Salvation light

Preface

In writing this bodk on Salvation Light I first desire to thank my heavenly Father who has thus honored me by allowing His Holy Spirit to impart to my mind some precious truths and made these writings possible. And I believe God intends to use these messages here and there in drawing some precious souls heavenward. I am only a common railroad man without much education ; a layman in the Methodist Episcopal Church, having been granted a local preacher's license, not because I merited it through the regular course under which local preachers receive their license, but for the reason God has seen fit to give me talent along the line of scripture memorizing and quoting. I believe these writings will be appreciated best by ordinary folks who may not have any more book learning than myself, and especially by those in the Kingdom of grace. Nevertheless we believe that men and women, boys and girls in all conditions of life can find something on these pages that will help them to better things if they will only follow the promptings of God's Spirit and are true to their own best interests. I have met with many people who have been a help to me and a blessing to my soul. Again history, both sacred and profane, tells us of an innumerable company of faithful men and women, boys and girls, who have gone on before. Nevertheless, while they now rest from their labors we have become partakers of good things they established, and we in turn must be true to God and faithful to our trust if we expect to benefit our own generation and be an inspiration to the unborn multitudes to come.

As I look back over my own life I cannot help but speak of some folks who have been a great blessing to me, and that is a godly father and a saintly mother who taught me the way of eternal life through our Lord Jesus Christ. Others who have pushed me out in divine things and who helped me are not a few, but I desire to mention some who seemed to take a special interest in me and they are Rev. R. E. Gilmore, Rev. Dugal Mc- Cormack, Rev. Wm, Posey and Rev. Will H. Huff. There are others just as worthy but these men ought to have a place in this preface and God bless them abundantly in the work of the Kingdom.

Let me say in conclusion, if these writings do not appeal to you, pass it on to some one else. Perhaps somebody in your reach would be made glad by reading it and help them to Jesus Christ and eternal life. Amen.

Yours in the faith,

H. H. Peters.

SALVATION LIGHT.

CHAPTER I. Seven Epochs

When a lad of ten years old, my mother was taken away. It was on a Christmas morn. Before she closed her eyes in death she bade us good-bye; her last words to me were, "be a good boy/' As far as I can remember, my mother lived a holy life. She seemed perfectly contented to go and be with her Lord, was conscious to the last and spoke about eternal things. I saw her eyes as they turned glassy and then she breathed her last. They laid her in a plain coffin and took her to the church house. The choir sang and the minister spoke such comforting words. We took one long look at mother's face, but she had gone to henceforth live in a dwelling not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. They laid her in the grave, the clods of earth rolled down and fell hard on the wooden box, the minister said some more words, it was all over, but thank God for the memory of a saintly mother, who taught me the way of life and who always had a kind word and was willing to extend a helping hand to those in sorrow and distress. Dear mother, who may read these lines, are you living right and honoring God in such a way that your children can look back in the years to come and bless God for a mother who not only looked after their temporal needs, but also taught them the way of eternal life through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ?

My father being very poor, hired out to a cousin living on a farm. My two sisters worked out by the week. A few years later, I too, hired out on a farm. After I had been working a number of days, I got real homesick to see my father. He had always been so good to me. He then lived in a little two-roomed house; there wasn't any carpet on the floor, no fine pictures on the wall. I do not remember we even had a rocking chair, but oh, how homesick to see my father. The first chance I got I walked home, and how glad he was to see me and how comforting for me to be with him. But months run into years. I was home most of the time until I was nineteen, but sorry to say, every now and then I would cause him trouble. I was not a Christian and greatly troubled with my temper. I would fly all to pieces and how this must have hurt his tender and loving heart.

When about seventeen I began to smoke and tell lies and soon learned to swear at a rapid rate. You need not wonder what kind of company 1 was keeping, for it was the roughest of the town. I learned to drink whiskey and attended

Sunday night dances. At the age of nineteen I hired out as a brakeman on the Illinois Central Railroad.

After working awhile I had a railroad accident and was partly to blame for it. I lied to the trainmaster and was severely reprimanded, but not discharged. I talked back and used impudent language, and was discharged for improper conduct. I started west and secured a similar position with another company. A few years later took sick with typhoid fever, and while in this condition I received a telegram stating that my father was ill and not expected to recover. I desired very much to see him once more, but he died and was no more, for the Lord took him. A year of more before this took place, I had "turned over a new leaf" and determined to live a better life. My early teaching at home never left me. The last time I bade my father good-bye, he turned to me and said, "I want you to pray." He said it so kindly and I remember how sad his face looked and how his heart must have yearned for my salvation. When I was about sixteen years old, a rich man had a mortgage on some of father's horses. He only had enough to do the work. The mortgage came due and the rich man foreclosed the mortgage. Father only wanted a little more time and hoped to pay the debt, but the rich man would not wait, and took a fine colt, and this made me angry. I resolved I would burn down the man's barn and had the night set. My father heard what I was about to do and when the night came, somehow I did not go near the barn. Father told me afterward that he prayed for me all night. He had confidence in God. He did not threaten or try to punish me, but took it all to his heavenly Father. He had learned the secret of depending on God. Surely the effectual, fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

After he was dead and buried I realized he had something in his heart I wanted. I was sick a number of weeks, but all the time had good treatment and my life was greatly cheered and helped by a fine young lady who brought me many a cold drink of water, and saw to it that my needs were well supplied. Not at all strange that she became my wife before the year rolled by. We had not been married but a short time when a converted gambler came to our town to hold revival meetings. We both attended, and I was under awful conviction, but fought it off night after night. Near the close of the meeting my wife made a profession of religion and was baptized by immersion. All this time my soul in great distress. Another meeting started at the Methodist Church and we attended there. Finally, at the close of the meeting God seemed to give me a vision of my soul. I saw my poor

nbling soul stand before the judgment seat of Christ and look me square in the face and say,

"I wanted to be saved, but you would not let me." This was too much for me and I broke down. I said to myself, "By the grace of God I will not let my will power damn my soul," and I got so contrite in spirit, that I was willing to go to any mourner's bench to find salvation. By this time the meeting had closed, but I settled it in my bed room, and God the Father for Jesus' sake, spoke pardon to my troubled heart. This was the first epoch in my Christian life, and His Holy Spirit gave witness to my spirit that I was a child of God. But one of my great troubles was. as I have already mentioned, cursing. I would utter many a secret prayer for God to keep me from forgetting myself and let out an oath. And thank God, He helped me, the lying and swearing ceased. I now had an appetite for God's Word and loved the house of prayer. I remember I became very hungry to hear preaching. I went without my supper after a hard day's work in order to attend meetings. I was now reading my Testament and attending the means of grace as I had the opportunity.

After we had been married a little over a year, a baby girl came to our house. How sweet it all seemed. About this time the second epoch came in my Christian life. The Spirit of the Lord impressed me to start the family altar. I was now "on a run" where I could be home every night. One morning at the gate as I kissed my wife good-bye, I told her about being impressed to start the family altar, and was so glad she said alright. That evening before going to bed, I got the Bible to read some Scripture. We had company and I remember how my voice trembled and how needy and weak I felt to pray in the presence of company, but I am so glad I obeyed God and got victory in my soul and am so glad the family altar is still burning. As children grow up and may wander away from home and away from God, there is something about a family altar they will never forget.

I now seemed to be hungry and craving for more of the grace and love of God. I was reading here and there in God's word about holiness or sanctification (let me say here that I believe holiness begins in every truly regenerated heart) , but I did not understand it. However, that part of not understanding it is all plain to me now. I had listened to the invitations given, that all who wanted more love or a better experience, or enter into a higher life, to come to the altar. In obedience to the craving on the inside and the invitation from the outside, I would go to the altar, but never seemed to get to any definite place. But remember, I was a seeker, and remember too, that Jesus -aid, "He that seeketh findeth," and so I did not give up. I kept on seeking, received some light and my faith was greatly strengthened by a good old saint who passed to her reward a number of years ago. She told me some good things and instructed me >along the line of entire sanctification. All this time the Holy Spirit was leading me and the blessing was sure to come my way.

It happened about June, 1896, on Sunday morning in the town of Purcell, Oklahoma. I attended services at one of the Evangelical churches. The brother preached, or rather read, a sermon on, "The Love of God." While the reading was good, yet it did not satisfy my hungry heart. I made up my mind to attend some other church in the evening. I saw a little white church over the hillside, and as I came close to it, I saw a man on the outside dressed something like a priest. He had ocn a short, black coat, black cravat, smooth face and really looked to me like a Catholic priest. But I made up my mind to step in. Just then, he gave me his hand and bade me welcome. His name was B. S. Taylor, and if he lives he should read this book. I want to thank him once more for taking me by the hand and welcoming me to the service. The regular pastor was a young looking man, smooth face and large blue eyes. He, too, said he was glad to have me come. Under such a hearty welcome I stepped inside and took a seat. The meeting soon opened and the Spirit of the Lord was present. My soul got warmed and blessed. A testimony meeting soon followed and I was eager to speak and told the audience how God had blessed my soul since 1 had come into the meeting. After a while the evangelist made a test and wanted all those who knew they had been converted to stand up. It was no trouble for me to stand, for I knew I had passed from death unto life and had the witness of the Spirit that I was a child of God. He then had us sit down and said, "Now you folks that have been sanctified stand up." I knew that I had never had the experience and so I sat still. Possibly a dozen or more people stood up and they seemed to have no fear or hesitancy to stand. They then sang a hymn to the tune of the old Irish song (The Wearing of the Green), the sermon followed and as near as I can remember, he preached on "Hell" and fairly raised the shingles off the roof. The sermon ended and the invitation was given for seekers to come to the altar. I felt my time had come, I must not delay, and so I marched up and knelt down seeking the experience of a clean heart. Brother Taylor soon led me out to seek it by consecration and faith, and the Holy Ghost wonderfully cleared my vision and I soon saw the light, not by feeling nor by works ; nor by death, or growth ; but I zvas to believe God and receive it by faith. I said yes to God and was given the witness that the work was done.

Up until this time I had no feeling but just told the congregation that God had sanctified my heart. This was on Sunday night. I arrived home on Tuesday morning early and went to bed. I got up about noon or a little later and was sitting out in the yard talking to some folks that had come to call on us, when all of a sudden my whole spirit, soul and body were permeated with the love of God. The tears came to my eyes and salvation flowed from my soul and the folks could not understand what had happened, but I knew. All glory to His name ! If I were to live here upon earth for centuries to come, I would never forget how the fire fell when the Lord sanctified me. But testing times were in store for me. Up until this time I knew very little about the Scriptures, even though I had been reading them. I did not know that Daniel had prophesied that in the last days many shall be purified and made white and tried. But I hung on, the feeling had gone and I had the lesson to learn that the Christian must live by faith. I got it by faith and the Holy Ghost wonderfully filled me, but now I must live by faith and trust God every step of the way. I did not hear very much real definite holiness preaching. I did not know anything about the holiness movement until several years later, I got some knowledge concerning its object and work. Notwithstanding how God had blessed me I afterward fell in error concerning the carnal mind or inbred sin, and at one time I even fell from grace. But I hurriedly got back to God ; my class leader and some of the spiritual people of the church held me up to the Throne of Grace, and how glad 1 am they did help me and pray for me. How glad 1 am the Holy Ghost fairly pulled me back to the Father's house and the Father forgave my wrong and applied the all cleansing blood, and has established my heart and cleared my mind, and gives me victory in my soul. I write these things in order that I may help some one who may have had similar experience, or may even now be discouraged. But since God is so merciful and full of compassion, and since He so freely forgives His regenerated child that comes to Him having done some wrong, ought His sanctified child entertain any doubt or stay away since the Father is only watching and waiting to welcome him back too?

The fourth epoch came in my life a year or so after my sanctification. I felt and was impressed to give the Lord a tenth of my income. Again, I mentioned the matter to my good wife and like all women ought to do, she consented. We thought the matter over, and as my next pay day was not a full one, that is a little short on account of not working all month, we hesitated just when to begin, but we soon got straightened out and concluded to start the first pay day. I want to tell you reader, it was the best pay day I ever had. It seemed God smiled upon my soul, and the pay days have been many since I said "yes" to God and started to give the tenth. If we will only give God a chance, no telling what He will do. One thing we do know, that He has promised that if we bring all the tithes into the storehouse, He will open up the windows of Heaven and pour out such a blessing that there shall not be room enough to receive it, and that is one reason the holiness people are talking so much about the second blessing. This second blessing is such a big thing. It simply fills up everything you have and runs over, and that is one thing the devil doesn't like — this running over business. We have mentioned it both in public and in private that there are two things necessary for the effectual work and spreading of the gospel. They are full salvation and the giving of the tenth. Full salvation means freedom from sin, and the giving of the tenth means plenty of money to run the financial side of the business of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Again, the fifth epoch came in my life a few years later when a wonderful desire came over me to memorize Scripture. I made up my mind to memorize a verse each day, and started in with the Gospel of Matthew. I would read one chapter a day and then memorize a verse in each chapter. Now and then I would skip a chapter as nothing in it seemed to impress itself on my mind. To memorize, and then again in order to drink in the thought of the writer, I would have to memorize more than one, perhaps eight or ten verses.

I took to memorizing chapters ; you see the thing kept growing upon me until my mind became the dwelling place of many beautiful verses of Scripture. (Let me say here that I do not remember of memorizing any Scripture but what I first prayed the Holy Ghost to lead me and write it on my mind). Of course, I soon began quoting Scripture at the class meetings and at prayer meetings. I soon got to lining up Scriptures in my mind and classifying them. The next thing I would take a verse of Scripture and weave the Scriptures around it the best I knew how. At last, the Lord seemed to say to me, "I have given you all this Scripture, now what are you going to do with it?" I realized He wanted me to use and preach it.

Hence the sixth epoch came into my Christian life. When the impression came over me to preach the Word, while I did not feel called into the ministry, and for some time afterwards was not clear just what the will of the Lord was, but I hung on and finally got settled in the matter, that He wanted to use me on certain occasions a kind of "extra man," as we would say in railroad circles. You see the Lord knew I didn't know very much, but He could work me in here and there, now and then, and that would help me and please Him and work out all right in the end. My first opportunity to preach came several years ago. My friend and brother, R. E. Gilmore, was conducting a revival in his own church, having with him two co-workers. I was at the meeting one Saturday night, he made the announcements and said, "There would be a meeting Sunday afternoon, but he did not know just what kind of a meeting it would be or who would lead it." I felt impressed to speak to him and the following morning I opened up my heart and asked him to let me have the afternoon hour. But he finally concluded ( I should have the evening hour. Of course the house was packed, preachers on the platform and preachers in the pew. I got up on the platform to preach. I had never stood in such a place before. I felt so awkward. I knew nothing of manners and gestures and eloquence, although I had seen a good deal of it, but I was "green" and did not know how to handle myself. I hurried through the best I could and finally quit, feeling I had disappointed both pulpit and pew. Of course they thought I would say something about railroading but I did not even mention a street car line. Well, after it was all over I felt I had made a failure and hoped the people would forgive me. But you know, I had to start somewhere.

I retired late that night and had a dream. It was not a long one, but I will never forget it. I dreamed I was with the angel of the Lord ; he was by my shoulders and seemed to push me forward. The scene around us was that of a battle ground and he handed me a slip of paper, across the face of it was written the figures 40,000. He gave me to understand that he loved me and then left me. I woke up and he had gone. I do not know what it all meant, but perhaps some day in the sweet bye and bye I shall know and understand. At any rate I intend to obey God and walk in the light as* He may please to shed it across my pathway, and try and help some poor struggling hungry hearts into a better life.

There is only one way to live a happy Christian life, and that is, obey God at any cost. To receive lig J ht from the glory world is one thing, but to walk in the light is another. Jesus said, "If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am there shall also my servant be ; if any man serve me him will my Father honor." There are others all around me who may be able to do much more than I and in Whose presence I might seem as nothing, yet I am so glad I can have a little place in the workshop of my Lord and Master and do some little things, while others more able and blest are doing the big things and working out the things I couldn't begin to do. So you see God has and is giving me something to do and any thoughtful person can see how God was leading me step by step. For Holy Ghost conviction led to my conversion, my conversion led to the family altar; yes, to God and the family altar led to the experience of entire sanctification. Entire sanctification revealed the temporal need of the Kingdom and giving of the tenth. Next the great desire to memorize Scripture, the memorizing of Scripture to the call to preach it, and this now brings me to the seventh epoch in my Christian life.

The writing of Salvation Themes and having them put in book form, having no other thought in mind but to glorify God and help my fellow man. And should this little book have something in it that has helped you or been a feast to your soul, first of all thank God and then if you desire to write me a word of cheer, why do so and that will help me.

In conclusion let me call your attention to the need of real definite preaching and teaching. Do not "beat around the bush" and avoid using certain scriptural terms because there may be some folks in your presence who may get offended, but remember the words of our Lord Jesus, for He said that "Whosoever is ashamed of me and my words of him will the Son of man be ashamed before His Father and His holy angels." Second, when you realize your need, remember God is able and willing to supply your need, and do not stop until you get an answer from the skies. Hence, the need of real definite and earnest seeking, and when we get an answer to our seeking, a real definite living and witnessing to what our Heavenly Father has done for us through the leadings of the Holy Ghost and the power of the shed blood of the Son of God. Amen.

CHAPTER II. Pure and Undefiled Religion

Victory in your soul when you come to die will be worth more to you than money in your pocketbook. To be able to hold a clear title to lands and houses here is a comforting thought, especially when the physical man is unable to toil any more, but to be able to read our title clear to mansions in the skies is much better.

If the mind of man can concentrate and make a success in temporal affairs, what doth hinder me from receiving the mind of Christ and make a success in eternal affairs.

If "godliness is profitable unto all things, having the promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come," why not step out by faith, claim the promise and live a life of godliness.

If God, the maker and creator of all things, has set up a standard for me to live by, why won't it be a good thing to die by?

If "today is the day of salvation," and "Jesus Christ is the way, the truth and the life," don't you think it is dangerous for you to want your own way? If when God calls me to repentance and faith in Jesus Christ, and I responded to the rail and found peace and pardon in believing, why should I draw back when He calls me to consecration and holiness, since it's the same loving God that is calling?

If the Scriptures teach me that "all unrighteousness is sin/' and "the wages of sin is death," why should I want to continue in sin, take out my pay in death, when I might yield myself unto God, get rid of all unrighteousness and secure the gift of God — eternal life?

If "it is appointed unto man once to die and after that the judgment," why not here and now prepare to meet death, have victory in your dying hour and perfect love in your soul that will make you bold in the day of judgment?

If "all Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works/' why not take God at His word, have your soul-house equipped with heavenly furnishings, make you perfect in heart and willing and active in good works?

If "the kingdom of God is not meat and drink but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost," why so much banqueting in the house of God and so little feasting in the Holy Ghost?

If the word of God tells us to "cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God," why not reverence God, throw away your tobacco, quit telling filthy stories, and help God to perfect you in Holiness?