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Duties.
The duties of pastors to their
churchec and churches to their
pastors is a subject upon which I
have had a great deal of thought,
and will now try to pen down a
few of thsm, praying the Lord to
direct my pen to the glory and
honor of His dear name; and for
• the good of Mis children ; and I
peg, in the outset that the dear
readers of the Banner may throw
the mantle of charity over my
many imperfections.
Dear brethren I have no desire
tn he dictatorial to the Lord’s peo
ple in any way. I only wish to ad
monish them in* my feeble way to
a faithful discharge of their respec
tive duties, as given ns in the bible
to be governed by. Let us consider
well what these’ duties are, and
then lot us perform them with ail
meekness and humility.
When we as churches make
choice of a pastor, we do not want
twfess he is prepared of the
Lord to take the oversight of the I
flock; and when we have made
choice of him we expect to meet
him at our churches on our meet
ing times, and to hear him preach
Christ, and Him crucified to the
comfort of his flock; not mortify
ing the feelings of his congregation
by telling them he has no educa
tion, that he is poor etc. and then
spend the remainder of his time
fighting other denominations; for
their doctrine and practice. They
cannot preach the power of our
God, therefore they are to be pitti
ed more than blamed. Such preacb-
ing is not the gospel of our Lord
and Master.
' I have heard some sweet preach-
* ers of our order that could hardly
read the bible; but whether learn
ed or unlearned, all can preach
whom the Lord qualifies. And,
dear brethren, let me bid you
Preach on. But preach nothing
except you have a “Thus saith the
Lord” for. Fail i.ot to declare the
whole council of God, without the
fear of man. You are not respon
sible for what the world believes;
are you commanded to make
giving .to'etibLt—
Now, a word to our churches:
Dear brethren when we call one of
God’s faithful preachers to serve
us and fail to untie his hands, so
that he can come to see us feeling
free from financial embarrassment
on the churches’ account, and
getting the “cold shoulder” of
some of the .members, we do not
tre;.t him as we should, and in so
doing we incur the displeasure of
the Lord, and cause our preacher
to wonder “Do they love me at all.”
Dear brethren and sisters let me
beg you to be faithful to each other,
for in doing this you are proving
your faithfulness to God,
I do not believe that any church
that is able, and does not take care
of her preacher is doing her duty.
They are generally poor men, and
some of them have large families
and their tabor is their only means
of support, and they often have
four churches to serve; and have
but little time for labor; and no
time to fish out and hunt out the
Lord’s little children as he has
commanded them. Yet we look
for him at every meeting, and if
he, through our negligence, is un
able to get there we think and talk
ftjat hard about it. We speak of his
carelessness and indifference as
though we were guiltless. Some
times a brother will complain at
the absence of the preacher when
he does not attend his meetings
regularly himself, and has not
done anything towards aiding his
pastor to come. But he will com
plain just if he himself was faith
ful, and say “We ought to have
another preacher,” but I think we
ought to hav ! another member. I
heard of one brother who said he
* thanked God that he had never
given a cent to his preacher and
never intended to do so. I am
glad to say that that brother is not
a member of our little church here
at Altoona. Ido not believe it is
the duty of any preacher to serve a
church that will allow him to do so
at Lis own expenses, unless they are
unable to bear the burden. But some
iwill say “the preacher is command
!ed to go.” S(3 they are, and the
church is commanded from the
same authority to Lear the burden
o f it. Let us not blame them un
til we fix <he bridge so they can
cross without getting crippled.
Dont let Us be afraid to do this
because others pay a fixed salary
to their preachers, for I do not be
lieve any of our preachers would
g<» into any such arrangement,
i Dear brethren and sisters dont
i think I am on to something new,
but read your bibles and see
whether these things be so.
And now a word to my brother
Deacons, (though I. fear I am a
Deacon only in name.) If our only
duty consists in waiting on the
tables at our communion times,
they would bo very light indeed,
but they do not stop here. I fear
dear brethren we are greatly to
blame for the crippled, condition
of our preachers. Have you en
quired into the condition of your
preacher’s finances? Ami have
you faithfully reunited the same
to the churches. Or has our laxity
in duty forced them to tell us the
reason they could not come. All
is this wrong. Let us do our duty
in spirit and bear one another’s
burdens.
Dear Brethren if any of you dif
fer with me, please do so kindly,
for I do not desire to do anything
that would mar the peace of any
of our dear brethren, nut dnly de
sire to admonish all the dear saints
to put on the whole armor of God,
and do His commandments with
'singleness of heart. Would be
glad to near from other brethren
on the subject.
Yours in hope,
R. L. Hopson.
Altoona, Fla.
Hope Mills, Page county, Ya.,
July Bth, 1894.
Eid. A. V. Simms:
Dear Brother:—Yours of sth
July, receved, in reply will say,
that I will do all in my power to
help get .your paper circulated. I
am much plaased with the Banner
and would like to see it in all
Ppflflflßßl^z^_ SSlogan gave
rmr-kix cooxtrt-which I distributed
among our people and hdpe to get
some subscribers. Thanks my
brother for the compliments in
asking me to write for its pages,
and I’d gladly do it if I knew I
could give one word of comfort to
the very k ast of God’s little ones,
but I’m such a poor weak creature
my letters are so imperfect, yet I
love to read or hear of the trials of
the dear saints. It is a great oom
fort to know that others have had
the same great battle to fight that
I have. But God is good. He
knows just how to humble our re
bellious nature or make us ready
to »ay
“Nothing in my hand I bring,
Simply to the cross I cling.”
Then we are ready to throw aside
our good works as filthy rags.
I’ve had more sore afflictions and
often feel that “I’m being tried as
if by fire,” but its a sweet comfort
to know that every affliction draws
me that much nearer to Christ.
Brother H. C. Hogan of Lidiana
spent three weeks with us and
preached much to the delight of
the Baptist here. Indeed we look
on him as one of God’s ministers,
so young in years, and in the min
istry, yet such an able, zealous ex
pounder of God’s glorious truths.
He dwells so much on the love of
God. “Salvation by grace” is his
whole theme. Oh! his manner of
preaching is so much like my
precious departed husband Eld
Benj. Lampton in trying to com
fort and encourage God’s timid lit
tle ones to take up their cross and
follow Him in the- ordinance < f
of baptism. Brother Hogan bap
tized two in Luray, while here. This
is the central of means or Burnam
ism, yet there are many hovering
around the fold, anxious to follow
the old “land marks,” only lacking
courage to say, “Jesus I my cross
have taken, all to leave and follow
thee.” Brother Purifoy tells me
that Brother Lee Hanks is so much
like Mr, Lampton was in searching
out his little tried ones. It seemed
to me that his eyes could penetrate
the vary souk Ido hope Brother
I Hanks will find it in his heart to
come to Virginia soon, I am so
anxious to hear him. Eider T. S.
Dalton is our pastor, and we love
him very much for the truth’s sake,
and we do feel that he is doing
much good here.
Now Brother Simms whenever
you will send me some papers I
will do what I can for you, I love
tno Baptist, I love the cause above
everything earthly, and I do trust
your paper will succeed. I enjoyed
your explanation of n Peter 3-9 so
much in Juno 15 number.
How true that “every one will
preach the power that sends him ”
Let it be Gcd or money. You, mv
dear Brother may the good Lord
ever keep you an humble little
preacher and bless your labors to
the good of His people is the
prayer of your sister, I hope.
Emma Lampton.
This" good letter has been over
looked. Write again Sister. —S.
Brackin, Ala, Feb., 10th, 1895,
Eld. A. V. Simms, Valdosta, Ga.
Dear Brother in the Gospel of
Christ. I have been thinking for
some time I would write to you
But being mindful of my imperfec
tions and feeling so unworthy of a
name amoung the people of God
I felt inclined to withhold. I have
so many sore trials and temptation
to meet with, I am often made to
fear that I am not a child of God.
My mind has been impressed to J
visit the churches in the bounds’ of
the Flintßiver,Ochlocknee,Union :
aad Pulaski Associations. But JI
fear that my impressions are nol i
of the Lord, and again there are j
brethren that seems inclined to i
think that preachers who travel
and preach do it for the purpose of
making money. But I hope that is
not the cause of my impression ;yot
that kind of talk often embrasses
mo so I am made to shrink when I
think of sending appointments.
But yet 1 get weary
and cannot hold my peace. I feel
that I have been sorely chastised
and have vowed to the Lord that
I would devote the remainder of
my days in trying to toll of the
sovereign mercy and grace of
God.l hope it is not for money,but
that I might have an acqu inted
concienca; or ease of mind. Sb if
you will give space for this in the
Pilgrim’s Banner I wiibtry to fill
any appointment the brethren see
fit to make, begining at.the nearest
church to Climax Station, Decatur
Co. Ga., going east on through Flin-
River,Ochlocknee and Union Associa
tion, begining about thelst of April.
You and Elder Hanks and Eld.
P.G-. McDonald, please arrange ap
pointments. Dear Brother Simms I
have been solicited to write for the
Banner but fear I could not be of
any comfort to the people of God,
Yet the Lord hath said,” comfort
ye my people saith your God
speak ye comfortable to Jerusalem,
are the trials and afflictions an
example, to the people of God
whereby they may be comforted?
Were not the Prophets an example
to the suffering saints of the
present day? and also the trial and
patience of Job, and were nott hesef
things written for our comfurf*
that we might hope and trust in
the Lord? And if the Lord has been,
so good and merciful to us, shall
we not be willing to be made an ex
ample of suffering afflictions, that
others who are sorely tried “may
bo comforted with the samo com-
F' !
fort wherewith we are comforted ol
God?” Dear brother asl have written
on both sides of my sheet for lack
of space, do with it as you think
best
My address is changed from
Victoria, Coffee county, Ala., to
Brackin, Henry coounty, Ala.
> Please send my .Banner to the
latter office.
In love to ali the saints I sub
scribe my self vour unworthy Bro
ther m tne affliction of the Gos
pel.
Lewis H. Stuckey.
Elder R. H. Barwick will please
arrange the above appointments
and send them (o us for publica
tion. —S.
Arcola, Ga., Feb , 18th 1895.
Eld A. V. Simms,
My Dear Brother in the Lord,
(if I may be allowed to claim
such relation with you.) Since I
parted with you at Statesborro I
have been wanting to write to you,
but have felt that my poor letters
could not be of any interest to you,
I have differed it until now. I
hope I may in return get a few
“hand fulls” as Ruth did. I feel
that yon dropped a few for me
while iq^this section. I was made
to feel that surely the Lord had
sent you here.lt reminded me of an
illustratipnlheard once about a bell
that was lost, that had been worn
by a tame sheep and was found at
last by some one, and as
the man was riding along
the road ringing the bell for a
musement, the flock of sheep heard
it, and ran after it. They heard
the sound. So I was by the Gos
pel bell ■ I hope I know the sound,
but it seems to me it had been lost
.or my ears had been stopped quite
a while prior to your coming.
May the Dear Lord Bless you
dear Mother and send you to see
us again.
■ Your unworthy Brother,.
P. R. McEivin.
Laston, Ga., Feb., Bth, 1895.
My Dear Brother in the Lord:—
I will write you to tell you of my
unworthy feelings. I cannot ex
press the feelings that came over
me when I heard you preach at
our c inreh. I could not go home
satis!'ed without yon and the dear
■JwetfaAn and sisters with us. I
Ol our blessed sa “
-vior w>s shed aboard in our mids t
that. day. O how thankful I feel
of such a comforter to poor
humble sinners as you are.
My dear Brother, I hope and
trust in the Lord that you may have
a willing mind to come back to
see. us again for I feel like their is
ivork here yet for you.
O how sweet it is to me to see
the little ones come home. 1
feel like sometimes that lam too
siiifu| to be amoung the children
of Gcd; but dear brother, that is
all my pleasure in this life—to
try to serve the Lord and go to
good meetings. I .now turn my
back upon the pleasure I once
enjoyed and I thank the good Lord
for it .
I trust that the good Lord will
direct me with the dear Baptists
the remainder of my days
My dear Brother I feel sadly
disappointed in not getting to you**
appointments inEmmaneul county,
but I feel thankful to the Lord I
heard you preach some.
MW the Lord’s blessings be with
yon «nd family forever. May the
Lord direct your mind to come to
see us again. I remain your un
worthy sister.
Tobitha Tompkins.
Boston, Ga., Feb. 14, 1895
My Dear and Precious Husband:
; I was very glad to get your dear
good letter, saying that you were
feeling bettor. I do hope youi
health will be good while you are
gone, and that the Lord will bless
you, and that you may be able to
|rjjoy this tour as you did the one
previous. I know it is a great cross
!pr you to leave home and be gone
o much ; yet I fee] that th Q Lord
has requii'd it of you and you will
be blessed in obedience. I desire to
bear my lonely loth wit patience,
without murinering, though t
tim,e% every thing seems dark and
glooj.y.
I fl &1 like I should be tho most
thankful creature on earth. The
good Lord has been so good to me in
'giving my dear husband to me as
one from tho dead. I feel like 1
want to praise Him as long as I
live. I dont feel like the* Lord
spared you to me, because I am
worthy of such a dear good
husband, but for the work He has
given you to do, therefore I desire
to be submissive,
We are all well. I was glad you
wrote to the children. They will
write to you Saturday. Darling
Pray for us. The time will seem
long, so write as often as you can.
You have my sympathy and my
poor feeble prayer.
Yours unworthily,
Lummie Hanks.
Saint Leo, Fla.,
Jan. 20,1895.
Elder A. V. Simms,
Valdosta, Ga.
Dear Brother: I have been
thinking for quite awhile I would
write something of what I feel,
to hope has been the Lord’s deal
ing with me, but could notget my
consent to do so until I read little
sister Ada Moran’s experience in
the Banner last night. Her let
ter reminded me so forcibly of
what my pool heart has witnessed
in gone-by days until I now ieel
encouraged tc write a little about
it.
I think it was in my twelvth
year when one day in June an im
pression came to me to pray. I
thought I heard someone tell me to
pray. I looked around to see if
anyone was near, but saw no one.
Up to this time I had but little
thought about de?ltli and the here
after. But I with such
convictions, that I looked in every
direction to see if anyone was
near, and seeing no one l'got down
on my knees as I bad seen others
do, and tried to pray, but soon be
came ashamed of my and
got up and went my way, butythe
impression to pray followed mie,
worm (<.y
again, but before I got on my J
knees, I thought of a secluded
spot where I might go and no one
would see me; so I started off
hastily to this place, but did not.
go far before I thought of another
place that was not so far away.
After I had reached the place and
bad offered my little prayer, I felt
better, but it was only temporary.
Everything I had ever done arose
before me and I felt like I had
never done anything good. My
daily meditations -was now upon
death, and everlasting punish
ment. I would occssionally try
to ask the Lord to forgive my sins
but I could not see how he could
remain just and show ma any
mercy. The hereafter was my
continual dread. One day I was
made to feel that I must die soon,
and I was so much, alarmed about
my condition that I went off’ to
where no one could see me and
and got on my knees to ask the
Lord to save my soul from death,
but while on my knees there ap
peared a brightness or something
that 1 had never been able to de
scribe, and everything around me
seemed changed, and my fear of
death was all gone and my soul
was full of praise to the Lord. I
started to go and tell mother what
I had seen, and that I wanted to
join the church, but before 1
reached her a fear came over me
that all that I had to tell was
something I imagined—that I was
deceived, and it would not do to
tell her or anyone else.
I went to church one day, and
when conference was begun Old
Father Ansel Parrish said ; “If
there is anyone present desiring a
home with this hated and despised
people, I would be giad to see you
come,” and then added, “But John
said, ‘bring forth fruits meet for
repentance.”’ I wanted to go,
but felt like I had nothing to tell.
I let that opportunity pass, and
made promises for several years,
but finally alter so long, and wan-,
dering about I united with the
Primitive Baptists on the 4th Sun
day in July 1893, and was baptis
ed that same day by that dear
brother El dcr M. L. Gilbert. ..
I yet have doubts—doubting
vften whether I really am a Christ
ian or not ; and so my troubles
has not yet ended.
'Dear Brothel* if this is not worth
printing let it find its way to the
waste basket, and all will bo well
with me.
Your friend and brother in
Christ I hope.
S. D. Thomas.
Elder Sylvester Hassell of Will
iamston N. C., is now preaching
among (he churches of the Union,
and Suwannee associations, much
to the comfort of his congregations.
He is very reserved in his general
manners, but bold in his defense
of the truth. May trod be with
the man.—S.
Change of Address.
Elder William Hollingsworth’
address is changed from Pelham,
Ga , to Whigham, Ga.
Elder ,D. B. Sheffield has chang
ed his Postoffice from DuPont, Ga.
to Manor, Ga.
Elder R. H. Barwick now gets J
his mail at Barwick, Ga., instead jfl
of McDonald, Ga. JR
Altoona Fla Feb 18 IBJH
Dear Brother Simms; Thisfl
inform you that Elder Lee Ugl fiX
was with us at our little
Messed him to preach iO
die eoiiilort ol die
-
dear Master. The «
is i a en-al gift tj
and all of us areJH . r '
visded us. He
'•'oiirc! suit sisherjM
May the Lord ■
his tour: and nuiM
also, uiy (bsir l>r<M d'
of Libor I’ravjl '
Your B J
II M ™ W
Portal, (jB ’ J
Eear P>rot heiW J. y?
the following W
the Bannti: for fl
nett, of Florida iiß
!10-:< Jlifl •
March, is; !i r.u-i i7l hfl d
“ 19, ‘ ,
“ 20,
“ 21, -
“ 22. * 4 /J ♦
“ 23rd and 24th,
“ 35,
26, *fl
Publish in next issue if pefl
Your unworthily, 1 ,
H.
Elder D. B. Sheffield will preach
in the bounds of the Flint River
Asssociation (D. V.) as follows:
Mispah Church, April 6, and 7
Hopewell “ “ 3
Providence “ “ • 9
New Hope “ ■ “ 10
Popular Springs “ “ 11
Rest “ “ 12
Tired Creek . “ “ 13 and 14
Piedmont “ “ 15
Fainsville “ “ 16
Pisgah “ “ 17
Prosperity “ “ 18
Union “ “ 19
Trinity “ “ 20 and 21
Travel “ “ 22
Pilgrim’s Rest “ “ . 23
Olive Grove “ “ 24
Bethel “ “ 25
Union Church, Miller Co. “ 27 and 28
He will need conveyance,
William Hollingsworth.
Elder Lee Hanks, of Boston, Ga., will
preach ( D. V ) in the bounds of the
Mt. Enon and Indian River Associa
tions as follows at night.
Ocala, Florida., Thursday, Feb., 14th,
Antioch, 15th and 17th,
Empire, 19th,
Little Flock, 21st,
Bethel, 23rd„
Mt. Enon, 25th and 26th,
Peace Creek, 28th,
Corinth, March 2nd and 3rd,
Mt. Carmel, sth.
Elim, 7th,
Mt. Olive, Bth,
Hebron, 9th and 10th,
Salem, 11th,
Kissi name, 12th,
Orange, 13th,
Mt. Olive, 15th,
Mt, Zion, 16th and 17tb,
Etoniah, 18th,
Union Grove, 19th,
Piigrini’s Rest, 21st,
Mt. Carmel, 23rd and 21th.
I M. L. Gilbkkt.