Newspaper Page Text
28
Stone Mountain, Ga., Feb. 10, 1860.
Brother Beebe—l drop you a few lines which
I desire you to publish*
Ever since the exclusion of Elder D. T. White
was published in the Messenger, as I was the wri
ter of the publication, his wrath has been excited
against me so that he has endeavored to slander
me in ever way he possibly could. He first charg
ed me with publishing liej against him, and chal
langed me to meet him in public to investigate his
matters. I acceded to his proposition upon con
dition that he wquld call together the members of
the churches where he had had membership, and
those he had had charge of, and the ministers that
were present when he was ordained, and I would
meet him any where. He, White, then notified
me that he had set apart Wednesday before the .
fourth Sunday in February,at Stone Mountain, for
the place of meeting, but said he would call whom <
he pleased. I then answered him if he did not
consider his character worth examination before
the people that he had been identified with, that I <
should have nothing to do with him, and should :
notice him no more. lie then made a considera
ble blow that he backed me out. Os course this
was what he wanted all the time, that he misht
have whereof to boast, that I had lied against him
and therefore was afraid to meet him. But I had
concluded to treat him with silent contempt. lie
has now left here and gone into the bounds of the
Little River Association ; but yet he still continues
to assail me in the most ridiculous manner. I have
tried to say as little about him as possible, only
when his name has been first mentioned to
But I now say to all whom it may concern, that
he, (White,) is a man unworthy of oonfij enco ;n )
the settlement where hn has lived, from the fact
that he is guilty of swindling his neighbors; he
is guilty of willful lying; he is guilty of base hy
pocrisy, and of drunkenness ; and all I want is
for him to appeal to the law 7 for redress to give me
a chance to prove it; which I hope he will do
and if he does not, if he has any friends that wish
to learn his character, if they will put themselves
to the trouble to come to his former settlement, I
will give them satisfaction of what I say.
U. D. TEAT.
Mount Andrew 1 ', Ala., Dec. 17, 1859.
Dear Brethren Editors :—Please accefft my
acknowledgements for your brotherly kindness and
liberality in publishing my article in your paper
for Nov. 1, in which I indicated in two particulars
the sentiments of the Baptists from time immemo.
rial, as I had read, heard, and understood them.—
In that article I stated that the phrase, Eternal
Actual Union, and the Absolute Predestination of
all things, was the one au extreme phrase, and the
other an extreme point. These remarks of mine,
and some expressions in bro. I. M. David’s late ar
ticle has drawn from you Nov. 15, 1859, an edito
rial in reply ; which, while it is truly kind, broth
erly, and courteous, is nevertheless stern and un
flinching on the points in question. With such
brethren we surely can discuss questions and keep
SOUTHERN BAPTIST MESSENGER.
our temper. That a difference exists in the under
standing of dear brethren relative to these points,
is a truth beyond all dispute, and the question that
mostly concerns us all, is as to whether this differ
ence is founded in principle or in our understand
ing of the import of terms only. In relation to
Absolute Predestination, much depends upon the
strength and extent of the construction which we
give to the term. If by predestination you mean the
perfect comprehension of all events and things
with exact certainty, we are able to understand
you. But if you mean that Predestination pro
cures and causes all events, and things, we confess
our inability to understand you, for such an idea
to our mind destroys the distinction between good
and evil, as it makes all to emanate from one cause,
and flow from one and the same fountain. If
Predestination does not absolutely cause the events
connected with it, then the term loses its force,
until it resolves itself into foreknowledge only, and
becomes too weak for our understanding, in its
connection with the great affair of salvation. For
in relation to salvation, I believe that Predestina
tion causes and procures the whole work. You
seem to think that the Absolute Predestination of
all things, is the unavoidable result of Absolute
sovereignty. This idea I think very questionable,
for if so, then it follows as an unavoidable conse
quence, that sovereigns actualiy always do all that
is in their power or that their sovereignty will ad
mit of. Could we take this view, we should cer
tainly agree with you, for all right-minded Chris
tians believe that God possesses iu himself an
Absolute Sovereignty over all things, whose right
of dominion there is none to dispute. Yet while
flfloJi t)i t> oaeo, ltT’ia Lio pJoaatiro to govern Lis
subjects by given laws in which he has been pleas
ed in the exercise of bis sovereignty to reveal what
is, and what is not his holy will, and in obeying,his
subjects do his will, while in disobeying, they do
it not, and hence all actions are not alike good, nor
are we always doing the will of God, nor are we
always glorifying him. God’s determinate will is
the rule of bis action, and thus he worketh all
things after the counsel of his own will. But it
does not follow that men and devils do his will in
all things.
It seems to us, that all creatures under law have
a given latitude, in which they are capable of
obeying or disobeying, and I am one that believes
that Adam’s capability to keep the law, constitu
ted his accountability, and that upon this princi
ple, God will judge the world in righteousness.—
. As the term in question is used in the Scriptures,
alone in connection with salvation, we had best
i there leave it, fearing to put asunder what God
f hath thus joined together. In your article you
s say that this point has been held by all Baptists
, from the days of the Apostles. These I consider
very sweeping remarks, as in my opiuion they ex
clude a large majority of the Baptists that ever
lived, or that yet live. While you do not seem
• disposed to force your views upon any brother
i yet by these expressions you trim them all to your
> precise measure. I will for the present dismiss
this head, by saying that I believe that all God’a
people were chosen in Jesus Christ before the
foundation of the world, and predestinated to eter
nal salvation. As to the question of Eternal Vita J
Actual Union, I hope the difference is in the terms
employed, more than in any principle involved.-
It is Scripturally evident that Jesus Christ is the
One Eternal Life of all his people, and that by
virtue of his life, they all live. Yet I see no sense
in applying the words Actual Union, until they re
ceive the spirit of life in regeneration. Here an
Actual Union commences, and never ends. Talk
this way, and the saints will understand you, both
doctrinally and experimentally. The word Union
in its common acceptation, implies a plurality in
harmony, concert or agreement; lam hard to be
lieve that there is a difference in principle on this
point. Lut I do believe by employing improper
words to express a principle, thousands of dear
chiistians have been greatly confuse,d and unneces
sarily for the last two or three years. Dear breth
ren, pecuniary considerations of a perplexing na
ture have engrossed my mind and time of late, or I
should have noticed your joint editorial sooner. I
hope I will be believed, when I say that this is not
wiitten to provoke controversy, nor even discussion,
but merely to answer my part and show some of
my opinions as a feeble minister of the gospel.
Affectionately, C. A. PARKER.
Talladega County, Ala. Jan. 22, 1859,.
My Dear Brethren— With whom I have en
joyed much pleasure in years past, though now for
some years deprived of the enjoyment by reason of
affliction, I yet greatly desire to converse with you
About uie goodness oi liod, widen alone Ha's up
held and preserved me through all my life, and
yet alone sustains me whilst I have passed through
much affliction in many ways ; the goodness of
God alone, has kept me, for 1 find no other prop
or resting place ; for as Noah’s dove turned out of
the Ark could find no rest until she returned thith
er, because the earth was covered with water and
nothing on which she could settle, except the
floating carcasses, which though they suited the
raven’s nature, because he could sit thereon and fi 1
his appetite, yet the dove loathed. So the pleas
ures of this world will rest and fill the wicked, but
they are to the Christian mind as the floating car
casses to the dove, and the Christian says with Da
vid, return unto thy rest, oh ! my soul, in the good
ness and mercy of God, for in him alone do I trust.
Brethren, the Lord is good, a strong hold in the
day of trouble, and he knoweth them that trust in
him. Nahum i. 7. And they that put their trust
in him shall never be confounded world without
end. Because having loved his own he loves them
unto the end, and has said that he will never
leave them, nor forsake them, and that no weapon
formed against them shall prosper, and every tongua
that shall rise in judgement against them “ he will
confound it.” Oh, the goodness of him that hath
loved us and given himself for us, and if he hai
given His own Son for u, bow shall he not with
him also freely give us all things ? Now to say