Chapter D: S. Warner. B. E. Warren (3)

Brother Warner's preaching always possessed for me an irresistible
charm. His doctrinal sermons took hold upon me, especially those
devoted to prophetic subjects. I remember distinctly one sermon on
prophecy, delivered at the camp-ground, near Grand Junction, Mich.
It created a lasting impression upon my mind. Although he preached
for four hours and ten minutes, the time did not seem long. I have
no doubt that my later interest in doctrinal themes is due, in
a great measure at least, to those early impressions, when the
Spirit of God stamped the truths of his Word upon my soul.

The third incident that I shall mention was a sermon preached
by Brother Warner, just a short time before his death. It was
delivered at the camp-ground. The subject was Heaven. So inspiring
was this message that it created in me an intense longing to go to
that place of light and life--a longing that abides with me still.

F. G. Smith,
Anderson, Ind.

I can not find words to express the help and comfort Brother Warner
was to me. I well remember the bitter persecutions he and his
company met while here in the South. His pure, holy life and the
radical preaching are still living in the South. I remember hearing
him preach one night, in a private house, on the oneness of God's
people. He was so filled with the Holy Spirit he would leap and
praise God. The ceiling overhead was very low. He said the leaps
in his soul were higher than the ceiling of that house. I thought
every time he left the floor he would hit the ceiling. He and his
company were in our house at Spring Hill when the angry mob came
after him; but the Lord took care of him.

Mrs. Demaris (Smith) Vance,
Meridian, Miss.

Brother Warner was the man under whose preaching I was convicted
for salvation. I had gone fifteen miles to hear him, and when I
arrived on the ground I was met by an old friend of mine who had
been one of the worst men I have ever known. He said to me, "Praise
God, I am glad you are here." This made me feel that after all
there might be a chance for me to obtain freedom, from the sins
that held me. When I went to meeting that night and Brother Warner
was pointed out to me, I thought to myself, "I fear there is not
much to him." But they sang and Brother Warner began preaching. I
never had heard a man preach as he did. After the meeting, several
were prayed for and healed. Something came over me as I stood and
seemed to go off the ends of my fingers, and I said to myself that
this was the first camp-meeting I ever attended that was not ruled
by Satan, and that if I could get this religion I could keep out of
hell.

One day some one arose and testified that he was still "chawing"
tobacco and asked all to pray that he might hold out. Brother
Warner remarked that all the saints were testifying for Jesus but
this man got up and testified for his tobacco. This was a new kind
of talk to many of us. Brother Warner was one of the greatest
preachers I ever heard. God was with him in such power as no one
else seemed to have in those days.

R. H. Owens,
Mt. Pleasant, La.

At a grove-meeting near Antwerp, Ohio, some roughs came to break up
the meeting. They divided into two squads, one to pass to the one
side of the congregation and the other to the other side. They were
prepared to throw eggs, but the leaders of the two squads said,
"Don't throw until something is said to justify." They marched
to their places and waited. Brother Warner was preaching with
wonderful anointing, and shouting. Finally the leader on one side
said, "There shall be nothing thrown at that man by my consent. He
is preaching the truth; he is a man of God." So they started back.
Strange to say, those on the other side did the same, and the two
parties met. One said, "Why didn't you throw?" The other said,
"Why didn't you?" The leader repeated as before remarked. Finally
one big fellow said, "Well, I am going to take one shot, anyway,"
and he threw an egg right into the congregation. There was a man
sitting near the front who was a sectarian; the egg struck him
directly in the face and broke over him. He made quite a splutter.

At a meeting at Rising Sun, Ohio, Brother Warner was praying in
an opening service when some one threw a pack of cards over their
heads. After the preaching the people were gathering up the cards.
He said, "Amen, gather them up; the devil has surrendered; he has
given up his testament."

J. N. Howard,
Nappanee, Ind.

It was in the spring of 1891, in southern Indiana, that I first
met Brother Warner. I shall never forget the impression he made on
me as he stepped into our home. I felt so sensibly the presence
of God with the man. He held a two weeks' meeting at our place
at that time. A number of souls were saved. Opposition ran high.
The meeting was held in the schoolhouse near to a sectarian
meeting-house. The preacher who preached at this place tried to
get a revival started, but failed. One minister rode all day on a
Sunday trying to gather up a mob to drive the brother out of the
country; but the people so much enjoyed his preaching and were so
won to the man by his gentleness and the clearness of his teaching
that they would not rally to the opposers' standard.

I had the pleasure of having him in our home at a later time for
about three months. It was at this time that we learned more about
his prayer-life. My father-in-law once drove him out of the woods
where he had gone for prayer. Those prayers, however, and his
patience and calmness while being driven out of the woods resulted
in my mother-in-law's salvation.

He had a great, sympathetic heart and consequently could comfort
the sorrowing as few men could. He preached the funeral of my
little boy, and his words of comfort were as a healing balm. He and
I roomed together at one time, when he held a ten nights' debate
with a Seventh-day Adventist preacher. Here he again impressed me
with his mighty prayers. After going to our room he would wrestle
long and earnestly with God in prayer before retiring. I have
always felt much indebted to him for his example in prayer and holy
living.