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  WRITINGS OF W B DUNKUM
  by W.B. Dunkum
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A collection of theological writings, sermons, and essays by W.B. Dunkum,
compiled for study and devotional reading.

  Chapters: 11

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  TABLE OF CONTENTS
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    1. 1.00.     Future Life
    2. 1.01.        A Sermon - "The Home of the Soul"
    3. 1.02.     Facts About Heaven
    4. 1.03.     The Future Life Immortality
    5. 1.04.     "The Home of the Soul"
    6. 1.05.     Occupation of Heaven
    7. 1.06.     Personal Recognition in Heaven
    8. 2.     Hot Potatoes With Jackets On Part 1
    9. 2.     Hot Potatoes With Jackets On Part 2
   10. S. Life Of Paul
   11. S. Temptation

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  CHAPTER 1: 1.00.     FUTURE LIFE
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Contents 01. A Sermon - "The Home of the Soul"

02. Facts About Heaven 03.The Future Life Immortality 04. "The Home of the Soul"

05. Occupation of Heaven 06. Personal Recognition in Heaven


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  CHAPTER 2: 1.01.        A SERMON - "THE HOME OF THE SOUL"
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A Sermon - "The Home of the Soul" By W.B. Dunkum

Lift up your heads, ye weary Pilgrims of earth, and behold the homeland of the
soul which is almost in sight. The upturned eye, the expression of the face, the
rapidity of your pace proves logically that you are seeking a country. Then
forward, Brother Pilgrim, till we commune together in that happy home, and
refresh ourselves with realities in a home not made with hands, yes, that
heavenly land toward which our yearning hearts are aspiring. To my mind there is
no subject upon which the mind should dwell more frequently, more joyfully and
more deeply than that state of existence which lies beyond the grave. Whether
acknowledged or not this subject does occupy the thoughts of men. Hope of
something better, dread of something worse, is constantly before men. In the
busiest hours, in the gayest circles, the fact of our future existence bears
heavily upon the spirit. In the midst of the turmoil of life, surrounded by
infallible evidences of immortality and going fast and consciously toward an
eternal state, man often looks with trembling anxiety beyond this life. The man
is in exile on a foreign, shore, but when he leaves the shore of captivity and
sails towards home, it becomes more real and he has a greater longing to get
there and see for himself, and enjoy the blessings and hospitality of a home
life. We are exiles on our way home. Already we are being driven far and fast
upon the sea of life. Would it not be wise for us to look anxiously towards a
landing place on the eternal shore? With the Bible to direct our thoughts, and
the Christian hope to inspire our hearts, and with this hope in us we can live
in this world and keep in constant view the home of the soul. This subject does
occupy the attention of men. They may not bend over and look into the mysteries
of salvation. But they are not satisfied with vague knowledge, they desire to
look into it. We should not satisfy ourselves with general knowledge that there
is a heaven, but we should make ample preparation to go there ourselves. When we
desire to go to a new country to some unknown how much we know about heaven,
even though our sources of information seem at first exceedingly scarce. Let us
catch every ray of light concerning the future world, in order for us to be
intelligent and as comfortable as possible as we journey towards it. Doubtless
some friend of earth to whom you were united by the ties of nature has gone on
before. Perhaps you visit that sacred spot where their bodies sleep, but you do
not attempt to call them back, because they are better off than we. While tears
may flow like rain, but with the poet we say--

"Yet again we hope to meet them, When the day of life is passed, Then in heaven
with joy to greet them, Where no farewell tears are shed."

Come, thou consistent child of hope, and wipe your tears, and we will read about
heaven. "He is not here." "Let the dead bury their dead." Why linger ye about
the grave of buried hope? Yonder just ahead is a land where hopes never die.
Look up, your reward is before you; the blessed thought of the eternal home will
heal all wounds received by the way. Arise and depart in the strength of the
Lord, for this is not your rest. The young may depart, but the old must. Aged
Pilgrim, you may expect to soon be there. You have already gone down the
hillside of life toward the valley of the Shadow of death. Beloved, lift up your
eyes and look! Before you is a land fairer than day. Your eyes are dim to the
beauties of earth, your ears are deaf to its exquisite music. Your feet have
become weary and tired because of the thorny and rugged way. But behold a better
land lies just before you. To read of it is better than pastime while the
chariots of Israel tarry. It inspires and comforts as we journey thus by the
way. Heaven, Oh! heaven, beautiful heaven. Our Father’s house, the home of
angels and of all the departed saints who have fallen asleep in Jesus! We shall
see apostles, prophets and martyrs and best of all our Savior. There the
redeemed will be crowned with starry crowns, eat fruit from the tree of life and
drink from the crystal fountain around the throne of God. It will be heaven. The
home of all hope, the end of life’s weary pilgrimage. Here we dismiss our
burdens and forget our sorrows. It is here the wicked cease from troubling and
the weary be at rest. "And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes, and
there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be
any more pain: for the former things are passed away."

All Bible readers have born in them intuitively that heaven is somewhere in
God’s universe. This impression is piously and pleasantly cherished by the
learned men of all ages. Neither does the Bible leave us in the dark as to
heaven being a locality. "I go to prepare a place for you." Where He is, there
we shall be also. We shall be together in the same locality and behold His glory
and see Him face to face. Surely we can’t but think about a home beyond this
life. It is a land of hopes, it is where our treasures are, and to that land we
are bound, not only by the powers of faith; but by human ties, yes, because of
the dead who died in the Lord. We look that way to a home, a heavenly home, an
eternal home, a real habitation, where we shall know one another and be with one
another upon terms of intimate friendship. Here upon earth we have a foretaste
of celestial joy. We see through the eye of faith the bright landscape of
immortal realms. We are cheered in the midst of these low grounds of sin and
sorrow, by the dawn of an eternal morning and we have a desire to depart which
is far better. Yet all the days of our appointed time will we wait until our
time comes. But we look forward to our home beyond the misty sea, a place
unvisited by mortals. Our fancy sees quiet valleys, crystal streams, sparkling
fountains and unclouded skies, where the air is filled with odor of unearthly
sweetness. It is the home of the weary; it makes life more easy and death more
comfortable. The homeland of the soul. Surely this is like heaven to me.

Modern discoveries show that various ideas as to the location of the soul
prevails among the inhabitants of earth. Indians have believed that beyond the
most distant mountain is a wide river, beyond the river a great country, on the
other side of that country a world of water, in those waters are thousands of
islands, containing trees and streams of water, and thousands of buffaloes and
ten thousands of deer gaze on those hills and in those valleys, and when they
die they are persuaded that some great spirit will conduct them to those islands
of worlds, the happy hunting ground. Their knowledge being limited of the world
in which they live would very naturally suffer their speculation to give them a
wrong interpretation of the unknown regions. Being somewhat acquainted with
tradition, their attention is immediately directed to heavenly worlds which are
still floating like islands in the blue sea of space. It is there they erect
their castles of hope, where we question the reality of their existence; and if
you follow the Indian on you will doubtless return with new experiences and
better contented to remain at home than before. You may for a while walk the
difficult paths of speculation but afterward you will be more contented in the
divinely illuminated path of revelation. Who can paint the glorious realities of
the world beyond the confines of time? Yet you maybe absolutely sure that it
will far exceed anything which the human mind has ever conceived. With love made
perfect it is marvelous to live with that experience in view. A little child can
love God with all the powers of its limited mind, might and strength; so can the
aged with many years of experience and of intelligence and spiritual
development. They can perfectly love God and Scriptural holiness in proportion
to their capacity. But no doubt the most advanced of all saints that ever walked
the earth have at the close of life merely entered upon their eternal career.
Always advancing, always growing, always climbing new mountain peaks of new
vision, they will be going from strength to strength and from glory to glory
while the eternal ages of eternity shall roll. Blessed are the souls that shall
overcome in all the conflicts of life by the blood of the Lamb and by the words
of their testimony, for their inheritance is in the city of our God. The
possibilities of the great hereafter, the blissful existence in the presence of
our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, the fellowship of the dead who died in the
Lord, the companionship of angels, and the expectation of seeing Jesus face to
face, ought to inspire every honest soul to seek the experience of entire
sanctification, which alone fits us for heaven, that we may make sure of all
that is offered us in time and eternity through the redemptive work of Jesus
Christ.

Heaven is a place, a real place, a place occupied by God’s holy intelligencies,
whether principalities or powers, angels or men. The Jews had three heavens.
First the region of the air where the birds fly and the clouds move. Second the
region of the star spangled concave above us. Third the realms invisible beyond
first and second where the Savior dwells. "For where Jesus is ’tis heaven
there." It is the abode of the Shekinah of God’s presence. Yet it is to be our
abode. A place already prepared. "We know if our earthly house of this
tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with
hands, eternal in the heavens." Though the earth may burn beneath our feet, yet
we will not sink into perdition, because we have a foundation upon which to
stand, and we will not be left without a home in which to live, for He hath
prepared for us a habitation, far superior to these frail dwellings of earth;
free from the defilements of sin, decorated with the beauty of holiness, wherein
dwelleth righteousness. You ask the question, "Where are the dead?" The poet
answers, "Far from the world of toil and strife, They are present with the
Lord."

Some of the most pious and leading denominations teach that the saints pass
immediately at death into heaven. We consider it true as taught by the Word of
God. And it seems the weight of argument is on this side. It is not the faith of
a few but the testimony of the church, that the righteous at death enter that
place which is called heaven, where the glorified saints are, the home of
angels, to behold the Savior and be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is and
shall forever be with the Lord.

We are inclined to look at heaven as a stereotyped condition without attaching
to it the idea of degrees and progression. When we maintain that the saint
passes immediately at death into heaven, we do not mean that they enter there
upon their final condition, in the highest state of perfection, because their
actions follow them and will continue their influence until the end comes. But
they have entered the place of their final abode. Say, for instance, a child is
born into the world; it is in the world, but it is limited in its observation,
actions, ideas, capacities and enjoyment, and no doubt each faculty occupies its
place symmetrically and in a uniform condition. Analogous to this may be our
primary stage of our future celestial history. The child is in the world during
its infantile years. But how different is it and how different is the world to
it when its faculties are properly developed. So in heaven. The child before
self-consciousness appeared, enjoyed an indistinct and floating life, yet very
happy, so may it be with our future experience before the resurrection of the
body. Wherever we are it will be a preparatory state to prepare us to enjoy
heaven itself or more of it as long as the ages of eternity shall roll. When we
pass through dangers both seen and unseen we seldom realize how we are protected
by the angels of God. Yet it has been said that when the Jewish economy passed,
the ministry of angels came to a close. And that we have a better ministry which
is the leading and comforting influence of the Holy Spirit, and that
consequently we have no need of angelic service. Another says, "Angels are
always abroad in the earth, binding the tares in bundles to burn, and gathering
home into eternal barns God’s faithful sheaves." The Bible says, "The angel of
the Lord encampeth round about them that fear him and delivereth them." What a
blessed truth is this! I would to God that we could realize by faith as we pass
through this wilderness below that the angel of the Lord will throw His
encampment around us. Again, "He shall give his angels charge over us to keep us
in all our ways." You may be led in many ways but angels which excel in strength
will have charge over you. There is a way of temptation, there is a way of
affliction, there is a way of duty and toil, and many ways to make up the
Christian’s pathway of life. For God leads him as He did saints of old through
howling wilderness and sandy deserts, but all the way we are kept by the angel
who has charge over us. Josephus says that angels conduct the souls of the dying
from the gates of death on to their final abode. When they pass the gates of
death there are two ways: one to the right and the other to the left. The unjust
are dragged by force to the left for their just punishment. The just are guided
to the right and led with hymns sung by angels into the region of light, to the
place where the just have dwelt from the foundation of the world.

If heaven is a place distinct from earth as we think it is, then departed
spirits will need a guide to conduct them thither. Do we not have angels with us
in this untiring way? If so, why should they not go with us all the way? No
wonder saints in the dying hour see angels hovering around. Many a saint greets
this hour with smiles and an eternal welcome. These spirits are unseen by those
who stand around and weep, but seen by those whose spiritual vision becomes
bright in proportion as it becomes dim to earth. Christians in the dying hour
have raised their hands with unearthly energy saying with joyful triumph, "They
have come." Yes, "They have come." It is the" chariots of Israel and the
horsemen thereof." They are here to convey the spirit to the God who gave it.
Farewell, earth, earthly things and earthly friends! "We are bound for the
promised land. "Yes, we are seeking a city which hath foundations, whose builder
and ruler is God. This has been the voice of the church for past centuries. It
comes to us through the quiet medium of by gone ages, not the impulse of hurry,
but in quietness and calmness. It is the testimony of the church and the
testimony of Christian consciousness. This has been her experience through the
deep floods and fierce flames of her trials and triumphs. The martyr at the
stake, the missionary in exile for Christ’s sake, the persecuted, the banished,
yes, they all have died in the faith once delivered to the saints, with complete
victory and implicit faith in a blissful immortality. And in that glorious land
we shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more, neither shall the sun shine on
us any more, for the Lord God is in our midst, He shall feed us and lead us into
fountains of living waters and God shall wipe away all tears from our eyes. "In
His presence is fullness of joy, at His right hand are pleasures forever more."
There we will continue in perfect purity and unending bliss throughout an
endless eternity. In that bright city the streets are gold, the gates are pearl,
the walls are jasper. Heaven, our eternal home! No night, no pain, no sorrow,
nor crying and the inhabitants shall die no more. The Lord will dwell with us,
we will be his people and He will be our God. We shall dwell in this eternal
home, share His inheritance, behold His glory and be like Him, for we shall see
Him as He is, and shall be satisfied when we awake in His likeness. We shall
receive a crown of righteousness, a crown of life, yes, a crown of glory which
fadeth not away. It will be grand and glorious, when the redeemed of every
kindred, tongue, people and nation shall join in the song of praise to Christ,
because He was slain and hath redeemed us to God by His blood. We, with the
thousands, yes, ten thousand times ten thousand and thousands of thousands,
shall sing, "Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, riches, wisdom,
strength, honor, glory and blessing." Their voices of praises to God will be
like the voice of many waters and mighty thundering saying, "Hallelujah, our God
be praised! .... Now unto the king eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise
God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen."


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  CHAPTER 3: 1.02.     FACTS ABOUT HEAVEN
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Facts About Heaven By W.B. Dunkum I. Heaven is a state. To be right with God is
to be in a heavenly state. The Kingdom of God is within you; which is
righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Ghost. In joy or sadness, sorrow or
pain, storm or calm, health or sickness, adversity or prosperity, with friends,
or friendless, in life or death, if we have Jesus we have a foretaste of what
awaits us, a Heaven to go to Heaven in.

"Once Heaven seemed a far off place Till Jesus showed His smiling face; Now it’s
begun within my soul, ’Twill last while endless ages roll."

Some things in this world will not be in heaven:

1. Sin,

2. Sorrow,

3. Separation.

Heaven will be a land of singing. It. will be the voice of a great multitude. At
the home coming near Louisville, Kentucky years ago when the Statue of Stephen
Foster was unveiled by two ladies, 150 instruments began playing, out of 25,000
people assembled one could hardly see a dry eye. There will be a great home
coming in glory some day; then we will sing the songs of redemption. The very
best from every nation, kindred, tongue, and people will be there. God’s family
of all ages will be there. Then we can meet those we have loved, lived and
labored with.

Some of the attractions of heaven will be, Old Testament Saints, New Testament
Saints and others whose names are in the Book of Life, and the martyrs who
sealed their faith with their blood. Our loved ones will be there, but first of
all we will want to see Jesus who redeemed us with His precious blood. The Old
Ship of Zion has landed many thousand and can land as many more. Fitness for
heaven will be holiness of heart and life, in other words, regeneration and
entire sanctification. The simplest interpretation of Hebrews 12:14 is that
heaven is a Holy Place and if we enter heaven we must as a prerequisite obtain
holiness. This plain truth shuts the gate of heaven to every unholy person;
hence all will be excluded who are void of this grace. Whether great or small,
learned or ignorant, rich or poor, no one can enter but those who have been made
holy and must be in a present enjoyment of the experience.

False religions of this world have erroneous views about heaven.

1. The Hindu idea of heaven is a land of dreamless sleep, where all lose their
identity, individuality and consciousness, which is swallowed up by the Great
Spirit.

2. The Greek and Roman heaven will be a land of beautiful landscapes where all
will behalf conscious; no premium on character and no distinction between vice
and virtue found there.

3. The Indian’s heaven is a happy hunting ground where game will be plentiful
and the white man’s face will never intrude or disturb.

4. The Mohammedan heaven is a place of selfishness and sensuality. When they
come to cross the streams all will be greeted with white camels and golden
saddles and have golden cups to drink from the stream. All continue the journey
until they reach a Mansion of Pearls. There will be servants to attend and wait
on them throughout all eternity.

5. The Mormon heaven will be a place of sensuality and revelry.

6. The Bible view of heaven.

False views of heaven should cause us to fully appreciate and enjoy more of
heaven.

(1) Heaven is a place of residence. We get tired here (get tired in the way but
not tired of the way). Our bodies are worn, our nerves are taxed. It is beyond
our power, skill, and genius to adequately portray the glories of heaven.

(2) In heaven all will have enjoyment without weariness. Here our brains are
taxed until we naturally wear out. In heaven we will be employed in the service
and worship of the King and never get tired or hoarse. Our labors will be
celestialized, spiritualized, and glorified.

(3) Triumph without conflict will characterize heaven. We will rise without
pushing others down, but not so here. Here we are elected, others defeated or
vice versa.

(4) The society of heaven will be without temptation. Society may tempt here,
but in heaven we will be with the saints only.

(5) Heaven will be without sin. No sin in heaven; out of sight of sin. Holiness
is universal there. No holiness fighters in heaven, Heaven is a prepared
habitation for a prepared people.

Reader, imagine if you can a world without a devil. No more graft, no more
stealing, robbery, murder, kidnapping, drunkenness, or suffering of any kind.
Not even a single disappointment will ever mar that heavenly world that every
Christian is heir to, Brethren, this will be worthwhile.

(6) Perfection without faults. We’re full of faults, mistakes, and imperfections
here, but when glorified we will be freed from human imperfections.

(7) Union without separation. To say good-bye here brings sadness. There we will
meet to never part again.

(8) Happiness, without end. Here We are tempted, tried, grieved, and burdened,
But when faith is lost in sight our happiness will never end. The Love of God
and Heaven Are Closely Related 1. God’s love is seen in the creation of man’s
first home.

2. God’s presence was there.

3. This home was tainted by sin.

4. Last book of the Bible gives an account of man’s eternal home.

5. In man’s first home sin entered.

6. In his eternal home sin cannot enter.

7. Between man’s first and second home is the battle ground.

Necessary Equipment:

1. Whatever is necessary to get us to heaven is taught in the Bible.

2. Whatever is necessary to get us to heaven is preached by the God called
preacher.

3. Whatever is necessary to get us to heaven is majored in by the Christian.

4. Whatever is necessary to get us to heaven we can have every moment.

5. Whatever is necessary to get us to heaven is within our reach.

6. Whatever is necessary to get us to heaven we can embrace as a privilege.

II. Heaven is a place. A kingdom, a city, an inheritance, a dwelling place,
Father’s home of many mansions. It is a place somewhere. This world is not our
abiding place. We must live somewhere. One cannot conceive of drifting here upon
the Ocean of Time, then going out into nothingness. We are born with a higher
destiny than that of earth. Heaven is a world free from sin; streets are gold;
walls are jasper; inhabitants are holy angels and the saints of all ages. The
beauties of heaven give us a hint as to the greatness of heaven. It is a place
He has prepared for His own somewhere out yonder in the universe. From heaven,
we will doubtless look back to this world where the battle of human redemption
was fought. There will be no sin in heaven. Two places you will find no sin, in
a pure heart and in heaven. "There will in no wise enter into it anything that
defileth," but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.
This world is filled with sorrows, sighs, groans, tears, and heartaches. Sorrow
is written upon almost every life. There sorrow will never cloud the brow, tears
will never blind the eyes nor stain the cheeks. If the Bible described all the
beauties and glories of heaven we would get so homesick to go that our lives
might be useless here. Yet we find m the Bible all that is necessary for us to
know about heaven, as such information is no where else fully revealed. While
the Old Testament offers us very little information along this line that the
average person would naturally desire, yet we get much information from the New
Testament. Also Jesus Christ gives us up-to-date information along this subject.
The Bible does tell us that heaven is a city, it has its walks, mansions, and
foundations. Uncleanness will never be allowed to enter; it will be ruled over
by love. A place of unbroken fellowship. A place of supreme happiness, beauty,
harmony and music; all day, no night, no darkness, sin, sorrow, death, disease,
and trouble. Will see God, Jesus, Apostles and prophets and the redeemed of
every age. There we gladly and willingly do the will of God. The Bible speaks of
heaven as "A Paradise restored, a city, a city of God, a better country, a
temple, a kingdom, a dwelling place, God’s throne, our Father’s House of Many
Mansions." In a sense heaven is everywhere, because God is everywhere, but
heaven is somewhere in particular. To the sorrowing disciples Jesus said, "I go
to prepare a place for you."

1. He is going away to prepare a home.

2. He is coming again to receive the prepared. When that place has been prepared
and completed there will not be one thing left for us to add. We may try and
think of heaven until we bewilder the mind and stagger the imagination, but
heaven will far surpass all earthly beauties combined.

Heaven will be the great Metropolis of God’s people. Home of God’s millions from
the battlefields of the world; those who have known the curse and blight of sin
and the power of redeeming grace. Just what relationship this redeemed world
will sustain toward the Heavenly Universe, we do not know. But it will be the
place where Jesus Christ met sin, death, and hell; where the great battle of
human redemption was fought; and where the victory was won that redeemed a
guilty race.

Heaven is a place where beauty is perfect. But the most beautiful thing of earth
will be nothing compared with the beauty of heaven. The most exquisite music
here will be no comparison to the music of heaven. That heavenly melody, that
sublime and blissful music will hold every ear a captive to its sound. After
meeting our Saviour face to face then there will be the blood washed millions
clothed in white robes and wearing starry crowns. What a glorious and blood
bought privilege it will be to hear that Heavenly Choir and hear the voice of
the Son of God which will be more melodious than an instrument of a thousand
strings. Heaven means, being with Christ, beholding His face, a crown of
righteousness, a crown of glory, a crown of life, an incorruptible crown,
inheritance eternal, everlasting life, a home eternal in the heavens, a city
which hath foundations, an eternal weight of glory.

Heaven is a place where decay never gnaws beauty. Where time never writes a
wrinkle. Where death never digs a grave. Where frost never comes. Where rivers
never freeze over. Where flowers never fade. Where walls are jasper. Where gates
are pearl. Where the streets are paved with gold. Where you never telephone for
the doctor for no one ever gets sick in that city. Where the undertaker is never
called as no one dies there. The oldest inhabitants never witnessed death in
that city. Crape is never hung on the door knob. The hearse is never seen and
graveyards are unknown.

Heaven is strictly and properly a place. God has not left us in the dark upon a
subject of such vital importance as to the future life. The first impression one
gets from reading the Bible concerning heaven is that it is a locality somewhere
in God’s Universe. Hence most Christians without questioning their views have
intuitively that belief of another world. This impression is piously and
pleasantly cherished. Reckless speculators in all their research work have not
furnished anything better. Even learned men who have examined the Christian’s
ideas have found them pleasant to cherish and believe.

Heaven is a prepared place for a prepared people. If you are going there you had
better get in tune now. This city is well built and well guarded whose builder
and maker is God. A belief in heaven is universal. A hope of heaven is
refreshing, to the tired and weary Pilgrim along the stormy and dusty pathway of
life. The Way to Heaven 1. It is a narrow way.

2. It is a holy way.

3. It is a difficult way.

4. It is a safe way.

5. It is a well guarded way.

6. It is free and open to all. a. In heaven there is work without weariness. b.
In heaven there is joy without sorrow. c. In heaven there is a safety without
danger. d. In heaven there is rest without end. The ancient nations have always
located for themselves somewhere a heaven which was the object of their supreme
desire and hopes. The superstitious pagans have found a home for their dead
beyond the misty sea. Their fancy located beautiful islands never visited by
mortals. In their imagination they could see beds of flowers, shady walks, cool
retreats, the most beautiful grass, quiet valleys, crystal streams, sparkling
fountains, and skies unclouded, and the air full of odors of unearthly
sweetness. This would be the hope of weary spirits and the thought of such would
make the ills of life more easy, and the thought of death more comfortable.
Their leaders taught them that if they would live lives of virtue according to
the pagan standard, that at death they would be taken away to these abodes of
peace and blessedness. The Christian’s heaven is a place of blessed victory and
glorious triumph. This world is a battlefield but heaven is a place where
battles will be history. This is the land of the sword; heaven is a land of the
crown. This is the land of bloodshed ; heaven is a land of white robes and
shouts of victory. Oh, what a thrill of joy to know the last battle has been
fought and the victory won. Because of sin being overthrown and Satan defeated
shouts of universal victory will rise from the redeemed and bloodwashed.

Heaven is a place. "I go to prepare a place for you." Heaven is the home of the
saints. Heaven is a permanent place. Earthly surroundings are transitory,
passing, changing, and decaying. This world is but a place to tent and camp.
Heaven is a better country that is an heavenly. It is a place of happiness
because of its surroundings. Another thing about, heaven will be its riches.
Earth may boast of her riches here, but earth’s riches are but rags and poverty
compared to the riches of heaven. Some riches of heaven will be God the Father,
Jesus Christ, Angels, the redeemed, our loved ones, the crown that fadeth not
away, tree of life, harps of gold, white robes, and mansions. Every man will
receive his own reward according to his labors. Here we labor and toil, there we
rest.

There we expect the "Well done" of Jesus. Jesus will be the supreme reward.

1. Life is the place to prepare for eternity. Your life here settles where you
will spend eternity. Not a place to get rich and have a good time. Life is too
serious and too short for that.

2. Death should be prepared for. To neglect preparation is the height of folly
and soul suicide. Whether your destiny is for heaven or hell it will be for all
eternity. Your destiny is determined by your attitude toward Jesus Christ and
vital salvation.

You need not be lost.

(1) A road has been opened.

(2) A way has been prepared.

(3) A remedy has been provided.

"Jesus paid it all, All to Him I owe; Sin had left a crimson stain, He washed it
white as snow."

Heaven is a city never built with the human hands. A city whose inhabitants no
census has ever numbered. A city through whose streets business has never
rushed. A city through whose streets a hearse has never passed. A city without
births and deaths. A city which glories in having Jesus for its king, angels for
its guards, saints for its citizens, whose walls are jasper, whose gates are
pearls, and whose streets are paved with gold.

Heaven will release you from all troubles of this life. Every earthly pain will
be eased, all trials over, and all tears dried up forever.

Lazarus, the beggar, had-no money, no friends, no social influence. He committed
the unpardonable sin of being a beggar. He was ostracized, friendless, lived
without money, died without friends, and buried without tears. But who can
comprehend what heaven means to him today? The deep felt need of the human heart
calls for a touch of the divine. This need is as universal as mankind. There was
a great unbridged and unspanned chasm between man and God. Man looked the world
over for something he knew not what and found no relief. Philosophers have
groped about in the dim light of natural religion and have only found fragments
of truth to increase their misery. Sinai called for a divine person. Enoch was a
good mall and walked with God 300years, but he could not bridge the chasm;
Abraham was the father of the faithful, a friend of God, but he could not; Job
was a perfect man but he could not. When the whole world was sweeping to hell
and ruin, Jesus Christ made the connection. He spanned the gulf. He established
a wireless connection and heaven is no longer far away, but is brought nigh by
the blood of Christ. He reached back to the Garden of Eden and forward to the
Great White Throne and made heaven possible providing we do our part. Did you
ever think of various characters being introduced in heaven? This is the woman
who gave a cup of cold water in His name. This is the woman that fed the hungry
tramp. This is the girl who read the Bible to the blind. This is the Mother who
brought all her family to Christ. This is the Mother who read and prayed with
the sick and dying. This is the man who stood the test in spite of opposition.
This is the pious school teacher whose constant instruction along religious
lines proved to be religious background for the future. This is the Christian
homemaker who was more interested in the religious condition of her home than
she was in social activity. This is the man who was faithful in maintaining a
family altar, attending upon all the means of grace and faithful in financing
the work of the Kingdom. This is the faithful Sunday School teacher who stuck to
the old land marks and led her pupils to Christ. This is the faithful Sunday
School Superintendent who was never known to shirk responsibility. This is the
faithful physician who administered to the spiritual needs of his patients as
well as to the physical. This is the full-salvation preacher who never failed to
declare the whole counsel of God. This is the faithful missionary who was
willing to leave the comforts of home and Christian civilization that those that
sit in heathen darkness might have the gospel message in the same proportion
that she had it.

III. The Society of Heaven. Should you contemplate on moving into a new
community, it is only fair to inquire somewhat about the people where you are to
locate. Except for religious purposes you would not intentionally locate among
those whose aspirations are no higher than living from hand to mouth. Neither
would you desire the new location wholly for earthly or financial gain. You
would like to know the advantages such as churches and schools, etc.

If you take the way of holiness, here, there you will desire the fellowship of
the redeemed, blood-bought and holy. A foretaste of heavenly felicity here, is
but a foretaste of the society of heaven. If our present life is unpleasant and
painful we at once seek the sympathy and consolation of an approved friend. If
they cannot be found to console us then we desire to create a spiritual
atmosphere and encourage ourselves as we commune with the Father of Lights.

Many express their desire for heaven and of going there and meeting friends and
loved ones gone on before, yet by their daily lives many would be caused to
think there was no such place. If we fail to get adjusted here we will not make
it. Ordinary morality will keep people out of the penitentiary but it will take
holiness of heart and life to keep them out of hell and get them safely into
heaven. This earth is wrapped in oxygen fifty miles deep and we have lungs to
breathe it; we are adjusted to it and can’t live without it. We can’t live in
the water neither can the fish live out of the water. We must get adjusted to
the atmosphere of heaven, if we make it our future abode. The atmosphere of
heaven is holiness and we can only get adjusted by living a holy life here. My
aim in giving the public this message is to strengthen the weak, console the
sorrowing and encourage the despondent and increase your faith in a land that is
fairer than day, which is the home of the Redeemer and the redeemed. A friend is
taken by death, the first thing that comes to us is, where have they gone? Will
we meet again? If so, where and when? We turn to the Book of all books, it tells
us where they have gone and that we may meet them again. Yes, we can meet again
in the land of the unsetting sun and drink from the stream that flows by the
throne of God. This world is a stormy sea with waves dashing high. We will stay
here but a little while. Our life is but a vapor, just a shadow and we are gone.
But we want to know where we are going and where our friends are who have gone
on before.

These are terrible times, yet darker days are ahead of us than we have seen yet.
This is the land of the sword and the spear, but in heaven we can wear the
victor’s crown. A terrible battle is on now between light and darkness, but by
and by when the war is over we shall get to go home. It is only a night, and the
eternal day will dawn.

We are told of two men who early one morning got into a dispute about what part
of the heavens the sun would first appear in. They got into a fight and beat
each other up. When the sun came up they were in such a condition that neither
of them could see it. So there are persons who argue about heaven until they
argue themselves out of it. And there are others who argue about hell until they
argue themselves into it. A number of persons got off a train in an eastern city
and all rushed for a certain hotel. They were greatly surprised to find out that
they had not had a vacant room for days. So they started for other hotels. One
lady calmly sat down. Others leaving said, "Are you not going, too? "She
replied, "No, I telephoned ahead and my room is ready." If some people expect a
reservation in heaven, they had better wire ahead and make their plans.

Amos 4:12 is a preparation that everybody ought to make. The fact that there is
a God is proven by nature, intuition, conscience, and the Bible. We are wrecked
by sin and need preparation to set us right.

I. Why Should We Prepare?

1. Because we are unprepared.

2. To get rid of sin. Sin causes discord and separation. When rid of sin we have
harmony of mind and peace of soul.

3. Because of the fall all are sinners.

4. Because man is not fit to meet God.

5. Because man is to live forever somewhere.

II. How Should We Prepare? By regeneration, repentance, confession, forsaking
and restitution. Man needs God, but God will not enter a rebellious heart. This
world is time and place for probation and preparation. As death finds us, so we
will be throughout eternity.

III. When Should We Prepare?

1. While you have good health.

2. While the door of mercy is open.

3. While you have someone to help you.

4. Prepare now.

(1) This may be your last chance.

(2) Probation ends at death.

(3) As a tree falleth so shall it lie.

(4) Now is the accepted time.

IV. We Must Meet Him.

1. Everyone must meet Him.

2. Rich, poor, high, low, learned and unlearned.

3. If you live as you have today, will you be prepared?

4. Are you prepared now?

5. Prepare to meet the God you have rejected.

IV. The Joys of Heaven.

Oh, What joyous expectation! Oh, What happy anticipation!

1. The death of the righteous is the only death to be desired. "Let me die the
death of the righteous and let my last end be like his." Numbers 23:10.

2. The death of the righteous is death in Jesus Christ. It takes preparation on
our part to die the death of the righteous; definite and specific preparation.
No righteous dying without righteous living.

3. Our security in death is found in Jesus Christ. He takes out the sting for
the Christian.

4. This is the death to be desired because it ends all trouble. We are subject
to trouble, temptation, disappointment, sorrow, suffering, poverty and
bereavement. Death ends all trouble.

5. Death of the righteous is a death of victory and triumph.

6. Death of the righteous is but the gateway into a new and beautiful world;
houses not made with hands; rivers clear as crystal; trees bear fruit every
month and the leaves are for the healing of the Nations.

(1) Gateway into a new heaven.

(2) Gateway into a larger service.

(3) Gateway into a new revelation. But we want to see Jesus, His hands, His
brow, His sides, His feet, and look into His face and "tell the story saved by
grace."

If you desire to know about the future life, you must lay aside all
imaginations, take the Bible as your guide, and sit at the feet of Him who
brought Immortality, and we can learn all necessary for us to know this side of
the grave. In this great world of change, in the midst of a life which will soon
come to a close, we do look forward to a compensation of reward as we think of
the future life. This subject does occupy the minds of the deeply spiritual, in
the twilight of life’s loneliest hours. Heaven is the land of our hopes and
treasures. To it we are bound with the holiest and sweetest ties, and to this
country, we are headed because of those who have outstripped us in the race and
died in the faith. The Psalmist said, "I shall be satisfied when I awake in thy
likeness." That will be heaven. In this world want is written on almost every
human heart. You seldom find a person with a satisfied satisfaction. But in
heaven we will want for nothing. To be in His presence and to look upon His face
will be a satisfying portion. One of the saddest facts of life is that
multitudes will not make the landing. They, having neglected all their days the
essential prerequisite --preparation, will miss heaven. Reason, revelation, and
experience tell us that preparation is necessary for admission. You can have a
foretaste of heaven in your heart before you get there, as Columbus saw strange
and beautiful birds hovering around the ship long before he caught sight of
America.

Jasper walls and pearly gates will not make heaven attractive. It is the
presence of our Redeemer and being forever with our Lord. That city will need no
sun; it will need no moon but the Lamb is the Light thereof. A city not built
with hands and the buildings do not grow old with time. A city whose inhabitants
no census has ever numbered only the Book of Life which is the Heavenly
Directory. It has foundations whose builder and maker is God.

Why the sorrows and bereavements of life? Many things in life we do not
understand, but God’s hand is behind the cloud. We will have to wait until the
pearly gates unfold to get the answer to some questions. That Father and Mother
may be removed from the family when seemingly needed most. That early home-going
of a promising and talented person may not be understood here, but we will wait
for the answer. The Christian knows that a prepared home awaits him beyond the
grave. The Father’s house is no dream, fancy, or imagination, but a reality.
Socrates and Plato speculated as to what comes after death but the Bible
Christian knows.

1. To some the future home will be a place of rest. To those who have labored in
the heat of the day it will be blessed rest.

2. It will be free from sorrow and death. We do not know the sorrow hidden under
the surface. Sorrow and death are on every hand. You may have your parents with
you for awhile but they will bid you a final adieu.

3. Heaven is a place of happy reunion. Some enjoy family reunions here but they
must separate. There will be no good-byes in the family reunion beyond to meet
God’s family of all ages. Paul, that faithful, battle-scarred warrior of the
cross, as he comes to the end of the way takes up his pen and writes, "I am now
ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a
good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth, there
is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord the righteous judge
shall give me at that day, and not to me only, but unto all them also, that love
His appearing." 2 Timothy 4:6-8.V.


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  CHAPTER 4: 1.03.     THE FUTURE LIFE IMMORTALITY
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The Future Life Immortality By W.B. Dunkum Does death end all? Is there a life
beyond? Can we obtain any reliable information about it? These are questions of
the greatest importance and the deepest interest. They lie at the foundation of
all religion. They have aroused the interest and attention of the wisest and
best of mankind in every age. A belief in this doctrine is a powerful incentive
to the practice of moral and religious duty. To establish the doctrine of
immortality we turn to the teaching of inspiration. Hence, the only reliable
information is the Word of God. The doctrine of immortality is emphatically a
doctrine of Divine Revelation. It is purely and exclusively a Bible doctrine.
Advocates of this doctrine have been found in every age. Nature may impart the
hope, salvation alone can give the assurance. Christ by his life, death and
triumphant resurrection "hath abolished death and brought life and immortality
to light." Therefore Christianity upon the authority of a direct revelation from
heaven is giving us the truth of the doctrine.

We are frequently facing the question of the ages. "If a man die, shall he live
again ?" It is easy to believe in immortality as we stand by a newly made grave
of a friend or loved one. Death does not startle nature or God, but it is the
method God uses in changing us from one world to another. The grave is but the
gate to life. Death is a visitor with whom we will never become accustomed. Yet,
it is nothing uncommon for with every tick of the clock three souls leave this
world to meet God. When stricken with grief we read the Scripture, "Because I
live, ye shall live also." Death is the decree of the loving God, the doorway
through which we pass to Eternal Day. Death is the best method provided by a
loving Lord for exchanging worlds. Jesus Christ tunneled the grave and walked
out into Liberty, Victory, and Immortality. What lie did, He gives us power to
do for He was declared to be the Son of God with power. "Rut now is Christ risen
from the dead and become the first fruits of them that slept." 1 Corinthians
15:20. A glance into the other world naturally causes one to ask questions as to
their future existence. Is death a gateway to endless sorrow or is it an
entrance into endless bliss? Such questions come into the mind of all rational
beings from the rich man in his palace to the bum of the street.

"Death is not the end; it is only a new beginning. Death is not the master of
the home; he is only the appointed porter to open the gate and let the King’s
guest into the realm of eternal day." J.H. J. Life is not necessarily enclosed
within a limit of three score years and ten. We are sailing upon a great sea.
The Great Mediterranean Sea is but a fish pond compared to the sea of life we
are sailing upon. We are upon the great waters, yea, we are immortal and are
sailing with tomorrow in view.

God made no special attempt to prove our future existence but He gives us this
truth as an evident fact.

All nationalities of the past have always had within them a native
acknowledgment of the fact of a supreme being. The American Indian called it
"The Great Spirit." The woman yonder on the bank of the Ganges River willingly
throws her baby to the crocodiles believing there is a God, and she has been
taught that by this act she will appease the wrath of her God.

Wicked men will testify to the fact that they have ’within them something that
witnesses to a supreme power.

Nature will prove to you there is a God if you desires to see the truth. God has
placed something in your breast. which will lead you to the dawn of a beautiful
day. God has existed from eternity to eternity, the author of the soul of man.
Here, we have a silver watch; we know that back of this watch existed some
intelligent being greater than the watch itself. Then, suppose we go back to the
factory where it was made, hut that fails to satisfy. Hence, we go back to the
silver mine, where the silver was obtained. With profound thought we wonder who
made the silver and from whence it came, and back of all is an all-wise infinite
God. Therefore, man is the climax of all of God’s creation. What is man and what
can a well developed and well trained man accomplish with the aid of his Maker?
Man not only learns by experience and observation hut he can obtain a practical
education through the wonderful facilities of travel. Man is back of nature,
empires, laws, codes and constitutions. Man has connected continents and
annihilated space until this world has become one great neighborhood. The
trained mind takes the lead in civilization, constructing roads, building
bridges and tunneling mountains. Man has made scales which will weigh a pencil
mark or the smallest hair from the eyebrow. He forecasts the weather, predicts
the eclipse and foretells the coming storm. He measures the distance from the
earth to the sun and gives us scientific information, concerning the Milky Way.
lie tells us that two pounds of spider web will go around the earth at the
Equator but it will take two tons to reach the nearest star. Yet, with all this
power, he can’t create even one blade of grass. There must be a first cause back
of him. An Omnipotent Being. We see God’s mighty handiwork on every hand. His
footprints are left on the sand of time. He measures the water in the hollow of
His hand, and meted out heaven with a span, and comprehended the dust of the
earth in a measure, and weighed the mountains with scales and the hills in a
balance. Therefore, only a supreme being can do such. When we behold nature and
the beauty of God’s creation, we will admit that the heavenly artist alone can
make and paint things so beautiful.

It was Dr. Mayo of Rochester, Minn., who said, "Man has religious needs and that
religion has what man needs and not creeds." The God who created something out
of ’nothing and wasted not a single atom in all His creation, has made provision
for a future life in which man’s universal longing for immortality will find its
realization. I am as sure that you will live again as I am sure you are living
now.

God created man just a little lower than the angels, and crowned him with glory
and honor and gave him intellect sensibility, and will, and having the right
kind of training and environment he can attain much heavenly knowledge. Does it
seem that an all-wise God would create such a being as man with capacities to
know, love, and serve Him and then assign him to failure and disappointment?
Every power of man’s makeup bespeaks the fact that he was made for a more noble
existence than is possible for him to attain in this life. Every power we
possess proclaims the fact that man is immortal; is created for a sunnier clime
than that of earth. The best we can do here is to get where we can bless
humanity and then off the stage of action, we go into eternity. Could it be
reasonable to think that it is all of life to live and all of death to die? The
poet was correct when he said:

"Life is real, life is earnest, And the grave is not it’s goal; Dust thou art to
dust returnest, Was not spoken of the soul." The Almighty has provided a great
ship upon which He will carry us across the misty and muddy stream of time and
land us safely in the ocean of glory and happiness where we can enjoy eternal
bliss. The universal longing of man for Immortality can find its realization in
the haven of eternal rest.

We believe in an all-wise and infinite Creator and that in the meantime, He will
lift the limitations placed upon us. But if we live a few passing years and then
pass away and be no more, why need man such wonderful power? Then why not make
him as the ox which has no higher admiration and aspiration than of food to
satisfy the hunger? Man with lofty powers can look forward to the time when
limitations will be removed and mortal put on immortality.

We see death ends probation forever, and that life does not end all. Man will
live on when this earthly frame shall have crumbled into dust. This is the
Christian’s hope. In the hour of death, hope sees a star and dying love hears
the rustling of angel’s wings. The angel of death makes his way across the river
of death coming to the rescue of the Christian. The Christian hope kindles a
smile on the brow of the saint and hangs the rainbow of hope over the grave of
our loved ones. The anchor holds in the storms of life and when your feet enter
the chilly waters of death, you need to fear no evil, for Christ will lead
through the misty stream and will see that the waters shall not overflow. We
shall awake in His likeness and climb out over on the other shore and our eyes
will catch a glimpse of the King upon His Majestic Throne and behold angels as
they welcome to the land of the blessed. Then, we will meet our loved ones who
have gone on before and meet to part no more. Brethren, such an experience will
"Far exceed our fondest dreams."

Aside from the Resurrection of Christ and what He had to say about it we have no
positive proof of the immortality of the soul.

There are various lines of evidences, and no one contains all the truth of the
facts under consideration, but each adds to the general weight of proof. Among
these arguments are the following:

I. Man’s universal feelings about the future life.

We would not for a moment think of God deceiving us along this line. As winter
approaches and the birds start for a warmer climate, are they deceived? Can you
conceive of God who gives that marvelous instinct to the bird and then not give
man some intuitive feeling of Immortality. Bacon said, "Learning leads to
skepticism, but profound philosophy leads to religion." Immortality is the goal
in view. Scientists, philosophers, and inventors have believed in a future life.
Nature never deceives instinct; such as birds to the air, ducks to the pond, and
moles to the ground. The skeptic is like a squirrel or a bee which fails to
prepare for winter. Just as surely as God designed fins for the water, light for
the eye, and sound for the ear, He also made heaven for the soul. Truly, the
Spirit of Immortality is divinely implanted in humanity.

Let immortality be the first lesson of the nursery and let it be the motto of
every school, college, university and seminary throughout the land; let it be
preached from every platform and pulpit in Christendom. Let it be preached
everywhere that the soul is immortal, and will live throughout eternity when
earthly kingdoms have fallen. The soul may enjoy eternal felicity in the realms
of eternal bliss.

II. A sense of our incompleteness.

There is a sense of incompleteness in man as far as this life is concerned. The
more the student thinks, the more he is convinced that this is a life of
incompleteness. In other words, this life is a small part of a great whole.

1. Is all your experience, wealth, and wisdom purchased with the price of pain
and discipline to utterly perish at your death?

2. Most good people feel as they stand by an open grave, though they have the
frost of winter upon their heads that eternal spring has just begun within their
hearts. You frequently hear people say, "I am seventy or eighty years young" and
not old. They mean immortality is about to peep from behind the eastern horizon.
In spite of distressing and alarming conditions of earth existing as they do
about us, the Eternal and All-Wise God behind the curtain longs and eagerly
waits to bless us with heaven’s multiplied blessings and in the morning open to
us the door of immortality.

III. The continuation of personality proves the immortality of the soul.

Let us consider the persistence of mankind, and your own individuality. You have
passed through many surprising changes since you first became a self-conscious
being. The psychologist tells us that the entire body goes through a complete
change every seven years, and some say more frequently than that, yet we are the
same identical person. Death is not supposed to destroy the real self which has
gone through so many and so great changes. If the body undergoes a change every
seven years, then the man seventy years old has had ten bodies and the same soul
has shown through them all. The student of ethics tells us that we take up in
the future life where we leave off here. It is an evident fact that the future
will be one of misery or happiness because we have such conditions though in
less degree in this life. We are punished here for vice and rewarded for virtue
and it is reasonable to expect same in the future life. Yet, we are not justly
or fully rewarded or punished here. If we are religious and heed salvation, we
are rewarded, if we are irreligious and do not heed then we must suffer the
consequences. God teaches us His approval toward right and disapproval toward
wrong by punishing vice and rewarding virtue. So we can be as happy or miserable
in eternity as we want to be because our actions here determine our future.
Don’t forget whether your life is a life of happiness or misery you will begin
in yonder’s world where you leave off in this world.

IV. The certainty of Immortality. The certainty of Immortality is this, "Now is
Christ risen from the dead." We no longer guess and surmise. We know whereof we
speak. All of our instinctive feelings and convictions center in the
Resurrection of Christ. What sort of a Resurrection will it be? A Resurrection
of identity. He was, and is the same Christ who walked the dusty streets of
Jerusalem and the pathless Sea of Galilee. We, too, will be the same absolutely.
Death will not change our character whether pure or impure, justified or guilty.
"So them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting
life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt." It will be a blessed
resurrection and a glorious change. Just as the life of Jesus after the
resurrection was enlarged and glorified, so will be the life of ,those who
partake of His salvation and share in His life. Have you the certainty of a
glorious resurrection? Will you rise to everlasting life or to everlasting
shame? Is it not logical to believe in Immortality?

1. Man not only believes but longs and thirsts after it, whether rich or poor,
learned or unlearned, barbarian, heathen, civilized, or scientific; they
shudder, they quake at the thought of destruction, but with glorious
anticipation look forward to Immortality.

2. The soul is the most valuable gem of all God’s creation; it is immortal and
is capable of happiness or misery here or hereafter. It is an undying creature,
more valuable than gold and diamonds, and will live when earthly kingdoms shall
have crumbled into dust, will live when the pyramids of Egypt are leveled with
the ground, will live when the lofty Alps are swayed by the mighty forces of
nature, and will live when the heavens are rolled together as a scroll. Yes, the
soul of man will live as long as the Lord God Omnipotent lives and reigns.

3. Every man is created with a principle in him which will live forever. Job
asked the question, "If a man die, shall he live again?" He seemed to have felt
the feelings of Immortality.

4. We are in this world for preparation, being on trial for the next.

5. In this world we are to exist for a short time and afterwards, he
transplanted into a better and more healthful climate where we shall grow and
flourish throughout Eternity.

6. It is a fatal mistake to suppose that the undertaker divorces the Spirit and
body ; we will need our minds and bodies in the region beyond the grave. They
are our property and no one else will have use for them. There will be a
glorious reunion in the Resurrection Morning when we shall have bodies fashioned
like unto His glorious body, "Who is the fairest among ten thousand and the one
altogether lovely." The mortal must put on Immortality and death he swallowed up
in life. Then comes the question, "O Death. where is thy sting? O Grave, where
is thy victory?" And a voice from Calvary will be heard saying, "Buried in the
bosom of the Immaculate Christ."

V. Nature teaches Immortality.

We behold God and His teaching through nature concerning life and death. When we
think of the Almighty casting off the grave clothes of winter, truly He has
power to raise the dead.

Man is a little world in himself. A skillful builder might build a beautiful
body in form, but it would lack necessary elements to make a man. This is the
place God comes in. God has put in every human being something not found in the
earthly. It cannot be found in air, sea or water. It is not carbon, nitrogen,
lime, phosphate or iron. But that something is personality. "God formed man out
of the dust of the earth and breathed into his nostrils, the breath of life and
man became a living soul." The dust after serving its purpose will return to its
kindred dust while the God part enters into the realms of the Spirit with a
boundless outlook. Call him not dead; he will be more alive than ever. Paul
says, "To die is gain." See that little grain of wheat; how powerless it seems,
but bury it in the ground and in proper time it will spring up and bring forth
flower and fruit. Yet, your soul enclosed in a. sinful body, warped by sin will
never reach its finished development until Mortal puts on Immortality. A belief
in Immortality is universal and age-long. Every attempt to crush out Immortality
has failed. A divine imprint upon man tells us he is not a creature of time but
of Eternity.

Men of science falsely so called, have through the years been searching for the
missing link and dropped stitch, hut their task is yet unfinished. Man was
created by God for a higher and nobler destiny than that of earth. Man’s powers
are almost unlimited. In obedience and recognition of his Maker, he can walk the
golden streets, or he can leave God out and tread the road to eternal despair.

Human nature confirms the hope of Immortality. This life is a life of
incompleteness. We hardly learn to be of use until we have to leave the world.
By the time we have gained needed experience, we find ourselves nearing the
grave. Our moral imperfections and difficulties here, point toward eternal
perfection and Immortality by and by. It is here we begin, but we never finish
until we are gone. Every man discovers in himself capacities and abilities this
world cannot draft into service. Here we only have a portion of time to develop
our powers and tests. Everything points to Immortality and a fuller life beyond.
"Infinite personality called God is foreshadowed by finite personality called
man." As we have borne the image of the earthy so shall we also bear the image
of the Heavenly.

VI. Our discontent proves the Immortality of the Soul.

Human nature supplies another argument of Immortality! in our discontent. We are
the most unsatisfied being’s on the face of the earth. Our hearts tell us we
were made to be satisfied, yet nothing in this world quite satisfies us. But
every other creature finds the limit of its growth here. The ox finds its
capacities satisfied and contented in the meadow and stream. The cat is
satisfied with a warm place on the hearth. While our feeble ambitions ever yearn
and long for sought goals that are never reached. Animals are at home and
satisfied but not man. If this lift ends man’s activities, then a dog runs a
more successful career than a man, as it lasts longer, has no risks or accidents
to run and never has a broken heart.

VII. The character of God proves the Immortality of the Soul.

Another strong proof of Immortality is the character of God. God is justice and
goodness, hence Immortality is a necessity. When the crippled and suffering
child is seen, the question is asked, "Is God good?" Yes, is that child God’s
complete work? No, God’s work is not yet finished in the child. There is another
life where God’s plan will be revealed and compensation made.

VIII. The universal belief.

Another proof of Immortality is the universal belief in the doctrine. It is
believed in where the Bible has never gone. Tombs of Egypt built 5,000 years ago
contain pictures representing the future state of the soul. The laws of the
Hindu written a thousand years ago believe in a hereafter. The Romans and the
Greeks had their heaven, and hell. The Mexicans have their paradise. The
American Indians had their happy hunting ground. Immortality is not a question
of argument but a universal belief. Who planted this universal belief in man?
God the author of life did it. Will He plant such a belief within us and then
disappoint us? Nay. When the heart ceases to beat, the soul takes up its
existence in the Great Beyond. John Quincy Adams was walking down a street in
Boston, met an old friend who asked, "How are you ?" Adams replied, "John Quincy
Adams is all right, but the house in which he lives at present is becoming
dilapidated." Not long afterward, he received his second and fatal stroke. He
said, "This is the last of earth and I am content." Paul says, "We shall not all
sleep, but we shall all be changed."

Another significant evidence of Immortality is found in human character. When
your dearest friends die you have no argument then against Immortality; but you
feel it, thirst for it and long after it. Hume, the great writer of metaphysics
said when he thought of his mother, he believed in Immortality then.

IX. Immortality is proven by the Old Testament Scriptures.

"Enoch walked with God and he was not, for God took him." Elijah went up by a
whirlwind into heaven. David said, "Thou wilt guide me into glory." Daniel said,
"Many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to
everlasting life and some to shame and everlasting contempt." Jeremiah speaks of
God as the "Heavenly King." Isaiah says, "Neither hath the eye seen a God beside
Thee." Again, David said, "In thy presence is fullness of joy, at thy right hand
are pleasures forevermore." These passages of Scripture of the Old Testament are
sufficient to show that, the saints of God, under a dark dispensation guided by
inspiration, looked beyond this vale of tears to the unfolding glories of the
Resurrection Morning.

X. Immortality is proven by the New Testament Scriptures. The New Testament is
permeated with the blessed truths of Immortality.

1. The Incarnation-God manifested in the flesh.

2. The proof that Christ came from Eternity with the Father.

3. The mission of Christ to save lost sinners.

4. The teachings of Christ based on the life beyond the grave. This is the life
of sorrow and cross bearing, but in the life beyond will have the recompense of
reward. He forever changed the truth from a rumor or dream to an established
fact. Take, for instance, the raising of Lazarus from the dead. To Martha, Jesus
said, "He that believeth on me though he were dead, yet shall he live and
whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die." "In my Father’s house are
many mansions."

Man was the crowning work of God’s creation, having body, soul, and spirit. Man
lives in three realms, mental, physical and spiritual. Yet, most men live and
die in the basements, of their nature. These three realms can only be reached by
man through the New Birth.

God stamped the word "Eternity" upon man’s very nature and started him upon a
high and noble destiny. Man was not a savage or an’ ape but created in the image
of God and ’put in the garden for culture, , development and obedience. It was a
golden age for man. Traditions tell us that all nations have their stories of a
Golden Age somewhere in the far distant’ past. The next act of creation was the
creation, o woman. The Lord put man to sleep and took a rib from his side and
from it, He made a woman. Matthew Henry says, "Woman was formed out of man. Not
out of his head to be ruled by him,, not out of his feet to be trodden upon by
him, but out of his side to be his equal, to be loved, comforted and protected
by him."

Man bears the marks of the divine likeness of his maker. The divine likeness in
five aspects: dominion, intellect, free will, spirituality and immortality.

Man was given dominion over all animal creation. Also,. he has marvelous
dominion over the mysterious forces of nature. He has spanned the river, crossed
the ocean and his voice has taken wings and crossed the continent until distance
is annihilated and the entire world has become one great neighborhood. The
intellect of man shows a marked and wide gulf between man and the lower animals.
Man is a genius and his ability is seen in his naming the animals of the earth
according to their nature. Animals and birds have made no progress in building
their nests and homes, but man with reason and genius has made marked progress.

Man is not a creature of necessity or of instinct, but he is to choose his own
destiny. Man may rise to the heights of eternal glory or sink to eternal
despair. He is free to obey or disobey God’s commands. He can go upward to glory
or downward to despair. He can rise to the height of an angel or he can sink to
the depth of a demon. He can walk gold paved streets or he can tread the road to
eternal despair. He can have fellowship with God or he can shake his fist in the
face of Almighty God. He cannot blame God or any one else for his failure.

Man has a nature which impels him to be religious. He has been called a
religious animal.

You can travel world over and you can find cities without literature, without
kings, without theaters, or public halls, but cities were never founded without
churches, chapels or temples, without some god or other. The recognition of God
as Creator gives a new meaning to life. As Creator, He has a definite claim upon
our lives. When we lose confidence in Him, we are on the road to confusion and
uncertainty. A belief in Immortality is universal and age long. Every attempt to
crush out Immortality has failed. A divine imprint upon man tells him he is a
creature of eternity and not of time. Men of science, falsely so-called, ’have
been searching for the missing link for years but their task is yet unfinished.

Man was created by God for a high and noble destiny. His powers are almost
unlimited. He reaches his highest in recognition of his Maker and in obedience
to His will and commandments. Man is more than an animal or a beast. An animal
is the creature of a day but man is the creature of eternity. Man has the stamp
of eternity upon his brow. It is the height of folly for man to go on in sin and
expect to rise to his highest. With God, he can rise to the highest, but without
Him, he will sink into darkness, defeat and despair. Is Dying to be Dreaded?

Christ’s triumph over the grave removed the mystic conception of death and
Immortality. Ere this men looked forward to death with awful dread. For every
believing heart, Jesus changes the fear of the grave to joy and peace. Literary
writers have referred to death as though death was God’s punishment for a sinful
life. Physical death did not come to Adam, the first sinful man, nor to Cain,
the first murderer, but to Abel, the innocent and the righteous. The sinful
brother was punished by living and the good brother was rewarded by being
transplanted into a higher and better life. Death is a part of the cycle of
change which God has established for everything he has created. People dread
death more in health than in sickness. When the time comes, Mother Nature
smoothes the way so that it’s as natural as to fall asleep. For sleep, the
absence of consciousness, is the twin brother to death. Let us not worry about
dying grace, but keep on hands a good supply of living grace and dying grace
will take care of itself. We should not’ prepare to die, but rather prepare to
live. After all, life is more to be dreaded than death, for life is overshadowed
with temptations which mar the soul and harm the influence. Dying is an easy
matter; living is solemn. Never let us look at the grave as the goal, but one
more star in the firmament. Should a doubt come to the mind about the future
life, remember the words of Jesus, "I was dead, but behold I am, alive
forevermore and have the keys of death and hell." Ask Jesus for the key when you
want some perplexing problem ’solved touching the future life. Jesus has lighted
’up the gloom of the grave and made its gates to turn on golden hinges. He made
the Cross His pillow that we might pillow our heads on the precious truth of
Immortality. When we lay our dead away, we comfort ourselves with the precious
assurance that what has been sown ’in corruption will be raised in incorruption
that they will be restored to us again informs beautiful, glorious, and
Immortal; that they will be again embodied, for God will give them bodies as it
pleaseth Him. What will please God will be pleasing to us. We may rest assured
that they will be as. perfect, and as desirable and as lovable as God with all
His power and skill can make them. As 2 Corinthians 5:1 tells us that death is
simply going from one house to another. "To depart," says Paul, "is to be with
Christ." "To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord." 2
Corinthians 5:8.


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  CHAPTER 5: 1.04.     "THE HOME OF THE SOUL"
========================================================================

"The Home of the Soul" By W.B. Dunkum

Time is probationary and as long as we are in time we are on probation. As long
as we are on probation there is a tendency to neglect preparation for the great
hereafter.

Just now we are floating down the stream of time, but only a matter of time
until we will plunge into the ocean of eternity.

You, who are going down the slope of life, be encouraged, look up; some day you
will dwell in a tabernacle which will never be folded or become weather beaten.
Tomorrow you may put on immortality. Today you may be lame but tomorrow you may
walk amidst the trees whose leaves are for the healing" of the Nations and then
you will experience pain and sickness no more forever. "There the wicked cease
from troubling and the weary be at rest." From the day in which God drove Adam
out of Paradise (the Garden) placing in the gate a flaming sword which kept
everyone from entering until the day in which Malachi announced, "Unto you that
fear my name, the Sun of Righteousness shall arise with healing in His wings,"
our information concerning the Home of the Soul was very indistinct and vague.
For a period of about 400 years, the door seemed to have been shut. John the
Baptist began his ministry by saying, "Repent ye for the Kingdom of heaven is at
hand." It was not until Christ our Lord and Savior came down from heaven that
the gates of the celestial city were discussed and became distinctly discerned.

During the long centuries preceding the coming of our Lord, the land of Canaan
was the only heaven people seemed to have known very much about. To them it was
an exceeding good land; a land flowing with milk and honey; a land of grapes and
pomegranates and figs. With but few exceptions it was hard to get people to rise
above this theory of heaven. In heaven we will not be bothered with pains which
are so common in the walks of life; but our time will be given wholly to the
worship of the One who is absolutely immaculate.

We find in His service indication and earnestness of the happiness of heaven.
Yet, we understand His service involves a self-denial and self-sacrifice not
demanded in any other walk of life. We should not count our lives dear unto us.
The disciple should be as his Master, and the servant as his Lord Jesus Christ
affirmed Himself, "Whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath,
he cannot be my disciple." Jesus is the first at the cradle to hear our feeble
cry. He is the last to hold our hand as we slip quietly into the Valley of the
Shadow of Death.

We see His footprints along the shores of Time. What a privilege it is to have
Him walk by our side. We hear a .voice saying, "I have been with thee. I am with
thee. I will be with thee. I will never leave thee nor forsake thee." Our bodies
will finally die, be buried, and will mold in the grave, but the time will come
when the Almighty will impart life again into the muscles and sinews; the pulse
again will beat with ecstasy, the eyes will flash with light celestial, and our
vocal chords will again sound the praises to Heaven’s King. Then death will be
swallowed up in victory, then mortal will put on Immortality and the corruptible
will put on incorruption. Then comes the saying, "O, Death, where is thy sting?
O, Grave, where is thy victory?"

"There is but a step between me and death." 1 Samuel 20:3. God serves notice on
us that we are judgment bound. We are creatures of two worlds, living here and
expecting to live hereafter. The essential prerequisite for the next world is
preparation.

Sin separates the sinner from among the pure. It compels him to dwell in the
society of those who are like himself. This is the inevitable tendency of sin.
In this world, separation is but partial. But in the next world separation will
be complete and final. All sinners in one place and saints in another. The Bible
speaks of heaven and the same Bible speaks of hell. Heaven is the eternal abode
of the saints. Heaven is also called a city, the New Jerusalem. Hell is a place
somewhere outside of the city of our God. As surely as the law of Moses shut all
lepers out of ancient Jerusalem, so the law of God shuts all sinners out of the
New Jerusalem, the place of our final abode. This may seem hard on the sinner
but how can it be helped? If men will be sinners, they must take what follows,
and sometimes what follows is terrific and tragic. Your sins have separated you
from God. If not washed away with the blood of Christ, they will keep you out of
heaven. It is best for all concerned that sinners be separated from Christians.
The Christian’s future abode will be heaven, while the future abode of the
sinner will be the pest-house of hell. The Bible tells us who we are, where we
came from, what we are here for and where we are going. And how to get there. In
the Morning will be:

1. The closing of life’s labors.

2. The separation of dearest of friends.

3. The fixing of human destinies.

It will be:

1. Morning of rest from earthly trials and weariness.

2. Morning of delightful service.

3. Morning of clear vision.

4. Morning of glad reunion.

5. Morning never clouded by the shadow of death.

6. Morning of freedom from pain and suffering. But ’in the fullness of time the
Redeemer came; then it was an ancient order to discuss heavenly felicity from
every angle. When He came, He brought us much information in regard to heaven
being both a place and a state. The sacred teaching about heaven is as
indispensable to the Christian as the multiplication table is indispensable to
him who would be proficient in mathematics.

Thus, for example, the Holy Ghost by the pen of the Apostle said, "In My
Father’s house are many mansions, if it were not so, I would have told you. I go
to prepare a place for you." In heaven, prayer will be exchanged for praise and
unmixed gratitude for blessings, the value of which we shall then realize.
Nevertheless there will be prayer in heaven as well as praise. Heavenly prayer
will likely be more fervent than terrestrial prayer. After glorification our
prayers will likely be more reasonable than many we hear in this world.

Heaven is a state while yet on earth. The sufferings of this present world are
not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed. Being human
there are times when tears will flow like rain and then there are times when
there are no tears shed unless those of love, joy, and thanksgiving. There may
be times in life when you feel like swimming in a flood of glory as God pours it
upon you, and your happiness will be begun which will last forever.

Someone has well said -- "The fullness of heaven is Jesus Himself. The duration
of heaven is the eternity of Jesus. The light of heaven is the face of Jesus.
The joy of heaven is the presence of Jesus. The melody of heaven is the name of
Jesus. The harmony of heaven is the praise of Jesus. The theme of heaven is the
works of Jesus. The employment of heaven is the service of Jesus," See that
saint upon the dying bed. He or she may have no sympathy and no background of
religious training. But they have a foretaste of heaven. They have set their
house in order for they are going to die and not live. Yet we are not going to
die. It is only dust returning to dust. The grave will have no victory in it.
Our Savior said, "Whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die." I am to
be translated into a heavenly life. My poor body will be at rest, but my soul
will be going forward in rapid and heavenly progression. I will not fear for
safety, because I will be holding to my Father’s never failing hand. "For I know
that my Redeemer liveth."

God has made us rational beings and established for us a code of laws and placed
us on probation under a system of rewards and punishments. Our reason and
conscience will have a freehand in helping to direct us and everyone will
receive according to the deeds done in the body, whether they be good or evil.
This is a life of sighs and sorrows, moans and maladies, troubles, and tears,
griefs and graves and the groaning and the shrieks of the dying constantly
remind us of the fact that this world is not our home. There is something about
us that longs for that blissful abode. In this world we have a mixture of sin
and righteousness, sin largely predominating. The natural longing of every heart
is for righteousness unmixed with sin. In the midst of opposition and conflicts
we need our attention called from the cares of life to a better world. Having a
foretaste of heaven we need to awaken sinners, arouse backsliders to return,
lead believers ’into holiness and encourage the sanctified to press courageously
and victoriously toward a better country of which we often delight to think,
read, and hear.

We are in the greatest warfare of the ages and are called on to be soldiers. Do
you have on the entire armor? Could the Lord who appointed you, leave, return,
and find you at your post? The Lord has an armor and an outfit to make you a
real soldier, You can be ready for the conflict, ready for sacrifice, ready for
action, and ready to die. Our citizenship is in heaven. While on the: way to
heaven we should not sit around with hands folded and worship an experience and
nurse a blessing when a lost world is calling for help. Our citizenship involves
duty as well as privilege. The real heaven is not space beyond the Milky Way,
but it is the enlargement of capacity for influence here, going about doing
good, an enlargement of mind, heart, and soul, and the enjoyment of the world
now in. Our religion must not be theoretical and visionary only, but objective,
real, and practical. Let us enter the arena of everyday life with high courage,
steady faith and a determination to demonstrate practical holiness and have a
heaven to go to heaven in.

It is with a heart full of joy that we can look forward to the time when God
shall wipe away all tears from our eyes, for we shall never say good-bye in
heaven. In this world, decay and disappointment are written upon everything, but
we can look forward to a home where there will be no change, "Incorruptible,
undefiled, and that fadeth not. away." It is blessed to think of heaven being as
unchangeable as God Himself. A home God planned,. God built, God furnished and
God finished. Home with the eternal God, the Home of the Soul.

Many have entered sin’s smooth highway which leads straight to the gates of
hell. On and on they will sweep passing rocks, cliffs, and gloomy deserts. As
they near the falls, they can hear the thunders of hell. But don’t forget that
all has been done that infinite wisdom and boundless grace could devise. But all
has failed. The hands that hold the scales of destiny have locked the seagates
forever, and there is no way of escape. On you may pass through the regions of
the lost in search for a long lost friend. It, is all night. You will pass
howling demons, cursing fiends, sneering imps and writhing souls as they long
for death but will never die.

See that hideous demon-like being yonder, in a dungeon of fire with contempt
branded upon his brow. That is your long looked for friend who has been absent
from the earth all these years. In this dark world there is no singing birds or
blooming flowers. All is shrouded with the blackness of darkness and gloom and
that forever. Since leaving this world he has not had one moment’s relief from.
anguish and pain. The undying worms and the poisonous fangs of the forked tongue
demons have fed continually upon his undying conscience. There would be a
jubilee in hell if lost souls could die and every black valley would echo a
shout of victory. In hell he is always dying and never dies. He wrings his
hands, tears his hair and gnaws his tongue, as he thinks of lost opportunities
in this world and the length of hell in the next. He stands horrified, demon
possessed, and demonized as he pauses on the brink of the lake of fire ere he
plunges in seeking rest but finds none.

See! See! I :am forever lost in hell in spite of all my resolutions not to go. I
am here to suffer the demands .of a broken law. Death and the judgment are past.
The day of mercy is gone forever. I would not heed the warning voice of God,
though it thundered in my ears from the cradle to the grave. I sold out for a
trifle and am now reaping for a life spent in sin and rebellion.

Let me remind you of a matter of infinite importance. One hundred billion people
have been buried in the past. They were once healthy, busy and as important as
you are. Many of them have been gone a long time from this world, but the world
is getting along nicely without them. Where are they? The world will some day
get along nicely without you and where will you be? You never before had as
little time to live on as you have now. It is but a short step between you and
the grave. Death is nearer you with his icy hand and muddy spade than you ever
dreamed. You cannot see one moment ahead of you. You may be in five steps of
death’s: dark river, the jumping off place. Is all necessary preparation made?
That person has not lived yet who is wise enough to find a path leading back to
yesterday’s mercies, privileges and opportunities. The masses will never see the
importance of living right until they see themselves by the light of death’s
lantern.

You may reject and despise holiness now, but it will be the password at the gate
of heaven.


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  CHAPTER 6: 1.05.     OCCUPATION OF HEAVEN
========================================================================

Occupation of Heaven By W.B. Dunkum

Heaven was made for man and man for heaven. When man passes into that glorious
home, he will be surrounded by holy and heavenly beings. Peace, joy, and
satisfaction will abound with its immeasurable blessedness and an eternal weight
of glory. The prominent characteristic of heaven will be that of praise. They
rest not day or night but say holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty which was and
is and is to come. They worship Him who sitteth upon the throne and cast their
crowns at His feet saying, "Thou art worthy, for thou wasts lain, and hast
redeemed us to God by His blood out of every kindred, tongue, and people and
nation, and hast made us unto our God kings and priests." We shall be arrayed in
white robes washed and made white in the blood of the Lamb. We shall be arrayed
in fine linen, clean and white, for the fine linen is the righteousness of the
saints. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes and there shall be no
more death, neither sorrow nor crying, neither shall there be anymore pain for
the former things are passed away. We shall cast ourselves at His feet and
worship Him forever.

Heaven is a Place and a State or a Condition.

1. We speak of the clouds as being up in the heavens.

2. The sun, moon, and stars are beyond the clouds. We refer to them as being up
in the heavens.

3. Heaven is the place where God is. For when God dwells in the heart
manifesting His love, revealing His glory, there is heaven. In this sense, the
way to heaven is heaven all the way. In heaven, we will not be conscious of one
thing to interrupt our happiness. Nothing unholy will ever enter to disturb the
happiness of the saints. In heaven, the sun will never set; death shall be
swallowed up in life. The saints shall possess all that is essential to their
happiness. They shall dwell amidst pleasures forevermore, free from sorrow and
death and shall mingle with the saints around the throne. "There the wicked
cease from troubling and the weary are at rest." Our enjoyment there will depend
largely upon the development of our capacities here.

I like to think of heaven as a place where God’s will is perfectly done. Then, I
like to think of heaven as a four-square planet made by God and swung out into
space. A city free from sin so different from our cities. No sin, no death,
funeral processions are never seen and graveyards are unknown in heaven. In
every serious thinking person, there is a longing for a better country. This
world is not our home. We are seeking a city which hath foundations whose
builder and maker is God. We are pilgrims and strangers here, but we are looking
up for our redemption draweth nigh. The heavenly city is a prepared place for a
prepared people. They all shout there, and not one holiness fighter in all that
city.

1. Heaven is a great city none other like it. It is the Metropolis of the
Universe.

2. It is a well built city. Builder and maker is God; foundations eternal. Its
walls are of jasper, gates of pearls, streets of gold; it has twelve gates.

3. It is a well guarded city. At the twelve gates are twelve angels.

4. It is a well governed city; no disturbances; no lawlessness.

5. It is a well peopled city. Saints of all generations have gathered within its
walls, population is as the number of stars. No man can number them.

6. It is a glorious city. The glory that fills it is the glory of God.

7. It is a holy city. Nothing that defileth can enter there.

8. It is a well-lighted city. The Lamb is the light thereof.

9. It is a well watered city. A pure river flows through’ the streets and around
the throne.

10. It is a well provisioned city. The tree of life with its twelve crops of
fruit and leaves for the healing of the nations grows there. They will never be
sick there or ever feel another pain.

2 Corinthians 5:1, "For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle
were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal
in the heavens."

Heaven is a place we have thought about, read about, and talked about all of our
lives. We may know but little about it, but what we do know makes us anxious to
know what we don’t know. How gladly and willingly children gather around their
mother to hear her tell them about heaven. And brethren, if we ever get inside
the gates of pearl, we must become as humble and as obedient as the little
child.

Heaven should be preached on until people have a desire to get ready. In the
early days of the country, it was said that the preacher preached on hell until
you could smell the brimstone and then preached on heaven until you could smell
the fruit. The preaching of the doctrine will stimulate and encourage those who
are in the way. The "Narrow Way" leads to the Christian’s goal, that is the
heavenly world. But to make it in, you may expect to wade through grief,
slander, reproach, heartaches and misunderstanding. Some have been starved to
death while others have gone to the chopping block, but they will be awaiting
our arrival.

Heaven will be our eternal home where we’ll not get any tax card, rent never
comes due, never have to pay a grocery bill, gas bill, or water bill. What a
privilege it will be to meet those you have promised to meet "over in the glory
land." You no doubt held their hand as they crossed Jordan’s chilly stream. You
promised to meet them and they are still holding you to that promise. Whatever
you do or may not do, do not disappoint them. In this world, you may wear a
badge of reproach and scorn and drink from the cup of bitter disappointment and
misunderstanding, but there we will be understood and enjoy perfect health. We
will not need physicians, hospitals, drug stores, but perfect health will bloom
on every brow. But Heaven: who can comprehend it ? A place where no sickness, no
pain, no sorrow, no cloud, no night, no bitterness, no weariness, no remorse, no
anguish, no graves, no sighs, no tears, no sad laments, no dying, no broken
hearts, no death-bed scenes, never a corpse, never a coffin, never a hearse, and
never a grave in that beautiful land. There the sun will rise and go down no
more. Heaven will be a gracious treasure, a profound joy and an eternal
influence which can never come to mortal man. Oh, the blessed hope of a glad
reunion, with the departed saints in the glory land. How they do attract us as
we journey thus by the way.

Heaven is a permanent place. Our surroundings here are temporary, transitory,
passing, decaying, and changing. Earth is a place, where we are to camp for a
while. We desire a better country, one that is heavenly. Heaven is free from
sin, sorrow, pain, disappointment, and imperfection of every kind. We have
troubles and trials here but none in heaven. The best people who ever lived will
be there. John saw multitudes that no man could number. They will be there of
all nations, peoples, and tongues. Many shall come from the East and the West
and shall sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven.
Heaven will be a place of happiness because Jesus will be there. He is the
motive of our actions, and the inspiration of our hearts. We shall see Him, know
Him, and serve Him. A place of happiness because of the absence of all sorrow,
disappointments, and heartaches, no deaths, no suffering, no misunderstandings,
in heaven, no night, no pain, no cemeteries, no funeral processions, no hunger,
no thirst, no unemployment. All will be employed doing the will of God. Nothing
there to mar the happiness of the redeemed. Every earthly pain will cease, every
trial will be over and all tears dried up. A city without pain and sorrow. A
city without deaths and burials. A city without marriage and mourning. A city in
which Jesus will be King. Angels will be guards. The saints will be citizens.
The walls are salvation. The gates are pearls and the streets are paved with
gold. No tongue can tell, No voice can sing, No pen can write, No brush can
paint, The joy and glory of being with Jesus, angels, and the blood-washed of
all ages.

O my friend, if you did but know what awaits the Christian, you would not
refrain from rejoicing and even leaping for joy. Labors, trials and troubles
will be nothing. You will rejoice in affliction and glory in tribulation and
like Paul and Silas sing God’s praises in the darkest night and in the deepest
dungeon.

People live in this world until they are captured by wealth and position and
forget they are but visitors here and must soon leave for eternity Only a few
short days, weeks, months, or years until we will all be leaving for the great
beyond You see others leave, but some day, much sooner than we expect, we will
be leaving never to return. When Vanderbilt was leaving, he requested some one
to sing:

Come, ye sinners, poor and needy Weak and wounded, sick and sore.

Death calls from a life of ease and disappointment to the great beyond. Sorrow
and disappointment is a universal malady; it is found in every home from the log
cabin to the mansion. Sorrow passes her bitter cup to every son and daughter of
Adam’s race.

Death alone can set the Christian free from this painful decaying house of clay.

Death calls us to our eternal home where there will be no tempter to annoy. Let
us claim our starry crown, our harp of gold, and a house of many mansions. 1
Samuel 20:3. "There is but a step between me and death." A warning to every soul
on his way to an open grave and the Judgment

I. Preparation needed. We’re all creatures of two worlds. Live here and
hereafter. God serves notice on us that a settling up time is coming.

II. Prepare because we’re sinners. Heaven is a country where there is no sin.

III. Preparation includes conviction, forgiveness, confession, restitution,
sanctification, and holy living.

IV. Preparation now. Tomorrow may be too late.

1. Death is certain by God’s appointment. We do not know how, when, or where.

2. Death is separation -- From friends and earthly store.

3. Death is a change -- A doorway from time to eternity.

4. Death may be a very happy event - If preparation has all been looked after.

5. Death may be unwelcome and terrible.

(1). If it finds one unprepared.

(2). If it finds one’s work unfinished.

(3) If it finds one without God. Job 14:10. "But man dieth, and wasteth away:
yea, man giveth up the ghost, and where is he?"

I. A Solemn Statement.

1. Death is the end of our earthly career.

2. Death removes from society, business and earthly pursuits.

3. Death is separation of soul and body. Body returns to the ground and soul
returns to God.

II. The Origin of Death.

Originated in the Garden of Eden as the result of sin.

III. The Nature of Death.

1. An event absolutely certain.

2. We cannot escape it.

3. The decree from God.

4. The time is fixed by God.

5. We do not know when.

6. Death will overtake you.

7. You may be doped and unconscious.

(1) Past generations have died.

(2) Life may belong but will end.

(3) Methuselah lived to an old age but died.

(4) Strength will not avail or Samson would not have died.

(5) Wisdom will not avail or Solomon would not have died.

(6)Piety will not avail or Abraham would not have died.

IV. The Claim of Death.

1. He visits battlefields and hospitals. 2. He goes into mansions and claims
millionaires. 3.He goes into shanties and claims the poor.

V. Death Demands Our Consideration.

1. Its certainty.

2. Its nearness.

3. Its nature.

4. Its terrors.

5. Its warnings.

6. Its powers settle destinies.

7. Because of our nearness to the river’s crossing.

8. Because of preparation we should make.

VI. The Important Question:

1. Infidel dies -- Where is he?

2. Gambler dies -- Where is he?

3. Hypocrite dies -- Where is he?

4. Christian dies -- Where is he?

VII. A sinner dying cried, "I am dying and going to I know not where !"

VIII. A Christian dying shouted, "I am dying and going to a place I have wanted
to go all my life."

Alexander the Great, while dying, said, "I have given thought to everything but
death and that is the most important subject I could have considered."

Spurgeon said, "Do not fail to warn men to prepare for death."

Death is a familiar subject, yet it is not a popular one. All know he is coming
but so few are ready to welcome him.

I. Nothing more certain than death.

1. It is the nature of the human body to die.

2. The body is mortal and constantly wearing out. As the automobile has limited
life, so the human body soon renders its limit of endurance.

II. Bible proves certainty of death. "As in Adam, all died, so in Christ shall
all be made alive."

1. The educated, illiterate, the old, and the young all must die.

2. Death visits the king on the throne and the poor man in the slums.

3. Death comes down the road of the centuries.

4. The muffled tread of death is universal. Death looks in at every window and
comes in at every door. It changes music into a funeral dirge. The funeral
procession moves slowly through the streets. Listen to the sobs and sighs and
see that vacant chair. You may escape contagious diseases, but you cannot escape
death.

III. Death being certain, all should prepare. To neglect preparation, is the
height of folly. If you knew a cyclone were coming, you would prepare. You are
out of the road of death nowhere. There are thousands of gates leading to death
and generations are passing through.

IV. Death ends forever our opportunities to do here what we should have done.
Sermons you have heard may be remorse of conscience. You have flirted with
opportunity and trifled with your destiny. Once grace flowed like a river, now
its channels are dried up forever.

V. Death has been conquered. Death of Christ struck death with a mighty
sledgehammer blow. It lifted the gates of death off their hinges. It made the
tunnel of death to bloom like the valley.

VI. Resurrection of Christ assures victory over death. Men conquered armies and
nations but Christ conquered death.

VII. Testimonies of dying saints are good evidences. Paul was hounded from port
to port, shore to shore, imprisoned, and five times beaten with thirty-nine
stripes save one. Hear Paul’s valedictory address, "I have fought a good fight;
I have finished my course; I have kept the faith. "This testimony embraces:

1. A victorious past, 2. A peaceful present,

3. A blissful future. "We shall sleep, but not forever, There shall be a
glorious dawn ; We shall meet to part no, never, In the resurrection morn."

2 Timothy 4:7, Paul refers to his Christian life under three aspects.

1. It is a warfare.

2. It is a race.

3. It is a trust.

Paul lived such a devoted, consecrated and earnest life that in the end he had
no regrets. He no doubt made mistakes but he had a heavenly pull and was
constrained by holy motives and purposes. This life is a warfare and we must
fight the good fight of faith and lay hold on eternal life. Also it is a race
and to finish the course with success we must lay aside everything which would
hinder or retard our progress and run with patience the race set before us. In
this life, we are on trial and to be true to the trust we must keep the faith.
We must not compromise for modern ideas and human philosophies. Paul was
courageous and heroic in that he laid down his life for the faith. He looked
forward to the time when he would receive a crown, crown of life, crown of
righteousness, and at that time there would be no mistakes made and no
favoritism shown; not for Paul alone but all that love the appearing of Jesus.

"O Death, where is thy sting?" You are at the crossing of the river. The icy
hand of death is upon the brow. You are now sailing between two great shores.
Conscience tells you the end is reached. The Almighty has the balances in His
hands. Riches take wings and fly away. Your notions, ideas, and opinions are
things of the past. Those the world call great are now turning pale. The vain
pomp and show of the world is now worthless. No one now has an argument against
holiness. Holiness is popular here. Christian character tells its full value at
the station of death. We all arrive at this station on schedule time according
to God’s time table. And on the Highway of Holiness, we see heroes, seers, and
saints. The angels of God are our closest friends. The smoke of the battle and
the shout of new born souls have encouraged us many times along the way. We have
heard the mighty thunderings of Jehovah in the mountains and on the plains but
He has led us through green pastures, and beside the still waters. But the end
is reached; we are here; the last enemy is conquered. The sting is gone, and we
enter the door of the morning that knows no night. That the saints pass
immediately at death into heaven is taught by the most pious and learned
denominations of all ages. We grant that this does not prove it absolutely true;
but it does give much weight to the argument. Therefore, this is no new idea and
it is not the faith of the few, but it is the testimony of the Church. The
influence of such teaching has been very extensively respected and felt
throughout the Church world. No doubt, the doctrine has been responded to with a
joyful Amen by millions since the organization of the Christian church. People
everywhere believe that the saints immediately after death are admitted into
heaven.

Again, some tell us that the full effect and consequences of a person’s actions
are not fully worked out when one dies. (For our actions follow us and will
continue their influence until the end of time comes). For instance, infidels,
who have been dead for years, yet their labors and writings are still working
for evil; while on the other hand, the labors and writings of many good men are
still working for good. These must be brought into consideration when it comes
to rewards and punishments. Hence, some claim that destiny cannot be immediately
decided. But God knows all things, and He knows how these things will work out
and is able to give a justice at the day of death the same as He will at the end
of the world. Besides, there is nothing unreasonable or unscriptural in the
belief that the happiness of the righteous in heaven or the misery of the lost
in hell will increase in exact proportion as the consequences of their actions
on earth are developing until the Judgment Day. Our enjoyment in heaven will be
in exact proportion to our capacity; and as fast as our spirits are Unfolded
will our joys increase. In yonder quiet room shaded with the twilight of
mourning and sorrow lies a dying saint. Weeping friends have gathered around
waiting for the last breath; the last words have already been heard. Not a look
of complaint, of agony, or even a frown is seen upon his face. No doubt, he
hears exquisite music and sees heavenly sights never yet made known to mortal
beings. The pulse ceases to beat, the last breath has been drawn, and the spirit
takes its flight to the God who gave it. Will this redeemed soul, set free from
earthly captivity, stop on its way before it reaches our Father’s Throne? The
last farewell is said, the body lies before us motionless, all is silent. Some
may mourn his absence but I feel we will meet again. In the dreadful stillness
of the twilight hour, we look heavenward and the honest heart inquires, "Where
is the spirit now?" Who would forbid an answer? Who would refuse to give an
answer if they could? What answer would Christianity allow you to give? If the
Marys committed no sin in seeking the tomb of their Lord "very early when it was
yet dark" that they might anoint His body with spices, they asked with tears
where they had laid Him, surely it would not be wrong for us to ask with tearful
anxiety, "Where are the spirits of our departed dead?" At once, we find
ourselves facing the question of all ages. And the only answer the writer has to
give is, "As to where they are, depends exclusively on how they lived while
among us."

Many are asking the questions, "Will death shut from our view this present
world? Do the saints of heaven know of our joys and sorrows? Do they know of our
fortunes and misfortunes? Do they know of our triumphs and temptations? Are they
as much interested in us now as when they were on earth?" How glad we would be
to have these questions rightly answered. But to be sure, we had better wait
until we get there and then we can be absolutely sure. The saints of heaven may
know more of our actions and conduct than we think. When we read of the interest
the rich man in hell had in his five brethren on earth, we would not want to
think of Christians in heaven having less interest or less concern for us who
are still entangled with the temptations and dangers of a probationary life.
Surely in heaven, we will remember the world and the scenes of His sufferings
and of His marvelous triumph and will remember this world as the battleground of
the ages. We live in the past by recollections; in the present by consciousness,
and in the future by hope. No doubt, memory in the future world will be keener,
and more faithful than it was here. This life and the future life stand
evidently in close relationship to each other. The future life is a continuation
of this life. What we sew here we will reap yonder providing we do not reap it
before we get there.

If this world is for probation and the future world for rewards, then we should
know why we are rewarded; and we can only remember why we are rewarded by the
recollection of a probationary state. A crown would mean nothing unless we could
remember some victory we had won. What would a recompense of a reward amount to
unless we could remember some service rendered to God and to humanity?

We shall have the society of the pious of all ages. "They shall come from the
East and the West and the North and the South and shall sit down with Abraham,
Isaac, and Jacob in the Kingdom of Heaven." We will have the privilege of
conversing with prophets and righteous men of olden times. We will hear the
orations of Enoch and Elijah, of Abraham and Job, of Moses and Samuel, of David
and Isaiah, of Daniel, Peter, James, Paul and John. O what inspiration as we
listen to the eloquent and immortal tongues as they discuss the wonders of
redemption!

It is believed that we will recognize each other in heaven. "Then shall I know
even as I am known." To think we will know less in heaven than on earth is
contrary to the tenor of Scriptures. The inference from the Bible is that in the
heavenly state by an intuitive perception of which we can here form no idea, we
shall even recognize those whom we have never seen in this life. Then our
knowledge will be wonderfully increased. How it rejoices our hearts now to think
we shall be able to greet each other in that bright world of bliss and glory.

O what ineffable joy for a father or mother to meet those who were once prodigal
sons and daughters. It would be hard for us to imagine here in this life the
intensity of emotion of those who unite with friends and loved ones around the
throne. There we shall see the King in all His beauty and He will be known to
every saint. Our employment will be pleasing and no doubt of many varieties. We
shall all behold and admire the glories of heaven. He will lead the ransomed
millions over all the celestial fields of Immortality and unfold to us the
riches and glory of His Eternal Kingdom. The glory of the future life is as real
as though we had been wandering over the golden hills of eternal bliss for ten
thousand years. The most exalted conception of the heavenly felicity which
awaits the people of God beyond the boundaries of time must be faint and
inadequate as Paul asserts, "Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither hath
entered into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that
love Him." 1 Corinthians 2:9. The most vivid description of revelation, and the
most sublime metaphors of Holy Writ are feeble vehicles in describing the
ecstatic glories of the heavenly world. In heaven we will have been saved from
all evil. We will not be conscious of any defect to interrupt our happiness. It
has been said that the pursuit of knowledge there will constitute a part of our
employment and will greatly contribute to our happiness. We shall not die and
leave truth behind but it will accompany us to the future world; and where we
leave off here, we will take up there with renewed and immortalized powers.
There we will not get tired any more but there our faculties will flourish in
the freshness of youth.

Evil and sin will not be allowed to enter that holy city. All trouble here has
been caused by sin. But there "the wicked cease from troubling." The faithful
saint of God has had a hard time here but he will get recognition by and by.

Jesus did not want His followers to have a vain hope concerning future
blessedness. He said I am going to that state in glory where there is not only a
place of supreme importance for myself but there I will have a prepared place
for all my followers.

Every negative has its opposite in the material and scientific world; hence this
rule obtains in the spiritual world. Hell is exactly opposite of heaven and what
one is, the other is not. In heaven there will be law. In hell there will be
anarchy. In heaven there will be love. In hell there will be hate. In heaven
there will be joy. In hell there will be sorrow. In heaven there will be rest.
In hell there will be no rest day or night forever. In heaven there will be
light. In hell there will be the blackness of darkness forever. For the saint,
home at last. the voyage is over; the tempest is hushed. No more heart-aches, no
more tired and wearied bodies, no more disappointments, no more thorns to be
extracted, but blessed rest from the toilsome journey of life. At home with the
Savior at last. His arms enclose us, His grace comforts us; His light cheers us;
and His presence satisfies us. We are now in the morning of the day that knows
no night. He will lead us on, up, in and through and be our guide and light as
eternal ages roll by. The home of the soul will be the final abode of the
saints. What permanence and satisfaction await us in that day and not us only
but unto all them also that love His appearing. Families broken up for centuries
will be reunited in that day never to part again. The martyrs and prophets will
be there. The apostles and preachers who have been true to the blood and never
betrayed their trust will be there. Our weary bodies will not get tired any
more; no more tears, for God shall wipe away all tears from our eyes. We shall
eat fruit of the tree of life and behold the sea of glass and drink from the
river and fountain of life that flows by the throne of God. We will cast our
crown at His feet and crown Him Lord of All and will still be loving Him because
He first loved us. We shall see His face and His name shall be on our foreheads.
"And there shall be no night there: and they need no candle, neither light of
the sun, for the Lord God giveth them light and they shall reign with Him
forever."


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  CHAPTER 7: 1.06.     PERSONAL RECOGNITION IN HEAVEN
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Personal Recognition in Heaven By W.B. Dunkum The composition of our
individuality symbolizes two worlds. Our body represents the present world
composed of earthly elements. Our soul represents the spiritual world to which
it will return when God calls for it.

Heavenly recognition is based on reason and revelation.

I. Reasons for heavenly recognition.

1. Death is only a physical experience. It touches the body but it cannot reach
the soul. The body will die but the soul will live on forever.

2. When the body dies the soul will continue to exist. The soul lives and its
faculties will live on forever. One of its faculties is memory. We will remember
them and therefore will recognize them. When glorified, our identity will
remain. The individuality of the soul remains the same forever. We will not get
lost or mixed up with the glorified throng. The disciples recognized Jesus in
His glorified body. Stephen recognized Jesus standing at the right hand of God.
All Scriptural references to messengers that come from the other world indicate
that they had the appearance of human beings.

3. Another faculty of the soul’s conscious individuality is love. Love never
dies. No amount of physical suffering or disease ever weakens it. Infirmities of
old age that sometimes dim other faculties have no power over love. Love grows
stronger as we advance in years. It is evident that love is immortal. Love will
still have the power of recognition. Love is of God, and therefore Christian
love must be as eternal as God’s love. God is love and love is from everlasting
to everlasting. God’s love binds our hearts together by a heavenly bond.

4. Another proof of recognition is the universal existence of this belief. All
nations have held to this belief from the earliest of times. Therefore, it must
have been implanted in man by the Creator. You will find it frequently referred
to in the writings of the heathen sages, like Socrates and Cicero. Indians who
have received no revelation from God have the belief of a future recognition and
have buried with them certain implements to be used in the future life. Among
the early Saxons, it was observed that a servant would slay himself to go and
serve his master in another world. The infinite God did not give man such a hope
only for disappointment.

II. Second, our belief in future recognition is based ’on the Word of God.

1. David said, "In thy presence is fullness of joy, at thy right hand are
pleasures forevermore."

2. The picture of heaven, which the Bible gives would not be fascinating if we
eliminated the idea of heavenly recognition. Jesus said, "In my Father’s house
are many mansions." The fact is the New Testament speaks of death as a
homecoming and reunion. It would be strange to think of a family not being able
to recognize each other. :Heaven would not be a place of supreme satisfaction if
we failed to recognize one another.

3. We know that the power of love and friendship will outlive death, and the
powers of recognition will, also. Now, we see in a mirror darkly, but then face
to face.

4. When Jesus emerged from the grave he recognized at once the ones who sought
Him. He was recognized by His disciples.

5. When Moses and Elias appeared in conversation with Jesus, they were
recognized by Peter, James, and John. If the disciples of Jesus could recognize
the spirits of those who had been in heaven many years, will we not be able to
recognize those who have been gone from us for a few years?

6. Let us be assured that our translation from this world to the next will not
destroy our prominent faculties. Death is only a door and the grave is a
vestibule to the King’s Palace. There is no break in the soul’s consciousness.
To depart is to be with Christ. "To be absent from: the body is to be present
with the Lord." If we shall know Him, shall we not also know all them which are
His? Certainly we shall not be more ignorant there than here. Abraham said to
Dives, "Son, remember." If the spirits of the lost world remember, why not the
spirits of the redeemed? Martin Luther said, "We shall know each other on
sight." We shall want to interview the saintly characters of the Bible. We shall
want to tell our indebtedness to those who stood by us in life. It might be
possible you have contemplated asking forgiveness of some one for something you
have failed to make fully right while on earth. For fear you will not be allowed
that privilege you had better get matters adjusted and all wrinkles ironed out
now. Thomas Chalmers was asked by his wife, "Dear, do you think we shall know
each other in heaven ?" He replied, "Do you think we will be bigger fools in
heaven than we are on earth?"

Sorrow, Its Meaning and Ministry

Wherever you go you find hearts wounded by sorrow. Death has cut many a gash
that all the Flowers of Spring cannot bandage. Can you find a home in which
grief in some form has not frequented? Almost every soul you meet has some
sacred and tender memory. We receive visions of glory and of heaven which can be
gained no other way than by sorrow. For instance, John the Revelator, banished
to the Isle of Patmos to die, by the cruel Roman Emperor, but God was in it and
he received that wonderful revelation, the Book of Revelation, from God.

1. The Book of Revelation reveals to us that the Spirit Land is near. Heaven is
always near to those who are heavenly minded. Its sights and sounds are only
shut out by the walls of the flesh. Now and then, God permits certain glimpses
to encourage our faith and strengthen us in the battle while we wait for heaven
to open to us.

2. John describes heaven as a painless land. The inhabitants never say, "I am
sick." We sometimes speak of this world as the land of the living when in
reality it is the land of the dying.

3. John saw a mighty company of the redeemed, a select gathering, a multitude
that no man could number. Heaven is a city of twelve gates. No one can count the
roads leading to the city. This company were arrayed in white robes of purified
character, woven of the threads of trouble. These are they that come up out of
great tribulation. They tell us that it takes all the colors of the rainbow to
make white. Perhaps you have had all of seven kinds of trouble and more.

1. Earnings of a lifetime swept away through business reverses.

2. Have become helpless invalids.

3. Experienced failing health.

4. They have given up former luxuries even necessities and comforts of life.

5. Some have been martyrs.

6. Others have endured domestic hindrances, been misunderstood and slanderously
accused.

7. Others have had perpetual struggles; inherited appetites and a sinful past to
overcome(after forgiveness was received). The faithful whom John saw were
satisfied for they realized the meaning of their troubles. White is the color of
victory, the flag of truce that wins the war. As some one has said, "The
mountains that lift themselves highest above their fellows are crowned with the
pure radiance of the snow. The torrent that leaps victoriously over the rocky
obstacles breaks into dazzling masses of white foam. The plants that struggle
hardest with adverse conditions throw out white blossoms to the breeze, just as
the pond lily signifies its triumph over the mud by its white petals."

John observed the redeemed as they stood before the throne of God. The highest
honor possible. Many are never great in this world; they hold no place of
distinction, their names never get in print, but they are faithful to humble
duties. Now they are before the throne of God. How foolish the fierce struggles
some make to achieve the applause of men, for when Time merges into Eternity,
Will seem like Writing one’s name in the sand or scratching it on a block of ice
in the summer sun. The only worthwhile: place for your name is in the Book of
Life, where God registers Christian character, as only Christian character :goes
with us to the Throne of God. All other things we accumulate, titles, honor, and
property are laid aside when we pass through the doorway of death.

We claim our loved ones but God has a claim on them, too. We want them here, but
He needs them there. We have plans for them here, but He has better plans for
them there.

Yes, to those who die in Christ death is gain. Gain in knowledge for they abide
among the infinite intelligences of Heaven. They have been released from the
limitations of the flesh; they grow from character to character, growing in the
likeness of Christ. We feel we need our friends and cannot spare them here but
God needs them there and their work has just properly begun; they being dead,
yet they speak and they live. "The memory of the Just is blessed, but the name
of the wicked shall rot." Proverbs 10:7.

We are inclined to question the dealings of God but by and by all mysteries
shall be made dear. All disappointments here will be revealed as His
appointments there. All the events of life that we thought to have gone wrong
will prove to have been blessings in disguise.

1. The wisest and the best of all ages have believed in the Immortality of the
Soul.

There is not a nation or a tribe of whom history furnishes an account that did
not with greater or less clearness believe in a future life. Yet many of their
views have been obscure and unsatisfactory. In the darkest hours of life all men
long for Immortality. When sickness comes upon you and the death angel is at the
door, and you are but a step from the grave, then it is easy to believe right
and without an effort you become a firm believer in the Immortality of the Soul.

2. The innate desire of the soul is to live again. A certain heathen read
Plato’s discourses on Immortality, went to the highest cliff and jumped off that
he might immediately enter Immortality.

France denounced the Truth of God and said death was an eternal sleep and there
was no God but Reason. She also blasphemed the Word of God in the streets of
Paris, and today France is paying expensively for such an experience and such a
belief.

3. The unequal distribution of rewards and punishments in this life proves the
Immortality of the Soul. The wicked and the guilty pass by unpunished and the
innocent is often crushed under the iron heel of Power. Here many escaped
punishment due their crime. Frequently the devout pass through the furnace of
affliction. But Justice will not sleep forever. The wicked will not always
escape, neither will the righteous go forever unrewarded.

4. The doctrine of Immortality is encouragement to the Christian. The Saints of
Old testified in the eleventh chapter of Hebrews. They had trials, cruel
mockings and imprisonment; they were stoned; they were sawn asunder; they were
tempted, and they were slain with the sword. They wandered about in sheep skins
and goat skins, being destitute, afflicted, and tormented. They wandered in
deserts and in mountains and in dens and caves of the earth. Their faith pierced
the impossible and rose to worlds above and fastened on to the inheritance in
the celestial city. They counted not their lives dear unto themselves in the
face of frowns and scoffs of the world and many became martyrs to the holy
cause. In the darkest hour, they could cry out, "O Death, where is thy sting? O
Grave, where is thy victory?" You erase the hope from the Christian’s heart and
he is at once enshrouded with impenetrable darkness. But let this hope bloom in
his life and he can smile amidst the storms of life, rejoice in tribulation and
with glorious anticipation look forward to a life beyond. The true Christian can
rejoice though the storm rages and the tempests howl. Yes, the saints of God
under every dispensation have looked beyond this vale of tears to the Unfolding
glories of the Resurrection Morning. We will be able to spread our wings and fly
away to the heights of heaven and there mingle with Seraphim and Cherubim and
the patriarchs of all ages. Many have been buried for Centuries, but they are
still living and God is still their God.

He who numbers the hairs of the head and notices the falling sparrows, by His
triumphant Resurrection hath abolished death and brought life and Immortality to
light. He will see we are there, back in our original state, and this is our
future hope, to live with Him forever. A hope of the future life has inspired
many along the rough pathway of life. In the famous paintings and noble deeds of
mankind, others have caught the same spirit. The dying saint catches the same
spirit and is heard to quote in the dying hour, "Yea, though I walk through the
valley of the shadow of death. I will fear no evil for thou art with me." The
unbeliever has vainly said, "Your hopes concerning the future life are but
dreams:" If so we say, "Let us dream on." Our greatest hope is the existence of
another life after this one is over. Paul says that "If in this life only we
have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable." I Cor. 15:19. Science
says, "There may be a future life." Philosophy says, "There ought to be a future
life." The Bible says, "There is a future life."

True science never did deny the existence of a future life. Isaac Newton started
to write a book on infidelity but was converted before he completed the book. A
scientist was giving his views about the future life when Newton said, "Stop.
You don’t know what you are talking about. I like to hear you talk about
astronomy but you know nothing about the future life. So keep quiet. "The future
life is not any more mysterious than the present life, as our every day life is
shrouded in mysteries. Many of the world’s greatest thinkers and scholars have
been advocates of a future life. This hope is refreshing to the weary Pilgrim
along the pathway of life.

It takes a musician to appreciate music, an artist to appreciate art, a
scientist to appreciate science, a philosopher to appreciate philosophy. And a
Christian alone can fully appreciate and understand the future life. The Bible
tells us all necessary to know about the future life. If it said more about
heaven we might get homesick to go; if it told all the horrors of hell we might
become insane. Many prophecies uttered hundreds of years before they came to
pass ’is proof of their inspiration.

Ill. A young lady who was grieving over the death of her Mother, saw her Mother
in a dream. She said, "Mother, you were dead." Her Mother answered, "I was dead
but I am alive to live forevermore." The lady told me that after that dream she
never grieved any more over the death of her Mother.

We bow at the feet of a crucified Lord but risen Savior. The grave could not
hold Him; because He lives we shall live also. This Resurrection is the
foundation on which the Church was built. It is the outstanding event of Bible
History. It is the established doctrine of our Holy Christianity. It is a pledge
of our resurrection. Not faith in a dead Christ or an empty tomb, but faith in
one who sits at the right hand of the Father interceding for you and me. The
Resurrection Is-- 1. An absolute proof of His deity.

2. It proclaims to the universe a complete redemption.

3. His Resurrection is assurance of our Immortality. The Bible sparkles and
glows with this great theme. Prophets of old mounted the heights of inspiration
and told it. Jesus declared He would live again. One throb of His pulse was
sufficient to roll the stone away, break the seal, and paralyze the guard.

1. His Resurrection is a pledge of our resurrection.

2. His Resurrection enables saints to shout victory over death.

Alfred Cookman said, "I am sweeping through the gates washed in the blood of the
Lamb. "The thought of the resurrection kindles the fire of hope in us. We may be
buried in the icy North, sunny South, hills of the East or plains of the West;
when the first trumpet sounds, we shall be found. If living, gravitation will be
reversed, and we will meet just over the treetops. Browning said, "Don’t think
of me as being dead; I am just away and more alive than ever."

3. The strongest argument in favor of the resurrection is the Resurrection of
Jesus Christ. It is the outstanding event of Bible History and is the only hope
of the Bible Christian. Job in distress and torment said, "I know that my
Redeemer liveth."

III. Socrates was unjustly put to death. He was surrounded by a crowd of
philosophers, and they tried to get him to deny the Immortality of the Soul, but
he would not. Hence, they made him drink a cup of poison hemlock from which he
died. Socrates died like a philosopher. Paul died like a Christian. Christ died
like a God. But one says, "Can you tell me of one person who has returned from
the other world to tell me if there be a further life." Yes, there is such a
man. He was put to ,death and blood flowed from His wounded sides, while wounded
for our transgressions. He died of a broken heart. He. Was pronounced dead by
the civil authorities. After three days, he arose victoriously over the grave
and showed himself to many by infallible proofs. He conquered death and the
grave. He brought life and Immortality to light through the Gospel. He is your
Savior and mine. He died, "The just for the unjust, that He might bring us to
God." 1 Peter 3:18. "He who never committed sin was made a sin offering for us,
that we might become the righteousness of God in Him." 2 Corinthians 5:21. Does
He live in your heart and life? Your body may die but your spirit may be with
Christ until the time comes for His return. Those who :are alive at that great
event will not have to die, but they will be changed in the twinkling of an eye.
"Mortal shall have put on Immortality. Death will be swallowed up in victory.
Thanks be unto God, who giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ," 1
Corinthians 15:51-57. A SERMONETTE "Immortality" This is the most important
subject of mortal life and human destiny, which prompted the troubled patriarch
to ask that momentous question for which centuries have given no answer: "If a
man die shall he live again?" It is an old question yet it has not lost its
freshness. It has been asked and answered many times, and the answers have often
widely differed one from the other. Sometimes it has been a confidential yes;
again an equivocal no. This question, though now easily answered, was formerly
one of great doubt among the wisest of men. Philosophers have labored earnestly
to solve the mystery; logicians have reasoned about it; preachers have preached
about it; theologians have argued about it, yet in perplexity they have failed
to obtain a clear knowledge of the realms beyond the grave. Hence the Bible is
the only book that gives us definite news from the undiscovered country. The
seed of immortality has been planted in the breast of every human being. Yet we
cannot estimate the value of the soul by men’s actions and attitude towards
religion. All nations have some idea of a future existence. During the Dark Ages
when darkness, illiteracy and superstition reigned supremely and the world was
groping in sin and ignorance, groups of people were found in different cities
who were united for the purpose of religious practices, based upon faith and
immortality; who believed that the soul was divine in origin and spiritual in
nature, and that it was in bondage and the only remedy was righteousness and
purification. Immortality seemed to have been stamped indelibly upon all nations
by the finger of God.

There is much in this doctrine which reminds us of the Christian life, the
Messianic faith, the final contest, the general judgment and the resurrection
which appears and reappears in the teaching of immortality. The wicked must be
raised as well as the good that divine justice may be publicly vindicated. There
is to be a final conflict in which the good will triumph over the evil. There
will be a universal judgment, as a result of which all the wicked are to be cast
into hell, and the good received into the fellowship of the God of light and
into the happiness of His everlasting kingdom. To look at the soul as going from
strength to strength and consider that it is to shine forever in glory and will
be going from virtue to virtue and knowledge to knowledge. Surely it must be
pleasing to God to see His creatures forever as they beautify before his eyes
and draw nearer to Him by greater degree of resemblance.

It is a good thing that we know but little about the life to come, for it
enables us to concentrate our attention upon the life that now is, which is the
only safeguard against unprofitable speculation. But we should remember that now
is the appointed time for work, for study, for service, for experience, for
insight, for repentance, for consecration, for justice, for mercy, and for
holiness. It is a story of wonderful fascination. No greater subject has ever
challenged mortal intellect. It shows the way in which the human spirit has
triumphed over intellectual difficulties, and won peace and security through
faith in a God whose love and power extends beyond the grave. This faith has
conquered the world. It is the Christ of history, the prophet of Nazareth, the
atoning Savior, the conqueror of death, who brought life through immortality.

Poets have sought to decorate death with garland and imagery. Friends have
covered the grave with exquisite flowers and grasses. Philosophers have decked
the sepulcher with gorgeous attire. The productions of the artist have
beautified our cemeteries with marble monuments and lifelike statues and
figures. But without faith in Christ and His resurrection power, death is still
king of terror, and the only thing that beautifies the graveyard is the hope of
the resurrection and faith in immortality. It attributes to the efficiency of
the individual. It makes us happier, stronger and more successful in our daily
living. It helps to comfort and aid in life’s misfortunes. It is our consolation
in bereavements, our compensation for failures. When death robs us of friends we
look forward to a meeting by and by when justice will be defended and wrongs
righted.

Every man lives in the center of a circle whose fatal circumference he cannot
pass. And within its narrow limits he lives, and if he goes beyond it he
perishes. But then if immortality is not merely a delusive dream but a reality,
we take up the future world where we leave off here. Then if we dread to die we
should fear to live. For life is a reality and all things show it. I used to
think so, but now I know it. Our destiny is settled in this life and death
introduces us either to the pains of hell or bliss of heaven. But in the :hour
of death hope sees a star, and while listening silently we hear through faith
the wings of angels that have come to convey the spirit away to the regions of
eternal felicity. While in love with life and enraptured with the world, upon
your brow will fall the golden dawn of eternal day. For as surely as God raised
Christ from the dead by the glory of the Father, so sure will He preserve for
the joy and service of His kingdom those who in this life have made covenant
with Him by sacrifice.


========================================================================
  CHAPTER 8: 2.     HOT POTATOES WITH JACKETS ON PART 1
========================================================================

Hot Potatoes With Jackets On (Part 1) By W.B. Dunkum

Factions speak louder than words, some people have enough religion to make them
miserable when they should have enough salvation to make them happy.

Excuse makers get in full time; they work seven days a week, never stop for flu
epidemic, political campaign, or the scarcity of finance. Wall Street may fail
to function, yet they are busy day and night, winter and summer, hot or cold,
soon or late, wet or dry, north, east, south and west.

Some men in active service on fat salaries are suffering intensely because of a
swollen head, and are giving very little or no attention to a dried-up heart.

Jesus Christ came to redeem from sin, and His work is a glorious success, yet
thousands are not accepting Him.

Don’t let your ears be a dumping ground for the busy tattlers and fire-side
gossipers.

Since shouters have lost their zeal and fire, it may be they haven’t anything to
shout about, as they are no longer heard to shout in the sanctuary.

Out of one million holiness people of today, we are at times caused to wonder
where the holy people are: for there is a vast difference in their manner of
worship and everyday life; such as actions, walk, talk, conversation, and dress.
The holiness churches will never rise higher than its pulpit leadership,
therefore we need a trained ministry to intelligently indoctrinate those of our
faith in the fundamentals for which west and.

Why should a Church function when it fails to get people to God, is it worthy of
its name?

Some want to know where Cain got his wife. To be frank, it is none of your
business where he got her, but if you must know, he got her where he found her.
Now the question that concerns you is not where you got your wife but how have
you treated her since you got her.

Some people can only see the mote in their neighbor’s eye, when, no doubt, both
a beam and saw-log are in their own eye.

I frequently see people who act as if their religion hurts them.

You will never make a success in peddling excuses, as you will find the people
are all well supplied. Did you meet Mr. "A" who has a swollen head and a dried
up heart?

If you are big enough to give advice, then be Christian enough to take advice.
Your spirituality is not seen by your ability to see the faults and flaws of
others, but by lifting them to a higher plane of victory, usefulness, and
Christian living. By all means be uncompromising, but don’t be Pharisaical.

Let us build into our every day living such valuable principles and character
which will stand the test of time with values only seen when the cobwebs of
familiarity, prejudice, jealousy, and misunderstandings have been swept away by
the hand of time and our hearts softened by regrets, sorrows, and the
consciousness of our own shortcomings. The brave generals and the strong
soldiers will some day fight their last battle, but it is better to fight under
the banner of Jesus Christ against sin, the world, and the devil. We may get but
little praise while we fight and go down to the grave with little honor, but we
expect that which is far better than earthly praise, honor and rewards. We shall
have "a crown of glory that fadeth not away. A Crucified Lord must have a
Crucified Bride. No longer do we look to the blood of bulls and goats to atone
for our sins, but to Jesus Christ. All the types and shadows of the old Covenant
culminate in Him as the Mediator of the New Covenant, once for all, and, by
faith in His blood, we obtain eternal redemption. Truly they did kill the beast
and sprinkle the blood upon the altar, but now we are to get on the altar
ourselves.

Some refer to holiness indirectly and incidentally as if it were an added
privilege or private luxury, as though other matters were of equal or greater
importance; yet we insist that nothing in all the universe is of equal
importance as sanctification. Holiness becomes an absolute necessity in order to
retain our justified relationship with God. While we admit it is a luxurious
experience, yet it is an absolute necessity when it comes to preparation and
fitness for heaven.

Richter said, "He who being the holiest among the mighty, and the mightiest
among the holy, lifted with His pierced hands empires off their hinges and
turned the stream of the centuries out of its channel and still governs the
ages." The natural fallen man in his fallibility and limitations cannot fully
comprehend the infinite love of God.

Social Service Workers may put a new suit on a man, but it takes Jesus Christ to
put a new man into the suit. When all doors seem closed, you will find the way
to the Throne of Grace open unless you closed it yourself.

God is looking for intercessors as a miner looks for gold. An intercessor is one
who prays for another as if he were that other person. Can the Lord count on you
becoming that type of an intercessor? Who ever heard of a man marrying a woman
to reform her, yet women will marry men to reform them; the decision is they
have failed in their chosen field of service. Such women might be more
successful both here and hereafter if they operated having headquarters only in
no man’s land."

While the devil hates the Church, yet he puts his approval upon much of its
work. No doubt many from the "amen corner" and front pews will awaken in hell to
be lost forever. Of all the contemptible people of earth, I think it would be
difficult to find anyone to go in class with the community gossiper.

Don’t you know an angel in heaven could not afford to come down and mix with
some church members I know and then go back to heaven without being fumigated
and cleansed with carbolic acid, and lye, and soap before returning.

Noah built the Ark without an ocean to swim it in. Such faith will triumph over
every difficulty and master every situation.

You had better limp all the way to heaven than not get there at all. God is a
God of retribution.

Chickens will come home to roost. There is no logic like the logic of facts.

You can bring glory to God and be a blessing to others as you give a clear and
definite testimony to what He has done for you.

Christianity has from the beginning caused people to be amazed and when it stops
amazing people, it stops being truly Christian.

There is an appalling spiritual dearth and spiritual fatality among converts in
these awful days. The Campmeeting and the Church revivals are giving their time
largely to getting back into line those who have gone astray. We deplore the
instability, changeableness, and fickleness of the human race. Perhaps a large
per cent of this loss and tragic condition is due to our coldness, formality,
and indifference. My personal belief is that ten-day evangelism is not conducive
to deep spirituality and the building of strong, rugged spiritual character. The
short meeting points to shallowness. Hence in my judgment, the ordinary revival
should run from four to six weeks. The preparation of self is of more importance
than the preparation of the message. The surgeon studies for years before he
begins to practice. He will rest his body, quiet his nerves, and disinfect with
utmost care before an operation. As a surgeon of souls, are we careful or
careless?

Jesus of Nazareth is the only one who can save us, if He does not we are lost.
God took upon Himself human flesh and became a man. He lived among men and was
tempted as we are, was touched with the feelings of our infirmities. Why did He
thus come? To start a new religion? To establish a higher and nobler philosophy
of life? Oh, no, but to redeem a lost and fallen race. To give His life a ransom
for others that those who repent, confess, and forsake their sins and take up
the Cross and follow Him, might not perish but have everlasting life. Today, He
may be passing by to save the unsaved and sanctify those who will go with Him
all the way and bear the reproach. His presence will sanctify your joys, relieve
your sorrows; it will sweeten your victories, compensate your defeats, it will
make life abundant and worth while and death a triumphant victory.

We have passed through a depression which has hit us tremendously hard morally,
commercially, and spiritually. Such unscriptural sermons coming from the pulpit,
we are caused to wonder, what next. Truly the preacher is preaching from his
head and not from his heart. Many of his sermons contain ministerial and brain
sweat but almost wholly void of heart and soul agony.

We are told that the work of sixty-six muscles are necessary to produce a frown,
but we only use sixteen for a smile. Why not wear a smile and save the
difference?

You say you don’t believe in revivals, neither does the devil. So you are a chip
off the old block and believe like your father, the devil.

Start early in life to use everything that comes to you whether pleasant or
unpleasant, fortunate or unfortunate to your advantage and as a stepping stone.
Do not allow an unpleasant letter, an unreasonable criticism, an un-Christian
remark, or the loss of property, cast a shadow over your life, but let all such
become stepping stones to higher and nobler activity and greater usefulness in
the Master’s service. Don’t let your pathway become darkened by others who would
injure you, but when an object confronts you, surmount it as a stepping stone
and do not allow it for one moment to become a stumbling block.

"Good news which shall be to all people." Indeed it is good news, it has become
a cosmopolitan story. God puts everybody on a common level. No privileged group
among the upper circles will ever monopolize redemption. It is free to all,
rulers and beggars, tax-payers and tax-collectors.

You will find peace at Calvary and power at Pentecost. An open outbreaking
sinner is easier reached than a religious formalist who has never experienced a
change of heart.

If you keep a "red hot" experience, you can burn your way through this cold
world.

Everybody seems to be ready for physical healing, but a hunger for spiritual
healing has to be created.

If your life is hid with Christ in God, you will automatically do right, not
just to get to heaven.

Those who live in the Spirit, walk in the Spirit, and have their conversation in
heaven, area puzzle to those who have only reached the water works, churchanity,
and wrapped in the garment of morality.

Let us always bear in mind that Christian character without Christ is an utter
impossibility.

Wesley in writing to a preacher said, "Study to be small." Mr. Finney said,
"Unless a Christian was broken to pieces every few weeks they are unfit for
service." When you begin to argue, you are on slippery ground. I would advise
you to argue with no one, not even the devil.

Sanctified people are a blessing to any church, but a dry, hollow, hypocritical
professor will ruin any church just as he has defiled the church he is now in.
To go with God one hundred per cent looks like a lonely and isolated route, but
it pays remarkable dividends both here and hereafter. A religion that costs
nothing is worth nothing. A religion without a Cross is without a Crown.

Christianity is neither selfish nor clannish. We must give to God in order to
keep, and share with others in order to hold our standing with God and man.

If the Church of today is to live and function, she must return to primitive
Christianity.

Some people I know desire to please God when it does not offend the devil. No
one has to have a lawsuit to collect the wages of sin. "For the wages of sin is
death." The Mercy Seat is the place where heaven and earth meet and the place
where you meet God.

Don’t allow yourself to become run-down dodging duty.

Jesus Christ understood both sin and its cure as He can well handle all
questions pertaining to sin and its fearful consequences.

It is hard to think of parents sending their children to Sunday-School to be
taught by teachers who teach a Sunday School class in the morning, then refuse
to stay for preaching service, but rush home to get an early hot dinner, then on
the devil’s territory the rest of the day. They will be mighty poor examples for
the children the coming week.

Religion is nothing funny-aiming to make a fool out of you-but if you get enough
of it, it will make you either a gentleman or a lady.

If you will let God clean you up on the inside, you will not be long cleaning up
the outside.

You may feel humiliated if caught praying, but nobler people than you are have
been mighty in prevailing with God.

Brethren, I tell you the actual fact, lots of people have religion not worth
paying taxes on. When you get good salvation, you will wash your face, comb your
hair, and take a bath often. You will not be like that lady coming down the
street smoking like a chimney and by the time you pass her the first scripture
you can think of is, "By this time she stinketh."

God does not direct some things He permits. Be a tither or be uncomfortable. The
sort of Christianity some people have will not give them an easy pillow in the
dying hour, neither will it admit them into heaven on good works, nor on their
own extraordinary reputation.

Putting your converts into some Churches I know would be equivalent to putting a
live baby into a dead mother’s arms. The meanest trick I know of to play on an
unregenerate man is to take him into the Church in his unconverted condition and
then expect him to be religious and spiritual when he does not know the ABC’s of
conviction. To be a physical dwarf is most unfortunate, to be an intellectual
dwarf is much worse, but to be a Christian dwarf is an awful tragedy and there
are entirely too many such tragedies.

God is good, always good, and only good.

God is wise, always wise, and only wise.

God is love, always love, and only love. The true philosophy of life is the
Christian philosophy and their philosophy is self denial, cross bearing, and
following Jesus day by day, hour by hour, and moment by moment. An infidel lay
dying, a friend came along and said, "John, hold on." "The dying infidel said,
"hold on, I have nothing to hold on to." An educated crook is the most dangerous
man in the world.

While it is no disgrace to be poor, yet it is mighty inconvenient.

People may be healthful, wealthy, witty, learned and famous, but miserable
because they lack holiness.

One may be poor, weak, and ignorant, but supremely happy because of his
religious status.

Mr. Wesley said, "Anything that is essentially new in religion is essentially
false."

Bishop Warren said, "We have made much advancement in missions as a Church the
last hundred years, but we need to swing back a hundred years to the
spirituality, of our forefathers." To reject new light, we run against the God
Who loves us, the Christ Who redeemed us, and the Holy Spirit Who witnesses to
our salvation. In a crucial hour Nelson said, "England expects every man to do
his duty." Could God expect less?

We may not be without faults and mistakes, but we must be without sin.

We need jet black conviction, a blood red regeneration, a sky blue conversion,
and a snow white sanctification. The first man fell-Adam. The strongest man
fell-Samson. The wisest man fell-Solomon.

Yet people tell us it is impossible to backslide.

Men would be glad to be Christians if they could be on their own terms. A lady
said to Mr. Moody, "Don’t you think it will be all right for me to give lessons
in dancing to my daughter in order for her to be graceful?" Mr. Moody replied,
"She had better have grace in her heart than in her heels."

One said, his preaching was both soothing and satisfying; so soothing that one
could sleep all the time he was preaching, and so satisfying one could hear him
one time and never come back again. The Church of Jesus Christ is not made up
simply of formal or even holiness denominations; they are but nicknames. His
church is not a dead church. It is not composed of stone and mortar, great
organs, tremendous choirs, and a well trained ministry, not even as a
ritualistic form. It is a spiritual church, yes, the Bride of Christ.

Amanda Smith said, "If I were riding down the boulevard of heaven in a golden
chariot and the devil from a back alley would say, there goes Amanda Smith in a
golden chariot, I would not look at him, but would say, "Drive on, Gabriel,
drive on." God can put mettle in you until you will not want to stop and discuss
matters with Satan over a fence from some back alley.

Mr. Wesley said, "Make all you can, save all you can, and give all you can." Yet
many seem to say today, "Make all you can, and can all you make."

You cannot pray loud enough and shed tears enough to get God to change the plan
of salvation.

Having a wrong attitude, you close heaven to you. Your present attitude toward
people and things, essentials and nonessentials, will have much to do with your
future. Your latch string hangs on the inside and Jesus knocks at the outside,
but will not come in until invited.

Get the consent of your will to do right while God speaks and the Holy Spirit
strives.

He will straighten all question marks into exclamation points. No man is so well
born but what he needs to be born again.

What did Judas have in mind as he leaped into a suicide’s eternity? In the
mathematics of Christianity there is a subtraction as well as there is an
addition.

Nothing good to say about inbred sin.

Christianity will fix you up so you can get along with people as a Christian
should.

Hurry up and grow big enough not to ask so many silly questions, for tribulation
worketh patience.


========================================================================
  CHAPTER 9: 2.     HOT POTATOES WITH JACKETS ON PART 2
========================================================================

Hot Potatoes With Jackets On (Part 2) By W.B. Dunkum When you come to get
sanctified, bring your birth certificate along and you can take Holiness along
with you when you leave. The longer the preachers preach after nine o’clock at
night, the more restless the crowd becomes and the fewer results there are
around the altar. Let us not fish up the small branches, but stick to the main
stream and above all, know when to quit.

There are rough roads over which we are to travel in a sanctified state, but He
can give us grace to get over them successfully. A true holiness preacher will
preach without compromise all the fundamental doctrines of the Bible in
simplicity and clearness. He has no hobbies to ride and no axes to grind. He
will not abuse, criticize, and un-Christianize those who do not see eye to eye
as he does. His one and only one business is to get sinners saved, backsliders
reclaimed, believers sanctified, and build up and edify the Church.

If parents would work as hard to get their children saved as they do to get them
educated, many of them would become well-rounded saints in their early teens.

Often when parents are too busy to shed tears over the sins of their children,
many have lived long enough to shed tears over their caskets.

Having such poor examples of salvation makes it rather hard to get people saved.
The devil is catching many on an empty hook.

We sometimes wonder why the pastor has such bad children; it is because of their
association with the children of the church, primarily the members’ children.

It takes a crisis to reveal character, and one cannot tell what you are until
you have been thoroughly tested.

Sinner, your last pay-day is just around the corner, but remember, "The wages of
sin is death." A far-seeing man may be able to see as far as the grave, but is
unable to see even one pocket in his shroud.

You have tried to walk on both sides of the ditch until the banks have become
slippery and both crowds have lost confidence in you.

Many a man has worked hard a life time, done without and even sacrificed
principle to get a home paid for, and when the last payment was made, someone
else was living in it.

It takes more than a suit of clothes to make a man-must be some character and
principle there. No doubt some women have found that out because, when they
drew, all they got was a blank.

You will testify against wrong conditions or it will only be a matter of time
until you will be swallowed up by them.

Don’t let ambitions become colored with your own interest.

One dying Bishop said, "Let us advance on our knees." A child that doesn’t grow
must be sickly, and if it continues in that condition, will soon die. A
Christian that does not grow will die spiritually.

One master theologian said, "I had rather teach one man to pray than ten to
preach."

Joseph Smith said, "An altar service is a slow train for those who have too much
baggage to catch the limited." A stamp is worth face value and you can tell what
it is by looking at it. Are you worth face value and can one tell what you are
by looking at you? When we think of Redemption, our mind runs back to the Garden
of Gethsemane where the greatest battle of all ages was fought. The salvation of
Jesus Christ stands the test in the hour of depression. A six-story building was
on fire, six fire engineers were working to save it. A man looking on said, "I
wish people would work that hard to save me."

Tradition tells of a man who was present at the crucifixion, who, when asked
what he saw, said, "I saw nothing, I had the tooth ache." A lady comes to prayer
meeting and professes the highest standard of the New Testament, and in her
testimony speaks very emphatically against carnality, but on her return home she
demonstrates the fact that she has carnality in her as large as an elephant. As
she passed the boys on the street, they were heard to say, "there goes a lady
who is a conglomeration of inconsistencies."

You will not be big enough to fill a big place until you are little enough to
fill a little place.

Better live in poverty than die satisfied with ill-gotten gain. That man who
gets gain for himself by trampling on the rights of weak members of his
community will be certain to meet his doom sooner or later.

It would save trouble, expense, and blood-shed if we would take God into all our
counsel and obey all His laws.

While many are taking bankrupt laws because of failing financially, yet they are
failing religiously and quite largely morally. With many, ideals are gone, hence
we have but little to hope for and not much to build on.

If you differ from the world, some one may call you crazy. When you get good
old-time salvation, you will change your hitching post.

China said, "If the Americans will keep the movies out of our country, our
people will not know how to rob." A good philosophy: "Live as if you expected
Jesus to come tonight, and work as if you do not expect Him in your day."

While the masses are not alarmed, yet facts are stubborn and we are going from
bad to worse and the worst is yet to come. "Wickedness shall wax worse and
worse, deceiving and being deceived." When feeding a cow only on wheat straw,
don’t beat her with the stool for not giving a bucket full of rich milk.

It has been said, "theology is truth on ice, while evangelism is truth on fire."

Never was so much talk about peace and so much preparation for war as of late
years.

Dr. Ham said, "Every depression has been preceded by a backslidden ministry."

Some Church leaders desire to take credit for all good done, then why not take
blame for all good things not done.

Good old-time Holy Ghost religion will bring you under the reproach of the
Cross. This is the only depression that has failed to bring people to God.

Christianity is more than a crisis, it is a life to be lived after the crisis is
passed. When we major in conversion and sanctification only, we miss the
Christian goal. Much attention should be given to Christian living and to the
building of Christian character. "He that endureth to the end shall be saved."
When a church ceases to be evangelistic and to advance in aggressive evangelism,
her moral standards will soon collapse and the work of the Church will be of a
shallow type.

Many of our large influential church centers feed on husks alone; hence we find
a turning to Modernism, Skepticism, and Infidelity, thinking it is food when it
is only starvation. Brethren, don’t bite at such. It may give you indigestion
the rest of your life.

If you want to live a life worth while and be a blessing to others, let God burn
truth into your heart and when He does, the devil can’t burn it out.

All live Churches want revivals.

All dead Churches need them.

Many are looking for opportunity, they are all around you. Why not embrace them?
They are in your reach.

George Washington said, "a reasoning being would lose his reason in an attempt
to account for the great phenomenon of nature, had he not a Supreme Being to
refer to." And well has it been said that if there had been no God, "mankind
would have been obliged to have imagined one." The Scriptures abound in warnings
to the Church that she should keep herself in constant readiness for the coming
of the Bridegroom, for when God’s clock strikes the hour, the heavenly
Bridegroom will come for His Bride.

Charity is the greatest of all virtues, yet it is one we know but little about,
but with a sufficient amount of it in our hearts, our souls become aflame with
the task of world evangelism.

Strife between labor and capital continues with lawlessness practiced by both
groups. From a moral point of view, the nation is staggering like a drunken man.
Since the repeal of the Prohibition Amendment, many are using this as a
spree-period with but a low standard set for manhood and womanhood when it comes
to the standard of morals. In this day of possibilities and perplexities, the
world has yet to see what God can do, and He has placed in the hands of a
faithful few the key of prayer by which we may unlock this extraordinary
situation. Brethren, to your knees and on to victory.

Gifts and talents are valuable, but cannot take the place of the fruit of the
Spirit. We should bear fruit, more fruit, and then much fruit. Of all human
privileges, none is so sublime and none so great as the fact that we who are
lost in night’s darkest night, may be found saved and become partakers of His
divine nature, be adopted into His family, and by spiritual birth, become one of
His household.

You displayed your littleness in that squabble When it got out on you that you
were hurt because of not being elected to that office.

Oh, the power in the sacred name of Jesus. Take it with you where ever you go.
It dispels gloom, strengthens the fainting heart, restores the famishing, and
supplies needs, whether it be temporal need or spiritual refreshment. By calling
on His name we can become equal to the emergency. The Bible is not a book on
science, geology, or astronomy, but it is a book giving information pertaining
to the present and future life. It is a book on religion. It is the history of
humanity and the story of God’s love for a world fallen in sin. It gives us a
choice of two destinies, telling us of the country from whence we came and to
where we are going. It sets forth two Christian principles showing us how to
live right and the fearful consequences if we do not. This should be both our
rule of faith and practice. But as we follow its guidance and precepts, it will
stir our emotional nature and give us a conscience void of offence toward God
and man. It is authority on questions for both this life and the next. The young
should read it to know how to live, the old to know how to die, the ignorant for
wisdom, the learned for humility, the poor for help, and let all read it for
information pertaining to salvation, for it is the book for all classes and
conditions of men. I urge all to read it both for authority and for information.
Read it to be wise, believe it to be safe, and practice it to be holy.

There are sad memories in the lives of most of us, we find hard to forget, let
us not dig them up and brood over them, but let them remain in the grave of
forgetfulness; let us live in the present and hope for the future and go forward
trusting Him who has promised us grace according to our days.

Jesus did not lay down a set of rules for living, as He knew that rules would
sometime be out of date. But He did give us certain eternal principles that
never grow old. Such as love, service, duty to each other, and duty to God.
Nothing should keep us from fulfilling these to the best of our knowledge and
ability. Our one business is to stand unflinchingly for truth. As the conflict
is on, we should meet the attacks of the enemy uncompromisingly and stand
unmoveable; but our one aim should be progress in grace as we go toward our
final destination and our Heavenly home.

We should take courage, look up and find comfort in meditation on a glorious
future. Let us look beyond war and blood-shed; look to Him who brings peace to
the sin-troubled soul, yes, look to a house of many mansions. When He shall
appear, we shall be like Him." The Almighty can give you wisdom enough to be
wise, humility enough to be humble, and grace enough to be a saint.

There were many who in the beginning of their religious career were bright,
promising, and spiritual, but today they are formal and spiritually dead just
because of inactivity. Nothing will freeze us out and sap our spiritual life any
quicker than inactivity in Christian service, and our Christian service must
include our devotional exercises as well as Christian service to others. The
question is frequently asked, "Will the -Holiness Churches succeed? They will in
proportion as the old line of churches fail, and when we as a holiness church
fail God, He will raise up another Holiness Church to take its place.

Let us have too much religion and too much common sense to waste our time on
non-essentials and denominational differences. But let us preach and live the
truth, press the battle and win souls.

Someone has said that an honest man is the noblest work of God. In this world of
greed and graft, rascality, and dishonesty, it is a lasting benediction to find
an honest man. You may be honest and have no salvation but if you have
salvation, you will be honest.

While the conflict rages in the field of full salvation, we are to stand like a
stone wall and face the foe. We need the courage of a Luther or the stability of
a Wesley when it comes to the defense of Bible Holiness. At all times and under
all circumstances, let us stand as firm as the Rock of Gibraltar for the
principles, doctrines, and experience of holiness.

We who belong to the middle class (the best class) should congratulate ourselves
that we were not born with a silver spoon in our mouth and cradled in the lap of
luxury. We count it a greater privilege to have come from the humble home, yes,
the log cabin, than to have descended in pomp and splendor from the highest rank
of distinguished nobility.

Ruskin said, "Greatest trait anyone could possess, was that of humility."

We may have prestige, fame, nobility, honor, riches, wit, wisdom, knowledge, and
eloquence, but without perfect love we become as "sounding brass or a tinkling
cymbal." A holy man can stand to be discussed and talked about and not talk back
as he is accustomed to cold shoulder and hot tongue. While he differs from the
world, yet he desires not to be different from other Christians who take Jesus
Christ for their pattern, the world for their field of labor and heaven for
their home.

If I ever saw a person I felt sorry for, one who had my profound disgust and
heart felt sympathy, it is when I meet a boy or girl all dolled up and trying to
act like a dude because they were born in the city. They know nothing of running
errands, doing the chores, cutting wood, building fires, hauling wood, rolling
logs, piling rocks, plowing corn, hoeing potatoes, pulling weeds, feeding
Chickens, slopping the pigs, driving the cows, feeding the horses, mowing the
grass, sawing wood, mauling rails, cutting corn, harvesting wheat, killing hogs,
and much other drudgery work. No wonder 95% of those who succeed in life come
from the farm. The pastor is one of the divinely constituted orders of the
Christian ministry He is more than an official or dignitary, he is a connecting
link, he meets our people and comes in contact with all of their perplexing
problems. He marries the living, buries the dead, teaches the young, comforts
the old, molds public sentiment, holds a high standard of morals for the
community, and preaches the unsearchable riches of Jesus Christ. In the pioneer
days he made a remarkable record; he saddled his horse and led in the trail of
civilization. He climbed the mountain, went across the trackless forest, crossed
swollen streams, and was on the onward march through summer’s heat and winter’s
cold. Amid falling rains and driving snows he took the gospel to the early
settlers of our country. He is a man sent of God, he has religious enthusiasm,
he is a live wire. The laity should catch the vision and fall in line for better
things. He is a preacher, church builder, pastor, and revivalist. He can rattle
the dry bones in the valley, pray, preach, and shout until there is a sound in
the top of the mulberry trees indicating victory. He has salvation, common
sense, natural ability, mixing qualities, love for souls, consecrated to the
task, and with unction and power he goes forward preaching the gospel with the
Holy Ghost sent down from Heaven.

If we would talk more to the Lord, we would talk less about our neighbors. Of
course, we can’t be saved so well that people won’t talk about us, but we can be
saved so well that we won’t talk-back when they talk. Some people talk so much
they have no salvation left, only religion. The strait gate is at the end of the
way, and only straight people will be allowed through the strait gate.

Character is what we are at mid-night. Reputation is what we are at high noon.

He who relates the faults of others to you will relate yours to the other fellow
at his first opportunity.

Most preachers have intelligence enough to preach the gospel, yet many of them
have run short of grace.

Nothing so effectively hides what we are as silence. There are times when any of
us could pass off to be wise, if we would keep quiet.

Sorry to say, but the time has come when people are wanting talent instead of
grace; eloquence instead of piety; rhetoric instead of revelation; reputation
and brilliancy instead of holiness. But let us stand by the old land-marks and
be advocates of the faith once delivered to our fathers.

Many are saying much about carnality. Could it be possible that they have a few
roots left on hand?

If you can’t overlook the faults of others, you are not very far up the road of
perfect love or brotherly kindness.

Blessed are they who do not allow in themselves anything that they would condemn
in others.

You may be so well saved that you will not stoop so low as to criticize the
church and find fault with the brethren.

Blessed are they who watch themselves more closely than they watch others, for
we will have both hands full to keep ourselves straight.

Blessed are they who have two eyes and use both of them, for they shall see both
sides of the question.

Blessed are they who have two ears and make good use of both, for they shall
hear both sides of the story.

Blessed are they whose ancestors were ordinary people, for we are much alike
without divine grace and with divine grace we differ exceedingly. A valuable
asset is neatness of personal appearance. Do not think it a sin to be decent and
respectable. If we were able to wear better clothes we might reach a better
class of people. A hungry tramp will relish a meal served on a tin plate, but
should you attempt to feel the cultured that way, next time they will be some
where else at meal time. A hungry soul will feed on the bread of life however
crude the vessel may be that conveys it, but those who are not deeply spiritual
may first be attracted by the vessel we use in service. The sincere, devout, and
conscientious Christian lives a life of prayer; he carries the spiritual needs
of others in his heart. God limits His giving to his asking. He prays the
intercessory prayer and keeps a fresh touch of fire on his soul. But without a
burden, he is without souls. Don’t get crazy to have the Daily Press write up
your Church, for unless heaven’s record ratifies the Daily Press, you may be
embarrassed at the judgment.

Don’t un-Christianize people who fail to walk in your light. While Regeneration
and Sanctification are distinct works of grace, yet there is a developing
process, and it takes more time for some than it does for others to apprehend
new light.

Practice kneeology, these are peculiar times, "Wait on the Lord." Learn His will
and then follow all the way.

Don’t be afraid of a hard task which calls for sacrifice; such will develop
religious muscle and great faith.

Don’t pay too much attention to a compliment, some would rather be polite than
honest.

I would not use such expressions as a "higher Christian life," or a "deeper work
of grace. "People don’t know how high or how deep. Use Bible terms:
Sanctification, Holiness, Pure heart, and Perfection.

Stay out of debt -- fast, pray, do without, live on two meals a day. You had
better boil a soup bone for a week rather than form that awful habit of buying
on credit.

Build character, but whatever you do, don’t build character on ground leased
from the devil. Be on the watch-out -- don’t permit your business to freeze out
your spirituality.

Don’t talk about being on the solid rock if you haven’t prayed through this
week.

Watch your words, don’t let them be bigger than your ideas. Be simple so a child
can understand you.

Don’t use a gallon of words to explain a spoonful of thought.

Don’t be surprised if some don’t believe as you do; know you are scriptural and
go ahead.

John Plowman said, "he hated debts worse than Martin Luther did the Pope of
Rome." Do not rob God but tithe your income. The preacher is not a money-getter
but a soul-winner. It is a reflection on any man’s intelligence to accuse the
preacher of preaching for money, for any preacher that is capable of preaching
for money and succeeds in getting it has brain enough to make more money at
something else. Thus it is a reflection upon any man’s intelligence to accuse
the preacher of giving his life to the ministry for material gain.

There are more channels today through which young people may do wrong than
formerly; not that they are worse than the young people of other days, but have
more temptation. They must be on the job with eyes open if they hold moral
standards set for them.

Many hold to the idea, nothing too bad to do providing you don’t get caught. The
cross is the hope of the world making life beautiful, useful, and instrumental.

If we fail to major in loyalty to God, some of us may live to see this country
become the Mission field of the world.

If you can hold your tongue you will be able to keep certain information from
others which will likely hinder their growth in Grace. The fact is you could
build better Christian character if you did not have said information yourself.

If you will produce the goods in your community, holiness fighters will become
few. Evidence increases evidence. The way you conduct yourself under pressure is
really that which convinces after all. Until some can convince men of a higher
and a more consistent holiness they will be unable to convince others of the
need and importance of sanctification. When gossipers meet for their annual
convention the devil and his imps retire to the Lakes for their yearly vacation.

Self-denial is the last thing the devil will allow you to practice after you
become religious.

God made man first and woman after him, and she has been after him ever since.

Elijah seemed to search the mountains for the storm; and when he found it,
mounted a thunderbolt and rode it beyond the stars.

Knowledge without wisdom and character is dangerous. "The fear of the Lord is
the beginning of wisdom."

You’ll become a stumbling block to others and a delight to the devil as you
become slow and lazy in the Lord’s work. Your slow pokey way will cause others
to lose confidence in your high standard of Christianity. Your slipshod methods
in religion doesn’t advertise Christianity any more than loose methods would
attract and advertise in the business world.

Life’s ocean presents but little smooth sailing-Behind many laughs and smiles
there are wails and heartaches. It is human to seek the route of least
resistance, but no one can "sail to Heaven on flowery beds of ease." All "must
fight to win the prize and sail through bloody seas."


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  CHAPTER 10: S. LIFE OF PAUL
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Life Of Paul By W.B. Dunkum The Sacred scriptures give us an accurate account of
the life, death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ; also, a beautiful
description of the descent of the Holy Ghost at Pentecost upon the apostles
before Saul of Tarsus is mentioned. He is first introduced to us as a persecutor
of those who followed the Christ; also, we see him assisting the murderers of
Stephen in their bloody deed. Saul relates the fact that he consented to the
death of Stephen and kept the raiment of those that slew him. No doubt you are
anxious to know in the beginning of this discussion as to who was Saul. He is of
age. Let him speak for himself. "I am verily a man which am a Jew, born in
Tarsus, a city in Cicilia." At that time Tarsus was a very famous city, noted
for its magnificence and beauty, the center of culture and scholarship. It was
here Saul spent his boyhood days. Most probably he had several brothers and
sisters. His father was a Jew, a descendent of Abraham, of the tribe of
Benjamin. No doubt he gave his son religious training after the strictest sect
of his religion. The young Jew was likewise taught a trade, that of tent-making.

There is a Jewish maxim, "He who teaches not his son a trade, teaches him to be
a thief." But Saul was destined for a nobler calling than that of tent making.
No doubt the learned people of Tarsus hoped some day to see Saul holding a high
position in their midst, as they boasted of having one of the greatest
universities of the world, and it is natural for us to suppose that Saul at an
early age enrolled as a student in this great university. However, he did not
complete his education there, but was sent to the holy city of Jerusalem to be
taught according to the law of his father. Saul’s chief instructor at Jerusalem
was Gamaliel, a learned Doctor of the law, a man of eminence and ability, whose
reputation was great among all people. Prof. Gamaliel is believed to have been
the son of Simeon who took Jesus in his arms in the temple and blessed him. Saul
makes great progress as a student. Gamaliel was a Pharisee of the strictest
kind. No wonder Saul became narrow-minded and could not tolerate any religious
sect that differed from his own.

We have no record as to how Saul spent the years that intervened between the
time he left Gamaliel’s school at Jerusalem until he appeared as a persecutor of
those who followed Jesus Christ; but probably he spent it with his parents at
Tarsus, where he no doubt pursued the studies of Hebrew, Greek, Latin, Law,
Arts, Science and Philosophy. At this time the word of God is increasing and
number of disciples multiplying at Jerusalem, and there is a company of
followers who are obedient to the faith. The enemies of Jesus are being alarmed,
and some are resorting to persecution. Saul seems to hate the Nazarenes, and no
doubt has only heard of this doctrine in a perverted form. As soon as Saul
thought his religion was in danger he left home-- studies and all, but his zeal
caused him to do many things contrary to the teaching of Jesus. He abhorred and
scorned at the idea that the son of a poor carpenter who had made intimate
friends of some fishermen should become the Messiah. The first martyr was
Stephen, one of the seven deacons who was officially appointed totake charge of
all money for the relief of the poor as well as preach the gospel and lead souls
to Christ. He being a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost did wonders among
the people. Stephen preached to different nationalities in the synagogue. No
doubt Saul heard him preach, and Saul being a learned pupil of Gamaliel, could
not resist the wisdom and spirit by which Stephen spake. At this time Stephen
was taken before the Sanhedrin and false witnesses were called for who testified
that he had been blaspheming against God. But at this time Stephen was very calm
and steady until those looking at him said his face shone as if it had been the
face of an angel. Read Acts 7:55-60. As to the place of Stephen’s burial, we
fail to find a sufficient account; some have thought Joseph provided a tomb for
the mangled remains of the first martyr of the Christian church. Saul was caused
to marvel over the courage, love and forgiveness of the followers whom he
regarded as an impostor. No doubt the time came when Saul mourned bitterly
because he took apart in the stoning of Stephen. I like to think that the
angelic face of this dying martyr was one of the steps which brought about the
conversion of Saul. The smiling face of the dying man haunted him, yet he
proceeds to make havoc of the church, entering into every home, and haling men
and women, putting them in prison. Perhaps many who were assembled in the upper
room after the ascension were put in prison, and many homes in Jerusalem were
vacated because they were afraid of the man who thought he was doing God’s
service. Christianity has had to suffer intensely through past ages because of
various persecutors.But one might ask the question, why Christianity has had to
plow her way through scenes of suffering?

I. Because of the difference of opinions. Opinions are a part of us and as dear
as life and liberty. They are the measure of our influence and the results of
experience, thought, study, and observation. My opinion is what I have
accumulated, and to attack it is to attack me. Religious opinion has made slow
progress as strife and hatred have been bitter against it ever since Pentecost.

II. Because not sustained by law. Most religions, both ancient and modern, have
been protected by law, yet some have not.

III. Because of the corruption of the human heart. "The heart is deceitful and
desperately wicked."

IV. Because it is undeniable both by history and the Bible.

1. Nothing that is good can be destroyed by persecution. The more you fight it,
the more it spreads. If Christianity is eliminated some other method will have
to be used aside from persecution.

2. Persecution is a test of its reality.

3. Persecution is worth the cost. The results of Columbus’ discovery are worth
all the trouble. Happiness and blessings of Christianity more than compensate
for all suffering of martyrdom. A few months after Stephen’s martyrdom, Saul
went to the high priest and desired of him letters to Damascus to the
synagogues, that if he found any Christians he might bring them bound to
Jerusalem. His request was granted and he, with others, started for Damascus;
and as he would meet groups of people by the way would question them if they
were followers of the Crucified One. If they were he would put them in the
nearest prison. But some Christians went ahead of him and reached Damascus
before Saul, and told the believers that the merciless Saul of Tarsus was
approaching the city, hence the disciples of the Crucified One sought places of
safety where they might stay as long as this fierce persecutor remained in the
city. But listen, it was about noon and the persecutor was in one-half mile of
the city of Damascus, tired and broken down, no doubt they were thinking of some
place they might rest and find refreshments after entering the city, before
beginning their search for the followers of Jesus Christ. Suddenly there shone
around him a light from heaven, and he fell to the earth and heard a voice
saying unto him, "Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?" He said, "Who art thou?"
The answer came, "I am Jesus whom thou persecutest." He trembling and
astonished, said, "Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?" The Lord said, "Arise,
and go into the city, and there it will be told thee what thou must do." He saw
the error of his way, and was converted instantaneously. He saw Jesus, heard His
voice, and conversed with Him, which stopped him as a persecutor and made him a
mighty soul winner. Saul entered his career with uncommon and unusual
advantages. He was endowed with talents which fitted him for any vocation in
life. He was a bold, independent, competent young man. He was a born logician,
and was able to soar into the highest regions of imagination. He was a
religionist of the highest order, a young man of irreproachable morals, true to
the highest standard of virtue which had been set up by the world. His influence
must have been vast. His prospects were unsurpassed and he could have found
various fields in which to display his talents had he been in search for such.

After all that could be said about his conversion, we are bound to admit it was
sincere, real, genuine and thorough. Every Bible scholar will agree with me that
this was a radical change. His influence now seems to extend over his entire
subsequent life. He ceased his persecution and became the friend to the cause he
had persecuted. He seeks now with all his power to spread abroad throughout the
world the religion he has so earnestly opposed. However, he could not undo the
wrong he had done, but he uses his every power to establish the work he has
tried to destroy.

I. What was the change?

It is substantially the same as that which always occurs in conversion. The
change was in his soul, heart, will and affection.

1. Before his conversion there was a regard for the law. This ran through his
entire life.

2. Before his conversion there was a rigid conscientiousness; a conscience void
of offense toward God and man.

3. Before his conversion he had a zeal for God. And because of this zeal, he was
willing to make any sacrifice he regarded divine.

4. Before his conversion he was daring and energetic. These same characteristics
he had through life.

II. What evidence have we of the change? The tremendous sacrifice -- everything
for everything. When a man gives up brilliant prospects with nothing before him
as an equivalent, is a proof he has experienced a change of heart below the
collar bone. He gave up hopes and prospects as brilliant as ever cherished by
any young man to receive hardships and death as compensation in return. Then how
absurd it is for the critic to say it was probably a sunstroke he received, or
it might have been a flash of lightning, or the explosion of a meteor. Brethren,
I believe the account given is the 9th chapter of the Acts of the Apostles is
true, for it is the Word of God. The companions of Saul were speechless; heard
nothing, only saw the light, but did not understand the circumstances at all.
When Saul, the new convert, arose from the ground, he was unable to see. His
companions, seeing his condition, led him into the city. He remained blind for
the next three days. The unbelievers had no sympathy with him. The Christians
were afraid of him until they had sufficient evidence of his conversion. Now, we
could not blame them when we consider the way he had treated Christians in the
past. When three days had passed, the Lord appeared unto Ananias, a very devout
man, and told him to go to the home of Judas who lived on the street called
Straight, and call for Saul of Tarsus. At first he hesitated, knowing Saul’s
reputation as a persecutor. But the Lord said that Saul was all right now and a
chosen vessel to preach the gospel to both Jews and Gentiles. So Ananias obeyed
and went and found Saul just as the Lord had said. He laid hands on Saul and
prayed for him that he might receive his sight and be filled with the Holy
Ghost, and immediately there fell from his eyes as it had been scales. Saul
received his sight, arose, and was baptized. At once he joined the disciples and
began to preach in the synagogues that Christ is the Son of God.

Damascus is still a beautiful, rich city. The street Straight is about three
miles long, running east and west. There is said to be on the Street, the
identical home which belonged to Judas where Saul stayed three days after his
conversion, and in that house is a closet, according to tradition, where Saul
stayed the three days he was blind and without food. There is also a fountain of
water on Straight street near this house which is believed to have furnished the
water for Saul’s baptism. Until this day the Christians of Damascus each year
walk out in a group to this place of Saul’s conversion and there read the
history of it; hence to them it is a sacred spot.

Saul did not stay long in Damascus after his conversion and baptism, but went
into Arabia and there preached the gospel for three years, after which he
returned to Damascus and began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus was the
Christ. At this time the Jews became enraged and resolved to kill him. The only
safe thing for Saul to do was to conceal himself, as his enemies were on his
track. Soldiers were stationed at the various gates of the city to take his life
as he left. But the Lord had a mighty work for this man to accomplish, so his
disciples took him by night and let him down over the walls of the city in a
basket. Without friends to accompany him, and surrounded by dangers, both seen
and unseen, he started on his journey back to Jerusalem. Of course, he had one
Friend who never left him by day nor by night, hence he could sincerely say, "I
fear no evil, for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me." The
weary journey was finally accomplished and he entered Jerusalem. But no friends
were there to greet him; even the disciples were afraid of him and believed not
that he was a disciple. But after he related his conversion, at once their fear
was gone and he preached boldly in the name of Jesus Christ. His enemies were
about to take his life, so he remained only fifteen days. He now goes to Tarsus
to preach to the Gentiles. Some of his relatives had been converted to the faith
and no doubt were glad to see him. He no doubt remained in his native city three
or four years. It would be a comforting thought to think of his parents and
relatives being Christians and giving him a royal reception during his stay. But
as to whether they were Christians, we are not qualified to say. From this time
on he is recognized as Paul and not Saul. It seemed that Saul was his Jewish
name, and Paul his Roman name. From now on he goes by the latter as his work is
among the Romans.

After Paul and Barnabas had parted, Paul and Silas went through Syria and
Cilicia and onto Derbe and Lystra. At Derbe he met Timothy and chose him for his
companion also, and the threej ourneyed on from city to city as they were
directed by the Holy Ghost, preaching throughout Phrygia and Galatia and other
cities in Asia. Their aim was to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit suffered them
not. Hence, they went to Troas where Luke, the physician, joined them.

It was here at Troas that Paul heard a voice saying, "Come over into Macedonia
and help us." He obeyed and embarked for Europe taking with him Silas, Timothy,
and Luke. They went to Philippi, the capital of Macedonia. Here by the riverside
was the first place the gospel was preached in Europe, and the first convert was
Lydia. She and her household was baptized and took care of the preacher. It was
here Paul healed the damsel. Her mistress became indignant, as they had been
making much money off of her, who was sort of a witch. Hence, Paul and Silas
were caught, falsely accused, cruelly treated, clothes torn off, beaten with
many stripes, and put into a dark, damp, cold prison. Their bleeding wounds and
painful position caused sleep to depart from them, so they spent the long
tedious hours in prayer. As they waited their doom the next day, Paul and Silas
at midnight sang praise to God, when suddenly the Almighty sent an earthquake
and the doors were opened and the prisoners set free. The jailer suddenly awoke
and realizing what had happened, started to take his own life thinking the
prisoners had escaped. So Paul says, "Do thyself no harm, we are all here." The
jailer cried, "What must I do to be saved?" Paul said, "Believe on the Lord
Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved, and thy house." He and his family were
converted and were baptized. After the baptismal service they made preparation
for Paul and Silas to take a bath, and while they did the jailer prepared
breakfast for them, and after a splendid breakfast they departed in peace.

Luke and Timothy remained at Phillipi in charge of the church there, and Paul
and Silas went on to Thessalonica. Here Paul preached boldly in the synagogues
and was shamefully treated. A mob was collected and Paul and Silas left by night
for Berea. Here Paul won much encouragement because they received the Word with
readiness of mind and searched the Scriptures daily to see if these things were
so.

Some enemies came from a distance and started false reports; hence Paul goes to
Athens, where he preached Jesus and the resurrection. Great masses thronged to
hear him. He preached to them from their own inscription, "The Unknown God."
Some heard him gladly while others mocked. Paul then left for Corinth where he
stayed with Aquila and Priscilla eighteen months, working at his trade and
preaching in the synagogues. Here he had many followers. Also, it was at this
time that he wrote First and Second Thessalonians. At that time a famine was
raging and Paul was in need, so Silas and Timothy arrived from Macedonia
bringing him financial help. Some of the leaders of the synagogues were saved
which caused a stir, hence he sails for Ephesus. Here he leaves Aquila and
Priscilla and goes to attend a feast at Jerusalem. After a short visit in the
holy city he makes his last visit to Antioch. After a short stay he directed his
course toward Ephesus, and there preached three months in the synagogues which
had caused opposition. Paul likely remained about three years in the home of
Aquila and Priscilla preaching the gospel, healing many that were sick, but all
probabilities are. during these three years he worked for a support. Paul
preached the gospel here at first with success, but when he exposed the sin of
the temple of Diana until the people were so stirred, it was no longer safe for
Paul to remain at Ephesus, so he left the city and went to Macedonia, and from
there into Greece where he met Titus who had a donation from the church at
Corinth for the poor at Jerusalem. Paul was determined to take it to them, when
he found out that some of the Jews on the way were preparing to kill him, so he
did not go but went back into Macedonia and on to Troas where he preached until
after midnight. One man fell out of the window who went to sleep. Paul performed
a miracle and brought him back to life, then had an early breakfast and went on
his way rejoicing.

He set sail on the Aegean Sea, stopped at Mitylene, and from thence to Chios and
on to Samos. Then to Miletus. It was here the Christians from Ephesus came to
meet Paul. He delivered to them his farewell address, kneeled down and prayed,
and after a time of weeping, departed in peace. The once magnificent city is now
a perfect wreck. Only a few families left, and they live in vaults. It was the
Saviour who accused the church there of having left her first love, declining in
religious fervor. He said the candlestick would be removed unless she repented.
She did not repent, the light is wholly extinguished until, we are told today,
there is not a single Christian left there.

Paul sails to Coos, and from thence to Rhodes and to Patara and on to Tyre -
Ptolemais and to Caesarea, then to Jerusalem, where he received a cordial
welcome, but after four days a mob was made, and had it not been for soldiers,
they would have taken his life. He was brought before the Sanhedrin for trial.
It was the same place that Stephen stood before the seventy judges twenty-four
years before.

Paul was put in prison to save his life. That night the Lord appeared unto him
and said, "Be of good cheer, Paul, as thou hast testified at Jerusalem so thou
must bear witness also at Rome. "Through the providence of God, Paul was taken a
prisoner to Caesarea where he remained a prisoner for two. years, during which
time he was visited by the saints from far and near.

He is then sent to Rome a prisoner, but he seems to be the captain of the vessel
before he gets there. The desire and purpose he had long cherished had been
accomplished. It was not curiosity that made him want to see the capital of the
world; not the love of fame, or the prospects of increasing his reputation. But
his desire to reach Rome was that he might preach the gospel there. Great cities
are centers of influence. The aim of the apostle was that the gospel might
scatter into the surrounding regions. From these centers law, habits and customs
radiate, hence the necessity of such cities being lighthouses on the sea of time
to scatter the good news of salvation.

Paul was brought to Rome in a manner contrary to what he had arranged. He had
hoped to go there as an ambassador of Christ, but was sent as a prisoner to be
tried for his own life. Very often our desires are accomplished and our prayers
heard and answered, but in a manner altogether different from what we had
expected. It may come through trials, peril, and disappointment, but He does
answer, whereof we praise Him.

It must have been a touching scene when Paul first entered the capital of the
world. There was no one to announce his coming, no multitude to witness his
arrival, But the King of kings and Lord of lords was present to lead the band of
pilgrims who triumphantly conducted the man of God into the city. Paul was not
treated as an ordinary soldier but was allowed to live in his own hired house.
Paul said, "For I long to see you, that I may impart unto you some spiritual
gift, to the end ye may be established." For two years he spent his time in
preaching and writing; some believed and others believed not. After his trial
before Nero he leaves Rome and goes to Jerusalem, and on his way he preached the
gospel in many cities as he journeyed. In the eleventh or twelfth year of Nero’s
reign, he is again prisoner in Rome, yet not permitted to live in his own house,
but is cast into the common prison. A city burned may be built again, a country
which has been visited by death, is soon fresh and green again, but not so when
a great man dies. His place cannot soon be filled. The world has never been able
to find a man who can take the place of the Apostle Paul.

Tradition and history both teach us he was beheaded. While he lost his head he
saved his soul. From the fact he was a Roman citizen would exempt him under
Roman law from death by crucifixion, yet that was the way in which many of his
Christian brethren were put to death. Peter had no claim to Roman citizenship,
hence he was crucified upon the cross, as was his Master. According to tradition
Paul was beheaded two or three miles southwest of the city lest it should
attract considerable attention. The execution was under absolute control of
military authority. We know not what the dying words of the apostle were. We
have no account of the procession from Rome to the place of the execution. We
have no record as to whether any of his friends we represent or not, or whether
any Christians were present to witness the scene, and to sustain him with their
prayers and presence. How interesting it would be if we knew in this critical
hour he repeated his own triumphant language, "O death where is thy sting, O
grave, where is thy victory? "Yet Paul did not have to repeat such expression as
a proof of his piety. To the martyr death must be gain. Yes, to the rich of
earth who have on the garment of salvation "death is gain." If you have made
necessary preparation you can go from a mansion below to one above; then "to die
is gain. "Though there may be a coffin, a shroud, an open grave, corruption and
decay, yet "to die is gain. "Yet heaven is a better, happier and more desirable
world than this. The life of Paul is a part of the history of the world. His
history has meant much in helping to make the world what it is. Every great mind
helps mold the future. Homer, Socrates, Cicero, and Demosthenes still live. Yet
the influence of Saul of Tarsus counts more than all of them together. No man
ever lived, (save Jesus Christ) whether orator or philosopher, statesman, poet
or legislator, who has ever done as much to effect the permanent condition of
the world as the Apostle Paul. Of course, it was the Christian religion that
made him what he was. A profound reasoner, a man with unusual eloquence, godly
zeal, divine conviction, and a heart so gentle and so tender he could take in
the whole human family. His religious character fitted him to affect the destiny
of man and general condition of the world. His religious principles were entire,
fixed and immovable. No trouble to classify his religion as strictly Christian
because he was humble, earnest, sincere, and prayerful. Duty, honesty, integrity
and sincerity, characterized his whole life. And all this was connected with an
energy thatnever tired and a love that never grew cold. And when the time came
for him to seal his faith with his blood he died a martyr’s death. Christ died
like a God, Socrates died like a philosopher, Paul died like a Christian.

Paul’s enemies resolved to put him to death. Every cruel thing that happened,
the Christians were blamed for it. That cruel Nero struck terror into the heart
of every Christian possible. A fire raged in Rome six days, destroying much
property. Nero blamed Christians for it, but afterwards it was found out that
Nero burned the buildings himself because they were not built according to his
fastidious taste. The Christians were mercilessly persecuted. Some were burned,
others stabbed with forks; some were sewed in skins of beasts and fed to the
devouring animals, many were flayed alive; in fact, every species of cruelty was
practiced upon them. How long Paul remained in prison the time is not exactly
known. He did much of his writing at this time, writing fourteen epistles in
all. Paul gives us some of his experience in 2 Corinthians 11:24-27.

"In the fullness of time," Paul says (2 Timothy 4:7-8). Paul was beheaded about
three miles from Rome. Three of the soldiers who were in the company that led
him out from the city were converted to the faith and in a few days were put to
death by Nero. When entering the sacred spot, Paul cheerfully submitted himself
to the executioners and immediately entered into eternal rest. The Christian
church lost one of her brightest stars in the martyrdom of Paul, but the blood
of martyrs is the need of the church. Pauls are scarce these days. He was a man
of faith, devotion, learning, humility, ability, charity, zeal, patience and
fidelity which were indescribable. No dangers, or weariness, or toil or pain
ever caused him to rest from his labors until his race was run and his goal
reached and his battle fought and victory won. But today he rests from his
labors and his works do follow him. But he was one who could truly say he took
pleasure in infirmities, in persecution, and in distresses for Christ’s sake,
that he might finish his course with joy. His execution took place June 29, AD.
66, in the sixty-eighth year of his age, and was buried two miles from Rome.


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  CHAPTER 11: S. TEMPTATION
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Temptation By W.B. Dunkum

Blessed is the man that endureth temptation; for when he is tried, he shall
receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love Him."
James 1:12. A subject of very great significance and of tremendous importance to
every Bible Christian. This is a subject about which we should have practical
knowledge and wholesome information. Temptation according to Mr. Webster "Is an
enticement to evil." The word temptation has two meanings: First a solicitation
to sin. Second a trial as a result of providential situation or circumstances.
While a temptation is not a sin but merely a solicitation to do wrong or to sin.
God’s chief purpose in our temptation is that we develop character and come
under discipline. A temptation is a great educational process to help develop us
to get more out of this life and enjoy more of heaven hereafter. If we miss this
development and training we lack both here and hereafter.

Time is probationary and as long as we are in time we are on probation and as
long as we are on probation there is a possibility of backsliding. The evidence
we are on probation is that we are being tried continually. We meet almost every
day with sufficient obstacles to turn us from the fight, unless we have a fixed
purpose to do right and keep on hands a good supply of grace. Probation implies
as to our future happiness or misery that we may be compelled to under go misery
and sacrifice happiness here to escape future misery and enjoy eternal happiness
hereafter. Probation does subject us to temptation, its very nature is such,
while temptations develop character and prepare us to enjoy more of eternal
felicity hereafter. In order that temptation may be a test it is necessary to
have in us the power of choice, to help us to go wrong or do fight. Yet because
of the fall we go through life laboring under the disadvantage of a limited
mentality, weak body and poor judgment. Satan being a wise adversary will take
advantage of us every where we are limited if allowed. Hence, "Watch and pray."
Blessed is the man who can stand, not question God and hold his equilibrium in
the hour of temptation which shall come upon all men who dwell upon the earth.
For there is no man whom Satan does not tempt and God does not try. A reward is
offered those who can stand without repining and kicking back. James states very
clearly that everyman in this life is on probation or on trial and is a
candidate for another that is a better world, now if we stand uncompromisingly
for right, for truth, for the blood, for God and for full salvation herethe
reward is a crown of life which the Lord hath promised to them that love Him.

History of Temptation I A suggestion--from the enemy.

II A delight--from ourselves.

III A consent--from ourselves.

Methods of Temptation 1. He gets your attention.

2. He arouses your desire to seek satisfaction through some wrong method or in
some unscriptural way.

3. He influences you to act on spur of the moment without time to seriously and
religiously reflect. It is vital and of fundamental importance that we know when
to say "no" and when to resist because of wrong. If we fail here we lose out in
the battle of life and fail to win a crown to wear hereafter.

1. Satan is always a hindrance to one whose aspirations are high and whose
ambitions are to do right. He gets on your track when ever you start out to do
right. He attacks the high and the low, the rich and the poor, the learned and
the unlearned. He makes no exceptions and shows no favors.

2. He assails the most eminent worker in your church. Yes, he seems to have it
in for the most gifted and talented preachers of your denomination. And all of
us from the least to the greatest had better be on the watch out.

3. He will take advantage of you if allowed to. You are hindered more easily
than you are helped, He is a being of great power and intelligence. And from the
Fall of Man has been in the wrecking business. I believe in a personal devil and
every thing that goes with it to make him dangerous. Some one said they thought
he was chained. If so he is chained with a mighty long chain. You can’t get out
of his reach if you were to try. It has been my privilege to travel and preach
in twenty seven states and Canada. But I have never gone into a city, town or
community but what I find him transacting business with open shop both day and
night.

4. He delights to work through you to destroy the plan of God. We are on the
battle ground of the ages, and every one of us will come from the battle ground
sooner or later defeated or with victory. Let every Christian bear in mind that
you will not reach heaven without temptations, conflicts and battles. Every inch
of ground from conviction to glorification is contested by the enemy. He will
use every available means to side track you and destroy your faith. We are
soldiers and you may expect fighting. We represent a life which is a warfare. We
may expect the enemy to oppose everything that is good, and everything that he
opposes we will stand uncompromisingly for, It is a fatal thing to play with
temptation. There is a time in which we can overcome, then get busy for if you
do not overcome the tempter he will shortly overcome you. When a desire appears
for the wrong, crush it at once, if not it will soon crush you. Avoid the very
appearance of evil. You may not always avoid temptation but you can avoid
yielding. Every time you resist will make you stronger. The power of God and
faith in the blood will prove sufficient for every temptation. Others will fail
in their own strength but He will not fail you. Look up! Keep your head above
the clouds there is victory all along the line.

5. The closer you live to God the more temptations you will have. Many start and
go down under temptation, not having a clear conception of the enemy and how to
meet him. A very few people will turn God down deliberately, willfully and
premeditatedly. But most people who follow the business of backsliding give up
under trial and temptation. "That the trial of your faith being more precious
than of gold." 2 Peter 1:7. Genuine faith is proven by adversities, especially
such as our forefathers passed through. Gold is of such a nature that only fire
can try it, how much more does your faith as you build for eternity need fiery
trials; "Think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you." 1
Peter 4:12. Peter exhorts to patience and integrity while under persecution, and
said it was not an unusual thing for Christians to be persecuted, but if we are
persecuted for Christ here we could reign with Him hereafter.

Adam’s temptation was disastrous, in that it brought sin and death upon the
world. Jesus was triumphant in His temptation bringing life and peace. There are
many kinds of temptations, and Satan tries along different lines, also he uses
many agencies. When he fails to get your attention along one line, he will try
through another avenue. At times he may put his big wing over your entire life
endeavoring to crush out all spirituality. Then your only hope is the blood. It
costs as much to keep right as it does to get right. God will not suffer you to
be tempted above that you are able to bear but with the temptation will make a
way of escape. Jesus proved to us that standing is possible under the severest
trial and test. Because He stood in the crucial hour He will give you grace. His
grace is sufficient in spite of your weaknesses and shortcomings, trials and
discouragements. Have your mind made up and an extra supply of grace on hands
and you can find a way out when humanly speaking there is no way.

Satan is the chief agent in temptation. Esau was tempted and yielded, hence sold
his birthright for a mess of pottage. He sold out rather cheaply but many a
church member today has sold out cheaper than Esau. Let no one get the idea that
when you get saved the battle of life is over and you are going to heaven on
flowery beds of ease. There are battles, struggles, and severe temptations. You
will have a stiff battle all along the way if you make it through to the skies.
"Surely I must fight if I shall reign." Satan will use every available resource
to make you either a fanatic or a formalist. But you can keep under the blood
and in the middle of the King’s Highway. Resist temptation and build Christian
character that will stand when the world is on fire. People sometimes say Satan
has tried me in every conceivable way and I understand his workings and he will
never get me again, And about that time he will come at you when least expecting
him and at an unexpected point. If you have a weak point or sore spot and don’t
know where it is, Satan will find it for you. But you can come through the
battle victoriously stronger and better prepared for the next battle. Many do
not have a clear conception of trial and will go down under temptation in an
unguarded moment. They had never planned to backslide but backslid because they
had not made proper plans to keep from it. And from the battle ground of life
you will come a defeated soul or a victor.

See that popular minister, he was powerfully sanctified while attending a
Holiness college. He went out with a good experience to help lead the lost to
Christ, But as he grew in influence and desired to enter larger fields of
activity, the temptation was to lower the flag and he did. Today he is like a
bird with a broken wing. He reminds one of a beautiful ship leaving harbor with
sail flying high but soon entered the ice fields, to be crushed and was heard of
no more.

Appetite is an open channel for both eating and drinking and sad because many
are caught and yield at this point. Daniel was a marvelous example and would not
defile himself with the King’s meat. It is our duty as Christians to learn early
in life how to resist temptation. As temptation shows a difference in one who
has a religious experience and one who has a religious memory of the past. If it
is your wish to live and die without trials you may die when but half a man. You
cannot learn to swim without going into deep water.

Satan approached Eve through the physical and the mental. It is perfectly
legitimate to have a desire for knowledge and hunger for food. But all appetites
must be regulated and held in subjection to God and His will.

Satan approached Jesus through the avenue of desire and reminded Him of the fact
that He was hungry. We see Satan working along many lines, through many avenues.
All temptations have with them the element of desire. Desires are not
necessarily sinful in and of themselves. Satan aims to satisfy with unlawful
means and illegitimate methods. A desire for right is God given and
constitutional but when our desires are warped by sin then look out. The
temptation for the young lady and young men of our day is to be popular and
broadminded enough to go all the gates, such as: drink beer and strong drink,
smoke cigarettes, play cards and keep late hours. But what can we expect the
future to hold in store for a generation of that type? Will they preserve the
integrity of our republic? Will they look conscientiously after the doctrines
and experiences of our holy Christianity? Will they go forward with a
progressive civilization? Yet you who think sanely are bound to answer me in the
negative. But one says, "Do you think the enemy will get our boys and girls, who
are brought up in the church, Sunday School, and young people’s society?" Yes,
he already has a multitude of them under his control and he has traps, snares
and pitfalls set to catch the rest of them unless they are wise enough to keep
out of the danger zone.

After Jesus was tempted angels came and ministered unto Him. Do we ever have
angels to minister to us? His temptation was like ours. "He was tempted in all
points like as we are and yet without sin." Hebrews 4:15. He was assailed by
temptation of every kind yet in no case did He yield to their influence. When He
was tried and tempted He did not sin, so let us follow Him as our example. "For
in that He Himself hath suffered being tempted, He is able to succour them that
are tempted." Hebrews 2:18. The apostle argues that it was necessary that Jesus
Christ should partake of human nature and be so exposed to trials and
persecutions and various sufferings that He might better feel for us and be able
to succour those who are afflicted and sorely tried. His temptations were like
ours. He passed through all of His temptation for our sake and can and does
sympathize with us. He showed the difference between temptation and sin and
demonstrated the fact that we should not and do not have to yield. Temptations
most always follow great blessings. When your temptations are many and fierce
God is preparing something special for you around the corner. Great blessings
prepare us for great conflicts, and it will be a great conflict until we enter
the gates of Pearl and are privileged to walk the streets of gold. The only
weapon our Savior ever used was the scriptures. And this weapon is in reach of
every one who endeavors to live godly and represent vital Christianity.

Jesus fasted and was hungry. This shows He was both human and divine. Satan
knows where your weak points are and that is the very place he is going to
approach you.

Illustration--You attend church all day on Sunday and it is generally known as a
great day. You put much into the service and of course in return you get an
abundance of spiritual help. It is a day of salvation and victory. You forgot
Satan was still on the battle field and as active as ever. You are almost
walking in the air. Such waves of victory, such times of ecstasy and such
feasting with the Lord, The Lord was preparing you for a hard time on Monday. So
on Monday morning before breakfast Satan puts in his appearance. If not careful,
thoughtful and prayerful before you can have morning worship, or get water warm
enough to wash, or get your washing on the line, you will lose all ground gained
on Sunday. What a pity! Watch and pray lest you yield to the tempter inan
unguarded moment. Or suppose you were at the altar and got saved, reclaimed or
sanctified when the tide was high, now we have come back to normal life and
Satan admitted you received the experience on Sunday. But now you don’t feel as
you did on Sunday, hence you have lost the experience. Here you will find a
temptation to doubt what God has done whenever you take time to reason with
Satan. Don’t argue or reason with him, he is a profound thinker, and can move
the multitudes with thought and logic. So our only hope is to live moment by
moment where we know the blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all sin, and
always keep and give a clear and definite testimony. "They overcame him by the
blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony." Revelation 12:11.

1. Holiness does not exempt you from temptation but qualifies for temptation.
Satan is the accuser of the brethren, we need to understand his devices and
accusations. When the Lord saves and sanctifies He does not kill Satan. You will
not only find him active and alive but much alive and doing business at the same
old stand. From the fact he tempted Jesus we have no hope of an escape. If any
difference he will tempt the sanctified more than the justified. However a
sanctified person has more grace and can endure more temptation.

2. Look to God for grace to stand regardless of your weaknesses. "My grace is
sufficient for thee." "In weakness strength is made perfect." "He takes the
weakest to confound the mighty."

3. You need a clear mind and fixed purpose. Make up your mind you are going
through. If you stumble and fall get up and try it again.

4. Avoid places of a questionable nature. If only a tinge of evil attached, stay
away.

5. Temptations will weaken and wreck you or make you stronger and help establish
you.

6. Hold on to God by the handle of faith in the hour of trial and severest
temptation.

If you become courteous to the enemy and give him an inch he will take a yard,
if you give him a yard he will take a mile.

How to Overcome 1. Live daily in possession of a pure heart.

2. Keep on the whole armor of God.

3. Keep on the victory side.

4. Give no place to the devil. Tell him you have company. "Resist the devil and
he will flee from you."

5. Overcome him by the blood of the Lamb and the words of your testimony.

Always bear in mind temptations are vitally necessary in character building, if
you are to build character that will glorify God and prepare you for proper
citizenship in this world and the world to come. "Reckon that the sufferings of
this present world is not worthy to be compared to the glory that shall be
revealed in us." Romans 8:18.

If we submit joyfully to His suffering here, our pay day will come hereafter
when we will be glorified together. After due consideration you will find no
comparison between our suffering here and the glory He gives here; not taking in
consideration the glory which shall be revealed hereafter.

Principles of the overcoming life 1. Life, we live in the world.

2. Life of faith.

3. Life of prayer.

4. Life of obedience.

5. Life of service.

6. Life of true heart worship.

7. Life of victory.

How to meet temptations 1. Avoid occasions of temptation.

2. Do not run into temptations.

3. Some can be avoided.

4. Some cannot be avoided.

5. Watch every avenue of approach.

6. Pray for way of escape.

7. Pray for strength to overcome.

Watch as all depended on watching. Pray as all depended on praying. Trust the
blood as though all depended on trusting the blood. Remember "no temptation hath
taken you but such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not suffer
you to be tempted above that ye are able, but will with the temptation also make
a way of escape, that ye may be able to bear it. 1 Corinthians 10:13.

"In the world ye shall have tribulation." John 16:33. Tribulation means
thrashing. A religious thrashing may be good for you spiritually. Hold steady
and let Him give you a good one while He is at it.

1. He has a good purpose in the thrashing.

(a) To loose you from the world.

(b) To sever you from the chaff.

(c) To fit you for better service.

2. God’s method of sending it.

(a) He acts as a father.

(b) He acts according to our need.

(c)He acts according to our strength.

3. We need it.

(a) To separate us from the ungodly.

(b) To refuse to be bought off with temporal blessings.

(c) To give properly and systematically to His work.

(d) To forsake not the laws of God.

Illustration--An acorn is not an oak tree when merely sprouted. But after it
comes up it must go through long summers and fierce winters. It requires cold
weather as well as hot, there must be frosts, freezes and thaws and if it can
stand the test along the way it will become an oak tree in the tomorrows of
someone’s life. Temptations should drive you to a closer walk with God and cause
you to realize your dependence upon Him in a very special way. Soldiers do their
very best fighting when facing the enemy. He allows temptations to come to make
us good soldiers of the cross that we may more conscientiously follow the Lamb.
The temptation of Christ has three stages. Also you will find three factors
involved in temptation. God--Man--Satan.

1. If thou be the Son of God command that these stones be made bread. Jesus
said, "It is written that man shall not live by bread alone." As universal as
temptations are we often go into them alone unless we are thoughtful enough to
take Jesus with us. Temptations being a part of the divine program of man we
should never enter one without Jesus by our side. He appealed to the ambitions
of Jesus. The temptation to change the stone into bread by a miracle was an
appeal to Christ to step from His divinely appointed path for sake of satisfying
His hunger. But He was resigned to duty only and trusted God for sustenance. Had
He obeyed He would have become unlike man who must put His trust in Divine
Providence. He being our example did not yield, therefore we should follow in
His steps.

2. He took Him to the pinnacle of the temple. Satan said, prove your divinity.
If you are the Son of God angels will catch you. Jesus said, "Thou shalt not
tempt the Lord thy God." His second temptation was to prove His sonship and
exhibit His faith. His sonship had been proven and His faith tried. This was a
temptation of presumption. Satan here tried to get Him to step from the path of
divine opportunity and plunge into a needless and useless act. Beware lest you
turn from the path of duty, to fanatical ideas, erroneous heresy and a
conglomeration of nonsense namely the third blessing known as the modern tongue
movement.

3. His third temptation was to win power. Seemed as if Satan wanted to help Him
become King of the World. He presents a fascinating picture. He asked that Jesus
bow down before him. While Jesus loved the world and wanted to see humanity
saved, He did not take the path of least resistance but the path that led to
Calvary, the lonely and the weary way all for you and me. He took Him to a high
mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and said all of them will
I give you if you will fall down and worship me. Satan was not even truthful for
he could not give away all the Kingdoms of the World for they did not belong to
him. (How could you giveaway something that did not belong to you). Jesus said,
"Get thee behind Me, Satan, thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and Him only
shalt thou serve." Then came joy and peace as angels came and ministered unto
Him. The battle may be intensely hard but you will feel mighty good when fought
to a finish on your knees and you have won a victory for Jesus. The devil only
and always questions what he knows to be true. And the nearer you get to the
Lord the harder Satan will work to destroy your faith, blast your hopes and
blight your confidence. But to go through with God in these days of falling away
and apostasy it will require all the manhood, womanhood, back-bone, grit and all
the grace you can get. But if you purpose in your heart to do so you can keep
the devil on the run and you can make it through to the union depot of the skies
on schedule time. The three forms of temptation which Christ endured and over
which He triumphed are the same in substance to which all men are exposed. They
are coveteousness, pride and ambition. They always come through three sources:
Through our want, through spiritual delusion and through worldly prospects.
Jesus was our example as to imitation. He used the Christian sword and said, "It
is written." One of the best protections you can have is a knowledge of the
Bible. "Thy word have I hid in mine heart that I might not sin against Thee."
Psalms 119:11.

We have no right to God’s promises and are unable to claim them as our own when
we are on Satan’s territory and carrying out his suggestions. His promises will
hold good when you meet danger in the pathway of duty. Where God sends you He
will protect you but if not sent by the Lord you may be disappointed and lack
protection. Knowing our weakness as He does He taught us to pray, "Lead us not
into temptation." Let us not become puffed up and think we can stand where
others fall. Satan is never more outrageous than when he makes certain promises
to us telling us what he will give. All he has to give is pride, vain show,
guilt, suffering, despair and death. The temptation which may seem plausible to
you at first after an examination you will find it to contain nothing but a
deadly sting. All of Satan’s promises contain within them a germ of their own
destruction. Temptations are not an uncommon experience, we are made alike,
hence quite a similarity in our temptations. If you are in God’s will and
running according to His time-table He can make a way where seemingly there is
no way.

All temptations are under the restraint of God. As in the case of Job. Satan can
only come into certain reach and that by permission from God. Our loving
Heavenly Father is well acquainted with all of Satan’s assaults and designs.
Satan seems to seek and obtain permission before he assails. In any case, no
temptation befalls us greater than our power to combat and overcome. Jesus only
allows us to be tempted, that we may learn to avail ourselves of God’s resources
of Which otherwise we may know nothing about.

Satan can be conquered and overcome. "Watch and pray." Be careful, thoughtful,
considerate and prayerful in your selections, habits, words and deeds. Always
abide in Him. Mingle much with the very best Christians. Feed much upon the word
that you may be strong in Him. Keep on the whole armor of God. When Satan
advances resist him. Be steadfast in the faith. Expect the Lord to keep a wall
of protection around you and always stand between you and danger. "Resist the
devil and he will flee from you." Go into every battle expecting success. Have
victory purchased upon your banner. Let our battle cry be, "They overcame him by
the blood of the Lamband the words of their testimony." Is it any comfort to you
while in the midst of the battle to realize while doing hard fighting, while
blood stained and dusty that He is by your side to assist you in every battle
and if allowed to will fight your battles for you. You may be tempted to
thoughts of evil and evil thoughts, yes, even wicked thoughts. But don’t forget
to sing, "Yield not to temptation for yielding is sin." Temptation is not a
calamity in any period of life or to any type of Christian character. It is just
discipline, that is all, or in other words a tribulation through which we are to
pass to develop in us the very best possible.

Read if you please the lives of Bible heroes and the biographies of great men
and you will see they all had to fight their way through until they exchanged
the cross for the crown. Jesus Christ the best man ever lived was fiercely
tempted upon the Mount and this was not His only temptation as He was frequently
meeting evil and heard to say, "not my will but Thine be done, "until His
triumphant victory. We can think of Christ being tempted on other occasions and
in other ways however the temptation through which He passed immediately after
His baptism and before He entered upon His public ministry was an event of great
importance and is regarded preeminently as His temptation. Let us remember that
a temptation does not necessarily imply asinful nature on the part of the one
being tempted. The first man Adam though created in the image and likeness of
God was tempted and fell into sin. Adam had perfect surroundings but he fell.
God could have made us with strong Christian character all at once, but we would
not be adjusted to circumstances and not be able to confront the issues of life.
Habits establish either a virtuous or vicious character. A man without any
experience with the world could not be adjusted to the world. We need moral
discipline to get us adjusted to things and conditions. By experience and
observation is the only method for us to obtain this adjustment. Our happiness
depends upon the depth of our discipline and improvement.

If we are highly developed in Christian character we can surmount circumstances.
Our first acts and habits in this life determine our future to a great extent.
After the ice is broken we can more easily follow whether it leads to virtue or
vice. Therefore observation and experience brings about this experience and
discipline gradually is best for us. Christ was without sin. His temptation was
wholly from without. But as long as we have the principle of sin on hands our
temptation will come both from without and within, But with sanctifying grace
your temptations come from without only. So get Him on the inside and with
sanctifying grace you can defeat every foe, slay every giant, and have complete
victory every step of the way. Your Adversary The devil is your adversary, enemy
and foe. His first appearance was as an enemy. He saw God’s beautiful creation,
hated it, and longed to fill it with sin. His work in the garden was to drag
down and ruin and he has been at it ever since. We should be careful to
distinguish between our adversary the devil and demons. There is a multiplicity
of demons but only one Satan and he is chief or ruler over all demons and they
come and go at his request. While their headquarters is in hell yet they do not
stay at headquarters. They are busy in the world going here and there at the
command of Satan their leader. Some people don’t believe in devils now as our
fathers use to do but they are doing the kind of work the devil use to do, some
claim the devil has been fairly voted out, of course then he must be gone, but
the mystery to me then is whom he left behind to carry his business on. Truly
Satan works through human instrumentality.

1. He works through bad men.

2. He works through seemingly the harmless.

3. He works through friends, and incapable leaders and advisors.

Satan works through demons, and demons through bad men, good men, sinners,
Christians, church members and even ministers of the gospel, and any avenue
which becomes an open channel for them to work through.

I. The devil is a powerful adversary. Not wise to joke about him, he is a living
reality. Satan is a powerful foe, not as powerful as God yet he is limited in
His power by God, He is wise, shrewd, intelligent and tricky. He goes about
seeking whom he may devour. He can quote Scripture but seldom ever quotes it
correctly. He can transform himself into an angel of light and if allowed to
will deceive the very elect.

1. He is powerful in himself. The scriptures tell us he was once an archangel of
heaven but rebelled and through pride was cast out. He still retains much power,
while he is our powerful foe yet he is our defeated foe.

2. He is powerful through wicked spirits. He is commander-in-chief and a
multiplicity of demons will act under his directions.

3. He is powerful through wicked men. They are up late and get up early and more
energetic than most church members. He never has to take a vacation, but is
always at it, and works continually at it to bring about our destruction.

II. A skillful adversary. As the Holy Spirit will lead good men evil spirit will
lead bad men. Thousands of years of experience in this line of business makes
him a scientific expert. He knows our weakest point. He knows how to kill by the
car load and sink steamers.

III. An untiring adversary. Begins with the child and will follow you to your
grave. It can properly be said of him, he is on the war path, morning noon, and
night.

IV. A merciless adversary. He hates God and His work and would destroy both if
he could, but he can’t destroy God so he is trying to destroy His work. When
allowed to hold the reins on the inside he is very exact and quite proficient.
But give him a little time for his plans to materialize and all you will have
left is a war department. With six thousand years of experience he knows exactly
what kind of bait to put on his hook and he catches men and women by the
multitudes.

V. Your adversary. Unless you watch and pray he will catch and devour you by the
way. Possibly he has you by the throat and you have never discovered the fact.
Oh! the lion of lust, pride, drink, appetite, infidelity, skepticism, evolution
and modernism. All you behold is that glittering bait, you do not realize there
is a cruel hook, sooner or later he will have you captive at his will. Some
already have his hook in their jaw and he leads them around at his own pleasure.
If you are under his control call mightily upon God for deliverance.

Now it is no sin to be tempted providing you do not yield. The poet says, "Yield
not to temptation, for yielding is sin." If you overcome the tempter you will be
that much stronger for the next battle. Tests will try your faith, courage and
endurance. Do not let temptations discourage you. At times they come thick and
fast. But Jesus was tempted and there are hopes for us. As He did not escape we
should not expect exemption. Mr. Wesley said, "You cannot keep birds from flying
over your head but you can keep them from building nests in your hair."
Temptations may come and trials too while hellish darts are hurled, but Jesus
can save and keep in spite of all the world.

There are two forms of temptations.

1. The temptations coming direct from Satan.

2. Is when you boldly and willfully walk in yourself. Temptations are a part of
the divinely arranged program. One said, Satan tempts everybody but a lazy man
and he was of the opinion that a lazy man was a temptation to the devil. "Let no
man say when he is tempted I am tempted of God for God cannot be tempted with
evil neither tempteth He any man." "Christ was tempted in all points like as we
are yet without sin." You may try and shut yourself in from the world but they
will find you sooner or later. Fasting and praying will not keep temptations
away but you can get grace and strength thereby which will help you to stand
when Satan marshals his forces against you.

We are sailing on the sea of life and at times it is rather stormy. There are
dangers ahead. These are dangerous days and stormy times through which we are
passing and many are caused to wonder if the ship of Zion will make the trip
safely or be wrecked upon the shore of modernism. But we can say with the poet,
"She has landed many thousand and can land as many more." So when trouble
overtakes you and Satan tries to corner you in, there is always a way out and
generally you will find it by way of the Throne. Remember Satan would not be
after you if he had you under his control. If you are alive and active and
working for souls Satan will fight and oppose you until you have crossed the
last ditch, He is after the live or crippled duck and is not bothered about the
dead one. So let us hold on by prayer and faith until we are conscious of the
very presence of the eternal Godhead. You will find under His wing a safe
dwelling place. His mighty arm is strong and all powerful. Prayer will hold you
steady when all around seems to give way. Prayer will drive away every cloud.
Prayer will give strength and courage and become an anchor of the soul. He will
become your present helper in the darkest hour and in the day of need. As war
clouds seem to be gathering in the horizon and the outlook is not very bright
but the up look is as bright as the promises of God. When the battle between
righteousness and unrighteousness has been fought to a finish and the smoke from
the battlefield has cleared away, we shall be sons and daughters, yes, kings and
priests and shall wear a victor’s crown. May you one and all make your way to
heaven and God grant that you may arrive there safely.


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Source: https://sermonindex.net/books/writings-of-w-b-dunkum/
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