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26 YallobushA County, Miss., Feb. 24, 1860. Dear Brethren — l have been thinking of wri ting a few lines concerning Missiotiism for your in spection, which you can dispose of as you please. Be assured that I will content myself if you com mit it to the flames or otherwise. The modern Missionary system is perhaps be lieved by some of its advocates, to be almost as old as the gospel ehttich itself, from the fact that they hear it proclaimed from the pulpit that Paul Was a missionary. There are, however, liv ing at the time beihg, who are older than the Mis ionary Baptist Church. The first account that we have of Missionism among the people called Bap tists, was originated in England in the year 1792, by Andrew Fuller; 1792 from 1860, just makes sixty-eight years. Therefore, the Missionary Bap tists are sixty-eight years old only. It is true, how ever, that a Missionary Society was constituted by the Lutheran Church as early as 1706, and by the Moravians or United Brethren as early as 1734. Previous to the origin of this Missionary or Fuller ite Society, the Baptists had ever held the|inven tions of men in religion in contempt. Here I will ’ insert one or two declarations put forth by them more than seven hundred years ago, they speak for themselves, “We have ever regarded the inven tions of men in the affairs of religion, as an un speakable abomination before God.” Again, “ We hold in abhorrence all human inventions as pro ceeding from anti Christ, which produce distress, and are prejudicial to the liberty of the mind.”— These declarations put forth by the Waldensian Baptists upward of seven hundred years ago, show plainly that the ancient Baptists stood, with regard tothe of men, just School Baptists now stand. Therefore, I contend that the ‘Old School or Primitive Baptists are the real de scendants of the ancient Baptists, for it is evident, bad our modern Missionary or Fullerite Baptists been in existence when the above extracts were written, that they would have been treated with as much “ abhorrence” as others who partic ipated in the inventions of men in that remote age of the church. Those Baptists in those ancient times looked at the inventions of men quite differ ent to what the Baptists of a certain class look at them this day. The Southern Baptist Sunday School Union met at Canton, Miss., Nov. 25, 1859. And here are some of its proceedings which I copy from the Baptist Messenger, a Missionary paper published at Memphis, Tenn,, Dec. 9,1859, “That a way be opened for individuals to become Life Directors, and Life, and Annual members by the payment of SSO, $25 and $5 respectively.” The object of the above mentioned Union is to “train up children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord,” according to their statements. But when we go into these schools we find them teaching the children the fabulous works of their societies, de nominated Sunday Schools books. Thus fulfilling the Scripture that says, M And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables ” 2 Tim. iv. 5. In consequence of these human inventions, children’s minds are chained in SOUTHERN BAPTIST MESSENGER. darkness to the true import of Scripture, beneath the dark clouds of human devibe, which has been the cause iti past ages of the world of the fcaHh being stained with so much innocent blood. It is evident to my mind, that it will eventually be the result of the modern religious inventions. I can see no cause why Protestant ibVentiohs are any bet ter than Catholic inventions, the only diffsrence'wor thy of notice for want of power; the modern In vehtonists have not as yet shed so much innocent blood as the Qatholics. But lo:>k if you please at the corruptions in the North, the head quarters of these various religious inventions where they have changed the use of the pulpit from religion, and desecrated it for the purpose of power, that they may carry on a system of rapine and assassination against their Southern brethren. Why are old order of Baptist united North and South as a band of brothers, as a denomination battling against these rebellious societies from Maine to Mississippi, and from Mississippi to California, in short from the Atlantic to the Pacific ocewv? answer is at hand, they take the Bible for the man of their counsel, and reject human device in reliv, gicus affairs in whatsoever form it comes; for which cause they have ever been persecuted in some fora, or other, but they bear it patiently for Christ’s sake. The fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suf fering, gentleness, goodness, Ac. Gal. v. 22. But the works of the flesh are, “ Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders,” &c. Gal. v. 12—?0 21. Now Paul has given a rule in the above ver ses by which we may easily distinguish the works of the flesh from those of the spirit. Where the woiks of spiritism to,b% found* I for ttie attentive observer to judge. That the works flesh are manifest in the popular religion of the day is obvious. The traditions of men in our day like those in Christ’s day, are making V e “commandments of God of none effect.” “In vain,” said he, “they do worship me, teaching for doc trines the commandments of men.” Malt. xv. 39. “ All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.” “That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.” 2 Tim. iii. 16, 17. Here is a declaration from the Apostle Paul to Timothy, that the Scriptures are sufficient to “ thoroughly furnish the man of God to all good works.” Where then the necessity of the inventions of men, such as Sunday Schools, Temperance Societies, Bible Societies, Missionary Societies, &c., &c! If the Scriptures furnish unto all good works, no room for societies. My sheet is full and I must close. Yours with Christian Regard. R. M. MOORHEAD. Reform, Ala., Dec. 31, 1859. Dear Brother —“ There reraaineth therefore a rest for the people of God.” The above text has been taken as a subject twice in my hearing lately, and we were not satisfied with either discourse, for they only spoke of a temporal rest, which we think does not remain only for a short time, and the rest ib&t iVas spoken of in the above, is an eternal rest, a rest that ftaS prepared ffohi the foundation of the world for the people of God. And they only look forward to the time when they will enter into that rest • and sometimes feel some encourage ment to press forward to the mark of the prize; for lae saints believe that Jesus has gone to prepare a place for them, that where he is, there they may be aiso, and to enjoy that inheritance which is cal culated to render them eternally happy. Who are the people of God ? God who at sun dry times and in divers manners, spake unto the prophets, has spoken to us by his Son, whom ha hath appointed heir of all things. That shows that the Lord Jesus was appointed to heir something or all things. Christ said my sheep hear mv voice, and I know them ; he said also to his Father, thine they and thou gavest them to me. He said in anoy?er place, “ All that the Father gave me shan c<pe unto me.” Now, we think, that God Jibing all power, quickens the soul that was dead to all feMing or knowledge of an absolute, just and tmeipi iff God, and makes it alive to a sense of his condition as a vile sinner. Then he begins to la bor to get from under the curse of the law, or to work himstlf into the favor of God, but the more such persons labor, the more they see their imper fection, and indeed they see no rest night or day until the light of divine grace shines into their hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus. Then there is peace tfithin, for the hope of that eternal rest that remains to the people of God. They have to toil here while they have to do with thft.jKQild~jjaA.. they eanilot enter'into thaFresfc vrETFTe on this earth. One of the writers said, If in this life oply we hare hope, of all men we are most miserable. We are looking forward to the time when we shall enter into that rest. Yours in Love, HARDY STEVENS. Near Conyers, Ga., Feb. 25, 1860. Beloved Brethren Editors —You will please insert the following in the Messenger, as I have ta ken a little tour out through Fayette, Meriwether and Troup counties, also Chambers county, Ala., and as I promised to write to let the brethren hear from me after my return. Very dear and much beloved brethren, especial ly those of you that I visited last December. I was blest to return home and find all well, for which I desire to return thanks and adoration to the God of all grace, if I know how. And brethren, I wish to say the same to you for your kind greeting and hospitalities to me while with you —a poor worm of the dust. May the good Lord bless you and give you grace according to your day, so as to en able you to abstain from all appearance of evil, and to discharge your duties. And brethren, pray that the Lord may keep me humble, and at the feet of my brethren; when we become exalted there is great danger of a fall, but he that humbleth him self shall be exalted, so I can say with the Poet—