The theocrat. [volume] (Zion City [i.e. Zion], Ill.) 1914-1949, 1919-01-25

nedleQ. AC one OF the MeInOQ1SL love IedSlS, d
short time afterward, the presiding elder called
for testimonies and this man was the first to
speak He began to tell of the wonderful healing
he had received in answer to the prayer of faith.
He told them he had attended Dr.. Dowie's meet
lngs In the Grand Opera House where he was
preaching. The presiding elder jumped up and
said, DO not mention that name here; we are
here to tell what God has done for u.s. The man
answered II am telling what God has done for
me in answer to the prayer of faith as offered
by DR.. Dowie.' The presiding elder said, "Sit
down."
That man, who had practically built that church
and who had been faithful member, was not
allowed to testify. That was not much of love
feast that morning.
| have mentioned this as an illustration to
show how it became necessary for this Church
to be established When Dr. Dowie was ready
to establish this Church, he held conferences in
Chicago. That was in January 1896. Finally on
the 22nd day of February, 1885, they met there
and discussed the fundamentals of this Church
and said that they would establish it after the
apostolic pattern as laid down in the beginning
DIR. Dowie said, IF it is not founded upon that
it will not be founded at ALL"
We have learned through the teaching we have
had during the past year, that the original Church
was established on the day of Pentecost The
Bible tells us that the Church is built upon the
foundation of the apostles, and prophets, Jesus
Christ Himself being the chief corner stone'
1t was made very plain in the little pamphlet,
The Organization of the Church." that there
were more than the original twelve apostles. We
had always taken it for granted that because the
Roman Catholics said there were only the twelve
and because they have the picture of the twelve
on their church walls and as they substitute Paul
for Judas, that there were only the original
h11tD
the Scriptures that there should be twelve apos-
ties in the Church today and that it would not
be complete until it had twelve apostles at one
time.
| was Methodist minister for seventeen years
and have been student of the Bible all my life.
The day | was ten years old, my mother gave
me present for having read the New Testament
through.
| thought I knew the Scriptures when the
Leoves of Healing first came to my home, but
the papers contained teaching different from any
thing [ had ever learned in the Methodist or
Presbyterian Sunday Schools and from anything
my parents had taught me. I would compare
them with what had been taught and would say
to myself, This man Dowe is giving us the
Scriptures, the Word of God, and it is the truth
What am going to do about it? Shall I accept
the truth even if it conflicts with all the other
teaching that I have received?"
I read in my Bible
"And We shall know the truth and the truth
shall make you free" John 1872
| thank God that it was the truths of Zion that
set me free from Methodism. 1t was the truths
of Zion that set me free from Masonry where I
had been chaplin for eight years and where 1
was not allowed to mention the Name of Christ;
we prayed to the great architect of the universe
had my life insured in the Odd Fellows Lodge.
| was mixed UP with all those things, and it was
the teaching of this wonderful Church that
brought me out of them and ceansed me and
made different man out of me.
The General Overseer, in the course of his
, remarks tonight, said that there might be some
in this congregation who had been hindrance
to the work AS was medtating upon his words,
[ said to myself; "Have hndered in any way
during this year" went back just one year and
as | came along down the line I could say truly,
80 far as | know my life, during the past year
have tried to be help instead of hindrance."
The General Overseer also said perhaps some
are not so far advanced in the Christian life as
they were year ago." Well, we are either going
forward, or we are going backward, because there
is no standing still in this life
When God called Moses and placed him at the
head of the great Israelitish people, and they
started toward the promised land, He made every
provision for their advancement but none for
their retreat The command He gave to Moses
was, go Forward" They came to the Red Sea
and behind them was the Egyptian Army. But
Moses said unto the people, "The Lord shall fight
for you, and We shall hold your peace" AS he
stretched forth his rod out over the Sea. the
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