God’s Celestial Ambassador: The Life and Times of Dr. Frank E. Stranges - Part I
By Raymond A. Keller, PhD, a.k.a. “Cosmic Ray,” the author of the international awards-winning Venus Rising Series, published by Headline Books and available on Amazon.com, while supplies last.
Venus Rising: A Concise History of the Second Planet
Final Countdown: Rockets to Venus
Cosmic Ray's Excellent Venus Adventure
Lady Columba Venus Revelations
From Keller Venus Files: In his father’s footsteps, Dr. Frank E. Stranges (1927-2008) in the mission field at Minneapolis, Minnesota, 1950.
Introduction
Dr. Frank Ernest Stranges was born in Brooklyn, New York, on 6 October 1927, the son of Reverend Natale Anthony Stranges and Mrs. Catherine (nee Filardo) Stranges. His father Natale was born in the mountainside village of Nicastro in the Catanzaro Province of Italy on 1 February 1895; and in 1912 his father, and Dr. Stranges’ paternal grandfather, Anthony Stranges, brought his immediate family to the shores of America. The Stranges family ultimately settled in the Borough of Brooklyn in New York City. Dr. Frank Stranges’ path in life led him to become the director of the International Evangelism Crusades, headquartered in Van Nuys, California. In this career dedicated to service to the Lord Jesus Christ, Dr. Frank E. Stranges was following in the footsteps of his father Natale, who was also an ordained Pentecostal minister of the gospel in the Independent Assemblies of God.
Tribulations Befall Natale A. Stranges
Natale returned to Europe during the course of America’s participation there in freeing that continent from German conquest in World War I, being drafted into the United States Army. Following the war, he received an honorable discharge and returned home to Brooklyn in 1919. One year later, he started suffering from severe backaches that persisted for a period of ten years.
In 1929, the pain was enhanced when he fell down in the nursery of their home after lifting up his then two-year old son Frankie from his crib. Years later, in explaining this incident to his son Frank, Rev. Natale said that, “I was in such pain and agony that all I could was just lie there on the floor. After a long while, I managed to crawl to the door of my store. A friend of the family happened to be passing by; and when she saw the condition I was in, she called my father-in-law and he immediately called the nearest doctor. When the doctor came in, he gave me a shot of morphine to deaden the pain.
“After a few days, I went with my wife in a taxi to the Brooklyn Hospital. I was kept under observation for a few days. The hospital authorities then asked for mine and my wife’s consent to operate on my right leg, as this is where the pain mostly was. By this time, my right leg was growing shorter than my left one. We did not consent to the operation, so they put me in a plaster cast from my waist down. I was in this position for three weeks.”
Jesus Opened a Door
While Natale was in the hospital, Jesus was working behind the scenes, opening a new door for the Italian immigrant to the United States to walk right on through to a wonderful future in the work of the ministry. A group of Pentecostals opened up a mission next door to Natale’s Brooklyn home. “Soon after,” Natale continued, “I had to leave the hospital for lack of funds. I went out, cast and all. The doctors also said that my being in the hospital was to no avail. I might just as well stay in my own bed at home, for all the good they were doing.
“The very same day I came home, the Pentecostal minister, who was a painter by trade, started to paint my kitchen. As he looked at me, he said, ‘Young man, what is the trouble with you?’
“I, being so depressed and discouraged, poured out my heart to him. I told him of all the doctors and specialists and hospitals I had been to, all for nothing; and I said that I wished I were dead.”
But the minister answered Natale with sound advice: “You have not tried the best specialist of all!”
Natale could not quite figure out this man, not thinking him to be pragmatic. However, he liked his optimism. In the previous months, he had been seen by every medical authority in New York City, and every one of them agreed that treating him would be a waste of Natale’s money and their time. “OK, then,” inquired Natale, “humor me and tell me who this specialist is that is going to help me.”
“His name,” replied the minister, “is Jesus. Hallelujah to His name!”
Natale then thanked the evangelist for at least trying to cheer him up, but informed him that he was a good Roman Catholic and would rather put his trust in St. Anthony, the patron saint of his village back in Italy. “When I was well, I sent money regularly over to Italy for St. Anthony,” the proud Italian-American declared.
Natale Finds Jesus Christ
Now Natale’s wife Catherine would sprinkle his body with holy water every day, praying for a miracle from St. Anthony for her ailing husband, but to no avail. But one night while she came down from their second-floor residence and was sitting in front of the family store, the minister’s wife was singing a solo hymn in the mission next door and she heard her pleasing voice. After the church service, the missionary wife came out of the mission hall and asked Catherine and Natale if they would go to their church the following Thursday night, insofar as they were going to have a Divine Healing service.
From Keller Venus Files: The Stranges Family of Brooklyn, New York
“Although my mother-in-law warned us not to go to that church because it was against our religion,” explained Natale, “yet there was something which constrained us to go. Therefore, we decided to go, knowing we couldn’t be anymore miserable than we were already. We didn’t understand at all what Divine Healing meant; but we decided to go. We went into the church and at the close of the sermon entitled ‘Darkness to Light,’ an invitation was given for the sick to come forward. It was difficult for me to kneel because of the cast which was on my leg; but once I reached the altar I fell down and cried out, ‘LORD, have mercy upon my soul! Save me from all sin! Then, if it is in your mercy to do so, please heal my sick body.’
“This brief prayer was uttered from the very depths of my soul, remembering that all the prayers that I had ever prayed before this time were prayers written by one who is long dead…. Prayers written in some prayer book. But this one prayer caused me to realize that written prayers do not count for much in the sight of God.”
It was then that the miracle began to take place. Natale could noticeably feel that a change was taking place both in his body physically and in his soul spiritually. Natale immediately began to praise God and rejoicing as never before. “It seemed as though I was now walking in a light, a light which I never saw before. Yes, dear friend, this was the Light that I never saw before; this was the Light of the Lord Jesus Christ.”
Natale was completely healed by the power of God and from that day forward, he made up his mind to be a living witness to the healing power of the Lord Jesus Christ, as manifested by the Holy Ghost. “Remembering that these were the days of the Great Depression, things were not easy for anyone. But it seemed as though with the Lord Jesus as my companion, everything was made easier,” remarked Natale Anthony Stranges, the evangelist who inspired his son Frank to follow in his footsteps.
From Keller Venus Files: Rev. Natale A. Stranges, considered to be a “living testimony for God,” outside his home in Brooklyn, New York
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