10 December 1896, Volume 16, Number 49.

GOD’S LOVE.

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Oh love of God so sweet and pure!
Forevermore it shall endure,
And is for sin a perfect cure,
Yea, makes me whole.
Now in my heart its flames doth glow,
My sins are gone, I’m white as snow
In Jesus’ blood.

Oh love of God so sweet to me!
Once I was blind but now I see,
The Spirit and the Word agree,
And all is well.
I taste the bliss of heaven’s love,
I am adopted from above,
No more my own.

Oh love of God! it is to me
A treasure deep, a boundless sea,
It sets the weary captive free,
Yes, free indeed.
And when the storms of life assail,
We need not fear the threat’ning gale;
In Him we hide.

Oh love of God! I cannot tell
Its height or depth. Oh living well!
But this I know, and this can tell, —
It reaches me.
I know I am in Christ complete,
And love to sit low at his feet,
And learn of Him.

Lucy M. Lewis.

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An Appeal to
THE PURE IN HEART.

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DEAR BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN JESUS: The love of God and perishing souls constrains me, through much bodily weakness, to make an earnest appeal, and thereby stir up your pure minds and put you in remembrance of the weight of responsibility resting on us as children of the light.

“For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light.” — Eph. 5:8.

“And of some have compassion, making a difference; and others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.” — Jude 22, 23.

Just here arises the question: Is it necessary to know the sting of sin, or fearful but unseen foes of mankind, in our own bodies, before we can successfully fight them? With a fervent “Praise God,” I answer, No!

I lived a life of careless indifference till the age of twenty-one. Then yielding to the Spirit’s power I repented, was justified by faith, and lived a life at peace with God for several years, before I knew of the existence of the elements of any such form of sin. I ask you, dear unsuspecting mothers, is it necessary for you to know that there are lizards in the water before you guard your child against drinking it? or serpents in the grass where it plays before you inflict punishment to keep it indoors? You look surprised and answer, “Yes; pure water is the best drink, and grass with sunshine, heaven’s own playground. Oh, are there serpents and lizards? I must look for myself.” Yes, and you will search carefully and satisfy yourself that the report was false before your child tastes the water or reenters the playground.

Alas, alas! worse, yea, ten thousand times worse enemies than these reptiles stalk our land. Yes, deadly monsters who have power not alone over the body, but over the soul. Yes, immortal souls are being slain by the thousands lift up your eyes and behold — by tens of thousands, yes, by millions, and still you sleep on.

It is not the purpose of this appeal to give the details or even a trace of the lower sins, which make us shrink and shudder, but to earnestly urge every child of God to awake; to search earnestly and prayerfully for light on these hidden mysteries, with a single eye to bringing glory to our God who loved us and gave himself for us.

I well remember the day and hour when the scales fell from off my eyes and I realized for the first time some of the meaning of the unfruitful works of darkness. It was from the lips of a student for the Methodist ministry who had been led into vice almost in his babyhood and who afterward added crime to vice and sealed his doom. In this condition he sought Him who is stronger than the strong man armed, and in Jesus he found pardon and sympathy. He then threw himself into the rescue work with a burning zeal, but alas, he was doomed, it was said, to fill a consumptive’s grave. Oh the craft of Satan to cover his most hellish pitfalls with a harmless, unavoidable covering!

We ask, who was to blame? Perhaps his parents did not know of the existence of such vice. Dear ones, I ask you in Jesus’ name, does ignorance excuse us here? When our Father sent out that injunction, “Keep thyself pure,” did he mean not to know or care who was impure? And are we with our own garments clean to have no intellectual knowledge of the unseen warfare around us? I wot not. Paul said, “For though ye have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers?”

When I recovered from the shock or fearful eye-opening to the awful depravity of fallen man, it was with a fixed determination to live and die single-handed and alone for Jesus, and to stand firm to bring to light and expose every form of sin, according to scripture. With this end in view I gave the matter special study, and oh the depth of sin that nothing but the power of God can reach!

After years of warfare with the seen and unseen, in the name of the Lord Jesus I exclaim, “Awake, thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.” He who said, “Heaven and earth shall pass away but my word shall not pass away, ” said also, “My Spirit shall guide you into all truth.” Prove the efficacy of these promises. “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God” — not waveringly, but in faith. “Without faith it is impossible to please Him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” Beyond a doubt your eyes will be opened.

Do you ask, “Where does all this sin lurk?” See 1 Cor. 6:9, 10, 11. “And such were some of you; but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.” Is sin less prevalent in our day than in Paul’s? Is our holiness higher, or are our hands cleaner than his? Will we refuse to stoop as he stooped? Do you say, No, but Paul said to have no fellowship with this class? God grant that we may ever heed this warning! But he also said, “Reprove them * * * All things that are reproved are made manifest by the light; for whatsoever doth make manifest is light.” “Awake, awake; put on thy strength, O Zion.” And such were some of you. Thank God, the blood has been sufficient for you. You shudder as you recall the fearful pit in which the Great Physician found you, and your heart swells with holy joy as you sing, “AI1 the fetters that oppressed me now are riven.” Praise God for you! But let me come near and ask you, What are you doing? Have you danger signals up in every shaded place? “So thou, O son of man, I have set thee a watchman unto the house of Israel; therefore thou shalt hear the word at my mouth, and warn them from me.” — Ezek. 33:7. Also, see verses 10 to 14.

Let us review for a moment. In your childhood you were led in innocence to be partakers of other men’s sins; or it may be that in more mature years you yielded to sinful passion, not knowing the fearful abyss just opening for you: and ere you knew it you were a victim to secret sin, known alone to your own depraved heart and your God. In this state the Spirit of the loving God found you, and in great love and tender compassion said, “I will; be thou clean.” What would you think of a man who, saved from the depths of sin himself, would not make the most strenuous efforts to rescue others? Oh let every saved soul attempt to rescue the perishing!

“Rescue the perishing, duty demands it;
Strength for thy labor the Lord will provide:
Back to the narrow way patiently win them;
Tell the poor wand’rer a Savior has died.”

Let us suppose the case of a child who fell into a fearful den — a trap privily set to ensnare the youth. See Prov. 4:14-17. Without the slightest knowledge of such a place, he passed that way and fell in, and for years he struggled there with just enough nourishment to sustain life; when despair had seized him, a strong man came along and at great cost and personal risk reached away down into the mire into which the poor fallen one had sunk, took the polluted hands in his strong, loving grasp, and said, “Look unto me; I will lift you up, set you on a solid rock, and you shall be my son.” — Psa. 40:1-3. What would be the first impulse of the rescued one? I will leave this question with your already enlightened minds. 1 Thess. 5:5.

“Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine? There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger.” Is this not the case to-day? We ourselves have escaped the snare; we avoid it, we look upon it with a shudder, and pass by afar off. Do we forget the struggle? or does it seem unadvisable to try to help others? or do we feel impressed that we alone were victims and that now we are to think only on the pure, good, and holy things? Do we not consider that where man has fallen man will fall, unless guarded?

A Christian worker said to me, “The more I look the more I see of sin; sometimes my heart is sick, and then I hold on to God. If Christians could be induced to open their eyes what could they not accomplish?” With all my heart I said, “Amen.”

Some time ago I asked an earnest worker if he would distribute some tracts at a certain camp meeting. He assented. Some weeks later he writes: “The tracts have been greatly blessed. One young man told me he had been struggling for years against this secret foe, and no one ever spoke to him on this subject before.” Since then I have heard of others who had complete victory with a very little help, but direct and in love. Will we not double our diligence and begin afresh to

“Throw out the life-line to danger-fraught men,
Sinking in anguish where you’ve never been?
Winds of temptation and billows of woe,
Will soon hurl them out where the deep waters flow.”

Do you ask, If these sins are so prevalent and destructive, why do our ministers and men of God not take it up? There are many reasons. One is that there is no gathering of people in which there is not a mixture of pure and impure minds. To speak of these impurities to such an audience might have an evil effect upon the pure minds. The same reason has been brought against literature. Many seem to think that we cannot ourselves remain pure and let our minds go out on sin. Read Psa. 68:13; also Eph. 5:13, 14.

I never knew how to work for God nor to render heart praise until I became aware of sins of nature and what I had been saved from falling into. We are all very human and perhaps would have taken the same course if tempted as those fallen ones have been. If our surroundings and lives have been pure, all the glory and praise belongeth to God; consequently we should double our diligence to help those who have not had our advantages. In the light of the Holy Spirit I fail to see how a child with pure mind and pure surroundings could be injured by the reading of a tract of warning and exposing sin, or by a man of God instructing against the secret vice. It is an acknowledged fact that sexual sin is a prevailing sin in every nation, and the forerunner of many other sins, yet very seldom touched. Many strike at the outward sins, such as gaudy apparel, tobacco, liquor, dancing, etc., but avoid that which is often at the root of these and holds our nation in bondage. A boy once came to me in great distress of mind: he was endeavoring to live a Christian life, but said that he was constantly overcome by his temper. I gave him a steady look and asked, “My dear boy, is temper your worst enemy?” His eyes dropped, his face crimsoned, and he, childlike, began to cry. I brought him to the blessed one who said, “Neither do I condemn thee.” He not only received pardon, but power to resist temptation and go and tell others of the great things God had done for him.

No one knows better than Jesus how to succor, for he was ‘tempted in all points.’ Some will say, Oh! our blessed Jesus could not have been tempted to do anything so low and debasing. Just think a moment. Shut away from all help, alone with the archfiend for forty days and forty nights. What he must have endured! Every form of temptation such as would ever befall man. Does someone say, “But he was infinite and could not sin.” I think this question deserves much study. At the time of his temptation, had it not been the human in him which had to contend against the powers of darkness, how could he sympathize with us in fiery human trials? “For we have not an high priest that cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.” — Heb. 4:15. Certainly, he never fell; not that he was beyond the power, but true to his Father he did not fall. So we should follow in his footsteps and be pure and holy, as he was in this world. 1 Jno. 4:17. He suffered the meanest human trials so he could help against them. 1 Cor. 10:13. Will we still refuse to stoop, or do we indulge in the thought that by striking at the surface sins the deeper ones will be reached and thus the rescue and reform be accomplished?

Let us take Jesus for an example. “Jesus, therefore, being wearied with his journey, sat thus on the well. * * * (His disciples were gone away unto’ the city to buy meat.)” While there he talked with a bad woman. “Thou hast had five husbands.” What a dark, dark catalogue must have passed through the Savior’s mind as he revealed to this fallen one the hidden sins of her life! He did not shrink from her startled gaze, but drove the arrow still deeper and struck the foundation sin — “And he whom thou now hast is not thy husband.” Had he wished to expose only the surface sins and in this way lead to a life of purity, would he not have been less severe? Is it any wonder that his disciples marveled when they found their Lord and Master in earnest conversation with such a character, one whom they had heretofore regarded as unclean? Yet Jesus maintained his position and first exposed to her fearful condition in sin, and then set before her eternal life. How gladly she accepted the conditions and went her way, a preacher of purity! His disciples prayed him, saying, Master, eat. They could not understand his depth of meaning when he said, “I have meat to eat that ye know not of.” Then He spoke more plainly and said, “My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.” Should not the pure in heart follow his example and bring to light and reprove and help to lift up and establish every class of fallen men?

[This subject will be continued in tract form.]

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Supply Each Other’s Needs.

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WHILE there is much talk on the line of advancement at present, I feel that there can be a great deal of improvement in the church upon the line of giving. Now, brethren, the time is here for us to move up to the gospel standard on this line. Once a young man came to Jesus and wanted to know how to obtain eternal life: Jesus told him, “If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast and give to the poor.” — Matt. 19:21. We see by this that Jesus during his ministry here on earth required men to forsake their wealth. Now, brethren, and sisters, I do not mean to say that God requires everyone to sell ALL that they possess and give it away, but I do desire to call your attention to a few scriptures. It is taught in God’s word that the “evening shall be as the morning” of the Christian dispensation. Isa. 58:8 Now let us turn to the word of God and see what the saints did in the morning, and while we do this let us each one examine our consecration and see if we measure to the Bible.

“All that believed were together” (not divided up into sects). How were they together? “And are built upon the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone; in whom all the building fitly framed TOGETHER, groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord.” — Eph. 2:20, 21. See Acts 2:41, 42. These people, we see, were added (joined together) unto the church on the day of Pentecost. Not only were they made one in the church (body of Christ), but sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need. Acts 2:44, 45. They also had all things common, which means, belonging to many, or to use together.

These were the first converts added to the. church under the preaching of the apostles after they received the Holy Ghost. They were in number about three thousand souls. It seems that their salvation endued them with such love for each other that those who had abundance at once set about supplying the needy ones out of that which they had in their possession that they did not need, and they all fared alike. The rich were brought down and the poor up to a level (Jas. 1:9, 10), making equality among them. “But whoso hath this world’s goods and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?”

It seems that John desired the church to continue to do as the first saints did. “Let us not love in word neither in tongue, but in deed, and in truth.” — 1 Jno. 3:17, 18. This is what the primitive Christians did; that is, they proved their love to each other by their deeds. The result was, fear came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were done, and the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.

Let us look again at the history of the primitive church. In Acts 4:4 we find that a number (about five thousand) believed. Of course when they believed, they became saints. Later we find that this multitude were assembled praying, and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost. The salvation they received produced the same effect upon the five thousand that it did upon the three thousand. “The multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul; neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own, but they had all things common.” — Verse 32. “Neither was there any among them that lacked: for as many as were possessors of lands or houses, sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold, and laid them down at the apostles’ feet; and distribution was made unto every man, according as he had need.” — Verses 34, 35. The result was, “great grace was upon them all.” — Ver. 33. These eight thousand souls were all led alike, and all had an interest in the welfare of each other. They cared for each other. “But that the members should have the same care one for another.” — 1 Cor. 12:25.

We find that Paul taught the brethren to look out for each other. “Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given orders to the churches of Galatia, even so do ye. Upon the first day of the week let EVERY ONE OF YOU lay by him in store, as God has prospered him.” — 1 Cor. 16:1, 2. Some may say that this was to the Corinthians only, but Paul says in the same epistle 1:2 that he is writing to “all that call upon the name of Jesus Christ.” He says, “Let every one of you give.” Not one is excused; not even the preachers are exempt. Again he says, “For I mean not that other men be eased and ye burdened: but by an equality that now at this time your abundance may be a supply for their want, that their abundance also may be a supply for your want, that there may be equality: as it is written,

(Continued on fourth page.)

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THURSDAY, Dec. 10, 1896.

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LIST OF MONEY LETTERS NOT OTHERWISE RECEIPTED.

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Hattie White, A. R. May, Cynthia A. Arnold, E. E Yeaman, Charlotte R. Mims. I. L. Green, Nancy J. Wilson, Sarah N. Wells, Eliza Nash, O. B. Wilson, E. M. Badger. Albert Straum, Lizze McCoy, G. T. Clayton, J. W. Young. W. C. Keenan.

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Requests for Prayer.

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Please pray that I may have an abiding experience of salvation. WILFORD BECKER, ALMA

Pray Wednesday evening, Dec. 16, for the healing of catarrh of the head, of SISTER EMMA PETERSON, CLAYBANKS, MICH.

Sister A. L. Varner, Garret, Ind. has six children that have catarrh, and one child that is deaf and cannot talk much. Pray for their healing.

I ask all the dear saints to pray for me that I may be healed of scrofulous humor. Your sister in Christ, Mrs. EUGENE BUSH, LINCOLN.

Pray for complete healing of my son who has been afflicted with fits for twelve years. Yours in Christ, MRS. MANSFIELD, CARTHAGE, MO.

My right hand is crippled. Please pray that God may in mercy restore to me the use of my hand, also that my hearing and general health may be improved. LUCY ELLISON, SPANGLE, WASH.

I am a cripple confined to my bed most of the time with white swelling, and suffer a great deal Please pray that my limb may be entirely healed. MRS. CARRIE MCDOWELL, OOLITIC, IND.

We would like for the saints to pray. for our healing and that the hindering cause may be removed. Also that some fire-baptized workers come here to hold meetings. JOSEPH KEENON, SOUTH WHITLEY, IND.

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Calls for Meetings.

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Address Rachel Grinstead, Morland, Kan.

Cannot some one sent of God come into this part soon? J. L. DENNIS, COMLY, OHIO.

We desire a true minister anointed of the Lord and sent by him, to come here to Monticello, Ill. to preach the word in its purity. JOSIE SHEPARD.

A man of God that can preach the German language is wanted at Bedford, Kan. Will Bro. Stover or some of God’s ministers respond? Address S. M. HELM, STAFFORD, KAN.

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Meetings.

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An assembly meeting will be held at Crowland, Ont. commencing Jan. 2, 1897. J. A. Dillon and Co.

There will be an assembly meeting of the saints held at the Ripley Co., Mo. camp ground, ten miles south of Doniphan, two miles east of Poynor. Meeting to commence Dec. 25 and last one week or ten days. C. C. Scates.

An assembly meeting will be held at Myrtle, Mo., Dec. 16-21. All the saints, and especially the Lord’s holy ministry in reach of any or all these meetings are requested and invited to attend. Yours wholly the Lord’s, A. B. Stanberry, Vi Jet Hill, Ark.

ASSEMBLY MEETING IN MISSISSIPPI.

This meeting will begin Dec. 22, and last about a week and as much longer as the Lord wills. It will be held at Renfroe, Leake Co., Miss., eighteen miles south of Kosciusko. Write to Bro. J. L. Harris, Renfroe, Miss. Every lover of the truth invited. Bros. E. E. Byrum and Wm. G. Schell expect to be there.

There will be an assembly meeting at the meeting-house ten miles north of Brownstown, Ill., to commence Dec. 25, and last as long as God wills. We expect some more of God’s ministers to meet us there. Those coming on the train, can write to me at Funkhouser, Effingham Co., Ill., or Samuel Wrice, Brownstown, Ill., and one of us will meet you at the train. Pray for this meeting. Your brother in Christ, R. L. Parsons.

There will be a general assembly of the saints of God of Texas, to be held at Ft. Worth. Will commence Dec. 24. The brethren extend a general invitation to all the people of God. far and near, to attend. Come prepared to take care of yourself as far as possible. The workers will be cared for. Brothers Achor, of Kansas, and Rich, of Arkansas, will be present, and others, the Lord willing. For further information write J. W. Pine, Ft. Worth, Tex.

There will be an assembly meeting at Renfroe, Leake Co., Miss., beginning Dec. 22. Bros. E. E. Byrum and Wm. G. Schell are expected to be there, and we want all the preachers who are in reach of this meeting to be sure to come, for we indeed feel it to be of the Lord. Renfroe is eighteen miles south of Kosciusko, which is on the Illinois Central Branch R. R. Those coming from the north will stop at Kosciusko and go to Hinze Hotel and remain there till conveyance comes. Those coming that way will please write Bro. J. L Harris at Renfroe. Miss., stating what day they wish to be met. Ail who can. please come prepared to take care of themselves as far as possible.

R. H. Owens,

Freeny, Miss.

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QUESTIONS ANSWERED.

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1. Does the resurrection of dry hones spoken of in Ezek. 37. mean God’s people that were in the sects and are now coming out?

2. Has the spirit of God ever been in the sects to justify, to sanctify, to heal?

3. Those that believe they were justified and sanctified in Babylon, have they anything to repent of when they come into the one church? O. R. L. W.

1. It is true that Babylon has become a valley of dry bones. But we cannot say that this prophecy was absolutely meant for Babylon. In the seventh verse it says, “These bones are the whole house of Israel.” Israel at that time was in a very hopeless state. God had promised Abraham that in him should all nations be blessed, and that his seed should be so many as the “stars of the sky in multitude, and as the sand which is by the sea shore innumerable.” Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob did not receive these promises, but only saw them as afar off. Paul said, ‘By faith ye are the children of Abraham.’ Now Israel was not literally benefited by the prophecy of dry bones, but, spiritually, Israel through Christ has been made alive. I think the vision had more particular reference to the innumerable company that should come up through great tribulation, being redeemed by the blood of the Lamb.

2. It has. God’s people were in the sects, but he is calling them out. Rev. 18:4. Many places in the Word show us that Gad has a people in Babylon. If he had a people there, they were justified, and a few sanctified, and I believe that God sometimes manifested himself to them by healing their afflictions and sickness.

3. If they were really justified or sanctified and accepted the call when hearing it, “Come out of her my people,” they would have nothing of which to repent.

H. C. W.

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What an Elder Must Be.

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DEAR brethren in the one body: We wish to bring some of the blessed word to your remembrance. Praise the Lord! “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.” — Rom. 8:14. And in 2 Tim. 3:16, 17 we read, “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness; that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto every good work.”

We find in these scriptures that the man of God can be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto every good work. This leaves all without excuse. His word is the only way by which we can go to heaven; for “man. cannot live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.” — Matt. 4:4. The Lord bless and help us to measure to his word, for it will judge us in the last day.

We find in 1 Tim. 3: “This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work. A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behavior, given to hospitality, apt to teach. Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous.” There is no doubt that these scriptures are obeyed; but let us read the fourth verse of the same chapter. A bishop (or elder) must be “one that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity.”

Now dear ones, let us not look at this as a light matter. For the Lord did not give these scriptures for naught. In the light of God’s word, before a man can have the oversight of a flock, he must have his children under subjection. Reading the fifth verse we find, “For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?” So we see plainly a man must have his children in obedience and subjection, before God will accept his eldership. It may be we have been ordained by men, but the question will be, did God ordain us, if our children are not in subjection? He did not; for he cannot turn against his Word.

We find again where Paul said to Titus, “For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed thee. If any be blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children, not accused of riot, or unruly.

So again we can plainly see by these texts that a man must be blameless and rule his household well, for God sets the members in the body as it pleases him. So if the Lord has put us as an overseer, it must be on this line; and if God ordains us for a place and we keep humble before him, that which he has given to our charge will prosper, and precious souls will be rescued from the paths of sin. Amen. May the dear Lord bless this to its intended good. Your brother in the one body, saved with a decision in my soul to obey the word of God. Pray for me.

J. E. RINEBERGER.

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Rebaptism.

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GOSPEL TRUMPET READERS: We wish to consider under the light of the Holy Spirit dispensation some necessary points on this subject. I do not presume one of our readers out in the full light of holiness would say for a moment that baptism was in order to remit or forgive sins; but it is because of a death to sins and a resurrection into a newness of life.

We wish in this short article to consider the use of rebaptism, as it is an important point, and if misused would often bring a reproach on the work of holiness; but it used in its proper place is all right. We shall by the help of the Lord try and show just where it belongs, and where it does not belong. It is easy to discern that when those held down in confusion, come home to Zion, they are to be rebaptized in Zion, the true church. No matter how many times they have been baptized in the sects, either by sprinkling, pouring, or immersion, when they come out into the clear light they will surely be led to be baptized in the order of God.

We are commanded not to take a stone of Babylon for a foundation, but to build alone in Zion of what belongs there and what God has set in Zion. We declare that all who are baptized and yet out of God’s church, are using the ordinances out of place. The king of Babylon carried away the golden vessels of the house of God and used them down in Babylon, but they were out of their place, and when they were taken again to the house of God, they were used again in their proper place. This is typical of the ordinances of God’s house, and while they have been used out of place, they have been much abused. But when we get home to Zion let us be sure we do not abuse them in Zion.

The question arises. Does the Bible teach rebaptism? We answer, Yes. We have only one instance of it, in Acts 19:3-5. We find disciples baptized under John, then Paul taught them in the way of the Lord and had them baptized again in the name of the Lord Jesus; this is a second baptism.

We are assured of the fact that the majority of the professors are in no better standing than were these disciples, and many not so good, and were they to be asked to be rebaptized, would think it very strange. Yet all that get out into a clear experience of holiness, if baptized while in a dead, formal state, ought to be again baptized.

The point we wish to notice is here. We have seen among the brethren some who have been rebaptized three or four times because they had been somewhat back in their experience, while they had not gone openly into sin. They would think they would have to be rebaptized each time, and about every year or two would be candidates for baptism. And thus they would have an occasion of stumbling and to make light of the way, and the thinking class would see the fault and be driven from the right way.

Now, dear ones, this ought not so to be. Of course, if a person goes back into the world and sins openly and brings reproach upon the cause of God — sins will fully — such should be again baptized if reinstated. But this does not mean that any one should be baptized again and again until it would be discouraging to outsiders and beyond all common sense. But says one, “Can we commit the lesser sins and not be baptized again?” We say, Yes. For proof, let us notice. Peter sinned when he denied the Lord and it was not a very small sin either; and while he repented by going out and weeping bitterly, yet he was not told to go and be baptized. We have no record of it, and if it had to be compulsory in this nineteenth century, it surely would have been then and given in the Word.

We wish to notice a few proof texts as used by these advocates of rebaptism. Turn to Rev. 2:5. The church was here commanded to do their first works. What are the first works? To prove that baptism is of the first works they use Heb. 6:1, 2. Here some declare it to be of the first works. We say fearlessly that it is not of the first works here. If we believed that salvation was only obtained in the water, then we might well put baptism with the first works. This is Campbellite doctrine and well out of date with all who are home to Zion and in the clear light. If it were the case, then the thief on the cross went to heaven without the first works. And we know no one gets to heaven without the first works. But many have no doubt gone there without baptism. I know of good, holy ones who were not baptized for months and perhaps years after they were sanctified. In the case of Cornelius, Acts 10, he first received the Holy Ghost and then was baptized, and no telling how long before this he was justified. So we cannot make it an infallible rule of the first work that has come after the second work of grace. Again, if it were of the first work, then Simon the sorcerer did the first work and did not get salvation but was still in the gall of bitterness and the bonds of iniquity.

But says some one, “Does not Heb. 6:1, 2 class this in the first works?” Let us see what are the first works. 1st, forsaking sins; 2nd, confession; 3rd, restitution; 4th, repentance; 5th, faith. We ask any Bible student that if any person takes these five successive steps, will he not be landed right into salvation, and no baptism either? If in the above texts we include baptism as being of the first works, what would be the result? Let us see.

First works — “Doctrine of baptism.” “Laying on of hands,” “Resurrection of the dead.” “Eternal judgment.”

I would have just as good right to say the judgment and laying on of hands were of the first as baptism. No one would presume to say the judgment, resurrection, and etc., were of the first works. I do declare it is not. It may follow any time after justification or the second work of grace.

We wish to say to any thinking on the subject of rebaptism, do not be in a hurry. Wait upon God. Take the matter carefully to God in prayer; and be sure you do not bring reproach upon the work. God will lead you, and make it plain. Yours in Jesus,

E. F. HOUGHTON.

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NOTE.

It is very evident to our mind that baptism is not of the first works of salvation, as Bro. Houghton so clearly shows in his article. We should be very careful to discriminate between the first works of salvation and the first principles of the doctrine of Christ. Paul shows baptism, laying on of hands, resurrection of the dead, and the general judgment, to be of the first principles of the doctrines of Christ, in Heb. 6:1-2. From this we are to understand that a sinner must believe these doctrines before he can obtain salvation. But to class baptism with the first works of salvation is a mistake.

When a soul gives up his profession and goes back into the world, he has renounced his baptism, and in case of his return unto the Lord, he should be taught rebaptism from the same scriptures that we would use to teach baptism to any sinner. But we do not see any reason why a brother or sister who has not given up his faith in Christ, should be rebaptized though through some trick of the devil it should become necessary for them to renew their covenant from the bottom.

W. G. S.

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FROM INDIA.

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THIRD LETTER.

CALCUTTA, INDIA.

MY DEAR BROTHER: I am very glad and thankful to receive your bundle of papers, some of which I have already distributed among my friends, and I hope to give away some (a good many) in the next Sunday-school class. A brother having read your “Divine Healing” which I lent him, has been helped very much and the Lord has showed him clearly that “the use of medicine is nothing but the sign of our weak faith.” Praise the Lord! But this is the one part of the victory he has given, for the brother does not yet see the first part clearly; that is, “Entire Sanctification.” Pray that he may be guided and taught of the Spirit, our Divine Teacher.

I have looked into all the books you sent me except a few, and can simply say they are really valuable; the more I read them the more I like them. I cannot agree with many of my old friends, on account of accepting new truths I got through reading your books. Your “Secret of Salvation” is a precious volume. Bro. Warner’s “Salvation” is a very helpful, interesting little work to place in the hands of a young convert or a seeker. I have no time now to write more, so excuse abrupt close. With much love to all, I am in the one body and in the cause of our glorified Lord,

A. D. KHAN.

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News from the field.

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MAMMOTH STRING, ARK., Dec. 2

DEAR SAINTS: It has been some time since we addressed you through the columns of our beloved TRUMPET. Since our last writing we have been engaged in meeting almost constantly. The Lord permitted us to be with Bro. A. B. Stranberry in an assembly meeting at Violet Hill, Ark. We were much comforted of the Lord in being together for a short

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time. Praise his dear name! I expect, the Lord willing, to leave here tomorrow for Swifton, Ark. to begin meeting near that place; thence southward to begin work in a new field. Truly the harvest is great. Pray for us. Yours in him,

G. B. COLLINS AND CO.

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JEFFERSONVILLE, MO., NOV. 27.

DEAR SAINTS OF GOD: The assembly meeting at this place has come and gone, and as the word went forth in its purity, those who were willing to move up to the light seemed to be much strengthened, and those who were not willing to move forward were cut off. Bro. Keeling was with us during the meeting and was much used of the Lord in preaching the word. At the close of this meeting he took his departure from this place. After the meeting we remained at home a short time, meeting together at private houses, admonishing each other to take earnest heed to the things that we had heard, lest at any time we should let them slip. After a short stay at home I then went in company with Bro. H. F. Dunagan to Dry Ridge. Commenced a meeting on Saturday night before the fourth Sunday. I left on Sunday evening, leaving Bro. Dunagan and company to hold the meeting, and returned home. Then went to Pompy schoolhouse, and there met with the saints at that place. From there I went to Todd schoolhouse, and there enjoyed a precious meeting in the Lord. From there we returned home again, and then went to Cook’s Branch. I will go with Bro. Carter and company tomorrow night to Hattan Creek schoolhouse to hold meetings over Sunday, then return home and make ready to visit the saints at Salem, Morgan Co., Ky. From there we will go to Campton, Wolfe, Co., the Lord willing, and hold as the Lord wills. Pray for us. Your brother in defense of the gospel,

J. H. LONG.

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ARMONA, CAL., Nov. 28.

DEAR SAINTS AND TRUMPET READERS: May God bless you all. We are glad we can report victory in Jesus and our souls advancing. As we felt led to go to the fruit ranches and grape vineyards to labor through the fruit season for the needs of the body, and having a large tabernacle tent to live in, we were led to hole meetings part of the time evenings during the week, and twice and sometimes three times on Sunday. And God has been with us in giving the Word to the people. As we moved from place to place, we could get the gospel to people of all classes. One man came who had not heard a sermon not been inside a meeting-house for twelve years. God has blessed us in our labors both spiritually and temporally. Praise his name! Five dear ones have been saved. Two of them were baptized last Monday. Others have been helped. Some have been deeply convicted, who we believe will yet get saved, and some who are brothers and sisters in bondage are seeing the real bride of Christ, and where they are. And some have found out they have nothing but a profession and a delusion. God help them.

Last Sunday we obeyed the ordinances of the Lord’s supper and washing of the saints’ feet, and rejoiced in Jno. 13:17 being fulfilled in us. In the last hundred days we have seen the signs following in the healing of fevers, cramps, and dyspepsia and other diseases, through faith in the name of Jesus. Yours fully saved,

J. J. FRAME, ELI SENSNEY AND CO.

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WEST MONTEREY, PA., NOV. 30.

DEAR BRETHREN IN CHRIST: God bless you all, is my prayer. I have not reported for some time, but we believe it to be the will of God to acknowledge his goodness in his keeping power. The meeting at Monterey was not a failure, and yet its manifestations for good were not what it might be wished for, but there is a reason for the way things have been going here as well as in other local assemblies. Thank God for what good has been done! There were a few that were reclaimed from a backslidden state, and a few others apparently tried to get back, but without success.

Well, I think the time is here when people must come to God the gospel way if they get the gospel salvation, and if they keep the gospel salvation, they will have to live the life described in the gospel of our Lord Jesus Let us remember that it is written, And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.” — Gal. 5:24. Therefore the instruction, “But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill the lusts thereof.” — Rom 13:14. “Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.” — 1 Pet. 5:6, 7. Be not fearful that the Lord may overlook you; for it is written, “Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, the Lord knoweth them that are his; and, let everyone that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.” — 2 Tim. 2:19. “Trust in the Lord, and do good: so shalt thou dwell in the land; and verily thou shalt be fed. Delight thyself also in the Lord; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass. And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday.” — Psa. 37:3-6. Pray for us. Yours, and Christ’s,

A. J. KILPATRICK.

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WALKERTON, IND., Dec. 1.

DEAR CHILDREN OF GOD: We are praising God this morning for salvation, full and complete. About Oct. 28, in company with Dear Bro J. W. Daugherty, I started from Grand Junction, to Lyons, Iowa, at which place we arrived Oct. 29 Found the church in rather an unsettled state. One poor soul that the rest seemed to look to quite a good deal, to lead them, was so enslaved to tobacco that he would not give it up. We dealt faithfully with the deal soul, but he would not yield. May the Lord save him from his delusion is our prayer. We began meeting the evening of Oct. 30, continued nearly three weeks. The church was much benefited, and as the truth went forth, how they did enjoy it, and as they moved their consecrations up to the word, the dear Lord blessed their souls abundantly, for which we give God all the glory. During the meeting some made good heir escape from Babylon. There were six or seven consecrations for sanctification. All seemed to get the desire of their heart. Quite a number applied for healing, and the Lord healed them. At the close of the meeting we held ordinance service, in which about sixteen took part, the Lord fulfilling his word wherein he says, “If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.” We then crossed the river into Illinois and held two services with the saints in Father Brubaker’s neighborhood. The nights were dark and rainy, so there were but few came to meeting. Bro. Daugherty remained with us one night, and then he went on to the Pine Creek, Iowa, assembly meeting. I remained one more night, then returned to Lyons. Met with the saints in prayer-meeting, Friday night, then Saturday morning came on to South Chicago. Met with the church there over Sunday and enjoyed a real feast in the Lord with them. Two were baptized. The Lord witnessed to their souls that he was well pleased.

Monday came on to this place. Will meet with the saints here in prayer-meeting to-night, then on to Beaver Dam, Ind, to assist Bro. J. N. Howard in a series of meetings there. Pray much for us. Your saved brother,

SAMUEL P. STRANG.

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TULLAHOMA, TENN., Dec. 4.

DEARLY BELOVED TRUMPET READERS: God bless you all with the riches of his glory. Our last writing was from St. Clair in eastern Tennessee. There we remained a week with the little church and had a very profitable time. All were very anxious, and hungry for the truth and desirous of learning more of the deeper things of God and to launch out further into the ocean of his truth. A few sick were healed, and the church strengthened. The last evening of our stay there, an ordinance-meeting was held, and at the close of the night services there were a number of consecrations. The outlook is good for a harvest of souls to be garnered for the Lord in that community. There are earnest calls nearby, also in Greek Country and other places, for the preaching of the pure gospel. Some true consecrated workers are needed there at once who can settle down and preach in a place until the church is thoroughly established, then work in adjoining communities. The work in many places is too often hindered by being left too soon. Those whose calling it is to spend their time preaching the gospel should see to it that they do not become neglectful concerning this matter. The further we go into the South the more we see the need of more consecrated gospel workers. As a general thing the people are very poor and can do but little in the spread of the gospel, but they are generous hearted, and eager for the truth.

Leaving St. Clair, we started to Tullahoma, in west central Tennessee. Having to stop several hours in Chattanooga, for a train, we improved the time by visiting some of the noted battlefields of the late war, an account of which will be given in THE SHINNING LIGHT. We walked out to Lookout Mountain and climbed to the summit, where a noted battle was fought and the United States flag was planted on the highest peak while the battle was raging, and victory was proclaimed amid cheers from the soldiers. As we scaled the sides of the mountain after walking about five miles God enabled us to plant the truth of the pure gospel by getting a yearly subscriber to the GOSPEL TRUMPET, which will pay its weekly visits to the top of Lookout Mountain during the coming year.

We have just arrived here and begun work for the Lord, and expect a good meeting and expect to reach he assembly near Hartsells, Ala. Dec. 12, and the one at Freeny, Miss., Dec 22 Pray much for us.

E. E. BYRUM AND W. G. SCHELL.

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SPRINGFIELD, ILL.

DEAR SAINTS OF GOD: I can truly say the Lord is my salvation and keeps me soul and body from the evil. After spending a few years at the Trumpet Office, the Lord has moved me out in another field of labor for him. We spent a very precious season at Reddick, Illinois, and at the Bonfield tabernacle meeting. From thence we came in company with wife and “Sister Susan to Peoria, Illinois. We labored there over a month for the Savior as he gives strength and wisdom. Truly the Lord did answer prayer. Glory to his name! By his word his children were enabled to see more closely how to walk uprightly; to see and discern what is of God and what is not. If we walk in the light and truth we will not have fellowship with darkness. Our eye will see through the truth what is of God. Then we will be enabled to steer clear of crookedness, and our discernment will not be lost. If man or angel come among us professing salvation who yet willfully rejects any of the word of God, we then know they are deceived by the enemy. Then we can keep our own souls, and are able to help the deceived. God help us to live by the word, not by ear or eye, neither by what man says or does. Dear ones, keep in the word, light, truth, and way. Jesus Christ the same yesterday, to-day, and forever.

Some gladly received the truth and were justified and others sanctified, but some others rejected a part of the truth and have no part or lot with the children of light. May they be willing to give up all their own ways and walk in the light. Mankind will be judged by God’s faithful word; not by their own notions or ideas. We know and preach but one God, one Savior, one salvation, one Word, one people saved and living according to the Word, the church of God, of whom Jesus Christ is the head. All others are spurious. God help his people to stand clear for Bible truths!

We are on our way to Fillmore, Ill., where we await to have meetings with some of God’s children in German and English; and if the Lord wills, to help in the assembly meeting near there. We met several times with some of God’s children in this city. A tabernacle meeting is needed in this place in the near future. Pray for us that we may be kept humble in Jesus. Your saved brother,

A. S. KRIEBEL.

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Testimonies.

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DUNQUAT, OHIO.

DEAR TRUMPET READERS: This finds me still on the forward move for God, and I am determined to go through at any cost. I do praise God for being free in Jesus. He can make us free from everything that is not like him. Dear ones, pray for me that I may be clothed with humility. Your brother all for God,

L. H. BALLIET.

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ALTA VISTA, KAN.

DEAR SAINTS OF GOD: I want to glorify my Savior by writing my testimony. I am saved and kept by the mighty power of God. Praise his holy name! I have no other desire but to live for him who died for me Would love to meet some of the saints. I ask an interest in your prayers for my family and myself that we may sink deeper down in his sweet will. Your sister in Christ,

MRS. C. B. LOCKE.

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LAKETON, IND.

DEAR SAINTS OF GOD: I am praising the dear Lord for complete deliverance through his precious blood. I can testify to the glory of God that I am freely justified, wholly sanctified, and kept by God’s power continually. I am so thankful that I have learned to see Jesus only and to trust him for all things. Truly “in him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily. And we are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power.” — Col. 2:9, 10.

I am thankful that God has given me a willing and submissive mind, and that he has so wonderfully helped me to measure to his blessed word as far as he has given me light. I was much benefited by the camp meeting at Beaver Dam. When God’s word was sounded out, I found that there was room for improvement in my own life, also advancement in the Christian graces, and I have found great joy in being obedient.

We are commanded by God’s holy apostles that we shall adorn ourselves in modest apparel. “In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array; but (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works.” — 1 Tim. 2:8-10. The dear Lord put his truth upon me to such an extent that I must obey it fully. Praise the dear Lord forever! Dear ones, when we have our hearts open to the truth and are willing to be led by the Holy Spirit, he will teach us all things and guide us into all truth. John. 18:26; 16:13.

Jesus said, “He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me; and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will manifest myself to him.” — John 18:21.

The dear Lord is also our healer. We have used no medicine for several years, have had some severe tests in sickness but have fully trusted in Jesus, who himself took our infirmities and bare our sickness, and he has forgiven all of our iniquities; and healeth all our diseases. “Bless the Lord, O my soul.” — Psalms 103:3. Pray much for us that we. may keep low down at Jesus’ feet where he can use us to his own glory. Yours, all on the altar for God, delivered from all sectarian bondage, and translated into the kingdom of God’s dear Son,

ESTHER L. DICKEY.

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Divine Healing.

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DIVINE healing is a subject that is taking hold of the minds of the people, whether or not divine healing as taught and practised in the days of Christ, is for the people in this day and time. God is raising up a people that are seeking to know the whole truth. He has a people that believe that all sickness and diseases are of the devil; which is according to the teaching of his holy word. Let those that do not believe this doctrine search the scripture on this point.

We sometimes hear people say that the day of miracles (day of healing) is past — that Christ healed the sick, opened the blind eyes, cast out devils, and raised the dead, only to show his power, and to prove to the people that he was the Son of God. Dear reader, what do you think about this? Does not the scripture teach that all these diseases and afflictions are brought about by the devil, and that Christ came to destroy the works of the devil? Is it any more a miracle for the blind to be made to see, the deaf to hear, and the lame to walk, than for the soul to be cleansed from sin?

Christ gave the twelve apostles power over the devil; and they cast out devils, and raised the dead. Afterward he sent out seventy more preachers, and told them to heal the sick, and to tell the people that the kingdom of God was near unto them. So we learn from God’s word, that the kingdom of God provides for the healing of sickness. Some will say that God gives us the herbs and minerals for medicine to cure diseases. We have no account of Christ or his apostles using medicine. Again, some will say if we are healed once why not be always healed; and that such doctrine as this would do away with death. Christ has promised us victory over all the power of the enemy; the last enemy is death. If there were a way to escape death before the coming of Christ, would not the way be still open? Christ paid the debt that was pronounced against man.

The Christian world believes that when Christ comes the second time, there will be no more death. When does he come the second time? Says one, he will come as a thief in the night, and no man, not even the angels in heaven, knoweth the time. Paul, writing to the Thessalonians, says, “But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.” Does not the scripture teach that he comes the second time to them that look for him? He comes the second time whenever the bride hath made herself ready. The bride is the church. The church should comprise each individual.

We are commanded to put on Christ. Do we ever try to comprehend what this means? Let us search God’s word, that we may know what it means. If Christ dwells in us, we love our neighbor as ourself; we love our enemies, and can pray for them that despitefully use us. If Christ dwells in us, our affections are not placed upon things of this world, but upon things that are to live forever. If Christ has taken up his abode with us, we are not seeking after wealth, or fame, or honor of men; but are seeking the honor that cometh from God alone. We have no promise of Christ abiding with us, until we die to the things of the world, and keep his commandments,

It appears that the chief object of the majority of the people, is to gather around them this world’s goods, be honored and praised of their fellow men, and to engage in the pleasures of this world. Does God answer the prayers of such people? The Word says, ‘How can we believe on Christ, if we seek honor one of another?’ If we would all serve God as they did in the morning of this dispensation, we would all be as much interested in our neighbor’s welfare, in all things, as our own. Think, for a moment, what a change there would be in the affairs of this world, if this were the case with all the people. If those who have wealth, would use it for the spreading of the gospel, and to help the poor and downtrodden, how soon this world might be taken for Christ.

God has a people that are laboring for righteousness to cover the earth; and they need means that are spent in the service of the devil, to help in this work. It should be the object of all to help in this work. If sin, both actual and inherited, were destroyed from among the people, would not this be the end of all things? May God help us to serve him as we should; and may he help those that have wealth, to use it to the glory of God. Yours to learn the whole truth,

IRA Q. PENDLETON.

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SUPPLY EACH OTHER’S NEEDS.

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(Continued from first page.)

He that had gathered [earned] much had nothing over, and he that had gathered little had no lack.” — 2 Cor. 8:13-15. This certainly teaches that the church should still imitate the example left on record by the early saints.

Now, brethren, we need not try to excuse ourselves from this duty. The primitive saints gave willingly and not of compulsion. Now do we as the church of God obey the Word on this line? Are we living as they did, on the financial line? Can the congregations of saints at different places say that there is an equality? I fear we must advance very much on this line. There are saints in some places who have large families to support who are hardly able to clothe them so that they can attend meeting. Others of the same community have more than they actually need. Some poor sisters have scarcely a decent dress; others have four or five nice dresses more than they actually need. There are also professed saints who have money laid away, and the poor around them suffering for the necessaries of life. Again, there are some who have two or three times as much land as they need, while other saints are destitute of land to use at all. There are also old saints who are unable to provide for themselves, that should be taken care of. The publishing work also is much hindered by the withholding of the Lord’s means. Oh, that the time may soon come when the saints will all realize their duty and not say that what they possess is theirs, but say it is the Lord’s, and be willing for it to be used by him and his people anywhere it is needed.

Now I do not teach, nor do I wish to be understood to teach, that we are to put our possessions in a general fund and allow everybody, saints and sinners, to join the fund as some co-operationists teach, but let each one who is saved give willingly, as the scriptures teach, wherever he sees it is needed among the brethren. Then shall we see the power of God manifested more than ever before. While we fare alike and divide our possessions, let us not forget to “labor, working with your hands the thing which is good, that we may have to give to him that needeth.” — Eph. 4:28. “And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you; that ye may walk honestly toward them that are without, and that ye may have lack of nothing.” — 1 Thess. 4:11, 12. “For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat.” — 2 Thess. 3: 10. Laziness is not of God; so while we are assisted by the brethren, let us do all we can to aid ourselves.

There are calls for meetings from saints who are unable to pay expenses of a meeting. Let those who are able bear such expenses. Also there is great need of money at the Trumpet Office, that the work may be pushed more rapidly. There are brethren in the field who have not sufficient clothing to keep them from suffering with cold weather this winter. Let those who are able, do their duty in giving to the Lord of his means, and we will have more apostolic power among us. “Let all your things be done with charity [love].” — 1 Cor. 16:14. Let the ministering brethren do their duty in teaching on this line, that the work be not hindered. Yours in him,

R. L. FARQUAR.

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Prepare to Meet God.

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(Continued from last issue.)

LOVE is a strong affection of the heart; and when it exists the person is very conscious of it. Esteem and respect are not properly love. But I believe there are a great many that do not go beyond this with reference to God. But remember, love is a strong affection of the heart; the person is vividly conscious of it when it exists; and it spontaneously runs out to the object loved The mother that loves her child does not have to strain and put forth efforts to love it; but it is the natural outflow of her heart to love it. The husband that loves his wife does not have to strain and try to love her. It is natural for him to love her. And so it is with our love to God. If the love of God is in our hearts, our hearts really flow out to God in love as naturally as we breathe when we are in good health — yes, until our very soul is swallowed in him.

Oh dear reader, remember he says we shall love him with all our heart, with all our soul, and with all our mind. This will put us where our whole being is enwrapped in a sacred flame of holy love to God, that makes him dearer to us than everything else combined, until you can say from the bottom of your heart: All my delight is in thee, and I desire nothing else but thee, and that which will glorify thee, and lead me nearer to thee. This is what Jesus means when he says, “If thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light; but if thine eye be evil thy whole body shall be full of darkness.” If you read closely the sixth chapter of Matthew, commencing at the nineteenth verse, you will find that this is what Jesus is teaching. We are to reach the point where our entire soul is lost, as it were, and taken up in him; and when we reach this point, as he says in Luke 11:36, our “whole body shall be full of light, as when the bright shining of a candle doth give thee light.”

Yes. “God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth.” And he says, “God is love; and he that dwelleth in love, dwelleth in God, and God in him.” Oh bless his dear name forever! First, God is light; and that dispels all darkness. So when we are in him there is no darkness in us; and God is love; so when we are in God and God in us there is nothing in us but love. Bless his dear name forever! That leaves no room for hatred or envy or malice or hardness of any kind, therefore it is not hard for us to love our neighbor as ourselves, and to love our enemies and all mankind; because there is nothing but love there.

It is by dwelling in God that our love is made perfect, and this is what it will take to give us boldness to stand before God in judgment. Oh dear ones, are you ready for it? If not, go down before God, and do not stop until you are; yes, do not stop crying to God day and night until every cold, indifferent spot and hard substance of your nature is melted down and burned out of you; until your heart is like the great loving heart of Jesus, and you can stand and weep over this lost world as he did, and your soul is stirred in you for their salvation as his was; and until you can as the apostle says, spend and be spent for this lost world. Oh I feel in my soul when we as a people reach this point, that our preaching and our testimony will be more effective than it often is.

Dearly beloved, I am satisfied that God has some people to-day that can say: “For whether we be beside ourselves, it is to God; or whether we be sober, it is for your cause; for the love of Christ constraineth us.” And while I believe that is so, I am sure I have heard testimonies and preaching that I really believe that the speaker never had any real sense of love for the persons to whom he or she was speaking. I must say I really believe I have heard sermons that were deep and logical, and of the most cutting part of God’s word, especially against Babylon, where it seemed that there was in the preacher no deep sense of love for the persons to whom he was preaching. And the sermon would stir up the prejudice of the people, and make them angry, when if the same sermon had been preached in meekness and love, it would have been different. Of course I know that the pure gospel will stir Babylon and make her rage, but it seems that some people think the more they can stir her up, the more good they are doing.

I really feel, dear ones, when we are testifying or preaching on points that the people are the most prejudiced on, we need more meekness and gentleness; and when we feel God moving us to give the truth on these lines, we ought to specially ask God to give us a deep sense of love for the people we are going to address. We can beseech and entreat them in love to hear the word of God. But dear ones, I can see that not only my own self but others I have heard preach seem to preach with more vehemence and less of the real unction of God than at any other time, when we strike these points. Dearly beloved, this ought not to be, and the way out of it is to seek more meekness and real love of God in our hearts. We should have a deep consciousness of the worth of souls, and when we stand before people to talk to or teach them, we ought to think over and over that every one of these persons has an immortal soul, which must spend eternity either in heaven or in hell, and that Jesus loved each one of their souls enough to give his life’ for it; and then we should lift our hearts to him and say, Oh give me a heart that is like his, that I can convince this people that God does love them. You may tell people in a systematic and logical way how God loves them, but unless you have the same love in your heart for them that Jesus had, your words will be like sounding brass and a tinkling cymbal.

Oh that we as ministers to-day would always preach with the burning realization of what we speak, in our hearts, as the early ministers did! They did not seem to preach such long sermons, but the awful burning love of God flamed in every sermon until it was like pouring fire on them. And as Paul says, “We are unto God a sweet savor of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish. To the one we are the savor of death unto death; and to the other we are the savor of life unto life.” And then he cries out, “And who is sufficient for these things?” — 2 Cor. 2:15, 16. I will say that it is a man or a woman that has a heart like the great heart of Jesus, and fully realizes the worth of a precious soul, and can stand and plead with that man for his soul, like Jesus would plead for it. That man or woman will be a savor of life or a savor of death to every soul he deals with.

I feel like sounding a warning here on something I have felt for some time: that is this, I feel that there is more stress being put on doctrine than there is on the real love of God, and the real experience of his word in our hearts. And I feel that when the church begins to move forward on this line more, God will begin to stretch forth his hand in signs and wonders among his people.

Remember, Jesus says we are not only to abide in him (that means to stay in him), but his words are to abide in us. The question may arise here, How much of his word? I will say, every part that you ask him for. If it is to keep you from sin, you must have the Word right in you where he says, “Being then made free from sin, ye become servants of God.” No person need ask God to keep him from committing sin, that has not the above truth in him; but if this part of the Word is in you, you can ask God to keep you, and all the honor of heaven is pledged to do it. See Heb. 6:13, 20. So it is with every other part of the Word; you must not only have the knowledge of it in your head but you must have the real experience of it in your heart.

On the point of healing and every other point for which you come to him. you must have the real experience of it in your heart. Then Jesus has pledged himself to fulfil it in your case. Some of you may say, What? have the experience of healing in us? Yes, I repeat, you must go down before God until he puts the Word that teaches on that point, in your heart, just the same as any other part of his Word, or you cannot believe through when you come for it.

I knew when God began to put this part of the truth in me as well as when he gave me the experience of any other part of the Word. I knew a long time I was short on this line; and I saw than, that part of the Word was just as necessary as any other part of it. I could not preach it because I felt there was something that caused me to shrink when I came to that part of the Word. And when I went down before God, I found it was because I did not have the experience of the truth in me on that line.

I am satisfied that we will have the authority and power of every particle of the Word we have in us. When you get the real experience of Luke 10:19 in you, every devil in the pit will be subject to you in the name of Jesus. But to the point; my reason for making this deviation from the point is to get before you the necessity of getting the experience of what we read, in our heart, as well as the knowledge of it in our head. We must not stop with the knowledge of how much we are to love God, but we must get the real experience of it in our hearts. Yes, “these WORDS which I command thee this day, SHALL BE IN THINE HEART.”

GEO. P. KEELING.

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Testimonies.

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ROANE, TEX.

DEAR SAINTS OF GOD: I feel led to testify through the TRUMPET of God’s goodness to me and his saving and keeping power. I know not how to thank and praise him enough for what he has done for me when I think and realize what shape and condition the Lord found me in and then lifted me out of the mire and placed my feet on a solid foundation. Oh I was so deep in sin, steeped in tobacco and deceived by strong drink! I was so unwise. But after all my wickedness and rebellion against the Lord, he pardoned my sins and sanctified my soul, heals my body, and keeps me whole. I thank the Lord for bringing me out in this blessed evening light, where I can see the power of the Lord manifested as in the apostolic days. I have tried the Lord and truly he is precious. I am waiting and praying for some of God’s firebrands to come to this place to deliver the truth. While many here seem to be gospel hardened, there are some real honest souls that seem to be hungering and thirsting after righteousness. Yours in the one body,

JAMES D. TRAMEL.

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