Time Out for God Devotional Ministry By Danna Appleby
[Left to right: Myrtle Whitehead, Hattie Whitehead Hicks, Myrtle Whitehead’s surrender to the call of God has fascinated me for many years. Myrtle was my paternal grandmother’s sister. Amma Whitehead Mauldin was my grandmother. I was too young to truly appreciate the woman of God Myrtle was until much later when my own ministry was birthed. I can see now what a jewel in the King’s crown she was. I’m amazed at this small in stature, but strong woman of faith, who stopped at nothing to minister and get the job done. Myrtle’s desire to win lost souls to Jesus Christ and build churches, was exemplary. Myrtle was born in 1887 and reared by parents who took her to church and lived good moral lives, but who were actually unsaved until much later. When Myrtle was very young, she became a Christian during one of the services where her family attended church. She read her Bible and lived for the Lord, but as she grew older she lost focus and became cold in her experience. Through the sudden death of her brother’s young son, she began to think about her ways and once again humbled herself in prayer and repentance. Not long afterward, Myrtle met a young man and within a year’s time they had fallen in love and became engaged to be married. Two weeks before the wedding, Myrtle received a disturbing letter from her fiancé telling her not to make any further wedding plans because he was seriously ill. By the time Myrtle arrived at his home, he was delirious and he soon passed away. Myrtle’s heart was broken, but God gave her the grace to carry on. A Christian family moved to the rural community where Myrtle and her family lived and they became good friends. The family loved the Lord and became concerned for Myrtle’s spiritual condition. Soon this God-fearing family became burdened for the community and began praying for a Pentecostal minister to come to the area. Because of their fervent prayers the lives of literally generations would be impacted, including my own. In 1916, two ministers from Alabama felt impressed of the Lord to come to Northeast Georgia for a revival. When the ministers arrived, they set up a large tent and a revival began. Myrtle heard news about the tent meetings and decided to attend just out of curiosity. As she listened intently to the ministers as they sang their beautiful songs, their faces seemed to shine with the glory of God. During the evening services, Myrtle’s faith was ignited in such a way that she decided she wanted the deeper experience the ministers were preaching about. Years later, Myrtle wrote a booklet on her life and reflected back to that particular time. She said she was prepared to “pray all night” seeking the blessing of the baptism of the Holy Spirit because she wanted it that much. Myrtle was so excited about what she felt in her heart that God wanted to do in her that she could hardly eat or sleep.
The meetings lasted for seven weeks and by the revival’s end, Myrtle’s spirit was charged up and ready for service for the Kingdom of God. Myrtle and six others, including my paternal Great Grandfather and Great Grandmother, Rev. J.O. and Margaret Mauldin, organized a church in Hartwell, Georgia which is still a thriving church today. My Great Grandfather donated the land so a church building could be erected. Myrtle began to have such an intense burden for lost souls that it totally consumed her. One day as she was walking the floor and crying out to God in prayer, she felt a call from the Lord to preach the gospel. She didn’t waiver with a long drawn-out decision, but yielded and immediately said, “Yes! Lord I’ll go.” Myrtle didn’t waste any time in telling her mother (Frances Whitehead) that she was going to have to leave them to preach the Word of God, but Myrtle’s mother thought she was going crazy and was quite worried about her. During that period, Myrtle’s father, J.W. Whitehead, had been speaking against the move Myrtle had made for God. Myrtle told her father that she would obey the Lord and if she couldn’t keep her experience and stay at home, she would leave and go where she could. It brought tears to her father’s eyes and he said, “Myrtle, you’ll never have to leave home to serve the Lord.” Myrtle’s mind was made up and she would serve the Lord with or without her father’s approval, even if it meant leaving the family she so dearly loved. Myrtle had decided to completely surrender her life and will to God. She knew with all of her heart that the calling was real and she was going to go forth and preach just as Jesus told His disciples: “Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.” (Mark 16:15) Day by day, Myrtle’s spirit was renewed by the wind of the Holy Spirit. The old desires for living a worldly life passed from Myrtle and the things she once loved, she now hated. The teaching career she loved, thoughts of becoming a nurse or being a wife all fell by the wayside because Myrtle knew the Lord had called her to preach the gospel and to preach she would. Myrtle began assisting in meetings in her community and then the Lord opened doors in surrounding towns. When Myrtle had an appointment to preach at Westminster, South Carolina, her father decided to go along with her and while he was there he was gloriously saved. Her father had the joy of the Lord from that day forward and realized that it took more than living a good moral life, he must be born again. Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” (John 3:3) By that time, Myrtle’s mother and all three sisters had been saved and their family was a happy one. Myrtle was licensed by her denomination on July 17, 1917. Her ministry and surrender to the call of God wasn’t always a path bathed with cream as Job described. In fact, in some places where she ministered she was forced to lay her head down to sleep in some despicable places. At times her life was in danger. Some despised her for what she stood for because it was contrary to their own evil ways. Despite it all, Myrtle continued to preach Jesus Christ and Him crucified and the Lord became her closest Companion. Myrtle began to hold “brush arbor” meetings. Brush arbor meetings were when people erected poles and used brush to make a temporary place of worship. They were similar to camp meetings, but on a smaller scale. One time, a group of people got angry and tried to stop the meetings by setting fire to the brush arbor, but it wouldn’t burn. God was protecting the place from going up in flames because He was interested in souls being set ablaze by the power of the Holy Spirit. One night after service, Myrtle was heading to the room where she was staying. As the vehicle traveled past a wooded area, someone threw a large rock through the window, but no one was hurt. A pistol was shot, but no one was hit. God was working to keep Myrtle safe from all harm and she praised the Lord that the plans to harm her were futile.
Another time, a group of men with knives positioned themselves to mob Myrtle and those she was with. When they came out of church, Myrtle was spit on but the Lord did not allow her and her companions to be harmed. At a cottage meeting while Myrtle was preaching, someone threw a rock through a window. It barely missed her head, but did not hit her. No doubt an angel blocked it from doing serious harm to Myrtle. The devil was out to kill her, but God was out to shield her. People could be devious and one night when Myrtle got in her car she was surprised when she sat in black syrup that had been poured on the seat of her car. When Myrtle preached it was her custom to wear a white dress so naturally her dress was ruined. Probably the worst happened when a man poured a gallon of arsenic poison in the drinking well at a church and Myrtle and the others drank the water. The man who tried to poison them saw that no one was getting sick and he came to the altar confessing to his crime. God protected Myrtle many times from vicious individuals. Myrtle’s ministry was definitely not one of glamour or financial security. Being a female minister was very difficult during a time when people did not always accept what she stood for. Though there were many battles along the way, Myrtle’s ministry blossomed as she traveled the south leading thousands to Jesus Christ. In one of her reports, Myrtle said she “received so many calls she couldn’t fill them all.” At one point, Myrtle began to evangelize with a minister by the name of Pauline Jackson. Pauline worked alongside Myrtle for a number of years, but finally she became ill and passed away. Once again, Myrtle dealt with heartache from losing the best friend she had ever known, but the Lord gave her strength to continue doing the work of an evangelist or pastor. It had been three years and Myrtle had been not been home. Myrtle’s father sent for her to return because he longed to see her. Myrtle’s father set out to meet her at the train station, but as he crossed the railroad tracks the train and crashed into his vehicle. He hadn’t heard it because he was hard of hearing. Myrtle’s father lived for 45 minutes and passed away. Once again, Myrtle lived with extreme heartache, but the Lord gave her the assurance that He would be a Father to her. When Myrtle felt she was strong enough, she was back on the battlefield working for the Lord. Myrtle gave her best to the Master and was useful in whatever capacity He needed her. She pastored, organized and set churches in order, as well as evangelistic work. At times, she made monthly trips to churches in other towns to oversee a new work and make sure Sunday School programs were organized. Myrtle worked tirelessly in overseeing churches and making sure the work was done. Through an uncanny occurrence, I learned that my great aunt Myrtle had written many letters and articles to her denomination’s periodical, The Church of God Evangel. Her writings are archived at the Dixon Pentecostal Research Center in Cleveland, Tennessee dating from 1916 to 1959. When I found out about this information, I immediately contacted the Center and ordered everything they had on file. Since I’m the family historian on my father’s side of the family, all of her writings are treasures. In one such writing published in May, 1920, Myrtle expresses her heart’s desire:
In another article dated December 10, 1921, Myrtle writes:
That was the type of ministry Myrtle had, one filled with vigor and excitement to see people saved and lives changed for the glory of God. But it wasn’t only for souls, but also for people to be healed, which is apparent all through her writings. She wrote in her news reports about those who were instantly healed from all manner of sickness and disease. One time she wrote about my paternal grandmother receiving a divine healing. The writing was published August 8, 1919.
Myrtle encouraged others to surrender to the call of God in her letter dated February 18, 1922:
In September 16, 1922, a song Myrtle was inspired to write, was published and determination is written all over it: GOING THROUGH WITH JESUS I trust Him for both soul and body Chorus: I mean to preach this gospel I’m going all the way with Jesus (Vol. 13, Issue 37, p. 3) In 2000, many years after Myrtle had long passed from this life, an 84th reunion was held at the first church Myrtle helped organize in 1916, Mt. Olivet Church of God in Hartwell, Georgia. Former pastors were invited to come and give a word of greeting. On that day, each took their turn behind the pulpit as they reminisced on days gone by when they pastored the church. One pastor could hardly speak for crying as he remembered being a young, inexperienced pastor when Myrtle Whitehead mentored and helped him more than words could say. In her sweet way, Myrtle encouraged the young pastor until he became a strong leader. The former pastor said he developed a godly love for Myrtle because she had been so good to stand by him in the days when he really didn’t know how to pastor or lead. As tears continued to flow, the former pastor said he would never forget what Myrtle had done for him because she had been such a great blessing to him. Myrtle’s Pentecostal experience gave her an unbridled exhilaration and a fire burning in her soul that continued to blaze until the day she left this life in 1962. Myrtle’s surrender to the call of the Lord was an example for all to follow. Her life was lived for the glory of God so that others would believe. And now, the rest is history. What about you? Has God been dealing with you to surrender your all to Him? Perhaps you have never given your life to Jesus and need to do that now. Possibly, the Lord has been speaking to your heart to surrender your will to His so you can serve Him in the most beautiful way. Perhaps you are holding back from Kingdom service. If any of these pertain to you, surrender and say yes to Jesus. Say, “Yes, Lord, I surrender my all to serve You. I give my life to You and to Your perfect will. I love You and want to please You in every way.” When He had called the people to Himself, with His disciples also, He said to them, “Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up His cross and follow Me.” (Mark 8:34) |
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