APOSTASY OF FISHER
A sad defection from the ranks of those who had been active in the reformation work was that of J. C. Fisher, which has been already referred to. He was a very effectual preacher. It was through his efforts that the original company was raised up at Carson City, Mich., where he lived at the time. Also it was through his instrumentality that the work was started in southwestern Michigan and in some other parts of the country. Through a lack of his consecration, sad to say, he became unfaithful in his marriage relation and found affinity with another. After being patiently and faithfully counseled by Brother Warner and others, and after it became evident that he was rejecting all admonitions, and in fact had married another woman, he had to be renounced and cut off from the fellowship of the saints.
This was a distinct loss to the cause, for Fisher had been a very successful evangelist, and had a great influence. His error, however, was plain, and there were scarcely any who were sufficiently in sympathy with his actions to be to any extent drawn away with him.
As a part of this chapter, we wish to include an article from one of the earlier Trumpets, written by a contributor, which touches the central principle of the reformation, the principle which distinguishes it from all other movements. It is on this line, the ruling authority of the Holy Ghost, that the reformation proceeds.
RULING AUTHORITY OF THE HOLY GHOST
By D. W. M'Laughlin
Notwithstanding the apostasy of the Romish Church, her utter departure from the faith because of the substitution of a man-made system of ecclesiasticism for the personal presence and authority of the Holy Ghost, Protestants have not profited (but in part) by her fall; they have very generally fallen into a like snare.
The apostolic church fully recognized the personal presence and authority of the Holy Ghost. He was fully accepted as their teacher and guide. They fully embraced the words of Jesus: "When he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth"—yea, "teach you all things," even the "deep things" of God. Hence, we hear Peter saying unto Ananias, "Why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost?" The presence of the divine Spirit was to them a certainty.
In Acts 13:2 we read, "As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them." Here the authority of the Holy Ghost is recognized. Thus we see that the early church needed no man-made system; being filled with the Holy Ghost they fully accepted him as their teacher and guide. But in process of time the church lost her primitive power; the presence of the Holy Ghost seemed less real. The necessity of a teacher and guide was felt; hence the absence of the Holy Ghost necessitated the substitution of another teacher and guide, a "dead ecclesiasticism," called the Holy Catholic Church (?), with the prerogative of the divine Spirit—thus priesthood was exalted and invested with power to forgive sins; and the pope made the "visible head of the church," or the vicar of Jesus Christ upon earth. But the church felt the need of an "infallible teacher"; the loss of the divine Paraclete necessitated a substitution, if the resemblance of the apostolic church be maintained; hence the system must supply the lack. Thus the dogma of infallibility was conceived, ending in the exaltation of the pope of Rome above all that is called God, or that is worshiped—the "man of sin" "sitting in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God."
Any man-made system of ecclesiasticism must necessarily be lifeless and powerless, just in proportion as it fails to recognize the personal presence and authority of the Holy Ghost, and sets up its own order and authority.
Indeed the modern church has so far lost sight of the veritable presence and authority of the personal Holy Ghost, that everything seems reduced to man-ordered system—yea, an endless treadmill of works. The form of religion takes the place of vital godliness, and the people seem to have forgotten that there is any Holy Ghost.
It is said history repeats itself; let us consider what meaneth the cry of "fanatic" now so prevalent in the sects as used against the holiness movement. Perhaps we may learn a lesson from Rome—why did the Romish hierarchy persecute the Reformers? Simply because there had been substituted a wire-bound ecclesiasticism (a man-made system) for the presence and authority of the personal Holy Ghost; a lifeless system—yea, a dead ecclesiasticism was thought to be the one holy catholic church. It was not allowed that any could be loyal to God unless loyal to the system, hence the cry of "heretic," which today finds its counterpart in the term "holiness fanatic" as used by the dominant sects against holiness men. In their devotion to churchism they lose sight of the personal Holy Ghost, and exalt the system. We must go back to apostolic ground; the presence and power of the Holy Ghost must mark (or make manifest) the church. The blinding power of churchism will deceive nominal professors in the Protestant sects just as effectually as it did in the Roman Church. It is eternally true that the natural man perceiveth not the things of the Spirit of God. The great Sanhedrin judged it right that Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, judged to be a vile deceiver, should be crucified between two thieves; the Romish Church considered it right to burn "heretics"; and in all ages the mystic Babylon of Revelation has persecuted the true saints of God.
Thus it will be till the time of the end.
THE ONE CHURCH
Through the night of doubt and sorrow
Onward goes the pilgrim band,
Singing songs of expectation,
Marching to the Promised Land.
One the object of our journey,
One the faith that never tires,
One the earnest looking forward,
One the hope our God inspires.
One the strain that lips of thousands
Lift as from the heart of one;
One the conflict, one the peril,
One the march in God begun.
One the gladness of rejoicing
On the far eternal shore,
Where the one Almighty Father
Reigns in love forevermore.
Onward therefore, pilgrim brothers,
Onward with the Cross our aid!
Bear its shame, and fight its battle,
Till we rest beneath its shade.
—Sabine Baring-Gould.
Perishing Souls.
D. S. Warner. A. L. Byers.
1. Per-ish-ing souls at stake to-day! Says the banner of Christ unfurled; Pleading in
2. Per-ish-ing souls at stake we see, Yet the Sav-ior has died for all; Go and in-
3. Per-ish-ing souls at stake, go tell What the Savior has done for you; How he re-
4. Per-ish-ing souls at stake to-day, Can you tar-ry for earthly dross? Fly to the
love for help to save Blood-bo't sinners all o'er the world.
vite them earnestly, Some will sure-ly o-bey the call.
deemed thy soul from hell, And is a-ble to save them too.
res-cue, don't de-lay, Bring the need-y to Je-sus' cross.
Chorus.
Per-ish-ing souls at
stake, my brother, What is all this world be-side? Per-ish-ing souls at stake, my
brother, Souls for whom the Sav-ior died; Per-ish-ing souls, (Perishing souls,)
Per-ish-ing souls (at stake to-day,) Oh, who will help to save the lost?
[Listen (midi)] [Listen (mscz)]
[XVI]
EVANGELISTIC TOURS
The responsibility of publishing the Trumpet required, of course, that the editor spend a good portion of his time at the Publishing Office. But Brother Warner's zeal for the evangelistic work, as well as the demand for his services here and there in the field, took him forth a good deal on various tours. An account of the principal tours he made, and the events in connection therewith, is sufficient for a chapter by itself.
For the first few years after the Trumpet started, he made frequent trips. Of these we shall give no account, but shall begin the chapter with a trip into western Pennsylvania in the summer of 1884. A camp-meeting was to be held two miles south of Sandy Lake, in Mercer County, beginning August 23. This was the second meeting for that place, as one had been held there the previous year. He planned to attend this meeting after holding a grove-meeting in Medina County, Ohio, and he accordingly announced there would be no Trumpet issued for August 15, since he expected to make this tour. Portions of his report of the Sandy Lake meeting are here given. Quotations direct from Brother Warner will enable the reader the better to comprehend the man and to feel the touch of his saintliness; for there breathes out from his words such a spirituality and devotion as is possessed only by those who are thoroughly abandoned to God.
Glory be to the God of salvation-power! These words seem best fitted to begin our report of this heavenly convocation. We were met by conveyance at Stonesboro, and the very instant we entered the precious grove of the saints' encampment we felt the presence of God. Indeed it was wonderful. We were engaged in conversation as we drove in and were not thinking of or expecting such a glorious manifestation of God, when we were suddenly filled with the consciousness of his holy presence, impressing heart and lips in praises to his holy name....
We had been unwell some days in the city, and felt half sick on the train; but as soon as we breathed the God-pervaded atmosphere of that beautiful pine-grove, all our infirmities fled away and we could shout the praises of God in a sound body. How hallowed and sweet the recollections of God's blessings upon that ground one year ago! How dear to our heart the precious chambers in Brother and Sister Carmichael's tent, where we often spent much of the brief interval between the three daily services, in nearly all of which the Lord used us to read and teach his Holy Word to the dear saints. In that precious retreat he daily filled our soul and recuperated the wasted energies of our body and mind so that we could stand and feed the Lord's sheep. Praise God, we found the same little sanctum prepared for us again. Thank God, there were plenty to share the work of the gospel ministry this year.
The blessed Holy Spirit wrought in the hearts of the people from the first service to the close of the meeting. On Tuesday we went to the stream a mile from the camp and immersed fourteen of the dear, happy saints of God. It was a glorious and wonderful time. The Spirit of the living God was poured out in mighty power. Some went down into the water shouting the high praises of God, and nearly all leaped and shouted as they came forth from the symbolic grave. What glory shone in the faces of those blood-washed ones! The place was one of beautiful scenery. On either side the stream stood the dense and lofty pines. As this blood-washed company faced the stream, with their eyes lifted toward God and their faces all lit up with heaven's glow, and sang the sweet songs of redemption, we were reminded of Bunyan's company of pilgrims that stood in white robes awaiting their invitation to cross to the celestial paradise....
Do we astonish you when we say that while sinners were melted to tears by the power of God during the baptism, and said, "This is the right way. This is the right way," an apostate and hypocrite preacher by the name of —— stood back and spake against "this way" of the Lord? Woe unto such empty clouds, wandering stars, wells without water!...
Brother Fisher was quite sick when we reached the grove, and after having been strengthened several times to preach the word he was finally and instantaneously healed by faith and the laying on of hands. The next evening the healing power was mightily upon him, and four of the dear saints were healed of various diseases and old complaints. In the early part of the meeting Brother and Sister Frost's little girl was healed of a very bad case of catarrh. The morning Brother and Sister Fisher left, the Lord woke us between three and four o'clock in the morning and led us forth into the woods to commune with him. Our mind was led to ask for a more perfect faith. Praise God, he gave it. Early we walked to Brother Farrah's house, where we found Sister Clayton very sick with sick-headache. In the name of the Lord we laid hands on her head, and she was immediately healed by faith in Jesus. Several others of the saints were healed that day....
One evening in company with Brother and Sister Fisher we went home with Brother and Sister Frost. Sister Owen lives a close neighbor to them. Her daughter had two days before been taken sick. That night she was taken very bad, and she suffered extremely. Mr. Owen wished to go for the doctor, but Lula begged her pa to send for us. Though he had been extremely prejudiced against us by some ungodly sectarian neighbors, he could not refuse the wish of his suffering child. He gave his consent, and at two o'clock we were called up, and went to the house in the name of the Lord. Lula had been praying the Lord to forgive her sins, and seemed to have found pardon, but she was in great suffering. Brother Fisher and I laid hands upon her, and in less than a minute her intense suffering ceased, and she rested until morning. Her body gradually recovered strength, and two days later she was out to the meeting. Praise the Lord, O my soul! The power of God since then so softened the heart of Brother Owen that he has turned to serve the Lord. His heart is so changed that he not only loves God but us also. May God bless the dear brother.
Praise the Lord for the wonderful bond of love that binds our hearts together in the Son of God! Blind sectarians ask us, "What have you got to bind you together?" We reply by asking them, "What have you got to part us asunder?" Oh, bless God for the balm in this union! We never know the strength of the divine bonds of love until all the sect bonds of the devil are cast away and we are led to suffer together for the gospel of God and the name of Jesus. Oh, happy bond of perfect love, which binds all the pure in heart to God and to each other!
After the close of the Sandy Lake meeting he went by invitation to Greenville, in the same county. He first held an evening service on the streets, in which he spoke to a large audience. This was on Friday evening, September 5. The rest of the services at Greenville were in a grove in the country. In his report he tells of his being mercilessly beaten by a drunken man and of his wonderful escape from injury because of divine protection.
We praise God for having sent us here. We are confident that much good was done. One brother, who had been wonderfully converted and blessed, had actually made an appointment at a schoolhouse and talked to the people by the Holy Spirit. People were moved, and asked the man to speak again. But he consulted his Methodist priest, who told him it would never do in the world for him to attempt to speak and exhort without license, and that if he did so he would be brought up and tried. The poor man was scared down and was on back ground; but he promised us to rededicate himself to God and go straight forward in God's will. May God bless and help him. Such is the pernicious work of the devil under the mask of what he calls "our church." We hope in the providence of God to return to Greenville again. A sister told us that we would receive persecution for pay. Well, praise God, we were well remunerated in that kind of currency for Christ's sake. It has brought the "leap and rejoice" with "the spirit of glory and of God" in our soul. After the grove-meeting we spoke again on the streets of Greenville to a very large crowd of attentive hearers....
After preaching in the grove Saturday night, we walked a mile and a half to find rest for the night. The mother and two of the family are fully saved. But the husband is intemperate and desperately wicked. He does not often stop with the family, as the little home belongs to one of the sons, who, with his brothers, affords protection to their mother against the father's abuse. The wretched man had been drinking liquor through the day, and was also well filled with the wine of Babylon's wrath received from his sectarian neighbors, who hate any child of God that lives godly in Christ Jesus outside of her pales. He seems to have come liquored up on purpose for a row. After entering the house, the frenzied man assaulted us with shocking oaths and threats. He was desperate, just in that state of intoxication in which he had more than his usual strength, and maddened beyond all reason. He soon struck me with all force in the forehead, but through God his blow was not more than a ball of cotton. We praised the Lord. Feeling a deep concern for the wicked man's soul, we dropped upon our knees in the middle of the room, raised our bands, and began to pray for him. But this enraged Satan more than ever. He seized a large rocking-chair and slammed it down on us with all vengeance, but through the Lord Jesus Christ our uplifted hands turned it off with ease. The storms of oaths and slamming of furniture was terrific. It looked as though there would not be a whole piece left in the room. The infuriated man grabbed a common wood-bottom chair by the back and struck down twice or three times at our head, which was safely shielded by the hand of the Lord. Glory to God in the highest! Our soul was filled with great peace in the midst of the storm; we had not the slightest fear of suffering harm.
The kind wife and a daughter, who were gloriously sanctified at the Sandy Lake meeting, tried to protect us, when the latter received a heavy blow on the shoulder from the chair, the legs having been threshed off by previous blows, making it all the better to maul with. Seeing that they were in danger of being hurt in our protection, we arose and began to retreat. The savage monster followed us out of the yard and some rods on the road with awful curses and open threats that he would kill us. Glory to the God of our salvation! There was not a hair of our head hurt, not a scratch or mark upon our body. The next morning we felt our right wrist was slightly sprained by stopping the terrible blows, but it soon disappeared. The man soon left, shortly after which his large son came, whose delay furnished the intoxicated man his opportunity for an onslaught.
Praise God, the Lord led me to do just as I had preached what a holy man should do when thus assaulted—commit our life to God, fear no evil, and let him be glorified in our death or deliverance, as he shall choose. Fearing the man might return that night and our presence excite to deeds of violence upon the family, one of the boys and I went to the barn to sleep, but I spent the night in thanksgiving to God for his sweet deliverance. Surely it is safe to trust God always.
It was while he was in western Pennsylvania that he received word from his wife that he could come and get their boy, Sidney, then a little more than three years of age. Accordingly he returned home by way of Upper Sandusky, Ohio, and got the boy. He then made a visit to the saints at Jerry City, Wood County, of which he thus speaks:
Then, following the apostolic example, we "declared what miracles and wonders God had wrought" where we have gone about preaching the kingdom of God's grace, and assured the dear saints as he did "that we must through much tribulation enter the kingdom of heaven." And the hearing of all the gracious dealing of God with our soul and in many hearts "caused great joy unto all the brethren." Many tears of sympathy and holy love flowed from the eyes of the beloved.
He arrived home at Williamston in time for the annual assembly; for which the large hall, 28×84, on the second floor of the Office building afforded a splendid place. It was a wonderful gathering of the saints. A number were ordained to the ministry, and among these he included himself, as where so many were assembled he probably decided that his call to the work should be solemnly recognized and confirmed by the laying on of hands of the elders present. As was evidenced by the success of this assembly, the work of the reformation seemed by this time to be taking a forward move. Since the Ohio assembly at Bucyrus, one year before, Brother Warner had learned to take a more fearless, unyielding attitude against deceiving elements such as had encompassed him there.
We shall ever have reasons to thank God for the benefit derived from the Ohio assembly last fall. Though much of the good anticipated was not realized because of the evil powers that were permitted to "encompass the beloved saints," yet the lessons learned as a result have furnished a protection against the devil in all subsequent meetings. The fact is, we were delivered from priestcraft and had a solemn abhorrence of everything that savored of lordism. Hence we declared the meetings free; yes, free for heretics, false prophets, and virtually for the devil himself. In our zeal to avoid all dragon authority we had also lost sight of the divine authority, and God had to permit that victorious conflict with the powers of hell to teach us the necessity of using, not lordism, but, the double-edged sword of the Almighty upon everything that is not clean and straight before God.
Since "we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before God," "we know that we are of God, and he that heareth us not is not of God." And the only sense in which we give place to such as are deformed and darkened by antichrist traditions and "doctrines of devils," is in this wise: "We give place for them at the altar, where, by entire consecration, and faith in the blood of Christ they may be cleansed from sin and all foolish conversation received by tradition from the fathers." Glory be to God, there is now a flaming sword in the assembly of his saints, that can be endured only by those who know and do the truth, and such as honestly wish to know and obey the truth as it is in Christ Jesus. We believe that all future time and eternity will not erase the glory of this [Williamston] assembly from the memory of the redeemed.
After the assembly he held a meeting in Battle Creek, Mich. The following is a portion of his account of a woman's deliverance from devil-possession, which occurred while he was there. Such instances were found from time to time. For an example we give but this one:
For some months past Mrs. Samuel Worden, of Battle Creek, Mich., has created quite an excitement in the papers throughout the country by the exercise of a supernatural power of healing. People have come from a considerable distance to be treated, and letters have poured in from every direction. Some cases of healing were actually performed.
The woman and her husband, hearing of our meetings, came to hear the gospel and seemed willing to receive the truth. She confessed that they were not fully saved and filled with the Spirit as they should be, although she claimed to heal in the name of Christ and by the power of God. She soon came to the altar. God enabled us to see her condition pretty correctly. We told her she was in the "gall of bitterness and the bonds of iniquity." She acknowledged the fact and desired deliverance. In the course of a few days she professed to have found salvation. There seemed to be a change; but still there was something in her from which the Spirit of God in our heart recoiled. She tried to consecrate for sanctification, but could not claim that grace.
On Sabbath afternoon, October 26, the power of God was upon our little meeting. There were four cases of healing by the laying on of hands. Sister Worden said that she had suffered for many years in an awful manner with what she called a confused headache. She had hands laid on her for the healing. The Spirit came on us and her in mighty power. She claimed what had been prayed for, a complete healing of her body. Presently there were strange manifestations, which the most of us at once recognized as the writhing of evil spirits in her. We asked God to show her just what it was. Presently she said, "Brother Warner, pray for me." We asked her what she wanted. She replied, "That the devil might be cast out." This was the confession we desired to draw out of her. Hands were laid on her head, and the demons were commanded to come out of her in the name of Jesus Christ. The poor victim was soon convulsed and choked by the hellish spirits, which had to come out by the power of God. She obtained relief, sat up, but did not look clear. We all kept looking to God to complete the work. Hands were laid on again in the name of Jesus. Another struggle ensued. Then we perceived that to get complete deliverance there had to be a more perfect consecration, confession, and mortification. We proceeded to use the sword of the Spirit in every possible manner. But a miserable don't-care devil answered to every point of consecration.
Oh, what an awful condition the poor woman was in! How discouraging! The devils had so long held possession of her that they had almost taken possession of her own will and thoughts. And this awful enemy had so tortured her head that she had had a hard struggle to keep out of the asylum; so when he was pressed by the power of God he caused such distress and confusion in her head that he could use her mind and organs of speech. But by the grace and mercy of God conviction reached her conscience. The poor woman made some humiliating confessions, was humbled down, and wept. She confessed her association with Spiritualists, which Satan had tried to conceal before. Glory to God, his chief nest was now revealed. The Spiritualism devil was commanded to come out of her in the name of Christ. Oh, how he tortured the poor woman! Her throat became greatly swollen. How the legions of hell struggled against the power of God! She was pretty thoroughly decided for God; declared she would have every last evil spirit cast out if it killed her. Glory to God for the mighty Deliverer! Relief came by the hand of Jesus. A great measure of peace filled her soul. She sat up in the rocking-chair and her hands were raised while we sang songs of victory for the space of an hour.
Two days later she discovered that there was still in her heart something that was not right, and a close examination discovered that she had some lingering love for Spiritualists. She confessed it, when she soon found that more evil spirits were revealed. By the laying on of hands and the power of God she was fully delivered, after which she consecrated wholly and entered the sacred rest of entire sanctification.[16] On Saturday hands were laid upon her for healing. The mighty power of God came upon her and filled her soul and body, and she was perfectly healed from the awful tortures Satan had inflicted upon her for many years. Praise God for his wonderful mercy to the oppressed children of men! For years this poor woman had struggled hard to keep out of the insane asylum; now she says, "I am 'clothed and in my right mind.'" Her neighbors see the great change in her countenance. One woman looked upon her with astonishment, and said, "Why, how your face and voice are changed! surely these meetings are the true work of God."
The months of February and March, 1885, he spent in a tour to southeastern Iowa, and northeastern Missouri. He refers to his leaving home as follows:
In the kind providence of God we were permitted to start forth on this long-expected tour January 28. God bless the beloved ones we left behind in the Trumpet Office. Oh, how our hearts are knit together in the pure love of Jesus! Bless God for those he has given to be with us in the glorious work of the Lord! But the hardest of all was to leave my precious little Sidney, not expecting to see the dear child again for some three months. But praise God for the very kind provision he has made for the poor boy in the devout family of Brother and Sister William Crandall, residing at the edge of our town. Here he is taught to pray daily, and his little heart is developed only in the pure spirit of love and obedience. He is my only living child, three years old the 24th of last June. Though he has a happy home and two little playmates, still, as may be imagined under the circumstances, his dear little heart clings to his father with the most fervent love that a child is capable of possessing, as ours also does to him. But since God so lovingly cares for him, we must leave the blessed little angel in his charge and go forth to win to Christ souls that are lost in sin.
He was gone nearly three months. The meetings in Iowa and Missouri resulted in good, yet nothing of unusual interest attended them. Early in June he made a trip to Daviess County, Ind. He had found in his evangelistic work that preaching on the street was a very effectual way of reaching the people. When he lived in Indianapolis, a few years previously, he and the saints in that place engaged frequently in preaching on the streets and in the parks. One Sunday afternoon, while preaching in Central Park, a man came to him and gave the names of persons in southern Indiana to whom he requested the Trumpet sent. Thus the Trumpet became the forerunner of his visit to Daviess County.
As we passed through the village of Odon, we notified the people that we would preach the gospel on their streets the next afternoon. Not being accustomed to such services, there was quite an interest. The people began to collect some time before the hour arrived. Store-boxes, sidewalks, etc., were converted into pews, and we had one of the best hearings we ever had on the streets. God mightily helped us by his Spirit to testify the gospel of his perfect salvation for an hour and thirty-eight minutes. Bless God, the truth swept all the sinnership religion into the pit, from whence it came. Though real Bible holiness had scarcely ever been preached in that place, and no holiness meetings ever held there, so far as we learned, yet every hearer, even lawyers, doctors, and preachers, acknowledged the practicability of perfect salvation and preservation from all sin through Christ Jesus. A Baptist preacher by the name of W—, who had been preaching to the people that no one can or does live without sinning in this world, and that all men sin day and night, sat close by us, and was convinced of the truth of the gospel and convicted of his sins. He sanctioned the word and acknowledged to others that it was all truth. We saw the tears in his eyes, and hoped he would become saved and qualified to preach for Jesus, instead of for sin and the sect.
Sabbath, the seventh, we held services in a grove near old Shiloh Bethel, south of Odon. As the appointment was circulated only after our arrival, there was not a large turnout. The Baptist preacher sat near us while preaching in the forenoon, and looking into his face during the discourse, our soul was pained to see that he had shut his heart against the truth and salvation of God. Instead of coming down to an equality with Christ, he chose to have a reputation among men, to indulge the lusts of the flesh and enjoy the friendship of the world. From that moment his "face gathered blackness." During the afternoon preaching he showed every disposition to avoid listening to the gospel of God. He came to some of the meetings afterward, just as the ungodly Pharisees followed Christ, to "catch something out of his mouth." On Wednesday evening Bro. O. Allen met and spoke to this priest of Baal, standing in a public place of the village, burning incense to the devil in gratification of the filthy lust for tobacco.
He later made another trip into Pennsylvania and attended the third annual camp-meeting at Sandy Lake. At the close of this meeting he, in company with others, drove about twelve miles to attend a Church of God (Winebrennerian) camp-meeting, held near Barkerville. His description under the title A Night in Babylon, is here given in part.
On the way we met a good many people returning from the camp, and we were no little astonished to see so many of them smoking cigars. Finally the thought forced itself on our mind, "Can it be possible that they are selling such things on the camp-ground?" But considering that it was the Sabbath-day and the people holding the camp-meeting professed to be the "Church of God," such a thing surely could not be. The very thought was shocking and preposterous. When a half mile away we saw a smoke ascending at the camp. As we entered the ground we observed a crowd of sinners standing about a building with a sign, Boarding-Tent, and the smoke from their many cigars blended into a cloud, that we had seen from a distance. Soon after landing, we said to a brother, "Let us walk up and see what they have to sell there." We did so, and adventuring into the poison-fog we walked the whole length of the long building, all opened in front, displaying a large stock of every variety of ware that would be necessary to satisfy the pride, vanity, and lust of the horse-race or any vanity-fair throng of this ungodly world.
We were shocked and amazed at this horrible traffic. The chief sale was tobacco. There the nasty, filthy stuff was piled up from one end of the building to the other. The vile curse of the earth, in every form and shape the devil ever invented, freely sold on a—oh, the blasphemy!—"Church of God" camp-ground!...
It was all licensed by the preachers in control of the meetings. And such men have the wicked presumption to call themselves ministers of Christ! One of the "merchants of these things which were made rich" by the "abundance of the delicacies," though we understand he makes no profession of Christ, was ashamed of the unhallowed traffic, and though his contract included another year, he said he would never come back again. He confessed that if he were to open up such traffic on Sabbath at his place of business in town he would be prosecuted; but the superabundance of righteousness (?) of these tobacco-soaked preachers, it would appear, was to atone for the same sins on their camp-ground. Surely it has come to pass what is written in the prophets, "They overpass the deeds of the wicked" (Jer. 5:28).
After taking some refreshment and having obtained permission to praise God, we engaged in our evening devotion, with singing and prayer, to the God of our salvation. Our doors were soon crowded with young folks to hear the singing.
The tobacco-smoke was so dense that we could scarcely endure it without getting sick. But after a few songs and prayers were offered, every one cast his cigar away and listened with seriousness. This they did without a word said by any of us....
The meeting had been in progress four days, and no soul had been saved. Not a seeker. Not even a place for a penitent to kneel, no straw on the ground. The pulpit was the only place to kneel in the congregation; as though they did not expect a poor penitent to seek God, and that the preacher should do all the praying.
On Monday morning, the services were made later than the usual hour. The preachers were doubtless perplexed how to perform in the deadness of their souls. "The sinners in Zion are afraid; fearfulness hath surprized the hypocrites" (Isa. 33:14). Not one of them would venture to preach. The services were confined to one hour. After reading a psalm, the preacher announced that all should be free to serve God by prayer, and testimony, and song, requesting brevity of each. So, as our heart was "springing up" full of the love of God, we opened our mouth to praise the Lord in singing a verse occasionally. After several had spoken we arose and testified to the great "salvation we have in Christ Jesus with eternal glory." We aimed to be very brief, but occupied seven minutes by the watch, when they began to sing. But they being but a few and "feeble folk," their song would not have interfered materially with our remarks. However, we struck in to sing until they stopped, and then sat down....
After the services were dismissed we were ordered to leave the ground as soon as we could pack up and depart; and forbidden to sing, pray, or preach, within one mile of their tobacco-soaked camp.
When asked why they would not allow us to worship God there, the president said it was because we held a second work of grace, which they did not believe. Why should they fear to hear the testimony? If they really believed that there is no "second grace," they need not fear that any of their flock would obtain it. According to their position, they were afraid of the thing that does not exist. What brave soldiers!
One of the preachers arose in the speaking-meeting and said, "According to the little bit of information I have received concerning Christ's salvation, it is all received at once." Certainly a man that has only "a little bit of information respecting Christ's salvation" has only a little bit of salvation, and that little bit of salvation was doubtless all obtained at once, for it was so little it could not have been divided. And when that very "little bit" is analyzed it is seen to consist in a mere "name to live," a "form of godliness," anointed by love of self and love of sect....
The preacher who led the meeting is saturated with tobacco and addicted to horse-trading and worldly foolish jesting. In his remarks he said we should "exemplify Christ," that is, our lives should be like his. The Lord led us to ask him if he regarded himself an example of Christ's character; whether he could consistently say to boys and men generally, "Follow the example I set before you." Not having 'sanctified the Lord Jesus in his heart,' he was not ready to give an answer. He paced the pulpit, being speechless. We repeated the question, including both him and the president. Neither answered. We then told the latter something about their being of the same spirit the old Jews and pagans were of, who forbade the apostles preaching any more in their towns. We also called their attention to the abominable and wicked traffic we saw on their ground on the Lord's day, which was licensed by them and sanctioned by their filthy habit. They could allow that corrupting bane of society; but of a few little children of God who have obtained pure hearts and desired to "worship God in the beauty of holiness," they said, "Away with them"!...
Well, we are compelled to give the manifestations at that camp the credit of being the filthiest and vilest form of Babylon we have ever met. An unconverted man who was there and witnessed the scene said to them, "God deliver me from such a sect." They are destitute of God's grace. 'For the grace of God that bringeth salvation ... teacheth us, that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world' (Tit. 2:11,12). But these live in the filth of the world, "walking after their ungodly lusts."
In a report written from this part of Pennsylvania three years later, he refers to his visit to the Winebrennerian camp, as just described, and says, "Well, that was the last camp-meeting held on that ground. Their doleful tents are rotting to the ground, and are the habitation of owls and bats."
THE FLOATING BETHEL, USED FOR SEVERAL YEARS ON THE OHIO RIVER FOR EVANGELISTIC WORK BY G. T. CLAYTON AND COMPANY. BURNED DEC. 16, 1898.
Brother Warner felt that he needed, and that the Lord was going to provide, a company of singers to go with him in the evangelistic field. It was about this time that the company who should travel with him for more than five years began to be formed. It was at the Williamston assembly that summer that Brother Warner said to Nannie Kigar, of Payne, Ohio, and to Frances Miller, of Battle Creek, who attended the meeting, that he felt impressed they would form a part of his company to help in singing and other gospel work. Their voices were soprano and alto respectively. They, with a number of other saints, accompanied Brother Warner to the Beaver Dam assembly. On their way, as they changed cars at Ft. Wayne, they met and were joined by Sarah Smith, of Jerry City, Ohio. While they were at Beaver Dam the Lord added Sister Smith to the company. Her voice furnished a high tenor. She was an elderly lady and she was called the "mother" of the company. Bro. John U. Bryant and Bro. D. Leininger, from the Beaver Dam neighborhood, also traveled in the company for a time.
After the Beaver Dam meeting, Brother Warner made a short visit to Illinois and Iowa, while the rest of the company remained at Beaver Dam and were soon engaged in a protracted meeting at the Hans Schoolhouse, where about fifty souls were saved and a great interest was created.[17] While on this trip he was healed of an affliction of the eyes. He thus speaks of it:
During the Williamston assembly in September, Satan began to afflict our eyes. At the beginning we were impressed that it was an attack of the enemy. They grew worse until we were scarcely able to read or write. The next morning after our arriving in Iowa, the Spirit impressed a sister that it was Satan who had afflicted our eyes to prevent our labors in writing, etc. Instantly recollecting the same impression in our mind at the beginning of the attack, we knew it was of God.
Our vehement faith in God and indignation against the devil were instantly aroused. We fell upon our knees and asked God to deliver us, rebuking Satan in the name of Jesus Christ. Praise God, the pain all ceased, and we were able to do a pretty good day's work. And our eyes have been well ever since. God suffered the attack doubtless to teach us a lesson concerning the origin of much of the suffering of the afflicted.
In the latter part of January he with his company of singers and coworkers went to Deerfield, Randolph County, Ind., arriving on a Saturday evening. The next morning they attended a meeting where a nominal Christian preacher had the service. They sang some of the sweet songs of victory; but this so confounded the preacher that he could not find anything in his Bible to preach, and after he had taken the pulpit he invited Brother Warner to preach. The latter preached a burning message. He had hoped for the use of the house, but it could be seen that the preacher intended to control the house that week, for he proposed that he and these people use it alternately. He was soon told that they were out on the blood and fire line, that they could not yoke up with the dead priests of Babel and would go elsewhere.
They went over into the edge of Jay County and began meetings in a United Brethren house called Prospect. Here the preaching created a furor among those who were joined to their sectarian institution and felt that it was in danger. It was like a thunderbolt in the community. The singing drew the crowds. The trustees became fearful. One of them went into the woods to pray to know what to do to get rid of these people who seemed to be taking things. The heavenly songs seemed to follow him. He felt he should attend all the meetings to see what occurred. He soon found that these people had something more than the United Brethren had. He was one of two trustees who embraced the truth, and of course desired that the meetings continue. Threats were made. A woman was heard to say, "They ought to be driven out of the country with shotguns." A Baptist preacher who came into the neighborhood said that they ought to be put in jail, and offered his service as one to help in the matter.
The United Brethren minister had been holding meetings, with but little success. A Mrs. R——, one of their number, had been praying the Lord to send somebody who would preach the truth in such a way that God would get unto himself a people who would serve him. She and a Mrs. W—— went to the altar together, with others. Brother Warner asked them whether they would be willing to separate themselves from denominationalism if the Lord should show them that duty. Sister W—— said in her heart, yes. Sister R—— turned over to her and said, "Now, they are trying to tear down the church, so let us just stick." There she turned bitter, and the very thing she had prayed for she was rejecting. She walked up and down the aisle wringing her hands and crying, "My church! my church!" Another woman said, "These people are either awfully good people or else they are desperately wicked." Once during the meeting flying missiles crashed through the windows. Glass flew across the room, striking a woman on the head and drawing blood.[18] Said Brother Warner:
People have dealt in cheap, shoddy religions so long that they feel like stoning us when we state the cost of that we are commissioned of Christ to offer the people; nevertheless, when men consent to pay the price they are always highly pleased with the results.
Such a display of sectarian idolatry was a good exhibition for some who had come out of Babylon, for they saw what they had been yoked up with. About eight persons made their escape in this meeting.
There were in attendance, as was usual in the meetings everywhere, people who gloried in hearing the sects spoken against. Such people, of course, while adding force in the start, were no substantial credit to the movement, as they were not genuine representatives.
During the winter the evangelists went to Marshall County, into a neighborhood that seemed very dark spiritually. After one of the evening meetings there, in which he had preached with marvelous power, Brother Warner was passing out the door when a young rough gave him a kick. He turned and thanked the fellow and said he always praised God when he received such treatment. As he started on he received another kick, for which he also praised God aloud. At the house where he was stopping the sister had two very wicked sons. On the night the kicking occurred one of these young men, instead of retiring to bed, sat in his chair at the fireplace, his face in his hands, groaning. When asked what was the matter, he referred to what had happened that evening and said he felt sorry for Brother Warner, for surely he was a godly man, etc. When he saw how Brother Warner received such abuse, his heart was touched, and he was much pained. He and his brother had both mistreated Brother Warner and those with him and had in their presence cursed his mother for feeding them. When they saw the love manifested their hearts melted, and they became warm friends to the saints of God.
Evangelistic company, 1886–1891
B. E. Warren Nannie Kigar Frankie Miller
D. S. Warner Sarah Smith
B. E. WARREN, SPRINGFIELD, O.
From Marshall County the company went up into Michigan, into Van Buren County. Here, at Geneva Center lived a young man whom the Lord had saved and was calling into the gospel work, Bro. Barney E. Warren. The fact that he was under twenty-one years of age and that his father was unsaved and was opposed to his going into the ministry, was an obstacle. But his father, who was a very wicked man, became very much convicted during the meetings held in a schoolhouse in the vicinity. He was seized with such trembling that in his attempt to steady himself by holding to the seats he shook the very floor of the building. Finally, in a consecration-meeting in Bro. Joseph Smith's house, near Lacota, he rebelled against the Lord and started to leave the room. Before he reached the door the strength of his legs gave way and he sank instantly to the floor, and was unable to go farther. He then yielded. Brother Warner asked him if he was willing to let Barney go into the gospel work. His reply was, "Barney is the Lord's." The way was then opened for the young Brother Warren, and in the following April he became a part of the little singing company that should travel with Brother Warner for the next five years, and should consist of, besides Brother Warren, who was a base singer, Sisters Nannie Kigar, Frances Miller, and Mother Smith. This constituted a complete quartet, with Brother Warner often reenforcing the tenor.
There had come to be many saints gathered in the one fold in this part of Michigan. Bros. A. B. Palmer, S. Michels, W. B. Grover, and S. L. Speck were ministerial workers whom God was using in this vicinity. At this time Brother Warner was called to Williamston to help get out the second edition of the Songs of Victory, the first song-book published at the Gospel Trumpet Office. Of the first edition there were over fifteen hundred copies sold in less than three weeks. Holy song exerted a wonderful influence in the reformation. With reference to his return to Williamston we include a paragraph from his report.
The day we arrived at home a good steam-engine was brought into the Trumpet Office, by the kind blessing of God, Brother Fisher having previously engaged it. Thank God that we live to see this day. The glorious work is spreading like fire in the earth. Glory to God and the Lamb! Oh, what hosts of fire-baptized saints we have met! With the increase of numbers there is a continual advancement in clearness and power.
Thus there was a long day of waiting before a steam-engine was used in the Trumpet Office. Every improvement of this kind was always an occasion of much rejoicing for Brother Warner.
By this time the truths of the reformation were being extensively scattered. Besides the workers named in southwestern Michigan, there were G. T. Clayton in western Pennsylvania, C. Z. Lindley in Iowa, J. P. Haner in Kansas, and W. N. Smith and others in Ohio. The Lord was raising up ministers in various places, and many people were accepting the truth.
The first engagement for Brother Warner and his company, after the latter had been definitely formed, was at Walkerton, Ind., in April, 1886. They remained two weeks, and a few souls came out on the clear Bible line. There was a little persecution here, as was usual. They found the place dark with prejudice. Over forty of the professors in the place were joined in a holiness band. They professed sanctification, but most of them were connected with sects.
We went to their meeting on Tuesday night before we began operations in the hall. Being held in the United Brethren house, the meeting was led by Pastor S—, of that sect. God powerfully baptized our soul, and we praised him in prayer and testimony, which made the sect priest grow black in the face. He afterward tried to make out that we had come there and interrupted their meeting, and actually caused a report of that kind to go out. He spared no pains to fill the place with all manner of evil against us. Like Demetrius, the silversmith, his craft was in danger....
The Methodist priest delivered a lecture on Monday night in favor of secret societies; he labored especially to make a good character for the Odd Fellows. The Holy Spirit put it upon us to rebuke such agents of the devil. This the class-leader of that sect said made his blood boil. So he went about the town breathing out his venom against us and enlisting as many as possible in an effort to induce the proprietor of the hall to break his contract and close the hall. They succeeded in so influencing him; but the power of God turned his mind right around, and he not only gave the hall cheerfully to the extent of the time, but offered it as much longer as we wanted it or at any time we might return.
Threats were made, eggs were thrown, and there was considerable disturbance. But the effect of such abuse was the raising up of many friends for the truth and the salvation of a few souls. Brother Warner was again called home, and the company returned to Beaver Dam.
The next trip for the company was to the Prospect neighborhood, in Jay County, where the truth had been planted the previous winter. This was in May. Brother Warner and Brother and Sister Fisher went directly to Portland by train, while the company, including S. L. Speck and Clara Morrison, were conveyed from Beaver Dam in a wagon. Of this trip across the country in a wagon, Sister Frances Miller wrote an account in her diary. It is interesting reading in these days of automobiles, when such a trip can be made in a few hours, and we here include it as she wrote it.
The brethren from Beaver Dam carried our little company from that place to Sweetser, Grant County, by lumber-wagon. We started at 5 A. M., and reached our destination about 9 P. M. We had a glorious time by the way, praising God and singing those beautiful songs. About two miles beyond Roann we drove in at the edge of a beautiful piece of woods and stopped for dinner. We placed the seats in a circle and spread our dinner upon Father's green carpet, then thought we would praise him with a song, supposing we were alone in the woods.
In a few moments we were surrounded with cattle. There must have been at least twenty-five or thirty, with their eyes wide open, gazing at us. We felt that God had put the love of music in these dumb animals, and we sang two or three songs for their benefit.
Mother Smith then asked God to bless the food, and we all thanked him for it, in our hearts. After the horses had finished their dinner we pursued our way, rejoicing because we had Jesus in our souls, and he made melody through us to the Father.
The next morning the Beaver Dam brethren returned home, and brethren at Sweetser brought us to Prospect, Jay County. We started at 7 A. M. It was a beautiful morning. The recent rains had laid the dust, and we had pike roads most of the way, making traveling delightful. In the afternoon the clouds began to gather blackness, and in a short time a terrible storm was upon us. The rain came down in torrents, drenching us through and through. The wind was furious. It seemed almost every moment as though it would take us up. Then the hailstones came down so thickly the horses refused to go. We were seemingly in the midst of an ocean of water. The recent heavy rains had flooded the country, washing away several bridges.
We had quite an adventurous trip; forded one river, and the horses, while pulling us through a deep creek, pulled loose from the wagon, leaving us in the water. We were able to get to land, however. This was about two hours after the storm, and while the brethren were repairing the wagon we gathered hailstones by the handful in the fence corners.
Well, I am satisfied that none but the pure in heart could relish such a storm. We did enjoy it; and God so filled our hearts that we praised him through it all. And when the wind was blowing the thickest, the calmness in our souls was indescribable. We knew God had power to prevent the storm; but in his wisdom he saw it was just what we needed, and his will being ours, we thanked him for it and left the consequences of our becoming wet in his hands, knowing all would work out for our good.
After the storm, it turned quite cold. We had thirty miles yet to drive; but we had the holy fire burning within us. We reached Brother Key's about twelve o'clock that night, waking Brother and Sister Key with the song, "Oh, 'twas love, 'twas love, that found out me!" The next morning, Saturday, May 15, we arose feeling refreshed after a few hours' rest, not one of us feeling any the worse after our exposure of the previous day.
Oh, what a wonderful God! Let us praise him for his goodness and for his wonderful works to the children of men. We drove out to Prospect that morning, six miles, and to our surprize and joy met Brother and Sister Fisher, who had come with Brother Warner. Our hearts were made to rejoice to meet the dear saints at Prospect, with whom we had labored in the Lord last January. We had a glorious time and witnessed the salvation of many precious souls.
This second meeting at Prospect was to be held in a grove; but on account of the weather being cold and damp, and the meeting-house being refused, the meetings were held most of the time in a granary building owned by a brother, Jesse Wickersham. This brother had given the land on which the Prospect meeting-house stood, and had contributed largely to its erection, with the understanding that the house should be open to all true worshipers of God. But here the sect refused the house, the preaching of the truth on the former occasion having been too much for them.[19]
In August of this year (1886) was held the first of the annual grove- or camp-meetings in the Beaver Dam vicinity. It was in W. W. Ballenger's grove. For the next five years the annual camp-meeting was held in J. Kuhn's woods; and then, beginning in 1892, it was held for five years in D. Leininger's woods. Beginning with 1897 this meeting has since been held on the beautiful ground overlooking Yellow Lake.
Before attending the Indiana grove-meeting in August, Brother Warner felt impressed that from that meeting he should labor on a line eastward from that place. In conjunction with this came urgent calls from that direction, and brethren even made preparation for his coming before asking him. The first place was Arcola, Ind. We quote from his report in which he speaks of this part of his trip:
On Friday morning, August 13, with our heart melting with pure parental love for our child, we kissed his innocent cheek and left him in silent slumber, not daring to wake him lest his little heart should break with grief at our departure, and our soul also be filled with sorrow at his pitiful tears. O God, thou knowest the abundance of thy grace that enables us to tear away from this affectionate child! The poor boy has recently been sick insomuch that many of the saints despaired of his life. O Lord, only thou knowest the great trial of our soul when we felt the awful sickness of our boy, by the Spirit of God, while we were making up the last Trumpet at Williamston, and packing the Office, which none of our company had any experience in! Our presence was much needed, so that we did not feel permitted to go, though we keenly felt his sickness and told some of the saints that we felt he was sick. After suffering those feelings a week, we received a letter stating that he had been very low but was better. This took a great load off our heart, and a few days later a second letter stated that through the laying on of hands in prayer the Lord had gloriously healed the poor little fellow.
Oh, praise our God for his great mercy toward us, that he has spared our soul the great sorrow of such a bereavement as would have been the departure of this last and dear-beloved friend in the flesh! And yet we know that had the blessed Lord seen fit to take him, as in all the trials of the past we would have been "exceeding joyful in all our tribulations." This trial of our faith was a great blessing to us. It gave us a sure evidence that notwithstanding our intense love for the child we could leave him in the hands of God, and feel sweetly resigned to his will who had worked for us elsewhere. We found the precious boy feeling well, but still so slim and poor that it touched our heart to look upon his lean face. The Lord bless Brother Leininger's family, with whom the child was staying during his sickness, and all the beloved saints who did all they could for the comfort and help of the dear boy.
We started at three o'clock in the morning, the Lord having sent a glorious shower before us to cool the air and put away the dust. As the day began to break, we were blessed in looking at the sublime and beautiful clouds which Father piled up in the heavens, of every shape, tint, and hue. Looking to the north we saw the perfect form of a great hand pointing to the East, and the Spirit of God filled our heart as we acknowledged it the hand of our Father, and that we were going in the direction Father was pointing. We felt something like Nehemiah must have felt when he said, "The hand of the Lord is good upon me."
Two of the "homes" where Brother Warner and the earlier evangelists and workers always found a welcome. The upper residence is that of Joseph F. Smith, near Grand Junction, Mich.; the lower one that of David Leininger, near Beaver Dam, Ind.
These two old buildings, now crumbling to decay, were used thirty-five years ago as houses of worship by the saints at and around Grand Junction, Mich. The one in the upper picture, known as "Smith's," is about three and one half miles northwest of Grand Junction; and the other, known as the "log house," is about the same distance northeast.
We sang the praises of God much of the way, and the gentle breezes carried the sweet sound over the surrounding country. Once we finished a hymn just as we were ascending a hill. At the top of the hill, to our right, stood a house. The song had sounded on ahead of us and found an echo in the heart of a blessed old mother in Israel, who was clapping her hands and shouting the praises of God, and who waved her hand and nodded her head toward us as we came opposite the house, as good as to say, "I felt the Spirit of God in the song and it has set my soul on fire." Oh, how it stirred our soul, as we saw the joyful demonstrations of the dear old sister! We reached our destination in good time and had a blessed meeting that night.
That his frail body should endure the strenuous evangelistic work—the much travel, loss of sleep, and the strain of preaching and laboring for souls—as well as editing and writing for the Trumpet, is in itself a miracle. On more than one occasion, when he was exhausted, he was miraculously strengthened by the power of the Spirit. The following is a portion of his account of the meeting at Antwerp, Ohio, held while on this tour:
Having labored hard all day in the Lord, our body was so worn that we felt scarcely able to stand on our feet, so closed the meeting about dark. But finding some unsaved souls had just come who seemed concerned about salvation, we asked God to touch our body with renewed strength. Praise God, he did as we asked. We called the people to order and renewed the battle of the Lord for the rescue of perishing souls at stake. Praise God, a rich harvest of souls followed. We labored on until after ten o'clock. Two or three times we announced the meeting closed, when other souls were found under conviction and were constrained by the Spirit of God to yield. About eight were converted and a few sanctified through the blood. The work was wrought in mighty power. Strong men shouted in their new-born joys sent down from heaven by the sweet Spirit of adoption. Oh, what a heavenly sight! Even little boys, who had just found the Lord, were so powerfully blessed of God that they clapped their hands and leaped with the glory. In twenty years of labor for God we never saw anything like it. It verily seemed their little bodies must burst asunder by the power of the Spirit....
Every meeting is getting richer and more wonderful. O my Lord, whereunto will this great kingdom yet grow? Truly the saints of the Most High have taken the kingdom and the dominion and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven.
Leaving his company at Jerry City, Ohio, he returned to Van Buren County, Mich., long enough to attend the assembly at Geneva Center where saints from over an extensive territory were gathered. He makes the following reference to this meeting:
Tuesday afternoon, the great day of the feast, near the beginning of the service, we sang, Perishing Souls at Stake, when the Holy Spirit overwhelmed all our souls with the awful condition of this dark world and the worth of millions of souls who would receive the pure gospel and be saved if it were brought to them. Oh, how all our hearts were melted in sympathy for "perishing souls at stake today!"
Up to that time we had been looking for one of the dear ministerial brethren to work with us; but then we said, O Lord, send them everywhere, and we will trust thee to 'make all grace abound unto us, so that we always, having all sufficiency in all things, may abound unto every good work.' Through the Lord Jesus Christ we feel abundantly able to do as much preaching and laboring with souls as one man would be supposed to perform, and also one man's work with the pen....
How beautiful the sight of God's host, all mustered to the battle by the Lord himself! No jealousy, strife, and selfish manipulation for the best places and fattest fields. Every soul feels that he has the very best place while he abides in Christ and Christ abides in us. Oh, what fools the devil has made of poor blind Babylonians whose backs are galded by the sect harness and whose hearts are often crushed beneath the sect machinery! We speak from experience. For ten years we felt this cold, heartless heel of selfish oppression. More than once we wet our pillow with the tears that the accursed Baal-idol pressed from our wounded heart. By the grace of God we shall "render unto her double," as God hath commanded us.
Instead of wire-pulling and ungodly plotting against one another, and each one greedily looking for his meat from his quarter, each worker in the Lord's vineyard is looking to the Lord to guide his feet in the paths of His own will. And all go out in perfect freedom whither the Lord will and yet all work in perfect harmony, under the sweet and heavenly management of the Holy Spirit.
Of his return to Ohio and of an attempt by a mob to capture and mistreat him we have his account in the Trumpet of Nov. 1.
After the assembly of the saints in Michigan, we returned to our little company of fellow workers in Ohio; found them all together at dear Brother and Sister Miller's, at Jerry City. Praise God, it was joyful to our souls to meet all well again. How all hearts praised God for the tidings of his wonderful works in the assembly! Of course dear Brother Barney began to bound like a rubber ball, almost to the ceiling, when he learned of the salvation of his brother William. Doubtless angels in heaven took a part in the celebration of God's holy praises....
October 1 we came to Bro. S. Phillips', near Rising Sun. We held some meetings in a house on his place. We enjoyed preaching the glorious gospel of Christ to the people that came together there....
October 7, we moved a few miles farther east and one mile north, to the house of dear Bro. Daniel Roush, where we invited the neighbors together to hear the word of the Lord. The room soon proved too small, and the weather being pleasant, we obtained a tent from Brother Phillips, that covered about 18×20 feet, which we attached to one end of a large porch; these together made quite a good meeting-room. The Lord helped us to preach the glorious gospel of Christ, and we poured out the vials of God's wrath upon every evil way. The Lord worked, and souls were saved almost every day.
Thursday, October 14, the Lord sent a very strong wind and we had to take the tent down. That night we held the meeting in the house. The night being dark and rainy, the congregation was not very large. While we were preaching the word, suddenly in rushed