Shouting; genuine and spurious ... giving a history of the outward demonstrations of the spirit, such as laughing, screaming, shouting ... &c
.** % \A </> ^ .^-Ss. 'V. 3.V ^ V* *^**'" *<» . _ . ■* r> O o O A' -x V % / > * rv*-->°\ oo1 4? ■». ++ $ ++ ? o »%. V \ °- *^. AX o o «5 ^ ^ '<<» .<v '' . c V * ' SHOUTING: GENUINE AND SPURIOUS, In all ages of tiie Church, from the birth of Creation, when the Sons of God shouted for joy, until the shout of the Arch- Angel : with numerous extracts from the Old and New Testament, and from the works of Wes- ley, Eyass, Edwards, Abbott, Cartwright and Finley. Giving a history of the outward demonstrations of the Spirit, such as Laughinj, Screaming, Shouting, Leaping", Jerking, and Falling under the Power, &c. With extensive comments, numerous anecdotes and illustrations. / BY G. W, HENRY, AUTHOR OF " TRIALS AND TRIUMPHS, OR TRAVELS IX EGYPT, TWILIGHT AND BETXLAH,' " WEDLOCK AND PADLOCK, TEMPORAL AND SPIRITUAL," " CAMP MEETISTO HYMN BOOK," &C. WITH STEEL ENGRAVING OF AUTHOR AND SON. 1 If these should hold their peace, the stones would cry out." Luke 19 : 40. PUBLISHED AND BOUND BY THE AUTHOR: ONEIDA, MADISON COUNTY, NEW-YORK. 1859. I 26556 Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1859, by Gr. W. HENEY, In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the Northern District of New Torki BtEREotYPEt) k? tE&NOX & WHITE, ROC&EatKft^ .V. Y» PREFACE Our apology for writing this book is this : 1. — We believe God has called us to the work. 2. — We love to work for God in spreading Scriptural holiness through the land. 3. — We desire to bless the world with spiritual bread, and at the same time procure for ourselves and family the bread of earth. We expect to give an account in the judgment for every word we have written. Our book is a child of prayer. Unceasingly have we prayed for the Spirit's direction ; the need of which we have felt especially, because our blindness compelled us to the un- natural method of writing through our son and daughter. 0 ! Lord, if the book please Thee, give it the wings of a carrier dove, and prepare its way to the firesides of thousands ; and may it win many souls to Christ after we are dead. Amen! CONTENTS. CHAPTER I.~ INTRODUCTORY. House put in Order— Matrimonial Excursion— -Sons of God Shouting — Crossing the Threshold— Theme of the Book. CHAPTER TL— Our Platform. On a Search— Two Pillars — Croakers — Family Quarrel?— Cog and Magog, CHAPTER III —Platform Exemplified. Dr. Z. Paddock— Hopping— The Accuser— Crawling out of the Shell. • CHAPTER IV.— Tnrc Way Marked Out. God's order— No neutrality— Map of the route— Gloomy and Spiritual Religion. CHAPTER V.— Moses and bis Mother. Glory of Egypt— Ark of Rushes— Trust in Providence— Strong Cords— Discon- solate Mothers— Finley's Vision. CHAPTER VI.— The Plagues of Egypt. Rip Van Winkle nap— Unusual employment — Moses' Commission — the PI agues — Too much Noise— Funeral scene— Universalist — Come out — West India Emancipation— Spiritual Freedom. CHAPTER VII.— Israel's First Trial. A Critical Position— Providence and Grace— At Migdol— Fugitive Slave Law. CHAPTER VIII.— Crossing the Red Sea. Young Converts— Morning of Joy— Shaft of Fire— Safe Sleeping— Sea Divided. CHAPTER IX. — Passage of the Reb Sea Celebrated. Triumphant Songs— Holy Danciug. CHAPTER X.— Spurious Shouting. The Camp at Sinai — Moses on the Mount— Israel Backslides— Golden Calf De- stroyed—First Mourner's Bench— Breaking the Tables— Dancing. CHAPTER XL— Grapes and Pomegranates. Moses'' Anger Justified— Dedication of the Tabernacle— Majority and Minor! ty Report— Experienced Pilots CHAPTER XII.— The Smitten Rock. Going Ahead»Trial of Faith-A Revival-Water from the Rock-Noisy Revivals. CHAPTER XI1L— License to Shout. Rumseller'3 License— Slaveholder's License— Christian's License to Shout- When to shout— A Victory— Moses1 Funeral. Contents. CHAPTER XXXI.— Views of John Wesley. TlieOld Tree— Tree of Life— Dangerous Hock— The Model Eevival— Wesley not Deified— Misrepresented— Change of Views. CHAPTER XXXII.— Fetter-Lane Confession. Extract — Prayer for Pharisees — Vain Hopes— Standing on the Threshold — Con- troversy with a D. D.— Blasphemy — The Call. CHAPTER XXX II I. —Wesley's Views Continued. Quotation— Horrible Outcries— Quotation— A Calm — The Greater Danger-Coun- terfeits—Quotation—Let Uzzah Beware. CHAPTER XXXIV— Wesley's Views Continued. Extract — Wonderful Scene— Anotner Sight— Laughing Blessing — Experience. CHAPTER XXXV.— Wesley's Views Continued. P. 45 and 46, vol. 5— Wesley's Morality — Religion, so-called — As God pleases, a Storm or Calm — Our "Warning — Vol. 7, p. 502. CHAPTER XXXVI. — Misrepresentations of Wesley. CHAPTER XXXVII.— Welsh Jumping. Christmas Evans— "Welsh Jumping— Comments by Author. CHAPTER XXXVIIL— Views of Jonathan Edwards. Edwards an Endorser— Extracts and Comments. CHAPTER XXXIX.— Views of Edwards Continued. .:i. Extracts and Comments. CHAPTER XL. — Views of Edwards Continued. A word for Croakers— Light without Heat— Extracts and Comments, CHAPTER XLL— Benjamin Abbott. Abbott's Conviction — His Conversion — His Sanctification — Our Sanctification. CHAPTER XLIL— Second Blessing. Two Blind Men— Wesley's Views— Can't Keep Still— Three Gates— Old Piano- Perfection. CHAPTER XLIIL— Benjamin Abbott. Life of Abbott. CHAPTER XLIV.— Peter Cartwright. Extract on Jerking — Dissatisfaction — New Church — The Jerks — Horse-whip- ping— Blaspheming — Divine Agency — Slaying Power — Divine Power. CHAPTER XL V.— J. B. Finley. Sixty years ago — Wedding— Wedlock and Padlock — Backwoods Camp Meeting. CHAPTER XLVL— J. B. Finley. Universalist— Starch taken out— A Pentecost— A Jonah — Fall and Recovery. CHAPTER XLVIL— J. B. Finley. A Camp Meeting — Peculiarities of tlie Work — Interesting Incidents — The Child Preacher— Sinners Stricken Down — Results of the Work — Blundering Tac- tics—Cattaraugus Meeting— Colonization. CHAPTER XLVIIL— The Use of Shouting. What's the use ? — A Stratagem— Old Moses. CHAPTER XLIX.— Third Church, Syracuse. A small Swarm — Peculiarities — Persecution — Endorsed by Bishops — Disturbed People — Htaling Faith — Powerin the Pulpit. CHAPTER L.— Last Revival. Retrospect— Noisiest of all— Difference— To Fault-finders— Behold he cometh. iv Contents. CHAPTEK XIV.— Crossing Jordan. A hard road to travel— Christian's Trumph — Honors from God — Mountain of Water— The " Second Blessing"— Loss of an Army. CHAPTER XV.— Fall of Jericho. Ram's Horns— Marching around the Walls— Rahab Saved— Effective Shouting — The Number Seven — Seventh Trumpet. CHAPTER XVI.— From Jericho to Jerusalem. Saints below and above — Swallow Holes — Corn and Wine — A Shameful Defeat Church Trials — Mouldy Bread— At Jerusalem. CHAPTER XVII.— A Celebration and a Dinner. Ark Coming Back — Why the Glory Departed — Head Religion — Ark on a Cart — Rev. Mr. Uzzah— Music — Curtain Lectures — Bell for Dinner — Widow's Crust. CH APTER XVIIL— Rebuilding the Temple. A Rip Van Winkle Nap— Things Change — Shouting and Weeping — Bro. P's Re- marks— •'Ichabod" — Triumph of the Wicked. CHAPTER XIX— Advent of Christ. Backward and Forward — Waiting — Celestial Choir — Rapture of Simeon — Hea- venly Joseph — Living Redeemer— Watchword. CHAPTER XX.— Christ Entering upon nis Ministry.- Wading — The Waters Deepening — Search for Jesus — John the Baptist — Behold the Lamb — First Appointment — Ten Lepers — Blind Bartimeus. CHAPTER XXL— Feeding the Ten Thousand. Lepers Noisy — Bartimeus Noisy — Out-door Meeting — Saving Power — Multitude Fed — Christ King — Marvelous Loaf. CHAPTER XXII.— Christ on toe Stormy Sha. A Stormy Night— Jesus on the Water — Peter's Request —Sinking and Rising- Faith Stronger — A Question — Peace like a River — Benefit of Agitation. CHAPTER XXIIL— Christ Raising the Dead. Poor Shoemaker — The Widow's Trust — Widow's Hope — Funeral Procession — Widow's Son Raised — Family of Bethany— Death of Lazarus — " Come Forth" —Second Blessing — Peculiar Exercises. . CHAPTER XXIV.— The Prodigal's Return. Hilly Country — Another Pisgah — Feeding Swine— Prodigal Coming— Christian's Telegraph — Banquet — Amazement — Second Course — Music — Elder Brother. CHAPTER XXV. — Christ's Grand Entry into Jerusalem. The Last Appointment— Fat Calves — Better Times-Morning News-Jesus Moun- ted— Procession Moves — Decision of Supreme Judge — Arrival of the Train. CHAPTER XXVL— Christ Cleansing the Temple. Committees Report— Cleansing Process— S. S. Celebration— Another Commit- tee—Feed the Lambs. CHAPTER XXVII. — The Crucifixion, Resurrection and Ascension. Extravagance — More Resolutions — Savior Tried — Another kind of Shouting — Soldiers at the Tomb— Tidings of Joy— Ascension. CHAPTER XXVIII —Day of Pentecost. Orderly Prayer Meeting — Fire, Fire — Working Converts — Divine Revival — Preaching "in Charge— Effects— Spiritual Temple. CHAPTER, XXIX.— Young Converts Exhortation — Relates his Experience -Power of Salvation— Overdoing the Thing— Paul's Experience. CHAPTER XXX.— The Wine of the Kingdom. We be Brethren— Effects of Drinking— As thou wilt— Critical Spot— Chapter on Wine— Life of the Author— Good morning, Brother Pilgrim. CHAPTER FIRST. tokrforg. The last book we gave to the wide, wide world, to read and think about, was entitled " Marriage of the Lamb, or Wedlock and Padlock, Temporal and Spir- itual." The idea of wedlock, is the union of man and woman id. conjugal love ; which is an emblem of the union of the sanctified soul with Christ in Divine love, TLe idea of padlock, is a union without love either in the temporal or spiritual. The design of the book was to contrast true religion with false, the foolish vir- gins with the wise, a dead formality with the living power ; and in the execution of this design a book was born containing four hundred and sixty large duodec- imo pages. One fourth of the book was taken up in settino* forth the birth of the new world, and the six days work laid out upon it by the King, in preparing it for 8 House put in Oedek. the residence of his Son, whom he was about to givo in marriage to the " elect lady," of whom the Apos- tle John speaks. The first two or three days were oc- cupied in bringing order out of chaos, in raising the little hills and piercing the sky with the lofty Chim- borazos, in scooping out a place for the restless sea, and in furnishing the Bridegroom's palace and its ad- jacent grounds with beautiful adornments, and every- thing necessary to meet the wants of the intended occupants. The palace was beautified with its carpet of green ; and close at hand the garden of the Lord was prepared, with its lovely walks and fleecy mounds, bestudded and selvedged with unfading flowers of won- drous beauty, which fill the air with their fragrance ; at a little distance, on an elevated spot, appear vine- yards and orchards, every vine and branch bending with beautiful a&ai delicious fruit ; and farther off are seen the lofty pines and goodly cedars which raise their heads in silent grandeur from the summits of Lebanon. The house and grounds in order, they were soon il- luminated by a mighty chandelier, suspended from the arched dome of heaven by an invisible chain, and by innumerable sida-lights and reflectors, which look like angels' eyes peering down on sublunary affairs. Then the banquet was prepared for the nuptial festiv- Matrimonial Excursions. 9 ities soon to take place. We look from our elevated stand point, which commands a view of the whole plantation, and the sea which yesterday was quiet as a May morning, is now like a country school in the absence of the master. From the little red herring to the enormous leviathan, all are starting off on a matrimonial excursion, male and female. We look again, and this time we use our ears too, and behold another excursion party, which has chosen the air for its element. All, balloon-like, are inflated with hyme- nial raptures. These are intended partly for the choir and partly for pot-pies. In the wisdom of the Crea- tor all are coupled, male and female. And no two are alike. There is an endless variety of costume; and their songs are as various as they are harmonious and sweet. We call them the choir, but it is not meant that the}7 are a select choir. The King provi- ded for congregational singing. lie had no occasion to offer them a salary for doing what they loved so well. It was their chief joy to employ the powers bestowed upon them. So happy were they that they could not help singing. And so well did they per- form their various parts, that there was not the slight- est discord in their grand epithalamium. And now appears the animal creation. All are in- tended for the household of the Son, from the creep- 10 Sons or God Shouting. ing thing to the roaring lion and monstrous elephant. And now the sixth day's morning dawns. It is to be a coronation day. A lord and sovereign of all the lower orders of created existence is to be made. A triune council has been held. The Eternal Three had said, " Let us make man in our image, after our like- ness." The decree of the council was executed, and man, the last and noblest work of God, appears bear- ing the image of the heavenly, and crowned with glo- ry, honor and immortality. And now he is put in possession of his dominion. Every thing that has breath passes before him, and receives from him a name ; and as the vast caravan passes along, all do obeisance to him, and give utterance to joyful praises to Him who made him their ruler. Think you not, dear reader, that the retrospective ear and eye of the patriarch of Uz were charmed with the scenes he describes when he speaks of singing stars, and the shouting of the sons of God at the laying of the foundations of earth? Previous to the birth of the great Napoleon's son, heavy cannon were placed within short distances of one another, throughout the empire ; and when it was announced to the happy father that a son was given, he placed the match to the first cannon, and in a moment all France resound- ed with the cannon's thunder, and the prolonged Crossing the Thueshhold. 11 shouts of a joyful populace. A similar scene, ex- cept the fire and smoke, transpired at the birth of cre- ation. All heaven joined in the noisy triumph. Here is the first recorded instance of singing and shouting ; but, glory be to God, not the last that earth has known. Gome now, dear reader, and see in yonder wood- land a lovely cottage, filled with peace and plenty. See the smoke from its chimney gracefully curling and ascending through the green foliage, like incense from the golden censer. You wait at the door listening to the rumbling tread of the porter in response to your rap. He springs the bolt, bids you enter, gives you a hearty welcome, and you find yourself seated cosi- ly and securely in the old arm chair, and surrounded with a circle of warm and respected friends. We wish, in this first chapter, to lead you across the thresh- old of our subject, and introduce you to the inmates of our dwelling. And now that you are within our walls, we will treat you to tire best we have, and make you more than welcome. The dish with which wo will serve you will be, Shouting, or Christian Triumph and Rejoicing, both cause and effect. In our book entitled " Marriage of the Lamb," we had only room to talk about building the palace, and 12 Crossing the Threshhold. furnishing it, and its surroundings, preparatory to the marriage ceremony, and the flirtings, hesitations, pal- pitations, wooings and espousals of the elect lady, be- fore she was willing to " mitten" her old lovers, and to forsake all for the King's Son, to be his forever. We have had a pleasant time while attending the long list of weddings, from that of Adam and Eve in the bowers of Eden, to that of Cana of Galilee, which Jesus attended, including that of Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Rebekah, Jacob and Rachel ; and finally reached the time alluded to by John in Revelation. He heard a voice from the throne commanding all, small and great, to shout God's praise. All heaven heard and obeyed the Divine mandate. The celestial courts reverberated with praises, like the voice of ten thousand Niagaras, saying, " Alleluia, let us be glad and rejoice." But a Pharisee inquires, "What is going on here ? What is the meaning of this tremenduous noise ? It is enough to deafen a body. The happy saints reply, " The marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath m-ade herself ready ;" and an angel now steps forward and cries out at the top of his voice, " Bless- ed are they which are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb." In this Scripture, reader, you will find the theme Theme op the Book. 13 of this little book. In the previous volume we were occupied with the preparation and the wedding; -in this we are to speak of the victories and rejoicings of the Lamb's wife; and in another volume still, if Providence permits us to write it, we will show how the Father would have this Son's wife attired. CHAPTER SECOND. ©wr platform. A few years ago our American periodicals were burdened with the story of Japhet in search of his father; but we are going out in search of the agoni- zing groans, the hearty aniens, the loud hallelujahs, that routed the moles and bats from the crevices of log-cabins, and from the more comfortable no-steepled, and freepewed churches of former times. Where are these three friends now? Who has abducted them? The Pharisees have taken them off to a se- cret burial, and we know not where they have laid them. But we are in search of them, and shall do what we can to raise them to new life, and to rein- state them in our sanctuaries. We are now to introduce you, dear reader, to the subject of shouting, and other external spiritual man- ifestations. And now let us take each a pilgrim's On a Search. — Two Pillars. 15 staff in hand, and travel through the sacred record, from the beginning of Genesis to the end of Revela- tion, and see what we can find appropriate to our par- pose. David accumulated the materials for Solomon to build the temple, and the prophets and apostles shall furnish us with the goodly stones and cedars, to construct this little literary edifice. We will build on the stable foundation — the written word. Standing here, we defy the world. If God be for us who can be against us. There are two pillars in the Christian temple which have always annoyed the Devil, the Bible and Chris- tian experience ; and as it is our business to disturb the old adversary as much as possible, we shall, while constantly referring to the law and the testimony throw in, as occasiou requires, a little of what we have seen and felt. It was a prominent characteristic of Methodists in olden times to relate their experience, and we are strongly inclined to seek the old paths and walk therein. When everything in the shape of the- ology fails, it is often the case that the simple relation of what the soul knows and enjoys will kindle the fire, which, like electricity, will leap from heart to heart, until the great congregation will be dazzled by its light and melted with its heat ; and if all are not fet- tered with a slavish fear of men, there will be a shout, 16 Croakers. and perhaps a loud shout. The witness, as said Jesus to Nicodemus, speaks what he has seen and felt. His soul is all a-glow with feeling; and it is no wonder that words impelled by strong desire and burning love, go like grape shot to the hearts that listen. We have often been amused while attending camp- meetings and other large convocations, to iind there the regular descendants of Nicodemus, like Saul, head and shoulders above the brethren, in their own con- ceit, ilow earnestly they endeavor to persuade some of the brethren that their religion is all imaginary. Hie brother or sister may say, with tearful eyes, that they love Jesus, that Jesus smiles and loves them too, that he cleanses them from all sin, and tills them with joy unspeakable, but these self-constituted censors wonderingly inquire, " Ilow can these things be," and croak back their response, — "enthusiasm," "delusion.' Blind leaders are these, who lead only into the ditch of moral impurity and death. But suppose it true as these persons, ignorant them- selves of the joys of God's salvation, seem to teach, that we cannot certainly know whether we are the sons of God or not ; or what is the same, that we can- not tell the difference between the service of Satan and the service of Jesus, between life and death, be- tween darkness and light ; we may get some consola- Family Quakrel. 17 tion even from that supposition. In that case, so ig- norant are we, God will throw us in with infants and idiots, who know not their right hand from their left, so that we are bound to heaven on the babies' or fools' boat if no other. The subject of shouting has not been a matter of controversy between the Church and world only, but has got to be a kind of family quarrel. This contro- versy makes sad inroads upon the piety and efficiency of the Church. The day when all secrets are to be Pinfolded will show that it has done quite as much to recruit the vast army of backsliders, and to un-nerve and weaken the church, as any one of Satan's opera- tions. And it seems to be waxing worse and worse every year in the Methodist Church. In almost eve- ry periodical we find this bone of contention. We see a writer, professing the faith of Christ, claiming to be on the same war-ship with the brethren they persecute, and to be led by the same captain, placing his big brogans on all spiritual demonstrations, espe- cially if they do not agree in weight and measure with his balances and half bushel. The brother step- ped on so heavily is grieved of course, and thinks it duty to defend practices he loves. Accordingly he calls on the prophets and apostles to endorse him. They back his paper without hesitation. And now he 18 Stead ying the Akk. thinks his foes vanquished. He thinks his paper ought to pass, with holy men of old who spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost, as his endorsers. But pa- per thus backed will not be accepted by the children of the Pharisee ; and next week out conies another old grey goose quill and tries to capsize the whole concern. Many of the readers are befogged at once. Timid as fawns, which start at the rustling of a leaf, they know not which way to turn to escape their be- wilderment. As Peter, while looking at the roaring wave, listening to the terrific thunder, and enveloped in darkness made more dense, by the occasional light- ning's flash, they are in trouble up to their chin, and perhaps sink to rise no more. Alas ! how many do we hear confessing witli tear- ful eyes and achiDg hearts, that they have lost the fa- vor of God, by trying to please our modern Uzzahs, who are always for steadying the ark. Thousands have shrunk from a full consecration, for similar rea- sons. As the last cord that binds them to earth is about to be severed, they hear a whisper that causes them to hesitate to cut it. What will be the conse- quences of an unreserved consecration to God, of soul, body and spirit ? lsrew duties to perform, and morti- fying crosses to be borne. They shrink from these things. The reproach of loud shouting and falling Gog and Magog. 19 under the Spirit's power is more than they can endure, They cannot sell all they have to buy the pearl of great price. They dare not sign the contract. And all the way down to the damp, dark grave, they carry sad hearts and wear gloomy faces. If a stranger had overheard the Saviour, as ho taught his disciples on the green hills and mountain summits of Palestine, saying to them that he must go up to Jerusalem, and suffer many things at the hands of Scribes, and Elders, and Pharisees, lie would, have inquired with astonishment, what! go up to Je- rusalem to suffer? one would have supposed it the haven of grace. And well may strangers in this the nineteenth century, be astonished at the fact thatspir- itual christians must go up to Jerusalem to suffer the persecutions of Pharisees. Fires are kindled and crosses are erected by backslidden class-leaders, by proud Pharisees in pulpit and in pew. Often have God's faithful been heard to pray, to agonize in prayer, that they might be able to endure the flames — to bear with fortitude the pains of crucifixion. Gog and Ma- gog— a man-fearing and man-pleasing spirit, are the causes of much of this evil. It is this popular devil that is now dragging more souls to hell than any of his co-ad ju tors. O ! thou traveler on the boisterous waves of Gene- 20 Gog and Magog. saretluthat entered the land of the Gcrgesenes, meas- uring swords with legions of devils, and giving them a iv^Q passage to the depths of the sea in a herd of swine — if thine ear has not grown heavy, and thine arm shortened, cast this Pharisaic Devil out of thy Ziun, and kennel liini eternally in his native hell. — Amen ! CHAPTER THIED. glatfflrnt (gjcemjIM We do not intend, dear reader, to condemn persons for their silence, nor to commend any merely for their loud shouting. We are not called by the Holy Ghost to any such work. It is our design, as heretofore sta- ted, to inquire what is the will of our heavenly Fa- ther in reference to this matter. The Apostle Paul has ever been whispering in our car, do you seek to please God or man? and we remember that Jesus says, " How can ye believe, which receive honor oue of another, and seek not the honor that cometh from God only." We desire to please God, and to obtain the honor which he confers, and therefore intend to subject ourselves to the Spirit's dictation ; and wo hope to induce others to follow our example. But before we advance farther, that you may bet- 22 Dr. Z. Paddock. ter understand our platform, and that we pass good liaturedly along, and have a pleasant time while ex- ploring our subject, permit us to relate, by way of illustration, an aiFair of recent date in which the au- thor bore a conspicuous part. It occurred during a camp-meeting we attended, of which Dr. Z. Paddock had the management. The names of Benjamin and Zechariah Paddock have always been music in our ears. When we weie a flaxen-haired boy, a wild ycuth, these brothers and ministers of Jesus, as they went forth to sow in Litchfield Circuit, Herkimer Co., N. Y., scattered some good seed in the youthful fur- rows of our heart. Their songs, and prayers, and preaching, watered by their tears, were not lost by the way side, although the tender blade did not appear for more than a quarter of a century. At this meeting, which occurred during the sum- mer of 1S5T, there was a a love feast called, where thousands sat in open court, waiting to throw in their testimony for Jesus, In front of the stand were sit- ting with us a row of brethren, among whom were the Doctor and Bro. Gorham. And here let me say, that Bro. Gorham was also one that held a high seat in our affections ; from whose sanctified lips we heard the sacred doctrine of perfect love ; from whom we received, as the instrument of God's grace, the white Hopping. 23 stone with a new name engraved npon it; and who conducted us into the land of Beulah, where we have lived ever since, by the grace of God, in its waving cornfields and fruitful vineyards. When our turn came to bear witness to the joys of salvation, we arose with a cup brim-full, and as we gave utterance to our feelings, the Angel of the Cov- enant plunged into the pool and so agitated the wa- ters that every nerve of our body vibrated like a Jew's harp ; and as has often been the case on like occasions, before and sinc"e, we were raised on tip-toe and began to hop, unable to control our motions, though perfect* ly conscious of our condition; and while trying to get back to our seat, hopped on the toes of the Doc- tor and other brethren, and finally fell back in their laps. This made no small stir in the camp. Some shouted, others wondered, and said they had never seen it after that fashion before. But the love feast went on until it blazed like the burning bush. Just at this point another old acquaintance found his way to our side ; one who is faithful in attendance at all the means of grace, rain or shine, in whose em- ploy we served for many years for miserable wages* He is called the Accuser of the brethren. Of course he came with a message. He at once whispered in our ear that we had offended our dearest friends by 24: The Accuser. — Crawling out the Shell. our ridiculous performances. Dr. Paddock, says he, is never known to shout aloud, and is never the sub- ject of such peculiar exercises, and there are none of his numerous friends but will say he knows more of the heights and depths of salvation, than a poor blind man just blasted out of the mountain ; besides, he has eulogized your books more than any other man, and has given them wings to fly to firesides where they would not otherwise have reached, and now you have lost his friendship by disgracing the meeting. It may be tolerated, says he, by Gorham, for he sometimes shouts himself, but you have disgraced yourself in the eyes of the Doctor. By this time we had hauled in our horns, and shrunk back in our shell like a snail. We would willingly have been trampled upon by the meanest mortal on earth. We were in the predica- ment of Bunyan's pilgrim, when Apolyon had knock- ed his sworcl out of his hand, wounded him in the head, and laid him on his back. But he was one of God's invincibles, and at the critical moment shouted, " O mine enemy, rejoice not against me, when I fall I shall rise;" in a breath he was on his feet again, brandished his Jerusalem blade, and Apolyon cleared the track, and Christian went on his way rejoicing. Soon we began to crawl out of our shell again, and determined to know whether the Aecuser had told the A Contract. 25 truth or not ; for sometimes lie tells the truth when it will serve his evil purpose ; but then he mixes truth and falsehood j ust as cotton and wool are mixed in pure woolen goods, so that it is sometimes difficult for the keenest eyed saint to separate the true from the false. According to our determination we told the Doctor all that he had told us. Now the Doctor is one of the German flutes of the Lord's band, and the furrows of his cheeks are always orerflowing with tears of Christian love. " Well," says he, " that is all a lie ; I was greatly blessed ; and was exceedingly tried with myself because I have no such ecstacies ; and now Bro. Henry I want to make a contract with you,— if you will never be tried with me for my still- ness, I never will be tried with your shouting, hopping and falling." >Ah! how delightful to our troubled spirit were the rich, silvery tones of his voice. The contract was signed and sealed with hearty amens in the presence of angels and God. Now, reader, you may fish something out of this story that will be for your advantage. You have a specimen of the manner in which the Devil is opera- ting throughout our Zion. lie disturbs one brother or sister because they are never the subjects of extra- ordinary demonstrations of the Spirit ; and at the same time tells the noisy ones that they had better stop 26 Cloven Foot. their months and hide their heads. He sits in his great iron chair, and laughs out of both corners of his mouth, to think that he has so adroitly killed two birds with one stone. Can you tell, reader, why the Devil is said to have one cloven foot ? If yon do not know, we can tell you. It is because he creates all the divisions among brethren. If he can only crowd this foot into the Church, into families, into neighborhoods, where the Prince of Peace reigns, and all hearts are bound to- gether like Joseph's sheaf, in unfeigned love, and then sow a few seeds of discord, and curdle the sweet milk of fraternal love into bitterness and strife, he has gain- ed a great victory; for " by whom a man is overcome, by the same he is brought into bondage." Some one has said that Satan wTas like a sun-fish. He would shrink himself to the thickness of a shingle, and slip so smoothly between two brethren, that they would scarcely perceive him ; then he would spread out his sharp horny fins until he had fixed a gulf between them as impassable as that between Dives and Laza- rus. Alas ! how frequently have the peculiar exer- cises of which many are the subjects, been made th© entering wedge of endless heart burnings and strife. Not a thousand years ago, two sisters, who for years had walked together in Christian love, without Slaying Power. 27 a single discord to mar the harmony of tlieir fellow- ship, were entirely alienated from one another. While on a visit to a neighboring society, one was awakened to the subject of holiness, sought and obtained it, and like Noah's dove, having found rest on the Ararat of perfect love, returned to her home with the green ol- ive leaf in her mouth. She began to wave it as a token of victory. She exhorted others to come up to a higher standard. And as she testified of Jesus' sa- ving power, the tire fell, and as John fell as one dead at a glimpse of Jesus, on the Isle of Patmos, she fell, though she had always been numbered among the orderly, and measured her full length on the floor ; and as the giant oak, uprooted by the mighty storm king, bears down many smaller trees in its fall, this sister, overthrown by a mighty spiritual gale, in her fall broke the bones of the new bonnet of her hith- erto loving friend, demolished her fair fabric of arti- ficials, and carried all, and the poor sister's superficial religion in the bargain, down into the dust. This of course raised the devil. Faithful testimony, holy liv- ing, and slaying power always set him to roaring. Think not, says the Author of holiness, "that I am come to send peace on the earth ; I come not to send peace, but a sword." "Wherever the Apostles went and preached, and they preached holiness, his Satanic 28 Slaying Tower. majesty was aroused ; divisions were made in the Church; multitudes met to discuss the strange doc- trine, and Pharisees took counsel together for the pur- pose of extinguishing the fire ; and they even went so far as to put holiness to jail. But let us jog back to the old church. The congre- gation is dismissed. The sexton turns the key at a late hour, saying as he goes, this woman is a setter forth of strange doctrines ; our old church has never witnessed such scenes before. The two sisters have separated, one going from the summit of Mount Ta- bor, with the wine of the kingdom sticking to her lips, the other from the valley of Limbo, with a dark cloud upon her brow, and a heavy weight upon her heart. As she presses out the bruises from her new bonnet, and readjusts her artificials, she says, "if such per- formances are the fruit of holiness, may heaven de- liver me from it." And now Satan whispers, through the lips of a member of the Church of Sard is, " this is ail wild fire." " Yes," says the sister, "I am con- vinced of it. She may be a Christian; I shall not judge her; but hereafter she can have my seat to oc- cupy as well as her own." On the next Sabbath she betakes herself to the Church of Sardis, where min- ister and people are so destitute of life and power as to be unable to raise a quarrel even with the world. Slaying Power. 29 The newly baptized sister now receives a gracious visit from her Leader and Pastor, both heavily bur- dened with a message. They proceed in the most ap- proved manner. Their approaches are as regularly and carefully planned as in the siege of a towering fortress. They employ any number of friction wheels, well fitted for service by a plentiful supply of soft soap. But finally the germ of the matter is reached. The good sister is informed that her exercises are re- garded disreputable, and that if persisted in the result would be, To Let would be written on many pew doors. But how does she endure this fiery trial, this crucifixion at the hands of Pharisees and Elders? Alas! she yields to temptation. She witholds her testimony. Iler sun goes down under a cloud, and the light that was in her becomes gross darkness. And now the sisters are forever separated, and without a miracle of grace will sink forever. The devil that so carefully guarded the pew doors, is cousin-german to the one that proposed to kill Laz- arus, whom Jesus raised from the dead ; for says he, if Lazarus be permitted to go about preaching Christ's power over death, the Elder's salary will be dimin- ished, the Church will be broken up, and our nation lost. Here you see the effects of Satan's cloven foot. 30 Slaying Power. You see too, how artfully he makes good an instru- ment of evil. The testimony of the Savior's power to cleanse from all unrighteousness, is used as a means to distract and divide. A sister falls under God's power, and this is made the occasion of a great out- cry. Did ever a devil do a darker deed ? The Holy Ghost beareth us witness that we had rather meet death on a horse stolen from a neighbor's pasture, and run our risk of heaven, than to be found fighting against these manifestations of the power of God. In one case we rob a man of his horse, in the other we rob God of his glory. It was the business of Phari- sees in Christ's day to rob him of glory, and their pos- terity are pursuing the same calling. It is our ear- nest prayer that the Church may yet have power to cast out these unclean spirits. CHAPTER FOURTH. % mm giwiu& ©at Patient reader, in the foregoing chapter we have presented yon with a few of our views on the subject we have by the hand ; and at the same time have endeavored to strip modern fashionable devils of their fig-leaf coverings, and exhibit them in their na- tive ugliness. We are assured that you have only to see Satan as he is, to abhor him. By the grace of God, all our ransomed powers are pledged, and shall be devoted to expose his arts and undermine his poW' er. ~No compromise with Satan, but eternal, exter- minating war against him. The question to be determined is whether shouting and other peculiar exercises are allowable or not, and whether under certain circumstances they are not positive duties ? We maintain the affirmative of both these questions ; not, however, without qualification 32 God's Okdee. — No Neutrality. as to time and circumstances. God is a God of order. And now we propose to search diligently to ascer- tain what is the order of God in reference to spiritual manifestations. Let God be true if every croaker's mouth be stopped. The apostle prays that the Gos- pel may have free course, run and be glorified ; as much as to say, clear the track Pharisees, and velvet- eared professors, whose nerves are so easily excited by the whistle of the old Gospel engine, and the shouts and songs of the emigrants, as they thunder through vanity fair and across the enchanted ground to the celestial city. This interpretation of the apos- tle's words may be doubted by some, but we hope to establish its correctness before we get through. And now, dear reader, let us lock arms and take a walk down into Egypt. Perhaps we have not here- tofore seen eye to eye, but we have had no quarrel thus far. If you are not in favor of noisy demonstra tions and slaying power, under any circumstances, it is plain we differ ; but we can go pleasantly along notwithstanding our differences. One or the other of us is in error. Christ knows nothing about neutral territory. There is no sitting on the fence between Christ and Belial. But while we are discussing our differences we will try and keep on good terms. And now that we have arrived in Egypt, before we Map of the Route. 33 start upon onr journey in search of the strong proofs of our position, we will map out the route that we are to take. We will follow Moses and the .sacramental host out of the land of bondage, through the Bed Sea, passipg the smitten rock by the way, and onward towards Jordan, where Joshua takes command of the host ; we will then cross Jordan with Joshua, and go with him to Jericho whose walls will be demolished, and study astronomy awhile at Gibeon and in the plain of Ajalon where the sun and moon stood still until victory perched upon Israel's banners ; we will then pass on to Jerusalem and dine with King Solo- mon in his palace of matchless splendor, and worship awhile with him in the magnificent temple he erected to God ; and then pass on through rivers of sacrificial blood and the smoke of Jewish altars, until we cross the threshhold of the Gospel dispensation, and see face to face the Divine person of whom Moses and the prophets wrote. If we find anything in the pre- cepts and practices of holy men of old that modern men call wild-lire, we will refer the matter to Jesus and let him settle the controversy. We will deter- mine, if possible, whether he approves or disapproves, endorses or lepudiates, and his word shall be the end of the argument. And if it should be seen that some supposed friends of order, are, after all, only modern 34 Map of the Route. Uzzahs, endeavoring to steady the ark, afraid that God's omnipotence cannot keep it from tumbling off the cart, as Dagon of the Philistines from his high pedestal, let them heartily repent, and thank God that they are not struck dead on the threshing floors of our Jerusalerns. We mean to abide by the writ- ten word. This is solid rock. Standing in a cleft of the rock, as Moses when he beheld the skirtings of the Lord, we mean to pursue and complete the little work in which we are engaged. 