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VOL. I.
Ctimmmtications.
Decatur Cos., Ga., Oct. 2, 1860.
Bro. Beebe :—I have for a long time felt the
impression of addressing a few lines to you, and
the brethren and sisters who read the Messenger ;
not that I feel qualified to comfort my brethren
and sisters, but as I can hear through vour paper
from all parts, so many testifying to the goodness
of God in delivering them out of nature’s night,
into the marvelous light and liberty of the gospel
of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, it causes me
to rejoice to hear them telling what the Lord has
done for their souls. Although I have never seen
them, it draws them near my heart, and kindles a
flame of love in my breast towards them, Jbr if I
am not deceived, I do love the brethren. I will
try to tell you something of my trials in life. As
you have heard so many tell their travels from na
ture to grace, I will omit that, for others can tell
my travels better than I can myself. I received a
hope if not deceived, that God for Christ’s sake
forgave mv sins, and was enabled to rejoice with
that joy that is inexpressible and full of glory, in
the year 182*7 ; and brethren, I have to acknowl
edge that I have Leeu a disobedient child of grace,
if one at all, for though I felt it to be my duty to
go and tell the brethren what I hope the Lord had
done for my poor soul, and to follow the blessed
Savior down into the watery grave, and to live
with his dear children, I would quench the spirit,
but God who cannot lie, says, “My people shall
be a willing people in the day of mv power, and
brethren, I believe that God with the chastising
rod for my disobedience made me willing to take
up the cross and come out from among the world,
and put on Christ, by an open profession in the
year 1835. On the fourth Saturday in July, my
wife and myself both went down into the water,
and were baptized by E!d. C. A. Tharp, at Slone
Creek church, in Twiggs Cos. Brethren I thought
I had discharged my duty, and my troubles were
all over. I had never Jieard of but one sort of
Baptists, but alas! it was not long before the cry
was, Missionary, and Anti missionary. It was not
long before the Association came on, and the ques
tion was taken up, and a separation took place)
and I was left with’ the Missionaries, for there was
not a Primitive church in the county ; I was very
well satisfied so that I was a Baptist, I did not
know the difference. I did not feel like it was my
duty to be trying to send the gospel to the hea
thens. But at length there were two preachers, (so
called) that came to visit us, and when they were
DEVOTED TO THE SERVICE OF THE OLD SCHOOL BAPTISTS.
COVINGTON, NEWTON CO., GA., OCT- 15, 1860.
preaching, they had their little god, that they said
the heathens worship, and they told a lamentable
tale, and that it was all for the lack of the gospel.
I was then converted into a Missionary, and was
willing to do anything to send the gospel, (so you
may know that I was in ignorance,) but it was
not long before I became dissatisfied about it. I
was then at a loss to know what to do. I saw it
would not do to depend on man. So brethren, if
I ever did pray, I then plead with God to show
me the right way, and I do believe that God an
swered my request, for I then became satisfied that
it was of man and not of God, for I was then
able to believe that the Eternal God was able
to do his own will, and that none could hinder.—
Now brethren, you that were never placed in that
condition don’t know how I felt ; for the place I
once so much delighted in, then became a prison
house to me ; for instead of hearing the preachers
that I once bad so much confidence in, proclaim
ing to a dying world, Jesus and him crucified as
the only way given under heaven, whereby dying
men and women can be brought to a saving knowl
edge of the truth as it is in Christ Jesus ; the
plan was revesed. They would tell the people that
the heathen was starving for the lack of the gos
pel, and the only way to save them, was to raise
money to pay Missionaries to Uirry-the gospel to
them, and if we did not provide the means to save
their souls, that their blood would be required at
our hands. 0 brethren, that was an uncertain
sound to me, for if I ever knew anything of saving
grace, I was made to confess with Paul, by the
grace of God 1 am what I am, and not of money,
nor any act that I had done. I was now as one
alone, I knew not what to do ; the old gospel bell
was lost from me, I could not hear it on the right,
nor on the left. But O for a heart ever to be
thankful to God that he enabled me to continue in
the faith of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, who
is the author and finisher of our faith. While I
tvas iu that lone condition in 1844, I came down
to this country on business, and I heard the old
bell rattle, and I knew the sound, and it was like
food to the hungry, and as water to a thirsty soul,
and as the shadow of a great rock in a weary
land. I returned home and sold out, and moved
to this country, and united with the Primitive
’Baptists, who are earnestly contending for the
faith once delivered to the saints, &c.
Brother Beebe, I must come to a close, for the
more I write, the more 1 want to write, but I
don’t want to intrude on your patience, nor be in
the way of that which is of mord importance.
Now Brother Beebe, together with all the breth
ren and sisters that read the Messenger, I desire
an interest in your prayers to Almighty God, that
I may always be able to adorn the profession, L
have put on, ever looking to Jesus who is- the au
thor and finisher of the Christian faith, for I have
doubts and fears, for if I am a child of grace, I
am the least of all, and pray the Lord to send
faithful laborers in this part of the vineyard. May
the Lord bless you, and enable you to feed the*
sheep and lambs, both in the stand and in the
Messenger. I submit the above to your disposal,
if you think it worthy of a place in your paper,
you may publish it, if not, pass it by, and all will
be right.
Yours in bonds of brotherly love and affeeton,
CORNELIUS HOLLINGSWORTH.
Bren ham, Texas, Sept. 6, 1860.
Brethren Editors :—I send you these letters
of sister Whitcomb’s for publication. I have ob
tained her permission to send them to you.
Yours in fellowship, NANCY DUTTON*
Jewett Centre, N. Y., July 8, 1860.
My Dear Blessed Sister in Christ :—Through
the super-abounding mercy of a covenant keeping
God, I am still preserved and traveling on through
this wilderness world, sometimes rejoicing, some
times sorrowing and sighing deeply. Sometimes I
have felt as if there was none like me, so changea
■fble, so pro ire to wander. Then at other times the
Spirit whispers in my heart, and tells me that it is
through much tribulation that we shall enter into
the kingdom. Many are the afflictions of the righ
teous, but God will deliver them out of them all.
The beloved Apostle says, “ Blessed is the man
that endureth temptation, for when he is tried, he
shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord has
promised them that love him.” O yes, he knows
how to succor all of those that are tempted, and
make a way for their escape. For he has been
tempted in all points li'kef unto his brethren. Think
it not strange concerning the fiery trials that is to
try you, as though some strange thing had hap
pened unto you ; but rejoice insomuch as ye are
partakers in Christ’s sufferings. Dear sister, the
beloved of the Lord, the Savior has told us plain
ly that ye shall weep and lament, but the world
shall rejoice, and ye shall be sorrowful, but your
sorrow shall be turned into joy. He also says,
“ And ye now therefore have sorrows, bat I will
see you again, and your hearts shall rejoice, and
your joy no man taketh from you.” Beloved sister,
it is a dark and gloomy time with me at present.
I feel somewhat sorrowful and sad, but I feel and
trust in the Lord, for mercy, and to hope in his
word, as in by-gone days. Although lam pass
ing through deep trials and sore afflictions, I have
not been left without a witness tbnt tbe kord wss
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