AUTOBIOGRAPHY
OF
LYMAN H. JOHNSON
My beloved brother, 0. D. Hill, who has undertaken the expensive work of publishing this book of my lectures and Stumblingstone writings, requests me to append to it an account of my life to show the hand of God in raising me up and leading me through so many years of Christian warfare against the corruptions of Bible faith and for the restoration of Christ's Church on earth to its original spirituality from which it has fallen through centuries of apostasy.
I am aware that every one who espouses the cause of truth becomes identified with it and has to bear both the reproaches and honors of God's Word personally to the full extent of his fidelity, as its advocate and representative in his own and succeeding generations, so far as affected by his labors. I accept the responsibility for all I have written and taught in my life work which has caused all the reproach and obloquy as well as any commendation which always attends God's Word in this wicked world.
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I was born on the first day of January, 1829, in the town of Marion, Wayne Co., New York. My father, Montraville Johnson, left home in my infancy, entered the U. S. army under Zachary Taylor and served as captain through the Florida war. I was raised under circumstances of poverty and the disadvantage of a deaf and dumb family. My mother was partially deaf, her brother and sister entirely so, and without education, but Christian training. Their mother, my grandmother, was a widow, a woman of great piety and remarkable Christian intelligence and knowledge of the Scriptures for those early days. She had married a man named Z. Huggins, and raised a family in the town of Dorset, Vermont, and moved to Marion, Wayne Co., N.Y., where he died. My grandmother was a Hutchinson before her marriage. She was a sister of John Hutchinson of Revolutionary times, who was grandfather of the celebrated family of singers of Green Mountain fame.My grandmother had the principal care and education of my childhood. We lived on a new farm of fifty acres, left by Grandfather Huggins for his widow and the deaf ones and my mother. We were therefore dependent on hard labor and new land for our living. I had no opportunities for education except a district school, until sixteen; and the old style district school was much more simple and crude than reputable schools to-day. But I don't
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consider that very much disadvantage, and especially I have to thank God for a Christian grandmother's example and training. From her I learned my first lessons of pure religion and un-sectarianism. She taught that Christians should be one, and that all divisions were wrong. I never heard any one defend sectarian divisions in those days.
I was accustomed to pray in the family with my grandmother vocally, and the deaf ones using the sign language, from my earliest childhood. There were many pious and godly people with whom I was associated in the neighborhood and in the village congregations where we attended, two and a half miles distant. The type of Christianity with which I was early acquainted was very different inn all denominations from what it is now. There was a serious devotion, firmness of principle and tenderness of conscience almost unknown in the same-denominations to-day. Avery great contrast between the Methodists then and now is manifest. No one would have any idea that it was the same religion, any more than Hindooism is like Christianity. The Methodists were despised and persecuted for their plainness and earnest contention for Bible holiness. We could hear their shouting at their night camp meetings near two miles away. They discarded all outward adorning, excluding persons from their class meetings who wore any ruffles, jewelry or flowers.
The change has been as great in the Baptist, Pres-
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byterian and Congregationalist. Plainness, simplicity and earnestness characterized the worship of them all, and in the union meetings there was great unity of feeling and spiritual life, and desire always expressed that divisions might be done away. I never heard divisions defended in those days. Such was the religious atmosphere by which I was surrounded.At the age of six years my grandmother dedicated me to the gospel ministry. She prayed God to make me His own minister, and from that time I never thought of any other business but to preach the gospel. I never awoke mornings nor closed my eyes in sleep at night without kneeling by my-bedside in prayer. And in public prayer meetings I would always take part, asking prayers for myself and engaging in prayer. I was not satisfied with my experience. I knew I had not the conversion I heard others tell about. Yet I was quite religious. After I was eight or ten years old I attended several protracted meetings, always going forward to anxious seats for prayers, but I was never satisfied I had any change of heart. My godly grandmother died aged ninety-three, when I was thirteen years old. I never shall forget her earnest exhortations and wise counsels. Her teachings, like a grandmother Lois, did more to shape my whole religious life than all other human agency. I never forgot her warnings against a loose worldly Christianity which began to appear in all the churches, and
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against sectarian divisions over which I have often sees. her weep. She taught the strong doctrines of evangelical faith. She believed in being born again of the Holy Spirit, and of a heaven to gain and an awful hell to escape. She believed in a godly life, and this was what I could see she lived, and hence I had before my mind' a pattern of Bible holiness in her example.
It was not however until after her death when I was fourteen years of age, after several years of seeking, I had the satisfactory evidence that I was saved from all sin and filled with the joys of Christ's kingdom.
It was in the winter of 1843 and 1844 that I had satisfactory evidence of conversion. My case was a peculiar one. I was very strictly moral and religious..
I never used a profane oath, was temperate, never used any strong drink, tea, coffee or tobacco. I was proud of my virtues, I was flattered, and ambitious for the praise of men. My very humble circumstances, poverty and lack of opportunities for home training, being in a family of deaf and dumb, excepting my grandmother, and other adverse conditions caused me to put forth greater efforts to rise above my unfavorable surroundings and overcome the' criticisms of my peculiarities observed by all around me who were in families of better social opportunities.
The ambition to rise in the world and. secure the praise and honors of mankind became a ruling pas-
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sion of my life. The commendation of my virtues by all around was a powerful stimulant to excel in this direction, and in all subsequent life at the schools 1 attended secured the highest marks for good behavior. But the outward virtues became a snare to my soul.
From the time I was ten to fourteen years I was seeking a change of heart which I heard all Christians tell of. I attended every protracted meeting and. always went forward for prayers, and spent many hours of days and nights seeking a change of heart.
My friends told me I would not need much of a change as I was so good naturally, being already- religious. But all my efforts and prayers were vain. I could feel no change of heart. Many were converted around me, but in every revival I sought in vain for the evidence of my acceptance with God. 1 began almost to despair of ever having the experience I heard others tell of. I was religious, and had much feeling at times, but I was not satisfied. I was told to believe and venture on Christ, and had all manner of good advice from godly men. I would weep at times freely, and had much religious feeling, but I could see no radical change of heart or substantial joy and peace. What was the matter? Ah, the secret was I was too good, and trusted my own goodness more than as a broken-hearted sinner, like the publican in the temple, from the heart asking God's mercy. At last I began to despair of any conversion.
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I began to realize I was a lost sinner like any other, yes, the vilest of all sinners. I was stripped of all my self-righteous pride. I cast myself on the mercy of God as having no goodness of my own to boast.
One Sabbath afternoon, after many times asking prayers in public meetings and praying for myself, I started toward the barn where I always went for daily secret prayer; I made up my mind not to leave the barn until I found pardon and knew I was accepted of God. With this mind I came to the barn door, and opened it, and saw the ladder to the hay loft where was my place of daily prayer. But I could go no further. My soul was filled with raptures I could not contain. I could not enter the barn, but wheeled around and ran for the house praising God for my deliverance. All fear of man was, gone.. I met my ungodly neighbors and told them the joys of my salvation. I needed no man to tell me I was born of God. I got the glad tidings direct from the eternal throne. His Spirit witnessed with mine. I could call him Abba, Father ! I was his child henceforth and forever. I was no longer of this world. I was in a new world. It was heaven below to my soul ! I hastened to the revival meetings being held, and told there the joys of my salvation. 0 what a change ! I was a lost sinner saved just like any other redeemed sinner. My righteousness was all gone. The righteousness of Christ had taken its place. I no longer lived, but Jesus lived and reigned in my heart from henceforth.
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0 how much I had to learn ! What lessons of peril and deliverance ! That same spring I joined what was called the Congregational or Presbyterian church. I did not believe in sectarian divisions, but I ignorantly supposed man's organisms were churches of Christ. God had his church then inside these sect organizations. True Christians were in them, and they were the church, but the falsehood was taught that the society man made was the church. The truth was that God's church was only the Christians inside these man traps. The Christians in these organizations were the true church and hence the deception. Thus began my Christian life at fourteen years of age. During all this time from six years of age I ever kept in view the one business of my life, to preach the pure gospel of Christ. No other business for life ever entered my mind. But up to that age I had no other opportunities for education beyond the old-fashioned district schools. But about that time I began the habit of writing religious pieces, for school exercises, and my own diversion. My habit of writing religious discourses and treatises has continued and grown ever since. In the meantime I became active in my efforts to convert my associates to the same faith, and many were I trust led to Christ during my childhood days by God's blessing on my personal efforts. There were a few marked examples of genuine gospel faith besides my grandmother's which also had a great influence to shape my life work in the gospel outside of sectarian systems.
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My grandmother died in the triumph of Christian faith when I was thirteen years of age, one year before I had satisfactory evidence of conversion. When I was fifteen years of age I left home and engaged to serve an apprenticeship at the mason's trade with Chester Clark, a neighbor of ours and a member of the same church organism to which I belonged. I attended school winters and worked at the trade summers. I was in a Christian household, Christian in name and strictly religious, although not of the stern piety and spirituality of my godly grandmother. Related to them was a family of Rices who were of the Bible type, full of faith and holy love, whose influence I felt for several years of association with them.
At the age of sixteen we all moved to Beloit, Wis., several families of Clarks and Rices. There was a college at Beloit where I commenced a course of studies as a needful preparation for the ministry of the Presbyterian and Congregational sect. I served a six years' apprenticeship at the trade, working summers and. attending school winters, improving all spare time nights and rainy days, at my books and learned my Greek and Latin conjugations walking to and from my jobs of work. In those days the hours of labor were from sunrise to sundown, besides chores at home. I was greatly rejoiced when the ten-hour system was first introduced, as it gave me more time for study. I wonder what the modern trade unions would think of ten hours as an improvement on.
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twelve or fourteen hours' work at the labor trades? The ten-hour system gave me time for school studies, and, eight hours is now contended for by labor to save time for saloons and frolics !
The Congregational and Presbyterian pulpit required a college education, so I worked hard to obtain the necessary qualification, having not only to support myself, but my mother and deaf and dumb relatives who needed some assistance.
There are now standing in Beloit and vicinity seven cobblestone houses my hands built. One was built for a college professor toward my tuition, and a three-story hotel my hands plastered is yet standing.
My attendance at college cultivated a carnal ambition to excel in worldly wisdom and accomplishments. I aimed to excel in oratory and composition. I was constantly stimulated by public exercises to make a fair show before the world. The whole course of study is designed to polish and drill men to be attractive preachers and efficient tools of religious corporations. I very soon saw the course was adapted to unfit a man for the spiritual work of winning souls to the Christ of the Bible or of practical usefulness in any department of life ; to make preaching machines instead of earnest practical workers for God and His truth. I wrote several articles for the press against the educational course as not adapted to train young men for the ministry nor for real efficiency in any department of life, although it was a course of disci-
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pline wholly for this world, and its greatest benefits were of a secular nature for worldly science, carnal attractions and polished manners pleasing to reputable society, and hence desirable among all worldly and business corporations which hold the wealth of earth. I published a poem, the "Puritanic Shrine," in which I ridiculed the worship of art and learning by the so-called churches.I pursued my studies working at my trade, helping also to support my deaf and dumb relatives. The college and seminary course of studies covered about nine years usually, and by that time the zealous student was crippled for life so far as usefulness for God's ministry is concerned. But the effect of this course of study makes splendid preaching machines and parlor dolls, supple tools of the sect organism, manikins or artificial men devoid of natural or spiritual life, good for physical science, or dissecting a dead theology, or making a show block of Jesus Christ for a mock display of sacred rhetoric and elocution for the entertainment of sectarian congregations.
It was this view of the educational course which caused me to cut it short. I broke the college laws by getting married, and so was excused from completing the full course. Thus I saved myself from being ruined in body and deformed in mind so that I could not act freely and independently for God in the cause of truth. I did complete the course in the theological seminary in New York City. And the
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chief advantage of my course of studies aside from some useful knowledge of scripture and history partly gleaned from the fields of learning traversed, was what I learned of the superficial and false nature of the whole educational system in its adaptation to really fit a man for true gospel work. My reverence for the wisdom of this world was gone. I saw that humble Christians like Peter and John, whom "they, perceived were unlearned and ignorant men" who had learned of Christ, were better qualified to understand and teach Bible Christianity than those trained in our educational systems. From the age of sixteen to twenty-four was the transition period of my life. I passed through the trying time of temptation. I was losing faith in current Christianity, and I came in contact with educated infidels who gave me the writings of Tom Paine, Voltaire, "Vestiges of Creation," and other infidel works. I spent a summer in the family with an accomplished skeptic, and had long combats with him about the Bible and its holy religion. I was unskilled in argument, and often unable to meet his infidel objections. But I learned that infidelity was all darkness, and no light; it destroyed the Bible but put nothing in its place; it destroyed the only foundation of human hope and left nothing but despair. My soul shrank in horror from the blackness of starless night, and turned to the sunlight of gospel faith.I saw two cases of deep affliction which tested the foundation of human hopes. The infidel lost a
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bright and promising daughter. I went to visit him in his affliction. I found him in the fields a raving maniac. As I met him his eyes glared on me and he said, "Do you worship a God who could take away my lovely daughter?" He was mad at God and would have torn him from his throne. He was beyond the power of reason and it was useless to talk with him. Another case was near the same time. Deacon Rice lost a lovely son of fourteen years, the father's only dependence on the farm. I saw hint in all his trial. A solemn face and a holy calm without a tear during the whole of the sickness and dying hours. I saw him approach the coffin for the last look at his boy's face. For the first time the tears flowed down his cheeks and a heavenly smile lighted his face as he exclaimed: "The Lord giveth, and the Lord taketh away; blessed be the name of the Lord."These two cases were enough to establish forever the Christian faith in my soul.
During this period I had a discussion with the Seventh Day Baptists on the Sabbath question. And in that discussion I learned the first Bible lesson on the two covenants, and saw those who taught Saturday keeping instead of Christ who is our Sabbath, the rest of faith, that they were Judaizers and not Christians.
During this same period I also saw as never before the apostasy of the church, the sin of sectarianism and general worldliness and corruption and saw that
the work of my life was to be a Bible reformation.I9
The details of my life from sixteen to twenty-four may not be of great profit, hence I will pass over much of ordinary occurrences. I continued with the Clark family until I was twenty-one, attending school winters, and working at my trade summers. At eighteen I taught school in winter, and at the same time in the school house held a protracted meeting in which there were fourteen conversions, most of whom joined the Methodists. I was always actively engaged in gospel effort, private and public. At one time in the Clark family, when rooming with several co-laborers at the trade, when aged about seventeen, I persuaded the ungodly men to kneel with me in prayer, and some professed conversion. One, a very profane Englishman, who had been a soldier in the British Army, cried for mercy and was soundly converted. I was full of zeal in such work. I was always active in every prayer meeting at the Congregational and Presbyterian church after it was organized. I made it a rule which I have observed through life never to allow a meeting to pass without taking part in prayer and speaking. I also had Sabbath schools in the country, at which I would give public talks. And after I was about eighteen I have never ceased to hold meetings and preach weekly with few interruptions.
During this period of my life, as I have said before, I saw more and more the sad condition of the sectarian world. I did not, however, see that man's organisms were wrong until after 1863 or 1864.
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And then not fully until I was driven outside in 1865. I always saw that divisions were wrong, but I did not see the cause of division in man's organizations and ordinances. After I was twenty-one until twenty-four, I was in college most of the time, working at my trade enough to pay expenses.
Notwithstanding spiritual perils, I gained knowledge which I could use to advantage in public life, but I also felt the crippling effect of a discipline which substituted an artificial for a natural man; and would be a danger to my spiritual life. So I purposely cut short my college course, and by getting married had an excuse for leaving, and taking another and shorter course of study. I married Miss Mary Searle, a native of Massachusetts, a student of a Westfield academy, and who was a school teacher at the time on Bigfoot Prairie, Wis., twenty miles from Beloit. She had been soundly converted to God, and was of the same mind and heart with myself.
A Presbyterian minister named Alfred Eddy who had the principal care over me as pastor, was interested in making me a preacher of his sect and said he wanted me to be a Presbyterian gun for no other denomination to shoot with, since I received some Presbyterian aid. I did not feel as he did about that, but I took advantage of this opportunity to secure all the learning supposed to be necessary for the ministry. I made up my mind to think for myself, but to submit to the course of study to see what was in it.
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My expectation at this time was to labor for the unity and purity of the church, to break down sectarian walls, and as soon as possible gather all Christians into one universal church organism, non-sectarian. I was yet ignorant of the whole difficulty, and God suffered me to go through the sectarian system of education and learn by experience the cause of division and the nature of the true Bible church.In the fall of 1854, I was persuaded by my Presbyterian pastor and my own desire to be qualified for the gospel ministry to go to New York City and attend the Union Theological Seminary, a two years' course of study for that purpose. So I left my wife and infant child with her parents and started for New York, where I had never been before to enter upon a course of life and amid scenes of temptation and worldly surroundings altogether new and unknown to me before. It was an embarkation on a strange sea amid perils and dangers untried. 0 how I needed now a guiding hand of over-ruling providence! I had money enough to pay my fare to the city and lodging for less than a week. I took letters of introduction from my pastor and college president.
I arrived in the night, was led to a hotel of bad character, but gave them to understand I had no money to tempt personal harm. I remembered I had a cousin in Brooklyn, a Baptist preacher, Herman Eddy. By the city directory I found his residence and was welcomed. He looked at me to see whether I was cut out for a Baptist preacher, but concluded I was not Baptist timber. He went with me to the heads of the seminary, showed them my letters. They sent me to Dr. Robinson, the president of the institution. I told him my circumstances, standing, scholarship, etc. He discouraged me. The class was already two months advanced in the eight months' year, so it would be useless for me to enter so late. I went to Dr. Skinner, a fatherly old man, and he said be would see what could be done for me. After consultation, they concluded to examine me and give me until next year to overtake the class in my studies. I was examined in Greek and other studies, and was accepted as a student of the seminary with the understanding that in the remaining ten months I could overtake the class. I roomed with a student a year advanced, and with his aid, working night and day, overtook the class in two weeks, and was matriculated with the rest of the class at the regular time. There were over a hundred students of the seminary all preparing for the ministry. I had a good opportunity to learn the character of the institution which produced the ministry and taught the churches of our times. I saw a great variety of characters among the students. I became acquainted with four of the hundred students in whose piety I had confidence, and many other very nice young men of talent and very pleasing social qualities. The professors also were very fatherly and able instructors in the worldly wisdom
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and Presbyterian system for which we were being trained.But I discovered that these wise men of the so-called church and the many students for the ministry were better acquainted with man's theology, the letter of the scripture and carnal history, than the simple, practical, spiritual truth of the Bible. The whole discussion and study was of carnal things pertaining to religion, man's systems of theology, and the science of language and exegesis of words rather than the vital truth of the gospel necessary to salvation, and Bible views of Christ's church, its unity and separation from the world. The whole course seemed to have for its object to fit young men for the trade and business of running and building Presbyterian societies and winning success in the pulpit and pastorate of that vast religious corporation, as a business establishment, like The Standard Oil Company, to enrich itself out of the religion of the Bible as the stock in trade of that moneyed system called the Presbyterian church, in this organization religion having the same place as oil had or coal, in The Standard Oil Company, or the coal mining corporations. It was a business establishment in which the students were being trained to manage religious interests for their living and for the enrichment of the vast corporation called a church, and to extend its boundaries as one of the kingdoms of this world claiming Christ, but having man at the head, in the general assembly and subordinate Presbyteries which
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constituted its government, of which Christ was no more the head than he is the head of the oil or coal mining corporations.
The only spiritual minded students I found were all going as missionaries to foreign lands, the rest of them were generally looking for good fat pastorates in this country. Theology and preaching was a trade by which they were to get a living.
I had talks and discussions with the students. I told them I had a harder field before me in this country than preaching in a heathen land. The spiritual students saw it as I did and said they would rather go among heathen who had no religion than to preach here among the proud and worldly churches of our country.
I improved every opportunity in the seminary to put in all the truth I knew, and provoked attacks from the worldly students. During the two years in that institution I pursued and was examined on the full course, and was licensed to preach by the third Presbytery of the city. I hastened home with my paper commission from man, and began to preach with Saul's armor on, endeavoring to suit the pulpit of that reputable denomination, and at the same time to serve the Lord Jesus Christ.
I first went to Elkhorn, Wis., where I was called to supply a Congregational pulpit which I did acceptably for nearly three years. During this period of my ministry I tried hard to win success as a servant, of the society which hired me. I did get
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much praise from men but my conscience often troubled me. I was in bondage. I wrote nearly all my sermons, and preached too much truth to please some, but this very faithfulness in preaching for a holy church to purify the organization gained me much credit. I did not touch the sect idol but sought to purify it and make it reputable. I did condemn divisions, but not the organizations and ordinances which caused them. 0 how blind I was to the real work to which God was calling me! But he was leading me on patiently as fast as I could be led toward the truth.
I tried to ignore and break down the walls between the denominations of that village. I made myself at home with each, and preached love and unity, but not against the organizations, only I tried to ignore the walls and get them together in spirit until the walls would disappear. But while they All loved me they were still separate from each other by separate interests, separate heads, separate doors and separate foundations. Near the end of a three years' pastorate I received a call from the Presbyterian church of Rockford, Ill. Then began a change in my ministerial experience.
In the summer of 1859 1 moved to the city of Rockford, Ill., taking charge of the Westminster Presbyterian society as pastor with a salary of a thousand dollars. It was a new field, and the beginning of a change in my life work. I was now amid scenes of wealth and fashionable city life. Great
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interest was felt by my friends in the religious world in my successful management of this important city church so-called. It had a membership of one hundred and sixty. It had been organized by my cousin, Morrison Huggins, its first pastor, who died, and I became his successor. He had been beloved, and my being a relative with some resemblance, drew toward me the attachment of the members. I used policy at first, and had success in winning the favor of all for a time. But I saw things needful to be corrected by God's word. There was caste and aristocracy, the upper tens would not sit at the same table with poorer classes nor invite them to their social gathering. There was special favor shown toward wealth. There were money lenders, oppressors of the poor; there were games and amusements unbecoming the church of Christ, and pride and worldliness.
I had been accustomed to preach one sermon on the sins of slavery and oppression. These sermons gave offense. I also preached the unity of God's church, but did not at first see the cause of division. I began to feel the bondage of the organization. I was not free to tell the whole truth as I saw it. My preaching and practice offended the wealthy members. I was more intimate with the poor than the rich, and the elders soon saw that I was headstrong and ungovernable. I was not a tool of their society, was too independent and would not heed the advice of the elders. I discovered that money
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was the controlling power. Five or six rich men had more voice than the rest of the one hundred and sixty. I had the love of all but the few who held the purse strings.
At a social gathering in my house I heard the poorer members complaining to the rich that they bad not equal voice in church affairs. The rich ones replied : "How much money do you pay toward church expenses ?" I was surprised to hear the money argument. I said to the elder : "Do you claim that a man's voice in Christ's church is according to the amount of money he pays?" He replied : "Yes, it costs money to run the church in these cities, and we who have the money have to bear the chief burden." And then he made a statement that helped to open my eyes about the nature of the church. He said : "THAT WHICH DEPENDS ON MONEY OUGHT TO BE GOVERNED BY IT." I saw this was the truth. But I was startled by this reasoning. I asked in deep concern : "IS THIS THE CHURCH OF CHRIST?" It awoke me from the false dream of the ages that Christ's church is a corporation of the world a moneyed establishment like a bank or insurance company or the Standard Oil company ! If such is Christ's church I would have to be an infidel. I could not accept it as God's building. If the Bible taught such a church in which the rich should have control I could not accept it as God's book. I was for a time driven to the verge of in-
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fidelity in my feelings. My moral nature rebelled against calling a moneyed corporation God's church. I now began to inquire with deep concern for the Bible view of God's church. I saw that all my preconceived ideas of the church were false. What, can Christ's body be a house of merchandise? Is Mammon its Lord? Are church members like cattle, the property of a stock corporation? Are men and women the purchase of Christ's blood, the property of corporations, like horses, merchandise and farm produce, on which ecclesiastical speculators can corner the market and make rich bargains? O horrible delusion ! I began to see the awful apostasy of modern Babylon, the Harlot of Revelations, described in the 17th and 18th of the last book of the Bible.
The money power did have control in that so-called Presbyterian church of Rockford. Six men with their money ruled the church of a hundred and sixty. The crisis came when I learned that the six elders desired me to resign. I agreed to do so, supposing that there were others of the same mind. But amid the most intense feeling and conflict I found that only six against one hundred and fifty-four were in favor of my leaving. They complained of the church debt and the burden of my salary. Just then two wealthy members of the Congregational society of the city offered to pay my thousand-dollar salary out of their own pocket if my elders retained my services. But my elders refused
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this offer. So I preached my farewell sermon, and twelve families of the Westminster Presbyterian church left in a body and desired me to organize another church. But I refused. However, I did come and preach for them in a public hall for a year afterwards, while at the same time I took charge of the Congregational church at Rockton, Ill., twelve miles distant. This was in the winter of 1861, after a year and nearly a half pastorate in Rockton.
I had in Rockton a new and different field. There were three hundred names on the church book. The second Sabbath I found a bitter church quarrel over an organ purchased by money raised at a church dance. The conscientious members were opposed to having an organ purchased by a dance. The Methodist ministers at their entertainment had offended that sort of Christians by breaking up their dance. So they came to our church and proposed to give us their funds if we would accept it and allow them to dance at our festival. So our church people gladly accepted this offer and purchased an organ with the dance money. But a majority of the members were opposed to such proceedings. I saw there were two opposite parties in the church at Rockton.
I preached a sermon on Spiritualism and offended several of the dancing members, who were also Spiritualists. I learned also of many other disorders existing in that so-called church, such as pro-
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fanity, drunkenness and other wickedness. I preached a series of sermons on holiness and church purity, and the importance of separating the church from the world. I then called meetings for the enforcement of church discipline, and had a committee of four appointed to visit the church members with me to see who ought to belong to the church. I wanted to see the lines drawn somewhere between the church and the world, so I undertook the job of purifying the Congregational church ! God had some further lessons for me to learn about the church. I had seen the falseness of the money power of the church, but I did not understand that man could not do the separating work by voting or enforcement of human discipline. I had six Spiritualists cited to appear before the church, and succeeded after a hard struggle in getting them expelled. But there were others still worse that I could not as easily get voted out. There were dancing members, swearing members, and all sorts of sinners still left in the church whom I could not reach with discipline because they had better social standing and money. But I did call for final and decisive action. I proposed that the Lord's party and world's party in the church take a general vote, and whichever had the majority vote the other outside. I was disgusted with the constant contentions between the two parties in the church. I finally pressed a vote, and the Lord's party voted out the world's party in a body. But
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this did not end the battle. The society owned the house, independent of the church, so the other party called a society meeting and got a majority of outsiders to vote me out of the house.
Thus ended my struggle to purify the church. The church itself and its pastor was turned out by the society and the world's church party.
We continued to meet outside in other church houses, halls or private houses for a year afterwards. This was in 1862 and '63. I then received a call to the Congregational church of Galena, Ill., which I accepted and continued until the fall of 1865.
It was during this time I began to see fully the, difference between God's church and man's church organism. While still at Rockton, and I was yet member of Presbytery, I preached special sermons against the false church. I printed hand bills with this heading:
MONEYED CORPORATIONS,
FALSELY CALLED CHURCHES!
The Presbytery called me to an account for such handbills. Then began the battle on the great truth of the ages. At the same time I called for a letter from Presbytery to the Congregational association of Galena, Ill. While in Galena, after I had got a good letter and joined the association,
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the Rockton dancing church called a council and expelled all the godly and praying members of that society who bad previously left with me, holding meetings outside. In the fall of 1865, my health having failed, I left Galena, Ill., and moved on to a farm near Beloit, Wis., intending no more pastoral work, but to labor as an evangelist independent.
In the meantime I had continued preaching special sermons against money governed churches and in favor of the primitive Bible church and a pure Christianity with Christ for the only head and a separation from the world.
I had fought many battles in the city of Galena with surrounding churches, but the Congregational society of which I was pastor was made up of good members who approved of my radical preaching. After I left Galena in September, 1865, I received the action of the Congregational association that I was expelled by this resolution :
"Whereas, The Rev. Lyman H. Johnson has been guilty of a denunciatory and schismatic spirit and practice; therefore
"Resolved, That we ' withdraw our fellowship from him as a minister of the Gospel, and that his name be stricken from the records of the association."
I wrote in 'reply thanking them for their action "by which from henceforth and forever I ceased to be a Congregational or Presbyterian minister, and became a minister of Jesus Christ." Thus ended
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my connection with all man's church organizations. President Blanchard wrote me saying that this action was disorderly and that I would be quickly restored if I appealed to the state association of Illinois. But I declined to do anything further, and was rejoiced to have my neck out from under man's yokes in religion.It was then I made the ever memorable statement in answer to the question: "What are you going to do?" they supposing I would have to compromise and come back into the fold. I answered: "I don't know, but I HAVE VENTURED MY ALL ON JESUS CHRIST. IF JESUS CHRIST GOES DOWN, I WANT TO GO DOWN; IF JESUS CHRIST GOES UP, I EXPECT T0 GO UP."
He has not gone down yet, nor have I been confounded. 1 Peter 2: 6.
From the time that I got outside of human church organizations in the fall of 1865 I began the experience of a new life. Like the bird when it leaves its shell and ventures with its wings spread upon the free air of heaven, so my soul was liberated from the prison life of human organisms and by faith mounted up as on eagle wings toward the sun with no obstructions to my flight as I reveled in the atmosphere and light of God. The Bible became a new book to me. Portions I could not understand before became clear and delightful to my wind, because I looked at all things now in the
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light of God and not of human tradition and the dark cells of an ecclesiastical prison. I lived on a farm five miles from Beloit, Wis., six miles from Rockton, where my chief church troubles had occurred, where I remained until 1875.
During the time I was in Galena, in the winter of 1874 and '5, eighteen of the faithful Christian brethren of the church at Rockton had been expelled from the church by the dancing and worldly party. I met them regularly in private houses during my stay on the farm, and also held meetings in different places in school houses, and during the years 1868 and '69 I preached in a Congregational house near Elgin, Ill., at Udina.
I had before this time printed pamphlets on the sad condition of the so-called churches, the reigning corruption and hypocrisy. I had written many reformatory articles for the various papers, religious and secular, in which I had any hopes of access for the truth to reach the people. President Blanchard, of Wheaton, had a radical paper of the Congregational denomination. I had a discussion in that paper with Mr. Goodwin, a reputable Congregational preacher of Rockford. We had three articles on each side in that discussion of the kind of preaching needful for our times.
It was a beginning of my warfare on Babylon from outside earthly camps. That discussion attracted considerable attention. But I had to trim the truth considerably in order to get anything
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that burdened my soul. I could find no paper in existence that would give me full liberty for my radical thoughts. I could not attack sectarian organization in any of the papers. My heart was greatly burdened with desire to get the truth needful to the people. I talked of getting a press of my own, but I had not the means. I was discouraged by brethren who told me it would cost twenty-five thousand dollars to start a paper which would do any good in the world, and I had not fifty dollars at my command. But I found a young man in the country who had a small press and a few type. I ran in debt for his outfit for ninety dollars, and with my children learned to set type. Then in the year 1866 and '67 commenced a little paper about ten inches square which I named the Primitive Church. I printed and distributed two issues of that paper to two or three hundred readers.
I unburdened my soul of the whole truth I knew against sectarian organizations and the reigning wickedness in the so-called churches. It caught many consciences and awakened interest in regions where I was a stranger. Christian brethren in Ogle county, Ill., at Polo, sent for me to come and edit a paper for them outside of sectarian systems. So we started a paper called "The Church." I printed six numbers monthly, and it had considerable circulation. But I was not free in that paper. The brethren who furnished the money for it did not want me to print some things I wanted to, and wanted
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me to print what I could not in conscience print. So I withdrew and went
back to my little press once more.
I had also, besides that, an application from Wm. B. Orvis, author of "Ritualism Dethroned," to go in with him in a radical paper un-sectarian. But I learned there were conditions in that I could not in conscience accept. I learned from my experience with other papers that it was impossible for God's editor to go in partnership with any human being to publish the offensive truth. I could go in partnership if I surrendered my liberty and printed nothing but what Christian brethren could agree upon beforehand. I saw that God would be in no such paper. His prophets cannot steal their words from man, but get their messages from God. So after this experience I started the paper called the Stumblingstone in February, 1868. I got the name from God, and out of the Bible from the fact that Christ and the saving truth is a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense.
I added to my printing facilities and enlarged the paper. Its circulation increased up to the thousands in different states and parts of the world. From that time was begun the great battle of my life. I had to struggle with my poverty, and go by faith against all kinds of discouragements. My boys worked with me in the office and on the farm. My faithful wife was also devoted to the same work in which I was engaged, and we all worked together
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for the common faith to
spread the truth over the world.
STREET
PREACHING AND NEW
EXPERIENCE.
I had for many years in the regular sect pulpits been accustomed to write sermons. The Presbyterians require more science and grammatical accuracy than heartfelt truth. So I was then a good deal tied up to paper sermons. But since I was outside of sects I had not access to the religious assemblies of the people, so I felt God wanted me to go on the streets with his word.
I had a notice put in a Beloit paper that there would be street preaching Saturday, market day in that city. That was a new thing then. General Booth was not known then nor any street work except a little along the docks of New York by some tramp preachers. Much curiosity was excited by the notice, and a wonder what crazy man would be so disorderly as to trail the banners of the cross in the dust of the street amid tumult and jeering crowds.
Well, my soul was burdened with truth and I must do this desperate act at the risk of the reproach of insanity. I had some reputation as a preacher of written sermons, but I could not carry such on the streets. So I studied up my subject with great care that I might not make a public fail-
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ure. At the time appointed, Saturday 2 p.m., I was on the street. No one knew who was going to preach, and so without attracting attention I got a dry goods box and placed it on a corner. When I asked the merchant for it he was astonished that I was the man to use it for a pulpit. As the time drew near my heart began to fail me, but there was no backing out. The moment to commence arrived, and I with some bewilderment and desperation passed an auction room crowded with people and multitudes of others in sight, exclaimed aloud: "Street preaching will now commence!" I crossed the street and mounted the box, and I almost forget the rest. Well, my prepared discourse was entirely gone from me. So I launched out in a random religious talk without any plan or method of thought. The crowds gathered around me, and were amazed at what they saw and heard! I could hear them ask excitedly : "How long has he been so? What a pity!" Others laughed and mocked.
I saw friends and relatives in tears of sorrow for my derangement. Yet I tried to talk my hour out. It was indeed a failure. It was killing. I died then and there to the opinions of men.
I announced I would preach there again next Saturday. I got down, returned the box, and started for my home, five miles. When I arrived home, my wife stood in the door smiling and said: "The report has come that you are crazy." I replied I did not blame the people for thinking so.
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Well, I did suffer such a death as I had never before. But next Saturday I went again without any preparation but prayer to God. As I came on the streets this time I was viewed by all as a poor lunatic. Only one man shook hands with me, and he was an infidel. He looked me carefully in my eyes to see if he could discover the glare of insanity !
Well, what did I care for man's opinions? I had God's truth, and hence was of more importance on that account than the college president. I walked again to my street corner, but the people were shy of me and kept at a distance, watching me as if I was just out of the asylum, or a bear loose from a cage. I said: "Preaching will now commence!" But none came near. I looked at them and they at me. Finally I walked deliberately over to the corner where was the main crowd and I began. My first words were these: "I wonder how many people in Beloit now realize there is a God and a judgment to come." I was filled unutterably full. I cared for nobody but God and his truth. The gospel flowed from my lips like a stream of liquid fire. I never before knew what liberty was in preaching the truth. The crowds gathered around me again, but not to mock or pity as before. I heard many voices say: "That man ain't crazy, he tells the truth." And I saw them nodding to each other and with tears drinking in the word. It was the victory of my life in street work. I was freed forever from paper sermons. I can write sermons
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now, but for the press and not to declaim from pulpits. God be praised! He rewards faith in him! I read of the man of faith: "Out of his belly shall flow rivers of living waters." The fountain is ever flowing. We don't have to prime the pump any more. I love the street work. This beginning of my street preaching was in May, 1866. From that time I have continued to reach the people on the streets in probably over two thousand sermons.
The circulation of the Stumblingstone continued to extend until it had readers in every state and territory and Canada and resulted in multitudes leaving the sects and free gospel meetings outside of denominations everywhere. It was not until about the year 1869 that I learned rituals did not belong to Christ's church. I met with free people converted under the labors of an evangelist named Zolinger in Cumberland County, Pa., who held that Jesus saves without any carnal ordinances. I never attached importance to ceremonials, but my acquaintance with the free church in Pennsylvania led me to examine the Scriptures on the subject and to discover that all rituals belong under Moses and not to Jesus Christ. And from that time I began to preach completeness in Christ alone as our only priest, and very soon I found myself in conflict as never before with antichrist, the priesthood of Protestant and Catholic sects alike who were built up on fleshly rites, principally water baptism and the Jewish passover supper, and other cere-
41
monials. All through the nearly forty years of the Stumblingstone history I have been flooded with letters full of encouragement of the spread of the truth.
Thousands have been rescued from infidelity by learning that existing sectarian churches are not God's churches, -- as one instance of special interest. About the year 1876 Bro. Newton of New York supplied me with money to place the Stumblingstone in the hands of every preacher in the United States of the Baptist, Methodist and Presbyterian sects. As a result among the many letters favorable and unfavorable received in response, one came from an Elder Dickens of Georgia. He sent for a large supply of papers for distribution and became a zealous supporter of the paper. He sent for me to visit his country and residence forty miles south of Atlanta. I sent word I would be there at a certain date. It was my first trip South. I had appointments in North Carolina on the way south where my paper had circulated with much success.
On the day appointed I arrived at Jonesboro, the nearest railroad station to Locust Grove in Georgia where Bro. Dickens lived. There was a crowd on the platform as the train arrived., I looked to see if any one looked like a preacher, but did not see one. I then inquired if there was a preacher named Dickens there. Quickly a large, rough looking man responded and asked, "Are you Mr. Lyman Johnson?" I said yes and he seized
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me and almost carried me to his buggy, weeping with joy.
In our ten miles ride he told me his history. He had been a very wicked man, a prize fighter, and got his wealth by gambling. But through the prayers of his pious mother he was converted to God. It was a remarkable conversion. He at once became a preacher of the gospel and many were converted under his labors.
The Baptists got him into their sect and made him pastor in the city of Griffin, Georgia. But his simplicity and honesty could not harmonize with that city church. He soon had conflicts with Baptist ministers and became disgusted with their hypocrisy. They drove him out of the Baptist Church, and supposing it to be the church of Christ he was just ready to throw the Bible away and all religion when the Stumblingstone came, and he saw that Christ's church was not a sectarian organization. The true light broke into his soul and he became a free man in Jesus Christ.
With flowing tears he said the Stumblingstone had been God's instrument of saving him from infidelity and from hell. He at once became an earnest preacher of the Bible faith until his death a few years later. This is one among the encouragements I have constantly received that the Stumblingstone has been blessed of God in the work of salvation. Not because of my own, but because of the truth which God has chosen and ever blesses as his chosen instrumentality.
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