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js<n%nt Christian
MACON, GEORGIA, OCTOBER 5,1866.
the work op the spirit.
A Christian is one who is led and govern
ed by the Spirit of Christ. There is no
gospel truth more distinctly taught, than
the direct and necessary agency of the Holy
Spirit, in producing anew order of impulses,
affections, and determinations in -men’s
minds, hearts and wills. Notwithstanding
this is true, the opinion is far too generally
received —unfortunately has crept into the
Church itself,—that Christianity, like the
speculative systems of human origin, only
demands an approximate conformity of the
outward life to the law of God; and that
nothing more is required, in order to attain
such conformity, than the ordinary direction
of the natural powers to this end. Than
this, there can be no more fatal delusion.
The Gospel is full of denials of this as
sumption of a specious infidelity, and of a
self-righteous creed. It declares, in various
forms, that spiritual truths are received, and
spiritual life is communicated, and spiritual
duties are performed —and can only be re
ceived, communicated, and performed —by
virtue of the Holy Spirit, in aid of man’s
mind, heart, and will. It asserts, with em
phatic earnestness, that “ the natural man
receiveth not the things of the Spirit of
God; for they are foolishness unto him :
neither can he know them, because they are
spiritually discerned ;” and that “ the car
nal mind is enmity against God ; for it is not
subject to the law of God, neither indeed
can be;” and, therefore, it must be removed
by the direct and effective power of the
Holy Spirit. “If ye through the Spirit do
mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.
For as many as are led by the Spirit of God,
they are the sons of God;” and “if any
man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is
none of his.”
The communication of the Spirit of God
with the spirit of man, is put beyond dis
pute by such clear and forcible declarations
as the following: “ The love of God is shed
abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost.”
“Who hath sealed us and given the earnest
of the Spirit in our hearts:” “and because
ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit
of his Son into your hearts.’’ “ Except a
man be born of . . the Spirit, he cannot en
ter into the kingdom of God.’’ The pres
ence and working of the Holy Spirit in the
heart, is so essential to making the promises
and principles of the Gospel efficacious,
that not a single individual would be saved
without it.
Every discriminating student of Revela
tion, must be struck with the fact, lying
outspread in every gospel and epistle, that
the Holy Spirit is the only agent promised,
commissioned, and competent to consummate
the work of Christ in the world. This
doctrine, that the spiritual part of the work
of salvation is exclusively performed by the
Holy Spirit, consciously dwelling in the
heart, may be rejected as foolishness, by the
world —it may be denied as incomprehensi
ble, by nominal professors; but it is reject
ed by the one, and denied by the other, sim
ply because they have not put it to the test,
by a genuine repentance towards God and
an implicit faith in Christ, evidenced by
doing all the will of God; for “if ye will
do his will, ye shall know of the doctrine,
whether it be of God.” And if there is any
truth in the doctrine of natural depravity—
any truth in the consciousness of the appe
tency of the whole nature of man for sinful
gratifications —any truth in the continual
tendency of the will to resist and override
judgment and reason—any truth in the
natural propension of every faculty towards
debauchery and prostitution—any truth in
the inherent, persistent, and growing repug
nance, and enmity of the mind and heart
towards virtue and holiness, God and good
ness—or if there is any truth whatever in
the daily life-experience of every uncon
verted person,— it is proof, too plain to be
misunderstood, and too overwhelming to
be denied, of the great fact revealed by
inspiration—namely, tjiat the disabilities of
man’s fallen, constitutionally depraved na
ture, require the immediate agency of the
Holy Spirit for their removal, so that he
may be qualified, through the regeneration
which it works, to practice and love virtue
and holiness, God and goodness, and be
enabled to resist and hate sin in all its forms.
This is the Power, thoroughly working with
in, and throughout every constitutional
faculty and attribute of the Christian, by
which he lives the life of piety, and dies
the death of peace.
Furth rmore, he has constant access to
his Heavenly Father through the Holy
Spirit. There is a real, not an ideal, com
munication between the Christian and the
Throne of Grace. All his spiritual wants
are supplied, his cares relieved, his injuries
redressed, and his anxieties and woes alle
viated, by the actual ministry of the Holy
Comforter. He passes through fiery trials
unconsumed, overcomes temptations, and
maintains mastery over self, the world, and
unseen evil powers, by omnipotent grace
given him immediately by the omnipresent
Spirit. His praises and prayers are borne
to heaven, and answers from thence are
borne to him, by glad ministering spirits,
specially charged with these missions of
mercy and love, in ready subordination to
the ministry of the Holy Comforter. “We
have access by one Spirit unto the Father.”
“ Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our in
firmities : for we know not what we should
pray for as we ought; but the Spirit itself
maketh intercession for us with groanings
which cannot be uttered.” Such is the
mode of spiritual intercourse, and such the
intimacy of communication between the
adopted child and his Heavenly Father.
The occupancy and work of the Holy Spir
it, in the heart of the Christian, is a con
stant proof and guaranty to him of his
Father’s solicitude for his present and future
welfare—the earnest of his Father’s care
and protection—the medium of hearing his
Father’s counsels, precepts and will—the
channel through which the Father pours
into the heart of his beloved child full tides
of spiritual, heavenly blessings. 0.
ORGANIZING FOR PRAYER.
We find in the Southern Presbyterian
an extended account of a general revival of
Union Prayer Meetings, as a stated means
of grace, in Western, South Carolina. We
have read the report with great interest, and
regret that we cannot give it entire. But
the facts are so instructive, that we must
give a condensed account of these meetings
hoping thereby to provoke others to love and
and to good works. The writer says, that
some months since when all was darkness
and almost despair, when vice and immorali
ty stalked abroad, and, iniquity abounding,
the love of many waxed cold, the movement
begun on a very humble scale, thus: —
The Rev. B. F. Corley of the Baptist
Church, and Dr. Horace W. Leland, a Pres
byterian layman, both residing near the vil
lage of impressed with the be
lief that at such times Christians should
pray but the more earnestly, organised them
selves into a Prayer-Meeting, and agreed
to meet every Friday afternoon at 4 p. m.
They were soon joined by Dr. T. S. Blake,
an elder in the Presbyterian Church, and
these three alone for many months “con
tinued,” allowing nothing* to postpone their
regular weekly meetings. Their number
then began to increase, and now they have
eleven on their list, Methodists, Baptists,
and Presbyterians, all as earnest and punc
tual as themselves. But this was only the
beginning of the good work. Members of
other churches in the vicinity, some of their
own accord, and others stimulated by dele
gates from older organizations sent to tell
them of this means of grace which God
himself had blessed, successively formed
themselves into similar associaions; and
now we have them in successful operation
in Bethlehem church, (Methodist,) Salem
church, (ditto,) Siloam church, (Baptist,)
and Greenwood, (Methodist and Presbyte
rian.) And while we are writing this ac
count, the intelligence has reached us of
another organized at Liberty Spring Church,
(Presbyterian,) through the agency of Drs.
Leland and Blake. The churches are with
in easy access of one another, in the dis
tricts of Abbeville, Edgefield, and Laurens.
Thri Ninety-Six, (Presbyterian,) Salem, and
Bethlehem prayer-meetings are all held at
the same hour, 4p. m. And on the Friday
before the third Sabbath in each month,
they unite in’ a Union prayer meeting at
Siloam church.
On this occasion they meet at 10 a. m.,
and seldom adj ourn before 3p. m. This
time is occupied mainly in prayer and con
versational discussion on matters of experi
mental religion. From the distance most
of these brethren hn ve to ride, they must
necessarily devote the .whole day to that ob
ject, and as they neve.' take refreshments
with them, they are ola’ fashioned enough
to believe in fasting as w ell a3 prayer . In
fact, they think that truth' is as old as the.
Bible, and have never been able to see that
the modern innovations “ b eyond what is
written,”, have in any way ten ded to purify
its fountains. The chairman c;f this meet
ing is Captain John Johnson,V deservedly
esteemed one of the pillars of tht* Methodist
Church in this section of the country. His
earnest zeal, devotion, and self-sa orifice in
propagating and sustaining these x\neetings
in different communities can never suffi
ciently rewarded in this life.
Through his instrumentality a mocking
was established at Greenwood, S. C.,
February, commencing with six Presbyi e
rians and six Methodists, who have luboret. 1
in great harmony.
One of the results of this movement is
given thus, by the writer, who himself lives
at Greenwood:
The spirit of earnest devotion and self
sacrifice, which characterized our noble
women during the war, has not yet been sub
dued. Their high hopes have been cruelly
blasted, their fortunes have been wrecked,
and many, very many, of their most loved
and cherished ones, now sleep in the mar-
SOUTHERN CHRISTIAN ADVOCATE.
tyr’s grave. But with a faith unshaken, \
they now call upon God, that “ while his
judgments are abroad in the land, the peo
ple may learn righteousness.” Sustained
by this faith, some fifteen of our ladies, of
both denominations, in this village, have as
sociated themselves in a prayer.meeting,
similar to the one held by their fathers,
brothers, and husbands, and met at the same
hour in a private house. We have reason
to know that this a heavy cross to most of
them, for it requires no little faith for them
to pray aloud, even in the presence of their
own sex alone. But may we not hope that
these precious prayers, though uttered with
faltering tongues and trembling lips, will go
up as memorials before the throne of God,
and call down yet richer blessings on this
community? Surely every Christian heart
in all our churches will wish them Gods
speed in their labor of love.
The writer gives the following plan of
the prayer-meetings:
When those desiring to organize such a
a prayer-meeting assemble for the first time,
it has been usual, after reading a portion of
God’s word, singing, and prayer, for each
one to give a statement of his Christian
career, beginning with his conversion and
bringing prominently forward whatever he
may have learned of his own heart from
God’s dealings with him. In this way they
will become introduced to the Christian
character of one another, and the more can
did and unreserved these statements may be,
the closer will be the tie which they will
soon feel drawing their hearts together.
For a permanent organization it has been
usual to appoint a chairman, (usually a lay
man,) whose duty it will be to preside at all
meetings, to appoint successively those who
are to open and close each meeting with
prayer, and to keep a record of the attend
ance of members, of the subjects discus
sed, and of such incidents and points
of interest as he may judge worthy of
preservation. At every meeting he is ex
pected to call on each member for
some individual statement, and none is
considered a member who will not take
part. This statement may be simply his
religious experience since their last meeting,
#r the calling attention to any difficulties or
obstacles he may have encountered, or the
discussion of any topic which may have been
assigned for consideration at that meeting,
or all these combined. The object in call
ing on each member in succe.-sion is, that
all may feel the obligation to pnrticpate in
the proceedings, and to avoid that shrinking
from any general call, so natural to some
persons. No distinction is made between
clergymen and laymen who may be members
of the same organization, but all stand, or
desire to stand, on the same platform of
“ sinners saved by grace.” When the meet
ing is large, it is usual for the chairman to
apportion the limited time among the mem
bers, so that each may have the privilege o-f
being heard. The stated meetings are nev
er to be fewer than once a- week.
In enumerating the benefit derived from
these meetings, the writer says:
Our system, faithfully carriecFout, will
make us acquainted with the “inner life”
of our brethren, and it is astonishing how
soon we learn to love one another. Men
with whom we have worshipped together for
years in the same sanctuary, we did not
know till we became thus associated; and
many of other denominations, with whom
we were only brought in contact in the mere
business transactions of life, we have learn
ed to love as well as respect.
The continued presence, too, of these wit
nesses to our confessions, will be a salutary
check upon us in our daily walk and con
versation ; and what Christian does not need
as many of such checks as can be imposed ?
And then the enlarged Christian charity,
which must necessarily result from this inti
mate association of members of different
denominations!
But we are thus organized, not for our
own good alone, but for the cause of Christ;
and he has recently so abundantly blessed
us, in this section ot the country, in the out
pouring of his Spirit upon the churches,
that we feel we have the seal of the divine
approbation. Not that we would claim that
these blessings are sent in answer to our
prayers alone; for we know there are many
faithful and eminent servants of God around
us who pray as fervently and effectually as
any members of our meetings; and we
unite with them in giving all the glory to
a prayer-hearing and prayer-answering God,
in recording the following.
The writer then proceeds to speak of
many revivals, at the churches above men
tioned and others in that section of South
Carolina, some of which have been already
reported in the Advocate.
The length of this article leaves us no
room to say more than that these facts sus
tain the views we have advanced more than
once this year, on the subject of these social
meetings. They call to mind an article
which perhaps our readers will remember,
where we showed how a deplorable decrease
in the Wesleyan Connection many years
since drove the Church and ministry to
prayer, and other social, meetings as the
means of recovery. Happily for Metho
dists, the procedure above described is noth-
ing new to them. They are only our class
a nd experience meetings under another
foi ”m, and it will not be difficult for them to
feet’ at home in such meetings, if they are
partakers of the grace of God.
Evan gelioal Lutheran — This is the
title of a new weekly—“the recognized or
gan of the Lutheran Synod of N T orth Ameri-i
ca.’’ It is edited by the Revs. N. Aldrich
and G. D. Bernheim, and published at Char
lotte, N. C., at $3.00 per annum. We sa
lute it, as a valuable co-worker in the field
of evangelical journalism. May it find great
favor with its people, and have great pros
perity.
Discussions between the English
Wesley ans.
We learn from a correspondent of the
Western Christian Advocate , that there are
some changes of policy mooted among the
Wesleyan Methodists. He says :
A lively debate ensued upon the presenta
tion of certain memorials from Scotland, re
questing the modification of our rule so as
to allow a minister to return to a circuit one
year after leaving it, instead of eight years.
The aim of the memorialists was evidently
to secure for Scotland, what was said to be
indispensable, a settled Methodist pastorate.
Dr. Waddy, one of our ablest debaters, fa
vored the memorialists, while our Methodist
Cyclopedia, Dr. Osborn, opposed them. The
result of these contending forces was the re
laxation of the rule for Scotland from eight
to three years The main argument of Dr.
Osborn against the change, that its effect
would extend beyond Scotland, was not, but
might have been claimed in its favor. For
if the change prove a success, let it extend;
but if not, let England profit by the experi
ment in Scotland, and “ rest and be thank
ful.”
Here is a part of the proceedings of their
Conference, that may be copied with great
advantage, by ourselves:
The greater part of one of the sessions
was spent in a conversation about the state
of the work of God. While nearly eight
hundred ministers were bowed before God
in prayer, confessing, by the mouth of one
of their number, unfaithfulness, many hearts
were broken, and an unusual depth of devo
tional feeling was indicated by the subdued
but simultaneous “xArnens” which were re
peatedly uttered.
The tenor of the love-feast conversation
which followed, may be judged from two
sentences, the one uttered by the President,
and the second by Dr. Osborn :
“The great point was for all the preachers
to become filled with the love of God and
the love of souls, and it would then be easy
to couut our increase by the hundred thou
sand.”
“ Are we as we ought to be ? Are we
such channels as this spiritual power, this
influence of the Holy Ghost, may be dxnec
ted to flow in ?” *, •.
While Mr. Arthur, on the one hand, in
sisted upon numerical increase as a fair test
of success, Dr. Osborn, on the other hand,
warned us against the demoralization of
panic; ,
T
Great Revival at Atpens, Ga —For
the last few weeks a revival has bee l in
progress in Athens, and for the past two
weeks there has been a wonderful display
of divine power. We learned about the
middle of last week that above 200 persons
had presented themselves for prayer at one
time. We have beard from the meeting
down to Monday. Old Christians had nev
er seen any thing like it. All business was
suspended, and tha community en masse was
at the prayer meeting. Some 85 or 90
had joined the Methodist, 26 the Presby
terian, and three the Baptist Church. Revs.
J. S. Key and G. J. Pearce were assisting
the pastor, Rev. H. 11. Parks.
Taylor’s .Creek C. Meeting. —This
meeting in Liberty co., is to commence
on loth Oct., and embrace the third Sun
day. The P. E., Rev. J. D Anthony, takes
this method of inviting ministering brethren
to attend on that occasion.
Fort Valley, Ga. — There has been a
good meeting in this pleasant little town.
Bro. Cotter, the pastor, was sick, but the
work was carried on faithfully and efficient
ly by the local brethren. Some twenty-five
or thirty persons had joined the church up
tolast Sabbath, and others were yet seeking
pardon.
CONFERENCE SESSIONS.
Since the first schedule of Episcopal appoint
ments was published, several changes have been
made. The following, we believe, is correct:
FIRST DISTRICT—BISHOP PIERCE.
Arkansas—Searcy, September 26.
Little Rock—Arkadelphia, October 10.
N6rth Carolina—Fayetteville, November 7.
Virginia—Norfolk, November 21.
Baltimore —Baltimore, March
SECOND DISTRICT —BISHOP DOGGETT.
Missouri—Richmond, September 5.
St. Louis—Lexington, September 19.
Kentucky—Winchester, October 3.
Louisville—Elizabethtown, October 10.
Western Virginia—Parkersburg,
THIRD DISTRICT—BISHOP WIGIITMAN.
Mobile—Enterprise, November* 21.
Montgomery—Jacksonville, December 5.
South Carolina—Marion, December 19.
FOURTH DISTRICT —BISHOP PAINE.
Memphis—Jackson, November 14.
Mississippi—Natchez, November 28
Louisiana —Baton Rouge, December 12.
FIFTn DISTRICT—BISHOP m’tYEIRE.
Holston—Ashevilie, N. C., October 10.
Tennessee —Huntsville, Ala , October 24.
Georgia—Americus, November 28.
Florida —Quincy, December 13.
SIXTH DISTRICT—BISHOP MARVIN.
Indian Mission—Bloomfie and, September 12.
N. W. Texas—Waxahatchie, September 26.
East Texas—Marshall, October 10.
Texas—Galveston, October 24.
West Texas—Seguin, November 7.
SEVENTH DISTRICT—BISHOP KAVANAUGH
Pacific—Petaluma, September 19.
Columbia—Corvallis, October 10.
Catalogue of Southern Methodist
Books ; For sale at the Publishing
House, Nashville, Tenn., and at the De
positories.
We have received from Nashville a New
Catalogue. We are glad to see once more
a long list of our own Books offered to the
public. It is one of the best signs of the
vitality of the Church, that the Publishing
House is again in full blast. Let it now be
patronized as it should be, and its success
will be sure. Those wanting to know what
our publications are, can get the Catalogue
by writing to A. 11. Bedford, Agent, Nash
ville, Tenn.
ttefos from t|e Cjjurcjjrs.
Dahlonega Dist., Ga. Conference
Mr. Editor: I have just completed my
third round on the District. My last trip
was to Dahlonega, and over the mountains
to a camp-meeting in Union Cos. At Dah
lonega, 1 found the yellow fever raging, al
though they boast there of pure mountain
streams, and a healthy, invigorating atmos
phere. It is, however, a very different type
of yellow fever to that which usually pre
vails on our sea coasts. Its cause is readily
discerned. It is produced by a yellow sub
stance which is found imbedded in the earth,
and is known by the magic name — gold.- —
Its effects are first perceived upon the brain,
but its influences are soon communicated to
the heart, and in some instances it proves
fatal, as in the case of Achan. The people
here, however, do not seem at all alarmed,
but consider those most fortunate who come
in contact with the greatest amount of it.—
A perfect mineralogic epidemic is prevailing
here at present.
In company with Rev. L. Q. Allen, I left
Dahlonega for the camp-meeting above men
tioned. We cross 'd the Blue Ridge at Black
Mountain gap. Surely no friend to human
ity could advise a traveller to take that route,
while it can be easily avoided. We passed
through a little valley of rich land some
eight miles in length, lying in a cove just
beyond the main ridge, known as Canada
-—so named I suppose on account of its ele
vation and temperature. It was in this val
ley that an ex-Governor of Georgia, when a
boy, ploughed a horned animal as a substi
tute for a horse. Lo ! what a rise was there !
Just as we entered this cove, we met a
young man of whom we inquired the way
to the camp-ground. He informed us ot
two routes, but said one was “more furder”
than the other. Os course we took
er and thought that quite far enough.
After a long and wearisome ride, howev
er, we reached the place and tound all things
ready for the worship of God, We had good
order generally, and a gracious ipeeting
The preachers in
be in the Spirit and did their
earnestly and well. We hope
may prove a lasting blessing to
of that country.
There is still much bitter feeling existing
between parties in that section, growing out
of the late war, and occasionally someone is
killed by some desperate band of outlaws.
You can scarcely imagine what trials some
of our preachers in this portion of our con
ference are undergoing the present year. —
Nothing but the grace of God could sustain
them under the circumstances. They have
all submitted to their situation with com
mendable fortitude, and continue to labor
faithfully and zealously, with one exception.
Bro. Fowler who was on the Ellijay circuit
left us a few months since, and joined the
(Yankee) Holston Conference. A happy
riddance of bad rubbish. Your prediction
concerning him has proved correct.
There have been several missionaries (so
called) from the Northern Methodist Church,
in the upper portion of my District, trying
to decoy and lead off our people. Some
Churches in Fannin county went over to
them in the early part of the year; but from
what I saw and heard while over there, I
am of the opinion that most of them are al
ready tired of the experiment. Bro. Brew
er, I learn, is now operating in this county,
endeavoring to lay out some missionary
ground for the northern church. I have
been told that he is to be paid according to
what he accomplishes for his Church , and
if this be the case, I honestly think it be
hooves him to seek some surer and better
way of making a living.
We are now passing through the fires of
adversity and persecution as a Church; but
if our ministers and members are only faith
ful to their trust, we shall ere long see
southern Methodism growing as the cedars
of Lebanon and flourishing as the palm tree.
There have been many gracious revivals
of religion in this District within the past
few months, especially on the Cumming,
Gainesville and Carnesville circuits. At
Dawsonville, in the Cumming circuit, there
has been a marvellous work of grace. The
meeting has continued for several months
with unabating interest. Nearly one* hun
dred and fifty have joined Ae Church there.
May the Lord send us a general, soul-clean
sing revival all over the land, and save our
country from ruin!
We love the Advocate and you would get
many subscribers in this section, if we had
better mail facilities, and a few more green
backs.
hinancially we are in a deplorable situa
tion. I cannot see how our preachers are
to live here another year. May the Lord
provide for us !
Yours in Christ,
, W. P. Pledger.
Carnesvili.e Ct., Ga. Conference.—
Revs G. Hughes and H\ Cranford write :
The Lord is graciously reviving His woik in