Scriptural Sanctification - Media Sabda Org

SCRIPTURAL SANCTIFICATION:
An
Attempted Solution of the Holiness Problem
By The
Rev. John R. Brooks, D.D.
Chapter 17
CONGREGATIONAL TESTIMONY FROM EXPERIENCE
DRS. UPHAM AND MAHAN
The Rev. Professor Thomas C. Upham, D.D., is well known as one of the ablest, most scholarly,
and most spiritual metaphysicians and divines ever produced by the Congregational Church of
America. He was the author of quite a number of philosophical, biographical, and theological works
of high merit. Dr. Mudge is candid enough to call him "a high proficient both in mental philosophy
and spiritual experience." We will favor our readers with some extracts, from the record of his
experience, written by himself and published first in Pioneer Experiences and afterwards in Forty
Witnesses. We had hoped to give this experience in full, but lack of space forbids. Hence we must
content ourself with copious extracts and some comments. We direct attention to several things in
this remarkable record:
1. Dr. Upham's experience was not the result of a pet theory, received from his Church or religious
teachers, and was not, therefore, "colored" by preconceived views. On the contrary, his theory
touching sanctification resulted from his having "examined the subject, as he thought, prayerfully,
candidly, and faithfully, looking at the various objections as well as the multiplied evidences" flying
in the face of his Church's teaching and his traditional faith.
2. This is not the experience of a heated and excited rhapsodist, but that of a cool and
well-balanced philosopher. Nor is it the "crude, unreliable, undiscriminating testimony" of one of
Mr. Wesley's "ignorant followers," but that of a "high proficient, both in mental philosophy and
spiritual experience," who did not embrace Mr. Wesley's views until after he had thoroughly and
prayerfully examined the subject for himself. And this testimony was not given until after he had,
through a course of years, fully tested the truth of this theory by daily experiment. The facts
establishing its truth had been clearly revealed to his consciousness, which, in turn, promptly
reported them to his intelligence, producing profound and unwavering conviction.
3. Three more or less distinct stages of his spiritual development are noted:
(1) From the time he "experienced" and "made a profession of religion" -- 1815-18 up to 1839 -more
than twenty years, he seems to have been in the dispensation of the Father, obeying God as a
"servant," chiefly from the motive of "fear." He says: "During the greater part of that long period I
believe that I have striven earnestly for higher religious attainments." But he adds: "For various
reasons, however, and particularly the encouraging influence of the prevalent doctrine that personal
sanctification cannot fully take place till death, I did not permanently attain the object of my desires."