At The Coming of The New Year...
02 -- JOHN S. INSKIP RECORDED HIS CONSECRATION
According to Edward Gibbon in his "Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire," the oath of service and fidelity to the emperor was annually renewed by the troops on the first of January. Below, we read of the fidelity of John S. Inskip to the King of kings:
"Monday Jan. 1, 1866. -- Upon returning from meeting, I feel that before retiring to rest I must record my consecration. I am devoutly thankful to God for His many mercies during the year that has passed away. I praise Him that He has enabled me to continue in the way of faith. If spared, I intend to live nearer to Jesus. Afresh I dedicate myself to the service of God. I give to Him my little all, and solemnly declare that I am and will be forever the Lord's. All my faculties and powers -- my life, influence, substance, and reputation, I renewably devote to God, and declare that henceforth I will love and glorify Him forever. I will labor to promote His glory, and trust in Him for grace to guide, comfort, and support me. I again, and, if possible, in a fuller sense than ever, consecrate to Him all I have and am. My wife, home, and all, I give to Thee, O Lord, to be Thine. In testimony of which I hereunto affix my hand and seal, on this the first day of January, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-six. -- hdm0131, "Life Of Rev. John S. Inskip" by William McDonald and John E. Searles
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At The Coming In Of The Year...
03 -- THE RESULTS OF THE WELCH REVIVAL OF 1859 WERE SEEN
The results of the revival in Ireland were long and lasting. Ministers and laymen looked back with profound gratitude to God for the glorious awakening of '59... Another report in the Methodist Times tells of the decrease in drunkenness and crime, as the result of the revival: "Reports from all the districts in South Wales affected by the revival show that the Christmas holidays, so dreaded by new converts who formerly devoted the whole of the time to drink and revelry, have passed by without the defections from the faith which were loudly prophesied by the unsympathetic and unbelieving. South Wales has never known such a quiet and peaceful Christmas.
"In Cardiff, police reports show that drunkenness has diminished over 60 per cent, whilst on Saturday last the Mayor was presented by the Chief Constable with a pair of white gloves, there being no case at all on the charge sheet -- an unprecedented fact for the last day of the year.
"The same thing happened at the Swansea County Court on the previous Saturday, and the magistrate said, 'In all the years I've been sitting here I've never seen anything like it, and I attribute this happy state of things entirely to the revival.'-- hdm0465, "When The Fire Fell" by George T. B. Davis
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At The Coming In Of The Year...
04 -- A TITHING FARMER WAS PROTECTED FROM POTATO BUGS
The following story was once related to George Douglas Watson, after the farmer's pastor said to him: "Tell Brother Watson about these potatoes, great big luscious potatoes of which we were partaking." The farmer said:
"Well, I got saved about eight years ago and began to tithe all my crops. Last year, at the beginning of the year, the potato bugs were terrible in our community. I prayed about it and said, Now, Father, Thou knowest I am Thine entirely. All I have is Thine, wife, children, horses, cattle and potatoes. Now, rebuke the bugs; take care of my crop.
"The farm adjoining mine on one side was literally devoured. The man expected one hundred bushels of potatoes and had only three bushels. The man on the other side had only five bushels. My place was right in between these two farms, which were devoured by potato bugs and I did not see a bug in my patch. We had potatoes in abundance and peddled around loads of God's potatoes to poor folks, widows and preachers. I put God to a test and He has proved to me He will rebuke the potato bugs." -- hdm0561, "How To Attract Prosperity" by John Marvin Hames
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At The Coming In Of The Year...
05 -- MONEY FOR A NEEDED WELL WAS PROVIDED
Many years ago, a water famine threatened Hakodate, Japan, and at the M. E. Girl's School there Miss Dickerson saw the water supply growing less daily and in one of the fall months appealed to the Board in New York for help. There was no money on hand, and nothing was done. Miss Dickerson inquired the cost of putting down an artesian well, but found the expense too great to be undertaken. On the evening of December 31st, when the water was almost exhausted, the teachers and the older pupils met to pray for water, though they had no idea how their prayer was to be answered. A couple of days later a letter was received in the New York office which ran something like this: "Philadelphia, January 1st. It is six o'clock in the morning of New Year's Day All the other members of the family are asleep, but I was awakened with a strange impression that someone, somewhere, is in need of money which the Lord wants me to supply" Enclosed was a check for an amount which just covered the cost of the artesian well and the piping of the water into the school buildings. -- hdm0424, "Purpose In Prayer" by E. M. Bounds
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At The Coming In Of The Year...
06 -- GOD GREATLY BLESSED THE WESLEYS' WATCH-NIGHT SERVICE
It might be in order to give an instance or two in the life of Rev John Wesley, showing some remarkable displays of spiritual power. Many times, it is stated this noted man gathered his company together, and prayed all night, or till the mighty power of God came upon them. It was at a watch night service, at Fetter Lane, December 31, 1738, when Charles and John Wesley with Whitefield, sat up till after midnight singing and praying. This is the account:
About three o'clock in the morning, as we were continuing instant in prayer, the power of God came mightily upon us, so that many cried out for exceeding joy, and many fell to the ground. As soon as we had recovered a little from that awe and amazement at the presence of his majesty, we broke out with one voice, "We praise thee, O God! We acknowledge thee to be the Lord!"
On another occasion, Mr. Wesley gives us this account:
After midnight, about a hundred of us walked home together, singing, rejoicing and praising God. -- hdm0427, "The Possibilities Of Prayer" by Edward McKendree Bounds
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