15 November 1888, Volume 10, Number 17.

The Final Triumph.

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’Tis done, the world’s long night is o’er.
At last is reached the longed for shore.
Life’s transient tale is told:
The Crystal City bursts in sight,
With gates of pearl and sapphire bright,
And streets of purest gold!

One theme each sainted bosom fires,
The thunder of the myriad choirs
The anthem peals prolong;
No wearied frame, no languid eye,
Suspend the swelling minstrelsy
Of the exultant throng.

See! more than conquerors they stand,
Clothed in white robes: in every hand
Waves the triumphal palm;
Down at His feet each crown is thing,
And onward rolls from tongue to tongue,
“Salvation to the Lamb!”

“Blessing and glory, might and power,
Ascribe to Him for evermore,
Ye countless hosts of heaven;
Unto the Lamb who once was slain,
Who through eternal years shall reign,
Immortal praise he given!”

Selected.

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WHAT ABOUT THE MILLENNIUM?

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In the issues of Sept. 15, and Oct. 1, we have proved by a great many Scriptures that we are in the last dispensation of time, that Christ will soon come to judge the quick and the dead, and that His coming will end the work of salvation, and fix the doom of all men, they that know God and obey Him, in Heaven, and all that have neglected His great salvation, in hell. But if all this is going to be consummated soon, some may ask where is the expected millennium to come in? Now we shall show by the Word of God that all this long babel about a thousand years of great peace and righteousness on earth, is simply blind imaginations. There is not one passage in all the Bible that speaks of a millennium, or thousand years reign on the earth. After “the Lion of the tribe of Judea had prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof,” which means opened the plan of salvation, and “the seven eyes which are the seven spirits of God — the perfect power of the Divine Spirit — were sent forth into all the earth.” Then we hear the redeemed shouting praises to God and saying, “Thou hast made us unto our Cod, kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.” Nothing is said about this reign on the earth being a thousand years. We are both kings and priests at the same time, and that is in the present reign of Divine grace.

Ye also as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. — 1 Pet. 2:5.

But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light: — 1 Pet. 2:9.

Again saith the Revelator, Grace be unto you, and peace * * * from Jesus Christ who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto Him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in His own blood, and hath made us kings and priests unto God and His Father; to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen! — Rev. 1:5, 6. This is plain and conclusive. We are already kings and priests unto God, and reign on the earth. Yea, “much more they which received abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one Jesus Christ.” — Rom. 5:27. Not in a millennium age yet to come, but we reign now in this present life of Divine grace and righteousness in our souls.

Now ye are full, now ye are rich, ye have reigned as kings without us: and I would to God ye did reign, that we also might reign with you. — 1 Cor. 4:8. In 2 Cor. 13:9, the Apostle says, “This also we wish, even your perfection,” and here the same triumphant condition of soul is thus expressed, “I would to God ye did reign, that we also might reign with you.” If they gained this plan of holy triumph’ “walking in the light as God is in the light they would have fellowship one with another.” This is reigning together in Christ Jesus. So the reign of the saints on earth is a present experience, through the abundance of Divine grace and the gift of righteousness. Praise the Lord!

Whence then cometh this notion of a thousand years of future reign on earth, when it is imagined all shall be righteous? One text often quoted, and more frequently misquoted, is Isa. 11:9.

They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea.

This is generally made to say that righteousness shall cover the earth etc. But it is only the knowledge of the Lord. The time was when God was only known in Judea and Israel. He had not yet been published to all nations. But the New Testament commission says: “preach my Gospel to every creature,” “teach all nations.” “And the Gospel of the Kingdom must first be preached in all the world, for a witness to every nation, and then shall the end come.” This general diffusion of the knowledge of the Lord, is simply the Kingdom of Heaven preached to the Gentile nations, as the next verse shows.

And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek: and his rest shall be glorious. — Isa. 11 10.

The heathen shall know that I am the Lord. — Eze. 36:23.

And it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people; there shall they be called the children of the living God. — Rom. 9:26.

The general diffusion of the knowledge of God, refers to the announcement of the God of creation and redemption; to the nations of the earth, whether the people become savingly acquainted with him or not.

We to him that buildeth a town with blood, and established a city by iniquity! Behold, it is not of the Lord of hosts that the people shall labour in the very fire, and the people shall weary themselves for very vanity? For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea. We unto him that giveth his neighbour drink, that pattest thy bottle to him, and makest him drunken also, that thou mayest look on their nakedness. — Habakkuk 2:12-15.

Here we have about the same assertion that the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the Lord, and it is present truth; for as Daniel says, “in the time of the eud, many should run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased. And many shall be purified and made white and tried.” And in this same Holy Spirit fire which purifies the heart, and consumes all sects and denominations; the foolish sect builders are wearing themselves, trying to build up what God is burning down. Yea they try to build up their sects even with the blood of slaughtered souls, and with iniquity. And while the earth is being filled with the knowledge of the glory of God, the cursed liquor traffic is still going on, “making men drunk.” So while this tidal wave of the true light of God is flooding the earth, making it a wearisome task for the babylon builders to work in the very fire of God’s wrath upon their wood, hay and stubble, the works of the devil also exist, and no universal reign of righteousness has come to this earth; nor will there be this side of the final judgment, when the righteous enter Heaven, and the wicked eternal hell, and the world and the works thereof shall be burned up.

Now we come to notice the only text where a thousand years reign is spoken of, and we find it is not in this world at all.

To save the time of setting the matter that you have by you, please reader just lay down the paper and read Revelations chapter 20. Here it is imagined that satan is going to be taken out of the world for a thousand years and every body will be righteous. But if that were so, and Christs personal advent would take place at the eud of that time, He would find all righteous. But all the Scriptures teach the contrary, that wickedness shall abound at the very instant of His coming. The whole Scripture taken together, with the illumination of the blessed Spirit of God, gives us the following understanding of this matter. First, the binding of satan is not an entire removal of, him out of this world. Surely no person would be foolish enough to think that the devil could be bound by a literal chain. A spiritual being cannot be thus bound. So his binding is not a complete confinement, but it is a highly figurative use of language, denoting a partial disappearance in his personal presence, and operations. In second Peter 2:4, and Jude 6, satan is said to be bound in chains of darkness. This has reference to his final torment; but if the darkness of hell constitute chains, which bind the devil, then the thousand years of almost utter darkness on the earth during the beasts reign, may also be figuratively termed chains. Hell is a place that is utterly void of any light of anything that is pure and good; and satan being confined there will deprive him of all opportunity to spoil any thing of God’s creation, and his character being the destroyer, exclucive darkness torments him with the deprivation of any thing good to destroy. To a great extent it was so during the thickest of the dark apostasy that covered about one thousand years. These chains of darkness deprived the devil of the gratifications of destroying many souls that had life and light.

“And I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the Word of God, and which had not worshiped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads or in their hands, and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. The thousand years of this reign is the same thousand years during which satan was bound, spoken of just before and after. Now we ask, where was that reign? Was it a thousand years of all righteousness on earth? Nothing of the kind is hinted at. The reign was not to be a reign of saints, or bodily resurrected men and women on earth. Nay, it was a thousand years reign with Christ of disembodied spirits, the souls of them that had been beheaded, during the reign of beast religion; because they would not worship their gods. This is plain. The reign is not of men physically alive on earth; but of the martyrs that sealed their faith by dying for Jesus, during the persecutions of the papal beast.

“But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This was the first resurrection.” Observe it does not state that, “this is the first resurrection,” until the rest of the dead that was to live again is mentioned. So the first resurrection includes both those souls that were saved and martyred at the beginning of the Gospel dispensation, and those that are now being made alive a thousand years later. Blind guides teach that those that reign, are the saints to be literally resurrected at the end of this age, and the rest of the dead are the wicked that will be raised up from their graves a thousand years later. But this is perverting the Word of God. First, because the ones who reign are not bodily resurrected saints, but the souls of the martyrs. Second, because the ones reigning a thousand years, are not spoken of as the first resurrection, and the rest of the dead as another class; but both taken together constitute the first resurrection. Third, it is a contradiction to the Word of God that a thousand years will entervene between the resurrection of the righteous and the wicked.

And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. — Daniel 12:2.

“Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, and shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation. — John 5:28, 29.

These two scriptures are sufficient to prove that the resurrection of the good and evil will take place in the identical instant, yea, in the same “hour.” Those texts cited in Oct. 12, issue, that declare all men shall be judged, and the final separation take place at the instant of Christ’s second coming, clearly imply that all men will then be raised from the dead. If the wicked will not be then raised from the grave, how can they then be judged? It is not said that He will only resurrect, and judge the righteous at His second coming. But all that are in the grave shall hear His voice the same hour, and shall come forth, both good and bad. And He will “judge the quick and the dead, at His appearing.” Men who are forced to misconstrue Rev. 20, as teaching two literal resurrections, only show their ignorance of the spiritual, namely, the first resurrection. “Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection.” If that were their character, they would understand by what resurrection they had attained unto it. The two resurrections are clearly set forth in John 5:25, and in verses 28, 29. The second we have quoted above, the first reads as follows, “Verily! Verily!! I say unto you, the hour cometh, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God, and they that hear shall live,” “pass from death unto life,” verse 24 The first resurrection is the result of obeying conditions. All do not meet the conditions, but “they that hear — practically hear or do — shall live.” The second resurrection is not conditional. “The hour cometh in the which all that are in the graves shall hear His voice and come forth,” etc. The first resurrection is clearly that of the rising up of our souls into Spiritual life. It is taught in many places in the Word.

Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. — Rom. 6:13.

And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus. — Eph. 2:6.

If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. — Col. 3; 1.

“On such the second death hath no power.” — Rom. 20:6. This is true of all spiritually raised up souls. They can say with Paul, “O death where is thy sting? O grave where is thy victory?” “Thanks be to God who giveth us the victory.” The sting of death is sin.” But “the blood of Jesus Christ God’s Son cleanseth us from all sin.” Therefore, “Our Savior Jesus Christ, hath abolished death, and brought life and immortality to light through the Gospel. — 2 Tim. 1:10. We shall not be hurt of the second death, neither natural death or the lake; for “whether we wake remain in the body — or sleep — our bodies die — we shall live together with Him” (Christ.)

That you may see more clearly that the first resurrection is a spiritual one, and includes both the early saints and martyrs, and the rest of the dead, who lived again a thousand years later, now in the evening light, we call your attention to Rev. 6:9-11. Please read it over. Here we see the same souls that are brought to view in Rev. 20. Namely, “The souls of them that were slain for the Word of God, and for the testimony which they held.” They were not literally resurrected saints on earth, but the souls of martyrs “under the earth.” “The golden altar which was before the throne. — Rev. 8:3. These asked how long it would be until their blood would be avenged on them that dwell on the earth.” They understood that there was a time coming that God would judge the whore, and pour out His vengeance on the beast powers that had put them to death, and finally destroy them by the brightness of His coming, and judgment. They were told to “rest yet a little season, until their fellow servants also, and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled.” Here are what is called the rest of the dead in chapter 20. They were not the wicked, but the brethren of those souls that had waited and reigned nearly a thousand years with Christ under the altar, before the throne. It is a fact that at the beginning there was a great host of saints raised into glorious spiritual life, and made “blessed and holy.” Then followed a thousand years of utter darkness, when there were scarcely any persons receiving the first resurrection. But the reformation has again brought the glorious resurrection power of God, and souls are now being raised up to reign in life by Christ Jesus. During this long period of stagnation the souls of the first saints awaited the coming up of their brethren of the evening light, who are also all martyrs for Christ. Martyr means a witness: and it is true that all wholly sanctified souls have laid down their lives for Christ. Thus the redeemed during the early rain, and those during the latter rain, or the evening light, together constitute the first resurrection.

Observe, Rev. 6:9, that it was under the opening of the fifth seal, that the souls of the early martyrs cried, “how long” etc. Now lake your Testament and read right on the rest of the chapter, and you will see that the opening of the sixth seal covers the time of the signs given by the Savior, to indicate that His second coming is near, and in fact extends right up to the “great day of His wrath.” So the thousand years which babylon confusion imagines is yet to come, is past already. Instead of being a millennium of great peace and righteousness on earth, it was a long time of darkness, ignorance and superstition on earth, when the devil had nothing to do, and no one had sufficient light and power of God to disturb him out of his pit. The reigning is distinctly declared to be the souls of men that had been slain for their nonconformity to the beast, and under the altar before the throne of God, and not on the earth.

Now let us see what takes place at the expiration of the thousand years.

From Rev. 6:11, it is clearly implied that light and truth, were to come forth again, after this long waiting under the altar, which would stir the devil out of his pit, and he would rage and foam, and come forth to kill the saints of God, as he did before the “hammer of the whole earth was broken;” i. e., the Word of God which torments him was destroyed by babylon. In Rev. 20:3, it is clearly stated that he must be “loosed a little season,” after the souls had reigned the thousand years. To find this same little season mentioned again read chapter 12:12. Go back and take the connection, chapter 11:2, 3. The first beast’s time of reign is “forty and two months,” also called “a thousand two hundred and threescore days.” Both of these denote 1270 years. Following that period, is a second form of the apostasy, corresponding with the second beast of chapter 13. This is Protestantism. “Three days and a half,” are ascribed to this sectarian jolification, Rev. 11:9. These are three centuries and a half. Beginning with the first Protestant creed, in A. D. 1530 and ending 1880. At that time the two witnesses, stood up, ascended into Heaven — the pure Church Following this “there was war in heaven, Michael (the Lord Jesus) and His angels fought against the dragon.” And the dragon prevailed not, but he and his angels were cast out. That is the cleansing of the sanctuary spoken of in Daniel. “I heard a loud voice saying in Heaven, — the pure Church, — now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ, for the accuser of our brethren is cast down.” But “woe to the inhabitants of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.” — Rev. 12:7-12. Here we see satan is loosed but a “little season,” “a short time,” at the time the separation takes place between the devil’s angels — ministers — and the Lord’s Church. Daniel locates this war between Michael the Great Prince, and the dragon in the “time of the end.” In which all that have their names written in the book of life shall be delivered out of the dragon’s power. “Purified, made white and tried” — see Dan. 12. This separation is now taking place. But as the thousand years were to precede the loosing of satan, and his little while of wrath and deception, it is already in the past. Satan is loosed. If you doubt it, get filled with the Holy Spirit, and preach and testify the Gospel of God in this world, and see if you will not soon see the devil rag-

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THE GOSPEL TRUMPET.

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A SEMI-MONTHLY HOLINESS JOURNAL

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DEFINITE, RADICAL, ANTI-SECTARIAN.
Sent Forth in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ
For the Purity and Unity of His Church,
the Defence of ALL His Truth,
And the Destruction of Sect Babylon.

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PUBLISHED AT GRAND JUNCTION, MICH.

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D. S. WARNER, — Editor.

E. E. BYRUM and S. MICHELS, — Publishers.

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TERMS, $1.00 Per Year In Advance.

All business communications, moneys etc., must be addressed to the Gospel Trumpet, in order to insre credit; otherwise we will not be responsible.

Remittances should be sent by Registered Letter, or Express Order, through the American, or the United States Express Co. Small amounts may be sent in Two Cent Stamps.

We will not be responsible for money unless sent by Registered letter or Express Order, to Gospel Trumpet.

NOTICE.

A commission, of 20 percent will be given on each new, cash subscriber, to all who will labor for the Gospel Trumpet. We make this offer so as to help the brethren that are in the field, as well as the circulation of the paper.

Parties desiring papers to canvass with should notify us regularly of their whereabouts.

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NOTICE.

Changes of Address: — Subscribers wishing their address changed, must be sure to give their FORMER, as well as their new address.

Missing Papers: — It occasionally happens that numbers of our papers sent to our subscribers are lost, or stolen in the mails. In case you do not receive your paper when due, after waiting a sufficient length of time, write us a card and we will gladly send one in place of the missing number.

When you write, be sure and give your Full Address, name, post office, county, and State.

Should there be a mistake at any time, write to us at once, and we will gladly rectify the same.

Address all letters to Gospel Trumpet Grand Junction, Mich.

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Entered at the Post Office at Grand Junction,
Van Buren Co. Mich., as second class matter.

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NOTICE.

It is now a positive fact that Grand Junction is a Money Order Office. We once made a note to that effect, but it proved to be a mistake, but now there is no mistake. Send money by Post Office Money Order or Postal Note. Where these can not be procured, send by Express Order, Registered Letter or small amounts in one and two cent stamps.

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SONGS OF VICTORY.

FOURTH EDITION.

We have now completed the Fourth Edition of Songs of Victory, which contains 94 pages with notea, and 14 pages of familiar hymns, 112 pages in all.

Songs of Victory is specially adapted to Camp, Grove, and all other meetings for the worship of God. Also for the Sabbath school.

All orders accompanied by cash, will be promptly filled from single copy upward.

Price, Single copy, Manilla cover. 30 cts Cloth limp cover, 50 cts. Per dozen, Manilla cover, $3.00. Cloth, $4,80

Parties may order half doz. at the same rates as per dozen. Address all orders to the Gospel Trumpet Office, Grand Junction, Mich

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THE SABBATH TRACT.

THE SABBATH,
—:OR:—
WHICH DAY TO KEEP.

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BIBLE Proofs that the change from the seventh, to the first day of the week, was made by the Lord Himself.

This tract contains 64 pages: the price reduced to only 10 cts. Per dozen $1.00.

God has enabled us to set forth the subject in the clear light of abundance of Scripture. So every reader of the TRUMPET can glorify God in sending your orders for this Tract. This will also he a good financial help to spread other matter for the Lord.

Our Address.

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Our address until further notice is as follows.

D. S. WARNER,
GRAND JUNCTION, MICH.

SEBASTIAN MICHELS,
SOUTH HAVEN, MICH.

S. L. SPECK.
GRAND JUNCTION, MICH.

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THE EMPHATIC DIAGLOTT.

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This is an excellent translation of the New Testament. And the genuine Greek text with the alphabet and directions to read the Greek, thus giving access to the pure original Word of God. We have secured a stock of these valuable books at a good percent, and offer them at the following reduced rates.

In cloth bind . . . . $3.25.
Library . . . . . $4.00.

We pay postage when ordered by mail. A small commission will be allowed to brethren who will sell the book.

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THE NEW BOOK, ANTHEMS FROM THE THRONE.

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Is just printed, and a few hundred made. It contains 148 songs. 90 with music About all new. The pages are some larger than Songs of Victory. When sang in the Spirit of God, these songs will be found glorious. They hymn the precious present truth, and the Gospel standard of salvation.

An important field of usefulness is open for those saints who can teach the Churches these songs, and the saints and their children to sing by note. It will be a great help to the cause of salvation, and give interest to Sabbath Schools. Send in your order for Anthems from the Throne, and start the songs of praise anew. Prices as follows.

Manilla . . . . . . . . 30 cts.
Cloth , . . . . . . . 50 cts
Per. dozen . . . .      $3.00 & $4.80

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REQUESTS FOR PRAYERS.

Yorktown, Ind.

Dear Saints of God: — Simetha Daggette desires the prayers of all the dear saints of God, that she may be healed, both soul and body. Her disease is lung trouble. She is the mother of several little children. Dear saints pray earnestly to God for her, that she may be healed.

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All persons writing their testimony of healing must sign their name and Post Office address plainly if they wish it published.

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LIST OF MONEY LETTERS RECEIVED SINCE LAST ISSUE, NOT OTHERWISE RECEIPTED.

J M Aleshouse J N Howard A B Gildersleeve
S L Speck Jennie Perry W B Grover
C A Williams C W Cronk John Scott
C Z Lindley Hannah Cory Geo. Stahl
F N Jacodson Thos. Kerr S Campbell
M A Marcee Addie Fooshee Sigel Hunter
T N Vaughn M M Stover Mary E Farrah
C A Barhham Thos. Carter John S Byers
H S Parks C A Finney Sarah Seamen
T W Brown M White A J Shelly
G W Fleet S E Fairchild Philip P Kilb
W J Evans  Mrs R M Mead Mahala Gregory

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GENERAL ASSEMBLY MEETING.

There will be a general assembly meeting in the Tabernacle in Geneva Township Van Buren Co. Mich., commencing Nov. 13th continuing as long as the Lord wills. Those coming via. M. C. R R will stop off at Lacota. Those coming via. of Chicago & W. M. R. R., will stop off at Grand Junction. People coming from a distance by rail will write to Bro. J. L. Meade, South Haven, Mich., who will see that they are conveyed to the meeting. “In what place therefore ye hear the sound of the trumpet, resort ye thither unto us; our God shall fight for us.”

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NOTICE.

To all the Saints of God: — We are on our march East for the Lord and the good of immortal souls; therefore all who wish our labors for the promotion of God’s cause, please write us a personal letter to Grand Junction Mich. When brethren write us a letter through the colums of the TRUMPET, it never reaches us until a month or more after date. After the meeting in this state, we contemplate going through Kan. Mo. Iowa, and Ill., before reaching Mich, and Ind. We are your brethren in the love of Jesus.

S. L. Speck & A. J. Kilpatrick.

OBITUARES.

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At St Petersburg Pa. Arthur Leroy Morgan was taken home to Jesus, Oct. 16, 1888. Aged 3 years, 5 months, and 2 days.

Dear little Arthur was a very sweet and precious little boy. Dearly beloved by all that knew him. When we were blessed with a home in their house he was very ruddy and well. But the diphtheria took a very violent hold on his fresh little body, and it pleased the Lord to call him home. This was a hard bereavement to dear Bro. and sister Morgan, sister Hattie, and little brother Herbert; but the Lord sweetly comforted their hearts with the assurance that He doeth all things well; and that it will not be long until they shall meet the dear little angel in the happy everlasting home above. The Lord bless them and all the dear relatives, with a joyful admittance to that joyful abode, when life here is o’er.

It was our privilege to be present at the funeral occasion, and administer some of the precious comforting Word of God.

A gentle Hand, unseen by us,
Has plucked our sweetest bud.
By this alone our grief is blessed,
It was the Land of God.

In all our hearts He planted deep,
This precious little one.
As forth He takes His own we weep,
But say, Thy will be done.

No care we lavished here in vain,
Upon this plant of love.
Though soon removed, he’ll bloom again,
In sweeter form above.

O gentle one we miss thee here,
Sweet form we love so well.
But in our Father’s better care,
We know the child is well.

Would not our grief forever flow
Upon thy silent tomb,
Did not our hearts this comfort know,
We’ll meet in glory soon.

O Jesus Thou hast died for us,
And for our darling too.
We’ll trust Thee in each providence,
Thy love is ever true.

D. S. Warner.

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Our little William Harrison Stepelton was born May the 22nd in the year of our Lord 1888, and died Sept, the 10th 1888. Aged three months and nineteen days. Funeral services were held at the home of the parents at Latty, O., by the undersigned. Text “The Lord gave and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.” — Job. 1:22. We were assisted in the service by a company of saints from Payne.

Little Willie has gone to our Savior’s home of love;
O parents may you meet him in that bright land above!
O may you your hearts and lives to Jesus give,
Who shed His blood for you that your soul might live.

F. N. Jacobson.

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Stromsburg, Neb.,

Dear Saints: — I feel led by the Spirit to write my testimony this afternoon. I can say to the glory of God that I am saved just now and God is keeping me free from all sin. Hallelujah! I find it is far better to serve God than it is to serve the devil. I am free from all the works of the devil, and God is reigning in me all the time; there is no earthly attraction of the devil great enough to entice me to give up salvation. Praise the Lord! I have the victory over the devil, and by the grace of God I am going to keep it. I have given up all to follow Jesus, and to do the will of God. It is so sweet to have the love of God continually in our hearts. Glory to the Lamb forever and ever!

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us — Rom. 8:35-37.

Praise the Lord! we are more than conquerors, because we are dead to this world and alive unto Christ. Not alive to the lusts of this world, nor the pride of life; but we live in Christ and He in us; and as long as God rules and leads us, we will walk in the light as He is in the light.

From your brother saved in Christ and sanctified.

H. F. Berrie.

GOD’S TRUE CHILDREN.

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IN order to become a true child of God, they should lay aside every thing but Christ, and be prepared to run the race which the Lord has laid out before them; regardless of all opinions of men and wicked devices of satan; for he lays many snares to entangle the pilgrim of God. If he succeeds once in getting them entangled in his net, he will try all the harder the next time. Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ has made you free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage. — Gal. 5:1.

To be numbered among the household of God, we must obey God’s call; coming to Him and bowing humbly down at His feet, and be accepted into the Kingdom; then present yourself a “living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God,” and be raised to the standard of holiness, being sanctified wholly unto the Lord. “But ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.” When a person is justified the Lord cleanses them from all their sins that they have committed; then when they are sanctified, He takes away the evil nature that caused them to commit their sins, which reigned from the fall of Adam. For by one offering he hath perfected forever them that are sanctified. For both He that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all one, for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren. — Heb. 2:12. They have to lay aside all idols and everything that pertains to the world, and worldly things; not in the slightest way carrying along any of the ungodly things. For “we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is none other God but one.” Many there are who shall start out to serve God, and be accepted of Him, and then stray away from God and be lost forever; but one that is true to God in all things would never think, even for a moment, of turning their face away from Zion; they continually serve Him with their whole hearts, and be submissive to His will at all times, and in all things. They would not, nor could they fall, while clinging to the blessed Jesus; but would proceed step by step, to mount higher and higher each day, until they reach the goal.

The Apostle Paul says: “I beseech you therefore brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God — Rom. 12:1, 2.

When your bodies are presented in the right kind of a way, the Lord will wonderfully bless you. In the above scripture they are told to “be not conformed to this world,” that means that they should come out and be a separate people from the world. For God shall have a chosen people; they shall be chosen out of tins world of sin (spiritually speaking) and shall be true to Him as long as life lasts, “proving what is acceptable unto the Lord, and have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness.” They cannot fellowship the works of darkness, for if they try to hold fast to the world, a … mingle with the world they will loosed e.. souls God wants them to walk tr.. children, and let their light, so shine l..t the world may know they are of Him. “The pathway of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.” The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined. — Isa. 9:2. If you let your light shine before the world and God, then when He says He is through with you, you can go up higher to dwell in the courts of His glory forever and ever, where parting is never known, and where no night ever comes, and to rest and abide with Jesus through Eternity.

God has prepared a way for His children, for He says: “And an highway shall be there, and a way and it shall be called the way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it; but it shall be for those the wayfaring men, though fools shall not err therein, no lion shall be there, nor any ravenous beast shall go up therein, it shall not be found there: but the redeemed shall walk there: and the ransomed of the Lord shall return and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads; they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away. — Isa. 35:8-10. The way of a Christian is far better to travel than that of a sinner and the reward is a thousand times greater.

A true Christian has to suffer severe persecutions for Christ’s sake, for He says: “Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecutions.” And they have many trials and temptations along their pathway; but God brings this all out to His glory. If they overcome the tempter once, the next temptation will be much more easily overcome by God’s help. They may have many hard trials, and hard lights with satan: then is the time that much praying and faith in God is required; for God will hear and answer prayers if they are offered up to Him in the right kind of a way. When He delivers the in from the trial they will go on their way rejoicing, with the everlasting joy of God in their souls. “For he that overcometh shall inherit all things.”

“For what is the hope of a hypocrite, though he hath gained, when God taketh away his soul?” For let “the hypocrite reign not, lest the people be ensnared.” There is a great deal of difference between a true child of God and a hypocrite, although they both profess to know the Lord. The hypocrite has not the love of God dwelling within as the true christian, and they are causing many poor souls to stand back on account of their professing something they do not possess; and trying to be numbered among the children of God. “For the congregations of hypocrites shall be desolate.” God requires His children to keep clear of all hypocrites, and be ready to meet every thing that is brought to bear upon them.

The sons of God have many commandments to keep, which God has laid out in His Word; and to be a christian they have them to keep. They cannot live a christian and keep part of the commandments and not keep the rest; but God require them to keep all of them in order to serve Him aright. They should be willing to receive the whole: for God says in His Word. “Take it and cat it up, and it shall be in thy month sweet as honey.” That means that they must take every thing that is in it, and not laying aside part of it and living up to the other. “But if ye turn away and forsake my statutes and commandments, which I have set before you, and shall go and serve other gods, and worship them: then will I pluck them up by the roots out of the land which I have given them.” — 2 Chro. 7:19, 20. O who would disobey one of God’s commandments? and at the same time claim to be one of His true children, for when they disobey they shall be cut off.

It is indeed wonderful what the salvation of God does for some people, it picks them up out of the gutter, a poor miserable sinner, and raises them up to a standard with Christ, that they may follow in His footsteps. Oh, what a blessed thing it is to enjoy the love of God that He sheds abroad in the hearts of His true saints. There is only one way to serve God, and there is no way under Heaven except to come through the door which is Christ Jesus; there is none we can serve but Jesus. “No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one and despise the other, ye cannot serve God and mammon.” If they want to worship God they have to cut loose from every earthly idol, and all human organizations and institutions of men, and be stripped of all sectarianism and divisions, and every evil thing that pertains to this life, and come out on the fire line for God and be counted among the blood washed travelers for Him. The redeemed of the Lord shall inherit all things if they prove faithful unto the end.

A person cannot get so pure in this life but that he will have trials and temptations; and they cannot get to be more pure than God; for He says in His Word: “Shall a mortal man be more just than God shall a man be more pure than his Maker?” A man can be saved from all sin and sanctified wholly; but he cannot be any purer than God; but he can be as pure. “And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself even as he is pure.” The Word says: “Unto the purs all things are pure.” Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.” If they are washed in the Saviour’s precious blood, every thing evil is swept away, and they are ready to put on the robe of righteousness. “Prove all things; hold fast, to that which is good, abstain from every appearance of evil, and the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. — 1 These. 5:21-23. May God ever guide His true children through all darkness and wickedness of this world, and bring them out victorious.

Noah H. Byrum.

Grand Junction, Mich.

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THE EVERLASTING CANAAN OF SANCTIFICATION.

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PRAISE God for this glorious land of Canaan, which God promised from the beginning, which we can enter into during this life and continue through all eternity.

Unto Abraham the Lord said: I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee. And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God. — Gen.17:7, 8. And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice. — Gen. 22:18

We find by reading the Word of God that this promise was only typically fulfilled to the Jews, and that the literal land of Canaan was only a figure or type of the real promised rest or spiritual Canaan which came by the Holy Ghost or Sanctifier.

And if ye be Christ’s then are ye Abraham’s seed and heirs according to the promise — Gal. 3:29. The real promise was, “The gift of the Holy Ghost.” For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call. — Acts 2:39.

When a son is born in our natural family, he at once becomes an heir, but not a possessor, according to the law of our land. So it is in God’s family or church. “Ye must be born again,” and when we are born into God’s Church we become an heir, but we do not at once become a possessor of spiritual Canaan. Now I say, that the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all; But is under tutors and governors until the time appointed of the father. — Gal. 4:1, 2. The Word of God tells us how we become sons of God. As many as receive Christ, to them gave He power to become the son’s of God, even to them that believe on his name: which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. — John 1:13.

We are first, born of God, our sins remitted, and we then become heirs. We have then crossed the Red Sea and may soon, if we only trust God, pass over into the everlasting Canaan of sanctification. “Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you seem to come short of it.” No one need to wander in the wilderness, but all may go straight though and be sanctified in a short time, if they will only have faith in God and go according to His Word. Then after we have believed and been justified, there is something else for us, a second work of grace, the river Jordan to pass over, and receive the gift of the Holy Ghost, or be sealed with that Holy Spirit of PROMISE, which is the sanctifier. In whom also, after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise. — Eph. 1:13.

In a will that an earthly father has granted, the heir always receives just what the will calls for. So it is with the will which our Heavenly Father has left us. What is the will of God? Praise God! the Word tells us: “This is the will of God, even your sanctification.” How can we prove the will, or in other words, obtain what the will calls for? The Word tells and here it. is; I beseech you brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what, is that good and acceptable, and yerfect will of God. — Rom. 12:1, 2.

Then if the heir wishes to obtain what the will calls for, he must present his body a living sacrifice, and be wholly sanctified; and by prayer and the laying on of hands of the saints, he will receive the Holy Ghost. Even as the Word of God teaches: “And Philip went down to the city of Samaria and preached Christ unto them, and the people with one accord gave heed unto those things which Philip spake, and when they believed Philip’s preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.” Now we see the Samaratians had given heed and beleived on the name of Jesus and had been baptized in His name, and it cannot be posable but what they had received the remission, of their sins and were born of God; for the Word says that, “Through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins.” Again it says, “Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born, of God.” It is evident then that those Samaritians had received the first work of grace, and had become heirs of the promise, but they had not yet received the Sanctifier. “Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem, heard that Samaria had received the Word of God, (they were not satisfied with that kind of an experience, for they knew that the Samaritians needed the Holy Ghost to sanctify them, so) they sent unto them Peter and John: who, when they came down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost: for as yet he was fallen on none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then laid they their hands on them and they received the Holy Ghost.” Oh praise God for the Sanctifier! Hallelujah!

Enoch G. Wickersham.

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NEWS FROM THE FIELD.

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ANOTHER GLORIOUS VICTORY IN PA.,

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OUR was written from Franklin, Pa. We stopped over in that place, and having a few hours to wait, called on Bro. and sister Griggs. They desired us to remain and preach the Gospel in that place. We dropped on our knees and asked our Heavenly Father’s will. Praise God! He showed us clearly that He had something for us to do there.

That night Bro. Griggs and myself went to a meeting a short distance in the country; here we met a number of souls who had cast off the Free Methodist yoke in that place, and were imagining themselves very free. But instead of having reached the “present truth” and the knowledge of God, in the evening light, they were greatly mixed up with babel confusion. Some of them had a measure of the Spirit of God, and we could feel a degree of fellowship; but they were so ignorant of the wiles of the devil, that he could mix in plenty of his spurious hallucinations, and transformed light. Though chiefly destitute of the holy, heavenly joy of the Lord in His saints, they worshiped manifestations more than God. The talk was good, and even the leap, that was somewhat in the Spirit, satan often switched off into trotting and galloping over the floor, that was disgusting to good sense, and repulsive to God and to His Holy Spirit. While all should, and all sanctified do shout the praises of God just when the Spirit leads, these performed for the sake of the performance. They talked about “going to Heaven on the shouting line,” and “I would not give up my shouting for anything,” etc. They were in the coils of two devil deluded, if not real devil possessed beasts, by the name of Jo. McClellan and Wm. Moore. These men were at the outs, thrusting at each other in the meetings frequently; but soon after we came there they coiled together, and performed hand-in-hand. The first calls himself a spiritualistic, and discards the positive commands of Christ. The other says if persons wish to be baptized, he would do it; and if they did not care to do these things, it is all right, and they need not do so. Such utter confusion is of their father the devil. Making the commands of God, of non-effect by their traditions, or making them valid or invalid, just as the fancy or whim may strike the mind. It is a pitiful sight to see a little flock of poor souls led by such men, and such spirits of devils. But they had become so fax blinded and subverted that they had no relish for the Word of God, and looked with fear and suspicion on the Spirit of truth. Rather than have their ignorance dispelled by the light of the pure Word of God, they preferred to get off to themselves where the Word of God is often not read at all, and where they could have a good time in bodily antics; to the disgust of sensible spectators, and to the glory of the devil. O, how our heart pitied these poor souls. How we see in their deceivings, the need of abiding in the Word of God. Just as sure as the devil can infuse a spirit of indifference to the truth, thus he can play upon the fancies and impose most any kind of extravagant notions, as an angel of light, and the poor deluded think they are led by the Spirit of God. Again we say, the only safeguard against deceptive spirits of devils, is to abide in the truth. Neither is the truth what may suit the fancy best; but, “Thy Word is truth.” “If they speak not according to this it is because there is no light in them.” Compared with the light, spiritul knowledge, joy and power of the true saints of God, these were pitiful dwarfs, and yet the devil has filled their hearts with the pompous and disgusting fancy that they are in advance of every body on earth, and that they need no one to teach them the Word of God. They have a little idea of the glorious realm of divine truth now revealed unto “the saints in light,” as a caged bird knows of the boundless freedom of the birds that fly at large. And they glory in their ignorance and trot about in their little circle.

We spoke to the people in the city hall, twice on Sabbath, on Saturday night, and Monday night in the house of Dear Bro. and sister Griggs, whom God has kept free from all the pernicious spirits of babylon.

We then came on to Henderson, Mercer Co. where we began meeting Tuesday evening, Oct. 18th. The weather, still continued rainy, yet the hall was usually well filled, sometimes crowded. A cold hard-hearted prejudice generally prevailed in the minds of the people, largely owing to the corrupt works of J. C. Fisher. In this state his disgraceful fall has hurt the cause of Christ more than any where else. Had not our first denunciation of his evil deeds appeared when it did, greater disasters would have resulted. But by that blast much of the works of the devil was cut off. Praise God! Has Holy Spirit in us, and our preaching and deportment before the people, soon began to wear down the mountain of prejudice. The Spirit of the living God gave us confidence in the minds of the people; then He soon worked conviction in their hearts, and a general change was wrought in the entire community. A number of lost sinners were captured by the love of God, and set free from the painful and heavy yoke of sin. How wonderful the change! No wonder there is joy among the angels of Heaven when one sinner repents. When there is a genuine repentance unto life, and the joys of salvation. Nearly all the converts also consecrated for entire sanctification. Some of the brethren having been unwisely, and unscripturally pressed into a confusion of sanctification by J. C. Fisher, realized that they did not really posses that wonderful grace; and they consecrated and received the same. About all the Church was much strengthened, and built up, and immense good resulted in every way. On Sabbath Nov. the 4th, nine happy souls were gently buried with Christ by the lands of dear Bro. Barney Warren. Immediately on rising from the symbolic grave, their souls were filled with joy, and power, and glory, and their uplifted hands and shouts of praises but poorly expressed the rich blessing of God that thrilled their hearts, and glowed in their faces. O it was marvelously sacred, and even filled our souls with glory to behold. Hallelujah! Dear Bro. Butterfield was appointed of the Lord, and of us, to take part with Bro. Job Perrine in the duties of an Elder.

We left the Church in much joy of the Spirit; also left the rest of our company, who will hold some meetings at Mechanicsville, and perhaps elsewhere, until we meet in a few days over in Canada, the Lord willing. We in the mean time go to visit aster Byrum, now at Bro. Byrum’s Mother’s in Randolph Co. Ind. she has been very low, but has been recently healed of the Lord; but is yet weak. We also visit our dear Sidney, and the saints at Rochester, Ind. Then have a day at home, before attending the assembly meeting. Amen!

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Brownstown, Ill.

Dearly Beloved Saints, Greeting: — May the dear Lord bless you abundantly, and may your faith grow exceedingly. Amen! To-day we praise God for salvation and for victory in our souls over all the works of the enemy, and over the beast and his image. Praise God for ever! I do praise God to-day for a soul so free in Jesus; every band is riven, and I am really in the land of Beulah. Praise God, eating of the old corn of the land. Glory to Jesus for wonderful love! O I do realize that it is glory glory in my soul, there’s glory all around, there’s glory from the rising sun until its going down.

After we closed the meeting at St. James, Mo., we went about fifteen miles south of there and held up the banner of Christ a few days in that neighborhood. The Lord wonderfully blessed our labor for Him, and He did own and bless His Word. A few dear ones stepped into the fountain and were made every whit whole. Praise God! some of the saints were much strengthened, and we had a blessed meeting in Jesus’ name; but when we talked to them about keeping all the ordinances of the house of God, and living by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of of God, some of them were ready to reject it and say there is nothing in that to me; one or two refused to square up to the Word of God, but their countenances showed that they had no salvation; some of them read the papers “Royal Priest,” and “Stumbling Stone;” those papers make bitter the minds of those who read and endorse them. We rebuked the abominable sheet (Stumbling Stone) and the power of God filled the room; its teaching is such that if practised, its readers will stumble over it down into the bottomless pit. We pray God to keep the straight ones at that place and straighten the crooked, if possible. While there, we had two precious baptisms; eleven dear precious souls were buried with Christ, and we did have a glorious time; we also had a glorious meeting at dear Bro. Pinson’s house, where we observed the precious ordinance of washing the saint’s feet and the Lord’s supper. The Lord did wonderfully bless His obedient children, praise His holy name for ever and ever!

We then came back to St. James where we had to make some preparation for leaving; we had meeting Saturday and Sunday evenings; the dear saints at that place were most all very clear when we left them. They were also very kind to us in administering to our needs. May God bless and keep them in His own name.

We are here now to work for the salvation of precious souls as long as God wants us to stay. Our little company unite in sending love to all the dear ones. Your sanctified sister under the blood.

Mattie Bolds.

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Gresham, Neb.

Dear Saints of the Living God: — May His choicest blessings rest upon you. Praise our God who giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ! Beloved, when the meeting at Table Rock, Neb. was ended, we took train on the morning of Oct. 2nd for Denver, Col., where we arrived in due time and commenced services in the name of Jesus Christ, who, by His blessed Spirit let us feel that all was not what it ought to be. Well as the meeting progressed, various things was set aside that were hinderances to the cause of God, prospering in that place, and God seemed to bless them giving them a determination to stand for the Lord. Yet when we left the dear saints, we were aware that all things were not as might have been desired, although we did all we could for the present, leaving them in the hands of the Lord, who we trust will bless and keep them from evil in the future. I believe there was only one professed to be converted and one sanctified during the meeting.

We left Colorado the morning of Oct. 24th for York Co. Neb., where we arrived in safety and commenced a meeting in a school-house near the village of Thayer which will be continued for a few days. Praise our God for ever who hath saved us, and called us with a holy calling! Let all the saints of God pray much for the work of the Lord in the West, that God may raise up a holy people who will obey the blessed Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. Pray for us. Your brethren saved through the blood of Jesus our Lord.

A. J. Kilpatrick. &
S. L. Speck

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Rising Sun, O.,

Dearly Beloved Saints: — The Lord bless and keep you all in the love of Jesus, and in the unity of the Spirit.

After my labors near Antwerp, O. I returned to Payne, where we had a very precious meeting in the evening. The next day, Oct. 6th Bro John Kilpatrick, Bro. Christy, Sister Pepper and myself took train for Melsose, O. where we were met by Bro’s. Schell, Howard, David Smith and others who conveyed us to Bro. Smith’s where we had a very melting and joyful meeting in the evening. One backslider came to the altar and claimed the pardon of her sins. Praise the Lord! The next day we met at the school-house where we had seasons of refreshing from the presence of the Lord. A few saints from a distance were also present with us in the meeting to share in the heavenly feast The Gospel was preached with the Holy Ghost sent down from Heaven. A number came to the Lord for pardon of sins and two were sanctified. A few backsliders were restored into the Spirit and perfect grace of God. There were about seven or eight cases of healing by the power of God; one was a sister who had been afflicted with weak and sore eyes. She claimed her healing by faith and received a glorious witness of the Spirit that the work was done. Another sister who had been afflicted with bleeding at the lungs, claimed her healing by faith and testified that the work was done. To God be all the glory and praise forever! Sister Rosa Smith whom we found very sick upon our first visit, was restored to health by the mighty power of God. The day before leaving that neighborhood the first time, especial, earnest and fervent prayer was offered for her restoration. By the laying on of hands and anointing with oil, God graciously and wonderfully witnessed that the work was done. She soon recovered and on our return we found her well. Praise the Lord! she had been sick in bed about five weeks with Typhoid fever, and most of the time helpless.

On Wednesday we went to the river where seven dear happy saints were immersed in its waters by dear Bro. Schell. They were indeed happy and blessed in following the Savior’s example. Oh! I praise the Lord for the privilege of following the footstps of Jesus in all things, that we may be like Him in this present evil world. Hallelujah!

The next day Bro. and sister Schell and myself took train for Rising Sun, Ohio, From these parts, I go to Sidney, O. May all the dear saints pray mightily that we may be very fruitful in all the work of the Lord and the Gospel. Your free Bro, fully saved.

F. N. Jacobson.

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St. Louis, Mich.

Dear Saints: — May the love, grace and power of God be upon you. We are working in the vineyard of the Lord, and have traveled nearly seven hundred miles with team since the 8th of July; and have seen the mighty power of God manifested. Last Saturday and Sunday held moeting at the Elm meeting-house in Gratiot Co. on Bro. Kennett’s farm. God mightily worked in the settling down, and saving of souls. In the evening about forty-six saints observed the ordinances, O glory to God! The whole house was filled with glory; wave after wave of glory filled the saints. We are saved and kept blameless. Glory to God forever! Pray for us that God may give us souls for our hire.

A. J. Shelly.

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St. Petersburg, Pa.,

Dear Saints: — I feel led to write a few lines to tell what the Lord has done for me. About six weeks ago when I was a wretched sinner, God had mercy and saved me, praise His holy name! I do feel the love of Jesus in my soul to-night. Now Jesus loves every one and would save them if they would only have a willing heart to forsake all and follow Christ. I praise God that He has given us a gift which the world connot give, neither can it take away. While I write, I feel the Spirit of God within me. Glory to His holy name for ever! I would be so happy if my husband would only give His heart to Jesus. Pray for me that I may always prove faithful, and do the Lord’s will in all things.

Your sister saved and sanctified, sitting at the feet of Jesus.

Christiana Smith.

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Bdayer Dam, Ind.

Dear Saints of God, Greeting: — I feel led of the Lord to write my testimony for the glory of God. Praise the Lord forever! But ye are come unto mount Zion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect. — Heb. 12:22, 23. I praise the Lord for salvation that I have in my soul just now. I thank God for the determination that I have in my soul to stand firm for God and do His will in all things. I feel perfectly clear before God, and my way is clear from earth to Heaven. I am living without any condemnation, and am reigning in life by one Christ Jesus, far above this world of wickedness. I am saved and wholly sanctified. Pray for me.

Edward Ballenger.

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Continued from 1st page.

ing. Is it not true that wherever the pure Gospel is preached, the people are soon led to see that the very devil is loose? Such fiendish spirits of hell has never been seen for a thousand years. The devil had nothing to do in this world, as long as the Bible was chained to the pulpit, and excluded from the people or preached only by dead priests. But when Luther began to hurl some Bible truth against the devil’s church, he soon cast off his chains and appeared in person before the vehement Reformer who cast his ink-bottle at him. And every increase of the light and power of truth, the devil has made his appearance more desperately. And now since his last hiding place — the sect tarpaulins are being tom off of him, he is forced out into the open field of battle, and has come down from his lurking places in great wrath, having but a short season. Now as in the days of Christ, personal devils are being cast out of men, which has not been witnessed for over a thousand years.

Read Rev. 20:7-9. When loosed from his prison satan goes out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters (i. e., scattered every where) of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle, and they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city; and fire came down from God out of heaven and devoured them.”

Read also Rev. 16:12-17. Here we see that the devil goes forth to deceive under three different heads. But the announcement follows, “Behold, I (the Lord) come as a thief.” In one place the Gog and Magog war ends with fire from Heaven, and the other place by the coming of Christ. This all means the same event. Because Christ will “come in flaming fire, taking vengeance on them that know not God, and obey not the Gospel.” The thousand years falsely imagined millennium was to precede the loosing of Satan; and his going forth to deceive the nations, was to end by the personal coming of Christ, which the signs declare is now nigh. It therefore follows conclusively that the time is past, and no millennium period is promised in the future. The deceptions that the devil is to cause in the nations of the earth, is one of the very signs that Christ has given us that His coming is near. We showed in Matt. 24: in last issue. The nations that the devil deceive are the denominations. Every sect on earth is being deceived of the devil, and gathered together in one common war against the “camp of the saints,” the “beloved city,” which is the bride of the Lamb. This whole Gog and Magog army are professors of religion, being deluded with a deceptive hope. Thinking they will get salvation in a future age, when Christ comes, or when they come to die. “And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone.” etc. — Rev. 20:10.

So those Scriptures that declare that this is the last dispensation, those that teach that Christ is coming soon, to resurrect all men, and judge all nations, and those Scriptures that teach the thousand years reign of the souls of the early martyrs, the loosing of satan, and his going forth to deceive the nations (sects) and his gathering them together to make war on God’s pure remnant, a “short season,” until Christ comes quickly to destroy them, all these Scriptures, with all others perfectly harmonize in teaching the end of time near and the doom of all men to be soon and eternally fixed in Heaven or hell. And an age to come, or millennium is all a creation of the devil, without a show of foundation in the Bible. It is a satanic snare, and drag-net of deception, to encourage men to give loose reigns to lust and sin in this life, with a hope to be saved in the future. All doctrines that point to any thing else for salvation but to Christ, or to any other time but now, are doctrines of devils. Therefore, “to-day if ye will hear His voice harden not your hearts.” Behold now is the day of salvation.” “And after this the judgment.” Amen!

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Augusta, Ga.

Dear Brethren: — Praise God for full and free salvation that saves me from all sin. Glory to God! At our last meeting in Lawrence Co. two consecrated themselves to God, and were born into His family. Praise the Lord! They also followed Him in baptism. I thank the Lord that there are a few people in the south who are willing to follow the Lord in the beauty of holiness. May God bless the TRUMPET, and those engaged in sending it forth to spread the evening light.

Yours under the blood.

H. A. Sanford.

FROM BONDAGE, THROUGH THE WILDERNESS INTO CANAAN.

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AS we read of the trials and hardships of the children of Israel during their bondage in Egypt, our hearts are drawn out in great sympathy for them; for they suffered great tribulations, being overburdened with labor, and beaten and punished because they were unable to perform the daily tasks required of them. And having their tasks of labor increased, their burden became so great that they called mightily unto God to deliver them from such a bondage. And the Lord saw their afflictions, and knew their sorrows, and heard their cry and said He would “deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them out of that land unto a good land and a large, unto a land flowing with milk and honey.” — Ex. 3:8. So He said He would send Moses to bring them forth out of Egypt. “And Moses said unto God, who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt?” But the Lord sent him, and they took their departure from Pharaoh and encamped by the Red Sea. But soon to their horror they saw the king with a mighty army coming after them; before them was an impassible sea of water, and to retreat was only to fall into the hands of the king and be placed in bondage again, and they began to doubt their escape, and murmur, but Moses told them to “stand still and see the salvation of the Lord.” Then the Lord told Moses to tell the children of Israel to move forward; which they did, and the sea was divided, and they passed through the sea upon dry ground, while the water was as a wall upon either side of them, and they all landed safely on the other side. And while the army was in pursuit, the waters came together and swallowed them up, and destroyed them all. The children of Israel journeyed forty years in the wilderness, and the Lord provided for them by sending manna down from heaven for them to eat, and such things as He saw fit to give unto them. Yet they often murmured and complained, and did many things displeasing to the Lord. And the Lord told them that when they came into the land of promise to possess it, they should have no communion with the Ites or nations of the country, but He would deliver them into their hands and they should destroy them. For He says: “thou art a holy people unto the Lord thy God: the Lord thy God hath chosen thee to he a special people unto himself, above all people that are upon the face of the earth.” After these many years wandering in the wilderness, the time came for them to go over and possess the land, but the river Jordon was to cross, and when they came to it, moved forward even into the very edge of the water, behold the waters parted and they passed through “on dry ground.” And now they had reached the land of promise, and no longer ate manna, but lived upon the fruit of the land. The Lord fought the battles for them, and their enemies were subdued before them. But unless they walked in the order of the Lord their enemies prevailed against them.

They are now free from bondage: all out of the wilderness and are enjoying the fruit of their own land. These things are only types and shadows of things to follow. They have a spiritual import which very beautifully illustrates or portrays our life here, from the bondage of sin out into the clear light of the Gospel. While we were under the bondage of sin, suffering the torments of an evil conscience, and our lives were made miserable at the thoughts of being cast forever into the burning lake where punishment lasts throughout Eternity. And as we began to bewail our condition, having no peace in our souls, on account of the great burden of sins, the Lord heard our cry, and sent His messengers to deliver us out of the hand of satan, by preaching the Word of God and instructing us in the way of salvation; and being convinced of the truth, we were deeply convicted on account of our sins, and resolved to gain our freedom, and thus started, like the children of Israel who encamped by the Red sea where they were delivered from the yoke of bandage, so we came and fell at the feet of Jesus confessing our sins, with a deep feeling of humiliation and repentance, while the enemy of our souls was in full pursuit. But as we accepted Jesus as our Savior and moved forward on His promises, having offered ourselves “dead in trespasses and sins,” He spoke the word, and the blood was applied which swept our sins away and made us a child of God; heirs of His kingdom, and joint heirs with Jesus Christ. And now being in a justified state, we have peace with God, and are partakers of “the true bread from Heaven,” and have our daily needs supplied, yet like the Israelites who sometimes longed for the flesh-pots and things back in Egypt, and even sometimes desiring to go back again; so is the young christian who has only reached a justified state; who starts out with great joy in his soul and is at peace with God, having been pardoned of all his actual transgressions but yet the inherited evil nature still remains; the root of bitterness. And when oppressions come and great difficulties arise, the evil, carnal nature within causes a lusting after the things of this world. Paul in speaking to such persons 1 Cor. 3rd chapter, tells them they are yet carnal, even babes in Christ, and unable to eat any thing more than milk. They were not in a condition to receive strong doctrine, and eat of the fruit of the land. But the command of the Lord is: “Go on to perfection.” A life of continual sinning and repenting, is indeed a wilderness life. The Bible teaches another step to be taken, — that of heart purity, or sanctification; having the old man crucified, that is the inherited evil, or Adamic nature rooted out and destroyed. But some say that this is all done at the same time; that we are both justified and sanctified at the same time. Others teach that we just continue to grow in grace, and are not sanctified until about the time we pass into Eternity. Let us see what the Word of God teaches, for that is our guide. And according to its teaching, it would have been just as easy for the children of Israel to have passed over the Red Sea and the River Jordon, at the same time as for us to pass from our natural sinful state, into sanctification; because if we are sinners, in order to reach a justified state in this life, we must forsake our sins, and offer ourselves “dead in trespasses and sins,” which is done by confessing our sins to the Lord; then as we accept His promises, we are made alive in Christ, and are the children of God, having all our actual transgressions pardoned. After reaching this point in our christian career we are then in a condition to comply with Romans 12:1, 2.

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God.

Sinners cannot present their bodies a living sacrifice, because they have not been made alive unto God. But can we not gradually grow in grace and thereby grow into sanctification? We answer, no! Because sanctification is a separate and distinct work from justification, and when we are sanctified the work is done instantly. Then after we have gotten into grace, we can grow in grace, and not before. Although we may make the preparations, and do many things in that way, yet the work will not be done until we present our bodies a living sacrifice, when an instantaneous work will be wrought. Our hearts will be purged and purified; the evil nature destroyed, and we will be “pure even as He is pure.” For “He hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.” — Eph. 2:6.

Where we are made partakers of the fruit of the land, and are on the highway of holiness, with our hearts filled continually with praises to God; enjoying the bliss of a Savior’s love, and the Holy Ghost leads us into the ways of all truth.

Whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning. — Rom. 15- 4. We will notice some things which represent two works of grace to be wrought in our hearts. There were two bodies of water to be crossed between Egypt and Canaan.

The crossing of the Red Sea. — Exodus 14:22.

The crossing of the Jordon River. — Josh. 3:15, 16.

Two rooms in the tabernacle. — Ex. 26:33. Heb. 9:2, 3.

( The holy place.
( The most holy place.

Two offerings made to set apart the priests. — Lev. 9:2.

( A sin offering.
( A burnt offering.

Two touches to restore the blind man’s eyes.

( Saw men as trees walking.
( Saw clearly. — Mark 8:22, 25.

Two kinds of work to be done.

1st Repentance, or turning away from sin to get converted. — Matt. 3:3. 4:17.

2nd Sacrifice of all to get sanctified. — Rom. 12:1. Luke 14:33. Heb. 6:1.

The first work.

Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. — Rom. 5:1.

The second work.

By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. — Rom. 5:2.

How the work is done.

1st By believing on the Lord Jesus Christ. — Acts 16:31.

2nd By presenting your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God. — Rom. 12:1.

E. E. Byrum.

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“NOT TO FAINT.”

—:o:—

“MEN ought always to pray and not to faint.” God lives up among impossibilities; the thing that is possible for a man to do, God always lets him do. So let the dear saints remember that when they run up against the mountains of impossibilities, (in the line of duty,) that they always run on the arm of God, and “the things which are impossible with men are possible with God.” Happy is the man who has a faith that feels safe and rich (for both worlds) in a wealth that lies in the arm and bosom of God; and not in surroundings. Such a one rests in a peaceful habitation though the Red Sea be in front, and a host in the rear. O, for a faith that does not get seasick at the toss of a carnal tempest. The enemy and a godless world has always piled up great mountains in the way of real reformation in the earth. The prophets, Jesus Christ, His apostles, Luther and all true reformers have run up on human impossibilities. Daniel had a hard time to get things to move; on one occasion he was down in the dust “three full weeks,” and yet God heard him the first day, but the prince of the kingdom of Persia (which was Cyrus) withstood the deliverer or messenger one and twenty days, but the holy unflinching Daniel did not “faint,” until deliverance came. Adam Clark says, Cyrus alone was the prince of Persia, and God had destined him to deliver his people; but there were some matters, of which we are not informed, that caused him to hesitate for some time. But God called out another angel, to answer Daniel’s prayer: and God who cannot lie would not only have sent the second angel to deliver Daniel, (but if needs be) all the host of Heaven, as His own veracity was involved. Thus Daniel run up against the mountain but run up into the arms of God. God’s slaves in Egypt, were among these mountains, and for a time seemed to darken the very sun of righteousness, and were like shining brass for hardness; but one day out in the Brickyard. I think, they all got to crying, and they cryed until their faces were wet with tears; and God was so in these hard places that He saw their tears, and heard their cries, and went down and did another impossible thing; and that was to pick up a Moses and send him over there without an army or navy, bayonet or sabre, wealth or speech, and demand six hundred thousand slaves of one of the most powerful nations under Heaven. And God shook Pharaoh like an untimely fig-tree and then drowned him and his host in the sea; somebody run on the arm of God, hallelujah!

John Brown the political mad-man, or properly speaking, the forerunner and prime hero of the late war, we could pull him out of his humble fort, [an engine house] and hang him, but how soon the spirit that moved the unflinching Brown leaped from his dying blood into the Presidential chair, and both Houses of Congress, and revolutionized this government. Thus the desire of a single man was reached against the endeavors of a nation. It is dangerous business for a nation to get between God and the innocent, though that innocent one be the most downtrodden, isolated, forgotten of all the earth. “Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, saith the Lord of hosts.” Angels, horses, and chariots of fire are always about these mountains of difficulty, awaiting God’s holy behest. Elijah saw them and took a morning ride: Elisha and servant saw them and was delivered of the Syrian Army. The Psalmist says: “The chariots of God are twenty thousand, even thousands of angels: the Lord is among them, as in Sinai in the holy place.” There is much said in the Word of God about angels, and horses, and chariots of fire, and of their miraculous power and marvelous deliverances in the Church of God. But Zechariah most blessedly details and sums up the whole matter by showing us angelic headquarters, the business, and relation they sustain to the world. We begin with Zech. 6:1. “And I turned , and lifted up mine eyes, and looked, and behold, there came four chariots out from between two mountans; and the mountains were mountains of brass.” Then the prophet said to the angel, “What are these my Lord? And the angel answered and said unto me, these are the four spirits of the heavens which go forth from standing before the Lord of all the earth.”

This reading would give the candid mind to understand, that there is a line of free coaches [chariots] running from Heaven to earth, and their terminus was the gates of Heaven, and their circuit the four quarters of the earth, and their business is to attend to the affairs of men politically and religiously. You see they stand before the Lord awaiting His command to deliver His people, and to attend to His interest in the earth. And mark you, where they make an appearance upon earth, they come out from between those mountains of brass. Mountain is a symbol of difficulty, and brass of hardness, and putting mountains and brass together makes extreme difficulty or impossibility. And we see those horses and chariots (which is a symbol of power) coming out from between those mountains of brass. Ought not the saints to be strong, when they remember that all of God’s wonderful blessings to the world have had to push out from between those two mountains? Moses and Israel were piloted out from between those mountains of brass, by God’s own power. Jesus Christ our blessed Redeemer made His way to a lost world, out through between those two mountains of political and religious power. Let me add that it has always been the fallen apostate powers then existing, (political or religious) that has created a necessity of reform; hence it has always been these corrupt bodies that has piled up those mountains of brass against reform; wealth and pride has usually been the foundation stone; persecutions, inquisition, mock-trials, stakes, fires, and deaths, have been the different stratas. And these red mouthed, black pawed, religious bloodhounds were not satisfied with the blood of Jesus and Has apostles, but they still trail the Church of God and thirst for holy blood.

I will conclude by saying there must be a reformation in the world; for there is a “Calf” running at large, and it is not the calf that troubled Moses, but His elder brother, and a real “calf,” [pride and love of the world.] And he feeds on religious slops, and has grown fat on that kind of pulpit diet: has hoofs and horns of iron, and is a mammoth beast indeed; stands with fore-feet in America, and hind- feet in Europe, and when he shakes himself he shakes the whole world; if you touch him he frowns, if he nods the nations bow. When he bellows, hooks or kicks, the professed church and world worship together at his shrine. This calf [god] must be ground to powder, or millions now living in our religions bodies will drop into hell like the leaves of Autumn fall to the ground.

Jos. S. Robinson.

Versailles, O.,

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Churubusco, Ind.,

Dear Saints: — Praise the dear Lord for salvation full and free! I am so glad that I was ever willing to cast myself at Jesus’ feet, and to take Him as a satisfying portion. Praise the name of Jesus for ever! I am complete in Him, who has saved and sanctified my soul. Oh glory to Jeous! How I long to meet with the dear saints and enjoy a heavenly feast with them. I am so glad the dear Lord has taken all worldly desires out of my heart. When the Savior first spoke peace to my soul, I had to give up all the foolish fashions of the world; such as ruffles and puffs on my dresses, and flowers on my hats. The dear Lord made me willing to forsake all and follow Him. I love to worship with those who are willing to be called a peculiar people. I know there are some who claim to be out in this blessed evening light, and are dressing as the world. O may the dear Lord help them to see their condition before it is eternally too late, is my prayer. There is one thing sure; we either belong to the Lord or we do not; we cannot carry the Lord in one hand and satan in the other. My prayer is, that God may ever lead and direct me in this holy way; I am willing to be governed by the blessed Word of God, and the blessed Holy Spirit.

Dear readers of the Trumpet, pray for us, for we have many battles to fight. Your sister in Christ, saved and kept by the power of God.

Mary C. Smith.

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