A brother asked concerning our holiness. So we bowed together and had a season of prayer, and as we afterward began to talk he constantly interrupted me, would not let me finish a point or connect the Scripture proofs of the two works. We bowed again in prayer and he led. He asked God to purify his heart and take all the evil nature out of him. After arising I remarked that as he would interrupt all my efforts to give him instruction I would now ask him some questions and learn. I asked him what things we were allowed of God. Answer, "Such things as he promises." Do you always pray for such only? "Yes." Do you receive them? "Yes." Then you have just now been sanctified, made pure, is it not so? "Yes." Then you should hereafter not ask God to do what he has done! But he contended that he should keep on making the same prayer. Brother Larcomb suggested the equal propriety of continuing to pray to God to convert him. Oh what confusion and ignorance! Still they thought we had gone astray.
31. A. M., wrote. Eve, met at seven and continued the meeting until after twelve. The house was crowded, the isles standing full of people to the close of the meeting. Pretty good order for the throng. Brother Updike preached. After some altar work, we had good testimony-meeting. I then preached a short discourse on Eph. 4:22-24. A few minutes before twelve the altar was again filled with seekers and little ones. I read the Christian consecration, and all said amen. The power of God came upon us. Many shouts. A Mother Goodwin, of the M. E. Church, was the subject of a wonderful work of grace tonight. For eighteen years she had sought for this experience. She had a dreadful death, turned perfectly white and shook like a leaf. She hesitated to believe through the temptation of unworthiness. I asked her if Christ was not worthy. Told her to believe for the glory of his name. Then she took hold. She soon fully overcame by the blood of the Lamb and the word of her testimony. It was a wonderful work wrought by the power of God in one of the most intelligent and pious ladies of Findlay, of about fifty years of age. She was filled with wonder at the great change and testified with a halo of glory beaming from her countenance. How can such a marked work be doubted? What a reproach upon the ministry that this dear saint should be kept eighteen years in the wilderness longing for some Joshua to lead her over to the land of perfect rest of soul from all sin!
Jan. 1, 1878. Praise God for the mercies of the past year. I am so thankful that the old year witnessed the final death of the old man in me, and now for the first time I enter upon the New Year all renewed in the image of God. Glory to his name in the highest! I am redeemed and washed in the blood of the Lamb. O Canaan, sweet Canaan, surely here flows milk and honey! God is my everlasting all, my satisfying portion. Oh, wonders of redeeming love! Can it be that through the precious blood of Christ I have "entered into the holiest" and am forever shut in with God, and dead to the world! O God, I feel that I can stand in thy holy presence! I tremble with awe and reverence. O my God and Redeemer! keep me on thine altar and in spotless purity lest I offend thy Holiness and die. I shall forever dwell with thee, and through the riches of thy boundless grace my whole being, every thought, word, feeling, emotion, appetite, desire, wish, purpose, and action, yea my whole life, shall be a continual offering to God, in the flames of his love. Amen. Almighty, All-wise, and ever present God, fulfil this thy pleasure in me. I am in thy hands. Amen and amen.
A. M., wrote some. Met at 10 A. M. and held meetings until 4 P. M.; the power of God rested upon us. Four, I believe, were sanctified. The Lord gave me much light on the sanctuary as setting forth the different degrees of grace (Heb. 10:19,22). In chapter 8 the apostle compares the sanctuary and the temple service with the present spiritual house or church. 9:9 shows that the former temple service was typical of the church, also 10:11. Now, as the temple all through the Bible typifies the church, so also the tabernacle. We must make some application of its departments. This the apostle does for us. The court represents penitence or approach to the church, the sanctuary or "holy." From this we have access into the "holiest." In the sanctuary they are "brethren" and (v. 22) have "their hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience." Were justified when they came into the holy, and now are invited into the holiest, not into heaven but into a state of purity through the blood of Christ.
2. Wrote some. Brother Doty came today. Thank the Lord. Eve. Brother Doty preached on the difference between justification and entire sanctification. (1) Inbred sin is not cognizable to our consciousness when actual sin and guilt crowd the conscience. (2) We need not lack wisdom, for such is Christ to us; but may greatly lack knowledge. (3) Entire sanctification takes away all vain curiosity. (4) Makes us simple in giving, etc. (5) Leaves natural appetites the same, but removes unnatural.
Two were most gloriously sanctified, one an old mother over eighty years of age. Oh, how wonderfully God blessed her! She ran around as spritely as a young girl. The house, as usual, was greatly crowded, the space on the floor about all occupied by standers. The whole city is stirred. All the protracted efforts in the place are without interest. All the elements are attracted here. Sinners want this kind of religion that saves from all sin. Glory to God forever! Some of the county officials, I presume, are getting uneasy, hence concluded that we could no longer have the court-house. Received the promise of the Reform house, at least for the next evening.
3. God's power was with us. Three souls were sweetly sanctified, one of whom, a sister Miller, was converted to God from Catholicism last winter. They say her conversion was among the most bright of the 150 converts and her life has been true. Oh how calm and clearly she came out! Her testimony was sublime and more than human. It was spoken by the Spirit. Praise God! Another meeting was held in East Findlay. The Lord was also there in power. A brother in the Church of God who had rashly denounced holiness was sanctified at this meeting.
Eve, the promised house was not opened. The little ones were scattered each not knowing where to meet the rest, and yet we felt a great desire to be together. One company gathered and we went to a United Brethren Church. As we passed along, crowds gathered after us and asked where we were going to have meeting. The people were much disappointed. Brother Engle, the pastor, preached an earnest sermon to sinners from, "The way of the transgressor is hard." I felt that the church was an iceberg between this sanctified preacher and the sinners. We all prayed fervently for the efficacy of the word. Some twelve arose for prayer, among the number was Sister Wert's son, a very intelligent young man with whom I called today. When I asked him concerning his soul's interests, he said that he did not "go much on religion." I calmly replied that I presumed he had none to go on. I added that I did not go on religion either before I had any to go on. This was God-sent, and he knew not how to express himself again. I waited a few seconds then proposed prayer. We all kneeled and I presented him to the mercy of God. After holding his hand and giving him a few words I left him, praying to God to bring him down to the cross. Praise God, I saw him rise in the congregation.
Brother Linsey and I stayed up all night in prayer to God for Findlay. God rolled upon our hearts a dreadful agony for souls and gave us an awful sight of the wicked apostasy of the churches. Like the old prophets, we groaned and cried to God for salvation to come out of Zion.
27. Sabbath. Met at the United Brethren Church. Good testimony-meeting. One sister said, "I do not believe in a second work; would as leave you would hit me in the face as to speak of it; it is like a dart to my heart to hear it." Just so the "pure testimony put forth in the Spirit cuts," etc. Brother Engle read a very interesting chapter of United Brethren history showing the holiness revival in that church. Otterbein, Bishop Edwards, Wilson, and many others of the most eminent ministers professed and taught holiness as a distinct work.