"Born of the spirit"

Front matter

Shelf i<Q..&L £

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

"Born of the Spirit."

Introduction

IXTKODITCTIOX.

One of the specialties of this age is bookmaking. This argues demand. This demand, especially in the realm of morals and religion is based, partly on the prevalence of erroneous theories and the importance of their refutation; partly on the necessity that renewed and increased emphasis be given to the word of God; partly on the existence of what is called "advanced thought," and partly on the fact of a great reading public. Then let the good work go on. The servants of sin and error are busy and persistent in pushing their productions to the front. Let the sons of "grace and truth" magnify their office, and "hold forth the Word of Life." The demand for good and useful books will increase as long as error increases, as long as truth and the Church of Christ are antagonized.

Of all human interest that of the soul is par-

4 INTRODUCTION.

amount. The truth which leads to its possession is priceless. The vehicles of truth are various and many. Truth is the enemy and exterminator of error, and when harnessed for war it pursues and overtakes its foe, and victorious, it shines the brighter, and is the more appreciated by the contests through which its laurels are won. "The words of the wise are as goods, and as nails fastened by the masters of assemblies. 5 ' The preservation of their words is a sacred boon to the world.

The author of "Born of the Spirit, 5 ' or "Gems from the Book of Life," has hit on a taking title for his book, and without doubt, the careful and thoughtful reader will find that it is fully justified by the subject matter of its pages. It is with great pleasure I introduce Mr. Osboene to the reader. I have known him nearly thirty years, and have been associated with him in the work of God in the Susquehanna Annual Conference of the F. M. Church over twenty years. He is known to be an able minister of the Lord Jesus Christ. He has a religious experience. He has been "born again, not of blood, nor of the will of the

INTRODUCTION.

flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God." The many years he has spent in the Gospel ministry and his deep Christian experience have not only enabled him to gather many "Gems from the Book of Life," but also have qualified him to speak with no uncertain sound ou the topics treated in his book.

The arrangement of the work is admirable, being in short chapters, each one complete in itself. May it have a wide sale, not only throughout the denomination of his choice, but also in thousands of homes in the "regions beyond." And wherever it goes may it demolish error, encourage Christian faith, inspire Christian zeal, intensify Christian love; and may the author, having grown gray and nearly worn out in the service of Christ, find at the resurrection of the just not only that he is counted among that redeemed throng, but also that his "Born of the Spirit," his "Gems from the Book of Life," has, by the blessing of God, added a multitude to that count.

M. N. Downing.

Binghamton, K Y., April 24, 1888.

Dedication

Dedication.

To the memory of her who became my companion when we first set sail on the domestic voyage of life, and who for seventeen years, by her amiability, Christian integrity, and faithfulness as a wife and mother, made home earth's Paradise; and subsequently to her who for nearly twenty-five years has stood so heroically with me in the joys, sorrows, toils and sufferings consequent upon an itinerant's life; and to the dear children given to us by these sacred relations, w^ho now, as the infirmities of this uncertain life are coming upon us with

V.

Preface

Preface.

My reasons for writing and publishing this book are :

1— I believe that the Lord wanted me to. The burden has been on my heart for years to do this very thing.

2 — I have a great desire to perpetuate the glory of God for the miraculous power displayed in saving one, who had been so great a sinner as me, and for so many years in the toil and conflict of life, leading me beside the still waters, and into green pastures; delivering me out of the hand of my enemies, and all their expectation .again and again; bringing re-enforcements when it seemed that all supplies were cut off.

3 — On several occasions for miraculous deliverance from drowning, when others perished, and for the preservation of life on other occasions, when nearly kicked to death by vicious horses, and badly bruised by them,

4 — Living on the old battle ground, where so many battles were fought between k% The Buffalo Regency" on one side, and God's militant

8 PREFACE.

host on the other, and being so well acquainted with both sides, and the questions involved, which resulted in the formation of the Free Methodist Church, and in the order of Providence I was making the Rev. John E. Robie a call when the Buff a Jo Regency met in council, and determined upon the expulsion of all that endorsed Methodism clean and clear; and then, on the other side, I was often present at Bro. Amos Hard's when councils of w^ar met, and determined to stand by the "old landmarks," however much it might cost them.

Truly, there were giants in those days. A nobler class of saints never wore a martyr's crown than those of the old Genesee Conference. Their memory is still precious.

5 — To encourage precious souls that have taken the narrow way, that have left old associations that had in days gone by been as dear to them as life, but for conscience sake and the glory of God, had forsaken all and cast their lot in with the unpretentious, whose aim and object is to do all the good possible to the souls and bodies of men, and gain the skies at last. And to persuade those who really desire to be just what God designed we should be, and want all the light and help possible to do likewise, cast their lot in with the few, if the Holy Spirit leads you in that direction. It pays richly to

PREFACE. 9

follow the Pillar of fire, even though it may lead in peculiar ways. It is the safe way.

Every article written in this book has been, we humbly trust, the promptings of the Spirit for the salvation of souls and the building up of the Redeemer's Kingdom.

6 — It has been frequently stated that the days of miracles are past, and that we are not to expect any very great displays of God's saving power in these days of light and culture; but these expressions are not in harmony with a thus saith the Lord and experience. My conversion was just as marvelous as St. Paul's, and what I have passed through, and have seen of God's power on others for more than thirty years, has been just as miraculous as the healing of the lame man at the beautiful gate, or the man that was blind, whom Jesus touched, •"and lo, he saw men as trees walking."

Tlicd double cure mentioned in this volume was just as great a marvel as the expelling of the legion of devils from the men of u Gadara."

A Translation.

"Once I wandered in the maze of error,

In the downward road; Oft my soul was filled with fear and terror

When I thought of God.

Jesus saw me rushing on to ruin,

Offered pardoning grace ; And I left the way I was pursuing,

Turned and saw his face.

Chorus — Now I feel my sins forgiven, Through th' atoning blood, And I have a blessed hope of heaven.. Glory be to God.

I am glad I ever found the Saviour,

Now I'm fully blest ; There are pleasures in His pardoning favor,

Joy, and peace, and rest.

I'm standing on the holy mountain,

Near Salvation's pool, And the waters from the bursting fountain

Cheer my thirsty soul.

I've left earth's vain and fleeting pleasures,. Bade them all adieu ;

A TRANSLATION. ll

And I'm seeking now for heavenly treasures,

Lasting", pure and true.

Glittering toys of time, farewell forever;

To you I'll not bow : I will leave my blessed Jesus never;

He's my portion now.

I will tell Salvation's pleasing story,

While I live below, And 111 try to spread my Saviour's glory,

Every where I go.

When the word is from the Master given,

"Child, from toiling cease,'' I expect to find a home in heaven,

Home of endless peace/'

When young, I was "trained; up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.*' Well do I recollect some of the first lessons taught me by my parents — such as "Our Father which art in heaven,"" and "Now I lay me down to deep," and others of a like character. These were in the morn of Jife, printed upon memory's tablet. I always believed there was a divine reality in the religion of Jesus Christ. I do not recollect a long time when the Spirit of God did not strive with me, and often powerfully; so that frequently I felt that I was the chief of sinners. I would often resolve to seek the Lord, and when the time came I would procrastinate for a more convenient season. Thus

I grieved my heavenly Father for thirty-two long years.

I wonder that God spared my unprofitable life so long. My father was a lover of the truth, as it is in Christ Jesus. He had great respect for the Sabbath — hence the children* were not allowed to play and frolic about on the Lord's Day. I praise God for these early, godly impressions. Well do I recollect, when a very small child, sitting in my little chair, and singing with my father these beautiful lines, "O, how happy are they who their Saviour obey," etc.

At the age of eight I went with my father to a quarterly meeting, held in a barn. While the saints were upon their knees in prayer, I was upcn my knees calling upon the name of the Lord, i felt something going through me like lightning, producing a heavenly sweetness; lilso that I had suddenly been put in possession of wings, for I felt like flying. As I look back upon this scene, I have no doubt but that God's blessing was upon me on that occasion. I was frequently under such deep conviction of sin that I could not sleep nights. These seasons of deep conviction continued with me until I was converted to God. After these seasons of conviction I became more hardened in gin. On several occasions I was bruiight near to death by disease, drowning, and in other ways. If being delivered from the jaws of death in a variety of ways is evidence of onr election, then I am elected, for I have been thus delivered. I praise God that onr election has a different foundation — even Jesus Christ — the Saviour of men.

At the age of twenty, I agreed with some of my associates to go forward to the mourners' seat for prayers, as the preacher had said that the next night would close the meetings unless there should be a move among the sinners. W@ did not want the meetings to close, neither did we mean to get religion at that time. I loved to attend religious meetings, not because it was riglit, but to see and be seen, and to enjoy the society of kindred spirits. The night arrived in which we had agreed to make a move, to prevent the meetings from being broken up. Meetings had been run for several weeks, without any apparent success, until the night in which we had agreed to move. After preaching, the invitation was given to any wishing religion. One of the company went forward, and then another. I thought of my word; I had agreed to go. It was an aw^ful moment with me. I thought that we w T ere trifling with the Almighty. I would have given worlds, if I could, to be out of the scrape. I shook from head to foot, like Belshazzar of old. I was completely covered with sweat, so terribly was I exercised. The company had all gone; I was left. I started; had all I could do to get to the seat. God overruled this for His glory. Some twenty-five went forward that night. The meetings went on with power and profit. Many were converted to God. My condition was painful in the extreme. For several days after this I seemed to be on the boundary line between the two worlds, and about to be ushered into the everlasting burnings. Whenever I closed my eyes to sleep I seemed to be surrounded by the damned in hell. O, what a view I had of the lost ! How I seemed to hear the wailings of despair, and realized that this was the doom of the wicked. After this I became more wicked than before. I was a complete adept in wickedness. I had been free from all parental restraint from the time I was about twelve years old. I mingled in all kinds of society; hence I had an excellent opportunity for learning much of the evil that exists at the present day. I learned too much.

I wonder that God did not cut me off in my sins, after grieving his spirit so long. He is not willing that any should perish. I had felt for several years that I should not have the strivings of the Spirit but once more, and then, if I did not yield, I should be left to myself, abandoned of God.

On the fifth of February, 1857, God met me in the road. These words came with great force to my mind: ' 'Choose you this day w T hom ye will serve. Come, decide the matter now. If you mean to serve the devil the remainder of your life, say so right here. Have this matter settled forever. If you mean to give yourself to God, do it noio! This is the time."

These were awful moments to me. ''Choose you this day whom ye will serve." I was pressed to a decision. My immortal spirit seemed to balance between heaven and hell. Heaven, with all that is lovely, joys immortal forever at God's right hand, seemed to be clearly presented on the one hand; and the damnation of hell on the other. Which voitt you have ? I resolved from that time, henceforth and forever, to seek after and serve God with all my redeemed powers. That evening I erected a family altar, and commenced calling upon the name of the Lord. The next morning I thanked God for keejjing me and mine through the night ; and when seated around the table I thanked God for the food prepared for us. This was really a great cross. I had vowed to God, the residue of my life should be spent in His service. I continued to seek the

Lord by doing everything I thought a Christian ought to do. I made it a specialty to get religion. I cried unto the Lord with all my heart, and the more I prayed the worse I felt. For three days and nights I was wrestling with God in prayer. I confessed my sins. I did all that I could. After continuing in this way for about three days, it occurred to me that there was no mercy for me. I had sinned aw r ay the day of grace. These were truly aw r f nl moments to me. No hope! No mercy ! No salvation ! Right here the spirit whispered to my aching heart. " Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved;" and blessed be God, right here I was enabled to believe that Jesus Christ was my Saviour. My weight of guilt was gone. Joy and peace filled my heart. Old things had passed away, and behold ! all things had become new. I sprang to my feet and praised God aloud ! At this point in my experience, my feelings are well described in those beautiful lines of Dr. Hunter :

Sinking and panting, as for breath,

I knew not help was near me, And cried, ' 'O, save me, Lord, from death !

Immortal Jesus, hear me !"

Then, quick as thought, I felt Him mine,

My Saviour stood before me!

I saw his brightness round me shine,

And shouted, Glory ! Glory !

Oh, sacred hour! Oh, hallowed spot!

Where love divine first found me ; Wherever falls my distant lot,

My heart shall linger round thee !

And when from earth I rise to soar

Up to my home in heaven, Down will I cast my eyes once more,

Where first I was forgiven.

II

OR, HOW I KNEW THE DOCTRINE OF ENTIRE HOLINESS, AS TAUGHT BY JOHN WESLEY TO BE TRUE.

.My conversion to God was as clear as the sun at noon-day; "Old things passed away and all things became new 7 ." As I looked out the next morning upon the fields and woods, all seemed to be praising God. My soul was completely ravished with his love. I had been "translated from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of God's dear Son." I was emphatically a new creature in Christ Jesus; all the aspirations of my soul were changed. I wanted to tell everybody what the blessed Jesus had done for me; I felt like crying continually, "Behold the Lamb!" God helped me to tell the story of the cross, which kept the fire burning within — Glory to God! u As I came to Zion, songs and everlasting joy was upon my head," and in my heart. For days

"Not a cloud did arise to darken my skies, Or hide one moment, my Lord from my eyes." "And I could not believe That I ever should grieve, That I ever should suffer again."

I thought that I never should have any more bad feelings; I expected to rejoice evermore. This state of things continued about three weeks; when at family prayer in the evening I was very much blessed. "Heaven came down my soul to greet, and glory crowned the mercy seat." I was praising God with a heart overflowing with love, when suddenly my jaws closed; I wanted to continue praising God, but could not; my jaws were set together like a steel trap; they would not open. I thought it would be some relief if my wife or sister would pray. I tried to turn around to see why they did not, but could not; I was immovably fixed on my knees. I began to wonder what teas the matter. The devil told me it was a paralytic stroke. I said, u Yes, I guess it is;"

then darkness came upon me. I did not feel quite as well after that. The next accusation was I had got a lit of apoplexy, to which I said, u Yes, I guess I have; then darkness spread over me afresh. He said that I was a lit subject for apoplexy, and probably I was very near my end, as they generally died with the third fit. I consented to all he said as true, and before this passed off I was feeling bad, all through ignorance and unbelief. I do not know how long I remained in this helpless condition, but when I came out I felt that I had been shocked w T ith a heavy battery. While in this condition I was in full possession of every faculty of the mind, and remember distinctly all that occurred. I was a disbeliver in the power of the Holy Ghost to slay people, notwithstanding I had been accustomed to seeing such things from youth, but really believed it to be mesmerism or excitement. After I came out of this it occurred to me that perhaps what I had just experienced was the power of the Holy Ghost; and if so, I had done wrong. I w 7 ent immediately to have the matter settled. I told my father that I w T anted to be right, and if what I had just passed through was the effect of the Holy Ghost, let it come on me in the same way again. I felt it coming as before; and he that said it was a fit of apoplexy, now said, "Look out, it will kill you." I sprang to my feet and cried to the Lord to stay his hand. It seemed to me that I could not live under the pressure, under that weight of love that God was letting down into my soul and on my body.

I went to bed, but not to sleep. The accuser was after me; he told me that my duty was very plain. "Ever since God converted you, you have been continually asking Him to bless you; it has come very near killing you, and w r ill if you continue in this way; noio you must ask God not to bless you." I very soon learned that these suggestions were from the devil; and that to be the Lord's entire, to follow the Lamb whithersoever he would lead us, was to place ourselves in direct opposition to the mass of those that profess the religion of Jesus Christ. I began to realize that the religion of Jesus Christ teas peculiar; unlike the world; and if I saved my soul, I must be peculiar. The question came with force : Are you willing to be peculiar for God f My spirit seemed to be willing, but the flesh rebelled. I thought much of my good name. Now I saw, that to be a real child of God, was to suffer and bear reproach. O, how I writhed in agony. What ! to have my good name cast out as evil, to be misunderstood, considered &sftlt7i, rejected of men. Here was dying; this w 7 ^ painful, to bring all my powers to submit to the will of God. I thought, when I was converted that I had given all to him; but here was something that I did not see at that time. I had commenced a pilgrimage, and had no disposition to go back. I had left Sodom, and still the command was ringing in my ears, u .Escape for thy life, look not behind thee, neither stay thou in all the plain; escape to the mountain lest thou be consumed.^ As the light was shining upon me, and the way, and after much wrestling in prayer, not only my will respouded to the will of God, but I could say all through me —

"Lord, obediently I'll go, Gladly leaving* all below."

After this my peace flowed like a river.

"Jesus all the day long Was my joy and my song. ? *

I lived in a heavenly atmosphere, far above the common walks of life Glory to God and the Lamb forever ! for a silvation that hasZ^ and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost, amen ! and amen ! The fire burns while I write — bless the Lord ! I believed that Jesus saved me from all my sins. I did not understand the nature of inbred sin. I had felt nothing but love to God and all mankind. The roots of old depravity liad not yet been disturbed, lience I did not believe they existed. I was soon to be tested upon this point.

Soon after my conversion I had placed in my hands several works on holiness: Wesley, Wallace, Foster, and Mrs. Palmer. On examining these books I felt that I had got in the first blessing all they claimed for the second. I was soon to learn that justification, though clear and positive, did not remove the roots of bitterness, the remains of the carnal mind.

About four weeks after my conversion, one cold day in March, I wanted to move a stove of the Clinton air-tight pattern from one room to another with the fire in it, just as we were using it, as it was cold, and the only stove we had up. I laid my plans, and commenced the job in earnest. I succeeded in getting the pipe in position and the stove moved, but now came the tug of war. The pipe would not go together as I expected. I had been feeling remarkably good, but suddenly my feelings underwent a tremendous change; I seemed to be all on fire ; and like Mount Vesuvius, just ready to belch forth tire and lava. You ask, dear reader, what was the matter? Why, my pipe would not go together; and besides, I pinched my fingers, the smoke filled my eyes, and yet the pipe would not unite. Again and again I pinched ray fingers and smoked my eyes until it seemed to me that I should burst if I did not curse and swear with all my might. I set my jaws together like a steel trap, lest I should give vent to the smoke that raged within. I finished my job, and away I went, to where no eye but God could see me. I fell on my face and cried for mercy. This element in my heart gave me more pain than anything I had ever met with. O, how 1 loathed myself. I saw clearly the nature of my disease. Old depravity was at the bottom of all this difficulty. The tree had been cut down, but the roots were all there.

Dear reader, these roots may not have affected you just as they did me; but if you are not sanctified wJioIZy, the} r are there, in the heart and will, when the hot breath of Apolyon comes upon you, strive for the supremacy. This experience brought clearly to my mind, the doctrine of sanctificaiion as taught by John Wesley. I commenced in earnest the study of the Bible, to learu God's will in this matter. I fouud it full of holiness. I saw that it w T as not only my privilege to be made holy in this life, but a positive command: "Be ye lioly^for I am holy. ^ My convictions for this blessing was deep, clear, pungent and abiding. O, how my soul cried out after a clean heart.

I said that if the religion of Jesus Christ did not take out all sin from the heart, it was a failure.

Blessed be God ! I have proved that Jesus Christ can save to the uttermost. In fiftyeight, at a camp-meeting in Bergen, 1ST. Y., I w^as enabled to give myself fully to God, and to claim Jesus Christ as my full and complete Saviour. O, how I felt the blood washing and cleansing my heart, from all the remains of the carnal mind. When the blessing came I was lost to all surrounding objects; but what communion I had with the Father and with the Son, and with the Boly Ghost. Light shone all through me. I could see every part of my moral being; and O ! how clean and pure; those roots were gone. My soul cried out —

" 'Tis done, Thou dost this moment save,

With full salvation bless, Eedemption in Thy blood I have,

And spotless love and peace."

III. About My Tobacco

For years prior to ray conversion to God, I had firmly believed that "strait is tlie gate and narrow is the way which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it." The consecration to be made in order to receive the grace of God and eternal life seemed to me to include every thing : all we think, speak or do. To meet this demand, my business relations had to be given up. I had used tobacco about twelve years; but in making my consecration to God I left this out. It had never occurred to me that it was wicked to use it; in fact, I had never heard or read that it was. I had associated with the Methodists from my youth up, and knew that her preachers, class-leaders and stewards used it; and having an exalted opinion of them, had come to look upon the practice as harmless. And yet it did seem to me that preachers of the Gospel of Jesus Christ •ought to be clean and pure. God the Holy Ghost, let me see, the first time I used it after my conversion, that it was wrong for me to use it. As I put the filthy stuff in my mouth, the

Holy Spirit said, "What do you do that for?" This came with such force that I was very much startled. I replied that I used it for the dyspepsia. The Spirit said, "You have no dyspepsia; and if you had, tobacco would not cure it; it rather creates it."

I then tried to hunt up other reasons for using it, as the Spirit of God continued to press the question, "What do you use it for ?" But all my reasons were completely upset by the clear reasoning of conscience and the Holy Ghost. I now perceived that God was trying to teach me the way of life more perfectly. He said, "You have given yourself to me, to be mine entirely." I said, "Yea, Lord, all is thine." "Your body is a temple for the Holy Ghost; you are to be temperate in all things ; nothing must enter it that dedleth; tobacco defileth it. All you possess belongs to God — your money, your time, talents— all are his, and must be used for His glory; hence you cannot spend your money for tobacco."