The Roanoke daily times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1895-1897, 1895-12-22
STEPHEN MERRITT, EVANGELIST
lcoNTfNUED FROM 1sT PAGE. /


witnesses of Jesus unto the uttermost
parts OF the earth. This Is the time Of
testing, trying, proving. but tho set time
to favor Zion will soon come. Oh the
change; the army of dead dry bones will
become host Of the Most High, with q
Person at Its head, the Exc cutive of tho
Godhead, the head OF the church mill
tant, in unison with the head OF the
Church trium plant, who will lead on to
sure and blessed victory. We are in
the change. the times are changing. 1t
ia gross mistake to assert that the
study of the Word is declining, 30 that
the church is retrograding, or tina. the
Christian faith Is losing it's hold az Q
vital force.
The church, society, nation, world, Is
in a transition state. Change is written
on everything. Everything points to q
higher, ho!ier, nobler standard in bust
ness, community, politics, and church.
The moral. social, and religious COM
monwealsh Is being quietly stirred to
Its depths. Even the financial panic
and industrial depression Is working TO
the moral and religious quiokening of
her people. The holy Ghost has Laid
His mighty hand on the events, ex ploits,
and inventions of the day. Change
everywhere. Wonderful! Grand Glori
GUS transformations, and all changes
are working for higher type OF right
eousness In the assorted affairs of men.
What Is true OF this nation Is true Of
the world. 1t turns on Its own axis,
but continually rolls upward and nearer
70 God. The Holy Spirit who attended
TO its creation, and its preservation at
the deluge, who watched over and cared
for 1t until the time promised for It's
atonement. and secured for 1t In Jesus
Christ, its wonderful redemption, and
then came personally to direct Its
affairs, to control its history, and pre-
pare and At 1t for the reception and
occupancy Of it's Owner and King, is
always success, never failure. and
will surely flush His work. This
change is now being wrought. this work
Is being accomplished, and 1t will con-
tinue, increasingly augmenting in
power, and successful blessing, until
Jesus comes. Then the CHANGE Then
the change! Then the change ~!
The Holy Ghost will then resign His
administration to the Son, but till then
we live in nm increasing Pentecostal
age, and under the rule and direction OF
the Holy Ghost. Lei US live under His
guidance, until the second coming of
the Lord, and then the change will take
place when I'VE shall be changed and
made Ike Him, and forever with Him,
shall "see Him as He is"
The Mission of the Christian Alliance.
What is Gods calling for the AL
lance?
1. 1t Is not sect or an ecclesiastical
body, but fellowship and union of
Christians of various denominations in
the deeper truths and the deeper life Of
the gospel.
2. 1t IA not faith healing move
ment. This Is not our emphatic and
primary testimony, and we are q.ite
sure that the truth and experion 90 of
Divine healing never can be perfect
blessing until both ars made subordi-
nate to higher purpose.
3. 1t Is not holiness movement
Certainlysswe believe in true Scriptural
holiness, and in teaching the necessity
OF separation from the world. and entire
conservation to Christ. But there Is
something higher even than this, and
something without which this will be O
harsh, self'oentred and unsuccessful at.
tempt, or cold disappointing theory.
a. Is Is not an advent movement. We
believe in the Lords coming and that 1t
is near, but there is something more
i'm oott.nt even than advent truth.
What then is our mission?
/. l. is to hold up the Lord Jesus
Christ in His living personality and
courch aGd the life OF the believer.
3. II is to emphasis the dcctrine OF
the Holy Ghost, and especially the bsp-
tism with the Holy Gaost Is the only
way OF knowing Jesus in His fulness, OF
living true and victorious life, and
witnessing for Christ with efec .iveness
and power.
8. A deeper Divine life through
Christ's indwelling. This we believe is
the most need ID testimony of the church
to day. Not our holiness, but His not
healing 30 much as the Healer, not q
thing. but Person, not an experience,
but relationship to Him, the source of
life and fullness.
4. Aggressive work In neglected
fields, both at home and abroad, the un.
finished work Of tho age. and especially
the great trus. OF giving the gospel i'm
mediately in the present generation TO
the unevsugelizsd nations.
5. In connection with this spirit OF
generous, self-sacrihcipg liberality,
which gives all for Christ. and holds ali
as sacred trust for Him. We believe
that God Is wanting to teach His peo-
pie grandeur and N agnificence OF Chris.
ftan liberallty, which has never been
realized bsfore, and that in some hum.
BILE way he Is permitting our dear peo-
pie to stimulate the spirit OF large Civ
Ing on the part Of all His people. God
help us to be true to this high calling.
g. We believe God is calling us to
mite the earnest elements in all
branches OF the church OF Christ In a
deeper, true fellowship than can be
known in mere formal union or outward
organization. One In the Holy Ghost.
one In Him, one in q com m on life which
h0wQ from nnp 1{utpo Had