A
86
lion's Landmarks: Wilson, N. C.
the same time, but we are truly sep
arated far away from each other now,
you being near the Atlantic, and my
self near the great Pacific ocean ; I
presume that we'are near four thou
sand miles apart, yet we can address
the same eternal throne and be sus
tained by the same divine hand, and
be supported by the same superin
tending agency.
The Old School Baptists of Oregon
have great reason to thank and praise
Ood for his goodness exhibited to-
Avards them ; I sent you a minute I
believe every year for several years
j)«st, so you know about our num
bers. We have a 'sound and able
ministry, and, aince our last Associa
tion, three Old School ministers have
immigrated from the State of Missouri.
So, our present number of Elders is
about seventeen, and four licentiates
who are jn’omising gifts. Our church
es are all in peace. Our last Associ
ation was truly delightful, the con-
uregations were large all three of
the days of our meeting. On Sun-
flay, more than a thousand people
were seated in a plea‘-'ant shade, and
at 10 o’clock the services were com
menced by tlie writer of this scribble.
After prayer aiad supplication to God
1 tried, in my weakness, to set forth
the doctrine contained in Isa. 33:
21. I was followed by Elder Bul
lock who delivered a very able dis-
.«urse. We then adjourned for din
ner.
Aine places of general entertain
ment were within a mile and a half
of the meeting, soJ||fcTOnveniently
got our dinner amOeturned by 2
o’clock, at which time Elder Stipp
again commenced the services and
delivered a very able and lengthy
discourse, after wdiich Elder Cooper
le!ivered a short but very affecting
discourse. He spoke with power and
it appeared to reach the hearts of a
number of the hearers. At the close
of his discourse a song was sung and
then the parting hand was given. A
great ])ortion of the congregation ap
peared to be deeply affected and many
tears were shed. I then left for my
literal home, while I hope and trust
tiiat my heart glowed with love to
God and his children. I had been
from home more than two months—
visiting my brethren and the differ
ent cliurches, and trying in my weak-
no.ss, to set forth the glorious plan of
sjilvation through the atoning blood
of a crucified Bedeeraer. I traveled
priuci[)al!y by rail, but sometimes by
stage, and sometimes by private con-
vevauce. I was affectionately receiv-
(h1 at every point i visited, and gen
erally had good attentive congrega
tions. I assisted in the constitution
of one church, and had the pleasure
of baptizing one of the lambs of the
bles,sed Bedeemer. I returned home
much refreshed and found my family
in good health. I felt that I had
great reason to thank and praise God
for his goodness. He had blessed
me and liad visited me with his di
vine presence as I humbly trust
ing to preach, he had opened the
hearts of kind brethren to receive me
with open afbis, and they supplied
all my needs and furnished me with
means more than enough to pay my
expenses. I read the history of your
travels in the South and West (as
published in ihe Landmarks,) with
considerable interest.
If life and health permit, I hope
to be able to visit my brethren in Il
linois at no distant day. 1 have a
precious daughter residing in Green
County, Illinois, and I greatly de
sire to see her and her family; and,
wdien I get that near the land of my
nativity I should be highly pleased
to visit it, and communicate to and
with those of like precious faith
with myself; but, the journey would
be attended with so much expense I
fear that I shall not be able to com
mand the mean.s. I wish that you
v/ould drop me a few lines letting me
know what you think the traveling
expenses would be. How much rail
roads charge per mile? what route
would be the best for me to go to see
the most Old School Baptists ? as I
should like to call occasionally and
see as many of my brethren as I con
veniently could. I should like to go
through middle Tennessee and thro’
Georgia, and vi«t the brethren in
North Carolina, possibly as far as
Wilson and Williamstou, and return
to Illinois by way ofSalisbury, N. C.,
as that is near the place of mj birth
and where I was raised t|) manhood.
Now my dear brother, I bid you
farewell. May God in his mercy
bless and prosper you. ) '
Isom Cranitll,.
A writer or speaker should be al
lowed to tell the scope of his mean
ing ; especially ought this to be grant
ed if he knows the meaning of lan
guage. How much more, when the
Lord Jesus speaks, who spake as
never man did. Turning to the first
verse of this book we find these
Avords; “The Bevelation of Jesus
Christ,” &c. In the fourth verse,
“John to the seven Churches which
are in Asia,” &c. Do we mean that
it was limited to those, seven Church
es ? No; but, “he that hath an ear,
let him hear what the Spirit saith
unto the Churches.” “Blessed is he
that readeth, and they that hear the
Avords of this prophesy, and keep
those things Avhich are written there
in : for the time is at hand.” Hence
while the address ia to the seven
Cliurches, &c., yet the command is
to all that have an ear.
But says some one, have not all
men ears? Yes, in the sense that
such j)€,ple contend, and that num
erous class think their ears are good
enough, and that they can hear all
that is said, if they will. But the
Bible does not say, let all men hear
if they will, but if one has an ear, let
kirn hear. If all men have the ears
that are described hera Avhy should
the hnguage be, “he that hath an-
ear,” &c. Does not that mean that.
some have not such ears ? Do not
some men have ears that are waxed
gross, and hear not, eyes and see not,
hearts and understand not ?
Conversion comes throusrh the
hearing ear, the seeing eye, and the
understanding heart. “For this peo
ple’s heart is Avaxed gross, and their
WilliAMSTOX, N. C., March 22Hd,'1875.
Elder Geld—Eear Brother:—
I should he glad to see the enclosed
letter in the Landmarks. Elder
Cranfill has some intention of visit
ing his native State and I should
like for brethren to be apprised of it.
I think Ave should all be truly glad
to see him.- C. B. Hassell,
ears are dull of hearing, and their
Landmarks,
P. D. GOLD, Editor.
rUBLISHED 8EMI-MOXTHIA'
-( at )-
'^ILSON, JIo^TH jilAI^LIN;A.
Two Dollars Per A
nnum
APBIL 15th, 1875.
H I It r i a I
I “ Remove not the ancient land-
which thy fathers have set.’
KN 6ckin(Lat ^thLIiooil
Revelation, 3: 20.
tiiroiigi'.out my jouni.eyings, and try-
Sister M. J, Luckett desires my
view of the following scripture :
“Behold, I stand at the door, and
knock : if any man hear my voice,
and open the door, I Avill come into,
him, and will sup Avith hini, and, ho
with me.”
eyes they have clased ; lest at aay
time they should see with their eyes,
and heal' with their ears, and should
understand Avith their hearts, /snd
should be converted, and I should
heal them,” Mat. 13: 15. Next
verse, “but blessed are your eyes, for
they see, aud your ears, for they hear.”
Then the Pharisees aud di.sciples bad
different eyes, ears, hearts, &c.
Undoubtedly faith cometh by hear
ing, (for the Avord must l>e mixed
Avith- faith in them that hear.)
Without hearing then there can be
no faith, for it is not a natural fruit
of a carual, Adamic heart. Faith is
a fruit of the Spirit. See Gal. 6 : 32.
If faith were a fruit of the natural heart
it would partake of the nature of the
human heart. But how does hearing
come? “By the word of God.”
Rom. 10: 17. In this v/ay comes
conversion. Are a man’s natural
senses exercised in conversion? A
new character is given to them. They
do not love to hear, see, and talk or
think of the things they once did.
The spirit of the mind is renewed
and that affect the.se senses. Hence
old things have passed away, and
man has new affections—and loves
what he once hated. There is a hid
den man of the heart, or a new birth,
as there was a new population in
Canaan when Israel slew the old
inJmbitants. The Canaanite still re
maining, typical of the law of sin its
the members, is not an Israelite of
course, nor is he our organs of hear
ing, &c. On the other band the new
birth so exercises us as to lead us to
render the members of our body as
instruments unto righteousne.s«.
But to return ; If a man can des
troy himself Avhy not save him.self?
If through the love of sin he can
cause his ears to wax dull of hearing
&c., could not he improve his hearing.
Answer; it is evident man can destroy
himself, kill himself, &c., but can he
restore himself to life ? But wdien
he once starts life as a child could he
not improve his hearing &c ? When
has he ever once done this. Is not
man’s course from bad to Avorse ?
But does a child begin life Avith
spiritual hearing? If he does whv
does he need a new birth ? Is he not
conceived in sin, and brought forth
in iniquity ?
Did not Adam lose all by trans
gression ? Could he recover anv
thing? What can a child inherit
from his father? Any thing more
than his father has? Certainly not.
What did Adam do to reinstate him
self? Is it not Christ the second
Adam tliat makes many righteous,
and must we not be related to him to
inherit the kingdom ? Must Ave not
therefore be bora again to become his
children ? Is any' one the child of
Adam until he is horn of woman f
Is one the child of God until he is
born again ?
These observations are made to
illustrate the nature of these addres-
es, and to show Avho the subjects are
that receive them, or >vho ha^ the ear
that hears Avhat the Spirit saith unto
the Churches.
In these messages to the seven
Churches there are not only promises,
but rebukes, &c. Take the commu
nication to the Church at Ephesus
for instance : Bev, 2 : 4, 6. “Nev
ertheless I have somewhat against
thee, because thou hast left thy first
love. Remember therefore, from
whence thou art fallen, and repent
and do the first Avorks,” &c. Here
this Church had left her first love.
Her first love Avas warm and ardent
in Jesus, and then her mind Avas on
heavenly things, and as she rejoiced
she sought those things ; but noAv
they have left their first love. Why
should not a Christian seek to Avalk
in Christ just as he received him—a
full and glorious Saviour? This
Church is told to repent—turn away
from its present course, aud do the
first works—as she did at first or in
her first love. Christians should not
lose their first love. But now how
could this address reach any that had
never been m the first loA^e, or never
done the first works—work of faith
(not for faith) and labor of love ?
Would any one say that even the
rebukes and chastenings here are for
any that do not have an ear ? Is not
a spiritual address to a spiritnal
subject? In the lastaddres.s—to the
angel of the Church of the Ijaodioe-
it is said; “I know thy works,
lA.