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Daar brethren I now find myself
looking on the face of those dear
saints, as they waited on the Lord
during this meeting,(l mean ini
mymmd.)Oh how pleasantit is
to remember the sound of those
sweet voices in conversation, in
preaching, singing and praying,
and the lovely countenances that
we beheld at this Association.
Not only the messengers from the
several churches seemed spiritural- i
ly minded, but the corespondance i
and visitors all seem clothed with 11
the spirit of humiiity. 1
The moderator and clerk of this
Association we thought filled their
station with honor to themselves
and perfect satisfaction to the
body. Ot course all who know
them would expect nothing else.
We can now, in our mind/st-o that
faithful old soldier of the cross,
to-wit: Elder T. W.Stallings on the
Moderater’s seat ruling in love;
and Eider A. V. Simms as a
faithful servant writing down the
business of the body with precis
sion. Finally the adjournment.
When it was announced that we
must now part, after such a pleas
ant meeting, the brethren sang a
hymn, and took the parting hand
in tears, and with deep emotion,
perhaps never to meet again on
earth. But Deloved ones if we
never meet again on earth, we look
for a city, whose maker and build
er iJfcod, to which we now journey
by faith. May the Lord enable
us all to live in union and peace
the few days we remain on earth.
We had the pleasure- of spend
ing a little time with Elder Simms’
pleasant family in Valdosta.
When we met our dear sister
Simms and as she told us that
one of the children was sick, and
had been sometime in bro. Simms’
absence, we thought of those lov
ed ones we had left behind. So
often in afflictions. Dear breth
ren if you could only know what
ministers and their families
y rllMy SeFv
tiiairXHey rtlay SCrve
for Jesus’ sake, we feel sure
that you would sympathyze with
them, and be perfectly willing to
help them bear their burdens. We
remember when we took the hand
of one of bro. Simms’ little boys
and told him good-bye, that' our
heart was filled with sympathy for
him. This brothers, isters and dear
mothers who are so often left at
home by their dear father, who
has to turn his back on all those
■ sweet ties, and go and serve his
brethren for Jesus’ sake. May
God’s blessings attend them. While
at Valdosta we visited, and was 1
kindly cared for by our dear bro. ’
.and sister Moore. We took
(dinner with them and left in the
? after-noon for Banviok, Ga., where
» we met Elder R. H. Barwick and
s amilyat their home. Os course
i we were delighted to meet them
as they are closely related to us in
theflesh, and better still, we hope
we are kin-folks in Jesus. We
have known to love Bob from
childhood because of the fleshly
relation between us, and now we
love him as Christian and faith
ful gospel minister, and his dear
wife a, a sister in Christ, who
nils her place as a Christian in the
house of God and in the home
circle. We spent sometime with
them, and some with brother Joe
Rountree, and his dear family.
Before going on to the Oclocknee
Association, we attended a very
rPeasant meeting at Harmony
church (Brooks County)
At the Oclocknee Asosciation
of 6 an^o^e d me eting with some
, , 6 d ear Ba i u ts with whom we
. , me t before and many
Th we had neyer met.
6 preaching was in power, and
Th? COmfortin K and instructive,
a* / arraDgod have preaching
th^ e n 81and ln the da y and in
ob| W D,ght - The busilleßß
we Association was transacted
h Peace and kve. Elder Bar-
Wk was their Moderator and bro- ’
ther Jasper Gibson served as ;
y and the preaching was all
°W, and we had to part, we look
ed each other in the face, and ’
with our eyes filled with tears, we I
took each other by the hand and I
bid farewell, feeling perhaps,
l that it would be the last time we
would meet on this side of the
grave.
May God bless those dear peo-1
I pie. We would not, no, we could I
not forget those dear friends at
Boston who opened their doors to
us, and so kindly cared for us du- 1
ring the meeting. May the Lord 1
reward them. We were proud to 8
meet Elder Hanks and his pleas- i
I ant family at their home in Bos- |
ton. They did all they could to i
make our company feel happy J <
and we think they succeeded. We ]
I returned from the Association to I <
bro. Joe Rountree’s and was taken i
very sick while at his home. But I
our own children could not have
I done more for us, than he and
his dear wife. Brother Rountree
called doctor Vann, of Boston to
treat me, who kindly attended me
I and would not make any charge I
for his trouble. May the Lord re
ward him. We were soon up and
able to travel, and went to Moul
trieGa., where we met cur Ecn-in
law and wife, Mr. J. W. Coleman.
We went to Pleasant Grove church
in Colquitt county on Friday be-
| fore the first Sunday, where we
met our dear brother Elder H. P.
Tucker and preached to a small
congregation that day. Saturday
and Sunday we preached at Live
Oak, where we met good congrega
tions. Elders Tucker and W. W.
Williams were with us both days,
Sunday evening we went home
with Elder Williams and preached
at his home that night. This
was very pleasant to us, for we
have long‘known and loved broth
er Williams and his family.
Next day we preached at Magno
lia church and went home with
brother James Jones for dinner—
another precious brother and his
family whom we have known and
loved a long time.
From her&
xiiuMus camera- <.o spend c.
night. We have known and
loved this dear brother and his
family quite a long time. We
preached that night at his home
to a large audience with good
liberty. Next day we went to
our Son-in-laws (Mr. Collens) and
spent the most of the night wit i
him and his wife our only daugh
ter. Next morning we took
the cars for home and arived hom
safely Thursday evening and found
all well as usual, and for which
wo praise the Lord. Dear breth
ren remember us when it goes well
with you. In hope,
H. Temples.
Worthington Fla. Nov. 22,1895.
Elder A. V. Simms.
Dear Brother in the Lord:—l
will write a short account of our
good meetings. The church met
at New Hope,(Alauchua County)
on Saturday before the first Sun
day in Oct. at the regular meet
ing, and after trying to preach
in my feeble way, three precious
ones came forward and was receiv
ed for baptism; also received one
by letter. We met again Sunday
morning for baptism when a dear
old brother came forward and was
received for baptism; also restorer
another dear brother who hac
been excluded. I have been trying
to serve this church for ton years,
and I am sure I never witnessed
a better meeting. It seemed to be
a sweet time of rejoicing among
all the saints. “Great is the
Lord and greatly to be praised,
for his goodness and mercy endu
reth foreyer.”
On the second Sunday in Oct.
• baptized two at Little Spring
church, rfnd on the third Sunday
in October I baptized three at
’leasaut Grove chureh, one of
whom was a cousin of mine—a
very old brother. This too, was a
joyful meeting. On the second
Sunday again at Little Spring
we received four for baptism —•
three sisters and one brother —my
brother in the flesh. This will
always be a green spo.t in my mem
ory. Praise the LordO my soul
and all that is withurme praisoHia
Holy Name for his goodness, and
for His wonderful works towards
the children of men.
Your unworthy brother
J. R. Dukrs.
Columbus Ga., September 22,1895 1
Elder A. V. Simms Valdosta, Ga., i
Beloved in the Lord.— Feeling '
some what inclined to write you, 1
and desiring to write of things '
pertaining to the church ofChnst,
it being the “called out” of God—
called and gratified for a pur- '
pose, and that purpose is that we
do the things which he shown us
i in his word and taught us in our
hearts.
And, first, our preachers under
obligations to serve us as church
es? Yes, Are the deacons under
obligation to the churches to serve
them? Yes. Are the private mem
bers under obligations‘to serve
one another? Yes. Then the ques
tion arises How, and in what way
is all this service to be rendered?
Preachers do you love Christ? Then
• you should obey the command;
“Feed my sheep,” How do we
• know the sheep? Because they
! bear fruit and are of the light.
• The light maketh manifest. The
1 character of the tree is known by
T its own fruit.
But the preacher is not to
feed and not be fed himself.
While Christ has made this duty (
to feed the sheep, or the church, ,
and a “woe” is pronounced against
him if he“preaches not the gospel,
the church is not to take advan
tage of this “woe,” for God has
made it the duty of the church to
feed the preacher; and I think
it is “woe” unto that church that
fails in this duty.
But. says one, “How are we
to get about it? Our preachers
are being neglected and our wid
ows are needing attention, and
L th A l at, we do.” Well, in th*.
apostolic age choice or
seven men, upon one occasion,
who were ti “serve tables,” who
were called Deacons,nd those
deacons were to loc 1 ’ the
Grecian widows, f j that
they had been nej and were
suffering for us temporal j
things. The apostles did not
have the time to look after these
widows, and it was meet
they should leave the word of
God and serve tables.” Just so
it is to-day. If the ministers
are alive to the various duties
as servants of God they have not
the time, nor is it “meet” for them
to look after such things now;
hence the duty of some one to
look after these things.
It is the indispensible duty of
the ministers of God to preach the
gospel,and preach without ceasing.
But the question arises: How can
he perform his duty—a duty made
binding upon him by the Lord—
unless the church performs her
duty—a duty imposed upon her
by the same sacred authority? And
do we not neglect our preachers?
Sadly so. The Scriptures do not!
support the salary system, yetit
does teach that the minister who
preaches the gospel should live of
the gospel. Nor does this mean
to live of it in the spirit, as some
seem to think, but that he who
shows Spiritual things should
reap carnal things.
Deacons then,should see to it that
brethren who are reluctant in their
dutv in these things; and when
they stubbornly refuse after hav- j
ing been faithfully admonished,
it proves them to be covetioua, and I
when this sin is manifested i n
them they should be dealt with
as the Scriptures directs. But
dear brethren how often do we
hear cases of coveteousness before
the church? Is it because G od >J
people have ceased to be coveteous.
I fear we arejgradually going down
stream. The preachers ar ® ready
to excuse us and take all the f aalfc
themselves by saying it is his fault.
But no dear preachers, the wrong
is somewhere else. Do we not
read our Bibles, and do we not
hear you preach, and have we not
the law of Christ in
Let deacons awake to their duty
and see that the church takes care
of her preacher. Dear brethren do
not let it be with us as with a dear
preacher I know who served his
church faithfully one year and
received only twelve dollars,
which barely paid his car fare,
and nothing was left for hisfam
ily at the end of the year the
church called him again and he
found himself in a great strait to
know whether his preaching was of
the Lord. Brethren shall we
throw suet obsticles in the preach
ers way and thus be a hindrance
X) the cause of Christ? God forbid.
Dear brother Simms I hope the
Lord will revive us again and
show his people their transgres
sions and the house of Jacob her
sins that our duties may be fully
known to us all.
If our brother deacons would
only be faithful to their duties I
think we would not hear any more
complaint; for we hear no more
complaint about the Grecian wid
ows after those deacons were ap
pointed.
Brother Simms may the grace
( of our Lord and master guide
, you in all ot your work, is the
prayer of your unworthy brother
‘ iu the Lord.
R. E. L. Land.
September 6th 1895
This morning while on my bee
of affliction, looking out of my
window, gazing upon thes cenes of
nature, my thoughts ran thus:
What a change my mind has un
dergone since one year ago. How
different the scenes appeared to
me then and now. How often
had I longed to be up ansi mingle
with the busy throng of the world,
and engage in the pursultaof life;
to walk out and roam amid the
trees and flowers, and commune
with the beautiful works of nature.
Many, many tears had I shed jn
O - - tne out-ao- _•
which othe# could enjoy.
Hotv often had I begged my bless
ed Lord to raise me from this bed
of suffering, and permit me just
once to go to the house of worship, i
0 how bright I had once beheld
life, and now what a changel As I
I gazed on all that met my eyes, I
I saw nothing but gloom. Howl
very insignificant everything ap
peared. I saw no beauty in any-1
thing pertaining to this life. I
felt like I was only looking upon I
scenes which had no meaning in I.
(them; that this world was only a
i barren waste, only a dark and
gloomy valley through which poor
gilgrims had to pass before they
reached the haven of rest. I
i thought how bright and glorious
w that home above to which I am
hastening. Everything is tran
sient here, while above is a never
ending eternity.
“Ye fleeting charms of earth,
farewell!
Your springs of joy are dry;
My soul now seeks another
home,
A brighter world on high.”
’ I saw no life in the verdant
grove, no beauty in the flowers
that bloomed, no sweetness in
the birds that sang. My heart and
desires were above, where all is
J°y> peace and happiness, where
there is no sorrow, sin or euffer
ing. While I looked first on one
thing, and then another, meditat-
ln g on all these things, a feeling
°f humble gratitude filled my soul
and I saw depicted on everything
submission and praise. What or
dor and grandeur I beheld in all
the hand-work of God 1 I saw
I b he hand of Omnipresence in
every thing. The trees had put on '
an appearance of submission and *
Praise to the God of gods; the
flowers seem to *be blooming in
I honor to the King of kings. At
once mine ear caught the carol of
I the little birds, and they seemed
to be praising the Prince of Peace.
As I listened to their little an
thems, my heart responded, yes,
1 Praise be to his holy name 1 I felt
that there was a meaning in every- ,
What a mighty hand had
all these things I what a
eighty hand ruled their destiny I i
I felt, like I wanted no better com
pany than those things which had
no sin in them. I thought, how
much better are all these things
than man in his depraved condi
tion. These were in humble sub
mission to the will of the Creator,
while man often tried to thwart
lis purposes. It seemed to me that
I could see stamped on everything.
“Jehovah is his name.” A gentle
breeze fanned my aching brow,and
I thought, what a blessing is air.
I heard a peal of thunder in the
distance, and thought, Who can
stay his hand? It seemed to me
that I could see the immutabillity
of God’s laws more vivid than ever
before. Everything was just as
good as it was when it was first
made, except poor, fallen man;
just as good as it was when the
Creator made it all, and saw that
it was good; just as unchangeable
as it was when “he spoke, and it
was done; he commanded, and it
stood fast;” just as beautiful as it
was “when the morning stars sang
together, and all the sons of God
shouted for joy.” I thought, what'
a sublime study is this grand cre
ation ! What a lesson in all we see I
I felt a sweet solace in this, that
not a sparrow falls to the ground
without him; nay,not a leaf, then
of how much more value are we
than many sparrows?
I have written these things just
as I realized them. I gave no
outward expression to my feelings,
only through a flood of tears. I
think all this was to show me
God’s power that he had a great
design m everything, and every
thing was to fulfill his designs;
that he had given me a life of
suffering, and in it was some deep
designs, known only to himself.
Nannie Edwards.
I TyTy, Ga., Nov., 12, 1895.
. Elder A. V. Simms.
t brother in ChrW?—
■■■■ft-’ ■HH
| i'oti Wl i piQagd pal-don Wo r or
I calling you “brother,” for I S not
feel worthy to use the word. It
lis with much fear and trembling
that I pen you these few lines;
I for I have been made to forcibly
realize that I was not worthy to j
communicate with God’s dear
saints. And dear brother I have
been made to mourn and weep
many times over my miserable
| condition, for I am so week, so im
pure, so prone to sin, and do so
many wrongs, until it seems that
I have got to the place where 11
can do nothing but sin, for surely
sin is mixed with all I do. These
[things makes me so often fear
that I am not one of the Lord’s
little ones. How often do I won
der is there another like me. But
if I really am a Christian, surely
there could not be another so low I
down in the valley, so far from
God as I seem to get at tirms.
But then if I could only feel that
1 1 was a Christian I would try to I
feel contented. Rut dear brother
I feel and often fear that I have
deceived the Lord’s people, and
also myself as well, by going to
them and asking for a home
j among them, for if lam a child
i of God I surely must be the least
[ among them., I feel so unworthy
j to be where I am and to enjoy
» the blessings of the Lord as I do.
■ But brother Simms the dear old I
Baptists are the peoplel love most
of all others, and I could not live
away from them. I had rather be
dead than to be cut off from their
sweet fellowship; and do believe I
would have died had I not gone
and asked for a home among
them. I had desired to live with
them for a long time, but very
well knew that I was not worthy,
and when I would think of unit-
ing with them I did not think
they could receive me. Hew I
wept over these things I I felt to
be a castaway and cut off from
those I loved. Even at the time I
did go I went with this same feel
ing of unworthiness that I had
carried for many days past. I had ,
gone to preaching many times to
join the church if the dear poeple
would receive me, but’ had failed.
When the opportunity was offered
it seemed that I could not make a
step or even move. But after I
had suffered sufficiently my mas
ter gave me strength, I hope to go
forward and perform my long
neglected duty. I do not now
feel that I ever could have gone
had not the Lord given me the
strength to make that step. With
in my poor self I learned I could
not do anything, but with God’s
grace and mercy I can do many
thing*, and He is merciful to us
every day we live. I want to do
all I do as unto the Lord, that it
may be honoring and well pleas
ing in His sight, but I fear that I
fall far short of it.
Elder Patterson has just paid
us a visit,and spake many comfort
ing words to poor me, when he was
with us. He is a most lovely
minister and is able and tender in
his preaching. We enjoyed his com
pany so much, and wish him to
come to see us again soon. Bro.
Simms we would be so glad to
have you visit us again. I do so
much desirs to hear you preach
once more. You filled my poor
heart with joy while preaching
at our Association. Do come to
see us again, and dear brother
I earnestly desire an interest in
your prayers, for I feel to need
the prayers of the Lord’s people
everywhere.
May the Lord bless, and direct
you in His perfect way is the
prayer of your little sister, I hum
bly hope.
Lizzie E. Williams
The Lord is leading you dear
sister, and you must taste the bit
ters as well as the sweets of this
pilgrim journey. You must know
Jesus in the fellowship of his
sufferings. The doubts and fears
of which you complain, are com
mon to all Christians. This you
will learn as you grow older.—S.
*
Antioch,
Mt. Pisgah, « 27th 28th and
29th, Friday,Saturday and Sunday.
Mt Zion, Monday, December 30th,
Bethsaida, Tuesday, « 3i s t
Live Oak, Wednesday Jan. Ist,
Pleasant Grove, Thur. “ 2nd
| Sardis, Feiday, «
Bethel, Sat. and Sun. “4 & 5
Salem, (Adel.) Mon. “ gth,
Concord, Tues, «
Bethlehem, « Bth.
He is a worthy brother, and
a gifted minister.—H.
Vienna, Ga., Nov, 20,1895.
Elder C. B. Spivey of Ivey, Ga.,
I who is of the Ebeneezer Associa—
I tion will fill the following appoint
ments ( D. V. ) :
Tues., Dec., 3rd Bethelehem,
Wed. “ 4th Mt. Vernon,
Thurs. “ sth Ty Ty,
Friday/- 6th China Grove,
2nd Sat & Sun. 7 & 8, Providence,
I Mon. Dec., 9th Mars Hill,
Tues. “ 10th Rocky Creek,
Wed. “ 11th Ty Ty Station,
Thur. “ 12th Pleasant Hill,
Friday,“ 13th Sharon,
3rd Sat & Sun. 14 & 15 Mt. Beazer,
Mon. Dec,, 16th Pilgrim’s Rest,
Mon. “ 16th (night) Rochelle,
Tues, “ 17th New Hope,
I Wed. “ 18th Pleasant Plains,
Thur. “ 14th Valley Grove,
Friday,“ 20th Zion Hope,
4th Sat.&Sun, 21&22, New Bethel,
He will need conveyance. As
ever yours to serve.
P. G. McDonald.
DROPSY a™
Positively CURED with Vegetable
Remedies, Have cured many thousand
cases called hopeless. From first dose
symtoms rapidly disappear, and in ten
I day at least two-thirds of *ll symtoms
are removed. Rook of testimonials of
miraculous cures sent FREE. 10 days
treatment free by mail.
Dr. H. H. Green <fc Sons, Atlanta,Ga
We commend the above firm to
our brethren and friends and suf
ferers from the diseases mention
ed. Dr. Green, Sr., and his two
I sons have had wonderful success
in the treatment of dropsy. They
are devoted members of the Prim
itive Baptist church in Atlanta
and are worthy of the confidence
of all. Write them.
—Ed.