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42 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