HISTORY OF JULIE'S GRANDFATHER

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 My Grandfather and I had a very close relationship, as he did with most of my cousins.  I'm happy to relate this piece during the 100th Year Anniversary Celebration of the Assemblies of God called "I REMEMBER." ~ Julie Koon

A Direct Quoted Piece From My Grandfather's Memoirs:

          An old-fashioned tent revival came to our town in 1911. The message preached was new to us as the Baptism in the Holy Spirit was set forth. Immediately, my wife and I traced the Scripture references given and sought the Lord earnestly for guidance in accepting this new doctrine.

My heart became so hungry for the infilling of the Spirit that I turned my business over to my brother and said, "I'll be back when God fills me with the Holy Spirit--but not until." For days and nights we buried our faces in our Bibles in prayer and seeking God. Again and again the Lord tried to call me to pioneer ministry, but I found it hard to leave my business. Finally, God showed me my own insufficiency, and His great sufficiency. Complete surrender to Him brought me a wonderful infilling of the Holy Spirit. My wife had simply yielded in child-like faith and received a number of days before me. Now we were to begin a new life with God.

         When the first General Council convened in 1914, at Hot Springs, we were there with many others. How thrilled our hearts were as the dear Lord melted and moved among us. No doubt He was preparing us for some of the hardships and persecutions which we would encounter later on. They were many, too, we soon discovered as we went our several ways with the "new" message of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit.

   My favorite scripture has been, "God is faithful", and we proved Him so! Once in a raging Kansas blizzard, God spoke to a Baptist brother miles away to bring us a much needed check for $75. He was a complete stranger to us, but God knew our need and used him to supply it. He came with his team of horses over drifted roads and fields. Later the dear Lord baptized this brother in the Holy Spirit, and He faithfully served the Lord.

   God has remarkably proved His Word in healing members of our family over and over again. He is strong to deliver.

   Pioneer ministry was God's call for us, and for many years we labored in Kansas, Colorado and Missouri. Later years brought us to California.

   I remember when we held meetings in Springfield, Missouri for 87 nights without stopping. There was sawdust on the floor, but our God met His saints spending those three months praying early mornings and late at night.Tthat was the year the Gospel Publishing House was started in Springfield, as I recall.

   The need for Central Bible Institute arose. My wife and I wanted our children to attend someday, in the will of the Lord. We presented the need to our children, and they began to save for an offering to the new Bible School.  Our boy helped pick chickens and turkeys, his first job, to accumulate a few dollars for C.B.I. One of our little girls washed dishes and kept neighbors children for 15 cents a time. She saved $1.15 to send. Finally, as a family, we had $110 dollars which I took to the bank, got a draft, and sent it to buy bricks for Central Bible Institute. How happy all of us were to have a very small part in this forward move of the Assemblies of God.

   The Lord gave us five children, three of whom are ordained ministers with our movement. Two are missionaries in Latin America: Mrs. Sterling Stewart of El Salvador, and Paul Cooper, of Honduras. the Lord is good.

   In January of this year, my dear companion slipped on to her reward, and I have just passed my 86th birthday. I am longing to go to be with my Lord and her. In her last years, she herself sat at her sewing machine in her wheelchair, and sewed fourteen large quilts made from scraps we picked up at drapery shops, and such. They were beautiful. Her quiet ministry lives on even now through these quilts in the national bible Schools in Central America.

    Now after 51 years of ordination with the Assemblies of God. I recall God's blessing and anointing. Though my ministry now is restricted to quiet prayer in a comfortable warm place, I remember to pray always for an abundance of strength, and old-fashioned FAITH for all of God's people everywhere. There is yet much to be done, and His coming is so near! God be with you all.    

Your brother in Christ,  

 W.R. Cooper  1964