28 November 1895, Volume 15, Number 47.
OH, GATHER THE HARVEST IN.
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The harvest is the end of the world.
Mat. 13:39.
We’re living in the end of time,
Gather the harvest in;
Oh, let these words reach every clime,
Oh, gather the harvest in.
Cho. — Gather the harvest in, . .
Gather the harvest in.
Gather the harvest in; . .
Gather the harvest in.
Carefully, prayerfully work to-day,
Oh, gather the harvest in.
The time is short, my brethren dear,
Gather the harvest in;
Then let us work in love, with cheer,
Oh, gather the harvest in.
The “field” is ripe, the work is great, —
Gather the harvest in;
Soon time will end probation state,
Oh, gather the harvest in.
Amid the heat and labor, hard,
Gather the harvest in,
Don’t linger, there’s a great reward;
Oh, gather the harvest in.
The “ev’ning time” has truly come,
Gather the harvest in:
Our race in life is nearly run,
Oh, gather the harvest in.
Ere long our Master we will see,
Gather the harvest in;
He’ll take us home, — oh, joy to be,
Where the harvest is gathered in.
B. E. Warren.
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Exhortation to the Workers.
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MAY the dear Lord abundantly bless all the workers, and keep us filled with the Holy Spirit, ever abounding in the work of the Lord. We are rejoicing in God the rock of our salvation, and can say of a truth he is teaching us many precious lessons, one among the many is on the line of preaching the Word so it will be real effectual. We read in Mark 9:49, every one shall be salted with fire, and the sacrifice shall be salted with salt. Now in order to have this fire we must be humble, and seek meekness, that love will be manifested in our very tone. This can be and must be in giving judgment. For oh remember the great work we have entered into, and God has trusted us with the power to win souls for heaven, or seal their final destiny. Oh what a solemn thought, that whatever is bound on earth shall be bound in heaven! Many have in a sense made a great sacrifice in leaving all, and yet the preaching or whatever work they are doing will not profit them unless the real holy anointing accompanies the same.
We have seen those who have natural abilities preach well, and it was straight on the Bible line, but there was not the real melting burning love with it, and oh how painful to listen to! And nothing as far as we could see was wrong with the speaker, but the sense of feeling said there was a cause. And we would pray and trust and admonish, and yet they would say they knew not of anything they had done or had left undone. Now, my brethren, there is never an effect without a cause. And you can put it right down there is something wrong; either you are mistaken in your call, or else you have refused to walk in the light, and are doing something that has robbed you of the real anointing, and your power is shorn, like Samson’s. You have broken your covenant in some way, and the devil has blinded your eyes or put them out, and you go on grinding out the same old subjects and line of thoughts that you have had for some years, without advancing at all. Oh dear ones, this should not be. We pray God to wake up his saints to their duty on this line, that we who are filled see that those who are not, get right with God, or stop their traveling and pounding.
I am persuaded that the advanced and spiritual condition of the work and congregations of God rests mostly on us as watchmen. May the Lord help us to lay judgment to the line in love and humility. And now, my brethren and sisters, we could many times save much time and unnecessary judgment by going to the parties who are wrong and telling them plainly, and this will prevent the devil from accusing the weaker and younger. This may not be so pleasant to us, but, dear ones, let us suffer and endure any thing for the advance of this work. Praise God! Oh how much we realize the call for consecrated workers!
Again, the Lord hath made known to us that we should seek the mind of God more in our preaching. Now it is possible for us to get much light, and spend much time in studying. So with the knowledge of the Word and having the Spirit too, we can preach two and three hours, and the people will say they never heard any thing so grand, and assent to the truth; but this is not enough, dear ones, we must have the real melting love of God that will melt the hearts of sinners, so when the truth goes forth the Spirit of God will cause them to feel it is more than God’s word breaking them up, so they cannot resist the truth. Paul said something about speaking five words with his understanding rather than ten thousand that were not known. Now we will say we would rather speak five minutes in the real Spirit than three hours without the real anointing, just because we can. Oh my brethren, many times our sermons are too long and prayers too short. And let us not do all the talking, but let us give ourselves to real quiet meditation, and let the Lord talk to us. Sometimes we have preached real conviction on the people and then off again. Oh the Lord give us real wisdom on this line, that we may understand the will of the Lord, as to how long and how and what we should preach; and let us not depend on our little note book too much either, for sometimes God does not lead our minds to any special line of truth. Let us rise to our feet in his name, trusting him to fill our mouth, and if our hearts have been inditing a good matter, then will our tongue be as a ready writer. Amen.
Oh what a privilege we have to commit all this to Jesus, and remembering that where we are ignorant he is our wisdom, and where we are weak, he is our strength! And we can cast on him all our cares. Praise his holy name! I do see the need of being filled with the Spirit as commanded, that whether we preach long or short, will have the real gospel ring, which is glad tidings of good news. And when the Word goes forth accompanied by the Holy Spirit, the people do not get weary or tired, but have said they could stay all night. I will now close this little talk by saying I have taken the place where the Psalmist said and prayed that he might not exercise himself in matters too great, and that the meditations of my heart and words of my mouth might be acceptable at all times. Amen. Your sister, at the feet of Jesus, filled with the burning love of God,
Lena L. Shoffner.
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Has Escaped out of Her.
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WE are happy to acknowledge the receipt of a fraternal letter from Bro. R. F. Evans of Cairo, Ga. whose noble and bold sentiments of present truth we recently republished in an extract from an article he wrote in THE WAY OF FAITH; from which we learn that he has acted consistent with the discovery of the fact that Protestantism, as well as Romanism constitute Great Babylon and the beast powers of Rev. He has escaped out of her. He says, “I did not remain in the ranks of one of the Babylon parties forty-eight hours after I discovered, early in the morning of Oct. 18, 1894, that the revelation of the antichrist through prophecy, the meaning of which had been opening to my mind for nearly two years, has its application to the PRESENT TIME, and not to the future only as I had been supposing. When I saw the abomination of desolation, standing in the holy place, that it means the embodiment of antichrist principles, in what the world calls the church, standing, in popular estimation, in the place of the spiritual body of Christ, I instantly, in purpose, and on the next day in fact, fled to the mountain, “not going down to take anything out of my house.” Meeting my presiding elder Oct. 19, ’94, I notified him of my withdrawal from the ministry and membership of the M. E. Church South.”
The brother also sent us a later article from his pen, from which we make the following extracts.
“BEHOLD HE COMETH WITH CLOUS.”
There has been of late a marked increase in the frequency and earnestness of expressions by the friends of the holiness movement against what is known as “comeout-ism.” The writer believes that he has a word in reason to offer upon this subject. There is a phase of the subject that needs to be considered by all who share in the general expectation among the friends of holiness of the speedy coming of the Lord, and who would be thoroughly consistent with that expectation. For while this expectation is thus common, it is very much to be doubted whether the Scriptures have been searched as diligently as the importance of the subject would demand, to ascertain what is to be the real manner and consequences of his coming.
The conception of the formal and worldly professor is that the Lord will appear with such conspicuous array that they will find every consideration of self-interest: their governing principle prompting them to rally to him. But they who appreciate, as holiness people are supposed to do, that nothing less than the entire sanctification of the soul is a sufficient preparation for that great event, might readily see, if they would weigh the Scripture proof, that the coming of the Lord is to bring with if a trial of the Christian’s character that will search to the last secret spring his loyality to Christ and his word. Woe unto him who hesitates in that supreme moment, who is not prepared by an already accomplished crucifixion to the world, who looks around for the support of concurrent opinions and examples; who would go down “from the housetop to take anything out of his house.” Woe unto him in whose vessel there is not sufficient oil to light him forward upon the instant to meet the Bridegroom. And blessed is be who shall be able to stand before the Son of man in the day that shall come as a snare on all them that dwell on the face of the earth.
The delusion that was to deceive if possible the very elect is, that God has chosen the elements of this world, the sword under Catholicism, and under Protestantism wealth, learning, culture, organization, numbers, and the social influence these can buy, through which to exert his power unto the conquest of the world, instead of being limited absolutely, without reference to the abundance or scarcity of these, to the light and salt that is in the character and testimony of the saints.
Were this all there would have been no need for this article. But the dissolving clouds leave written across the spiritual heavens the final judgement of the coming King. His true church which only has authoity to bear his name, is composed only of the members of his spiritual body, hid away from human observation throughout the wilderness of the nominal church, while the nominal church, considered apart from the true seed which are scattered throughout her, is seen to be regarded as the product of the forces which the god of this world has brought to bear throughout the ages to hinder the work of the Holy Ghost and to pervert from the simplicity and purity of the gospel: it is the body of the beast which ‘‘shall be utterly burned with fire” for the sins that have been done in her, “for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her.”
They who shall “see the abomination of desolation spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place,” and seeing it shall dare to obey the demand the discovery brings with it to recognize that only which God recognizes, and to condemn that which God condemns, will certainly be counted as enemies of the gospel of Christ by the prevailing religious sentiment of the age in which the discovery is made. But let the pure in heart, who feel the hope of his speedy coming, whose right it is to reign, springing joyously in their hearts, determine to be consistent. If their spiritual discernment and knowledge of the scriptures enable them to recognize in the sketch we have given the true nature of the crisis which the Lord’s coming will bring with it, and if they believe that his coming is at hand, there is certainly sufficient ground upon which to rest the conclusion that we may be too severely censuring in others that in which all of us may be very soon involved.
The writer, after thirty-five years of service in the Methodist itinerant ministry, has had to take the step which is the logical consequence of the expressions of this article. He had to meet it in the midst of a Conference of brethren by whom he had every reason to believe that he was held in uncommon affection. He had to meet it homeless and practically penniless, with a dependant family, and with nothing between him and the public road except the promise of God, which however, has not failed him. The reader must imagine what must have been some of the details of this picture. But the saddest pain of all has come to him from the expressed censure and the condemnatory silence of those who, as he sincerely believes, “are the Lord’s alone.”
I make this statement not to complain; for the Master sweetens everything to me with a wealth of comfort I have never known before. But for the sake of all, the weak and the strong, who I know, by the logic of the holiness movement and the hope of our Lord’s early coming, must, soon or late, meet the test that is to try every man’s soul.
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TESTIMONY.
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Independence, Kan.
Dear Saints of God: I will write my testimony for the first time. I praise God for a full and free salvation. There are but five of us here that do not belong to any sect. We have our meetings and God is with us. Praise his holy name! Any preacher of God passing through here we would be glad to have stop with us a few days. We are praying for God to send some one here to preach for us. Pray for me.
Louie E. Hughes.
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Austerlitz, Ky.
Dear Saints of God: In the fall of ninety-three Bros. Kilpatrick and Carter came to this place and held a meeting, and as they proclaimed the truth and urged men and women to accept the truth and come out on the promises of Jesus, thank God, I was willing to make the sacrifice, and I got pardoned of all my actual sins, and received such a wonderful blessing that I thought I was in possession of all Christ had for me, yet I only testified to pardon. But before the meeting was over I learned that the carnal mind was not destroyed, and I offered my body a living sacrifice and made a complete consecration, and bless the Lord I received the Holy Ghost that sanctifies. The Lord has been so good to us in saving my wife, grown son and two daughters, and we are all trusting God for all things. Father has healed us of many afflictions. Praise his name! Yours in the one body,
John Crews.
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Fort McPherson, Ga.
Dear Beloved Ones in Christ: I Praise God to day for his mighty power that keeps me from sin. I praise God to day for a full salvation, and I give him all the glory for such an anchor in him. I feel that Jesus is with me. Praise God! and I ask him to let his will be done, and not mine. I have been converted fifteen years and always lived to please him. About eight months ago I began to grow stronger and stronger until it seems I can stand any thing that comes against me now by the help of that bleeding Lamb of God. Hallelujah! So dear sisters and brothers, low careful ought we to live in this precious faith! Oh give God all the praise for his wonderful power, and great blessing, and pray that I may continue to walk in the light of God and live in Jesus and Jesus in me. Amen. Your saved sister in Christ,
Eliza Alexander.
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Tiller’s Ferry, S. C.
Dear Saints of God: I am so glad that the days of healing are not past; and we are contending for the faith once delivered to the saints. On the twenty-ninth day of Sept. I took a severe pain in my body, and as night grew on, the pain grew worse, so much so, my husband asked if I would have him go, for the doctor. I told him no, for I had been trusting God for healing three years, though this was the most severe pain I had in this time. Yet I felt I could and would trust God with it. So while I was praying the thought would arise in my mind, send for the elders of the church, let them pray over you. As we had no elders close by, I sent for two of my nearest neighbors who agreed with me for healing, and God heard and answered our prayers, and I was wonderfully healed in a few hours; all honor and praise to God! On my returning home last Thursday from visiting a sick family, I found one of my little boys had been in bed with fever all day. I remembered him most earnestly to God that night in family prayer for healing; the next morning he arose, dressed himself and is well. Through faith and prayer we can accomplish wonderful things. Pray for me that my faith may never weaken, but grow stronger and more simple and childlike, trusting God for all. Your sister in the one body,
Lizzie McCoy.
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Villas, Ill.
Dear Saints of God: I am happy to report victory both in my soul, and for the healing of my body. I was a sufferer of disease of the body ever since I can remember. I have to praise the Lord night and day, for he has healed me from head to foot I had catarrh of the head so bad I could hardly endure it. I doctored for it a year and took so much medicine it nearly ruined my stomach, and the more I took the worse I got, so weak that I trembled so I could not do my work, and I almost gave up to die. The catarrh was no better when I gave up the medicine. I knew I was one of God’s children, but I never knew God would heal my body as well as my soul. Glory to God and the Lamb for ever for the evidence that I have of this blessed salvation, that we can know for our selves. In 1893 the Trumpet of salvation and the healing power was opened to our eyes. It was taught us in its purity, and I took hold of the promises of God and the Lord healed my body; and I stepped out in the narrow way, and my path was all lighted up with heavenly rays, and then I was able to walk and not stumble. Glory to Jesus! The Lord is all my help in time of need. Some times Satan rages, but I only live the closer to Jesus. Dear saints of God, pray more earnestly than ever. May God help us to do our duty any where and every where. I ask an interest in all your prayers that my children will be saved. Your sister saved and kept by Jesus alone,
Laura Zoff.
Page 2
GOSPEL TRUMPET.
A WEEKLY HOLINESS JOURNAL.
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DEFINITE, RADICAL, and ANTI-SECTARIAN, sent forts, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, for the publication of full Salvation, and Divine Healing of the Body the Unity of all true Christians in “the faith once delivered to the saints.”
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All business communications, moneys &c. must be addressed to GOSPEL TRUMPET, to insure credit; otherwise we will not be responsible.
Editors, D. S. Warner, and E. E. Byrum.
PUBLISHERS, E. E. BYRUM, and S. MICHELS.
Grand Junction, Mich.
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Entered at the Post Office at Grand Junction, Van Buren Co. Michigan as second class matter.
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THURSDAY, NOV. 28, 1895.
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LIST OF MONEY LETTERS NOT OTHERWISE RECEIPTED
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M.Goston, M. E. Cheadle. Annie M. Deckert, J. P. Moore, M. L. Wikstrom, Mrs. Mary J. Scott, Henry Latshaw. J. M. Bowler, Jane Williams, Elizabeth Stevenson, Geo. Martin, Prank Miller, V. A. Grove, Sallie Rogers, Geo. A. Wolfe, M. C. Gardner, Lena Shoffner, Emma Busch, Martha J. Walcott, Mrs. S. Howe, Ira Kepford, G. W. Watson, Mrs. J. B. Bordens, Mrs. L. Bradley, Lena Cooper, B. F. Chase, Margaret A. Farren.
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Requests For Prayer.
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Pray that I may be healed of my afflictions.
Chas. D. Brown.
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I have something growing over the sight of my eyes and have other afflictions of the body. Please pray the Lord to heal me.
H. M. Irby.
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Smithville, S. C.
Dear Saints of God: Please pray for my two little afflicted children, December 4 that the good Lord may make them whole. Your sister in Jesus,
Martha Mathis.
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Millville, Mo.
Dear Ones in Christ: I ask you all to pray very earnestly for me that I may be delivered from the appetite of tobacco. It troubles me very much. Pray also that I be fully saved. I believe that the Lord will answer.
Jacob Kretzer.
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Arthur, N. Dak.
Dear Saints: I desire the prayers of all of you, that my faith may be increased, also for my unbelieving husband, that he be saved. May God bless you all.
From a sister in Christ,
Mrs. N. L. Hall.
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Dayton, Ore.
Pray for me that I may stand faithful; and pray for my husband that God will heal him of Diabetes. He is not sanctified. Your sister in Christ,
Anna Ayres.
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Independence, Mo.
Dearly Beloved of God: I ask you to pray for my healing again. I have faith he will do this. The blood of Jesus Christ cleanses me from all sin just now.
Mrs. Mattie McDaniel.
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Columbia City, Ind.
I ask an interest in all your prayers that I may again get back to where I was last spring. The Lord sent judgment on me for not doing my duty. My arm was paralyzed and I thought I would die with pain, but I prayed to God for help, which he gave. Yours in Christ,
Mrs. Oday Maken.
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Maytown, Ky.
Dear ones, pray for my wife and two children, for God to restore them to health, and for me that I may live low and humble at Jesus’s feet. Your brother in the one body.
H. F. Dunagan.
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Chopin, Ill.
Dear Saints: I want to ask through the TRUMPET for all the saints to pray Dec. 1, for my little niece, Ethel. She is four years old and has catarrh of the head very bad. I will fast and pray.
I do hope the dear Lora will send some of the dear saints here to preach the true gospel; there is a good opening here.
Your sister in Christ,
Vina Gilbert.
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Carthage, Mo.
I am saved and praising the Lord for the light he has given me, for salvation that keeps us from all sin. I ask the prayers of all the saints on Dec. 1, for my afflicted boy, who was saved two years ago. And also pray for my unsaved children, that they may come to Christ.
Your saved sister in Christ,
Mrs. Sarah Mansfield.
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Lickingville, Pa.
I would like if some of the holy ones of God could come and hold a meeting at this place. I want all the saints to pray for me and my family, that we may all get saved. I have been trying to get just where God would have me, but do not feel satisfied. I know that God has heard and answered my prayers in sickness, and I know that when I get right in his sight be will save me.
Mrs. Emma J. Johnston.
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Calls For Meeting.
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Kalamazoo, Mich.
Any of the brethren living near Auburndale, Lucas Co., Ohio, or any that may be passing near that place, please call on sister Orcelia Watson. She is out of all sectism and is anxious for more light; and perhaps there will be a way opened for a meeting to be held there. Your sister in Christ,
Rachel Bollinger.
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Some of the people here are quite anxious to have the saints come and hold a meeting, the field is large. Address.
Myrtle Troutner,
New Haven, Allen Co., Ind.
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We would like for some of God’s ministers to come and hold meetings here.
O. P. Allen,
Watonga, Okla.
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I am praying that God will send some Holy Ghost preacher to this wicked city, to put forth the pure Word upon the people. I don’t think the evening light has ever been preached here.
Mrs. Fannie Kershaw,
119 Oxford St. Syracuse, N. Y.
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I do hope and pray that some one of God’s ministers will come soon and hold meeting in this country. My house is the home of all that Father may send; situated, one mile west of Stinesville, Monroe Co., Ind.
Joseph L. Hawkins.
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MEETINGS.
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There will be an assembly meeting at Augusta, Ga. commencing Dec. 27, and continuing as long as the Lord will.
Yours in love, and fellowship,
Henry Summer,
and Jane Williams.
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QUESTION.
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Is it right for a preacher to throw himself prostrate upon the floor in meetings? I have seen a man failing at the feet of women. It seemed to me this was not “decently and in order.” 1 Cor. 14:40. And it gave the unbelievers a chance to say, they wallow together like hogs. Yours in Christ,
F. H. H.
Ans. God has created in man fine feelings of ideality, propriety, order, and decency. And he who is the author of those beautiful traits of the human character would not, by his Spirit, lead men or women to act contrary to them. This is very evident. The more so since we consider the fact that these noble attributes adhere in God himself; and for him to operate in man that which outrages these elements, were virtually God acting in opposition to his mind and nature. And thus would the God of order be the author of confusion. Moreover in such cases would God operate contrary to his own word, which requires everything to be done decency and in order? Our knowledge of God and his Spirit leads us to this conclusion: The movements of the Spirit of God in us are always graceful, comely, and consistent with the purest and highest ideality. It is true that some very good people are operated in a way repulsive to fine feelings. And neither should we conclude that they are hypocrites or possessed of the devil. But this is a fact, the devil has access to their nerves and fancies, and they may think all his touches are the operations of the Spirit. These wild and ludicrous operations in public often come from a strong desire for Spirit manifestations which Satan answers.
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Manning, Mo., Nov. 20.
To the Saints of God, Greeting: Seeing a call in the last TRUMPET by R. A. and E. Pearson for some workers to come to this place, we feel it our duty to say that said R. A. Pearson has been dealt with according to Mat. 18:15-18 and rejected by the church at this place, for making false charges against some of the workers whom God has used here. After being rejected he continued to force himself onto the church as a worshiper, and in our absence took charge of the services in defiance of the church, and used the pulpit to rail against us and the church. His domineering spirit has caused some of the saints to fall. He is seeking sympathy from those who know nothing of his spirit. If my feel led of God in this direction we will be glad to see them and enjoy the truth which God may give through them. Yours in the gospel of Christ,
R. M. and L. Haynes.
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A FEW WORDS FOR ALL.
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Foraker, O., Nov. 20.
Dear Saints, Greeting: In the trumpet was a short history of the work of Brother Tults and coworkers, and it would take a hard heart to read it without offering up a prayer in their behalf. Now, dear holy brethren, what does God require of us? If the GOSPEL TRUMPET will give us Brother Tuft’s freight address we will help along the work by sending them things by freight as well as by mail. Brethren, the devil must not close the Open Door Mission on account of provisions or lack of means; surely God has plenty. For Jesus’ sake let us do our duty, remembering it is only lent to the Lord.
C. E. Ford.
NOTE.
We desire to add a few words to the above for the glory of God. As to the freight address, it can be sent over almost any road to Chicago. The full address is Gorham Tufts, Jr. 396 Dearborn St. Anyone sending anything by freight would do well to see that the freight charges are paid when the goods are shipped, as the dear ones there are often without money enough even to pay a freight bill. Also write to him as soon as shipment is made.
In a recent issue of the GOSPEL TRUMPET was given something about the work there, also spoke of the woman who was rescued from the depths of sin, who gave her heart to the Lord and passed into eternity with the joys of salvation. There are some others who have been rescued and are giving their whole time in the gospel work; others are still in the city praising God for salvation from the awful sin by which they were formerly bound; while others go their way and are never heard from, and no doubt many go back into sin as before; but even if no one else was to be rescued, a few hundred dollars required to carry on the work would be but a small matter when weighed in the balance with the precious soul that passed into eternity and others who have been rescued.
The work there has been carried on under great disadvantages in many ways. It is situated in the darkest part of the city in the very slums of society. Sin abounds on every hand, and we dare say the majority of our readers scarcely know anything about the greatness of the iniquity in the midst of which the Open Door Mission is placed. To be sure it could not be expected that such a mission would be run in such a locality and everything go on smoothly without trials and the most severe testings. If the devil is to fight in any place it is in such a place as that. I have visited the mission a number of times since it started and realize something about their responsibilities. There have been many wonderful answers to prayer at that place both for temporal needs and for the spiritual welfare of souls. The temporal needs have been spoken of frequently, but we wish to put a little more present responsibilities direct upon God’s children concerning the matter, as when the full knowledge of a thing is made known it throws responsibility upon some one. There had, doubtless, never been a faith home started that was directed by the Lord but the devil tried to stop it, and we believe this mission was ordered of God. To be sure Brother and Sister Tufts were both young in the work, and notwithstanding this and the opposition they have had to meet we believe that God has chosen them for the place. Others of God’s children have been there from time t0 time and faithfully aided them in the work. May God bless them abundantly. Others have done more to hinder the work than to help it along. Some who have not an understanding of real faith work where the battle becomes quite fierce sometimes are often too quick to judge affairs when they should be sending up earnest prayers; and even when God is having his way to work out things to his glory, often put something in the way to hinder the real progress of the work, by a little lack in bridling the tongue by way of gossip, but instead should send up some earliest prayers, the cause of Christ would prosper much better. Work in such a place needs our most earnest prayers, for there is every opposing and compromising spirit ready to do their work, but with all the earnest petitions of God’s children the work can move along in spite of all the powers of the enemy.
The financial burden there is no small matter. Besides feeding the hungry and those who come there for light and truth, etc., there are coal bills, gas bill, and many other expenses, besides $125.00 a month rent, that amounts to $1500.00 a year.
We think about $500.00 has been paid on the rent and as near as we can find out there is about $44000 or $450.00 due on rent at the present time. The building was leased for one year, so altogether there will be at least a thousand dollars or more with what is due to pay before the lease expires. The workers started in there with no financial capital on hands, and have none yet. $10000 was paid on the rent a few days ago. I just received a letter from there last week, from which I quote the following:
“The work is increasing wonderfully, in the last four weeks, we haye kept 4851 men all night, many of whom raised their hands for prayer, 126 have claimed conversion, over fifty during this last week. We have fed on the average fifty each day up stairs. Have anointed and prayed for forty-six people during the last week; most all claimed their healing.”
Now if any hesitate in sending direct to Brother Tofts because of having little or no acquaintance with him, you can send the money to me, and I send you receipt for same and see that the money is property applied as directed. If the Lord would move some one to give one hundred dollars or five hundred dollars each to such work it would be money well spent, or even twenty-five cents would not come amiss. Should the rent be paid during the whole year and other things supplied they can use an abundance of means in spreading the literature. Remember wherever a work is carried on for God on the faith line and directed of the Lord, no difference in what city the mission may be, or whether it be a children’s home, or spreading the gospel in anywise, the Lord has need of that with which he has prospered us. Now as we have had a week of prayer, and doubtless all received a benefit and advance of our souls, let us put it in practice, and pray the prayer of faith for the Open Door Mission, and all other places of spreading the gospel truth. Yours in him,
E. E. Byrum.
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REMOVE THE CAUSE;
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Why is it so many fall short of getting an experience? Because they have not got the cause removed, and that cause is sin. “Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts, and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.” — Isa. 55:7. “Let him that stole, steal no more, but rather let him labor, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.” — Eph. 4:28. But how many dear souls say, “All these things we have done and had wonderful peace, until those messengers sent by God came into our district and sounded the gospel trumpet in our midst, and awoke us up out of our sleep, and then we began to feel that all was not right, and we began to look around for hiding places.” And truly the devil has many hiding places; but there is not one on the narrow way.
So dear one, if you are in one of those hiding places or are looking for one, you can make sure you are not on the narrow way. Then have the cause removed at once, and get upon the narrow way. Be willing to pay the price; be willing to dig deep and find the rock, the foundation stone of salvation, upon which you can build. Now dear one, get to work in real earnest; cast off all straps and bands, so you will have full liberty to work, and as every hindrance shows itself, out it must come, and then by the grace of God you will reach the rock. But how many you see about you giving up in despair and crying out, “We can never make it!” And that is true; for the dear souls are digging on the shores of Babylon, in sectish sands; for as fast as they dig it fills up again. And so they go on until some dear child of God takes and leads them away to firmer ground and teaches them how to dig; and very soon an hindrance comes in the way, and at once they cry, “Has this to be cast out?” Yes, it must. “But cannot we dig around it?” No, for if you want an experience you must dig out the evil. “Oh but I cannot; just look, it is my dear old pipe and tobacco! Why it is my only comfort!” Be a man; cast it out and let Jesus be your only comfort; remove the cause or it will take you down to the pit.
There is a sister digging who says, “Must these be cast out? Just look, all my beautiful dresses and fine rings.” Yes, they must be cast out, for the word of God says, “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.” Dear ones, remove the cause; dig it out, for thus saith the Lord, “He that covereth his sins shall not prosper, but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy. Prov. 28:13. Ah here is another soul who has come across something they have hidden. They cry, “Has this to be cast out?” Yes, the word of God says, if the wicked restore the pledge, give again that they have robbed, walk in the statutes of life, without committing iniquity, he shall surely live, he shall not die. — Eze. 33:15. Now many dear ones come across that great hindrance, Pride. But by the grace of God it must be removed. “For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.” — 1 Jno. 2:16. “These six things doth the Lord hate; yea, seven are an abomination unto him: a proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that are swift in running to mischief, a false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.” — Pro. 6:16-19. All these evil things come from the heart; “for from within, out of the heart of man, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornication, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness, all these things come from within and defile the man.” — Mark 7:21-23.
So dear ones, everything must be removed, not even the shadow of anything must come between you and the aock. There has been too much covering up. Break loose from the straps and bands of the devil, and “stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.” — Gal. 5:1.
Robert Croasdell,
Liverpool, Eng.
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REFORM vs THE GOSPEL.
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In these days of “reform movements” it is meet that, as God’s servants, we should see to it that our efforts are along the line of his thought and actions. We learn in his word that it is from the heart of man that evil proceeds, and in fighting sin we must deal with it at its source — men’s hearts. Adam’s heart became a thief before his hand became a thief. His heart went wrong before his hand went wrong. He went wrong at the center first then at the circumference. Many of God’s people are busy drying to put the circumference right, thinking that by this means the center will get right. Trying to get men fixed up nice and respectable outside and neglecting the inside.
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But when God takes hold of a man he begins at the center — puts the heart right and then the life is very soon put right. The place where sin must be dealt with is in men’s hearts and the remedy is the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. As we recently heard a minister express it, standing before an audience of working people: “The great need of these people is not an adjustment of the labor and capital problem, not a change of government, not better social conditions, not even better wages, but JESUS CHRIST in their hearts and lives.” When our efforts do not have as their real aim the bringing of men and women into living contact with the Lord Jesus, by whose power they can alone be made right, we are falling short of that to which God has called us. The way to make an honest man out of a thief is not to cut off his hand, but to bring him to know the one who can give him a new heart, Jesus Christ, and the blessed gospel of God’s grace, is the need of the world to-day and the remedy for the world’s ills. Let us see to it that we administer God’s remedy to the souls with which we have to deal.
Selected.
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News from the Field
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Mound City, Mo., Nov. 19
Dear Saints of God: Through the grace of God we can report victory on the Lord’s side. Since the Grand Junction camp meeting we have attended a few of the camp and assembly meetings in the West, and held a number of meetings, in which precious souls were saved and sick healed. We have now returned home, and truly the Lord has been blessing our labors since coming home. Some that have been entangled and confused of the devil are set at liberty. We are as ever, your brother and sister fully saved in Jesus and on the forward move,
A. A. and Janet Kinzie.
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Claypool, Ind., Nov. 19.
Dear Brethren: We came to this place Nov. 5. Met with the dear brethren and sisters in prayer meeting Wednesday evening, the sixth at Bro. M. M. Alexander’s, who is now near death’s door, but is ready to exchange this life for an eternal one. We have visited the dear brother three or four times since we came here and found him praising the Lord every time. On Sunday the tenth we were blessed with the privilege of presenting the Word to a congregation at Mentone. The following Tuesday evening at Olive Bethel; on Wednesday evening at Yellow Lake Bethel, and on Saturday evening the sixteenth we commenced a series of meetings at Claypool. There is a good interest here, and a prospect for a good work for God. We need more ministerial help. Who will rush to the battle?
Yours in the one body, Christ,
A. B. Palmer.
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Aurora, Mo.
Dear Gospel Readers: We left Frisco camp meeting and went to the Roark meeting in Berry Co., Mo. The good Lord blessed in giving his word. We went from thereto Dadeville, Mo. commenced meeting in the M. E. house. The Lord blessed in giving his word. The M. E. preacher and the whole town got stirred as their idols were touched, their sects and secret societies. But amidst all some souls got free from the Babylon yoke. We went from there about four miles west of Ash Grove; this meeting lasted seventeen days, with victory from the beginning. There were nine professed justification and eleven santification. Fourteen were buried with Christ in baptism. To God be all the praise. There was one case of casting out devils. And one sister that the doctors had given up to die with comsumption was healed. She was up the next day. To God be all the glory. We are here in the name of Jesus to commence meeting. We have permission to hold meeting in the city hall of this place. Let all the dear ones remember us in their prayers, that God may use us to his own glory. Yours all in the one body to do the whole will of God.
W. M. Wilson,
Jas. Montgomery and Wife.
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Lemieux, Ont., Nov. 15.
Dear Ones: The Lord has been using me since I wrote to you before, in showing the light to others by preaching the Word. I held two weeks meeting in the school-house at Dunany, Quebec. There were four sects at that place, and as a consequence, the people were in great darkness; bet the Holy Ghost made the Word plain and powerful, and some souls joyfully received the light. Praise God! I am now at home with my wife and family; we have moved for the winter. I believe God wants me to give all my time to preaching the gospel, and I am willing to go where he leads. I am very poor in this world’s goods, so that I have nothing but myself to give to the service of the Lord. “But for me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” — Phil. 1:21. “For we which live are alway delivered unto death for Jesus’ sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh.” — 2 Cor. 4:11. Dear brothers and sisters, pray for me and my brother Hollyer who left the Salvation Army because of its anti-christ doctrine of no ordinances. He is now out on the Bible line for Jesus. Your brother in Christ, justified, sanctified, healed, and kept by the power of God.
John C. Blaney.
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New Paris, Ohio, Nov. 18.
Dear Saints of God: We are truly glad we can report victory in our souls and in the work. Praise God! The meeting held in Smith’s chapel on Bro. Hull’s farm, five miles west of Sammittsville, Ind., was one of the best and most spiritual meetings ever held in those parts. Many dear souls found Jesus in the pardon of sin and the sanctification of their entire being and spirit. As the fire burned the little ones would leap and s lout for joy of soul. Oh hallelujah! Brethren, when the perfect price is paid, God will send the holy fire. We held there two weeks and the last day Bro. J. Hull baptized six happy saints, and intended to baptize more on Lord’s day (17th inst). We are now in the midst of five sect organizations. We have a large house to hold in and the people turn out quite well, and many are endorsing the truth. God help them to stand upon the same. Bro. Morton and I are alone, but we hope to have the help of dear Brother and Sister Geo. and Anna Howard. At the close of this meeting we go to Sweetser, Ind., and then to our home and hold meeting at Olive Bethel in Brother Leininger’s locality. Brethren, pray for us that God may keep us true and loyal to him. Much holy love and esteem to all the saints. We remain your blood-washed brothers,
C. B. Morton, and S. L. Speck.
Burkett, Ind.
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Spokane, Wash.
Dear Saints of God: I praise the Lord for victory in his name, and for the privilege to consecrate my life to his service. While the battle goes hard sometimes I praise God for the sacred inner court, in the secret of his presence, where we can feel the blest assurance that all is well with our soul and all sorrow is shut out. God made known to me that it was his will for us to remain here and open up a mission, and after some trying but not fruitless efforts, the Lord has opened up the way to successfully securing and fitting up a gospel mission hail in one of the best locations in the city for the work. We have the hall comfortably seated, nicely lighted and heated, and ready for the work; to God be all the glory. The Lord has led us into the work, and it is for his glory and the salvation of perishing souls. It has taken means and hard work. Consecrated hands have by the help of God been enabled to carry on the work to completion, except a little plumbing. We have the hall leased for five months with privilege of longer at a very reasonable rate of rent. We will have some expenses right along, but God says in his blessed word, “My God shall supply all your needs;” his promises are sure and his Word cannot fail. Praise his name! We trust God will send some of his consecrated ministers this way to help in the work, also workers and singers. A stronger force is needed for street meetings, and to help in the work. Bro. Bahr has located here and feels God put it upon him to come here and work among the Germans, and as the Lord leads, open up a mission in a suitable location. I feel the pressure quite hard on me on the account of my family, those of them that are not saved, and I want to ask the saints to pray for them that they may give their hearts to the Lord, and be a help in the precious cause. Also pray for the mission and work in Spokane, and pray for me that I may be all the Lord would have me be, that I may be much used of the Lord for his glory. Your brother saved and sanctified, and separated for the gospel. Address,
Geo. Martin,
No. 516, Main Ave.
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TESTIMONIES.
“Thy Testimonies are Wonderful.” – Psa. 119:129.
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South Chicago, Ill.
Dear Saints: I do praise the Lord for what he has done for my soul. He has saved me from all sin and sectism, for which I give him all the glory. And he has sanctified my nature and keeps me every day. Pray for me and for the healing of my body. I am old, but I know the Lord is able to heal me. Yours in Christ,
Nancy Paden.
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Kalamazoo, Mich.
Dear Saints of God: I can praise God for a full and free salvation, and his grace does keep me each day free from all sin. I give him all the praise. He heals my body. A week ago to day the saints prayed for me and the work was done. I give him all the praise. I am taking care of a sick woman, with the typhoid fever. Her mind is badly affected with the fever, and I desire and ask for the dear saints to pray for her. Your sister in the one faith, saved and kept,
Mrs. Mary J. Scott.
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Wamic, Ore.
Dear Saints of God: I can say that I am sweetly saved and I am feasting upon that bread of life, trusting in Jesus for all things, for both saving and healing power. O I do praise the Lord because he is so good to me. When the Lord sees fit we would like to have some brethren to come here and hold meeting. We feel there is a work to be done here in Wamic. It is a very wicked place and there are many precious souls being led off by false teachers. If any feel led of the Lord to come to this place, please write to me. Pray for us and the work here. Your brother, saved by the power of God,
J. A. Pratt.
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Pittsburg, Kan.
Dear Saints: I believe it to be the glory of God for me to write my testimony. I had been terribly afflicted for about eleven years and was given up by the best physicians. And a little over a year ago I fell in company with some of the holy people and was led to their prayer meeting; and praise the Lord there I heard the testimony of some who had been healed, and God sent deep conviction on me and I began to search the scriptures. And as I began to believe, Satan began to afflict me worse and worse with catarrh of the stomach, and I lay three days and nights, could not eat or sleep; and I sent for the saints to come and pray with me according to Jas. 5:14, 15. They had to lift me off of the sofa and put
me in a chair to be anointed. And praise the Lord, he healed me just then, so I could walk one mile and a half that night to prayer meeting. O praise the Lord he healed my body, saved my soul and brought me out of the Campbellite sect, and to day I can say l am saved, sanctifier and kept by the mighty power of God,
Mary A. Randall.
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Gretna, Neb.
Dear Readers of the Trumpet: I am still rejoicing in my blessed Redeemer. I am glad that salvation is free. God has done wonderful things for me since I was saved. I was thrown out of my buggy and had my right shoulder dislocated and was hurt considerably other ways, and I suffered a great deal with pain for two days and nights. The Lord sent his saints to anoint me and pray for me, and I was healed instantly. Bless his name for ever! Before I was healed I could not move my head either to the right or left, as my neck was stiff and sore, and I could not let any one touch my bed on account of the awful pain. But when the Lord healed me I got up and dressed and went about my work as usual. Bless God, he heals both soul and body. I want to live for Jesus in the future and do his will. I want all the saints to pray for me that I may ever be found pointing sinners to the cross. Amen.
Mrs. E. L. Hileman.
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Pittsburg, Pa.
Dear Trumpet Readers: I am praising the dear Lord for his peace and love within my heart. I know the blessed approbation of God is resting down upon my soul, and I have the sweet consciousness that I am pleasing him. The precious word is as a light unto my path and the language of the Psalmist is the sincere prayer of my heart, “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength and Redeemer.” Our dear Saviour said in Jno. 14:21-23, He that hath my commandments and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me, and he shall be loved of my Father. And they also have promised to make their abode with us. Truly I am made to wonder at the marvelous love of God, and my soul breaks forth in the words of the poet,
O! what great and high promotion,
That in Jesus I should be
Raised from sin to royal honor,
Even reigning Lord with thee.
Your sister, redeemed through Jesus’ precious blood,
Emily A. Dunmire.
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Clinton, Ind.
Dear Trumpet Readers: The Lord sweetly saves me just now. I find joy and sweet peace in my soul, in living a life for Jesus. His ways are my ways; I want follow in his footsteps. He does not demand of us what cannot be accomplished. If we abide in him and his words abide in us, we can ask what we will and it will be done. So many cry, “On we can‘t live without sin or sinning.” God help them to see that they can not live with sin, for sin is of the devil and we must have Jesus if we have life. Jesus and the devil cannot live in the same house together. I am so glad that I can trust Jesus He takes care of me, soul, body and spirit. He is our Physician. I can trust him with the most contagious diseases. His power is the same as if it were a bad cold. He healed my baby last summer. The neighbors would talk, and one wanted to give it medicine. Praise the Lord, she is well now, and gaining in flesh. There is so much I would like to say, but I do know that Jesus is my all and in all. Pray for me. Your sanctified sister,
B. R. Watts.
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Versailles, O.
Dear Ones in Christ Jesus: I praise the Dear Lord to day for his saving grace. I am trusting fully in Jesus and my soul is satisfied. After I came home from the New Carlisle camp meeting I took sick with typhoid fever. I was sick with the fever five weeks but did not have a doctor nor take any medicine. I believed that Jesus would heal me. The people insisted on me having a doctor, but I felt that it was not God’s will for me to take medicine. So the dear Lord answered prayer and restored me to health. However just as soon as I was able to be up, my wife and two oldest daughters took sick with the same fever; then came the trial of my faith. Our neighbors came in and threatened to prosecute me for doing my family such a great injustice by not having a doctor. The health officer came in to investigate but found that we were strong in faith, and he gave us some good advice as to caring for the sick, for which we thanked him, and he took his leave. But after that the people still wanted the Board of Health to take charge of my family and compel us to submit and take medicine. But we prayed the dear Lord to keep them away and he did. Praise his dear name! for the dear Lord answered prayer by sending us a good nurse to help take care of the sick. May the dear Lord reward her. For weeks it seemed that death would claim its victims, and persecutions followed on, but we still prayed the more earnestly for the Lord to heal the sick. While the people were eagerly watching to see whether the Lord would heal us or not, oh thanks be to Jesus for his healing power! after suffering six weeks longer of affliction and persecution, the Lord healed us, according to his promise. Wife and daughters are able to be up and are gaining strength rapidly for which we praise God. I feel that my faith has been increased and this affliction has worked for our good. To God be all the glory. Amen.
S. E. Toland.
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OBITUARIES.
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MOON. — Sister Charlotte Moon, who was born Sept. 4, 1816, passed peacefully away Nov. 14, 1892; being aged seventy-nine years, two months ten days. At the time of her death she was living with her daughter (Sister Alvin Bryant), at Letter’s Ford, in Fulton Co., Ind. The funeral was held at the Nichols Chapel, near her old home near Beaver Dam Ind.
A. B. Palmer.
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Broughton, O.
FRANKLIN. — Joseph Franklin departed this life Oct. 29, 1895; aged sixty-nine years, ten months and three days. Bro. Franklin was saved out in the evening light. He leaves a wife, one son, and one daughter to mourn their loss, which is his gain. May the Lord help them to prepare to meet him at his coming. Funeral services by
David Smith.
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KUFFEL. — Near Boann, Wabash Co., Ind. Sister Susan B. Kuffel, departed this life Oct. 27, 1895; aged sixty-six years two months and six days.
The subject of this notice was the wife of Bro. Samuel Kuffel. She was converted to God when a small girl, and kept her profession of Christ to the end of life. She was nearly deaf for a number of years, which much deprived her of the gospel, and no doubt subjected her to much temptation. Funeral services by Bro. David Leininger in the old Eel River Bethel, before a large congregation of people who were much affected by the word of God.
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Roseburg, Ore.
BUE. — Sister Mary Bue, wife of Bro. Martin Bue, departed this life Nov. 12; aged thirty-two years and one months. She was saved and sanctified about two years ago, and ever since lived a true devoted life to God. Her sweet Christ-like spirit won the heart of almost every one she met. All through her sickness she trusted God, and looked to no other one for help. Some wanted her to have a doctor, but she always said, “No, I will trust God.” And she said many times she thought the Lord would heal her. We had prayer for her several times, and in every prayer she would be relieved of all pain. She suffered no pain at all the last two days of her life. Was very happy all the time and when she saw that she must go, she called us all to her bed and bade us good-bye, saying, “God bless you all, I, am going home to Jesus.” She sang beautiful songs and seemed to be glad to know she was going home. She leaves a bright sweet testimony to all that she has gone home to reap her reward. She leaves a dear husband devoted to God and his service, also two little ones to mourn her loss. May God bless, comfort and keep them by power divine, and help them to realize their loss is her gain. Funeral services by
Bro. J. M. Hudson.
Jesus, while our hearts are bleeding
O’er the spoils that death has won,
We would, at this solemn meeting,
Calmly say, Thy will be done.
Though oast down, we’re not forsaken,
Though afflicted, not alone;
Thou did’st give and thou hast taken.
Blessed Lord, Thy will be done.
Mollie S. Hudson.
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DIVINE HEALING.
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Christ the Healer.
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By E. E. Byrum.
CHRIST is a great physician to his people. Now as in ages past he is skillful beyond all competition. He is able, eminent and all-powerful. Hear what he says: “All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.” — Matt. 28:18. Then we need not fear to trust our cases in his hands for fear he has not the power; and furthermore we find he has the ability. “Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us.” — Eph. 3:20. Can you read these scriptures and then doubt but what he is able to handle your case? Yea, he says he is able to do more than we ask or think. Just ponder over these words a short time; read and re-read, and see if you cannot comprehend something in those words more than you ever have before. See if you cannot begin to realize more the magnitude and mighty power in the name of Christ. Behold, he is all in all.
In answer to Sarah’s question the Lord said, “Is anything too hard for the Lord?” and then he performed that which he had promised. Gen. 18:14: To Jeremiah he said: “Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh; is there anything too hard for me?” — Jer. 32:27. Now hear what Jeremiah said: “Ah, Lord God, behold, thou hast made the heaven and the earth by thy great power and stretched out arm, and there is nothing too hard for thee.”
We read in the 8th chapter of Matthew that when Christ came he began to fulfill what was prophesied of him by the prophet Isaiah, that he bare our sicknesses, etc., and now if he suffered in order to bear our sicknesses, why need we be bearing them? Let us learn our privileges and let us move out as far as his word directs. Now Christ not only had wonderful power and did wonderful works by way of healing, etc., but we read in Jno. 14:12 where he says, “Verily, verily I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works, that I do shall he do also, and greater works than these shall he do, because I go unto my Father. And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask anything In my name I will do it.”
Can it be possible now that he offers to do greater works through those who believe on him? How can that be? Let us just consider the question a moment. Remember when Christ was here in the flesh incarnate he said these words, and afterwards ascended unto the Father, and the Holy Comforter was given us. We can do greater works by the God in us through the power of the Holy Ghost. This power is not promised to unbelievers, nor such as just believe a small portion of the Word and reject other portions, but is offered to those that believe, and there is much meaning in that word believe when it comes right down to the Bible standard. God wants his ministers to move out on the line of believing a little more, and lose sight of the idea of the preacher doing the work, but that it is only God through him. God also wants each of his children to take a forward move on the line of believing his word, and by faith see the power of God in all things according as his word has promised.
Dear suffering ones, is Christ your healer? Do you take him as such? Have you put your case fully into his hands? Do you believe that he is able to handle your case? Can you bring the matter right down to the point where you can believe that he does do it. Just read his word and there find out what his will is in the matter. If you can find where he positively says it is his will for you to be sick and suffer the rest of your days, we say, Amen, suffer it out. But if that is the case it would be useless to be trying any other means of relief. But as yet we have failed to find anything to encourage you on that line of suffering. Christ came to save and to heal all that would come unto him, and believe he is the same yesterday, to-day and forever. Heb. 8:13.
The Two-edged Sword.
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FOR some time the Lord has been impressing me with the subject of the two edges of the sword. When Christ appeared to John to give him the book of Revelation to be delivered to the Church, a sharp two- edged sword came out of his mouth.” Rev. 1:16.
When John speaks of the very epoch in which we are now living, when the church has been called out of the fogs of sectism, and has escaped from the power of man rule, and judgment has gone forth against sectism, the great harlot which did corrupt the earth, he portrays Christ going forth to war against the nations, followed by the armies of heaven which are the redeemed hosts of the church. Rev. 19. Here again the sword comes out of his mouth. This is the only weapon used by the holy army. Paul tells us that the sword is the word of God. Eph. 6:17. This is why the sword is said to proceed from his mouth. The great Roman power was to be consumed by the spirit or sword of his mouth before being destroyed by the brightness of his coming. 2 Thess. 2:8.
Again, when speaking to crooked professors who who would try to pass themselves for saints, he admonishes them to “repent, or else I will come unto thee quickly and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth.” — Rev. 2:16. So then whether we are dealing with the unsaved nations in general, or with sectarian apostasy, or with crooked spirits who would assemble with the saints, the word of God which is the sword that comes out of his mouth, is the only weapon which the church of God can use. But this sword has two edges, and both are alike sharp and both are to be used. The Catholics make one edge to be spiritual and the other temporal power. But this can not be true, for it is the sword of the Spirit, and both edges must be spiritual. I wondered much what the two edges of the sword could mean, until the Lord taught me plainly concerning it.
When Jesus had ended all the revelation of his will to the church, he added this solemn warning. “For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, if any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book. And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.” — Rev. 22:18, 19.
Here we have the two edges of the sword. God’s written word is the standard of faith and practice in the church of God to the end of time, both for doctrine and discipline. Every thing that falls short of the written Word is cut off by one edge of the sword, and every thing that goes beyond the Word is cut off by the other edge. To stand on the whole Word and nothing but the Word is the only place to escape the sword, for on either side of the line we are exposed to one of its sharp edges. I am convinced that the church in many places is in more danger from going beyond than falling short of the Word. First, every honest soul who hears the whole Word taught knows that it is of little use to try to hang on with those who are in the evening light, unless they accept the whole Word. Therefore comparatively few start who are not determined to pay the full price. But going beyond the word of God is more dangerous in some respects than failing short of it; because if any one draws back from the plainly revealed will of God by the Word, he knows just where he is lacking, and if he should repent and turn to God he knows just what the will of God is, and just what he will have to do to get right. But if one leave the plain word of God and go rushing forward after his own notions and convictions in matters, the whims of his own mind become the standard by which he determined the will of God, and he has gotten where the Lord can not teach him till he forsake his own thoughts and return to the word of God. A brother once said, “I would rather be a little ahead of the Lord than behind him.” Jesus says, “And when he putteth forth his own sheep he goeth before them and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice.” — Jno. 10:4. Beloved, let none of us stay so far behind as to fail to follow when the voice of Christ [word of God] is made plain to us. Death will be the sure result if we do. But let us be slow enough to not move till we have the word of God to move on. To get ahead of Christ and his word is to get where we can neither follow him nor know his will. God says, “Son of man, I have made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel; Therefore hear the word at my mouth, and give them a warning from me.” — Ezek. 3:17. Sometimes one will see a brother or sister doing something which they do not esteem to be just right, and they will hasten to warn and admonish them; but when they approach the supposed offender, behold, they can bring him no word from the mouth of God concerning his wrong. Such warnings are not from God, but are frequently the fruit of zealous ignorance. A zeal without knowledge has often put a block of stumbling in the way of souls, which nothing could ever afterward remove. May the Lord deliver his people from allowing their zeal to run ahead of their knowledge.
Concerning judgment the Lord says, “Let the saints be joyful in glory; let them sing aloud upon their beds, let the high praises of God be in their mouth, and a two-edged sword in their hand: to execute vengeance upon the heathen and punishments upon the people; to bind their kings with chains, and their nobles with fetters of iron; to execute upon them the judgments written. This honor have all his saints. Praise ye the Lord.” — Psa. 149:5-9.
The Lord never starts one of his saints out to execute judgment without the two-edged sword. He is then prepared to deal with everything which either falls short of or goes beyond the plain word of God. Again God never sends one of his saints to execute any judgments except those which are already written in the Word. One brother goes to another and says, “The Lord has sent me to tell you that you are doing wrong.” “Well,” says the other, “can you show me the word of God concerning it?” “No, I can find nothing in the Word which would bear upon the case, but the Lord shows me you are wrong.” Now if God showed him he would be able to show the Word for it. If he can not, then God did not show him and his judgment is not one of those which are written. James says, there is one law-giver who is able to save and to destroy. Who art thou that judgest another? — Jas. 4:12. There is no need of our making any laws or judgments; there are enough of them already written to meet every want of the church. With Paul it was a light matter that he be judged of man’s judgment, but when the written judgments begin to fall it is a serious matter. The written judgments bind on earth and in heaven. Matt. 18:15-18. Our convictions however earnest bind nothing on any one.
Not long since we met one who was teaching that it was a sin to eat and drink certain things which were of themselves not at all harmful. When we insisted that nothing should be bound on the church which we could not clearly sustain by the Word she replied, “Well then, you can’t forbid tobacco, for the Word does not speak of it.” But this is wresting the truth; for tobacco is clearly condemned by those scriptures which forbid filthiness. And tobacco, tea, coffee, and all narcotics and intoxicants are condemned by those scriptures which forbid the defiling of our bodies; for all these things defile and injure the human body. Therefore where the Word speaks we may speak with all authority. But we dare not teach the church that it is a sin to eat or drink those things which are of themselves harmless, unless it be in such cases where as Paul teaches that one who is weaker may be made to stumble. Rom. 14:14.23.
Beloved, in the name of Jesus, let us be free from binding upon the church some matter of conscience of our own. If we have faith, let us have it to ourselves before God. Rom. 14:22. But if we have the word of God, then bind it upon all.
A few years ago a man came to us and said the Lord had sent him to admonish us for shaving our beard. We asked him for the Word on it. He cited us to Lev. 19:27, where it is forbidden to “mar the corners of your beard.” We showed him that this was under the law, and that we were not to be bound by it. Then he said that our shaving was conforming to the world. We asked for proof. He said, “Is it not true that some of the most wicked men shave as you do?” “Oh yes,” we replied, “and is it not true that some of the most wicked shave as you do?” He confessed this true also. Then we asked him who was conforming most to the world, himself or us? This man had been called of the devil to fight sectism, being a real come-outer. He carried his fanaticism so far that he would not have family prayer nor give thanks at the table because Babylon did these things. In the name of Jesus we say that such is of the devil. If we must do nothing which Babylon does, we must throw the Bible and our professed faith in Christ away, for Babylon claims both.
We have met some who have gone into fanaticism concerning dress, saying that in order not to conform to the world we must wear clothing entirely different from that worn by the world. If we must lay aside every thing worn by the world we must of necessity do without clothing, or invent some styles yet unseen, for there is not a style existing which the world does not wear. Now we declare that we have found no rule laid down for the church of God to follow in dress, farther than “modest apparel,” and a freedom from superfluity. Superfluity is that which is worn for adorning only, and is of no real service. Nothing which affords comfort or convenience in dress or is of real benefit can be classed as superfluity. We once visited a place where some professed saints were very loud spoken against worldly dress. They would not allow a brother to wear a white shirt or a collar, or black his shoes, and condemned a sister if in braiding her child’s hair she used a small piece of ribbon to tie it with, but would allow her to use a thread or strip torn from a piece of cloth. Some of the same persons let their hair go uncombed, and their clothes filthy, and were in the habit of harboring itch and vermin about their persons. Some of them contended that if a sister in making a dress should make a plain belt of the same material to wear with it, that it was conforming to the world. We admonish all in the name of Jesus that such pernicious contending, where no Word can be produced, is not of God, and all who do do so, while they try to escape one edge of the sword, have exposed themselves to the other edge. Those who are fanatical are inconsistent.
Not long since we heard a woman censuring the sisters for crocheting and using pillow shams, etc., saying, her hands were too holy to do any unnecessary work, and yet this same woman it was said had time to piece quilts and work scripture verses on them. We are not here speaking against making quilts, but we wish to impress the truth that if we condemn others for that which we do ourselves, we shall feel the judgment of God. Rom. 2:3. Again, we have met some who teach that all the saints should dress alike; teaching the sisters that they should all wear their hair twisted up on the back of their head. There is not the slightest foundation in the word of God for laying down such rules for the church of God, and all who do so expose themselves to one edge of the sword. If a man flee from a lion and rush into the jaws of a bear, what does it profit him? So if in order to escape condemnation for being conformed to the world, we rush to the opposite extreme and fall ..nder condemnation for adding to the Word, how much will we better our condition? This is a serious matter. Remember that adding to the Word is as severely condemned as taking from it.
R. M. Haynes.
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