THE GOSPEL ADVOCATE
Editors: T. Fanning, E. D. Lipscomb
Vol. VIII
Nashville, May 1, 1866
Number 18
THE ADVOCATE AND SECTIONALISM
We have received several articles that smack strongly of a sectional flavor. We wish it borne in mind that the Gospel Advocate was started with a view of opposing all sectionalism in religion, and of striving to keep politics out of the church. We believe honestly that he that foists politics, in whatever phase, into the Church of God, is a traitor to the Christian religion. The fact that we had not a single paper known to us that the Southern people could read without having their feelings wounded by political insinuations and slurs, had more to do with calling the Advocate into existence than all other circumstances combined.
Shall we then be guilty of that which we condemn in others? Shall we indulge in sectional slurs and innuendos? I am sure no true friend of the Advocate could desire to see this.
That our motives in opposing the introduction of political questions and institutions into the Church of Christ would be misrepresented and maligned, we expected and were prepared to bear. We never felt afraid of our strictures upon the Cincinnati Society being attributed to sectional feeling by those who knew us. To aid what we could in freeing the church from such a deadly influence, we were willing to bear blame and suffer reproach wrongfully from others. We believe, too, that the heart of the great mass of our preachers and brethren, North even, is with us in that matter.
But with many there is a fearfulness and timidity that is blameworthy; a case-loving feeling, that makes us leave wrongs to correct themselves, forgetting that they grow worse and worse instead of correcting themselves. Wrongs in the church, like vice in the heart, are first abhorred, then endured, by familiarity excused, and then embraced. Fidelity to our Master requires that we should jealously guard against the introduction of evil into His Kingdom, and carefully avoid that familiarity with it, that makes us look with leniency upon or excuse it. It is a sad state for the church when it…
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Members are more anxious to preserve an outward show of peace than to preserve its internal purity—more anxious to secure popularity from the world than to exhibit fidelity to God in the face of opposition. Yet this anxiety to preserve an outward show of peace in the church is today permitting deadly weights to fasten themselves upon the Church of Christ.
But, brethren, the introduction of a different political element can never cure or cast out the one that is already so thoroughly at work upon the vitals of the church, but would only aggravate the disease. If we know our own heart, we would be just as prompt to condemn a church or churches South that would introduce or entertain resolutions of a political or national character as we would one North. Indeed, as our habits, feelings, associations are all socially with the Southern people, we know we should feel with a deeper and bitterer pang of grief the degradation of making the churches, with and for whom we have labored, the tool of the corrupt and corrupting politician.
So, brethren, murmuring, complaining, fault-finding with what has been done by the secular powers, will never cure one of the wrongs. But will only, to those who indulge in such feelings, aggravate them. The true Christian spirit is to cheerfully reconcile ourselves to the condition in which we are placed, and make the best of life as we find it. We, of course, mean this language for those acts that do not involve in their obedience a violation of God’s law.
For instance, I believe that the relationship of master and servant is recognized as existing by Divine sanction among Christians, as firmly as I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. Yet there is no sin in a Christian’s ceasing to own a slave, either when he thinks that a slave would be benefitted by being freed, or when the civil power decrees his freedom.
Thus for us to murmur and complain over this act when it requires us to violate no law of God, is not in exact harmony with the Christian spirit. Cheerful submission, in all cases where submission does not involve disobedience to God, is the Christian rule of conduct to civil power.
We should think then that the Christian should feel a sense of relief from a weighty responsibility. But there are cases of a different character. We instance the Missouri Oath. Our conviction is that a full and proper appreciation of his duties to God would not let a single Christian, care not what his political sympathies might be, take this oath for the simple reason as given by Bro. Lard. “The civil power has just as much right to say who shall obey the Gospel, as to say who shall preach the Gospel.”
The Christian should refuse to recognize such power over the church to death itself if need be. Yet we say none of these things to reflect on any man’s course or wound any man’s feelings. We know not even what we should do, unless we were first tried. We, however, have a very clear and decided conviction as to what it would be our duty to do in such circumstances. But even in that resistance to or refusal to comply with the law, the meek, uncomplaining, gentle spirit of the Savior should be sought.
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After, and made our pattern, and not the bitter, denunciatory, vindictive spirit of the world. Therefore, brethren, while we expect to firmly and fearlessly oppose all secularizing, sectionalizing, political or national, if you please to so call them, influences and institutions, connected with the Church of Christ, we cannot permit the institution of articles that would give to the ADVOCATE the very character that it condemns. We wish to insert nothing that will be offensive to a Southern man or Northern man, a Frenchman or an Englishman, a black man, a white man, or a red man merely because he is such, and sympathizes socially with the people and institutions among whom he lives. The true mission of the Christian religion is to rise above all these narrow, selfish, sectionalizing influences—to break down these middle walls of separation and strife erected by human selfishness, human ambition, and human wickedness, and to bind all the dissevered, broken, discordant and belligerent factions and fragments of Adam’s fallen and sinning family, irrespective of race, language or color, into one peaceable, fraternal and harmonious body in Christ. To this end the GOSPEL ADVOCATE must labor. It can countenance nothing that opposes this holy mission of the Church of God on earth.
D. L.
THE LIFE-STRUGGLE
This world knows no victory to be compared with victory over our own passions. The struggle of life is between the flesh and the spirit, and one or the other finally gains the ascendancy. Every day and every hour of the Christian’s life is this contest going on, and sad is it to think how often it is that victory is declared in favor of this earth with its sinful passions. The Apostle Paul, after having labored long and earnestly in his Lord’s service—having done more for the spread of the truth than all the other apostles, still felt that he was a human being, and liable at any time, through the weakness of the flesh, to lose all. “I keep under my body,” says he, “and bring it into subjection, lest after I have preached the Gospel unto others, I myself should be a castaway.” If this watchfulness was needful on the part of this aged and long-tongued servant of God, what care and diligence ought we, my brethren and sisters, to exercise lest we should lose all in an unguarded hour! Our pathway through life is thickly set with snares for our feet. The seductions of passion, the allurements of vice, things to arouse our anger and stir up in our hearts feelings, await us at every turn of life’s avenue. Our way, and blessed, indeed, is that man or that woman that meets them all without harm.
Though ever busy, ever restless, continually planning, scheming, purposing, often wanders through into the most wicked and unwholesome conceptions, and before aware of it, every feeling is absorbed in purposes of the most debased, sinful nature. If we would be wise we would con…
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We must constantly examine ourselves, and present to every thought that arises, the simple question, “Is this of the flesh or of the Spirit?” If the former, cast it from us as we would the most deadly poison. If of the Spirit, cherish and foster it with every care and attention. In so doing we will cultivate the better part of our being, and continually gain the mastery over whatever degrades us and unfits our hearts for the holy life of the Spirit of God.
This victory over ourselves—this subjugation of every passion, appetite, and propensity to the rule of the Spirit—is no easy matter. It is the struggle for life, and often, indeed, does the contest result in the overthrow of all that is human, and the yielding up of the whole man to the dominion of the flesh. Few, indeed, are willing patiently, humbly, and trustingly to bear with the trials and disappointments of the world without showing a fretful, discontented, and rebellious spirit. Few are willing to meet every affliction and suffering of earth with that entire resignation of heart that can say amidst all, “Thy will, O Lord, be done.”
No, often, when this world seems to frown upon us, and our earthly hopes are sadly disappointed, are we disposed to forget the blessings of our Father’s hand, and murmur at these “light afflictions.” Perfect happiness, peace, contentment, the realization of every purpose, the attainment of all our aims, the enjoyment of unalloyed pleasure is not to be found on this earth. The heritage of sinful mortality is continued unrest, unsatisfaction, the failure of all our plans and schemes for blessedness here. The holiest of earth’s attachments are cruelly sundered; the unkindness and ingratitude of those we most ardently love pierces and wounds our hearts with the deepest grief, and where we look for fondness and firm affection, we often meet only coldness and neglect.
By yielding to the influence of these things, we permit our tempers to become soured and our feelings despondent, and the world daily grows forbidding in our sight. But with hearts continually filled with the gentle, peaceful, and loving spirit of the religion of Christ, all these sorrows of earth tend only to make us less attached to the perishing things here below, and long, and strive more earnestly for the unfading treasures of immortal glory.
Shall we then, my brethren and sisters, in an evil hour—in an unguarded moment, permit anything of this earth to rob us of the blessed hope of this heavenly inheritance? What are the riches, the enjoyments, the attachments, passions, the allurements of this earth worth compared with that “eternal weight of glory?” O let us beware, lest we permit a feeling of bitterness, a purpose of an evil, an angry passion, a murmuring, unsatisfied spirit, a rebellious temper, to unfit us for this priceless inheritance. Let us beware lest we for even less than a “mess of pottage,” sell our glorious birthright of immortality.
W. L.
THE GOSPEL ADVOCATE
TRUE SELF-RESPECT
There is nothing that so ennobles a young man as the proper appreciation of his responsibility to his Maker. The idea that God has committed to his keeping and training the sacred trust of an imperishable spirit must elevate him in his own esteem. The idea that God so esteems him, is to require at his hands an account for the deeds done in the body, cannot fail to magnify him in his self-appreciation. True dignity and self-respect never manifest themselves in a haughty, uplifted, self-important pride, nor in a love of dress and display of wealth or fashion. These are but exhibitions of a very weak mind or a lack of manly, self-reliant independence.
True self-respect makes a young man strive to free himself from all the fleshly habits and passions that are calculated to demoralize and degrade him. It makes him avoid idleness, idle, trilling and dissipated company, and allow foolish and obscene conversation. It makes him continually anxious to improve his mind and his morals. In order to do this, it makes him seek the association of the good and respected. There is no youth in the land, but by an earnest effort could soon school himself to find more true enjoyment in the conversation and society of the good and intelligent than he now finds in the association of the idle, dissipated and vicious.
A true self-respect will always make the man respect himself. No man can fail to respect his Maker, and then respect very highly the work of that Maker, especially that portion of his work which was made after his own image. If he respects his Maker, he will respect his laws and appointments. No man that respects himself or his Maker properly, can spend a day set apart by God for the spiritual improvement and elevation of his creatures, in idleness, frivolity, or in the consideration and attention to the ordinary business matters of life. The young man that spends the Lord’s day in hunting, fishing, lounging around with the idle and vicious, plainly says to the world by such conduct, “I do not consider myself worthy the respect or esteem of myself or others.” Others are sure to think just the same way about you.
The young man that can take lightly the name of his Maker—that can make light of Heaven’s laws and appointments—shows how little worthy he himself is of the respect and confidence of his fellowmen. The world never respects a man who fails to respect himself; he only truly respects himself who respects and honors his Maker. There is nothing in the commandments of God that at all destroys man’s true happiness in this world. On the other hand, there is not a single command of God which, if faithfully complied with, in its proper place, will not promote man’s happiness and true well-being even in this world. There is not a restraint placed upon the passions, in God’s holy law, but that will give a true and lasting enjoyment to those passions. All good to man then is harmonious—whatever promotes man’s true well-being here will promote his happiness hereafter, and whatever will make him happy in the world.
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to come, will add to His enjoyment in this present world. The man then who fails to honor and respect God, and to obey His laws, not only deprives himself of happiness in the world to come, but also of true and permanent happiness and respectability in this world. The true meaning of the Bible is, God says to man, “Let me guide and direct you through the paths of peace, happiness, content and respectability here to the bright mansions of eternal bliss beyond the Jordan of death.” But man, by his refusal to obey God, says, “No, I will trust the guidance and direction of the evil one—I will trust him for happiness here and risk the hereafter.” Every soul in the universe walks either under the direction or guidance of God or the wicked one, consciously or unconsciously trusts one or the other. In entering upon life’s journey, young man, which will you trust for respectability, peace, honor, content and happiness, the guidance and direction of God or the devil? If God, honor Him, obey Him. If the devil, fail to obey and honor God, and you serve and trust the devil. “Whosoever is not with me is against me,” says Christ.
D. L. W.
WEEKLY MEETING NEAR BETHEL CHURCH, MAURY COUNTY TENNESSEE
Bros. Farming & Lunsford:
As we know you are much better posted than we are, we want to know the teachings of the Scriptures on the subject of weekly meeting. If a brother or sister fails to attend at the Lord’s house on the Lord’s day, is he or she guilty of misdemeanor, and should he or she be required to make an act of acknowledgment to the church of the misdemeanor?
Our brethren worshipping at Bethel are divided on this question, a part of the faith that brethren or sisters failing to assemble themselves on the day, (circumstances being so they possibly can,) violate a rule or law of Christ, therefore, should be dealt with while a portion of the brethren are of the faith that it is no violation of law.
Your convictions of what the Scriptures teach on this question are desired as soon as convenient, as we think it would do good. Please answer through the ADVOCATE.
Yours in hope,
A. A. Morrow,
W. A. Murphy,
David V. McKissock.
March 23d, 1866
An individual has just as much right to fail to meet with his brethren sixty-two Lord’s days in the year, as he has to fail to meet one Lord’s day while he can do so. Has just as much right to fail to lay by him in store as the Lord has prospered him, fifty-two first days of the week in a year.
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As has been one. Has just as good reason for refusing to show forth the death of the Son of God on fifty-two Lord’s days of a year as of one. There is just as much authority for persons refusing to be baptized as there is for their forsaking the assembling of themselves together, according to the commandment of the Lord. He who aims to “show forth” the death of the Lord, to that extent denies the Lord’s mission and death.
In the first three centuries of the Christian Church, its little and uncelebrated days, so much stress was laid upon the weekly gathering of the Lord’s family, that if one member failed to be present, it was taken for granted he must be sick, the elders or deacons immediately went to the minister to his or her wife, and carried him or her the bread and wine—the memorials of their Father’s love, and in this instance of their mother, the church’s too. These were the halcyon days of a pure and holy faith, and a true spiritual life of the church. If we would follow such examples now, it would doubtless greatly promote our earnest love to one another and to our Heavenly Father. We certainly think that a brother or sister who fails to meet, when it is possible, ought to be dealt with. But dealt with kindly, gently, lovingly. You ought to seek opportunities for showing your love to them—ought to visit them at their houses, convince them that you are their friend—ought to call them no hard names—ought not to stigmatize them as traitors or with evil to them, because they differed from you on political questions, (matters that you nor they had any business with)—ought especially to indulge in no conversation at the meeting house that is calculated to wound their feelings, and to wholly undo you for a profitable observance of the Lord’s appointments.
I sometimes think there is as much sin in partaking of the emblems in an ungodly, worldly, bitter state of heart as there is in neglecting it altogether. Insist persistently, then, on the duty of Christians meeting together on the first day of the week, but insist totally as scrupulously that it is necessary to do it in a gentle, loving, Christ-like spirit, and that to possess that spirit on the Lord’s day, we must cultivate it through the week by speaking kindly of and doing good to all, especially our brethren and sisters. When you have done your duty fully, give evidence above to them, that the judges at the last day will say was sufficient to make them anxious to see you every Lord’s day, and they still though indifference refuse to meet both you and their Savior, both of whom loved them so tenderly and so much alike, they must be at heart very wicked, and then should no longer be regarded as members of the family in which no evil speaking, no evil thinking or bad acting is tolerated. In which all are bound together by the strongest cords of love and kindness. But in all your dealings remember that the great motive to be kept in view is the saving of the weak and erring.
D. L.
THE GOSPEL ADVOCATE
DUNGAN AND PARKER DEBATE
We have received a copy of a synopsis of the argument adduced by D. R. Dungan, in a debate held by him with Leonard Parker, of the Methodist Church, on the questions, “Is immersion Christian Baptism?” and “Is man justified, in the sense of pardon, by faith alone?” The work before us presents a concise and clear statement of about all the arguments that can be presented on the two propositions. We heartily commend it to those who wish for a brief but clear statement of the arguments as drawn from the meaning of the word, the teaching of Scripture, and the historic development of the various theories and practices that have obtained in the different churches. It is well gotten up and published in a pamphlet of seventy pages, by D. T. Wright, of Chillicothe, Missouri. Price 25 cents. Address Elder D. R. Dungan, Plattsmouth, Nebraska Territory, or D. F. Wright, Chillicothe, Missouri.
D. L.
ALABAMA CO-OPERATION MEETING
We have received a copy of the minutes of the meeting of churches held with the congregation of Disciples at Pine Apple, Wilcox county, Ala., commencing Saturday, the 14th October, 1865, and continuing the Saturday following. There were several congregations in cooperation. They report a membership of six hundred and nineteen members, and two hundred and thirty-six additions during the past year. There were nine preaching brethren present, to-wit: Elder Wm. C. Kilpatrick, Robert W. Turner, Drs. M. D. Hopkins, Dr. David Adams, Dr. Cyrus S. Reeves, George W. Neely, Justin M. Durnes, W. Andre. Moore, S. P. Duran, etc. Some of these were Evangelists and some Bishops. We regret we are unable to learn from the report the post-office addresses of these brethren. We quote from the report, “At this point a lengthy and very interesting discussion ensued, which was participated in by several of the brethren. The proper plan of sending out an evangelist; the work of an evangelist; the manner in which he and his family should be sustained; for what time he should be sent; who are Bishops; who Evangelists; who elders, and who are deacons, and what are their respective duties as such, all of which elicited much investigation and good feeling. The following conclusions were arrived at:
- Evangelists should be sent out by Christian congregations.
- The work of an evangelist is to set in order the churches, to preach the Gospel to all, but more especially to destitute regions, to organize new churches as circumstances may require, immerse believers, ordain elders, out of whom (elders) are made bishops and deacons, provided they have the necessary qualifications.
- A subscription to sustain a preacher is without apostolic example.
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4th. He should be sent anywhere under the canopy of the heavens wherever the congregation sending thinks, and the evangelist thinks he can do most good. Hence, says the great commission, “Go ye into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature.”
5th. We have no precedent in the acts of the Apostles for sending one evangelist for a year or any other definite period of time. We rejoice to see the brethren disposed to walk in a safe path, after apostolic precedent. The meeting takes proper notice of our old and veteran brother Prior Reeves, who had labored long and faithfully in that section of country, but who had passed over the Jordan of death February 9th, 1865. The meeting adjourned to meet at Antioch, Pike county, Ala., seven miles South of Troy, commencing Friday night before the third Lord’s day in October, 1866.
We rejoice to see so much indication of Christian faith, life and activity as the foregoing report exhibits.
D. L.
New Hope, Tenn., March 20th, 1866.
EDITORS OF THE GOSPEL ADVOCATE
Brethren:—By your permission I will begin a series of short essays on the character, mission, sufferings, death, resurrection, ascension and coronation of our Lord Jesus Christ.
FIRST—HIS DIVINE CHARACTER
The third and last dispensation of religion is that which was introduced by that divine and glorious person whom the prophets had foretold. This is properly the Christian Dispensation which was designed and fitted for universal extent, and in which, considered in its original purity, religion is brought to its highest perfection and noblest improvement. An admirable wisdom, goodness and purity abound in the whole conduct and character of the great author of it. He came in the fullness of time—the time which had been pointed out in the prophetical writings. In him the several predictions relating to the extraordinary person that was to come, were fulfilled, and the several characters by which he was described were wonderfully united, until no other person. He appeared as foretold concerning him, and yet maintained in his whole conduct a dignity becoming his divine character.
Many of his miracles were of such a kind, and performed in such a manner, as seemed to argue a dominion over nature and its established laws, and they were acts of great goodness as well as power. He went about doing good to the bodies and to the souls of men, and the admirable instructions he gave were delivered with a divine authority, and yet with great humility and condescension. And his own practice was every way suited to the excellency of his precepts.
He exhibited the most finished pattern of universal holiness, of love.
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To God, of the divine glory, of the most wonderful charity and benevolence towards mankind, of the most unparalleled self-denial, of a heavenly mind and life, of meekness and patience, humility and condescension. Never was there so perfect a character, so God-like, venerable and amiable, so remote from the character of an enthusiast or an imposter. He is the only founder of a religion in the history of mankind which is totally unconnected with any human policy and government, and therefore totally unconducive to any worldly purpose whatever. All others, as Mohammed, Numa, and even Moses himself blended their religious and civil institutions, and thus acquired dominion over their respective people, but Christ neither named nor would accept such power. He rejected all objects which all other men pursued, and made choice of all those which others feared to encounter. No other founder of a religion ever made his own sufferings and death a necessary part of his original plan, or essential to his mission.
Jesus Christ, however, most expressly foretold his own sufferings, the cruel and ignominious death he was to undergo, his resurrection from the dead on the third day, his ascension into heaven, the dreadful judgments and calamities that should be inflicted on the Jewish nation, and what seemed the most improbable thing to the world, the wonderful progress of his own Gospel from the smallest beginnings, notwithstanding the persecutions and difficulties to which he foretold it should be exposed. All this was exactly fulfilled. He arose again on the third day, and showed himself alive to all his disciples, after his passion, by many infallible proofs, when their hopes were so sunk that they could hardly believe he was risen, till they could no longer doubt of it, without renouncing the testimony of all their senses.
He gave his Apostles a commission to go and preach his Gospel to all nations, and promised that, to enable them to execute it with success, they should be endued with the most extraordinary powers and gifts of the Holy Spirit. This, accordingly they did, and though destitute of all worldly advantages—without power, riches, interest, policy, learning or eloquence of a worldly character, they went through the world preaching a crucified Jesus as the Savior and Lord of men, and teaching the things that he had commanded them, and by the wonderful powers with which they were invested and the evidences they had produced of their divine mission, they prevailed and spread the religion of Jesus, as their great master had foretold, in the midst of sufferings and persecutions, and in opposition to the reigning and inveterate prejudices of both Jews and Gentiles. Such were the wonderful triumphs of the religion that Jesus came into the world to establish, and he prevailed in its establishment from the fact of his divine character.
The feelings and combined influences of the world at the time he…
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proved his mission, were difficult to encounter, yet the purity of his character, the influence of his deportment and the humility of his daily walk with men, all tended to remove prejudices and to give those who witnessed his moral teaching and miracles he did in their presence, confidence in what he said and did. More anon.
C. R. DARNALL.
READING THE SCRIPTURES DAILY IS OUR DUTY, OUR INTEREST AND OUR PLEASURE.
Brethren Fanning & Lipscomb – Permit me to offer a few words on reading the Sacred writings. For many years I have made it my practice to commence with the first chapter of Genesis, on the first day of January, and to read the Bible regularly through once every year privately, besides what I read in family worship and publicly before preaching. I recommend the same course to every person. I commenced with the first chapter of Genesis this year, (1866) and am now (March 9th) nearly through the prophecy of Isaiah. I think I have read the Bible through as many times as I am years old, or more. The longer I live the more I am convinced of the necessity of reading only one book, The Divine writers all recommend the reading of the Sacred Record. Moses commanded the Jews to read the law publicly every seven years to men, women and children, that they might hear and learn to worship the Lord their God, and do all his commandments, which proves that God allowed that all these different classes could understand and do his will. The Scriptures generally are easy to be understood, as is plain, from the fact that no one ever said he misunderstood what God said to him, or that he could not understand his commands. God spoke plainly to Adam, to Noah, to Abraham, to Job, to the Jews and prophets. He said to Moses, “Thou shalt engrave all the words of this law upon the stones” very plainly. And why very plainly? “That all might hear and do them.” (Deut. 31: 11).
I had well nigh been deprived of the unspeakable pleasure of reading the Bible, from the inculcation of the Calvinistic dogma that I could not understand the Bible until I was born again, and hence I concluded it was all lost time to read it. Our Savior, and the Apostles like Paul, used great plainness of speech. Divinity is nothing but a grammar of the language of the Holy Spirit. History tells of many persons, male and female, or all ranks, who could repeat the whole Bible from memory. I declare that all women should read the Bible and teach it to their children. I would to God that the plowman should sing a text of Scripture at his plow, and that the weaver at his loom should repeat Scripture, and the blacksmith at his anvil, and the mechanic at his work-bench, and let the printer at his press drive away the tediousness of time by quoting Scripture. I would that the wayfaring, with his past-time, would expel the wearisomeness of his journey by conversing on the Scripture.
THE GOSPEL ADVOCATE
Excerpt from the Document
I would all communication of the Christian should be of the Scripture. As the blessings of the earth, the air, the water, and sun, are intended and designed for all persons, and not for a privileged class or beings; so was the Bible given to all persons, and intended and designed for the benefit and salvation of all persons; not given to preachers nor philosophers, but to the human race. It should be publicly read, so that the ignorant may know what God says to them. All persons connected to God were connected by the Bible, as I may prove at some future time.
J. C.
For the Gospel Advocate
Why is it that so many of our brethren, both old and young, good men and true, really in earnest in their desire to live the Christian life and do service in the Lord’s vineyard, can never, or will never, when asked to pray in the congregation, do so? Men who talk sensibly on general subjects, take part in all discussions in the church, and boldly advocate and defend the truth before unbelievers; but ask them to pray, to address our kind and merciful Father in Heaven, and you are answered, “excuse me.” Press them on the subject in private, and what excuse can any give, of which a man who calls God his Father ought not to be ashamed? Can it be that there is one whose heart has been touched and subdued by the goodness of the Lord and the tender love of the dear Savior, who can be afraid to pour forth the fullness of his heart in praise to the Almighty? Ought one, for whom Christ died, be ashamed, before men, to ask blessings of Him who has sent forth his spirit into our hearts crying “Abba Father.” With what confidence and assurance do we ask favors of our earthly fathers; how much more of Him who has said, through his Apostle, that we are his heirs, and “joint heirs with Christ.” He ever hears and is ever ready to bless when we ask aright. The Lord Jesus, just before his death, told his disciples, “Whatsoever ye ask in my name, ye shall receive.” Can any brother, with his heart full of love to his Maker, be deterred from expressing it, because he cannot make “high-sounding prayers”? If we take Bible examples, we shall find the prayers most pleasing to God, are such as the humblest Christian may make, short, simple, direct, and above all, earnest. When we feel anything deeply, we are very apt to talk earnestly about it. Let our young brethren who are ambitious to make eloquent prayers, remember that earnestness is the soul of eloquence. To be eloquent they must get thoroughly in earnest.
I take the following extract from a late Baptist paper, and commend it to our brethren who will not pray in public:
“Dut what nets more forcibly, perhaps, to deter the brethren from praying in public, is an erroneous notion of what prayer is. I have heard persons say, ‘why, if I were to attempt to pray in public, I could not…
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say a dozen words before I should be completely overcome by emotion, and my utterance choked.” Others are intimidated because they think they could find thoughts and words for only a very short prayer; and others, again, because they cannot use strictly grammatical and elegant language in prayer.
Let us refer to Scripture examples of prayer to see if these notions are well founded. The blind beggar hearing that Jesus was passing by cried out, “Jesus, thou Son of David, have mercy on me;” and when rebuked, that he should hold his peace, he cried so much the more, “Thou Son of David, have mercy on me.” Jesus, when all the harlots at the cross came gathering upon Him, prayed: “Father, all things are possible unto thee; take away this cup from me: nevertheless, not what I will, but what thou wilt.” Then, at intervals when the emotions of soul would permit it, He twice repeated the same words. The woman of Canaan, overcome with parental solicitude, prayed, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou Son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil;” and a little while after, with equal earnestness, she pleaded with Jesus again, saying, “Lord, help me.” And the publican, crushed with a sense of his guilt, cried out, “God, be merciful to me, a sinner.”
Several other cases, similar to these, are to be found, both in the Old and in the New Testaments. These examples are characterized by strong emotion; by the greatest brevity, by complete simplicity, and by pathetic repetition. They exhibit distressed souls, struggling for blessings. They present to us persons inquiring, not what will men think of them, but what will God do for them—persons not seeking the ear of man, but the ear of God.
BOOK’S CREEK, Tenn., March 2nd, 1866.
Bros. Fanning & Linscomb: I have received and read ten numbers of the ADVOCATE, and am highly pleased with its pages. It breathes the right spirit, and I wish you much success. It is just the paper we should have—every brother and sister should peruse its pages. I am doing all I can for its circulation. The subjects which you have under investigation are of vital importance. One is the Kingdom of Christ and world powers. Believing as I do, that we should be a separate and distinct people from the world, and that no true believer in the Lord Jesus Christ should participate in worldly affairs. The whole teachings of the Bible sustain us in this. That we should be “subject unto the powers that be,” and not subjects of the powers.
The strife through which we have just passed we think should be a sufficient lesson and warning to the church. The envy, ill-will, hatred and bloodshed, besides the loss of thousands of lives, a vast amount of property, and many of our brethren, as well as many others, burnt out of house and home. The churches in some places have gone down, and the…
THE GOSPEL ADVOCATE
Love of many waxed cold, should cause the church in this age of reconstruction to diligently search and prayerfully meditate and consider the Gospel teachings in regard to her whole duty to God and man, and be prepared to steer clear of such breakers in the future, and never go back into and do that again which she can now plainly see has brought, or helped to bring such a curse upon it. Why yoke together with unbelievers in such desolations if we are Christians? The truth is we do not live up to our profession in many things. Many, many, have a name to live while they are dead in trespasses and sins. We too often desert the cause of our great King for the vain and fleeting things of earth, such as riches and worldly honor, and in order to obtain our ends, we seek the office in the kingdom of Satan, and leave Christ’s offices unfilled, forgetting or laying aside all things of secondary importance the precept, “Seek first the Kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added unto you.”
We seek too much honor and applause of man, instead of that glory, honor and immortality beyond the grave. We depend too much upon the governments formed by human hands, and too little upon the one given by Divine hands. We lack a sufficient reliance upon God and His institutions, and we place too much trust in the strength of man and the governments he has formed. Brethren, in voting one casts his vote on this side, and another on that side of the question, showing to the world that they run after carnal things just as opinion leads them; finally we see them clad with weapons of carnal warfare, seeking the destruction of their brethren and fellowman. Hence, from the institutions man has invented come a goodly portion, at least, of the jars, divisions, strifes, animosities, hatred, envyings and bloodshed among those professing Christianity. Now, as people professing to know God, taking His word as our rule of faith and practice, as pilgrims and strangers in a strange land, seeking a better country, a city which is out of sight, why have anything to do with the governments of earth? Why be found at the polls casting in our vote or filling any office save in our Lord and Master’s? What think you, one and all?
In your number of February 6th, you express a desire to cultivate an acquaintance with the preaching brethren of upper East Tennessee. I will give their names and address. Elder James M. Utter, who first taught primitive Christianity in upper East Tennessee, and Elder John Wright, both too far advanced in years to do much more active service in the cause, their address is Johnson’s Depot, Tennessee. Elder Daniel Meintur’s address is also Johnson’s Depot. Also Bros. George Croswhite, Thomas Wright and Isaac Hartwell, all doing good service; their address is Jonesboro, Tennessee. Bro. Wilson Barker, of Sullivan county, address Union Depot, and Bro. H. Ellis, of Elizabethtown, Carter county, are working in the cause with good success. Bros. Wm. C. Maupin and others.
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Are young speakers just commencing. They promise much good in the future; their address Jonesboro. Bro. Daniel Fox, an elder in Boon’s Creek Church, labors in word and doctrine. Bro. Hezekiah Hankel (of color) was ordained to preach for the colored population by the brethren of Boon’s Creek Church, at their monthly meeting in February. This church has never failed to meet monthly during the war, with one or two exceptions. They have secured the services of Bro. McInturff for the present year.
Owing to the scarcity of money I have come slow speed making a club. Many of the brethren like it and desire to take it, but cannot advance the means at present. I have the promise of a good many after a while. You can use this as you think best.
Yours in the bonds of love,
JOHN J. HOWARD.
TWO CASES OF DISTRESS.
Elder William Mason, of Knox county, East Tennessee, was a captain in the Confederate Army, was taken prisoner, held for about two years, we think, was released about the close of the war—against a school of two or three months at Stewart’s Creek, in Rutherford county, Tennessee.
Some time in July or August came to this city with the view of going by rail to his home in East Tennessee, and has not been heard of since. Elder Wm. Mason was an evangelist of the Church of Christ at the commencement of hostilities. He had been a member of this church for only a short time. He had canvassed this country while a Baptist preacher, and agent for the revision association.
He was about five feet ten inches high, dark skin, hair and eyes, was thirty-six years of age, compactly built. The writer of this saw him in the city about two o’clock, on a Saturday in July or August. He was rather gloomy and reluctant to start home, but anxious to see a wife and children from whom he had been separated for years. He stated that he intended to leave that evening or the next morning for home, intending to remain a few days and return to Middle Tennessee. A sorrowing and distressed wife is anxious to learn something more of his fate. Any one that may know anything concerning his fate would confer a great favor by communicating such information to Mrs. Rebecca Mason, Strawberry Plains, Knox county, Tennessee, or to David Lipscomb, office Gospel Advocate, Nashville, Tennessee.
ANOTHER.
E. C. Sollee, of Warren county, was in the Confederate Army, was taken prisoner. Two years ago his family, consisting of a wife and five children, were sent North by military authority. They were last heard from on their way to Nashville. Any information concerning them would be gratefully received by a distressed husband and father. E. C. Sollee is well known to the writer of this, was a student at …
THE GOSPEL ADVOCATE
Franklin College with him, become a member of the Church of Christ, was once owner of Beersheba Springs, but is now impoverished. He has always borne an unblemished and irreproachable moral character. He is deserving the sympathy and aid of any who can render him assistance. Any information directed to him at McMinnville, Tennessee, left with the Mayor of Nashville, or with David Lipscomb, at J. T. S. Bell & Sons’ Printing Office, will be gladly received.
D. L.
MILLVILLE, Rusk County, Texas, March 22nd, 1866.
Dear Bros. Fanning & Lipscomb:
My heart was made to rejoice greatly, a few days ago, by the reception of several numbers of the Gospel Advocate. You cannot imagine the joy and happiness it gave me in this bud of trouble and distress which we have passed through for the last four years. Yet I labored in the vineyard of my Master all the time, but to little profit.
Last fall I labored as hard as I ever did in my life for about four months and had seventy-two additions at different places. My brethren, I am nearly worn out. My strength is fast failing. I am nearly sixty-nine years of age. I expect to labor till I can this year. We have no laborers in the country. The brethren are very much broken up and ruined in property, and able to do but little to support the gospel. I am wholly broken up. Everything gone, but like the afflicted Job said, “All the days of my appointed time will I wait till my change come.” The Psalmist says, “I wait for the Lord”—my soul doth wait, and in his word do I hope, and the very thought of having the bloom of immortal youth put upon us—of being raised from a state of dishonor to one of everlasting honor—of mounting from weakness to strength—of forever getting away from the sorrows of earth to the joys of Heaven, is more than sufficient to nerve us against the troubles of earth.
I would like to say many things, but my hand trembles so I can’t. I will do all I can for the Advocate.
Your brother,
SAMUEL HENDERSON.
We will admit a number of advertisements upon the cover of the Advocate. So soon as we are able we wish to confine it exclusively to schools, books, &c. In the advertisements we shall exercise a discrimination, and advertise no book, paper or school whose influence we believe would be deleterious to sound morality and religion. For the time being we admit a few business advertisements. In this department we will advertise nothing that we believe not to be what it is represented in the advertisement to be. We advertise no machine or business house but what we believe to be reliable and valuable.