Birth of a Reformation; Or, The Life and Labors of Daniel S. WarnerByers, A. L. (Andrew L.)
Religion
Birth of a Reformation; Or, The Life and Labors of Daniel S. Warner
Byers, A. L. (Andrew L.)
Church of God (Anderson, Ind.) -- History; Warner, D. S. (Daniel Sidney), 1842-1895
In a meeting at a private house in Bucyrus, Stockwell, who had begun
to assume a papal-like authority, gave those assembled about an
hour's harangue, which was like a gathering storm about to break on
Brother Warner. There were peculiar manifestations at this meeting.
On a lounge lay a woman of frightful appearance, her face drawn,
her eyes sunken, and she was uttering moans. Another, a man with
distorted limbs and scowling countenance, also gave evidence of an
attack upon his body by some supernatural power. It was claimed by
Stockwell that these were divine evidences that some one needed to be
set right; just who, the Lord would make known. Each began to say,
"Lord, is it I?" Brother Warner had been asking the Lord for wisdom
and had been shown that after some trial of suffering he would be
able to take God himself for his wisdom. Now, since his wife had
taken sides with others who held that he was not right, and since he
was ready to suspect himself as being in error rather than his wife,
he felt that possibly they were right in their contention that the
error lay with him. In his intense eagerness to be right with God and
have the blessing of fellowship restored in his family, he became a
victim. He bowed before them
A suppliant, in that infernal maze,
To evil spirits' much elated gaze.
His critics gathered around him and waited with agonizing groans
while Stockwell pried into his consecration and asked whether he was
willing to sell the Gospel Trumpet. They said they felt that such was
God's will and that if he was not able to see it he should be wise
and act upon their judgment, and that his soul would be blessed in
so doing. Brother Warner consented, but reserved one condition--that
should God, ere the transfer be made, interdict the order and show
him differently, he of course would obey God. They said, "No, but
that 'if' you must leave out." Finally he was persuaded to drop the
if. Then the agonies of those who, it was claimed, were groaning for
him, ceased and gave place to fiendish laughter, as they supposed
God's "flying roll" was taken. This was the crisis that had come
upon his soul; this the price he had to pay for a decision to preach
uncompromisingly the truth that should create a shudder in the ranks
of hell and work a reformation in the world. Opposing forces had
succeeded in getting him to consent to give up the Trumpet and yield
to the suggestion that he was not right.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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