Part 14

On the 19th Brother and Sister Warner began packing their goods to move to Upper Sandusky, the home of the latter's parents. They had received word that a holiness revival was desired in Findlay, where the seed had already been sown. On arriving at Upper Sandusky they found that they were already engaged for Findlay and were to go there the following Monday. Of their work in Findlay, in which they were assisted by Father and Mother Keller, a few selected notes from the diary will give a sufficient account.

=24.= Reached the Bethel in Findlay before preaching. Found that God was wondrously at work here. Twenty-three sanctified. Some of the old members fighting the work. The Lord blessed me in preaching full salvation. His power rested on the people and some came to the altar. Father and I went home with Father Sherick. He had been opposed to holiness but, thank God, he is now yielding and begins to confess his need of full salvation. He is eighty years old and probably fifty years a Christian--but has never grown out of depravity.

=25.= Today we celebrate the birth of Christ. Arose before daylight, as usual, and after my daily bath Father and I had a precious season of prayer and praises. Met at ten at the Bethel. Had a prayer- and general experience-meeting. The "little ones" testified straight and strong. Eve, house full. Was asked to preach again. Felt much straightened. The elders were to let us know about our having the Bethel for a holiness meeting, and it was expected that tonight the meeting should be conducted for sinners; but last night God showed me after preaching that this must be a holiness meeting. So I was hedged up by the church on one side and God on the other. Tried to preach some time to sinners, but was absolutely abandoned to myself. Oh, how empty and hollow all I said! I saw that this would not do, so I proceeded to full salvation for believers. Glory to God, I had some unction then, but felt the displeasure of some of the church. Two mourners and three believers presented themselves at the altar. One soul sanctified. After meeting a very intelligent and pleasant sister came forward and said, "God gave me the wonderful Christmas gift of entire sanctification while you were preaching." Glory to God forever! We announced meetings in the future on the holiness line.

=26.= Up before the family, bathed and prayed. A. M., wrote, occasionally talked holiness to persons coming in seeking light. All the city is in an uproar on holiness. Halleluiah! At half-past two met at the Bethel. Brother Linsey led the meeting. Satan made a dreadful rally today. All the old cold members got in the back part of the house. Bro. Samuel Ferguson acted as spokesman for the devil. He set out in a raging storm. Called this work the judgment of the whore, the abomination that maketh desolate. Called God to rebuke it, to smite it in the mouth until the blood should fly out. He hollowed and stamped and foamed like a madman. Glory to God, who kept his little ones in perfect peace. God gave me great peace, and I could but say thank God for the trial of his holy cause. I proceeded in a calm spirit to show the people some of God's sacred truth that they were rejecting. Brother Wilson arose on the opposition side and asked some questions, threatening a call of the Standing Committee. May the Lord help him to seek the cleansing blood.

A young man, member of the church, by the name of Teams stepped out in the aisle and began to yell and stamp and walk to-and-fro. He consumed about fifteen minutes in silly harangue against perfect holiness by the blood of Christ. There was no reason, sense, Bible, or even apparent civilization in his aspersions. All the little ones were kept in perfect peace. Eve, Brother Updike preached his farewell sermon to the church. He felt so directed because of the recent abuses of his wife by some of the church and because of the wicked opposition of the leaders of the church to holiness. He declared his withdrawal from this charge. The old and formal part of the church were aroused most furiously. I followed by some remarks. A few came out to seek purity.

=27.= Had meeting at 2 P. M. in the court-house, whither we have moved because of the constant disturbance in the Bethel. Eve, tried to preach to a good congregation at the court-house. The Lord was with us in sweet peace and power. We felt we were in a purer spiritual atmosphere.

=30.= Sabbath. Met at ten. Heb. 13:20,21. The Lord helped me to show the people that perfection is commanded and attained =now=; what it is and is not; that it is not attained in conversion, but by a second work. At 2:30 P. M. met in the court-house in a temperance meeting. Brothers Linsey and Ackers both glorified God by testifying to their wonderful salvation from drink and tobacco, both having had delirium tremens several times. Brother A. called the tobacco habit a twin sister to strong drink and claimed that it was the cause of his becoming a drunkard. After they spoke, a Lutheran minister arose and deprecated the springing of tobacco in the meeting and palliated this abomination as consistent with perfect consecration to God and piety. Shame! Shame!

A brother asked concerning our holiness. So we bowed together and had a season of prayer, and as we afterward began to talk he constantly interrupted me, would not let me finish a point or connect the Scripture proofs of the two works. We bowed again in prayer and he led. He asked God to purify his heart and take all the evil nature out of him. After arising I remarked that as he would interrupt all my efforts to give him instruction I would now ask him some questions and learn. I asked him what things we were allowed of God. Answer, "Such things as he promises." Do you always pray for such only? "Yes." Do you receive them? "Yes." Then you have just now been sanctified, made pure, is it not so? "Yes." Then you should hereafter not ask God to do what he has done! But he contended that he should keep on making the same prayer. Brother Larcomb suggested the equal propriety of continuing to pray to God to convert him. Oh what confusion and ignorance! Still they thought we had gone astray.

=31.= A. M., wrote. Eve, met at seven and continued the meeting until after twelve. The house was crowded, the isles standing full of people to the close of the meeting. Pretty good order for the throng. Brother Updike preached. After some altar work, we had good testimony-meeting. I then preached a short discourse on Eph. 4:22-24. A few minutes before twelve the altar was again filled with seekers and little ones. I read the Christian consecration, and all said amen. The power of God came upon us. Many shouts. A Mother Goodwin, of the M. E. Church, was the subject of a wonderful work of grace tonight. For eighteen years she had sought for this experience. She had a dreadful death, turned perfectly white and shook like a leaf. She hesitated to believe through the temptation of unworthiness. I asked her if Christ was not worthy. Told her to believe for the glory of his name. Then she took hold. She soon fully overcame by the blood of the Lamb and the word of her testimony. It was a wonderful work wrought by the power of God in one of the most intelligent and pious ladies of Findlay, of about fifty years of age. She was filled with wonder at the great change and testified with a halo of glory beaming from her countenance. How can such a marked work be doubted? What a reproach upon the ministry that this dear saint should be kept eighteen years in the wilderness longing for some Joshua to lead her over to the land of perfect rest of soul from all sin!

=Jan. 1, 1878.= Praise God for the mercies of the past year. I am so thankful that the old year witnessed the final death of the old man in me, and now for the first time I enter upon the New Year all renewed in the image of God. Glory to his name in the highest! I am redeemed and washed in the blood of the Lamb. O Canaan, sweet Canaan, surely here flows milk and honey! God is my everlasting all, my satisfying portion. Oh, wonders of redeeming love! Can it be that through the precious blood of Christ I have "entered into the holiest" and am forever shut in with God, and dead to the world! O God, I feel that I can stand in thy holy presence! I tremble with awe and reverence. O my God and Redeemer! keep me on thine altar and in spotless purity lest I offend thy Holiness and die. I shall forever dwell with thee, and through the riches of thy boundless grace my whole being, every thought, word, feeling, emotion, appetite, desire, wish, purpose, and action, yea my whole life, shall be a continual offering to God, in the flames of his love. Amen. Almighty, All-wise, and ever present God, fulfil this thy pleasure in me. I am in thy hands. Amen and amen.

=A. M.=, wrote some. Met at 10 A. M. and held meetings until 4 P. M.; the power of God rested upon us. Four, I believe, were sanctified. The Lord gave me much light on the sanctuary as setting forth the different degrees of grace (Heb. 10:19,22). In chapter 8 the apostle compares the sanctuary and the temple service with the present spiritual house or church. 9:9 shows that the former temple service was typical of the church, also 10:11. Now, as the temple all through the Bible typifies the church, so also the tabernacle. We must make some application of its departments. This the apostle does for us. The court represents penitence or approach to the church, the sanctuary or "holy." From this we have access into the "holiest." In the sanctuary they are "brethren" and (v. 22) have "their hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience." Were justified when they came into the holy, and now are invited into the holiest, not into heaven but into a state of purity through the blood of Christ.

=2.= Wrote some. Brother Doty came today. Thank the Lord. Eve. Brother Doty preached on the difference between justification and entire sanctification. (1) Inbred sin is not cognizable to our consciousness when actual sin and guilt crowd the conscience. (2) We need not lack wisdom, for such is Christ to us; but may greatly lack knowledge. (3) Entire sanctification takes away all vain curiosity. (4) Makes us simple in giving, etc. (5) Leaves natural appetites the same, but removes unnatural.

Two were most gloriously sanctified, one an old mother over eighty years of age. Oh, how wonderfully God blessed her! She ran around as spritely as a young girl. The house, as usual, was greatly crowded, the space on the floor about all occupied by standers. The whole city is stirred. All the protracted efforts in the place are without interest. All the elements are attracted here. Sinners want this kind of religion that saves from all sin. Glory to God forever! Some of the county officials, I presume, are getting uneasy, hence concluded that we could no longer have the court-house. Received the promise of the Reform house, at least for the next evening.

=3.= God's power was with us. Three souls were sweetly sanctified, one of whom, a sister Miller, was converted to God from Catholicism last winter. They say her conversion was among the most bright of the 150 converts and her life has been true. Oh how calm and clearly she came out! Her testimony was sublime and more than human. It was spoken by the Spirit. Praise God! Another meeting was held in East Findlay. The Lord was also there in power. A brother in the Church of God who had rashly denounced holiness was sanctified at this meeting.

Eve, the promised house was not opened. The little ones were scattered each not knowing where to meet the rest, and yet we felt a great desire to be together. One company gathered and we went to a United Brethren Church. As we passed along, crowds gathered after us and asked where we were going to have meeting. The people were much disappointed. Brother Engle, the pastor, preached an earnest sermon to sinners from, "The way of the transgressor is hard." I felt that the church was an iceberg between this sanctified preacher and the sinners. We all prayed fervently for the efficacy of the word. Some twelve arose for prayer, among the number was Sister Wert's son, a very intelligent young man with whom I called today. When I asked him concerning his soul's interests, he said that he did not "go much on religion." I calmly replied that I presumed he had none to go on. I added that I did not go on religion either before I had any to go on. This was God-sent, and he knew not how to express himself again. I waited a few seconds then proposed prayer. We all kneeled and I presented him to the mercy of God. After holding his hand and giving him a few words I left him, praying to God to bring him down to the cross. Praise God, I saw him rise in the congregation.

Brother Linsey and I stayed up all night in prayer to God for Findlay. God rolled upon our hearts a dreadful agony for souls and gave us an awful sight of the wicked apostasy of the churches. Like the old prophets, we groaned and cried to God for salvation to come out of Zion.

=27.= Sabbath. Met at the United Brethren Church. Good testimony-meeting. One sister said, "I do not believe in a second work; would as leave you would hit me in the face as to speak of it; it is like a dart to my heart to hear it." Just so the "pure testimony put forth in the Spirit cuts," etc. Brother Engle read a very interesting chapter of United Brethren history showing the holiness revival in that church. Otterbein, Bishop Edwards, Wilson, and many others of the most eminent ministers professed and taught holiness as a distinct work.

At this point in his diary Brother Warner tells of his expulsion from the West Ohio Eldership, and gives the subject a special heading.

=TRIAL AND EXPULSION FROM THE WEST OHIO ELDERSHIP OF THE CHURCH OF GOD FOR PREACHING FULL SALVATION; FOR FOLLOWING THE HOLY SPIRIT; FOR HELPING TO SAVE OVER 150 SOULS IN THIS PLACE=

=30.= Standing Committee met in Findlay today. Principal business to attend to was charges prefered by Bro. G. W. Wilson against Bro. J. V. Updike and me--against him for maladministration of the church here, deserting it, and turning church interests over to the Holiness Alliance, etc.; against me for (1) transcending the restrictions of the Eldership, (2) violating rules of cooperation, (3) participating in dividing the church.

As to the first, it relates to an action of the body last Eldership in which I was prohibited from springing the holiness meeting on any church where they did not wish it. This charge was not sustained by a single proof. The facts are as follows: Father Keller was led by the Spirit to go to Findlay to procure a place for a holiness meeting. He found a meeting in progress in the Church of God, tried to get the house to begin as soon as they were through, but they refused. He then engaged the Reformed house, but left an offer still with the Church of God to occupy their house if they concluded to let us have it. When we received word that the meeting was about to close we went up and found it still in progress, and as the holiness workers were there, we wished to begin a meeting on the holiness line. We gave the church the first offer to use their house, and they consented to our using the house. However, this I think they did because they knew that if we went to another house we would carry all the interests from their house. And when the whole counsel of God was presented they could not stand it, but gathered in the back end of the house with wicked men and fought the work of God, so that we soon saw that nothing could be done there, hence we removed to the court-house. I had nothing at all to do with the appointment of the meeting there and only did some of the preaching after Father Keller and Brothers Ackers and Linsey had got the use of the house from the elders and trustees, or a majority of them.

Second charge, "Violation of rules of cooperation." The rule cited was like this: No person shall go upon another's field of labor to hold meetings, etc, without the consent of preacher and church. When we announced meeting at the court-house, one of the elders announced preaching there at the Bethel the next night. Brother Wilson filled the pulpit and continued some four or five nights with no success and small congregations. Now, because I assisted in the meeting at the court-house while these church services were continued in the same town, I am thus charged, when these meetings were really appointed after and in opposition to the real work of the Lord, where souls were daily being saved.

Third charge, "Dividing the church." I showed that the only results of the holiness meeting were fifty-three sinners converted and 118 believers sanctified, and that all the division and confusion was caused by the carnal and wicked opposition on the part of the rest of the church, just like the envious Jews stirred up the people at Thessalonica and Berea (Acts 17) and interrupted the apostles in their peaceable work of leading souls to Jesus, as well as disturbed the peace of the city. The apostles, of course, had to bear the blame, and like everywhere else they went, bonds and prisons awaited them; and I, too, was ready to suffer affliction with the people of God for the sake of Christ. All Adam became aroused, so that I was stopped from reading other Scriptures. [He had been reading and speaking from Isa. 32:15.] When for the sake of the dear people calling themselves the Church of God I was studying how to compromise the two elements in the church here, the Lord gave me this text, and the Spirit led me to preach it straight, although it conflicted with what I had cherished, that is, a hope of fraternizing the sanctified and the unsanctified.

Eve, Brother Updike's case was adjusted by the Committee, the elders, and himself. They tried hard to bind him down to abandon holiness as a definite work and to have no communion with holiness workers. He agreed to some restrictions about preaching holiness where it was not wanted. Received his license and was placed on McComb circuit. Evidently they have some hopes of leading him to a recantation. May the mercy and grace of God keep him from coming down from the highway! Brother Chambers was at our meeting in North Findlay this eve.

=31.= Was brought to the depot this morn in sled. Heavy snow falling. After I had been riding some time in the train with him in conversation, Brother Cassel, one of the Committee, seeing that I was not enough concerned to ask him what disposition they had made of my case, informed me that the Committee had decided that the charges were sustained, and that they had withheld my license.[8] I thanked him for their decision and assured him that if I were to look upon the matter from the mere human standpoint and consider my attachment to the Church of God and her principles, I should regard their action a dreadful calamity and intolerable to bear; but that I had now that charity which "believeth all things" and "endureth all things," and therefore I calmly rested in the promise of God that "all things work together for good" to me, and the sweet assurance that my dear Father, to whom I belonged, would turn this and everything else (as long as I stay on the altar) to my good and his glory. Praise his holy name! Reached home about 2 P. M.

Up to the time of leaving Findlay there were 53 converted, 118 believers sanctified, including about all the 53 converts. Many of them were sanctified at the next meeting after converted, and a few the same meeting. Glory to God for full salvation!

Following the effort at Findlay, a series of holiness meetings was held at Upper Sandusky in the early part of February. Brother Dunbar and others assisted. On the 9th, Brother Warner was called to spend Sunday at Dunkirk, and was kept there for several days. While at Dunkirk he was impressed by the Spirit to announce that if any sick in the town would send for him he would go in faith to pray for them to recover. A sister who had been afflicted for years with catarrh in the head, which had spread to the throat and lungs so that she was consumptive, thought much about being healed. She had strong faith and came to meeting the next day, and in answer to prayer was gloriously healed, perfectly sound. Another, a blacksmith in Dunkirk, was impressed to go and pray for the healing of a young colored sister on the verge of death from consumption. She was wonderfully benefited, as for six weeks she had to be lifted from her bed but now was able to arise and, assisted by the hand of a sister, walk across the floor. She had been able only to whisper, but now could sing praises to God.

Brother Warner felt that he should return to Upper Sandusky to assist in the meetings that were being held there. In a day or two after returning he was called back to Dunkirk to preach the funeral of the young colored sister. The brother who had prayed for her and a sister who had strong faith believed that God would raise the departed sister from the dead in answer to their prayers. Brother Warner announced the funeral for 10 A. M., if the Lord did not direct matters otherwise. He prayed and examined the scriptures relative to miracles and found that (1) Christ aroused and inspired faith and admiration in the people by miracles, (2) the final commission teaches miracles, (3) they were the means of the success of the apostles, (4) the gift is set in the church. Hence, he concluded that miracles were to be a permanent factor in the system of salvation. He does not say that he was particularly impressed that God was going to work a miracle in this case. He rather fell in with the idea as urged by the sister who felt so impressed. At her home she and her husband and Brother Warner waited in prayer for some time, then went to the house where the corpse lay. The two brethren kneeled in prayer while the sister uncovered the body and commanded the departed to arise in the name of Jesus. Their faith for some time was wonderfully strong and they confidently expected to see her arise. They held on with unwavering faith for half an hour, when they all felt relieved and that the will of the Lord had been done. Brother Warner preached the funeral the next day. He writes that this incident seemed only to increase their faith and that he believed that God was well pleased with the effort to exert this faith; that if not through them, God would through some one else revive this element of apostolic power.

There was a report, intended to ridicule, and published by some who opposed Brother Warner, that he with others tried to bring a dead body to life by standing it on its feet and commanding it to walk, etc. This of course was untrue.