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The Pilgrim’s Banner.
A.V.SIMMS, - - VALDOSTA, GA.,
LEE WANKS, - - BOSTON CA.
EDITORS.
Entered at the Post Office at Val
dosta, second class mail matter
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Valdosta, Ga., April 1,1895.
V-' /-Jy'W
EDITORIALS.
7~i77h.ii.i1. " ■
Reply to Brother Varnes* Letter.
We commend the spirit and tone
of brother Varnes’ letter,and gladly
give it space in the Banner. It
breathes the .true language of Ca
naan, and we join brother Varnes
in his appeal to our brethren to
avoid strife and division, and not to
manufacture a phrase of their own,
such as “Absolute Predestination”
to express their faith or belief, and
set up their own utterances for a
standard by which the church
should be governed.
Brother Varnes seems to hope that
the charge that was made in our
editorial referred to, was like
it was in Illinois—a long way off,
and ask the question direct: “Do
you know of such a case among
you\” We are sorry to say that
suchi cases do exist, or rather have
existed right here in Georgia.
Owe case is on record where a
good/ brother offered a little ad
mcZition to a brother who was
upon
’ the offender pleaded the
Predestination of all things” for
justification.
■ Another case has just come to
light where a learned and talented
preacher said boldly and publicly
while preaching that all Christians
were in such condition that “they
cannot do any better,” leaving the
church to infer that if a ‘ brother
become guilty of drunkdness or
. adultery or any other sin he was
compelled to do so under the
force of circumstance's. The.
church promptly called him to ac
count for it, and in the trial of the
case he again reaffirmed bis posi
s- tion, whereupon the church with
drew her fellowship from him on
the charge of “Heresy—for per
verting the word of God relative
to the doctrine of predestination.’,
Elder Sj. Hassell of Williamston,
N. C. was present and .sat as Mod
erator for the church on the dav
of the trial, and sanctioned the
course the church pursued. , ~,y
Wefeel that it is but simple
justice to add just here that we
“ do not believe, that the two cases
7 mentioned abovte represent the
greatbody of brethren; who say
they belieye. in the doctrine \of
- H i V
“Absolute Predestination of all
things.” These are-extreme cases,,
and we suspectfroni brother Varnes
letter that had he been : a -member
of the church mentioned above, he
w’ould have voted'With the church.,
No, dear brother we never
“shoot at the shake of the bushes.”
We would only be too glad to be
able to say that no such heresies,
existed here or elsewhere, and it
• pains us to the vdry heart to be
forced .to mention the cases above
alluded to, and would not have
.done so for any other reason that?
that our orethren—the church of
the Most High—the peace and
prosperity of which is dearer to me
than my own wretched life, shquld
lift up their eyes and behold the
dangers that await us, and that the
church may be able with the di
vine help and grace of God to for
tify herself against every evil, in
whatever guise it may Come.
We have said repeatedly in
these columns that we would not
allow the phrases “Absolute”
“Limited”or“Unlimited”when pre
fixed to the doctrine oi predestina
tion to disturb our fellowship with
any brother; but wo would plead
with brother Varnes to the dear
children of God to use only such
phrases as God has used to repre
sent their faith and doctrine. We
have believed fora long time that
the seeming differences among our
brethren on these things amounted
only to a different manner of ex
pressing them.
No sound Baptist believes that
God has left any- of His works to
chance, or uncertainties. Neither
do we believe that anyone with a
proper regard for the sacredness
and truthfulness of God’s Holy
word believes that He is the
author or approver of sin; but on
the contrary the great body of
Primitive Baptists believe that God
hates, reproves, condemns and
punishes sin in whatever form it
may appear, whether in his chil
dren or the unregenerate.
> But if extreme cases should ap
; pear where one should represent
, himself as the agent of Almighty
; doirig that which He has predesti
nated while indulging in his un
, godly lusts, we shall be found
contending against such heresy
i with such ability as the Lord may
give- ' /•;/\ ""
in one of the cages men
tioned above one Or more should
deffythp,ability of God’s chihlrem
to do what GoThas Off,
them to do —that they are required
to do a thing and without the
ability to perform it—that though
they be guillty of the vilest sin—r
“THEY CANNOT DO ANY BETTER,” and
thereby impeach the justice of
Godin punishing them for their
sin, we should be found among
that loyal body of Christians cry
ing, with a feeble voice though it
be, away with such blasphemy.
We do not believe that our God
is a “hard man, reaping where He
has not sown, and gathering where
He has not strewn,” Math. 25 and
24,—-that He has required obe
dience of His children and has not
given the. power to perform itj The
Scriptures abound with testimony
testifying to the ability of every
Christian to live morally and sober
ly. True that Paul often did
wrong-r-did things that he “would
not,” and yet he says “I keep un- 1
der my body, and bring it into
Subjection; lest that by any means,
when I have preached to others,
I myself should be a castway.”
Ist Cor. 9 ahd 27. And not only
does he recognize the ability of
the Christian to do these things,
but that he could, and did live
morally even before he knew any
thing of the mighty power and
grace of God in his heart; and
that the “Gentiles which huve not
the law, do by nature the things
contained in the law,” Rom. 11
and 14. But why multiply. Scrip
tures to prove a doctrine so well
established in the mind and heart
of every child of God? Do w r e feel
inclined to excuse ourselves when
overtaken in sin on the plea that
we could not do any better?—“that
we were compelled to transgress
by some unseen hand or .power?
No, a thousand times no; but when
we sin we feel that we have done
it willfully, and our sense of truth
and justice will not allow us to
plead before God “I have done
the best I can.” God deliver us
from such blasphemy I pray.-—S.
CAST DOWN.
We thought to continue by giv
ing our call to the ministry im. this
issue of the Banner, if indeed it
be a call to such a great work; but
we have been so low spirited and
have felt for the past month that
our feeble life had been a dismal
failure, until we have doubted
whether the Lord has ever called
us to this great vocation. We
can see others eating, at the king’s
table, but we lay.in lodebar/lame
on broth feet, and cannot getrthere
to eat the rich provissions of our
blessed king. Oh! that we had
our appointments called in, we do
not think we would make any
more. We have thought of going
to our dear brethren and telling
them that we shall act no longer
in the capacity of a feeble minis
ter, but only want aii humble
home among them what few days
We remain here. Just let us re
main at their feet and be Rooked
upon as the least; if one at’hll.
Oh! that the Lord would be
merciful nnto us, and enable us
to feel his presence once more
Oh! that we knew where we could
find Him. .
Would a child of God get so
low? These have been our feel
ings for quite awhile:
me.” “God be merciful to fme a
poor sinner.” “Lord if thoi hadst
been with me I would nqt thus
from my great trouble, j .We
pint to talk to the humlwe chil
dren of God, but feel toil sinful
and conndt. All we can Jlo is:
“Be still and know that I am God.”
Pray for me.—H.
Elder Purefoy will preach at
Little Flock 2nd Saturday in
April, and at Antioch on Sunday,
and Sunday night in Boston.—-11.
Do lour Duty.
Brethren should not call a preach
er to serve them,and thpn not go to
hear him preach. Be careful to call
a godly man, and one whom the
Lord has blessed with a gift to
speak comfortably unto Jerusalem,
and alsc, he should be faithful to
point out the sins of Israel, “Open
rebuke is better than secret love.”
Go to hear him preach and if you
have no preacher, go and bold your
meetings, and talk about the good
ness of God, sing and pray. Many
of our brethren are too careless
about going to meeting.
Brethren, do not let little frivol
ous matters keep you awuy from
i your meetings. The more you
stay away the more careles you
are. Brethren die. to their Chris
tian comforts by neglecting their
duty, If you love the Lord’s peo
ple, you can go quite a distance
to hear them preach and you can
go through cold weather or rain
There is a. sacrifice in true wor
ship. Seek .first the kingdom of
God and let all worldly matters
be secondary. My brother and
sister, let us all resolve from this
on that we will not forsake the as
sembling of ourselves- &>gether,
but let us all go, not as smetutors
but as humble You
can make your meetings %eavtenly
places if you will do yhur duty.
How maiiy dear puefl are
staying away, living after the
flesh and dying to their sweet
comforts as. Christians, ?muet
'•'oci ■r • • ■’ ;i ’ ■■ ■■ v 5- - ■ ■ °
often, and meet early and sing
praises to God and if anyone feels
-impressed to .tell his feelings or
speak in prayer, let him do so;
but do uot go into un-
til tire church puts you there.
Many useful gifts are distroyed
by putting too many out of their
places. Many gobd orethern would
speak in prayer or tell their feel
ings, but are afraid thechurch
would putthem in the pulpit when
they uro not preachers. If the
Lord,s people were as good to go to
worshipped as they are tw. go to
elections we would get along bet
ter.—H.
FAITH.
• “Now faith is the substance of
things hoped for, the evidence of
things not seen?' Heb. xi. 1.
It appears to be the apostle’s
object here to shew forth to the
Hebrew brethern the degree and
manner in which holy men of
old wore exercised by faith, as a
proof of f Howship, .that we who
. are exercised similarly, may have
strong.consolation;-and lay hold
of.the promise set before us; and
' cry out as did Ruth of old, “En
’ treat me not to leave thee, or to
• return from following after thee:
i for whither thou goest, I will go,
and where thou longest, I will
lodge; thy people shall be ray peo
ple and thy God my God” etc.
5 , For the Spirit of .truth which
; the world knowefh not, neither
. can receive, has edmb' for
sake, and bus, faithful withers
within, testified to none other
! things than, these’Which the pro
i phets and Moses' did say should
. come; as Jesus himself said. “And
he sifaii testify of me/’ is, “that
Christ should suffer, and that, he
should be the first that should, rise
5 from the dead and should show
> light unto the people, and to the
Gentiles.” ’ r ;
The great problem with all
saints, from Abel to. faithful
Zaeharias, and eyen to the present
* day is: “Am I a child of God?
Have I passed, from death (what
, Timothy.know) to .life?, Have I
been born pf the Spirit of ,Qod?
Can I claim oim bit of fellowship
with those in wliom we. have the
i utmost confidence as ‘men of God?’
Tbumstances -to them, and am I in
VO IIWUI, (IUU CVIAX A All
the way of the footsteps of the
flock?” If so, how blessed is our
, state indeed; if not, who knoweth
the end thereof?
Thus how all-important 1 it is
so us, that our calling arid election
be made sure; not to God, biit to
ourselves,who have to live by hope,
of the same,which is as an anchor to
the soul both sure-and. steadfast
and which cute re th into that with
in the veil, which place is the des
tined haven of rest, so long looked
and hoped for by those who.have
ho continuing city, here, but. seek
one to come, and are as the fore
runner. who bad no where ,to lay
his head.
So for this same grand purpose
were the Scriptures written,'that
we through patience and comfort
of the same might have
very substance upon which we
live,,“ for we live by hope.”
It may appear that I have rather
i left the subject, but it was iny ob
ject to, show the motive of Pau] in
referring to so many of that “great
cloud of witneeses,” as he after
ward called them*; which reference
was for the consideration of the
brethren, that they might
aside every weight,and Sin.:which
doth so easily beset them,
with patience the race set before'
us, looking unto Jesus the aurthor
and finsher of our sub
ject under consideration,and tvjth
out which, Paul says “it is imposi
ble to please God.” ;f . ~, ,
The truth that is conflcrmd by the
testimony of these witnesses, is.all
important to anycehild of God, for
it is to such the poweir of. Gtid and
the wisdom of God; the identical.
and only qualification that he
needs,and must have to ever
him:to present his body a living
sacrifice and holy, acceptable unto
God which is his ,ser r
vice, and as a proof of tbeir-poses- f
sing it Their words were invaribly
pointed to, for instance; by it tiic
elders obtained a good report,— ;
which we know coULDNbT have been <
by saying and doing not, or by <
drawing near untp lhe Lord with
their lips, their hear'U far
from him. < J ' . 1
The elders doing thus did nbt
giye them faith, dr make them
heirsof Godr or .spiritual child
but it did prove beyond edntfa
diction that they had faith, and a
living faith too, which is always,
attended by “good works!” ; It
proved,—however, that they had
passed from death to life, and had
been made partakers of the firs
resurection and freed .from the
terror of the second death; being
riseii with Christ,they sought thoee
things which are above which was
an unmistakable dvidenpe of. the
existence asd active'exerciso of a
true and living faith, not as we exr
ercise it, but as it exercises us. for
it is God which worketh in,,.you
both to will and to,do of his good
pleasure,’’thus enabling as uiany.as
are exercied thereby to work out
taeir own sakvatipn, and that too,
with fear and trimbling. This saL
vation is not the eternal one.which
was completed by Christ on
Cal very when he himself said“it is
finished,” but the salyaton here
referred to is the perfect peace and
joy unspeakallo an 4 full of glbr'y
that is experienced by every child
of God in obedience to God’s com
mand ; for,in so doing they have a
strong consalatioh, the evidence of
their acceptance with dbd‘“i's
brightened by their strict Ud<
herence to all his laws and statutes, ;
which is a s tire token of the >ac-,
tive exerise of a live faith within
and maiWfests itself by •• 1 bringing \
forth ; such fruit from its nossessdr
as is spoken inJ.Galatiabs v.
22 and 23, such as lover joy, peace
etc?; against •whichb there is; no
law.,- ■ ’ )M ,.!
. I had thougntwheml began,,, to
refer to some of the, evidences that
is.menti.oped ;in the.xi chapter of
Qebi e.ws, as p.roo fs th at. th is great;
cloud.of witnesses were possessed
of, and, exercised by «a fait|i that is,
peculiar to God’s chosen
which is thb gift of God through:
the Spirit- , There is a;i idea that
whatever they may door not do,
causes God to do or' not do what
they m their judgment may’think!
was proper, eitfior as punisbineht :
for disobedience, Of'as fbn ’
obedience, and a&a coiisequencb!
their heart is as full of inconsola-i
tion and-' impatience 'as it oah pos
sibly hold,! Suppose.!.
I» will .close byi'us-fng the. wordfl
of: Peter: “And beside th is, giving
all diligence, , and. to your faith
virture, add to virtue knowlege, ;
and to knowledge temperance; qpd
to, temperance, patience ? and to
patieuce, godliness; and to godli
ness, brotherly, kindness; • and, to
brotherly kindness, charity;, sot
.it fhogu,. things bq ip .you. and.
abound, they male you that yO ,
shall neither bo barren not un
fruitful in the knowledge bj bur
Lord Jesus Christ.” i, 5 and ■
8). Would he so glad to' receive
a letter from anyone who may read
this, for lam so Oafn’af that’ I am'
often thinking, if 1 am wliat I
thus. Sb dear reader'• in ay the
dear Lord inclinG?. your lieaH' tjm
law of*' liberty;'" thqti.
ypuMipright walk and convered-!
turn may ;Show .'forth the praise
! tMhA glory of 'God’s grace.: in: .v • • (
cDeju?. Breth ; S immfr: an 41 .
Jiaaks, I siibmif the foregoihg tQ:
ypur better,;'judgment do jwi-Ui, ; it ; r ,
asrjseemeth right to-you,. ainUGbd
be glorified. ‘
' 1 / . Renaem bqr you rs in Jippe,
.n. -W Ga^Mar^XdflA', ; ;j ! j.
'r ; ’
; ’ The’®ftects'of''Freb , clHii^ c ’ i
1 lie i-m Janice |?
; \“But we pjeacb Christ crucified; '
unto the Jews a stumbljßg , block: i
ap'd uhid the <urfp<jks (o6hsh'fie I ss,
but'unto them that are eallbd botln {
Jews and f;Greeksg-.-.B Christ' < the/ J
'- ’ $9.4 tb© w isdpqi 3 o f. i
* '//■* -■ I “I[ J
(5 Pear Edit ch’s, qf, IbellAXNhß:
,desirc so wjJtct.fl, f<.iy line&. pn ; ; tlfo
fiwegoingm.suhjecti/'Wliat* a.AaSt J
amount of preacliiitg; and sifdfi 5 i
small affibunt (comparatively
speaking:) on the/ Apostolic or |
djer. Hbfwthe ’ bmiiicnt pbytid !V
MidtVkffpWe'tefifectsbf 1
or what efiect it has on all classes,
A ... ...
i and as it was in that day. so it
r will be throughout all ages of the
world; its influence will never fail
t while there is day aud night. We
’ understand the Gospel to W the
’ Hbwr- of God - untn salvation-, to
“ the believer, and to preach Christ
1 crucifidd is' preaching the Gospel.
J Therefore onto the Jews it was a
stumbling-block, and,it is , f .to day,
j and unto the Greeks it was foolish
ness, so it is to dav. I understand
3 from the term “Jews, and Greeks,”
? that it was to the unbeliever that
’ the Apostle had reference to.. The
5 preaching of the Gbspel, in this
5 day, as'.it was in, the. Apos
t tolic day; it is a stumbling block
r add foolishneS unto them. -’Why?
p Because the carnal mind is en-'
i mity against God; it is n,ot .subject
I unto bis laws,, neither indeed can
5 be; but unto the believer it is the
-
t power of God and the sy^.o m oi
, God. The Gospel, preached is
- comforting* to them that have
1 hearing ears and 5 tifiddi’standing
1 hearts." “ ' " , " '
3 ; ; Comfortye, comfort;ye my. peo-
’ pie, (those - who arb saved) saieth
your God, spefik ye comfortably to
' Jerusalem,and cry unto her,that her
warefare'is that her
iniquitiy' is pardoned;’for she hath
f received of the LorSM harid ’ double
g for.all her sins,”,,/, t . ? ,
; Such preaching is comforting
indeed to the shm'e 'bhbs, tlie apos-
_ lie had reference to it is not stumb
j ling-blocjc nor foolishness unto
ri him but it is the power ' m God.
r But to the contrary it is fooljsli
. ness, and has been s anfl ever will
3 be, .until t|me slfalf be np more.
.) . The jeieemed of.the Lord’s, war
fpje their are
)> remembered against them no more
: foreyer;,. they , are. not redeemed
f wj tli ;Silyqr por geld; but,' .by , tbe
t blood.of, Christ,... Their warefare is
1 oyer,and ; pertaining to
3 i their eternal salvation', is hxed
»j pealed. Whbso . great a
j God as pur .God-. ; How: thankful
the recleeraed, pf , dhe Lord, should
•hath, bestowed.. upon us. We as
,iw;.P e 9Pi® ®J TOr. honor and
adore idjs ( ; ,great (Kung of
;kings, and Lor|l.of Iprds) in, jiving
upright, apiyonesf ( a.np( our
and in obedience so the
. la ws aud ordmances of .map; Whii e
here, in time, worh’ out our own
salvation .jyitii4ear apd.
fey.!Jiving ’/in '?.be.djqnce.th/.our
hatb re
,quire T d obedience, of all Ills. chil-
• : ; G f od’ s
pepp|q ? that ) Xpiqy. jiye that us
t.o. qeyer upon, the
, paiisepfchyist/,//.’ ‘
’>. ir<X o; ¥ s f'Urnql :
Ji lo
, . Feb;,/7th, 1895.
Joo Oil: HKLP.
Times ■ ar!e, Fhard and > n ;we
are greatly in 1 -need of y money
to, defray' the %f the
Banker' .W e ; hope tlie. friends
: of tbe Banker Will 4Md-US’by re
pewing and sending. .us.heW, cash
mahy ybu can aerid!' by
:gre^9eqd n .„.
’'-Many 1 tlidhl&! the' brethren
I nocjTj;
® ki f d -ne.v troubles areFah
■ ®'«ssra*«2
n ; Valdosta. Ga
Dealers lor Southeast Ala, *
