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dreii are members of bis body in particular. This being the case, it can be said in truth that they are joint-heirs with Christ, for it is impossible for the bead to be an heir unless the body is. And again, it is written that Christ was appointed heir of all things ; and Paul says, “lie thatjspared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also,freely give us all things’' 1 And one as great an evidence as the children can have that they are joint-heirs with Christ, is their feeling themselves to be poor in Spirit, for Christ says, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for their’s is the kingdom of heaven.” And another great evi. dence is, if so he therj suffer with him while they remain in this earthly tabernacle. The path of the children of God from the earliest age bf the world up to the present time, has been strewed with tears, and their steps are often marked witu blood; many of them at times have had an occasion to cry out, “ My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me ?” And often their flesh has no rest, but they are trou bled on every side, they have fightings without, and many serious doubts and fears within. They have al ways been a poor and afflicted people, they were chosen in the furnace of affliction. And even at the present day they are such a poor, afflicted and despised people, that they dwell entirely alone, and are not so much as reckoned among the na tions, (denominations.) But it is in vain for me to undertake to numerate the persecutions, tribula tions, afflictions, chastisements and sufferings of the children of God, for they are without number. But notwithstanding all of their sufferings, they Sometimes feel to glory in the cross of Christ, and even rejoice in tribulation, knowing ibat the Cp tain of their salvation was made perfect through suffering, and bath’ suffered for them in the flesh, and they feel to arm themselves likewise with the same mind, and even rejoice inasmuch as they are partakers of Christ’s sufferings, knowing that it is thereunto they were called. Because Ch list hath suffered for them, leaving them an example that they should follow his steps. And they should take their brethren, the Prophets, who have spoken in the name of Lord, for an example of suffering af fliction, and of patience, having full confidence that if they suffer with Chiist, they will also reign with him. But we should beirin mind the admonition Qf the Apostle Peter, which is, “But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evil doer, or as a busy body is other men’s matters; yet if anv man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf.” And now my brethren, especially those whom God has called to feed his Church, which our dear Saviour has purchased with his own blood, what have you to fear in contending for the truth? if God be for you, who can be against you? what if all manner of evil be spoken against you falsely by those who teach that salvation depends upon the works of the creature ? what if they do encompass sea and land to make proselytes ? you know ac cording to the word, that all the works, efforts, means and instrumentalities of man, never made, neither was it ever the means of making one sin gle child of God, or an heir of salvation. You need SOUTHERN BAPTIST MESSENGER. not be discouraged unless you have more false teacbeis against you than Elijah had false Proph ets against him at a certain time, which was 450 Prophets of Baal, and 400 Prophets of the Grove which ate at Jezebel’s table. HIRAM CAMPBELL. Brunswick, Maine, Nov. 24, 1859. Brunswick, Maine, Nov. 10,1859. Dear Brethren Editors: —And all the stran gers and pilgrims scattered abroad, or in other words God’s Little Children who read the Messen ger. At a certain time our Savior asked this question, “If a man have an hundred sheep, and one of them be gone astray, doth he not leave the ninety and nine, and goeth into the mountains, and seeketh that which is gone astray ? And if so be that he find it ; verily l say unto you, he re joiceth more of that sheep, than of the ninety and nine which went not ash ay.” Matt, xviii. 12, 13 Then lie goes on to sly, “ Even so it is not the will of your Father which is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish.” And this cor responds with what he says in John vi. 39. “ And this is the Father’s will which bath sent me, that of all which he hath given me, I should lose noth ing, but should raise it up at the last day.” And Paul says in Ileb. x, 10, when speaking of the will of God, “By the which Will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.” And then again, Paul speaks in Eph. i. 11, of God’s children being predestinated according to the purpose of Him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will. But per haps some might ask the question, “ How does it happen that those 2ialo onos are born or begot ten ?” Well, we should say, let God’s word an swer the question, notwithstanding it would put man’s freewill altogether one side. In James i. 18, we find this written, “Os his own Will begat he us with the word of truth.” And then again in John i. 13, when speaking of the sons of God, which believe on the name of Christ, it reads, “ Which were born, not of blood, nor the Will of the flesh, nor of the Will of man, but of God.” — Now, as all of God’s little ones are born, or be gotten according to God’s Will, predestinated ac cording to God’s Will, andjsanctified according to God’s Will, yes, they are sanctified by Ged the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ, because God is not willing that one of them shall perish ; and this being the case, where is there a chance for man to get in their free-will in the great work of Salvation ? I can see none, therefore I must leave it for the advocates of that doctrine to an swer the question ; being confident that God is of one mind, and hone can turn him, and what his soul desiretb, even that hedoelh, therefore nothing can be more certain, than the salvation of every one of his little ones. We hear a great deal said at the present day, about God offering salva tion to mao, and about His offering to save them, on the ground of their coming to Him, and accep ting salvation at his hand. What should we think of a mother who would say to her little child which was cold and hungry, “child I offer you food and clothing on the ground of you coming to me and accepting it.” It is plain to be seen that her offering these things to the child, would be of oo advantage to the little sufferer whatever; it would not in the least prevent it from perishing. — It is also plain to be seen by those that have eyes, tbal God offering to save his little ones on the ground of their coming to him, would never pre vent one of them from periihing, because they are such helpless little creatures, that they cannot go alone ; not one of them can ever go to Christ ex cept they are led or drawn there by the Father.— Although there is so much said about “offered salvation,” and “ offered mercy,” yet the Scrip ture says nothing about it. How strange it would seem to find a passage in the Bible like this.— “Thou slialt cdl his name Jesus, for he shall offer to save his people from their sins.” And then again my dear brethren and sisters, God’s little ones are such weak helpless little ccntures, that not one of them can go alone, and whenever they undertake it, they are sure to get a fall, but by the time they get a number of such falls, they become pretty well converted, and come to the very wise conclusion that they are nothing but a little child after all. Notwithstanding all of God’s little ones are such weak helpless and depen dent creatures, yet they are all kept by His almighty power, and led about and instructed, and kept as the apple of his eye, for he is not willing that one of them shall perish. It is even as the poet has it, “E’en down to old age, all my people shall prove, My sovreign, eternal, unchangeable love, And when hoary hairs shall their temples adorn, j Like lambs they shall still in Therefore my dear brethren and sisters, let not your hearts be troubled, be of good chee*, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you tbe king dom, and it is not his will that one of his little ones shall perish. HIRAM CAMPBELL. West Point, Ga., Dec. 28, 1859. Dear Brethren —I have read your paper with much interest almost from the commencement of iis publication, and can say that I have always been pleased with the doctrine it has hitherto held forth, or in other words, the doctrine contended for by your able correspondents; for 1 have often been refreshed and much comforted when reading the views of the brethren and sisters ; it often makes me think of what the Lord hath spoken by his Prophet when he said, thy people shall all be taught of tbe Lord, and great shall be the peace of thy children. And when I hear them telling what the Lord lias done for them in quickening and bringing them from nature to grace, or from dark ness to light, it confirms my feeble hope, and strengthens my drooping faith. And brethren, my mind begins to run upon the articles of faith, and I feel almost like writing out some of my thoughts upon that subject, but feeling my weakness, I for bear at present, but I hope the brethren arid sisters will continue to write, and I will continue to read. Yours truly in Brotherly Affection, H. M. HIGGINBOTHAM. 3