The Gospel Advocate – April 24, 1866

by

THE GOSPEL ADVOCATE

T. Fanning, Editor
D. Lipscomb
VOL. VIII
Nashville, April 24, 1866
NUMBER 17

CHURCH OF CHRIST AND WORLD-POWERS, NO. 10

We wish to direct attention to the spirit of the Church of Christ and of the world-powers. Every organization must have its own peculiar spirit that abides in it and animates each of its members. The member of an organization or body that is not under the guidance and direction of its leading, animating spirit, cannot be in lively, active harmony with that body. The member of the fleshly body of man that is not animated, directed, and controlled by the spirit that dwells within that body is dead.

So, too, of the branch of a tree or vine that does not receive the life, the animus of the body, dies, and then must be cast out to be burned. So, too, the member of the body of Christ that fails to dwell into, to be animated, guided, and governed by the spirit that dwells within the body of Christ, cannot be an active, living member of the Church of God.

The world-government, too, has its peculiar spirit that dwells within it, and must inspire and direct every faithful, active, living member of this government. No individual can be under the guidance of two opposite or diverse spirits at the same time; two may contend for mastery in his person, but one or the other must triumph, rule, and control the man.

Are the respective spirits that rule and animate the Church of Christ and the world-powers similar and harmonious with each other in their character, or are they diverse and irreconcilable? Every institution must partake of the spirit of its founder. No power can found a kingdom or institution, and give to it a spirit that he himself does not possess. No power can impart that which itself does not possess.

The kingdom then must possess the spirit of its founder until some other power infused a different spirit into it and changes its true and proper character. God, through his gentle, meek, loving, self-sacrificing Son established the Church of Christ, and imparted to it his spirit to dwell in, animate, guide, and control that body and every member thereof.

Whoever puts himself…

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under the guidance or control of a different spirit, ceases to be a member of the Church or body of Christ. “Now if any man have not the spirit of Christ, he is none of his.” Rom. viii.: 9. The kingdoms of the world were formed by man in rebellion against his Maker. Therefore they must have received of the rebellious spirit of man, or of the spirit of the great author of that rebellion—the wicked one. These spirits must of necessity have been antagonistic. Has either of them been so changed as to harmonize them? To have changed the spirit of the Church of God would have been to have changed the church itself from its allegiance to God, to the wicked one. “If any man has not the spirit of Christ, he is none of his,” is as true of the church as of individuals. To give the church another spirit than Christ’s spirit would be to make it some other church than Christ’s Church.

The founder was to be known as the Prince of Peace. He came to establish a kingdom of peace. Isaiah ix.: 6-7, says, “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulders: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever.” His government and peace were to increase alike, with equal steps. Of the increase of these, his kingdom and his spirit that amounted that kingdom, there was to be “no end.”

The same prophet foretelling of the establishment of this kingdom and its nature and effect, says, Isaiah ii.: 2-4. “And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the Lord’s house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it. And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning-hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.”

Here the establishment of the Church of Christ is foretold, also its character and effect. In the last days of the Jewish nation it is to be established. It is not to be confined to one people like the Jewish kingdom, but all nations shall have full access to it. Not one, but many different tribes and families will say, “Let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob, and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths.” This is not a prophecy that every individual of all the nations will thus come to the Lord, “learn of him and walk in his ways,” but that it shall be open to all and certain ones out of all will come to the Lord, etc. The result of this was to be, that

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“he would judge among the nations and rebuke many people, and they shall beat their swords into plow-shares and their spears into pruning-hooks. Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.” Who are the nations that are to be thus affected? The political kingdoms of the earth? They are to be found warring and fighting till their final destruction, at the end of the present order of things.

See Daniel ii: 12-44. Revelations xii: 9.

It is all a dream to suppose the earthly kingdoms of man’s mold will ever attain to the state of peace and happiness here described. What then are the nations that are to attain to this condition? Certainly those who go up to the mountain of the Lord’s house—who are taught of his ways, who walk in his paths, who are rebuked or reproved of him, and hearken to his reproof.

They shall beat their swords into plow-shares and their spears into pruning-hooks; these are the nations, “that shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall these study war any more.”

We find the same use of the term “nations” in Rev. xxi: 24. “The nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it.” A similar use of the term is had with reference to the opposite class. Psalms ix: 17. “The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God.”

It is nowhere foretold that the political, human organizations of earth shall come to this estate. On the other hand, Joel tells us the mission, work or result of the earthly kingdoms.

Joel iii: 9. “Proclaim ye this among the Gentiles; (they were the human governments in contrast with God’s government of Judaism) Prepare war, wake up the mighty men, let all the men of war draw near; let them come up: beat your plow-shares into swords, and your pruning-hooks into spears: let the weak say, I am strong.”

In which the work and spirit of the Gentile world are placed in contrast and antagonism to the Kingdom of God. Then the expression, “They shall beat their swords into plow-shares and their spears into pruning-hooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more,” is confined to those who “are taught of God,” and “who walk in his ways.” Those who act otherwise cannot be taught of God, and do not walk in his ways.

Isaiah xi: 6-9. “The wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them. And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice’s den. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea.”

In this mountain of the Lord, or in his Church that was to be established, no vicious temper or wicked spirit could exist. In all or any part of it nothing could hurt or destroy. This is the temper and spirit foretold by Isaiah in contrast with the wars, fightings, destructive and bloody con…

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…that he and others of the prophets continually foretell shall be the spirit and working of all earthly kingdoms until they finally be destroyed from the earth, and leave the Kingdom of God the sole dispenser of the blessings of perpetual and unbroken peace through the years of God’s glorious reign upon earth.

We might fill a volume with extracts from the prophecies of the Old Testament, showing the peaceable spirit of this new covenant of God with the faithful of all nations, and the opposite spirit of the world-institutions. Every single world-institution brought in review before the visions of the prophets exhibits the same spirit and ends the same bloody end. We have failed to find from Genesis to Malachi a single prophecy concerning the work and destiny of a world-government that did not indicate a life of strife and a death of blood.

We come now to an inquiry concerning the spirit of the institution, as exemplified in the life and teachings of Christ, his apostles, and the early church. His advent on earth was announced by the shout of an angelic host, “Glory to God in the highest, on earth, peace, good-will to men.” When Jesus commenced his mission, after his temptation, he first delivered to his apostles an abridgment of the great principles or laws that were to govern his subjects in his kingdom. In this code of laws he explicitly declares, Matt. v: 38, “Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth. But I say unto you, that ye resist not evil; but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak also.” 43. “Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbor, and hate thine enemy: but I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; that ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so? Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.”

Here the Savior gives us a positive law of his Kingdom, that his subjects shall not return evil for evil, but they shall return good for evil. This is the positive law, too, for the government of every subject of King Messiah. The object as set forth by the Savior is to make us the children of our Father who is in Heaven, and to perfect us like God our Father. To every one then that has an aspiration to be a child of God, to be made perfect like unto him, it is necessary to conform to this solemn law of the Lord Jesus. And no man can be a child of God without cultivating and continually practicing this spirit. The same law as given by Christ…

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Self, is recorded by Luke vi: 27. The whole life and teachings of the Savior were a continued exemplification of this law. He uncomplainingly bore evil, persecution, contumely, and contempt during his life. He endured sorrow and affliction while he lived on earth. His life was falsely sworn away, and he suffered a cruel and ignominious death, as a malefactor, without a word of bitter reproach escaping him.

“He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he opened not his mouth.” — Isaiah liii: 7.

But in his last dying struggle, without bitter feeling to his enemies, he prays, “Father, forgive them; they know not what they do.” Peter, speaking of the uncomplaining sufferings of the Savior, says, 1 Peter 2:19: “For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully. For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God. For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously.”

He tells that Christ’s meek and uncomplaining sufferings were an example to us that we should follow his steps. The Savior tells his Apostles they should suffer persecution. He sent them forth as sheep amongst wolves. The meek, submissive, unresentful, uncomplaining suffering of the sheep was the temper that his followers must exhibit. In all their persecutions, many of them had the continual witness of the spirit that “in every city bonds and imprisonment awaited them,” the gentle harmlessness of the dove must be their spirit.

The Savior makes the forgiveness of our enemies an absolute and necessary condition of our being forgiven of God. “If ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in Heaven forgive you your trespasses.” — Mark xi: 26. He tells the disciples that would call down fire and brimstone to destroy the offending village, Luke ix: 56, “Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of. For the Son of man is not come to destroy men’s lives, but to save them.” To Peter, who cut off the ear of Malchus with the sword, the Savior said, “Put up again thy sword into his place; for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword.” — Matt. xxvi: 52.

He was then in the great work of establishing his kingdom, and it is a distinct declaration that the sword was not to be used in the establishment of his kingdom. All those kingdoms that are established by the sword, or use the sword, shall perish by the sword. The Apostles were all true to this spirit in their lives, and taught it to their brethren. Stephen died animated by the spirit of his Master, praying as they stoned him to death, “Father, lay not this sin to their charge.” — Acts vii: 60. Paul, to…

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his Roman brethren, xii.: 17. “Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men. If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. Therefore, if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.”

1 Cor. iv.: “Doing reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we suffer it.” “Why do ye not rather take wrong? why do ye not rather suffer yourselves to be defrauded?” He tells the Galatians, “The fruits of the flesh are bitterness, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, envyings, murders,” “and they that do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God,” but the fruit of the Spirit is peace, long suffering, etc. Gal. v.: 20-22.

To the Ephesians iv.: 31, he says, “Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: and be ye kind one to another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.”

To the Philippians, “Only let your conversation (behavior) be as becometh the Gospel of Christ.” Phil. 1: 27. “Let nothing be done through strife or vain glory.” To the Colossians iii.: 8-10. “Put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, etc.; put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him.”

He says, 1 Thess. v.: 15. “See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good.”

Heb. xii.: 14. “Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord.” 1 Peter ii.: 21-23. “Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously.”

Again, xi.: 9. “Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing; but contrariwise, blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing.”

John 1 epistle iii.: 15. “Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer, and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.”

James iii.: 16. “For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.” iv.: 1. “Whence come wars and fighting among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members?”

Indeed every page of the New Testament bears the unmistakable trace of this spirit or the church as manifest in the teachings, lives and deaths of Christ and his holy Apostles. No human government ever originated, save in strife and bloodshed; they all live by virtue of their strength and skill in the use of carnal weapons, and must die, one and all of them, in and through bloody strife. There is nothing that more fully illustrates this irreconcilable antagonism of spirit, than their respective banners and monumental institutions. The founders of all earthly institutions are rendered glorious and estimable by being drenched in the blood of their enemies.

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slted for their own benefit. The manner of the cross glories in the death of its own subjects for the good of its enemies; its virtue is derived from the bloodstains of its own great standard-bearer, dying that his enemies might live. Can the same heart adore and love two banners, the representatives of two such diverse and antagonistic spirits? “Can a fountain send forth, at the place, sweet water and bitter?”
D. L.

THE UNPARDONABLE SIN

The following enquiry we extract from a letter of Bro. D. R. Sowell of April 8th, 1866:

Brother F.ur.sing: – De so good, at your earliest convenience, as to show, from the Sacred Scriptures, in what the sin against the Holy Spirit consists, as recorded in the 12th chapter of Luke, 10th verse.

For many years we have been seriously impressed that it may be of great value to many Christians to understand clearly the teachings of the Scriptures touching the unpardonable sin. We think, indeed, that we have known it committed by many, and have seen its effects in communities but little suspected of great wrong. But of this, more after the answer shall have been given.

It will be proper in the first place to give all that the Scriptures say upon the subject.
Matthew xii: 22. “Then was brought unto him one possessed with a devil, blind and dumb; and he healed him. But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, this fellow doth not cast out devils, but by Beelzebub the prince of the devils. And Jesus knew their thoughts, and said unto them, every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand. And if Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself; how shall then his kingdom stand? And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your children cast them out? therefore they shall be your judges. But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the Kingdom of God is come unto you. Or else, how can one enter into a strong man’s house, and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong man? and then he will spoil his house. He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad. Wherefore, I say unto you, all manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit shall not be forgiven unto men. And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him; but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Spirit, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come.”

This sin is recorded by Luke xii: 10, thus: “And whosoever shall speak a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him; but unto him that blasphemeth against the Holy Spirit, it shall not be forgiven.”

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Mark (iii.: 28-28) records the passage thus, “Verily, I say unto you, all sins shall be forgiven unto the sons of men, and blasphemies wherewithsoever they shall blaspheme: but he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Spirit hath never forgiveness, but is in danger of eternal damnation; because they said, He hath an unclean spirit.” John, in his first epistle, chapter v, verses 16 and 17, says, “If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death: there is a sin unto death; I do not say that he shall pray for it. All unrighteousness is sin, and there is a sin not unto death.”

The sin unto death is also mentioned by Paul. He says, “Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their conscience seared with a hot iron.” (1 Timothy iv.: 1-2).

We do not recollect any other very direct reference to the subject in the Bible. But we are asked, what is the sin? Let us connect a few points in the authorities submitted. In the first place, it will be noted that the Savior cast out a devil; secondly, the Pharisees charged him with the crime of casting out devils by Beelzebub, and thirdly, Jesus pronounced the sin of charging him with working by the prince of devils the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. This sin is not drunkenness, murder, robbery, or lying, but when our Lord worked by the finger of God, or Spirit of God, and his enemies attributed his success to satanic agencies, he declared there was no pardon for the offense.

We may be asked how can men now commit the unpardonable sin? The way is still open, and many even in this day, and all around us, commit this sin. The Holy Scriptures, if there is any spiritual truth on earth, were given by the Spirit of God, and whosoever presumes to attribute the revelations contained therein to evil spirits, commits the unpardonable sin. Paul says, “Some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils.” Whoever follows new spiritual developments is beyond the reach of redemption.

We will give a plain and unequivocal example of the unpardonable sin in our own times; Modern Spiritualists not only assure us that there are spirits now making developments to the world, but they also assert that what is written in the Bible, that is veritable, was given in the identical manner that the revelations are now made to them. It is a remarkable fact that all these modern followers of “Rechabite Spirits,” attribute but little or no value to the revelations of the Bible, simply because, as they assert, modern revelations are far superior. Hence L. J. Davis, Judge Edmonds, the Davenports, J. B. Ferguson, and other, without exception, of this school, have renounced the spiritual authority of the New Testament, and in so doing have blasphemed against the Holy Spirit, have given heed to doctrines.

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of devils and committed the sin for which God’s people are forbidden to pray.

It is still quite remarkable that all who have listened to these seducing spirits, or come under the influence of modern spiritualism, have not only lost their respect for the Sacred Scriptures and the Church of God, but they hate the teaching of the Spirit of God, and are, to all intents and purposes, dead to true spiritual emotions. See the effect upon the Fergusons in this country, and all who contaminated themselves with the unclean thing. See the effects of this sin against the Spirit in all sections of the earth where it has been committed. Brethren, let us watch and pray, that we may be saved from the seductions of the devil, in whatever shape they may present themselves.

T. F.

THE CINCINNATI SOCIETY AND HYMN BOOK

Some of our brethren who profess to be opposed to the political position assumed by the A.C. Missionary Society, are disposed to apologize for its action on account of the circumstances that surrounded it. There was a strong political pressure brought to bear upon it, and it yielded to that pressure, and men who really were opposed to the action, either favored it or acquiesced in it to satisfy the political feelings of the multitude. This action was taken, as the tub is thrown to the whale, to oppose the monster. Now we have nothing to do with the peculiar phase of its political action. Our condemnation of it would have been just as severe if it had taken the opposite side in politics, as it is with its present political status. But what excuse is to be found for its action in yielding to surrounding influences? Just the same that is to be found for the action of Pontius Pilate. He did not wish to crucify the Son of God, but the surrounding influences overcame his yielding temper, and the Son of God was nailed to the tree.

“If you do not sign this warrant, you are not Caesar’s friend.” “If you do not take this action, you are no friends to your government,” were influences very similar in their nature, with this difference: Pilate was no professed friend of the Savior, and never vowed allegiance to him, was a man of the world, acting from worldly motives, and in a position where he was compelled to act for or against the Savior, the pressure came upon him from without. The Missionary Society was formed of the professed friends and followers of the Savior, had vowed allegiance unto death itself to sustain and keep pure his government, the pressure brought to bear was from within, and they, unlike Pilate, volunteered to act in the matter. The object and labor of the Society, with all our church antecedents, were of the character that would have especially shielded the Society from the necessity of taking action in the matter. Its action was wholly voluntary upon its part, the opportunity of action was sought out.

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now that the pressure of surrounding circumstances have been withdrawn, shown indications of remorse or repentance for the wrong inflicted upon the cause of Christ? The contrary manifests itself to our mind. In the face of this great wrong, with its record standing unobliterated, there is a precedent for future action, both for itself and other bodies of Christians, in questions of political and national strife, it has the effrontery to ask an endorsement of its course by the bestowment of a permanent endowment fund through the sale of hymn books.

Can a Christian do this? Can a Christian, by any act of his, fasten a political organization of any type or character upon the Church of Jesus Christ, and be held guiltless in the sight of God? In my judgment the church had better do without a hymn book for the next fifty years, than fasten upon herself the fatal and corrupting influence of a political organization. Better borrow a hymn book from her sectarian neighbors, select such hymns as can be sung by Christians, and use those, than to corrupt and defile the temple of God by bringing into the church the slime and filth of the political cesspool.

Says one, “When I buy a book I never ask the author or proprietor, if the book suits me, I buy it and the responsibility rests upon him for a proper use of the means. If he is an infidel, none of the responsibility rests upon me.” Aye, my brother, but when you know that the book is gotten up in the interests of infidelity, that its proceeds are devoted to the building up of an infidel association, how would the case stand? Even then a Christian man might buy a book for the purpose of exposing it. But could he recommend the general circulation of the book? Could he recommend the Church of Christ to patronize the book?

Now the Society is not infidel in the common use of that term, but if, as the great majority of Christians believe, the introduction of political strife into the church will corrupt and destroy that church, Christians had better assist to build up a dozen infidel associations out of the church, than to build up this one society with its antecedents in the church. This will weaken, corrupt and destroy the church, those all-over can. To us it is simply a question of fidelity to Christ, and the purity of his Church.

And for ourselves, there can be but one course to pursue. I know the disposition is to forget and excuse the past on the ground of the excitements, through which we have passed. And on no supposition that such things will not be repeated now that times of peace and quiet have come. Even were this true, it would not answer the demands of God’s law. The Amalekites sinned and forgot that special sin, but God treasured it in his memory for three hundred and sixty-four years, according to our chronology, and then remembered it, as only an angry God can remember sin and iniquity.

The fathers in Israel knew the prophets; the children became partakers of their sins, by simply recognizing those who had done the acts as their fathers, notwithstanding they disavowed the propriety of the acts; Mat. xxiii: 29. “Wo unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypo-

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Critics! because ye build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous, and say, if we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets. Wherefore, ye be witnesses unto yourselves, that ye are the children of them which killed the prophets. Fill ye up then the measure of your fathers. Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?

Here the simple fact of recognizing the guilty actors as their fathers placed them in a position of responsibility that caused God to hold that generation responsible for all the deeds of their fathers. Luke 11:48. “Truly ye bear witness, that ye allow the deeds of your fathers: for they indeed killed them, and ye build their sepulchres.”

Here, the allowing of the deeds of their fathers, notwithstanding they disavowed the propriety of the action, caused the blood of all the prophets, from righteous Abel to the blood of Zacharias, who perished between the altar and the temple, “to be required of that generation.” With this principle so clearly laid down by the Savior, who can doubt but that every one who in any way aids, countenances or encourages the Society at Cincinnati, with its political antecedents unrepented of, will be held just as responsible for the acts of said Society as though he had been present and moved the introduction of the political subjects himself.

And every one who comes after them and recognizes and supports the Society with its present record unobliterated, will be guilty of the sins of their fathers in the Society. But what ground is there for supposing the agitation of political subjects will cease in the Society? The feeling of the Society in past days has only rendered it utterly powerless to resist the introducing of such subjects in the future.

And is there any probability that fanaticism, political-religious fanaticism will ever lack for occasions for excitement? Did a religious organization, after admitting a political question into its body, ever free itself from it? Which and when? It seems to me the questions that now agitate the country, involving the destiny of America, call as loudly for the weight of the Society to be thrown into the political scales, as any question ever did.

The Society has lent its influence to the government to change the political status of the negro. (Christianity surely had no quarrel with or complaint of the government for its action in this. Their duty is to cheerfully submit, not applaud or find fault with.) That position the negro’s professed friend says, is worse than it was before. Those of us who live with, and who see him as he now is and as he has been, together with the negro himself, know that he is in a worse and more unprotected condition now than he was.

Can the Society who has helped to bring him to his present condition, forsake him and leave him in it? She must take sides in the strife between the President and Congress. And where shall this end? I tell you, my brethren, if this Society and its action is not sternly and determinedly repudiated by the masses of professed Christians…

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Throughout the land, our churches must become the arena of political division and animosity; our pulpits must be changed from fountains of gospel truth into political rostrums, our preachers must exchange the linen of righteousness, clean and white, for the bestial garments of the political cesspool. And when dark and bitter days of strife come again, as in all human probability they will and must come, our children and children’s children will have to exchange the sharp two-edged sword of the Spirit which wounds but to heal, for the bloody sword of desolation.

Brethren, shall this condition of affairs be forced upon them by our action? Every man that buys or encourages the purchase of a new hymn book while the property of the Cincinnati Society directly adds to hasten this political character upon the churches of Christ, and sows the seeds thereby of future division, strife, and bloodshed among the followers of the Prince of Peace. And why should they do this? No one pretends the book is what it should be. Passing over the sentiment of the hymns, for we never expect to see a hymn book faultless in this particular, the manner of its getting up renders it unsuitable.

Were it well gotten up, its size makes its general introduction among the churches undesirable, if not impracticable. Again, nine-tenths of the brethren South have the old hymn book. They are poor. We are confident our brethren North have never recognized their poor condition. They are having thousands of demands upon this poverty. It is impossible for them to bear the tax of throwing away their old hymn books to buy a new and more unsuitable one. He who tries to force them to this is an enemy to his impoverished and suffering brethren. Many are without hymn books. What must they do? Buy the new ones? That introduces confusion of hymn books. The very evil that is regarded of sufficient magnitude to justify, in its avoidance, the endowment of a society that has done all it can to defile the temple of God. But all these, time would care. Would involve no permanent principle of evil.

So we wish distinctly to place our opposition to the book on the ground that every man and woman that buys a book pays his money to fasten upon the Church of Christ a political organization and to place it beyond the control of the brotherhood by endowing it and by that act defiles the temple of God.

“If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy.” An edition of the old book would certainly best meet the wants and necessities of our brethren South. It matters not with us who gets it out, so that it is not made instrumental in corrupting and defiling the temple of God.

D. L.

LIPPER’S FOLKS, WILLIAMSON CO., MARCH 15, 1866.

Dear Brethren:

I am glad to see that our preaching brethren are complying with your request to report their labors for a year or two past. I believe I read these reports with pleasure, and hoping to give others pleasure, I will give you a brief synopsis of my labors for the last two years.

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During the spring and early summer of ’64 and ’65, I labored on the farm; and devoted my time to evangelizing during the remainder of the year. In the year 1864, I had twenty-seven additions at Sycamore Chapel, in Cheatham county, and last year twenty-five at the same place. In ’65 I had five at Owen’s Station, and two last year. Had eight at Laconia, in Hickory county, four at Tilotnpson’s Stations, five at Jones’ Creek, in Dickson county, and several at other places. At some of these points, I had the cooperation of other brethren. I always had attentive congregations and believe that there has never been a more favorable time than now for earnest, faithful preaching, and I regret that circumstances will compel me to confine my labors to a limited sphere for a while. But I hope to be able to devote more time to preaching next summer.

I am much pleased with the Advocate, and shall do all I can to aid in its circulation. May the Lord bless you in his service, and help us all to be faithful and obedient in all that he has commanded.

Your brother in Christ,
H. E. DAVIS.

For the Gospel Advocate

THE ARGUMENTS OF THE BAPTISTS AGAINST THE PRACTICABILITY OF A UNION BETWEEN THEMSELVES AND THE DISCIPLES IN 1866.

Discourse: Permit me to record, for the benefit of your readers and posterity, the reasons, and scriptures offered by our Baptist brethren in advance, and to prejudge the cause of the proposed union between themselves and the Disciples in the State of Virginia. In their journals, to-wit: The Georgia Index, copied, if not endorsed by the Baptist Missouri Journal, of March 10th, 1866, and the Western Recorder, Louisville, Ky., March 10th, 1866.

I would prefer sending you the words of these writers entire, but that would occupy too much space. I will give the reasons of the Western Recorder first. The first reason of difference between the two people is:

  1. Total depravity.
  2. Direct and personal operation on the sinner’s heart in regeneration.
  3. Salvation by grace through faith; while the Disciples believe baptism is essential to salvation.
  4. Disciples believe that all can believe, repent, and do all that God commands; Baptists do not believe this.
  5. Disciples believe in apostasy; Baptists, in final perseverance.
  6. Disciples deny that sinners have any right to pray for forgiveness of sins before baptism; Baptists maintain it.
  7. Baptists esteem Christian experience the marrow and latest of religion; Disciples believe not so.

These are a few of the differences. These, too, are the Scriptures, offered against the practicability of the proposed conference and union. The reasons against it of the other two journals are:

  1. If any Baptist Church should take action compromising Baptist…

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Principles, it would cease to be a Baptist church, and those members who oppose it will be the church.

  1. We are utterly opposed to the movement.
  2. We regard the proposal as a great misfortune, a most frightful disaster to the Baptist denomination.
  3. If the Disciples will announce us that they are new creatures in Christ Jesus, we will be glad to receive them after baptism, as we would all the rest of them.
  4. Any union with this sect shall meet with our unyielding opposition.
  5. This is the unanimous sentiment of the brethren where our paper circulates.

Georgia Indices

Now to these thirteen potent arguments against the practicability of the union of our Baptist brethren and the Disciples in the State of Missouri, in the year of light and grace, 1866, we offer the intercessory prayer of the Lord Jesus Christ in the 17th chapter of John’s Gospel.

  • We oppose the will of God to the will of men.
  • We say that the will of God should overrule the will of men.
  • We say that the will of God should be done, rather than the will of men.

In the Sacred Scripture which we offer is the Lord Messiah, said: “A kingdom divided against itself cannot stand, but would be brought to desolation.” (Matt. 12)

The third Scripture which we offer for the union of the two people in the State of Missouri is the book of Acts, which says, “That the ancient Christians were of one heart and soul.” (Acts iv.)

The fourth Scripture in support of the practicability of a union between the two people in the State of Missouri says, “Wherefore receive ye one another, as Christ also received us, to the glory of God.” (Rom. x. 7)

The Baptists and Disciples cannot be farther apart than were the Jews and Samaritans, and all the sects of Gentiles.

The sixth Scripture which I offer in support of our cause of union says, “Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offenses, contrary to the doctrines which ye have learned; and avoid them. For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.” (Rom. xvi. 17-18)

The sixth argument in support of such a union says, “Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind, and in the same judgment.” (1 Cor. i. 10)

The seventh argument in favor of its practicability is that divisions among Christians is an evidence of carnality and not of spirituality. (1 Cor. iii. 1 to 13) Are you not carnal and walk as men?

The eighth argument says, “that those who practiced strifes, heresies, seditions and sects, shall not inherit the Kingdom of God, that such things are works of the flesh and not of the Spirit.” (Galatians v. 20-21-22)

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The 9th Scripture says, “Behold how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity.” Psalm lxxxiii: 1.

Here I believe I will stop until some opponent of this most desirable union shall produce as many plain texts of Scripture against this union as I have produced to sustain it. There is, first, the rule of union which is the Bible, the whole Bible, and nothing but the Bible. Secondly, there is the foundation of union, which is Jesus Christ. Other foundation for union can no man lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus the Christ. 1 Cor. iii: 11.

Christ said he would build his congregation on this truth. Mark xvi: 16-17. This is the stone which was rejected by the Jewish builders. Psalm lxviii. Matt xxi. Mark xi. Luke xx. 1 Peter ii: 1 to 10. Acts iv. All the apostolic churches built on this foundation. Acts ii: Ephesians iv. The terms of union are faith in Jesus Christ, repentance, a change of heart, deep, heartfelt sorrow for sin, and an abandonment of all sin, and immersion into the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

Obedience to all the ordinances and precepts of Jesus Christ. All the apostolic churches were constitutionally and externally united in faith and practice at the death of the Apostle John, or at the close of the first century of the Christian era. The importance of union. There are but two events more important in the New Testament. The first is the annunciation of the birth of the Prince of Salvation. Luke ii. The second is the commencement of the reign of Heaven or the creation of the first Christian Church. Acts ii. The union of Christians must precede the conversion of the nations to the Gospel. Isaiah ii: Micah iv. The advantages of union are many and great. Union is strength; division, weakness—united, we stand; divided, we fall, is as true in Christianity as in politics. With few exceptions, the ancient Christians were united till the Nicene Council, in the year 305. Where the people of God are divided, Christianity is almost in a state of dissolution and annihilation. Christ commands his people to live in love and peace with each other.

Fraternally yours,

JACOB CREATH.

JACKSON COUNTY, Tenn., April 4th, 1866.

Dear Brethren:

You express a desire to hear from the churches and form an acquaintance with the preaching brethren in upper Middle Tennessee. Although my acquaintance is limited, I rejoice in the consolation that a few sparks of the Christian religion are still seen in the ashes of our deep debasement. During the heavy trials through which we have been passing, I have been trying to assist what few preaching brethren we have in taking care of our Master’s flock. While I take great delight in proclaiming the truth to the world, I labor and pray and hope for a…

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Content

day in which it may have a pure church upon which to rest while it conquers the world. I have associated with five churches in Putnam, Jackson and Smith counties. On the rolls of fellowship in these congregations, there are, I suppose, about six hundred names. But, alas, for our poor life! But little is known of our spiritual strength by counting these numbers. Although severely tried and greatly thinned in numbers, I think these churches are in as good condition as before the war. Considerable numbers have, from time to time, been added to the fold. All things have, and ever will, work for good to those who love the Lord. O that men would love God—would adorn the Christian profession with holiness of life—cease to rely upon human policy and human institutions—deny themselves, take up the cross and follow the Savior. Thus, and thus alone, do I hope to see a permanent and lasting peace and a triumphant church.

Yours in hope,
W. Y. KUYKENDALL

PROSPECTUS OF VOLUME VIII OF THE GOSPEL ADVOCATE

The undersigned propose resuming the publication of “THE GOSPEL ADVOCATE,” 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 in 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.
  • $1.25 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 drafts.

Direct all communications for the ADVOCATE to:

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

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