The Gospel Trumpet, August 1, 1901

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The Gospel Trumpet

Volume 21, Issue 30, August 1, 1901

(Articles of interest only)

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Returning Home.

By Otto Bolds.

Angel of mercy, oh, wilt thou lead back?

Oh, lead to my own Father’s place ...

Back to him who will not turn me away,

But clasp in his loving embrace.

Go thou before me, ‘tell Father I come,

All laden with sorrow and grief;

Tell him I long to once more be at home,

And find on his bosom relief.

Tell him I’ve yielded to Satan’s device,

Been caught in the enemy’s snare;

I am not worthy his son to be called,

Nor of his nice blessings to share.

Tell him I’m sorry I’ve grieved his dear heart

And wasted the grace once bestowed;

Ask him in mercy to welcome me home.

And take from my heart this great load.

Father, I come with my poor broken heart,

Oh, pardon the wrongs I have done!

Take me again in thy tenderest care,

And help me all evil to shun.

Now I remember thy promise so dear.

To all who will come unto thee:

Thou wilt shew mercy and not turn away,

Give pardon abundant and free.

Father, no longer thy Word will I doubt,

Thy promise so dear I believe:

Jesus now taketh my sins all away,

Thy pardon so free I receive.

Now I’m at home in the bosom of God ...

At home to no more go astray;

Father, I’ll serve thee with heart pure and true,

And dwell in thy presence always.

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An Open Door.

By J. E. Forrest.

          “These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth. . . Behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it.” ... Revelation 8:7, 8. A blessed truth is contained in the foregoing words. The door is open and the invitation is: “Come, for all things are now ready,” and “Whosoever will, let him come.” Jesus has opened the door for all who will enter in; but alas! The multitudes have not opened the door for Jesus. He says “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.” ... Revelation 3:20.

          The sad difference between the two doors (Christ’s door and the door of our hearts) is that Christ’s door is open and ready to receive the sinner, while that of the poor sinner is shut and will not open. Jesus is declaring, “I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved.” ... John 10:9. It is evident that when we enter into Jesus’ door we are in safe keeping; for he says of such: “He shall be saved.” Some try to have people enter other doors, claiming that by so doing they are safe, or at home, or in the house of God. These doors are opened and closed by human hands and not by the finger of God. Jesus declares in unmistakable words, “I am the door.” Let us learn where we get when we enter Christ’s door. Paul wrote “Unto the church of the Thessalonians which is in God the Father and in the Lord Jesus Christ.” ... 1^st Thessalonians 1:1. “Abide in me, and I in you.” ... John 15:4. These texts teach that saved men are in Christ. “For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ. For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body.” ... 1^st Corinthians 12:12, 13. This body is “Christ’s body, which is the church.” “And gave him [Christ] to be head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him which filleth all in all.” ... Ephesians 1:22, 23. “Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body’s sake, which is the church.” ... Colossians 1:24.

          “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved.” This plainly and positively harmonizes with Christ’s words, “I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved.” The one is “he that believeth,” and the other, if he “enter in,” he shall be saved; so the two mean the same. None can enter into Christ but those that believe. All the saved are in Christ (the church).

          The walls of this Zion are salvation (Isaiah 60:18) and those without salvation are standing without the walls. Those thinking to get into this church by joining a sect are sadly deceived. “Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he can not enter into the kingdom of God.” ... John 3:5. “And of Zion [the church] it shall be said, This and that man was born in her.” ... Psalms 87:5. O sinner, do not wait until some preacher opens the door of his sect and invites you to join the church, but hasten to the door already open (Christ the door to his body the church), and enter while it remains open; for a time will come when that door will be forever closed and no man can open it. Flee at once to this place of safety, lest thou be found weeping and wailing and accusing thyself of lost opportunities, only to cry in vain. “When once the master of the house is risen up, and has shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto me; and he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence ye are: . . . Depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrust out.” ... Luke 13:25-28. Remember that the Bible does not say there will be weeping because some will be in the Methodist or Baptist church and others left out; but that certain ones shall be in the kingdom of God and others left out. Let me urge you, my beloved reader, to strive to enter in at the door which places you into the true church of God. It stands open to-day; to-morrow it may close with you forever. Human hands can not turn the key to let you in, no matter how dear they may be to you. “To-day is the day of salvation.” By believing the truth you may to-day be born into the kingdom of God. “Behold, I have set before thee an open door.”

          O sinner, what excuse will you have in the great judgment day? The door is open and Christ is knocking; will you enter in?

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A Pricking Brier.

By Emil Kreutz.

          “And there shall be no more a pricking brier unto the house of Israel, nor any grieving thorn of all that are round about them, that despise them; and they shall know that I am the Lord God.” ... Ezekiel 28:24. God has begun the cleansing of his land ... the church, or sanctuary ... and he will not cease to lay judgment to the line and righteousness to the plummet until he has accomplished this end. When God gave the children of Israel the land of Canaan, they were to drive out all the inhabitants of the land, destroy all their pictures and molten images, and quite pluck down all their high places. Then they were to divide the land for an inheritance among them. It was told them that if they would not drive out the inhabitants of the land, those they let remain should be pricks in their eyes and thorns in their sides, and should vex them in the land. See Numbers 33:51-56.

          This is an example and warning to us in this reformation of God’s church. Religious people of to-day have only a form of godliness ... “pictures, images, and high places” ... not the real thing, but only a pretense. Their churches (sects) resemble the true church of God, in appearance, as a picture of image would the real thing itself. These we are to destroy by giving the people the real thing itself, the true church of God. While they feignedly and ignorantly worship God the same as the Athenians did in Paul’s time, we are to teach them to worship in the true knowledge of God, in “Spirit and in truth.” Those Canaanites were uncircumcised; they served the flesh and worshiped idols. The sectarians to-day are uncircumcised in heart. (I am not speaking of those few of God’s people who are among them, and whom God is calling out; but of the masses of professors of the Christian religion.) By their fruits we know them. They bear the fruit of the flesh (Galatians 5:19-21) and say themselves that they can never cease from sin. The circumcised in heart, or regenerated, live free from sin (Romans 6:17, 18, 22) and bear the fruits of the Spirit. ... Galatians 5:22-24.

          By the experience of entire cleansing, or sanctification, God is purging his sanctuary, restoring his church to her primitive purity. He promises her that there will be a time when there will not be a pricking brier nor a grieving thorn to his people. Those uncircumcised in heart were to be the thorns and briers to God’s people in other ages; even so now, “one sinner destroyed much good” by his wicked influence, if he is permitted to have a place among God’s people. I pray God to make the fire so hot that the sinners in Zion will be afraid, and fearfulness surprise the hypocrites. There has been a time when it could be said that “the best of them is as a brier: the most upright is sharper than a thorn hedge.” ... Micah 7:4. This is true of every sectarian to-day. I do not mean God’s people who are in sectism, but the sectarians. But God is calling his people out.

          The devil would impose upon God’s people by sending some of his votaries of sectarian heresies and falsities among God’s people, by way of compromise. If judgment is not executed against such, and they are not made to get a real Bible experience ...  a real work of grace wrought in the heart by the Spirit ... but are permitted to slip through and be acknowledged by God’s people, they will become briers and thorns to the spirituality of God’s work. How often has this been the case! Let us profit by the past. I thank God that the Word says: “I saw the Lord standing upon the altar.” ... Amos 9:1. The Lord himself is undertaking this work. Blessed be his name! He says there will not be such permitted among his people. “When I shall have gathered the house of Israel from the people among whom they are scattered, and shall be sanctified in them, . . . Then shall they dwell in their land [the state of holiness] that I have given to my servant Jacob. And they shall dwell safely therein [or, with confidence ... margin], and shall build houses, and plant vineyards; yea, they shall dwell with confidence [when will this be?], when I [God] have executed judgments upon all those that despised them round about them [and he will go through the briers and thorns, he will burn them together. See Isaiah 27:4]; and they shall know that I am the Lord their God.” ... Ezekiel 28:25, 26.

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Singing With The Spirit.

          If we are to “sing with the spirit” we must sing something that runs in the line of spiritual direction. “Psalms, and hymns, and spiritual songs,” which breathe the atmosphere of heaven, and embody the thoughts which come through the moving of the Holy Ghost, may be sung “with the spirit.” But songs which do not embody truth, hymns which are destitute of sound and solid sense, or which embody thoughts not sanctioned by the Holy Ghost, can hardly be sung with the spirit.

          The apostle also declares that we should sing “with the understanding;” but if one is to sing “with the understanding,” then the singing must be something that can be understood. The words must be intelligible. How can one sing “with the understanding” when the very words themselves sound like a compound of Chinese and Choctaw, and when perhaps hardly a sentence is the entire hymn is intelligible? How can one sing “with the understanding” when three or four voices are singing as many different words, the whole forming a mass of unintelligible words? If we are to sing “with the understanding,” we are to understand what we are singing, and make every word intelligible to those who hear and join in the praise. We have heard hymns sung which would seem to require three or four pairs of ears, that one might hear and comprehend the sense of the words sung by those who sung the different parts.

          Furthermore, if we are to sing “with the understanding,” not only must the words be intelligible, but the ideas must be scriptural. It is not enough to understand what words are used, but we must understand what the words mean; for not a few of the hymns and songs which are sung at the present time, if translated into prose would simply be insufferable rant and nonsense. People who sing should inquire, “What am I singing about? What do these words mean? Do they mean anything? Or are they simply jingling phrases, set together only for rhythm and rhyme?

          And if the words are intelligible it is proper to inquire, Are they scriptural? For there are many hymns which are sung which are entirely unscriptural, if they are not even anti-scriptural. It is said that fools rush in where angels fear to tread, and there are not a few of rhymes and hymns which make statements, and advance as facts, fancies which no sensible teacher in his sober moments would dare to present before a congregation. This is termed poetic license; but when we come with songs into the presence of the Almighty God to worship him, poetic license and poetic lies are equally out of place.

          The first requisite for acceptable song is to “let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly, with all wisdom.” When we comply with this condition, then we can speak to ourselves “in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs.” Then if we sing the things which are declared and taught in the scriptures of truth, the singing will not be an exhibition of mere vocal gymnastics, or graceless warbling, but will be the earnest outpouring of divine truth, welling up from devout and chastened hearts, in honor of him who has brought us out of the horrible pit and the miry clay, and has put a new song in our mouths, even praise to our God.

...Selected.

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The Pots In The Lord’s House.

By Emil Kreutz.

          “And the pots in the Lord’s house shall be like the bowls before the altar. Yea, every pot in Jerusalem and in Judea shall be holiness unto the Lord of hosts.” ... Zechariah 14:20, 21. This prophecy was written for us and is fulfilled in our day. Some perhaps would apply it to their fancied millennium; but not so: the prophet prophesies of the grace that should come to us. The Lord’s house is the church of the living God in this New Testament dispensation. The pots are the individuals, or vessels, used to serve therein. Every member is used to serve the other, as we are “members one of another.” “None of us liveth to himself.” ... Romans 14:7. We are to please our neighbor for his good unto edification. To prove the above statement let me quote you a few New Testament texts. “But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.” ... 1^st Timothy 3:15. This is sufficient to prove that the house of the Lord is the church. “Ye also are builded together for an habitation [house] of God through the Spirit.” ... Ephesians 2:22. See also Hebrews 3:6. God’s church, or house, is a great house. I know of none greater. In 2^nd Timothy 2:20 we learn that in a great house there are many kinds of vessels ... of gold, silver, wood, earth, stone, etc. “If a man therefore purge himself from these [the things described in verse 16, and those individuals who, like Hymenaeus and Philetus, err from the truth, teaching heresy], he shall be a vessel unto honor, sanctified, and meet for the Master’s use, and prepared unto every good work.” ... Verse 21. Here we see that men are called vessels “meet for the Master’s use.” Again, “But we have this treasure in earthen vessels,” viz., the glory of God revealing the image of Christ in our souls, who is the “hope of glory.” ... 2^nd Corinthians 4:6, 7; 3:18. Still again, “For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, . . . That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel [body] in sanctification and honor.” ... 1^st Thessalonians 4:3, 4.

          We see very readily by these scriptures that we as individuals are called vessels; consequently we are the pots referred to in our text ... “pots in the Lord’s house.” We feel safe in applying the term “pots” to the most ignoble vessels used in God’s service, as a comparison from the Jewish worship. The expression, “pots in the Lord’s house,” like the bowls before the altar, is a wonderful promise to us. The bowls before the altar were the vessels used to receive the blood when the Jews offered sacrifices, and were held very sacred. So, the Lord now promises to make the most ignoble vessel in his scriptural house (1^st Peter 2:5, 9) as sacred as the most precious vessels during the sacrificial dispensation. The gospel day has better thing all around. Praise the Lord!

          Let us see some other promises that harmonize with this. “And he that is feeble among them at that day shall be as David.” ... Zechariah 12:8. Jesus said that the least in the kingdom of God was greater than John the Baptist, and that he was the greatest of all the Old Testament prophets. See Matthew 11:11; Luke 7:28. “I will make a man more precious than fine gold.” ... Isaiah 13:12; 30:26. “The light of the sun shall be sevenfold, as the light of seven days.” These promises have special application to us in the closing of this gospel dispensation. Notice that it would be in the day (viz., the evening time) when the Lord bindeth up the breach of his people and “healeth the stroke of their wound.” It would be when there would be no more “the Canaanite in the house of the Lord of hosts;” I. e., those uncircumcised in heart, or the unregenerate ... when God would cleanse his sanctuary from such. “Yea, every pot in Jerusalem [New Testament city, or church] and in Judah [God’s spiritual people] shall be holiness unto the Lord of hosts.” ... See Isaiah 4:3 and 60:21 for scriptures that harmonize with this.

          And all they that sacrifice [See Psalms 51:17; Hebrews 13:15] shall come and take of them, and seethe therein.” ... Zechariah 14:21. This foretells the exclusiveness of this reformation of gospel truth. There is no going back to the literal sacrifice, whether it be to the Jewish, Babylonish, or any other ... none will meet the approval of God. “Whoso will not come up of all the families of the earth unto Jerusalem [God’s spiritual city] to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, even upon them shall be no rain.” ... Zechariah 14:17. See the rain that is referred to ... Ezekiel 34:26; Acts 3:19. The Lord will hasten it in his time. Blessed be his name!

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Known by Their Fruits.

By J. M. Harrington.

          “Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.” ... Matthew 7:20. The question is often asked: “Who are the people of God?” Jesus Christ, the preacher who excels all others and has power and authority, has given us to understand how to know God’s people, namely, by their fruit; this is the try-square.

          Some say we preach too straight and radical, and that we should have more love for the people. The fact is, it is love that causes us to preach plain. No one could preach plainer than Jesus Christ. What says the prophet? ... “Judgment also will I lay to the line, and righteousness to the plummet: and the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters shall overflow the hiding-place.” ... Isaiah 28:17. Here is a prophetic truth relating to Christ and his manner of preaching. He has used the strongest term language could express in reference to straight, radical preaching. Let us now appeal to some of his preaching in the New Testament.

          “Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree can not bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.” ... Matthew 7:16-18. Here Jesus does not dodge the question of straight living, but plainly gives us to understand that if we are bearing fruit condemned by God’s Word, it is on account of our being the wrong kind of tree, namely, a corrupt tree. If I see a man drinking, swearing, etc.; or acting deceitfully, I need not try to do as some, I. E., just cover it over, saying we must have more love, and overlook the mistakes. It is true, we should overlook each other’s mistakes; but remember, the thing you do willfully (knowing that God condemns it), is not a mistake; but it is a sin, and it separates you from God. Hence, “By their fruits ye shall know them.” We are not known by our prayers, nor by our preaching or testifying, but by our fruit ... the life we live. If some are in the dark and are ignorant of what the Bible says, we can make some allowance for them; but if we know the truth and fail to obey it, we can not have salvation.

          There are those who once laid off their worldly trappings, laid aside their gold, all because the Word says do so; but now they have it on again and still profess to be saints. To such we say: We do not doubt your profession, but we do doubt your salvation. When you do those things condemned by the Word after knowing the truth, you are bearing the wrong kind of fruit; hence are a bad tree.

          In Babylon, they say this: I know I make many crooked paths and do things I should not do, and leave undone things I ought to do. But such is not the cry in Zion (church of God). One of the strongest rules in God’s church is: “Make straight paths for your feet.” Christ, the governor of the church, is so good and reasonable that he will not require anything of us we can not do. When he tells us to follow him, he knows that we can by his assisting grace. There is no use of our first being up, then down. This is uncalled for, and there is no need of our having such a time. If this is our experience there is something wrong in our case. Remember, the unsaved are watching you; your children are watching you; they read you more than they read their Bibles, many times, and we should live so that they can see good fruit. They will acknowledge that our fruits are such as will convince the gainsayer in the sectarian realm. All manner of sin is carried on in these things ... such conduct as will make the non-professor blush; yet they just cover it over. The preacher will not say anything about it on account of his salary. I thank God that he has a people who will preach the truth at any cost. I would rather have the approval of God on me than the approval of all this world.

          The apostle John gives us to understand that those that commit sin are of the devil. ... 1^st John 3:8. It matters not who it is ... the elder, deacon, class-leader, or any one; if he commits sin he is not a child of God. Yet ministers tell you that all men sin. If that were true, all would be of the devil. One may say: If God’s children only include those who live without sin, there are very few of them. The Word says, “Fear not, little flock;” and again, “Few there be that find it.”

          Were we to measure Christianity by the number of professions, we would conclude the world was full of Christians; but when we use the rule that Christ uses, we find them very few, comparatively speaking. Men say they must keep up with the world. We admit this to be true with the great mass of professors of to-day; but the possessors (God’s children), do not; like their pattern, or leader, they are not of this world. John 18:36. Neither are his children of the world. John 15:16-19. Look at the professors of to-day; you can not tell them from the non-professors. They will be found at shows, fairs, dances, festivals, and all these things; but remember, the people of God are separate from the world. They may be a by-word in the mouths of popular professors; yet they do not become discouraged, but rejoice because they are worthy to suffer for Christ. They remember that this salvation was not esteemed by the aristocratic scribes and Pharisees, and that he has said: “If they do these things in a green tree, what shall be done in the dry?”

          Now, my dear professor, may God help you to see that a mere profession will avail you nothing in this world, nor in the world to come. Death and the judgment are too solemn to be met with a mere profession. Christ wants you to have a real experience of salvation. Then you can hear the welcome applause: “Come, thou good and faithful servant.” “Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.”

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Blessed Are the Hungry.

By W. W. Titley.

          The hungry are earnestly longing to be filled and satisfied. The perfectly satisfied are they who have pressed the battle on and gained the perfect rest of soul provided through the cleansing blood of the everlasting covenant. May the Lord God help every one who realizes a lack in any way to redouble his diligence; for the diligent soul shall be made fat. I am impressed to exhort you to contend for the faith. Souls who desire to follow the Lamb must arm themselves with the same mind. He had a mind to be about his Father’s business. The King’s business requires haste, which shows no lack of sincerity and plenty of zeal and energy. God does not deal with us in a slack, careless way; he comes as swift as the lightning to the truly penitent soul, to lift him from the awful pit. While this experience is essential to our peace with God, there must be a constant, earnest forward move for God, or the enemy will steal a march on us, and defeat and disaster will follow. Ere the foe has been made subject to God there is danger of denying the blessed Christ of God, as did Peter; but while he had to wait three years for this experience, we need not go hungry so long before we get the filling as taught that we must have: “He that hath my commandments and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me.” “This is the will of God, even your sanctification.”

          “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy Word is truth.” To the earnest souls that are desiring, longing, and hungering after the fullness, I would suggest that you read any good book or article, and when you come to a scriptural reference get the Bible and read it over, also any connecting verses that would be helpful. I find that the Spirit of God will witness to our souls more forcibly and effectively the real import of Scripture by reading it for ourselves. Then we are better equipped; because we can, by a continual practice of this, become so acquainted with the Word that we can be teachers, able to instruct others more perfectly in the way of truth. God does not give this experience to selfish souls, but to those who will use the energy of their being for the welfare of their fellow men. When we get the proper conviction ... and this comes by a real pressing forward ... and earnestly call upon God, he will accept the offering that is perfect and blameless, by sending the holy fire to consume everything unlike heaven, giving us a clear and transparent experience in him ... one that will cause our hungering to cease. We are then ready to do service for the King.

          If we would retain the Spirit and power of God, we must use the time so that every moment is fully taken up in thoughts, words, or deeds that will make us strong and useful in this vineyard of the Lord where there is so much to do. You who are lacking the fullness, continue to search and read the Word on this line until your faith grasps the promise and you stand not by some man’s wisdom, but by a settled, fixed, positive faith. With the Word of eternal truth for a foundation, we shall be able to stand. When earthly sorrow, strife, and trouble of every kind are surging around and seem to cover us, we can say with David: “Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed.” Praise God for the settling and establishing process of divine grace that has taken place in the souls of those who have tasted Canaan’s sweet fruit.

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OBEDIENCE.

By Willis Pelton.

          Obedience to God and his Word not only brings salvation to the soul (Hebrews 5:9), but it enables a person to keep it, no matter what the circumstances may be or how strong the evil influences may be against us. If we are perfectly obedient, God will never fail to carry us through all safe. It is one thing to get saved and another thing to keep saved. If God is able to save a person, he is just as able to keep him in that condition; not only one day, but every day in the year. Luke 1:74, 75. But it is on condition that we obey him. People sometimes start out to serve God and in a short time fall away. This certainly must be because of a lack of obedience. Saul remained king as long as he obeyed God; but when he disobeyed God by sparing a part of the enemy’s possessions, etc., then God utterly rejected him. See the fifteenth chapter of First Samuel. The person that expects to ever gain heaven must come to God’s terms. If we try to bring him to our terms, having an unwillingness in our hearts to obey him in all things, the result will be fears and delusions. The prophet speaks thus of people of this kind: “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.” ... Isaiah 66:4. “But if thou shalt indeed obey his voice, and do all that I speak; then I will be an enemy unto thine enemies, and an adversary unto thy adversaries.” ... Exodus 23:22. To obey his voice and do all he commands means simply to do just what he tells us in his Word, which is the same as him speaking to us. The same results will follow those who obey it, as ever did. “But be ye doers of the Word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.: ... James 1:22.

          We can read and have a good understanding of God’s Word and listen to it as it is preached in all its purity; but remember, if we fail on just the one point of putting it into practice, it will profit us nothing. Obedience is the delight of a true child of God, but is very irksome to those with a form of godliness without the power. Such only obey from a point of duty instead of having the love of God to prompt them. “Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: and the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.” ... Matthew 7:24, 25. The result of obedience is, we “shall eat he good of the land” (Isaiah 1:19), and the result of disobedience is, we “shall be devoured with the sword: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.” ... Verse 20.

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Our Walk

By Annie Shipley.

          “Furthermore then we beseech you, brethren, and exhort you by the Lord Jesus, that as ye have received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God, so ye would abound more and more.” ... 1^st Thessalonians 4:1. Paul had just been writing to the Thessalonian brethren in the third chapter and tenth verse how that he had been praying that he might see them, and perfect that which was lacking in their faith. In verse 12, 13 he exhorts them “to increase and abound in love one toward another, and toward all men, . . . To the end he may establish your hearts unblamable in holiness before God.” Then he begins the fourth chapter by saying: “Furthermore then we beseech you, brethren, and exhort you by the Lord Jesus, that as ye have received of us how ye ought to walk [unblamable in holiness] and to please God, so ye would abound more and more.”

          How different from this is the walk of many who profess to be Christians! Instead of walking in holiness they testify that they make many crooked paths and do many things they ought not. Peter says: “For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revelings, banqueting, abominable idolatries: wherein they think it strange that ye run not to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you.” ... 1^st Peter 4:3, 4. Peter says we walked in these in time past. “Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.” ... Romans 6:4. When we repent of our sins we become “a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” ... 2^nd Corinthians 5:17. Then we “walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” ... Romans 8:1. In time past we loved to go to places of revelry, such as picnics, shows, church socials, and such like (Galatians 5:21); but now we are walking “in the fear of the Lord, and the comfort of the Holy Ghost.” ... Acts 9:31.

          Dear fellow travelers to the bar of God, how has your walk been? Can you truly say you have “walked with God?” Genesis 5:24; 6:9. Or in looking back do you see many crooked places in your path? If so, Jesus is able to make your path straight and the rough way smooth. Luke 3:5. We have but two roads to travel in our journey through this life. We are walking in that narrow way leading unto life (Matthew 7:14), which Isaiah calls an highway, and says: “It shall be called The Way of Holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it; but it shall be for those: the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein. No lion shall be there, nor any ravenous beast shall go up thereon, it shall not be found there; but the redeemed shall walk there” (Isaiah 35:8, 9) ... or else we are walking in that broad way which Jesus said leads to destruction. Matthew 7:13. Dear saints, if we say we abide in him, we ought “to walk even as he walked.” ... 1^st John 2:6.

          “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 from all sin. Amen.

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“Godliness is Profitable.”

By R. Rothman.

          The child of God as he journeys along the road to heaven, being troubled and sorrowful through the oppressions of Satan, is apt to undervalue the benefits derived from a holy life in this world. He looks to the future, and realizes that God’s glorious heaven will amply repay him for his hardships here; but a little consideration of the matter will convince us that godliness is profitable in this world as well as in the world to come. A soul that is purified in the blood of Jesus Christ and walking in the light of his commandments, is the most beautiful object in this world. The wisdom of God is more precious than the gems of earth. When one has the victory over sin, God looks upon him as greater than the men who by great leadership conquer nations. A life of purity constantly increases the vitality and mental powers of men. The happiness which God places in us is one of the most effective preventives of disease, and an unexcelled promoter of long life. The centering of our affections on such a stable and glorious Being as God, has a tendency to make us firm for the right, constant, unmovable in the line of duty, and, in fact, causes us to become each day more and more like the Perfect Man. On the other hand, the sinner is continually growing more pitiable in the sight of eternity; his body is being destroyed by sin, his mind alienated more and more from God and the right; each day requires a deeper draught of folly to satisfy his morbid appetites; and instead of looking forward to the bright heaven of the Christian, his conscience, if not too hardened to respond, convinces him that endless woe awaits his wretched soul.

          One of the most profitable things connected with a godly walk lies in the attitude we assume toward our Creator. I have sometimes wondered why God required the observance of so many ordinances and laws by the Jews. God himself received no benefit from their numberless sacrifices; but the obedient Jews did. Nothing will promote our happiness more than the thought that we are in submission to our heavenly Father. Did you ever see a truly happy home in which the children were disobedient to their parents? On the other hand, what is more pleasant than a household in which each member fills his proper place, giving honor where honor is due, and each bearing the other’s burdens. The ungodly person is like a rebellious person in a home. He injures himself and makes others uncomfortable. He deprives himself of needed protection and counsel. If he persists in his folly, he must go from bad to worse; for one in the evil way can never stand still ... it is a steep descent.

          When one sets aside the blessed Word of God he robs himself of the grandest things God ever gave to the human race. He changes this world from a precious preparatory room for eternity, into a Godless, haphazard world of chance. Instead of treading the paths of life in joyful consciousness of a Father overhead who cares for him and loves him dearly, he walks with his heart desolate of all spiritual comfort. No man can afford to doubt any of God’s Word. The saints have much for which to be thankful, in that God in this last reformation has led his people out far from the deadly vapors of infidelity, and has placed in their hearts a living faith in his Word. When we read of the spread of infidelity among professing Christians, and especially among the world at large, we feel like one safe above a world of horror. Praise God for the privilege of walking with Jesus in his holy way! We have God’s Word for it that “godliness is profitable unto all things;” now we will quote from the New York Post to show that ungodliness is not profitable even in this world.

          “We believe it to be susceptible of demonstration that the late extraordinary and deplorable increase of crime ... an increase more palpable every day, crowding with its record the columns of the public prints, and sickening the soul with its endless detail and novelty of horror, is largely due to the growth of materialism, or what is termed infidelity; and that mainly in the reaction from the skeptical drift of the time lies the path of wholesome reform.

          “The fruit of unbelief among the upper or wealthy classes is sensuality.  Those classes get to worship, instead of their maker, the pleasures of the moment. They bow down to rich food and fine clothes and enervating amusements. They make goddesses of women who possess mere physical beauty. Their hearts are set on yachts and race-courses and theatres and operas. What is given, in a word, to soften life, to lend grace and sparkle and color to the plot and monotone of existence, such persons make its sole object and aim. Thus they become of earth, earthy, and all that is spiritual and exalted dies out of their souls. One after another the commandments are broken as they stand in the way of the desire, and a shameful ruin is left at last in place of what might have been a perfect temple; a shattered and sated voluptuary, in place of a noble, perfected human being.

          “Among the poorer and less educated ranks of society the deadly poison of living only for a day is even more directly disastrous. The rich can gratify their passions without, as a rule, in a legal sense, coming in conflict with the rights of others. But the needy, unrestrained by any fear of future account, and thinking only to ‘eat and drink, for to-morrow we die,’ drive straight on to crime. That this is no idle assertion can be abundantly proved. A careful survey of the murders, suicides, and other great felonies committed in the chief cities of the United States during the last ten years, shows that a heavy fraction of the perpetrators were atheists and free-thinkers. These unhappy persons, persuaded that life is the be-all and end-all here, imagine that they can jump the life to come. A collection of the letters and other papers often left by criminals, when anticipating death, shows a fearful number of instances, some of which many readers will recall, of absolute disbelief in the existence of a God or in penalties for sins committed in this life to be exacted in a future one.”

          When we see the awful results of disbelieving the Word of God, it should make us resolve to be more devoted to him and truer to his Word than ever before. Dear ones, it does not pay to tamper with the evils of the world. If you feel at all dissatisfied with the strait and narrow way and feel your desires going out for the pleasures of sin, beware! Instead of obeying the suggestions of Satan, you should rather dig deeper into the riches of grace, until your soul becomes once more as a watered garden, and the path of the just again fully satisfies you. Remember that God says, “For godliness is profitable unto all things: having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come.”

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In Everything Give Thanks.

          Living as we do by the mercy of God, sharing in his constant bounty and kind protection, sure that his ever watchful Providence will not suffer a hair of our heads to perish, and will deal in tenderness and mercy with us, why should we not “in everything give thanks” to him? The bounties of his providence, the blessings of his grace, the consolations of his Spirit all call for thanksgiving. The sorrows which we are spared, the afflictions which we escape, the mercies that crown our days, all demand perpetual praises and thanksgiving.

          Why should we waste our time in murmuring and complaining? Why should we dishonor our Lord by fault-finding and repining? Let us come to him and confess with shame our misdoings. Let us drop our burdens at the cross, and bear a song away ... a song of praise and thanksgiving for mercies past, a song of joyful hope of better things to come ... a song of salvation to him who hath loved us and washed us from our sins in his own blood, and made us unto our God kings and priests to reign on the earth.

... Selected.

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Questions Answered.

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          Question: In 1^st Corinthians 13:9, 10, does Paul speak of a holy life in entire sanctification, or does he speak of the judgment day?

          Answer: The verses read as follows: “For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.” While there is evidently a clearer understanding of spiritual things in the experience of entire sanctification than in justification, there is a sense in which this statement can be applied to the quick and spiritual nature of the sanctified ... for this experience is certainly a Pentecostal one in many respects. Yet, in consideration of the preceding and following verses, we see that Paul had in mind a time when prophecies, tongues, and knowledge shall have an end, for all these have their use for the benefit of the church in this world; but charity is a grace which continues to exist through all eternity. It will never fail. Sanctification is a state of perfect love; but the perfect love is in respect to quality, in this life, and there will come a time when we shall stand face to face with Jesus and enjoy in every respect “that which is perfect.” Then that which is in part shall be done away.

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          Question: Does Matthew 5:18 speak of the old Law?

          Answer: The verse reads: “For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.” Jesus evidently had in mind the old law, for in the previous verses he associates the law with the prophets. He came not to destroy, but to fulfill. His mission on earth fulfilled it completely. He paid the penalty for the broken law by his death on the cross; then after his resurrection he said to his disciples, “These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the Psalms, concerning me.” ... Leviticus 24:44.

          Thus the law was fulfilled in Christ, and consequently is canceled. The law was but a promissory note which God gave through Moses. Christ came and paid off the note, making an end of every obligation of the same. He came to fulfill, and thus the old law has an end in Christ. He not only fulfilled every obligation of God in the law, but also every obligation and claim which the law held upon man. “For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.” ... Romans 10:4.

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          Question: Will you please explain through the Trumpet where scripture is found upholding altar work? Many people do not believe in bowing down to a mourner’s bench.

          Answer: According to the Word of God Christ is the New Testament altar. “By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.” ... Hebrews 13:15. We do not bow down to a mourner’s bench, nor to any thing but God. No one having a knowledge of true worship would bow down to anything but God. We may bow down at a bench or chair or tree, or almost anything, at certain times when we pray; but we do not bow down to any of these things. A bench or one or more chairs are often convenient to gather around in a public meeting where seekers can meet with the teachers and instructors, in prayer and waiting upon God. It would be just as well to bow down at any chair, bench, or seat in the congregation as somewhere in front, if there were enough room, or if just as convenient. But it has often been proved by the ministers and gospel workers in general that it is convenient and proper to have a place in the front of the congregation to gather together in prayer when there are seekers for any of the gospel graces, and who are desirous to pray or be prayed for. Because this form of prayer is used in sectism does not make it wrong for the saints to use it. No doubt it is often improperly used just as is often the case with prayer itself. All who worship God in spirit and in truth will know the proper use of all things that are scriptural and consistent.

H. W. B.

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REGARDING WOMEN.

          Question: Will you please define by the scriptures woman’s position regarding preaching the gospel?

J. C. R.

          Answer: The devil is doing all he can to hinder the work of God and stop the mouths of those who are filled with the Word and Spirit, and push out as mouth-pieces those whom God never sent. The quickest way to solve this problem is to leave off the wo and see how the scriptures define man’s position regarding preaching, because man is the common term used in scripture representing the whole human family to whom the scriptures are addressed and for whom they are written. When you have learned man’s position, add wo to man and you have woman’s position.

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          Question: Is there any special restriction concerning a married woman just because she is married?

J. C. R.

          Answer: No; except household duties (see 1^st Corinthians 7:34), which, if rightly performed, do detract from spiritual responsibilities, as most married people realize. Also in such cases where there is more than one living companion (1^st Timothy 3:2), or where the character of companion or children is not in keeping with 1^st Timothy 3:11, 12; Titus 1:6.

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          Question: Must a saved woman do only the religious work that her unsaved husband fully sanctions?

J. C. R.

          Answer: The likes and dislike of the wicked can not in all cases circumscribe the deeds of the righteous. See Acts 4:19. It is right to obey God and do all the good we can whether an unsaved husband sanctions it or not. “Wives, obey your husbands,” has been twisted to justify wrong or refraining from doing good to please the unsaved. But for a woman to neglect her husband and children, assuming to help others, will not give general satisfaction. God will not give responsibilities in opposition. There are some close points on the line of consistency when we remember the wife is expected to win her husband.

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          Question: Do women fill the full requirements of elders in the church?

          Answer: Yes; when the essentials in character, abilities, circumstances, and gifts of the Spirit are present. Remember, the Spirit of God in one is not in opposition to the exercise of the gifts of the Spirit in others. Amen.

George L. Cole.

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LABOR UNIONS.

          A brother in Canada desires us to set forth in the Trumpet the attitude God requires us to take toward labor unions. The Word says: “Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? And what communion hath light with darkness?” ... 2^nd Corinthians 6:14. We take this to forbid all unnecessary yoking up with the institutions of this world. The labor unions have many things in themselves to win the approval of the men of the world; likewise do all the institutions of Babylon appear right to the carnally-minded. Were it not for the unions the lot of the laboring classes would not be as pleasant as it is; at the same time the unions claim credit for advantages which are the result of circumstances, and of the law of supply and demand. When capitalists organize to promote their interests at the expense of the working man, he must organize to defend himself. But God’s people in olden times were a peculiar people unto himself, and he forbade their mixing and becoming one with the nations round about. It is the same to-day; experience proves that association with secret societies means spiritual death to the soul, sooner or later, if persisted in. Labor unions are secret societies; one is supposed to keep as secrets many of their proceedings. Besides, labor unions are frequently controlled by unscrupulous men who lack wisdom, and place men under bondage. Very often a strike is ordered because of some petty grievance, and the men are thrown out of employment, sometimes for months, requiring them to consume the sorely needed savings of years.

          God has promised to supply the needs of his people when they obey his Words. It is possible for honest, industrious men to earn a comfortable living without becoming yoked up with ungodly men, and their lives of purity and righteousness will prove of much more value to the world at large than would their joining a union. We repeat, from a worldly standpoint the unions are good things; but to the Christian who desires to follow in the steps of his Master, they may prove a cause of your spiritual death. Seek the glory of God in this matter.

R. R.

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The Pleasure of the Lord.

By R. Rothman.

          “Delight thyself also in the Lord; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.” ... Psalms 37:4. In this verse the Lord invites us to find pleasure in him; to delight ourselves in his goodness. To make a success of the Christian life it is as necessary for us to learn of and enjoy the pleasures that there are in God, as to observe his other commandments. There are many promises in the precious Word which give us to understand that the Christian life is meant by God to be one of surpassing joy. Everlasting joy is to be upon our heads; sorrow and sighing are to flee away; our peace is to be as an ever-flowing river. The devil makes it his business to keep us from finding delight in God; but it is our privilege to rejoice in the Lord always; yea, it is our duty. We can not imagine the apostles going around with their heads down, and “enduring” salvation. Nay, their heads were anointed with the oil of gladness, and a song of praise and thanksgiving was ever in their heart. When cast into an inner prison, Paul and Silas prayed and sang praises unto God.

          There are many things for the children of God to delight in. One of the most precious of these is the love of Christ. The apostle Paul knew the sweetness of this divine love, and he encourages us to find what God has in store for us, in these words: “That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; and to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fullness of God.” ... Ephesians 3:17-19. It is the desire of most children of God to be filled with his fullness. One way to secure this filling is to delight in the love of Christ; “and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.”

          Another source of great delight is the Word of God. A good way to test our spirituality is to examine ourselves to see how much we relish the Words of truth. When we can say with David, “How sweet are thy words unto my taste! Yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth!” (Psalms 119:103), we may feel assured that we are walking in the light. One of the humorous writers of the day gives an incident of an old lady acquaintance of his who found consolation in the Bible at all times, whether she opened the book at Genesis or Revelation. He thought it very strange that she could find comfort from the Words of God, no matter where she found them. He regarded it a curious example of simplicity on her part. But all God’s people know that when they are as spiritual as they should be, all the Word of God is sweet to their taste, and they can get delight and profit from every page.

          Another source of delight is in doing the will of God. One of the most exquisite pleasures of a true lover is to give pleasure to the loved one. So if we have our affections centered on God it will be our delight to obey him. “And I will delight myself in thy commandments, which I have loved.” ... Psalms 119:47. To obey his Father, was one of the greatest pleasures of our Savior. “I delight to do thy will.” “My meat is to do the will of him that sent me.” The doctrine of justification by faith has been carried to extremes among most Protestant churches of to-day. The teaching is generally one-sided. God’s part is held up to the almost entire exclusion of man’s part. It is all faith, and no works. But faith and works must go together to attain the experience that the Bible holds out. “For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.” ... James 2:26. The church is the bride of Christ; again, Christ is spoken of as a husband to his church. Those sects which set at naught the commandments of Christ and trust their salvation on “naked faith,” as they call it, are like a wife that stays at home and idly wastes her time, while the husband is away toiling hard to meet the expenses of the family. She occasionally praises him to his face, and does not hesitate to speak of his goodness to the neighbors. God’s children who obey his Word, meanwhile trusting fully in the merits of Christ’s death for salvation from sin, are like a wife who takes hold of the work and is a good helper to her husband. Because she herself is a faithful worker, she is better able to appreciate her husband’s efforts, and a word of praise from her lips is precious to him. God does not delight in a church that throws its own responsibility on him; but he wants us to be diligent in his service, that we may be found in peace, without spot and blameless.

          Another source of delight lies in the child relationship with God. Too many Christians are inclined to look upon God as did the Jews ... as Jehovah. Instead, he desires that we consider him as our Father, which, of course, he is if we are in Christ. Surely the Lord, who made man and placed within him all the tender affections of human nature, must have a wonderful amount of love for his dear children who love and serve him. This he truly has; he doth love us with an everlasting love. But to enjoy the love of God we must firmly believe that he does love us. An earthly father may love his child with all the warmth of his nature; but if that child doubts his love and goes off and cherishes the idea that father does not love him, his father’s love will be almost entirely wasted on him. We can deprive ourselves of much joy simply by disbelieving God’s love for us.

          The fellowship of the children of God, is another source of delight. As we read the letters of the apostle Paul we are impressed with the tenderness and warmth of his love to the brethren. This was pleasing to God. Peter says: “And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.” ... 1^st Peter 4:8. In reading the history of the early church we find many instances of this pure brotherly love manifested. Jesus says, “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one for another.” To the humble soul there are a great many things in the Christian life to bring exquisite delight ... pleasures that contain no taint of bitterness. With Hope singing in our hearts, we look forward with rapture to the bright ages beyond, when these mortal bodies that are now subject to disease and death shall have put on immortality and the glorious incorruption of the sons of God; when the sorrows and temptations of life will have been forever left behind; when we shall be as the angels of heaven, bright with the glory of the Lord of light, and fully satisfied with the eternal riches of our Maker and Redeemer. Dear ones, when the way seems discouraging, instead of turning back into the world, look upward; for discouragements are not from God. He will put a glad, new song in thy mouth, even praises to the Lord, and thou shalt be satisfied with his goodness. Amen.

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Our Liberty.

By Nina C. Smith.

          For some days God has put a stir in my soul to speak of his goodness to us, in calling us out from the awful abominations of the wicked one and making us “free” in Christ Jesus. God help us who have been called into this liberty to abide in the hope of our calling; to prove ourselves loyal to Christ and his cause, and “use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh.”

          In these perilous times, when the adversary is working through his most cunning devices to deceive souls, we observe how he is seeking to use some of the ministers and gospel workers to accomplish his deadly work. Dear ones in Christ, unless we guard against his movements, keep securely hid away in God, with our eyes upon him alone who has become the author and finisher of our faith, Satan’s subtle devices will come against us in an unguarded moment, and instead of looking direct to God to supply all our needs, we will get to looking here and there to human help, both for our financial supply and the applause and favor of men. His next step will be to cause us to ease up on sending forth the Word that will cut off crooked professors and separate the precious from the vile, thus courting, in a way, their approval of us and their help, instead of God, to support the work. It soon brings leanness into the soul, the prosperity of the church to a low ebb, and a spiritual dearth follows. If the providence of God removes us from them, we find that, resulting from our labors, their eyes have been more upon us than upon the eternal Refuge, him who is able to cause them to stand. They find themselves without a definite, personal experience, and finally lose confidence in us altogether, thus becoming fit subjects for the enemy to use to put forth some spurious work, and to enter into all his deceivableness. Afterward, when the straight Word of God comes to their hearing they call it harsh, and call for “love, love,” and can only be soothed by a sickening, assumed charity that will lull them deeper into a death sleep from which they may never awaken until the judgment.

          Let us become awakened to these awful facts, and now as never before deal in honesty with souls. Let us not fear to trust God, but stand by the old landmarks, and teach the whole Word of God on an uncompromising line, and faithfully trust ourselves and the result with him. And may his grace prove sufficient and his Spirit quicken us to be indeed living epistles, to put on the whole armor of God, and to keep it bright by a faithful service, and ourselves unspotted from the world. May God put an eternal rebuke in the hearts of his ministers against compromise on all lines, and enable his saints to live for his glory and the uttermost salvation of precious souls, thus proving to a dying world the glorious liberty of the children of God.

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News from the Field.

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          May the richest blessings of God abide upon each member of the body of Christ. We are at this place filling our position in the church, holding meetings on the street twice on Sunday and also through the week. This is a new field and there is plenty to do. Some are accepting the truth, but many reject it. Many people have religion, but few have salvation. Pray God to open the people’s hearts to receive the truth. We are saved and sanctified and kept in good health.

W. A. Downer and Wife.

Bridgeton, New Jersey, July 16.

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          We are glad to report victory for the Lord. We came here last winter and bought a home and have been working with our hands to meet the payment this fall. We have been talking to the people every Sunday about Jesus and his power to save from sin. Some are being saved, others are being convinced of the truth. Some are coming out of Babylon. One man who was a Baptist preacher came out of her and is now preaching holiness. We need more laborers in southern Mississippi and would like to have some of God’s ministers come and help us. Pray that the Lord direct us in the way of all truth, and that we speak the Word with all boldness.

J. H. Watkins.

Lacey, Mississippi, July 23.

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          Dearly beloved Saints: greeting. We are glad to report victory over all sin. Halleluiah! The meeting at Serena, Louisiana was a grand success. Much prejudice was removed. Attendance was good on both Lord’s days. Three were baptized. Ministers present: B. M. Teekell, Mary Baber, I. S. Crouth. I. S. Crouth was ordained as elder of the church of God at Serena. H. C. Holland was ordained deacon of the same church. The outlook is very good for a meeting-house this year. Pray much for us. I am, as ever, your saved and sanctified brother in the gospel work,

R. H. Owens.

Sherwood, Louisiana, July 24.

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          We are here in the midst of the assembly of the saints, where the Lord is opening the windows of heaven upon us and pouring out blessings, for which our hearts praise him. The Word is having its effect on the hearts of the people and saints are praising God for the school of Christ. Sinners are being cut to the heart and honest souls are being delivered. We have arranged the Atlanta meeting for October 18-28. It will be during the Fair when there will be reduced rates for twenty days, and we expect to have a good representation of workers in the South. I expect to return to Alabama from here, spending a few days in Augusta on my way. Yours in holy love,

R. J. Smith.

Blackville, South Carolina, July 26.

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          We have just closed our camp-meeting, which was a very good meeting, though it seemed all the powers of darkness were turned loose against it. In spite of all the devil could do, some were delivered from the power of Satan to serve the living God. Three were baptized. The interest in the meeting was better at the last. I think the final result of the meeting will be the salvation of many souls. I would say to the brethren who travel through this part that the people here would be very glad to have you stop and hold a meeting. You will be cared for and will find plenty of friends. Brother W. T. Seeton and myself will start for Oklahoma, God willing, to be gone about six weeks.

James D. Ferrill.

Wade, Indian Territory, July 16.

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          We are saved and kept by power divine. It is wonderful how God keeps and provides for us in these perilous times. We are alone here and surrounded by sin on every hand. Those who have rejected the light try in every conceivable way to turn us away from the truth; but the Lord has promised sufficient grace for every trial, and that he will be with us even to the end. We had meetings here twenty-four evening. Brothers Bright and Underhill and Sister Cornelia Bateman were present. The truth went forth in mighty power. A great many acknowledged it to be the Bible standard, yet were not willing to accept it and walk in the light. Like Pharaoh of old, they hardened their hearts. I never before realized so much how little people think of their soul’s worth. This seems to cause them the least concern and to be less in importance than anything else they think of; yet every day they are getting nearer to the final judgment. How sad, yet how true! “Every second, sad to tell, counts another soul in hell.” Pray that the dear Lord keep us low down at his feet, doing his will in all things.

J. F. and Allie Spencer.

Calvert, Kansas, July 17.

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          We wish to report God’s goodness to us. Brother Adams and myself received a call to come six miles south of Doniphan, Missouri, to assist in an assembly-meeting. Some discord was found, which was dealt with according to the Word. The power of God witnessed to it and made it a perfect success. The brethren from Poynor took part with us in the washing of one another’s feet and the partaking of the bread and wine. Brother Adams, Brother and Sister Ball, and myself then went six miles north to Carpenter Chapel and held two services with good interest. Considering the small congregation, we think much good was done in Jesus’ name. From there we went five miles south of Asherville and held three services in a Methodist meeting-house with good interest. We trust it will bring forth fruit to the glory of God. We then went to Sikeston, where we found the Pack brothers in the unity of the faith, striving together for the faith of the gospel. A seven days’ meeting was held with victory from beginning to end. Nine precious souls found the Lord in the pardoning of their sins. Five of them went on to perfection and obtained sanctification. Eight precious souls followed the Lord in the ordinance of baptism, the Lord witnessing to the same with mighty power. During our return from the baptismal service one of the sisters that had been baptized took her fashionable hat, stripped it of flowers and lace, and strewing them along the road, returned home praising God with a plain hat. We had a precious ordinance-service in which fifteen partook and were happy in so doing. We arrived at this place last evening, where we will hold meeting a week or ten days.

J. C. Barker.

East Prairie, Missouri, July 17.

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          I can again report victory in the precious name of Jesus over the powers of darkness. We commenced meeting at this place July 6 and closed to-day with a precious victory on the Lord’s side. Three dear souls were buried with Christ in baptism, five came to be justified and five, sanctified. We believe they all received the experience. May God bless them and ever keep them true to him. Babylon held a five days’ meeting within two miles of the saints’ meeting at this place, and her preachers tried to keep the people from coming to the saints’ meeting, but did not succeed in their effort. No doubt they may have prevailed with a few, but the congregations kept increasing, and the truth went forth with the approval of God upon it, until hearts were melted to the truth. May God bless the little church he has planted at this place and add to it such as will do his precious will. Brother L. V. Strickland and other brethren were present. We now return home, where we expect to enjoy a feast of heavenly graces at the camp-meeting on the saints’ camp-ground, twelve miles east of Hammond Louisiana. We ask the prayers of the saints in behalf of the Lord’s work here in the South.

F. M. Williamson,

Oakohay, Mississippi, July 14.

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Testimonies.

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          I am thanking God for victory and sweet peace within my soul. I am searching the Word of God and am receiving light, for which I give God all the glory. I also thank him for the blessed privilege of attending the Grand Junction camp-meeting this year for the first time, and for the way that he brought it about that I might attend. I am thankful for the benefits I received in hearing the sermons and meeting with the dear ones. Pray that I may ever be kept humble, doing God’s will in all things.

Cora Leversee.

Kendall, Michigan.

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          I am praising the Lord for salvation. I am dead to this world and my desire is to live for God the rest of my days and stand up for his truth in these perilous times; for we see men and women, professing to know God, spend more time in the service of the world than in the service of God. The same old serpent that deceived Eve is in the world to-day. God told Adam and Eve if they eat of the forbidden fruit they would die. The serpent said unto the woman, “Ye shall not surely die.” God’s Word says, “Be ye holy; for I am holy.” Yet there are preachers who will deny that we can live a holy life. Dear saints, let us put on the whole armor of God and stand true to him. Pray for me.

Mattie Walker.

Morrisville, Missouri.

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          I am saved and trusting in the Lord for all things. The Word says, “Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivereth him out of them all.” This has really been our case. Wife and I have both been afflicted at different times this summer, but we have been healed, and that without medicine. The children have been healed also. We have not had any one to preach for us since last fall. If any of the brethren from the North going to or returning from the Atlanta assembly could stop over and hold a few days’ meeting we would be glad. If any one can come, write me at Athens, Tennessee, some time in advance, so that we can have the meeting published. This country is badly in need of real Holy Ghost preaching. Your saved brother,

C. G. Guffey.

Athens, Tennessee.

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          My heart is filled with praise to God for the grace he gives in keeping me from the snares of the devil; for truly I am saved and kept by the power of God. He is my comforter at all times. It has been nine years since I first received the light on God’s Word. It found me in sect Babylon, penned up and a sinner; but I saw the light and was ready to walk in it. Since Christ made me free I have had no desire to go back into sect confusion. I am standing all alone. I live so near many of the sect churches that I can hear the bells ringing all around me. But I sit not in the seat of the scornful. “I have not sat with vain persons, neither will I go in with dissemblers. I have hated the congregation of evil doers; and will not sit with the wicked” (Psalms 26); for “blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.” ... Psalms 1:1.

Jane Hinton.

Danville, Illinois.

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Obituary.

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          BROWN. ... Mrs. Justina Brown died June 23. After six months of suffering and affliction the Lord saw fit to take her home to himself and the loved ones gone before. The deceased was a Christian for forty years, and had wandered about from mountain to hill; but fourteen years ago she, with her husband and son, found our resting-place in Jesus. When we heard the voice from heaven, saying “Come out of her, my people,” we gladly obeyed. We miss her sweet smiles and the sunshine of her presence, but we know that our loss is her eternal gain; for we have every reason to believe that she was fully prepared to go. While we deeply mourn for our beloved wife and mother, we bow in submission and say, “Thy will be done.”

A. M. Brown and Son.

Fair Play, Missouri.

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Divine Healing.

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Questions on Divine Healing Answered.

By J. W. Byers.

          Question: I believe in divine healing, but Christ said (John 14:12, 13), “The works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do.” These promises are for believers. Will you explain why all manner of diseases are not healed, the blind eyes opened, and the dead raised to-day, just as when Jesus was upon earth?

          Answer: The promise referred to in John 14:12, 13 does not only have reference to healing and miracles, but to salvation and all other works of faith. We see that these works were done by the apostles to a greater extent than by Jesus himself, which is certainly a fulfillment of the promise, in the morning of the gospel day. There are various reasons why these works are not done to the same extent to-day. The church has not yet reached the degree of faith and power, in this evening time of the gospel day, that was realized in the morning. But we can thank God and take courage for what we do realize. The sick are healed, blind eyes have been opened, and many other manifestations of the power and presence of God are most certainly realized in the church at this present time. As we sink into the depths of apostolic humility, the church in this evening time will rise to the plain of apostolic faith and power.

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          Question: I have heard preachers preach divine healing when they themselves were diseased. Why are they not healed? I am afraid there is a stolen wedge or Babylonish garment hid somewhere in the camp.

          Answer: Every true minister of the gospel will preach divine healing because it is a Bible truth, even though the minister himself may not possess the full benefits of it at all times. It is no reliable evidence that a minister or any child of God is out of the order of God simply because he or she is sick. Sickness is not always the result of sin on the part of an individual, although frequently, and perhaps in the majority of cases of sickness or disease, it may be such; but the apostle James teaches us that we may be sick without committed sins being the cause of sickness. “The prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.” This clearly implies that sickness may come upon us without us having committed sins. Therefore, it is improper for us to cast any reflection upon the spiritual condition of any one simply because he is sick. There is no doubt but that sin, the sin of Adam, was the original cause of sickness in the world; for if sin had not entered into the world there would not have followed the sad results of sickness, disease, and death. In cases where individual sin is or has been the direct or indirect cause of sickness, all such sin must be repented of before God can be expected to hear.

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          Question: Why do you think that sickness comes from the devil? Does it not come from natural causes?

          Answer: It is believed that sickness comes from the devil because he is the source of everything that is an enemy to the human race. God sometimes permits sickness to come upon his children, and the experience received on the part of the child of God in sickness is often found to be a blessing because of the exercise of faith and patience necessary to obtain healing. The same is true in any kind of trial or temptation ... the faith and prayer necessary to overcome the trial will bring many blessings to such as are exercised thereby, although the source of the trial and temptation is Satan himself, who would overcome and destroy every child of God. It is Satan who tempts and afflicts; it is God who permits these things to come upon us. It is not the temptation or affliction that is the blessing to the child of God, but it is the deliverance from these things, through the vigorous exercise of the God-given means.

          The experience of Job teaches us that Satan through the permission of God was the source of all the evils through which this servant of God was called to pass. This child possessed with the dumb and deaf spirit (Mark 9:17) was afflicted by Satan. Jesus spake to the afflicting spirit and commanded him to come out, and the child was healed. The woman who had a spirit of infirmity (Luke 13:11) was healed by the Great Physician, though she had been bound by Satan eighteen years. Peter testifies to Cornelius and his household (Acts 10:33) of the life and ministry of Jesus, who was anointed of God with the Holy Ghost and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were possessed of the devil; for God was with him. These scriptures plainly teach us that Satan is the author of sickness and disease. In such scriptures as Exodus 15:26, where it reads as though God is the author of disease, it is evident that it is in a permissive sense. Therefore it is scriptural that Satan is the author of sickness, and it has not had its origin in any natural causes.

          There is no room for question that nature has been materially affected by the fall, and in this respect sickness may in some instances be a natural result from a natural cause, because of the present effect that the fall has had upon nature, and the advantage Satan has obtained through the fall in nature; but the original cause of every evil can be traced directly to Satan. Notwithstanding this, we can see that nature, through the merciful provision of God, possesses a certain degree of healing power which is certainly a great blessing to the suffering race. The laws of nature should be studied and conformed to by every intelligent being. The results would be beneficial to mankind. It is right and proper that we recognize the provisions of God in nature. We can be thankful to God also for the knowledge that has been given to man, which, if properly made use of, proves a blessing. All the help that can be effected by any natural remedies in a natural way should not be ignored, but recognized as a blessing to such of the poor, suffering race as have not found the benefits of the grace of God.

          But natural healing is not divine healing. Sickness having come into the world through the fall, the only remedy far-reaching enough to cover the needs of humanity, is grace. God manifested his interest in, and cared for, his people in the old dispensation, by providing for their healing and health, through his covenant of love and mercy. Exodus 15:26. This, like all other blessings and provisions of that day, was only a shadow of what should come through Christ. But now he has provided redemption grace in Christ, who “himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses.”

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Felon Healed.

          I have been healed at different times through divine power. Every finger on my left hand is stiff. This was caused by a bone felon which I had the doctor to attend to. This was last year. This year another felon started on my right hand. I turned this case over to my dear Savior. He took the felon away. That is all I did for it. I promised the Lord I would give him the glory if he would heal me. I ask the prayers of God’s saints that I may be kept humble and ever doing my Savior’s will.

D. Jones.

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Child Healed of Fever.

          God has been our physician for the past year and a half, and has healed us many times. To him be all the glory. Our baby had been sick for about eight days, and grew worse until it seemed he could not be with us much longer. But we trusted the Lord to heal the child. A brother came to our home and we had him anointed in the name of the Lord and prayed for him. The baby began to perspire while we were praying. The fever left in a few minutes and did not return. I never saw so much improvement in any one. Praise the Lord forever! The little fellow is well and happy to-day. We give God all the glory.

Sarah F. Deen.

Leroy, Georgia,

July 15.

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Prayer Answered.

          I desire to praise God for his healing power manifested to me. Praise his holy name forever! I have been very sick for about three weeks, and was trusting the Lord for healing. I grew so much worse that I had some one write and request prayer. I commenced getting better the next afternoon, and the day after that was well. Praise the Lord for victory! I felt all the time that it was a trial which the Lord was permitting me to have. There are no saints here, but the Lord wonderfully strengthened me, and I truly rejoice in Christ for the victory over Satan and disease. The dear Lord has saved and sanctified me, and I am all out for God. I praise the Lord that I ever saw the clear light. Pray God that I may ever be humble and do my Master’s will.

Margaret Greene.

Somerset, Kentucky.

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Prayed Earnestly.

          Dear Saints of God: greeting in Jesus’ name. To-day finds me rejoicing in a Savior’s love. I would like to tell a little of my experience in regard to what the Lord has done for me. In the fall of 1898 I became very sick and coughed most of the time. I believe consumption was preying upon my body.

          After a time I became awakened to my weakness and prayed earnestly to God. I received the witness that I should be healed. Shortly after I was anointed according to James 5:14, 15, and God did the work then and there. I truly praise his holy name for his goodness toward me.

          Since that time I have been otherwise afflicted. I know not what the affliction is, but the Word says: “Is any among you afflicted? Let him pray.” I have prayed earnestly to God and have received a witness that I should be healed. Saints of God, be agreed with me that God remove this affliction from my body. I believe he will do the work. Praise his holy name! I have been saved about six years, and have proved the Lord and found him true. I thank God for this straight and narrow way. I intend by his grace and help to keep in it. May God bless the saints everywhere, is my prayer.

Nettie S. Howe.

Zula, Oklahoma.

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No Use for Medicine.

          I will testify to the healing of our little girl, Stella. After we had given her up into the hands of the Lord it was not more than an hour before there was a change for the better. Our eldest boy had brought a doctor and he had left her some medicine; but she was getting worse and was in much pain. But after we gave her up to God he had compassion on us and answered prayers. I went to her and asked her if she would trust the doctor to heal her, and I shall never forget her answer ... “Mother, I want the Lord to heal me.” With tears I told her the Lord should heal her and should have the glory for it. So I threw the medicine out and knelt beside her and begged the Lord not to forsake us, though we were few in number. True to his precious promises, he gave us the victory. In a little while she was so much better that she called for something to eat. My heart was filled to overflowing with joy. She had not tasted food for twenty-four hours, besides, she was weak from having the measles. I brought her some bread and butter, which she ate heartily. By the next day she was able to sit up and eat her dinner at the table, for which we give God the praise. I promised the Lord if he would heal her I would testify to it. I will keep my promise, as he has kept his to me. Praise his holy name!

          It has been over a year since I took the Lord for my physician, and I can truly say that I have had better health than for twenty years before. I was subject to neuralgia in my head and would suffer for hours. I took medicine to help me, only to have it again in a few days. The Lord has healed me, for I seldom have a slight headache. Praise God! He will help his children in every time of need if they will only trust him.

Minnie Groves.

Gillespieville, Ohio,

July 14.

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Much to Praise God For.

          We are praising God for salvation and for his saving, keeping, and healing power. We can truly say the eternal God is our refuge and underneath are the everlasting arms. We want to praise and glorify God by telling of some of his wonderful dealings with us. First of all, we praise him for his great love and compassion in saving our poor souls. Nine years ago God for Christ’s sake forgave my sins and healed my body when I was near death’s door. Praise his name! He afterward sanctified my nature. Since that time he has been my healer for both soul and body. To speak of all the healing God has done in our family for the past nine years would take up too much space. Last June at the camp-meeting at Grand Junction God healed me of a cancer in my side. Praise his name! Last winter my daughter’s little baby had cholera infantum, having fits. We took it to God in prayer and he healed her. But God saw fit to let us be tried, and bowel trouble appeared. A brother came and prayed with us and she was healed of that. God healed the mother of this child a year ago of consumption of the stomach, bowels, and lungs. She had suffered for over two years and had tried many doctors. At last she was given up to die. The last doctor she had said she could live but a short time. When all earthly help had failed she began to cry out to God. We sent for an anointed handkerchief. When it came we laid it on her in the name of Jesus, and she was instantly healed, insomuch she arose the next morning and dressed herself. In a day or two she was able to do light work. We give God all the glory and praise for what he has done for us.

Rose Wilcox and Hattie Burns.

Kellog, Michigan.

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