Do It Again Lord
In 1940 Dr. J. Edwin Orr took a group of Wheaton College students to study abroad in England. One of their stops included the Epworth Rectory. The rectory now serves as a Methodist museum, but it was the home of John Wesley, the founder of the Methodist movement.
“In one of the bedrooms, there are two impressions where it is believed that John Wesley regularly knelt in prayer. As the students were getting back on the bus, Dr. Orr noticed that one student was missing. Going back upstairs, Dr. Orr found a young Billy Graham kneeling in those kneeholes and praying, ‘O Lord, do it again!
Now it’s our turn. “O Lord, do it again.
Are you praying for God to do it again in your life?
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Dr. Michael Sprague is the Louisiana State Chaplain with the Capitol Commission and President of Grace Adventures. He is engaged in relational outreach and discipleship, teaching, coaching, writing and speaking. He spends lots of time at the Capitol in Baton Rouge, working with Legislators, lobbyists, administration and Capitol staff in a non-political, non-partisan pastoral/chaplain role. The focus is not to lobby for legislation, but to help leaders with their faith and life. Days are filled with Bible studies, prayer, listening, caring appointments and many
surprises. He loves to help people know the Jesus of the Scriptures.
Michael holds a Business degree from the University of Maryland, a Master of Divinity degree from Capital Bible Seminary, and a Doctor of Ministry degree from Dallas Theological Seminary. He has served as Senior Pastor of Trinity Church in Covington, Louisiana and Forcey
Bible Church in Silver Springs, Maryland. In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, he helped launch the Touch Global Crisis Response Ministry for the Evangelical Free Churches of America, and wrote two books – DISASTER: Betting the Farm on God in Life’s Storms and Stories from Katrinaland.
Michael does life with his wonderful wife Donna and resides in Mandeville, LA. His motto is “Bet the Farm on God.” You can find more information about Michael here.
Where does this story come from? It seems highly unlikely to say the least. Edwin Orr was himself a student in 1940. There was a war on and the idea of a student trip from the US to England seems a non-starter. One of those neat stories that seems too good to be true.
Hello Billy, while I have no idea where the story originates, I found this information on Edwin Orr: “In 1930 or 1931, after spending some years as a baker, Orr began evangelising, not only in Britain but also elsewhere in Europe, as well as North America, Australia and South Africa. During these years he also wrote several accounts of his tours of preaching. On 15 January 1937, at age 25, he married Ivy Muriel Carol Carlson; they would have four children. The Orrs evangelised in Australia (1939), China, Canada and the United States of America. In 1939 Orr enrolled at Northwest University. On 15 January 1940 he was ordained at Newark, New Jersey, into the Baptist Christian ministry. He received his MA from Northwest University in 1941, and his Th.D. from Northern Baptist Seminary in 1943.”
As you can see, he was married and had a long line of experience when he entered school. I guess we can assume from this that he may have been an assistant professor, or even a professor since back then, with his experience, a master’s or even a doctorate may not have been a prerequisite for professorship. Billy and Erwin were not that far apart in age, I didn’t realize that until you brought it to my attention, so thanks.
I hope this helps some. This story has been used by many people in writing and in preaching through the years. God Bless and thanks for your comment. It was quite helpful to me.
Hello,
While editing a devotional here in Brazil, this story caught our attention, and we started reviewing it.
We have found it on multiple websites. Yes, we started wondering if it seemed too neat and good to be true, especially since Britain was being bombarded by the Nazis at that time, with more than 2 million buildings being destroyed. It was not a good time for a visit.
So, a few days ago, I wrote an email to the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, and they just answered me with the following words:
“The story is somewhat true, although some of the facts have been embellished over the years. Mr. Graham wrote about this experience in the foreword to J. Edwin Orr’s book Full Surrender (1951; 1957):
In 1947, during our evangelistic campaigns in Great Britain, I heard that Dr. Orr was engaged in research into the nineteenth-century awakenings, so I wrote him at Oxford University and afterwards spent half a day there, viewing the sights of the ancient city and making the most of an opportunity to discuss the story of past revivals and the dreams and hopes of another in our generation. The outstanding memory of my visit on Oxford’s campus was the study-bedroom on Lincoln College where John Wesley and his young friends started the “Holy Club” with its later development into the evangelical revival in the eighteenth century. Edwin and I felt constrained to pray there for a repetition of the movements of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. His word on revival caused me to do a great deal of thinking, which God used to bear fruit in later years.”
The good news is that it has some truth in the background. Then it would be great if this story could be shared as it happened. At the same time, we embrace the good intentions of those who shared the imagined version. I think it would be useful for readers to access the original, true version.
May the Lord bless you all.
HI Diogo, thank you for sharing your thoughts on the article. With the age of technology and social media, we don’t know what has been embellished anymore. And most of us don’t take the time to research stories we hear like you have. So, thank you too, for awakening us to that point. I pray your church was inspired regardless and that it will bring some spiritual awakening in the body of believers you worship with. Thank you for reading Christian Grandfather Magazine. I hope you will return to find many wonderful articles by our authors.
God Bless!
Thank you, Andy, for your warm, Christian-like message.
And congratulations on your amazing ministry, which blesses people around the globe. It was a privilege to serve.
God bless!