Zion’s Landmarks^" WiTson, N. C.
19
stop interest and feel that I can trav
el and keep a home for my family.
I know this plan will be as- easy
for the whole community,-as it will be
for me to travel as I have done.
I shall take a general response- to
this appeal as evidence of its being of
God, and as evidence of my past
ministry being appreciated^ of your
sympathy for me and family person
ally, and of ycur wishes for me to
continue preaching tliesame precious
gospel of our common Lord.
With these remarks I submit all
into the hands of a beneficent Crea
tor, hoping he wull resign me to
whatever providence he appoints, is
tlie sincere prayer of
Your humble servant,
L. I. Bodenhamee.
Floyd Spkings, Floyd County, Ga.
“ And I gave my heart to seek and
search out by wisdom concerning all
things that are done under heaven :
This sore travail hath God given to
the sons of man to be exercised there
with,” Eecl. hi.lS'i
God’s people are spoken of in- the
scriptures as fellow-citizens in the
same household ; they are all taught
^ the Lord ; they have the same Fa-
the same mother p they are
|ren ; God is their Father—AVis-
heir mother. They have
kra||r, one law-giver, one
f/p are one—one '
church,
Wisdom isjustifled of all her
iddren,’/ Luke 7i: 35. “I wisdom
with prudence, and find out
Euge of witty inventions.”
PPS r 12; Again, ‘hhe fear of the
|?rd is tile beginning of wisdom,”
^vhosoever then is born of God hath,
wisdom and he liath the fear of God,
, and the Spirit of God that searcheth
all things—yea, the deep things of
God. And I gave my heart, with
the heart man believeth unto right
eousness, the heart is the place where
God dwells, “Blessed are the pure in
heart for they shall see God,” Again,
Surely the Ix)rd is good to Israel,
even to such as are of a clean heart:
notliing is pure, nothing is clean but
that which God cleanseth.
Jerusalem is a holy city because
God dwells there; so God dvv^lls- in
his people and walks in theasj. And
I gave my heart, ray affections,. my
mind : for to be spiritually minded'is
life and peace. “To seek and search
out bv wisdom concerning all’ things
that are done under heaven,”' then, is
when the children of God;i by wis
dom give the “heart tO'>seek and
search out concerning all things that
are done under heaven,” and can by
the Spirit discern the things that are
of the Spirit, and also know the
things that are of the flesh. “-This
sore travail hath God given to the
sons of man to be exercised there
with.” To be exercised is to be eiii-
j^loyerl in “searching out the things
tliat;ar© dawaeto see if they am-oif
the flesh or of the Spirit—of man or
of God. And when we can make
the separation we say with David:
“Ye that love the Lord hate evil,”
Psl. 97 10. I hate every false way,
I hate vain thoughts, I hate lying.—
Do not I hate- them-that hate thee?
Truly then- it is a sore travail that
the-ehildren' of God have in their
hearts- when they can discern between
the flesh and the Spirit “concerning
all things that are done under heav
en.” Many things are done, many
things are taught—and just as oppo
site as the Spirit and flesh are. So
opposite are the works of man and
of God ! Man that walketh alone
deviseth his way, directeth his steps,
he speaketh of the world" and' the
world heareth him. They speak and
'^each that the world by wisdom has
learned ; but man that is not alone
but hath the Spirit of truth to tfeach
him of a truth can say, “I know
that the way of man is not in him
self ; it is r.ot in man that walketh to
direct his steps,” Jer, 10 : 23. “A
man’s heart deviseth his way, but the
Lord' dire(?teth his steps,” Prov, 16: 9.
So, by these scriptures and by our
experiences-we are taught that' God
rules in Zion, yet there is another
law in our members warring- agaiiist
the law of 'our mindf>, bringing us in
to captivity to the Ikw of sin which
is in cur members. “This sore tra
vail' hath God given!” Yes, he who
tjvas in man and what
iventhem
c^TO^eep^
"spirit, meek and h)wly
m neaft, self-denying, self-abhoring.
Even the greatest is the least, the
strongest is the weakest, the richest
the poorest; “for in much wisdom is
mueli grief, and he that increaseth
knowledge increaseth sorrow,”" Feel.'
1:18. A “sore travail hath Gbd
given them” because he hath, by wis
dom, enabled themurom the hea-rt to
“seek and search out alt' things that
are done undbr the ■ heavens,” TTie
mind is laborihg to find out the - ex
ceeding,’^ sinftilness of our-natnrej' and
the more we learn of it the more sore
is tlfe-travail, by which we are exer
cised—and, if we have no warfare it
is evident that-we-have -not the Spir
it of Cht-ist, . for-the” Spirit’ Insteth
against- the- flbstf and’ the flesh
egainst the Spirit. These-■ are con
trary—the one againsffthe - other,—
Then whosoever can trutlifully bear
testimony to -this sore travail, experi
mentally hath the true witness that
he is of God, and those that are of
God heai^and ' believe them i; ■ in the
worki they have tribulation—in
God'only they have peace. All the
doctrines and commandments-of men,
lust of the eyes, Iftst'of the -nhsh, and
the pridb of lifO- .they loathe and ab
hor. ATa I’it'is-a “sore -travail to be
exercised ^ therewith.”' “Behold I
have refined thee, but not with sil
ver: I have?ehosen thee In tlie fur
nace of affliction,” Isai-ah 48 : 10.—
Jesus Christ, thfe of our sal
vation, was made perfect through
SHfferingj..even:!S0»G-Odds perfecting.
his people'through sufferings that are
incident to the flesh. Bear hardness
then as good Soldiers of the Gross,
and remember that the sufferings of
these present times are not worthy to
be compared with the glory that shall
be rev^ealed in u.s, and, “if ye be dead
with Christ from the I’udiments of
the world, why as though living in
the world are ye subject to ordi
nances. “Touch not, taste not,. han
dle not,” which all are to perish with
the using after the commandments
and doctrines of men,, which things
have indeed a shew of wisdom in will
worship—Golossians 2.': 20. Cannot
those that have the Spirit discern be
tween tlie'will'-worshipers and tho.se
that worship in Spirit and in Truth?
They have the outward show,., and
worship thus according-to the will of
the Creator,but we see no marks of this
sore travail. Yayi'wedo not hear
them crying, out, “Oh, my leanne.ss,
my leanness !” but,, after the com
mandments and doctrines of men.—
What are' they’—rudiments or ele
ments? They are the first princi
ples of seicnce, first part of education
—earthly things—that which the
natural mind can solve and compre
hend. .A
These things are good in their
place, as the law is good if we use it
Lawfully; but they belong to the old
man, and we should put off concern
ing the former conversationt the
old man, which is corrupt, according;
to ^FMeoeitful lusts—then all of the
oMmanccTthat have been .iiatrudtided
by the old man are, like himself, cor
rupt—yet they have a shewr of. will
worsliip and seem right to tlis natur
al mind; but;), when the Spirit of
Truth comes- in its all-prevailing
power it kills vdth Christ, from
the rudiments cf,' the world; this
death is not instantaneous but we die
daily and count all things but loss
for the excellency of the knowledge
of Christ Jesus. Such then worship
God in Spirit and have no confidence
in the flesh, and though they are
living fn the world they are not sub'
jeot to the ordinances of man, buli.
they are daily travailing and mMsisg
in their minds upon the goodiiess and
mercy of Gbd, and are crying out,
“Oh. the depth’ of the riches both of
the wisdom and ' knowledge’‘of God :
how unsearchable are his judgments,
and his ways past finding out.” But
though the work's of the Lord are
great, they are .sought lOut of all them
that have pleasnce ■ therein-—Rsl. 3 :
2. The children of God can dis
criminate between the works of the^
flesh and the frni-fs of the Spirit, and '
can both see and i feel the exeeednig
sinfulness of our- nature, and the
time past of our life' suffices u.s to
have wrought the will of the Gen
tiles, no longer ariy use -for the will
or fiesldy worsliipors th'oi-igh there be
great humility manifested, though
they neglect, puwisli. or - afflict the
body—it is not iiA any honor to
Chri.st,butsati.sfying to tlie flesh or the
natural will of man. Then God is a
Spj«i&taad his children are- spiVifnal,!.}
a-nd nothing but that which is pure,
lovely, heavenly and divine, can sat
isfy, feed and comfort their hungry
souls.- Then, we should give our
hearts to “seek and search out byr
Avisdom coneerning all things that
are done -under;'heaven,” so that we
can rightly, divide the Avord of trutli,
“comparing, spiritual things Avith
spiritual,” giving spiritual food to.
spirit-ual subjects, “teaching tliem to ■
obserA’e all. things AA’hatsoever God
has eorarnanded,” and nothing more,,
nothing- less. Let your communi
cation be—yea, yea ! nay, nay ! For
Avhatsoever is more than these com-
eth of evil.
May Ave all heed the admonition of
John, by keeping ourselves from
idols.
F. M. Casey.
Macon, Ga., Oct. 4, 18?4.
Dear Brother Gold.—
I take this opportunity of request
ing you to send me one of your A’al-
nable papers. I think it is valuable
because I think it contains the true
Evangelical doctrine of the gospel of
Christ our Saviour, and, I am truly
glad to find .so many able pens em
ployed in (oiitcipilng so earnestly for
the faith del vr3>^to the Saints ; and
pot oidy tins bt^through them Ave
can hear fi beloved btefhren
and sisters, in the different sections,
in this great time of trial and afflic
tion arnoAn-g God’s people, “who .see
eye to eye' and speak one and the
same language.” To me this i.s a
source of joy amid.st all our afflic
tions'. If I live to .see this comiHg
December I will be a member one
year—at Shiloh. I Avas baptized bv
brother Simmonsj a lo-vely preacher
to' raist
Brother Gold, I sometimes- think
I am not worthy to be there, and
then at otlier times I can break forth .
in the language of the poet:
I would not live -.ilway, I isk not to stay
Where Ktorra after storm ri.s'es dark o’er the'
■way;
The few lucid mornings tliat dawn on U3-
here.
Arc followed'by glocani or,. b9*]ci«lad with
fearv
1 wonld'i not live alwsy—nod''welcome the
tomb,'
Shifce .Jesus lias laih there- I .dread not its
gloom ;
There sweet be-my rest till he-liid me arise
To hail lum in triumsph ascending the skie.s.
Who wo«H.iSve ftlHuayy-away from his God ,
way from yon he.aven, th.at bleased abode;
Where the river.s of’ple.a.sure flow- over tlie
plains,
And the noon tide'of glory eternally reigiis ? '
There’saints of .all ages in harmony meet,
Their S.a'viotir and- brethren - transported ' to-
greet; :
While the anthems of rapture uncea.siiigly'roll
Aiul, ’lhfe smile of the Lord is the fe.-i.st of tho-■
soul.
ATur little-sister, in Christian love,.,
L..F. BAZIiMOEE.
Ftders. Jii B’. Parker and’James A.
JoiflQS Aviirpreach, the Lord Avillmg :
First Sunday, in January,
Monday,
Tuesday, .
AVednesday, .
Thursday,
Friday,
.Saturday,
Second Sunday,-'.
Monday,
Tuesday,
W'ednesday,
Thursday,
Friday,
Saturday,
Tliiiii BiirMjiiyy,,
Clilno'vpspiu.
Cyin-ess Creek.
Maple hill.
Bay.
.Sehmp .Sound.
Yo])p’s.
tVard’s Mill.
North Ea.st.
.South We.st.
^[uddv Creek.
Sand Hills,
lieaver Dam.
Sandy Bottom.
Pleas.ant Plains.
Bear Creek.