The Way of Holiness

By Phoebe Palmer

Table of Contents

  Title Page
  Dedication
  Introduction
  Preface
  About the Way of Holiness With Notes by the Way
Division I The Way of Holiness
         Chapter 1 Long Waiting to get into the Way not necessary -- The manner in which many lose much time -- The writer begins to tell how the traveler found the shorter way -- How she first mistook the path -- Resolves on being a" Bible Christian " -- Perceives the duty of entire consecration -Resolves to be wholly devoted
         Chapter 2 Questions which occasioned serious solicitude -- Answered by the Bible -- Begins to be more abundant in labors -- Is withstood by the accuser -- Is assured from the Bible of the necessity and attainableness of purity of intention
         Chapter 3 Conviction not of that distressing character which preconceived opinions had supposed necessary -- Not one doubt of her acceptance with God as a member of the household of faith -One duty never interferes with another -- How she was brought to exclaim, "There Is a shorter way"
         Chapter 4 Urged by the Mighty Counselor -- Enters into the bonds of an everlasting covenant -- A divine conviction given that the covenant is recognized in heaven
         Chapter 5 Holiness a state in which all the Lord's redeemed ones should live -- Its reasonableness -How we may know when God receives us -- An increase of light in reference to the sacredness and immutability of the word of God bursts upon her soul -- Declarations of scripture as truly the Word of the Lord as though heard from Mount Sinai -- Faith is taking God at his word -- Perceives her error in requiring feeling, the fruit of faith, previous to having exercised faith -- Resolves to take God at his word at once and for ever
         Chapter 6 Engages in a transaction eternal in consequences -- Takes God at his word -Understandingly convinced that she ought to praise God -- Begins to do it -- Blessed consequences resulting from believing and praising God -- Holiness, Sanctification, and Perfect Love no longer incomprehensible terms, but infinitely expressive of the state in which every believer should live -- Infinite Wisdom hath devised the most proper mode of expression -- Former scruples partaking in a degree of the sin of Uzza -- Willing to trust God with the entire management of his own cause
         Chapter 7 Christians not of the world -- The seal proclaiming them not of the world should be enstamped -- Momentous responsibilities and inconceivably glorious destination of the believer is unfolded to her spiritual vision -- Gaze of the upper and lower World fixed upon her -- Inquiries urged upon her attention -- The blessing of holiness a gift from God -- Called to count the cost of coming out in the profession of this blessing. Principles established in reference to the way of coming at duty -- Natural ability as truly a gift from God as gracious ability -- Resolves that life shalt be sacrificed rather than known duty neglected -- A yet more glorious increase of light bursts on her Way -- Conjectures in reference to one commissioned from the other World on a special embassy
         Chapter 8 Preciousness of the word of God -- Proneness to follow the traditions of men rather than the oracles of God, foundation of former perplexities -- No experience should be satisfactory but such as can be substantiated by an emphatic "Thus saith the Lord" -- Perceptions of the absolute need of the atonement more vivid -- The highway of holiness not a place for inglorious ease -- The way requires interminable progression
         Chapter 9 How did the process described eventuate in that disciple brought into the holiest? -- The question answered -- The pilgrim's song
Division II Notes by the Way
         Chapter 10 Gracious remembrances -- Intrusted to pious parents -- Convictions at all early age -Perplexity on account of not living experience like others -- Asks direction from the word of God -- Receives it at several different periods, but as often gives place to dissatisfaction by comparing experience with other travelers, instead of keeping closely to the Bible -- Explanations of what and how to believe necessary for inquirers -- The Savior speaks consolation to her during sleep -Inconsistent with the word of God to give an established state of experience while unbelief is indulged
         Chapter 11 Long season of wrestling with God -- God imparts strong consolation in visions of the night -- Proclaims his name -- Manifestation apprehended in future experience
         Chapter 12 Naturally much given to reasoning -- This peculiarity serviceable when brought into obedience to Christ -- God does not require man to believe anything but what is revealed in his written word -- Illustration of the manner in which she lost much time by unbelief -- A door opened -- Many adversaries
         Chapter 13

The student in search of earthly fame -- The heavenly student -- The literature of the Bible the literature of heaven -- The deathless spirit should be educated for heaven -- Rises early presents the morning sacrifice -- The family altar and the song. -- Duty of Christians to give a faithful representation of the power of grace to transform in heart and life -- Where and how Christians may resemble Christ -- The cares. of the world cease to be absorbing -- The song she loved to sing -- The honor of God concerned in indicious external and internal household arrangements -- Much that formerly augmented care easily to be dispensed with -- Nothing with which she had to do too high or too low to be inscribed with "HOLINESS TO THE LORD " -How to decide whether a matter may be taken to God

         Chapter 14 God disciplines his children -- How lessons may be enstamped in living characters -Important inquiry -- Decision -- Trials -- "Thou hast not forsaken me."
         Chapter 15 An entire onward course -- why many take years in accomplishing that which might be done in days -- what may be gained by one act of faith -- Hew one of Christ's little ones got into "the way" -- A lamb of the flock enters -- A brother suddenly ushered into the way by faith -- " I never thought of unbelief in that way before"
         Chapter 16 Tells a friend of God's peculiar way of leading her -- Faith not feeling -- Firm foundation -- Sudden recollection of a remarkable dream -- The wont of God personified as the ONE by which men are to be judged at the last day
         Chapter 17 First principles, being established, are left -- Rapid progress -- God no respecter of persons -- Proneness of the heart to forget the admonition to remember "all the way" -- Resolves to be most diligent in recording Endeavors to place the standard of Christian excellence high -- conversion of Miss B -Powerful temptations -- Resolves to die in the struggle to believe -- Asks that holiness may assume some tangible form in her mind -- Ascertains the precise ground upon which she obtained the blessing, and how she may retain it terrespective of "frames or feelings"

Prays to be sealed unto the day of redemption -- Inquirer -- A word in season to the stranger while dining -- Irreligious young lady -- Her conversion -- H -- enters into the "way of holiness" -- Buffetings from satan -- Excitement in Bible class -- Tract district -- Setting God a time -- Awful consequences -- Young lady saved from an impending storm -- Parental responsibility

A new and singular source of temptation -- A gay worldling transformed -- "Do you hear the angels sing?" -- The penitent -- His conversion -- conversion of a wicked servant -- Trial -"Open thy mouth wide" -- Christians are Christ's representatives. -- Unenviable station, or "saints in Cesar's household" -- "Be courteous " -- Christians should manifest a detachment from earth -- "I will pray one morning" -- Praising God -- Answer to prayer -- Much lost by indefiniteness -- I believe all that the Bible teaches; or a lion transformed to a lamb -- A strong expression of confidence tested by a dream -- Heavenly serenity -- Rainy Sabbath -- New Year's festival -- Let all things be done decently and in order -- Prayer for a revival of holiness

Decision on a peculiar case -- Infinite importance, excellency, and comprehensiveness of the word of God -- Are we to reject all manifestations from God given in dreams or visions? -Subject liable to abuse -- "How shall we know the word which God hath not spoken?" -- "What profit hath the Jew?" -- I have it here" -- Ambassador from the court of heaven -- The marriage engagement -- The interesting young friend -- Election of city offices -- Day of extraordinary trial -- Answer to prayer -- Ill health -- Heart the abode of the Triune Deity -- Land of Beulah -Experience of Mr. W. -- Christians have the promises -- Use of them -- Having the blessing and not knowing it, not to be accounted far on Scriptural principles -- Responsibilities of those standing in an official relation to the church -- Explicit personal testimony required -- Requests -Importance of importunity and explicitness -- Theologian -- Goes in pursuit of witnesses -Disappointment -- Mighty struggle to enter into the rest of faith -- Enters -- Instrumental in bringing another into "the way" -- Minister who robbed the church for years

The skeptic -- How she became so -- Hears of holiness -- Renounces Infidelity -- Taken into the fold of Christ -- Speedily brought into the king's highway by an act of consecration and faith -- Her friend won from the ranks of infidelity. -- Becomes a traveler in "the way" -- Holiness understood by the unbeliever and young professor --Infidel over sixty becomes a convert to Christianity by attending a meeting for testimony on the experience of holiness -- He becomes eminently devoted -- Conversion of another successful advocate for Infidelity by attending meetings on holiness -- Others brought into "the way" by her Instrumentality

Mr. Wesley's last advice to preachers and people on the doctrine of perfection -- Thoughts about exchanging worlds -- Former and present experience compared -- How little acts and circumstances appear when viewed in the light of eternity -- Barely saved, or just lost -- Striking illustration -- Terrible disappointments contemplated -- President Fisk -- How he became a traveler "The Way of Holiness" -- His departure -- Imaginings in verse --Birthday of little S. -Parental responsibility relative to baptism -- Child torn away, not given up -- Another error -Painful correction -- Parents accountable

Brought down to the gates of death -- Sustainment in view of dissolution -- Choice between life and death, and how decided -- Recovery -- Anniversary of Juvenile Missionary Society -Singular, offerings -- Children offered up to be trained wholly in view of usefulness in the service of Christ -- Realizes the acceptance of the offering -- Intelligence communicated to little S -- Effect produced

Awful accident, and providential preservation -- Wounded Christian and Jew contrasted -Anniversary of a memorable period -- Willingness to be useless not required -- Domestic concerns -- Saved from care -- Conversion of little S