The Evening Light
This chapter is an article written by the author many years after she had
received light on the unity of the church. It will acquaint the reader with
what is meant by the expression "evening light."
"At evening time it shall be light."
"And it shall come to pass in that day, that the light shall not be clear,
nor dark: but it shall be one day which shall be known to the Lord, not
day, nor night: but it shall come to pass, that at evening time it shall be
light" (Zechariah 14:6,7). The expression "evening light" suggests the
thought that there was at one time morning light. The New Testament
dispensation is sometimes called the gospel day. Like the natural day, this
gospel day has its morning and evening.
When the New Testament church was first set in order; when this Holy Ghost
dispensation was ushered in; when the gospel day began there was a
wonderful outburst of light and power from the glory-world. "The people
which sat in darkness saw great light; and to them which sat in the region
and shadow of death light is sprung up" (Matthew 4:16). As a result of this
mighty flood of power and light, the place where the saints were assembled
was shaken (Acts 2:1-7), the dead were raised to life, the blind were made
to see, the deaf to hear, the dumb to speak the lame to walk, all manner of
diseases were healed, thousands upon thousands were converted to God, and
many signs and wonders were wrought in the name of the holy child Jesus. We
also read of Paul's wonderful conversion, of Peter's deliverance from
prison, and of many who were delivered from devils. Oh, what wonderful
light God shed upon the hearts of men at that time!
The shining of this glorious light not only enlightened the minds of those
who received it; but it also revealed the effects of past traditions and
brushed them away. The light also revealed the New Testament life and
experience, far exceeding the standard under the law. The word says, "Light
makes manifest"; so under the gospel rays every one's condition was
revealed. The light not only showed the people their sins, but also showed
them how to get rid of them, and then how later to get sanctified wholly.
"For this is the will of God, even your sanctification" (1 Thesselonians
4:3).
This, of course, is a much higher standard than was raised under the law.
The law was, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, love your neighbor and hate your
enemy; but when the gospel light revealed God's will in this dispensation,
all people became so responsible because of the knowledge of divine truth
revealed to them and the unmeasured divine power bestowed upon them that it
was consistent to raise the standard where people would love their enemies
and do good to those who despitefully treated them. Nor did their love stop
with that; it so increased toward one another that "all that believed were
together, and had all things common; and sold their possessions and goods,
and parted them to all men, as every man had need" (Acts 2:44,45).
In many particulars far too numerous to mention can it be shown that the
New Testament standard was raised far above the law standard, showing God's
compassion to fallen man. For example, consider the woman taken in
adultery. The law said, "Stone her to death"; but Jesus said, "Neither do I
condemn thee; go and sin no more." Notice also his compassion toward the
Syrophenician woman, who was considered a Gentile dog; toward the people
when he performed the miracles of the loaves and fishes; toward the
multitude when he fed enemies as well as friends. Again, when the disciples
wanted to call down fire from heaven to destroy some who had opposed them,
Jesus said, "I am not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them." Jesus
loved the people so well that he healed even the man in the tombs who was
possessed with a legion of devils, and also the ear of the servant of the
high priest who was then helping to arrest him. It was his compassion that
sent out the disciples to heal the sick, to raise the dead, and to cast out
devils. All these things were a result of the burning light that shone
forth in the morning of this gospel day.
We see that God's church in the beginning was a mighty moving power--a
means in God's hands to bring deliverance and salvation to souls, and
healing to afflicted bodies. The work done and the signs wrought all so far
exceeded what had been done before that the people were made to exclaim,
"We never saw it on this fashion." Jesus summed it up well when he said,
"The blind received their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are
cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the
gospel preached to them. And blessed is he whosoever shall not be offended
in me" (Matthew 11:5,6). If from the morning time until now the light had
continued to shine with unclouded brightness, who knows how much might have
been done toward the salvation of the world! But, alas! the prophecy must
needs be fulfilled: "And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the Lord
God, that I will cause the sun to go down at noon, and I will darken the
earth in the clear day" (Amos 8:9). In Paul's time he said, "For the
mystery of iniquity doth already work" (2 Thessalonians 2:7).
It was not long until the people began to drift away from God, to
substitute outward form for inward experience, and penance for faith.
Heresies sprang up. Men lost sight of the church of God, and began to form
creeds, and to build up man-made institutions. The first creed was formed
in A. D.
325. Men drifted farther and farther away from the way of the Lord, and
plunged into gross darkness, until they could even kill the saints and
think they were doing God's service. They also fell to worshiping images
after the manner of the heathen, and doing many other like things. This
departure from light brought about a serious state of affairs; so great was
the persecution of God's true children that they were hunted for their
lives, and had to hide in dens and caves of the earth. History tells us
that death was the penalty for having in possession a New Testament. With
such a penalty hanging over the people of God, not many would be professing
that did not have the experience. It doubtless took a martyr's consecration
to keep a real Christian experience in those days, and it is equally as
much needed in these perilous times.
This reign of gross darkness continued hundreds of years. "Behold, the days
come, saith the Lord God, that I will send a famine in the land, not a
famine of bread, nor thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the
Lord" (Amos 8:11). But God had designed to bring again his children out of
darkness. He proceeded to do so by giving light to such men as Wycliffe,
Huss, Luther, and others. History tells us that when light came to Luther,
he was steeped in Catholicism, so much so that he was trying to gain favor
with God by various acts of penance. On one occasion while he was climbing
the "holy stairs" at Rome on his hands and knees, the Lord thundered in his
soul that salvation is by faith in Christ alone. We have no account of
Luther's getting light beyond justification, but the reformation did not
cease with him. Later the Lord gave to the Wesleys, Fletcher, Hester Ann
Rogers, and others, greater light on his Word, showing the privilege not
only of justification but also of sanctification. As the departure from the
light and whole truth in the morning of the gospel day was a gradual
process, so the return to the light has been gradual. The Lord shed some
light on the world through Huss, some through Luther, and some through the
Wesleys and others, thus restoring the full light according to his own
plan.
While God wonderfully used these men to shed light on the world in their
day, yet many effects of the apostasy were clinging to them. Divine healing
in their day was almost unknown or known to but few, and likewise the gifts
of the Spirit. Wesley himself testified that he did not possess any of the
gifts of the Spirit, and did not think that any one else did. No one in
Wesley's time, so far as we know, discerned the one body and the unity of
God's children. The one who perhaps came nearest to discerning the body of
Christ was either Wesley or Fletcher. In their correspondence with each
other, one said in substance the following: "In searching the Word on the
unity of God's children, I see that the Scriptures relating to the
gathering of God's children into one body must be fulfilled before the end;
but I scarcely think we are yet on the threshold of that period." He
expressed his desire to see that time by saying, "God hasten the day." No
doubt if these men were living today, and walking in the light as they were
at that time, they would readily fall into line with the church in this
evening time.
"At evening time it shall be light." That this scripture might be
fulfilled, God in his wisdom saw fit to shed more light on the one body and
divine healing, not upon one person alone, but upon a number of his people
in different parts of the world. This light began to break forth about
1880. I wish to call your attention here to the way in which God shed forth
the light on the church of God. In making a new sect, some man becomes the
hub and center, and round him or his ideas revolves the organization. But
God did not center this reform in one man, but gave the light to different
ones in various parts of the world about the same time. The work of the
Holy Spirit upon their hearts in sanctifying them, caused them to see and
flow together. It might be said that the giving of this glorious light was
in one respect similar to the second coming of the Son of man: "As the
lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall
also the coming of the Son of man be." The fact that many persons in
different parts of the world saw this light independently of each other and
at about the same time is one evidence that this movement is God's work and
not man's. Truly this is the evening time, and it is light.
God's will, order, and plan are more fully revealed to his children now
than at any other time since the days of the apostles. The Lord enables us
more clearly to discern the one body and its operations, and to know our
place in it. The gifts of the Spirit are now recognized as belonging
rightfully to God's children, and are sought, obtained and used to the
glory of God. It is now understood that the same purity of heart and life
enjoined by the church in the morning time is not only our privilege to
enjoy, but also the standard to which we must measure, and the doctrine
that we as ministers must both live and preach. The old Babylon doctrine,
"Sin you must," is exposed as a doctrine of devils. The doctrine and
practise of trusting the Lord for healing and at the same time using drugs
and remedies to help the Lord out is cast aside as false, and the true
doctrine of entire trust in God for healing is taught and practised
instead. Truly the prophecy is fulfilled which says, "The light of the moon
shall be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun shall be
sevenfold" (Isaiah 30:26).
At the same time that God is shedding more light on his Word, his plan, and
his holy bride, he is also giving us more light on the workings of Satan
and his deceptive power. As the light shines brighter, of course the battle
waxes hotter between God and the devil, between light and darkness. As the
light reveals the hiding-places of the devil and exposes his works, he is
becoming more and more enraged and is making a desperate fight, for his
time is short. This means much to the true saints in these perilous times.
The enemy is not only doing all he can to hold those who are already under
his power, but is doing all he can to spot the pure bride. Since he already
sways his scepter over the sectarian world, he needs waste no time on them,
but can direct all his energies against the holy remnant.
The harder Satan works, however, the brighter shines the church of God, the
one body, the bride of Christ, the more glorious her splendor and beauty.
Let us beware. Let us watch and pray, that we may be kept pure and clean.
The Lord is the same today as ever, and his promises are as far-reaching.
While it takes more grace to live a holy life at this time, yet the dear
Lord has provided a sufficiency. As a result we have more to enjoy, and
more facilities for doing good. The heavier the responsibilities, the
greater the grace.
It is a thing indeed to be thankful for, that instead of the reign of
conferences and synods, priests and popes, we have the blessed privilege of
living under the loving rule of the holy Trinity, with Christ himself as
the head of the church, and all we are breth-ren. "And I heard as it were
the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the
voice of mighty thunderings, saying Alleluia; for the Lord God omnipotent
reigneth" (Revelation 19:6)
Truly we are highly favored among men. While we are now living in a time of
great spiritual peril, and have to encounter many dangers by the way, yet
we have more to enjoy, and God is more perfectly revealing himself now,
than at any other time since the apostles.
"Brighter days are sweetly dawning,
Oh, the glory looms in sight!
For the cloudy day is waning,
And the ev'ning shall be light.
"Misty fogs, so long concealing
All the hills of mingled night,
Vanish, all their sin revealing,
For the ev'ning shall be light.
"Oh, what golden glory streaming!
Purer light is coming fast;
Now in Christ we've found a freedom,
Which eternally shall last."
Do you not think we should be very thankful since we are the most highly
favored people on earth? "And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to
the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful" (Colossians
3:15). Those of us who have been delivered from the dark night of Babylon
confusion, and translated into this glorious light, surely have every kind
of reason for which to be thankful. Therefore "let us be glad and rejoice,
and give honor to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife
hath made herself ready" (Revelation 19:7). "And the kingdom and dominion,
and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to
the people of the saints of the Most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting
kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him" (Daniel 7:27). Read
Daniel 7:15-28.