Daily Republican., 1888-10-24
a BIBLR srUDRNr.
lcoMMuE1cArEp.1

lcoMAIUHIcATED.1
Having noticed in your valuable
paper the celebration OF the 09th ami.
versary Of Asbury "a. e. Church, and
an invitation extended 10 all who held
their connection at any time with the
assembly Of worshiperg, and not aware
OF the TACT that Tuesday evening was
the time OF date, felt an earnest dc.
sire 10 contribute my mite, and
| thought | would do 80 on paper.
When / first knew Asbury Church
she was then in her virgin simplicity.
Her people were ''peculiar people,"
peculiar In many respects. In zeal,
earnest devotion, love OF the brethren,
iaithfulness Of duty, singularly simple
In the manner and form Of dress and
conscientious in all matters Of bust
ness, and peculiarly jealous for the
character OF each other. No 'back-
biting or talebearing' must be toll
Grated In their presence. This was In
the days of Bishop Waugh, Eziekel
Cooper, Henry White, Joseph Ley
brand and John Kennedy, men whose
presence and bearing awed into re.
spect and reverence the multitudes
with whom they came in contact.
Their presence on the street or high
ways OF travel were continual rebuke
to iniquity of every form, was
what is called converted at her altar;
over forty years ago. was made
class leader. When the Union |
Church was built on Second street 1
was one of the fifteen members who
left Asbnry, and under Robert Gerry
YVES organized as the neucles of the
present Scott II. e. Church, and i'm.
plicitly believed all that Methodism
taught, and believed her doctrines and
forms Of worship more closely related
TO the apostolic church than any other
church in existence al that time, and /
believe so yet.
But, as ait Is not In man that walk
eth TO direct his steps," and, "the
steps of a good man are ordered OF the
Lord" (rhere were some few who
thought l was q good man., my
study of the Bible led me into the de-
sire TO understand it's truths, and ques-
tons kept arising in my mind which
l could not answer in harmony with
my (then) present fAith. Nor could
I find those who could. But as for
leaving the Methodist Church, such a |
thing was the farthest from my mind. !
All was In search of was truth. /
was Ought to believe that "God was
his own interpreter, and he would
make II plain. "When, unconsciously
to myself, the truth was put into my
hand by friend, on one of the most
important points on which my mind
was then seeking for light. read,
sRw, believed; and In my simplicity
commenced TO teheh 1t, never dream
Ing for a moment that any man should
be required to leave the church for
teaching plain, simple Bible truth.
The church was Just as dear to me as
ever, but the truth was as dear to me
as life itself. How could l give IT up?
Teach it | must. "Well, then, you
must not teach It In the church. +"
Now, nut yourself In my place. You
have stepped somewhat In advance of
the church; come back or go out is
your only alternative
| | went out like Father Abraham,
"not knowing WHITTIER" But | have
kept on In the search Tor truth. And
now, after tRenty-one years of Bible
study, we have not been going back
ward, but forward, until, like Moses
on Mount Nebo, we look forward and
see 1.-THE eternal purpose Of God.
which he purposed in Christ Jesus,
before the world began" soon to be
grandly and gloriously contaminated,
and backward from where we started,
only to bRbold something Ia the sem.
olance Of linen, as trees walking"
statu quo. | find no fault whatever
with Methodisn, for my position on
Bible truth, but honor the marvellous
grace OF God, because she is his own
Interpreter, and he has made Il plain"
Now, we know to certainty why 1t
is that so many conflicting theories are
extant, why the great and wise theolo-
gians differ SO widely, why they do
not nor 'cannot see eye to eye" why
"evtry one has his Psalm and every
one has his doctrine" II is all very
( plain indeed, Inspiration photograph
cd this picture eighteen hundred years
, ago, and it Is true 10 the letter and
spirit both. 1.-THE spirit sesrcheth the
heart Of man, as well as the deep
!, things of God" Every secret thing
, must be brought 10 the light of truth
sooner or later. We cannot escape the
scrutiniZing gaze OF the spirit Of truth;
place, position nor influential numbers
cannot shelter us.
The talents, be they five, or two, or
! ono, must be critically examined with
their proper or improper use, as the
case may be. II we could be shown
church which sustained any relation
10 the Apostolic Church, then we
might indulge hops that it would be
in possession OF the truth, but as this
cannot be done, our only hope Is in
our persistent purpose to study the
calling, and work as well as the pur'
nose q God 10 Christ Jesus, and this
church. And NO SEQ In it, all the
necessary qualifications for its glorious
future WORK, and final contamination
OF "the eternal purpose of God, which
, lac purposed in Christ Jesus, before
+ the world began" There are no con.
l.