On  May 23, 1943 we officially left the pastorate to  embark 
        on this wonderful adventure of absolute trust in God.   Naturally 
        our parents were quite concerned about us.  But I was as happy as 
        a lark in a meadow, fish in a stream, and children at play.  Very 
        few understood us, yet it seemed as if I had many with me.  There 
        was  joy in my heart and great peace in my soul.  Who could  give 
        this but Jesus?
        
             If  you had a precious wife, three daughters, no salary,  no 
        idea where you were going to live--all you had was faith in  God, 
        the Word, and prayer--what would you do?  Would you be  downcast?  
        Would  you  fret yourself with the questions:   "Oh,  Lord,  what 
        shall  we do?  Which way am I to go?  What is going to happen  to 
        us?"   Oh, no.  You rejoice, look to Jesus, and trust  Him  more.  
        If it had been our own personal decision to leave everything  and 
        live  wholly by faith, we would never have lasted.  But since  it 
        was  the Holy Spirit who had called us to follow Jesus and  trust 
        Him entirely, we knew He would provide for us.
        
             Our folks, and most of our friends, were asking, "Where will 
        you go?"
        
             I answered, "I don't know.  I am going with Jesus."
        
             "Where is that?" they questioned.
        
             "I don't know."
        
             "You have a wife and three children. How are you going to live?"
        
             "I am going to live by faith."
        
             "What are your plans?"
        
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             "They are in the hands of God." I answered.
        
             My  wife's father came to me and quietly inquired, "I  would 
        like  to  ask you one question, Son."  (Now if you  had  an  only 
        daughter  married  to a young man who didn't know  where  he  was 
        going  to live, didn't know where he was going to get a  loaf  of 
        bread, had no idea where his children would go to school the next 
        day,  and was thought peculiar by nearly everyone--how would  you 
        feel?  Would you be a little concerned?)
        
             I said, "What is it, Dad?"
 
             "I would just like to ask you," he continued, "if you  think 
        you will be able to make a living for your family?"
        
             It  took a lot of courage for him to approach me  with  this 
        question.   He  would never have said a word if someone  had  not 
        persuaded  him to ask me, for he and I were very  close  friends.  
        He  was one man who believed me.  Whenever I told him  something, 
        he  knew it was a fact (and I can sense that now within me  as  I 
        tell you about it).
        
             I  said,  "Dad...," and began to share with him how God  had 
        called me when I was a little boy; how He spoke to me in my heart 
        at the age of five years, saying, "You belong to me.  I will  use 
        you  in my Kingdom someday."  I told him how God had led me,  how 
        He  had  called me to leave everything to follow  Him  in  simple 
        trust.
        
             After  I  had  given  him the story, he  looked  at  me  and 
        declared,  "That  is  good enough for me.  It  is  nobody  else's 
        business,  and I am for you."  Those are the only words  he  ever 
        said regarding the matter, and he never questioned me again after 
        that.  He was always my friend.
        
             My  own parents at that time were crushed and  deeply  hurt.  
        (My  mother  no longer remembers this, but some  of  my  brothers 
        recall it vividly.)  They had worked and sacrificed to provide me 
        with  a fine education.  They had prayerfully hoped that I  would 
        become a pastor of a large urban church and be recognized  within 
        the  religious  world.  Now it looked as if  their  twenty-seven-
        year-old son was throw-
        
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        ing  his entire future away.  Theirs was not an easy  assignment.  
        Nearly all parents would not have understood, unless it had  been 
        revealed by the witness of the Holy Spirit.
        
             When  I  left everything to go with God,  my  father  asked, 
        "Son, how will you live?  How will you have any finance?   You're 
        not going to have a job.  You don't have any meetings  scheduled.  
        You  mean to tell me that you just plan to read the Bible,  pray, 
        and wait?" 
        
             I  answered, "Well, Dad, I'm going to trust Jesus.  I  don't 
        know about the future; I am simply going to believe."
        
             "Son,"  he replied, "I think that within two years you  will 
        come to ask me for financial assistance."
        
             I  told  this one that I loved so very, very  much:   "Well, 
        Father--I am going to trust Jesus."
        
             That was in February, 1943.  To God's glory, and only by His 
        grace and mercy, I can say that I have never asked my father  for 
        one cent since September, 1937--almost six years before the  time 
        he  made  the  statement  that  I  would  come  to  ask  him  for 
        assistance.  Through Jesus, I didn't need to ask my parents or my 
        wife's  parents for help, although either one of them would  have 
        gladly  assisted us if I had asked.  I was penniless many  times, 
        but I did not tell anyone.  I simply trusted God to provide.
        
             It is only by God's infinite mercies that this was possible.  
        He did miracles to look after us.  When it looked as if there was 
        no  possible way for us to make it, God provided what  we  needed 
        without  my asking people or telling anyone.  It would require  a 
        small book to share all the precious ways He has provided, and we 
        know that we are unworthy of the least thing that He has done for 
        us.  
        
             I  began  the  process of locating a  home  for  my  family.  
        Houses were scarce during the war and in village after village  I 
        could  not locate a home.  After eight days of seeking a home,  I 
        was informed by the treasurer of the church, "The District  Elder 
        has  called  and said that you must know about a  place  to  live 
        today."
        
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             The  pastor who followed us, Frank Y., however, let us  know 
        that he was not pressing.  "You don't have to worry, Rev.  Helm," 
        he assured me.  "We don't have to leave our present home until  a 
        week from next Tuesday."
        
             "Yes,"  I told him, "but I don't want to be  an  imposition.  
        When  we  move  out of this home I want  the  floors  mopped  and 
        everything cleaned.  You won't have to do anything but move  in."  
        (Of  course, that's the way a Christian tries to leave a home  or 
        an  apartment  he  is vacating.  He tries to  leave  every  place 
        better  than  when  he first arrived, whether it  is  a  home,  a 
        filling station, a restaurant, a church, or a school.)
        
             I  called  the  Earl E. Agency and spoke  to  Herschel,  the 
        brother  of our former Sunday School Superintendent's  wife,  who 
        worked  there.  He told me, "Brother Helm, we have  had  fourteen 
        requests  for rentals today and there is nothing in  sight.   One 
        can  hardly  find  anything to rent  anywhere."   So  I  rejoiced 
        anyway.   My  wife and I again sought to look for a home  in  the 
        surrounding area, but found nothing.
        
             When  we  returned  to the parsonage,  Florence  was  rather 
        disheartened.   You  would  have been, too,  if  you  were  being 
        pressured  to  get out of your home and had no place  to  go,  no 
        tangible assurance of immediate income, and less tangible promise 
        of future finances.  But Jesus gave me courage, peace, love,  and 
        light  within my heart, just as if we had a lovely home  already.  
        God  continuously gave this wonderful assurance in my heart  that 
        He would take care of us.
     
             Florence wasn't actually discouraged either, by God's grace.  
        She  simply felt the pressure of the situation and would like  to 
        have had a idea of where we were going.  It is natural, isn't  it 
        dear ladies, to want ten or twenty dollars or more a week to  buy 
        groceries  and things?  But my wife didn't know whether  she  was 
        going  to  have two dollars, six dollars, or none.   She  had  no 
        guarantee of even having a roof over her head and a bed on  which 
        to sleep.
        
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             Together we prayed.  The Holy Spirit showed me when we  were 
        first  married  that whenever there was  a  difficulty,  whenever 
        there was a trial--and we all have our little tests and trials --
        the  first  thing we must do to keep the victory was to  get  our 
        arms around each other immediately and pray.  God someway  helped 
        me  to know this, because no one gave us this counsel  before  we 
        were married.  Through the years I have tried to encourage  young 
        married couples and older couples to get together with their arms 
        around each other and pray right away when there is a difference, 
        a trial, or a struggle.
        
             When  we  had our little tests, I would get Florence  in  my 
        arms and suggest, "Honey, let's pray."
        
             She would remark, "Here?"  We might have been in the kitchen 
        while  she  was doing dishes, in the bathroom, or in  the  living 
        room.   It was often not convenient, but I would say, "Let's  get 
        on our knees and pray now."  So she would put her arms around  me 
        and we would bombard Heaven, crying out to God until the darkness 
        was  passed  and it seemed as if we were in  our  courtship  days 
        again.
        
             Now the flesh and the devil are against couples doing  this, 
        but there is no other way to keep the victory.  Every couple  has 
        struggles over money, homes, neighborhoods, children,  relatives, 
        personal life, and work.  But if each partner will be willing  to 
        resist  Satan  immediately, lift the shield of faith, then go to
        prayer together at once, the darkness will be driven back and the
        joy of Jesus will lift you above the trial. This is one of
        the secrets of a victorious marriage, but few have been 
        willing to put it into practice consistently. 
        
             Of  course, Florence and I were not in a struggle  ourselves 
        at this time, but we were praying about the grave situation which 
        faced  us.  While I was praying, the Holy Spirit revealed  to  me 
        that  I should go to Taylor University by way of  Hartford  City.  
        Hartford City was about eight to ten miles north of Shideler, and 
        Taylor  was located at Upland some ten miles northwest of  there.  
        I rejoiced and told my wife, "Honey, let's
        
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        get  started.  God has told me to go to Taylor."  When God  gives 
        me an assignment, I want to get going.  No matter where it is,  I 
        love  to  go where God directs me to go.  By God's  grace,  I  am 
        always thrilled.
        
             We  got into the car, turned west, and stopped at  the  stop 
        sign before turning north.  Now we have places to eat, places  to 
        sleep,  places to study, places to play.  Why not have places  to 
        pray?   Since January of 1939, I have made stop highways a  place 
        for me to pray.  While I was stopped, looking both directions,  I 
        offered  a  simple thanksgiving to God:  "Thank  you,  Lord,  for 
        providing, keeping, guarding, guiding."
        
             Driving  north  into  Hartford City we turned  left  at  the 
        corner of Washington and Walnut.  Just as I started to turn  west 
        I  received word from Heaven.  "Stop right here in  this  filling 
        station on your right, Son," the Holy Spirit said.
        
             I had no time to tell my wife what I was doing.  I  suddenly 
        stopped  the car, pulled the emergency brake, and went inside  as 
        quickly  as I could.  "Do you know of a home that I can rent?"  I 
        asked.   "I have a wife and three children."  Of course, I didn't 
        know a single person in Hartford City.
        
             They  were unprepared for such a question, and  didn't  know 
        how  to answer it.  Then one man said, "Say, just a  minute.   In 
        three weeks there will be an apartment of three rooms available."
        
             "Thank   you  very  much,"  I  replied.   "That   won't   be 
        sufficient.   I need more than three rooms.  Thank you  for  your 
        kindness."  And I started to leave.
        
             "Wait!"  he called out to me.  "Have you inquired at the  D. 
        Agency?"
        
             "I am sorry," I answered, "D. Agency?  Where is that?  I  am 
        a stranger in this town."
        
             "That's the realtor up here," he explained.  "They may  have 
        help for you."
        
             I asked, "Where is it?"
        
             "A block east, half a block north," he told me.
        
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             Locating  the D. Agency, I inquired, "Do you have a home  in 
        this town for rent?"
        
             "Oh,  no,"  they advised me.  "We only sell  homes.   It  is 
        difficult to ever find a home to rent."
        
             "Thank you very much.  I appreciate it," I said, turning  to 
        leave.
        
             "Wait just a moment!" they called out.  "Have you tried  the 
        News Times yet?"
        
             "News Times? What is that?" I asked.  "I'm a stranger here." 
             
             "That's  our  little  newspaper,"  they  informed  me;  "our 
        evening publication."
        
             "Where is that?"
        
             "Half  a block north, a block east, back half a block."   It 
        was just like I was going up stairsteps.  Praise God!
        
             Into  the News Times office I walked and spoke to the  woman 
        behind  the  desk.  "Pardon me.  Do you know of a place  in  this 
        city for rent?"
        
             And without referring to her files, a list, or anything, she 
        replied, "Yes, Sir.  In an hour-and-a-half our edition comes out, 
        and in it, 301 East North Street is advertised for rent.   Marion 
        G. passed the Army exam and he decided to rent rather than  sell.  
        This  property  will be advertised in our paper in one  hour  and 
        thirty minutes."
        
             "Praise the Lord!" I shouted in my heart.  I was so thankful 
        to  hear this news.  The praise was really  sounding  wonderfully 
        within my soul!
        
             She  told  me  how  to get there, and  when  we  arrived  we 
        discovered  a lovely home only eighteen months old.  We  were  to 
        find  that  it had hardwood floors, a shower downstairs,  a  bath 
        upstairs.   In the kitchen were beautiful cabinets and  a  double 
        sink.  We never had enjoyed such modern cabinets or sink, nor had 
        our parents.
        
             When  I had asked my wife in the Fall of 1942,  "Honey, will 
        you  be  willing  to  leave everything  and  trust  God  for  all 
        things?",  she  asked, "Do you know anyone who  ever  really  did 
        this?"
        
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             "No," I answered, "but I know there are those who have  done 
        it, because the Bible says so."
        
             "Where will we go?"
        
             "I don't know," I answered her, "but God will give us a  hut 
        or  a cottage somewhere."  I pled with her to let our  bodies  be 
        mattresses  for  our  children,  if need  be,  and  go  with  God 
        entirely.
      
             In  two  days she declared, "I am  ready  to  go."  By God's
        grace that settled it.  She never worried any more about it.  "God
        will look after us," she affirmed, and believed right along with me.
        
             Wasn't that wonderful to have a companion willing to go with 
        me and trust for all our needs?  Praise the Lord!  My  companion, 
        which  Jesus had called to help me (and the Holy Spirit moves  in 
        my heart when I tell you this) has been such a precious help  and 
        encouragement  all through the years.  In the trials and  battles 
        which  have  faced us in this wonderful walk of  trust,  she  has 
        never  wavered or turned aside.  She has been like a rock  by  my 
        side, by God's grace and help.
        
             I have tried always to encourage wives to be more thoughtful 
        of their husbands, because there is more to a woman's  assignment 
        in marriage than washing dishes, preparing meals, mopping floors, 
        and  raising  children.   Too many  wives  have  forgotten  their 
        husbands.   Any man who is going with God today is having a  more 
        difficult  time  with evil than any woman could  ever  know.   It 
        would  eliminate  many  troubles and temptations  if  wives  were 
        striving  lovingly  and enthusiastically to take  care  of  their 
        husbands.
        
             Likewise,  husbands need to be kind,  gracious,  thoughtful, 
        and  tender  with  their wives.  Husbands should  be  loving  and 
        stimulating,  working  gently and easily  with  their  companions 
        toward a mutual fulfillment of the love relationship, not  simply 
        the satisfaction of his mortal desires.
        
             The  demon  powers  influence wives to make  them  cold  and 
        unloving to the husbands, and at the same time affect husbands to 
        make them attracted to other women.  Our men
        
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        need  to be so cautious in all their behavior with women who  are 
        not their companions, and wives need to pour more love into their 
        husbands  so that they will not be so severely tempted away  from 
        the home.
        
             Walking  to  the door of 301 East North Street,  I  knocked.  
        Marion  G. opened the door.  "I am Rev. Helm," I said.   "I  have 
        just heard that your home is for rent and I came to inquire."
        
             "Oh, certainly, " he replied.  "Come right in."
        
             When  I walked in, his wife remarked, "Why, I remember  when 
        you married my cousin and your brother."
        
             "July the sixth, 1941," I added.
       
             "Yes," she said.  "I remember you."  (Think of that! God had 
        taken us right to someone who knew us!)
        
             After  they had shown us through their lovely home,  I  told 
        them, "Let us pray about this and we will be back."
        
             We left the house and got back into the car.  While we drove 
        around,  my  wife  said  to  me, "I can  live  here  and  not  be 
        frightened.   When you must be gone, I will be thankful  to  stay 
        home.  I know God will take care of us while you are away."
        
             I had no idea where the money was coming from to pay for the 
        rent.   In fact, I didn't know where any money was  coming  from, 
        except  for five dollars a week which one man promised us.   Five 
        dollars  didn't  go far, but it went a little, and we  were  very 
        thankful  for it.  But I needed thirty-five dollars a  month  for 
        the  rent alone.  Thirty-five dollars then would be over  $125  a 
        month now.
        
             Returning  to  301 East North Street, I stopped the  car  in 
        front, got out, and stood by the car door praying.  What were  we 
        to  do?  I prayed, "Jesus--see those electric wires up there?   I 
        don't  have  anything  in this world, Lord.  I  am  trusting  you 
        absolutely.   I am alone with you.  Please send two doves  up  on 
        those  high tension wires in so many seconds, and I know it  will 
        be a sign that you will provide for us in this home."
        
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           (Now I wouldn't advise anyone else to do this.  Some
        people hear me share how God has led me, and  they  pattern 
        their  own lives along the same lines.  I was never led  to  pray 
        this way before, nor have I been led to pray this way since.)
        
             As I waited with my eyes closed in prayer, I was standing by 
        our car on the driver's side rejoicing and praising the Lord.  In 
        thirty  to sixty seconds I heard the flutter of wings.  I  opened 
        my  eyes, and there they were!--two doves sat right where  I  had 
        asked God to place them!  "Look, Honey," I cried.  "I just  asked 
        Jesus  to  put two doves on those high tension wires  if  He  was 
        going to help us here, and there they are!"
        
             I hurried to the door and knocked.  When Mr. G. opened it  I 
        announced,  "We  will  take it!" and gave him the  rent  for  two 
        months with money that was back salary which had been owed us.
        
             In  just  a few minutes people came from over the  city  and 
        around that area asking the owner, "Why didn't you call and  tell 
        us  you were going to rent your home?  Why, we are your  friends.  
        We wanted this place."
        
             "We  didn't know," he told them.  "We just advertised it  in 
        the paper."
        
             Our parents and many others asked us how we ever found  such 
        a  lovely  home.   The  answer was  very  precious:   before  the 
        newspaper even was off the press, the Lord Jesus had led me there 
        wonderfully  by  the  guidance of the sacred  Holy  Spirit.   And 
        instead  of  a  hut or a cottage, He gave us a  very  nice  home.  
        Praise the Lord.
        
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