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170 their religious exercises. A great desire for the coo version of a husband, wife, a lovely son or daughter, may cause them, sometimes, to say and do what the Scriptures do not warrant or sustain. Yet, upon sober reflection,they have experimentally to acknowledge that “ it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that shewelh mercy.” This Paul testified, notwithstanding his great desire for Israel’s salvation. The unworthy writer of this article has had some experience on this subject himself, and even now, at times under goes some conflict of rnind in reference thereto, lie canuot at all times sufficiently discern the dif ference between the vvoikings of the flesh and of the spirit in his own exercises, but often exclaims, “0 wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of this death ?” I still have a hope in the mercy of God, if I am not egregiously de ceived, and dare not for a moment indulge any confidence in the flesh, or in any of my fleshly exer cises. Os course! cannot tell whether my views of the text will be satisfactory to Sister Simmons or not, but I have tried to comply with her request, though not so soon as I should have done. In passing through scenes of advesity and trial, without fight i'-'gs, and within fears, I hope Sister Simmons, and the dear saints in general, scattered abroad, may have giace given them sufficient ; for “as thy day is, so shall thy strength be.” JOSEPH L. PURINGTON. ■cggfr I-*►► m Oglethorpe Cos., Ga., Jan. 1, 1802. Dear Brother Beebe:— Often, in reading and hearing false doctrines, I am animated, and become more anxious for die truth to ho published or pro claimed, and having not long since read with some interest two small books, written by a “ Methodist Clergyman —one entitled Cliurc.lt Government , and the other The Doctrines of the Bible , my anx iety to proclaim the truth became unusually t-x cited. In both these works the writer labors hard, and disnlavs considerable ingenuity in withholding the truh, and giving falsehood f*ir colors ; and after all he bad said to make the B ptists —the doctrine they believe—their practice in the execution of discipline, with close communion—look as con temptible as possible, because they will not invite Methodists, and other denominations, to their com onus ion laldcs, lie calls them an illiberal, bigoted, self Important even claiming infallibility. In closing one of his Dull finding chapters, he says, .*• If, however, they (the Baptist.*-) are satisfied, we need not complain; nay, we ought to let them alone in their glory, and disturb not their pleasant revelry ard repose.” Wonder he had not thought < f that before, and then he would not have made inch awgil ct niplaiiiLs because the Baptists would not invite him into their pulpits, and to their com munion table*. The very fact that he, aud those mul rung his opinions, are so anxious to be invited to commune with us is, alter all a plain admission ..n tneir part, that, they consider the Baptists the h. -i a rcl of Oh list in gospel order ; it not, strange it SOUTHERN BAPTIST MESSENGER. is that they should be so anxious to commune with them. He also takes considerable pains in gather ing up several fabulous authors to piove that Christ and his apostles practiced sprinkling, and even in fant sprinkling, for baptism ; which he dated not attempt to prove by the New Testament writings; yet he never claimed that Christ or his apostles were sprinkled, or called Methodists. No; solar from it, he knows, as well as he knows Anything written by divine revelation, that John'the Baptist (not John W.,lhfc Methodist) baptized,or immersed Jesus himself ; who there left an example for all believers to follow, and which no man, or set of men, are at liberty to alter or change till the end of time. And none are entitled to church nnviicg s, but believers baptized in the same manner or mode that Jesus was. This writer says that the Methodists are a part of the Church of Christ in gospel order, and calf* upon the Baptists to disprove it. Wonderful in deed, that, while no authorized court in heaven or # ‘ on earth has ever required a negative to be proven this complainer takes the tesponsibility on himself. It he had succeeded in proving that the Methodists, as a body, constituted even a part of the Church o< Christ in her gospel organization, then the matter would have been settled. But this he does not at tempt to do by tbe Scriptures, but only from the writings of uninspited men, like himself. None who ate desirous of following Jesus Christ should notice for one moment such practices as valid tes mony in proving any point connected with the taith and practice of the Christ, since all Scripture is given by tbe inspii atiou.of God, and is profitable for doclrne, for collection, for reproof, for instruc tion in righteousness, that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly tu#idalied unto all good work*. To this infallible rule lie would not attempt to come, knowing, as he must, that it would certainly expose him, and them that he was striving to olease. And 1 nn cotdioentlv inform him that A *• the Baptists, so shamefully misrepresented by him, claim no infallibility but iu their God and Savior, with Lis ILdy Wotd ; aud their aim is to imitate him, following the precepts and examples given in the Scriptures of divine truth, whicii directs them to keep no company (religiously) with suoii as will not obey this tule. Tuey would make themselves | most insulting tiansgressois to invite such disobe fdieiit protessois to come with them around their j Master’s table to partake of the elements with them. | And though, because of laiiibliity, the Baptists j iiaYc been ot.eu imposed upon by nominal proses t sors, and though tuey often fail to live up to I the rule their Master has given them, yet | failures do not spoil the rule, nor give them liberty nor inclination to go farther into ttausof cession or disobedience ; but on the contrary, it makes it ap pear more important that they should strive to live moie fully up to i'. I shall not take time and pains to prove that the Baptists (l mean those of the Primitive faith and practice) is the Cntirch ot Christ in gospel order 3.,-eing this is not denied by this wiiler, bis breth ien, or any other denomination, but is acknow ledged by : 11, in that they are willing at.d anxious to commune with thet; and they frequently Live been known to plead jstitication in some thing*, when imitating the Bajists. Other proof for them would, quite likely, beidicuh and, a> u any of them ridicule the doctrine o,God’s predestination aud election, so plainly taugt iu the N-„ w Testament, and as this writer riditles the dv-cltiueof man’s total depravity, aud hisutter inability to do anv thing spiritually good, cly as God works in the heart both to will ud Ido of hi* good pleasure. But, says Lie, the SpiritJ God strives with eveiy man, teaching him his uiy, and ydt can accom plish nothifig unless theiiuner will. Now, if the success of God’s Spirit, t its strivings and teach ings, depends upon matk wid, it docs not depend upon the will God worse in sintmr*. Such doc trine represents God as iflerior to man : Sovereign man holding the key, aid a poor, teasing, striving Goa begging for enirace. If he mm come out and owned the truth, tint all men in a fallen state, have no will but to go from God in disobedience, and that when God legius a goud woik of grace in the heart by his Spirit, it is to will of a holy aud heavenly character, and the effect in the sinner is, to do goou, and cease to do evil ; and iu every case of tliis kind, God continues to perform the good work he has begun until the day of Jet-us Christ, and.there can be no failure, because God Las un dertaken the case, then he would have written in a manner honoring to God aud his word, and safe for helpless sinners. It this writer happens to read this, he may con sider me meddlesome in Noticing his two little books, if so, then we are even, for so I first con siueied him. But I can assure him that, so far as i know myself, I have uo other object in view than that tho lullh iuhv iuu unci La glorified. Yours iu love, D. W. PATMAN. Oglethorpe Cos., Ga., Feb. 10, 1562. Dear Bko. Beebe: —Having been admonished by your kind and welcome letter of the 3 1st ult., I now proceed to write, and with this send you two other communications, previously written, but which, tli tough negligence or indifference, 1 had neglected to send you. Please excuse me, and I will not promise how I will do hereafter. iiirough the abundant metcies of tbe Lord, I ha\e enjoyed leasouable health, thomdi I have de creased iu weight some twenty five pounds. Reli giously, i have been tor a long time in a very cold aim baiieii stale, iu all religious devotion, whether public or private, it seems that 1 have the form and led but little, it any of the power of god siuggish aud short-sighted, feeling assured that my tioful, deptavtd nature, with ail its abominations, still remains , }el I fear they’ are not seen and ab hoiied by me as they should be. So l can tiuiy say with David, ** leach me lire measure of my days, that 1 may know how frail I am.” I know that iniquity abounds, and my love, so far as I can sensibly lealize it, has waxed cold. Yet if I have any Jove it is for my poor, afiheted brethren and sisters ot the Primitive faith aud practice. — evud cau it be so that I love thetu, and have .RO