Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page.

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.