Chapter D: S. Warner. J. C. Fisher (3)

=June 1, 1878.= Came home today. Found family well. At the General
Eldership I found that the leaven of full salvation was working.
Had many private talks. Found some in the experience, but rather
mute. Strengthened them. Many spoke of my articles in the Advocate
and said they were seeking light. But the Eldership possesses
little of the power of godliness. The first night it made me mourn
for Jerusalem. Here were assembled the best elements of the whole
church, and yet I could feel no God in her. There was no spirit
of devotion, no communion with God. Pride and nearly every other
manifestation of carnality were manifest. God save the Church.
Thank God for the blessing of home and family. Dear Wife met me at
the train.

=9.= Sabbath [at Findlay]. Awoke before day. Was much pressed in
spirit for Brother Burchard. Arose early and had a gracious season
of prayer. Was led out much for Brother B. At 10:30 A. M. heard him
preach. A dreadful death reigned over the congregation. He spoke
with a good deal of energy, according to his pathetic temperament,
but he surely had not help by the Spirit. But I think he is honest,
and if he had the cloud of prejudice removed from his mind he would
want full salvation and would be useful. Oh, that God would lead
him into the light!

Feeling that he should visit his father, in Williams County, he took train for Bryan, Ohio, on the 10th, arriving there late in the evening. The account of the death of his father and of the events that followed are here given.

=June 11.= Arose early. After devotion and my usual morning bath,
I paid for lodging, went to the baker's and got a loaf of graham
bread, and started on my way. Got to ride about five miles and
footed the rest. Reached Father's about half-past ten. Found him
very weak, and failing. He was overcome by emotion when I came
in. His breathing is difficult. I soon sought a private room and
poured out my heart for his salvation. Brother Joseph is staying
with him all the time. Father can not last long. Oh that God would
be pleased to have mercy upon his poor soul!

=14.= Father still failing.

=15.= Brother Lewis reached here about 5 P. M. Eve, went to the
Cogswell Schoolhouse to hear Bro. Henry Barckley, but he having
gone from home did not appear. I was asked to improve the time.
After prayer I began to look to the Lord for a message, but
nothing came to hand. Soon young Brother Wallace came in. He came
by request to fill the appointment. He had only once before tried
to preach. He was indisposed to go ahead; but I told him that
I thought it was the order of the Lord. He consented. Did well
enough, but needs the special unction of the Holy Ghost. I talked
some.

=16.= Sabbath. L. W. Guiss came at four o'clock this morning.
Father failing very fast this morning. At 10:30 A. M. met a
congregation at the Cogswell Schoolhouse. Heb. 7:25. God blessed
his precious word. Mr. Guiss, my brother-in-law, who has become a
bold infidel, was much affected by God's truth. Some wept for clean
hearts. I asked all who knew they were children of God to hold up
their hands. A good number responded. I then asked all who could
testify to perfect salvation from all sin to hold up their hands,
but there was no response. But when I asked all who wished to be
wholly the Lord's to hold up their hands, a number responded, some
with tears. Time would not permit altar exercise.

Took dinner at Brother Joseph's and came back. Found Father
declining very fast. Poor man, he is near his end, yet unsaved.
O my God, must my poor father go into eternity bearing all the
sins of his past life! Oh the death of an immortal soul! Since
God has converted my soul and called me into the ministry, I
have often seen Father's heart touched by divine truth and the
Holy Spirit. Tears flowed freely, but he would not yield. When I
began to preach, twelve years ago, I spent a summer at home, and
he afterward told Mrs. Rang that my constant praying gave him
much trouble and that he was glad I was gone. I marked the deep
convictions that followed him all that summer and hoped he would
soon be brought to God, but he wore them away. Two years ago this
coming July my beloved mother passed away gloriously saved. She
held his hand and exhorted him until he trembled. Not long after,
I came home and spoke in the Dean Church, when he was greatly
melted down. I gave an invitation to come to God, but again he
refused Christ. Since his last illness, I have daily implored the
mercy of God upon his poor soul. Since I have been with him I have
talked to him about his soul, but do not see that he was awakened
to his condition. I felt that all depended upon the blessed Holy
Ghost to discover to him his sin and awful danger. He asked my
prayers and songs of salvation. He shed tears over the wicked
infidelity of G., my brother-in-law; but when he made any reference
to his hope he based it all upon his principles of honesty and
doing right and that he had favored a good many persons in his
life, etc. He confessed some misgivings of conscience for not
having been confirmed in the Lutheran Church as he had promised his
parents he would when married; but said he, "I always felt some way
that I could not get religion." When conscious of much distress he
would wish he might die. Once he feared that he might have to lie a
long time, and when on a certain occasion his throat seemed to be
closed against food, he said, "I just believe that it is my doom to
lie here and waste away; that there is nothing grown for me to eat
any more." Frequently he expressed a strong desire to get well; but
I never heard him say that if he did he would live a different life.

I went alone into the woods where so often I sought God and his
grace when a young convert. I had a long and precious communion
with God. Returned. Father is very rapidly approaching his end. He
can not live through another night. Once while I was wetting his
lips he looked very pitifully at me and said, "If you could only
give me something that would make me well!"

O my God, how hard it is to close a life that was not given to
thee! But it is appointed unto man once to die, and after this the
judgment. Joseph feels this stroke very much. I thought it best not
to go to the schoolhouse this eve.

9:30 P. M. Father is gone. He passed off with no struggles or
convulsions. His spirit has left the body. Probation is ended,
and a lifeless corpse only remains. I sensibly feel the cords of
love that bind my heart to my last earthly parent, but the gentle
breathings of the Spirit of God seemed so graciously to sustain me
that all was calm within. I felt a perfect loyalty to God and all
his providence that so sweetly over all prevailed and gave me such
perfect peace that I could not even weep. Oh, how tranquilizing to
my soul was the deep assurance that God doeth all things well!

=17.= Brother Joseph is almost down sick with sorrow and loss of
rest. Poor father lies a corpse. Two brothers, L. W. Guiss, and I
wore away the long melancholy day as best we could.

=18.= Last night at twelve o'clock Mr. Double awoke me and said
there were some gentlemen without that had a telegram for me. I
arose and dressed, feeling a very calm peace keeping me. The Holy
Spirit brought these words to me: "He shall not be afraid of evil
tidings." The following was the dispatch: "Come home, your child
is very sick. L. W. Keller." I came in, examined the papers and my
railroad guide. Found that a train left Bryan at 8 A. M. that made
connection at Toledo, bringing me to Upper Sandusky at 1 P. M., but
if I waited for a later train I should not reach home until late
at night. What shall I do? Here lay my father cold in death, to
be buried this A. M., and should I stay or not? I had a season of
communion with the Lord, and the Spirit seemed to say go. I took
my usual morning bath, packed my valise, and started to my brother
Joseph's, bidding adieu to my brother Lewis and my lifeless father,
the latter of course to see no more until the heavens cease to be
and the earth shall flee away before the approach of the great
Judge of the human family.

I was conveyed to Bryan by David Warner, my nephew. Improved the
time in meditation and prayer. I recalled the feeling that had
rested upon me for some days, a deep solicitude for my family. Both
on Sabbath and yesterday I went out into the woods where I used to
seek the Lord when a convert and besought God to preserve my dear
family. I also felt led to ask God to try us in any way he wished
to. I felt the need of some trial of our faith and loyalty to God.

In my deep meditation and fervent prayer to God the time passed
off swiftly with the fast gliding train, and at 1 P. M. we
reached Upper Sandusky. Leaving my valise, I walked out at once
and found the dear child very sick, having first taken down with
a sick stomach and then with the affliction developing in the
brain. The precious creature recognized me and made an effort to
embrace me with her loving little arms. Her sweet little lips
could responsively receive a father's kiss, but they were silent
for want of sufficient strength to articulate, A good number of
kind neighbors were in attendance, and I at once saw what was
threatening the very life of the poor little sufferer. She was
exquisitely fine in the texture of brain and her head measured
nineteen inches in circumference around her forehead, and she
had a very sensitive nervous temperament. Hence it was extremely
important that the most perfect silence should be maintained in her
presence, and with this strong nervous action, with any sickness or
weakness, much talk and noise would necessarily draw the disease to
the brain. I had her removed from the room where the family mostly
stayed and everybody came in, to a more retired room; demanded
silence and forbade more than two at a time to be in the room.
Sarah had seen the necessity of such regulations, but many dear
good old sisters, not knowing their importance, were much inclined
to sit around the lounge and talk, and not being in her own house
she had not been able to enforce them.

=19.= Dear Levilla still low, but I had good hopes of her recovery.
Spent as much time as I could with the Lord. Left all with him.

=20.= Dear child still dangerous, but we trust some better.

=21.= The doctor could see no improvement.

=22.= Wife and I thought Levilla better and still clung to the Lord
for her life if it be his will to restore her; but all others had
given up hope. We thought it impossible that we should do without
the company of this sweet little creature.

=23.= Sabbath. The doctor did not come as usual this morning. I
presume from the report last eve he supposed she was dead; but
all day she seemed better. P. M., sent for doctor. He thought she
had some symptoms for the better, which raised our hopes. Eve, a
number came in and despite our efforts to keep them away they would
crowd around the dear child. She grew worse. She had had very light
spasms all day but they did not seem to hurt her; but now she began
to fail fast. Phlegm began to accumulate in her little throat,
making it difficult to breathe.

=24.= Toward morning the poor little sufferer was compelled to
struggle hard to get her breath, and it became apparent that unless
God miraculously interposed, her suffering must soon end in death.
While we sorrowed for her suffering, we felt a calm and sweet
resignation to the will of God, to whom the dear child belonged.
We could say in truth, "Thy will be done." At five o'clock in the
morning her redeemed spirit was freed from its earthly abode and
taken away to be with Jesus and holy angels.

Now remained only the poor little emaciated body. As we recalled
the large, active, plump, and rosy-cheeked Levilla, we could
scarcely help but exclaim as we looked upon the reduced and
colorless form, "Is this Levilla? Can it be that this is our
child?" Since my return I had anxiously cherished a hope that ere
long I should hear those sweet lips utter words again; but they
are now silent in death, or rather the sweet and dreamless sleep
that shall pass off when the Lord comes to call us forth from our
earthly repose.

=25.= ... Brother Leay conducted services. We looked for the last
time upon our beloved child, whose sweet and innocent little form
was robed in its little white dress and skirts, with a beautiful
little bouquet of flowers protruding from her little hands folded
upon her heart. As my dear wife was deeply afflicted with her
departure, her sweet little face seemed to speak forth from its
little white coffin and say, "Weep not, dear mother, for though
your loss seems to be great, my gain is infinitely greater. I have
gone to the better land, where sickness, sorrow, pain, and death
never, never come."

We laid the dear and only child in the Mission Cemetery at Upper
Sandusky, near the road at the west side, between two evergreens.
There with sad, yet resigned, hearts we left her to sleep beneath
the angels' care until called forth at the last day.

Levilla Modest was born Mar. 18, 1875, near Seward, Nebr. She
passed from suffering to the society of angels June 24, 1878, and
was therefore three years, three months, and six days of age. She
was a child of more than ordinary mental ability. Her organic
quality was the very finest. Her temperaments were sanguine and
mental. Her brain measured nineteen inches. Though of such great
nervous activity, we had by careful diet imparted to her a good,
large physical structure. She measured three feet five inches.
She was very knowing about all kinds of work, and ever eager to
assist. For some months past she would stand upon a chair beside
her mother and wipe knives, forks, spoons, saucers, etc., with the
utmost care and perfection. She would do the most of her dressing
and undressing, and never failed to hang up or put away every
garment and everything she handled. She seemed to have very fine
taste and perfect order. Her causality was wonderfully developed
for a child.... She daily astonished us with questions concerning
everything she saw, and her remarkable ability to anticipate what
next was wanted, and with what eagerness those little feet ran
errands for mother and father, and grandmother and grandfather.
Since eighteen months old she would sing parts of familiar tunes
and hymns. I believe her first was Happy Day. For some time past
she would tread the organ with one foot, place her little fingers
upon the keys, and sing loudly, "Halleluiah, 'tis done," "I am
washed in the blood of the Lamb," etc. She had a remarkable
tendency to imitate all that was pure and religious. She often
had her little prayer-meetings by herself, and would teach older
children to engage with her in her childish prayers and songs.
After attending an ordinance where she paid marked attention to
the saints' washing feet, the next day she called for a washbowl
of water and washed her feet, then took off her mother's shoes
and stockings and washed and wiped her feet and gave her a kiss.
Every evening she kneeled at her mother's knee and said her little
prayer. At the sight of the picture with raised hands she was sure
to say, "Man lift up hands and praise the Lord." In her sickness
she would sometimes sigh out, "O, praise the Lord!"... She excelled
all other peculiarities in the wonderful depth and fervency of her
affections. Her love seemed to possess the purity and strength
of one fully renewed in the image of God and yet the innocence
and simplicity of a child. As she placed those precious little
arms around our necks and gave the warm kiss, we could not help
but feel that this was real and not mere child's play; and those
embraces were free for all who sought them.... This is my birthday;
a sad one: but still in the midst of all the Lord supports me and
comforts. Though we can not understand this bereavement, yet God
knows all about it and will doubtless bring our highest good and
his own glory out of it. The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away.
Blessed is the name of the Lord.

=26, 27.= Spent the time largely in communing with God. Wrote some
letters.

=29.= Wife and I drove to Tiffin. When about one mile from the
city our beast, that we thought very safe and quiet, began to make
efforts to run off. I held her, when she began to kick desperately.
I turned her to the side of the way and got her stopped. Before
this I was out. I told Sarah to get out behind if she could. We had
a top-buggy. The curtain was rolled up, but she could not get out.
The beast was loose from the buggy all but the holdbacks. Sarah
got out and stood a moment, when she found that she was hurt.
Some friends came up just then. I gave the mare to one to hold and
I helped Sarah to the fence, where she sat upon a stone. We found
that she had been hit upon both limbs. On one the mare's hoof (she
had no shoes) cut through linen duster, dress, skirt, and stocking,
and cut a small wound to the bone. She had much pain. Three or
four men kindly tendered all the help they could. They took us in
a one-horse wagon to Tiffin, having fastened our buggy behind, and
one led the mare. We came to Sister Lewis'. A small congregation
gathered and I preached a short discourse, of course on holiness.

=July 2, 1878.= Got a crutch for Sarah. She concluded that she
could go home by railroad. Took her to the train and committed her
to the care of the Lord. I drove the mare and buggy, trusting in
God for his protection from all harm by the way. The Lord preserved
me from harm. Found dear Wife had safely made the trip.

=4.= Spent much of the day picking berries all alone with the Lord.
Meditated upon the goodness of God in continuing our national
blessings.

=6.= Spent the day in prayer, meditation, and reading. Impressed
with the duty of preaching against the enormous sin and galling
yoke of sectarianism.

=7.= Sabbath. God helped me and blessed me in exposing the yokes of
Satan by which God's children are brought under bondage.

On the 12th of July, 1878, Brother Warner, accompanied by his wife, made a second trip to Indiana. He stopped in Goshen with Mr. Guiss, his brother-in-law, on the 18th. As the latter was a bold and reckless infidel, he did not enjoy his visit there. He felt that he was staying where the Savior was excluded and that he could be admitted only apart from him.

He reached Yellow Lake on the 20th, and found that the meetings had been carried on for a few evenings after he left in May. Several had been saved. On the 23rd his wife returned home to Ohio, while he went on to Auburn, to Brother Lowman's, whom he found firmly established in holiness. When he and Brother Lowman began to open their minds to each other he found that both had been impressed with the idea of together printing a holiness and church paper, Brother Warner to edit the former and Brother Lowman the latter department.

After discussing the publishing project with Lowman he returned to Ohio, to Wood County, where he held a number of meetings and assisted in a camp-meeting near Rising Sun, and also attended a United Brethren camp-meeting at Portage. He speaks thus of a manifestation in his meetings at Rising Sun:

=Aug. 22, 1878.= Mr. Gay, a spiritualist, or rather a mesmerist
who possesses a superior mind and is believed to be possessed by
evil spirits, was present. He has attended for some time and has at
different times attempted to mesmerize me while preaching. At a few
of the last meetings his wife has been seeking sanctification, and
he has made some good speeches in favor of the gospel. Today from
the beginning of the meeting he began to maneuver his spiritism.
He made many strange motions; walked the floor once and tried to
dance. It is probable that this was all involuntary on his part.
But we all kept our minds on Jesus and God through the Holy Spirit
to take care of him. He began to show signs of distress, got upon
the floor, wept and cried out. A stronger power than the indwelling
one had taken hold of him. His suffering became more intense. His
wife brought him water and he drank some. She fanned him for a long
time, and he became speechless and seemed nearly suffocated.

In September, Brother Warner attended the Ohio Holiness Camp-meeting held on the fair-ground at Marion. Of his experience there he records the following:

=Sept. 8, 1878.= Sabbath. I began to fast on Friday. Ate but little
yesterday and nothing this forenoon. The Lord came very near to
me. Oh, how he let me down to nothingness! I saw and felt ashamed
of the trouble the Lord has had with me. I sank down into the dust
before him, and instead of wondering why God did not give the
greater measure of power that the Spirit impressed me I should have
I was led to wonder that he had intrusted me as much as he had. Oh,
what shameful weakness and many errors were disclosed by the more
perfect light that God has flashed into my soul! O God, let me be
buried deeper and more perfectly hid away with thee.

=12.= Came home. An incident in this camp-meeting should be
recorded to the glory of God. Brother Rudic took sick not long
after he came here. After lying in camp a few days he was taken to
Brother Kennedy's. Prayers were being offered for him, still he
grew worse. Last Saturday night he sent word to camp that after
meeting a few believers should get together and ask God in faith
for his recovery. They did so, and great power and strong assurance
came upon them. They claimed the answer to their prayer, and some
of the number were able to praise God for the brother's restoration
just as if he had been raised up before their eyes. Sister Lea, who
had taken violently sick that eve, was also taken to the Lord with
much assurance. The next morn both were in camp perfectly healed.
Brother R. suffered so much during the night and was so reduced
that he thought he surely must die, and made some arrangements for
his departure. But early in the morning he began to look to God
once more, when his faith joined that of the party in the camp at
eleven in the night, and he arose, instantly made whole. All glory
to God!

Following the part just quoted there is a gap in his diary until October 2, the entry for which will explain. In this, one observes his humility, his deep self-examination and his desire to exalt God alone.

=Oct. 2, 1878.= Today I resume my pen again, with an earnest
endeavor to record some of the mercies and blessings of God upon
my poor soul. After I returned from camp-meeting, the Lord saw
fit in his tender love to suffer affliction to befall me. Yea, "I
was brought very low, but he helped me." I had bilious remittent
fever and an attack of hemorrhage of the lungs. Friends and even a
physician were much alarmed and felt my work was done. As soon as
taken down, I ordered cards sent to the "little ones" at different
places to pray for me. I put my case in the hands of the Lord and
wished only his will. Dear Wife was kept in great tranquility of
mind through an unwavering faith in God that he would raise me up
again. My rest in God was so deep and perfect that I hardly knew
anything of my physical condition. I thought myself but slightly
ill, when others despaired of my life. For a few days I talked only
in a whisper, and when I began to recover I was astonished to find
myself reduced to a mere frame and unable to stand.

During my afflictions, the Lord not only kept my mind in perfect
peace, but also taught me many precious lessons of my littleness
and his exalted greatness. Oh! let us praise and magnify the name
of the Lord. I saw myself but a speck of dust resting upon an
invisible grain of sand. Oh, how the eye of God scrutinized my past
life and showed me yet more than at the camp-meeting my weakness
and unworthiness! Oh, how vile I had been in the sight of God! How
many times Satan had succeeded in resurrecting some self in me! The
Spirit has plainly shown me that I should never speak of having
prayed for certain persons in connection with their conversion,
etc. Oh! I am so ashamed of my folly and weakness in often relating
such things. I thought I was doing it all to the glory of God,
but now I can see that there was some self in it. O Lord! save
me in the future from such presumption and sin. I thank thee for
this affliction, for I know it is all for the good of my soul.
Thou hast also shown me that I have boasted too much of my health
and ascribed it too generally to my knowledge of and prudence in
observing natural laws. O God forgive me of this offense. I thank
thee that thou hast such a constant supervision over all thy works
that every good must be ascribed to thee and thanks be given to
thee just the same as if no means were used at all to convey them
to us. Blessed God, let me sink down forever out of self. I cried
unto thee and thou hast healed me. Thou hast brought up my soul
from the grave. Thou hast kept me alive that I should not go down
to the pit. Sing unto the Lord, O ye saints of his, and give thanks
at the remembrance of his holiness!

=3.= I have had a desire to attend the Northern Indiana Eldership,
which convenes tomorrow eve. But Wife and friends all intreated
that I should not venture from home in my present weak condition,
so this morning I went to my study to write a letter to that body;
but before doing so I consulted the Lord, when he gave me a strong
baptism of the Spirit to go and a strong assurance that he would
abundantly support me and strengthen me. I said: Lord, I will go in
thy name. I firmly declared my intentions. Wife began to take the
matter to the Lord and soon felt resigned. Oft through the day as I
thought of going the Spirit would come upon me, and I increased in
strength with wonderful rapidity.

On the morning of the 4th he was conveyed to town to take the train. The weather was unfavorable and there was some rain, but he felt he was carrying out the Lord's purpose and the Lord sustained him. From Ada, Ohio, to Fort Wayne, Ind., he had the company of Bros. S. Rice and C. E. Rowley, two prominent holiness evangelists. He reached Silver Lake in the evening and was conveyed to Beaver Dam, the place of the Eldership meeting.

FOOTNOTES:

[7] His profession of holiness soon brought him to conflict with the leaders in the church. Speaking of the period of 1875-80, Dr. Forney says in his History of the Church of God: "During several of these years the Eldership was contending against inroads of heresies advocated by D. S. Warner. It had finally to resort to the old remedy of excision in order to prevent the spread of the disease and restore the body to good health."

[8] This trouble came up at the Eldership meeting the following September. "The Warner case was indirectly revived when the Committee on Resolutions adopted the following: 'That any minister of this body that may presume to preach the dogma of a second work for sanctification shall be deemed unsound in the theology of the Church of God, and should not hold an ecclesiastical relation as a minister in this Eldership.'"--From Dr. Forney's History of the Church of God.

X

NORTHERN INDIANA ELDERSHIP

The pagan system of Freemasonry began to make inroads in the body of Christians known as the Indiana Eldership of the Church of God. A storm of opposition arose from some who were of the more spiritual element of the Church when a number of the members became affiliated with the Masonic Lodge. It appears that the main body of the Eldership did not object to secret societies, and the result of the agitation was that a number of ministers who stood for the opposition and refused to fellowship Freemasons were expelled from the Eldership and were denied a renewal of their licenses. Others left the body of their own accord. In consequence a new Eldership was formed called the Northern Indiana Eldership.

Among those who constituted the original members of the new Eldership were Elders J. Martin, J. S. Shock, C. Clem, E. B. Bell, B. F. Bear, I. W. Lowman, and J. W. Ray. The new body came into possession of most of the church property and the best churches. They appointed a Board of Publication, which took steps to begin publishing a paper devoted to the interests of the cause for which they stood. Accordingly there appeared in January, 1878, the first number of the Herald of Gospel Freedom, a monthly periodical published from Wolcottville, Ind., at fifty cents a year. It stood for the promotion of gospel truth and freedom, opposition to all oathbound secret societies, Freemasonry in particular, and loyalty to God and conformity to his Word. I. W. Lowman was editor.

At the Eldership meeting which convened at Beaver Dam on Oct. 5, 1878, and which was the third annual session, Brother Warner was voted a member. In his diary for October 5 appears this account of the proceedings:

=5.= A good deal of time was given to prayer during the day. Much
unnecessary business usually gone through within the various
Elderships was dispensed with. All went off smoothly and with
love. Not a grating word or discordant note in all that was said
and done. No one was called to order; no one was materially out of
order. The manner in which business was done and the good degree
of devotional spirit with which it was pervaded was a great stride
from the carnal and formal wranglings of Elderships of the present
to the simplicity and spirituality of an apostolic Eldership.
Praise God, he is leading his children out into the glorious
freedom of the gospel.

The most of the time was devoted to the publishing interests. A
very important measure was enacted--that of enlarging the Herald,
issuing it semi-monthly and devoting a part of it to the promotion
of Bible holiness. Praise God for this glorious movement. It is
wonderful how he is controlling things for his glory. Probably
a large majority of the Eldership are not in the experience of
full salvation, and of course some are disbelievers in it, among
whom are some of the preachers. Brother Shock, one of the number,
the present speaker, is probably our most talented man. But all
glory to the name of God, he controlled all these elements so
that Satan could not move one to open his mouth against this work
of God, and this Eldership voted to support holiness as a second
experience. Trusting in God, I can see glorious results from this
project. It is bringing about what the Lord showed me last winter;
that is, a people straight before God in holiness and truth. By
this blessed little organ God is going to bring the true church
foundation and Bible truth into the hands of holiness people, and
holiness doctrine into the hands of Church of God members, which
must result in a divine union of truth and holiness. And this is
just what is wanted to save the world. Holiness, the great lever of
power, has since the Reformation been weakened and encumbered by
party names and creeds and human traditions; whereas the Church of
God, though established upon eternal truth, has nevertheless been
without strength to accomplish her mission for the want of perfect
holiness, the divinely appointed power to bring the world to God.

At this session of the Eldership, as Brother Warner says, special attention was given to the Eldership's paper, the Herald of Gospel Freedom. During its first year it had been a 10 by 15 four-column folio. It was now increased in size to a five-column 13 by 20. It was made a semi-monthly and its subscription price advanced to seventy-five cents. Lowman was reelected editor and publisher and Brother Warner was elected associate editor to conduct a new holiness department. A number of special contributors were chosen. A music department, already established and conducted by Professor J. F. Kinsey, of Cincinnati, was to be continued. The best exchanges were secured, and with this prospect the paper started on its second year, 1879. A portion of the prospectus for that year is here given.

PROSPECTUS OF THE HERALD FOR 1879

This paper was started one year ago as the organ of the Northern
Indiana Eldership of the Church of God, a body of Christian workers
who were raised up through the following circumstances:

Several ministers of the Church of God in Indiana through a
scrupulous regard for truth and righteousness refused to fellowship
men who were yoked together in the dark leagues of secrecy. For
thus reproving the works of darkness their licenses were withheld.
Accordingly through the providence of God and the force of
circumstances they formed themselves together as an independent
body, recognizing God as the founder of his own Church and all true
Christians as her real membership.

The Bible is their only creed, and Christian character their only
test of fellowship.

The labors of this little band have been signally blessed of God,
and their members increased.

The Herald, all things considered, has been a decided success. At
the recent session of the Eldership Eld. I. W. Lowman was reelected
Editor and Elder Warner was elected Associate Editor.

As heretofore, it shall be the aim of the Herald to "contend
earnestly for the faith once delivered to the saints," not a part,
but the whole faith of the gospel, ignoring the traditions of men,
reproving the works of darkness and enforcing all the will of God.

It believes in raising men to the Bible standard of holy living by
leading them into the Bible measure of grace.

It advocates a salvation that lifts men above the regions of mere
duty and places them in such sweet and perfect harmony with God
that they delight to do his will; a salvation that constrains to
every good work by the infinite power of perfect love, and not by
the lash of the law.

Viewed from a human standpoint the Herald may appear to possess
two separate features; namely, that of an organ of the Church of
God and an advocate of holiness. But viewed from a pure Bible
standpoint these distinct features naturally blend into one effort
to restore and propagate the pure religion of the Bible.

Church signifies "called out." The divinely given title, Church of
God, therefore denotes the called out of God or separated unto God.
Holiness means the same thing; that is, to be separated from all
sin and wholly given up to God.

The editors of the Herald firmly believe that apostolic truths and
Bible holiness can not be separated.

The work of holiness has been too long encumbered by human creeds
and disintegrated parties among its friends.

Though holiness as a distinct experience is the most precious and
important truth of the gospel, its wonderful triumphs have been
much limited and rendered comparatively unstable for the want of
being identified with all other Bible truths and divested of human
systems.

Upon the other hand, the Church, ever accepting the only infallible
and divinely authorized standard of discipline and wearing the only
church title that was "given by the mouth of the Lord," is utterly
disqualified to perform her appointed mission in bringing the world
to God unless she be girded with the invincible power of perfect
holiness and the full and distinct baptism of the Holy Ghost.

Truth is mighty; but holiness, being the fulness of God in man, is
almighty. The union of these divine forces, we believe, will make a
complete conquest of this world for God.

To restore the divine plan in the harmonious action and the spread
of these elements of salvation is the primary object of the Herald.

A part of the paper will therefore be devoted especially to that
doctrine and experience of entire sanctification, to be conducted
by the Associate Editor, the Editor-in-Chief being also fully in
line with holiness definitely through the blood.

With an unshaken trust in God, and confiding in the integrity of
our cause and the support of all lovers of truth and Christian
purity, we begin Vol. II of the Herald in the name of the Lord
Jesus.