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

by A. L. Byers

At this point in his diary Brother Warner tells of his expulsion from the West Ohio Eldership, and gives the subject a special heading.

TRIAL AND EXPULSION FROM THE WEST OHIO ELDERSHIP OF THE CHURCH OF GOD FOR PREACHING FULL SALVATION; FOR FOLLOWING THE HOLY SPIRIT; FOR HELPING TO SAVE OVER 150 SOULS IN THIS PLACE

30. Standing Committee met in Findlay today. Principal business to attend to was charges prefered by Bro. G. W. Wilson against Bro. J. V. Updike and me—against him for maladministration of the church here, deserting it, and turning church interests over to the Holiness Alliance, etc.; against me for (1) transcending the restrictions of the Eldership, (2) violating rules of cooperation, (3) participating in dividing the church.

As to the first, it relates to an action of the body last Eldership in which I was prohibited from springing the holiness meeting on any church where they did not wish it. This charge was not sustained by a single proof. The facts are as follows: Father Keller was led by the Spirit to go to Findlay to procure a place for a holiness meeting. He found a meeting in progress in the Church of God, tried to get the house to begin as soon as they were through, but they refused. He then engaged the Reformed house, but left an offer still with the Church of God to occupy their house if they concluded to let us have it. When we received word that the meeting was about to close we went up and found it still in progress, and as the holiness workers were there, we wished to begin a meeting on the holiness line. We gave the church the first offer to use their house, and they consented to our using the house. However, this I think they did because they knew that if we went to another house we would carry all the interests from their house. And when the whole counsel of God was presented they could not stand it, but gathered in the back end of the house with wicked men and fought the work of God, so that we soon saw that nothing could be done there, hence we removed to the court-house. I had nothing at all to do with the appointment of the meeting there and only did some of the preaching after Father Keller and Brothers Ackers and Linsey had got the use of the house from the elders and trustees, or a majority of them.

Second charge, "Violation of rules of cooperation." The rule cited was like this: No person shall go upon another's field of labor to hold meetings, etc, without the consent of preacher and church. When we announced meeting at the court-house, one of the elders announced preaching there at the Bethel the next night. Brother Wilson filled the pulpit and continued some four or five nights with no success and small congregations. Now, because I assisted in the meeting at the court-house while these church services were continued in the same town, I am thus charged, when these meetings were really appointed after and in opposition to the real work of the Lord, where souls were daily being saved.

Third charge, "Dividing the church." I showed that the only results of the holiness meeting were fifty-three sinners converted and 118 believers sanctified, and that all the division and confusion was caused by the carnal and wicked opposition on the part of the rest of the church, just like the envious Jews stirred up the people at Thessalonica and Berea (Acts 17) and interrupted the apostles in their peaceable work of leading souls to Jesus, as well as disturbed the peace of the city. The apostles, of course, had to bear the blame, and like everywhere else they went, bonds and prisons awaited them; and I, too, was ready to suffer affliction with the people of God for the sake of Christ. All Adam became aroused, so that I was stopped from reading other Scriptures. [He had been reading and speaking from Isa. 32:15.] When for the sake of the dear people calling themselves the Church of God I was studying how to compromise the two elements in the church here, the Lord gave me this text, and the Spirit led me to preach it straight, although it conflicted with what I had cherished, that is, a hope of fraternizing the sanctified and the unsanctified.

Eve, Brother Updike's case was adjusted by the Committee, the elders, and himself. They tried hard to bind him down to abandon holiness as a definite work and to have no communion with holiness workers. He agreed to some restrictions about preaching holiness where it was not wanted. Received his license and was placed on McComb circuit. Evidently they have some hopes of leading him to a recantation. May the mercy and grace of God keep him from coming down from the highway! Brother Chambers was at our meeting in North Findlay this eve.

31. Was brought to the depot this morn in sled. Heavy snow falling. After I had been riding some time in the train with him in conversation, Brother Cassel, one of the Committee, seeing that I was not enough concerned to ask him what disposition they had made of my case, informed me that the Committee had decided that the charges were sustained, and that they had withheld my license.[8] I thanked him for their decision and assured him that if I were to look upon the matter from the mere human standpoint and consider my attachment to the Church of God and her principles, I should regard their action a dreadful calamity and intolerable to bear; but that I had now that charity which "believeth all things" and "endureth all things," and therefore I calmly rested in the promise of God that "all things work together for good" to me, and the sweet assurance that my dear Father, to whom I belonged, would turn this and everything else (as long as I stay on the altar) to my good and his glory. Praise his holy name! Reached home about 2 P. M.

Up to the time of leaving Findlay there were 53 converted, 118 believers sanctified, including about all the 53 converts. Many of them were sanctified at the next meeting after converted, and a few the same meeting. Glory to God for full salvation!

Following the effort at Findlay, a series of holiness meetings was held at Upper Sandusky in the early part of February. Brother Dunbar and others assisted. On the 9th, Brother Warner was called to spend Sunday at Dunkirk, and was kept there for several days. While at Dunkirk he was impressed by the Spirit to announce that if any sick in the town would send for him he would go in faith to pray for them to recover. A sister who had been afflicted for years with catarrh in the head, which had spread to the throat and lungs so that she was consumptive, thought much about being healed. She had strong faith and came to meeting the next day, and in answer to prayer was gloriously healed, perfectly sound. Another, a blacksmith in Dunkirk, was impressed to go and pray for the healing of a young colored sister on the verge of death from consumption. She was wonderfully benefited, as for six weeks she had to be lifted from her bed but now was able to arise and, assisted by the hand of a sister, walk across the floor. She had been able only to whisper, but now could sing praises to God.