The Gospel Messenger--1892

DEAR BRO. RESPESS: Seeing that you and others have requested brethren who know of any striking incidents of the abounding grace of God towards his redeemed people, that they give the readers of the MESSENGER the benefit of it, I have concluded to give a brief narrative of an incident, some of which came under my own personal knowledge, and that which did not. I will give in substance as related to me by many brethren and sisters who were personally acquainted with the facts in the case.

About forty-six or seven years ago, shortly after I had been ordained to the work of the ministry, I was called to the pastoral charge of a church about twenty miles from Opelika, Ala., where I now write. Before I had ever visited the church, or had any acquaintance with any of its members, there were some incidents in the life of a sister there, of which I will speak as told to me by the brethren. This sister had been an orderly member for some time, having the confidence of the whole church. She was a neat, intelligent, industrious and energetic woman in her family, looking well to the affairs of her household. Her husband was not a member, though he was a quiet, good citizen, with but little energy and rather poor management in business. It was a conceded fact that his wife far surpassed him in energy, economy, industry and general business management on their little farm. But with all her excellent qualities as an orderly church member and manager at home, she had the peculiar besetment of a quick, resentful temper, and though she struggled hard to subdue or overcome this, it would at times overleap all prudent bounds and bring her and others into trouble.

In the one particular instance to which I now refer, some of her neighbors’ stock had been intruding on the crop of their little farm. She kindly informed the owners of the stock of the injury done, and requested that the stock be kept from further depredations upon the growing corn. Two young men of the family, who owned the stock, being rather mischievous, and knowing that the complaining lady was a church member and of quick temper, concluded they would vex the lady and have a little fun at her expense. They spoke as though they cared but little or nothing for her troubles or losses, and soon the stock were again destroying the crop. Knowing her ungovernable temper, she insisted that her husband would see after this business, and relieve her of any further occasion of getting into trouble in the matter. But her husband’s slow and easy indifference made her the more restless, and when she again saw the stock destroying the crop she lost all self-control, and went in a rage to the young men who had so disregarded her entreaties; and they, seeing they had accomplished in part what they designed, retorted sharply to her abusive epithets, which she so unsparingly heaped upon them, and gave her to understand that they cared for none of her troubles, and would make no redress for any wrongs done. This enraged the poor woman beyond all endurance, and she snatched up a piece of broken fence rail, and with it she felled one of the young chaps to the earth; and when his brother was about to interfere, she made at him, and had he not hastily fled, she would have prostrated him also. From this time onward for several weeks this sorely tried sister seemed to have become reckless, so that she even used profane and unbecoming language. The parties who had provoked the difficulty continued to add fuel to the fire, and had her arrested and put in jail. She then became so exceedingly enraged that it was thought her mind was seriously impaired, and in a short time she was released from prison to return home and attend to her daily household duties. She had been badly treated, and she knew it, and she seemed to be mad with everything and everyone.

She lived about fifteen miles from the church, and having missed a few monthly meetings in consequence of the late difficulties into which she had fallen, the church sent two brethren to see her, and request her attendance at church conference. But they found her still in a bad spirit, and she soon gave them to understand she did not intend to go, for she said she had been so mistreated that she felt like she had no friends either in church or state. She even spoke roughly and insultingly to the brethren, and bid them to get away and say no more to her about the church. The conduct of the sister had been pretty generally known by the church and community, and when the brethren reported to the church the result of their interview with the sister, a vote touching fellowship was soon taken, and she was unanimously excluded from church fellowship. A few years passed away, and but little was heard from the lady except that she was working very hard to support her family, and at times seemed to be very sad. During this time I had become acquainted with and taken the pastoral charge of the church, and in a few months thereafter at one of the church meetings, on Saturday, this lady, having got an orderly Primitive Baptist who lived near neighbor to her to come with her, she attended the church conference. I confess that I felt rather sorry she had come, and felt almost confident if she had come to seek restoration to church fellowship it would be a fruitless errand. This was the expressed feelings of the whole church, and several of the members had repeatedly said they never could give her the hand of church fellowship any more, and from what had been told me of her reckless profanity, I had also said I never could receive her as a member in fellowship in the church.

Up to this time I had never met with this lady. After I was formally introduced to her preaching services were soon commenced, and I noticed that she seemed solemnly attentive and her countenance indicated that she had been in deep trouble. When the church assembled in a conference capacity, and opportunity was given for any who might desire to apply for membership, either by experience or restoration, she came forward and took a seat by me, as I was serving as Moderator. I was young and knew but little about church matters, and not even half as much about my own ignorance as I think I learned then and since that time. I learned then that it was useless for me or other members to form resolutions and come to conclusions as to what we would or would not do in advance of hearing a full statement of a case in the church. I learned the truth of what the Scripture saith: “He that answereth a matter before he heareth it, it is folly and shame to him”-Prov. xviii.

We had all answered this matter and come to conclusions in our own mind to reject the applicant for restoration before we heard what she had to say, and before we knew the Christlike spirit in which she did speak, or the effect that what should be spoken would have upon us. We had judged the case before the time, and therefore wrong judgment proceeded, and we soon found, after hearing and feeling as we did, that there was in each and every heart a cheerful willingness to reverse the former decisions and resolutions which had been made in advance of hearing from the penitent sister. When she took a seat by me, she commenced trying to speak as calmly as her feelings would allow. I think I can give the main substance of what she said, and, in some particulars, the identical words. It was about in this way:

“I do not want this church to think by my coming forward at this time that I am seeking or expecting either forgiveness of my wrongs or restoration to fellowship in the church. I have disgraced myself and sinned greatly against God and his people, too greatly for them ever to be expected to forgive so as to restore me to membership in the church. I am not worthy to ask them to do this, and if I should desire it, I do not think it ought to be given me, for I am not worthy to be numbered among the Lord’s people. I have come to you, not for restoration to fellowship in the church, but to confess my sins, for it seems that I will die with a heavy load of guilt upon my soul if I do not confess my sins to you, in bringing distress upon the church and shame upon myself and family, and upon the sacred name of Christianity. I cannot ask your forgiveness, but do suffer me to confess my sin, for it is a relief to my burdened heart to have the privilege to do so.”

In this manner, and much more forcibly than I can, write, the sister continued to talk till the whole church and every one in the house was melted into tears, and all their former resolutions of never forgiving or restoring the sister to fellowship in the church were swept away and burned up as chaff. The love and power and grace and mercy of God was seen and felt in the heart of every member, and when the sister ceased talking she was asked if she was willing for the church to give an expression by a vote as touching her case. To this she consented, and there was an expression given by the church of entire satisfaction and a cheerful forgiveness of the sister, and the hand of fellowship was extended unanimously by the Moderator and every member of the church. A great change had come in the feelings of every member, and it was abundantly manifest in the countenance of each one when, with tears of joy, the hand of fellowship was extended to the poor, penitent sister. I remember well to this day how forcibly and with what power the words of Jesus rushed into my own heart, wherein he said: “I say unto you that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth more than over ninety and nine just persons which need no repentance.”-Luke xv. 7. Also in Matt. xviii. 13: “I say unto you, he rejoiceth more of that sheep than of the ninety and nine which went not astray.” Here was the lost sheep brought home, and here in the church of Jesus was the heavenly rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God. Ever after the sister was an orderly member till death.

This very remarkable incident coming personally before me, as it did in the days of my youth in the ministry, has been of great service to me ever since. I learned thereby that we should not be too hasty in forming conclusions or in saying in advance of bearing and knowing all the facts and surroundings of a case that we will do this or that, or that we will or will not fellowship such and such a one. Wait patiently on the Lord, and if he gives the erring child repentance and gives us the spirit of forgiveness, all can sup with Jesus and rejoice together.

W. M. MITCHELL.