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control over ali bis creaiures, bow could bo bring
them to justice? How would be maintain the
honor of bis law ? The counsel of ibe L rd shall j
ftUnd : the thoughts of bis heart to all geueia
lions. I itj >ice it is so.
YV. M. MITCHELL.
Opelika, Ala., March 14, 1860.
Newton Cos., Ga, March 17, 1860.
We learn that Faith is the substance of things
hoped so evidence of tilings not seen, and
by it many wonderful works were performed even
at an early day. Abel, by faith, offered Iris sac
t.sfioe, and thereby obtained the witness that be
was righteous, and all the prophets had faith ; and
the Savior found faith on earth when he was here
iu the flesh. We hear of faith m-iking one whole
of the disease she had. Mart. ix. 22, and again of
faith saving another, for I conclude that where the
Savior healed the malady of the body—he also
healed the soul. The disciples all had faith, hut
we hear the Lord say to them, “0, faithless, and
p?rverse generation.” And l’efer had faith that
he could walk on the waves • f the sea, but doubts
prevaried, and he began to sink; and here Ire was
shown where all of his dependence was, and was
made to cry, in the midst of doubts and fears, to
the Lord of life and glory, and say, Lord save me!
U.v often is the Christian made to use the same
language —Lord save me, or I perish ! The Lord
told Peter, I have prayed for thee that thy faith
faii nut. And when faith is in exercise, the Chris
tian uums on smoothly, hut let the wind and waves
of trouble arise, and faith often gives way, and they
sre iln-u led, like Peter, to py. Lord save me, dee. 1
He told his disciples that if they bad faitlT J as a
grain of mustard seed, they could remove moun
tains; and when doubts and fears are in our minds,
do we not view, as it were, mountains of guilt in
lervening between us and our Savior ? Then we
feel the need of the faith that can remove this
mountain, but it is only obtahied by gift; for it is
the gift of God. This faith can remove those
mountains and cast them into the land of forget
fulness, for he says, Their sins and their iniquities
I will remember against them no mom forever. —
We are told* that all men have faith, but some are
of one kind and some of another, as there are
lords many and gods many, but our God does not
give but one kind <>f faith —one L ml, one faith.
& i; . t —and this is the faith of God’s elect, and that
was delivered to the saints, in Jesus Christ, in
eternity, with all other spiritual blessing*. And
this faith can purify the heart, and overcome the
world, and as the poet says :
“A tittle faith does mighty deed*,
s That’s past all our recounting ;
Faitb, tike a liuie'mustard seed,
Can move a lofty mountain.”
This faith is not given to the unregenerate —it
is only bestowed on the hens of salvation, !>v Him
who w< rketli all things after the counsel of bis own
will, and ids own appointed time, calls them by
bis grace, reveals bis Sou to them, and they are
kept by ilis power, lb rough faith, reauy to be re-
SOU THEit JV BAPTIST ME5> S E J\i GE R.
vealtd in tiie last time, and shall be more than
conquerors in and through him that loved us, and
gave himself for ub ; and all are made to cry, Not
unto us, 0 Lord, not unto us ; hut unto thy name
give glory, for thy mercy, aud for thy truth’s
sake.
Brethren Editors, this scribble is at your dispo
sal, aud I remain yours, tfco.,
A TRAVELER.
i.a> *<B>
Bro. Beebe: — l send you a saw lines of Poetry
which you can publish in the Messenger if you see
proper.
My affliction it is true is great,
But let me not at this complain ;
1 trust it is for Jesus’ sake,
That 1 am racked with aching pain.
I trust and hope that when I die,
And leave this sinfa.l world below,
Thai my spirit to ray God will fly,
And reign with nfra forevermore,
Then let me in affliction rejoice,
For it is all God’s holy will,
0 let me ever heed his voice,
Let me on his mercies Jill.
Our Father aud our God above,
Who reigns and rules the world on high,
May we rejoice in thy love,
And live aud love, and never die.
JOEL MIZLES.
Terrel Cos., Ga., March 17,1860.
Brethren Editors —As there seems to be some
acfcifety manifest. iriYing .Jthe brethren as to the l
tv of the church attending the ordinance of Feel
Washing; and as my mind has been somewhat
impressed with the subject, I hav concluded to
say a few’ things to the brethren, through the Mes
senger ; hoping that 1 have no other aim or design
than to glorify God, in striving to keep the unity
of the Spirit in the bonds of peace —ibis will be
done by hearing, understanding, and keeping the
Word of God—a lack of these, causes the uufruit-j
fulness of the way-sidfc, aud stormy ground hear
ers, and that which fell among tares.
That Feet Washing is an ordinance to be ob
served by the church, is a fact not bard to be re i
cubed by those who have understood it, and prac
iiced it correctly, because the Lord lias said, If ye
know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.—
It is evi lent that the happiness here spoken of. is
based upon knowing and doing these thing*. No
m arvel, then, that he who has tasted this heavenly
gift, should he anxious that this ordinance should
be known and practised. Idon t intend to sav
that all who have attended to this ordinance, havt
been blessed or made happy, because it may have
been attended to without faith,or attended to Iron
some other motive than to glorify God, not wor
•duping in spiiit and truth. But those who ohj c
to the keeping or observing this ordinance, boh
as the ground of their oij otiou, the want of au
ihority and primitive example. Fur mvself, it In.
| appeared to me, that the authority for this is cqu„.
to that of the Lord’s Supper—both instituted by
him, and at the same time, and the bin-ditto- obli
g-ttion to the observance of tfie one is equal to
that of the other. Iu the case of the Supper h*
says, “This do in remembrance of toe, fbt as of*
as ye eat this I read, and drink this cup, ye do
show the Lord’s death till he come.” In the cas*
of Fuet Washing, after he had washed their feet,
and had taken his garments and was set down
again, he said unto them, “ Know ye what I hav#
done to you ? Ye call me Master, and “Lord, and
ye say well, for so I am. If /, then, your Lord
and Master have washed your feel , you, also, ought
to wash one another's feet ; for I have given you
on lx on pie, that ye should do as t have done tQ
vou. ”
Now it does seem to me, that no one can claim*
dmt the Lord, in instituting these ordinances, and
making them binding on his. disciples, or follower*
o observe, placed any more force, to bind or per*
petuate, in the.term, “ This do ye in remembranc*
•>t me, ’ than in the terms, “ Ye ought to wash on*
mother’s feet; for I have given you au example,
hat ye should do as I have doue to you.” In tb*
fltst case, it is said, “As oft as ye eat this bread
♦nd drink this cup, ye do show the Lord’s death,
ill he come.” This implies perpetuation, and th*
Lord’s name is glorified in it. In the last case he
-ays, “ If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye
do them.” luis also, doubtless, implies perpelua*
don ; and if the followers are made happy, the Lord
is glorified in it. But, says one, Surely there must
he some more force iu the first than in the last
case, for feet washing is only mentioned by John,
Look, aud think ! Is John the Lord’s witness !—-
fs his testimony true? If so, qui bfje no more up
on that point. But, says another, The primitive
Christians, both in the Acts of the Apostles and
Epistles, tell us almost nothing about the ordin*
auce of feet washing, t ask you to see how much
is said about the Lord’s Supper ? Is it referred to
more than once in the Acts of the Apostles ? (and
that perhaps with some doubt?) or in any of th*
: Epistles, except Paul’s first letter to tiie CorinthU
ans ? Feet washing is referred to iu Paul’s first
letter to Timothy. Is not two witnesses enough*
certainly, to establish, any point ? if so, thea
i there is enough to establish both. But, says one,
Ul it wvre not for your second wit x-ss, (Paul lo
Timothy,) I won] 1 have admitted fai t washing aa
ordinance, but Paul certainly holds it a good woik
and therefore it is.not an ordinance. 1 hope such
•m one will think and examine again, and set no
ordinance aside, because it is called a good work.
Tbe word “ordinance” ceitainly is derived from
the word “ordain,” audits meaning nearly th#
s une. Ordain means to appoint, establish, s t
ipait, or settle. The” word “ordinance,” has ref*
*renee to jhe thing settled, set apart, appointed,-ct
rsiablished—cr at least this is the light 1 have < Q
he terms, as use- 1 in the Serintures. Hence it i*
4
• fid that we are the woikmanship of God, created
i (Juijst .1 1 -siis linto good works, which God hath
-tor.- ordained that we should walk in them. —*
Iplu sians. Again, He gave him-elf for us, that
.o might ledeetu us bom all iniquity, aud purity