Fire in our hearts - The Jesus Army

FIRE IN OUR HEARTSCITY ON A HILLNoel urged us to take the ‘central ground’ or we would bedefeated. The drift had to stop. We refused the downwardtrend, and took measures to deepen our spirituality. We heldshort ‘brotherhood times’ before going to work. The Agapemeal was set apart for members only, and there we reaffirmedour covenant, bared our hearts, and discussed weekly Biblereadings round the tables. More prayer was urged upon usand shepherding groups were split down for closer reality.The drive was on! Some felt secure within a stronger framework,but, of itself, it couldn’t get to the root of the problem.In our zeal for outward holiness we had cooled on inwardexperience. ‘Lord can it be a church should die through lossof first fraternal love?’ asked one brother in his hymn. Theanswer was, ‘Yes!’ Form without power was useless.Now that I was back at the Hall, I realised that the deeps ofbrotherly love were not over-common. Away from Kelly’s wing,I discovered Zion’s problems. She had plenty of spots andwarts. The Farm bristled with young men ‘being themselves’,while the Hall, with its families and older characters, seemeda little reserved and institutional. Either way, a spiritual dullnesshad settled over many parts of the church.‘Do we really want the presence of God?’ I wrote in myjournal. ‘Would it be too troublesome? We’ve got it nicelywrapped up. We are a well-ordered community. Rushing windand tongues of fire? The awesomeness of God? Oh no! We’recontent to know him in a relaxed way; you know — the “still,small voice”. And so the Bugbrooke revival becomes the Bugbrooke“denomination” and dies in the midst of prosperity.’We were making outward changes — but where was thepower of God? The joy and spontaneity? The miracles? The214