From Death into Life by William Haslam

W >> William Haslam >> From Death into Life

Pages:
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21

Upon this, there arose a great disturbance. The Rural Dean gave me
credit for candour, and said he thought I meant well, but that I implied
too much against my brethren; however, he had said before, and would
repeat it, that I had listened quietly' to what others had said, and
that now I was entitled to a patient hearing a little longer.

But this could not be, for I was stopped at every Fresh statement I
made, and had so many questions put to me, that I begged for only one at
a time. I was enabled to stand my ground calmly, and endeavoured to
answer the charges in order as they were brought out. To all
appearances, I had to stand quite alone in that tumultuous party. We had
met at twelve o'clock, and after four hours were still in the heat of
conflict.

At last, to conclude this extraordinary meeting, one of the Clergy rose
and said that he felt it was his painful yet necessary duty to propose
that "a vote of censure be passed on Mr. Haslam." It was not seconded,
and so fell to the ground. Whereupon, another rose '"to record a protest
against revival meetings, as contrary to the usage of the Church." This
also failed; and as no one else had anything to say, the conclave of
divines broke up. What they would have said or done, if I had not
attended to be torn to pieces by them, I know not; all I can say is,
that they separated without eating me up. Some of them came to me
afterwards and seemed pleased that I had stood my ground so
good-naturedly, and thought that I had had a great badgering.

The opposition did not stop there--sermons were preached in several of
the neighbouring churches, and people earnestly warned against attending
certain services, and told not to countenance them by their presence.
The newspapers also took up the matter, and public report was not behind
in its usual exaggeration.

I give here an extract from a Letter I thought it necessary to write at
this time, on "RELIGIOUS EXCITEMENT":

"My Dear Sir,--I have been seriously considering, for some time, the
necessity of making a public statement respecting the work of God in
this place; with a view partly of drawing attention to an all-important,
though very neglected subject; and partly with a view of giving some
definite and authoritative form to the various and varied reports which
are in circulation. It is vain to pretend to know nothing about them,
and it is equally vain to suppose that reports about our proceedings are
likely to lose less by repetition, than those on other subjects of less
moment.

"I embrace, therefore, the opportunity which your Sermon on RELIGIOUS
EXCITEMENT offers, to make a statement.

"I do remonstrate against your publishing to the world a sermon avowedly
against 'proceedings connected with a neighbouring church;' and that
instead of encouragement, counsel, and cooperation in what I know is the
work of God, I receive this public rebuke. I make this remonstrance the
more earnestly, because several of the opinions you have expressed, are
not, as I believe, consistent with the teaching of our Church; and
lastly, I venture to be the remonstrant, because I am the person, and
mine the church, which are the objects of your animadversions.

"You hold deservedly a high position among us in respect of rank and
esteem for your piety and learning; but at the hazard of incurring the
imputation of arrogance, I cannot, I must not, and I will not be
unfaithful to the light in which I walk, by the grace of God; and
therefore I do simply and plainly protest, in the first place, against
the supposition that Excitement is a means which I am using, or an end I
have in view; secondly, against the supposition that conversion is a
gradual work, which is to be worked out by Sacraments and Means of
Grace; and thirdly, against a teaching which supposes and actually
declares that a Person may believe, may be pardoned, may be cleansed
from sin, yet not know it."

"In the sense in which you censure Religious Excitement, namely, as a
means to 'force, as it were, the Spirit of the Lord,' and 'for the
purpose of strongly working on the animal feelings, etc.,' it may be
justly censurable. Those who make excitement the end and object of their
endeavours in a religious movement, must soon find the emptiness of it;
they throw dust into their own eyes, and will ever verify your words
that 'excitement lifts up for a moment and then lets fall again,' and
that 'like dram-drinking, it leaves those that indulge in it weaker than
before.'

"Those who really are engaged in the work of God, and especially
conversion work, must meet with 'excitement.' It is impossible for a
sinner, under connection of sin, to remain in a calm imperturbable
state: or when the despairing sinner comes to a knowledge of that
Saviour who made Atonement for him, to help being excited with joy.
Noble or peasant, gentle or uneducated, I am sure there will be
excitement, and overflowing joy and gladness.

"A man who never felt himself a lost sinner, and never knew his need of
the Saviour, may reason gravely of the impropriety of 'excitement,' and
the man who has never experienced the liberty of deliverance from the
'horrible pit, and the mire and clay,' may seem to be wise on the
subject of Christian joy; but he knows it not. The outburst of joy in
the newly born child of God, is as undiscriminating as the joyous mirth
of children. But it becomes more subdued as the child grows on to 'the
conquering young man,' and more chastened still when the 'young man'
attains to that state which St. John terms 'father.' This I have no
doubt is the kind of Christian joy you expect to see, and without which
you are not satisfied.* But, dear friend, remember the perfect Temple
was not built in one, but three days.

____________________________________________

* "I write unto you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you
for His name's sake. I write unto you, fathers, because ye have known
Him that is from the beginning. I write unto you, young men, because ye
have overcome the Wicked One."--1 John 2:12, 13.
________________________________________

"We are at foundation work; and you rebuke us for an unfinished temple!
Your rebuke is not undeserved in one sense: we ought to have attained to
great advancements, and to have begun long ago; but God has had patience
with us. In this beginning' there seems to be confusion to superficial
observers, and there must be 'excitement;' but this, as I said, is not
the end in view, or the means we use. It is not long since I could
reason a against 'excitement,' and thought as many do now, that in
connection With religion it is irreverent, and unbecoming.

"Oh, what a snare is this unfeeling 'propriety!' It is really a dislike
of being aroused from sleep; a fearful hugging of oneself into apathetic
security, and lying down in the arms of the Wicked One for a fatal
slumber. Oh that I could 'excite' such persons! that I could arouse
them! that by any means I could awaken these souls from the sleep of
death! I would glory in the censure and rejoice in the blame. Would that
I could reach your heart and the hearts of many of my other brethren;
that we might unite together and raise a louder call! There should be a
more excited blast, as from a trumpet, to stir the masses of those who
come duly and regularly 'to hear us every Sunday,' a louder, stronger,
and more urgent and thrilling cry, Repent! Repent! We want more fearless
plain speaking, more personal appeal. It is not refined to preach of the
grave and death, judgment and hell,--it is 'ranting:' but nevertheless
let us 'rant;' let us be faithful; let us tell the sinner that he must
die; and that he will die in his sins and perish for ever, except he
repent and be converted that his sins may be blotted out. Let us tell
him that he 'is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the
Name of the only-begotten Son of God' (John 3:18): that 'the wrath of
God abideth on him' (verse 35). Instead of arguments against
'excitement,' let us have a united cry against sin and frivolity
wherever it is. There is excitement against 'excitement' now; let there
be excitement, if you will, against indifference, and neglect of
religion."

Many of the proceedings in our parish were, I confess, more tumultuous
than I could justify, more noisy and exciting than I thought needful;
but I could not control the people. If they had been educated to ideas
of propriety and self-control, the impulse of Divine power, which really
then filled them, might have found expression in a more quiet and
orderly manner. To hinder their rejoicings therefore, though they were
considered so obnoxious, would have been to withstand the Spirit of God.
As the people had not been taught better, I could not interfere with
them; I would rather bear the obloquy of men.

For instance, one day, by way of change, I had a meeting for the Bible
Society, and invited some of the clergy who sympathized with its object.
They attended, and others came out of curiosity "to see these revival
people." We had a large gathering, and everything began smoothly. 'My
Scripture-reader, who was naturally a most excitable and noisy man,
tried to do his best before the clergy; he spoke of the sweet words
which they had heard from the reverend speakers; it was charming, he
said, to hear of a good cause supported in such "mellifluous accents,"
and so forth. He got a little wild towards the end, but on the whole he
was to be praised for his kind efforts to give a quiet tone to the
meeting'. By this time, our friend "Billy Bray" had appeared on the
scene, and gave us chapter and verse from one end of the Bible to the
other, on the subject of "dancing for joy." He propounded his theory,
that if a man did not praise God, he would not rise in the resurrection;
if he only praised God with his mouth, he would rise like those things
carved on the tombstones, with swelling cheeks and wings; if he clapped
his hands (suiting his actions to the words) he would have a pair of
hands as well at the resurrection; and if he danced with his feet, he
would rise complete. He hoped to rise like that, to sing, to clap his
hands, dance, and jump too. The worst of jumping in this world, he said,
was that he had to come down again, but even in heaven he supposed the
higher he danced and jumped, the higher he would be; walking in heaven,
to his mind, was praising God, one foot said "Glory," and the other
"Hallelujah."

Under Billy's original theories the people were warming up, and becoming
a little responsive, and "Billy" himself was getting excited. In
reference to some remarks which had been made by a previous speaker
about Samson, he said that he felt as happy and strong as Samson; then
suddenly he put his arms round me, as I was standing gesticulating and
making signs to the people to be still, and taking me up as he had done
once before, he carried me down the schoolroom, crying out, "Here go the
postes! Glory! hallelujah!" It was useless to resist, for he held me
with an iron grasp; so I remained still, hoping at every step that he
would put me down. I suppose he imagined himself to be Samson carrying
off the gates of Gaza. 'The people got what they called "happy," and
shouted and praised God most vociferously. I gave out a hymn, but the
joy of the Cornish people could not be restrained within the bounds of a
tune, or form of words. Some of them became very excited and
unmanageable; only those who have witnessed such scenes can understand
what I mean. The power of God was great, though the demonstrations were
very human. My visitors trembled with fear, and made their escape as
precipitately as they possibly could. To those who are not in the power
of the Spirit such rejoicings are unintelligible; lookers-on are
stumbled or offended because they only see and feel the human
manifestation, and not the Divine power; they are like people who get
all the smoke, and none of the warmth of the fire.

I made up my mind for the worst, for we had a reporter there, and some
others who were only too ready to make the most of such a scene.
Nevertheless I would rather have the same thing over and over again,
than have the most stately and orderly ceremonials conjoined with
spiritual death. These things, with all their proprieties, are very
chilling to living souls, and all the more hurtful because dead souls
are satisfied by them instead of being disturbed.

Dear Mr. Aitken was very angry with us, when he heard the things which
were reported; and, like a good spiritual father, he came over to teach
us better. He preached one of his own strong sermons, on the difference
between emotion and principle, and after beating us down very hard, his
dear heart relented, and he tried to cheer and lift us up. This last is
always an easy thing to do in Cornwall. The people soon responded to his
efforts, and began to praise God; and then he took fire, and praised
too. Mutually exciting and being excited, his powerful voice could be
heard above the din of hundreds of shouting voices. The dear man was
happy in his soul, and so was I, and we did not care a halfpenny for the
outside world, newspapers, or anything else.

We had obloquy with opposition; and even to my personal friends I could
not give satisfactory explanations of these things. One suggested that I
should read a paper at the next Clerical Meeting, and give a statement
in exposition of my views and practices. This I consented to do, and Mr.
Aitken kindly helped me to write it. On the appointed day I undertook to
read it, on condition that no one interrupted me till I had finished. It
was a hard task for them to sit still, but they managed to do so; and at
the end, burst out upon me in a volley of censure and disapprobation. I
was obliged to tell them that they were not converted, and therefore
could not understand these things.

I wrote a pamphlet to show that the Church of England's teaching was
based on conversion, and not on baptism; and that the Reformation was to
the Church of England what Conversion was to the individual reformers.
Taking my own change as an illustration, I said, that I used to rest on
Baptism and the Church, and that now I was standing on the Rock, Christ
Jesus. Once I worked for life, and now I worked from life; that is,
because I possessed it. I declared that this was the characteristic
difference between the Church of England as it is, and as it was when
connected with the Church of Rome. This pamphlet would not satisfy them.
I then wrote and published a letter to the Archdeacon, in which, in my
young zeal, I charged the clergy with being unconverted, and doing the
devil's work of hindering the salvation of souls, and that they seemed
to stand on their parish boundaries and say, "This is my parish, and you
shall not come here to disturb the sleep of death which now reigns."
This poured no oil upon the waters.

I then wrote another pamphlet upon which I spent much time, thought, and
prayer. I took the manuscript and read it to Mr. Aitken. He walked up
and down in his large room, while I was reading, and ejaculated, as only
he could, "Bless God! Glory be to God!" When I finished, I said, "Shall
I print it?"

He said, "It is worth printing, but it will do no good. It is like a
little doggie barking at a dead elephant. We shall never convert the.
Church as a body: we must try and get at individuals. I am quite
convinced we shall not succeed unless we work in this, way."

CHAPTER 17

Individual Cases, 1853.

An Archbishop of Canterbury, in old times, contrasted public preaching
with personal dealing in this way: When we preach, it is like dashing
water from a bucket upon so many vessels which are arranged before
us-some drops fall into one, and some into another, while others remain
empty; but when we speak to individuals, it is like pouring water into
the neck of a vessel.

I gave up writing and printing pamphlets, and went on as quietly as I
could with my own work, looking out for individual cases as they
presented themselves in the providence of God. In this way, without
fermenting controversy or keeping up public excitement, I was able more
effectually to impart my meaning, than by printed statements, which I
found were misunderstood or distorted; and what is more, I was able to
apply the truth with an individual "Have you?" It would take more space
than I can afford to tell of the souls which were gained in this way. I
will give here only a few instances, which are interesting, and which
will sustain the thread of my narrative. The first was in the case of
one who began an argument on Baptismal Grace. I asked him what it was.
"I know what converting or saving' grace is; but what is this?" He did
not say more, than that in Baptism he was made a member of Christ, a
child of God, and an inheritor of the kingdom of heaven.

"But," I asked, "suppose you have not repented and believed, what then?"
Receiving no answer, I continued, "Then, nothing; but the responsibility
and the name."

A few days afterwards he came to me, saying that I had made him quite
miserable, and asked me whether I meant to deny the necessity of
baptism. I said, "Certainly not, but the condition of faith and
repentance must be fulfilled. Whatever Baptismal Regeneration may be,
Spiritual Regeneration is the work of the Spirit in those who believe in
Christ Jesus." After a long talk and prayer, he appeared to understand
that a conscious change should be wrought in him, and a spiritual
faculty imparted, by which he could "see the kingdom of God." He
remained for the evening service and meeting in the schoolroom and was
much impressed with what he witnessed. Instead of going away, he stayed
with me till after midnight, when he found peace with God (as he said)
in the church where we had been praying. Then he ordered his horse and
rode home; but before he set out, he exacted a promise from me that I
would not mention his conversion to any one. I consented to this, on the
condition that he announce the change which had been wrought in him,
from his pulpit on the following Sunday.

A few days afterwards my friend came to me in a great rage, and charged
me with announcing his conversion all over the town. I told him that I
was not sure enough of it myself to say anything about it, and that I
had not spoken to a single person on the subject. Still he seemed to
doubt me, for he said his brother had been with him, and had told him
that it was known all over the town that he had been to Baldhu, and that
he was converted. Upon inquiry, I found out that my servant, who sat up
till after mid-night to get his horse, had overheard our conversation,
and was the offending party.

I am always afraid of persons who are ashamed to acknowledge their
conversion. My friend, I am sorry to say, made no announcement, but went
on preaching as if he had always been the same, and consequently never
came out to be of any use or help in the work. His testimony was
indistinct also, and without any power. He became a very popular
preacher afterwards, which was his great ambition, for he cared more for
a large congregation than for Wining Souls.

Soon after this, I fell across another of my old friends in the street.
He tried to avoid me, but I went up and shook hands with him. At first
he would not look at me, and said he was afraid of me because I had
changed my views. I assured him that I had not changed anything, but
that I had myself been changed. As he was listening, I went on to tell
him that I had long tried to make myself good enough for God's
acceptance, but finding that Christ would not receive reformed
characters, I came to Him as a poor lost sinner, and He saved me. Seeing
that he continued attentive, I was proceeding to make my meaning
plainer, when he turned round, and looking sternly at me, said, "If I
understand you, I am to cry for mercy as 'a common sinner.'"

"Yes," I replied, being very pleased to find that he had understood me
so well.

"Then." he said, "I will do no such thing." With this, he turned away
and departed. When he saw that I was following him, he said, "I desire
you will not speak to me any more. I do not agree with you."

One morning, a short time after, I was praying and meditating in the
church, when it came to my mind forcibly that I must go to this man's
parish. I rose from my knees forthwith, saying to myself that I would
go; but immediately the thought came to me, "This suggestion is not from
God, for He must know that my horse has lost two shoes, and could not go
all that distance." However, I returned home, and went to the stable to
inquire, when, to my surprise, I found that my man had taken the horse
out very early in the morning, and had got him properly shod. "He is all
right for a long journey, master," he said, "if you want to go."

"Well," I said, "put on the saddle, and be ready in half-an-hour." I
went in to prepare, and started in due time. On the way I was thinking
what I would say, and how I would begin the conversation, for as yet I
did not know the particular message I was to take.

When I arrived at my friend's gate, I saw the marks of his horse's feet,
as if he had just gone out. However, I rode up to the front door, and
rang the bell. His wife appeared, and said that her husband had gone
out, and would not be back before six o'clock; she added, "You look
disappointed"; and so I was, for I thought the Lord had sent me with
some message to him. The lady kindly asked me to put up my horse,
saying, "Perhaps he may return sooner; you had better rest a little." I
thanked her, and doing so, went in.

As soon as we were seated, the lady said, "I have been wishing to see
you for a long time; we have started more than once to visit you, when
my husband's courage has failed him, and we have returned. He says that
he loves you still; but, somehow, he is very much afraid of you."

Then she went on to tell me that when they were removing from their late
parish to where they now were, having sent all their furniture on, they
were driving in their own carriage; and that coming along ever a bleak
and desolate moor, the horse took fright at something, they knew not
what, and ran away. Because it could not get along fast enough from its
imaginary object of fear, it began to kick, and breaking the carriage in
pieces, made its escape, leaving her and her husband on the ground. He
was not much hurt, and soon rose, and came to help her. She was severely
bruised, and her leg was broken besides. He managed to drag her gently
to the side of the road, where there was a little bank, and, colleting
some of the broken pieces of the carriage, he placed them round her for
protection, and hurried off in order to get assistance. He had to go two
miles and was absent nearly three hours. During that time she suffered
great pain, but it came to her mind all at once that her sins were
pardoned; she was exceedingly happy, and could not help thanking and
praising God. In this state her husband found her when he returned, and
on hearing her talk, became very unhappy, because he thought that
besides her leg, her head was broken too; and that she was going out of
her mind. She assured him over and over again that she was wonderfully
well, and really happy; but he could not bear to hear her talk like
that, and said that he should go mad also, if she did not stop.

During the six weeks she was laid up, he continually brought doctors and
clergymen to talk her out of her delusion as he thought it, but without
avail. Her happiness continued for several months, and then gradually
died away. She asked me, "Can you tell me the meaning of this?" I was
deeply interested with her experience, and told her that I had read of a
similar one only a few days before. My heart now began to cheer up, for
I saw why I had been sent to this place. I at once pointed her to
passages of Scripture, where we are told that we have forgiveness of
sins through the blood of Jesus, and I put Christ crucified before her
as the object of faith. I told her, that as certainly as the blood Jesus
had been shed, there was mercy and forgiveness for her. I said, "I
believe it, and have forgiveness: and you may have it too; not because
you feel happy, but because Jesus died." She did believe, and we
rejoiced together.

She exclaimed, "Oh that the Lord would change my husband's heart, and
bring you here for a revival!"

"Very well," I said, "let us ask Him," and we did so. I then rode home
raising God.

Before leaving, I promised to come again on the following Wednesday. I
kept my word, and had an interview with her husband; but it was not
encouraging. He said he could not agree to ask for mercy as a sinner,
because he had been baptized. Some months afterwards his manservant came
to me on horseback at three o'clock in the morning, to say that his
master was very bad, and would I come as soon as possible and see him. I
asked, "What is the matter?" "Oh, bless the Lord," said the man, "it'll
all about his soul! ....That is right" I replied, thanking God; "I will
go with you at once," and immediately I saddled my horse, and rode back
with him.

Pages:
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21