Healing and Revival

"The Healing Christ"

Jacob Grant Anderson was born March 27, 1873 in Meadville, Crawford, Pennsylvania to Thomas Patrick Anderson and Samantha (King) Anderson. He grew up in the area and married Edith Joy Belle in 1895. He attended the State Normal School in Edinboro, Pennsylvania with the idea of teaching. Anderson and his wife were unsaved but they were profoundly touched by the healing of Edith's sister. She had a tumor so large that a doctor told her that she would die if it was not removed. She stopped by to tell the Andersons that she was going to attend a meeting where Divine Healing was taught. The Anderson did not believe in God, and did not think it would help. Still she pressed in and received prayer. Upon returning in two weeks the tumor was gone and she was completely healed. From that point on the Andersons knew that God was real and that he healed people! This made them open for the next connection God was bringing into their lives.

In 1897 a Church of God evangelist named Herbert Riggle was in the area preaching and Anderson walked four miles to hear him. At that meeting Riggle shared the idea that denominationalism was not of God and that God was calling a single united church body together. It is likely he also shared teaching on Divine Healing, which was a foundational doctrine of the Church of Christ. Anderson responded to the message immediately. He and Riggle became friends.

After graduating Normal School, Anderson taught school for several years. He and his wife had three sons, (Joy) Paul, Stanley, and a baby who died within a day of birth. Then in 1898 Anderson was diagnosed with the "white plague", tuberculosis, a highly prevalent and deadly disease. He fought it, but his health continued to decline and in 1902 he was brought to a Spencer Hospital in Meadville, Pennsylvania. He was in the hospital for over a year and the doctors believed that he was about to die. When Anderson was at his lowest he sent for Riggle and his wife to come and pray for his healing. They attempted to, but were not allowed into the hospital because smallpox had broken out and it was quarantined. The Riggles did not give up, however, but went to prayer on February 8, 1903. They wrestled with God for Anderson until they received the impression that he would be healed. God met Anderson and he was immediately and completely healed. God also clearly called him to preach the gospel for the rest of his life.

Anderson responded to the goodness of God and, as soon as he regained his strength, began to preach. He gave his first sermon on April 19, 1903. On June 8, 1903 he was ordained as a Church of God minister. He took a church in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania for two years. Then he went to Franklin, Pennsylvania where he pastored for the next sixteen years. He also began to travel with Riggle for the next five years holding revivals and evangelistic meetings. Amazingly, Riggle was also afflicted with tuberculosis. He and Anderson continued to preach messages on salvation and healing, although Riggle dropped to 123 pounds. Anderson and Riggle walked out their faith daily as Riggle struggled with physical torment. Then one day in Franklin, Pennsylvania God instantly and completely healed Riggle. He quickly gained weight to 200 pounds and never had any tubercular symptoms again.

Anderson traveled in evangelistic work for twenty-two years, primarily in Pennsylvania and the surrounding areas. He was a frequent contributor to the Gospel Trumpet magazine beginning in 1916, eventually writing hundreds of articles and poems. In 1917 he took on the responsibility of answering letters to the Home Problems Department of the Church of God and answered thousands of letters from all over the world. He wrote books on Divine Healing and family issues. Anderson was on the Board of Directors of the Gospel Trumpet publishing company. He was also on the Board for Foreign Missions for the Church of God. Finally, Anderson was also a pastoral leader for pastors in Pennsylvania and the surrounding areas.

Anderson pushed himself physically, and was often absent from home, until he had a sudden breakdown in the beginning of 1927. He apparently had a liver condition. He struggled for ten months and then died on October 15, 1927. He was a deeply loved and respected man. He had led hundreds to Christ and seen many people dramatically healed. He was both a healing evangelist and communicator of the doctrine of Divine Healing throughout his ministry. Anderson wrote several books including "Sex, Life, and Home Problems" (a bold move for a minister of that day!), and "Problems of Eternal Moment" in 1921. In 1926 he wrote "Divine Healing" which developed a scriptural basis for healing and gave many testimonies of healing.

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