A BLACK MOB

About fifteen or more of the baser sort, who were drunk and mad

on the wine of Babylon, with their faces blackened, sprang into

the room and seized upon us and started to take us out. Brethren

quickly saw the situation and were not slow in our help. But the

room being seated with backed seats, and the space between us and

the door being all occupied by the sons of Belial, not many saints

could get near us. The enemies of the Lord all having hold of each

other and the front ones hold on us, we were pretty rapidly drawn

to the door. But a few of the little ones were pulling back with

all their might. Brother Barney and Sister Frankie Miller were in

the hottest of the fight! Mother and Nan could not get to us.

Halleluiah! We praised God every step and felt the perfect peace

of God in our souls. Bro. George Roush had hold on our left arm

and was our principal stay. The black clan, knowing him as a very

strong man, thought to beat him loose from his hold on us; but he

received the blows on his face without slacking his hold. God bless

that brother. The Lord did not suffer him to be hurt to amount to

anything. One of the black clan brought with him a pretty wieldy

little cudgel, which Bro. Jacob Roush grabbed and wrested out of

his hands. And being an officer of the law, of whom the Word of

the Lord says, "He beareth not the sword [or club] in vain," he

began to apply it vigorously on the black heads. Up to this second

the contest stood in breathless uncertainty. We were hauled to the

very threshhold, and all the desperadoes were determined to have

their victim. Once the threshold crossed, we were to be dragged out

into the dark night to suffer all that Satan might dictate in the

hearts of fiendish Catholic sect idolaters and wicked sinners. But

all at once the Spirit said to our soul, "I will not leave thee in

the hands of the wicked." Almost immediately every black hand let

go and fled. Glory be to our God, he always causes us to triumph

through Christ Jesus.

The little ones said it looked as though we should be pulled to

pieces, but, praise God, not a hair of our head was harmed, not a

muscle strained, and not a thread of our clothes torn. Glory to

Jesus for his precious deliverance of us out of the jaws of the

fierce beasts! It was reported that their intention was to strip

us and give us a good lashing with whips and then serve us with

a dessert of rotten eggs. We praised God for their defeat, but

believe we should have praised him and leaped still more with the

glory in our soul had he seen fit to let the wicked accomplish

their end. After the struggle we sang a hymn of praise to God and

resumed our discourse in the Spirit of the Lord.

Before we came to the place, our eyes rested on 1 Thess. 2:1,2,

and as we read, the Spirit gave us the words as descriptive of

what we should meet. Praise God, we were willing to be shamefully

entreated for Christ's sake and were none the less "bold in our God

to speak unto you the gospel of God with much contention," "knowing

that our entrance in unto you was not in vain."

The night before the black mob came we dreamed of fighting

black dogs, which finally fled from before our face. Some were

apprehensive they would repeat the attack, and there were all kinds

of "rumors of wars." Had we not been saved above all fears we

should have escaped out of that place as soon as possible, but we

remained over the following Sabbath.

From Ohio the course of our little company of evangelists turned

westward again. While they were holding meeting at Payne, Ohio,

Brothers Williams and Yoder, from LaGrange County, Ind., arrived to

convey them seventy-two miles back to Brushy Prairie, Ind. On their

return they reached a point near Antwerp, Ohio, the first evening. As

soon as they came into the neighborhood the news was sounded out, and

the house where they were stopping was quickly filled with people who

had come to hear the words of eternal life.

When we landed there, we began to think of our bodies, and felt

sorry the word had gone out announcing a meeting. We had been up,

some until twelve, and others until two o'clock, the night before,

and wishing to start by daylight on a fifty-five mile drive the

next day, it seemed that the rest was a matter of necessity. But

as the people came together, our hearts, burdened for lost souls,

soon forgot circumstances, and the meeting continued till eleven

o'clock. All glory to our God, who is 'able to make all grace

abound unto us, so that we always having all sufficiency in all

things may abound unto every good work.'

Meetings were held in LaGrange County, Ind., after which the company

were conveyed in a two-days journey by lumber-wagon, to Beaver

Dam.[20] While engaged in meetings in this part of the State he was

called home to the Office again, to assist with the third edition of

the song-book. The Publishing Office by this time had been moved to

Grand Junction, Van Buren County, Mich.

Brother Fisher, having gone to the Office, wrote for us to come

also, as we were needed. The interest of the meeting was such that

we thought we should by no means leave. But as we fasted and prayed,

the Spirit of God bade us go immediately, assuring us that he would

put his Spirit on dear Bro. Barney Warren and cause him to preach the

word to the people....

Though the little ones were loath to have us leave so suddenly, the

grace of God enabled all to say, "Amen," and in a few moments we were

on our way to the station, and several hours ride on Father's swift

chariots landed us at the Trumpet Office once more, after an absence

of five months.

Oh, praise God for his glorious blessings upon our soul and body!

Having had no ministerial help, preaching nearly all the time twice

a day, with much altar-work, singing, etc., besides doing one

man's writing keeping the Trumpet filled and attending to a large

correspondence, hymn-writing, etc., it is wonderful, a constant

miracle, how God can do so much through a poor, naturally frail body.

We scarcely get six hours sleep out of twenty-four. Glory to God, we

do love this holy war for our God against the powers of hell and for

the rescue of perishing souls. If the Lord saw fit to keep us working

the whole time day and night, and sustained us, we should say, Amen.

Oh, how glad we were to see the beloved little ones at home once

more! God bless their souls. How grateful we are to God for the

faithful labors of these dear ones. Truly they endure all things for

the elect's sake, that their fingers may send forth the bread of

heaven to the hungry souls. Dear brethren, when you read the Trumpet

so eagerly do not forget to pray for those blessed children who are

so devoted to this great work. We were in hopes that God would give

us the sweet luxury of some nights' rest with the little ones at

home. But lo, here came the dear saints from every direction wishing

Brother Joseph and us to come here and there to preach for them....

When we left our little company we expected to return soon again, but

as the second edition of Songs of Victory is nearly exhausted we have

to remain here to help print the third edition soon.

Praise God, nearly thirty-five hundred books have gone forth singing

the praises of God. May God speed all his flying angels with the

everlasting gospel to this dark and wretched world, so near its awful

doom. Amen.

Brother Warner remained at the Office until early in March, when, by

agreement, he met his little company again at Walkerton, Ind., where

they had held meetings almost a year before. Frankie Miller refers in

her diary to their meeting in Walkerton on the night of their arrival

there.

That night we all met at Brother Barden's to worship God. After

the meeting had nicely begun, in walked Brother Warner. Well, it

is needless to say we were all very thankful to see his dear face

again. He said that this was the second time he had been mobbed.

The first time was by the black mob near Rising Sun. Ohio, and the

second time was this time by the White Horse Cavalry.

Sister Miller also relates an instance of healing that occurred

before they left Walkerton.

Wednesday morning, the 13th, Brother Wolfenberger came out to

Brother Barden's, where we were, before breakfast. His little boy

five years old was very sick with spinal disease and had high

fever. The doctors held a council over him the day before. We all

went over about nine o'clock. The doctor was there. The little

fellow was crying, and burning up with fever. He had not eaten

anything but a little scraped apple since Saturday. The doctor

tried to open his eyes, and wanted to put a fly blister on his

spine. Brother Warner told the parents that if they wanted to put

the case in God's hands they must drop the doctor and his medicines

and take Christ alone for their physician. They were both willing,

and said they believed God would heal the child. After looking to

God in prayer, Brother Warner anointed the child in the name of

Jesus, and we laid on hands, and God healed the little sufferer.

Oh, praise God for his goodness! The fever was broken, and he sweat

freely and opened his eyes very bright and asked for a cookie.

He ate two cookies and some bologna very greedily, and teased to

be dressed and go to the depot with his papa after his sister's

satchel.

The daughter had been attending school in Auburn, and they

telegraphed for her, thinking the child could not live. Before we

reached the place, the daughter had gone to God in prayer asking

him to pardon her sins and to save her little brother. After the

child was healed, a young woman working in the family, who had

been bitter against the power of God and against us, fell on her

knees and cried to God for mercy, and she received the spirit of

adoption. She was a member of the United Brethren without a spark

of salvation.

We present extracts from Brother Warner's report of this second

meeting at Walkerton.

Here we set the battle in array last April in a two weeks

siege. Hell was moved to the bottomless pit. Babylon foamed and

howled, and, like the ancient Pharisees, stirred up the people

to "shamefully entreat us," as they did Paul at Philippi. But,

thank God, in the fires of persecution and storms of opposition

God saved a few souls, and these we find standing fast; and a few

others the Lord has added to his own church, who are praising God

for the great salvation. We soon found that the gospel of Christ

had grown much in the favor of the people. The Lord God of power

had greatly turned the minds and hearts of the people to endorse

and love the truth. Men of principle gave all to understand that

if they attempted to disturb our meetings again as they had before

they must suffer the application of the law. Praise God, the

people heeded the warning, and God also inclined them to give good

attention.

We occupied a very large hall for two weeks and had it well

filled with hearers. Multitudes were under deep conviction, but

were unwilling to pay the price of real salvation. Several,

however, were saved by the power and grace of God, converted and

sanctified, and a few made their escape fully out of Babylon and

were wonderfully blessed of the Lord. Were it not for shoddy

holiness and stagnant pools of sectish religion in the way of God's

salvation, a great harvest of souls could be brought to Jesus. But

the corrupt preachers in this place will have to answer for the

awful influence that is damning multitudes of poor sinners, both

in and out of their sect enclosures. On the last two nights of

our meeting, there was also meeting in the Methodist house in the

town. Some of that sect were greatly convicted to escape out of

her; but we could feel the influence of those meetings as sensibly

as if the Holy Spirit were incarnate and were being literally

crucified in the town, as the Spirit and Word were killed "in the

streets of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and

Egypt" (Rev. 11:8). Oh, how sensibly we felt the "fellowship of

the suffering" of Jesus Christ! While the sweet peace of God flows

a deep, everlasting undercurrent in our souls, we often feel the

slaughter of immortal spirits in the streets of Babylon until our

heart sickens and we long to leave this world and be with Jesus.

But like the apostle, we always conclude that "for us to live is

Christ"; and the rescue of perishing souls from the brink of hell

fires us with a willingness to expose our soul to the hatred and

jeers, violence and murder in hearts that are drunk on the wine of

beast religion. The United Brethren preacher at this place, whom

Satan used with such diligence against the work when we were here

last year, was much tormented by our return. "The wine of the wrath

of her fornication" so foamed in his heart that, we were told by

good authority, he said that he wished we were stripped, tarred and

feathered, and then set on fire, and added that he would like to

touch the match himself. And this wretched priest of Baal professes

sanctification, and frequently leads the Babylon holiness band's

meetings. Today we were told that he regretted much that his words

came to our ears. That is like the thief that repented bitterly,

not of his theft, but that he was caught in the deed.

A sister came in from the country and received full salvation.

There being a union meeting-house in the community, she and others

desired us to come there and preach the gospel. We agreed to do

so on Sabbath evening if the house could be obtained. She thought

there would be no difficulty. But as soon as the matter became

known, a Methodist local preacher of the vicinity began to rage. He

came to Walkerton on Saturday and, "foaming out his shame" before

the people, declared that if we attempted to enter that pulpit he

would "break our head," "break our neck," "kill us," etc.

Bishop Foster speaks of his M. E. sect as follows: "Oh, how

changed! A hireling ministry will be a feeble, a timid, a

truckling, a time-serving ministry, without faith, endurance,

and holy power." Through this corrupt ministry "worldly socials,

festivals, concerts, and such like, have taken the place of the

religious gatherings, revival meetings, class- and prayer-meetings

of the past. Oh, how changed!" Yes, saith the prophet, "How is

the faithful city become an harlot! it was full of judgment;

righteousness lodged in it; but now murderers. Thy silver is become

dross, thy wine mixed with water: thy princes are rebellious, and

companions of thieves: every one loveth gifts, and followeth after

rewards" (Isa. 1:21-23).

Surely we have come to the last days. For, "this know also, that in

the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers

of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers,

disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural

affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce,

despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, highminded,

lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God; having a form of

godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away" (2

Tim. 3:1-5).

Yea, "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."

Oh, the rottenness, fierce hatred, and soul-murdering wickedness of

sect Babylon! If there were only one hundred professors of Christ

in the United States, and they all holy men and women of God,

filled with faith and the Holy Spirit, walking unto all pleasing

before God and exemplifying the pure life of Christ before men,

and this generation had never known any other kind of professors

of Christ, the masses of the people could be rapidly reached by

the gospel of Jesus and saved from sin. But the devil has the

world piled up with corrupt, proud, filthy, sectish religionists,

'professing that they know God; but in works they deny him, being

abominable and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate'

(Tit. 1:16).

And because God has given us an honest heart to confess the sins

of the professed Christendom and show the people that Christ is

not the author of this mass of spiritual whoredom and abominable

wickedness, which has filled hell with lost souls and covered the

earth with blackness and infidelity, the devil howls and rages

in his sectish priests, who are ready to murder us as the Jews

did Christ, Stephen, and thousands of other martyrs who testified

against them and their evil deeds.

As we shall have to meet the people of Walkerton and surroundings

face to face in the day of judgment, God holds us responsible to

tell them that the greatest obstruction to the salvation of souls

is their shoddy, sectish holiness and their abominable, worldly

religion.

Up to the summer of 1887 the evangelistic efforts of Brother Warner

and his company were confined to the States of the Middle West. But

now came a more extensive tour, that should take them as far West

as Denver, Colo. On June 24 they left the Office and after a few

meetings in LaGrange and Jay Counties, Ind., departed for the West.

They stopped at Gilman and Onarga, Ill., and Hayesville, Iowa. From

Keokuk, Iowa, they traveled by steamboat to St. Louis, where the

following report was written:

"Oh, praise the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together!"

We have just landed here from the steamboat Sidney, having had a

very delightful trip down the Mississippi from Keokuk. We made the

trip of two hundred miles in twenty hours. The river being very low

at this time, much caution was necessary to avoid running aground.

Doubtless one hundred miles were traveled in passing from one side

of the river to the other to keep the deepest channel.

We were a day and a night at Keokuk, waiting the coming of the

boat. The Gem City was to have reached Keokuk the first day and

then return down the river; but being late she turned around at

Quincy and started back, leaving us to wait until the next day.

Praise God, we confessed his all-wise hand in the matter and

thanked him for the prolonged wait, believing it was all ordered

of him. This morning about daybreak we passed the Gem City, she

having stuck fast in the sand. So the Lord was good to his little

ones and gave us a safe and very joyful voyage. Oh, the goodness

and wisdom of God our heavenly Father for placing the great rivers

and lakes in the earth as a beautiful means of travel! It is so

much more pleasant than by railroad. Though the speed is not more

than half so great, we can very pleasantly improve the time reading

and writing. However, this trip was so wonderfully enjoyed by us

that we could do no more than feast upon the beauties of nature

and praise the Lord. The river abounds in beautiful green islands,

and all her verdant banks are delightful. Just below the mouth of

the Illinois river, for a few miles, the hand of God has skilfully

carved out of the high rocky shore very beautiful scallops and

great piers and towers, and even some appearances of partly ruined

mansions and rustic stone buildings.

* * * * *

No one else on board the vessel seemed to be delighted with these

vast and beautiful works as were our company, because unacquainted

with our dear Father, whose hand of love has formed them all. Oh,

how blessed the pure in heart who see God all along the voyage of

life! What a vastly different aspect everything wears when looked

at in the light of God! Oh, how poor and meager the pleasures of

the children of this world! How utterly tasteless and empty their

thoughts and conversation! No place on earth serves better to call

out the glories of a life hid with Christ in God in its striking

contrast with the dark minds and almost senseless twaddle of the

aliens than the deck of a steamboat. Even the more elevated seldom

have a worthy thought on immortal mind; while every object our eyes

lighted upon in the passing panorama of nature inspired our souls

with joyful acknowledgments of God, and moved our hearts and lips

to praise his name. Oh, what a rapturous and heavenly kingdom we

live in, all flashing with glory and yet hidden from the blinded

sinners! Having lost our lives for Christ's sake we are raised to

the heavenly joys of the life of God in us, a life of bliss, that

already transcends the sinner's loftiest ideal of heaven itself.

Oh, the beauties of holiness! "Out of Zion the perfection of

beauty, God hath shined." Never in all past experience has our

heart flowed out more in gratitude to God for the inexpressible

bliss of a pure conscience, a pure heart through the blood of

Christ, an innocent life through grace divine, a conversation in

heaven flowing from a good treasure in the heart, and, above all, a

soul illuminated and inspired to see and enjoy God in every bright

sunbeam that gleams on earth and sparkles in the silvery stream and

every object upon the footstool of God.

God is love; the angels know

That Father dearly loves us so.

But, oh, the ransomed feel within

The burning love we try to sing!

This evening we start for St. James, Mo., the Lord willing, where

we expect to meet once more our dear Bro. J. Cole, and many others

dear to our hearts by the fellowship of the Spirit whose faces

we have never seen. And best of all, we are expecting a glorious

harvest of souls turned to righteousness by the mighty power and

love of God.

The next report was written from St. James, Crawford County, one

hundred miles west of St. Louis. Bro. B. E. Warren says that after

buying their tickets for St. James they had but seven cents left, and

that after arriving at the latter place Brother Warner went to the

post-office and received a letter containing five dollars from S. L.

Speck, who felt led of the Lord to send that amount. Brother Warner's

account of their reception in St. James, as follows, is interesting:

The night following our last report, which was from St. Louis, Mo.,

we landed at St. James, at 12:30 A. M. The Lord directed us to a

friendly inn, where we rested until the morning. As we sat at the

breakfast-table our grateful hearts flowed out in our sweet little

table thanksgiving song. The Lord wonderfully blessed that sweet

offering of praise. It rang out and greeted the ears of all in

hearing as the music of heaven. After meal, requests soon came in

for songs. The Holy Spirit gloriously inspired our voices to sing

his praises. Many people soon collected in front of the room and

some came in. After a few hymns, we had family worship. We invited

all that would come to come in and bow with us in prayer. Some

did so. The Lord blessed our souls. Soon Bro. J. H. Morrison came

into town, and seeing the throng in front of the hotel he asked

the cause, and was told that "your people have come to town." He

came into the waiting-room and introduced himself, and the Spirit

of God gave us a joyful meeting. Sinners looked on with wonder and

amazement, and were led to say, "These are truly the real children

of God, and this is the right way," according to the words of our

Savior, "By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if

ye have love one for another." Many seemed quite serious. Had we

tried to respond to the requests of the people we should have kept

singing all day without cessation.

The people desired Brother Morrison to keep us right there and have

a meeting that night in town, saying they would see that all our

expenses there should be paid. The landlady and family were also

very anxious we should stay, and treated us with much kindness. The

Lord reward them. The Methodist preacher also came to see what this

Pentecost fire was that had come to town. When asked if we could

have their meeting-house that night he replied that he was going

to "begin a protracted meeting tonight." Suddenly the preacher

concluded a protracted meeting was needed in his charge. Whoever

heard of a Methodist minister commencing a protracted meeting in

the month of July in the latitude of central Missouri, especially

since that sect has gone spiritually to the frigid zone where, as

their oldest living bishop says, "spirituality is frozen to death"?

Quite a capacious hall was procured and well filled, and we enjoyed

preaching the precious gospel to the people. About all received the

word. The M. E. meeting consisted of three or four women, and was

not further protracted.

The day of our arrival here came also dear Bro. C. C. Knight,

from Fulton, Ill., with tent and equipment to accompany us on our

Western campaign. He is full of faith and the Holy Ghost and is a

good help in the work.

The next day we moved out to the camp-ground, which is about ten

miles from St. James and near the Merrimac River. Here we met our

dearly beloved Brother Cole, who spent a year with us in Michigan

a few years ago; also his sister Mary, a chosen and anointed

instrument of God to preach and testify the gospel of the grace of

God.

At this camp-meeting the little company were to encounter a new

problem. As soon as they arrived at the place of meeting they were

accorded a strange reception. Those who were supposed to be saints at

that place came to meet them, some dancing on one leg, some rolling

their eyes in their head, others gibbering in tongues, or jerking, or

falling stiff, etc. At first they did not know what to make of the

strange performance. At this place also was another attempt by a mob

to capture Brother Warner. His report continues:

We met also a much larger host of saints than we had expected to

find in this country. Praise God for this! But oh, how soon we saw

and felt that Satan, the deceiver, had passed a dreadful network

of deception over them, or nearly all of them! Unseemly and even

hideous operations and contortions were carried on and called the

manifestations of the Spirit and power of God. We began at once to

rebuke it in the name of the Lord Jesus. God gloriously blessed

our souls in preaching his word and assured us that he had much

people there who were honest and sincere at heart and who would

be delivered by the presentation of his word. The supposed gift

of tongues was alarmingly increasing. Indian war-dances, etc.,

had turned the church of God into something quite different, a

disgusting maze of confusion. We were helped of God in teaching

them "how they ought to behave themselves in the house of God,

which is the church of the living God."

A terrible nervous jerking had seized upon many in the meetings,

which in some cases resembled much St. Vitus' dance. We speak of

these things in order to give the saints of God everywhere the

benefit of what these precious souls have learned in the dear

school of experience. We had never seen such manifestation except

in persons possessed with devils, and yet the Spirit of God showed

us these were not so possessed, but were, for the most part, still

owned of the Lord. We read 1 Cor. 12, 13, 14, and showed the

beautiful harmony of the church under the control of the Spirit of

God; that 'love does not behave itself unseemly'; that the gift of

tongues was not of general usefulness, and was a sign to the Jews,

not generally edifying to the church; that other gifts should be

sought in preference, and unless he or some one else interpret, the

person having the gift should keep silent or speak to himself;

that 'five words with the understanding is better than ten thousand

in an unknown tongue'; that spasmodic jerking is not mentioned in

the Bible as a manifestation of God's Spirit, but is ascribed to a

malignant spirit.

We renounced that working as of the devil. It seems that one

brother who had been powerfully charged by the Holy Spirit had

become puffed up, which gave place to this satanic working. Then

Satan made it the standard of being filled with the Spirit and

power of God; therefore many earnestly prayed for it. They forgot

that the Holy Spirit makes intercession for us only according to

the will of God, and whatsoever one prays for outside the will of

God must be suggested by some other spirit. And as God has not

promised to answer such a prayer, the devil steps in and answers

it. And now, since delivered, the dear saints see and confess that

the incoming of this power dimmed their faith, joy, and peace.

It was nothing less than Satan touching and playing upon their

nerves and upon their imaginations. Their motives having been good,

namely, to seek the real power of God, their consciences were not

defiled--at least, with most of them. But some were much blinded

and puffed up of the devil. Satan had free access to their minds

under the cloak of the Spirit of God. Those who were not affected

by the foolish jerking of the devil were judged by the devil and

made to believe they did not have the Spirit of God because they

did not jerk. Thus all were under depression and more or less

bewildered. Oh, how our souls were saddened at the sight! O dear

saints of God everywhere, do not ascribe to the Spirit of God

ludicrous and unbecoming conduct, such as chattering like a coon or

barking like a dog, and all hideous looks!

Well, praise God, the word of God was received. Some at first

resented, but God soon convicted them and they became teachable.

Nearly all the foolish stuff was rid out of the camp after one

discourse explaining and renouncing it. Intelligent sinners

respected the truth of God that exposed the devil's counterfeit,

and some who loved the true church wept for joy to see the

abomination put away. From that time God led one after another to

confess that spiritual joy and true faith began to depart out of

their hearts from the time of receiving the jerks. Many came bowing

at the altar, and the glorious work of cleansing went forward.

The truth of God was published against all the works of the devil

by the power of the Holy Spirit. Some sect preachers, filled with

the beast spirit and the very devil himself, were very much enraged

against the word of the Lord, which had laid open the rottenness

of their hearts. Hence they spewed out their shame and foamed

exceedingly. On Tuesday night, after meeting, we all lay down to

rest, being wearied with the arduous labors of the day. A masked

mob aroused us from our much-needed sleep and ordered all to pack

up and leave the grounds in half an hour. They were armed with

staves and rocks. Well, the saints arose and packed up, praising

God for peace and comfort in their souls, not fearing the poor set

of sinners who knew not that they were persecuting the Savior. They

made diligent inquiry for us all about the camp. We were doubtless

the special victim marked by their rankling hatred; but the Lord

delivered us out of their hands. Oh, praise the Lord with me and

let us exalt his name together!

The next morning early some saints drove back to the ground to get

some things that had been left, and there came the preachers who

had been howling with torment and sorrow because of the sword of

the Lord, and even gnawing their tongues for pain, and who were

generally believed to have been in the clan the night before, and

one of them even recognized. They asked with much affected surprize

what had happened, and began to declare and even to swear in the

presence of God that they knew nothing of the movement and were

not in it, though one of them confessed he was glad of it. This

they did without having been accused. One brother said, "A guilty

conscience needs no accuser; you plead guilty before accused."...

Well, praise God, the next morning, after a few hours' sleep, we

were called up to join some little ones in asking God to heal a

child that was suffering with the croup. The good Lord instantly

did the work. Others followed, some for healing, others for

complete deliverance from every taint of the devil. God himself

gathered the saints at that place, and the day was devoted to

salvation work. Probably twenty-five or thirty souls were delivered

from all the works of the devil and filled with the Spirit of God.

Oh, what a mighty change has taken place here! Instead of gloomy

and hideous looks, now shines the glory and beauties of holiness,

upon the joyful faces of the redeemed, and clear, ringing shouts of

praises are pleasing to God.

No meeting was announced for the next day, but the Lord gathered

quite a number together again, and salvation work was resumed.

On both days God so filled and possessed the meetings that there

was not time for the slightest allusion to the mob workers of the

devil. A stranger might have sat in the meeting the whole day

and not received the faintest information of what had happened

two nights ago. Praise God, these two days after driven out of

camp were the most glorious and fruitful of all that we spent in

these wild thickets. In spite of all that poor, pitiable ruffians

could do, hissed on by wicked Babylonians, we are filled with joy

unspeakable and full of glory.

We are now holding meetings a few days in the village of St. James.

A large hall is crowded with attentive hearers, and the truth is

mightily prevailing. Let all the saints of God pray for us. We will

continue to preach the whole truth and rebuke the works of the

devil, even if this tour should end in heaven. Halleluiah!

Of these strange manifestations Bro. T. E. Ellis, who was one of

those living in the vicinity and affected by the peculiar power that

possessed the saints there, says:

We were under an influence similar to what the modern tongues

people are under. We had different manifestations. Some would jerk

spasmodically, some would fall and become stiff, some would dance,

some would seem to have a kind of trance and a vision. Healing was

claimed and the work seemed to be done. We had what we called the

"unknown tongue" and an interpreter. A few talked similarly to the

way modern tongues people talk nowadays.

From St. James the company continued their tour to Carthage, in the

southwestern part of the State. They also held meetings at a number

of different points in southern Kansas and in southeastern Nebraska,

The first paragraph of his report from Chanute, Kans., was written

while he was sick. We quote the first two paragraphs:

It seems as distance stretches out between us and the dear loved

ones with whom we have so often and joyfully worshiped God, that

the love of God in our hearts is drawing us nearer together. I

have never before felt the blessed, pure love of God burning so

intensely in my heart for the dear household of God as lately. I

can scarcely write to the beloved saints without tears dimming my

eyes. O dearly beloved, we can feel your daily fervent prayers in

our behalf, and all our company desire to thank you, for them.

We want to testify to the goodness of God. The foregoing lines

were written by a very sick man, but now we continue writing, a

well man. Oh, praise the Lord with me and let us exalt his name

together! From early morn until 3 P. M. today we were very sick,

unable to eat. Tried to write, but had to take the bed. Finally the

Lord impressed us with earnest prayer. We called the little company

and kneeled before God, and oh, our dear heavenly Father instantly

healed our body, took away all bad feeling, raised our voice from

the faint tones of a person just beginning to rise from a hard

sick spell to clear loud shouts of praise! He also sent through

our entire system the strength of high leaps, as well as the high

praises of God.

In a later report he shows how his health was maintained by faith.

For some time we have felt called of God to devote ourself more

especially to the great duty of writing some works of present

truth, and we expect to do so after the present tour. With this

fact coming oft before our mind, we began unconsciously to relax

our faith by which in our natural frailty we kept up sufficient

strength for field labor. The presence of the ministerial brethren

with us for some time also helped ease up our mind and drop our

shield of faith by our side. The result was the devil had afflicted

our poor weak body for several weeks. But, praise God, the Lord

having in answer to prayer shown us what the trouble was, last

Sabbath we rebuked the devil in the name of the Lord Jesus with a

holy vehemence, and our soul and body sprang forth with a shout of

victory, and, glory to our God, we have been wonderfully well and

spiritually glorious ever since.

From Waco, Nebr., the company traveled westward to Denver. The

following are extracts from his report at that place:

We stopped over a few hours in Lincoln, the capital of the State.

We viewed with surprize the young city. Fourteen years ago when

we visited the place it was small--now it numbers over twenty

thousand inhabitants, more than double the size of Lansing, Mich.

That night, for the first time in all our travels, an accident

occurred to our train, a slight collision with a freight-train

several miles out of Lincoln. The engine being injured, we had to

wait some hours until another was brought from the city. During

this time there was a very violent wind. The car rocked on its

springs like a load of hay passing over a rough road. But we lay

down and slept sweetly, committing ourselves unto the Lord. That

evening dear Bro. E. E. Byrum, at the office, had a great burden

for our safety, as he wrote us the next day. But he prayed for

us until the Lord by the Spirit answered him that we should be

delivered from all harm. Oh, praise the Lord for his goodness and

mercy toward us! For our safety he placed a burden on one nearly a

thousand miles away, but allowed not the slightest anxiety on our

minds....

Tuesday evening, December 6, our little company took train for

Denver, five hundred miles more toward the setting sun. That night

we stopped over and had a good night's rest at McCook, Nebr. Took

train again at 7 A. M. and went flying over the prairie at a swift

rate. Oh, what vast expanse of the broad prairie! Some parts

are rough and broken, but the larger portion is beautiful and

even and wanting only showers or irrigation to make a beautiful

farming-country....

When about fifty miles from Denver, we observed strange blue banks

to the west, which we first took to be dark clouds, but which we

soon perceived were distant foot-hills of the Rocky Mountains.

Plainer and higher they loomed up before our eyes as our swift

train kept darting like an arrow toward the base. How beautiful

and sublime the sight! Here at Denver we are twelve miles from the

foot-mountains. They seem but a very short distance, especially

when the morning sun shines brightly against their eastern sides.

It seems impossible that they can be more than a mile and one

half away. A person would surely suppose that he could walk over

and back before breakfast. The foot-hills, rather mountains, are

of a dark color, being covered by timber, and to all appearance

just beyond them rise up the beautiful snow-covered range. To our

astonishment we are told that fifty miles stretch out between them

and that there is a fertile valley there with towns, etc. The snowy

range being so much farther off seems to be but a little higher

than the foot-mountains, and both ranges seem to stand together.

In the morning they all seem so close that one would surely

suppose a man could be seen if standing there in the snow....

It was quite a novelty to the company to see the many sod-houses we

passed and dugouts in the hillsides. Sometimes there was scarcely

anything to attract attention but a window door in a steep little

hill. Sometimes we saw upon the level ground a roof about eight

by ten covering a little underground house. Most of such were but

herdsmen's dens. We have not yet begun to work here. Let all the

saints pray earnestly for the work of salvation.

The company remained in Denver ten weeks, holding meeting in various

places. When they went to that city there were only four persons who

were in the light of the truth, but they left a congregation of about

forty who had taken their stand for the truth. Returning eastward

they stopped in York County, Nebr., where Brother Warner had labored

in his Nebraska mission in 1873-4. A portion of his report from

Wayland reads as follows:

We preached and lived in this community thirteen and fourteen years

ago, then a member of the sect wearing the stolen name of Church

of God. The Lord blessed our labors in the salvation of some souls

from their sins, and we had good meetings. There were very dear

brethren and sisters here. But since our departure the work has

retrograded. Some of their preachers became horse jockeys, others

jealous-hearted, dead formalists, too cold and dry to keep men

awake, much less awaken and get any one converted. The one on the

work up to the time of our coming here has preached here four years

without the conversion of a single soul. During our meeting he

resigned his charge, and we are told he has now hired himself to

preach for the Christian sect at Wayland, some of the members of

which were the most malignant enemies and opposers of the work of

grace. An unsaved citizen declared the other evening that about all

the bad behavior and interruption he had seen during our meetings

was by the sinners of the sects.

From Wayland the company went by way of Meriden and Atchinson, Kans.,

to Whiteside County, Ill., where they held meetings near Albany and

also near Fulton. The following is the report, in part, from Albany:

We were happy to meet our dear beloved Brother Knight at his

prairie home, four miles east of Fulton, and he leaped and skipped

like a lamb to see us. The next day we all came eleven miles south

to Bro. A. Byers', whose house is a happy home for the war-worn

pilgrims. The people are receiving the word with much interest.

After several days' work here and as long at Brother Knight's

neighborhood we go on homeward, for there is a great deal to do

at home, some small works to print and the new song-book, Anthems

From the Throne. Praise God for the precious and glorious songs he

is sending us! The music is nearly all written by Brother Barney,

whose inspiration in this gift is a marvel....

O beloved, will you help us? A great responsibility rests upon

us. While we are praising God for the precious light of heaven

let us not forget others in darkness and exposed to the numerous

pitfalls now threatening souls for whom Jesus died. Let no spirit

of the devil nor any of his children tell you that we have any

selfish motive in enlisting all willing and obedient hearts and

hands in doing our duty in the rescuing of souls from Satan in

every possible way. In the name of Jesus we spurn such meanness.

God knows we do not draw a breath for self, but 'for us to live is

Christ.' Are we seeking self-interests, as wicked men have belied

us? Where can any facts be cited upon which to base such an unkind

assertion? On the present tour of nearly a year we have used about

every cent we have received from the sale of books to supply the

needs of ourself and little company. So we go forth preaching night

and day, exposing this poor frail body to the cruel, biting frosts

and beating storms, and toiling about every moment with the pen

except when in meetings or going to and from, and in about six

hours sleep, asking nothing for our labors either from God or man

but the salvation of souls and the glory of God....

Life will soon be over. You must leave your earthly treasures in

the hands of others. Whether they will leave it to serve God or

the devil is not yet known. Therefore, had you not better put a

little of it at least into God's bank, laying it up in heaven,

where thieves do not break through and steal and where moth and

rust do not corrupt? As we return home from this long tour we

feel impressed of the Lord to devote ourself more fully to the

preparation of matter for the press; and we shall pray God with all

our soul to move men and women to provide the means to purchase

paper and other supplies to send it forth. There should be some

works sent forth by the million, free of cost. We feel sure that

God will find willing hearts to help in the work, and shall toil on

in full assurance that when we breathe our last we shall have this

consolation, that we have done what we could to enlighten and save

souls, for whom Jesus died upon the cross.

The company arrived at Grand Junction, Mich., on April 25. Thus ended

their Western tour, in which seed was sown in many hearts to spring

up and bear fruit for God.

Sister Frankie Miller said of this tour that it was marked by

wonderful answers to prayer for rain. It seemed that wherever the

company stopped on their way West in Illinois, Iowa, and the other

States the country was suffering on account of drought. At every

place their visit was either attended or followed by copious showers.

At one public service Mother Smith prayed earnestly for rain. There

was not a single indication of rain, but before the service was over

the heavens blackened and rain fell in abundance. Thus all along

their course the drought was broken.

The summer of 1888 was spent in attending camp-meetings and visiting

the churches in various places in Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, and

Pennsylvania. Early in the winter a tour was made into Ontario. They

found a good many souls in that country who had come out for the

truth. Their labors there were blessed in the salvation of others and

in the sowing of the good seed. Of the country and people Brother

Warner had this to say:

We can say that we find a moderately fair farming-country, and we

can not observe the slightest difference between the people here

and in the States. More than ever we have learned that so long as

governments allow a free, conscientious worship of God, their form

is quite immaterial. We do not see that people have any special

advantages by living in the States over what are enjoyed here.

If any difference, farmers do not pay as heavy taxes here as in

the States. Local option temperance laws are given to the people,

and some counties have no saloons. And one blessed thing Canada

has reason to thank God for is the fact that all liquor-selling

establishments are strictly compelled to close early Saturday

evening and not open until Monday morning. This law enforced

cuts off nearly one half the mischief of the nefarious business.

Sabbath-observance is also far more complete here than in the

States. We were blessed with good order and find the way open for

the gospel freely.

In August of the year 1889, the company again made their way

Westward, going as far as Nebraska and returning through Kansas and

Missouri. They held meetings again at St. James, Mo., where a mob

had given trouble two years before. Some of those who were guilty of

that disturbance had become friends to the truth. One old preacher,

however, continued to abuse the saints in his preaching until one

Sunday evening, after expressing his usual opposition to the saints,

he went home and dropped dead near his gate. Before this second visit

of Brother Warner to this place one of the Baptist Church members

made it known that he intended to break up this meeting also. It was

reported that he actually began to work up a mob; but his child had

a bean to lodge in its windpipe and died, and this put a stop to the

carrying out of his evil design.

Brother Warner intended to spend the winter in Missouri, but he felt

drawn back to Indiana. Having a great desire to settle down for a

while, he wrote as follows, in December, 1889:

For a long time we have felt the call of God to shut ourself away

with him for a while and let him teach us the deep things of God,

that we may be able more perfectly to follow out the glorious

lines of present truth. We have a great desire to do so, and yet

when hungry souls in every direction are calling for the saving

truth of God it is hard for us to keep from running; but if the

Lord will, we shall pass the calls around to the many able-bodied

and warm-hearted soldiers of the "white horse" cavalry, who are

ready to rush to the battle wherever he leads. We began preaching,

a poor, frail invalid, over twenty-two years ago, and God has

sustained us in a most remarkable manner during all these years

of intense labor and great exposure. Oh how grateful we feel to

our heavenly Father that we are blessed with such good health!

But nevertheless we feel that more regular diet, sleep, etc., for

a season will prove a great blessing, and increase and prolong

our usefulness on earth. We shall devote ourself principally to

Bible-study and poetical labor.

By the close of the year 1889, it was seen that the work had been

almost doubling itself annually. That year there had been held

twenty-five grove-meetings, fourteen camp-meetings, besides several

general assemblies. Quite a strong working force was by this time in

the field, and evangelists were scattered out in the more distant

parts of the country.

The next tour of any considerable extent was one that took them into

the Southland. This trip was made in November, 1890. They intended to

make the trip by boat down the Mississippi, but found the water at a

low ebb and traveling very slow. They took a steamer at Cincinnati,

but had to wait two days before it started; and then it took them

four days to reach Cairo. After waiting three days for a boat

overdue from St. Louis, they made the rest of the journey by rail,

and landed at Meridian, Miss. In this part of the country Brothers

Bradley and Bozeman and others had opened up the work. The people

were very hungry for the preaching of the word. Brother Warner and

the company spent several weeks in the eastern part of the State.

His bold manner in uncovering sin and false religion occasioned

considerable opposition from various sectarian sources. The country

was cursed with a false holiness element called "Straight Holiness,"

representing the Good Way, a paper then published at Fort Scott,

Kans. Its teachers failed in the South to be uncompromising against

tobacco and other evils and they incited no little opposition and

prejudice against the New Testament standard held by Brother Warner.

At Beech Springs, Miss., the mob element was encountered, as is shown

by the portion of Brother Warner's report here given:

At that place there are a few Babylon hearts of the most pernicious

hue, men steeped and dyed in tobacco and drunk on Babylon's worst

wine, the wrath of which they infuse into the baser sort. Brothers

Bradley and Bozeman have both been threatened in that place with

violence and, we believe, even with murder, and we could expect

the same animus toward us. Hence, the second night several pieces

of brick and clubs came crashing through the window, all doubtless

hurled in wrath at us. Nearly half of the sash was broken in and

the glass flew over the house. The unsaved were much frightened,

and the whole house was thrown into confusion. The glory of God

was greatly upon us through all the evening, and with the cowardly

onslaught the heavenly tides so wondrously swelled in our soul

that we had to leap for joy in the midst of the uproar. Oh, the

mighty river of peace and joy! The excellent tide of glory only

subsided into sleep at a late hour, and it arose again with our

waking in the morning. We stood only about seven feet from the

window and nearly opposite; but the hand of God protected us from

serious harm. However, the Lord saw he could overrule a slight

glancing wound on the side of our face and nose for his glory,

and so permitted the same. It was very evident in the meeting the

next day that either Satan had made a great mistake or else his

children were more wicked than he wanted them to be, so that he

could not restrain them from their wicked deed, which proved a

great blessing to the cause of Christ. All the saints were able to

see more clearly than ever before the track that Christ and his

primitive saints had trod. And about all testified that they had

reached a clearer experience, stronger faith, and more joy in the

Lord through the last night's meeting than ever before. The meeting

that day was indeed very glorious.

The spiritual condition of the people as countenanced by the

"Straight Holiness" teachers in that part of the South is set forth

in the report written from Spring Hill, near Meridian:

Our last report was from Oak Grove neighborhood. When we entered

there we found the powers of darkness and wickedness fierce and

black. Threats were breathed about and written notices deposited in

the dark. After one night's meeting in the old meeting-house, which

is a neighborhood building, it was locked up. We went into the

small schoolhouse near by and the Lord most wonderfully blessed our

souls. Satan then had the schoolhouse locked, and though certain

citizens had jerked the staples out of the old meeting-house and

the doors stood wide open, and the Methodist class-leader, being

in favor of the right and truth, invited us to enter, yet because

others were raging we preferred to hold a little service in the

public road, in the bright moonlight. God blessed the songs,

prayer, and a few words of exhortation, and all the people seemed

touched. Nearly every person present kneeled during prayer.

All these circumstances God overruled to the good of the people

and the cause of Christ. The schoolhouse was again opened, and we

went on a few nights longer, with glorious victory. Only a few

sought the Lord; but there was a general blessing effected on the

community in the removal of prejudice and hatred out of many hearts

that had been influenced through lies and slanders, such as of

promiscuous kissing, free-love, etc., propagated chiefly by the

little Fort Scott-creed sect.[21]

It is a bad and fallacious cause that depends upon defamation of

others. The course these schismatics resort to occasions some

persecution and no little hatred, and even danger of violent

treatment, which they will have to answer for in the day of

judgment. But the cause thus bolstered up can not stand, and truth

crushed down by foul means is sure to rise again; and just in

proportion as there has been evil-speaking against the truth will

it enlist the hearts of the honest, and at the same time forfeit

all confidence in and elicit contempt for such as have defamed it

and its lovers. In accordance with these principles truth rose

triumphant at Oak Grove. The people saw we had been slandered, yea

and Jesus Christ also.... The Lord has raised up many friends for

the whole truth in that place, and could we have remained long

enough to make a thorough effort, doubtless a number of souls would

have been saved. But the way is opened for the true work of God to

prosper there. Some who were much prejudiced when we went there,

seeing that the truth of God is in us, had their minds changed,

and their countenances were divested of the sour and took on the

pleasant. God bless the people of that community.

From that place we came to Spring Hill, several miles east.... Here

were a few pure children of God, whom we found yoked up with a

majority who were professing salvation and yet "walking after the

flesh in the lust of uncleanness." In our lifting the standard of

God's Word against such inconsistencies, the wicked spirits were

stirred in the baser sort, so that many threats of violence were

blown about in the neighborhood. But the hand of God being over us,

we suffered no harm....

Oh, how our soul longs to be excused of this most unpleasant task

of lifting the gospel standard of holiness where profession has

been countenanced in lives of filth and idolatry! The preacher

that simply tells the people he could not use tobacco, and even

earnestly admonishes men to quit, and yet receives the testimonies

of men who use it, sets at naught the Word of God, pampers men

in their sins, and prepares a storm of persecution to fall on

the head of the man who comes after him showing the real Bible

line between the works of God and the works of the devil, between

real holiness of heart, soul, spirit, and body on the one side,

and all filthiness of the flesh and spirit on the other. If

holiness-teachers, on going into a new field where people know

nothing about the doctrine and experience, would faithfully tell

them at once that entire sanctification, the second work of grace,

cleanses out of man all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, which

includes all unholy tempers and appetites, that it can be obtained

only by abandoning every sinful and unclean habit and giving the

whole man--soul, body, and spirit--up to God for perfect purity of

life and being, no person is prepared to contradict him, and such

as conclude to seek that grace will expect to pay the full price....

But when men are allowed to profess holiness without contradiction

and yet practise the sin of tobacco-using or anything else contrary

to godliness, they, in imagining themselves holy while living in

unholiness, as well as sinners in general, learn to associate

holiness and filth, and the difficulties in rooting out the

abomination, are many times increased. Men, by getting a degree

of blessing of God upon their souls in consequence of abandoning

some evils, or at least imagining themselves blessed, take the

same as an endorsement from God upon the filth they yet continue

in. The longer they continue in their delusion the more they are

confirmed in it and the more they will fight for their idols. And

their practise justifying the lusts of the wicked, these are ready

to assault and abuse God's ministers, who must declare the whole

counsel of God. And so a lax preacher gives place for the devil and

wrath of men to assault the faithful herald of God that follows

him. So by the fruits of the devotees of rehashed Methodism in the

Fort Scott creed, which has cursed the South and filled hearts with

bitter hatred toward all who follow Christ, and by their strife

and contentions having brought a general contempt upon the name

of holiness, and also by their lack of radicalness against sin in

every form, our work here is beset with dark mountains, which God

alone can remove, but which, thank his holy name, have been much

obliterated in all places where we have labored.

Later, at Spring Hill, the mob element was further encountered. Here,

as was always the case where a mob gathered to do violence to Brother

Warner, the chief instigators were sectarian preachers and professors

who were incensed by the preaching of the truth that condemned them.

From Spring Hill meeting-house, where we last wrote, we went about

seven miles to the southeast through a wild and almost mountainous

woods, to the house of Brother and Sister Irby, in whose dwelling

we remained and held meeting about one week.... A goodly number of

hearers came out through the wet weather, and the dear Lord was

pleased to pour his Spirit upon us gloriously. It seemed that God

had taken us up upon the Delectable Mountains. The leaps in our

soul were too high for the height of the room, as the house had a

ceiling, whereas, nearly all the country houses here have nothing

overhead but the roof, and never has a whitewash brush touched the

walls. Scarcely one out of ten of the houses in the country has a

pane of glass in it. The sisters talked with some women who did not

know what a carpet is. We have seen no such thing here. The people

in the South seem contented with fewer domestic comforts than

any people we ever before met. As one sister remarked the other

day, "they take it out in tobacco." There is much truth in this

statement. That weed deprives them of nearly all comforts and many

actual necessities of life. Of course, there is not the same need

of carpeted floors here as in the North; but how people can live

for years in a house without a window is a mystery.

Well, our stay at Brother and Sister Irby's seemed to my soul like

old Brother Elijah's hiding-place in the wilderness, where he dined

on food brought by angels. We also feasted on heavenly manna, and

shall never forget it. Some came to the altar, and a few cast away

their filthy idol; but we hope the day of judgment will reveal much

more good done than was manifest....

Some of God's little ones came over from Spring Hill, who informed

us that some were anxious for our return to that place. Now, at

that place is where Satan's seat is. Before we left there we were

much impressed that the mob spirit was at work, and one night when

the rain prevented our going to the place, a disguised crowd was

seen going there. But now, hearing that some souls were hungry for

salvation, we ventured back in the name of Jesus.

When reaching the neighborhood, we were joyfully surprized by the

coming of our dear young brother Andrew L. Byers, from Illinois,

who has come to join our little company. Having had a great deal of

trouble and several days' ramble before he found us he was reminded

of Stanley in search of Livingstone. Truly our hearts were mutually

refreshed by his arrival.[22]

The first night of meeting three souls came to the altar, two

consecrated for entire sanctification and one was gloriously

pardoned. The next night the fierce powers of hell were fully

awakened from their brief slumber occasioned by our absence. A

couple of lead balls called buckshot were thrown through the open

window by means of a rubber concern that we are told is even

dangerous to life. These wicked wretches also threw stones with

slings at some of God's saints on their way home that night, even

regardless of women and children in the crowd. One woman was hit.

That was a little the lowest and most cowardly work we have ever

yet met with. The next day four of Satan's chief servants rode out

in four directions five and seven miles to enlist by his lies and

slanders such as were base enough in a great mob to assault us that

night. During the day we learned all about the movement, and at a

meeting at a brother's house we recalled the meeting for night,

seeing no possible chance of doing good.

Hear O heavens, and be ashamed O Babylon, when we tell you that

one of the four spirits that went forth to gather together Gog and

Magog was of the Fort Scott creed, or the Good Way sect, and the

father of the only family of that sect in the neighborhood. And

at his cotton-gin was the appointed place for the mob to meet.

Some five miles away he called on some young men who are reputed

pretty wicked and invited them to join the mob, telling them base

lies. But they, having more principle than he, said they would have

nothing to do with it. They also came and informed some friends of

the Lord all about the plot. These told the Fort Scott man to his

face what he was guilty of, and he said he did not deny it.... We

expected to meet that creed with the Word of God and had hopes of

seeing some saved. But they shun Scripture investigation as a wolf

shuns daylight. Brother Bradley invited the editor and two of the

leading preachers to meet him in discussion, but they have failed

to do so; and now we have discovered their tactics. They seem to

regard slandering and mobbing as better calculated to subserve

their cause than would honest discussion. While we are happy to

think that most of them in person would not condescend to mobbing,

it is only too true that many of them have given their tongues to

slander whereby the other measures have been infused in the baser

sort. May God forgive them for Christ's sake.

There being no meeting at which the mob could assault us, they

beset the house where we stayed until about twelve o'clock at

night. They reported their number between seventy-five and one

hundred. They were armed with guns and revolvers. There were in

the crowd a Methodist preacher, a class-leader with his axe, many

old gray-haired sectarians, men recently out of jail; the basest

men in the country mixed up with a majority of sectites--so we

were informed by brethren that knew the majority that came up to

the house, for a part kept in reserve with most of the guns. They

stated that their object was only to give us orders to leave the

country next day. A brave army, about a hundred strong, gathered

from several miles around, just to tell a few little children of

God to leave the next day, after we had announced in the meeting

that we were going at that time! There were a few fearless souls

present who told them to their face that they were actuated to

their dark work by the lies of Satan and the wickedness of their

hearts, and shamed the Babylon professors there mixed up in common

cause with base outlaws.

The mob hung around until about midnight, clamoring for us to come

out, stating they would not hurt us, etc. But when men are low

down enough to fling buckshot into a congregation and rocks into a

promiscuous crowd, you might as well tell us that wolves and hyenas

do not care for meat as to say that such did not want to hurt us.

Doubtless some in the crowd did not, and for what we know such as

said so did not; but judging the mob by what we had seen in the

past we had good sense enough to avoid such beasts....

After all left the house, not a great way off, they fired off their

pieces, which, for a few seconds, mimicked the din of war.[23]

May God ever bless and keep the few pure children of God in that

wicked region; and may he reward their kindness to us and also

that of the few non-professors, whom we shall not soon forget and

for whom we shall pray that God may bless and reward them with his

great salvation.

Following the campaign in eastern Mississippi, meetings were held

in northern Alabama, near Hartsells and near Athens, after which

the company returned northward, Brother Warner into Indiana and the

others into Ohio. In a report written from Markleville, Ind., he

tells of a visit to Indianapolis, where the Trumpet passed through

the first year and a half of its existence.

We came on to Indianapolis, where we began the blasts of the

Gospel trumpet. We remained all night, and early in the morning

walked out to the spot where we labored and prayed and trusted

God nearly two years in great trials. Abandoned and hated of all

the world, opposed by all of Babylon and rejected by the sectish

associated holiness forces, we were forced out upon the promises

of God and endured a great fight of faith. All the earth seemed

dark as midnight, and growling letters came thick and fast and

friendly ones few and far between. We were where, a stranger in

a city, without money, friends, or credit, "give us this day our

daily bread," was not a mere formal prayer. Oh, the riches of the

goodness and the wonders of the mercy of God! Surely he hath never

yet forsaken the righteous. Here we labored and prayed in intense

poverty, while the word of the Lord tried us; but his strong arm

hath gotten him the victory over all the powers of hell and earth.

Here we had a temporary summer office on our lot and occupied a

room of the house, about 10×14, in winter. Now a large two-story

building is occupied with the business, and the circulation is

rapidly enlarging.

We went back to the room we had occupied through the night and cast

ourself down on the carpet in gratitude to God. Glory be to God for

the triumph for his mighty present truth!

[Illustration: LENA SHOFFNER. HATTIE RUPERT. J. H. RUPERT.

THE GOSPEL VAN, BIRKENHEAD, ENGLAND.--1894.

]

The tour into the Southern States was the last tour Brother Warner

made in company with his little band of singers and helpers. After

holding a couple of grove-meetings in Ohio and attending the Beaver

Dam meeting in Indiana, during the summer of 1891, the company did

not travel together any longer. Brother Warner visited the churches

in Pennsylvania and Ontario and then spent the following winter, or

most of it, at the publishing office. In April, 1892, came a visit to

the churches in the West, including the one at Denver. Before leaving

home for this trip he suffered from a severe attack of rheumatism,

and recovered only by a constant fight of faith. His report from

Denver furnishes an example of how he frequently had to contend with

afflictions and how he found his victory only in the Lord.

Through exposure in a cold rain at Kenesaw, Nebr., I was taken

with a bad lung-trouble; was quite poorly and had lost about all

appetite. But, thank God, we held on by faith in him and he raised

me up. I was rapidly regaining strength when we left there. But

an apparently congested state of my lungs seemed still to oppress

my being. As the onward-flying train carried us higher and the

air consequently became more and more light, the difficulty of

breathing increased. I also found myself under a fever and lay one

day very weak.

Oh, how my poor soul cried out all the day long for the blessing of

health and strength once more to this frail temple that had been

so long crushed down with one affliction after another! But there

was searching of the heart and consecration as well as prayer. I

realized a sweet willingness to suffer on more and more all the

days of my life, and almost more than a willingness to quit the

theater of this life and of this dark world, which had pressed so

many bitter cups of tribulation to my lips. I did not know, indeed,

but that I had come here to join the dark train that moves silently

and almost constantly out of this city to the large city of the

dead, where thousands who come here to regain health are furnished

a grave instead of health. But these thoughts brought no gloom to

my redeemed soul. Three glorious things lit all up brightly:

First, I knew my soul was all arrayed in the pure righteousness

of God, without spot, and that by the grace of God I had kept the

faith, obeyed God, and done what I could to glorify his holy name

on earth.

Second, whether we wake--remain in the body--or sleep--leave the

body--we shall live together with the Lord. I shall still have a

conscious and joyful existence in a more near and blissful presence

of the Lord after leaving this clay house.

Third, this mortal body also shall put on immortality and be

fashioned like Christ's glorious body. Oh, bless God for the

beautiful hope of a child of God!

Before sundown I awoke from a short sleep, and instantly felt

heavenly sweetness in my soul and comfort in body. Behold, the Lord

had taken away all the fever! That night some of the beloved came

together and anointed me for complete healing. We believed the

Lord granted the petition, and after much trial of my faith I am

now feeling well in body once more and rapidly gaining strength.

His account of his visiting the natural wonders at Colorado Springs

is interesting and shows his love for the handiwork of God.

Yesterday we all improved the time in visiting some of God's

wonderful works about Manitou and what is called the Garden of the

Gods. Here we praised and worshiped the true God and creator of all

things in heaven and earth, when we beheld the wonderful works that

his hands had wrought. Here rise from a level surface, or, rather,

project out of the earth, yellow rocks to the height of over three

hundred feet. Some of them look like a great castle, others are

a few thin slabs standing side by side with very fine crevices,

between which were doubtless at one time veins of rock more soft

than the rest, and the stream of time has worn them out. Some of

these majestic formations could be ascended to a considerable

height from one side. On these elevations we shouted the praises

of God, feeling his presence with us. Many smaller rocks of very

peculiar shape are seen in this romantic region.

From here we proceeded to the town of Manitou, which is a small

but very attractive town in a deep passage of the mountains. Here

we found a family that was interested, in full salvation. We

talked with them and prayed with them, and perhaps they will find

a door open for Jesus in that place. We then drove about one mile

beyond up the Ute Pass to Rainbow Falls, after which we visited

the celebrated Iron Springs. The water is so highly charged with

mineral substances that it is nearly as strong as hard cider; and

yet it has what most pronounce no unpleasant flavor. It tastes like

strong soda-water. It is very electrifying to the system, and the

constant tide of visitors goes there to drink the healing waters.

Near the upper springs is the beginning of the cog railroad that

transports travelers up to the summit of Pike's Peak. The distance

up the mountain is about nine miles.

Returning to Manitou we stopped and drank freely of the soda

spring, of which soda-water is a good imitation. Visitors may

freely drink of all these springs and each may carry away one quart

of the precious water. We brought some home, and by adding sugar

and lemon-juice the water foamed up and made a delicious drink.

Here we sit and write in Colorado Springs on a plain that rises

nearly six thousand feet above the place of our home. How pure

and light the atmosphere is! And Pike's Peak near by us lifts its

snow-covered summit over eight thousand feet still higher in the

skies.

His return to Michigan was in time to attend the general

camp-meeting, which this year was held on the new ground at Grand

Junction. Before the summer was over he received an urgent call to

go to the Pacific Coast and to attend the tabernacle-meeting at Los

Angeles, Cal., in October. Feeling it the will of the Lord that he

go he started on this journey in August. After a few meetings in

Missouri, Iowa, and Kansas, he proceeded to Los Angeles, which he

reached in time to attend the meeting appointed there. His first

report from the Coast, written at National City, is in part as

follows:

We were three days and nights making the trip, with very little

stopping. We came over the Santa Fe system. We passed over much

wild and mountainous scenery, but the lofty peaks called The

Needles we passed at night and failed to see. Our chariot brought

us over one thousand miles of desert. The awful blank was broken

only by an occasional Indian camp or village, or a mining-point.

For perhaps a hundred miles or more the earth was as bare as

the paved streets of a city, and for many hundred miles nothing

but tumbleweed had ventured life upon the dry region. But it is

believed that nearly all that lifeless desert would be productive

if irrigated or blessed with summer showers. One thing that broke

the awful monotony of the long, weary plains was the fact that we

were seldom out of sight of mountain ranges. In Arizona we reached

a very high altitude. The morning found the ground covered with

snow and the temperature quite cold. In eastern California we

traveled for hundreds of miles in the midst of a wild mountainous

scenery, much of the time running on or near the summit, giving us

a grand and awful view of the mountains for a vast distance around.

Finally, fertile nooks, little houses, and orchards made their

welcomed appearance, which began to relieve the mind wearied with

the long scene of barren emptiness. At San Barnardino everything

began to look as though we had returned to the land of the living.

A few hours more through almost perpetual vineyards, lemon, orange,

and fig orchards, etc., brought us into Los Angeles, and seeing our

dear Bro. J. W. Byers through the window, we felt like climbing

over the slow-moving people to reach the door. Oh, praise God for

the privilege of greeting our dear fellow laborer in the gospel

of God! We found him and family well, and he and Sister Byers

wonderfully devoted to their calling, laboring day and night with

unwearied zeal for the salvation of lost men and women, who are on

the brink of everlasting ruin. Praise God, we soon saw that their

labors have been owned and blessed of God. We found a precious and

very zealous church in Los Angeles....

Truly dear Brother and Sister Byers have been working the richest

mine of gold ever opened in California. Their toils have known

no moderation. They have indeed, according to apostolic example,

"given themselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of

the word." And, thank God, there are those in Los Angeles who

labored with their hands for the direct object of saving lost men

and women, using only enough to supply nature's wants. Oh, that

everybody who professes consecration of self and all to God would

show it forth by a life wholly devoted to the spread of the pure

gospel of Christ and the deliverance of the lost!...

His stay in California was confined to the southern part of the

State, where he spent two and one half months laboring in various

places. On his return he wrote from Denver and described some of the

sublime scenery he witnessed on the line of the Denver and Rio Grande

Railroad.

Some of the most sublime scenery was passed in the night. At

Glenwood Springs the train stopped an hour and a half, giving

passengers a much-appreciated relief from long confinement and a

very much enjoyed ramble amid the beautiful scenery of the little

city, which lies in a small glen, surrounded by towering mountains

on all sides. Here, for the first time in our life, we saw hot

springs. The weather was cold and snow was on the ground, and the

many stony springs and the great hot-water reservoir caused a steam

to arise that made a person feel as if the infernal fires were not

far off. A stone wall separates between two large pools, in one of

which arise many cold springs, and just over the wall the hot water

boils up. At this place is the junction of the Grand River and the

Roaring Fork. Our line followed up the Grand River, the canyon of

which was very delightful. The great red, stone mountains towered

up on both sides in the form of large old castles, many of them

nearly square and others oblong but with square corners like a

building. Finally we left the Grand River and followed the winding

course of a tributary. Now the scene became yet more wildly grand,

which we greatly enjoyed.

At some time past eleven at night we reached the Royal Gorge.

Having requested the porter to notify us, we lay down without

undressing, and so, blessed with good starlight, we were enabled to

behold one of the most sublime and awful scenes we ever witnessed

in all our travels. Here the almighty hand of God had cleaved a

narrow passage through the rocks, which tower up thousands of feet

on either side. On our left we passed close to the base of the

mighty wall; on our right only a small stream lay between our track

and the awful elevation. This indescribably awful gorge extended

perhaps for two or three miles. We stood upon the platform of the

car, at first turning our eyes right and left, beholding with

solemn wonder the vertical cliffs that seem almost to touch the

stars. Finally we had but to direct our eyes straight up between

the two cars and behold, by one straight upward gaze, the cliffs

on both sides as their proud summits seemed to draw together. As

we stood on the platform nearest the rocks we frequently saw the

great peaks leaning directly over our heads. We could not refrain

from crying out, Oh! oh! wonderful! wonderful! Never shall we

forget that impressive sight! It seems to us that we would have

but to make that trip by daylight to be satisfied that nothing

more sublimely awful and inspiring need be looked for amid all the

wonders of this creation of God. We would not have missed it for a

great deal, and hope it may please God to let our eyes behold the

same by daylight.

On the previous afternoon we passed a freight-train that had the

day before been wrecked by running upon a heap of earth and rocks

that had broken loose perhaps a thousand feet up the sloping

mountains and, rushing down, covered the track. The engine and

tender were pitched down the hill and lay upside down, under which,

alas, the fireman had met his death, or rather he lay with his

limbs crushed beneath the engine for over four hours and expired a

short time after being taken out.

But as we went flying along under the lofty cliffs and around

the short curving niches that were cut out of the solid rocks,

sometimes at a height that made one feel giddy to look down, we

thought how the strength of the everlasting hills is our Father's,

and that his wings overshadowed us by the way. We felt no fear of

harm.

His poem Good-by, Old Rockies, was written at this time. He arrived

home February 16. With the portion of his report written after he had

returned from his California tour we close this chapter.

Never in all our past journeyings did our soul seem so thankful

and joyful before God for the privilege of greeting all the dearly

beloved ones at home once more. Oh, bless the name of the Lord. We

knew not how to thank God enough nor scarcely how to act for the

great joy of our heart. Let all the dear saints help us bless the

name of the Lord for his wonderful care over us during the travel

of over ten thousand miles since our departure last July.

Our flying abroad has not been in vain. All along the line of our

tour God has been with us and saved souls at every stopping-place,

with perhaps two exceptions. Thank Heaven also for the blessing

of good health! How wonderfully he strengthened us to preach his

everlasting gospel, often twice a day and sometimes on Sabbath

three times, putting in as much as eight hours swift talk in one

day, added to which was the earnest altar service and the care for

immortal souls! We feel especially thankful to God for the grace

of our Lord and Savior that we find resting upon all the beloved

family.