15 November 1885, Volume 7, Number 17.
№. 17. Sinner, Christ is Waiting!
“Behold the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth.” – James 5:7.
Words and Music by J. C. Fisher.
EXPERIENCE OF F. A. JOHNSON,
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I feel led to tell through the Trumpet, Low God sought and found me. When I was quite a small boy, God’s Spirit strove very hard with me. If I had yielded at that time God would have manifested Himself to me. But I resisted the Holy Spirit, and grew hardened in sin. And not until I left home and went into the war of the rebellion, did God’s Spirit begin again to strive “with me, I then firmly resolved to live a better life.
I was at this time on the Gun-Boat Essex, at Memphis Tenn. We had no preaching or Divine service on the boat, no Bible or Testament, I asked permission to go ashore that I might get one to order my life by. But I could not get permission. But God moves in a mysterious way. One day when we were going to scrub and clean the boat. I was sent down in the lower part of the boat where we kept pails, brooms and brushes. And there on the bottom of the boat, among the rubbish, I espied a small book, with the back off. I bent down to pich it up hoping it to be a Testament, and to my surprise I read the words, “The new Testament of our Lord Jesus Christ.” It came like a feast to my soul, so I could hardly wait for an oportunity to read it. I read and searched, and the morel searched the more lost, and wretched I felt in my soul; till my burden was too heavy to be borne.
I sought to get permission one Sabbath to go to Church, and tell them I was a sinner, and have them pray for me. But no permission could be obtained. I began to grow emaciated and feeble under the great weight that was pressing me down. I felt I had gone too far from God to expect mercy, and that soon I should die the death of the lost, and go down to despair.
I sought the doctor of our boat for rilief of body, but of no avail. I would lie down at night to sleep, but would spend the whole night weeping over my lost condition. One evening about 7 o-clock I regaled my trouble in full in the room where we were. I declared to them that my mind was not right, that I was going crazy. I began to call loudly for help, felling prostrate upon the floor. I did not know what was the matter, it seemed that an unknown force had possession of me, which I could not resist. The doctor soon came to the scene, and says, “Johnson what’s the trouble.” I said “doctor I do not know, but I need help.” The doctor said “all right I will help you, come let us go down stairs.” We went down stairs, he had me lie down on a cot; he wanted so know if I ever had fits; I said no never. I was lying then very much composed. The doctor placed before my nose a bottle of Ammonia, three different times. I told him that I did not need any medicine. So finally he went a short distance and sat down. The soldiers were all standing around to witness the excitement. I became very calm, felt I had got to the end of all human aid. Now God’s Word began to pour its light into my mind. I saw the terror of a broken law, and amidst it all I beheld Jesus mighty to save even to the uttermost. I felt that in my hands I could bring no price, I was completely at His mercy. The promises to the sinner was brought to my mind; I placed my hands before my eyes, and uttered these words, “Save me if Thou wilt, if not, Thy will be done.” Then quick as thought I felt Him mine; I arose shouting glory! glory!! I pleaded earnestly for the blessed Savior to take me right home to Himself. Then the doctor jumped up and coming to me placed his hand on my back, saying “it is all right with you now Johnson, you have got the doctor you need.” I said “yes the one that can cure the sin-sick soul.” Then for a considerable length of time, Jesus seemed to hold communion with me, and talked as a friend would talk with a friend. He showed me all the way, how He had sought after me, and how He had drawn me from the gates of death. And then He revealed to me the awful condition of the lost and impenitent. He also revealed the glorious state of the righteous. Showed how watchful we were to be, lest we come short. Then these words came to me, “Every vain and idle word ye shall speak, ye shall have to give an account of in the day of judgement.” Then all at once I was intensely thirsty; I was about to ask someone to bring me a drink, when Jesus attracted my attention. So I looked up and began beseeching Him to supply my needs, all at once there came down within reach a long handled dipper. I went through the motion of drinking and my thirst was quenched. Then the words of Jesus were brought to my mind. “Whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him, shall never thirst.” All at once I saw what was to be the end of the world.
There appeared a very dark dense cloud, that moved up from one side of the whole earth; it threatened to cover the whole earth, and it was brought very vividly to my mind, “time is to be no more.” I saw how little prepared the people were for such a time. I began to plead, the tears running down my cheeks, for the Savior to wait, that the people was not ready for that day yet. So the dark cloud seemed to pass back. Soon it began to move up again; I began to plead as before that they still were not ready for that awful time. So the third time it passed away after very much agonizing. Then Jesus speaks and says, “So will it be in the end of the world, though I wait long upon them.” “They will not come unto Me that they might have life.” Then Jesus revealed to me a high way, leading from this world up to heaven. And as I began to look up, there seemed to be a light, streaming down upon this highway; and all along, there seemed to be people, marching side by side, and their garments were beautiful and glistened as the sun. The farther I looked the more glorious in appearance they became, till finally the gates of heaven opened. Now I seemed lost in wonder and admiration, as I gazed upon what seemed to be our final home. Such beautiful mansions! the light was so delightful. Then Jesus said the highway you see is the way of holiness, “The redeemed shall walk there, but the unclean shall not pass aver it.” In my Father’s house are many mansions. And they need no light of the sun, for God is the light of that City.”
I was bold now on the boat in telling others about Jesus. I proclaimed Him to all; I read of Him and talked of Him to the colored people, prayed openly in their behalf, sang hymns of praise and thanks, till their souls seemed to catch the fire from heaven. Soon there was regular preaching, Bibles, Testaments, tracts and papers wore scattered on the boat. Soon persecution began to rape and more especially from among the Catholic’s that were on the boat. I denounced their conduct for getting drunk, fighting, swearing, and telling lies. I told them I could not understand such a religion as that. That the religion I felt all through me, taught me it was all wrong to do these things of which they were guilty. And that I must love, and do good to everybody. They soon got to calling me all kinds of harsh names when I came near them, such as “there comes the Lord Jesus Christ, the negro worshiper, the preacher, and are not the knees of your pants getting thin? don’t you need a patch? I would say to them you are blind just as I was once.
One Irish Catholic says to me, “If I ever catch you on your knees again, you old negro worshiper, I will knock your brains out,” using an oath. I said glory to God, if there is where the Lord wants me to die there it is, but remember my blood will be upon you. But I read m the Word “I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you, because you are not of the world.”
Finally I came home, the war being over. I was at home but a short time when the Methodist minister came to our house. He was told that I had experienced religion. He requested that I should connect myself with the church, saying I would have the care of the church, and that my influence would be greater. I told him it seemed to me, one could live a Christian just as well outside, and if I lived and acted like a Christian, people would see it, and that I ought to be cared for just the same as if I united with them.
But he said no, you will not be looked after like you would if you belonged to the church. I wished to say I was already in the Church, but still being a babe in Christ, I was just where Paul says, “they begin the work to destroy and lead the minds of the simple astray.” They, no doubt have done so, being ignorant themselves, but they can not do so much longer, and be ignorant, for the twilight is past, and the morning cometh. I finally yielded to the man’s judgement, and united with the M. E. sect. There I heard old soldiers, (as they called themselves,) thanking the Lord that they were Methodists, one old sister thanked the good Lord that she was rocked in a Methodist cradle, and some, that their parents were Methodists. I did not hear them say there was no salvation anywhere else, but if I had not found it before I came in with them, I surely would have come to that conclusion. Well I stayed with this people, believing them to be about as near right as any of them, for all their talk was about the same, being full of self-righteousness; And I came to this conclusion, that we had to grow together till the harvest time, and that God would know them that were His any way. But some-way, my love seemed to go out to all God’s children, without regard to name. We would sometimes attempt to hold union services, and there was not a particle of union about it, only an outside show. I saw this till my heart ached with grief; and one time I got into great darkness for not standing up in the congregation, and denouncing it, as a mockery before God.
God kept revealing to me the utter abomination of all this jangling business, to be of man and the devil, and not of God. He says their folly shall be made manifest, and it really was to me, and I am so glad it is to many others. God spoke to me in unmistakable language, to come out of her. I did so at the remonstrance of many. Well I have been out about six years. Glory to God! I have more life now, and a more real Bible experience, of salvation than I ever had with them.
I am happy to say that God has led me to the fountain of cleansing, and I am washed and redeemed by the precious blood. It is not a think so, or a guess so, but an experience in my soul. God is working here of late, with a few of His saints, that are standing alone with Jesus; and God is blessing and saving souls through them. The devil is being stirred greatly in babylon and out, even the secular papers warn the people against us, and are grieved to think we are where the law can not reach us.
Hallelujah! we are just where no we open formed against us shall prosper. We expect to stay here in the secret place of the Most High, until the plague is stayed, and shout Glory, Hallelujah! while God pours out the vials of His indignation against the workers of iniquity. God’s saints here, are holding up the mirror of His Word, so it lets the light shine right on them, and show them their sin-stained hearts; that are full of the world, deceit, and hypocrisy. The places they have built, and dedicated to the Lord, to be called a house of prayer, are shamefully desecrated by those professing to be His followers. And Ichabud is written upon the door post of their dwelling, but they, like all the dead know not anything.
They say their prayers like the heathens, many of them, believing nothing, expecting nothing. For the Psalmist says, “If I regard iniquity in my heart the Lord will not hear me.” “Your sins have separated me from you, saith the Lord.”
God bless all the chosen ones, and add to His Church all that shall be eternally saved. God bless the Trumpet, and keep it true to the line, and all its readers.
Gillman, Ill.
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AN EXPERIENCE IN THE LAND.
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GLORY to God! I am saved to-night from all sin. Just returned from prayer meeting, had a good meeting. I praise the Lord for what He has done for me and my family. I feel that peace reigns here, the peace of God in our hearts, Hallelujah!
I had a wonderful experience the Monday after our meeting. On my way home after taking some of the brethren to the train, the power of God came on me, producing a very strange sensation. I cannot describe it. Only this I know, I died, and Christ became my life. O glory to God and the Lamb! O what sweetness entered my poor soul. O glory to Jesus! He came and took up His abode in this poor heart of mine, and established my goings.
The next morning the Lord gave me the evidence that my very flesh is cleansed, and made holy. O praise the Lord my soul, and all that is within me. Oh how little and unworthy this poor humanity, yet how mighty He that sits upon the throne of my heart. Glory! Glory!! to God forever and ever. God bless you and all the dear Trumpet family, and all the saints in Christ Jesus our Lord. Your brother saved, and sanctified wholly.
Phillip Spacky;
A DAILY MIRACLE.
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HOW wonderful the fact that every night’s sleep presents a miracle of God’s preservation. Say nothing about the continuation of physical life and health, the preservation of the soul from the wrath and the power of satan is a stupendous miricle. In sleep we become unconscious and passive, entirely incapable of resisting evil, and guarding against the assault of the destroyer: so that we would fall a ready prey to the enemy, were it not for the protecting hand of God over us. Think of this O ye pure saints as you bow in morning devotion and thanksgiving to God. O praise the Lord for His marvelous miracle of keeping you intact from the enemy of your soul.
Before the great conflicts with the mighty powers of satan a year ago last winter, our gratitude to God for the nights preservation was more with reference to the gracious continuation of physical life and health. But great as these blessings are, how infinitely greater God’s nightly protection of our soul. O how we have been led to appreciate the marvelous love and goodness of God in keeping our souls during our helpless, defenceless slumber, from the devil, who is always watching an opportunity to pounce upon, defile and destroy the holy saint. Glory to God! though without any power of self protection, “that wicked one toucheth us not,” because “the Lord is thy keeper.” “Behold He that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.” Glory to God! “His hand is over the righteous, and He suffers no evil to come nigh our dwelling.” O that all would render to God everlasting praises for His perpetual miracle of preservation from all the wrath power of the adversary. Amen!
Daniel.
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A TESTIMONY.
Deer Greek Pa.
Dear Brethren: — I praise God this morning for a full and free salvation in Christ. I am saved and sanctified by the blood. I do praise God for this wonderful salvation that He has placed within the reach of all men. I praise God that I am cleansed from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit; and have perfected holiness as God has commanded us to do. 2 Cor. 7: 1, also in 1 John 3:3 we find that it says, “Every man that hath this hope in him, purifieth himself even as he is pure.” Praise God O my soul! As David says, “I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth; my soul shall make her boast in the Lord.” Glory be to God and the Lamb forever, and ever, and ever! Amen!
Feeling it my duty, I write a part of my past experience. About eighteen months ago. God, for Christ’s sake pardoned all my sins, and being a babe in Christ, not knowing the will God concerning me, I remained a member of the so-called Salvation Army about a year. During that time, some that professed to be the children of God, and not having the Holy Ghost as they claimed to have, but having the spirit of error, brought in division by false, teachings and disobeying the Word of God. But praise the Lord! He sent a few of His saints there which had received the Holy Ghost which shall guide us into all truth; and as they preached the Word, praise God! I received it, and the Lord brought me out into the light. Praise God from whom all blessings flow.
From your brother in Christ, saved and sanctified by the blood. Hallelujah! for victory over the world, the flesh and the devil. Amen!
Z. R Turner.
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St Johns Mich.
Dear Brethren: — We are saved this morning and sweetly kept by the Comforter that abides within. Praise God!
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NOTICE
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Note the mistake on fourth page and last column. In making up the form, a part of two articles were put together: the first of the article, “Judging and Cutting off,” and the last of the article, “A Glorious Revellation from God.” Both of which you will find on this side of the paper.
JUDGING AND CUTTING OFF.
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HOLY, or upright hearts that want to be holy, never fear that men judge and search them. They would rather be judged in this life, even though found wanting, than found deceived in the day of judgement. But crooked and subverted sectarians, pharisees, and unclean spirits, are always ready to cry out “charity,” “charity,” whenever such are discerned, measured, and rebuked by the Word and Spirit of God. A man possessed with devils is sure to writhe and mutter when devils are being cast out of others. And men and women who are not right in their own hearts are sure to find fault with honest faithful efforts on the part of holy men and women, to help other deceived professors to God. Feeling exposed to the Sword of the Lord themselves, they shrink when they see it thrust into others. They cry “charity,” and “you must not judge.” “Judge not that ye be not judged.” They try to make it appear that they are more lovely and amiable than he that “rebuketh in the gate.” When in fact their own inward condition is such that makes them averse to this thorough, honest manner of dealing with souls. Men who are possessed with picking devils, who are “watching for iniquity,” and “make men an offender for a word,” and “for a thing of naught,” though they will condemn men for a thing too little, it would seem, for even the devil to catch at, yet deny spiritual men the right to condemn men, because we see and feel devilish spirits in them. This they call judging, and pronounce wrong. Now let us see what the Word says about judging. We will consider the texts which are supposed to forbid judging, and some of the most prominent that authorize the saints to judge. There are various words in the Hebrew and Greek, that are translated judge, in the English Bible. These words have quite different meanings.
We will first take the Greek word, Krites, rendered judge in Jas. 2:4. 4: 11, 12. Are ye not then partial in yourselves, and are become judges of evil thoughts?
Speak not evil one of another, brethren. He that speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the law: but if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law but a judge.
There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy: who art thou that judgeth another?
The meaning of Krites, is critic; here judging in the sense of faultfinding or evilly criticising is forbidden. “Judges of evil thoughts,” is not a very good rendering. It does not mean, passing judgement upon evil thoughts, but judges having evil thoughts. The Emphatic renders,” Do you not make distinctions among yourselves, and become judges from evil principles?” Judging then in the sense of faultfinding, or criticising from “evil principles,” is wrong.
The word mostly used for judge, in the New Testament is Krino, in its different forms. Judging, as expressed by this word, is either good or evil, owing to the motives and principles that govern the judging. Often people who would keep their sinful hearts concealed, quote, “judge not that ye be not judged;” as a plea against holy discerning and reproving. Let us see what kind of characters Christ here forbids to judge.
Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgement ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.
And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considereth not the beam that is in thine own eye?
Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye?
Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye. Matt. 7:1-5.
You see that it was hypocrites, who had a beam — or thorn, E. Diaglott — in their own eye. Surely such men cannot “judge righteous judgement.” Next to the last verse of the proceeding chapter, commands them to “seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness;” and in the 13th vr. of the same chapter, He commands them to “enter in at the strait gate.” This is all good advice; “first seek the kingdom of God and His righteousness,” before attempting to judge others. Unrighteous hypocrites cannot “judge righteous judgement.” This lesson occurs in Luke 6.
Are ye not angry at me, because I have made a man every whit whole on the Sabbath day. Judge not according to appearance, but judge righteous judgement. John 7:23, 24.
Here again we see the Savior forbids wicked Jews from judging, because out of their murderous hearts such can only judge falsely, and condemn unjustly.
Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for where in thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things.
And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgement of God? Rom. 2:1, 3.
This simply condemns men, who themselves live in the practice of sinning, for judging and condemning others. The reason is apparent, first, because being sinners themselves, it was not consistent for them to judge other sinners. Second, because not having the light of God in their souls they were not qualified to judge who else is wrong or right.
Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not; and let not him which eateth not judge him that eateth: for God hath received him.
But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at naught thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgement seat of Christ.
Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother’s way. Rom. 14:3, 10, 13.
Here the apostle forbids judging men’s liberty in eating meats etc., by the standard of legal education and prejudice. This is also no argument against the duty of holy men, who have the true light of God in them, judging righteously, men who are wrong.
It is evident that the Corinthians, who were yet “carnal,” “babes in Christ,” wrongly judged the Apostle Paul. Some among them evidently denied his apostleship, as we see by his defense of the same.
Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God.
But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you, or of man’s judgement: yea, I judge not mine own self.
Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God. 1 Cor. 4:1, 3, 5.
He simply forbids those yet unsanctified Corinthians to conclude against him being a true Apostle of Christ, and advises them to just wait until the Lord’s appointed time to judge, and then they can see just how Paul stood in God’s sight. This is another case of forbidding wrong and unqualified judging. Just as Christ forbid hypocrites, with beams (thorns) in their own eyes, judging others, whom their darkened vision led them to imagine had motes in their eyes.
Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of a holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days. Col. 2:16.
Do not allow men to judge you in these legal things, “for ye are not under the law, but under grace.” This Scripture has no weight against holy men judging and reproving by the standard of the truth and the Holy Spirit when filled and illuminated by the same.
These are about the only passages of Scriptures resorted to, to prove that saints have no power and authority to judge and condemn evil spirits. They only condemn judging, unjustly, by false standards, and through evil surmising spirits in their own hearts.
Now let us look at a few texts that teach what the duty and privilege of holy men and women are, who have the true light of God in the soul.
A bruised reed shall he not break, and smoking flax shall he not quench, till he send forth judgment unto victory. Matt 12:20.
Christ’s career in this world, is to go forth to judge and cut off every evil, doctrine, practice and spirit. He did not only do this in person, but He “sends it forth,” by those He has called to herald His truth, to victory in this world.
Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment. Jno. 7:24.
While this text forbids evil judging, from appearances, it positively enjoines upon us to judge righteous judgment. Which of course implies that we must first be righteous ourselves, and then judge by the light of God in our soul.
Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out.
And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me. Jno. 12:31, 32.
Judging, and casting out the prince of this world, follows right along with the lifting up of Christ. If we do not so lift up Christ as to judge, condemn, and cut off all evil, we do not properly lift Him up.
For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God. 1 Pet. 4:17.
There is a judgment in operation now, cutting off every thing by the Sword of the Spirit, that is not of God. This is righteous judgment, and all the righteous are authorized to execute it by the Word and Spirit of God.
And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them. Rev. 20:4.
This is present truth, and represents the thorough application of God’s Word to every body, by those saints of God who have “received abundance of grace, and the gift of righteousness, and thereby reign in life by one Christ Jesus” — Rom. 5:17. Reigning in life, they are on thrones, having “received the gift of righteousness,” they are able to “judge righteous judgment.” In 1 Cor. 6:1-3, the Apostle says the saints shall judge angels, the world and things of this life.
Now we come to some other words that are translated judge. Anakrines.
Defined by Youngs Concordance, and Greek standards generally, “to discern, to judge strictly.” We find this word in the following instances.
But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man.
But if all prophesy, and there come in one that believeth not, or one unlearned, he is convinced of all he is judged of all. 1 Cor. 2:14, 15, and 14:24.
In the first instance the word is translated “discerned;” in the other two, judge, judgeth. Now here is a kind of judging that the holy saints can do, and are required. It is not judging from appearance, but is actual discerning, and judging strictly, positively, or with the absolute knowledge and authority of the Holy Spirit. Then the Word of God does not say that holy men must “judge not,” though it does forbid hypocrites with carnal thorns in their eyes to do so. But he that is spiritual judgeth all things. Yea judges strictly.
Another word is, Diakrino, Which is defined, “to judge thoroughly.” It occurs in 1 Cor. 6:5. “I speak to your shame. Is it so, that there is not a wise man among you? no, not one that shall be able to judge between his brethren?”
The use of this word which is a modification of Krino, recognizes the ability of the saints to judge thoroughly. The Apostle Paul even ventured to judge a certain character whom he had not seen, and when many miles absent. For I verily as absent in body, but present in spirit, have judged already, as though I were present, concerning him that hath so done this deed. — 1 Cor. 5:3.
He also commands the whole Church at that place to judge that man, and “deliver such an one unto satan.” But how were they to do it? Have a church trial, gather witnesses against him, and let him produce witnesses, and have the benefit of a babylon pettifogger, and then have a judge or committee to weigh the evidence, and pronounce the verdict? Is that the course the Apostle prescribed? O no! that is all the work of the devil, and only necessary for unsaved formal sects. How then must the man be judged?
In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, to deliver such a one unto satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.
Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us.
But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicater, of covetous or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such a one no not to eat. For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within? But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore out away from among yourselves that wicked person. — 1 Cor. 5:4, 5, 7, 11-13.
You see the man was not to be judged and condemned by the examining of witnesses, and the making of speeches, but “in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,” and “with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Through His name the Church has “all authority,” and in the power and light of His Spirit, they could discern the corruption of the man, and his subverted impenitent heart, “and know that he is not of God, whether they could prove his evil deeds by men or not. So to judge men, the power of Christ is more needful than witnesses. By witnesses we can prove a man’s acts, but by the power of Christ we prove his state. Bad acts may have been rather through weakness than malicious, and being followed by penitence, do not justly expose the person to severe judgment. But “evil men shall be cut off.” The power of the Spirit having revealed the man’s corruption, he must be judged, pronounced guilty, renounced as a child of the devil, “delivered over to satan” to whom he belongs. “Purged out,” not out of the Church for he is not in; but “put away from among yourselves that wicked person.” After saying, “With such an one no not to eat,” He says, “For what have I to do to judge them also that are without?” He said he had judged him, and in so doing he says he has “also judged them without.” The last verse clearly pronounces him without. “Them that are without, God judgeth.” Therefore — because God judges them that are without, this man must be judged and condemned; “therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person.” The connecting word, “therefore,” proves that the man is without. Observe the form of language. God judges them that are without, therefore put away from among you, that man who is already out of the Church. He does not say put him out of the Church, but being out, God would judge him through you, by the power of Christ, and cut off his hypocritical pretentious to being of the Church.
The cry of the hypocrite is, judge not, judge nothing before the time. But Christ commended the Church at Ephesus, because, “Thou canst not bear them that are evil, and thou hast tried them that say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars.” — Rev. 2:2. The very curse of God will rest upon a people who profess to be God’s children and yet leave men and women profess to be of them, who are corrupt. But God turns away His anger, and counts it for righteousness when His faithful men execute judgment, as the following instance shows.
Thus they provoked him to anger with their inventions: and the plague brake in upon them. Then stood up Phinehas, and executed judgment: and so the plague was stayed. And that was counted unto him for righteousness unto all generations for evermore. — Psalm 106:29-31.
For the Lord loveth judgment, and forsaketh not His saints; they are preserved for ever: but the seed of the wicked shall be cut off. The righteous shall inherit the land, and dwell therein for ever. The mouth of the righteous speaketh wisdom and his tongue talketh of judgment. The law of his God is in his heart; none of his steps shall slide. Psalm 37:28-31.
God loves judgment. Men that do not are therefore not God-like, are ungodly. But the tongue of the righteous talketh of judgment.
Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. — Matt. 10:34.
For the Word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. — Heb. 4:12.
But are God’s men to use this awful weapon? Yes. Take the helmet of salvation, and the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.” — Eph. 6:17.
What shall we do with it? Smite. And to the others he said in mine hearing, Go ye after him through the city, and smite: let not your eye spare, neither have ye pity: Slay utterly old and young, both maids, and little children, and women: but come not near any man upon whom
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is the mark; and begin at my sanctuary. Then they began at the ancient men which were before the house. – Eze. 8:3, 6.
This is present truth. The proceeding chapter discribes the shocking corruption, and horrible works of presents day babylon. Chapter 9, presents sin men with slaughter weapons, and one clothed with linen, with a writers inkhorn by his side.
The latter was ordered to go through the wicked city, and “set a mark upon the forhead (the seal of God, or holiness) of the men that sigh, and that cry for all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof. And to the others He said in mine hearing, go you after him through the city and smite.” etc. The man with the inkhorn is the preacher of holiness. The slaughter weapon is the faithful preaching of the Word that cuts off every man and woman that rejects, or neglects to seek holiness, as no child of God at all. “It shall be taken away from them that which they seem to have.” Namely, their “seeming to be religious.” It is an abomination in the sight of God, to acknowledge men as justified, that are neither wholly sanctified, nor yet seeking after holiness of heart. All such, God’s faithful ministers must cut off. Therefore go through the city, and slay utterly all who have not the mark of God.
I have commanded my sanctified ones, I have also called my mighty ones for mine anger, even them that rejoice in my highness.
They come from a far country, from the end of heaven, even the Lord, and the weapons of his indignation, to destroy the whole land.
Behold, the day of the Lord cometh, cruel both with wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land desolate: and he shall destroy the sinner thereof out of it.
Every one that is found shall be thrust through; and every one that is joined unto them shall fall by the sword.
And babylon, the glory of kingdoms, the beauty of the Chaldees’ excellency, shall be as when God over-threw Sodom and Gomorrah. — Isa. 13:3, 5, 9, 15, 19.
Every babylonian must be thrust through with the sword, cut off by the Word.
O thou sword of the Lord, how long will it, be ere thou be quiet? put up thyself into thy scabbard, rest, and he still. How can it be quiet, seeing the Lord hath given it a charge against Ashkelon, and against the sea shore? there hath he appointed it. Jer. 47:6, 7.
Cursed be he that doeth the work of the Lord deceitfully, and cursed be he that keepeth back his sword from blood. Jer. 48:10.
For this is the day of the Lord God of hosts, a day of vengeance, that he may avenge him of his adversaries: and the sword shall devour, and it shall be satiate and made drunk with their blood: for the Lord God of hosts hath a sacrifice in the north country by the river Euphrates. Jer. 46:10.
Proclaim ye this among the Gentiles; Prepare war, wake up the mighty men, let all the men of war draw near; let them come up. Beat your plough-shares into swords, and your pruning-hooks into spears: let the weak say, I am strong Joel 3:9, 10.
The devil cries charity, charity; but God blest all the righteous kings who destroyed the groves, high places, and idols of the people. He that reproveth and cutteth off hypocrites, is always looked upon as “he that troubleth Israel,” like the prophet Elijah; but God blest him in the deed of slaying 450 false prophets at the brook Kishon. Doubtless the false prophets cried, charity, charity, but their heads had to come off all the same.
The prophet Micah testifies, But truly I am full of power by the Spirit of the Lord, and of judgment, and of might, to declare unto Jacob his transgression, and to Israel his sin. Hear this, I pray, you, ye heads of the house of Jacob, and princes of the house of Israel, that abhor judgment, and pervert all equity. They build up Zion with blood, and Jerusalem with iniquity. The heads thereof judge for reward, and the priests thereof teach for hire, and the prophets thereof divine for money; yet will they lean upon the Lord, and say, Is not the Lord among us? none evil can come upon us. Micah 3:8-11.
Here is a perfect picture of our days. And Micah is a true type of God’s faithful ministers. He was lull of judgment, because full of power by the Spirit of God. Glory to God! so are we. The wicked God-professing but sin-serving idolaters, then “abhored judgment,” because their hearts were full of rottenness; so are the idolatrous sectarians of our day. They “cannot endure sound doctrine,” and love to cloak over their corrupt hearts with the cry of charity, charity, and “you must not judge.”
And Samuel hewed Agag in pieces before the Lord in Gilgal. 1 Samuel 15:33.
Thus saith the Lord. Therefore have I hewn them by the prophets; I have slain them by the words of my mouth: and thy judgments are as the light that goeth forth. — Hosea 6:5.
So God’s prophets are His battle axes with which to hew down every thing that is unrighteous. Imagine the effect if we were to tell the people that God has put into our hands an instrument which is to saw people right through to the heart. Well praise God! we carry that tool with us, and use it constantly upon all evil doers, especially sinners claiming to be in Zion. Behold Stephen charging upon the stiff-nected Jews, the betrayal and murder of the “Just One.” And when they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth. Acts 7:54.
Now the word from which we have “cut,” is Dieprion. Which literally means “sawn through.” So the preaching by Stephen “sawed them through to their hearts.” How large a salery think you babylon sects would pay for a preacher that would saw them through to the heart? Peter also used this saw on the sanhedrim at Jerusalem. And they having heard this were enraged, and took counsel to kill them. — Acts 5:33.
Enraged is also from dieprion. This word in both this and the above instance, is defined by Youngs Concordance, “sawn through.” And is so translated in the direct rendering from the Greek, in the Emphatic Diaglott. God help His faithful witnesses to “judge and make war.” Judge condemn, and cut off all the deceived of the land, lest their blood be upon our skirts in the day of judgment. Go through the city, and smite, utterly slay, young and old, beginning at the priests. Saw them through to their hearts. “Cursed be he that doeth the work of the Lord deceitfully, and cursed be he that keepeth back his sword from blood.” Amen!
Daniel.
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A CLORIOUS REVELATION FROM GOD.
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By M. E. McCormack.
DEAR saints in Christ, by the help of the Lord I will try to describe what my Heavenly Father has shown me. Oh praise His holy name for His goodness to me. Glory Hallelujah to His name, for showing me who are His, and who are of the world.
I returned here from Dakota last spring, by the Lord’s leading. And finding confusion and so much division in the neighbor-hood, I was in a close place, to know who were right, and who were not. I was determined the Lord must show me. Praise the Lord! I left it all with Him, and He did teach me in a wonderful manner. O glory be to His holy name!
One morning before rising from bed, while wide awake, meditating and communing with God, He gave me a vision, showing me who are on the broad way and who are on the bright and narrow way. There was a broad road and a false preacher in his two seated buggy, driving on the same. He had two bay horses, with each a star in the face. Following him and on either side were a large crowd of people, many of whom I recognized being men and women of this vicinity. I could name them, and know just where they are going, namely to destruction. O how dark and gloomy that broad way, and how wretched and haggard the faces of all upon it. Some of them belonged to sects, and some of them were simply following that deceived preacher. I could go to them and point them out. O that awful dismal road to destruction. O how sad to see so many on the way to destruction. O God help the perishing souls. The broad road ran downward, and to my left.
To my right, and leading off from the way of destruction there was a narrow, but bright and glorius way. It led upward, and oh such bright streaming light. The way reached clear up to heaven, and the glory of God shown down from above. There were but a few walking upon that narrow way. O praise God! On ahead of the few white robed saints, on that way was one holding out the Bible. And on it I read in beautiful letters of gold,
“OBEY THE LORD IN ALL THINGS.”
Praise the Lord! I started to go up that shining way. Then I looked to the left, and one standing on the way of destruction held up two hearts which seemed much alike, and he said to me, “Look here, your heart is no better than mine. You come and go this way.” But I said no, I will not, I am going this bright and narrow way. Glory to God! I have taken that beautiful narrow way, and I am going to stay upon it till I reach heaven. The Lord has put me on the holy way, and cleansed me in the blood of the Lamb. I should say that I recognized some of the few holy saints on the blessed path.
Some time afterward, while going to MtPleasant, I saw a team coming towards us, which I instantly recognized as the team. I said to my brother, “There is the very team I saw in my vision, is not that Robert’s team?” He said it was, and that is his boy driving it. O praise God forever! I am so thankful that He has filled me with His Spirit, and keeps me in His love. Your sister sanctified wholly.
MtPleasant, la. Oct. 20th.
(That deceived, deluded preacher is, W. W. Roberts — Ed.)
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HARVESTER TWISTING.
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IN Harvester of Sept. 16th, the editor reprints the Chicago Convention article, on the Church, with comments on the same, in which are some terrible inconsistencies.
The article starts out with this language. “The Church is the Body of Christ, having many members; Himself being the living head.” ”Every saved individual should be connected with the organic Church.”
Upon the latter clause the Harvester says, “This will do as a general statement, to make it more than this is a sin. In some cases it would be a grievous burden to belong to a body that had even a little Spirituality left, and in a few instances an outrage not to be born. But no trifling matter should separate us from the organic Body of Christ.”
Now these words and the whole article dishonestly, and very ingeniously twists things around, to make out that the Church is the Body of Christ, and that the sects are the “organic, body of Christ.” This is a cunning deception of the devil. Mr. Doty Knows better than that. He knows that the sects are not the body of Christ at all. He as good as admits it in his book. He says the sects are the “result of sin,” and here in a disguised indirect manner, he makes these sects the organic form of the Church, the body of Christ. And yet this “organic body of Christ” some times has “so little spirituality left,” that in some “instances it is an outrage not to be born.”
Now this ungodly babylonizing of things is hateful in the sight of God, and all upright men. Were some entirely un-schooled farmer to blunder about in that way, we would attribute it to ignorance. But Doty knows better. He conveys the idea that the sects in general are necessary to the organic Church. And that he may excuse his own sect, he even includes outrageous sects as making up the organic body of Christ. Only he thinks when the organic body of Christ, takes on such outrageous deadness, holiness people should be at liberty to change to a more Spiritual sect of the “organic body of Christ.”
I say again that T. K. Doty knows very well that the “body of Christ,” is organized by God Himself; who “sets the members every one of them in the Body as it hath pleased Him,” and that, “It is God that worketh all things in all,” and that “by the selfsame Spirit.” He knows very well that where any number of “believers are joined to the Lord,” and “filled with the Spirit,” and the “Holy Ghost has made overseers” — bishops — and deacons, that there the body of Christ is fully organized. And he or no one else can deny but what all that was present in the apostolic Church, can be and is present in the free saints to-day, yet without the organization of a sect, either then or now.
Having started out with the “Church” being the body of Christ, he makes this foolish statement, “As a rule holiness will thrive better within some Church than without.” Now if he means the same thing by the word church in both places, he is guilty of the rediculous doctrine that holiness can thrive outside the body of Christ. But “as a rule will thrive better inside.” But if men can be holy out-side the Church, which is the body of Christ, they can be out-side of Christ Himself.
But Mr. Doty knows very well that his “some church,” is no Church, but some sect. And yet he and his Chicago committee of fellow babylonians deceitfully use the Church of Christ, as a means of
vindicating their sin-conceived sects, thus confounding the works of God with those of satan, as if they were one and the same thing.
Now let us quote a little more confusion. “Before holiness prevails dozens of organizations will yet rise and fall; and all the old ones will be swept away, and their remembrance become a shame, when the ideal Church is raised above the ruins of all the isms, and especially that old cut-throat sectarianism, the mother of all the rest.”
O Lord deliver us from such a dark and doleful picture. Must we wait until the “old cut-throat sectarian mother” of abominations bring forth several more generations of corrupt daughters, and wait until they, in turn, pass away, before we can come back to the Word of God, and the Church that Christ bought and built nearly 1900 years ago? O you blind priest! God pity you! What is there to hinder any man from being saved just now from all the fruits of sin, and all the isms of night, even that “cut-throat sectarianism.” One part of this mess of confusion, makes the sects the “organic body of Christ,” and another classifies them with cutthroat isms, that must all “fall, and their remembrance become a shame.” And after a long time, this old mother, will have done bringing forth her daughters, and then men will be blest with the “ideal Church.” “This wisdom is earthly, sensual, devilish.” Must we stand out of harmony with God’s Word until “all the isms” be “swept away?” What need we wait for “the ideal Church,” when we have the “Church of the Living God,” bought and founded by Christ, and which shall stand forever? Every man that thinks we must be yoked up in isms, until something else turns up in the world, is blind, and cannot see the body of Christ.
All such persons are not fit to partake of the Lord’s supper, “not discerning the Lord’s Body.” Thank God! the time has come when “the mountain of the Lord’s house is established above the mountains” — the isms, or the corrupt outrageous sects. Just what God is doing now and T. K. Doty is fighting, is what his mid-night darkness is predicting will come to pass after a long time. Men will be raised up and blessed of God with power to preach such a “thorough holiness,” that will soon destroy denominations.” But all that God has illuminated, and commanded to do that now, he pronounces “pestiferous.”
“Woe unto you, scribes and pharisees, hypocrites! because ye build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish the sepulchers of the righteous,” whom their fathers killed. And the same spirit was in their hearts. All men admire true devotion to God, if it be in past ages, or in the time to come, but whom God raises up in their own time, they cry out against, saying away with such pestiferous fellows: because their fidelity to God leads them to rebuke their ungodly idols. So the Harvester scribe talks of a great overthrow of sectism in the future, and at the same time cries out against all whom God is using to do the same thing now. O you poor deceived pharisee. “That old cutthroat sectarianism” has put you to death long ago, and you are tormented with God’s plagues upon babylon. You growl at the “pestiferous doctrine of come-out-ism,” as you call it. Which is simply obeying the “loud voice from heaven, saying, “come out of her my people, that ye be not partaker of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues,” for God will “visit special plagues upon her.” Now the word “pestiferous,” is from pest, which means a plague. So her plagues have come, as Doty already admits. As God “angered the Jews with a foolish nation” — Gentiles. And the prosperity of those fools,” — in their estimation — slew them,” so the coming out of babylon of the truly sanctified, and their prosperity in the power of the Spirit, is a sore pest or plague upon all who are too much attached to the idols of babylon to come put of her, and return to Zion. Glory to God! we have escaped, and having returned to Zion by the way of holiness, we see no pests, or plagues, but “receive joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing flee away. Once more we quote.
“In the mean time — and it may be a long time — let us be as patient with the Church question as our Lord appears to be.”
This counsel is also by inspiration of the devil. It betrays utter darkness of soul, and ignorance of God’s present work in this world. Surely “night has come to the prophets,” “the sun has gone down over” poor Doty’s soul, and the mists and fogs of babylon have shut out the whole luminous realm of God’s present truth.
O how my soul pities the man who is so utterly shut out of the Book of heavens truth. What he thinks will not take place for a “long time,” in the future, God is doing this day. And O how sad the thought, that “when they are saying peace and safety, sudden destruction shall come upon them.” O how God warns so earnestly in a loud voice from heaven, saying come out of her my people, that ye be not partaker of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.” O my God! pity the poor souls, that are exposed to thy wrath, upon all the worshipers of the beast. My heart is pained to see the many, who have been noble hearts and good lights in the world, now going back into darkness.
The devil’s object in all such advice as the above, is directly to oppose the whole voice of God’s “present truth,” and His commission upon all the “saints in light.”
It were a blessed thing for our Harvester friend’s soul if he were just as patient toward the sects of babylon, “as our Lord seems to be,” and no more. The whole Bible is full of hail, fire and blood, sword, storm and destruction upon her. We give a few passages.
For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities. Reward her even as she rewarded you, and double unto her double according to her works: in the cup which she hath filled, fill to her double. How much she hath glorified herself, and lived deliciously, so much torment and sorrow give her: for she saith in her heart, I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow. Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly burned with fire: for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her. — Rev. 18:5-8.
And I heard a great voice out of the temple saying to the seven angels, go your ways, and pour out the vials of the wrath of God upon the earth. And the first went and poured out his vial upon the earth; and there fell a noisome and grievous sore upon the men which had the mark of the beast, and upon them which worshiped his image. — Rev. 16:1, 2.
The burden of babylon, which Isaiah the son of Amoz did see. Lift ye up a banner upon the high mountain, exalt the voice unto them, shake the hand, that they may go into the gates of the nobles. They come from a far country, from the end of heaven, even the Lord, and the weapons of His indignation, to destroy the whole land. Howl ye; for the day of the Lord is at hand; it shall come as a destruction from the Almighty. Therefore shall all hands be faint, and every mans heart shall melt. Behold the day of the Lord cometh, cruel both with wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land desolate: and He shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it. And babylon the glory of kingdoms, the beauty of the Chaldees’ excellency, shall be as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah. And the wild beasts of the islands shall cry in their desolate houses, and dragons in their pleasant palaces: and her time is near to come, and her days shall not be prolonged. — Isa. 13:1, 2, 5, 6. 7. 9, 19, 22.
For behold the Lord will come with fire, and with His chariots like a whirlwind, to render His anger with fury, and His rebuke with flames of fire. For by fire, and by His sword will the Lord plead with all flesh: and the slain of the Lord shall be many. — Isaiah 66:15, 16.
I have seen also in the prophets of Jerusalem an horrible thing: they commit adultery, and walk in lies: they strengthen also the hands of evil-doers, that none doth return from his wickedness: they are all of them unto me as Sodom, and the inhabitants thereof as Gomorrah. Therefore thus saith the Lord of hosts concerning the prophets; behold, I will feed them with wormwood, and make them drink the waters of gall: for from the prophets of Jerusalem is profaneness gone forth into all the land. Behold, a whirlwind of the Lord is gone forth in fury, even a grievous whirlwind; it shall fall grievously upon the head of the wicked. The anger of the Lord shall not return, until He have executed, and till He have performed the thoughts of His heart: in the latter days ye shall consider it perfectly. Jer. 23:14, 15, 19 20.
For this is the day of the Lord God of hosts, a day of vengence, that He may avenge Him of His adversaries: and the sword shall devour, and it shall be satiate and made drunk with their blood: for the Lord God of hosts hath a sacrifice in the north country by the river Euphrates.
Cursed be he that doeth the work of the Lord deceitfully, and cursed be he that keepeth back his sword from blood. — Jer. 46:10. 48:10.
Put yourselves in array against babylon round about: all ye that bend the bow, shoot at her, spare no arrows; for she hath sinned against the Lord. Shout against her round about: she hath given her hand; her foundations are fallen, her walls are thrown down: for it is the vengence of the Lord: take vengence upon her; as she hath done, do unto her. A sword is upon the liars; and they shall dote: a sword is upon her mighty men; and they shall be dismayed. A sword is upon their horses, and upon their chariots, and upon all the mingled people that are in the midst of her and they shall become as women: a sword is upon her treasures; and they shall be robbed.
A drought is upon her waters; and they shall be dried up: for it is the land of graven images, and they are mad upon their idols. — Jer. 50:14, 15, 36, 37, 38.
For thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel; The daughter of Babylon is like a threshing-floor, it is time to thresh her; yet a little while and the time of her harvest shall come. — Jer. 51:33.
Praise the Lord for deliverance out of her.
Daniel.
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I AM THE TRUE VINE.
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I am the true vine and my Father is the husbandman. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit He taketh away, and every branch that beareth fruit He purgeth it that it may bring forth more fruit. — John 15:1, 2. Can the philosophy of man, or the gates of hell, or the power of devils overthrew this language of the Son of God? This, beyond a doubt proves a second work of grace. Hallelujah to the triune God! The Father, Son, and ever blessed Holy Spirit; for she blood that cleanseth the heart from all sin, (the carnal mind.) Now beloved this needs no comment, this in as plain as the Holy Ghost can make it. Hallelujah forever! Salvation in Jesus, from sin! Praise His holy name forever and ever! Amen!
This beyond successful controversy proves a second work of grace. “I am the true Vine,” indicating there were false vines, (churches,) He says there shall rise up false Christs, (churches) and false prophets, (preachers who belong to these false churches.) False prophets, will teach false doctrine. Their father will they obey. All we need in order to judge who these false prophets are, is to become thoroughly cleansed from sin; purged from the carnal mind. When right in the sight of God, then we can rebuke with all authority sin of every form and character. Hallelujah! “We know that whosoever is born of God sineth not.” Hallelujah! But false prophets teach their own doctrines, the commandments of men; they teach the opposite, they say, none perfect, none-good, no not one.
Well we suppose not, they say they commit sin, we believe them, they are of their father the devil. He that commiteth sin is of the devil. 1 John 3:9.
Some are simple enough to think, that we must be sanctified, before we stop sining. What a delusion of the devil, when we are born of God, then we cease to commit sin. We cannot commit sin, for the love (seed) of God restrains us. 1 Jno. 3:9.
Sanctification is not the forgiveness of sin, but the act of cleansing from sin, (the carnal mind.) Hallelujah! The Father is the husbandman, He is the one that grafts us in, cultivates, purges, cleanses us from all sin. God, the husbandman sets the members, the grafts in the Body, the Vine as it pleaseth Him. — 1 Co. 12:18.
We are grafted into the Vine by repentance, and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, being born of the Spirit; whereby the God life is infused into our souls, and we become alive to God, and dead to sin. We then are in a state of perfect innocency, all our sin being forgiven, we are justified by His blood. — Rom. 5:9. Justification is not sining and repenting, (or rather never repenting) as some say; but it is a state of perfect innocency. They are not of the world as I am not of the world. — Jno. 17: 16. If we can get people into a justified state, we will have no trouble in getting them into the Ocean of perfect love. One of the greatest evidences of the new birth is this, you desire to follow Jesus, you want to be conformed to His image; prove this to be a second work, then you will know that sanctification is a second work of grace, for you will know within you, you are lacking this great transforming of your mind. “Every branch in me that beareth not fruit He (God) taketh it away” (not man,) God does the grafting in, and He does the taking away. Hallelujah!
“If any man be in Jesus Christ he is a new creature, old things have passed way, and all things have become new.” — 2 Cor. 5:17. While we were in the kingdom of darkness, we were subject to the laws of that kingdom; but now we are free from that kingdom, and all of its laws. “And every branch that beareth fruit, He (God) purgeth it (the branch) that it may bring forth more fruit.” Now we see that grafting the branches in, is one work of God, and purging them is another, a second work. Who can deny it? Now we see it is fruit bearing branches that are to be purged, men and women who are not of the world even as Jesus is not of the world. The Vine is not of the world, but of heaven; those whom Jesus prayed the Father to sanctify, were not sinners or hypocrites or dead professors; but men and women who are in a justified state, that Jesus and the apostle Paul prayed might be sanctified. Now the great reason that more have not been purged is this, they have failed to bring forth fruit unto holiness. Those dead professors who say we can not live without committing sin, they condemn themselves. “He that commiteth sin is of the devil.” By this the children of God are manifest and the children of the devil, one commits sin and the other does not. Hallelujah!
Now we give the definition of purge. Purge is to cleanse, to purify, subtract.
Now the second work is to cleanse us from sin. Hallelujah! If we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us, or purgeth us, from all sin. — 1 John 1:7.
“I am dead, and my life is hid with Christ in God, nevertheless I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me.” Hallelujah! The blood is the life, the life of Christ in in the heart, purgeth us from all the wild nature. The blood cleanseth me from all sin, glory to God! I am washed in the blood of the Lamb. He cleanseth them from what? from sin, for sin is the uncleanness of Israel, God’s people. He purgeth the wild branches, that have been taken and grafted in conteary to nature. When we take the grrft from the wild sour winter grape vine, it possesses the same nature as the vine. So we being taken from the wild Adamic root, we have the evil corrupt depraved nature, inbred sin, carnal mind, the old man with all of his deeds, must be crucified. We are gathered into the true Vine with the depraved nature, which is not subject to God’s will neither indeed can be. You can not convert the old man, you cannot change him, he is condemned in the flesh, he must be purged out by the blood of Jesus Christ, the pure and spotless Lamb of God.
In order for us to bring forth the unmixed fruit of the Spirit, we must, “Present our bodies to God, a living sacrifice, holy and acceptabl which is our reasonable service, and be not conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing (making anew) of our minds, changing them from the carnal, depraved, to the holy, heavenly mind, the old leaven being purged out by the blood of the Holy child Jesus. When we are grafted into the true Vine, (the true Church) we must bring forth fruit, but we must be thoroughly purged from sin, made pure and holy, then we can bring forth the fruit of the Holy Spirit. Hallelujah! Cleanse the fountain, and the stream will be pure, holy, sinless. From the heart proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetuousness which is idolatry, wickedness, deceit, lascivious-ness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness. — Mark 7:21, 22. Matt. 15:19.
When we are cleansed, then it is perfectly easy for us to obey God and keep His holy commands, and not until then can we love God with all our heart, mind and strength, and our neighbor as our selves. Hallelujah! God has promised to circumcise our heart and make us holy.
Glory to God forever, for the second moral chonge of the mind, that we may bring forth much fruit. I have come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” Hallelujah! for the more abundant life, the more life, the more fruit unto holiness.
Now dear ones if you desire this great salvation, you must obey God, “go on unto perfection,” make the consecration, obey. Rom. 12:12. “Having these promises dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. — 2 Cor. 7; 1. Perfect holiness admits us into the realms of delight, into the pearly gates of heaven. Without holiness no man shall see God. — Heb. 22:14.
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” What is the meaning of blessed? Blessed means happy, holy; thus holy are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. Matt. 5:8. None shall see God but the pure and the holy. Wherefore Jesus also that He might sanctify the people with His own blood, suffered without the gate. — Feb. 13:12.
Glory to God! Sanctify them through Thy truth, thy Word is truth. — Jno. 17:17. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. — Jno. 1:12. And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; I pray God your whole spirit, soul, and body may be preserved blameless (until the devil tempts you, or until someone does something that does not suit you?) No, until the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ; faithful is He who calleth you, who also will do it. — 1 Thess. 5:23, 24. God positively commands us to be holy. — 1 Pet. 1:16. God commands us to be perfect. — Matt. 5:48. These commands are just as authoritative as any in the Bible, and if holiness is not attainable, then God commands what is impossible. If this requirement is too great to be obtained, it is too great to be commanded. No man ever strives to accomplish that which he knows to be impossible. Sanctification is attainable, from the fact that God has given us the Word as the means of effecting it. — John 17:17.
All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works. — 2 Tim. 3:16. The Word declares its necessity, points to the cleansing blood and to the Holy Ghost as the efficient agent; through the sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth. — 2 Thess. 2:13. Sanctification prepares a man for God’s use, prepares him for every good work. If a man therefore purge himself from sin, he shall be a vessel unto honor, sanctified, and meet for the Masters use.
Follow peace with them that call upon the Lord out of a pure heart. — 2 Tim. 2: 21, 22. Holy are the pure in heart. Matt. 5:8. Who shall stand in the Holy place? He that hath clean hands and a pure heart. — Psa. 24:3-5. The pure in heart shall see God. Those branches that have been purged from their sin shall stand in His holy place.
John P. Haner.
Urbanna, Kan.
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A TRUE VISION.
—:o:—
By Sarah Smith.
AS I read in the papers that T. D. Ingle is now in the insane asylum, I was reminded of the vision I had concerning him about a year ago.
I saw him at work putting up a new building, which he was trying to attach to an old rotten building of which only the walls stood, and they were black and ready to tumble down. I also saw that the building was very filthy. This was a striking picture of what he said a couple months before, at the Portage camp meeting. Namely, that he would stick to the old carcass, (the U. B. sect) until they turned him out, and then he would join again. He was sticking to the old rotten sect carcass which was full of dead men’s bones and all manner of filthiness.
I then walked away from that place, and the ground all around was burned over, it was perfectly black. There was not one spear of green grass, or a green leaf left to be seen. I came to two old black logs, and between them the ground had been spaded up; it was poor yellow soil. There was nothing growing between the logs but some plants which we used to call “devil’s tongues.” It was a species of cactus. What a striking picture of babylon. As God says, “She shall be utterly burned with fire.” “The voice of the Bridegroom, and of the Bride shall be heard no more at all in thee.” All babel tongues are but “devil tongues.” I was taken still farther to see the desolation and filthiness of the old carcass. I came to several more old rotten buildings that barely hung together. Some of them, a side or an end was quite rotten, down to the ground. These old walls of decayed houses were also full of much filth, and the walls were black. In these old black walls I saw Ingle again; with the assistance of a woman whom I also recognized, he was trying to cover the filth and blackness of their walls with stained and spotted newspapers. This is getting worse and worse. At first he was trying to build something new upon the old sect cage, namely, holiness. But such new wine cannot be put into old bottles. The holiest of all will by no means splice on to the cages of deception. But the crisis of truth had come, and he failed to stand. He even left off trying to build holiness on to the old black walls, but went to papering them up with spotted babylon sheets. That is he used sect apologizing shoddy holiness papers in their tirade against the truth, to cover over the black character of the sects.
Well I thought the woman who was helping him paper her walls, asked me to assist her in putting up a paper. No, I told her, I will “touch not the unclean thing.” Then others seemed to have joined them, and they had a meal prepared. They invited me to partake with them. I did not feel like doing so, but they urged very much, and I finally gave way and sat down. But presently a person came up behind me and tapped me on the shoulder, and as I looked around he said, “Come with me and I will show you a better table.” I immediately arose and started with him: feeling very happy that I had escaped out of the filthy place.
Praise the Lord forever! I am out of babylon, and fully saved through the blood of Jesus.
GIFTS DIFFERING.
—:o:—
BUT the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; 1 Cor. 12:7, 8. In this gift of knowledge their is a clear perception of our privilege. We are rightly informed, have learning, but wisdom is better. The mill may be complete in all its parts, the corn in the hopper, water in the boiler, wood in the furnace, yet everything lays like a lifeless corps: no capacity, no power: but the fireman pours on oil, touches the match, and the machinery is in motion in a short time. Solomon says, “get wisdom.” Knowledge when put into motion by the Holy Ghost fire, is quickening. In and through its quickening effects, we have the power to receive, and contain the holy fire, “get wisdom.” Verse 9, “To another faith by the same Spirit:” vr. 10, “To another the working of miracles.” We frequently hear men and women say, the days of miracles is past; have we not the same right to say the days of faith has past? No! God forbids it, for He says, “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not fail.” God says to His deciples, “These signs shall follow them that believe.” “In my name shall they cast out devils, they shall speak with new tongues; they shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.” O glory be to God forever! Get wisdom my brother; the wisdom which comes down from above enables me to look into the sect hospital and see the devil pouring into his subjects double doses of unbelief, through the spoon of the day of miracles is past. Says one, this power was given only to the apostles and to whom they laid hands on. But what does the Word say? “It is given to every man to profit withal.” What is given to all? These gifts by the same Spirit, these signs, which is to follow them that believe; power through faith to cast out devils, to speak with new tongues, to take up serpents, and if they drink any deadly thing it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick and they shall recover. But one says, show me one who can cast out devils, or one who can heal the sick. One instance of the fact will suffice; so the infidels who publish in the Free Pulpit at Waco Texas, say the same thing; they say their is no truth in God’s Word, because their is none to be found who follow its precepts. O dreadful dilemma! “Get wisdom;” it enables me to see the unbelieving sect pens, a pitiable hospital. The bunks are all filled with the dead, whom the devil has succeeded in pouring into them this dreadful dose, unbelief. The floor of this hospital is now so full, there is scarcely room for more, but still the old dragon is pulling them in. Some live ones he gets in, clamor for a clean place: but he says, close your mouth on this subject; for, for this very thing, all these whom you see dead, have lost their lives for speaking thus. So they are made to believe that the opening of their mouth on this subject of dead mens bones in the (sects) hospital, will encur a disease, from which, none they say, has ever recovered. When the lunatic was healed, or when the disciples failed to cast the devil out, they had the same right to say the days of miracles was past as we have; but Jesus rebuked the devil and he came out of the child. Matt. 17:18. Jesus said to His apostles, “If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say to this mountain, remove hence to yonder place, and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible to you.” The apostles removed no mountains, neither any sycamore tree; but they through faith opened the eyes of the blind, unstoped the ears of the deaf, healed the sick, raised the dead, then failed on the lunatic, not because God’s Word was a failure, but because of unbelief. Now there are some who seem to believe a part of God’s Word, but that which they cannot comprehend, they say is not for our benefit. God enables me to comprehend promises through the word which was spoken unto me; and as soon as I preceived that I was begotten through the Word, God showed me that He was a God of my body as well as my spirit. Satan tempted me, even said to me, these are impossibilities. But I stood on the Word, and not on impossibilities. Praise God! who gives us these gifts for the completion of His body which is the Church. Now I stand on the promise, washed in the blood of Jesus. Praise His holy name! The blessed Savior has given me more than one of these gifts. One is wisdom, another is the discerning of spirits, and now I am contending for the faith once delivered to the saints. These gifts have enabled me to learn many precious lessons; one is not to walk in the counsel of the ungodly, though his robe may be a priestly one. If he transforms himself into an angel of light, I will know him, God being my wisdom and understanding. Peter says, “add to your faith virtue; and to virtue, knowledge; and to knowledge, temperance; and to temperance, patience; and to patience, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness: and to brotherly kindness, charity. For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Pet. 1:5-8.
To be virtuous, spiritually, is not to sin. Brother, sister, has the gift which God has given you freed you from condemnation? If not, “contend earnestly for the best gifts.” “For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.” God through the mouth of the prophets, declared that Israel had gone off after other gods: we are married to another: now He says, “Little children, keep yourselves from idols.” “Have no other gods before me.” He that lacketh these things hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. 2 Pet. 1:9, “I beseech of you, brethren, suffer the words of exhortation, for I have written a letter to you in few words, and now our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, and God, even our Father, stablish you in every good word and work.” “The God of peace make you perfect in every good work to do His will through Jesus Christ.” “Unto Him who is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory forever. Amen!
H. L. Hargrave.
Nelta Texas.
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JUDGING AND CUTTING OFF.
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HOLY, or upright hearts that want to be holy, never fear that men judge and search them. They would rather be judged in this life, even though found wanting, than found deceived in the day of judgement. But crooked subverted sectarians, pharisees and unclean spirits, are always ready to cry out “charity,” “charity,” whenever such are discerned, measured and rebuked by the Word and Spirit of God. A man possessed with devils is sure to writhe and mutter when devils are being cast out of others. And men and women who are not right in their own hearts, are sure “to find fault with honest, faithful efforts on the part of holy men and women, to help other deceived professors of God. Feeling exposed to the Sword of the Lord themselves, they shrink when they see it thrust into others. They cry “charity,” and “you must not judge.” “Judge not that ye be not judged.” They try to make appear that they are more lovely and amiable than he that “rebuketh in the gate.” When infact their own inward condition is such that makes them adverse to this thorough, honest manner of dealing with souls. Men who are possessed with picking devils, who are “watching for iniquity,” and “make men an offender for the Word,” and “for a thing of naught,” though they will condemn men for a thing too little, it would seem, for even the devil to catch at; yet deny spiritual men the right to condemn men, because we see, and feel devilish spirits in them. This they call judging, and pronounce wrong. Now let us see what the Word says about judging. We well consider the texts which are supposed to forbid judging, and some of the most prominant, that authorized the saints to judge. These are various words in the Hebrew and Greek, that are translated judge in the English Bible. These words and oh such bright streaming light. The way reached clear up to heaven, and the glory of God shown down from above. There were but a few walking upon that narrow way. O praise God! On ahead of the few white robed saints, on that way was one, holding out the Bible. And on it I read in beautiful golden letters,
“OBEY THE LORD IN ALL THINGS.”
Praise the Lord! I started to go up that shining way. Then I looked to the left, and one standing on the way of destruction held up two hearts, which seemed much alike, and be said to me, “look here, your heart is no better than mine. You come and go this way.” But I said ho, I will not, I am going this bright and narrow way. Glory to God, I have taken that beautiful narrow way, and I am going to stay upon it till I reach heaven. The Lord has put me on the holy way, and cleansed me in the blood of the Lamb. I should say that I recognized some of the few holy saints on the blessed path.
Some time afterward, while going to MtPleasant, I saw a team coming towards us, which I instantly recognized as the team. I said to my brother, “there is the very team I saw in my vision, is not that Robert’s team?” He said it was and that is his boy driving it. O praise God forever! I am so thankful that He has filled me with the Spirit of God, and keeps me in His love. Your Sister sanctified wholly.
(That deceived, deluded preacher is W. W. Roberts — Ed.)
MtPleasant, la. Oct. 29th.