Chapter D: S. Warner. A. L. Byers (2)

In August of this year (1886) was held the first of the annual grove- or camp-meetings in the Beaver Dam vicinity. It was in W. W. Ballenger's grove. For the next five years the annual camp-meeting was held in J. Kuhn's woods; and then, beginning in 1892, it was held for five years in D. Leininger's woods. Beginning with 1897 this meeting has since been held on the beautiful ground overlooking Yellow Lake.

Before attending the Indiana grove-meeting in August, Brother Warner felt impressed that from that meeting he should labor on a line eastward from that place. In conjunction with this came urgent calls from that direction, and brethren even made preparation for his coming before asking him. The first place was Arcola, Ind. We quote from his report in which he speaks of this part of his trip:

On Friday morning, August 13, with our heart melting with pure
parental love for our child, we kissed his innocent cheek and left
him in silent slumber, not daring to wake him lest his little
heart should break with grief at our departure, and our soul also
be filled with sorrow at his pitiful tears. O God, thou knowest
the abundance of thy grace that enables us to tear away from this
affectionate child! The poor boy has recently been sick insomuch
that many of the saints despaired of his life. O Lord, only thou
knowest the great trial of our soul when we felt the awful sickness
of our boy, by the Spirit of God, while we were making up the last
Trumpet at Williamston, and packing the Office, which none of our
company had any experience in! Our presence was much needed, so
that we did not feel permitted to go, though we keenly felt his
sickness and told some of the saints that we felt he was sick.
After suffering those feelings a week, we received a letter stating
that he had been very low but was better. This took a great load
off our heart, and a few days later a second letter stated that
through the laying on of hands in prayer the Lord had gloriously
healed the poor little fellow.

Oh, praise our God for his great mercy toward us, that he has
spared our soul the great sorrow of such a bereavement as would
have been the departure of this last and dear-beloved friend in
the flesh! And yet we know that had the blessed Lord seen fit to
take him, as in all the trials of the past we would have been
"exceeding joyful in all our tribulations." This trial of our
faith was a great blessing to us. It gave us a sure evidence that
notwithstanding our intense love for the child we could leave him
in the hands of God, and feel sweetly resigned to his will who had
worked for us elsewhere. We found the precious boy feeling well,
but still so slim and poor that it touched our heart to look upon
his lean face. The Lord bless Brother Leininger's family, with whom
the child was staying during his sickness, and all the beloved
saints who did all they could for the comfort and help of the dear
boy.

We started at three o'clock in the morning, the Lord having sent a
glorious shower before us to cool the air and put away the dust. As
the day began to break, we were blessed in looking at the sublime
and beautiful clouds which Father piled up in the heavens, of every
shape, tint, and hue. Looking to the north we saw the perfect form
of a great hand pointing to the East, and the Spirit of God filled
our heart as we acknowledged it the hand of our Father, and that we
were going in the direction Father was pointing. We felt something
like Nehemiah must have felt when he said, "The hand of the Lord is
good upon me."

We sang the praises of God much of the way, and the gentle breezes
carried the sweet sound over the surrounding country. Once we
finished a hymn just as we were ascending a hill. At the top of the
hill, to our right, stood a house. The song had sounded on ahead
of us and found an echo in the heart of a blessed old mother in
Israel, who was clapping her hands and shouting the praises of God,
and who waved her hand and nodded her head toward us as we came
opposite the house, as good as to say, "I felt the Spirit of God
in the song and it has set my soul on fire." Oh, how it stirred our
soul, as we saw the joyful demonstrations of the dear old sister!
We reached our destination in good time and had a blessed meeting
that night.

That his frail body should endure the strenuous evangelistic work--the much travel, loss of sleep, and the strain of preaching and laboring for souls--as well as editing and writing for the Trumpet, is in itself a miracle. On more than one occasion, when he was exhausted, he was miraculously strengthened by the power of the Spirit. The following is a portion of his account of the meeting at Antwerp, Ohio, held while on this tour:

Having labored hard all day in the Lord, our body was so worn
that we felt scarcely able to stand on our feet, so closed the
meeting about dark. But finding some unsaved souls had just come
who seemed concerned about salvation, we asked God to touch our
body with renewed strength. Praise God, he did as we asked. We
called the people to order and renewed the battle of the Lord for
the rescue of perishing souls at stake. Praise God, a rich harvest
of souls followed. We labored on until after ten o'clock. Two or
three times we announced the meeting closed, when other souls were
found under conviction and were constrained by the Spirit of God to
yield. About eight were converted and a few sanctified through the
blood. The work was wrought in mighty power. Strong men shouted in
their new-born joys sent down from heaven by the sweet Spirit of
adoption. Oh, what a heavenly sight! Even little boys, who had just
found the Lord, were so powerfully blessed of God that they clapped
their hands and leaped with the glory. In twenty years of labor for
God we never saw anything like it. It verily seemed their little
bodies must burst asunder by the power of the Spirit....

Every meeting is getting richer and more wonderful. O my Lord,
whereunto will this great kingdom yet grow? Truly the saints of the
Most High have taken the kingdom and the dominion and the greatness
of the kingdom under the whole heaven.

Leaving his company at Jerry City, Ohio, he returned to Van Buren County, Mich., long enough to attend the assembly at Geneva Center where saints from over an extensive territory were gathered. He makes the following reference to this meeting:

Tuesday afternoon, the great day of the feast, near the beginning
of the service, we sang, Perishing Souls at Stake, when the Holy
Spirit overwhelmed all our souls with the awful condition of this
dark world and the worth of millions of souls who would receive the
pure gospel and be saved if it were brought to them. Oh, how all
our hearts were melted in sympathy for "perishing souls at stake
today!"

Up to that time we had been looking for one of the dear ministerial
brethren to work with us; but then we said, O Lord, send them
everywhere, and we will trust thee to 'make all grace abound unto
us, so that we always, having all sufficiency in all things, may
abound unto every good work.' Through the Lord Jesus Christ we feel
abundantly able to do as much preaching and laboring with souls as
one man would be supposed to perform, and also one man's work with
the pen....

How beautiful the sight of God's host, all mustered to the battle
by the Lord himself! No jealousy, strife, and selfish manipulation
for the best places and fattest fields. Every soul feels that he
has the very best place while he abides in Christ and Christ abides
in us. Oh, what fools the devil has made of poor blind Babylonians
whose backs are galded by the sect harness and whose hearts are
often crushed beneath the sect machinery! We speak from experience.
For ten years we felt this cold, heartless heel of selfish
oppression. More than once we wet our pillow with the tears that
the accursed Baal-idol pressed from our wounded heart. By the grace
of God we shall "render unto her double," as God hath commanded us.

Instead of wire-pulling and ungodly plotting against one another,
and each one greedily looking for his meat from his quarter, each
worker in the Lord's vineyard is looking to the Lord to guide
his feet in the paths of His own will. And all go out in perfect
freedom whither the Lord will and yet all work in perfect harmony,
under the sweet and heavenly management of the Holy Spirit.

Of his return to Ohio and of an attempt by a mob to capture and mistreat him we have his account in the Trumpet of Nov. 1.

After the assembly of the saints in Michigan, we returned to our
little company of fellow workers in Ohio; found them all together
at dear Brother and Sister Miller's, at Jerry City. Praise God,
it was joyful to our souls to meet all well again. How all hearts
praised God for the tidings of his wonderful works in the assembly!
Of course dear Brother Barney began to bound like a rubber ball,
almost to the ceiling, when he learned of the salvation of his
brother William. Doubtless angels in heaven took a part in the
celebration of God's holy praises....

October 1 we came to Bro. S. Phillips', near Rising Sun. We held
some meetings in a house on his place. We enjoyed preaching the
glorious gospel of Christ to the people that came together there....

October 7, we moved a few miles farther east and one mile north, to
the house of dear Bro. Daniel Roush, where we invited the neighbors
together to hear the word of the Lord. The room soon proved too
small, and the weather being pleasant, we obtained a tent from
Brother Phillips, that covered about 18×20 feet, which we attached
to one end of a large porch; these together made quite a good
meeting-room. The Lord helped us to preach the glorious gospel of
Christ, and we poured out the vials of God's wrath upon every evil
way. The Lord worked, and souls were saved almost every day.

Thursday, October 14, the Lord sent a very strong wind and we had
to take the tent down. That night we held the meeting in the house.
The night being dark and rainy, the congregation was not very
large. While we were preaching the word, suddenly in rushed

A BLACK MOB

About fifteen or more of the baser sort, who were drunk and mad
on the wine of Babylon, with their faces blackened, sprang into
the room and seized upon us and started to take us out. Brethren
quickly saw the situation and were not slow in our help. But the
room being seated with backed seats, and the space between us and
the door being all occupied by the sons of Belial, not many saints
could get near us. The enemies of the Lord all having hold of each
other and the front ones hold on us, we were pretty rapidly drawn
to the door. But a few of the little ones were pulling back with
all their might. Brother Barney and Sister Frankie Miller were in
the hottest of the fight! Mother and Nan could not get to us.

Halleluiah! We praised God every step and felt the perfect peace
of God in our souls. Bro. George Roush had hold on our left arm
and was our principal stay. The black clan, knowing him as a very
strong man, thought to beat him loose from his hold on us; but he
received the blows on his face without slacking his hold. God bless
that brother. The Lord did not suffer him to be hurt to amount to
anything. One of the black clan brought with him a pretty wieldy
little cudgel, which Bro. Jacob Roush grabbed and wrested out of
his hands. And being an officer of the law, of whom the Word of
the Lord says, "He beareth not the sword [or club] in vain," he
began to apply it vigorously on the black heads. Up to this second
the contest stood in breathless uncertainty. We were hauled to the
very threshhold, and all the desperadoes were determined to have
their victim. Once the threshold crossed, we were to be dragged out
into the dark night to suffer all that Satan might dictate in the
hearts of fiendish Catholic sect idolaters and wicked sinners. But
all at once the Spirit said to our soul, "I will not leave thee in
the hands of the wicked." Almost immediately every black hand let
go and fled. Glory be to our God, he always causes us to triumph
through Christ Jesus.

The little ones said it looked as though we should be pulled to
pieces, but, praise God, not a hair of our head was harmed, not a
muscle strained, and not a thread of our clothes torn. Glory to
Jesus for his precious deliverance of us out of the jaws of the
fierce beasts! It was reported that their intention was to strip
us and give us a good lashing with whips and then serve us with
a dessert of rotten eggs. We praised God for their defeat, but
believe we should have praised him and leaped still more with the
glory in our soul had he seen fit to let the wicked accomplish
their end. After the struggle we sang a hymn of praise to God and
resumed our discourse in the Spirit of the Lord.

Before we came to the place, our eyes rested on 1 Thess. 2:1,2,
and as we read, the Spirit gave us the words as descriptive of
what we should meet. Praise God, we were willing to be shamefully
entreated for Christ's sake and were none the less "bold in our God
to speak unto you the gospel of God with much contention," "knowing
that our entrance in unto you was not in vain."

The night before the black mob came we dreamed of fighting
black dogs, which finally fled from before our face. Some were
apprehensive they would repeat the attack, and there were all kinds
of "rumors of wars." Had we not been saved above all fears we
should have escaped out of that place as soon as possible, but we
remained over the following Sabbath.

From Ohio the course of our little company of evangelists turned westward again. While they were holding meeting at Payne, Ohio, Brothers Williams and Yoder, from LaGrange County, Ind., arrived to convey them seventy-two miles back to Brushy Prairie, Ind. On their return they reached a point near Antwerp, Ohio, the first evening. As soon as they came into the neighborhood the news was sounded out, and the house where they were stopping was quickly filled with people who had come to hear the words of eternal life.

When we landed there, we began to think of our bodies, and felt
sorry the word had gone out announcing a meeting. We had been up,
some until twelve, and others until two o'clock, the night before,
and wishing to start by daylight on a fifty-five mile drive the
next day, it seemed that the rest was a matter of necessity. But
as the people came together, our hearts, burdened for lost souls,
soon forgot circumstances, and the meeting continued till eleven
o'clock. All glory to our God, who is 'able to make all grace
abound unto us, so that we always having all sufficiency in all
things may abound unto every good work.'

Meetings were held in LaGrange County, Ind., after which the company were conveyed in a two-days journey by lumber-wagon, to Beaver Dam.[20] While engaged in meetings in this part of the State he was called home to the Office again, to assist with the third edition of the song-book. The Publishing Office by this time had been moved to Grand Junction, Van Buren County, Mich.

Brother Fisher, having gone to the Office, wrote for us to come
also, as we were needed. The interest of the meeting was such that
we thought we should by no means leave. But as we fasted and prayed,
the Spirit of God bade us go immediately, assuring us that he would
put his Spirit on dear Bro. Barney Warren and cause him to preach the
word to the people....

Though the little ones were loath to have us leave so suddenly, the
grace of God enabled all to say, "Amen," and in a few moments we were
on our way to the station, and several hours ride on Father's swift
chariots landed us at the Trumpet Office once more, after an absence
of five months.

Oh, praise God for his glorious blessings upon our soul and body!
Having had no ministerial help, preaching nearly all the time twice
a day, with much altar-work, singing, etc., besides doing one
man's writing keeping the Trumpet filled and attending to a large
correspondence, hymn-writing, etc., it is wonderful, a constant
miracle, how God can do so much through a poor, naturally frail body.
We scarcely get six hours sleep out of twenty-four. Glory to God, we
do love this holy war for our God against the powers of hell and for
the rescue of perishing souls. If the Lord saw fit to keep us working
the whole time day and night, and sustained us, we should say, Amen.

Oh, how glad we were to see the beloved little ones at home once
more! God bless their souls. How grateful we are to God for the
faithful labors of these dear ones. Truly they endure all things for
the elect's sake, that their fingers may send forth the bread of
heaven to the hungry souls. Dear brethren, when you read the Trumpet
so eagerly do not forget to pray for those blessed children who are
so devoted to this great work. We were in hopes that God would give
us the sweet luxury of some nights' rest with the little ones at
home. But lo, here came the dear saints from every direction wishing
Brother Joseph and us to come here and there to preach for them....

When we left our little company we expected to return soon again, but
as the second edition of Songs of Victory is nearly exhausted we have
to remain here to help print the third edition soon.

Praise God, nearly thirty-five hundred books have gone forth singing
the praises of God. May God speed all his flying angels with the
everlasting gospel to this dark and wretched world, so near its awful
doom. Amen.

Brother Warner remained at the Office until early in March, when, by agreement, he met his little company again at Walkerton, Ind., where they had held meetings almost a year before. Frankie Miller refers in her diary to their meeting in Walkerton on the night of their arrival there.

That night we all met at Brother Barden's to worship God. After
the meeting had nicely begun, in walked Brother Warner. Well, it
is needless to say we were all very thankful to see his dear face
again. He said that this was the second time he had been mobbed.
The first time was by the black mob near Rising Sun. Ohio, and the
second time was this time by the White Horse Cavalry.

Sister Miller also relates an instance of healing that occurred before they left Walkerton.

Wednesday morning, the 13th, Brother Wolfenberger came out to
Brother Barden's, where we were, before breakfast. His little boy
five years old was very sick with spinal disease and had high
fever. The doctors held a council over him the day before. We all
went over about nine o'clock. The doctor was there. The little
fellow was crying, and burning up with fever. He had not eaten
anything but a little scraped apple since Saturday. The doctor
tried to open his eyes, and wanted to put a fly blister on his
spine. Brother Warner told the parents that if they wanted to put
the case in God's hands they must drop the doctor and his medicines
and take Christ alone for their physician. They were both willing,
and said they believed God would heal the child. After looking to
God in prayer, Brother Warner anointed the child in the name of
Jesus, and we laid on hands, and God healed the little sufferer.
Oh, praise God for his goodness! The fever was broken, and he sweat
freely and opened his eyes very bright and asked for a cookie.
He ate two cookies and some bologna very greedily, and teased to
be dressed and go to the depot with his papa after his sister's
satchel.

The daughter had been attending school in Auburn, and they
telegraphed for her, thinking the child could not live. Before we
reached the place, the daughter had gone to God in prayer asking
him to pardon her sins and to save her little brother. After the
child was healed, a young woman working in the family, who had
been bitter against the power of God and against us, fell on her
knees and cried to God for mercy, and she received the spirit of
adoption. She was a member of the United Brethren without a spark
of salvation.

We present extracts from Brother Warner's report of this second meeting at Walkerton.

Here we set the battle in array last April in a two weeks
siege. Hell was moved to the bottomless pit. Babylon foamed and
howled, and, like the ancient Pharisees, stirred up the people
to "shamefully entreat us," as they did Paul at Philippi. But,
thank God, in the fires of persecution and storms of opposition
God saved a few souls, and these we find standing fast; and a few
others the Lord has added to his own church, who are praising God
for the great salvation. We soon found that the gospel of Christ
had grown much in the favor of the people. The Lord God of power
had greatly turned the minds and hearts of the people to endorse
and love the truth. Men of principle gave all to understand that
if they attempted to disturb our meetings again as they had before
they must suffer the application of the law. Praise God, the
people heeded the warning, and God also inclined them to give good
attention.

We occupied a very large hall for two weeks and had it well
filled with hearers. Multitudes were under deep conviction, but
were unwilling to pay the price of real salvation. Several,
however, were saved by the power and grace of God, converted and
sanctified, and a few made their escape fully out of Babylon and
were wonderfully blessed of the Lord. Were it not for shoddy
holiness and stagnant pools of sectish religion in the way of God's
salvation, a great harvest of souls could be brought to Jesus. But
the corrupt preachers in this place will have to answer for the
awful influence that is damning multitudes of poor sinners, both
in and out of their sect enclosures. On the last two nights of
our meeting, there was also meeting in the Methodist house in the
town. Some of that sect were greatly convicted to escape out of
her; but we could feel the influence of those meetings as sensibly
as if the Holy Spirit were incarnate and were being literally
crucified in the town, as the Spirit and Word were killed "in the
streets of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and
Egypt" (Rev. 11:8). Oh, how sensibly we felt the "fellowship of
the suffering" of Jesus Christ! While the sweet peace of God flows
a deep, everlasting undercurrent in our souls, we often feel the
slaughter of immortal spirits in the streets of Babylon until our
heart sickens and we long to leave this world and be with Jesus.
But like the apostle, we always conclude that "for us to live is
Christ"; and the rescue of perishing souls from the brink of hell
fires us with a willingness to expose our soul to the hatred and
jeers, violence and murder in hearts that are drunk on the wine of
beast religion. The United Brethren preacher at this place, whom
Satan used with such diligence against the work when we were here
last year, was much tormented by our return. "The wine of the wrath
of her fornication" so foamed in his heart that, we were told by
good authority, he said that he wished we were stripped, tarred and
feathered, and then set on fire, and added that he would like to
touch the match himself. And this wretched priest of Baal professes
sanctification, and frequently leads the Babylon holiness band's
meetings. Today we were told that he regretted much that his words
came to our ears. That is like the thief that repented bitterly,
not of his theft, but that he was caught in the deed.

A sister came in from the country and received full salvation.
There being a union meeting-house in the community, she and others
desired us to come there and preach the gospel. We agreed to do
so on Sabbath evening if the house could be obtained. She thought
there would be no difficulty. But as soon as the matter became
known, a Methodist local preacher of the vicinity began to rage. He
came to Walkerton on Saturday and, "foaming out his shame" before
the people, declared that if we attempted to enter that pulpit he
would "break our head," "break our neck," "kill us," etc.

Bishop Foster speaks of his M. E. sect as follows: "Oh, how
changed! A hireling ministry will be a feeble, a timid, a
truckling, a time-serving ministry, without faith, endurance,
and holy power." Through this corrupt ministry "worldly socials,
festivals, concerts, and such like, have taken the place of the
religious gatherings, revival meetings, class- and prayer-meetings
of the past. Oh, how changed!" Yes, saith the prophet, "How is
the faithful city become an harlot! it was full of judgment;
righteousness lodged in it; but now murderers. Thy silver is become
dross, thy wine mixed with water: thy princes are rebellious, and
companions of thieves: every one loveth gifts, and followeth after
rewards" (Isa. 1:21-23).

Surely we have come to the last days. For, "this know also, that in
the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers
of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers,
disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural
affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce,
despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, highminded,
lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God; having a form of
godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away" (2
Tim. 3:1-5).

Yea, "Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the
habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage
of every unclean and hateful bird."

Oh, the rottenness, fierce hatred, and soul-murdering wickedness of
sect Babylon! If there were only one hundred professors of Christ
in the United States, and they all holy men and women of God,
filled with faith and the Holy Spirit, walking unto all pleasing
before God and exemplifying the pure life of Christ before men,
and this generation had never known any other kind of professors
of Christ, the masses of the people could be rapidly reached by
the gospel of Jesus and saved from sin. But the devil has the
world piled up with corrupt, proud, filthy, sectish religionists,
'professing that they know God; but in works they deny him, being
abominable and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate'
(Tit. 1:16).

And because God has given us an honest heart to confess the sins
of the professed Christendom and show the people that Christ is
not the author of this mass of spiritual whoredom and abominable
wickedness, which has filled hell with lost souls and covered the
earth with blackness and infidelity, the devil howls and rages
in his sectish priests, who are ready to murder us as the Jews
did Christ, Stephen, and thousands of other martyrs who testified
against them and their evil deeds.

As we shall have to meet the people of Walkerton and surroundings
face to face in the day of judgment, God holds us responsible to
tell them that the greatest obstruction to the salvation of souls
is their shoddy, sectish holiness and their abominable, worldly
religion.

Up to the summer of 1887 the evangelistic efforts of Brother Warner and his company were confined to the States of the Middle West. But now came a more extensive tour, that should take them as far West as Denver, Colo. On June 24 they left the Office and after a few meetings in LaGrange and Jay Counties, Ind., departed for the West. They stopped at Gilman and Onarga, Ill., and Hayesville, Iowa. From Keokuk, Iowa, they traveled by steamboat to St. Louis, where the following report was written:

"Oh, praise the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together!"
We have just landed here from the steamboat Sidney, having had a
very delightful trip down the Mississippi from Keokuk. We made the
trip of two hundred miles in twenty hours. The river being very low
at this time, much caution was necessary to avoid running aground.
Doubtless one hundred miles were traveled in passing from one side
of the river to the other to keep the deepest channel.

We were a day and a night at Keokuk, waiting the coming of the
boat. The Gem City was to have reached Keokuk the first day and
then return down the river; but being late she turned around at
Quincy and started back, leaving us to wait until the next day.
Praise God, we confessed his all-wise hand in the matter and
thanked him for the prolonged wait, believing it was all ordered
of him. This morning about daybreak we passed the Gem City, she
having stuck fast in the sand. So the Lord was good to his little
ones and gave us a safe and very joyful voyage. Oh, the goodness
and wisdom of God our heavenly Father for placing the great rivers
and lakes in the earth as a beautiful means of travel! It is so
much more pleasant than by railroad. Though the speed is not more
than half so great, we can very pleasantly improve the time reading
and writing. However, this trip was so wonderfully enjoyed by us
that we could do no more than feast upon the beauties of nature
and praise the Lord. The river abounds in beautiful green islands,
and all her verdant banks are delightful. Just below the mouth of
the Illinois river, for a few miles, the hand of God has skilfully
carved out of the high rocky shore very beautiful scallops and
great piers and towers, and even some appearances of partly ruined
mansions and rustic stone buildings.

* * * * *

No one else on board the vessel seemed to be delighted with these
vast and beautiful works as were our company, because unacquainted
with our dear Father, whose hand of love has formed them all. Oh,
how blessed the pure in heart who see God all along the voyage of
life! What a vastly different aspect everything wears when looked
at in the light of God! Oh, how poor and meager the pleasures of
the children of this world! How utterly tasteless and empty their
thoughts and conversation! No place on earth serves better to call
out the glories of a life hid with Christ in God in its striking
contrast with the dark minds and almost senseless twaddle of the
aliens than the deck of a steamboat. Even the more elevated seldom
have a worthy thought on immortal mind; while every object our eyes
lighted upon in the passing panorama of nature inspired our souls
with joyful acknowledgments of God, and moved our hearts and lips
to praise his name. Oh, what a rapturous and heavenly kingdom we
live in, all flashing with glory and yet hidden from the blinded
sinners! Having lost our lives for Christ's sake we are raised to
the heavenly joys of the life of God in us, a life of bliss, that
already transcends the sinner's loftiest ideal of heaven itself.
Oh, the beauties of holiness! "Out of Zion the perfection of
beauty, God hath shined." Never in all past experience has our
heart flowed out more in gratitude to God for the inexpressible
bliss of a pure conscience, a pure heart through the blood of
Christ, an innocent life through grace divine, a conversation in
heaven flowing from a good treasure in the heart, and, above all, a
soul illuminated and inspired to see and enjoy God in every bright
sunbeam that gleams on earth and sparkles in the silvery stream and
every object upon the footstool of God.

God is love; the angels know
That Father dearly loves us so.
But, oh, the ransomed feel within
The burning love we try to sing!

This evening we start for St. James, Mo., the Lord willing, where
we expect to meet once more our dear Bro. J. Cole, and many others
dear to our hearts by the fellowship of the Spirit whose faces
we have never seen. And best of all, we are expecting a glorious
harvest of souls turned to righteousness by the mighty power and
love of God.

The next report was written from St. James, Crawford County, one hundred miles west of St. Louis. Bro. B. E. Warren says that after buying their tickets for St. James they had but seven cents left, and that after arriving at the latter place Brother Warner went to the post-office and received a letter containing five dollars from S. L. Speck, who felt led of the Lord to send that amount. Brother Warner's account of their reception in St. James, as follows, is interesting:

The night following our last report, which was from St. Louis, Mo.,
we landed at St. James, at 12:30 A. M. The Lord directed us to a
friendly inn, where we rested until the morning. As we sat at the
breakfast-table our grateful hearts flowed out in our sweet little
table thanksgiving song. The Lord wonderfully blessed that sweet
offering of praise. It rang out and greeted the ears of all in
hearing as the music of heaven. After meal, requests soon came in
for songs. The Holy Spirit gloriously inspired our voices to sing
his praises. Many people soon collected in front of the room and
some came in. After a few hymns, we had family worship. We invited
all that would come to come in and bow with us in prayer. Some
did so. The Lord blessed our souls. Soon Bro. J. H. Morrison came
into town, and seeing the throng in front of the hotel he asked
the cause, and was told that "your people have come to town." He
came into the waiting-room and introduced himself, and the Spirit
of God gave us a joyful meeting. Sinners looked on with wonder and
amazement, and were led to say, "These are truly the real children
of God, and this is the right way," according to the words of our
Savior, "By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if
ye have love one for another." Many seemed quite serious. Had we
tried to respond to the requests of the people we should have kept
singing all day without cessation.

The people desired Brother Morrison to keep us right there and have
a meeting that night in town, saying they would see that all our
expenses there should be paid. The landlady and family were also
very anxious we should stay, and treated us with much kindness. The
Lord reward them. The Methodist preacher also came to see what this
Pentecost fire was that had come to town. When asked if we could
have their meeting-house that night he replied that he was going
to "begin a protracted meeting tonight." Suddenly the preacher
concluded a protracted meeting was needed in his charge. Whoever
heard of a Methodist minister commencing a protracted meeting in
the month of July in the latitude of central Missouri, especially
since that sect has gone spiritually to the frigid zone where, as
their oldest living bishop says, "spirituality is frozen to death"?
Quite a capacious hall was procured and well filled, and we enjoyed
preaching the precious gospel to the people. About all received the
word. The M. E. meeting consisted of three or four women, and was
not further protracted.

The day of our arrival here came also dear Bro. C. C. Knight,
from Fulton, Ill., with tent and equipment to accompany us on our
Western campaign. He is full of faith and the Holy Ghost and is a
good help in the work.

The next day we moved out to the camp-ground, which is about ten
miles from St. James and near the Merrimac River. Here we met our
dearly beloved Brother Cole, who spent a year with us in Michigan
a few years ago; also his sister Mary, a chosen and anointed
instrument of God to preach and testify the gospel of the grace of
God.

At this camp-meeting the little company were to encounter a new problem. As soon as they arrived at the place of meeting they were accorded a strange reception. Those who were supposed to be saints at that place came to meet them, some dancing on one leg, some rolling their eyes in their head, others gibbering in tongues, or jerking, or falling stiff, etc. At first they did not know what to make of the strange performance. At this place also was another attempt by a mob to capture Brother Warner. His report continues:

We met also a much larger host of saints than we had expected to
find in this country. Praise God for this! But oh, how soon we saw
and felt that Satan, the deceiver, had passed a dreadful network
of deception over them, or nearly all of them! Unseemly and even
hideous operations and contortions were carried on and called the
manifestations of the Spirit and power of God. We began at once to
rebuke it in the name of the Lord Jesus. God gloriously blessed
our souls in preaching his word and assured us that he had much
people there who were honest and sincere at heart and who would
be delivered by the presentation of his word. The supposed gift
of tongues was alarmingly increasing. Indian war-dances, etc.,
had turned the church of God into something quite different, a
disgusting maze of confusion. We were helped of God in teaching
them "how they ought to behave themselves in the house of God,
which is the church of the living God."

A terrible nervous jerking had seized upon many in the meetings,
which in some cases resembled much St. Vitus' dance. We speak of
these things in order to give the saints of God everywhere the
benefit of what these precious souls have learned in the dear
school of experience. We had never seen such manifestation except
in persons possessed with devils, and yet the Spirit of God showed
us these were not so possessed, but were, for the most part, still
owned of the Lord. We read 1 Cor. 12, 13, 14, and showed the
beautiful harmony of the church under the control of the Spirit of
God; that 'love does not behave itself unseemly'; that the gift of
tongues was not of general usefulness, and was a sign to the Jews,
not generally edifying to the church; that other gifts should be
sought in preference, and unless he or some one else interpret, the
person having the gift should keep silent or speak to himself;
that 'five words with the understanding is better than ten thousand
in an unknown tongue'; that spasmodic jerking is not mentioned in
the Bible as a manifestation of God's Spirit, but is ascribed to a
malignant spirit.

We renounced that working as of the devil. It seems that one
brother who had been powerfully charged by the Holy Spirit had
become puffed up, which gave place to this satanic working. Then
Satan made it the standard of being filled with the Spirit and
power of God; therefore many earnestly prayed for it. They forgot
that the Holy Spirit makes intercession for us only according to
the will of God, and whatsoever one prays for outside the will of
God must be suggested by some other spirit. And as God has not
promised to answer such a prayer, the devil steps in and answers
it. And now, since delivered, the dear saints see and confess that
the incoming of this power dimmed their faith, joy, and peace.
It was nothing less than Satan touching and playing upon their
nerves and upon their imaginations. Their motives having been good,
namely, to seek the real power of God, their consciences were not
defiled--at least, with most of them. But some were much blinded
and puffed up of the devil. Satan had free access to their minds
under the cloak of the Spirit of God. Those who were not affected
by the foolish jerking of the devil were judged by the devil and
made to believe they did not have the Spirit of God because they
did not jerk. Thus all were under depression and more or less
bewildered. Oh, how our souls were saddened at the sight! O dear
saints of God everywhere, do not ascribe to the Spirit of God
ludicrous and unbecoming conduct, such as chattering like a coon or
barking like a dog, and all hideous looks!

Well, praise God, the word of God was received. Some at first
resented, but God soon convicted them and they became teachable.
Nearly all the foolish stuff was rid out of the camp after one
discourse explaining and renouncing it. Intelligent sinners
respected the truth of God that exposed the devil's counterfeit,
and some who loved the true church wept for joy to see the
abomination put away. From that time God led one after another to
confess that spiritual joy and true faith began to depart out of
their hearts from the time of receiving the jerks. Many came bowing
at the altar, and the glorious work of cleansing went forward.

The truth of God was published against all the works of the devil
by the power of the Holy Spirit. Some sect preachers, filled with
the beast spirit and the very devil himself, were very much enraged
against the word of the Lord, which had laid open the rottenness
of their hearts. Hence they spewed out their shame and foamed
exceedingly. On Tuesday night, after meeting, we all lay down to
rest, being wearied with the arduous labors of the day. A masked
mob aroused us from our much-needed sleep and ordered all to pack
up and leave the grounds in half an hour. They were armed with
staves and rocks. Well, the saints arose and packed up, praising
God for peace and comfort in their souls, not fearing the poor set
of sinners who knew not that they were persecuting the Savior. They
made diligent inquiry for us all about the camp. We were doubtless
the special victim marked by their rankling hatred; but the Lord
delivered us out of their hands. Oh, praise the Lord with me and
let us exalt his name together!

The next morning early some saints drove back to the ground to get
some things that had been left, and there came the preachers who
had been howling with torment and sorrow because of the sword of
the Lord, and even gnawing their tongues for pain, and who were
generally believed to have been in the clan the night before, and
one of them even recognized. They asked with much affected surprize
what had happened, and began to declare and even to swear in the
presence of God that they knew nothing of the movement and were
not in it, though one of them confessed he was glad of it. This
they did without having been accused. One brother said, "A guilty
conscience needs no accuser; you plead guilty before accused."...

Well, praise God, the next morning, after a few hours' sleep, we
were called up to join some little ones in asking God to heal a
child that was suffering with the croup. The good Lord instantly
did the work. Others followed, some for healing, others for
complete deliverance from every taint of the devil. God himself
gathered the saints at that place, and the day was devoted to
salvation work. Probably twenty-five or thirty souls were delivered
from all the works of the devil and filled with the Spirit of God.
Oh, what a mighty change has taken place here! Instead of gloomy
and hideous looks, now shines the glory and beauties of holiness,
upon the joyful faces of the redeemed, and clear, ringing shouts of
praises are pleasing to God.

No meeting was announced for the next day, but the Lord gathered
quite a number together again, and salvation work was resumed.
On both days God so filled and possessed the meetings that there
was not time for the slightest allusion to the mob workers of the
devil. A stranger might have sat in the meeting the whole day
and not received the faintest information of what had happened
two nights ago. Praise God, these two days after driven out of
camp were the most glorious and fruitful of all that we spent in
these wild thickets. In spite of all that poor, pitiable ruffians
could do, hissed on by wicked Babylonians, we are filled with joy
unspeakable and full of glory.

We are now holding meetings a few days in the village of St. James.
A large hall is crowded with attentive hearers, and the truth is
mightily prevailing. Let all the saints of God pray for us. We will
continue to preach the whole truth and rebuke the works of the
devil, even if this tour should end in heaven. Halleluiah!

Of these strange manifestations Bro. T. E. Ellis, who was one of those living in the vicinity and affected by the peculiar power that possessed the saints there, says:

We were under an influence similar to what the modern tongues
people are under. We had different manifestations. Some would jerk
spasmodically, some would fall and become stiff, some would dance,
some would seem to have a kind of trance and a vision. Healing was
claimed and the work seemed to be done. We had what we called the
"unknown tongue" and an interpreter. A few talked similarly to the
way modern tongues people talk nowadays.

From St. James the company continued their tour to Carthage, in the southwestern part of the State. They also held meetings at a number of different points in southern Kansas and in southeastern Nebraska, The first paragraph of his report from Chanute, Kans., was written while he was sick. We quote the first two paragraphs:

It seems as distance stretches out between us and the dear loved
ones with whom we have so often and joyfully worshiped God, that
the love of God in our hearts is drawing us nearer together. I
have never before felt the blessed, pure love of God burning so
intensely in my heart for the dear household of God as lately. I
can scarcely write to the beloved saints without tears dimming my
eyes. O dearly beloved, we can feel your daily fervent prayers in
our behalf, and all our company desire to thank you, for them.

We want to testify to the goodness of God. The foregoing lines
were written by a very sick man, but now we continue writing, a
well man. Oh, praise the Lord with me and let us exalt his name
together! From early morn until 3 P. M. today we were very sick,
unable to eat. Tried to write, but had to take the bed. Finally the
Lord impressed us with earnest prayer. We called the little company
and kneeled before God, and oh, our dear heavenly Father instantly
healed our body, took away all bad feeling, raised our voice from
the faint tones of a person just beginning to rise from a hard
sick spell to clear loud shouts of praise! He also sent through
our entire system the strength of high leaps, as well as the high
praises of God.

In a later report he shows how his health was maintained by faith.

For some time we have felt called of God to devote ourself more
especially to the great duty of writing some works of present
truth, and we expect to do so after the present tour. With this
fact coming oft before our mind, we began unconsciously to relax
our faith by which in our natural frailty we kept up sufficient
strength for field labor. The presence of the ministerial brethren
with us for some time also helped ease up our mind and drop our
shield of faith by our side. The result was the devil had afflicted
our poor weak body for several weeks. But, praise God, the Lord
having in answer to prayer shown us what the trouble was, last
Sabbath we rebuked the devil in the name of the Lord Jesus with a
holy vehemence, and our soul and body sprang forth with a shout of
victory, and, glory to our God, we have been wonderfully well and
spiritually glorious ever since.

From Waco, Nebr., the company traveled westward to Denver. The following are extracts from his report at that place:

We stopped over a few hours in Lincoln, the capital of the State.
We viewed with surprize the young city. Fourteen years ago when
we visited the place it was small--now it numbers over twenty
thousand inhabitants, more than double the size of Lansing, Mich.

That night, for the first time in all our travels, an accident
occurred to our train, a slight collision with a freight-train
several miles out of Lincoln. The engine being injured, we had to
wait some hours until another was brought from the city. During
this time there was a very violent wind. The car rocked on its
springs like a load of hay passing over a rough road. But we lay
down and slept sweetly, committing ourselves unto the Lord. That
evening dear Bro. E. E. Byrum, at the office, had a great burden
for our safety, as he wrote us the next day. But he prayed for
us until the Lord by the Spirit answered him that we should be
delivered from all harm. Oh, praise the Lord for his goodness and
mercy toward us! For our safety he placed a burden on one nearly a
thousand miles away, but allowed not the slightest anxiety on our
minds....

Tuesday evening, December 6, our little company took train for
Denver, five hundred miles more toward the setting sun. That night
we stopped over and had a good night's rest at McCook, Nebr. Took
train again at 7 A. M. and went flying over the prairie at a swift
rate. Oh, what vast expanse of the broad prairie! Some parts
are rough and broken, but the larger portion is beautiful and
even and wanting only showers or irrigation to make a beautiful
farming-country....

When about fifty miles from Denver, we observed strange blue banks
to the west, which we first took to be dark clouds, but which we
soon perceived were distant foot-hills of the Rocky Mountains.
Plainer and higher they loomed up before our eyes as our swift
train kept darting like an arrow toward the base. How beautiful
and sublime the sight! Here at Denver we are twelve miles from the
foot-mountains. They seem but a very short distance, especially
when the morning sun shines brightly against their eastern sides.
It seems impossible that they can be more than a mile and one
half away. A person would surely suppose that he could walk over
and back before breakfast. The foot-hills, rather mountains, are
of a dark color, being covered by timber, and to all appearance
just beyond them rise up the beautiful snow-covered range. To our
astonishment we are told that fifty miles stretch out between them
and that there is a fertile valley there with towns, etc. The snowy
range being so much farther off seems to be but a little higher
than the foot-mountains, and both ranges seem to stand together.
In the morning they all seem so close that one would surely
suppose a man could be seen if standing there in the snow....