Newspaper Page Text
governments under which they should live peaceable
and obedient subjects. This intolerant, uncalled-for,
unjustifiable, unseriptural, and therefore unhallowed
institutions North and South, has already rent or
sectionalissed nearly every religious society in the
land except the primitive order of Baptists, so that
each one thus divided has its “ Church South,” and
Church North. If then our civil government should
be divided, they viusl be , and as it remains an unal
terable fact that “ a kingdom divided against itself
cannot stand,” and as the kingdom of Christ “shall
stand forever ,” it will give us an additional proof
positive to the many we already have, that they con
stitute no part of that kingdom.
I have traveled among our churches in Twelve or
Thirteen of the U. S., and Canada, and have never
seen a matter of the foregoing description as publish*
ed in the Newspapers brought before one of them,
East, West, North or South.
And further, the humble writer of this article
wishes it distinctly understood that he enters his sol
emn protest against the political actions of all such
sectional, professed religious combinations, and un
hesitatingly believes that every Baptist in the land
who understands the Scriptures and desires that his
actions should be controlled by their dictates, will
heartily join him in the protest. As I have no idea
that any 0. S. or Primitive Baptists have disgraced
their profession by meeting and mingling in this po
litical “ Baptist Convention,” (?) I send } r ou this
Brethren, for publication, to disabuse the minds of
any who might suppose that we would so far degrade
our profession and society as to engage in the un
happy political strife that is now so alarmingly dis
turbing the peace, and endangering the perpetuity
of our beloved country and civil institutions. Please
answer the question immediately and briefly, What
Baptists are these ?
Your brother most truly, J. F. JOHNSON.
Reply.
The only Convention of Primitive Baptists of
which we have any knowledge is the church meeting;
and in that convention the only authority recognized
as having the right to govern their action religiously,
is their Lord Jesus Christ. Os course, then, brother
Johnson is aware that this Convention could not have
been one of the Old School, or Primitive'Baptists. —
It is probably known to most of our readers that we
have no distinction of States, or even nations, among
us as Old School Baptists. But while as to their re
ligious rights they recognize no legislative interfe
rence, nor do they ever seek any favors from the gov
nients of the eaith, as citizens of the country, they
are entitled to the same political rights as their fel
low men. They do not ask any government to grant
them any special privileges in which their fellow
citizens are not allowed to participate equally with
themselves.
While it is clear that no Primitive Baptist can
consistently act with any political organization treas
onable in its objects as a church, we can recognize
no political test for membership.
Could’st thou not Watch one Hour?
1 he night is dark—behold the shade is deeper
In the old garden of G^thsemane,
When that calm voice awoke the weary sleeper,
Couldst thou not watch one-hoar alone with me
SOUTHERN BAPTIST MESSENGER.
0, thou so weary of thy self-denials,
And so impatient of thy little cross,
Is it so hard to bear thy daily trials,
lo count all earthly things a gainful loss?
What if thou always suffer tribulation,
And if thy Christian warfare never cease ;
The gaining of the quiet habitation,
Shall gather thee to everlasting peace.
But here we all must suffer, walking lonely
The path that Jesus once himself hath gone ;
Watch thou in patience through this hour only,
This one dark hour ere the eternal dawn.
The captive's oar may pause upjn the galley,
The soldier sleep beneath his plumed crest,
And peace may fold her wings o’er hill and valley,
But thou, 0 Christian, must not take thy rest.
Thou must walk on, however man upbraid thee,
With him who trod the wine-press all alone;
Thou wilt not find one human hand to aid thee,
One human soul to comprehend thine own.
Heed not the images forever thronging
From out the foregone life thou livest no more ;
Faint-hearted mariner, still art thou longing
For the dim line of the receding shore,
Wilt thou find rest of soul in thy returning
To that old path thou hast so vainly trod?
Hast thou forgotten all thy weary yearning
To walk among the children of thy God?
Faithful and steadfast in their consecration,
Living by that high faith to thee so dim,
Declaring before God their dedication,
So far from thee because so near to Him.
Canst thou forget thy Christian superscription—
“ Behold we count them happy which endure ?”
What treasure wouldst thou, in the land Egyptian.
Bepass the stormy water to secure ?
And wilt thou yield tby sure and glorious promise
For the poor fleeting joys earth can afford ?
No hand can take away the treasure from us
That rests within the keeping of the Lord.
Poor wandering soul—l know that thou art seeking
Some easier way, as all have sought before,
To silence the reproachful inward speaking—
Some landward path unto an island shore !
The cross is heavy in thy human measure,
The way too narrow for thine inward pride,
Thou canst not lay thine intellectual treasure
At the low footstool of the Crucified.
0, that the faithless soul, one hour only
Would comprehend the Christian’s perfect life,
Despised with Jesus, sorrowful and lonely,
Yet calmly looking upward in its strife.
For poverty and self-renunciation,
Their Father yieldeth back a thousand-fold;
In the calm stillness of regeneration,
Cometh a joy they never knew of old.
In meek obedience to a heavenly Teacher,
Thy weary soul can only find its peace,
Seeking no aid from any human creature ;
Looking to God alone for his release.
And lie will come in His own time and power,
To set his earnest-hearted children free ;
Watch only through this dark and painful hour
And the bright morning yet will break for thee ;
“Forgive and be Forgiven.”
Brother traveler through this life,
When misfortunes oft assail;
Battle noblv ’mid the strife,
mr f
Boldly face the fiercest gale ;
Seme may fail where they succeed ;
Some who manfully have striven ;
Keep this motto in your creed,
Oh, “ Forgive and be forgiven.”
If sneering foes dispute thy way,
With a smile still pass them by ;
Heed not what their tongues may say,
Toiler let thy aim be high:
When you reach Fame’s highest goal,
For which you manfully have striven,
All your foes with feeling soul,
Oh, “ Forgive and be forgiven.”
Ever trust in God above,
Though misfortunes bear thee down,
Changeless is thy Maker’s love,
Smiles He hides behind each frown ;
Then when on your couch of death,
Life’s last ties are sadly riven ;
With thy last expiling breath,
Oh,. “ Forgive and be forgiven.”
RECEIPTS^
[From Nov 28, to Dec. 11.}
OEO.—Eld. D. W. Patman, 2 ; J. Levingston, 1,50;
R. Kelley, 1; S. Bishop, ,30; F. Wright, 1,50'; Miss
S, 0. Heard, 1,50 ; Eld. K. Rambo, I; 8,80
ALA.—EId. W. C. Simmons, 3 ; 3,00
IOWA.—T. Stringfellow, ,30 ,30
IND.—C. Newgent, 1 , 1,00
TENN.—EId. P. Culp, 3,50 ; 3,50
MO.—C. W. Baker, 2 ; 2,00
LA.—J. Sandlin, 2; 2,00
TEXAS.—Mrs. N. Dutton, 1; 1,00
$ 21,60
OBITUARIES.
In Coosa Cos., Ala., Nov. 23, 1860, of Scarlet Fever,
GEORGE ANN, infant daughter of James M., and
Matilda J. Connaway, aged 2 years, 4 months, and
20 days.
“ The once loved form now cold and dead,
Each mournful thought employs,
And nature weeps her comforts fled,
And withered all her joys.”
In Coosa Cos., Ala., Nov. 23, 1860, of Scarlet Fever,
LINNEY A. FRANCIS, daughter of Wm. 11. and
Harriet Connaway, aged 4 years, 4 months, and
25 days.
llow short the race that infant run,
Cut down in all her bloom,
Her course but yesterday begun,
Now finished in the tomb.
” i
Mrs. JULIA E., wife of James L. Maroney, and
daughter of John W., and Charles Henley, died in
Campbell Cos., Ga. She was born June 2d, 1835, and
died July 12, 1860. She was consequently in the
25th year of her age. A life so brief, was not spent
in vain : the world no doubt had its attractions, but
like Mary of old, she did not neglect the good part,
which is never to be taken away. Endowed with a
good mind, she had obtained a fair English educa
tion —and delighted greatly in reading. She loved
175