This is a time as never before when the baptized saints are scattering abroad everywhere preaching the Word. They have gone out from Los Angeles far and near, carrying the sweet message that the Comforter has come. Some have gone to Canada, some east, some south, and some are on the way to foreign fields.
Many of the camp meeting saints are gathering back to the old "manger home" at Azusa. The pillar of fire still rests there. Meetings went on here all summer souls seeking and finding the Lord.
The Lord taught His people at the Campground and gave them some practical experiences that will stand them in good stead on the field. The enemy came in as an angel of light, and we had a battle with the powers of darkness; but it was turned into victory after all. The Spirit was poured out and many souls baptized. God only knows the number. They were slain about the altars and in the "upper room tent," and came through speaking and singing in tongues and rejoicing in God.
Many were saved and sanctified. Over 100 were baptized in the stream near by. The baptismal services were sweet and heavenly. Numbers of children followed Jesus in baptism, and came out of the water praising God. Many testified to healing. The Lord performed some real miracles. Praise God!
There were over 200 living tents in the camp, besides a number of large tents; the big tabernacle where God met with us graciously; the "upper room tent" where many sought and obtained the Pentecost; the children's tabernacle where they were taught the Word and many of them found the Lord, and we shall never forget that spot for it was so sweet to hear the children praying and praising the Lord; then there was the dining tent, where hundreds sat down to the tables and no charge made except as the Lord laid it on them to put into the box. We enjoyed some blessed times in the Spirit there, and also in the workers' dining tent, before we got the big tabernacle on the "all things common" line. One morning while at prayer after breakfast, the power of God so came on us that ten of the workers were slain and we did not get away till noon. We had a foretaste of heaven.
The hills around would sometimes ring with prayer and praise. Some sought and found the Lord on the hills, and came down with faces shining.
The early morning meetings before breakfast when the saints met will never be forgotten. The Lord met with us. There were three other services in the big tabernacle during the day, which often ran into the night, if not till morning. The altar workers were very faithful. They would stay and pray with seekers all night.
People came from hundreds and thousands of miles seeking Pentecost, and went back with the rivers of salvation. The songs from the camp could be heard distinctly up in Hermon. One sister who had been told it was all the power of the devil was up in Hermon listening, and she said to herself, "So that is the devil; well, the devil has some sweet singers." She came down and the result was she went to the altar and received the baptism with the Holy Ghost.
From Hermon, one sister saw fire issuing out of the tabernacle, as it were a tongue of fire. Her daughter also saw it. And a little boy who was in the power of the Spirit in the tabernacle, saw a ball of fire in the top of the tabernacle which broke and filled the whole place with light. God surely did send the fire. Many were the heavenly anthems the Spirit sang through His people. And He gave many beautiful messages in unknown tongues, speaking of His soon coming, invitations to come to the Lord, and exhortations from the Word.
We had some precious saints' meetings feasting on the Word. One blessed thing was the unity of the ministers and workers in the doctrines of the Bible, so plainly taught by our Lord. The Lord put His seal upon it. Those who were not present will find the doctrines in this paper as they were taught there. Our power in this Gospel is in standing in the Word. O how precious it is when we are in the Apostles doctrine and fellowship. Some, it is sad to say, will not pay the price.
In Washington, D.C.
In the capital city, the Pentecost has fallen in a colored Holiness Mission. Bro. and Sister S.S. Crawford were preaching the Pentecost at another mission, and they sent for them, as Cornelius sent for Peter to preach this Gospel. Twenty-two came to the altar the first service and four received Pentecost with the Bible evidence. The meeting went on for five weeks with 16 receiving the Pentecost, four of them preachers.
Minnesota Campmeetings
He is pouring out His Spirit on him that is thirsty and floods upon the dry ground. Our annual campmeeting at Fairmont Minn., June 14-24 was a season of precious waiting before the Lord. Heretofore it has been a tarrying place where the full Gospel was preached. But this year in the added light of Pentecostal blessings and power which a number present had received during the past few months, it swung out into a Pentecostal meeting. God was pleased to work graciously in our midst saving, sanctifying, and healing persons and several were baptized with the Holy Ghost, while the blessings flowed out upon others as the Holy Spirit fell upon the people.
At the Maxwell Campmeeting, on Thursday, July 5th, the Lord poured out His Spirit in power; and while numbers were prostrate under the power, He was pleased to use two young women under the power of the Spirit, in speaking through them so that the hearts of the people were melted like wax in His presence, and realized they were in the very presence of God. The afternoon meeting merged into the evening meeting with no time to prepare supper. O it was most blessed indeed.-H.L. Blake Ruthton, Minn.
In North Carolina
The Holy Ghost is being poured out in Rowan Free Will Baptist Church and many are speaking and singing in new tongues, and some interpreting and receiving other manifestations of the Spirit. On the 17th of May Bro. Harrell received his Pentecost, and from that time to this the Holy Ghost has been sought by others and about 28 have received their Pentecost while several have been converted and some sanctified. In nearly every service someone gets their Pentecost. People are coming from other sections of the country to see for themselves the wonderful works of God in our midst.
The fire is falling at the F.W. Baptist Church at Frenchers Creek, and also at the F.W. Baptist Church in Wilmington, N.C. and several have received their Pentecost at each of these places. At Wilmington three little girls from 10 to 12 years old have received their Pentecost and are gloriously happy."-A.J. Bordeau, Colly N.C.
At High Point, N.C., the Pentecost mission is growing, souls are getting saved and the sick healed. At Durham, there is a happy band of baptized believers. At Winston-Salem, some are being baptized with the Holy Ghost and speaking in tongues.
In New Orleans, La.
As soon as we received those Apostolic Faith papers, we began praying, and fasted and prayed, and Glory to His name, He made Himself known in our midst, and came and baptized four with the Holy Ghost and fire. O what a grand time we did have, and the Lord has been continuing to baptize different ones. The fire is falling down here, and the Lord is bringing His saints together as Jesus prayed in the 17th of John. He is giving the gift of speaking with tongues and other gifts.
-Alice Taylor, 2323 Washington Avenue.
Other Points
In Oakland just as the paper goes to press, word comes from Sister Crawford who is on her way east that the power of God is falling. In San Francisco the work is going forward with two young brothers from the campmeeting in charge.
In Atlanta, Ga., reports come of many baptized with the Holy Ghost. Signs and wonders have been given by the Lord.
At Dayton, Ohio, the Holy Ghost first fell in February on those that were earnestly seeking the fullness. Thirty-six souls were reported to have received the Pentecost and the altar full of seekers. Bro. W.W. Bailey, a baptized preacher there opened up a Pentecost Gospel Union Mission at 767 S. Brown St.
At Chambersburg, Pa., about 25 got baptized and some spoke in tongues, some saved, sanctified and healed.
At Youngstown, Ohio, a number have received the baptism. One night they were in prayer all the evening praising God and the Lord gave the heavenly song which sounded to them like angelic strains. One sister saw into glory and saw the heavenly city. Such a sight to behold! It seemed the celestial city was so near, the veil was almost worn through.
At Memphis, Tenn., many hungry souls have been baptized.
At Durant, Fla., there has been a gracious meeting in which about 50 have received the Holy Ghost. Some have been healed, unclean spirits crying with loud voices have come out of some that were possessed with them, souls are saved and sanctified.
Pentecost has fallen at Council Bluffs Ia., at Caldwell, Kans., at Mankato, Minn. at New Castle, Pa., at Watertown, N.Y., and the work has been increasing at many other points.
Truly this is a refreshing time, according to Acts 3. 18-21. "Repent ye therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the time of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord. And He shall send Jesus Christ." We can see the refreshing times are now flowing.
In Portland, Oregon, there has been a Holy Ghost campmeeting going on all summer. Hundreds have been baptized with the Holy Ghost, many saved, sanctified and healed. They have such love and harmony among the saints that they have all things on Pentecostal lines. The saints there are mostly poor, yet making many rich. Tents and eating tabernacle free and no collections. God abundantly supplied. Portland has become an example of this Pentecostal faith. Glory to God for what He had done.
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This great movement is like a little mustard seed planted in Los Angeles. It took root in a humble place which proved to be good soil and, watered with rivers from heaven, it soon put forth its branches to nearby towns as Long Beach and out to Oakland. Soon the limbs spread north and far over the eastern states, and then clear over into Sweden and India. Now it is spreading all over the world, and how beautiful and green it is, and how the birds are coming to lodge in its branches.
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Christ is making up His jewels quickly. O how the "latter rain" is falling. We hear from Canada, from the east and south the sound of abundance of rain. Praise God. It is falling in Sweden, in Norway and refreshing showers in India. Also we hear of gracious drops falling in other distant lands. We hear the rumbling of the chariots of heaven. Some are trying to stop it but you might as well try to stop a cloud burst in the mountains. This thing is in God's hands.
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Men and women have prayed for years to see this precious light, prayed to see Los Angeles revived. Now we can see the fruits of Pentecost here, God healing people, saving, sanctifying, baptizing with the Holy Ghost, speaking through the power of the Spirit and singing in unknown tongues, giving sweet anthems from heaven. God has graciously answered the prayers of His people, though many are blinded and cannot see it; but praise God, our eyes have seen this great salvation and we ought to be encouraged to go forward as never before.
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In Minneapolis there is a precious Holy Ghost mission band of about 200 Holy Ghost people who are united in love and harmony, filled with the glory of God. Though they have been persecuted and * by the secular papers, yet God has only used it as a free advertisement to draw honest souls. One woman heard of it 250 miles away and came all the way to receive her Pentecost, and in a short time she received a mighty baptism with the Holy Ghost, speaking in tongues and interpreting, and went back with the precious oil of the Holy Ghost.
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Hungry souls rejoice to hear of the Pentecost. Sister Mary Yaegge of Baltimore was one who rejoiced to hear of the Pentecost at Los Angeles. She prized the little paper for it seemed to be just what her soul longed for. She had been raised a Catholic and had received the Gospel gladly and was sanctified and hungering for the Holy Ghost. She came to the Campmeeting. Received her Pentecost on the way, while at Oakland and is truly anointed with power and divine love. She is on her way back to Switzerland, her native home, to give this Gospel to her people.
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Missionaries in China have been seeking the baptism with the Holy Ghost ever since they received the first Apostolic Faith papers from Los Angeles. One dear missionary, Brother B. Berntsen from South Chih-li, Tai-Ming-Fu, North China came all the way to Los Angeles to receive his Pentecost. And, bless God, he went to the altar at Azusa Mission, and soon fell under the power, and arose drunk on the new wine of the kingdom, magnifying God in a new tongue. As soon as he could speak English, he said, "This means much for China." Then he told how he had felt the need of the fullness of the Pentecost in China, and we fell on our knees and prayed that the dear missionaries might be anointed and China might receive the Gospel.
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The manager of the Union Rescue Mission in Los Angeles, Bro. Will Trotter, received the baptism with the Holy Ghost and as a result he lost his position under men, but God has marvelously anointed him and is using him in the evangelistic work.
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In Chicago there are a number of Pentecostal meetings. Many are magnifying God for the baptism with the Holy Ghost. The Lord is using Bro. Durham as a river that overflows its banks and waters the thirsty ground. Many hungry ones are seeking and obtaining their baptism. Some of the Moody Institute people have received their Pentecost, but the theologians are not accepting it.
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The Scandinavian Apostolic Faith Mission at 775 Wall street, Los Angeles, is one of the sweetest places you ever were in. The people there are filled with the Spirit praising God. They seem so sincere and full of divine love. There are a number of precious young men and women there that God has cleansed and filled with the Spirit. It is blessed to see them.
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THE LOVE OF JESUS
"Surely He hath borne out griefs and carried our sorrows." The Son of God went into the garden when He was bearing this world of sin. The blood gushed out from His skin and fell in great drops to the ground. He prayed, "Father, if it be thy will remove this cup from Me, never theless not my will but Thine be done." He suffered until His heart swelled in His body and forced the blood through the flesh. His soul burned in Him with the weight of sin of this old world on our conquering King. Then He did not stop but went through Pilate's judgment hall and was whipped and the blood ran down in that judgment hall, and was shed all the way to Calvary. O those stripes reach our sicknesses and our infirmities and heal us. He bled and died and went down into the grave and rose again. O beloved, He atoned for you, He hung and bled for you, and if you will accept Him today He will fill your heart.
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At the annual Christian and Missionary Alliance Convention in Nyack, New York some were present who had received their Pentecost, and a great interest was awakened. In a tarrying meeting one young lady who was called to Africa fell under the power, received the baptism with the Holy Ghost and began to speak in an African tongue, which was recognized by missionaries from Africa as being the very language of the part of Africa to which the sister was expecting to go. Others sought and obtained the baptism.
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A minister who had been opposing this work went to one of the Pentecostal meetings and got under conviction. He confessed to all that he was in the wrong and stated to his congregation that he must have this Pentecostal power, that he would not preach until he had it; he would work on the rock pile first. Then he called all his people to the altar that wanted it and they came in crowds. O the hungry souls. If the ministers would only go in themselves and let their hungry flocks go in what a wave of salvation there would be. This minister we hear has been mightily baptized and many of his people.
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In Santa Barbara in a Pentecostal meeting, as they were kneeling about the altar, some whiskey bottles were thrown which came from a saloon nearby. Two of the saints were struck with them. Sister Crawford was cut on the temple by one of these ugly weapons, but the saints prayed for her and the meeting went on. She writes that she is rejoicing to be counted worthy to bear about in her body the marks of the Lord Jesus.
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In Zion City, Ill., a little girl of about six years came to her mother and said she was going to get saved. She went upstairs and commenced to pray, and the Lord heard her. She called down to her mother "Mamma, if something in me says I am sanctified, is that Jesus speaking?" Her mother said, "Yes." Then she said "Mamma, I am sanctified." She got down and prayed again and was baptized with the Holy Ghost, and the Lord had had her preaching, and gave her a message to one of Dowie's elders that had fought this work. So God spoke through this little child unable to read. He could preach through the ass of Balaam and He can take a little child and preach through it.
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We must keep where God can use us, and the secret is humility, the Word and the Blood.
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This Gospel, the full Gospel of Jesus must be preached in all the earth for a witness then shall the end come.
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Jesus Christ tasted death for every man but He did not taste death for the devil or fallen angels. We do not believe the devil or fallen angels are going to be saved. The Lord Jesus did not die for the devil or demons. Everyone that will repent of their sins can find rest in the Blood of Calvary.
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When Christ is in you, He is married to you in spirit. He calls you, "My love and My dove." Everyone that has Christ is married to Him in spirit. "Ye are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another even to Him who is raised from the dead." Rom. 7. 4. We are under the law of the Spirit of Christ. O how sweet it is You would not depart from this husband of your soul for anything.
THE APOSTOLIC FAITH
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THE APOSTOLIC FAITH MISSION
Stands for the restoration of the faith once delivered unto the saints-the old time religion, of camp meetings, revivals, missions, street and prison work and Christian Unity everywhere.
Teaching on Repentance-Mark 1:14, 15.
Godly Sorrow for Sin, Example-9.13" class="scriptRef">Matt, 9:13, 2 Cor. 7, 9, 11. Acts 3:19, Acts 17: 30, 31.
Of Confession of Sins-Luke 15:21 and Luke 18:13.
Forsaking Sinful Ways-Isa. 55:7. Jonah 3:8. Prov. 28:13.
Restitution-Ezek. 33:15. Luke 19:8.
And faith in Jesus Christ.
First work.-Justification is that act of God's free grace by which we receive remission of sins. Acts 10:42, 43. Rom. 3:25.
Second work.-Sanctification is the second work of grace and the last work of grace. Sanctification is that act of God's free grace by which He makes us holy. 17.15" class="scriptRef">John 17:15, 17.-"Sanctify them through Thy Truth; Thy work is truth." I Thess. 4:3; I Thess. 5:23; Heb. 13:12; Heb. 2:11; Heb. 12:14.
Sanctification is cleansing to make holy. The disciples were sanctified before the Day of Pentecost. By a careful study of Scripture you will find it is so now. "Ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you." (John 15:3; 13:10); and Jesus had breathed on them the Holy Ghost (John 20:21, 22). You know that they could not receive the Spirit if they were not clean. Jesus cleansed and got all doubt out of His Church before He went back to glory.
The Baptism with the Holy Ghost is a gift of power upon the sanctified life; so when we get it we have the same evidence as the Disciples received on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2:3, 4), in speaking in new tongues. See also Acts 10:45, 46; Acts 19:6; I Cor. 14:21. "For I will work a work in your days which ye will not believe though it be told you."-Heb. 1:5.
Seeking Healing-We must believe that God is able to heal.-Ex. 15:26: "I am the Lord that healeth thee." James 5:14; Psa. 103:3; 2 Kings 20:5; 16-Matt.8.17" class="scriptRef">Matt. 8:16, 17; Mark 16; 16, 17, 18. "Behold I am the Lord, the God of all flesh; is there any thing too hard for Me?"-Jer. 32:27.
Too many have confused the grace of Sanctification with the enduement of Power, or the Baptism with the Holy Ghost; others have taken "the anointing that abideth" for the Baptism, and failed to reach the glory and power of a true Pentecost.
The Blood of Jesus will never blot out any sin between man and man they can make right; but if we can't make wrongs right the Blood graciously covers. (Matt. 5:23, 24.)
We are not fighting men or churches, but seeking to displace dead forms and creeds and wild fanaticisms with living, practical Christianity. "Love, Faith, Unity" are our watchwords, and "Victory through the Anointing Blood" our battle cry. God's promises are true. He said: "Be thou faithful over a few things, and I will make thee ruler over many." From the little handful of Christians who stood by the cross when the testings and discouragements came, God has raised a might host.
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HEALING
Sickness and disease are destroyed through the precious atonement of Jesus. O how we ought to honor the stripes of Jesus, for "with his stripes we are healed." How we ought to honor that precious body which the Father sanctified and sent into the world, not simply set apart, but really sanctified, soul, body and spirit, free from sickness, disease and everything of the devil. A body that knew no sin and disease was given for these imperfect bodies of ours. Not only is the atonement for the sanctification of our souls, but for the sanctification of our bodies from inherited disease. It matters not what has been in the blood. Every drop of blood we received from our mother is impure. Sickness is born in a child just as original sin is born in the child. He was manifested to destroy the works of the devil. Every sickness is of the devil.
Man in the garden of Eden was pure and happy and knew no sickness till that up holy visitor came into the garden, then his whole system was poisoned and it has been flowing in the blood of all the human family down the ages, till God spoke to his people and said, "I am the Lord that healeth thee." The children of Israel practiced divine healing. David, after being healed of rheumatism. (perhaps contracted in the caves where he hid himself form his pursuers,) testified saying, "Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me bless his holy name, who forgiveth all thine iniquities, who healeth all thy diseases." David knew what it was to be healed. Healing continued with God's people till Solomon's heart was turned away by strange wives, and he brought in the black arts and mediums, and they went whoring after familiar spirits. God had been their healer, but after they lost the Spirit, they turned to the arm of flesh to find something to heal their diseases.
Thank God we have a living Christ among us to heal our diseases. He will heal every case. The prophet had said, "With his stripes we are healed," and it was fulfilled when Jesus came. Also "He hath borne our griefs," (which means sickness, as translators tell us.) Now if Jesus bore our sicknesses, why should we bear them? So we get full salvation through the atonement of Jesus.
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THE ORDINANCES TAUGHT BY OUR LORD
We believe in three ordinances in the church, foot washing, the Lord's supper and water baptism.
Foot Washing-(John 13.)
Dear loved ones, it is so sweet to think of that wonderful love that our Christ has for His dear people. O beloved, just think of our Almighty Christ becoming a servant, washing the disciples' feet. This is the first place in the scriptures where we see Jesus using water, a very type of regeneration, washing the disciples' feet. Regeneration is spoken of as the washing of water by the Word. So this ordinance is a type of regeneration. Jesus is the Word. "Now ye are clean through the Word which I have spoken unto you. John 15:3.
Jesus washed the disciple's feet, and exhorted them to humility and charity. Bless His holy Name. We read in the Word of God, "Now before the feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come that He should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved His own which were in the world, He loved them unto the end. (Bless God! Praise His holy name!) And supper being ended, the devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray Him; Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He was come from God, and went to God; He riseth from supper and laid aside His garments; and took a towel and girded Himself. After that he poureth water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith He was girded." John 13:1-4.
We read where Jesus cometh to Simon Peter and Peter said unto Him, "Lord, dost Thou wash my feet?" Jesus answered and said unto him, "What I do, thou knowest not now, but thou shalt know hereafter." We can see that this was something new to Peter. He was not used to the Master's washing his feet. But the Lord Jesus told him he should know hereafter. What Jesus means was that when the blessed Holy Spirit should be poured out after the resurrection and ascension unto heaven, that this blessed Holy Spirit would lead Peter into all the doctrines of Jesus, and they would be practiced just as Jesus said in the 16th chapter of John and 12th verse, "I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now, howbeit when He the Spirit of truth is come he will guide you into all truth, for He shall not speak of Himself, but whatsoever He shall hear that shall He spoke, and He will show you things to come. He shall glorify Me, for He shall receive of Mine and shall show it unto you."
Peter said unto Him, "Thou shalt never wash my feet." Jesus answered, "If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with Me."
Dear beloved, none of us should reject the command of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, or these different ordinances that He has instituted. What right have we to dictate to our blessed Master? He said so tenderly, "If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with Me. And this was a rebuke also to any man or any woman that thinks they are independent of the teachings of Jesus. So when Peter heard this rebuke, he said to the Lord, "Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head." How these disciples loved Jesus after that. Jesus said to Him, "He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet but is clean every whit, and ye are clean but not all."
So after He had washed their feet and had taken His garments and was set down again, He said unto them, "Know ye what I have done unto you?' Ye call me Master and Lord and ye say well for so I am. If I then your Lord and Master, have washed your feet, ye ought also to wash one another's feet." Why? Well we only have to read the next verse for ourselves, "For I have given you example."
Dear beloved, we can see this is humility towards each other in real love. While it does mean that, suppose we all practice it literally, for Jesus is our example. He said, "I have given you an example that ye should do as I have done unto you." Some may say that the manner and customs have changed from that day, as we not longer wear sandals, but, dear ones, are our manners and customs going to change the Word of God? "Verily, Verily I say unto you, the servant is not greater than his Lord, neither he that is sent greater than He that sent Him. "If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them. Now this is to His true believers, because they are worthy. Verse 18 explains just who should not do it. He says, "I speak not of you all, for I know whom I have chosen." Dear beloved, if the Lord has chosen us, He has chosen us to walk in the light, as He is in the light, that we might have fellowship one with another, and the Blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin." Amen.
Jesus Himself instituted foot washing in the New Testament, not as in the Old Testament when the priest would wash his own feet at the lever in the temple, which represented regeneration, but Jesus Himself washed the disciples' feet and wiped them with the towel. So, dear loved ones we believe that foot washing is one of the ordinances of the church of God. We find that it is a service much blest of God to our souls. It is for the disciples, not for sinners. In this service the sisters will assemble by themselves apart and wash each other's feet and the brothers will wash the brother's feet. This is also a service of testimony, song and praise. After that comes the Lord's supper.
The Lord's Supper
The Lord Jesus ate the Passover with His disciples, which was Moses' law. It was not finished forever, as He shoved that table aside, and after washing the disciples' feet, instituted the Lord's supper, the Christian Passover, the bread and the wine. The Passover was the very type of Jesus. It had a three-fold meaning; the sprinkled blood for redemption; the body of the lamb eaten for health and healing; and the passing over the Red Sea, which was a type of the Blood of Jesus Christ that gives us victory over all the powers of the enemy.
"The Lord Jesus in the same night in which He was betrayed, took bread; and when He had given thanks, He brake it and said, Take, eat, this is My body, which is broken for you; this do in remembrance of Me. After the same manner also He took the cup, when He had supped, saying This is the new testament in My Blood; this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of Me. For as oft as ye eat this bread and drink this cup, ye do show the Lord's death till He come." I Cor. II 23-26. Praise His holy name. So we see that this ordinance points us to the coming of the Lord, our great deliverance, as the Passover was the deliverance of the children of Israel from Egypt.
The Passover supper always reminded the Jews of God's great love for them in delivering them out of Egyptian bondage. But it was by blood which pointed them to the Lamb of Calvary. So the Lord's supper is to us a memorial of the death of our Lord and also points us to His coming to catch us away in the glorious liberty of the children of God.
They ate the Passover, the body of the lamb, which gave them strength and healing, so the body of the lamb stood for healing and health, just as Christ's body is health to us, "for with His stripes ye are healed." We find as we partake of this ordinance, it brings healing to our bodies if we discern the Lord's body by faith (I Cor. 29-30) It also teaches us salvation and sanctification through the Blood. Our souls are built up, for we eat His flesh and drink His Blood. The Lord Jesus promised, "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. May Christ's children everywhere live by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.
Water Baptism
We believe in water baptism, because Jesus commanded it after His resurrection. Mark 16. 16. "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved." We believe in water by immersion, single. Matt. 3. 16. "And Jesus when He was baptized, went up straighway out of the water." Acts 8 38-39. "And He commanded the chariot to stand still; and they went down into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him. And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more; and he went on his way rejoicing."
It sets forth the believer with Christ in death, burial, and resurrection. Rom. 6 3-5. "Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into His death? Therefore we are buried with Him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. First if we have been planted together in the likeness of His death, we shall be also in the likeness of His resurrection." Gal. 3. 27, "For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ."
Baptism is not a saving ordinance, but it is essential because it is a command of our Lord. Mark 16. 16, and Acts 2. 28 "Repent and be baptized everyone of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of your sins." It is "Not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscious toward God." I Pet. 3.21. It is obedience to the command of Jesus, following saving faith. We believe every true believer will practice it.
It should be administered by a disciple who is baptized with the Holy Ghost and fire, in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Matt. 28, 19-20, "Go ye therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost; teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you." But we find that they were first to tarry for the promise of the Father which would qualify them. Acts I. 4, "And being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father."
We believe that we should teach God's people to observe all things whatsoever He has commanded us, practicing every command and living by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. This is a full Gospel.
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