Scriptural Sanctification - Media Sabda Org

"We further agree that in order for them to reach this most desirable state, a crisis must in most
cases be brought on, very similar to what they went through at conversion. In other words, as they
'received Christ Jesus the Lord, so must they walk with him.' They must repent of their sins, for sins
they have certainly been committing in living so far below their acknowledged privilege and
neglecting so many of their admitted duties. They must make a complete confession of everything
they know. It is true they did this when their sins were first pardoned; but they are in a position now
to do it much more thoroughly and effectually. They know a great deal more than they did then; the
daily discipline of life has shown them their weaknesses [their need of a baptism of power]; the
heights and depths, the lengths and breadths of the law of God have become much more fully
revealed to them; light from a hundred sources has been thrown upon the depravities of their heart.
So their consecration now can be a great deal more detailed and complete. The territory was, in a
sense, all made over to God originally; but it has now been better explored, its resources are more
largely known, and hence a renewed transference of the title deeds has much more significance.
"This deeper consecration being thus more carefully and solemnly made, it only remains, as in
the beginning, to believe that God accepts that which is given, receives the penitent offerer, who is
at the same time the offering, into a new and tenderer relation, and fully empowers him for all the
service to which the eager suppliant will certainly be called. Thus resting in this comfortable
assurance, all his anxieties, which were inseparable from a partial consecration and an imperfect
faith, being at an end, he has perfect peace, abiding joy, and meetness for the Master's use. This will
be a MOMENTOUS ERA in his life, an Epoch from which he will very naturally date as being
almost a fresh conversion. It will be a new start, a strong departure, which will put an end for awhile
at least [why not permanently?] to the old zigzaggery, the perpetual ups and downs, which have been
so humiliating or, at any rate, so disgraceful to himself and so painful to his Lord. In the promotion
of such new departures as this, and in the insistence that nothing short of this can be considered a
normal Christian life, we think a good work is being done."
The reference is to the work that is being done by the "holiness" or "second blessing" people. And,
taken in connection with Dr. Mudge's remarkable experience, elsewhere given and explained in this
volume, this platform would seem to be broad enough for any sober-minded "second blessing" man
to stand on. He can do so without surrendering his convictions as to the cause of the great need of
this second "crisis" or "epoch" in the history and experience. He may believe that it is because of a
partial work at conversion, while Dr. Mudge and others may believe that it is because of backsliding.
And the "perfect peace and abiding joy" which the Doctor says result from this crisis is substantially
what we contend for. And will not our people who agree with Drs. Mudge and Boland come to this
platform and join us in the good work necessary to bring about this crisis and its glorious results in
the experience and lives of all our people?
It is a most grave and acute "condition," and not a harmless theory, that confronts us and demands
our earnest attention. The question with the practical divine is not how sin and its fearful train of
evils came into the world, but how can we most speedily and effectively get them out of it. It is even
so, or ought to be, with good and earnest men of all schools of thought as to this burning question
of healing the disease, perfecting the love, and bringing to its maximum of strength and usefulness
a weak, worldly, and comparatively inefficient Church. May God give us light and wisdom that we