ADAM CROOKS
1824 — 1???
(An Early Leader in the Wesleyan Methodist Church)

 

ADAM CROOKS
1824 — 1???
(An Early Leader in the Wesleyan Methodist Church)

Adam Crooks born in Leesville Carroll County, Ohio, on the 3rd of May, A. D., 1824. He

was the son of William and Elizabeth Crooks, and the fourth child of a family of thirteen. His
father was a man of the world, but taught his family the strictest honest and truthfulness. But that
blessed gift of Heaven, a godly mother, by her uniform piety and the agency of the Holy Spirit,
often awakened in him the most pungent convictions of sin, and led to secret prayer and solemn
promises of reformation, but nothing further.

When some fourteen years of age, a singular incident occurred, which was destined, under

Divine Providence, to shape his future course. His brother William, some four years his senior
was somewhat skeptical as to the divine origin of Christianity, remarked, in a careless manner, “I
do not believe in religion. I believe those who profess it are hypocrites; but if I should ever go to
the altar for prayers, I should never leave it until I knew for certain.” Although not a Christian
himself, yet Adam secretly prayed with all the fervor of his heart that, William might be
constrained to go to the altar. For he thought his brother’s conversion a thing very desirable. It was
not an hour until William was most deeply convicted, and at the altar the next evening he found
salvation. He became an exemplary Christian, and a devoted minister of the Gospel; and on
February 14th, 1847, went up to glory.

From the hour of his brother’s conversion, Adam became a secret seeker of personal

salvation, frequently praying twenty times a day, but seemingly to no effect; for he thus wandered
in darkness for months. But the blessed hour of deliverance came. It as one Spring morning, he was
returning from his place of secret prayer, across his father’s farm. Just as the sun spread his golden
mantle over field and forest, and saluted his eyes, his faith took hold on God, and the Sun of
righteousness poured in His rays upon the new-born soul. Nor was this light evanescent. It was the
incessant dawn of an eternal day … The genuineness of early piety and the conversion of children
is illustrated in his conversion, which occurred at the age of fourteen years, and might have been
earlier; his convictions and knowledge being equal to it…

 

He united with the Methodist Protestant Church, of which his parents were members, while

his brother William joined the Methodist Episcopal Church. He was much the youngest of any in
the Church, yet willing thus early to walk alone, so long as it appeared to be the path of duty.
Always generous toward other denominations, and willing to point sinners to the cross at any altar
where Christ appeared; he attended religious meetings, far and near, irrespective of
denominations. He deeply deplored the want of spirituality among his own people.

When about sixteen years of age, he deeply felt the need of a more thorough Christian

experience. He was greatly profited by reading the “Life of William Carvosso,” and sought, with
ceaseless anxiety, the blessing of entire sanctification. He sought it as distinctly as justification. He
trusted fully in Jesus as Savior from all taint of, and tendency to sin, and realized the speechless
joy of complete salvation. This, like conversion, was effected when alone, and free from the
pressure of external excitement.

Convinced of the complicity of the Methodist Protestant Church with chattel slavery, it

ceased to be a congenial home to one who had nothing in view but God and his glory, and man’s
well-being. The heart longed for an opportunity to free itself by change of church-relationship.
This opportunity was presented when the venerated Edward Smith organized a Wesleyan
Methodist Church in his native village, July 25th, 1843. That day Brother Crooks was elected
class-leader. This change of church-home, and open antagonism to slavery, no perils nor
privations ever caused him to regret…

The 4th of May, 1844, being just twenty years of age, he accepted license to

exhort…August, 1845, he joined the Allegheny Conference, and went as junior preacher to the Erie
circuit.

Source: “Life of Rev. A. Crooks, A.M.”
by Elizabeth (Willits), Crooks

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THE END

 

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HOW THEY ENTERED CANAAN
(A Collection of Holiness Experience Accounts)
Compiled by Duane V. Maxey

Vol. I — Named Accounts