Zion’s Landmarks : Wilson, N. C.
37
al^
five or six years.
If any one feels willing to do any
thing to relieve me from niy present
condition they can remit by Post Of
fice order to Dallas, Polk County,
Oregon.
1 have strong confidence in the
Old School Baptists: that they are in
possession of that charity that never
faileth; if so, we will see a manifesta
tion of that fact.
ViKCENT J. TuRNIDGE.
I believe that ordinarily each
neighborhood should relieve its own
needy, especially if able, and each
oburch help its own members that
truly need help. But there are in
stances of help being sent from abroad
-—as when in PauFs day they sent
from many places to the poor saints
nt Jerusalem. I am opposed to mak-
hig appeals tl'.rongh the Landmarks
on ordinary occasions, but in this in
stance of great suffering 6f one who is
helpless—unable to labor at all—and
also is a preacher, I am disposed to
publish his case, and commend broth
er Turnidge to the kindness of the
brethren and friends. It is a plain
cxnnmand of our Redeemer to remem
ber such, and show them kindness,
and it is a good work.—Ed.
Fpeight’s Bridge, N. C., Dec. 10,1875.
Dea7- Brotha'm Christ:—
death unto life because you love the
brethren. I hope I love them, but I
don’t know whether they can return
the same love or not.
I desire the prayers of all God’s
people. Your unworthy brother,
Moses C. Farmer*
Elder
Jackson County, Ga., 1875.
P. D. Gold:—
FEEL so unworthy that I am
I afraid to write; but, if God
will be my helper I will write
you a short letter. I
do
not
know whether you will notice it or
not, for I feel like I am beneath any
one’s noticQ. I sometimes feel that I
am alone in this world ; and it ti’ou-
bles lue to know whether I have any
friends or not in this world; but?
I ho])e I have one in the world to
come and mat is Jesus Christ—he is
a friend to the friendless. I wish I
could he like I want to he; but it
iseems that I can’t be. I sometimes
think if I was dead I would be better
■off; but I keep living, but for what
purpose I can’t .see, as it seems that
I am not nt to he in company with
God’s people—I feel like a -black
sheep among a flock of white ones.
After I would retire at niarht I
would try to pray, but it seemed that
my wmrds reached no higher than my
head—the prayer of the wicked
availeth nothing. I like to go to
Church—hoping that I can find
something to cheer me up: .some
times I feel a little refreshed and think
I am a little better off, but then it
would wear off. I love* to hear the
good people tell their trials and trou
bles. I find that a great many have
liad the same experience that I have.
I.sometimes think I joined the Church
at the wrong time—not because I did
not love the people—but because I
was not worthy to unite with the
Old Baptists. I feel like I liave de
ceived them, and often wish that my
name was removed from the Church
oook. But, I hope I have a liftle
hope of eternal happiness after death ;
and, I would not give that little hope
for a thousand worlds like this. If
I am saved it is an act of God’s ten
der mercy, and not of anything that I
tiave done, for I can do nothing to
wards the salvation of my poor soul.
By grace ye are saved through faith,
and that not of yourselves, it is . the
gift of God ; not of works le.st any
man should boast.” The Bible says,
You may know you have passed from
evening I will attempt to
let you and the dear readers
of the Landmarks know
what the Lord did for me.
When about thirteen years old I
became concerned about religion, and
thought if I just had a hope in Christ
I would desire nothing else in this
world; so, shortly afterwards, there
was a Missionary revival going on at
Black Ci’eek: the minister, on one oc
casion, said,^ for those who wanted a
•. f
hope in Christ to go out before the
sun went down and call upon the
Lord and he would hear them ! I
I did not know that the Lord had a
certain time to hear sinners, I went
home, and about sun down I went off
to myself to ask the Lord to have
mercy on me and pardon my sins,—
But he did not answer my prayer.
One evening after that I thought my
time had not come, and I would not
call on the Lord any more, that he
would let me know when he wanted
me. The third Sunday in Augmst,
1868, I went to Union Meeting
(Primitive Bapti.sl). The morning
seemed gloonay while they were wash
ing feet. It seemed that some one
spoke to me and said. You are not
worthy to be here among such g(>od
peGpIe:^ -J LliuuuliS then I wotj^vi
have to leave the house : it seemed
that I was the worst sinner in the
world, I wanted to be off in some
lonesome grove, praying to God for
mercy.
Monday night following, when 1
avent in the house from supper father
was reading the Bible: it seemed that
every word was intended for me, I
listened at him until the tears began
to drop from my eyes: I was afraid
some of the family would notice me.
I did not want anybody to know ray
condition. I went to bed but could
not goto sleep. I got up and tried
to pray one more time, but all that I
could say, was—Lord, have mercy on
my poor soul! It seemed that my
heart would burst with trouble.—■
When I awoke the next morning my
trouble was still with me.
The next Friday the Missionary
revival commenced at Black Creek.
Sunday following I went, and they
called for mourners. I felt like I
needed the prayers of everybody, but
I didn’t go up—I kept my seat and
prayed to God for mercy. When I
went out of the house one of the sis
ters saw I was in great tiouble, and
asked me if I had a hope. I told
her I did not! She told me get
religion. Then it was plain to me
that I could not get it without the
help of God.
I attended the meeting again Mon
day, but never went to the altar; but
called on the Lord to have me^«v on
ray poor soul. I went home again
in trouble, thinking that it did no
good for me to go to meeting.
Tuesday I thought I would stay
at home : my work was no enjoyment
to me. I w’as in the kitchen weav
ing: after a while my step-mother
began to
get
dinner and then I
thought I would tell her my trou
bles, hut when she came in I could
not say anything.
"Wednesday I went to meeting
again and they called for mourners.
I still kept my seat and prayed for
the Lord to have mercy on me. The
door of the Church was opened and
then my troubles all seemed to disap
pear; and, I felt like I wanted to
tell everybody what I hoped the Lord
had done for me.
After this I got married and
moved to Elbert County, Ga. My
husband was a Missionary, (there
was no other denomination there hut
the Missionaries.) I would go to
Church with him hut always felt
like I was lost—there was no enjoy
ment there for me. I remained in
this condition about twelve months :
I joined the Missionary Baptists, and
was baptized. I thought I was sat
isfied and that I enjoyed my meet
ings well enough—though I didn’t
believe anything they preached.
About a year ago I began to get
dissatisfied—-sometimes enjoying my
meetings and sometimes it worried
me to be there. I remained in this
condition until last September, Tues
day after the first Sunday meeting at
Cabin Creek. My husband asked
me if I wanted to go; I told him I
hadn’t thought much about it, hut I
I went. I returned home but was dis-
I satisfied. I went to sleep that night
j witli a troubled mind* and awoke
I the next mormng^ffehng^u^A«^-^
I voice speak to me, saying : You will
have to go and talk to the Primitive
Baptists. I thought I would tell my
husband of it when he came home—
but when he got home I thoueht I
had better say nothing about it.
“ It n'as grace that taught my heart to fear,
And grace my fears relieved ;
IIow precious did that grace appear,
The hour I first believed.”
The second Sunday in September 1
went to Black Creek to a Primitive
Baptist meeting. When I got in
sight of the house and saw the old
brethren in the yard, I felt like I
wanted to tell them about my trou
bles. I then went in the house and
there were the old sisters ; and, oh !
how loving they looked. After a
while the brethren went in and
had prayer meeting—there was no
preaching that day—I enjoyed their
prayer meeting better than I did the
Missionary preaching, I went home
in great trouble. It seemed that I
would have to turn from the Mis
sionaries. I promised the Lord if he
would spare me until the second Sun
day in July I would withdraw from
the Missionary and join the Primi
tive Baptist Church. The second
Saturday in July I went before the
Church and related my experience,
and was baptized the next day by El
der F. M. McLeroy.
Yours in hope of eternal life,
Lucy A. J, Rice.
Peach Tree Grove, Nash County, N. C.,
November 5th, 1875.
Brethren and Sisters:—
ITH fear and trembling [
attempt to write to you all.
If I write anything that
will benefit any of the dear
brethren and sisters, it will be by the
help of God, for we learn that the
Lord’s people are taught by the same
Spirit; and, if So, why should the
brethren disagree in their opinion vi
the scriptures. For, the one tbn.r.
came in at the eleventh hour received
as much as the one tliat came in at-
the first hour. And .so it is—we are
one no better than the other. W'J
may gather the trash of this workl
around ns and live comfortably so far
as this world’s goods are concerned ;
but if the love of God is not sh*-d
abroad in our hearts it profiteth us
nothing—for, what should we make
were we to gain the whole world and
lose our soul ?
Brethren, who is purer than Christ?
for he said on one occasion, that the
foxes have holes and the birds havi^
nests: hut the Son of Man hath not-
where to lay his head: and not a
sparrow falls to the ground withoin
his (God’s) care. Are we not better
than tlie sparrow.s? and, why not put
our trust in the Lord ? for he says,
“ My grace is sufficient.” Paul said,
“ \Fhen I am weak then I am strong”
—meaning, when he was weak in tbo
flesh he \yas strong in the S{)irit. So
it is, bretliren and sisters, \vhen wc
are cast down and aU hope seems to
be gone, and we cry, Lord, save, I
perish ! and he sends his Me.ssenger of
Peace to our hungry souls, then we
are made to rejoice for a season; but,
it is like the wind “it hloweth wher«
it listed! and thou hearest the sound
thereof, but canst not tell whence it,
Cometh nor whither it gocth,”' AinI
so is every one that is born of the
Spirit; and so it is, he diat is born -
1 the flesh is of the ile.sh, and he that
born of the Spirit is of the Spirit.
And except you be born again you
can in no wise inherit the kingdom c:'
God. There is a natural and a spir
itual birth: for we learn that no flesh
and blood shall inherit the kingdom
of God. And, brethren and sister-y
are you looking for him the second
time to call his children home, when
he shall declare that time shall be no
more, and say, Come home, ray Fa
ther’s children. Inherit the kingdom
prepared for you before the foimck-
tion of the world. Yes, he was b.:-
fore the world and the world knew
him not and don’t know him now;
for the ways of the Lord are foolish
ness to the world. And, we learn
that the way and plan of salvation
are mysterious and past finding ou';,
for they are spiritually discerned, avl
unless the Lord reveals them it Is Im
possible for us to undei .stand any
thing about the !vay of life aru!
salvation, for by grace you are saVf-1
and not by works, lest any shoL..‘d
boast.
Brethren and Sisters in the Lord,
I Civn’t express my feelings as I wi.sh
to, for I feel so unworthy and walk
so far from what I feel it my duty to
do, that the most of my time I am
cast down ; and, when my will is to
do good evil is presenC and the
things I would do I do not, and the
things I would .lot do I do; and so
it is from day to day; hut, I am yet
spared and on pleading ground : and
if I am deceived, heavenly Father,
for Christ’s sake undeceive me, arffi
show me what I am by nature and
what I mu.st be by grace before I can
meet Thee in peace, is the prayer of
Your unworthjr servant,
if one at all,
H. Batxon.