Joe Finds Himself

Summer months passed by and late autumn advanced at Steele’s Crossing. The months had been crowded with work. As one looked over the fields the trace of the icy frost could be seen; the fields were brown and seared. Leaves were piled here and there and the branches of the trees were bare. Preparations were being made for Thanksgiving.

Alfred had announced that Preacher Jones, from Newton, would be with them at that time to begin a series of meetings, and all were looking forward to that event. He came, and the meetings began and were well attended. Joe and Susie were among the attendants, rendering what service they could through prayer, testimony, and song. No longer could they be known by the pecularity of dress, for the dress of their former faith had been discarded and instead of the broad-brimmed, flat crown hat formerly worn by Joe, there was the derby. Both dressed very modestly and felt a freedom such as had not been theirs. The community were looking on their works and speaking of them as Christians, and their works were far more noticeable than their peculiar dress had been.

The meeting continued for several weeks. When nearing the close of the meeting, Preacher Jones announced that he meant to organize a church there of his own faith, and on the next Sunday morning would set forth some of the doctrines. He wanted all to be present, stating he thought they had been long enough without some form of organization, telling them furthermore, if they were organized as a church, they would be mentioned at the next quarterly conference and would be furnished with a pastor. As the congregation left the house that evening, Preacher Jones lingered near the door. As he held Joe by the hand he said, “Brother Holmier, I am expecting you to be one of the charter members of this society. Am I right?”

“I cannot promise until I hear your sermon on the doctrines of this church,” replied Joe.

“Surely, surely,” replied Preacher Jones, “but I know that you are a sensible man and not narrow in your views, so I am counting strongly on you.”

The next Sunday morning Joe listened attentively as Preacher Jones set forth the doctrines of his faith. “You know,” said he, “man is the most peculiar of all God’s creation. None are made alike nor constituted alike. All are of different temperaments, and what is pleasing and suitable for one is far from pleasing or satisfying to another. We are unable to please each other, but we are all able to please God, and when we with our different likes and dislikes approach God, He does not turn us away, but takes us in, even though we do not all see exactly alike. He will not turn away one who makes an effort to get to Him. That is our conception of the church. We have made provision that all can obtain membership with us. It is not so much what you believe, as to obtain your fellowship and your support. If you believe in purity of heart and life we will not exclude you, and if you believe that you cannot obtain purity of heart here in this life we will take your membership among us. We also let you have your choice in baptism. If you believe that one should be immersed, we will administer the rite of baptism to you in that manner; if you believe it should be administered by pouring the water on the head, or by sprinkling it on, we leave it with the choice of the candidate and administer it either way. We are not narrow in our views; what we want is to get people organized so that they can work together. We do not exclude any, as you see, for an individual can believe almost any way and obtain membership.”

After the sermon had ended he then called for charter members that he might organize a body of that faith at Steele’s Crossing, and about thirty-five went forward. Joe was not among them. He was surprised to see Alfred and Tillie among the number who went forward, and found them joining by letter. Preacher Jones read the letters before the audience, stating he was glad to get some so highly recommended as Alfred and Tillie as charter members there, for he felt confident that they would push the work along.

At the close of the service the minister again spoke to Joe, asking him why he did not give his name for membership with the rest of them, expressing his disappointment in his not having done so. Joe replied, “I have not fully decided just where I shall give my membership, but when I do I want to be among a people who have something certain to believe.”

As Joe and Susie drove home, Joe could not keep back the tears, and Susie said, “I do not think that you should feel so bad about it, for I am quite sure that we can still go to services and help.”

“We will try to help just as we always have,” replied Joe, “but I feel bad about it somehow, for I feel that there has been a barrier raised between us and those people and we can never feel as free among them anymore as we did before.”

The meeting closed that evening with thirty-five as members of Preacher Jones’ liberal faith. He left with a promise to give their names at the next conference meeting, that they might have a pastor visit them at an early date. Until then Alfred was given charge.

Now in the Steele’s Crossing community there lived one Sawyer, who was of a very quarrelsome nature. He could not get along with any of his neighbors and could keep hired help only a short time. When hiring help he would always require them to sign a contract, the wage to be twenty dollars for the first month, thirty for the second, forty for the third, and fifty for the fourth month, and if the hired man remained the four months he would be paid a bonus sufficient to make the wage average forty dollars a month. He had never kept a man long enough that he had to pay the bonus, for usually in the fourth month he would get so quarrelsome that the hired help could not bear it any longer and would leave, thereby forfeiting his right to any claim for back pay.

A young man came into the community in the spring and inquired for work, but was informed that no one needed a hand except old man Sawyer. The name “Sour-apple” was given to him by the young boys of the community, because of the sour expression he wore on his face all the time. It had become so common that one seldom mentioned his real name. When informed what kind of man he was the young fellow replied, “I shall work for ‘Sour-apple’ and stay all summer, and get the bonus, too.” He was told by several that it would be impossible to do so, but he only said, “I shall show you that it can be done,” and he went over to the Sawyer home and signed his name to a contract to work for Mr. Sawyer that summer with the usual wage to be given.

After signing the contract the young man then said, “Now, Mr. Sawyer, I have something which I wish to say to you that we may have a better understanding of each other. I have hired to you to do your work, and this I mean to do and do it well; but I mean also for you to regard me as a human being, as I shall regard you as one. I mean also to stay the summer with you. I shall not leave you, but if you try to do me as you have some of your former hired help, I shall give you such a thrashing as you have never had in all your life.”

As Mr. Sawyer looked at the broad shoulders of the young man before him he felt confident that he meant what he said and was careful not to do as he had formerly done. The young man not only stayed the summer but worked for Mr. Sawyer three years.

Although Mr. Sawyer could not get along with his hired help or his neighbors he was a great church worker, and could pray louder and longer than anyone in the community. He was not satisfied with the way Mr. Jones did at the close of his meeting, so a few weeks afterward he arose in meeting and announced that Preacher Brown would be with them after Christmas and would conduct a meeting.

Preacher Brown came and the meeting began. A number came forward for prayer, and at the close of the meeting the doctrines of his church were set forth and a number thought it best to have another organization; so twenty-eight joined themselves together to stand by the faith of Preacher Brown, and among them was Mr. Sawyer.

Joe could not be persuaded to unite with them, for he said he could not unite with one body, and therefore raise a barrier to exclude another in whom he had confidence and knew was a child of God as much as he. As this faith believed and practiced close communion, Joe declined to give them his membership.

Alfred was very much surprised when Joe refused to unite with this body of people, and inquired of him his reason for not doing so. “I did not unite with them because I could not break the last tie between us,” replied Joe. “You know that I have confidence in you. I am sure that you are as much a child of God as I am, and I could not come around the Lord’s table and see you kept out. No, indeed; if there is ever a barrier raised between any other child of God and me it will be one he raises.”

“But what do you mean to do?” inquired Alfred. “You cannot go around all alone, can you? I should like to see you get settled somewhere where you can get in the harness just right and feel satisfied.”

“You ask me what I mean to do,” said Joe. “Well, I shall tell you. I mean to live by ‘every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God,’* (Matthew 4:4) and be guided by it. As to working, I do not see how I could work more with any body of people than I am doing now. I am waiting on the Lord, and what He tells me to do that will I do. Do you not think that I am on the safe track? And do you not think that I shall be satisfied when I do just what He tells me to do?”

“I am sure that you will,” replied Alfred; “and as to a barrier between us, I am sure that I shall never raise one.”

“You have already raised it,” replied Joe quickly, “for I cannot speak with you in the organization to which you belong.”

“But that need not be a barrier between us,” hastily replied Alfred.

“Perhaps not,” said Joe, “but somehow it seems to me there is not the freedom there that has been formerly. I feel that these organizations are dividing God’s children. You know we had wonderful times and God met with us at the little community house when we were all together.”

“That may be true,” replied Alfred, “but there are some things we shall never understand,” and he turned and walked slowly to the house. Joe had aroused something within his soul.

A few weeks after this conversation a Preacher Bronson came to the community house, spending a few days in expounding the doctrines of his faith. He also had a large following and forty banded themselves together as followers of that faith. Joe could not be persuaded to cast his lot with them, for he heard Preacher Bronson preach the doctrine that man cannot be saved without baptism, as that is the act which connects man and God, for baptism is for the remission of sin and there can be no remission without it. Joe well remembered the night in his little pantry when his soul was cleansed and he touched God, which gave him a real knowledge of pardoning grace. There was no water and no minister to administer the rite of water baptism, but he knew that the blood of Jesus Christ had touched his soul and his sins were pardoned. With this knowledge he could not cast his lot with these people. Among them, however, were some in whom he had confidence and he felt that another barrier had been raised to separate the children of God.

There was a baptismal service in a creek near by where Preacher Bronson baptized a number of his followers. As Joe and Susie were driving home from the baptismal services Susie said to Joe, “What are you going to do now? It seems that everybody else has found some church but us.”

“What do you want to do?” inquired Joe.

“I am sure I do not know just what to do,” said Susie.

“I would not like to unite with any of these here, and we can’t go back to the place where we were put out as heretics. But what shall we do?”

“Live by ‘every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.’ ” replied Joe. “That is what I mean to do, and I feel assured that if we do that we shall not come far short of hitting the mark.”

Reaching home in mid-afternoon, Joe picked up his Bible, while Susie prepared the baby for its afternoon nap. He read but a short time when he called to her. Light had come to him and his soul was rejoicing. He had opened his Bible to the first chapter of Ephesians. When he read the twenty-second verse he paused, for it mentioned the church, and that was the thing that was concerning him so much just then, for he desired very much to know just what church God wanted him to join. He read, “And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.”* (Ephesians 1:22-23) As he had a reference Bible he turned to Colossians 1:18 and there read, “And he is the head of the body, the church.”* (Colossians 1:18)

As Susie came in answer to his call, he read to her the scriptures that had brought light to him, saying, “Do you not see that Christ has a church, and He is the head of it?”

“That may all be true,” replied Susie, “but the thing that I want to know is which one it is.”

“We shall search and find for ourselves,” replied Joe, as he again began to turn the pages of his Bible. He soon began reading from Romans 12: “For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office: So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.”* (Romans 12:4-5) Searching the reference again he turned to 1 Corinthians 12 and read, “For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.”* (1 Corinthians 12:12) He kept reading until the eighteenth verse, “But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him.”* (1 Corinthians 12:18) Here he paused, and, looking at Susie, said, “If the church is his body, and God sets the members in the body, and if we are the body of Christ, we must be church-members, too.”

“But what church is it?” inquired Susie.

“Let us keep on searching and find out, for I am sure that this Book will tell us,” replied Joe. “Why is it that we have never thought of this before? I shall use my new concordance and see what I can find about the church. You read while I find the different scriptures.”

Susie took the Bible and opening it to the scripture called, read: “And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”* (Matthew 16:18)

“That is the church I want to know about,” said Joe, “the one that Jesus built. Read Ephesians 5:23-27.” Susie soon found the scripture and began to read, “For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body. Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing. Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.”* (Ephesians 5:23-27)

“That is the church He gave Himself for,” said Joe, “and it is one ‘without spot or blemish.’ Read Acts 20:28.”

Susie read, “Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.”* (Acts 20:28)

“The church of God,” said Joe. “That must be the name of it, for in the last scripture that you read it says He gave Himself for it, and this scripture says He purchased the church of God with His own blood. But read 1 Corinthians 1:2.”

Joe’s eyes grew larger as Susie read, “Unto the church of God which is at Corinth.”

She got no further for Joe interrupted her with, “That is the name; the one that Jesus purchased with His own blood.” He then called for 1 Corinthians 10:32, 11:22; 2 Corinthians 1:1; Galatians 1:13; 1 Timothy 3:5,15, which all mention the name of the church as the “church of God.”

“Isn’t that wonderful!” exclaimed Joe. “The church is His body, and we are members of it, and God sets the members in it as it pleases Him, and the name is the ‘church of God.’ ”

“But where is there such a church, and how do you get into it?” asked Susie.

“Here is another scripture I want you to read,” said Joe.

The scripture was soon found and Susie began to read, “Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.”* (Acts 2:47)

“Isn’t that clear?” remarked Joe. “The Lord added to the church such as should be saved, and I am sure that means the ones who accept His salvation. He adds them to His church. Oh, Susie, I know God has made this clear to me and I am satisfied to be a member of His church. I do not need to join anything now to be a church-member, for when I accepted God’s salvation He made me a member of His church, and I have been a member in good standing with my Lord all these months. I have found myself a church-member and did not know it until today. Thank God, I see now that, when Preacher Brumbaugh thought he had turned me out of the church, I had just got into it and God added me as a member. I see now, also, that these are only organizations of man, but Christ is the head of the church. Oh, I am so glad that I have taken the Word of God as the man of my counsel, for I am sure that it will guide me into the truth.”