Ziou's Landmark.
91
to all God’s people.
Yours, in nieeknass,
n. C. Prrr.
Kemiu-ks.
Baptists should he one and adhere
to the same gosj)e! rule of fellowship
everywhere. Jf they do not the
ehain of fellowshi[) is broken. The
e-nlored inejuhors above stated made a
fiilse imprt'ssiou on the churches.—
We base no idea they would have
granted them letters to unite with a
cJiur‘h as far off*as Washington city,
I). C., wliieh is several hundred
inih's away from X C. The distinct
ground on whicli th(‘y asked and ob
tained letters of dismission was to
unite with chuiches iie:u’e>’ wdiere
they lived, only a few miles df.
Stme of the colored members had
been ;iml are yet anxious for oidina-
tion, ami the estaldishment o!'se[)a-
rate churches—of color. The white
!)reti!!'eu generally think the colored
mendiers are not (jualilied as fidly.as
they ought to be for this. Wliile
they have confidence to believe they
are Christians, yet they could not in
J'eUoioihip and confidence dismiss them
for this [uirpose, because they believe
sitch are not yet prc})ared for keep
ing the bouse of God in gospel order.
^Vilcn it is the mind of the Spirit tor
them thus to do the way will be open
.Siitisfactorily and onr minds will be
ready for it. The cpiestion is noc so
mneb, “ cannot the l^ord prepare col-
( red num to preacli and administer
the ordinances as well as wdiite men,
and enable them to keep house as
well as wdiite men?” but the furtlur
|uesti(m is, /Za,S' the Lord, already
d(tne no f Ijct us wait until we see
that he has done it. Does the con-
duet of those men w lio went off from
us thus, and the conduct of otlier col
ored memhers wdio are endorsing
them in their disorder, evince a ca-
j>acity in them to keep gospel order?
I>et all faithful (*olored brethren
.--Wieave to their wltite brctlu'fn, and
not be led off into this new de[)art-
tire. This will much sooner satis
fy ns of their soittul gospel judgment.
1 think tlie white brethren ha ;e as
mucli or more love for the colored
brethren as the colored ones have for
the whiles, and they should have.—
We should be one and live in har
mony. Both classes should strive
together to keep the unity of the
Spirit in the bond of peace. Color
should never divide the church of
Christ. Some of the greatest troub
les to the churches are nnen wdio
think the)" are fitted for preaciiers
when the ehurches do not think so.
Tiiey will attempt to preach any how.
While 1 believe that wdien God calls
them he will satisfy the churches of
the saints they are called. Jt is
too sei i®us a matter for a true one
to want ordination against the ini-
pression of his brethren and of the
best judges iu the churche.s.—Ed.
Lake Comtbrt, N. C., Dec. 12th, 1876.
Brother Gold:—
I have concluded to give my view
of tlie 23rd and 24th verses of the
13th chapter of Luke: “Then said
one unto him, Lord, are there few
that be saved ? And he said unto
tfiem, Strive to enter in at the
strait gate: for many, I say unto
you, will seek to enter in, and shall
not be able.”
Xow we see that there w'ere many
in that day, as W’ell as in this day
and time, that W'ere seeking, but they
could not enter in; for the Lord told
them tliat tlicy could not, neither can
they in this day. It would be well
for me to try to show why it was
that they could not enter in. It was
in the power of God and in the wis
dom of God from all eternity that
they could not and should not enter
in on account of their unbelief. Lcr
our blessed Jesus says be that be
lieves not is coudemiicd already. So
we see that there are some that do
not belie%’e, for their eyes are blinded
and their hearts are hardened, so
that they cannot believe unto
this day. See Daniel 12th chapter
and 10th verse: “ Many shall be pu
rified, and made white, and tried;
but the w'cked shall do wickedly :
and none of the wicked siiaH under
stand ; but the wise shall under
stand.” These wicked ones are tliose
wiiom God never was the God of, nor
ever will he. They are the ones
that Christ said were not his sheep,
and therefore shall seek to enter in
and shall not be able. There are
but tw'O kingdoms in the world, :md
one is the kingdom of God and the
other is the kingdom of the wicked
one ; For Clirist said in one place,
in reference to these wdeked ones,
“ Ye are of your father, the devil,
and the lusts of vour father will vc
do.” So w"e see that they would not
believe on the Savior. By reading
the 13th chapter of John we see there
arc some tliat are born after the flesli
and not of God, and those that are
born after the flesh are not file chil
dren of God; blit those that are by
promise are counted for the seed.
I God entered into a covenant w"ith
j his Son before '.he foundation of the
I w"or!d, and there was a part of the
; human family given to the Son, or
! in otiicr words chosen in him fioiii
eterni-y, and in him is the salva-
i tian and redemption of tiie bride the
I Laml/s wife, wliieli thus was
' rfaWTi'liim igB-e-i'He • woTTd
AVT understand that Christ
had reference to the end of
time wdien he said, “ AVdien once the
Master of the house is risen up, and.
shut to tlie door, and ye begin to
stand without and knock at the door,
saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us.—
Then shall he answmr and say unto
you, I never knew you, from wdieiice
ye are.” Xow we know that Christ
knew all mankind. Then what is
to be done iiere. We don’t want to
deny the word of God. But let us
say to you that he never knew
i them in the pardon of their sins ; for
they were outside of the covenant of
grace. Therefore he did not know
them. But tho.se that were his sheep,
those that were chosen in him from
eternity; for they are created in
him, that is in Christ Jesus, unto
good works, that God had before or
dained that they should walk iu
them. We read in the 9th
chapter of Romans that there w’ere
some who were born after the flesh,
that were not the children of God.—
So we see tliat there are some who
are not his; for be says he will bring
strong delusions upon them that they
may believe a lie and be damned.—
They are the ones whose eyes are
blinded and who.se hearts are
hardened lest they should turn and
be converted and Christ should heal
them. They are the ones that Christ
said God was not the God of. For
he said that God was the God of
Abraliam, and of Isaac, «nd Jacob.
He is not the God of the dead, but of
the living. Now we understand that
Abrahatn, Isaac and Jacob were all
three dead at that time. But you
see that those that are dead in Christ
are said to be asleep in him, but those
that God was not the God of were
dead out of Christ, and were not
asleep in Christ. Tliey were outside
of the covenant of grace. This is a
hard sitying, but I believe it. I be
lieve that God, before be made this
world, could and did look through
the long line of Adam’s iiosterity and
made a choice out of them, and fixed
the plan of redemption and salvation
for them ; and, therefore, it being
fixed by God the Lather, it is sure
unto ali the elect, the chosen of God ;
for thev were chosen in him from be
fore the foundation of the world.—
ft is written, “Jacob have 1 loved,
but Esau have I hated. AVhat sliall
we say then.? Is there unrlglueous-
ness with God? God forbid. Lor
he saitli to Moses, I will hive mercy
on whom I will have mercy. Tbere-
fore liath he mercy on whom he will
have mercy and whom he will he
hardencth.”
Brotlier Gold, do as you think
best with tins.
I remain your unworthy brother
in the faith, I hope,
Elijah P. Hud.sox.
XortU Side Matarauskeot Luke, X. C.,
March 23rd, 1877.
Friend Gold:—
I have been thinking of writing to
you, for some time, a friendly letter.
J was born May 19, 1825—after
the flesh—and was smart like all
otlier men who are drunk. I was
drunk for thirty-three years; yes,just
as drunk as a sot ou wine—deceived.
again (■■^-not
deceived). That birth mined me
(the flesh). I have not been smart
since; but it made me sober, I think.
The second birth lamed me. I have
halted ever since the second birth
opened my eyes. I don’t see, hear
nor understand as I did before. I
believe lam a new man inwardly.
The things I once hated I now love,
and the things I loved I now hate.
Where the dragon lay there now
grow reeds and rushes.
Friend Gold'(I liope you will not
get offended with me for addressing
you as a friend—I liope I am a friend
to all Old Baptists, I hope I love
them and the cause), I am the least
in my Father’s house. If a saint at
all, less than the least of all saints.—
I belong to wo religious denomina
tion, nor ever have. I did not
want to but was made to read my
bible. I am a poor mortal, sin-de
filed, ignorant and unlearned, have
trampled liis (God’s) mercies under
my feet, and counted the blood of the
covenant an uniioly thing and done
despite to the S{)irit of Grace. My
mouth was full of cursing and bitter
ness, rolling sin under my tongue as
a sweet morsel.
Friend Gold, it is a mystery to me
that God called me; he works all
things after the counsel of his will,
and none can hinder. I think if I
am happy enough to reach the climes
of endless bliss I will have
more to thank him for than any who
will be there. Mine has been an
outside case. I believe I have re
pented long ago, if not deceived. I
have read my bible for twenty years
—in that time I ha,ye read it through
fourteen times, and yet I am a poor
mortal. Sometimes I think I am
blind, stupid, slioil-siglited, and liv
ing far from God—living like any
thing but a Christian.
Do yon think any one in my con
dition fit fisr the Baptist church ?—
Lor fifteen years it has been my de
sire to be baptized. Do yon think,
from my sayings that I am a fit sub
ject? If so, tell me! lam afraid
I am not good enough. O, that all
God’s peo[)le would pray for me tliat
I might be able to do all my duty,
and fill my position in every rcsjicct.
I shall be called before long.
I will close by asking you to re
member me in your jirayers.
I subscribe invsclf
A IThexi) to the Old Baptists.
Ivcniiu'ks.
If I did not tliink that the very
people who are just fitted, ripe and
ready to he baptized were the ones
that feel so unfit and unworthy, I
should be astonished at our friend for
asking me if I thought l:e was fit.—
Why it seems to me I can see him
groaning wlien he goes to a confer
ence meeting, or sees one bajitized :
he 1 lardly can bear it. Then how he
slips about, here anU there, to pick
up a morsel which his soul hungers
after. If you are not fit why do you
hunger and thirst to be with the
church? AVJiy are you its friend?
Why is it impressed on you to be
baptized ? You have a good con
science already (for Baptists do not
baptize one to save the soul, nor to
put away the filth of the flesh), and
that good conscience is often asking,
AVhy are you not bajitized ? Then
the word of God directs you, yea
commands it. How plain is tlie
teachings in that bible you have read
30 often ibtit beiievers shoiiltl oe ba|)-
tized, and that those who love
Christ should keep his command
ments.
Then I can imagine liow our friend
would rejoice if he were baptized.—
What a load it would take off! what
fellowship in tlie church! what
love he would tcel ! Oh my friend,
you are missing so much. Just such
as you are the ones to go. Arise, be
of good cheer! Deny thyself, take
up thy cross. AVhen you are baj>-
tized, don’t think all the race is run.
Go on ill tlie glorious journey with
the Lord’s people until you are dis
charged by deatli from the warfare.
Fight the good flght of faith.—En.
CHITICH RECORDS.
All churclies sliould have clerks
who should keep faithful records of
the proceedings of the churches, min
uting down and recording every event
of any importance. The transac
tions may lie so familiar to the
brethren at tlie time of their trans
piring, or may seem so unimportant,
that to them there may be no appa
rent necessity for coimiiitting them
to a record. But after years may
bring about a manifested necessity for
their preservation. The minds
and memories of men are very
treacherous and leaky, and it is not
safe to entrust important events to
them only for safe keeping. Some
times very weighty matters turn on
the hinge of an ancient record. I^ct
your church records be so plain and
complete that they can speak for
themselves to your posterity when
your tongues are silenced by death.
It is better to trust in tlie Lord than
to put confidence in raau.-Psa. 118 : 8