Sister Kathleen Minor has been a very dear friend and sister in
the Lord to me since 1962, when first I was privileged to meet her marvelous family in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Kathleen is the third child born to Cecil and Sophia Minor. As
a child, she was well acquainted with church, family altar, and the Bible. She
grew up hearing great preachers at Churchill Tabernacle, in Buffalo, New York, and other places where her dear mother would
go, and take the family to hear the Word of the Lord. It was there that they
heard and met “Gypsy Smith” in 1932, and also, “Homer Rodeheaver,” “A.B. and B.D. Ackley,”
and others from the former days of the Billy Sunday Campaigns. In fact, it was
at the Baptist Temple in Brooklyn, New York, where Mother Sophia heard Billy Sunday minister in 1935, shortly before his home-going.
So, young Kathleen was raised in a Christian home,
where Jesus was enthroned as Lord of all, and the Bible was considered the only reliable roadmap of life. Once the family had moved to Long Island, where they lived for years, in a beautiful home in Oyster Bay
on three and one half acres, the fervor and intensity of the Gospel in their home was greatly heightened. The reason for this was, that Mother Sophia had come into a new and glorious experience, known as
the Baptism into the Holy Spirit!
Also, Sophia was a member, as well as a Sunday-School Teacher
and Youth Leader, at the Whitman Memorial Baptist Church; which had recently accepted a young new Pastor, who was mightily
anointed, and truly on fire for God! This “young new Pastor” was
none other than, Joseph C. Crandall (a son of Mary Duncan Crandall, the noted Revivalist; who had been one of the first to
receive the Baptism into the Holy Spirit in North Carolina, in the spring of 1907).
Brother Joseph Crandall was teaching and preaching what the Baptists
believed and stood for, but there was something more and greater that kept slipping-out during his sermons and teachings:
How could a man so full of the Holy Spirit “keep a lid” on his gifting and great anointing? Mother Minor and her family began hearing more and more about the necessity of Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists,
Pastors, and Teachers, in the Church, and the necessity of all Nine Gifts of the Holy Spirit operating in each
local Body: They began to hear more and more, concerning water baptism by full immersion, as a circumcision of the
heart and a seal of the Covenant Relationship; and how very important it was for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,
to be incorporated into the baptismal formula!
All of this great teaching was coming forth simultaneously with
a mighty wave of Revival and outpouring of the Holy Spirit, which was flowing both at Whitman Memorial, and also at the Hicksville
Gospel Church, Pastored by her dear brother, David Minor, Sr. Needless to say,
Kathleen and her entire family were caught-up in this great wave of Divine Visitation!
Their lives were being changed and transformed! Their home and family
were revolutionized! It became apparent to all, that “this working of the
Holy Spirit” in their lives was genuine and powerful in its scope.
This was especially realized upon an Easter Sunday Morning service,
when their dear father, Cecil Minor (who was raised as a very conservative Methodist), came under a powerful anointing; shaking
and trembling, whilst weeping, crying, and wailing, with the most plaintive cries for mercy!
The glory of God suddenly burst upon him, and even though having never seen such a thing, he began to dance around
that church as gracefully and as beautifully as an angel! The place went nearly
wild with joyous praise, as the waves of glory persisted! Others were so moved
upon, and began to dance before the Lord! Soon, Pastor Crandall, approached Cecil,
as though Divinely transported, and grasping his hands, the two of them, lost in the Spirit, glided up and down the aisles
of that great sanctuary. Such is the spiritual heritage of our dear sister, Kathleen,
and the Minor family.
After graduation from school, Kathleen entered the business world,
and was employed for many years by the Long Island Telephone Company. She enjoyed
her work, and was a very proficient and valued employee. Yet, there was an emptiness
in her life, especially after her beloved family moved in 1955, from Long Island to Coudersport, Pennsylvania. Through the years, Kathleen continued to seek the Lord and search for that “something,” that
at times she herself could not describe. In time, she realized that this inner
gnawing and vacuum, was a hunger for the baptism into the Holy Spirit!
Though she made frequent trips to visit her family in Coudersport,
and later joined them, after they had moved to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, she was seemingly unable to come into this experience. While in Philadelphia, she met a dear friend of her mother; a greatly anointed African-American
woman, known to the Pentecostal community as “Mama Bates.” Mother
Mary Bates and her husband, Dr. Morris Bates, Pastored a church in Philadelphia, and later moved to Norristown, Pennsylvania,
where they Pastored for many years: A widely acclaimed church fellowship known as: The Blood Washed Church of Mount Calvary.
Dad Cecil had reached retirement age, and it was time for a return
to the old home-place at Coundersport, Pennsylvania. Kathleen made the move with
her family, and was delighted to be there in that beautiful and peaceful environment.
She was especially thankful to be a member of her brother’s church, which was moving in a powerful Spirit of
Revival! She received prayer, numerous times over the next few years, but it
seemed that there was some blockage; something that hindered her from coming into the Pentecostal experience.
For those having experienced such difficulty, this will be a familiar
scenario, which should cause us to have great compassion on all such persons, and to pray the harder for them, and to stand
with them and encourage them, until indeed they are baptized into the Holy Spirit and fire, according to Acts 2:4.
A particular day rolled around, and Mother Sophia noticed that
Kathleen was putting grips into her car. Before she could inquire, Kathleen ran
to her with a warm embrace and kiss, and announced: “Mom, I’m going down to Mama Bates’ for prayer, and
I’m not coming home until I’m baptized into the Holy Spirit. I cannot
live any longer without this experience.”
At this announcement, Mom Sophia was moved upon by the Holy Spirit,
and ministered unto her with the most fervent and affectionate prayers. Kathleen
went to Philadelphia and was warmly welcomed by Mother Bates, who loved her as a daughter.
(Mother Bates would often weep and cry, and become highly emotional when speaking about the “Minor children.” She would shake, and stomp one foot, whilst interspersed with tears, sobs, and groans,
would be the speaking with other tongues, mingled with: “Oh my God, my God, my God!
Yes, yes, yes, yes! Lord, Jesus!
Reach out, reach out, REACH OUT! Touch my Minor babies! TOUCH MY MINOR BABIES! Touch Mom Minor! Touch Dad Minor, and keep your precious hand on all of my Minor babies!
Break every bind! Break every link!
Break every fetter! . . .”)
So it would go on, sometimes for an hour, as Mother Bates would
come under a deep burden of intercession, often bringing out her huge bottle of oil, which she poured freely upon those to
whom she ministered. She had a special gift for anointing with oil, and she was
not stingy with the oil! She had one “special bottle,” for the “hard
cases.” I have seen her pour from that bottle on several occasions: It
was somewhat miraculous in nature, seeing as that bottle had not been added-to for a number of years; and yet was still more
than half full! Those close to Mama Bates, readily testified to the veracity
of this claim.
Mama would loudly declare, with the most penetrating conviction:
“CHILDREN, BELIEVE GOD, YES, OH YES, YES, YES, BELIEVE GOD NOW, AS I ANOINT YOU!
DON’T YOU WORRY ABOUT A LITTLE BIT OF OIL RUNNING DOWN ON YOUR FACE OR CLOTHES.
THAT AIN’T NOTHIN’ BUT PRIDE AND FOOLISHNESS! THE WORD
‘ANOINT’ MEAN TO ‘POUR FORTH.’ THAT’S WHY OLD MAMA
POUR THE OIL ON YOU! THE BIBLE AIN’T SAID NOTHIN’ ABOUT, NO
‘LITTLE DAB WILL DO YOU:’ WHEN THE ANOINTING OIL CAME UPON OLD AARON,
IT RAN DOWN, TILL IT DRIPPED OFF OF HIS BEARD, AND RAN DOWN ON HIS CLOTHES, AND RAN ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE SKIRTS OF HIS
GARMENT! WHEN I COME OUT WITH THIS HERE BOTTLE OF ESPECIALLY PRAYED-OVER OIL,
YOU KNOW SOMETHING GOING TO HAPPEN, BECAUSE THIS BOTTLE HAVE STAYED . . . THAT’S RIGHT . . . JUST LIKE BACK IN
THE OLD BIBLE, THE OIL HAVE STAYED!”
Reflecting upon these memories of dear Mother Bates, I am nearly
brought to tears! What a precious and beautiful woman of God, and a true “Mother
in Zion.” She Pastored until nearly one hundred years of age, even though
she had gone blind, and was bent way over. I spoke to her shortly before her
home-going, and her voice was strong and powerful, and her anointing, greater than ever!
I was having serious physical problems at the time, and asked her to pray. Pray
she did! Oh! Did she ever pray! She rebuked the “infirm spirits,” which she discerned were causing my
problems: She did so with such unction and authority, that I was literally thrown backwards in my office chair with such force,
that the chair rolled back from the desk, a couple of feet! Of course, I was
shouting the victory; praising the Lord, and agreeing with her! That’s
the last time ever I was privileged to hear that sweet voice. Thank God there’s
another day; another world; and there will be another opportunity to hear the voices; prayers; praises; singing; and worship,
of our loved ones who have gone on before, and of the Saints of all ages! HALLELUJAH
! ! ! (Oh! What a blessed hope!)
During that providential visit, Kathleen stayed for nearly a week,
during which time there was much prayer, intercession; and the sweetest and most glorious fellowship in Christ, with Mom and
Dad Bates, and their Prayer Warriors: Yet, . . . Kathleen still did not receive
her Acts 2:4 experience! She was thankful and grateful for the blessed time of
fellowship, but finally felt it was time to leave, and to head back to Coudersport.
While packing her car, Mama Bates, who was upstairs, suddenly
let out a shout, and came running downstairs and out to the car; saying urgently: “Child, God is not through with you! You didn’t get what you came for! GET
BACK IN THIS HOUSE RIGHT NOW! God is going to baptize you into the Holy Ghost
and fire right now!” Ha! (AND
DID HE EVER BAPTIZE KATHLEEN ! ! !) She received one of those old fashioned,
“Azusa Street” experiences: So powerful, that it would be nearly impossible to render a description!
As you can imagine, from that very hour, Kathleen’s life
took on an entirely new direction, as she began to move powerfully in the Gifts of the Spirit; and was led further and further,
by our Lord Jesus into the deeper understanding of intercessory prayer! How greatly
blessed and privileged we are, to have as one of our intercessors, this beloved woman of the anointing, who has such a long
and illustrious heritage in the deeper things of God.
Beloved, please pray earnestly for dear Sister Kathleen,
as she has suffered some serious physical problems. Pray especially for her strength
and enablement from the Lord, to continue in her much needed ministry. Thank
You!
