iiiri
186
Zion’s Landmarks: ■ Wilson^ N. L.
“ God, be merciful to me a sinner,
which is a manifestation that he^ is
prepared as a little child to receive
the kingdom of heaven, and Uiereby
does receive the washing of regenera
tion and renewing of the Holy Ghost,
and is a new creature in Christ Jesus,
with new andhcavenly desires, havitsg
■^dirist formed in the soul the hope of
glory, which hope he has as the
anchor of fire soul hoth sure and
steadfast. The power of the prince
of light and eternal truth, having
gained a complete victory over the
power of darkness, and divided ttie
spoils, lakes possession of the
soul and takes up his abode
there, leaving tlie fleshly spirit to the
partial control of the power of dark
ness, for a few days, perhaps, for the
trial of the faith of the inner man.--
This new order of things is the
result of tlie love of God shed abroad
:n the heart by the Holy Ghost
which begets love spiritually to God
Hud his people, and toward his fellow
creatures generally. The change is
so gre'^t and mysterious that he loves
the brethren and desires to unite with
lhem, but feels so weak and unworthy
■;e fears to do so, fearful that he is
deceived or mistaken,and may hringre-
proach upon the Church and breth
ren he loves so well. I will here
say to such a one, for his special com
fort, To not delay, but follow closely
the impressions of your mind — it is
your hounden duty to offer yourself
to the Cimrch—for you surely cannot
t'eel any more unworthy tlian your
humble servant: the brethren I hc-
■ feel so
like themseves. I can
yon as Baptists .sometimes
have their seasons of feeling very
lean and barren, even to cry, surely
God hath forgotten us. But he says;
“behold I have engraven th.ee upon
the palms of my hands,” Isai. 45: 16
—so that with these, and similar de
clarations, his soul takes fresh courage
and presses “ toward the mark for the
prize of the high calling of God in
Christ Jesus.” What though the battle
rage with terrific fury, so long as the
soul can hear the voice of his Savior,
above the din and confusion of battle;
“ Fear not little flock, it is your
Father’s good pleasure to give you
the kingdom,” and also that “ no
weapon that is formed against you
shall prosper.” He moves on in his
pilgrimage, feehug assured that his
Captain will bring him “ off more
than conqueror thro’ him that loved
him,” and gave himself for them.—
Then, dear brethren, live in peace,
endeavoring to “ keep the unity of
the Spirit in the bond of peace,” and
see that you fall not out by the way,
hut keep your armor bright, and re
member “ the weapons of your war
fare are not carnal, hut mighty thro’
God, to the pulling down of .strong
holds,” &c.
I am passing through bodily af
flictions and sore trials, and feel to
crave an interest in the prayers of all
God’s dear children, whom I hope I
love for the truth’s sake.
Yours in tribulation and in hope,
John S. Brin’SON.
-
very much
not tell
&c., Isai. 40:
31-
-thougli
war, and I hope there will not he
another among the people called
Primitive Baptists—tho’ I see a p>ros-
pect for another war. Let us, one
and all, preach and contend tor what
is revealed, and let things alone that
are not revealed, as they belong to
God.
I will name a few things that
have been causing confusion : One
writer stated that God created the
world out of nothing and that he
dwelt alone before time, and that
God created the soul of Christ and
his people the first day, and tlieir
bodies the second day; and, that Adam
made the serpent a devil. These
thing.s were ]mhlished in a paper.
I will say, that I cannot I'eceive
such stuff and call it old Baptist
doctrine.
These things are calculated to con
fuse the minds of the children of God,
and it has been, so that unless you re
ceived such you were called a here
tic, it is strange that some men
in the year 1875 have got wiser in
their owm estimation than the apos
tles were. I will say, if we are wil-
■ ling to he governed by their testimo
(as I think through mistake) do, to
stay away as long as you can.
Brethren, allow me here to tell
you, I tliink it wrong to use such an
expression, for I am persuaded that
the sooner the little tender lambs are
taken out of the cold and piercing
blast, into the visible fold (the Church)
the better for them : they need en
couragement and food, and ought to
have it from the shepherds. They
need the sincere milk of the Word,
that tliey may grow thereby; for the
prince of the power of darkness be
ing dethroned from the soul, keeps
up a kind of predatoiy warfare car-
rieti on through the outskirts or flesh
ly spirit to the great detriment ofpoor
weak believers, and even tlie strong
don’t escape. And this kind of war
fare is conducted so very skillfully and
artfully,by Satan, (the power of dark
ness,) that every one of the children
of the kingdom of God ought
to be enlisted as soon as they are
manifested as such, for the mutual
comfort, consolation and encourage
ment of each other, for the war goes
on between the inner and outer man
even so long as wc live in
this world, so ranch so that every one
of them should live .strictly iqu to all
their Christian duties, for they enjoy
the sweet society, and comforts, and
enoonraging presence of the captain
of their salvation, in this warfare,
just in proportion as they are obedi
ent to the commands of their Ix)rd
and Master: “they tiiat wait upon
the Lord shall renew their strength,”
they
KiSLiEV’s Station, Christian County, Ky., _
October 21st 1875.
TiLS/st-erR of
I
still on earth
among
the
ing, and in good health, con
sidering my age.
I have moved to the above named
Looking:
Conn tv,
Oregon. I will say,
of the old fashioned Baptists through
out the whole world. Christ says,
the gates of hell shall not prevail
against his Church, which is and was
an Old Baptist Church : and Daniel
said, it shall stand forever.
I have tried to preach in eight
different States, and if the Old or
Primitive Baptists have ever found
any fault of the doctrine I preached
I have never found it out. I was a
preacher (if one at all) before the Mis
sionary .spilt.
Veru much esteemed Mrother
HAVE seated myself in o'Tpr
to let vou know that 1 am
I have just received a letter and
and not in mine; and, I believe that
it was the Lord’s good working that
worked in my day; for, mj friends and
brethren, this was my day if ever I
have had a day, and I with tlie natu
ral eye conld see the work of the
Loixl, as they called it,going on. But
I could not believe though I had it
often declared unto- me. But alas!
when the great eomniandnient and
holy law of Justice and Truth reached
my case and opened my; eyes I found
myself as naked as did Adam and
wanted to hide myself just as bad as
Adam did, hut the wisdom of the
whole world could not know this
work, hut I liO'[)e it was the work of
the good Lord that was going on in
my poor heai*t. Neither can the
wisdom of the whole world know the
work that is now going on in the
hearivS of God’s rlear children to-day'
because they shall in no wise believe
it, tbongh a man, or God through
man, declare it unto tliem ; for xmlesHi
they; can feel and :^ee as Thomas dief
they will not believe, and why? be-
we w
ill have no more controver-
we
on
err
all.
IV-
station, seven miles from the citv of
Hopkinsville, where my brethren and
sisters of the Old School Baptist faith
—and fricnd.swdiowish to corre,sjK>nd,
will please address me.
a copy of Minutes from brother Cran-
fill of Oregon, with the natnes of all
the ordained minister.® of that Terri
tory. Primitive Baptists are strong
er there tliaxi I thought they were.—
In the copy' of Minutes I received
there are nineteen ordained and .six
lic-ensed ministers : I could give their
names and addresses, but .space for
bids.
Brother Isom Cranfill is endeavor
ing to obtain a true account of all the
Old Baptists in the United Stat&s,
and desires a copy of minutes of every
Association. Will the brethren ob
lige him ? and .send him a copy to
Ghi.ss, Douglas ,
there are some
I fouo-ht through tliat
O O
sy among us. But whenever
try to make some, improvement
their testimony, we are sure to
and cause cormjxtion.
Brethren and sisters, one and
{>reach or write nothing but what
we have a thus saith the Lord tor,
and let us not get frightened at any
”tlungthatis plainly revealed in God’s
written word,
wisher, Abner Hern,
Rocky Mount, N, C., Feb. 25tli, 1875.
Dear Brother Gold, and all the Dear
Brethren and Sisters that have been
quickened unto Spiritual Life
cause thev can’t believe : “ eyes they
FEEL tliat I want to say
something t|ils morning about
the goodness, and mercy, and
grace, and truth, and mighty
power to save, that I can .see only in
vested in a crucified Lord and Savior
Jesus Christ.
I heard brothers Pitt a.id Burch
preach for two days in succession,
which has been a feast to me. I feel
this morning that I have been bless
ed with ilie spiritual love and knowl
edge of an inheritance that has been
bequeathed to me by my Ixird and
Savior Jesus Christ.
Brother Gold, the reason I write
this letter to you this morning is
produced or brought about in this
way : This morning about 4 o’clock
I awoke from sleep and this passage
of scripture was presented to my
mind with such force that I can’t get
clear of it; and feel that I want to
tell my brethren and sisters the beau
ty thatT see in it, and the great truth
that it contains. But, brethren, I
am nearly blind, but thank God that
it is no worse with me than it is.—
Thetext is “ Behold, yedespisers, and
wonder, and perish; for I work a
ivork in your days, a work which ye
.shall in no w'ise believe, though a
man declare it unto you.”
The beauty of God’s grace and lov^
that is embraced in this text is inde
scribable, for the timehasbeen with me
that this was worked in my day, but
it was worked in the hearts of others
have and see not, ears and hear not,”
a heart naturally and understand not.
These hidden mysterie.s hclm|M|||fce
to God, and the
mind and heart €anm7t
great book that is se
seals. They cannot
new mine written in
—why ? Because no man can knovv
that name but be that receives it.—
Christ or christian.s must, it seems,
be of the same, for when 1 was first
quickened into spiritual life, if not
deceived tliis was the' only name
Niiat i couKft i|§:is
the only way for roe to get to God,
and if I found not favor with him I
would be lost forever. But, the self-
righteous Phari.sees that will climb up
some other way liow they" do despise
this true way. They will not have
this true way of God’s reign of
grace to role over them—-why not?
Simply because his grace and mercy
and truth have not reached their hard
hearts. Sin has not revived quite
plain enough for them to see it, the
command has not come that sin might
revive. Kill the poor self-righteous
to the love of sin and they will feel
that they have got their fill of .sin :
and, until that is the case with them,
they will wonder, despise and reject
the wisdom of the great God of
heaven, and trust as they alvvay.s have
been doing in their own weak arm of
flesh which must all come to naught
and perish with its using, for no man
can come to God unless the Father
draw him. It must be God or the^jp;*^
power of the Holy Ghost shed abroad
in theheart to quicken us into spiritu
al life before we can act faith and fear.
Self-conceited Pharisee, don’t dis-
pise this truth and wander off and
perish, if you can help it, but bid the
gloriou^work, that the Lord Jesus
Christ is working in your day, God
speed that it may grow and prosper
from daj; to day, and finally come to
you and bring you in the good old
way.
For proof of these facts look on
Peter’s case after the resurrection of
our Lord Jesus Christ from the dead:
he appeared to his Disciples and
breathed on them the Holy Ghost.’ Mfe
see that after they had received the
. r