternity alone will
reveal the great number of souls who will be in glory forever because,
as they sat by their radios, the HOLY SPIRIT showed them their need of
salvation. People in the loneliest places have heard of GOD's great
love for them; homesteaders out on the desert or up in the lonely
canyons; trappers, and people snowbound in far-away cabins. The
bed-ridden have had months and years of suffering lightened by the
sermons from the Word of GOD. We have had letters from people in
lighthouses where for weeks they could not get ashore, but through the
winds and lashing rain have heard the lovely voices singing, "What a
Friend We Have in JESUS," "No, Never Alone," and many other grand old
Gospel hymns.
Our service men have listened through two wars,
having a touch of home though far away, and many have written that the
Hour has also kept them in touch with GOD and helped them resist
temptations. One service man wrote that he and two others were trekking
through a jungle, they stopped to rest and there, turning on a small
radio, caught a long-familiar voice and heard Dr. Fuller praying for
"GOD's blessing on our boys in the service, wherever they are." He
wrote, "The tears sure flowed that day." Men in prison cells listen
regularly; the lepers listen and ask us to keep our music cheery; we
have heard from a brothel, from a young girl who grew up in a Christian
home; and in many cocktail lounges the program is tuned in every
Sunday! [ 9 ]
Though the Old-Fashioned Revival Hour reaches
Britain from eleven to twelve midnight over Radio Luxembourg, yet there
is a tremendous and most appreciative listening audience there, and we
receive letters telling of blessing and conversions among all classes
of persons. One letter from a man in Wales particularly impressed us:
"In our valley, where the miners work so hard, we see on Thursday
nights lights in the windows of many houses, where they wait up late in
the windows of many houses, where they wait up late to hear of Him Who
is the Light of the World." A trapper wrote, "Anyone passing would
wonder to hear such organ music and such singing coming out of my
shack!" An old lady living alone wrote: "You come with your lovely
singers and the organ and piano music right into my poor little room
every week, and it is like the music of the angels." I could tell you
of many, many more who listen on other continents and under greatly
differing circumstances.
We have had many requests for copies of
these sermons on "The Tabernacle in the Wilderness." Now, here they are
in this book which we have tried to keep as nearly similar as possible
to Mr. Fuller's style of speaking. They are sent out with a prayer that
they may be of even greater blessing than when given over the radio.
Grace Payton Fuller
San Marino, California [ 10 ]