(Nov. 1, 1881.)
If it were not such a solemn thing, it were really amusing to
see how many are floundering about on the question of organized
divisions in Christendom. They admit them evil, predict their
downfall, and then, shrinking from the result of their own
admissions, they fly to their protection and raise the hue and
cry against those who bring the gospel of God to bear upon these
ramparts of sin.
L. Hawkins, of the Banner of Holiness, admits the design of
Christ is the spiritual and organic unity of all believers, and
that an advanced degree of holiness would demolish these walls of
separation, and then, as if alarmed at their fall, he pleads for
their toleration at present.
The Harvester adds, "Then let us hail every sign of real unity as
from the Lord, and, as holiness laborers, not be afraid when the
temporary shafting of denominationalism begins to give way."
So it is admitted that denominationalism is bolstered up with
temporary shafting. This reminds us of a pamphlet we read some
years ago, in defense of sect organizations. The writer confessed
that the denominations were not the real "house of God which is the
church of the living God," but that they were necessary scaffolds
for the erection of the house, and that when the house shall have
been completed, the scaffolds will all be taken down. Well, in view
of the prospects of Christ's speedy coming we prefer to keep off of
these old rickety, rotten-timbered scaffolds that are destined so
soon to tumble down and be consumed with all the rubbish of Satan's
invention. For our part we are ready for the sect shafting to give
way any day; for we are builded into the house of God itself, and
have nothing to lose or to fear. But many are not ready for the
catastrophe. While fearing and even predicting the fall of those
Dark-Age structures, they are unwilling to abandon them. They sit
trembling upon their lofty but narrow Methodist, Baptist, United
Brethren, or Presbyterian plank, while with one hand they try to
hold onto the walls of God's church. We can always tell whether
a man is resting upon one of these scaffolds or whether he is
building only on Christ, the sure foundation. If on the latter,
he has nothing to fear; if on the former, he is sure to command a
halt when he sees the true priests of God blowing the trumpets
about these walls. Such always think the time has not yet come
to abolish sects and denominations. "Oh! no! do not push against
our scaffold poles yet; be careful down there! Please don't lean
against that shafting, there is danger of its falling!"
One dear minister took us aside at the Alvan (Ill.) camp-meeting
last summer and inquired of our views. We told him, of course,
that we believed in no church but the body of Christ, etc. He
conceded about all we contended for, but, unwilling to abandon his
elevated plank, he humbly besought us not to be so hard on them.
Poor fellow! We think all had better climb down from these shaky
concerns; for God has announced her fall. "Babylon the great is
fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and
the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and
hateful bird. And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come
out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and
that ye receive not of her plagues" (Rev. 18:2,4). "Then let us
hail every sign of real unity as from the Lord, and not be afraid
when the temporary shafting of denominationalism begins to give
way." This is good advice, but does Brother Doty walk in it? Does
he hail as from the Lord those whom the Spirit of God has led out
of those cut-off parties, which divide the people of God, and who
stand in the "one fold" and body of Christ? or has he not done his
best to represent them as teaching "no church," "no organization,"
and as building another sect, etc.? Is it consistent to admit
that sects are without a warrant in God's Word, and that they are
the "result of sin in the body of believers," and express a hope
for the unity of God's people, and then join with all the popular
holiness journals in opposing those who have abandoned all those
unscriptural schisms? Is it consistent to say, "We don't want an
ism gospel," and yet adhere to and stuff the Harvester full of the
gospel of Wesleyan Methodist ism?
[Illustration: Church building in which D. S. Warner and five others
severed their relation with the Northern Indiana Eldership in 1881.
It is located at Beaver Dam, three miles north of Akron, Ind.]
[Illustration: Group of Individuals, former members of the Northern
Indiana Eldership, who with Brother Warner severed their connection
with the Northern Indiana Eldership in 1881. At top, Mr. and Mrs. F.
Krause; center, D. Leininger; bottom, Mr. and Mrs. W. W. Ballenger]
An event that had to occur sooner or later was Brother Warner's
separation from the Northern Indiana Eldership. At the Eldership
meeting which convened at Beaver Dam, Kosciusko County, Ind., in
October, 1881, he proposed some measures by which that body might
be made to conform more perfectly to the Bible standard with
reference to government. In this he would not be heard, and on
their rejection of his reform measures he realized, probably for the
first time, that the new Eldership, bent on continuing their human
organization, was a sect with which he must sever his connection,
and he then and there did so. This event does not properly mark his
coming out of spiritual Babylon, as some have supposed. In heart
he had already been out, and had preached against sects. But he
ignorantly supposed that the Northern Indiana Eldership of the Church
of God was not a sect and therefore that he was keeping clear of
sects. Thus his act at Beaver Dam was a _keeping_ out of Babylon as
much as a coming out. It was the latter only in the outward sense,
but of course it emphasized and gave more definite character to the
anti-sectarian stand he had previously taken.
There were others in attendance at the Eldership meeting who had
heard his preaching against spiritual Babylon and who also took the
same step with him. They were David Leininger, William Ballenger and
wife, and F. Krause and wife. We give their names and also their
pictures as being of those originals who declared themselves free
from all outward forms of Babylon.
A similar thing occurred in Michigan. About the same time the
Northern Indiana Eldership was formed, there originated near Pompeii,
Gratiot County, Mich., the Northern Michigan Eldership of the
Church of God. This body was formed because its members had been
isolated from and generally dissatisfied with the old Eldership,
which sanctioned secrecy and was steeped in tobacco. About the fall
of 1878 there joined this new Eldership J. C. Fisher and his wife,
Allie R. They had never heard of Brother Warner at that time. In
the spring of 1880, J. C. Fisher had occasion to visit Indiana on
business, and it happened that while there he heard Brother Warner
preach, and he accepted the doctrine of holiness and received the
experience. The following autumn the Fishers sent for Brother Warner
to come up to that part of Michigan and preach holiness. It was then
that Allie R. consecrated for and also received the experience of
sanctification.[13]
A year later, just before the annual meeting of the Eldership
(October, 1881), the Fishers and others, thinking to get the
Eldership to accept holiness and thus make good the claim of being
the true church, started a holiness meeting at Carson City, where
the Fishers lived, and again had Brother Warner present. This was
right after the meeting in Indiana where Brother Warner had declared
his separation from the Northern Indiana Eldership. The situation
was similar to what it had been in Indiana. Brother Warner had been
preaching on the true church and setting forth its divine government,
and the hope of these Michigan saints was that if they could get the
Eldership to accept holiness they might get them to do away with the
human machinery and fill the true church requirement. In this they
were disappointed. Before the holiness meeting was over the Eldership
showed its opposition. Upon this the Fishers and a good number of
others, nearly twenty in all, withdrew from the Eldership.
[Illustration: Joseph C. and Allie R. Fisher]
[Illustration: Group of Michigan saints, some of the first to declare
their freedom from sectarian relations. Above, Mr. and Mrs. Frank B.
Reeves; center, Mrs. C. E. Reeves; below, Mr. and Mrs. John T. Lyon]
Thus there were two centers where a stand of independence with regard
to the Eldership and human ecclesiasticism had been taken. These
two congregations of saints--at Beaver Dam, (Ind.), and Carson City,
(Mich.),--were the earliest in the United States (so far as the
author knows) who had stepped completely out of Babylon and had taken
for their basis that of the New Testament church alone. An annual
camp-meeting was established at each place.
The Michigan saints in order to express in definite form their
position and intentions drew up the following resolutions:
Whereas we recognize ourselves in the perilous times of the last
days, the time in which Michael is standing up for the deliverance
of God's true saints (Dan. 12:1), the troublesome times in which
the true house of God is being built again, therefore,
=Resolved=, That we will endeavor by all the grace of God to live
holy, righteous, and godly in Christ Jesus, "looking for, and
hastening unto the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ," who we believe
is nigh, even at the door.
=Resolved=, That we adhere to no body or organization but the
church of God, bought by the blood of Christ, organized by the Holy
Spirit, and governed by the Bible. And if the Lord will, we will
hold an annual assembly of all saints who in the providence of God
shall be permitted to come together for the worship of God, the
instruction and edification of one another, and the transaction of
such business as the Holy Spirit may lead us to see and direct in
its performance.
=Resolved=, That we ignore and abandon the practise of preacher's
license as without precept or example in the Word of God, and that
we wish to be "known by our fruits" instead of by papers.
=Resolved=, That we do not recognize or fellowship any who come
unto us assuming the character of a minister whose life is not
godly in Christ Jesus and whose doctrine is not the Word of God.
=Resolved= also, That we recognize and fellowship, as members with
us in the one body of Christ, all truly regenerated and sincere
saints who worship God in all the light they possess, and that we
urge all the dear children of God to forsake the snares and yokes
of human parties and stand alone in the "one fold" of Christ upon
the Bible, and in the unity of the Spirit.
It should be noted that even at this time, while they could see the
evils of human machinery in the church, they had not as yet a perfect
knowledge of how the divine government would be. They wondered
whether they should form a new Eldership or whether they had anything
at all to do in the new procedure, cut loose as they were from all
human organizations. At this time Sister Fisher was given a vision.
It was of a tower which she and others were constructing with stones
that were piled about them in heaps. The foundation was already
laid and they were engaged on the superstructure, their work being
to polish the stones and fit them for the tower. When polished, the
stones were clear as crystal. They were asked where they got such
beautiful stones. She replied that they were simply such stones as
could be found anywhere. Their beauty was brought out through the
work that was put upon them. The capstone, or headstone, was also
perfectly clear, but it had a blood-red spot in the center which
shone and which shed rays of light like streaks of blood down through
all the tower.
The vision seemed to her so wonderful. She awoke to a full
consciousness and said, "Lord, what is it?" He answered, "This is
my church." Immediately the Scriptures in 1 Cor. 3:11-18; Eph.
2:20-22; and 1 Cor. 3:9 came to her mind. She then understood that
the church was organized by God, and that it was man's part to work
with him, and let him be Leader and Foreman, and that Jesus was the
head of the body.[14] They soon learned to be led of the Spirit
and that they were complete in Christ in matters of government as
well as everything else. Conscious of their freedom from the bondage
in which they had been held and that they had taken their stand on
God alone, they were blessed with the Spirit of God upon them and
their assemblies in a remarkable manner. The joy of the Lord was
their portion and they were satisfied. Thus the reformation had
taken complete form. The light began to spread and the work became
established in various places. A sister Harris, living near Bangor,
in the southwestern part of Michigan, was called up to Gratiot County
in July, 1882, to attend the funeral of a niece. While there she
heard J. C. Fisher preach and she invited him down to her part of the
State. He went the following October and held meetings there, which
were very successful, resulting in a number getting saved. An annual
camp-meeting was started there the next year. This camp-meeting has
been continued ever since, though it was taken to Grand Junction,
seven miles north, in 1892. Thus this part of the State was one of
the first sections where the work of the reformation was established,
and Grand Junction became, at a later date, the home of the
publishing plant for a number of years.
That God was working on a similar line in other parts of the world
may be seen from a letter written from England and quoted in the
Gospel Trumpet from the Christian Harvester.