Zion’s Landmark : Wilson, N. C.
167
feolings is in reproving, rebuking, fec.
It is proper to reprove and rebuke
Nvrong-doers ; but, under the guise of
professed religious faithfulness, one
may say he is reproving sharply when
it is apparent that malice, hate, or
|»arty passions and prejudice
have sharpened and poiscned the
elge of the sword. Among the qual-
idcations for profitable rebuke are the
following:
1st. The preacher correcting the
faults of others should himself be a
{)attern of good works. His own con
duct, public and private, in the pul
pit and out of it, at home and abroad,
should exemplify his doctrine. The
{>eople should easily and readily see
in him that virtue, honesty, temper
ance, patience, meekness, and long-
suffering which he teaches by word in
the pulpit. What will it amount to
for a preacher to preach sobriety to
others when he is not sober himself?
or to preach that others should not
defraud when he will not pay his
own debts ? or that another should
not lie when he falsifies his own
word? But if he is himself an ex
ample to the flock, in all good things,
tlien he can rebuke with authority.
But suppose a preacher should ex
cuse himself from exhorting others to
honest living, because he lives im
properly himself? That would be
to say, I cannot teach another to live
righteously, because I do not live
right myself; or it would be to cov
er one wrong with another wrong.—
No man should be suffered to preach
who does not keep his own body un
der. A preacher should be a teacher
iff good things. A false preacher, or
ojiij'whp fails to preach the sound
etrine and the things which beetle
« sound doctrine, is too injurious to the
cause to be tolerated, and sliould be
silenced. A little leaven ieaveneth
the whole lump. It is easier to pull
down than it is to build up.
2d. The spirit of the preacher
should be like that of Jesus. He
should correct in meekness, and re
buke with loug-suffering. It is easy
to find fault and censure others. It is
natural to back-bite and fault-find.—
The trouble is to keep from doing
this. The worse the man the more
he is apt to find fault with othersand
judge them with severity.
Under the pretence of great sound
ness in doctrine and faithfulness, one
may in the wrong spirit contend for
the precious doctrine of election.—
The man who regards himself as a
defender of the faith, and sets him
self up as such a master in Israel,
should well examine his motives and
see if {Xirsonal feelings may not creep
in and vitiate his offering. I am not
ignoring sucli gifts as these. Indeed
I believe that every faithful gospel
sermon contends earnestly for the
faith once delivered to the saints.—
But if our purpose is to glory overall
enemy or get the praise of our breth
ren, or to please self, it is striving.
How much better is that spirit of
meekness that exhibits Christ who
did not break the bruised reed, nor
quench the smoking flax ; whose pur-
po.se i.s to instruct the ignorant, con
firm the doubting, strengthen the
feeble knees, and rebuke the unruly
with all long-suffering and meekness,
■ praying that God may give them re
pentance to the acknowledging of the
truth. The preacher should be as
the ox bearing burdens, without mur
muring, for the good of others, not
resisting evil ; and his spirit should
be “ glory to God in the highest,
peace on earth, and good will to men,”
else how can he bring glad tidings.
Sometimes the cry ol persecution
is raised by the preacher when he has
provoked it all hiraselt, either by im
proper living, or by abusing other
jieople who retaliate. If we hate oth
ers, or do them a wrong by talking
roughly about them, we are apt to im
agine they have become our enemies,
when we are theirs. Satan may take
advantage of us, if we abu.se others,
by causing us to conclude they hate us,
and thus justify our wrong-doing, and
even repeat it. One of the evils of
injuring another is the rebounding
impression it makes on us by causing
us to conclude that such persons have
become our enemies; thus we are li
able to be hardened and prejudiced
against one we have harmed ; and if
he should return good for this evil
we are surprised at it. How much
better to have that charity thatthink-
eth no evil even, much loss speaking
evil.
3cl. The preacher should not shun
to rebuke the disorderly among his
own flock, and should be careful to
correct wrongs in himself. It is no
good sign for one to see evils in oth
er people, but be unable to ace faults
in himself: such as can see and mag
nify motes in other people but fail
to see beams in their own eyes. He
that is quickest to detect faults in
others may be the slowest to see his
own. If a man is as willing to be
told of bG own as be is to tejt^'
others of theirs thm let him rebuktf
If he is as anxious to correct his own
errors, as he is to see others reform,
then he is a good man.
Some preachers are fond of rebuk
ing away off from home, but they |
never see oi mention the faults of
their friends. Suppose one should
take thi.s text; “Cry aloud, spare
not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet,
and shew ray people their transgres
sions, and the hou.se of Jacob their
sins ;”—Lsa. 58 : 1, and should speak
altogether of arrainiaus, exposing
their unscriptural practices, but
.say nothing of the faults of Baptists,
would he not admit that the annin-
ians were the Lord’s people, and
hou.se of Jacob ? But suppose he
should .say that the Bap^ists had no
faults or sins ; then what use has he
for that text ? It is all right to warn
the church of deciever.s, and to be
ware of wolves in sheep’s clothing,
and watcli over them lest the enemy
get an advantage ; but it is also the
duty of the preacher to rebuke the
disobedient among Baptistry.
Some spend their time in abusing
people of other denominations, but
do not exhort sinners to repentance,
nor rebuke ilrunkards, nor unruly,
nor .seem to have much desire to see
sinners come to a knowledge oftlie
truth. Like Saul, who could spare
the best of the flock, and even Agag
himself, but killed the most unimport
ant, so some preachers can sharply
rebuke some little, indifferent sins of
their brethren, but they will spare
their pet sins. ^Ye fear sometimes
to warn and rebuke our brethren of
their greater sin.s, because they will
not bear it. Is that faithfulness ?—
We “ihould .strive to profit our breth
ren by warning them of their sins—
lifting up our voice and sparing not.—
My brother, why is your preacher a
pet? Is it because lie does not re
buke you and exhort you when you
do wrong? That preacher who tells
you in a faithful spirit of your errors
is a far better friend to you.
It is a cross to rebuke our friends
and exhort them ; it is no cross
though to find fault with outside peo
ple. The true j)reacher dies daily—
is a living sacrifice. He often is not
thanked even for his most faithful
service.
It is time we'were examining our
selves in these matters. If we are
unfaithful in the.se things it will end
in strife and confusion. But if the
true spirit of meekness and faithful
ness rules in us there will be no strife,
but peace and love. The praise of
our brethren will do us no good be
fore the judgment. The praise of
men is a snare. To speak the whole
truth in the spirit of truth quiets
strife and profits men. May we seek
to please God and profit men.
LOOK TOWARDS THE CONGRE-
GATION.
I endeavor to call the attention of
my dear brethren to things that make
for peace and good.
A preacher while preaching should
look towards the congregation, and
not turn around too much to address
other preachers sitting behind him.—
They are near enough to liear any
way better than most of the congre-
S ii. He should endeayof for the
fe to hear what he is saying ; not
only that the members around the
pulpit should hear, but that all the
people present if possible should hear
what he has to say.
It is supposed (hat the congrega
tion need teaching, and it is the
preacher’s duty to teach and preach
the word so far as he can to all pres
ent.
He should also seek, to teach them.
He should not be indifferent whether
they hear him or hot; but should be
anxious for tke word of God to run,
and have course, and be glorified.
The Black Creek Association will
meet with the church at Upper Black
Creek, Wilsou Co., N. C., on Friday
before the 4tli Sunday in October.
Brethren visiting by rail will be
met at Black Creek depot on Friday.
This is a new As.sociation; hence
adjoining sister As.sociations are re
quested to open corre.spondence.
The Maylio Ass'iciation will meet
on Friday before the 3d Sunday in
Oct., at Biding’s M. H. Any breth
ren visiting by K. R. will write to
brother Benjamin Sprinkle at Beth-
ania, Forsyth Co,, N. C., and he will
meet such witli conveyance at broth
er An.selm Reid’s in JVinston, N. C.
iiaQi > Wnm —
Elder J. S. Dameroii expects to be
at the Fchccouna Association, Upson
County, Ga., on the third Sunday in
September. The brethren will jilease
arrange daily appointments for him
from thence to the Eberfezer Associ-
atiim on the fourth Sunday ; thence
to Upper and Lower Cnnooclie Asso-
Giatious. J. R. Resp-ess.
ippflintmtuls.
Elder James Cavenaugh will
preach, the Lord willing:
September 24, Cl.-\yton (in the evenin")
“ ! 5, Reliol)oth
“ 26, Fellow.ship
“ 27, Hunnali’s Creek
“ 28, Hlack Kirer
“ 20 Mingo
“ 30, Ready Prong
October 1, Seven Miles.
Newport, August 25tli, 1876.
Brother Gold, Dear Sir:—Please
publish the following appointments
for Elder B. H. Wooten :
September 24, White Oak, Jones Co
“ 26, Swift Creek, Craven “
“ 27, Milton, Pamlico *'
“ 28, Goose Creek Island
“ 29 Beaubh, Hyde Co
October 4 Milton
“ 6, Durham’s Creek
“ 6, Galloway’s, Pitt Co
Then to Contentnea A.«.sociation.
The brother will need conveyance
from Goose Creek Island to Beaulah
and Kelnikee Association, and back
to Goose Creek Island.
John S. Brinson.
Brother Gold:—You may make
the following ap[)ointmeiits for me,
the Lord willing :
October 20,-21,-22 ...Black Creek Association
“ 23, Scott’s
“ 24, Lower Black Creek
“ 26, Aycock’s
“ 26, Naliunta
“ 27,-28,-29 ...Bear Creek (Union M.)
“ 30, Meadow
“ 31, Old Town Greek
Novem. 1, ...Moore’.s Meeting House
“ 2, Tois. ot
“ S, Bethany (Pine Level)
“ 4,-5, Smithfield.
I will be dependent on ttie breth
ren for coi^veyance.
T’ours, in gospel bonds,
J. A. T. Jones.
Elders D. R. Moore and J. A
Burch will preach, the Lord willing
September 20,
21,
October
22,-23,-24,
25,
26,
so;
b
2,
3,
4,
•b
6,
7,-8,-9,
10,
n,
12,
14,-15,-16,
17..
18,
19,
20, -21,-22,
Cedar Grove
Neuse
Litttle River ,\sso’
Sandy Grove
... Healthy Plains
Contentnea
T;isnj:)t
^(oore’s
White Oak
Me.idow
Antrey’s Creek
Old Town Creek
Sparta
Ty.son’s
Contentnea Asso’
Sandy Bottcni
Beaver Dam
South West
Bay
White Oak Asso’
Cypress Creek
Muddy Creek
-(Travel.)
....Black Creek Asso’.
27,
28, -
Etder Gold,—My Dear Brother:—
I am requested to make the follow-
ing appointments for the brethren on
their way to the Kelmkee Associa
tion :
.September 26, ; Beaver Dam
White Plains
( Eld C Moore and otheis at
■j North Creek; and Eldar
( C. B. Has.sell at Pan‘icu;().
C Eld. Hassell at Eorti-ene’s
“ 29, (h'eek in Hyde Co. ; and
( 1-Cld Moore at Clark's S.ll.
I was at the Union, and many of
the brethren were anxious tnat J
should make the.se appointments;
and, [ hope tlnitour beloved tir itiu'r,
Elder Gold, will be found in the
train; and old brother J’Itt and
many others, whom to see would be
,soul-refreshing.
White Plains will bo the place
where the brethren will all nn.'et.
D. W. Toppi.Ntc
Elder Wm. Ross will preath, the
Lord willing,
Monday after 3d Snnday in Oct '^Iead()^v.
Tuesday W hite Oak.
W’ednesday Toisnnt.
Thnrs;iay .' Scotts.
Ifridy, '-Aiiinlay, anil .Sunday at J’.lack Creek
JBiiitiun.
'Memorial.
Aycock’s
^d^sflay Naliunta.
Tinirsday M. who a, s*
Eri. .Sat. and Sun...,-.-Union, at Bear Creel..