Shocks from the battery : or, Sermons and sayings

Front matter

gkwU turn t%t §attMj;

OR

SERMONS AND SAYINGS

Index To Sermons

The Great "Work — Nehemiah vi, 3 11

Self-Proprietorship Considered — 1st Cor. i, 19 24

The Comprehensive Title — Part First — 1st John. iv ; 8 33

The Comprehensive Title — Part Second — 1st John 3 iv, 8 . . . 41

The Comprehensive Title — Part Third — 1st John, iv, 8 49

Immortal Mechanism — 2d Cor., v, 5 58

Prayer "Vindicated — Job, xxi, 15 72

Saints, the Lord's Portion, and the Reason of "Worlds —

Psalms, iv, 3 84

Repentance — Acts iii, 19 96

Man a Moral Failure — Psalms, lxxxix, 47 104

Responsibilities of Young Men — Eccl., xi, 9 110

The General Judgment — Part First — Rev., xx, 12 131

The General Judgment — Part Second — Rev., xx, 12 138

Sons of God like Christ — 1st John, iii, 2 148

The Heavenly Race a Desperation — Phil., iii, 13 157

The Monumental Hour — Part First — St. John, xvii, 1 161

The Monumental Hour — Part Second — St. John, xvii, 1 167

The Decisive Hour — St. John, xvii, 1 176

The Church the Glory of Christ — 2d Thes., i, 10 203

Bone Witnesses — Psalms, xiv, 7 216

On Resisting the Holy Ghost — Acts, vii, 51. 221

Index To Sayings

Love-feast Testimony at Albany District Camp-meeting 245

Sunday Morning Testimony (same meeting) 246

Testimony at Troy Conference, Cambridge 247

Testimony at Q. M. Saratoga Springs 248

At Albany Centenary Love-feast 251

The Christian a Mystery 254

Present More Than Past 268

Blessed in Body but Cursed in Soul 275

The Great Theme 276

Greatness versus Baseness 276

New Tear's Day 276

Girt for the Race 277

The Christian not Two, but One 278

Sin Described 280

Character Photographed 281

Chinks for Blank Corners— My D. D 300

First Person Singular 300

Laziness in Confederation 300

Two Looks 300

Introduction

For some thirty years, multitudes have listened to the remarkable discourses and original sayings of Rev. Benjamin Pomeroy. On great occasions, especially at Camp-meetings, he has shown a power of thought and expression wholy unusual, even to men of the highest reputation as pulpit orators. From the most quiet talk, which, however, was always unique and far-removed from common place, he frequently rose to the most startling grandeur, sweeping everything before him, by the power of his appeals, and the melting tenderness of his entreaties to dying, sinful men.

He has been deemed eccentric, but his eccentricities are not senseless, nor attempts at humor. They are generally clear originality, and in a field of thought, furnishing bold and uncommon expressions, and a high degree of practical usefulness.

He is, we must admit, sometimes extravagant in his figures, and in his flights of eloquence, but this fault, so common in extraordinary speakers, in him, not unfrequently becomes an excellence, as it brings forward with overwhelming force some great truth, or represents a grand crisis in his appeals.

In the later periods of his life, as his physical power has abated, while his mental vigor remains, and he has become "supernumerary," he has been urged persistently, to publish some of his more remarkable discourses and sayings. He has declined for years, and some of his friends have attempted quietly to report him, and thus preserve for Useful purposes, things which it was not at all probable any other man would ever say. A few of these expressions have found their way to the press, and will now be reproduced.

Our brother has at last consented to the wishes of his friends. He has reached a life of simple trust, both as to the wants of his soul, and body, and family; and is willing to do anything for the good of the church and the salvation of men. Using, as be does,

Vlll INTRODUCTION.

all his time in labors of love, he has overcome his persistent diffidence, and consented to publish a book, that he may give opportunity to the judgment of others to show its correctness, in the work he undertakes to accomplish for the glory of God.

There is always room for a new book, if it maintains the sound principles of revealed truth, with spirit and ability. This we believe to be such a book. The author shows everywhere his firm belief in the old doctrines of human depravity, the atonement, justification by faith, entire sanctification in this life, the resurrection of the dead, heaven and hell. There are no polemical discussions of these doctrines, but they are the fundamental elements of the work.

Besides these, he has certain views and opinions of men and things, which are his own; for which he asks no endorsement, either from the undersigned or others. He drives furiously through the cherished work of his neighbors, not excepting his brethren and friends, and asks no pardon for the destruction in his track. His scathing sarcasm and his powerful eloquence, rushing at the things he despises, leave little chance for reply, and none, at all, to doubt his sincerity. If his readers differ from him, if they think his scourgings of folly and sin merciless and extravagant, they will certainly approve his manly independence, and be highly entertained by the bold dash of his attacks, and the gorgeousness of his style .

There is no need of effort to induce people to buy and read his book. Thousands of his old friends and hearers are anxiously waiting for it, and they will find, what is not commonly true of the published discourses of distinguished preachers, so much of the fire and power of his extemporaneous efforts, that they will almost fancy themselves standing before him, amid the throng of the tented grove, listening to the roll of his evangelical eloquence, and the startling novelty of his original enunciations of truth.

Strangers will say this is an eccentric title — " Shocks from the Battery." So it is, but there is no affectation in it. Let them read the book, and then say if the electrical power of many of his paragraphs, does not justify his highly figurative title.

The style of the " Sermons and Sayings" is above criticism. If our extraordinary friend sometimes makes words, and mixes up

INTRODUCTION. IX

figures, setting at defiance technical rules of rhetoric, he makes ample compensation, by giving to his glowing sentences a strong and obvious meaning, and this is the best possible use of language. What can criticism do with such combinations of words as the following, read from " Bone Witnesses:"

'•'Oh, ye haters of light — of truth and righteousness; yea, of civilization — of school houses and spelling books, even ! Take warning, whether dead or alive, take warning ! that your great trouble is yet to come from bones ! These are God's reserved witnesses, whose coming awful clamor, like storm of fire, shall chase you down to night."

Or, the following from " The General Judgment, part i," to the

backslider:

" Yes, you are there in murderous blood — the mark is on you, — it's on your feet 1 How hard you trod Him down when you treated with contempt His salvation ! Oh ! how drabbled in atonement blood you are ! As these blood-spotted multitudes are made to face retribution, I seem to see restrained lightning grow restless and fiery. 0, how its forkedness shoots out like adder's tongues — lurid and red, all tremulous with charged damnation, as if in haste to be avenged on that spotted throng ! How atonement blood on feet stirs the vials of wrath .'"

Or this, from " Truth and Right Immortal:"

" Away then — away on to the side of right ! Be in haste to plant yourself in the pathway of truth's on-coming triumphant march, and there wait and work till eternal justice shall walk the world's high honor up to you !"

Read a few words from " Soul Sensitiveness," and see whether

you have any use for criticism here:

" Charity is no such hoodwinked, gullible simpleton as you suppose. Its power of inlook is enough to make hypocrisy quail. Its discernment is in its purity."

" Look at that woman of fine wrought frame; whose very skin is transparent, leaving the nervouse gause work unclothed, so very sensitive to outward variations. She is a sun-dial in herself. She feels sunrise and noon. She feels sundown, and can tell midnight by the weight of its dark. She feels the shadows of the milestones as they pass her on the highway of life."

Nothing is more like the author than the following from ''Machine

Worship." You may differ with him, but you can't criticise him:

" A great organ in the church of God, monopolizing all ears with empty sound j Machine worship ! Harmonious display of wind — wind gone mad — wind in distress ! We almost think the cattle plague has come, such deep groanings and rattlings in the throat." " To ask me, in the noon of the world, to postpone my intellect

X INTRODUCTION.

and soul both, to the gratification of my ears, and stare and gape over empty sound, like dogs barking at the ringing of church bells, that's a slander on my manhood. I have got a little too far along for that. Small as I am, I have outgrown ears at last."

"Love-feast Testimonies" show the exalted sphere of thought

and feeling, to which our brother has been raised. For instance:

11 1 am hid in the cleft of the rock, and am safe. If I am a christian, I cant be cursed. God can outbless all the curses. My welfare is guaranteed for both worlds. I am insured for more than I am worth; it would be a speculation to die! Glory to God ! I am blessed now! I feel grand, feel safe and triumphant; am monarch of all I survey. I feel both small and great, only the great is more than the small ! Hallelujah !"

But you will read the book — the whole book, and be your own judge of its doctrines and style. You will feel that you are learning from an extraordinary teacher, that you are in the absorbing presence of <: thoughts that breathe and words that burn." May God make the work a blessing to thousands.

JESSE T. PECK.

SERMONS.

THE GREAT WORK.

Nehemiah, vi, 3 — "I am doing a great work. ; '*

My text is a reply of Nehemiah to his enemies, who had sent a request to Jerusalem for this servant of the Lord to meet them in one of the cities of Ono for consultation. Nehemiah, apprehending some evil design in the matter, sent back this short, indignant reply : u I am doing a great work, so that I can not come down : why should the work cease, whilst I leave it, and come down to you ?"

Although the work of Nehemiah was literally great — great in a mechanical sense — yet its chief greatness appears in the fact, that it was the work of God, and related to predictions of the Bible, and not very remotely connecting with the moral world.

Leaving the connection of the text here, I propose to take occasion from it to introduce one proposition, viz: that Christianity is a great work; and, were circumstances favorable, we might proceed to consider a very important and practical proposition

* Preached at a camp meeting near Saratoga Springs, and at the great tent meeting in Brockport, N. Y.

12 THE GKEAT WORK.

intimately connected with this first, viz : That Christians are honored in the subordinate prosecution of this great work.

But for the present occasion, the first of these two thoughts will be considered. I expect to mention four particulars in which the greatness of this work appears.

I. First : It is great in itself — in the elements of its nature.

It is considered quite an undertaking to superintend the earthly affairs and interests of one family, and it is so in many instances, at least. It is still a greater work to construct a railroad, to invent a steam engine, or to build a Jerusalem. Great as these works are, with many others, however great in magnitude — great in nature ; — and they are confessedly great, so much so that the world is astonished by them, — yet they are not so great in nature as it would be for an Ethiopian to change his skin, or a leopard his spots. Not so great as it would be for an individual, by forethought, to make one hair white or black, or to add one cubit to his stature.

While Christianity is greater than all these, — Christianity changes not only the outward aspect of its subjects, effacing the dark spots from man's character only — but it changes his moral nature, transforming apostate man from fool to wise, from sin to holy I

It is a great work to build a pyramid ; and yet it is not so intricate a work as it would be for a mortal

THE GKEAT WORK. 13

man to go five miles toward the moon : While neither of these is so great in nature as that change in man, which enables him to love that which he once hated by nature, and to hate that which he once loved naturally.

In the discoveries and inventions of man, in all the works of art and labor, great as they are in utility, magnitude and grandeur — great as they are in mystery, even — still they are within finite comprehension, all capable of being described and painted. But who will give us a map of Christianity's workings ? Who will describe a soul struggling for eternal life, or paint the movements of the Holy Ghost creating an immortal soul anew, baptizing it into God and Heaven ? Great in nature !

Again : The chief greatness of all the works of art and device of man consists in the discovery of nature's laws by which the elements are made to serve a purpose j all of which were in existence before their discovery. Every new invention — every new wonder which breaks upon an astonished world, is only a new discovery of an old work of God : Whereas the Christian is a new production ; the offspring of a foreign world ; the impartation of a new element ; yea, of a new nature.

Christianity is the result of the most mysterious movement known in the history of Eternity !

II. Second : Christianity may be called a great work as it respects the sphere of its operations.

The sphere of its operations extends to every department of our complex nature, aiming at the best results for soul and body, bringing "promise of the life which now is, and of that which is to come."

Unaided by religion, it is found difficult to produce reform in any particular, from bad to good — to establish one truth in society, or settle one righteous principle in civil jurisprudence.

Delavan and Father Matthew, for instance, found it quite a work to establish the Temperance reform. While philanthropists have labored long to recover the heathen from his indolence and nakedness, it has proved a hopeless task even to teach them cleanliness. But Christianity includes all moral reforms. Christianity proposes to establish truth and righteousness in every department of society, bringing peace and holy union into the family circle — enjoining industry and frugality at home — honesty and justice in our commerce abroad — requiring Governors to rule in righteousness, while the people are to obey as unto the Lord — and in the congress of kingdoms and nations, a "thus saith the Lord," is the end of the controversy, while Kings are to be nursing fathers, and their Queens nursing mothers to the Church of God.

Again : The work of Christianity is great in extent and duration.

The institutions, laws and regulations of man are generally local, or at least restricted to classes or tribes. Means and measures are changing. Laws passed yesterday will be repealed, most likely, to-morrow or next year ; whereas, Christianity is not only marked with universal adaptation — with permanence and unchangeableness — but it is great in the scope of its actings, in the latitude and longitude of its sphere. It will brook no boundaries, obey no restrictions or limitations. The ages of time, the poles or the ends of the earth, are the only boundaries known on the chart of God's gracious purposes.

The coasts and continents lie open to the rolling waves of Heaven's benevolence, which shall span the earth, measure time up to the shores of eternity at either extreme, baptizing the world as with the dew of Hermon !

It is quite a task to govern a State ; but it is greater to rule a Nation. The government and oversight of one town is even a great work, — to punish crime, instruct youth, reform the drunkard, and feed the poor, &c: But Christianity has undertaken to cope with the maladies and depravity ; the heathenism and ruin of a world ; to right up the nations, and, instead of discordancy, to tune the kingdoms to better music ; to correct their lives, to purify their hearts, and robe them for the skies.

III. Christianity is great in the variety and efficiency of its agencies and influences.

Father, Son and Holy Ghost — three in one ! The All-Sufficiency ! The inherent moving Power of the wondrous system !

Then, as subordinates, we find angels, prophets,

16 THE GEE AT WOEK.

apostles, martyrs, ministers and christians of every age and clime, are among the rational, holy agents. Then we find not only the animate and inanimate world ; but the opposing world — the kingdom of anti-Christ — is under tribute to God. Sun, moon and stars, earth and skies, wind and water, storm and tempest, thunder and lightning, pestilence, famine, earthquake and cholera, — these are some of the troops at God's command, along wiih poverty, sickness, death and devils : arts, sciences, and inventions of men ; commerce and trade, monarchies and republics, revolutions, commotions, tottering thrones, falling crowns, Southern rebellion and emancipation. The Infinite One has a way of bringing things, creatures, beings and worlds into the harness for the accomplishment of his purposes !

V Buchanan, Jeff*. Davis, Satan & Co. may yet be found drawing in one yoke for the advancement of human freedom in America.

For illustration : When light was dim and truth was scarce, wicked Pharaoh was made to work with the Eed Sea in advancing the interests of Christianity.

Arts and sciences, winds and waters were in the same service with Columbus in the discovery of America ! And who will say that the discovery of America does not belong to a series of events and circumstances which have resulted already in giving the world a moral shock from pole to pole ?

"Who cannot see that the wicked device of the murderers of Christ, in setting a watch of Roman soldiers over the dead Nazarene, has resulted in makiug the resurrection of our Redeemer more obvious and striking ? So of the commotions of later times, God is found in the vantage-ground with anti-Christ. If He is not seen in directing means and measures, He is seen in overruling results. The nations of the earth are in wild confusion. Crowns and thrones are but the sport of mobs, and empires fall at the shout of the populace. As though by the permission of God, the passions and distractions of earth and hell had broken through all restraint, and storm intersecting storm is sweeping like a sirocco blast through the monarchies and popedoms of the old world, distracting the nations, toppling thrones, and breaking up the old foundations of things. Be it so ! Howl on, ye winds, since in all this ye are preparing a way for God !

This rocking of empires, these political commotions, are only the herald of God, announcing His approach — the fore-chariot of his train, breaking down the barriers ; driving back the sullen bolts to the gateway of nations ; opening wide doors to the Gospel and the heralds of salvation !

God will have his way somewhere, and if He is shut out of the department of means, as He often is, because they are wicked, He can seize the results of wicked means, and put them under tribute to the great work. He can take war, wicked war, where murder and guns leave it, and put the results into

18 THE GEE AT WOEK.

the harness for the advancement of the great work ! I predict that God, through these commotions, is breaking into the long dreaming of an infidel race. He who sitteth in the heavens is having the wisdom and greatness of men in derision. He is evidently on his way to this revolted empire.

The gracious God, after being bolted out of half His world, for centuries — knocking at her gates through missionaries and mercies to no purpose, except to excite its wrath and murder, — is at last fearfully shaking these national gates with His own power ; gates stained with martyrs' blood, and noted for martyrs' bones. If His Gospel cannot enter first, his judgments can, and His mercies follow.

If man will not hear the mild words of God, borne on the gentle zephyr, He can ride His purposes through thunder to their consummation !

" With His own power," did I say? This is perhaps not strictly correct. For it seems that God has done but little in the way of punishment yet. He has only permitted the elements which have been warring with right and truth, to war with each other. He has permitted the antagonisms to come into collision. But just now, barbarism is menacing the citadel of liberty and religion, shaking its rude locks, stamping with its bare foot, and swearing that it will plow up this fair heritage of civilization, unless it can call its slave-roll on Bunker Hill.

IV. Christianity is great in its progress and certain triumphs.

The enterprises and undertakings of man are marked with failure. Buildings and extensive works are commenced ; times change, and all are suspended, perhaps to decay and waste. A father dies, and the family is broken up, and the homestead sold. A son, the dependence of the aged parents, is taken away, and the mortgaged farm is lost, and the aged ones go poor and lonely to the tomb. A daughter is schooled and educated at great expense and care, the flower of the family and the hope of years ; but she becomes pale and consumptive, and sadness broods over that once happy group. A grave will soon be dug for the fairest gem of that social band.

Not so with Christianity ! In all the apparent defeats of truth and righteousness, we find it is more a delay of triumph than a defeat of victory. Religion, by being crushed to the earth to-da3 r , will only make its rise to-morrow more obvious and striking.

It is true, at a time when Christians were few, a strange murder was committed near Paradise, and a stranger to God might have predicted religion a failure. But a marked Cain is a walking warning to sin till the day of his death ; and the example of Abel's faith is inspiring the Church down to this distant day.

Daniel is committed to lions, because he prays. Shall I say there is progress in this, when the best man in the nation is thrown to lions, and prayer proscribed by royal edict ? Yes ! We shall read victory, to-morrow, in the decree of King Darius, published through all Media and Persia, in favor of God ; and the great work goes on, and Daniel still lives to "pray as aforetime."

Hebrew mothers are in loud lamentations over their sons ! Is the great work a failure ? It seems so. Can God be found amid the carnage and appalling gloom of this dark clay ? A little up the river you will see a praying mother making an ark of bulrushes. Well, God is there, and His triumph will come by way of the ark. To-morrow Moses will weep in sight of Pharaoh's daughter, and Egypt at length shall be made to quail by an adopted child brought in kingly courts. Slavery shall be abolished from the nation, and slaveholders buried in the mighty deep by the decree of God, and the great Work shall go on !

Look at that six-cubit Goliath, in his coat of mail, brandishing his beam-spear, defying the armies of God ! Behold this man-monster, moving with elephant tread for forty days, before the palpitating ranks of Israel ! Why was this long-continued insult permitted ? Was not Jesse's David to be had on the first challenge ? Were not the five stones in the brook ? Was it not that Israel might be humbled, and made to feel their weakness before their triumph? Was it not that the Philistines might rise to the height of their arrogance and power before their fall ? In short, was it not for the purpose of so augmeriting the emergency, that God might be seen by both nations in the defeat as well as in the victory ?

If God permits the King of Syria to encamp about Elisha, with his prowling troops ready to devour this man of God, is it not that he may make this last grand parable of himself before he is rushed upon by the fire-storm from God, smiting all the camp of Syria with blindness ? So the great work goes on !

Jesus dies ! and the disciples flee. The world grows dark and cold. Devils hold jubilee over the dead Nazarine, and the universe is in suspense ; but the resurrection follows, and God's purposes are making headway against earth and hell ! The Holy Ghost is given j the day of Pentecost follows ; three thousand are converted — and the great work goes on!

Stephen is stoned, and the saints look sad ! But Saul, holding the garments of the murderers, is receiving light and truth, and the haughty persecutor of to-day will soon be seen blind and penitent, at Damascus, and humbly kneeling at the feet of Ananias, a worshiper of the Nazarine. And ere the grass grows green on Stephen's grave, his convert in death is preaching to the Gentiles !

A mother, Eunice, dies ; and a grandmother, Lois, is no more ; both women of faith and holiness — a loss to the world; but "son Timothy" lives the embodiment of the faith of both, and the ranks are kept good.

A great victory is gained, they say, at Phillippi. That mighty Paul and his companion Silas are subjugated to the stocks of the inner prison ; and the satellites of darkness are holding jubilee ! But the mystery is, that Paul and Silas sing also. Who, then, has the victory ? On which side does the jubilee belong ? An earthquake will settle the controversy before morning, and your jailor and his family will be converted, hushing the shout in the kingdom of darkness, and adding new trophies to the great work.

Wesley dies ! And Coke is buried in the mighty deep ! and the Methodist family is mourning, on both sides of the great waters, but the revival goes on.

Juclson and Carey have failed, they say j their voice is hushed in death, and the redemption of India is adjourned. No, no ! There is more that lives of these holy men, to-day, than ever died ; and triumph comes from their mission-work. Their converts are preaching the Gospel to-day, while their names are odor on the lips of praise.

That holy man, Mellvil B. Cox, the first missionary to Liberia, falls at his post in that lone land of strangers ; and all along the plains where Carthage stood, and up the Mesurado's heights, are wild with notes of sorrow wrung from the hearts of heathen converts, because their missionary is no more. Does this forebode a failure ? Nay, verily ; a thousand voices answer nay, and Africa shall be redeemed ; for even now is Ethiopia stretching out her hands to God.

The Christian dies, and is buried ! Dark is the

THE GEE AT WORK. 23

tomb and pale the corpse ! He, who exultingly looked forward to the day of his dissolution, and often, in hoi}" prayer, triumphed over death, is conquered at last. His hosannas have ceased. The hush is on his lips, and he has entered the dominions of corruption ! And can this be called certain triumph ? It is certain and immediate triumph for the soul, and prospective for the body ; for those who sleep in Jesus, will God bring with him. He has gone down to dust, it is true ; but he sleeps in oriental climes, hard by resurrection morn ! We bury him in corruption, but God shall unbury him all incorrupt ! Shall we say the Christian is dead because the tabernacle is rent ? No ! The inhabitant of that clay-house home has only moved out of his temporary shanty into his " house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens ;" and he already knows more of life and immortality than can be known here ; and if we could open our ears to soultalk, we should hear the old exult: "Thanks be unto God who giveth us the victory I" " To die is