CHRISTIAN EXPERIENCE.
As Bessie grew older, Mrs. Worthington chose the twilight hour for
confidential talks with her daughter. Both looked forward to these times
with pleasure. Each evening after the daily duties were ended, Bessie
might be found sitting at her mother's feet. Here she related the many
happenings of the day and in turn received instruction and advice from
the one who held her confidence. Here the mother taught her child the
secret of true devotion. She instructed Bessie that prayer, good
reading, and meditation are the keys to use to unlock God's great
storehouse of blessings. She pointed to the Bible as a pattern by which
to fashion one's life, pointing out to her the many scriptures bearing
upon different subjects and telling her how every modest, earnest
Christian ought to dress and act in order to adorn the gospel of
Christ. She encircled the word "purity" with such a halo of glory that
she awakened within the heart of her child a determination ever to live
so pure a life that she would not only keep herself stainless but also
help others to that sacred and elevated plane.
Upon one of these occasions, when Bessie was in her twelfth year, she
said: "Mama, why don't we go to the meetings that are being held at the
schoolhouse on Sunday? The girls have asked me several times, and I have
told them I didn't know. They have a minister from a distance, and he
has taken the names of all who want to join the church."
"That is a deep subject, my child," said Mrs. Worthington. "I have often
wished to explain to you my reasons for not attending the public
services held in our neighborhood by the different denominations, but
have feared you were still too young to understand, for the matter seems
hard even for some older persons to comprehend. But I will tell you and
trust the Lord to make it plain.
"My parents taught me that it was my duty to attend religious services
at least once a week. This I did, and professed to be a Christian until
I was a young woman. I knew that I loved the Lord and wanted to do
right, but found that I could not always do right in my own strength. I
was daily doing things that displeased the Lord. I became so troubled
about my condition that one day I went to the minister, and, telling him
how I felt, requested him to pray for me and to help me to get a real
Bible experience. In answer to my request, he only smiled and said, 'You
are too particular. You might as well try to split a hair as to try to
live a holy life in this world.'
"As I returned home that day, I was very sad indeed. Oh, how much I
longed to be like Jesus, whom God had given me as an example! I knew the
Bible taught that if we expect to enter heaven we must live a pure and
holy life. I was determined to do this--but how was I to do it? To whom
could I go for help? Most of the church-members were so worldly-minded
they thought of little else than a good time, and the few spiritual ones
were afraid to tell how they felt, for fear of their minister's
displeasure.
"At last I decided to seek from God and his Word what my soul was
longing for. As I sought, I began to see I had been deceived. I found
that as God looked upon mankind, he could see only two classes of
people--the righteous and sinners; and I saw that I was a sinner.
"By reading the twelfth chapter of First Corinthians, I learned that
Christ's body is the church; that to become a member of the church my
name must be written in heaven; that every Christian in the world is my
brother or sister in Christ; the Lamb's book of life is the only
class-book in which our names need to be recorded; and that our names
are removed only because of our turning again to sin. To me these
thoughts were both new and marvelous. I saw that every saved person in
the different denominations is a Christian and a member of God's true
church, but I knew that such persons were unable to worship God aright
for fear of displeasing their ministers or of breaking some of the
church-rules. And when I read in 2 Cor. 6:14 that we are not to be
unequally yoked together with unbelievers, I felt that I must come out
and stand alone. This I promised God to do at any cost, and asked him to
give me a Bible experience. He answered my prayer; and I was so happy
that I walked the floor for a long time, clapping my hands and praising
God.
"Because of the course I had taken many misunderstood me and thought I
was partially insane. Even your dear papa thinks so still, but I dare
not grieve God by going back.
"I have had some dreams that have greatly encouraged me. The first was
given while I was wondering why I could not find any one who believed
the whole Bible. I seemed to be standing in a meeting-house; the service
was ended and nearly every one had gone home. I noticed a woman in great
distress. Going to her, I found that she had a very sore hand and that
she was alone, with no one to help her home through the darkness. With
her consent, I quickly picked her up in my arms and carried her safely
through a long, dark, narrow passage. As we passed along, I spoke words
of encouragement to her. Suddenly we came out into a large open field
carpeted with flowers, and there I laid her down, saying, 'How nicely we
have gotten along alone.' Then I awoke.
"For some time I could not see the meaning of the dream. At last I
understood that the afflicted woman was I myself and that the Savior
wanted to carry me through the dark and dangerous way of life alone.
"At another time I dreamed I was riding on a locomotive. Again I was
alone. The seat that I was sitting on was so small I had to be very
careful lest I be injured by the machinery around me. I didn't think of
danger while the train was in motion; but as it drew up at a certain
station, I began to consider my position. The thought came, 'What will
people think of me? They will certainly say I am stealing a ride.' I
remembered my ticket, and, placing my hand upon it, I felt satisfied. At
the next station I could see inside of the passenger coaches. I had a
good view of the passengers in one of the coaches, and I recognized the
prominent members of the denomination I had lately left. As they sat in
their cushioned seats, carelessly talking to one another, they all
seemed happy and contented. My own condition then arose before me, and I
felt lonely indeed and thought, 'I will step down from my little seat
and enter the coach with the rest.' I was just about to do this--even
had my hand upon the door knob--when I realized that I had left my
dress in the little seat, and again I awoke.
"The dream seemed very plain in every way. My ticket was my experience
and title to heaven, and the dress left up in the tiny seat was the robe
of Christ's righteousness. While alone and contented, I was all right,
but to return to the denomination would mean to leave both robe and
title behind.
"Still, God has given me some devoted Christian friends, who are willing
to live as the Bible directs, and with these I worship as you know,
dear, in our little weekly prayer-meetings. I trust that some day your
father will see and will understand me better, and that we can worship
God together. But I will be faithful even though I should be forced to
walk alone.
"Now, dear, I trust you can see that the true church is Christ's body
and that every soul is a member as long as he continues to live a pure
and holy life. Whether he is a member of some sect or not, sin will cut
him off; and if he continues to profess as I did, he is a hypocrite in
God's sight. 'Come out from among them and be ye separate' is a command
that every Christian should obey."