Doubtless this Brother had been converted. His father was a United Brethren preacher, and believed in the life and power of salvation. This Brother had said to me previous to this that he and his father used to hold meetings with just such results and manifestations as you Free Methodist have. He was looked upon by the association as a free thinker.
Doctor D. T. was next called on. “Well,” said the aged divine, “I sin every day in thought, word and deed. That is all I have to say about that paper.”
A Congregationalist missionary to the churches of America, was present, having preached in the city the Sabbath previous.
When called upon to state his views upon the paper, remarked, “I take no stock in the doctrine discussed by the paper. If it means to feel good, there may be something in it and it’s possible I have got it, for there are times when I feel pretty good.”
Several preachers present would not venture a remark on the subject. The only one that endorsed the paper was Rev. Frank Beck, an M. E. preacher. He endorsed it heartily, backing up his argument by Scripture, Wesley and others; at the same time he was in bondage to oath-bound societies, and lacked that freedom and unction which every minister of the gospel ought to possess—might possess, if all was on the altar, accepted of God, set on fire of the Holy Ghost.
I was surprised with that intelligent, cultured, company of ministers, who manifested such ignorance in regard to what was meant, in being a gospel minister, or a real child of God.
Brother H. H. S., a Presbyterian, when asked what he had to say, replied, “I never met with any of those changes; and am satisfied with this—I have always been good. I think that I was converted before I was born, never since.”
XIII.
A Direct Route.
Many have a desire to see Jesus, but miss the route, and fail in the end. They say a great deal, and do much—but after all they fail. We read of one away back in the days when Christ was on earth, who desired to see him, and hearing that he was to pass that way hastened to the road where he was to pass, and climbed up a tree, in order as he supposed to have a fine prospect; but Jesus called him down. It is just so with many at the present day; they want to see Jesus, but take the wrong route! they climb up,—i. e., they tell you how good they are; how much good they have done here and there. I heard a young preacher say, he went to Baltimore and converted two souls. His talk was full of self. Jesus was not the one altogether lovely with him.
It’s down at the foot of the cross, where flows the blood, that bought our guilty souls for God. This brother like a great many, fail to touch the blood, consequently, they always dine on old manna.