A church in Jersey.

The eagerness with which truly devout people welcome the preaching of full salvation is refreshing.  It was the writer’s privilege to hold an eight-day meeting with a church in Central New Jersey.  The church was in excellent condition, for the pastor, a godly and earnest man, had faithfully proclaimed justification and its appropriate fruits.  Nearly all the members were praying, conscientious and zealous Christians.  When, at the first meeting, which was the regular Sunday morning service, the experience of sanctification was presented, over one hundred persons arose, thus signifying their desire for the precious grace!

Open the altar!

The language of the child of God is, “Does God want me sanctified?  Then open the altar for I am coming.”  He does not tarry; he does not higgle and hesitate; he makes for the “straw pile” if in a New England camp; the “saw-dust” if down South; the “altar rail” if in a spiritual church; to his knees at any rate, for God’s will he desires and must have.  Thank God he can have it!

CHAPTER II.

Some errors.

THE BEAR-SKIN.

Satan is very busily engaged in destroying and misrepresenting God’s best experiences.  He slanders the work of God in order that His children may not come into their inheritance.  The “bear-skin” frightens the would-be seeker and keeps him out of the Canaan land.

Rosenthal.

Darkness hates light.  The Prince of Darkness dreads truth and light, for he knows that if God’s children ever see sanctification as it is, there will be a general stampede for consecration.  If the public really believed that Rosenthal would play the piano in Infantry Hall on a certain evening, and that there would be no charge for admittance, South Main street would be black with people hours before the doors were opened.  If the church really believed that God would let them into an experience where sonatas and minuets and bridal marches and “Mondnacht” and the “Etude in C sharp minor” would be heard all the time, and free of charge, all the bishops and the big preachers and little evangelists and exhorters and ministers would be besieged by a grand eager throng of people, crying with one accord, “What must I do to be sanctified?” Lord, hasten the day!

The devil stirred.

When a man is awakened and says, “What is sanctification anyway?” then the devil bestirs himself to silence the soul’s questionings.  Blessed is the man who will not be satisfied with anything short of “Thus saith the Lord.”  Hound the lies of hell to their covert; run down the false reports, and determine the truth.

A chimera.