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vol. 2.
Practice What You Preach,
Then who doth teach thy hearers each
The law from day to day,
Doth not thou find that law to bind
Thee too, as well as they?
Then why should they teach all to vow,
Their promise not topreach?
Whitest thou doth break one halt you
make,
Still thou doth them beseech.
Thou that propound it doth redound
To the Glory and to good,
For thou to practice as thou preach,
And preach as preachers should.
For we are taught all is ought.
If works are left behind,
Then work you should; for that is
good
In body or in mind.
MORGAN BROWN.
Baiwick, Ga., July, 1895.
Dear Brother Simms:
I send you a scrible, but do not
ask you to publish it unless you
think it profitable. I leave it
entirely to your judgment and
will not think hard in the least
if you do not publish it. Really I
think it is very poor?I know it is
the truth, but it is so poorly got
ten up. How was your meeting at
the constitution. Brother Simms
I ask you again. Can’t you come
to our yearly meeting? I want
you. I need you, and must have
you if I can get you. I have a
special need for you-but will tell
you then.
Dear soldiers of Jesus Christ,
and fellow laborers in His king
dom. You who have been called
of God as was Aaron, who are set
the kingdom pf.GQ.d_ -
Servants. To you the dear
Apostle says: “No man that
warreth, entangleth himself with
the affairs of this life, that he may
please Him who hath called him
to be a soldier.” How natural is it
for us as other men to be swal
lowed up with the cares of this
present world, and to forget the
injunction of the scriptures to not
be entangled therewith. Many
times in my life has his sacred de
claration of the Apostle come into
my mind reverberating in thunder
tones, and as many times have I
been shocked and astounded at my
disobedience and made to cry “O!
Lord lam guilty.” As a watch
man, you are set upon the -walls of
Zion to look for the approach of
the enemy. Israel is not prepared
to watch for she is busy with her
own affairs, and she has not the
commanding view of the surround
ing country and its attendant
evils,.that you have, for God has
given you an eagles eye to discern
where Israel as a whole cannot see.
Many times she has been resting
quietly, not suspecting any danger,
when you would cry to them “to
arms, 0! Israel.” What a respon
sible place lor a smner to occupy.
As anoverseer you are to watch
over them and see that they are
all lively working members, and
each one filling his own place, and
not trying to fill the place of an
other. You are to have the
authority over them, but not to
Lord it over God’s heritage, for
this is His fold and His sheep, His
workmen, and if you cannot per
suade them to keep themselves
unspotted from the world and
humbly bear His cross daily.
You are to report to Him, and in
His written instruction, delivered
already to you; you will find the
penalty to be executed by this
officer, the church. Every specie
of disorder is described and the
penalty fixed for every violation of.
His law. Israel may not always
heed the watchmans warning
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@ljc Hilgrim’s |Jflnner.
... - ——— ■■ - ■ p 1 ; '■— —■ ' ' ■■■ ■ - - . , _ , ♦. .
“THOU HAST GIVEN A BANNER TO THEM THAT FEAR THEE, THAT IT MAY BE DISPLAYED BECAUSE OF THE TRUTH.”— Psalms 60: 4.
voice, nor Lis reproofs, rebukes and
exhortations, that is administered
in the fear of God, but whether
they forbear the watchman is clear
of his oath and their blood will
be required at their own hands.
They will work out their own
death. ButO! if you should go
to sleep, or become coveteous of
this present evil world and be
come entangled therein, hofv
solemn and awful is that declara
tion : “Their blood will I require
at your hands.”
As a shepherd you are to love
the sheep and care for them. If
your object in serving churches is
temporal remuneration, you then
would be au hireling whose own
the sheep are not, and would not
care for them when trouble comes,
but would flee and leave them to
be destroyed.
The true under-shepherds that
God has placed over the sheep of
this pasture, feel their responsi
bility to their flocks greater than
all duties because God requires it
of them. They love their flocks
well enough to cast their lots with
them, to walk among them, to
speak words of comfort and cheer
to the weak and sickly ones, to ad
minister reproof in love, when
necessary and to let them know
that he does love them and that it
is his business to serve thsmi How
many pastors to-day have gone to
their farms,' vineyards, and their
merchandise while their flocks are
scattered, perishing, drooped and
sickly for want of faithful rebuke
and their little ones crying around
JJynfaM W tn Im fed, and,
comforted. The servant of God
must be gentle, must not strain or
try to rule his flock by force, but
by love, must be apt to teach, and
in meekness must instruct those
that oppose themselves. There
are many children of God to-day
in the church and out of it who
are clinging so tenaciously to tradi
tion, and hold so sacred the cus
toms of the fathers, that they do
not search the scriptures and de
sire to know God’s will as much as
they desire to keep up tradition to
the letter. Our fathers were flesh
and blood and were no more in
spired to fix rules and customs in
our forms of worship than Chris
tians are to-day. There is no safe
ground for the church to occupy
outside of the scriptures as regards
faith doctrine and the Christians
walk here, hut there are many
rules and customs among the
church that the scriptures are si
lent upon. Who then did fix
them? Our fathers for their best
convenience and to suit themselves,
fixed and changed and rechanged,
and so it has been all along.
Some things among us now might
be changed for the benefit of the
Church and the glory of God, and
the servants of God must labor in
meekness to right the wrongs, and
instruct those who oppose them
selves by believing for doctrine
the commandments of men.
In view of all the laborings and
watchings and selfdenials and
many requirements of a servant of
God, how reasonable does it seem
that he should be loosed from the
affairs of this life, and in view of
this Paul told Timothy to give
himself wholly to these things.
The servant of God must set his
face as a flint to hear the re
proaches of the world and the evil
sayings of many disobedient and
evil minded brethern. He must
be bold enough to declare the whole
Counsel of God. He must preach,
against all manner of disorder andi
irregularities that he sees creeping
in among his charge and if need I e
DEVOTEDTO THE CAUSE OF CHRIST
VALDOSTA, OA„ AUGUST 15, 1895.
he must give his own life in defense
of his flock. He is pledged them
in spirit his time, his talents his
affections, his all is laid upon the
altar of their service ,for God has
taken him prisoner and given him
to them to be their servant and
minister.
What a high and holy calling,
0 pastors, everywhere, can’t you
turn loose the world and put your
Lord’s money to usury? I know
by experience the many questions
that will confront and confuse
you. I know your great concern
for your wives and children, and
the many heart aches and bitter
groans that you have to witness,
but go, go, go. Jesus says, “and
lo! I am -with you alway even unto
the end of the werld.”Can’t you be
lieve him? Can’t you trust him?
Were it not for this blessed prom
ise I would have gone down in
despair before this. Arise dear
soldiers of Jesus and go, and
preach Him the Way, the, Truth,
and the Lifo. Boldly declare his
truth in the face of a wicked and
gainsaying people. Boldly tell
your churches their duty to God,
to themselves and to you. If you
had been preaching constantly the
duty of the Churches to their pas
tors and the poor of the church
there would not have been so many
preachers entangled with the
world and so many poor, neglected
and down troddened ones in the
churches. The fat ones are push
ing and horning the poor ones, and
all things are not equal and com
mon among us, and .The insult is
cold-churches, dfe mfcm
astray, rusty preachers with their
hands tied to their little ones’ at
home, our children being drawn
away by the dazzling, blinding re- I
hgion of Satan and paying their I
money for that which is not meat,
and which will not stay the ap
petite,a px>r hungry Christian, the
waste places increasing, Zion lan
guishing and bleeding and the
cause of God being trampled under
foot by the messengers of Satan,
and many children of God giving
their consent there to. 0 watch
man wake up? declare the rights
of the church and the cause of God
Turn loose the world; cast your
selves at the feet of Jesus and upon
the mercy of God. Answer the
call of that blessed spirit in your
own bosoms as Samuel did. “Here
am I Lord,” I want to extol and
magnify and honor the name of
God, in that He has raised up an
army of servants in these lat
ter days who are stand
ing shoulder to shoulder,
squarely upon God’s truth, and
are trusting in his promises, dear
brethren, I know what you are
having to suffer for-the truths sake
and 0 how my poor heart gows out
in sympathy for you. I love
you and may God bless you,
and give yougrace and strength to I
fight a good fight, to keep the faith'
to finish your course with joy apd
with a clear conscience. Now dear
soldiers, keep sacred that which
is committed to your Lrust.Can you
love me? If I can be assured that
I have your sympathies I can bear
my burdens better.
Your brother in bitter trials.
R. H. Barwick.
Editors of the Banner.
I have been requested to give
my views on the subject of the
duties of churches to their pastors.
If these views disappoint those who
have heard me speak on the sub
ject heretofore, I have only to say,'
.'that I have carefully examined
the Scriptures, and in the light
of experience h ave come to the con-
, elusion which is here given.
It. appears that the churches in
j' the other stateshave conidered it
> their duty to contribute to the
j suppur >■ of their pastors, and even
herey deacons are charged at
their ordihati.on with this; but
while this is true the churches (or
most Jit them) in this association
seem averse to giving temporal
support to their pastors. I do not
think th is .proceeds so much from
covetousness as from a fear that
it is o’ dangerous example.
In my opinion the aged minis
ters who have just passed away,
did their duty in going on preach
ing without requiring temporal
support/ bnt whether the deacons
and brethren did their duty te
them in#their poverty or not is
matter for serious and profound
thought/ One thing I know, that
while th>y required nothing, they
would have received donations if
they had been tendered in the
Spirit oCiove.
This 'seems to be in accord
with the .-spirit of all the Scrip
ures beai ing on the subject, that
while may not properly de
maud carnal things of another
there is great virture in giving;
provided it be to those who are in
need. ; ,
Man seems to be on extremes.
If we flee from one extreme we
usually go to the opposite extreme.
For doing something that
savors cdjmissionism, we may even
neglect widow and the orphan.
Moderati>u should attend all opr
duty lies* between
find
the we shall find the
right way
Under the law, the priests were
supported from the offerings made
by the people. This was an ordi
nance of God and after noticing
this the Apostles goes on to say.
‘Even'so hath the Lord ordained
that they who preach the gospel,
should live of the gospel.” (ICor.
1-9-14.) This should not bo spirit
ualized as is often done, for the
context clearly shows that natural
things were ment. Paul had direct
reference Ito the language used
by “the Lord” (Math, 10-10 and
Luke 10-7) when he sent out his
disciples to preach. Take neither
gHd nor silver nor brass” and
“For the laborer is worthy of hia
meat” It particularly applied to the
apostles who were to travel and
spread the gospel.
I do not find in the Scriptures
that bishops (who are supposed to
be local preachers with families:
Tim. 3-2 .) differ from others ini
respect of temporal things (except
as I hope to show in another place
but that with others they are en
titled to the benefit of having all
things common. In the early
chuch the desciples sold their pos
session.and made common their,
c. property, and. deacons were ap
t pointed a to make distribution as
EVERY ONE HAD NEED. This put
all on a level. The poor broth
er should not be taxed to give to
one who is better off than he, but
is himself an object of temporal
notice. The widow also if she
posseses certain qualifications is
entitled to support. Indeed they
had “all things common.” I do
not hold that we have a commu
nity of prosperity as they did in
those days. We hold our proper
ty in severalty, like other people
but we have covenanted togethei
to give “ourselves and all we pos-
4 seas to Almighty God to be order -
ed and disposed of by him accord
ding to his holy will.” This ques
tion is from the covenant of Mt
Olive church, and is in substance
the same as “selling our possesions
' and laying at the feet of the
! church the price thereof, as they
did in the early days of the church.
1 This we have in a true gospel
sense to devoted all we possess to
“pious uses.” This is our form;but
have we indeed from the heart
pledged all our possessions for
the general good of the church, or
have we not rather, like Ananias
kept back part (if not all) the
price? Are we indeed willing to
minister carnal things to those
who are in need as we have cove
nanted to do? I do not believe
it was ever intended that the
churches should be burdened. But
were informed that those who min
ister Spiritual things to the breth
ren are entitled to carnal things
from them. When we do our du
ty we have the promise of the
Lord’s blessings, and we ought to
honor him with our substance.
“Honor the Lord with thy sub
stance and with the first-fruits of
thine increase, so shall thy barnes
be filled with plenty and thy presses
shall burst out with new wine.”
(Proverbs. 3-9-10 ) I do not mean
that this epistle to ministers
more than others, but I do believe
that where people are liberal with
their substance to assist the needy,
they will be blessed so that more
shall be burdened. It is when we
are enjoying the Lord’s power
that we may have nothing and
abound, otherwise we may have
all, and suffer need.
I stated above that I would
show in Another except'
tion in fegard to the pastor.
Paul says,“let the elders that rule
well be counted worthy of double
honor etc.” “For the scriptune
saith thou shalt not muzzle the
ox that treadeth out the Corn.”
and the laborer is worthy of his
reward.” Even upon a principle
of charity, a poor man who is call
ed to devote his life to the spirit
ual good of the brethren, should
be cared for. We reason that the
Lord is able to sustain him and so
he is, and indeed if the Lord did
not do so his lot would be hard
indeed. But I ask the brethren if
it may not be a cause of our bar
renness, that we call him Lord,
Lord and do not the things he says.
He has told us to honor him with
our substance, that is, to minister
to his poor saints, and especially
as I think, to his poor Minister-,
ing servants. We easily say to the
brethren, “Be ye warmed and be ye
fed” etc. But we can easily find
in the Scriptures that all this is'
vain unless w’6 give the things
which are needful. A minister
may be maimed or blind orafflict
ed, and besides having to attend
the churches he has to support
a family. He often goes bowed
down feeling like he was forsaken
ed of God and man, yet no one
thinks of ministering to his neces
sities, Is he not one of those -who
“have need”? (Acts 2-45) May
brethren who have abundance and
yet never coommunicate to their
pastor who perhaps is in dire dis
tress on account of debts and want
of the necessaries of life expect him.
to be in a proper frame of mind to
communicate spiritual things to
them? I speak altogether in re
spect to such as are afflicted or’
so poor as to be proper objects of
charity; for I greatly admire the
course of a minister who makes him
self chargeable to notice more. But?
ithe thing I most particularly de-*
sire to speak of, is the “fruits” of
imparting temporal things.
>. I believe every pastor will agree
i with me in this one thing, that a
‘ pastor needs tangible evidences
r from a church, that he is profita
. ble to them, and that he is hon-
I ored and appreciated by them, and
> that his spiritual communications
are edifying. Without experience
we would suppose that kind words
■ and assurances would answer the
purpose. But by experience we
know that words do not amount
to “fruits.” Words do not last a
month. The writer is always sus
picious at every meeting that some
one or all, are tired of his minis
ry. Now the apostle in his epis
tle to the Phillipeans (4-15 to 17
•had this in view. They communica
ted with him as“concerning giving
and receiving,” and he called it
“fruit” which he desired might
abound to their account. There is
just the same difference between
speaking words of comfort to a poor
minister, and that of communica
ting such things as he needs as
there ’is in saying to a hungry
man “be ye fed,” and not giving
to him such things as is necessa
ry to satisfy his hunger.
Paul said he desired fruit that
might abound to their own account
How could their giving carnal
things ennure to their own good?
Or how could the same abound to
the good of any church? Simply
by building up the pastor in the
Spirit, so that he might be in
such frame of mind as to impart
scriptual things to them. A sis
ter told me on last; Saturday that
when the pastor was down ,_li ,
imparted death to the “members
and when he was cheerful it im
narted life. I have no doubt that
churches might so act as to so
cheer up their minister that they
would realize more abundantly
the blessings of spiritual life and
light. I know that it is a very
delicate thing to speak of. Breth
ren are apt to suspect one of writ
ing or speaking such for person
al motives. I have thought that
it is right to teach the proper
thing in relation to this subject,
but I believe that when brethren
are in the line of obedience their
own inward imprssions is the pro
per admonition to follow. So
then if this view be right, private
communication of this sort ( which
Paul calls sanctified with which
God is well pleased) abounds to
the good of those by whom they
are made.
Again, causes thanksgiving to
Gcd. So sayskhe apostle. This
phase of the matter is of no little
importance. When one in distress
or poverty is relieved by the hand
of a brother, he feels that God
wrought it in the heart of the broth
er and he therefore thanks God
for it.
Now then what I have most
aimed to write is this. As a
household we ought to so minister
to each other’s necessities as to
make all things common, that min
isters on account of their greater
burdens are worthy of particular
attention that private
gifts from the brethren
abound to the good of the churches
and to the glory of God that min
isters ought not to make them
selves burdensome to the church,
but should even labor to support
themselvefc and families while this
is so the chutch though their dea
cons should look after their tem
poral wants, as they have covenant
to do. If the pastor be poor and all
the members poor t hey are all on
la leval and one should notbe charg
able to another except as they may
(Continued bn 3rd page.)
No. 17.