Gospel Trumpet – 15 September 1883

15 September 1883, Volume 5, Number 24.

Christ, the Body, the Church.

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BY JOSEPH C. FISHER.

The scriptures teach plainly that “Christ is all and in all” and that every true saint is “complete in Him which is the Head of all principality and power.” Glory to His holy name! and in Him dwelleth all the fullness of the God-head bodily. Col. 2:9, 10. Christ’s body is the Church, which is composed of all who are saved, washed, and redeemed by the blood of the Lord Jesus. Such as are “pure even as He is pure.” For as the Church is a continuation of Christ Jesus — in the flesh as the Apostle Paul says in his epistle to the Ephes. 5:30: “We are members of His body, His flesh and His bones,” the Church must be pure “with out spot or wrinkle, holy and without blemish.” And as God’s purpose is to save the world through the instrumentality of Christ, the Church, she must be sanctified and meet for His use. As Christ is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, who did no sin, neither guile found in His mouth. So, “both He that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one, for which cause He is not ashamed to call them brethren.” Heb. 2:4. Hallelujah! They are members of the same family, of the household of God, which is the Church of God. “Now ye are the body of Christ and members in particular.” 1 Cor. 12- 27, and “as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.” Gal. 3:27. So all the children of God completely woven together by His Spirit, make up the one body of Christ, which is the Church. To illustrate: were we to picture before you a long grape vine with its numerous branches, all of which draw nourishment from the body, the vine, without which they cannot live; as the Apostle says “Christ, the Head from which “all the body by joints and bands having nourishment ministered, and knit together increaseth with the increase of God.” — Col. 2:19. Here we see a true representation of the children of God, all joined together in the body, one Church. As there is but one body, and one body has but one head. Now for the testimony, search the scriptures for in them ye think ye have eternal life and they testify correctly. Paul in his Epistle to the Ephesians 4th chap. and 4th verse says: “There is but one body, and one Spirit” which agrees to that one body. This ignores every other body, yea every sectarian body which is no part of the body of Christ. The one Body here spoken of, by the Apostle means one church; for proof we call attention to the same Apostle, — Col. 1:18-24. “He is the Head of the Body, the Church, who is the beginning the first born from the dead that in all things He might have the pre-eminence” — 18, again. Paul declares that he “rejoices in his suffering in the flesh for to fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ for His Body’s sake which is the Church — 24 v. It is just the reverse in his epistle to the Eph. 1:22-23. “And hath put all things under His feet and gave Him to be the Head over all things to the Church, which is His Body, the fullness of Him which filleth all in all.” Can any one be so blind as not to see that the Body and the Church are one, and that there is but one Church, which means the one congregation. As it takes a number of individuals to make a congregation, so also it takes all of our members to make a complete body. The word church does not really express the import of the scriptures, it is from the Greek word Ekklesia which always means congregation, and should be to expressed, and used, which would avoid a great deal of Babylonish confusion. Sectarians take advantage by using this word, pointing to the seven churches (congregations) and tell the people these represent different denominations, which is false. They think it impossible for God’s little ones to meet together in separate societies in small congregations and belong to the one and same body, the great congregation, because they are separated by space or distance, though it may be many miles. This does not separate them from the one spiritual body of Christ, nor into rival factions, or sects, which are separate, cut off bodies; cut off, not by space or distance, but in spirit and sentiment. For if the space or locality produced such an effect, then each local congregation of any sect were a sect of itself, no matter how strictly they might adhere to the same doctrine. Hence locality makes local congregations, or churches, but not sects. Read, Cor. 1:10. Here Paul writing to the Corinthians, when they began to be divided in sentiment and opinion, which is schism, and he exhorts in the “name of our Lord Jesus Christ that they all speak the same thing and be perfectly joined together in the same mind and the same judgment,” the Emphatic Diaglott renders, it sentment. They no doubt talked just as the people do now, saying, we have a right to our opinion and you yours. So one said I am of Paul, and I am of Cephas, and I of Apollos, and l of Christ, and the Apostle says that these diversities of opinion, and sentiment were the cause of envy, and strife, and division, and that such were the works of carnality. 1 Cor. 1:10, 3:1-4. I will now make mention of a few facts concerning the seven congregations of Asia: The first spoken of is the congregation or church of Ephesus. — Rev. 2. Let us see what they were: For we are frequently told they were different denominations, which is as false as it is possible for the father of lies himself to speak; and they that teach such doctrine are doing the works of their father, the devil; yea the lusts of their father they will do. If we turn to the 20th chap. of the Acts of the Apostles we find, after Paul had met with the brethren at Troas, and stopped at Miletus, he sent to Ephesus and called the elders of the Church. They came, he delivers them his farewell address, and declares that they all, among whom he had preached the kingdom of God, should see his face no more; and charges them in the 28tb v. to “take heed to themselves and to all the flock, over which the Holy Ghost had made them overseers, to feed the Church of God which He has purchased with His own blood.” Here the apostle declares that the church of Ephesus was the Church of God, purchased by the blood of Christ. Do you suppose dear reader, that Paul, or any of the Apostles, planted the Church of God at Ephesus, and then went to Pergamos and planted an M. E. sect, and then at Thyatira, and planted a U. B. sect, and at Sardis a F. M. Sect and so on until they had at many different denominations as churches in Asia? Oh no. Shame on that person who dares to teach such false doctrine, and bring such a charge upon the holy apostles of the Lamb. The congregations of Asia were all members of the one body, the Church of the Living God, and of the free woman and not of the bond woman, or (harlot woman).

But the sects say, they are branches of the Church. Not so. There is no mention in the scriptures of branch churches. Christ says, “I am the vine and ye are the branches; he that abideth in me and I in him the same bringeth forth much fruit for without me ye can do nothing, and if a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch.” According to the Savior’s word, a man is a branch. But a sect is not a branch, but is a cut off section or party, and not joined to the one body, the Body of Christ, hence no part of God’s Church. Christ built but one church against which the gates of hell shall not prevail. — Matt 17:18. Prevail means to triumph over, or overcome. “And I will give unto you the keys (speaking to Peter) of the kingdom of heaven, and whatsoever thou shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whosoever, thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed (or lost) in heaven. This language is figurative, it was the custom of the Jews when they made a man a doctor of the law to put into his hands the key of the closet in the temple, where the sacred books were deposited and also the tablets to write upon and it signifying that they gave him authority to teach and to explain the scriptures and Law of God to the people. The language of our Lord implied that He gave Peter the authority to teach His Gospel which “is the power of God udto salvation to every one that believes:” and whereby we gain that blessed hope which we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which entereth into that within the vail; and which binds us in heaven, and unites us in heaven. But those rejecting it are lost in heaven, lost in hell, and this authority Christ gives to every one ministers; He makes them a flame of fire by the baptism of the Holy Ghost, which is power from on high. Praise God for the blessed endowment which enables us all to “speak as one having authority and not as the scribes and pharisees.’’ Praise God! the power fills and thrills my inmost soul even now. Hallelujah! The qualification and authority all that were assembled together with one accord in one place on the day of pentecost received when they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak as the spirit gave them utterance. Here Christ fully established and equipped His Churchy, giving to each one their gifts, “the spirit dividing to every one severally as He will,” which qualified them for ever good word and work. The Church being now built and established and endowed with power as the Apostle Paul tells us. — Eph. 2:20. “Built on the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief corner stone; in whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an Holy Temple in the Lord,” which admits of no sect building, and only groweth unto one holy temple in the Lord, and not in the sects. After which Peter began to preach salvation through Jesus Christ and with such power that 3,000 were converted and added to them, the Church, by the Spirit. — Acts 1:41. “And the Lord daily added to the Church such as should be saved.” (Emphatic Diaglott as were being saved.”) Thus we see the Lord adds to the Church Himself, by the Spirit, by which we are all baptized into one Body, as there is only one Body and one Spirit to agree thereto. Which organizes, and harmonizes, and tempers the body together. Every sect is a separate, self constituted, humanly organized body, apart from the Body of Christ; the doors of which men open and close at will, through which they admit members, or eject them, by forms and ceremonies instituted by men, and into which thousand have been admitted which never met a change of heart, or had salvation. Hence old babylon has become a slum, a pool for dragons, “the hold of every foul spirit, and cage of every unclean and hateful bird.” The scriptures tell us owls and satyrs dwell there. An owl is a bird which roams in the dark. A native or darkness and, like wicked men, they cannot hear the light. A satyr is a fabulous silvan deity, half man, half goat. So these abominable hypocrites wolves in sheep’s clothing who prey upon human souls, are fabulous shams, humanly men, spiritually goats, instead of sheep. “Neither shall the shepherds make their fold there, but wild beasts of the desert shall lie there and their houses shall be full of doleful creatures, and owls and satyrs shall dwell and dance there, and the wild beasts of the land (sects) shall cry in their desolate houses (steeple houses,) and dragons (devils) in their pleasant palaces, and her time is near to come, and her days shall not be prolonged.” — Isaiah 21:21-22.

(To be Continued.)

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A Wonderful Faith Cure.

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BY MISS EMMA J. MILLER.

My health failed me three years ago. My eyes soon became so weak and sensitive to the light that I was perfectly helpless and had to be led about the same as a blind person. I had not read a line in nearly three years, and had not looked into the light for two and a half years. My general health has been so much impaired that it was impossible for me to remain at home during the summer season. I have lived the greater part of the past two years at Petoskey, Michigan. During the month of August, one year ago, I was converted and sanctified. From that time I was forcibly impressed that I would be healed of God. We were corresponding with Sister Coggon of Charlotte and learned from her of the camp meeting at Bangor, Michigan. She invited me to go, and came to our house and took me with her as I was blind and helpless. We arrived on the ground on Friday, June 15. There was continued prayer offered in my behalf for healing and the laying on of hands by Bro. Fisher according to the word of God. On Tuesday the 19th, about 6 p. m., my eyes opened. To God be all the glory. Praise His name! When they opened, the lids were very red, the pupil white; in about five minutes they became perfectly natural. In an hour I wrote a card to my parents. My eyes kept perfectly bright end continue the same and my general health is rapidly improving.

Battle Creek, Mich., July 21.

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This is a confirmation of the miracle Bro. J. C. Fisher recently reported, by the person who was healed. Sister Miller is of age, and can speak for herself. While I write this note Bro. Benj. Bell, from Kalamazoo, Mich. is present in our office. He adds his testimony, as an eye witness of this gracious work of God. He saw the blind sister, and beheld her eyes opened by the Lord, and saw the postal card that she speaks of in this letter. He tells us that there were men base enough to insinuate that it was a case of feigned blindess; but when the powers of God came upon the camp, and the Lord touched the sister’s eyes, conviction struck to their hearts, and their mouths were stopped.

To us it is an astonishing thing that men can become so blind and depraved as to doubt the power and goodness of God to do such things for his people. The editor of one of the secular papers in this place reprinted Bro. Fisher’s account under this caption, “Tougher than a Snake Story.” What is this but latter day scoffing at the work of the Almighty. Men who treat with contempt all divine interpositions, that exceed their credulity, usually pride in their reason, but what is more reasonable than that the God who framed the universe should be able to “heal all manner of diseases.” And that the God who withheld not his own Son from the cross, for our rake, would freely give us all things with Him, even sight, hearing and health. Infidelity is irrationality. Believing all things written in the word of God the highest exorcise of reason.

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Know every man the plague of his heart.

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BY D. D. JOHNSTON.

Unless we live in the Holy Spirit we will make mistakes which will prove the ruin of our souls. We were at a meeting some time ago that was wonderfully led of the Lord. A chapter of the word was read, and the close fitting truth applied to the hearts. After which all were called around the altar for examination and consecration. One man who had professed holiness did not come to the altar, but soon went out and left the meeting. Others could not lift up holy hands when the test of absolute loyalty to God was put. Afterward some undertook to apologize for not doing so. One said, I do not believe in following man, hence I did not hold up my hands. Did you ever before hear of a sanctified person refusing to hold up his hands, in the sanctuary? No nor was it so in this case. The trouble was, the sect idol of his heart, was touched, and brought to light. Talk about sanctification, talk about regeneration. Yea talk about good manners. When the greatest sinner of my life, I never had illmanners enough to leave a meeting, without a good cause, before the services were closed. Christ commands us, to “be perfect even as our Father in Heaven is perfect.” And yet men are so deluded as to think they can cherish these sect idols in their hearts, which get stirred up whenever touched by the sword of truth. At the same meeting, a brother, with a more honest heart, said, “If coming out of babylon is of God, it is in vain to fight It, and if it were not, it would come to naught without us fighting it. After the close he remarked, that he did not see what would become of the converts, if we done away with the denominations. But when the Lord says, come out of her, He intends wo should obey, and He will take care of the results. What is His business is not ours. What a blessing it would have been for all converts had they been taught to abide in Christ alone, instead of seeking refuge in these unscriptural sects. To say that a home in some one of the latter day sects is essential for converts, is virtually to say that their founders were more wise Allan Christ.

Yes, Yes, what a beautiful home old babylon is for the devil to keep and train up young converts in, so as to make sure of their perdition. At this same place, a few years ago there was a strong holiness force; but not coming out of babylon, they failed to keep pace with God, and as a result, they have greatly lost ground, and there has not, to our knowledge, been a soul converted or sanctified, and probably not even convicted for the last two or three years. And yet they listen to the devils talk of staying in these filthy sect homes. Some who were strong in the grace of entire sanctification, are fast loosing their power. We are sure they were convicted of their duty to come out of her, several months, ago but did not obey. You had better all take warning at this late hour and flee cut of the midst of her and deliver every man his soul. For we are very sure that all who do not obey this call of God, will backslide as surely as those did in our country a few years ago when called unto holiness. May God help you my dear brethren to flee from the wreck of her fall. Your brother sanctified wholly to the Lord, and cleansed from all sin. Glory to Jesus!

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Sin In High Places.

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Last Spring we gave a TRUMPET to a Lutheran preacher on the train. It soon stirred the devil in him, and while we were stopping a while at Galion, his carnality boiled over, and he attacked us, but as he did not have good manners enough to keep his tounge still, while we attempted a word occasionly, we soon refused to have any further talk with him. After taking our seat in the car, a conductor, to whom we had handed a paper in the depot, stepped in, and began to talk with us. He said the Lutheran preacher had just read the account of his brother preacher, going to heaven(?) from a smoking car, and was no little excited. Says the elderly conductor to me. “I told them that is was necessary that some one be raised up of God to rebuke the corrupt preachers of this age. To give them an idea of the sin the preachers are guilty of indulging in when far away from home. I told him the following instance. We were running from St. Louis to Indianapolis. Dr. Bartlett was on the train. At one of the stops, one of the brakesman, having observed that I was acquainted with the D. D. seeing him stand on the platform of the palace coach, says to me. ‘Who is that man!’ I replied that it was Dr. Bartlett from Indianapolis. He asked, what for a docter? I told him, a doctor of divinity, and pastor of one of the first Prebyterian, or Congregational Churches in that City. With an oath he declared that he had seen him back in the coach playing cards, with some friends, and drinking liquor. I told him that he must be mistaken, but he declared that it was true, and that I might see them at it myself if I would make it my business to go back into the sleeping coach. Well, I had curiosity enough to go through the car and see for my self. And sure enough there sat Dr. Bartlett, having his hand full of cards, and there sat the bottle and tunblers on their table. This, said the man, I can prove by four men, that I know of that saw it.”

This dum dog was one of the most popular priests of babylon when we lived in Indianapolis, and we are informed is now in charge of an idol temple in Washington D. C.

So you see that the uncircumsized heart, of the most popular priest, just wants to get far enough from home to think no one will know them to show that they are of the devil, corrupt and abominable as God describes the false prophets.

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THE GOSPEL TRUMPET.

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A DEFINITE, RADICAL, ANTI-SECTARIAN HOLINESS JOURNAL.

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Edited and Published semi-monthly
in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ.
For the Purity and Unity of His Body,
the defence of ALL His Truth,
and the ABOMINATION of Sect Babylon.

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D.S WARNER, __________ Editor.
J. C. FISHER, __________ Corresponding Editor.
D. D. JOHNSTON. __________ Publisher.

BUCYRUS OHIO.

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TERMS, $1.00. Per Year. To the Poor, Less, or Free.

Entered at the Post Office at Bucyrus Crawford Co. Ohio. as second class matter.

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We send this paper, for a season, to many who have not subscribed for it. Fear not to take it out of the office, it shall not cost you any thing until you are led of the Lord and your own freewill to support it. Please let us hear from you as soon as you shall have made up your mind for or against the paper.

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Editorials.

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A GOOD EXAMPLE.

Shoenberger & Bro. sign painters in Chicago. Ill. add to their advertizing card. “N. B. — No signs made for saloons, tobacco, church fairs or raffles.”

O that every one that nameth the name of the Lord would thus depart from iniquity and touch not the unclean.

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A GROVE MEETING.

At Lodi, Ohio, Bro. Cyrus Mohler, writes that the saints there have decided to have a grove meeting some time in September. Amen.

He also says, “We had a glorious free meeting in the town hall, here last Sabbath.” Praise the Lord.

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Bros. J. P. Merrill and S. Lindsey are hiving a tabernacle meeting at Paris, Ill. The battle is raging between the two kingdoms. They will begin a camp meeting at Montezuma, Indiana, September 13. May the Lord bless their labors. We hope that Bro. L. is serving God in sincerity, at we are so assured by his fellow-laborer.

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CAMP OR GROVE MEETING IN INDIANA.

Bro. J. F. Keller, writes us that there will be a grove or camp meeting on his place a few miles north of Churubusko, Whitley county, Ind., beginning September 20. We are invited to attend, and if the Lord will may do so, on return from the Michigan assembly. Let there be a rally there for God.

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REQUESTS FOR PRAYER.

Pray for the restoration to health of Sister M. M. Scott, Medina, Ohio.

Pray for the restoration of Sister Sarah J. Wood’s daughter, who is very sick.

Pray for the restoration of Brother and Sister Bronson, Greenwood, Indiana. Both have sore eyes, and the sister is nearly deaf. May the Lord bring it to pass. Amen!

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ASSEMBLY MEETING.

There will be an assembly of the Saints in Northern, Mich. commencing on the 12th. of Oct. Parties coming from the North, can stop off at Breckenridge on the Saginaw valley and St. Louis R. R. Those coming from the south can stop at St. Johns on the Detroit and Grand Haven R. R. where brethren will meet them if notified. Those coming from the south address Bro. John T. Lyon, Maple Rapids, Mich. Those from the north, address Bro. William Kennet, Lafayette Gratiot, Co. Mich. Let there be a general rally, — J. C. Fisher.

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Church and Religion.

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There has, of late sprung up a considerable interest on these words, on the part of some teachers.

Brothers Eller and Raper reject them entirely, as only applicable to false systems, and as having no place in true Christian parlance. L. H. Johnson, with whom they were formerly in harmony, rejects and renounces them as the instigators of a new sect, based on the rejection of these words. Each party has renounced the other as of the devil, and thereby shown their need of the second grace of entire sanctification.

No man can be holy unto the Lord, and not face every issue that comes up. There is no neutral ground in Christ. We know some who, we believe, were truly sanctified to God, a few months ago, who have backslidden, to a great extent, in trying to be silent and neutral on the divine call to come out of babylon. It will not do.

We have been desirous to commit ourself on the above issue for some time. We can only take the word Church, in this number. If we apply to the proper sources of information we find no difficulty in determining whether it is the proper English counterpart of the Greek — ekkelesia for which it stands in the common version. So far as we know all agree that its roots are, ek — out of, and kaleo to call. Therefore it literally means the called out, an assembly, or community. All our standards define the word — “to call out, to summon, a convocation, assembly, congregation.”

George Campbell of Scotland, says: “The word literally imports congregation.” — Note on Matt 18:17.

Smith and Barnum’s dictionary define “ekklesia — literally — what is called out, or summoned.”

While community, or assembly, has always been the idea associateed with ekklesia, Church is also an old word derived, from the Greek Kuriacon, and the Scottish Kirk; these words siguify “pertaining to the Lord,” — dictionary, and Robinson’s lexicon. “Consecrated to the Lord.” — American Cyclopedia. Thus we see that Church, and assembly were originally derived from two different words in the Greek, i. e. Kuriacon — Churchy ekklesia — congregation or community.

Now the word in the Greek New Testament, from which we have the English word Church, is the latter, and not the former. Hence it were more correctly rendered by congregation. This cannot be honestly and intelligently denied. And we are in favor of adopting such English words, in all cases, as most perfectly represent the ideas contained in the original scriptures. And this will we do as the Lord permits.

But those brethren who are so loudly advocating the doing away of those two words, have laid unwarrantable stress thereon.

First They tell us that — Kuriacon — Church, always applied to idol temples, or system, and not to anything that was sacred to the true God. I have found no warrant for that assertion. Standard authors assure us that it signified, sacred, consecrated, or pertaining to the Lord.

Second. They tell us that the adoption of that word by the authorized version has opened the way for the devil to found several hundred false, and, bogus churches.

This is very silly reasoning. Sin is the only word that gives place to the devil, and the name of Christ, and the power of His blood, can alone, arrest and destroy his works, whether it be sects or anything else. What childish notions, to think that if the translators had put community in the bible instead of church, that then all sect building would have been cut off, and prevented. Just as if the “mother of harlots” could not have brought forth any daughters — sister sects — if community, were the divine name they must counterfeit, instead of church. Just as if the devil could not have organized communities just as fast as he has churches. The same thing in substance, only different in general name. It is also a great mistake that the exchange of the word community for church, and God service for religion is the essential thing to put an end to schisms and factions. O how blind such reasoning. Nothing but thorough holiness can destroy sects and denominations of men, whether they are termed churches or communities. Only they that walk in the light as God is in the light have perfect fellowship one with another, and that because the blood of Jesus Christ God’s dear son, cleanseth us from all sin. God’s word attributes all sects to carnality, and entire sanctification is the only scriptural remedy to remove the plague of heresy from the heart. If all sect were to disband their organizations, burn up their creeds, forsake their respective party names, and call themselves members of the community of God, envy, strife, and division would still curse the earth, until the sword of the Almighty were let loose to slay all idols and the blood of Christ were applied to the cleansing of all sin out of the heart. What we need, and what God is sending, is a storm of “hail and fire, mingled with blood,” to knock down, terrify and drive away all hypocrites, bam up the dross, and purge out the depravity of the heart. Hallelujah let it come.

Again, these teachers seem to wholly overlook the fact that what ever word ekklesia is rendered by it, is insufficient of itself, to express the character of that body. The simple word assembly, or congregation, or community, ascribes no character to the compact spoken of. It may be an assembly or congregation, of angels, of saints, of sinners or of devils. Therefore to exchange the word church for that of community, would not exclude one sinner, nor invest the church with one particle of purity, or unity. This generic fact not only exists in relation to any word that ekklesia may be rendered by, but it is true of the Greek word itself. In Acts 19:29, we have an, “ennomo ekklesia,” — “lawful assembly.” Here the same word that inspiration uses to represent the community of the saints, represents a legal assembly, or court of judicature: its character is denoted by the qualifying word — “ennomo,” — lawful. And in the very next verse we have described an assembly not even. Iawful, a rabble mob. “There being no cause whereby we may give an account of this concourse” — “ekklesia.”

So we see that the correct translation of ekklesia cannot prevent corrupt churches, worldly, sensual and devilish communities, for the Greek word ekklesia, itself does not exclude them. The word simply denotes a called out assembly, and whether good or bad, lawful or unlawful, spiritual or carnal, the connection, or some qualifying word must indicate. Hence the ekklesia is usually qualified by “of God,” the Church of God,” or, of Christ — the Churches of Christ,” “Church of the First Born which are written in heaven,” etc. The Lord help us not to spend time disputing about mere words to no profit, but let all get imputed of self, and filled with the fire of the Holy Spirit, and then somebody’s wood, hay, and stubble will be consumed, and God will use you as an instrument to lead others through the cleansing blood, into that holy walk with God, that leaves all the rubbish of babylon far out of sight. O it is purity of heart, acquaintance and fellowship with the living God that dethrones the god of sect and every other idol from the heart, and crowns the Savior Lord of all in the heart and soul and life. Amen! Hallelujah to the God that answers by fire in my soul!

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Problem Solved.

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The standard of regeneration we find in God’s word, is the abiding witness of God’s Spirit with ours, that we ore a child of God. This, is the inward evidence to the soul, constantly crying “abba Father.” While the outward evidence of this relation, is a sinless life. Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him; and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.” — 1. John 3:9. And so radical is the word of God, in asserting, that the first saving experimental acquaintance with Christ puts an utter end to all sinning, that it is written. — “Whosoever sinneth hath not seen Him neither known Him,” and, “He that committeth sin is of the devil.” Yea the inflexible, irrevocable word of truth, fixes the line betwen the “children of God,” and the children of the devil,” right between the ..n ..ning, and the sinning. And as certain as the “word of the Lord endureth forever,” and God cannot belie, this line will mark the point of separation between the finally saved and eternally lost. Here God has fixed the gulf between heaven and hell, and has given all men due warning of the fact. However most professors of religion believe the word of the devil, that men can keep on committing sin as long as they live, and still gain heaven, rather than credit the word of God, which clearly points to perdition as the terminus of their probationary course of sinning. Of course as they expect to sin daily, they calculate on daily repentance. But this is a “doctrine of devils,” an emanation of the “fatheroflies.” True scriptural repentance includes a full stop off from all sinning, and salvation terminates in salvation above all sinning. While that repentance that does not make an end of all sinning, is a fraud in the sight of God, and a damning snare to the soul. It is not repentance for sin, but a hypocritical repentance of the dreaded consequence of sin. The soul that really repents of sin, quits sinning, because if hates and loathes sin; but the soul that only hates, and repents of the foreboded penalty of sin, keeps on sinning and repenting; because it really loves sin. The former loves God and hates sin; the latter only fears God, but loves sin. Hence all habitual sinners have failed to reach a standing in regeneration.

Now the problem we wish to solve is this. Why is it that the scriptures teach a sinless life as the test of the new birth, and yet the world is full of men and women who know they have been born again, and yet cannot measure up to that standard? They cannot deny that they have met with a change, and others see its manifestation in their lives. And yet they are conscious of committing sin, more or less daily. Here is a point where experience seems to conflict with revelation. We see the same thing ascribed to some of the New Testament congregations. Some of them have sins alledged to them, others not, while all are urged on to the “fullness of the blessing of the Gospel.” Those who had sinned of course had incurred the necesitty of repentance and pardon, before they could inherit the blessing of perfect love.

A consideration of those facts, together with the scripture teaching, lead us to the delusion that while repentance and regeneration begin a life of freedom from the commission of sin, entire sanctification, is the summit condition of perpetuating that sinnless life. The fact that, “whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin,” is based upon the holy “seed” that abides in him, which cries out for the destruction of the unholy adamic nature, that wars against it; and upon the fact that grace provides for, and all the promises of God point to the present, entire destruction of this inward fole. In cither words, the absence of sinning in the new born life, is secured by the provisions that God has made for that life, the most important of which is the second work, of removing all tendency to evil out of our nature. This “unites the heart,” the will, and the whole realm of our moral nature, with all the appetites and propencities of the body, into sweet accord with God, and into natural, and easy resistence of all outward evil. This is the plain of victory upon which the “born again” soul is expected to move forward without committing sin through out life. Hence, justification is a mere transition state. Here men quit sinning, while they press on to perfection, but relapse into sin as soon as they undertake to stand there. “Being justified by faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ; by whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand.” — Rom. 5:1-2. — Peace with God, through justification, is a glorious experience; but to find a place to “stand, we must pass on, by a second grasp of faith, to a higher plane. Hence also Paul urges the Hebrew Christians “on to perfetion,” clearly intimating that a failure to do so, will surely “lay a foundation for repentance from dead works,” — Heb. 6 Behold also the Apostle Paul’s great anxiety to bring the “fullness of the blessing of the Gospel,” to the various congregations of young converts, “to the end they may be established.” — Rom 1:11. — “To the end He may establish your hearts unblamable in holiness before God.” — 1 Thes. 3:13. All these, and other scriptures clearly point to perfect holiness of heart, an experience to be gained after justification, us the sure footing of complete inward salvation; and outward victory.

We do not say that no person can live a child of God, that does not attain the “second grace, but by the authority of God’s word we do say that no one has retained the relation of a child of God, who has slid back into the habitual practice of sin; for this is the mark of a child of the devil.” Now if you can find out how many are living without committing sin, and yet have not entered into the holy of holies, by the blood of Christ, you will know just how many are acknowledged of God, as His children, and fit to offer themself to God for the grace of entire sanctification. We think all agree that such are very scarce. While thousands have been born of God, that have not been able to live without sinning; although the bible says that they that are born of God do not sin.

Praise the Lord it is entere sanctification that solves this mysterious problem of the regenerate. The born of God do not sin chiefly because theirs is the privilege of entire purification, “wherein we stand,” — are “established unblamable in holiness.” It is a fact that until this plane day is reached, our experience is wrapped in mystery. We look back to the transition moment of pardon, and we cannot doubt the change that was wrought, then we read the holy joy and triumph of the saint of God, as described in the word, and contrast with the faintness of our inward light, the leanness and inward dissatisfaction of the soul; and in spite of ourselves, we question whether we have been born of God or not. Bless God! if you will accept it as a definite second work of grace, you will find a grand solution of the mystery in the blood of Christ. A perfect clearing away of all mists and doubts; and the “day dawn” of perfect satisfaction, in the soul, Amen!

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Something Better.

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“I don’t want the paper sent to me. That there are faults in all churches, and other organizations I am willing to admit; but until something belter is presented, I must uphold the church.

Yours in Christ,”

Jas. Berry.

Well Brother Berry, you have not learned to distinguish between the lewd daughters of mother Rome, and God’s pure assembly of saints. Do you not know that you call those worldly corporations “the Church.” —His Bride. Behold she is playing the harlot on even steeple house hill, and under every green tree Behold she “sits down to eat, and rises up to play,” and within her walls are found every kind of adbomination. She keeps late hours in her festival whoredoms; and has become altogether as Sodem and like unto Gormorrah, and yet in your ignorance you designate here as the bride of Christ the Lamb’s wife. Please let us ask you how you would like to be joined to a whole family of such harlot sisters. O beware, God is not mocked. He will not suffer His holy name to be defiled with such unhallowed associations.

But you say you will uphold these proud carnal corporations as the Church — the Lamb’s wife, until something better is presented. Well, God takes you at your word. Now open His bible and He will present you with something better. “Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the Church, and gave himself for it: that He might present it to Himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.” — Eph. 5:25-27.

Here it Christ’s description of His bride the Church, and whatever does not agree with this holy character He does not own and it is slander to call it His wife. — The Church. Read Bro. Fisher’s article in this paper and you will find something better than any, or all sects, for God’s community; you will find that the Church, or community of God, is simply the body of Christ. Now we hope you will honestly do as you have promised. Whoever calls anything else but the body of Christ, “the Church,” is guilty of perverting the word of God and of calumniating the Son of God, as having an unholy wife, yea unholy body; which is equivalent to charging Christ Himself with being unholy. This cannot be denied.

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Obituary.

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Bro. William Vought, four miles from this place departed to be with Jesus, August 23. 1883. The years of his life were 55, 2 months and 22 days.

His death was caused by the kick of a horse, he lived but a couple days after the fatal accident.

We have no doubts of the happy departure of our dear Brother. We always found Bro. Vought an honest and very conscientious child of God. He received the grace of entire sanctification several years ago and kept the faith. But we have always felt that through his weakness of mind, the enemy of his soul, has robbed him of much of the joy and triumph of life. Thank the L0rd! we trust he finds it better to be with Christ, far off from the tempter. May the Lord bless, comfort, and continually save Sister Vought, and all the children and friends of the departed brother.

Funeral services on the 31, were attended by a large congregation.

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A Present Help.

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Dear Bro. and Sister Warner: — May God bless y0u and all the dear saints in that place. Glory t0 G0d! I am saved just now by the precious blood of Christ, and kept by the power of God, through faith unto salvation, ready to be revealed in the last time. Glory to God for the faith He has given me. “Beloved if our hearts condemn us not then have we confidence toward God, and whatsoever we ask we receive of Him, because we keep His commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in His sight.” — 1 John 3:20-22. Yesterday morning my eldest son of six years, arose quite sick, and soon returned to bed again. When I came in from work we kneeled down and asked the Lord to heal him. I arose in faith, believing it would be done. At evening found him apparently worse, high fever, and out of his mind. We laid hands on him and prayed again, in strong faith; but at 11 o’clock he was still in high fever. Our faith was tried: but once more I asked God, for Christ’s sake to remove the fever and heal him: and praise God He done it, Glory to His holy name. The child said, “God can heal, cant He.” Instantly the fever left him, and to day the child is well. Glory to God forever! Jesus Christ is our Great Phyiscian, for soul and body. We dare not call upon any other.

E. Nichols.

Ithaca, Mich., Aug 25.

Page 3

To the Church of God.

To the dear saints of God, greeting: Beloved in Christ Jesus, called to be saints washed and redeemed in His precious blood, and who now bear about in your bodies the dying of the Lord Jesus; to you and all having a like experience. May the peace of God be multiplied. May you always be rejoicing in the Lord, in whom ye thine as lights in the world, a city which is set on a hill cannot be hid. So also shall ye let your lights shine. Like Gideon’s men,

“Lift high year lamps
And shout with triumph round the camp.”

Shout victory in the name of Jesus. Press the battle to the gate; do not be intimidated by what the cowardly element ground you say. Do not stop to confer with flesh and blood, but onward march to certain victory. It wont be long, if we are faithful, until the final conflict will have been fought, and the last noise of battle shall have died away in the eternal distance, and the sunlight of eternity thrill our souls with everlasting glory. Oh Hallelujah to God! says my soul. I will trust the Almighty, and under the shadow 0f His wing shall I continue to find a safe covert from the storm; yes and be able to realize, that underneath are the everlasting arms. Beloved keep at the feet of Him who spake as never man spake; yes daily, keep right up with Jesus in His wonderful march as a mighty conqueror through time. We must keep under the blood, and active, to be able to comprehend God’s present truths, which are in these last days so swiftly unfolding to those who are following the Lamb whithersoever He goeth. Many to-day hear the muttering of the wrath of God, which will shortly fall on the ungodly multitudes, which people the mystical Babylon. While some are making good their escape, others like Lot’s wife, stop and look back, and become lifeless statues. And multitudes think they are out, and yet are not, and the fire of God is fulling, and they are being consumed.

There is no way out of babylon only through the blood. If our robes are not made white in the blood of the Lamb, it will do us no good to say we are out. But if out, we are not backward in pouring out the vials of the wrath of God upon the wicked city.

Remember, that he who has sympathy for the spirit of the world, is not of God. He that is a friend of the world is an enemy of God. There is no concord between the sanctified hosts, and gog and magog powers of darkness, which are led by Apolyon the prince of the power of the air, which now worketh in the hearts of the disobedient.

Oh beloved, watch; the devil as an angel of light will deceive if possible God’s sanctified ones. Yes he has bis servants trying to preach justification, and sanctification, and also attempts to hide the truth by making a fictitious rally against bis own stronghold, sectarianism. But the mighty truth scales off the Babylon whitewash; yes the light of God’s truth reveals things in their true colors. Boloved stand on the rock; keep Jesus and His word between you and anything in this dark world; let the blessed sword of truth shield you. Oh glory to God! Though the devil howl and rage, yet he wont come near the sword. Praise God for victory now through the blood of the Lamb.

Thos. H. Low.

Hawpatch, Ind., Aug. 19, ’83.

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The Right Direction of Riches.

One of the most important questions that can arise in connection with practical godliness, is the relation of Christians to the accumulation of wealth.

What is it then to be rich towards God, according to the Gospel in earthly things? First, it is to fully consecrate to God the use of all our faculties to acquire and lay up treasure. Second, it is to hold all our riches in obeyance to the will of God; to use and appropriate them in accordance with His revealed purposes; and after a diligent use of the means, it is to be willing to have much, or little, or nothing, as it may please our Heavenly Father. It is, in short, to entrust all our treasure to God; not only for safe keeping, but for distribution. God must be recognised in our deepest convictions, both as the primary owner of our possessions, and the rightful disburses of the same. Our province is to get, hold, and dispose of treasure as subordinates — as mere trustees and wardens. And the office of a trustee is not simply to receive and hold but to use money according to the terms of his trust, On this account, it is just as incumbent upon a consecrated man to seek opportunities to give money away as it is to acquire it. And because all our treasures are but a trust fund, no man, and especially no sanctified man, is justifiable in allowing himself to die leaving the tenure of his property in un-sanctified hands, to be used against God and His cause. In this regard, there is a fearful inconsistency practised among Christians. Often the pious work of a lifetime on the part of parents is neutralized by the mischief done through the power of their estates. I am more and more convinced that every good man should be the executor of his own fortune. His aim should be to die as poor as the wants of his family will allow, unles he has good reason to believe he can transmit his capital to children or friends who will be “rich toward God” with it, as he himself by covenant engagement has been. It may seem monastic, but it cannot be denied, that other things being equal poverty is more conducive to holiness than riches. Poverty, and the discipline of hard times, with education, a good moral and religious training, have made the choicest men of every age.

Finally, to be rich towards God implies a conscientious discrimination in the distribution of our treasure. We must not lavish our beneficence on such ways and measures as to generate and foster ambition, pride, and cupidity in the recipent. Perhaps one of the most prolifiic sources of unfaithfulness and degeneracy in the churches, and among ministers of the present time, is the creation and support of lucrative offices in the Church. It has the effect to beguile and entice gifted and useful men from their proper work of the ministry into outside and semi-secular places. And it is natural for such offices to take on the character of superior honour. Thus they become a double temptation for a minister to leave the sacred charge to which the Holy Ghost has called him.

How many efficient ministers on this account, like a thrifty vine smitten with an untimely frost, have cast their fruit, and brought nothing to perfection. Dry and withered, half secularized and spiritually dead, they have spent a life in official business, misnamed the ministry. And what is the cause? We answer, the misappropriation or the benevolence or the Church. We have held out the bait of emolument, and the fiction of honour, until our sons have been seduced from their ambassadorship for Christ. The subject enlarges, and I must leave the spiritual aspect of it for another number

—Selected.

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For the Gospel Trumpet.

We Want Men.

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Not long since, I read an article in a religious news paper, with the above title. The writer went on to say that there were calls in certain places for more ministers, but that the real want was more men. Men who were men before they became ministers, and who, if they should cease to be ministers, would still continue to be men. The above we believe to be correct, though we think it does not go far enough. What the present age demands is men who are not only men in the fullest sense of the word, naturally speaking, but men who are saved from all sin and filled with the Holy Ghost, and with faith; not men who have a theory or belief that they are thus filled, but men, who for a living veritable, burning reality, have had their pentecost, and enjoy it now. Men wo are clothed with the mantles of the prophets, and apostles. Men who are willing to stand up single banded, and alone, and if need be antagonize the world in the cause of moral reform, and aim for victory too. The world was never more in need of heroes, than it is to day. Men who are willing to sacrifice their all to God, and his cause, and who are ready to stand upon his immutable word, and cross swords with formalism and idolatry which is eating out the vitals of spiritual life of the religious world of to day; men whom God himself has called from, the plow, the work shop, the college, or no matter where, and clothed them with the armour of righteousness and truth, and put the sword of the spirit in their hands, and commissioned them to go forth and preach good tidings to the meek, to bind up the broken hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prisons to them that are bound, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord and the day of vengeance of our God. Oh I praise God that he has heard the cries and tears, the groans and prayers of captive Israel, and is now commissioning men and sending them forth to strike the yoke from off the neck of the captive daughter of Zion, and let her go free. May the time speedily come, when God shall bring again Zion, when Israel shall be free, and shall worship him in spirit and in truth, and in the beauty of holiness and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage. Amen!

Lemuel Rice.

Ada, Ohio.

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Continual Victory at Jerry City, Ohio.

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BY Wm. H. Miller.

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Jerry City, Ohio, Aug. 28.

Bro. Warner: — I want to say to the glory of God, that the work is going on here in mighty power. Bro. Ridley and the brethren and sisters from Paulding stayed and had meeting in my house Monday night, after the grove meeting. The Spirit of the Lord was present in wonderful power. There were six persons healed, and one sanctified. The loud shouts and praises and Hallelujahs to God continued until three o’clock in the morning. Then the saints went home singing praises to the Lamb. The Paulding County saints went home the next morning, and in the evening we met at Bro. Spackey’s. The Great Physician met with us again. There was one reclaimed, and two healed. One dear old mother, 70 years of age, who belonged to a dead sect, and never had experienced a change of heart, had a cancer of seven years growth, was pardoned, and healed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye. After the work was done, by the Lord, the first word she said was, “my sins are all forgiven,” then she said she was healed. Oh glory to God! On thursday following there were two baptized. O praise God the work is going on, and the word of the Lord is spreading mightily. Deat professors, and sinners howl, because the saints stand straight for God, and dare walk by the word of God, renouncing all sin and reproving all the works of the flesh and the devil.

Since you were here some of us were over in Sandusky Co. We found a few souls that were hungry for heavenly bread. But the true testimony stirred, the sect devil in men and women, and “babylon trembled for fear of her loss.” But blessed be God who always causes his saints to triumph through Christ Jesus. The true child of God, moved by the Holy Spirit, drives all white washed professors away as the breath of the Almighty scatters the chaft, because they’r condemned by the word. We have plenty of people here, that all the Spirit they have is the sect wine. If you want to see them carnally revived just say something againt babylon. Glory to God! we have escaped out of her. I want to say to the glory of God, that Bro. Ridley has thoroughtly died to babylon, and has regained full power with God, He with the saints here all say, I am free. O bless God. And I am free pray for me. Amen!

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In the House of Rimmon.

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H. H. MILLS.

Naaman’s flesh came again like unto the flesh of a little child, and he was cleans (2 Kings 5:14). This was a physical type or illustration of God’s two-fold work with the saved soul. He was cured, then cleansed; the disease was stopped, then its seeds were irradicated, and the principle of sound health put in their place. Physcally, he was, so to speak “justified, then “sanctified.”

Naaman’s profession of religion was a very positive one, and very loud in its declaration of attachment to God. In the future, all his worship and sacrifice should be to none other than Israel’s God. Nor was he lacking in warmth of feeling, at least we may suppose so from his readiness to bestow thousands of dollars’ worth in a moment, when asked to do so.

But God had for him, as He has for us a truer, deeper test than profession, sacrifice or feeling, viz obedience. That test Naaman could not stand; nor does a large part of the “sweet holiness” of to-day stand the same ordeal better than he did.

Rimmon means “exalted,” “supreme,” and stands for anything or all that raises itself in rivalry with, or opposition to God.

Sowing in Rimmon’s temple Naaman acknowledge Rimmon’s claims to superiorto, or equality with Jehovah.

Bowing there, was renouncing God; and in the plainest, truest sense of human speech, Naaman bowing before Rimmon, made Naaman professing before Elisha a liar. “No man can serve two masters.” Sectism is the modem Rimmon. Every prayer meeting, preaching, Sunday school, or service, held in any other name than the name of Jesus, is Rimmon, and the renunciation of God is plainly equal in either case.

In the true Israel, Christ says: I will build My Church.” Sectism, which is Christ’s rival, and so anti-christ; presents a church built to suit and to exalt men. Or, as it was put in an organ of the M. E. sect recently, “Mr. Wesley, and Christ taught so and so.”

Bowing to Rimmon, Naaman lost opportunity to speak for God or against idolatry. Bowing to sectism, in any way showing oneness with, or allowance for it, we lose all vantage ground from which to speak of the glorious freedom and joy there is in loyalty to Christ alone, and our mouths are closed before the abominations of Rimmon, however disgusting. Condemnation of what we ourselves tolerate or practice is only “the pot calling the kettle black.” First, out with the beam: then you may do something for the brother’s mote.

Bowing to Rimmon, Naaman buried himself in nothingness. We never hear of him afterward.

With his experience of God he might have been the sent of God to all Syria might have overthrown Rimmon, but, neither hot nor cold, double-minded, he sinks out of sight, not worth an epitaph.

Had he stood a silent evidence of God’s power and grace, Rimmon worshipers would have been rebuked; but his bow endorsed their preference of idolatry to God, and thus the light which was in Naaman became darkness and death. After his one bow, he could never point an inquiring soul to the true worship.

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Salvation on the Prairie.

Mhxlo, Iowa, Sept. 2, ’83.

Dear Brother Warner: — I received the GOSPEL TRUMPET last night, and as I had not time to look at it then I laid it aside until this morning. This holy Sabbath morning feeling like reading I picked up the TRUMPET again, and I read it through and my poor heart and soul was made to praise God while reading the pure testimonies from the holy brethren from the different portions of the land. I thought this morning while I was reading and rejoicing that perhaps some dear saints of God might rejoice to read a few lines from one that has been redeemed, and saved by the blood of Jesus, away out here on the prairie of the far west. Some might think out here on the prairie no body would know any thing about salvation. But bless God we do, at least a few bear testimony to the fact that there is a reality in the religion of Jesus. I am one that can say without a doubt that I see a wonderful power in God to save and seems that the an is freer than ever this morning. Bless God my soul is so full of his praise I cannot help but praise Him for salvation. What first brought me into this liberty, about six years ago I said to myself God is true and I am determined to know nothing among men but Jesus and Him crucified, and ever since that time I have been loosing sight of self and the things of the world, and like the blessed apostle, forgetting the things which are behind I press forward for the prize, which is at the end of the race Bro. Warner in reading the TRUMPET I see a great deal about sects, and about come outers, and so on, in the brethren and sisters writing from different parts. Well, I bless God I know something about hat too. I tried to walk true to God for quite a while, in the sect pen, but I found out I had to do one of two things, drift along with the current of popularity, pride, and worldliness, or come out and stand alone with Jesus, and have salvation; and I concluded to do the latter, but I want to tell you, I met with opposition on every hand. But I bless God, with Jesus I am able to stand. I have victory this morning. Praise His holy name! Bro. Warner there are only a few in this country that are willing to take such a stand as this, but there are a few of us and we are having meetings at Brother and Sister Whitney’s every Friday night, and the Lord does gloriously bless and feed our souls with that heavenly manna that comes down from God out of heaven, that we would not be satisfied with any thing else. Hallelujah to His holy name! Your Brother in Christ,

C. A. McCoy.

Testimony.

Birthright, Texas, Aug. 24, ’83.

Bro. Warner. — The TRUMPET arrived at this office the next mail after I wrote you. Some of the brethren were growing impatient, but the addition to its pages make up for its delay. I praise the Lord, that the TRUMPET was ever directed to me. It has been so much help to me in searching and understanding the truth. Praise the Lord! I am so glad it has been enlarged. May the time soon come when it will be a weekly. You will find enclosed five dollars for five copies of the TRUMPET to my address. The TRUMPET is sought after. Some through curiosity; others are digesting the truths contained in its pages. I left the, M. E. sect more than twelve months ago. I was a member twenty-seven years before I embraced Christ, before I was adopted into the family of God. I knew nothing of that spiritual work of which our Saviour told Nicoedemus, we must be born. Neither the baptism Paul speaks of in Gal. 3:27; which says, “we have put on Christ;” and in this family “there is neither Jew nor Greek; there is neither bond or free; there is neither male or female; for ye are all one in Christ Jesus, and He teaches me now that I, through the law, am dead to the law, that I might live unto God. “I am crucified with Christ nevertheless I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me and the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.” Praise His holy name! The Lord has a few little ones here who are seeking after truth, who I believe will have their right eye plucked out when they see it offends. May God send the light which has no darkness; may the work abound, which makes us “glory in tribulation, knowing that tribulation worketh patience, and patience experience and experience hope; hope maketh not ashamed because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.” The devil is alarmed in those parts. Praise the Lord! the victory is His. Last Monday at Kaney camp ground my mouth was stopped by the Methodist pastor, McDoogle, for trying to show the difference between the Methodist church or any other so-called church and the Church of the living God. Some ran to the tents and stopped their ears. Three other M. E. preachers said, Amen! when I was ordered to hush. The congregation was called to their feet and dismissed. May God open their eyes and let them see that “men love darkness rather than light because their deeds are evil.” God bless you Bro. Warner and all the TRUMPET readers. Amen! Your Brother on the way.

H. L. Hargrave.

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Hygiene.

A law which we need better to understand than most of us do now, is that living tissues can be made unhealthy through food eaten, either because it is bad in itself or is badly managed. The general use of pork among us has made scrofula, one of the worst diseases we have to deal with, one of the most common. Scarcely a pork eating family can be found with children in it where some of the members are not out of health. They suffer from superabundance of fat in the blood caused by the pork eaten, or on account of the poisonous material contained in it, they break cut in sores, or have some disorder or derangement of the liver, or are made sick in some other way.

— “The Lecturer.”

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The heavy frost Saturday and Sabbath nights, have done much damage in this part of the country. But praise the Lord, and in everything give thanks. The frost like the rain falleth on the unjust and just alike. The righteous sometimes have to suffer with the wicked. We may expect for worse plagues than frost, scarcity of fruits insects upon vegetables, if our sin-cursed nation does not repent before God, and obey His commands.

D. D. J.

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We have printed nearly two thousand papers every issue for a long time, but since enlarging, wo have run short every time. Have not been able to send near as many to friends as we wish to have done. But this issue we print three thousand papers, and will therefore be able to scatter more abroad, every where. We do not expect to print less in the future, and we expect soon to send out several thousand copies. But it takes money beloved. Please do not forget that part. Let no brother or sister be slack in your duty toward God. Amen!

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A Chapter of Present Truth.

“Awake, awake, stand up, O Jerusalem, which hast drank at the hand of the Lord the cup of His fury; then hast drunken the dregs of the cup of trembling, and wrung them out.” — Isaiah 51:17.

This cup is the outpouring of God’s indignation, that is going forth, to the great dread and trembling of all the worshipers of the beast — all sectarians. Bear this scripture in mind, and we will present our readers with the same truth in other scriptures. We find all through the bible, associated together the following points of present truth. — A terrible slaying sword, a cup of divine wrath, troublesome times, entire separation of the precious from the vile, deliverance of the returned captives from babylon, yokes, gathering together of the redeemed into perfect unity, the shocking sinfulness of the formal masses exposed and the spedy overthrow of the wicked.

Now proceed to the next verse:

“There is none to guide her among all the sons whom she hath brought forth; neither is there any that taketh her by the hand of all the sons that she hath brought up.” v. 18.

Here is an awful fact for the time now present. God is calling for an awakening among the gentile nations, but of all the sect loyal sons, that have been brought up in her damnable, preacher factories, none are found fit for God’s use. Her sons that she has brought up on the wine of the wrath of her fornication, are not fit to guide her. Their ministry is but a farce, a disgraceful mockery in the sight of God. Many of them are at this time off, parading their broad cloth in the fashionable places of amusement, while others are at home helping ther flocks on to hell in the frolic and festival.

“These two things are come unto thee; who shall be sorry for thee? desolation, and destruction, and the famine, and the sword: by whom shall I comfort thee.” v. 10.

This reign of starvation and death, is all over the land. And behold the sword of the Lord is going forth with great fury.

“Therefore hear now this, thou afflicted, and drunken, but not with wine.” v. 21.

Does not the angel of God’s present message declare that “babylon is fallen, is fallen; because she hath made all nations drunk upon the wine of her fornication.”? It is the excitement of this sectarian wine, that constitutes the zeal of all sects. Thieves and saloon keepers have little trouble to get men’s money after they get them intoxicated with liquor; so the devils pastors, make their victims drunk on the wine of sect pride and semi-heathen frolics, until they lavish their money freely.

“Awake, awake, put on they strength, O Zion; put on thy beautiful garments Jerusalem, the holy city: for henceforth there shall no more come into thee the uncircumsized and the unclean. Shake thyself from the dust; arise and sit down, O Jerusalem loose thyself from the bands of thy neck, O captive daughter of Zion. For thus saith the Lord, ye have sold yourselves for nought and ye shall be redeemed without money.”

Yes dear reader, when we were seduced into a sect door, we sold ourselves to the selfish interests of priestcraft But, praise the Lord! the light of divine truth, has flung open the sect cages, and you may go out without money. But the opiates and high wines of babylon have so stupified your moral sensibilities, that God must begin your deliverance by blowing in your ear the thunder blast of “awake, awake.” O what an awful awakening this drunken world needs. Great God our savoir, help us all to raise the alarm of the coming judgment.

O in mercy let it thunder
Ere the day of mercy’s past.

Then being awakened up from sin’s stupor, and having obtained pardon, for all past offences, “go on to perfection.” Having entered the kingdom of God now seek “His righteousness.” “Put on thy beautiful garments” of holiness. There is no escape from sectism except by this purification unto God. Then after the heart is washed and made white in the blood of the Lamb, the holy Spirit will show us the “dust” that has settled on us, while in babylon. Shake it all off, all her creeds, traditions, customs and language. But the sect cooped soul that undertakes to walk after the Spirit of God, will soon find his neck in a rope that holds him back, or turns him a side from the Spirit’s course. While you were drinking of babylon wine, and going blindly on with your sect you experienced no particular want of freedom. But as sure as you become awakened, converted, and wholly sanctified to God, and undertake to walk with Him in white,” you will feel the coils of ecclesiastical ropes drawing tight around your neck. Now comes the test. You must either become a Judas, sell Christ, and hang yourself in these ropes of sect influence and sect authority, or you must, “loose yourself from the bands of your neck. O captive daughter of Zion.” These bands of sect fraternization, bind you up with bundles of thorns thistles, and weeds of the devils kingdom. And thus saith the Lord:

“For while they be folden together as thorns, and while they are drunken as drunkards, they shall be devoured as stubble fully dry.” — “For now will I break his yoke from off thee, and will burst they bonds in sunder.” — Nahum 1:10, 13.

What a picture of the sect handler, behold their doom. Praise God for the promise, Glory to His name! It is now being fulfilled. Thousands are having babylon yokes and bands broken off of their necks. Says B. T. Roberts, “Let us be joined to all the living,” and we would add, separated from all the dead. Now the only way to do this is to cut the sect rope, and all the dead ones will drop from you in that instant. They who are simply tied to you in the sect bundle will withdraw from you the moment you ignore and cast off the sect band. While such as are joined to you in Christ, — all the living, — will still be joined to you while you and they abide in Him. This is God’s plan to secure a pure Church, a “holy city: for henceforth there shall no more come into thee the uncircumcized and the unclean.” A pure church is the inevitable result of a pure Gospel, and verse 7 (Isa. 52.) speaks of those messengers of God that bring the “good tidings” of thorough holiness which destroys sects and denominations, and cuts off all the uncircumcized and the unclean A pure Gospel must make a pure Community of saints, but a pure and holy Community is a perfectly united and harmonious Community. Hence the 8th verse:

“Thy watchmen shall lift up the voise; with the voice together shall they sing: for they shall see eye to eye whets the Lord shall bring again Zion.”

Glory to God for this truth! This is the standard we are lifting up in the name of Lord. All differences are but the dust of babylon. Shake it off for Christ’s sake. The promise is that the “Comforter will guide us into all truth;” but truth is a unit. Hence they that walk in all truth, walk by the same rule.” They “see eye to eye” — are “perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.” When men claim to be filled and led by the Holy Spirit, and still differ in matters of divine truth, they virtually make Christ a liar before the people. O what babel confusion. No man has authority to teach unless he knows that he has the truth, by the Holy Spirit sent down from heaven. And being thus commissioned to preach the Gospel of God, he has authority to cut off all, as reprobate silver, who reject the truth, and choose to walk in their own ways. Shame on men that stand before the people and claim to be teachers of the truth, and yet say to the people, “we differ on some things,” and yet bid each other godspeed, and each expect to walk on in their crooked, divergent paths. Stop right there, shut your mouth, get down in the dust, examine your hearts in sack cloth and ashes before God, fast, pray, consecrate and die indeed to all sin, and do not attempt to stand up to teach others to abandon their ways, until the Holy Spirit comes and burns out of your hearts all your own ways; and when you follow Christ, who is the way, the life and the truth.” you will all have one heart, and one way. For Christ is not divided. All man who say wo cant see alike, confess that they are still in babylon. “For they shall see eye to eye, when the Lord shall bring again Zion,” from their babylon sect captivity.

“Depart ye, depart ye, go ye out from thence, touch no unclean thing; go ye out of the midst of her; be ye clean, that bear the vessels of the Lord For ye shall not go out with haste, nor go by flight: for the Lord will go before you: and the God of Israel will be your rearward.” v. 11, 12.

Praise the Lord! He goes before all who return from babylon to lead them in the way: and Ho also is their rearward. He is also on their right hand and on their lift, so that no evil shall be able to come my them. Hallelujah!

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Experience and Healing

of Maria A. Wolford.

I was converted when fourteen years old. Am now forty-two. I was a backslider once for several years. In that condition, seventeen years ago, I became greatly affected. Had a very hard fever two years in succession, lay from May until the latter part of October. I also had, a severe attack of the diphtheria, from which I took a relapse. It settled in my bronchail tubes, from which it went down to my lungs. One whole summer I suffered terribly with hemorhage of the lungs. Often my friends thought I was nearly gone. I have been a great sufferer all those seventeen years. No tongue can discribe what I have endured. Of late I have been much afflicted with pneumonia, and dropsy. I am a poor girl, and no one to look to but the Lord for all things. Last winter I suffered from cold in my poor little house, in New Lebanon. Once the kind Lord sent some of His dear children from Sandy Lake to see me, and they found me with my feet frozen. Thank God they brought things that I needed, and I do not know what I would have done had they not come to see me, for the sect-people all around me did not seem to care whether I starved or froze or not. They called once to have me taken to the poor house, but I told them they might go with their stingy hearts and old alms houses, and I would trust the Lord. And glory to God He always helped me through. I took in a little washing and oft had to kneel down by my tub and ask the Lord to remove the pains in my poor body, and strengthen me so I could get through. Blessed be the Lord! I know He helped me. Once when I got down sick, an old Presbyterian lady came to see me; but she would not do any thing for me until she went to see if the township would pay her. Shame on such Christians. They ought to know that the love of Gok does not dwell in their hearts.

During that sickness the Lord appeared to me and said, He would deliver me from my afflictions and troubles. I saw myself in a town or city, surrounded by walls, with a gate to the south, another to the north, and also one to the east and west. The Lord showed me which way to go. He said, “Take the south gate, escape for your life, look not behind you, remember Lot’s wife.” Bless the Lord! He raised me up again, so that I could go about my house; but I was very weak, and suffered still a great deal.

When I heard of the camp meeting to be on Bro. Farrah’s place, I felt a desire to go, and bless the Lord, a buggy was sent for me. The first night I told the people there that I wanted to be wholly sanctified, but that I must come out of the sect. I was then blessed. The next day prayer was offered for my healing. I was so weak and my mind so weak I could not do any thing for my self. They had to take my case to the Savior just as if I were an infant. Bless the Lord the effectual, fervent prayers availed much for me. I felt the power of the Lord coming on me, I could then begin to pray and believe also. The dear Savior came to me and healed me entirely. It seemed as though He had laid His hand upon my head, and my mind was also restored. O how it was cleared up. Bless the Lord O my soul. How calm, and sweet my soul and mind. I began to praise God, and told the saints that my body was entirely healed, and that I now had the mind of Christ A few days later the Spirit showed me that I must not drink tea and coffee. I obeyed the Spirits voice, and since then I am wonderfully blessed and saved and filled with the good Spirit. The pains are all taken out of my body, the dropsey is rapidly disappearing, and my mind is so calm and clear that I am altogether a new person. O how many things the Lord has showed me in the past, which now returns to my mind, so brightly, and I can now understand it all, I now recollect how I saw Bro. Warner in my vision the time the Lord told me to escape to the south. I did not know then that there was such a man in the world, but I saw him just as plainly as I saw him when he stood before us to preach the Gospel in the camp meeting. I want to say also to the glory of God that my eyes were also healed by the Lord. They were so bad that I could hardly see to sew, and sore too, now they are well and I can see clearly. And the Lord has called me, yes even poor Maria Wolford, to work in His vineyard; and I am ready to do all His will that He shows me. Pray for me. The blood of Jesus cleanses me whiter than snow, Hallelujah, that is the best or all!

New Lebanon, Pennsylvania.

The place where this sister lives is eight miles north of the balmy hill of the saints encampment. So she found deliverance by fleeing out of babylon to the south, as the Lord showed her.

That a wonderful miracle was wrought upon her mind, is manifest by the sublime discourses that fell from her lips, after they were touched by the live coal off the altar of God. What a wonderful change! The deformed eyes resumed more than natural briliancy, the face which showed clear signs of physical suffering, and mental imbecility, was instantly lit up by the power of God, with beams of physical and mental vigor. O bless the Lord forever!

— Ed.

Notes of the Battle in Mich.

Dear Bro. and Sister Warner and Bro. Johnston: — Praise God. Hallelujah? The victory is ours in Christ this morning. The battle is waxing hot. Souls are being saved. Satan is in a rage. But we feet nothing daunted. Every thing is moving to the glory of God. We praise God for the TRUMPET’S blast. We never let the echos die, but keep sounding it over hill and dale. We have just returned to day from the north. Much good was accomplished during our tour. We found the saints all doing well. Filled with the Spirit, standing firm, and holding up the truth. Many heard the word of truth from the pulpit, in the cars and depots. Some received it, others rejected, some fought us, others received us in the Lord Jesus. O how my heart yearns for the people that are calling for ns to come and publish the everlasting Gospel, we cannot respond to near all the calls. We took a number of names of hungry souls, for the TRUMPET, which I believe will prove a blessing to them, and will open up new fields for the pure gospel. O may God help you to send out the sound of the TRUMPET Louder, Louder, as your beautiful poem expresses it. O dear Bro.. how wonderfully the light would spread if the paper could only be sent out by the thousands. May God send the needed means. God bless Bro. Johnston. The Lord bless his labors, and make him a mighty pillar against which the gates of hell, shall not prevail, nor the earthquakes of satan’s fury overthrow. May the rulers of the darkness be made to tremble at the blasts of God’s awful truth, sounded out through your combined labors.

Well Bro. I hope you will be at the assembly, to be held here beginning Sept. 15. We are expecting a wonderful outpouring of the Holy Spirit, The halt, the the lame and the blind will be there to be healed. And the Spirit of the Lord will be there to heal them all, and to heal all the sin sick souls that call upon Him. May “God grant unto His servants that with all boldness they may speak thy word, by stretching forth thine hand to heal; and that sinns and wonders may be done by the name of the holy child Jesus.” Amen!

— J. C. Fischer.

Bangor, Mich., Aug. 21.

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CORRESPONDENCE.

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Tiffin, O., Aug. 23.

Dear Bro. Warner: — I am receiving the TRUMPET. O Glory to God! it is food to my soul. Glory to God! I am out of the sects, and leaning on Jesus alone. I am perfectly free in Christ Jesus. Glory to God for the guiding of the Spirit. O praise the Lord for free and full salvation. My Sister that has been afflicted for several years, wants you to pray that she may be healed. She is grandly saved! Your Sitter in Christ.

Leah Miller.

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St. Johns, Mich., Aug. 23.

Dear Bro. Warner: — We are still alive towards God and dead to sin. We preach every Lord’s day in a school house and the Lord is with us. The sects are some what against us but the Lord fills the house with his Spirit, and sinners are made to weep. Praise God! I expect to hold revival meetings this winter and I will try to increase the circulation of the Lord’s paper We are equipped with the Holy Ghost and with fire and are prepared in a measure to wield the sword of the Spirit. Inclosed you will find one dollar for the Trumpet may God help you on in the Glorious work.

Edwin B. Lyon.

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Girard, Neb. Aug. 15.

Dear Bro. and Sister Warner: — May the great God of the Universe continue to keep and use you to His Glory. I know there is but one way to get into the kingdom of God, and that is the way God has appointed, and not the door that men open. I have belonged to a church organized by man a long time, but Glory to God! He has let roe into the true light. I realize that Christ’s prayer, in John 17 is answered in me. “That they all may be one, in us. Thou Father in me, and I in them, that they also may be one in us,” that the world might believe. Praise? the Lord! My heart was made to rejoice at the sound of the TRUMPET, for it gives no uncertain sound. I will do all I can to circulate your paper. Many do not like to hear its blasts, but the truth must prevail. Glory to God for the narrow way. It gets brighter all the way. Bro. Warner, I write to see if you can not come to Nebraska and preach the Gospel. There are some of God’s children here very hungry: and many are spiritually dying for the true bread of life. Your Sister Saved and kept by the power of God.

N. C. Baker.

Vineland, N. J. Aug. 21.

Dear Bro. Warner: — I thought a card might not be lost in commendation 0f Finney’s lecture in last TRUMPET. I think it the finest picture of the compromising sects I over saw. Good Lord help! I should like to have cash enough to put it before everybody in this world. Custom, or public opinion will get more men into hell than, any two words in the English language. How many million men will drag each other to perdition through custom, God only knows. Also your “Would-be-Hirelings.” Men have made preachers so long, they have got their machinery so perfect and so much material on hand they don’t like to give up the business, but glory to God! I do expect that I or my children shall see shiploads of old wooden guns drifting around the country that won’t be worth the polish on them. Oh ye saints of God lie in the dust and you won’t need an official board to say who shall preach, and a college to teach you what to preach; and a conference to tell you where to preach; but you will be called, taught, sent and payed as were the disciples of old, Hallelujah! I see the light in the heavens answering to the light in my soul that tells me that God is in this work. Amen! All glory to God! Salvation just suits my soul. I am trying to be more humble, and it pays gloriously. I have royal, blood in me by virtue of Jesus Christ. My body is getting better.

Jos. S. Robinson.

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Salisbury, Mo., August 12.

DEAR BROTHER WARNER. — Please lay in the TRUMPET that when I came to Missouri and told the holiness people that I was saved from all sects, they thought it a strange salvation. But praise the Lord the time has come when most of the honest ones, have come out of babylon, and all we have for leader is the Holy Ghost. And the Lord is being glorified in the salvation of souls. We just closed a meeting. Some souls pardoned, many more sanctified. Sad to say we had more trouble to keep order among some sect members than any one else. The Lord exposed all sin, especially that of secret societies. And I never saw people so stirred up in my life. Some of them were so mad that they said it Bro. J. W. Caughlin continued to preach that way they would take him out of the stand. Bless the Lord! the battle was pressed to the wall closer than ever, on the line of the straight word at God. Wife and I are just now saved and sanctified through the precious blood of Christ. Praise the Lord! Your Brother.

MARTIN J. GARHART.

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Winchester, Ill., August 8.

DEAR BROTHER WARNER — I have just received the GOSPEL TRUMPET, and find it still gives the certain sound. O hallelujah “the Lord God Omnipotent reigneth; why do the heathen rage and the people imagine vain things. He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh; the Lord shall have them in derision.” I feel sometimes like good old Simeon “Now let thy servant depart in peace, for mine eyes have seen thy salvation.” “The stone that the (sect) builders have rejected has become the head of the corner. This is the Lord’s doings and it is marvelous in our eyes.” Praise the Lord! In spite of all the vain deceit, and “all deceivableness in them (the sects) that perish,” thousands all over the land ate getting their eyes open, and are turning away from the teachers, to Christ and His pure word. Hallelujah. “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,” yes “they overcome him by the blood of the Lamb and the word of their their testimony.” The devil and the sect nations have great wrath because they know their time is short. While the ancients of the city of babylon are crying out in anguish, “Alas, alas, babylon is fallen, is fallen to rise no more.” The saints all over the land are learning to sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb.

Go on Bro. Warner, I bid you Godspeed. O how often we are led to pray God to bless you in your important work. I thank God that no man or corporation can monopolize salvation. They have long been making merchandise of the Gospel and of souls, but they are now confounded. I pray God they may be more and more confounded. O how strange it is that those who have thousands of the Lord’s money, hang on to it so, when His saving truth, is kept back from thousands who need it, for want of some of it. But it the fulfilment of God’s word, “They have heaped up treasures against the last day.” So God has to use His poor, obedient saints to His work. Love to you, and wife, and to all the saints.

J. E. ESEY.

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“BIBLE PROOFS.”

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ANNUAL ASSEMBLY IN MICHIGAN.

There will be a general assembly of the Saints of God in Michigan two miles north of Bangor, Vanburn county, beginning September 15, 1883, on the camp ground if the weather favorable, Praise God, we hope to be there.

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Have you a book or tract, you wish puplished? Would you like some beautiful tract envelopes, letter heads, or circulars, of any business consistent with holiness? Or would you like some beautiful cards, with bible mottos? Please send us you orders. We would love to print much good religious matter. We are now well equipped with presses and power. Praise the Lord!

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Get subscribers for the TRUMPET.

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INDIANA ASSEMBLY.

Brother T. H Low writes that there will be assembly of the saints of God at his place, La Grange county, Ind., some time in October. Prepare to attend it. The time will be announced hereafter.