,,adventures ,,in ,,the ,,land ,,of ,,canaan ,by ,robert ,lee ,berry ,,foreword ,this book comes out of our heart4 ,it is intended to go to the hearts of others4 ,some of the things written here were learned by long and bitter experiences4 ,our ,adventures were very real1 and it is our hope that some of them our readers will never have4 ,the real battles are fought within1 and the struggle for mastery goes on in the soul1 hidden in the mysterious depths of the spirit4 ,usually these battles are fought out alone1 many times when others are not aware that anything of moment is happening4 ,super-critical minds may not find this book interesting2 we do not know2 we wrote with no other intention than to bless the hearts and lives of the great common man and woman4 ,we hope you will enjoy this book4 ,we hope it will do you good4 ,if it does1 our purpose will be achieved1 and we shall thank ,god1 whose help we gratefully acknowledge in the writing of this book4 ,r4 ,l4 ,berry4 ,,table ,,of ,,contents ,introductory3 ,the ,land of ,canaan #a4 ,getting ,ready to ,enter ,canaan #b4 ,the ,crossing of the ,jordan #c4 ,the ,jordan ,memorial ,stone #d4 ,troubles of ,lingering at the ,crossing #e4 ,exploring ,canaan by ,faith #f4 ,the ,best ,inheritance in ,canaan #g4 ,in the ,hands of ,giant ,accuser #h4 ,conflicts with ,giant ,mistake #i4 ,in the ,dungeon of ,giant ,discourager #aj4 ,the ,torments of ,giant ,bad ,feelings #aa4 ,the ,routing of ,giant ,doubt #ab4 ,the ,wine of ,prayer #ac4 ,pilgrims of the ,victorious ,life ,,adventures ,,in ,,the ,,land ,,of ,,canaan ,,introductory ,,chapter ,,the ,,land ,,of ,,canaan ,the story of the ,israelites from their being in bondage in ,egypt to their conquering ,canaan is a type of the experiences of a man from his bondage in sin to his entire sanctification4 ,as a ,scriptural basis for these remarks1 see ,galatians #c3f-bi1 where ,paul1 the great ,apostle to the ,gentiles1 quotes a part of the ,abrahamic covenant and applies it to ,gentile ,christians1 the complete fulfillment of the covenant being expressed in verse #ad1 where the promise of the ,spirit is spoken of as the blessing of ,abraham4 ,it is also made plain in this chapter that salvation in ,christ makes us ,abraham's seed1 and therefore heirs according to the promise4 ,hence the promise to ,abraham has its complete fulfillment in ,new ,testament salvation4 ,in ,romans #d1 ,paul again dips deep into the promise of ,god to ,abraham and brings forth beautiful teaching which shows that1 to him1 ,god's promise to ,abraham was spiritual as well as material1 that there was to be a spiritual seed as well as literal seed1 and that faith is as potent as natural birth in making men children of ,abraham4 ,also in these verses ,abraham is made the father of us all1 even of ,gentiles1 which of course could not be true except in a spiritual sense4 ,the same subject is treated again in chapter #d of ,hebrews4 ,here the figure is rest4 ,the rest of the ,israelites was their settling in ,canaan1 and in verse #f1 speaking of the fact that some did not enter rest because of unbelief1 allusion is made to the failure to enter ,canaan from ,kadesh-barnea4 ,then ten spies brought back such a bad report that the whole camp wept1 and would not go over4 ,for forty years these rebels wandered in the wilderness1 until all were dead except ,caleb and ,joshua1 the two faithful spies4 ,there is a beautiful analogy between the events of the ,israelites in their journey out of ,egypt into ,canaan and the fundamental experiences of the ,christian4 ,note these parallels--far too close not to have been planned as type and antitype by the great ,author of salvation3 #a4 ,abraham was promised two things3 first1 his seed should inherit the land of ,canaan2 second1 in him should all families of the earth be blessed 7,genesis #ab3a-c74 #b4 ,abraham was the father of both a literal and a spiritual seed1 the first inherited literal ,canaan and the second inherited spiritual ,canaan 7,romans #d2 ,galatians #d74 #c4 ,there was a rest promised both to the ,israelite and to the ,christian believer 7,hebrews #d74 #d4 ,israel was in bondage to ,pharaoh and his taskmasters in ,egypt1 and sinners are in bondage to the devil and sin4 #e4 ,by a miraculous deliverance at the ,red ,sea1 ,israel escaped from ,egyptian bondage2 and sinners are saved by the miraculous new birth4 #f4 ,by another miracle of power1 ,israel entered ,canaan through the bed of the ,jordan ,river2 and by a second work of grace1 believers are wholly sanctified by the ,spirit through the blood4 #g4 ,by refusing to believe and obey1 the ,israelites wandered for forty years in the wilderness1 just as ,christians fall away1 grow lukewarm and backslidden many times when they see their privilege of being made pure in heart and refuse to walk in the light4 #h4 ,after the ,israelites entered ,canaan1 they had to fight for their possessions2 and so1 too1 do we have to fight for our spiritual possession in the state of holiness4 #i4 ,the literal land of ,canaan was a good land1 flowing with milk and honey1 where the ,israelites ate the old corn and wine of the land4 ,just so spiritual ,canaan is the best place of grace under heaven2 indeed it is heaven's border-land1 where saints have sweet communion with ,god and ,christ and are ready for the great crowning-day4 ,in several chapters of this book we shall treat the subject of entire sanctification allegorically1 using the types as prefiguring ,christian experience4 ,the battles of the soul against foes are real conflicts1 which leave their scars and marks on many a ,christian4 ,perhaps1 out of the experiences of others1 the reader will gather something of profit to himself1 and be enabled to fight more effectively and not merely beat the air4 ,there are spiritual powers in high places that challenge us to battle2 blessed is he who has the armor1 the courage1 and the skill to win4 ,,chapter ,,one ,,getting ,,ready ,,to ,,enter ,,canaan ,can you tell me1 please1 the first step to take in obtaining the experience of entire sanctification8 ,i have heard much about it1 have heard many sermons on it1 too2 but the way to proceed is not yet plain to me1 not so plain as ,i wish it were4 ,can't you tell me the first step1 the second1 third1 and all the rest8 ,my heart feels a hunger that seems unappeased1 ,i have a longing that is unsatisfied2 surely it is a deeper work ,i need6 ,and so ,i plead1 ,tell me the way4 99 99 99 99 99 ,gladly will the endeavor be made to point out the way into the holiest of all 7,hebrews #aj3ai74 ,probably the very first thing to know is that you must understand whether or not you are sanctified4 ,are you1 or are you not8 ,on which side of the ,jordan are you1 on the ,canaan side or on the wilderness side8 ,a definite answer to this question is essential4 ,sometimes there are doubts in your mind whether you are or are not sanctified4 ,well1 let us first get rid of all doubts4 ,the experiences of ,god in the soul are too definite to need their possession entertained with a doubt2 and to know where we are spiritually is unquestionably our privilege4 ,if you find yourself on the wilderness side of ,jordan1 the next thing to find out is whether you are yet out of ,egypt--whether you are justified before ,god1 whether your sins are all washed away and you are a child of ,god4 ,if you are sure you are justified now1 but have not by faith entered the ,canaan experience--are not wholly sanctified--then you may know for certain that the experience awaits you4 ,then there is one more very essential thing--you must believe with all your heart that sanctification is unquestionably an experience which the ,bible holds out to all believers4 ,do you thus believe8 ,if so1 all is clear1 and all you need to do is to go forward2 or1 in the words ,god used to ,joshua1 ,now therefore arise1 go over this ,jordan 7,joshua #a3b74 ,do you need your faith strengthened in this particular doctrine8 ,let it then meditate and grow upon these promises and words of ,god3 ,wherefore ,jesus also1 that he might sanctify the people with his own blood1 suffered without the gate 7,hebrews #ac3ab74 ,sanctify them through thy truth3 thy word is truth 7,john #ag3ag74 ,and the very ,god of peace sanctify you wholly2 and ,i pray ,god your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our ,lord ,jesus ,christ 7#a ,thessalonians #e3bc74 ,husbands1 love your wives1 even as ,christ also loved the church1 and gave himself for it2 that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word1 that he might present it to himself a glorious church1 not having spot1 or wrinkle1 or any such thing2 but that it should be holy and without blemish 7,ephesians #e3be-bg74 ,having therefore these promises1 dearly beloved1 let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit1 perfecting holiness in the fear of ,god 7#b ,corinthians #g3a74 ,after you have meditated on each of these texts for ten or fifteen minutes1 consider these further promises concerning the giving of the ,holy ,ghost3 ,and ,i will pray the ,father1 and he shall give you another ,comforter1 that he may abide with you forever2 even the ,spirit of truth2 whom the world can not receive1 because it seeth him not1 neither knoweth him3 but ye know him2 for he dwelleth with you1 and shall be in you 7,john #ad3af1 #ag74 ,but the ,comforter1 which is the ,holy ,ghost1 whom the ,father will send in my name1 he shall teach you all things1 and bring all things to your remembrance1 whatsoever ,i have said unto you 7,john #ad3bf74 ,that the blessing of ,abraham might come on the ,gentiles through ,jesus ,christ2 that we might receive the promise of the ,spirit through faith 7,galatians #c3ad74 ,and ,god1 which knoweth the hearts1 bare them witness1 giving them the ,holy ,ghost1 even as he did unto us2 and put no difference between us and them1 purifying their hearts by faith 7,acts #ae3h1 #i74 ,this great experience which ,peter speaks of came to the disciples on ,pentecost1 when the ,holy ,ghost filled the whole company1 and it changed a band of common men into the most powerful gospel band the world has ever seen4 ,nothing feeds the soul as does the ,word of the ,lord4 ,meditate on the texts given1 drink in the full meaning1 comprehend what all of grace and love and spiritual power they hold for you2 yea1 consider at what a cost these blessings were purchased for you by the blood of the ,lord ,jesus ,christ6 ,that you may see what your duty is in the matter1 permit reference to these things3 ,on the cross of ,calvary ,jesus gave all1 all for you and your salvation4 ,there ,he cried1 ,it is finished4 ,there ,he paid the last debt of all of us4 ,there ,he proved ,his love1 perfect1 fadeless1 unfathomable1 boundless4 ,go to the foot of that cross6 ,see the ,savior hanging there6 ,every motive that can move a soul finds its fountain there4 ,can you1 in the shadow of the cross1 be anything less than a full ,bible ,christian8 ,can you do less than give all to ,him8 ,does not any selfish feeling or thought of holding back the full surrender seem sinful1 utterly displeasing to your soul and to ,god8 ,your duty1 then1 is clear4 ,from henceforth you can not be less than all for ,christ1 you can not do less than go all the way for ,him4 ,being a faithful ,christian1 you can not do less than your duty1 once duty is clear4 ,since conviction is a matter of knowledge1 consider this3 ,christ's work hobbles along because there are so few whole-hearted1 wholly consecrated souls to work for ,him1 whereas ,jesus expects all to be whole-hearted in their service to ,him4 ,will you think also of the sin there is in the world1 gnawing ugly wounds in the hearts and marring the lives of millions1 and yet ,jesus died to save every mother's child of them4 ,what is ,jesus going to do if there are not a greater number of volunteers to carry on ,his work8 ,for every sanctified soul is all the ,lord's1 ready for anything4 ,after ,jesus died on the cross1 ,he ascended to heaven4 ,one day the angel ,gabriel met ,jesus and said3 ,master1 did you not suffer great pain on the cross8 ,yes1 answered ,jesus simply and quietly4 ,and1 ,master1 that suffering was to redeem men to ,god1 was it not8 ,yes1 answered ,jesus4 ,well1 how many know of your death and your suffering to redeem men8 ,how will the world of sinners find it out8 ,have you made any plans8 asked ,gabriel4 ,i have told ,peter and his brother ,andrew1 and ,james and ,john1 and the rest of the twelve to go tell the people about it1 said ,jesus4 ,suppose they do not go8 asked ,gabriel4 ,have you made any other plans8 ,no1 ,i am counting on them1 said ,jesus4 ,this is only a story1 but it illustrates the point of how necessary it is for us to be consecrated and ready for the ,master's service4 ,jesus is counting on us6 99 99 99 99 99 ,so you conclude you are still on the wilderness side of the ,jordan8 ,very well1 thank ,god you are out of the ,egypt of sin1 that the wilderness journey through justification is behind you1 and that ,canaan1 that fair land where milk and honey flows1 lies just before you4 ,only the ,jordan intervenes4 ,of course the ,jordan always is running strong and out of its banks every time1 it seems1 when souls are to cross1 just as it was for ,israel in ,joshua's day4 ,but this is only a necessary test to prove the sincerity and valor of the soul4 ,thousands have made bold to strike their feet in ,jordan's waters in the name of ,god and start across4 ,you can see them over on the other side from where you are4 ,be encouraged2 cross over the ,jordan and enter the ,canaan of soul-rest4 ,,chapter ,,two ,,the ,,crossing ,,of ,,the ,,jordan ,just how did you feel at the time you were sanctified8 ,i have heard some tell of how the holy fire of the ,spirit seemed to go all through them4 ,others have told of a deeper1 more complete peace4 ,some have shouted for joy4 ,others have wept for joy4 ,and ,i am wondering how one ought to feel4 ,can you tell me8 ,and how can ,i know that ,i am consecrated8 ,every teacher of entire sanctification that ,i ever heard says that the consecration must be complete2 but how am ,i to know when it is complete8 ,i have consecrated over and over1 but ,i do not feel certain that all1 really all1 is given up4 ,might there not be some self-will left that ,i do not know of8 ,please help me4 99 99 99 99 99 ,probably it might not be wise to tell you just how ,i felt when the ,lord sanctified me and made me whole1 because it might tempt you to want the experience in the same way it came to me2 and1 besides1 while the blessed experience is1 in its essential features1 the same in each case1 yet each person has his own feelings and personal experiences along with it4 ,these experiences are suited to each one's need2 they follow the trend of one's natural disposition1 and are a source of pleasure to us4 ,the really important thing is to be wholly sanctified4 ,when ,israel under ,joshua arrived at the ,jordan ,river1 they were commanded by the ,lord to sanctify themselves and prepare to cross over4 ,this command to sanctify yourselves points to the perfect consecration that must be made before the sanctifying power falls upon us4 ,crossing the ,jordan signified to them leaving the wilderness life forever behind them and entering upon a new life on the ,canaan side4 ,and in order properly to enter upon that new experience they were asked by ,god to set themselves apart by a solemn purification and consecration of themselves4 ,to begin with1 then1 let us consider what a consecration is1 and next we shall consider the evidences of its being perfect and acceptable to ,god4 ,several words and phrases cover what is meant by consecration1 as abandonment1 surrender1 lay all on the altar1 die1 subject the will to the will of ,god1 let ,christ have his way4 ,abandonment here expresses the idea that from now on your soul1 your life1 your interests1 your time1 talents--your all--are no more your own1 but are abandoned to the will of ,god4 ,you know how some people abandon themselves to a life of vice2 they know no limit1 but give themselves entirely over to it4 ,well1 you are to abandon yourself to a life of holiness and service to ,god4 ,did you ever see a potter at work on a piece of clay making a vessel of it8 ,he gathers up a lump of clay and lays it on the wheel4 ,as it turns and turns ,he builds up whatever it is that ,he wishes to make4 ,the clay being inanimate1 dead1 yields absolutely to the potter1 who makes of it whatever ,he pleases4 ,this illustrates the abandonment you are to make-- though with this difference3 you have a will and reason1 and your abandonment is to be the yielding of yourself to ,god because your clearest reason and most mature judgment tells you that such is best4 ,from now on1 instead of willing to do your own will1 you are going to submit to ,god's will2 for the most blessed thing in the world is the will of ,god4 ,just here is where you may be tempted to draw back2 for something may whisper1 ,why1 if you abandon yourself what will become of you8 ,maybe ,god would require of you something very hard for you to do4 ,is it not dangerous thus to yield8 ,to illustrate this1 suppose you are the mother or father of a boy4 ,like all boys1 yours has given you more or less trouble by wanting his own way4 ,there has been more or less of a battle of wills1 his will against your will4 ,you feel1 and rightly1 that your experience gives you a better idea of what is good for him than his experience gives4 ,suppose he were to come to you tomorrow and say3 ,from now on1 ,mother1 ,i will do anything you want me to4 ,i abandon my way and will for your way and will4 ,what would you do in that case8 ,would you make up your mind that now is a good time to put hardships upon him and make life as miserable as you can for him8 ,indeed not1 you would indignantly say4 ,well1 then1 can the great ,god1 who is love1 take advantage of ,his children and1 when they give all to ,him1 lay heavy and grievous burdens on them because ,he can8 ,just as you1 when your boy yielded1 would love him all the more and do all you could to make life pleasant even if there were some hard things in it1 so ,god seeks to lighten the load ,his consecrated children must bear4 ,to abandon yourself to ,god is an act of highest intelligence and wisdom4 ,surrender implies the cessation of rebellion4 ,of course the sinner1 to be converted1 must surrender1 and does surrender4 ,and you have already surrendered in that way4 ,yet there is a self-life or a self-will that shrinks more or less from the will of ,god until we enter the ,canaan of entire sanctification4 ,this rebellion takes on the form of refusing or objecting to some of the ,lord's ways with us4 ,for instance1 we may feel a call to special service--to the ministry1 or to the missionary service1 or to personal work--and we may have mapped out an entirely different life for ourselves and ate to submit to ,god's leadings4 ,surrender of the will is a part of the consecration4 ,there can be no inner soul-rest so long as our wills pull us one way and ,god's will pulls us another4 ,when ,jesus said ,his yoke is easy and ,his burden light ,he meant it is easy if we pull with ,him1 not against ,him4 ,how can two walk together except they be agreed8 ,then lay your will down2 or1 rather1 actively1 enthusiastically1 delightedly will that ,god's will be done in and with you4 ,lay all on the altar is a favorite expression with many teachers of full salvation and the victorious life4 ,the figure comes from the sacrifices made under ,moses' law4 ,every ,israelite had to offer sacrifices4 ,the main thing about the sacrifice was1 whether sheep1 goat1 lamb1 dove1 or something else1 it had to be a perfect1 unblemished sacrifice4 ,god would not accept any lame1 maimed1 blemished1 or otherwise marred sacrifice4 ,it had to be the best of its kind4 ,after it was brought to the priest and dedicated to the ,lord1 it was laid on the altar and consumed4 ,it was the ,lord's4 ,the one offering it had no more to say about it whatever4 ,then on ,god's altar you should lay all--time1 talents1 earthly goods1 soul1 body1 and will4 ,once when ,abraham had made a sacrifice1 birds came to steal it4 ,abraham was careful to drive away the birds4 ,a beautiful figure is found in ,abraham's action4 ,we might say that after you have laid all on ,god's altar you may need to guard the offering2 for the birds of self-will1 pride1 unbelief1 and evil desire may carry off your sacrifice4 ,die is a favorite expression with other teachers of perfect holiness-- die to self2 die out to ,god2 die to all but ,jesus4 ,the figure is full of vital meaning4 ,mrs4 ,cleaveland1 in her delightful poem on the river of death1 pictures the clergymen of various denominations as losing all their distinguishing marks as they cross the river1 and over on the other shore not one can be told from another so far as sectarian peculiarities are concerned4 ,this is even true of entire consecration1 or crossing the ,jordan into ,canaan2 for in ,canaan there is a delightful absence of sectarian conflict2 every one is too busy doing the will of ,god4 ,dying is used to express consecration because some felt that the consecration was so acute that it seemed they had to suffer the pains of death4 ,others have not so felt4 ,whatever the feeling1 there must be the dying4 ,two women1 one a widow and the other her daughter1 lived together4 ,they were both devout4 ,the younger woman became sick1 and grew worse and worse4 ,at last all hope of life was gone1 and mother and daughter began praying that the dying girl might have dying grace4 ,the condition for obtaining this grace consisted in an absolute submission to die1 a yielding of all to ,god's will2 as she met the condition1 so she received dying grace4 ,but the sequel was unexpected4 ,while one receiving dying grace was supposed to die1 this young woman lived and got well4 ,but her dying grace1 as they termed it1 was still hers4 ,one day she spoke of it to her mother and said3 ,mother1 ,i am coming to believe that 'dying grace' is the grace we need to live by4 ,and it is4 ,this young woman had made the deathbed consecration4 ,god had accepted the sacrifice1 had poured out ,his grace1 and the young woman was sanctified wholly2 and that was exactly what she needed to live by4 ,she had died to self4 ,now1 how shall you know that all is given up and the sacrifice acceptable to ,god8 ,this may well engage our attention4 ,first of all1 remember that your will is your own1 and that you yourself know what your intentions are4 ,whenever you decide to go to town to buy a hat or coat1 you have no trouble in knowing your mind1 do you8 ,of course not6 ,and you can be just as sure of your mind or will in the matter of consecration to ,god4 ,you might begin this way3 ,i desire to be wholly the ,lord's3 my will ,i desire to surrender2 and my life ,i wish to be lived for ,god4 ,since the ,lord in ,his ,word has said1 ,by the mercies of ,god 444 present your bodies a living sacrifice1 holy1 acceptable unto ,god1 which is your reasonable service 7,romans #ab3a71 you may rest assured that ,god only awaits this surrender1 and will be glad to accept it4 ,now1 do not only desire to be consecrated1 but at once begin to count yourself the ,lord's1 permanently1 irrevocably1 for time1 for eternity4 ,some1 in the earnestness and intensity of their souls1 in the solemn hour of their complete and definite surrender or consecration have written it out on paper1 in the form of a will1 and1 signing it1 have called on angels and ,god to witness the solemn act of their souls4 ,but whether it is written out on paper or be simply the unchangeable determination within the heart1 the point must be come to when all is yielded4 ,there must be a final yes to ,god2 the gift must be deposited on the altar1 and from henceforth you are to consider yourself wholly the ,lord's no matter how you feel about it4 ,it must amount to a transaction1 like the signing of a deed1 or a contract1 and when it has come to this point where you do actually hand yourself over to the ,lord1 body1 soul1 and all to be ,his forever1 then you are to count the offering complete and the die cast forever4 ,should you be tempted to investigate whether you feel that you are all consecrated1 remember that your feelings have nothing to do with it4 ,your will is master here4 ,as your will goes1 you go4 ,when thy soul is on the altar laid1 ,guard it from each vain desire2 ,when thy soul the perfect price hath paid1 ,god will send the holy fire4 ,do you lay all on the altar8 ,whether is greater1 the gift1 or the altar that sanctifieth the gift8 7,matthew #bc3ai74 ,if you have everything on the altar1 your feet1 like the priest's in ,joshua's day1 are dipping into the brim of the ,jordan4 ,you are ready to pass over4 ,just pass on over6 ,call the transaction closed4 ,your heart feels a deep security in handing all over to ,god1 and there is the witness of your own soul that you have1 now1 given up all and ,god accepts the offering4 ,what next8 ,ask ,god to purge your soul until ,he is satisfied concerning its purity4 ,ask ,him to kill all the things which displease ,him1 and destroy the last remains of inbred sin4 ,ask ,him to restore the image of ,god in your soul1 to come in and possess ,his temple4 ,ask ,god to fill you with the ,holy ,spirit1 to let the ,comforter take up ,his abode in you and abide with you forever4 ,swing wide open your heart's door to the ,spirit4 ,believe that ,god does what ,he promised to do2 believe ,he sanctifies you wholly4 ,since you are ,his1 you are to trust ,him to carry on this work in ,his own way4 ,it is yours to yield and to believe4 ,and we are sanctified by faith 7,acts #bf3ah74 ,our hearts are purified by faith 7,acts #ae3h1 #i74 ,let your faith wrap its arms around ,god's promise1 and the work is done4 ,oh1 marvelous grace of ,god6 ,,chapter ,,three ,,the ,,jordan ,,memorial ,,stone ,one thing has always troubled me1 and that is the witness of entire sanctification4 ,how may one know all the time that ,he is sanctified8 ,what is the witness to sanctification8 ,is it a feeling8 an assurance8 a peace8 or what is it8 ,is it equally strong at all times1 or does it come and go8 ,if you can give me any information on this line1 ,i shall greatly appreciate it4 99 99 99 99 99 ,one of the things that ,joshua commanded the ,israelites to do at the crossing of the ,jordan has always been intensely interesting and suggestive4 ,it was not a miracle1 and there was nothing marvelous about it2 it was just a thing that any man could do4 ,when the crossing was being made1 ,joshua selected twelve men1 one from each tribe1 to do a special service4 ,after all the people had passed over and the twelve priests were standing still in the ,river's bed1 with the ark of ,god1 ,joshua commanded the twelve men to go to the middle of the ,jordan and each take up a stone1 place it on his shoulder1 and carry it across to the camp in ,canaan4 ,here the stones were to constitute a memorial3 ,and these stones shall be for a memorial unto the children of ,israel forever 7,joshua #d3g74 ,joshua also set up twelve stones where the priests' feet had stood in the ,river2 but it is these stones on the bank in ,canaan that are of most interest to us4 ,we shall call these stones the stones of testimony4 ,they testified to a great fact1 a great miracle1 a great crossing1 to the beginning of a new era in the lives of those hundreds of thousands of ,israelites4 ,whenever an ,israelite saw those stones1 he was reminded of this fact4 ,now1 dear1 seeking soul1 as you cross the ,jordan of entire consecration1 the line between the place where you are not wholly consecrated and where you are wholly consecrated1 the line between the time when you hope to be sanctified and the time when you shall know you are1 as you cross this1 carry out your stone of testimony4 ,you have never passed this way before1 and you need not pass it again2 so get your stone of testimony now4 ,first note that this memorial was stone4 ,it was not wood1 that would rot1 burn up1 or float away to the ,dead ,sea4 ,it was not gold or some precious metal that would be needed for other uses4 ,it was not a piece of parchment or paper upon which was written an account of the crossing4 ,it was common1 solid1 enduring stone4 ,so1 too1 the testimony of your sanctification is solid and enduring--as solid and enduring as the ,word of ,god1 the directions of which you have followed4 ,notice also that this memorial was rather large1 too large to carry around all the time1 but was dropped and left as a reminder4 ,there is of course an inner witness that is yours forever2 but the crossing of the ,jordan1 that is1 the obtaining of entire sanctification1 is an event that will forever stand out as a time when you really received the experience of entire sanctification4 ,there should be those witnessing spiritual realizations that differentiate it from all the other of your spiritual experiences4 ,in short1 it should mark your entrance into ,canaan1 the land of rest1 of milk and honey4 ,what are these realizations8 ,first1 that you have been brought to a knowledge of ,god's will to sanctify you wholly4 ,next1 you have definitely and solemnly dedicated yourself to ,god to be ,his and ,his alone forever4 ,then you have asked ,god to sanctify you according to ,his ,word4 ,you have believed that the work is done4 ,all these steps are in direct harmony with what ,god said for you to do1 and they1 being carried out with the help of the ,spirit1 constitute the charter or receipt or evidence of your entire sanctification4 ,you have met all conditions1 and the grace is yours4 ,you are sanctified wholly1 filled with the ,spirit1 and you drop your memorial stone on the ,canaan side of the ,jordan4 ,as long as you remain true to your vows1 to your covenant and consecration1 you will continue in possession of your experience4 ,you have no need of ever going back into the wilderness1 much less to the ,egypt of sin1 but the fair land is before you--launch out and explore it4 ,enjoy for yourself the boundless riches of the grace of ,god and eat honey out of the rock4 ,,chapter ,,four ,,troubles ,,of ,,lingering ,,at ,,the ,,crossing ,some time ago ,i consecrated to ,god for entire sanctification and thought ,i was sanctified4 ,then ,i began to doubting whether ,i was wholly sanctified2 so ,i consecrated again4 ,this ,i have done a number of times2 in fact1 so many times that ,i don't know what to do4 ,can you help me any in this difficulty8 ,i am in doubts about my consecration4 ,i am as consecrated as ,i know how to be1 yet there is a feeling of unreality and uncertainty about it that is distressing1 and ,i have found no way to end my distress4 ,i am almost ashamed to tell how many times ,i have consecrated1 and ,i am ashamed to tell the ,lord that ,i am2 for ,i have doubted so much that ,i am not sure of myself4 ,my faith is weak also4 ,if you can help me1 ,i shall be very thankful4 99 99 99 99 99 ,the story of ,pilgrim ,exactly will probably be interesting1 as well as helpful1 to you4 ,he told me the story4 ,i will tell it to you as well as ,i can remember it4 ,pilgrim ,exactly crossed the ,jordan for ,canaan the first time twenty-two years ago1 and he had never got away from the place where people cross over4 ,every now and then you could have seen him examining his memorial stone2 and by and by he would pick it up1 wade out as far as possible1 drop his stone with a pathetic sigh1 and then go on back to the wilderness side the best way he could4 ,however1 he did not stay over there long1 but soon started for ,canaan again4 ,he always aimed to and vowed that he would select another memorial stone2 but1 mind you1 he always came out with the same one he first brought over4 ,do you ask why he did such a thing8 ,the reason is simply this1 brother3 ,pilgrim ,exactly wanted to be so sure that he was in ,canaan that he was never quite sure that he was there4 ,he was not satisfied with the best of evidence4 ,no one was brighter in the wholly-sanctified experience than he1 nor did any one cross over into ,canaan with any better evidence of his crossing than did he4 ,but there is a bad1 little1 dwarfed giant named ,doubtful1 who lives close about the crossing-place1 a half-brother to old ,giant ,doubt4 ,doubtful kept company with this pilgrim4 ,more than likely that was one source of his trouble4 ,the strongest pilgrims warned ,exactly of the pernicious plots of this little1 hard old dwarf1 but he seemed not to heed their warnings4 ,exactly would plant his memorial stone with a look that says1 ,it is done for the last time6 ,then ,doubtful would slip up to him1 and this is practically what one present would have seen and heard3 ,pilgrim ,exactly3 ,by the grace of ,god1 ,i solemnly promise never to doubt my experience of sanctification again1 no never4 ,lord1 hear my vow1 never1 never to doubt again6 ,i have staid by the crossing too long now4 ,i must explore ,canaan4 ,giant ,doubtful3 ,good morning1 dear ,pilgrim4 ,are you sure you got this stone out of the right place this time8 ,seems to me1 too1 it is the same old stone you have brought over ever so often4 ,you know you have never been satisfied with that memorial1 and ,i do not see how you can be1 either4 ,isn't it doubtful whether you really crossed the ,jordan8 ,your consecration is likely faulty1 and you know your faith is weak4 ,better be careful4 ,you do not want to be deceived1 do you8 ,exactly1 wiping the sweat from his face3 ,that is a fact4 ,this is the same old stone4 ,my ,god1 can't ,i get a better experience than this8 ,o ,lord1 help6 ,and the poor ,pilgrim would seem the very embodiment of distress4 ,doubtful3 ,it is my opinion that something is wrong somewhere4 ,probably you crossed too soon4 ,maybe you have left something out of your consecration4 ,by the way1 were you not neglectful of duty yesterday8 ,and then1 you know1 you promised ,god you never would doubt4 ,now just see1 you are doubting somewhat at this minute4 ,it is to be seen that you have failed somewhere4 ,i believe you had better try it again4 ,something is wrong6 you had better try it over4 ,and dwarf ,doubtful would rattle on much more in the same strain4 ,just then ,pilgrim ,exactly would feel of his side1 and his hand would touch the handle of the sword of the ,spirit4 ,just when he would about draw it to deal ,giant ,doubtful a blow1 ,doubtful would say1 ,there can be no harm in being sure4 ,if you cross over ,jordan properly you will be satisfied1 and it will not take long to go back and do a really thorough work of it4 ,at this ,exactly wilted1 dropped the sword1 staggered toward his memorial stone1 and1 lifting it to his shoulders1 limped back toward the ,jordan to cross and recross again4 ,but the next day when ,pilgrim ,exactly got over into ,canaan with the same stone1 because there was no other stone in there when he crossed1 as every man has his own stone1 he would plant it as before4 ,one day1 however1 after planting the stone1 he said1 ,by the grace of ,god1 ,i am done with doubting4 ,when the little old dwarf ,giant ,doubtful came out that day1 ,pilgrim ,exactly swung a terrific cut with the sword straight at the dwarf's neck4 ,doubtful never before ran so fast as he did getting away from that trusty sword4 ,since then ,exactly has advanced into the land1 overcome several other giants1 and won a home for himself in ,canaan4 ,the feeling of unreality which you have in regard to your consecration may be the result of your vacillation4 ,no one can feel sure of his condition if he consecrates and then deserts his word1 consecrates again and then doubts that4 ,all of this should and must be cut off shortly by your honoring your own word and refusing to be confused about it4 ,it can be ended by gathering yourself in hand in coming to a real1 final conclusion in favor of your sanctification4 ,if you are as consecrated as you know how to consecrate1 then that should be sufficient4 ,in that case1 all you lack is to bring the affair to a point1 a conclusion1 and give it all over to ,god1 and let that be the end of it4 ,now that you are ready to make this final decision1 it will be worth while for you to examine your consecration4 ,are there any idols to which your affections fondly cling8 ,is it a delight to do something for ,christ in behalf of others8 ,does it seem hard for you to give of your money to the blessed cause8 ,is prayer a burden8 ,are you really all the ,lord's8 ,do not make the mistake of thinking a good disposition toward ,jesus is consecration4 ,to consecrate means to come definitely to the point of yielding all up to ,christ once forever4 ,possibly one reason for your feeling of unreality is because you can not see ,god and can not hear ,him say1 ,i receive you4 ,if ,god could be right before you as a visible person while you knelt and gave yourself to ,him1 you might think your experience more real4 ,but it would not be4 ,his word has been given1 and it is him that cometh to me ,i will in no wise cast out 7,john #f3cg71 and ,he asks us to bring 444 all the tithes into the storehouse1 that there may be meat in mine house1 and prove me now herewith1 saith the ,lord of hosts1 if ,i will not open you the windows of heaven1 and pour you out a blessing1 that there shall not be room enough to receive it 7,malachi #c3aj74 ,faith comes in all our dealings with ,god4 ,he may appear not to notice us2 but rest assured that ,he does4 ,of course1 after consecrating and doubting you have lost confidence in yourself2 but this1 too1 should end quickly1 and it will if you pursue a right course4 ,to recover your self-reliance1 self-balance1 dismiss all the discouraging and doubtful thoughts about yourself4 ,take a real inventory of yourself4 ,what are you1 anyway8 ,are you honest8 ,does your word mean anything8 ,can you carry out a resolution8 a decision8 ,very well then1 refuse to be bothered about the past4 ,quit thinking of the past2 utterly dismiss it from mind1 and calmly and deliberately consecrate1 and mean it4 ,another difficulty in regard to consecration is that you may think you have lost yours when it is a trial sometimes to live up to it4 ,you may think that to be consecrated means that every duty will seem delightful4 ,in this you are mistaken4 ,did not ,jesus1 at one with the ,father in will and mind1 pray three times1 ',o my ,father1 if it be possible1 let this cup pass from me4 ,nevertheless not my will1 but thine be done'8 ,some of the things ,god may lay on you or allow to be laid upon you are hard things1 things which you will have to ask ,god for grace to do or bear4 ,the crucial test1 however1 is will you do or bear them8 ,if1 in spite of the temptation to evade or go around ,god's will1 you do obey1 then your consecration is perfect4 ,then1 soul1 end all this uncertainty1 end all this unreality by coming now to the altar of ,god and placing thereon your whole self-life1 body1 soul1 spirit1 heart1 talents1 time1 goods and gold1 will1 and all else4 ,tie it securely by one strong indomitable1 irrevocable decision of your will4 ,count yourself all the ,lord's4 ,begin to reckon and consider every event of your life in this light4 ,allow nothing to come between you and ,god2 let ,him be first and be all to you4 ,please do not think of this dedication as in any wise meritorious1 or capable of purchasing any blessing4 ,it is nothing on these points4 ,consecration is placing yourself in an attitude or position where ,god can have ,his way with you4 ,and this ,he asks you to do for your good4 ,as long as any of your will stands in ,his way1 ,he can not pour out the ,holy ,ghost upon you1 and neither could you enjoy the fullness of salvation4 ,nothing is quite so good as the will of ,god1 nothing so adorable4 ,in that will is bound up for you the noblest life1 the fullest and freest expression of your individuality1 the best adaptation and use of your talents1 the greatest joy1 the sweetest pleasures1 the quietest rest1 the purest delights in this world and pleasures forever at ,god's right hand4 ,oh1 embrace that will of ,god6 ,seek it1 hide in it1 revel in it1 be enthusiastic about it1 run to it4 ,oh1 never evade it1 fight shy of it1 neglect it1 nor refuse it6 ,dropping into ,god's will means dropping into our own niche in life and being happy in fulfilling our destiny as ,god has marked out by ,his infinite wisdom4 ,,chapter ,,five ,,exploring ,,canaan ,,by ,,faith ,i can not understand faith4 ,what is faith1 anyway8 ,i try to believe2 sometimes ,i feel that my faith is strong1 but at other times ,i feel that my faith is giving way4 ,can you help me in this matter8 ,faith seems such a hazy1 intangible1 elusive thing2 now ,i think ,i have it1 now it seems certain ,i have it not4 ,i feel at times that my faith is so strong ,i could believe anything1 then again ,i feel that every bit of faith ,i had is gone4 ,can you give me any instructions that will help me8 99 99 99 99 99 ,suppose we imagine we have an invitation to visit ,caleb today 7,numbers #ac3cj2 ,joshua #ad3f-ad71 and we embrace the opportunity4 ,we should expect to find the old warrior at home on such a day because it is bright and fair2 he did the most of his fighting in bad weather4 ,it is not far to ,hebron1 where he makes his home4 ,see1 we are there now6 ,isn't the prospect from here beautiful and inspiring6 ,to the north along the ridge is ,bethlehem and ,jerusalem2 to the east the silvery waters of the ,dead ,sea glitter in the sun2 westward is ,gath1 where ,goliath the giant came from2 and to the south is ,beersheba4 ,tell us1 ,caleb1 some of your experiences in ,canaan4 ,forty and five years ago ,i first saw ,hebron4 ,it was when ,moses had sent twelve spies1 of whom ,i was one1 to determine the character of the people and land of ,canaan4 ,long ago our father ,abraham trod this soil1 and ,god ,almighty promised to give it to him and his seed for an everlasting inheritance4 ,when ,i first heard of ,canaan1 down in ,egypt1 my faith was strong that it was a good land1 flowing with milk and honey1 as ,god said1 and ,i longed to set foot upon it4 ,when we twelve first left ,kadesh-barnea for ,canaan ,numbers #ac3a-c1 #ag-cc1 ,i noticed that ten of the spies kept close together2 but ,joshua and ,i were eager to see all that we could of the land1 and we ranged as far and wide as we could4 ,not far from where your feet rest now we got our first sight of the ,anakims1 giants of ,canaan4 ,they were giants indeed4 ,their legs looked like tree-trunks1 and covering their faces was a dense growth of beard out of which their eyes gleamed like crystals in a haystack4 ,the sight of them set my heart all aflutter1 because ,i knew at once that they were very dangerous foes1 not easily reckoned with4 ,we were very cautious that they should not see us1 and ,i must say that part of our company trembled violently with fear and1 as soon as we got away a little distance1 they ran with all their might4 ,but something in my heart said that if ,god gave this land to ,israel1 then ,god would give us power over the ,anakims1 no matter how many or how strong they were4 ,by and by we came to the walled cities4 ,joshua and ,i talked over the matter of taking them4 ,while we could not see just how we were to do it1 we decided that1 since ,god had unmistakably promised the land to ,abraham1 and since ,he had already marvelously delivered us from the hand of ,pharaoh1 king of ,egypt1 and his dark bondage1 and since ,he had helped us along through the wilderness and now had brought us to the very borders of the land1 surely ,he expected us to have ,canaan4 ,and this ,i told to the others4 ',we can never take it1' they said1 'never in the world4 ,let us get out of here and back into ,egypt as quickly as we can4 ,we feel so faint4 ,we can not conquer such a country4 ,why1 see those giants1 we are no bigger than grasshoppers by the side of them6 ,and look at those walls1 reaching almost to the sky6 ,let us get back4' ',but if ,god said we should inherit this land1 shall ,he not help us8' said ,joshua and ,i4 ',we thought surely ,god promised us the land1' the ten replied4 ',but we did not expect to have to fight for it4 ,we supposed ,god would just give it to us without any fighting or trouble on our part4' ',oh1 no1 ,god never promised ,canaan without a battle1' we replied4 ',but ,he will help us fight1 then we shall properly appreciate both ,god and ,canaan and the fighting will make us stronger4' ,well1 we could not convince them1 and our arguments fell upon very impervious minds1 hardened as they were by unbelief and doubting ,numbers #ad4 ,then for forty years we wandered in the black wilderness4 ,five years ago we crossed the ,jordan1 blessed be ,god4 ,those were great days in ,canaan6 ,god was very near us1 and our foes trembled4 ,jericho fell down1 ,ai was taken1 kings of darkness and giants of iniquity melted before the army of the ,lord1 until the land was in our possession4 ,then ,i went to ,joshua and made known my request for ,hebron1 my home in ,canaan4 ,there were several giants making ,hebron their home1 and ,i was eager to dispossess them2 for ,i liked the situation4 ,joshua gave me permission1 and ,i marched toward it fully confident that our ,god would help me4 ,there is no use to tell you the rest4 ,here am ,i1 by ,god's help1 at home in my possession4 ,the giants are dead1 and ,i hold peaceable possession by right of divine promise1 the oath that ,god swore to our father ,abraham that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies might serve ,him without fear in holiness and righteousness before ,him all the days of our life ,luke #a3gd1 #ge4 ,thanks be to ,god for ,his great gift6 ,we may visit ,caleb again1 since the recital of his conflicts and victories has uplifted our souls so greatly4 ,you say you can not understand faith4 ,let me ask you if you can understand joy8 or sorrow8 or a heartache8 or rapturous rejoicing8 ,can you find the cubic contents of anger8 or measure love in bushels or weigh it on scales8 ,and because these things are intangible and elusive1 do you think they are not real8 ,indeed not6 ,you love someone1 and while you can not cube your love1 nor weigh it1 the reality of it you never question4 ,so also with acts or decisions of your will4 ,who ever saw a will in action8 ,and yet the outer life1 in all its forms1 is proof enough that a will has been functioning all the while4 ,now faith is the same kind of thing as joy and love4 ,it belongs to that family of intangible1 unseen realities of life4 ,they have to do with the spiritual part of our nature1 and through them we rise higher or sink lower than we can through any mere physical feelings or actions4 ,faith1 joy1 love1 are spiritual qualities1 spiritual things1 things of the soul1 affecting it favorably or adversely according as they themselves are affected by causes good or bad4 ,doubt1 unbelief1 anger1 wrong ambition1 pride1 and such are as intangible as are faith and love1 but they are at the opposite pole4 ,faith is no harder to understand than is doubt4 ,faith is believing1 and doubt is not believing4 ,one is the opposite of the other1 just as heaven and hell are opposites4 ,considering doubters more closely1 we find that doubters believe2 but they believe the opposite of what they should believe4 ,doubters believe the wrong thing4 ,a doubter is one who could and ought to believe facts1 but for some reason or other can not bring himself to do it4 ,instead1 he believes another set of things1 which appear to be facts but are not4 ,let us illustrate faith and doubt4 ,you pick up a newspaper this morning and read that a fire destroyed a hotel in ,chicago and four persons were burned1 that a train ran off the track in ,iowa and no one was hurt1 and that a ,congressman from ,florida died4 ,do you doubt these facts or believe them6 ,if you believe them1 that is proof that you have faith4 ,you look at the almanac and find it says that tomorrow there will be an eclipse4 ,if you prepare to look at the sun through smoked glass1 it is proof that you have faith4 ,if you receive a letter stating that your uncle ,john died and feel sad at the thought of his leaving his family in destitute circumstances1 it is proof that you have faith4 ,if someone in your place of business brings you a report that fire has destroyed your warehouse and you feel at once the loss1 it is proof that you have faith4 ,then1 of course1 there are things which you doubt4 ,you are told that some one has discovered perpetual motion4 ,you smile1 and do not believe it4 ,you doubt4 ,doubt is simply the opposite of faith4 ,now to show or illustrate how faith works instantaneously always1 let us suppose you are a parent and one of your children is lost4 ,it is your youngest child but one4 ,you have hunted until you are exhausted1 and find no trace of the child4 ,your heart is sick2 a load as heavy as lead bears down upon you4 ,you can think of a dozen different things that could have happened to the child2 he may have been kidnapped1 may have been run over and killed1 may have fallen into the water and drowned1 may be weeping his heart out somewhere4 ,at last the whole neighborhood gets out to search1 and you1 exhausted1 sit impatiently waiting4 ,by and by you hear some one halloo4 ,then you hear another4 ,and then some one runs up excitedly and says1 ,the child is found1 safe4 ,the very moment you believe that news the load lifts1 the heart is light1 the soul is happy4 ,tears of joy flow freely4 ,but suppose it proves a premature report1 and by and by another comes and says it is a mistake1 that the child was found dead4 ,then all your joy is turned immediately to sadness4 ,faith always works instantaneously4 ,the quickness with which faith works has been illustrated by this3 ,suppose some one rushes into an office of philosophical1 higher-critical professors1 and cries1 ,fire6 ,you would see those hard-boiled skeptics1 if they believed the cry1 rush unceremoniously and indecorously out of that building with all speed4 ,people may scoff at faith working with lightning speed2 but every exhibition of it only proves that it does4 ,now you mentioned that at times you feel as though you believe strongly1 and at other times you feel as though your faith is leaving you4 ,you are making a great mistake mixing up your faith with your feelings4 ,they never did mix2 and all who try to mix them only get into trouble2 for faith is one thing and feelings are another4 ,the only way for you to know that you have faith is to believe something4 ,do you believe anything8 ,if so1 then you have faith4 ,do you believe in ,god8 ,then you have faith in ,god4 ,faith is believing1 just as seeing is seeing and hearing is hearing4 ,if you see something1 you know you have sight2 if you hear something1 you know you have your hearing2 and if you believe1 you have faith4 ,faith in ,god is just like faith in anything else4 ,god has said ,he will do or has done something for you4 ,do you believe ,he has done something for you8 ,do you believe ,he has done or will do that thing8 ,if so1 that is faith4 ,for instance1 you have repented of all your sins and have asked ,god to forgive them4 ,he has said that if we confess our sins1 he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins 7#a ,john #a3i74 ,do you believe this8 ,you say1 ,yes4 ,well1 then1 you have faith1 and by grace are ye saved through faith 7,ephesians #b3h71 and1 therefore1 being justified by faith1 we have peace with ,god through our ,lord ,jesus ,christ 7,romans #e3a74 ,and1 moreover1 he that believeth on the ,son of ,god hath the witness in himself 7#a ,john #e3aj72 or1 in other words1 when you believe you know it1 and ,god does for you what ,he promises to do4 ,the same reasoning holds good in entire sanctification4 ,the conditions are consecration and faith4 ,you are to put all on the altar1 and ask and trust ,god to do the cleansing and give you the filling of the ,spirit4 ,have you thus consecrated8 ,have you given all8 ,if you say yes1 then do you believe that ,god sanctifies you wholly8 ,if you do1 you have faith1 and you are sanctified wholly1 because ,god can not lie nor fail4 ,faith in ,god1 then1 is believing ,god's ,word1 the ,bible4 ,whenever you obey the ,bible and meet the conditions laid down therein for any blessing promised1 you may then believe that ,god does or is doing for you whatever ,he has there promised4 ,and when you believe1 you will have all joy and peace in believing1 you will enjoy the riches of ,god's grace1 and ,he will work in you mightily1 as ,he does in all those who believe 7,ephesians #a3ai74 ,,chapter ,,six ,,the ,,best ,,inheritance ,,in ,,canaan ,i am troubled about my sanctification4 ,my conversion was so bright and there was such a change that ,i never could doubt it4 ,but when ,i was sanctified1 there was not so great a change4 ,and it was not so great as that of some ,i have heard testify4 ,neither do ,i feel as bold as some ,i have heard speak1 neither did ,i taste such a death as others have testified too4 ,in fact1 when ,i compare my sanctification with what others say theirs is1 mine suffers in the comparison4 ,i have often repudiated my sanctification and endeavored to obtain an experience just like others'2 but it seems ,i cannot4 ,must ,i try to obtain another1 or be satisfied with the one ,i have8 ,any help you can give me will be greatly appreciated4 99 99 99 99 99 ,suppose we go over to ,bethlehem this morning2 there is a ,brother ,faithful there whose acquaintance you positively will appreciate4 ,he has been in ,canaan a number of years and doubtless can tell us some interesting reminiscences of his life4 ,this is a famous place4 ,somewhere about here ,david killed a lion and a bear and composed some of those inimitable psalms of praise to ,god4 ,in that field right over there ,ruth gleaned for ,boaz1 and her maidenly purity won the hearts of all4 ,here is ,brother ,faithful's house4 ,let us knock and go in4 ,brother ,faithful1 how did you happen to get such a beautiful home in ,canaan6 ,well1 pilgrims1 ,i did not just 'happen' to get it4 ,the truth is1 ,i did all possible to gain a home at ,bethel1 or on ,moriah2 either place seemed better than this2 at least it did for some time1 until ,i learned that here was where ,jehovah wished me to settle4 ,bethel is close to where the tent of the ,lord was pitched1 and it has sacred memories of a ladder reaching up to heaven and holy angels ascending and descending on ministrations of mercy to man below4 ,to me it1 of all places1 seemed nearest heaven2 but1 if ,i may reveal a secret1 ,i have found that ,bethel is not the only place that has associations of a ladder planted on it and reaching heaven4 ,the reason ,i wanted to stop at ,moriah was because ,i heard ,brother ,dreamgood who lives there tell of the remarkable experiences he had there4 ,i began thinking there was no place in ,canaan like that1 and ,i did not stop to consider that all of us could not abide in one place4 ,brother ,dreamgood told the wonderful story of angels and holy manifestations and heavenly illuminations constantly occurring on that sacred spot till ,i forgot all about asking where the ,lord would have me be1 and forthwith started for ,moriah4 ,but ,i was baffled at every turn4 ,especially was ,i chagrined to find there was no place for me on ,moriah at that time4 ,brother ,dreamgood had a dreadful battle with the giants before he won a home for himself1 and ,i am not certain that ,i could have fought them successfully4 ,then after that ,i fell in with ,brother ,worshipful who lived at ,bethel4 ,after he told of the good things there1 ,i concluded ,bethel was the place for me4 ,but ,i made no headway in that direction4 ,having been in ,canaan for some time and still unsettled1 ,i began to inquire of ,jehovah where ,he would have me be4 ,it was made fully plain to me that ,god had the place for me that was best for me4 ,a glad yielding to this truth brought great boldness to my soul4 ,i girded on the armor1 adjusted the shield of faith1 grasped the sword of truth ,ephesians #f3aj-ag1 and went where ,i was directed--toward ,bethlehem1 a place which ,i had regarded as palpably inferior4 ,after severe fighting1 ,i won4 ,and ,i am satisfied4 99 99 99 99 99 ,sanctification is a work wrought by ,god through the blood and ,spirit4 ,it is both a cleansing from sin and an infilling of righteousness4 ,it has negative and positive aspects4 ,it takes away from and adds to4 ,not that sin is a sort of root or germ4 ,it is an evil that affects our nature4 ,this evil is destroyed1 and its effects banished4 ,the ,holy ,spirit comes in1 filling the nature of man with righteousness and purity4 ,you must get your mind on the real work of sanctification1 not on some of its special manifestations in some people's experiences4 ,the manifestations of sanctification may be more specific for some people than others1 because they may need such4 ,it is possible1 too1 that your conversion made a greater perceptible change in your soul and life than did your sanctification4 ,this matter of change depends largely on circumstances4 ,if you were very deeply convicted of sin and were very happily converted1 your conversion may have been greater apparently than your sanctification4 ,but these appearances are not essential considerations4 ,still another point you must bear in mind1 and that is that sanctification1 while a separate and distinct thing of itself1 is only the second step in a work already begun4 ,justification is essential to sanctification and is the beginning of those things that work full salvation4 ,during a camp-meeting one time a minister related a glowing experience he had when he was sanctified4 ,he spoke particularly of boldness4 ,he was made very bold4 ,when the altar-call was made1 an old mother in ,israel came to the altar4 ,a minister asked her what she was seeking4 ,she replied1 with tears in her eyes1 ,i thought ,i was sanctified2 but since ,brother ,a---- testified to the boldness he received1 ,i doubt whether ,i ever was sanctified4 ,i did not feel that way4 ,the instructor carefully led her away from any comparison between her experience and others1 and asked her if she were consecrated now4 ,oh1 yes1 just as consecrated as ,i know how to be6 she replied1 weeping4 ,well1 if you are all consecrated1 what does the ,lord do for those who are all given up8 ,he sanctifies them wholly1 she had to say4 ,and if you do not have as much boldness as ,brother ,a---- said he has1 probably you do not need as much4 ,or1 if you really need more1 would it not be better to ask ,god for more rather than to give up your experience of sanctification in a vain effort to feel as some one else feels8 ,she saw the point1 and her tears disappeared beneath happy smiles of joy4 ,there is yet another item you should consider4 ,many times those who testify so beautifully and graphically in describing their sanctification are under an inspiration1 and the blessing is set forth in glowing colors4 ,for the time being their trials and discouragements are forgotten1 their struggles to keep the victory are out of mind1 and they speak in the highest praise of the work ,god has done4 ,in the exhilaration of the moment they magnify the work4 ,we do not say they overdraw their experience2 for really no tongue can tell it2 but while they are all aflame with ardor and praise1 you may be going through a trial4 ,so1 of course1 their experience seems to outshine yours so far that yours suffers4 ,but remember this--the time may come when you will be testifying as they now are1 and they may be the ones going through a trial2 then they may compare their experience with yours1 and they may feel that they are the ones1 who are behind4 ,so compare no more4 ,be all for ,jesus4 ,if ,he gives some one seemingly a better experience1 let ,him have ,his way4 ,what is that to you8 ,follow ,jesus4 ,,chapter ,,seven ,,in ,,the ,,hands ,,of ,,giant ,,accuser ,i am having such dreadful battles6 ,i have to fight1 and fight1 and there seems to be no end to it4 ,surely ,i am not sanctified2 if ,i were1 ,i should not be so tried4 ,what shall ,i do8 ,the desire to be all the ,lord's is uppermost2 but can ,i truly be all for ,him with so many thoughts of all kinds running through my mind8 ,could ,i find rest from these battles probably ,i could feel that all is well2 but with this constant battle ,i fear something is wrong4 ,isn't sanctification a grace where one will not be tried or tempted very much1 at least not with such things as ,i am tried and tempted with8 ,why1 the most terrible things ever heard of are suggested to me to do6 ,can you help me any8 99 99 99 99 99 ,suppose we should visit a citizen of the land of ,canaan and ask him if he had any battles with the giants of the land4 ,no doubt the twinkle of his eye and the animated expression on his face would show that memory was at work1 and we should wait in all expectation4 ,ah6 here's one2 let us hear him6 ,indeed1 indeed4 ,many1 many times did ,i battle with the giants of ,canaan4 ,many people suppose ,canaan is the home for soldiers to rest1 while in truth it is the great battleground of the world4 ,i recall one battle ,i had with ,giant ,accuser ,matthew #d3a-aa4 ,look right over the top of that olive tree due east1 down toward the ,dead ,sea4 ,do you see that shaded valley deep down between those two mountains8 ,that is the ,valley of ,sorrows4 ,in that valley ,i had one of the greatest battles of my life4 ,it was before ,i possessed my home4 ,i had been helping my brethren fight off the inhabitants of the land and was out at this time looking over the country4 ,i entered that valley4 ,the sun was sinking into the western sea1 and my thoughts grew gloomy and foreboding4 ,all at once right before me loomed the big form of one of the worst giants in all ,canaan1 ,giant ,accuser4 ,i could not run back1 the cliffs were too steep on either side to climb out1 and the fierce old ,giant blocked the way in front4 ',i rebuke you in the name of the ,lord1' ,i said to him4 ',ah1 the ,lord6 ,ha6 ha6 ,the ,lord does not care for you4 ,steal that sheep you see yonder2 no one will see you4 ,if any one sees you with it1 you can tell him a lie about it1' he said to me4 ,i stood aghast at the suggestion4 ,never before had ,i had any evil suggestion like that1 and ,i felt sick at heart that any such thought should enter my mind4 ,the old ,giant strode closer1 and ,i trembled4 ',curse and swear1' he roared at me1 scowling down into my very face4 ,and from his coarse mouth there rolled a volume of blasphemy such as ,i never had heard4 ,the curses had a peculiar effect of sticking on my mind1 until they seemed to be within me4 ,i fell on my knees1 while the old ,giant dealt me a blow over the head with his club4 ',you have cursed1' he shouted4 ',see1 your mind is full of evil words4 ,and you would steal2 for the suggestion lodged in your mind to steal that sheep4 ,you are a sinner1 that's what you are4 ,christians never have such thoughts as you are having4' ,and again he struck me with his club4 ,i was too weak to fight4 ,finally ,i felt as if ,i really had sinned4 ,the ,old ,giant then fell to beating me1 and after half killing me and laughing right in my face and telling me he was going to drive me out of ,canaan before he was through with me1 he walked off4 ,i lay there a long time thinking over the situation4 ,not an angel appeared1 and ,god seemed to have forsaken me4 ,my mind was all confused over the battle4 ,while ,i was lying there1 the old ,giant came again4 ,i was terribly frightened1 because it seemed ,i had no weapon that he feared2 if ,i had1 ,i did not know how to use it4 ,i tried to resist1 and felt indignant within that he should treat me thus2 but how to overcome him ,i did not know4 ,i prayed1 ',o ,god1 help me6 ,help me6' ,but no voice answered1 and no help came4 ,the ,giant strode right up and1 without saying a word1 again struck me with his club4 ,the blow seemed to fall right on my heart1 and a sickening feeling of utter discouragement and helplessness filled me4 ,i groaned in complete confusion and bewilderment4 ',see how discouraged you are6 ,you are not happy as are others in ,canaan4 ,evidently something is wrong4 ,people in ,canaan ought not have such discouragements as you are having4' ,then from some cause or other 7it may be the ,giant insinuated these things into my mind71 a whole variety of slimy thoughts1 vulgar words1 bad imaginings surged through my mind and1 together with a feeling that all was lost1 seemed to dig down into the depths of my soul4 ,there ,i lay1 alone1 forsaken1 while the towering bulk of the ,giant hovered over me ready to club me back into utter helplessness any minute4 ,finally ,i attempted to rise2 but down came that dreadful club4 ,once more ,i struggled to my knees1 determined to arise2 but a terrific blow just at my heart felled me again4 ',you have sinned1' he hissed4 ',you can not stay in ,canaan4 ,god has cast you off4 ,see1 ,he has abandoned you4 ,he loves you no more4 ,die and be done with it4 ,you are a sinner1 anyway2 you might as well do something desperate and end all4' ,i was so confused1 ,i hardly knew what to do4 ,the ,giant dealt me one more blow1 then left me to nurse my wounds4 ,finding myself alone1 ,i began to endeavor to collect my thoughts and find the significance of the encounter4 ,but my mind was so confused that the more ,i tried to reason out the why of the affair1 the more confused ,i became4 ,and then1 to my consternation1 the ,giant came in sight again4 ,i knew instinctively that he would once more beat and wound me4 ,i made a feeble attempt at resistance2 but it seemed to avail nothing4 ,he repeated the beating ,i had before1 and there ,i lay utterly baffled4 ,the same thing occurred for many days4 ,then one day my attention was called to the shield of faith ,ephesians #f3af with which the ,lord had equipped me4 ,i had used it slightly1 and there it lay at my feet4 ,and my sword of truth lay unused by my side4 ,why ,i had not used it was a mystery to me4 ,no giant can stand before it4 ,i then and there determined that if ,giant ,accuser came again to beat me1 ,i should use these holy weapons4 ,not long after this decision was made1 the ,giant came again4 ,he came up confidently1 expecting to make short work of me and laugh at my calamity4 ,i did not shout at him1 nor utter any sigh of despair as before1 neither was ,i trembling2 for ,i now knew that all ,i had to do was to use my weapons4 ,when the ,giant got close enough1 he bawled out again1 ',you have sinned4 ,your thoughts have been on things that are wrong4 ,you have doubted4 ,you must begin over4 ,you are lost4' ',you are wrong1' ,i declared4 ',i am a full citizen of ,canaan1 with a clear title to a home in this land of ,beulah1' and with that ,i kept before me my shield of faith1 and drew the sword ,ephesians #f3ag and struck at him with all my might4 ,he winced1 but immediately again braced himself4 ,he was not sure but that ,i might yield2 so he began telling me the wrongs and sins he was accusing me of4 ',i am not a rebel1' ,i declared emphatically1 'and these ugly things coming to my mind are from you1 old ,giant ,accuser1' ,i added4 ,then ,i struck at him again with all my might4 ,he gave way a little at that1 and ,i saw it1 and it gave me immense encouragement4 ,then ,i rained blows on him as fast and hard as ,i possibly could4 ,soon he started to run4 ,summoning all the strength ,i had1 ,i ran after him1 giving him blow upon blow1 until he jumped into a deep place and disappeared4 ,then ,i dropped on my knees and praised the ,lord ,god ,almighty for helping me win so signal a victory4 ,i have fought with ,giant ,tempter1 ,giant ,discourager1 ,giant ,covetousness1 ,giant ,liar1 ,giant ,lust1 ,giant ,pride1 ,giant ,doubt1 ,giant ,fear1 ,giant ,worldliness1 and many others4 ,thank our ,god for the weapons of warfare1 the shield and the sword1 the breastplate and the girdle1 which give us power over them4 ,i have not seen a giant for some time2 but if any of them should attempt an encounter1 by ,god's help ,i am ready4 99 99 99 99 99 ,sanctification does not deliver from temptations2 but it does make us more sure of winning over them4 ,it is even probable that you will have more battles to fight1 have more temptations to overcome1 after you are sanctified than before4 ,the spiritual foes are by no means confined to the justified state2 there are a host of them to meet in the ,canaan experience4 ,many newly sanctified people have been overwhelmed1 just as you have1 with dreadful inner battles4 ,either the mind is harassed with constantly recurring evil thoughts1 or evil words keep popping into it till they apparently spring from within4 ,or perhaps the suggestion to commit some sinful act keeps persistently coming to mind4 ,maybe feelings one considers foreign to the sanctified experience possess one4 ,possibly some diabolical temptation keeps whirling one about4 ,all of these are sent with the avowed object of overthrowing the soul4 ,it is a favorite method of ,satan's to suggest a sin or bring something bad to the mind and then accuse you of being guilty of the evil4 ,it is as if a thief should turn around suddenly and accuse the owner of the stolen property of being the thief4 ,satan may fill your mind with bad things and then try to throw the blame for having them all on you4 ,his object is so to trouble you that you will give up your faith1 after which he will make short work of you4 ,fight on6 ,no one can grow strong without fighting4 ,and the battles give proficiency in the use of the spiritual weapons4 ,when your faith is assailed1 you learn how to use the shield of faith4 ,then in the next assault you can use it more familiarly4 ,the same reasoning applies to the using of the sword of the ,spirit1 which is the word of ,god4 ,these very battles which seem to be more than you can bear are only developing that which will make you a strong and valiant soldier in ,god's army4 ,then1 too1 these violent spiritual battles are proof of your ability to resist1 else you would not have them 7#a ,corinthians #aj3ac74 ,they are proof of your trueness4 ,so1 instead of looking upon them as something to be frightened or troubled over1 see in them a signal proof of your strength and of ,god's confidence in you4 ,so1 then1 dear soul1 be encouraged concerning them2 rejoice that ,god counts you able to fight for ,him and counts you able to win4 ,by looking at them in this light you will make of them a source of encouragement4 ,that being the case1 let the battles come--they will do you good 7#b ,timothy #b3c2 #a ,peter #a3g74 ,,chapter ,,eight ,,conflicts ,,with ,,giant ,,mistake ,i make so many mistakes1 it seems ,i am just a bundle of contradictions4 ,i try to do good2 but at times my efforts are so crude that ,i seem to do more harm than good4 ,what shall ,i do8 ,and though all the time ,i try hard not to make mistakes1 yet ,i still make them4 ,it seems to me that surely ,i am not sanctified1 or else ,i should be more perfect4 ,do not the ,scriptures command us to be perfect even as our ,father in heaven is perfect8 ,i am not perfect2 far from it4 ,really ,i must be very imperfect4 ,is it right for me to claim to be sanctified8 ,can you help me8 99 99 99 99 99 ,let us visit some of the pioneers of ,canaan today and ask them to tell us some of their experiences4 ,let us see if ,faithful is at home4 ,he has a possession in one of the most charming vales of ,beulah1 and the beautiful flowers blooming there and the luscious fruit growing there tend to make him one of the happiest citizens of the country4 ,i am just certain that he will be glad to tell us a story4 ,here we are close to his home now4 ,oh1 see the garden6 ,just like the ,garden of the ,lord4 ,see1 it is just a little longer than it is wide1 and is fenced with a row of protecting flowers called ,grace4 ,the central feature of the garden is that beautiful white lily called ,love4 ,it looks as though unusual care has been bestowed on this plant2 see how it towers above the rest so grandly and yet is so majestically humble4 ,its fragrance spreads far and wide4 ,doesn't it make you want to sit down under its magnificent foliage and drink in of its glorious essence8 ,over there on the left of ,love is a group of flowers of different species4 ,that large cream-colored flower is called ,patience4 ,that crimson one is called ,joy1 and that with broad1 drooping white petals is ,humility4 ,the sweet perfume you notice in any part of the garden is from ,humility4 ,that pink blossom on the right is ,peace1 and a very pleasant odor it has4 ,next to it is ,faith4 ,see it8 ,it is a remarkably robust plant4 ,notice its blossom of pure gold color4 ,it has no perceptible odor4 ,this flower here1 with all the colors mixed most intricately and beautifully together1 is called ,goodness4 ,no wonder ,faithful is so happy and cheerful1 with such a garden6 ,galatians #e3bb1 #bc4 ,oh1 hush6 ,there is ,faithful on his knees now1 at prayer to the ,almighty6 ,how sublime he looks6 ,come2 he rises4 ,good morning ,faithful4 ,good morning to you1 pilgrims4 ,blessings upon you in the name of ,immanuel4 ,what may ,i do for you8 ,we are pilgrims in ,canaan and have only lately crossed the ,jordan4 ,we seek a home4 ,but we have heard of the giants and we saw one afar off1 too4 ,we are a little afraid4 ,we thought probably you would tell us how to overcome these giants4 ,will you6 ,with the greatest of pleasure4 ,one of my greatest joys is to teach pilgrims the strategy of spiritual warfare and tell them how to overcome the ,anakims of ,canaan #b ,corinthians #aj3d4 ,about the first giant ,i met in ,canaan was one ,mistake1 a large1 loose-jointed fellow1 who1 ,i found1 made a tremendous bluster but was as weak as a pygmy4 ,really he is not a true ,anakim1 but a ,gibeonite1 who are foes until they are conquered1 and then they become hewers of wood and drawers of water for us--they become our servants betimes ,joshua #i3ba4 ,but at first ,mistake assumes all the characteristics of a true giant4 ,not long after ,i crossed the ,jordan1 ,i met him4 ,he came lumbering down upon me1 and ,i thought my days in ,canaan were numbered4 ,it was only after ,i made some blunder or said some tactless thing that ,mistake bothered me1 but at such times he gave me untold trouble4 ,one time a pilgrim named ,slow was standing by the way4 ,as ,i was passing him1 ,i1 not being as careful as ,i should be1 bumped into him and nearly knocked him off the road4 ,poor fellow1 he began to cry1 and said he was ruined and believed that if such was the way pilgrims treated each other1 he would go back into ,egypt4 ,this1 of course1 caused me to feel very sorry4 ,i went back and apologized the best ,i could1 but it hardly consoled him4 ,i started on4 ,and1 do you know1 up came ,giant ,mistake6 ,he caught hold of me and gave me a sound thrashing for what ,i had done #a ,peter #b3bj4 ,but really1 ,mistake did not cause me so much trouble as did ,giant ,discourager4 ,this ,giant ,discourager is a true giant1 of pure ,anakim blood1 and he is in the habit of accompanying ,mistake4 ,and so it was that every time ,i met ,mistake1 old ,giant ,discourager was with him4 ,giant ,discourager beat me unmercifully nearly every time ,i met ,mistake4 ,he would flog me within an inch of my life and throw me down so bruised and bleeding that ,i almost wished ,i was dead #a ,kings #ai3i-ah4 ,it was only when ,i made a blunder that ,mistake and ,discourager beat me2 but as ,i made these nearly every day1 my life grew very miserable4 ,i was about to conclude that ,canaan-land had lost all its milk and honey2 for ,i had not found very much of either yet4 ,it got so that ,i anticipated the approach of these giants1 and they never disappointed my anticipations4 ,giant ,discourager would call me all kinds of names1 such as a sinner1 a perfect failure1 a no-good1 a weakling1 a coward4 ,and he would tell me1 ',you have no faith1' ',you never will get a home in ,canaan1' ',you will be cast out at last1' and many such like things would he say to me4 ,when in my very worst battle with ,mistake and ,discourager1 old ,giant ,despair came around to see me #a ,kings #ai3d4 ,he claimed that by my repeated failures he had the right to possession of my soul1 and he said he was going to carry me to his dungeon and club me to death1 just as he almost did ,bunyan's pilgrim1 ,christian4 ,this frightened me nearly to death4 ,in the very extremity of this bitter battle1 an angel of ,immanuel1 named ,solicitude1 came to my side one day and said1 ',i will teach you how to tame ,giant ,mistake and how to put ,giant ,discourager to flight4' ',oh1 do tell me6' ,i cried4 ',well1 here is your shield of faith4 ,take it and hold it up4 ,quit dragging it around in the dust behind you4 ,here is your sword of the ,spirit1 get it in your right hand and use it4 ,that is what it is for4 ,it is not for a mere ornament1 nor a mere appendage1 as you have made it4 ,use it4 ,pull the girdle of truth up a notch or two1 tie your gospel shoes on tighter4 ,press the helmet of salvation upon your brow4 ,and when the giants come1 fight ,ephesians #f3aj-ag2 #b ,corinthians #f3c-aj1 #g3e-g4 ',and1 really1 so far as ,giant ,mistake is concerned1' the angel ,solicitude went on to say1 'he is not a true giant4 ,there is no ,anakim blood in him4 ,he is a ,gibeonite2 all you need to do to him is to conquer him1 and he will be your servant4 ,you can never get entirely rid of him even in ,canaan2 but by tactful management he can be of some service to you ,hebrews #ab3e-aa4 ,but ,giant ,discourager--you must win over him2 for he has slain many a poor pilgrim1 and waits to slay you4' ,i thanked ,immanuel for sending ,solicitude to tell me the secret of warfare and how to handle ,mistake and ,discourager4 ,and it was even so4 ,i made my blunders as usual1 and ,mistake and ,discourager came falling down upon me4 ,i ignored ,mistake4 ,but ,i gripped my sword1 held up the shield1 and made for ,discourager1 giving him a terrible blow over the head4 ,he challenged me there1 and broke forth at me in awful epithets2 but ,i let the sword fall as fast as ,i could wield it4 ,pretty soon he ran in a disgraceful riot of retreat and plunged down a dark canyon which they say is his home4 ,when ,i looked around1 ,mistake had shrunk up to about half his former size4 ',you come with me1' ,i said to him1 ',i can't get along without you2 but you must behave yourself from now on4' ',i will1' he said4 ,and he always has since4 ,the story of ,faithful makes us feel better1 doesn't it8 ,sanctification purifies the motives1 and makes the spring of impulse and action pure2 but it does not give maturity of judgment nor perfection of reason4 ,if an ignorant person is sanctified1 he will find keenness of perception as regards right and wrong1 but he will still be ignorant4 ,sanctification does not imply that a sanctified person shall not need to study and advance in knowledge 7#b ,peter #a3e-i74 ,though sanctified we are still human beings1 and we must utilize the common means to knowledge just as others do4 ,sanctification affects the heart1 and its work is to take out evil1 the sin in the nature1 and make it holy and pure4 ,also it means an infilling of ,god's ,spirit1 which pervades our nature after sanctification just as sin pervaded it before4 ,but sanctification does not eliminate humanity from our nature4 ,mistakes1 therefore1 are the common lot of all--sinners1 believers1 and sanctified ones4 ,not only are we liable to mistakes1 we are inseparable from them in our earthly existence4 ,as one grows in experience1 knowledge1 and maturity of judgment1 one's mistakes may become fewer in number2 but no one on earth can ever expect to get entirely beyond making them4 ,let us take a look at some illustrations3 ,a young ,christian had a father who drank4 ,one day another ,christian saw this ,christian young man go into a saloon4 ,he reported it around that he saw this brother go into a saloon4 ,well1 the young brother must have backslidden1 was the instant conclusion1 and so it was reported4 ,but the young man had gone into the saloon to get his father to go home4 ,a very noble act2 but the story that was told was very detrimental to the young man4 ,it was a mistake to tell that he was backslidden without first knowing the facts of the case4 ,a mother has three children4 ,one of them comes running in crying almost as hard as it can1 and says1 ,john hit me with a stick4 ,mother calls ,john and punishes him for hitting ,sister with his stick4 ,by and by ,mother finds that ,john did not do it1 but that a playmate did4 ,a mistake was made4 ,sometimes one hears something detrimental to the character of another4 ,on the strength of this1 one may pursue a certain course of action4 ,by and by it may be found that this first report is not entirely true to facts1 and one regrets the course of action taken4 ,a mistake has been made4 ,mistakes are made in every department of life1 mental1 spiritual1 physical2 in the home1 in school1 in the laboratory2 in mechanics1 in business1 and in government4 ,it is simply impossible to know always what to do or to say4 ,mistakes1 more or less1 are occurring all the time4 ,many of the things we know we have learned by our mistakes4 ,a farmer becomes successful by eliminating the mistakes of the past1 by ceasing to do the things that proved to be inefficient4 ,a manufacturer becomes successful by eliminating the weaknesses of his product1 by eliminating his mistakes4 ,so with every department of life4 ,maturity is gained only by experience covering a period of time1 hence sanctified people will have to learn by their mistakes just as others do1 and by observing closely they are able to eliminate many mistakes and live more happy lives4 ,our ,father knows our limitations1 and he will not cast us off for our mistakes4 ,do not count mistakes as sins4 ,for some of your mistakes you may ask pardon1 of both ,god and men2 but do not allow discouragement to come in4 ,be happy along with your mistakes4 ,there is a strange but natural law of the mind that works in this way3 ,if you make a mistake and worry and brood over it and live in the fear that you will make a similar mistake again1 you are liable to make the same mistake--over and over1 as often as you fear making it4 ,someway or other the agitation over it invites it to return4 ,there is a certain attraction your fear and agitation creates toward it1 which1 even though you abhor it1 draws you in it again and again4 ,on the other hand1 if one makes a mistake1 and1 after promptly asking forgiveness1 if necessary1 promptly forgets it and goes on as if nothing unusual whatever had occurred1 he will find that he will hardly make that mistake again4 ,here is a secret for the newly sanctified ones2 you will make mistakes1 but learn to confess them fully and broadly and completely1 and1 after doing that1 then to refuse to think any more whatever about them4 ,let ,god take care of you and also of the mistake4 ,imperfection of human disposition and character is a fruitful source from which mistakes arise4 ,here is a person so slow as to be a trial to nearly every one about him1 while here is another who1 because he is so fast1 is continually injuring the feelings of others4 ,here is a person naturally so impatient that at times he wounds and hurts others4 ,the intentions of these persons are often misunderstood1 and mistakes arise from the misunderstanding4 ,we1 thinking that certain things were done or said for certain purposes1 may do and say certain things4 ,later we discover some other course would have been wiser and better4 ,so1 dear anxious soul1 do not expect to get beyond making mistakes4 ,profit by those you make4 ,use them as stepping-stones to a better experience4 ,keep consecrated1 keep your faith clear1 and commit yourself to ,god1 mistakes and all4 ,sanctification makes us pure2 but it takes time and experience to make us mature4 ,,chapter ,,nine ,,in ,,the ,,dungeon ,,of ,,giant ,,discourager ,i feel very discouraged at times1 and sometimes the spells of discouragement hang on for a long while4 ,i wonder if ,i am sanctified4 ,from unaccountable sources1 bad feelings of every description depress my soul1 and along with these bad feelings come doubts that cast gloom over me4 ,i have prayed and prayed that these feelings of discouragement might leave me2 but they have not done so4 ,i despair of prayer bringing me the help ,i need4 ,really1 ,i know not what to do4 ,i earnestly desire to be all the ,lord's and have ,his will done in my life1 and it is painful to believe that these discouragements hinder ,god's will in my heart4 ,how do sanctified people feel1 anyway8 ,i should think they ought to feel ecstatic joy all the time1 being so consecrated and near the ,lord as they are4 ,i need help on this line1 and will appreciate any advice you give me4 99 99 99 99 99 ,the ,wilderness of ,canaan is a wild1 rough district bordering on the ,jordan ,valley1 through which every pilgrim and home-seeker must pass before he finds his home site and settles down4 ,some pilgrims are fortunate in passing through it quickly1 while others1 coming under the spell of two old giants who live there1 have a very hard time passing through4 ,these giants are ,discourager and ,despair1 said to be twin brothers1 sons of a bad mighty couple1 ,unbelief and ,doubt1 who live in the same wilderness and are1 they say1 the grandfather and grandmother of one of the worst families of giants in all ,canaan4 ,it is in this ,wilderness that pilgrims encounter ,giant ,accuser1 a cousin of ,giants ,discourager and ,despair4 ,it is said that ,pilgrim ,victory had a long and hard battle with these two giants1 ,discourager and ,despair4 ,we shall have time this evening1 so why not visit ,victory8 ,probably he will tell us of this battle4 ,we should like to know how he overcame them4 ,we hear these two giants are really afraid of him since he has become so proficient in the use of the sword4 ,very well1 let us visit ,pilgrim ,victory4 ,where does he live8 ,he lives on ,mount ,moriah1 and we shall find him at home1 no doubt4 ,oh see1 here is a monument by the roadside6 ,let us stop and read the inscription4 ,oh6 ,listen6 ,it was on this spot that a desperate battle was fought between ,pilgrim ,victory and two of the worst giants in ,canaan1 ,giants ,discourager and ,despair4 ,victory won after a long fight4 ,the castle of ,giant ,despair is situated in one of the dark ravines to the right4 ,in clear weather it can be seen from this spot4 ,pilgrims are warned to be prepared to meet these giants1 for they have slain their thousands4 ,come6 ,let us hurry away from this place6 ,but look6 ,see6 ,there is the castle of ,giant ,despair6 ,it looks more like a jail1 or prison1 than a castle4 ,maybe there is some poor pilgrim in there now4 ,o ,immanuel1 if there is1 send an angel to tell him to use the key of ,promise so he may get out6 ,why1 here comes a pilgrim from that direction now4 ,and there comes old ,giant ,despair after him4 ,o ,immanuel1 help6 ,will the pilgrim escape8 ,the old ,giant is coming so fast6 ,but it is clear today4 ,yes6 now the sun bursts full on the old ,giant6 ,ah6 he seems to melt in his tracks4 ,oh1 yes6 now we know why--he can not run in clear weather4 ,here is the pilgrim on the main road again4 ,pilgrim1 we are so happy to see you get away4 ,you look so worn1 so weary4 ,and there1 what can that be1 poor fellow8 ,there is blood and wounds all over your back4 ,that is where the old giant beat you1 isn't it8 ,how did you escape8 ,blessed be ,immanuel forever6 ,for a long time old ,despair has had me in his dungeon4 ,i've been nearly killed4 ,giant ,discourager encountered me first and got me off into that ravine over there toward the castle4 ,then old ,despair caught me and put me in his dungeon4 ,he beat me regularly morning1 noon1 and night4 ,he has killed a number of pilgrims4 ,he killed one while ,i was there2 and there is a large heap of the bones of other poor pilgrims out of whom he drove the spark of hope4 ,but this morning ,i thought of a key called ,promise #a ,kings #h3ef that ,bunyan's pilgrim told of1 and to my surprise it fitted every lock ,i had to open4 ,the old ,giant ran after me4 ,i do not know what happened to him2 ,i did not look back to see4 ,but ,i am safe1 anyway4 ,come on with us1 we are going to visit ,pilgrim ,victory4 ,what is your name6 ,my name is ,honest4 ,well1 here we are on ,moriah4 ,and yonder is ,pilgrim ,victory6 ,he seems to be polishing or sharpening his sword4 ,why1 it shines like silver now6 ,blessings on you1 pilgrims1 and what can ,i do for you8 ,oh1 ,pilgrim ,victory1 tell us of your battle with ,giants ,discourager and ,despair1 will you6 ,to the glory of ,immanuel1 yes4 ,and ,i shall begin with an early experience1 and this is the way it came about3 ,no sooner had ,i crossed the ,jordan than ,giant ,mistake began to keep me company4 ,not long after that1 ,giant ,discourager joined us1 much to my detriment4 ,i should have fought him then2 but he said he had a right to travel with pilgrims1 and ,i did not know any better2 so ,i let him stay in my company4 ,when we got farther into the ,wilderness of ,canaan1 ,giant ,discourager began to torment me awfully4 ,every day he beat me1 till ,i had no strength left4 ,i did nothing but sit and nurse my wounds for many days4 ,according to ,giant ,discourager1 ,i was a failure2 and it did appear that way4 ,i was not good for anything1 he said1 and there was much truth1 apparently1 in that saying1 too4 ,he said ,immanuel did not care the least bit for me2 and it did look that way4 ',you will never get out of this wilderness4 ,you will never be able to do any good4 ,you will always feel miserable1' said ,giant ,discourager to me4 ,in fact1 he saw nothing ahead for me but woe1 failure1 misery1 and despair4 ,and it appeared certain that he was right4 ,just at that place where you saw the monument1 ,i fought the battle through1 and won4 ,but ,i was in ,giant ,despair's dungeon two weeks at that4 ,it was after ,i escaped that ,i fought the fight ,i won4 ,i had got out of the dungeon by using the key of ,promise2 but the weather was foul1 and the giants caught me at that spot4 ,the battle was a long one4 ,with all the subtlety of his lengthy career1 ,giant ,discourager threw out every idea and insinuation to get me to give up4 ,but while these insidious attacks were very hard to ward off1 ,i had definitely promised ,immanuel down in the dungeon that if he would get me out ,i would never be caught in company with ,giant ,discourager again4 ,i saw while there that it was my keeping company with him that got me into ,despair's hands4 ,so ,i had to keep my promise4 ,but ,discourager would not leave2 so ,i swung at him with my sword1 and said1 ',get thee hence1 ,discourager1 ,i am ,immanuel's4 ,i am a citizen of ,canaan1 ,i am across the ,jordan1 this is my home2 here my rest shall be4 ,get thee hence' ,luke #d3a-ac4 ,his foul breath blew over me1 and his awful concoctions of unbelief and despair almost overthrew me4 ,at that1 ,giant ,despair grabbed me1 and was in the act of lifting me bodily and carrying me away1 when a fierce desire to fight to victory possessed me4 ,i made another stroke at ,giant ,discourager and then aimed one at ,despair4 ,this freed me4 ,then1 gathering myself1 ,i rushed at one1 then the other1 until ,i chased them back into their haunts4 ,oh1 victory1 how sweet6 ,and how blessed it was after that not to have that old ,discourager's heartless and despairing conversation poisoning my thoughts6 ,oh1 what a relief6 ,on thinking of it1 ,i then and there purposed to build the monument you saw on your way here4 ,many a pilgrim has taken warning and escaped an awful death4 ,pilgrim ,honest1 ,i know those are tears of gratitude flowing down your poor face2 but dry them1 and come with me4 ,i will bathe those wounds of yours and give you food that will relieve all your distress ,isaiah #ff3aj-ac2 ,matthew #ab3ch-ba4 ,and to you1 pilgrims1 we say farewell4 ,good-by1 ,pilgrims ,victory and ,honest4 ,may it be well with you4 ,now let us talk between ourselves4 ,it is no sin to feel discouraged4 ,the only place where sin can enter in connection with discouragement is in entirely surrendering faith and letting actual transgressions follow4 ,when the soul is tormented to the point where it appears impossible for it to claim the victory any farther1 that is no evidence that that soul has sinned and is lost4 ,in this case ,god sees the soul as it really is2 ,he does not look at the soul's own estimate of itself4 ,many a sanctified soul has given up faith for sanctification1 and even for justification1 merely on the strength of some argument the devil has presented4 ,for instance1 a person may consecrate all1 have perfect faith1 and receive the experience of entire sanctification4 ,in a week or two this person may make a mistake1 or for some reason or other he may begin to have bad feelings in himself4 ,satan now sends his tempter to accuse the soul and cause it to doubt its having the experience of entire sanctification4 ,after a painful struggle1 the soul feels1 that1 on the evidence presented1 it must give up its profession of a sanctified state1 and does so4 ,but ,god1 looking down1 sees that that soul is just as consecrated as ever1 and loves ,god as much as ever4 ,he can not hold that soul as it holds itself4 ,so while the soul despairs1 ,god holds it as all right4 ,the only reason the soul does not get ,god's view is because these doubts and accusations obscure ,god's will and promise1 and the devil's doubts are admitted instead of ,god's word4 ,that more souls are done to death by discouragement than by any other one thing is probably a true saying4 ,you say you are discouraged4 ,over what8 ,is it because you do not have the pleasant feelings you would like to have8 ,this is no cause for discouragement4 ,you may be better than you feel1 just as many are not so good as they feel they are4 ,feelings are no standard to go by4 ,is it because you can not accomplish more8 ,do the best you can and be satisfied with that4 ,is it because you make many blunders and mistakes8 ,care not for it1 for all make them4 ,profit by them and go on4 ,discouragement is deadly to the soul4 ,it is a destroyer of hope1 faith1 confidence1 joy1 service1 and victory4 ,look at the discouraged man6 ,there he sits4 ,nothing seems good to him2 and he hesitates to do anything4 ,what army ever won a victory if it was discouraged8 ,what merchant ever succeeded in business when discouraged8 ,who ever accomplished anything when discouraged8 ,vow never to give way to discouragement4 ,sign the pledge against indulgence in it4 ,why not8 ,discouragement is the effect of the devil's work4 ,will you engage in helping the devil at his work8 ,there is no sound argument in favor of becoming discouraged2 there is no reason or logic on its side4 ,if you have obstacles to overcome1 discouragement will make them only that much harder to overcome4 ,do you make mistakes8 ,discouragement will only make it harder to overcome them4 ,no matter what may be your trouble1 or failure1 or other problem1 discouragement is a positive hindrance4 ,and if it is given way to1 it must ultimately be overcome1 in addition to overcoming the obstacle which occasions the discouragement1 before one has the victory4 ,there is one thing you will do well always to remember1 and that is ,god's promise in ,john #c3af4 ,no matter where you are1 no matter how hopeless everything seems1 no matter how far down you may get1 even into sin-- remember that ,god loves you and has this promise1 exactly suited to your need4 ,all you have to do to begin to get out is to step upon that promise4 ,yes1 sanctified people feel discouraged at times4 ,but since they are all the ,lord's they must not give way to it1 but must pray and trust ,him to carry them through4 ,this sooner or later brings them through the trial 7#a ,peter #e3aj74 ,jesus ,christ never gets discouraged4 ,let us be like ,him in the eternal hope of the triumph of the grace of ,god 7,romans #h3cg-ci74 ,in which triumph we may have a share both while we live here and again in the heaven of heavens4 ,,chapter ,,ten ,,the ,,torments ,,of ,,giant ,,bad ,,feelings ,i am just a bundle of feelings4 ,i never imagined one could have such a variety of them as ,i am now experiencing4 ,most of them are bad ones and ,i am greatly disturbed by them4 ,really1 ,i doubt whether ,i am sanctified1 on account of the feelings ,i have4 ,do sanctified people always feel joyful8 ,i have heard that they do1 and if it is true that they do1 then ,i am not sanctified4 ,big doubts take up company with me every morning1 and so long as ,i feel as ,i do ,i do not see how to dismiss them4 ,my heart is heavy1 very heavy1 over these questions4 ,can you tell me how sanctified people feel8 ,please do1 ,i am so anxious to know4 99 99 99 99 99 ,nearly every pilgrim in ,canaan has met ,giant ,bad ,feelings1 a doughty old giant with a long bad record for troubling pilgrims4 ,he is not1 they say1 so dangerous to life as are some of the other giants1 as he rarely slays a pilgrim2 but for inflicting torment on them and as a helper to ,giant ,discourager no one can equal him4 ,he is a most pestiferous giant1 with a numerous family4 ,this is going to be a fair day1 the sun came up clear this morning2 shall we visit ,pilgrim ,sunshine8 ,she lives in one of the sunniest1 most pleasant vales in all ,canaan1 so ,i hear4 ,you think it will be profitable to go over to her home8 ,very well1 let us go4 ,by the way1 did you ever hear the story of ,pilgrim ,sunshine8 ,it is said she used to be sad1 broken-hearted1 fearful1 and despondent1 and that she lived long in the ,valley of ,sighs4 ,of course1 we want to hear the story from her own lips4 ,she has had a great deal of trouble1 has pilgrim ,sunshine2 enough to make one despair1 almost4 ,her people persecuted her1 her husband deserted her1 her sons reproached her2 but1 nevertheless1 she is one of the happiest inhabitants of ,canaan4 ,i believe we are nearing her home now1 see how clear the air is up here1 and the flora is getting more bountiful and beautiful1 isn't it6 ,there is her place6 ,what a lovely garden she has6 ,and it is growing out of such rocky soil6 ,there she is1 the dear old mother in ,israel6 ,when we get to her1 note the marks of care that line her saintly face2 but notice also the sweet smile that graces her kind countenance4 ,oh1 that we could bear up under life's cares and burdens as she does6 ,the ,lord's blessings be yours1 ,pilgrim ,sunshine4 ,aye1 and the riches of ,his great goodness attend you1 pilgrims4 ,sit down under this amaranthine bower and rest yourselves4 ,we are new pilgrims in ,canaan and we want to settle somewhere in the land4 ,some one said the ,vale of ,hidden ,delights is a good place to live in4 ,seems to us it is4 ,could we find a home here8 ,and we should be glad to hear you tell us some of your adventures in ,canaan4 ,coming along1 we saw some giants4 ,do any giants live in this vicinity8 ,we are hoping that we can gain our inheritance without meeting any of them4 ,can we8 ,pilgrims1 ,i could wish you might settle into your inheritance without a battle2 but ,i have never yet heard of a case where a pilgrim did so4 ,it is true some more sturdy and valiant pilgrims have little trouble with the giants and soon win1 but many have hard battles to fight ,luke #ab3bh2 #a ,john #e3d4 ,as to your settling here in the ,valley of ,hidden ,delights1 remember that it is only by the greatest toil and care we are able to bring loveliness and beauty out of this rocky soil4 ,but if ,immanuel allots you a home here1 do not fear2 some of the sweetest fruits and flowers of ,canaan grow right here4 ,my hardest battle was with ,giant ,bad ,feelings4 ,beware of him6 ,i had a pensive soul1 a sensitive nature1 and was conscientious to a scruple ,romans #ad3a-f4 ,bad ,feelings took advantage of this fact and caused me trouble untold4 ,i was very happy when ,i crossed the ,jordan into ,canaan1 and set up my memorial stone with a shout4 ,i advanced into the land to explore it at once4 ,the old corn and wine of ,canaan delighted me ,joshua #e3aa1 #ab4 ,my weapons of warfare were bright1 and ,i felt able to meet any foe4 ,but inadvertently ,i got into the ,valley of ,sighs1 and lived there far too long4 ,i blame ,giant ,bad ,feelings for it1 yet ,i should not have allowed myself to be influenced by him4 ,it was not long after ,i had passed ,jericho that ,giant ,bad ,feelings accosted me4 ',good morning1 pilgrim1' he said1 'how do you feel this morning4 ,seems to me your feelings are not what they should be4 ,pilgrims in ,canaan ought to be happy all the time4 ,you are not happy4 ,there is a little load on your soul4 ,see1 you are carrying burdens6' and at that he laid something heavy upon my shoulders4 ',it is true1' he chattered on1 'that pilgrims should be always happy1 and you are not4 ,that is plain to be seen4 ,now1 be honest about it1 aren't you sad8' ,well1 ,i had to confess ,i felt bad4 ',certainly you feel bad4 ,are you sure you are all consecrated to ,immanuel8 ,are you certain you left all the love of ,egypt behind1 on the farther side of the ,jordan8 ,something must be wrong with you since you feel as you do4' ,at that he blew something into my face that sickened me with feelings of discouragement and dejection4 ,really1 ,i felt worse than ,i did before ever ,i crossed the ,jordan4 ,i felt faint and sad4 ',probably you have failed somewhere6 ,more than likely ,immanuel has cast you off1 and some giant will carry you out of the land4 ,you are a failure4 ,that is all there is to it4' ,and with this he struck me a hard blow that seemed to land right on my heart4 ,i fainted and fell4 ,after this1 ,giant ,bad ,feelings visited me every day4 ,he had the power1 it seemed1 to make me feel just as he desired4 ,at times he would throw over me feelings that imitated envy1 anger1 and such like4 ,when ,bad ,feelings would shroud me with ingratitude to ,immanuel1 then he would turn around and beat me for the ingratitude just as though the feelings were my own4 ,and really it was here that ,giant ,bad ,feelings deceived me4 ,he had manufactured these feelings himself and1 on encountering me1 would lay them upon me1 all the while insinuating that they were my very own4 ,he would bring bad words to my mind1 bad thoughts1 ugly pictures and ideas that my soul and mind revolted against4 ,he would deftly cause it all to seem as though it came from my heart4 ,and then he would lay the most miserable and heart-deadening feelings upon me possible4 ,finally some pilgrims found out that ,giant ,bad ,feelings was causing me much trouble and they visited me4 ',pilgrim1' they said1 'pay no attention to ,giant ,bad ,feelings4 ,he is a big blusterer1 anyway4 ,ignore him4 ,next time he comes tell him plainly that you belong to ,immanuel1 and that your feelings are consecrated to ,jehovah4 ,tell him that if ,immanuel allows you to have feelings you do not understand1 that is ,immanuel's business1 and must be a blessing to you in some way or other4' ,giant ,bad ,feelings came around as usual after this visit of the pilgrims4 ',good morning1 ,pilgrim ,sunshine4 ,not much sunshine in your soul today1 is there8' he bawled out4 ',perhaps not1' ,i said4 ',but ,i belong to ,immanuel1 and the state of my soul is in ,his keeping4' ',oh1 pshaw6 you feel miserable1 and you know it4 ,be honest6 ,and be sure6 you might be deceived if you do not investigate very closely the state of your feelings4 ,remember1 as a man feels so he is1 according to ,beelzebub4' ',i am ,immanuel's1' ,i declared vehemently4 ',how ,i feel is ,his concern4 ,whatever the feeling ,he allows1 there must be good for me in the experience4 ,anyway1 ,i am ,his and ,he is mine4' ',come now1' said the ,giant4 ',do you mean to say that you believe you are all right when you feel as you do6 ,be careful6' ',yes1 sir1 ,i mean to say that very thing4 ,i believe ,i am all right1 no matter how ,i feel4 ,you have been lying to me4 ,get thee hence' ,matthew #d3a-aa2 #a ,john #e3d1 #b3ab-ad4 ,at this ,i swung at ,bad ,feelings with the trusty sword of the ,spirit4 ,it was a hard struggle1 but at last ,i chased him away4 ,then ,i moved out of the ,vale of ,sighs to this ,vale of ,hidden ,delights4 ,oh1 we feel so animated over this recital of your battle and victory over old ,giant ,bad ,feelings1 ,pilgrim ,sunshine6 ,if he attacks us we believe we shall know what to do4 ,our armor and weapons are proof against him1 this one thing we know4 ,oh1 ,immanuel1 help us use the weapons thou hast so graciously put in our hands6 ,farewell ,pilgrim ,sunshine4 ,now let us do some considering4 ,probably seventy-five per cent of the people who consecrate all to ,god for the grace to live the victorious life are troubled over the state of their feelings4 ,it is so natural to think that if one wholly abandons all to ,christ1 that one thereafter should at all times feel joyful1 close to ,jesus1 be conscious of ,his presence1 feel the love and peace the ,christian has4 ,in general1 feel at all times that all is well4 ,and when one's feelings are opposite from this1 a serious question and doubt usually arises as to whether the soul is really in ,canaan-land or not4 ,the fact is1 one's feelings are no standard to go by2 for they are subject to a variety of conditions1 spiritual1 mental1 and physical1 and change and fluctuate in a very swift and unaccountable manner many times4 ,the ups and downs of the ,christian life would indeed be violent and serious if they followed our feelings2 but our faith tells the real story1 not our feelings 7,ephesians #b3h1 #c3ag2 ,romans #h3bh1 #cg-ci74 ,when you are tempted to regard your feelings1 ignore the matter altogether4 ,look in another place for evidence of your standing4 ,how is your consecration8 7,romans #ab3a-c74 ,how is your faith8 7#a ,john #e3d1 #aj74 ,are you all the ,lord's8 ,do you still believe ,his promise8 ,if you can say yes to these questions1 you are still on victory's side1 though you may not feel it4 ,the will1 not the feelings1 is the controlling factor in life4 ,the feelings are like a family of children who may1 if allowed to grow up disobedient and unruly1 cause one much trouble1 but if controlled and made obedient1 contribute to one's happiness4 ,feelings are a part of us4 ,christian experiences are felt2 that is1 they affect the emotions as well as the will4 ,feelings fluctuate1 and1 in fact1 in many cases become very unruly1 like spoiled children1 and want everything their own way4 ,bad news will produce sad feelings4 ,if you receive a letter today announcing the wedding of a friend1 you rejoice2 if it announces a death1 you sorrow4 ,if you are sick in body your feelings may partake of the quality of your physical condition4 ,it is well that our feelings enter into our lives in this way1 else we should lack the sympathy1 love1 and other emotions that are essential to social happiness4 ,so let us thank ,god we have feelings2 they connect us with the joys and sorrows of others4 ,but let us not gage our ,christian experience by the way we feel4 ,sanctified people have feelings that are natural4 ,man was created with all the social instincts before the fall4 ,before sin came in1 he was told to multiply and replenish the earth4 ,out of the two natures1 male and female1 arise all the social instincts that produce families1 homes1 laws1 and governments4 ,man1 however1 is twofold in being1 with soul and body in union4 ,soul and body function together and each affects the other4 ,by steadily thinking you are sick1 you can become sick2 by overexerting the body1 the mind can be deranged2 etc4 ,sanctification restores man morally to where he was in ,eden4 ,sanctification cleanses away the nature of sin and leaves all the ,god-given instincts intact4 ,without trying to be technical1 we may set down man's natural instincts and feelings as follows3 ,man's nature as created by ,god had capacity for love1 joy1 sorrow1 justice1 fear4 ,these may be called basic instincts4 ,there are phases of these we may profitably mention and discuss in connection with how or what a sanctified person may feel4 ,a sanctified person may feel3 7#a7 ,the working of the law of self- preservation4 7#b7 ,sorrow at the death of loved ones4 7#c7 ,pleased when receiving words of appreciation4 7#d7 ,rising of righteous indignation at times4 7#e7 ,impatience at the slowness of justice or the wrong actions of others4 7#f7 ,pleasure in social life4 7#g7 ,craving of sex impulses and desires4 7#h7 ,hurt when illy spoken of or to4 7#i7 ,heavy through many temptations4 ,taking these in order1 let us explain them more fully4 ,and we shall give here the results of over twenty years experience in the sanctified life1 and many of these facts have been learned by bitter experience4 #a4 ,self-preservation is a natural law4 ,fear is a part of it4 ,perfect love casts out fear1 the fear that is slavish and results from sin2 but perfect love does not destroy all timidity nor the sense of the need of protecting one's life4 ,a sanctified person has just as good a right to run to a storm-cellar when a cyclone comes as has any one else4 ,one form of fear is timidity4 ,a newly sanctified person may feel somewhat timid in performing some duty4 ,if1 however1 ,god's will calls to duties that mean even death1 the fully consecrated soul goes on4 ,so in such cases the law of self-preservation gives way to the higher law of self-sacrifice for ,christ's sake4 #b4 ,sorrow at the death of loved ones is compatible with sanctification4 ,many other things cause sorrow1 such as disaster1 disease1 and sin1 and these affect the wholly sanctified4 ,the sanctified1 however1 have the ,comforter to help support them and assuage their griefs4 #c4 ,if a sanctified person receives words of appreciation1 he feels pleasure2 not that they exalt him1 but that they create in him a natural joy at being so appreciated4 ,it is said by some that sanctified persons are dead1 and the point is illustrated by saying that pins might be thrust into a dead man and he will not wince4 ,if sanctification destroyed the natural feelings1 it would be a disaster rather than a blessing4 ,it purifies them1 but does not destroy them4 #d4 ,god planted in man the sense of justice4 ,god made man in ,his own image4 ,what we find in ,god1 we find in man4 ,god is just2 so the principle of justice abides in man4 ,sanctification destroys the selfish vindictiveness of anger1 but it does not destroy the sense of justice1 and a sanctified person will feel the rise of a righteous indignation at evil4 ,this is illustrated in ,jesus1 when ,he looked round about on them with anger 7,mark #c3e71 and also when ,he made the whip of cords and drove the robbers out of the temple 7,matthew #ba3ab1 #ac74 ,if the righteous man can not feel indignant at evil1 how can ,god judge the world8 ,justice implies anger at evil4 ,if righteous anger is wrong in man1 it is wrong in ,god4 ,because ,god is ,god does not mean that ,he can do a moral wrong and it be right because ,god did it4 ,his acts must be intrinsically right of themselves4 ,therefore1 on the fact that ,he will judge the world we predicate the righteousness of sanctified indignation4 ,and this is not carnal anger1 which raves and slays and destroys unmercifully and wickedly4 #e4 ,it is rather hard to divide impatience into a just impatience and an unjust impatience4 ,the point may be too fine for definition1 but ,scripture and experience both prove that sanctification does not make one perfectly patient4 ,in fact1 who should judge as to what perfect patience is if it were a possible attainment8 ,sanctification does make us patient4 ,the constant ruffling of soul over untoward events stops4 ,we grow patient4 ,we trust ,god4 ,we wait and hope4 ,but we read that tribulation worketh patience 7,romans #e3c72 so hard experiences make us patient1 that is1 if we bear them4 ,james says1 ,the trying of your faith worketh patience 7,james #a3c74 ,so what tribulations and trials work is not completely done by the ,spirit when we are sanctified4 #f4 ,it used to be said by some that sanctification destroyed social instincts to the point of making social diversions distasteful4 ,it seems very hard to disentangle the true state of holiness from asceticism4 ,once1 holy men were supposed to be dead to social enjoyments--they would not marry1 they would not wear ordinary clothing1 they would not associate on a common plane with their fellows4 ,but ,jesus did not live that way4 ,he made wine for a marriage feast2 ,he ate dinner at a rich ,pharisee's house2 ,he enjoyed being at ,martha's home4 ,john leaned on ,his bosom at the last supper4 ,jesus was no ascetic4 ,sanctification lifts social contact to its highest level4 ,brilliant conversation on a plane of purity is as enjoyable to holy people as to others4 ,figures of speech1 puns1 and riddles may mark the conversation of holy people as well as others4 ,yet their talk does not descend to the vulgar1 frivolous1 giddy1 jay chatter of the wicked4 ,as is said of conversation1 so may be said of parties and picnics1 which are names for outings or gatherings of various kinds at which refreshments may or may not be served4 ,should ,god's children be debarred from these pleasurable associations because the world goes too far in them8 #g4 ,sanctification does not destroy sex impulses1 but it does ennoble them and bring them under control4 ,hence the drawing of natures to each other is common to all1 and courtship and marriage are honorable1 as ,paul said4 #h4 ,since sanctified persons can appropriately feel pleasure at words of appreciation1 so can they feel hurt at slights and impositions heaped on them by others4 ,perhaps the dividing line between what is right and what is wrong in this matter is this3 so long as one feels hurt but does not feel like hurting in return1 he may be safe2 but when one is hurt and then feels the retaliating spirit which boils over in anger1 that one feels the mark of an unsanctified soul4 ,we may be hurt1 but we also commit and trust it to ,god4 #i4 ,joy is not always overflowing in the hearts of the sanctified4 ,heavy trials will produce a heaviness of spirit 7#a ,peter #a3f-i74 ,these trials are profitable1 really indispensable4 ,sanctification restores the soul4 ,it purifies the affections and motives of the life1 it lifts all of life up to a plane of holiness and love1 but it leaves us men and women4 ,do not expect impossibilities of it1 but expect it to cleanse out sin and carnal wicked elements4 ,god's plan for the earth is for salvation to extend to all men until this world shall be ruled by divine principles and love instead of lust and selfishness4 ,give yourself wholly to ,god1 then1 dear soul2 fully yield all up to the divine will and care not how you feel4 ,let ,god care for your feelings as well as for everything else4 ,he will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on ,him4 ,glorious peace1 precious rest1 delightful confidence6 ,a certain woman lived a precarious existence1 but she was so happy in her life with ,jesus that she was the marvel of her town4 ,you have given all to ,god1 let ,him keep all of you and for you4 ,,chapter ,,eleven ,,the ,,routing ,,of ,,giant ,,doubt ,doubts6 doubts6 doubts6 ,just a company of them around me all the time worse than ,job's miserable comforters4 ,what can ,i do with them8 ,i should like to dismiss them1 but it seems ,i can not4 ,they make me much trouble1 but it seems ,i can not get them to leave me4 ,especially are the doubts concerning my entire consecration aggravating1 and those1 too1 concerning my entire cleansing4 ,i fear to come out boldly and declare that ,i believe that ,christ fully saves me now4 ,i believe ,he can and will1 but the words die on my lips when ,i attempt to bring it down to the present moment4 ,yet ,i know these doubts are dishonoring to ,god1 who has made such great and glorious promises4 ,can you give me some instructions on what to do with doubts8 ,how did you overcome yours8 ,please help me1 in ,christ's name4 99 99 99 99 99 ,pilgrim ,sincere lives in what ,i hear is one of the best parts of ,canaan4 ,he had a great encounter with old ,giant ,doubt2 so let us pay him a visit4 ,we have met the old ,giant already1 and we have no hesitation in saying that if there is a worse giant than he in ,canaan1 we are not eager to meet him4 ,pilgrim ,sincere may tell us something about him that it will be of profit to us to know4 ,here6 ,we are at ,sincere's place already4 ,there is no question of his victory over ,giant ,doubt4 ,such a shield of faith as his is ,i never saw before6 ,pilgrim ,sincere1 we have been talking with pilgrims and residents of ,canaan1 and now we have come to see you4 ,will you tell us something that will enable us to gain a freehold in ,canaan8 ,we have met many poor pilgrims who say they have never yet gained a clear title to a home here4 ,they have been driven here and there by this or that old giant4 ,we are eager not to be defeated in this great adventure in ,canaan4 ,if you will give all honor to ,immanuel and none to me1 ,i will relate my experiences--a few at least4 ,there are many giants in ,canaan1 very many of them4 ,there is ,giant ,lust1 who has slain thousands4 ,poor souls6 ,giant ,puff-up1 who causes pilgrims to act as foolish as did the toad that saw an elephant and burst itself trying to be as large2 ,giant ,lethargy1 who operates an opiate factory in a hollow that runs directly down into ,egypt2 ,giant ,covetousness1 who decoys pilgrims to the silver-mine run by ,balaam and ,demas2 ,giant ,pride1 an evil giant who has troubled pilgrims for time out of mind2 ,giant ,liar1 who uses an abundance of camouflage2 and others ,galatians #e3ai-ba4 ,my1 you almost scare us naming them6 ,can it be we must fight all of them8 ,is not this that rest-land6 ,my dear pilgrims1 this is ,beulah-land1 and ,sabbath-land4 ,here is the true rest4 ,but remember1 ,canaan has its giants1 more so than the wilderness2 the true rest is found in overcoming them4 ,do not be frightened4 ,look at the armor with which you are equipped4 ,sincere1 the armor is all right1 but it is ourselves that we are doubtful of4 ,can we use the sword and the shield as they should be used8 ,indeed you can1 pilgrims1 no doubt of it4 ,why1 when ,i got into ,canaan ,i was so weak ,i nearly lost my life fighting4 ,tell us about it4 ,about twenty-five years ago ,i entered ,canaan4 ,it was a great day for me6 ,at last the long journey through the wilderness was over1 the deep1 wide waters of ,jordan passed6 ,canaan was my own6 ,i praised ,immanuel and began to possess the land ,joshua #a3b1 #c4 ,not long after that ,i met a lean1 white-whiskered man named ,legality4 ,he said he was my friend4 ,he looked venerable and sincere1 even if he did appear rather stern and immovable6 ',now friend ,sincere1' he said1 ',i have something here that will help you walk safely and straight1' and with that he slipped a peculiar jacket over my head and buckled it up pretty tight around my waist ,galatians #e3a4 ',there1' he said1 'that jacket just fits you4 ,you are in ,canaan now1 and must walk1 oh1 so straight and carefully6 ,why1 if you make even ever so little a mistake1 you will be punished1 ,i fear1 dreadfully4 ,but that jacket will help you and keep you from doing anything far out of the way4' ,and with that he left me4 ,well1 ,i wanted anything that would help me1 so ,i kept the jacket on4 ,it bothered me considerably4 ,it was made of stiff1 iron stays1 woven in with rough haircloth1 both of which were made1 so ,mr4 ,legality said1 by one ,mr4 ,over-,conscientious ,scruple who lives in the town of ,sensitive4 ,every move ,i made was retarded by that jacket4 ,by and by sore places appeared where the end of the stays engaged my flesh4 ,i met ,mr4 ,legality once and told him how bad the jacket was treating me1 but he said the cure was to buckle it on tighter4 ,oh1 my1 how it did hurt6 ,but he said it would be dangerous to take it off4 ,so ,i continued to suffer4 ,i could not act freely in any matter4 ,just about this time old ,giant ,doubt met me4 ,he carried a book and a big pencil4 ',sit down here while ,i give you an examination2 that is my business1' he said4 ',my lord has commissioned me to do this work4' ,something inside me told me that here was an enemy2 but he spoke with such a show of authority that ,i passively sat down4 ,and he began4 ',how do you feel8' ',i do not feel very good1 just now4' ,i said4 ',i thought so4 ,no doubt there is something wrong with you4 ,have you gained an established home in ,canaan yet8' ',no1 ,i haven't1' ,i replied4 ',well1 you never will2 at least there are serious doubts about it4 ,it is my business to make sure that pilgrims possess the land4 ,did you put up your memorial stone6' ',yes1 ,i carried a stone out of the middle of ,jordan and set it up4 ,i suppose it is there yet4' ',that stone was no good1 a little rough rock it was4 ,why didn't you select a nice large stone such as ,pilgrim ,joyful carried out8' ',i did the best ,i could2 that was the only stone ,i saw in passing through4 ,i noticed it was not like ,pilgrim ,joyful's1 and not like ,pilgrim ,honest's1 either4' ',no good1 no good6 ,too small6 ,i doubt if it is really stone at all4 ,did you leave all the wilderness luggage on yonder side ,jordan8' ',i intended to4 ,i dropped the whole bundle as ,i stepped into the ,jordan4' ',i doubt it4 ,i believe you have considerable wilderness trappings in your possession4 ,more than that1 ,i doubt whether you left all your load when you crossed the ,red ,sea4 ,did you8' ',i thought ,i did1' ,i replied4 ',i doubt it4 ,how do you feel now8' said old ,giant ,doubt4 ',i feel bad1 worse than before the examination began4' ,i replied4 ',i see you do4 ,something is wrong with you4 ,you have passed a poor examination4 ,it is my business to carry you out of ,canaan as unworthy to be in this good land4 ,come on1' and with that he arose and advanced toward me with both hands extended4 ,i trembled violently1 but seemed powerless to resist4 ,he picked me up and started off with me4 ,just then ,i spotted a sturdy post with a sign-board nailed to the top4 ,i eagerly sought to read the legend4 ',beware6' it began4 ',at this place a certain old giant1 named ,doubt1 has a habit of stopping pilgrims and taking them through a pretended examination4 ,he claims to hold a commission from his lord to do this work4 ,his commission is true2 but his lord is ,beelzebub4 ,after the examination1 he usually carries off the pilgrim who allows him to question him4 ,many have fallen to his devices4 ,he is a cruel1 old giant1 and he carries his victims to'--and here ,i could read no more4 ,we soon left the main road and entered a dark valley called ,vale of ,destruction4 ',let me go1' ,i shouted4 ',i will not1 you are not fit to be in ,canaan1' he replied4 ,i struggled and shouted for help with all my might4 ,he held me close1 however1 and the vale grew darker and darker4 ',o ,immanuel1 do send me help6 ,oh1 deliver me from this cruel giant6' ,i cried4 ,just then there appeared ahead a stream of light1 which came in from one side of the valley4 ,when we reached the light1 ,i saw a beautiful mansion built high up on the sides of a valley that broadened out in a beautiful vale named ,hope4 ,some people were singing on the lawn of the mansion4 ,either they caught a glimpse of the old giant carrying me1 or my loud shouts for help reached them4 ,at any rate1 ,i saw two of them start toward us ,galatians #f3b4 ,old ,giant ,doubt attempted to run faster1 as he also caught sight of them2 but a periodic rheumatism attacked him1 and he made little progress4 ,the two pilgrims1 who ,i found were ,valiant and ,faithful1 rushed to my rescue4 ',you wicked old ,giant ,doubt1' they shouted1 'let go of ,pilgrim ,sincere4' ,and they attacked him with their swords4 ',sincere1' they cried1 'take your sword and use it6' ,by this time my arm was free enough to grasp the sword1 and ,i gave the giant a close thrust4 ,at this he dropped me and ran as fast as he could4 ',poor pilgrim1' said ,valiant4 ',how fortunate for you that you shouted6 ,we heard the call4 ,praise and honor to ,immanuel4' ,and ,valiant reverently lifted his hands and eyes heavenward4 ',where did the old1 evil giant overcome you8' asked ,faithful4 ',back at a place where there is a sign warning pilgrims against ,giant ,doubt4 ,but ,i did not see the sign till he started off with me4' ',i wonder if we can not mark that spot more plainly1 so that no pilgrim will ever allow ,giant ,doubt to hold his false examination there8' asked ,valiant4 ',no1' said ,faithful4 ',it has been tried over and over4 ,no sign except the one that is there ever remains even if it is put up4' ',what kind of garment is that you are wearing around your waist8' asked ,faithful4 ',this is a jacket that ,mr4 ,legality gave me to wear4' ,i answered4 ',the crafty villain1' exclaimed ,faithful4 ',put it away from you6' ,but ,i was afraid to do this1 and told them so4 ,they related how that same jacket had caused them much trouble4 ,they further said that no one could unbuckle it but me1 as there was a secret lock on each jacket that no one but the wearer could work4 ,after this ,i got back to the main highway again4 ,but the first thing ,i knew was that old ,giant ,doubt was with me again ,matthew #ad3bh-ca4 ,and he began to talk to me just as if he had never said anything to me before4 ,i wondered what ,i should do if he attempted to carry me away4 ,and then ,i remembered what ,i read on a monument just after crossing the ,jordan3 ',every pilgrim must overcome the giants for himself4' ,but just how to do this ,i did not know4 ,so ,i had another encounter with him4 ',do you still think you are a pilgrim in ,canaan8' he said4 ',more than likely you will never find rest4 ,i doubt it very much4 ,see how bad you feel4 ,and you are always saying or doing something that hurts you4 ,pilgrims should live better than you do4' ,and with that he grabbed me in his big1 burly arms and nearly squeezed the life out of me4 ,i couldn't fight at all4 ,the jacket held me so rigid that ,i could not even use the sword or hold up the shield4 ,in fact1 ,mr4 ,legality told me his straight-jacket was a better protection than any sword or shield2 and ,i had gradually grown into dependency on it4 ,next day ,giant ,doubt assailed me again4 ,this time he unmercifully beat me with his wormwood club4 ,and after cuffing me about until ,i was nearly dead1 he again left me4 ,then he came every day4 ,it is peculiar how long he kept my company4 ,or1 rather1 it is strange how long ,i allowed him to be with me4 ,and every day ,i found myself weaker2 and when the old giant threatened to throw me into the sea of the dead1 ,i had very little resistance in me--just enough to keep him from his purpose4 ,i found that every time ,i used the sword ever so little it scared the old giant2 and when he shot hot darts1 ,i found that the shield would stop them if ,i held it up4 ,but that old jacket was very much in my way4 ,at last ,i said to myself1 ',i believe this jacket is a nuisance4 ,off with it6' and ,i pulled it off and threw it as far as ,i could down into the crevasse of ,worn ,out ,laws ,james #a3be4 ,after this1 ,i met ,giant ,doubt again4 ,but my wounds had become well1 and ,i determined to fight for my life and my liberty4 ,i told the giant that1 ,immanuel helping me1 ,i should not let him travel with me another step of the way4 ',oh1 yes ,i will6' he said4 ',you can not travel without me4 ,i'm your friend4' ',you are no friend1' ,i cried1 'but an enemy4 ,you have made my journey miserable4 ,you have driven away my peace2 you have killed my joy2 you have beaten me1 deceived me1 and threatened me with death1 and have indeed nearly killed me4 ,go6 ,get behind me6 you enemy of my soul' ,matthew #d3a-aa4 ,and at this ,i smote him with the sword of truth4 ,he ran away and got out his arrows to shoot at me as before2 but ,i simply held up the shield1 and not one hurt me ,romans #af3bj4 ,then ,i ran after him with all my might and chased him away--and ,i haven't had a real encounter with him since4 99 99 99 99 99 ,the cure for doubts is faith2 not prayer1 nor fasting1 nor working-- just faith4 ,faith is believing ,god1 believing just what ,god says4 ,god has said many things and made many promises4 ,faith expects ,god to fulfill ,his word4 ,trust is faith holding on and waiting4 ,we are sanctified by faith2 we enter into complete soul-rest by faith4 ,there is no other way4 ,we must come to ,god and simply ask ,him to work ,his complete redemption in our hearts and fill us with the ,spirit4 ,after we give ourselves wholly to ,him1 after we lay all on the altar1 there is nothing more that we can do except trust and obey4 ,it is ,god's part to complete in us the work for salvation2 our business is to trust ,him to do it4 ,we trust carpenters and builders to build our houses1 we trust bankers with our money1 we trust men every day and hour of our lives2 shall we not trust ,god8 ,in all battles with doubt1 go back to basic facts4 ,allow no confusion of mind1 no agitation of spirit2 calm every fear and find out just where and how you are4 ,first1 ask yourself if you are all the ,lord's4 ,do you now lay on ,his altar your all8 ,do you now choose ,his will8 ,do you intend to serve ,him8 ,do you answer1 ,yes8 ,put that down then as a settled fact4 ,never allow yourself to doubt a point that has been settled4 ,let it stay settled4 ,next ask yourself if you believe ,god is true to ,his word1 if you believe ,he will do what ,he promised4 ,if you say1 ,yes1 let that point be settled also4 ,stand by it4 ,if you have met the conditions upon which ,god promised to cleanse and fill you1 you must believe that ,god does these things for you4 ,doubts have a way of coming in early in the morning4 ,they are like bad neighbors1 they come when they are not wanted4 ,doubts may arise because you do not feel as you should like to1 or because you have made mistakes2 or simply because you have been sorely tempted4 ,you must learn that feeling is no true gage of your spiritual experience4 ,an encounter with doubts may be something like this3 ,you awake in the morning and are possessed of a feeling that is utterly non-religious4 ,you do not feel one whit as though you are fully saved and trusting1 but just the opposite4 ,not having learned to pay no attention to this1 but instead to jump up and praise and thank ,god for all ,his goodness1 you begin to question1 ,am ,i really and truly consecrated8 ,where are all my joyful feelings8 ,why do ,i feel this way8 ,surely something is wrong4 ,the longer you think1 the more doubtful you become1 and at last discouragement takes charge of your whole soul4 ,there is no harm1 but good1 in examining ourselves2 it is all right to put hard and searching questions to our hearts as to our standing with ,god4 ,but when doubts lead to such an examination1 the result is usually disastrous4 ,doubting gets to be a bad habit2 one very hard to break4 ,it is a sort of self-depreciating1 self-deprecating1 self-condemning habit4 ,doubting becomes easy and natural after the habit is formed4 ,a chronic state of discouragement follows4 ,you are as miserable as you can be4 ,and yet the idea of abruptly cutting off the whole bad thing fills you with dismay4 ,you are afraid to do it4 ,a sort of up-and-down life seems preferable to a bold1 upstanding victorious life4 ,a sort of weakness or spiritual cowardice follows1 too2 and one habitually doubting prefers to be a pygmy1 a dwarf1 for ,christ1 rather than a real man1 a warrior in ,him4 ,doubt has a dreadful reaction on the soul and mind4 ,its influence is deadening and damning4 ,it shrivels and dries up the joy and spontaneity of service4 ,it makes one feel inferior and weak4 ,instead of causing one to fight1 doubts lead one to give up the fight2 instead of prompting resistance1 doubts make one lie down and get wounded and bruised4 ,doubts make us failures4 ,they blight1 mar1 and drag down4 ,they are the devil's own poison to kill off ,god's people4 ,there is only one thing to do to overcome doubts3 have faith in ,god4 ,kill the doubts1 or they will kill you4 ,this is the victory that overcometh the world1 even our faith 7#a ,john #e3d74 ,,chapter ,,twelve ,,the ,,wine ,,of ,,prayer ,i am troubled with listlessness in prayer4 ,when ,i kneel to pray1 my mind wanders here and there out over the world--to my business1 or probably to some trifling thing that amounts to nothing4 ,i feel chagrined and disappointed4 ,jesus is so loyal to me1 so worthy of praise and prayer1 that to feel thus in prayer is mortifying4 ,i have confessed it1 but have not obtained a satisfactory deliverance1 nor a solution of the matter4 ,can you give me any help8 ,it will be much appreciated if you can teach me how to feel unction in prayer1 and how to pray the fervent prayer of the righteous4 ,oh1 do help me6 ,my heart longs1 yea yearns1 for that nearness to ,god in prayer that will draw out my soul in mighty petitions for others1 especially for the suffering and the lost4 99 99 99 99 99 ,we heard of the fruits of ,canaan long before we arrived4 ,there were grapes of ,eschol1 pomegranates1 milk and honey1 and the old corn and wine of the land4 ,back in the ,wilderness we were told of fruits so wonderful that they made the pilgrims strong and valiant for ,immanuel1 and of course we were eager to pluck them for ourselves4 ,but we found that every one must grow or gather his own fruit1 and also that the finest food is obtained from the most unlikely places1 on hard1 stony soil1 and in rather inaccessible spots4 ,for instance1 the honey4 ,hardly any of this delightful food was obtainable except in the crags of ,hard ,trials ,mountains4 ,and the ,wine of ,prayer was pressed from grapes that grew best in the ,valley of ,sore ,temptation4 ,do you suppose ,caleb could tell us how to obtain these fruits8 ,we are specially interested in the ,wine of ,prayer1 suppose we go and see ,caleb today4 ,he received us so graciously on our former visit1 he probably would be glad to see us again4 ,let us go6 ,yes1 he is at home today4 ,see1 there he is now4 ,oh1 he is on his knees6 ,dear old saint of ,canaan6 ,and what is that he is doing8 ,oh1 see1 he seems to be drawing something from a cask in the shades of his beautiful garden6 ,yes1 indeed1 that must be ,wine of ,prayer he is drawing6 ,what a blessed favor to call upon ,him on such an occasion4 ,he does not see us4 ,let us wait here1 apart from his sanctuary4 ,caleb seems lost in earnest communion with ,immanuel4 ,note the heavenly smile that lights up his weather-beaten old face6 ,he seems animated by the draughts he takes from his wine-cask4 ,when his devotions and communions are over1 we shall greet him4 ,see1 he rises6 ,what a glory emanates from his face6 ,it causes me to feel eager to slake my thirst at the same holy place6 ,my life seems so earthly1 so lacking in heavenliness and saintliness6 ,pilgrim ,caleb1 do tell us what you were drinking and how we may obtain some of the same wine4 ,most gladly4 ,first1 ,i must tell you a secret4 ,the grapes from which the best ,wine of ,prayer is made come from the ,valley of ,sore ,temptation4 ,that is not a pleasant place1 by any means4 ,several bad giants rendezvous there4 ,old ,giants ,lust1 ,pride1 ,persecution1 ,worldliness1 ,covetousness1 and others make it a sort of headquarters4 ,they never bother the grape-vines2 it is only the pilgrims that they annoy4 ,the soil is rocky and hard to subdue and cultivate4 ,i wanted the very best fruits the land had2 so ,i1 too1 was obliged to take a plot of ground in the ,valley of ,sore ,temptation and make a beginning4 ,no sooner had ,i marked off my little plot than the giants haunted me4 ,they buffeted me about rather rudely4 ,old ,giant ,pride tried to make me think ,i was one of the greatest men who ever came into ,canaan4 ,old ,giant ,covetousness told me all about a silver-mine which ,balaam opened and ,demas worked in4 ,i could easily get rich1 he said1 if ,i would abandon the cultivation of grapes and follow him to the mine4 ,he certainly told a plausible story1 and tried hard to influence me to go4 ,giant ,lust pointed out ways and means to capture silly souls1 and tried hard to attract my attention toward a valley that leads down into ,egypt2 ,i had had enough of ,egypt1 and resisted him with all my might4 ,but no matter how hard ,i resisted or rebuked these giants1 they stayed in that valley4 ,no one1 it seems1 can rout them completely from it4 ,their presence there goes with the cultivation of grapes4 ,well1 ,i grew a small crop the first season4 ,then ,i made a wine-press out of pieces of faith1 patience1 and obedience1 and placed a heavy weight on top made of perseverance4 ,i got a little wine1 and1 oh1 it was delicious and refreshing6 ,since then ,i have learned more about raising the fruit and making wine4 ,i can get more wine out of the grapes1 too1 than formerly1 by getting a heavier weight and using larger pieces of material in the press4 ,nothing is so refreshing as the ,wine of ,prayer4 ,the whole soul is caught up1 invigorated1 revitalized1 inspired4 ,it gives mighty strength4 ,giants tremble and quake and run for their lives when they see a pilgrim fresh from his wine-cask move upon them4 ,blessed be ,immanuel6 ,glory1 praise1 and honor1 hallelujah to ,his high name1 forever and ever6 ,oh1 ,he provides such power and unction and sweetness6 ,never rest1 pilgrims1 till you get your vineyard started4 ,and may ,immanuel bless you6 ,thanks to ,caleb for his words6 ,listlessness in prayer is the result of a lack of interest2 no one is listless about things he is vitally interested in4 ,the thing to do is1 not work against listlessness1 for listlessness is only a symptom1 but work up a real interest in the object of prayer4 ,find something to pray for1 and pray for it with all your might4 ,mind-wandering during secret prayer can also be attributed to lack of interest in the right thing4 ,if your mind wanders1 it is no sin1 but a sign that you have nothing very pressing to pray for4 ,if you were wanting something which you needed very much--if you were sorely and severely tempted1 or were sick and suffering1 or if you were persecuted and needed help--you would pray earnestly enough4 ,or1 if you had in mind a friend or relative who was in need of help1 then you could pray earnestly4 ,the cure for listlessness and mind-wandering1 therefore1 is in feeling and knowing the need1 either of ourselves or of others1 for which we engage in prayer4 ,there is too much need for any listlessness in prayer4 ,to be sure1 no one can always feel the same degree of fervor and unction in prayer2 but there may always be enough to make prayer a really refreshing season to the soul4 ,prayer is more than asking2 it is praise1 thanksgiving1 communion4 ,we are exhorted to be careful for nothing2 but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto ,god 7,philippians #d3f74 ,prayer1 then1 is partly thanksgiving4 ,begin with thanksgiving4 ,if the ,lord has done anything for you1 thank ,him for it4 ,count your blessings as you kneel4 ,remember the pit of sin you were taken out of2 consider how often you have been helped and protected4 ,exercising the soul in this way produces the most favorable state of mind for further prayer1 for making requests4 ,give ,god a chance to talk to you while you are in prayer4 ,ask for a conversation4 ,be still and listen for ,god's voice2 expect ,him to speak4 ,in making requests1 be willing for ,god to have ,his way4 ,ask1 and you shall receive2 but not always as soon as you ask4 ,importunity in prayer is needed as well as perseverance and patience4 ,it is a blessed thing1 this life of trust1 the life of prayer4 ,in daily communion with ,christ we may travel life's road and enjoy a fellowship too rich1 too deep1 too holy to describe adequately4 ,enter in and see and taste for yourself4 ,,chapter ,,thirteen ,,pilgrims ,,of ,,the ,,victorious ,,life ,please tell me1 will you1 if a really victorious life is possible to me2 ,i mean a day-by-day1 year-in-and-year-out experience8 ,i have so much of struggle and battle in my life that a life of constant victory seems a vague1 faraway dream4 ,it seems to me that the only ones capable of obtaining and retaining this blissful state are those living very sheltered lives and with few obstacles in their way4 ,these may live victoriously2 but as for me1 with my toils and troubles of various kinds1 how can it be possible8 ,i have met many victorious ,christians4 ,of course ,i do not know how it is with them2 but ,i believe their sweet temper pointed plainly to the fact that their lives had fallen in very pleasant places4 ,can you give me any clue to this matter8 ,if a victorious life is possible for me1 ,i want it4 ,will you help me8 ,thank you6 99 99 99 99 99 ,well1 upon my word6 ,there goes ,pilgrim ,serene1 who lives in ,poverty ,vale1 close by ,caleb's fair ,hebron home6 ,shall we engage her in conversation8 ,they say she is one of the sweetest-tempered pilgrims in ,canaan1 and yet we are told that her home is in one of the poorest spots in the land4 ,and who is that walking by her side6 ,she seems to be very happy4 ,oh1 yes1 that is ,pilgrim ,joyful6 ,and where does she live8 ,they say she lives in ,trouble ,hollow1 close by ,offense ,mountain4 ,my1 those names sound ominous1 don't they6 ,do let us engage them in conversation2 for it seems sweeter faced pilgrims we never have seen4 ,may we walk with you in the way8 ,and may we inquire about your home in ,canaan1 and why it is you seem so happy and calm8 ,we are only a few days over the ,jordan1 and are trying to learn all we can of the land4 ,where did you get those beautiful flowers in your hands8 ,tell us your experiences6 ,please do6 ,you are welcome to our company1 gladly4 ,i am ,pilgrim ,serene2 my companion is ,pilgrim ,joyful4 ,these flowers came from the garden of ,patient ,endurance1 which is situated on ,mount ,calm4 ,the flowers are free to all pilgrims2 but the road to the garden is a very rough road1 and thorn-bushes fringe it for a considerable distance4 ,some pilgrims once organized a band to clear out the thorns2 but the bushes have such a tough bark that no knife was able to cut through them4 ,so they stand there still4 ,another band gathered out all the stones2 but new stones fall from the cliffs above all the time1 and some of the new stones are worse to cut the feet of pilgrims than the old ones were4 ,so it is thought best to let the path alone4 ,just smell how sweet these are6 ,where do you live1 ,pilgrim ,serene8 ,i live in ,poverty ,vale4 ,the floor of the valley is very hard and poor4 ,but ,immanuel walks and talks with me4 ,every day ,he comes and helps me2 every day ,he lifts burdens off my back4 ,showers of blessing fall every day or two4 ,you never have any trouble do you1 ,pilgrim ,serene8 ,i am sure you do not2 for you look so free from care and worry4 ,my dear pilgrim1 ,i have a struggle all the time4 ,i never know what it is to be free from pain or poverty4 ,if it were not for ,honey ,rock1 ,i certainly should have famished long ago4 ,where is ,honey ,rock8 ,oh1 it borders the ,vale1 high up in the mountains4 ,only a faint path leads to it2 for it seems only a few pilgrims know where it is4 ,and besides1 it is the roughest path ,i ever tried to follow4 ,but once one is at the ,rock1 all one has to do to feast on the nectar is to smite the ,rock in the name of ,immanuel1 and forthwith there comes out the most delicious honey in all the world4 ,oh1 we wish to eat of it6 ,but1 there is that rough foot-path4 ,i don't know whether we can walk it or not6 ,have you been to ,honey ,rock too1 ,pilgrim ,joyful8 ,yes1 pilgrims1 ,i have4 ,i was there yesterday4 ,is it that which caused the scratches and blood stains on your feet and hands and which tore your garments8 ,yes1 pilgrims4 ,as to my home1 it is in ,trouble ,hollow4 ,offense ,mountain rises high on two sides of it4 ,not many pilgrims like my home2 but ,immanuel gave it to me1 and any home in ,canaan is preferable to the best spot in the ,wilderness1 better than the grandest mansion in ,egypt4 ,it is true my home is in a dark valley1 and old ,offense ,mountain has continual landslides that ,i have to help clear away2 but1 glory and praises to ,immanuel6 a bare existence in ,canaan surpasses anything ,i ever enjoyed before4 ,hallelujah6 ,angels in bands visit me often4 ,heaven seems in sight6 ,thank you ,serene and ,joyful4 ,we shall be glad to meet you again4 ,these two pilgrims whose lives are spent in ,canaan's most troubled spots have a holy serenity that shames us when we think of how we complain at a few hard things that we have met4 ,thank ,god for such pilgrims6 ,here is a true story4 ,mrs4 ,b---- is a cripple woman who walks with a crutch4 ,years ago she was converted and later was wholly sanctified4 ,her husband was a wicked man who gave her a great deal of trouble and at last died and left her with several children4 ,they were miserably poor4 ,she took her family overland for a hundred miles to another place1 walking and carrying their effects as best they could4 ,she is still poor1 though her children have now become self-supporting4 ,no one could think of anything harder to go through with than this woman had4 ,her physical handicap prevented her doing many things she could otherwise have done1 she was compelled to work at the hardest jobs1 and had to see her children grow up without schooling4 ,all was hard2 just plain1 hard living4 ,if the family had enough to eat1 it was a thing to be thankful for4 ,and yet1 in those years this woman has always been cheerful1 and gives a brilliant testimony to the grace of ,god to keep her sweet and joyful4 ,another case is that of ,brother ,h1 we shall call him4 ,brother ,h was afflicted with tuberculosis4 ,he was called to the ministry1 was a splendid singer1 mightily gifted in prayer1 and was used of ,god in working several remarkable miracles of healing4 ,his family was numerous1 much more so than his afflicted condition made possible for him to support4 ,he lived in a small three-room house1 with eight or nine children and an overburdened wife4 ,he could do no work4 ,his neighbors frowned on him and persecuted him mildly for not working4 ,his home was the very picture of poverty2 nothing could be worse in that line1 scarcely4 ,yet he was a man of the highest ,christian integrity and faith1 and was one of the happiest ,christians one could meet4 ,and his happiness was not that of the careless man1 not the happiness of a callous1 uneducated person2 for he felt keenly the poverty to which he was subjected and was always embarrassed at his state and the condition of his home4 ,he had that fine intuition and grace of a gentleman of the highest order2 and yet he was happy in the ,lord4 ,his happiness was the genuine joy of full salvation in his heart1 born of a faith that believed all things were working together for his good4 ,entire sanctification is not something that takes troubles out of the life1 neither does it change one's outward circumstances2 but it does lift the soul above all earthly troubles and let it soar in ,god's free air of victory4 ,to the fully consecrated soul there are no second causes2 that is1 no one is between him and ,god who can harm him or affect him in any way apart from ,god's will4 ,it may be that others will mistreat us grievously1 and their acts be wrong and utterly opposed to ,god's will2 but those acts have had to pass ,god's will in getting to us4 ,by this they become the will of ,god to us4 ,for instance1 some one may persecute us4 ,the spirit of persecution is wicked and ,god has nothing to do with it2 but before that persecution reaches us it must pass ,god's will2 so the persecution becomes ,god's will to us1 and we bear it for ,his sake4 ,god may put some bad medicine in human bottles and cause us to drink of them for our good4 ,this victorious life is a life on wings4 ,we are to mount up with wings as eagles4 ,the wings are faith and consecration4 ,when troubles come1 we flap our wings and fly over them4 ,since we are ,god's1 it is ,his place to bring us out and help us over1 hence the fully consecrated soul trusts1 and lets ,god work matters out4 ,of course1 this does not mean that we shall not help ourselves4 ,in fact1 little trust can be exercised until we have done all we can do to help ourselves2 but if we can not avail or prevail1 we carry it to the ,lord and leave it with ,him to work out4 ,david speaks of the ,lord's hiding him in ,his secret place1 in ,his pavilion1 under ,his wings4 ,jesus has said that not a hair of our head shall fall without our ,father's notice4 ,peter says we are to cast all our care upon ,god1 for ,god careth for us4 ,and ,paul exhorts us to be careful for nothing1 but with prayer and thanksgiving let our requests be known to ,god4 ,the greatest of all comforts is this1 ,we know that all things work together for good to them that love ,god 7,romans #h3bh74 ,all things means all things4 ,the ,christian who gives up all is certain of ,god's continual care and protection4 ,he can not expect to escape trouble or trial or temptation2 but he is kept in these things4 ,thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on thee4 ,great peace have they which love thy law3 and nothing shall offend them4 ,that is1 nothing shall cause them to fall4 ,they may be hurt1 and be wounded by the inconsiderate or deliberate acts or words of others2 but they will sail on in peace in ,god4 ,the will of ,god surrounds us like a wall1 and nothing can penetrate that wall and touch our consecrated souls unless ,god so wills1 or permits4 ,of all lives1 the victorious life is the richest and best4 ,there is joy in serving1 giving1 sacrificing4 ,if we are persecuted for ,christ's sake1 there is great joy4 ,life's problems are met with faith4 ,a colored woman who had to wash for a living was very happy all the time4 ,rich women would marvel at her peace of mind1 and one time one of them chided her for her optimism1 which to the rich woman seemed based on nothing4 ,why1 suppose you should get sick1 or suppose something should happen1 said her rich friend4 ,oh1 ,i never supposes1 said the poor woman4 ,that is what is the matter with you1 you supposes and supposes and imagines all lands of ill coming on you4 ,the ,lord is my shepherd1 and ,i shall not want4 ,so ,i never supposes1 ,i know everything will come out all right4 ,she just flapped her wings1 so to speak1 and flew over her troubles4 ,the victorious life is free from worry1 fretting1 overanxious solicitude1 burdensome care4 ,it is free from malice1 ill will1 retaliation4 ,it is free from bad temper1 sees the bright side of things1 and wears its clouds inside out4 ,the sanctified life is a life of faith1 and it is a life of obedience4 ,to trust has to it become a habit1 to obey a second nature4 ,the victorious life looks not behind1 but ahead2 it ignores past failures and goes forward in faith4 ,and this victorious life is for all4 ,instead of being for favored folk1 it is for the weak1 the burdened1 the poor1 the sick1 the troubled1 the persecuted4 ,enter in by consecration and faith4 ,yield all just now4 ,lay all on ,god's altar4 ,be ,his alone4 ,then by faith enter into this life which will be yours every day as you live by faith and trust and obey4