Newspapers / Zion’s Landmarks (Wilson, N.C.) / April 15, 1870, edition 1 / Page 3
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/ . ZION’S LA N D M A li K S 75 “oliristian experience,” but I never sent it to our paper, the ‘■‘Frmli^ live ehited by Brother Burweil Temple-, of Wake county, N. C. I attended tlie Little River Association, near Brother Temple’s in 1864, at Reuse church, and was at his house, and this is enougdi for a;e to say (and no-t flattering) 1 love Brother Temple aiulliis family, all tliat 1 have ever seen of them ; and may that dear old Brother, be in liis last days, like Abrahatn, when he shall give up the gliost, and he gathered to his people; i,oin the everhisting song of redemption, by the blood of the Lamb, and crown Him Lord of all—and sing, “O what a sweet, exalted sou,a;, When every tribe aud every tongue, B.edeeiued by blood, with iliiii apyoar, And join in. one full chorus there.” Out to my experience. I will try to cmhraco much in a few words. I was born September 14th, 1813. About my 18th year I betook to di.ssipation, cursing, swearing, and gambling; in fact every evil and lorbidden ])ath I come to, I L>ok if, so m.ttch bo that I caused my jiareuts more trouble thau :dl the rest of their children. (I am the olde.st of twelve children.) laid not feel inclined to steal, nor hurt any one. I was tond of compauy, espe cially such as were wild, frolick- some, very profane, so much so that even the servants at times would reprove me, and they were very wicked. Time passed] on, my wickedness increased. I had, as I thought, laid my plains, fixed my purposes to spend a long life in v/ealth and carnal or worldly hon ors. Thus was I exulting in pride and worldly glory. To bo a great wealthy man was my chief de- >irc. As to God and his beloved Church, I thought very little ofi.and cared less. I moved on, treasuring up wrath ag;ain&t the day of wrath. Making my way to the regions oh eternal darkness, and despair, I often have thought of those days of my. vanity, ev.-sn since I have been in the ministry, and trembled, aud have said, can it be possible that I. have been blessed. But to re turn Some time In June in 1836, state of justification. While in ibis av/fui state,, my wicked course, with my guilt aud condemnation seem to shut me up. in the prison of judgment, looking every day, sometimes e-very m-om-cnt, to- be nation, (wiiich -was some ten months, a few days over) I never the first time tried to look God in the face and charge Him with injustice; if I did I have no recollection of it. I saw, I thought, a little into the away now !” I answered, 1 am gos ing to Surry. “When are you coming back?” Inaweek, I reckon, lanswered, may bosoo-ner; Well my father sent his love to' his brother I and other kinfolks, mv inother sent i 7 y I her love also to her only sister, slain, and then my guilty soul to character, the holy and divine per-i specially, Aunt. Hallin be driven from this earth,, and from the presence of God and happy fections of God, but how there could be a union, and reconciliation angels, and sufibr the vengeance of brought about between us, was eternal fire. Some of you, brethren, mystery to-me-that I couldnot see a might here ask. What did you do For suck a holy God, and such an while in that awiul state ? I pray ed to God for mercy. I now look back toAhat memorable, th.at aw ful day, when justice sei2ed me. I was laying on a bed, (some dozen of us were in the same house), I unholy wretch as I felt m,ysel,f . to be, and was, seem,cd almo.st, or q,ultc impossible to-ever meet to gether in sweet union;, neverthe less, go I must and beg. As a,fore" said, I had, I tliougjit, no friend in covered my face that i could not he I heaven above, and no friend in the seen, but too late, some saw me, and | earth, a mere speck on the earth.,, for the first time during my lire, l! in a more wrctc-hed con.dition than “turned pale.” Weil, after a ! all the living, a wemdeixu; in dark- while, I took a walk by myself into | nes.s without one ray of Tight to a flat wood and then and there, for i inspire me vfith a good hope that the Lrst time, .1 bowed my wicked I “my day of fjalva.tion will soon and guilty self before tlie Lord, to | come..” If I had then possessed the presume to ask tor mercy; but how ; whole world,. I would have given could I reasonably expect mercy | all, all freely, for one little promise when I knew that 1 had sinned : from the liOrd for his grace; iu fact, against my better judgment, light jl had given up the world, it was a and knov/ledge? I beg leave to i loerc-imthing to me. I often said digress a little. During my boy> | to myself, “It may be the Lord will hood, up to the time of mj’- convic-i have mercy,” and “who can toll?” tion for sin, I was fond of reading i Thus I moved on; I continued go- tlie Bible, the new Testament more j ing to-the-mercy seat, to and from, especially, aud [ had readithe holy | (if I may so speak) until I stopped word not a little. There I saw mv ; rio-ht there. I could not be forced •/ ‘ O duty to my Creator, my parentts i away, there I must stay, waiting and to my fellow man. I knew all^ with a fervent hope that the Lord this, but I cared, very little about i would hear ray cry and speak peace the “Ten-CommandiKeiits,” so how I to my poor beti’giug soul. Tliou- could I claim mercy from God, and ' sands of times I have cried., Llave I thought it was a matter almost | mercy on me, oh Lord. (This sen- iu^possible for mercy to be shown i fence embraces all my prayers.), I me, yet i must go, again and again to | had up to this time suffered a, great heg;it wasamattcrofgrcatnecos.sitv ; deal, more than .[.cam evoi; tell or I could not keep away from the mor-i write. lam now .about to. come cy scat;I kept going, though no one in heaven or in earth seemed to to the great day of my deliverance; the day of any salvation; a day I have any sympathy or mercy for! shall aever forget; which I think me, but seemed to say, “I-et ! was the first day of May 1837.— die, for ho deserves Idm offi ^ to visH and bear with liim no lon>-er. worth. I left home (it seemed all things consented it was the dajof my salvation) by myself, travelled some fourteen miles-, goin.g west:.and you m,ay suppose that my p-rincipiil thoughts were wliac had past dur ing the ten months passc-d (and a few days-over as aforesaid.) About twelve-eclocb I made one more earnest rep.uest of my Lord, and in. a uxoment and unexpectedly, I received pardon for all my sin.s, 'ard a fo-mitain of love seemed to flow through my whole soul. The gjo-ry of the Lord'was revealed, tlie love of God v/.aa-shed a-bioad in my soul to such an abundance that I I spoke out in rapturous strains j while tears of love wore flowing i from rny eyes; Blessed be Je.sus ! I Blessed be Jesus! Bles.sed be j Jesus! How often I repeated these I words I shall never tell. Oh! What '• a day that was ! Before this, during, the months above named, I I'elt to be one of tlie most wretched- crea tures on earth. But when the day above came, the day of my salvoi' tion for me, I felttalmnst certain, that I was one of the happiest crea- jtures oil earth, and would not havi' I exchanged my happy .state with I any being-on the earth. I bad. j received that free gift, it wa.s mine, I and, even, to this day I cannot ex- I cha.nge. The gift of God is eter nal life. (Let each of us- ha-ve our proper gift and be content-wirh the things-we have received.). Beloved hretlirsn, since tliai glorious day, May 1.8th, 1837, I have passed throngh man-y sore trials-, all from various causes. After awliile I offered myself to Glear Spring Ciiurch, (I tliirik it wa.s)- the 19tii of April, il839;. was baptized by Elder I John, Wilson, the next day, Tue.s- ; day 20th. I cannot now speak of I the opposition and the many ene- I mies I have met with during my j past pilgrimage, only this luu-Gh : ' during the time I was in the-Cliurcli *o a pri'/a te member, I nxet with, very justice overtook. me,„ conviction pierced my guilty lieart,, as with the instrium.cnt of death. Such an awful state of guilt!. The-tongue may tell a thousand things-, but there are two things which I have never been able to-tell, the state tif uo-ndemnation, and, the happy 0 what awful appearences- seemed- to present themselves to me from my relations in Surry County, LT. C., adjoining Stokes, west. la those days I generally stayed and it.s true my father would fre-^ every quarter; all above the earth | fliiently complain that the work at seemed to me'to look gloomy | I'ome would not he attended to all v(,iy aw, no piospec foi oven | ^ sometimes speak. one look of compassion from above; j Well I had.been in trouble a long and look around me, here are ray | time, (it seemed so to me.) Parents ipircnts, many kindred and j friends had seen that I had friends I have, hut thought I, they! moral, much so a.s-any have all turned against me; so here 1 i-x+i +i u ^ ® I be a littlc-raore so than others.^—- ’ ^ thought) M’ithout a | Well I was fixing up,to star#,y my friend in lieaven or inearth, a poor | father was out in the- fieMf hut miserable beggar. During 'iii.s j came in a few raiiiutes before- I burden af.sin,. guilt, aud condom-1 started. “Well,” said Ixe,-“which : little opposition, but soon, after .1. I commenced the public ministry,, the j hosts of enemies with their opposis I tion CGiamcnccd, and it continues I to this day. “But none of these ; thing,s move rae, neith&r count i I my life dea-r unto m-ysolf, so that X. I might finish ray oeursc • iv-ith joy, I and-the mini.sti'y,. which I have re-- eeiv.ed,of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gpspel of tlie grace of God,.” (Acts.. 20 -; 24.) I’am a monument of mersy;.,God is my defence, and I aim confident tliat Ho will continue to -take special care of me, and there fore I. shall come off. more than.a. conqueror. Amen. Grace be with Lsra.el.. ^ Ik W, HJI.L.
Zion’s Landmarks (Wilson, N.C.)
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April 15, 1870, edition 1
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