Hungering and Thirsting

The little community house at Steele’s Crossing, which had been a center of attraction to many because of the fellowship and love which existed among those who worshiped there, now became the attraction or center for those who desired contention and dispute, for each body of people felt that it should put forth its own particular doctrine. As Preacher Jones had one Sunday of the month in which to set forth the doctrines of his faith and Preacher Brown one Sunday, which were followed by Preacher Bronson, and he trying to show the erroneous doctrine of the two before him, the community house could well be called a place of confusion. So strongly was the contention felt among them that Preacher Brown and his followers withdrew from the rest, and purchased the old saloon building formerly owned by Mr. Blaum, remodeled it, seated it, and met there each Sunday to expound the doctrines of their own faith and to point out the errors of the followers of Preacher Jones and Preacher Bronson. A Sunday School was organized with Mr. Sawyer as superintendent.

This took a number from the community house, but it did not remove the contention there, for the Jones followers and the Bronson followers often had some heated arguments, as each side contended for its own point of view on some certain question. This was not true of all who worshiped there, for some remembered the times when all were together and God met with them, giving them His blessings, and all felt drawn closer together and felt a nearness of God. Many remarks were made by some of the more conscientious and pious worshipers that they could not feel the freedom now which they enjoyed there before they banded together in the different organizations.

Joe tried in every way that he could, as did Alfred, to keep the people together and worship together, but so sharp did the contention become that Joe humbly tendered his resignation as their superintendent, and a follower of Preacher Bronson was appointed in his place. As the Bronson followers outnumbered those of Preacher Jones, the majority ruled and they now had control of the Sunday School. It was not long until they voted to change the literature then in use and use the literature of the publishing house of the Bronson faith. This was more than the Jones followers could bear and they remonstrated, stating, if such should be the case, they would no longer come to the Sunday School nor send their children. The literature was changed and the Jones followers kept their word, for they were granted permission to use the school house for their religious worship, which they did, organizing a Sunday school among themselves and using the literature from their own publishing house, which set forth the doctrines of their own faith.

So the community house that had been the admiration of many who visited it was now a divided house, and some were so hurt over the turn of affairs that they vowed never to step foot in the house anymore. When strangers came into the midst of the people of the Steele’s Crossing settlement and went away they, could not say, as did the lecturers from the Anti-Saloon League, that they never saw so many people attending services in such an out-of-the-way place; but, should they visit among them any length of time, they could say they never saw a more contentious people than the people of the Steele’s Crossing settlement.

When the Jones followers moved their meetings to the school house, Alfred asked Joe to worship with them, but Joe was so sick at heart over the turn of affairs that he said he would remain at home until he learned what God would have him do. That evening, as Joe opened his Bible for reading, after having asked God to direct him to the things in His Word that he most needed, Joe began to read from the first chapter of 1 Corinthians, pondering over each verse he read. He read the tenth verse slowly: “Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.”* (1 Corinthians 1:10) Here he paused and, looking at Susie, said, “Did you understand that verse?”

“I do not know just what you mean,” replied she.

“I shall read it again,” replied Joe, which he did, and as he came to the middle of the verse, “and that there be no divisions among you,” he paused. The two sat gazing at each other for some time, when Joe said, “I have felt all the time that God was not pleased with the division of His people here at this place. You know what good meetings we all had, and how we enjoyed ourselves before the organizations were formed. We were all together then. Now we are all divided, and it seems we cannot work together, for each class of people wants to contend for its own views. I feel that this is all wrong and that God does not intend for His people to be divided, but to be of the same mind and to speak the same thing and to be together. I am sure that I shall never consent for a barrier to be raised that shall separate me from any other child of God. I feel bad about conditions, but what can I do? I see now that the ministers who have been here this winter have caused division among God’s people, and I am sure that I do not know what the results of all these meetings will be. I am sure that God directed me to the scripture I read this morning, and I have decided to do what I can to bring all the people together again, for God cannot work among them as they are now.”

“But what can you do to make conditions better among them?” inquired Susie.

“I do not know just what I shall do, but I mean to keep my heart open to the Lord,” said Joe. “You know we are learning many things from Him, and the things that He teaches us through His Word will be lessons which we shall never forget. You know it was through His Word that we found the way to God and the peace for which our souls longed. He showed us also that we were in the church that Jesus built on the rock and were full members. He is now teaching us that division among His people is not right, but that He wants us all to be of the same mind and the same judgment and to be together. I am so glad that He has taught us this thing, for I am more determined than ever never to let any barrier come between any other child of God and me. But I have felt such a need lately of more of God. I know that I am His child but there is an emptiness in my soul that I feel needs to be filled. I want to do more for Him, and I mean to search His Word more diligently than ever before. Surely there is some work for which the Lord is preparing me.”

“I have felt the same way too,” replied Susie, “and I am not satisfied with conditions here at the Crossing. You know it seems that something has come between Alfred and Tillie and us. While they try to be the same as they always were, yet I feel that something has come between us, and you know I love them dearly. I wish things were as they were before Preacher Jones held his meeting, for then we enjoyed the meetings and received a blessing.”

“I feel sure there are blessings in store for us yet if we just keep ourselves where God can instruct us through His Word,” replied Joe.

At this time a knock was heard on the door. Alfred had come to inquire what Joe had for him to do that day. Joe invited him in and related the conversation of the morning to him, also reading the scriptures which had brought light to him. Alfred sat for some time in deep thought, and when Joe had finished speaking he said, “You have been no more concerned about the turn of affairs at the Crossing than have I. I, too, have seen what division has meant for the people here, but have not seen the remedy for it.”

“The only remedy I can see,” replied Joe, “is to be together as we once were, worship the Lord without human creed, and ever keep Christ before us. I am sure that is the way the Lord designed for it to be else he would not have said, ‘Let there be no divisions among you.’ As for me, I have decided not to let anything come between any other child of God and me. If there is ever a barrier raised, it will be the one the other fellow raises, for I shall never raise one.”

“I declare,” said Alfred, “you are nearer the true church of God than anyone I have ever seen, but I wonder if there is anyone else in all the world that sees this.”

“I am sure I do not know,” said Joe; “but if so, I mean to ask God to lead me to him.”

Alfred said, “I want to tell you something which I forgot to mention to you Saturday evening. While at Newton Saturday afternoon I met a man by the name of Myers, who said he one time lived neighbor to you before you moved here into the Steele’s Crossing neighbor. He said to tell you he wanted to see you and expected to drive over here some day. He lives three miles on the other side of Newton on the old Reynolds farm.”

“Bill Myers,” exclaimed Joe. “Why, I declare I didn’t know he was anywhere near here.”

“Yes. And he wants to see you,” replied Alfred. “He had spoken but a few words to me when he began to tell what the Lord had done for him. He told me that he had gone far on the downward way, but the Lord had saved him, and he wants to see you very much to tell you what the Lord had done for him.”

“Bill Myers a Christian,” exclaimed Susie. “That seems too good to be true. He was practically an infidel when we used to know him.”

I could not doubt it,” replied Alfred, “and I am sure you will be convinced there surely has been a change in him when you hear him talk, for he said that not only had God saved him from his sins but that the Holy Ghost had come into his soul, sanctifying him.”

“Don’t you remember that Brother Reed mentioned sanctification several times when he was here holding his meeting?” asked Joe. “I have often thought of that and should really like to know more about it. But I can scarcely believe old Bill Myers is in our neighborhood and a Christian. I am glad to hear it, however, and am really desirous of seeing him.”

I am sure that it will not be long until you shall see him, for he said he meant to come to your place as soon as he could,” replied Alfred. “And, Joe, he spoke to me about some of the things that you mentioned this morning. He does not believe in dividing God’s children and said that he had never joined anything but God, and that had proved satisfactory to him, and he also spoke of the church of God. I wanted to converse with him more but had to come on home, as it was then getting quite late. I enjoyed his conversation very much, however.”

The two men went to their work, making preparation necessary for their spring plowing as soon as they could get into the field. There was much to be done, but the thought of Bill Myers was not absent from Joe’s mind. He was so eager to receive the promised visit from him, which occured the following Sunday afternoon.

Joe and Susie both stared in amazement when they saw Myers and his family. The trace of tobacco juice was absent from Bill’s chin, a thing that they had never seen before. They were glad to see them all and gave them a warm welcome. A wonderful change had come over the Myers family, but the greatest change was in Bill. Susie noted that he used the kindest tones when addressing his wife and children, and with this came the memory of times when she had heard him use rough language and heap abuses on his wife and little ones. As she thought of it all she said to herself, “There has been a wonderful change in this family, and only God could have brought it about.”

An enjoyable afternoon was spent together, Joe telling about conditions in the community, even to the story of Mr. Sawyer’s trouble with his hired help. At last he came to the question of the church which lay so heavily on his heart, and this opened up an avenue for Mr. Myers to tell him of his own experience. Joe sat wide-eyed and open-mouthed as he heard Myers tell how, in a brush-arbor meeting, God convicted him of his sins, and, bowing at an altar of prayer, how he confessed all to God and God spoke peace to his soul. “But that is not all,” said Bill. “God not only forgave me of my sins, but He took away the appetite I had for whisky and tobacco, and I have not cared for a drink of whisky nor a chew of tobacco since. God cleaned me up when He forgave me of my transgressions. But that is not all, either. Some time later I came to Him, as I felt a lack in my soul and knew that I needed more of His grace; and as I presented my body a living sacrifice to Him the Holy Spirit came into my soul, filling me and sanctifying me.”

“How wonderful,” exclaimed Joe. “But I should like to know more about what you mean by sanctification. If your sins were pardoned, what does sanctification do for you?”

“I can best explain it by using as an illustration your neighbor and his last hired man,” said Mr. Myers, “The Holy Spirit is to us what Mr. Sawyer’s hired man was to him. He is more powerful than the enemy. When the Holy Spirit comes into our soul, he gives us power over all the powers of the enemy and we can live a victorious life all the time. I felt the need of this many times after I was saved. Some things would come up that I would have to make right again. It seemed that I had not the power to overcome. But now I can say as did the hired hand, ‘Old enemy, I am master here, and you shall get a thrashing, for I have power over you.’ ”

“That sounds good to me,” said Joe. “If there is such an experience for me I surely want it. I have been hungering and thirsting for more of God for some time, but I should like to know more of this sanctification. I should like to have it explained to me.”

Mr. Myers laughed as he replied, “The experience is for you, but you will never understand it fully. But God willed it to you, for we read in 1 Thessalonians: ‘For this is the will of God, even your sanctification.’* (1 Thessalonians 4:3) I have the experience, but I cannot understand it. It is a great gift of God, but I can tell you no more about it than you can tell me about how God gave you peace. You know He did it, but how He did it you cannot tell. We read, too, ‘Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.’* (Matthew 5:6) If you hunger and thirst I am sure that God will fill you.”

“There is something else that I want to speak about,” said Joe. “What church do you believe in, and with what one do you hold membership?”

Again Mr. Myers laughed, but replied, “I believe I hold membership in the same church that you do. I belong to the church that Jesus built on the rock, that the gates of hell cannot prevail against, the one that He purchased with His own blood and named the ‘church of God.’ I did not join it, but God took me in as a member when He pardoned my sins. He then placed me in the body, which is His church, and I did not need to join anything to be a church member. I am one of the great family of God, and all other of His children are my brothers and sisters.”

“God be praised,” said Joe, as he clasped Mr Myers’ hand. “I have found someone who is with me in the great church of God.”

As the afternoon waned the Myers took their departure with a promise from the Holmiers to visit them at an early date. As the carriage rolled away, Joe and Susie stood looking after them, and when it disappeared around a bend in the road, Joe turned to Susie and said, “That man is really a Christian and has an experience that I know nothing about. With this he bent his steps toward the barn where, in the secret corner of the granary, he again poured out his heart to God.