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aimed to hurt or confuse me.lknow
now that he never even thought ol
such a thing,that nothing was more
foreign from him than to thus con
fuse me. And also that my Only rea
son in refering to it at all is to warn
and to prevent others from
asking such unnecessary
questions of any already
trembling and frightened, and
poor little one when they appear
before the church for membership
And more especially the naturally
and spiritually young; who gener
ally know lit; kof spiritual motives
and nothing of deep doctrine. This
knowledge comes with their after
growth in grace, then just simply
and only ask.them —and that in
a gentle and confiding manner—
to tell their experience of grace
in their own way; and do not con
fuse and confound them speech
less with hard unnecessary ques
tions. But to return.
My poor old distressed Papa see -
ing the shock was so great and con
fusing that I could not recover my
speech, told the church enough to
satisfy them,andlwas received and
the next day baptized by Elder
JoneA
Now my,dear child, you can see
why your article reseted to, was of
so much comfort to me. I had
heard Baptist say that if a person
was rejected membership anl it
offended him; it was a sign he
was not a Christian. And I knew
rejection would have—not offen
ded but—hurt me yet for certain
reasons T would not be ashamed
to tell.
But this is one thing I wanted
to explain:- I have told you how
I as a child envied your dear
mother—sister Mary; and all my
thoughts concerning her. And
now those hard questios asked me,
that not only hurt and confused me
then, but that has also caused me
much trouble during the years
and years that have passed away
since, her “darling boy” in the
providence of God, has been given
to relieve and comfort me concern
ing the same; yes to relieve me en
tirely of the trouble, depression
and doubt caused by them. And
which has resulted in showing me
the beauty and glory of returning
good for evil.
You know I told youl must write
all—the bad as well as the good—
or none. I have told you of the
deceitfulness of my heart,and of evil
thoughts against your mother—the
bad part—aud also how the • child
(yourself)of her I persecuted, in a
way, has returned good for evil in ‘
lifting me out of a trouble of years
standing. Did I tell you what
great satisfaction it gave me when
dear Eidt r Barwick aid “tell the
bad as well good—till all.” It did
seem to me that God said that
through him for me.
Now, my dear child, I know you
will not publish this if you don’t
think it is all right. And I hope
you will believe me when I say it
will not hurt my feelings,or make
me tniuk hard of you in the least
if you do not. Please write me just
a line or two to tell mi you have
dealt faithful with me and the
Lord, and just tell me—-if this
will not do to publish—that you
have burned it, an i all right.
I hope you w; 1 pray for your
poor old uncle Joel; dear old man,
has had such heart-rending trials.
and afflictions: yet he never fails
to care for the well fare of the
church. I do hope sister R Anna P.
Will come up here and see us all.
My love to you and family.
Your Loving Aunt.
M. C. Moore.
Lois, Ga., April 23, 1895.
Mr. B. P. Lovitt,
Sparks, Ga.
Dear Brother in Christ:—lt is
with much trembling and fear
that I comply with your request
to write the reason of my little
hope.
I was reared by good Baptist
parents; they tried to learn me to*
do right, and I thought that I was*
as good as any person, and much
better than most people. I cared
for nothing but to enjoy the pleas 4
urea of the world. I would go to
every dancing party to which my
parents would allow me to go;
and if they refused me, I thought
very hard of it, and that they did
wrong. But I can now see I was
in the wrong.
In March 18941 hope I was given
to see and feel my sins. A dream
caused my first trouble about my
sine. I dreamed I was in a stream
of water, and was placed upon a
rock, from which I could not get
off. My father was standing near
to help me from the rock ; but I
did not get off. Then I woke and
was in so much trouble I could not
sleep; 1 did not know what the
matter was. I could do nothing
but cry and beg the Lord to be
merciful to me, a poor sinner. I
thought I would tell mother ab>->ut
my dream next day, but some
thing told me it was all immagina
tion, and she would think so too;
so I did not tell her. I continued
in so much trouble until it seomed
I could not live and bear it long.
I knew the young people—my
associates—would notice the way
I did, but I could not help it. I
got to the place where my associ
ates were not company for me; nor
I for them. They would ask me
what was the matter? I would
tell them “nothing.” They would
answer they knew I was in trouble
about something, for I was not
lively and jovial as usual. All
this time I would stay at home,
and cared nothing about going out
anywhere. I would not go to
“meetings;” for I thought if I
would not go where the dear Bap
tists were, it would wear off those
distressed feelings. But Oh, my
dear brother, the more I tried to go
againts it, the woree I felt it was.
I did dread to see night come. I
often told mother in the late even
ing how much I hated to see dark
come on, for I just knew I would
never see their lovely faces again.
The dear people of God, would of
ten come to our little home and
spend the night, and oh, how I did
wan't to hear them talk, but I
could not stay where they were for
fear they would think I was in
eterested about religion; and so I
would got nff in 3onrcf'(!?sT , fWr*where’
I hear them. Two sisters came
one night from preaching, and it
was my desire to hear them talk,
so I got off in one corner to lis
ten, but soon my tears overcame
me, and I left the house and wan
dered off into the cornfield to try
to pray; but there I could say noth
ing nor get any relief.
In August papa and I went to
Pleasant Grove church (in Col
quitt County)to their yearly meet
ing.l though tl would not let any one
suspect my troubles on the entire
round. I did not stay in the house
but little on Saturday, but Sun
day I decided to try to stay in and
hear the preaching; so I went in
and took the back seat (where I
felt was my place, if I had any
there). After intermission when I
went back into the house. I felt
like I was forsaken by everybody;
and it did seem to me they were
the prettiest and the happiest peo
ple I had ever seen, and oh 1 how
I did wish I could feel as good as
they looked I When we left there I
felt like I never could get home.
Monday on our way home we stop
ped to hear preaching at Salem. I
begged father to come on home
with me; but we stayed; and I
was made glad for the preaching
was good. On our way home that
evening old brother Patten and
Eld. Lucious Register were with us.
Brother Patten told Eld Register
what I said; and it did seem it
would almost kill me for him to
know that I loved the Baptist.
The next day (Tuesday) there
was preaching at Pleasant. I at
tended, but oh! dear brother I
cannot tell by pen or tongue, how
I felt that morning; it seemed to
me it took all I could do to breath.
I was suffering so terribly; yet I
thought perhaps no one would no
tice particularly. Yet I felt like
every one knew my feelings; and
that I was forsaken by everyone in
.earth and heaven. When the first
Ihymn was read, it seemed my poor*
heart would burst. The-first line
was:
“Poor and afflicted Lord are thine,”
and I folt to be poor and afflicted.
I wanted company that night but I
felt t) be so mean and sinful that
no one cared to go home with me;
Yet Eld. Register and brother
Jones went and spent the night
there. Next day was preaching at
Cat Creek, and I went; it was ar
ranged tor me to ride with Eld
Register and I felt like be was too
good to ride with such a poor lit
tle old sinner as I was. He talked
good and comforting nearly all the
way; when he ceased, he asked me
to talk, I told him I could say
nothing worth hearing. And oh 1
how distressed I was I And was
wanting to tell him of a dream I
had the night before wherein I was
standing by the most beautiful
stream of water; and close by was
a large concourse of people, most
ly church members; and at the
edge of the water. I was standing
by brother Register, and he was
going to baptise me; my burden
was was gone and I was made to
rejdice. I did not talk to him,
however, but I regretted it before
the sun went down. I suffered no
one knows how much for the next
month for not talking to brother
Register. I had to ask him to for
giye ma the day I joined the
church and he gave me his hand
in fellowship.
Saturday betore the third Sun
in September I offered myself to
the church,and to my surprise was
received and baptised the next
day by Eld L. Register. I felt I
must go to the church and try, if
they rejected me. That was the
happiest day, after baptism, I
ever spent. But it was not many
days before Satan tempted me,
and told me I had deceived the
best people on earth. I felt justl
like I had.
But I know I love the dear ped-1
pie or God —the Primitive Bap
tist. And also I now love the
things I once hated; and things 1
now hate I once loved.
Now I will just leave these
scattering pages to your better
judgement as to whether they tell
a true experience of grace, or not.
Y our Li It lb Un wot 4 '
Rebecca J. Peters. 1
- ■*
Dear Brethern Simms and Hanks.
I have been thinking for a time I
would write you, but have put it
off ’till now. I am well pleased
with the “Banner.” It advocates
the doctrine of salvation by grace
through our Lord Jesus Christ,
out only Savior and scope. I love
this doctrine.
I have been reading the Psalms
to-day: In the one hundred and
twentieth it reads “The Lord bath
done great things for us, whereof
we are glad.” Surely evifty believer
in Christ can say, at least at times
the Lord hath done great things
for me. If indeed we have any
spiritual blessings, the Lord has
given them all. There are some
in this day who seem to delight to
tell what great things they have
done for the Lord,l know they’still
do for him. But we delight to tell
what great things the Lord has
done for us. John Ist tells
you “In the beginning was the
word, and the word was God, and
the word was with God; all
things were made by him;
and without him wasjnot anything
made tfiat was made. And the word
was made flesh, and dwelt among
us, and we beheld his glory as the
only begotten of the Father, full of
grace and truth.” Just contemplate
the greatness of God in creation
of the world and all things
therein. And we see it is all for
his glory. And it pleased him also to
make man, and to make him very
good ;and gave him a law, and told
him a violation of that law would
be death. Yet, the tempter came,
man violated that law, and man
from them t»ll now is dead in tres
passes and in sin. Thus by one man
sin entered into the world and
death by siu, so that death ha s
passed upon all men, for that all
have sinned. So Adam not only
received the sentence of death,
but was also driven from the gar„
den of Eden. Thus man made him
self a sinner, and lost the'
true knowledge of God by willful
heard a very wfcked
man say a tew days ago, that he
k®B just as God made him. I true,
Mmy weakness to convince him
pat he had made himself wicked,
jmd that while God made man, he
&id not make a Sinner. But I
failed; and so it has ever been
since the fall of man.
Think of all the great works of
Gods creation m this sin-cufßed
?vorld —the sun, moon, stars,
hud the earth itself. No wonder we
conclude God hath done great
Icings tor us who hope for redemp
tion in that the work of redemption
t 3 a greater work. That God before
lhe foundation of the world, fore
seeing the fall of man, and in the
covenant plan of redemption
Should give his Son Jesus Christ
io die for sin; in order to which,
that He should take upon him a
body like ours, and condescend to
be born of a woman, made under
the law, to redeem them that are
iinder the law by the sacrafice of
himself unto death; who that has
hope of redemption can forbear
b rejoice and exclaim “The Lord
bath done great things for us,
whereof we are glad; he has given
son to suffer the penalty due
my sins me from the
curse of the law and justify me to
eternal lite, and give me an in
heritance incorruptible and un
defiled and that fades not away, rc •
served in heaven for us who are
fespt by the power of God unto
salvation.
Yet in our early experience,
we find us, as it were, in an hor
rible pit; we try to get out, we try
reformations good works, believing
i/e can get God to forgiye us for
them; we read the scriptures etc;
Wht instead of feeling better we
feel worse we feel justly condemn
by Gods holy law, and conclude
there is no way for us, so great a
to escape the wrath of God.
My own troubles were so great, at
this time with me, I could not
work on my farm; I saw it was
just in God to damn me forever,
yet the very breathings of my heart
was for mercy. I could not see
jjpw God could remain just and
Hve me, f concluded in some way
I had committed the unpardona
ble sin and I must, go down into
eternal ruins, yet continued to
teg for mercy, all things had
failed me, and I died ’to hopes of
their help. I could only, say“ Lord
if saved, it must be by amazing
aiercy.” Then I came to look upon
cross and found a Savior for
just such a sinner. The Lord
truly done great things for
me. I feel he is doing for and
helping me yet, though often
how low down. I am still con
strained to call upon him for help
iii every time of need for sustain
ing grace. lam now seventy-two
!s old: I have had a hope over
y years and have known some
ere trials. But I ascribe all
kedness and sin whether in me
mother to man, and not to
1, as some do; while I ascribe
vation and all good to God
1 not to man, as some do. Pray
f<£ me that I may have grace to
Sustain me in old age.
I Moses Dumas.
Gogginsville Ga.
SCRAPS
A pleasent meeting at Bethel
(Jpa) at their last meeting. One
dear sister was received by experi
ence and baptized on Sunday.
Monday following we spent the day
fishing in Alapaha River. Sister
R Anna. ’Phillips, wife and about
a jlozen others made the crowd .Men
tion was made while eating our
dimer that we had served the Lord
tijo days and was serving Adam
third. “Well,” replied sister
Pjillips, “Jesus preached one day
aifd went to a feast the next.”
“When was that”l ventured to ask
* Well you know he preached every
day and he went to a feast one day,
sddtmust have been the day after.”
Os course I wilted.
I
A brother in the ‘Lower
Canoochee Association writes:
“The Baptists though this setion
seem to be perfectly alive, and we
ar? having good meetings all over
the country, with a great many
being added to the different church
es. Thirty-two has been added to :
Br.y Brauch church id. the past
thirteen months and more will
follow soon I fqpl sure.” :
Divorcement
This is a subject our people m
many places are not at all settled
upon, and one that has caused
steady searching of God’s word
to try to know what is meant and
what is the Bible rule. I have
used all the scriptures bearing
upon this point, in a vain effort
to become established in the truth,
and altho’ I have sometimes
thought that I had come to a pro
per understanding upon this point
of Christ’s law, it would soon ap
pear that my rule would work in
some cases but not universally,
and my hopes of becoming settled
upon it, would be scattered into
mists, and I would be left again
standing in uncertainty and igno
rance. I have greatly desired to
know, but have sometime ago
been cenfirmed in my opinion that
that I did not know what Jesus
meant, or the extent of his lan
guage when he said: “But I say
unto you that whosoever shall put
away his wife, saving for the cause
of fornication, causeth her to
commit adultery: and whosoever
shall marry her that is divorced
committeth adultery.” The failures
of our people to properly under
stand this, have caused much
speculating and suppositions which
aave resulted in no uniform prac
tice among our Churches; but
while some of them think it is
r ght to receive people into the
Church that have been divorced
from any cause prior to their
conversion, others will not receive
them unless divorced for the one
cause mentioned alone, and others
do not want to receive them at all.
Another thing that caused me to
mow that we did not understand
it was the case of one with whom
was acquainted: A lady had
thoughtlessly and hastily married
very young, only to find in a
few weeks that the heartless
villian whom she had been induc
ed to marry, did not care for her
which she found by deserting her;
and leaving her upon the cold
charities of a merciless world*
of phariseeism. She, in due
time was divorced from him, and
again married, and her last mar
riaged has been blessed. They
lave lived together as man and
wife, have raised a nice family of
children, and are greatly respected
in their country. The lady refer
ed to, in these last years has re
ceived a hope in Christ, and has
greatly desired to live with the
church, but some of them told her
she had better not come for they
could not receive her. Her troub
es increased and she felt that the
judgments of God were being sure
ly visited upon her, and altho’
some of our members would weep
with her in her troubles and tell
her they had full fellowship for
her, yet they would tell her that
the Bible says you cannot come
to us.
I saw all this, and this question
arose in my mind: “Would God
require something of his children,
and chastise them for failihg to do
that, and yet have upon record
some point in his law that would
forbid the performance of that
very thing?” and my answer was,
and is, and ever will be, no. Then
I concluded that I did not know
what the scripture meant, and
could only wait on the Lord for
the proper understanding of it,
Not long since, at one of my ap
pointments a man came forward
to join who had married a woman
with the same surroundings that
I have just reffered to, and altho’
he had married twenty or twenty
five years ago, and although he
gave convincing proof of the work
of God in his heart about five
years ago, yet we were afraid to
receive him. Our meeting not
being at a church we thought best
to defer his case until the church
met in conference and let the;
church by her own authority re
ceive or reject him. We were
still ata loss to know what was,
right. For three days I was
greatly troubled over their case
I for I knew he loved the church
and longed to live with them, and
I loved him a£a Christian brother,
and it hurt me to ask him to wait. *
Fin illy it appeared to me in this
way—Jesus in using this language
addressed it to his disciples. He
was speaking of his disciples and
not of those Jews who were yet
under Moses’ law alone. In His
teaching on the Mount He brought
up many points of Moses’ law and
then placed beside it,or in contrast
with it, the corresponding point in
his own new living law. The Jews
as a people were yet under the
law of Moses, and he did not con
demn that law. but at'various
times refered them to that law
and approved of their strict ad
herence to it. But now He is
speaking to a people and of a peo
ple, who although, they are Jews,
although they are natiirally no
better than their fellow men. yet
they are chosen and called to in
herit an invisible kingdom, the
laws of which, are pure and spirit
ual and can be obeyed only by
such subjects as have received this
law in their hearts. It cannot
successfully be argued that the
world of Gentiles, nor even the un
beleiving and carnnal-minded
Jews were under the law of
Christ. None were under that
law then, neither are they now,
only such as have received the
circumcision of heart and received
Jesus and His precious spiritual
living law in their hearts, whereby
they cry “our Father.” Then if
they were not under that law
they could not violate it. They
were not amenable to that law
until they had been born into that
kingdom and had come under
the rule and reign of that blessed
holy King and his divine law. Now
I think that we have taken the
law that can be applied only to
the church or her children after
their entrance into the Holy City,
and have tried to make it apply 1
to them while they were under
Moses’ law alone, and were entire
ly ignorant of this new law. If I
was held accountable to-day for
my mistakes and the sins of youth
committed while in natures night,
and judged by the law of Christ, or
the law that the church is under,
then I would be excluded at once
for drunkenness and a great many
other vile and black sins; but I was
then amenable to Moses’ law and
by that law I was judged. I know
of some brethren who are now
humble, God-fearing men, who
have once been guilty of the most
abominable adulteries that are
known to this modem age; and I
know of some sisters who now are
humble, devoted Christians who
have never been married and who
have grown children. But these
all have come to judgement for
all their sins and have found
the efficacy of that blood of Christ
which cleanseth us from all sin.
Therefore being justified by faith
they have peace with God.
I think I look upon the sacred
institution of marriage with as
much respect and have in view
the holy relation thereoy incured
as any man, but I think that God
is not the Author of all unions and
if they are not bound in their
affections before the ceremony
is performed, then it cannot join
them as thoy should be, and if
the legal ceremony is all the tie
that has them bound together,
then when that tie is severed by a
legal process, or, whenever the
power that finited them separates
them, their works may considered
when they come into the kingdom
of God, as the works of the flesh;
and if there is no violation of Mo
ses’ law, or the law of our land at
the time of their comming to us,
lam ready to receive them. Now
concerning the church: If one of
our members should put away their
companion and marry again,, the
language of Christ would apply as
it is written. I humbly submit this
•with the belief that it is right, and
with the hope that our people
•may no longer be at a loss *upon
this point. Ybur brother in hope of
'better joys.
B. Hi Barwick.
Barwick Ga.
