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tfefi it as it appeared to me, nor do I think I could
%vith a thousand such tougues as mine. I have
prayed to be satisfied as I have told it. The Lord
knows rov heart, it is deceitful and wicked above
all things. I thought I was no longer troubled, I
would have no more wicked thoughts, though it
was not long until old nature seemed to be just as
mean as ever; it seemed to be a mistake in me, 1
had caught at the substance and caught the shad
ow. I thought it was right to live a moral life, and
it appeared it was my duly to go to meeting and
pay strict attention to the preacher. 1 did think
I liked to hear Old Father Colley in preference to
any one else, it might have been because I went to
hear him more than any one else. I thought there
was something interesting in his diseouise. I wan
dered along trying to wear it oft; I was as rude a
young man as common, or worse, l have thought
since, I was meaner than anybody, for I tried to
hide my faults, whilst it seemed that others acted
theirs out, and it looked like they got along the
best. 1 finally settled it in my mind that when 1
was grown that I would marry and become a
member of the church. So in the twenty-second
year of my age I aid marry, thinking I would be
come quite a different man, but after some time,
thinking of my condition, I found myself to be as
mean as ever, no better than I was when I was a sin
gle man. It surely did seem, that I was fit for
nothing.
The wheels of time rolled on, and I had many
serious thoughts of my condition, and in the year
1 858, when I hope it was the pleasure of the good
Jjord to give me a spiritual understanding of his
divine words preached by Wm. M. Mitchell. 1
think the words of his text was as follows : “ Go
tell the king’s household what great things have been
done for you.” These words struck rue with great
force, my heart ached, I felt to tremble, and my
mind leaped back to the time I have above men
tioned, it seemed that every thing appeared as
bright as it did when 1 first had a view of my Sa
vior Jesus Christ. Tbts has been so with me the
Lord knows and none other. Brother Mitchell im
pressed it upon my mind that it was the duty of
every poor soul that was changed l>y grace to no
longer confer with flesh and blood, but go forward
rind tell what great things the Lord has done for
ns. I was made willing to go at the first opportu
nity and relate to the Christian people my travels,
though I knew mine was a bad case; but it was
not long before I thought if I did everybody would
say he is no more a Christian than I am ; he just
wants to make some people think he is something,
and at the same time 1 thought that would bo theii
conclusion anyhow, and I would try it. I then
was fearful that some ouo would question me on
the subject. 1 found my wife had began to notice
me and said something to me about being a chang
ed man, but 1 denied it to some extent to her.
At last my old mother-in-law said to me, I would
be glad to hear you talk some to-night, I said to
her, 1 could not say anything, or someone may
know my feelings. On going to bed that n'ght my
wife said to me, why did you not talk to mother^to
-1• ? T !.*• r nothing to tell, but before
SOUTHERN BAPTIST MESSENGER.
I went to sleep 1 could have told her all about it.
The time passed on with me for several months,
and very unexpected to me I and my wife, and T.
T. Sawyers and his wife, went home with cousin
Wm. S. Montgomery from Harris’ Spring
the third Saturday in Oct. 1859, and soon after
supper, very unexpected to me,cousin William said
to me, I would be glad to hear you tell your expe
rience. I was struck almost senseless, I scarcely
kuew whether 1 was sitting in the chair or where
1 was, something said to me tell what you know.
I then commenced, told my little travels, and 1
thought it was very poor, aud I was confident the
crowd thought so too, and after my wife ands. T*
Sawyers related their little hope, I wished I had
never said a word, for I thought theirs was superior
to mine.
Cousin William then said to us three, if he had
a Christian experience we surely did. After that
night I saw no more peace until the next meeting
at Harris’ Spring in November following. When
the door of the church was opened for receiving
members I went forward and related my little hope
to them, and was received among them and bap
tized next morning at nine o’clock by Isaac Ham
by, the pastor of that church. Brethren and sisters,
I hope that I have discharged my duty, and it is my
desire that I may live like a Christian ; this is my
earnest prayer to God, and that I may never dis
grace this great cause. lam a poor, helpless and
dependent creature, and if saved at all it is by g. ace
alone. THOMAS B. HARALSON.
Jasper, Hamilton Cos., Fla.
Dear Brethren —I have often thought of wri
ting something for publication, but feeling myself
so limited in every sense of the word, have neglect
ed it. But there are some preaching brethren be
longing to another Association who differ with me
on the gospel, and the use of the gospel. And as
it is a matter of great importance Jhope the breth
ren who write for the Messenger will give their
views on that subject, perhaps it might be the
means of enabling us more to see eye to eye. They
hold that that word which was in the beginning
with God is the gospel, and also that the gospel is
Spiritnd Life; arid that the gospel is the means
that God has appointed to beget faith in the hearts
oj sinners. Ido not view it in that light, if I did I
would join the modern missionaries. Dear baeth
reu, I do not want to write anything that would
in the least wound the cause, but the glory of God
and the good of Zion is my object. Ido not hold
the gospel to be Jesus Christ himself, but that it
(the gospel,) is a true declaration of Christ in all
His saving benefits; and that He is the author and
finisher of the Christian’s faith, and that lie, by im
putation bore the sins of all that llis lather gave
to Him ; and that He has paid all that justice de
manded. Here He purchased Life for them, and
that Life is in Himself. John v. 26. Neither is
there salvation in any other. Acts iv. 12. Mine
own arm brought salvation unto me, and my fury,
it upheld me. Is. Ixiii. 5. And you hath he quick
ened who were dead in trespasses and sins. Lph.
ii. 1. Even when we were dead in sins, hath quick-
ened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are
saved.) Epb. ii. 5. I hold that no one has the
control of that life, for His glory He will not give
to another, neither his praise to* graven images,
neither does any man control the voice of the Son of
God, and it is his voice that gives life to poor dead
sinuers, for the hour is coming, and now is, when
the dead shall hear the voice of the Sod of God, and
they that bear shall live. John v. £5,. Sinners in.
a state of darkness, blindness and death cannot un
derstand the gospel. We have no evidence that
gospel gives life to them. Jteus says all things are,
delivered unto me of my Father, and no man
knoweth the Son but the Father; neither knoweth
any man the Father save the Son, and he to whom
soever the Son will reveal him. Matt. xi. 2*7. But
as it is wiitten eve hath not seen, nor ear heard,
neither have entered into the heart of man the
things which God hath promised to them that
love him. But God hath revealed them unto us
by his Spirit; for the Spirit searcheth all things,
yea the deep things of God. Ist Cor. ii. 9, 10.—
Hence we see that Jesus who is the life of his
bride, from a principle of love to her, notwithstand
ing she is dead in sins hath quickened her to life,
and now she iseapable of feeling her lost condition,
and thereby is made to mourn on the account of
her sins. For they now see that they have violat
ed God’s Law, and without a Mediator they must
forever perish. Now here is a gospel character,
there is a poor needy creature, and the poor have
the gospel preached unto them, and they are inter
ested in the gospel, because God’s Spirit is iu their
hearts, and that Spirit desires the things ot the
Spirit; and the gospel being the product of the
Spirit, ibis character can receive it ; but the natur
al man reeeiveth not th© things of the Spirit of
God, for they are foolishness unto him ; neither can
he know them, for they are spiritually discerned.
So we may see the use of the gospel, it is to feed
and comfort these little lambs and sheep. The
command of Jesus is to feed His sheep and lambs,
hut I have not found any command to make Sheep.
And the Lord gave to the church diversity of gifts
by the same Spirit for the pei feeling of the saints,
for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the
body of Christ until we all come in the unity of
the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God
unto a perfect man, unto the measuie of the stature
of the fullness of Christ. Eph. iv. 12, 13. But it
is to be lameuted that some get so wise in the min*
inistry that they cannot be taught, and when such
get in possession of a false notion, if you cross them
they become offended, and if you go to their meet
ings you can see a coldness manifested, Dear
brethren, these things ought not to be. Dear
ren, I have given my views and they are at your
disposal, if they are so scattering and badly writ
ten that you cannot do anything with them, or
they would in your opinion be injurious to th©
cause throw them by and publish my request, but
if you think they are worth publishing, please cor
rect all errors and all will be right, So, dear
ren, I subscribe myself yours in the bonds of th©
gospel. JOB E. W. SMITH,
171