Scriptural Sanctification - Media Sabda Org

(3) Another reason is the greater usefulness that follows this baptism. The testimonies to this
result, found in the "experience" chapters of this book, are very decided. We refer especially to those
of Finney, Moody, Earle, Peck, James Brainerd Taylor, Pierson, and others. A moderate estimate is
that one's usefulness in the ministry is doubled if not quadrupled. And the sweeter spirit, more
consistent life, more effectual prayers, and more earnest and effective words of private Christians,
in the home, in the social circle, and in all places for Christian work, are far more potent for good.
Having Christ in us as "the power and wisdom of God," we become sources of greater power for
good to others -- "rivers" of saving and refreshing influence quietly flowing out from our
"Spirit-filled" souls to those with whom we are brought into contact. In a word, a happy experience
and a consistent life take the reproach of weakness and ineffectiveness of bad tempers and
inconsistent and fruitless lives from our holy religion, and commend it more effectively to the world
as something most valuable and desirable.
(4) We need hardly add that, as the result of such a fruitful and useful life, we may expect larger
and more glorious reward in heaven. A fuller consecration, a richer experience, greater faithfulness,
and more abundant usefulness here will secure greater reward there.
At least these four things, then, will come to us from this full baptism with the Holy Ghost -- less
danger of backsliding, greater happiness, and enlarged usefulness here, with more abundant reward
hereafter. May these reasons prove influential with all our readers!
5. When should we seek and expect this baptism? All the reasons for seeking it at all, given in the
last section, indicate that it should be sought as soon as it may be obtained; for certainly the purity,
happiness, and strength which tend to prevent our backsliding, promote our usefulness, and increase
our reward ought to be sought as soon as they are available. And, as has been frequently said before,
we believe these are available at or very soon after conversion. Hence we would insist that in cases
where this baptism does not come at regeneration, the young converts' minds should at once be
directed to this promised baptism, and they urged and encouraged to immediately seek it. As we have
seen, that appears to have been the apostolic method. (Acts ii. 37, 38; viii. 6, 12, 17; xix. 5, 6.)
Dr. Steele says:
"The reason for the seeming blending of the baptism of the Holy Ghost with regeneration, in
exceptional instances in the Acts of the Apostles, is to be attributed to the fact that the regenerate
were urged to the immediate attainment of this great blessing, so that they did attain it with the
interval of only a brief period."
John Fletcher is said to have found this blessing "a very few days after his conversion." And when
John Wesley's preachers constantly held out this blessing as attainable soon after regeneration, and
many believers exemplified the truth in their experience, there were instances of its attainment within
a few days after conversion. In his Journal, August 4, 1762, Mr. Wesley says:
"The next morning I spoke severally with those who believed they were sanctified. There were
fifty-one in all -- twenty-one men, and twenty-one widows or married women, and nine young