W. B. Godbey - Enter His Rest
W. B. Godbey - Enter His Rest
W. B. Godbey - Enter His Rest
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who they were. “Oh, that man with the gray clothes is a Methodist steward, and the gentleman in blue is a<br />
Baptist deacon.” I found my pastor in perfect harmony with all, and so appreciative with the Roman Catholics<br />
that I actually wondered why he did not join them.<br />
He tried in vain to get me to join him in the celebration of some of their days.<br />
Having reconnoitered the situation thoroughly, I found that nothing but straight, red-hot Gospel dynamite would<br />
amount to anything in the prosecution of the contemplated siege. Therefore I opened fire on the enemy's works<br />
all along the line, sparing nothing, but bombarding every citadel which Diabolus had fortified for the protection<br />
of his people, not only throughout “Vanity Fair,” but in all the churches as well. The Lord wonderfully helped<br />
me to do my best. I fought like a dog in a yellow jacket's nest, wielding my gattling gun without distinction or<br />
mercy. The Holy Spirit signally used <strong>His</strong> Word.<br />
After several days of bombardment, I opened the altar, which was crowded and filled with seekers. I<br />
immediately found myself lassoed by Satan through the instrumentality of a cultured, high toned pastor, who<br />
seemed to be utterly destitute of spiritual illumination. Electrified with the splendid audience, and thrilled with<br />
encouragement when he saw them crowd the altar, he, thinking, “Now is the time for me to augment the<br />
membership of my church,” availing himself of his pastoral prerogative, as soon as I got the altar filled with<br />
penitents, instead of working to get them saved, proceeded at once to exhort them all to join the Church, and<br />
gave them an urgent invitation.<br />
The result was that he broke up the altar service, and got no joiners, because convicted people do not feel like<br />
joining the Church, on the contrary they realize their utter unworthiness to take that step.<br />
He persisted however in his church-joining enterprise, though receiving no encouragement in the way of<br />
response.<br />
Thus I was actually caught in Satan's trap, and manacled by the irresistible authority of the pastor.<br />
Of course, I could do nothing but turn the trouble over to God, who sent in the presiding elder of the district to<br />
cut the gordian knot and set the meeting free. I found him at the opposite pole of the battery, the very reverse of<br />
the pastor; exceedingly humble, good, sensible, and in full sympathy with the Wesleyan doctrine of<br />
sanctification, he was earnestly seeking the blessing but was not clear in the experience.<br />
In a private interview, having posted him in reference to the dilemma, he told me to go ahead, preach, and throw<br />
the altar open and make my full calculation upon having my own way – he would attend to the pastor.<br />
Sure enough, when they crowded the altar, the pastor got up to give his invitation again, taking it for granted<br />
that all who came to the altar ought to join the Church, holding the exceedingly superficial view of the Spirit's<br />
work which led him to conclude that the very fact of their coming to the altar was ample evidence that they were<br />
in good fix to join the Church, whereas the awful Sinai preaching that I was giving them brought such a<br />
conviction that they would never join the Church until they got converted, which is certainly the normal<br />
economy of Gospel grace.<br />
When the pastor was about to open the doors of his church, the presiding elder walked up, put his hand on his<br />
shoulder and said, “My dear brother, as presiding elder of this district, I feel that I have some official rights,<br />
among which I claim the privilege of controlling this meeting.” Then the pastor very politely responded, “All<br />
right, brother, I turn it all over to you and shall have nothing more to do with the management of it; it is now in<br />
your hands.” Then, in the presence of the pastor, the presiding elder said to me; “Now, Brother <strong>Godbey</strong>, the<br />
control of the meeting is in my hands.<br />
Therefore I turn it all over to you, now you are monarch of all you survey. Your rights there are none to dispute.”<br />
Then of course the brakes were forever gone, and we had a wonderful soul-saving time.<br />
There were people of all denominations and outsiders crowding the altar, praying through to God and rising to<br />
witness to <strong>His</strong> mighty power to save. Before the meeting was over, we saw the glorious Christian union about<br />
which I had spoken to the pastor. Whereas before it had been Satan's union in his kingdom, we saw that union<br />
now wonderfully verified in the kingdom of God.