Zion’s Landmark: Wilson, N. C.
163
agrevai»le nioruing, ami I was afraid
there would he bwta very few, and I
lelt like I wanted the whole world,
if it could have been possible, to Iwj
there. This was another cliange,
for every time I would think about
i)eing l)ajitized publicly, I would
think: O, if something would only
lia{)pen ! I prayed that I might get
very sick, so I could Ik; baptised pri
vately. But, thank the good Lord,
all that pride was taken away ; for
seveni! days I was perfectly happy.
One tiight during the first week I
awoke from sleep and began tothinfc
about all of father’s friends, and
thought if I had them all together
that I would shake hands wdth each
one of them, and tell them what I
thought the Lord had done for my
poor soul, I was enjoying the
thought just as much so as I would
have done if it had been real, until
this thought crassed my mind, You
have deceived enough, I think you
ought to he satisfied. From that
moment until day I never was in so
ranch trouble; death was preferable,
in fact, I thought I would getup and
butt my brains out against the xmll—
but the good Lord kept me from do
ing it. The next morning, as soon
as I got my breakfast, I went to
Elder Hassell’s and told sister Has
sell I had deceived the Church and
intended to have my name taken off
tlje book. She persuaded me not to
lo any such thing. I staid all day
with lier and a miserable one it was;
but towards night it passetl off, tho’
I was not satisfiei.
Soon after this Elder Vanmeter
was to preach to several of our
Jhui’eiie.s, and I looked forward with
tnucL*^ pleasure. He did wit. visit
Williamston, so I made rny arrauge-
raents to get home in time to hear
him, but failed to do it. The day he
was to’preach here at night I pray-
■etl to the Lord, if I had had a Change
to make it manifest to lae in some
way. I soon dropped off to sleep and
dreamed that I was at coesfe John
Hyman’s, up stairs in a room, looking
over some old books ; in ose of them
I found a photograph with paper fas
tened over it so no one could tell who
it was, I soon removed the paper
%nd found it to be a picture of a child.
Pretty soon I discovereel life in it. I
laid it down and she ^it was a girl,)
reached her hand and took a potato
that wasm@sird;ep, and began to eat it
very greedily, d began to think
how strange‘it was, that this child
•should be .“towed away and no one
knew she 'was alive. While think
ing of it I awoke and began to think
what a Strange thing it was, but could
•not raake'out what it meant.
The next morning I said to my-
'self: Well, Elder Vanmeter has fill-
etl his appointments, and I could not
:get 'to hear him ; I wonder wdiy it is
‘that I want to hear preaching so
'much more than I ever did before?
Then it seemed that some one spoke
and said, You are like that child
you dreamed of last night; you have
been dead, but novv you are alive;
you were blind, out now you see;
now you are hungering and thirsting
after the bread of life, which is the
gospel.
Brother Gold, tills is but a dream,
but it haa afforded me a great deal of
comfort. I do not know that there is
any •vidence in this that I have had
a change. One evidence I am satis
fied I have is, the love for the breth
ren.
I attended the Baltimore and Del
aware Associations last Spring. I
never saw but one familiar face while
I was gone—that was Judge Biggs,
who accoinpauied me from Norfolk,
Va.,—and can say, with a truth, I
never met with kinder friends and
more brotherly love in my life. I
had thought I never could love any
ministers like 1 did ours; hut, 1 can
say, and tell the truth, that those I
met while gone I have the same love
and feel just as anxious to see them
as if had known them all my life;
and am sure I enjoyed their preach
ing and received as much comfort as
I ever did from any I ever heard.—
The only thing I regret is, I could
not attend them all.
Brother Gold, I could write more
about my trip, but think I have al
ready taxed your patience.
] hope you and all the dear breth-
reb will pray for me, that I may be
led and directed by the Holy Spirit.
Affectionately,
Your Sister in Christ,
S. H. R.
Speiglit’s Bridge, Green County, N. C^
June ^rd, 1876.
Brother Gold:—
I have been long confined at home,
and seldom feel able to attend Church
—I have to get most of my spiritual
food from The many sweet cq
nications published in y
messenger (Zion’s Landkae^) ^id
the Primiiiae. .Baptist, published at
Raleigh, N.b They are a
comfort to me in my afflicted state of
health. If I cannot attend meetings,
I can read with comfort those many
sweet communications published in
both of said papers.
Brother Gold, from reading a 'pa
per called The Watch Tomer, publish
ed at Kinston, N. C., and from con
versing with some of its advocates, I
have cond'aded to write a short arti
cle for publication in your paper—if
you think proper, after reading it and
correcting all mistakes. If I know
anything of my feelings, I wish to
write from a s|firit of love to all of
God’s jKjople-, whether in or out of the
Church. £ believe good people are
all one in Christ, let them be where
they will.
■ This paper I speak of, in writing
to our friend Hern, says:
“Speak your mind, Hern, as it might
serve to hasten the time when the Lord’s peo-
p)e will be one.”
Now, if the Lord’s people are not
one, united in love by grace freely
given, I am at a loss what I believe.
They may be in different denomina
tions here; but the Loid knows
them in the Church and out of it.—
And the different Churches here nev
er can unite while the world has its
Church and the fashions to suit, and
to please human nature. But, the
Lord’s people are a poor and afflicted
people: they are not of the world,
therefore they are spoken evil of; but
thank God, none of these things
move me from what I believe. If
all the denominations of this world
were to unite, in denying revealed
religion I would still stand firm in the
faith that God is a Spirit and that he
reveals his Spirit to whom he will.—
ft is from this belief that God has, in
his mercy, revealed things to me,
which gives me all the hope I have.
Up to this great day of men’s wis
dom, they can even alter the Bible
to suit them, by changing the word
from baptized to “ dipping.” I sup
pose both of the terms mean to be
buried. So, I prefer the word as it
reads, “Then coraeth Jesus from
Galilee to Jordan unto John to be
baptized, and Jesus, when he was bap
tized, went up straightway out of the
water.” So, I can see no use in say
ing he was dipped. Both words
mean about the same thing. But let
us Ivo'id to it as it has been for genera
tions ^ he (Christ) was baptised by
John in tiie River Jordan—not in a
cistern, nor in any other way than
the way the word teaches.
Another article in the Wa%ch Tow
er I wish to notice, and that is, where
it speaks of gospel success, where it
says j
“There is r, decided iiaprovenient ‘over for
mer Baptist usage.”
I suppose it is a decided improve
ment to suit the world. The candi
dates for Baptism were not called on
to relate any experience, but simply
made a profession of their faith iii
Christ; not a word said about the
pardon of sin—but a simple trust in
Jesus, The world, aad all that ever
heard of Jesus, in my opinion, would
believe in that simple trust in Jesus.
It is natural for the world, to have
me. I got up and went back to
the house and found my wife sitting
up waiting, for me. I undressed and
went to bed and placed my iiaiids
across my breast and gave myself uj)
to the will of God, with this resolve :
Lord, I can do nothing—Thy will be
done, O, God ! I cannot say that I
was awake or asleep, but it appeared
to me as plain as if I had seen it
with my natural eyes—the three-one
God—Father, Son and Holy Ghost,
all in one; all moved together in the
salvation of my soul and spake, Thy
sins are forgiven thee ! I thought I
could see the justice in God to for
give sin for Christ’s sake. I wanted
to go to a Primitive Baptist preacher
that night and tell how how happy I
felt. I told my wife about it, but
told her not to say anything about it
to any person. I fear I was deceived
and wanted a brighter evidence, but
have never received other evidence
for the hope I have.
Now, brethren and sisters, if I am
worthy to call you by tliat name, I
must say in conclusion, I went for
ward April 2nd, 1844, and related
what I hope the Lord had done for
me, and was received a member of
the Church at New Chapel, Wayne
County, N. C. I have had many
troubles and trials to encounter
in my pilgrimage; but brethren,
while I write I feel th.at the time is
near at hand, when I will have to bid
all adieu in this world of trouble.
May God be with us all and direct
us in the right way, is my prayer.
S. P. Cox.
3LDER RESPESS-‘ASS0GIATI01\rS
I will now stop mixingth W'-’-ld by
nature and the true Church Oi Christ,
in this short letter, and write of what
I have been taught by grace, revealed
to meoltheplan of salvation, if I have
not been deceived ; not revealed bv
man’s wisdom, but by the revealed
word of God—to rny poor, helpless
soul. And when, I believe, from all
my soul, it was by revelation and all
the hope I have; and, take that hope
from me, if it was possible, and I
would feel that all my prospects for
heaven would be to an end. But
thank God, while I write (tho’ very
feeble to-day,) something seems to
whisper internally : Write on 1 But
what shall I write ?
I will now, if the Lord will, give
some of my travails from an earthly
state of my life to the time I felt the
Lord precious to my soul: When I
was quite small I felt that I wanted
to be liappy when I died, and often
tried to recommend myself ra God’s
favor, by trying to ptay, Until I was
quite iroted to some of the arminian
churches. It went on in this until I
was raarriecl, when I said to iny wife,
Now let us get religion and join the
Church. We both attended a revi
val at a Methodist meeting for sever
al days, when I foUnd out that I
could do nothing, and my wife was
the same way-^so we finally stopped
going.
Some months after this I became
very much troubled about something
but could not tell what it was. I
said nothing to my wife about my
condition. She would often ask,
What is the matter ? I would say,
Not much of anything. But, at tho
same time would be asking God to
have mei’cy on me. I felt a load of
trouble—all a secret from my wife
and everybody else. I grew worse
for several months, when, one night I
felt that I would die with trouble.—
I left the house and concealed myself
in a secret place and tried to pray ; I
fell dpwn on my knees but could not
even ask thrfll^ liavo mercy on
The Staunton River Association
met in August, Pittsylvania Co., Va.
This county is blessed with a number
of Baptists, incorruptable in morals,
simple in manners, sound in faith,
and modest in deportment. Such are
the salt of the earth. A wise resolu
tion was adopted—to have Union
meetings. There afe some churches
in that, Association very destitute of
preachers, and the Union meetings,
when held in these destitute sections,
will open a door or give an opportu
nity for preaching in such places.—
■A disposition on the part of our
preaching brethren to go in regions
beyond and preach is manifested in
many instances. They are not sent
by boards or Associations, but, having
a readiness of mind to preach, they
go from an inward impression. This
is a good work and I hope it may
still go on and increase.
Elder J. R. Respess, of Ga., a gift
ed, humble and precious brother, vis
ited this Association and preachei,
much to the joy and comfort of the
people.
The Country Line Association fol
lowed and was attended by an im
mense assemblage of orderly people.
I do not think I have ever seen so
many people at one time disposed to
hear preaching. Many precious
brethren are in this Association.
The Abbotts Creek Association
met near Salisbury. It was com
posed of a well-behaval assemblage of
men and brethren.
Elder Respess also visited these
two Associations, and was a great
comfort to the brethren. A goodly
number of preachers besides him at
tended all these Assocations also, but
none others so far from home. The
meetings were delightful at all places,
and many were the kindnesses our
brethren and friends showed us.—
With pleasure brother Respess re
members these meetings anti tke kind
ness shown him. As for myself I
had the double pleasure of his com
pany and the delight of attending
the Associations. Thanks to tlio
Lord for precious brethren, and
thanks be unto God for the unspeak
able gift of Jesus.—[Ed.