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170
FayettS Cos.. Tenn.
Brethren Editors —If you will indulge me, I
will offer a few thoughts on the following portion
of Scripture, 2nd epistle to Timothy, 3rd chapter,
beginning with the Ist verse to the 9th, inclusive,
■“This know also, that in the last days, perilous
times shall come,” <fcs. As all Scripture is given
Ivy inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine
etc., that the man of God may be thoroughly fur
nished unto all good .works. Ist. It appears that
the apostle prophesied and spoke of events in the
future ; then shall we do violence to the subject
if we say that bis protection are being verified in
this day and time in which we live? Suffer me to
advert to the History of the world, and especially
of our country for the fast fifty years, when such a
thing as bible, tract or mission societies and their
appendages, had no ex * ence. What was the
state of societies then? socialities, confidence, friend- :
ship. Pistols, dirks, bowie knives, were unknown. .
But since the inauguration of these societies, which
are based upon money, div sions and sub divisions
of sects, and verily every scheme th cou be in
vented to ma e roselytes have been resorted to,
and as the apostle says, they have a form of god
liness, but denying the power thereof; in conse
quence, men have become heady, high-miuded,
proud, lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God.
Without natural affection, man takes the life of his
fellow being without the least remorse of con
science, covetous, yes, preach for money, beg for
money, rob for money, disobedient to parents, false
accusers, des isers of them that are ood. What
a picture drawn of professors of religion, and last,
thought not least, our happy government is brought
in jeopardy by th i same principle of false benevo
lence, the popular c have divided the nation re
ligiously upon a subject Jiat is secular and world-
ly in its bearing, and b g with the
kingdom of our Sav -r, for he said my kingdom is
not of this world, and therefore not divided, and it
is consoling to me to know that tbe Primitive Bap
lists are of the same ind and judgment, and I
pray that they may be en bled to keep tbe unity
of the Spir nth onds of peace, that they may
live soberly, righteously aDd godly in this present
world, looking or t tbt ss and hope, and the glo
rious appearing of the great God and our Savior
Jesus Christ. For the kingdom of God is not
meat and dr n'*, but righteousness and peace, and
joy hi the Ho’y Gho . We brought nothing into
this world and can carry nothing out; having food
and raiment let us be content, first seeking the
kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all
these things shall be added unto ; for the love of
money is the root of all evil, (yes, brethren, it is
tbe root from which all their monied societies have
originated,) which while some coveted after, they
have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves
through with many s rrows. Oh, bret reu, in the
ministry, let me e ho you as the apostle his son
Timothy, Thou, man of God flee these things and
follow after ri hleousness, godliness, faith, love, pa
tieuce, meekness, etc. And now brethren, if what
I have written will be any barm either to
SOUTHERN BAPTIST MESSENGER.
the household of faith or the Messenger in the
least degree, by no means let it find a place in the
Messenger, for it has been my study to give no
<. ffbnca to Jew or Gentile, nor to the church of God.
Brethren, may the Lord bless you and enable you
so to conduct the Messenger as to make it a social
messenger to the children of God scattered abroad
as strangers and pilgrims, is the ardent desire and
prayer of the least of all, if one at all.
Yours I hope iu gospel affection,
PETER CULP.
Rome, Geo., Nov. 25, 1860.
Dear Brethren Beebe and Purington—l con
eluded to write you for publication, if you see prop
er, some of my ups and downs in this world of sor
row. I was born in Habersham co., Ga., in the
year 1837, was born in sin as all of Adam’s race;
was raised by Methodist parents, and at the age of
seventeen years, I became burdened on account of
sin,and thought 1 would seek religion,and finally con
cluded I was a Christian, and thought I was as good
as anybody, and thought I would join the church,
as someone told me I would have a better evidence
of the same. Accordingly I was initiated into the
Methodist church bv - prinkling, which I thought
was baptism, for I was so taught by my mother,
who l believe was a pious Christian, and still think
so; but I was disappointed in ray expectations of
the evidence of my being a Christian, and felt worse
than before; more under condemnation of the
righteous law of God, and lost all hope of being a
Christian. I tried to pray three times a day to get
rid of my burden, and that God would show me
the worst of my case, for I felt I was justly con
demned, and could see no way that God could save
such a sinner. I became a most ■■ despair. So
one evening in June, in 1854, I thought every
thing looked more gloomy and sad than usual, and
that I would go in despair, and that I soon must
die, and that unprepared to meet God in peace.—
So I thought I would go once more in prayer to
ask his pardoning mercy for tbe last time. There
was a small grove a little ways from the house,
where I used to play when I was small, I went
thither to pray, wSen I got there it seemed I could
not get down on my knees, it was such a cross, and
I could not pray; but finally fell on my knees and
cried, Lord have mercy on me. I got up, went
back to the house feeling no better than before, ex
pecting not to live to see another rising sun. I
lay down on a sleepless pillow thinking over my
condition, when all at once I thought I heard a
voice saying the same thing three times, redeemed !
redeemed ! redeemed ! I thought I knew it was
the voice of the Lord, who I did not know before,
at the last voice my burden left me. 1 felt calm,
serene and delightful in feeling, and it then came
to mo tnat I was sure Christ had died for me or
my sins. I rose early next morning without any
doubts on my mind, told mother my feelings. A
short time allerwards I got into doubts and fears
and thought it might be a dream or imagination,
and svisued I had my burden back again that my
evidence would be better when it left me again, but
I never could get it back any more ; so I got along
in the Methodist church for five years, sometimes
in doubts and fears, and then again some evidence
of my hope in Christ.
Some lime in the year 1859, I got acquainted
with some connections I had in the vicinity • f Rome
who were members of what was called Hard Shell
Baptists, they invited me to come out and go with
them to feet washing meeting, a thing I never saw
before, nor heard one of their ministers preach.—<
Accordingly I went about nine miles from Rome.
I was still satisfied with the Methodists, and took no
interest in going to the Hard Shell meeting, only
td be with my connections. While they were
washing feet a serious rt flection came to my mind
with this Scripture that i never bad before, “If I
wash thee not thou hast no part with me.” In
leaving the meeting I had a love for them that I
never had for the Methodists; but I did not want
to leave the Methodist, because mother and sister
were Methodists, and nearly all my comrades in
Rome, but I never could rest contented until I for
sook mother, sister and comrades and went to
Rock Dale church, Floyd co., on the third Satur
day in October, 1859, and was baptized in Coosa
River by Eld. David Knight, after telling the
church what is here written. I feel better satisfied in
so doing than ever before.
Yours in Tribulation,
JOSEPHINE TILLY.
Walton Cos., Ga., April 6, 1860.
Brethren Editors —l desire to speak through
the Messenger of my little experience to the breth
ren and sisters. It I have not been entirely de
ceived, I have a hope in Christ our Savior, though
it seems very small at times, though I am satisfied
with my Master’s will, I have thought if I had the
experience that somechnstians have related,l would
uot be backward in having it published before the
people of God. I was born in Newton co., Ga., on
the 25th of December, in the year of our Lord,
1829, I was like all the rest of the human family,
born a sinner. In my seventeenth year I hope it
[leased the Lord to show me my sins. I was sick
in bed with the fever, I thought I was going to die,
I had serious thoughts about my condition how it
was to die without being acquainted with God. I
commenced praying to Jesus to have mercy on me
a poor, helpless sinner. I prayed to the Lord if
he would have mercy on me and spare my life, I
would try to do better. I prayed to Jesus to for
give my sins, 1 could not help begging for mercy,
for I knew I was a mean sinful wretch. . But all
ray prayers did seem to fall to the ground, though
I cried the more to the Lord to have mercy on me.
It did seem to me that I was lost and that I would
be damned forever and forever. I could not see
anything I had ever performed that would justify
me iu the sight of God. But thank the Lord,
whilst I was apparently sinking down into ever
lasting punishment, I was stopped, and a voice said
to me, here is light, at that moment everything ap
peared bright and new, and apparently I was short
of a burden. I felt light and free as I never did
before in time.
Brethren and sisters, I never have been able to ,