THE WORK OF GOD NOT DEPENDENT UPON MAN--HUMILITY A SOURCE OF
POWER--EVERY MAN CHOSEN AND FITTED FOR HIS SPHERE--EXAMPLE OF PAUL THE
APOSTLE--HEBER "HITS THE ROCK" IN LONGTON--THE APOSTLES VISIT THE
BRANCHES PRIOR TO RETURNING TO AMERICA.
Preaching the Gospel and converting sinners unto Christ never yet
depended for success upon man's learning or the music of oratory. The
unlettered fishermen of Galilee, proclaiming in simple words "Christ
crucified," were far more powerful in winning souls from error's ways
and melting the hearts of the multitude, than would all the orators
have been; the Herods, Ciceros, or Demosthenes, of Judea, Greece and
Rome.
The reason is not, as some suppose, that learning and oratory are
valueless in the cause of Christ, or necessarily a hindrance, as was
Saul's armor upon youthful David. The example of the eloquent and
erudite Paul suffices to disprove such a fallacy. The secret is simply
this: that God had chosen those humble fishermen, and not the learned
orators of the age, for that especial work, and endowed them with
power from on high. No man, learned or unlearned, can build up God's
Kingdom, except He be with him, and the Holy Ghost work through him.
God is the doer of His work, not man, and no flesh can glory in His
presence. It was the Holy Ghost in Paul, as it was the Holy Ghost in
Peter, not the learning or illiteracy of either, that wrought the
wonders of which they were capable.
The Holy Ghost dwells only in hearts that are pure and humble.
Humility, next to virtue, is the one grand requisite of a servant of
God. Pride and vanity are synonyms of weakness; humility, another name
for strength. Men of learning and language, whom nature and education
have made "spokesmen," need not be any less humble--though men of
little learning and much language are very apt to be. Pride, in rags
or in purple, is the offspring of ignorance; while learning is the
parent of humility.
The eloquent and learned man, humble and filled with the Holy Ghost,
is manifestly more capable, in his sphere, and more successful, than
one without his advantages would be. But turn the tables, reverse the
conditions, and, in his sphere, the unlearned man, intelligent,
God-fearing and inspired, looms a giant, where his more polished
brother might seem a pigmy by comparison. The faculty of adapting self
to circumstances is invaluable for the missionary to possess. In
saying that he was "all things to all men," the brave and faithful
Paul did not brand himself a hypocrite. Rather, did he not mean he
could accommodate himself to his surroundings; enter into the feelings
and sympathies of "all men:" the high, the low, the rich, the poor,
the learned and the illiterate; at home in palace or in hovel;
feasting in gratitude at luxury's board, or sharing thankfully the
crust of poverty; holding spell-bound by his oratory the charmed sages
of Athens, or melting his jailor's heart with the simple pathos of his
tale.
Such was Paul, the eloquent and learned Apostle; a vessel formed and
fashioned, like all others, for his work. It was his mission to be
"brought before Caesar"; the mission of most of his brethren to
preach, like their Master, "the Gospel to the poor." It will yet fall
to the lot of God's servants to stand before kings and rulers, as did
Elijah, Nathan and Daniel of old. But in the days of Heber, of Joseph,
and of Brigham, the Gospel was chiefly to the poor and humble, who
received it gladly and rejoiced in the God of their salvation.
Returning now to the Apostles in Preston:
"Immediately after the conference," wrote Heber, "Elder Hyde and I
went to a village near the sea shore called Longton, where we
published to the listening crowds the glad tidings of salvation.
Brothers Hyde and Goodson had preached several discourses there, and
numbers were believing, but none had been baptized. The people asked
Brother Hyde why he did not 'bring Kimball down, to hit the rock a
crack with his big sledge and let the water flow out.' I preached from
Hebrews 6th chapter, 1st verse: 'Therefore not leaving the principles
of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying
again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith
toward God.' I preached a plain and simple discourse, and according to
my calling I taught them to repent and be baptized, that they might be
saved, and if they did not they would be damned. Elder Hyde bore
testimony. After meeting I baptized ten, and in the morning after,
several more. It being very cold weather--the streams all frozen
over--we had to repair to the sea to administer the ordinance.
"January 24th, I left Preston and went to Longton with Brother Hyde.
We preached once each, and baptized ten; from thence returned to
Preston and stayed two or three days. Then I started on a mission to
Eccleston and other places, visiting six branches and strengthening
them. I was absent about eighteen days and baptized fifteen; the
weather being so cold that many dared not go into the water. Returned
to Preston and stayed three days. On the Sabbath Elder Hyde and
myself administered the sacrament and confirmed twelve. From thence
went to Longton and baptized three, ordained one priest, one teacher,
and one deacon, and blessed about thirty children. Again returned to
Preston. From thence went to Whittle; preached once, and baptized
five; and returned to Preston February 23rd.
"From this time to our departure from England we were continually
engaged in the work of the ministry, proclaiming the everlasting
Gospel in all the regions round, and baptizing all who believed and
repented of their sins. The Holy Ghost, the comforter, was given to us
and abode with us in a remarkable manner."
"The time when we expected to return to our native land being near at
hand, it was considered best for us to spend the short time we had to
remain in visiting and organizing the branches; placing such officers
over them, and giving such instructions as would be beneficial to them
during our absence. Accordingly Brothers Hyde, Fielding and myself
visited a branch nearly every day, and imparted such instructions as
the Spirit directed. We first visited the branches south of Preston,
and after spending some time in that direction we journeyed to the
north, accompanied by Brother Willard Richards, who had returned from
Bedford March 7th, where he had been proclaiming the Gospel. In
consequence of sickness his labors had not been so extensive as they
otherwise would have been, and were confined within a short distance
of the city of Bedford, where he raised up two small branches of about
forty members, which he set in order, and ordained James Lavender an
Elder, and other officers to preside. He had labored under
considerable difficulty in consequence of the conduct of Elder
Goodson, who taught many things which were not in wisdom, and which
proved a barrier to the spread of the truth in that region. His health
being poor, he was not able to preach much.
"While we were attending to our duties in that section we received a
very pressing invitation from a Baptist church, through the medium of
their deacon, to pay them a visit, stating that the society were
exceedingly anxious to hear from our lips the wonderful things we had
proclaimed in the regions round about. We endeavored to excuse
ourselves from going, as our engagements were such that it would
require the short time we had to stay to attend them. They seemed
determined not to take a denial and pleaded with such earnestness that
we could not resist their entreaties, and we finally consented to go
and preach once. Having arrived at the village, which was between
Downham and Burnley, we found a large congregation already assembled
in the Baptist chapel, anxiously waiting our arrival. The minister
gave out the hymns and Elder Hyde spoke on the resurrection with great
effect, after which the minister gave out another hymn, which was sung
by the assembly, and then he requested me to address them. I spoke
briefly on the first principles of the Gospel. During the services the
congregation was overjoyed, tears ran down their cheeks, and the
minister could not refrain from frequently clapping his hands for joy,
while in the meeting. After the service was over he took us to his
house where we were very kindly entertained. After partaking of his
hospitality, he with some more friends accompanied us to our lodgings,
where we remained in conversation until a very late hour. The next
morning while we were preparing to depart we were waited upon by
several of the citizens who requested us to preach again that day,
stating that great interest was felt by the inhabitants, many of whom
were in tears, fearing they should hear us no more, and that a number
of influential men had suspended operations in their factories to
allow their workmen the privilege of hearing us preach; but we were
obliged to deny them, as it was necessary to attend to the
appointments we had previously made. We could scarcely go away from
them, and when we did so they wept like little children. Such a desire
to hear the Gospel I never saw equalled before.
"After commending them to the grace and mercy of God, we went to
Downham, where we preached in the afternoon, after which we baptized
several and confirmed forty. In the evening we called the churches of
Chatburn, Downham, Clithero and Waddington together, and after
confirming some, we ordained Priests, Teachers and Deacons to preside
over the branches.
"From thence we went to Preston, and after a short stay visited
Penwortham and Longton, and organized the churches in those places,
which numbered about fifty members each."