Zion’s Landmarks
t ■«
(xi brother ^IcDaniei, once a laithlul
imbliftlier of Ziox’s IjAXDMARICS :
Aiken, South -Carolina,
June 5th, 1874.
Dear Brother Gold:—
As I was somewhat interested in
the location of the LAKDMAr.KS, at
Wil.son, and for some yeans its pub
lisher at that point, there may be
some that would like to hear what
hms bcxmiuc of me. As yon are aware
my sickness in Tarboro left me a
chronic paralytic. My disease is
wiiat they call general paralysis, and
I am consequently as helple.ss as a
ftabv, with all my p'owers ailected
more or less, but none entirely ob
literated 1 believe. My case seems
a h.arJ one. My wife dead and sep
arated from my children, vet when 1
oontra.st my situation with some 1
have known or read of, it is not so
hard after all. I have not been cast
into the lion’s den, nor am I made to
walk riic hrey furnace. One who
ha.s been accustomed' to mingle with
the duties of life finds that htunan
naiure rebels at being separated there
from, and 1 seriously doubt the pro-
fo.s.sion of that man or woman wdio
savs otherwise. In former times I
\va.s reocatedly asked to write out my
experience for publication, and hav
ing never done so, I feel a little ini-
])i’e.ssed and do so at this time. I
will make the endeavor hoping that
it inav oe interesting and profitable
to the reader:
i was i)orn in Orange County, X.
' '>d'\
(’./in theyear IS.uVny father dy
ing wh.cn i was about six years old,
and mv mother being left poor with
four children. I received compara-
tivelv no education. In 1841 I was
bound to the jirinting business in
(xi'censboro for eleven yetirs. In
1845 I ran away, and after wander
ing about some time, was employed
some four months at Louisbu
Fnmklin County, after which I con-
(xiivcd the idea of going to Mexico,
and joined a company from Fayette
ville. licturning from that war in
1848, I Silent some weeks at my
brothers in Guilford County, X. G.,
after which I sought aud obtained
employment at Sanlsbury where I
remained some four mouths, after
v/nich I was employed at Fayettville
for about the same length of time.—
Work failing there I started on what
])rinters call a “tramp” without any
definite intention or idea of any par
ticular ])lace. Traveling through
manv vllages and cities in North
Carolina and Virginia, I found my
self in Alexandria AM., where I was
married and resided until the war.—
During my wandering. I was fre-
fpiently impressed with the idea that
I WAS living without God in, the
world, and that if I shoijld suddenly
1)6 taken away, I was unprepared' to
meet him. I.do not rem-embei: any
particular trait only that of self-will,,
but was generally kno\yn as a “wild
Ixiy.” After mv marriage the desire
fQ.r pence with God was bearing
.stron.o-lv on mv mind. I was an
attendfiut of, the Aljssionary I^ptlA
’ Church, and during my labor (if I
I had sucli) I frequently sought lonely
; and long walks in the woods, and
, there communed witli God. Return
ing from one of these walks, and feel-
1 ing particularly distressed at my
: sinful condition, I met the Pa.stor of
; the Alissioisary Baptist church and
sought a convereatiou with him be
lieving he rvould afford me some ve-
, lief of mind. He told me that my
! distress arose from neglect of duty;
■ tliat I ought to be baptized that I
; was a fit subject for it. At first I
i denmred, believing I was a fit Gub-
jject for hell, but liually consented,
thinking that membership of the
i chnrcii was all tliat was
' necessary. Soon after I joined the
Ali.ssionaries I learned that I had
no home there. The first discord
that I noticed was in regard to in
troducing instrumental music into
the church, though I was particular-
j ly fond of music I did not believe it
I riglit to introduce it into the house of
I God, and I was “'old fogy” enough
j to take that ground. Soon after this
mv mind became troubled about the
Missionary Tract and Bible Socie
ties aud Sunday School Unions. I
could not see how different denomina
tions, so utterly it variance, and
teaching different doctrines could
unite in such things. Perhaps I was
dull of corapreheiision, but I had not
so “learned Christ.” These things
soon became known, and I was out
off frem the church. About this time
Elder’s R. C./ UGaQbrvup-preach
ed in Alexandria, and I was con
vinced that he entertained aad.
preached what I thought was the
doctrine of the Bible. As soon as
opportunity offered I went before tlie
Shiloh cliurch at IVasliington City,
D. C., was received by them and bap
tized in tlie Potomac by Elder Feach-
man. Since that time I have been
hobbling along, sonietime.s up and
sometimes down. I might write
many incidents in my journey, but I
think they are uunece.ssary. JMy fa
vorite hymn says that—
“Bitter may be the bud but sweettlio flower !”
Perhaps it may not be my lot to cull
them. I like to read the writings of
I those I have known in former times
I as well as that of those whom I have
I never known in the flesh, but I be-
1 lieve are journeying to the, same
i .
■ haven.
I hope my sister Biggs will par
don me for copying so much of the
article in the last number of the
Landmarks, but it expresses my
views so much better tlian I could
do it myself tliat I take the liberty of
j reproducing it :
j “Sometimes I realize calm and de
lightful sail, trusting entirely in
Jesus aud rejoicing in full hope of tlie
glory of God, and sometimes experi
encing the tempestuous storms of sore
adversity. But, I believe that a,11 are
needful, and our afflictions are oft
blessings in disguise, tending more to
our growth ,In grace, inerea.se in faith,
and the knowledge of Chri.st. With
David I feel, that “befoip .1 ,wa.s af
flicted I went astray;” and, a^.,,th'a
rod of chastisement is often felt I do
desire with renewed fervency of soul
to thank our God for his watchful
care and uncettsing love and mercy.
Precious indeed is it to view the
hand of onr heavenly Father in all
our pathways, meeting out onr chang
es to us in wisdom, love and mercy;
enabling; us with thankfulness, hu-
mility and resignation to—i’u spirit
feel, thv will Oh God! not mine, bo
done.
‘ With joy let eneb afflicted saint,
This checrinp truth behold,
That wlioii he’s tried he shall not faint
But siiall come forth a-s gold.
Beloved in Cbiist whei’cver wo be,
mav we be ena.bled to contend earnest
Iv for the faith,and keep our garments
nnspolted from the world. Alay we
man ifest onr love to Christ by obey
ing his commands. Alay weever re
joice in Christ Jesus, and have ^no
confidence, iu the flesh, remembering
that we all are dust aud unto it we
mn.st return, and appear before the
righteous Judge of all the earth.
' Sclf-righteoufl son's on works rely,
And boast their inora! di.gnitv ;
Bnt, if I lixp a son.g of pruiso,
Eacli note shall echo grace, tree gr.ace.
‘’Tis thus rdoTse of graco T boast,
Anl, ’tis alone in grace I trust ;
For all that’s pa-st, grace is iny theme,
For what’s to como ’tus still tlic same.
May We live the life of the right
eous, and bid adieu to earth in iho
friumph of faith,”
A'ours, in humble hope,
C. S. AIcDaniel.
*A'Sign* of the Times, pleiusa copy.
DAXCFAAMLLE,
IIayw’ood County, Tenn.,
December 28th, 1873.
Duler P. />. Gold, Dew Editor
It is through the kind mercy of tlie
A!!-'A’^ise Maker that 1 am spared
this night to write you a few short
lines of my experience. I feel that
the Lord ha.s dealt with rac accord-
ino- to mv wicked deeds or he would
have long since cat me off, but I; am
tiiankful that he watches over such a
wicked and hell-deserving sinner as
I am. Sometimes everything seems
so dark with *me- that I' think I
am lost forever, and then again all
seems bright, and then my ver}- soul
seems to be gay and ha-ppy after read
ing Uflew words of the gospel. To
night i felt that I was a greater sin
ner than befiirc, t’.iat I had promise
in the kingdom of heaven—then I
bco'an to doubt and fear. I, felt so
miserable that I could not rest that
night at all. It seems like I am such
a great sinner that God does not smile
on me, but frowns ; but, I am tiiank
ful to the Almighty God that he has
let me live so long and ha.s not cut
me off as yet, so I will trust to him
as the author ot ail good blessings.—
I sometimes feel as if I could die, for
it seems a.s if I am a curse to myself
and to everybody near me. It looks
like they hate me and want me out
of their way, and I try to die, and
then the Lord spcalis peace tO' my.
troubled soul and tlien- everything
looks bright ag-dm Sometimes I
try to pray but the Devil tolls .me
not to prav, that there is no God but
liim. I then begin to., wonder and
tremble and thinlc that I am a stum
bling-block for. the whole world, and
tUgn I fiud myself praising him ir,
my lieart when my sinful lips does
not move. Sometimes it does me
good to talk of God’s goodness. It
seems like my soul doth magnify the
Ixird, my s[iirit it doth rejoice in my
God and Savior. I can say and tell
tlie truth, this world lias no charms
for me for I feel like it is not iny
home. I well remember the big
Methodist Aleeting'which was held
in Danccyville, I went day and night
sometimes and thought I would get
religion, but they kept up such an
excitement that I could not profess
religion. They were' hollowing and
bawling and squalling so tliat I could
not settle my mind on religion. You
could have heard them a mile or
more. 'W'eil, they called mourners
I went up and made sure I would
profess, but wlien I got there, tliore
was not a thouglff of religion in my
bodv. Tliey told me to pray harder
and to have more faith, that I wa.-.
very near the cross, but when I come
to find out I was just as far from the
cross as before ; but, I prayed just a-
liard as I could but did not jwofc.^s
that night—and I professed as I
thought, and everything looked
brighter and I loved thg people bet
ter than before, but just before I pro-
professed, as I thought, I gave up all
hopes of ever beingsaved, and thought
I saw tlie Devil coming after me to
take me off ;,and, I came to tliis con
clusion, if I am doomed it is jnst^—
and I irave up all. Just then I
thought the Ijord came unto me and
chose me as one of hi.s lambs, but I
fear 1 -was mistaken, for 1 have .‘.o
many duphts and fears abouD j'
ion ; but I hope not dear Editor.—
Pray for ^ie—may God bless yoi:,
all. f' ' Farewell.
I
Farewell,,
Mary AI. Sammons.
“Ye must b:e-born again.”' And
wh.at is this being born again but a,
spiritual conception and bringing
forth of Christ in the soul. WhaU
waS' said to Mary is said to each ot
tlie family : ‘ulmg behold, thor.j
slialt conceive in th.y womb j_soul,].:
and bring forth a s.in, and shalt call
his name Jesus.” Av henever thoii
y.\ a. s[)iritnal conception and travail,,
there will be a sjiiritnal deliverance ;
for we read : “Shall 1 bring to the
birth,,and not cause to bring forth ;.
I saith the Lord.”
The .spirit of prayer upon the
Church is bnt the presage of. their
adversaries’ruin. IV hen God seeks
to. dest''oy the nations tliat come
against Jerusalem, lie will jiour uji-
on the inhabjja"^^ “k a spirit of
grace aud of supp'hcation, : ‘fViid'.
iu tliat day I will ])or.r, ■ upon the .
house of David,, aiid upon ,the iuh:d,)i- -.
tants of Jerusalem,-, the..spirit of.grace .
and of supplications,”' (Zech. 12: 9,.
10.) This time cf. extremity, when
;ill their hands fiiig should edge the,
; Church prayers-.