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art. It bows in humble submis
sion to the wind the only influ
ence brought to bear upon it, and
reflects the glory of its maker
showing his perfection in all his
works, in the young as well as
the old.—B.
THE LORD HELPETH THE LOWLY.
“Twas b ought low, ana he helped me.’
Pam. 16:6.
No natural man feels to be low,
and it is not congenial with his
nature to want to be low. None
of us would ever be low in pover
ty’s vale if we could avoid it. The
fl« sh likes to feel independent in
the uncertain riches of this world,
and would rather be begged than
to beg. The healthy man would
never be in the low state physical
ly if he could prevent it. When
the healthy man discovers that
isdechning in body, he will reWl
doctors, patent medicines
and try almost every remedy pre
scribed by the many would-be
physicians to prevent being
low.
No natural man would be poor
m spirit and come to the feet of
the Savior for help, if left to his
own will. Coining to be low or
poverty-stricken,is not a voluntary
act upon our part, but we are pas
sive—“brought low.” I did not
bring myself low. “I was brought,
low.” God brought me to feej
that I was low. Once I felt that
I had strength to save myself eter
nally, and hence I was exalted,
but when the good Lord opened
my blinded eyes to see my deep
depravity, and my black wretched
sinful heart, “I was brought low.”
Before I was truly brought low, I
tried all manner of physicians and
grew worse all the time—their
medicines would not reach my
case. I was brought so low till
I felt that God was angry with
me, I had sinned away the day of
grace. I was without hope and
without God in the world. I was
lost I lost 1! forever lost 111 Poor,
sick, full of wounds and bruises,
fnendM on earth or m
heaven. Preachers, father,mother,
brothers, sisters and all else failed
me. I needed help. I needed
Jesus to come to my relief. Thank
God, he helped me. His help was
sufficient for me to bring my feet
out of the mirery clay and place
them upon the rock of ages, and a
new song in my mouth, even praise
to God.
He has brought me low many
times since he revealed himself to
me as my precious Savior. Many
times I am biought so low I can
not read the bible understanding
ly; it is as» aled book to me. lam
brought so low I cannot hear nor
appreciate the preaching of the
Gospel. lam brought so low till
I feel friendless, and feel like “an
owl of the desert or a sparrow alone
upon the housetop.” I am brought
so lew, till I am shrouded in dark
ness, aud am in achor’s gloomy
vale. lam brought so low, till I
go to the bottom of the mountains
with the sea weeds wrapped about
my head, I lie there in the belly of
hell vfith a broken heart, feeling
that it is a sin for me to implore
the mercies of God upon one who
has been such a vile sinner. lam
so low I*cannot come forth, being
lame on both feet. My life is a
miserable failure. I am a deceiver
and have deceived the dear people
of God. Fearful thought! I try to
preach, but it is an awful task and
the heads of the saints go down.
I am no preacher, no Christian
and not fit to live.
“0 wretched man that I am?” I
am ready to give up in despair,
and feel like I will deceive God’s
humble children no longer,but will
quit the ship. Lord,to whom can
I go? I want rest. I want to feel
the presence of Jesus once more. 0
that I knew where I might find
him, that I might come even to
his seat. I feel that the Lord is
gone forever, and I am made to
cry out: “My God IMy God!why
hast thou forsaken me!” If lam
revived a few moments there will
be a church trouble or something
to bring me down again. I love
God’s dear child.en and desire
their welfare and feel willing to
spend and to be spent for them,
How hard to have the saints op
pose us. But we must not count
our lives dear unto ourselves. We
must be faithful to God and to his
cause. Saints will tell us what we
preach and what* we must not
preach. How many are the hard
shins of a poor tried servant of
God .He has to ; be blamed for all the
coldnes of his churches. He will
spend many sleepless nights,
mourning over the sins of Israel
and praying for his opposers and
for the welfare ot Zion. About
the time the poor minister feels
that all is well, Satan will make an
inroad in an unexpected manner.
We have enemies internal and
external. The world, the flesh and
the devil oppose us. How many
and varied aie the sore conflicts of
a Christiap. I been
cry the depths. 1
have had opposition to the truths
I have advocated in the church
and wcrld. I have had it reported
that 1 was a two seeder, Arminian,
Missionary, and on tours it has
been reported ahead of me that
the Missionaries had sent me there
for a certain salary and the good
brethren have closed their doors
against me. But none of these
things moved me. I have not
been vexed at it. A falsehood will
not hurt us. All these things
bring us low, and causes us to
leel our dependence more upon the
Lord. He helps those who feel
the need of it. A smile from the
sweet face of Jesus dispels darkness,
despondency, heals the broken
heart causes the lame man to h ap
as an hart, and the tongue of the
dumb to sing.
We have never been to Jesus
with our troubles but what he gave
relief and filled us with joy and
gladness. Yea, his sweet presence
makes hell a heaven to the poor
soul. I have never been to Him but
what I found help. “I was brought
low, and he helped me.” He help
ed my poor soul to feel that his
blood cleansed me from all my
sins, and that his righteousness
justified me, and that he is my
wisdom, righteousness, sanctifica
tion, redemption, life, refuge,
strength and present help in the
time of trouble. He never turns
away a poor beggar empty. I have
gone to Him in prayer though
feeling poor and destitute, but He
said, “I will regard the prayer of
the destitute and not d ispise their
prayer.”
The winter has never been so
long and the night so dark but
what the sun of righteousness
would again arise with healing in
his wings, bringing warmth and
light to the cold benighted soul.
When we can ft el that Jesus is
with us we do not fear the world,
the flesh nor Satan, Many times
I felt the sweet presence of Jesus
and felt that I could then bid fare
well to every fear,and wipe my
weeping eyes. He has been good
to me and helped me all the days
of my life. He has helped me out
of my troubles, and to have the
sweet fellowship of the Lord’s peo
ple. He has helped me to travel
and pleach among the saints and
to feel the sanction of his Holy
Spirit and to have the favor of
dear brethren and sisters. “What
shall I render unto the Lord for
all his benefits toward me?” When
I have been at death’s door, I felt
the sweet presence of Jesus to bear
me away to the realms of endless
day. He has been my help and
all-sufficient aid in every trial of
life. None have ever needed the
dear Savior more than I, and I can
say of the truth, that the Lord is
good. Oh, that I had language to
extol Him, for his loving kind
ness and tender mercies extended
toward me. I have rebelled gainst
Him, but His loving kindness re
mains the same. He chastises me
but it causes me to love Him bet
ter, because I learn obedience by
the things that I suffer. He has
been such a great helper to me that
I want to spend my remnant of
days in His praise. I want noth
ing to get between me and my du
ties to Jesus. His help to me has
b eu so great and wonderful that
I feel a desire from my poor heart,
to consecrate my life to his service.
0 that I could live nearer the cross
and at his feet bearing his image
more.
Pray for me that I may not be
forgetful of His help. Bless his
holy name. L. H.
DOUBTS AND FEARS.
Where do they come from? Why
do they come? What are they?
Do they result in good or ill? -Do
all Christians have them? Are
they different in different people?
Does it not seem that some peo
ple talk of their doubts and fears
as if they were a pleasant remem
brance, and praisworthy? I have
sometimes thought that, may-be,
it was following a sort of habit;
and I bftve wgpdered JLtheJfcgally
4>lt /as mine
feel. The truth is; I haWoeon
tempted to believe that some not
only told ot their doubts and fears
through force of habit, but also
that when they did so in that com
plaicent, half-boasting way, that
it was more to prove they were
born of God, than that they
doubted it. While mine as I felt
them, were sure-enough, torment
ing, home-based, heart-realities,
fearing I was not born again.
Then too, I have noticed that
those who talk the most about
them, seem the best contented with
them. I know that every one born
of God, and living in this world,
will, sooner or later, have them.
But mine seem so much more real
as better based, that when a broth
er or sister speaks of theirs, I think
they kn»w something of them and
their depressing influence, but not
as I do.
But the question is, whence are
they? Wheie do they come from?
What spirit prompts them!
In the firstjplace, they must cer
tainly spring from a principle of
interest and concern, and of desire
arid solicitude as to whether we
are born of God ; and that in order
to establish this fact, as also
the genuineness of our faith —
both vouchedsafe alone in evidence
unmistakably divine —it is ever
searching and scrutinizing our ev
idence and passing sentence on
them, either as divinely given and
so establish faith and make void
doubts and fears; or as dim and
doubtful, and so spring doubts
and fears.
Thea they spring from a spirit
of friendliness in sympathy with
the spiritual man, and that is sin
cerely concerned for his good and
peace.
But this cannot be the divine
spirit of Jesus in us; for that re
bukes doubts and fears,saying “Be
not faithless, bur believing.” “Oh
ye of little faith, why did you
doubt?” No, Jesus would not re
buke the promptings of his own
spirit.
And it cannot be the opposite,—or
the spirit of the devil; for that
never yet felt solicitude for the
peace or good of one born of God.
Although the devil is always glad
enough to see these doubts, and
always ready to take advantage of
them to worry a child of God, he
did not originate them. The spirit
that does originate, always grieves
to have found them. Satan always
rejoices to see them.
Nor could they have sprung from
the natural or carnal mind; for
that receives not the things of the
spirit, neither can it know them,
because spiritualy discerned ; it dis
cerns nothing of the spirit of God
in man. But is always contrary
to, and at war with, the spiritual;
—always an Ishmaelite with his
hand against his brethren.
Then, it must be that spirit in
us that is renewed in the new birth,
and embraced when the Apostle
said “Be renewed in the spirit of
your mind. ” The same spirit is
referred to when he says “The spir
it bears witness with our spirit
that we are born of God." When
bearing this witness, our doubts
and fears are gone. But let the
divine spirit seem to be absent
from us —appearently “clean gone
f° r iver,” then “our spirit,” grieved
an l mourning, will spring those
fl°ibts and fears.
jhis is the spirit of our ‘‘pure
m i*d.” A child of God has a pure
an( iaii impuru mind. How well
it i< to keep the pure mind stirred
up as renewed in spirit, and keep
thelascendency; or else the impure
miiid will gain it, and,then these
doults.
Tien, springing from the spirit,
are and fears sinful? I
should not like to call them so:
yet,jTesus even rebuked them. But
oh it was ever in such a gentle lov
ing way, He is ever nigh, with his
loving hand put forth to uphold
and stay, when he says “why did
you Clouet? Oh ye of little faith I”
Oh Jesus Master ever give us thy
saving hand with this rebuke!
And \When, pike Mary, we go to
weep over the grave of our dead
Oh may we find The? in
the p<?wer of the resurrection! and
our hopes begotten again from the
deal!
It seemed to wound Jesus as a
man when his diciples doubted his
word, or distrusted his power. I
have meditated a very great
deal about the oneness of Jesus
and hip people; and have wonder
ed if that same mind of his as
given to them, does not suffer in
them just like it did in him on
earth. The Apostle says “Let that
v
same mind be in you that was in
Christ.” And that spiritual mind
does not change. Then may I ask,
does not Jesus as in heaven to
day, suffer in mind with, or just as
his people with the same mind on
earth? r For instance when you
hear a devoted, meek, loving little
child oiGod complain of doubts
and fears, and tormenting distrust,
does it jitot grieve you in spirit?
Nor your spirit stiffer you
to rebuMp such an one only after
the tender loving manner of Jesus.
Now if- this is the mind, of Je
sus, does he not feel the same? Oh
I have so often questioned, do I
grieve Jesus every day with dis
trust and doubts? Think
of his “making interces
sion for the saints with groanings
which cannot be uttered.” Oh we
ot little faith! why do we doubt?
If we did not doubt, we would not
tear.
Just look at Peter; he had that
day seen Jesus perform a most
wonderful miracle in feeding a
vast multitude; and even now was
walking to him on the turbulent
sea, yet, at his request,’when Jesus
bid him come, and even after walk
ing, he heard a puff of boisterous
wind and began to doubt, and also
to sink. Yet Jesus was right there
to save him, as he ever will be to
save those who even try to walk
in his commandments. But why
did Peter doubt? He had seen Je
sus control the raging winds. And
how inconsistent! For surely if
Jesus had the power to stand him
self on the water and hold him up,
he had the power to cause him to
walk. Poor Peter! I think he did
not doubt Jesus; but the boister
ous winds frightenened him and
caught his mind away, and he be
gan to think only of himself, and
so cried“ Lord save, I perish.” It is
when we, for the time, forget the
saving power and love ot the Lord,
and begin to look at ourselves,that
we doubt.
But Jesus overruled it for a good
lesson to Peter and to us all; yes,
two grand ones,including many les
ser ones ;one of which is,that when
we begin to lock at our sinful
selves, forgetting that God has
made Jesus our wisdom, righteous
ness, eanctificaiion and redemption,
we will doubt and fear. I do most
ly doubt Decause I thus forget,
looking at myself as so sinful, vile
and unworthy.
Yet I know that God knew jusi;
how vile and sintul I would .be to
day, and in the end of my life,
when in covenant He spared not
His only beloved Son—His great
est treasure —but delivered him
up. And I know that He is im
mutable, unchangeable. Yes he
knew how mean and vile I was.and
am, and will be to the end, when
my name was written in the book
ot life; —when he as it were, spared
not his on ly son, but gave him to
die for me.
We generally accept Jesus and
his death, and then doubt all those
great and precious blessings flow
ing out from that. And just be
cause we look at ourselves as sintul
and unworthy; and thus we doubt
and fear. As if our Father, who
knew all this when He gave us
His greatest treasure, would with
hold things of less value. Oh let
us try to doubt no more, but be
faithful and believing. For how
shall He not with his Son, freely
give us all these things. How is it
thatlwe can presume upon his death
or have faith that Jesus died for
us, and claim him as our Savior,
and then stand back and doubt our
right to the blessings and benefits
springing from his life?--fear to
claim the precious promise, per
chance because so exceeding great,
and we are so exceeding unworthy.
Oh I don’t know why we do doubt
and fear. I hope some one will feel
interested enough to continue the
subject and give a better explana
tion. Weary Pilgrim .
COLUMBIA CHURCH.
We had a pleasant meeting at
Columbia church last Saturday
and Sunday. The prospect seems
somewhat discouraging, but we
think there is a good day for them.
The brethren are faithful and have
the cause at heart. We feel glad that
dear brothrr W. S. Yates and wife
of Savannah will become members
there. This church needs a house
very badly, and cannot make out
with the delapidated one they
have. They have undertaken to
build, and anything that anyone
will do to help them will be ap
preciated. They are poor and
need help. Send money to Ira J.
Simms,Nankin, Ga., or J. L. Yates
and W. S. Yates, Quitman, Ga.
Small amounts will greatly aid
them. We hope to see a number
of the little lambs come home to
Columbia in the near future.—H.
Bertha, Ala., Jan. 27th 1896.
Elder R. H. Barwick;
Dear Brother in Christ:—Your
very comforting letter reached me
some time ago, and my words can
not express the feeling of thank
fulness that fills my heart when I
feel that God moves the mind of
his people to write me such words
of comfort and encouragement.
The beautiful words of the Apos
tle, so expressive of faith in the
goodness and mercy of God, flash
ed through my mind, “0! the
depths of the riches, both of the
wisdom aud knowledge of God,ho v
unsearchable are his judgments,
and his ways past finding •ut,”
together with the sublime truth,
that is after passing through the
darkest and most trying hours,
that the Lord is pleased to enable
us to gather the brightest and best
flowers of heavenly joys, for dear
brother your letter found me m
one of the most trying and gloomy
seasons of my life.
I felt to be a poor castaway. My
whole being was steeped in gloom,
and my heart was burdened with
groans too deep for utterance.
With Job, I felt to say “Oh that
my grief were thoroughly weighed,
and my calamity laid in th? balance
together, for now it would be heav
ier than the sand ot the sea.”
But the Lord is merciful, and
his arm is not shortened that he
cannct save, and with the Psalm
ist, 1 feel to say, “Out of all my
troubles hath the Lord delivered
me.”
I find that every trial and afflic
tion, but strengthens my faith and
increases my love for Jesus. These
sore trials are but to to purge qur
* dross and take away all our iniqu
ity, and when we are tried we shall
come forth as gold.
Dear brother, I fully realize my
own unworthiness and insufficien
( cy, and this much I know, that
unless guided and influenced whol
ly by the spirit of God,l shall nev
er be able to write anything com
forting or beneficial to any of his
peonle, and my earnest desire is,
that he will guide me in all my
steps, and that he will keep me
from doing anything that would
dishonor the cause I feel to love.
I hope the Lord will bless you
in your effort to sustain the Ban
ner, and lead you by his spirit to
open its columns to only such
things as make for peace, and
things whereby one may edify
another,
I am I hope your little sisterZ
Lucy L. Marsh.
The above extract is so comfort
ing to me, and so much accords
with my own feelings, and breaths
so much of the spirit of Christ,
that we give it tQour<eaderß, hop
ing the dear sister will pardon us
for taking the liberty of publish
ing it.—B.
Elder James A. Burch, of North
Carolina, was well received by the
brethren in this section of the
country, and nis preaching very
satisfactory to all the saints, so far
as I know. We hope he may be
sent this way again.
Eider D. A. Johns,pastor of the
Prospect church, in Hamilton
county, Fla., baptized four young
brethren at that place on their
last meeting time. May the Lord
continue these blessings upon the
church and her faithful pastor.
Elders Jordan Cribbs of Collins,
Ga., L. Register of Dover, Fla.,
and D A. Johns of Jasper, Fla.,
were in attendance at our last re
gular meeting at Hebron, Fla.
Their pre aching was well received,
and a large congregation were out
each day to hear them. Elder
Cribbs preached one hour and a
Sunday, but the people
did not tire. —S.
+<Appointmeqts, +
Elder Burch will fill appoint
ments with Brother Register in
this | state and will preach
Ozark, Alabama, Tuesday 25:
Pilgrims Rest, Wednesday 26th,
Pisgah, Thursday 27th,
Ramah, Friday 23th,
Mt. Zion, Sat. 29 and Sun. Mar, 1,
Troy, Mouday, Mar. 2nd,
Columbns, Tuesday night:
Elders Bussey and Cleveland /
will arrange from there to Aiantd*
to be in Atlanta, Friday, before
3rd Sunday in March.—H.
Elder James S. Damarson, of
Hopper. N. C., will (D. V.) fill
the following appointments:
At Cat Creek Ist Sunday in March
“ Bethel, Fla., Tuesday, Mar. 3
“ Hebron, “ Wednesday, “ 4
“ Cow Creek, Ga?, Thurday, 5
“ Unity, “ Friday, ‘ 6
“ Union, “ Sat. & Sun,“7&B
“ Pleasant Grove, Monday, “ 9
“ Pleasant, Ga., Tuesday 10
“ Balem, “ Wednesaay/ 11
“ Concord, “ Thursday, “ 12
Elder Damerson is a faithful old
soldier of the cross, aud one of the
ablest ministers in Primitive Bap
tist ranks. Brethren all turn out
and meet him and give him a cor
dial reception. I hope to be with
him a part, if not all his trip.—S.
NOTICE.
The Primitive Baptist Church
at Sharon, Dooly county Georgia,
has changed her time of holding
her annual meeting to the first
Sunday—Friday and Saturday be
fore—in July. Brethren will
please observe this.
B. F, Brown.
Feb, sth 1896.
■■ ! ■>! II ■
AN APPEAL.
Will all those who are indebted
to the Banner, remember us just
now when we are so much need
ing money to pay our debts con
tracted for the Banner.
Brethren, sister and friends,
please help us right now, with
what is now due; and another hun
dred or two of new
We hope soon to send the Banner
enlarged and in pamphlet form.
Beside, we think we now have our
business arrangements in such
good shape as to give more general
satisfaction to all. Editors.