ZION’S L A N D M A R K'S
179
ing and your appointments are in
Sections, part of the time here and
n»rt there. Now what is the dif
ference, if an Association, with the
consent of her preachers, send on an
appointment to a church for their
preaciiers,
or for the preacher or
preachers to send it themselves?
Does it matter, so they go and
■preach, who publishes the appoints
ment? Does an Association lay
herself liable to censure more than
the single T)reacher does? I think
not. Then why speak hard things
about her, and accuse her of imita
ting Missionaries, and deluded Me
thodists, and others who hold pro
tracted or distracted meetings, as
they have been called ? The old
members of the churches, both in
the Smith’s River and New River
Associations, tell me that they re
collect when the Old New River
Association kept up Onion meet
ings. Is th.e word Section more
offensive rhan Union. If so, I for
one am willing that our three days
shall be called union
Those union meetings
w'ere the same as our section meet
ings are. I find the oldest mem
bers the most staunch advocates for
^section meetings. They know that
to the ministry ? I can see nothing
elseinit. Perhaps you can enligh
ten me on the point. Are section
meetings a new thing? I have
before me the minutes of the Coun
try Line Association for the year
1859. I see on page 3d, the names
of Elders Drury Seat, John Stad-
ler and Robert Shreeves, appointed
to attend a section meeting at Flat
River, to commence Friday before
meetings
meetings
it is getting back to the old stand
point. Try a section meeting, my
brother, and I think you will be
delighted? Let us have no hard
sayings; let ns have no split; let
us all strive to honor God and cora-
Come over,
fort Zion. Come over, my dear
brother, to our section. Tell all
the dear brethren of the Sniith’s
River to come, and we will receive
the 4th Sunday iii April 1860.-
Alsoat Upper South Hyco, Elders
Burns, Stadler and Seat are ap
pointed to attend. Also I find the
names of Elders Martin, Kelly.
Turner, Angell and Walker in the
Pig River minutes, all appointed to
section meetings. Are not those
Elders that are now livin", and
were not those who
asleep, strictly Old School ? AVere
not tlsey sound in the faith? They
cannot be censured with not being
the true metal. If the New River
has left the ancient landmarks,
those referred to above have done
the same. Oh, I know you recog
nize them as being genuine Old
School Baptists, for you visit the
Pig Ri'ser district and preach, and
that very acceptably to them ; they
love to have you come. You attend
at Reed Creek and at Town Greek,
and I hav'e no doubt but what the
brethren at those places have a warm
place in your affections. Well they
throw their arms, hearts and doors
open to receive the preachers, when
they come to section or any other
For Ma truth, it is a novel thing | wdll bring forth her sons anddauglfe
to hear of preachers objecting toilers. Recently I have been made
their brother preachers holding
meeting?; and that if a church, after
having it left to her choice whether
she would have a three days meet
ing, and have the preachers of her
own faitli visit her and preach for
her congregations, should vote
against it, has not done a new thing
under the sun, I will leave you to
say. Brother Tuggle was with
at Concord on Sunday, and preachs
ed very acceptably. Brother Wil
liams was also present, but took no
part in the services, but seemed to
manifest a spirit of brotherly love,
by giving the hand of fellowship to
the brethren when we were parting.
Upon the whole, our meeting at
have fallen Concord was a very Intelesting one,
and I hope a beneficial one. Now
my dear brother, I wish to assure
you that this letter is in no wise
offered to offend or hurt you or
others, but that vre may have no
jar among us. I love you, my pre
cious brother ; and when Ibeaidof
your opposition to our meeting, and
found when I attended the church
under your cave, that you had gone
in another direction, my feelings
cannot be fully described. There
is a cause, and it ought to be rc-
kind of meetings among them.
Their pastor and their deaoons, and
their private members, ora number
them with open arms and glad j of them at least, will pour water in
heaits. For my brother, God has 1 a basin and will rejoice to wash your
moved. I know that the feelings
of the New River towards the
Smith’s River is of that Christian
character that should be among
brethren b )iind by the same bond
of union. May the Good and Holy
Spirit of our God dwell with j ou
and all the household of faith, is
the prayer of your unworthy bro
ther, if one at all.
J. C. HALL.
to rejoice in God and joy in the God
)f my salvation. My mind has
been led to contemplate the great
ocean of love A\''hereiii tlie whol.8
family of heaven swim, an ocean
void of one drop of gall. Let ua
unite with the poet in our devotion,
when he breaks forth in joy, aayingi
Oh, glorious hope of perfect love,
It lifts my mind to things above!
To view God with an eye of faith,
reigning in the majesty of hisgrarj-
deur, continually conquering and
subduing our corruptions within,;
gathering us up as the rough stones
of the valley, and making us to
shine forth as the bright polished
stones of the spiritual temple, which
will shine with unfading, lustra
when the wreaths of earthiy glory
shall crumble to dust—the bannete
of Emmanuel will float in peacs*
Oh, what a delightful theme to the
heaven born soul, whose anxiouB
desire is to rest under the shadpw
and protection of the golden banner
that will forever wave. I am made
to rejoice in mind to see the vast
ingathering that; has taken pl,ane
with our Master’s little flock wit}iin
the last twelve months. On the
first Sabbath in September I,!^ad
the pleasure of baptising twelve;
declared that He has set watchmen
> upQO thy walks, O Jerusalem, which
shall never bold their peace, day
nor night. Ye that make mention
of the Lord, keep not silence. Isa.
62 : 6. Can . the watchmen better
watch over tlie churches or Jerusa
lem, than by visiting and preach,
ing the blessed gospel to them.
And it is written, that it pleased
the Lord, by the foolishness of
preaching to save them that be
lieve. Now if the churches are
counseled to reject section meetings,
is it not equivalent to a rejection ot
on the first Sabbath- in August I
was granted the pleasure of going
in the water with six; on the;^rst
Sabbath in July the same pleasure
was afforded rne with five; on th«
tliird Sabbath in August three-
whole number twenty-six. The
majority of them were people of
the first standing. I also heard ot
numbers enlisting for the war,, at
feet, if you will let them. If it is
right for them to have section meet
ings, why is it wrong for Concord
in New River to have one? Now,
my dear brother, why treat the New
River coldly and turn your back on
her ministers when they visit their
churches at their section meetings.
If brethren are w'rong in tliat res
pect in New River, they are wrong
in the other Associations. You
certainly must believe that the
Country Line and Pig River Asso
ciations are sound, or you would
not correspond with them. Now,
-the gospel; for they are for the ex- I brother Cassell, if you and the other
press purpose of preaching. And
is it not a rejection of the ministers
that God has given them, and that
dhey have recognized as gifts from
God, by thedr having them ordained
brethren who object to these meet
ings, would visit tbem, your objec
tions would vanish, because you
Nkar Plymouth, N. C., >
Sept. 22d, 1870. S
Dear Brother Bodenhamer:—I em
brace the present opportunity of
writing you a few lines to inform
you that myself and family are very
unwell, which will prevent me
from having an interview with yon
ut the Association. I would be
highly pleased to meet the brethren
in their Christian assembly, for it
appears to do ray poor drooping
spirit good to hear the brethren
speak of those solid joys and last
ing treasures which none but Zion’s
children know. Dear brother, I ex
pect you would be much delighted
to hear from the borders of Zion in
this vicinity. I verily believe that
sister churches not far distant from
this place. The visible family ot
God at this time appears to be but
small, but it appears that God i*
lengthening the stakes of Zion and
strengthening her chords, and buils
ding up her waste places, preparing
would then see that there was no- our heavenly Father has put a tra
thing to base an objection upon. | vailing spirit in Zion. Iftrue,6l!Si
her with a vast ingathering, in or
der that slio may be enabled to re
lieve the rolling wave of persecution
that may shortly come dashing
against her bosom. But if God be
tor us, who can be against us ? H«
that spared not bis own Son, the
richest jewel of the Father s cabU
net, but freely delivered him up for
us all, how shall he not with him
also freely give us all things, for
time or great eternity.
Yours in hope of eternal life.
N. II. HARRIEON.