05 Visit to a Association
05. Visit to a Association Autobigraphy - James H. Oliphant
CHAPTER V. In the fall of 1870 I made my first visit to the Blue River association, which was held at Stampers Creek church that year. I got off the evening train at Orleans and stayed all night at Brother Chisms’. I was an entire stranger to everyone there. Elder Strickland had heard of an Oliphant that preached and asked if I was the one. He would have me in the stand. I got acquainted with Elders T. M. Robertson, G. M. Thompson, Wesley Polson, F. M. Mattox, William Guthrie, S. McMahan and others, but all the above were dear friends to me while they lived. All are dead now and all the men of that association that were elders then are dead now. But that association now has as many preachers as it had then, and all are as united as they were then. Elder G. M. Thompson preached on Sunday from Deuteronomy, "My doctrine shall drop as the rain, my speech shall distill as the dew; as the small rain upon the tender earth and as the showers upon the grass."
Although it is now nearly forty-two years ago, I remember much that he said. The rain and operations of grace are not left to be directed and controlled by men. The refreshing showers of rain are neither caused nor hindered by men. No effort of men can break the drought or bring down the dew upon the fields. "The wind bloweth where it listeth," so the Lord works where and when He pleases. The rain and dew fall on heathen lands, and the wind blows there, and the rain of grace is equally sovereign. The pope himself can neither cause nor hinder the rain nor dew, nor can all the ministers of earth do so; and they cannot direct the spirit of the Lord. An unexpected revival breaks out in a church and coldness and strife are in one near by. The showers of refreshing fall on the one and are withheld from the other. He talked of the tender herb and the distilling dew that nourishes it, and the mourning soul that is refreshed by the gentle dew of truth. It was a new theme to me and I rejoiced to know that God alone is the Savior and that the rain and blessings of grace are entirely independent of men. Capitalists can form a corner on many things, but not on the rain, or dew, or wind. So the Lord is able to save in all the earth.
I visited William Mattox’ home on that trip and attended the ordination of Wesley Polson, and tried to preach from the words, "If any man be in Christ he is a new creature." I made a poor effort. After that I visited Blue River association frequently, got well acquainted with all the elders and loved them all tenderly. I preached in all their churches, saw a great many persons join the church, and helped to constitute Pleasant Grove and Young’s Creek churches. I also helped to ordain several elders in that association. I became well acquainted with Elder F. M. Mattox and up to his death we were close, loving friends. I was called on to preach his wife’s funeral first, and later he died and at his request I preached his funeral in the Presbyterian Church in Livonia, Indiana, to an immense audience. I used this text: "Which of you intending to build a tower sitteth not down first and counteth the cost whether he hath sufficient to finish it?"-Luke xiv. 28. The tower here is the Christian life of duty. Many begin this tower and leave it unfinished to their discredit. But Elder Mattox finished it all complete, with the last nail and shingle. I loved this dear elder tenderly. We traveled together a great deal.
I aided in ordaining Elder G. T. Mayfield, and regarded him as a noble man. I was called to attend his funeral in April, 1910. An immense audience was in attendance, giving evidence of the high esteem in which he was held. At his ordination he seemed fearful that he was utterly unworthy to be placed in the office of elder. With tears in his eyes, be said, "When I think how clean one’s hands should be, and then how unclean I am, it seems utterly unreasonable I should be entrusted with this office." This was a noble man and he left a noble family.
I was called to attend the funeral of Lensford Lomax, near Paoli, Indiana. I felt serious as I reviewed the forty years acquaintance with Blue River association. O, how many now "Sleep low in the ground" who once were sweet companions to me here, but all are now beyond the storms of life, while I must still be tossed by the billows and driven by the winds of time till I, too, shall join their song. In the divisions that have come on our people, this association bas not lost any of its members, nor has division come into its body. Its elders have been content with the old paths, and all stood together. Here is the secret of pastoring a church---teach it that everything new in religion is false, and when elders get to be progressive, and want to modernize our people, avoid them, and encourage the members to be content with the things taught in the word. I met Elder James Noblitt in this association whose company was sweet to me. He stands for Bible truth. In the fall of 1870 I made my first visit to the Blue River association, which was held at Stampers Creek church that year. I got off the evening train at Orleans and stayed all night at Brother Chisms’. I was an entire stranger to everyone there. Elder Strickland had heard of an Oliphant that preached and asked if I was the one. He would have me in the stand. I got acquainted with Elders T. M. Robertson, G. M. Thompson, Wesley Polson, F. M. Mattox, William Guthrie, S. McMahan and others, but all the above were dear friends to me while they lived. All are dead now and all the men of that association that were elders then are dead now. But that association now has as many preachers as it had then, and all are as united as they were then. Elder G. M. Thompson preached on Sunday from Deuteronomy, "My doctrine shall drop as the rain, my speech shall distill as the dew; as the small rain upon the tender earth and as the showers upon the grass."
Although it is now nearly forty-two years ago, I remember much that he said. The rain and operations of grace are not left to be directed and controlled by men. The refreshing showers of rain are neither caused nor hindered by men. No effort of men can break the drought or bring down the dew upon the fields. "The wind bloweth where it listeth," so the Lord works where and when He pleases. The rain and dew fall on heathen lands, and the wind blows there, and the rain of grace is equally sovereign. The pope himself can neither cause nor hinder the rain nor dew, nor can all the ministers of earth do so; and they cannot direct the spirit of the Lord. An unexpected revival breaks out in a church and coldness and strife are in one near by. The showers of refreshing fall on the one and are withheld from the other. He talked of the tender herb and the distilling dew that nourishes it, and the mourning soul that is refreshed by the gentle dew of truth. It was a new theme to me and I rejoiced to know that God alone is the Savior and that the rain and blessings of grace are entirely independent of men. Capitalists can form a corner on many things, but not on the rain, or dew, or wind. So the Lord is able to save in all the earth.
I visited William Mattox’ home on that trip and attended the ordination of Wesley Polson, and tried to preach from the words, "If any man be in Christ he is a new creature." I made a poor effort. After that I visited Blue River association frequently, got well acquainted with all the elders and loved them all tenderly. I preached in all their churches, saw a great many persons join the church, and helped to constitute Pleasant Grove and Young’s Creek churches. I also helped to ordain several elders in that association. I became well acquainted with Elder F. M. Mattox and up to his death we were close, loving friends. I was called on to preach his wife’s funeral first, and later he died and at his request I preached his funeral in the Presbyterian Church in Livonia, Indiana, to an immense audience. I used this text: "Which of you intending to build a tower sitteth not down first and counteth the cost whether he hath sufficient to finish it?"-Luke xiv. 28. The tower here is the Christian life of duty. Many begin this tower and leave it unfinished to their discredit. But Elder Mattox finished it all complete, with the last nail and shingle. I loved this dear elder tenderly. We traveled together a great deal.
I aided in ordaining Elder G. T. Mayfield, and regarded him as a noble man. I was called to attend his funeral in April, 1910. An immense audience was in attendance, giving evidence of the high esteem in which he was held. At his ordination he seemed fearful that he was utterly unworthy to be placed in the office of elder. With tears in his eyes, be said, "When I think how clean one’s hands should be, and then how unclean I am, it seems utterly unreasonable I should be entrusted with this office." This was a noble man and he left a noble family.
I was called to attend the funeral of Lensford Lomax, near Paoli, Indiana. I felt serious as I reviewed the forty years acquaintance with Blue River association. O, how many now "Sleep low in the ground" who once were sweet companions to me here, but all are now beyond the storms of life, while I must still be tossed by the billows and driven by the winds of time till I, too, shall join their song. In the divisions that have come on our people, this association bas not lost any of its members, nor has division come into its body. Its elders have been content with the old paths, and all stood together. Here is the secret of pastoring a church---teach it that everything new in religion is false, and when elders get to be progressive, and want to modernize our people, avoid them, and encourage the members to be content with the things taught in the word. I met Elder James Noblitt in this association whose company was sweet to me. He stands for Bible truth.