The Use and Need of the Life of Carrie A. Nation [76]
CHAPTER XIV.
CHRISTIAN EXPERIENCE.
The life of a soul moved on by the Holy Spirit is beyond human
expression, as well as human understanding. "He that is spiritual judgeth
(examines) all things. Yet he himself is judged or examined of no
man." The spiritual man can see the condition of the unregenerate for
he was once in darkness, but the unregenerate can never understand the
condition of the regenerate. The impulses that move one born of God is
one of the puzzles not possible to be known by the wisdom of the wise
of this world. 'Tis a secret, 'tis hidden, and can come only by Divine
Revelation and is always a miracle, the greatest ever performed. It
raises from the dead, never to die again. It opens the eyes never to be
closed again, 'tis an armor that causes us to handle serpents (devils)
without harm and we can hear or drink deadly poisons, or doctrines but
they will not kill our soul. "These signs shall follow them that believe.
The real Christ life is and always will be hateful to the world. I have
often heard it said of me; "I cannot bear that Carry Nation!' I would
only to do the people good. I do not blame these as I once did; "For
the natural man is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can he."
"Marvel not that the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it
hated you." I know that when I was ten years old I felt the movings of
God's spirit--got an answer of peace, but like a little infant pined away,
for lack of care and nourishment. Nothing but the divine mercy of
Almighty God could have directed the affairs of my tempest-tossed life.
I now know there are no accidents. A sparrow falls by a special providence.
There are no sins or temptations that I can not say: "My God
delivered, saved and forgave me for that." I go to prisons and all kinds
of houses of sin. I say: "I can tell you of one who can save and forgive
you for that, he forgave me, and he will forgive you, for I was as
bad, or worse, than you." I have never seen anyone whom I thought had
committed more sin than I. Many will lift up horrified hands at this
but 'tis true. I never saw the corruption of but one life, one heart,--that
was mine. I was never so shocked, so disgusted, so distracted with
remorse over any life, so much as my own. My heart was the foulest
place I ever saw. I do not know what is in other people's hearts. Paul
meant this when he said: "Christ Jesus came into the world to save
sinners of whom I am chief;" Said, this, "is worthy of all acceptation"
or was, a good testimony. Because one can never see how bad the heart
is, until God sheds the light to see it. So many people are deceived, as
a blind man. They may be in filth, and do not know it. It is there,
but not seen, for lack of light.
I was first condemned by reading the Psalms. I said: "If Christians
have impulses to "rejoice", clap their hands, and "shout", I do not
know what it is. I find no response of gladness in my heart." I trembled
with fear to think of God and the judgement day. This continued from
youth up to the age of forty. At this time I received from Christ the
"Gift of the Holy Ghost", the "Unction", that which "leads unto all
truth." There are many names for this; I call it the Bible name. "Hold
fast the form of sound words." Before this I had never spoken a word
for God or prayed in public. At one time I was called on to do so, and
was terrified and mumbled out something, that was no prayer. Now all
was changed: "I was glad when they said unto me, let us go into the
house of the Lord." I was anxious for my time to come to tell how
good Jesus was to me. When I met my neighbors I would be heavy-
hearted, because they talked of servants, house cleaning, the new fashions,
and these seemed so vain, so frivolous. I liked to direct their minds to
speak of the Scriptures, and of the ways of doing work for God. I
soon found out I was not welcome, I was looked upon as an intruder,
was often avoided, I could see the frowns and glances of impatience at
my presence. These would cause me many