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138 Griffin, Ga., Aug 1 . 01, IS6O. Dear Readers of the Messenger —I now for the first nine write nolo you as one tlmt feels the love of God sb<d abroad in the heart, and I love every Christian whether bond or fiee, Jew or Gen tile. Still lan p> >r arnl needy, so fir as worldly things is concerned, but thanks he to God I am content with such things as I have, hebeving that’ godly contentment \< great, gain, and sometimes I feel very poor in Spirit ; but when I think of the pronrse of my Savior. ** B'e<sed are the poor in Spirit for tlteir’s is the I\ ngdun of Heaven,” &e„ I atn revived in heart and mind. O, that every Christian on earth would be more united upon the great principles and doctrines of our Savior and his Ik loved Apostle- ! My bible does not teach me that there is any difference between Christians.— No there is none, for they are all le 1 by the same Spirit, and they are brought to the knowledge of the S>n of God by the love that the Father had for them before the foundation of the world. But my friends, do we not see a vast d-ff-rence at the present day ? D r we not see that some of our pro fessing denominations have made the g .spel of Christ pet feet speculation 2 notwi'hstandir g there are some lambs among them. But the wolves com ing in among them in sheep’s clothing, I fear will dt-v.'Ur many : hut I trust that God will show them their eror and let them turn unto Chiist, the Shep herd and Bishop of their so ils. 0, that God may help his mmiste>s to preach the pure Word of God with simplicity, to fight tit good fight of fith ns S l .. Pa and did ! may they be followers of Paul as well as of Cmist ; for l believe that (hid hath called ami qualfid his ministers u> preach thegospd by or with ttry pt>wr ar.d demonstration ol the Holy Ghost, and not by enticing words, nor with salaries of S6OO, and some SI2OO, station.d at one city aid not hound to preach any where else, and if I wastosav they would not preach any where else. I don’t think that I would lie bad.— God forbid that her pure ministers should engage in such a vain .delusion, and I tell you according to my knowledge and umleistandiug of the Scriptures Go* wi'l visit their iniquities, and I believe that f arfu! j n gment will .o ne uj on all tht work unrighteousness; the L >id hath declared it, and who can deny it ? It isji feadul thing to fall into the hands of the Lotd. Look at our country at large in its poli ical form of government, and see the corruptions that are, now in our mids.. Huh not God said in IPs Ilolv Writ that when the wicked heuretli title the people mourn ? but it i* cot so wh n the righteous ar-ftn authority, the peo ple rej lice, and well they ma\, lot God i< pleased with righteous works, but works ol wicked men are abominable in II s sight ; and why is he plea— ed with good vvo'k* ? One is, because he bath or dained .hem, ami my opinion is that tft ere is no man that, knows any thing about good woilys until the Son (.f Consolation speaks peace tp his soul. and tlyis is the reason tliat Christians should be more united, and pray without ceasing; pray for the prosperity ol Zi m ; pray that God may put it in ibe hearts a lid* minds of the people to ca-t their SOUTHER N BAPTIST MESSENGER. votes aright, and elect such men as he seeth in his wisdom that will execute the laws of our country * aright, and that peace and harmony may still con tinue within the bounds of our glorious union I pray that the Father may draw all the lost sneep of Israel unto Jesus Christ the great Shepherd of which he says lie must bring, and there shall be one fold and one Shepherd ; and when we bear < f wars and rumors of war, be not afraid, for the end is not yet, but such are these beginning of sorrows ; he that shall endure unto the end, shall be saved ; nevertheless, when Christ eometh he shall find faith on the earth, &o. Ttten tny Christian brethren * and sisters, let us press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.— The Apostle tells us that we know perfectly that the day of the Lord so eometh as a thief in the night. We are the children of I ght and the cbil dreti of the day. We are not the children of the night nor of darkness, therefore, let us not sleep’ as do others, but let us watch ami be sober, sot they I * that sleep, sleep in the night, and they that are ! drunk, are drunk in the night. But, let us who are i of the day be sober, putting on the breast plate of foith and love, and for a helmet the hope of selva lion, for God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Unri-r, Pray without ceasing, and while you -ire off-ring supplications to God, remember me in your prayers,; for I foe! that I am one of the least of all God’s j people, still I have a hope that I would not part i with for all the. world, and it was only the good ] pleasure of the Lord that gave .me that hope I have j fined the church <f Christ ajid was Stp z.-d by immersion on the third Sabbath in this month, which I expect by the grace of Out, ; U yl soiar as the good Lord requires of me, to do my duty as a faithful member of the body of Christ. I nnistde sist, for I fear that, I have already weaned the pi tienoe of the editors. But mv leethr.-n. you can do as you hke with this. I would say to mu if you publish it, I hope y<m will correct alienors or mis takes, as I never wrote for the Meleager h, fo, f I know it is not written in grammatical so. there fore, I request you to correct it if you think it wor thy of a place in your columns. Yours in hope of merry from God the Father through our Lord Jesus Christ. PLEASANT 11. REESE. .Brick Stork, Newton C <;><., ) June 6. 1860. f My Dear aged Sister— J b.gan to fo H r that \ ou had removed from your present residence, and that my let.ters had failed to teach you, or which was quite probable, l feared that you had been te moved from these lower grounds and gone to a world of Spirits, but your letter has relieved m\ anxieties, and I find you still ate permitted. ful some wise purpose known only to tire Almighty, to live upon His footstool. Qur thanks are due for this as well as for a!) llis mercies, for they are un numbered. One said of old, if 1 vyould speak of thetp they arp more {.hati can be nupi he red; it is because IJis compassions fail not • because lie changes not that we are spared. A view of our own deptaviiy and guilt by nature, and a remem brance of our acts of rebellion,open and undisguis ed tigainst our best Friend and Benefactor, and n iw to have a hope that Jesus self moved, nut when we done good and so brought ours.-lves into a salvable sta.e as some call it, nor yet tor the rea son that there was foreseen goodness in Us ; but lie died for us t veil when we were sinners. Was ever love hke this? Whs it evet known la fore that one should die for his bitterest enemies ? But it was all embraced in the counsel of peace, and wo who weie far ff strangers and aliens, and foreigu er> are brought nigh by the blood of Gust. II s i-fteiing once in the end of the world, the end of all’ the offerings, ts sufficient. G and is well pleased with it. A glorious I* Cone,batton ts now [f eted, our guilt and stn are removed as far as the east is from the w.-st. He is our peace, our righteousness, -auc tihcation and redeiiiption, Pnere is sticu a hi iness, a free ness, a glory in Jesus that the sttul sighs for i nothing else. His language is, Give me Je-us or I die; Ids own righteousness w.hich is of the fov he finds is nothing but fiithv rag* justice will not ao c-pt them, but still cues, X 3 > lljp that thou ovy.esl, it thundeis in hi* affrighted ears, The., soul that sins it snail die. fire death takes place, life is ex perienced, bght and joy spring up, faith embraces Jestis. He has paid our debt, life and liniuoi tality •f “* i ate btonglit to light. Then we can, ani do sac. j Bh-s* the L rd O my soul, aud forget not hi.s ben.- | sis. Gl •ry to G< and it the highest, on eath p* ace ; and good-will. My soul doth magnify the L *rd, He is my song. my boast, mv all in ad, mv Alpha and Omega. N>w all is peace and joy in i| |f - H,ly Goost. 11 w ea>y to behev.fi why coul,i wte not see ami believe before this 2 Whaijiccount wasall our, w* tks \ Jcsits has done all things’ well, the very tlniics that we were trying to do He has one. Wo, sit down under the shadow ot II * wine-, H s fruit ’ is sweet to our taste; He has brought us into bis h-t queting house ; II > banner ovei us i* fo\e ; He say* Ei, O mv friends; we. eat the hidden manna; we drink and by.-; now co. lmg and eb. stung is t' u l watet ;we thirst no more, that I ving water is in u* springing u ; ; u is a well of water. L-1 all that, is in me Ides* His holy name. Bur tin dear s’sie', 1 need not try to describe the charms of my • >leK*ed Jesus, tongue gad titpe would fail, even if I had HIM, that would remove mountains E etui y i- m t suTci’ U 1 to exnaust the theme of reGeitq tion. V\ bat havt*wo done towards that great salvation ! how much of the work belongs to us? Not unto US. lot unto Us 111 to thv great. Name be all the pb)i\ ; worthy the Limb; none in us; praise the Lord; none for us; exalt IBs name, us debase; lle is worthy. w e unworthy. Seeing what great t*m gs he lias done for in, what manner of persons should we be? How humble and thankful, and how erigag-d to know what is his will concerning My soul ts made this morning to nj fiee in God, when I took ,n\ p.-m I fo| t cold and worldly mind ed. lln pe tliat. lam Uh and lie i s „,i ne I3 at my sister, I have my dou >ts and fears, ami I hope f someumes e. j>y the light of ILs countenance. but I hope you will excuse mes *r not saving any thing until uow about your precious letter” ifs cuu-