Newspaper Page Text
Baker's Mill, Fla.,
January 23rd, 1895.
Elder. A. V. Simms,
Dear Brother in Christ:—Aftei
some solicitation to write for the
Banner, I have decided to sub
mit a few thoughts for the con
sideration of yonr readers upon
the subject of traveling ministers.
I do not desire to be understood to
offer a personal complaint in any
way, nor to throw any obstacles in
the way cf any of God’s ministers
who may be sent of him. But there
is a very embarassing difficulty
confronting us which will surelx
come before the churches for ad
justment in some way.
I want to say just here that I
have turned my three score years,
and I am in the same vicinity, or
within fifty miles of where I was
raised, and have been acquainted
with the greater part of the
churches within that territory, and
know their history, and I must say
that not untill a few years past did
we have many traveling preachers
to visit, u? but of late years we
have had a great many to visit us.
Indeed it has become so frequent
that I have heard some complaint
among the brethren. During the
winter and early spring these
visits are so frequent that many
poor brethren find it quite bur
densome to lay down their domes
tic affairs and meet the traveling
brother. The consequence is a
—-boutene forth or at most about one
half of the church turns out
on such occasions, and the preach
er is discouraged, and the breth
ren and sisters present feel sad on
his account. I know whereof I
speak. Not a great while ago a
very precious brother from a dis
tance visited the church of my
membership, and, Having learned
that we had more than one hun
dred membeis he very naturally,
expected to meet a good coogerga
lion, but say that, although
good, and the ap
£ pomtment Wil had
L perhaps not more than 25 hearers
wand some of (them wefe not mem-
F bers.The preicher was deeply ih&r-
L tified and m|ide some coniplaint
t which others to feel sad.
F Now, I cannot find it in my heart
to censure the brethren who did
not meet him, knowing as I do, the
causes. They are generally poor
and some are very destitute and
their families depending upon
tlieir daily labor for support. They
are worthy faithful brethren and
attend their conference meetings
very promptly, but to them it ap
pears burdensome to lose so
much time to meet the traveling
brother, though they love him and
the doctrine he brings, all
this the preacher himself no doubt
often finds himself in straitened
circumstances away from home.
I will not question the motives
of our bretheren who are always
traveling from church to church.
If the Lord by His spirit impress
es them to go, I would say go.
‘ But have they not some room
to doubt whether or notit is of the
Lord, when they get to a church
and find three four ths of the church
absent?lt seems to me that preach
ers should pay more attention to
destitute places.C'lurches that have
good pastors and regular preach
ing cannot appreciate nor feel
the preachers visit so great a bless
ing as where preachers are scarce
and have preaching so seldom
Churches that are poor find often
that it is as much as they can do to
keep their own pastors from beg
gary, and I fear that often, enough
has not been done by the churches
for the home preacher
Now what is the remedy lor all
these evils, if evils they are. It
seems to me that when
invite brethren to visit them they
should prove that they desired him
to come by meeting him ano care
ing for him in a temporal way. It
would he ve.iy wrong to invite a
brother to visit us and then fail
to meet him, or bear his expenses.
But
and have.tbeir own
L perhaps not more than 25 h<bare?s~
wand some of (them wele not mem-
preicher was deeply
I tified and some coniplaint
[ which caused others to feel sad.
F Now, I cannot find it in my heart
to censuye the brethren who did
not meet him, knowing as I do, the
causes. They are generally poor
and some are very destitute and
their families depending upon
tlieir daily labor for support. They
are worthy faithful brethren and
attend their conference meetings
very promptly, but to them it ap
pears burdensome to lose so
much time to meet the traveling
brother, though they love him and
the doctrine he brings. all
thia the preacher himself no doubt
often finds himself in straitened
circumstances away from home.
I will not question the motives
of our bretheren who are always
traveling from church to church.
If the Lord by His spirit impress
es them to go, I would say go.
‘ But have they not seme room
to doubt whether or notit is of the
Lord, when they get to a church
and find three-fourths of the church
absent?lt seems to me that preach
ers should pay more attention to
destitute places. Churches that have
good pastors and regular preach
ing cannot appreciate nor feel
the preachers visit so great a bless
ing as where preachers are scarce
and have preaching so seldom
Churches that are poor find often
that it is as much as they can do to
keep their own pastors from beg-
arranged without any invitation
from the church they should not
complain very much I should think
should the church fail in what he
couceived to bo her duty to him
Brother Simms I submit this let
ter to yo i. If you think it will du
no harm or hurt to any of tho pre
cious gifts God has given his poo
pie,you have my consent to publish
t, otherwise consign it to the waste
basket and all will bo well with mo.
Yours Very Unworthily,
J. D. Smith.
He that believeth on me, the works
that I do shall he do also; and greater
works than these shall he do; because
[go unto my Father. John 14—12.
Dear Brother Simms: —With
hesitancy I thought to offer
a few thoughts on the above text, in
compliance with your earnest re
quest, but not without fear that I
should darken council by words
without knowledge. I know well
that without the blessed influence
of the Holy Spirit in the heart,
no one can write or speak to tho
edification of the Lord’s peo
ple and it seems to me the older
I get the less confidence I have
in myself to speak to the comfort
of the dear people of God.
Ist, “The works that i do,”
Jesus said (John 10—25.) “The
works that I do in my Father’s
name, they bear witness of me.”
And when he raised the dead,
cleansed the lepers, gave sight to
the blind, and healed all manner
of diseases, the work he done cer
tainly gave witness that no man
can do these things unless God be
with him. They testified that he
was God manifest in the flesh.
2nd, “Shall he do also.” That is
hethat believeth on Jesus; and we
read that the Apostles done the
same work or mericles in the name
of Jesus that-he himself done as
raising the'ejead, and healing, dis
eases. Thid was undoubtedly the
greatest work the world ever saw.
To think oft a poor, weak, finite
man endue<|LAy|th such .power in
ant* l name of him that
in heaven hnd earth ;
was tjie fact, that
them ; ami
infiflKkeny tho truth of miracles
to-day. We might well pause and
ask, what greater works could
poor frail man be endued with
power to do? Let us see. All the
werks enumerated was a manifes
tation of the power of God in
giving, or restoring natural life,
ailfe Dealing the diseases that flesh
is heir to. But before I speak of
the “greater works,” I wish to con
sider the meaning of the last
of the text “because I go unto my
B’ather,” for embraced in that is
the channel through which the
power to do greater works must
come. When Jesus spake those
words he was yet here in the flesh.
The spirituality of his kindom
was not yet manifested, and to go
to tho Father, was to go by the way
of the cross. It was not possible
for him to go to the Father without
•drinking the cup of suffering that
lay before him, and when on the
cross "ho said “It is finished” the
whole work of redemption was
complete; all the work the Father
gave him to do was done, and he
had power to lay down his life, and
power to take it again. This com
mandment he received of the
Father. Now the law was fufilled
and satisfied; and notonly ful
filled but magnified and honored
and the holy and
righteous life of the blessed man,
Christ Jesus.
And having done all that was ap
pointed for him to do has gone to
the Father, and is set down at the
right hand of the majesty on high.
And when he ascended on high he
led captivity captive and gave gifts
unto men ; and these gifts are for
the accomplishment, (in the name
and powers of Jesus) of greater
works than were done in restoring
natural life, or healing natural dis
eases. When Jesus by his almigh
ty power quickens a dead sinner,
it is not a restoring of a life that
had been laid down and thus plac
ing such back where they were
before, but giving eternal life
•-something they never had
beftret and henos is as much
greater works as spiritual
life is greater than natural life.
“And as hath life
in Himself, flßjp so hath he given
the Son to have life in himself, and
as the Father raiseth up the dead,
and quickenth them, even so the
Son quickeneth whom he will.
But the greater works do not ex
tend the same length as the former,
for the Apostles nor no man ever
had power to give eternal life to
any one, not even instruments;
for Jesus only hath immortality
dwelling in the light. His voice
is the only voice that can raise
the dead in trespass and sin. The
question may be asked wherein con
sists then, the greater work of him
that believeth on me. In this: it is
greater to proclaim a work finished
and complete, than to
work in prospect. Greater is the
anti-type than the type, greater
is the substance than the shadow.
Jesus said unto Saul “But rise dnd
stand upon thy feet; for I have ap
peared unto thee for this purptoe,
to make thee a minister and a wit
ness both of these things which
thou hast seen, and of those things
in the which I will appear unto
thee ; delivering thee from the peo
ple and from the Gentiles
whom now I send thee, to open
their eyes, and to turn them from
darkness to light, and from the
power ot Satan unto God ; that
they may receive forgiveness of
sins, and an inheritance among
them which are sanctified by faith
that is in me.” Then, to open their
blind eyes that they may behold
the beauties of nature, is a great
work, but to open the eyes of the
understanding, being enlightened,
that ye may know what is the hope
of his calling,and what is the riches
of the glory of his inheritance a
mong the saints,and what is the ex
ceeding gr. atness of his power to
us who believe according to the
working of his mighty power,which
he wrought in Christ when lie rais
ed him from the dead, liridrJhmk
nt his own righthand in tfl
Anly places. Then all suchfl
thine; greater than Th'fe-
Jf for.Jy-Qlfiy
of redemption revealed
in the plan of salvation, and the
ears that war Jta topted by preju
dice ami former imagination are
unstoped bjflhe ministry of God’s
which is the greater,
natural sound, or to hear
the song of redeeming love? Let
those who have hoard both,answer.
And which is greater to have the
crippled feet made whole as the man
at the gate, %*&utiful, or to have
the feet turned away from the'
paths of sin and error, to walk in
paths of righteousness? And
while the first would enable
one to better enjoy the things
of this life, the greater blessing
would be the heavenly blessings
so often given minis
try of God’s servant# in preach
ing the word. “Our feet shall
stand within thy gatesOJerusalem.'’
These gifts in Jerusalem, or the
church, is for the work of the min
istry, for the perfecting of the
saints; for the edifying of the body
of Christ, till we all comeiixthe
unity of the faith and of the know
ledge of the son of God, unto a
perfect man, unto the measure of
the stature of the fullness of Christ.
“And these signs shall fol
low them that believe: In my
name shall they cast out devils:
they shall speak with new tongues
they shall take up serpents; and
if they drink any deathly thing it
shall not hurt them; they shall jay
hands on the sick and they shall
recover. Mark 16—-17, 19. Now no
one will claim that we have these
signs following in a natrual or vis
able way to the natural eye, but
that they follow them that believe,
in an invisible or spiritual sense/
I think they are a distinguishing
mark of the true church. When
Paul shook a from his hand
and felt no harm it was a great
miracle and the native people wertr
astonished, but how much greater
the work when he wrestled against
spiritual wickedness in high places
and fought with beasts of Ephesus?
The first required but little effort,
the last required the all-supporting |
4
grace of God. The subject might be
pursued farther but I will desist,
hoping you will cast it aside unless
you see something in it that in
your jugement would serve the
cause of truth.
John Downey.
Wenona, 111., Feb., 4th. 1895.
My D<&r Brother,-[if you will al
low me to so address you.] I am
not al together of your faith and or
der, yet I know it is easier to see
the imperfections of others than
it is to see our own. There are a
few things taught by people call
ing themselves Primitive Baptist
that I cant quite understand.
But I will not now attempt to dis
cuss those points with you. Ido
not know whether lam willing to
concede to you the honor of being
the Primitive Church or not. But
there is one thing for which I give
your people great credit, namely :
you have stood more of the tem
pestious howls of other (so called)
churches than all ether people com
bined , yet you stand firm, holding
forth the same doctrine that was
taught when I was a little boy, for
ty years ago on tho banks of the
Satiiia River at Oid Bethel Church
in Ware County Ga, by
old fathers in Isreal, Crawford,,
Dryden, Patterson Hutto and oth- 1
ers. Those faithful men have earn
estly contended for the faith once
delivered to the saints, and well
handed down the same faith and
doctrine to the present time, while
there has been many wolves to a
rise in your flock (or Christ’s
flock) unaware, and haved caused
a great deal of trouble to the chil
dren of God.l am glad to know there
still remains some who have al
ways waved the banner of King
Emanuel, and remained true to
the doctrine of Christ.
I am also glad to know that there
is, at lea=it, one bright intelligent
paper in Old Georgia that teaches
thatGod-honoringfioctrine of salva
tipn by grace, without condition,
are not gospel subjects
that sprinkling nor
of
Ksm ; I sin-
cerlyfc'ppeyUrvajuble papffßMP
do much good, in your
State, where the doctrine of Bodily
Holiness is taught so freely and
where so many other false doc-
Xriries are being proclaimed from
the pulpit.
Being myself raised in Georgia,
in the lap of Methodism, and
taught by good honest parents
that it was right to live in the
Methodist church, I did so for 14
years, but the more I learned of the
Bible, the more satisfied I became
that they were not the church of
God, and so became entirely sep
arated from them. Well perhaps
when I tell you J am a Missionary
Baptist, yoa will say I had as well
be a Methodist; hut there are a few
points that I would like to discuss
in brotherly love, but nay letter is
too long. I have read nearly 1 every
copy of your paper, and think it
good. Go on sounding the trum
pet until called to go home.
D.A. Thompson.
Josh, Ga., December 11th 1894.
Eld A. V. Simms,
Dear Sir;
By your request I write you a
short sketch of my life; though I
feel too unworthy to write to any
of the dear saints of God.
My mother is a member of the
Primitive Baptist church. Papa
never united with any church, but
he was a strong believer in the doc
trine of Primitive Baptists. He
died on the 13th of May 1887. I
feel that the Lord has been good to
us since his death.
I often bad serious thoughts a
bout my condition when 1 was quite
young. I was about fourteen years
old when I first began to read the
bible for relief; but I could not
understand it. It was a sealed
book to me. lat length began to
despair of ever finding any relief
for my burdened soul. I would
try. to pray but could not.
1 thought there might be a chance
for othey, but none for me. About
this time I had a drcam that I have
never forgotten. I dreamed I
wont to hoar a beptist preach, and
as I went iniq the house the minis
ter asked the deacoc if I was a
member of the church; he told
him I was not. He said,“We ought
to talk to her.” He looked at me a
moment and turned away without
saying a word. I thought he knew
that I would not do. I awoke
with my <trouble greater than it
had ever been before. I knelt down
and tried to pray,but could say but
very little. My trouble was so
great I wrote to Elder Lee Hanks
asking him to pray for me* The
day I wont to hear you preach at
Rose Mary I thought Icould/never
live to hear another sermon. I
thought I was going to die, and
that, too, without any hope. Oh 1
what a gloomy time to me. But be
fore you was done preaching my
trouble had mysteriously left me
and all was peace within. There
for the first time in my life I could
see the church in her glorified beau
ty. I found I was loving the dear
saints as I never had before. My
desire was to hear you preach a
gain, and so I went quite a distance
to meet you again at Deloache’s.
When the meeting was over,
though you was an entire stranger
tome, I could not help going to
you and tell you something of my
case. But I was sorry enough I had
x done so before I reached home that
evening. I feared I was deceived,
and had deceived you. Oh 1 what
would I have given if I had never
mentioned it to you.
I sometimes feel yet that I am
almost without any hope; and
then again a new light springs up
before me, and I praise the Holy
name of God. If I am a Christian. 1
surely must be tho least of all.
/Remember me in your prayers.
Mty Ibe permitted to hear you
Pleach again sometime. I enclose
one dollar for the Banner
Your Unworthy Friend
Sarah Cartie
wX, Ga, Feb., 4th, 1895.
Elder A* w. Simms,
j My Dear Brother feel to
njgfit just HikeJL
we nave here quring the
past week. Brother Hanks has b&en
here with us for several days and
we have had a feast of fat things.
I believe God sent him here. He
baptized four dear sisters into the
fellowship of Antioch church a few
days ago. It was a meeting that will
long be remembered by those who
were present. Oh, it was good to
be there and witness their coming
and hear them tell what the dear
Lord had done for them. It is so
refreshing to see such. It tells us
that Jesus is there also. How love
ly is the sight’ofobedience to God 1
He always blesses His children
when they a£e dutifuljand obedient.
I feel that'this is true of me, un
worthy as lam , sometimes I
almost give up in despair. I feel
so unworthy of the fellowship of
God’s dear people. But I know I
found rest in going there, and I
can sav with a whole heart that
where they live, I want to live and
where thev die I want to die.
Their are more of the little ones
bleating around the fold here, and
I sincerely hope they will soon
take up their cross and follow
Jesus, and find a home, for such
‘have no home while living with
the world.
May God bless you,’ dear brother,
and enable you to preach the un
searchable riches of His grace for
many years to come. Your little,
and unworthy brother,
Fair. R. Brinson,
Oksitxxa-ry-
Nashville, Berrien. Co., Ga„
January 28th, 1895.
"(fl At the home
Newbern, Rebecca >of her bob
ywjawH.D.
O’Quinn, in Berrien Cofimty, Ga.,
about 7 minutes after 2 o’clock .a
m., on the 10 inst, Mrs. Rebecca
Newbern aged 70 years, 5 months,
and 27 days was called away fiom
earth’s troubles •
“To that land above,
Where all »s Iovjl”
She was a daughter of Absalem
Thomas, was born iu Ware Coun
ty, Georgia July 13th 1824, joined
tliH Priinative Baptist Church in
her 23rd year of age, Married Rev.
_
G. W. Newbern in her 23rd yqar.
Being connected with the family
and well acquainted with .mother
Newborn for near 30 yeeirs, the
writer can say that she lived;* a
most pious God-like Christian ls%
never uttering a word of any kind
unbecoming a Christian. O, may
all her loved ones ever imitate her
examples . here below. And in
eternity bere-united-with her “Ih
that house not made with hands
eternally.” * *•* ■ •
H. D. O’Quinn.
APPOINTMENTS.
Elder J. J. Byrd, of Ozark, Alla., will
preach ( D. V- ) iu the bounds of
Lower Cahoohee Association as fel
lows : *
Belleville, Ga., Tuesday night
Little Flock, Wedesday “ 13
Sun Light. Thursday “ 14
Cedar Greek, Friday “. 15
Anderson’s Sat. and Sun., “16,17
New DeLoaoUe’s Monday “ 18 **
Bellknap, Tuesday “ • >l9
Beard’s Creek, Wednesday “ 20
Love’s Chapel, Thursday ' “ 21
At School h.o,use near
brother Rogers’ FrL, “ ; 22
Bay Branch,ibat. and Sun., “ 28,25
Brother Byrd will need conveyance
L. M. Nichols,
ElderS. Hassell, of Willfamston, N,
C., will preach, the Lord with
Elder M. F. Stubbs, as follows:
Naylor, Ga., Tuesday night, Feb., 19
Union, Wednesday *“ 20
Salem, Thursday , •“ 21
Concord, Friday “ 22
Pleasant, Saturday “ •28
Cat Creek, Sunday “ 24
Rist, Monday “25
U nity, Tuesday, j “ 26
Wayfair, Wednesday “ 27
Hebron, Friday “ 28
Bethel, Saturday and Sunday; Leba-
non, Brooks county, uesday; Bethany,
Wednesday: Harmony, Thursday;
Bethel, Friday, From thence Elder
Barwick will arrange for him on into L
the bounds of the Primitive Pulaski J.
Association, and from thence Elder
McDonald will arrange for him on- W
ward into the Upatoie. Elder Hassell |
is an able, worthy brother and we hopp
he may have good attention and, good
congregations. Elder Stubb« ( will part
with him at Union church.—S. '
Boated, Ga., will
preach (D. V.) in the bounds of the 4
Mt. Enon and Indian River Apsocia? J
tions as follows at night. Ji
Ocala, Florida., Thursday r>,uth,
, Antioch, Uth a
MtJEnon, 23th and 26th,
Peace Creek, 28th, ■,
Corinth, March 2nd and 3rd,
Mt. Carmel, sth,
Elim, 7th, ... W
Mt. Olive, Bth, |
Hebron, 9xh and 10th, t . I
Salem, lltb, J ’ ;
Kissimme, 12th,
Orange, 13th, ■
Mt. Olive, 15th, r fl
Mt,Zion, 16th>and 17tb, > X ■
Etodiah, 18th, 1
Union Grove,l9th, r
Piigrim’s Rest, 21&t,
Mt. Carmel, 23rd and 24tb. ■ i
■ M.L.Gilbksx? A
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GOBLES HYMN Booifl
We will receive orders for Gtnm’s i
Hymn Books, and furnish them W our
brethren at publisher’s prices. The
book contains a choice selection of did •**
hymns in 'common use among tile
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Terms: 25 cents for a single copy 1
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