causing him
to disobey the commands of God. There is no room to question the fact
that sin was in his nature; for he plainly states it so, and the
expression, "sin revived" indicates that it had been in him during the
period of his innocent state.

CHAPTER XIII

Personal Experience

In conclusion I desire to add my humble testimony of a personal
experience of the glorious work of entire sanctification.

At the age of seventeen years I was converted. All who were acquainted
with me had no reason to doubt the genuine, inwrought grace of pardon
and the new life which at once began to bring forth fruit unto God. But
the one to whom this mighty change seemed the most marvelous was myself.
My poor soul, which for several years had been held under the terrible
bondage and darkness of sin, was now turned from darkness unto light and
from the power of Satan unto God, and there was no room either
internally or externally to question that I had received forgiveness of
sins. The glory and blessedness of that sacred hour and that hallowed
spot "when love divine first found me" can never be erased from my
memory. I will not say, as I have often heard others testify of their
own, that my experience was more wonderful than that of anyone else, but
I do not see how it could have been any more wonderful to me than it
was, and it is but useless to make an effort to tell it. All who have
come into this precious life, and have the Spirit bearing witness with
our spirit that we are the children of God, understand what it means to
be justified by faith and have this sweet peace with God through our
Lord Jesus Christ.

But this peace with God meant war with the enemy of my soul, and I soon
learned that the battle was a serious one. The artful schemes of the
enemy were deeply planned for my overthrow, and while attending school
the spirit of the world succeeded in leading me into defeat, and I
decided to yield myself again unto the world, and gave up the struggle
against sin. But oh, what darkness! God only knows what horrors I
suffered. I had been saved but a few months and had had the taste of
true happiness which so spoiled me for the empty pleasures of sin that I
was often so wretched and miserable that life was a burden. But thank
God, this condition of life was only of about two month's duration.
Through the burning tears of my precious mother, which fairly bathed my
face and neck one day as she suddenly came into my room an