Newspapers / Zion’s Landmarks (Wilson, N.C.) / March 15, 1876, edition 1 / Page 2
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J 66 Zion’s liandmark.: Wilson, N. C. luuids of th« Lord as tlie rivers ot water are. He turnetti them whither- aoever he will, so that the way of man is not ill himself. It is not in man that walketh, to direct his steps.— Yea, the very hairs of our heads are numbered by him wlio knoweth all tilings; yea, by him whodirecteth the storms, and can say—Peace, becalm ! and all is calm. And, he is every where, and svhere he is there is life and peace and all is good. Hist year t ere w re several ad i- lions made to the Church at Kew II '|>e (where I liold my member- sliip). We feel thankful that the Lord is bringing them in at his own will, bringing them out of darkness into his marvelous light of the gos pel ; and we should ever pray that he will eontimie to add to the Church daily such as be woii'd have to be savotl. But, on the other hand, many others have fouirht their last battle, bare ftnished their course, and in triumph have crossed the dark stream ot death, and, hav iig re ceived the crown of righteousness which the Ijord, the righteous Judge, will give unto all that love his apear- iiig—are to-day celebrating their de liverance amid the unlading glories of a happy immortality. Why these liave been called up higher, while we have been left on the shores of time, none can tell, oidy that it is the good pleasure of God, because it seemeth good to liiin that it shoidd be so. It is certain that we are left for a pur- fK)se to battle yet a little wdiile longer for the onse and honor of him who Cl ,1,. Cl.,..,. /I ■» I’Ia I ,1,1-, hA-svAvlid 111; from darki'css* marvtiouy of tac Le'; 03 fheti as dutiful tain what that purpose is ; and, hav ing ascertained it, let us work while it is called “ to-day,” for, bebolil, my brethren, the night will certainly and surely come, and that ere long, wbea no man can work. Now, do we begin this year better tliau we di(i last? Are we trying to live better men and women? Now, brethren, let us try to live more tip ri^ht and pray tlie Lord to forgive ail our sins, that we may live better tlran we ever have, and run the Chris tian race with patience, ever looking unto Jesus who is the author and fin- isiier of onr faith. And, let us all try to follow tlie old landmark that ♦ur fathers set up, and not be par leying almnt bard, strenuous doctrine (Mid unrevealed things. Let us try Vo follow our Savior and the aposth*s. Yoa, all our ministering brethren have enough to do to preach Jesus dad him crucified—to a dying world, to iced the si.cep and lambs, an 1 warn ing sinners everywhere of the wrath to come. I know a preacher, and have heard him preach fi»r the past feur ycais, and have never heard him warn the brethren but twi(« during that time. What io you think of that, brethren? Is tnat following the eomiuission that the Savior gave? I wish I could see and hear sister R. Anna Piiil ips talk. I t.hink she is the greatest wfiter among wuineii; and I .s&y, write on sister Phillips, it Joes mo good to liear from you as Well as many otliers. Brother Gold, may the Great Head of the Clmrch ho with you, aud help yo« to keep up /our vaJuahW papery and blc.s.s you in all your undertak ings; and, when it g-'cs well with you, remember poor me. Pray for your poor unworthy brother, if one at all. R. C. Browning. South Lowell, Feb. 3rd, 1876. Dear Brother Gold:— It is snowing and I am confined to the house to-day, and my mind has been bu«y meditating on the goodne.ss of the Lord toward me.— When I look back and see how he has hedged me in with his blessings and shieldtsl me from so many dan gers—seen and doubtless more on- seen from my infancy down to the present moment, I am amazed and held almost spell-bound in wonder at his greatness in goodness and good ne.ss in gnatnes!. And, it does seem to me, tliatthe longer I live, and the more I think of the.se t dugs, tiie lirighter do these attributes of God shine forth, and the more insignifi cant do 1 appear to my poor .sinful ^eif. Wliile I view my.self as a sin ner—as such I hr k bigger to my.self th.-m anything else in this great world —God’s grace which I believe to be sufficient to wash away the sins of ail God’o peo[)le, is my hope. Brother Gold, .sometimes I feel constrained to believe and hope the merciful God has revealed to me and made plain to rny mind, by bis holy Spirit, .some of his divine truths, and (liough I am vile and .sinful(, if liedias done so, and is still leaiying meiabout, and instructing me, |njj shii.\ iup- me this troth ivS it’d l-irWccal these lights and hide fJtin iny fellow-travelers here bel '^ It any one truth has been mjre plain ly demonstrated to my mind in my experience than any other, it is this, that to hide and conceal the the dealings of the L>rd witli onr .souls, and to keep it from tiie lioiise- hohl of faith, is liurtfni to oursel ves, and by so doing we frequently deny ourselves of nuieh joy and peace, and our brethren and sisters much com fort. Therefore, is it not the du.y of every heaven born soul, af er lie has been brought to a knowledge of the truth, to te.stify of that truth to the .saints for their comfoit and peace, and to the world as a witness for or against them as the Lord may direct ami use ? It seems to me that it is the duty of us ail to testify of the things we have seen and tlie things we have heard, and let the Lord make just .such use of them as seepi- eth good to him. Tiie foregoing are some of my reas ons for imposing on yon and tiie read er of the Landmark (if yon .see fit to publish them), someof my thoughts on the subject of reeoneiliution to God : 1st, What is a reconciliation to God ? 2ik1. Mow eon sinful mortals be roeoneiled to God ? A reeoneilia- tioii is a bringing together again i:i a close union and agreement something which has been separatisl and has disagrtHid. And, a reconeilialion to God is a bringing together again in- O O c5 O to a close union with God the eiCct who fell and were separated from God by death in Adam. Mortals can only be reconciled to G?d through Cbiiat, ta tbe new birth (eec 2ud Cor. 5: 18, 19, 20). And oh I what a heaven of bliss to feel reconciled to God, to hi,s will and to his way of doing things. -Well do I remember the first time I felt like I was recon ciled to God, T felt that I should nev er see any more trouble. But soon, from some cause, 1 ceased to be rec onciled to God in many wavs, and then dark and threatening clouds be gan to gather and caused me to trem ble and quake with doubts and fears ; and, where before was peace, joy and love, now was raging a fierce storm ofeontemling emotions. Now whence aro.se this fierce storm, and why does it sometimes ari.se now? and why does it ever ari.se in tbe bo.-^om of a .saint ? and when will it cease to rage in the breast and destroy the peace and eomfiirt of God’s people? With me it seems plain that the cause of my doubts and fears was, that I eonld not be reconciled to the will of God, that I should retain the throne of sin m my flesh to buffet me. I wanted to live a pure and holy life clear of sin. I was not willing to bide God’s time to purify the whole lump in the resurrection; and, it is only at times now, my dear brother, that I am en abled to say, Thv will te done! That I am a fool, unable to .see, know or do anything for the best; but, .sometimes I do feel fully reconciled to God—and tho.se are .he happiest and most peaceful moments of my life. Then it is that I could not al ter one particle of God’s creation, and most especially the plan of sak. ation, for it is tlien I can .see and feel that w>is nljnncd do limi as and is exeenfed iiiid that, consequently, there can be no miscarriage or failure in anv part of the plan. And, as to the question : When will this ir-reconciliation to God cease to vex and torment the saint? It will never cea^e entirely until the death of this old flesh, for it is sin that dwells in our flesh that is not reconciled to God, nor indeed can it lie, for it is of the devil, and God did not see fit at the repeated prayer of Paul to cast the thorn out of the flesh—but promised iiim that hisgr.ice should be sufficient for him. Therefore sin will never be east out of the flesh until the resurreetion— then we are assured that we shall 'wise ami be like him. Oh what a promise! And though we are not sufficient in ©iir own strength to cope with sin which is in the flesh, yet by tile grace of God we are not entirely ignorant of Satan’s devices. Get. us obey the commands of our Great Captain wlio has gone before and con quered our enemies, who has thrown such high walls of protection around us tliat none of the darts of ,«ataii can reach or injure us; but unfortunate- ' v for .some (if ns, while basking in lips that they are reconciled lo GoI ; but by their acts they are not recon ciled to God in any jxjnt whatever; who among the many religious sect* of the day, that claim the Bible as the rule and guide of their faith, and Jesus Christ as their Savior, are re conciled to God, to-day ! And when I say reconciled to God, I mean re conciled to him as a full and complete sovereign of heaven and earth, pos- s'.ssing full and complete knowledge of all things, fu 1 and complete power over all things ; both knowl edge and power being perfect and eternal; a God of perfect and eternal grace, justice, love, truili, ami mercy. Omniacience, omnipotence and eternity' are three words big with import—toe l)ig and full of meaning for fleshly and finite beings to comprehend or understand. Here is something tixv deep for human wisdom, too mysteri- oi s for the human mind to unravel penetrate. It matters not how or bright the intellect, or how cultivat ed the mind, every effort of finite or mortal being.s to see through or uu- derstaiid eternal and infinite things always has and always must fail, from the very nature of things. How then is man in the flesh, or while he remaims in the flesh, ever to receive or understand anything of hi# God or eternity, truth or falsehood ? It must necessarily be by revelation from God. How? fey his infinite wisdom and almighty power. He is able to lo away with the Avorks of Satan, to bring light out of darkiu'Ss, life out of dealb, and when Ise wislies t* ioet spiritual life and gives liim eye,-t which can see and ears which -an hear, and a heart which can nn ler- staml. Then liere is a new creature of God’s preparation ready, willing ami anxious to receive the truth, ami is ever led about and instructed bv the Holy Ghost, kept by the p .wer of God fhrougli faith unto salvation, ready to be revealed in the last time* Ami who can separate such a creat ure from the love of God which is in Jesu.s Christ our. Lord ? Heath caa not do it, nor life, nor angels, nor priiu:ipalitie.s, nor {Aowers, nor thing.s md fee! that life out or ilealh, and when he oiiiTfpotencl!, jthim.self he qaiekens tlie simi into pre.sent, nor things the sunshine of God’s smiles, we at the Suggestions of .satan become oviT eoiifidciit and risk onr.-ielves beyond the walls ot God’.s City of refuge, ami got wounded ; Imt tlie true .saint is sure to return when satan attacks hini a wiser and more humble Chris tian—and he fiels that he has justly suffered for his temerity. Having tried to give yon some of ray thoughts on this subject as it af fects the Christian, I will say some- tUiuj^ of those who profess with their height. nor depth, to nor come, nor any other creature. But, on the contrary, all the.se and all other things we are as sured shall work together foi good t(; them who love God, to them wiio are the called according to Ids pur pose. And no man can say that Jesus is the Lord from heaven, save by the Holy Ghost; neither caa any man .'.^ay that the Bible is the word of God except it be revealed to 1dm by the Holy Ghost; nor can he .say that any part of the Bible is the Lord’s truth unles-s he be made a new creature, capable of receiving revelation by the Holy Giiost. This then being the case, how can one know, in nature’s darknc.ss,dead in tre.spasscs and sin.s, blind and deaf to the truJi, no heart to iirnler.-tand it, with a carnal mind totelly depraved, and is eimdty to God, not re oiieiled nor indeed can be, because the vvhofe man is taken captive by the devil aJ his own will; having no will of hi« own; and if he had a will he is ut captivUj to satoo, Go4’s ar«h eaemy; I r'-» , »i
Zion’s Landmarks (Wilson, N.C.)
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March 15, 1876, edition 1
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