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John Hames
John Hames (1880–1945) was an American preacher and evangelist whose ministry within the Pentecostal movement ignited revivals across the rural Midwest with a focus on spiritual awakening and holiness. Born in a small Indiana farming community to a devout family, Hames grew up amid economic hardship, finding faith at 17 during a tent meeting that marked his call to preach. With minimal formal education, he began his ministry in 1905, traveling by wagon to preach in small towns, often with his wife, Clara, whom he married in 1907 and with whom he raised five children. Known for his fervent sermons and prayer for healing, he drew crowds eager for a tangible experience of God’s power. Hames’s ministry peaked in the 1920s when he settled in Illinois, pastoring a growing Pentecostal congregation and launching a regional radio program, The Flame of Faith, to extend his reach. His preaching emphasized repentance, the baptism of the Holy Spirit, and a life set apart from worldly vices, resonating with Depression-era believers seeking hope. Though not nationally prominent, he wrote tracts like The Fire Within and mentored younger evangelists, shaping the Pentecostal landscape in his region. Retiring in 1940 due to poor health, Hames died in 1945, leaving a legacy as a humble, spirited preacher whose grassroots efforts fueled a quiet but enduring revival.
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John Hames emphasizes the importance of avoiding doubtful practices and conduct, as they can lead to sin and separation from God. He warns against engaging in activities or going to places that raise uncertainties about their alignment with Christian values, urging believers to seek guidance from experienced Christians and to always give God the benefit of the doubt. Hames highlights the subtle ways in which Satan can lead believers astray through seemingly harmless actions, ultimately causing them to drift away from their faith.
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How to Treat Doubtful Things
"And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin." (Rom. 14:23) The devil is aware of the fact that it would be no easy matter to induce a newly converted soul to commit a gross sin, therefore, he has a more unique way of getting him into darkness; that way is getting him to tamper with doubtful things; things which he is not sure are right or wrong; practices which he is not certain that Jesus would do, going to places where he is a little doubtful as to whether Jesus would go, and using words in conversation that he is not sure Jesus would use. It is to be remembered, Reader, that you must always give God the benefit of every doubtful thing. Never do anything that you are not sure is right. If you have doubts about it being the proper thing for a Christian to do or the right kind of a place for a Christian to go, ask some more experienced, spirit-filled Christian about it. If at any time there arises a doubt in your mind concerning anything that you are engaged in, you are to refrain from doing that thing until the doubt is removed and you are as clear as heaven. For to do otherwise would bring condemnation and make you a sinner before God. Sometimes Satan tries to rush us into doubtful practices simply because they are popular and other church members and preachers are engaged in it. But this is no excuse, for the Word says: “Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil" (Exod. 23:2). There are hundreds of precious souls back in sin today who were once bright and shining lights. They did not get there through lying, stealing, dancing and card-playing, but through the small doorway of "doubtful conduct." “O soul, dwell deep in God; there's danger, For subtle foes around thee lie; To Satan's wiles thou art no stranger; Hide in thy secret place so nigh."
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John Hames (1880–1945) was an American preacher and evangelist whose ministry within the Pentecostal movement ignited revivals across the rural Midwest with a focus on spiritual awakening and holiness. Born in a small Indiana farming community to a devout family, Hames grew up amid economic hardship, finding faith at 17 during a tent meeting that marked his call to preach. With minimal formal education, he began his ministry in 1905, traveling by wagon to preach in small towns, often with his wife, Clara, whom he married in 1907 and with whom he raised five children. Known for his fervent sermons and prayer for healing, he drew crowds eager for a tangible experience of God’s power. Hames’s ministry peaked in the 1920s when he settled in Illinois, pastoring a growing Pentecostal congregation and launching a regional radio program, The Flame of Faith, to extend his reach. His preaching emphasized repentance, the baptism of the Holy Spirit, and a life set apart from worldly vices, resonating with Depression-era believers seeking hope. Though not nationally prominent, he wrote tracts like The Fire Within and mentored younger evangelists, shaping the Pentecostal landscape in his region. Retiring in 1940 due to poor health, Hames died in 1945, leaving a legacy as a humble, spirited preacher whose grassroots efforts fueled a quiet but enduring revival.