Chapter D: S. Warner, (1)

Associate Editor.

An entry from the diary, dated October 7, contains an interesting item and will close this chapter.

As I arose this morning and approached the Lord I was led to ask
my heavenly Father for some means, as I was entirely destitute,
having been just able to pay my ticket fare here by the addition
of a postage-stamp which through the kind providence of God I
happened to have and the agent was kind enough to take. I came
down, washed, and took my little morning walk for exercise and
meditation, returned, and as soon as seated Father M. said, "I feel
impressed that I should give this brother some money and I believe
we all ought." He handed me a half dollar and the several brethren
all followed with half dollars and quarters. Glory, honor, thanks,
and praises be unto God our Savior forever and ever! Oh, bless the
Lord, my soul, who supplieth all my needs according to his riches
in glory in Christ Jesus!

XI

EDITOR AND AUTHOR

The difficulties and privations incident to Brother Warner's years of faithfulness in the ministry, his persecutions on account of holiness culminating in his expulsion from the Ohio Eldership, his bereavements of some of his nearest relatives--all were serving to draw him only closer to the Divine and thereby fitting him for greater responsibilities and usefulness. As we become acquainted with his career and the mission to which God had chosen him, we discern the hand of Providence leading him to his appointed field.

On his return to Upper Sandusky from Tiffin on Apr. 9, 1878, he found some urgent calls to go to Indiana, and he said, "I think the Lord is in it; expect to go next week." At this time he became more fully awakened to the importance of abandoning all party names and creeds and returning to the "faith once delivered to the saints" in its entirety. At this time, also, he began to have some conception of the printing-press as an aid in publishing the truth. The manuscript for a tract on the subject of holiness, which he was writing, was growing to the proportions of a book, and he began to pray for means to have it published. He "received gracious answers by the Spirit," as he says, and the following night while he was lying awake in meditation, the Lord opened up to him the new field of publishing holiness by means of the printing-press.

Over the State line, in Wolcottville, Ind., the Lord had prepared the opportunity. The little paper Herald of Gospel Freedom, was in its first year, and its editor, I. W. Lowman, was favorable to holiness and had been impressed that Brother Warner should conduct a holiness department in the paper. The appointment was made at the Eldership meeting, as stated in our previous chapter. As usual when undertaking any responsibility, Brother Warner placed himself in entire dependence upon God. He thus speaks of the project:

Oh, that God may endue us both with grace and wisdom to discharge
this solemn and important calling! O my God, I cry unto thee for
help! I am sure thou hast put me under this solemn and responsible
charge. Now thou must qualify thy poor tool for the work. Be
pleased, O Lord, to touch my heart and all my intellect and
religious powers afresh with the Holy Ghost. Be thou thyself my
qualification. I am so glad thou hast promised to be my wisdom. Oh,
give me also thy mind. Be thou the fountain of all knowledge and
goodness in me. Lord, I accept thee for my ALL.

His holiness articles contributed to the Church Advocate, the regular Church paper, had been effective and had won for him openings and warm hearts in various places. He possessed excellent gifts for writing as well as for speaking. His discourse was entertaining and instructive. He began his editorial duties in much physical weakness, as, it will be remembered, he was just recovering from a severe illness that laid low his naturally weak frame.

=Oct. 16, 1878.= Feeling bad. Much fever. Called upon the Lord.
Fasted most of the day. Applied water frequently to my head and
back of my neck. Was compelled to do some writing in order to be in
time with my continued article. This greatly increased my fever and
pain in the head.

=17.= Gathered some apples for myself. Feeling better. Praise the
Lord!

=18.= At twelve Brother Lowman and I started to Wolcottville.
Undertook to me the enormous task of walking to Waterloo, a
distance of three and one half miles. The roads were muddy. I soon
felt that it was impossible for me to go through on my strength
and began to look to God. I took him for my strength. All glory
to God and the Lamb, when we reached the station I felt stronger
than when we started. Lay over some time in Kendallville. Visited
printing-offices, as we are contemplating the purchase of press and
type to run the Herald.

=19.= The Lord is opening the way for us to buy a whole
printing-office here very cheap. Praise his name!

On the 24th he visited Rome City in view of finding a suitable place to reside. He felt directed to locate here, and wrote his wife to come. On the 26th of November they moved to their new location. He bought the south half of lots 103 and 104 for $213.

The entry for the new year, Jan. 1, 1879, is of interest.

Since the last account my time has been closely devoted to writing
for the Herald and on my little book. This seems to have been
the order of the Lord, and he has most wonderfully blessed me in
the work. The Spirit is continually taking the things of Christ
and showing them to me. Glory to God for the new beauties and
blessed unfoldings of divine truth under the clear light of the
"anointing that abideth and teacheth of all things." The luminous
heavens of revelation seen through the all-searching telescope
of the Holy Ghost raise many texts that were but dim and of
doubtful application to the definite purifying grace, to their
true magnitude of absolute authority; while one beautiful, blazing
constellation of Bible truth after another is brought to view until
the adoring soul sees no end to the divine evidences of the "second
grace" save the end of revelation itself; and even there the Spirit
takes up the eternal theme and writes it all over the soul, on the
tablet of the heart and upon every fiber of our conscious being;
yea, writes it upon the "merchandise" of the saints all over the
entire universe of God's creation, on every surrounding object.
Even "upon the bells of the horses shall there be HOLINESS UNTO THE
LORD."

We can begin to see the effects under God of "praising the beauty
of holiness" in this place in our prayer- and class-meetings. Many
express a hunger for full salvation, and as we frequently present
our dear neighbors to God in prayer, the Spirit seems to indicate
a glorious harvest of souls in this place in the near future. All
glory to God!

And now, my soul, another year of thy earthly career and time to
work has passed away. Thank God, it was the first whole year of
my life that I have dwelt in the Canaan of perfect love and sinless
glory. All its events through God have indeed worked together for
good to my soul.

=11.= Since last writing we have constantly shared the goodness of
God. The time has been closely devoted to writing on my book and
for the Herald. The Holy Spirit has greatly assisted. The weather
has been very cold, as much as twenty-four degrees below zero. The
first week of the new year was observed as a week of prayer. The
weather being severe, but few attended our union prayer-meeting.
Last night in the name of Jesus we began a meeting here in the
Methodist church-house on the line of holiness.

The book he speaks of was the Bible Proofs of the Second Work of Grace. It was printed and bound the next year, 1880, at the E. U. Mennonite publishing house in Goshen. Two thousand copies were printed. It contained 493 pages and was, it would seem, an almost exhaustive treatise on sanctification as a second work of grace as shown by the Scriptures. It was counted an excellent book by the holiness people and leaders, and doubtless accomplished much good. Copies of the book may yet be found in individual libraries. This was the first book of which Brother Warner was the author. He became the author of a number of publications afterward.

=27.= Closed meeting tonight. A few souls have found Christ a
perfect Savior. The leading elements in the M. E. Church did not
come near during the meeting. Some did all they could against it.
The preacher in charge a week ago made a very brave defense of
sin in the flesh, justifying rather than condemning it. Oh, the
shameful clamor for sin! the dead and godless condition of the
Church! Surely her glory has departed. Some who were longing for
full salvation, when they saw the united influence of an apostate
church arrayed against this very fundamental doctrine of their
creed, were scared away from the good purposes of their heart and
away from the meeting. Poor souls! Having lost a good conscience
they can not look me in the face; and vainly they talk of growing
the remaining sin out of the heart. Oh, that God would appoint
salvation for this people!

=Feb. 2, 1879.= Have been very busy writing during the past week.
Brother Lowman moved the press here last Thursday. Praise the Lord!
He showed me by the Spirit that I should locate here, and that the
press would be located in this place, when nothing had been thought
or said about it. Oh, I am so glad the Lord does lead his little
ones! I can do much more for the paper now. Oh, that God would
keep Brother Lowman and me straight on the line of holiness and
continue to make the Herald a =real= herald of gospel freedom! Our
circulation is increasing, thank the Lord!

=10.= It is wonderful how God takes care of his dependent little
ones. When we came here, kind friends bade us farewell with some
sadness, fearing that the holiness evangelistic work would not
support us here, where we had no friends and acquaintances. But
what a lesson our heavenly Father has taught us! He has abundantly
provided for us, even at home. I must record some of his kindness.

Fuel is rather scarce here, wood quite high, and the weather
being quite severe I could not well see from whence we should be
supplied. But as we do not walk by sight I trusted all in the hands
of the Lord. We have a neighbor who is a very wicked man, but no
loving children of God could be more kind and benevolent to us than
the whole family are. They tell us by word and action that we shall
not want for any good thing while they have it. Another very wicked
young man had bought twelve acres of timber about three miles from
town. The best timber and most of the nicest cord-wood timber had
been taken off. My kind neighbor asked him how much he would take
for all that remained, and to his utter astonishment he said, "I
will give it to =you= for five dollars." Neighbor and I had talked
the matter over before and he agreed to take me in partnership if
we could get the wood reasonable. He was true to this agreement,
and we both have wood enough to do us for two or three years.

This is nothing else than the dealing of God. Oh, who would not
trust thee, blessed Father of mercies! Thou art all love and
boundless goodness. But thou art also perfect wisdom, therefore
will we trust thee when thy providence =seems= to be against our
wishes and inimical to our happiness; for we know that such can
only be in appearance, because of our ignorance. Oh, we thank thee
that we can rejoice in all thy righteous will; for as thou art
thyself love, nothing but love can proceed from thee.

=11.= Bro. L. Spencer and Brother Kimmel brought me home, each
bringing me a load of wood from my place of procuring fuel. When
arriving home, I found wife well as usual. Arrived at one o'clock,
and at two I was to preach the funeral of Miss Sigler. Poor girl,
I visited and prayed with her last Saturday before leaving home.
The family are not religious, the father is quite wicked and
intemperate; but Mary gave me satisfactory evidence that God had
forgiven her sins. However, when about to die she was left in great
distress of mind. Brother Newton, residing near by, was sent for;
he prayed for her. She obtained the victory and closed life in
peace.

The temperance meeting that was in progress when I left continued
with success until tonight. Over three hundred signed the pledge,
and a permanent organization was effected.

=23.= Sabbath. A. M., preached in Albion on faith. P. M., led
the holiness meeting and organized a holiness band of sixty-six
members. Praise the Lord, they expect to work for the Master in
spreading holiness.

On the 11th of March he and Elder Lowman drew up articles of agreement by which they were to be joint editors and publishers of the Herald and all other papers, books, etc., issued from their office. Brother Warner was to pay Lowman $250 for a half interest in the paper and office. Both were to bear half the expense of publishing the Herald and any other publications. Both were to share equally in all the income of the office except the job-work, which Lowman was to do with his own press and stock, and receive the proceeds. Brother Warner, however, was to realize fifteen per cent from all the job-work he should procure. All manuscripts written by or donated to either party after the date of their agreement were to be jointly published and owned, and all manuscripts written by or donated to either party before the date of agreement were to yield to the owner ten per cent more than one half the proceeds.

From this time the diary entries are rather scattered, until finally they cease altogether. This is owing to the fact, doubtless, that the events of his life were associated with evangelistic and editorial effort and went largely into the paper as news items.

=May 4, 1879.= Sabbath. Went to hear Brother Allison, United
Brethren minister. He requested me to talk. I did so, with great
liberty and power of the Spirit. Brother A., who had hitherto
been an opposer of distinct holiness, was overwhelmed by the
power of God and truth, and confessed that it was Bible doctrine.
Another man, whose carnality was greatly stirred, turned pale,
grew nervous, and finally interrupted me with questions and
contradictions. Just then God sent an increased volume of sweet
love to my heart. Glory to God! Burning coals were freely heaped
upon his head, and soft words soon turned wrath away, and after
meeting he humbly apologized.

=17.= Brother and Sister Shock brought me to Syracuse. Being late,
Brothers Martin and Bell had left just a few moments before.
Brother and Sister S. began to lament their disappointment. I began
to praise God, for the Spirit seemed to say, "I want thee with me
alone today." I said I expected a glorious time by the way. They
looked astonished that I was so free from complaint and regrets.
They suggested that I should go by the cars. I remarked that the
conductor would probably put me off, as I had no money. I praised
the Lord that he would be my strength to walk. They looked the more
strangely as I started off with praises to the Lord. I hope that
God may convince them of the blessedness of the rest of faith.
Walked about sixteen miles to Warsaw, and God did most wonderfully
bless my soul by the way. Reached Warsaw about 3 P. M., without
fatigue or hunger. Called at Brother Barber's a few moments. Looked
for a team that was going out south, but had to take the train, the
Lord having told Brother Barber to give me fifty cents to pay fare.
Brother Lowman was on the train. After reaching Silver Lake we had
three miles more to walk to Gospel Hill. Praise God, he was my
strength this day, even without food from early morning till late
in the eve.

=18.= Sabbath. Brother Bear and many dear holy ones came from
Yellow Lake and elsewhere. Glorious time in the Lord.

P. M., met at half-past two. I was urged again to lead the meeting.
The Spirit of the Lord was wonderfully upon me; anointed me to
preach the acceptable year of the Lord. Halleluiah! The deep
prejudices began to give way; opposition ceased; God was triumphing.

Eve, Brother Lowman having the sore throat, Brother Martin not
being well, and Brother Bear having left, I was much humbled before
God in talking again to the people. I was brought low in the dust
at the thought of being too prominent among the brethren in thus
leading the meeting so much.

=June 4, 1879.= This is the fifth anniversary of our marriage. Took
early train for home. Found dear Sarah quite ill; may the Lord
bless the precious object of my strongest earthly love.

=July 4, 1879.= Sarah and I got a horse and buggy and went out
three miles and picked a fine lot of raspberries, and thus escaped
the throng and rabble that filled our little picturesque city. Oh,
how much more sweet and comfortable to get away with the Lord alone!

=6.= Sabbath. At home. Unwell. The Lord sent a young man here
today, that I might have something to do for Him. Some weeks ago I
found the poor wayfarer at the lake, fishing. Having learned that
he was a stranger and without money I brought him home for the
night. He seems very teachable. I tried hard to get him to call
upon the Lord and be saved. This is the second time he has been to
see us, not having found us at home the former time. He is a very
intelligent Swede. Has had some practise in type-setting, and has
corresponded some for papers.

=Aug. 6, 1879.= Came to Warsaw camp-meeting. The Lord was at work,
many being saved. About forty tents occupied. Bishops Weaver,
William Taylor and a host of preachers present. Rejoiced to form
the acquaintance of Brothers Lambert, Krupp, and Low, of the New
Mennonite Church. They are gloriously saved and definite for Jesus.
We found a wonderful affinity in our hearts. If the Lord will, I
shall attend their conference. I pray God we may become one fold.

The Lord did not have his way fully in this meeting. Too much
looking to men.

=Sept. 3, 1879.= Took train for Upper Sandusky. Found Wife and
friends and many of the holiness workers already on the camp-ground.

=10.= Meeting closed tonight. A mob of two or three hundred of
the baser sort were let loose by Satan upon us. They threatened
everything to Bro. W. T. Ellis, against whom they were incensed by
what appears to have been imprudent conduct of his own. We finally
succeeded in escorting him through the surging, raging rabble to
our quarters. Some eggs were fired upon us. This Brother E. is
indeed to me a mystery. His conduct is very rough. He is truly a
"new sharp threshing-instrument having teeth." Notwithstanding
he provokes malice from the world and forfeits confidence of
believers, he brings souls to God.

On Tuesday we had a faith meeting. Special faith and gifts of
healing were considered. All who had infirmities which they
believed the Lord desired them to be healed from presented
themselves before the Lord, and several remarkable healings were
performed. Sister Monnett, from Bucyrus, who walked upon crutches,
was made whole, and used them no more. Another sister was healed by
the Great Physician of a spinal affliction which she had had from
her youth. The next day she was surprized to find that even the
deformity had disappeared. Praise God!

=22.= Came home via the Baltimore and Ohio.

=24.= Went out to the Mennonite conference in the Hawpatch, about
nine miles from here.

=26.= Bade these beloved brethren farewell, feeling that our hearts
are wonderfully knit together in love. They appointed a delegate to
our Eldership.

=27.= Met beloved companion this eve at our Eldership at Yellow
Lake Bethel, she having come directly from Ohio.

=29.= Sessions very pleasant, even spiritual. After leaving the
house, very strange feelings came over me. I felt sure that the
powers of darkness were about to make a desperate rally. We stayed
up at Brother Bear's and prayed until one o'clock. I then lay down
and took a short sleep, when the Spirit bade me arise and go out
in the woods. Oh, what wrestling and agony of soul! What burden of
heart and cries unto God for the salvation of his cause in that
lone place from about 4:30 till 6 A. M.! Received some relief and
victory. An evil spirit seemed to be upon the session from the
opening this morning. The foreseen darkness was there. Business
did not pass off so pleasantly. At noon I spent all the time shut
up with God, and received great relief from the mountain that
seemed to crush my heart. This was a new and strange experience to
my soul. Closed business at a late hour at night. The Eldership
purchased the office from Brother Lowman and me.

=Oct. 1, 1879.= Sarah started home this morning. I felt led to go
to see the brethren in the Cook neighborhood and Warsaw concerning
the formation of a State Holiness Alliance.

=14.= Received an urgent call to go to Wakarusa. Was led to go.
Asked God for the means, and in less than one hour a gentleman came
and summoned me to affirm a small matter before the court, which
any of my neighbors could have done as well.

=21.= [At Palestine.] Quite a good turn-out. Two quite zealous
Christians who disbelieved the second work of grace--a father and
son--both spoke. The first believed in sanctification as a gradual
work after pardon and consummated at death. The latter testified
that he received it in conversion. What incongruity in the two, but
harmony in all who have the fulness!

Eve, read prophecies of the present holiness movement. Exhorted
the many holy ones present to fill the Bible description of God's
holy army, moving out in every direction, setting the wilderness
on fire, invading every city, casting down every wall, staying and
burying Gog, beating the mountains fine, and blowing the mass of
chaff from the Lord's threshing-floor (Ezek. 38, 39).

=23.= Came home. Among the mail awaiting me was a card stating
that obligations to the amount of $45 must be paid at once in
Wolcottville. Blessed be the Lord, another letter contained the
precise amount of $45, that had been due me nearly a year from
Nebraska. Glory to God, he supplies all our needs. How perfectly he
meets all our wants!

=Nov. 16, 1879.= Sabbath. A glorious meeting was in progress at
Churubusko. Brother Wood, the leader, had taken sick and the little
ones were praying to the Lord to send some one to proclaim the word
of the Lord. We heard of the meeting and at once were moved to go.
We found the Methodist Episcopal house crowded. A good band of
holiness witnesses and singers all had their eyes on the Lord to
send a man to lead the host. Praise his name, he anointed me for
the work and a glorious meeting ensued. Four or five fully saved.

=17.= This morning we found Brother Wood still quite sick. The
doctor anticipated a severe attack of bilious pneumonia fever. We
anointed him with oil and the Lord heard prayer in his behalf and
raised him up at once.

=18.= Brother Wood quite well and able to work in the meetings.
Held a special faith-meeting today. Prayed for the restoration of
the boy who is perfectly deaf. We were not at all discouraged, but
felt it our duty to continue in prayer from day to day just as we
often have to do with those seeking pardon and purification.

=19.= After our day meeting a brother and sister and I formed one
of the visiting committees. When nearly sundown we found a poor
suffering "woman who was a sinner," and blind for some time, and
afflicted with much pain. We told her that Jesus could wash away
her sins and heal and open her eyes. The Spirit soon brought on
conviction and new-birth labors. She was gloriously converted, and
giving a shout she sat down, and after a few seconds composure
said, "Glory to God, I can see! My eyes are healed!" She then
embraced her child and husband, whom she had not seen for about
two weeks. She had lost all power to move her eyes, and they were
both turned upward in her head. She was very weak, having eaten
but little for days, and she sat with her hands over her eyes to
exclude the light. Now she had the lamp lit and proceeded at once
to get supper. All glory to the Great Physician! Twenty-seven
sanctified souls arose to join into a holiness band. Hallelujah!
God is mustering his host to the battle.

The accounts immediately following, in which he speaks of consolidating the Eldership with the Mennonites, show that he had not as yet gotten away from the idea of an external union in addition to that which the bonds of salvation alone can afford. He had already made a trip to Goshen, and had met Brother Lambert and others of the Mennonite faith.

=Dec. 5, 1879.= Am pushing my book to completion. Today Sarah and
I started for the joint meeting of our Standing Committee and the
Mennonite Quarterly Conference at Hawpatch.

=6.= Drove eight miles this morning to the place of meeting. Was
happy to meet with those beloved brethren once more. Had a joint
convention. The subject of consolidation was warmly advocated from
both sides, while our hearts glowed with the unifying glory of
Jesus Christ. The following preamble and resolutions were adopted:

Whereas, the God of all grace has most emphatically taught us in
his Word that his church is one as the Father and Son are one, and
that a manifestation of this unity is to be the world-saving salt
of the church.

Therefore, we, as the professed sons of God and members of the
United Mennonite Church and the Church of God assembled in the
name of Jesus Christ in a joint meeting, do confess it our duty
to put away from us every accursed thing that might in the least
distract, divide, and alienate us in heart, or cause divergency
in practise; and for the sake of securing an answer to the prayer
of the adorable Savior, we do solemnly agree to abandon anything
not warranted by the Word of God and accept any and everything it
teaches. Therefore--

I. Resolved, That we joyfully consent to the will of our Lord and
Savior Jesus Christ and agree to unite in one body as soon as in
the providence of God the consolidation can be consummated, and

II. Resolved, That we recognize the Word of God as the only true
basis of Christian union. Furthermore,

III. Resolved, That we believe that the truth as it is in Christ
Jesus is within our reach, hence, can be ascertained on all points
of difference, and that we are therefore morally bound to learn and
abide its decision.

=14.= [At home.] Preached at the Wesleyan house at 1 P. M. on faith
in relation to gifts of the Spirit. In the evening at the United
Brethren house on the philosophy of faith.

=16.= Though very stormy, quite a company of dear brethren and
young men turned out to chop and haul me wood. Oh, the goodness of
God!

=Jan. 1, 1880.= Last night after a very successful and powerful
meeting at Chambers' Schoolhouse we came to the watch-meeting at
Albion. The Spirit greatly moved us to come. On reaching the house
I dropped on my knees, when the Spirit gave me a searching message
for the people. We kept up until after twelve. The old year passed
away while we were on our knees in solemn consecration to God.

This is the last quotation which we make from his diary. By the first of the year he was given full charge of the Herald, and any further record of his life-events must be found in the papers which he was editing. Unfortunately, from Jan. 4, 1880, the date of the last entry in his diary, until the issue of the Herald for Nov. 7, 1880, is a gap over which we must bridge with silence, as I have no access to any copy of the Herald for that year other than the one mentioned, nor have I been supplied with information from any other source covering that period. In it is also announced that the following resolution was passed. "Resolved, That we are willing to consolidate the Herald with any other paper that advocates the same gospel principles."

In the number of the Herald referred to is printed the decision of the Board of Publication to make the following announcement: "Edited in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, by D. S. Warner, Rome City, Ind. Dedicated to the God of the Bible and to the service of all saints who desire to love God with a pure heart fervently, and the holy Church he has established over eighteen hundred years ago."

From his book Bible Proofs we have drawn material for our next chapter.

XII

A SPIRITUAL SHAKING

In his book Bible Proofs of the Second Work of Grace, Brother Warner devotes three chapters to the prophetic description of the great work of restoration in the latter times, when, through the preaching of holiness and the upholding of the full Scriptural standard of truth, God should bring his people into unity again. This chapter is intended as an abridgement of the three chapters referred to.

I wish to say by way of introduction that many of the events in the history of ancient Israel are figures of and have their counterpart in things occurring in the Christian dispensation. And many of the utterances of the prophets, associated primarily with the events of those times, have their fulfilment as well in connection with the things foreshadowed. To regard these prophetic writings as referring only and finally to the literal affairs of the people of the Old Testament is to stop far short of their intention and use. The old dispensation was preparatory of the new. It was full of types and figures of things to be realized in the latter. Everything pointed forward in anticipation of the fulness of times when God should establish his new and better covenant with his people. Shall we say then that the prophecies did not share this anticipation; that they had to do only with the literal figures? Nay, it was the spirit of prophesy more than anything else that foretold of the times of the gospel dispensation, not only by direct reference, but also in many of those passages which touched first those immediate affairs in Israel's career and through them those greater things farther on. We note how the New Testament writers picked up the Old Testament prophecies and applied them, with such reference as "that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet," or, "as it is written," etc.

But let us not suppose that the applications of prophecy were to be confined to the days of Christ and the apostles. Many things were said of David and other Old Testament objects that had their extended and more important fulfilment in Christ or in the establishment of the church, but there were other utterances that had their final import in the later affairs of the New Testament kingdom. Those that cluster about the captivity of Israel in Babylon and their reestablishment in their own land and the rebuilding of Jerusalem are especially rich in secondary application to the corresponding crises in the history of the church.

It is thus that many of the prophecies have a two-fold application, not that they mean two different things, but that they apply to both the literal and spiritual phases of the same thing. A sufficient proof of this lies in the fact that in the Revelation, where their spiritual meaning is assumed, we find the same Old Testament figures. There is unity of purpose in God's system of types and figures and in his plan throughout, and hence many of the prophecies that pertained in the first place to events in the history of Israel are used by the Spirit today in connection with the antitypes of those events.

Great epochal events or changes in which God by some particular institution unfolds his plan, or in which there is involved the divine approach to man, whether for approval or for judgment, are attended more or less by violent manifestations in the earth or the elements. Thus on the occasion of the giving of the law at Mount Sinai the mountain shook and smoked and there were thunders and lightnings, and the people trembled. At the crucifixion of Christ, the central event in all history, the sun hid his face and the earth shook, the rocks were rent and graves were opened. The Pentecostal outpouring of the Holy Spirit was with the sound of "a rushing mighty wind." When the apostolic church prayed for the special endowment of divine power, "the place was shaken where they were assembled together, and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost." When the imprisoned Paul and Silas prayed and sang praises to God, the divine response came with a great earthquake which shook the foundations of the prison, opened all doors, and loosed every one's bands. On the day of final judgment the very earth will be moved out of her place and the elements will manifest the awful day of God.

The shaking of things, as accompanying the divine visitation, is also taken in the spiritual, or figurative, phase, and it is this application of the idea of shaking as used in the Scripture that Brother Warner employs in reference to the great spiritual movement of these latter times. As a key to the prophecies on this subject he uses Heb. 12:25-29, which reads as follows:

"See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped
not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we
escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven: whose
voice then shook the earth: but now he hath promised, saying, Yet
once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven. And this
word, Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that
are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which
can not be shaken may remain. Wherefore we receiving a kingdom
which can not be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve
God acceptably with reverence and godly fear: for our God is a
consuming fire."

We have here two distinct shakings. The first one, according to the apostle's words beginning with verse 18, plainly refers to the manifestation at Sinai when the first covenant was given to Israel (Exod. 19). The second shaking attends the voice which in this dispensation speaks from heaven. The former was a literal shaking, while the latter is of course spiritual, and attends the establishment of the new covenant. "See that ye refuse not him that speaketh" is in the present tense to this dispensation and is an injunction for _us_.

Now, the new covenant involves the very highest standard of relation between God and his people, a standard much superior to that of the old Sinaitic covenant. It is distinguished by the laws of God being written in our hearts and comprehends our perfect obedience to them. In this relation we become his people and he our God in the very closest sense (see Heb. 8:10, and 10:16). This relation is none other than entire sanctification, which to attain requires the complete crucifixion of the self-life, the destruction of every idol, and entire abandonment to God. It is a close-girding covenant and admits of no sin either in practise or in the heart. The words "yet once more" refer to the shaking as final and to the standard of truth as being perfect, _ne plus ultra_, and as therefore consisting only of things unshakable.

It is the voice calling to this holiness standard of the new covenant that produces the mighty shaking, causing both earth and heaven to tremble. Whenever this voice is heard, whether in the beginning of Christianity or in a movement that effects the reestablishment of the new covenant in the hearts of God's people today, the shaking occurs. Both sinners and professors are made to tremble at God's mighty truth and he who would obey the divine appeal must suffer the shaking loose and consequent loss of all things contrary to the divine will, however dear they may be in the selfish affections. God has through grace made it possible for one and all to measure to this standard, so that for him who refuses the voice that speaks thus from high heaven there is positively no escape.

Our quotation from Hebrews leads us back to the prophet Haggai, whose words in chapter 2, verse 6, are what the apostle doubtless refers to. This introduces us to that field of prophecies relating to the captivity and the return, so typical of the apostasy and of the final restoration of the true church in these last days. It should not be a thing incredible that the great spiritual events of these epoch-making times should be in accordance with prophetic utterance, nor that the Holy Spirit should lead Brother Warner, as he testifies to having been led, into these things as prophetic truth. Indeed the reader, if he be a seeker after truth, should not be surprized to find the Holy Spirit confirming to his own mind that these things have a prophetic illumination. Brother Warner's reference to these prophecies, and his comments, are here given. Of Heb. 12:25-29 he thus speaks:

On the 30th of August, 1879, the Holy Spirit in a special manner
gave me the foregoing scripture. I had never clearly comprehended
its meaning and I felt impressed that the Lord was about to lead me
into a new vein of truth. I shut myself up with God and the Bible,
when "the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost," took most of the
things that are contained in what follows and showed them to me.
Being fully assured that my mind had been led into the pure light
of truth, we published it from the pulpit, much to the edification
of the holy brethren. We feel confident that the following chain of
Scriptures, correlative with our text, will conduct every meek and
candid reader into the same light it has your humble servant. We
shall find the foregoing words of the inspired apostle a key to the
prophetic description of the great work of holiness....

Let us examine the same declaration elsewhere in the Holy Book.
Haggai 2:5-7: "According to the word that I covenanted with you
when ye came out of Egypt, so my spirit remaineth among you:
fear ye not. For thus saith the Lord of hosts; Yet once, it is a
little while, and I will shake the heavens, and the earth, and
the sea, and the dry land; and I will shake all nations, and the
desire of all nations shall come: and I will fill this house with
glory, saith the Lord of hosts." The rebuilding of the temple is
the subject under consideration. This ancient abode of the great
Shekinah was such a marked figure of the church of God that it is
seldom spoken of by the holy seers but what the spirit of prophecy
flashes forth in interspersed references to the "spiritual house."
Says the prophet, "The glory of this latter house shall be greater
than of the former, saith the Lord of hosts: and in this place will
I give peace, saith the Lord of hosts" (v. 9). Is it not in the
midst of his church where God speaks peace to thousands who seek
his face? Let us also thank God for the gracious intimation that
the glory of the restored, latter-day church shall exceed that
which preceded the dark-age captivity.

It is quite evident that the words in verses 5-7 were in the mind
of the apostle when he wrote the words of our text. And we find
here additional evidence that the "once more shaking" relates to
the triumphs of the gospel, because it is associated with the
coming of Christ, not as Judge, but the "Desire [or Savior] of all
nations."...

God never designed that we should

"Roam through weary years
Of inbred sin and doubts and fears,
A bleak and toilsome wilderness."

If you have not passed through the Jordan, the death-convulsions of
the "old man" of sin, to the Canaan rest, it is because you have
either ignorantly or wilfully "refused him that speaketh," and
"entered not in because of unbelief."...

"I will fill this house with glory." Here is the glory that Christ
gives: "The Spirit of glory and of God," that fills and rests upon
the church when inbred sin and all weights are shaken out. What
is here associated with the "once more" shaking corresponds with
entire sanctification.

The prophet Ezekiel gives us a very interesting chain of concurring
prophesy. Who with his spiritual eyes open can fail to see the
application of the 34th chapter of Ezekiel to the ministry,
in general, of this age? They "eat up the good pasture"--fare
sumptuously on fat salaries. 'Ye tread down the residue of your
pastures' and 'foul the waters with your feet.' They are the real
cause of spiritual famine instead of the means of refreshing the
flock. "Ye eat the fat, and ye clothe you with the wool." Make
a lucrative merchandise of your Christless sermons, instead of
administering the free gospel of salvation. "Ye kill them that are
fed: but ye feed not the flock." When any find their way to the
true Shepherd and receive food, life, and holy fire in their souls,
they annoy the dead and sleeping, who proceed at once to kill them.
This is no idle fancy. It is an undeniable fact that in most of our
present-day churches a real convert can scarcely maintain spiritual
life. The few that are not killed are usually driven or thrown out.
O ye shepherds, a crisis from the Almighty is coming upon you. As
the Lord liveth, the fires from heaven shall sweep away your craft.
"Howl, ye shepherds, and cry; and wallow yourselves in the ashes,
ye principal of the flock: for the days of your slaughter and of
your dispersions are accomplished" (Jer. 25:34). Their time of
feasting upon and dispersing the Lord's flock will come to an end.

"I will deliver my flock from their mouth," and "they shall no more
be a prey" (Ezek. 34:10,22). "I will seek out my sheep, and will
deliver them out of all places [sectarian divisions] where they
have been scattered [into several hundred parties] in the cloudy
and dark day" (v. 12). We talk of the dark age as in the past; but
the seer of God declares that we are yet under its lingering fogs,
and shall be until holy fire from heaven shall sweep away every
partition-wall, human creed, and party name, and purge out that
infamous god, the sectarian spirit; the vile "image of jealousy"
which sits in all the thresholds of Babylon.

"And I will bring them out from the people, and gather them from
the countries, and will bring them to their own land, and feed
them" (v. 13). Yea, "I will feed them in a good pasture, and upon
the high mountains of Israel shall their fold be" (v. 14). "And I
will set up one shepherd over them, and he shall feed them, even my
servant David [Christ--David was already dead four hundred years];
he shall feed them, and shall be their shepherd" (v. 23).

The perfect reign of the Messiah, and his love in the soul, is to
succeed the dark day of party confusion. The two are not compatible
with each other. "And I will make with them a covenant of peace"
(v. 25). Their own land, and this covenant-union with God, is
simply entire sanctification. See Jer. 23....

In Ezekiel 35 we have the judgment of mount Seir. Seir--=rough=,
=shaggy=--we presume is used [in the typical sense] to denote the
Catholic power.

It was inhabited by the Edomites, the descendants of Esau, who
were therefore brothers with Israel, the descendants of Jacob;
but the Edomites had a deep-rooted and perpetual enmity against
Israel, they harassed and distressed them by all possible means,
(See A. Clark.) "Behold, O mount Seir, I am against thee, and I
will stretch out mine hand against thee, and I will make thee most
desolate ... because thou hast had a perpetual hatred, and hast
shed the blood of the children of Israel by the force of the sword
in the time of their calamity, in the time that their iniquity
had an end." (vs. 3-5). Does not this look like the record of the
"beast that sits upon the seven hills"? Martyrdom, it appears, is
confined to such times when God's people have reached an "end of
sin."

As the spirit of prophesy uses mount Seir to represent Catholicism
in chapter 35, and the Caucasian mountains [Gog and Magog, see
Bible dictionary] to represent sectism in chapters 38 and 39, so
in chapter 36:1 the "mountains of Israel" are used to represent
the true conscientious Christians. The Lord says, "Set thy face
against mount Seir," "against Gog," and "prophesy against him;"
but in reference to the mountains of Israel, the order is changed
to "prophesy unto," showing that the former were rejected, but the
latter accepted of the Lord; to these very precious promises are
made. In the latter part of the chapter we have associated together
salvation "from all uncleanness," the gift of the Holy Spirit, and
"bringing into the land," i. e., the land of perfect holiness....

The spirit of prophesy now takes up another figure to set forth the
holiness crisis and the glorious effect in those "that abide the
day" of the Refiner's coming. "Moreover, thou son of man, take thee
one stick, and write upon it, For Judah, and for the children of
Israel, his companions: then take another stick, and write upon it,
For Joseph, the stick of Ephraim, and for all the house of Israel
his companions: and join them one to another into one stick; and
they shall become one in thine hand. And when the children of thy
people shall speak unto thee, saying, Wilt thou not shew us what
thou meanest by these? Say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God;
Behold, I will take the stick of Joseph, which is in the hand of
Ephraim, and the tribes of Israel his fellows, and will put them
with him, even with the stick of Judah, and make them one stick,
and they shall be one in mine hand" (Ezek. 37:16-19).

Who does not know that this never was really fulfilled in the
alienated sects of Jacob's literal seed? While it may apply to the
formation of the church in the beginning of the reign of Christ,
it was specially designed to typify the return of the church
to God and the mount of holy union after the "falling away" or
"cloudy and dark day." The figure does not properly suggest the
formation of a new church state, but the gathering again of a
divided and starved-out church under the pastorate of corrupt and
self-aggrandizing shepherds. "I ... will gather them on every side,
and bring them into their own land ... I will save them out of all
their dwelling-places, wherein they have sinned, and will cleanse
them, so shall they be my people and I will be their God. And David
[Christ, "the root and offspring of David"] my servant shall be
king over them; and they all shall have one shepherd" (vs. 21-24).
Nothing but entire sanctification can unite the saints under the
direct control, and headship of Christ, through the Comforter.

"And they shall dwell in the land that I have given unto Jacob my
servant, wherein your fathers [in the day of the church's purity]
have dwelt; and they shall dwell therein, even they, and their
children, and their children's children forever: and my servant
David shall be their prince [even Christ, for him hath God exalted
to be a Prince and a Savior] forever. Moreover I will make a
covenant of peace with them; ... and the heathen shall know that
I the Lord do sanctify Israel, when my sanctuary shall be in the
midst of them forevermore" (vs. 25-28). Here is the solution of
the whole matter. The reception of the Spirit, uniting into one,
placing in the land, cleansing, and the "covenant of peace" under
the glorious reign of the "Prince of peace," is all summed up
and consummated in the sanctification of the church through the
indwelling of the Holy Trinity.

Instead of exterminating the idols and "Canaanites in the house
of the Lord of hosts," the "shepherds of Israel" have catered to
their unholy lusts. They have so long truckled to the world in
the church, so long fawned and pampered sin under the cloak of
religion, that a terrible conflict ensues whenever it is attacked
by the sword of the Spirit. This crisis is described in the two
following chapters, namely, Ezekiel 38, 39.

"Son of man, set thy face against Gog, the land of Magog, the
chief prince of Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy against him, and
say, Thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I am against thee, O Gog"
(38:2,3). The Bible dictionary applies Gog and Magog to the
Caucasian mountains, a chain that extends from the Black Sea to the
Caspian. The Scythians of those regions were a fierce and warlike
people. For many years they had made their name a terror to the
whole Eastern world. They were finally conquered and driven out, B.
C. 596, a few years before the time of Ezekiel's prophesy. These
events being fresh in the mind of the ancient seer, the prophetic
spirit employs Gog and Magog to represent the acrid and intolerable
spirit of sectarianism and its final overthrow.

Meshech and Tubal, allies of Gog, are noticed in history as "the
remotest and rudest nations of the world." David, it is probable,
spoke prophetically of the same contentious, unsanctified zeal:
"Woe is me, that I sojourn in Meshech.... My soul hath long dwelt
with him that hateth peace. I am for peace, but when I speak, they
are for war" (Psa. 120:5-7).

In applying the army of Gog and Magog to the false, deceived,
and sectarian forces, the enemies of the Lord's true and holy
church, I am clearly sustained in Revelation 20:8-10, where they
are declared to have been deceived by the devil, therefore have a
spurious religion--are professors. "They compass the saints on the
breadth of the earth;" hence are diffused throughout all nations
and everywhere arrayed against the holy; but shall be finally
destroyed by fire from heaven. This vast army Ezekiel represents as
'coming from their place out of the north parts' (38:6,15; 39:2),
indicative of a cold and heartless religion. The attack upon the
"land" by Gog, shall be in the "latter years," "the latter days,"
(38:8,11). This language all through the prophets points to the
last, or present, dispensation.

"In the latter years thou shall come into the land [the sanctified]
that is brought back from the sword [saved from the carnal,
sectarian "strife of tongues"], and is gathered out of many people,
against the mountains of Israel, which have been always waste;" i.
e., more or less destitute of the apostolic faith and power.

God sets the testimony of his anointed against the worldly
churches. Gog in return makes war upon them. But being dead to sin,
and having a resurrected life, they are an invulnerable army. "They
shall dwell safely all of them" (v. 8).