USA > Pennsylvania > Lebanon County > Kleinfeltersville > Centennial celebration of the organization of the first conference of the Evangelical Church : held at Kleinfeltersville, Lebanon County, Pa., September, 25-26, 1907 > Part 7
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The secret of their great power and effectiveness.
This power was unquestionably due chiefly to the thorough- ness of their conversion to God, and their consequent implicit obedience to his will. They most firmly believed with Paul in his letter to the church at Ephesus, in a conversion that "put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is cor- rupt according to the deceitful lusts," in thus being "renewed in the spirit" of one's mind, and that "put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness." They had no patience with any sort of superficiality. They be- lieved in a conversation that invariably carried with it a bright and unmistakable Christian experience. They would not rest satisfied with anything less for themselves, and consequently in- sisted very strongly that their penitents should not cease their seeking, until they too should receive the unmistakable "witness of the spirit," that God had forgiven their sins, and had written their names in the Lamb's Book of Life. Accordingly it was a common thing in those days, to speak of a conversion as a "Durch-bruch,"-a "Break-through" into the "marvellous light" of a new life in Christ Jesus. According to accredited history, this expression was once found written on the fly-leaf of a book in Bishop Seybert's own hand-writing. This most forcible ex- pression had direct reference to the first seven remarkable con- versions in the great revival in the vicinity of Orwigsburg, Pa., in about the year 1823. These conversions took place in the home of a colored man by the name of Wilson, who had kindly invited the then coming Bishop of the church, John Seybert, to preach in his humble home, because the door of the school-house in that community had been closed against him. So far as his- tory relates, these seven conversions were very bright in their experience, and none of them ever proved unfaithful. Several
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of them, particularly the Wagoner children, afterward became quite prominent in the church. Two of these seven, Hannah and Rebecca Wagoner, became respectively the wives of two of the most prominent preachers of that time; the former the wife of the long sainted Charles Hesser, who was killed by accident on his way to the General Conference of 1843, and the latter the wife of our well known Francis Hoffman, until his death at a very ripe age but a few years ago, a member of the East Penna. Conference. Soon afterward another wonderful conversion took place in that revival, under the preaching of John Seybert, in the person of the now sainted Rev. Joseph M. Saylor, of precious memory, and who also died but a few years ago.
As proven by its subsequent fruitage, that great work of grace at Orwigsburg from about the year 1823 to 1827, was one of the most thorough and far-reaching in its good effects that ever occurred in all our history. Its influence and power spread far and wide, and went right on for several years. Among the ministerial fruits of that revival such great lights as Joseph M. Saylor, Jacob Saylor, John P. Leib, Francis Hoffman, Daniel Berger, Charles Hesser, Charles Hammer, and indirectly, Bishop W. W. Orwig himself, is generally considered to belong to that bright galaxy of early Evangelical stars. We have not time here to trace their history. It is not necessary. The point to be made is, that the splendid fruitage proves the character of the revival. What is true in this instance was true in many other great revivals in our early history, such as those, for instance, which took place in Schuylkill, Berks, Lebanon, Union and Som- erset Counties, Pa., and in Stark and Fairfield Counties in Ohio. It was their unrelenting insistence on a deep conviction and a consequent sound conversion, that produced such marked results. It has always been the case. Trace in history the consequences of nearly every great, genuine work of grace, in any community, and you will almost invariably find a bountiful crop of bright and successful ministers as one of the results. Brethren, the same causes will produce the same effects to-day. There can be no doubt about this. The fathers left this priceless lesson to us as one of their richest legacies. Let us learn it anew on this Centennial day. Remember that in a church where the spiritual pulse beats rapidly, firmly and strongly, we rarely find a scarcity of good ministers to supply the demands of the work. While the
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past is gone forever, yet it has left its lessons with us. This is one of them. If we would go on to a great future as a church, we must continue to insist, as did our cherished fathers, upon a deep, pungent, stinging conviction of sin, and a correspondingly sound, genuine, thorough, unmistakable conversion. We must have a conversion that completely knocks the "old man" out, and brings forth a brand "new man" in Christ Jesus. We must have a conversion wherein "old things" pass away, and "all things become new." If we are to go on to a great destiny as a United Evangelical Church, we must continue to insist, as did our Evan- gelical fathers, upon a conversion that lifts a man out of dark- ness and into the pure, warm, sweet, beautiful, marvellous light of the "Sun of Righteousness." "For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ."
Our Early Church Was a "House to House" Church.
It will be remembered that this phrase: "house to house," is an apostolic phrase. Both the early apostles and their dis- ciples, went from house to house with their preaching and teach- ing. They also taught and preached and worshipped in the open air, wherever it became convenient. Our Evangelical fathers followed their example. They often did this even after they had gotten churches to preach in. They were an "out-door" and a "house to house" church. It was a common thing for them to hold service in the homes of the people, in the groves, and even often in barns, or in any other place that could be thus utilized. Thus it was, that the larger number of our ministers of our first half century, as well as our people, were converted in the homes of our people. This was one of the great secrets of their success. This was the chief method by means of which nearly all the great revivals of our early church was begun and carried forward. But this was not all. They even held annual and general conference sessions in the homes of the people, as attested by the very instance we this day celebrate. Of course we well understand that it may be said they worshipped in the homes of the people, and much out doors, because of the scarcity of churches in those days. But while this was true, it must also be remembered, that notwithstanding the good supply of churches
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in later years, our church continued all along until quite recent times, to hold many services in the homes of the people. Even yet, in many places this custom, we are pleased to know, is still in practice. We have noticed further, that wherever this method of Christian work is continued, the results are correspondingly better. It may have been noticed that in the great meeting now going on near our Kimball Ave. church in Chicago, this feature is being made quite prominent. The practice is apostolic, and should never be lost sight of. Our fathers could not well have left us a richer legacy. Such a practice captures the uninterested people and brings them to the house of God. This method of work, if properly and earnestly entered into, will succeed, after all other efforts fail. The preacher who comes thus into touch with his people in their homes, will thereby be made all the stronger in the pulpit, and the people will be all the better pre- pared to hear the gospel. This is one of our best centennial lessons. If we would continue to be a successful church as we move on toward the great future, we must continue by meth- odical arrangement, to go out and into the homes of the unsaved, and thus win them for God and the church. Too much emphasis can not well be laid on this point. He who thinks he knows of a better way, needs not only a better knowledge of his divine mission, but also a closer walk with God. If we would have promise for the future, we must not only insist upon a continuous mingling of the preacher with the people, for instruction and family service, but also a mingling of the people with each other for a similar purpose. "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord."
The Spirit of Hardship and Self-Sacrifice.
We now touch one of the most remarkable things in all our history. To read the unquestionable story of the severe toil and sore trial, the awful persecution and persistent misrepresenta- tion, the almost unbearable hardship and self-sacrificing labors of our early Evangelical fathers, is indeed extremely touching. It can hardly be done without tears. It really seems almost im- possible that men would willingly undergo what they did for the sake of Christ and for the good of others. To think of how
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they traveled in those days mostly on horse-back and on foot, by day and often by night, in winter and in summer, over moun- tains and through the valleys, fording and sometimes swimming streams at the imminent peril of their precious lives, often going hungry because of long distances between places where any food could be secured, often without even a cent of money in their pockets with which to buy bread, hundreds of miles away from home most of their time, preaching nearly every day or night in the year, often to but one or two families, many of them hav- ing from 25 to 30 appointments on their charges, and every now and then finding some one or the other of the family dead and under the sod on their return home, all together constitutes a story that almost baffles belief, and yet we can not doubt it. To do all this, too, for a salary of less than one hundred dollars a year, only still further intensifies the situation. On this point our duly accredited history states, that in 1811 the average sal- ary amounted to only $29.33 a year. Throughout the first 25 years of our history the average salary seldom exceeded the sum of $50. As an illustration of this point, we here quote the testi- mony of our only lately deceased Rev. Francis Hoffman, of pre- cious memory, given as late as 1891, according to Dr. Staple- ton's "Annals," as follows: "In the early part of my ministry, my income was much less than my expenses, and I several times wanted to stop, but my wife would not consent; so I was com- pelled to sell my property, consisting of two houses, to support myself in the ministry. My salary from 1826 to 1840, a period of fourteen years, amounted, all told, to $627.77, an average of $40.29 a year."
We have often heard just such testimonies from the lips of the veterans. It is needless to repeat them. The facts need no proof. Truly our Evangelical fathers had the grand spirit of him who "had his raiment of camel's hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins ;" and whose "meat was locusts and wild honey." While we do not mean to teach by this, that any man in these days would be required by scriptural authority to preach for such a salary, or even ten times that amount, and yet, when we stand still for a few moments, and intently behold such wonder- ful moral heroism as they exhibited, we can not but break forth in expressions of amazement and love. Such a grand spirit of self-abnegation and undying love for the Lord's work as they
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manifested, challenges our very highest admiration. Put along- side of that order of heroism the exacting spirit of at least some of the men of our times, who tell the stationing committee that they must have a charge that pays a salary of just so much, or they will go into some other kind of work, and you have a con- trast as wide as the sea. While we stand committed as strongly as any man can, for a good, scriptural, living salary for a de- voted ministry, yet we can not but abominate the spirit of the man who seems to be in the holy ministry just as a means of mak- ing an earthly living. While God does not call men into the ministry to starve them, nor even deprive them of any of the real comforts of life, yet he does not call them, on the other hand, to expend their chief energies in accumulating this world's goods. When God lays his hand on a man to do his especial work, he wants his whole heart, time, mind and strength, in his service, and then he agrees to so care for him that he will not need to go about begging bread. This very question is very clearly pre- sented in his wonderful sermon on the mount. Our Evangelical fathers practiced that sermon much better than some of us are doing. If we are to go on to a great future as a church, we must duly appreciate and properly use the priceless legacy of self-sacrifice which our fathers left us, and thus bend every pos- sible energy toward the attainment of the one great, definite, un- relenting, all-absorbing purpose of life, to tear down Satan's kingdom among men, and to build up on the ruins thereof, the sweet, peaceful, lovely, righteous, beautiful, glorious kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Our Evangelical Fathers Laid Great Stress on Christian Testimony.
Our early church was a testifying church. This was a prom- inent feature in nearly all their meetings, but particularly in their special meetings. This statement needs no corroboration. Put any one of our yet remaining old veterans on the witness stand, and he will readily testify to this fact. In the practice of our fathers, it was a common thing to devote nearly one whole ser- vice to a general testimony meeting, in connection with the reg- ular quarterly meeting occasions. In the early days a communion season was not considered complete without such a meeting. It was in fact, looked upon as almost the culmination of the com-
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munion season. They made it a special point to come to the tes- timony meeting from near and from far. During your speak- er's pastorate of Fulton Street English Mission in the city of Pittsburg a little over thirty years ago, it mattered little at which of the then three Evangelical churches of the city the quarterly meeting was being held, they all rallied at that church in the afternoon for the testimony meeting. At this meeting the house was usually crowded with people, and soon the whole congrega- tion was ablaze with Divine fire. In those days there were no lines drawn as between the German and English languages, for all seemed to have the same spirit. Every one spake in the tongue that best suited him, and all felt free and at home. Those were wonderful -meetings. On such occasions it was a common thing to hear loud heart-bursts of glory all over the audience. At those quarterly feasts it was no uncommon thing to see sinners brought under conviction and converted to God. In such meetings our fathers set us a fine example. They could not well have left us a richer legacy.
It will be remembered also, that the testimony meeting was an Apostolic institution. It is the very outgrowth of religion it- self. The first impulse of a soul newly born into the kingdom of grace in Christ Jesus, is to tell the good news to others at the very first opportunity. Such glad news is too good to keep to one's self. The very genius of Christian love is to spread itself. This is as manifestly true of love, as it is the nature of light to shine. As well therefore might we try to bottle up the sunshine, as to attempt to seal the rapturous lips of love. Re- ligion is love on fire. It permeates everything it touches, and im- parts to it a nature like unto itself. It can not be caged. It will out. No wonder the poet bursts forth :
"I love to tell the story, 'Twill be my theme in glory! To tell the old, old story, Of Jesus and his love."
This is the old Apostolic, Evangelical testimony meeting. It is a story that never grows old. After the Holy Ghost came upon the early disciples, they went forth as witnesses, "both in Jeruslaem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the utter- most part of the earth." A witness is one who tells what he knows. The idea was to go forth and tell the sweet story of
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Jesus and his love both publicly and privately, that thereby others might also be brought into the fold and favor of God. This means of propagating the Christian faith has never been sur- passed by any other. For a man who himself has been actually healed of the malady of sin, to bear testimony to that fact, be- fore men, carries with it more force to produce conviction of sin, than almost any other means or method. This is why the very preaching of the apostles was interspersed so profusely with per- sonal experience. It was for this very purpose that Paul and Barnabas, on their return to Antioch, "rehearsed all that God had done with them, and how he had opened the door of faith unto the Gentiles." That meeting was simply a "rehearsal" of experience,-a testimony meeting. Our Evangelical fathers pat- terned after the primitive church in this method of Christian work, and hence used it at every opportunity, and with great effectiveness.
If any further evidence be desired, a mere glance at the al -. most astonishing progress of the Methodist Episcopal Church should be sufficient. By their own admission, a large part of the almost unprecedented success of their first 75 years of history, must be credited to their class-room testimony meeting. For this reason their best leadership now deeply deplore its too manifest decadence, and are hence doing all they can for its speedy resto- ration. As a church we should take timely warning. In all too many places to-day entirely too little stress is being laid on this feature of our church activities. On suggesting to a brother not long since the propriety of using a little spare time we happened to have, in a brief testimony service, he replied: "Our people are not prompt to respond in such a service." On inquiring of him the reason for this, he answered: "Well, they have not been trained much along that line." On still further inquiry, it was further discovered, that his people were not even "trained" very much into either public or private prayer. This at once revealed the humiliating secret of their low spiritual condition. They had not been "trained." And who is to blame? The answer is self- evident :- the pastor of the flock. Let the responsibility rest where it properly belongs. Where we have poor trainers, we are sure to have a poorly trained people. For such a condition the minister of the gospel himself is largely responsible. This con- clusion can not be evaded.
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This is one of the weak points of our day. Our fathers trained their people into testimony and prayer. That was one of the secrets of their power and success. Having thus a trained people, they were always ready for special service when needed. In a battle against sin and Satan, this often means very much. What could even Uncle Sam do with an untrained soldiery? Will we learn the lesson? If we are to go on as a church to a great future, then the old-time testimony meeting, which has ever been a veritable right arm of power in capturing souls for Christ, must never be lost sight of. If an army would win vic- tories, it dare never lay down its weapons. A testifying church is an unconquerable power in the time of battle. Against that keen blade- no Satanic force can ever win a victory. Keep that mighty sword in thy right hand my brother. Keep it also un- sheathed and always ready for battle. That bright, shining, pol- ished instrument of war has long been tried, and never found wanting. In the long line of warfare against all forms of error and iniquity it has never known defeat. Keep its keen, cutting, piercing point toward our common enemy, and even this sinful, forgetful, neglectful and lustful generation will never be able to tarnish its fair fame. No diabolical force on earth will ever be able to withstand the onward, steady, determined, fearless tread of a marching, praying, singing, speaking church. Will we learn the lesson? Then listen once more to yonder now distant Apos- tolic voice, but resounded from the yet speaking graves of our Evangelical fathers, calling upon us to go unceasingly on, "teach- ing and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spir- itual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord."
The Prayer Life of Our Evangelical Fathers.
To those who are familiar with our early history as a church, it surely is not necessary to furnish proof that our fa- thers laid great stress on the arm of prayer as a means of suc- cess in their work. It was through Jacob Albright's "earnest prayers" that our revered George Miller was brought to Jesus. He also said to Miller : "You must diligently pray, and humble yourself, and bear the cross for Christ's sake, and believe with all your heart," if you would find pardon. As a victorious result, on the third day of June, 1803, "after a whole day of prayerful
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wrestling with God, he was wonderfully saved." Bishop John Seybert was also a man of wonderful prayer, both publicly and in private. It is written of him, that during his ministerial life he made about forty-six thousand pastoral visits, praying in the homes of the people, and attended about eight thousand prayer and class-meetings. In this respect our Evangelical fathers pat- terned after the wonderful prayer-life of Jesus and the Primitive Church. If we would know the practice of the Apostolic Church in this respect, we only need to open the Word of God to find them much of their time waiting at the throne of grace. Jesus himself set the example by spending much of his precious time in solitude for the express purpose of communion with the Fa- ther. To those who are not particularly familiar with the prayer-life of Jesus, such a study would be to them an astonish- ing revelation. As for the early disciples, they sometimes prayed until the very place where they were gathered was shaken, and until "they were all filled with the Holy Ghost." No wonder they had power. Paul well understood this when down on his knees in a Roman prison he lifted up his voice to God in be- half of the church at Ephesus. He realized no less the great need of much prayer by the people of God, when he exhorted the church at Thessalonica to "pray without ceasing." But the great Apostle said something still broader and more significant when he wrote to Timothy: "I will therefore that men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting."
In cheerful obedience to such Scriptures, and in imitation of such examples, our early Evangelical fathers laid fast hold upon God. Knowing their weakness and dependence, they lived con- stantly near the throne of grace. That they might be fully equal to the emergencies of their times, they moved about in the very atmosphere of prayer. They well knew the inexhaustible source of their strength, and hence repaired to it daily for recuperation and equipment. They took exceptional delight in secret devo- tion. To them it was a gain of time, to spend much of it alone with God. To them no hour of the day or night was sweeter than the
"Sweet hour of prayer, sweet hour of prayer, That calls me from a world of care; And bids me at my Father's throne, Make all my wants and wishes known."
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Moreover they were untiringly persistent in prayer. They were not satisfied with a mere form of empty words, as are many in these days. They believed in immediate answers to prayer. They prayed until the bending heavens above them opened in mighty showers upon their heads. They believed it to be their privilege under the economy of Divine grace to achieve results, and the Lord did not disappoint them. In these fundamental characteristics of our revered fathers, the great lesson to us is, to follow their example. That we may be ahead of them in some things is not here disputed. That we are to-day far behind them in others, can not be denied. Their persistent prayer-life was ahead of ours. As a rule they kept in closer touch with God than we do to-day. This was the great secret of their wonderful effectiveness. It is indeed a very sad thing to fall behind them in so essential a particular. It is to be very deeply regretted that our practice of family worship, our public prayer-meetings, and especially our secret prayer-life, are to-day by no means what they ought to be. In these things we should go back to the feet. of our fathers for a lesson that should never be forgotten. In spite of all our superior educational advantages, if we fail in our all-essential prayer-life, we are sure of defeat and disaster at last.
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