THE HOLINESS MOVEMENT IN TEXAS

By Rev. Geo. McCulloch

Published and for sale by

J. H. Padgett, Ennis, Texas
Price 25 cents
 HISTORY OF THE HOLINESS MOVEMENT IN TEXAS
and
THE FANATICISM WHICH FOLLOWED
BY REV. GEO. MCCULLOCH
AQUILLA, TEXAS,1886

“And they shall call them, The holy people, The redeemed of the
Lord:and thou shalt be called Sought out, A city not forsaken.”
---- Bible
 INTRODUCTION.

Having been conversant with the holiness work in Texas, and being acquainted with nearly all the men and
women who were engaged in it. I have been requested by some of the friends of bible holiness to write up
a true, plan account of the Holiness Movement in Texas, together with the Fanaticism which sprung out of
it, and the cause which led to it. It is with reluctance that I undertake the task feeling my inability to
present it properly before the minds of the people; but seeing, as we all do, the necessity, which still exists,
of a plain statement of facts as there were in order to disabuse the minds of many good people who still
claim that the present holiness work as it exists to-day in Texas is an offshoot of what is sneeringly termed
the Haynes movement. We propose to show, by the help of the Lord, that the holiness work in Texas began
before ever Robt J. Haynes took part in it; and that the true holiness work continued on all the time of the
Haynes movement, but as separate from it as light is from darkness; and it is still going on to-day, strong
and vigorous; blessed of God, while the Haynes movement (as it is called,) lies broken and shattered, and
its followers scattered to the four winds of heaven.
In writing these pages we do not propose to give an account of everything that was said or done; of every
little transaction that transpired, not do I propose to cast any reflection upon the motives which prompted
the individuals to act, as they did, so contrary to clear light and God’s revealed truth. But we merely want
to state the facts in the case, and not from a simply hearsay of any one who might be biased or prejudiced in
the matter; but such facts as we have either seen or heard ourselves as from reliable parties who have either
been participators in it themselves, or were well acquainted with those who were. I am well aware of the
fact that these statements will arouse considerable criticism on the part of some who were carried away, for
the time being, with the fanaticism, who may say, because they know of things which were said and done
that are not mentioned in these pages, that I have not mentioned in these pages, that I have not stated facts
as they were; but I want all who read these statements to bear in mind that I am not writing the doings and
sayings simply of individuals, but the doctrines and principles involved in the great holiness movement,
and the fanaticism which sprung out of it.
GEORGE MCCULLOCH
ENNIS, TEXAS
 THE HOLINESS MOVEMENT IN TEXAS,
AND THE FANATICISM WHICH FOLLOWED

CHAP. I

In the month of March, 1877, Bro. Hardin Wallace and Bro. Ellis held the first holiness meeting ever held
in Ennis, Texas. There had been a few meeting held previously, in several parts of the state by Bro.
Wallace and others, amongst which there was one at Calvert, and one at Gainesville, I believe, but at no
point was it received so cordially by the believers as at Ennis, although there was much opposition
manifested at first by some of the people, but strange to say, some of the very worst opposers of the
doctrine at first, afterwards, being convinced of the truth of it, became its staunchest friends and boldest
advocates. Bro. Wallace’s preaching was sharp and cutting; his style was blunt: he gave sin no quarter; and
under his preaching if it believer had any carnality about him anywhere he was sure to get it stirred up. The
way he went for tobacco, stuff, gold and feathers was appalling; and all the popular sins of the day were
handled in like manner; and then he pointed as to the Remedy for all these things—the blood of Jesus
Christ.

Bro. Ellis was at that time traveling the Dresden circuit, in the M. E. Church, South. He was a a very gifted
speaker; a very clear, sound reasoner, and had much of the fire of the Holy Ghost in his preaching. While
he denounced sin of every kind and character, he ever manifested a kind, loving spirit, and showed by his
words and actions both, that he really possessed the blessing of perfect love. Several professed entire
sanctification at this meeting; and among the number, the writer of these pages, and Bro. Taylor, a preacher
in the Baptist Church, then living near Ennis, but afterward expelled from that church claiming holiness.
Soon after the close of this meeting another meeting began in an old warehouse in Ennis, by the holiness
people themselves. This was carried on every night for about three months, and during this meeting many
precious souls were saved and sanctified. The writer, at this meeting, has heard as many as seventy-five
testify in a single meeting, to the blessing of entire sanctification.

The doctrine of entire sanctification as taught by these evangelists was the same as taught by Wesley,
Fletcher, Clar and Watson, and all the other standard authorities who agree with God’s word, which shows
that in every believer’s heart, after conversion, there remains a carnal principle, which is called in Romans
8: 7, the carnal mind; “Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of
God, neither indeed can be.” Again in Romans 6:6, it is called the old man; it is called the old man;
“Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that
henceforth we should not serve sin.” And to prove that converted people had a carnal nature in them, see 1
Cor. 3:1-5; “And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as babes in
Christ, for ye are yet carnal.” And in Rom. 12:1, we are told to present our bodies a living sacrifice unto
God, that we may prove what is that good, and acceptable and perfect will of God. In 1 Thess. 4:3, we are
told, “for this is the will of God, even your sanctification.” And the very God of peace sanctify you
wholly.”

They taught that it was never received in conversion, but afterward; they taught that believers never grew
into it, but received it instantaneously, by consecration and faith; and that it might be lost by disobedience,
and regained again by faith in Christ.

They taught that the condition of a sanctified was this: His heart was cleansed from all sin; all the
tendency to anger and hatred was taken away; that a sanctified person never got angry; nothing remained in
the heart of contrary to love; but he would love the Lord with all his heart, and his neighbor as himself; that
a perfect Christian was a believer whose heart God had cleansed from all sin, and enabled, through grace,
to keep God’s holy law, and sin not.

They did not teach that it imbued him with any supernatural gifts, such as discerning spirits, or seeing
visions, or prophesying, or raising the dead, or looking for the coming of Christ, or getting special
revelations from God; but instead of this, they always impressed it forcibly upon the minds of the people
that perfect love was the greatest of all the gifts; and any one (as Mr. Wesley says) “ seeking for anything
else aside from more love was seeking for something wide of the mark.”

I have been thus particular in describing the doctrine that they preached in order to show that the fanaticism
which followed never sprung out of their teaching.

CHAP. II

About the close of the three meeting which I have already mentioned, a Bro. Willis came to Ennis, I think
from Illinois. He had been in Texas for some time, and had evidently enjoyed the blessing of holiness for
some time. He was a good man, “full of faith and the Holy Ghost.” He helped the saints at Ennis
wonderfully. The power of God was with him. A Spiritual person could feel the power of God with him as
he would be in his presence. He was the first one I ever heard sing, “Tis the very same power They had at
Pentecost.”

He remained some time at Ennis, and then went away. After being gone for a few months he returned to
Ennis, but how changed! He had been where he had heard some wild doctrine; or else the devil had
transformed himself into an angel of light, and switched him off. His teaching now, was to spiritualize
everything in God’s word; he even stated that he did not believe that there was such a river on earth as the
river Jordan, in Palestine. His talk and his illustrations were perfectly ridiculous.

He also got light, he said, to come out of the churches. He was the first one I ever heard apply the term,
“Babylon” to the modern churches ( a term so commonly used now, and I might add, so ignorantly, by
come-outers today); he told the holiness people that it was their duty to come out of all the churches, as
God could not save them if they remained in them. He succeeded in getting eight or ten to withdraw from
the churches, and some of them remain out of them until this day here in Ennis; but it is very evident that
God has withdrawn his Spirit from them, as they have gone from one extreme to another. They first took
up the seventh day for the sabbath (going back to Judaism), but now they have discarded the sabbath
entirely, keeping no one day sacred to the Lord, but claiming that every day is alike to them. They had a
house rented a short time ago, that they called the synagogue, in which they met from time to time and
talked their nonsense.

CHAP. III.

About the time that Willis left, Bro W. B. Colt and others came from Illinois with a large tent, and held
meetings through northern and central Texas. Bro. Colt was an able minister in presenting the doctrine of
holiness to the people. Thousands flocked to his meetings, and a great number were converted and
sanctified. He preached the very same doctrine that Bro’s Wallace and Ellis preached before him. He
confirmed the saints at Ennis in the faith and experience of true bible holiness, and taught them more
perfectly way of life and salvation. He told us that his fanaticism which Bro. Willis had brought amongst
us was no new thing; he had heard it before; and he warned us that the devil would always have a side track
laid to switch some one off on, if we did not watch and pray, and keep close to the written word.
During Bro. Colt’s meeting in Dallas, (I believe), a young Cumberland Presbyterian minister by the name
of Robert J. Haynes attended his meeting, and while there received the light on holiness, and was sanctified
wholly a short time afterwards.

He was a young man of considerable ability. He had filled some very prominent pulpits in Texas in his
own church. He was a single man of very pleasing appearance, and afterwards became a great favorite
with the masses. He had great power (as long as he kept in line with God’s truth), in moving the people to
seek the Lord; and when filled with the Spirit, he was probably one of the most successful ministers in
winning souls for Jesus in these latter days. Shortly after he was sanctified he felt that God called him to
labor as a holiness evangelist; so he immediately arranged his business and started out to obey the Lord in
spreading “scriptural holiness over these land.” But we will have to leave him for the present, and notice
some other characters who had appeared in the work, and were making their influence felt, and were
casting their shadows before.
 CHAP. IV

Some time previous to this a Cumberland Presbyterian evangelist by the name of Sims had been holding
meetings south of Ennis; and in his meetings he had been preaching some on the doctrine of sanctification.
I presume it was rather vague and dim. I do not know where he got his light on the doctrine, whether from
books, or from hearing some one preach on the doctrine; but I don’t think he had the clear light on the
Wesleyan doctrine of holiness at the time; but this as it may, in his travels as an evangelist he had held a
meeting at the C. P. Church at Corsicana, of which Bro. Goodnight was pastor. He had just heard enough
about the doctrine to make him anxious to know “the way of the Lord more perfectly.” So he sent a
message to Bro. C. T. Hogan, at Ennis, that is convenient to send some holiness workers down to Corsicana
and hold a meeting in his church for the promotion of bible holiness.

In answer to his request six or eight workers went from Ennis, the writer being one of the number. Bro
Goodnight was at the depot, waiting to receive us when the train arrived. He took us direct to his church,
where we had prayer-meeting, and then announced meeting for day and night for some time. Two or three
days after the meeting began, while we were all fasting and praying at the church, Bro. Goodnight was
gloriously sanctified. He was naturally one of the mildest, sweetest tempered men I ever saw. Goodness
seemed to be branded on his countenance. He was naturally beloved by every one who knew him. There
was such a mild, gentle pathos in all that he said, that it touched the hearts of all who heard him. Several
others were saved during the meeting; but owing to the cold, bad weather (it being in the month of January,
1878), snow on the ground, and some of the workers being compelled to leave, we thought it best to close
the meeting.

There was another C. P. Preacher who attended this meeting, by the name of Richard Groves. His home
was in the vicinity of Corsicana. He evidently enjoyed the blessing of holiness. I think he came into the
experience of it under Bro. Sim’s preaching. He seemed to be a man of considerable forces of character,
positive in his convictions for truth; one who would not be likely to be “carried about by every wind of
doctrine, and cunning craftiness whereby they lie in wait to deceive;” and yet strange to say, he afterwards
became one of the most extravagant leaders of the fanaticism.

CHAP. V.

There has been more or less fanaticism that has followed or accompanied every great religious movement
or reformation in the church.

------A fanatic is one who holds wild and extravagant notions and opinions about the truth of God. There is
also a species of fanaticism of God. There is also a species of fanaticism extant today that claims to attain
the end without using the means necessary to reach it; i e., they claim to keep saved without using the
means of grace which God has ordained for their salvation. Many of them do not read God’s word; for
they claim to have God’s word in them. They do not go to church, as they need not that any man should
teach them; they have no form of prayer, either in their families or in public, as they claim to have the spirit
of prayer; and as a natural result, of course, they do not pray; when God’s word commands us to “ pray
everywhere, lifting up holy hands without wrath or doubting.”----

We find in the history of the reformation in Switzerland, under the preaching of Zwingle, that men sprung
out of it claiming to have dreams, visions, impressions, revelations, etc., but they generally followed
impressions more than anything else, and professed to be led directly by the Lord, without the word.
Zwingle went amongst them,preached to them, and reasoned with them, but failed to get them right; and
afterwards some of the unfortunate leaders in it were burned at the stake; and yet there is no doubt but
much of the light they had was the true light on holiness, but for the want of proper teaching on the doctrine
they were led off into excesses of various kinds.

Again, we find in Mr. Wesley's day a man by the name of Bell, who led a number of Mr. Wesley's converts
into fanaticism in London. They went by the name of Bellites. They were led off after dream, visions,
impressions, etc., and some claimed the gift of prophecy, and others the discerning of spirits etc. Mr.
Wesley told them that they were led by the wrong spirit in seeking for these gifts instead of seeking for
more love. Again we read of extravagant doings and sayings in the early days of the Quaker movement,
both in England and America; and yet no good man is prepared to say that the reformation was a failure
because some held extreme views on some of the truths of God's word, or were entirely wrong in other
things concerning it; nor yet can we say that the Methodist movement under Wesley and others, was wrong
because the Bellites were wrong; nor yet that there were not good, spiritual people amongst the quakers,
because some were "ranters." It will not do to condemn the whole movement in either of the periods
mentioned because some went astray. Neither will it do to condemn the whole of the holiness work in
Texas on account of the wild, unscriptural opinions and doctrines held and advanced by some of its
followers. It was no exception to the general rule. The devil has been the same in all these great revivals.
When he could not discourage the saints, and drive them back, he then transformed himself into an angel of
light, and led the unsuspecting too far. There is something remarkable in the fact, that the devil has used
the same delusions in all ages to deceive and lead off the followers of Christ; viz: to leave the plain, written
word, and follow impressions; because he knew that he could impress them to do things just as well as the
Spirit of the Lord could, and he led them to seek for gifts, and look for visions and revelations and the
coming of Christ, instead of working for salvation of precious souls.

CHAP. VI

We will now return to our subject; and we will have to follow the movements of Robert J. Haynes, who, as
we stated before, soon after he was sanctified wholly, started out as a holiness evangelist, and was very
successful in winning souls for Christ. There were two young women in the work, sister Mary and Nettie
Causey. They had both been gloriously sanctified during the meetings at Ennis, and were thoroughly
consecrated to the work of the Lord, and felt that the Lord had called them to this work. They had both
labored some, previous to this time, in meetings with other evangelists. They were in the meeting at
Corsicana when Bro. Goodnight was sanctified; and at other places with other evangelists around in the
country, in singing, in laboring in the altar with mourners and seekers for holiness, in testimony and in
exhortation. There were both gifted in song. Their voices choralled well together, and they always sung
with the Spirit, and great numbers came to the meetings where they were, to hear them sing; and God
blessed their labors. The writer has labored with them in meetings where the power of God was manifest in
bringing souls to Christ through their singing as much so as through the preaching of the word.

It was for this purpose, no doubt, that they went with Bro. Haynes to be co-workers with Christ in winning
souls. As the work advanced in breadth and power under their labors, the devil taking advantage of the fact
that they were unmarried, and Bro. Haynes being a single man, the opposers commenced saying all manner
of evil things against them falsely for Christ's sake, by taking up some of the most ridiculous reports, and
repeating scandalous statements disparaging to their characters, which had no foundation in fact; nor were
they believed by those who knew them best, and were most intimately acquainted with them. They were of
a good family. Their father was a Methodist minister; and no one who knew them but believed that they
were as pure and virtuous in their lives as could be; but in order to have "abstained from all appearance of
evil”, and to have given the adversary no occasion to injure the cause, it would, no doubt, have been better
had they never labored together as they did. But God knows best about these things; we do not propose to
take the judgment seat in any matter of this kind. As the work advanced they began preaching more and
more; and sister Mary Causey (now sister Mary V. Hogan), is one of the most gifted preachers in the state.

CHAP. VII

The first error which Bro. Haynes got into when he first went into the work, and saw the power of God
manifested in converting sinners and in sanctifying believers, was this: He was led to believe that where
sinners had the proper light through preaching, and the proper instruction at the altar that they could be
justified and sanctified at the same time. (A wrong doctrine, yet a little better than many Methodist
preachers hold today, who claim that they were sanctified in conversion; and yet they never sought it
definitely as an experience, as Bro. Haynes taught his converts to do.) The devil showed him, no doubt,
that this method of getting holiness would expedite business, and save the seeming trouble of having them
come to the altar twice. The holiness brethren remonstrated with him, but he clung to it, and in
consequences of it many of the brethren withdrew their fellowship from him until he got straight again. He
went on, holding and preaching this doctrine for a time and no doubt many were deceived by it; they were
led to believe in and claim entire sanctification when they were only converted, or reclaimed.

It is impossible for a person to be converted and sanctified at one and the same time, for the following
reasons: A sinner when he comes to Christ, is "dead in trespasses and in sins. " And in Rom. 12:1 God
says to "present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God," etc. therefore, a sinner cannot do
this in conversion; he has first to be made alive to God through regenerating grace and the new birth; and
then at any time after conversion he can present his body a living sacrifice to God, and be sanctified
wholly.

Bro Haynes kept on preaching this doctrine until Bro. Colt came back the second time, and under his
preaching at Rakestraw Lake camp meeting he was led to see his error, and commenced again to preach
justification and sanctification as distinct blessings. During this time while he remained straight he dealt
heavy blows for the truth; he gave the devil no quarter; he went for ungodly church-members with a vim;
and denounced the use of tobacco and the wearing of jewelry (or gold) with an unsparing voice. He stirred
the devil in the people wherever he went; and many souls were saved through his ministry; but the devil
was bound to put a stop to his success. He was tearing down his kingdom too fast; and if he could not
reach him directly he might through others; and if he could not stop him from going far enough he would
lead him too far, and thereby gain his end.

CHAP. VIII

We have now arrived at the period when the fanaticism was about to begin in earnest. And we do not
propose to follow them through every meeting, nor yet to report their doings and sayings during their
meetings; but simply to state the cause of it, and the results which followed. The cause which led to their
great error was mainly an error in doctrine as to the nature of Christian perfection.

All five of the leaders of this movement were Cumberland Presbyterian ministers, and, of course,
Calvinistic in their belief; and they thought they saw in God's word a way whereby they could make
Calvinism and Arminianism agree; and through harmonizing the two, build up one of the grandest systems
of theology ever known: They were saved in conversion from the possibility of falling from grace; and in
holiness from the possibility of sinning, or ever being tempted, as many of them testified. In fact, they saw
in atonement of Christ a provision made to save them from sin, from sickness, from pain and death; and
they became immortal. The perfection they taught was an absolute perfection, the perfection of the
glorified state; and they believed it to be their privilege as preachers to have such power as that sinners
would fall as dead men under their preaching.

The result of this belief was that it filled them with spiritual pride instead of the meek, humble, gentle spirit
of Jesus. The devil, now transformed into an angel of light, rushed them on to seek the power to heal the
sick, to raise the dead and to impart the gift of the Holy ghost to whomsoever they would lay their hands
on. And on this faith they organized what was called the Tabernacle Church; and a great many of their
converts joined it.

CHAP. IX

Having thus merely outlined their doctrine, we will now proceed with the account of the movement as it
progressed.

As Bro. Haynes went out from the meeting referred to at Rakestraw Lake, he was joined from time to time
by these other C. P. preachers we have just mentioned, viz; Bro's Sims, Goodnight, Richard and William
Groves. All five of these probably had enjoyed the blessing of holiness, and likely did at this time. They
were all good men; had been ministers of the gospel for years; but under the great illuminating power of the
Spirit in holiness, they imagined that it was the fore-runner of some great event in the history of the church,
(forgetting that it is but the natural birthright of all God's children in this glorious dispensation of the Holy
Spirit to be illuminated by the Spirit.) and their minds naturally supposed that it was the closing up of this
dispensation, and it was the sign of the second coming of Christ. They met together at Corsicanna as Bro.
Sims was at this time (the spring of 1878) holding a meeting at the Cumberland church in that city. He was
preaching on the gifts more than anything else (as recorded in 1 Cor., 12th chapter) and he invited several
forward in order to receive some one or other of these gifts by the laying on of hands. I believe that they
laid their hands on Capt. Evans, then an elder of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, and he professed to
have received some gift by this means. They also laid their hands on a Bro. Taylor, who lived near
Corsicana. I think he was then a preacher in the Baptist Church (but has now gone into Seventh-Day
Adventism.) He seemed to think that he felt something when the preachers laid their hands on him, but he
was not positive whether he could claim it as a gift or not. But they tried to convince him that it was all
right if he would only claim it.

Bro. C. T. Hogan, of Ennis, was present also at this meeting. They tried to convince him that it was his
privilege to seek for these gifts too. I believe he told them that he had no objection to anything that might
make him a better, or a more useful Christian, provided that it was in harmony with God's word. "Oh, there
could be no doubt about that as the bible taught plainly that these gifts were for all Christians who would
seek for them," was their reply. He allowed them to lay their hands on his head; but when asked if he felt,
or or received anything, he would shake his head, and answer, "No." The fact is, Bro. Hogan was a man of
too much hard sense to be deceived by any such pretentions; but I presume that they thought that he was
not "believing" but, "faithless." They continued their meeting here for some time on this line; but they had
no revival, or any success in saving souls.

Bro. J. R. Sims was the leading spirit in this whole movement from first to last, as long as he went with it;
and there is no doubt but that he was the great cause of Bro. Haynes and other preachers being led astray.
At the close of this meeting they all left Corsicana, and went to the house of William Groves, or. Richland
creek, near Milford.

CHAP. X

Their reason for meeting at Bro. Groves' was to perfect their views and doctrines, and prepare for the
coming of Christ. So far as we can learn, the conclusion they arrived at was this: They professed to see
from the prophecies of Daniel and Joel that the "Times of the Gentiles" was about fulfilled; and that they
were then about the middle of the "Gentile week, " with about three and a half or four years yet to expire
before Christ should come; but that a translation of the one-hundred and forty-four thousand would take
place about forty-two months before his advent into the world.

Bro. Goodnight, the pastor of the C. P Church, left his wife, an invalid, at home, and went with them;
which caused a great deal of talk, and much reflection on his conduct; but he had become so infatuated with
the doctrine that he was willing to abandon wife and child, and everything else, that might be in his way, as
they all believed that the time for them to be translated was close at hand. With regard to their meeting
near Milford, little is known outside of the few who went through it, and the all-seeing eye of God, who
never slumbers. They remained there for several weeks, in opposition to requests of neighbors and the
urgent appeals of friends--- idle and useless, holding no meetings for the salvation of souls, but simply
watching and waiting for the coming of Christ, that they might be translated.

The sisters, Mary and Nettie Causey were with them during this meeting; and as week after week wore on,
the holiness people generally were very uneasy as to the results of this meeting, as it was now plain to
every one that they were off on the wildest kind of fanaticism; and all knew that the cause of true holiness
would suffer thereby. They endeavored, therefore, to see them, and break up the meeting, but for some
time it was impossible to see them under any pretense. Finally Bro. C. T. Hogan and Bro. Taylor of Ennis
went to Milford with a wagon, determined to break up the meeting, and bring the sisters Causey home with
them.

When they went to Milford they were greatly assisted in their efforts by Bro. Reeves, of Ennis who was
there at the time on business, and also Dr. Long and his wife. They all went down together to the house of
"Mother" Groves, about a mile distant from the town, where the meeting was held. When Bro. Hogan
went to the house he was met at the door by Bro. Sims as leader of the meeting, who wanted to know his
business. He told them (as they all soon came out and sat down on the gallery in front of the house) that he
had come to take the girls home, and that he wanted them to break up their meeting, as he thought they had
carried it to far already. They claimed that it was impossible for them to leave there then, as they had a
positive evidence that Christ would come in a day or two. And besides this, Bro. Wm. Groves was having
visions and revelations from God, and Bro. R. J. Haynes was writing a book, giving an account of these
things as fast as the brother received them; and they could not and dare not, leave there until the visions
closed and the book was written.

Bro. Hogan remarked to them in answer to their objections, that they had already set the day for Christ to
come several times, as they had already told him,; and he was no more likely to come now than then; and as
for the visions and revelations, he told them that they were all of the devil; that God was not in all of it, but
that they were being led by the devil instead of by the Spirit of the Lord; and they didn't quit their
foolishness and break up this meeting that the people around in the community might raise a mob and come
run them off from there. He told them that he would come back in the morning with a wagon for the girls
and if they tried to hinder them from going home he would go and get out a writ and have them all arrested.

All the brethren before mentioned talked and reasoned with each one separately, also on the harm they
were doing the cause of holiness by their present conduct, and the scandal that they were getting up in the
country by remaining housed up there so long together, away from their families, etc. Sister Long talked to
the girls like a mother would, and advised them kindly to go home in the wagon with Bro. Hogan and Bro.
Taylor. Her advice probably had some effect on them, but they did not yield entirely or consent to go
home, as they all claimed that they should have to get another witness before they would dare to leave
there.

CHAP. XI

Now, we want to explain at this point as best we can (as they explained to Bro. Hogan), what these
witnesses were that they professed to receive in answer to prayer. They did not receive an answer to prayer
now as Christians usually do; nor yet by an impression of some passage of scripture upon the mind, nor yet
by the uncertain way of opening the bible, and taking the first passage of scripture that the eyes would rest
on as an answer to their prayer; but their witnesses were these: In answer to one particular prayer, or kind
of prayer, the nerves of the face would twitch around the corner of one eye. Another witness to another
kind of prayer was a sudden movement of the muscle in the calf of the leg; and still another witness was a
sudden nervous jerking motion in one or other of the big toes on either foot. I believe it was usually
through William Groves that their witnesses were received; but they all claimed to receive them at the
times. How strange that sensible, well educated, earnest Christian ministers could ever be so far led astray
by the devil as to recognize such absurdities as this as an answer to prayer.

But to return to our subject: In the morning when Bro's Hogan and Taylor came from Milford with the
wagon for the sisters they all claimed that they had got the witness to leave and go home, except Bro.
Goodnight; the Lord had not given him any witness to go. Bro. Hogan then gave him a postal card from his
wife at Corsicana, stating that she was in bed, sick, and that the hired girl had left; and she had no one but
her little daughter to wait on her. And yet for all of that he would not consent to go home until he had got a
witness on it. So he went upstairs, and returned in about five minutes in good spirits, stating that he had got
the witness to go home. So Bro. Hogan hurried off in order to meet the Hillsborro stage at Milford, on its
way to Corsicana, so that Bro. Goodnight could go home that day. They reached Milford before the stage
came in; and as Bro. Goodnight had no money Bro. Hogan kindly paid his way on the stage home, and
Bro's Sims and Haynes and the sisters Causey came in the wagon to Ennis; and from Ennis Bro. Sims went
home to his family. We think that Bro's Hogan and Taylor deserve great credit for the part that they
performed in breaking up the Milford meeting; and for the time and expense they were at the doing so they
are certainly due the thanks of all the holiness people in Texas.

Bro. Haynes remained at Ennis a short time, and during his stay in the neighborhood he preached the
funeral sermon of sister Lou Hogan, (an unmarried sister of Bro. C. T. Hogan) who died at this time. Bro.
Haynes, in talking with the writer about their meeting at Milford, remarked that Moses was mistaken forty
years as to the time that God had appointed to deliver Israel; and that it was possible that they were
mistaken a little as to the time that Christ should come.
 CHAP. XII

Bro. Haynes soon started out again to hold some meetings in the vicinity of Ennis, and the two sisters
Causey went with him as before, and nearly every one believed that the fanaticism was at an end. But the
devil was not so easily satisfied as he appeared to be. In a short time Bro. Haynes started over into Navarro
County where he had been so successful before in his work as a holiness evangelist; and no doubt he felt
like seeing the brethren again, to confirm them in the faith. It is necessary to remark here that his greatest
success in previous meetings had been among the Cumberland Presbyterians; and when he went back this
time he was not so cordially received (by some) as at first, on account of their recent meetings near
Milford, where they were looking to be translated.

During a meeting which he held at Sander's Arbor, near the center of Navarro County he was joined again
by some of the preachers who had been with him before; and among the rest Bro. William Groves of
Milford, who seemed to be a character who was easily excited; of a very vivid imagination, easily
impressed from any source; and he became the prophet, or mouthpiece for the whole party; so they began
to lead off again into all kinds of unscriptural doctrines. They held meetings during the fall and winter as
they could, at Raleigh Spring Hill, and in the Buckingham neighborhood near Purdom; and great crowds of
people still attended their meetings. As they had not yet gone into all the extravagances in their doctrine,
(which they did in the season following,) there were still a few souls saved under their labors.

In the spring of 1879 Bro. Haynes and the sisters held a meeting at Wortham in Freestone County, where
they were instrumental in doing much good, no doubt, and probably some harm as well, through some of
his false teaching. While attending a meeting a few miles from Wortham, Bro. Haynes and the girls, and a
sister Sappington, I believe, and others, were violently thrown from a wagon by the wagon being upset
through the carelessness of the driver, I suppose, and sister Mary Causey was seriously hurt, and in
consequence of it soon afterwards left the work entirely, and went back to her home near Ennis.

About the same time Bro. Haynes and sister Nettie Causey were married. It has been intimated by
opposers that they never were married; as they were, at this time called Free Lovers, and almost everything
else that could be thought of that was bad; but the fact is, that they got their marriage license at Fairfield,
the County-seat of Freestone County, and the marriage ceremony was performed by Rev. P. Grizzard, then
a member of the Central Texas Conference of the Methodist Protestant Church, and living near Wortham at
the time. I have been told this fact time and again by Bro. Grizzard himself.

After the close of the Wortham meeting in the spring Bro. Haynes seemed to think it best to go back over
the same field of labor that he gone over the previous year; and as he took the back track with his wife and
the other workers it was very plain that they were getting more and more fanatic as the season advanced. I
think that it was about this time that they began to receive copies of a paper published by Henry T.
Williams of Brooklyn, N. Y., called Glad Tidings. It was a very rabid, fanatical sheet, and no doubt had
much to do in leading them off into the wild fanaticism of this, the summer of 1879, which was the last
season they labored in Texas. And during the meetings which they held this year in the neighborhood of
Dresden, Spring Hill, etc., they began again to seek for the gifts mentioned in the 12th chapter of 1st
Corinthians; and many claimed that they received them; and instead of preaching to sinners to get saved,
and believers to get sanctified, they commenced to seek for imaginary blessings.

The preachers sought for such power as that every where sinners would fall as dead men under their
preaching; and yet they claimed that the Holy Spirit was taken out of the world as Christ had left the
mediatorial throne, and was now preparing a people for translation to himself. And it is said that they
publicly said that from henceforth no sinner ever could be converted to God. They also sought the power
that on whomsoever they (the preachers) would lay their hands they should recover. And it is said that they
actually tried to bring a dead child to life by laying on of hands, though we rather doubt it. Some of them
believe that they had the power to baptize, or anoint, with the Holy Ghost; and many of their followers
went forward and professed to receive the Holy Ghost at their hands.

William Groves was to go to Brooklyn, N. Y., to Henry T. Williams, and have a finger miraculously
restored, of which he was minus on one of his hands; and he boldly declared that when he returned he
would show them his finger, restored whole as the others. The money necessary to take him to Brooklyn,
was raised at once. I believe Dr. Furguson gave the most of it. He went to Brooklyn, saw the parties, and
after some little time returned to Texas; but his finger was still gone, though he had got new light from
Henry T. Williams that more than compensated for the failure to have his finger restored. And from this
time forward their movement was virtually under the leadership of this man. And from now on their
fanaticism took a wilder and more unscriptural form, it possible, than ever. They were now led by
impressions almost entirely; and the leadings they had now was to spiritualize everything in God's word;
and soon the word began to be laid aside to a great extent; and they professed that God revealed his will to
them with the word.

Their spirit now became harsh, censorious and fault-finding; and while it was very evident that God had
withdrawn His Spirit from them, yet there was a power amongst them that was wonderful. Many
remarkable cases of healing are mentioned, that took place amongst them, by the laying on of hands, during
this time. But whilst they renounced nothing which they had held to in the past they saw much in God's
word for them to seek for yet. They soon believed that it was their privilege to be saved from death; and to
prove this they quoted 1st Cor. 15: 22: "For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive."
And again, Heb. 2:14, 15: "That though death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the
devil, and deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage." And again
2nd Tim. 1: 10: "But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Savior, Jesus Christ, who hadth
abolished death and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel." Bro. Haynes preached it
boldly, declaring time and again that they (his opposers, who were many) could not kill him.

They then invited their followers to seek translating faith, by which they were to become completely
spiritualized; and as long as they kept this faith they could never die. But some of them believed it possible
to lose this faith and die like other people. I do not know whether Bro. Haynes and all the rest of the
leaders in the movement really believed this or not; but I know that Bro. Richard Groves did; for he stated
publicly several times that he was spiritualized, and would not die. And according to some accounts he
believed it up to the very hour of his death. And it is well known that scores of their followers believed it
and testified to it. They continued from this on to be led more and more by impressions. They would not
preach now unless they were impressed to do so; though there was but little use of preaching among them
now, as they had lost all influence for good over the unsaved, or those on the outside. And what preaching
they did now was but a declaration of their wild, unscriptural doctrines.

Wm. Groves was generally the medium through which they had their supposed communication with God.
He would get under the power, as they called it and keep up a jerking motion, and in a minute or two he
would give them the supposed answer. During these meetings they organized what they called the
Tabernacle Church, "The Tabernacle which God pitched, and not man." I believe that they had seven
degrees in it, to answer to the seven steps to the throne. I never really understood what some of these steps
were; but amongst others I believe they taught that justification and regeneration brought them into the
outer court, or "Holy of Holies." It was to be a true pattern of the tabernacle in the wilderness. They then
had to seek for the gift of the Holy Ghost, and one or other of the gifts spoken of in the 12th of 1st
Corinthians and then translating faith came in afterwards, etc. I believe by the time they came to Corsicana
in the fall to hold their meeting they had about seventy-five or one hundred members in their church.

I should have stated in the proper place, but omitted, that during the meeting which Bro. Sims held at the C.
P. Church at Corsicana, the summer previous to this, that Rev.Wm. Groves published a prophecy, or vision,
which he had concerning future events both in Europe and America. It read a great deal like a plagiary on
Ezekiel or the Revelations of St. John: He saw a beast rising out of the Mediterranean sea with a great
many heads and horns, and it forebode great evils and calamities both upon Europe and America in the near
future, and a great deal of other nonsense which would be but a waste of time to repeat it, which sounded
like the wild ravings of a heated imagination than the sensible statement of a minister of Jesus Christ.
Much of their preaching now partook more of a braggadocio style than that of the humble teachers of the
doctrines of Jesus Christ.

The consecration which they taught now was of such a character that if a wife could not believe like the
husband, or the husband like the wife, that it was their privilege, or their duty to leave them. This created
considerable disturbance in the community, and much opposition from the outside, and many threats were
made against them; and there was a church building burned at one place where they were holding a
meeting.

CHAP. XIII

It was while the Haynes party were running wild in their fanaticism this season of 1879 that the true
holiness people held their State holiness Camp-meeting at Corsicana, where so many were converted and
sanctified. That did not look much like it was the same work. And while these poor, foolish, blind people
were testifying that they could not be tempted, could not sin, and never die, the true holiness people were
testifying that they were not saved from temptation, they were saved in temptation, by the grace of God,
from yielding to sin. And instead of saying that they could not sin, testified that in this grace of entire
sanctification they need not sin. And instead of seeking for gifts and visions, and faith to be translated,
praise God, they were seeking to get the souls saved possible. And yet there are those today who still
confound the true work with the false.

After they had all the gifts and power that they claimed they needed it seemed as if they wanted to test their
strength on Corsicana, as they believed now that they had the power necessary to convert the world. So
they had notices printed and sent around announcing a Pentecost meeting to begin in Corsicana, I think,
about the 7th of October, 1879; and all the faithful ones were to come together for a ten day's meeting, as
they had at "Pentecost," and wait for the power; and when they received it why Corsicana was to be
converted in a single day. So at the time appointed they began to gather in Corsicana; and they had secured
what is known as the Haynes house, a house of five or six rooms, owned by the widow lady by the name of
Haynes, but no connection, as I know, to R. J. Haynes.

They just lived in this house, held their meetings and fasted and prayed until about the 17th or 18th of
October. Bro. Goodnight was present, I believe, all the time of the meeting; and his friends were alarmed
about him, as he seemed to be losing his mind. And the people were getting considerably stirred up about
the doctrine that Haynes was preaching; and I believe that they were notified to breakup the meeting and
leave the city. But Bro. Haynes manifested a defiant spirit, and would not consent to leave. So about 2
o'clock on the night of the 17th or 18th while a cold norther was blowing a party of masked men went to
the window first of the room where Haynes and his wife were sleeping and broke in the window with a
fence rail, which woke them; and then some one of the party, pretending to be friendly to him called him to
the door, and he went, simply in his shirt and drawers, as he had been in bed. As soon as he came to the
door he was taken hold by these men and hurried off to a covered carriage which stood near by, and which
had been brought for this purpose. He was hastily put in and hurriedly driven off.

It seems that there were two parties of these men, and they had separated. One party was to go and capture
him and bring him to the others, and they were to take him to a water tank a mile or two from town and
"due" him in that, in his paled condition and then make him promise to leave Corsicana or a worse thing
would happen to him. But in the darkness of the night the one party had lost the other. So after driving out
of town for some distance and not finding their comrades they seemed to be at a loss to know what to do.
During all this time Bro. Haynes had not spoken a word, and some of them likely wondered at it; but when
they came to examine him they found he was speechless, and nearly dead from exposure in the cold norther
in his naked condition. So for fear that he might die on their hands they hurried back to town with him and
laid him down at the door of a Campbellite preacher and drove off and left. The family were aroused by
the noise they made and went to the door where they found him as described, and took him in, cared for
him and as soon as they found out who he was they sent word to his friends, and they came and got him
back to where he was taken from, by sunrise that morning.

R. J. Haynes soon left with his wife for Dallas, where he remained about a week, and then left for
Brooklyn, N. Y. No language is too strong to express our disapprobation of the treatment he received at the
hands of these unknown parties at Corsicana. And it was a shame that some of the city papers endorsed it,
and claimed that he had been treated just right; and one paper went as far as to say, he was referring to it,
afterward, that they all ought to have been treated to a rope; that was the quickest way to get rid of these
holiness people.

That is the same spirit of persecution that has always been in the world; and while they were in error, yet
we must remember that to error is human but to forgive divine. Therefore, let us cover their error as much
as possible with the mantle of charity. I will now leave this part of the work for the present and relate what
other men and women had been doing for the cause of true holiness during this time.

CHAP. XIV

In the latter part of the year 1878 Rev. G. R. Harvey came and preached at Ennis. His family was then
living at Lawrence in Kaufman County, Texas. He was an Englishman by birth, and came from the state of
New York a year or two previous to this time. He had been a traveling preacher in one of the New York
conferences of the Free Methodist Church. Before coming to Texas he wrote to Bro. Boyd, the president of
the Texas Conference of the Methodist Protestant Church to see if he could get work in that conference,
He appointed him to the charge of a circuit, and Bro. Harvey arrived with his family and took charge of his
work. But his style of preaching was too radical, I suppose, to suit them, and he soon found out that they
could not get along well together. So he resigned his charge, and had his name transfered by Bro. Roberts,
the General superintendent of the Free Methodist Church, to the Missouri and Kansas Conference of that
Church, and he was appointed evangelist of that conference to Texas. He held that relation when he first
came to Ennis.

He was the first minister of that church who ever labored in Texas, and in fact the first Free Methodist
preacher I ever saw. He was a very able, earnest preacher, full of faith and of the Holy Ghost. He was an
earnest contender "for the faith once delivered to the saints." He was the most thorough, radical,
uncompromising preacher of holiness that had ever been in Texas. He preached the very same doctrine that
Bro's Wallace, Ellis and Colt had all preached before him. H taught the doctrine of entire sanctification
through consecration and faith, in the blood of Jesus Christ. And the Free Methodist Church, which he
represented, was founded on the very doctrines and principles which all the other holiness evangelists had
contended for all the meetings held previously.

Their doctrines forbade the wearing of "gold, or pearls, or costly array;" and they required their members to
dress plainly, just as the holiness preachers had done. It forbade their member the use of tobacco, just as
the holiness preachers had done. It required all their members to come out from all secret societies, just as
the true holiness people had done; for although the other evangelists had not preached on that evil, yet
God's Holy Spirit had already shown them that it was wrong; and every holiness man at Ennis (and there
were several) who had belonged to secret orders had already withdrawn before Bro. Harvey preached there.
So God was opposed to secretism as well as Bro. Harvey. Conversion was their standard of church
membership, but they expected their members to go right on and seek perfect love. Although Bro. Harvey
worked more on a church line than any other of the holiness workers had ever done, yet as he preached the
very same doctrine that they did, and labored to build up the cause of holiness wherever he went his name
ought to be mentioned, and his labors recounted with the others.

He soon organized a Free Methodist society at Ennis from amongst the holiness people, and he moved his
family to that place soon afterward. The next year after he came to Ennis he had a holiness camp meeting
near town. There were campers from Corsicana and Lawrence as well as from Ennis. It was a blessed
meeting--a time of great power--as much so as I ever saw for the numbers present. All the preaching had
the ring to it; and it was the straight bible truth. Several preachers were there from a distance. Bro. Parks
from near Hutto, was a very able minister, preaching with great power. And there was Bro. Parker from
Corsicana, Bro. Loomis from Terrell, Texas, Bro. Albritton of Ennis and Sister Mary Causey preached with
great acceptability at this meeting. It is a remarkable fact, that with but one or two exceptions, every one
who came to the altar were either converted or sanctified, as the case might be before leaving it. But the
prejudice was so great against them that but a few attended the meeting but the holiness people and their
friends. After this meeting Bro. Harvey traveled and preached through the surrounding country whilst the
fanaticism was going on; and no doubt he prevented many from being carried away with it and becoming
spiritually ruined.
 CHAP. XV

The year after the meeting at Ennis the State Camp-meeting was held at Corsicana. Dr. Bush, a Presiding
Elder of the M. E. Church was present, and had charge of the meeting. He was a man of great power, "full
of faith and the Holy Ghost," he preached the word "in demonstration of the Spirit and with power," and
sinners quaked under his searching, scathing, burning words. It was the most remarkable meeting of
modern times, and by far the most successful meeting ever held in Texas. The country was stirred for miles
around, and the city was moved considerably. The merchants and people of Corsicana liberally donated
provisions necessary to supply the workers on the camp-ground throughout the latter part of the meeting. It
was reported that over five hundred souls were either converted or sanctified during the meeting. Bro.
Harvey was present during the entire meeting, and preached with great power and acceptability to the
people.

Sister Mary Causey was also present, and preached some of her best sermons, and labored very
successfully in the altar instructing the seekers. Bro. Parker was also present at this meeting, and did good
work in his quiet way. Shortly after the close of this meeting Bro. Harvey organized a Free Methodist class
at Corsicana, contrary to the wishes of the holiness workers, I suppose, as they were all opposed to
anything like church work being brought into the holiness movement, even though the church might preach
the very same doctrine that they did. But I think the benefits which have been derived from it have proved
the wisdom of his course in organizing as he went along, wherever he could get a society. For as every one
knows who will acknowledge it, that outside of the few who have remained straight by being in the Free
Methodist Church I have no account of the great majority of the five hundred saved at that meeting. And It
is a well known fact by all holiness workers, that where the holiness work was left to itself, or to the mercy
of the dead, worldly conformed churches that it has almost invariably died out; and there has been more of
the true holiness work preserved and kept straight and pure through the organization of the Free Methodist
Church than through any other method in Texas, no matter what anyone may say to the contrary.

The cause of holiness at the close of the State Holiness Camp-meeting was probably more popular than it
had ever been since the movement began; but it was now shortly to undergo a change. The fanaticism
which was now running wild throughout the country, separating and destroying the peace of families, and
causing its deluded followers to run into all kinds of excesses, as we have before related, caused the very
name of holiness to be a by-word in the mouths of the people; and it became a common expression now in
many places, to call all holiness people Haynesites. And from that time even until now the holiness cause
has never regained the favor amongst the people that it had before this took place. But probably it was all
for the best, as there was danger of running into a popular holiness that would have been no real benefit to
the possessor of it.

When the reproach on account of the fanaticism, came on, it caused many of the holiness people to go back
from professing it, and some have went back into the world, or back into a dead conformity in these
holiness-fighting churches. I could name many who were once bright witnesses in the experience, but on
account of the reproach caused by the fanatics have gone back, and follow no more with us. And many
more have been hindered from accepting it, or from testifying to it when they had the experience, by the
determined opposition of the majority of presiding elders and pastors of the M. E. Church, South, in Texas.
They adopted a uniform system, that whenever any of the holiness people were present at any of their class
meetings or love-feasts, (whether they belonged to their church or not) of crowding out their testimonies,
and in prayer-meeting by calling on just such ones as they wanted to pray, so as to keep them from having
any chance to pray in their meetings. And not satisfied with that, they would make cruel thrusts at them in
their preaching, holding them up to ridicule, charging them with saying and doing things that they never
thought of; and in fact, they seemed to try by every means in their power to crush out the very life and
power of godliness from their souls.

Even only a few months ago a presiding elder whom I could name if necessary, whilst holding his quarterly
meeting in East Waco, compared these holiness people to Jim Shaw of the Liberal Pulpit in Waco. And yet
every one of these preachers, in preparing for the ministry in the M. E. Church, South, have to study
Watson's institutes, Clark's commentaries, and read Wesley's sermons, and all the other standard Methodist
authorities; and every one of them teach the doctrine of entire sanctification, as a distinct experience
received instantaneously by faith in Jesus' blood, any time after conversion. Not one of them teach that it is
received in conversion. Not one of them teach that it is received in conversion, nor yet by growth, nor in
the article of death. In fact holiness or entire sanctification was the cornerstone on which Methodism was
founded. The old disciplines said on the second page, in giving the rise and history of Methodism, that it
was for the purpose of "spreading scriptural holiness over these lands that the ministers called Methodist
were raised up."

But that is all changed now, and that history is all taken out of the front part of the discipline. They are
ashamed of their origin. The modern disciplines ought to have it put back after this form: "It is for the
purpose of opposing and fighting scriptural holiness throughout these lands that the ministers called
Methodists are now raised up." And yet these very men are asked the question in conference "Have you
faith in God?" "Are you going on to perfection?" "Are you groaning after it?" And yet as soon, almost as
they leave the conference room and get to their work they begin to fight, with all the power they can, the
very doctrine they were "going on to," and "earnestly groaning after." God help all such preachers! For
instead of groaning after it, they are just groaning for a chance to fight it, and almost perjure themselves in
doing so. And they will sing out of a hymn book with about forty pages on entire sanctification and then
fight the doctrine. Many of them will read the general rules in the discipline with a gold ring on their
finger, and a gold watch and chain, (if they can afford it) and gold studs in their shirt bosoms; and their
wives the leaders of the fashions and decked all over with gold and feathers, if they can get it, and yet the
general rule forbids "the putting on of gold or costly apparel." God deliver us from such methodism! Amen.
What could be expected of the members while the preachers themselves, and their families violate the
general rules in such a shameless manner. And we reiterate the statement before made, that one of the
greatest hindrances in the way of spreading scriptural holiness is in Texas now, is these proud, worldly-
conformed preachers and presiding elders of the M. E. Church, South. God help them!

CHAP. XVI

In southern Methodism there are a few noble men who have the moral courage, grace and manhood to
contend for the true faith of the bible and of Methodism; in whose hearts the true love of God burns with an
earnest desire to see the church reclaimed from worldliness, and baptized with the old time power and fire
of the Holy Ghost, and restored to the ancient land marks and doctrines of primitive Methodism as laid
down by her standard authors, and her members walking "holily; justly, and unblamably before God," as
they should do. May God hasten the day.

Amongst those who are preaching the doctrine, we might mention Rev. R. A. Armstrong, presiding elder of
the Waxahachie District. He still keeps himself unpopular with some of the preachers by preaching the
doctrine all over his district as the Lord leads him in it. God bless him.

And we hear of Bro. B. F. Gasaway, the able editor of the Holiness Advocate, (Now consolidated with the
Way of Life, Cartersville, Ga.) the organ of the N. W. Texas Holiness Association. He is a minister of
great ability, mighty in the scriptures; and he is leading many, by his writing and preaching, into the light
and experience of entire sanctification. The Lord bless him and make him a flame throughout the land.

We also hear reports of Father Levi Harris, who is doing good work for the Master, and stirring the devil
betimes and getting persecuted for Christ's sake; and who is convincing the people out of the scriptures that
it is their duty, as well as their privilege to be holy in heart and life. God bless him, and keep his heart
filled with pure love, and continue to give him power and grace to preach the whole truth in spite of men or
devils, and live and work for Jesus. Rev. W. L. Harris, his son, has probably done as much in the way of
agitating and spreading holiness as any other man in the state. He, also, has a son who believes and
preaches the doctrine of holiness. Father, son and grand-son, all members of the N. W. Texas Conference,
and doing good work for the Master.

And then there is Bro. G. L. Hickey, of Hillsboro in Hill Co., a local preacher in the church. He has been
preaching holiness for years, and has attended nearly all the State Holiness Camp-meetings and has been an
earnest advocate of the doctrine of holiness. And then there is that old saint of God, Father Padgett, whose
face just shines with the glory of God as he preaches or testifies to this blessed doctrine. He is a local
preacher in the same church, and also a colporteur of the American Bible Society, having canvassed thirty-
seven counties in Texas, distributing thousands upon thousands of copies of the word of God in many
homes of this broad land. He has preached holiness for years and years. He also has a son, a minister,
(editor of the Gospel Flame, a red hot holiness paper published at Aquilla, Texas.) who is not very far
behind his father in preaching the doctrine of holiness. God bless them both, and preserve them in life to
spread scriptural holiness all over this beautiful land of Texas.

In January, 1885, the first holiness paper published in Texas was started in Corsicana. By J. H. Padgett and
Sam H. Hurlock, only one issue of which was published. It's title was “The Salvation News”. “The
Salvation Telephone”, a monthly magazine of 24 pages was begun in February of the same year, with Sam
H. Hurlock editor, and J. H. Padgett assistant. Only three issues of it were published, when it was
relinquished on the account of a lack of means at the time. In September of the same year the Gospel
Flame was started at Aquilla, and bids fair to be a success, being the only holiness paper now published in
Texas.

I ought to have mentioned in the proper place that whilst the fanaticism was going on, one of the leading
events which took place was the organization of the State Holiness Association in 1878. (I write from
memory) with Father James A. Graves, of Calvert as it President; Cyrus T. Hogan of Ennis as Secretary.
Father Graves has held the Office of President ever since its organization, and probably will as long as he
lives. He is a worthy man, and has the cause of Holiness deeply at heart in helping seekers into the light,
and in advancing the cause in Texas.

Bro. Cyrus T. Hogan since he came into the experience of holiness has always been, I might say truthfully,
the leading man in carrying forward the work in this state. He has spared neither time, labor nor money;
and he has made himself of great benefit to others in applying for reduced rates on the different rail-roads
to the different holiness meetings throughout the state. And he has placed the writer and many others under
obligations for his kindness in this state. They have held camp-meetings every year in July in connection
with the meetings of the association; and I suppose it will ever remain a permanent appointment. It is non-
denominational in its character. All lovers of holiness are cordially invited to attend it; and any holiness
person who is straight in the doctrine and experience may become a member. The meetings are changed
from place to place each year by a vote of the association. They had a permanent camp-ground near
Bremond for several years, with a good, substantial shed built on it for holding meetings under, with an up-
stairs was very convenient. But from some cause or other they sold it, and now they hold their meetings
from place to place as formerly.

And then we must mention that boy preacher, Bro. Robt. Lee Harris, as an earnest evangelist. There
probably has not been a single minister in Texas who has been so successful in carrying forward the work
of holiness, and in stirring up the people wherever he preached as he did, (unless it was R. J. Haynes while
he kept straight) Bro. Harris was a young man of very limited education, but with a wonderful stock of
sense, and with a fixed determination to succeed in whatever he undertook. He had about as much real
moral courage as any man I ever knew. God undoubtedly qualified him for the work. He had great faith in
God, being filled with a love for lost souls, and he seemed to have a baptism of fire on him continually. He
stirred the cities wherever he went; and if he could not get a church to preach in he would get on a dry-
goods box on the corner of a street, and preach holiness to the people. He was very pointed in his
denunciations of sin of every kind; and the way he went for people who wore gold or feathers, and for
whiskey and tobacco sots, was crucifying to the flesh. He was probably as extensively known and as much
blessed, and his labors as much appreciated, as any other evangelist in Texas. He is the founder of one of
the most important faith missions in the world. He left New York in December, '85, went over to Africa,
and after traversing a vast territory located his mission stations, returned to America, raised about $2,000.
and is now on his way back to Africa with a band of seven picked self-denying faith workers to supply the
stations. Surely God is with him. We hope he will be remembered by all the holiness people and friends of
holiness everywhere. All money or other gifts for the benefit of this movement should be sent to C. W.
Sherman, 305 N. 34e st. St. Louis, Mo.

We would also mention Bro. R. L. Averill, a young preacher, for a while a co-laborer with Bro. Harris. He
is a young man of good ability, of a quiet, loving disposition; very practical in his preaching, and very
successful in presenting the light and truth on holiness. He held a very successful meeting at Whitney, Hill
Co., the first of the ('86) where several were converted and sanctified. Since that time he has held several
very successful meetings in the eastern part of the state, in which scores have been converted or sanctified.
Praised God for such preachers as he is. May the dear Lord bless him more abundantly, and keep him in
the way, that he may ever teach it plainly to others.

Sister Mary V. Hogan (formerly Mary Causey) is still preaching holiness in the neighborhood of Ennis,
and keeping up two or three appointments a month, and her labors are well appreciated by the large
congregation that turn out to hear her.

It will be easily seen by the reader, from the accounts of all these workers, that the cause of holiness is not
dead yet in Texas, notwithstanding how earnestly some desired it to die. We know that it is of God;
although hindered by opposers, and persecuted on account of the fanaticism, yet it is bound to win in the
end. Yea, the very "gates of hell shall not prevail against it."

CHAP XVII

I will now return and bring up the remainder of the history of the fanaticism, as briefly as possible,
consistent with the facts in the case; and then with a few closing remarks, finish the work.

Shortly after the break up of the meeting held in Corsicana, where Bro. Haynes was treated so shamefully,
Henry T. Williams, of Brooklyn, N. Y., a character already mentioned in this work, went to Little Rock,
Ark., where he either bought, or rented premises sufficiently large to lodge or accommodate all, or as many
as he could induce to come to it, of those who had been in the Haynes movement. This place they called the
The Home; and this man Williams, through his letters and agents he sent amongst them, aroused them with
the alarming statement that Christ was soon to appear, (and many of them believed this already, as it had
been one of the leading doctrines in their preaching) and if they expected to be ready for his coming it was
necessary for them ready for his coming it was necessary for them to come there. He required those who
had lands to sell them and bring the money with them; and those who could not sell their stock to bring
their teams and wagons, with their wives and children, as it was necessary for them all to go through a
course of training, or preparation besides what they already had, in order to be prepared to meet Christ at
his coming and kingdom.

And in order to help him in this work of wholesale robbery (as it afterwards proved to be) of these poor,
deluded people he anointed some (as he termed it) by the laying on of his hands; and these were called "the
Lord's anointed." I think that Richard Groves and Dr. Ferguson were two of them. These he set over the
work about the home, and to go between the home and Texas and induce as many as possible to come; but
especially to raise all the money could and send it to him. His plans were well laid to deceive. He knew
how to take advantage of the state of mind that these people were in. At the breaking up of their meeting in
Corsicana some of them were nearly wild with excitement when their leaders left them. Some had gone to
Dallas, and seemed to be waiting in a state of fear for something to turn up to relieve then in their present
distress. Although they still believed they would not die, but that they would translated, yet that did not
change the laws or purposes of God, as two sisters of their number died while there; and although both they
and their friends claimed translating faith, even up to the moment of death; yet they died like other people,
showing the falsity of claiming a faith, that has no foundation in God's word upon which to rest. They all
seemed to be stricken with a spirit of fear.

One woman living near Purbom left her husband, a man in good circumstances, and started to walk to
Dallas, (and probably would have done it) but a friend whom she met on her way to Corsicana gave her
money to pay her way from that station to Dallas. They were all in a panic throughout the country; they
were running to each other's houses to ask if anything new had been heard; and some seemed to be afraid of
their neighbors. They all seemed to be expecting some dire calamity to come upon them. This was about
the state of things when the news came for them to sell off what they could not bring with them, and come
to the Home at Little Rock. And the most of them were quick to obey the summons. Some men who
owned farms sold them for whatever they would bring; and sold their stock, and used the proceeds to assist
their poorer brothers and sisters to get there by paying their way on the cars to Little Rock. Some drove all
the way with wagons rather than to be left behind. But some of those who went to Dallas never went to
Little Rock, but went to Brooklyn, N. Y., where William Groves and Bro. Haynes had gone. But the
greater part of all the rest went to the Home. I have never been able to know just how many went there; but
I suppose, including the children, there were fifty or sixty. In order to be admitted into the Home when
they got there; they had to consecrate their money, their property, their labor; their ALL, in fact, and lay it
on the altar; and as Henry T. Williams was the altar, of course he got it all. He claimed to be the Lord's
anointed, and in fact, it is said that he afterwards claimed to be the Christ, and that no communication could
be received from God except through him. He was there himself for a short time, when the Home was first
started, and after he went back to Brooklyn he run it by his agents, or, " anointed ones." On entering the
Home the families of these people, after having turned over their money and property as before stated, were
separate. The men were fed and lodged in one department of it and the women in another; and the small
children that could not work were put under the charge of some of the matrons, I suppose to educate and
take care of them. No man could claim his wife; no wife her husband, and no parents their children. They
had set up the Kingdom,. and this was the way they had to live in it.

The men were put to work, some at hauling with teams, some at chopping wood, and if any were
mechanics they worked at their trade as they could find work in the city. All brought their entire wages as
they earned them, and laid them upon a table placed there for the purpose. All the money over and above
what it took to run the home was turned over in Henry T. Williams, when there, or sent to him by his
'anointed' agents after he left . The women were put to work to do the cooking and washing for the
establishment; and probably "took in" washing besides. From the accounts we have they run the kitchen on
a very cheap scale, as corn bread and very poor molasses was generally their bill of fare, and sometimes not
enough of that; and if they complained at their style of living, or at being separated from their families, as
they were, it was considered an evidence of the presence of carnality in their hearts, and they were put
under shorter allowances even than that, in order to work all the carnality out of them; and I have been told
by both fathers and mothers who were there, that they have seen their own children taking hard and moldy
pieces of bread from slop pails, or picking it up around the houses wherever they could find it, to satisfy
their hunger, whilst the parents could only look on and weep, powerless to interfere, and helpless to relieve
their wants, with all the family ties broken up, and they separated from each other and their children by the
tyranny of this man and the rules of the Home.

It was a system of robbery from the first to the last, of the rich as well as the poor. (And strange to say that
this cruelty, this injustice, robbery, was being practiced at the capital of a state, where laws were made to
protect the innocent and punish the guilty. And yet no official of the government thought it their duty to
inspect and find out what kind of an establishment this was that had been set up in their midst) I will
mention only a case or two in print; An old widow lady by the name of Sappington who lived at Wortham
in Limestone county, was persuaded to go to the Home. She was particularly instructed to bring her money
with her. She took all she had, some $1100, and laid it on the altar, and Williams got it. And not satisfied
with that he found out by some means that she still had a little money at Wortham in the hands of a Mr.
Grizzard, who had ginned and shipped some cotton for her, and held some seventy-five or eighty dollars of
her money in his possession; and he told me that they had the boldness to write to him to send the money to
the Home; but he would not send it; and it was a wise and good thing for her that he did not; for when the
old lady came back from Little Rock some time after this, much poorer but wiser than when she went there,
he gave her money, and that was about all she had to begin life with again.

Another case is that of Dr. Ferguson, one of the "anointed ones." After giving Williams all his money and
deeding his farm in Navarro county to him, Williams had the assurance to try to get his wife to sign the
deed, (when he knew at the time she was bitterly opposed to the work all the way through.) and thus sign
away to this robber all the right and title of both herself and children to a home. This case was carried into
court in Corsciana; and I believe the court adjudged Dr. Ferguson to be deranged in his mind; and
appointed guardians over him, and executors over the estate and thereby saved the property from the
clutches of this robber and vampire, which was right and just.

The people in the home soon saw that they were deceived, and they began to blame each other for the cause
of their being there. They seemed to get possessed with a fault-finding spirit toward each other. They tried
to aggravate and stir up anger in each other to see if they had any carnality about them. No form of
religious worship was kept up at the home whatever. I believe it was said that Williams asked a blessing
once or twice at the table when he first came there, and it was very evident that he did not want them to
read the bible as he knew that if they did they would find out that he was an impostor.

After he left he kept encouraging the leaders by writing to them and informing them that he was preparing a
place for them up in the territory of Idaho, where gold was to be found in nuggets and the silver in ledges. I
have been informed by those who knew his plans that he had spent some time in that Territory, looking out
a suitable location for a colony; and the money he was robbing the people was to be used in buying land
from the Government; and then he would move them there, as he claimed, for a religious purpose, while the
real intention was, to settle them on his lands as renters, or we might more properly term it, as slaves. He
described it as a place where fruits and flowers grew all the year round; that God had changed the climate,
and made it a perpetual summer up there, for their sakes; and as it was finished he was going to move them
all up there, where, in this seeming wilderness ( to the world) they were to be fed and preserved for "A
time, times and a half time;" or three years and a half; while the "great tribulation," spoken of in
Revelation, should take place; when God would "pour out his vials of wrath upon the wicked and the
unbelieving." By this means he tried to work on their religious views; but the most of the inmates of the
home had seen and suffered too much already; and they were "not believing, but faithless." The spell over
them seemed to be broken; and they began to leave and move back to Texas, robbed and destitute, but glad
to escape such tyranny at any price. But a few of them remained for a year or two, and a few never did
abandon the cause but adhered to it right through.

Before leaving the Home finally at Little Rock Dr. Furguson established a "home" on his own farm in
Navarro Co., Texas, for those who remained "faithful." He moved them to it and there they lived for some
time, and idle scandalous life. Dr. Furguson allowed his farm of five or six hundred acres to lie idle almost
entirely for several years. Finally the neighbors got so tired of their scandalous doing they notified them to
leave the community; so Dr. Furguson and all the rest of them left for the paradise before mentioned, in
Idaho; and thus passed out of the state the last of these fanatics that were led and controlled by Henry T.
Williams.

Before closing this part of the work it will be but just and right to give some account of those who had been
in the Home in Little Rock, Ark., but who left from time to time and came back to their old neighborhood
in Texas. Nearly every one of them returned almost destitute; poorer and sadder, but I believe, a wiser
people than when they left here. Ruined financially, and many of them spiritually; but thank God, many of
them have improved rapidly financially, and some of them have also spiritually. The greater part of them
have settle near Dresden and Raleigh and some near Dawson and Hubbard City, and are now generally a
happy, industrious people, mostly farmers. They still fellowship each other, but few, if any, have ever
joined the churches around them. There were several preachers among them, some of whom went to Little
Rock. Bro Henry and "Father" McAfee preached regularly among them. They are both very earnest, good
men, and preach a very straight doctrine of holiness. They organized a church in 1885 called, "The
Church; or Body of Christ." We insert here a copy of their tenets they teach or believe in:

THE CHURCH; or, BODY OF CHRIST

At...........hereby pledge ourselves to do all in our power to "spread scriptural holiness over these lands."
We believe in the doctrine and experience distinct from justification, and so received by faith in Jesus
Christ; and we believe that is is the duty and privilege of every believer to go on unto perfection and be
saved from sin in this life. And we also believe that the gifts, spoken of in the 12th chapter of 1st
Corinthians, is for the church in this day just as it over was. We take the Bible for our rule, and guide and
discipline; and we hereby, as members of The Church; or Body of Christ, pledge ourselves to do all we can
to "keep the unity of the faith," and brotherly love in the bond of peace.

Well I am glad that they have organized in some form; for I believe if the Church had never been organized
in all her history up to this time, it would be the time to organize now; for the devil is organizing all his
forces to try to overcome the saints of God and the kingdom of Jesus Christ. All the powers of darkness
seem to be combined to try to overthrow the work of God. I hope these brethren and Sisters in Jesus may
do good in their organized condition, and be the means of saving many precious blood-bought souls.
 CHAP. XVIII

We have amongst us here in Texas still another class of fanatics Called No-sectors. There are few of them
at Ennis, one of two at Corsicana, and several more in Bosque County. They do not believe in any
organization whatever. They are generally opposed to having their names on a record of any kind. They
call all the churches "Babylon." They are opposed to all forms, so much so that many of them have no
form of prayer claiming that they have the Spirit of it and they do not need the form. Many of them never
pray even in their families. They are opposed to the sacraments in the Church, as they claim that Christ has
come again, spiritually, and dwells in their hearts: and they were only instituted to be observed until his
coming again; and claim that he has come to them; and these sacraments are done away with. So also with
the Sabbath. Some of them after coming out of the churches took up with the seventh day for the sabbath.
But now some of these claim that have better light now. They quote, "Ye observe days and months, etc.,"
and therefore they teach that it is wrong to keep any day, as every day is alike to them.

The whole burden of their work is to denounce all churches. Many of them claim to have direct revelation
from God, even concerning the state and conditions of those around them; and it is a common expression
among them; that God reveals such and such things to them. And every revelation which they claim they
receive in this way is entirely opposed to the letter and spirit of God's word. All such are to be pitied, as
they but expose their ignorance and bigotry; and nearly all of them are worldly-conformed, tobacco using,
sabbath-breaking people, with no real love or Christian fellowship about them; and yet they claim that they
have the only true light on the word. Nearly all of them have gone back on the second work of grace; and
no wonder: the most of them need repentance rather than holiness. But they have little or no influence
outside of their own sect.

How strange it is, that some who have known the real grace of God should be led off by their shallow
reasonings. Hardly any of them will give a bible reason for any of their errors; but claim that they get the
light on it. They do not stop to consider that the devil can give light as well as God's Spirit can. And they
will take isolated passages of scripture to prove their points; and thus deny the plain word of God in such
sinful way. But no wonder: as "Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light, and his ministers as the
ministers of righteousness."

CHAP. XIX

The cause of holiness has made some important advances in Texas during the last year: Bro. W. B.
Godbey, of the M. E. Church, South, (a member of the Kentucky conference) has held several successful
meetings in different places in Texas, among some of which are, Texarkana, Longview, Alvarado,
Arlington, Hillsboro and Mansfield. He is a powerful exponent of the doctrine of holiness, having been in
the experience himself for over seventeen years. Many have been sanctified under his ministry, among
them are some prominent ministers in the M. E. Church South. Bro's Isom and Stamper, his co-laborers are
young men of great promise. God bless them more abundantly.

The Holiness Association of the M. E. Church, South is growing in interest. Their last annual meeting was
held in August, 1886, at Alvarado, where many souls were saved and sanctified. Bishop Key, the "holiness
bishop" of the M. E. Church, South, has been making a tour of the state, preaching at the principle cities
and towns, spreading scriptural holiness broadcast everywhere; and the Methodists are beginning to know
the chief doctrine of their church. This god-sent bishop was taken out of the great holiness movement in
Georgia. May God bless the church with other such bishops.

Much holiness literature has been circulated throughout the state this year; such as books; papers and tract.
The Way of Life, published in Georgia, has a good circulation in Texas, and is doing a good work
principally among the Methodists. The Gospel Flame, mentioned elsewhere, also has a good circulation
throughout the state, and from reports coming in continually, it is doing much good among all
denominations.

The cause is rapidly advancing through the agency of the Free Methodist Church. Many of the members of
which are thoroughly sound and radical in their teaching; though chiefly on account of their opposition to
secret societies they are hated by many, and many who would work with them are afraid to do so on
account of the persecutions they meet with; yet they are happy people, possessed of a fiery zeal. God bless
them. They have held some successful meetings the past year over the state, and they are beginning to
increase rapidly.

And now we have finished our work. We have done what we agreed to do: we have given an outline of the
"Holiness movement in Texas, and fanaticism which followed."

There is much left out that might have been added. We have left names out where it could be done
consistent with justice to the cause, in order to spare feelings as much as possible. We have not gone into
details, but we trust that enough has been written to convince every candid reader that the Haynes work,
(after he went astray) and the holiness work are not the same. We have done all in the spirit of fairness and
love; and if any thing, or any person has been misrepresented it has been done either through being
misinformed, or through ignorance of the real facts in the case. We do not claim to be correct in
everything, as we write much of it from memory; but we believe that every one who is conversant with the
state of the work on both sides will admit that in nearly everything it is as near correct as a little work of
this kind could be made.

And now, kind reader, if this may keep you from going into any of these fanaticism, or may lead you into
the true light of holiness we will be paid for all our time and trouble in writing it.
May God bless you all for Jesus' sake. Amen

THE END

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