[Sam]

part 2

People began to come in from all over Flint. It was
not long until we had to get a larger place. God blessed
in a marvelous way.

We began looking for property. We found a lot on
the corner of James and Saginaw Streets. South Flint
Tabernacle is still there today.

We built our first church, which was a block, oneroom
building.

We had a Model-T Ford with curtains. We would
keep the three children in the car with warm blankets
and wood for the stove. I would stay in the car with the
children while Brother Abbey started the fire going in
the pot-bellied stove in the church before the people
would come, although it would not be long until there
was “a warming up of the Holy Ghost.” The stove pipe
went up through the ceiling of the church. When we all
started shouting and rejoicing in the Lord, the stove
pipe would fall, and smoke would fill the church. What
a wonderful time in the Lord we would have, dancing
and speaking in tongues.

As the church grew, we needed more room. So
Brother Abbey told the saints, “We will dig a basement
for more room.” The brethren agreed.

They started digging out the dirt with picks and
shovels, throwing dirt out the windows of the church by
hand. They would talk about the Lord, singing while
they worked, never getting discouraged.

When Brother Abbey saw a need for something that
he thought should be done or something we needed,
the saints always agreed. Never a time did we have differences
between us. Always a good spirit, lots of love
and closeness between us. We were really like a big
family.

All through the years of his pastoring the church, the
saints were understanding, loving and humble. We
walked hand in hand; if there was a need, we helped one
another.

When we started to build South Flint Tabernacle,
two sisters, Sister Bertram and Sister Pope, and I went
to all the businesses in Flint to get donations to build.
Oh, how we prayed! There was a brewery where they
made beer; they gave the most money. Almost everyone
gave—even the Catholic church, The Holy Redeemer,
gave. We always had good fellowship and the courtesy
of the people of Flint. I praise the Lord for all of them,
including all the businesses. People loved Brother Abbey
and helped us in every way. I shall never forget Flint,
Michigan!

One time, Brother Abbey saw the need for a new oak
floor in the church. All we had at that time was just the
old rough floor. Everyone went to work, singing and
rejoicing, sisters and brothers all helping, praising the
Lord for our new floor, all in a good spirit, everyone in
harmony and love. We had such a desire to press on,
always people coming in to help all they could (sinners
and all). Some sinners got the Holy Ghost after they
helped. Just being with us encouraged them. We were a
happy people. They felt it and accepted the love and fellowship
in their hearts.

Brother Abbey felt in his heart one day to have a
tent meeting. We had no place to put it, so we put it
on our front yard, where we had our three-room house.
He was going to have his first revival. The Lord
blessed and flooded our souls. The neighbors started
coming. It was wonderful. The devil got busy, too. A
storm came up one night and blew the tent down, tearing
it up. However, we defeated the devil; we went to
church and finished the revival. Oh, how the glory of
God came down! Through all the testing and trials, we
kept pressing through, and souls were saved. More
people came.

We were outgrowing our little three-room house. The
children were getting older, and when we were entertaining
preachers, we had to make beds on the floor. I
asked Brother Abbey about getting a larger house, but
he would not leave the little house. It was like a child
giving up a favorite toy. That was our first home, and
he had built it.

I took this problem on myself. This was the first time
I ever crossed him. I had to find a house! Sister Pope
and I found one closer to the church with two bedrooms,
living room, kitchen and dining room. There was
no running water, only a pump at the end of the sink.
It had no bathroom.

I had some saints come and help pack up the
belongings at the little house. One brother had a truck,
they were loading the furniture and some of the saints
and I were at the new house unpacking, scrubbing and
cleaning, doing it all as fast as we could. Brother Abbey
was at work at the Chevrolet plant. We had to be all
moved before he got home. I knew he would be tired
after working all day. Thank the Lord for a wonderful,
understanding husband!

When he returned home, to his surprise, I had
moved everything out, and all he said was, “I don’t even
have a chair to sit on.” I really did feel sorry for him.
When we arrived at the new house, we had not yet
had our electricity turned on, so we had no lights. We
all had prayer and went to bed peacefully, understanding
one another. He was so humble about it.

We did not stay there long. We moved again to a
house in the same area. It had two bedrooms and a room
that was to be a bathroom. The house was small, but we
had a little room for our son with a cot to sleep on.
Brother Abbey soon tired of moving and renting, so
he bought two lots on Columbine Street, three blocks
from the church.

to be continued in part 3