Newspaper Page Text
Vol. 2.
J Poetry.
■fez. k
1
■w By night upon my bed,
I When weeping o’ro my lot,
g I sought him whom my soul doth
love
I sought but found him not.
2
I will arise and walk
The streets and ways around,
And seek him whom my soul doth
li love,
But him I nowhere found.
3 «
The city watchman found
Me sorrwing, faint and weak;
To whom I said “saw ye my love,
He whom my soul doth seek?.”
L- - ’ • • ■
4
It was a little way
That I from him had passed,
I found him whom my soul doth
love,
I caught and held him fast.
5
And till I brought him in
My mother’s house, and to
The chamber where I was conceiv
ed,
I would not let him go.
. 6
And when I fell asleep
And sweetly did repose,
Then my beloved watched o’re me
And said to all my foes:
7
I chwg» you—daghters of
- Jerusalem, that ye * |
gr, awaffe myTlove
PHT until she pleased be.
Bi** _ J. E. Blanton
Lee Fla.
AN APPEAL
We now desire to address
our self to all of
our readers and brethren, of all
wings and friends of the Primitive
Baptist organization and churches
everywhere in the meek and hum
ble spirit of our dear Redeemer.
and Savior, that organic peace,
correspondence and fellowship
- n the blessed gosp«l may be re
stored and abound in all the bor
ders of the Zion of Israel’s God.
Brethren will you hear me? Will
I you consider my humble appeal )
►- God knows I only want to see
and know that the sweet peace I
that Jesus left with His disciples
to be restored to us and to all of I
our brethren; for it was not truth
and the good spirit that divided
us in the beginning, neither should
- we consider the truth and the
spirit of our Master is keeping us
apart and divided at this time.)
We therefore cannot think of
a better work for us to engage in
at this time, than working, sacri
ficing and praying for peace. Will
you brother and friend come up
to the help of the Lord against the
raWy? Judge 5:23. Please read
this reference; “Curse ye Meroz,”
(meaning secret leanness) said the i
angel of the Lord,“curse ye bitter
ly the inhabitants thereof; because
they came not to the help of the
to the help of the Lord
against the mighty?” Brother Bap
. Btl pray Gcd to forbid that
curse against me and my brethren.
To the Towaliga Association,
her churches, and to all of her
I nO w address
fcyself. It is complained that we!
ave done wrong in receiving their I
members into our fel
ip without a sufficient and
factory i n vestigation( to them)
f that in the premises,
1 exc toded those members and I
@l)£ |Janii€t.
“THOU HAST GIVEN A BANNER TO THEM THAT FEAR THEE, THAT IT MAY w dtcdt a
w BB DISPLAYED BECAUSE OF THE TBUTH.-’-Psalms 60:4.
we are called upon to make such
disciplinary corrections in such
cases that is right and Scriptural.
O surely we will, and that with
the greatest pleasure, provided
those complaining parties will
open their doors to us, and recog
nize us as equals and brethren in
the Lord, and allow us such privi
leges in defining and construing
the discipline of the gospel as
they claim for themselves. Breth
ren we surely don’t want any er
rors, and especially those of a vi
tal nature. Let us be free, and
anxious 100 to have them correct
ed by our good brethren. Methinks
I hear a response from all your
hearts Amen and Amen. Let
us pray for so great and needed
blessing and thank God for such
faithful brethren.
And only one more little thing,
lor to me it is a little one indeed,
and should never been in the way
of fellowship and correspondence
among Primitive Baptist that is
complained of and alleged against
us. And that is some few and I
know it is but quite a small ma
nority ot our brethren who affiliate
with secret societies. To all of
such let me plead with you from
the bottom of. my poor heart for
the sake of restoring peace and
stopping those murmurings and
complaining brethren at home and
dp like your .poor servant
FT jiiWjiii
ne was *endeavoring to prepare
himself to edit and publish a
Messenger of love and inctruc
tions to the Primitive Baptist,
the only organic people of God.
I repeat with emphasis, 0 1 beg]
you to do it, cease your affiliations
with all secret institutions of the
world, and as one humble and
blessed man of God, is now plead
ing with your humble scribe,
through correspondence, says of
you, and I heartily endorse it. Says
he. “Which to my mind would I
be little less, even from a world i
ly standpoint of view and con- I
siderablo gain religiously speak- h
. I mg. How true the brother’s ex
. I pression. Stop,value the sacrifice
and the gain and who would dare
jbe stubborn and fleshly as to
> stand out and affirm I will not do
Jit? And will you plead, that be
i cause the laws of Christ and the
’ discipline of the church does not
forbid you this privilege you will
not do it? Brother don’t talk that
way, such a spirit as that might
be profitably illustrated by a lit-
I tie incident which occurred in our
bounds one time. It was this: A
man, and I trust a good man, but
in bad spirit, was tearing down
a meeting house. A man who
was no member of the church I
at all,but whose father was a mem-1
be r until his death and had aid- 1
edmuch in building the house,
was passing the road, stopping,
and after passing usual compli
ments, said “you ought not to tear
down that house,” It was replied
that the law could not prevent
him. The man answered, “he
who is no better than the law
makes himself is a sorry man,’’etc
Just so dear brother, we should
not consider it our privilege, even
by consent of the law as an indivi
dual to do even the least thing
that would wound the feelings of
the least and most humble child
lof God. Brother consider
how little and truly unprofitable,
you have (admitting) by consent
of the law, that you are called up
on to put down, to part with, in 1
DEVOTED TO THECAUSE OF CHRIST
VALDOSTA, QA M DECEMBER 1, 1895
view to the accomplishment of
so great and desired end, as the
peace and union ot a great broth
erhood. It seems to me that no
truly, loving, and peace appreciat
ing child of God can refuse to an
swer and respond to this humble
appeal.
Now should I not address my
self in this humble,appeal to all
ol our hitherto opposing brethren?
I think I should and I think you
would realize a deeper depth of
earnestness, in my appeal to my
own brethren, by making an ap
peal to you. The question chal
lenges my heart. Will you hear?
Please hear, if you should not
heed give me credit,at least for t ry
ing to outlive a course that will
injure no one but will present
genaration in all of our borders,
and leave the best legacy to the
rising multitudes yet to follow,
who shall fill our seats and occupy
our humble stations. When call
ed to press a dying couch and wet
my downy pillow,if it can be said
in truth of me “he labored for the
peace of Zion, and the unlimited
glory of the cross.” 0 should I
wish a sweeter a moie holy anthem
in my memory? Who would have
close his eyes and shut his heart
against so noble and grand possi
bility. None, no none, we pray
erfully trust. Brethren while we
submit our order in receiving your
J tuial k
i correct the same iflWKrto be
■ unscnptural, will you submit your
, order and discipline in receiving
pur excluded members Into youri
: fellowship? If not, pray why not?
I Will you not as individual mem
bers in your individual capacities
also cease to affiliate with the secret
worldly institutions of t£>day?
If not, why not? Will you hesitate
to cut loose from and cut off the
doctrine of fatalism, by a non-
I fellowshiping resolution against
the doctrine and all the heresies
that proceed from it, as you may,
see, published in this number
ofT. M. adopted by Towaliga
Association in 1858? and if not,
pray why not?
Dear child of God, these are the
terms of peace, which we believe
our God requires you to consider
in his great fear, and we could
expect nor ask more, To one and I
all before whom this appeal
| may come, we ask don’t cast it
aside but make up your mind
in good faith and address the writ
er a line, in your individual
church or association capacity
that we may make a list for, and
against the terms of this humble
appeal. We assure you we mean
nothing but peace among the peo
ple of a d ; vided and confused Zion. I
Yours in hope of a better day.
W. T. Godard.
Towaliga Messenger.—
REMARKS
In our last issue our attention
was called to the above article by
Elder T. E. Sikes, with a request
that we give our views upon the
subject. And while endeavering to
comply with Elder Sikes’ request
we wish it to be understood that
Iwe give only such thoughts as
seems to us right and Script
ural. We are not as well inform
ed as many others as to to the
“disorders” among the churches
of the Towaliga Association
•
and therefore shall have very
little to say upon that point, but
will only submit a few thoughts
upon Elder Godard’s “Appeal.”
That opr dear brother was un
der the influence of a good spirit
while writing his appeal, we do
not doubt. Indeed -we do not
think any right thinking Baptist
would complain at the spirit in
which the brother has addressed
his brethren in his own Associa
tion, and also his “opposing
brethren 5 ’ who are not in corres
pondence with him. It ought to
call sorts serious thought and
prayerful meditation on the part
of each. We think it will. When
ever our attention is called to any
thing that has to do with the good
order of the church—“the peace
and prosperity” of our beloved
Zion and the honor and glory
of God, it should call for prayer
ful meditation. It behooves all the
children of God to know, if pos
sible, their own wrongs and avoid
them, because it is so vitally effects
the peace of others whith whom
we are associated when we per
sist in wrong
Elder Godard’s “Opp n
enquire for the
old paths wherein is the good
way. For our self we can say
we have tried to do this, and we
assure brother Godard that when I
we read his appeal, we were deep-
Ily moved in love toward him; for
his appeal to his own brethren to
| abandon their wrongs and remove
the barriers that have so long
deprive d them of the fellowship
of Baptist at large, we felt that
he was engaged in a work that
was praise-worthy, and could not
fail to bear fruit.
But we do not think Elder God-1
prd ought to stop to ask what ef
fect it would have upon the “op-
I posing brethren” for his own peo-
pie to hear his appeal and re
move the wrongs against which
he complains. If it is wrong for
Baptists to affiliate with secret,
I worldly institutions, Elder God
ard ought to insist upon his breth
ren to put away all such without
any regard to the effect it might j
have upon others. Whenever
this ig done, and when all wrongs
an d disorders, shall have been re
!m°ved from among the churches,
°fthe Towaliga Association, it
Wl h then be time enough, it seems
to Us > to ask the Baptist of Geor
ge, or the opposing brethren,
What will you do.?
And we have such confidence m
the “opposing brethren” that we
feel sure they will do what is
right about it.
But the Towaliga Messenger for
October shows that there are other
things in the way of a reunion be
sides the irregular reception of
Members excluded from us,and se
cret institutions of the world. On
)a ge 6, of the “Messenger” for
October, Elder Godard quotes
from the minutes of the Towaliga
r Association of 1858 the following:
> Item 16. “This Association al
so makes the following expression
in reference to heresies propagat
ed through the Signs of the Times,
a religious periodical published
in the State of New York, and the
same endorsed by the Soutnern
Baptist Messenger, a religious pe
riodical published in the State of
Georgia, viz: Whereas, it is not
only becoming in us to contend
earnestly for the faith once deliv
ered to the saints,” and to “hold
fast the form of sound words,” but
also to testify against every false
way and to the churches
against the devices of those who
lie in wait to deceive. And
whereas, some having arisen bear
ing our name, who have introduc
ed strange and heretical doctrines,
which are“contrary to the doctrine
we have learned”; which conse
quetly we, nor our fathers ever
knew, and which have been nrop
agated through a paper called the
Signs Os The Times, and re-echo
ed and endorsed by a paper in this
State called the Southern Baptist
Messenger, to wit: That Christ
the Son of God, head and life to
His church,is a creature, —a creat
ed existence, the first production
of divine power, that He possess
ed a third nature, which was nei
ther human or divine, and
which was the substitute offered
on calvary, that the church never
fell in Adam and that the mem
bers thereof are not made up of
Adam’s volluted race. That Christ
never came to earth to seek His
people, but brought them with
Him ; that there is no change in,
man in regeneration,either in soul,
affl^|^.regenerated by Zs ->
I created and His people ere
in him in eternity, and j.
Church or His people, eternally
actually existed in Christ, that
when He died they actually died,
I and when he arose they arose with
Him,” etc. Now, therefore, be it
unanimously resolved by this
Association that we have no fellow
ship for those * heretical doctrines
for the reason*that a they are, as we
conceive, unscriptural and there
fore wrong or improper.”
On pages 7 and 8, Elder God
ard proceeds to give references
gleaped from the Signs of the
a period of thirty
lyeart and by which the Towaliga
Association has sought to sustain
the allegations named as above.
And jit would seem from
the quotations given, that Elder
Beebe did entertain or believe the
“heresies” charged against him.
But we do not titink these short,
isolated quotations do him justice.
We know that Elder Beebe dis
claimed and denied the charges
as long as he lived. There were
some objections among other
Baptists, here and there, over the
same points enumerated by the
Towaliga Associaion, as quoted
above; but our people were rea
sonable enough to allow him to
interpret his own utterances, anc
so long as he denied the charges
they could not withdraw fellowship,
as the Towaliga Association did.
We think they did wrong in
this, (Remember we are giving
our own private thoughts as re
quested, with no other desire
but the glory of God and the
good of His people.) If the
charges had been scripturally sus
tained, and acknowledged, then
le Towaliga Association would
not have been alone in their de
clarations of non-fellowship, but
the Baptist at large would have
done as much. But Elder Beebe
remained in fellowship, loved and
honored. Therefore a declara
tion of non-fellowship against him
and his paper,amounts to the same
with all who chose not to do so.
Again let me repeat, that the
s doctrines named and denounced
‘ in the Towaliga minutes as her
• esies” we do not deny; We are
'• agreed peifectly on tl 13 point.
But we do not think,it was wise or
Scriptural to withdraw fellowship
from Elder Beebe and The Signs
until his guilt had been established
and fully proven.
These thoughts are submitted
in the love and fear of God for
the consideration of our esteemed
brother Sikes and for Elder God
ard as well. We desire to say,
however, before concluding, that
if our Towaliga brethren will go
back and set themselves in order,
(and we do not mean to appear
dictatorial) undo their wrongs and
confess thier errors, the Baptists
of Georgia will then be ready to
lear any complaint they may
please to bring againist them
If we have done wrong, (and it
may be that we have,) we will
hear you patiently brethren, and
having been convinced, will con
fess to our wrong. God forbid ’
that the “opposing brethren”
GOlUess vUlll irom n.uugs
when shown them.
And finally, may God speed the
day when His dear people will re
gard the peace, fellowship and
unity of the church above all
things else, and ever keep the un
ity of the spirit in the bonds of
peace is our fervent prayer.—S.
Josie Ala., Nov. 7 1895.
Dear Brother. We were badly
disappointed when you failed
to fill your appointment at our
church. I met the train at Banks
but failed to meet you, and so far
we have not heard the reason.
There was a good congregation
at our church to meet you. Wo
hope you will try it again, as we
would be glad to have you at any-
time.
Dear brother if it is not asking
too much I would be glad to have
your views of the bodies of the
saints after the resurrection. Will
they be bodies like they are now
or not?
Your brother
W. A. Green.
We regret very much our ina
bility,to fill the appointments made
for us in Alabama. Those Alabama
brethren seem very precious to us
and we will gladly visit them when
the way is clear before us. We
assure them that nothing but what
we regard as a providential cause
prevented us from filling the ap
pointments recently made.
We have not the time nor space
to write now upon the subject
presented by brother Green, but
will later, th? Lord willing.—S.
We have on hand a few copies
of “My Reasons for Leaving the •
Missionary Baptists” which we
will mail to any address on re
ceipt of 25 cents. Also a few
copies of the “Scrap-Book,” con
taining extracts from leading Mis
sionary Baptista of the United
States and heathen lands, by Eld.
J. G. Webb, of Texas. These books
are valuable to all enquires alter
truth.—S.
No. 22