THE GOSPEL ADVOCATE
T. FANNING,
Editors: D. LIPSCOMB.
VOL. VIII.
NASHVILLE, MARCH 13, 1866.
NUMBER 11.
CHURCH OF CHRIST AND WORLD-POWERS, NO. 7.
Christ recognized the claims of the ‘Temptor’ to the kingdoms of this world, acknowledged by his action at the time, by his response to the wicked one, through his inspired apostles, Matthew, Luke, and Paul, that the offer of the kingdoms of this world by the wicked one, was a temptation to the Son of God. This could only have been true on the supposition that they were actually the possession of the devil. The world had been delivered him by men to whose control God had committed it. Christ, we have found, came into the world to rescue it from the dominion or possession of the wicked one. He proposed to do this, not by entering into and controlling the kingdoms of this world, that had been established under the rule and in the interest of the wicked one, but by destroying and consuming these and establishing a kingdom, “not made with hands—whose builder and maker is God.”
We find the Savior definitely marking his relationship to these kingdoms, when he asks Peter, “Of whom do the kings of the earth take custom or tribute? Of their own children or of strangers?” Peter saith unto him, “Of strangers.” Jesus saith unto him, “Then are the children free. Notwithstanding, lest we should offend them, go thou to the sea, and cast a hook, and take up the fish that first cometh up; and when thou hast opened his mouth, thou shalt find a piece of money: that take and give unto them for me and for thee.”
He thus, by his own act, coupled by a miracle, places himself upon the Apostle’s retort among the strangers to the kingdoms of this world. They are the children of no earthly government, although born and living under them. The enemies of the Savior saw that his claims to be king were adverse to the claims of any earthly potentate or power, so they made this the chief ground of opposition to him.
Matthew xxii.17. The Pharisees ask him, “Is it lawful to give tribute unto Caesar, or not?” But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, “Why tempt ye me, ye hypocrites? Shew me the tribute-money. And they brought…
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And he saith unto them, Whose is this image and superscription? They say unto him, Caesar’s. Then saith he unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things that are Caesar’s; and unto God the things that are God’s.
Or as ‘Tertullian’ once remarked: “The image of Caesar, which is on the coin, we shall give to Caesar. The things of God which are in man, are to be given to God.” Therefore, thou must give the money, indeed, to Caesar, but thyself to God, for what will remain to God, if both man and money be given to Caesar?
The enemies of the Savior knew that his kingdom was in opposition to all earthly kingdoms, so expected him to forbid the paying of tribute to Caesar, and to develop an open and violent hostility to Caesar’s government. They only mistook the nature of his weapon and kingdom, as well as the manner of establishing that kingdom.
In actuality, with his kingdom, the charge which they made against him at his trial was, that he claimed to be a king; therefore could not be Caesar’s friend.
Mark xv. 1; Luke xxiii. 2; John xviii. 33. But he answered the charge, but only stated, “My kingdom is not of this world.”
It cuts out the contest and settles the question of the earthly kingdoms. He uses no earthly weapons or violent means!
When Pilate is disposed to release Jesus, the multitude cried out, “Let this man go, thou art not Caesar’s friend.” This same leading of antagonism manifested itself in the persecution, imprisonment, and martyrdom of the Apostles and primitive Christians by the allegiances and powers of the earthly kingdom.
This antagonism was foretold by the Prophets and Psalms. “Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord, and against his anointed.”
Peter and John, after the healing of the impotent man in Solomon’s porch, were arrested and straightway threatened that they should not speak any more in the name of Jesus. They quote the scripture from Psalms, and apply it. “For of a truth against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel were gathered together, for to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done. And now, Lord, behold their threatenings.”
Acts iv. 26. Jesus Christ recognized, indeed, the manifoldism. He recognized ever that the world governments were his enemies. They sought his life at his birth. To destroy him, Herod destroyed all the children of two years old and under, in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof.
Matthew x. Christ selects and sends out his twelve apostles, he tells them “they shall be delivered up to the councils, and they shall be scourged in the synagogues, and ye shall be brought before governors and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them and the Gentiles.”
The taking on themselves the name of Christ, would bring on them the opposition and persecution of the political governments.
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But in these trials to which they are subjected, no account of Christ, thus,
he tells them “Fear not them (the civil rulers) who kill the body,
but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him (God) who is able to
destroy both soul and body in hell.” Christ speaking of his own,
“Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world
be cast out.” John xii. 31. In other words, now is the trial of the
strength of the prince of this world and the Prince of Heaven. The power of the
prince of this world will be triumphant over, and thus his claims be
regarded and his power overthrown. In the trial of strength, Jesus
Christ permits the rulers of this world to exercise their utmost strength
of power by killing the body. He then rises a victor from the grave, thereby showing that though they have exerted their utmost stretch of power,
he can overcome and destroy all their work. Paul speaking of the triumph of Christ over the highest powers of the mighty kingdoms, says, Col. ii. 15,
“Having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it.” He triumphed
over them by destroying their prestige of superiority, and in his personal
triumph over their utmost exerted power, he gave the assurance that
in the long controversy he had entered upon with the various, his final
triumph over them, in showing himself after his resurrection from the
grave. He shows his superior power to them all. You can only carry
down to the grave. I am superior to the prison bonds of death. Where
then your boasting? But this antagonism is prosecuted again, John xiv.
- “Hereafter I will not talk much with you: For the prince of this
world cometh, and hath nothing in me.” Here he announces that the
prince of this world—he that governs and rules the world, hath nothing
in Jesus—no interest or
prejudice in the kingdom.
Who is the prince of
this world? The wicked one—the devil? The devil operates through
Pontius Pilate, the civil ruler. The civil ruler, the human government then, is the agency through which the devil works. Not
saying one, the prince of this world was Pontius Pilate, who was coming. Then
Pontius Pilate, the representative of the civil human government, “hath
nothing in Christ,” no part, nor lot, nor heritage there. Civil government
is the same today that it was then. This government, whose ruler or
head, whether Pontius Pilate or the wicked one, is referred to, is the
same to which the Christians of primitive times were admonished to be
subject by Christ and his apostles.
The impression made upon the disciples themselves,
was that they
were not subjects of the earthly kingdom. Hence they looked for an earthly
kingdom, the restoration of Christ’s power to Israel. Acts i. 6. “Lord,
wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom of Israel?” The same
impression upon their minds is recognized in the fact that the disposition
to carry the idea to an unwarranted extreme, called forth the repeated
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Excerpt
Admonition from the apostle, “Be subject to the powers that be.” Rom. xiii. 1. “Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake,” &c. 1st Peter ii. 13. “Put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers, to obey magistrates,” &c. Titus iii. 1. Now if the idea had not crept into their minds that they were somehow not subject to these earthly kingdoms, there would not have been the necessity for this repeated admonition being given them. Notice, too, they were commanded to do these things for the Lord’s sake, not for the sake of the governments. These admonitions certainly connect the Christian with these earthly governments under which he lives, in relationship that we will examine at the proper time. But they all show the Christian was not taught to regard himself as part and parcel of these kingdoms.
In accordance with this, too, the wicked one is ever regarded in Scripture as the prince of this world. John xii. 31. “Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out.” John xiv. 30. “The prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me.” Ephesians ii. 2. “Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience.” “Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.” Ephesians vi. 11, 12, 13.
In which the principalities, powers, the rulers of this world are continually described among the wiles of the wicked one that are to be withstood through the use of God’s armor. The wicked one is also sometimes called the God of this world, indicating his influence and power in this world. When the kingdoms of this world become the kingdoms of God and his Christ, we presume the devil will no longer be called the God of this world.
We have thus found that the separation and antagonism between God’s institutions and man’s, or what they might now be properly termed, the wicked institutions, kept up and impressed through the vast thousands of the existence of the types, have fully maintained, by the teaching of Christ himself in the greatantity, the spiritual and eternal kingdom of God. We wish to call the attention of the readers here to the fact that the existence of Jesus Christ in his fleshly body, was to some extent a type of the existence of the spiritual body. His temptations, its temptations, his poverty, sorrows, trials, persecutions, betrayal, death, burial, resurrection and glorious, triumphant ascension, all typifying the same experiences that it must undergo. He never came in contact with the prince of this world, or the governments of this world, but to be tempted to corruption or to be persecuted. The Church of Christ, we may affirm, has never come in contact with the governments of this world but to be persecuted.
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or corrupted. The alliances that have been made with the princes and governments of this world have ever been more fatal to the strength and purity than the persecutions she has undergone. Christ was above temptation when the wicked one offered an alliance. Followers have been proof against the same kind of offers made by the emissaries and agents of the wicked one.
Consequently, weakness in the church is established more than ever of Diocletian. The alliances, friendships, and partnerships of the world powers today are more fatal to the strength and purity of the church than the combined opposition of the world could possibly be. There have been experiences accorded with the teachings of Christ, warning her against the association of the world with human institutions. They are the institutions of the wicked one.
What Fellowship
With Christ with Unbelievers? What participation has a child of God have in the kingdoms of this world?
Again, the Scriptures have exemplified every relationship of life in which it is possible for a Christian to enter, and given instructions that thoroughly furnish the child of God with direction how he shall conduct himself. There have been instructions how the parent should mutually conduct themselves toward each other; how husband and wife, parent and child, master and servant, elder and younger, brother and friend, all.
Even as wrongdoers, and wrongs inflicted—every relationship into which it is possible for a Christian to enter, has its appropriate instructions; but the Christians guide us therein, save one it is lawful to enter that one. In our relationship of life, and the most universally prevalent one with the human family, this instruction is in part wanting.
That relationship is, subject and ruler in the earthly kingdom. One party to this relationship, the subject, is directed and guided as to the manner of conducting himself in the relationship. But the most important one of all the relationships of the world, is left without one single word of instruction as to how he should direct himself.
Why this omission, why this painful silence as to the Christian ruler of the kingdoms of this world? The Christian father, child, the Christian husband, wife, master, servant, all have their rules of conduct laid down in the Scriptures of God, but what a solitary word in the volume of inspiration as to how the Christian ruler of the earthly kingdoms shall conduct himself!
What does this omission mean?
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Let us walk by the light of divine truth, under the spiritual guidance of God, but the Christian ruler, governor, magistrate, law-maker, law-executor, must probe his way in the dark, directed only by his own frail and erring reason; I wonder he makes so many false steps. No wonder his wisest plans so often miscarry. But brethren, we ask you seriously, what meaneth this omission? Was it inadvertence, omission, oversight in the law-maker? Who dare so affirm? How can we resist the conclusion that God never anticipated his children participating in the governmental affairs of these kingdoms? He recognized these kingdoms as the kingdoms of the wicked one, and made no provision for His children participating therein.
D. L.
FAMILY PRAYER AND FAMILY RELIGION
The second kind of prayer which I shall recommend is family prayer. The plan is this: Every Christian man, the head of a family, must erect a family altar in his house forthwith. Lay the Bible on it. The first thing in the morning, after rising and making fires, call your family together, let each one have a Bible or Testament. Let the father read a verse first, then the mother, then each child, and remember until the lesson or chapter is read. Then the same at night. This plan I followed in raising my own family. Until we are willing to do this, it is useless to talk of the gospel or of being Christians. If we cannot find time to do it, let us not call ourselves Christians. The family is the plant-bed, or the seed-bed—the nursery from which the Church and the State are to be supplied. It is in the family that we receive our first, deepest and best impressions.
Reformations, Jewish and Christian, do not last more than thirty years. Yes, no people, have apostatized from our first principles—from the letter and spirit of the New Testament; the same is true of all religious parties. We can never reform parties. We must begin with the rising generation. We cannot reform many persons over twenty-five or thirty years of age. Legislators and philanthropists pay much attention to children. Women and children, and religion, are capital items in all nations. God said to Father Abraham, “I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, that they shall keep the way of the Lord, to do justice and judgment; that the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him.” (Gen. 18:19). The way of God is the way in which God himself walks, and in which his people walk to do justice and judgment, to practice the truth as well as to believe.
Moses, the great original law-giver to the Jews, (from whom Confucius, the great Chinese law-giver, corruptly called Confucius; and from whom Manu, Indian law-giver, and from whom, Zoroaster, Magian…
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or Persian law-givers, and from whom Mohammed, the imposter, and from whom Euphrates Aristotle, Plato and Solomon, all derived their laws, says: “And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thy heart; and thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.” (Deut. vi. 6-7). All religious, true and just, are taught and learned from words.
Moses, Solomon, Paul and others were human instruments as we know. There is a popular maxim which says that “Children ought not to be taught religion, for fear of having their wholeness to some particular tenet; but they should be left to themselves until they are capable of making a choice.” This maxim is in direct opposition to the command of God, in the above passage. Those who have no religion themselves tell that it is of no use to them, do not care to teach it to others; those who have a little religion tend to teach it. Joshua, the successor of Moses, said: “Let others do as they may; but for us and our house, we will serve the Lord.”
After the deluge of wickedness, which has swept over the land for the last few years, we must make attention to the religious training of children. We should become a nation of Athenians. War is the greatest school of vice and crime on earth. We shall not recover from the effects of the last war in fifty years, if ever we do.
Solomon said: “Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.” We should lay great stress on that word train. We should train them as horses are trained, to pull down lines, and prepare them upon precepts, here a little and there a little. Train them as carpenters and smiths are trained. This is the most effective way to counteract the evils of the late war. Napoleon Bonaparte said if you would give him the management of children until they were ten years old, he would have a nation of atheists. I do not see why there might not have a nation of Christians on the same principle.
Our first responsibility is to train our children. We should teach them to worship God, such Noah, Moses, Isaac, Jacob, David, and others. The great men of the Bible had religious parents, who taught them to worship God. The mothers had a great influence in the formation of the character of their children. All great men have had sensible mothers. His mother taught him to revere their mothers, and women should be their instructors.
The children could recite the Ten Commandments at ten years of age, and by this means they increased rapidly, that the Inquisition was instituted by St. Dominic, to suppress their growth. When the Catholics wanted faithful servants, they went to…
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These rustics to get them. The Moravians, from whom the Methodists sprung, and who are the greatest misnomers of modern times, were never able to tell an experience; they were taught to worship God from their infancy. The first thing the Persians taught their children was to speak truth.
The Jews said: “If a man brought up his children in idleness, he brought them up for the gallows.” They gave all their sons a trade as well as an education. Paul, the learned doctor, was a tent-maker. I do not suppose he made any for camp-meetings. We need to revive the music of spinning-wheels and looms. Alexander and Darius wore the clothes their mothers and wives made them. So did the Romans. Rebecca, the wife of Isaac, and Zipporah, Moses’s wife, were watering their fathers’ flocks.
Our sisters must take their testimonies to meetings. Women have great influence to persuade men to become Christians. Peter says the husbands are won by the behavior of the wives. The mother of the great Augustine said, “I have no further hopes or desires for my son, in this world, I only desired to live to see you a Christian.”
Basil the Great was indebted to his grandmother, Emmelia, for his conversion. Gregory, Nazianzen and the eloquent Chrysostom, and others in Church history, such as Luther, Calvin, Wesley, Campbell and others, were indebted to their mothers, under God, for their salvation. So was the writer of these lines. The heathens exclaim, “What views these Christians have!” Take away children from Catholics and sects, and what would they be?
Brethren and sisters, raise your children for God. Devote them to God from infancy, as Hannah did Samuel, who is one of the best characters in the Bible. She gave him to the Lord from two years old.
JACOB CEREALD
We regret the disarrangement of Bro. C.’s article on prayer, but the appearance of the third number before the second was caused by the tardiness of this second article reaching the office. I will direct them to Gospel Advocate, Nashville, Tennessee, instead of Franklin College; they will probably come more promptly to the office.
D. L.
THE GODLY WOMAN
We know no character that calls forth every feeling of respect and love as that of the truly God-fearing woman, and no religious body on this earth, where her influence is wanting, can expect permanent prosperity. Few hearts are so hardened in sin as to be insensible to gentle pleadings and affectionate entreaty from her lips. Few, indeed, are there who are not melted to tears! When she tells, in sweet simplicity, the tale of a Savior’s love, it is sad to think how little employment is given her.
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In the present order of things—how little opportunity is offered for the exercise of the gentle gifts with which Heaven has so blessed her. I know we will be affected that few of those professing to be the teachers of the Lord have any disposition to engage in any good work, that the frivolities of this world, the gaiety of fashionable life and the vanity of earth engross all their time. The answer may be, in a great measure, a true one, but at whose door lies the blame? What surer means of rendering her careless and indifferent in reference to the interest of the church, than the system which prevails, of giving her nothing to do?
To interest either man or woman in any matter, you must give employment in it. Give work that calls forth courage and life, and there will be no longer, in any true woman, any feeling of indifference. Cut her off from all active employment, and of course she permits her heart to grow cold and to become absorbed with the foolish concerns of this earth. The Romanists have long acknowledged the power of woman’s influence in building up the church, and we doubt if today all other agencies of that mighty establishment combined.
We have the power still and effectively in promoting the spread of the Roman faith as that wielded by the quiet, unassuming order of women, who are found everywhere among the poor. In the hospital, in the orphan asylum, and wherever opportunity is offered laboring for the advancement of their religion. Would we be wise, we must use woman’s gentle, yet mighty power, for the spread of the Gospel.
And in using this power, we will raise up a far different order sisterhood from those usually turned out by churches. Tell me not that with proper employment, as members of the body of Christ, our sisters will fail to become more holy, earnest, faithful and honoring to God in all their conduct. Tell me not that woman, full of tenderest emotions of heart and kindest sympathies, cannot and will not become deeply and earnestly interested in the work of saving souls from perdition, whenever she has the proper encouragement. Her true position in the church must be acknowledged and appreciated, and full employment given her before we can expect of her the zeal and earnestness that was so marked in the lives of the holy women of the early age of the Christian Church.
Both John and Paul, in their Epistles, render the fullest honor to the public women who were helpers and fellow laborers in every good work.
Is there less occasion for your labors of love today, my sisters, than in those days, when those whom you should make the patterns of your lives were so constant in ministering to the wants of our blessed Lord and his Apostles? Is there less work for your hands to do than there was then? Is there less sorrow calling for your gentle sympathy? Is there less suffering demanding alleviation at your hands? Are there fewer orphans and widows destitute and afflicted, that call loudly for your aid? Christian women, does
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This sin-cursed, suffering world presents no field in which you can labor in behalf of fallen humanity, and to the honor of your Master’s name? Think not that you can become Godly, holy, spiritual beings without labor, without sacrifice, without earnest service to God and for humanity. Labor is no less the price of worth in the Kingdom of God than it is in the affairs of earth, and the sad mischance of the age is that we expect the character and all the lovely graces of the Christian life, without it. To become holy, Godly, Jesus-like men or women in the Gospel, requires toil, and sacrifice, and self-denial, and earnest doing good. Without this toil, we, both men and women, must still be worldly-minded, selfish, devoted to the vanity and folly of earth. But with enough of Godly work, thoughtfully and assiduously performed, we cannot but become partakers of the fullest enjoyment of all spiritual communion and blessings. Oh, shall we not strive to become more Godly and more greatly for the exalting work given to our spiritual growth and well-being?
W. L.
I DID WRONG
Not gentle reader to deliver a homily upon the difficulty of saying this, but to make acknowledgment of a wrong done by the writer, were the above words written. The wrong to which I refer was in using too severe language in reference to the American Christian Missionary Society in our criticism upon the Hymn Book and its relation to said society. There are many good and true men connected with said Society, whose character and labors I certainly desire not to under-rate or depreciate. I feel intensely the degradation to the Christian religion that the Lord Jesus Christ, of making His church in any way the tool of the politicians or the partizans, to any of the strifes and conflicts of the institutions and governments of the world. The Abolition Society in our esteem did this so far as it was in its power. In the commencement of the national difficulties that have just passed, we felt, preached and wrote to brethren, that we should maintain the real, actual unity that the Church of Christ should be able to maintain in the face of national difficulties, divisions and strifes as the true measure of our claims to be the Church of Christ. To maintain this unity and freedom from strife, we labored, bore witness and sought to check the threats recently of personal violence. We looked earnestly and anxiously for support and encouragement from the nation of our brethren on the other side of the line of national division. We found it for a goodly length of time in the position, the Review, and numbers of our brethren through the criticisms maintained. Indeed there was nothing that was so effectual in restoring the passions of our brethren south, and keeping them out of the strife, and in checking the tide of public sentiment that set so over-
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Widespread resistance against them, after the teachings of the Bible, as these articles indicating that their brethren North were acting in the same manner. Our circling, reading and talking these articles threatened the brethren, and closed the mouths of others. The report of the action of this Society, however, took the instrument of strength and preservation out of all hands. If we think, however, we must not, even in the Federal army, feel as if some serious liberties are good, bringing us into the church. We feel, we still feel, that that Society continues to act wrong against us. There is a great deal of sin. We have done so, and we will do so.
The introductory publisher and author, when the Church of God. The last authority of action in regard to this matter, when referring to the Hymn Book, led us to a language which we have previously used. Our attention has been called to this matter only by one person.
David Lipscomb.
DR. GREEN’S MEMORIAL
Perhaps the most interesting and important change suggested by Dr. Green in his petition, is the one relating to membership. It is in the following words: “Further, let him consider whether every other condition of membership now contained in our book of discipline, is clearly defined in the word of God, when taken away and intermingled or confused with other conditions or necessities, that the conditions should be made clear to the members of his word. But the conditions of membership in the Methodist Church are something entirely different.
It will be noted that the admission is here marked that there are conditions of membership in the discipline not clearly found in the word of God. It will stand the heart of every one who believes God’s revelation is perfect, and that the conditions of membership in the church must be based upon the word of God.
The proposed change here is one that must stand the heart of every one who believes God’s revelation is perfect and complete.
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In themselves who believe that the handwork of God is superior to all the inventions of man. But when taking away the conditions of membership, not clearly found in the Bible, why not take one step more in this direction, and take away the discipline itself as not clearly found in the word of God, and thereby leave people in ignorance of the only rule of faith, doctrine, and discipline. Do this, and in spite of all humanly heterodoxy, we will be one people with you. If you won’t unite with us, we will with you.
We surely cherish every indication presented, of a disposition upon the part of brethren to that position of platform that alone can make us one people in Christ Jesus the Lord. That is by taking every doctrine or institution, the dictates of the council of God. The world can never be converted to Christianity until the hands of the children of God are lifted up, and the flesh and the devil, all the combined powers of earth and hell, must be conquered.
Dear Brethren:
I am laboring this year under the special direction of Beach Grove congregation. They have employed a stout man to work my farm, with a view of setting me at liberty to spend my time in the evangelistic field. I hope to be able to do some good in my Master’s service this year.
R. B. T.
Spring Hill, Feb. 27th, 1865.
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CONTEMPLATED CONSULTATION MEETING
Prospects for a general consultation meeting seem, indeed, flattering. We are persuaded such a meeting might result in great good to the cause of truth. We need contracted and patient personal interviews with brethren from different and distant sections of the country. In matters of controversy, labor can be accomplished in a few days by earnest men, in face-to-face labor, than in many years in writing and debating at a distance. Local prejudices may be wonderfully modified by free and candid conversations. But should the brethren determine to call the meeting, subjects for deliberation may, undoubtedly, be suggested with great freedom. What shall we say, brethren? Shall the meeting be called?
T. F.
PLANS FOR RAISING FUNDS
Why is it that most of our religious journals are constantly calling attention to plans for raising funds for pastors or churches, missionaries, and foreign land, and, indeed, for every purpose to which funds can be appropriated by churches? Does it not argue that we have neither scriptural authority nor sufficient instruction in the Scriptures? We are of the judgment that the brethren are at fault on this subject. There is no room for human devices in the Scriptures. Whom the church elects is in order, and anything in the commandments of the Lord, all the necessary for conducting church machinery, accumulates as the fruit of Christian life.
T. F.
EAST TENNESSEE AND VIRGINIA REPORT
BRISTOL, EAST TENN., Feb. 27th, 1866.
Bros. F. A. S. & L. — The East Tennessee and Virginia Cooperation met at Council, Sullivan County, Tennessee, August 31st, 1865. There churches were represented from the counties of Washington, Carter and Sullivan, Tennessee, and Washington, Scott and Russell, Virginia. The reports from these churches give a membership of 1,223—of these 116 were added the last year. The attendance was very large and composed, and a Christian love was manifested by the brethren in all deliberations, and not a discordant note was heard. Our next annual meeting is to be held with the church in Poor Valley, Washington County, Virginia, commencing on Saturday, the 8th of August, 1866, (we have not failed to keep up our annual meeting during the war.) Since our cooperation about thirty have been added to the church by my labors. Brother W. G. D. has been more successful than myself. Other brethren have been doing good work in their fields or both. I can much blessed with the Gospel Advocate, and will do all in my…
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You have presented two topics in which I feel particularly interested. Keep them constantly before the mind of the brethren.
The first is the Kingdom of Christ in contradistinction to the Governments of this world. I hope the brethren will learn the fact that we owe ourselves, and all we possess, to the Lord.
The second is, that we are by action as well as profession to show that we are a peculiar people—not of this world.
The essays on dancing are well-timed, and I hope will be continued. But should you not clarify a long list under the head of worldly amusements and enjoyments? I think you should.
If I understand Paul correctly, Christians are forbidden to engage in anything that pertains only to the satisfying of the flesh. To the Corinthians, tenth chapter, and thirty-first verse, he says whether we eat or drink, or whatever we do, do all to the glory of God. Then if professors don’t dance in the name of the Lord to the glory of God, Paul positively forbids engaging in the exercise, as with every other fleshly practice.
Brethren and sisters, think of this, and remember Paul says again, we shall stand before the judgment seat of Christ, and give an account for the deeds done in the body. And the Savior says for every idle word spoken we shall give an account on the day of judgment.
May the Lord enable us all to know and do His will.
Your Brother in the Kingdom of Christ,
J. H. Millard
Franklin, Tenn., March 5th, 1866.
EDITORS GOSPEL ADVOCATE:
If this brief sentence be worth the consideration of the followers of Christ and our Savior, please print it in your next issue:
The Bible’s teachings and its requirements are at our hands. The holy Scriptures require us to present our bodies a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable unto God; to purify ourselves, even as He is pure; to give no occasion of stumbling to any brother or sister; to sin no abuse to the true Church of God; to love our neighbors as ourselves; to do good to all so far as it beith in our power, or we have opportunity; to abstain from all appearance of evil; to use the world as not abusing it; and, whatever we eat or drink, or whatsoever we do, do it all for the name and glory of God.
A being of benevolence cannot prescribe rules of action less holy, and there are the same that shall judge us in the last day at the judgment seat of Christ. Any indulgence, therefore, not consistent with these rules, is rebellious against the great Law Giver, and will disqualify us for standing in the judgment. As faithful men let us live upright and faithful to our duty.
Your Brother in Christ,
W. P. O.
THE GOSPEL ADVOCATE
EDUCATED PREACHERS
There is just now a great anxiety manifested for an educated ministry. This is all right, if that education is properly conducted, but we oftentimes think that the habits acquired, and the tastes formed, in getting this education, are not such as are most desirable for enabling the preacher to do good service. Our schools, like our churches, are modeled and conducted to suit the tastes and habits of the rich. If a poor young man, by dint of his own energy or by the aid of friends, enters and passes through school, his associations and surroundings are those of the rich. He forms habits and tastes in accordance with these, loses sympathy with the habits and wants of the poor, and is deprived of his power for reaching those whom it is his especial duty to reach and benefit. The poor, the poor are those to whom the Christian minister should be prepared and trained to preach.
— D. L.
Lebanon, Tenn., Feb. 20th, 1900.
Brothers Fanning & Lipscomb: — I see in the Advocate a request for the preachers to report their labors to the brethren and sisters generally. I located myself in Rutherford county about the beginning of the war, and preached during the first two years of the war with good success, there being during that time some eighty or a hundred additions to the church. During the next two years I was robbed of my horse and closed in by the army, I could do but little preaching out of my immediate neighborhood, but had to labor with my own hands for a support and to secure means to purchase me a horse. The Lord having blessed my efforts with success, I purchased a horse in March, 1864, and labored during the remainder of that year in the counties of Rutherford, Bedford and Wilson. During last year I had the pleasure of meeting with several of our preaching brethren, which is always a feast to the soul of the Christian. I met Brother J. L. Sewell at Pisgah, in Bedford county, in August, where we continued two or three days. We then went to Cross Roads, where we met with brethren T. W. Brents, Reese Jones, G. W. Cone and Smith Bowlin, and enjoyed their Christian cooperation three or four days, and had five additions. I then met with Brother W. H. Goodloe at Union, in Rutherford county, where we continued two or three days, and had one or two additions. We again met at Antioch, where we continued seven days and had forty-seven additions by confession and baptism and one from the Baptists. During the remainder of the year I labored alone, and the whole number of additions where I was, during the year, was eighty. To the Lord be the praise.
Your brother in the one hope of immortality,
I. C. Sewell
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 P. 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, 1864. 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 is a real, permanent institution, “The pillar and support of the Truth,” the proper appreciation of which, the welfare of the world and the happiness of mankind depend; its origin, organization, history, labor and its 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 done and stitched, at
- $2.00 for single subscribers.
- $1.25 for five subscribers.
- $1.00 for ten subscribers, invariably in advance.
We would be pleased to have the co-operation 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; all sums over $10, by express, or in checks or Post Office draft.
Please direct all communications for the Advocate to
T. FANNING, D. LIPSCOMB, Editors & Publishers, Gospel Advocates, Nashville, Tenn.