UCSB j. CODLING ictus t0($l0rg BY 3E. (Eufcluuj, A Shiftier nf tljr Umtpl) S-tatrs anb f our Hurt) QII|rtat. (gmttauwtrj a S'krlrl) f tl|p Autiior'a ICifr 1902. Nrba&a, Inlna, 1. . A. (Cujnjrtgljt. Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1902, by RUTH D. CODLING, in the office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington. THIS BOOK IS DEDICATED TO .MY BELOVED WIFE, IN JESUS' NAME FOR THE GLORY OF GOD. AMEN ! The object of this little book is not to satisfy the curious, the rhetorical, or the classical eye ; not at all. It might have been written in a more pleasing and readable manner if its object had been financial success or worldly renown ; but, God be praised we believe that the same spirit who said, " God so loved the world," etc., St. John 3:16, has called its writer to a nobler aim, a grander purpose, a purer love : that of introducing unsaued and unsanctified souls by stepping stones of hue and light, into the arms of a perfect and complete Savior ; the Son of God manifested in the flesh. May God place his seal upon it to this end is the prayer of the WRITER. IN JESUS' NAME. Autljor'0 Apologg, This little book was born during a prayer meeting held in the M. E. Church, Nevada, Iowa, June 28th, 1900, while the writer was kneeling in silent prayer. Briefly stated, it is as follows : While others were praying, the writer was also talking to God mentally, when, all of a sudden, I beheld a book like an ordinary sized Bible, as it were, floating within my body, and at the same time received such anointing as to cause me to ask God to stay His hand that I might not disturb the meeting. This I recorded. I did not understand the vision until January 3d, 1902, while upon my bed, when God set my mind to rest concerning it. O glory to His most excellent name ! Amen and Amen ! The writer has but a limited education, but according to promise, "I will instruct thee," "He shall teach you all things," (which are for the glory of the Father) the writer finds to be true. Being shut in the house alone with God as my only teacher, I write in pain and great bodily affliction for Hi- glory, and the salvation of the souls of my beloved fellow beings. My attitude before God, is that of a typewriter to its operator. The machine is oiled with the love of Jesus. The type of God's word is in place, inked with the power of Him who doeth all things well ; and manipulated by the Holy Spirit. He places one finger of Love upon this key, another finger of Truth upon that key, and another finger of Light on that other key, and a line is written, then a page, other pages; when He shall say regarding this -book as He said regarding that book written in His atoning blood, "It is fin- ished." Beloved reader, realizing my earthly pilgrim- age is almost run, that the sand in the hour- glass of time is almost exhausted, and, like Samson of old, desiring to slay more (sin) at my death than in my life, the writing of this book is undertaken, with a prayer upon almost every page, that you may have fitness to meet your humble servant in Paradise. THE AUTHOR. uf (Emttrnia. Title 1 Dedicatory 3 Preface 4 Author's Apology 5 God's Stepping Stones. What are They? ... 11 Three Epochs 13 Exodus 29:20, or Blood on the Ear, Thumb and Toe 18 From My Journal, 1901 41 Is Your Name Changed ? 53 Justification (Now) . . 60 Cast Thy Burden Upon the Lord 72 That Lodge 74 The Awful End of a Backslider 79 The Fool 84 Four Tracts 85 Dat Ole Pipe 86 Who Cannot Have Power in Prayer 89 Dying Testimony and Vision 91 Sanctification (Now) . 95 Holiness (Now) 117 The Paragon (Jesus) 131 One Minute After Death 133 A National Curse 145 Sketch of Author's Life 150 My Conversion 172 My Sanctified Experience 177 Sketch of My Life. (Concluded) 185 An> When the word stone x or rock is mentioned the thought, which on the instant passes through cur mind, is that of strength, endurance, or power. Notwithstanding, these are only ma- terial substances or agencies, created for the use of mankind by Him the Creator of all things, both material and also spiritual. "God is a Spirit ; and they that worship Him, must worship Him in spirit and in truth." St. John 4:24. So it is self evident, at least to him who is born of the Spirit, that the Step- ping Stones of which we shall quite briefly speak at this time and place, are not material, hut spiritual. In fact they are only metaphori- cally used to denote the commands and the promises of that great Spiritual Rock Christ Jesus, who lead Israel through the sea and wild- erness. For be it remembered, God was in Jesus reconciling the world unto Himself. My dear reader, do not think for a moment, that God has need for these commandments, or these 12 STEPPING STONES TO GLORY promises; no indeed. This would be transform- ing the Divine to the human. But as we see in the case of Abraham, when God was making the covenant with him, seeing there was no greater to swear (or ratify) by, -he swore by himself. Hence these commandments, and thc-r promises are from the triune God to the un- saved and the unsanctified. Therefore, we would urge upon all whose state or condition may come under either of the above facts, to begin at once in Jesus' name, to search tilt- Scriptures for these Stepping Stones to Glory. And, as the Author of the Bible, the Holy Spir- it, reveals them to you, obey them. The child- ren of Israel stepped from rock to rock, until they passed clean over Jordan, so the Chris- tian by obedience, steps into Canaan of per- fect love, and Eschol grapes, pomgranates, and honey out of the rock. STEPPING STONES TO GLORY 13 There has been three epochs in the work of salvation : First, the dispensation of the Father, or the dispensation of law; second, the dispensation of reconciliation and atonement; third, the dispensation of the Holy Spirit or executive power. The dispensation of the Father reached its climax on Mt. Sinai. The dispensation of the Son Jesus Christ on the cross. The dispensation of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost." There were three distinct epochs or periods in Jesus' stay upon earth. The year of Obscurity, the year of Fame and Favor, and the year -of stern, relentless Opposition. There are also three, mountains, Mt. Sinai, where the law was given ; Mt. Calvary where the atonement was made, and Mt. Zion where the spirit was poured out." Perhaps we can simplify this by putting; it in this form the Father originated the scheme of redemption ; the Son furnished the means, and the Holy Spirit, -as the executive of the Godhood applies the remedies. 14 STEPPING STONES TO GLORY The Holy Bible is (as all are aware) a large book, containing some thirty-two thousand verses; yet only treating of four fundamental principles. -It treats of Heaven; it treats >f hell; it treats of Christians; it treats of Din- ners. Heaven for Christians, hell for sinners. Because a person is on the inside of four brick walls of a church building, is not to say that person is a Christian or that he or she has fitness for Heaven by any means. But when we analyze the redemptive scheme, and examine the essence, we find only two questions : First, the sin question ; second the Son question. The first of these has been settled forever by a sin- hating God meeting a sinbearing Christ, where- by God became reconciled to a ruined and lost world. So now the Son question is to In- disposed of and that is to be settle 1 between the sinner and the Son. So now, my beloved per- ishing one, what will you do with Jesus today ''. Will you return and receive him; or will you rebel and reject him ? We pray you in Christ stead, be ye reconciled to Go:]. Please road II. Cor.. 5 :19-20. When a sinhating sinner meets a sinbearing Saviour a reconciliation can soon be effected. STEPPING STONES TO GLORY 15 In order to be a complete Christian, thor- oughly furnished unto every good word and work ; in order to have a whole salvation, see St- John, 10:10, which says: "I (Jesus) have come to give you life and that you might have that life more abundantly." Beloved, do you think that you would like to have that "more abundantly" added to your already spiritual life ? If so, how do you ex- pect to receive it '? By disobedience ? By your views ? Please read I. Cor., 1 : 30, which tells us emphatically that each individual person in the whole world is to receive Him in four parts if they would have a complete and perfect Jesus. First, Wisdom ; second, Righteousness ; third, Sanctification ; fourth, Redemption. Kind readers, will you please allow me to give at this time and place, the definition of Entire Sanctification as given l>y our beloved brother Dr. Adam Clark, whose sanctified and glorified spirit is now casting his crown of rejoicing, bespangled with thousands of re- deemed souls at -the feet of Him who is all and in all ? He says : "It is fitness to appear be- fore God, and thorough preparation to enjoy an eternity of glory." Do you object to this ? 16 STEPPING STONES TO GLORY Beloved brother, sister, have you at ihis hour fitness to appear before God ? If not, why not ? Who is to blame? Do you, can you find it in your heart to blame either Him who hung upon the cruel, bloody cross for your sins, and is now at the right hand of God advocating and plead- ing- with Him that you may be kept out of hell ; and further, that you may be with Him in eter- nal bliss and glory ? Or his Father who so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not per- ish, but have everlasting life? Do you accuse Jesus for hanging upon that cruel cross, and becoming a curse in your stead, who was wounded for your transgressions, who was bruised for your iniquities, and who was chastised that you might have peace, and soul rest ? Beloved, it may be for the glory of God to mention a fact which tens of millions of God's children ought to know. And that fact is, regen- eration and adoption gives a sinner title to Heaven, but it requires entire sanctification (heart purity) to give fitness. Example: My son may be an idiot, he may scarce- lv know his name or come into the house when STEPPING STONES TO GLORY 17 it is raining; my estate may be worth two mil- lion dollars. That poor afflicted son is my law- ful heir. He has title as such to my estate in the event of my death. He has a title to those large cattle farms, those mercantile enterprises. Bnt has he the fitness to success- fully manipulate them? Not at all. Just so it is in our spiritual relations with the great God of Heaven. Holiness is begun in regeneration, but com- pleted in entire sanctification. Though after purity, comes maturity. And this maturing process goes on all through time, and undoubted- ly through the cycles and aeons of eternity. If the truly converted child of God only remains passively upon the altar the Holy Spirit will continually knock off the barnacles, and sand paper you down, and polish you so nicely that your Heavenly Father can behold the image of his Son reflecting from your holy life. 18 STEPPING STONES TO GLORY iExobua 29:20, or Hood on the Sar, Why ^ For consecration, i. e., a complete separation from the -world in our life and char- acter. Example: In the shale of evening a group of young men and middle aged men of the world were in a back alley in the city of S -- y. A church member whose name is W. J. - , joined in their merri- ment while these wicked fellows were blasphem- ing the name of God, and clouds of tobacco smoke tainted the evening air; the fumes of liquid hell emitting from their throats, and yet a thing more horrible was being discussed, that of sacrificing the innocence and virtue of aer- eral unsuspecting girls at the coming ball. One of the company seeing some blood on the right ear of Mr. W. J. , exclaimed with an oath, what is that on your ear? The answer was, blood. What blood? The blood of Je unequally yoked together with unbelievers ; for what fellowship hath righteousness with un- righteousness and what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ. with Belial ? Or what part hath he that be- lieveth with an infidel ? And what agreement hath the temple of the living God with id<>l> '. For ye are the temple of God, as God hath said. T will dwell in them, and walk in them ; and I will be their God ; and they shall be my people. Wherfore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and I will receive you, and will be a father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Al- mighty." And another verse just comes to my mind, Psalms 1 :1. "Blessed is the man that walketh not into the council of the ungodly, nor stand- eth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in tho seat of the scornful." I will just quote you one more verse and then we will put our whok- STEPPING STONES TO GLORY 21 soul in our card playing. I General John, second chapter, fifteenth verse, you will find these words: "Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world the love of the Father is not in him." The beautiful daughter of fourteen summers, whom the father thought to be resting from her card playing, was resolving in her mind what that red spot on her father's thumb could be. Was it incipient erysipelas ? Truly she had not noticed it before. So, putting her thoughts into words she said: Father, what is that red spot upon your thumb ? That, my sweet child, is blood. Did you not hear me remark the same to -your brother? Blood? Yes, dear. What blood ? The same that I told your brother a short time since. Would you have me cite you to another verse ? She- bowed her assent. I. John, 1 :7, says : "If we walk in the light as he is in the light, we have fel- lowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus ( 'lirist His Son cleanseth us from all sin." Papa may I ask you a question ? Certainly my daughter and especially if it pertains to your soul's interest. Are those cards that you are holding in your hand, the same that I read 22 STEPPING STONES TO GLORY about as being used at the saloons, brothels, and gambling tables \ I have to admit they ;uv. Do you think the thought of their construction and usage for such purposes originated in the mind of the great God of Heaven or in the heart of the great enemy of our souls ? My child, your questions are quite philosoph- ical, and prove conclusively to my mind that you are interested in your lessons in moral philosophy, for which I am very much plea-cd. But to answer your question as nearly categor- ically as I can, would say that, when the spirit and the word agree, we may be very sure it is of God. Well, papa, my spirit and the words you have just quoted do not agree, for I am miserable. Should not that blood on your right thumb spoken of in Exodus 29:20 be an expo- nent in your life of what you just told of, a complete separation between you and the enemy of God, the enemy of your soul ? My beloved daughter, since you have put your questions in such a simple, unvarnished, logical manner, condemnation has already seized upon my heart, a new light has broken into my soul, and we all know, or should know, that it is the amount of light which measures STEPPING STONES TO GLORY 23 our responsibility before God. And St. James, 4:17, tells us: "He that knoweth to do good and doeth it not .to him it is sin." Papa, if that pack of cards in your hand do not agree with the blood upon your right thumb (though more properly speaking your wrong thumb) and they sprang from the heart of Satan, and are his passport to the abode of the damned, why hold them longer ? Why not make a prac- tical, ocular separation from the blood on your right thumb? There was a long pause, silence, and some meditation on the part of the head of the fam- ily. With a great lump in his throat, and crys- tal drops in his eyes, the Baptist professor arose, opened the stove door, and consigned those cards (the devil's call birds) to their proper place. Then turning to mother, daughter and son said : Let us pray. The sequel is only to be read in Heaven when the books shall be opened and another book opened which is the book of life; out of which- every person is judged according to their deeds done here in the body whether they are good, or whether they are evil. Revelations, 20:12. 24 STEPPING STONES TO GLORY "Keep my prone heart, and let it be Securely locked to all but Thee: Seal upon thy breast, and let me wear That pledge of love, forever there." Example third: Blood on the Toe. A young man of prepossessing appearance and high social standing, who was also a professor of the religion of our Lord Jesus Christ and a member of the M. E. Church in the city of New York came to Des Moines, Iowa, and united with the church in that city. His educational qualifications and affable demeanor soon won for him the admiration of , the aristocratic por- tion of the church. For be it remembered there is, as a rule, a, church within a church. Whilr this young man, whom we will call Eugene Sherman (not wishing to call into public his real name), was attending a very select dance in the private home of one of the members of the same church to which he belonged, the belle of the occasion presented him with two beautiful pink and white roses. Upon receiving them in his hand, he gave a sudden start as of pain, which was really the case from one of "The Thorns Among the Roses." STEPPING STONES TO GLORY 25 But the real, true, dominant pain was in his heart. Could it be supposed for a moment that those fair, fragrant roses of Sharon had it in their blushing faces to wound a human heart? O no, impossible. He had caught sight of that drop of crimson upon her right toe which took Ais thoughts back to that select gathering in New York City ; where that lady church mem- ber with the blood upon her right thumb, in- sisted, that just for her sake, he would take 'his /irxf glass which had already started him on his way to a drunken church member's .'hell! But, like Mary of old, he pondered these things in his heart. THE DAXCE BEGAN. All was smiles, flowers, music, and seeming joy as Eugene Sherman and the belle of the evening stood at the head of the set upon the floor, exchanging pleasant looks and coquetish remarks, while the musicians were tuning their instruments. This being accomplished, the master of ceremonies cried out : On with the dance; let joy be unrestrained. Whereupon the orchestra struck up a lively cotillion. 26 STEPPING STONES TO GLORY The tripping of the light fantastic toe began ; and in a few minutes the giddy whirl of the hour was at its height. Soon this set of dancers was exchanged for another. So we find Eugene Sherman and the belle, comfortably seated upon a divan in a cove in the wall, in seeming colloquy, which ran in this manner: Excuse me, Miss, W , but is it possible that yon have had the misfortune to step upon some diamond dye? I see you have some on the toe of your right foot. Oh no, indeed, that is blood. Blood ? Yes, verily. That is the unwritten language of our discipline. That is the seal upon the con- tract which I made before God in my baptis- mal vow, and again upon my reception into the M. E. Church. Listen while I repeat it to you. 'TDost thou renounce the devil and all his works, the vain pomp and glory of the world, with all covetous desires of the same, and the carnal desires of the flesh, so thou wilt not follow nor be led by them?" Ans. I renounce them all. Sister W , for so I must regard you, since we both belong to the same church, I must con- fess to you that since you have told me it is blood on your right toe, and since you have STEPPING STONES TO GLORY 27 cited me to that baptismal vow, there is a very strange feeling taking hold of my whole being which troubles me greatly. It reminds me of the hand writing on the wall mentioned in the Bible. And just now those verses in Eccl., 5 :4-5, comes to my mind. "When thou vowest a vow unto the Lord, defer not to pay it ; for he hath no pleasure in fools ; pay that which thou hast vowed. Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that ihou shouldest vow and not pay." Sister W. ,1 do not remember having that part of our discipline read to me when I joined the church in Xew York City. I was convicted at a meeting, and raised my hand, and they put my name, with others, upon the church book. But O, this condemnation that has seized hold of me since these things have been spoken of, especi- ally the mentioning of the blood. It does seem that I cannot dance any more tonight and live. Truly, Mr. Sherman, what a strange coinci- dence. I myself seem to be crushed down to earth. Perhaps we had better call on our pastor. It may be he can give us light, and hence h~l]>. Will it be convenient for you to accompany me to the parsonage tomorrow afternoon ? Certain- 28 STEPPING STONES TO GLORY ly. It seems that I too must be helped to get from under this awful horror which has taken possession of me. At what hour ? Say two thirty. All right. I will now see my hostess and get excused for this evening. I mii- home. Good night, ^Ii \V. Good night, .Mr. Sherman. AT THE PARSONAGE. Two thirty came, and found Miss W. and Eugene Sherman closeted in the study of their pastor. After the usual greetings, the object of their visit was explained. Their pastor wa- a holy man of God, filled with the Spirit, and hence followed the founder of the M. E. Church in his teachings when he exhorted all M. E. preachers to preach holiness (perfect love) constantly, explicitly, definitely, and to give re- peated invitations to their congregations to come to the altar and seek it. Hence they were in good hands as concerning their spiritual adviser. The pastor drew his chair nearer to them, and spoke thus: Beloved, from what you both have told me concerning the dance and the blood, I perceive thou hast departed from the narrow way, and have fallen by the temptation of the STEPPING STONES TO GLORY 29 enemy of your souls into sin. God in his word says, "The soul that sinneth, it shall die." He likewise tells us in Psa., 9 :17 : "The wicked shall be turned into hell!" These, my dears are awful facts. But as awful as they are, Messed be His name He does not leave you with such only. He gives you along with them blessed promises also. Listen while I repeat some of them. "If any man sin, he has an advocate with the Father even Jesus Christ the Righteous," and Jesus tells you at this moment, "( 'nine unto me all ye that are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn of me, and you shall find rest to your souls." This, my brother and sister is what, as I understand, you are seeking or ought to seek: soul rest. They both heaved a sigh of ac- quiscence. And again in St. John, 3 :3-5-7, he says to you, "Ye must be born again. Ye must be born of water and of the Spirit." Then in Acts, 2 : "Repent, believe, and be baptized for the remission of your sins," and then follows a promise of the deeper work of the Spirit, and "you shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost." 30 STEPPING STONES TO GLORY "He that cometh unto me I will in no wise. cast out." Listen what he says to yon in Hosea 14-:l--t: "O Isreal, return unto the Lord thy God ; for thou hast fallen by thine iniquity. I will heal their backslidings. I will love them freely, for my anger is turned away from him." Brother, sister, the blood which you asked me to explain, as mentioned in Ex. 29:20, is typical of the true blood of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ which was shed for two fundamental conditions of the human heart. First, for our regenera- tion; second, for inherited sin. That is, to eradi- cate all human depravity through the fall. This is called in the Scriptures, "The more abun- dant life." John, 10:10: Holiness, sanctifica- tion, perfection, etc., etc. But as the Spirit shows me just now, the second proposition is imt applicable to your present case. God, speak- ing to us once more, says, "It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the Lord," and again, "The wrath of God abideth on the children of disobedience." Xow I apprehend from the state of your mind and heart that this wrath, or condemna- tion, is troubling you now through some neglect STEPPING STONES TO GLORY 31 of duty, or by some wilful transgression of some known law of God ; or it may be both. At this point the pastor began to sing in soft, mellow cadences : "What can wash away my sins, Xothing but the blood of Jesus. What can make me whole again, Xothing but the blood of Jesus. Oh ! precious is the flow, That makes me white as snow, Xo other fount I know, Xothing but the blood of Jesus." Before the chorus was finished a deep down groan as of anguish of heart came from Mr. Sherman, and at the same time the handker- chief of Miss W. proved inadequate to dry the tears, or suppress the sighs. Again the pastor's voice was heard above the moans and sighs, "He that covers his sins shall not prosper, but he that confesseth, and for- saketh them shall have mercy." Prov. 28 : Also, "By prayer and supplication let your re- quest be made known to God." Eugene arose x 32 STEPPING ATONES TO GLORY and making an effort to composure, said to his pastor: Brother, I have read somewhere in tne Bible, it seems to me it is in Jeremiah, "My word is a hammer, and shall break in pi<-eo> the stony heart." The words that you have just quoted, have proven to be that very hammer in my case this afternoon. I must say that before I came to this city, I was a drunken M. E. church mem- ber, and in other respects I was not a true Christian, and I have there found many doing similar things which I was doing, such as danc- ing, card playing, drinking, attending fairs, circuses, etc., but I want to be forgiven and be- come a true Christian. Will you please pray for me ? I surely will my dear boy, realizing how true that promise is, "The prayers of the righteous man availeth much." But, that my prayer may avail, you must also do your part. God demands of you repentance, which is God- ly sorrow for sins you have committed; that kind of sorrow which need not be repented of; second, faith in his word which says to you, "He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him;" third, "Be baptized." That you may act intelligently, but let me say, the baptism STEPPING STONES TO GLORY 33 here spoken of applies to the penitent sinner who is seeking the pardon of his sins, hence the restoration of his sonship. As Peter tells us, "It is not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God." It is the seal to your sonship, after you get the witness of the Spirit, which witness is a conscious knowledge of your sins forgiven. There is another baptism mentioned in God's word, that is for every regenerated child, called the baptism with the Holy Spirit. This bap- tism comes after, or subsequent to the restora- tion of sonship. We may speak of this at some future time. But what seems to me is needed at this time,- both for yourself and Miss W , is un- conditional surrender of yourselves to God. Then turning to Miss W , the reverend gentleman remarked, of course you heard the instructions given Bro. Eugene here, did you not ? I did, and it seemed as though you were rather directing them at me. Oh, if only I were a true Christian, one who could and would shine for God ; that is, I would like to be a real co-laborer with Jesus. Are both of you will- ing to enter into a solemn covenant with God, 34 STEPPING STONES TO GLORY here and now, upon His conditions ? If so come and give me your hands, that God may know the honesty of your hearts. Thereupon both arose and extended tin Mi- hands, the arrow of conviction still working its way so deeply into their hearts that the foun- tains of the head poured forth another shower from the windows of their souls. A button was touched by the pastor. The door wa? opened, and his wife with Heaven lighted face and heart filled to over-flowing with the love of God and the fullness of His presence, step- ped into the room. After formal courtesies and a brief explanation of the situation, they all knelt in the presence of him who said: "Thou art of more value in my sight than many spar- rows." The pastor pleaded the promises of the Father and the Son in behalf of the two pentinents with such earnestness and eloquence, which honesty of heart knows so well how to do, that each heart began to feel as Jacob of old did, "This is none other than the house of God, and this is surely the gate of Heaven." But before lii> wife had finished bombarding Heaven, tears, prayers, sobs and promises were being poured STEPPING STONES TO GLORY 35 forth from the hearts and souls of the two seekers, and again the pastor joined in the general victory; for so it was. A sinbearing Jesus met two seeking, honest pentinents, and the work of pardon was done. Eugene was the first to get to his feet shout- ing glory to God ? While Sister W , still on her knees, and amid her tears of joy at the great deliverance from her sins, broke into sing- ing: "'Tis done; the great transaction's done; I am the Lord's and He is mine; He drew me, and I followed on, Charmed to confess the voice divine." And when she began the chorus, all joined in heartily and with the understanding also. "Happy day, happy," etc. Well, Brother Sherman, said the reverend what has the good Lord done for you ? I feel that I can command no words more fitting to express the work of God in my heart than those coming to me at this moment from the Bible. "There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus." Praise -the 36 STEPPING STONES TO GLORY Lord, shouted the pastor's wife. And Si- < r W , has the Lord done anything for your soul ? Literally springing to her feet, her face a sunlit orb of glory, she began to speak of her freedom from guilt, and the peace within, luit The weight of glory was too much the m;i-!cr of the flesh, so she took her seat weeping. Then followed a general hand-shaking and good-byes for the present, followed by the pastor calling after them, there is more for you ; go on to perfection. EXODUS 29:20 CONTINUED OK A SAD, .TOVI n, LETTER. One year and six months had i>;i--rl into the great beyond, when, as the pastor was open- ing his morning mail, there came a nervmi-, loud knock on his study door. When opening it there stood Miss. W . But Oh! what a countenance. Instead of only eighteen sln>rr months, it conveyed to his mind at least as many years, and those years of distress and an- guish. As he extended his hand of warm wel- come, he offered her the most comfortable rock- ing chair in the room. Then addressing her STEPPING STONES TO GLORY 37 with a few pleasant remarks as to his beauti- ful blooming flowers, the exquisite voice of Rob- ert (his canary bird) he remarked: Is there any general news this morning? By this time she had partly found her voice. Not exactly in the newspapers. Here she again seemed to falter. Well, sister, how does your soul stand in the sight of God this morning ? At this her face seemed to take its natural hue of beauty, her tongue as it were oiled by some agency with- in, as what followed soon showed to be the case. For want of space we must condense the conver- sation which followed. Since Miss W an I Eugene Sherman had been born of God in such a remarkable manner, they had attended a holiness camp meeting held at the Chautau- qua park building, and both being born of the Spirit, they, of course, hungered for something more spiritual. They both remembered their pastor calling after them saying: There is something more for you, go on to perfection. And, after listening to a number of those Spirit- filled sermons, conviction taking hold of them for this "more abundant life," it was neither long nor difficult for them to find the Sanctifier, I. Cor., 1 :30, which they did in God's way. 38 STEPPING STONES TO GLORY receiving the witness that the work was and they knew it. At this point she told him of the burning love she had for lost souls, and her call to In- dia, that arrangements were already c<'m- pleted to that end and further, she was not go- ing alone. Here her pastor remarked, of course not, the promise is, "I am with ther al- ways, even unto the end." I know, but that is not human company. Here she gave a pe- culiar shy smile. O, I see. Yes, brother, I have found my ideal husband. One like my- self only more so ; one who counts all earthly things but dung that he may win Christ and lost souls to God' through Him. At this junc- ture it was the pastor who had a demand on his handkerchief, with the exclamation, "All Glory to Jesus!" Then both sang I'll go where you want me to go dear Lord, O'er mountains and plains and seas, I'll say what you want me to say, dear Lord I'll be what you want me to be." Beloved, was this whar you called on me this morning for? Xo, this was not the prime '. The postmaster will undoubtedly refuse; the storekeepers, as a rule, have no spare conspicu- ous place for such things; the free hacks (for Satan) also the carriages were, of course, tofc busy and in fact were- licensed to do other work. But while we were looking about for the "jaw bone," the Spirit of Elijah's God came upon us and said in unmistakable language, "Where is your buggy ?" All glory -to Jesus ! The problem was solved. Our buggy was soon deco- rated with God's own words of warning, in- struction and promises, and on either side of the family pony hung a placard in glowing let- ters, "Gospel Wagon." Thus the dear Lord (as He always d'oes) once more verified His promise, "He that honoreth Me, him will I honor," by permitting us to run the first gospel wagon in Xevada, Iowa. And while the thoughtless, giddy, motley crow;l did I say motley ? Well, so it was, lie- cause in its ranks could be seen the active back- slidden preacher, that church member who STEPPING STONES TO GLORY - 45 God sick at His stomach. See Rev. 3:15-16, the blasphemer, the drunkard, and the women riding" in the wagon (what the boys in the army termed hell on wheels), were surging to and from the fair grounds, the little big gos- pel wagon with its freight of holy literature, the Holy Bible and the living Christ, the whole sur- rounded by a cordon of guarding angels, for two whole days moved on its mission of love. Hallelujah to God and the Lamb forever, Amen ! Father in Heaven, please help us to pen a few of thy words to those dear souls who are weak in the faith. Beloved reader, if you will prayerfully turn to and read Psalms 1 :l-2, it says, ''Blessed is the man that walketh not in the council of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the Lord ; and in his law doth he meditate day and night." The first important fact to be observed is the position which Tie wants His children to maintain: First, walking; secon, standing; third, sitting. These are the three great stop- ping stones to spiritual destruction. A hint to the wise is sufficient. First, we cease to walk 46 STEPPING STONES TO GLORY after lost souls and other duties; our light does not shine. See Matthew, 5 :16. "Let your light so shine," etc. Second, we stand. The man who stands still in winter on those north- ern prairies freezes to death. Third, sitting. Then our spiritual light goes out, followed by God's "Woe unto those who are at ease in Zion." The reader will please notice that each and every attitude is a negation, preceded by not (nor) as to the first, the emphasis is not to be placed so much upon the walking, as it is on following or rather imbibing their ungodly council. Because as we read in John, 17, where Jesus is praying for His regenerated children, He says, "I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world'; but that thou wouldst keep them from the evils of the world." (The above-mentioned ungodly council, etc.) And again as to this standing, Avhich literally means preventing. There are many ways of preventing sinners or lost souls from receiving salvation through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, which our limited space prevents us from itemizing at any length. One way to prevent their salvation is by our example. Remember that, as a rule, sin- STEPPING STONES TO GLORY 47 ners will not or do not read the word of God, the Holy Bible. Or if they do, it is in the wrong spirit, the spirit of argument or criti- cism. But they will, without an exception read our life, which should be their Bible, a copy of its author the Holy Ghost. An illustration: If a band of lewd and Christless human beings of both sexes, from the wild plains of the West and the brothels of our large cities set up their tents of iniquity in our town under the guise of menagerie and circus combined, etc., and that sinful neighbor of yours turns his or her head and finds a brother Methodist, or a sister Presbyterian standing at his side in that sin- ful institution, the thought arises in their minds I am not so bad after all. If their religion teaches them to come into such a place as this, and their religion gets them into Heaven, then I am as well off as they are, because we stand upon the same footing; we are doing the same thing. What is the use of my trying to reform ? And, so if he should drop dead, hell is his doom and his eternal abode. There are only two places mentioned in the Bible Heaven, hell. Reader, will you please lay this book down just now, long enough to 48 STEPPING STOXES TO GLORY read Eze., 33, the whole chapter, lut m< \ pecially verses seven ami eight which I will here quote: "So thou, () son of man, I ha\ - thee a watchman unto the house of Israel : Then-- fore thou shalt hear the word at my mouth, and warn them from me. When I say unto the wicker! man, thou shalt surely die if thou dost not speak to warn the wicked from his way; that wicked man shall die in his iniquity: hut his blood I will require at thine hand." Xow, for the sake of brevity, we would -im- ply say, the same hypothesis of reasoning will explain the sitting attitude. But my friend at my left says do we not sit in church and even in the same pew with sinners of almost every type ( Yes, my dear brother, but we must learn to discriminate in God's word concerning the prepositions; and in fact all the small qualify- ing words ; not forgetting though they of t hem- Delves be small, sometimes they contain the iii- T of the whole chapter. This we can readily see when looking through sanc- tified eyes at St. John 15:7. This is the golden key which unlocks the whol" Bible to effectiveness; and even Heaven itself. Ai^ain for just one short minute let us examine those two small prepositions "for" and "of" as STEPPING STONES TO GLORY 49 used in the sacred scriptures. 'Flic author of the Bible, the Holy Spirit, speaking through Paul, Phil., 4:6, tells us to be careful "for" nothing. And in the tenth verse of the same chapter says, your care "of" me. Looking through worldly eyes, some might say, here is another Bible contradiction ; the tenth verse contradicting the sixth, when in reality such statements are only the mirror which reflects their ignorant and careless man- ner of handling God's word. The word "for" in this connection signifies God's work; and the word "of" the work of man. Jesus Him- self in Matth., 0:25-26, teaches this in a very clear manner. "Therefore I say unto you take no thought, "for" your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet "for" your body what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body more than rai- ment? Behold the fowls of the air, for they so\\- not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns ; yet your Heavenly Father feedeth them." He does this work. Do you believe it ? Hereafter will you, dear one, who may be weak in the faith just at this point, trust Him 50 STEPPING STONES TO GLORY to do His part? We might cite many other texts of Scripture as proof positive, but one ci- tation for each word must suffice on account of space. For the word "of," please see II. Cor., 11 :28, where Paul, after enumerating his afflictions, trials, whippings, perils, hunger and so on, says, "Besides these I have care 'of all the churches." To simplify this, suffer us to resort to an object lesson, knowing that all the great educators of this country, and also of Europe, agree that those things which are conveyed to the brain through the organ of sight, has a more lasting impression than by any other means. Lesson : See that beautiful meadow throwing its soft, green, dew-bespang- led carpet over mother earth. Behold yonder field of golden wheat nodding in the morning zephyrs and laughing among the rainbow rays of the great luminary of earth. That happy, merry, frolicsom lamb, as it gambols by its mother's side. The birds among the branches are singing their praises to Him who doeth all things well. But, what if the great God of Heaven should cease to care "for" these things by .shutting up the Heaven that there be no rain ; no ray of STEPPING STONES TO GLORY 51 sun for one short year, what would be the con- sequences ? Death would be the inevitable re- sult. By this, we can see God's part. He car- eth "for" us. Man's part is the care "of" those things. Man mows the grass, he reaps the wheat, he husbands them all. Again: Yonder is a specimen of God's most noble work ; that young man or young w T oman, full of health and vigor. God is pro- viding the air which they breath, the water they drink, etc. He cares "for" them in this respect. But, if they sit in that cold draft while they are sweating profusely and are stricken down with pneumonia, or if they care- lessly or wilfully get into that water which God intended as a blessing "for" them and lose their lives, who is to blame? Their part was the taking care "of" themselves by wearing suit- able clothing, avoiding the cold draft and keep- ing out of the water. May we not draw a spir- itual lesson from these two small words "for" and "of?" Xote. The writer may be "in" an insurance office, but he is not one "of" its members. Almighty and eternal God, the Father of all Grace, we pray thee in Jesus' name, let thy ben- 52 STEPPING STONES TO GLORY edietion of love and light rest upon him or her who shall read this, to thy glory. Amen ! Jesus, the name that charms our fears, That Lids our sorrows cease; 'Tis music in the sinners' ear-. 'Tis life and health and peace. He breaks the power of canceled sin, He sets the prisoners free; His blood can make the foulest clean ; His blood avails for me. He speaks, and listening to His voice, Xew life the dead receive; The mournful broken hearts rejoice; The humble poor believe. STEPPING STONES TO GLORY 53 310 Time is a measured portion of duration. \Ve are told that Heaven shall pass away, that earth shall pass away, but my word shall not ]i,i away. These are the words of God Him- self, who says, "I change not." But this word tells us that there will be a period when the angel of the Lord shall stand with one foot upon the earth and the other foot upon the sea, and proclaim that time shall be no more. How came this so ? Because God, Jehovah, spake duration or immensity into existence and fills it with his presence. Whereas men divided up a portion of that into seconds, minutes, hours, days, weeks, months, years, etc., for his own convenience, and called it time. Yes, change is written upon all sublunary things. Nations arc changing at God's bidding. In fact the political geography of the whole world has been changed within the very short space of the half of one century. Without going into detail, the same truth is well known to all alike. Neigh- 54 STEPPING STONES TO GLORY borhoods are depopulated and replenished ; it may be perchance by a people of a foreign tongue. A large family of children are raised, it might be, through long years of toil and pain, and sleepless nights spent in watching or prayer for this afflicted one, or that rebellion* prodigal ; when, in a few short months mother has shed her last crystal tear of affection, has borne her last excrutiating nain ; she has placed her loving, soothing hand upon the feverish brow of her husband, son, or Daughter. She has passed to where the wicked cease to trouble, and where the wearv are at rest. THE FAMILY IS CHANGED. Some are married; the little prattling chil- dren are given away to strangers and stranger's homes. O God ! my Father, please take care of the motherless for Jesus' sake. Amen ! The writer knows to his sorrow what it is to be an orphan in a new, wild country. But communi- ties, families, and individuals are not only changing residences ; but that which is of vastly more importance, character and name. It is God's plan not only that our characters are STEPPING STONES TO GLORY 55 transformed by his divine manipulations, but he desires, and does (if we permit him so to do), change our name likewise. And, after the change, He, (and also the "op]p"> " T:I ! call us by that new name. Does the reader ask why? If we turn to St. Luke, 6:12-14, the word itself explains why. By reading down to verse nineteen, we see that they had a big job on hand 1 that day, and it needed special prepa- ration, as we can see by Jesus praying all night until daylight. The disciples had not yet re- ceived their Pentecost. As yet they had not resurrected one dead soul. This requires greater power than to perform what they, at that time, were commissioned to do. St. Luke, 9 :l-2 says, "Then he called his twelve disci- ples together and gave them power and author- ity over all devils, and to cure diseases. And he sent them to preach the kingdom of God, and to heal the sick." They were at this time regenerated children of God, without their Pentecost ; and Jesus gave them power to per- form those things mentioned above for special occasions, while he was with them in the flesh, as he did in John, 20:22. He in that case 56 STEPPING STONES TO GLORY breathed on them the Holy Ghost for tempo- rary grace as will be mentioned further on. But to the point. It is Goer's plan to per- form His will through human instrumentali- ties. And when He has a great work to per- form, He selects and qualifies them fur that work in both character and also name. In Abram's case the name Abram was changed to that of Abraham, Jacob to that of Israel, Si- mon to that of Peter, Saul to Paul, sinner to that of Christian, Christian to that of "The Holy People." For the latter, see Isa.. U-2:\->, "And they shall call them, the holy people, the redeemed of the Lord; and thou shalt be called sought out, a city not forsaken." Let the reader please notice specially tlm-e words commencing with a capital letter: the holy, the redeemed, sought out, a city, the im- portance of which will be better under- when we bear in mind that all through (1" '- wrd the' Holy Spirit is written S, while rhe spirit of man is written, s, These names did nor satisfy Deity; neither were they appropri- ate to the work assigned them. Jacob, the worldly trickster, became Nrael, the one that prevailed with God. Simon the vacillating, im- STEPPING STONES TO GLORY 57 petuous, timid, denier of his master, to Peter, whom the very gates of hell could not prevail against, (after he received his Pentecost). Saul, the persecuting, murderous church member, to Paul, the greatest apostle that ever walked God's green footstool, or stood before kings; sinner, who is at this very moment standing on the trap-door of hell, to that Christian who is now a king and priest, awaiting that promised man- sion above, which Jesus is now frescoing, and embellishing; that Christian with the carnal mind (the enemy of God; an;l also of him or herself), still remaining in the heart, making him ineffective as a soul winner, to that of the holy man or woman of God having power for service. Please read the promise carefully and prayerfully. You shall have power, "after" the Holy Ghost is come upon you. Acts 1 :8. But to stop here, with only the name changed, would be only to imitate you weak, hungry, thirsty traveler upon the great Sahara desert of life, who refuses to advance and seek the oasis of eternal life which lies but a few miles ahead. The heart must be changed. This is what Jesus taught, and demanded of j^icodem- us in St. John, 3:3-r)-7, where He (Jesus) 58 STEPPING STONES TO GLORY taught him the necessity of regeneration. Ye must be born again, this time it is to be of the Holy Spirit. Oh sinner! as you value your soul, defer its salvation not one minute longer, all things are now ready ; the blood has been shed, Jesus has died and rose again for your justification. He is showing his Father his hands, his feet, his side, as your intercessor; pleading that He will spare the barren fig tree yet a little longer. Oh beloved, perishing lost soul, whom I have already learned to love, I too am standing between you and Jesus, and He is standing between myself and His Father, beseeching you in Jesus' name, to repent and forsake your sins, and come and cast in your lot with the blood washed. Parents: The Lord God of Heaven is talk- ing to you out from the skies. "Hear, O Chris- tians, the Lord our God is our Lord, and thou shalt love the Lord thy God with "all" thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. Do you ? And: these words which I command thee this day, shall be in thy heart STEPPING STONES TO GLORY 59 (not your head). And thou shalt teach them diligently to thy children (will you?), and shall talk of them when thou sitteth in thine house (do you?) and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou riseth up. (Will you?) The following patent lock will either fasten you out, or in Heaven. "For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your Heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father for- give your trespasses." St. Matthew, 6:14-15. 60 STEPPING STONES TO GLORY 3usttfiratum (nntn). THE SPAWN (F SATAN. "I beheld Satan as lightning fall from Heaven." Luke, 10:18. These are the words of Jesus. They are immutable, unchanging. There is no such thing as dodging in this cas& Satan is a spirit. He is a mighty and a prom- inent spirit as we see his name printed in the Holy Scriptures. The Holy Spirit is distin- guished by a capital S. And Jesus saw him fall from Heaven. (We must boil this talk down, because there is subject matter enough in this alone to fill a book.) By searching the Scriptures, we understand that all thing> in Heaven are pure, holy and must contain the image of God. Hence no baboons, apes, snakes or serpents can exist there. This spirit, then, was not a serpent at the time when Jesns -a\\ him cast out of Heaven and fall to the earth, but undoubtedly looked somewhat like those men (angels) who visited Abraham, Lot, etc. God's noble workmanship in humanity, as STEPPING STONES TO GLORY 61 Ada in and Eve were. They could talk with each other, etc. Xow this old! cunning arch traitor had it in his heart to ruin and capture the whole world of human beings through re- venge to God. So he approached Eve with his hesr demeanor as shown by several portions of (rod's word, and the outcome was her ruin. She puts it in a very mild form while relating the fact to God, and says, "The serpent (treating him as some young lady at this present time, under similar circumstances would say, the wretch, the viper, etc. beguiled me." Oil, that one word "beguiled" speaks volumes so to speak. But, the foul, devilish deed was accomp- lished. And through it the world must suffer. But notice one thing, Satan no more deceived them as a handsome man, for God cursed him. and from that time on he wriggled and twisted himself along the ground upon his belly, and has ever since been known, as Eve christened him. "the old serpent." But the death blow was struck. So God, who is love, originated the only plan, or scheme, that could have been framed, and that, too, by the mind of God and still be just to Himself, by offering up his only Son. Xo WOK- 62 STEPPING STONES TO GLORY der we read in St. John, 3:16. "God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." God, the Father, originated the scheme. Jesus, the Son, furnished the means, and the Holy Spirit, as the executive of the god-hood, applies the reme- dies. This shows us how our sonship was lost, and until it is restored, we are no more related to God than the tree, the flower, the fish, or the horse, etc. He created these as well as us. These were never His sons and daughters. We were. We lost our sonship and have become only His creatures, with the addition of the carnal mind, the enemy of God, through the spawn of the devil. Sinners, therefore, have a natural bent to serve him, their father. Jesus Himself told those devilish Pharisees in the church, ye are the children of the devil. For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded, is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God, for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So the con- sequence is, the sinner leans toward that devil- ish influence within, as readily as the piece of STEPPING STONES TO GLORY 63 steel seeks the magnet. He (Satan) is the sin- ner's master. "Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey, whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness ?" Rom., 6 :16. This sad condition remains until the Holy Spirit convicts us of the necessity of a new birth, or change of heart. This, then, brings us down to the work of justification. Isa., 55:6-7, admonishes us thus: "Let the wicked forsake his way," etc. This forsaking of sin is done at the time of obedience to conviction. When we are willing to quit sinning, we at once surrender ourselves to God, and at that moment God for Christ's sake absolutely par- dons us, and! there and then casts our sins (act- ual) behind his back, as far as the east is from the west. (Sinner, that being the case, how far would you have to go to find even one of your sins. Can you tell me ?) "And I will re- member them against thee no more forever." How long is that ? It is until just that minute in which you go to sinning again. Hence God in His love has cautioned us so many times and in so many ways in His word to be on our guard. He says, child (for bear in mind that 64 STEPPING STONES TO GLORY when regenerated we are now Hi- sons ami daughters), I want yon to shun the very ap- pearance of evil. I. The-. .':I'L'. Therefore, my dear reader, cannot you sec even at a glance that, the pardoned and regenerated child of onr Heavenly Father must say from his heart, "the love of Christ constraineth me." Therefore I delight to shun the card table, the dance, the horse racing, the gambler's table, the worldly lodges, the secret societies, the circus, the theatre, the house of iniquity, the saloon, and in fact all these filthy, lustful pursuits and pleasures of the world. For all of which we have a "thus saith the Lord." It does not take sanctification to quit those things; no indeed. For the Holy Spirit through I. John, 3 :8, says, He that com- mitteth sin is of the devil. "Love not the world, neither the things of the world ; if ye love the things of the world, the love of the Father is not in you." I. John, 2:15. Beloved, the min- ute we commit sin, that moment we again lose our sonship, and again become the servant of Satan, from the fact that we obey him. It matters not whether we be preacher, official, member or laity of the church, the fact re- STEPPING STONES TO GLORY 65 mains the same. But, my Christian brethren, my sister, I am persuaded better things of you, because any person who is truly born of the Holy Spirit will as naturally long for, pray for, seek and ask for more of that spirit, as the infant in its mother's arms cries out for the natural fountain of life (the breast). And your soul, as well as your voice will be contin- ually exclaiming with that sainted Bible char- acter: "Beloved, now are .we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be; but we know that, when he shall appear, wo shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is." How is he? At conversion, he is our righteousness, our justifier. We then have him as half of the atonement. But when, as we are told to d'o, we leave the first principles, and go on to perfection, Heb., 6 :1 ; also Matth., 5 :48, and a dozen other Scriptures ; then He becomes our sanctifier. We are to receive Jesus in four parts: Wisdom, Righteousness, Sanc- tification and Redemption. I. Cor., 1 :30. God says all have sinned and come short of His glory. Rom., 3 :23 ; that our iniquities have separated us from Him and our sins have hid His face from us, so that He will not hear. 66 STEPPING STONES TO GLORY This shuts us out from Heaven. Therefore, we must have help. We must lay hold upon One who is mighty to save. Who is He ? The Son of God, and by Him and through Him alone does God! purpose a complete salvation from all sin. The modus operandi is this : By three funda- mental stepping stones. First, by His word ; second, by the blood; and, third, by the Holy Spirit. Conviction precedes repentance; re- pentance precedes pardon, regeneration and adoption. Pardon, regeneration and adop- tion are all performed at the time which is commonly known as conversion. After this comes entire consecration, which precedes en- tire sanctification ( cleansing V and the baptism with the Holy Ghost. If we remember rightly, it was the sainted William Jones, who is now in Paradise with his sanctifier, who said, "Sanc- tification is unapproachable, save through the gateway of justification, and the baptism with the Holy Spirit cannot be, unless there is a vessel to fill, and that must be a cleansed ves- sell." Kev. Isaiah Reid, says, "We surrender, th^at we may be saved. We repent, that we may be pardoned. We are pardoned that it may STEPPING STONES TO GLORY 67 become consistent for God to regenerate us." Surrendering and repenting is the sinner's work, pardoning, and regenerating andi adopt- ing is God's work through the Holy Spirit. God cannot repent for the sinner, neither can the sinner regenerate, justify and adopt for God. Again, God cannot consecrate for His regen- erated child ; neither can His child cleanse or fill himself or herself with the Holy Spirit. CONVICTION. t Conviction either for pardon or cleansing is the most tremendously critical moment or period in a person's whole lifetime. That is the sad or joyous hour, or even minute, in which we seal our own eternal destiny. Let me cite you to a very sad case. (I could cite you to many, many more just as terrible.) "I am as much lost as though I were in hell. Through the kindness of Mrs. H. A. Coon, we publish the following: Mother Heart and I were sent for to visit this neighbor. We found him in terrible distress of soul, pacing the floor and groaning. I said to him, Mr. C , we have come to help you, if that is your desire. He 68 STEPPING STONES TO GLORY replied, I know it; you are all right, but it is too late. I attended your meetings two years ago. The Spirit said to me, Harry, go to the altar! Plead with God for mercy! I CM mid scarcely sit in my seat. I had been a class leader in the east. I came to Marengo, have been un-der deep conviction, but would not yield. The Spirit left me, and I am as much lost as though I were in hell already. I feel the fire is kindled here (striking upon his breast). It is too late; I am going to hell, ami my sons with me." He lived two weeks. Tr was a place of darkness and devils until he died. (From Saved and Unsaved.) Oh, my beloved reader, if you were ever or now, or shall ever be convicted by God's Holy Spirit either for regen- eration or entire sanctification (holiness) I exhort you in Jesus name, to not quench the Spirit, but say yes, Lord, T will, only show me how. The first stemming stone to Heaven after conviction is repentance. ''Then Peter said unto them, repent, believe, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of 'sins." Acts 2 :38. Repentance means to sorrow with a godly sor- STEPPING STONES TO GLORY 69 row that needeth not to be repented of again; and then quit sinning. Remembering that Jesns saves you only while you quit sinning. There is safety and encouragement in justifi- cation. The blood does this. Though if (as is stated by a very few persons who are wrest- ing or bending the word of God to suit their individual case), it is something else besidfes the blood of Jesus that satisfies divine justice, and makes justification possible, will some very wise person tell us what that thing is by which we may supplement the atonement for sin and unrighteousness, and make it possible for the Holy Spirit to regenerate sinners. How glor- ious the thought that, by God's appointed way, the sinner, helpless and undone, guilty and un- der condemnation, may obtain remission of all past sins, receive conscious divine favor, and be forever free:! from the demands of the law for past (actual) sins committed. Xo more will these sins rise up to condemn him, either in this world or at the judgment. Reader, listen ! God is speaking, "Say unto them, as I live, saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that, the wicked turn from his way and live; turn 70 STEPPING STONES TO GLORY ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die." Eze., 33 :11. Beloved, have you returned ? Do you re- turn? For Jesus' sake, please put this book down by your si die just long enough to irivc yourself to Jesus. The writer and his dear wife have already introduced you to Him in prayer. Listen ! He speaks to you once more. "Seek ye the Lord, while he may be found, call ye upon Him while He is near. 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 him." Sinner, do you think God is lying to you ? Then, if not, if you return and surrender yourself to him unconditionally, what would be done ? Isa., 55 :6-7. But do you say I don't feel that I am a sinner. I live a strictly moral life. I go to church, pay my honest debts, etc. Yes, my dear friend, but you are lost, through the fall as you have already seen. Hear what God says about this. If you think you are not a sinner, God says, you are deceived. "Tf wo say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us." I. John, 1 :8. "There STEPPING STONES TO GLORY 71 is no difference, for all have sinned." Rom., 3 :22-23. "From the sole of your foot even unto the head, there is no soundness in it ; but wounds and bruises and putrifying sores." Isa., 1 :6. "And the result of all this sin is, we shall be turned into hell !" Psa., 9 :17. May God in His infinite love show us the exceeding sinf ulness of sin ; the awf ulness and horrors of h(H, and the length of eternity. "Take the world, but give me Jesus, In His cross my trust shall be, Till with clearer, brighter vision. Face to face my Lord I see. Amen I" 72 STEPPING STONES TO GLORY (East eUjy lurten upon % Card anfc if? sljall ^UBlam (H)er. $ sa., 55:22. "Child of my love, lean hard, And let me feel the piv^mv Of thy care. I know thy burdens, child I shaped it ; Poised it in my own hand ; Made no proportion to its weight To thin unaided strength ; For even as I laid it on, I said, I shall be near, And while she leans on me, This burden shall be mine, Not hers ; so shall I keep my child Within the circling arms Of my own love. Here lay it down, nor fear To impose it on a shoulder Which upholds the government Of worlds. STEPPING STONES TO GLORY 73 Yet closer come; Thou are not near enough. I would embrace thy care So I might feel my child Eeposing on my breast. Thou lovest me ? I know it. Doubt not then. But loving me, lean hard." 74 STEPPING STONES TO GLORY Church member, God says to you, "Choose ye this day " whether you will leave that lodge (or secret society), or fry eternally in hell! He has written a letter to you. Will you please read it ? A portion of that letter reads as follows, I. Sam'l., 15:3, 22, 23, says, "hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry." In St. John, 21 :!.">, Jesus says to you, Simon, lovest thou me more than these (lodges) ? Christian, will you look Him in the face and say, Jesus I do not ? That letter further says, in I. Cor., 10 :20-21 : "I say, that the things which the Gentiles (worldlings and worldly Christians) sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils and not to God, and I would! not that ye should have fellowship with devils." Beloved, will you write back to Him, I don't care if they do. I will be one of them ? STEPPING STONES TO GLORY 75 The twenty-first verse says, "Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of devils; ye cannot be partakers of the Lord's table and the table of the devil." Will you dare say to him, but O yes, I can and more than that, I will. Again he says to you, worldly Christian, "Follow thou me with all thine heart." But Jesus, if you please, I want you to distinctly understand that that worldly lodge shall have a good share of my attention, my time, my money and my love. Yes, I really love it, and another thing is, I have sworn to nourish and <>!tcy it. Once more Jesus asks you, have you sworn to nourish and obey Me ? Christian, are you His disciple ? Then listen to His plaintive appeal to you. "Will ye also leave Me ?" "Ye are My friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you ;" and I say "come out from among them." Jesus, we would like to accommodate you as far as possible; but there is one thing we would like to remind you of, and that is I have a mind! of my own and I will use it. Once more he says, but my child, "Ye are mine, I have bought that mind with the price of my blood." Well, if you did, I will not leave my lodge. Eph., 5:11-12, tells you to have no fel- 76 STEPPING STONES TO GLORY Inwship with. the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. Christian, will you continue to rebelliously say to the Holy Spirit, but I will fellowship with them, and I have imi and further than that, I will not reprove Them. I know you tell me in the twelfth verse, "It is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret ;" but I don't believe it. Psa., 1:1, tells you: O Christian, that the man who stands not in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful is blessed. Do you know of any scorners of God's word or work in your lodge, or secret society ? Do you sit in the seat with, or near them ? Christian lodge goer, please read this portion of God's letter to you. I Gen'l John, 2:15, 16, 17: "Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof ; but he that doeth the will of God abicleth forever." Ye-. Lord, all this sounds well, but I give you to STEPPING STONES TO GLOKY 77 understand (by my actions) I don't take any stock in it. My beloved worldly lodge going Christian, we adjure thee in Jesus' name, to listen with bated breath, and reverential awe, to Him whom you profess to love and obey. Aftef that hour of bloody sweat in the garden, that you might be separated, and kept -from these worldly things, He then gives you a practical example in His twelve children (disciples) of a justified life in this respect. In St. John, 17:11, Jesus tells you that "These are 'in' th? world," and in verse 16, he again, to make it very plain says, "They are not 'of the world." As already mentioned in another part of this book, the writer may be sitting "in" an insur- ance office; but he would not be one "of" its members. My dear secret society Christian, will you just read this P. S. to your Father's letter, an then we will leave both thee and this sub- ject in the hands of Him who has said, "He will pour His wrath and fury upon His dis- obedient children." II. Cor., C>:14-1S, tells you to "Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers; for 78 STEPPING STONES TO GLORY what fellowship hath righteousness with un- righteousness ? Or what part hath he that be- lieveth with an infidel ? And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? For ye are the temple of the living God, as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them ; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Wherefore come out from among them and be ye separate, saith the Lord and touch not the unclean thing and I will receive you, and will be a father unto you saith the Lord Almighty." My Christian reader, will you obey him ? When ? Lord Jesus, will you come just now, and seal this thy truth upon my dear reader-' hearts. Amen ! STEPPING STONES TO GLORY 79 Afoful tuft of a The following is a short account of the life and death of William Pope of Bolton, in Lan- caster. He was at one time a member of the Methodist Society, and was a saved and happy man. His wife, a devoted saint, died triumph- antly. After her death his zeal for religion reclined, and by associating with backslidden professors, he entered the path of ruin. His companions even professed to believe in the re- demption of devils. William became an ad- mirer of their scheme, a frequenter with them of the public house (saloon) and in time a common drunkard. He finally became a dis- ciple of Thomas Paine, and associated himself with a number of deistical persons at Bolton, who assembled themselves together on Sundays to confirm each other in their infidelity. They amused themselves with throwing the word of God on the floor, kicking it around the room, and treading it under foot. God laid His hand on this man's 1 unh- and ho was seized with consumption. Mr. 80 STEPPING STOKES TO GLORY Rhodes was requested to visit William Pope. He says: When I first saw him he said to me: Last night I believe T was in hell, and felt the horrors and torment of the damned; but God has brought me back again. and given me a little more respite. The gloom of guilty terrors does not sit so heavy upon me as it did, and I have something 1 like a faint hope that, after all that I have clone, God may yet save me. After exhorting him to repentance and con- fidence in God, the Almighty Savior, I prayed with him and left him. In the evening he sent for me again. I found him in the utmost dis- tress, overwhelmed with bitter anguish and despair. I endeavored to encourage him. I spoke of the infinite merit of the great Re- deemer, and mentioned several cases in which God had saved' the greatest sinners, but he answered, no case of any that has been men- tioned in comparable to mine. I have no con- trition. I cannot repent. God will damn me! I know the day of grace is lost. (1<>,1 has said of such as are in my case. I will laueh at your calamity and mock when your fear cometh. (Please read Prov., 1 :23-31.) T said, have you STEPPING STONES TO GLORY 81 over known anything of the mercy and love of God ? O, yes, he replied, many years ago I truly repented and sought the Lord! and found peace and happiness. I prayed with him after exhorting him to seek the Lord and had great hopes of his salvation ; he appeared to be much affected, and begged I would represent his case in our society and pray for him. I did SQ that evening, and many hearty petitions were put up for him. Mr. Barraclough gives the following account of what he witnessed. He says : I went to see William Pope, and as soon as he saw me he exclaimed : You are come to see one who is damned forever! I answered, I hope not. Christ can save the chief of sinners. He re- plied, I have denied him, I have denied Him ; therefore He has cast me off forever! I know the day of grace is past, gone, gone, never to return ! I entreated him not to be too hasty, and to pray. He answered, I cannot pray ; my heart is quite hardened. I have no desire to receive any blessing at the hand of God and then cried out, "Oh, the hell, the torment, the fire that I feel within me! Oh, Eternity! Eternity!" On Thursday T found him groaning 82 STEPPING STONES TO GLORY under the weight of the displeasure of God. His eyes rolled to and fro, he lifted up his hands, andi with vehemence cried out, Oh, the burning flame, the hell, the pain I feel ! I have done, done the deed, the horrible, damnable deed ! I prayed with him and while I was praying he said with inexpressible rage, I will not have salvation at the hand of God! !No, No! I will not ask it of him! After a short pause, he cried out, Oh, how I long to be in the bottomless pit in the lake which bnriicili with fire and brimstone! The day following I saw him again. I said, William, your pain is in- expressable. He groaned:, and with a loud voice cried out, Eternity will explain my tor- ments. I tell you again, I am damned. I will not have salvation. He called me to him as if to speak to me, but as soon as I came within his reach, he struck me on the head with all his might, and gnashing his teeth, cried out, God will not hear your prayers. At another time he said, I have crucified the Son afresh, and counted the blood of the covenant an unholy thing! Oh, that wicked and horrible deed of blaspheming against the Holy Ghost ! which I know I have committed;! He was often heard STEPPING STONES TO GLORY 83 to exclaim, I want nothing but hell. Come, O devil, and take me ! At another time he said, Oh, what a terrible thing it is ! Once I might, and would not ; now I would and must not. He declared he was best satisfied when cursing. The day he died, when Mr. Rhodes visited him, and asked the privilege to pray once more with him, he cried 1 out with great strength, consid- ering his weakness, ~No ! and passed away in the evening without God. Backslider, do you know you are fast ap- proaching the Line by us unseen, That crosses every path ; That marks the boundary between God's mercy and His wrath. (.From Remarkable Narratives. ) You are, and unless you turn quickly, you with William Pope will be writhing in hell through all eternity. God says the backsliders in heart shall be filled with his own ways. But he says again, "Return ye backsliding children, and I will heal your backslidings." Oh, come back and be healed 1 before God shall say of you, "He is joined to his idols ; let him alone." 84 STEPPING STONES TO GLORY "The fool hath said in his heart, there i- God." Psa., 14:1. Infidels become atlici-rs ynd atheists are manufactured into anarchists. To trace this backwards, it would read, anar- chists beget atheists, who like David's fool. >ay there is no God. And they beget infidels, who, the word tells us, are begotten of the devil. Matth., 13:37-38: Acts, 13:10, I. John, 3:8 "Ye are the children of the devil." Oh, how literal this is seen to be if one would examine the police court records of Chicago or any of the large cities of the world. But we will not torture our readers by recapitulating the sicken- ing, diabolical murders of the presidents and crowned heads of civilization. Fool, fool, Foolish fool, Thus to act, And perish. STEPPING STONES TO GLORY H5 Jfaur Srarta. EIGHT BIBLE REASONS FOB NOT USING TOBACCO. First. It is not for the glory of God. "Ye are bought with a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's." I. Cor., 6:20. Second. It brings on disease of the heart, and cancer of the tongue. "If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy." I. Cor., 3:17. Third. It is expensive and the money is wasted. "Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread ? and your labor for that which satisfieth not ?" Isa., 55 :2. Fourth. It is infringing on the rights of others by contact with them in its nauseous, sickening odor. "Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself." Gal., 5 :14. Fifth. It is a wrong example to set before the young. "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and 86. STEPPING STOXES TO GLORY glorify your Father which is in Heaven.'' Matth., 5:16. Sixth. It is a filthy habit. "Let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God." II. Cor., 7:1. Seventh. The habit once formed brings one into bondage. "Whosoever com- miteth sin is the servant of sin." John, 8 :34. Eight. It causes unnatural desire, and leads to intemperance. "If ye live after the flesh, ye shall die. To whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey." Rom., 6:6, 9, 13. (D. W.) STEPPING STOXES TO HELL. The theatre, the dance hall, the billiard room, the tobacco shop, the beer saloon, the card table, the house of ill fame. "But know, for all of these things God will bring thee unto judgment." Eccl., 11:9. "DAT OLE PIPE." I say, brudder, I thought you belonged to de church. STEPPING STONES TO GLORY 87 So I does. Den why are you suckin' dat ole pipe ? Can't a feller smoke a pipe and belong to de church ? Well, yes, he may belong to de church build- in' but nebber to de church triumphant. I should like to know how you make dat out. Well, brudder, look at it in dis way: How would you look walkin' down de golden streets ob de New Jerusalem wi dat ole pipe in yo' mouf ? I would jus' snatch it out bery quick. Yes, but what would yo' do wid it ? You could not find any place to fro it out ob sight ; no place to hide it ; no way to get rid ob it. Yo' hab been gibben a nice white garment to put on, and dare ain't any pocket in it to put de ole pipe, so yo' will hab to hide it in yo' hand. I say, Brudder Jones, your getting a fellow in a bad fix wid de ole pipe, the way yo' are puttin' it. But dat aint all ; by and by yo' will want a smoke, and yo' will walk de golden streets tryin' to find a place to hide, so yo' can smoke; and de streets of dat city is about fifteen hundred miles long, and if yo' should get to de end ob 88 STEPPING STONES TO GLORY de street, you would fetch up again' de wall. dat is made ob Jasper and so high yo can't clime ober, an no hole in de wall to stick yo' head for a smoke, and you will want a smoke so bad yo' will almost make up your min 1 to smoke right in de golden city. Den yo' will begin to think of gettin' a match to light de ole pipe; and den it will come to yo' all of a suanrttfirattmt (ttafo). 1 Sanctification, holiness and perfection are correlative terms. Each one implies and in- volves the other. In the commercial world:, the terms debtor and creditor are employed. There cannot be a debtor without a creditor and vice versa. If we speak of a person as a creditor, we absolutely know that somewhere in this world there is a debtor. So not having space in this little book to dwell at length on each particular form of the one gospel fact, fitness to appear before God in judgment, and thor- ough preparation to spend an eternity of glory, we will by God's help try to confine our re- marks principally to sanctification and holi- ness. First, what are we to understand by that long word sanctification ? By consulting our standard dictionary, many meanings are men- tioned, but the one central thought is, that of cleansing, purifying. It also means to set apart. This latter definition is very vague and unsatisfactory, if left without further qualify- ing, from the fact that things both animate and 96 STEPPING STONES TO GLORY inanimate, accountable and unaccountable, may be sanctified. That organ in yonder church, an inanimate thing, is sanctified (set apart for the exclusive glory of God), but did Jesus hang upon the cross that it might be saved ? Was his aton- ing blood spilled; for it ? O, no. And there are those dirty dishes upon yonder table, they must be sanctified (washed, cleansed). Did God so love them that He gave His only begotten son, etc., (Jno., 3:16), to die and rise again for them.? Nay verily. For what, or who, then, was this biblical sanctification intended ? Why obviously for God's babes in Christ. I. Cor., 3 :l-4. The true signification then, according to the idiom of God's word 1 , is to cleanse, pur- ify, purge, to make holy, and according to our catechism No. 3 we learn that sanctification is that act (not growth) of God's free grace whereby a justified child of God is made holy. This, beloved reader, is the work of the atonement. Dr. Godbey says, "Sanctification is one of the plainest, clearest and most significant words in the Bible. How sweet it is to know that the Holy Spirit selected the right words in every STEPPING STONES TO GLORY 97 case to make His revelation. Sanctify (Greek) hagiadzoo, is a compound of two Greek words, the prefix alpha, the strongest negative in the language, and gee, the earth, or the world. Hence hagiadzoo means to take the world out, or to purify since the world is fallen, corrupt, subjugated and dominated by Satan. I. Jno., 2 :16, tells us the contents of the world, namely, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the pride of life; i. e., fallen nature in the aggregate, i. e., depravity, i. e., inbred, in- dwelling, original sin. Of course the removal of the world, i. e., fallen nature out of your heart, cleanses your heart. Beloved reader, have you any serious objec- tion to God, through the blood of His Son (by faith in that blood) removing all sin from your heart ? If so would you want it to be known in Heaven, that by so objecting you pre- fer the company of devils in hell to that of angels in Heaven ? For if you will kindly allow me to jog your memory, there are only four fundamental facts treated of in the sacred word of God. Heaven, Hell, Christian, Sin- ner. Heaven for the Christian (holy person) ; hell for the sinner (unholy nerson). And 98 STEPPING STONES TO GLORY again these four, when analyzed are resolved into only two questions the sin question and the Son question. The first question is set- tled. The Father and the Son in Heaven ar- ranged that. So that God became reconciled to you by the atoning blood. Now the last and only question to be adjusted is the Son question. That is to be settled between the sinner and the Son of God, as to pardon and between the pardoned child of God and the Son, for entire cleansing. So, beloved, the question once more con- fronts you (if you have not already done so), what will you do at this minute with Jesus as your sanctifier. I. Cor., 1 :30, God says to you at this instant, "Choose ye this day." The same author (Godbey) further says the negative process of cleansing is instan- taneous and complete; the positive i. e., filling you with love, may be gradual, and with spir- itual enlargement, indefinitely progressive. Sanctification negatives depravity, i. e., it takes the world out, i. e., fallen nature out of you; holiness negatives ailment, that is, it makes you whole ; while perfection negatives deficien- cy, affirms completeness in Christ. So in sane- STEPPING STONES TO GLORY 99 tification we lose all sin and all sinful tenden- cies. Then the spirit fills the vacuum with the pure love of God, and thus finishes our Chris- tian character. We may be but babes in Christ and must grow to maturity. The wonderfully rapid growth we make and enjoy when entirely sanctified soon reaches proximate maturity, but while this growth continues with ever increasing rapidity through time and eternity, it can never reach absolute maturity. (This will be explained further on in the book.) But, praise the Lord, maturity is nowhere recognized as a qualification for Heaven. Purity alone fits us for glory. The same authority testifies that he grew more in this sanctified realm in nineteen days, than he did in nineteen years in his pardoned, or jus- tified, life. And, for the glory of God and to encourage his children, the writer of this book would also add his testimony that, after he re- ceived this wonderful cleansing and filling the Holy Spirit taught him more scripture, ac- companied with power, in ninety days than he received while in the M. E. Church as mere- ly a grown-up baby for more than twenty years. I say this with sorrow of heart, because I have 100 STEPPING STONES TO GLORY learned since, that this dereliction is nut in God's order. It is only eleven days' jourm-v from Mt. Horeb on the banks of the Red Sea to Kadesh-Barnea, on the border of ( 'anaan. But the children of Israel wandered in this up and down, sinning and repent- ing, wretched wilderness experience for forty years, and at last perished in the wilderness by their unbelief. They would not believe the minority report. Come let us go ur. for we are well able to possess the land. The writer is pained to see how literally the same spirit is exhibited in the modern church. If it was popular, and the majority brought in the report, how different things would be. Our prayer meetings and class meetings would vouch for this statement. Also the young con- verts who are born in the cottage prayer meet- ings would, on coming into or uniting with the church, very soon march from Kadish-Barnea into the Canaan of perject love, instead of freezing to death at the next New Year's dance or by P. T. Barnum's circus driving into town. It was either Dr. Daniel Steel or Dr. William Jones who said words something like these: "Taking a young convert into one of our mod- STEPPING STONES TO GLORY 101 ern churches, is like placing a newly-born babe upon its dead mother's breast to receive nutri- ment an 1 instruction, and further the receiving of large numbers into the Church, is like en- larging a graveyard." But, all glory to Jesus, your humble servant can truthfully hand in his testimony on the Lord's side, that there is no need of freezing to death or dying just be- cause our mother is dead (or even while we walk through a cemetery. The command to each and all of God's children is, "Be ye filled with the Spirit." Eph., 5 :18. And that Spirit is Jesus Himself. When He walked the shores of Galilee performing His mission of love in healing all who were brought to Him, etc., then He was the God L man; God and man, but now the promised Comforter comes to us in this, the third and last dispensation as God-spirit God and spirit. And again in Eph., 3:17-20. ( 'hrist says, "I want to dwell in your hearts by faith, that ye, being rooted and grounded in perfect love, may be able to comprehend with all saints, what is the breadth, and length, and depth and height ; and to know the love of Christ which passeth (human knowledge), that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God." 102 STEPPING STONES TO GLORY My dear, reader, are you so filled ? Do you not see at a glance that, when God and Jesus thus walks and talks with you (Jesus is truthful) He says, We, my Father and I, will make our abode with you. (Within our heart.) Being thus filled we can then walk through any grave- yard fearlessly. Oh, glory ot God ! How can this be? Why just listen to the pilot within and then obey Him, as he looks out of the windows of the soul and says, "I will guide thee with my eye." "I will teach you in the, way that you should go.". Beloved, the great question is, will you sub- mit to His guilding and His teaching? Lis- ten ! Jesus is now making you one of His thousands of promises. "I will never leave you nor forsake you." (This being the case, and there is a separation, who left ?) Saving unto you, "Fear not, I will hold thee by thy right hand." Why so, dear Lord ? "Because thou are mine. And because you did permit me to cleanse and fill you with myself; therefore (since that time) thou are precious in Mv sight." And what ! are there more of thy pre- cious promises ? Yes, more than twenty thou- sand. Child, be srill just a little. "When STEPPING STOXES TO GLORY 103 thou passeth through the waters, I will be with thee, and through the rivers, they shall not over- flow thee; also when thou passeth through the fire (of affliction) thou shalt not be burned." Hallelujah to God and the Lamb forever! It pays me to be cleansed and filled. Again, sanctification, holiness and perfec- tion are a trinity. As the Father, Son and Holy Spirit constitute the Goahood, the body, mind and soul constitute the human being, so sanctification, holiness and perfection, are the completeness of the Christlike character. While they are correlative, yet they are separate and distinct in their functional offices, as has al- ready been mentioned. Sanctification acts the part of the washerwoman. Yonder are those dirty, impure clothes lying in the wash tub. If they were left to themselves, how long would it be before they would be clean? But, by the sanctifier (the washerwoman) applying the soap and the water, the rinsing water, etc., they will soon be upon the. line, white and pure in the blazing sun. Just so with the unclean human heart. If it will only get into the w-ash tub (upon Jesus Christ, the altar) and submit to the cleansing by Him who sanctifies, just in 104 STEPPING STOXES TO GLORY one moment of time that heart will be hanging upon the hallelujah line, having the full blaze of the Son of Righteousness lighting, warming and filling it. Satan would, and perhaps does, mystify and bewilder many honest and hungry hearts by the growth question. The mistake so many, many make right here (as has already been treated of) is in not giving due attention to those small qualifying prepositions "in" and "into." Ex- ample: Tthat beautiful plant in the garden would never grow "into" the house; hence it might lose its beauty, and perhaps its life by the frosts of winter. But, by gentle hands carrying it "into" the house (grace), it then develops, grows, blooms and blesses the in- mates. "I am the Lord which sanctifies you." God does it. And 1 , after the vessel is washed clean, God promises to do something more to it. "I will put My Spirit within you." A learned doctor of divinity has said : The baptism with the Holy Ghost cannot be, until, first, there is a vessel to fill, and second, a cleansed vessel. Cleansing and filling are usually (not always) accomplished at the same operation in the Christian, as in the case of STEPPING STONES TO GLORY 105 pardon, regeneration and adoption in the case of the sinner at conversion. But in all cases to be safe and strong, the witness to the same should 'be had. The Indian evangelist David, speaks: "Brother Christian, you are born of God, you are walking with God, but you are not filled with God. Unless you get the -filling ilici-c is no power in your work. Why are so many preachers, Sunday school teachers and Christian workers getting so tired of their work? The secret is, they have not got this power. They are working in their own line, with the energy of the flesh. -May the Lord God help you." This statement of itself, coming from such a spirit-filled man of God -ought to be sufficient evidence of the necessity of a clean heart. Be- cause God's order is 'that the vessel shall be cleansed from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, before the Author of all power takes possession. Acts, 1:8. At the beginning of this work it has been explained how sins are pardoned and sin cleansed away. God cannot cleanse away actual guilt, our wilful acts of violence to His law ; neither can the blood of Jesus pardon (sin) inherited depravity. Ex- 106 STEPPING PTONES TO GLORY ample: A mother is cleaning house for ex- pected company. She is all tired out, with nerves unstrung ; she has just put the finishing touch to the pictures, curtains and carpets and has just repaired to the kitchen to prepare sup- per. There is the little four-year-old Mary, the -darling of her mother's heart, playing with her doll. It has been raining and the yard is mud and water. The mother says to her child : Mary, my sweet little one, -please don't go out of the house ; it is muddy. Yes, mamma. But while mother is busy, Mary has upset the ink on the 'lace curtains and carpet, and comes in at the front door with mud on her hands and face, crying. The mother comes to her rescue, takes in the situation at -a glance, and, the next instant, slap goes her hand and away goes Mary to the floor. But, as quick as a flash, the- mother has her darling in her arms, and with kisses and caresses and assurances that she did not mean to do that, administers candy and sugar plums until quiet is restored. Then seeking her room, asks God to -forgive her for striking her darling in such a manner. And with Paul in Kom., 7, tells Him that, "When I would do good, -evil is present with me." STEPPING STONES TO GLORY 107 Reader, there was something in that mother's heart that was contrary to her better nature. What was it ? Sin ! The inherited depravity, the effects' of the devil's spawn already spoken of. But how about that mud upon Mary's face ( There she stands crying, and sorry for transgressing the commandment of her mother and asking her mother to forgive her. The mother comes out of her room from off her knees. She again hugs Mary to her bosom and says, Mary, dear, I have forgiven you. But, mamma, please pardon this mud off my face. O, child, I cannot do that ; you are asking me to do -something which God himself could not do. He, for Christ's sake, has pardoned me for my rash act just now, and I have forgiven or pardoned you -for going out of doors when I told you not to. This mud on your face must be sanctified off. (O, I forget myself; I am talking to a -child.) It must be cleansed, that means washed off. Just stand here a minute till I get a sponge and soapy water, then I will show you what I mean. The mother then enters the room with smiles and with one stroke across Mary's face the mud disappears. Now look in the mirror, dear. Mary looks, and 108 STEPPING STONES TO GLORY with smiling, dimpled rosy cheeks, exclaims, Why, the mud is gone. San-fi-ta-tion did it. Yes,- my beloved reader, just so with the truly regenerated child of God. As that mother told her child to tarry till she came with the sponge, so God, in His word tells His child to tarry. Where? At the altar. What for ? For the promise of the Father, who says, "I will put: My Spirit within you." Eze., 36 :27. Christian, are you still doubting God's word ? Hark ! He speaks to you yet again. "Though it tarry, wait for it, because it will surely come, it will not tarry." Hab., 2 :3. The obedient one hundred and twenty who were asking, seeking and ; knocking and believing and expecting God would do what he said he would do tarried for ten days, and if you still think God is derelict or slack concerning His prom- ise (after that His conditions are met), please read Acts, 2 :4. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and blessed be God then they began to do something. But does the reader ask why go to the altar ? Listen ! While God Himself, with His own Spirit and word, answers your inquiry : "What- soever touches it, shall be holy" (in His sight STEPPING STONES TO GLORY 109 not man's sight). Ex., 29 :37. Do you ask for another witness? Beloved, please allow me the privilege of introducing to you my Sanc- tifier (Jesus). He says, "The altar sanctifies the gift." The gift that pleases him the best is yourself. Can he have you ? Will you gratify him in that way? Oh, my dear brother, sister, do please say to him, yes. But be very sure you do not seek the blessing, as you will never get it. Seek Him, the blesser. "It" is an indefinite thing ; "Him" is a personality. God has shown the writer in unmistakable terms why so many good justified Christians are not sanctified till upon their death bed. One rea- son is, they do not expect it, or seek it sooner; and of course, they will not get it sooner; not suspecting' their great loss in glory. By so put- ting it off, they are sure to be paupers in Heaven with starless crowns. They may have crowns, but those crowns will certainly be starless. Another reason why so many who seek for the cleansing and the filling and fail, is be- cause they do not pay the price. Your un- worthy servant knows for a certainty, backed by the word of God and his own case, that if a 110 STEPPING STONES TO GLORY regenerated child makes a death bed consecra- tion (as a rule) he or she, will not have time to get upon their feet without the blesser, the promised "My Spirit." The trouble with some is, that they are not honest with God. They play the part of Ananias and Sapphira, keeping- back something. It might be, in their sight, the very smallest, insignificant thing, but do yon not remember it was only those few things in Achan's tent, and hid away out of sight at that, which caused the inhabitants of Ai to defeat, chase and humiliate Israel ? But if you go to the altar and make such an entire consecration, you will find that while there, God' will dip the sponge of His love into the blood of His Son, and say, "The blood of Jesus Christ, His Son, cleanseth you (now) from all sin." Satan's spawn is transmitted from par- ent to child down through all the ages. It may be asked, is there any scrinture proof where this depravity first cropped out of Eve ? Yes, many of them, but we will only have space for one case. Eve's first child was Cain, the second was Abel. Without going into detail, we learn that Cain picked up that club and smashed out the brains of his brother Abel. There lies Al> !. STEPPING STONES TO GLORY 111 a corpse, and there, hid away in the brush, un- der awful condemnation hides Cain, a murder- er. But what impelled or caused Cain to pick up that terrible bludgeon '? We do not have far to go for the answer. Anger, hatred. Where did those things come from ? Previous to Satan's acquaintance with Eve, not one woivl in God's sacred book even hints at such things ; hut gives us to understand that they were pure enough to walk and to talk and hold sweet communion with their Creator. Hence it is proof positive that this cursed thing mentioned in the Bible as the "root of bitterness, "the carnal mind," "the old man," etc., are the prod- ucts of Satan which cannot be pardoned, and yet it must be eliminated from the human heart, subsequent to conversion and before we can behold God's face in Heaven. "Follow holiness, without which no man, (woman, boy or girl after the years of ac- countability) shall see the Lord." Heb., 12:14. My Christian reader, did you get hold of those last words "without it" holiness? God says, you shall not see My face. Dare you assume the audacity of saying to Him, but I will show you (God). I will in spite of You 112 STEPPING STONES TO GLORY or Your word, and run the terrible risk of grieving Him to that extent of leaving you for- ever or striking you dead upon the spot ? Had you not better humble yourself, and praise Him that He allows you the privilege of coming to Him at all, and especially on His own loving terms ? Beloved, perhaps by this time your heart is saying this is the very -thing my heart is longing for, but how am I to get it ? Before answering that question, permit us to cite you to a few quotations from John Wesley's "Plain Account of Christian Per- fection." Pages 10, 11. Question: Is there any clear scripture promise of this ; that God will save us from all sin ? Answer. There is. Psa., 130:8: He shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities. This is more largely expressed in the prophecy of Eze. : "Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean ; from all your filthiness, and from all your idols will I cleanse you; I will also save you from all your uncleannesses." Eze., 36:25, 29. Xo promise can be more clear. And to thi? the apostle plainly refers in that exhortation. "Having these promises, let us cleanse our- selves from all filthiness of flesh and spirit, per- STEPPING STOKES TO GLORY 113 fecting holiness in the fear of God." II. Cor., 7 :1. Equally clear and express is that ancient promise, "The I4ord thy God will circumcise thy heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul." Dent. 30:6. Question: But does any assertion answerable to this, occur in the Xew Testament ? Answer. There does ; and that laid down in the plainest terms. So in I. John, 3:8: "For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil, without any limitation or restriction, but all sin is of the devil. Parallel to which is the assertion of St. Paul, Eph. 5 :25, 27. 'Christ loved the church and gave Himself for it. * * * That he might pre- sent it to -Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that it should be holy and without blemish." Chris- tian, yoTi are that church ; do you see what is required of you ? And to the same effect is his assertion in Horn., 8 :3-4, "God sent His Son, that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit." Having these precious truths, we beg of you, thou child of the most 114 STEPPING STONES TO GLORY high God, in Jesus' name to listen to, and put into execution the solution given by Dr. God- bey. "Sanctification -will solve all your diffi- culties. The true policy is to get the expe- rience. It is like regeneration and everything else that God does, mysterious. Don't trouble yourself about the difficulties, but go to God and get the Blesser and the blessing; and call it what you please, explain it as you please, but get it and keep it. You must have it or there is no Heaven for you. Be sure you yet it and keep it and Heaven's wide opening gate bids you welcome." Your unworthy servant had it four years before he knew what was the matter with him, or what to call it, God using him in a remark- able manner all the time. To Jesus be all the glory. - Amen ! But let us go back to the ques- tion, How shall I obtain a clean heart ? First, you must be born again, be sure of this ; second, you must have claiming faith. If you do not it is impossible to please God ; third, you must be willing to pay the price, "all the world" (hagiadzoo) to take the world out ; fourth, you must make a death bed consecration and you STEPPING STONES TO GLORY 115 will get at that moment a death bed sanctifiea- tion. ! The minute you are as honest with God now, as you will be upon your dying bed, that mo- ment you will receive a surprise party in your soul. Says Dr. Carradine: When the wit- ness comes we need not that any man should teach us what has happened. (Please read 1 I. John, 2:27.) The soul is thrilled with the purifying work and the testifying spirit. We know that the inbred sin is gone and that the heart is pure. Here is the time shouts, over- flowing gladness, radiant smiles, joyous laugh- ter, happy tears, or a great still peace, accord- ing to the temperament of the individual. This is what the seeker wanted to experience at the first, but what cannot possibly take place until the last. It is never to be worked up, but comes spontaneously, the instant the Holy -Spirit wit- nesses to the accomplished work in the soul. We do not have to work it up ; it works it- self up. It may come like a cyclone, or it may be breathed on < the heart as gently as the eve- ning zephyrs from the south; but in either case the soul will know perfectly well what has hap- pened, an 1 will rejoice accordingly. This, 116 STEPPING STONES TO GLORY then, is the order of the work of grace. The word preached. Conviction for inbred sin. Prayer. Entire consecration. Continued prayer. Faith. The divine instantaneous work. The witness of the spirit. The soul's knowledge. The feeling. Established. Refining fire, go through my heart, Illuminate my soul ; Scatter thy life through every part ; And sanctify the whole. O, that He now frcm Heaven might fall, And all my sins consume! Come, Holy Ghost, for thee we call, Spirit of burning, come. Amen ! In Jesus' name. STHPPING STONES TO GLORY 117 In Genesis, 2 :7, we read, "And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living- soul." The fact that God breathed into the nostril, may be taken as metaphorical. Because God could just as easily and as successfully breathed into his mouth, or his ear, and have accomplished the same result that of imparting his own im- mortality. But the emphasis is to be placed upon the breath, notwithstanding that breath was not God in its absolute sense, any more than when Oldi-Sol is flooding us with his rays on a midsummer's cloudless day. We receive his light, his heat and his general charac- teristics, etc., and so did Adam the first, by re- ceiving God's breath. This is not the only time when God's breath was put into human flesh. O, no! "God was in Christ Jesus reconciling the world unto Himself," and eight days from the time He burst open the tomb, He again 118 STEPPING STONES TO GLORY breathed upon His children while assembled in that room with barred and bolted doors for fear of those unpardoned, and unsanctified church members, for their temporary supply of grace and power, until they should receive their Pentecost, that anointing that abidetb, I. John, 2 :27, and with gentle, blessed, inspiring intonations said, "Peace be unto you," and so saying, he breathed on them (at the same time saying something more), "Receive ye the Holy Ghost." O blessed Jesus; the very mention of the glorious fact thrills the writer. O, my dear reader, may God, through His spirit en- able you to grasp the awful situation. A world is in ruins ! Gods wants to reconstruct it. He wants you to help Him; will you let him use you ? He asks you to be a co-laborer with His Son Jesus. But in order that you may bo enabled to work harmoniously, He proposes to make you as His Son is Holy. Can two walk (or work) together unless they be agreed '. He has a secret to impart to you. He is waiting, knocking at the door of your heart, (if you are born again). We scarcely have the space, yet it seems in order, to just remind our readers, (though no doubt they fully under- STEPPING STONES TO GLORY 119 stand this), how this world became destroyed the third time. First, it was by Satan in the garden. Second, by flooding it with water. And, third, again by Satan working in the church and state as an angel of light and power. After the dispensation of the Father ended, and the dispensation of the Son likewise, the third and last dispensation, that of the Holy Spirit began on the day of Pentecost, then, at nine o'clock in the morning of that day, the first apostolic church was organized by the Holy Ghost ; and hence on Holy Ghost lines. They did well. The first day they baptized and received into it three thousand. This was a good day's work for the illiterate, though Spirit-filled Peter, backed by the Spirit-filled one hundred and nineteen. Hallelujah ! Just so long as the church remained Spirit-filled, they marched through all obstacles and increased rapidly. But, as Paul on another occasion, speaking to the church said : "You ran well for a season ; who did hinder you ?" So the Apostolic Church till about the third century, ran well. Peter and the one hundred and twenty were not there; persecutions became more frequent 120 STEPPING STONES TO GLORY and severe ; church and state became entangled Roman power predominated to the extent that the Apostolic Church backslid, and even to this day that church (as we are informed) will not even tolerate justification by faith. Then it was that the Holy Spirit became so aggrieved that He took His flight for about fif- teen hundred years, which period has passed into history as The Dark Ages. But, methinks the reader is asking, how about that great se- cret just mentioned ? Well, let us inquire of God as to that. Though we must be very brief. At the very edge of the outside margin of the last days of the last dispensation, the time spoken of in II. Tim., 4 :3-4, which says, "For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itch- ing ears; and they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables." This reminds me of a sennon which we heard in a southern state by a D. D. whom we 'well knew. His sermon consisted of read- ing three verses from the Bible and relating five stories. The larger portion of the various churches of today, ministers included, will sub- STEPPING STONES TO GLORY 121 init to this, but should a Spirit-filled, loyal man of God try to focalize, reveal and discover to the masses this secret, a whole basketful (so to .speak) of objections would be showered in bis pathway, and among- them would be as is often asserted, this new doctrine of Holiness. Yes, beloved, that is just exactly what that secret is Holiness. And now, Holy Spirit, thou author of the Bible, please answer this objection as to Holiness being a new doctrine. Seven hundred and thirteen years before the birth of Christ, the Holy Spirit in Isa., 35:8 says, "And a highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called the way of Holiness ; the unclean (see ?) (you must be sanctified or you cannot receive the secret which is, more properly speaking, the filling process), shall not pass over it, but it shall be for those ; the way- faring men, though fools, (unlearned) shall not err therein." And again in 698 B. C. Isa. again tells us to "Lift up a standard for the people, and they shall be called the Holy Peo- ple." Isa. 62:10-12. Are our conferences sending out that class of preachers today who are lifting up a standard of true holiness for the people ? If the writer had space and time, 122 STEPPING STOKES TO GLORY he would like to analyze and make an inventory of their kind of standard. But we will leave this with them and God to settle at the judg- ment. But listen to the Holy Ghost speaking through Paul, Eph. 1 :2, as to this new doctrine, "According as he has chosen u? in Him (Jesus) before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame be- fore Him, (not before men) in love.'' So, my beloved Christian reader, you see that God chose you before he made the foundations of the world. That is not very new certainly. And for what purpose? That you should lie holy. Do you think God means it? Hark! "Without holiness no man shall see the Lord." Heb. 12:14. But just listen earnestly to the Holy Spirit while he speaks to you yet again on this new doctrine. IT. Tim., 1 :9. Here are two operations. He first sa-res ard th^'i he calls us with a holy calling. Oh, reader, for Jesus' sake do not spurn his calling, but say just now: yes, Lord, I will, I do obey. Who has saved us, and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, (oyster suppers, tableaux, etc., etc.) but according to STEPPING STONES TO GLORY 123 his own purpose and grace, which was give' 1 . u < in Christ Jesus before the world began. So YOU see this secret was in God's mind before -he began to make the earth. Do you call that a new-fangled get up by man's fer- tile brain ? But to make sure, doubly sure, as though God would impress this indelibly upon your mind, He, in Titus 1 :2, repeats the length of time. "In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began." But, beloved, we will assure you of one fact, if you ever get holy, and become the re- cipient of this secret, the infilling of vour hear!" and life by an indwelling, personal sanctifier, it will be something new 7 to you. You cannot explain it. This secret is only revealed to God's willing, obedient children. See. Psalms, 25 :14, "The secret of the Lord is -with them that fear Him; and he will show them Hh covenant." By reading Matthew, 1 :17 we learn that Jesus said unto his already regenerated chil- dren, "Come ye after me and I will make you to become fishers of men." To be an expert in fishing we must understand many things, such as the right kind of bait, hook, net, e'c. 124 STEPPING STONES TO GLORY So it -is to become expert fishers of men. We must not want to be holy so that we can just squeeze into Heaven. O no, Jesus has jnsr t ld us he wants us to fish for men's souls. There- fore, it is very necessary for us to be skilled workmen, annroved unto God. When God would have a great work done, he not only uses human instrumentalities, but also schools, prepares and disciplines them. Before Joseph could successfully become the governor of all Egypt he had to be dispised and forsaken by his brothers; he had to look through prison bars after being loaded down with lies and re- proaches. Before the Israelites could pass through the Red sea and subdue kingdoms greater than themselves, they had to be a nation of slaves four hundred years. Before Moses could be- come the greatest legislator on earth he had to get his Pentecost at the -burning bush, and his hand become as a leper. Before little David could kill the bear and the lion and hurl the pebble into -the giant's forehead, he had to re- ceive the anointing oil upon his head. Before little Samuel became the greatest judge and prophet in oriental times, he had to be awake 1 STEPPING STONES TO GLORY 125 and called of God three times. Before that murderous church member Saul of Tarsus could make a king under conviction shake like an ague patient, he must first be dumped out of (hat saddle at Damascus, receive those sore eyes, then submit to the removing' of the scales; and, finally stoned and lie outside Lystra a bleeding, mangled, (supposed) dead man. And so on down through all the ages. While sanctification is Bible subtraction, and holiness is Bible addition, yet in practical operation the terms are reversed; subtraction being employed before addition. Thus, heart, minus all sin plus the Holy Spirit, equals power; equals answer: Pente- cost. But my friend at. our left says, Pentecost is passed, and there is no more for us till we get to glory ; neither can we be as holy as God is. These statements show how the mists of the dark ages still befog some minds, and the still further fact that preachers should get their Pentecost and explain the Scriptures in demonstration of the Holy Ghost within. A hint to the wise is sufficient. So we will just barely touch on the constituents of holiness. The term holiness when applied to 126 STEPPING STONES TO GLORY the Supreme Being signifies perfect moral pur- ity. God's holiness is absolute, independent and underived, while human holiness is relative, dependent and derived. See ? Our holiness pertains to the absolute, ours depends upon the independent, ours comes from and is dependent upon the underived. This human holi- ness then, to be brief, is no more or less than for a man or woman to receive and main- tain their Pentecost (the sanctifying Jesus in a cleansed soul). "There is no Pentecost with- out an ascension. The disciples had to wait for their Pentecost because Jesus had not yet ascended, and taken his seat in the mediatorial chair at the right hand of the Father. Every Pentecost since then has been preceded by an ascension." Do we know Pentecost experi- mentally for ourselves ? If not, the reason is close at hand : Jesus has not been glorified by us, not enthroned in our hearts. He may be in our heart, he may even be in the throne room, but he has not been placed upon the throne. He says: "If I be lifted up." O, be- loved reader, have you lifted our dear plead- ing, bleeding Savior up and set Him upon the throne of vour heart without a rival ? "And STEPPING STONES TO GLORY 127 He showed me a river of water of life, clear as crystal proceeding out of the throne of God and the Lamb." Kev., 22 :1. When Jesus reached the throne fifty days after His resurrection, from under the throne the rivers began to flow; the Holy Ghost was given. His church militant was born sud- dently,. and three thousand souls flowed into it suddenly. Acts, 2 :33. TOon't be too much concerned how the rivers flow. They flow from Paul in one way, and from John in another. Be sure you are filled with the Spirit. He will create the rivers and direct them to the glory of the Father. ~No Pentecost, no power ; no power, no successful service. But before we close this subject perhaps we can make the question of God's holiness and man's holiness more plain by giving a simple illustration. Example: The writer, standing by the At- lantic ocean, takes from his pocket a vial. He stoops down and fills it with sea w y ater. It is returned to his pocket full of Atlantic water. He travels five hundred miles into the interior. He then removes the vial from his pocket and, if, while looking at it, my reader was to hear him say, this is the Atlantic ocean, you would 128 STEPPING STONES TO GLORY at once speculate as to his sanity. Ships can and do sail in the Atlantic ocean, but it would be a problem if they could sail inside of that small vial. Xo, indeed, but though it be not. the ocean, the water in the vial has exactly the same properties. It is the ocean in kind and quality, but not in quantity. Just so with human holiness. God is love. And that -is just what He is aiming at in his word, by sanctification, holiness and perfection. And when a person is seeking after other than mere love, he or she is seeking something that is higher and beyond the Bible; yea, and even God Himself. Brother, sister, please remem- ber God commandingly says to you, Be ye holy. And as he holds the sinner guilty if he rejects offered righteousness, so He holds His justified child quitely guilty if he by rebellion remains unholy. "How shall we escape of we neglect so great salvation." Heb., 2 :3. Some- times, to strengthen our faith, God permits us to wait for some length of time between the cleansing and the filling, though not often if the consecration is entire. The writer knew of a friend who was sanctified in our home who trusted 'for six months, when suddenly one STEPPING STONES TO GLORY 129 night in our horiie he was so filled with the Spirit that we had a picnic on our hands. He has been used of God ever since. Praise the dear Lord ! Beloved, this holiness or infilling of your heart, and hence your life by the Holy Spirit, is a purchased inheritance expressly for you. Claim it now. Claim it boldly. You are in- vited so to do because the word tells you that the kingdom of God suffereth violence. Please become a Jacob at the brook. He absolutely refused 'to let go of the angel after a night of rough and tumble wrestle. We can conceive in our minds that the angel cried at the top of his voice, Let me go. But- Jacob knew he had Esau to meet and there would be fatal work on hand ; it might cost him his life if he had not the necessary power to cope with him ; so he became violent, yea, desperate (as all must do who would be Spirit-filled), and shouted back into the ears of the angel, I will not let thee go except thou bless me. Jacob, the trickster, the surplanter. That name must be changed to Israel, the father of nations. And he got something the blessing. Brother, sister, there is a difference between 130 STEPPING STONES TO GLORY asking and claiming. We claim that which is our own. We ask for a favor. Example. I have fifty dollars in the bank. I need fifty dollars. I -present my check for and claim it. But again : I have no money in the bank. I need fifty dollars. Then, in this case, I ask as a favor for it. There is no claiming it now. Bless God) the Holy Spirit has been promised me through my restoration to son- ship. Acts., 2 :38. I claim my < birthright. Eze., 36:27, and Acts, 2:38. There is no room now for, If it is Thy will. Has not God told me it is His will ? Yea, has he not com- manded me to 'be filled with the Spirit? But, on the other hand, if we desire something of God which he has not expressed definitely as his Divine will, then we are to ask and not claim. Then, in that case, He may, or He may not, grant my request. For instance : A child may want my razor to play with. I know bet- ter than he does that it is not for his best in- terest ; therefore I refuse him in love. May God add His blessing to these few woi-f 1 -- i- my prayer. Amen! STEPPING STONES TO GLORY 131 Jesus, lover of my soul, Let me to thy bosom fly, "He shall feed his flock like a shepherd ; He shall gather the lambs with His arm, and carry them in His bosom." Isa., 40:11. While the nearer waters roll, "Thou art mine. When thou passeth through the waters, I will be with thee ; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee." Isa., 43 :2. While the tempest still is high. Hide me, O, my -Savior, hide, Till the storm of life is past ; "Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea ; and there was a great calm." Matth., 8:26. Safe into the haven guide, O receive my soul at last! "Then they willingly received him into the ship: and immediately the ship was at the land whither they went." John, 6:21. Plenteous grace with Thee is found, 132 STEPPING STOXES TO GLORY Grace to cover all my sin ; "And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee; for my strength is made perfect in (thy) weakness." II. Cor., 12 :9. Let the healing streams abound ; Make and keep me pure within. "But, if we walk in the light (npt into) 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." I. John, 1 :7. Beloved, do you believe it ? Will you let it ? Have you ? Do you now pay the price for it ? All ! The writer has. "Who, when he had found one pearl of great price (Jesus), then, after that, he went and sold all that he had (entire consecration) and bought it." St. Matth., 13:46. STEPPING STONES TO GLORY 133 iHuiitt? After For a great many years the writer's mind was mystified as to the condition, state and also the employment of departed souls. But the Holy Spirit and the word have brushed th? cobwebs away so that these points are seen by the writer of this book as clearly as justifica- tion by faith, sanctification by faith and entire consecration, or any other fundamental truth in the redemptive scheme by the blood of Jesus. And we praise God that the same light has been revealed to that learned man of God, Dr. Daniel Steel. We see in the witness he has c x])ivs>ed it so clearly, that we take pleasure f ~r the glory of God in opening other eyes, "and as an incentive to their fitness for companionship with His Son in Paradise, to give it a place in this book. Question: Do the dying go immediately to Heaven or hell when they die, or do the-' 7 wait till the general judgment I Answer It ha< noi been pleasing to God to pour floods of light 134 STEPPING STONES TO GLORY on the state- of the dead before the day of judg- ment. A few texts suffice to show that the wicked are in misery. "In hades he lifted up his eyes being in torments." Luke 10:23. hades is the! invisible world, not nec?ssarilv the lake of fire, Gehenna, or Tartarus. In his place of detention David is tormented with unsatisfied desires and forebodings of great pain. "The Lord knoweth how to deliver the Godly out of temptation, and to keep the un- righteous under punishment (R. V.) unto the day of judgment. II. Pet., 2:9. The A. V. obscures this proof -of the suffering of bad men before *the judgment. The revision gives the exact meaning of the Greek. If a violater of the human law is in jail and awaiting his trial, his guilt must make him unhapnv before he feels the pains of the judicial sentence. With respect to -the righteous, after death, Jesus said to the penitent thief, Todav shalt thou be with Me in paradise. To punctuate thus, Verily I say unto thee today, thou shalr be with Me, etc., is exegetical lunacy, sav- Joseph Cook. Paul says to die is gain * having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ, which is very far better." (R. V. Phil., 1 : 21- STEPPING STONES TO GLORY 135 23.) It is a double comparative rendered by President Timothy Djwight, far, far better. This does not describe an unconscious sleep in the tomb. It does not necessarily indicate that Paul is now enjoying the full reward of that state f in which his soul and body reunited will be when glorified. Again, II. Cor., 5 :l-8, the idea is reiterated and expanded, "to be absent from the body, is to be present with the Lord." This teaches that the righteous dead are in the presence of the Lord enjoying all they are cap- able of in their disembodied state. Though my Heaven is where Jesus is, I expect to be happier after the resurrection than before." In I. Peter, 3:19-20, we read: "By which Spirit (verse 18) also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison ; which (or who) were disobedient in the days of Noah. All disobedi- ent souls are lost. So, of course they, the Antediluvians among the rest. But the ques- tion is, where did they go ? Where are they now ? What, are they doing now ? Here is subject matter for a volume, but which can only be hinted at on a few pages. And may God help us. First, as just Quoted, they went to prison ; second, they are in that same prison 136 STEPPING STONES TO GLORY now. It is a gigantic prison. It is as vast as the atmosphere that surrounds our mundane sphere. And for all that man knows, its lati- tude is between Heaven and hell. One thing sure is, Jesus was in that prison preaching to those sinners, telling them to re- pent or he would turn them into hell. Psa., 9 :17. He, while in the flesh, preached to us upon the earth for three years ; but they only had fifty days wherein to receive Him or re- ject Him. He said, "Touch me not, for T : ; not yet ascended to my Father." (To take the intercessory office at the right hand of the throne.) He gave those disembodied spirits the same privilege as we, in the flesh have, for he is no respecter of persons. "But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that be- lieve on His name." John, 1 :12. They got the same gospel truths dished up to them as we have today in God's word (not in all ser- mons we are sorry to say) ; justification, sancti- fication, holiness and perfection. To be brief, for we have to, the air is filled with good spirits and evil spirits indiscrim- inately. Just as the throngs of spirits carried STEPPING STOXES TO GLORY 137 in the human body are intermingling and pass- ing each other on the crowded streets of Lon- don, England, or Chicago, Illinois. The -pure blood-washed woman jostles against that pol- luted carcass just coming from the all night brothel of infamy. That pugilist --with swollen nose and blood-stained face passes that saint of God bearing the olive branch of peace. Yon- der goes a committee of God's sons to build a church. But at the crossing just in front of them, two sons of Belial carrying a satchel, dart down the alley. -What is in the satchel ? Sonib infernal machine to wreck the bank and mur- der the cashier, etc., etc. These few homely illustrations must suffice. Job, 21:30, says those wicked spirits "are re- served (where?) to the day of destruction; they shall be brought forth -to the day of wrath." II. Pet., 2:17, tells us that those evil spirits "are reserved (where ?) for the mists of darkness forever." Jude* tells us almost the same thing. And II. Pet., 2:9, says: "The Lord reserves these unjust spirits unto the day of judgment to be punished." -Jesus told the thief upon the cross that He would be with 138 STEPPING STONES TO GLORY him that day in paradise. Where Jesus is makes our paradise. God walked andi talked with Adam 'and Eve in the garden at the cool of the evening. This walking with God produced their paradise, as walking and talking with and in the Holy Spirit today produces our anointings, our partial paradise. Humanity could not stand it long to be in the full effulgence of God's presence. So God gave anointings in the cool of the evenings. Jesus knowing weak hu- manity and knowing the temptations, trials and vicissitudes that His disciples must pass through before they received their Pentecost; also, that He was not with them in the flesh to keep them as then, He breathed on them a tem- porary Pentecost, to last them until He took His seat at the right of His Father. When so doing He telephoned to the one hundred and twenty that the promised Comforter was on His way, and would, as He did, put in His ap- pearance at nine o'clock a. m. on Pentecost. So, also, knowing that their sanctified spirit? would yet need to be further fortified against the attacks of those 'disembodied evil spirits, undoubtedly, though- not specifically mentioned STEPPING STONES TO GLORY 139 in the word as breathing upon them, yet from precedence and analogy, they in some way received their temporary glorification, thus en- abling them and all holy children of God to not only maintain a complete separation from those evil spirits, but to be qualified to do His bidding. "His servants ye are to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey." Rom., 6:16. As death overtakes us, as to good or evil, so we enter eternity, eternally progressing in that state or condition. Yes, our masters furnish us with plenty of employments. Example: ( But first bear this in mind : whenever there is a very important work to do, God the Holy Spirit, and Satan, the old serpent, the devil, attend to it themselves.) God dispatches an angel to John Knox and Scotland is stirr'M, a-d won. Another agent imprisons John Bunyon, and a million copies of the Pilgrim's Process go flying around the world. Another wdiispers in the ear of that mother, and T. Dewitt Tal- niage becomes a friend and neighbor at the anti- podes of the earth. All for the glory of God. lust so with Satan. He inflamed the mind of Wilkea Booth, and a Lincoln was muHered. 140 STEPPING STONES TO GLORY He used a Guiteau to assassinate a Garfield ; and, while lie sings that serene song to Czol- gosz, a nation that was born by the prayers of God's saints, was caused to mourn the death of our beloved president, McKinley. God had a great work for Abram. So God called. The same with Moses. So God met him at the burning bush. So in the case of Daniel. God stopped the lions' mouths, etc. And wheii Jesus was fasting for poor fallen humanity, Satan knew he had something on his hands of importance. Hence he tackled Jesus person- ally. You know Satan was bold enough pre- vious to this to face God and tell Him that Job would, under certain conditions, curse Him to His face. But in the majority of cases we can safely say angels (disembodied spirits) are employed. If we had space, more than five hundred examples could be adduced. Satan did not come to this earth alone; he had his servants. Rev. 12:9. ."And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world ; he was cast out into the earth and his angels were cast out with him." STEPPING STONES TO GLORY 141 GOOD ANGELS. They wait on God. II. Chron. 18 :18. They announce Christ's nativity. Luke 2 :9- 15. They minister to Christ. Matth. 4:11. They exercise authority. Xum. 22 :32-33 ; II. Kings 1:15; I. Chron. 21:18. They appear as men. Gen. 19:1-3; Daniel 8:15; 10:5, 6, 9, 10, 18; Luke 1:11. God sometimes sends numbers of angels. Psa. 68:17; Matth. 26:53; Rev. 5:11. They convey God's messages. Isa. 6 :6-7 ; Daniel 8:18-19; 9:20-23; 10:12, 14; Luke 1:18-19. They protect God's people. Gen. 19 :12, 17. They inflict divine penalties. II. Samuel 24:16; I. Chron. 21:14, 27. Ministering Spirits. I. Kings 19 :5, 7 ; Psa. 91:11-12; Matth. 18:10. Guardians of cities and nations. Eze. 9 :1 ; Dan. 10:13, 20, 21; 12: 1. SATAN AND HIS ANGELS. Deceiver and liar. John 8 :44. (See I. John 3:8.) Acts 13:10; II. Chron. 10:14-15. 142 STEPPING STONES TO GLORY They afflict. Job 1 :12 ; Luke 13 :16. They resist good men. Eze., 3:1; Eph. 6:12; I. Thes. 2:18. They tempt men to sin. I. Chron. 21 : 1 : Luke 22:31; II. Chron. 4:4; Rev. 2:10. Many evil spirits may enter a man at one time. Matth. 5:8-9; Luke 8:30. (A Legion is from three to five thousand.) (The Scripture texts on pages 172 and 173 are taken from Hitchcock's Analysis.) Beloved reader, we may not all he world- renowned; we may not all have those "ten tal- ents," but one thing is sure the mostly lowly and humble child of God can, and ought to run on errands for Him and receive their, "Well done; enter thou into the joy of thy Lord." We expect to be a million times of more service to God after we fall asleep and awake up par- tially glorified, to do our Heavenly Father's bidding. Then there will be no Jordan to cross. Bless God that was crossed at Sanctifica- tion Ford. There will be no vacation. We expect it will be with us, as John Wesley ex- pected when he said, "If I die tonight T will awake in the morning." ~No sorrow, no more pain, no separation, no bereavements, never STEPPING STONES TO GLORY 143 again to receive misrepresentations and slander, for acts of mercy and love. Xo more tears, be- cause God lias promised to wipe them all away. O, my Father of all grace, we give thee all the praise, and honors, and glory, in the name of Him who died and liveth again. Hallelujah ! Glory! ! "Oh, when shall my spirit take flight, And reach those calm regions above ; View all the redeemed in white, And dwell in the bosom of Love ? Then, there I shall see His sweet face, Once all covered over with blood ; Who hung on the cross, in my stead, And died to redeem me to God. One cherished sin within the heart, One evil thought received, The joy of Christ must needs depart ; His Holy Spirit grieved. O Holy Spirit, have Thy way, The power Thou must supplv; My heart and will, I yield to Thee, God, to glorify." 144 STEPPING STONES TO GLORY The spirit of the word of God and especially in the gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, would have us understand that we cannot be too pure in our lives to meet the command- ments of God or the government of Heaven. With a deep realization of this fact, and al>". that the safety, strength and purity of a nation. especially a representative democracy or repub- lican form of government as ours is, lies in the virtuous, pure and Christ-like home; therefore, as a faithful co-laborer with Jesus, we desire to add yet one more stepping stone for God's glory by way of the following hint. A National (Eursr. "Ye are cursed with a curse; for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation." Mai. 3 :9. Relying on the sacred scriptures, God's own word, the Holy Bible, we learn that individuals are called, qualified and placed upon high pin- nacles of fame and power at God's will. And as long as they are willing tools in his hands, not committing grievous sins in His sight, they advance, flourish, and conquer. But when they forsake the Lord God, and take the reins of government into their own hands, it becomes a sad, sad day to them. We will instance just one case out of scores ; that of King Saul. You remember God called, then anointed, then touched him, and he became another man. But when Saul became a spiritualist, and Saul un- dertook to run things, forsaking God, and in- quiring of witches and other devilish spirits, how soon he passed away like Judas Iscariot 146 STEPPING STONES TO GLORY and went to his own class in the spirit world to influence others on earth to like act-. As with individuals, so with nations. God can handle a nation of two hundred million- <>f people just as easily as one person. When we glance at political history, or especially at I>il- lical history, we find that God rears up and pulls down empires and kingdoms at His will. But we wish to confine our thought at this time to the United States of America, our beloved country upon whose shrine we have placed our life, our home and our sacred honor. It is through this love of country and loyalty to God, that calls forth these few suggestions for nation- al and home purity. This nation was cursed for a long period of years by slavery. Israel's (i<"l was grieved by having His laws broken and dis- regarded, by trafficking in those human beings whom He created for His own glory. Passing over all the lecherous, demoniacal acts, the severing of family ties, etc., there came a time when God would endure it no longer. As in the case of His "peculiar people," the Israel- ites in bondage, he looked down upon the ne- groes of the south, baptizing this whole nation in blood ; besides the loss of almost countless mil- STEPPING STONES TO GLORY 147 lions of dollars in money and property, and sadder still, from the Atlantic to the Pacific and from the Gulf of Mexico to our northern limits, we find "Rachel weeping for her chil- dren and would not be comforted, because they were not." All this, because, as Saul said I \\licii it was too late), "I (we) have sinned." Yes, we paid dearly for our whistle. But, we praise the dear Lord for wiping slavery out of and from our land, for we stand today, in the sight of the world and in the sight of God, a purer, nobler nation by that baptism of blood. But I wish to put on record, for the glory of God, this one fact, viz., that there is a greater curse hanging over this nation today than even slaverv thought of being. And that curse is the divorce business. Jesus in the Holy Scriptures, tells us in very plain language, "What, therefore, God hath joined together, let not man put asunder." Matth. :6 ; Mark 10 :9. It is a question in the writer's mind whether all marriages are of God. Many, we think, are of the devil. Those marriages performed by authorized, ordained ministers of the gosnel are of God ; but that lustful couple running to your blasphemous, sinful, so-called 148 STEPPING STONES TO GLORY Justice, either appointed or elected by sinful men, to have the ceremony performed, is of the devil from beginning to end. We view it that they are living in adultery under human per- mit. Hence a divorce given in that case, would not be a violation of God's law, from the fact that He never joined them. But the very grave point which we wish to hint at is, as we under- stand it, the Code of the State of Iowa, and most, if not all other states and the United States code, conflict with, or transgress, or go across God's word and law. As already stated, that law of God, quoted by Jesus Himself lays it down emphatically: "What, therefore, God hath joined together, let not man put asunder." But puny man with his sin-befogged brain, and self-sufficiency, replies to the words of Jesus: Our codes hold that marriage is only a civil compact, and may be dissolved by the consent of either party. Thus tacitly spitting again in His face, and holding up a premium for adultery. Homes are cursed by that insidious spawn of Satan still lurking in our nature. Yea, even in some who profess to be sanctified in other re- spects. Strive to be what you wish vour chil- STEPPING STONES TO GLORY 149 dren to be. If you want your children to have noble principles, have them yourself. If your children are to be free from lust, see to it that you yourself commit not adultery in your mar- riage relation under the pretense that you once had a piece of paper called license and had a few words spoken by a man and hence you can gratify lust with impunity. Beware ! "God is not mocked." Lust is sin wherever found. Oh, my Gocl, my Father! How long, how long wilt thou suffer this cesspool of iniquity to curse this fair land of ours. of Autljor'B Ctfr. The writer was born in London, England. April 15, 1842. I was the youngest of fourteen children. The oldest, my sister Mary Ann, and another sister are the only survivors, mother having died in August, 1851. Father and four of us children came to the United States the same fall, landing in Maquoketa, Iowa, in De- cember. We wintered in an old log house in the timber, on the banks of the Maquoketa river. The writer could relate many wild scenes and strange occurrences, such as deer, wil$l turkeys, the sugar bush, etc., but that i? not the object at all. Souls are at stake, and the King's business requires haste, because I feel like one from the grave talking to un- saved and unsanctified souls for whom Jesus spilt His blood, that they may (if they will) have fitness for glory. During the spring of 1852, our family scat- tered over the countrv to work for a livelihood. STEPPING STONES TO GLORY 151 This brings the writer to a very sa.d, trying scene. I went to a farmer, who also was a car- penter. He was to use me as one of his own chil- ilren (which he did, for he had a kind, fatherly heart), send me to the district school winters, Teach me the carpenters trade and when I was twenty-one years of age give me a chest of tools, a good suit of clothes, a horse and one hundred dollars in money. But, while he and his son ('who was of age) had hearts of flesh, and could pity an orphan child in a strange land, your humble servant is grieved to say that if ever there was such a thing as a heart of stone ("By their fruits ye shall know them"), it was cer- tainly hid away in his wife's bosom. When the son or his father was at home, I was safe and had what might be called peace. AVell does the writer remember how he would H'o alone, on the wild prairie in the evenings, and amid wolves, 1 would look up at the stars, contrasting these evenings with those evening* on the other side of the rolling Atlantic ocean, \vhe*n mother would teach me about Jesus and His blessed word. None of that now. And while thus cogitating, with tears trickling down my rosy, tender cheeks, I would sing over 152 STEPPING STONES TO GLORY and over again that one hymn so dear to my young heart : "Remember, love, who gave thee this, It was a mother's gift A gift from one, so pure and fair, She dying gave thee this." Yes, my dear reader, allow me to say a \vrd about that Bible. I saved my pennies before mother died, then converted them into silver, and with that first piece of silver money I pur- chased my first Bible, which the writer still has in his possession and has requested that it should be placed over his heart when this poor, pain-tossed and afflicted tenement of clay is ly- ing in the casket. While staying at this home, I attended school one winter in the school house known as the Hinckley school house on the prairie about five miles south from Maquoketa. Of course the children had to take their dinner with them. Their daughter, who was well clad, was allowed to prepare her dinner frpm anything which the cupboard contained. While the orphan child, being poorly clad in cottonwear and without underwear, also with no dinner, would go to the STEPPING STONES TO GLORY 153 same school. She acting the part of a spy would watch me, and if any of the boys would divide their dinners with me, she reported the fact to her mother, and the outcome was a cruel thrash- ing for the friendless, motherless boy. But the daughter lived only a few years from that time, and we understand her mother has also passed into the beyond, to await that day when we shall all stand before the judgment bar of God to give an account of every thought and every act, whether they be good or whether they be evil. So says the word of God. But the father, one day, told me with tears in his eyes it would be better for me to find another home if I could. So with a sad, sad heart, all alone, yet not alone, because mother's God was with me, I walked those new wild prairies in quest of shelter and food. But we must proceed. Then several years of struggle and the testing of my faith in God must be passed over, for space is limited. Th^ vears of 1856-7 found three of us men folks in the timber northwest from Maquoketa, clearing forty acres of it to make a farm. Here I got one, and part of another winter's school- ing in a log house with slabs sawn from the out- 154 STEPPING STONES TO GLORY side of logs to sit on. After this, until the war of the rebellion began, the writer was working by the month, at farming, the dear Lord bless- ing me all these years with good health. Bless His holy name ! Here I worked for my board, and attended the district school, thereby getting two more winter's schooling. At the time Ft. Sumpter was fired upon, the writer was under contract to work for Schuylcr S. Eddy of Maquoketa, a well-to-do man, for eighty acres of prairie land in Blackhawk coun- ty, Iowa, by the month, until it was paid for. I had worked enough to pay for forty acres, and some over, when the spirit of patriotism over- came my farming propensities. This man Eddy, who was in perfect accord with Uncle Sam, and every inch a man, and likewise his son having married my youngest sister, con- sented to give me a deed to forty acres, and the balance of my pay in cash, which he did. And further, he promised to give me another deed for the other half of the eighty at the >;uiu- price if T would save money enough while in the army to buy it. This I did, sending money home each pay day until it was paid for. Ble-s God I was now owner of eighty acres of as fine STEPPING STONES TO GLORY 155 prairie land as a person would need to look at. August, 1862, came, and along with it perfect health and strength. Drums were beating, fifes were playing, flags were flying and recruit- ing officers on the wing. Squads were gath- ered and companies forming for the Twenty- sixth Iowa Volunteer Infantry. But, what did it all mean ? To some it meant an excur- sion, a holiday ; to some it meant bounty. But to your humble servant it meant the march, the camp life, the sleepless nights on guard in drenching, chilling rains. Yes, it meant the bloody battle field, the hospital, the fatherless home, the crushed widow's heart with children to provide for. Aye, even more than this, it was to the writer of this book, although but young in years at that time, it. was God, home and native (though in my case my beloved adopted) land. I enlisted under no excitement but reasoned for two weeks on this line: Men with fam- ilies are enlisting and here am I in perfect health, single, and, as it were, without a home. But I expect some day to have one. Then I shall expect Uncle Sam to defend and protect it. It is true I am an alien and a minor ; they 156 STEPPING STONES TO GLORY cannot draft me, but is not this my adopted country? Yes, it is, and by the help of that God who has cared for me all these years, and who has promised, "I will guide thee with my eye, and cover thee with my feathers," I will lay my life upon her shrine. And in that spirit the writer enlisted for three years or during the war, under the glorious Star Spangled Banner, at Clinton, Iowa, and mustered into the United States service at Lyons. Our regiment was joined to the Fifteenth Army Corps of the Ten- nessee. The writer was in several engagements, but the most destructive were Arkansas Post, Jan- uary llth, and Vicksburg during the assault and siege from May 19th to July 4th, 18fi3. Ar the former place mentioned, the loss of life in our regiment alone was fearful. If memory serves me rightly, our regiment lost one hun- dred and forty-five men in one single charge. Two Missouri regiments charged the enemy's breast works but were repulsed. The fire was so terrific that they had to lie upon their face-. The Twenty-sixth Regiment was then taken out of our brigade and ordered to charge the same breastworks. We started on STEPPING STONES TO GLORY 157 the double quick, jumped over the two Missouri regiments, and when within forty steps of the works, the rebels, with each gun loaded with one minie ball and two buck shot, rose up from behind their works and poured into our ranks such a withering rain of death as to bring forth the command "down" and our regiment fell at full length upon the ground. The enemy then opened upon us their cannon, being so close to them that we could look down their awful in- exorable throats. When the order came for our regiment to fall, the writer did not hear it among the ter- rible roar and carnage for I think words can- not, or at least I have not the command of them sufficient to, describe it, or else I must have been stupefied by the concussion and exploding of the shells, etc. anyway, the writer was the only living human being upon his feet at this particular point between the tAvo contending forces. And for a second the firing slackened, while both rebels and Yankees cheered your humble servant. We must not go much into detail, for if we should, things too horrible might be related for 158 STEPPING STONES TO GLORY nervous women to even read; neither have we the space. But there is a lesson in all this: God's word says, "The bloody and deceitful man shall not live out half his days." This is a description of a wicked person. In our com- pany was a man about twenty-two years old, I should think a little giant physically, and who swore by note, as the boys used to say. He was repeatedly telling what he would do to the Johnnies. "Let him that thinketh he stands, take heed lest he fall." Please allow me just here to cite a case upon this battle field in which two portions of God's word were literally ful- filled. The writer and this wicked, boastful fellow were almost side by side going into this charge a Christian and a sinner (for be it remembered I was converted to God some three years previous to this). Before he had emptied his gun once, he had five minie balls in his body (I counted them), and he went to judg- ment in that deplorable condition. As it has already been quoted, "the wicked shall not live out half his days," so it proved in his case. O, my dear reader, for Jesus' sake, take warning! The same word tells us regarding the Chris- tian, "A thousand shall fall at thy side, and STEPPING STONES TO GLORY 159 ten thousand at thy right hand, but it shall not come nigh thee." I was wounded, to be sure, but my life was spared, for which I heartily praise God. These texts were fulfilled upon the bloody, gory, battle field. But it is not to say that all Christian soldiers will be spared in that way. O no. The lesson that God would have us learn by the latter text is this : A mul- titude of sinners all around a Christian may reject the light and means of salvation, and thereby fall into hell, though his going there will not necessarily keep that Christian out of Heaven. But we must hasten. Vicksburg is mentioned in history as the Gi- bralter of the United States. Your humble servant was there upon two occasions. First, when W. T. Sherman was defeated at Walnut Hills in the rear of the city, by way of the Yazoo river, where we lost sixteen hundred men Sunday and Monday. And again under Grant when he captured it on July 4, 1863. The writer, while Grant and Pemberton were capit- ulating for the surrender of the city (the white flags flying upon the rebels' ramparts), climbed over into their breast works, picked up a fine dirk and a rebel's haversack, and started for the 160 STEPPING STONES TO GLORY city some two or three miles further inland, tw... powerful rebels accompanying me, one on either side. l^ot knowing what fear was. we climbed down those miniature mountains, hanging >ii to the cane as we went through the brakes, chat- ting as we went, when lo! at the bottom <>f those hills, alone with those big fellows, my dangerous situation came upon me in an in- stant. Without the movement of a muscle to indicate fear (my nerves at that time were like steel), I grasped my dirk, calmly deciding to sell my life as dearly as possible. But, bless God, it was as it is always promised to be. The lions were chained. We walked along and soon came upon a rebel camp of some fifteen thousand. Then T breathed freely. My escorts directed me to the city which I found in a short time. Oh, how strange! I now stood in Vicksburg. Was it true ? Could I believe my own eyes ? The only blue coat among the greys ? Yes, there, across the ''Father of Waters" were the Yankees at Millican's Bend where I used to be companied in camp, and this side of that is the canal which I helped to dig. Well, we strolled about the city, saw the rebel's water batteries old whist 1- STEPPING STONES TO GLORY 161 ins i.~ not unto death, but it is to strengthen him spir- itually. How very much like our Saviour'* woivls in St. John 11:4. "But for the glory of God, that the Son might be glorified there- by." This, then, was my Pentecost. And the angel's testimony is backed by the word of God Himself through His Son. Reader, this evidence is good enough for me. The writing of this book of itself is for that very purpose. Praise ye the Lord. Amen ! of SKKTCH OF MY LIFE CONCLUDED WALKS AND TALKS IX THE KING^S COUNTRY. In Matth. 10:27, Jesus says to me, "What I toll you in darkness (in visions upon thy bed), that speak ye in light ; and what ye hear in the ear, that speak ye upon the house tops." So acting- upon those words we will continue my sketch. On another page mention was- made of the night of blessed sleep and after that the in- tense desire to do Sunday school work. This de- sire being born of God, a way was soon opened up for its realization, and somewhat parallel with Paul's experience in answer to his prayer to be permitted to go to Rome. Two seas met. A shipwreck. Vipers on the hand of the writer, etc. But, "My presence shall go with thee," was at the helmj. We were permitted to organize a Sabbath school in a Catholic township where family \v - r- 186 STEPPING STONES TO GLORY ship was to any extent, if not wholly, unknown, in the very face of Satan. We announced a gathering of the people at a new frame school house at ten o'clock next Sun- day to organize a Sunday school. Sunday came, and of all the melancholy, rainy days from morning till night, that equaled the worst. The writer put the saddle on the horse, and rode over the country in the rain telling the people we would all meet at the school house at the same hour the following Sabbath for the same purpose. That Sabbath came, and it was an exact dup- licate of the one before. We again mounted our horse in the rain, to deliver the message on our* heart. Sunday came, and O, glory to God ! He rewarded our faithfulness by .giving us a day of beauty, effulgence and victory. The house was full. A Sunday school was organ- ized. An;l O, the Scripture and heavenly wis- dom the dear Lord did pour into my poor h?a ! and heart while working ,in that school I never shall forget. But we must refrain from derail, though we desire ever so much, on acount of jspace. Suffice it to say, preaching was added to the school. A. U. B. church was soon organ- STEPPING STONES TO GLORY 187 ized ; every family then living in and around the vicinity was represented, and in some cases whole families were swept into it, and today that church stands as an Ebenezer for fidelity to God. We exclaim with David of old, "Let every- thing that hath breath praise the Lord." How many, many times the Lord has made His word good to us on this 'line, "He that honors me, him will I honor." Right here let me say to my readers, that the relating of the dealings of God to and by the writer, is not for egotism or self-aggrandizement, but purely for the glory, of God. We were then sent as a delegate to Garner to attend the Hancock County Sabbath School Association. Here again we can see the hand of God. We had to drive some fourteen miles, so entered the church near the close of a Bible class exercise. We were at that time comparatively a stranger there. The leader asked the class for an apology for Judas. N'ot gettfng an answer, the question was then asked, is there any one in the convention who will give an apology for Judas ? Without thinking what I was doing, my hand went up and 'all eyes were turned on me in an instant. Our reason 188 STEPPING STONES TO GLORY backed by the word of God seemed satisfactory. The next moment the president stepped down from the pulpit, pressed his way to my side, and said in a whisper, What is your name \ Hav- ing ascertained it, he went to his seat. The pn -- ident appointed a committee on nomination, and among them, your humble servant. Four vice-presidents w r ere to be nominated. We were chosen as one. I speak thus particularly be- cause we wish the reader to follow and see the hand of God working in and through it all. Our semi-annual convention was next held in Oorwith, some twelve miles west from our home across those bleak prairies. On the appointed day it was snowing so we concluded not to go. When \vay in the afternoon suddenly there came a thought accompanied by a desire to at- tend the convention. Almost a stranger in the city, cold, without supper, what should I do? I saw a light in the printing office, of which one of the vice-presidents was the editor. He also preached. We went there, stated our object, and he hustled for a leading church member, who was also a banker; they hurried others to the expected train, bringing delegates, etc. Others notified the citizens and still others STEPPING STONES TO GLORY 189 heated the public hall. So that a few minutes after the appointed hour about two hundred persons were eager for the exercises. Brother Johnson (the editor) called the convention to order. Sister Brockway, a banker's wife in Garner, being secretary, was stationed at her table ; when the editor's voice which is naturally good, rang out through the hall, Brother Cod- ling, please come forward and take charge of the convention. Reader, will you just in your mind put yourself in the writer's place at that supreme moment ? A stranger, without supper, after a cold twelve-mile drive over those prairies, with pants tucked into the tops of felt boots, and other clothing to correspond with the boots, never up to this time had I conducted such a large and intelligent audience. And there hid away among the people in the center of the hall was John in his uncouth clothing of camel's hair. He called the second time and when some in the audience beckoned me, my doom was sealed. The convention was a success. God was greatly glorified. The next day the writer plead off, but God seemed to say "thou art the man." So He kept me in the harness to its 190 STEPPING STONES TO GLORY close. Beloved reader, will you kindly bear in your mind one fact ? I had received my Pente- cost. So God continued to use me blessedly for four years, before I knew what to call it. Bless His dear holy name forever and ever! Well, we had driven about one or two mile- out of town on our way home when we received our first anointing. Please note there is only one, the anointing, but an indefinite number of a anointing. The anointing abides; a anointing is transient. For the anointing see I. John 2 :27. I say I received my first anointing. Yes, I have done my whole duty and God the Holy Spirit came down my soul to greet while glory, glory, crowned the mercy seat. I was so full of praises to God and bless- ing Jesus I had to turn my horse out of the road to let the teams go by that the people might not think me a candidate for the lunatic asylum. Beloved reader, we have dwelt at some length on this point thinking that perhaps some poor, discouraged soul might be benefited and God glorified. So now let us trace this back- ward as God reveals Himself to me. When Brother Dow, the president, asked me my name, STEPPING STONES TO GLORY 191 he then had consumption, and to make it plain, it would read something like this. President Dow, before the next convention I will call you to Paradise. Xow you ask that man his name because he is chosen of me to take the presi- dential chair. Xominate him as one of th-3 committee, then I will see that he is elected a vice-president. I have a work for him. And sure enough it was, for the president died short- ly after that, so the reader can readily under- stand the rest. We were blessedly used at the regular annual convention held in Britt, in the M. E. Church and in many other ways. We were used of God as superintendent of two Sun- day schools at the same time, one in the fore- noon and the other in the afternoon. Please let me mention one fact that ought not to be overlooked. Since my Pentecost, financial difficulties all disappeared. My life on that line, as well as in other respects, runs parallel with that of Job's. My "last end is better than my first." We would like to relate how the dear Lord threw one hundred and sixty acres of land into our laps, but will only hint at it. In twenty-four months the writer (after his Pentecost) bought the above-mentioned land 192 STEPPING ?TONES TO GLORY adjoining his home, broke it up, cropped it, and God permitted him to pay for it, and in addi- tion, cleared sixteen hundred dollars. And all this was done without worry and our nose get- ting out of joint two or three times per week. Hallelujah ! Notwithstanding that I was now farming three hundred and twenty acres of land, we always had abundance of time to at- tend family worship at least twice per day, be- sides attending the other means of grace. ^I<>-t of the work was done by myself and our two small boys. Still if a poor family was in a pinch there w r as time to lend them a helping hand. A Mr. Anderson, a neighbor on our south, was called to mourn the loss of their little boy, Willie. We were used of God in preaching the funeral sermon and superintended the burial service which were greatly owned of God in talking to the living, as the house and both yards were crowded with people. O, my Father, I praise Thee! And during the same summer we were sent for by another neighbor living west from our home to preach another funeral sermon under very sad conditions. The little white casket containing their four-year-old was STEPPING STONES TO GLORY 193 removed to the school house a few rods from their residence where the mother was lying upon her supposed death bed, and hence was not able to attend the funeral of her child. As is my custom we talked to the living, warning them to keep out of hell by being prepared all the time to meet God in peace. About 1892, the writer with his wife and three sons removed from Hancock county to a farm of forty acres one mile west from Nevada, Iowa. Notwithstanding that we own nothing, having consecrated all to God, and receive only as He sees fit to give back to us, the first thing we did on entering our new home was to dedi- cate it back to Him for holy purposes. And truly He took us at our words and made it a bethel to many, many, souls. All glory to His name. One case just comes to my mind. A Mr. llalstead and his brother from Nebraska called at our home one night for lodgings and to leave their team in the barn. Whenever pos- sible we never turned' anyone away. All had retired for the night except wife, the stranger and myself. We saw afterward that this was of God. He had been lecturing in Nebraska on temperance. He had been called to preach, 194 STEPPING STONES TO GLORY and was a Jonah on his way to Joppa to "hide from the presence of the Lord." After giving him the word of God, wife kneeled at the divan and your servant beside his rocking chair, ask- ing him to kneel while we talked to Fathci in his ' behalf. But with firm resolve he braced himself in his chair with a decided no. Xothing daunted, the writer plead and reasoned with him to no purpose, when I raised my hand to Elijah's God for help. I then repeated a ques- tion in another form. You say you respect us for our kindness, hospitality, etc ? Yes. Then to put your yes in tangible form, will you please kneel, purely for respect ? O, how slowly, and what hard work it was for that strong man to get upon his knees. But, be it remembered, a little while before he did so, he said, "Mr. Cod- ling, before I will bow before God, if I cannot get out of this house any other way, I will (pointing to a window) jump through that window." But glory to God Jonah was now in the whale's belly, and not only so, but at the foundations of the mountains, in the depths of the sea., soon to be ejected out upon the dry land of bliss. STEPPING STONES TO GLORY 195 Wife talked to Father, then the writer called upon God to capture this Jonah, and long be- fore we had ended our supplication, groans, mingled with floods of tears, such as could be heard through the whole house came from out of the whale's belly, promising God he wouli preach, etc. Tobacco, pipes and the rest of the devil's paraphernalia went into the stove. The picnic lasted till one o'clock in the morning. The next morning his brother, a man grown, who had once known the good way, while upon his knees prom- ised us he would become a good Christian. Two years from that time, Jonah, while driving from Missouri to Xebraska, drove eighty miles out of his way to see us. His face told of the Christ within. He said his brother was the strongest pillar in a certain M. E. ( 'hurch. Beloved reader, it pays to get our Pentecost, and then improve every opportunity. Another case of prevailing prayer and con- quering faith. A Miss Mertie M. Strattan (now Mrs. Ball) of Ames, Iowa, and who, for God's glory alone, has kindly consented that her rame may be used in this connection for this article, was at the time of which we are speak- 196 STEPPING STONES TO GLORY ing about sixteen years of age and a friend of the writer. She was bedfast with Bright'* dis- ease, and one side of her person was paralyzed. She was given up by doctors and medicine seemed futile. The writer, on the afternoon of the third visit, again said to her, Mertie, y sake, did the blessed work of grace in her heart. We then asked her name, and soon recollection told us she was converted at a cottage meeting, when after the regular services we gathered the small children about the altar for prayer. Jesus the good shepherd said, "Suffer the little chil- dren to come unto me and forbid them not for of such is the kingdom of God." The writer's health being so poor, we deemed it necessary to spend the winter of 1898 some- where in the south, staying a while in different localities. There was a woman of God in Si- STEPPING STONES TO GLORY 190 loam Springs, Arkansas, an evangelist (her hus- band helping her) who as we learne:! by letter one year after our return to Iowa, had offered this prayer : "O God if there is any person in this world who will trust Thee unto death, let me see his or her face." Wife and I were very much impressed to stop first at Siloam Springs. So Xovember 15, 1898, found wife, our little son Horace and myself on our way there. The first prayer meeting night found us in the First M. E. Church. There were but few there, the house was cold, so we all worshiped God around the stove. The fire from Heaven in a special message seemed to fall upon my wife, and then upon us. We prayed and testified in the Holy Spirit. One man was visibly shaking and nearly all wanted more religion or some- thing, but, as usual, Satan was stirred, and w r e understand that some said they could not have that kind of work in their church. Though the pastor and the. writer became good friends. Hallelujah! God soon had work for us. The next Sunday found us in first church in the morning ; the pastor calling upon us for the opening prayer. After the sevices a Brother Baker, an ex-U. B. preacher we were told, 200 STEPPING S1OXES TO GLORY said to wife and I there are meetings in a cer- tain part of town known as Quaker Town, will you go ? Arrangements to that effect were made, he and his wife calling for us the following eve- ning. The vicinity was a suspicious looking one, without lights, and old rickety buildings, and it seemed quite natural that many romantic thoughts arose in my mind when recalling the fact that just thirty-five years ago the eleventh of the coming January, the writer was wounded in one of the most bloody battles in that same state. But, was God dead ? Xo, verily. We reached the home of Brother and Sister Grain. They were singing truly in the spirit of Christ. We entered the room, but there was no empty seats at first in the house. After singing, testimony was in order before preaching; but there were no regular preaching services there that night. We were partly seated on the edge of a bench in the center of the room. I arose to relate in few words what Jesus had done for me, when these words came into my mouth, I believe if I had time I would give my experience. Just then two or three said, tell it. Others said it is a long time till morning, etc. We then took STEPPING STONES TO GLORY 201 our place at the far end of the room and God came to our help in a remarkable manner. When about half done telling of the workings of God, the evangelist jumped up, more scream- ing than shouting, with both arms extended to- ward Heaven for a minute and then took her seat, she stated in public afterwards, she was never so near Heaven in her life as at that time. Praise God. Our talk was ended. The message was delivered. Singing began, and before its close the writer had led a young lady to Christ who was now upon her knees pleading God's forgiveness. More testimony followed. We asked a Christian Lady how badly do you want this experience, bad enough to seek it in God's way, and pay his price, all \ Yes. While she was consecrating, we prayed and believed, and soon she was praising God for victory. Another Christian lady at my right desired this entire cleansing. We put the same question to her, and her response was, Yes, We said sister, give me your hand and kneel here. But the in- stant she took my hand in hers she fairly yelled out as though pained in some way, it is not necessary to kneel I have it now, and happily testified to the experience. This was Monday 202 STEPPING STONES TO GLORY night. Thursday night she testified (we were now in a rented hall) as though she had been in the experience for ten years, and among other things she said, I have used tobacco in all its forms for thirty-two years, and praise God it and the desire have all gone. We then asked her how long has it been since this occurred. Her answer was, since last Monday night, and we shook hands over it. Oh, Praise the Lord ; His praise shall be con- tinously in my mouth. Another case. The evangelist was continuing the meeting in the hall. One evening at the close of the services. a young lady touched me on my shoulder, say- ing that her mother who was then in bed from injuries caused by a runaway team, wished to see me. The next day wife and I called on her. God has a work for us in that home none knew of until He spoke, "It shall be given thee in that hour." He was after that daughter. There in the presence of father, mother, wife and myself, that beautiful daughter fonn 1 Jesus as her sanctifier, weeping out her joy upon her mother's bosom. Hallelujah! And still more personal work. Our little Horace and mvself were distributing tracts STEPPING STONES TO GLORY 208 among the homes in town one afternoon. The writer knocked at the door of a house. The man hiinself answered the call. Will you please read these tracts, which I give you in Jesus' name ? He invited us in. We plead lack of time, but he urged, so we went in. There sat his wife and grown-up daughter. We soon learned that he and I helped in the capture of Vicksburg. Though just then we had on our hands a greater battle than Vicksburg. The victory was complete. The surrender was un- conditional, except in the case of the daughter. The mother surrendered first, then the father, but the young lady had to take time. She prom- ised while on her knees before God to give her- self up to him at exactly eight o'clock that eve- !'iiig. Like little Jesus in the temple, I was about my Father's business although Horace did lose track of his father. Beloved reader, \\( -cp that to itemize our personal work it can net be done. We shall not have space; so we will simply condense some of our Journal while in Siloam Springs. Ten public exhortations. Three sermons ; cards distributed, 1300 ; tracts distributed, 7450 ; Holiness papers distributed, 150; Testaments distributed, 6; families vis- 204 STEPPING STONES TO GLORY ited, 13 ; families called on, 130 ; number of conversions, 11 ; number seeking Jesus, ; num- ber sanctified, 3 ; number seeking sanctification, 4; money (private) given to the poor, $22.00, And in this connection let us state that to this date, December, 1902 we have bought and dis- tributed 49,000 tracts, gospel arrows, cards, etc., with the exception of a few hundred which we now have on hand. We praise God for the privilege. But before we close our work in Si- loam Springs, we feel led to just mention one case at the depot. We were in the u r checking our baggage, and buying tickets fur Towa ; a cot stood in the center of the room. a:id upon it lay one of the railroad hands, stricken down in the prime of life by palsy. He cmld move but little, and speech had almost failed. The writer talked to him about his soul. Oh horrors ! unsaved, and yet so near hell. I beck- oned to my wife. We knealt and then a lady came and joined us. And, there amid the usual scenes in a depot just before the train comes in, our beseechings reached Father's ear, and the palsied soul there and then became as white as snow. Glorv to God ! We bound monev and STEPPING STONES TO GLORY 205 tracts in his hankerchief and placed it inside his shirt bosom. Just then the train came steaming in. Praise the dear Lord, we once more found ourselves under our own vine and fig tree in Iowa. That summer, 1899, God sold our farm for us, showing us by vision the man who would purchase it, (a stranger, never before heard of and more than a hundred miles away) so that we recognized him on sight. Thus saving us some hundreds of dollars. We bless His name. We raised and retained the crop, moving into Nevada September 28th. Before writing of other things, it seems I must just touch on one (to me at least) very important truth. My health was very poor. Our oldest son was married, the other went on the railroad ; Horace was going to school, and at the time we are speaking of, help could not be gotten. It seemed that the weeds would take our corn crop. The morning in question I could not eat breakfast. The morning was per- fect. Not a cloud was in the sky, nor even a dew upon the grass. Between nine and ten o'clock I almost gave out. I sat on the plow and reasoned with God on this wise, Lord this 206 STEPPING STONES TO GLORY is jour corn, I am your child, no help to be had, the weeds are almost ready to destroy it, will you please give me strength for Jesus' sake. We then plowed another row of corn and sat down to rest, and, as I looked into the pure, blue vault of Heaven, I saw, about thirty rods before me, and about one hundred feet from the earth Jesus extended upon the cross. His eyes were closed, black hair, his head resting upon his left shoulder, and one of the most heavenly smiles upon his face. From that moment I could work. That night I could kick up my heels, and did a well man's work until that winter began. Praise the Lord. Our home in Nevada is the Lord's property. The best fur- nished room we call the Pentecost room : -< > named from the first holiness meeting held in it. During that meeting it was in truth Cor- nelius' house. When your servant had finished talking on I. Sam'l 15 emphasizing verses 3, 22, 23, the Holy Ghost without an exception made his presence felt. One person was pros- trated, others jumping, and the rest praising God. O glory! It has ever since been looked upon as the alma mater of holiness meet- ings. STEPPING STONES TO GLORY 207 Yes beloved reader, we wish just here to re- late to YOU how God, who has answered scores and scores of prayers literally answered our morning request of October 31st, 1900. At about eight o'clock, A. M., we were holding fam- ily worship. The writer was impressed to ask God for five hundred dollars for his glory. We arose. I then went into another room to put the Bible in its place, and there I got the witness to answered prayer. I laughed, wept and praised God. I told wife the five hundred dollars was coming. That night at church, we met a Bro. T. H. Pettis from Ohio. We men- tioned the fact of instructing a person the day before in sanctification. He replied, O I wish I had been there, you folks have something that I have not ; I would give the worhl for it. We remarked, that is just what it will cost you. Come to our house and see what the Lord has for you. He said he would. Xovember first, before breakfast, he was on hand, fasting and willing. Breakfast being over, we handed him the Bible to lead in wor- ship. The spirit was doing his own work. He tried to consecrate but could not get the wit- ness. 208 STEPPING STONES TO GLORY The Spirit revealed to me it was his pride. He was educated, and a man of means, so I said, Brother, you are a peacock. He saw the point. He had just told the Lord he would irive Him five hundred dollars as freely as water, but as soon as self was upon the altar, down came the witness and of course the blessing. He told us that he paid fifty dollars down, and in a short time had sent two missionaries to Japan, costing him more than the five hundred dollars. And we had the satisfaction of read- ing a letter from the missionaries under date of February 26, 1901, from Aryma, Tokyo. One convert had already been won to Jesus and talk of building a twenty-five hundred dollar insti- tution, etc. All from that one prayer in our little kitchen. O Jesus, take all the glory ! Another prayer which we call the six-tin m- sand-dollar prayer, was answered and consum- mated inside of seven months. But we must forbear details. In our Journal we find the fol- lowing: The reclamation and sanctification of Arthur Bartlett Codling. It was in this wise. While he was in a restaurant in Des Moines, Iowa, June 22, 1899, cutting bread, a voice said to him, You go home. He tried to smother the STEPPING STONES TO GLORY 209 effects of that voice by reasoning it away. He then resumed the cutting of the bread, when all of a sudden his right arm failed him. He then went to the postoffice to see if he could get rid of that strange but awful feeling that was so dis- tressing, but to no use. Returning from the postoffice that same voice again said to him, You go home. This time he said to the voice he would not. So when again cutting bread, though a strong man, his right arm again failed him. This so alarmed him he went home, tell- ing his wife they would take the evening train for his folks' (without giving any reason for it). That evening they reached our home in ex- cellent health. The next day, June twenty- thhvl, was spent in looking over the farm, rid- ing bicycle, and all the other amusements which go to make a day on the farm interesting. But not one word, or a look told of the deep, and terrible struggle which the arrow of the Holy Spirit was causing in his soul. And then, like Jonah of old fleeing to Joppa to get from the presence of God, said to his wife, wo will go back to Des Moines on the morning (June twenty-fourth) train. Alas for poor hu- manity. Man proposes, but God disposes. By 210 STEPPING STONES TO GLORY the way, God it seemed wanted another witness. So a Brother Welch (who had himself been blessedly sanctified and received the witness of the Spirit in that same house some time before) stayed with us that night, June twenty-third. The next morning, about one o'clock, our son Arthur was awaked from his sleep. He tried T<> go to sleep again to ease conscience. But that same voice said to him, If you go to sleep again, you will never awake. With that he began to shake, and resemble an ague patient just arrived from Missouri. He then came to our room and, touching me on the shoulder, said, Father, I want you and mother to come down stairs and pray for me for I must be a Christian. Shortly all hands were up and on deck to help the Lord beat back the powers of darkness, which, praise God, was done on Pentecostal lines, by way of a holy picnic which lasted till between three and four o'clock in the morning. After things were quited down, he said, among other things (for by this time he was reclaimed and sancti- fied), I would not pass through what I have en- dured for one hundred dollars. And now for mother's dream and the sequel. A few nights after this, mother dreamed that STEPPING STONES TO GLORY 211 she saw a large field of wheat growing, sur- rounding which and among which, were thistle of rank growth, as was also the wheat. His father ordered him (Arthur Codling) to take the team and mower and cut the thistles down, notwithstanding it was the Lord's Day. Xow, as the Spirit shows it to us, it is this. That field of rank (God's) wheat (and you know God used the field of wheat with its sheaves to re- veal to Joseph what was for him in the future ; so also we are told in God's word how literally true it was brought to pass), was mission work that the dear Lord had in readiness for Arthur, as soon as he met His conditions and received his credentials his Pentecost. Because no Pentecost, no effective service in soul saving. Only a few weeks elapsed till we received a let- ter from Arthur stating how strangely and yet truly God was using him for His glory. He sometimes preached three times per week in a mission. That God had placed His seal upon his efforts by giving him three souls from the start. (Please bear in mind that these souls were those thistles in and around that wheat field, as seen in the dream.) That he had even been called out of his bed at night to speak at 212 STEPPING STONES TO GLORY the mission. Oh, hallelujah to God and tl it- Lamb ! Amen. But, my beloved reader, the time is come to end this book. Notwithstanding very many precious facts and truths must be omitted. If we were to speak of the scores and scores of souls that God has given to us to introduce to Jesus both for pardon and for entire cleansinir, and the hundreds of others benefited in many ways, the many, many visions, and the almost numberless literal answers to our prayers, an- other book would have to be written. But we have delivered our message of love. We have already learned to love you with a pure love. But amid our great bodily weakness, pain, affliction and ignorance, it may be said of the writer, as was said of one of old, he (she) did what he could. We have warned the sinner of hell. We have tried to make the blood-sprinkled pathway from a human heart to the throne of God clear and plain. And, as the writer again takes a retrospective view of his past life, he can truthfully say it has been well spent, bring- ing no feelings of remorse. And with Bunyon's Pilgrim, he can, with the eye of faith, behold the shepherds upon those delectable mountains STEPPING STONES TO GLORY 213 feeding their flocks, and themselves feasting on the ambrosial fruits of Paradise, and basking in the sunlight of God's presence. And with faithful Paul in II. Timothy 4:6-8, say, "For I am now ready to be offered and the time of my departure is at hand." I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, shall give me at that lay, and not to me only, but unto all them also that love His appearing. Belove 1 reader, undoubtedly before this book falls into some of your hands its author's soul will be as a carrier dove conveying Father's messages to earth. May He come to you ? Will you be listening ? Will you obey ? So now T say my last farewell to most of my beloved rcjidcrs (111 earth. And again I say faro vuu well ! But, "if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with an- other, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son