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Testimonies for the Church Volume 1
On one occasion, while Elder Stockman was preaching, Elder
Brown, a Christian Baptist minister, whose name has been mentioned
before in this narrative, was sitting in the desk listening to the sermon
with intense interest. He became deeply moved, and suddenly his
countenance grew pale as the dead, he reeled in his chair, and Elder
Stockman caught him in his arms just as he was falling to the floor,
and laid him on the sofa behind the desk, where he lay powerless until
the discourse was finished.
He then arose, his face still pale, but shining with light from the
Sun of Righteousness, and gave a very impressive testimony. He
seemed to receive holy unction from above. He was usually slow of
speech, with an earnest manner, entirely free from excitement. On this
occasion his solemn, measured words carried with them a new power
as he warned sinners and his brother ministers to put away unbelief,
prejudice, and cold formality, and, like the noble Bereans, search the
sacred writings, comparing scripture with scripture, to ascertain if
these things were not true. He entreated the ministers present not to
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feel themselves injured by the direct and searching manner in which
Elder Stockman had presented the solemn subject that interested all
minds.
Said he: “We want to reach the people; we want sinners to be
convicted and become truly repentant before it is too late for them to
be saved, lest they shall take up the lamentation, ‘The harvest is past,
the summer is ended, and we are not saved.’ Brethren in the ministry
say that our arrows hit them; will they please stand aside from between
us and the people, and let us reach the hearts of sinners? If they make
themselves a target for our aim, they have no reason to complain of the
wounds they receive. Stand aside, brethren, and you will not get hit!”
He related his own experience with such simplicity and candor
that many who had been greatly prejudiced were affected to tears. The
Spirit of God was felt in his words and seen upon his countenance.
With a holy exaltation he boldly declared that he had taken the word
of God as his counselor, that his doubts had been swept away and
his faith confirmed. With earnestness he invited his brother ministers,
church members, sinners, and infidels to examine the Bible for them-
selves, and charged them to let no man turn them from the purpose of
ascertaining what was the truth.