14. The Story of “Scriptural Freedom From Sin”
THE STORY OF “SCRIPTURAL FREEDOM FROM SIN” Those who have read Scriptural Freedom from Sin know that it is described as “a defense of the precious truth of entire sanctification by faith and an examination of the doctrine of the two natures,” and that it examines Dr. Ironside’s book, Holiness: the False and the True. In Scriptural Freedom from Sin I have explained how the book came to be written, but I have never told the story about its publication. It is a story of the Lord’s working and blessing; and I feel constrained, therefore, to put it on record as a testimony to the Lord’s guidance and goodness, giving Him al the glory. THE EVE OF THE SECOND WORLD WAR The book was written during a period of great international tension and threat of war and was about half completed at the time of the Munich agreement in September, 1938. It was completed early in 1939, and I submitted the manuscript to two firms who published Christian literature.
Both declined to undertake its publication. I was then faced with this question: Shall I let the matter drop or shall I go ahead and have the book printed entirely on my own responsibility and take the risk of being my own publisher? There were strong reasons for proceeding no further.
Threatening war clouds were beginning to gather, and I had already undergone a short course of training in connection with London Civil Defense and my office duties. Why then risk publishing the book at such an unpropitious time, especially as it had already been rejected by two Christian publishing firms? And if war did break out, who would want to read such a book in the midst of the upheaval that war would cause? These were the considerations which weighed with me only about four months before the second world war broke out. But, on the other hand, there were leadings of the Spirit which encouraged me to go forward.
TWO MISSIONARIES BLESSED Soon after I had completed the manuscript, I had a clear token of the Lord’s blessing on it. I came into contact with an earnest Christian young man and his fiancee, both specially trained and waiting to go forth as missionaries, but whose way to the mission field seemed to be strangely blocked. Subsequent events made it clear that the Holy Spirit was dealing with them both on the vital matter of entire sanctification by faith, and when this question was settled it was wonderful how the Lord undertook for them and opened the way for them to the mission field in a way which neither they nor their friends had originally intended. But when I first met them, they had various questions and difficulties about the truth of entire sanctification. Both were, however, earnest seekers of the truth, and as they had read my first book, The Riches of Holiness, they took the trouble to come twice by car to visit me in my home specially to discuss their difficulties. Scriptural Freedom from Sin was at that time only in manuscript and they knew nothing about it, but I found that the writing of the book was a great help to me in dealing with their questions. Eventually I had the great joy and encouragement of a special visit from the young man to say that he now saw the truth, that he had definitely taken the step of faith for entire sanctification and had received from the Lord as a seal to his faith the promise of Zephaniah 3:15-17 : “The Lord hath taken away thy judgments, he hath cast out thine enemy….the Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing.” His fiancee also entered into the blessing, and then the Lord opened the way for them both to go out together as missionaries under the auspices of a holiness missionary society, and they have already rendered seven years’ faithful service on the field. The fact that the Lord was pleased to use certain aspects of the truth set forth in Scriptural Freedom from Sin to be a help to these two dear missionaries, I took as a token of the Lord’s blessing on the book, even while it was still only in manuscript. I also had another encouragement. After preaching one Sunday morning on the subject of holiness, I was very cheered in the evening when a Christian came up to me and specially thanked me for the morning message, and stated that the truth had been made clear to her and that she had also taken the step of faith for entire sanctification. A CHALLENGE TO FAITH These special tokens of blessing from the Lord camel at a time when I was seriously considering the question, “Shall I or shall I not take the risk and print and publish Scriptural Freedom from Sin on my own responsibility?” It was clear to me that he truth contained in the book had been made a blessing to Christians seeking a clearer and deeper experience. Is not this an indication, I thought, that I should proceed with the book? Might not the same truth be made a blessing to other Christians as well? And so, after prayerful consideration, I took the first step of faith and, in spite of the risk which seemed involved in view of the gathering war clouds in the world, I gave the order for the book to be printed. The next important question I had to decide was, How many copies should I have printed? At first, I thought I had better not risk more than five hundred; subsequently I felt that perhaps I might as well order one thousand. Then a Voice within seemed to challenge me with, “Why not make it two thousand?” But I hesitated. “Supposing a great war broke out,” I said, “and got left with a lot of books on my hands which I could not sell?” But the Voice persisted. It challenged me with, “He that observeth the wind shall not sow” and, “Cast thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after many days.” I faced a crisis of faith. At last I yielded to the Voice. “O Lord, there are very ‘troubled waters’ in the world just now,” I said, “but at Thy bidding I will cast my little piece of bread [I meant, of course, my book] upon the troubled water.” I accordingly instructed my printers to print two thousand copies of Scriptural Freedom from Sin. In less than eight weeks, England declared war on Germany and, in addition to the uncertainty regarding what would happen and how I might be affected personally, I was now faced with the problem of disposing of two thousand copies of the book. How many would want to buy a book on entire sanctification in the midst of the upheaval of a world war? And yet, by the grace of God, I was kept in perfect peace in Him. I felt I was in the will of God and could safely leave the consequences in His hands. How did the Lord work? It does not matter how weak and insignificant we may be in ourselves, yet if we are in the will of the Lord and wait patiently for Him, it is wonderful how He can overrule events in the world to work for the good of those who trust in Him. And God’s timing is always perfect. I experienced a striking illustration of this truth in connection with Scriptural Freedom from Sin and the outbreak of the war.
GOD S PERFECT “TIMING” The first copies of the book were ready a fortnight before England declared war and half a dozen copies arrived just in time for Principal J. D.
Drysdale, of the Emmanuel Bible College, Birkenhead, to take with him to America when he embarked on August 19, 1939. He had very kindly written a foreword to the book, and I cannot speak too highly of the great encouragement he so generously gave me by his wholehearted support of the book. Mr. Drysdale’s visit to America just on the outbreak of the war was undoubtedly a vital link in the Lord’s plan. His introduction of the book to American holiness leaders was the first step which eventually resulted in an American holiness publishing firm issuing a special edition for America. Twelve days after Mr. Drysdale sailed for America, my missionary friend and his fiancee succeeded, just in time before war was declared in securing berths on a boat sailing to Africa; and on August 31, 1939, they embarked to take up their missionary work in that country. As a result of their introduction the book secured circulation in Africa. Thus when the second war commenced, my little piece of “bread” had, i a very real sense, been “cast upon the waters,” for it was on its way across the oceans to America and Africa Praise the Lord for His wonderful “timing”!
EXPECTATIONS EXCEEDED What about the publication of the book in the British Isles? Here again, on looking back, the providential leading and timing of the Lord can e traced. I did not, of course, know beforehand just how the war would develop and could not foresee what is now so well known, that there would be a respite of several months before the commencement of the air attacks. This interval was precious and invaluable. I was kept very busy in my spare time dealing with orders for the books, and I an glad to be able to record that by the time of the crisis of Dunkirk in May, 1940, the whole of the first edition of two thousand copies was exhausted. Then came the dark and terrible times of the Battle of Britain, the bombing of London and the surrounding neighborhood in which I lived and worked, with the threat of invasion ever present. Yet in spite of these distractions further copies of the book were printed and sold. In the following year, I received a further encouragement, for the first copies of the special American edition published by the Nazarene Publishing House, Kansas City, Missouri, arrived from America. And now I am glad to be able to say, through the Lord’s grace, that the sales have far exceeded my first order of two thousand copies. And the Lord’s blessing was evidenced not only by the circulation of the book, but also by the expressions of appreciation in letters which it was a great encouragement to receive, especially those which came during the war. Here is an extract from a letter received quite recently, nearly nine years after the book was first published: The reading of the book has thrown such a flood of light on truths that have been obscured to me through association for over twenty years with believers of other theories, that I want others whom I know to be hungering and thirsting after righteousness to have the true light also. I feel greatly indebted to God for this book and pray that God will bless it greatly and widely. In some quarters the truth of entire sanctification by faith is opposed or neglected, but a letter like the above should, I suggest cause all such to pause and think and ask whether, after all, there may not be some peculiar blessing of God attached to this precious truth which up to the present they have missed. With a view to stirring up believers to seek this blessing I append a few extracts from other letters I have received which testify to the fact that God does indeed specially bless this truth to seeking souls.
TESTIMONIES OF BLESSING Doncaster — “I am writing to tell you that it has pleased God to use your book, Scriptural Freedom from Sin. By His grace, a brother took this book from the mission where it was placed for that purpose and, having a heart hunger for holiness, after hearing a brother witness to a cleansed heart through faith, he read it and saw the truth….. Today, he made a confession of the work of sanctification in his heart before witnesses.
Hallelujah!”
London — “I have read and reread and am now reading again your book and have been very much pleased by it….There are hungry hearts here, my own included, but God has faithfully satisfied my soul in drought, praise Him forever! I thought it might encourage you to know of real blessing through your book.”
Torquay — “You may be interested to hear that my friend has recently entered into the blessing of entire sanctification by faith but was held up a year through the terrible controversy. But, praise God, she is now well on the right road and is already finding your book a veritable gold mine of spiritual wealth and information. She has been reading my copy while on holiday here.”
Sheffield — “I want to say that your book has been a wonderful lesson to me and has made clear many points which I was previously in doubt about…I feel that many speakers on holiness are liable to do great harm if they stray from God’s Word. I think the reason I appreciate your book so much is because it is based on God’s Word.”
America — “I do not see how you could have done a better piece of work in answering Dr. Ironside’s position and I most heartily commend the excellent spirit in which you have handled the matter.”
South Africa — “I have read Scriptural Freedom from Sin twice and am going through it again. I have found it very helpful and have ordered fifty copies. Most of these I require for distribution among the Methodist local preachers of this district.”
New Zealand — “I am writing to say I thank God for your book and you for writing such a book on holiness. I think I have read it three times lately. It has done me good and confirmed my faith in God and those lovely promises in Romans 6:1-23; 1 John 1:7-9; John 8:32-36; and John 17:17-19.”EXTRACT FROM REVIEW — “I planned to read a chapter a night before retiring. I read the whole book in two evenings. It warmed my heart, stimulated my mind, enriched my spirit…You may not agree with the author, but if you read the book and compare scripture with scripture, it will make you ask whether you have a satisfactory answer concerning the hope that is in you, if and how it differs from his.” In relating this story, my sole desire is to testify to the Lord’s goodness and to give Him all the glory. I trust that I have made it clear that if I had been left to my own devices it is most unlikely that I should have risked publishing the book at a time of such world uncertainty and threat of war as prevailed on the eve of the second world war. That it has ever seen the light of day is due to the leading of the blessed Holy Spirit. Finally, I hope that this account of the Lord’s workings demonstrates two things: firstly, that there are many Christians who are longing to understand more clearly and experience more deeply the truth of a complete salvation from sin and the fullness of an indwelling Savior, and who respond to clear scriptural teaching on I the subject; secondly, that God does graciously bless ministry that endeavors to magnify our Lord Jesus Christ as an uttermost Savior from sin. It is to bear witness to these facts that I have written this story of Scriptural Freedom from Sin.