i
Beloved Elder Gold:—Into what a
si rail the disciples of Jesus were
brought that evening tliey w'ere cross
ing the lake of Genessareth, or sea of
Galilee! Their Master had ordered
them to cross over the lake, here, op
posite Capernaum, some six or eight
miles wide; it w’as in the evening,
after he liad oeen teaching by the sea
side, and wearied with the labors of
the day. They launched forth as
commanded, and steered for the other
sliore, “ Aud there arose a great
storm of wind aud the waves beat in
to the ship, so that it was nofi^ full.”
In this terrible catastrophe, with the
tempest roaring and howling over
head, attended, probably, as usual,
with terriffic peals of thunder, aud
vivid lightning, and the mighty bil
lows rolling in fury over their ves-
.scl, they arc at their wdt’s end, and
are ready to sink. They are now at
the mercy of the w'ind ani the w'aves,
and utterly helpless in themselves.—
Xo skill, nor effort of their own can
avail them anything, and no human
aid can reach them. In this dire dis
tress they bethink themselves of their
iUaster, and run to him, (as w'e ail
should do in our distresses,) but he is
asleep on a pillow, in the hinder jrart
of the ship. Here is an evidence of
the manhood or humanity of Christ—
he can be w'eary, can slrep, rest, cat,
rejoice aud weep like ttnlo his breth
ren ; but he is also God with us, and
possesses all power. They cry, “ Mas
ter, carest thou not that w'e perish ?”
Yes, he does care for them as the ob
jects of his love, aud rises from his
couch, and in the majesty of his pow
er, and the riches of his compassion,
he speaks to the wmrring elements,
saying, “Peace, be still!” “And
the wind ceased, and there wms o. great
(xdm.” It did not require a day nor
an hour for the wind to lull, the tem
pest to calm down, the thunder to
cease echoing through the concave,
and the maddened waves to stop their
furious lashing against ilie trembling
vessel : no, but at the voice of Him
who hath gathered the wind in his
fists, and who hath measured the win
ters in the hollow of his hand, all
W'ere hushed to silence at once, at his
word, and a great calm immediately
ensued.
What astonishing power! and
W'hat a display of sovereignty over all
created things was here exhibited!—
“ What manner of man is this, that
even the wind aud the sea obey him?’’
As it was when Jesus walked on the
troubled sea in the dark night, and
came to the terror-stricken disciples,
and calmed their fears, and stilled
the storm, they exclaim, “ Of a truth
tliou art the Sou of God.”—Matt.
14: 33. Here we have indubitable
evidence of tlie humanity and divini
ty of Jesus Christ, and of his care,
compassion and love towards them
that trust in him ; and in contem
plating this scene on the lake, w’e are
leminded of the omnipotence of the
God of our salvation, and of the dis-
j)lays of an interposing arm in de
fence of his people. “ He stayeth his
rough wind in the day of the east
wind,” and is an “ hiding place from
the wind, and a covert from the tem
pest” to all his dear children. He
enables ihem to “ hasten iheir escape
from the windy storm and temjwst,”
and to take shelter under the shadow
of h is wings. They are often, in
their experience, and in the discliarge
of their duty to their Master, made to
“ do business in great w'aters.” These
see the w'orks of the Lord, and his
wonders in the deep. They mount
up to the heaven, they go dowm again
to the depths : their soul is riielted be
cause of trouble. They reel to and
fro and stagger like a drunken man,
and are at' their wit’s end. Then
they cry unto the Lord in their trou
ble, and he bringeth them out of their
distress, lie maketh the storm a
calm, so that the waves thereof are
still. Then are they glad because
they be quiet; so he bringeth them
unto his desired haven.”—Psl. 107:
23, 30.
What a clear illustration of the
Christian’s voyage of life across the
troubled sea of time, and w'hat a
guarantee for the safe conduct and
final landing in the port of peace.—
“ He leadeth me beside the still wa
ters,” because he h uh said peace to
my troubled soul. When we become
fearful at the rising w'inds of doctrine,
and frightened at the terrible billow's
of trouble, and our vessel is about
full and ready to sink, a word from
our Captain, heard above the roar of
the elements, saying, “ Peace, be
still,” will calm the troubled breast.
“ \V\ len thou passest through the wa
ters, I will be wnth thee; and thro’
the rivers, they shall not overflow
thee : when thou walkest through the
fire, thou shalt not be burned ; neith
er shall tlie flames be kindled upon
thee.”—Isai. 43 : 2.
“ When tlirougli the deep waters I call thee
to go,
The rivers of woe shall not tliee overflow.”
If we are brought to Mount Sinai
by the divine law, and hear its thun
ders against our guilty souls, see tlie
lightnings of wrath against our sins,
and feel the storms of vengeance, and
the billow's of condemnation siukino'
us to the depths of hell, a w'ord from
the lips of the Prince of Peace can
calm our troubled hearts. “Thy
sins are forgiven thee: go in jieace!”
O W'hat sw'eet words to the guilty
soul! “ In me ye shall have peace,”
says the Prince of Peace, the King of
Peace, who hack made peace by the
blood of his cross. “ My peace I give
unto you : not as the world giveth,
give I unto you.” Being justified by
Christ, w'e have peace with God, a
peace that pisseth understanding.—
Our fallen nature ojiposes the work
of grace, and the lusts of the flesh
W’ar against the soul, keeping up an
unceasing conflict; and yet the re-
new'ed mind enjoys tranquility and
peace whenever it looks to Jesus, and
is able to trust in him, for he is our
peace. “ Be still,” says Jesus to the
raging storm and rolling billows, and
in our greatest straits, and sorest
conflicts, when he saves, “Be still, and
know that I am God,” a sw'eet still
ness, peace and oonfideuce in his word
and pow'er fill the mind. “ Thou
wilt keep him in perfect peace whose
mind is stayed on thee.”—Isai. 26 :
3. While the war lasts the soldier
has no peace, and until tlie campaign
is ended, and the la.st enemy van
quished, he is required to wear his
armor and keep u() the fray; and so
the .soldiers of the cross cannot have
perfect peace and re.st for both soul
and body, until the end of their
earthly pilgrimage. Many battles
are to be fought, many storms and
tempe.sts borne, many heavy w'aves
and billows mirst lash against our
little frail hark before we reach port
and ground our arms; but while on
the way across the sea,' if our Captain
is aboard, and says, “ It is I, be not
afraid,” we feel at ease airJ re.st in
confidence in tlie wisdom and power
of our Master,
“ Wiio pl.'uits hi.^ footstCJ)i^ in the sea,
And rides upon the storm.”
Jesus brought his (bsciples safe to
land, and ev'ery soul that trusts him
shall be brought to the' jiort of peace.
“ 'The nearer still she draws to land,
Mw-e eager all her povvens expand ;
tVith .steady helm, and free-bent sail,
tier anchor drops within the vail.
And now for joy her .sonnet signs,
Tm safe at home.”
I. X. Yaxmetee.
Benga', Bullock County, Ga.,
July 1, 1876.
Hear Brother Gold:-—
I have, for some time, felt a desire
to pen down some of 1113' feelings and
belief in regard to religious matters;
but, knowing my ignorance and sin
fulness, I feel unwortlq' to write any
thing for publication; and knowing
I fall so far behind nqv superiors in
wisdom ; I also feared I miirht, thro’
ignorance, say something wrong, and
some able pen would crilici.se what I
had written, and wound my feelings,
and then more harm would be done
than ffood. I am old, but feel that I
am
o
a
fo(
)l, or very
ignorant;
but
would, in my weakne.ss, admonish
the dear saints of the Lord to love
and good works ; and if a brother or
sister i.s overtaken in a fault, ye that
are spiritual, restore such an one in
the spirit of meeknes.s, considering
thyself lest thou also be tempted.
Hear brother Gold, what I novv'
write is by no means to get up a
controversy, fori am opposed to such,
e.specially between brethren and sis
ters of the Primitive Baptist Church,
for I think we ought to be of one
mind, and one judgment in tilings
pertaining to the kingdom of Christ,
and of God. Aud if I am not de
ceived, it is through a pure motive of
love to God and the great cause of
Christ, and good will toward the
dear .saints, and the Zion of God, that
I tiius write. And now, if my views
differ from any of my brethren’s or
sisters’ judgment, I can assure you
that I have not written with any in
tention of woundinij the feelino-s of
any of the lamb- of God.
Brother Gold, I see in the Land
mark (Xo. 15, dated June 15,1876,)
a communication written by Elder
D. W. Patman, who was an able
writer for the Southern Baptid Mes
senger before the war—which com
munication I read with sweet delight.
Now brother Patman, becau.se I dif
fer with you in some of your views
found ill your communication, do not,
dear brother, be offended with me
because we don’t sec alike; for, tho’
I never saw you in the flesh, I think
I love you in the spirit. The first
thing I noticed in your conlmuniea-
tion was that of suffrage.
We agree with Elder Patman that
white and colored men, and male
members of the Baptist Chiuvii have
a right to vote as they jilease in our
common elections, and no man ha.s a
right to complain; but suppo.se there
comes before the people an uncom-
moti election—say the authorities
had left it with the people to say
whether we have an c.stablished re
ligion according to law, or whether
we still have the liberty of conscience
to worship God according to the dic
tates of our consciences. Now sav'
there are two candidates—one in fa
vor of a law religion, the oilier in fa
vor of freedom of coirscience—i.s it
right for any brother who is a Prim
itive to vote for the candidate in fa
vor of law religion? I ihink not!
Brother P. says, some churches are
not disposed to allow their members
to receive any aid the laws of the
country may offer or allow them,
without laying themselves liable to
di.scipline, and probablv' exclusion
from Church privileges.
It may be true, that .some of the
Churches and Associations have been
too hasty in pa.ssing resolutions; still
we think, i.otwitstanding tlie law al
lowing homestead.s—ill almost every
homestead case some one is defraud
ed—and we feel a.ssuml the law of
fers aid to men (or at least some aid),
when if accepted by saints, they do
wrong, for they have no more right
to take shelter under the homestead
because they are in debt, than Daniel
had to worship the imatre that Kiiip'
Nebuchadnezzar set up. Daniel re
fused to worship the image set up :
.so we think all chri.stians should re
fuse taking the homestead. And if
Christians put their trust in tho aid
the law allows them, we fear thev’
disiru.st the promise of God, and lean
upon an arm of flesh.
Brother Patman says: the law,
whether right or wrong, has made
provisions for the relief of citizens
involved in debt, and to this law
saints are required to be in subjec
tion, and thinks it’s the privilege of
Church members to receive any aid
the law gives them, as much so as
any other citizen. True, they have
equal rights with other citizens
agreeable to law, but we can’t think
it’s agreeable to tlie law of God. We
can’t see that either the homestead law
or the law of God compels any man
to be in sulijection to it. And why?
Because the law, if we understand it,
compels no man to homestead, but
leaves it with him to do or not .do,
unless he is worth more than tlie
law allows him as such. If it is a
bad law saints have no right to make
themselves subject to it. PYr in
stance, if the Legislature made it no
harm to swindle our fellow-man,
agreeable to law, would it be right in
the sight of man to cheat or swindle
any man? Surely not! And if
Churches suffer one member to take
the homestead and hold him in fel
lowship, they may directly have to
fellowship another. Then we think
there would be more distrt.ss and con
fusion, and perhaps division, than
there would be to keep it out of the
Churches.
My advice to the Church of Jesus
Christ is, t® have nothing to do with