2011 Historic Pentecostal Revival Tour in Bulgaria

Celebrating 90 years since the first Pentecostal revival in Bulgaria

Exactly 400 years ago, the first King James Bible was printed in June, 1611. The first Bulgarian Bible was printed 140 years ago in June, 1871. The first Pentecostal Revival in Bulgaria took place between Easter and Pentecost of 1921. And finally, exactly 20 years the Pravetz youth group, where I had the privilege to begin my ministry, experienced a spiritual revival in which hundreds of young people were reached and saved.

To commemorate this great heritage, we undertook a historic revival tour during the month of June in Bulgaria. We started at the Black Sea with the momentous ordination of presbyters in the church of Aheloy – one of the few Church of God congregations with the original doctrine and practice. The special ordination service on Saturday night went on with prayer and praise, communion and foot washing until 2am.

Then on Sunday we gathered at 6:30am for prayer and followed with the morning service. We continued with services in Pravetz, where our youth group celebrated its 20-year anniversary, then at the church in Verdical near Sofia with a special foot washing and communion service, and finally in Sofia with a prophetic word to the Church of God in the Obelya suburb.

The Exodus of the Youth from Church: In Search of Answers to a Dark Dilemma

by Kathryn N. Donev

I recently sat in a lecture “Why Are Youth Leaving the Church?” I listened to the most recent statistics, compared one opinion to the next, looked at the latest church involvement research and even explored some emerging themes of why people in general leave the faith. All the information was very interesting and contained an impressive collaboration of ideas. The research does not lie and opinions are to be valued. However, honestly what good does this enlightenment do us when we sit back and do nothing to correct the problem? We are so used to youth leaving our church that we have become complacent with pews filled with “ancient dinosaurs” in the words of a young lady just last week. We have become so overwhelmed with data that we forget to look at the real picture of why our next generation of leaders are leaving. Or perhaps we do nothing because we simply don’t understand young people’s true motivation for leaving the church. The answers may be uncomfortable for some but they deserve deeper exploration.

Youth are leaving the church but this does not necessarily mean they all are leaving the faith. Many young people of today have much more faith than some of the pew fillers whom have their assigned seats with their pillows and blankets left to save their spots. So if this is the case that they still have a genuine relationship with Christ but simply don’t want to be within the four walls of religion, so to speak, should we not explore the million dollar question differently? We should not excuse away their leaving to agnosticism, postmodernism or neopaganism regardless of how cleverly it takes the focus off of the real concerns and sins of the “church.” It is not a very popular idea to confess the sins of the church which is ironic when we proclaim to be a house of confession. Perhaps confession is only good for the soul as long as the sins are not our own. Behind the irony rests a darker problem, one that is responsible for many young people leaving the church.

For years the church has been a place of hypocrisy and today’s young generation is one that is fed up with the dishonesty and is willing to take a stand. They are so disgusted they can no longer keep silent. They are not willing to “tweak the numbers” of the church financial records or work their way up the hierarchical ladder. They see through the masks and are not willing to compromise. Young people are tired of religious politics, bickering, back stabbing and lying. If we, the church, do not open our eyes to this now, if not yesterday, it will be too late.

This young generation is wandering looking for a place of refuge and they no longer find a safe place in the church house. The church regrettably is no longer safe. You cannot genuinely express your feelings, concerns or doubts without them being the topic of the message on the following Sunday morning. There is no longer trust within the church. The place of worship has turned into a place of gossip. A spiritual encounter has been replaced with a social gathering. The leadership of the Holy Spirit is no longer considered because we are too busy worrying about the opinions of others. So if by now you are still puzzled as to why the today’s youth are leaving the church then my heart is deeply saddened.

Nevertheless, we need to make a self-less effort and remember that the church does not exist for our personal entertainment. Realize it is not a prize to possess but is a treasure to be given away to the next generation. We must do whatever it takes to restore the tabernacle to its original purpose; to call its people back to holiness. We must be willing to give up our seat to the next generation before it is too late and there is no body left willing to fill the void.

Postscript: This article was written based on the following word the Lord gave me June, 2011: “The Church is not a prize to possess, but is a treasure to give away”.

Bulgaria in the Archives of the British and Foreign Bible Society in Cambridge

For the past 15 years, which we have dedicated to the study and translation of the Bulgarian Bible, it has been a personal dream of ours to visit and work with the Cambridge Library and more specifically with the historical documents which are related to the translation and publication of the Bulgarian Bible through the 18-19 centuries.

The closest we had come to examining the archives was back in 2005-2007 while searching for the lost copy of Theodocy Bistritzky’s 1820 translation of the Gospel of Mathew. We then found the only two copies left of that translation, one located in St. Petersburg (with a reproduction at the U.S. Library of Congress) and the other at the Cambridge Library.

Therefore, it was a great pleasure to receive an invitation to visit the Cambridge Library in connection with the 400-year anniversary of the King James Bible (1611) and use the opportunity to examine the available documents related to Bulgaria. The main difficulty with this task comes from the fact that during the 19th century Bulgaria was under Ottoman occupancy and documents related to the Bulgarian Bible are cataloged under various locations: European Turkey, Near East Mission, New Bulgarian Kingdom, Western Turkey, Bulgarian Kingdom or the Balkans. For this reason, many documents are yet not cataloged and remain the library’s stacks, which makes their discovery both difficult and exciting. Successfully completing our initial survey of the archives, we were able to take over 1,000 pages in pictures with the library’s permission. This first look at archives that have remain hidden for more than a century reveled three groups of documents containing the following items:

Catalog series BSA/E3/1/4 contains some 30 volumes with whole or partial copies of letters and documents. For the lack of copy machines back then, the items in the archive were written by hand. Eighteen of these volumes listed bellow, contain information about Bulgaria.

BSA/E3/1/3 (p. 23, 54, 69, 70, 107, 185, 190, 211-12, 229) – letters from 1859 to and from Rev. Dr. Chauffer, Benjamin Barker, Dr. Van Dayk, Dr. Riggs, etc., predominantly referring to the revision of the Bulgarian New Testament.

BSA/E3/1/4/2 (p. 60, 75, 96-99, 107-109, 160-166, 272, 305) – letters from 1862-63 of Rev. Баркър, Thomson, etc., about the translation of the Pentateuch including an important index of the corrections in revision of the Bulgarian New Testament (p. 162).

BSA/E3/1/4/3 (p. 48, 64, 102, 111, 114, 149, 160-1, 172, 185, 222, 227) – letters from 1861-62, 1865 на Benjamin Barker, Dr. Riggs, J.W. Muller, Thomson and others. This correspondence set discusses the importance of changing the Bulgarian translation to the Eastern (Tarnovo) dialect.

BSA/E3/1/4/4 (p. 3) – letter by Dr. Thomson about Dr. Riggs work on the Bulgarian Bible.

BSA/E3/1/4/5 (p. 302, 311) – letters from 1867 about Dr. Long’s work on the Bulgarian Bible.

BSA/E3/1/4/6 (p. 150) – letter from Dr. Riggs to Dr. Thomson from October 3-29 1868, about the measurements in the Bulgarian translation.

BSA/E3/1/4/7 (p. 127, 136, 156) – letters from 1870.

BSA/E3/1/4/8 (p. 21, 24-25, 78, 102, 124-25, 129, 238) – letters from 1870-71 by Riggs, Thomson and others. Contains a fully revised table of the measurements in the Bulgarian Bible translation.

BSA/E3/1/4/9 (p. 275-76) – letter by Dr. Thomson about Dr. Riggs’s work on the translation of the Bulgarian Bible.

BSA/E3/1/4/10 (p. 150) – letter from 1874.

BSA/E3/1/4/11 (p. 66, 129, 199, 213, 237) – letters from 1874.

BSA/E3/1/4/12 (p. 40, 185, 248, 253, 260-61, 265) – 1876 letters to and from Dr. Thomson with a request to receive 200-300 copies of the Bulgarian edition of the Psalms. The collection ends with a parallel of several translations in a printed edition for the revising committee. (p. 265ff).

BSA/E3/1/4/13 (p. 13, 63, 73, 90, 304-05) – 1877-78 letters to Dr. Thomson.

BSA/E3/1/4/14 (p. 113) – letter to Dr. Thomson.

BSA/E3/1/4/16 (p. 181, 279) – letters by Dr. Thomson.

BSA/E3/1/4/20 (p. 232-35) – letter to Dr. Thomson from August 29 recommending a 3,000 copy publication of the Four Gospels with the Book of Acts in one volume in parallel with the Slavic text.

BSA/E3/1/4/25 (p. 196, 333) – letters from 1887-90.

BSA/E3/1/4/30 (p. 16-17, 51, 350) – letters from 1892.

Two additional folders marked with “Bulgarian” and catalog series BSA/83/3/67/1-2 has the complete BFBS correspondence from the first half of the 20th century. It refeers predominantly to the new revision of the text prepared for the 1924 Royal Publishing House edition of the Bulgarian Bible. Various other items are included as well, many of which related to the Evangelical School in Samokov (near the capital Sofia) and its full operational publishing house, along with many more documents important for the Bulgarian protestant history. A third and final item of interest is catalog series BSA/E3/2/19-20, BSA/E3/2/23 and BSA/E3/2/24-26.

The Land of Pentecostals

A brief Interaction with Walter Brueggemann
by Dr. Dony K. Donev

Since I began studying Pentecostal history sometime ago, I have pondered the question of space and how we, Pentecostals, associate with it. Perhaps, on a larger scale, all Christian associate with space and location, but for Pentecostals it somehow becomes part of the identity of a given event, process or even person. This association is so strong that we simply cannot tell our history without it. And how is one even expected to tell Pentecostal history without places like the Bethel School of Healing, 214 Bonnie Brie Street and the Azusa Street Mission? Or how are we supposed to tell our story, to give our testimony of events significant and central for our spiritual life without a place and a location, which in most cases defines them all? For example, our salvation is connected the place where we were saved and sanctified; baptism with water or with fire from above; healing on the spot at a given prayer meeting, miracle service or church revival. And even eschatology, always undividable from the meeting in the clouds and the Heavenly city.

For Pentecostals, the Full Gospel teaching is a covenant theology because it ultimately subscribes to the quest for the Promised Land. But, I’ve never been able to pin point the reasoning behind this until reviewing anew Brueggemann’s study of “The Land” and comparing his ideas with Pentecostal history and praxis through the following quotes that will exchange perspectives with the questions stated above and hopefully stir further thinking.

p.5 “Space” means an arena of freedom without coercion or accountability, free of pressure and void of authority. …. But “place” is a very different matter. Place is space which has historical meanings, where some things have happened which are now remembered and which provide continuity across generations. Place is space in which important words have been exchanged, which have established identity, defined vocation, and envisioned destiny. Place is space in which vows have been exchanged, promises have been made, and demands have been issued. Place is indeed a protest against unpromising pursuit of space. It is a declaration that our humanness cannot be found in escape, detachment, absence of commitment, and undefined freedom.
Whereas pursuit of space may be a flight from history, a yearning for a place is a decision to enter history with an identifiable people in an identifiable pilgrimage.”

p. 11 “The very land that promised to create space for human joy and freedom became the very source of dehumanizing exploitation and oppression. Land was indeed a problem for Israel. Time after time, Israel saw the land of promise become the land of problem.”

p. 15 “….land theology in the Bible: presuming upon the land and being expelled from it; trusting toward a land not yet possessed, but empowered by anticipation of it.”

p. 27 “The action is in the land promised, not in the land possessed … So Jacob, bearer of the promise, is buried in Canaan under promise.”

p. 42 “Presence is for pursuit of the promise …. The new people, contrasted with the old, are promise-trusters, rooted in Moses, linked to the faith of Caleb, and identified as the vulnerable ones. His presence is evident in his intervention not to keep things going, but to bring life out of death, to call to himself promise-trusters in the midst of promise-doubters.”

p. 47 “Israel knew that in his speaking and Israel’s hearing was its life. That is why the first word in Israel’s life is “listen” (Deut. 6:4)! Israel lived by a people-creating word spoken by this people-creator (Deut. 8:3).”

p. 51 “Both rain and manna come from heaven, from outside the history of coercion and demand.”

p. 53 “Israel does not have many resources with which to resist the temptation. The chief one is memory. At the boundary [of Gilgal] Israel is urged to remember …. Remembering is an historic activity. To practice it is to affirm one’s historicity.”

p. 54 “Land can be a place for historical remembering, for action that affirms the abrasive historicity of our existence. But land can also be, as Deuteronomy saw so clearly, the enemy of memory, the destroyer of historical precariousness. The central temptation of the land for Israel is that Israel will cease to remember and settle for how it is and imagine not only that it was always so but it will always be so. Guaranteed security dulls the memory …. Israel’s central temptation is to forget and so cease to be a historical people, open either to the Lord of history or to his blessings yet to be given. Settled into an eternally guaranteed situation, one securely knows that one is indeed addressed by the voice of history who gives gifts and makes claims. And if one is not addressed, then one does not need to answer. And if one does not answer, then one is free not to care, not decide, not to hope and not to celebrate.”

p. 56 “The land will be avenged preciously because land is not given over to any human agent, but is a sign and function in covenant. Thus arrayed against the monarchy are both the traditionalism of Naboth and the purpose of Yahweh.”

p. 57 “Israel finds itself in history as one who had no right to exist. Slaves become an historical community. Sojourners become secured in land …. Non of it achieved, all of it given …. And the way to sustain gifted existence is to stay singularly with the gift-giver.”

And the following conclusions: as Pentecostals, we associate with places and location, we ultimately associate with land as part of our covenant theology, because:

1. In the land we place our own historical meaning, our part and role in history, as well as the spiritual heritage we have received and we give to a next generation; thus, place itself becomes not only where our history happens, but a defining part of our historical identity as a people.

2. Enduring the promise of a land not yet seen, but already received by faith, has indeed been the formative factor in any and all Pentecostal movements around the globe, as well as the initiative to restore the social order for peoples whose land has been taken away unfairly. We have even learned, that when the Promised Land becomes a land of problem, we must return to the promise in order to remain a movement after the move of the Holy Ghost and not merely a nominal denomination.

3. As humans, we localize the omnipresence of God to the place of our experience with God – the place where God has become personal for us. And this is the place, where we dare say, we have received the promise of God. Although His promise may not yet be visible in reality, having come from our experience with God, it creates a reality which is much more real than the present reality. In that sense, the very act of receiving the promise that comes from outside of history and through hearing the voice of God, recreates our reality and future.

4. Main, among other temptations for us, is the temptation to forget the land, the place of promise and meeting with God – where we come from, where we have been and where we are going. Just as Israel, this act of forgetting denotes our ceasing from being a historical people.

5. And just like Israel did, Pentecostals find themselves without the right to exist. Yet, the association with the land, and not merely any land but the Land of Promise, gives us not only a right of existence, but also an identity which no one, not even us, can change or redefine, except the Giver of the Promise. And this is the function of the covenant and the association of our personal experience with God to a place, a location, a spot in history where our lives were once and for all changed for eternity.

LONDON 2011: I Shall Never Leave You nor Forsake You

European Conference of Bulgarian Church and Ministries – London, 2011

LONDON 2011

Recently, we were privileged and blessed to take part in the first Conference for Bulgarian Churches and Ministries in Western Europe. This has been a project of ours for over three years now and fits within our ongoing post-doctoral research on the planting and growth of Pentecostal churches for Bulgarian immigrants. As part of this project, we have continuously aided the network of Bulgarian churches in the United States and Canada, explored the ministry and planed events for Bulgarian churches in Ireland, Spain, Germany and France and trained leadership teams for the Bulgarian Church of God in Cyprus. Therefore, the LONDON 2011 conference was a fulfillment of a long-awaited dream and prophetic realization of the global goals of our humble ministry.

The conference took place in the Chelsea area of London over the period of one week. We met with the six Bulgarian congregations throughout the week contributing to various stages of their team building and church growth. Then on Saturday, all gathered in Chelsea, along with representatives of the Bulgarian churches in France and Germany. The introduction of each ministry over the afternoon was followed by a healing miracle service in the evening led by on of our own Bulgarian Church of God regional overseers. We brought the message at the Sunday celebration service from Hebrews 13:5 “I Shall Never Leave You nor Forsake You,” which was received well by the Bulgarian immigrant community. Sunday afternoon was given for testimonies about the start of each of the groups present and personal miracles that had occurred at the services through the week. Then, on Sunday evening we led a church growth training event with key aspects on the foundational and building of Bulgarian ethnic congregations in Western Europe.

The Apostolic Faith (September, 1907)

This is a time as never before when the baptized saints are scattering abroad everywhere preaching the Word. They have gone out from Los Angeles far and near, carrying the sweet message that the Comforter has come. Some have gone to Canada, some east, some south, and some are on the way to foreign fields.

Many of the camp meeting saints are gathering back to the old “manger home” at Azusa. The pillar of fire still rests there. Meetings went on here all summer souls seeking and finding the Lord.

The Lord taught His people at the Campground and gave them some practical experiences that will stand them in good stead on the field. The enemy came in as an angel of light, and we had a battle with the powers of darkness; but it was turned into victory after all. The Spirit was poured out and many souls baptized. God only knows the number. They were slain about the altars and in the “upper room tent,” and came through speaking and singing in tongues and rejoicing in God.

Many were saved and sanctified. Over 100 were baptized in the stream near by. The baptismal services were sweet and heavenly. Numbers of children followed Jesus in baptism, and came out of the water praising God. Many testified to healing. The Lord performed some real miracles. Praise God!

There were over 200 living tents in the camp, besides a number of large tents; the big tabernacle where God met with us graciously; the “upper room tent” where many sought and obtained the Pentecost; the children’s tabernacle where they were taught the Word and many of them found the Lord, and we shall never forget that spot for it was so sweet to hear the children praying and praising the Lord; then there was the dining tent, where hundreds sat down to the tables and no charge made except as the Lord laid it on them to put into the box. We enjoyed some blessed times in the Spirit there, and also in the workers’ dining tent, before we got the big tabernacle on the “all things common” line. One morning while at prayer after breakfast, the power of God so came on us that ten of the workers were slain and we did not get away till noon. We had a foretaste of heaven.

The hills around would sometimes ring with prayer and praise. Some sought and found the Lord on the hills, and came down with faces shining.

The early morning meetings before breakfast when the saints met will never be forgotten. The Lord met with us. There were three other services in the big tabernacle during the day, which often ran into the night, if not till morning. The altar workers were very faithful. They would stay and pray with seekers all night.

People came from hundreds and thousands of miles seeking Pentecost, and went back with the rivers of salvation. The songs from the camp could be heard distinctly up in Hermon. One sister who had been told it was all the power of the devil was up in Hermon listening, and she said to herself, “So that is the devil; well, the devil has some sweet singers.” She came down and the result was she went to the altar and received the baptism with the Holy Ghost.

From Hermon, one sister saw fire issuing out of the tabernacle, as it were a tongue of fire. Her daughter also saw it. And a little boy who was in the power of the Spirit in the tabernacle, saw a ball of fire in the top of the tabernacle which broke and filled the whole place with light. God surely did send the fire. Many were the heavenly anthems the Spirit sang through His people. And He gave many beautiful messages in unknown tongues, speaking of His soon coming, invitations to come to the Lord, and exhortations from the Word.

We had some precious saints’ meetings feasting on the Word. One blessed thing was the unity of the ministers and workers in the doctrines of the Bible, so plainly taught by our Lord. The Lord put His seal upon it. Those who were not present will find the doctrines in this paper as they were taught there. Our power in this Gospel is in standing in the Word. O how precious it is when we are in the Apostles doctrine and fellowship. Some, it is sad to say, will not pay the price.

In Washington, D.C.

In the capital city, the Pentecost has fallen in a colored Holiness Mission. Bro. and Sister S.S. Crawford were preaching the Pentecost at another mission, and they sent for them, as Cornelius sent for Peter to preach this Gospel. Twenty-two came to the altar the first service and four received Pentecost with the Bible evidence. The meeting went on for five weeks with 16 receiving the Pentecost, four of them preachers.

Minnesota Campmeetings

He is pouring out His Spirit on him that is thirsty and floods upon the dry ground. Our annual campmeeting at Fairmont Minn., June 14-24 was a season of precious waiting before the Lord. Heretofore it has been a tarrying place where the full Gospel was preached. But this year in the added light of Pentecostal blessings and power which a number present had received during the past few months, it swung out into a Pentecostal meeting. God was pleased to work graciously in our midst saving, sanctifying, and healing persons and several were baptized with the Holy Ghost, while the blessings flowed out upon others as the Holy Spirit fell upon the people.

At the Maxwell Campmeeting, on Thursday, July 5th, the Lord poured out His Spirit in power; and while numbers were prostrate under the power, He was pleased to use two young women under the power of the Spirit, in speaking through them so that the hearts of the people were melted like wax in His presence, and realized they were in the very presence of God. The afternoon meeting merged into the evening meeting with no time to prepare supper. O it was most blessed indeed.-H.L. Blake Ruthton, Minn.

In North Carolina

The Holy Ghost is being poured out in Rowan Free Will Baptist Church and many are speaking and singing in new tongues, and some interpreting and receiving other manifestations of the Spirit. On the 17th of May Bro. Harrell received his Pentecost, and from that time to this the Holy Ghost has been sought by others and about 28 have received their Pentecost while several have been converted and some sanctified. In nearly every service someone gets their Pentecost. People are coming from other sections of the country to see for themselves the wonderful works of God in our midst.

The fire is falling at the F.W. Baptist Church at Frenchers Creek, and also at the F.W. Baptist Church in Wilmington, N.C. and several have received their Pentecost at each of these places. At Wilmington three little girls from 10 to 12 years old have received their Pentecost and are gloriously happy.”-A.J. Bordeau, Colly N.C.

At High Point, N.C., the Pentecost mission is growing, souls are getting saved and the sick healed. At Durham, there is a happy band of baptized believers. At Winston-Salem, some are being baptized with the Holy Ghost and speaking in tongues.

In New Orleans, La.

As soon as we received those Apostolic Faith papers, we began praying, and fasted and prayed, and Glory to His name, He made Himself known in our midst, and came and baptized four with the Holy Ghost and fire. O what a grand time we did have, and the Lord has been continuing to baptize different ones. The fire is falling down here, and the Lord is bringing His saints together as Jesus prayed in the 17th of John. He is giving the gift of speaking with tongues and other gifts.

-Alice Taylor, 2323 Washington Avenue.

Other Points

In Oakland just as the paper goes to press, word comes from Sister Crawford who is on her way east that the power of God is falling. In San Francisco the work is going forward with two young brothers from the campmeeting in charge.

In Atlanta, Ga., reports come of many baptized with the Holy Ghost. Signs and wonders have been given by the Lord.

At Dayton, Ohio, the Holy Ghost first fell in February on those that were earnestly seeking the fullness. Thirty-six souls were reported to have received the Pentecost and the altar full of seekers. Bro. W.W. Bailey, a baptized preacher there opened up a Pentecost Gospel Union Mission at 767 S. Brown St.

At Chambersburg, Pa., about 25 got baptized and some spoke in tongues, some saved, sanctified and healed.

At Youngstown, Ohio, a number have received the baptism. One night they were in prayer all the evening praising God and the Lord gave the heavenly song which sounded to them like angelic strains. One sister saw into glory and saw the heavenly city. Such a sight to behold! It seemed the celestial city was so near, the veil was almost worn through.

At Memphis, Tenn., many hungry souls have been baptized.

At Durant, Fla., there has been a gracious meeting in which about 50 have received the Holy Ghost. Some have been healed, unclean spirits crying with loud voices have come out of some that were possessed with them, souls are saved and sanctified.

Pentecost has fallen at Council Bluffs Ia., at Caldwell, Kans., at Mankato, Minn. at New Castle, Pa., at Watertown, N.Y., and the work has been increasing at many other points.

Truly this is a refreshing time, according to Acts 3. 18-21. “Repent ye therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the time of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord. And He shall send Jesus Christ.” We can see the refreshing times are now flowing.

In Portland, Oregon, there has been a Holy Ghost campmeeting going on all summer. Hundreds have been baptized with the Holy Ghost, many saved, sanctified and healed. They have such love and harmony among the saints that they have all things on Pentecostal lines. The saints there are mostly poor, yet making many rich. Tents and eating tabernacle free and no collections. God abundantly supplied. Portland has become an example of this Pentecostal faith. Glory to God for what He had done.

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This great movement is like a little mustard seed planted in Los Angeles. It took root in a humble place which proved to be good soil and, watered with rivers from heaven, it soon put forth its branches to nearby towns as Long Beach and out to Oakland. Soon the limbs spread north and far over the eastern states, and then clear over into Sweden and India. Now it is spreading all over the world, and how beautiful and green it is, and how the birds are coming to lodge in its branches.

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Christ is making up His jewels quickly. O how the “latter rain” is falling. We hear from Canada, from the east and south the sound of abundance of rain. Praise God. It is falling in Sweden, in Norway and refreshing showers in India. Also we hear of gracious drops falling in other distant lands. We hear the rumbling of the chariots of heaven. Some are trying to stop it but you might as well try to stop a cloud burst in the mountains. This thing is in God’s hands.

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Men and women have prayed for years to see this precious light, prayed to see Los Angeles revived. Now we can see the fruits of Pentecost here, God healing people, saving, sanctifying, baptizing with the Holy Ghost, speaking through the power of the Spirit and singing in unknown tongues, giving sweet anthems from heaven. God has graciously answered the prayers of His people, though many are blinded and cannot see it; but praise God, our eyes have seen this great salvation and we ought to be encouraged to go forward as never before.

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In Minneapolis there is a precious Holy Ghost mission band of about 200 Holy Ghost people who are united in love and harmony, filled with the glory of God. Though they have been persecuted and * by the secular papers, yet God has only used it as a free advertisement to draw honest souls. One woman heard of it 250 miles away and came all the way to receive her Pentecost, and in a short time she received a mighty baptism with the Holy Ghost, speaking in tongues and interpreting, and went back with the precious oil of the Holy Ghost.

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Hungry souls rejoice to hear of the Pentecost. Sister Mary Yaegge of Baltimore was one who rejoiced to hear of the Pentecost at Los Angeles. She prized the little paper for it seemed to be just what her soul longed for. She had been raised a Catholic and had received the Gospel gladly and was sanctified and hungering for the Holy Ghost. She came to the Campmeeting. Received her Pentecost on the way, while at Oakland and is truly anointed with power and divine love. She is on her way back to Switzerland, her native home, to give this Gospel to her people.

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Missionaries in China have been seeking the baptism with the Holy Ghost ever since they received the first Apostolic Faith papers from Los Angeles. One dear missionary, Brother B. Berntsen from South Chih-li, Tai-Ming-Fu, North China came all the way to Los Angeles to receive his Pentecost. And, bless God, he went to the altar at Azusa Mission, and soon fell under the power, and arose drunk on the new wine of the kingdom, magnifying God in a new tongue. As soon as he could speak English, he said, “This means much for China.” Then he told how he had felt the need of the fullness of the Pentecost in China, and we fell on our knees and prayed that the dear missionaries might be anointed and China might receive the Gospel.

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The manager of the Union Rescue Mission in Los Angeles, Bro. Will Trotter, received the baptism with the Holy Ghost and as a result he lost his position under men, but God has marvelously anointed him and is using him in the evangelistic work.

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In Chicago there are a number of Pentecostal meetings. Many are magnifying God for the baptism with the Holy Ghost. The Lord is using Bro. Durham as a river that overflows its banks and waters the thirsty ground. Many hungry ones are seeking and obtaining their baptism. Some of the Moody Institute people have received their Pentecost, but the theologians are not accepting it.

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The Scandinavian Apostolic Faith Mission at 775 Wall street, Los Angeles, is one of the sweetest places you ever were in. The people there are filled with the Spirit praising God. They seem so sincere and full of divine love. There are a number of precious young men and women there that God has cleansed and filled with the Spirit. It is blessed to see them.

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THE LOVE OF JESUS

“Surely He hath borne out griefs and carried our sorrows.” The Son of God went into the garden when He was bearing this world of sin. The blood gushed out from His skin and fell in great drops to the ground. He prayed, “Father, if it be thy will remove this cup from Me, never theless not my will but Thine be done.” He suffered until His heart swelled in His body and forced the blood through the flesh. His soul burned in Him with the weight of sin of this old world on our conquering King. Then He did not stop but went through Pilate’s judgment hall and was whipped and the blood ran down in that judgment hall, and was shed all the way to Calvary. O those stripes reach our sicknesses and our infirmities and heal us. He bled and died and went down into the grave and rose again. O beloved, He atoned for you, He hung and bled for you, and if you will accept Him today He will fill your heart.

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At the annual Christian and Missionary Alliance Convention in Nyack, New York some were present who had received their Pentecost, and a great interest was awakened. In a tarrying meeting one young lady who was called to Africa fell under the power, received the baptism with the Holy Ghost and began to speak in an African tongue, which was recognized by missionaries from Africa as being the very language of the part of Africa to which the sister was expecting to go. Others sought and obtained the baptism.

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A minister who had been opposing this work went to one of the Pentecostal meetings and got under conviction. He confessed to all that he was in the wrong and stated to his congregation that he must have this Pentecostal power, that he would not preach until he had it; he would work on the rock pile first. Then he called all his people to the altar that wanted it and they came in crowds. O the hungry souls. If the ministers would only go in themselves and let their hungry flocks go in what a wave of salvation there would be. This minister we hear has been mightily baptized and many of his people.

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In Santa Barbara in a Pentecostal meeting, as they were kneeling about the altar, some whiskey bottles were thrown which came from a saloon nearby. Two of the saints were struck with them. Sister Crawford was cut on the temple by one of these ugly weapons, but the saints prayed for her and the meeting went on. She writes that she is rejoicing to be counted worthy to bear about in her body the marks of the Lord Jesus.

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In Zion City, Ill., a little girl of about six years came to her mother and said she was going to get saved. She went upstairs and commenced to pray, and the Lord heard her. She called down to her mother “Mamma, if something in me says I am sanctified, is that Jesus speaking?” Her mother said, “Yes.” Then she said “Mamma, I am sanctified.” She got down and prayed again and was baptized with the Holy Ghost, and the Lord had had her preaching, and gave her a message to one of Dowie’s elders that had fought this work. So God spoke through this little child unable to read. He could preach through the ass of Balaam and He can take a little child and preach through it.

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We must keep where God can use us, and the secret is humility, the Word and the Blood.

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This Gospel, the full Gospel of Jesus must be preached in all the earth for a witness then shall the end come.

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Jesus Christ tasted death for every man but He did not taste death for the devil or fallen angels. We do not believe the devil or fallen angels are going to be saved. The Lord Jesus did not die for the devil or demons. Everyone that will repent of their sins can find rest in the Blood of Calvary.

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When Christ is in you, He is married to you in spirit. He calls you, “My love and My dove.” Everyone that has Christ is married to Him in spirit. “Ye are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another even to Him who is raised from the dead.” Rom. 7. 4. We are under the law of the Spirit of Christ. O how sweet it is You would not depart from this husband of your soul for anything.

THE APOSTOLIC FAITH

312 Azusa Street

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THE APOSTOLIC FAITH MISSION

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THE APOSTOLIC FAITH MISSION

Stands for the restoration of the faith once delivered unto the saints-the old time religion, of camp meetings, revivals, missions, street and prison work and Christian Unity everywhere.

Teaching on Repentance-Mark 1:14, 15.

Godly Sorrow for Sin, Example-Matt, 9:13, 2 Cor. 7, 9, 11. Acts 3:19, Acts 17: 30, 31.

Of Confession of Sins-Luke 15:21 and Luke 18:13.

Forsaking Sinful Ways-Isa. 55:7. Jonah 3:8. Prov. 28:13.

Restitution-Ezek. 33:15. Luke 19:8.

And faith in Jesus Christ.

First work.-Justification is that act of God’s free grace by which we receive remission of sins. Acts 10:42, 43. Rom. 3:25.

Second work.-Sanctification is the second work of grace and the last work of grace. Sanctification is that act of God’s free grace by which He makes us holy. John 17:15, 17.-“Sanctify them through Thy Truth; Thy work is truth.” I Thess. 4:3; I Thess. 5:23; Heb. 13:12; Heb. 2:11; Heb. 12:14.

Sanctification is cleansing to make holy. The disciples were sanctified before the Day of Pentecost. By a careful study of Scripture you will find it is so now. “Ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.” (John 15:3; 13:10); and Jesus had breathed on them the Holy Ghost (John 20:21, 22). You know that they could not receive the Spirit if they were not clean. Jesus cleansed and got all doubt out of His Church before He went back to glory.

The Baptism with the Holy Ghost is a gift of power upon the sanctified life; so when we get it we have the same evidence as the Disciples received on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2:3, 4), in speaking in new tongues. See also Acts 10:45, 46; Acts 19:6; I Cor. 14:21. “For I will work a work in your days which ye will not believe though it be told you.”-Heb. 1:5.

Seeking Healing-We must believe that God is able to heal.-Ex. 15:26: “I am the Lord that healeth thee.” James 5:14; Psa. 103:3; 2 Kings 20:5; Matt. 8:16, 17; Mark 16; 16, 17, 18. “Behold I am the Lord, the God of all flesh; is there any thing too hard for Me?”-Jer. 32:27.

Too many have confused the grace of Sanctification with the enduement of Power, or the Baptism with the Holy Ghost; others have taken “the anointing that abideth” for the Baptism, and failed to reach the glory and power of a true Pentecost.

The Blood of Jesus will never blot out any sin between man and man they can make right; but if we can’t make wrongs right the Blood graciously covers. (Matt. 5:23, 24.)

We are not fighting men or churches, but seeking to displace dead forms and creeds and wild fanaticisms with living, practical Christianity. “Love, Faith, Unity” are our watchwords, and “Victory through the Anointing Blood” our battle cry. God’s promises are true. He said: “Be thou faithful over a few things, and I will make thee ruler over many.” From the little handful of Christians who stood by the cross when the testings and discouragements came, God has raised a might host.

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HEALING

Sickness and disease are destroyed through the precious atonement of Jesus. O how we ought to honor the stripes of Jesus, for “with his stripes we are healed.” How we ought to honor that precious body which the Father sanctified and sent into the world, not simply set apart, but really sanctified, soul, body and spirit, free from sickness, disease and everything of the devil. A body that knew no sin and disease was given for these imperfect bodies of ours. Not only is the atonement for the sanctification of our souls, but for the sanctification of our bodies from inherited disease. It matters not what has been in the blood. Every drop of blood we received from our mother is impure. Sickness is born in a child just as original sin is born in the child. He was manifested to destroy the works of the devil. Every sickness is of the devil.

Man in the garden of Eden was pure and happy and knew no sickness till that up holy visitor came into the garden, then his whole system was poisoned and it has been flowing in the blood of all the human family down the ages, till God spoke to his people and said, “I am the Lord that healeth thee.” The children of Israel practiced divine healing. David, after being healed of rheumatism. (perhaps contracted in the caves where he hid himself form his pursuers,) testified saying, “Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me bless his holy name, who forgiveth all thine iniquities, who healeth all thy diseases.” David knew what it was to be healed. Healing continued with God’s people till Solomon’s heart was turned away by strange wives, and he brought in the black arts and mediums, and they went whoring after familiar spirits. God had been their healer, but after they lost the Spirit, they turned to the arm of flesh to find something to heal their diseases.

Thank God we have a living Christ among us to heal our diseases. He will heal every case. The prophet had said, “With his stripes we are healed,” and it was fulfilled when Jesus came. Also “He hath borne our griefs,” (which means sickness, as translators tell us.) Now if Jesus bore our sicknesses, why should we bear them? So we get full salvation through the atonement of Jesus.

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THE ORDINANCES TAUGHT BY OUR LORD

We believe in three ordinances in the church, foot washing, the Lord’s supper and water baptism.

Foot Washing-(John 13.)

Dear loved ones, it is so sweet to think of that wonderful love that our Christ has for His dear people. O beloved, just think of our Almighty Christ becoming a servant, washing the disciples’ feet. This is the first place in the scriptures where we see Jesus using water, a very type of regeneration, washing the disciples’ feet. Regeneration is spoken of as the washing of water by the Word. So this ordinance is a type of regeneration. Jesus is the Word. “Now ye are clean through the Word which I have spoken unto you. John 15:3.

Jesus washed the disciple’s feet, and exhorted them to humility and charity. Bless His holy Name. We read in the Word of God, “Now before the feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come that He should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved His own which were in the world, He loved them unto the end. (Bless God! Praise His holy name!) And supper being ended, the devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray Him; Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He was come from God, and went to God; He riseth from supper and laid aside His garments; and took a towel and girded Himself. After that he poureth water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith He was girded.” John 13:1-4.

We read where Jesus cometh to Simon Peter and Peter said unto Him, “Lord, dost Thou wash my feet?” Jesus answered and said unto him, “What I do, thou knowest not now, but thou shalt know hereafter.” We can see that this was something new to Peter. He was not used to the Master’s washing his feet. But the Lord Jesus told him he should know hereafter. What Jesus means was that when the blessed Holy Spirit should be poured out after the resurrection and ascension unto heaven, that this blessed Holy Spirit would lead Peter into all the doctrines of Jesus, and they would be practiced just as Jesus said in the 16th chapter of John and 12th verse, “I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now, howbeit when He the Spirit of truth is come he will guide you into all truth, for He shall not speak of Himself, but whatsoever He shall hear that shall He spoke, and He will show you things to come. He shall glorify Me, for He shall receive of Mine and shall show it unto you.”

Peter said unto Him, “Thou shalt never wash my feet.” Jesus answered, “If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with Me.”

Dear beloved, none of us should reject the command of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, or these different ordinances that He has instituted. What right have we to dictate to our blessed Master? He said so tenderly, “If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with Me. And this was a rebuke also to any man or any woman that thinks they are independent of the teachings of Jesus. So when Peter heard this rebuke, he said to the Lord, “Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head.” How these disciples loved Jesus after that. Jesus said to Him, “He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet but is clean every whit, and ye are clean but not all.”

So after He had washed their feet and had taken His garments and was set down again, He said unto them, “Know ye what I have done unto you?’ Ye call me Master and Lord and ye say well for so I am. If I then your Lord and Master, have washed your feet, ye ought also to wash one another’s feet.” Why? Well we only have to read the next verse for ourselves, “For I have given you example.”

Dear beloved, we can see this is humility towards each other in real love. While it does mean that, suppose we all practice it literally, for Jesus is our example. He said, “I have given you an example that ye should do as I have done unto you.” Some may say that the manner and customs have changed from that day, as we not longer wear sandals, but, dear ones, are our manners and customs going to change the Word of God? “Verily, Verily I say unto you, the servant is not greater than his Lord, neither he that is sent greater than He that sent Him. “If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them. Now this is to His true believers, because they are worthy. Verse 18 explains just who should not do it. He says, “I speak not of you all, for I know whom I have chosen.” Dear beloved, if the Lord has chosen us, He has chosen us to walk in the light, as He is in the light, that we might have fellowship one with another, and the Blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin.” Amen.

Jesus Himself instituted foot washing in the New Testament, not as in the Old Testament when the priest would wash his own feet at the lever in the temple, which represented regeneration, but Jesus Himself washed the disciples’ feet and wiped them with the towel. So, dear loved ones we believe that foot washing is one of the ordinances of the church of God. We find that it is a service much blest of God to our souls. It is for the disciples, not for sinners. In this service the sisters will assemble by themselves apart and wash each other’s feet and the brothers will wash the brother’s feet. This is also a service of testimony, song and praise. After that comes the Lord’s supper.

The Lord’s Supper

The Lord Jesus ate the Passover with His disciples, which was Moses’ law. It was not finished forever, as He shoved that table aside, and after washing the disciples’ feet, instituted the Lord’s supper, the Christian Passover, the bread and the wine. The Passover was the very type of Jesus. It had a three-fold meaning; the sprinkled blood for redemption; the body of the lamb eaten for health and healing; and the passing over the Red Sea, which was a type of the Blood of Jesus Christ that gives us victory over all the powers of the enemy.

“The Lord Jesus in the same night in which He was betrayed, took bread; and when He had given thanks, He brake it and said, Take, eat, this is My body, which is broken for you; this do in remembrance of Me. After the same manner also He took the cup, when He had supped, saying This is the new testament in My Blood; this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of Me. For as oft as ye eat this bread and drink this cup, ye do show the Lord’s death till He come.” I Cor. II 23-26. Praise His holy name. So we see that this ordinance points us to the coming of the Lord, our great deliverance, as the Passover was the deliverance of the children of Israel from Egypt.

The Passover supper always reminded the Jews of God’s great love for them in delivering them out of Egyptian bondage. But it was by blood which pointed them to the Lamb of Calvary. So the Lord’s supper is to us a memorial of the death of our Lord and also points us to His coming to catch us away in the glorious liberty of the children of God.

They ate the Passover, the body of the lamb, which gave them strength and healing, so the body of the lamb stood for healing and health, just as Christ’s body is health to us, “for with His stripes ye are healed.” We find as we partake of this ordinance, it brings healing to our bodies if we discern the Lord’s body by faith (I Cor. 29-30) It also teaches us salvation and sanctification through the Blood. Our souls are built up, for we eat His flesh and drink His Blood. The Lord Jesus promised, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. May Christ’s children everywhere live by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.

Water Baptism

We believe in water baptism, because Jesus commanded it after His resurrection. Mark 16. 16. “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved.” We believe in water by immersion, single. Matt. 3. 16. “And Jesus when He was baptized, went up straighway out of the water.” Acts 8 38-39. “And He commanded the chariot to stand still; and they went down into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him. And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more; and he went on his way rejoicing.”

It sets forth the believer with Christ in death, burial, and resurrection. Rom. 6 3-5. “Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into His death? Therefore we are buried with Him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. First if we have been planted together in the likeness of His death, we shall be also in the likeness of His resurrection.” Gal. 3. 27, “For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.”

Baptism is not a saving ordinance, but it is essential because it is a command of our Lord. Mark 16. 16, and Acts 2. 28 “Repent and be baptized everyone of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of your sins.” It is “Not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscious toward God.” I Pet. 3.21. It is obedience to the command of Jesus, following saving faith. We believe every true believer will practice it.

It should be administered by a disciple who is baptized with the Holy Ghost and fire, in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Matt. 28, 19-20, “Go ye therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost; teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you.” But we find that they were first to tarry for the promise of the Father which would qualify them. Acts I. 4, “And being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father.”

We believe that we should teach God’s people to observe all things whatsoever He has commanded us, practicing every command and living by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. This is a full Gospel.

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Bible salvation will take you into heaven but if you have not got Bible salvation you will have a great deal of trouble around the gate. Your name will not be found.

We are not called by this country to preach the Gospel, but we are called from heaven-and heaven is not bankrupt, neither is God gone out of business. He does not send us out to preach this Gospel and pay our bills. Do business for Christ and He will take care of you.

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God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” O today if you have the Lord Jesus Christ in your heart, you have everlasting life. This salvation is real, it is not an influence.

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Out of His side flowed Blood and water. The Blood represents cleansing and the water the baptism with the Holy Ghost. The rivers of living water which Jesus promised flowed out of His side. We get all of this by living in Christ.

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The Lord has provided the Word as a looking glass for us to see ourselves whether there are any spots on us. And the Word is a washer. “Ye are clean through the Word which I (Christ) have spoken unto you.”

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When you are sanctified, the old Ishmael of your soul is put out of your house. You are free from the old man. Old Ishmael will not pinch little Isaac any more to make him cry. Jesus Christ is enthroned to that house.

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O it is so precious to have the Lord Jesus crowned in your heart. How wonderfully and sweetly the Spirit unfolds the scriptures to you. You receive the Holy Ghost and He unravels everything from Genesis and Revelation. He starts and unfolds and all you do is to follow on.

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The Jews were the very fig tree that the Lord planted. He planted it that the scepter might not depart from Judah. Herod was the first foreign king that swayed the scepter over God’s people. And right at that time Christ was born and the government was upon His shoulder. This fulfilled Gen. 49. 10.

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Freeloveism and everything of that kind is from the pit of hell. It is a dragon to devour those who get out of the Word, but praise God, He has given to His children to know these spirits. Such spirits will not be allowed, any more than magicians, soothsayers, and sorcerers were allowed to be among God’s children in the early days.

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If you have carnality in your heart and do not get it out, you do not know where it will lead you. As soon as you get the light of sanctification, you must seek at once the cleansing Blood or you will lose all your salvation.

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We believe in a real salvation that gives you the witness by the Spirit. Calvin taught a salvation that if you said you had it, you did not have it; and if you had it you did not know it; and if you lost it, you could not get it again. Wesley taught that if you had it you would know it, and if you lost it, you could get it again. Jesus said, “He that believeth on the Son hath the witness in himself.” We teach that if a man is ensnared by the devil, and has not trampled the Blood of Jesus Christ under his feet and counted the Blood wherewith he was sanctified an unholy thing, he can get back to Jesus Christ by restitution and faith and doing his first works over.

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If your heart is open to the Blood of Christ He will save you. All He wants is a repentant heart that has Godly sorrow for sin, and He will wash you. Though your sins be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. O the promises of God are sure and stedfast, and though the heaven and earth pass away, the promises of Jesus will never pass away. As long as there is breath and life in your body, you can look up to Jesus and He will save you, but if there is no repentance in your heart you would have no desire to be saved. But, beloved, if there is one particle of desire in your heart to look to God, you have not sinned away your day of grace. They that have sinned away their day of grace, cannot be stirred any more than a chair. No appeal will move them. Christ has a desire to save every man and woman on the face of the earth.

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We do not read anything in the Word about writing in unknown languages, so we do not encourage that in our meetings. Let us measure everything by the Word, that all fanaticism may be kept out of the work. We have found it questionable whether any real good has come out of such writing.

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A sister who was baptized in the stream at the camp ground says that when she came to change her clothing, she attempted to put on her jewelry again but the Spirit would not let her, so she left it off. While one sister was under the power, her hands went up and took the fancy pins out of her hat and threw them away and she never put them on again. So the Spirit has been working in harmony with the Word, teaching His people how to dress according to the Bible, Gold watches, rings, etc., have disappeared, and gone into sending the Gospel.

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From missionaries in Macao, China, we received word that some of the Chinese Christians have received the baptism with the Holy Ghost and are speaking in new tongues.

THE MARRIAGE TIE

Marriage is a divine institution which God Himself has instituted. Gen. 2:18, 24. “And the Lord God said, It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him. Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother and shall cleave unto his wife; and they twain shall be one flesh.” I Cor. 11:9. “Neither was the man created for the woman, but the woman for the man.”

God commended it. Gen. 2:18 and Prov. 18:22. “Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing, and obtaineith favor of the Lord.”

God is in it. Matt. 19. 4, 6. “And He answered and said unto them, Have ye not read that He which made them at the beginning made them male and female. Wherefore they are no more twain but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together let not man put asunder.”

It is honorable in all. Heb. 13:4. “Marriage is honorable in all and the bed undefiled, but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge.”

Christ attended a wedding in Canaan. He went to adorn it, to beautify it with His presence. John 2:1,2. “And the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Gallilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. And both Jesus was called and His disciples to the marriage.”

The forbidding to marry is the doctrine of devils. I Tim. 4: 1, 3. “Now the Spirit speaketh expressly that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils; *** forbidding to marry.”

Marriage Binding for Life

God has approved of but one wife and one husband. Gen. 2:24. “Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife; and they twain shall be one flesh.” Matt. 19: 3-6. “The Pharisees also came unto Him tempting Him, and saying unto Him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause? And He answered and said unto them, Have ye not read that He which made them at the beginning made them male and female, and said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife; and they twain shall be one flesh? Wherefore they are no more twain but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.”

The husband and wife are bound together for life. Rom. 7:2. “For the woman which hath an husband is bound by the law to her husband so long as he liveth; but if the husband is dead, she is loosed from the law of her husband.” I. Cor. 7:39. The wife is bound by the law as long as her husband liveth; but if her husband be dead, she is at liberty to be married to whom she will, only in the Lord.”

No court of man should sever the marriage tie. Matt. 19:6. “Wherefore they are no more twain but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together let not man put asunder.” Death alone severs the marriage tie. Heb. 13:4.

Moses’ Law of Divorce

Under Moses’ law, he suffered men to divorce their wives and marry again, because of the hardness of their hearts Matt. 19: 7,8. “They say unto Him, Why did Moses then command to give a writing of divorcement, and to put her away? He saith unto them, Moses, because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives; but from the beginning it was not so.” Under Moses’ law they had been accustomed , for any uncleanness, adultery, fornication or some cause not as much as that, to put away the wife by giving her a bill of divorcement, and she could go and be another man’s wife. But under the New Testament law, the law of Christ, she is bound by the law to her husband till death.

The Edenic Standard of Matrimony

Jesus did away with the divorce law, and restored matrimony back to the Edenic standard. Under Moses’ law the sacredness of matrimony was lost through the hardness of hearts. But under the law of grace, it is restored back as in the beginning of grace. Praise God. God’s promises are true and sure. Hallelujah! Amen.

Under the New Testament law, the law of Christ, there is but one cause for which a man may put away his wife, but no right to marry again. This cause is fornication or adultery. Matt. 5:31,32. “It hath been said, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement; but I say unto you that whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery; and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery.” Matt. 19:9. “And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another committeth adultery; and whosoever marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery.” These two scriptures are just the same in meaning. Matt. 5: 31, 32 is the key to the whole subject. It settles the question.

Forbidden to Marry Again

After a man has lawfully put away his wife, or a wife has lawfully put away her husband, they are positively forbidden to marry again, under the New Testament law, until the former companion is dead. Mark 10: 11, 12. “And He saith unto them Whosoever shall put away his wife, and marry another, committeth adultery against her. And if a woman shall put away her husband, and be married to another, she committeth adultery.” Luke 16: 18. “Whosoever putteth away his wife and marrieth another, committeth adultery; and whosoever marrieth her that is put away from her husband committeth adultery.” Rom. 7: 2, 3. “For the woman which hath an husband is bound by the law to her husband so long as he liveth; but if the husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of her husband. So then if while her husband liveth, she be married to another man, she shall be called an adulteress; but if her husband be dead, she is free from that law; so that she is no adulteress though she be married to another man.”

Adultery and Fornication

The act of adultery is between a married person and another who is not the lawful companion. Both parties may be married or only one. When only one is married, the act is called fornication. Matt. 19. 9 and 5, 32. Jesus said, “Whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication causeth her to commit adultery.” These sins are just the same, only one is committed while living with a husband and the other is when one has separated and married again.

No man can enter the kingdom of heaven without confessing and forsaking adultery and fornication. Gal. 5, 19, 21, “Now the works of the flesh are manifest which are these, adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, evyings, murders, drunkenness, revelings, and such like; of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.” Isa. 55, 7, “Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts; and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God for He will abundantly pardon.”

The Innocent Party

If Jesus had intended that the innocent party should marry, He would have said so, and would not have said, Moses suffered it because of the hardness of your hearts. Jesus makes it very plain. If the innocent party marries, they are living in adultery. Jesus is showing the sacredness of matrimony. Dear beloved, let us obey God in spite of everything. There is one Scripture where many people are tied up, it is Matt. 19, 9, where Jesus said, “But I say unto you that whosoever shall put away his wife, except for the cause of fornication, and shall marry another committeth adultery, and whosoever marrieth her that is put away committeth adultery.” Now dear loved ones, let us stop and pray over this. “Except it be for fornication and marrieth another.” Some think that this party would be entitled to marry again, but let us stop and see what Jesus is teaching here. If he puts away his wife except for the cause of fornication, he committeth a sin, because he will cause her to commit adultery. Therefore he is bound by the law as long as she lives, bound right to the Edenic standard. Amen.

Dear loved ones, if Jesus had instituted that the innocent party could get another wife, He would be instituting the same thing that was permitted by Moses, and would have the church filled with that today.

Now the reason Jesus gave him permission to put away his wife for the cause of fornication was that she is already adulterous, so her adultery gave him a lawful right to separate. While it gives him that right, yet it does not give him the right to get another wife while she lives.

Paul in I Tim. 3-2 says, “A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife. He also says, I Tim. 5, 9, “Let not a widow be taken into the number under threescore years old, having been the wife of one man.” This shows plainly that they recognized in the church that a man was to have one wife and a woman one husband.

After Light Has Come

Rom. 7. 2, 3 and I Cor. 7, 39 give us very clear light. O may God help us to accept Bible salvation, instead of having our opinion and losing our souls. Dear beloved, you that have two wives or two husbands, before you had light on it, you lived that way and had no condemnation. God did not condemn you until you received the light upon His Word on this subject; but now God hold you responsible for the light. If you continue in the old life after light has come upon you, then you will be in the sight of God an adulterer or an adulteress, and you are bound to lose your experience or substitute something in the place of what God hath wrought. “If we walk in the light as He is in the light we have fellowship one with another and the Blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin.” Let us obey God’s Word if it takes our right eye or right hand.

So we find under the New Testament there is no putting away the first wife and getting another. Death is the only thing that severs the marriage tie. Rom. 7. 2 and I Cor. 7. 39-W.J. Seymour.

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It took John the Baptist only six months to prepare for the coming of Jesus; how long do you think it is going to take a lot of baptized people to prepare for His second coming? A little over year ago in Azusa Mission, a few people were baptized with the Holy Ghost and fire, and today there are thousands and thousands of people saved from sin, living pure lives in the name of Jesus, and baptized with the Holy Ghost.

SALVATION ACCORDING TO THE TRUE TABERNACLE

Moses made the tabernacle after the pattern shown him in the mount. This tabernacle was the pattern of the unseen King that was to come. The Lord wants us to have salvation according to the true tabernacle, which is Christ. Our tabernacle must be built according to the pattern in the Word. Now all things under the law were a shadow of what we are to receive in grace.

The Brazen Altar, Justification

First we come to the court of the tabernacle. This is where the sinner does his first works. Here we find the brazen altar which stands for justification. We receive pardon and regeneration right at the brazen altar. On the altar is the sin offering, on the horns of the altar, blood. Here is pardon and regeneration combined. As soon as a soul is pardoned, he is washed and the work of regeneration is wrought in his soul. Here we find also the lever, which stands for the washing from guilt and pollution. The priest always washed himself before he entered the Holy Place. Here the sinner, even though his sins be red like crimson, is justified. “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ.” This is court work.

The Golden Altar, Sanctification

There are two altars, the brazen altar and the golden altar. We see this represents two works of grace, two altars. Now the believer comes to the golden altar. Since the new birth is implanted in his soul, he has access to present himself a living offering. When he came as a sinner, he was dead in trespasses and sins, and had nothing to consecrate. Now he can consecrate himself to be sanctified. Here he finds on the altar the Blood of Jesus, which represents Christ the sanctifier of His people. He receives Christ to rule and reign supreme in his soul, and every enemy of doubt and carnality is cast out and destroyed by the Blood. Then he is one with Christ. “For both He that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one.”

This is the Holy Place. All that enter wear holy garments, the white linen of the saints. Here we find the shew bread, which represents feeding upon Christ. When we get a holy heart, it calls for the Word of God. Now you have a holy feast continually. You have the Word, Christ Jesus planted in your heart, and you have faith. You believe every word of God.

Here in the Holy Place, you find the golden candlestick whose light is always burning. This is the light of holiness shining forth. There is always a fire in your soul. Why? Because you are on the altar and the altar sanctifies the gift, and the gift keeps pure and preserved. The only way men and women can be preserved is by living on the altar. And the holy incense of praise and prayer is always ascending from your heart to God. Then you are prepared for the baptism with the Holy Ghost.

The Holy of Holies, the Holy Ghost

We can see that the baptism with the Holy Ghost is not a work of grace for there is no altar in the Holy of Holies. This is another step, the gift of the Holy Ghost. Instead of an altar, there is an ark of gold, which represents the Lord Jesus Christ perfected in you, for in Christ you have the experience of justification, sanctification and the baptism with the Holy Ghost. There is always prayer and praise to God here, as you see those cherubim over the altar praying and praising God.

In the ark, you find Aaron’s rod that budded, which represents justification; the hidden pot of manna, which stands for sanctification and the tables of stone on which God wrote Himself, representing the baptism with the Holy Ghost. Right above the ark, is the great Shekina glory. The Holy of Holies did not have any light from the sun, neither did it have any candle, but the light of the Holy Ghost lit it up. Over it rested the pillar of cloud by night and the pillar of fire by day, the very presence of God. When a man or woman gets the baptism with the Holy Ghost, they are filled with continual light. It is a greater light than when you were sanctified. It is the full blessing of Christ. Justification and sanctification come from God through His death on the cross, and He also purchased on the cross the baptism with the Holy Ghost for every believer.

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PENTECOSTAL NOTES

The baptism with the Holy Ghost is more of God. It is God glorified in our hearts.

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In sanctification the unction of the Holy Ghost comes on you in speaking, but the baptism is power through your whole body day and night. “Ye shall receive power after the Holy Ghost is come upon you.” Everyone that get the baptism get power. It is a continuous power. It comes down from heaven. The Lord sings and speaks through you in another tongue. He never did that in sanctification.

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Jesus said, “Tarry ye.” For what? For a work of grace? No, for He had said before He went down into the grave, “Ye are clean.” He got all the fears and doubts out of His church before He went back to bright glory. So after he had ascended to the Father, all they had to do was to praise God till the Comforter came. They did not have to mourn and weep for the Lord to give them a clean heart, for the vessel was already clean.

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O it is so precious to have a pot of oil which is the type of the Holy Spirit. Bless the Lord! The Lord will fill every sanctified vessel with oil. We read in Kings that the prophet told the widow to send out and get empty vessels to be filled with oil. Empty of self, cleansed through the Blood. Then they are prepared to hold the precious oil of the Spirit. People have to confess, make restitution, empty out, and be crucified before they can get this blessed oil.

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There have been those who have sought for the baptism and could not get it, because they did not come humbly as a little babe. They did not give up their doctrines and opinions; they did not empty out so they could get the filling. This is not revealed to our great theologians. Jesus said, “Thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent and revealed them unto babes.” Some came like men and women with plenty of knowledge and did not empty out; but some of us were foolish enough to fall in and say, Here, Lord, if you have any more for me, I want it.

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When you were converted, you got rid of sin; when you were sanctified, you were cleansed of carnality; but the baptism is the third Person of the Trinity upon your soul, that reveals Christ and takes the things of the Father and shows them unto you.

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Jesus filled the upper room where they were sitting, with rivers of salvation. He made a baptismal pool of that little room, and they were all immersed in the Holy Spirit. The prophets, priests, and kings were anointed. Tongues of fire sat upon each of them, which represents burning witnesses.

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Before Jesus ascended to heaven, holy anointing oil had never been poured on a woman’s head; but before He organized His church. He called them all into the upper room, both men and women, and anointed them with the oil of the Holy Ghost, thus qualifying them all to minister in this Gospel. On the day of Pentecost they all preached through the power of the Holy Ghost. In Christ Jesus there is neither male nor female, all are one.

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The Pentecost means power. Peter did not have power before Pentecost to stand up and say to that wicked and adulterous generation. “By the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead.” No, he cowed before a little maid. But when the power came into his life, he was able to preach boldly in the temple and on the streets “Christ whom ye crucified.” Hallelujah! They put him in jail, but the saints gathered and prayed and the angel led him out.

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Everyone that gets this baptism get the real refining fire. You do not have to pray for fire when you are baptized for when we have the baptism with the Holy Ghost, we have the fire also. The Holy Ghost brings the fire with Him. We are on fire for God, as the bush which burned with fire but was not consumed. John’s prophecy, “He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and fire” was fulfilled on the day of Pentecost. “And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire and it sat upon each of them; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost.”

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O beloved, there is power in the Gospel. It is the sweetest thing this side of heaven because it gives you overcoming power. It gives you power in time of need and affliction, in times when all the powers of hell seem settled down upon your soul; there is something in your innermost being that moves away the powers of hell the instant you call for the Blood. It gives you power that when a soul comes to you to be lead into salvation, you can cast off the powers of darkness by the precious Blood, and see that soul begin to swell and burst out with hallelujahs. He will give you power to preach the Gospel behind prison bars and see results.

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The abiding anointing, which is the Spirit of Christ, is holy; but it is not the third Person of the Trinity. You have the Father, Son and Holy Ghost in sanctification, but you have not the enduement of power until you are baptized with the Holy Spirit. Then you receive the baptism that Christ received on the banks of Jordan. He had the fullness of the Godhead, but He had to be baptized for His great work Jesus was anointed with the Holy Ghost and power and went about doing good. If we put sanctification for the Holy Ghost then we would have Jesus with carnality in Him up to His baptism. He did indeed sanctify Himself-not that He had any sin in Him-He set Himself apart for the salvation of the world; He did not compromise with His people or with any flesh that we might be sanctified through the truth.

“HE SHALL BAPTIZE YOU.”

Matt. 3:11.

Chicago, Illinois, 3554 Vernon Avenue.

I am urged, both by friends and by the Lord, to write the story of my experience in seeking the fullness of God, and I trust it will prove some blessing to those who hunger and thirst after righteousness.

When my attention was first drawn to the teaching of “The Baptism in the Holy Spirit,” with its outward evidence of “speaking in Tongues,” it did not appeal to me; not because I did not need the Holy Spirit in greater fullness but because I was not sufficiently hungry for the good things of God.

But after some little study and investigation of the remarkable movement which is beginning to sweep the earth in God’s mighty power, I began to seek God in real earnestness. I wanted the peace and joy that I saw in those who had received the Baptism in the Holy Spirit.

Services for the teaching of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit were begun in “The Stone Church,” Thirty-seventh Street and Indiana Avenue, Chicago, June 30, 1907 conducted by the Rev. F.A. Graves, Misses Marie Burgess and Jeanie Campbell, and my husband.

The above workers met in our home to pray God to bless the work.

While in prayer I became occupied with God for myself. I asked God to cleanse me from all sin and to give me whatever other blessing He had for me. While thus engaged in prayer I had a mental picture of the cross, and I was down at the foot of it. It seemed as though I were being pushed down until I saw myself about a foot high. It was very vivid. I felt that God was showing me myself as He saw me. I said, “Yes, Lord, I know I am small in your sight.” The next day I had great joy and when I began to pray again for a clean heart, God showed me that I had received it the day before at the foot of the cross.

Soon after this experience I was talking with these same workers and suddenly my heart seemed about to burst. I did not know why, for I felt no condemnation for sin. I was troubled and began to ask God to show me what it meant. I had had nothing in the way of manifestations showing me that God had cleansed my heart. I began to weep and continued until my heart seemed entirely empty, after which a great peace came over me.

I was now very hungry for the Baptism in the Holy Spirit. I began again to seek and again I began to weep. This time it did not seem as though I were weeping but rather that Christ was weeping through me. God was thus showing me the suffering and agony of Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane. I passed through the Garden experience with Christ, God letting me suffer all I could stand. I felt any more grief would kill me.

The next night I wept with Christ all night over lost souls.

I did not myself invite or create these experiences. I had not at this time thought of Christ’s sufferings. I believe these experiences contain a lesson which I shall some day understand better than I do now.

Saturday night, July 20th, I felt impressed again to pray for the Baptism in the Holy Spirit. I had the assurance that I would be baptized. I went to my bedroom, knelt and asked God to take full possession of my spirit, soul, and body. I was alone for two and one-half hours. Then I called Miss Burgens into my room. We prayed together and God wonderfully blessed us. My heart was filled with praise. I am not demonstrative and the only way my feelings were expressed were “Glory to God” “Praise His Name!”

While Miss Burgess was kneeling beside me I felt a great glow and a burning heat over my head. I heard Miss Burgess cry out, “Oh look at the beautiful lily.” I could not raise my head for the power of God was so great. In a few minutes he said, “Oh the beautiful Dove just above your head.” Again the Lily appeared and then the Dove. This time the Dove’s wings were outstretched over my head. I felt the power go through my body and knew that the Holy Spirit had taken possession of me. The power of God was so great that Miss Burgess drew away from me, weeping as though her heart would bread, saying, “I can’t stay near you.” I could not say a word at this time. I was awed into silence by the presence of God. Miss Burgess came back to me and again I felt the power of God. She said, “There’s a beautiful robe over you, which must be the robe of righteousness.” At this time I asked God to let me see something. In an instant the light broke above me, a beautiful dove appeared for a moment and vanished.

How unworthy I am to have the emblems both of Christ and the Holy Spirit appear to me! Immediately after this my chin began to quiver and I probably spoke a word or two in a foreign tongue.

The power of the Holy Spirit was with me in a marked way all day Sunday and Monday. The Holy Spirit continued to manipulate my facial muscles and vocal organs. Monday night I sang and talked a little in a foreign language. Praise His Holy Name!

When the language was forming and I was making peculiar sounds, the suggestion came to me that I was doing it myself. The temptation was so great that when the manifestations ceased, I attempted to repeat the sounds myself and found it impossible to repeat them.

The next morning Satan again tempted me and I felt depressed. I cried earnestly to God. My attention was called to the 4th of Matthew; when I read, “Then the Devil leaveth Him and behold angels came and ministered unto Him,” a great joy came upon me and has remained. Praise His Name! I have been a Christian a number of years but often regretted that the Blood of Jesus and the Cross of Christ were not more real. All my experiences the past week have clustered around the Cross. What a wonderful, wonderful Savior! “Oh that men would praise the Lord for His goodness and for His wonderful works to the children of men!”

See Him all ye people in all His fullness.

The above story is told only for the glory of God. It is sent forth with the prayer that the Christ Who baptized me in the Holy Spirit may baptize others also.-Mrs. W.H. Piper.

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PENTECOST IN MUKTI, INDIA

(Taken from a Pentecostal publication in India, “A Cloud of Witnesses.”)

“Mukti,” which means Salvation, is a community comprising a high school and schools of lower grades, Bible institute, an industrial school, in whose various departments useful trades are taught, a printing office employing 30 men, and a hospital. About 1,400 girl students are enrolled (inclusive of 300 rescued women in the Krupa Sadan) and there is a separate institution for boys. The great majority of the girls have been admitted to “Mukti” in times of famine during the past ten years, and when they entered they were simply raw heathen. Those from the Central Provinces spoke Hindi as little children, and those from Gujerat spoke Gujerati before they came to Kedgaon; but the acquired language of all the people of this community is Marathi. Considerably more than 800 of the girls are Christians in the saving sense of that word.

Both Pandita Ramabai and Miss Abrams were deeply impressed by the truth contained in the reports which came from Los Angeles concerning Pentecost, and believing that God was willing to send like Pentecostal blessings to Mukti which up to that time had not been received, after the manner described in Acts 2, they exhorted all the Christian boys and girls to begin to tarry for the promised baptism of the Holy Ghost. In taking this step, Pandita Ramabai fully acknowledged all that God had bestowed through His Spirit in the past; but she discerned there was the deeper fullness of the outpouring of the Holy Ghost accompanied with the gift of tongues which had not yet been received. Before Christmas 1906, the seekers assembled in the Church daily at 6 o’clock in the morning for a time of waiting on God.

About this time a band of 20 girls were sent to the station of K—- attended by two English Missionaries, and before much preaching had been done, J—-, a native girl, began to speak in a new tongue and magnify God. Within a few days every member of the party, including the two lady missionaries, received the Pentecostal baptism of the Holy Ghost and all were speaking in new tongues. The immediate result was more power in preaching Christ crucified. The attention of the people was arrested in a new way as the Lord took hold of rough men, and held the people spell bound.

The joyful news of Pentecost a K—- stirred the seekers at Mukti with fresh zeal. A worker from Mukti visited the band at K—- and in a few days she herself returned full of joy and the Holy Ghost. As might be expected, the presence of a living witness to the power of Pentecost put desperation of purpose into the hearts of the seekers, some of whom spent whole nights in prayer.

A girl named Z—- had awful conflicts with the devil. A few friends, believing Z—- to be in some degree under Satan’s power, prayer earnestly for her deliverance. Later that night there was a meeting in the Church, and after the meeting to the glad surprise of those present, Z—- began to pray intelligently in English. One of the sentences uttered was, “Jesus’ Blood make clean.” Prayer had been answered and the devil’s power broken, and a clear witness given to the Pentecostal baptism. Later, God gave this girl the gift of song which has been described as most sweet the notes of which are like the music of the flute. When singing in this new tongue she immediately translates the words into Marathi. A line which has been recalled is: “Jesus is over all; He is on the throne.”

Mukti is the glad scene of a continuous Pentecost, as day after day seekers come into fullness of blessing. A dialect of Kanarese is one of the various languages of Southern India which God has bestowed. Another new tongue is an ancient form of Sanskrit understood by Ramabai, Sanskrit is the sacred language of the Brahmans, the priestly class of India.

Several girls have received the gift of interpretation of tongues. some are for days and even weeks dumb as regarding their own language, except when God gives them a message, and then ability to deliver the message is given. The light minded and frivolous are sternly rebuked by these prophetesses who plead with others to tarry in dead earnest for Pentecost. The substance of a message was as follows:

The second coming of Jesus is near at hand. God is getting His people ready. Seek, and prepare to meet your Lord. If you do not stir yourselves up to seek the Lord now and receive His blessing, you will be left behind when Jesus comes and then you must suffer a great deal.

Some have received the gift of healing. Two little girls are among the number who exercise this gift, and when led by the Spirit, they visit the Hospital and in answer to their prayers the sick are healed. And as in the days of the apostles unbelievers were healed by the laying on of hands, so today a Hindu woman has been healed of sickness.

As in other countries so in Mukti, the girls and women are pressing on to greater things and are believing for the restoration to the Church of all the lost gifts of the Spirit. Those baptized have been filled with a new and burning desire for lost souls and have learned what it is to pray in the Holy Ghost and to travail in birth for souls. Their joy is unbounding and the very faces of some have been so transfigured with Heaven’s own light that it is pleasant to see them.

Address Max Wood Moorhead, Publisher, Colombo, Ceylon.

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NOTES ON THE COMING OF JESUS

Christ is coming again, not as the babe of Bethlehem, to be spit upon and mocked but He is coming in power and great glory.

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O He is coming back. The angels said “Why stand ye gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus that is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen Him go into heaven.” He went up, bless God, in a body of flesh. He has flesh and bones. All Hid Blood had been shed on Calvary; but still, through the power of the Holy Spirit, He has a body of flesh and bones. And He is coming back to gather His people. Are we watching and looking for Him?

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Everyone that will be ready to be caught away will have on the white garment. It is not the putting on of gold and adornment; it is the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit. O how the bride looks for the coming of the Bridegroom. If a young man should have a maid and she should dress herself in her wedding garments and yet not look for his coming, do you imagine the groom would care for her? “Unto those that look for Him, shall He appear.”

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There will be two appearances of Jesus under one coming. The first appearance is called the Rapture, when He comes as a thief in the night and catches away His bride; the second is called the Revelation when He shall come with ten thousand of His saints and destroy the wicked with the brightness of His coming, and when His feet shall touch the same mount from which He ascended. But we want to be ready for the first appearance, to be caught up. We must be caught up with Him, before we can come back with Him.

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Nothing but holy people will meet the Lord Jesus in the skies, when He comes in the rapture. Those that had no light on the baptism with the Holy Ghost but were sanctified will have part in the first resurrection, for the Word says, “Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection.” So we see the first resurrection is of the holy people. Those that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus during the tribulation will be raised at His revelation. Rev. 20. 4 makes this plain.

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All of Christ’s bride are virgins, that is to say, they are sanctified people. They are meditating day and night in the law of their God. This does not include simply the ten commandments, but it means meditating on all the promises and commands of Jesus. “Be ye holy” is the law of our God. “Tarry in the city of Jerusalem” is the law of Jesus, and “I will come again,” is the law of our God. So she is mediating day and night, on the street car, on trains, in the workshop, and in the silent watches of the night. He says they that meditate in His law day and night shall be planted by the rivers of waters, that is by the Holy Ghost which is the river of water flowing out of our souls.

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Jesus is coming to be King over all the earth and reign from sea to sea. We see Him in Revelations with a name written on His thigh, “King of kings and Lord of lords.” We are coming back with Him on white horses and wind up the tribulation. We shall sit with the glorified Christ in His throne as His queen, the Lamb’s wife. We are going to help Him rule this old world in the millennium, when righteousness shall cover the earth as waters cover the sea. Then afterwards at the white throne judgment, we shall sit with Him and judge the world. Then after the new heavens and new earth, when He shall have delivered up the kingdom into the Father’s hands, we shall reign with Him throughout eternity. O beloved, are you ready?

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Jesus said, “Sell that thou hast and give to the poor” and “pluck out the right eye and cut off the right hand, if it offend thee.” Where do we find people that are doing that? Instead of that they are getting more right eyes and right hands. The Bible tells of a time when men and women will be living at ease in Zion. They will be buying houses and lands and taking their ease; but, lo, suddenly there comes a little shout in the air. The saints have been taken away; the great tribulation is on the world. They will wonder what has happened. O beloved, when the fig tree putteth forth her leaves, know that summer is nigh. Some may laugh now in the face of God, but O when that day comes, the rich man will howl and call for the rocks to fall upon him. They will try to find some little saint of God to have them offer up a little prayer. But it will be too late. The five wise virgins have entered in and the door is shut.

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THE WEDDING GARMENT

Thirty-seven years ago, when but a school girl, I was converted to God, and my conversion was so deep and pungent, I received more at that time than a good many who profess holiness in these days seem to have.

A few years later, while in my own home, without ever having any teaching on that line, I was deeply convinced for a clean heart, but did not know that I could have it till death; was in such distress I could eat or sleep a little, and longed for death to release me from the “body of this death” that I felt was so hideous in the sight of my precious Lord. My husband thought I was going insane and tried to divert my mind, but conviction was too deep to be diverted.

After a time, a young minister who understood my case was sent of God to my home, who taught me my privileges in this life. And not long after, I received the evidence of heart purity. Such power attended this, that I would speak but a few words to one who was not right with God, and they would break down and weep and many of them get to God. God would give me such testimonies that the church, which was spiritually dead, was quickened into life and a great revival broke out that spread over the community. God would often lay me under the power and give me revelations both of Himself and other things.

Of course I thought this to be the baptism with the Holy Ghost, and when I would read or hear of this movement, I would say, “I received that 25 years ago.” But when I found it was spreading everywhere and many people as well as missionaries were speaking in tongues, I said, “This is a farce.” But God in His great love, showed me the movement was of Him, and I received the light and accepted it.

At the campmeeting at Fairmont, Minn., on June 21st, after confessing to God and man the attitude of the past, I saw myself all covered over with the Blood of Jesus. A few minutes after this, there was such power of God rested upon me that I fell beneath it; and as I was lying there, I felt something I had never had before was coming to me. With the natural eyes closed, I kept looking up into the heaven in expectancy, when I saw a light soft and mellow, unlike any earthly light. As it drew nearer, I saw a robe of such whiteness that no whiteness of earth can ever compare with it. The whiteness of itself seemed to make the soft heavenly light, whose beams reached like a beautiful pathway clear down to me. It seemed Jesus was holding out the garment by the shoulder, so it was all visible to me, and it glistened as though it had been dipped in diamond dust. And as I gazed upon its radiant beauty, Jesus said, “This is yours.” I seemed to be held by its dazzling beauty, until my attention was called by the Holy Ghost to the voice of a brother in another part of the room, repeating a sentence in an unknown tongue, and the Spirit revealed to me that he was saying, “You have the wedding garment,” and that the Spirit was saying this to me through him. Then there seemed to be music coming to me from the light that was still shining above. It seemed to keep coming nearer, until all at once my tongue and lips began to shout two words in an unknown tongue, and Jesus seemed to say, “This is the new name which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it.” Rev. 2:17.

I cannot describe the experience, but it was something more than I ever had before. It was revealed to me that this “latter rain” was getting people ready for the “Marriage supper of the Lamb,” and this is the time when the wise virgins are getting the oil in their vessels with their lamps. But O how many are going to be unwise.

Since then, I have sang and sometimes prayed in an unknown tongue. Sometimes the interpretation is given. I know Jesus is coming soon. He said, “When the bride begins to put on the wedding garments, it is not long until the wedding takes place.”

I have written this for the benefit of those who, like myself, honestly believe they have this experience in sanctification. I used to wonder what was the benefit of speaking in tongues, but I find that besides being a “sign to those that believe not,” it brings a blessing to the spirit of the person speaking, that nothing else ever did.

Mrs. T.M. Rist, Evangelist.

Windom, Minn.

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O to have that well of water springing up to everlasting life! O beloved, it flows out and waters your whole soul, and keeps the harp of ten thousand strings tuned up in your soul. And in the wee small hours of the morning, O you can hear the Holy Ghost playing on that harp. Bless God. It is so sweet to be lost in Jesus, to have Him a living monument in your life. O how He will give you power over all demons and devils in hell and in man. O it means something to have power with God, not only to tread on serpents and scorpions, to drink any deadly thing and it shall not hurt you, but to cast out demons and lay hands on the sick and they shall recover.

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The Apostolic Faith (June to September, 1907)

The Revival in Portland.

One of the mightiest revivals that Portland ever knew has taken place in that city. The devil raged, shots were fired, some were arrested and brought up before the judges, but the Lord worked on and healed all manner of diseases that were brought baptized and saved many precious souls.

In June a camp meeting was opened up there, where 100 souls were baptized with the Holy Ghost. Ministers were brought into the work. The Christian and Missionary Alliance in Portland came into the work in a body. God is working there in mighty power today.

One poor soul that had spent five years strapped to her bed in an insane asylum was healed. Her brother hearing of the wonderful work wrought through this people went and got her and brought her to the Mission, and God wonderfully healed and saved and sanctified her. Her brother testified that he did not believe in God and was an infidel. Now he is saved and has gone back to live with his wife he had left This Gospel surely is building up homes.

A lady was instantly healed of lesion of the muscles which the doctors have been working on for eleven years. The saints are leaving off their glasses and their eyes are being instantly healed. An old lady well on to seventy years old had her eyes completely restored while listening to a brother preaching.

When the plague in Portland was taking the children off at a fearful rate, the Lord healed all the Pentecostal flock as soon as it put in its appearance. Not one of them lost one of their family. The people were told to read the 91st Psalm, stand on the Word, and keep under the Blood, and fear nothing.

The Portland campmeeting opened at Twelfth and Division streets with 1000 people in attendance, sometimes hundreds could not get in. They had all things common at the camp, and such love and unity exists. The poor saint could have a tent as well as the rich one and all were free to eat at the tables. No collection taken, and yet the needs were abundantly supplied.

The work is spreading. Some came from Dallas and received their baptism and went back and set that town on fire and started a campmeeting there.

Sixty-seven were baptized in water one day. People brought their dear ones from the asylum and God healed them. Three from the asylum testified daily of the healing power of God.

A sanctified Nazarene preacher came to the meeting and got her baptism. Three preachers got through one day. The altars are packed.

A sister writing from there said, “O I wish you could hear these Holy Ghost people testify. No straps on anyone. The Holy Ghost works here. Saints filled so they can hardly talk jump up quickly, say a few words and sit down. Such a humble people, such love and unity I never saw.

-Address, Pentecostal Meeting, Twelfth and Division streets, Portland, Ore.

The “Latter Rain” in Zion City, Ill.

God is doing a mighty work in Zion City among those heart-broken and crushed people. First they started meetings in the Edina Hospice, now a faith home called “The Haven” then they had the large auditorium in the college and now have the large tabernacle.

One morning in the upper room of “The Haven,” the Holy Ghost fell, as they were praying for Him to come and manifest Himself. First one began to drop and then another until the floor was covered. The first to speak in unknown tongues was a young man who spoke in Chinese, Italian, and Zulu, which were identified. Then it was not long till the flood of joy began and all over the room they were praising and glorifying God in different tongues. Some were justified and sanctified. About twenty came through speaking in tongues.

God is using the children, young men and young women, in a marvelous manner. It is the most wonderful demonstration of the power of God upon human hearts. Denounce it as they will, when they see these little children under the power of the Holy Spirit, preaching, singing and speaking in different languages (which are many times identified by foreigners) they will in our meetings confess that their fighting has come to an end, and say that they have never seen anything after this manner.

Brother Seymour when he was in Zion City wrote, “People here receive the baptism in their pews while the service is going on and sometimes scores of them receive it. It is the sweetest thing you want to see. It reminds me of old Azusa ten months ago. The people that receive the baptism seem so happy, they remind me of our people at home. There are little children from six years and on up who have the baptism with the Holy Ghost, just as we have it in Los Angeles. Praise out God. This is another Azusa. It would do you good to hear these people speak under the power of the Holy Ghost. Some of them converse in tongues. Brother Tom has never lost the spirit of the Azusa. He is still fired up the same as ever. Everywhere I have traveled among our baptized souls they seem to have such joy and freedom in the Holy Ghost.”-Address “The Haven,” Zion City, Ill.

In Minneapolis, Minn.

One Sunday the power of God came upon us in the morning meeting and in the evening the Pentecost began to fall, and by 11:30 the next morning six had received Pentecost, “For they heard them speak with tongues and magnify God.” It was like some scenes in Azusa, all around lay the slain, Methodists, Baptists, and Lutherans. Young people arose with shining faces speaking in the power of the Holy Ghost in unknown tongues. Two elderly sisters also spoke in tongues, magnifying God. We have the happiest band of baptized people you ever saw. Young ladies that were so timid, now clap their hands and shout Glory, all the time.

Another night when the meeting lasted till five o’clock in the morning, one young man, a Methodist, came through about one a.m. and spoke in tongues for two hours, giving some of the most blessed messages and interpreting: the burden was, “Jesus is coming soon, get ready to meet Him.”

One little girl received her baptism and spoke beautifully in tongues, and then spoke to some unconverted young men in tongues and interpreted, which was a plea for them to give their hearts to Jesus now as He was soon coming and they would be lost. The men were visibly affected by the message.

Three baptismal services were held (up to June 19th) at a suburban lake, and 24 were buried in the likeness of His death.

Most of those who received the baptism in the Spirit are prostrated on the floor. Some received it while sitting in a chair or standing on their feet. Some have received it at home. Those who are prostrated, many of them tell of having a vision of heaven or of Jesus the Lord or otherwise of having come into a full and far deeper sense of God than ever thought of before. A brother coming out from under the power where he had received revelations said, “The hand of God is certainly on this work, and those who scuff and oppose it are likely to have the Lord’s hand put on them in a terrible way.”

The papers published many false reports, and they were threatened with arrest and to have the meetings stopped on the charge of disturbing the peace; but Bro. Pendleton announced that the meetings would continue for they must obey God. If they went to jail, they would have meetings there.

Some get to God in every meeting. They obtained a large hall that will set four or five hundred, where a permanent mission will be established.

Pentecost in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

For more than a year here some of the saints tarried before God for an outpouring of His Spirit upon all flesh, and especially for a revival of the Bible standard in Winnipeg. God has heard prayers and is repeating Pentecost. Praise His name.

The Holy Ghost first fell in a cottage meeting and three received their Pentecost with Bible evidence. An aged saint came in from Poplar Point, a small town about 40 miles distant, and the second afternoon he got his Pentecost and says he feels a lot younger. He and others went back and had tarrying meetings, and since then about twenty have received Pentecost at that place.

At the Pentecost Mission, while a brother was speaking from Acts 10:40-46, “While Peter yet spoke these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the Word,” as he was speaking, the Holy Ghost fell on two sisters. One started speaking right off in tongues, and another who had come about 100 miles to attend the meeting, fell under the power for a time and began to sing in tongues. It was heavenly. Souls are being saved, believers sanctified and baptized with the Holy Ghost while sitting in their seats.

Baptismal services took place on the banks of the River Assimboine at this place 23 persons receiving baptism by immersion. It was a sacred occasion. The Holy Ghost witnessed through the speaking in tongues of those who were baptized.

Some wonderful cases of healing have occurred the past few weeks. A lady of some 60 years of age who had been a cripple from inflammatory rheumatism for ten years or more, was brought in an invalid chair accompanied by her two daughters. She was prayed for, and during the service was noticed to stretch forth her ailing limbs, which up to this time had been of little use to her. She then rose from her chair under the power of the Holy Ghost. O that man would praise the Lord for His goodness and His wonderful works to the children of men.

Home & Foreign Mission, 159 Alexander St., Winnipeg, Man., Can.

FROM DISTANT LANDS.

How wonderful it is that today in different parts of India, Russia, Norway, Sweden, England, Canada, Africa and America, God’s saints are enjoying the latter rain and are being satisfied. Persecution is arising everywhere, but this is only a mark of the Lord’s work, and makes us more sure we shall reign with Him whose sufferings we are privileged to share. Bless His name! The Lord is coming-our precious King is coming soon. “Even so come Lord Jesus.” Hallelujah.

Salvation in Sweden.

In Stockholm, Sweden, many souls are filled with the Holy Ghost and have the Bible evidence. The tidal wave is sweeping on, on to victory. Hundreds of souls are at the feet of Jesus.

“The work of the Lord is spreading. In Gottenberg, the second city of Sweden, the Lord has set many of His people free, filling them with the Spirit of Christ. Some are speaking with new tongues. I have Bro. Eric Hollingsworth and his wife here with me now in this city, and hope we shall have a house like Azusa Mission.

“The church in Skofde is growing. I think there are about 40 now who are baptized with the Holy Ghost and speaking and singing in new tongues there. Hallelujah! In a meeting at Skofde there were seven young folks who were singing in tongues together. It was a heavenly song, as Bro. Eric told me.

“In many other cities and towns God is working mightily. One place is on an island between Sweden and Russia, and all the praise.”-Andrew G. Johnson, Bramaregarden, Hisingstad, Gottenberg, Sweden.

[Since the last report, two Spirit-filled sisters, Sister Anderson and Sister Jacobson, have gone to help in the work in Sweden.]

Reports from England.

“Three have received the baptism with Bible evidence here. When we hear the Holy Ghost speaking and singing through these dear ones, it is so solemn and yet so heavenly and deepens one’s hunger.”-J.H. * Akerman Road, Brixton, London, S.W.

From another part of London where there has been a tarrying meeting, word comes that two have received the Pentecost, and other hungry souls seeking.

A sister in England who has received the ** testifies:

‘When all had retired that night, past twelve o’clock and I was left alone, praise and adoration filled my soul (for the words kept ringing in my ear that had been spoken from, “Faithful is He that calleth you, who also will do it.”) The joy was flowing-after months of inexpressible yearnings, and waiting upon God. That night I seemed to lie in His almighty arms like a weary little child. The last cord that bound me to earth was broken and that was a little anxiety concerning my home and dear ones. I gave them up to Him, and just rested absolutely in Him.

“While praising Him I had a vision of Jesus upon the cross. It was dark, He extended His arms to me and said, “Come to Me.” Oh! the unutterable love and compassion in His voice. I obeyed, and groaned in the spirit, seeming to suffer with Him. Then the darkness fled, and I was raised with Him in glory. I involuntarily threw up my arms to praise Him and suddenly they seemed to be charged with electricity, and a power came upon me and I praised Him in another tongue. He immediately gave the interpretation which was “Glory to Jesus-the bleeding Lamb.” The next morning the Holy Ghost came in mighty power, causing me to laugh as I had never done in my life (being very matter of fact and unemotional), and speaking in four or five languages sometimes giving the interpretation. For one and a half hours this continued. I was quite powerless. The glory of God filled my soul, and sometimes the deepest anguish of heart at the cross. What I felt and realized of the sorrow and love of Jesus was beyond all expression, finding vent only in another “tongue.” Glory to His Name!

“The same evening I went to another meeting in connection, with the foregoing special services, and the Spirit came upon me again causing me to speak in three or four languages with the interpretation.”-From a tract published in England by Bro. A.A. Body, All Saints’ Vicarage, Monkwearmouth, Sunderland, England.

The Work in India.

There are at least five or six hundred witnesses in India today, “earnestly contending for the faith once delivered unto the saints.”

Some of the choicest spirits of India have been baptized with the Holy Ghost. It is wonderful to hear one of these tell how for nine years she had hunted meetings where she could receive the Holy Ghost, and how she has found Him whom her soul so long has craved. She and her friend are missionaries from Columbo, Cevlon. One of them has been clearly healed of a disease of several years standing.

Four witnesses have gone to Darjeeling India.

A prominent missionary who has been baptized with the Holy Ghost and has received wonderful power has thrown open the doors of her beautiful mission home and today is preaching the word with power.

The missionaries are searching the Word. They find this movement is prophesied as the forerunner of Jesus, and the precious souls are so glad to receive the power; but in India Bible teachers who know the Word are not jumping at every new doctrine but are weighing everything by the Word and are being convinced of the truth.

The Lord gave one missionary a vision of the Holy Ghost as a chest of jewels, and she saw the Savior open the chest, and with a look of great love and satisfaction, unroll gift after gift from the chest. It has not occurred to many the joy that must fill the heart of the dear Lord, when He sees that His gifts are being appreciated.

The Lord also gave Sister Garr a vision of Himself one night, while in Calcutta and His hands were filled with golden crowns ready to place on heads. And the same evening, He gave her the message “Let no man take thy crown.” A missionary arose and said that on that day God had spoken those words to her, and she did not know what it meant.

Reaching the missionaries is laying the axe at the root of the tree, for they know all the customs of India and also the languages. The only way the nations can be reached is by getting the missionaries baptized with the Holy Ghost. Missionaries are receiving and praising God for letting them hear this Gospel and receive this great outpouring of the Spirit.

In a school of 1,500 native girls and 200 boys, besides European and native teachers the head of the school has been tarrying and the Comforter has come to her and also to her daughter, a number of her teachers, and 300 native girls. Hallelujah! At Dhond, a school of boys, numbers have been saved, some are speaking in tongues.

In Calcutta, one Missionary who was baptized in the meeting, went back to her high school and in a short time forty-five precious native girls were baptized in the Spirit. Then the matron of a Rescue Home received her Pentecost and shortly the dear girls who had been redeemed from such lives of sin, were learning how to glorify Jesus and the Holy Ghost was given. Missionaries who have gone down to their stations, write of the abiding Comforter and rivers of living water are flowing.

False reports have been circulated of the work in India. Do not believe them.-Address Bro. and Sister A.G. Garr, Bethany, Slave Island, Colombo, Ceylon, India.

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When Jesus comes, He is going to reveal to us, all the hidden love that He had for us all through the ages.

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If your testimony is backed up by the Blood of Christ in your heart, there is power in it.

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God stands today to save every sinner, to sanctify every believer, and to baptize every sanctified believer with the Holy Ghost.

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We are measuring everything by the Word, every experience must measure up with the Bible. Some say that is going too far, but if we have lived too close to the Word, we will settle that with the Lord when we meet Him in the air.

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Some people build their houses on the sand, not on the experience of the Blood in their hearts. They say they have not got the witness, but are just going by faith. Well, everyone that is born of God has the witness in himself. I John 5:10.

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When we preach a sinless life, some people say we are too strict. They say we will not get many to heaven that way. But beloved, God cannot save contrary to His Word. All salvation contrary to the Word is not saving salvation.

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The baptism with the Holy Ghost is the seal of the living God in your forehead. God wants you to wear this seal, and not the badges of men and devils. He does not want you to be unequally yoked together with unbelievers, but come out from among the creeds and doctrines of men and devils. Our ignorance in the past God winked at, but that time is past. He is seeking for a clean people, a people that have not defiled their garments. The priests that bore the Holy vessels had to be clean, so now those that bear the messages of the Lord must be clean and holy.

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John the Baptist lost his head because he preached against divorces. There are a few people today that are willing to lose their heads for preaching against divorces. This Apostolic Faith stands for one wife and one husband. Our God is going to have a clean people, a people that will stand for the whole counsel of God. Praise God for a people that are willing to stand for the Gospel and die for it if need be.

THE APOSTOLIC FAITH

312 Azusa Street

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Published by

THE APOSTOLIC FAITH MISSION

Headquarters, Los Angeles

Subscription Free

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Please write your address very plainly.

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This is a free paper, a faith paper. Settle with the Lord.

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Notify us of any change of your address.

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Instead of sending in a list of names, why not send for a roll of papers, as many as you need, and send them out yourself? This will save work and expense at the main office. We need your help, dear ones.

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This is the campmeeting number of the Apostolic Faith, a double paper for the four months. We hope to send out more of the papers and oftener, the Lord willing May God make it a blessing to every reader.

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Some ask how to send money to help the work. Money orders can be made payable to the Apostolic Faith, or you can send United States stamps. We cannot use foreign stamps. Some have sent bills. The Lord takes care of the money for His work. None has been lost.

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Important!

You may find enclosed in your paper a slip. If you want your paper continued please fill it out with your name and address and send it to the Apostolic Faith. The reason we do this is because our mailing list is so large that we want to get it set up in print, and we do not want to print any names who do not really care for the paper.

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TO THE BAPTIZED SAINTS

The Lord wants us to keep that fresh anointing, that sweet anointing that we had when the Holy Ghost first fell upon us.

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It is one thing to receive the baptism and another thing to keep the anointing. When workers go out with the real anointing, there are not places large enough to hold the people. God wants a people to go out and preach this Gospel, that will stand for it. “These signs shall follow them that believe,” and if they do not follow, we do not represent this Gospel. It is a blessed thing to be able to stand as a witness to this Gospel.

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The Lord wants everything that is done in a meeting to be done in the anointing of the Holy Ghost. The Holy Ghost comes into your body for service. He anoints His ministers afresh for every service. Every song and every testimony should be given under the anointing of the Holy Ghost. Some have learned how to preach but it is a good thing for you if you cannot speak without the anointing of the Holy Ghost. You can get down on your knees and ask the Lord to use you or set you aside, which ever He wills, and to put the anointing on you for service if He wants you to give a message. Pretty soon you will feel the power going all over you. All you need to do is to yield to the will of God.

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Tongues are one of the signs that go with every baptized person, but it is not the real evidence of the baptism in the every day life. Your life must measure with the fruits of the Spirit. If you get angry, or speak evil, or backbite, I care not how many tongues you may have, you have not the baptism with the Holy Spirit. You have lost your salvation. You need the Blood in your soul.

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Don’t ever think because you have been sanctified and the old man crucified that there is no danger of him getting up. He will get up if you do not live in the Word and let the Blood flow. But if you remain in the Word, you will remain on the cross. O beloved, let us remain on the cross.

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It means something to consecrate, but it means more to keep consecrated, morning, noon, and night, to say, “Here am I. Lord, send me.” Sometimes when His voice comes, Do this or that, we think it is imagination: but if we will just ask God, “Is that You?” He will witness by the Blood that He is speaking. It is by obedience that we have power with God and increase in power.

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Many may start in this salvation, and yet if they do not watch and keep under the Blood, they will lose the Spirit of Jesus, which is divine love, and have only gifts which will be as sounding brass and a tinkling cymbal, and sooner or later these will be taken away. If you want to live in the Spirit, live in the fruits of the Spirit every day.

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“He anointeth my head with oil, my cup runneth over.” The oil of the Holy Ghost is poured upon our heads, and when we get filled, it will run over, that we may help others. If our cup is but full, it will simply be a benediction to ourselves; but when the oil of the Holy Ghost overflows, it will saturate and thrill and fill with the power of God other souls.

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The time has come when we must separate ourselves from this old world. Everything must be second to Jesus. Your treasure is in heaven. You are walking down here and trying to win souls, to pass the time away till Jesus comes.

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Go ye into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature, teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you.” You who are baptized with the Holy Ghost, this commission is written over your heads, and will not be taken down till the angel stands with one foot on the land and one on the sea and declares that time shall no longer be.

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O beloved, our reigning time has not come yet. We are to be with the Babe from the manger to the throne. Our reigning time will come when Jesus comes in great power from the throne. Until then we are to be beaten, to be spit upon, and mocked. We are to be like His son.

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It means so much to keep the anointing upon our souls so that we do not wither away, after we get this baptism. There is a tendency for the enemy to come in and tell you that you are giving away to this and that demonstration too much. God wants us to let the Holy Ghost have right of way with us. I love the liberty of the Holy Ghost, I love to see Him have right of way. When we received the baptism of the Holy Ghost, the power came down in such a mighty way, and after a time people began to consider and got us to taking thought. But what are we that will put straps and bands on the Holy Ghost, when the Lord comes and finds and thrills us with the Holy Ghost? Just because it is not our power shall we quench it and hold it down? Let us be free in the Holy Ghost and let Him have right of way.

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OLD TESTAMENT FEASTS FULFILLED IN OUR SOULS TODAY

In the 23rd chapter of Leviticus and 16th of Deuteronomy, and all through the Old Testament we read of the feasts that God appointed to be kept in the worship to Him. There were four feasts, the Passover Feast, Feast of First Fruits, Feast of Pentecost (or Feast of Weeks), and Feast of Tabernacles. They all typify what we get through the cross now, justification, sanctification, the baptism with the Holy Ghost and then a continual feast. Together they typify a complete redemption.

The Passover Feast

The Passover Feast is the very type of justification through the Blood of Jesus our Paschal Lamb. The night when they ate the Passover in Egypt was the type of a sinner coming out of darkness, through the Blood of Jesus. Hallelujah! The body of the Paschal Lamb is the type of the body of Christ, which is meat for us and bread for us, and the sprinkled blood represents salvation, as He said on that last Passover night when He was betrayed, “Take eat, this is my body which is given for you; this do in remembrance of Me.” He also gave them the cup saying, “This is the new testament in My Blood, which is shed for you.” Luke 22, 20. If we accept the Word of God and accept Christ’s body for healing, we shall be healed, Bless His holy name!

So the Passover represents justification and sanctification. There is a feast in every believer that has accepted the Blood of Jesus Christ. It is the first feast in his soul. When a man gets justified, the Lord puts a new song in his mouth, even praises to our God that he is saved and has peace with God through the Blood of Jesus.

Feast of First Fruits

This is the very type of consecrating our lives, after we are justified, to be sanctified “When ye come into the land which I give unto you, and shall reap the harvest thereof , then ye shall bring a sheaf of the first fruits of the harvests unto the priests. And he shall wave the sheaf before the Lord.” Lev. 23, 10, 11. Praise our God! Jesus Christ is our high priest. He sanctifies and cleanses us from all sin through His Blood. Bless His holy name!

“And the meat offering thereof shall be two tenth deals of fine flour mingled with oil, an offering made by fire unto the Lord for a sweet savor; and the drink offering thereof shall be of wine, the fourth part of an hin. And ye shall eat neither bread, nor parched corn, nor green ears, until the selfsame day that ye have brought an offering unto your God; it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations in all your dwellings.” Lev. 23. 12, 14. This is the very type of a fully sanctified life. We should not live off the experience and blessings of justification, but we should hasten to God as soon as we are justified and consecrate our whole soul to God as a sacrifice, and receive the sanctifying grace.

The 15th verse foreshadows the 50 days from the Cross to Pentecost. “And ye shall count unto you, from the morrow after the Sabbath, from the day that ye brought the sheaf of the wave offering; seven sabbaths shall ye complete; even unto the morrow after the seventh Sabbath shall ye number fifty days; and ye shall offer a new meat offering unto the Lord.” This makes seven weeks or 49 days that you have enjoyed the sweet sanctified life through the Blood; and on the 50th day which represents the new Sabbath, our Lord’s Day, comes the Pentecost, which we now receive under the new testament, the baptism with the Holy Ghost.

The Feast of Pentecost

The Feast of Pentecost is the very type of the baptism with the Holy Ghost. The word Pentecost signifies 50 days. The first Pentecost the Jews had was at Mount Sinai 50 days after the Feast of Passover. The baptism with the Holy Ghost also fell on Pentecost just fifty days after Jesus was offered on the cross, to the very hour. The regular time of offering the lamb of sacrifice was nine o’clock, and that was the hour that Jesus was crucified, the “third hour of the day.” And the baptism of the Spirit fell on the same hour, 50 days later, for in the second chapter of Acts, we read that Peter said to the multitude, “These are not drunken as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day.” The Pentecost fell on the Lord’s day, the first day of the week or Sunday. It has been kept by God’s people ever since. So Pentecost really means a feast, praise God, we have Pentecost in our souls today.

The feast of Pentecost came at the time of the wheat harvest and ripening of the summer fruits. They were commanded to leave some of the wheat and fruits in the fields, not to glean it. So when we get the baptism with the Holy Ghost, we have overflowing love, we have rivers of salvation. Praise our God.

The Feast of Trumpets

This is the feast of the full harvest. “When ye have gathered in the fruit of the land, ye shall keep a feast unto the Lord seven days; on the first day shall be a Sabbath and on the eighth day shall be a Sabbath. And ye shall take you on the first day the boughs of goodly trees, branches of palm trees, and the boughs of thick trees, and willows of the brook; and ye shall rejoice before the Lord your God seven days.” Lev. 23. 39, 40. In this you see a type of baptized Holy Ghost people filled with divine love, and under the mighty power of the Holy Spirit, praising God and giving Him the glory. Hallelujah! This feast of Tabernacles is a type of a continual feast with Jesus. It typifies the coming and reigning of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, when He shall spread the tabernacle and feed us.

These types and shadows represent what we are now receiving in reality. Bless His name. May we all seek all that God has for us.

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A HAPPY FAMILY.

One Sunday evening, the Lord impressed me not to go to meeting but to stay at home. We all went into the parlor and knelt down to pray, wife and I, and our three little children and one of the neighbor’s girls about 10 years old.

After wife and I prayed, the children commenced praying. The little boy of 13 was last to pray. While he was praying, the two little girls commenced crying out and such agony before God. It was about seven o’clock in the evening, and kept on till about nine. They were lying on their backs, sometimes praying and sometimes crying out.

Then Agnes said, “O papa, I saw such a beautiful light come down from heaven. It shines so much brighter than the gas light.” Glory! Hallelujah! Then she commenced speaking in tongues. It sounded like the French language. Then the other little girl commenced crying out. Agnes went and put her arms around her neck and said, “O Huldah, I see there is light for you too.” Then Huldah commenced speaking in tongues. Then they came and threw themselves in my lap and talked in tongues for an hour. Then they sang a song in tongues, both sang the same words and the same tune in perfect harmony.

Then the little boy began to get hungry, and we went down and prayed for him and about 12 o’clock he got his Pentecost.

The children were saved before that, and the two girls had been praying together that day. Agnes used to have a very sharp temper but is different now. Shortly after that all three were baptized with water. Little Clara, the baby, six years old, is praying for her Pentecost.

Ever since that night, when we get down to pray, nearly always the little ones begin to speak in tongues. The following Sunday evening, we left the children alone, and when we returned and came to the barn we heard such a noise in the house, and my wife wondered if the children were crying. We found all three of the children were talking in tongues.

M.B. Froseth,

938 E. 33rd St. Los Angeles.

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A CHILDREN’S MEETING.

A little girl eight years old who was reclaimed and sanctified at the children’s tabernacle in the campmeeting was left at home one morning to take care of the little children, while her mother went to the meeting. She was a good girl with the children, and the Lord gave them a wonderful meeting at home. Rebecca who was seeking the baptism with the Holy Ghost, her cousin who had been saved that morning in family worship and the little sister, all had a little meeting. They sang, prayed and testified and then had an altar call. Little Mary was saved, and while praying with her Vivian was sanctified. After they closed the meeting, Rebecca sat on the lounge sewing and got up to start a fire, when the power of God came on her. She says, I fell on my knees so suddenly that it surprised me. I said, “O Father, baptize me with the Holy Ghost and fire, and give me the witness that I am baptized.” In a few minutes she began to sing in an unknown language. Then the Lord impressed her to go and lay hands on her cousin, and she fell under the power and lay for some time and came out from under the power singing in an unknown language. When the mother came home, Rebecca ran and told her the good news, and she said she had been praying for the Lord to take care of the children, and indeed He had.

THE MIRACLE OF SPEAKING IN TONGUES.

Some people doubt the miracle of speaking in tongues. They read it in the Bible but do not believe in miracles now-a-days. There was a woman on the campground that doubted the miracle of speaking in tongues. She understood Russian and Polish, and the Lord gave her a message in her native tongue, which no one else understood.

A boy arose to testify and when his turn came, and he opened his mouth, he could not speak English, but the Spirit began to speak in an unknown language. The woman heard both Russian and Polish and was thoroughly convinced. He spoke about ten minutes giving the account of Jesus walking among the golden candlesticks with the seven stars in His right hand and also the first eight verses of the 3rd of Revelation where Jesus was exhorting the church that had a name to live and was dead, to repent. The boy seemed to be preaching and exhorting in great power. Part of the message was, “Jesus is coming very soon.”

The young man’s name is Ralph Groenick of Hermon, Cal., and the woman’s address is Sister Rosenthal, corner 24th and Hoover streets, Los Angeles.

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CHRIST ABIDES IN SANCTIFICATION

When we receive Christ as our sanctifier, He comes in and we have the abiding anointing in our souls continually. When a man is sanctified, there is no doubt as to his sanctification, for he has the witness within. Christ abides, He sits enthroned. You are in the Word of God and you get a real witness from the throne of God that Christ is within. When you call your Beloved, He answers and says, Here I am.

I remember after I was converted, I said, How is this? My Beloved comes to me and visits me, but He does not abide. I knew I was a Christian but I did not have the real abiding anointing. When I would get with Christians and sing one or two hymns, my Beloved would come and visit me; but when I left, it seemed He would go. I said to Him, “I would like for you to come and stay, not just some and fill me and afterwards take Your flight.” But when I got my Beloved sanctified in me, then when I would call upon Him, He would come and make my soul laugh. You do not have to ask someone about it. If you have not received the abiding anointing, you have a counterfeit sanctification. As long as you live in the Word of God He will always be present. We must continue to obey Him, for there is no way for Christ to abide in us, if we do not obey Him.

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CURED OF DOUBT AND FEARS.

The Blood of Jesus is the only cure for doubt and fears. It takes sanctification to deliver from doubts and fears. We always find that people who are not sanctified are more or less troubled with doubts. But when they get sanctified they are filled with such love to God, that they are like little babes, they believe every word of Jesus.

Now Jesus had been with the disciples three and a half years, and had told them all about the kingdom, and yet the doubts and fears came upon them. But in Luke 24:31, we read, “And their eyes were opened and they knew Him.” This was after the resurrection. Their spiritual eyes were opened to see our inheritance. No one can get the baptism till Christ anoints his eyes and opens up his understanding that he might understand the Scriptures. In the 45th verse we read, “Then opened He their understanding that they might understand the Scriptures.” Then they received the living Word into their hearts and their hearts burned within them, as He unfolded the Scriptures to them.

Sanctification is a cure for unbelief, doubts and fears. Jesus got all His disciples cured before He went back to glory. What do you call that but sanctification? His Blood had been split for their sanctification. He had suffered without the gate to sanctify them. We can see Jesus taught the doctrine of sanctification before He was crucified, for He had prayed that they might be sanctified in the 17th of John. He stayed with them on earth forty days, opened their understanding, opened their eyes and cleansed them of doubts.

The last one to be cured of doubts was Thomas. They were trying to preach the resurrection to Thomas, but he said, “No. I will not believe it until I put my hand into His side and my finger into the prints of the nails.” Satan was trying to rob and fool Thomas out of the glorious truth of the resurrection. Jesus knew all about it. He called Thomas and said to him, (Don’t you see how Jesus hates infidelity and unbelief) “Reach hither thy finger and behold My hands and, reach hither thy hand and behold My side, and be not faithless but believing.” Jesus wants us to walk by faith and believe every word that proceedeth out of His mouth.

We believe that the disciples were sanctified and ready for the baptism with the Holy Ghost. They had obedience and faith in their hearts, and were continually praising and blessing God in the temple, until the Pentecost tell, Acts 2. If we will all get a clearly sanctified experience as they had, we will have no trouble in receiving the baptism.

THE HOLY SPIRIT BISHOP OF THE CHURCH

It is the office work of the Holy Spirit to preside over the entire work of God on earth.-John 10:3 Jesus was our Bishop while on earth, but now He has sent the Holy Ghost, Amen, to take His place, not men.-John 14:16; 15:26; 16:7-14. Praise His holy name!

The Holy Ghost is to infuse with divine power, and to invest with heavenly authority. No religious assembly is legal without His presence and His transaction. We should recognize Him as the Teacher of teachers.

The reason why there are son many of God’s people without divine power today without experimental salvation, wrought out in their hearts by the Blood, by the power of the blessed Holy Spirit, is because they have not accepted Him as their Teacher, as their Leader, as their Comforter. Jesus said in His precious Word that if He went away He would send us another Comforter. The need of men and women today in their lives, is a Comforter Praise our God! We have received this blessed Comforter, and it is heaven in our souls. We can sing with all our hearts: “What matter where on earth we dwell On Mountain top, or in the dell,

In cottage or a mansion fair,

Where Jesus is, ’tis heaven there.”

Bless His holy name!F May God help every one of His Blood bought children to receive this blessed Comforter. Glory to His name! Hallelujah! Hosannah to His omnipotent name! Oh, He is reigning in my soul! Hallelujah! I just feel like the song which says:

“Oh, spread the tidings round

Wherever man is found,

Wherever human hearts

And human woes abound,

Let every Christian tongue

Proclaim the joyful sound,

The Comforter has come!”

Many people today think we need new churches, (that is to say church buildings,) stone structures, brick structures, modern improvements, new choirs, trained singers right from the conservatories, paying from seven to fifteen hundred dollars a year for singing, fine pews, fine chandeliers, everything that could attract the human heart to win souls to the meeting house is used in this twentieth century. We find that they have reached the climax, but all of that had failed to bring divine power and salvation to precious souls. Sinners have gone to the meeting house, heard a nice, fine, eloquent oration on Jesus, or on some particular church, or on some noted man. The people have been made glad to go because they have seen great wealth, they have seen people in the very latest styles, in different costumes, and loaded down with jewelry, decorated from head to foot with diamonds, gold and silver. The music in the church has been sweet, and it is found that a good many of the church people seem to be full of love, but there has always been a lack of power. We wonder why sinners are not being converted, and why it is that the church is always making improvements, and failing to do the work that Christ called her to do. It is because men have taken the place of Christ and the Holy Spirit.

The church had the right idea that we need bishops and elders, but they must be given authority by our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and their qualifications for these offices must be the enduement of the power of the Holy Ghost. Jesus, after choosing His disciples, said, in John 15:16 “Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father, in my name, He may give ordained His disciples with His own blessed hands, before going back to glory, but He put the credentials in their hearts on the day of Pentecost, when they were baptized with the Holy Ghost and fire. Hallelujah! This was the authority that made them His witnesses unto the uttermost parts of the earth, for without the blessed Holy Spirit, in all of His fullness, we are not able to witness unto the uttermost parts of the earth. We must be coworkers with Him, partakers of the Holy Ghost. Then, when He is in us, in all of His fullness, He will manifest Himself. Signs and miracles will follow. This is the office work of the Holy Spirit in the churches. Amen.

I pray God that all Christ’s people and ministers everywhere will please stop by the headquarters, the Jerusalem before God, for their credentials. Then they are entitled to receive credentials from the visible church. But the main credential is to be baptized with the Holy Ghost. Instead of new preachers from the theological schools and academies, the same old preachers, baptized with the Holy Ghost and fire, the same old deacons, the same old plain church buildings will do. When the Holy Ghost comes in He will cleanse out dead forms and ceremonies, and will give life and power to His ministers and preachers, in the same old church buildings. But without the Holy Ghost they are simply tombstones.

We must always recognize that a meeting house is simply a place, where Christ’s people gather to worship, and not the church. The church is planted in our hearts, through the Blood of Jesus Christ, for Christ said in Matthew 16:16. “Upon this rock will I build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” We see, if these meeting houses and such buildings were really churches of Christ, the storms, cyclones, and fire, could not harm them; but we see them blown down by storms and burned down. But, through the precious Blood of Christ, this church that He plants in our souls will stand throughout eternity.

The first thing in every assembly is to see that He, the Holy Ghost, is installed as so many dried up missions and churches today, is because they have not the Holy Ghost as the chairman. They have some man in His place. Man is all right in his place, that is when he is filled with the power of the Holy Ghost, for it is not man that does the work, but the Holy Ghost from the glory land, sent by Jesus to work through this tabernacle of clay. Wherever you find the Holy Ghost as the chairman in any assembly, you will find a fruitful assembly, you will find children being born unto God.

Just as it takes a father and a mother to bring forth children of this natural life, so it takes the Word and the Spirit to bring forth children of the spiritual birth. There must be a father and there must be a mother. God chooses human instruments to preach the Word unto the people, and the Holy Ghost gives birth to everyone who receives the Word of Christ, which means the new birth. Praise our God. Where a Holy Ghost man preaches the Word of God, the Lord will bring forth sons and daughters unto his administration.

Jesus Christ is the archbishop of these assemblies, and He must be recognized. Also we must recognize the Holy Spirit in all of His office work. He takes the members into the church, which is the body of Christ. Through repentance to God, and faith in Jesus, they become the members of the church of Christ. And they remain members as long as they live free from sin. When they commence sinning, the Holy Ghost, the chairman and bishop, the presiding elder, turns them out, and they know when they are turned out of this church. They don’t have to go and ask their pastor or their preacher, for they feel within their own soul that the glory has left them-the joy, the peace, the rest and comfort. Then when they feel the lack in their souls, if they will confess their sins, God, the Holy Ghost, will accept them back into the church.

Oh, thank God for this holy way. I am so glad that sham battles are over. Men and women must live straight, holy, pure lives, free from sin, or else they have no part with Christ Jesus. When men and women are filled with the Holy Ghost, everywhere they go, living waters will flow. The Lord promised that out of our innermost being living rivers of water should flow. This is the Holy Ghost. Amen! The mighty Pison, the Gihon, the Hiddekel, the Euphrates of our soul will flow, representing the rivers of salvation. Amen!

W.J.S.

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HEALED BY THE LORD.

“I feel led by the Holy Spirit to testify to the glory of God what He has done for me and my wife. The Lord has wonderfully healed me from catarrh of nine years standing. Glory! glory! glory! glory be to my dear Redeemer’s name! Soon as I received the handkerchief, or as soon as I opened the letter, such power went through my whole being as I have never felt before, and I praise Him, I feel the healing balm just now go through soul and body. Glory to King Jesus, the great Physician of soul and body. A few weeks before this, my wife was very sick, as near death as I have ever seen a human being. Her ears were getting cold and strength gone so that she could only whisper, but glory to God for His mercy and love, we got some of the saints to pray for her, and He wonderfully came and healed her. About a year ago, God for Christ’s sake saved and sanctified her, and revealed to her not to trust in the arm of flesh. So she pitched her medicine out once for all and took Jesus for her only Doctor. He is surely the only one that can help us under all circumstances.”-E.W. Johnson, Stockholm, Sask, Canada.

“The Lord graciously gave me the baptism with the Holy Ghost and fire on April 29th, and there have 35 received their Pentecost at Readan, Wash., where I was. One dear sister was healed of curvature of the spine in answer to our prayers in half an hour after receiving her baptism, and her back straightened like a piece of rubber Praise to our God. She has been called to go to India.”-Mary Law, Rte 8, Spokane, Wash.

“A few of us here believe in this “faith once delivered unto the saints” and some are speaking in tongues. One sister sang beautiful songs with such marvelous power, beauty and sweetness, and oh how blest we were. Fifteen dear young men were saved, also several others. I wish to tell of a miracle which God did on my dear mother, healing her of a growth or pressing of the bones on the brain, caused by a bad fall on a sharp rock. She had suffered two years, and last summer was fast becoming insane from the pressure on her brain. I told her one night we would pray for her at the church where we met. We were only two, a brother and myself, and we claimed the promise, “Where two of you are agreed.” Praise God, my mother was healed sitting at home in a chair asleep. She said that she sprang up in alarm, wondering why her head felt so light and good. Then she remembered we were praying for her, and realized that she was healed, and thank God she is well and happy today.”-Eben, Lind, Moline, Ill.

“I can testify to this world that there is power in the Blood of Jesus Christ to cleanse from all sin and all dread diseases. Two days before I received your letter, I was made well and my shoulder went up into its place. All I can say is, Praise the Lord for ever and ever.”-John Waterson, Knowlesville.

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LETTER TO ONE SEEKING THE HOLY GHOST

Dear Beloved in Christ Jesus:-

The Lord Jesus has said in His precious Word, “Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled.” Matt. 5, 6. God’s promises are true and sure. We can rest upon His promises. He says, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. Matt. 5, 8. “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Matt. 5, 3.

The Lord Jesus is always ready to fill the hungry, thirsty soul, for He said in His precious Word, “He that believeth on Me as the scripture hath said, out of his innermost being shall flow rivers of living water. (But this spoke He of the Spirit which they that believe on Him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)” John 7, 38, 39. But, praise God, He is given to us today.

All we have to do it to obey the first chapter of Acts, and wait for the promise of the Father upon our souls. The Lord Jesus said in His precious Word. “Behold I send the promise of My Father upon you; but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem until ye be endued with power from on high. (Luke 24, 49.) For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.

*** Ye shall receive power after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you; and ye shall be witnesses unto Me both in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and in Samaria and unto the uttermost part of the earth.” Acts I. 5, 8. They tarried until they received the mighty power of the baptism with the Holy Spirit upon their souls. Then God put the credentials in their hearts, and put the ring of authority on their finger, and sealed them in the forehead with the Father’s name, and wrote on their heart the name of the New Jerusalem, and put in their hand the stone with the name written that no man knoweth save he that receiveth it. Praise the Lord, for His mercy endureth forever. Let us stand upon His promises. They are sure, they will not break.

The Lord Jesus says, “Behold, I give you power to tread on serpents and scorpions and over all the power of the enemy; and nothing shall by any means hurt you.” Luke 10, 19. Dear loved one, the Lord Jesus when He rose from the dead, said “All power is given unto Me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. (Matt. 28. 19) He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. And these signs shall follow them that believe; in My name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; they shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick and they shall recover.” Mark 16: 16-18. And they went forth and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them, and confirming the Word with signs following. Praise His dear name, for He is just the same today.

The first thing in order to receive this precious and wonderful baptism with the Holy Spirit, we want to have a clear knowledge of justification by faith according to the Bible. Rom. 5:1, “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,” faith that all our actual sins may be washed away. Actual sin means committed sin.

And then the second step is to have a real knowledge of sanctification, which frees us from original sin-the sin that we were born with, which we inherited from our father Adam. We were not responsible for that sin until we received light, for we could not repent of a sin that we did not commit. When we came to the Lord as a sinner, we repented to God of our actual sins, and God for Christ’s sake pardoned us and washed our sin and pollution away, and planted eternal life in our souls. Afterwards we saw in the Word of God, “This is the will of God, even your sanctification.” I Thess. 4:3, also John 17:15-19. We consecrated ourselves to God, and the Lord Jesus sanctified our souls, and made us every whit clean.

Then after we were clearly sanctified, we prayed to God for the baptism with the Holy Spirit. So He sent the Holy Spirit to our hearts and filled us with His blessed Spirit, and He gave us the Bible evidence, according to the 2nd chapter of Acts verses 1 to 4, speaking with other tongues as the Spirit gives utterance.

Praise our God, He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Receive Him just now and He will fill you. Amen. Don’t get discouraged but pray until you are filled, for the Lord says, “Men ought always to pray and not to faint.” Don’t stop because you do not receive the baptism with the Holy Ghost at the first, but continue until you are filled. The Lord Jesus told His disciples to tarry until they were endued with power from on high. Many people today are willing to tarry just so long, and then they give up and fail to receive their personal Pentecost that would measure with the Bible. The Lord Jesus says, “Ye shall be filled.” He says that to the person that hungers and thirsts after righteousness and He says they are blessed. So if there is a hunger and thirst in our souls for righteousness, we are blest of Him. Praise His dear name!

Yours in Christ,

W.J.S.

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THE PROMISE OF THE FATHER AND SPEAKING WITH TONGUES IN CHICAGO.

In our previous articles upon the above subject, we defined the definite conclusions at which we had arrived; and now after six months further study, we have little to change as to our opinion of the movement. Last January we said we were satisfied that God had visited His people and that many were greatly blessed while others seemed puffed up and injured by their experience. We also stated that the Gospel Tabernacle as a church had set aside one evening of each week to pray especially that we might receive all that God was willing to bestow; and also that we might be delivered from all the deceptions of Satan, and the workings of the flesh.

The result so far has been most satisfactory. God has met us and answered our prayers. On the 12th of June at the close of our regular mid-week prayer meeting, nine of us tarried for a special season of waiting upon God. We had not proceeded far when one of our number (our class leader, a man of undoubted reliability and Christian experience), was praying with unusual earnestness amounting to intense supplication, when suddenly the Spirit seemed to fall upon us “as at the beginning;” for several were strongly convulsed, while the brother referred to began to speak in “unknown tongues” and “magnify God” with a loud voice. This altogether new experience made a deep impression on all present, as it could not possibly be attribated to hysteria or any hypnotic influence. So great was the downpour of the Spirit that this strong man paced the floor glorifying God for fully an hour. By this time the sense of God’s presence was so great that another of our church officers said that he believed it was God’s will to bestow upon him a like enduement. This brought us once more to our knees, where we had not long remained when the Spirit again fell upon us, and this brother likewise burst into intense supplication, and a little later began to speak “in tongues” and glorify God, as the first brother had done. This so impressed us that we began to think that it was the will of God to visit the entire company. None of the others, however, were visited at this time and at three o’clock in the morning we left the church. Again the following Friday evening as a company kneeled at the altar the Spirit fell upon one of our sisters; and again the following Sunday evening, upon one of the elders of the church. In each instance the recipient had the same experience as the first two. These things have made such an impression upon our people that the church has been greatly quickened. Those who speak in tongues seem to live in another world. The experience they have entered into corresponds exactly with that which is described in the 10th chapter of the Acts. The tongues they speak in do not seem to be intended as a means of communication between themselves and others, as on the Day of Pentecost, but corresponds more closely with that described in the 14th of I. Corinthians, 2nd verse, and seems to be a means of communication between the soul and God. They do not speak in tongues in the assembly, but when in prayer; they become intense in their supplication; they are apt to break out in the unknown tongue, which is invariably followed by ascriptions of praise and adoration which are well nigh unutterable. The writer has about concluded that it is the “new tongues” spoken of in Mark xvi. 17 as one of the signs which are to follow them that believe, rather than the “gift of tongues” which all evidently did not possess. We feel our spirits hushed into silence before God, at this wonderful manifestation of His presence in our midst. We have announced no extra meetings in the church, but every night prostrate forms may be seen waiting in silence before Him who baptizes with the Holy Ghost. There is no shadow of doubt left in our minds as the the Scripturalness of the experience, and we feel sure that no honest heart could find anything to criticize.

There are other cases at other points in our Chicago work equally satisfactory, and it is this more than any other thing that has influenced us in the selection of the Free Methodist Camp Grounds, as the place for our next annual meeting.-The Christian Missionary Alliance.

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Of the 500 disciples that heard Jesus say, “Tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem,” how many tarried? Just 126. O it is not all that are going to obey the voice of Jesus. We know that Mary Magdalene was there and Mary the mother of Jesus, and they received the power along with the men. Glory to Jesus. God says, “In the latter days, I will pour out of My Spirit upon all flesh”-not only upon the servants but on the handmaidens also. So we women have a part in this Gospel. Hallelujah to my God! He is the fairest of ten thousand to my soul.

TESTIMONY AND PRAISE TO GOD

“O, I feel the coming of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ drawing nigh. Hallelujah! Glory to His name! I am so glad that the Lord is holding the winds until the angel has sealed all of the saints of the living God in their foreheads, the baptism of the Holy Ghost. The midnight cry will soon be made, when the morning and the night shall come. It will be morning in our souls, to those that are waiting for His coming; but the awful black night of tribulation as the black night of Egypt will come upon all the world. May god help all of His precious waiting bride to be watching, waiting until our Lord shall come.

“Oh, I am so thankful that I can work for my Christ and my God. The time is short when our blessed Jesus shall return to this earth, and snatch away His waiting bride. After six thousand years of toil and labor, we are going to have one thousand years of rest with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Glory to His holy name!” Bro. Seymour, 312 Azusa St., Los Angeles.

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“I can’t forget how, kneeling at the dear old board in Azusa street, I promised God I would go where He wanted me to go and stay where He wanted me to stay, and be what He wanted me to be. I meant every word of it and God has taken me at my Word. How His glory is flooding my soul. O how I worship His precious name! I have to stop and wonder how God can bless the Word through me. To think He has saved me when all my family were infidels and everything that would drive me from God. No one can ever know how I feel for the way God has dealt with me. O how I love Jesus. It thrills my very being to think of the Blood. It has done so much for me. I am filled with wonder love, and praise that God would permit me to see the workings of His mighty power in these last days. O to think we have lived to see the return of the apostolic power and to see the gifts restored back to the church. I find we cannot compromise with anything or anybody. O we must stand for all the light we have received, and having down all to stand.-Florence Crawford.

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“This is, without doubt, God’s last call to His people just previous to the coming of our blessed Redeemer and Master. O, how our hearts long to see Him! How we rejoice at the hope, each day bringing to us a deeper experience and a brighter assurance that we, ourselves, shall never see the grave! His approach is so nigh at hand, one almost thinks they can hear the songs of the angels who are to accompany Him in His coming. Without a shadow of a doubt, we are living in the latter days and that “Latter Rain” is being poured upon us; yet we are but beneath its droppings; the full shower has not yet arrived.” -Bro. Tom Hezmalhaich, “The Haven” Zion City, Ill.

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When the Comforter first came my heart was so overflowing with the joy, I had not time to prove thereality, the blessed reality of the experience received in dear reality of the experience received in dear old Azusa Street Mission, but as persecution arose in India I have proved day by day, hour by hour that He abides and reveals Jesus to my soul in wonderful ways.

How conscious have I been of His presence giving “songs of deliverance” and speaking through me to my own comfort and delight. Praise Him. There are several hundred natives baptized with the Holy Ghost and speaking in tongues today in India. I want to add, that the blessed Comforter does indeed reveal the perfect life of the Savior, not alone in the oil of joy, (“Thou hast loved righteousness and hated iniquity; therefore God even Thy God, hath anointed Thee with the oil of gladness above Thy fellows”), but the other side of this precious life, (“The man of sorrows and acquainted with grief.”) And we can say we have not longed for the joy side alone, but to “suffer with Him that we might reign with Him.” He longs for a bride who shares both His suffering and joy. I want to enter into His own heart and feel as He felt, letting His joy be my joy, His sorrow my sorrow. He has put groanings into my heart which cannot be uttered over a lost world and those who do not understand His workings in the earth at this time. How I praise Him for a love for my enemies that is not natural but divine. Hallelujah.

We long to see all power restored that the heathen can no more say to the missionaries: “Where is their God.” Joel 2:17. “The Lord will be jealous for His land and pity His people.”

Our hearts are knit with the dear Saints at Azusa street and we think with love of all. How often I think of the times the Spirit sang through Sister Crawford and me:

“Jesus, Savior, pilot me

Over life’s tempestuous sea.”

That testified to my own heart that much would arise for which the Spirit was preparing me. He abides, the blessed Comforter.-Mrs. Lillian Garr, Bethany, Slave Island, Colombo, Ceylon.

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“I am not going to Africa for name or fame, but for the saving of precious souls that Jesus gave His life for, that they should enjoy this blessed salvation as we Glory to His name. How I worship my Savior. Can say from the very depths of my heart that this world with all its attractions has no charms for me. It is Jesus and Him only.”-Rosa Harmon, 351 W. 40th St., New York City, en-route to Africa.

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“We had a wonderful campmeeting in Fairmont Minn, I put myself on record as a seeker from the beginning. As I kept humbling myself before Him day after day His power and love began going all through me. At one meeting a number were singing the heavenly chorus and I found my heart in tune with it. Hallelujah, so that I was able to take part. I had not then spoken any in unknown tongues but was still pressing up for the baptism in the Holy Ghost.

A night or two days after that, I sang again with a number of others, and soon after the tent was filled with God and my heart was filled with holy laughter. then suddenly several peculiar moves took place around my jaw bones, and from away within, without my having any part in it, I spoke words that I was not accountable for. With this there was great, inexpressible joy in my soul, so much that I was unable to keep still.

One girl of about 18 years from Sioux City sang several verses in a South African dialect, words which were so near like the Zulu dialect that some were familiar to me. Sister Ladd from Des Moines spoke several sentences in the Arabic which I could understand, though the Arabic in Morocco is different from the pure Arabic spoken in Palestine.”-Fred Weiss, Thurman, Ia., returned Africa Missionary.

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RAISED FROM THE DEAD

Miss Eula Wilson, a girl of fifteen in Wichita, Kans, had been given up to die by the doctors. She seemed to die and was laid out for burial. Hours afterward she suddenly raised up and said, “O Mamma I have been in heaven and Jesus has healed me and told me to eat, drink, and walk” She was completely healed and has not been sick at all since.

She says she was taken to heaven in cloud accompanied by two angels and her brother who had died two years before. Heaven, she said, was sparkling with indescribable beauty and glory. She met Jesus, who bade her enter through the gate of pearl, saying, “Peace, peace.” He led her and her brother to a most beautiful stream of water sparkling like myriads of diamonds. She was not able to see across the stream nor to the heights of the city. She saw an innumerable company, a large proportion of whom were infants and little children, and recognized many relatives but was disappointed at not seeing some who had died as it was supposed in the triumphs of the Christian faith.

She says, “Everybody looked so beautiful and natural, except a glorious and heavenly light in their eyes and on their faces. They were all dressed alike wearing white robes, without any yoke and with loose flowing sleeves and were all barefooted, with a halo of glory encircling their heads. There was no earth, but all was pure gold, yet much more beautiful than our gold, and seeming transparent.” The light of heaven was glorious and came from the throne of God. Near the stream of water were leafless trees, yet filled with luscious fruit having neither pit nor peeling, but beautiful like the surroundings. When plucked off, it immediately grew again. The people drank of the stream and ate of the fruit, but Jesus told Eula not to eat or drink but to return to earth again, warn the people of their sins, and tell them of this beautiful place and that He was coming soon, for them to be ready.

She did not want to come back, fearing that she would have to endue the same suffering, but Jesus said to her, “I will heal you so that you will not have to suffer any more, and I will give you strength.” In fulfillment of this promise, she has been able to speak to large audiences and is gaining in strength every day. The physicians cannot account for it. She had been sick for seven months and had had a long death struggle. The doctors agree that she was totally blind in one eye which was sunken and turned backward in the socket, but she is now perfectly restored, including her eyesight. This account is given by the “Nazarene Messenger,” having been carefully compiled from witnesses and press reports which all establish the evidence. This is simply another witness to us that the Lord is showing signs and wonders in these last days, as a loud call to His people to prepare for His coming.

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MANIFESTATIONS OF THE SPIRIT IN INDIA.

In Assam and India, trembling under the power of conviction, loud crying in prayer, the pouring forth to God in loud confession the sins of a lifetime, sudden falling on the ground, writhing, being twisted and violently thrown down when an unclean spirit had been cast out as the person has cried for deliverance, have been frequent scenes. Joy unspeakable filling faces with glory, has been manifested by singing, clapping the hands, shouting praises, dancing, and losing strength as under an “exceeding weight of glory.” Intercessory prayer, which has been a marked feature of this revival, is so intense that often the person becomes unconscious of all others, is swayed back and forth, or trembles violently, so that one taking hold of him is also shaken. Some become unconscious and fall, and the visage of many under intense soul travail become uncomely, and like that of Daniel is turned into corruption. Deep waters run smooth except where they run over a river-bed like the Niagara. Then the roar of the might waters is heard from afar. Many of the babbling brooks at the time of their convictions and conversion have in the last few months become swift running streams of power for holy living, and service in soul saving.

We do not need to worry over these manifestations, nor seek to suppress them. IT IS FRUIT IN THE LIFE AND SERVICE THAT WE WANT TO SEE. These manifestations of not hinder fruit-bearing but we have seen over and over again during the past fifteen months, that where Christian workers have suppressed these manifestations, the Holy Spirit has been grieved, the work has stopped, and no fruit of holy lives has resulted. Who are we to dictate to an all-wise God as to how He shall work in anyone? When the Spirit is poured out upon anyone in strong conviction, why should we tell them that it is wrong to cry? Because among idolaters the devil imitates the trembling caused by the Holy Spirit when He comes in so as to over power the physical, why should we say that the person has worked it up or is possessed by an evil spirit? The writer testifies that she has in the silence of the midnight hour, alone in her room without a sound in the house, been shaken from her innermost being, until her whole body was convulsed, and filled with joy and consciousness that the Holy Spirit had taken possession of every part of her being. No one had greater prejudice against religious excitement than she, but every time she put her hands upon the work at Mukti to suppress joy or strong conviction, or reproved persons being strongly wrought upon in prayer, the work of revival stopped, and she had to confess her fault before it went on again. We have learned that God’s ways are past finding out, as far above ours as the heavens are above the earth.-From published report of the Mission at Mukti, Kedgaon, India.

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TYPE OF THE COMING OF JESUS

When the flood came, the ark rose on the bosom of the water. In this is a beautiful type of the coming of Jesus. Just as when the flood arose, the people of God were lifted by the ark toward the sky, so when Jesus Christ, who is our Ark, shall appear, we shall also appear with Him in glory. Then as the ark came back and rested on Mt. Arrarat, so when the Lord Jesus comes back, we shall stand with Him on Mt. Olivet. Christ comes and gets His saints before the great tribulation, which corresponds with the flood. And the Word says that as it was in the days of Noah, so will it be in the days of the coming of the Son of Man. (Matt. 24, 37.) We see the same conditions now that prevailed then, so we know the time draws near.

O it is so easy to follow the Spirit if God if you have been born of the Spirit it is so easy to manifest the Spirit if the Spirit of God is within you. It is impossible for both good and impure water to both come from the same spring, and just as surely as the Blood of Jesus Christ has been applied to the soul, you will not only know it but your neighbors will know it and the men that are working in the shop with you will know it. It means so much to have the Blood of Jesus Christ applied to your soul. Dead forms and ceremonies are done away and every sin must be washed away by the Blood of Jesus. It is not tomorrow in sin and today out of sin, but if the Blood of Jesus Christ has atoned for you it has atoned for you once for all.

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Jesus wants a clean people, a sanctified people, a holy people, washed through His own precious Blood. Hallelujah! We read in Eph. 5 that beautiful sermon that Paul preached on sanctification and purity of the bride of Christ, “Christ so lived the church that he gave Himself for it, that He might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the Word, that He might present it to Himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.” Glory, glory, glory to out God! Hallelujah! O it is so sweet to live this sanctified experience living in the presence of Christ and His Blood flowing, washing and putting away our sins every moment of our lives. Jesus is our model. We should be ideal men and women of this blessed and precious truth. Glory to God! The sweetest thing in this world is to have Jesus in our hearts and the Blood flowing in every part of our souls.

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The blessed Holy Ghost is receiving the same treatment as given the Son. How much is written of Him. How many talk of His indwelling. It reminds us of the “Incarnation.” No doubt all Jewish women longed to be the mother of the Messiah; but how few, when the actual fact was faced, would have paid the price. So with Him, the Third Person in the Trinity, the cost is so great, and yet, praise my King, hungry, waiting hearts are receiving Him and proving that all that was said of Him is true.

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Satan is making his last dreadful fight; for he knows his time is short. He would deceive the very elect if it were possible but thank God, it is not possible.

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God requires the prayers of all His precious Holy Ghost people for the spread of the Gospel in this land and all over the world. Those of us who cannot go must write letters and send papers and traces that the precious souls may get this Gospel.

Leadership Development Seminar 2011

Broadcast Your Church Services for Free

 Learn how to broadcast your church service or team training event on the internet
 Examine several available options to broadcast with a special accent on the free version of uStream.TV.
 Chose and set up proper camera and audio source for the broadcast
 Broadcast from your computer, notebook or even your cell phone
 Publish your church services as a LIVE stream on the internet and organize them in an internet based video archive
 Embed LIVE broadcast or video recording on your church website or pastor’s blog
 Publicize your streaming event or video recording using the social networks
 Monetize your broadcast and contribute to your church media ministry fund

Religion, State and Society 2011

Religion, State and Society 2011

Editorial

Changing Chaplaincy: a Contribution to Debate over the Roles of US and British Military Chaplains in Afghanistan

Catholic Chaplains to the British Forces in the First World War

Canadian Military Chaplains: Bridging the Gap Between Alienation and Operational Effectiveness in a Pluralistic and Multicultural Context

The Changing Role of Protestant Military Chaplaincy in Germany: from Raising Military Morale to Praying for Peace

Military Chaplains and the Religion of War in Ottonian Germany, 919- 1024

‘Command and Control’ in the Royal Army Chaplains’ Department: how Changes in the Method of Selecting the Chaplain General of the British Army have Altered the Relationship of the Churches and the Army

World Religions and Norms of War

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