,,around ,,old ,,bethany ,a ,story of the ,adventures of ,robert and ,mary ,davis ,by ,r4 ,l4 ,,berry ,publisher's ,preface ,this small volume was first published in the year of #aibe1 but it has been out of print for many years4 ,the present reprint edition is in response to requests for it to be in print again4 ,the main characters in this true-to-life narrative are led to ,bible salvation1 and then step by step into the various ,bible doctrines1 and finally to establish a congregation of the ,church of ,god after the ,new ,testament pattern4 ,in the meantime1 the snares of false doctrines which surrounded them were exposed and they were guided unerringly in the truth of ,god's ,word4 ,may the ,scriptural truths set forth in this narrative enlighten every reader1 and arm him with the ,sword of the ,spirit1 which is the word of ,god1 to meet and refute the false teachings now abroad in our land4 --,lawrence ,pruitt ,guthrie1 ,oklahoma ,may1 #aifh ,contents ,chapter #a4 ,beginning the ,search #b4 ,a ,threatening ,quarrel #c4 ,the ,schoolhouse ,debates #d4 ,the ,schoolhouse ,debates 7,continued7 #e4 ,the ,schoolhouse ,debates 7,concluded7 #f4 ,what ,church ,shall ,we ,join8 #g4 ,what ,say the ,scriptures8 #h4 ,robert ,davis' ,battles #i4 ,the ,good ,results of an ,honest ,confession #aj4 ,false ,guides ,appear in ,bethany #aa4 ,out of the ,valley of the ,shadow #ab4 ,the ,revival ,meeting in ,bethany #ac4 ,the ,babel of ,tongues #ad4 ,a ,model ,church ,established ,,chapter ,,one ,,beginning ,,the ,,search ,it was in the year of #ahhe that the railroad was put through the particular corner of ,missouri that marks the scene where the events of this narrative took place4 ,with the coming of the railroad1 there came an influx of new settlers1 who were of various nationalities and conditions in life4 ,there were ,swedes from ,malmo1 ,germans from ,dresden1 and ,irishmen from ,tyrone1 all bent on founding a new home in the new country4 ,besides these1 there were ,americans of many kinds and inclinations4 ,all of these settlers brought with them the particular brands of religion in which they had been brought up4 ,the ,swedes and ,germans were ,lutherans1 but each nationality was of a different synod and had little agreement or fellowship4 ,the ,irishmen were ,roman ,catholics1 while the ,americans were divided up among the different denominations4 ,no sooner had these settlers built themselves homes than they started to build chapels and churches2 it was a chapel if its builders rebelled at calling a building a church1 and it was a church if its builders had no such scruples4 ,no survey was made as an effort to find out how many churches were needed2 indeed1 each denomination erected a place of worship even if there was only a handful represented in its membership4 ,those were the days of unleavened bread and bitter herbs1 when every denomination was full of sectarian rivalry1 and each of them claimed more or less of a monopoly upon the love and power of ,god4 ,revival-meetings were held frequently1 sometimes contemporaneously1 and the doors of the church were swung open every ,sunday for the admission of new members4 ,the center of this settlement was ,bethany1 consisting of a few straggling huts on the north side of the railroad1 and the business section and the more pretentious homes of the well-to-do on the south side4 ,there was the usual run of stores4 ,most of them1 however1 were what were called general stores1 which meant that they sold everything from toothpicks to farm wagons and from handkerchiefs to cloaks and suits1 besides groceries1 shoes1 and tinware4 ,and it must be said also1 for the sake of telling the truth1 that they erected more church-buildings than they needed1 because the same sectarian rivalry obtained there as in the country round about4 ,it was common for members of one denomination to tell members of another that the others' church was a thousand miles farther away from ,god than was theirs4 ,into this corner of ,missouri1 and into this atmosphere of denominational rivalry came ,robert ,davis and his wife1 ,mary4 ,as it was1 fortunately1 both came of religious parents1 and had had some religious teaching at home and in ,sunday-school4 ,one of the first things that they did after they were married was to solemnly dedicate their home to ,god1 promising ,him that they would follow ,christ to the best of their knowledge and understanding4 ,they began to attend church1 now here1 now there1 and as a consequence1 began to compare one denomination with another1 with the result that they were thrown into confusion about which church to join2 for they supposed it was their bounden duty to join one or the other of the denominations represented there4 ,which church do you like best1 ,robert8 ,mary ,davis asked one ,sunday afternoon after they had come home from a ,sunday-school session and service at one of the churches4 ,i had not thought of it in that way1 he replied1 but ,i had been comparing one with another1 with the idea of finding which one is right4 ,you are right in that1 ,i feel sure1 said ,mary1 for really1 what we should strive for is to please ,god4 ,but which one1 then1 do you think is right8 ,really1 ,i do not know1 he replied4 ,i am puzzled4 ,i feel that we should be identified with some church1 and work to extend it1 but it seems to me that one church has one ,bible truth and emphasizes it1 and another has another ,bible truth which it emphasizes1 and so on1 all around4 ,how does it seem to you8 ,that is the way ,i feel1 said ,mary4 ,suppose that we ask each church to give us a summary of its beliefs1 and we shall then compare each one with the ,bible1 suggested ,robert4 ,why1 let's do that1 replied ,mary4 ,i do want the truth4 ,so do ,i1 ,robert said fervently4 ,that night in prayer1 special request was made to ,god for guidance into truth4 ,oh1 we must have ,thy truth1 ,o ,god1 they cried1 we will follow it at any cost1 if ,thou wilt only make it clear4 ,help us in studying ,thy ,word4 ,make it plain to our minds4 ,o ,lord1 guide us into ,thy way4 ,the next ,sunday they began their investigation by asking the minister of the church that they visited for a brief outline of its doctrinal belief4 ,they then bought a concordance and the search for truth was begun1 which was to lead them into paths that they little dreamed of then1 and into experiences that they could not at that time foresee4 ,,chapter ,,two ,a ,,threatening ,,quarrel ,among the old settlers in the vicinity to which ,robert ,davis and his wife moved was ,peter ,newby and his family4 ,they were of the old pioneer type--rugged1 honest1 frugal1 but they also were headstrong1 stubborn1 with very little give and take in their make-up4 ,peter claimed to know the ,scriptures from ,genesis to ,revelation4 ,he could tell the names of the cities and creeks of the ,holy ,land from ,dan to ,beersheba1 and name the kings of ,israel either backward or forward4 ,he had the books of the ,bible at the tip of his tongue1 and could name the apostles and prophets without hesitation4 ,he was a noted debater or arguer1 and met all opponents1 large or small1 with equal confidence4 ,when reason and logical argument failed him1 he relied on a stentorian voice and his power to bewilder4 ,few were able to hold their own with him in religious discussion4 ,most men feared his biting sarcasm and insinuating irony4 ,in fact1 ,mr4 ,newby had silenced nearly every opponent1 and he stood out as the champion religious debater of the community1 at the time of our narrative4 ,he had vanquished all his foes1 and now gloried in his supremacy4 ,but1 ,robert ,davis did not know all of this4 ,he regarded ,peter ,newby as a good citizen1 and probably a good ,christian4 ,the next few months1 however1 put an entirely different face on the matter1 especially on the latter point4 ,besides ,peter ,newby and his wife1 there were three grown sons of theirs1 of whom ,jake1 and also his wife1 figure in this narrative4 ,jake ,newby was a typical money-grubber1 turning everything in the way of financial deals to his own favor4 ,he owned a piece of property which ,robert ,davis finally decided he would buy4 ,after considerable negotiation1 a deal was made1 ,jake reserving the right to move certain small buildings off the property4 ,jake began1 at once1 to move these structures1 and more too4 ,there was a specially built chicken-house that had not been reserved by ,jake1 but which he proceeded to move just as if it had been4 ,robert and ,mary ,davis were there4 ,the chicken-house was not reserved by you1 ,jake1 and you should not move it1 said ,robert4 ,well1 ,i intend to move it just the same4 ,i need it1 said ,jake4 ,but the contract does not provide for its removal1 replied ,robert4 ,shut up1 snarled ,jake1 ,i guess ,i know what ,i'm doing1 don't ,i8 ,i tell you ,i'm going to move this house off4 ,you will not move it off1 said ,robert1 as he started toward ,jake4 ,at this ,jake desisted1 muttered a few words about getting even1 and walked off1 while1 later on1 ,robert and ,mary went home1 rather distressed over the turn of affairs4 ,,chapter ,,three ,,the ,,schoolhouse ,,debates ,an apparently insignificant event happened about this time1 that set in motion influences of great moment1 the effects of which are still to be felt and seen4 ,robert ,davis' sister in ,michigan was a regular subscriber to a religious journal4 ,at this time she felt led to send this paper to him4 ,robert1 here is a new kind of religious paper1 said ,mary1 who was reading the first copy4 ,it has articles in it entitled1 ',full ,salvation1' ',unity and ,truth4' ,how does that sound8 ,turning a page over1 she read again3 ',a definite1 heart-searching1 non-sectarian religious weekly1 published in the interests of the church of ,god4 ,for the salvation of sinners1 entire sanctification of believers1 divine healing of the body1 and the unity of all true ,christians in the faith once delivered to the saints4' ,my1 that sounds interesting1 said ,robert1 ',church of ,god'--,i wonder what church that is4 ',entire sanctification'--what does that mean8 ,i heard ,brother ,jones say on last ,sunday that sanctified people were the biggest cranks on earth1 and he warned the congregation to lock their chicken and smoke houses whenever they came around4 ,but1 just see here1 'divine healing4' ,i wonder if that is ,christian ,science4 ,let me read that paper1 and he reached for it4 ,robert dropped down into the nearest chair and was soon absorbed in reading4 ,he was gripped by a power he had never known before4 ,he noticed at once a directness1 a simplicity1 a spiritual flavor1 coupled with much quoting of proof-texts1 that attracted his deepest attention4 ,he read an article on ,repentance1 one on ,sanctification1 and two testimonies of divine healing4 ,upon my word6 ,if that isn't the plainest-spoken and easiest-understood religious matter ,i have read in many a day1 said ,robert4 ,i wonder who sent it1 and if any more will come4 ,next week another copy of the new paper came1 and ,robert read an article on ,the ,church of ,god1 ,what ,it ,is and ,what ,it ,is ,not4 ,mary1 this paper is providentially sent to us4 ,we have just decided to search for truth4 ,my soul longs to know ,god's real truth1 and ,i notice this paper has much to say about the 'truth4' ,we shall continue our investigation of the doctrines of the denominations and probably this paper will help us1 said ,robert4 ,before he laid the second issue down1 he read the following article on ,truth3 ,unknowingly to himself1 ,pontius ,pilate asked one of the greatest of questions when he asked ,jesus ,christ1 ',what is truth8' ,jesus was on trial before him1 and ,he had just said1 in reply to another question of ,pilate's1 ',thou sayest that ,i am a king4 ,to this end was ,i born1 and for this cause came ,i into the world1 that ,i should bear witness unto the truth4 ,every one that is of the truth heareth my voice' 7,john #ah3cg74 ,and then ,pilate asked1 ',what is truth8' but he did not stop to get an answer4 ,the 'truth' to which ,jesus often referred means righteousness1 true religion1 the genuine revelation of the true plan of salvation4 ,this is what the apostle ,john referred to when he said1 ',for the truth's sake1 which dwelleth in us1 and shall be with us for ever' 7#b ,john #b74 ,the 'truth' in these texts is used in a broad sense to mean the whole range of revealed religion1 the whole system of ,new ,testament salvation4 ,vast importance is attached to this truth4 ,opposed to it are error1 heresy1 damnable doctrines of devils1 human theories and philosophies1 leading souls away from ,god and into perdition4 ,the eternal destiny of men depends upon their finding and embracing the truth4 ,if so much depends upon our finding the truth and obeying it1 the important question arises--how and where are we to find the truth8 ,and another question follows3 ,how are we to discern the truth when we see it8 ,it is a fact that most religious people believe that their system of religion is right4 ,they already think that it is the truth2 even the most destructive doctrines are received as truth1 and some scripture is misapplied or perverted to uphold them4 ,by what means may the false be determined and rejected1 and the true be established and accepted8 ,these are very important questions4 ,there must be a starting-point4 ,in the first place1 ',what is truth8' as ,pilate put it4 ',thy word is truth' 7,john #ag3ag7 said ,jesus4 ,this is basic4 ,the ,word of ,god is truth4 ',all scripture is given by inspiration of ,god' 7#b ,tim4 #c3af74 ,god1 ,jesus ,christ1 and the ,bible are truth4 ,if we confirm to the divine will1 we are bound to be right1 and elected to eternal glory in the heavens2 if not1 we are doomed to eternal damnation4 ,but1 there is no more striking fact than this1 that spiritual truths require more than intellect in order to grasp and comprehend them4 ',for what man knoweth the things of a man1 save the spirit of man which is in him8' 7#a ,cor4 #b3aa74 ,a man knows the things of a man because he is a man4 ,common experiences join him to his fellows1 and he understands them4 ',even so the things of ,god knoweth no man1 but the spirit of ,god4444 ,but the natural man receiveth not the things of the ,spirit of ,god3 for they are foolishness unto him3 neither can he know them1 because they are spiritually discerned' 7#a ,cor4 #b3aa1ad74 ,man then1 must get in contact with ,god1 through the ,holy ,spirit1 if he is to know spiritual truth4 ,jesus tells just how to know the truth4 ',if any man will do his will1 he shall know of the doctrine1 whether it be of ,god1 or whether ,i speak of myself 7,john #g3ag74 ,the way to know is to obey4 ',howbeit when he1 the ,spirit of truth1 is come1 he will guide you into all truth' 7,john #af3ac74 ,the secret then is out1 it is as plain as day4 ,it is this--,jesus brought the truth to the world1 and the ,holy ,spirit is everywhere present to lead men into that truth4 ,wherever and whenever a person desires to know the truth that he may obey it1 there the ,spirit of ,god will be to enlighten and to lead4 ,the ,spirit will lead unerringly every soul who wants the truth and will submit to ,his leadership4 ,he will lead the sinner to sincere and genuine repentance1 the believer into true sanctification1 and also into the deeper experiences of sanctification and love1 and into a true ,christian life4 ,there is a remarkable instance on record1 showing what an honest desire to know the truth will accomplish4 ,years ago a portion of the gospels was washed ashore in the ,east4 ,the natives read and re-read that portion over and over4 ,what could it mean8 ,it told of ,jesus1 but who was ,jesus8 ,it spoke of ,his dying1 but what for8 ,and yet1 so strong was the impression this scrap of the gospel made1 that regular periods were set apart to worship the ,being hinted at in that portion4 ,an honest effort was made to do ,his will4 ,after several years1 ,god sent some missionaries to that country1 and it was to their surprise to find a tribe open-hearted to receive the truth4 ',acquaint now thyself with him1 and be at peace' 7,job #bb3ba74 ',seek and ye shall find4' ,may your search for truth be abundantly rewarded4 ,the next few months found ,robert and ,mary ,davis searching the ,bible for the truth4 ,every sermon they heard they compared with the ,scriptures4 ,articles in their new paper helped them greatly4 ,they bought a book of ,bible ,readings1 and made as thorough an investigation of ,bible doctrine as they were capable of making4 ,they made rapid progress4 ,they became believers in holiness and sanctification2 for the salvation theme held their interest most profoundly1 and they became well acquainted with the proof-texts which supported these doctrines4 ,the study of these texts brought great conviction to their hearts1 and both of them sought the ,lord for forgiveness of their sins1 and both entered into the grace of conversion4 ,the joy of this experience made their ,bible study still more delightful4 ,they had not been strangers to grace1 but they had become slack and lukewarm1 and when the light of ,god began to shine more brightly they felt that they should make sure work of it1 and so they began at the bottom round of the ladder4 ,they were glad afterwards that they had done this1 because it gave them a sure starting-point4 ,along in the fall of the year1 as ,robert was breaking ground for wheat1 he got an invitation to attend a neighborhood prayer meeting4 ,good evening1 neighbor1 said a voice1 don't you want to go to our prayer meeting next ,wednesday night8 ,robert looked up from his work and saw it was old ,peter ,newby4 ,why1 yes1 ,i guess so4 ,sure1 said ,robert4 ,what kind of a prayer meeting is it8 ,we have a good one1 said ,peter1 come and see4 ,all right1 we'll come1 said ,robert4 ,this prayer meeting was held at ,fairmount school house1 a fine school building situated on the brow of a lilac-covered hill at the bottom of which hill one of the finest and largest springs in the country gushed forth4 ,it was1 as stated1 ostensibly a neighborhood prayer meeting1 but ,peter ,newby just about dominated it1 and was carrying it on just about to suit himself4 ,the method pursued was to read a chapter1 and follow with a free-for-all exposition of it4 ,everybody had a chance to speak and expound the texts1 whether he knew anything about them or not4 ,some queer theories were advanced in these discussions1 which we have neither time nor inclination to speak of now4 ,robert ,davis and ,mary began to attend this prayer exposition meeting as soon as they could4 ,the ,book of ,romans was being read and studied at this time1 and chapter #e was up for discussion4 ,after the reading of the chapter1 ,peter ,newby1 as usual1 was on his feet ready to tell the class all about it4 ,he noticed ,robert and ,mary and1 knowing that they were strangers1 he put on his most condescending and insinuating air4 ,raising himself to his full height1 and giving his grizzled head just the right angle for incisive speech1 he said3 ,what is the apostle ,paul writing about8 ,now1 if you want to understand what any given text means1 you must know three things1 my friends4 ,first you must know who was writing2 second1 you must know to whom he was writing2 and third1 you must know what he was writing about4 ,and then he cocked his head at a different angle1 and shot glances around to see how his profound statement was being received4 ,he looked especially at ,robert and ,mary1 and some of the others glanced first at them and then at ,peter1 to see if there was a prospect of striking fire4 ,giving his head a backward jerk1 ,peter continued3 ,the apostle ,paul was the writer of this epistle1 and he was writing to the ,romans4 ,they were a ,gentile church in ,rome1 and ,paul was writing about how ,christians were to live4 ,now1 see here friends1 we are all sinners1 every one of us1 sinners saved by grace4 ,paul said in one place that he was the chief of sinners4 ,i am a sinner1 but ,i thank ,god through ,jesus ,christ the ,lord1 that ,christ died for us1 and some day ,i expect to land in the glory world4 ,i know there are some who say that they can't sin1 but ,i am sure ,i sin and they do1 too4 ,no one can live without sin in this low land of sorrow4 ,and ,peter again poised his head at a quizzical angle1 and glanced around to see how his talk was being taken4 ,he paused a moment1 and1 before he knew it1 ,robert was on his feet1 saying3 ,i beg to differ with the brother who has just spoken about this matter of committing sin4 ,paul says1 in the twentieth verse of this chapter1 ',but where sin abounded1 grace did much more abound1' and in verse #ag1 ',for if by one man's offense death reigned by one2 much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one1 ,jesus ,christ4' ,and the very first verse says1 ',therefore being justified by faith1 we have peace with ,god through our ,lord ,jesus ,christ4' ,it is true that 'all have sinned1' as verse #ab says1 but ,jesus came to save us from our sins4 ,did you never read ,matt4 #a3ba1 ',and thou shalt call his name ,jesus3 for he shall save his people from their sins'8 ,through ,adam's sin we all became sinners1 ,paul says1 but through ,christ 'shall many be made righteous4' ,through ,adam we died in sin1 through ,christ we died to sin and live unto righteousness4 ,this chapter teaches very plainly that ,jesus came to bring grace sufficient to save us from our sins4 ,and ,robert sat down4 ,peter ,newby had been standing all this time4 ,he looked at ,robert very quizzically4 ,here was a new type of opponent1 one who spoke with the utmost frankness and confidence1 and yet without the least taint of braggadocio4 ,but ,peter never had been beaten in debate or argument2 so he returned to the discussion with great vim and determination4 ,what does this young upstart know about the ,scriptures8 ,why1 ,i have been a student of the ,scriptures for fifty long years1 many years before this young man was born4 ,i have heard many great preachers in my time1 and they all said that man was born unto sin as the sparks are to fly upward4 ',he that saith he liveth and sinneth not is a liar1 and the truth is not in him4' ,this is what the ,scriptures say4 ,and ,i have read where ,solomon said that 'there is no man that sinneth not1' and did not ,john say1 ',if we say that we have no sin1 we deceive ourselves1 and the truth is not in us'8 ,yes1 he said that in #a ,john #a3h4 ,ah1 young man1 you have much to learn yet about the ,scriptures4 ,as long as we are in this old sinful flesh we will commit sin4 ,and ,peter sat down1 with an air of triumph4 ,robert ,davis arose immediately4 ,everybody present was on the tiptoe of expectation4 ,what would his reply be8 ,they had not long to wait4 ,turning directly to ,peter ,newby1 he asked him a pointblank question3 ,sir1 how much sin is there in this stove8 pointing to a stove that stood there4 ,none1 ,i suppose1 answered ,peter1 rather feebly1 as if he feared a trap were being laid for him4 ,how much sin is there in the wood or stone of this house8 ,robert asked ,peter next4 ,none1 ,i suppose1 he replied4 ,well1 then1 asked ,robert1 how much sin will there be in this old body when it is dead8 ,i suppose there will be none1 ,peter replied in a tone that registered defeat4 ,well1 then1 will you make death the salvation from sin8 ,you say that as long as we are in what you call the 'old sinful flesh we must commit sin1 and yet you admit1 as you must1 that there will be no sin in the body when it is dead4 ,where1 then1 does sin reside8 ,jesus answers this question once for all in ,matthew #ae3ai1 #bj3 ',for out of the heart proceed evil thoughts1 murders1 adulteries1 fornications1 thefts1 false witness1 blasphemies4' ,it is the heart that sins2 'the soul that sinneth1 it shall die1' says the prophet ,ezekiel in ,ezek4 #ah3d4 ,the body will die and return to dust from whence it came1 but these immortal souls of ours will live on eternally4 ,it is the soul that sins4 ,when in our intentions we purpose to sin1 we are guilty of sin before ,god4 ,he that searches the heart1 who looks not as man looks1 who sees the secret motive1 he knows when the will consents to do evil4 ,not a theft was ever committed1 except that there was a will to steal2 not an act of dishonesty1 except that there was a will to deceive2 not a lie was ever uttered1 except there was a will to lie4 ,it is our souls that must be saved4 ',receiving the end of your faith1 even the salvation of your souls' 7#a ,peter #a3i74 ,our text says1 ',therefore being justified by faith1 we have peace with ,god through our ,lord ,jesus ,christ4' ,i wish to publicly thank ,god for this peace in my soul4 ,jesus saves me from my sins4 ,i know that the verse1 #a ,john #a3h1 is a stumbling-block to many1 yet it is simple when understood4 ,john was stating fundamental propositions4 ,he began by saying that1 'if we walk in the light1 as he is in the light1 we have fellowship one with another1 and the blood of ,jesus ,christ his ,son cleanseth us from all sin4' ,then1 as if turning back to state the basis1 or antecedent of his remarks1 he said1 ',if we say that we have no sin1 we deceive ourselves1 and the truth is not in us4' ,in other words1 there was sin to be cleansed from the hearts of sinners1 and to declare there was no sin to be cleansed from1 was only to deceive themselves4 ,the same arrangement follows in verses #i and #aj1 where the truth is first stated that 'if we confess our sins1 he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins1 and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness1' and then ,john stated the basis or antecedent of forgiveness1 which is the fact that all have sinned4 ,yes1 yes1 you can explain all you wish1 young man1 but you cannot get around those other texts ,i quoted4 ',he that saith he liveth and sinneth not is a liar and the truth is not in him4' ,that's ,bible1 ,i tell you1 said ,peter with vigor4 ,where is that in the ,bible8 demanded ,robert4 ,it is there somewhere4 ,i will find it soon1 said ,peter as he started thumbing his ,bible4 ,the congregation waited in expectancy4 ,i will give you five dollars if you will find that in the ,bible1 said ,robert4 ,oh1 you don't think it is in the ,bible8 ,i will get it4 ,maybe ,i cannot find it now but it is there1 and ,i will find it1 said ,peter4 ,but what about ,solomon's sayings1 ',there is no man that sinneth not'8 ,solomon lived a thousand years before ,christ1 ,mr4 ,newby1 and do you not think that ,christ did something for us that the law could not do8 ',he is the mediator of a better covenant1 which was established upon better promises1' says ,paul1 in ,heb4 #h3f4 ,it was probably true that1 in ,solomon's day1 no one lived free from committing sin1 but since ,christ came to redeem us from sin1 we can be saved4 ,of course1 anyone can sin1 and there is danger of sinning1 but if we live close to ,jesus1 ,he is able to keep us from falling1 as ,jude4 #bd1 #be says1 replied ,robert1 as he sat down again4 ,peter ,newby closed the debate by saying3 ,next week we shall study the sixth chapter of ,romans4 ,the young man who spoke tonight seems to know considerable about the ,scripture1 so we shall appoint him leader4 ,i will find that text he asked for4 ,it is in my old ,bible at home4 ,and the crowd dispersed4 ,,chapter ,,four ,,the ,,schoolhouse ,,debates 7continued7 ,robert ,davis did much studying between the two prayer meeting nights4 ,peter ,newby searched through his old ,bible at home for he that saith he liveth and sinneth not is a liar1 but he could not find it4 ,the nearest text he could find that was like it was #a ,john #a3h1 and he knew that ,robert ,davis had already explained it4 ,peter studied hard1 however4 ,he found several texts1 such as ,prov4 #bj3i2 ,matt4 #ai3af1 #ag2 ,rom4 #c3aj2 #a ,tim4 #a3ae2 ,rom4 #g1 and others1 which he thought supported his theory that no one could live free from sin4 ,he reckoned without taking his opponent into account1 however1 and came off worse confounded in the second encounter than he did in the first4 ,romans #f was rather hard on ,peter's theory1 and he decided it would not pay him to say much about it4 ,the prayer meeting was well attended on that night4 ,the air was full of expectancy4 ,peter's long supremacy in debating caused several to wish secretly for him to be beaten2 others took his side1 and did all that they could to encourage him4 ,a few were interested for truth's sake4 ,after the chapter was read1 ,peter ,newby was first on his feet and began his diatribe4 ,verse #d means water baptism1 he said1 and if a man is not baptized he cannot be saved4 ,we go down into the water a sinner1 and come up a ,christian4 ,some of you people have never been baptized1 and yet you claim to be saved4 ,now1 last prayer meeting night1 ,i promised to find that old familiar text1 ',he that saith he liveth and sinneth not is a liar and the truth is not in him1' but ,i have not found it yet4 ,but ,i will find it1 mind you4 ,moreover1 ,i have some texts that prove my contention that no one can live free from sin while in this life4 ,prov4 #bj3i3 ',who can say1 ,i have made my heart clean1 ,i am pure from my sin8' ,this text can mean only one thing1 which is that no one can be clean from sin4 ,matt4 #ai3af1 #ag1 ',there is none good but one1 that is ,god4' ,now1 how can any man call himself good in the face of this scripture8 ,read ,rom4 #c3aj3 ',as it is written1 ,there is none righteous1 no1 not one4' ,no1 not one6 ,do you hear it8 ,no1 not one6 ,peter shouted4 ,and ,paul said that ',jesus ,christ came into the world to save sinners2 of whom ,i am chief' 7#a ,tim4 #a3ae74 ,and if ,paul was the chief of sinners1 do we think we can live free from sin8 ,no1 sir6 we can not4 ,and in ,romans #g he declared that he was carnal1 sold under sin 7,rom4 #g3ad74 ,i tell you we cannot live better than ,paul did4 ,but ,i am a ,christian1 for ,i was baptized fifty years ago in the ,big ,sandy river1 and the ,scriptures say that he that 'believeth and is baptized' the same shall be saved4 ,and ,peter again resumed that air of triumph that made him famous throughout the community4 ,then he cast his eyes around the audience1 and poised his head at various angles1 in token of his victory4 ,the brother has gone a long way from his text for his material tonight1 said ,robert ,davis4 ,he took what we boys used to call a 'running jump4' ,the text he quoted from ,proverbs proves nothing whatever against a holy life4 ,no man can save himself1 for salvation is by faith1 not by works4 ,but1 again1 let me remind ,mr4 ,newby that ,christ has come since ,solomon spoke1 and surely ,christ has done something for us4 ,the other texts he quoted are easily explained4 ,in ,matt4 #ai3af1 #ag1 ,jesus was stating a primary truth1 as all goodness comes from ,god1 yet1 he was trying to impress upon the young man that he1 ,jesus1 was ,god4 ,no man is good in and of himself4 ,god must come in before he is good4 ,god's people are righteous1 good4 ,john says1 ',he that doeth righteousness is righteous1 even as he is righteous' 7#a ,john #c3g74 ,now1 let us read ,rom4 #c3aj3 ',there is none righteous1 no not one4' ,i wish ,mr4 ,newby would read the verses following the tenth verse4 ,what kind of people was ,paul writing of8 ,christians8 ,what6 ,do ,christians have a throat like an open sepulchre8 ,is their mouth full of cursing and bitterness8 ,are their feet swift to shed blood8 ,how about it1 ,mr4 ,newby8 ,how about it friends8 ,what is your verdict8 ,that cannot mean ,christians1 said a voice from the back of the room4 ,of course1 it can not4 ,paul was describing the wayward sinner4 ,as for ,paul being actually the chief of sinners when he wrote #a ,tim4 #a3ae1 it is preposterous4 ,he does1 indeed1 speak in the present tense1 ',i am1' but it is perfectly evident that he makes use of a rhetorical expression which is permissible1 without being called in question as to his life4 ,if he was1 in reality1 the chief of sinners at that time1 he could hardly say1 as he did1 ',ye are witnesses1 and ,god also1 how holily and justly and unblameably we behaved ourselves among you that believe' 7#a ,thess4 #b3aj74 ,and it is entirely inconsistent to believe that the ,christ would permit a chief-sinner to be an ambassador for ,him4 ,mr4 ,newby's text in ,romans #g3ad will come up for discussion next week2 so ,i will not speak of it now4 ,you did not find your text1 ,mr4 ,newby4 ,the five dollars is ready whenever you find it1 said ,robert ,davis1 as he sat down4 ,all eyes were now upon ,mr4 ,newby4 ,here was an opponent that was not to be stampeded or intimidated1 one who knew his ground1 and kept close to his texts4 ,it was easy to see that ,peter ,newby was nonplused4 ,it usually had been easy for him to silence an opponent1 or to get an expression of agreement1 so that he smarted under the feeling that he was near to being defeated4 ,his texts were gone4 ,he had no more to offer1 and he hardly dared to expound any of ,romans #f1 so there he sat1 red in the face1 his right hand pulling nervously at his stubby white mustache4 ,it was either rise or admit defeat4 ,so ,peter ,newby rose4 ,his voice was cold and sinister4 ,i do not propose1 friends1 to be browbeaten by an upstart of a preacher4 ,i tell you ,i have been a student of the ,scriptures1 and ,i have heard many learned ministers of the gospel preach1 and ,i have never heard one of them state that they lived free from sin4 ,i try to do my best every day1 but1 ,i tell you1 the devil is strong1 and the flesh is weak1 so ,i often fall into grievous sins and errors4 ,but ,i feel that ,i am a ,christian1 nevertheless4 ,i have been baptized1 and know that ,i believe4 ,and the old man sat down4 ,well1 we have not discussed our chapter very much1 said ,robert4 ,has any one any explanation to give8 ,people glanced at ,peter1 but it was evident that he was about through for the evening4 ,robert then rose1 and said3 ,friends1 this sixth chapter of ,romans is full of proof-texts favoring holiness of life4 ,paul asks1 ',shall we continue in sin1 that grace may abound8' ',god forbid1' he answers4 ,and then ,paul asks a most significant and conclusive question1 ',how shall we1 that are dead to sin1 live any longer therein8' ,mark the words1 'dead to sin4' ,what could ,paul mean1 except that we are to become dead to sin8 ,now1 notice verse #f1 please1 ',knowing this1 that our old man is crucified with him1 that the body of sin might be destroyed1 that henceforth we should not serve sin4' ,crucifixion means death4 ,the 'old man1' which means the old fleshly1 sinful life1 is to be killed1 so that he may no longer dominate the life4 ,praise ,god6 ,when ,robert said these last words all in the house looked at him4 ,they were not used to such expressions4 ,robert was a little surprised himself1 as that was the first time he had ever said them4 ,but his heart was full of heavenly joy4 ,he knew ,god saved him4 ,now1 shall we notice verse #af and down to the twentieth8 ,we necessarily must serve ,god or ,satan2 we yield our members1 such as the tongue or the hands1 to do evil1 or to do good4 ,and to whom we yield these members1 his servants we are4 ,this is fundamental4 ,a person who does right serves ,god2 one who sins serves the devil4 ,nothing can be plainer than this4 ,suppose we read #a ,john #c3h4 ',he that committeth sin is of the devil2 for the devil sinneth from the beginning4 ,for this purpose the ,son of ,god was manifested1 that he might destroy the works of the devil4' ,this is plain teaching1 yet it is entirely logical4 ,jesus said that no man can serve two masters4 ,we cannot serve ,god and mammon at the same time4 ,and1 could anything be more emphatic than these words1 ',for when ye were the servants of sin1 ye were free from righteousness8' ,and these1 ',but now being made free from sin1 and become servants to ,god1 ye have your fruit unto holiness1 and the end everlasting life' 7v4 #bb74 ,peter ,newby was plainly growing restive under these words of ,robert's4 ,he rose and said3 ,i do not expect to sit here and be insulted by being called of the devil1 and so forth4 ,there are many wise men who have expounded the ,scriptures1 and they laid no claim to being saved from sin4 ,there is a lot for this young man to learn yet4 ,after this the meeting was dismissed4 ,but there were little groups gathering here and there1 talking about the debate4 ,peter ,newby was rapidly losing his prestige4 ,most of the people took sides and enjoyed the conflict1 while a few were interested in finding the truth4 ,,chapter ,,five ,,the ,,schoolhouse ,,debates 7concluded7 ,the dust was wiped from more ,bibles in the community around ,fairmount ,school following the debates between ,peter ,newby and ,robert ,davis than for many a day4 ,even old ,mr4 ,stephenson1 who was the most indifferent to the claims of religion1 hunted a ,bible1 and declared he was going to find out which one was right1 ,newby or ,davis4 ,charley ,moss1 a goodhearted1 but wild1 wicked fellow1 became interested also4 ,he bought his first ,new ,testament and dedicated himself to the task of reading it through4 ,i must find out1 said he1 what this young man ,davis is talking about4 ,his religion seems to be the real thing4 ,the next prayer meeting night found the house packed to the limit4 ,conjectures and opinions as to how the debate would go were passed back and forth4 ,peter ,newby's partisans rallied to his support4 ,a few were inclined to accept ,robert ,davis' views1 while the majority were moved by morbid curiosity to watch the outcome of a verbal conflict4 ,peter ,newby wore an air of entire confidence--on this occasion he had the seventh chapter of ,romans back of him he thought4 ,nearly every one else who accepted the old theology of the community expected him to clean up his opponent in grand style that night4 ,as for ,robert ,davis1 the previous week had been one of prayer and study4 ,he had first entered the prayer meeting with the intention to help along a good work4 ,he had no intention of entering into debate or controversy with anyone4 ,now1 as he viewed the matter1 he was surprised to find the role that he was playing4 ,on the first night1 he had only intended to stand up for and express his convictions toward a very vital subject--that of living above sin4 ,he had been a sinner1 he had now become soundly converted1 had received light on sanctification 7though he was not yet sanctified7 and holy living1 and his only object had been to be loyal to the truth he had found4 ,as it looked to him now1 he was one of the principals in a battle between truth and error4 ,he was very young in faith1 and it is not to be wondered at if his zeal was greater than his knowledge4 ,day by day he prayed that the saving truth of the gospel might be made plain to all1 and that deadly error might be exposed1 and its power to blind the people destroyed1 completely and eternally4 ,romans #g1 called out ,peter ,newby1 who led off without consulting anybody4 ,read the first verse1 ,mrs4 ,johnson4 ,everybody follow the reading4 ,there are so many present tonight that only a small portion will get to read4 ,pay strict attention4 ,after the chapter was read1 ,peter began3 ,neighbors1 he said1 you have known me for a long time1 and all of you know that ,i am fair and square to everybody4 ,i try to treat my neighbors right4 ,i have been a ,christian a long time4 ,i was baptized fifty years ago in the ,big ,sandy ,river4 ,water baptism is essential to salvation1 so somewhere between the time ,i went down into the water and came up out of it1 ,i was converted4 ,now we are studying the seventh chapter of ,romans4 ,paul gives his experience in this chapter4 ,paul was a great man but he said that he was 'carnal1 sold under sin' 7v4 #ad74 ,now my experience is just like ,paul's4 ,he says1 ',for what ,i would1 that do ,i not2 but what ,i hate1 that do ,i1' and then in verse #ai1 ',for the good that ,i would ,i do not3 but the evil which ,i would not1 that ,i do4' ,this is my experience4 ,i do many things ,i ought not to do1 and ,i leave undone many things ,i ought to do4 ,this old tongue of mine says many ugly things1 and when ,i get with wicked boys and men ,i crack my jokes too1 and these hands often do wrong1 but1 friends1 ,i am trying in my weak way to serve the ,lord and to make heaven my home4 ,but ,i do not expect to be better than ,paul4 ,he said that when he would do good1 evil was present with him4 ,this is my experience4 ,i would like to do good1 but the flesh is too weak1 and there is too much sin in me4 ,peter sat down4 ,robert ,davis arose4 ,every eye was upon him4 ,bibles and ,testaments were opened4 ,old ,mr4 ,stephenson was there with his ,bible1 and very attentive was he4 ,charley ,moss had his ,testament open at the proper place4 ,at first glance1 it may seem1 ,robert said1 that ,romans #g upholds a life of more or less sinning in a ,christian4 ,a closer view1 however1 reveals that it does not4 ,the first night that ,i was present at these prayer meetings1 ,brother ,newby laid down one sound method for interpreting the ,scriptures4 ,he said1 ',first1 one should know who was writing1 second1 one should know to whom he was writing1 and third1 one should know what he was writing about4' ,this is a sound theory4 ,let us apply it to the text in question4 ,first1 who was writing8 ,paul4 ,second1 to whom was he writing8 ,to the ,christians at ,rome4 ,third1 what was he writing about8 ,his experience under the law4 ,this assertion came like a thunderclap from a clear sky4 ,peter ,newby saw1 at once1 the significance of the statement1 and he shifted uneasily in his seat4 ,he riveted his eyes to the text1 in an effort to discover some point that would be in opposition to ,robert's statement4 ,the crowd looked open-mouthed4 ,this was a new doctrine--they had never heard it explained that way4 ,the interest was intense4 ,continuing1 ,robert said3 ,this is made plain by the first few verses of the chapter4 ,please notice them--',know ye not1 brethren1 7for ,i speak to them that know the law17 how that the law hath dominion over a man as long as he liveth8' ,then he shows in the verses following that ,christians have 'become dead to the law' through ,christ1 and that they are married to ,christ1 and bring forth fruit unto ,god4 ',but now we are delivered from the law1' says ,paul4 ,his whole argument1 down to and including verse #f1 is that we have died to the law through crucifixion with ,christ1 and are therefore free to marry another4 ,we have become dead to the law1 and since death dissolves the marriage vow1 we are1 therefore1 free from connection with the law1 and are joined unto ,christ4 ,beginning with verse #ad to the end of the chapter1 is given an explanation of how ,paul's sinful nature brought him into subjection to its demands4 ,it is a clear testimony of an honest man's experience under the old law4 ,by that law he became aware of sin and felt its sinfulness1 yet that law brought no grace nor power to preserve him from violating its prohibitions4 ,he desired to do good1 but could not4 ,sin came to life and slew him4 ,paul was condemned by the law1 and yet he could not come from under the condemnation4 ,he was1 so to speak1 tied or married to a dead body1 a law or master which brought death1 and he wondered where deliverance would come from4 ',thank ,god1' he says1 'it will come through ,jesus ,christ the ,lord4' ,this cannot be the experience of ,christians1 said ,robert4 ,if you will just look at the second verse of chapter #h1 you will find these words3 ',for the law of the ,spirit of life in ,christ ,jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death4' ,and verse #c says1 ',for what the law could not do1 in that it was weak through the flesh1 ,god sending his own ,son in the likeness of sinful flesh1 and for sin1 or by a sacrifice for sin condemned sin in the flesh1' and verse #d states3 ',that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us1' etc4 ,hence1 it is evident that ,christians are to live holy lives4 ,god demands holiness of us4 ',be ye holy2 for ,i am holy1' says #a ,pet4 #a3af4 ,yea1 we are to repent and turn away from all sin1 for ,christ 'gave himself for us1 that he might redeem us from all iniquity1 and purify unto himself a peculiar people1 zealous of good works' 7,titus #b3ad74 ,and 'the grace of ,god that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men1 teaching us that1 denying ungodliness and worldly lusts1 we should live soberly1 righteously1 and godly1 in this present world' 7,titus #b3aa1 #ab74 ,the arrow of conviction shot deep down into many hearts as ,robert ,davis spoke these words4 ,the truth he spoke commended itself to their minds and consciences4 ,some rebelled1 and rejected his sound arguments4 ,peter ,newby especially was agitated4 ,he felt himself sinking into despair1 as far as argument was concerned4 ,old ,mr4 ,stephenson and ,charley ,moss trembled from head to foot4 ,the ,spirit of ,god was working powerfully in their and others' hearts4 ,i am not going to accept the interpretations placed upon this seventh chapter of ,romans by the speaker1 said ,peter1 as he arose to reply4 ,why8 ,because ,i never heard it explained that way4 ,why8 ,because ,i have heard ,brother ,peters preach from these texts1 and he has always declared a man could not keep from sin4 ,living free from sin6 ,whoever heard of such a thing8 ,it can't be done1 that is all there is to it4 ,we cannot keep from sin4 ,paul said sin was ever present with him1 and ,i know it is with me4 ,i try to do right1 but sin gets the better of me4 ,i ask ,god to forgive me every time ,i pray4 ,i tell you1 a man simply cannot live without committing sin4 ,when ,peter ,newby sat down1 ,robert ,davis arose again1 and said3 ,there is a text of scripture that says certain persons cannot cease from sin4 ,i do not say that anyone here fulfills the description in that text4 ,peter says1 in his ,second ,epistle1 chapter two1 verse #ad3 ',having eyes full of adultery1 and that cannot cease from sin4' ,as ,i said1 ,i charge no man with this kind of character1 and only read it to give you a ,scriptural description of one who cannot live without sin4 ,it was painfully evident that this was an unwise thing to say at that particular time4 ,robert ,davis was young1 and full of zeal4 ,most probably he should not have uttered those words4 ,peter ,newby was powerfully affected4 ,he felt as if his character had been scandalized before the whole crowd4 ,his face waxed red with an inner rage4 ,his body quivered and shook with excitement4 ,no one had ever seen him quite so exercised4 ,he arose slowly1 but with extreme determination4 ,things had gone as far as they could without a physical clash4 ,hold your place1 young man1 ,i will not allow anyone to insult me in this manner4 ,be careful what you say4 ,there will be another chapter added to this if you are not careful4 ,i will defend my honor1 no matter what it costs4 ,and he resumed his seat4 ,the air was filled with intense excitement4 ,a few words from ,robert ,davis would have struck fire1 and he knew it4 ,so he quietly sat still without saying a word4 ,the tenseness of the situation was painful4 ,just then ,mary ,davis started that old familiar song3 ,jesus1 lover of my soul1 ,let me to thy bosom fly1 ,while the nearer waters roll1 ,while the tempest still is high4 ,hide me1 ,o my ,savior1 hide1 ,till the storm of life is past1 ,safe into the haven guide1 ,oh1 receive my soul at last4 ,a few joined in toward the last half of the verse1 and1 as she began on the second verse1 the whole congregation sang with vigor3 ,other refuge have ,i none1 ,hangs my helpless soul on thee2 ,leave1 oh1 leave me not alone1 ,still support and comfort me4 ,all my trust on thee is stayed1 ,all my help from thee ,i bring1 ,cover my defenseless head ,with the shadow of thy wing4 ,robert and ,mary ,davis started for home as soon as they could4 ,peter ,newby got into an argument with old ,mr4 ,stephenson1 who by this time had become a sort of champion of ,robert's and a crowd encircled them4 ,peter ,newby found a match in the old man1 for ,mr4 ,stephenson1 at this time1 while mentally convinced1 was still unsaved1 and could be as personal and ironical as ,mr4 ,newby4 ,they argued the point of a sinless life for an hour1 mixed a good deal of personal invective into the argument1 which drew from the crowd vociferous ha6 ha's6 and they parted without feeling one whit better toward one another than they did before4 ,,chapter ,,six ,,what ,,church ,,should ,i ,,join8 ,the week following the events that took place at the schoolhouse was an important one in the life of ,robert and ,mary ,davis4 ,having put their hands to the plow1 they could not look back4 ,already1 they were aware that the steps they had taken religiously were separating them from the people about them4 ,robert's bold stand for a holy ,christian life made him the butt of many a joke1 and a laughing-stock4 ,they began to hunger for companionship and spiritual fellowship with those of like mind and hope4 ,the gradual separation taking place1 which was throwing over their neighbors a coldness toward them1 accentuated the question of which church they were going to join4 ,their hearts were hungry for soul-food1 for spiritual nurture2 there was a longing within which was acutely felt1 but which was unsatisfied4 ,the intensity of this desire for the fellowship of saints increased as ,robert and ,mary studied the ,scriptures and beheld glimpses of the path which was being so clearly marked out from therein4 ,they were willing to be martyrs for the truth1 but how their souls did long for someone to whom they could unburden their hearts and in whom they could confide6 ,there is inherent in the human heart a desire for fellowship and companionship4 ,god has recognized this desire4 ,jesus ,christ soon gathered around him chosen men1 who were one with ,him in heart and soul1 one with ,him in ,his grand purpose to lift a world out of sin4 ,the story of ,christ's and the apostles' lives reveals a most remarkable affinity of spirit between ,christ and them4 ,they became so much at one with ,him that they gladly forsook every earthly prospect1 and became willing to die for ,him1 even as ,he died for them4 ,jesus made a class called his disciples1 which was an inevitable result of ,his salvation work4 ,they were the members of the spiritual kingdom which ,he founded4 ,they were the members of the church which ,he built4 ,with ,his infinite love ,he had sought them1 and with ,his atoning blood ,he had bought them4 ,he found them dying1 and ,he gave them life2 ,he found them sinning and doomed to a devil's hell1 and ,he redeemed them4 ,having received so richly of ,christ's blessing1 all these saved ones were drawn into a unity of soul and heart unknown in any organization of man4 ,it was exactly for this that ,robert and ,mary ,davis were longing1 at the time of our narrative4 ,they had expected soon after their conversion1 to join some denomination4 ,they had purposely set out to see which church was right4 ,they had supposed that it would be a matter of a few weeks only1 and then they would be safely housed in their church home4 ,but the more they searched1 and the more of the ,bible they read1 the less inclined they were to join any of the churches about them4 ,god was leading them1 but it was some time before the hand of the ,lord was seen4 ,there was an awakening over all the religious world in the latter part of the nineteenth century4 ,holiness1 the key-note of ,holy ,scripture1 was being taught4 ,out of that holiness awakening grew a reformation whose standard was ,back to the ,bible in faith and practice4 ,robert and ,mary ,davis were strangers as yet to these grand movings of the blessed ,holy ,spirit1 but that ,spirit was leading them on unerringly4 ,god desired to plant in ,bethany ,his own glorious church1 to be a beacon-light1 an ark of salvation1 to the people of that community4 ,a series of events accelerated the progress of the ,davis' toward the ultimate truth4 ,their attendance at the various churches1 and their spiritual life1 caused every pastor to consider them good prospects for membership4 ,it so happened that during the few days that followed the last debate at the schoolhouse1 three different ministers visited them with this idea in mind4 ,on one fine day1 ,pastor ,john ,b4 ,jones1 of the ,m4,e4 ,church1 drove up4 ,he was invited in1 most cordially4 ,after some casual remarks1 ,pastor ,jones introduced the subject of joining church4 ,do you contemplate uniting with any church in the near future8 he asked them4 ,yes1 it has been our intention to join soon1 said ,robert4 ,may ,i ask a few questions8 ,certainly1 replied ,mr4 ,jones4 ,does the ,methodist ,church teach holiness8 ,john ,wesley1 the founder of the ,methodist ,church1 said ,mr4 ,jones1 taught holiness1 and sanctification subsequent to regeneration4 ,but we do not preach much on that subject now4 ,what ,i am thinking about1 said ,robert1 is this3 ,i am longing for a real church home1 where ,i can feel at one with1 and in fellowship with real ,christians4 ,pastor ,jones1 there are so many professing ,christians who are ,christians only in name4 ,i cannot fellowship them4 ,they engage in questionable practices2 they are dishonest and tricky2 they use bad language2 and their bent is more toward pleasure than religion4 ,my soul really craves a church home4 ,can you offer me such where ,i shall have the fellowship ,i crave8 ,we need just such members as you and ,mrs4 ,davis would be1 ,mr4 ,davis1 said ,pastor ,jones4 ,many of our members are not spiritual4 ,i have tried to arouse them1 but it seems in vain1 but if we had more members like you1 we should have a spiritual church4 ,old ,mother ,piercy claims sanctification1 and there are three or four who are praying members4 ,i will pray about it1 ,mr4 ,jones1 said ,robert4 ,on the next day1 ,mr4 ,percy ,johnson visited them on the same mission1 and on the day following1 ,mr4 ,claude ,perkins came4 ,to them1 ,robert replied much as he did to ,mr4 ,jones4 ,all of them deplored the lack of vital godliness in their churches and bewailed the lack of spirituality among their numbers4 ,it was a fact that on prayer meeting nights very few persons were out to either of their churches4 ,on the outside1 ,robert could discern little difference between the various denominations4 ,he had learned that they held different doctrines1 and had different schemes of government1 but as to the real church life1 the heart and soul of them1 he saw little difference4 ,he was about to decide to join by casting lots1 when something providentially started his mind along another line of thinking4 ,robert ,davis suddenly bethought himself of the new religious paper4 ,those words which he read when he first saw a copy stood out before him again3 ,a ,definite1 ,heart-,searching1 ,non-,sectarian ,religious ,weekly ,published in the ,interests of ,,the ,,church ,,of ,,god4 ,mary1 ,robert suddenly said to his wife1 there is beginning to form in my mind an idea of what a church ought to be4 ,i suppose that text in the ,acts that you read this morning for worship1 and that religious paper1 are responsible for it4 ,these words paint a beautiful picture3 ',and the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul3 neither said any of them that ought of these things which he possessed was his own2 but they had all things common4 ,and with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the ,lord ,jesus3 and great grace was upon them all4' ,this1 it seems to me1 is the kind of church there ought to be today4 ,where is it8 ,by the way1 those words were written of the early church1 were they not8 ,yes1 for see here1 in ,acts #b3dg it says1 ',and the ,lord added to the church daily such as should be saved4' ,this description is of the early church then4 ,they were united1 with one heart and soul2 one holy purpose animated them2 one powerful motive brought them together4 ,there were no divisions among them1 they all believed the same thing1 and their holy fellowship was complete4 ,everyone knew them as the disciples of ,jesus1 and anyone under conviction of sin knew where to go for salvation4 ,it was a pure church4 ,i suppose that there was not a sinner who dared to profess very long among them4 ,it was not a mixed multitude1 part saved1 part unsaved1 part trying to do ,god's will1 and part with a bent on pleasure and full of worldliness4 ,they were all full of grace4 ,they were humble1 too1 and consecrated4 ,they were not classified as rich and poor--they were all brethren1 and the wealthier members had a care for the poorer members' temporal welfare4 ,what a contrast with the churches as they exist today6 ,my heart longs for a pure1 united church which will bear the pure testimony to the world4 ,mary1 do you suppose that there is any church today like the early church was8 asked ,robert4 ,i do not know1 said ,mary4 ,it may be that there is4 ,do you suppose the 'church of ,god1' in whose interests this paper is printed1 can be that pure apostolic church8 said ,robert4 ,what should the true church be called1 anyway8 ,this paper says it is 'non-sectarian4' ,what is a sect8 ,what does 'non-sectarian' mean8 ,say1 ,mary1 let us set this afternoon apart as a time of investigation of what the ,bible has to say about the church4 ,what do you say8 ,let us do that1 said ,mary4 ,we have not read the ,scriptures at all on this subject4 ,now1 since we wish to find a church home1 it would be well to first search the ,scriptures2 probably the ,bible will direct us in this most important step4 ,,chapter ,,seven ,,what ,,say ,,the ,,scriptures8 ,after dinner on that day1 ,robert and ,mary ,davis prayerfully and reverently began a study on the ,new ,testament church4 ,they had not1 as we have intimated before1 made any particular effort to ascertain what the ,scriptures had to say about this subject4 ,it was not until circumstances forced the issue upon them that any particular concern about it entered into their minds4 ,on this day1 however1 they began a most earnest investigation of the matter4 ,they had determined beforehand to accept whatever the ,scriptures had to say about it1 and to abide by their teachings4 ,i have a concordance ready1 ,mary1 said ,robert1 so let us begin4 ,may ,god direct us in this ,bible study4 ,i shall bring the ,scripture textbook and the ,bible1 said ,mary4 ,i am ready4 ,i suppose that we may as well take the first text in the concordance1 said ,robert4 ,it is ,matt4 #af3ah4 ',and ,i say also unto thee1 that thou art ,peter1 and upon this rock ,i will build my church2 and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it1' read ,mary4 ,i have heard a few discussions about the 'rock' of this text1 said ,robert4 ,some affirm that it means ,peter1 others that it means ,peter's confession1 and still others that it means ,christ4 ,i do not know which is right1 but ,i believe ,christ is the real rock4 ,anyway1 ,mary1 it teaches that ,christ did build a church1 doesn't it8 and that it should not be overthrown4 ,read ,acts #b3dg4 ',praising ,god and having favor with all the people4 ,and the ,lord added to the church daily such as should be saved1' read ,mary4 ,then the church was built by this time1 wasn't it8 ',and the ,lord added to the church1' ,then ,i wonder if they joined the church8 ,how did the ,lord add them8 ,i do not know1 said ,robert1 maybe there was no joining in that day4 ,it may be that as soon as they were saved they were counted members of the church4 ,there are several texts here in ,acts about the church4 ',there was a great persecution against the church which was at ,jerusalem1' 7,acts #h3a72 they 'ordained them elders in every church' 7,acts #ad3bc72 ,paul 'saluted the church' 7,acts #ah3bb71 etc4 ,well1 there was an early church1 judging from these texts1 which corroborates the words of ,jesus who said ,he would build a church4 ,what was the name of that church8 asked ,mary4 ,are there any texts that show what it was called8 ,let us see4 ,here is a text--,acts #bj3bh4 ,see what that verse says1 replied ,robert4 ',take heed therefore unto yourselves1 and to all the flock1 over which the ,holy ,ghost hath made you overseers1 to feed the church of ,god1 which he hath purchased with his own blood1' said ,mary4 ,here is another text--#a ,cor4 #a3b1 said ,robert4 ',unto the church of ,god which is at ,corinth1 to them that are sanctified in ,christ ,jesus1 called to be saints1 with all that in every place call upon the name of ,jesus ,christ our ,lord1 both theirs and ours1' read ,mary4 ,here is another with 'church of ,god' in it--#a ,cor4 #aj3cb1 and another in ,gal4 #a3ac2 also one in ,i ,tim4 #c3e4 ,all of these have 'church of ,god' in them4 ,oh1 yes1 ,i skipped one text in ,i ,cor4 #ae3i1 said ,robert4 ,that is a good name4 ,it shows that it is ,god's church4 ,what have we learned so far8 asked ,mary4 ,we have learned that ,christ built the church1 and that it was named the church of ,god4 ,what else can we learn about it8 ,i would like to know who the members were1 and how they were made members4 ,maybe there are ,bible answers to these questions1 said ,robert4 ,see ,col4 #a3bd4 ',who now rejoice in my sufferings for you1 and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of ,christ in my flesh for his body's sake1 which is the church4' ,this says the church is ,his body4 ,are there any texts to explain that8 said ,mary4 ,try ,col4 #a3ah1 said ,robert4 ',and he is the head of the body1 the church1' ,mary read4 ,read ,eph4 #a3bb1 #bc1 said ,robert4 ',and hath put all things under his feet1 and gave him to be the head over all things to the church1 which is his body1 the fulness of him that filleth all in all4' ,i guess we shall have to look up the word 'body' to find out just what it is1 said ,robert4 ,here is ,i ,cor4 #ab3ac4 ',for by one ,spirit are we all baptized into one body1 whether we be ,jews or ,gentiles1 whether we be bond or free2 and have been all made to drink into one ,spirit4' ,try ,romans #ab3d1 #e1 said ,robert4 ',for as we have many members in one body1 and all members have not the same office3 so we1 being many1 are one body in ,christ1 and every one members one of another4' ,this makes it plainer1 said ,robert4 ,as ,i see it now1 ,christ's body is the church1 and the church is ,his people4 ,that is logical4 ,just like my body1 it has a variety of members1 yet it is just one body4 ,so ,paul says the church is4 ,how do persons get into this church of ,god8 ,mr4 ,jones asked us to join the church4 ,so did ,mr4 ,perkins1 and ,mr4 ,johnson4 ,they said that they would open the door and receive members4 ,but1 ,robert1 ,i feel1 yes1 thank the ,lord1 ,i know that ,i am saved1 and yet ,i am not a member of any church4 ,how can this be8 asked ,mary4 ,i do not know about that1 ,mary1 replied ,robert4 ,maybe you are a church member1 after all4 ,let us see another text4 ,yes1 don't you remember ,acts #b3dg1 which said that 'the ,lord added to the church daily such as should be saved'8 ,if salvation made them members then why does not salvation make us members now8 ,why1 ,mary1 surely it does4 ,this must correspond with ,paul's saying that we read from ,i ,cor4 #ab3ac1 about the ,spirit baptizing us all into one body4 ,i begin to see now that we get into the church that ,jesus built by being saved through the ,spirit1 and that salvation makes us members of the church4 ,well1 praise ,god for these truths6 ,they fit right into my heart4 ,now another point seems plain1 resumed ,robert1 the church1 in order to be pure1 must have only saved members4 ,and ,jesus would not add any but saved members4 ,i see that4 ,and more than that1 said ,mary1 if ,christ adds the members1 then every ,christian is bound to be a member1 isn't he8 ,that must be right1 said ,robert4 ,but that would make one big church1 ,robert1 and you know everybody cannot see alike about the church1 said ,mary4 ,why not1 ,mary8 ,if ,jesus built a church1 and if ,he adds the members1 and if all the members are saved1 and if the ,spirit puts them all into one body1 and that body is the church1 and if ,he named it1 why then would it not be the right church8 ,i do not see how anyone could be a ,christian without being in this church1 said ,robert4 ,is not the church of ,god what ,pastor ,jones called the 'invisible church' and are not all the denominations together the visible church8 asked ,mary4 ,invisible church6 ,why1 was all that early church invisible1 ,mary8 ,impossible6 ,paul persecuted the church1 it says4 ,there was something visible to persecute1 was there not8 ,paul wrote to the church at ,corinth4 ,surely there was something to write to4 ,what puzzles me1 though1 is where this church is today4 ,it is plain enough that the early ,new ,testament church was visible1 and that it was organized1 and had ministers and government4 ,it had power and grace also1 and it grew rapidly1 and spread over much of the ,roman ,empire even before the death of the apostles4 ,but where is it now8 ,this is a mystery to me1 and ,robert was troubled4 ,what have we found so far through reading the ,scriptures this afternoon8 said ,robert4 ,let us make a summary of the points we have found1 and write them down4 ,get some paper1 please1 dear4 ,let us keep a record of our findings4 ,we promised the ,lord to abide by ,his words4 ,jesus said one time3 ',thy word is truth'2 so1 whatever the ,scriptures say must be right4 ,here is paper and pen and ink1 said ,mary4 ,very well1 said ,robert1 thank you4 ,put down-- #a4 ,jesus ,christ promised1 or affirmed that ,he would build a church1 one which was to be ,his church 7,matt4 #af3ah74 #b4 ,that church was to stand forever 7same text74 #c4 ,the ,lord added members to that church 7,acts #b3dg74 #d4 ,salvation made them members of the church 7same text74 #e4 ,the name of that church is1 or was1 the church of ,god 7,acts #bj3bh1 and other texts74 #f4 ,the church of ,god was visible in ,new ,testament times 7#a ,cor4 #a3b74 #g4 ,the church was the body of ,christ 7,eph4 #a3bb1 #bc2 ,col4 #a3bd74 #h4 ,the ,spirit placed every saved one in this one body 7#a ,cor4 #ab3ac2 ,rom4 #ab3d1 #e74 #i4 ,hence1 it must have contained all the ,christians4 #aj4 ,and1 therefore1 the apostolic church of true believers--the spiritual body of ,christ2 and the church-members--the collective body of worshippers1 were identical4 ,when you saw one1 you saw the other4 ,that is as far as we have gone1 ,mary4 ,but we are not through the ,new ,testament yet4 ,i was just counting1 and there are about one hundred texts in which the word 'church' occurs4 ,but1 it seems to me we have learned a great deal4 ,i can see plainly enough that there was only one church in the early era of ,christianity4 ,all the ministers were welcome in every congregation4 ,they all went by one name4 ,there was probably only one congregation in any one city4 ,i do not know whether they had a class-book or not1 but they were united in ,christ4 ,well1 fold that sheet up1 ,mary2 that contains the summary of our work this afternoon4 ,we may derive some value from it later on4 ,but1 ,i am really puzzled1 continued ,robert4 ,something certainly has happened to the church since the apostles' day4 ,it is all divided now4 ,i believe some said that there are hundreds of denominations in the world now4 ,but ,i am determined on this--that ,i will not join any church until this mystery as to its history has been cleared up1 and ,i can see definitely the will of ,god in the matter4 ,it is possible1 ,mary1 that this church of ,god1 which this paper stands for1 may be what we are looking for4 ,it has a ,bible name1 which is one thing ,in its favor4 ,but we shall wait4 ,i take my stand1 here and now1 ,god helping me1 for ,christ's pure church4 ,i will look until my dying day to find it on earth1 and will pray ,almighty ,god to establish a congregation of this church here in order that it may show forth what ,god can do for men4 ,so powerfully was ,robert moved that he proposed that they pray4 ,in prayer1 ,robert renewed his covenant to walk in all of ,god's light4 ,dear heavenly ,father1 he said1 we have been studying thy ,word in an effort to find out which church we should join4 ,lead us1 guide us aright in this matter1 we pray4 ,our souls crave spiritual communion with thy saints4 ,show us ,thy people4 ,plant such a church as we have found in the ,scriptures and which we know existed in ,bible times2 plant a congregation of ,thy church in our midst1 ,o ,father4 ,do not forsake us1 but lead us4 ,amen4 ,,chapter ,,eight ,,robert ,,davis' ,,battles ,a month passed away rapidly4 ,robert and ,mary ,davis were making arrangements to occupy the property bought from ,jake ,newby4 ,ever since the little altercation over the removal of the chicken-house1 ,robert had not seen much of ,jake4 ,as for ,jake1 he continued sour and implacable4 ,it was very hard for any ,newby to take anything from anyone1 and yet1 when they were on the right side of anything they were bold champions for it4 ,some of the best improvements fostered by the community had been initiated by them4 ,nevertheless1 ,robert considered it best to avoid any further rupture of their relations4 ,jake ,newby felt keenly the outcome of the debates in the ,fairmount ,school4 ,he did not like to see his father suffer a loss of his prestige in the community4 ,he nursed a secret grudge against ,robert1 and determined that if ever an opportunity presented itself to his liking1 he would do something to humble him4 ,he chafed especially under the implication that his father was not a ,christian1 and if only he could cause a downfall to ,robert he would get sweet revenge4 ,robert ,davis was unaware of what was going on in ,jake ,newby's mind4 ,he had not counted on any bitterness over their little dispute4 ,a few days before ,robert and ,mary planned to move1 ,robert went over to their new home to mow the yard and clean up a little4 ,jake ,newby saw him coming1 and noticed that he was alone4 ,now is my time1 muttered ,jake to himself4 ,so he strode over to where ,robert was4 ,do you mean that ,i cannot have my chickenhouse1 ,robert ,davis8 asked ,jake threateningly4 ,jake1 you know that the chickenhouse was not reserved in our contract1 said ,robert4 ,you are a liar1 shouted ,jake4 ,you are mistaken1 ,jake1 said ,robert calmly1 but feeling a strong impulse to strike his opponent4 ,you are a liar1 ,davis1 and you have insulted my father1 said ,jake1 at the same time shaking his finger dose to ,robert's face4 ,instantly1 ,robert's powerful right arm shot a blow directly at ,jake's jaw4 ,it caught him square on the chin1 and ,jake went sprawling over the lawn4 ,jake arose1 thoroughly angry4 ,he rushed at ,robert like a demon1 but ,robert quickly stepped to one side and caught ,jake with another blow4 ,jake then closed in on ,robert and attempted to throw him down4 ,over and across the lawn they surged1 trampling under foot the shrubbery which ,jake had planted to beautify the homestead4 ,the men were about equally matched in size and strength1 but ,robert's clearer brain and strategy were too much for his opponent4 ,at last they fell in a heap1 with ,jake on top1 and he was raining blows upon ,robert's face in token of his victory1 when all at once ,robert gave a sudden turn and landed ,jake underneath before ,jake was aware of what was happening4 ,but by this time ,robert's heart was talking to him about the fight1 so he merely held ,jake down until he gave up and promised to go home and not make trouble any more4 ,then he let him up4 ,jake shook himself1 and started home4 ,robert was so upset that he could not work4 ,he sat down on the porch of the house and took a survey of the affair4 ,he became so engrossed in his study that he did not hear the sound of falling footsteps1 until they were close upon him4 ,he looked up quickly1 and met the scornful gaze of ,peter ,newby's hazel eyes4 ,and so you have become a fighting holiness man have you8 ,you were so holy a short time ago that you could insult an old man like me with your insinuating remarks4 ,now1 maybe you will believe me when ,i say that man can't live without sinning1 said ,peter disdainfully4 ,robert was so completely whipped by his own conscience that he felt no inclination to defend himself4 ,indeed1 how could he defend himself8 ,now1 young man1 you ought to drop this holiness stuff1 for there is nothing in it--all bunk4 ,living above sin are you8 ,ha6 ha6 ha6 and the old man gave poor ,robert an explosive horse-laugh4 ,goodbye1 holy ,robert1 said ,peter1 as he drove away4 ,robert sat still on the porch4 ,he began to wonder if this was the way he was going to dedicate his new home1 and if he had destroyed his influence in the community4 ,what would ,mary think of him6 ,good1 quiet1 godly ,mary1 who had always looked up to him as the embodiment of noble and manly qualities4 ,and ,mary was cherishing a little one under her heart1 and preparing to receive a priceless treasure4 ,what kind of a father was he going to be1 ,robert asked himself4 ,shall ,i tell her1 or shall ,i hide it8 ,swiftly the thoughts ran through his mind while big1 cold drops of sweat stood out upon his forehead like beads of crystal4 ,never before had he felt so thoroughly miserable4 ,in his youth1 ,robert had never been quarrelsome1 but he had accepted challenges whenever they were made4 ,since his conversion1 however1 he had lived a consistent ,christian life1 and he had been very particular of his conduct since ,god had shown him light on holiness and sanctification4 ,i will kneel down here and pray1 said ,robert1 out loud4 ,this decision was his response to grim ,despair1 who had now put in his appearance with suggestions to give up all1 go back into sin1 quit professing1 and be an open sinner4 ,why try it any longer8 said ,despair4 ,you can never face your neighbors again4 ,give up4 ,give up4 ,you have tried1 and you have failed4 ,you are a failure4 ,your reputation is gone4 ,you can never live for ,christ in this neighborhood4 ,get even with ,newbys4 ,no sooner did ,robert resolve1 with holy determination1 to defeat ,despair and pray1 than he got upon his knees4 ,and there1 at the doorway of his future home1 he poured out his heart before ,almighty ,god1 and vowed he would not go back any farther than he was1 and that he would strive1 with all his heart1 to do ,god's will4 ,as the sun began to go down behind the hills to the west of him1 ,robert started home4 ,flecks of cloudlets began to redden1 and the denser strata of clouds took on a deep purple1 as the western sky blazed out in a marvel of beauty4 ,and ,robert thought1 truly1 that the heavens declare the glory of ,god1 and the firmament showeth his handiwork2 why could not man glorify ,him better8 ,mary saw at once that ,robert wore a troubled expression on his face4 ,robert saw that ,mary sensed that something was wrong4 ,as soon as he could1 he went in and sat by ,mary's side4 ,mary1 dear1 ,i know that you will be ashamed of me1 when ,i tell you what ,i have done1 said ,robert4 ,my1 ,robert1 what have you done8 cried ,mary1 you look so troubled and gloomy4 ,mary1 ,i am sorry to tell you what ,i have done1 but ,i will hide nothing and will tell you all about it1 said he4 ,you remember that chickenhouse we prevented ,jake from moving that day8 ,well1 he met me at the place today and called me a liar and said that ,i had insulted his father4 ,before ,i hardly knew what ,i was doing ,i hit ,jake and we had a fight4 ,i finally beat him1 and he promised to behave4 ,i felt just like giving up1 ,mary1 and never trying to serve the ,lord any more4 ,but ,i promise you1 dear1 that ,i will not go back4 ,and great big tears of hearty contrition rolled down ,robert's face1 and ,mary1 all tears too1 lovingly wiped his tears away4 ,i do not know if you can have confidence in me or not1 ,mary1 after this1 but ,i expect to rise above it1 ,god helping me1 said ,robert1 when he could speak4 ,i recognize that ,i have done wrong1 he continued4 ,what shall ,i do about it8 ,you must forgive ,jake1 and ,mr4 ,newby too1 ,robert1 said ,mary4 ,the ,scriptures are plain3 ',but if ye forgive not men their trespasses1 neither will your heavenly ,father forgive your trespasses' 7,matt4 #f3ae74 ,can you forgive them8 ,yes1 by ,god's help1 ,i forgive them4 ,i do1 said ,robert4 ,should you not also make confession to ,jake ,newby for fighting him8 asked ,mary4 ,and then give him that chickenhouse if he still demands it4 ',therefore1 if thine enemy hunger1 feed him2 if he thirst1 give him drink3 for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head' 7,romans #ab3bj74 ,and to break the power of the grudge1 why not obey ,matt4 #e3bc1 #bd3 ',therefore1 if thou bring thy gift to the altar1 and there remember that thy brother hath ought against thee2 leave there thy gift before the altar1 and go thy way2 first be reconciled to thy brother1 and then come and offer thy gift4' ,well1 ,jake is not a brother1 ,mary1 said ,robert1 but the ,scriptures point out the best way to recover4 ,i feel so ashamed1 ,mary1 after standing up for a holy life and then failing this way4 ,but ,i feel that following the ,word of truth will be the quickest way to recovery4 ,it is my ambition to be an example of ,god's keeping power4 ,i wish to so live that holiness may be established as truth in this community4 ,i want my life to tell for ,jesus4 ,robert decided that the sooner he went the better it would be2 so he drove to ,jake's house at once4 ,jake was greatly surprised to see ,robert drive up and greeted him very surlily4 ,jake1 ,i have come over to ask your forgiveness for striking and fighting you this afternoon4 ,i did wrong4 ,pardon me4 ,i am sorry ,i gave way1 ,jake4 ,and say1 ,jake1 if you want that chickenhouse1 just come and get it4 ,it is too small for the number of chickens ,mary intends to raise1 anyway4 ,you can have it1 ,jake1 freely1 gladly4 ,what's a chickenhouse between friends8 ,the ,lord made me feel very guilty over this affair1 ,jake1 continued ,robert4 ,at first ,i thought ,i would give up entirely1 but ,jake1 ,i cannot do that4 ,the ,lord has done too much for me and my wife1 and--well1 others are counting on me4 ,i want to make everything right2 so you will feel perfectly free to visit me any time you wish4 ,praise ,god6 ,i feel better1 ,jake4 ,will you forgive me8 ,and ,robert stretched out his hand toward ,jake4 ,jake took it1 and there1 in that happy twilight hour1 a grudge and a sin were laid in a grave of oblivion1 never to be resurrected4 ,,chapter ,,nine ,,the ,,good ,,results ,,of ,,an ,,honest ,,confession ,the confession of ,robert ,davis to ,jake ,newby set ,jake's household all agog4 ,they had never heard of such a thing before4 ,when ,jake had arrived home from his encounter he had told ,kate1 his wife1 all about it1 coloring it in his own favor4 ,i went over to see ,robert ,davis and kindly asked him to let me have the chickenhouse and to reprove him gently for the way he had treated dad1 and1 what do you think8 he jumped on me as mad as he could be4 ,i'll get even with ,bob ,davis1 ,i will4 ,the mean rascal1 said ,jake4 ,well1 of all things1 is that the way holiness men do8 ,a pretty mess for ,davis to get into1 said ,kate4 ,i'll fix him4 ,wait till a good chance comes1 and ,i will make him sorry enough1 said ,jake4 ,little good he can do in this neighborhood1 living like that4 ,but ,jake1 you are a member of the church1 and you must be careful how you live1 said ,kate4 ,oh1 yes1 ,i suppose so1 said ,jake laconically4 ,but ,jake's religion did not concern him very much4 ,everybody knew that4 ,his name was on the church book1 and ,jake paid a little money in now and then1 but as for prayer or testimony1 he had none1 and as for vital1 personal godliness and personal salvation1 to these he was a perfect stranger4 ,in fact1 the denomination to which ,jake belonged did not believe in nor teach salvation from sin4 ,many others in it were just like him4 ,while the ,newby family were discussing the fight1 it was to their great surprise to see ,robert ,davis come through the open gate4 ,well1 if there doesn't come ,bob ,davis now1 ,kate exclaimed4 ,what do you suppose he is after8 ,do you suppose he is going to renew the fight1 ,jake8 ,mercy me4 ,help6 ,but ,robert knocked quietly1 and ,jake opened the door1 and before anyone else could speak ,robert made his confession1 while the ,newby children and ,kate looked on in amazement4 ,after ,jake and ,robert shook hands1 and the trouble was ended1 a strange atmosphere pervaded the ,newby home4 ,they had never felt just like that before4 ,there was a peace1 an awe1 a holy feeling such as people have sometimes at the height of a revival meeting4 ,if ,jesus had suddenly appeared in person there would not have been much more of a holy atmosphere than existed right there at that moment4 ,they could hardly understand it4 ,no doubt the angels of heaven were there1 and the ,holy ,spirit was present to exert his benign influence toward the salvation of that family4 ,kate began to cry great big tears of joy4 ,jake sat down4 ,jake1 ,bob ,davis is a man1 said ,kate4 ,that was the most open1 honest confession ,i ever heard4 ,i do not know of any one who would do such as he has done4 ,there must be something to his religion4 ,you know the fight you had with ,tom ,sawyer1 and he is a deacon in ,first ,church1 ,bethany4 ,what came of it8 ,never a word of confession did he ever make4 ,what kind of a man is ,mr4 ,davis1 anyway8 ,something strange about ,bob ,davis1 said ,jake4 ,said ,i could have that old chickenhouse if ,i wanted4 ,i'd be a fool to take it now4 ,jake1 ,i believe ,robert ,davis is a real ,christian1 said ,kate1 as a sort of confession on her part4 ,why1 ,i do not know of a member of our church that would do the manly thing that he has done1 coming up without any self-justification and asking forgiveness for his wrong4 ,i'm more convinced than ,i ever was before that ,robert's doctrine is right1 after all4 ,your dad would not own up like that even if he knew he was in the wrong4 ,i wish ,i had more of ,robert's religion4 ,that is true4 ,kate1 said ,jake4 ,dad's either too hardheaded or has not enough religion to own up to a fault4 ,i begin to feel like ,i am not a ,christian at all1 ,jake1 said ,kate4 ,i could not do as ,robert ,davis has done4 ,no1 ,i couldn't4 ,i'm not much of a ,christian4 ,i believe we might as well quit our profession1 ,jake1 if we can't live better than we are4 ,and more big1 honest tears rolled down ,kate's cheeks4 ,well1 ,i have been baptized1 said ,jake1 and ,pastor ,sammons said water baptism was essential to salvation4 ,i believed in ,jesus ,christ and was baptized4 ,what else can ,i do8 ,i live as good as any other member of our church4 ,i have been in good standing for ten years4 ,i do not know what else to do4 ,the preacher thinks ,i am all right4 ,yes1 ,i know1 replied ,kate1 the preacher thinks ,i am all right1 too1 but ,i know ,i am not4 ,i just feel that ,i am not a real ,christian4 ,well1 ,i must confess1 said ,jake1 that ,robert's confession puts religion in a new light to me4 ,with ,robert religion is the main thing4 ,he has family prayers night and morning2 he is honest and scrupulous1 and now when he sees he has done me a wrong he has come right over and made it right4 ,i am not much of a ,christian either1 if that is ,christianity4 ,jake1 what good is water baptism if our lives are not changed8 asked ,kate4 ,i have just been thinking of the members of our church1 and ,i am not trying to ignore their good qualities1 but ,i do not know of more than two or three that ,i would ask to pray for me if ,i were going to die4 ,they gossip1 dress in all the latest fads1 go to dances and theaters1 rarely attend church1 and are just like the worldly people around here who belong to no church4 ,is this ,christianity8 ,why1 ,jake1 when we had our bazaar1 you remember1 four of the sisters fell out and have not spoken to each other since4 ,my1 ,i never thought of these things before4 ,i wonder what church ,robert ,davis belongs to8 ,he calls it the church of ,god1 replied ,jake4 ,the church of ,god6 exclaimed ,kate4 ,why1 what church is that8 ,i never heard of it4 ,but that name sounds good4 ,if it is as good as its name it ought to be a good one4 ,i must confess1 said ,jake1 that ,i never have enjoyed my religion4 ,if it is the right kind it has done me very little good4 ,but ,i can't afford to drop it1 for it's all ,i have--at least till ,i see something better4 ,robert and ,mary ,davis seem to enjoy their religion4 ,i always noticed that4 ,i believe ,i shall investigate the church of ,god4 ,what do you say to calling ,robert and ,mary over tomorrow night and talking all these things over with them8 ,robert seems to know a lot about the ,bible4 ,let us do that1 said ,kate4 ,next morning ,kate sent her son ,john to the ,davis home with an invitation to come and spend the evening4 ,they were surprised to get the invitation1 but felt that it was their duty to go4 ,during that day both ,jake and ,kate were in a very humble mood4 ,peter ,newby came over during the day and ,jake told him all about ,robert's confession4 ,jake also expressed himself as being dissatisfied with his religion4 ,ah1 poof6 said ,peter1 you are all right4 ,weren't you baptized1 and don't you believe in ,christ8 ,don't give up your religion4 ,would you go back on your old dad and mammy like that8 ,i hope ,i never see the day1 ,jake1 when you will leave our church4 ,davis is no good4 ,but ,jake was so thoroughly awakened to his own sad state that his father's speech affected him very little4 ,in fact1 it sounded hollow and hypocritical to him4 ,jake knew1 down in his heart1 that ,robert had done the manly and ,christian thing1 and when he saw that his father did not appreciate what ,robert had done1 it made him feel that his father was not much of a ,christian either4 ,jake lost confidence in his father right there4 ,peter ,newby sensed this change of attitude on ,jake's part1 and it filled him with anger4 ,yet he knew that he dare not show it4 ,but the fire in his bosom compelled him to speak out4 ,jake1 my son1 he said1 trying hard to control his feelings1 ,i fear you are being shaken in the faith1 but ,i hope if you are dissatisfied with our church that you will not disgrace the family by joining that holiness bunch4 ,they are rotten4 ,i know them of old4 ,i would rather see you dead than for you to go with ,bob ,davis4 ,jake saw that there was little use to discuss the matter2 so he desisted and turned the conversation to pigs4 ,but ,peter turned it back to religion4 ,if you go along with that ,davis1 ,peter said1 ,i will disown you as my son4 ,i will4 ,after being a member of our church for ten years1 then to own up that you are not a ,christian--why1 ,jake1 that will tear our church to pieces4 ,but father1 said ,jake1 suppose that ,i am not a real ,christian1 will it do me any good to continue to profess that ,i am8 ,is that not exactly what makes one a hypocrite8 ,my soul longs for a real experience4 ,i know ,i am not ready to die or fit to live either4 ,i must get right with ,god4 ,peter ,newby saw that it was useless to stay longer1 so he rode away1 feeling very angry at ,jake for the mood he was in1 and at himself for displaying such anger4 ,robert and ,mary ,davis went to ,newbys' about nightfall and were given a cordial reception4 ,after all was ready they all met in the parlor and discussed religion4 ,a great many texts were read and talked over4 ,water baptism was investigated4 ,robert proved by the ,scriptures that water baptism is not a saving ordinance4 ,how could water baptism be a saving ordinance1 said ,robert1 when we know that water cannot have any effect1 one way or another1 upon a soul8 ,and1 if water baptism is essential to the obtaining of salvation1 then two other things besides the blood of ,jesus are necessary whenever a soul is saved4 ,one is water1 enough to be immersed in1 according to your church doctrine1 and the other is a man1 or a preacher to baptize4 ,then1 if one were out somewhere away from water and a preacher1 he could not be saved4 ,this will never do4 ,it places too much in the hands of men4 ,peter makes it plain--read #a ,peter #c3ba4 ',the like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us 7not the putting away of the filth of the flesh1 but the answer of a good conscience toward ,god17 by the resurrection of ,jesus ,christ1' read ,kate ,newby4 ,this makes it plain1 said ,robert4 ,water cannot wash away sins except in a figurative way4 ,it is the blood that cleanses4 ,read ,rev4 #a3e 7last sentence71 and ,col4 #a3ae4 ',unto him that loved us1 and washed us from our sins in his own blood1' read ,mary ,davis4 ,this is ,rev4 #a3e4 ,col4 #a3ad says1 ',in whom we have redemption through his blood1 even the forgiveness of sins4' ,robert1 what church do you belong to8 asked ,jake finally4 ,i am not a member of any denomination1 said ,robert1 but recently through a study of the ,bible1 ,i have become convinced that these denominations are not right1 and that we should get back to the ,bible in name1 faith1 and practice4 ,i do not see any church that tallies with the church of the ,new ,testament2 so ,i am waiting and praying for ,god to establish a real ,new ,testament church in this community4 ,by the way1 ,jake1 we found that the ,bible name for the church is the church of ,god4 ,we have had a religious paper coming to us1 which is published in the interests of the church of ,god4 ,maybe this is what we are looking for4 ,jake1 let us seek for the truth4 ,i will1 ,robert1 said ,jake4 ,i am dissatisfied with my religion4 ,really1 ,i doubt if ever ,i was converted4 ,god bless you1 ,jake1 said ,robert1 the ,lord has a real experience of salvation for you4 ,come to ,him1 repent1 and believe4 ,get under the blood4 ,amen4 ,after a blessed service of prayer and singing some of the good old soul-cheering songs1 ,robert and ,mary ,davis went home4 ,it was the beginning of a new era in the ,jake ,newby home4 ,,chapter ,,ten ,,false ,,guides ,,appear ,,in ,,bethany ,it often happens when people become awakened to the fact that they are below the standard of ,christianity and do not as yet see or know what to do1 that they become ensnared in destructive doctrines4 ,having loosed from their old moorings and not having reached a peaceful haven1 they drift about1 sometimes at the mercy of every wind that blows4 ,when the truth of the gospel begins to appear then the great enemy1 ,satan1 sows his tares1 for the ground is then broken up4 ,robert ,davis' debates at the schoolhouse1 his confession1 and his private conversations on the ,scriptures1 were like rays of light shooting through the rifts in the clouds of the sky4 ,the town of ,bethany had never heard such doctrines as ,robert was upholding4 ,and even to ,robert himself they had not yet been formed into a coherent system of ,bible teaching4 ,several things were still mysteries to him4 ,jake ,newby and his family were in this partly awakened condition4 ,they had lost confidence in the church to which they belonged1 but they did not see the light clearly4 ,they were seekers after the truth4 ,on one day of the next week after the conversation in his home with the ,davis'1 ,jake and ,kate went to the railway station in ,bethany to see their ,aunt ,mellisa off4 ,she had been visiting with her brother1 ,peter ,newby1 for a few days and was on her way home to ,boston4 ,while sitting in the station chatting and waiting for the train to come1 ,kate ,newby saw a wall-pocket in the waiting-room on which was a neat sign1 ,take ,one1 filled with printed literature4 ,she stepped to the receptacle and took out two or three pieces of literature which she placed in her handbag1 and she thought no more about it till she got home and opened her bag to get her handkerchief4 ,something about the leaflet attracted her attention1 and she sat down and read it4 ,the pamphlet proclaimed the virtues of ,christian ,science to heal all kinds of mental and physical sicknesses and troubles4 ,there is no sickness1 sin or death1 said the treatise4 ,all of these things are errors of mortal mind4 ,we are1 it continued1 to ignore and repudiate these errors1 for ,god is good and everything is good2 ,god is eternal ,mind1 all-embracing1 and there can be no death1 and sin1 and sickness in ,god4 ,material things1 it said1 are not important1 the spiritual is the important4 ,the basis of all things is the spiritual1 hence we can count material things as immaterial and be all engrossed in ,god4 ,the false notion that there is sickness1 it said1 has led many to the grave1 the false notion that there is a devil has led to the idea of sin4 ,but sin and sickness are errors of the mortal mind1 and when we get swallowed up in the one great mind 7,god71 there will be no more sickness1 pain1 sin1 or death4 ,much more it said which space will not permit us to narrate here4 ,kate ,newby read on and on4 ,she was longing for something better than she had4 ,the arguments of the pamphlet seemed plausible to her1 and she embraced them4 ,seeing that the ,christian ,science text-book was advised1 she ordered a copy of ,mrs4 ,eddy's ,science and ,health4 ,when it arrived she read it assiduously4 ,she was getting very deep into the meshes of it4 ,her theology was undergoing a radical change4 ,god1 to her1 was no longer personal1 but the great ,mind which is all-comprehensive4 ,she tried to believe herself well1 free1 and happy1 and she began to enjoy a measure of relief4 ,but1 at the same time1 ,kate ,newby was growing more worldly2 she began to lose her former distinctions of right and wrong1 and the change was beginning to be made manifest in many different ways4 ,she began to ignore ,jake and to show an aversion to material things and she began to develop a sort of overmystical attitude toward life in general4 ,finally1 ,jake asked her point-blank1 ,kate1 what is the matter with you8 ,you are acting so queer4 ,well1 ,jake1 ,i might as well tell you1 answered ,kate4 ,i am a ,christian ,scientist4 ,if ,jake ,newby had been hit with a cannon ball he would not have been worse shocked4 ,christian ,science6 he echoed4 ,of all things6 ,where did you get hold of that8 ,then she told him of getting the leaflet1 then ,science and ,health1 and how she had gradually been won to embrace it4 ,jake was clearly disturbed1 and started to argue with ,kate1 but she had the advantage in that he did not know anything about it4 ,so ,jake thought of ,robert ,davis4 ,say1 ,robert1 said ,jake to ,robert the first time that they met after his talk with ,kate about ,christian ,science1 do you know anything about ,christian ,science8 ,indeed ,i do1 said ,robert1 my mother once got somewhat entangled in it1 and through her efforts to get out ,i was led to study it4 ,come over and talk to ,kate1 then1 said ,jake4 ,she has taken up with it and it is ruining her4 ,please come over and talk with her about it4 ,we must have help4 ,all right1 ,i will come1 answered ,robert4 ,on the next evening ,robert found time to go1 and soon he and ,kate were talking on ,christian ,science while ,jake and the others listened4 ,now1 ,i will read from ,science and ,health1 said ,robert4 ,see if you can understand it4 ,see if it does not make you feel like scratching your head in order to help to comprehend it4 ',what is man8 ,answer--,man is not matter1 he is not made up of brain1 blood1 bones1 and other material elements4 ,the ,scriptures inform us that man is made in the image and likeness of ,god4 ,matter is not that likeness4 ,the likeness of ,spirit cannot be so unlike ,spirit4 ,man is spiritual and perfect4444 ,man is incapable of sin1 sickness1 and death4 ,the real man cannot depart from holiness1 nor can ,god1 by whom man is evolved1 engender the capacity or freedom to sin' 7page #dge74 ,can you understand that8 ,for the life of me1 ,i can't1 said ,jake1 but1 of course ,jake could not be expected to understand it1 thought ,kate4 ,now1 here is another4 ',therefore the only reality of sin1 sickness1 or death is the awful fact that unrealities seem real to human1 erring belief1 until ,god strips off their disguise4 ,they are not true1 because they are not of ,god4 ,we learn in ,christian ,science that all inharmony of mortal mind and body is illusion4' ,again1 ',sin1 sickness1 and death are to be classified as effects of error' 7pages #dgb and #dgc7 read ,robert4 ,i wonder what ,i am made of1 said ,jake's boy1 ,john1 if ,i have no brain1 blood1 or bones4 ,when the bay filly threw me last winter and broke my arm ,i thought ,i was part bone4 ,and a lot of blood ran from my foot the time ,i cut it with the ax1 at least they called it blood4 ,now1 let us get ,mrs4 ,eddy's definition of ,god1 said ,robert4 ',what is ,god8 ,answer--,god is incorporeal1 divine1 supreme1 infinite ,mind1 ,spirit1 ,soul1 ,principle1 ,life1 ,truth1 ,love4' ,let us notice her definition of ,mind1 continued ,robert4 ',mind is ,god1' she says4 ,let us draw forth some of the ,christian ,science principles and stand them up for inspection4 #a4 ,man is not matter2 he has not brains1 blood1 or bones4 #b4 ,man is incapable of sin4 #c4 ,man is incapable of sickness4 #d4 ,man is incapable of death4 #e4 ,sin1 sickness1 and death are errors4 #f4 ,god is ,mind1 ,principle4 #g4 ,mind is ,god4 #h4 ,sickness is a dream4 #i4 ,sickness1 sin1 and death are 'mortal dreams4' #aj4 ',there is no disease' 7,science and ,health1 p4 #dba74 #aa4 ',death is the illusion' 7,science and ,health1 p4 #dbh74 ,now1 over and against these statements of ,christian ,science1 let us place the immutable ,word of ,god4 #a4 ,man is not matter2 he is not brains1 blood1 or bones4 ,the very first word in inspiration contradicts this principle in ,christian ,science4 ',in the beginning ,god created the heaven and the earth' 7,gen4 #a3a74 ,the creation of man contradicts ,christian ,science4 ,listen--',and the ,lord ,god formed man of the dust of the ground1 and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life2 and man became a living soul4' 7,gen4 #b3g74 ,so there is such a thing as man composed of matter such as body1 and blood1 and bones4 #b4 ,man is incapable of sin4 ,let us see what the ,bible says of this proposition1 continued ,robert4 ',for all have sinned1 and come short of the glory of ,god' 7,rom4 #c3bc74 ',christ died for our sins according to the scriptures' 7#a ,cor4 #ae3c74 ',he shall save his people from their sins' 7,matt4 #a3ba74 #c4 ,man is incapable of sickness4 ',is any sick among you' what shall he do8 asked ,robert1 quoting ,jas4 #e3ad1 #ae4 ,let him deny that he is sick1 and claim that he is incapable of being sick8 ,no4 ',let him call for the elders 444 and the prayer of faith shall save the sick4' ,david said of the ,lord1 ',who healeth all thy diseases' 7,psa4 #ajc3c74 #d4 ,man is incapable of death4 ,it seems that no scripture is needed to refute this falsehood4 ,men of past ages are dead4 ,mrs4 ,eddy herself will die1 all ,christian ,scientists die1 for 'it is appointed unto men once to die1 but after this the judgment4' ,my1 the ,bible is hard on ,christian ,science doctrine1 isn't it1 said ,kate ,newby4 ,i did not think to read and compare ,mrs4 ,eddy's statements with the ,bible4 ,indeed it is1 said ,robert ,davis4 ,the ,bible states facts as they are4 ,man did sin1 and all men have sinned4 ,the plan of salvation1 in all its vast provisions for men1 came about because of man's need1 because of man's fall4 ,man has sinned4 ,oh1 it is all too plain to deny4 ,the bruised and wounded hearts of mothers and wives1 the bowed heads of grief-stricken fathers over the sins of their loved ones1 prove all too painfully that sin is real4 ,i know it is1 too1 said ,jake ,newby4 ,my heart yearns for deliverance from sin right now4 ,kate1 turn from this deception4 ,you see it is not right4 ,it denies facts4 ,now1 as a matter of fact1 said ,robert ,davis1 mind has considerable influence over matter1 but1 after saying that1 it is not necessary to go to the absurd extent as to deny that there is matter4 ,i see it now1 said ,kate1 there is a subtle connection between mind and our bodies1 but ,i see that if1 because of that1 ,i should deny facts1 my state would be no better and probably worse4 ,i give up the whole system as being contrary to reason1 sense1 and the ,scriptures4 ,a few days after this ,robert was called to ,kansas ,city on business1 where he remained a week4 ,now1 it so happened that while he was away from home on this business trip1 a colporteur of the ,seventh-,day ,adventists denomination came through the country and sold ,mary ,davis the book entitled ,daniel and the ,revelation1 also several tracts1 one of which was entitled ,who ,changed the ,sabbath8 ,mary ,davis had never before heard of anything on the ,sabbath question1 and when the colporteur told her about how the ,sabbath had been changed from ,saturday to ,sunday 7according to ,adventist theories71 and how they1 the ,adventists1 were in a great reformation to restore the ,sabbath-day1 she was considerably interested4 ,open-hearted for truth1 she was peculiarly susceptible at that time to the claims of ,adventism4 ,mary spent the next few days in reading her newly bought literature4 ,it seemed plausible to her that if ,god gave the ,ten ,commandments as a perpetual covenant1 the seventh day should still be kept4 ,the more she read the more she was convinced4 ,by the time ,robert returned she had begun to count herself a seventh-day keeper4 ,robert ,davis was surprised beyond measure when he returned and found his house full of ,advent literature4 ,well1 ,mary dear1 what does all this mean8 asked ,robert kindly4 ,why1 ,robert1 she said1 while you were gone a colporteur came here with these books4 ,he seemed so earnest and he talked for hours about a reformation and how the ,catholics had changed the ,sabbath and about how ,god had set himself to restore the day to ,christendom4 ,i have been reading the books and they make it very plain that we ought to keep ,saturday4 ,now1 come here1 dear1 said ,robert1 let me point out to you the false and unscriptural position which these zealots hold4 ,mary felt a little indignant at this1 but she complied1 willing to know the truth4 ,however1 she was secretly determined to keep the ,sabbath-day unless very good reasons were shown why she should not4 ,first1 ,mary1 let me ask a few questions1 said ,robert4 ,did the colporteur say anything about living holy or nearer to ,god8 ,no1 said ,mary1 he talked almost exclusively about the ,sabbath-day4 ,very well1 said ,robert4 ,did he say the ,ten ,commandments were still in full force8 ,yes1 he did1 ,robert1 and he made it very plain that ,god's law could not change1 said ,mary4 ,did he say the ,catholics changed the ,sabbath-day from ,saturday to ,sunday8 asked ,robert4 ,yes1 he did1 replied ,mary4 ,now1 ,mary1 get your ,bible1 please1 said ,robert4 ,turn to #b ,cor4 #c1 and begin reading with verse #g4 ',but if the ministration of death1 written and engraven with stones1 was glorious1 so that the children of ,israel could not stedfastly behold the face of ,moses for the glory of his countenance2 which glory was to be done away3' read ,mary4 ,you need not read the rest of the chapter now1 said ,robert1 but this verse and the verses following show beyond all question or argument that the ,ten ,commandments were a 'ministration of death' and were abolished in ,christ4 ,that law was glorious1 but that glory was eclipsed by the greater glory of the ,new ,testament law4 ,now turn to ,gal4 #d3ba-ca4 ,read verse #bd first4 ',which things are an allegory3 for these are the two covenants2 the one from mount ,sinai1 which gendereth to bondage1 which is ,agar1' read ,mary4 ,this passage proves1 said ,robert1 that ,paul was showing by ,abraham's two sons1 ,isaac and ,ishmael1 ,isaac by ,sarah1 and ,ishmael by ,hagar1 that the covenant at ,sinai was to be cast out1 just as ,hagar and ,ishmael were cast out of ,abraham's home4 ,the verse you read declares that the ,ten ,commandments1 covenant1 law1 and all from ,sinai correspond with ,hagar4 ,what happened to her8 ,she was cast out4 ,so the old ,ten-,commandment law is cast out in favor of a better one4 ,now turn to ,hebrews #h and read the last verse4 ',in that he saith1 a new covenant1 he hath made the first old4 ,now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away4' ,plain enough1 isn't it1 ,mary8 asked ,robert4 ,god found fault with the old covenant 7see verse #g7 and so he took it away4 ,but1 ,robert1 said ,mary1 does this mean that it is right to lie1 or steal1 or kill8 ,if the ,ten ,commandments are done away with1 how will these sins be condemned8 ,and ,mary was really puzzled about it4 ,why1 ,mary1 said ,robert1 the ,ten ,commandments did not make it wrong to lie and steal4 ,it was always wrong to lie and steal even before there were any ,ten ,commandments4 ,wrong is wrong4 ,now in ,christ's law every possible wrong is condemned4 ,do you see the point8 ,now1 the ,sabbath-day law is the ,fourth ,commandment of the ,ten4 ,but that ,sabbath law was given to the ,jews only4 ,they could keep it where they lived1 but everybody can't keep it now at the same time even if they should want to4 ,you see we live on a round earth1 continued ,robert1 and the sun shines somewhere all the time4 ,now ,israel could keep the seventh day all right in ,palestine1 but suppose that they had been scattered over all the earth8 ,then a ,jew in ,australia would be keeping his ,sabbath about eighteen hours before his brother in ,california4 ,the day begins out in the ,pacific ,ocean1 not because it really begins there1 but because for the sake of convenience it was fixed to begin there4 ,the whole arrangement is artificial4 ,now1 would ,god put so much emphasis on keeping a certain day under such circumstances8 ,adventists think it is very wrong to work on the ,sabbath-day1 yet some of them work as much as twelve hours while their brethren on the other side of the earth are keeping their ,sabbath4 ,it is impossible for all the earth to keep the ,sabbath at the same time4 ,well1 ,i never thought of that before1 said ,mary1 as her ,adventism began to leave her about as quickly as it came4 ,now the fact is1 too1 ,mary1 said ,robert1 that the ,catholics did not change the ,sabbath-day4 ,they may claim to have done so and the ,adventists accept the claim1 it appears1 but the early ,christians kept the first day of the week ,sunday1 long before there was any ,roman ,catholic ,church or any pope at ,rome4 ,adventists twist history here just like they twist the ,scriptures4 ,listen here1 dear1 continued ,robert4 ',i was in the ,spirit on the ,lord's ,day' 7,rev4 #a3aj74 ,what day was the ,lord's ,day8 ,it was not ,saturday1 the ,sabbath4 ,pentecost1 that grand birthday of the church1 was on ,sunday 7,acts #b3a-d74 ,the disciples met to break bread on the first day of the week--,sunday 7,acts #bj3f1 #g74 ,the laying-by of the collection for the saints was made on the first day of the week--,sunday 7#a ,cor4 #af3a1 #b74 ,on the ,sabbath-day ,jesus lay cold in death in the borrowed tomb while the sad and disconsolate disciples mourned the death of the ,prince of ,israel1 their ,savior4 ,but on ,sunday morning ,christ arose triumphant 7,john #bj3a7 and in memory of it ,christians began early to observe ,sunday as a day of worship4 ,mary1 you were just about to be entangled with a yoke of bondage1 a yoke of man's making1 said ,robert4 ,this ,sabbath doctrine of the ,adventists is utterly man-made4 ,in their writings the apostles did not teach the keeping of it2 so why go away back to bleak and smoking ,sinai for a law to keep when ,jesus offers us a new covenant8 ,why those ,adventists are trying to prop up a law that was old1 and decayed1 and ready to vanish away in ,paul's time4 ,did ,constantine make a ,sunday law1 ,robert8 asked ,mary4 ,yes1 he did4 ,in ,a4,d4 #cba1 ,constantine legalized the day of worship that the ,christians already were using1 said ,robert4 ,the ,adventists claim that ,constantine changed the day1 but he did not4 ,there is no history at all to support their theory4 ,he was the first ,christian emperor of ,rome and simply gave legal sanction to a day already set apart for worship1 which was ,sunday4 ,this was long before there was any pope4 ,well1 ,i am very glad you came home when you did1 said ,mary4 ,it was a providence4 ,i see the snare set for me1 and ,i shall fly out from it1 by ,god's grace4 ,,chapter ,,eleven ,,out ,,of ,,the ,,valley ,,of ,,the ,,shadow ,two months after ,robert ,davis arrived home1 ,mary took violently ill4 ,first there was a high fever1 then convulsions1 then paralysis4 ,dr4 ,horton came at once to see what he could do4 ,after a careful examination he said she had typhoid fever and progressive paralysis and that she was in grave danger4 ,after a day or two she rallied1 regained consciousness1 and was able to converse with the family4 ,little ,janet was just one month old the day ,mary took sick1 and ,mrs4 ,jake ,newby1 now a very dear friend1 took the child and nursed it4 ,mary knew1 as well as anyone1 that she was very ill4 ,she talked it over with ,robert4 ,together they most earnestly prayed that ,god would spare her life1 for ,robert's sake1 and especially for little ,janet's sake4 ,but though her mind remained remarkably clear1 her body sank deeper down into the jaws of death4 ,mary was led to consecrate all to ,god2 so in a very simple and humble way she resigned her all to ,him4 ,the will of ,god be done1 she said1 whether ,i live or die1 wake or sleep1 ,i am the ,lord's1 body1 soul1 mind1 will1 all4 ,have ,thine own dear way with me1 ,lord ,jesus1 work out ,thy will in me4 ,if ,i live ,i shall be always all for ,thee1 if ,i die1 ,i am ,thine alone4 ,take from my heart every selfish desire and reign1 dear ,jesus1 on ,thy royal throne there4 ,purge me pure1 ,o ,christ1 so pure that ,i can come into ,thy effulgent presence without one fear1 without one sin1 but instead with great joy4 ,i want to be able to greet ,thee1 blessed ,christ1 as my dearest1 sweetest friend without a doubt as to my entire acceptance with ,thee4 ,oh1 come1 ,jesus1 come in all ,thy power to fully save me1 just for ,thine own dear sake4 ,amen1 amen4 ,mary closed her eyes4 ,she lay there1 so quiet1 as if the angel of death had claimed her for ,his own4 ,a sweet smile of satisfaction spread over her face4 ,it seemed some angel voice had whispered something ineffably sweet to her4 ,robert hardly knew what to do or to say4 ,she lay there so motionless1 so still1 yet there was such a sweet1 holy awe1 such a spiritual atmosphere1 just as ii the room were full of angels1 that it seemed he could not cry4 ,kate ,newby was greatly affected4 ,her mind went back to that night in her home after ,robert ,davis had made his confession4 ,then there came stealing over ,mary's wan face a smile that broke into the sweetest laughter4 ,praise the ,lord1 she said4 ,is everything well with you1 ,mary8 ,robert asked4 ,all is well1 she said4 ,i am ready to go1 if the ,lord calls for me4 ,mary continued very low for several days4 ,she hung between life and death and at times it seemed that the thread would snap and her soul would be released4 ,all hope of recovery had fled4 ,robert1 ,robert1 come here1 she said one day4 ,i feel so happy4 ,i wonder if ,i am going to die6 ,heaven must be a beautiful place1 ,robert4 ,i had the most wonderful dream or vision a while ago4 ,i thought ,i was in heaven and it was so rich and beautiful4 ,i saw a little baby there2 its wings were tinted in all the colors of the rainbow and its robe seemed to be of the finest1 whitest silk4 ,i just wanted to grasp the dear thing1 but it eluded me and flew up into one of the trees of life4 ,robert1 she continued in a low voice1 what will you and ,janet do if ,i die8 ,oh1 ,i hate to leave you here alone4 ,poor little ,janet1 she will never have mother's hand to smooth away the care from her brow or to wipe the tears from her innocent eyes4 ,i would so like to stay4 ,poor little ,janet6 ,bring her here1 papa1 and lay her down by my side so ,i can see her1 and ,i want to lay my hand on her sweet1 velvet face4 ,they brought ,janet and laid her down on the bed by ,mary and then ,mary laid her hand over on the baby's face and caressing it softly said3 ,sweet little one1 ,i love you4 ,you are a part of me4 ,shall ,i leave you in this cold world with no mama to see after you8 ,poor child1 what will you do8 ,but ,jesus will help you if ,he takes me away from you4 ,o ,jesus1 bless ,janet1 bless ,papa1 bless ,kate1 bless everybody4 ,mary lay there so quiet again4 ,tears were flowing from the eyes of everyone in the room4 ,robert could hardly restrain himself4 ,he was broken-hearted4 ,kate ,newby burst out in a cry of sorrow and sympathy4 ,then ,mary1 after a few moments1 opened her eyes and said3 ,i have just been hearing the most wonderful music4 ,did you hear it1 ,robert8 ,it must have been the angels1 for they all had long white robes4 ,oh1 it was so pretty and lovely4 ,then she sank away again4 ,everyone thought that she would soon be gone1 but as night wore on she still breathed and was no worse in the morning4 ,the month before this sickness ,robert had hunted up one of the old religious papers which had then ceased coming1 and had sent in his subscription4 ,two or three copies had already come4 ,as ,mary continued very low he had had time to read4 ,one day his eyes were attracted to the testimony of a woman who had been healed4 ,he also found a short article on healing in which it was stated that any of the ministers of the church of ,god would be glad to pray for any sick person4 ,it was evident that ,mary was beyond the power of medicine to heal4 ,dr4 ,horton had given her up and no more medicine was being given her4 ,i wonder if any of the church of ,god ministers are near ,bethany1 said ,robert to himself4 ,his eyes began to run over the pages in search of a minister close enough to send for4 ,then he saw a meeting announced for ,sayersville1 ,october #a-aj4 ,sayersville was only fifty miles north of ,bethany4 ,the minister in charge was ,d4,w4 ,monteith4 ,that same hour a telegram was sent as follows3 ,d4,w4 ,monteith1 ,sayersville1 ,mo4 ,come at once ,pray for my wife ,very sick ,robert ,davis1 ,bethany1 ,mo4 ,robert was at the station at seven o'clock the next morning to meet the minister4 ,he wondered just what kind of a man a church of ,god minister would be4 ,when they met he found a plain1 neat-looking man with a kind1 strong face1 ready to go to the bedside of his wife4 ,be of good cheer1 ,brother ,davis1 said the minister1 the ,lord has great power4 ,he can raise up your wife4 ,up at ,sayersville last week a man was thrown from a train and seriously hurt1 but the ,lord healed him4 ,have faith in ,god4 ,robert ,davis thought he had never heard words so encouraging as those1 nor had he seen a man who entered so heartily into his burdens4 ,here was a man from whom he felt the warm1 free flow of ,christian fellowship4 ,when they drove up to the house ,mary was awake4 ,mary1 dear1 said ,robert1 this is ,brother ,monteith1 a minister of the church of ,god4 ,he has come to pray for you4 ,i'm so glad you have come1 ,brother1 said ,mary4 ,we need your prayers4 ,are you all the ,lord's1 sister8 inquired the minister4 ,oh1 yes1 all the ,lord's1 she replied4 ,all given up1 to go or to stay4 ,but ,i wish so much to stay4 ,see my little baby over here4 ,the minister breathed a short prayer for guidance4 ,is it your will to heal her1 ,lord8 he prayed4 ,he felt an answer that ,god would raise her up4 ,then he took out a small vial of olive oil1 anointed the brow of ,mary with it1 and said3 ,in the name of ,jesus ,christ1 we anoint you with this oil in fulfillment of ,james #e3ad1ae1 ',is any sick among you8 let him call for the elders of the church2 and let them pray over him1 anointing with oil in the name of the ,lord1 and the prayer of faith shall save the sick1 and the ,lord shall raise him up4' ,now1 ,lord1 we claim this promise in behalf of this woman4 ,inspire her faith4 ,send ,thy healing virtue4 ,destroy this disease and heal her for thy glory4 ,amen4 ,now1 sister1 arise in the name of ,jesus1 he said gently4 ,the mighty power of ,god fell upon ,mary ,davis in a moment of time4 ,she raised up in bed1 lifted her hand toward heaven and said1 ,i am healed4 ,the news spread over the community rapidly4 ,several of the neighbors had been there when she was healed4 ,they went home telling it to all they met4 ,next day several people drove up to see what had happened4 ,mary was sitting up in a chair as happy as she could be and ready to tell all comers what great things the ,lord had done for her4 ,kate ,newby said that she was very glad that she had dropped ,christian ,science4 ,this is real divine healing1 she said4 ,the healing of ,mary ,davis made a great stir in the neighborhood4 ,several preachers felt it their duty to warn people against divine healing4 ,it is mostly excitement1 they said1 when one is healed1 as ,mary ,davis was4 ,others ridiculed it4 ,some said that she never had been sick1 but others knew that she had been sick1 and a few gave ,god the praise for the work done4 ,but this healing attracted attention to the doctrines of holiness and the church of ,god that ,robert ,davis had been talking about4 ,it became a topic of earnest discussion as to which church was right4 ,many were asking1 ,i wonder if ,davis is not right1 after all1 in claiming that there should be a better1 purer1 more powerful1 more spiritual church than what we have here4 ,as for ,robert ,davis1 he determined to have a revival conducted by ,brother ,monteith4 ,,chapter ,,twelve ,,the ,,revival ,,meeting ,,in ,,bethany ,in three weeks the church of ,god revival was to begin in ,bethany1 according to previous arrangements made between ,robert ,davis and ,evangelist ,monteith4 ,meanwhile ,robert ,davis studied the church question assiduously4 ,his study of the ,bible led him to accept the ,bible name--church of ,god--but he knew that the right name did not necessarily make a church right that had adopted it4 ,the church must be in and of itself the real church and then the name would naturally apply to it4 ,when the evangelist came1 ,robert asked him the very first day1 ,brother ,monteith1 tell me about the church of ,god4 ,i see by the ,bible that in the apostles' time there was one church called the church of ,god1 but what became of it8 ,where is it now8 ,all ,i can see is a multitude of churches4 ,can you tell me what has happened to the apostolic church8 ,tell me the full history1 please4 ,very well1 ,brother ,davis1 ,i shall do the best that ,i can to give you a brief account of the church1 he said4 ,the church of ,god was built by ,jesus ,christ1 organized and filled with power by the ,holy ,ghost on the day of ,pentecost1 and was then sent forth on her glorious mission of working with ,christ to save a lost world4 ,the first step toward world evangelism followed the persecution of the church in ,jerusalem when 'they that were scattered abroad went everywhere preaching the word4' ,the second step was taken when ,paul and ,barnabas1 with ,mark1 set forth from ,antioch in ,syria on the first missionary tour of the early church4 ,on this tour several local churches of the general church of ,god were raised up through the salvation of ,jews and ,gentiles in ,antioch in ,pisidia1 ,iconium1 ,lystra1 and other places in the ,roman provinces of ,asia ,minor4 ,the third great step was taken when ,paul and his companions1 on the second tour1 crossed the ,aegean to ,europe and thus began the conquest of ,europe for ,jesus ,christ4 ,local churches were planted in ,philippi1 ,thessalonica1 and ,corinth1 to each of which ,paul wrote epistles--,philippians1 #a and #b ,thessalonians1 and #a and #b ,corinthians4 ,before ,paul's death he had preached in ,rome1 the capital of the ,roman ,empire1 one of the greatest empires of all time4 ,while ,paul was establishing congregations of the one church in the ,west1 the other apostles were raising up local congregations elsewhere4 ,everywhere this church was known as the 'church of ,god4' ,in the century after the apostles the name 'catholic' which means universal1 was applied to it4 ,there was one church4 ,congregations embraced thousands in some of the larger cities4 ,antioch in ,syria is said to have had thousands of ,christians within its borders4 ,what a glorious church that early church was1 ,bro4 ,davis1 you have already seen in your ,scripture investigation4 ,with the breaking forth of the glorious light of the gospel there arose the true church of ,god1 spotless in her purity1 glorious in her power1 and adorned with the rich graces and gifts of the ,spirit4 ,and in three hundred years this church broke down paganism and ,constantine had made ,christianity the religion of the ,roman ,empire4 ,but this glorious church was not to remain glorious4 ,sad but true1 there came an apostasy foretold by the apostles4 ,peter foretold it 7#b ,pet4 #b3a1 #b74 ,paul foretold it 7#b ,thess4 #b3c1 #d74 ,and notice how far short some of the seven churches of ,asia were before ,john's death 7,rev4 #b and #c74 ,marsh's ,church ,history says3 ',almost proportionate with the extension of ,christianity was the decrease in the church of vital piety4 ,a philosophizing spirit among the higher1 and a wild monkish superstition among the lower orders1 fast took the place in the third century of the faith and humility of the first ,christians4 ,many of the clergy became very corrupt1 and excessively ambitious4 ,in consequence of this1 there was an awful deflection of ,christianity4' ,milner's ,church ,history says3 ',and if the faith of ,christ was so much declined 7and its decayed state ought to be dated from about the year #bgj71 we need not wonder that such scenes as ,eusebius hints at without any circumstantial details took place in the ,christian world4' ,when ,constantine made ,christianity the religion of ,rome the apostatizing processes were greatly accelerated4 ,the constitution of the church was patterned after that of the civil government4 ,the ,holy ,spirit had to retire from the active government of the church because forms and legality had taken place4 ,the ,word of ,god ceased to have authority1 its place being taken by the laws and decrees of the councils4 ,the clergy arose to great power and pomp and there was a long line of graduations made in the ministry1 some of these offices given much more authority than others4 ,is that the way the papacy was formed8 asked ,robert4 ,indeed it was1 said the preacher4 ,the chief minister of large cities obtained control of the ministry of that city and surrounding towns4 ,these chief ministers were called diocesans4 ,ministers in still more prominent places came to have a still wider authority and were called metropolitans1 those over large districts were called patriarchs1 and so the grasping for supremacy went on4 ,when the ,mohammedan conquest had reduced the importance of the other patriarchates1 the conflict for supremacy lay between the ,patriarch of ,rome and the ,patriarch of ,constantinople4 ,at last the ,patriarch of ,rome gained the greater prestige and authority and was called pope1 and became supreme head of the ,western or ,roman ,catholic ,church4 ,the great apostasy lasted twelve hundred and sixty years1 or until ,a4,d4 #aecj4 ,this time was foretold in ,rev4 #ab3f2 #ad-ag1 where the woman1 under which figure the church is presented1 fled into the wilderness for #abfj days or 'a time1 and times1 and half a time1' and in chapter #ac3a-aj1 the beast1 under which figure ,roman ,catholicism is represented1 had power to continue 'forty and two months1' 7forty-two months7 or #abfj days1 which1 taking the usual ,biblical method of interpreting prophetical time 7see ,dan4 #d3be2 ,num4 #ad3cd2 and ,ezek4 #d3f7 means #abfj years4 ,the ,roman ,catholic supremacy was broken by the sixteenth-century ,reformation4 ,the ,augsburg ,confession of ,faith1 prepared by ,melanchthon and ,luther1 was formed in ,a4,d4 #aecj4 ,this was the first ,protestant creed4 ,then followed the great day of ,protestantism when creeds and denominations sprang up in every direction and upon many pretenses4 ,god's sheep were scattered and divided1 as it was foretold in ,ezek4 #cd3aa-be4 ,the true church of ,jesus ,christ was lost sight of4 ,it was spoken of as the invisible church1 while the denominations were the visible churches4 ,men joined churches because they thought that it was the right thing to do4 ,about the year #ahhj1 or #cej years after the ,augsburg ,confession1 ,a4,d4 #aecj1 a deep conviction seized a number of earnest1 sanctified people that the denominational system was wrong1 utterly unscriptural4 ,they began to preach a pure ,bible church of which salvation alone makes men members4 ,when these prophets began to teach the unity of ,god's people thousands saw the wrong of remaining in the denominations2 so they came out4 ,in fact1 ,brother ,davis1 ,god's sheep would naturally stay together if they were not induced to separate4 ,the denominations have good ,christians in them1 but there are many members who do not have an experimental knowledge of grace and these have led many churches into worldliness and formality4 ,i see it1 said ,robert4 ,the church was hidden down through the ,catholic and ,protestant ages and is just now again coming out and standing aloof and clear for ,god and her blessed founder1 ,jesus ,christ4 ,oh1 praise ,god6 it is all so plain now4 ,thank ,god4 ,on the third night of the meeting a mob formed to frighten the minister out of town and to destroy the meeting4 ,old ,peter ,newby helped organize it4 ,the ammunition consisted of a vast assortment of ancient eggs1 also stones1 brickbats1 and a few clubs and sticks4 ,the mob stormed the house about the time of the close of a powerful sermon on ,a ,better ,testament4 ,windows crashed1 portions of egg bespattered many1 several persons were struck by missiles1 and a great hubbub was created4 ,the evangelist was the quietest person in the house1 though his clothing bore mute evidence that the egg-brigade had singled him out as their target4 ,the mob did not come into the house2 so after a few temporary adjustments an altar call was given and seven came to the altar1 among whom were old ,mr4 ,stephenson and ,charley ,moss4 ,on the next day rumors flew thick and fast4 ,the wildest stories were told4 ,some heard that the evangelist was killed1 and great excitement stirred the whole community4 ,that night some were too much afraid to go1 others went out of sheer curiosity1 while one partisan of the evangelist formed a band of men in favor of him1 and they sent word both to the evangelist and to the mob leader that they would be on hand that night to protect the preacher4 ,needless to say everything was perfectly quiet and the meeting closed without further disturbance4 ,the last night ,evangelist ,monteith preached on ,the ,judgment ,day1 and he pictured the doom of sinners until the stillness of death pervaded the room4 ,great conviction rested upon the people4 ,at the altar call several went forward and found glorious peace at the foot of the cross4 ,the last good-bys were said with eyes brimming with tears4 ,i shall see you again1 ,god willing1 said the evangelist1 and the meeting closed4 ,,chapter ,,thirteen ,,the ,,babel ,,of ,,tongues ,it is not every town that can boast of such a religious commotion as ,bethany had during the next three weeks4 ,rumors of a strange people floated in from ,piketon and ,shenandoah1 rumors of a strange doctrine1 a new religion1 a really strenuous religion that had left the old conventional churches high and dry in their formality4 ,the members of the band who were holding the meeting could speak in tongues1 unknown tongues at that4 ,and the demonstrations were wonderful4 ,then the news came that they were coming to ,bethany4 ,they came4 ,there was a band of six--two ministers1 their wives1 and two helpers4 ,they rented the empty store building owned by ,mayor ,hempstead and began4 ,the scenes enacted at the meeting were well-nigh indescribable4 ,robert ,davis attended one night1 two weeks after the meeting had begun1 and he said to ,mary when he got home3 ,mary1 ,i never saw such demonstrations in all my life before4 ,would you believe it if ,i should tell you that ,i stood in front of the front row of seats about ten feet from the platform and that ,i could not hear a word that those on the platform were singing8 ,it is a fact4 ,the altar extended between the seats and platform and the seekers and those talking to them were making such a noise that the singing could no longer be heard4 ,why did they make so much noise8 asked ,mary4 ,i do not know1 replied ,robert1 they seemed very much in earnest4 ,let me tell you something more4 ,i saw young women jiggle and jerk all over until their hair was all thrown down1 and their clothing disarranged4 ,two or three men were running about on the platform as if they were mad1 others danced more gracefully4 ,one or two were bellowing4 ,there were noises that were indescribable1 screeches1 howls1 yells1 and several gibbering syllables that no one understood4 ,some were shaking all over1 some were lying prone and stiff1 some were falling down into various attitudes4 ,why1 ,mary1 it was simply awful4 ,you would never dream of sane people doing such things4 ,next morning ,kate ,newby came over4 ,she came in dancing and talking in the unknown tongue4 ,oh1 ,i have got it1 ,i have got it1 she exclaimed4 ,you have got what8 asked ,robert4 ,i have got the ,holy ,ghost1 ,i have the 'tongues1' hallelujah6 shouted ,kate4 ,what has it done for you8 asked ,mary4 ,oh1 ,i have got it1 ,i've got it6 was all the reply ,kate would make4 ,did you make a complete consecration to ,god8 ,did you seek ,him for the cleansing power8 ,were you brought near to ,him8 ,was your heart brought very humble and yielding to ,god8 ,tell me how you prayed and what your faith took in1 said ,robert4 ,i have got it1 ,i have got it1 was all ,kate could say about her new experience4 ,she seemed to be very happy1 yet she looked as if she were in a tremendous strain and lines were drawn in her face which denoted care and anxiety4 ,my dear1 did you come to the ,lord for more of ,his grace8 asked ,mary4 ,if so1 we have a sure promise1 but what is this 'tongues' that you have received8 ,that is proof that ,i have the ,holy ,ghost1 said ,kate4 ,don't you know that the apostles spoke in tongues8 ,but ,kate did not know the theology of the new religion very well4 ,robert ,davis was determined to know the theological basis of the new outburst1 if it had any2 so he went to see the ministers and asked them for their doctrinal belief4 ,very well1 sir1 sit down1 replied one of the ministers4 ,the first ,scripture text is a prediction by ,christ 7,mark #af3ag73 ',they shall speak with new tongues4' ,the second is where the prophecy was fulfilled 7,acts #b3d73 ',and they were all filled with the ,holy ,ghost1 and began to speak with other tongues1 as the ,spirit gave them utterance4' ,next in ,acts #aj3df3 ',for they heard them speak with tongues1 and magnify ,god4' ,now the doctrine is this3 everybody must speak in tongues as the evidence of having received the ,holy ,spirit4 ,this is the evidence4 ,do you have the ,holy ,ghost8 ,if so1 then you have spoken in tongues4 ,but1 said ,robert1 why should one manifestation of the ,spirit be any more of a witness than another manifestation8 ,oh1 you have got to get the 'tongues1' replied the preacher4 ,come tonight and seek the ,holy ,ghost4 ,hallelujah6 ,but ,robert noticed a peculiar accent to this hallelujah1 and also that every one present seemed to be moved by one dominating1 overwhelming spirit or power4 ,among these people there seemed to be more seeking for something to exhilarate them than seeking the face of ,god for more grace and love4 ,there was an amazing brazenness about most of those who had the tongues1 an air of superiority1 a sort of spiritual pride that disgusted him4 ,when he attempted to reason with them he found them unreasonably impervious to argument or logic4 ,he finally concluded that the doctrine was based on a false claim1 a misconception of ,scripture4 ,no wonder1 he said to ,mary when he got home1 that these people have gone far beyond the line of reasonableness1 when one considers that law of physics which says that the reaction goes about as far as the action4 ,the truth is1 ,mary1 many churches have become so formal and dead that the cry of mankind is for life1 freedom1 spiritual power1 spiritual joy1 spiritual victory4 ,no wonder the pendulum has swung over to the other extreme4 ,the right place is in the middle1 between these two extremes4 ,i believe we should go over and see ,kate ,newby4 ,kate ,newby had yielded herself fully to the new religious idea4 ,kate was emotional4 ,when a girl she was easily mesmerized and always took everything that was going1 diseases and all4 ,however1 she was a good woman1 and true1 and conscientious4 ,during the week after she got her new experience she had dreams and visions1 spoke in tongues1 read the ,bible1 shouted at every meeting1 danced1 and became a willing worker4 ,along toward the end of the week she began to feel depressed4 ,a stray thought or two forced its way into her excited brain as to the propriety of some of the demonstrations going on4 ,there were some extremes which her soul could not approve4 ,she began to pray earnestly for divine guidance4 ,she remembered her excursion into the wilds of false religion1 into the ,christian ,science delusion4 ,kate was somewhat in this frame of mind when ,robert ,davis and ,mary went over to visit her4 ,at once she asked ,robert what he thought of the tongues4 ,kate1 answered ,robert1 if the ,bible says that speaking in a tongue is the evidence of receiving the ,holy ,spirit it is plain that all should have that evidence4 ,but listen1 ,kate1 are you ready to believe that for all these years1 yes for centuries back1 ,god's children have not had the baptism of the ,holy ,spirit8 ,can you believe that ,d4,l4 ,moody and ,john ,wesley and ,george ,whitefield and men like them did not have the ,spirit8 ,why1 ,i never thought of that1 ,robert1 said ,kate1 it does not look reasonable1 does it8 ,let us note1 ,kate1 he continued1 that the ,bible nowhere says or intimates that speaking in tongues is the essential evidence of the reception of the ,holy ,spirit4 ,speaking in tongues is a gift of the ,spirit4 ,paul asks1 ',do all speak with tongues8' 7#a ,cor4 #ab3cj74 ,the inference is plain that he did not think they did4 ,these gifts are distributed to advantage1 being given to every man as ,god wills 7#a ,cor4 #ab3d-aa74 ,the idea that speaking in tongues is the essential evidence of the reception of the ,holy ,spirit is chiefly responsible for the fanatical extremism that these folks exhibit4 ,why1 ,kate ,newby1 you know that this is not ,new ,testament ,christianity1 this wild1 riotous1 noisy thing6 ,it cannot be4 ,you see1 when one decides that he must speak in tongues as the evidence of the ,holy ,spirit's baptism1 he becomes so eager to do so that he often receives a mental or spiritual deception which he considers the real evidence of the ,holy ,spirit baptism4 ,i am beginning to see the deception of it1 said ,kate4 ,yesterday1 ,i believe the good ,spirit of ,god was talking to me4 ,i felt that something was wrong4 ,while ,i professed to be very happy1 still there was a feeling that ,i was not right after all4 ,but ,i thrust the thought aside as not coming from ,god and held on4 ,but1 honestly1 ,i am not happy4 ,i did not consecrate4 ,i just fell in with the spirit of the meeting and got the 'tongues' in a few moments4 ,i doubt if ,god had any connection with it at all4 ,the next day the town marshall was called to the home of ,mrs4 ,jane ,smith4 ,she had embraced the new religion and was losing her mind4 ,the new teaching had so upset her that her weak mind could not stand the strain4 ,she was taken to the asylum1 where she remains to this day4 ,when ,kate ,newby heard of this she became more convinced that there was something wrong with the theory and she thoroughly renounced it4 ,the tongues meeting left ,bethany in the worst spiritual condition that town had ever been in4 ,families were torn apart1 many persons became skeptics1 and there were debates1 and arguments1 and violent clashes almost daily4 ,it remained in this condition until the time when ,evangelist ,monteith began his second revival the next year4 ,,chapter ,,fourteen ,a ,,model ,,church ,,established ,jesus ,christ brought the grandest conception of human brotherhood that the world has ever heard4 ,he intended to create a perfect society1 and to establish principles of social justice in the earth4 ,he planned that sin1 with its accompanying maladjustments1 should be destroyed and that man should live in harmony with man and with the infinite ,creator4 ,nothing less than the transformation of society was ,his goal4 ,his plan of rejuvenation was based on the truth that all men are of one blood1 created by one ,god1 whose children they all are by virtue of that creation4 ,all should have equal claims upon ,his mercy1 goodness1 and love1 and upon the material blessings which the earth affords4 ,divisions into rank1 classes1 and strata are not the will of ,god4 ,jesus put all on one common level when ,he invited all to come unto ,him and rest1 when ,he said1 ,him that cometh to me ,i will in no wise cast out 7,john #f3cg74 ,this work of reforming society goes on like yeast working in dough1 particle by particle1 a little at a time1 but at an accelerating rate4 ,at first there were the twelve apostles and a few others4 ,by and by there were more4 ,but always and ever ,christ carries on ,his great work through ,his people4 ,first one man is enlightened and saved2 he then becomes a missionary to enlighten others4 ,they in turn lead others to ,jesus until there are enough to establish a congregation of the church of ,god at whatever point they live4 ,this local congregation becomes then1 a model in miniature of what society would be if all were ,christians4 ,vast responsibilities rest upon a local congregation4 ,they represent ,god4 ,they show forth the power of ,god and exhibit to the world the blessed state of the saved4 ,they are responsible to make their society attractive1 so that sinners may be convicted of their lack and be persuaded to become members of it4 ,the next several months of our narrative embraces the time when ,god raised up a church1 a society of the saved1 in ,bethany4 ,one year after the tongues revival1 ,evangelist ,monteith began the second revival of the church of ,god in ,bethany4 ,he was accompanied by three helpers4 ,robert ,davis and ,mary were sanctified wholly4 ,so also was ,jake ,newby and ,kate1 old ,mr4 ,stephenson and ,charley ,moss4 ,thirty-five were converted1 and twelve besides the ones named were sanctified4 ,mrs4 ,thomas ,jones was healed of tuberculosis and ,dr4 ,horton1 who had been her physician for three years1 met her one day and was much surprised at her appearance4 ,why1 ,mrs4 ,jones1 whatever has happened to you8 he said1 you look so well4 ,hadn't you heard about my healing1 ,doctor8 she replied pleasantly4 ,at the meeting recently the ,lord touched my body with ,his healing power and ,i do not cough any more1 the fever is gone1 and ,i am gaining two pounds a week4 ,my1 if you folks keep on ,i will starve to death practicing medicine1 said the ,doctor4 ,probably we shall not spend money for drugs1 ,doctor1 but there will still be things you can do for us1 said ,mrs4 ,jones4 ,we are still under physical laws and your knowledge will be of great help to us in keeping well4 ,in the advertising matter which ,robert ,davis published at the beginning of the second revival he publicly repudiated ,mormonism1 ,russell's ,no-hell-ism1 ,adventism1 and announced that the meeting was under the auspices of the church of ,god4 ,the meeting itself was so sane1 yet so spiritual1 that it commended itself to every one who attended4 ,there were no excesses1 and everything was done decently and in order4 ,on ,sunday1 the last day of the meeting1 the evangelist preached on ,the ,church1 the ,house of ,god1 and in the afternoon he preached on ,the ,church1 ,its ,divine ,ordinances1 after which thirty-nine were baptized in the river which flowed close by4 ,the minister stood on the banks and said3 ,we have met here this beautiful afternoon1 friends1 to administer the ordinance of baptism4 ,jesus commanded ,his ministers in ,matt4 #bh3ai and #bj--';,go ye therefore1 and teach all nations1 baptizing them in the name of the ,father1 and of the ,son1 and of the ,holy ,ghost3 teaching them to observe all things whatsoever ,i have commanded you3 and1 lo1 ,i am with you alway1 even unto the end of the world4 ,amen4' ,we gladly obey the commands of our great ,redeemer4 ,baptism does not save the sinner1 but it is the answer of a good conscience1 as ,peter #c3ba says4 ,baptism represents our death to sin and our resurrection to righteousness4 ,as ,paul1 the great apostle says3 ',buried with him in baptism1 wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of ,god1 who hath raised him from the dead4' ,the whole idea of baptism is beautifully pictured in ,romans #f3c1 #d1 ',know ye not1 that so many of us as were baptized into ,jesus ,christ were baptized into his death8 ,therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death3 that like as ,christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the ,father1 even so we also should walk in newness of life4' ,once these dear ones were dead in sins1 but through repentance and faith they now are saved4 ,they are1 therefore1 fit subjects for baptism4 ,it was a very solemn occasion4 ,a holy awe covered the crowd1 a holy atmosphere was prevalent among the people4 ,one by one the minister led the candidates down into the typical grave of water and when they arose out of the water there were praises and thanks given unto ,him who had loved them and washed them from sin in ,his own blood4 ,so affecting was this scene that three persons asked for prayer that they might be saved4 ,at #f3jj ,p4,m4 the ordinances of feet-washing and the ,lord's ,supper were celebrated4 ,when the congregation was assembled the minister said3 ,jesus1 on the night of ,his betrayal1 ate the last ,passover supper in the upper room with ,his disciples4 ,before this supper was ended ,he took a towel and washed the disciples' feet1 and said3 ',if ,i then1 your ,lord and ,master1 have washed your feet3 ye also ought to wash one another's feet4 ,for ,i have given you an example1 that ye should do as ,i have done unto you 444 ,if ye know these things1 happy are ye if ye do them' 7,john #ac3ad1 #ae1 #ag74 ,we shall follow ,jesus in this ordinance4 ,it symbolizes true ,christian humility and service one to another4 ,it symbolizes one of the most tender relationships one person can hold with another1 that of mutual helpfulness in little things4 ,a very deep lesson it teaches1 one that has not been very well learned by ,christians yet4 ,then they separated1 the men going to one place1 the women to another1 and participated in the blessed ordinance4 ,afterward1 they assembled for the ,lord's ,supper in remembrance of ,christ's death for them4 ,the effects of this meeting on the people of the town were profound4 ,some wondered1 some scoffed1 some were deeply convicted1 but many were stirred to the point of discussion and earnest ,bible-searching to see if these things were so4 ,mr4 ,johnson1 the bookstore man1 sold more ,bibles the next month after the revival than he had in the whole previous year4 ,the congregation raised up began at once to lay plans for a suitable church-building4 ,a lot was donated by one of the new converts1 and many volunteered their services on the new building that was to be erected4 ,the zeal of the church led them to hold meetings in the neighborhood surroundings1 one of which was held in the neighborhood of the ,fairmount ,school1 where the debates had taken place4 ,peter ,newby had spent considerable time in ,bible study since those debates1 but what his conclusions were1 no one knew4 ,one ,sunday the church announced an all-day meeting and basket dinner in a grove near ,peter's house4 ,there were many present1 but one person1 whose eye glistened with the fire of energy1 was conspicuous4 ,why1 there is old ,peter ,newby1 said ,mary to ,robert1 and they ran over and greeted him cordially4 ,the evening was given over to a testimony and experience meeting4 ,many testified to full salvation4 ,it was to the surprise of ,robert and ,mary ,davis1 as well as the others1 when ,peter ,newby arose and said3 ,friends1 let me tell you something1 and he looked around in that same quizzical way and poised his head as he used to do4 ,i am convinced4 ,and he stopped again4 ,everybody listened most attentively4 ,i fought ,bob ,davis over there ever since he came into this neighborhood4 ,i fought holiness4 ,i fought divine healing4 ,i fought the church of ,god4 ,i really thought1 friends1 that the ,bible said1 ',he that saith he liveth and sinneth not is a liar and the truth is not in him4' ,but ,i never found it4 ,and the old man stopped again4 ,i have watched this church of ,god come up in this neighborhood1 and ,i must confess it has done more for this community than anything that has ever happened to it since ,i have been here4 ,it has lifted up several of my neighbors out of sin4 ,it has brought peace to many homes4 ,i am sorry that ,i fought this work4 ,god forgive me4 ,i was wrong and ,i was stubborn4 ,but ,i know now that if a man is a ,christian he will not commit sin4 ,it was almost overwhelming to ,robert and ,mary ,davis4 ,tears of joy flowed down their faces4 ,they ran over to old ,peter1 grasped his arm1 and said1 ,god bless you1 ,brother ,newby1 we knew you were honest at heart4 ,that day ,jake ,newby recovered the confidence he used to have in his father4 ,these were the beginnings of the church at ,bethany1 the church of ,god4 ,a church-house was built and the church was organized by the ,holy ,spirit into a working body of saints4 ,robert ,davis soon afterward felt the inspiration to teach and exhort and he was much used in this way4 ,by and by he preached occasionally until his gifts were recognized by the church through the laying on of the hands of the ministry4 ,there was a true catholicity of spirit in this congregation which caused them to make all ,christians feel at home there4 ,they maintained unity by keeping close to ,god4 ,their ,sunday-school soon was the largest in the town4 ,three missionaries went from it to foreign1 heathen lands1 and colporteurs carried the literature of the church into every home in the town4 ,the reputation of the church spread far and wide4 ,it became noted for the honesty and humility of its members4 ,the business men of the town had the utmost confidence in the church4 ,it became the greatest power for righteousness in the town1 and every one came to look upon it as the living exponent of the best and highest in civic life and in social uplift as well as in religion4 ,zion became a praise in the earth1 as the prophet had said4 ,the events narrated occurred many years ago4 ,last summer there was a reunion of the ,davis family in the old home at ,bethany4 ,one son had become a minister in the church1 the other was the editor of the local newspaper4 ,one daughter was home on a furlough from ,china1 while the other was married to a ,christian brother of the town4 ,robert ,davis1 in the meantime1 had preached the whole gospel4 ,he had been instrumental in raising up several congregations4 ,dad1 what is the most interesting experience you ever had in your life8 asked ,marie one day4 ,the most important experience of my life occurred right here1 my girl1 when ,janet was a baby1 he replied4 ,here is where your mother and ,i first became seekers4 ,here ,i debated for the truth before ,i fully understood it1 but ,i felt it was essential to stand up for what ,i knew was truth4 ,here your mother was healed when life seemed almost gone and the last ray of hope had died in the gathering darkness4 ,here ,i first learned of the church of ,god4 ,here that good religious paper first came to my notice1 bringing rays of light to my mind and soul4 ,those were the beginnings1 humble ones indeed1 but they were the beginnings of my life of service4 ,my days are about over4 ,my work is about done4 ,my eyes are dim1 and my strength is failing4 ,my race will soon be over4 ,i have seen the church in ,bethany grow into the place of influence it now has1 from the very humblest beginnings4 ,i have seen thousands flee to the cross of ,jesus for mercy and pardon1 and ,i have heard the shouts of hundreds that have been sanctified wholly4 ,and ,i have seen many1 many sick persons healed4 ,my children1 be true to ,god1 be true to the cause of truth4 ,carry these precious truths to the next generation1 unadulterated1 as pure as they come from the ,bible4 ,invest your all in ,god's cause2 you will receive a hundredfold now and hereafter4 ,may you ever champion the cause of truth which ,jesus ,christ came to establish4 ,the church ,he built shall stand till the mighty ,gabriel declares that time shall be no longer1 till the judgment-day comes1 yea1 and afterward she shall live in the heaven of heavens eternally with her founder and ,lord4 ,press on1 children1 all heaven watches the race you run4 ,do not become negligent1 nor worldly1 nor lovers of luxury1 nor of ease4 ,live as good soldiers of ,jesus ,christ and be crowned victors and conquerors at last4 ,a holy awe filled the room as this aged saint gave them his benediction4 ,and they said3 ,by the grace of ,god1 we will1 ,father4