The Gospel Advocate – April 17, 1866

by

THE GOSPEL ADVOCATE

T. FANNING,
EDITOR.
D. LIPSCOMB.

VOL. VIII.
NASHVILLE, APRIL 17, 1866.
NUMBER 16.

A GENERAL CONSULTATION MEETING SUGGESTED

The religion of Jesus Christ is not sectional, but the members of the Church of God, in spite of their most manly efforts, have been sectionalized for a few years past, by influences over which they have but little control. For several years, the disciples of Christ, in what are known as the Southern States, have enjoyed but imperfect communion together. We have had no paper to circulate amongst us, and most of the preachers have been prohibited from traveling from their homes. Several able and experienced brethren have very respectfully suggested the propriety and necessity of calling a meeting of messengers from the churches South, somewhere in Middle Tennessee, say at Nashville, should it be agreeable to the brethren of that congregation, as early as May or June next.

The purpose of the meeting should not be to enact laws for the regulation of Christians; for all these were enacted in “the General Assembly.” If honest and true to our profession, we could have no political labor to perform, for all that Christians have to do with worldly governments is submit to them, and leave their creation and modification to the rulers of this world. We, indeed, think it is a favorable time to convince the world that we are not of it. The purpose should be to renew old acquaintances and form new ones, and ascertain as far as possible, our ability for Christian cooperation.

We would be rejoiced to hear from the brethren in the Gulf States, in Arkansas, Missouri, Kentucky, Maryland, Virginia, and Tennessee. Shall such a meeting be called? Does not our peculiar condition suggest its importance?

T. FANNING.

COMMENT

Of the American Christian Review, in reference to the contemplated meeting of the Disciples in the Southern States.

A general consultation meeting is much desired. We cannot come too close together, nor speak too often one to another. As Christians, as well…

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As citizens of a common country, we are less or more dependent upon each other for information, for counsel, for encouragement. In the spread of the Gospel, the salvation of our fellow men everywhere; in maintaining the ancient order of things now restored, and the “faith once delivered to the saints,” the brethren in Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, and other States are as deeply interested as those of the Gulf States, Arkansas, Missouri, Kentucky, Maryland, Virginia, or Tennessee. This, Brother Fanning must admit.

Why, then, this call for a convention of certain States, to the exclusion of all others? Such a convention as this has never been called before within the memory of the writer. Why this marked distinction? Why keep up these State lines? Have we, up here, nothing in common with the brethren down there? Why know one another after the flesh, and according to geographical and State lines? We, up here, feel no small interest in the religious and spiritual welfare of our brethren down there.

The Board of the General Missionary Society have recently appointed our very talented J. S. Lamar to labor as an evangelist in Georgia, at a salary of $1,000 per annum. Up here, we have not only a fellow feeling, but a common Christian feeling, and an anxious desire to associate and cooperate with our brethren everywhere in the great work of the Gospel. That which is dear to Bro. Fanning and those with whom he specially asks consultation, is dear to us all everywhere, to every State. There are many brethren up here as good and true men as are to be found anywhere, with whom a more familiar and intimate acquaintance might be profitable to Brother Fanning and others. I know there are as good and noble men and brethren down there as are to be found anywhere on earth, whose personal acquaintance might become useful and of great advantage to us.

It may not be convenient for any of us to attend this consultation meeting, but let the call be so modified or enlarged that we may not feel as if we were purposely excluded and our acquaintance unceremoniously cut. Why not change the call, and make it broad enough to embrace other States, thereby removing the impression which has already been made on the minds of some, that something is in contemplation not common to us all? There is no South nor North in our Gospel. Will Bro. Fanning consider this matter, and send his words of invitation to brethren of other States than those named by him?

RICE, RESPONSE

To the American Christian Review:

We most cheerfully publish the “Comment” of the Review, and for the courteous manner exhibited, we feel really thankful and take courage. The spirit recently exhibited by some who differ from each other, is remarkably severe and threatening. We can scarcely account for the rough and overbearing temper of a few who heretofore maintained a fair…

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Christian character. Time, however, will, sooner or later, give every one his proper position.

In reply to the Review, we would respectfully state, that we were fully conscious that the proposed meeting, “contemplated something not usual,” and the main reason that led us to entertain the idea, was that an “unusual” state of affairs suggests the necessity for such a meeting. We will take the liberty of presenting specifically reasons that are quite satisfactory to us, for a meeting of Christians in the Southern States. Before doing so, however, it will be but justice to the friends of such an assemblage to say, that we know full well the Gospel was for “all the world;” that Christianity is not sectional, but at the same time, human beings frequently get into conditions that make it necessary for working separately for a season. We are satisfied the disciples North and South have been very much alienated, and nothing should be done to increase this alienation.

The reasons that have influenced us are brief but satisfactory.

  1. For the past five years, the disciples in the South have enjoyed very little religious intercourse, and thoughtful men, with whom we have conversed, are of the judgment that it is very important for us to hold reconciling meetings, with the view of reviving our Christian fellowship.
  2. The brethren generally, South, have been very much impoverished, abused and discouraged, and we need meetings for the purpose of ascertaining the amount of religious vitality that exists amongst us, and of taking counsel together in regard to future complications in the cause of our Savior.
  3. During the bloody strife that has just ended, some of the brethren plunged into the contest, while others stood aloof, under the conviction that Christians are not of the world, and that Caesar should manage his own affairs. The consequence is, that prejudices exist in some instances between brethren who have adopted these different causes of procedure, and we think meetings in which there could be a free interchange of views, would tend very much to reconcile our friends in the South.

We regard these as quite sufficient reasons for humbly suggesting the propriety of inviting the disciples in the South to hold state, district and general meetings for religious purposes. If the brethren of the Review or others, are suspicious still, and think we have something else in view, it might be well to wait till our purposes are more fully developed.

There are reasons of a different character, which lead us to doubt the propriety of a hasty religious reconstruction with the friends of Christ North or South.

  1. If we are not mistaken, most of the prominent brethren North are politicians; that is, men who direct, vote, aid and abet in the operations of the government of the world, and it strikes us that it would not be wise, till more can be learned of the animus of the men North, and the…

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Contents

  1. Introduction
  • Reference to the South and the call for religious cooperation.
  1. Report on the Disciples South
  • The report has reached the disciples South that the brethren generally in the North, like a Jew, and very Jew in the South, have been employing the fist of wickedness for a few years past to put down transgressors and subjugate rebels against governments.
  • It is reported that some shouldered the weapons of the ruler of the darkness of this world to humble, impoverish, subdue, and slay sinners, while others, who were not quite so brave, attempted to accomplish the same purposes by bloody conversations, public speeches, giving freely of their money, or perhaps the Lord’s and passing and approving resolutions in Christian missionary meetings.
  • We charge no one, but it occurs to us that men engaged in such service may not be very well prepared to engage in genuine spiritual cooperation.
  1. Clarification for Brethren in the North
  • To allay any unnecessary anxiety of our brethren of the Review or others North, we take pleasure in stating that recently some of the brethren from Canada visited us and were most cordially received by all the saints of this section.
  • Brother Frame and other brethren from the Northern gates have been laboring most acceptably amongst us.
  • Still, we think it safer for the more perfect union of the body of Christ, for the reasons previously assigned, and many others that might be given, to encourage, in the first place, cooperation meetings in the South.
  • We are most free to say that we know no North, no South, no East, no West in relation, but like Andrew Jackson, who declared that he would “not be the president of a party,” we will not work with or for a faction.
  • The only question is that should be, has he a good record? Has he been loyal to Christ? If he has entertained the forbidden fellowship, contaminated himself with the affairs of the prince of this world, in our humble judgment, he should repent and do works meet for repentance.
  1. Concerns for Friends North
  • Our friends North need not fear us in reference to human tests.
  • We dislike to express fears of constancy in our ranks, but we suggest that if there should ever be divisions amongst the disciples of Christ, they will not arise from geographical issues, or from political struggles.
  • Much more radical causes of rebellion against our King will exist.
  • Flagitious departures from the simplicity of the Christian institution, and the erection of human organizations to take the place of the church, are to be deprecated.
  • Finally, such of our friends North as can come to our aid in our extreme weakness, disjointed and feeble condition, with clean hands, we would be glad to see and cordially welcome, but we hope all others will hasten sincerely in attempting to direct matters spiritually here or elsewhere.

T. F.

THE GOSPEL ADVOCATE

CHURCH OF CHRIST AND WORLD-POWERS, NO. 9

We wish to call attention to the biblical use of the term Babylon. It is given in Scripture as the name of the first, and in many respects, the head of the world-governments. It is derived from Babel, and means confusion. In the early days of the human family, and even to the present time, among the many nations of the world, all names are significant. This is especially so of the Bible names. Adam means “of earth,” hence, he that was made of earth was called Adam. So of Babylon, it means confusion, strife; therefore, that which especially introduced confusion and strife into the world was termed Babylon.

Human government, or rather the substitution of human government for the well-being of man, instead of the Divine, has been, and is the chief cause of strife and confusion to the world; hence the first institution of human government is called Babylon. The historic portions of the Old Testament evidently use this term with reference to that first development of human government—the ancient Kingdom of Babylon. The prophetic scriptures of the Old Testament and New use this term, however, in a sense not so specific, but certainly in the sense suggested by this first appropriated name, and in its peculiar, original signification.

The Babylon of Revelation has been referred by Protestants to the Roman Church, but the false church of Revelation was typified by the base woman. She had the name Babylon upon her forehead, and evidently dwelt in Babylon was in close alliance with it, but cannot certainly be called Babylon herself, nor answer to the different characters assigned to Babylon by the Bible.

It was the earth power of rule in contradistinction to the Divine that was first called Babylon, that has supported and upheld the base woman, that has caused the different churches to commit adultery by alliances with it, by which she became the mother of harlots. It is this great principle of the man-governments that has given the kings of the earth their power with which they have lived deliciously, whose destruction they “hunted and hewed.”

It is this principle of man’s right to govern man; a right that God reserved to himself alone, that has usurped the place of God, that has contested the dominion of the world with God, that was the Babylon of confusion in its first development of human government and which “came in remembrance before God.”

It has been the Babylon that corrupted the church, that sustained and carried the corrupted church, by whose power the “kings lived deliciously,” and through whom the “merchants became rich,” “whose sins reached unto Heaven, and whose iniquities God hath remembered.”

It is the beast full of names of blasphemy, and not the woman, that was carried by the beast, with the kings of the earth, that made war upon the Lamb and his army. (Revelation 19:19). It was at the destruction of this power which had seduced the bride from her fidelity to her espoused husband, that she “made herself ready,” “arrayed herself in linen, clean and…

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“white;” and was fully married to the lamb. It was in view of the immediate destruction of this power with which God had a long controversy—of this power that had contested with God the rule and dominion of the world—that was heard the voice of a great multitude and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, “Alleluia, for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth.” (Rev. 19:6). It was the man-government in constitutional distinction and opposition to the Divine, that was christened “Babylon,” or confusion and its birth, and in its death, had the simple epitaph inscribed by God, as characteristic of its life, “Babylon.”
D. L.

SPIRITUAL INFLUENCE AND THE DIVINITY OF CHRIST

We have received a communication from Bro. J. R. Jones, of Caldwell county, Ky., in reference to a couple of discourses delivered at Bethlehem Church, in said county, by a Methodist Doctor, charging that the Disciples of Christ denied these two fundamental ideas of and agencies in the Gospel plan of Salvation. We would gladly publish Bro. Jones’ criticism but it would be devoting more space than we can spare to a man who has no more respect for himself, his brethren, or the public than to engage in the work of charging upon a man and people the teaching of opprobrious tenets which every man, woman, and child in their midst believes as firmly as he or she believes in the existence of God, or his own existence after death, are subversive of every principle of God’s plan of redemption, and destructive of every feeling of virtue and holiness in the heart.

He can have no self-respect for himself, the public, or his own brethren. If he had self-respect, he could never undertake to tell what a body of professed Christians taught, unless he knew their faith and teachings. If he knows anything of their teachings, he knows every word of the charges referred to above, to be as devoid of truth as anything the wicked one ever concocted.

If he respects his own integrity as a man, and pretensions as a minister, he could never utter such statements. For him to utter such things before his fellow-men, is evidence that he thinks them very ignorant or very wicked, to countenance a man that could be guilty of such depravity. He cannot respect his own church, the Methodist, or he could not wish to give the character it must obtain by sending out preachers of such slanderous proclivities.

Of course, to respect the simplest elements of truth, to respect the Church of Christ or God, and pursue such a course, is out of the question. The time for forbearance with such unmitigated slanders and slanderers has passed. That Alexander Campbell objected to much of the style and many of the terms used by Trinitarians, because they were non-scriptural expressions, is true. But that he ever sympathized with that most insidious, corrupting and fatal of all forms of infidelity, Unitarianism, is…

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The writer of this has been a diligent reader of the writings of A. Campbell. From early childhood, he has probably read every article he has ever published, but has never seen a word from him indicating such sympathy, but much to the contrary. Indeed, no honest man can make the confession that every member, on admission into the Church of Christ, is required to make and have a doubt in reference to the absolute Divinity of the Son of God. The Son must be the same nature of the Father. If God is Divine, His Son must be equally Divine. We venture the assertion that this Doctor, were his life at stake, could not find a word that A. Campbell ever penned belittling a doubt as to the Divinity of the Son of God. Nor can he find a man, woman, or child in good standing in the Church of Christ that has a doubt upon the subject.

Mr. Campbell preached a discourse some years ago in the Methodist, McKendree Church, in Nashville, on the office and mission of the Holy Spirit, in which he thralled particularly upon the office and mission of the Son of God. Bishop Soule was one of his hearers. When he came down from the stand, he was introduced to the Bishop, who, with eyes sparkling with unconflicted delight, remarked, “It rejoices my soul to hear my Lord so magnified,” or words to that amount. The Methodist Christian Advocate, of the 15th inst., refutes the slander. The writer, Dr. McFerrin, (I suppose) speaking of the same discourse, says, “we could detect little, if anything, in the whole discourse to which any ‘fraternal’ could take exceptions.” Methodists who have any intelligence and self-respect, have ceased to make such false statements. Did we know of a man, woman, or child in our midst that believed, felt, or any being in mortal frame, could live the Christian life one single hour without the aid and direction of the Holy Spirit of our God—well we would try to teach them better; and if they could not or would not be taught, we would advise them to seek association in some other church than the Church of Christ. Our Methodist friends can afford to have such slanders as these referred to, recalled through the country under the sanction of their ministerial cloaks and church commissions; we are sure we can

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About a Union of the Believers in Christ

It is fitting that the proposition should come from our Baptist brethren. But we have no personal or denominational pride that can, for one moment, stand in the way of an object so desirable. We have not a feeling, a thought, a preference, personal or denominational, save our fidelity to Christ as the supreme, rightful, only law-giver and ruler of the Church of God, that we would not gladly sacrifice in order to bring about a union of all the professed followers of the Redeemer in our Scriptural body; or if this is, at present, impracticable, to bring about a union of those who maintain the belief of the believing penitent with the Lord, a prerequisite to acceptable discipleship in his kingdom.

Will not our brethren then invite the Baptists, either as a body or as individual churches, to meet them, and prayerfully consult, to see if they cannot come together, and labor and worship as one people in Christ the Lord? Each congregation must at last decide this question of union for itself. Why not then, in each neighborhood, the congregation, whether Baptist or Disciple, propose to the other or others in the vicinity, to meet them in private, prayerful consultation, to see if they cannot be one? We feel that such an earnest effort must be blessed, and would do good even though it failed to accomplish all that is desirable. How many congregations will make this effort? Which will lead in the effort?
D. L.

The Negro

Several allusions have been made to the negro, his former and present relationship to society. We have restrained our disposition to say a few things in reference to him and these relationships, because there is so much said merely for political effect, that we have been reluctant to speak on the subject. Notwithstanding, it is our intention to discuss freely and candidly the religious bearing of all questions of practical interest.

He was a slave by the law of the land in which he lived. As such the relationship was to be recognized and respected. Jesus Christ found slavery in the country in which he lived, a slavery more cruel and abject than ever existed in our country. He did not destroy it. He did not forbid his servants to own slaves. But he told them, through his Apostles, how they should treat them; he regulated but did not destroy the relationship.

The relationship is so often recognized in the New Testament, both in the master and the servant as members of the Church of Christ, that we have often wondered how an individual could believe the Bible was of God, and deny that the relationship was tolerated by Christ. We would as soon think of denying that Christ is the Son of God, as to deny that there might be “believing masters.” It is in the Bible recognized and regulated as other relationships, such as husband and wife, parent and child. Yet we have never looked upon it as actually…

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enjoying the Divine sanction with them. Marriage was instituted and commanded of God as a blessing to the human family—so parent and child. Slavery was ordained of God as a punishment of wickedness, and could not be classed among the beneficent blessings of our Father to his children, as were the other relationships referred to. The earthly kingdoms were and are usually employed by God in inflicting the temporal punishment upon the disobedient. David, Psalms xcvii: 13, calls the wicked “God’s sword.” Christians then should regard the relationship as a political institution, with the origin of which they had nothing to do, and which they are to use as other political institutions, according to the requirements of God’s law.

We have ever held that the Christian master, under Heaven’s law, must hold his slaves as a sacred trust for their own good. But as this institution or relationship is political in its character, it can be destroyed by the power that instituted it, or the political authority of the country. When so destroyed, it is certainly the duty of the Christian to recognize the destruction and to bow submissively and quietly to the powers that be, on this as other subjects. Herein is the difference between this and other ordinances of Heaven manifest. God instituted and ordained matrimony. No human power can destroy this relationship. When a man has entered into the bonds of matrimony all the powers of the universe cannot justly absolve him from the obligation of this relationship, save for one cause specified by God. All the enactments of all the legislatures and the decisions of all the courts in the land, have never made a second marriage and cohabitation on the part of one professedly in God’s Kingdom, who has separated from a previous, but still living husband or wife, for anything else than adultery; anything else than adultery in the sight of God.

So with parent and child. No human power can absolve the parent from the duty of bringing up his child in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. No circumstance can release the child from its obligation to obey its parents in the Lord. But the relationship of master and servant is not so indissoluble in the sight of God. Indeed while the Apostle Paul returned the runaway slave, and told him and all Christian slaves to be content in their condition, and not to seek to evade the obligations of the relationship by running away from it, or by unfaithfulness in it, he at the same time told them, “If thou mayest be free, use it rather.” In other words, when the earthly power that controls and regulates these matters, says you are a slave, discharge your obligations with fidelity, but when that same power says, you may be free, use it rather.

The same power and the same people that introduced slaves and slavery into our country, have destroyed it. Whatever of sin attached to the introduction of the relationship or its destruction, and with its destruction the speedy annihilation of the race, is theirs, not ours; but the sins committed in failing to regulate this relationship, while it existed among us, according to the law of God.

THE GOSPEL ADVOCATE

The failure, too, to discharge our duties to a weak, helpless, ignorant, and now truly oppressed people, turned loose in our midst without protectors or advisers, will surely, my brethren, be ours. It is true, that under the misrepresentations of false friends, the negroes have sometimes repaid kindness with ingratitude, and have put themselves in a position of enmity to their life-long associates and friends. But they were ignorant and led by false statements, that would most likely have led you or me, and we have been similarly situated, into the same course. But taken as a whole, their conduct during the years of passion and strife through which we have passed, has been commendable, and better than you would have anticipated they would have acted in the circumstances.

You anticipated insurrection and bloody conflagration; in many instances you have found when you have been driven from your homes, and your wives and daughters and children left helpless, the affection and fidelity of the negro has been their support and protection. The negro has, as a whole, behaved himself with moderation and without vindictiveness. Indeed, we know that vindictiveness has never been a prominent trait of his character. It was natural, too, that he should desire to leave his former master and home, to realize that he in truth was free. When once satisfied of this, and when he has tried for a time the blessings and responsibilities of his new-found freedom, we find him usually disposed to return to his old home, and oftentimes anxious to renew the terms of his old relationship. While these latter cannot be renewed, it is the part of humanity and Christianity for the old master and his family to respond to and encourage the renewal of the kindly feelings.

The negroes are here helpless and ignorant, perishing for lack of proper care and attention to their comfort. We have been their life-long associates, have played with them in childhood, toiled side by side with them in manhood, have provided for their wants in common with our own, have regarded them as members of our own households, have nursed them in sickness, have followed their relatives, and they ours, to the same burial ground, have wept around the same grave, have attended together the same meetings, sung the same songs, sat around the same communion table of our common Lord, and looked forward to the same blessed Heaven, and shall we suffer ourselves to be alienated from them or them from us for no act of theirs or ours?

We are familiar with their habits, know how to deal with their weak points of character, and are better qualified in every way to labor with and benefit them than any other people. We are able above all others, despite a temporary estrangement, to gain and retain their friendship and confidence. Shall we not do it? It seems to me good policy suggests to the citizen to do this. They must live as citizens of your country, in your midst, dependent and influenced by others more intelligent and enterprising than themselves. Will you, by kindness and attention…

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tion, by dealing fairly and justly, by encouraging them to respect themselves, provide for themselves, educate and moralize themselves, gain this confidence and their influence, or will you repulse them and drive them from your friendship to a feeling of hostility, and cause them to look to strangers for friends and advisers? The Christian religion certainly requires you to use your facilities to elevate and encourage them, and if we fail, the sin of neglecting a poor, dependent race in our midst will rest upon us.

We should encourage them by fair, liberal dealing with them, to be industrious and honest—should encourage them to learn to read and study the Bible, to become moral and religious in their character—we should encourage them to attend meetings, and kindly and gratefully point them to the Lamb of God, who died to save them as well as us.

These Christians, none can do so effectively as we who have long been familiar with them from childhood. Another thought that should move us to act earnestly and promptly in their behalf is the capacity with which they are passing away.

Prepared for the responsibilities and cares that have been unavoidably thrown upon them, as helpless children, to contend, without aid, with the difficulties by which they are surrounded, without forethought, experience or care, to protect themselves against the traps and lures of the church, they are sinking away beneath the waves of the sun, and without some change, must soon disappear from our land.

And their presuming and helpless condition must disarm every generous heart of every feeling of resentment, and strongly and tenderly appeal to the kindness and sympathy of every Christian heart for earnest, immediate help for an old household name that is so rapidly vanishing from our midst.

D. L.

ANOTHER QUESTION ON PRAYER

In the last number of the Advocate, Bro. J. C. in writing on the subject of prayer, says, “There are conditions in prayer, 1. Faith; 2. Another condition of prayer is the forgiveness of those who have injured us.”

While I admit it is true, both of these conditions are necessary to our forgiveness. Yet I ask you, Bro. J. C., or any one else, if we can forgive those who injure us, without any repentance on their part? If we are to forgive, as our Heavenly Father forgives, does he forgive without repentance? If not, should we?

N. W. B.

We hope the brethren will give the subject of forgiveness thorough investigation.

D. L.

NOTICE

There are several hundred dollars of subscriptions in the hands of agents, will they please make an effort for one week to double the amounts, and then remit to us as per directions?

D. L.

THE GOSPEL ADVOCATE

CORRECTION

CINCINNATI, March 18th, 1866.

Dear Bro. Fanning,

I saw in your paper some time since a report of G. C. H., of his travels through Southern Kentucky, which I think is calculated to do the congregations injury. Bro. H. says that “In two or three places in the towns, they meet every Lord’s day—not a single place in the country.” In Christian county, at Liberty, and at Street’s schoolhouse, the congregations meet every Lord’s day, and have so done for many years. There is another congregation North of town, that meets regularly, I believe. In Hopkinsville, the congregation has, for twenty-five years, met regularly every Lord’s day, unless hindered by providential circumstances.

I regret that the brethren and sisters should ever resort to any means other than voluntary, to raise funds. As to the “Christmas Tree,” he must have misunderstood the matter. Upon the same grounds he would condemn Sunday Schools. It was not got up to raise money. On the contrary, it was for the distribution of presents to the school, as rewards for their good behavior, industry and attention to their lessons during the year. Our quarterly report showed that some of the children had, in three months, memorized and repeated fifteen hundred verses. All had worked diligently, and now we have the largest school in the place, and are prospering well.

The exercises of the evening were conducted with as much decorum as are the exercises at school. We had a large and attentive audience, a number of songs, two addresses from members of the school, which were very creditable to the young men who delivered them, and were listened to with profound attention, and all passed off well.

We certainly did not intend to plant a tree in the Lord’s nursery that he would not water and make to grow.

Yours in hope,
E. H. HOPPER.

SUGGESTIVE THOUGHTS REGARDING BRO. HOPPER’S LETTER

It affords us much satisfaction to give Bro. Hopper’s letter to our readers. It is next to an impossibility for a stranger, in passing hastily through a county, to do himself or others justice on any subject, and therefore, men should look, sit awhile again, and then hear twice at least, before they write once.

We knew the brethren in former years, in Southern Kentucky, and in giving brother G. C. H.’s letter publicity, we were confident, as we then intimated, that from bad health, or other influences, he would be under too heavy a cloud to give a safe report.

Brethren, let us cultivate the spirit and manners of our Savior in all that we say or do.

T. F.

THE GOSPEL ADVOCATE

NOTICE

We are exceedingly anxious to have a number of articles better calculated to interest the young than any we have as yet presented. Will some of our sisters make an effort to aid us in this? It requires a talent so rarely found among men, that we must rely upon our sisters for help. We also need a few more pages to the Advocate to give room for them.
D. L.

SELFISHNESS

A person may be just as selfish in his intellectual gains as in his pecuniary possessions. The individual that acquires knowledge and never imparts it, is just as selfish as the miser who gains wealth and hoards it. The man or the woman that reads and studies only for his or her own gratification, without any reference or regard to the attainments enabling their possessor to benefit the human family, is just as criminal as the money lover, who moves Heaven and Earth for riches to spend in his own gratification and lusts, and refuses to devote any portion of it to the good of his fellow man. The true Christian labors for money, that he may use it for the good of his fellow man and the honor of God, and no Christian has a right to make money for any other purpose. So, too, the conscientious student directs his studies solely with a view to his being able to benefit his fellow men and honor his Maker. Neither time or money spent in increasing the wealth and luxuries of the rich is well spent in the sight of God, but that only which is devoted to the relief of the wants and distresses of the poor and to the alleviation of the sorrows of the afflicted.
D. L.

April 4th, 1866

Bro. F.urnnw & Ltl’sco~ul: I have just returned from a trip South. I was at Selma, Ala., fifteen days. Found the citizens engaged in building up the demolished buildings destroyed by the ravages of war. I found some ten or twelve disciples, and the house still standing, but learned they were not meeting to worship the Lord. Some few expressed great desire to have preaching. I found one brother here is well posted on the Scriptures and gifted in talking, and who could do good in the cause of his Master if he would turn his mind in that direction, as he does in selling goods at auction. I found the disciples rather cold, with a few exceptions. I was in Corinth one day—enquired for disciples—could find none—heard of one, Sister Priest, a few miles in the country, who has not forgotten her Savior. I saw her son, a pleasant, courteous young man. He was engaged in shipping goods, and could not have the conversation I wished.
Your brother, D. HAMILTON

THE GOSPEL ADVOCATE

ELDER R. E. JONES

Having made satisfactory confession, the charges preferred against him by the church at Franklin College, has been restored to the fellowship of the brethren.
D. L.

We have received $48.80 for Bro. N. W. Smith, of Ga., $9 from Winchestet, Ind., $12 from Tait’s Station, Ky., $2 from Palmyra, Mo. In a private note from Bro. S. he says:

I have concentrated my real destination. I frequently work hard all the week and walk from ten to twenty miles on Lord’s day to preach. Brethren, will it be necessary again to remind a Christian brotherhood of the wants of our brother? It seems to me that no man of means, professing to be Christian, can rest in undisturbed dreams one night, until he has done something to relieve his wants. We have appealed to the brethren North of us, but cannot the brethren and churches in Tennessee help Bro. Smith in his destitution and thus help the cause in Georgia? The blessing will rebound upon our own heads.
D. L.

Graham River, P. O., Hart County, Ky., March 31, 1866.

Bro. T. Fanning & D. Lindcomb: – I see some writers from Kentucky have reported the progress of some congregations, which I regard of great interest to the brethren and readers of your improving paper. Permit me to report the interesting progress of Gilead and Chappel congregations, who meet regular, with their countenances lighted up with zeal for Messiah’s kingdom on earth. Soon after Bro. T. Fanning’s short visit to our neighborhood, Bro. John D. Steel, from Cosey county, made a tour of ten or fifteen days, and although he is advanced in years, having passed through seventy-four winters, he preached every day, and sometimes twice, to large, attentive congregations.

We had twenty additions to our churches, a large number of which was confession and baptism. He aided the brethren to organize a new church at the Chappel, of twenty odd members, who continue zealous for good work. Bro. Andrew Davis from Tennessee, now located at Horse Cave, preaches regular to these congregations; a very acceptable speaker. Bro. Sam’l Davis and Bro. Crenshaw have also made short tours and preached among us with interest.

I cannot close without saying that Bro. Fanning’s discourse at Horse Cave has often been spoken of at the right time and place, and on the right subject. Oh that he could gain his consent to visit us again, when the grass grows and the birds sing! I would like to write some on the second advent of Messiah, but I am too homely a writer for a subject of such great moment.

Yours in hope,
JORDAN OWEN.

THE GOSPEL ADVOCATE

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THE GOSPEL ADVOCATE

We this week add a cover to the ADVOCATE. We have been withholding the cover for a few weeks, hoping to be able to add eight more pages to the ADVOCATE, commencing with the first of April. We find ourselves unable to do so just yet. A little more activity on the part of our brethren, especially our preaching brethren, would have enabled us to have made the addition at this time. Our pamphlet is not large enough to admit the amount of correspondence we would like to give. Our communications are crowded out until many of them lose their freshness. And even with those that lose nothing by being delayed for a time, their delay discourages their authors from writing again, being in suspense as to whether their communications are acceptable.

We, brethren, need eight pages more. We will then give our readers twelve hundred and forty-eight pages of matter for two dollars a year. One thousand additional subscribers will enable us to do this. If the brethren will go to work and help us, we will easily obtain them by the first of June or July. They can be obtained in Middle Tennessee, in counties in which we have not yet a single subscriber on account of the lack of mail facilities heretofore, but which are now being opened to the mails. And notwithstanding, in several counties we have a larger list of subscribers than any religious paper ever had before, yet, in these counties a little more activity among our friends will double our lists. In several of our largest congregations in these counties we have the smallest lists, just because the effort has not been made to obtain large ones.

We need space in our paper to notice new books, especially school books, and others having a moral and religious bearing upon the church and the world, and to discuss the moral and religious tendencies of many callings and practices of professed Christians that we now have not room for. We wish to investigate the religious influence of the customary principles and practices of trade, debt, and other practices of social and domestic life. We have not room for a number of essays on the history of the church that would be interesting and profitable.

Brethren, the editors and publishers of the ADVOCATE are making sacrifices to establish a paper, in form and matter, that will be worthy of the cause we plead—a pure church under the absolute and sole government of Christ the Lord. We labor every day of our lives for it without a dollar’s compensation. Will you not aid us? Will not every brother and sister who reads this, interest him or herself in helping us to extend its circulation, and thus enlarge the bounds of its influence, and enable us to make a better paper? Shall we have the enlarged paper? It is for you to decide. Let every one try to get a club, or if not a club, a single subscriber, and send it to us with the money, and the work will be done in a few weeks.

D. L.

THE GOSPEL ADVOCATE

SPECIAL NOTICE

All communications and remittances of names and money intended for the GOSPEL ADVOCATE, or for David Lipscomb, should be directed to Nashville, Tenn. All letters and communications for Elder T. Fanning personally, will be directed to him at Franklin College. The sending of lists and communications for the ADVOCATE to Franklin College frequently delays them several weeks. Will correspondents and subscribers please note this?
D. L.

PROSPECTUS OF VOLUME VIII. OF THE GOSPEL ADVOCATE

The undersigned propose resuming the publication of The Gospel Advocate as a Weekly Journal, January 1st, 1866.

Our purpose is to maintain the right of Jesus Christ to rule the world, the supremacy of the Sacred Scriptures in all matters spiritual, and to encourage an investigation of every subject connected with the Church of Christ, which we may consider of practical interest. The Kingdom of God as a real, permanent institution, “The pillar and support of the Truth,” upon a proper appreciation of which, the welfare of the world and the happiness of man depend; her origin, organization, history, labor and mission; her relation to worldly powers, civil, military and religious, and her final triumph, will occupy much of our attention. The education of the world for Christianity, and the training of Christians for immortality, will constitute an important part of our labor.

The work will be published at Nashville, Tennessee, in Weekly Numbers of sixteen pages, the size of the former GOSPEL ADVOCATE, neatly folded and stitched, at:

  • $2.50 for Single Subscribers.
  • $10.00 for Five Subscribers.
  • $20.00 for Ten Subscribers, invariably in advance.

We would be pleased to have the cooperation of the Brethren generally, and the Preachers of the Word especially, in circulating the paper. In making remittances, send all sums of $10 and under, in registered letters by mail at our risk, and all sums over $10, by express, or in checks or Post Office draft.

Direct all communications for the ADVOCATE to:

T. FANNING, D. LIPSCOMB, Editors & Publishers, GOSPEL ADVOCATE, Nashville, Tenn.

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