Birth of a Reformation; Or, The Life and Labors of Daniel S. Warner

by A. L. Byers

I am so glad to get the Gospel Trumpet. I think it is the best paper I ever read. It speaks the Bible truth.

May the Lord bless you in the good work, and give you grace and strength to withstand all the fiery darts that Satan and his hosts can hurl at you. God and Christ shall be for walls of salvation about you. Whom shall we fear when God is our friend? I am trusting in Jesus for a full and free salvation. 'Without holiness no man shall see God.' It does my soul good to read the testimonies of how God is healing both soul and body, I believe he is willing to manifest as much power on earth today as he did when Christ was here in the flesh. Your sister, saved through the blood,L. B.

We are continually praising God for the way he is keeping you through every severe trial. When we understood the reality of your trials we all wept as if we had been at a funeral. How our hearts go out in sympathy for you! O dear brother, hold on to God; he will not forsake those that trust in him. You must come to our camp-meeting without fail, for we know God wants you here; but the sect people are hoping you will not come. Your sister,M. J. F.

May God reward you in your great work. Some good friend is sending me the Trumpet, and I do love to read it, because it has the right ring. It sounds as if it had been baptized in the Holy Ghost and with fire. I never saw until I was baptized with the Holy Ghost the corruption of sectism. I am so glad that there are a few that do stand for Christ and him alone. Your brother,H. B. C.

My prayer is that you may continue blowing the Trumpet, and that it may always give a clear and certain sound. I had a pretty sharp discussion with a minister today on the subject of sanctification. By the grace of God I was under the necessity of telling him that he was not a competent witness on the subject, having never received the experience. Oh, why will men attempt to explain and preach that of which they know nothing! May the God of all grace be continually your refuge and your exceeding great reward.M. M.

That the Trumpet had the right ring was a fact recognized wherever there were spiritual Christians who had felt the oppression and seen the evils of human control in the so-called churches, and of course that meant in all parts of the country. There were many ready to fall in line with its teachings. Besides Beaver Dam, in Kosciusko County, Ind., and Carson City, in Michigan, as original centers, there had come to be congregations in other parts of the States named, and in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Missouri, Iowa, Kansas, and others. The reformation was in all places marked with spiritual vigor, enthusiasm, joy, love, fellowship, confidence, and activity. People who came in contact with it and who were not already prejudiced by sectarianism, were made to feel, by a spiritual discernment, that "this is the way" and "these people have the truth." A spirit of victory pervaded the work everywhere. God manifested himself by the outpouring of his Spirit and by miraculous healings and answers to prayer.

A remarkable instance of healing occurred at the first camp-meeting held near Bangor, in southwestern Michigan, in June, 1883. Emma Miller, who lived in Battle Creek, had been an invalid for nearly three years. Her eyes had become affected and she had to be led about. For nearly the whole period of three years (or, lacking one month) she had not read a line of print. After her conversion, which occurred nine months previously to her healing, she was plainly shown by the Lord that she would be healed. On being invited to the camp-meeting she was again shown, in answer to her prayer, that she would be healed. She requested her friends to provide her with paper and envelopes, promising to write to them. In this confidence she went to the meeting.

On the fourth morning of the meeting, after continued prayer had been offered, she was impressed she would be healed that day. Brother Warner had been called away from the meeting, but J. C. Fisher and others were present. Here was a case of blindness. Her eyes were covered with a film and the lids were closed through paralysis and she could not open them. But nothing daunted the little body of spiritual workers here assembled. Fasting and importunity characterized the earnest prayer. About 5 P. M. of the day mentioned, while Sister Miller was seated on the rostrum, where she had been requested to sit that all might see, suddenly her eyes were opened and she gazed upon the audience and praised the Lord. The people were amazed. Some fell to shouting, which was heard two miles away. Others trembled and cried. After praising God for an hour or more Sister Miller went out into the bright sunlight without any unpleasant sensation, the first time for nearly three years, and wrote two postal cards. Her eyes became bright and strong. Sister Miller (now Mrs. A. B. Palmer) is still living and has had her sight ever since.

Marvelous healings were common, but as this one was a healing of complete blindness and was one of the earliest cases, it is here mentioned. Another divine manifestation was the power given to the ministry over devils. Since the early centuries it has not been characteristic of any spiritual movement prior to this one, so far as the author has learned, that devils were in such subjection and had to come out of those possessed.

By this time quite a force of ministers had been raised up in various portions of the country. Over in Missouri was a man named Jeremiah Cole, who had been led into the light independent of any human instrumentality. He had suffered from dyspepsia for twelve years; he had been so bad he could eat only specially prepared articles of food. He was instantaneously and wonderfully healed in answer to his own importuning prayer, so that he could eat all ordinary foods without discomfort. His own healing led to the healing of his sister, Mary, who had been an invalid all her life. She began to have spasms at two years of age, and later dyspepsia and other ailments, until her life was one of continual suffering. Through her own prayer and that of her brother, she also was led to claim her healing, and the work was done. Both of these persons became effective ministers in the reformation.