To Rev. Mr. K——
The Guide” — E street Church — One hundred witnesses — Revival — A local preacher — Long-continued efforts to obtain holiness — The sacrifice — The rest — Remark of Dr. Sixty persons set apart for God — The camp prayer meeting — A passer-by arrested — A searching preacher — Revival in Baltimore — The worlt
of God in A street in 1831 — Morning meetings — Men and
angels — Holiness the strength of the church — Satan’s favorite instrument — A reproachful compliment —” And shall teach men
Our dear Brother K asks if I have read Miss
Littlefield’s Letters? I have not, but should like to see them. If they are in tract form, could you not inclose some copies in the package containing oiu* numbers of the “Guide?”
There has been a glorious revival of the work
A Hundred Witnesses. Everything but Faith for Three Years.
of holiness in the E street Church. The minister stationed there called in this morning, and said, that at a love-feast held last night about one hundred testified clearly of the power of Christ to save from all sin. What a wonderful work, and all within a few months! I should have stated, that, besides this, several hundred have been converted within the same period. Perhaps there was never a stronger confirmation of the truth, “One shall chase a thousand, and two shall put ten thousand to flight,” than is furnished by the history of this revival.
I am quite acquainted with its commencement and progress, and if you think it calculated to exhibit the faithfulness of God, and also to furnish useful instruction relative to the order to be observed in promoting revivals, you are at liberty to make use of it as may best promote the cause to which you are devoted.
A brother belonging to this charge received the blessing of holiness at camp meeting last summer. He had been struggling for two or three years to obtain it; and if wrestling all night a number of times; if fasting till the body was so nearly brought down, as to leave but little probability that the health will again rally; or if humility so deep, that though a local preacher, he has presented himself for the prayers of the people with the seekers of salvation; if by any way other than by simple /a^V^
Believe G 3d. Everlasting Covenant. Calm after a Storm.
the blessing were to be obtained; then this brother long since had gained it. But on passing a crowded tent one morning, he heard an humble disciple speak of the duty of believing God, after being assured that the sacrifice was upon the altar. She urged the present performance of this duty, by adverting to Abraham’s sacrifice; maintaining that the offering was sanctified the moment it was laid upon the altar, and that to doubt it was to doubt the word of God. He now felt that it was his duty to believe, irrespective of frames and feelings, and also perceived that it was most important that he should enter into the bonds of an everlasting covenant with God, to be eternally given up to his service. The mode which had been presented he believed to be most Scriptural, and resolving at once to test it, he retired from the multitude, and in the sequestered wood again calmly surveyed the ground, and then most solemnly bound all upon the altar, and rested upon the word of God as an assurance of divine acceptance. He at once felt that he was founded upon the Rock of ages. Such a rest, after a tumult of years, can only be appreciated by those who, in like manner, have been driven about and tossed. His whole soul was at once filled with inexpressible longings that the church should see, the duty of entire consecration nd the simplicity of faith.
Dear Dr. had said to him in my hearing,
Surplus Grace to convert the World. The Sixty.
“If the church would only get good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over, what would run over would be enough to convert the world.” He seemed to be filled with faith and with the Holy Ghost at the time he said it, but I must confess that the expression struck me as extravagant. But the next I heard of it was at a meeting on the ground, where this brother was talking among the people with whom he stood connected in church fellowship. With power and demonstration of the Spirit, he assured them of the truth of Dr. P.’s assertion. He desired to know how many would bind themselves together before God and before each other, to consecrate themselves wholly to God, and not to rest till they should receive the witness that the offering was accepted. It was not long before about sixty had thus solemnly set themselves apart for God.
At the camp prayer meeting, held a short time after their return, a number of those who were seeking the witness of holiness were so ardent in then- desires for the blessing, that they rushed forward to the altar when the invitation was pfiven for those who desired the prayers of the congregation, and it was then that the power of God began to be manifested in an extraordinary manner. Sinners from all parts of the house were seen making their way toward the altar of prayer, and what
A Passer-by. Pardon and Holiness. Baltimore.
may seem incredible, the power of the Highest seemed not only to rest upon all within the house, but upon those around it also. A person was passing by on business, when the awakening influences of the Spirit came down upon him, and turning into the church, he went forward to the altar crying for mercy. From this time the two branches of the work went on simultaneously. Numbers were wholly sanctified weekly, and scores were born into the kingdom of Christ. Some idea of what God hath wrought you may gather from the announcement at the beorinninor of this communication. This brother, with success somewhat similar, has labored at a number of places since. If I should give the characteristic mainly distinguishing his remarkable ministrations, I think it would be his uncompromising attitude, relative to an entire giving up of the world, and his earnest enforcement of the truth: ‘’ The time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God.”
I have received a letter from the Rev. Mr. M,
of Baltimore, informing us of an extraordinary work
going on at the M street Church. This work
also began with the church. Meetings had for some time been held on the morning of each day, for the special benefit of those who were seeking the blessing of entire sanctification.
Brother M says, that he has” heard about
thirty consistent witnesses testify at one of these
40 out of 120 1000 converted. Angels cannot preach.
meetings of the power of Christ to save from all sin. Meetings have been held in both the body and basement of the church at one time. Out of one hundred and twenty penitents forward for prayers, forty have during one evening been converted. The work is truly wonderful.”
It was thus also that the extraordinary revival
in the A street Church, of 1831, commenced,
during which, I think, over a thousand souls were converted.
Morning meetings for the special benefit of the members were held from ten to twelve. It was through the instrumentality of these morning meetings that many became strong to labor for God, and prepared not only to point awakened sinners to Christ, but to nurse them after they had been brought into the way, and to lead them by* the power of the Spirit into green pastures and beside still waters.
We bid you God speed, dear brother. Yours is truly a high and holy calling; a work which an angel might covet. But let us remember that men may do what angels may not do. Witness the case of Cornelius: the angel was not commissioned to proclaim Christ to Cornelius, but only to direct to a human instrument, which God had raised up, to tell him what he ought to do. Thus in the blessed work of telling men how they ought to come to Christ as their Saioui to the uttermost,
Great Designs greatly withstood. Baptized Opposers.
God hath raised you up. We magnify the name of our Lord in your behalf. May he fulfill all the good pleasure of his goodness in you, and the work of faith with power. You are engaged in a great work, and your subtil enemy is doubtless very busy in his inventions to perplex, or to bring you down from your work. We have reason to believe that he generally proportions his opposition to the magnitude of the work to be performed. Personal holiness is a mighty engine for pulling down the strongholds of Satan, and he doubtless in a variety of ways withstands you. While laboring to promote it, sometimes he employs as his instruments those who stand committed before the world as the servants of Christ. When the enemy can get such as these to come out against the doctrine of entire sanctification, or to hold the truth in unrighteousness relative to this subject, he answers his purpose more eflfectually than by instrumentalities known to be at his disposal. Satan doubtless directs his most poignant arrows to your heart throuojh some such. “Father, foro-ive them; they know not what they do.” “They did it ignorantly” is, however, an apology I fear which can hardly avail, in the case of many of these baptized opposers of holiness in the church; or if volunteered for them, truth would claim to add, “Of this they are willingly ignorant.”
Yet, in -siew of the rewards of eternity, how
Sanctified Ones.” Least in the Kingdom.
truly deplorable the state of those who oppose truth, whether ignorantly, or otherwise! There are many, both among the ministry and the laity, who, apparently with but little idea of the magnitude of the sin, speak lightly of the subject of holiness, and of those who profess the enjoyment of the blessinof. “0 he is one of the sanctified ones,” say they; as if God had not in verity “set apart“” the godly for himself. Such, on being questioned, may say that they are not opposed to holiness; but “the Lord knoweth them that are his.” Their example goes toward weakening the force of truth. They do not profess to be living in the enjoyment of a state of holiness themselves, and in this they break not one of the least of God’s commandments, but the first and great command, “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, soul, mind, and strength” — enjoining holiness of heart in its fullest sense. O how many professors there are of this class, who thus break the command themselves, and, by the force of their example, “teach men so!” If there were a possibility of such characters getting to heaven, surely they would be called least in the kingdom of heaven, however dignified their ministerial calling or professions of piety may have been here on earth.
But, dear brother K., in view of the work in which you are engaged, how inspiring are the
Great in Heaven. The Wonderful Promise.
words of your divine Master,” But whosoever shall do and teach them, (these commandments,) the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.*’ Adieu, dear friend m Jesus.