The Pilgrim's banner. (Valdosta, Ga.) 1893-1918, April 01, 1895, Image 3

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The Pilgrim's banner., April 01, 1895, Image 3

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Newspaper Page TextCramer, 111., March 14,1895. •* Dear Brother Simms: , lam now a subscriber to your paper, and have received the second number; Ido hope it will earnestly contend for the laith once delivered to the saints. I , feel to be one of the least in my ~z * Father’s house, yet,l would like to write a little for the' children of God—the readers of your paper, and if you think it will do no harm I hope you will publish it for me. Ido not want any strife, or controversy, for God knows I de sire nothing but the peace and < prosperity of Zion. i Alter reading your editorial in ; £ the last number, headed: ‘-Teach < ers, True and False,” I paused t . and wondered, and read it over. NRjgg and over, and felt impressed at once towrite you, and after trying to free myself of the impression and finding I cannot I am now seated to write, I hope the Lord may guide my pen, sathat I may not harm or offend any of the little ones, thot have a hope in Jesus. Now my dear fellow-traveler 1 have had a name among the Old School Predestinarian Baptists for ■ gbout thirty five years; I have spent a great deal of, .time and money in traveling amongst them in the Eastern and Western States, and my acquaintance with this people—the people I love, is somewhat extensive. I have heard a many of our Southern brethren preach to-wit: Aiders Gold, Has t sell, Williams, Hanks, Eubanks and Hardy, with others, but I must say that in all my acquain taiice I have never heard anyone teach or preach that we might do evil or sin that gbod may come, or of anyone doing wrong and say ing they had to do it. This is a new thing to me. The Apostle said of, such that their damnation * was just, God “tempteth no man.” Anyone doing; wrong—sinning against God or the.-Churchy and them to make any such defense, X that God had . predestinated it, B‘iMi'u viid ai ■ ■ minians had said to me-often: “If . I believed.as you do, I would take my fill of sm,” etc. Now I think lin suph cases tliey prove beyond L all question that they have nevdr had their “fill- of sin.” There are but two kinds of sinners-—those fwho love sin, and those who hate sin, and for myself I can say that I do hate and abhor sin r :and <yyhen I do wrong, I feel condemned I charge not God with- having pre destinated me to do wrong. Such an one that would charge; God, or say that they had t© disgrace them selves; shows plainly, by .such talk that they arehyprocrites,and have never known the depravity of their own hearts; or else they have fotgoften they Were purged from their old sins, I believe all such should be delivered over -to Satan. : “How shall we that are dead to . sin live any longer therein” Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? .God forbid.” ‘ J Dear Brother we have the dis cipline of the church laid down in the Scriptures too plain to enter tain any fear. /. You speak ot. - - “Fatalism.” If date is that God . determined the fiibfd destiny of all the people in the world—that they are safe for .whom Christ died, then I believe in. fate. But I don’t fate about. it. Who shall reply against God, for “He liatb declared . tlie end from the beginning, saying my counsel shall stand, an 4 I wilt dp ' all my pleasure.” Q.tir God is ,> a God of purpose—never has left anything to fate: Those who ,'be lieve in fate say “If I am to be saved, I will be saved” and con tinue to wallow in the mire. ;; y I behevei that the -Watchmen: and all of God’s children should • I I contend against all that is wrong . and live soberly and godly in- this present eyi] world. Should we contend.that j t js.rjghttp do,wrong r because others bave,.done wrong, *•' and Gotf’s purpos^r was manifest in it; so that the wYatft “bf " nlhli A was AO 1 >. made to praise Him? There an many things in the Scriptures w< r might men!ion that is two plain t<> e deny—such as wicked men pul J tmg the Savior to death; they did !i only that which was before de- I .termined to be done, yet. it was a S sin, but may this suffice. 3 Now deaf brother, do you know f of such eases among our people in ; your country? Or is it like one has said about the same in lllinos r —-they were always a good way r off- If there is any such anywhere - I think they should be excluded. I or do you mean those who believe in Unlimited Predestination? If so i you brand and misrepresent many of God's orderly walking children, that would not for a moment toler ate such licentiousness. If jt be this class, I think you did them a great wrong to speak as you di<U There are great mysteries, in the Bible, and I think it wronj.’ for brethren to agitate and de bate the question, 1 think the words “Unlimited” or “Absolute” should not be used, for they are not bible words. I think all or derly Baptists should labor .for the thing that make for peace, and things whereby one may edify another, and not make a brother an offender for a word, because we don’t see alike in all things “Oh! that mine eyes were a foun tain of tears, that I might Weep day and. night for the slain of . the daughter of my people.” - Dear fellow-traveler, our time is but shdrt here; then let us not spend it in strife and confusion. | VZe Only see in part, and through, ( a glass darkly. Division and con-1 I tention among us does a great 1 deal of harm. If we can’t say c anything but evil about a brother, t ets keep quiet, live in peace, and s when we come to die we will feel I the better. I have seen much confusion in my day, that has been c heart-rending. It hurts so bad to v see good preachers fall out and 1 separate. Now, mv dear, brother I will a offense at what I have written. 1 hope what I have said may do good. May God be with you in .your editorial labors. I am taking ■four Baptist papers—The Primi tive Baptist, Messenger of Peace arid The Signs of the Times and 1 think they are all good. . “ E.D. Varnes. .J . . ... . ■: !- . 7- : . -• , „ if . * . . ? : . ■ H‘ - ; ! Wade, ,Ga., Feb. 24 th,. 1895 Elder,Lee Hanks: , , r , - Dear Brother in Gospel bonds: We had no meeting at our church on Saturday of our last meeting the weather was so disagreeable, but we. had a very pleasanf.meeting on Sunday. I desired very much to hear Elder Hassel, but oii.the account of the weather I. failed; I trust you will come again through our section when the weather is more pleasant and we all can enjdy ourselves together again more comfortably so far as the weather is concerned. I think perhaps we will have bettor times herein the near future than we. have had in the past while strife and conten tion was so wide spread in among our churches and associations I think. I can see a better spirit among the little- ow of. Christ’s fold and inquiring for the .good old way of-Zfoh. /May the good Lord enable us to look out of our selves and look - to Him whence all our help must and does comei. May the-gdoct'Tjotd bb with job and direct you in all yduri pijgrimi age while.in this lower ground of sofow desirc for the'R'edeOmi ers • sake.,, This leaves • meo and family all s£ll.i ’ 3w ■Yours truly in hdpe^ ; -.J* •>]’ ' KW. G :il ';0 < j ■■ i.-*.?->ii 1 Remarks. /l ain gUd to. hear from you all my brother. The Baptist f£6l, precious to me in your country. q fiqp£ ; tb.yjst you in the tieur fq dure/: 1 hold you and ybvr precious family in gHtefdl remeinberarice: /May...the.. Xorh. bless you al] and revive, his work among his people in your country h. EXPERIENCE. Buck Horn, Ala., << March Ist 8195. I Elder Leo Hanks, Boston, Ga. , Dear Brother: 1 will try to fulfill my promise to you in writing some of what I hope has been the dealings of ,the Lord with. me. 1 was reared by pious parents both of whom were members of the Missionary Baptist, and have had for years the utmost confidence, in them as Christians, They taught tne to be inoral, but never tought me that morality was Christianity, neither’did they persuade mo to be religious in any form. My notion of religion was that it would do for old people who were about ready to enter the grave, but •is for myself, I was young, and had thought I had the promise of a long life; and whan I got old and gray headed I would get religion, for I loved the world, and wanted to' enjoy it. But in the fall of 1874 •[ was made to realize that I had no lease of my life, and that death .vas liable to come at any moment, And felt if I died in that condition I was lost, therefore, I began to reform for I thought that was all I had to do to be I veriljr thought I could keep the law, but the better I,.tried, to live the greater sinner I saw myeelf to be. I scon saw that 1 could not keep the law, consequently my doom was ( sealed, which was eternal death. I would go to meeting and the preachers would say the sinner must believe in Christ inorder to . be saved eternally. ! thought that lof myself must perform these, j conditions; therefore I tried with ", all my power to believe he would save me,bvt for my life I not , believe that He would save 'sne.;. I bcliqyed that He would save* t others, but I was too wicked and j vile to believe that He would save ] me.v'-'i : 1 ',• ■ * I continued in this condition for about six months,and never expect ed to be able to tell of the trouble and anguish ofsail 1 LRI uugft W 1 IIVN [ passed. I Would often seek some secluded place where no eyes but God’s could see me and try to beg God for his mercy ,but ail that .1 could say, was: “Lord be merciful to me a sinner.” This was pay cry day and night: Finally I attended protracted meeting at Shiloh church of Which father and mother belonged, rind offered for prayer every opportunity,but I still got no relief.' It seemed that there was no hope for me, but I must sink forever beneath the frownsofa sin avenging God. One night after la.aving the mourner’s bench and- returned "to my seat feeling worse if possible than j had ever felt, the preacher began to talk and that burden of sin and condemnation that was weighing so heavily upon me rolled away, and I felt rs light as a feather, and every body looked beautiful, and seemed to be praising God. I felt like I wanted to tell some one of my feelings, and I went to one of my uncles that was present and tried to get him to go home with me, but he refused to go, not knowing my condition. I started bomb by myself, a distance of about five miles, but I soon.fell in company with a man that went my road about two miles, and he talked all the time about some thing, but .I...d|d hdt know what. Shortly aftori we. separated I found myself aiu giiig: ' : ; / ’’Amazing grace:how sweet the sound,: ’’That sa yes a wretch like me. I think if I cvor, sang with the spiritand with the understanding, : it'’was that night;'-:I fee! like I would never see any more trouble and could / . " : ‘ ” i• J f ’■ . . .i.i.G .' ' . . £ ; - .Sail to Heaveif on flowery beds of ease, 'Chough to win the prize, And sailed through bloody seas. I thfwght when I reached home 1 would MU fat icr and mother but | before I reached home, it seemed a voice spoke tdWe' and said,“you are deceived, ’? and from that- moment I began to doubt and never told my 'parents “ for fear I should deceive them. I felt like I wanted to jjoin the church, Upd did offer myself to the Mis sionary Baptists and was received, '• but I soon ..began’ to be in great '• trouble, I was so weak and sinful I knew I was certainly deceived in the whole matter, and the church had no buisness with me. Satan 3 made mo believe that I would live i free from I was a Christian; 3 and it give me a great deal of trouble. In the midst of 1 this trouble mind was directed 5 tb read the seventh’ chapter of Roman? in which Paul gives his 1 experience. T found that he told ; my experience, and it gave mo ' J comfort. IthJiight if such a man as 1 Paul could not live free from sin certainly the Lord would not ex pect such a being Us I was to live perfect. I still have my doubts and fears, and I c?<pectts have them as long as I live. : Dear BrotKpr Hanks,this is a part of what I hope to be the dealings of the Lord with me. I may soon give my call to the ministry, and reason for living the Missionary Baptist. I hbpe you and ail the dear .children of God will remember me at a.th rone of grace. Your little and unworthy Bother in Christ | U. W. Harden. ■ Ji' Wp hope you will continue to write to us Hear -brother. —H. ’ Dade City, Fla., March 12, 1895. Eld Lee Hanks. " Dear Brother in Gospel Bonds: Y6ut Christian letter to hand some days,and I should have written you before now, but have been on the ■ Wing most pi the time. While I have souw desire to write, or answer your letter this evening, < I fear that I have no thoughts to < impart that would be of interst to < you. ; - 1 was forcibly impressed with your I manner of fishing out, and hunting < iup all thdMtitle ones. I believe J rhe Frihiitive Baptist above all i people love those who feel th be < less than t&£jeast of All slants, yet i they do ni th n t in f ereaf I ih trying > get to the < church of od, that tionsof th day work and seeking that rest that tb the pebf|le of God in walking in obediencq./They are thus caught in the mesh or the drag net of worldly instutitions, some are entangled all their when if the church had given them proper encourge mept and admonished them in love and meekness to “Go'home, tell thy friends how great things the Lord' hath done for thee, and how he hath had compassion on thee,” they wouhji. have been loosed from the grave clothes of error arid sup perstition. How : sensitive the little ones 1 how" they prize a kind word, arid when we speak it riot they think we do not cate for them. How one is d-awn to those who are sharers of his spiritual secrets,thbse who mingle prayer with him before the throne, those who never forget him. when within the veil,oh !there is something cheering in the light of. their kindly eye I Christians have tiqs ’ sweeter than any love the world knows. They have therii in their hearts,in as much as they are partakers of one grace, washed in one fountain, filled With the same Spirit, having one heart, members oiib of pother, yet some of the Lord’s anointed appear luke-warm toward the secret Christian. You say that yoit will return home soon, and tha Eld. Hall, who is with you will fill the appointments. Now,l regret this trirh df you rs,for I feel that the Lord has and will continue to bless your labors in the' churches of this couritry. Because .you were brought low last Monday and made to weep and feel that your entire life was a dismal fail ure is no more, than What is com mon umppg the . servants of the Lord. If they were not thus ex-’ ercised, how could they comfort the littlb ones who often get into Straits that are made to cry. “Is.there any one like me?”Mornipg al ways follows .night,. David says, “the Lord’s anger endureth, but a moment;iii His favor is life. Weep ing may endure fora nighty but joy cometh in the moTning.”::ocu; ' ’ . Whenx.. Israel was travailing through the wilderness, they came . .KA/ . - “ r& to bitter places like Marah, where the waters Weik bitter; there was no rest, but they Were journeyning and must not return. i.Sometimes they come to sweet refreshing places like Elim, with its seventy palm trees and twelve wells of wa ter,and yet they could imt sit dbwn and say: “this is our rest and here we will abide.lt was sweet when the manna fell around the camp every morning,and when the water followed them, nevertheless it was a wilderness and a land of drought, and the shadow of death. So the servants that are commanded to go into all the world, and preach the gospel, toever. creature, cannot throw their armorbyin this world, and say, “here I will take my rest.” When a traveler is journyciug, he sees many fine estates and beauti ful houses,and flowers,and gardens, but fie does not set his heart upon them. He admires and passes on. Neither should the Lord’s minis ters twine affections around any thing pertaining to this sinful world, nor should they set their affections on home lands, or keq dred. That example of sejf-sacri fices arc taught by the lives of Abraham, Isaic and JaCob who lives in tents, declareing plainly that they sought a better country. But why should I be thus writing when I am,perhaps,the most timid and egsily oyer whelmed by the bitter waters of Maran of any that bears the name preacher, and when I find a refreshing spot like Elim I would linger long in such a.swept place. I was glad to find that you had no excusses to make,or apoligies to ren der, but seemed to serve the breth ern with a ready mind when called upon., But not so with me for I find my self shirking duties kt every converted opportunity; stay ing and going ; trying to preach and trying to quit these are some of the pharses of this poor sinner. Since. I have drifted on to self a poor subject, I will close these in coherent thoughts. Remember me Kindly to your wife and little ones. h- : > .. ~ ;Moz EXE 1T GJLUeSt Write again rriy Brother, I shrink from duties too realizing my great weakness. H. A Comforting Letter. Eld. Lee Hariks. ■ ‘ 1 • Boston, Ga. ; Dear Brother: After reading your dear letter of the 25th I was made to think you felt like one of old,- whose groanings cannot be uttered and this morning my first thoughts were with the poet when he wrote: ‘‘Judge not the Lord bj feeble sense, Buttrust Him for flis grace; behind a frowning providence He hides a smiling face.” Dear Brother there’s not a shad ow of a doiibt in my mind,but that sweet rest is for you, which awaits. God’s dear children when life’s toilsome, weary life is. over. If I could feel to put my trust in Jesus, and be led by his dear hand, and fol lbw where he bide you, how glad I would ieell But lam so rebel-., lious and do not bear the mark of one of God’s children and sc> often fepr I have been mistaken about having a christain hope. But he who tempers the wind to the shorn Lamb will keep and support you.’ Trust Him, praise him ever mote. .1 am enjoying the company of your dear, wife and famiiy.l would, be glad to have you here with us if it was the master’s will, as it is rio|t I feel thankful that~alt-are-as/ well reconciled as they are. ■ Brother take courage. . Rik: ?ir k' ;/ The.storm of- . life will soon be over with many of us, “ Your Unworthy Sister, Mrs. J. khnton. ; , : t+j ‘ Additions. Elder P. G: Mdtloriald writes That three joined at Mt. Beazar—- at .ttieir last riieetidg/ ■ f t lLlu’* L/i’-j 1 ’ - »’■ til G 1 t' r ' ,r ’ *■**• ; Two joined at Harrriony, March one joined ‘at pleas,ant ■ ifZ’II if!'’>7’. 2P*' 1 .■ j/’-i'-I Grove, March 27tb and one joined at Live Oak, March 31st. —jl, on* ot btimojb i«3 , 3 Medela, Fla., March 17th 1895. 3 Elders Simms and Hanks: Very > Dear Brethern in hope of ..eternal * life, with which God .who cannot > lie, promised before the world was. I have been thinking for several ■ days that I would try by the help ; of the Lord to write a short article ’ for the Banner,and try to eacour-., 1 age you.m your good, work. J, have 1 not seen but two copies of ,it as i yet, and must say that I am wel I pleased 1 with the matter it contained, and more espcially the editorial written 1 by S. on the subject ot predestina tion,your views exactly suits me. I have always observed,there are two ' extremes to every question; and poor feeble man is liable to Like . one or the other. It seemes to me that the doctrine of predestination is so sqblime that we should be content to preach and,write about it only as God has used the word, and cease to cavil about things that are unteVealed. We know that Go<l has predes tinated the salvation of all His chosen ones for word, teach it, when we attempt to go explain or contend for a thing God has not revealed WEtbecome comforted and mislead others and cripple the lit tle ones. We who are called of God to preach, should have,all our lives, a disposition to comfort and instruct Zion’s little ones and never consid er self; for self would show smart hess.self wants to be a big preacher self wants to diiv.j deeper into the hidden things of Gpd than anyone else, self loves,the faltering xyords from the listerning masses and oh I what has self not done? I confess'd have had Somoiuch experience .with self but new.being humbled asi hope by the grace and mercy of the Lord .1 am rxqw xvil ling,l think, to be the Lord’s little anything. Your little unworthy And afflicted ■Brother. ’ i- He T. J. McMullen. N £ne breihern and sisters holdiiig letters of dismission from differ ent Primitive Baptists, chuches called a presbytery consisting of Elders Levi Starung and John Mjarmur . - ' - and were duly separate body and were pronounced a church of QBhst.After which the church went unto conference and brother John N. Bass aiid J. L. Townsend were ordained to the bfijeeof Deacons- Elder Starliqg was called to serve the church as pastor. The chqrch was pained “Union”Pqst officeßegister Taylpr County Fla. Regular meeting time Saturday before the first Sunday in each month. Our little church is situated in a desolate spot of the . country, the nearest Elder living thirty miles away and the dearest Primitive Baptist church twenty six. We will appreciate the visit of our brethren at any time, and hope they will come to see us. Samuel Register. "'/'.'i! :I7' *'Vt f.'.';' 1 ■'*’ .•«.] . Jr t .r ,. f <; '•••■•4 . OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOGOOOOOQOOOOOCrO <>j ;>.:!■ , ijl'-fw.if its u! ‘>Y/ Jll-.-f'/V'.l t *’?}•■< I 1 ;-' 1 • 1 MINUTES. We are prepared Io print Afcsoocia tional Minutes neatly and cheaply. / .. c-,.' -,tf:j sk>;«;, Js The Clerks of different associations will please forward manuscript to ,us and we : will; guarantee satisfaction. Give us:a trial. Address > n-.-.v i THE PILGRIM’S BAX i --VALDOSTA, GA' ibvqxo •7.»<>!>., j 7s7vV oin:.'4 11A) . ."'X'.'jlq . ’*'* J 4 iw- j yir» ViW . • <» • *’*»/. •• • nhnOoocfonCKn! bo io rxooboo onobb< >o o ■ .noriot rivL!: * ’ > - GOBLES H YM?f BOOKS, Wti will receive Orders for Goble’s JTymn Bookstand furnish them to our bretbjG'rYat publisher’s ■prices,- The book contains a choice selection of,Qld Hymns in comihoh use 1 among the Baptists of the South with some new ofies added. ' > c <7 o. no Terms: 25 cents for a single copy or $2.50 per dozen. Leather bound 4C cents, par copy, or $3.75 per dozen Senddrders’to A. V. Sirniris, Valdosta Ga„ or JLee Hanks* Boston, Gu. .