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RPilgrim’s Banner. Sri . W* MS ’ - VALDOSTA, QA., Rk«, - BOSTON, QA., EDITORS. Sa. far dat the Post Office at Val- S Bja., as second class mail matter ■SHED SEMIMONTHLY. Hckiptoin Rat es. —The subserip . ®ce of the Pilokim’s Banner is '*W r annum, in advance; 50 cts for RB<<B>nths. Sample copies sent free glyjppiicauon. al dost a, Ga., March 1,1895. |Bditori als. " . Reachers—True and False. «s'- H c Lord has been pleased to K His people with prophets and |||Hrchers in all ages. These were P Wvinely qualified for the respon ■pdble work assigned unto them by p the Holy Spirit. These holy gifts r were indespensible to the peace, good order and good living of the “House of Isreal” in the old dis pensation. It appears from the k reading of the Old Testament R scriptures that the Lord had direct with His people PRhrough these men whom he had lajhosen to bear such messages as jK«re needful for the peace and I ftety of His beloved people. faithful men as often bore reproof, an(l re huke Lord as th< ' y did the ‘ R->f peace, good wilt and ‘ Ripleasant as it might ’ nao Isreal to listen to the |l|lhW »and rebukes of the v'.’t ’ Rt impelled as |jV Rthe power and spirit ’ R them they could ihji Refuse to carry these p’vy; Rid unwelcome !.'■ |i|g| Rthey allow; <1 to ‘ HE?s was at Ttlffon o. g|p L by which Isreal |jp;' ■ Wsee and repent of her ‘ Wum to the good old . jKther class of prophets H ’’■pong them who, being Emorant of the responsi- H > the Lord’s prophets, did IgX' Re to offer anything that prove to be the least un- L‘Hlhartal t, or offensive. They cared nothing for the welfare of Israel, but only prophesied '‘smooth things”—things that would please the fancy of a sinful and rebellious people, and license them to still more ungodliness. And thus a bit ter, and persecuting spirit was en gendered towards the Lord’s proph ets, who suffered as martyrs for their faithfulness. They “Killed the prophets” sent unto them and rebelled against the councils of God! May we not fear that these things may be repeated in soma fo”m in the gospel church? “But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. And through coveteousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose j udg ment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumber eth not.” ii Peter 11—1-3. If we are correct in our under standing of the above declaration of inspired truth, the terrible con diets, persecutions and death which the true and faithful prophets suf ’ feted of old, may be permitted to 1 notes upoh tbs ttus ttdniitett bf i Jesus in the gospel church—the Primitive Baptists. It must bo remembered that it was Isreal to whom the Prophets were sent, and it was Isreal that killed them. The same wicked and rebellious disposition which brought upon her the wrath and indignation of God, may be seen by every eagle-eyed servant of God, rising up, and slowly coming as a mighty beast of prey, ready to tear away the very vitals of the church of God. And shall the poor down t-oden, burden-bearing Minister of Jesus hazard his own life by warn ing the church of God of the ap proaching evils which threaten her destruction? Who among the soldiers of Jesus Christ can afford to pander to that damnable spirit of fatality, licentiousness etc., now already among us ? Who among them can sit idly by, and see the church rocked to sleep in Delilah’s lap, while she is shorn of her strength, her glory and her beauty? Such a heresy is palatable enough to the transgressor, because he is persuaded to believe that his trans gression is purely and simply the result, or production of fate, and that therefore he just ‘had to do it.” Such a doctrine would eliminate from the golden pages of God’s good book, every reproof, rebuke and warning against sin, and close the mouths of all of God’s servants who ventured to re-prove sin wherever it may be found in the church of God. If this doctrine i should ever prevail to any great extent among our people, then the ministers of Jesus will surely haz ard their own lives by crying out against drunkenness, adultery, also, it is said, is decreed, oft God and s therefore must be. Oh! for that faithfulness of Nathan the Prophet who was bold enough to meet King David face to face and say “Thou art the man,” or of John the Baptist, who, impelled as he was by the indwell ing principle of heavenly truth within him, could not evade the unpleasant duty of telling Herod face to face, the enormity of his sin in taking io himself his broth er Phillip’s' wife; and prefered to have his head severed from his body, rather than modify God’s truth. Is there such faithfulness now among us ? Oh I thank God, He has never left Himself without a witness, and we still have hope He never will. —S. A Hint te Corresiiom tents. Please do not think unkindly of us for giving a few general princi ples necessary to be observed when writing for publication. We are not complaining, but wish your at tention to a few things, which, if observed, will often prevent delay in the publication of your good letters, and relieve us of a little trouble. Write only on onp side of your paper. If you are writing on business, put the business on a sheet sepa rate from the letter intended for publication. Never make an apology for be ing “illiterate,” or having only a “limited education.” Illiterate Christians can write good enough without apologies if they have an impression from the Lord. Never extol the Banner or its editors above their worth. The Banner is an imperfect sheet, at best and its editors are poor sin- ] ners just like you. i Dont for a moment that j fttieditei it gifted te that extent j that he explain every text in the bible so that you can under stand it. a number of brethren and sisters have request ed our views on different portions of lhe word, some of we do no I understand. We are perfectly willing to tell all we know when requested to do so, but we hope our brethren will not expect us to tell them something we do not know. Pont think you are too little and unworthy to write for publi cation. Little Christians usually write best.—S. Bright Experiences. Sometimes I hear the little Christian says “If I just had an experience as brother A, I would go to the church Jand not carry this burden longer.” My dear brother or sister, Christ has not required you to tell brother A’s experience. Perhaps brother A has had an experience for thirty years —the life of the Chris tian is a life of experience, and you have only had a hope for a short while, hence you cannot tell of as many conflicts, or “hills and valleys,” as that one who has been dwelling in Canaan so long. You need not wait for that. John the Baptist did not wait for Peter’s experience, neither did Paul wait to have an infirmity thirty-eight years. The blind man that just knew whereas he was once blind he could now see, was just as much a Christian as Paul, Peter or John the Baptist. Do you love the Lord’s people? “Yes, I do” says the poor Christian. It not sim ply enough to like thejn or say you love them; but Ri should 'p r > v e L y y o them. 7 si One can tell more J6y gtJdly life than he can possibly tell with hit tongue. What will au ex perience profit the Lord’s people, no matter, how bright it may seem, when the individual who has it, is living an ungodly'life. The br.ghtest experience that one can tell, is to be willing, as Peter, to for ake all to follow Jesus. Ruth told more in forsaking Moab, with all its allurements, to follow or go with the Lord’s people, than she could have told in a lifetime in words and continued in Moab. Many of the Lord’s people are in the world to-day With a suf ficient hope, but are rebelling against their impressions wait ing for more to tell the church. Some remain in disobedience for years waiting to walk by sight in stead of faith. None of us will ever know we are Christians. The Christian, many times, doubts his acceptanc*in the be loved. “Tis a point 1 long to tnow, Oft it causes anxious’ thought, Do 1 love the Lord orJio? * Am I His or am I not?” Would a Christian feel so dark and despondent as I feel? Would he even get so careless that he does not enjoy the preaching of the Go-pel, or reading the Scriptures? Would he ever get so far off as to shun the Lord’s people for fear that they would speak to him? Does a Christian have’evil thoughts and vain imaginations? Does he, sometimes, feel that! his heart is black and he is chief of sinners? Does he nwurn because he feels that bis bunion has been so great as-j some others? Does a Christian ever receive a hope and can’t tell thelday of the month when it occurred? Yes, poc :• inquiring one, tme devii tries you: faith in every! perceivable! way to make you give up your lit tle hope in Jesus. Christians are all the ones who are thus worried over sin. All those mournings, groanings, indifferent feelings and the inbred depravity of your na ture, being such a burden to you, are evidence of a gracious state, and that you are a partaker of the the Divine nature, If you have shed one penitential tear, feeling broken hearted and that your case is hopeless, you are blessed of the Lord, and are a child of God. Do you feel from the depthc of your heart that you are lost? If so, Christ is your Savior, for he came to seek, and to save that which was “lost.” “Ab, poor me,” says one, i “I have never had the sleepless nights over my sin that I hear others speak of, I have never had the anguish of soul, nor bad any great deliverance like others; but I feel that lam a sinner and have ■ ■ been brought to see that Josus is my only hope of salvation, and if saved at all, it is by grace, and I love the Lord’s people better that any on earth, and would be so glad if I could just be the least among 1 them. You are a Christian, “You know that you have passel from death unto life because you love the brethren.” “He that loveth, is born of God ” It does not mat -1 ter whether you can tell of such deep trouble, but do you love thm brethren? If so you are a Christian. The world loves dark ness rather than light, because their deeds are evil. Those who are killed to to the love of sin, 1 love the Lord’s people who bear the image of Christ. If you are like 1 John the Baptist or Jeremiah, been loving the Lord’s people all your lifetime and feel that conscious ness within of your own sins you I WWt&uhu Craft. Many to-day are like the nine lepers that were cleansed, and never returned to give God the glory, they have a hope and let 1 little obstacles remain in their pathway. “Where are the nine?” 1 Some, waiting for more to tell the church; some, trying to conceal their feelings; some, feel too un worthy ; some are among the socie ties .of men, and some rebelling against their impressions and are dead to the sweet privileges of the church. Christian, go home. The church of Christ is a sweet home for poor weary pilgrims. Come and go with us; we will do thee good. Follow Jesus and you will find the church of Christ a banqueting house and feel the banner over you is love. There is a duty en joined upon the Christian to follow Christ “daily.” The Gospel bless* ings are in the path of obedience. You are not too poor to follow Christ, for he gives you all you need. You cannot be too little to be a child. God’s children feel little. If ydu have been made to cry for mercy it is an evidence that you are a living child. A child never cried without life. These groanings within and the con sciousness of sin are all evidences that you are a child of God.—H. —— ( I am now on a tour in Florida. 1 This beautiful “land of flowers” has become a scene of desolation, 1 and the people here seem very de spondent indeed to see their beautiful groves disrobed of their 1 garments of living green. Pros- j perity often makes us forgetful of 1 the goodness of the Lord. “The i Lord is good, a stronghold m the J day of trouble.” Lot us cast all our care upon the Lord, for he caret!) * for us. Afflictions, poveriy and 1 disappointmenu teach us that God] c reigns. This calamity will work i for good to them who love the Lord.—H. I am now at the pleasant home of my dear brother R. L. Hopson of Altoona Fla. I had a pleasant meeting at Antioch near Altoona to day. H I had the plearsure of meeting Eid. Durand and his famly at , Ocala Feb. 15th.—H. i Math, Ga., Feb. 19, 1895. > Dear Brother Hanks :—lf the . Lord will direct me I will try to write you a part of my experience, not that it will be interesting to anyone, but simply to relievo my ’ mind. » I think tha I felt that there ’ was a Saviour when a mere child, : indeed I had serious thought about [ the welfare of my soul as long ago , as I can remember. I thought that all the good peo- > pie would be saved, and the wick ed ones would be sent to endless 3 punishment, not knowing that f there was none good, for I used to ■ think that there was some good t people. The scriptures tell us that L there are none good, and I think J that my experience teaches me t that “there is no righteousness in the flesh.” Vy T hen only a small girl I wanted ' to be good, and thought that I ’ ought to pray, and did repeat ‘ prayers that I would learn from i books, papers etc. but they, only i came from the lips, ana did not i, ascend higher than my head ; so I . passed a good while in this way, } and sometimes when I would hear preaching, my feelings would be aroused, and I would think that I ’ wanted to join the church, but 5 could not get quite ready; so I > made up my mind that if I ever i got married I would join the L - church, I thought that there would be nothing in the way then ; but t after I was married I was farther from joining than ever, and re mai 3 six years ago, wlipn I began to feel 1 that I would like! to be a Ohrist ? ian. I realized that a wife anc t mother ought to be a Christian in ■ order to bring up her children in > the nurture and admonition of the , Lord, and also to be able to fight the battle of life more success fully. After the above feelings had been experienced, I was very much ’ undecided as to what church I i should join. I did not feel worthy i enough to join the church and thought that if I did feel worthy I would not know which to join the Primitive or Missionary Bap tist; I was fully persuaded to join one of these, but could not decide which one. No one can imagine how troubled I was over such a condition of mind ; but let it seem as simple as it may, it was never theless true. I would promise myself to search the*scripture, and try to find out What I did believe, but I failed to do so as many times as I made promises. I continued in this con dition until I heard you preach at Conoochee church about one year previous to the time ihat I joined, after that day I made another promise, which I did not break— to search the scripture more dili gently than I ever had before— the more I read the better I seemed to understand it, and the more I was convinced that the 01d.Primi tive Baptist were on a surdl loun dation. I would wonder to my- 1 self why it was that I could not ' have felt before about them, as I did then, but that was a mystery I 1 could hot fathom. Although I was fully satisfied that if I ever joined ' any church it would be the Primi- 1 tive Baptist, yet I felt that I was 3 too great a sinner to offer myself to the church; I was afraid of act ing the hypocrite, and afraid that I would deceive others, and per- ( haps be deceived myself. But for ( 1 the encouragement that vou gave me, on the evening before my re ception into the church, I would 1 —,—; .. be carrying the same burden ► JSh at 1 have earned so long, which has caused my life to be anything but pleasant. I realize now a rest that I never knew existed before. 1 I honestly believe .that if I am : saved, it will not be for anything i that I have done, but will be through Ihe tender mercies of a blessed Saviour; and if I am lost ’ it will be just, for justice will be ' j meted out to every creature in the day that the Lord will come to judge the quick and the dead. I 5 suppose that I have written , enough, and perhaps more than was necessary, but hope that all , who read this will throw the man r tie of charity around it, and look over my imperfections, for if what j I have written, is not my honest ? convictions, then I have had no t convictions. ) I will close by asking an interest in the prayers of all Christian - P 60 ? 16 - ; ¥4 Emma K. Durden. ’ 3 Collins, Ga., Feb. 22, 1895. t Elder A. V. Simms. > Dear brother in hope, it i» now 1 nearly a year since I subscribed t for the Banner during which time i it has continued to come bearing 3 its treasure of glad tidings ; and I i regret, dear brother, that I have not been able to pay you for it, but [ the year 1894 seemed to be one of [ failure with me, and were Ito brood over the past it would be dis- 1 hartening, but yet the arm of the Lord is not short, neither is Ho t slack concerning His promises. Dear brother, I hope to be able to pay you soon, but can’t ask you ’ to continue my paper, so I shall t* * expect it to stop. Your unworthy Brother, J. F. Jarrell. t I We frequently get such letters r as the above, and we desire to say 3 once for all, that while we are 1 greatly in need of the money that t is due us, we do notlike to discon r tinue the paper where our brethren are in a condition they cannot pay 1 foT. • We will contindl the papwWo you dear brother, and others as we can in your®roftioa, ( and do so cheerfully, and let you pay when you can. We need the _ money very badly, it is true,: but wo prefer to continue the paj&er and wait on our subscribers, than discontinue it. We have several hundred on \ 1 our list whose subscriptions ex pires with this issue. If all these will renew for another year, and do so at once, it would greatly re lieve us just now. Will you do so dear brethren? It is not a matter of being afraid to trust you, but a question of our ability to get through these hard times without your assistance. Remember us dear brethren and aid us what you can in sending out a gpod sound paper.—B. Comersville, Ind. Jan. 21, 1895. Mr. Ira Bray, Crawfordsville, Ind. Dear Sir:—l hear recently that sister Bray and her daughter are in poor health. I write to say thatX my judgment is, you cannot do a better thing than buy Oxydonor Victory. Elder D. Bartley, of your place can give you the facts. I ‘1 have cured my rheumatism in f about six weeks, and it was a bad case—sciatica. Have used it for colds-and feyers, and it works like magic. I write this purely out of regards for your loved ones, and I feel sure, if you get. one, you will always say you are glad you heard of this “little wonder.” To say I am pleased with it does not express it, I am delighted. Why not ? To be independent of drugs and doctors is no small affair. Investigate and dingly. Yours in hope, Elder C. M. Reed. c We acknowledge the receipt of one of Elder Fisher’s little books entitled: “My reasons for leaving the Missionary Baptist.” It is rich reading for hungry Christians. We hope it may have a wide circu la lion.—-8, /