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The Gospel Trumpet
Volume 21 - Issue 03 - January 17, 1901
(Articles of interest only)
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Preach the Word.
By J. C. Blaney.
Salvation’s free. Proclaim from pole to pole
How captive souls may have a sweet release
From sin, to live a life of joy and peace.
Preach the Word, to you ‘tis surely given
To know indeed the mysteries of heaven;
The love of God so deep -- to earth come down --
Has offered man an everlasting crown.
Preach the Word, for men are not of truth,
But evil from their infancy and youth;
Estranged from God, they can not see his face,
Except they hear the Word of truth and grace.
Preach the Word, so sweet to all who love
The perfect way from earth to heav’n above.
Sweet comfort to their souls ‘twill surely bring,
And cause their saddened hearts with joy to sing.
Preach the Word to sick and halt and blind,
That healing from affliction they may find;
There is a balm in Gilead, now for all
Who by disease are held in Satan’s thrall.
Preach the Word; the power of the cross
Brings purity to those who suffer loss
Of all things for the sake of him who died
That all might now be wholly sanctified.
Preach the Word to all, both young and old,
To rich and poor, to false professors bold,
Ere judgment seals their sad, eternal doom:
Oh, warn them, for the Lord is coming soon.
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What Is Man?
Or, Our Present and Future.
By H. M. Riggle
[Continued from last issue.]
THE NATURE OF MAN IN HIS PRESENT STATE.
In order to arrive at a correct understanding of the nature of man’s being it will be necessary to go back to his original creation. “What is man; that thou art mindful of him? And the son of man, that thou visitest him? For thou has made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honor. Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet: all sheep and oxen, yea, and the beasts of the field.” -- Psalms 8:4-7. From this we learn that man, in his nature, stands on a much higher plane than the beasts and but a little lower than the angels. We have already seen in the previous chapter that angels stand wholly upon the plane of the spirit beings, being wholly immortal. Hebrews 1:7, 14; Matthew 22:29, 30; Luke 20:35, 36. Now let us see the nature of man, who is declared to be but “a little lower.” “And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. So God created man in his own image; in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.” -- Genesis 1:26, 27. “And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.” -- Genesis 2:7.
The two-foldness of man’s nature is clearly seen in his creation. The physical being was formed of the dust of the ground. This is the sense in which man is declared to be a little lower than angels. Angels were created entirely upon the plane of spirit beings. “Who maketh his angels spirits.” But man was created with a fleshly, physical body. That part of man which was made of dust and shall return to dust again is mortal. “Your mortal body” -- (Romans 6:12), “Your mortal flesh.” 2nd Corinthians 4:11. But while God made for man a physical body, and “earthly house,” to dwell in while here upon earth, the real “inner man,” the accountable part of man’s being, God created in his own image and likeness. Now this could not apply to the material body -- for “God is a spirit.” -- John 4:24. God is not a physical, fleshly being. God is a Spirit, God is immortal, eternal, invisible (1st Timothy 1:17), wholly of spirit substance. It was the moral and spiritual part of man’s being that God created in his image and likeness. God is a spirit, and to create man in his image (exact likeness) would be to create man a spiritual being. Being a spirit, God is immortal and eternal; and he created man in his own likeness -- formed a spirit in man. Zechariah 12:1. Man, then, possesses an immortal part; for, “there is a spirit in man: and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth them understanding.” -- Job 32:8. It will be well also to consider another point -- God is holy, and to create man in his image and likeness would be to create man morally pure and holy.
This moral purity man lost through the fall. His moral and spiritual nature became defiled by sin. But through the atonement of Christ the soul is restored to the moral image of God again, into the same blessed state which it enjoyed before sin entered the world. “Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man [depraved sinful nature] with his deeds; and have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him.” -- Colossians 3: 9, 10. “But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.” -- 2nd Corinthians 3:18. “And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; and that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.” -- Ephesians 4:23, 24. “He restoreth my soul.” -- Psalms 23:3. How clearly these texts prove that it was man’s moral and spiritual nature that was created in the image of God. It was also the volitional, spiritual part of man’s being that became depraved by sin. Man is morally depraved. But through Jesus Christ the soul is now restored and changed back into the moral image of God again, and that image is declared to be a state of righteousness and true holiness.”
The above is absolute proof that man possesses an immaterial, immortal element, separate and distinct in substance from the body, created in the image of God, defiled by sin, and again restored to a state of purity through the blood of Christ; and the same inhabits a mortal body, mortal flesh, which is simply the “earthly house of this tabernacle.” The same was made from the dust of the ground, and shall return to dust again. By a careful study of God’s word, any unprejudiced mind will be led to see that there are three states of human spirits clearly taught. The first is in union with an animal body. This state terminates at death. The second state is that in which human spirits are separated from their animal bodies. This commences at death and terminates with the resurrection of the body. The third state commences with the reunion of spirit and body, and continues ever after. We shall briefly consider these three states of man as taught in the Bible.
THE HUMAN SPIRIT IN UNION WITH AN ANIMAL BODY.
This is the present state in this life. This is why man is a little while inferior to angels. See margin Hebrews 2:9. He now inhabits a fleshly, animal body, therefore he is called “mortal man.” We shall in this work use the terms “soul” and “spirit” interchangeable. It is true that there are scriptures where these terms are used out of their general order and do not signify the same thing. There are places in the scriptures where the term soul is used to denote the whole being of man. And spirit is sometimes used to denote animal life, activity, etc. But when these terms are both applied to man’s inward being they denote the same thing. But some may ask, Why the two terms if they both denote the same thing -- the immaterial part of man’s being? We answer, for the same reason that the two terms “body” and “flesh” are used to denote the physical and material part of man’s being. Flesh and body have their distinct shades of meaning, and yet both denote the corporal part of man. And just so the same shade of distinction exists between the two terms commonly used to denote or represent the invisible part of man. The term flesh denotes animal matter as a substance, while body refers to the organic form of that matter. So the word spirit refers to the immortal part of man as a real spiritual, immaterial, and invisible substance: while soul refers to the same substance in its organic form, the real inner man, or “spiritual body.” That man has a physical body, which is mortal, but few deny.
“Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.” -- Romans 6:12, 13. “Your mortal bodies.” -- Romans 8:11. “Our mortal flesh.” -- 2nd Corinthians 4:11. Here it is clearly stated that man inhabits a physical, fleshly body. And the same is the mortal part of his being. But the same Bible teaches that a spirit being dwells inside of this mortal house. “But there is a spirit in man.” -- Job 32:8. God “formeth the spirit of man within him.” -- Zechariah 12:1. “A spirit hath not flesh and bones.” -- Luke 24:39. “For what man knoweth the spirit of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him?” -- 1st Corinthians 2:11. Without comment, these scriptures simply declare in so many words that a spirit being, a being in form, dwells inside these dust-born bodies. The same is a conscious entity capable of knowing the things of a man. Therefore it follows conclusively that in this life the human spirit dwells in union with our animal body. “For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.” -- 1st Corinthians 6:20. “The unmarried woman careth for the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and in spirit.” -- 1st Corinthians 7:34. How clear this testimony. Man is not wholly a material being, neither is he wholly a spiritual being. But he is “both spirit and body.” “But his flesh upon him shall have pain, and his soul within him shall mourn.” -- Job 14:22. Mark the language. Soul within and flesh upon him. While the one suffers pain the other mourns. “Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” -- Matthew 26:41. “Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.” -- 2nd Corinthians 7:1. Filthiness of the flesh refers to unclean habits and practices, any uncleanness that men practice with their bodies. Filthiness of the spirit applies to inherent depravity, which from within works out through the members of the physical body.
All the foregoing scriptures clearly prove that the soul of man is a spirit being, separate and distinct in substance from the fleshly body, and yet in union with it. Jehovah is declared to be “the God of the spirits of all flesh.” -- Numbers 27:16. Not simply the God of fleshly bodies, but the God of the spirits which dwell in these earthly bodies. Paul speaks of “the spirits of just men made perfect.” -- Hebrews 12:23. “Shall I give my first-born for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?” -- Micah 6:7. This last text shows that it is not the body but the soul that is the volitional part of man’s being. Notice the distinction between the material and spiritual parts of man’s being. “The fruit of my body for the sin of my soul.” The apostle John, in writing to Gaius, says, “Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.” -- 3rd John 2. Adventists make no distinction between soul and body. They reason that the soul simply means the entire being of man, including the body. As before stated, there are few texts in the Bible where it is so used and applied. In fact, it is thus commonly applied to-day. For example, when people are in a state of extreme suffering, it is customary to say, “Poor souls, they need our sympathy.” Or when people are suffering for food we say, “Poor souls, they are hungry; let us feed them bread,” etc. Because the term soul is thus applied to the whole being of man in a few places in the Bible, and there are found expressions like the following -- “Soul that eateth flesh,” “Soul longeth to eat flesh,” “The soul lusteth after strong drink, “As cold water to a thirsty soul.” and “all the souls in certain places died,” etc. -- because such expressions are found, materialist simply ignore and brush aside the multitude of scriptures which teach that man possesses a soul or spirit which is separate and distinct in substance from the body, and just try to sneer this glorious truth out of the Bible. I have heard their most able ministers use such expressions as follows: “The little inner man is a meat-eater,” “A penny’s worth of laudanum will put the little immortal man to sleep.” “The only spirit man possesses is in his nostrils, and if you take a bad cold your soul is in danger,” etc. Thus they sneer and scoff at the precious truth of God, and contend that “man hath no pre-eminence above a beast, for all is vanity.” We take them at their word, and will allow the apostle Peter to describe their condition. “Presumptuous are they, self-willed, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities. . . But these, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things that they understand not: and shall utterly perish in their own corruption.” -- 2nd Peter 2:10-12. “But what they know naturally, as brute beasts, in those things they corrupt themselves.” -- Jude 10. “They are all dumb dogs.” -- Isaiah 56:10.
But let us return to the point. John said to Gaius, “Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.” From this we learn that the soul may be in a blessed state of prosperity, while the body is in ill health. This could not be true were the soul not distinct from the body. But when we can believe the plain Bible which teaches that the soul is a spirit being, the scripture is made very plain. “For which cause we faint not: but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.” -- 2nd Corinthians 4:16. Man is a compound being. At the very time the outward man (the body) perishes, the inward man (the soul) is being renewed. “Though our outward man” -- that is, our body, that part of us that can be seen, heard, and felt -- “perish,” -- decay and waste away through sickness, disease, and old age, “yet the inward man” -- the soul, that which can not be felt and seen by others, “is renewed:” viz. revived, and receives a daily increase of light and life from God. By the “outer man” and “inner man” St. Paul shows he was not materialist. He believed that we have both a body and a soul. And so far was he from supposing that when the body dies, the whole man is decomposed, and continues so until the resurrection, that he asserts that the decay of the one leads to the invigorating of the other, and that the very decomposition of the body itself leaves the soul in a state of renewed youth. But is the soul or spirit -- the real inward man, a conscious entity? “For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: but I see another law in my members.” -- Romans 7:22, 23. Here again the two-fold nature of man is clearly taught. The inner man -- the soul -- delights in the law of God and at the same time the law of sin works in the members of the physical body. This was Paul’s condition under the law. In order for the inner man to delight in the law of God, it must first learn that law, get a knowledge of it. So it is a conscious entity. But this fact is clearly taught elsewhere. “The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God.” Romans 8:16. At the very moment our sins are forgiven and we are born into God’s family the Spirit of God communicates this fact to our spirit. A sweet, comforting witness and assurance of our acceptance with God is felt within. “That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man.” -- Ephesians 3:16. So while we may be very weak in body, the Spirit of God strengthens our spiritual man, and we can be “strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.” “Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel; but let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.” -- 1st Peter 3:3, 4.
How dark and godless the leaven of Adventism when compared with such scriptures as these where immortality is so clearly brought to light in the gospel. How forcible the language of Peter refutes this modern no-soul animalism. The subject is adornment, outward adorning and inward adorning. The former is condemned, while the latter is advised. “Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning,” viz., adorning this body with costly apparel, gold, etc. Do not spend your time trying to adorn and beautify the outward man (the body), that is corruptible and will soon decay and die, “but let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible.” So a “hidden man” which is not corruptible dwells inside the corruptible and decaying body. It is hidden behind the clay covering. It is invisible to the natural eye. “For the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.” 2nd Corinthians 4:18. The adorning of the hidden man is not something that is put on, but is a condition or state of the soul. “Even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.” So man possesses both a corruptible and incorruptible part. The outer man -- body -- is corruptible, is mortal. Romans 6:12. It is the only part of his being that will put on immortality and incorruption at the resurrection. See Philippians 2:20, 21; 1st Corinthians 15:42-44. But the inner or hidden man of the soul is not corruptible. It is of spirit substance. “For there is a spirit in man.” The words “not corruptible” in 1st Peter 3:4 are derived from the Greek word “aphthartos.” This word is found in the following texts: 1st Corinthians 9:25; 15:52; 1st Peter 1:4; 1:23 where it is rendered “incorruptible.” “The dead shall be raised incorruptible” (aphthartos). It is also found in 1st Timothy 1:17, where it is rendered “immortal.” “Now unto the King eternal, immortal” (aphthartos). Here then we have its true meaning. The king of heaven is aphtaartos -- immortal. 1st Timothy 1:17. The dead [corruptible body] shall be raised incorruptible [aphthartos].” -- 1st Corinthians 15:52. “The hidden man of the heart [the soul or spirit], in that which is [aphthartos] not corruptible.” -- 1st Peter 3:4. The words “not corruptible” in the text are rendered “imperishable” in “Bible Union” and Sawyer’s Translations. Imperishable -- Not subject to decay; indestructible. -- Webster.
To sum up all the foregoing scriptures under the heading, the Bible plainly declares that man is a compound being. He inhabits a mortal body, mortal flesh. But inside this mortal covering lives a soul, which is a spirit being in form. The same is declared to be a conscious entity, the volitional, accountable part of man’s being. A real inner, hidden man which is declared to be imperishable, not subject to decay, and which does not go down in decomposition with the body. “And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul.” -- Matthew 10:28. If the body were the soul, man could kill that. If by the soul was simply meant the physical life, or breath, man could take that from us. But the above text clearly teaches that the soul is a substance which is indestructible by material forces. Man can kill the body, but he can not kill the soul. So when the body dies, the soul still lives. Amen.
[To be continued]
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Perfect Peace.
By John C. Blaney
There is a calm tranquility to be enjoyed by the believer in Jesus Christ which few professors really enjoy, but which is many times referred to in the Scriptures; and it is upon this experience I am constrained to write, that others may get the benefit of what I have experienced in my Christian life in the few years I have been serving God. There is only one condition or place where the soul can find that uninterrupted, calm, perfect peace which is so conducive to an undisturbed communion with God, and it is described in the words of the apostle: “For ye are dead; and your life is hid with Christ in God.” -- Colossians 3:3.
This perfect peace can only be enjoyed and continually possessed by those who are crucified with Christ, and so completely dead to every element of their old life, without and within, that they say with Paul, “I am crucified with Christ; nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.” -- Galatians 2:20. He who is thus crucified so that he lives not, but has Christ dwelling in his heart by faith, will not be disturbed by doubts and fears concerning how God is going to dispose of his life, neither will he have any anxious thoughts of the morrow -- what he shall eat or drink, or wherewithal he shall be clothed. The will of such a person will be so absorbed in the will of God, that his meat and drink will be to do the will of his heavenly Father in all things, and his every desire will be entirely subject to the will of him who holds the life of every living creature in his hands. Nothing can interrupt the communion of the soul with God, whether at home or abroad, for he is so lost, or hid with Christ in God, that god is controlling every affection, desire, and passion of his spiritual and physical nature, so that God is in all his thoughts, and this by reason of his perfect trust in him at all times, in all places, and under all circumstances. “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.” -- Isaiah 26:3. Nothing can hinder his soul from prayer, because he has entered into this peaceable habitation, and quiet resting-place by “praying without ceasing,” and this experience teaches him to “watch in the same with thanksgiving.” He can rejoice evermore, because he so possesses the God of peace, who has now wholly sanctified him, and is so possessed by him, that the consciousness of this glorious union (which is illustrated by the marriage of a man and woman through pure love) is so clear and definite, that he can say with full assurance of faith, “My beloved is mine, and I am his.” -- Song Of Solomon 2:16. He, furthermore, can continually rejoice, because, being so consciously and fully possessed by him who rules and orders everything after his own will, he realizes all things work together for his good. He who delivered up his Son for us, will also with him freely give us all things.
When the last spark of the self-life or old man has expired, and the bright and morning star has risen in our hearts, and our whole body is full of light, having no part dark, we can truly say we are walking in the light as he is in the light, with the testimony of the Holy Spirit that the blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all sin, and enjoy perfect fellowship with every saint of God. Being perfectly cleansed from sin in spirit, soul, and body, and having become righteous, even as he is righteous, we have become possessed of a kingdom whose riches are described as God’s “riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” Perfect peace surrounds him on all sides, like a boundless and fathomless sea, who is thus dead to all self-interest, and finds no pleasure but in doing the Father’s will, whom he now loves with all his heart, mind, soul, and strength, and pleasing his neighbor for his good, and to his edification, whom he now loves as himself.
“And the work of righteousness shall be peace: and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance forever.” -- Isaiah 32:17. Surely nothing could be more desirable than a life and experience such as this, where many of our circumstances in this life are so arranged as to have a continual tendency to unsettle the peace of mind so many would love to have, and which we all hope to enjoy in heaven. It is an undeniable truth, plainly taught in Scripture, that we by grace are translated into the kingdom of God, which is righteousness, peace; and joy in the Holy Ghost. -- Colossians 1:13; Romans 14:17.
Peace in the heart and life of the Christian is the result of certain operations of the Holy Spirit of God upon the soul. There never was an effect without a cause. There never was fruit produced without a tree on which it grew. There never was a tree grew without the earth from which it sprang. So also with peace, which is one of the precious fruits of the Spirit: there must be a cause before the fruit can be produced.
Perfect peace can be realized only where the soul has entered into that holiest of all places: the state of being sanctified wholly. In this state of grace we have passed through a total death to anger, pride, envy, jealousy, self-will, love of being considered a person of note, or a leader of men in worldly or spiritual things; otherwise termed emulation; also effeminacy, or a secret disposition or quality in the heart, which inclines people to prefer the society of the opposite sex to their own. This is a very deceptive quality, and genders numberless breaches against the law of purity among the sexes under cover of our beloved Christian liberty, which was not given to be used as an occasion for the flesh. There must also be a total death to our own will as far as any shrinking from having the will of God preformed in us is concerned, so that he who is thus dead, will gladly have Christ magnified in his body whether by life or death, and he can truly say, “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” -- Philippians 1:21. He will even contemplate death with joyful anticipation, considering that for himself to depart and be with Christ would be far better.
There must be a complete consecration, or surrendering of the whole person to God, with a decision to accept all the circumstances by which we are, or may be surrounded, and all the events which befall us, whether prosperity or poverty, honor or dishonor, evil report or good report, quietness or tumult, persecution or good-will, hunger or thirst, cold or nakedness, famine or sword, sickness or death, or the spoiling of our earthly goods, or separation from our loved ones, as the direct will or permission of God for our good and his glory, and the manifestations of his manifold graces and providences. In this state of entire abandonment to God, we can easily let the peace of God rule in our hearts, to the which we are all called in one body, being always thankful for all things, as from the hand of God, who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will. This perfect consecration will beget a firm, immovable persuasion, that “neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” -- Romans 8:38, 39. So far from wavering, and being discouraged, we will be able to cry out, “But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy.” “Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.” But who will believe these things? “Who humbleth himself to behold the things that are in heaven, and in the earth.”
Not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: but such as the world considers as foolish, and weak, and base and despised, for God hath chosen the things which are not to bring to naught the things which are, “that no flesh should glory in his presence.” -- 1st Corinthians 1:26-29. “Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them.” -- Psalms 119:165. This peace is so great that to keep possession of it, we must be anxiously careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication we must make our requests known unto God. On these conditions, this peace of God, which is described as that which passeth all understanding, shall keep our hearts and minds through Jesus Christ. See Philippians 4:6, 7. The keeping of our hearts and minds consists of thinking of “whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise.” This truly was the mind which was in Christ Jesus.
No formal professed consecration where the mind assents to the fact that they are sanctified when such an experience has never been eagerly sought, will bring about the desired result. Many have been told to believe they are sanctified because they have been taught when they presented themselves to Christ to be sanctified that the altar sanctified the gift, but afterward found themselves the same as before. My prayer is while I am writing, for all who desire a Christian experience that they may seek until they get a faith which will bring an unmistakable evidence of being sanctified wholly, spirit, soul, and body. Amen.
I have been holding up to view one of the delicious fruits of the Spirit of God in the hope of attracting some one to the tree of life, that they may partake of the fruit which grows in abundance thereon. Simple, humble faith in God through Jesus Christ will bring the soul into that state of grace where this perfect peace may be continually enjoyed, and manifested in our life. God can give in a moment what many have been laboring all their life-time to procure, and yet failed. Why did they fail? Because they sought it not by faith. To lose sight of every other means of obtaining grace and purity but by faith, is the only way by which it can be obtained. Many try to school or cultivate themselves so as to appear with a peaceful exterior, and an air of benevolence and purity, but in time of temptation the old man manifests himself as still alive. When the testing time comes, their peace flies away, and doubts, and fears, and discontent are rife in their hearts. They have not entered into God’s rest by faith. They have not ceased from their own works. “For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his.” -- Hebrews 4:10.
PEACE AS A RIVER.
I am now going to describe this perfect peace by using a river as a metaphor. Long ago God promised to give his people this perfect peace, and used a river to describe it. “For thus saith the Lord, Behold, I will extend peace to her like a river, and the glory of the Gentiles like a flowing stream.” -- Isaiah 66:12. To the disobedient and rebellious he said, “Oh that thou hadst harkened to my commandments! Then had thy peace been as a river, and thy righteousness as the waves of the sea.” -- Isaiah 48:18.
The unregenerate heart may properly be likened unto a wilderness, or desert where there is no water, or grass, or any green thing growing, but all is parched and dry. We would consider it a marvelous freak of nature, if on some great, sandy desert, where rain never falls the whole year, copious showers of rain were to descend upon it, and cause a number of minor streams to spring forth, and concentrate themselves into one mighty river; and a profusion of grass, and rich vegetation as usually grows on well-watered soil, were to spring up in abundance. People would travel for thousands of miles to witness such a miracle in nature. It would be admired by thousands of people, and be published in most of the news-papers throughout the world. It would indeed be a wonderful sight; an occurrence without a parallel in history.
God uses language descriptive of just such a marvelous transformation of nature to illustrate what salvation will do for men. “Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing; for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert. And the parched ground shall become a pool, and the thirsty land springs of water; in the habitation of dragons, where each lay, shall be grass with reeds and rushes.” -- Isaiah 35:6, 7. “I will open rivers in high places, and fountains in the midst of the valleys: I will make the wilderness a pool of water, and the dry land springs of water.” -- Isaiah 41:18.
A large river is fed by many smaller streams, which are in turn fed by numerous springs flowing from the ground. Springs are usually fed by rain falling and coursing through the ground, which causes a spring of water to flow forth. Rain is the result of water being carried from lakes, and from the ocean, by mists and various other means, into the clouds, and they in turn empty themselves upon the earth in the showers of rain. Just as the mighty ocean sends forth its waters into the clouds, which are poured upon the dry, thirsty land, and cause springs of water to flow forth, and form themselves into streams and rivers, which concentrate and make one great river flowing onward to the ocean, so God, who is represented by an ocean, pours out his Spirit upon mankind, causing streams of joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance, and these all flow together, and form one mighty river, called perfect peace, which empties itself into God from whence it came.
“For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground; I will pour my Spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring: and they shall spring up as among the grass, as willows by the water courses.” -- Isaiah 44:3, 4. “He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.” -- John 7:38.
The figure of a river being employed as descriptive of the peace of God flowing in the heart, opens a way for much meditation, and profound thought; but were we to meditate and, by the most profound thinking, endeavor to fully comprehend its sublimity and serenity, its exceeding greatness, its possibilities, its resistless power to keep the heart and mind through Jesus Christ under all circumstances, at all times, and in all places, we would still fail in giving a perfect description of this wonderful gift of God; for inspiration declares it passeth all understanding, and every one who is in possession of it has proved this to be so.
When we sum up in order all that God has done for us in bringing about this peace in our soul, we are not surprised that we possess so great a blessing, and so rich a treasure. God takes us up out of the miry clay, whilst living in a state which is described in the words: “But the wicked are like the troubled sea, when it can not rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt. There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked.” He sets our feet upon a rock, forgiving all our sins, and putting a new song in our mouth; the first words of which are something like this: “O Lord, I will praise thee: though thou wast angry with me, thine anger is turned away, and thou comfortest me.” -- Isaiah 12:1.
“Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” -- Romans 5:1. Before getting justified, or pardoned, we were alienated from God by wicked works in our mind, and were by nature children of wrath. -- Colossians 1:21; Ephesians 2:3. Subsequently, by being sanctified wholly, or made pure in heart, with our old man killed outright, and the Holy Ghost, the Comforter, perpetually dwelling in our hearts. Is it any wonder that perfect peace is the result of all this? Having comprehensive views of the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, with the divine assurance that all things are working together for our good; is it not the most reasonable thing imaginable that we should enjoy perfect peace? Surely it is.
O thou wondrous crystal river:
Perfect peace within my soul:
Calmly flowing, onward, ever,
In my heart from sin made whole.
Nothing can resist thy power
To preserve the mind serene;
Countless blessings from thee shower;
God of peace who reigns within.
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“One Thing Thou Lackest.”
By R. Rothman.
Among the religious classes of to-day there is one thing lacking which is the cause of unlimited harm to men and dishonor to the cause of God. This is the fear of the Lord. True it is that many think they fear God, and may have a human fear; but those who truly fear God are those who obey his word with trembling. The popular religions of to-day as a whole are arrayed against the children of God who obey his word in reference to healing, Bible holiness, and unity; yet they say, “Let the Lord be glorified,” and build “churches” and organize societies, and make many sacrifices to spread their influence, and think in so doing they glorify God. But the ways of the Almighty are not the ways of men. He says through his inspired prophet:
“The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool: where is the house that ye build unto me? For all those things hath mine hand made, and all those things have been, saith the Lord: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word. He that killeth an ox is as if he slew a man; he that sacrificeth a lamb, as if he cut off a dog’s neck; he that offered an oblation, as if he offered swine’s blood; he that burneth incense, as if he blessed an idol. Yea, they have chosen their own ways, and their soul delighted in their abominations. I also will choose their delusions, and will bring their fears upon them; because when I called, none did answer; when I spake, they did not hear; but they did evil before mine eyes, and chose that in which I delighted not. Hear the word of the Lord, ye that tremble at his word; Your brethren that hated you, that cast you out for my name’s sake, said, Let the Lord be glorified: but he shall appear to your joy, and they shall be ashamed.” -- Isaiah 66:1-5.
The fear of God is something to be desired among his people, as many precious blessings go with it. We learn from the Word that this grace, in common with all the graces of salvation, is the gift of God. In Jeremiah 32:37-40 we see that the fear of the Lord was prophesied to be one of the special blessings of this evening of time. Those who are coming home to Zion out of sect confusion have the fear of God placed in their hearts by the Lord himself. Because men in past years have built sects, contrary to God’s written word, his anger was stirred against them and his children to-day are scattered. But brighter days are coming, for thus saith the Lord: “Behold, I will gather them out of all countries, whither I have driven them in mine anger, and in my fury, and in great wrath; and I will bring them again unto this place, and I will cause them to dwell safely: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God: and I will give them one heart, and one way, that they may fear me forever, for the good of them, and of their children after them: and I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from them, to do them good; but I will put my fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart from me. Yea, I will rejoice over them to do them good, and I will plant them in this land assuredly with my whole heart and with my whole soul.” -- Jeremiah 32:37-41.
“O fear the Lord, ye his saints: for there is no want to them that fear him. The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger: but they that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing.” -- Psalms 34:9, 10. The fear of the Lord consists not only in lowly reverence, but in practical Christian activity. The Word teaches us in what this fear consists. “Come ye children, harken unto me: I will teach you the fear of the Lord. What man is he that desireth life, and loveth many days, that he may see good? Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile. Depart from evil, and do good, seek peace, and pursue it.” -- Psalms 34:11-14. It is glorious to see how practical the Word is on all lines. We are to “depart from evil, and do good” to show that we fear God. Praise the Lord for the ability he giveth us to do his will!
We are to worship in the fear of God. As we think of the way many worldly congregations of professing Christians come together to “worship,” we realize that God must look with indignation upon their performances. They set aside God’s word, which commands them to “sin no more,” which provides abundant opportunity for them to be saved from their sins through Jesus Christ (Matthew 1:21), and day after day pour into the ears of an offended God (if God be among them) a miserable story of their sinning more or less each day in thought, word, and deed. May the Lord God awaken them ere it be too late! “For thou are not a God that hath pleasure in wickedness: neither shall evil dwell with thee. The foolish shall not stand in thy sight: thou hatest all workers of iniquity.” -- Psalms 5:4, 5. Know ye not, thou self-confessed sinner, calling thyself Christian, the Christ is able to save unto the uttermost all that come unto God by him? See Hebrews 7:25. Take the cup of salvation Jesus purchased for you, and then you may say, “But as for me, I will come into thy house in the multitude of thy mercy: and in thy fear will I worship toward thy holy temple.” -- Psalms 5:7.
There is a precious scripture in Malachi which may reveal to those who are not satisfied with their experience the cause of their leanness. Many of us have gone to the altar and consecrated our lives to God -- how are we living up to our covenant? Do we seek the highest will of God in all we do, or are we seeking to do as little as possible for the cause of Christ? Do we live in the fear of God, so that we truly live as though we were not our own, but were bought with a price -- the precious blood of Jesus? “A son honoreth his father, and a servant his master: if then I be a father, where is my honor? And if I be a master, where is my fear?” -- Malachi 1:6. If we give Christ our best we will receive his best; if we through the Spirit die to self we will receive the life of Christ; if we honor God he will honor us. We are called to be the sons and daughters of the Lord of heaven and earth, that which calling there can be nothing higher. Shall we prove true, or will it be said of us as was said of Eli’s house -- “I said indeed that thy house, and the house of thy father, should walk before me forever: but now the Lord saith, Be it far from me; for them that honor me I will honor, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed?” -- 1st Samuel 2:30. May the Lord help us all to be devoted to his fear. Amen.
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News from the Field.
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Johnson I. T., January 7.
We are at this writing in a meeting at Johnson, I. T.; there is good interest and it bids fair for a most wonderful meeting. We have thought of going from here to Fort Worth, Tex., and to any other place communicated to us, where our services are desired. Please address us at Johnson, I. T. We shall be glad to fill any call as we return to the middle east.
William O. Gray.
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Pineridge, South Dakota, January 3.
We are still saved and sanctified and happy in Jesus. Praise his holy name! We have been holding meeting for six days at Haycreek, ten miles east of Gordon, Nebr. And great interest was manifested. Nearly all the people in the neighborhood turned out. Some of the saints came from ten to twelve miles. Two were reclaimed for Jesus. Conviction rested upon many souls; some within a step to the kingdom. Dear ones, let us be true to God, that much good may be done this year.
John B. Vervalin,
Charles F. Ziemann.
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Colfax, Washington.
We are happy to report victory in our souls and in the work of God. Our time is being faithfully and successfully spent in the gospel field, and many dear ones are being saved; others flee out of the midst of Babylon and come to Zion with great rejoicing to find their resting-place. The work in Washington is moving forward, as this field seems to be ripe for harvest. Many more laborers could be kept busy the year around gathering out the anxious ones. So many are calling for the gospel and the calls can not be filled. We are praying earnestly for more true laborers to come and help us. If any ministers do feel let to come into this field of labor I would be glad to have you write to me at Colfax, Wash.
We have just closed a very successful meeting here in what is called the Big-bend country, near Creston, where nearly thirty came out for God and others left under conviction. We are now holding a meeting in Creston, where the Lord has marvelously opened up a way for us.
The few nights of meeting have been with interest. A number of hands have been raise for prayer. We are filled with courage to move forward in the Spirit of our Master against all sin and sectarian confusion and strife, which is prevalent in these parts. Pray that we may be kept in line with the Word and Spirit. Amen.
James B. Peterman and Co.
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Springfield, Oregon, December 26.
We once more greet you in the precious name of Jesus, who so wonderfully has saved us by his mighty power, who keeps us day by day, and heals us of all our diseases. To God we give all the glory and praise. Amen. Halleluiah!
Our souls are filled with glory for what the dear Lord is doing for us in this part of his vineyard; precious souls are being gleaned out for God. The word of God is being preached and the pure church of the living God discerned, which is the one body. We have just closed a very precious assembly-meeting. There were only a few of us, but God blessed our precious souls. We all feel a sinking down in the Lord. The power of God was in our midst. We praise God for sending some of his holy ministers to help us in the meeting.
I do praise God so much for pure, holy literature, papers, books and tracts, yes, and song-books, that teach God’s precious word in all its purity. Oh, what a blessing to this world of darkness and deception! We often have papers given to us supposed to be religious papers, or, in other words, one would think that God’s precious word would be taught in them, but alas! What is it that your eyes, behold? You search their pages for something that will feed the hungry soul, but all in vain. The things of the world take the place of holiness, and the latter is not once named. If you wish to know what he professed world is doing, you will find it there. Circuit-court news, patent medicines, baking powders, real-estate sales, organs, bicycles, puzzle-box, stories of all kinds, etc. Oh, my God, my God! Is it any wonder that the world is in such darkness, and that Satan is ruling the masses, when such literature is dealt out to the people under the garb of religion? Oh, for shame on such! and I pray God to help them to see what they are doing before it is too late. Again I say, Praise the Lord, all ye saints! Oh, I do praise God from the very depth of my soul for The Gospel Trumpet. It is filled up with God’s precious word that brings heaven’s light to the hungry soul. It fills me with joy when I read the testimonies of the dear saints, how God has saved them from sin, healed them of their dread diseases by his mighty healing power, how Jesus sends the Holy Ghost into their hearts, according to his word, making them pure and filling them with his sweet peace and glory and the beauty of the unity and oneness, the precious love of God that binds the people of God together. There is not a power on earth that is able to break them asunder, for the God of Zion is mighty to keep. All praises be to our God! Let us all praise God for a pure paper, and let us pray God to keep its pages pure and holy and that no unclean thing enter therein. And let us do all we can to get it before the masses that know not God, for it brings sunshine to the poor, darkened soul; it points men to Jesus who saves to the uttermost all who come to him. Pray much for us and the work of the Lord in these parts.
E. M. and Lillian Beebe.
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Testimonies
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Miller, Kansas.
I am praising God for a free salvation that keeps me in touch with his love, doing all I can wherein he might be glorified. Oh, it is so sweet to trust in Jesus! May the saints everywhere pray for me.
Mrs. W. F. Ham.
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I can truly praise God to-day for what he has done for me. He pleaded with me a long time before I could make up my mind to give up all for him. I am fifteen years of age and if I had started long ago it would have been better. I ask an interest in your prayers that I may prove faithful and true to him and at last meet you in heaven.
Gertie Wattles.
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Sumac, Tennessee.
I feel that God wants me to testify. The dear Lord saved my soul about two months ago and I am sweetly resting on my Savior’s promises. We have been having some grand meetings here for the last four months; several souls were saved and others say they are going to strive until they get saved. I want the dear saints to pray that we may be kept humble and doing the will of our Father at all times.
Mamie McGrew.
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Nassauville, Florida.
I am praising God for his wonderful goodness to the children of men. I thank God for what he has done and is still doing for me. He has gloriously saved my soul from sin and keeps me sweetly trusting in his holy word. I want all of God’s true children to pray that I may get closer to the Lord and sink deeper into his love and step out more on his promises. I love to read The Gospel Trumpet. It is food to my soul.
Loula Brazell.
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Painter Creek, Ohio.
I want to praise God for his goodness to me. Nearly three years ago he led me by his Spirit out of sectism. Praise the Lord! And he has led me thus far. Last winter Brother L. Cook came this way and preached the true word. Thank God that there are still some that are willing to preach the truth! I had been having poor health for about eighteen years, spent several hundred dollars for physicians with no final good; so last spring I went to the Lord and he healed me. I give him all the praise.
John F. Hittle.
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Cayuga, Indiana.
I can testify this morning to the glory of God that I am saved and kept by his mighty power. He has healed me of many afflictions, one of which was stomach trouble of ten years’ standing. I have suffered much and many times was almost in despair, but the Lord came to my rescue, as he does in time of need if we trust him. Praise his dear name forevermore! The Lord has healed me and my family of other afflictions, for which I give him all the glory. Pray that I may keep victory in my soul over the enemy, who is around like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour. Pray also that I may sit at the feet of Jesus and learn of him.
Mrs. Mary Sproul
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Kingston, Oregon.
Since I last testified through the Trumpet I have been out working for the Lord and oh, how he did bless my soul in doing so. I do love to work for the Lord for I can never repay him for permitting me to live to see this glorious reformation, and then saving me from all sin, and taking me out of sectism, placing my feet on the rock Christ Jesus. He keeps me saved all the time and gives me sweet peace and joy in my soul, as I never had when I was in sectism. On the other hand, I was then dissatisfied all the time and was longing after something, I did not know what nor how to get, until I heard one of God’s true ministers preach and then I was willing to give up sectism and humble myself before God and give up the world with all its allurements and accept the whole truth. Glory be to the precious name of Jesus! My whole desire is to live for Jesus and do all I can for his glorious cause. He is my all and in all. I take him for my physician for both soul and body: he heals me when I am sick, and takes away my aches and pains.
Lizzie King.
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Beaver City, Nebraska.
I wish to testify through the Trumpet of God’s goodness to me. We had prayed for some months for God to send some of his ministers here and in June I received a direct witness that he would do so. We continued praying that God would make a mighty upheaval in our neighborhood (eight miles from Beaver City), and finally God moved on the hearts of two brethren to come in and hold meetings. It is wonderful how he ordered it all. Oh, how our thirsty souls drank of the pure word of God! None of us ever heard God’s true ministers preach before. Oh, my soul shouts glory and praise to God to-night. We have just returned from our prayer-meeting, which God caused to be a real melting season. Glory to his precious name! The mist of sect confusion are passing away. Praise the dear Lord for sending those dear brothers here, for our eyes have been opened and we now see the body of Christ, his church. Oh, I wish I could tell what the Lord has done for me. Pray that I may be sanctified.
J. H. Nickerson.
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McKinley, Tennessee.
Thinking it may be a benefit to some precious soul, I write a little of my experience. When under the influence of some friends I joined the M. E. sect, as a seeker of religion, at the age of fourteen years. At the age of twenty-one was gloriously converted, and lived up to all the light I had until I was fifty-five, but it was an up-and-down life all this time with me. A mixture of joy and grief, victory and defeat; believing all this time there was something better for me. In the year 1894 the Lord sent one of his ministers here to preach sanctification and I accepted the light on God’s plan and was gloriously sanctified. I have had an abiding peace and rest from that time. At this moment I am saved, sanctified, and kept by the power of God. The Lord has burned up all sectarian notions and shown me his true spiritual body. Now he fights all my battles, heals all my diseases, and supplies all my temporal and spiritual needs. Praise his name for ever and ever! The Gospel Trumpet has been a regular visitor to me each week for twelve months and I find in it more gospel preaching than I get from all our sectarian preachers. May the Lord open their spiritual eyes, that they may get in the light and be able to preach the gospel in its purity, and fullness. Amen.
A. J. Best.
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Denton, Pennsylvania.
To-day finds me saved and sanctified by the precious blood of Jesus. Praises be to our God! Since God has saved my soul I have taken him for my physician. I am one of the many who can testify to God’s power to heal the body when afflicted. A few months ago I became afflicted in my body with what I sometimes thought would terminate in typhoid fever, but after meditating over my disease, I am confident I was troubled with liver complaint. I placed my case in the hands of the Lord during a meeting held at Pennrun, and by obeying the command according to James 5:14, 15, I was healed. Praise God for his goodness to me! Oh! It is so sweet to trust in Jesus. My earnest desire is to live for him who died for all, and also to do whatever he leads me to do. It is a settled matter within my heart that people must “follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord.” -- Hebrews 12:14. Oh! The joy and peace to the sanctified heart. All sin being destroyed, and the love of God shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which he hath given us. Blessed be his name! I am a reader of the Trumpet; would feel almost lost without its weekly visits. I love to read the precious word of God; it is the food of the soul, it is “a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” -- Psalms 119:105. I am so glad God ever sent his true ministers to this vicinity to preach the Word in due time to rescue my perishing soul. Doubtless I was in a perishable condition when God found me. Dear reader, if you are in sin, and could be made to comprehend the real experience of being saved and sanctified, I feel sure you would not hesitate one moment. Jesus is ready. See Revelation 3:20. I ask an interest in the prayers of God’s little ones in my behalf. Amen.
George Galentan.
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Chicago, Illinois.
I am glad to have this testimony, that I please God. Salvation is surely the sweetest thing I have ever found. Oh, how real God is, and how sure his word! It is so good to love God and to enjoy his sweet smiles and the fellowship of Jesus and of all those who are his. In these last days -- these perilous times -- I am so thankful that God has a people who will be true to him. How grateful we all should be when we think of how the Lord has sought us out from every kindred, and nation, and tongue to serve him. Millions of people have never heard of Jesus, and but comparatively few of those who have heard of him even as much as profess his name; but when we single out from among the professors those who are really God’s children and have the stamp and seal of the Holy Spirit, we find they are but few indeed. The Lord surely loves us, dear ones. Let us be thankful that we are among the few, for God has highly favored us. How glad I am that the Lord has saved me from sectism and set me into the one body, the church of God, the bride of Christ. I can thankfully say that the Lord saves me from all my actual sins, which have gone on before me to the judgment, and through the blood of the everlasting covenant I am made perfect, sanctified wholly.
Eugene A. Reardon.
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Bright, Ontario.
I feel like giving my testimony and a little of my past experience. Ten years ago I came to the Lord as a lost sinner, and when I was willing to forsake all, Jesus sweetly saved my soul. I was baptized and then the preacher asked me to join his “church.” I did not want to at first but he prevailed upon me and I became a member of the sect called the Mennonite Brethren in Christ. I remained a faithful member for about five years, when my brother discerned the truth on the “one body” and he commenced to talk to me, but I said that I would not leave my “church” until the Lord led me out. I would not yield; for I said I was not going to be led out by man. But one day about a year after as I was working in the field the question came to me, Would I be willing to walk in all the light of God’s word as he showed me? I said, “Yes, Lord; I will”; and oh, how the Lord did let the light in upon my soul! Praise the Lord for leading me in a plain path! I could understand what Luke meant when he said, “Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures.” -- Luke 24:45. I told the preacher to take my name off their class-book and then they said that I was a backslider and many more things, but praise God! They said it falsely. Oh, praise the Lord for this precious way! When I got clear out of sectism the Lord commenced leading me and showing me how he wanted me to trust him and take him for my counselor in all things. He showed me that I must take him for my Healer, and praise the Lord! I have found him to be true to his promises in every case. He gives me perfect victory in soul and body over all the power of the enemy. Oh, how I love to praise the Lord for all he has done for me! I just feel like saying with David of old, “Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me bless his holy name.” Oh, how good it is to follow the Lord in perfect submission, where we can sing with the poet, “Where he leads me I will follow, I’ll go with him all the way.” I ask the saints everywhere to pray for me that the Lord may keep me humble, and lead me continually.
David Zinn.
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906 Woodbridge St., St. Paul, Minnesota.
God has wonderfully manifested his healing power to me and my family which, I trust, will encourage the readers of The Gospel Trumpet to know no other physician than the Lord. I promised the Lord when he healed me that I would send my testimony to the Trumpet, so my aim is to glorify God. During this past year, while preaching for the Free Methodist sect, I first met a family of the saints. The church building I was preaching in stood upon one corner of their farm, they having been members of it before coming into the light. The brotherly love and real earnestness in presenting the whole truth impressed me most of all. It drew me to them. I felt like sitting at their feet to learn more of the blessed truth we heard. When we heard the saints were to hold a camp-meeting within a “stone’s throw” of our church, wife and I decided to attend, regardless of the talk it would cause amongst the people we had served.
From the very first moment we entered the camp till the last day we felt we were in our right place and amongst God’s called-out people. The preaching we heard just suited us. No oratorical attempts but a constant outpouring of Bible truth, eloquent in themselves. It filled us up. It satisfied us. It made Satan mad. He made several attempts to defeat God’s work by laying sickness upon several. I was taken sick while there with a severe bilious attack. After being anointed with oil and prayed for, God healed me and I soon recovered strength again. But two weeks after this Satan came again to try us because we had accepted this whole truth. This time he came very severely. First our little girl, two and one-half years old was taken very sick with cholera infant and almost immediately I was taken deathly sick with what was called the bloody dysentery. Wife also being sick in bed. The whole family (four of us) on sick-beds. How Satan must have gloried! How he tried us! But God gave us victory. Blessed be his name!
After the end of one week of suffering God heard us and delivered us out of all our troubles. Sister Lena Shoftner anointed and laid hands on our little girl and God raised her up. Sister Flora Rotzoll prayed for me and God’s healing virtue swept through my thin and fever-racked body and made me well from that moment. I soon recovered strength and flesh again and now feel like a new being. Praise God for the victory and the lessons learned through the trial!
Among many lessons learned one I consider most important, that of caring for our bodies. God’s word declares that we should do so. We ought to be careful and use judgment to select only such food as we know will agree with us, and not simply eat to satisfy lust, which I consider a sin. The Lord wonderfully supplied all our needs -- gave us food, money, and all necessary things, while the dear saints nursed and ministered unto us. Praise God! Now we are devoting all our time and strength to his service.
At present we are located in St. Paul, Minn., where we have opened a mission. How we praise God for leading us out of sectism! How we enjoy this blessed evening light! Pray, dear saints, that God may use us to his honor and glory and to the salvation of many precious souls.
Wm. B. and Maud Hawkinson.
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Molehill, West Virginia.
I feel that it is the will of God that I should give my testimony in regard to what the Lord in his goodness is doing for me. I gave my heart to God when I was thirteen years old and joined the M. E. sect. I was a member for more than fifteen years, but many times I was not satisfied with my experience. I plainly saw that something was wrong, but I could not get the light on God’s word that my soul longed for; hence at times dark clouds would arise in my spiritual sky. During that time I married a man that was not saved, but vainly hoped he soon would get saved. He was a great Bible reader, and he took objections to all sects, yet he was always kind to me and showed great respect for my religious views. I continued to seek knowledge from above, and as I had been sprinkled for baptism I learned that I had not been baptized. I felt that I could not remain with a sect that taught three different modes of water-baptism. I wanted to obey the Lord in that command. I heard a Campbellite preacher preaching from John 15, and he taught that Christ was the vine and God’s children the branches, also that they were not a sect but were the one body -- the real kingdom, and he preached holiness. I realized that I was a child of God, that I was dead to sin, and I wanted to be buried with Christ in baptism, and immediately I obeyed that command. That was twenty-five years ago, and since then my spiritual sky has been clear. I have always looked unto Jesus the author and finisher of my faith and fully trusted the Lord in all things, but by reading some of the literature of that denomination became deluded in the belief that I was out of Babylon.
We lived in Ohio at that time, but soon after we moved to West Virginia, where we were too far from any congregation to attend meeting, but, praise God! Jesus never forsakes those that love him and keep his commandments, and although my lot was cast with wicked and false professors and many times I was very sick, yet in sickness or health I trusted in God and he enabled me to endure all things in Patience, and gave me joy and victory in my soul. The time came when occasionally I had opportunity to meet with the people that I then believed were the children of God. I gladly accepted those opportunities and by that means I soon found that they did not measure to the word of God, that they had built on a sandy foundation, and that very few (if any) of them had any salvation. The Word says, “Be not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: . . . Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate;” hence I would not stay among them. God in his goodness kept me sweetly saved in Jesus, but then I did not have the clear light I was asking for on all of his word; hence I made a deeper consecration; I placed everything on the altar. I told the Lord I was ready for any call from him; whatever work he had for me to do, I was ready as soon as I heard the call. I was perfectly resigned to his will and asked him to keep me sweetly filled with his Holy Spirit and give me all the light on his word that it was his will I should have. He wonderfully blessed my soul and showed me that to be clear out of Babylon I must confess before men that I had come out of her. I made that confession before a large audience; and oh, how sweetly I realized that Christ had made me free and I was free indeed, and quickly I received the light I lacked before.
I at once took the Lord for my physician and during the last year he has healed me several times. For the past month I have been much afflicted. At times I am much better, then not so well, but I am perfectly resigned. I am asking the Lord to heal me according to his will, and praise his holly name! his grace has been sufficient for me. I ask all the dear saints to pray for my healing and that I may continue to abound in the work of the Lord, and that the work of the Lord may go forward in this community with greater power than ever before, for the evening light still grows brighter.
Mrs. L. M. McMullen.
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“A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favor rather than silver and gold.”
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Divine Healing.
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God Is With His Obedient People.
“The Lord is with you while ye be with him; and if ye seek him, he will be found of you; but if ye forsake him, he will forsake you . . . When they in their trouble did turn unto the Lord God of Israel, and sought him, he was found of them.” -- 2nd Chronicles 15:2-4.
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Healed of the Grip.
I do praise God for the privilege of testifying for Jesus through the columns of the Trumpet, which I have been receiving since last May. I am saved and praising the dear Lord for what he has done for me and is doing. He wonderfully blesses and keeps me. Praise his dear name forever! He is my Savior, Sanctifier, and Keeper; my Physician when I am sick; yea, my all in all. I am so glad that I know I am in the church of the living God. The devil has no bands or straps on me. The Word says, “Whosoever the Son maketh free, is free indeed.” Oh, halleluiah! I am so glad I am free.
J. T. Marcum
Barada, Nebr.
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Healed Without Drugs.
Praise God for his healing power! I am saved and healed. On September 11, I was taken sick with typhoid fever. We called in a sister and I was anointed and prayed for and was somewhat eased in my body, but I was not satisfied. We sent for an anointed handkerchief which came soon, was applied, and the work was done. A short time after taking the fever our daughter was taken sick with the same disease. A sister anointed and prayed for her and she was healed. It is six years since we were saved, and we take the Lord for our physician. Praise God for his healing power! Pray for us.
N. J. Wilson.
Rossmoyne, Pennsylvania,
December 10, 1900.
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Healed of the Grip.
I am praising the Lord to-day for salvation that saves and keeps me from all sin. On November 20, I was stricken down to my bed with the grip and I called on the Lord for two days and nights to heal me and it seemed I could get no help. At last while lying in my bed praying the thought came to me like this: Well now, if I was a sinner and came to the Lord and pleaded with him to save me as much as I have to heal me, he would have saved me long ago, and why am I not healed? The next thought was, Except ye see signs and wonders ye will not believe, and I said, “Yes, Lord, I will believe without a sign or a wonder or any such thing.” So I continued praying for a time and promised the Lord I would believe without a sign, and arose and made my bed, went down-stairs, and helped to prepare the supper. I sat down to the table for the first time since I was taken sick and ate a very good meal, and kept feeling better all the time. By the next morning every symptom of the grip was gone. I was able to go around the house and I had not even a headache. I never got over the grip before under two or three weeks, and oftener five weeks. It seems so simple when we can trust the Lord. I had a terrible sore throat. I could hardly speak or swallow and God healed that too. Bless God for the pure gospel! I love the straight test of it, and am determined to follow Jesus, cost what it may. Pray that I may ever be a living witness for Jesus. Amen.
Etta Bremner.
Plevna, Ontario.
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Healed of a Complication of Diseases.
I must tell you of the wonderful goodness of the Lord to me, now he keeps me and heals me. The dear Lord permitted me to pass through affliction and while I was passing through it he taught me wonderful lessons, and I do praise him for the afflictions, also his dealings with me. I had liver, heart, and spinal trouble and I was very weak. I had been sick two months. I was not among the saints at that time, but I trusted the Lord for health enough to go where the saints had prayer-meeting, and the Lord wonderfully manifested his healing power. I give him all the glory! But the devil tried me about my healing. It was a week before I got the victory over the devil, but I knew the work was done. Praise God! I am gaining right along. I have gone four miles to meeting for a week. The dear Lord kept me each day in my weakness. He is my strength. Now, dear ones, do not be discouraged when you are tried, because a trial of your faith is more precious than gold. The Lord is going to have a tried people. If we stand the trials and tests, then we will be stronger to fight the battle the next time. I praise the Lord for his loving-kindness to me. I know that I am saved and healed by the mighty power of God. I trust this will do some one else good. Pray for me.
Lenora Gahman.
Chanute, Kansas.
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LOVE.
By William E. Warren.
“But as touching brotherly love ye need not that I write unto you: for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another.” -- 1st Thessalonians 4:9. I believe this is one of the most precious themes in the Bible, and when we are once in possession of love, nothing would induce us to change it for the trifling vanities of this world. There is nothing to be compared to it. Hear what Solomon the wise man has to say about this love. “Set me as a seal upon thine heart, as a seal upon thine arm: for love is strong as death; jealousy is cruel as the grave: the coals thereof are coals of fire, which hath a most vehement flame. Many waters can not quench love, neither can the floods drown it: if a man would give all the substance of his house for love, it would utterly be contemned.” -- Song of Solomon 8:6, 7.
Love is God’s propelling power in man, that causes him to rise above the tide of this dark and sinful world, with all of its gay, hollow enjoyments. When God saw this world hopelessly lost in confusion and sin, he gave his only Son as a ransom for us all. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.” -- John 3:16, 17. Here is the point. God did not send his Son to condemn the world. Why? Because the world was condemned already. It needed no greater condemnation than it already had. Man, in his fallen state, is helpless. He is lost; he is doomed to despair; he knows it. He already feels the horror of his future destiny and he knows unless something is done for him, he will soon sink into the awful vortex of eternal despair. Brethren, let us be careful about condemning. As we have obtain favor and mercy from God, so let us be kind and merciful to those in sin and condemnation. I feel that the love of God in me, and the love of God in you, will approach this world with a spirit of love and kindness, that will show to them that we are interested in them, and our only object in life is to do them good, and help them out of the cruel bondage which they are in. To be sure we love the truth, and since man’s heart has been so depraved by sin, his life has become so crooked and perverse, that the truth poured out upon him any other way than in real love would drive him farther away, instead of winning him to Christ.
Some dear brethren in the past have thought that they were not accomplishing anything unless they could hurl some awful blast against sectarianism, thinking, I suppose, that they had to batter and pound the thing to pieces in order to get God’s people out. Brethren, it is wrong to stir up a community by using slang phrases against Babylon. Surely Babylon is wrong, and utterly condemned by the Word, but while this is true, let us be careful that we first show the dear people something better than they already have, and if we can not, I think our place is at home until we prove our calling. The prophet says, “How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings.” We should first show the people something better than they have. Let us remember that we too were sometimes foolish, disobedient, and groping our way in darkness. Suppose some one had come to our community and used harsh words, and hard sayings, would it have won us to the truth? No, no. It is not so much perhaps what you say, but it is the way in which it is said. So many times poor souls are driven farther into despair, because real carefulness has not been used to win their poor souls to Christ. I do not mean that we should compromise the truth. No; but let all our words be seasoned with love. You might get too much seasoning in your daily food to suit the taste, but you can not get too much love in your preaching and spoil it. The more the better. Now if we do not use kindness and love, we misrepresent Christ instead of representing him.
I have been in places where the church question has been preached in such a way, that it has brought a disgust to most everybody in the community. Brethren, I say this kind of work is misleading and only devastation follows in the wake of all such preaching. I feel that the church, the beautiful bride of Christ, when preached in love and wisdom from on high, is one of the most precious themes in the Bible to turn sinners from sin and God’s people out of sectism. So when you preach the church preach it in love and preach it understandingly, and I know it surely will be effectual in winning souls to Christ.
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The Flock of God.
By Alvin J. Ellison.
In many places the Bible student will find the people of God, or church, signified by the term “flock,” as in the first text to which we shall refer.
WHAT CONSTITUTES THIS FLOCK?
“And ye my sheep, the flock of my pasture, are men.” -- Ezekiel 34:31. This text proves, firstly, that God has a flock, and, secondly, that it is constituted of mankind. But not the whole of mankind, as is set forth in the corrupt doctrine of universalism; if not, then it remains for us to prove by the word of God, just what portion of mankind does constitute this flock. This we will find by reading in John 10:27. “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.” By this text we understand that God’s flock comprises only that portion of mankind which hear the voice of the Son of God, and follow him; that is, live a life of righteousness as he lived. This fact is set forth more forcibly and clearly in the following text: “For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth.” -- 1st Peter 2:21, 22. Therefore the flock of God is composed of only those who hear the voice of Jesus and follow his steps in a sinless life, and speak no guile.
Many who even profess to be Christians object to these precious truths, and say that they do not believe we can live as these scriptures have taught us. But Jesus has told us why they do not believe. “Ye believe not because ye are not of my sheep.” -- John 10:26. Here we have the reason given why men do not believe these sublime truths! Because they are not of his sheep. Truths are not too strong for his sheep. “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them and they follow me.” “He that is of God heareth God’s words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God.” -- John 8:47. These are clear facts, spoken by our loving Savior,
THE SHEPHERD OF THE SHEEP.
Jesus, in speaking of himself in John 10:11, said, “I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.” The Hebrew writer calls him “that great shepherd of the sheep.” -- Hebrews 13:20. Peter calls him “the chief shepherd.” -- 1st Peter 5:4. These terms (great and chief) are used, because he is head over all and has made minor shepherds of his ministers, whom the Lord used to feed the flock. See 1st Peter 5:2.
THE SHEPHERD’S CARE FOR THE FLOCK.
This feature is beautifully set forth in the 23rd Psalm. “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me, Thou prepareth a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil: my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” One of the chief ways to discern the shepherd’s care for his flock, will be to learn how he feeds them. “I will feed them in a good pasture.” -- Ezekiel 34:14. In order that all may be properly fed, he has set shepherds (ministers) over the several local congregations to attend to this work. In Acts 20:28 we read, “Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.” Also in 1st Peter 5:1-4 we read: “The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed: feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; neither as being lords over God’s heritage, but being ensamples to the flock, And when the chief shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.” By these texts we can behold the great care of the shepherd, in preparing a way whereby the flock may be fed.
NUMBER OF FOLDS.
“And other sheep I have which are not of this fold [Jewish]: them also I must bring; and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.” -- John 10:16. The door of this fold is the Lord himself. “Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep.” -- Verse 7. In verse 9 he again declares himself to be the door, and says, “By me if any man enter in, he shall be saved.” In order for the sheep to get into this fold, they must enter in by the door (Jesus Christ). And by so entering, they lose all their sins, and go in robed in white. It hath been said by those who are in error, that there are “black sheep in all folds.” This erroneous language can be applied to the dead, formal, and sinful creeds of sectism, but to count God’s flock one of this number is but blasphemy. For in this flock the sheep are neither black (sinful) or whitewashed (hypocritical), but washed white in the all-cleansing blood of the blessed Lord. Reader, do you belong to this flock?
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