The words of faith...

Preface

The writer's sole object, in presenting this book to the public, is to do good, by bringing Divine Truth in its unadulterated form prominently before the readers mind, in hope that the good seed, in some cases at least, will find a resting place well prepared to receive it, spring up and bring forth fruit to the glory of God. If this result is attained his utmost wish will be granted. But it is not because he supposes the subjects embraced in the writing are new to the people, for he is well aware none of them are: but because the pure light of Divine Truth, without any tincture of sectarianism is but too frequently concealed from the the mind of many professing Christians; or distorted, and discolored, by bigotry or prejudice, so as to pervert, or weaken its influence for good. It is with much fear, and trembling that the writer has made this attempt: and how far he has succeeded the result will show.

W. H. COLLINGS.

Eccles 11, C. and 1st and 6th verses.

AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL.

The author of this little work was born on the 11th day of May 1821, near Bristol in England; and from his birth was subject to the influence of a genuine Christianity his parents being members of an evangelical Church under the direct influence of the Wesleys, and Whitfield. He came to this country when about 30 years of age with a wife and two little boys, settled at Dyersville, Dubuque county, Iowa. Moved to Dakota county, Nebraska, and from thence to Jackson county Missouri, about the end of the Civil War.

OUR LORD'S PRAYER IN VERSE

Our Father in heaven above, Great fountain of eternal love: Hallowed be thy holy name, By saints and angels, both the same, Oh let thy holy kingdom come, And thy most righteous will be done; As angels do thy will above, We mortals should obey in love; As members of one family, Help us Father to obey thee.

With daily bread our need supply, We do on Thee, for this rely.

Forgive our sins, and let us live. As we our enemies forgive: And live in peace with them on earth, As children of thy Spirits birth. Into temptations lead us not, Lest we fall into satan's plot; From evil, Lord deliver us, For we in thy protection trust.

The kingdom, and the power divine, And glory, be forever Thine.

The Woeds of Faith.

OUR WORKS CAN NOT SAVE US

Jesus Christ demands our whole heart, And He will never take a part: He our redeeming work has done, Before our day on earth begun.

Sorrow for sin is just, and right, Well pleasing in our Saviour's sight: But never can, for sin atone, For Jesus himself, saves alone.

Repent, and all your sins forsake. By grace, through faith, salvation take: This is our work which must he done, Before we can to Jesus come, Yet if we partly in it trust, Our Lord's free grace, we from us thrust. If in our works we rest content, Our own salvation we prevent: And yet we must repentant be, Before we can salvation see.

There's no salvation in good deeds, Man's righteousness, he vainly pleads: For his transgression of God's law. Which none have keptwithout a flaw. Our sin, and vileness, Lord we plead, Thou art indeed our friend in need. For our best works will not supply Our souls with joy after we die.

But when in that bright world above, We taste of our Redeemer's love We shall see our good works in time, Recorded by the hand divine.

THE INEVITABLE RESULT OF LIVING, AND DYING, WITHOUT CHRIST

Death like an archer, staunch and true, That never missed a mark: At last will send his arrow through. The stubborn sinner's heart.

And then that stubborn sinner dies, An angry God to meet: In vain he then laments, and sighs, His ruin is complete.

Excluded from eternal life,

In darkness and despair

Withoutlone single ray of light,

To cheer him anywhere:

To realize the second death.

Is what he must endure;

And he of all good things bereft

Because he is impure;

The blood of Christthat purifies

The human soul from sin:

And the believer justifies,

Who trusts alone in Him;

On earth he slighted, and refused,

Or put it off till death;

And thus God's grace, he then refused.

Until of life bereft,

He has himself alone to blame,

That he is suffering so:

It's useless for him to complain,

He's made his bed in woe.

EVIL THOUGHTS

As deadly germs of foul disease.

Come floating on the gentle breeze: And on their entertainers feed, To satisfy their horrid greed: Implanting death, where'er they go, And filling man with mortal woe: So, sinful thoughts our minds assail, If we permit them to prevail; They will to words, and actions grow. And fill our souls with deadly woe. jAS downy seeds float through the air, To plant their nuisance anywhere That theyican find a place to rest, A quiet place will suit them best. So evil thougths. pass through the mind, And if they can a lodgment find, They will take root; spring up, bloom out, And scatter their vile seed about. Yes evil thoughts are passing by The human mind's perceiving eye.

And if they can a lodgment find: They occupy that human mind

The Words of Faith.

With deadly germs of inbred sin,

Which let the great deceiver in

To fortify this citadel

And then prepare the soul for hell.

When these vile thoughts, our minds assail

Unresisted, they will prevail;

If they get rooted in the heart,

How hard it is from them to part

Like deadly germs of foul disease,

Which seem to go just where they please,

And on their entertainers feed

To satisfy their awful greed.

These thoughts to words and actions lead.

And thus bloom out and bear the seed,

Which satan's agents scatter round

Where a neglected spot is found.

ON THE WORD CHRISTIAN

One of a nonsecterian Sect.

An old time Baptist one day met: And bantered him, for a debate.

On Christianity and fate.

The nonesecterions assert, That they are the Christian Church. So they the name of Christian claim. And all the other names disdain; To this our Baptist friend obj ects, And the generic word protects, To which all Christians have a right, While walking in the Spirit's light. The ancient churches, numbering seven, Where Christians organized for Heaven: Yet neither one, set up her claim. To Christian for her churches name. The word Christian was left free, For all; no matter who they be, Or in what Church they may be found, In gospel faith, and pratise sound.

ILLUSTRATION.

If in a group upon the ground, Some useful factories were found All where alike externally, As any passer by might see.

The Words of Faith.

For motive power they all use steam,

This was obvious to be seen;

But only one assumed the name,

Of The Steam Factoryof fame.

The owners all were pleased to see,

Steam written on their factory:

This is factory number four,

Steam is stampted upon it's tower,

Upon it in large letters they.

The words, Steam Factory, display,

What would you think of such a sign,

When you knew well that all the time:

Steam was employed by all the rest,

For motive power, as they thought best:

What would you think, would it not be,

The owners of this Factory,

Can never possibly succeed;

In fooling people by this deed.

The Christian Church; some people write,

Over their door, in open sight,

To show they make a special claim:

To the Generic Christian name.

Now can you see the point my friends,

With this remark my story ends.

We leave it for a future day.

To learn what our opponents say.

CHRISTMAS DAY 1902

Full nineteen hundred years are gone. Since Deity became a babe* And put our human nature on.

In the pure womb of Judah's maid.

A human babe, our Lord became, That. was of this pure virgin born: And Jesus was the baby's name.

Who for a time, laid in a barn.

This holy babe, or Isreal's king, On a glad day, to Bethlehem came; Was crowded out of Bethlehem's inn. In spite of all his regal fame.

The wise men from the East appear, With costly presents for their king: In humble homage they draw near, To the sweet babe, and worship Him.

The Angels wait upon their Lord, And in vast multitudes descend With Him to Earth and sound abroad. The praises of the sinner's friend.

Yes, Angels sing their makers praise, And tell the shepherds he is born Id Bethlehem's stable, where He lays, And dignifies that humble barn.

Through all the states of human life, Our glorious Redeemer past, A babe, a God, by His own right: And universal king at last.

Since God to us His Son hath given, To open up our way to heaven; Which only He Himself could do, Our gratitude shalt never end, To our Redeeming God, and friend.

Let men and Angels ever raise

Triumphant songs of grateful praise;

To the incarnate Deity,

And celebrate our Saviour's birth,

In sweetest praise through heaven and Earth.

THE ALL IMPORTANT QUESTION

Mhen we resign our mortal breath, And our frail bodies sink in death; We will the trembling spirit go?. To sweetest rest, or restless woe. Methinks I hear some angel say, When you vacate your house of clay. Quick as the lightning's vivid flash, Your spirit will with spirits clash: Or commune in the sweetest love With spirits from the world above: And if you walk in Christ the way, He will protect your house of clay Through every change it undergoes, When death has ended all it's woes. If decomposed in sea or land, It will come forth at his command A changed body like His own, To occupy a glory throne.

SECOND PART

There is no limit to the skill

Of Him that spake the worlds from naught,

He can perform His sovereign will.

On what His mighty power hath wrought.

The fragments of our house of clay.

He can raise to eternal day.

In vain do men, and demons rage.

To hear this sacred truth proclaimed: Our God and Savior doth engage.

To see His holy word sustained: But those who scoffed at gospel light, He will raise unto eternal night,

Appendix

Who in Jesus live, will never die. Dear reader believeth thou this?

They rise from death, to life on high, Clad in the Saviour's righteousness. And find themselves at last, at home, With the pure host before God's throne.

WAR

Let men and angels ever raise, Triumphant songs of grateful praise, othe eternal three in one.

And always say, Thy will be done. Since war and peace and good and ill, Obey the dictates of thy will, Then slay, but let thy people live: And then to them thy spirit give. That they forever may adore Thy sovereign great, almighty power, That brought them out of nature's night. Into the realms of gospel light.

Let all the nations of the Earth, Experience the Spirit's birth, Into the fold of Christ our king And there unite His praise to sing. And then let strife and bloodshed cease. And Christian people, live in peace; Let heathen tribes prevail no more, Or dare molest on Zion's shore.

Ride on. Thou Glorious couqueror ride.

The alien armies turn aside,

Remove all harriers in thy way:

And introduce the gospel day

Into the dens of heathenism

From East to West, from Hell to Heaven,

Till all the nations of the Earth,

Shall know and feel the Spirit's birth,

And join in one Grand choir to sing

The praises of our God and King;

Till praise on Earth shall melt away,

To mingle in Eternal day,

With songs of angels to adore

Our saviour God forever more:

And see the beatific sight

Where God is seen in His own light.

When landed on that happy shore,

Where pain and death are known no more.

They in their Father's house above.

Are feasting on His holy love,

And will Eternity employ.

Partaking of their masters, joy,

According to God's promise given,

When saints are welcome into heaven:

There all God's people saved by grace,

See God in their Redeemer's face

And Jesus will be pleased to know,

None of His flock are left below .

NIGHT THOUGHTS

In the dead silence of the night, While nature sleeps around us: Sometimes the soul will get a sight, Of the happy world around us.

Heaven is a sea of glory, Without either bottom or shore.

To test the truth of this story.

We have to be there, to explore.

If all this vast ocean so wide.

Is joy's in inexhaustable store: Experience then will decide.

In favour of Truth, evermore.

Think of the New Jerusalem, It's streets paved with chrystalized gold, And the pure beings that walk through them,

Midst fountains of pleasure untold. While saints beyond number draw nigh, To the foot of the great white throne: And sing their sweet praises so high To the great Eternal Three in One; The Angels look on and adore, Their God, and our Saviour, and King, Amazed at His love, and power; Who saved His saint's from their sin. Oh! how delightful to be there, And be one of this happy throng: To be free from sorrow, and care, And join in their heavenly song,