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Chapter 6 Unto the Uttermost Parts of the Earth The Northern Lights (400s - 600s and beyond) While the Waldenses fled to the mountains of Europe, another group of Christians enjoyed a measure of freedom because they were far removed from Rome's ecclastical domination. Several hundred years passed before these churches were finally subjugated through intimidation and armed conquest. Today, the church at Rome wrongly usurps the great names and stories of many independent Christians from the past. The believers in northern Europe followed Scripture, Christ's great commission and the leading of the Holy Ghost. True miracles accompanied their work as they brought their generation to Christ. St. Patrick (440 to 493) As a youth Patrick was kidnapped from Scotland and enslaved in Ireland. Some time after escaping he received a "Macedonian" vision in which a man handed him many letters from Ireland. These letters begged him to come over and help. In the spirit of an apostle Patrick obeyed and went to Ireland while preaching Christ and holding up the Scripture as the only authority of faith. He also demonstrated the power of the Holy Ghost and worked many miracles. Through the gifts of the Spirit the blind were healed, nine were raised from the dead, and the snakes were expelled from Ireland. The elimination of Irish snakes is a most remarkable act and sheds fresh light on Mark 16: 18 ("They shall take up serpents...") The King James Bible sometimes renders the words for "take up" as "take away". (John 11:48) Thus, I understand this verse to mean we shall cast out devils. However, Patrick demonstrated a more literal fulfillment by his unusual gift of reptile expulsion. Today, I have many friends in Appalachia that would welcome St. Patrick's special gift. One young lady speaking of St. Patrick said, "That's my kind uh man." The result of St. Patrick's mission was the conversion of Ireland. Ireland became a missionary base to Europe and because of its Christian piety was called "the island of the Saints." Patrick said "I am greatly a debtor to God, who has bestowed his grace so largely upon me, that multitudes were born again to God through me. The Irish, who never had the knowledge of God and worshipped only idols and unclean things, have lately become the people of the Lord, and are called sons of God." One of Patrick's disciples also gained a reputation as a minister who exercised supernatural gifts. St. Bridget performed all sorts of signs and wonders and prophesied of birth of Columba who would later take the Gospel to Scotland. Legend has distorted much of what she truly did but her witness shines through the centuries. She shows us that God was present and working in the far-flung islands of the sea. Columba (521- 597) Columba traveled to Scotland as a missionary while following the model of Patrick. He was full of the Holy Ghost and exercised prophetic foreknowledge and miracles as great as those performed by Christ. His prayers changed water into wine for the communion when it was unavailable, made bitter fruit turn sweet, called water from a rock, calmed a stormy sea, and cured many diseases. His spiritual gifts made him a legend in his time. Most importantly Columba guided his life and ministry by the Scripture rather than the traditions of men. Should we doubt the gifts of these ancient disciples? Didn't Jesus say, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father. And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it." (John 14:12-14) Today, we can expect the impossible and believe for the miraculous. The unchanging nature of God demands no less. Why Miracles? In 1832 Thomas Boys (United Brethren Church) explained that MIRACLES AND MISSIONS GO TOGETHER! He said, "Modern Christians, that believe in missions and denying miracles, occupy a curious position... Depend upon it, my dear friends, you must take miracles and missions together, ere you get it right, for they go together: you must accept this truth, you must look at it and like it, you must acknowledge it, you must act upon it, ere you come to stand upon the proper ground..." Boys said that if men ever form a Missionary Society founded upon the following ideals something wonderful will happen. Boys' guidelines for a Missionary Society: Free from all "new fangled" views, nonsense, and objects of their own. Holding the promise of miraculous aid as belonging to missionary efforts in this day. Not deserting and betraying those who proclaim miracles. Declaring miracles, acting upon them and establishing and conducting the society in harmony with them. Steadfastly excluding from the management all those who deny these principles, or all who pretend to hold them. Boys wrote, "DEPEND UPON IT, a Society so formed would start with the fairest prospects of a blessing, by which all other societies should soon be eclipsed and thrown into the background; and that, in all probability, would proved to be the Society destined to gain the bulk of the success, ... up to the second coming of Christ."19 --------------------------------- 19 Suppressed Evidences, Boys, p.106 ________________________________ |