“and by a prophet the lord brought israel out of egypt ...purihin ang panginoon! i am thankful to...

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JAN–FEB 2015 | VOLUME 27 ISSUE 1 “Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet.” Isaiah 58:1

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“And BY A PROPHET the Lord broughtIsrael out of Egypt, and by a prophet

was he preserved.” Hosea 12:13

EDITORIAL

INDEXBy a Prophet 5

Bringing Souls to Repentance 7 Preaching So As to Convert Nobody 8

For Self-Interest or God’s Glory? 10

Armageddon News 11

Obituaries 13

2 THE GOSPEL TRUMPET

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organization in the USA.Please request a tax receipt for

donations, if so desired.This work is supported through free-will offerings.

A new year and may it bring many new open doors for the furtherance of the gospel in this needy world. We rejoice at the souls that were added to the church in the past year and pray that multitudes more will enter into the kingdom in 2015.

In reading the testimony (which is printed in this issue) of a teenager from the Philippines, my heart was struck anew to realize the importance and the power of real preaching. Oh, the power of one divine gospel message from a truly God-called and God-gifted minister! A darkened mind was enlightened and the soul quickened to its sinful state and its need of God to deliver. A heart and mind were suddenly changed. A miracle took place as the Holy Spirit did His marvellous work through the conduit of the “foolishness of preaching.” The result? A soul was plucked from the fire, made anew through the regenerating power of the Holy Ghost, and their name enrolled in the Lamb’s Book of Life. All glory be to God!

Many a time I have wished for the whole world to hear the messages I am privileged to hear. The multitudes are really unac-quainted with real preaching. And the results? Spurious religion-ists; souls slightly healed, at best; multitudes put to sleep by the poison of false hope, only to awake at the Judgment to hear, “De-part from me, I never knew you.” Not to mention multitudes disil-lusioned by the “gospel” and fast becoming agnostics and atheists. All this for want of real preachers and real preaching.

Oh, that God’s men and women might fill the pulpits of the land! The world could be turned upside down–or really, right side up.

Not too many scriptures in the Bible have exclamation points after them, but this one does: “How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!” How beautiful! How rare! Oh, the value of God’s preach-ers!

Did Moses’ generation realize the value of their prophet? Likely not as they should have. Did the people of the first century of the Gospel Day realize the value of having Paul pass through their towns? What was he but a man, and radically strange at that? And who was that wild John the Baptist?

Pray that God will graciously bless His little band of angel messengers in our time, which is the very end of time, for the sake of souls and the glory of God. May they be ever clothed with humility and the power of God to withstand the infernal forces of hell in this age of extreme deception, compromise, and apostate flesh-pleasing religion. May their hearts be ever quickened in a vehement hatred for all sin and worldliness and burn with Christ’s passion for souls till He comes. sm

THE GOSPEL TRUMPET 3

TESTIMONIES& LETTERS

He Deserves All the Praise“Behold, the Lord’s hand is not

shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear.” Isa. 59:1.

Oh, I thank God for the work of restoration that has reached the Philippines! I thank the Lord for saving my soul! I am unworthy, I don’t deserve to be saved, but He still saved my soul. Now I am resting in His peace. Glory!

I want to put my whole trust in Him. This world is not more powerful than Him. I want to show to the others that He is the true treasure of this life. I don’t just want to praise Him when my day is good or my feeling is nice, but I want to praise Him even in the very dark hour of my life. He deserves all the praise and glory!

Please continue to pray for the work of restoration here in the Philippines and for God to bless our services. All glory and praise to Him! Sis. Victoria Cacal (Age 15)

Philippines

Your Worship Touched MeI don’t know much about your church,

but your worship online touched me. I only wish more churches did worship like your church does. Scooter Schaeffer

Thrilled to Be in the One FoldPraise the Lord! It is truly wonderful

to be saved and sanctified in the church of God. After coming out of a place of spiri-tual confusion and much backsliding, I am thrilled to be in the one fold where Jesus

brings His sheep. The powerful call of the Spirit and the bride saying, “Come,” were not resisted by me, and now I am free to follow the God of the Bible.

The scriptures have been opened up to me by the Holy Ghost preaching, and now I can comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height of the unsearchable riches of Christ. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless His holy name! Bro. Joel Harger

Ohio, USA

Would Love to Be One of ThoseI am so glad that there is work getting

done in Bolivia; that people confess. I truly would love to be one of those. Please pray for me. S. Loewen

Website

Good ReadingThank you, brethren. The Gospel

Trumpet e-magazine is good reading with content pure. Explains well, also.

God bless you and keep you in holy love! Edgar Martinez

Tired of Man-Made TeachingsDear Elder Ray,

I am glad to hear from you! Indeed, I would be glad to receive the Gospel Trum-pet for the edification. We are a group of people tired of man-made teachings and now seeking the Truth of God’s Word.

In fact, I would like to be studying and

learning with you until we fully obey the scriptures! Too, I would like to welcome you any time in the country for trainings and seminars.

Lastly, through your teachings on the web, I would like the church to be estab-lished here that we can worship in the Spir-it and Truth (John 4:24).

May He bless your efforts. Hoping to hear from you again. Allen

Tanzania

I Want to Continue to the EndPurihin ang Panginoon!

I am thankful to be saved in this end time. I’m so thankful for His mercy toward me. Before, I didn’t want to get saved, but when Sis. Elizabeth Oppel preached on July 10, 2013, the Lord spoke to me and I came to Him and He saved me. Thank the Lord He never gave up on me!

I want to continue to the end, no matter how big the trials that I’m going to face. I know God is there to help me, and He is an on-time God. I don’t want to go back to where I was before. Thank the Lord I lost my past already!

Please pray for me to come closer to God, and that God will bless His work and save more souls here in the Philippines.

Sis. Jean Pacauncis (Age 14) Philippines

Sincere and Uplifting SingingHi Church of God!

I have been really enjoying your

Subsidiaries of The Gospel Trumpet Publishing Co.

The Shining Light for Children – [email protected]

The Gospel Trumpet in German or RussianEvangeliums Posaune – [email protected]

Zion’s Voice for Audio – [email protected]

Editor-in-Chief: Sis. Susan MutchGerman Dept.: Sis. Doreen TovstigaRussian Dept.: Bro. Waldemar Anselm

Godly Sorrow and Repentance Acts 3:19; 17:30, 2 Cor. 7:10The New Birth–a Radical Conversion John 3:3-7Freedom from Sin/A Holy Life 1 Jn. 5:18, Lk. 1:73-75, Tit. 2:11-12Entire Sanctification–a Second Cleansing 1 Thess. 5:23, Act 15:8-9 Unity of God’s People/One Church John 17:21, Matt. 16:18Divine Healing James 5:14-15, Isa. 53:5Ordinances Mt. 28:19-20, Jn. 13:14-15, 1 Cor. 11:23-26Plain, Modest Dress Dt. 22:5, 1 Tim. 2:9-10, 1 Cor. 11:14-15Sanctity of Marriage Mt. 19:5-6, Mk. 10:11-12, Lk. 16:18, Rom. 7:2-3Non-Violence Luke 3:14; 6:27-29; 18:20Restoration (Sounding 7th Trumpet) Rev. 10:7; 11:15Eternal Punishment or Reward Matt. 25:46

Anti-Denominational Holiness Paper

This definite, radical, anti-sectarian holiness paper is published in the name of the Lord for the edification of the church of God. Its mission is to point souls to full salva-tion through Christ and to expose the errors of spiritual Babylon (false religion). We desire this paper to be used as a sharp instrument in the hands of the Lord, breaking the spiritual silence in this time of restoration.

This publishing work is supported through freewill of-ferings. Biblical quotes are from the King James Version unless otherwise noted. We reserve the right to edit or decline any material and are not responsible for the return of any items. Articles printed in this publication are used on the merit of the truth contained therein, and should not necessarily be understood as a commendation of the writer. The Gospel Trumpet Publishing Co. and its subsid-iaries are operated under the authority of the General Ministerial Body of the Church of God.

Phone: (937) [email protected]

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P.O. Box 1139, Greenville, Ohio 45331

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The Bible teaches:

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sincere and uplifting singing and messages on YouTube and Gospel Trumpet streaming radio online. I love the song about “The Thing Called False Religion” – “Boom, boom, boom, let the cannon balls ring as the saints all sing…”

Is it anywhere on YouTube or somewhere else I can play and hear it online? The only time I hear it is on the Gospel Trumpet streaming radio.

It is a wonderful song and I would like to share it with others. If it’s not on YouTube, would you please make a video/recording of it on YouTube?

I grew up near Hartville, Ohio and went to school with some Amish and Mennonite kids. My home church is Eastwood Church of the Brethren, so I have that Anabaptist background. I miss the days when I could really hear 4-part harmony hymn singing among the congregation. I especially love acapella singing!

I am looking for a church with a more balanced emphasis in scripture. I wish you were a bit closer to where I live now, in Akron, Ohio.

May you continue to reach and bless many more people with the Truth! Your sister in Christ,

Janet Cloverdale Ohio, USA

Happy that Missionaries are ComingDear Bro. Ray,

Thank you for your exciting mail to me, and I am very happy that our missionaries are coming to Nepal. I hope that we will get good opportunities to learn more about God’s Word over here in Nepal. I am praying to God that we will meet with you in Nepal, too. In His service Bishnu Yadav Nepal

Excited to Meet With the SaintsDear Bro. Ray,

Praise the Lord! Brother, I am well here and helping Bro. Sanjeev in his ministry. I am Sis. Kiran, Bro. Sanjeev’s wife.

I am glad to hear that the saints are coming soon to Nepal. I am excited to meet with the saints soon.

Please pray for the work of Nepal. Sis. Kiran Yadav Nepal

TThe men who move the world are the oneswho do not let the world move them.


fter a brief reminder touching some of Israel’s his-tory, the prophet Hosea summarizes chapter twelve by highlighting both the value and necessity of the prophet in the deliverance and preservation of a peo-ple. In this place, it is the people of Israel and the

prophet Moses. While Moses was indeed a special vessel used of God and a type of the Lord Jesus Christ, yet, located in this verse is a vital link connecting the emancipation and preservation of a people from their bondage to the one true God and His prophets.

In a very real sense there is but one race of people on the earth–the human race. Inseparable from the liberation of the one human race is the office of the prophet. As God used the prophet Moses, so God used the prophet Hosea to remind Israel that this was and al-ways has been His means of exacting relief and release of a people.

A brief perusal of the names of the books of the Bible will ver-ify the fact that God’s assistance for the human family comes from Him through certain members of that same family: Judges, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, Job, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Daniel, Ezekiel, Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Peter, James, Jude. The Bible is packed full of people, humans, prophets without which we could never receive the much-needed counsel of God. The great beauty of Christianity is that God Himself became a man and dwelt among us. Now indwell-ing His people through His Spirit, He has chosen to help assist hu-manity through human vessels whom He has chosen, called, and gifted with the spirit of prophecy, which is His own testimony of deliverance and preservation for all of the world. Revelation 19:10.

Deliverance from the very real and present evils of society that are plaguing all people of the earth, and the preservation of righ-teousness, freedom, and justice can truly come only by one means. With proper regard for all those in positions of authority and in the spirit of Jesus Christ, we respectfully say that deliverance cannot come from Washington, D. C. in a Republican (or Democratic) con-trolled House of Representatives or Senate. It cannot come from the younger political generation which are called the Millenials. We would do well not to look to the 2016 Presidential election to re-solve the wickedness in the world. In fact, it is quite unfair to expect the political leaders to resolve issues which ultimately stem from sinfulness in the hearts and minds of men. To look to the governor of the state or the mayor of the city to develop a platform for removal of wickedness is vain. Deliverance in the truest, most full sense can-not proceed from any form of political legislation or smoothly run, well-meaning program.

By a

Prophet

“And by a prophet the Lord brought Israel out of Egypt, and by a prophet was he preserved.”

Hosea 12:13

A

Bro. Stephen Hargrave

We fully acknowledge that there are currently some programs which provide a degree of assistance physically, materially, and even psychologically, that are need-ful in this world. However, it is not only improper, but also unfair, to look to such programs themselves as the means of pro-viding true and lasting righteousness. At the root of all of the greed, violence, im-morality, racism and such like lies the cul-prit–SIN. We declare that sin can never be legislated out of the hearts of mankind.

There is, in 2015, a universal cry, a world groaning that none can silence, which cries out and searches for some form of solution. We declare on the Word of God that that solution is not a politician or poli-tics, but a prophet of God.

We do not speak of those who style themselves prophets of God who are un-ashamedly in the “game” to make as much money as they can make, having flashy clothing and cars, and heavily ringed fin-gers. The world does not need anymore “prophets” who are paid by the very system which they seek to change or those who are

afraid to p r e a c h a g a i n s t

the evils of sinfulness, which is the very poison of society. We do not need another “church.” We do not need another “minis-try.” We need real, God-called prophets!

The world needs a prophet whose preaching is the manifestation of the spirit and power of God to remove sinfulness in the hearts of everyone that believes the message. The world needs a prophet who joins the people as one in his hand under God. We need to hear from a real proph-et of God who needs not be “plugged in” from the outside or prodded and poked to get him to move. We need a prophet in whom the spirit of prophecy moves and burns as a fire enfolding itself that causes him to be unable to withhold the judgments of God. We need the living Word of God “to root out, and to pull down, and to de-stroy, and to throw down, to build, and to plant” (Jer. 1:10). The world needs to hear from and experience the power of God, and God is heard from and experienced largely through His chosen method of preaching, and preaching can be done only by a true prophet of God.

To be clear, we are not merely speak-ing of one who foretells future events, but of one who forth-tells the whole counsel of

God with the anointing. We are not speaking of a single individual or a “powerful” speaker, nor is it sim-

ply one man or woman. Ephesians

4:11 tells us that there are apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers. As these minis-tering gifts proceed from one source, so they all proclaim one message. The prophet that is needed is not one individual disassociated from all human-

ity. He is not one man only, but a part of the “one new man”

(Eph. 2:15), the body of Christ which is the church of God.

The answer to the ills of this world is not capitalism, socialism, or communism. It is not democracy; it is Theocracy, where God is ruling and wherein are judges, prophets whose spirits are subject unto the other prophets of God and thus forming one angel, or messenger, or prophet.

There are diversities of gifts and call-ings, yet there is but one message. Thus, we see in Revelation 10 one angel or mes-senger clothed with a cloud (of witnesses, Hebrews 12:1), standing on the sea and the earth (reaching all of the world) with a little book (the Word of God) open in his hand and crying out to all the people in all the world.

Deliverance has come in this very end of time. This angel is currently proclaiming the very last messages that will be heard on this earth just before the final coming of the Lord. He is bringing an end to the mystery and calling whosoever will come to deliver their souls from the wickedness that has swept through this entire world. God has a ministry today beginning first with apostles and for all who will hear, there is deliver-ance and preservation through a prophet.

“For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.” 1 Cor. 1:18.

“But hath in due times manifested his word through preaching, which is commit-ted unto me according to the command-ment of God our Saviour.” Titus 1:3.

“And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wis-dom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.” 1 Cor. 2:4-5. &

We need a prophet in whom the spirit of prophecy moves and

burns as a fire enfolding itself that causes him to be unable to

withhold the judgments of God.



The true minister, convinced, both by revelation and experience, that Jesus Christ alone is able to recover diseased souls, employs

every effort to bring sinners into the pres-ence of this heavenly Physician, that they may obtain of Him spiritual health and sal-vation. He is fully persuaded that he who is not “weary and heavy laden,” will never apply for relief; that he who is not “poor in spirit,” will constantly despise the riches of the gospel; and that they who are unac-quainted with their danger, will turn an in-attentive ear to the loudest warnings of a compassionate Saviour. His first care, then, is to press upon his hearers the necessity of an unfeigned repentance, that, by breaking the reed of their confidence, he may constrain them with the “poor,” the “miserable,” the “blind,” and the “naked,” to fall before the throne of divine justice. Whence, after seeing them-selves condemned by the law of God, with-out any ability to deliver their own souls, he is conscious that they will have recourse to the throne of grace, entreating, like the penitent publican, to be “justified freely by his grace, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.” Rom. 3:24.

It is this state of humiliation and com-punction of heart that sinners are enabled to experience the happy effects of that evan-gelical repentance, which is displeasure of soul, which is excited in a sinner by the Word and Spirit of God. By this new sensi-bility, he is first made to discover his natu-ral corruption and his actual transgressions. His heart is pierced with sincere distress. He deplores them before God. He confess-es them without reserve. He abhors them with a holy indignation. He seriously re-

solves, from the present moment, to reform his conduct, and religiously apply himself to the practice of every virtue during the re-mainder of his life. Such is true repentance. It consists at once in resolutely renouncing the devil, with everything that is sinful, and in sincerely cleaving to God, with every-thing that is truly good.

As human pride is continually exalt-ing itself against this humiliating doctrine, so the true minister as constantly repeats it, crying out in the language of this great apostle, Paul: “All unregenerate men are under sin, there is none that understand-eth, there is none that seeketh after God;

they are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable. The way of peace have they not known; there is no fear of God before their eyes. We know that…every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.” Rom. 3:9-19. “There is no difference; for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” So all equally need the merits and assistance of Jesus Christ, whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood” (Rom. 3:22-25).

But if this doctrine is a savour of life unto some, it is also a savour of death unto others. It gives offence to blinded bigots, while modern infidels strengthen them-selves against it, as Pharaoh once strength-ened himself against the authority of Jeho-vah. “Thus saith the Lord,” said Moses to that obstinate monarch, “Let my people go, that they may serve me” (Exo. 8:1) and the haughty infidel replied, “Who is the Lord,

that I should obey his voice? I know not the Lord, neither will I let Israel go.”

Come up out of mystic Egypt, saith the Son of God to every sinful soul. Fol-low me in the regeneration (Matt. 19:28). “And who is the Son of God?” replies some petty Pharaoh. “I know neither him nor His Father, nor conceive myself in any wise obliged to obey His commands.”

Impious as this language may appear, the conduct of every irreligious “Christian” must be considered as equivalent to it, ac-cording to those words of our Lord. “He that despiseth” my servants and my doc-trines “despiseth me, and he that despiseth

me, despiseth him that sent me” (Lk. 10:16). He hates both Christ and His Father (John 15:24). His repentance is superficial, his faith is

vain, and, sooner or later, his actions or his words will testify that he is an utter enemy to Christ and His members.

An evangelical minister insists upon the fall, the corruption, and the danger of unregenerate man. As the knowledge of our depravity is the source from whence evan-gelical repentance and Christian humility flow, so it is the only necessary preparation for that living faith, by which we are both justified and sanctified. He who obstinately closes his eyes upon his own wretchedness, shuts himself up in circumstances which will not suffer him to receive any advan-tage from that glorious Redeemer, whom “God hath anointed to preach the gospel to the poor;” to heal the “broken hearted; to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind; to set at liberty them that are bruised” (Luke 4:18).

Reason itself declares that if sin-

Before the sacred vine can be planted, the thorns of sin must berooted up, together with the thistles of counterfeit righteousness.

John Fletcher

Continued on page 10


The design of this article is to pro-pound several rules by a steady conformity to any one of which a man may preach so as not to convert anybody. It is generally conceded at the present day that the Holy Spirit converts souls to Christ by means of truth adapted to that end. It follows that a selfish preacher will not skillfully adapt means to convert souls to Christ, for this is not his end.

1. Let your supreme motive be to se-cure your own popularity, then, of course, your preaching will be adapted to that end, and not to convert souls to Christ.

2. Aim at pleasing, rather than at con-verting your hearers.

3. Aim at securing for yourself the rep-utation of a beautiful writer.

4. Let your sermons be written with a high degree of literary finish.

5. Let them be short, occupying in the reading not to exceed from twenty to thirty minutes.

6. Let your style be flowery, ornate, and quite above the comprehension of the common people.

7. Be sparing of thought, lest your ser-mon contain truth enough to convert a soul.

8. See that you say nothing that will appear to any of your hearers to mean him or her, unless it be something flattering.

9. Make no distinct points, and take no disturbing issues with the consciences of your hearers, lest they remember these issues, and become alarmed about their souls.

10. Avoid a logical division and subdi-vision of your subject, lest you should too thoroughly instruct your people.

11. Give your sermon the form and substance of a flowing, beautifully written, but never-to-be-remembered essay, so that your hearers will say, “It was a beautiful

sermon,” but can give no further account of it.

12. Avoid preaching doctrines that are offensive to the carnal mind, lest they should say of you, as they did of Christ, “This is a hard saying. Who can hear it?” and that you are injuring your influence.

13. Denounce sin in the abstract, but make no allusion to the sins of your present audience.

14. Keep the spirituality of God’s holy law, by which is the knowledge of sin, out of sight, lest the sinner should see his lost condition and flee from the wrath to come.

15. Preach the gospel as a remedy, but conceal or ignore the fatal disease of the sinner.

16. Preach salvation by grace, but ig-nore the condemned and lost condition of the sinner, lest he should understand what you mean by grace, and feel his need of it.

17. Preach Christ as an infinitely ami-able and good-natured being, but ignore those scathing rebukes of sinners and hyp-ocrites which so often made His hearers tremble.

18. Avoid especially preaching to those who are present. Preach about sinners, and not to them. Say they, and not you, lest any one should make a personal and saving ap-plication of your subject.

19. Aim to make your hearers pleased with themselves and pleased with you, and be careful not to wound the feelings of any one.

20. Preach no searching sermons, lest you convict and convert the worldly mem-bers of your church.

21. Avoid awakening uncomfortable memories by reminding your hearers of their past sins.

22. Do not make the impression that God commands your hearers now and here to obey the truth.

23. Do not make the impression that you expect your hearers to commit them-selves upon the spot and give their hearts to God.

24. Leave the impression that they are expected to go away in their sins, and to consider the matter at their convenience.

25. Dwell much upon their inability to obey, and leave the impression that they must wait for God to change their natures.

26. Make no appeals to the fears of sinners, but leave the impression that they have no reason to fear.

27. Say so little of hell that your people will infer that you do not believe in its ex-istence.

28. Make the impression that if God is as good as you are, He will send no one to hell.

29. Preach the love of God, but ignore the holiness of His love, that will by no means clear the impenitent sinner.

30. Often present God in His parental love and relations, but ignore His govern-mental and legal relations to His subjects, lest the sinner should find himself con-demned already and the wrath of God abid-ing on him.

31. Preach God as all mercy, lest a full-er representation of His character should alarm the consciences of your hearers.

32. Try to convert sinners to Christ without producing any uncomfortable con-victions of sin.

33. Flatter the rich, so as to repel the poor, and you will convert none of either class.

34. Make no disagreeable allusions to the doctrines of self-denial, cross-bear-ing, and crucifixion to the world, lest you should convict and convert some of your church members.

35. Admit, either expressly or implied-ly, that all men have some moral goodness

Preaching So As to Convert NobodyCharles Finney


in them, lest sinners should understand that they need a radical change of heart, from sin to holiness.

36. Avoid pressing the doctrine of total moral de-pravity, lest you should offend, or even convict and convert, the moralist.

37. Do not rebuke the worldly tenden-cies of the church, lest you should hurt their feelings and finally convert some of them.

38. Should any express anxiety about their souls, do not probe them by any un-comfortable allusion to their sin and ill-desert, but encourage them to join the church at once, and exhort them to assume their perfect safety within the fold.

39. Preach the love of Christ not as en-lightened benevolence that is holy, just, and sin-hating, but as a sentiment, an involun-tary and undiscriminating fondness.

40. Be sure not to represent religion as a state of loving self-sacrifice for God and souls, but rather as a free-and-easy state of self-indulgence. By thus doing you will prevent sound conversions to Christ, and convert your hearers to yourself.

41. So select your themes and so pres-ent them as to attract and flatter the wealthy, aristocratic, self-indulgent, extravagant, pleasure-seeking classes, and you will not convert any of them to the cross-bearing religion of Christ.

42. Be time-serving, or you will endan-ger your salary and, besides, if you speak out and are faithful, you may convert some-body.

43. Do not preach with a divine unc-tion, lest your preaching make a saving im-pression.

44. To avoid this, do not maintain a close walk with God, but rely upon your learning and study.

45. Lest you should pray too much, engage in light reading and worldly amuse-ments.

46. That your people may not think you in earnest to save their souls, and, as a con-sequence, heed your preaching, encourage church-fairs, lotteries, and other gambling and worldly expedients to raise money for church purposes.

47. If you do not approve of such things, make no public mention of your disapprobation, lest your church should give them up, and turn their attention to saving souls and be saved themselves.

48. Do not rebuke extravagance in dress, lest you should uncomfortably im-press your vain and worldly church mem-bers.

49. Lest you should be troubled with revival scenes and labors, encourage par-ties, picnics, excursions, and worldly amusements, so as to divert attention from the serious work of saving souls.

50. Ridicule solemn earnestness in pulling sinners out of the fire and recom-mend, by precept and example, a jovial, fun-loving religion, and sinners will have little respect for your serious preaching.

51. Cultivate a fastidious taste in your people, by avoiding all disagreeable allu-sions to the last Judgment and final retribu-tion.

52. Treat such uncomfortable doctrines as obsolete and out of place in these days of Christian refinement.

53. Do not commit yourself to much-needed reforms, lest you should compro-mise your popularity and injure your in-fluence. Or you may make some branch of outward reform a hobby, and dwell so much upon it as to divert attention from the great work of converting souls to Christ.

54. So exhibit religion as to encourage the selfish pursuit of it. Make the impres-sion upon sinners that their own safety and happiness is the supreme motive for being religious.

55. Do not lay much stress upon the ef-ficacy and necessity of prayer, lest the Holy Spirit should be poured out upon you and the congregation, and sinners should be converted.

56. Make little or no impression upon your hearers, so that you can repeat your old sermons often without its being noticed.

57. If your text suggests any alarming

thought, pass lightly over it, and by no means dwell upon and enforce it.

58. Avoid all illustra-tions, repetitions, and em-phatic sentences that may

compel your people to remember what you say.

59. Avoid all heat and earnestness in your delivery, lest you make the impression that you really believe what you say.

60. Address the imagination and not the conscience, of your hearers.

61. Make it your great aim to be per-sonally popular with all classes of your hearers.

62. Be tame and timid in presenting the claims of God, as would become you in presenting your own claims.

63. Be careful not to testify from your own personal experience of the power of the gospel, lest you should produce the conviction upon your hearers that you have something which they need.

64. Encourage church socials and at-tend them yourself, because they tend so strongly to levity as to compromise Chris-tian dignity and sobriety, and thus paralyze the power of your preaching.

65. Encourage the cultivation of the social in so many ways as to divert the at-tention of yourself and your church mem-bers from the infinite guilt and danger of the unconverted among you.

66. In those socials, talk a little about religion, but avoid any serious appeal to the heart and conscience of those who at-tend, lest you should discourage their at-tendance, always remembering that they do not go to socials to be earnestly dealt with in regard to their relations to God. In this way you will effectually so employ yourself and church members as that your preaching will not convert anybody.

The experience of ministers who have steadily adhered to any of the above rules will attest the soul-destroying efficacy of such a course, and churches whose min-isters have steadily conformed to any of these rules can testify that such preaching does not convert souls to Christ. &

Make the impression that if God is as good as you are, He will send no one to hell.


Is God a means used to attain an end or is He the end for which all else is subjected

to attain? Is God our servant or are we His servants? This is one great difference between true Christianity and false Christianity. Though they may outwardly do some of the same things and say the same words, the motive makes it either blessed or cursed. One’s purpose and intent for serving God will make the difference whether one will turn back or stand faithful amidst the fire and storms of life.

Two brothers came to Christ seeking to sit on His right and His left in His kingdom. Jesus was their chance to greatness. They yet lacked understanding of the nature

and the greatness of the kingdom of God, for this kingdom was destructive to the vainglorious and selfish seeking of man.

Many are labouring in the gospel, or so they would like you to believe, but it is a gospel of their own devising. Many seek the pulpit because they desire to move the crowds, to be notable, to be reverenced and admired, or simply as a career choice. Some seek God to find a mystical experience that they can feel good about or that will outshine what others have found.

Others have been tossed on the raging waves of sin till they have been stripped of all they had. Weary of the drugs and the fast life, they turn to religion

For Self-Interest or God’s Glory?

ful man is possessed of sufficient ability to secure his own salvation, he needs no other Saviour, and “Christ is dead in vain” (Gal. 2:21). In short, so far as we are unac-quainted with our degenerate estate, so far the important doctrine of regeneration must necessarily appear superfluous and absurd.

Here we may perceive one grand rea-son why the ministers of the present day, who are but superficially acquainted with the depravity of the human heart, discourse upon this subject in a slight and unsatisfac-tory manner.

The true minister, on the contrary, fol-lowing the example of his great Master, speaks upon this momentous change with affection and power. Observe the terms in which our Lord himself declares this neglected doctrine: “Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God” (John 3:5). As though he should say, “The natural man, how beauti-ful an appearance soever he may make, is possessed of a heart so desperately wicked, that unless it be broken by the repentance which John the Baptist preached, and re-generated by the faith which I declare, he can never become a citizen of heaven. For the doors of my kingdom must remain ev-erlastingly barred against those “ravening wolves” who disguise themselves as sheep (Matt. 7:15), and those painted hypocrites who salute me as their Lord, without em-bracing my doctrines, and observing my commands. “Verily,” therefore, “I say unto you,” my first disciples and friends, “Ex-cept ye be converted, and become as little children,” who are strangers to envious, ambitious, or impure thoughts, “ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven” (Matt. 18:3).

Such is the doctrine that is still able to convert every inquiring Nicodemus.

Many pious divines have supposed that by preaching the cross of Christ alone, mankind might be brought to true repen-tance. But what was spoken by God to Jer-

Bringing Souls to Repentance

emiah, may in some sort be applied to the true minister: “I have set thee to root out and to plant, to pull down and to build.” Jer. 1:10. For before the sacred vine can be planted, the thorns of sin must be rooted up, together with the thistles of counterfeit righteousness. And before the strong tower of salvation can be erected, that spiritual Babel must be overthrown, by which pre-sumptuous men are still exalting them-selves against heaven.

To lead sinners into a state of evangeli-cal repentance, the true minister discovers to their view the corruption of the heart, with all the melancholy effects it produces in the character and conversation of unre-generate men.

Only those who are brought to this poverty of spirit are properly disposed to receive the riches of divine mercy. As soon, therefore, as the evangelical minister has sufficiently alarmed a sinner with the ter-rors discovered upon Mount Sinai, he anx-iously prepares him for the consolations of the gospel, by a sight of the suffering scene upon Calvary. &�Excerpts from “The Portrait of St. Paul”

Continued from page 7

Bro. David Kauffman


The kingdom of God is destructive

to the vainglorious and selfish

seeking of man.

for relief. They regret that their dreams did not work out, that they pursued the wrong path to pleasure, and are sorry for the disappointment. They come to Jesus seeking yet another experience, yet another high, hoping that Jesus will give them the pleasures, comforts, riches or esteem that they crave. Maybe God can provide the means to their desired end.

And so, many use the gospel and fit it to themselves. Hence, some rise to popularity, pad their pockets, or ease their consciences.

Men have come to ignore Jesus’ reply to the two brothers. “Can ye drink of the cup that I drink of? And be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?” Some dare to answer with the sons of Zebedee, “We are able.” But are they? For surely the suffering and reproach of the cross cannot be endured by those who are yet so much alive to their own self-interests and comfort; for those that reason, “A little cross I can afford if I can thereby attain to what I want.”

If this battle is a war against any, it is certainly a war on children. And for them, it isn’t merely spiritual. It is physical. The enemy is not merely after their minds, but also their very lives. Lest our readers get the impression that Armageddon is a fight of the older and mature, we bring them up to date with the following events:

Infanticide By the NumbersKilling a child used to be called murder.

Now, in some places, it is actually called a mercy. According to Breitbart News, up to 650 newborns are legally euthanized every year in Holland. These are babies killed “so that their parents don’t have to witness them struggle with disability or disease.”

More “enlightened” North Americans stand aghast at such doings by their Eu-ropean counterparts. But are they any less culpable in the destruction of human life? In the United States alone, 1.05 million un-born babies were legally aborted in 2012 (equivalent to the population of the entire state of Rhode Island).

And Ben Johnson of LifeSite news writes that American taxpayers have fund-ed the practice of abortion services provid-er Planned Parenthood to the tune of $528 million in 2013.

The Seedbed of Babylonian ThoughtIf Babylon means confusion (and it

does), then certainly another term for it is public education. The U.S. Department of Education recently announced that Title IX regulations governing gender equality in education also apply to transgender stu-dents. This means that a boy or girl suffer-ing from a gender identity crisis must be accommodated equally with other students. For instance, if a boy identifies as a girl, he

must be allowed access to female sex edu-cation classes. Many public schools across the nation are being forced to allow trans-gender students to use the washrooms of the gender with which they identify.

In Superior, Wisconsin, a concerned parent made recent headlines when she op-posed the introduction of a children’s book into her child’s elementary school library. The book portrays a child in a home with two mothers learning how to take care of her pet cat. The school board overwhelm-ingly voted to keep the book in the library.

No to Islam, Yes to YesuaConcerned people have watched in

dismay at the rapid spread of the jihadist militant group known as the Islamic State in Syria and Iraq (ISIS). Intent on the over-throw of modern society, mass execution of innocent civilians has been a hallmark of ISIS policy in the cities and lands it has conquered. The Jerusalem Post reported on a recent encounter between ISIS and a group of Christian Iraqi children. When demanded that they convert immediately to Islam, four of the children (all under age 15), courageously stood their ground. “No,” they are reported to have said, “we love Yesua, we have always loved Yesua, we have always followed Yesua. Yesua has always been with us.” Given another ulti-matum to convert, they refused and were summarily beheaded. Yesua is the Iraqi name for Jesus.

The present restoration of God’s peo-ple is dedicated to the rearing of holy and godly youth. It will take heroic efforts to equip them to live in a disintegrating soci-ety that is set on their destruction. But with God, all things are possible. &

Reported by Bro. Daniel Eichelberger

Continued on Page 12

Many professing Christians are saying what Micah said in Judges 17:13: “Now know that the Lord will do me good, seeing I have a Levite to my priest.” “Now know I the Lord will do me good, seeing I have professed His name, I have given up some of my ways and been baptized, I am faithful to my companion, I give money to the church and to the poor. Surely now He will do me good.”

Jesus Himself declared that many would say, “Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.”

Their answer may well be, “But I didn’t do the wicked things I once did. I


The Royal Dead

The neighing of horses once loosed from their chambers With a slow decrescendo now softens and dies,

On the scuffed plains of battle where were pitfalls and dangers,Where a trail of strewn battlefield memories lie,

There the footprints of dismounted soldiers are sunken,There the glistening armor of light is set by,

There lie the scarred shields of warriors now takenFrom the hot field of action to calm rest in the sky.

The glory of youth in its dissipated poorness,Gave way to the onslaught and strength of the years,

For all of its vigor a greater hath harnessed,And strength proved to be too fleeting and mere.See the armored battalion round circle the victor,

Though war rages round them they take time to pause,And look on the still, hollow shell of their brother

Succumbed to rule of mortality's laws.

Yet stamped in the halls of the saints recollectionThe names of the champions are evermore etched,With a vast list of monarchs all written in heaven,

Who unconquered in life, lie unconquered in death.To the royal reception of the glorious beloved,

To the unearthly eloquence of immortal tongues,Joys that mock the wealth of mines diamond studded,Where the militant drove of life’s cares never comes.

Now their casket is lowered and the man resubmitted,Now the clay to the clay from whence they were made,

And by each toss of the soil there lifted,Their temporal bed in view from us fades.

These souls are the royal, though unknown and common,Though ne’er for a pyramid burial they’ve hoped,

Nor donned with the gems of the king Tutankhamen,Yet brighter their jewels of felicity glow.

Bro. Jason Hargrave

was morally good. I was zealous about my religion.” Yet the answer from Christ may be, “You have used my gospel to glorify yourself. Yes, you ceased from your fornicating and lying and carousing and sinning because it was taking your money, ruining your health, and ruining your image, but you are yet desperately wicked. You traded your fleshly wickedness for spiritual wickedness. You are a thief, using my name and my gospel for your cause. You have never come to me repentant because you have sinned against a just and holy God, because you have trampled my love and the blood that was shed for you. You have never seen how righteous and holy I am and how miserably wretched and wicked you are.”

People think that God owes them heaven. They have never seen His holiness, nor their own wretchedness. They have never come to see that hell is no greater punishment than they amply deserve.

There are many Simon the sorcerers and rich young rulers professing the name

Continued from Page 11

For Self-Interest or God’s Glory?

Surely the suffering and reproach of the cross cannot be endured by those who are yet so much alive to

their own self-interests.

of Christ. The word to such is, “Thy money perish with thee. Go and sell all that thou hast and follow me.” Do you want to be a Christian? Can you drink of my bitter cup? Do you want to bear my name? Then bear my cross, bear my shame. Do you want to reign with me? Then be humiliated and serve with me. Do you want to live with me? Then you must be crucified with me. Do you want to be rich? Then you must suffer the loss of all things. Do you want eternal pleasure? Then you must suffer with me.

To be a Christian, one must do it on Jesus’ terms and for His cause. No other terms and no other cause; no other purpose but to give to God what is due Him and to glorify Him. He is the King and we are the servants. &


Bro. Larry Daniel Hughes, of Greenville, Ohio, passed suddenly from this life to his eternal reward on the evening of November 18, 2014. He was 55 years of age.

In 1991, he and his family took their stand with the church of God and he remained faithful to the end.

For many years, Bro. Dan faithfully assisted in various aspects of the Gospel Trumpet work. His administrative skills, so much depended upon, will be very much missed. He also readily made himself available to help all the saints.

He loved his family and did what he could to be there for them. He desired strongly to see all of his loved ones saved. Bro. Dan will be greatly missed.

Bro. Alfons Oppel, of Aylmer, Ontario, dropped his robe of flesh and went sweeping through the gates of paradise on December 15, 2014. He was 76. Angels who had lingered near as the life of his once-strong body slowly ebbed away, sprang into action to whisk his soul away to Abraham’s bosom.

Having grown up in the darkness of Roman Catholicism, he keenly felt the pangs of a soul empty and unfulfilled. He groped for salvation as a young man. Through the reading of the Bible, divine light broke upon his benighted soul, and he was glori-ously saved from sin in 1965. He later went on to receive the baptism of the Holy Ghost. The increased power of God in his life bore witness to full salvation. Bro. Op-pel sought for God’s true church. After many years, he found the true people of God.

His children knew him as a man who devoted himself to prayer and the Word of God. He was consumed by a love for the scriptures.

By amazing grace, Bro. Oppel effectively withstood the onslaught of sin, Satan, the world, and vain professors of religion for almost half a century, until the time of his death. In prolonged suffering and a slow death he showed himself patient and sweet. Bro. Oppel showed us how to live and die. The humble will dearly miss this heroic soldier of the cross.

Obituaries


MEETING REPORTS

Philippines: Praise the Lord! We had been very eager to return to Aurora to hold a weekend meeting, and that is what we were privileged to do last weekend. We had a wonderful meeting together with the saints there! It is so exciting to see what God is doing here in the Philippines.

We are so glad to be here and wouldn’t want to be anywhere else!

Brethren, our eyes have been opened as never before to the desper-ate need there is of laborers in the har-vest field. It is one thing to hear from the pulpit that laborers are few, but the reality of it struck us harder than ever when we saw the great need firsthand.

The little flock of saints in Aurora are in desperate need of a gospel com-

pany that can live there among them locally. They are asking for help. We have heard the “Macedonian cry” with our own ears. A school could be started there tomorrow if we had enough la-borers. They need someone who can teach them the doctrines of the church. Who will feed these sheep?

This is only one of the many open doors in the Philippines! Right now there are at least four other localities that are in need of laborers. Schools could easily be started in a number of these locations, but where are the teach-ers, where are the preachers, where are the laborers?

We need more ministers that can go to these places! There are open doors that are waiting for our help. This is all

happening in only three islands of the 7,100 islands of the Philippines! Then to think about our WORLD! The whole world must be reached. May God en-large our scope of vision.

May God equip our young people and children as laborers in this end-time harvest. We need real missionar-ies, those who can forget about them-selves–their preferences, their wants and wishes, and their future, and pour themselves into the work of God and restoration!

The fields are white! Where are the laborers? By God’s grace, we have vowed to do our best for the cause of this great work.

Forever in His service,Bro. Markus and Sis. Elisabeth Tovstiga

United StateS of america Alaska (Anchorage): Bro. & Sis. Sims (907) 376-7133

California (Upland): Bro. Rick Wiebe (909) 238-4359

Illinois (Chicago): Bro. Patrick O’Shea Sr. (262) 652-7517

IndianaVevay: Bro. Lonnie Bontrager (812) 571-3341Warsaw: Bro. Steve Hargrave (260) 433-7637

OhioGreenville: Bro. Ray Tinsman (937) 548-7373 Benton: Bro. John Strizu (937) 830-9427

OklahomaOklahoma City: Bro. Addison Everett (918) 315-0494

Texas (Honey Grove): Bro. John Friesen (903) 378-3097

WisconsinBonduel: Bro. Allen Bontrager (715) 509-0000Sheboygan: Bro. Jeff Moser (920) 627-2683

canadaManitoba (Steinbach): Bro. Jacob Braun (204) 326-5338 Ontario (Aylmer): Bro. Henry Hildebrandt (519) 765-2331

aUStria (Wald am Arlberg) (0650) 760-2990

Germany Meinersen Kr. Gifhorn: Bro. Alexander Kähm (05372) 67 66Neuenstadt, Kr. Heilbronn: Meeting House (06264) 92 62 20

Kenya Bro. Simon Mutinda 254 072521 4861

mexicoBaja California: Mission home (646) 117-3042Chihuahua: Bro. Ben Dyck (625) 584-1250Durango: Bro. Isaac Thiessen (677) 879-4572Zacatecas: Bro. Jacob Zacharias (671) 101-7479

nepal Bro. Binod Mandal Kathmandu

philippineSMarinduque: Bro. Bernard Lustado Santa CruzMindanao: Sis. Cherry Pacauncis Kalilangan, BukidnonLuzon: Bro. Josefino Faustino Quezon City, Manila Bro. Eduardo Rodil Marikina City Sis. Myrna Luzong Paniqui, Tarlac Sis. Myrna Nuguid Apalang

Oklahoma, USA: “And the Lord shall cause his glorious voice to be heard, and shall shew the lighting down of his arm, with the indignation of his anger, and with the flame of a devouring fire, with scattering, and tempest, and hail-stones.” Isa. 30:30.

We marvel as the glorious arm of the Lord lights upon the earth, scatters His enemies and unifies His people in one holy throng. Truly we affirm that He is coming with more mercy as His voice is being heard and the light of eventide increases.

Once again the holy saints in Zion gathered in Oklaho-ma City, Oklahoma, for a week of doctrinal meetings No-vember 24th–30th. About 800 saints were in attendance. From the very first service, the Lord made plain His burden to us through His angels and each message built upon the last.

Saints and visitors enjoyed the good order of the Holy Ghost as the saints worshipped the Lord in spirit and in truth. Out of sixteen doctrinal messages, it would be dif-ficult to recount the benefits daily loaded upon us, hence we are obliged to refer the reader to the CDs available through [email protected]. Great rejoicing attended the mighty preaching of the holy Word of God.

The special singing was also rich in truth and deeply inspirational. The gifts in the body of Christ are beautiful to behold.

We thank the Lord for this restoration of the true doc-trines of the Bible and urge all who can to come and see what God is presently doing among us.

Bro. Addison Everett

Upland, California The Gospel Restoration AcademyVevay, Indiana Evening Light Christian SchoolWarsaw, Indiana The Church of God Restoration AcademyBenton, Ohio Seventh Trumpet AcademyGreenville, Ohio The Church of God AcademyHoney Grove, Texas The Church of God Restoration SchoolCecil, Wisconsin Little Pilgrim AcademySheboygan, Wisconsin The Church of God AcademySteinbach, Manitoba Church of God Sunrise AcademyAylmer, Ontario Church of God Christian SchoolAustria Chr. Hausunterricht der Gemeinde GottesBolivia Academia de la RestauracionBaja California, Mexico Academia El Redil del PastorChihuahua, Mexico Academia Luz de la TardeDurango, Mexico Church of God Evening Light SchoolPaniqui, Philippines The Church of God Restoration Academy

Church of God Schools (Kindergarten – 12)

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Give me one hundred preachers who fear nothing but sinand desire nothing but God. They alone will shake the gates of hell.

— John Wesley

“and by a prophet the lord brought israel out of egypt ...purihin ang panginoon! i am thankful to...

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