Entering Into Clouds of Glory by Carrie Judd Montgomery

This excerpt comes directly from Carrie's autobiography Under His Wings (1936) from a chapter entitled “Ocean Depths of Blessing, and Further Service." 

This account happened sometime in the later 1800s when Carrie was likely in her 20s.

“As I went on with the Lord I felt an unspeakable hunger springing up within me for more of God. I hardly knew how to pray, but would sometimes turn to my Heavenly Father and say to Him, ‘What dost Thou want?” ; because it seemed to me it was more His desire to obtain full possession of me than my desire for Himself. Previously I have spoken of the great blessing I received when I was healed, and my consciousness that the Holy Spirit had come to abide with me. Now, it seemed that He was longing to get full control of me and to fill the temple although I scarcely knew how to put this into words. 

While still feeling this great hunger after more of God, I heard of Christian people farther East who had had a great anointing from the Lord and my heart cried out for fellowship with these dear people. I heard much about one sister who lived a very victorious life, and who was much used of God in His work. The Christian woman [this was likely Mary H. Mossman] had a Home in New Jersey, where she entertained those who were waiting on the Lord for a deeper spiritual life and for healing of the body. I got in touch with her and made arrangements to go to her for a little stay. I well remember how my hunger seemed to deepen more and more even while I was on the train journeying from Buffalo to this sister’s place of residence. 

When I arrived at the Home I was met in the most affectionate and motherly way by this dear saint, who informed me, after she had given me her welcome, that the evening meal was just about ready. My reply to her was as follows: 

‘Oh, I do not want anything to eat; I want God.’ 

She had herself, been led into depths and heights of spiritual blessing, so she thoroughly sympathized with me in the desire which I thus expressed. She left me alone in the upper room waiting on God, while she looked after some household duties, and then she returned to me. We knelt quietly together and I do not remember that there was much, if any, audible prayer by either of us, but the presence of the Lord became more and more manifest as we continued our worship together. 

All at once I experienced a blessing that is difficult to put into words. It seemed as though God manifested Himself in a cloud of Heavenly dew which descended gently upon my head and entered into my being, taking full possession of me. At the same time a sweet, restful feeling almost overpowered me so that my own strength somewhat left me and I leaned over and rested my head upon this sister’s shoulder. No words were given me, but the dear one by my side seemed to be so one with me that she fully understood the cloud of glory into which I was entering, for His presence seemed to surround me, and at the same time to fill me. 

After a little while something called my friend away from my side, and I lay down upon a bed in the room, still feeling the wonderful presence of the Lord and silently adoring Him. While waiting on the Lord a few more days in this hallowed Home, the manifestation of the Lord’s presence about me, and within me, became still more glorious until my whole being seemed to be filled with ‘rivers of living water’ and Jesus Himself revealed as the One among ten thousand, the Lily of the Valley. 

I was so conscious that my body, as well as my soul, became so hallowed with the Lord’s presence that I was made to realize as never before that I was indeed a temple of the Holy Ghost. The Life of God came even into my tongue; not that my tongue moved, but I could feel the moving of God’s life distinctly through that member of my body. I was held silent in adoration of the glorious Being who was thus revealed to me, conscious of great joy in his immediate presence, and especially delighting in the thought of entire yieldedness to His perfect will…

On my way home on the train I had occasion to speak to a lady about her soul and great anointing was upon me as I talked to her, such as I had never experienced before. When I reached my home I quietly confided to my dear mother my joyful experience, and she praised God with me. The power of God continued to rest upon me in my meetings so that it was told me by one of my friends that it was quite noticeable to others who attended the meetings that I had received an anointing which they had never discerned in me before. The Word of God became more and more precious and it was opened to me increasingly as I expounded it to others.”

This account of Carrie hungering after more of God and getting overwhelmed in His glory happened early on in her life. To see another one of her God encounters that happened in 1908 where she also spoke in tongues, see Spirit Flood book, her  “Life on Wings: The Possibilities of Pentecost”, or listen to a recording of the article here.