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Holy Ann The Irish Saint

“Poor Ann, she can never learn anything! ”exclaimed the schoolteacher in a despairing way. The small girl had been in the class just one week, but found the ABC’s so difficult to master that the conclusion was reached that effort on such a dull child was utterly wasted. So she was summarily dismissed, to return to her humble Irish cottage, with its thatched roof, in Ballamacally, County Armagh, Ireland. And yet, in mature years, Ann came to be known for wide knowledge of the Bible and a record of answers to her simple prayers of faith that silenced the most faithless and unbelieving caviliers.

Religion was unheeded in the home into which she was born in the year 1810. The six children who came to James Preston and his wife were forced to seek employment as soon as possible and, since Ann could not imbibe even the simplest principles of education, she was hired out for infant caring or cattle herding, for the most part, in families of the God-forgetting. Finally, she was taken into a Christian home, where the mistress was concerned about the spiritual welfare of all who came under her roof. At her invitation, the servant girl attended a Methodist class meeting, where some of the members were weeping because of their sins, while others were praising God for saving grace.

To Ann’s mind, so completely ignorant of anything spiritual, the service was repellent. However, she consented to go to a Methodist service in a private home the following Sunday. The text of the minister was that command of our Savior, “Thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.” That evening, hardly knowing why, she resorted to a small attic room and, kneeling by the only chair there, broke out into loud crying. Her mistress, suspecting the trouble, ascended the stairs with the question, “What is the matter, Ann?”

“I don’t know,” was the response. However, it was quickly followed by the confession, “Yes, I do. I see the sins I did from the time I was five years old, all written on the chair in front of me, every one. Worse than all, I see Hell open ready to swallow me.”

In the great agitation of her soul, now awakened to its true state before God, she retired to her own room where, until midnight, she continued to cry out to Him for mercy. Then, as the question, “No mercy, Lord, for me?” passed her lips, divine assurance was given her that through the blood of Jesus, her sins were washed away.

She picked up a New Testament lying on the table and, placing her finger on a verse, prayed, “Father, You Who has taken away from me this awful burden, couldn’t You help me read one of these little things?” And a miracle was wrought! Ann was able to read at least part of the verse, “Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again: but whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst.”

And eventually she, who had been condemned by her childhood teacher to life-long ignorance, was given the ability to read the Word of God. However for reasons known only to our Heavenly Father, He never opened the door of her mind to secular reading matter. One family, for whom Ann worked, refused to believe that such an unusual situation could exist. To test her veracity, they placed a newspaper in front of her, asked her to read a certain paragraph. She made no progress, until the word “lord” arrested her attention. Then she exclaimed, “It seems to me this word is ‘lord’, but it can’t be my Lord, for my heart does not burn while I read it.” Lord Roberts, who figured prominently in the South African War, was the gentlemen written about.

In the course of time, Ann was employed in the home of a Dr. Reid, whose wife was a Christian. When the family decided to move to Canada, she was invited to accompany them. Much to the grief of her parents, she consented. After a journey of two months, the Reids, with Ann, settled in Thornhill, Ontario, not far from the city of Toronto.

With all the changes, the religious life of the Irish servant girl seemed almost to have come to a standstill, although she still professed to be a Christian. Mrs. Phoebe Palmer, outstanding for her advocacy of the doctrine of holiness, was for a time leader of the class meeting in the Methodist Church at Thornhill. Ann reluctantly yielded to Mrs. Reid’s persuasions to accompany her to the service.

She had been with the Reid family for about ten years, when the wife and mother suddenly passed away. The family of young children was left to Ann’s care, and she was faithful to her trust until they reached maturity and left the home nest.

Neither Dr. Reid nor Ann had attained to any great degree of stability in the Christian life. She, to her sorrow, frequently gave way to violent outbursts of temper when the children tried her patience. Dr. Reid’s inconsistency with the profession of religion he maintained annoyed Ann greatly at times. On occasion, in family prayers, to avoid hearing his voice, she placed her fingers in her ears. Sinning and repenting seemed to be the best she could hope for, until light from God showed her a life completely victorious over sin.

A young Christian visiting Dr. Reid was asked to conduct the regular family evening worship. As he read the 34th Psalm, the sixteenth verse spoke very strongly to Ann. “The face of the Lord is against them that do evil, to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth.” The young man, at her request, turned down the corner of the page upon which the verse was found. Ann went at once to her room, opened the Bible and began to pray that God would show her what it meant. The great enemy of souls whispered, “But you can’t read it.”

In simple faith she replied, “The Lord will give it to me.” Again a miracle took place. Ann could read the verse! Continuing in prayer, she asked, “What is evil?” Then followed such a revelation of the sin of her heart that Ann spent the rest of the night in earnest supplication for deliverance. The power of prevailing prayer was opened up to her and, like Jacob of old at daybreak, in agony of soul and clinging to God, she exclaimed, “I’ll die, but I’ll have it.” Rising from her knees, she went downstairs where she encountered the young guest who asked the reason for her distress.

“I want to be sanctified throughout ? body, soul and spirit,” was her reply. He explained that faith in the promises of God would bring the holiness of heart for which she yearned and quoted the verse, “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.”

Again, Ann went to her knees, pleading, “Lord, I have been knocking all night. Open unto me! Open unto me!” And Heaven responded to her persevering prayer. At once her mourning was turned into joy and, for two hours, the little house was one of praise. Indeed, it was never again anything else, as Ann walked with God and was led deeper and deeper into the secrets revealed to those who fear Him.

It was at this time that she became known as “Holy Ann”, perhaps first in derision by some of the boys of the neighbourhood. As she realized the true meaning of the name, her prayer was, “Father, they are calling me Holy Ann. Please make me holy, so the children will not be telling lies.” Her simple petition found an answer in the fragrance of her humble and faithful Christian witness, permeating the lives of all she met. “Holy Ann” she became to the generation that knew her, and to succeeding ones as well.

Her answers to prayer were numerous. One of greatest interest is that concerning Dr. Reid’s well which always was dry for several months during the summer. His young sons were carrying water from a distance to supply not only family needs, but those of the stock as well. One day, as Ann was talking to her charges about a prayer-answering God and telling some of her own experiences, Henry Reid said in a bantering manner, “Ann, why don’t you ask your Father to send water in that well, and not have us boys work so hard?”

The question proved to be a direct challenge to her faith. Alone in her own room, she prayed, “Father, You heard what Henry said tonight. If I get up in class-meeting and say, ‘My God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus’, the boys won’t believe I am what I profess to be, if You don’t send the water in the well.” Continuing to pray for some time, she received an assurance that her petition had been heard. With the words upon her lips, “Father, if I am what I profess to be, there will be water in the well tomorrow morning,” she went to bed and to sound sleep.

The next morning, Henry was preparing for his long walk to draw water for the needs of the day when, to his astonishment, Ann picked up two empty pails and walked to the well that he had remarked was “as dry as the kitchen floor.” In a few minutes, she returned to the house and the watching, incredulous lad, with the same two filled to the brim with clear water.

“What do you say now?” was Ann’s triumphant query to the surprised boy who, in turn, could only ask, “Why didn’t you do that long ago and save us all that work?” Years afterward a friend of Ann’s who knew the truth of the incident, said that from that time the well never was dry again, even in the hottest summer. Who can say that the day of miracles is past?

Ann’s long life of ninety-six years was filled with prayer and praise to God for what He had done for her and was able to do for others. Her declining years were spent in the homes of friends who regarded it an honor to minister to her. The Mayor of Toronto assisted at her funeral. The Sunday after her death he remarked, “I have had two honours this week. It has been my privilege to have an interview with the President of the United States. This is a great honour. Then I have been pallbearer to ‘Holy Ann’” (Ann Preston). And with no discredit whatever to President Theodore Roosevelt, he added, “Of the two honours, I prize the latter most.”

Holy Ann The Irish Saint

Poor Ann, she can never learn anything! ” exclaimed the schoolteacher in a despairing way. The small girl had been in the class just one week, but found the ABC’s so difficult to master that the conclusion was reached that effort on such a dull child was utterly wasted. So she was summarily dismissed, to return to her humble Irish cottage, with its thatched roof, in Ballamacally, County Armagh, Ireland. And yet, in mature years, Ann came to be known for wide knowledge of the Bible and a record of answers to her simple prayers of faith that silenced the most faithless and unbelieving caviliers.

출처:

http://www.pawcreek.org/the-history-channel-missed-the-point/

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HOLY ANN

... SHE LIVED WITH GOD

-- Brief Life of Ann Preston--

By: N. Daniel

THE LAYMEN'S EVANGELICAL FELLOWSHIP

Table of Contents

Introduction

1. Early Years

2. Deeper Spiritual Life

3. Ann's Experiences

4. Ann's Ministry

5. Called to Higher Service

INTRODUCTION

Christian life is a life of victory and triumph over sin, sickness and death. We see this in St. Paul’s life. "Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ… …" (II Cor.2:14). "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me" (Phil.4:13). This note of victory we find throughout his life. John Wesley is another who professed and lived the same life of victory. Theological disputations have not led men into this life of victory—but those who believed with their heart the death and the resurrection of Jesus always triumphed in their practical life. Here is one, a very simple servant girl who experienced the same life of joy and victory and was led of the Holy Spirit in all her life. I was personally blessed when I began my Christian life by studying the life of Ann Preston. Those that read this, I believe, will certainly be inspired into a life of prayer and sanctification. A Spirit-filled life will be a life of walking with God. His Spirit in us will enable us to live according to the mind and will of God." And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them." Ezekiel 36:27.

1 EARLY YEARS

Ann Preston was born in a secluded village Ballamacally just about a mile from the little town of Market Hill in the County of Armagh in Ireland. Her home was a little cottage with thatched roof, and the pigsty was very close to her back door. Her father James Preston was a hard-working herdsman, who also did a little tilling at home on a potato-patch, the women folk also helping him. She had two elder sisters who looked after her, and two younger brothers. She was a very dull-headed girl and got often whipped for her unwise actions. She had a very godly aunt who made a great impression on her mind. She was of choleric temper and her sudden flashes of anger made her miserable when she became a child of God. All her education was over within a week’s time for the teachers could do nothing with her. One good lady tried her best to teach her the Lord’s Prayer but all in vain. She was a strong girl and worked hard. She was employed under a master with many servants, who now and then indulged in drinking whisky. She dreaded this drink and kept herself at a distance from it. But at one time, to have a diabolical delight, these men forced some drink down her throat. In course of time she developed a love for this drink, but always had a kind of dread for it. God somehow saved her from becoming a slave to it.

She was next employed in the house of a Christian mistress Mrs. Mackay, who had a strong dislike of liquor. She was brought also under the influence of godly people in her home. She did not know what was the New Testament and when asked to bring it she brought the newspaper. Mrs. Mackay cautiously exercised her good influence to bring her into Methodist religious meetings. Weeping for sins and praising God for salvation were strange phenomena to her and she could not understand why such things happened. One Sunday she was sent to hear Mr. Armstrong Haliday in a private home. One verse was impressed upon her mind, and that was Matt. 6:6 "But Thou when thou prayest enter into thy closet…" And between eight and nine that evening she went up to the attic and voluntarily knelt down for the first time in her life, and cried unto God for mercy. She began to see all her sins before her. Then she burst out, crying, "God be merciful to me a sinner." But she saw hell opened ready to swallow her. She was very desperately crying when Mrs. Mackay tried to hush her up lest she should disturb Mr. Mackay. Her answer was, "I don’t care madam if all the world hears me. I must cry for mercy" After some time she went to her room and continued to pray till 12 o’clock. She cried "No mercy Lord for me?" And she jumped up in despair. Then she saw the Saviour on the Cross, and saw His bleeding body. A thought flashed into her mind that the atoning blood of Jesus had cleansed her from sin. There was great joy in her heart. She picked up a New Testament and prayed like a child to God, "O Lord, you that has taken this awful burden intolerable to bear, will you not enable me to read one of these little things?" God enabled her to read and the text was, "Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again but whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give shall never thirst."

For the first Ann read the Bible. She had never read any other book before. This was the beginning of divine assistance to an ignorant girl. Next morning she had an opportunity to bear testimony. She told about this experience to her parents, and her mother’s reply was that she was going out of her head like her old grandfather. But she got a letter from her elder sister Mary, congratulating her on the new life she got from the Lord. This letter was written two days before this experience actually came to Ann.

Ann began to experience God’s help in all her duties. She was receiving spiritual help at the Methodists’ class meetings. Things so happened that she had to leave Mrs. Mackay and had to take up a situation under Dr. Reid who happened to be an elder of a Methodist Church. The pastor who was interested in Ann, made her promise never to leave this house. Ann tried to keep her promise. Her pay was two dollars per month. There were ups and downs in her spiritual life but she always repented when she went wrong. Her uncontrollable temper brought her many trials and she wanted to commit suicide by throwing herself before the vicious cow owned by them. But the cow was gentle to her, contrary to its nature, and Ann really thought that God cared for her and wanted her to live. Ann began to pray putting her trust in God in times of danger. When she was alone at night to keep the house, she could believe that God could help her when thieves came in to steal. God gave her wisdom to protect herself and also the house. When danger seemed inevitable she called on God and all of a sudden either the master would return or some other thing would happen to make the thief flee from the spot. Mrs. Reid and herself were once alone when a thief wanted to break in, but Ann acted in such a manner that the wicked purpose of the intruder failed.

2 DEEPER SPIRITUAL LIFE

At this time Dr. Reid decided to leave Ireland for Canada. Ann was ready to keep her promise to the minister that she would never leave the family of the Reids. Ann’s parents begged her to change her mind. Dr. Reid also offered to release her from her promise but all in vain. She told her parents that they would live only a short while and that she should be allowed to leave them. These unkind words came back to her mind often and she very much repented for such a cruel statement. Her mother’s face haunted her many a long days. The voyage across the Atlantic took seven weeks, and Ann had to serve three families who were all very seasick. Her master held family worship three times a day and other passengers were very much annoyed. Mrs. Reid was bed-ridden having received a terrible shock while she was on the top deck. A man fixing the rigging lost his hold when the ship gave a sudden lurch, and fell dead almost at her feet. This made things harder for poor Ann. She gave vent to her Irish wrath on several occasions at people who interfered with her things. There were two great storms during their voyage, and the passengers were very fond of praying Ann then. On one occasion when it seemed the end had come to all of them, Ann committed herself to the Lord.

Piety prompted by danger is usually evanescent. And the passengers returned to their normal life of gambling and cursing as soon as the waves calmed down. They entered the port of New York and sailed the Hudson river and thence to Toronto and settled down at Thornhill, three miles from the city. Here Mrs. Phoebe Palmer led a class in the Methodist Church. She was an excellent lady of good Christian experience. But Ann would not attend her class.

After five years’ stay in this place, Mrs. Reid was called Home and this made Ann’s life a busy one full of responsibility. She became the general housekeeper and had the sole charge of the children. Dr. Reid had the family worship and as usual was the class leader at the church. Ann began to backslide. The trials were too much for her, as the mother of the children was not there to check them. Her terrible outbreaks of temper at the annoying children who rushed with muddy shoes immediately after her scrubbing the floor were very inconsistent with her profession. Even Dr. Reid tried her sorely. He once pulled her by the hair when she did not follow his instructions and her temper blazed up and she threw a log of wood at him, which did not reach its mark. Both of them felt sad for their actions. She did not know how to help herself. It was a time of awful sinning and repenting and Ann did not know there was an abiding rest in Christ with complete victory. God allowed the stage of things until there was a subdued cry in her heart, "O wretched man that I am! Who shall deliver me from the body of this death, … I thank God through Jesus Christ…" Romans 7:24-25.

Ann experienced the life of Jesus, which brought into her brokenness of the spirit. She repented of every ill deed she was responsible for. This is the true Christian that never justifies himself in a wrong action, but condemns himself severely. Ann did not know there is a higher life in Christ which some call sanctified state. Christ came to give not only life but also life abundant. Some receive life but do not go after life abundant. By doing so they often grieve the Spirit and the Spirit of God which came to them at conversion will leave them. Then they begin to live a carnal Christian life, and live upon past experience. There will be no victory in their life. This is a dangerous spiritual condition. There are natural Christians (1 Cor. 2:14), carnal Christians (1 Cor. 3:3), and spiritual Christian. Those that are led of the Spirit of God subjecting themselves to the authority of the Word and guidance of the Holy Spirit live a victorious life. Carnal Christians who once had a true experience and had witnessed to it will be a puzzle to the unconverted. Natural Christians who never believed with their heart but simply gave a mental assent to the Gospel of Jesus are those who never feel sorry for their ill deeds. They never started their life with repentance and there will never be the brokenness of spirit in them. Some of these are religious leaders. They have their likes. Water finds its own level. They make Jesus a moral teacher and a good example, but not a Saviour who delivers us from the clutches of sin. There are many such preachers in India. They have never claimed sonship of the Risen Saviour. We are sons and daughters whom he hath begotten through His death and resurrection and we get a new nature, for Christ liveth in us.

Ann had passed through this stage of defeated life and did not know the way out of it. She did not know John Wesley’s teaching of sanctification. Her ungovernable temper was her besetting sin. She wept over it, confessed it and fought against it. But all too frequently the whole process had to be repeated. A young man who stayed at the Reids’ home one night conducted family worship. Psalm 34:16 was impressed on her mind, "The face of the Lord is against them that do evil to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth." Ann prayed that night and asked God to enable her to read this verse. God helped her to read it. She cried, "Lord, what is evil?" Then the answer came, "Anger, wrath, malice." All night she wept and prayed as the inward sinfulness was revealed to her. Towards the morning in desperation she cried, "O Lord how will I know when I get deliverance." The answer was, "Well, Jacob wrestled until he prevailed." She began asked, "What does prevail mean?" The reply was, "getting just what you come for and you want." Again she questioned, "And what will it do for me when I get it?" Then answer came, "I will enable you to rejoice ever more, pray without ceasing and in everything give thanks. You will live above the troubles of the world and the things which now upset you." All her failures flooded into her mind. She knew there was deliverance promised. She determined to have this victorious life whatever it might cost her. The young preacher asked her why she was crying all night. And she replied, "I want to be sanctified in body, soul and spirit." He told her just as she was justified by believing, complete victory would also come in the same way.

Ann resorted to prayer and she began to plead the promise of God. "Lord, I had been knocking the whole night. Open unto me, open unto me." The answer came there and then. The house was filled with her shouts of praise. The nature around her seemed to put on new hues and the trees clap their hands and praise God. She said, "Father, did you not intend that man should praise thee more than these." She was eight days without food as she could not eat anything for the great joy she had. For two years it seemed to her that she had entered heaven. For seven and half years she felt that she had been living in heavenly places. Her heart was filled with joy, her mouth with praises and her hands were clapping involuntarily. The tempter tempted her now and then. But she kept on by faith. In dream it was revealed to her that "the just shall live by faith." When she began to trust in God, perfect peace and calm came upon her. Her life began to show itself and some Catholic boys called her in fun "Holy Ann." This epithet of derision clung to her and she was called by every one "Holy Ann." The whole tenor of her life changed. She became a faithful witness for God and became an inspiration to all who knew her.

Being filled with the Holy Spirit means having a heart and mind of God. A pure heart and a clean conscience are the necessary consequences of repentance and salvation through faith in the Lord Jesus. When this is attained, very often people allow their conscience to be stained once again. But if they are filled with the Holy Spirit as Ann Preston was, the purity of the heart and conscience is always maintained. They will be fond of the Word of God as their guide. They will love to meet God alone to commune with Him. The result of such communion always conforms to the written word. Ann began to live the Word of God. She began to hear God speak to her and began to live in the will of God. Her prayers were always heard both for herself and for others. People came to her with requests of prayer and she immediately brought them before the Throne of Grace. Her dependence on God was so entire that she would even ask the Lord for her comb and looking glass if they were found missing. In fact the children in the house in order to see how she would talk to God, would hide her things in the most unlikely places. Ann simply would kneel down, ask her Father and get the answer. She would then go straight to the spot and pick up the thing. If the children lose anything, they would appeal to her and she would pray and get it. They would watch her with great interest. Thus God became very real to her and to the children in the house.

3 ANN’S EXPERIENCES

Ann once hurt her ankle very severely. She had to be in bed and became weak. At one time fresh eggs were ordered for her with milk. It was not the season when hens in the country would lay eggs. So the servant failed to get her eggs. So she prayed to her Father. A hen drew nigh to her. Her Father told her that this hen would supply her with fresh eggs. Every day for three weeks the hen would come, lay an egg and go away. She began to tell others that her Father supplied her eggs when she wanted them even though it was out of season. Her other needs also were supplied likewise. Once she made two barrels of soap, half of it to be given to the poor. The soap did not thicken and so she prayed. The Lord told her it needed some fresh marrow and that He would send the marrow bone also. She in her simple way told her inquisitive children that the bone would be sent by her Father by next morning. Early morning she found a big bone with marrow lying down near the place, and began to break it and mix the marrow in the soap. "Oh!" the children cried out, "some dog dropped it here." She answered, "I don’t care if the devil brought it. My Father sent it." The Salvation Army was stationed near her village. Ann was interested in their work and wanted to give them supplies. She did not have money, and her fowls were not laying eggs then. She resorted to prayer and asked her Father for eggs. She brought over a dozen eggs from the barn, and others were amazed.

One day she wanted to go to the church two furlongs off and found that there had been a heavy fall of snow. She prayed, "Father, I cannot go to the meetings tonight. Won’t You send someone to make a path for me?" There was no servant to help her to shovel the snow. But suddenly five horses appeared and they began to run up and down in a straight line until there was a perfectly beaten track all through the deep snow. Ann attended the meeting and witnessed to them what the Lord had done to her.

The well that supplied them with water used to be dry in summer. The children had to haul water in barrels from a well about half a mile away. It was hard work, for the supply was not only for the household use but for the livestock as well. One night as she related to the children in the kitchen the answers of her faithful Father they threw a challenge to her, all in joke. "Why don’t you pray for water in the well?" Ann took this seriously and began to plead that night with her Heavenly Father. She prayed until she was assured in her heart that God had heard her prayer. Next morning she took her buckets and began to lower them into the well. The boys were getting ready with their barrels to go for water, and began to watch her with surprise. Instead of a bang they heard a splash of water. And Ann brought two pails full of clear sparkling water into the house. Thus those who lived with Ann could see that she lived with a loving Father who lived and made Himself real to her. One of the girls lost a five dollar bill, and even after much search they could not find it. Ann prayed that night and was led exactly to the spot where it was lying hidden in the snow on a hillside. The girls were amazed how Ann walked with God and got answers for prayer.

Ann could read the Bible and the Bible alone. Every other book was foreign language to her. Once with great difficulty she read the word "Lord" in a newspaper and she asked her neighbours if that word was Lord. She expressed her surprise why her heart did not burn with joy, for when she read that word in the Bible she found her heart in exultation. People nearby read it and said it was a man, Lord Robert, about whose achievement the paper was giving news. She immediately said, "Oh he is not my lord." To every one who came to her she would pray and get from her Father the verse even without knowing in what circumstances the people concerned were placed.

"He shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever have I said unto you," John 14:26. Many thought that Ann had a wonderful memory because she poured forth scripture verses, and scriptures were woven into her everyday phraseology. But it was always the prompt supply of information by the Holy Spirit. She could neither remember nor memorize anything of the scriptures all her life. She wanted to give scriptural quotations and references as others had done and asked her Father to enable her to do so. God said that He was the all satisfying portion, and all in all to her. She wept for the gift of memory. But the Lord said He would give her all that was needed at the right time. When she wanted a verse on Bible portion suitable for an occasion she would go to a corner and a perfectly apt scripture portion would be given her by her Father.

Ann could neither remember house nor the names of persons but she would walk along the streets and pray at the crossroads for the right direction. She would step into the proper house and ring the bell, and acquaintances would meet her. "My Father says this is the house," she would say. Her companions would not venture to go in to ring the bell. She was always ready to take the so-called risk, and surprise everyone with the unerring guidance of God in all things of life.

There were many occasions when the wicked tried to destroy her life and rob her of virtue. It looked as though the angels guided her. When she was alone gathering wood, a man came near her and asked her about her husband. She told him the whole truth. Next day he promised to come after dusk with a load of wood with wicked intentions. Ann was warned by a dream that night and was prevented from going to the spot. Years after Ann found him in a house of evil fame notorious as a den of vice. She went there to rescue a woman from a life of sin. At another time a robber came with the intention of stealing things when she was all alone. She prayed to the Lord for help while giving him a drink of butter milk. He also wanted her to repair a hole in his trousers. Before anything could happen, Mr. Reid made his appearance in the compound. Three days after, the same came dressed as an old woman. Her Father warned it was the man who came sometime back. This time also she escaped from the wicked man by acting wisely and shouting for Mr. Reid, for the seeming "woman" wanted to meet him. Thinking that Mr. Reid, was really within ear-shot the pretending "woman" made good her escape.

Mr. Reid’s children left some of their valuable things with Ann Preston. A woman in the neighbourhood pretended to be friendly with her in order to rob the children’s goods. One day she brought her, while she was indisposed, a cup of tea. Her Father warned her not to drink it. But the woman prevailed on her and forced her to drink it with the result she immediately became very sick. With penitent tears she cried out to God for mercy with the result God forgave her and reminded her of Paul who was bitten by a viper. Immediately she vomited out the poison and the purpose of the wicked woman was frustrated.

4 ANN’S MINISTRY

The only brother of Ann was living a very sinful life and so she brought him to the New World hoping that he would improve. He for some time professed conversion but only sank deeper into sin. He became a confirmed drunkard and threatened the life of Ann if she entered his house. When she rebuked him for his life of vice he threw a chair at her violently to kill her. She was bold as a lion saying, "My Father has the guiding of it," and the chair came down with great force to be broken to pieces. His only daughter was used to fetch him his drink from the saloon. Ann felt her life would be ruined soon in such circumstances, and cried to God to save her from the evil surroundings and influence. She received such assurance from God that she boldly told her brother that her Father would not allow his daughter anymore to go to the liquor shop. It only enraged him. The child became sick and grew so ill that her brother sent for Ann to pray for the child. She sent word that her Father would take away the child to deliver her from the wicked home. And it did happen. She did not give up visiting her brother James still trying to win him. One day her Father asked her to go to her brother’s house. She replied that it was miles away and she could not walk. The Lord reminded her that the earth and the gold and silver are His and all the cattle upon a thousand hills. Ann added, "The horses too Father!" She saw a grey horse coming over the hill, and her Father said, "That is the horse that is to take you." She overtook the horse and found that it was a minister that was riding the horse. He soon realized that she was a child of God and made her ride the horse to reach her brother’s house. All the while she was praising her Father for His wonderful provision of the free ride to her brother’s house. Her brother’s wife was wonderfully converted and the change was just as real and deep as in the life of Ann herself. An experience of close intimacy which God vouchsafed to her and the wonderful answers to her prayers proclaimed the truth of the Gospel.

Ann’s attitude to secular matters was the same to the spiritual. When she worked, she worked hard and earnestly. It is to such God will entrust spiritual gifts. A heart that is not sincere and earnest in secular things cannot also be sincere in prayer life. So a Christian is always a hardworking, trustworthy man even in secular duties. Joseph was like that and Daniel too. They stood before kings and before men. God honoured them with gifts from on high and glorified Himself through their lives. Ann kept her covenant with the Reid family and remained with them even after the death of her parents. She kept house for the children until they grew up and required her service no longer. Even then she followed them with her prayers. Two of the boys went to seek their fortune in the South in New Orleans. One night she dreamt that the younger of the two was no more, and so she stopped praying for him. Her companion in prayer, Mrs. Hughes was so surprised that she was very sure that the dream was given of God. Very soon the news reached them to confirm this truth. When her services were not needed any longer, the boys assured that she will never be allowed to be in want as long as they lived. They built her a little cottage in the village and furnished it comfortably. But it so happened that all of them died before the Home-call came to Ann and her Heavenly Father lovingly cared for her in her grand old age. She finally moved to Toronto to live with her own friend Mrs. Hughes. This meant a wider sphere of influence and many of the city churches were greatly benefited by her wonderful witness.

Ann was a very bold person for it is a natural outcome of her entire dependence of God. Her knowledge was very limited, particularly in church history. Once living with a Catholic friend she attended their service. It so happened a Catholic Bishop began to criticize the Methodist leaders. She at once got up in the cathedral and contradicted the bishop at which her good friend was alarmed. Even when the Catholic friend pulled her down, she refused to sit until she finished her talk. She was however allowed to go in peace after the service. Even in her own church if anything went wrong at Thornhill she would boldly get up and check it.

Many people appealed to Ann from their sick beds for her faithful intercession. And invariably God answered her prayers. Once she visited a patient suffering form typhoid who could not sleep for days together. She went and prayed to her Father and immediately the patient had a comfortable night and her condition improved. In the beginning she prayed indiscriminately for every person but soon learnt to know God’s perfect will with regard to healing. To heal without giving Gospel will make men live longer to serve the devil. Once she prayed for a dying woman whose husband appealed to her. She prayed "Lord, give back the life and prove me that I am true to my profession." The woman was restored immediately and lived for years, a life that dishonoured and brought discredit to the cause of Christ. Once a boy remarked to her that he never knew any wonderful thing happening though he had heard so much about her. In a few days’ time one of the cows became very ill with no hope of recovery. She wanted to prove to that young boy that her Father was faithful. Like Gideon, she asked for two or three signs and then assured him that the cow would not die. The boy saw it and believed. God respects the faith of the simple and proves Himself through them thereby proving them to be his children. "I honour them that honour Me," says the Lord.

The saints of the kingdom of God have common habits such as the Lord Himself had when He was on the earth. The subconscious mind is strained with accumulated emotion. This is released in prayer. By pouring out our heart before God we relax the mind. If this includes humble prayer for others it will mean an exercise of love. This exercise of love is greatest healer of one’s own body. You cannot love others until you know your God who loved you and died for you. Ann Preston got alone with God to pray to Him in secret for two hours every day. A Salvation Army Officer, touched by her great testimony, wanted to see if her private life was in accordance with her public utterances. It so happened the officer had to stay one night with her and she observed her life of prayer carefully. Till midnight, Ann was uttering praises to her Father. At five in the morning, the same was heard now and then mingled with queries to her Father in her simple way asking for her clothes where they were. While sponging herself with cold water she would suddenly say, "What is that you say Father?" and then an exclamation would follow, "Yes, Father, thank you … that is it!" She would repeat the following verses, "Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you. A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them." Ezekiel 36:25-27. After completing her toilet she knelt down for quiet prayer for an hour. The Lady was quite satisfied when she saw the private life of Ann. The boys had built for her in a little grove of cedar trees a little prayer house. Every day for two hours Ann would retire to this quiet spot to pour out her soul in earnest petition. Her prayers were of immense blessing to others.

Once when the sky was black with clouds she was asked by a lad to pray for clear weather, as a sick man’s land had to be ploughed for charity. After her prayer, the sky was more threatening than before, but it did not rain. Ann had once to go in a horse buggy to call on a friend when thick clouds gathered overhead and continual flashes of lightning indicated an imminent thunderstorm. Ann prayed and proceeded. Only after she had finished her work there was a downpour!

5 CALLED TO HIGHER SERVICE

Saints of God have to be very careful as to where they should stay and with whom they should associate themselves. Ignorant people like Ann Preston who entirely depend upon God’s guidance should not be under the influence of spiritual novices. There are people with fond theories holding to them as all the scriptural truths and overemphasizing and over-specializing on that one aspect of Christian life. Such men will not grow to the stature of Christ, like St. Paul.

Walking in the Spirit and walking in the flesh are always opposed to each other. When a spiritual man comes down to the level of walking in the flesh he becomes a carnal man. At such times the evil one makes very good use of them to destroy their own works for the Kingdom. "He that abideth in Him sinneth not." The wonderful Christ-likeness in this uneducated woman was due to this for she stayed in the secret place of the Most High and walked in faith in His presence. At the general rally of Methodists in Toronto they gathered in the Metropolitan Church for a love-feast followed by a fellowship meeting. Ann took her chance to witness for her Father and when she exceeded the time the chairman cautiously reminded her. Ann replied very sweetly, "Yes, that is so, the time is my Father’s". She sat down. The chairman was informed of her and expressed his hope that she would not be offended. She said, "Oh, no," and lifted her eyes to her Father for an answer and then from the scripture quoted "Great peace have they that love Thy law and nothing shall offend them." Psalm 119:165. At another time Ann acted in a very different way. A certain member in the congregation blessed the Lord for her witness. Ann thought she was asked to sit down and replied, "I will not sit down till my Father wants me to." But Ann lost all her joy and the radiance of her countenance disappeared. But when Ann came to know the truth that the man had said, "Praise the Lord," she humbled herself before the Lord very much. At the close of her life she was invited to a country place to a very comfortable home. The one who invited her showered upon her so much kindness that Ann was thrown off her guard. This man was a specialist in preaching about the bride of Christ and the second coming of our Lord. Ann naturally liked to be with her Lord and to be caught up at His coming. But the peculiar tenets of his teaching began to limit her vision and forget the fundamentals. So extreme she had become in her views that she limited the church to herself and to the man who taught this that they were the two persons to be caught up. She also said about that man, "This is my beloved son. Hear ye Him." She said the church could not be blessed unless they paid heed to his teaching. One elderly gentleman who went to preach in this place checked her and this peculiar group. These men were indignant but Ann prayed that night and the Lord revealed to her the folly and she tried to come away from that place to Toronto the very next morning, for her Father told her so. Within a week’s time she was back at her own house. For months her reason was beclouded and her actions were contrary to her faith. People thought that she was deranged. Many saints of God humbly pleaded her cause before the Throne of Grace, and mental vigour and spiritual balance were restored to her. Once again she began to shine for the Master. Here I give a caution to all believers that they ought to be in the perfect will of God and not to be guided by extremists advocating special form of faith and belief and deceive themselves by thinking that they are better than others.

When Ann Preston exhibited a life of consecration for fifty years of ministry in Canada, the ministers all around saw what walking with God and talking with God meant. All her talk with any one at any time turned on eternal things, on the Kingdom of God. She was tempted like any others and she asked the Lord about it. The answer was "Why Ann, you are all the time trying to tear down Satan’s kingdom, and he will not let you alone." She made use of scriptures in a remarkable way, when she prayed and conversed with others. Methodist preachers were astonished at her familiarity with the Bible. Even in the pulpit she was never equalled. She affirmed that she was sanctified wholly and the blood of Jesus cleansed her from all unrighteousness. Her conduct and character were never out of harmony with her profession. "The memory of the just is blessed." Proverbs 10:7. This holy person preached more through her life than through her witness. One minister said that the memory of her prayer was a benediction to him and that when she prayed one got the feeling of nearness to the Almighty God. "Happy art thou, O Israel: who is like unto thee, O people saved by the Lord." Deut. 33:29. She always repeated verbatim the verses she needed by receiving them from her Father and thus proved her constant communion with God. Like Enoch of old, she walked with God. Another Salvation Army leader with tears rolling down his cheeks said that she poured forth the torrents of living truth from a heart overflowing with love and praise to her God. Words of wonderful power sent forth by the Holy Spirit that indwelt that humble and feeble body of clay lighted up her face. To the ministers all around she was a great inspiration in this way. Some were witnesses to her life in the Reids’ home. She was a genial companion to the children exhibiting the Lord’s kindness under different circumstances. Like Abraham she could say, "The Lord told me this." Communion with God with reciprocal talk is the highest form of intercourse with God. A Catholic priest once became very much interested to talk to her in the train. Her usual talk clothed in scriptural language turned one’s attention at every point towards the things of God. He looked at her with wonder and certain amount of admiration as much as to say, "Here is an Irish uneducated woman who knows more vital godliness than myself." We do not know how this impression influenced his life. She did not hesitate to reprove or exhort the ministers who were not true to the Word of God and the light given to them. When people came to her she was able to tell them what was to happen to them and to assure them of victory. It would happen exactly as she foretold.

Ann’s Home-call was drawing nigh, but to the end she was very active and constant in witnessing. One Sunday she went to the Methodist Church and slipped and fell. After that she took very ill and had a paralytic stroke at the age of ninety-six. Mrs. Pedlow the humble widow who gladly shared her home with Ann during the last years of her life rushed back having heard of the sickness of the child of God. In a few days, on Thursday 21^st June, 1906, this great but humble daughter of our Lord closed her eyes forever. She must have opened them again in the heavenly places to see her own throne and crown waiting for her among the saints. Thus ended Ann Preston’s glorious life of great victory and triumph for the King of Kings.

출처:

https://www.lefi.org/library/holyann.htm

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as a housekeeper to strict Methodist, Dr. Robert Reid and his family. Against her parents wishes, she emigrated with them to Canada, settling in Thornhill, Ontario. Having found God through working with the doctor, she took to constant reflection, often praying out loud and about each and every seemingly insignificant thing. "Father, where did I put that laundry?" "Father, what am I going to do about supper tonight?" "Father, help me through today..." She became an oddity in church, shouting out "Hallelujah" or "Praise the Lord" throughout sermons. Neighborhood children once wrote "Holy Ann lives here. Go in and have a Word" on the door of the Reid home, and the name stuck. Once mocked, however, she was soon a legend when it was rumored that she was able to perform miracles. One hot summer, the well had gone dry. She prayed an entire day and night, and the next morning was able to pull out two bucket fulls of fresh water. Soon, neighbors flocked to her side to receive healing and prayer. Upon her death she was mentioned by clergy across the province and the Mayor of Toronto stated, "This week I had two honours. I met with the President of the USA and I participated in the funeral of Ann Preston. I regard the latter as the greater honour!" In 1907 a book about her story, The Holy Saint was published. The Reid house has since been turned into a shrine and a museum and is recognized by the Ontario Historical Society.

출처:

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/10850090/ann-preston

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https://archive.org/details/irishsaintlifest00binguoft/page/n1

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“O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me? I thank God through Jesus Christ.” —Rom. 7:24, 25

ANN PRESTON (“HOLY ANN”)

Among our readers we doubt not there will be wide diversity of view in theological matters, and even with those who have the assurance of salvation there will be great differences of  opinions to the expressions to be used to describe various phases of Christian experience. As the  unhappy contentions in the Church of Christ have rarely conduced to edification, it is not the  purpose of this book to enter into controversial themes. However, we come to describe a great change in this life under consideration, and we do not wish to be misunderstood. A numerous body of Christians believe that Christian life can be  divided into two distinct stages, the one summed up under the word “justification,” and the other  and further experience under the term “sanctification.” In defining these states, however, great diversity of opinion is expressed. Some maintain that sanctification is something only to be  experienced in the future state. Then among those who believe that sanctification is the present  privilege of the Christian, two different views prevail some contending that the experience  consists in the entire eradication of the “old Adamic nature,” while others contend that it is the state in which inward evil tendencies are entirely controlled or suppressed but in the contention  the one side too often gives evidence that there is need of a more perfect eradication, and the other  that there is room for a more complete suppression. In this narrative, therefore, we are not  contending for a theory, but simply narrating facts, and are frank to admit that we have witnessed  the practical results which we are about to set forth in the lives of Christians taking either view of  this great doctrine. In a general way we can appeal to our readers, and feel confident they will  admit that in the circle of their acquaintances there are two classes of Christians. In the one there is  not much to attract those who have never tasted of Christian joys. They live all too much under the  cloud. It is true that they struggle to do right, and that there has been certainly a great change from  their former life. They witness that their sins are forgiven. With actual wrongs committed there is  speedy confession and repentance. They acknowledge their own powerlessness in the presence of temptation, and admit that they too often yield to some special besetment.

On the other hand, there is another class whose whole life and presence seems attractive. It is characterized by joyous victory. The soul has unbroken fellowship heavenward, and with its  peace and joy it carries blessing wherever its influence is felt. The will is surrendered and the life  wholly consecrated and the Divine acceptance is sealed by the filling of the Spirit. We shall not quarrel here as to how the transition is made from one state to the other. That those who have lived  in the one should pass out of the first and into the second is sufficient for us. In other words, that  the latter life is possible by grace, is all that we desire to maintain.

In the case of Ann, who had been schooled among the Methodists, we cannot wonder that she largely dropped into their phraseology and more or less felt the impression of the teaching that  prevailed. However, up to this time she knew very little of the teaching of John Wesley, and did  not understand his theory of sanctification, and still less had she any corresponding experience. Her ungovernable temper was her great besetment. She wept over it, confessed it, fought with it, but all too frequently the whole process had to be repeated in the face of some great outbreak  under specially trying circumstances. There came a change, however, and a time when she was  delivered from its slavery.

It happened thus: A young man who stayed all night at the home, before retiring led the family worship, reading Psalm 34. The 16th verse was strongly impressed upon Ann’s mind: “The  face of the Lord is against them that do evil, to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth.” She requested the young man to mark it for her, and then went to her room and knelt down and  prayed for light. She opened the Bible at the place where the leaf had been turned down, but the  adversary was there to contend with her. His first suggestion was, “You can’t read it,” to which  Ann replied,

“Well, the Lord will give it to me,” and in a wonderful way she was enabled to read it over and over again. Men may explain it as they will, but until this time, with the one exception already  noted, Ann had never been able to read a word or decipher the alphabet, but from this time forth  she could read in a simple way from the Bible, although until toward the close of life she was  unable to read any other book, and a newspaper was like a foreign language to her. While still  upon her knees, she said, “Lord, what is evil?” And the answer came, ”Anger, wrath, malice,” etc.  All night long she wept and prayed as the inward sinfulness was revealed to her. Toward morning, in sheer desperation, she cried out, O Lord, how will1 I know when I get deliverance?” The  answer came, ”Well, Jacob wrestled until he prevailed.” In her simplicity, Ann asked, “What does ’prevailed ‘ mean?” and to her the reply came, “Getting just what you come for and all you want.” Again she queried, “And what will it do for me when I get it?” The reply came back, “It will enable you to

rejoice evermore, pray without ceasing, and in everything to give thanks. You will live above the  troubles of this world and the things that now upset you.”

But other suggestions were interpolated from another source. Like a flash she recalled the circumstances of former outbreaks, and the suggestion came, “Yes, just wait until you are  scrubbing the floor and the children come in with their dirty feet then you will see.” But the  conviction deepened that these outbreaks of the carnal mind were displeasing to God, and that there was deliverance from them. When the morning broke and the children began to awaken, she  was almost fleeing back to the bush to continue in her waiting for deliverance. She said  determinedly, “I’ll die, but I’ll have it.” She arose and went downstairs. To her overwrought mind  the personal struggle with the adversary was so great that she thought she could hear him following  her. In the parlor she met the young man whose word had reached her heart. He asked her what she  had been crying for all night, to which she replied, “I want to be sanctified throughout-body, soul and spirit.” he simply said, “Well, Ann, how were you justified?” She replied. “Why, just by  believing what God said.” “Well,” he said, “complete victory comes in the same way.”

Again Ann went to prayer and pleaded the promise. “Ask and it shall be given you, seek and ye shall find, knock and it shall be opened unto you.” She cried, “Lord, I have been knocking  all night. Open unto me! Open unto me!” And there is little doubt but that the answer came there  and then. For two hours it seemed to her as though she had entered heaven. This time the family  were aroused with her shouts of praise instead of her cries and groans. She said as she looked out  that nature took on a different hue, and the very trees seemed to be clapping their hands and  praising God. With her heart overflowing, she cried, “Father, didn’t you intend that man should  praise you more than these?” She at once began to tell it around. She went to her old class leader  and made known her new-found joy. He bade her to rejoice evermore, and pray without ceasing in  order to keep it. This brought in a shade of doubt, as she wondered how she could pray without  ceasing. She thought of the absorbing affairs of life and the things that would occupy her mind, and  wondered how such a thing was possible. But her mind was speedily set at rest by the Scripture  passage, “Not slothful in business, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord.”

Her joy was so great that she could not eat, and for eight days she was without food.

Friends tried to persuade her to break her fast and to go forth and give her testimony, but it was  some time before she felt that she could return to the ordinary duties.

For seven years and a half after this it just seemed as though she were living in heavenly places. She fell back on the Methodist Hymnal for expression, as she often cried: “The opening heavens round me shine  With streams of sacred bliss, While Jesus shows His presence mine  And whispers ‘I am His.’ ”

At the first dawn of consciousness in the morning her mouth was filled with praises and her hands clapping for joy. There was very little difficulty in maintaining her Christian life with such a  joyous experience. One morning, however, she awoke, and instead of the usual sense of joy and the  burst of praise, her lips were dumb. At once the temptation came, “You have lost the blessing.” While thus tried, she fell asleep again and dreamed that she was talking to another woman with a  like experience, and in her dream Ann urged her to walk by faith, quoting the text, “But the just  shall live by faith,” and urged her just to trust God. With that she awoke and turned her sermon upon herself, with the result ant obtainment of perfect peace of mind.

Source: “An Irish Saint, The Life Story of Ann Preston, Known also as”Holy Ann” By Helen E. Bingham

THE END

출처:

https://ihconvention.com/story/ann-preston-holy-ann/

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그 외 자료는 검색어: Holy Ann

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기도의 사람ㅡ"성녀/聖女 앤"("Holy Ann")[영문]

Holy Ann The Irish Saint

Holy Ann The Irish Saint