HERALD of HOLINESS for October 31, 1917

Though it does not seem to be an established custom with the General Superintendents of the church to make any special report of the District Assemblies (usually leaving that with the reporters of the Assemblies), we feel that under the existing circumstances the people will appreciate a few statements concerning general conditions throughout the church. We cannot, of course, speak for any of the Districts, personally, except those under our jurisdiction this year. Good reports have come from all, which indicate that conditions are very much the same everywhere.

We have not been in one Assembly this year that was not marked by the glorious revival spirit that should characterize us everywhere and all the time. The people have been blessed — they have laughed, shouted, wept, rejoiced, and seemingly have gone home in every case with a greater burden for lost souls, a greater and clearer vision of God and of their possibilities in spreading Bible holiness over the earth. We have tried to make all Assemblies evangelistic; and the same thought has been with the brethren. God has honored the truth preached, and has poured out His Spirit upon the people, saving and sanctifying souls in all Assemblies. In almost every one there has been a perfect spirit of unity and harmony. In spite of the disturbances in our movement this year, in a few localities, we have had unmistakably the greatest year in our history.

When the writer joined the Pentecostal Church of the Nazarene[i], we did so not being so sure whether it would succeed or not; but we made up our mind that there was nothing better on earth that we could find, and decided to invest our all in it. knowing that every man must invest his life somewhere. We have, never been sorry one day for the step we took. The writer can say today, speaking from a fairly wide observation, that the outlook, in spite of a very few disturbances, is better than he has ever known it before. We are more and more convinced that God was in the founding of the Pentecostal Church of the Nazarene, and that He is still in it, and will continue to be if we will keep clean and walk in divine light, filling the place in the world He has given us, being true to our divine commission. We are young yet, and in the process of working out a practical church government, one that will best meet the needs of our people, and most successfully propagate holiness. We are not free from mistakes, and will not be, at least for a long time yet, though we should aim at the elimination of all defects as they appear.

One great need in the movement is patience. Mistakes cannot always be remedied as soon as we might desire; but we can all have confidence, patience, and perfect love. The time will come when any undesirable matters may be set right, for the entire church has a right to act in making any changes it may deem wise and good. Our laws are not the unchangeable laws of the Medes and Persians.

The greatest encouragement to our own heart throughout the movement is the presence and blessings of God, saving and sanctifying the people. We have not been in one fruitless Assembly. In every one, the night services have been occasions of real old-time' salvation. Thank God! On one occasion, at the close of an ordination service, without any preaching, an exhortation was given in the power of the Spirit, and the altar was quickly filled, and also the front seats, with earnest seekers, many of whom found God in the “good old-fashioned way.” We remarked at the close that as long as God crowned the ordination services thus, we would be convinced that He is pleased with having young men and young women “set apart" in the Pentecostal Church of the Nazarene.

There are many other encouraging features for which we thank God. one being more system, another an increase in the spirit of giving, and still another the burning desire to intensify our efforts to evangelize the world as far as possible before the return of our Lord. Give us the “Holy Ghost and system”—God’s plan for His work — and we can fulfil our divine commission.

Occasionally, one heard this question, Will the Pentecostal Church of the Nazarene succeed? Why not? It was born of necessity, it was brought into existence by divine providence, it has had a marvelous growth, and it is standing for real vital salvation — the doctrine of regeneration, the doctrine of holiness or sanctification — a whole Bible, and all that is good, of which we have any knowledge; and, best of all, God is with us. We may not be all we desire; but if we follow Him. the great Head of the Church, the Captain of our salvation, He will help us to correct any mistakes, to improve conditions that may not be right, and to continue our fight against evil: the fight for God and Bible holiness. Brethren, I never felt so much like standing by the guns, and defying the imps of unbelief, of dissension, of discouragement, and the devil of “loss of confidence," as today. Glory to God! We have the best movement on earth!

We are going on. We have a great Publishing House, a great paper, some of the best missionaries on earth to preach Jesus in foreign fields, and God wants us to get a greater vision of God, a greater vision of the world’s needs, and a greater vision of our possibilities in divine service as Soul winners.

The general outlook is good. There is hope, confidence, faith, and holy love and unity in the church, with a manifest determination everywhere to go forward pushing the battle to victory. The opposite is the exception, not the rule. And the exceptions are not many, praise the Lord! Defy the Devil, keep sweet, be patient, hold the fort, refuse to throw mud or rotten eggs, be loyal to God and to the church, keep a cool head and a hot heart, not listening to accusations and evil reports, but attending to the job that God gave us, pushing on. and we shall in the name of God win the day!