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EDITORIAL.
“And why call ye Me
Lord, Lord, and do not
the things which I say?”
Luke, vi. 46.
Who among the Lord’s children
have not been brought face to
face with the truth of the above
fearful words of our Lord? How
often have we gone to Him in se
cret prayer, with our poor hearts
full of trouble, when to our great
mortification and shame our sinj£
v have arisen as a mighty cloud be-''
fore us, and with their awful con
demning power, seem to say to us
“What right.have you to call on
Him whose law you have trampled
under your unhallowed feet? Why
should jtani come to Him now in
your distress, when only yesterday
you refused to do His bidding.
Now in your extremities you need
Him—without His smile and
gracious seal of pardon yon
are miserable. Had you done as
the Spirit bid you, you might,
have come to His throne with
joyous expectancy and hope. But
now why call him Lord, Lord, and
do not the things he says.”
The writer recalls in his mem
ory some terible struggles of mind
and something similar to the above.
And as these lines are pened, he
remembers many, many times he
has attempted to speak at a throne
of mercy with the sad recollection
of past offences, so weighty and
burdensome almost sufficient to
drive him away in despair and
shame. He remembers how, in
his youth, he would make solemn
pledges to God that he would
make confession of His name by
offering himself to the church;
then his own wicked, stubborn
heart would rebel against the lead
ings of the Spirit, refuse to obey,
and realize again that forlorn and
and forsaken feeling—easier im
agined than described. Nor. did
this struggle end when he at last,
under the afflicting hand of God
was completely subdued and
made willing to obey Him. But
a knowledge of his many broken
vows in after days, and sins are
of such magnitude and number as
that they seem to forbid him seek
ing the Lord in prayer. Oh what
a state! How can I go to Him, and
how can I lite without him?
Take from thb child of God the
privilege of goW tjJod ifii
prayer and you rob him of a treas
ure more precious than gold. But
no power on earth can do this,
save only, our own sins. King
decree of death could not
prevent the humble servant Dan
iel from seeking his God in prayer
as the Spirit impressed him. Nor
can any earthly or external power
come between God and his children
and disturb that sweet comm un
ion so often felt in the bosom of
saints. But the greater the op
position and persecution from
without, the nearer we are drawn
to our blessed Savior and the
sweeter and richer His mercies
appear. Have we been suffering
unjust persecution from the world?
Then let us “go and tell Jesus.”
Does the brethren seem cold,
and are they magnifying your
a 1 e a>d saying hard and cruel
things of you? Then Jesus knows
it and if you are innocent you
may fly to him for succour and
support. He will vindicate his
law and meet out justice and
judgement where it belongs and
ease your aching heart.
But oh, if. we have sinned, if we
do not the things which he says,
how can we go to him in faith?
With what degree of consistency
can we call him “Our Lord,” and
hope for his sweet mercy to revive
our famishing spirits when we re
member our disobedience to his
word and spirit?
1 believe I am writing of things
now, about which every child of
God has some personal experience.
Who among the Lord’s family has
not felt the pangs of a guilty con
science as they approached the
Lord in prayer? But if, as we ap
proach him in our. petitions we can
feel in our poor hearts we have
tried to Reverence, a-ipre- . iuub,
keep his law it so sweet to call on
him ip our distress! We feel that
he knows all about it,and will heal
our broken hearts.
But if through disobedience or
transgressions we may, as individ
uals,involve ourselves in this dark
ness and gloom, so that we cannot
go to the Lord in prayer or enjoy
his sweet and tender mercies,
may not the same be true of
churches as a whole? May not
churches through rebellion forfeit
the peace, joy and prosperity be
longing to them, and become in
volved in darkness and confusion?
Did not Israel of old forsake tfie
laws of her God and bring upon
her famine, pestilence and sword?
Surely then the church, of which
the Jews were a type, may refuse
the word of the Lord, reject his
councils and bring upon herself
the wrath of the Almighty.
As the last sentence is penned
the office boy brings in a letter re
questing me to attend a church
meeting where the whole church
is involved in confusion, and much
bitter feeling exists, for this reason
I must now close this article.
Later.
The trouble was settled and
peace restored. The Lord be
praised for His mercies.—S.
Five joined by letter and five
by experience and baptism at Mt.
Pisga, near Ochlocknee, 4th Sat
urday and Sunday. Many have a
hope in that section who ought
not to stay in the wilderness and
perish for food and raiment when
there is plenty in store in Zion for
them. The Spirit and bride say,.
Come. Come and welcome, may;!
the Lord give you strength- tq|
come—-IL "T
1 . * •. . *
Conflicts in the
CHAPTER V.l
As I stated, I thduglwWter nrv
long spell of in 1894,
I should always feel ’tappy and
would not get so lowwhny more.
But alas! I was sad®Lnistaken.
I was really my
convalescence, for time to
come when I could HHbf the won
derful display of power in
raising me almostthe dead
and revealing beau
ties to my poor djpk soul, and
raising me upon Pwah’s heights
so I could have i/jyiew of the
celestial city, lu minuted by the
sunshine of His glomous counten
ance. On the tldkd Sunday in
November 1894, I went to Bethle
hem (my home chwch) near Nor
cross, Ga., and triep to preach for
the first time sincamy illness. I
was shrouded in darkness,
and my tongue clave to the roof
of my mouth. I j?at down feeling
confirmed that I was no preacher,
and-doubted my' acceptance in the
Beloved. I thought my afflictions
were to prove tSjh that I was no
preacher and g Christian. That
night I went Gower’s
in Norcross, and talked and cried
till about mid-night.
I went to tHe bottom of the
mountains, in the very belly of
hell till about Christmas. -Elder
Jackson and I went to Mil ton
county, and every time
till Sunday. A good sister walked
the floor saying that
she v,as was the rea-
son J O
1 could
not only a trouble
to others. that I could fall
asleep in Jesus and get rid of my
triple 01'1 d. -
Sunday morning I Went to the
woods in deep anguish of soul
and prayed to die. A brother
Hembree came after me and said,
“brother Hanks, there is quite a
concourse of people at the house
waiting for you to come and preach
for them.” I replied, “brother
Hembree, I am convinced that
I am no preacher, and I will not
deceive the Lord’s people any
longer. I have decided to go to
the Indian Territory, and live
among the Indians the remainder
of my days, for I am unfit to live
among the Lord’s people, and I
will there get rid of trying to
preach.” He said, “I am sorry for
you.” I reluctantly went to the
house, feeling that my life was at
stake, and I would try once more
and die. I tried to pray and
when I arose the congregation
were in tears, and I read this text:
“My beloved spake and said unto
me, rise uj; my love my fair one
and come
I was in the spirit on the
Lord’s day| My whole being was
filled ecstatic joy, and my
poor soulc was -watted away on
eagle’s wipgs and I could soar
over all my troubles and feel that
all was well. Bless the Lord for
his mercies. I had sweet liberty <
till the next summer, I went in
the spring to south Ala., where I <
was greatly blessed with liberty <
ifi speaking, and' made arrange- <
ments tokove to Ozark, Ala. On |
! my returl to Norcross, I was mar- j
ried to ss l. L. Edwards at her <
home nejr Upionville, Ga., June $
28th, 1815. Here I will say that '<
Lordfcave me a precious de- 1
voted cApamon who has been ;a. s
Ltpjneet in all my iron- c
bles and has always been ready
to encourage me on my way. Iler
been great, as J* have
and spent
much of my time away from her
trying to preach. But she has
been given fortitude to patiently
fill the place of a preacher’s wife.
None know the trials of a poor
preacher’s family, but those who
have experienced it. Brethren
should care for those gifts and
tlirir families, and prove that
they love them by administering
to their necessities. In August af
ter I was married, I was again
overwhelmed in darkness add the
Bible was sealed so I could not
preach or read with any comfort.
I was taken sick at a District
Meeting, and a dear sister invited
me to go to her house and preach.
I broke down in tears wondering
why this good sister would invite
poor me to go to her house and
preach when I was so weak and
feared that I Was no preacher. I
went to a brother’s house, and
was so feeble and felt like I should
soon bid adieu to earth with its
vanities. I wanted some of the
preachers to come and pray for me
but I was so sinful I did not think
they would grant my request.
Sunday, late in the afternoon,
the thought occurred to me, what
can I say if I should live to preach
again? I was carried away in
the Spirit, though suffering in
tensely, and a still small voice,”
seemed to say, “ask for light on
what you will and it will be given.”
The scriptures began to open to
my feeble understanding, and deep
mysteries were made plain from
Genesis to Revelations. This
wonderful display of his mercy
continued through the night. I
Wa.rt’SM to know if I was a chrts-
J tian? and I saw a name written in
’ the sky with the blood of Christ
r in another laguage; and I prayed
) for the name to be translated into
1 my language and when translated
5 it was ray name. The voice said
1 unto me, “write what has been
revealed to you in a book.” I
- asked, “How large’ will the book
- be? lie answered, “A volume
r of six hundred pages. The voice
* said, “you have found the pearl of
! great price.” The portions of
‘ Scriptures that opened to me, was
! the history of Joseph and his
brethren, Mosqp, Gideon and his
' army, Sampson, the Temple. Reve
‘ lations, etc. I was tilled with love
! and praise to God and the voice
said, “This is enough for you to
preach from as long as you live?
I had my wife to awake Elder
Jackson about 4. a. m. and I
thought I could preach to him. I
told him it was the happiest night
I had-ever experienced, but I was
so full I could not talk for the love
and light of God that thrilled my
poor soul. Elder Jack§on thought
I was going to die. I -was very
low for sometime. In October J
went to Ozark, Alabama to make
it my future home, having been
deeply impressed to go. I was soon
called to about four churches and
Eider Head came on a visit to my
church and he and Elder Parker
ordained me. They asked me if I
were willing to be ordained, and I
told them I was not, for I did not,
for I did not feel that I possessed
the qualifications of a preacher. I
soon learned that Elder Head or- .
I
dination was illegal, and I told the
brethren I would not administer
another ordinance under that or- ’
difiation. Some of the brethren I
said, just be quiet it might be all
right. I told them that I did not
feel that! should live long, and
what work I did I wanted it to
be legal. I was ordained again by
Elders J. W. Parker, John Pur
vis and Wm. Galloway. The first
week after I was ordained I bap
tized seventeen. My feeble labors
were greatly blessed among the
churches; yet I made many mis
takes. I wanted to be called a
sound Baptist, and would fight ar
minians and tell them I did not
want their money and the Baptists
would all sanction such stuff. I
taught school and had to go al
most night -and day, and expose
myself, to make a living. I would
leave my poor little family at
home and go on the train to teach,
and many nights the train would
not get in ’till midnight and after,
and'l laying by the railroad, with
no house to stay in, waiting for
the train, and the weather cold
and rainy, a great portion of the
time. My health was very poor
all the time. I would build a fire
to make a light to chop mj r wood
of nights to do through the day.
I have served four churches which
cost me about one hundred dollars
each, and they all did not give
me ten dollars, and yet they would
tell me that they loved me. I do»
not blame them. I was to blame
for not preachiii g to them their
duty. They had deacons, but the
deacons thought they were or
dained to pass around the bread
and wine at communion.
No preacher can be popular
with a covetous Christian if he
preaches what Paul preached in
Ist Cor. 9th chapter, and many
other places.
If a man loves his wife and
children he will care for them. If
a preacher loves a church he will
make a sacrifice for them, and if a
church loves a preacher and his
> family they will care for him. It
is the duty of deacons to ascertain
the necessities of their pastor and
make the same known to his re
spective churches and they should
respond to the same. The preacher
and his family should be economi
cal and not burden a church. It
is as much heresy to deny minis
terial support as it is Salvation by
grace; for both are plainly taught
in the Bible and should be preach
ed. Many children of God have
told me the reason they went to
Babylon were because of the cruel
manner in which our preachers
have been treated. I am glad
that our people are awaking to
their duty in this respect. I once
thought it arminianism to help a
preacher, but now I see it is Bible
truth. I don’t mean to help every
one among4is that bears the name.
The old Baptists are the best peo
ple in the world md they just
need to be instructed in this re
spect to their duty and they will
do it. They make greater sacri
fices than any people on earth for
the doctrine and for one another.
When I was married I was in
debt, caused by my afflictions and
the way seemed very gloomy be
fore me. But blessings have come 1
to me in an unseen way. I re- ■
member once when I was out of *
everything but a little flour and *
was sick and did not know where I
could get money to buy some meat, j 3
cdfoee ete. , Twas low spirited and i
I was almost fearfdl I shpuld come i
to want, being so feeble. D went {
to the Post Office and a letter was. e
I sent me With five dollars which
, caused me toshM tearsand thank
i God for his mercies. Many times
> when 1 was at my wit’s end and
' did not know where the next
would come from I have received a
t letter from some unknown friend
- enclosing, perhaps, the amount I
? needed. I would like to be inde-
* pendent if I could. My nature is $
- so proud, but my afflictions have I
i brought me down. Tfie harder I x
- strive to lay up in store something
L for my family the greater my
s afflictions, and that voice whisper-
I ingin my soul, “No man that war-
- reth entangleth himself with the
J affairs of this life; that he may
I please him who hath chosen him to
' be a soldier.” Sore afflictions, heart
, disease etc, drove me to lay down
I everything about Iwo years ago to
, serve the Lord, and I find more
i peace, better health in his service
r than in rebellion against him. The
I good brethren and friends have
J been good to me and have cared
r for my family through my sore
J trials. David said, “I have not
1 seen the righteous forsaken, nor
. his seed begging bread.”
i The Lord has been good to me
s and my family; yet I often get so
? gloomy and despondent, so full of
I unbelief until I am afraid to trust
> him. lam afraid my family will
* come to want if I do not stay with
r them more, but sometimes the ex
? pression: Jehovah Jirah “the Lord
- will provide,” comes to still tho
I troubled billows that are about to
overwhelm my poor benighted
soul.
J Many times I have left my
i children sick and I would go with
7 a broken heart to fill appoint
ments and would return 'Snd find
1 all well and the Lord had
fme with liberty. Many
1 have gone being burdened down so
t that I could not enjoy preaching,
5 meeting the saints, reading the
[ Bible, and my heart filled with
( foolish thoughts and indifference,
j I use to think I would get to the
place that it would be easy to
I preach and I would not dread it.
t omy soul 1 I have grown less in
the ministry if indeed I be in it
at all. The dread seems greater if
possible. The true servant of God
has the sorest trials of any oil _
earth. If the brethren just knew
what trials the Lord’s servants
endure they would not meet and
talk politics and about theft
worldly matters, but they would
meet early, sing praises to God
and engage in praying to him for
his mercies, and bless both speaker I
and hearers. Pray for me dear
saints. A poor sinner saved by *’
grace if saved at all.—H.
Our little tour in the boun'ds of
the Pulaski, Eecheconeo and Union
associations was a very pleasant one —-
to us. The dear brethren and sis*
ters and many out-side friends re- %
ceived us with every courtesy that
could have been expected or hoped
for. We would be glad to mention
many dear ones with whom we met .
for the first time ra life, but we
only have space to speak of the trip ’
in a general way.
We first stoped with three of the I
churches of the Union association, f
under the pastoral care of Eldet. I
C. W. Stallings, namely, Salem, I
Concord and Bethlehem.
These three churches are
in a healthy prosperous
They all seem to be in the full en*?
joy men t of their Christian privile* i
ges. Their conversation, is heavenly |
and spiritual. We were made’to 1
shed tears of joy as we.sat around
