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would not entirely discontinue, should I find it
•roucb niore laborious, and besides, I wish to be one
walking with his disciples, ever ready to bear part
<of the burden* and so keep his commandments.—
Said Jesus unto his disciples, “If any man will come
■after me, let him deny himself, and take up his
cross and follow me.” Matt. xvi. 54.
When I took up No. 2, Vol. 10, to read, I was
saying, “My leanness! my leanness! wo unto me !
the treacherous dealers have dealt treacherously :
0
yea, the treacherous dealers have dealt rery treach
erously.” But before I had finished it through, I
was made to forget my leanness, and say, from
the uttermost part of the earth have we heard
songs, even glory to the righteous. I thought I
then feasted on what the Scriptures call good
things full of marrow. Brother Trott’s letter to
sister Jane Luce, came to me in time of need. I
did not wonder at the gratification you expressed,
at hearing again from the tried old veteran of the
cross. His words have been better to me than
silver or gold; they have so lifted me up in the
name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, that I, like the
lame man, who laid at the gate of the Temple,
have been made to stand and walk through faith
in his Dame, have been made strong. I think I
did understand by experience, the brother’s ex
planation and application of the words of uis
text, “ And shall rebuke many people.” I certain
ly have gone through years of hourly rebuke—
and more lately than ever before. So bro. Trott’s
letter found me learning the very lessons, which
he described, and very tired of such schooling too,
tired of being so humbled in our own eyes, and
esteeming others better than When I
found my travail of mind so accurately described
by my dear father Trott, I was exceedingly rejoic
ed ; I could hardly believe there was any one like
me, none who so felt the workings of the flesh—
worldly mindedness —and the mingling of self, in
all their religious exercises and doings. Oh ! no
wonder I have to be rebuked,
“ Prone to wander, Lord I feel it,
Prone to leave the God I love.”
Before I read bro. Trott’s letter, I did not see so
much about it; I hardly knew what kind of a
warfare was going on; since I read, all looks plain.
When I found there was one who could doctrinise
my experience, I cried tears of joy and gratitude,
and took fresh courage ; we do love to have our
Christian experience all proved up by the word of
truth. “Through thy precepts I get understand
ing ; therefore I hate every false way,” so says the
Psalmist. My rebukes have been many, but while
I was reading—before I was aware, they all turn
ed to me for testimony. Luke xxi. 13. Then I
could say, “ Our light afflictions which is but for
a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding
and eternal weight of glory. While we look not
at the things which are seen; but at the
things which are not seen ; for the things
which are seen are temporal; but the things which
are not seen, are eternal. 2 Cor. iv. 17, 18. At
that time, I think I saw the top of the mountains*
and above the hills. My troubles and trials all
turned into one too many.
SOUTHERN BAPTIST MESSENGEB.
Then I saw that no trial for the present is joyous,
but we rejoice in the firuit we gather, whether it
be little or much. When the ancient children of
Israel gathered their manna, they gathered, every
man according to his eating, some more, some less,
he that gathered much had nothing over, and he
that gathered little, had no lack. Ex. xvi. W®
understand that they were sorely tried with hun
ger, before their manna was given. They were in
the wilderness of sin, where they could find no
bread ; they hungered and were fully ready to ac
knowledge the sweetness of the manna which we
learn, tasted like wafers mr*de of honey. 0, are
not the spiritual Israel led iia likeness to their type.
I think I have learned Christ in this wav—first
*
emptied, in order to be filled. Then seeing the
promises to all such, as have nothing of their own,
my rejoicings have been unspeakably full in Christ
Jesus my Savior. Then there’s no confidence in
the flesh. Very seldom am I allowed to claim
much of the commendation religion, which bro.
Trott described—Adam or the natural man re
formed. No, I think I can see more and more of
his deformity—which often makes me fear that I
am not born again—forgetting that it is light that
maketh manifest. 0 how often I have coveted to
live, and so walk in obedience, as to feel approved
before God, and my own conscience; but have
found nothing but rebukes against myself, which
has often made me enquire, why is it so ? I
think bro. Trott answered this question in his let
ter to the Messenger, so did brother Paul, in his
letter to the Romans, 7th Chap. We delight in
the law of God, after the inward man. I had
been going over this lesson most of the past win
ter, when I found thatlbro. Trott’s pen had beefr
moved on the same subject. I asked mentally,
what spirit did move him, just at this time, to
write on the very subject which had occupied my
mind so much ? The pure law of God written in
the heart, by which we saw our natural deformity,
which often made us cry, 0 wretched man that I
am. Well after reading bro. Trott’s letter, and
having a great feast, next came bro. A. Tomlin’s
on the brotherhood : Let brotherly love continue,
which I felt was another important lesson. Sweet
admonition, precious too. We know that we have
passed from death to life, because we love the
brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth
in death. Often, when all other evidences of our
heirship is out of sight, and we feel left alone,
company for no one, and no one company for us,
at such times we take up the Messenger , and before
we have finished one communication, we feel
brotherly love warming our poor cold hearts, and
by the time we have read through, our rejoicings
are inexpressible, and we are feasting on the com
munion of saints.
“ We do not wish to rove abroad,
We have a feast at home.”
So we say with bro, Tomlin. We do hope that
brotherly love will continue among us, who are
the weak and the poor in this world, but rich in
faith, and heirs of the kingdom of Christ, for him
to continue his exhortations of love and good
works. And bro. Purington will extend with all
the ability which our dear Master has given him.
Next in course, comes bro. J. R. Respess, with his
explanation of the Pharisee, which is interesting
and profitable. It brought vividly to my mind, a
lesson which I learned more than ?0 years ago,
about the additions and traditions of our religion,
(of our worldly religion.) I would like to write
a little to this brother, if I had the ability, for J
have very particularly read with much interest, all
his letters which have been published in the Mes
senger. But as I have filled my sheet, I believe I
will defer for the present. I have been quite un
well since I commenced this, and am now so fee
ble, that I can only write a few lines before stop
ping to rest. If brethren Editors, you think this
worth printing, I may again write soon. I wish
to be always found in that blessed company of
Jesus, who do bis commandments, that they may
have right to the tree of life, and may enter in
through the gates into the city.
Yours in Christian love,
ANN JOHNSON.
Newton Cos., Ga., May, 1860.
Brethren Editors: —Feeling lonesome this,
evening, I will write a little, and if you have noth
ing better you can publish it, if you see nothing in
it that will injure the Messenger , or cause of Christ.
There was one who was called to be an Apostle,
who said, “ For the wrath of God is revealed from
heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteous
ness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteous
ness.” Rom. i. 18. The wrath of God is not al
ways eternal punishment, or the everlasting pun
ishment of the wicked ; but he deals his wrath up
on his disobedient children, IftJr"their disobedience.
When he withholds his blessing from them, and
they are made to acknowledge it is for their trans
gressions, and thus deprive themselves of the bless
ings that his obedient children receive, and in the
absence of the blessings, they receive the wrath of
God ; for what is not blessing, is wrath, and apart
from the worship of God, is the service of satan.
The wrath of God is revealed against us, when we
are disobedient, and thus we bring down the righ
teous judgments of God on our own heads, and
are thereby chastened for our iniquities and ungod
liness. Failing to discharge our duties, is holding
the truth in unrighteousness. For what is not
righteous, is wicked ; there is no middle, or half
way ground ; we must be cleared, or condemned.
When the children of God forsake his law, aud
keep not his statutes, he says, “ I will visit their
ti ansgressions with the rod, and their iniquities with
stripes. The word is gone forth out of his mouth,
and shall not return void. But his children are
in the possession of a sinful and carnal nature,
which prefers to worship the creature more than
the Cieator, of which comes coldness and barren
ness, and causes us to hold the truth in unrigh
teousness, even in the church of the living God.
Alas carnality! Again, around almost all the
churches, there are some of the children of God,
who have never followed ihe Savior, and put him
on by. public profession. Such are holding the
truth in unrighteousness, because that which may
be known of God, is manifest in them, for God
shewed it unto them. Dear reader, if you are one
of those, come and tell what the Lord has doDefor
you, and confer not with flesh and blood. Paul
said he did not, but went forward in the discharge